Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Metabolism of (Nitrooxy)butyl Ester Nitric Oxide-Releasing Compounds: Comparison with Glyceryl Trinitrate

We investigated the in vitro metabolism of two (nitrooxy)butyl ester nitric oxide (NO) donor derivatives of flurbiprofen and ferulic acid, [1,1′-biphenyl]-4-acetic acid-2-fluoro-α-methyl-4-(nitrooxy)butyl ester (HCT 1026) and 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid 4-(nitrooxy)butyl ester (NCX 2057), respectively, in rat blood plasma and liver subcellular fractions compared with (nitrooxy)butyl alcohol (NOBA) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). HCT 1026 and NCX 2057 undergo rapid ubiquitous carboxyl ester hydrolysis to their respective parent compounds and NOBA. The nitrate moiety of this latter is subsequently metabolized to inorganic nitrogen oxides (NOx), predominantly in liver cytosol by glutathione S-transferase (GST) and to a lesser extent in liver mitochondria. If, however, in liver cytosol, the carboxyl ester hydrolysis is prevented by an esterase inhibitor, the metabolism at the nitrate moiety level does not occur. In blood plasma, HCT 1026 and NCX 2057 are not metabolized to NOx, whereas a slow but sustained NO generation in deoxygenated whole blood as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance indicates the involvement of erythrocytes in the bioactivation of these compounds. Differently from NOBA, GTN is also metabolized in blood plasma and more quickly metabolized by different GST isoforms in liver cytosol. The cytosolic GST-mediated denitration of these organic nitrates in liver limits their interaction with other intracellular compartments to possible generation of NO and/or their subsequent availability and bioactivation in the systemic circulation and extrahepatic tissues. We show the possibility of modulating the activity of hepatic cytosolic enzymes involved in the metabolism of (nitrooxy)butyl ester compounds, thus increasing the therapeutic potential of this class of compounds.
Ensuring quality in crowdsourced search relevance evaluation: The effects of training question distribution

The use of crowdsourcing platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk for evaluating the relevance of search results has become an effective strategy that yields results quickly and inexpensively. One approach to ensure quality of worker judgments is to include an initial training period and subsequent sporadic insertion of predefined gold standard data (training data). Workers are notified or rejected when they err on the training data, and trust and quality ratings are adjusted accordingly. In this paper, we assess how this type of dynamic learning environment can affect the workers’ results in a search relevance evaluation task completed on Amazon Mechanical Turk. Specifically, we show how the distribution of training set answers impacts training of workers and aggregate quality of worker results. We conclude that in a relevance categorization task, a uniform distribution of labels across training data labels produces optimal peaks in 1) individual worker precision and 2) majority voting aggregate result accuracy.
Adenosine triphosphate production by bovine spermatozoa and its relationship to semen fertilizing ability.

This article's objectives are to investigate the relationship between adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production (oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis) and fertility of bovine spermatozoa, determine the proportion of oxygen consumption devoted to proton leak and that due to nonmitochondrial processes, and discover whether freeze/thawing affects sperm oxygen consumption. Oxygen consumption of bovine spermatozoa was measured using a standard Clark electrode and, for the first time, in an Oxygen Biosensor System (OBS). Total ATP formation by bovine spermatozoa was calculated from the oxygen consumption and lactate production (glycolysis) by the same spermatozoa sample. ATP production varied from 1.99 to 8.09 mumol ATP per 10(8) spermatozoa per hour; glycolysis accounted for 16% to 38% of ATP. Nonmitochondrial oxygen consumption could not be detected in bovine spermatozoa using these methods. A significant proportion (16%-43%) of oxygen consumption was insensitive to oligomycin and was due to "proton leak. " There was no significant difference between oxygen consumption of frozen/thawed and fresh spermatozoa for 2 of the 3 bulls tested. However, oxygen consumption of frozen/thawed spermatozoa was significantly higher (P < .05) than fresh spermatozoa for the third bull. When ZO(2) of frozen/thawed spermatozoa from 20 bulls was compared with their 49 day nonreturn rates (NRRs), oxygen consumption was correlated positively with NRR (ie, fresh spermatozoa with a higher ZO(2) were more fertile). Moreover, total ATP production correlated with NNR better than ZO(2). Bulls with a lower NRR produce spermatozoa that are susceptible to damage during the freeze/thawing process, causing an increase in ZO(2), possibly due to mitochondrial membrane damage resulting in more energy being expended in maintaining the proton gradient, or capacitation-like changes causing hyperactivation. Oxygen consumption measured in the OBS may be useful in assessing bovine sperm fertility.
Preparation study of indocyanine green-rituximab: A new receptor-targeted tracer for sentinel lymph node in breast cancer

An appropriate receptor-targeted tracer for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was prepared. We combined the fluorescence tracer (Indocyanine green, ICG) with Rituximab (a chimeric human/murine monoclonal antibody targeting the CD20 antigen on the surface of lymphocyte) directly to produce a new tracer (ICG-Rituximab). When the new tracer drains to the lymph node, Rituximab will combine with CD20 receptor on the B-cell surface in the lymph node. If the statue of antibody-receptor connection does not reach saturation, the number of Rituximab is less than CD20. With this appropriate injection dose, the new tracer could only stay in sentinel lymph node (SLN) and make it imaging. Positive fluorescence SLN was detected 12 minutes after injection with no other organs imaging. The imaging of SLN was stable and clear for 20–24 hours. Due to SLN stained with more ICG than the lymphatic vessel, the fluorescence situation of SLN would be brighter than the vessel. The surgeon can detect the positive fluorescence SLN easily without following the fluorescence imaging lymphatic vessel. The results of our preliminary study showed that the new tracer might be useful for improving SLN imaging and worth further clinical study. SLNB with the new tracer could be a convenient method for detecting SLN and would become a standard performance in clinical practice.
Optimal Medical Therapy Improves Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Revascularization With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Insights From the Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) Trial at the 5-Year Fol

Background— There is a paucity of data on the use of optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with complex coronary artery disease undergoing revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and its long-term prognostic significance. Methods and Results— The Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial is a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial of patients (n=1800) with complex coronary disease randomized to revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention or CABG. Detailed drug history was collected for all patients at discharge and at the 1-month, 6-month, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year follow-ups. OMT was defined as the combination of at least 1 antiplatelet drug, statin, &bgr;-blocker, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker. Five-year clinical outcomes were stratified by OMT and non-OMT. OMT was underused in patients treated with coronary revascularization, especially CABG. OMT was an independent predictor of survival. OMT was associated with a significant reduction in mortality (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.85; P=0.002) and composite end point of death/myocardial infarction/stroke (hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.92; P=0.007) at the 5-year follow-up. The treatment effect with OMT (36% relative reduction in mortality over 5 years) was greater than the treatment effect of revascularization strategy (26% relative reduction in mortality with CABG versus percutaneous coronary intervention over 5 years). On stratified analysis, all the components of OMT were important for reducing adverse outcomes regardless of revascularization strategy. Conclusions— The use of OMT remains low in patients with complex coronary disease requiring coronary intervention with percutaneous coronary intervention and even lower in patients treated with CABG. Lack of OMT is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Targeted strategies to improve OMT use in postrevascularization patients are warranted. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00114972.
A Gaze into the Mind’s Eye: Gaze as an Indicator of Cortical Reinstatement during Mental Imagery

When a previously encountered image is visualized, the spatiotemporal pattern of fixations observed during encoding is often recapitulated. Modern theories posit that fixation recapitulation facilitates, and is facilitated by, the retrieval of detailed internal memory representations. However, there currently exists no direct neuroscientific evidence of this claim. Using an fMRI-based measure of neural reinstatement as a proxy for internal memory representations, we found significant correlations between fixation recapitulation and neural reinstatement during visualization. Additionally, we found a strong correlation between memory performance and neural reinstatement, which mediated a non-significant correlation between memory performance and fixation recapitulation. A secondary goal of the discussed research was the development of a fixation similarity measure optimized for visualization tasks. We found that a measure based solely on fixation angle outperformed a traditional location measure, supporting a chunk-based theory of fixation recapitulation. In total, our results support and extend current theories of fixation recapitulation.
Detecting Intrusions in Security Protocols

Secure electronic communication relies on the application of cryptography. However, even with perfect encryption, communication may be compromised without effective security protocols for key exchange, authentication, privacy, etc. We are beginning to see environments characterized by high volume encrypted traffic between large numbers of communicating principals, facilitated by heterogeneous infrastructure-based trusted services, e.g. Public Key Infrastructures. These vital services are dependent on security protocols. Unfortunately, security protocols are known to be highly susceptible to subtle errors. To date, we have relied on formal methods to tell us if our security protocols are effective. These methods do not provide complete or measurable protocol security. Moreover, security protocols are subject to the same implementation and administrative vulnerabilities as communication protocols. As a result, we are and will operate security protocols that have known and unknown flaws. In this paper, we describe a method and architecture to detect intrusions in security protocol environments. Our method is based on classic intrusion detection techniques of knowledge-based and behavior-based techniques detection. Section
An approach for knowledge interaction to improve the availability of KBS

In conceptual model of Knowledge-Based System (KBS), there is an antagonistic contradiction of reusability-availability. Researching knowledge interaction in it is a critical method to resolve the contradiction. However, the previous researches have devoted limited endeavor to the problem. This paper starts by reusable UPML architecture, and applies the techniques in distributed software engineering to study the non-manual interactions among reusable knowledge components. The adapter in UPML is first split into two independent parts by operational functions, an architecture for KBS which focuses on the interactions among the components is proposed. Then, Matching Agent Group is taken as the interaction medium between task knowledge and Problem-Solving Method (PSM), and a method to localize the PSM which undertake task is designed. Finally, CORBA bus is regarded as the interaction medium between domain knowledge and PSM, and a means to integrate distributed knowledge source and coordinate PSM is presented. The result of analysis shows that the approach provided in this paper can bridge two abstract levels, namely the reuse of knowledge components and KBS architecture. Thus the availability of KBS will be improved while using this approach.
Using Neural Color Classification in Robotic Soccer Domain

This paper provides an investigation on the aplicability of the color classification using an artificial neural network in the robotic soccer domain. Using the well known network generalization propriety, the aplicability of the approach to the segmentation of colored images over the RGB color system is investigated, looking for a robust classification even under illumination variations and different color saturations. One typical domain characteristcs is the time constraint in the training phase.
Crosstalk between c-Jun and TAp73α/β contributes to the apoptosis–survival balance

The p53-family member p73 plays a role in various cellular signaling pathways during development and growth control and it can have tumor suppressor properties. Several isoforms of p73 exist with considerable differences in their function. Whereas the functions of the N-terminal isoforms (TA and ΔNp73) and their opposing pro- and antiapoptotic roles have become evident, the functional differences of the distinct C-terminal splice forms of TAp73 have remained unclear. Here, we characterized the global genomic binding sites for TAp73α and TAp73β by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing as well as the transcriptional responses by performing RNA sequencing. We identified a specific p73 consensus binding motif and found a strong enrichment of AP1 motifs in close proximity to binding sites for TAp73α. These AP1 motif-containing target genes are selectively upregulated by TAp73α, while their mRNA expression is repressed upon TAp73β induction. We show that their expression is dependent on endogenous c-Jun and that recruitment of c-Jun to the respective AP1 sites was impaired upon TAp73β expression, in part due to downregulation of c-Jun. Several of these AP1-site containing TAp73α-induced genes impinge on apoptosis induction, suggesting an underlying molecular mechanism for the observed functional differences between TAp73α and TAp73β.
SURRENDER TRIGGERS IN LIFE INSURANCE : CLASSIFICATION AND RISK PREDICTIONS

This paper shows that some policy features are crucial to explain the decision of the policyholder to surrender her contract. We point it out by applying two segmentation models to a life insurance portfolio : the Logistic Regression model and the Classification And Regression Trees model. Protection as well as Savings lines of business are impacted, and results clearly explicit that the profit benefit option is highly discriminant. We develop the study with endowment products. First we present the models and discuss their assumptions and limits. Then we test different policy features and policyholder’s characteristics to be lapse triggers so as to segment a portfolio in risk classes regarding the surrender choice : duration and profit benefit option are essential. Finally, we explore the main differences of both models in terms of operational results and discuss about it.
RAPID COMMUNICATION Detailed Descriptions of Routes Traveled, but not Map-Like Knowledge, Correlates With Tests of Hippocampal Function in Older Adults

We examined hippocampal contribution to remote spa- tial memory in older adults by correlating their performance on tests sensitive to hippocampal damage with their description of routes they traversed many times or only once, and with their map-like knowledge of downtown Toronto. We found that performance on table-top tests of spatial location (Smith and Milner (1981) Neuropsychologia 19:781- 793) and on paired-associate learning, and the number of Internal Details on the Autobiographical Interview (Levine et al., (2002) Psychol Aging 17:677-689), all correlated significantly with the number and type of perceptual details used in describing routes one has traversed, but not with map-like knowledge of Toronto. No significant correlations were found with performance on tests of frontal function (WCST, pho- nemic fluency, and backward digit span). We conclude that the hippo- campus is implicated in vivid re-experiencing of a familiar route, but not with map-like knowledge of a large-scale environment. These find- ings are interpreted as consistent with Multiple Trace Theory's predic- tion that it is the degree of detail of a retrieved memory that is crucially dependent on the hippocampus. V V C 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Data mining techniques based on grey system theories for time sequence data

Data mining is an interesting focus in computer science field now. This paper deals with data mining techniques based on Grey system theories for time sequence data. Firstly, thoughts of data mining with embedded knowledge are expatiated, and the status quo of Data mining techniques is presented briefly. Then, based on the above thoughts and the Grey system theories, data mining techniques based on Grey system theories for time sequence data are proposed for the first time, and the idiographic arithmetic with GM(1,1) as an example is introduced in this paper. Last, it forecasts the total homes in 2002~2005 connecting with Internet in ShangHai City by the arithmetic.
Music markets and the adoption of novelty : experimental approaches

By its prototypical nature, each musical good, and by extension each cultural good, is new. The aim of this thesis is two study the consumption and the funding of musical novelty, using two experimental approaches : the use of in-lab experiments to study demand (part I) and the use of experimental measures to understand field behaviors (part II). The first part explores the determinants and characteristics of demand for novelty. In the first chapter, we study the demand concentration when consumers can choose between established artists and new entrants. The second chapter presents estimations of an almost ideal demand system for four musical genres. The second part of this thesis focuses on contributors’ behaviors of a reward-based crowdfunding platform. In a third chapter, we propose a model of decision to contribute to a musical project, based on the observation that contributors are exposed to two types of risk : a risk of coordination failure and a risk of non delivery. With this in mind, illusion of control allows to understand the timing of decision. A closer look at the role of risk preferences shows that risk aversion is negatively correlated with contributions when coordination is ensured. On the contrary, the correlation becomes positive at the beginning of a campaign. In the last chapter, we investigate the mixed nature of crowdfunding. Results suggest that the decision to contribute falls within a donation logic while the decision on how much to contribute falls within a consumption logic.
An improved image super resolution and its parallel implementation based on CUDA

Image super resolution (SR) based on self-similarity has achieved impressive results by exploiting the local similarity across various scaled images. However, it is time consuming and far from meeting practical applications' requirements and it is prone to unnatural visual artifacts such as facets and enhanced noise. In this paper, with the powerful general purposeGPU, an accelerated parallel implementation based on NVIDIA CUDA architecture has been proposed. Then denoising is combined and implemented together during the SR processing using the patch matching information of similarity, and it makes the images clearer and cleaner. Also, subpixel accuracy of interpolation and searching is applied to improve the similarity matching process, which make the upscaled images more natural-looking. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an impressive speedup rate and produces improved visual quality images in comparison with other state-of-the-art SR.
Mars: Definition and Characterization of Global Surface Units, with Compositional Emphasis.

Units of similar optical properties have been defined for a large part of the surface of Mars using primarily Viking 2 approach maps of red (0.59 μm) and violet (0.45 μm) normal albedo. Of available global data sets, spectral albedo most closely relates to surface mineralogy. The resultant unit map represents Mars at the time the Viking images were acquired (Ls = 103°–105°, morning, northern hemisphere summer in 1976). Computer processing of these data reveals clusters of albedo values which relate to specific, contiguous regions on the planet. Final unit definitions were determined by an interactive, iterative process which included scientific judgment on the part of the researchers; the results therefore are not the product of an unsupervised statistical classification. Some unit boundaries are of a gradational nature, while others are more discrete. Certain of the units are temporal and relate to the presence of condensates at the time of observation. Other units, by virtue of their redness and low albedo, are almost certainly not affected by condensates. A study of the albedo properties of analog materials measured in the laboratory and of telescopic spectrophotometry of Mars indicates that both hydroxylated (low temperature or secondary) and hematitic (high temperature or primary) oxidized materials exist on the surface. The most likely surface expression of global dust and/or high-albedo soils is in the classical bright region Arabia. This material is probably a low-temperature hydrated oxidation product of mafic volcanic glass, such as a palagonite or amorphous iron-silica gel. Most low-albedo features in the region studied have red and violet albedos consistent with a dark substrate (such as basalt) coated by, or mixed with, the fine-grained alteration product mentioned above. There may be no genetic relationship between these two components in this majority of low-albedo surface materials. Certain of the other low-albedo regions are also the most red (highest R-V) areas observed on the planet. These areas are consistent with a nonhydroxylated, more hematitic material such as that produced by high-temperature hydrothermal alteration of basalt. Some of these dark, very red regions correlate with exposures of very ancient terrain. At this spatial resolution (10–20 km/pixel) there is no evidence of surface exposures of uncoated or unweathered basaltic rock or glass. Comparisons of the unit map with other data sets available to us revealed no striking detailed correlations. Larger-scale correlations certainly do exist, however, among the various albedo data sets and with thermal inertia data.