Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic evidence to exclude the androgen receptor co‐factor, ARA70 (NCOA4) as a candidate gene for the causation of undermasculinised genitalia

To the Editor: Androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone), which are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR), are essential for the development of the male reproductive system. Insufficient androgen action can result in varying degrees of genital undermasculinisation, ranging from completely female genitalia to isolated hypospadias. The AR requires the presence of co-factors as well as androgens to activate androgen responsive genes. One co-factor that appears to show relatively specific binding to the AR is ARA70 (also known as NCOA4 and ELE1) (1, 2). ARA70 binds to a region of the AR ligand-binding domain (residues 696–722) that is a common site for mutations (3–5). A mutation (E708K) within this region of the AR in a patient with ambiguous genitalia was shown to disrupt ARA70–AR binding rather than the binding of androgen to the AR (6). The aim of this study was to determine whether mutations within the ARA70 gene cause undermasculinised genitalia in subjects with normal androgen production and androgen– AR binding. Twenty-seven subjects with a 46,XY karyotype, normal androgen production and mild-to-severe genital abnormalities were selected from the Cambridge intersex database (Table 1). Twenty-five patients had AR-binding studies performed on genital skin fibroblasts and all had normal receptor affinity (Kd, 0.6–2.5×10 M) and binding capacity (Bmax\300×10/mg DNA) (3, 5). The skin biopsy in 1 patient was not from the genitalia and in another the site was unknown. In both cases, the entire AR coding region and exon–intron boundaries were screened by single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and exons 2–8 were sequenced using standard protocols (3, 5). Since no mutations were identified, these patients were assumed to have normal AR binding. RNA was extracted from the primary fibroblast cultures of patient skin biopsies (25 were from the genitalia) and cDNA synthesised using standard
A broadband e-shaped patch antenna of compact size and low profile

With the help of shorting wall loading for minimization, air slots cut on the patch for multi-resonance introducing, and folded L-shaped probe technique for impedance matching, a broadband (19.8% centered at 2.378 GHz) E-shaped patch antenna with compact size and low profile (0.198 lambda c times 0.22 lambda c times 0.032 lambda c) is proposed. Three adjacent resonances that help to form the broadband are observed.
Reinforcement learning applications in dynamic pricing of retail markets

In this paper, we investigate the use of reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to the problem of determining dynamic prices in an electronic retail market. As representative models, we consider a single seller market and a two seller market, and formulate the dynamic pricing problem in a setting that easily generalizes to markets with more than two sellers. We first formulate the single seller dynamic pricing problem in the RL framework and solve the problem using the Q-learning algorithm through simulation. Next we model the two seller dynamic pricing problem as a Markovian game and formulate the problem in the RL framework. We solve this problem using actor-critic algorithms through simulation. We believe our approach to solving these problems is a promising way of setting dynamic prices in multi-agent environments. We illustrate the methodology with two illustrative examples of typical retail markets.
Layered Gibbs Sampling Algorithm for Near-Optimal Detection in Large-MIMO Systems

In this paper, we propose a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based layered Gibbs sampling (GS) algorithm for low-complexity symbol vector detection in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems with large (tens to hundreds) number of antennas i.e. large-MIMO systems. The underlying idea in the proposed work is to use the MCMC based GS technique in a layered fashion where, in each layer the GS is used to make decision about a symbol probabilistically by sampling from a distribution. The proposed algorithm successfully alleviates the stalling problem encountered at high signal to noise ratios in the conventional GS based detection methods. Since, layered detection is prone to error propagation, therefore, two different sorting techniques namely, signal to noise ratio based sorting and log-likelihood ratio based sorting of the detection sequence are used for mitigating the error propagation. Simulation results validate superiority of the proposed algorithm over the existing GS based detection methods, and also, the bit error rate performance of the proposed algorithm approach near-optimal performance with low-complexity.
Bee Abundance and Nutritional Status in Relation to Grassland Management Practices in an Agricultural Landscape

Abstract Grasslands provide important resources for pollinators in agricultural landscapes. Managing grasslands with fire and grazing has the potential to benefit plant and pollinator communities, though there is uncertainty about the ideal approach. We examined the relationships among burning and grazing regimes, plant communities, and Bombus species and Apis mellifera L. abundance and nutritional indicators at the Grand River Grasslands in southern Iowa and northern Missouri. Treatment regimes included burn-only, grazed-and-burned, and patch-burn graze (pastures subdivided into three temporally distinct fire patches with free access by cattle). The premise of the experimental design was that patch-burn grazing would increase habitat heterogeneity, thereby providing more diverse and abundant floral resources for pollinators. We predicted that both bee abundance and individual bee nutritional indicators (bee size and lipid content) would be positively correlated with floral resource abundance. There were no significant differences among treatments with respect to bee abundance. However, some of the specific characteristics of the plant community showed significant relationships with bee response variables. Pastures with greater abundance of floral resources had greater bee abundance but lower bee nutritional indicators. Bee nutritional variables were positively correlated with vegetation height, but, in some cases, negatively correlated with stocking rate. These results suggest grassland site characteristics such as floral resource abundance and stocking rate are of potential importance to bee pollinators and suggest avenues for further research to untangle the complex interactions between grassland management, plant responses, and bee health.
Drivers of E-Marketing Adoption among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Variations with Age of Business Owners

In a knowledge society, organisations need to develop competitive advantages through the effective utilization of electronic marketing in order to succeed in markets. The study complements existing literature and research by examining factors that assist in the adoption of electronic marketing by SMEs. Primary data was collected using a quantitative research technique through the use of a structured questionnaire. A random sample of 123 SMEs were drawn randomly within the various municipal areas in the Vaal Triangle. Principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was employed to identify the factors pertaining to the drivers of e-marketing adoption among SMEs. A five-dimensional structure, pertinent to the understanding of SMEs decisions to adopt e-marketing technology was established. Perceived ease of use (PEOU), external pressure, mission, job performance, resource availability and compatibility were found to be significant drivers of e-marketing adoption. The analysis present marketers with strategies to amplify Internet technological adoption. It further provides insight for SME owners that may potentially influence the implementation of intervention strategies that support e-marketing adoption. A study on the potential influence of e-marketing on firm performance in emerging economies is a worthy area for future research. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n14p53
Step detection using multi- versus single tri-axial accelerometer-based systems

Multiple sensors are often considered necessary for increased step count accuracy. However, subject adherence to device-wear increases using a minimal number of activity monitors (AMs). The study aims were to determine and compare the validity of using multiple AMs versus a single AM to detect steps by comparison to video using a modification of an algorithm previously developed for a four-accelerometer AM system capable, unlike other algorithms, of accurate step detection for gait velocities as low as 0.1 m s−1. Twelve healthy adults wore ankle, thigh and waist AMs while performing walking/jogging trials at gait velocities from 0.1–4.8 m s−1 and a simulated free-living dynamic activities protocol. Nineteen older adults wore ankle and waist AMs while walking at velocities from 0.5–2.0 m s−1. As little as one AM (thigh or waist) accurately detected steps for velocities >0.5 m s−1. A single ankle AM accurately detected steps for velocities ⩾0.1 m s−1. Only the thigh AM could not accurately detect steps during the dynamic activities. Only the thigh–ankle combination or single waist AM could accurately distinguish between walking and jogging steps. These laboratory-based results suggest that the presented algorithm can accurately detect steps in a free-living environment using only one ankle or waist AM.
Generation of Useful Semantic Feedback for Students and Teachers

Feedback is an important component of assessment in learning environments, because it allows students to know their learning flaws, and feedback information is also useful for teachers to design learning contents adapted to the needs of the students. Therefore, the availability of feedback constitutes a new learning opportunity. In this paper we describe an approach based on Semantic Web technologies for generating useful semantic feedback for both teachers and students.
Design and simulation of a torus structure and route algorithm for network on chip

With the development of VDSM, the rising scale and complexity of system-on-chip induce significant communication challenges in bus based architectures. The interconnect delay and unpredictable delay are gradually becoming the bottle neck of increasing complexity for on-chip systems. Current NOC (network on chip) provides an effective solution to these communication problems. In this paper, we study the Torus topology and bring forward a structure for NOC. Besides, we propose a dead-lock and live-lock free route algorithm. During the simulation, we found that our structure and algorithm are superior in hotspot traffic pattern. Furthermore, latency time and throughput of Torus NOC we designed have been tremendously improved comparing with XY Mesh structure.
The role of autonomous aggregators in IoT multi-core systems

The Internet of Things constitutes a prominent field, integrating smart devices and people into complex systems that may vary in scale. To ensure the constant availability and performance of provided services, alternative distributed architectures should be explored, promoting system scalability. To this end, alternative architectures for the IoT are proposed. Commonly an intermediate layer consisting of aggregators, controlling sensors and actuators and providing a service interface to IoT applications, is incorporated in such architectures. To promote scalability of IoT systems, aggrerators should to operate as autonomous entities. For an aggregator to become autonomous, self-management policies should be enforced. In the paper, we discuss autonomous aggregator software, running on multi-core IoT systems to efficiently implement such policies. A demonstrator for smart buildings, developed as a proof of concept for the proposed concepts, is also presented.
RVTESTS: an efficient and comprehensive tool for rare variant association analysis using sequence data

Motivation: Next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled the large-scale assessment of the impact of rare and low-frequency genetic variants for complex human diseases. Gene-level association tests are often performed to analyze rare variants, where multiple rare variants in a gene region are analyzed jointly. Applying gene-level association tests to analyze sequence data often requires integrating multiple heterogeneous sources of information (e.g. annotations, functional prediction scores, allele frequencies, genotypes and phenotypes) to determine the optimal analysis unit and prioritize causal variants. Given the complexity and scale of current sequence datasets and bioinformatics databases, there is a compelling need for more efficient software tools to facilitate these analyses. To answer this challenge, we developed RVTESTS, which implements a broad set of rare variant association statistics and supports the analysis of autosomal and X-linked variants for both unrelated and related individuals. RVTESTS also provides useful companion features for annotating sequence variants, integrating bioinformatics databases, performing data quality control and sample selection. We illustrate the advantages of RVTESTS in functionality and efficiency using the 1000 Genomes Project data. Availability and implementation: RVTESTS is available on Linux, MacOS and Windows. Source code and executable files can be obtained at https://github.com/zhanxw/rvtests Contact: zhanxw@gmail.com; goncalo@umich.edu; dajiang.liu@outlook.com Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Microscopic Limit on Gravitational Waves from D-brane Inflation

We derive a microscopic bound on the maximal field variation of the inflaton during warped D-brane inflation. By a result of Lyth, this implies an upper limit on the amount of gravitational waves produced during inflation. We show that a detection at the level r > 0.01 would falsify slow roll D-brane inflation. In DBI (Dirac-Bom-Infeld) inflation, detectable tensors may be possible in special compactifications, provided that r decreases rapidly during inflation. We also show that for the special case of DBI inflation with a quadratic potential, current observational constraints imply strong upper bounds on the five-form flux.
D S ] 2 5 A pr 2 01 7 Indexing Weighted Sequences : Neat and Efficient

In a weighted sequence, for every position of the sequence and every letter of the alphabet a probability of occurrence of this letter at this position is specified. Weighted sequences are commonly used to represent imprecise or uncertain data, for example, in molecular biology where they are known under the name of Position-Weight Matrices. Given a probability threshold 1 z , we say that a string P of length m matches a weighted sequence X at starting position i if the product of probabilities of the letters of P at positions i, . , i+m− 1 in X is at least 1 z . In this article, we consider an indexing variant of the problem, in which we are to preprocess a weighted sequence to answer multiple pattern matching queries. We present an O(nz)-time construction of an O(nz)-sized index for a weighted sequence of length n over an integer alphabet that answers pattern matching queries in optimal, O(m+Occ) time, where Occ is the number of occurrences reported. Our new index is based on a non-trivial construction of a family of ⌊z⌋ weighted sequences of an especially simple form that are equivalent to a general weighted sequence. This new combinatorial insight allowed us to obtain: a construction of the index in the case of a constant-sized alphabet with the same complexities as in (Barton et al., CPM 2016) but with a simple implementation; a deterministic construction in the case of a general integer alphabet (the construction of Barton et al. in this case was randomised); an improvement of the space complexity from O(nz) to O(nz) of a more general index for weighted sequences that was presented in (Biswas et al., EDBT 2016); and a significant improvement of the complexities of the approximate variant of the index of Biswas et al.
A user interface utilizing various contents in difficult environment

In recent years, mobile terminals come to be used to assist works. However, we can not say that they are enough suitable to assist works either that occupy hands or that are accomplished in environment with water or fire, which cause troubles with electronic devices. In this study, in order to solve this problem, we propose an assist system using projection mapping and NUI. Note that our system is not an application program, but replaces the former UI simply. Our system consists of a depth camera, an RGB camera, and a projector. It causes a click event by detecting whether a user touches the screen. By replacing the click operation with the touching on the projected screen, it can utilize various existing applications and contents.
Epiretinal and Vitreous Membranes: Comparative Study of 56 Cases

Five morphologically distinguishable cell types were observed in 56 epiretinal and vitreous membranes obtained surgically from eyes with various ocular diseases: (1) retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells that were evident only in association with retinal detachment, (2)(macrophages, (3) fibrocytes, (4) fibrous astrocytes that were characteristic of all disease groups, and (5) myofibroblast-like cells that had mostly the characteristics of fibrocytes and, occasionally, of RPE cells or fibrous astrocytes. The combination of cell types varied in different types of epiretinal membranes, but the formation of collagen and the development of cells with myofibroblast-like properties were common features and seemed to be within the capacity of several cell types. These two common features seem to be the basis for the contractile properties of epiretinal and vitreous membranes.
Transition to Low-Income Homeownership 2 RUNNING HEAD : Effect of Marital Status on Homeownership The Effect of Marital Status on Homeownership Among Low-Income Households

This research examines whether lower-income married renters are more likely to become homeowners than comparable single renters. Using data from the Community Advantage Panel Study, we use discrete-time survival analysis with propensity score matching to explore this relationship. Results indicate married couples have higher odds of buying a home, and do so at faster rates, than their unmarried counterparts. These findings were robust to the control of selection bias between the married and unmarried groups using propensity score matching. The findings suggest efforts to encourage marriage among low-income couples may be associated with subsequent economic mobility through homeownership.
A Unifying Framework for Gaussian Process Pseudo-Point Approximations using Power Expectation Propagation

Gaussian processes (GPs) are flexible distributions over functions that enable high-level assumptions about unknown functions to be encoded in a parsimonious, flexible and general way. Although elegant, the application of GPs is limited by computational and analytical intractabilities that arise when data are sufficiently numerous or when employing non-Gaussian models. Consequently, a wealth of GP approximation schemes have been developed over the last 15 years to address these key limitations. Many of these schemes employ a small set of pseudo data points to summarise the actual data. In this paper, we develop a new pseudo-point approximation framework using Power Expectation Propagation (Power EP) that unifies a large number of these pseudo-point approximations. Unlike much of the previous venerable work in this area, the new framework is built on standard methods for approximate inference (variational free-energy, EP and Power EP methods) rather than employing approximations to the probabilistic generative model itself. In this way, all of approximation is performed at `inference time' rather than at `modelling time' resolving awkward philosophical and empirical questions that trouble previous approaches. Crucially, we demonstrate that the new framework includes new pseudo-point approximation methods that outperform current approaches on regression and classification tasks.
INDUCTION OF 8-HYDROXY-2'-DEOXYGUANOSINE BY COBALT(II) AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN VITRO

In order to test the effects of cobalt on oxidative DNA damage, we measured the formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the presence of cobalt in calf thymus DNA and in DNA of human diploid fibroblasts. Treatment of calf thymus DNA with Co(II) at 500 µ M hydrogen peroxide resulted in a dose-dependent increase in 8-OHdG, which culminated at 25 µ M Co(II) (62.6 modified/105 dG) and declined at higher Co(II) concentrations [9.6 modified/10 5 dG at 250 µ M Co(II)]. Incubation of calf thymus DNA with Co(II) alone did not cause an increase in 8-OHdG. Treatment of calf thymus DNA with H 2 O 2 (0.25-2 m M ) caused only a slight generation of 8-OHdG (2.7/10 5 dG, at 2 m M H 2 O 2 ). Exposure of human diploid fibroblasts to Co(II) at 5-250 µ M did not result in an increase in 8-OHdG in a dose-dependent manner, although treated cells showed significantly higher 8-OHdG levels than untreated controls (2.026 - 0.695 vs. 1.395 - 0.433 8-OHdG/10 5 dG) at all concentrations. Our data indicate that in the presence of H 2 O 2 , Co(II) stimulates the in vitro formation of 8-OHdG.
Changes in morphology of neuroblastoma cells treated with all‐trans retinoic acid combined with transfer of the C‐terminal region of the amyloid precursor protein

Alzheimer disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a loss of cognitive and memory functions. Amyloid fibrils deposited in neuritic plaque is mainly β‐amyloid protein (Aβ) that is derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). The secreted form of APP, which is corresponded to N‐terminal portion of APP, shows neurotrophic activities. On the other hand, Aβ and cytoplasmic domains of APP are thought to be neurotoxic. In order to investigate the effect of C‐terminal fragment of APP covering Aβ and the cytoplasmic domain upon cell growth and differentiation, we established a stably transfected cell line producing the C‐terminal 100 amino acid peptide of APP. The transfected clones stained positively with anti‐Aβ monoclonal antibody, TB‐1. The growth rate of the transfected cells was not significantly different from that of mock‐transfected cells or native NB39 cells. After treatment with all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA), mock‐transfected cells extended neurite processes and showed neuronal‐like differentiation, while a transfected clone overexpressing C‐terminal fragment did not present neuronal‐like morphology. These results suggest that ATRA‐induced neurite extension may be suppressed by overexpression of the C‐terminal fragment of APP. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 12:172–178, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.