Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of titanium surface characteristics on macrophage phenotype polarization during osseous healing in type I diabetic rats: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES This study assessed the effect of titanium surface modification on macrophage phenotype polarization and osseous healing under diabetic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Critical-sized calvarial defects were created in healthy and streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. Titanium (Ti) discs with either large-grit sandblasted and acid-etched micro-rough (SLA) or hydrophilic-modified SLA (modSLA) surfaces were used to cover the healing defect for a period of up to 28 days. Samples of the exudate within the calvarial defect and beneath the titanium discs were collected 1, 4 and 7 days post-surgery for inflammatory cytokine analysis using an ELISA. The macrophage phenotype(s) on the Ti disc surfaces were determined by CD11c+ (M1) and CD163+ (M2) immunofluorescent staining. Samples of the healing defects at days 14 and 28 were also prepared for histomorphometric analysis. RESULTS Cytokine levels in the diabetic animals were higher than those of the healthy group throughout the observation period. The modSLA surface significantly reduced MIP-2 levels at day 1 in both diabetic and healthy animals, and MCP-1 levels at day 4 in the diabetic animals. Immuno-fluorescent staining showed that an M2-like macrophage phenotype was more frequently found on the modSLA surface at day 1 in healthy and day 4 in both healthy and diabetic animals. Histomorphometric analysis showed more new bone formation on the modSLA surface at days 14 and 28 in both groups, although statistically significant differences were only found in the healthy group. CONCLUSION Diabetic conditions greatly increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines during osseous healing. The modSLA surface was shown to promote an M2-like macrophage phenotypic response in titanium adherent macrophages despite the significantly elevated inflammatory environment induced by uncontrolled type I diabetes. Modulation of the macrophage phenotype by the modSLA surface in the early healing period was associated with osseous healing under both healthy and uncontrolled diabetic conditions.
The Balanced Curriculum Model

The Balanced Curriculum is a web-based tool that school districts use to create, align, assess, and manage their curriculum development and implementation. The courses are divided into time-bound units with significant tasks (or assured activities) that local district teachers develop and promise to teach. The significant tasks are aligned to standards and assessment specifications. District curriculum authors also develop assessments for all to use when implementing the curriculum. Results of more than 15 years of implementation show that all districts that have developed curriculum using this model, and ensured implementation, have had significant improvement on their test scores. Implications for teachers, principals, and central office staff are given at the end of the article.
Three‐dimensional estimation of the glandular volume, and of the number and volume of epithelial cells in two glands from the antral mucosa of five healthy volunteers

Specimens of antral mucosa were taken from five healthy volunteers and processed for microscopic evaluation. Consecutive 50‐μum‐thick sections were cut to estimate the volume of two antral glands. Two glands in each section were followed throughout by projecting their profiles from two microscopes mounted in parallel. The glandular volume was estimated using Cavalieri's principle. The mean volume of epithelial cells was estimated by systematic random sampling of the sections with an optical disector of known sample volume. The total number of cells per gland was calculated after determination of the volume of the glands and the mean volume of the epithelial cells. The mean volume of the antral glands was 13.6±1.67 106μum3, whilst the mean volume of the epithelial cells was 1256±240 μum3. The total number of epithelial cells per gland was 11216±1104. In conclusion, using stereological methods, the total number of cells as well as the cell volume and the volume of antral glands can be determined in routine biopsy specimens of human stomach provided that the total depth of the mucosa is present in the section.
Predictive Big Data Collection in Vehicular Networks: A Software Defined Networking Based Approach

Data collection is key issue in vehicular networks since it is vital for supporting many applications in vehicular environments. With the explosive growth of sensing data in urban area, however, strategies for efficient collection of big data in vehicular networks are still far from being well studied. In this paper, we focus on studying this issue and accordingly propose a Software Defined Vehicular Networks (SDVN) architecture. On this architecture, a predictive data collection algorithm is proposed. In this algorithm, packet delivery is fulfilled by cooperative cellular and ad hoc network interfaces, in which collections of big data always adopts ad hoc based multi-hop relaying whenever applicable to forward packets to Road Side Units (RSUs). Cellular networks are used for data uploading only when no multi-hop relaying opportunity is available. Our proposed SDVN architecture enables such efficient cooperative communications, in which predictive routing decisions are made based on real-time network status other than empirical knowledge. Simulation results demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms existing algorithms in terms of packet delivery ratio and transmit efficiency.
The golden code: a 2/spl times/2 full-rate space-time code with nonvanishing determinants

In this paper, the Golden code for a 2/spl times/2 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system is presented. This is a full-rate 2/spl times/2 linear dispersion algebraic space-time code with unprecedented performance based on the Golden number 1+/spl radic/5/2.
The Antecedents and Consequences of Learned Helplessness in Work Life

Technologies, processes and products are easily imitated in today's business world, so organizations can differentiate themselves from others only with their human capital. Helplessness, which may reflect itself as alienation, withdrawal, turnover intention is a serious problem that could prevent the adequate utilization of human capital. The overarching purpose of this study was to review "learned helplessness literature" with specific focus on helplessness in work context. This study, hopefully provided insights about why employees exhibit passive behaviors and apathy; in other words fall into helplessness even though they could initiate a change. In the first part, development of learned helplessness concept was explained together with initial models and experiments. After providing this background information, the individual and work-related antecedents of helplessness were listed. As part of antecedents, the impact of locus of control, gender, role stressors (i.e., workload, ambiguity) and organization structure was discussed briefly. In the third part, both organizational and individual consequences of helplessness were mentioned. Finally, suggestions were made to both practitioners and researchers in order to contribute advancement of theory and improvement of quality of work life.
Neuro-RAM Unit with Applications to Similarity Testing and Compression in Spiking Neural Networks

We study distributed algorithms implemented in a simplified biologically inspired model for stochastic spiking neural networks. We focus on tradeoffs between computation time and network complexity, along with the role of randomness in efficient neural computation. It is widely accepted that neural computation is inherently stochastic. In recent work, we explored how this stochasticity could be leveraged to solve the `winner-take-all' leader election task. Here, we focus on using randomness in neural algorithms for similarity testing and compression. In the most basic setting, given two $n$-length patterns of firing neurons, we wish to distinguish if the patterns are equal or $\epsilon$-far from equal. Randomization allows us to solve this task with a very compact network, using $O \left (\frac{\sqrt{n}\log n}{\epsilon}\right)$ auxiliary neurons, which is sublinear in the input size. At the heart of our solution is the design of a $t$-round neural random access memory, or indexing network, which we call a neuro-RAM. This module can be implemented with $O(n/t)$ auxiliary neurons and is useful in many applications beyond similarity testing. Using a VC dimension-based argument, we show that the tradeoff between runtime and network size in our neuro-RAM is nearly optimal. Our result has several implications -- since our neuro-RAM can be implemented with deterministic threshold gates, it shows that, in contrast to similarity testing, randomness does not provide significant computational advantages for this problem. It also establishes a separation between feedforward networks whose gates spike with sigmoidal probability functions, and well-studied deterministic sigmoidal networks, whose gates output real number sigmoidal values, and which can implement a neuro-RAM much more efficiently.
Influence of probiotic vaginal lactobacilli on in vitro adhesion of urogenital pathogens to vaginal epithelial cells

Aims: Lactobacilli, the predominant micro‐organisms of the vaginal microbiota, play a major role in the maintenance of a healthy urogenital tract by preventing the colonization of pathogenic bacteria. The aim of the present study was to assess the ability of four vaginal Lactobacillus strains, previously selected for their probiotic features, to block in vitro the adherence of three human urogenital pathogens to vaginal epithelial cells (VEC).
Generalized Space-Time Shift Keying Designed for Flexible Diversity-, Multiplexing- and Complexity-Tradeoffs

In this paper, motivated by the recent concept of Spatial Modulation (SM), we propose a novel Generalized Space-Time Shift Keying (G-STSK) architecture, which acts as a unified Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) framework. More specifically, our G-STSK scheme is based on the rationale that P out of Q dispersion matrices are selected and linearly combined in conjunction with the classic PSK/QAM modulation, where activating P out of Q dispersion matrices provides an implicit means of conveying information bits in addition to the classic modem. Due to its substantial flexibility, our G-STSK framework includes diverse MIMO arrangements, such as SM, Space-Shift Keying (SSK), Linear Dispersion Codes (LDCs), Space-Time Block Codes (STBCs) and Bell Lab's Layered Space-Time (BLAST) scheme. Hence it has the potential of subsuming all of them, when flexibly adapting a set of system parameters. Moreover, we also derive the Discrete-input Continuous-output Memoryless Channel (DCMC) capacity for our G-STSK scheme, which serves as the unified capacity limit, hence quantifying the capacity of the class of MIMO arrangements. Furthermore, EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart analysis is used for designing our G-STSK scheme and for characterizing its iterative decoding convergence.
Consistency between deep crustal heating of strange stars in superbursters and soft X-ray transients

Context. Both superbursters and soft X-ray transients probe the process of deep crustal heating in compact stars. It was recently shown that the transfer of matter from crust to core in a strange star can heat the crust and ignite superbursts provided certain constraints on the strange quark matter equation of state are fulfilled. Aims. We derive corresponding constraints on the equation of state for soft X-ray transients assuming their quiescent emission is powered in the same way, and further discuss the time dependence of this heating mechanism in transient systems. Methods. We approach this using a simple parametrized model for deep crustal heating in strange stars assuming slow neutrino cooling in the core and blackbody photon emission from the surface. Results. The constraints derived for hot frequently accreting soft X-ray transients are always consistent with those for superbursters. The colder sources are consistent for low values of the quark matter binding energy, heat conductivity and neutrino emissivity. The heating mechanism is very time dependent which may help explain cold sources with long recurrence times. Thus deep crustal heating in strange stars can provide a consistent explanation for superbursters and soft X-ray transients.
The tumor suppressor p53 induces expression of the pregnancy-supporting human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) CGB7 gene

Successful pregnancy requires a functionally normal blastocyst encountering a receptive maternal endometrium. Interestingly, the cell cycle regulator and tumor suppressor p53 has been reported to support reproduction in mice by regulating the expression of the leukemia inhibitory factor gene in the maternal endometrium. However, in humans the hormonal system orchestrating successful pregnancy is considerably different from rodents. Particularly, the primate-specific dimeric glycoprotein hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is essential for blastocyst implantation and maintenance of early human pregnancy. Here we provide evidence that p53 selectively induces expression of the hCGbeta7 (CGB7) gene. None of the other CGB genes was found to be regulated by p53. We show that expression of the CGB7 gene is upregulated upon p53 induction in human HFF, HCT116 and DLD1 cells as well as in cell preparations enriched in human primary first-trimester trophoblasts. The increase in CGB7 levels upon doxorubicin treatment is lost after siRNA-directed knockdown of p53. Furthermore, we describe CGB7 as a direct transcriptional target gene of p53 by identifying a p53-responsive element in the CGB7 promoter using reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitations. With these results we provide a new link between p53 transcriptional activity and human reproduction.
Unresolved Issues Regarding the Research and Practice of Cognitive Behavior Therapy: The Case of Guided Discovery Using Socratic Questioning

This article presents a panel discussion on the integration of collaborative empiricism, specifically Socratic Questioning, into cognitive behaviour therapy. The panel comprised experts in research and practice who had been invited as keynote presenters for the 34th National Conference for the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy, held in Sydney, Australia. Experts responded to questions regarding (a) the definition of Socratic dialogue, and (b) whether the purpose of Guided Discovery using Socratic Questioning is to impart information, correct, or dispute patient cognitions. The session was well attended by mental health professionals from around the globe and the panel enjoyed the opportunity to discuss questions and comments from those in attendance. This article presents this exchange so that the broader AACBT membership may benefit from the ideas and comments generated.
TiVo: making show recommendations using a distributed collaborative filtering architecture

We describe the TiVo television show collaborative recommendation system which has been fielded in over one million TiVo clients for four years. Over this install base, TiVo currently has approximately 100 million ratings by users over approximately 30,000 distinct TV shows and movies. TiVo uses an item-item (show to show) form of collaborative filtering which obviates the need to keep any persistent memory of each user's viewing preferences at the TiVo server. Taking advantage of TiVo's client-server architecture has produced a novel collaborative filtering system in which the server does a minimum of work and most work is delegated to the numerous clients. Nevertheless, the server-side processing is also highly scalable and parallelizable. Although we have not performed formal empirical evaluations of its accuracy, internal studies have shown its recommendations to be useful even for multiple user households. TiVo's architecture also allows for throttling of the server so if more server-side resources become available, more correlations can be computed on the server allowing TiVo to make recommendations for niche audiences.
Direct evidence of the receding “torus” around central nuclei of powerful radio sources

The presence of obscuring material (or a dusty “torus”) in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is central to the unification model for AGN. Two models, the multi-population model for radio sources and the receding torus model, are capable of describing observational properties of powerful radio galaxies and radio quasars. Here, I study the changes of the opening angle of the obscuring torus with radio luminosity at 151 MHz, [O III] emission-line luminosity and cosmic epoch aiming to discriminate between two working models. An analytical expression relating the half opening angle of the torus to the mean projected linear sizes of double radio galaxies and quasars is derived. The sizes of powerful double radio sources taken from the combined sample of 3CRR, 6CE and 7CR complete samples are used to estimate the torus opening angle. I found a statistically significant correlation between the half opening angle of the torus and [O III] emission-line luminosity. The opening angle increases from 20° to 60° with increasing [O III] emission-line luminosity. This correlation is interpreted as direct evidence of the receding torus around central engines of powerful double radio sources.
The Structure of Scientific Literatures I: Identifying and Graphing Specialties

In this paper we report a first experiment using a new computer-based technique to identify clusters of highly interactive documents in science. We contend that these clusters represent the scientific specialties which currently exhibit high levels of activity. This technique, we believe, opens the way to a systematic exploration of the entire specialty structure of science, including both the internal structure of specialties and their relationship to one another. That science is a mosaic of specialties, and not a unified whole, either socially or intellectually, is a frequently made assumption, but only recently has this infra-structure of science become the subject of systematic study. Most scientists have intuitive notions about the subdivisions of their fields, but no observer, however broadly trained, can gain an overall perspective on the scientific mosaic. A series of recent studies has called attention to the importance of specialties as 'building blocks' of science. Crawford's paper' described how one specialty, sleep research, is effectively organized as a communication system around certain key individuals and research centres. Griffith and Mullins2 have argued that major changes in a variety of disciplines have been generated within small, socially coherent groups. *325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I 9I o6, USA.
Semantic Analysis of Meanings in Psycholinguistics

This short chapter is an appendix to the book on which this issue is based. The excerpt is from the study “Semantic Study of Stereotypes of Nonnormal Gender Role Behavior,” by N.G. Yanova. This example offers characteristics of the semantic analysis of meaning carried out in the authors' project. The meaning of the word “princess” is analyzed in the example.
THERMOPHYSIOLOGY AND BIOLOGY OF GIGANOTOSAURUS: COMPARISON WITH TYRANNOSAURUS

Large carnivorous dinosaurs present many interesting biological and ecological questions. The most important information for understanding the ecology of these dinosaurs is their metabolism and thermal physiology. These factors in conjunction with their body mass determine the quantity of meat these animals needed to consume, how rapidly they grew and behavioral characteristics such as range size and reproduction. Oxygen isotope values of bone phosphate may be used to determine the relative temperature variations experienced by skeletal regions during bone deposition. Temperature variations relate to an animal’s thermal physiology and can be used to estimate their metabolic physiology. Previously, we reported (Barrick and Showers 1994) on the thermophysiology of Tyrannosaurus rex using this methodology. Here, we present the results of the even larger South American carnivorous dinosaur Giganotosaurus carolinii. Comparisons of the isotopic patterns are used as a basis for a preliminary discussion of the biology of these large theropods. Data support the interpretation that both theropods support homeothermy by means of intermediate metabolic rates
Impact of Intrinsic Affinity on Functional Binding and Biological Activity of EGFR Antibodies

Aberrant expression and activation of EGF receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the development and progression of many human cancers. As such, targeted therapeutic inhibition of EGFR, for example by antibodies, is a promising anticancer strategy. The overall efficacy of antibody therapies results from the complex interplay between affinity, valence, tumor penetration and retention, and signaling inhibition. To gain better insight into this relationship, we studied a panel of EGFR single-chain Fv (scFv) antibodies that recognize an identical epitope on EGFR but bind with intrinsic monovalent affinities varying by 280-fold. The scFv were converted to Fab and IgG formats, and investigated for their ability to bind EGFR, compete with EGF binding, and inhibit EGF-mediated downstream signaling and proliferation. We observed that the apparent EGFR-binding affinity for bivalent IgG plateaus at intermediate values of intrinsic affinity of the cognate Fab, leading to a biphasic curve describing the ratio of IgG to Fab affinity. Mathematical modeling of antibody–receptor binding indicated that the biphasic effect results from nonequilibrium assay limitations. This was confirmed by further observation that the potency of EGF competition for antibody binding to EGFR improved with both intrinsic affinity and antibody valence. Similarly, both higher intrinsic affinity and bivalent binding improved the potency of antibodies in blocking cellular signaling and proliferation. Overall, our work indicates that higher intrinsic affinity combined with bivalent binding can achieve avidity that leads to greater in vitro potency of antibodies, which may translate into greater therapeutic efficacy. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1467–76. ©2012 AACR.
Do Fallers and Nonfallers Equally Benefit from Balance Specific Exercise Program? A Pilot Study

The purpose of the study was to determine the sample size that would allow broad generalizability of the results. To investigate the differences in the responsiveness of fallers and nonfallers to a multicomponent functional balance specific program, 23 participating subjects (70.1 ± 6.6 years) were divided into nonfallers group (13) and fallers group (10). The components of the balance specific program were (1) changing of the center of gravity (CoG) in the vertical direction, (2) shifting of the CoG to the border of stability, (3) rotation of the head and body about the vertical axis, (4) standing and walking on soft surface, and (5) walking over obstacles or on a narrow path. At the end of eight months of the training program, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding postural sway. The total center of pressure path length was used as the principal outcome measure for the sample size calculation. Based on these results the a priori sample size calculation yielded the estimate of 110 subjects required to be enrolled in order to get 20 subjects in fallers and 30 subjects in nonfallers group for the 80% power to detect the results as significant.