Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cholinergic Signaling Exerts Protective Effects in Models of Sympathetic Hyperactivity-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction

Cholinergic control of the heart is exerted by two distinct branches; the autonomic component represented by the parasympathetic nervous system, and the recently described non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery. Previous evidence has shown that reduced cholinergic function leads to deleterious effects on the myocardium. Yet, whether conditions of increased cholinergic signaling can offset the pathological remodeling induced by sympathetic hyperactivity, and its consequences for these two cholinergic axes are unknown. Here, we investigated two models of sympathetic hyperactivity: i) the chronic beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation evoked by isoproterenol (ISO), and ii) the α2A/α2C-adrenergic receptor knockout (KO) mice that lack pre-synaptic adrenergic receptors. In both models, cholinergic signaling was increased by administration of the cholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine. First, we observed that isoproterenol produces an autonomic imbalance characterized by increased sympathetic and reduced parasympathetic tone. Under this condition transcripts for cholinergic proteins were upregulated in ventricular myocytes, indicating that non-neuronal cholinergic machinery is activated during adrenergic overdrive. Pyridostigmine treatment prevented the effects of ISO on autonomic function and on the ventricular cholinergic machinery, and inhibited cardiac remodeling. α2A/α2C-KO mice presented reduced ventricular contraction when compared to wild-type mice, and this dysfunction was also reversed by cholinesterase inhibition. Thus, the cardiac parasympathetic system and non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery are modulated in opposite directions under conditions of increased sympathetic drive or ACh availability. Moreover, our data support the idea that pyridostigmine by restoring ACh availability is beneficial in heart disease.
Minocycline as a Neuroprotective Agent

Several studies have shown that minocycline, a semisynthetic, second-generation tetracycline derivative, is neuroprotective in animal models of central nervous system trauma and several neurodegenerative diseases. Common to all these reports are the beneficial effects of minocycline in reducing neural inflammation and preventing cell death. Here, the authors review the proposed mechanisms of action of minocycline and suggest that minocycline may inhibit several aspects of the inflammatory response and prevent cell death through the inhibition of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, an important regulator of immune cell function and cell death.
Modeling of Real Time Video Compression System - Three-Dimensional Discrete Cosine Transform

One of the methods used for the video signals’ compression is the Three Dimensional Discrete Cosine Transform. The aim of this block-based method is to combine intraframe and interframe coding into a single transform coding, therefore no motion compensation and motion prediction have to be implemented. The paper deals with the practical ways of the 3-D DCT computing. It will be proof, the transform coding could be used for encoding of video sequences in real time domain.
Not Every Friend on a Social Network Can be Trusted: An Online Trust Indexing Algorithm

Online social network has become prevalent in our modern lifestyle by which one can easily connect and share information with anybody around the world. Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, Sina Weibo, are some exemplars nowadays. As the population of users in social networks grows, the concern of security in using such network escalates too. The social network is formed by people from all walks of life. Since there is little physical interaction available, it is difficult to verify whether social network users are trustworthy or not. In this paper, we propose a method that assists users to infer the degree of trustworthiness in social network. A quantitative indicator, which we call it Trust Index (TI) is assigned to each user, so one can have a ranked list of users, those with the greatest values of TI appear on top and vice versa. This serves as a reference for a user to decide how much s/he would want to trust them in social networks. TI is calculated based on the distance in terms of hop counts that measures how far apart between the user and s/he peer is. The distance is estimated by referring to relation as well as how acquainted the test user is with respect to some verified icons (public figures which have already been verified by the social network administrators) in social networks. Our TI algorithm also could enlist a group of people whose TIs fall below a given threshold, these are the users that need to be cautious about.
Protective Effect of Toll-like Receptor 4 in Pulmonary Vaccinia Infection

Innate immune responses are essential for controlling poxvirus infection. The threat of a bioterrorist attack using Variola major, the smallpox virus, or zoonotic transmission of other poxviruses has renewed interest in understanding interactions between these viruses and their hosts. We recently determined that TLR3 regulates a detrimental innate immune response that enhances replication, morbidity, and mortality in mice in response to vaccinia virus, a model pathogen for studies of poxviruses. To further investigate Toll-like receptor signaling in vaccinia infection, we first focused on TRIF, the only known adapter protein for TLR3. Unexpectedly, bioluminescence imaging showed that mice lacking TRIF are more susceptible to vaccinia infection than wild-type mice. We then focused on TLR4, the other Toll-like receptor that signals through TRIF. Following respiratory infection with vaccinia, mice lacking TLR4 signaling had greater viral replication, hypothermia, and mortality than control animals. The mechanism of TLR4-mediated protection was not due to increased release of proinflammatory cytokines or changes in total numbers of immune cells recruited to the lung. Challenge of primary bone marrow macrophages isolated from TLR4 mutant and control mice suggested that TLR4 recognizes a viral ligand rather than an endogenous ligand. These data establish that TLR4 mediates a protective innate immune response against vaccinia virus, which informs development of new vaccines and therapeutic agents targeted against poxviruses.
Music Thumbnailer: Visualizing Musical Pieces in Thumbnail Images Based on Acoustic Features

This paper presents a principled method called MusicThumbnailer to transform musical pieces into visual thumbnail images based on acoustic features extracted from their audio signals. These thumbnails can help users immediately guess the musical contents of audio signals without trial listening. This method is consistent in ways that optimize thumbnails according to the characteristics of a target music collection. This means the appropriateness of transformation should be defined to eliminate ad hoc transformation rules. In this paper, we introduce three top-down criteria to improve memorability of thumbnails (generate gradations), deliver information more completely, and distinguish thumbnails more clearly. These criteria are mathematically implemented as minimization of brightness differences of adjacent pixels and maximization of brightness variances within and between thumbnails. The optimized parameters of a modified linear mapping model we assumed are obtained by minimizing a unified cost function based on the three criteria with a steepest descent method. Experimental results indicate that generated thumbnails can provide users with useful hints as to the musical contents of musical pieces.
Differential Fertility as a Determinant of Trends in Public Opinion about Abortion in the United States

Differential fertility is frequently overlooked as a meaningful force in longitudinal public opinion change. We examine the effect of fertility on abortion attitudes, a useful case study due to their strong correlation with family size and high parent-child correlation. We test the hypothesis that the comparatively high fertility of pro-life individuals has led to a more pro-life population using 34 years of GSS data (1977-2010). We find evidence that the abortion attitudes have lagged behind a liberalizing trend of other correlated attitudes, and consistent evidence that differential fertility between pro-life and pro-choice individuals has had a significant effect on this pattern. Future studies should account for differential fertility as a meaningful force of cohort replacement in studies of public opinion where parents and children are likely to share the same attitude.
Modulation of Heterochromatin by Male Specific Lethal Proteins and roX RNA in Drosophila melanogaster Males

The ribonucleoprotein Male Specific Lethal (MSL) complex is required for X chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila melanogaster males. Beginning at 3 h of development the MSL complex binds transcribed X-linked genes and modifies chromatin. A subset of MSL complex proteins, including MSL1 and MSL3, is also necessary for full expression of autosomal heterochromatic genes in males, but not females. Loss of the non-coding roX RNAs, essential components of the MSL complex, lowers the expression of heterochromatic genes and suppresses position effect variegation (PEV) only in males, revealing a sex-limited disruption of heterochromatin. To explore the molecular basis of this observation we examined additional proteins that participate in compensation and found that MLE, but not Jil-1 kinase, contributes to heterochromatic gene expression. To determine if identical regions of roX RNA are required for dosage compensation and heterochromatic silencing, we tested a panel of roX1 transgenes and deletions and find that the X chromosome and heterochromatin functions are separable by some mutations. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of staged embryos revealed widespread autosomal binding of MSL3 before and after localization of the MSL complex to the X chromosome at 3 h AEL. Autosomal MSL3 binding was dependent on MSL1, supporting the idea that a subset of MSL proteins associates with chromatin throughout the genome during early development. The broad localization of these proteins early in embryogenesis supports the idea of direct action at autosomal sites. We postulate that this may contribute to the sex-specific differences in heterochromatin that we, and others, have noted.
Toxicity of select organic acids to the slightly thermophilic acidophile Acidithiobacillus caldus

Acidithiobacillus caldus is a thermophilic acidophile found in commercial biomining, acid mine drainage systems, and natural environments. Previous work has characterized A. caldus as a chemolithotrophic autotroph capable of utilizing reduced sulfur compounds under aerobic conditions. Organic acids are especially toxic to chemolithotrophs in low‐pH environments, where they diffuse more readily into the cell and deprotonate within the cytoplasm. In the present study, the toxic effects of oxaloacetate, pyruvate, 2‐ketoglutarate, acetate, malate, succinate, and fumarate on A. caldus strain BC13 were examined under batch conditions. All tested organic acids exhibited some inhibitory effect. Oxaloacetate was observed to inhibit growth completely at a concentration of 250 μM, whereas other organic acids were completely inhibitory at concentrations of between 1,000 and 5,000 μM. In these experiments, the measured concentrations of organic acids decreased with time, indicating uptake or assimilation by the cells. Phospholipid fatty acid analyses indicated an effect of organic acids on the cellular envelope. Notable differences included an increase in cyclic fatty acids in the presence of organic acids, indicating possible instability of the cellular envelope. This was supported by field emission scanning‐electron micrographs showing blebbing and sluffing in cells grown in the presence of organic acids.
Each to his own: how different users call for different interaction methods in recommender systems

This paper compares five different ways of interacting with an attribute-based recommender system and shows that different types of users prefer different interaction methods. In an online experiment with an energy-saving recommender system the interaction methods are compared in terms of perceived control, understandability, trust in the system, user interface satisfaction, system effectiveness and choice satisfaction. The comparison takes into account several user characteristics, namely domain knowledge, trusting propensity and persistence. The results show that most users (and particularly domain experts) are most satisfied with a hybrid recommender that combines implicit and explicit preference elicitation, but that novices and maximizers seem to benefit more from a non-personalized recommender that just displays the most popular items.
Using movement primitives in interpreting and decomposing complex trajectories in learning-by-doing

Learning and reproducing complex movements is an important skill for robots. However, while humans can learn and generalise new complex trajectories, robots are often programmed to execute point-by-point precise but fixed patterns. This study proposes a method for decomposing new complex trajectories into a set of known robot-based primitives. Instead of reproducing accurately an observed trajectory, the robot interprets it as a composition of its own previously acquired primitive movements. The method attempts initially a rough approximation with the idea of capturing the most essential features of the movement. Observing the discrepancy between the demonstrated and reproduced trajectories, the process then proceeds with incremental decompositions. The method is tested on both geometric and human generated trajectories. The shift from a data-centred view to an agent-centred view in learning trajectories results in generalisation properties like the abstraction to primitives and noise suppression. This study suggests a novel approach to learning complex robot motor patterns that builds upon existing motor skills. Applications include drawing, writing, movement generation and object manipulation in a variety of tasks.
Optimal mobile facility localization

We introduce a new type of spatial query, Optimal Accessible Location (OAL) query. When a set of paths is provided the query finds the best location from a set of locations that has the optimal accessibility from these paths. OAL queries have many applications such as the selection of the optimal location for a mobile facility such as a food truck or selection of a venue for an event. We exploit geometric properties and develop pruning techniques to eliminate unrelated path segments as well as locations. Our experimental results demonstrate that we provide a readily deployable solution for real-life applications.
Using bazedoxifene plus conjugated estrogens for treating postmenopausal women: a comprehensive review

AbstractThe objective of this article was to review clinical outcomes reported with the tissue selective estrogen complex containing bazedoxifene (BZA) and conjugated estrogens (CE) in postmenopausal women. PubMed was searched from inception to June 2011 using the key words bazedoxifene and conjugated estrogens. We reviewed six published articles reporting the clinical efficacy and safety outcomes of three different level I evidence, multicenter, blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies. BZA/CE reduced hot flush frequency and severity, prevented loss of bone mass, and treated vulvar-vaginal atrophy and its symptoms without endometrial stimulation and provided amenorrhea and breast tenderness rates similar to those with placebo. Overall safety was not different from that observed with placebo, and no unexpected findings were reported. The tissue selective estrogen complex composed of BZA/CE is a new progestin-free therapy that alleviates hot flushes and prevents the loss of bone mass in postmenopausal women with endometrial hyperplasia and amenorrhea rates comparable with those of placebo.
An omnidirectional imaging system for the reverse engineering of industrial facilities.

Digital photogrammetry continues to evolve from specialist applications such as topographic mapping and is rapidly emerging as a highly accessible method for capturing geometric data. A range of general-purpose softcopy photogrammetric systems are now widely available to end users who are thus able to exploit images captured from an increasing number of high-resolution non-metric digital cameras. In parallel with these developments, an increasing diversity of range-imaging systems are being developed to facilitate the rapid acquisition of geometric data. To date, these devices do not offer the resolution, portability or speed afforded by digital cameras. However this thesis anticipates the development of hybrid range and intensity imaging systems. Furthermore through the extension of such systems to facilitate the acquisition of omni-directional imagery the thesis seeks to demonstrate the utility of such data in the rapid documentation of complex objects. In many cases developments in this field have been driven by industrial end-users who have the responsibility to document large and complex structures in order to ensure that they conform to design specification. Such documentation is of critical importance at a wide range of component sizes, from table-top sized structures such as those commonly found in the automotive industries to very large industrial objects such as process-plants, offshore oil platforms or power stations. As digital photogrammetry has matured it has been deployed on projects of ever increasing complexity and system developers have been challenged to produce high precision in ever reducing timescales. This thesis will catalogue the requirements of such end-users active in the field of As-Built Surveys of large industrial structures. In response to these needs the thesis will demonstrate the development and exploitation of omni-directional digital photogrammetry and range imaging systems to enable the creation and exploitation of very large image databases. Furthermore the thesis will demonstrate the extent to which computer vision based analyses of such databases can, in turn, permit precise yet cost-effective documentation of a wide range of industrial facilities.
Loss of WWOX Expression in Gastric Carcinoma

Purpose: WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a tumor suppressor gene that maps to the common fragile site FRA16D on chromosome 16q23.3–24.1. To investigate the role of the WWOX gene in the development of gastric carcinoma, we examined a large series of primary adenocarcinomas and nine gastric cancer cell lines for the expression of Wwox. Experimental Design: Loss of heterozygosity, reverse-transcription-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the role of WWOX in stomach cancer. A total of 81 primary gastric adenocarcinoma were analyzed. Results: Loss of heterozygosity was observed in 31% of the cases and loss of Wwox protein expression was found in 65% of gastric adenocarcinoma primary specimens and 33% of gastric cancer cell lines. In addition, we found a high correlation between Wwox and Fhit protein expression. Conclusions: Our results indicate that alterations of the WWOX gene may be involved quite frequently in gastric tumorigenesis. Our data could be used in future studies to develop diagnostic and targeted therapy of stomach cancer.
The Prevention of Pulmonary Aspiration with Control of Tracheal Wall Pressure Using a Silicone Cuff

A prospective open randomized controlled study was performed to assess the ability of Euromedical ILM endotracheal tube cuff (silicone cuff) to prevent pulmonary aspiration The inflation characteristics of this silicone cuff enables the control of tracheal wall pressure. The silicone cuffed tube was shortened and an adjustable flange was used to convert it to a cuffed tracheostomy tube. Twelve patients requiring a tracheostomy on a four-bed intensive care unit (ICU) in a district general hospital received either a silicone or a Shiley cuffed tracheostomy tube. Tracheal wall pressures of both cuffs were maintained at 30 cm H 2 O with a constant pressure inflation device. Blue food dye was instilled once daily into the subglottic space through a fine catheter above the cuff. There were six patients in the Shiley group and six patients in the silicone cuff group. Dye leaked to the trachea in six (100%) of the Shiley group compared with none (0%) of the silicone cuff group (P=0.001). This study confirms the effectiveness of this silicone cuff at preventing aspiration and the high incidence of leakage with the conventional high-volume low-pressure tracheostomy tube cuff.
Face Recognition under Expressions and Lighting Variations using Masking and Synthesizing

In this paper, we propose an integrated face recognition system that is robust against facial expressions by combining information from the computed intraperson optical flow and the synthesized face images. The main aim of this proposed work is to improve the accuracy of the face recognition system using the multiple training images. Making recognition more reliable under uncontrolled lighting conditions is one of the most important challenges for practical face recognition systems. We tackle this by combining the strengths of robust illumination normalization. Using synthesized images we can improve the accuracy of the face recognition system in the proposed system. Keywords— Face recognition, constrained optical flow, mask image, synthesized image, masked synthesized image.
Predicting therapeutic gains in depression from interpersonal mastery

H o w people with depression are able to master their symptoms through psychotherapy has been a subject of considerable debate. Previous research indicates that an increased sense of mastery is indicative of lower depression, with gains in interpersonal mastery throughout therapy predicting better outcomes. The current study further investigates the concept of interpersonal mastery in relation to several c o m m o n factors identified in the literature as instrumental to the effective treatment of depression: the therapeutic alliance, global functioning, perceived severity of personal problems, and the patient's perception of improvement in mood. Thematic analyses were also undertaken. The aim of the study was to determine if mastery could assist in understanding the prediction of outcome. Specifically, it was anticipated that mastery would help to explain why some less theoryrelevant methods (e.g. G A F ) are useful in the prediction of therapeutic gains. The sample consisted of 87 adults who took part in the Northfields Clinic depression program, comprising 16 sessions of psychotherapy. Depression and global functioning were assessed at intake and termination, self-reported problems were measured at intake, therapeutic alliance was assessed at week three of treatment, and the patient's perception of improvement in mood was measured at termination. Mastery levels were ascertained by applying the Mastery Scale to transcripts taken from intake interviews, and were scored by two judges, with high inter-rater agreement. Depression was found to be related to mastery levels at intake, such that higher levels of mastery were indicative of lower depression scores. This relationship, however, was not sustained at termination, or through residualised gain scores. The hypothesis that the therapeutic alliance would be related to mastery was not supported, suggesting that the concept of mastery is different from the ability to form an alliance. A more pervasive relationship, however, was found between mastery and global functioning measures, which was further supported by findings that patients with higher mastery levels reported greater improvements in mood. The perceived severity of personal problems was also unrelated to mastery, suggesting that as a construct, mastery reflects more than an absence of patient-reported problems.