Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Theophylline Increases the Uptake of Radioiodine by Mouse Thyroid

Diagnostic and therapeutic use of radioiodine in the management of thyroid disorders depends on the ability of thyroid cells to concentrate radioiodine, a process that is regulated by the intracellular increase in cAMP. We hypothesized that theophylline, a drug known to increase intracellular cAMP via inhibition of phosphodiesterase, could increase thyroidal radioiodine uptake. We tested this effect in vivo, using C57BL/6j mice, and in vitro, using Fisher rat thyroid (FRTL-5) cells. One mouse received 2.5mg theophylline i.p., whereas a control mouse received only saline. Twenty-hours after theophylline, mice were injected with 10 µCi Na125I in 0.1 mL saline through the tail vein. Mean thyroidal 125I activity was 3.3-fold higher in theophylline-treated mice than in their respective controls. Radioiodine uptake and intracellular cAMP production of FRTL-5 cells were increased by a relatively low concentration of theophylline (1 µM). Intracellular cAMP increased up to 30 min and then declined in response to 1 µM theophylline. Sera from theophylline-treated mice stimulated 125I uptake and intracellular cAMP production by FRTL-5 cells. These findings show that theophylline can enhance radioiodine uptake by thyrocytes in vivo and in vitro. The in vitro effects of theophylline on both radioiodine uptake and cAMP production in a dose-dependent manner are consistent with an action mediated by phosphodiesterase inhibition.
Brainlets: "instant" Semantic Web applications

In this paper we present the "Brainlet" paradigm, a way to create rich Semantic Web user interfaces and interaction environments. Brainlets are half way between configuration files and light scripts and are "executed" by the DBin rich Semantic Web Platform. The main motivation behind Brainlets is enabling domain experts, rather than programmers, to create rich Semantic Web environments and communities. Brainlets can in fact be created simply by XML configuration files and XML based scripts along with the proper ontologies. Advanced Brainlets can be created based on the internal DBin API and/or the Eclipse Rich Client platform API. Brainlets are distributed as plug-ins and enable user communities, providing a common 'vision' of the domain and tools, to collectively create and exploit rich Semantic Web datasets.
Computational aids for Zulu natural language processing

In this paper the development of two basic computational aids in Zulu natural language processing, namely a morphological analyser, built with the Xerox finite-state tools (Beesley & Karttunen, 2003) and a machine-readable lexicon as an XML document, are discussed. We briefly consider the linguistic characteristics of an agglutinating language such as Zulu, with specific reference to the noun and noun-based words. The issues of computational morphology and the challenges involved in building a morphological analyser for Zulu are addressed, and a brief explanation of how the Xerox finite-state tools may be used for this purpose, is given. Then the development of the morphological analyser and the lexicon are outlined, and finally we discuss the integration and use of these two computational aids to reflect the dynamic nature of natural language by focusing on a variant of the morphological analyser, namely the so-called 'guesser'. By applying this guesser to the available language corpora, new word roots may be identified and systematically included in the XML lexicon and the morphological analyser.
Epithelial Cells -Infected Human Intestinal Shigella on casei Lactobacillus Anti-Inflammatory Effect of

Shigella invades the human intestinal mucosa, thus causing bacillary dysentery, an acute recto-colitis responsible for lethal complications, mostly in infants and toddlers. Conversely, commensal bacteria live in a mutualistic relationship with the intestinal mucosa that is characterized by homeostatic control of innate responses, thereby contributing to tolerance to the ﬂora. Cross-talk established between commensals and the intestinal epithelium mediate this active process, the mechanisms of which remain largely uncharacterized. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus casei belong to a subclass of these commensals that modulate mucosal innate responses and possibly display anti-inﬂammatory properties. We analyzed whether L. casei could attenuate the pro-inﬂammatory signaling induced by Shigella ﬂexneri after invasion of the epithelial lining. Cultured epithelial cells were infected with L. casei , followed by a challenge with S. ﬂexneri . Using macroarray DNA chips, we observed that L. casei down-regulated the transcription of a number of genes encoding pro-inﬂammatory effectors such as cytokines and chemokines and adherence molecules induced by invasive S. ﬂexneri . This resulted in an anti-inﬂammatory effect that appeared mediated by the inhibition of the NF- (cid:1) B pathway, particularly through stabilization of I- (cid:1) B (cid:2) . In a time-course experiment using GeneChip hybridization analysis, the expression of many genes involved in ubiquitination and proteasome processes were modulated during L. casei treatment. Thus, L. casei has developed a sophisticated
A Critical Assessment of Geographic Clusters of Breast and Lung Cancer Incidences among Residents Living near the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers, Michigan, USA

Objectives. To assess previously determined geographic clusters of breast and lung cancer incidences among residents living near the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers, Michigan, using a new set of environmental factors. Materials and Methods. Breast and lung cancer data were acquired from the Michigan Department of Community Health, along with point source pollution data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The datasets were used to determine whether there is a spatial association between disease risk and environmental contamination. GIS and spatial techniques were combined with statistical analysis to investigate local risk of breast and lung cancer. Results and Conclusion. The study suggests that neighborhoods in close proximity to the river were associated with a high risk of breast cancer, while increased risk of lung cancer was detected among neighborhoods in close proximity to point source pollution and major highways. Statistically significant (P ≤ .001) clusters of cancer incidences were observed among residents living near the rivers. These findings are useful to researchers and governmental agencies for risk assessment, regulation, and control of environmental contamination in the floodplains.
Individual Self-Determination and Relationship Satisfaction of Athletes in Dyadic Sports: Examining the Moderating Role of Dyadic Self-Determination

The main goal of this study was to explore a multilayered hierarchical model of motivation in which the role of self-determination at the dyadic level is expected to moderate the relationship between individual self-determination and both cohesion and relationship quality of athletes in dyadic sports. The sample consisted of 66 athletes from 3 different sports: badminton, figure skating, and synchronized swimming. The participants completed a questionnaire assessing self-determination, relationship quality, and dyadic cohesion. Results indicated that dyadic self-determination moderated the relationship between individual self-determination and cohesion as well as the relationship between individual self-determined motivation and relationship quality. Results are discussed in line with self-determination theory and avenues for future research are proposed.
Maturity model for process of academic management

The segment of education in Brazil, especially in higher education, has undergone major changes. The search for professionalization, for cost reduction and process standardization has led many institutions to associate through partnerships or acquisitions. On the other hand, maturity models have been used very successfully in several areas of knowledge especially in software development, as an approach for quality models. This paper presents a methodology for assessing the maturity of academic process management in private institutions of higher education that, initially, aims the Brazilian market, but its idea can be applied to a global maturity model of academic process management.
An improved wide input voltage buck-boost + LLC cascaded converter

An improved buck-boost + LLC (IBB LLC) cascaded converter appropriate for wide input voltage situation is presented in this paper, which can be used as a constant voltage source or a constant current source charger for battery. The control strategy of dual frequency PWM (DFPWM) is introduced. For the LLC converter, ZVS for MOSFETs and ZCS for diode are achieved. As a result, the switching loss is reduced and the converter can operate at higher switching frequency with high efficiency. The operation principle and characteristics of the presented converter are verified on a 200V-450V input 14V/80A output experimental prototype.
Verifying Electronic Commerce Protocols

This proposal concerns protocol verification by formal proof. With EPSRC funding, Paulson has developed a new and highly successful approach to verifying security protocols: theinductive method . The protocols analyzed by this method include a standard Internet protocol (TLS, a descendant of SSL) [ 10] and one developed by a UK company, APM Ltd. [ 9]. APM’s protocol was difficult to analyze using previous methods. The inductive analysis uncovered some flaws in it, suggesting a new and correct design. The present proposal is to apply the inductive method to e-commerce protocols, including SET (Secure Electronic Transactions). Outcomes will include a formalization of the protocol and a more general proof environment in which to analyze other protocols. The work will be done within the Cambridge Automated Reasoning Group. Hardware verification was pioneered here by M. J. C. Gordon and his students. They introduced what have become standard techniques, such as the use of higherorder logic to model hardware and software systems. The group’s work continues to attract worldwide attention. For example, John Harrison won the Distinguished Dissertation Award for his thesis on verification involving floating-point arithmetic; his subsequent recruitment by Intel is evidence that formal proof is relevant to industry. The group has built two of the most important proof environments used today, namely HOL and Isabelle. Isabelle (developed by Paulson) is a generic theorem prover. It supports interactive proof in several formal systems, including firstorder logic, higher-order logic and Zermelo-Frankel set theory. Derived logics can be supported as well as primitive formalisms. Researchers have used Isabelle to support complicated specification languages such as TLA and Z. Several past projects at Cambridge involve Isabelle:
The Reliability of a Friction Measurement Device on the Assessment of Slip & Fall Risk

The significance of slipping and falling has been reported in the literature. It has also been shown that most slipping and falling incidences occur on level surfaces where floor slipperiness is a critical issue. Friction measurement is one of the major approaches in determining floor slipperiness. The Brungraber Mark II slipmeter is one of the friction measurement devices commonly used by safety engineers and consultants in the USA. The Brungraber Mark III is a new and an improvement design of theMark II. The aimof the study was to compare the performances of the Brungraber Mark II and Mark III slipmeters. Friction measurements with the two slipmeters were conducted in a laboratory using four footwear samples, four floors, and three surface conditions. A Kistler® force platform was used to collect the ground reaction force of the footwear pad on the floor tile. The ratio of the horizontal force versus the vertical force measured using the force platform was calculated and was termed force platform-based COF value. Both the COF readings and the force platform-based COF values were analyzed. Based on the comparisons of the COF readings between the two slipmeters and correlations between the COF readings and the force platform-based COF values for the two slipmeters, the Mark III was found to have equivalent consistency, repeatability, and accuracy as compared with those of the Mark II.
IL-1RA +2018 polymorphism and the susceptivity to pneumoconiosis: a Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES It has been reported that host genetic factors may play a crucial role in pneumoconiosis susceptibility. The present study aimed to study the association between IL-1RA +2018 polymorphism and pneumoconiosis by Meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Literatures addressing the association between IL-1RA gene polymorphisms and pneumoconiosis were selected from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang databases. Statistical analyses were performed by Review Manager Software 5.0. 24 and STATA 11.0 software. RESULTS 5 case-control studies with a total of 609 pneumoconiosis patients and 579 controls were retrieved. Meta-analysis results showed significant association between IL-1RA +2018 polymorphism and pneumoconiosis risk. The C allele carriers have increased risk compared with the T allele carriers (OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.25-2.27, P=0.0007). Individuals who carry TC or CC genotype have higher risk than those with TT homozygote (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.71, P=0.006). In subgroup analysis by pneumoconiosis type, a significant association between IL-1RA +2018 polymorphism and pneumoconiosis risk were found in silicosis (C vs T: OR=2.12, 95% CI: 1.63-2.76, P=0.000; TC+CC vs TT: OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.18-2.71, P=0.006) but not in coal workers' pneumoconiosis. CONCLUSION This Meta-analysis suggests that IL-1RA +2018 polymorphism might be risk factors for pneumoconiosis, especially in silicosis.
Hierarchical Local Maps for Robust Approximate Nearest Neighbor Computation

In this paper, we propose a novel method for fast nearest neighbors retrieval in non-Euclidean and non-metric spaces. We organize the data into a hierarchical fashion that preserves the local similarity structure. A method to find the approximate nearest neighbor of a query is proposed, that drastically reduces the total number of explicit distance measures that need to be computed. The representation overcomes the restrictive assumptions in traditional manifold mappings, while enabling fast nearest neighbor's search. Experimental results on the Unipen and CASIA Iris datasets clearly demonstrates the advantages of the approach and improvements over state of the art algorithms. The algorithm can work in batch mode as well as in sequential mode and is highly scalable.
Evaluation of Screening Criteria for Adverse Events in Medical Patients

The goals of this study were to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of 15 screening criteria for adverse events, preventable adverse events, and severe adverse events in medical patients, and to evaluate combinations of these criteria, including those available through hospital billing data, to determine whether a small subset of generic screens might efficiently identify adverse events. The authors studied 3,137 consecutive admissions to a medical service over a 4-month period at an urban tertiary care hospital. Chart reviews were performed after discharge by reviewers blinded to the eventual determination of presence of an adverse event. Judgments regarding presence, severity, and preventability of adverse events were made using guided implicit reviews by physicians. Of all admissions, 341 (11%) were judged to include an adverse event, of which 274 were severe and 145 were preventable. Sensitivity and specificity of individual screens varied widely, with prior hospitalization the most sensitive (68%) but least specific (56%). Death was specific (97%) but not sensitive (9%); readmission was intermediate (sensitivity 28%, specificity 80%). In analyses using severe and preventable adverse events as the outcome, results were generally similar. Combinations of screens also were compared, including some using only screens available through billing data; the most sensitive billing strategy detected just 47% of adverse events, but cost only $3 per admission reviewed and $57 per adverse event, versus $13 per admission and $116 per adverse event for a strategy in which all records were reviewed. It is concluded that no small subset of screens identified a high percentage of adverse events. Using screens available through billing data, although insensitive, would be much less costly.
Scale uncertainty compensation for the problem of object's geometry estimations by means of its optical image approximation with subpixel accuracy

A solution for the estimation of an unknown scale of the optical image is presented. The method does not require any scale reference or additional depth sensing apparatus other than a conventional digital camera. The estimation is performed by the multiparametric model approximation of the image acquired. A proposed image model introduces the ability to estimate the image scale by means of preliminary calibrated dependence of optical system's spread function with respect to the image scale. The key feature of the method is the fast image simulation of a freeform object with subpixel accuracy by approximated analytical calculation of its Fourier transform.
Film Theory and Chatbots

The tools described in film theory are used to invoke feelings in the viewer as a form of entertainment. Some of these tools apply more directly to chatbots than others. Film combines visual images, music, and dialog to accomplish its goals. Conversing with a chatbot is akin to using a telegraph, or instant messaging on a cell phone. However, written communication may still convey emotions and feelings that people interpret on their own as they chat. It is useful to speak of the emotional content of written communications using film theory terminology.
Children's Recognition of Consumption Symbolism in Children's Products

The development of children's abilities to recognize consumption symbolism has been examined using adults' products, but not using children's products. The present study examines children's perceptions of the users of children's products and tests hypotheses concerning the effects of age, sex, social class, and sibling influence. As expected, the greatest differences are found among children of different ages. Results are interpreted as due to product-related experience and positive biases toward higher-status brand names and personally owned products.
Stages and processes of change in eating disorders: implications for therapy

The aim of this study was to examine the trans-theoretical model of change in 51 anorexia nervosa and 58 bulimia nervosa patients attending a specialist clinic. Self-report questionnaires were completed as to the stage of change, decisional balance, and processes of change before initial assessment. Of the BN patients 80% were in a stage of action compared to only half of the AN patients. There was a shift in decisional balance between the stages of change. The strong principle of change was supported in that the pros of change were increased by over 1 standard deviation from precontemplation to action. The weak principle of change was not supported as there was less shift in the cons. Few processes were used in precontemplation, self re-evaluation was increased in contemplation and self liberation in action. The trans-theoretical model of change appears to be applicable to patients with eating disorders. These preliminary findings suggest ways in which therapy can be targeted to maximize the level of motivation and to promote change itself. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Can the Brain be Trained? Comparing the Literature on the Use of EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback as an Alternative or Complementary Therapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ABSTRACT Psychologists, social workers, and school counselors are increasingly adding neurofeedback (NFT), a controversial alternative or complementary therapy to their treatment plans for patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. NFT involves training the patient in self-regulation of brain wave patterns, employing a standard diagnostic tool, the EEG, in an interactive operant conditioning mode not often used by neurologists or psychiatrists. Some NFT therapists claim in their books that they have sufficient expertise to advise parents against the use of Ritalin™ and amphetamines, which are part of the conventional multimodal therapy strongly endorsed in a wide variety of clinical publications. In return, some of the leading conventional physicians and Ph.D. researchers in the field of ADHD have traditionally ignored or disparaged the literature of NFT as being insufficiently scientific and appearing largely in obscure journals or books published outside the mainstream medical presses. While most librarians are unlikely to have sufficient scientific or clinical credentials to pass judgment, one way or another, on NFT as a treatment for ADHD, an examination of the credentials of authors, their books, book reviews, journals, and the publishers in which opponents and proponents make their case is entirely within our purview, and such an analysis is provided.
Job Embeddedness Demonstrates Incremental Validity When Predicting Turnover Intentions for Australian University Employees

Job embeddedness is a construct that describes the manner in which employees can be enmeshed in their jobs, reducing their turnover intentions. Recent questions regarding the properties of quantitative job embeddedness measures, and their predictive utility, have been raised. Our study compared two competing reflective measures of job embeddedness, examining their convergent, criterion, and incremental validity, as a means of addressing these questions. Cross-sectional quantitative data from 246 Australian university employees (146 academic; 100 professional) was gathered. Our findings indicated that the two compared measures of job embeddedness were convergent when total scale scores were examined. Additionally, job embeddedness was capable of demonstrating criterion and incremental validity, predicting unique variance in turnover intention. However, this finding was not readily apparent with one of the compared job embeddedness measures, which demonstrated comparatively weaker evidence of validity. We discuss the theoretical and applied implications of these findings, noting that job embeddedness has a complementary place among established determinants of turnover intention.
Butyrylcholinesterase Is Associated With &bgr;-Amyloid Plaques in the Transgenic APPSWE/PSEN1dE9 Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease

Abstract Histochemical analysis of Alzheimer disease (AD) brain tissues indicates that butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) is present in &bgr;-amyloid (A&bgr;) plaques. The role of BuChE in AD pathology is unknown, but an animal model developing similar BuChE-associated A&bgr; plaques could provide insights. The APPSWE/PSEN1dE9 transgenic mouse (ADTg), which develops A&bgr; plaques, was examined to determine if BuChE associates with these plaques, as in AD. We found that in mature ADTg mice, BuChE activity associated with A&bgr; plaques. The A&bgr;-, thioflavin-S– and BuChE-positive plaques mainly accumulated in the olfactory structures, cerebral cortex, hippocampal formation, amygdala, and cerebellum. No plaques were stained for acetylcholinesterase activity. The distribution and abundance of plaque staining in ADTg closely resembled many aspects of plaque staining in AD. Butyrylcholinesterase staining consistently showed fewer plaques than were detected with A&bgr; immunostaining but a greater number of plaques than were visualized with thioflavin-S. Double-labeling experiments demonstrated that all BuChE-positive plaques were A&bgr; positive, whereas only some BuChE-positive plaques were thioflavin-S positive. These observations suggest that BuChE is associated with a subpopulation of A&bgr; plaques and may play a role in AD plaque maturation. A further study of this animal model could clarify the role of BuChE in AD pathology.