Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Women, men, and osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Gender differences in the prevalence and impact of arthritis are discussed, using data and analytic results from national health surveys. RESULTS Most cases of arthritis are osteoarthritis, an ancient disease that causes pain, physical dysfunction, and social disability, but not death. Arthritis prevalence rates rise sharply with age; it is the leading chronic condition in mid and late life. Women's rates exceed men's at all ages. Women's higher rates of disability and medical services for arthritis in the population are due mainly to higher prevalence. Among persons with arthritis, women are only a little more likely than men to be disabled or receive medical services. Persons with arthritis often have other chronic conditions as well (called comorbidity). Combining arthritis and visual problems gives a strong exacerbating push to disability. CONCLUSIONS Because biomedical research emphasizes pathogenesis and therapies for fatal conditions, Americans' health future will become dominated by nonfatal ones, especially arthritis. I recommend a better balance and new orientation for arthritis research that stays true to older persons' health and disability experience.
Learning Limited Dependence Bayesian Classifiers

We present a framework for characterizing Bayesian classification methods. This framework can be thought of as a spectrum of allowable dependence in a given probabilistic model with the Naive Bayes algorithm at the most restrictive end and the learning of full Bayesian networks at the most general extreme. While much work has been carried out along the two ends of this spectrum, there has been surprising little done along the middle. We analyze the assumptions made as one moves along this spectrum and show the tradeoffs between model accuracy and learning speed which become critical to consider in a variety of data mining domains. We then present a general induction algorithm that allows for traversal of this spectrum depending on the available computational power for carrying out induction and show its application in a number of domains with different properties.
Cross Site Scripting Prevention with Dynamic Data Tainting and Static Analysis

Cross-site scripting (XSS) is an attack against web applications in which scripting code is injected into the output of an application that is then sent to a user’s web browser. In the browser, this scripting code is executed and used to transfer sensitive data to a third party (i.e., the attacker). Currently, most approaches attempt to prevent XSS on the server side by inspecting and modifying the data that is exchanged between the web application and the user. Unfortunately, it is often the case that vulnerable applications are not fixed for a considerable amount of time, leaving the users vulnerable to attacks. The solution presented in this paper stops XSS attacks on the client side by tracking the flow of sensitive information inside the web browser. If sensitive information is about to be transferred to a third party, the user can decide if this should be permitted or not. As a result, the user has an additional protection layer when surfing the web, without solely depending on the security of the web application.
REDD1 functions at the crossroads between the therapeutic and adverse effects of topical glucocorticoids

Cutaneous atrophy is the major adverse effect of topical glucocorticoids; however, its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identify stress‐inducible mTOR inhibitor REDD1 (regulated in development and DNA damage response 1) as a major molecular target of glucocorticoids, which mediates cutaneous atrophy. In REDD1 knockout (KO) mice, all skin compartments (epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat), epidermal stem, and progenitor cells were protected from atrophic effects of glucocorticoids. Moreover, REDD1 knockdown resulted in similar consequences in organotypic raft cultures of primary human keratinocytes. Expression profiling revealed that gene activation by glucocorticoids was strongly altered in REDD1 KO epidermis. In contrast, the down‐regulation of genes involved in anti‐inflammatory glucocorticoid response was strikingly similar in wild‐type and REDD1 KO mice. Integrative bioinformatics analysis of our and published gene array data revealed similar changes of gene expression in epidermis and in muscle undergoing glucocorticoid‐dependent and glucocorticoid‐independent atrophy. Importantly, the lack of REDD1 did not diminish the anti‐inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids in preclinical model. Our findings suggest that combining steroids with REDD1 inhibitors may yield a novel, safer glucocorticoid‐based therapies.
Human epithelial cell intermediate filaments: isolation, purification, and characterization

Intermediate filaments (IF) isolated from human epithelial cells (HeLa) can be disassembled in 8 M urea and reassembled in phosphate-buffered solutions containing greater than 0.1 mg/ml IF protein. Eight proteins were associated with HeLa IF after several disassembly-reassembly cycles as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE). A rabbit antiserum directed against HeLa IF contained antibodies to most of these proteins. The immunofluorescence pattern that was seen in HeLa cells with this antiserum is complex. It consisted of a juxtanuclear accumulation of IF protein and a weblike array of cytoplasmic fibers extending to the cell border. Following preadsorption with individual HeLa IF proteins, the immunofluorescence pattern in HeLa cells was altered to suggest the presence of at least two distinct IF networks. The amino acid composition and alpha-helix content (approximately 38%) of HeLa IF proteins was similar to the values obtained for other IF proteins. One-dimensional peptide maps show extensive homology between the major HeLa IF protein of 55,000-mol- wt and a similar 55,000-mol-wt protein obtained from hamster fibroblasts (BHK-21). HeLa 55,000-mol-wt homopolymer IF assembled under conditions similar to those required for BHK-21 55,000-mol-wt homopolymers. Several other proteins present in HeLa IF preparations may be keratin-like structural proteins. The results obtained in these studies indicate that the major HeLa IF protein is the same major IF structural protein found in fibroblasts. Ultrastructural studies of HeLa cells revealed two distinct IF organizational stages including bundles and loose arrays. In addition, in vitro reconstituted HeLa IF also exhibited these two organizational states.
Herpes zoster oticus associated with varicella zoster virus encephalitis

Ramsay‐Hunt syndrome, herpes zoster oticus (HZO), derived its name from James Ramsay Hunt, who first described it in 1907. It is classically characterized by acute peripheral facial paralysis, herpetic eruptions on the auricle, and vestibulocochlear dysfunction due to the reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV). In this Case Report, the authors describe an HZO patient with simultaneous VZV encephalitis. To date, only eight cases of HZO associated with VZV encephalitis have been reported in the English literature. Therefore, the authors discuss all the aspects of this rare entity, including clinical examination, radiological evaluation, laboratory evaluation, and treatment options. Laryngoscope, 2009
Association of the multi-biomarker disease activity score with joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor treatment in clinical practice

Abstract Objective: Evaluate the association between the multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) score and radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors. Methods: Change (Δ) in modified total Sharp score (mTSS) over 52 weeks and disease activity scores were examined retrospectively by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient in patients (N = 83) with RA initiating TNF-inhibitor treatment. Relative risk (RR) of ΔmTSS >0.5 for low MBDA score and 28-joint count disease activity score (DAS28) categories and associations between ΔmTSS and MBDA score categories conditional on DAS28 categories were assessed. Results: At 52 weeks, 34% of patients had ΔmTSS >0.5 and 12% had ΔmTSS >3. Strongest correlations were observed between ΔmTSS and MBDA score (r = 0.47) or DAS28 (r = 0.42) at Week 24 and for area under the curve at Week 52 (MBDA score: r = 0.44, DAS28: r = 0.41), all p < 0.001. At Week 24, RR of ΔmTSS >0.5 for moderate/high MBDA score (≥30) or DAS28 (>3.2) were 6.6 (p < 0.001) and 2.7 (p = 0.005), respectively. Low DAS28 had greater risk of ΔmTSS >0.5 at 52 weeks when MBDA score was ≥30 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Higher MBDA score or DAS28 at Week 24 was associated with greater radiographic progression over 52 weeks of TNF-inhibitor treatment. MBDA score improved risk discrimination for radiographic progression within DAS28 categories.
Adaptive learning algorithm for RBF Neural Networks in kernel spaces

An adaptive learning algorithm for Radial Basis Functions Neural Networks, RBFNNs, is provided. In recent years, RBFs have been subject to extensive areas of interests. But the setting up of RBFs in a network architecture can be time consuming, computationally deficient and unstable. Thus we have developed an efficient adaptive algorithm in a feedforward neural architecture in which the hidden neurons are Newton bases. These bases are derived from the RBFs on optimal center points. Unlike the RBFs, the Newton bases are stable and orthonormal in the kernel space. The algorithm is implemented on variably scaled RBFs that simultaneously adjust the shape parameter. The procedure of the training is computationally efficient, accurate and stable in the kernel spaces specially for noisy data set. Numerical modeling for time series shows that our proposed algorithm has very promising performance in compare to some recent approaches.
To Be or Not to Be a Pseudogene: A Molecular Epidemiological Approach to the mclx Genes and Its Impact in Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis presents a myriad of symptoms, progression routes and propagation patterns not yet fully understood. Whereas for a long time research has focused solely on the patient immunity and overall susceptibility, it is nowadays widely accepted that the genetic diversity of its causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, plays a key role in this dynamic. This study focuses on a particular family of genes, the mclxs (Mycobacterium cyclase/LuxR-like genes), which codify for a particular and nearly mycobacterial-exclusive combination of protein domains. mclxs genes were found to be pseudogenized by frameshift-causing insertion(s)/deletion(s) in a considerable number of M. tuberculosis complex strains and clinical isolates. To discern the functional implications of the pseudogenization, we have analysed the pattern of frameshift-causing mutations in a group of M. tuberculosis isolates while taking into account their microbial-, patient- and disease-related traits. Our logistic regression-based analyses have revealed disparate effects associated with the transcriptional inactivation of two mclx genes. In fact, mclx2 (Rv1358) pseudogenization appears to be primarily driven by the microbial phylogenetic background, being mainly related to the Euro-American (EAm) lineage; on the other hand, mclx3 (Rv2488c) presents a higher tendency for pseudogenization among isolates from patients born on the Western Pacific area, and from isolates causing extra-pulmonary infections. These results contribute to the overall knowledge on the biology of M. tuberculosis infection, whereas at the same time launch the necessary basis for the functional assessment of these so far overlooked genes.
Drebrin a content correlates with spine head size in the adult mouse cerebral cortex

Synaptic activities alter synaptic strengths at the axospinous junctions, and such changes are often accompanied by changes in the size of the postsynaptic spines. We have been exploring the idea that drebrin A, a neuron‐specific actin‐binding protein localized on the postsynaptic side of excitatory synapses, may be a molecule that links synaptic activity to the shape and content of spines. Here, we performed electron microscopic immunocytochemistry with the nondiffusible gold label to explore the relationship among levels of drebrin A, the NR2A subunit of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors, and the size of spines in the perirhinal cortex of adult mouse brains. In contrast to the membranous localization within neonatal spines, most immunogold particles for drebrin A were localized to the cytoplasmic core region of spines in mature spines. This distribution suggests that drebrin within adult spines may reorganize the F‐actin network at the spine core, in addition to its known neonatal role in spine formation. Drebrin A‐immunopositive (DIP) spines exhibited larger spine head areas and longer postsynaptic densities (PSDs) than drebrin A‐immunonegative (DIN) spines (P < 0.001). Furthermore, spine head area and PSD lengths correlated positively with drebrin A levels (r = 0.47 and 0.40). The number of synaptic NR2A immunolabels was also higher in DIP spines than in DIN spines, whereas their densities per unit lengths of PSD were not significantly different. These differences between the DIP and the DIN spines indicate that spine sizes and synaptic protein composition of mature brains are regulated, at least in part, by drebrin A levels. J. Comp. Neurol. 503:618–626, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spectral efficiency and aggregate capacity in cognitive radio networks- An application study

Cognitive radio could help to overcome the spectrum shortage by having an opportunistic system sharing a licensed spectrum with primary users. One of the main difficulties in the analysis of cognitive radio systems is to model the interference. Various works presented this modeling for two pairs of wireless users, one primary and one cognitive. Others consider two random overlaid networks. The approaches usually consider variations in densities, distances and power transmission (specially) of the cognitive users. However, the alternatives to implement such systems can lead to some disadvantages inherent in the procedures adopted. This work presents an analysis of a scenario where a cognitive radio network shares the spectrum with a primary network, searching always to opportunities to take advantage of any possibility to increase its capacity. The network users (primary and cognitive) are distributed according to a Poisson Point Process (PPP), and use M-QAM modulation schemes. This first approach considers a cognitive system that can work using different modulation schemes, increasing or decreasing its M-QAM modulation level according the better or the worse noise channel conditions respectively, searching for the optimum performance for its traffic demand without disturbing the primary users.
Pathophysiologic Cascades in Ischemic Stroke

Many advances have been achieved in terms of understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ischemic stroke. But thus far, clinically effective neuroprotectants remain elusive. In this minireview, we summarize the basics of ischemic cascades after stroke, covering neuronal death mechanisms, white matter pathophysiology, and inflammation with an emphasis on microglia. Translating promising mechanistic knowledge into clinically meaningful stroke drugs is very challenging. An integrative approach that encompasses the multimodal and multicell signaling phenomenon of stroke will be required to move forward.
SysML based system engineering: A case study for space robotics systems

Space systems are similar to their terrestrial counterparts in many respects but the main distinction that makes space system unique are due to the harsh and low gravity environment that space systems needs to survive, requirements of system redundancy due to lack of on orbit maintenance or parts replacement and costs associated with those. These put extra emphasis on systems and requirement engineering from the very early stage of systems development lifecycle. Typical space missions comprise of many interconnected systems and systems of systems. Each of these systems need to be satisfied or adhered to thousands of requirements. Traditional System Engineering (SE) approaches require updating and tracking requirements against their functional or behavioural components manually. On top of that, during early design review stages, mission system engineers may also needs to carefully modify or delete requirements without compromising effects of that on other interconnected or sub systems. This is a very time consuming and complex procedure especially when multiple stakeholders and teams of engineers involved locally or globally. This paper introduces the implementation of Systems Modelling Language (SysML) for modelling complex space robotic systems in context of On-orbit Serving (OOS) missions. In this paper, the benefits of applying Object Management Group (OMG) System Modeling language (SysMLTM) to support the specification, analysis, design and verification to space robotic systems is being proposed
Functional tissue engineering of human heart valve leaflets

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication
Placotylene A, an Inhibitor of the Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation, from a Korean Sponge Placospongia sp.

A new inhibitor, placotylene A (1), of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation, and a regioisomer of placotylene A, placotylene B (2), were isolated from a Korean marine sponge Placospongia sp. The chemical structures of placotylenes A and B were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, along with MS spectral analysis and revealed as an iodinated polyacetylene class of natural products. Placotylene A (1) displayed inhibitory activity against RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation at 10 μM while placotylene B (2) did not show any significant activity up to 100 μM, respectively.
A comparative study of four fluid-solid coupling methods for applications in ground vehicle mobility

Motivated by the desire to investigate vehicle fording scenarios, we analyze four frameworks for the simulation of the fluid-solid interaction problem. While all of these approaches rely on a general multibody dynamics simulation framework that supports impact, contact, and constraint, they differ in (i) the fluid representation; (ii) the simulation methodology; and (iii) the fluid-solid interfacing mechanism. The first approach relies on an explicit-implicit, Lagrangian-Lagrangian (LL), solution to the coupled Navier-Stokes and Newton-Euler equations of motion. The fluid momentum and continuity equations, dv dt =− 1 ρ ∇p+ μ ρ ∇2v+ f (1)
Automatic Expansion of the MRC Psycholinguistic Database Imageability Ratings

Recent studies in metaphor extraction across several languages (Broadwell et al., 2013; Strzalkowski et al., 2013) have shown that word imageability ratings are highly correlated with the presence of metaphors in text. Information about imageability of words can be obtained from the MRC Psycholinguistic Database (MRCPD) for English words and Léxico Informatizado del Español Programa (LEXESP) for Spanish words, which is a collection of human ratings obtained in a series of controlled surveys. Unfortunately, word imageability ratings were collected for only a limited number of words: 9,240 words in English, 6,233 in Spanish; and are unavailable at all in the other two languages studied: Russian and Farsi. The present study describes an automated method for expanding the MRCPD by conferring imageability ratings over the synonyms and hyponyms of existing MRCPD words, as identified in Wordnet. The result is an expanded MRCPD+ database with imagea-bility scores for more than 100,000 words. The appropriateness of this expansion process is assessed by examining the structural coherence of the expanded set and by validating the expanded lexicon against human judgment. Finally, the performance of the metaphor extraction system is shown to improve significantly with the expanded database. This paper describes the process for English MRCPD+ and the resulting lexical resource. The process is analogous for other languages.
Retention and release of hydrogen isotopes in tungsten plasma facing components: understanding and controlling with an integrated approach

Fusion fuel trapping (retention) and release from plasma facing components (PFC) is one of the critical issues for ITER and for any future industrial demonstration reactor such as DEMO. Therefore, understanding fundamental mechanisms behind hydrogen isotopes retention in first wall materials is necessary. We developed an approach that couples dedicated experimental studies with modelling at all relevant scales, from microscopic elementary steps to macroscopic observables, in order: 1. to gain insight in the fundamental interactions between fusion fuel and wall materials; 2. to build a reliable and predictive fusion reactor walls model. This integrated approach is applied to tungsten first wall materials with an additional goal in mind: addressing the efficiency of a laser-based method to release in a controlled manner the retained fuel from PFC. Indeed, it remains to assess if thermal gradients involved in Laser Induced Desorption (LID) techniques could be beneficial or detrimental to the bulk distribution of trapped fuel. In this contribution, a large set of complementary techniques (PAS, SEM, AES, NRA, TDS.) is used to shed light on the origin of fuel trapping. The experimental dataset is exploited to initialize parameters of a fusion reactor walls model under development. This model based on Macroscopic Rate Equations (MRE) includes all elementary steps: implantation of fusion fuel, defects creation, fuel diffusion in the bulk or towards the surface, fuel trapping on defects, release of trapped fuel during a thermal excursion of PFC.This MREmodel is supported by a multi-scale description thanks to Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Object Kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) calculations. Advances in the development of the MRE wall model are presented. In particular, we were able to unambiguously justify the use of a multi-trapping site model for tungsten by showing that a single trap type – single trapping energy model was not able to reproduce an extended parameter space study of a well characterized samples exhibiting a single desorption peak. Microscopic identification of the trap type responsible for fuel retention in tungsten is thus on the right track. This new macroscopic model is used for developing a new LID method aiming at depositing locally a controlled amount of laser radiation in order to induce the release of trapped fuel without damaging PFC.