Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Question Answering Approach with Conceptual Graphs

With the increasing availability of large-scale structured knowledge bases and natural language processing (NLP) techniques aided by advanced information retrieval (IR) techniques, question answering (QA) systems have entered into a commercialization era. However, the types of questions that can be answered are somewhat limited to encyclopedic knowledge that are often either well structured like triplets or localized in a text segment. In this work, we propose a conceptual graph based question answering (CGQA) framework that enables informal inference and context-driven knowledge representation. This approach has been implemented with NLP techniques for generating conceptual graphs from text and efficient graph matching algorithms as an inference mechanism, which is geared toward answering not only conventional but also 'hard' questions. MOTS-CLÉS: graphique conceptuel, cadre de questions réponses, appariement graphique
Lumbar spine range of motion as a measure of physical and functional impairment: an investigation of validity

Objective: To investigate the validity of the spinal range of motion models outlined in the second and fourth editions of the American Medical Association Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment (AMA Guides), for assessing the percentage impairment in chronic low back pain patients. Design: Cross-sectional validation study. Setting: Outpatient department in the Rehabilitation Medicine Unit. Subjects: A volunteer sample of 34 subjects participated in the study, 21 females and 13 males, with a mean age of 47.7 years (1 SD =12.1) and 40.1 years (1 SD = 11.1), respectively. Subjects had chronic low back with or without leg pain of at least six months’ duration. Subjects were recruited by medical practitioners and physiotherapists through the Rehabilitation Unit at the Essendon Campus of Royal Melbourne Hospital. Main outcome measures: Lower back range of motion measured with a long arm goniometer and a dual inclinometer, Waddell Physical Impairment Scale, Waddell Disability Index, Oswestry Disability Index. Results: Both range of motion measurement methods demonstrated poor validity and do not bear any consistent relationship to the level of physical or functional impairment in subjects with chronic low back pain. Conclusions: There was no evidence for a relationship between low back range of motion and impairment, and thus it would appear illogical to evaluate impairment in chronic low back pain patients using a spinal range of motion model when aiming to measure or compensate disability.
Hierarchical intelligent control for robotic motion

This paper presents a new scheme for intelligent control of robotic manipulators. This scheme is a hierarchically integrated approach to neuromorphic and symbolic control of robotic manipulators. This includes an applied neural network for servo control and knowledge-based approximation. The neural network in the servo control level is based on a numerical manipulation, while the knowledge based part is symbolic manipulation. The knowledge base part develops control strategies symbolically for the servo level. The neural network compensates for vagueness in the control strategies, nonlinearities of the system and uncertainties in its environment using neuromorphic control.
Inflammatory cell recruitment, distribution, and chemiluminescence response at IgG precoated- and thiol functionalized gold surfaces.

The role of complement activation by artificial surfaces relative to inflammatory response is not well understood. This study was performed to evaluate the inflammatory cell recruitment, distribution, and ex vivo metabolic activation of surfaces with different plasma protein adsorption and complement activation properties in vitro. The implants were (1) pure gold (reference), (2) albumin-precoated (3) IgG-precoated gold, and (4) 3-mercapto-1, 2-propanediol [mercaptoglycerol (MG)] and (5) glutathione (GSH) immobilized to gold. The implant disks were inserted subcutaneously in rats for 24 h, and the number of inflammatory cells that were recruited to the implant adjacent to the surrounding fluid phase (exudate) and the surfaces were quantified by DNA measurements. The oxidative burst was analyzed ex vivo using spontaneous and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL). The in vitro surface-induced anti-rat C3 binding was evaluated by ellipsometry and antibody techniques after plasma incubations for 1 and 30 min. The ellipsometric results showed that immobilized mercaptoglycerol and IgG-coated, but not the immobilized glutathione or the reference Au, bound anti-C3. The in vivo results revealed that the largest amount of cells was associated with the IgG-coated surfaces, followed by immobilized GSH and MG, albumin-coated, and gold surfaces, respectively. No spontaneous ex vivo luminol-enhanced CL was recorded from the cells irrespective of surface functionality or localization. A down-regulation of surface-associated and exudate leukocyte CL was observed ex vivo, irrespective of surface functionality. The results do not indicate a clear relationship between the degree of complement activation in vitro and leukocyte recruitment and adhesion in vivo for differently functionalized surfaces.
Depletion of Alveolar Glycogen Corresponds With Immunohistochemical Development of CD208 Antigen Expression in Perinatal Lamb Lung

CD208 DC lysosomal-associated protein is a marker of activated human dendritic cells; however, recently it was described as a marker of adult type II pneumocytes in many species including humans and sheep. Our hypothesis was that CD208 is developmentally regulated in lung pneumocytes. Lamb lungs at varying stages of development were stained immunohistochemically for CD208 and with Nile red (a fluorescent stain for lamellar bodies of type II cells) along with pulmonary markers of maturation (glycogen stores and surfactant protein A [SP-A] expression) or proliferation (Ki-67). CD208 staining and Nile red were localized to rare pneumocytes in young fetal lambs (day 115), increasing in frequency and stain intensity with age. Periodic acid-Schiff staining of glycogen granules was most prominent in the young lambs (day 115) with reduced staining through advancing lung development. SP-A was detected in pulmonary epithelia and staining in alveoli increased through gestation with decreased staining at 2 weeks of age. Intranuclear Ki-67 staining decreased through late gestation but was increased in 2-week-old lambs. Ontogeny of CD208 staining and depletion of glycogen were correlated (p<0.0001) and consistent with the premise that CD208 is localized to developing lamellar bodies. The findings suggest that CD208 antigen expression may serve as a marker for pneumocyte maturation in the developing fetal lung. (J Histochem Cytochem 54:1247-1253, 2006)
Multi-Session Data Gathering with Compressive Sensing for Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper studies the scaling law of the data gathering capacity of large-scale wireless sensor networks. Many previous researches on data gathering capacity focus on a many-to-one scheme, but we study the capacity in a multi-session data gathering paradigm, where some of the nodes in the network act as sinks and each sink has a set of source nodes to collect data. The analysis of this paradigm is meaningful in that it may be more commonplace in wireless sensor networks, because in real world, we often hope different sinks to get different kinds of data from sensors deployed in the same region. In the multicast scenario, a source node just sends the same data to all of its destinations, while in multi-session data gathering, the sink node has to receive different data from all its sensor nodes, which makes the last hop to the sink become a capacity bottleneck. We use compressive sensing (CS), a newly introduced sampling theory, to simplify the analysis of data gathering capacity into a similar way as the situation of multicast. Meanwhile, compressive sensing can achieve a capacity gain of $k/M$ for each data gathering session.
Characterization of a hypothetical protein YVRE from Bacillus subtilis indicates its key role as glucono-lactonase in pentose phosphate pathway and glucose metabolism

Hypothetical proteins are functionally uncharacterized proteins with assigned function using sequence annotation tools. Almost half of the coding regions of several genomes are hypothetical proteins. Therefore, it is of our interest to characterize a hypothetical protein YVRE from the model system Bacillus subtilis using known data. YVRE is assigned the function as a glucono-lactonase using prediction and phylogenetic analysis. A molecular dynamics simulated homology model of YVRE (with calcium) using human senescence marker protein 30 /SMP30 (PDB ID: 3G4E) as template is reported for functional inference. It is observed that the protein possesses bivalent metal binding domain. Molecular docking studies with the substrate glucono-δ-lactone show YVRE binding with the substrate. This data was further validated using cloning and sub-cloning in pUC57 and pET22b+ respectively, followed by expression and purification using nickel affinity chromatography. The activity of YVRE using the substrate glucono-δ-lactone was calculated. The results show the function of YVRE as a gluconolactonase, with higher preference to zinc than calcium or magnesium. Thus, YVRE is shown to play key role in three metabolic pathways namely, pentose phosphate pathway, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and caprolactam degradation.
The Perceived Community Engagement Survey: Structure, Reliability, and Validity of a Community-based Organization Measure of Engagement with the Broader Community

For more than 40 years government funding for community non-profit organizations has grown more than in previous decades. This dramatic increase has led to a proliferation of organizations that claim the status of community-based organizations. Community-based Organizations (CBOs) have become the service delivery providers of communities, particularly underrepresented communities. There has been very little research within the community psychology and other literature exploring if CBOs represent the interest of communities. As funding entities have lately increased their interest in community representation, there has not been a corresponding research base to identify levels of community engagement. This study attempted to address this lack of community engagement literature by developing a tool to measure how all staff within an organization perceive the organization's engagement of the surrounding geographic community. The Perceived Community Engagement Survey (PCES) was developed based on the principles of CBPR within a CBO/community relationship frame. The study explored the reliability and validity of the scale through a principle components analysis, reliability analysis, linear regressions, and examinations of convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicate that the PCES has two components that measure levels of community engagement, that it is a reliable scale, and shows convergent and discriminant validity with 4 relevant items from a Moos organizational climate measure and items assessing staff beliefs in the value and impact of community engagement. The practical use of the scale for more authentic community engagement by CBOs is discussed.
Beryllium nitrate inhibits fibroblast migration to disrupt epimorphic regeneration

Epimorphic regeneration proceeds with or without formation of a blastema, as observed for the limb and skin, respectively. Inhibition of epimorphic regeneration provides a means to interrogate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate it. In this study, we show that exposing amputated limbs to beryllium nitrate disrupts blastema formation and causes severe patterning defects in limb regeneration. In contrast, exposing full-thickness skin wounds to beryllium only causes a delay in skin regeneration. By transplanting full-thickness skin from ubiquitous GFP-expressing axolotls to wild-type hosts, we demonstrate that beryllium inhibits fibroblast migration during limb and skin regeneration in vivo. Moreover, we show that beryllium also inhibits cell migration in vitro using axolotl and human fibroblasts. Interestingly, beryllium did not act as an immunostimulatory agent as it does in Anurans and mammals, nor did it affect keratinocyte migration, proliferation or re-epithelialization, suggesting that the effect of beryllium is cell type-specific. While we did not detect an increase in cell death during regeneration in response to beryllium, it did disrupt cell proliferation in mesenchymal cells. Taken together, our data show that normal blastema organogenesis cannot occur without timely infiltration of local fibroblasts and highlights the importance of positional information to instruct pattern formation during regeneration. In contrast, non-blastemal-based skin regeneration can occur despite early inhibition of fibroblast migration and cell proliferation. Summary: Inhibiting fibroblast migration during regeneration in axolotl reveals the importance of fibroblasts for blastema-based limb regeneration but not non-blastemal skin regrowth.
An interactive hybrid non-rigid registration framework for 3D medical images

This paper proposes a new interactive hybrid non-rigid registration framework that combines any intensity-based algorithm with a feature-based component, using an iterative dual energy minimization. The resulting transformation combines both intensity-based and feature-based deformation fields. The feature matching exploits user-placed landmark pairs, and based on saliency and similarity measures, optimizes the correspondences in the neighborhood of each landmark. A dense feature-based deformation field is then generated using a thin-plate spline interpolation. Additionally, the framework allows user interactivity for live guidance of the algorithm in case of errors or inaccuracies. We present three experimental results of our hybrid approach on lung, pelvis and brain datasets, and show that in each case, the registration benefited from the hybrid approach as opposed to its intensity component alone
Evidence That Carrier‐Specific B Cells Play a Role in Cellular Collaboration

Evidence is presented showing that carrier‐specific B cells play a significant role in inducing an anti‐hapten antibody response to the thymus‐dependent antigen, dinitrophenylated monomeric flagellin (DNP–MON), both in vivo and in vitro. Inactivation of carrier‐specific B cells by [125I]polymeric flagellin (POL) suicide decreased the anti‐DNP IgM response by 40%–50% and reduced the anti‐DNP IgG response by 85%–90%. Several lines of evidence established that the suicide procedure eliminated carrier‐specific B cells rather than carrier‐specific T (helper) cells.
Impact of Aromatase protein variants and drug interactions in breast cancer: a molecular docking approach

Breast cancer is a frequently reported cancer in women all over the world. Several methods available to cure the breast cancer based on stage. This study focused on chemoprevention drugs of Aromatase, a potential target in breast cancer. Natural variants of Aromatase are very common; they have been collected and modeled, optimized the energy of mutated Aromatase protein. Reversible (Anastrozole) and irreversible (Exemestane) Aromatase inhibitors are selected and performed molecular docking studies of each drug against each variant to see the binding affinity impact on protein variant and drugs. In this comparative study, Anastrozole, a cumene derivative showed more binding affinity and Diethylstilbestrol showed weak binding affinity against among all drugs. The comparative molecular docking revealed that the binding affinity between drug and Aromatase protein variant is imprecise but fairly close; therefore the protein variants of Aromatase can be conceived to be equal for chemoprevention of breast cancer therapy.
Neural processes for intentional control of perceptual switching: A magnetoencephalography study

This article reports an interesting link between the psychophysical property of intentional control of perceptual switching and the underlying neural activities. First, we revealed that the timing of perceptual switching for a dynamical dot quartet can be controlled by the observers' intention, without eye movement. However, there is a clear limitation to this control, such that each animation frame of the stimulus must be presented for a sufficiently long time length; in other words, the frequency of the stimulus alternation must be sufficiently slow for the control. The typical stimulus onset asynchrony for a 50% level of success was about 275 ms for an average of 10 observers. On the basis of psychophysical property, we designed three experiments for investigating the neural process with a magnetoencephalography. They revealed that: (1) a peak component occurring about 300 ms after a reversal was stronger when the direction of perceived motion was switched intentionally than when it was not switched, and (2) neural components about 30–40 ms and 240–250 ms after the reversal of the stimulus animation were stronger when perception was altered intentionally than when it was switched unintentionally. The 300 ms component is consistent with a previous study about passive perceptual switching (Struber and Herrmann [ 2002 ]: Cogn Brain Res 14:370–382), but the intentional effect was seemed to be a different component from the well‐known P300 component. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Timing error performance analysis for low power DSP filters

Circuit-level timing error detection and correction technique, which aims to increase energy-efficiency of digital signal processing data paths. It is important to develop a high-performance FIR filter to meet the requirements of real-time, low power, low cost and small area in different applications. Razor Flip-flop based dynamic voltage scaling error detection technique which is used to eliminate the supply voltage margin. Razor flip flop is used to detect the timing errors on Critical Path. The FIR filter based on Razor for every bit and the error bit is generated and one can overcome the error with the help of filter. The proposed Filter can be used for any DSP application. The Razor based FIR filter is synthesized and simulated using VHDL. Finally the Razor based approach is applied to Multiplier and performance is analyzed. Designed filter is verified with the 8 Bit multiplication and the output is achieved without error because of the Razor used in each bit of the filter.
Characterization of CD8+ T Lymphocytes That Persist After Peripheral Tolerance to a Self Antigen Expressed in the Pancreas1

As a result of expression of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) in the pancreatic islets, the repertoire of HA-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in InsHA transgenic mice (D2 mice expressing the HA transgene under control of the rat insulin promoter) is comprised of cells that are less responsive to cognate Ag than are HA-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes from conventional mice. Previous studies of tolerance induction involving TCR transgenic T lymphocytes suggested that a variety of different mechanisms can reduce avidity for Ag, including altered cell surface expression of molecules involved in Ag recognition and a deficiency in signaling through the TCR complex. To determine which, if any, of these mechanisms pertain to CD8+ T lymphocytes within a conventional repertoire, HA-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes from B10.D2 mice and B10.D2 InsHA transgenic mice were compared with respect to expression of cell surface molecules, TCR gene utilization, binding of tetrameric KdHA complexes, lytic mechanisms, and diabetogenic potential. No evidence was found for reduced expression of TCR or CD8 by InsHA-derived CTL, nor was there evidence for a defect in triggering lytic activity. However, avidity differences between CD8+ clones correlated with their ability to bind KdHA tetramers. These results argue that most of the KdHA-specific T lymphocytes in InsHA mice are not intrinsically different from KdHA-specific T lymphocytes isolated from conventional animals. They simply express TCRs that are less avid in their binding to KdHA.
DNA Is Packaged within Membrane-Derived Vesicles of Gram-Negative but Not Gram-Positive Bacteria

Recently, DNA packaged within nuclease-resistant membrane vesicles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Borrelia burgdorferi was described. This study assayed 18 species of gram-negative and gram-positive eubacteria for nuclease-protected DNA associated with extracellular membrane vesicles. Vesicles from only the gram-negative bacteria contained nuclease-protected linear or supercoiled DNAs or both.
On the design of low noise and power efficient onchip oscillators

A design technique for a low noise low power LC-VCO is presented. By considering the thermal noise generated by the switching transistors, the resonator and the biasing circuit, we derived a complete phase noise expression for the 1/f2 region. We observed that this expression is compatible with a geometric programing formulation of the VCO. Thus, an optimal device geometry for the VCO-core and its polarization circuit is simultaneously obtained for minimum power consumption under several different design specifications, including phase noise, oscillation frequency, tuning range, oscillation amplitude, loop gain and inductor geometry. Additionally, through the generation of optimal trade-off curves, some remarkable considerations about the impact of design specifications on the power consumption are reviewed. As a design example, a low power LC-VCO for the 2.45GHz ISM band, with phase noise of −130 dBc/Hz@3MHz and FOM of 180dB, was designed in a standard 0. 35µm CMOS technology. A prototype has been fabricated by the Silicon Foundry AMS - Austria Micro Systems.
A syntactic component for Vietnamese language processing

This paper presents the development of a syntactic component for the Vietnamese language. We first discuss the construction of a lexicalized tree-adjoining grammar using an automatic extraction approach. We then present the construction and evaluation of a deep syntactic parser based on the extracted grammar. This is a complete system integrating necessary tools to process Vietnamese text, which permits to take as input raw texts and produce syntactic structures. A dependency annotation scheme for Vietnamese and an algorithm for extracting dependency structures from derivation trees are also proposed. At present, this is the first Vietnamese parsing system capable of producing both constituency and dependency analyses with encouraging performances: 69.33% and 73.21% for constituency and dependency analysis accuracy, respectively. The parser also compares favourably to a statistical parser which is trained and tested on the same data sets.
Determinants of Market Participation Regimes among Smallholder Maize Producers in Kenya

More studies have been conducted on determinants of smallholder participation in markets as sellers, with scant attention to why farmers participate in markets as either net sellers, autarkic or net buyers. Employing a random effect ordered probit model, this paper examines factors determining households’ participation in maize markets as either net sellers, autarkic or net buyers. Contrary to government intentions for producer price supports, this study showed that households that faced high producer selling prices of maize were likely to be net buyers. However, household membership to agricultural production groups increased the likelihood of farmers being net sellers. Similarly, adoption of inorganic fertilizer and improved maize varieties were positively associated with being net sellers. Therefore, policies supporting high producer selling prices should be discouraged and instead encourage those that ease smallholder access to fertilizer and improved maize seed.