Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nrf2 Is Essential for the Chemopreventive Efficacy of Oltipraz against Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis

The induction of phase 2 detoxifying enzymes, such as UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), in response to an array of naturally occurring and synthetic agents, such as oltipraz (4-methyl-5-[2-pyrazinyl]-1,2-dithiole-3-thione), provides an effective means of protection against a variety of carcinogens. Transcription factor Nrf2 is an essential regulator of the inducible expression of detoxifying enzyme genes by chemopreventive agents. In this study, we investigated in Nrf2-deficient mice the susceptibility to the urinary bladder-specific carcinogen N-nitrosobutyl(4-hydroxybutyl)amine (BBN) and the chemopreventive efficacy of oltipraz. The incidence of urinary bladder carcinoma by BBN was significantly higher in Nrf2−/− mice than in wild-type mice; invasive carcinoma was found in 24.0 and 38.5% of wild-type and Nrf2−/− mice, respectively. Oltipraz induced the phase 2 enzymes responsible for BBN detoxification in the liver and urinary bladder in an Nrf2-dependent manner. As expected, therefore, oltipraz decreased the incidence of urinary bladder carcinoma by BBN in wild-type mice but had little effect in Nrf2−/− mice. In wild-type mouse liver, oltipraz significantly induced BBN glucuronidation and decreased the urinary concentration of N-nitrosobutyl(3-carboxypropyl)amine, a proximate carcinogen of BBN. Importantly, BBN was found to suppress the expression of UGT1A specifically in the urinary bladder. This suppression was counteracted by oltipraz in wild-type mice but not in Nrf2−/− mice. These results show that Nrf2 and its downstream target genes are responsible for BBN detoxification. Furthermore, oltipraz prevents carcinogenesis by BBN by enhancing detoxification of this carcinogen in the liver and urinary bladder.
On near Chandrasekhar mass central stars of planetary nebulae

Aims. A recent spectroscopic analysis of central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe) claims that the sample studied includes five CSPNe with masses very close to the Chandrasekhar limit of white dwarfs. This claim is tested using available kinematical and chemical abundance information. Methods. Kinematical parameters are extracted from Galactic orbits and compared with parameters expected for populations of different ages. The chemistry of the nebulae is compared with average values for different types. Results. The reported high masses are not supported by our investigation. The claimed high central star masses are in contradiction with all other evidence. A more consistent picture emerges if CSPN masses close to the peak of the white dwarf mass distribution are assumed.
An Examination of High-Achieving First-Generation College Students From Low-Income Backgrounds

Experiences of 10 high-achieving first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds were the focus of this qualitative research study. Family adversity and difficult personal experiences during adolescence were major themes; however, students benefitted from emotionally supportive K-12 educators and academic rigor in high school. Sustained family pride helped to keep them focused on reaching their goals, as well as intellectual engagement at the university, and influential mentors. The 10 participants developed a strong sense of purpose at the university and graduated well prepared for careers and graduate school. Implications of the findings are presented along with suggestions for designing effective university experiences for talented first-generation students.
A deformable surface model on the basis of the theory of a Cosserat surface

This paper aims at proposing an elastically deformable surface with use of differential geometric structures. On the basis of the theory of a Cosserat surface, a computationally processable equation that relates the accumulated elastic energy and the variations in the differential geometry variables (metric and curvature tensors) of the deformable surface is presented. On the basis of our analysis, we propose a novel algorithm to compute more precisely, without compromising the interface's simplicity, the potential deformation energy in terms of the derivatives of the surface. With our proposal, we may maintain the finite difference scheme for computing deformations iteratively. Some simulation results are included.
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and HIV: intersecting epidemics.

BACKGROUND Single-site studies have suggested a link between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). METHODS Population-level incidence of HIV-infected patients with CA-MRSA versus community-associated methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (CA-MSSA) infection was assessed in the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS), a multi-hospital and ambulatory care center. Rates in zip codes, including those with a high density of individuals with prior incarceration (ie, high-risk zip codes), were calculated. We did a nested case-control analysis of hospitalized HIV-infected patients with S. aureus skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). RESULTS In CCHHS, the incidence of CA-MRSA SSTIs was 6-fold higher among HIV-infected patients than it was among HIV-negative patients (996 per 100,000 HIV-infected patients vs 157 per 100,000 other patients; P < .001). The incidence of CA-MRSA SSTIs among HIV-infected patients significantly increased from 2000-2003 (period 1) to 2004-2007 (period 2) (from 411 to 1474 cases per 100,000 HIV-infected patients; relative risk [RR], 3.6; P<.001), with cases in period 1 clustering in an area 6.3 km in diameter (P=.035) that overlapped high-risk zip codes. By period 2, CA-MRSA SSTIs among HIV-infected patients were spread throughout Cook County. USA300 was identified as the predominant strain by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (accounting for 86% of isolates). Among hospitalized HIV-infected patients, the incidence of CA-MRSA increased significantly from period 1 to period 2 (from 190 to 779 cases per 100,000 HIV-infected patients; RR, 4.1; P<.001). Risks for CA-MRSA by multivariate analysis were residence in alternative housing (eg, shelters), residence in high-risk zip codes, younger age, and infection in period 2. CONCLUSIONS HIV-infected patients are at markedly increased risk for CA-MRSA infection. This risk may be amplified by overlapping community networks of high-risk patients that may be targets for prevention efforts.
First Detection of Polarized Scattered Light from an Exoplanetary Atmosphere

We report the first direct detection of an exoplanet in the visible polarized light. The transiting planet HD 189733b is one of the very hot Jupiters with shortest periods and, thus, smallest orbits, which makes them ideal candidates for polarimetric detections. We obtained polarimetric measurements of HD 189733 in the B band well distributed over the orbital period and detected two polarization maxima near planetary elongations with a peak amplitude of ~2 × 10−4. Assuming Rayleigh scattering, we estimated the effective size of the scattering atmosphere (Lambert sphere) to be 1.5 ± 0.2 RJ, which is 30% larger than the radius of the opaque body previously inferred from transits. If the scattering matter fills the planetary Roche lobe, the lower limit of the geometrical albedo can be estimated as 0.14. The phase dependence of polarization indicates that the planetary orbit is oriented almost in a north-south direction with a longitude of ascending node Ω = (16° or 196°) ± 8°. We obtain independent estimates of the orbit inclination i = 98° ± 8° and eccentricity e = 0.0 (with an uncertainty of 0.05), which are in excellent agreement with values determined previously from transits and radial velocities. Our findings clearly demonstrate the power of polarimetry and open a new dimension in exploring exoplanetary atmospheres even for systems without transits.
Equilateral, diametral, centered sets and subsets of spheres

Let X be a Banach space. Set, for x ∈ X and r ≥ 0 U(x, r) = {y ∈ X : ||x− y|| = r}. Given a nonempty, bounded set A ⊂ X, we set r(A, x) = sup{||x−a|| : a ∈ A} (x ∈ X) (radius of A with respect to x); r(A) = inf{r(A; x) : x ∈ X} (radius of A); δ(A) = sup{||a− b|| : a, b ∈ A} (diameter of A). Clearly, δ(A) ≤ 2r(A) always. Define, for A, the following properties: A is diametral: r(A, x) = δ(A) for every x ∈ A; A is equilateral: there exists k ∈ R+ such that ||a− b|| = k for all a, b ∈ A; A lies on a sphere: there exist x ∈ X and α > 0 such that for all a ∈ A, ||x− a|| = α (that is, A ⊂ U(x, α)). Clearly, A ⊂ U(x, α) ⇔ A−x α ∈ U(θ, 1). A is centered (with respect to x): there exists an x ∈ X such that a− x ∈ A ⇒ x− a ∈ A. In other terms, A is centered if it is the translate of a symmetric set (A− x is symmetric with respect to the origin). It is simple to see that if A is centered and bounded, then the point x appearing in the definition is unique.
Reticularis thalami neurons revisited: activity changes during shifts in states of vigilance

This study tested the hypothesis that inhibitory actions are exerted by reticularis thalami (RE) neurons upon thalamocortical neurons. The RE neurons were recorded in the rostral pole and lateral districts of the nucleus, and were activated monosynaptically by cortical volleys. Thalamocortical neurons were identified antidromically in intralaminar and ventrolateral nuclei. During sleep with EEG synchronization, prolonged spike barrages of RE neurons extended over the whole spindle sequences. This result suggests that RE neurons are depolarized throughout spindle oscillations, whereas thalamocortical neurons show, simultaneously, long hyperpolarizations and short rebounds. During waking, parallelism rather than reciprocity was found between RE and thalamocortical neurons. Spontaneous discharge rates almost doubled in RE neurons on arousal from sleep, and the probability of cortically evoked short-latency discharges increased. The increase in spontaneous firing rates of RE neurons during natural arousal is consistent with their short-latency synaptic excitation by stimulating the rostral brain stem reticular formation after chronic degeneration of passing fibers. We suggest that RE cells inhibit GABAergic local-circuit cells, in addition to inhibiting thalamocortical neurons, and that different ratios of inhibitory effects are exerted by RE neurons upon these two cell classes during waking and sleep. We further suggest that, upon arousal, disinhibition of thalamocortical neurons (via the local- circuit neurons) outweighs direct inhibition of the thalamocortical neurons.
NEW STATISTICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MINING FREQUENT SEQUENCES IN LARGE DATABASES

The paper deals with the search and analysis of the subsequence in large volume sequences (texts, DNA sequences, etc.). A new algorithm ProMFS for mining frequent sequences is proposed and investigated. It is based on the estimated probabilistic-statistical characteristics of the appearance of elements of the sequence and their order. The algorithm builds a new much shorter sequence and makes decisions on the main sequence in accordance with the results of analysis of the shorter one.
Unveiling the optical properties of a metamaterial synthesized by electron-beam-induced deposition

Direct writing using a focused electron beam allows for fabricating truly three-dimensional structures of sub-wavelength dimensions in the visible spectral regime. The resulting sophisticated geometries are perfectly suited for studying light–matter interaction at the nanoscale. Their overall optical response will strongly depend not only on geometry but also on the optical properties of the deposited material. In the case of the typically used metal–organic precursors, the deposits show a substructure of metallic nanocrystals embedded in a carbonaceous matrix. Since gold-containing precursor media are especially interesting for optical applications, we experimentally determine the effective permittivity of such an effective material. Our experiment is based on spectroscopic measurements of planar deposits. The retrieved permittivity shows a systematic dependence on the gold particle density and cannot be sufficiently described using the common Maxwell–Garnett approach for effective medium.
Access Points Planning in Urban Area for Data Dissemination to Drivers

Roadside infrastructure can greatly help disseminate data to drivers. In this paper, we study a fundamental problem, i.e., roadside infrastructure planning. We propose a class of algorithms named Tailor to select a minimum number of intersections to install the infrastructure. In the case when the traffic information is not available, we formulate the intersection selection problem, which formally proves its np-completeness, and provide novel heuristics, i.e., the adapted-bipartite-based heuristics (ABS), to solve it, whose worst-case approximation ratio is 4/3. ABS bridges the planar graph and the bipartite graph through topology transformation. With ABS, the approximate solution to all the problems that are NP-hard in a general planar graph but polynomially solvable in a bipartite graph can be efficiently obtained in the planar graph. We also prove that, even with traffic information, the intersection selection problem remains NP-hard. Greedy heuristics is employed to balance the tradeoff between the number of selected intersections and the percentage of reached vehicles.
HiOPS overlay - efficient provision of multicast in peer-to-peer systems

During the last few years the application scope of peer-to-peer systems has been notably extended. While the problems of scalable data localization have been exhaustively addressed, one may notice that the problem of multicast cost and latency delays in very large, global scale peer-to-peer networks still remains inadequately considered. Many large scale applications will suffer from this multicast cost if the number of users increases. In order to address this problem, we introduce HiOPS - a hierarchical two tier peer-to-peer system which provides a reasonable tradeoff between minimization of multicast cost and latency delays and reduction of maintenance and management cost. Because of its properties and characteristics HiOPS can be considered as a basic infrastructure for a wide range of peer-to-peer applications.
Disabled cell density sensing leads to dysregulated cholesterol synthesis in glioblastoma

A hallmark of cellular transformation is the evasion of contact-dependent inhibition of growth. To find new therapeutic targets for glioblastoma, we looked for pathways that are inhibited by high cell density in astrocytes but not in glioma cells. Here we report that glioma cells have disabled the normal controls on cholesterol synthesis. At high cell density, astrocytes turn off cholesterol synthesis genes and have low cholesterol levels, but glioma cells keep this pathway on and maintain high cholesterol. Correspondingly, cholesterol pathway upregulation is associated with poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. Densely-plated glioma cells increase oxygen consumption, aerobic glycolysis, and the pentose phosphate pathway to synthesize cholesterol, resulting in a decrease in reactive oxygen species, TCA cycle intermediates, and ATP. This constitutive cholesterol synthesis is controlled by the cell cycle, as it can be turned off by cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors and it correlates with disabled cell cycle control though loss of p53 and RB. Finally, glioma cells, but not astrocytes, are sensitive to cholesterol synthesis inhibition downstream of the mevalonate pathway, suggesting that specifically targeting cholesterol synthesis might be an effective treatment for glioblastoma.
Local Multifractal Analysis by 2D-WTMM Method to Detect Brain Tumor

In the present work, we have implemented a novel technique to detect brain tumors; the basic idea is to study the behavior of the Legendre spectrum locally, to do this, we use a sliding window scanning with reduced size, the multifractal spectrum is evaluated locally inside each window, with the use of the 2D-WTMM method and the multifractal formalism of Frisch and Parisi.
Heuristic control of multi-stage desalination plants under variable available power

A heuristic strategy is presented and evaluated to operate desalination plants designed for variable power availability. This control strategy is based on two consecutive steps: first developing a prioritized list of units of the water plant based on the current state of the plant and the expected water demand, and then distributing the available energy among those units following the prioritized list. The proposed strategy is evaluated on a case study: a desalination plant designed for production of demineralized water powered by a combination of wind and wave energy. Simulation results show the correct operation of the plant under this control.
Tight Bounds for a Stochastic Resource Allocation Algorithm Using Marginal Revenue

This paper contributes to solve effectively stochastic resource allocation problems known to be NP-Complete. To address this complex resource management problem, previous works on pruning the action space of real-time heuristic search is extended. The pruning is accomplished by using upper and lower bounds on the value function. This way, if an action in a state has its upper bound lower than the lower bound on the value of this state, this action may be pruned in the set of possible optimal actions for the state. This paper extends this previous work by proposing tight bounds for problems where tasks have to be accomplished using limited resources. The marginal revenue bound proposed in this paper compares favorably with another approach which proposes bounds for pruning the action space.
New Directions in Chronic Disease Management

A worldwide epidemic of chronic disease, and complications thereof, is underway, with no sign of abatement. Healthcare costs have increased tremendously, principally because of the need to treat chronic complications of non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease, blindness, end-stage renal disease, and amputation of extremities. Current healthcare systems fail to provide an appropriate quality of care to prevent the development of chronic complications without additional healthcare costs. A new paradigm for prevention and treatment of chronic disease and the complications thereof is urgently required. Several clinical studies have clearly shown that frequent communication between physicians and patients, based on electronic data transmission from medical devices, greatly assists in the management of chronic disease. However, for various reasons, these advantages have not translated effectively into real clinical practice. In the present review, we describe current relevant studies, and trends in the use of information technology for chronic disease management. We also discuss limitations and future directions.
Writing superiority in cued recall

In list learning paradigms with free recall, written recall has been found to be less susceptible to intrusions of related concepts than spoken recall when the list items had been visually presented. This effect has been ascribed to the use of stored orthographic representations from the study phase during written recall (Kellogg, 2001). In other memory retrieval paradigms, by contrast, either better recall for modality-congruent items or an input-independent writing superiority effect have been found (Grabowski, 2005). In a series of four experiments using a paired associate learning paradigm we tested (a) whether output modality effects on verbal recall can be replicated in a paradigm that does not involve the rejection of semantically related intrusion words, (b) whether a possible superior performance for written recall was due to a slower response onset for writing as compared to speaking in immediate recall, and (c) whether the performance in paired associate word recall was correlated with performance in an additional episodic memory recall task. We observed better written recall in the first half of the recall phase, irrespective of the modality in which the material was presented upon encoding. An explanation for this effect based on longer response latencies for writing and hence more time for memory retrieval could be ruled out by showing that the effect persisted in delayed response versions of the task. Although there was some evidence that stored additional episodic information may contribute to the successful retrieval of associate words, this evidence was only found in the immediate response experiments and hence is most likely independent from the observed output modality effect. In sum, our results from a paired associate learning paradigm suggest that superior performance for written vs. spoken recall cannot be (solely) explained in terms of additional access to stored orthographic representations from the encoding phase. Our findings rather suggest a general writing-superiority effect at the time of memory retrieval.
Smoking beliefs and behavior among youth in Malaysia and Thailand.

OBJECTIVE To characterize smoking beliefs among Thai and Malaysian youth and to examine associations with gender, antismoking media exposure, and smoking status. METHODS Nationally representative samples of youth completed self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS A substantial proportion of youth reported positive beliefs about smoking. Those reporting positive beliefs were more likely to be susceptible to smoking. Youth who noticed antismoking media were less likely to report positive beliefs about smoking. CONCLUSIONS As in Western countries, beliefs about smoking held by youth in Southeast Asia are associated with smoking status. Antismoking media may be an important means of targeting beliefs about smoking among youth.
MULTICOLLINEARITY : CAUSES , EFFECTS AND REMEDIES

If there is no linear relationship between the regressors, they are said to be orthogonal. Multicollinearity is a case of multiple regression in which the predictor variables are themselves highly correlated. If the goal is to understand how the various X variables impact Y, then multicollinearity is a big problem. Multicollinearity is a matter of degree, not a matter of presence or absence. In presence of multicollinearity the ordinary least squares estimators are imprecisely estimated. There are several methods available in literature for detection of multicollinearity. By observing correlation matrix, variance influence factor (VIF), eigenvalues of the correlation matrix, one can detect the presence of multicollinearity. The degree of the multicollinearity becomes more severe as X X′ approaches zero. Complete elimination of multicollinearity is not possible but the degree of multicollinearity can be reduced by adopting ridge regression, principal components regression, etc.
Isolated DC-DC Converter for Bidirectional Power Flow Controlling with Soft-Switching Feature and High Step-Up/Down Voltage Conversion

In this paper, a novel isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter is proposed, which is able to accomplish high step-up/down voltage conversion. Therefore, it is suitable for hybrid electric vehicle, fuel cell vehicle, energy backup system, and grid-system applications. The proposed converter incorporates a coupled inductor to behave forward-and-flyback energy conversion for high voltage ratio and provide galvanic isolation. The energy stored in the leakage inductor of the coupled inductor can be recycled without the use of additional snubber mechanism or clamped circuit. No matter in step-up or step-down mode, all power switches can operate with soft switching. Moreover, there is a inherit feature that metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with smaller on-state resistance can be adopted because of lower voltage endurance at primary side. Operation principle, voltage ratio derivation, and inductor design are thoroughly described in this paper. In addition, a 1-kW prototype is implemented to validate the feasibility and correctness of the converter. Experimental results indicate that the peak efficiencies in step-up and step-down modes can be up to 95.4% and 93.6%, respectively.