Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carotid Artery Sacrifice for Unclippable and Uncoilable Aneurysms: Endovascular Occlusion Vs Common Carotid Artery Ligation

BACKGROUND:Optimal treatment of intracranial aneurysms involves complete occlusion of the aneurysm with preservation of the parent artery and all of its branches. Attempts to occlude the aneurysm and preserve the parent artery may be associated with a higher level of risk than parent vessel occlusion or trapping. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate our series of patients with large and giant aneurysms who underwent treatment via endovascular coiling with parent artery sacrifice or surgical ligation of the common carotid artery (CCA) and gain insight into the advantages and risks of each of these alternatives. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed all patients with aneurysms who underwent carotid sacrifice via endovascular occlusion or surgical CCA ligation during an 8-year period at our institution. RESULTS:Twenty-seven patients with large and giant aneurysms of the internal carotid artery underwent carotid artery sacrifice via endovascular occlusion (n = 15) or CCA ligation (n = 12). Of the patients who underwent endovascular occlusion, 3 developed groin complications, 1 developed a new sixth nerve palsy, 1 died from vasospasm related to subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 1 died secondary to rupture of an associated 3-mm anterior communicating artery aneurysm 5 days postoperatively. Of the patients undergoing CCA ligation, 1 patient developed a partial hypoglossal palsy. Clinical improvement of presenting symptoms was observed in all surviving patients regardless of the method of treatment. Complete aneurysm obliteration was documented in all patients during the initial hospital stay. The mean radiographic long-term follow-up was 14.2 months, which was available in 20 of the 25 surviving patients (80%). Complete obliteration was confirmed at follow-up in all but 2 patients with large cavernous aneurysms; 1 was initially treated with endovascular occlusion and the other with carotid ligation. CONCLUSION:Parent artery sacrifice is still a viable treatment for some complex aneurysms of the internal carotid artery. CCA ligation is a reasonable alternative to endovascular arterial sacrifice.
ADP Ribosylation Factor 1 Is Required for Synaptic Vesicle Budding in PC12 Cells

Carrier vesicle generation from donor membranes typically progresses through a GTP-dependent recruitment of coats to membranes. Here we explore the role of ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) 1, one of the GTP-binding proteins that recruit coats, in the production of neuroendocrine synaptic vesicles (SVs) from PC12 cell membranes. Brefeldin A (BFA) strongly and reversibly inhibited SV formation in vivo in three different PC12 cell lines expressing vesicle-associated membrane protein–T Antigen derivatives. Other membrane traffic events remained unaffected by the drug, and the BFA effects were not mimicked by drugs known to interfere with formation of other classes of vesicles. The involvement of ARF proteins in the budding of SVs was addressed in a cell-free reconstitution system (Desnos, C., L. Clift-O'Grady, and R.B. Kelly. 1995. J. Cell Biol. 130:1041–1049). A peptide spanning the effector domain of human ARF1 (2–17) and recombinant ARF1 mutated in its GTPase activity, both inhibited the formation of SVs of the correct size. During in vitro incubation in the presence of the mutant ARFs, the labeled precursor membranes acquired different densities, suggesting that the two ARF mutations block at different biosynthetic steps. Cell-free SV formation in the presence of a high molecular weight, ARF-depleted fraction from brain cytosol was significantly enhanced by the addition of recombinant myristoylated native ARF1. Thus, the generation of SVs from PC12 cell membranes requires ARF and uses its GTPase activity, probably to regulate coating phenomena.
A grey-based clustering algorithm and its application on fuzzy system design

A grey-based clustering method was proposed and applied on fuzzy system design. A new grey-clustering algorithm using grey relational analysis as the similarity measure was developed for data clustering. It was more effective and accurate than C-Means like algorithms when dealing with data clustering issue, when the compact and complete separate data were considered. Some data clustering examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed clustering algorithm. Next, an application of the proposed method on fuzzy system design is presented. The procedure of fuzzy system design can be separated into two parts. In the first procedure, the grey-clustering algorithm was employed to form a rough fuzzy system only from gathered input-output data. Then, the gradient descent method was used to determine a suitable parameter set of the formed fuzzy system. A nonlinear system modelling and an inverted pendulum control problem were then used to illustrate the validity of the proposed fuzzy system design procedure.
Multi-Level Security Applications

BlueSpace is an enterprise software company, based in Austin, Texas, which creates multi-level secure (MLS) end user applications that can span multiple networks at different classification levels. BlueSpace's middleware strategy facilitates rapid application development, infrastructure consolidation and infrastructure neutrality. The continuing growth in the number of networks in the defense and intelligence communities has led to an increasing requirement for strategies that consolidate physical networks into logical networks running on consolidated infrastructure. This poster paper will survey Multi-Level Secure (MLS) applications that can be deployed on trusted desktops. MLS applications allow trusted desktop systems to go beyond infrastructure cost savings, delivering compelling capabilities for warfighters. Examples include an MLS email client that can provide a single inbox and calendar spanning multiple domains, an MLS search client that spans multiple networks, and an MLS C2 system that can provide a Unified Operating Picture, which consolidates separate Common Operating Pictures into a single view of the battle theater for joint and coalition operations. Multi level end-user applications will catalyse mission transformation in both communities, facilitating 'all-source' intelligence analysis, providing improved C2 awareness and orchestration, and ultimately reducing user frustration by enabling users to work seamlessly across network domains.
Deployment and Implementation of an Agricultural Sensor Network

Biological research in agriculture needs a lot of specialised electronic sensors in order to fulfill different goals, like as: climate monitoring, soil and fruit assessment, control of insects and diseases, chemical pollutants, identification and control of weeds, crop tracking, and so on. That research must be supported by consistent biological models able to simulate diverse environmental conditions, in order to predict the right human actions before risky biological damage could be irreversible. In this paper an experimental distributed network based on climatic and biological wireless sensors is described , for providing real measurements in order to validate different biological models used for viticulture applications. First, the experimental network for field automatic data acquisition is introduced , as a system based in a distributed process. Following, the design of the wireless network is explained in detail, with a previous discussion about the state-of-the-art, and some measurements for viticulture research are pointed out. Finally future developments are stated.
Spin injection from epitaxial Heusler alloy thin films into InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells

Spin injection from epitaxial Heusler alloy thin films into InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells A study has been carried out on the suitability of using the Heusler alloy, Co2MnGa as spin injector into GaAs. A range of appropriate theoretical and experimental tools has been employed. Our calculations predict Co2MnGa to have a spin polarization P = 63 %. Calculations have been made on off-stoichiometric crystals and crystals with site swapping defects. Significant decrease in the spin polarization has been predicted for disorder defects involving especially Co on Mn or Ga sites. From an estimate based on the calculated defect formation energies it is found that Mn on Co-sites are likely to exist with a concentration of 2 %, while Ga on Mn-sites are likely to exist with a concentration of 21 %. Epitaxial magnetic Co2MnGa thin films have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The reproducibility is approximately within 2 % of the correct stoichiometry. Furthermore epitaxial growth of hetero-structures of Co2MnGa and Al and AlxOy layers has been performed succesfully. In the growth optimization process, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy has been found to be a reliable and efficient way of determining the stoichiometry of thin films. The thin films have been characterized structurally, magnetically, and electrically. The crystal structure has been studied by X-ray diffraction techniques. The expected Heusler structure L21 has been observed. Anisotropy of in-plane magnetization in near stoichiometric thin films grown on a 2 × 4 Ga-rich reconstructed GaAs surface has been observed while no anisotropy is seen for near stoichiometry thin films on an ordinary GaAs surface. Typically thin films grown on GaAs show lower saturation magnetization than expected from bulk properties. The electrical characterizations have revealed resistivities around ρ = 350μΩcm at 300 K. Generally, the near stoichiometric films have a very weak temperature dependence, with resistivity dropping slightly when cooled. A small room temperature anisotropic magneto resistance has been measured to 0.062 %. From transmission line measurements at low current, interface resistance in δ-doped GaAs-ferromagnet is found to typically 0.020. 1 Ωmm2 for Fe and Co contacts but two orders of magnitude higher for the Co2MnGa contacts. Point contact Andreev reflection measurements on an off-stoichiometric thin film (Co2.4Mn1.6Ga) show a spin polarization of P ≈ 50 %.
Certified Normalization of Context-Free Grammars

Every context-free grammar can be transformed into an equivalent one in the Chomsky normal form by a sequence of four transformations. In this work on formalization of language theory, we prove formally in the Agda dependently typed programming language that each of these transformations is correct in the sense of making progress toward normality and preserving the language of the given grammar. Also, we show that the right sequence of these transformations leads to a grammar in the Chomsky normal form (since each next transformation preserves the normality properties established by the previous ones) that accepts the same language as the given grammar. As we work in a constructive setting, soundness and completeness proofs are functions converting between parse trees in the normalized and original grammars.
Mitigating CFO in OFDM systems by exploring the symbol structure

In this paper we revisit the carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation and removal for broadband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. We propose an algorithm that explores the time-domain (TD) properties of transmitted symbols carrying pilots and data. A careful examination of the components that constitute the TD received symbols leads to the definition of a simple, yet effective, cost function. In a real scenario, the cost function presents a bowl shape with a single global minimum easily identifiable (no local minima). The proposed method is independent of the channel estimation and decision, presenting a very low computational load. The feasibility of the investigated method is substantiated by system simulation using BRAN-A broadband wireless channel model. Simulation results show that the impact of the residual CFO in the system¿s performance is minimal.
Improved Cell Line IPEC-J2, Characterized as a Model for Porcine Jejunal Epithelium

Cell lines matching the source epithelium are indispensable for investigating porcine intestinal transport and barrier properties on a subcellular or molecular level and furthermore help to reduce animal usage. The porcine jejunal cell line IPEC-J2 is established as an in vitro model for porcine infection studies but exhibits atypically high transepithelial resistances (TER) and only low active transport rates so that the effect of nutritional factors cannot be reliably investigated. This study aimed to properly remodel IPEC-J2 and then to re-characterize these cells regarding epithelial architecture, expression of barrier-relevant tight junction (TJ) proteins, adequate TER and transport function, and reaction to secretagogues. For this, IPEC-J2 monolayers were cultured on permeable supports, either under conventional (fetal bovine serum, FBS) or species-specific (porcine serum, PS) conditions. Porcine jejunal mucosa was analyzed for comparison. Main results were that under PS conditions (IPEC-J2/PS), compared to conventional FBS culture (IPEC-J2/FBS), the cell height increased 6-fold while the cell diameter was reduced by 50%. The apical cell membrane of IPEC-J2/PS exhibited typical microvilli. Most importantly, PS caused a one order of magnitude reduction of TER and of trans- and paracellular resistance, and a 2-fold increase in secretory response to forskolin when compared to FBS condition. TJ ultrastructure and appearance of TJ proteins changed dramatically in IPEC-J2/PS. Most parameters measured under PS conditions were much closer to those of typical pig jejunocytes than ever reported since the cell line’s initial establishment in 1989. In conclusion, IPEC-J2, if cultured under defined species-specific conditions, forms a suitable model for investigating porcine paracellular intestinal barrier function.
Limits of strongly punch-through designed IGBTs

We will focus on the turn-off behavior of strongly punch-through designed field-stop IGBTs. Our numerical simulations with a monolithic multi-cell structure show that the appearance of current filaments may limit the safe operating area (SOA) of very thin devices with a high resistivity of base material [1]. A detailed analysis of current densities and electric field distributions gives insight into the mechanisms resulting in the formation of current filaments. The limit for a filament-free turn-off behavior can be found in the thickness-vs.-resistivity phase diagram. It could be shown that also other device parameters, such as field-stop and p-emitter design, highly influence susceptibility for the appearance of current filaments during the turn-off phase.
Plant Homeodomain (PHD) Fingers of CHD4 Are Histone H3-binding Modules with Preference for Unmodified H3K4 and Methylated H3K9*

A major challenge in chromatin biology is to understand the mechanisms by which chromatin is remodeled into active or inactive states as required during development and cell differentiation. One complex implicated in these processes is the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complex, which contains both histone deacetylase and nucleosome remodeling activities and has been implicated in the silencing of subsets of genes involved in various stages of cellular development. Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 4 (CHD4) is a core component of the NuRD complex and contains a nucleosome remodeling ATPase domain along with two chromodomains and two plant homeodomain (PHD) fingers. We have previously demonstrated that the second PHD finger of CHD4 binds peptides corresponding to the N terminus of histone H3 methylated at Lys9. Here, we determine the solution structure of PHD2 in complex with H3K9me3, revealing the molecular basis of histone recognition, including a cation-π recognition mechanism for methylated Lys9. Additionally, we demonstrate that the first PHD finger also exhibits binding to the N terminus of H3, and we establish the histone-binding surface of this domain. This is the first instance where histone binding ability has been demonstrated for two separate PHD modules within the one protein. These findings suggest that CHD4 could bind to two H3 N-terminal tails on the same nucleosome or on two separate nucleosomes simultaneously, presenting exciting implications for the mechanism by which CHD4 and the NuRD complex could direct chromatin remodeling.
Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Cardiomyocytes: Role of Coculture With Visceral Endoderm-Like Cells

Background—Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem (hES) cells could be useful in restoring heart function after myocardial infarction or in heart failure. Here, we induced cardiomyocyte differentiation of hES cells by a novel method and compared their electrophysiological properties and coupling with those of primary human fetal cardiomyocytes. Methods and Results—hES cells were cocultured with visceral-endoderm (VE)–like cells from the mouse. This initiated differentiation to beating muscle. Sarcomeric marker proteins, chronotropic responses, and ion channel expression and function were typical of cardiomyocytes. Electrophysiology demonstrated that most cells resembled human fetal ventricular cells. Real-time intracellular calcium measurements, Lucifer yellow injection, and connexin 43 expression demonstrated that fetal and hES-derived cardiomyocytes are coupled by gap junctions in culture. Inhibition of electrical responses by verapamil demonstrated the presence of functional &agr;1c-calcium ion channels. Conclusions—This is the first demonstration of induction of cardiomyocyte differentiation in hES cells that do not undergo spontaneous cardiogenesis. It provides a model for the study of human cardiomyocytes in culture and could be a step forward in the development of cardiomyocyte transplantation therapies.
All together now?

Although partnership working is important for a range of different user groups, it is particularly crucial for older people. Not only are older people major users of public services, they also tend to have complex needs which span the boundaries of traditional service provision and call for a co-ordinated response from a number of different sources. That this is the case has recently been reinforced by an Audit Commission ( 2002 ) report, Integrated Services for Older People, which says: 'Services for older people must work together if they are to meet people's needs and aspirations effectively. Many different agencies work with older people, including many non-specialist services, such as transport, education and housing, as well as services that provide care. All too often older people receive a disjointed, confused response when they need help or advice. Frequently the responses that they receive meet their needs only in part. '
Finding Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Earth Science Data

This paper presents preliminary work in using data mining techniques to find interesting spatio-temporal patterns from Earth Science data. The data consists of time series measurements for various Earth science and climate variables (e.g. soil moisture, temperature, and precipitation), along with additional data from existing ecosystem models (e.g. Net Primary Production). The ecological patterns of interest include associations, clusters, predictive models, and trends. In this paper, we discuss some of the challenges involved in preprocessing and analyzing the data, and also consider techniques for handling some of the spatio-temporal issues. Earth Science data has strong seasonal components that need to be removed prior to pattern analysis, as Earth scientists are primarily interested in patterns that represent deviations from normal seasonal variation such as anomalous climate events (e.g., El Nino) or trends (e.g., global warming). We compare several alternatives (including singular value decomposition (SVD), discrete Fourier transform (DFT), “monthly” Z score, and moving average) with respect to their effectiveness in removing seasonality. We describe the different kinds of association analysis that can be performed on such data. Our current technique for finding associations transforms the time series into transactions and then applies existing algorithms traditionally used for market-basket data. Some of the transformations lead to dense columns in the transaction matrices, causing an exponential growth in the computing requirements. Furthermore, no single interestingness measure accurately reflects the quality of the derived patterns. Indeed, we argue that existing approaches for mining association rules and sequential patterns may not be able to capture all the interesting patterns due to the spatio-temporal nature of this data.
The possible companions of young radio pulsars

We discuss the formation of pulsars with massive companions in eccentric orbits. We demonstrate that the probability for a non-recycled radio pulsar to have a white dwarf as a companion is comparable to that of having an old neutron star as a companion. Special emphasis is given to PSR B1820−11 and PSR B2303+46. Based on population synthesis calculations we argue that PSR B1820−11 and PSR B2303+46 could very well be accompanied by white dwarfs with mass ≳1.1 M⊙. For PSR B1820−11, however, we cannot exclude the possibility that its companion is a main-sequence star with a mass between ∼0.7 M⊙ and ∼5 M⊙.
Diversity decreases invasion via both sampling and complementarity effects

Complementarity and sampling effects may both contribute to increased invasion resistance at higher diversity. We measured plant invader biomass across a long-term experimental plant diversity gradient. Invader species biomass was inhibited in more diverse plots, largely because of the presence of strongly competitive C4 bunchgrasses, consistent with a sampling effect. Invader biomass was negatively correlated with resident root biomass, and positively correlated with soil nitrate concentrations, suggesting that competition for nitrogen limited invader success. Resident root biomass increased and soil nitrate concentrations decreased with the presence of C4 grasses and also across the diversity gradient, suggesting that diverse plots are more competitive because of the presence of C4 grasses. In addition to this evidence for a sampling effect, we also found evidence for a complementarity effect. Specifically, the percentage of plots that had lower invader biomass than did the best resident monoculture (i.e. that had invader underyielding) increased across the species richness gradient. This pattern cannot be explained by a sampling effect and is a unique signature of complementarity effects. Our results demonstrate the importance of multiple mechanisms by which diversity can increase invasion resistance.