Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric medication and abnormal behavior as predictors of progression in probable Alzheimer disease.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether the use of psychiatric medication and the presence of abnormal behaviors affects the progression of Alzheimer disease. DESIGN Cross-sectional with longitudinal follow-up and the likelihood of arriving at 4 end points: (1) Mini-Mental State Examination score of 9 or lower; (2) Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score of 15 or higher for activities of daily living; (3) nursing home admission; and (4) death, evaluated using a proportional hazard model with 9 variables: psychosis, insomnia, wandering, aggression, psychomotor agitation, depression, and use of antidepressants, antipsychotic agents, or sedatives/hypnotics. SETTING Multidisciplinary dementia research clinic. PATIENTS We examined baseline and follow-up behavioral symptoms and the use of psychiatric medication in 179 mildly to moderately impaired patients with probable Alzheimer disease participating in a longitudinal study of dementia. Patients were observed from 2.4 to 172 months (mean duration +/- SD, 49.5+/-27.4 months). RESULTS Nine patients (5%) were taking sedatives/ hypnotics; 16 (9%), antipsychotic agents; and 22 (12%), antidepressants at study entry. Patients taking antipsychotic agents had lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores and higher Blessed Dementia Rating Scale scores for activities of daily living than patients not taking any medication. Using proportional hazard analysis with time-dependent covariates for individual psychiatric symptoms and medications, we found that the development of psychosis was associated with functional decline (time to Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score of > or =15), institutionalization, aggression, and agitation with functional decline after adjusting for age at study entry, education, Mini-Mental State Examination scores, and Blessed Dementia Rating Scale scores. Use of antipsychotic medication was associated with functional decline, and sedatives/hypnotics with death. Neither the presence of psychiatric symptoms nor use of medication was associated with rate of cognitive decline (time to Mini-Mental State Examination score of < or =9). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the use of antipsychotic agents and sedatives can affect the natural course of Alzheimer disease. Psychosis, agitation, and aggression are important predictors of outcome, even when the effects of medication to treat them is taken into account.
A Tight Linear Time (1/2)-Approximation for Unconstrained Submodular Maximization

We consider the Unconstrained Submodular Maximization problem in which we are given a non-negative submodular function f : 2N → ℝ+, and the objective is to find a subset S ⊆ N maximizing f(S). This is one of the most basic submodular optimization problems, having a wide range of applications. Some well known problems captured by Unconstrained Submodular Maximization include MaxCut, Max-DiCut, and variants of Max-SAT and maximum facility location. We present a simple randomized linear time algorithm achieving a tight approximation guarantee of 1/2, thus matching the known hardness result of Feige et al. [11]. Our algorithm is based on an adaptation of the greedy approach which exploits certain symmetry properties of the problem. Our method might seem counterintuitive, since it is known that the greedy algorithm fails to achieve any bounded approximation factor for the problem.
A Study into the Reliability of the Data Flow from GPS Enabled Portable Fitness Devices to the Internet

The growth in availability and affordability of portable fitness devices (PFDs) has facilitated a concomitant growth in the collection and sharing of what are assumed to be reliable measures of exercise and physical activity. This data is increasingly used by fitness trainers to track performance progression, and plan training. Whilst the reliability and validity of these devices has been reported, investigation into the variance in the data at different access points is less well examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of the data flow from global positioning system enabled portable fitness devices, to the Internet, at multiple access points. Fifteen participants undertook four trials of two laps around a non-linear track (approximately 2350m per lap), at a self-determined pace, whilst wearing a PFD. Data was retrieved for comparison from three access points; a file recorded by the device, manually recorded data from the Internet, and a file retrieved from the Internet. There was no significant difference between the distance (p=0.98) and time (p=0.99) at any of the three points of access. However, recordings of elevation gain and loss were significantly different when compared across the three access points (p<0.05). It can be concluded from this study that the data flow from the PFDs used reliably reported the distance and time recorded at multiple access points, but the same was not true of the elevation gain and loss. Caution should be advised when comparing activity data from multiple access points to indicate performance progression or inform training plans.
Molecular architecture of human prion protein amyloid: A parallel, in-register β-structure

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) represent a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with conformational conversion of the normally monomeric and α-helical prion protein, PrPC, to the β-sheet-rich PrPSc. This latter conformer is believed to constitute the main component of the infectious TSE agent. In contrast to high-resolution data for the PrPC monomer, structures of the pathogenic PrPSc or synthetic PrPSc-like aggregates remain elusive. Here we have used site-directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy to probe the molecular architecture of the recombinant PrP amyloid, a misfolded form recently reported to induce transmissible disease in mice overexpressing an N-terminally truncated form of PrPC. Our data show that, in contrast to earlier, largely theoretical models, the con formational conversion of PrPC involves major refolding of the C-terminal α-helical region. The core of the amyloid maps to C-terminal residues from ≈160–220, and these residues form single-molecule layers that stack on top of one another with parallel, in-register alignment of β-strands. This structural insight has important implications for understanding the molecular basis of prion propagation, as well as hereditary prion diseases, most of which are associated with point mutations in the region found to undergo a refolding to β-structure.
An optimal and lightweight routing for minimum energy consumption in wireless sensor networks

There are many trials to provide an optimal route for minimum energy consumption in a wireless sensor network. Currently, however, the mechanisms to find minimum energy property graph (MEPG) do not properly take into account the efficiency in time and storage, the optimality in results, and the feasibility in real systems. In this paper, we propose an efficient and first optimal algorithm to find the MEPG, in which all minimum energy paths are included, not only significantly reducing its total number of edges, but also obtaining an optimal result in O(VlogV+E). We also develop power aware data-centric routing protocol characterized by minimum energy consumption and longer lifetime.
Early homing of adult mesenchymal stem cells in normal and infarcted isolated beating hearts

Little is known on the early homing features of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We used the isolated rat heart model to study the homing of MSCs injected in the ventricular wall of a beating heart. In this model all types of cells and matrix elements with their interactions are represented, while external interferences by endothelial/neutrophil interaction and neurohormonal factors are excluded. We studied the morphology and marker expression of MSCs implanted in normal hearts and in the border‐zone of infarcted myocardium. Early morphological adaptation of MSC homing differs between normal and infarcted hearts over the first 6 hrs after transplantation. In normal hearts, MSCs migrate very early through the interstitial milieu and begin to show morphological changes. Yet, in infarcted hearts MSCs remain in the site of injection forming clusters of round‐shaped cells in the border‐zone of the infarcted area. Both in normal and infarcted hearts, immuno‐histochemistry and confocal imaging showed that, besides the proliferative marker proliferating cell nuclear agent (PCNA), some transplanted cells early express myoblastic maker GATA‐4, and some of them show a VWF immunopositivity. Moreover, a few hours after injection connexin‐43 is well evident between cardiomy‐ocytes and injected cells. This study indicates for the first time that the isolated beating heart is a good model to study early features of MSC homing without external interferences. The results show (i) that MSCs start to change marker expression few hours after injection into a beating heart and (ii) that infarcted myocardium influences transplanted MSC morphology and mobility within the heart.
Chemopreventive effects of the aromatase inhibitor vorozole (R 83842) in the methylnitrosourea-induced mammary cancer model.

The chemopreventive activity of the highly specific nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor, vorozole, was examined in the methylnitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat model of mammary carcinogenesis. Various doses of vorozole (0.08-1.25 mg/kg body wt/day) were administered daily (by gavage) to female Sprague-Dawley rats starting at 43 days of age. Seven days later, the rats were given a single i.v. dose of MNU (50 mg/kg body wt). Rats were continually treated with vorozole until the end of the experiment (120 days post-MNU). Vorozole caused a dose dependent inhibition of mammary cancer multiplicity. The highest dose of vorozole (1.25 mg/kg body wt/day) decreased cancer multiplicity by approximately 90%, and simultaneously decreased cancer incidence from 100 to 44%. The next two highest doses of vorozole (0.63 and 0.31 mg/kg body wt/day) inhibited MNU-induced mammary cancer multiplicity by 70-80%. Even the two lowest doses of vorozole (0.16 and 0.08 mg/kg body wt/ day) decreased cancer multiplicity -50%. Serum level determinations were performed on a variety of endpoints at either 4 or 24 h following the last dose of vorozole. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels were slightly, but significantly, increased by vorozole treatment. Vorozole induced striking increases in serum testosterone levels at 4 h at all the dose levels employed. Testosterone levels were significantly elevated over controls at 24 h in rats given the lower doses of vorozole (0.08-0.31 mg/kg body wt/day), but were significantly lower than in rats administered the higher doses of vorozole (0.63 or 1.25 mg/kg body wt/ day). This result presumably reflects the limited half-life of vorozole in rats. In a second series of experiments, the effects of limited duration of dosing with vorozole (2.5 mg/kg body wt/day) or intermittent dosing with vorozole were determined. Treatment of rats with vorozole for limited time periods, from 3 days post-MNU administration until 30 or 60 days post-MNU treatment, resulted in significant delays in the time to appearance of palpable cancers. However, these limited treatments did not greatly affect the overall incidence or multiplicity of mammary cancers when compared with the MNU controls at the end of the study (150 days post-MNU). Finally, the effects of intermittent dosing with vorozole (2.5 mg/kg body wt/day) were examined. Rats were administered cycles of vorozole daily for a period of 3 weeks followed by treatment with the vorozole vehicle for the next 3 weeks (total of four cycles). Although this intermittent treatment did inhibit the appearance of new tumors during each of the periods that vorozole was administered, it did not cause regression of palpable cancers.
Inferring occupancy from opportunistically available sensor data

Commercial and residential buildings are usually instrumented with meters and sensors that are deployed as part of a utility infrastructure installed by companies that provide services such as electricity, water, gas, security, phone, etc. As part of their normal operation, these service providers have direct access to information from the sensors and meters. A concern arises that the sensory information collected by the providers, although coarse-grained, can be subject to analysis that reveals private information about the users of the building. Oftentimes, multiple services are provided by the same company, in which case the potential for leakage of private information increases. Our research seeks to investigate the extent to which easily available sensory information may be used by external service providers to make occupancy-related inferences. Particularly, we focus on inferences from two different sources: motion sensors, which are installed and monitored by security companies, and smart electric meters, which are deployed by electric companies for billing and demand-response management. We explore the motion sensor scenario in a three-person single-family home and the electric meter scenario in a twelve-person university lab. Our exploration with various inference methods shows that sensory information available to service providers can enable them to make undesired occupancy related inferences, such as levels of occupancy or even the identities of current occupants, significantly better than naive prediction strategies that do not make use of sensor information.
Modulation of Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Hypoxia: Role of 15-LOX-2/15-HETE-MAPKs Pathway

Background: We have previously shown that 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) plays a critical role in pulmonary hypertension (PH)-associated vascular remodeling. However, the signaling mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of 15-lipoxygenase-2 (15-LO-2)/15-HETE-mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The arterial wall thickness was measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining in distal pulmonary arteries isolated from normal and PAH patient-derived lungs. The protein expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p-p38MAPK) were measured by Western blot in the lungs of PAH patients and hypoxia-induced rats. The apoptosis of cultured rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) was determined by Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and Flow cytometry. The cell proliferation and cell cycle in PASMCs following hypoxia were analyzed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: Our results showed that the levels of p-ERK and p-p38MAPK were both drastically elevated in lungs from human patients and hypoxic rats. The HE staining revealed that the medial wall thickness was higher in patients with PAH than normal humans. In cultured PASMCs, Hypoxia stimulated the cell proliferation, the cell cycle progression, and subsequently promoted cell differentiation and cell migration leading to the suppressed cell apoptosis. Furthermore, MAPKs- induced cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis in PASMCs is 15-LO-2/15HETE activation-dependent. Conclusion: Our study indicates that hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling is associated with increased levels of 15-LO-2 and 15-HETE. 15-LO-2/15-HETE stimulates the cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis in PASMCs through phosphorylation of ERK and p38MAPK, which subsequently contributing to hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling.
Extending the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem for Disruption Management

This paper describes how the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) can be used as a basis for comprehensive disruption management, concerned with both rescheduling as well as potential structural process modifications. It is illustrated, how the RCPSP can be extended by the possibility to represent alternative activities and how the respective constructs can be used to describe various forms of typical interventions. Moreover, an approach for schedule optimization and the resolution of the generalized problem is presented, based on the combination of well-established methodologies and specific evolutionary operators. In an illustrative example it is finally shown how the proposed framework can be applied for the development of real-time decision support systems in the domain of airport ground process management
Output power smoothing of PMSG-based wind energy conversion system

This paper presents a control method for output power smoothing of a wind energy conversion system (WECS) with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) using the inertia of wind turbine and pitch control. The WECS used in this paper adopts an AC-DC-AC method with voltage-source converters (VSC). The generator-side converter controls the generator torque of the PMSG, while the grid-side inverter controls the DC-link voltage and the grid voltage, respectively. In the generator-side converter, the generator torque command is determined by using a fuzzy logic. By means of the proposed method, the generator torque is smoothed and the kinetic energy can be utilized to smooth the output power fluctuations of the PMSG. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by numerical simulations.
Articulation of Deaf and Hearing Spaces Using Deaf Space Design Guidelines: A Community Based Participatory Research with the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy

The purpose of this project is to conduct Community Based Participatory Research to explore how articulation between deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students at the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy can be enhanced using Deaf Space Design Guidelines in the school facility. The ASLA is a Bilingual school with an ASL and spoken English curriculum. Unlike traditional schools for the deaf, the ASLA enrolls deaf, hard of hearing and hearing children in a multicultural environment, which includes Deaf Culture among the cultural identities. Five qualitative research methods were used with participation from mostly hearing ASLA staff, faculty and parents. The ASLA community comprehended the DSDG and made decisions on areas to incorporate them into the facility.
Mutual Anonymity for Mobile P2P Systems

Mobile peer-to-peer networks (MOPNETs) have become popular applications due to their ease of communication and resource sharing patterns in unfixed network infrastructures. As privacy and security are coming under increasing attention, many mobile and ad hoc network protocols attempt to provide mutual anonymity for users. Most existing anonymous designs, however, are path based, where the anonymous communications are achieved via a predetermined path. Such a design suffers from unreliable delivery and high processing overheads and is not practical. We propose a scalable secret-sharing-based mutual anonymity protocol, termed PUZZLE, which enables anonymous query issuance and file delivery for MOPNETs in ad hoc environments by employing Shamir's secret sharing scheme. We present the design of PUZZLE, analyze its degree of security and anonymity, and evaluate its performance by comprehensive trace-driven simulations. Experimental results show that compared with previous designs, PUZZLE achieves mutual anonymous communications with a lower cryptography processing overhead and higher degree of anonymity.
Exploring Aboriginal sites in Sydney: a shifting politics of place?

In 2000 I was employed by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) to write a monograph about Aboriginal sites in Sydney. The brief for the project was very broad: what might constitute ‘a site’ was not pre-determined, nor was any other aspect of the content, although it was stipulated that the book be developed in consultation with Sydney’s peak Aboriginal organisations, most particularly land councils. The research was undertaken collaboratively with Alana Harris, renowned Wiradjuri photographer, and the outcome was Aboriginal Sydney: a guide to important places of the past and present, published by Aboriginal Studies Press in 2001.1 The book is a guide to fifty places in the greater Sydney region, an area bordered by Kuring-gai Chase National Park in the north, Cranebrook and Greendale in the west, and Kurnell and Botany Bay in the south. It is intended for a very broad audience, and designed to be used as a straightforward guide book as well as a selective and short social history of Sydney.
Unsupervised Artificial Neural Nets for Modeling Movie Sentiment

Sentiment mining aims at extracting features on which users express their opinions in order to determine the user’s sentiment towards the query object. Movie sentiment in Twitter provides an excellent base upon which to evaluate sentiment mining methodologies both because of the pervasiveness of discussions devoted to movie topics and because of the brevity of expression induced by twitter's 140 word limitation. In this paper we explore movie sentiment expressed in Twitter microblogs. A multi-knowledge based approach is proposed using, Self-Organizing Maps and movie knowledge in order to model opinion across a multi-dimensional sentiment space. We develop a visual model to express this taxonomy of sentiment vocabulary and then apply this model in test data. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed visualization in mining sentiment in the domain of Twitter tweets.
Characterization of L-carnitine transport into rat skeletal muscle plasma membrane vesicles.

Transport of L-carnitine into skeletal muscle was investigated using rat sarcolemmal membrane vesicles. In the presence of an inwardly directed sodium chloride gradient, L-carnitine transport showed a clear overshoot. The uptake of L-carnitine was increased, when vesicles were preloaded with potassium. When sodium was replaced by lithium or cesium, and chloride by nitrate or thiocyanate, transport activities were not different from in the presence of sodium chloride. However, L-carnitine transport was clearly lower in the presence of sulfate or gluconate, suggesting potential-dependent transport. An osmolarity plot revealed a positive slope and a significant intercept, indicating transport of L-carnitine into the vesicle lumen and binding to the vesicle membrane. Displacement experiments revealed that approximately 30% of the L-carnitine associated with the vesicles was bound to the outer and 30% to the inner surface of the vesicle membrane, whereas 40% was unbound inside the vesicle. Saturable transport could be described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km of 13.1 microM and a Vmax of 2.1 pmol. (mg protein-1). s-1. L-Carnitine transport could be trans-stimulated by preloading the vesicles with L-carnitine but not with the carnitine precursor butyrobetaine, and was cis-inhibited by L-palmitoylcarnitine, L-isovalerylcarnitine, and glycinebetaine. On comparing carnitine transport into rat kidney brush-border membrane vesicles and OCTN2, a sodium-dependent high-affinity human carnitine transporter, cloned recently from human kidney also expressed in muscle, the Km values are similar but driving forces, pattern of inhibition and stereospecificity are different. This suggests the existence of more than one carnitine carrier in skeletal muscle.