Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative limb proportions reveal differential locomotor morphofunctions of alligatoroids and crocodyloids

Although two major clades of crocodylians (Alligatoroidea and Crocodyloidea) were split during the Cretaceous period, relatively few morphological and functional differences between them have been known. In addition, interaction of multiple morphofunctional systems that differentiated their ecology has barely been assessed. In this study, we examined the limb proportions of crocodylians to infer the differences of locomotor functions between alligatoroids and crocodyloids, and tested the correlation of locomotor and feeding morphofunctions. Our analyses revealed crocodyloids including Gavialis have longer stylopodia (humerus and femur) than alligatoroids, indicating that two groups may differ in locomotor functions. Fossil evidence suggested that alligatoroids have retained short stylopodia since the early stage of their evolution. Furthermore, rostral shape, an indicator of trophic function, is correlated with limb proportions, where slender-snouted piscivorous taxa have relatively long stylopodia and short overall limbs. In combination, trophic and locomotor functions might differently delimit the ecological opportunity of alligatoroids and crocodyloids in the evolution of crocodylians.
Antiangiogenic activity of the endocannabinoid anandamide: Correlation to its tumor‐suppressor efficacy

Endocannabinoids are now emerging as suppressors of key cell‐signaling pathways involved in cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. We have previously observed that the metabolically stable anandamide analog, 2‐methyl‐2′‐F‐anandamide (Met‐F‐AEA) can inhibit the growth of thyroid cancer in vivo. Our hypothesis was that the anti‐tumor effect observed could be at least in part ascribed to inhibition of neo‐angiogenesis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the anti‐angiogenic activity of Met‐F‐AEA, to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect and whether Met‐F‐AEA could antagonize tumor‐induced endothelial cell sprouting. We show that Met‐F‐AEA inhibited bFGF‐stimulated endothelial cell proliferation, in a dose‐dependent manner, and also induced apoptosis, both effects reliant on cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation. Analyzing the signaling pathways implicated in angiogenesis, we observed that the bFGF‐induced ERK phosphorylation was antagonized by Met‐F‐AEA, and we found that p38 MAPK was involved in Met‐F‐AEA‐induced apoptosis. Moreover, Met‐F‐AEA was able to inhibit bi‐dimensional capillary‐like tube formation and activity of matrix metalloprotease MMP‐2, a major matrix degrading enzyme. Importantly, we demonstrated that Met‐F‐AEA is also functional in vivo since it inhibited angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic neovascularization model. Finally, Met‐F‐AEA inhibited tumor‐induced angiogenesis in a three‐dimensional model of endothelial and thyroid tumor cell (KiMol) spheroids co‐cultures in different 3‐D polymeric matrices that resemble tumor microenvironment and architecture. Thus, our results suggest that anandamide could be involved in the control of cancer growth targeting both tumor cell proliferation and the angiogenic stimulation of the vasculature. J. Cell. Physiol. 211: 495–503, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stable carbon isotopes in breath reveal fast metabolic incorporation rates and seasonally variable but rapid fat turnover in the common shrew (Sorex araneus)

ABSTRACT Small non-migratory mammals with Northern distribution ranges apply a variety of behavioural and physiological wintering strategies. A rare energy-saving strategy is Dehnel's phenomenon, involving a reduction and later regrowth of the body size, several organs and parts of the skeleton in red-toothed shrews (Soricidae). The size extremes coincide with major life stages. However, the physiological consequences for the shrew's metabolism remain poorly understood. In keeping with the energetic limitations that may induce the size changes, we hypothesised that metabolic incorporation rates should remain the same across the shrews' lifetimes. In contrast, fat turnover rates should be faster in smaller subadults than in large juveniles and regrown adults, as the metabolic activity of fat tissue increases in winter individuals (subadults). Measuring the changes in the ratio of exhaled stable carbon isotopes, we found that the baseline diet of shrews changed across the season. A diet switch experiment showed that incorporation rates were consistently rapid (t50=38.2±21.1–69.3±53.5 min) and did not change between seasons. As predicted, fat turnover rates were faster in size-reduced subadults (t50=2.1±1.3 h) compared with larger juveniles (t50=5.5±1.7 h) and regrown adults (t50=5.0±4.4 h). In all three age/size classes, all body fat was turned over after 9–24 h. These results show that high levels of nutrient uptake are independent of body size, whereas fat turnover rates are negatively correlated with body size. Thus, the shrews might be under higher pressure to save energy in winter and this may have supported the evolution of Dehnel's phenomenon. Summary: Shrews fuel their metabolism rapidly from ingested food and have such a high body fat turnover that they would starve within 4.2 h in winter without food.
Topical tacrolimus in the treatment of symptomatic oral lichen planus: a series of 13 patients.

BACKGROUND Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a relatively common, chronic inflammatory condition, which frequently presents with symptoms of pain and irritation. OLP is often difficult to manage. Therefore there is a need for more effective and safer therapies for symptomatic OLP. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to determine the effectiveness of topical tacrolimus as therapy for symptomatic OLP. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of 13 patients with symptomatic OLP treated with topical tacrolimus between September 1999 and September 2000. RESULTS Eleven of the 13 patients reported definite symptomatic response to treatment and 2 had no response. Eight patients had a partial response, whereas 3 patients had a complete response with respect to lesion clearance. Seven of the responding patients had no flares with continued treatment. The other 4 patients noted flares soon after stopping the treatment. Side effects were rare and minor. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective case series of 13 patients, topical tacrolimus was well tolerated and appeared to be an effective therapy to control symptoms and clear lesions of OLP.
Preliminary validation of column-averaged volume mixing ratios of carbon dioxide and methane retrieved from GOSAT short-wavelength infrared spectra

Abstract. Column-averaged volume mixing ratios of carbon dioxide and methane retrieved from the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) Short-Wavelength InfraRed observation (GOSAT SWIR XCO2 and XCH4) were compared with the reference calibrated data obtained by ground-based high-resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometers (g-b FTSs) participating in the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). Preliminary results are as follows: the GOSAT SWIR XCO2 and XCH4 (Version 01.xx) are biased low by 8.85 ± 4.75 ppm (2.3 ± 1.2 %) and 20.4 ± 18.9 ppb (1.2 ± 1.1 %), respectively. The standard deviation of the GOSAT SWIR XCO2 and XCH4 is about 1 % (1 σ) after correcting the negative biases of XCO2 and XCH4 by 8.85 ppm and 20.4 ppb, respectively. The latitudinal distributions of zonal means of the GOSAT SWIR XCO2 and XCH4 show similar features to those of the g-b FTS data except for the negative biases in the GOSAT data.
Human Eye Blink Detection using YCbCr Color Model , Haar-Like Features and Template Matching

This paper presents comparison of two image processing algorithms used for eye blink detection. The motivation of this research work is the need of disabled persons who are unable to move their body parts except eyes. The process of blink detection is divided into three parts viz.face localization, eye pair localization and template matching method. In method 1, YCbCr color model and morphological operations are used for the face and eyes localization. In method 2 face and eyes pair localization is performed by using Viola Jones method. After eye pair localization, the concept of template matching is applied for blink detection, in both the methods. A performance comparison is made for both the methods based upon detection accuracy and processing time. It is observed that method 1, gives better accuracy (80.75%) with low processing time (0.38sec.). The overall success rate of method 1 and method 2 is 71% and55% respectively.
Impaired cognitive plasticity and goal-directed control in adolescent obsessive–compulsive disorder

Background Youths with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) experience severe distress and impaired functioning at school and at home. Critical cognitive domains for daily functioning and academic success are learning, memory, cognitive flexibility and goal-directed behavioural control. Performance in these important domains among teenagers with OCD was therefore investigated in this study. Methods A total of 36 youths with OCD and 36 healthy comparison subjects completed two memory tasks: Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM) and Paired Associates Learning (PAL); as well as the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift (IED) task to quantitatively gauge learning as well as cognitive flexibility. A subset of 30 participants of each group also completed a Differential-Outcome Effect (DOE) task followed by a Slips-of-Action Task, designed to assess the balance of goal-directed and habitual behavioural control. Results Adolescent OCD patients showed a significant learning and memory impairment. Compared with healthy comparison subjects, they made more errors on PRM and PAL and in the first stages of IED involving discrimination and reversal learning. Patients were also slower to learn about contingencies in the DOE task and were less sensitive to outcome devaluation, suggesting an impairment in goal-directed control. Conclusions This study advances the characterization of juvenile OCD. Patients demonstrated impairments in all learning and memory tasks. We also provide the first experimental evidence of impaired goal-directed control and lack of cognitive plasticity early in the development of OCD. The extent to which the impairments in these cognitive domains impact academic performance and symptom development warrants further investigation.
Data Memory Subsystem Resilient to Process Variations

As technology scales, more sophisticated fabrication processes cause variations in many different parameters in the device. These variations could severely affect the performance of processors by making the latency of circuits less predictable and thus requiring conservative design approaches. In this paper, we use Monte Carlo simulations in addition to worst-case circuit analysis to establish the overall delay due to process variations in a data cache sub-system under both typical and worst-case conditions. The distribution of the cache critical-path-delay in the typical scenario was determined by performing Monte Carlo simulations at different supply voltages, threshold voltages, and transistor lengths on a complete cache design. In addition to establishing the delay variation, we present an adaptive variable-cycle-latency cache architecture that mitigates the impact of process variations on access latency by closely following the typical latency behavior rather than assuming a conservative worst-case design-point. Simulation results show that our adaptive data cache can achieve a 9% to 31% performance improvement in a superscalar processor, on the SPEC2000 applications studied, compared to a conventional design. The area overhead for the additional circuits of the adaptive technique has less than 1% of the total cache area. Additional performance improvement potential exists in processors where the data cache access is on the critical path, by allowing a more aggressive clock rate.
Modeling Orienting Behavior and Its Disorders with Ecological Neural Networks

Computational modeling is a useful tool for spelling out hypotheses in cognitive neuroscience and testing their predictions in artificial systems. Here we describe a series of simulations involving neural networks that learned to perform their task by self-organizing their internal connections. The networks controlled artificial agents with an orienting eye and an arm. Agents saw objects with various shapes and locations and learned to press a key appropriate to their shape. The results showed the following: (1) Despite being able to see the entire visual scene without moving their eye, agents learned to orient their eye toward a peripherally presented object. (2) Neural networks whose hidden layers were previously partitioned into units dedicated to eye orienting and units dedicated to arm movements learned the identification task faster and more accurately than did nonmodular networks. (3) Nonetheless, even nonmodular networks developed a similar functional segregation through self-organization of their hidden layer. (4) After partial disconnection of the hidden layer from the input layer, the lesioned agents continued to respond accurately to single stimuli, wherever they occurred, but on double simultaneous stimulation they oriented toward and responded only to the right-sided stimulus, thus simulating extinction/neglect. These results stress the generality of the advantages provided by orienting processes. Hard-wired modularity, reminiscent of the distinct cortical visual streams in the primate brain, provided further evolutionary advantages. Finally, disconnection is likely to be a mechanism of primary importance in the pathogenesis of neglect and extinction symptoms, consistent with recent evidence from animal studies and brain-damaged patients.
Implementational aspects of code-based cryptography Bhaskar Biswas

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Implementational aspects of code-based cryptography Bhaskar Biswas
Numerical Analysis of Elastic Vibration of Superconducting Maglev Vehicles

This paper describes elastic body models of superconducting maglev vehicles for numerical analysis of vehicle dynamics and riding comfort. Elastic cylindrical beam models are presented, and some analysis results of vehicle dynamics of the maglev train by using the elastic body model are shown, where the vehicle moves along the straight guideway with imperfections of coil or panel arrangement, or along the curve with a radius of 8,000 m.
Dermoscopy of pigmented skin lesions: results of a consensus meeting via the Internet.

BACKGROUND There is a need for better standardization of the dermoscopic terminology in assessing pigmented skin lesions. OBJECTIVE The virtual Consensus Net Meeting on Dermoscopy was organized to investigate reproducibility and validity of the various features and diagnostic algorithms. METHODS Dermoscopic images of 108 lesions were evaluated via the Internet by 40 experienced dermoscopists using a 2-step diagnostic procedure. The first-step algorithm distinguished melanocytic versus nonmelanocytic lesions. The second step in the diagnostic procedure used 4 algorithms (pattern analysis, ABCD rule, Menzies method, and 7-point checklist) to distinguish melanoma versus benign melanocytic lesions. kappa Values, log odds ratios, sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratios were estimated for all diagnostic algorithms and dermoscopic features. RESULTS Interobserver agreement was fair to good for all diagnostic methods, but it was poor for the majority of dermoscopic criteria. Intraobserver agreement was good to excellent for all algorithms and features considered. Pattern analysis allowed the best diagnostic performance (positive likelihood ratio: 5.1), whereas alternative algorithms revealed comparable sensitivity but less specificity. Interobserver agreement on management decisions made by dermoscopy was fairly good (mean kappa value: 0.53). CONCLUSION The virtual Consensus Net Meeting on Dermoscopy represents a valid tool for better standardization of the dermoscopic terminology and, moreover, opens up a new territory for diagnosing and managing pigmented skin lesions.
Poisson intensity estimation with reproducing kernels

Despite the fundamental nature of the inhomogeneous Poisson process in the theory and application of stochastic processes, and its attractive generalizations (e.g. Cox process), few tractable nonparametric modeling approaches of intensity functions exist, especially when observed points lie in a high-dimensional space. In this paper we develop a new, computationally tractable Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) formulation for the inhomogeneous Poisson process. We model the square root of the intensity as an RKHS function. Whereas RKHS models used in supervised learning rely on the so-called representer theorem, the form of the inhomogeneous Poisson process likelihood means that the representer theorem does not apply. However, we prove that the representer theorem does hold in an appropriately transformed RKHS, guaranteeing that the optimization of the penalized likelihood can be cast as a tractable finite-dimensional problem. The resulting approach is simple to implement, and readily scales to high dimensions and large-scale datasets.
Complementarity and Area-Efficiency in the Prioritization of the Global Protected Area Network

Complementarity and cost-efficiency are widely used principles for protected area network design. Despite the wide use and robust theoretical underpinnings, their effects on the performance and patterns of priority areas are rarely studied in detail. Here we compare two approaches for identifying the management priority areas inside the global protected area network: 1) a scoring-based approach, used in recently published analysis and 2) a spatial prioritization method, which accounts for complementarity and area-efficiency. Using the same IUCN species distribution data the complementarity method found an equal-area set of priority areas with double the mean species ranges covered compared to the scoring-based approach. The complementarity set also had 72% more species with full ranges covered, and lacked any coverage only for half of the species compared to the scoring approach. Protected areas in our complementarity-based solution were on average smaller and geographically more scattered. The large difference between the two solutions highlights the need for critical thinking about the selected prioritization method. According to our analysis, accounting for complementarity and area-efficiency can lead to considerable improvements when setting management priorities for the global protected area network.
On the Future of Lignin-Derived Materials, Chemicals and Energy

Wells T1 and Ragauskas AJ 1,2,3,* 1Department of Chemical & Bimolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA, 37996 2Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA 37996 3Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA, 37830 *Corresponding author: Arthur J Ragauskas, Department of Chemical & Bimolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA, 37996, Tel: 865-974-2421; E-mail: aragausk@utk.edu
Positive Aspects of Caregiving and Caregiver Burden: A Study of Caregivers of Patients With Dementia

Background: Now positive aspect of caregiving (PAC) is well-defined as caregiver gains, satisfaction, meaningful life, and enhanced family relationship. The adjusted association of PAC and caregiver burden is not well acknowledged. This study investigated the association of caregiver burden and PAC adjusting for potential confounders. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that recruited 132 caregivers. A linear regression model with PAC was used to estimate the adjusted associations. Results: The caregiver burden was negatively associated with PAC (mean difference in PAC per a 1-unit increase in caregiver burden = −0.12, 95% confidence interval: −0.18 to −0.056; P < .001). This association remained after adjustment for caregivers’ age and marital status as well as patients’ dependency level. Conclusion: The negative significant association of caregiver burden with PAC reinforces the need for interventional and/or educational programs aiming at decreasing the overall imposed burden. This can play an important role in improving caregivers’ general health and quality of life.
e-Turist: An Intelligent Personalised Trip Guide

We present e-Turist, an intelligent system that helps tourists plan a personalised itinerary to a tourist area, taking into account individual’s preferences and limitations. After creating the route, e -Turist also offers real-time GPS guidance and audio description of points of interest visited. Here we focus on two main components, the recommender system and the route planning algorithm. We also present some use cases to highlight e-Turist functionalities in different configurations.
The Path is the Destination - Enabling a New Search Paradigm with Linked Data

Today, searching the World Wide Web in most cases turns out in looking for a specific item, which means that the user should know the item in advance. In the future internet, searching for infor- mation comes closer to the notion of 'window shopping' by means of exploratory and semantic search technologies. In the course of the ex- ploratory search process the user constantly receives new information and establishes a personalized knowledge base. To make this possible, se- mantic search technologies utilize domain knowledge and semantic data, as e.g., Linked Open Data (LOD), to expand and refine search results, to derive cross-references, and to reveal implicitly hidden semantic rela- tions. Implementing semantic exploratory search requires various issues have to be solved including mapping text to semantic entities, detecting and cleaning inconsistencies in available LOD, ranking algorithms for se- mantic data and heuristics for recommendations, as well as appropriate visualizations of complex semantic relationships. This paper describes how LOD can be utilized to enable exploratory search systems for the future internet.