Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Prediction of Carotid Intraplaque Hemorrhage Using Clinical and Lumen Imaging Markers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MR imaging detects intraplaque hemorrhage with high accuracy by using the magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo sequence. Still, MR imaging is not readily available for all patients, and many undergo CTA instead. Our goal was to determine essential clinical and lumen imaging predictors of intraplaque hemorrhage, as indicators of its presence and clues to its pathogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, patients undergoing stroke work-up with MR imaging/MRA underwent carotid intraplaque hemorrhage imaging. We analyzed 726 carotid plaques, excluding vessels with non-carotid stroke sources (n = 420), occlusions (n = 7), or near-occlusions (n = 3). Potential carotid imaging predictors of intraplaque hemorrhage included percentage diameter and millimeter stenosis, plaque thickness, ulceration, and intraluminal thrombus. Clinical predictors were recorded, and a multivariable logistic regression model was fitted. Backward elimination was used to determine essential intraplaque hemorrhage predictors with a thresholded 2-sided P < . 10. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Predictors of carotid intraplaque hemorrhage included plaque thickness (OR = 2.20, P < .001), millimeter stenosis (OR = 0.46, P < .001), ulceration (OR = 4.25, P = .020), age (OR = 1.11, P = .001), and male sex (OR = 3.23, P = .077). The final model discriminatory value was excellent (area under the curve = 0.932). This was significantly higher than models using only plaque thickness (area under the curve = 0.881), millimeter stenosis (area under the curve = 0.830), or ulceration (area under the curve= 0.715, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Optimal discrimination of carotid intraplaque hemorrhage requires information on plaque thickness, millimeter stenosis, ulceration, age, and male sex. These factors predict intraplaque hemorrhage with high discriminatory power and may provide clues to the pathogenesis of intraplaque hemorrhage. This model could be used to predict the presence of intraplaque hemorrhage when MR imaging is contraindicated.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Test Used for Certification in Sport Scuba Diving

The purpose of this study was to confirm the underlying factor structure of the entry-level scuba diving certification test published by the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). The test measures knowledge mastery across 6 content areas. A sample of 400 female and male entry-level scuba diving students aged from 18 to 47 years participated in the study. A rigorous structural equation modeling approach was used to confirm the factor structure of the test. The results verify that two latent factors or constructs accurately represent knowledge mastery for entry-level scuba diving students. Also, cross-validation procedures were used to examine the accuracy of measurement model replication. Collectively, these findings support the construct validity of the test.
Adolescent Perspectives on Authentic Writing Instruction

Researchers and educators support the idea of providing authentic literacy experiences to students. However, a critical misconception of the locus of authenticity exists; the focus has generally been on making tasks authentic to college, careers, or researcher-determined notions of authenticity rather than making tasks authentic to students and their funds of knowledge. After making a case for redefining authenticity in education as subjective, I then present a grounded theory of authentic writing instruction derived from interviews of a diverse body of eighth grade students over two years. Results of this study indicate the need for instruction to include a choice of valued topics, an emphasis on expression instead of conventions, and the potential for writing to impact an intended, actual audience.
Consistency checks of design specifications against requirements using graph-based linguistic analysis

For the development of complex systems it is important to ensure that design specifications and requirements are consistent. Unfortunately, requirements are often written in natural language and are weakly structured which hinders automatic processing. Manual steps or formal specifications are necessary which are time consuming, error prone and often not suitable for complex systems. We present a graph-based, linguistic method to check the consistency of design specifications against requirements automatically. Our approach is able to propose recommendations to resolve inconsistencies. We evaluated our approach in an industrial setting which demonstrated the practical applicability and usefulness.
Assessment of disorder predictions in CASP8

The interest in intrinsically disordered proteins has greatly increased, as it has become clear that they are very widespread, especially in eukaryotic organisms. Functionally, they appear to play a significant role in the control of many cellular processes and signalling pathways and have been, also, associated with a number of diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's. Thus, there is enormous interest in attempts to predict disordered regions in proteins solely from knowledge of their amino acid sequences. In this study, we assess the quality of predictions for 25 groups on predicting disordered regions in 122 target proteins. In addition, we suggest the need of a “knowledge‐independent” measure that would enable one to normalize the results of the different CASP experiments and to determine whether the disorder prediction field had improved across the years. Proteins 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Maximum Entropy and the Glasses You are Looking Through

We give an interpretation of the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) Principle in gametheoretic terms. Based on this interpretation, we make a formal distinction between different ways of applying Maximum Entropy distributions. MaxEnt has frequently been criticized on the grounds that it leads to highly representation dependent results. Our distinction allows us to avoid this problem in many cases.
A Metaresonator Inspired Dual Band Antenna for Wireless Applications

A novel metaresonator inspired dual band antenna for 2.4/5.2 GHz WLAN applications is presented. Dual band operation is achieved by utilizing stacking technique on a dog bone shaped dipole antenna. Stacking excites the magnetic resonance in addition to the existing dipole resonance in the structure yielding the dual band design. The antenna has a 2:1 VSWR bandwidth of 12% for the lower dipole resonance centered around 2.47 GHz and 10.5% for the second resonance at 5.18 GHz which is wide enough to cover the 2.4 GHz and 5.2 GHz WLAN applications. The antenna is made of a low cost FR4 substrate of relative permittivity 4.4 and height 1.6 mm and has a total dimension of 38×40×3.2 mm3. Experimental and simulation studies of the antenna including the stacking height variation and resonant mechanisms are explained in detail in this communication.
Evaluating queries with generalized path expressions

In the past few years, query languages featuring generalized path expressions have been proposed. These languages allow the interrogation of both data and structure. They are powerful and essential for a number of applications. However, until now, their evaluation has relied on a rather naive and inefficient algorithm.In this paper, we extend an object algebra with two new operators and present some interesting rewriting techniques for queries featuring generalized path expressions. We also show how a query optimizer can integrate the new techniques.
Lipid disorders and mutations in the APOB gene.

BACKGROUND Plasma lipoproteins are important determinants of atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein (apo) B is a large, amphipathic glycoprotein that plays a central role in human lipoprotein metabolism. Two forms of apoB are produced from the APOB gene by a unique posttranscriptional editing process: apoB-48, which is required for chylomicron production in the small intestine, and apoB-100, required for VLDL production in the liver. In addition to being the essential structural component of VLDL, apoB-100 is the ligand for LDL-receptor-mediated endocytosis of LDL particles. CONTENT The study of monogenic dyslipidemias has revealed important aspects of metabolic pathways. In this review, we discuss the regulation of apoB metabolism and examine how APOB gene defects can lead to both hypo- and hypercholesterolemia. The key clinical, metabolic, and genetic features of familial hypobetalipoproteinemia and familial ligand-defective apoB-100 are described. SUMMARY Missense mutations in the LDL-receptor-binding domain of apoB cause familial ligand-defective apoB-100, characterized by hypercholesterolemia and premature coronary artery disease. Other mutations in APOB can cause familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, characterized by hypocholesterolemia and resistance to atherosclerosis. These naturally occurring mutations reveal key domains in apoB and demonstrate how monogenic dyslipidemias can provide insight into biologically important mechanisms.
"Meaning Through Syntax" in Sentence Production and Comprehension: Reply to McRae et al. (2005)

The “meaning through syntax” framework (G. McKoon & R. Ratcliff, 2003) proposes lexical, decompositional representations of verb meaning. For several classes of verbs, the proposed representations have successfully predicted 2 types of data that pattern differently: the syntactic structures of sentences that are naturally produced by speakers and writers and the comprehension processing times of verbs and sentences. In addition, the framework assumes that syntactic structures carry meaning, and a particular meaning has been proposed for the reduced relative clause construction. Combining this meaning with the proposed meanings of verbs that might be used in reduced relative clauses explains why reduced relatives with some classes of verbs occur in natural production with near-zero frequency. K. McRae, M. Hare, and M. Tanenhaus (2005) criticized the meaning through syntax framework but offered no explanation for many of the empirical findings that support the framework.
[11C]-(R)-PK11195 positron emission tomography in patients with complex regional pain syndrome

Abstract Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by severe and chronic pain, but the pathophysiology of this disease are not clearly understood. The primary aim of our case–control study was to explore neuroinflammation in patients with CRPS using positron emission tomography (PET), with an 18-kDa translocator protein specific radioligand [11C]-(R)-PK11195. [11C]-(R)-PK11195 PET scans were acquired for 11 patients with CRPS (30–55 years) and 12 control subjects (30–52 years). Parametric image of distribution volume ratio (DVR) for each participant was generated by applying a relative equilibrium-based graphical analysis. The DVR of [11C]-(R)-PK11195 in the caudate nucleus (t(21) = −3.209, P = 0.004), putamen (t(21) = −2.492, P = 0.022), nucleus accumbens (t(21) = −2.218, P = 0.040), and thalamus (t(21) = −2.395, P = 0.026) were significantly higher in CRPS patients than in healthy controls. Those of globus pallidus (t(21) = −2.045, P = 0.054) tended to be higher in CRPS patients than in healthy controls. In patients with CRPS, there was a positive correlation between the DVR of [11C]-(R)-PK11195 in the caudate nucleus and the pain score, the visual analog scale (r = 0.661, P = 0.026, R2 = 0.408) and affective subscales of McGill Pain Questionnaire (r = 0.604, P = 0.049, R2 = 0.364). We demonstrated that neuroinflammation of CRPS patients in basal ganglia. Our results suggest that microglial pathology can be an important pathophysiology of CRPS. Association between the level of caudate nucleus and pain severity indicated that neuroinflammation in this region might play a key role. These results may be essential for developing effective medical treatments.
Importance of the Hsp70 ATPase Domain in Yeast Prion Propagation

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae non-Mendelian genetic element [PSI+] is the prion form of the translation termination factor Sup35p. The ability of [PSI+] to propagate efficiently has been shown previously to depend upon the action of protein chaperones. In this article we describe a genetic screen that identifies an array of mutants within the two major cytosolic Hsp70 chaperones of yeast, Ssa1p and Ssa2p, which impair the propagation of [PSI+]. All but one of the mutants was located within the ATPase domain of Hsp70, which highlights the important role of regulation of Hsp70–Ssa ATP hydrolysis in prion propagation. A subset of mutants is shown to alter Hsp70 function in a way that is distinct from that of previously characterized Hsp70 mutants that alter [PSI+] propagation and supports the importance of interdomain communication and Hsp70 interaction with nucleotide exchange factors in prion propagation. Analysis of the effects of Hsp70 mutants upon propagation of a second yeast prion [URE3] further classifies these mutants as having general or prion-specific inhibitory properties.
BRIEF PAPERS: PREPARATION OF INULIN FOR USE IN ADSORPTION COLUMNS.

Inulin has been found to be a very satisfactory material for the separation of the two chlorophyll components by means of the chromatographic adsorption method of TSWETT. Inulin has certain advantages over powdered sucrose for this purpose: it is less hygroscopic than sucrose; it apparently has a higher adsorptive capacity, so that smaller quantities and hence smaller columns are needed; the chlorophyll separates into two bands of the two components readily and these are easily eluted. Moreover, it is not necessary to remove the carotenoid pigments from the solution before adsorption, so that leaf extracts in petroleum ether solution can be used directly on the inulin adsorption columns. The method which has been used for the preparation of inulin is in principle the same as that described by KILIANI (1) and which has recently been used by SPOEHR and MILNER (2, 3) for the isolation of leaf starch from plant materials. The source for the preparation of inulin has been dahlia tubers which were obtained as culls from nurseries. The dahlia tubers were scrubbed to remove all soil, anid decayed and woody portions were cut out. The tubers were then cut into slices of a convenient size to feed into a mincer through which they were passed three or four times, using a medium-sized cutter. This was found to be better than to mince the material very fine, because of the loss of juice with the fine mincer. Batches of five kilos of the ground tubers, mixed with three liters of water and 25 gm. of powdered calcium carbonate were boiled vigorously for one-half hour. The hot mixture was filtered with suction through muslin on a large Buchner funnel and the pulp thoroughly pressed out on the funnel. The pulp in the funnel was then washed writh 500 cc. of hot water and thoroughly drained by suction and pressure. A second extraction of the pulp hardly repays the time and effort required. The hot filtrates were immediately filtered again through large folded filters to produce a perfectly clear, dark brown solution. The solutions obtained in the manner just described were then subjected to freezing. This was done in five-gallon ice cream cans, which were stored at 200 C. for 5 days. The solutions were then allowed to thaw at room temperature. The inulin remained insoluble and was removed by filtration through filter paper on a Buchner funnel under reduced pressure, or preferably on large sintered Jena glass filters. The phenomenon is very similar to that of retrogradation of starch (2, 3). Incidentally it may be mentioned that it has been found impossible to separate glycogen from aqueous solution 207
In vivo RNA Interference–Mediated Ablation of MDR1 P-Glycoprotein

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major obstacle to successful chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer and can be caused by overexpression of P-glycoprotein, the MDR1 gene product. To further validate a knockdown approach for circumventing MDR, we developed a P-glycoprotein inhibition strategy using short hairpin RNA interference (shRNAi) and now show efficacy and target specificity in vivo. Two of eight tested shRNAi constructs targeted against human MDR1 mRNA inhibited expression of P-glycoprotein by >90%, whereas control shRNAi had no effect. Ablation of P-glycoprotein in cells stably transduced with retroviral-mediated shRNAi was documented by Western blot and functionally confirmed by increased sensitivity of MDR1-transfected cells toward the cytotoxic drugs vincristine, paclitaxel, and doxorubicin as well as by transport of 99mTc-Sestamibi. shRNAi-mediated down-regulation of P-glycoprotein transport activity both in cultured cells and in tumor implants in living animals could be followed by direct noninvasive bioluminescence imaging using the Renilla luciferase fluorophore, coelenterazine, a known P-glycoprotein transport substrate. Furthermore, after somatic gene transfer by hydrodynamic infusion of a MDR1-Firefly luciferase (MDR1-FLuc) fusion construct into mouse liver, the effect of shRNAi delivered in vivo on P-glycoprotein-FLuc protein levels was documented with bioluminescence imaging using d-luciferin. ShRNAi against MDR1 reduced bioluminescence output of the P-glycoprotein-FLuc reporter 4-fold in vivo compared with mice treated with control or scrambled shRNAi. Targeted down-regulation of a somatically transferred P-glycoprotein-eGFP fusion reporter also was observed using fluorescence microscopy. Our results show that shRNAi effectively inhibited MDR1 expression and function in cultured cells, tumor implants and mammalian liver, documenting the feasibility of a knockdown approach to reversing MDR in vivo.
On the use of a temperature based friction model for a virtual force sensor in industrial robot manipulators

In this paper we propose the use of a dynamic model in which the effects of temperature on friction are considered to develop a virtual force sensor for industrial robot manipulators. The estimation of the inertial parameters and of the friction model are explained. The effectiveness of the virtual force sensor has been proven in a polishing task. In fact, the interaction forces between the robot and the environment has been measured both with the virtual force sensor and a common load cell. Moreover, the advantages provided by considering the temperature dependency are highlighted.
The effect of language model probability on pronunciation reduction

We investigate how the probability of a word affects its pronunciation. We examined 5618 tokens of the 10 most frequent (function) words in Switchboard and 2042 tokens of content words whose lexical form ends in a t or d. Our observations were drawn from the phonetically hand-transcribed subset of the Switchboard corpus, enabling us to code each word with its pronunciation and duration. Using linear and logistic regression to control for contextual factors, we show that words which have a high unigram, bigram, or reverse bigram (given the following word) probability are shorter, more likely to have a reduced vowel, and more likely to have a deleted final t or d. These results suggest that pronunciation models in speech recognition and synthesis should take into account word probability given both the previous and following words, for both content and function words.
Esaim: Control, Optimisation and Calculus of Variations Variational Approximation of a Functional of Mumford-shah Type in Codimension Higher than One

In this paper we consider a new kind of Mumford-Shah functional E(u, Ω) for maps u : R m → R n with m ≥ n. The most important novelty is that the energy features a singular set Su of codimension greater than one, defined through the theory of distributional jacobians. After recalling the basic definitions and some well established results, we prove an approximation property for the energy E(u, Ω) via Γ−convergence, in the same spirit of the work by Ambrosio and Tortorelli [12]. Résumé. Dans cet article on considère une nouvelle fonctionnelle du type de Mumford-Shah E(u, Ω) pour des applications u : R m → R n avec m ≥ n. La nouveauté principale est que l'énergie présente un ensemble singulier Su de codimension supérieure à un, défini par la théorie des déterminant au sense de distributions. Après avoir rappelé les définitions de base et certains résultats classiques, nous prouvons une propriété d'approximation pour l'énergie E(u, Ω) par Γ-convergence, dans le même esprit de Ambrosio et Tortorelli [12]. The dates will be set by the publisher.
Tacrolimus prevents laryngotracheal stenosis in an acute‐injury rat model

Acquired laryngotracheal stenosis is a challenging problem for otolaryngologists. Several studies suggest tacrolimus may inhibit post‐transplant airway stenosis that occurs with coronary drug‐eluting stents. The objective of the present study was to determine whether tacrolimus modulates wound healing of the airway mucosa and prevents laryngotracheal stenosis in an acute injury animal model.
Replacement: Decentralized Failure Handling for Replicated State Machines

We investigate methods for handling failures in a Paxos State Machine and introduce Replacement, a novel approach to handle failures. Replacement is fully decentralized and does not rely on consensus. This allows failed replicas to be replaced quickly, avoiding the bottleneck of a single leader. Instead of handling failures in the order proposed by a leader, concurrent replacements are combined to guarantee that all failed replicas are replaced. Replacement also allows the state machine to process client requests during failure handling, even while disagreeing on the current configuration. As our evaluation shows, this enables Replacement to quickly handle failures, with minimal disruption in the processing of client requests.
Knowledge Change Management and Analysis during the Engineering of Cyber Physical Production Systems: A Use Case of Hydro Power Plants

The process of designing Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPS), e.g., modern power plants or steel mills, typically takes place in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment, in which experts from various engineering domains and organizations work together towards creating complex engineering artifacts. The process of designing such complex engineering artifacts requires iterations and redesign phases, which lead to continuous changes of the data and knowledge. To manage changes in such environment, we have previously proposed a generic reference process for conducting Knowledge Change Management and Analysis (KCMA). This paper implements this process for the case study of a modern Hydro Power Plant by adapting the proposed generic reference process into a scientific prototype developed using Semantic Web Technologies. Finally, we conduct an evaluation to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed reference process and the developed prototype. Thus, the contribution of this paper is two-folds: (1) A tool-supported prototype for KCMA of a hydro power plant, and (2) A feasibility evaluation of this prototype that reports feedback and lessons learned for achieving KCMA in real-world case studies.