Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of an Ex-situ conservation site in sustaining the biodiversity of urban bird population

Significant loss of natural habitats in urban areas has increased the emphasis upon the capacity of zoos and parks in contributing towards the conservation of biodiversity of native fauna. This study identifies the role of ex-situ conservation sites in providing the essential requirements and habitat for the native birds of the area, in addition to their primary role in protecting and supporting the exhibited animals. A total of 37 species of birds belonging to 26 families under 13 orders were identified in the area. Among the diverse orders represented in the study site, Passeriformes topped the position with 10 families, followed by Coraciiformes with three families. Correlation studies between canopy cover and bird population showed high positive correlation, whereas in the case of visitor density and bird population it showed a negative correlation. Percentage occurrence showed Passeriformes to be the most dominant order. The study area showed a Shannon Weiner index of 3.03 and a corresponding effective number of species of 20.69. This was found to be higher than the corresponding value of a nearby verdant site in the same city.
An Approach to Incorporating CBR Concepts in IR Systems

Information retrieval (IR) is concerned with techniques that can provide effective access to large databases of objects that contain primarily text. It is generally assumed that there is a wide variety of users and a large number of potential queries. Although these characteristics are different than those of a typical case-based reasoning (CBR) application, there are opportunities for integration of the two approaches. To demonstrate that this is possible, we first describe IR techniques in more detail. After a brief overview of CBR, we then outline an approach to integration that takes advantage of the strengths of both approaches. We also give a simple example of how an integrated CBR/IR system could be used to address a real information need.
Computer based modeling of the congenital long-QT 2 syndrome in the Visible Man torso: From genes to ECG

The congenital long-QT syndrome is commonly associated with a high risk for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death. This is probably due to an intensification of the intrinsic heterogeneities present in ventricular myocardium. Increasing the electrophysiological heterogeneities amplifies the dispersion of repolarization which directly affects the morphology of the T wave in the ECG. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of LQT2, a specific subtype of the long-QT syndrome (LQTS), on the Body Surface Potential Maps (BSPM) and the ECG. In this context a three-dimensional, heterogeneous model of the human ventricles is used to simulate both physiological and pathological excitation propagation. The results are used as input for the forward calculation of the BSPM and ECG. Characteristic QT prolongation is simulated correctly. The main goal of this study is to prepare and evaluate a simulation environment that can be used prospectively to find features in the ECG or the BSPM that are characteristic for the LQTS. Such features might be used to facilitate the identification of LQTS patients.
Analyzing configuration systems with description logics: A case study

In this contribution we argue that the methods of formal knowledge representation, especially description logics, first, are valuable tools for analyzing existing configuration systems and open problems in configuration systems research, second, should be used by developers in order to make clear statements about the performance of their systems, and third, can even directly be used for building practical systems. As a case study we analyze two languages dealing with knowledge-based configuration in technical domains. The paper demonstrates that specialized languages (e.g. object-oriented languages developed for configuration problems) can be interpreted as a special purpose description logic. It is demonstrated that the construction or configuration process can be “simulated” by a modelconstructing satisfiability prover. The constructed logical model represents the artifact to be designed. We also show a methodology for describing the meaning of specialized languages by applying syntactical transformations from language constructs to description logic formulae. Considering these transformations, a language designer can easily estimate the computational costs of intended constructs. Keywords— Methods for configuration, Configuration representations, Description logics.
Toward learning better metrics for sequence generation training with policy gradient

Designing a metric manually for unsupervised sequence generation tasks, such as text generation, is essentially difficult. In a such situation, learning a metric of a sequence from data is one possible solution. The previous study, SeqGAN, proposed the framework for unsupervised sequence generation, in which a metric is learned from data, and a generator is optimized with regard to the learned metric with policy gradient, inspired by generative adversarial nets (GANs) and reinforcement learning. In this paper, we make two proposals to learn better metric than SeqGAN's: partial reward function and expert-based reward function training. The partial reward function is a reward function for a partial sequence of a certain length. SeqGAN employs a reward function for completed sequence only. By combining long-scale and short-scale partial reward functions, we expect a learned metric to be able to evaluate a partial correctness as well as a coherence of a sequence, as a whole. In expert-based reward function training, a reward function is trained to discriminate between an expert (or true) sequence and a fake sequence that is produced by editing an expert sequence. Expert-based reward function training is not a kind of GAN frameworks. This makes the optimization of the generator easier. We examine the effect of the partial reward function and expert-based reward function training on synthetic data and real text data, and show improvements over SeqGAN and the model trained with MLE. Specifically, whereas SeqGAN gains 0.42 improvement of NLL over MLE on synthetic data, our best model gains 3.02 improvement, and whereas SeqGAN gains 0.029 improvement of BLEU over MLE, our best model gains 0.250 improvement.
Starch phosphorylation in potato tubers is influenced by allelic variation in the genes encoding glucan water dikinase, starch branching enzymes I and II, and starch synthase III

Starch phosphorylation is an important aspect of plant metabolism due to its role in starch degradation. Moreover, the degree of phosphorylation of starch determines its physicochemical properties and is therefore relevant for industrial uses of starch. Currently, starch is chemically phosphorylated to increase viscosity and paste stability. Potato cultivars with elevated starch phosphorylation would make this process unnecessary, thereby bestowing economic and environmental benefits. Starch phosphorylation is a complex trait which has been previously shown by antisense gene repression to be influenced by a number of genes including those involved in starch synthesis and degradation. We have used an association mapping approach to discover genetic markers associated with the degree of starch phosphorylation. A diverse collection of 193 potato lines was grown in replicated field trials, and the levels of starch phosphorylation at the C6 and C3 positions of the glucosyl residues were determined by mass spectrometry of hydrolyzed starch from tubers. In addition, the potato lines were genotyped by amplicon sequencing and microsatellite analysis, focusing on candidate genes known to be involved in starch synthesis. As potato is an autotetraploid, genotyping included determination of allele dosage. Significant associations (p < 0.001) were found with SNPs in the glucan water dikinase (GWD), starch branching enzyme I (SBEI) and the starch synthase III (SSIII) genes, and with a SSR allele in the SBEII gene. SNPs in the GWD gene were associated with C6 phosphorylation, whereas polymorphisms in the SBEI and SBEII genes were associated with both C6 and C3 phosphorylation and the SNP in the SSIII gene was associated with C3 phosphorylation. These allelic variants have potential as genetic markers for starch phosphorylation in potato.
From theory into practice: arterial haemodynamics in clinical hypertension.

My address will take you from the peripheral resistance vessels to that system (Fig. 1a) which links the heart to peripheral vessels, and whose roles are to act as a conduit and as a cushion, accepting pulsatile flow at input and delivering this in a steady stream to peripheral vessels [1]. The arterial system can be conceived as a simple tube of very low resistance, terminating in vessels with very high resistance [2]. Mean pressure falls by 1–2 mmHg in the long arterial conduits, but falls abruptly in the arterioles beyond. Impedance mismatch at the arterial/arteriolar junction leads to wave reflection, which causes pressure fluctuations to be greater in peripheral conduit arteries even though the mean pressure is only slightly less. These are some of the issues we must consider. While the arterial system can be represented as a simple tube, the real system is far more complex. Yet it can be approximated by a simple tube.
Modification of nanofibrillated cellulose with stimuli-responsive polymers

Research of new sustainable and low cost materials, such as cellulose, is of high interest. Modifications of the cellulose can be performed in order to create a “smart” material which responds to external stimuli, such as variations in pH and temperature, by changing its properties. This “smart” behavior is observed in some polymers, however, for certain applications they exhibit poor mechanical properties. These polymers can be bound by physical adsorption to cellulose, both in macro and nano scale, creating an improved “smart” composite material.In this project, thermoresponsive block-copolymers with different lengths of poly (diethylene glycol) methacrylate (PDEGMA) and poly N-(2-dimethylamino ethyl) methacrylate (PDMAEMA) in only one length, PDMAEMA-b-PDEGMA, were synthesized employing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). 1H-NMR, SEC and DLS were used to characterize the block-copolymers. UV-Vis spectroscopy was employed to confirm the thermo-responsive behavior of the charged and uncharged block-copolymers, being lower for the higher molecular weight ones due to the higher polymer-polymer interactions. In a second step, PDMAEMA was charged positively by quaternization of its amine group with ICH3. Polyelectrolyte titration was used to determine the total number of charges in the quaternized block-copolymers. In addition, TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) was produced by procedures found in literature. Finally, adsorption of the cationic block-copolymers onto the anionic NFC in tris base at pH 8.3 was performed and purified by consecutive filtrations, creating a novel smart composite material with different PDEGMA lengths in the block-copolymer. FT-IR confirmed that the block-copolymers were successfully adsorbed to the NFC. TGA results showed a higher thermal stability for the composite than for the TEMPO-NFC and quaternized block-copolymers. The block-copolymer modified NFC exhibited thermoresponsive behavior with LCST’s ranging from 30 to 44 °C, from higher to lower molecular weights, respectively. Adsorption of polyelectrolytes in modified cellulose could be a promising way to create smart improved materials in further research.
Passivity based control of hydraulic robot arms using natural Casimir functions: Theory and experiments

This paper gives a new passivity based control of hydraulic arms based on a new model using ldquonaturalrdquo Casimir functions. Not only passivity but also Casimir functions are used in the modeling and control as a new structural property. First, we refer port-Hamiltonian systems and their properties. Second, we propose two stabilization methods, a new dynamic asymptotic stabilization method and a new partial stabilization method. Third, we give a new model of hydraulic arms using Casimir functions. Furthermore, the proposed two stabilization methods are applied to this model and finally, the validity of our methods are confirmed by not only numerical simulations but also experiments even thought the bulk modulus is not identified at all.
Relative adrenal insufficiency in decompensated cirrhosis: Relationship to short‐term risk of severe sepsis, hepatorenal syndrome, and death

The prevalence of relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) in critically ill cirrhosis patients with severe sepsis is over 60% and associated features include poor liver function, renal failure, refractory shock, and high mortality. RAI may also develop in noncritically ill cirrhosis patients but its relationship to the clinical course has not yet been assessed. The current study was performed in 143 noncritically ill cirrhosis patients admitted for acute decompensation. Within 24 hours after hospitalization adrenal function, plasma renin activity, plasma noradrenaline and vasopressin concentration, and serum levels of nitric oxide, interleukin‐6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were determined. RAI was defined as a serum total cortisol increase <9 μg/dL after 250 μg of intravenous corticotropin from basal values <35 μg/dL. Patients were followed for 3 months. RAI was detected in 26% of patients (n = 37). At baseline, patients with RAI presented with lower mean arterial pressure (76 ± 12 versus 83 ± 14 mmHg, P = 0.009) and serum sodium (131 ± 7 versus 135 ± 5 mEq/L, P = 0.007) and higher blood urea nitrogen (32 ± 24 versus 24 ± 15 mg/dl, P = 0.06), plasma renin activity (7.1 ± 9.9 versus 3.4 ± 5.6 ng/mL*h, P = 0.03), and noradrenaline concentration (544 ± 334 versus 402 ± 316 pg/mL, P = 0.02). During follow‐up, patients with RAI exhibited a higher probability of infection (41% versus 21%, P = 0.008), severe sepsis (27% versus 9%, P = 0.003), type‐1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) (16% versus 3%, P = 0.002), and death (22% versus 7%, P = 0.01). Conclusion: RAI is frequent in noncritically ill patients with acute decompensation of cirrhosis. As compared with those with normal adrenal function, patients with RAI have greater impairment of circulatory and renal function, higher probability of severe sepsis and type‐1 HRS, and higher short‐term mortality. (Hepatology 2013;58:1757–1765)
Treatment of tinnitus.

When Policy Topic is not covered Treatment of tinnitus with any of the following therapies is considered investigational:  biofeedback  tinnitus maskers, customized sound therapy  combined psychological and sound therapy (eg tinnitus retraining therapy)  transcranial magnetic stimulation,  transcranial direct current stimulation  electrical transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the ear, electromagnetic energy,  transmeatal laser irradiation
Low-frequency multilevel fast multipole algorithm using an approximate diagonalization of the Green's function

We present an approximate diagonalization of the Green's function to implement a stable multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) for low-frequency problems. The diagonalization is based on scaled spherical functions, leading to stable computations of translation operators at all distances and for all frequencies. Similar to the conventional diagonalization, shift operators are expressed in terms of complex exponentials, while radiated and incoming fields are expanded in terms of scaled plane waves. Even though its accuracy is limited, the low-frequency MLFMA developed by using the proposed diagonalization technique provides stable matrix-vector multiplications for arbitrarily low frequencies, while it can easily be implemented via minor modifications on the existing codes.
Neural-Symbolic Machine-Learning for Knowledge Discovery and Adaptive Information Retrieval

In this paper, a model for an information retrieval system is proposed which takes into account that knowledge about documents and information need of users are dynamic. Two methods are combined, on qualitative or symbolic and the other quantitative or numeric, which are deemed suitable for many clustering contexts, data analysis, concept exploring and knowledge discovery. These two methods may be classified as inductive learning techniques. In this model, they are introduced to build “long term” knowledge about past queries and concepts in a collection of documents. The “long term” knowledge can guide and assist the user to formulate an initial query and can be exploited in the process of retrieving relevant information. The different kinds of knowledge are organized in different points of view. This may be considered an enrichment of the exploration level which is coherent with the concept of document/query structure.
3D reconstruction of curved objects from single 2D line drawings

An important research area in computer vision is developing algorithms that can reconstruct the 3D surface of an object represented by a single 2D line drawing. Previous work on 3D reconstruction from single 2D line drawings focuses on objects with planar faces. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to the reconstruction of solid objects that have not only planar but also curved faces. Our approach consists of four steps: (1) identifying the curved faces and planar faces in a line drawing, (2) transforming the line drawing into one with straight edges only, (3) reconstructing the 3D wireframe of the curved object from the transformed line drawing and the original line drawing, and (4) generating the curved faces with Bezier patches and triangular meshes. With a number of experimental results, we demonstrate the ability of our approach to perform curved object reconstruction successfully.
Localization of Furin to the trans-Golgi Network and Recycling from the Cell Surface Involves Ser and Tyr Residues within the Cytoplasmic Domain (*)

Furin is a membrane-associated endoprotease that catalyzes cleavage of precursor proteins at Arg-X-Lys/Arg-Arg sites. Although, at steady state, furin is predominantly found in the trans-Golgi network (TGN), it also cycles between the TGN and the cell surface. Recently, the cytoplasmic tail of furin has been shown to be sufficient for its localization to the TGN. Within the cytoplasmic domain, there are Ser residues, which we now show are sites for phosphorylation by casein kinase II in vitro, and a Tyr-containing sequence, both of which have been shown to be important for other TGN proteins to localize to this compartment. In the present study, we show by site-directed mutagenesis that these residues are important for TGN localization and recycling of furin. Mutation of the Ser residues abrogated the TGN localization. By contrast, mutation of the Tyr residue did not affect the TGN localization but impaired the internalization from the plasma membrane. These observations suggest that distinct cytoplasmic determinants are responsible for retention in the TGN and retrieval from the cell surface of furin.
Video Streaming to Multiple Clients Overwireless Local Area Networks

This paper considers the problem of multiple video streaming over wireless local area networks. In particular, we propose video streaming techniques to improve the quality of video streams over the link from an access point to multiple wireless clients. The proposed video streaming techniques decide on clients to be served, packets to be (re)transmitted, and forward error correction (FEC) rates by considering video, channel, and network properties in a rate-distortion optimized manner. Multi-client rate distortion optimized video streaming is the first technique operated by an access point to jointly optimize client, packet, and FEC rate selection for video streaming. Second, we propose multi-client sub-optimal video streaming technique that optimizes packet and FEC rate, but not client. The client is selected by using the results of optimization to reduce the computational complexity. The simulation results show that the proposed video streaming techniques achieve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement up-to 5 dB as compared with time-division multiple access (TDMA) and packet adaptive TDMA.
Chemically Homogenous Compounds with Antagonistic Properties at All α1-Adrenoceptor Subtypes but not β1-Adrenoceptor Attenuate Adrenaline-Induced Arrhythmia in Rats

Studies proved that among all α1-adrenoceptors, cardiac myocytes functionally express only α1A- and α1B-subtype. Scientists indicated that α1A-subtype blockade might be beneficial in restoring normal heart rhythm. Therefore, we aimed to determine the role of α1-adrenoceptors subtypes (i.e., α1A and α1B) in antiarrhythmic effect of six structurally similar derivatives of 2-methoxyphenylpiperazine. We compared the activity of studied compounds with carvedilol, which is β1- and α1-adrenoceptors blocker with antioxidant properties. To evaluate the affinity for adrenergic receptors, we used radioligand methods. We investigated selectivity at α1-adrenoceptors subtypes using functional bioassays. We tested antiarrhythmic activity in adrenaline-induced (20 μg/kg i.v.), calcium chloride-induced (140 and 25 mg/kg i.v.) and barium chloride-induced (32 and 10 mg/kg i.v.) arrhythmia models in rats. We also evaluated the influence of studied compounds on blood pressure in rats, as well as lipid peroxidation. All studied compounds showed high affinity toward α1-adrenoceptors but no affinity for β1 receptors. Biofunctional studies revealed that the tested compounds blocked α1A-stronger than α1B-adrenoceptors, but except for HBK-19 they antagonized α1A-adrenoceptor weaker than α1D-subtype. HBK-19 showed the greatest difference in pA2 values—it blocked α1A-adrenoceptors around seven-fold stronger than α1B subtype. All compounds showed prophylactic antiarrhythmic properties in adrenaline-induced arrhythmia, but only the activity of HBK-16, HBK-17, HBK-18, and HBK-19 (ED50 = 0.18–0.21) was comparable to that of carvedilol (ED50 = 0.36). All compounds reduced mortality in adrenaline-induced arrhythmia. HBK-16, HBK-17, HBK-18, and HBK-19 showed therapeutic antiarrhythmic properties in adrenaline-induced arrhythmia. None of the compounds showed activity in calcium chloride- or barium chloride-induced arrhythmias. HBK-16, HBK-17, HBK-18, and HBK-19 decreased heart rhythm at ED84. All compounds significantly lowered blood pressure in normotensive rats. HBK-18 showed the strongest hypotensive properties (the lowest active dose: 0.01 mg/kg). HBK-19 was the only compound in the group, which did not show hypotensive effect at antiarrhythmic doses. HBK-16, HBK-17, HBK-18, HBK-19 showed weak antioxidant properties. Our results indicate that the studied 2-methoxyphenylpiperazine derivatives that possessed stronger α1A-adrenolytic properties (i.e., HBK-16, HBK-17, HBK-18, and HBK-19) were the most active compounds in adrenaline-induced arrhythmia. Thus, we suggest that the potent blockade of α1A-receptor subtype is essential to attenuate adrenaline-induced arrhythmia.