Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving of Rice Blast Resistances in Japonica by Pyramiding Major R Genes

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, is a major constraint to rice production worldwide. In this study, we developed monogenic near-isogenic lines (NILs) NILPi9, NILPizt, and NILPi54 carrying genes Pi9, Pizt, and Pi54, respectively, by marker assisted backcross breeding using 07GY31 as the japonica genetic background with good agronomic traits. Polygene pyramid lines (PPLs) PPLPi9+Pi54 combining Pi9 with Pi54, and PPLPizt+Pi54 combining Pizt with Pi54 were then developed using corresponding NILs with genetic background recovery rates of more than 97%. Compared to 07GY31, the above NILs and PPLs exhibited significantly enhanced resistance frequencies (RFs) for both leaf and panicle blasts. RFs of both PPLs for leaf blast were somewhat higher than those of their own parental NILs, respectively, and PPLPizt+Pi54 exhibited higher RF for panicle blast than NILPizt and NILPi54 (P < 0.001), hinting an additive effect on the resistance. However, PPLPi9+Pi54 exhibited lower RF for panicle blast than NILPi9 (P < 0.001), failing to realize an additive effect. PPLPizt+Pi54 showed higher resistant level for panicle blast and better additive effects on the resistance than PPLPi9+Pi54. It was suggested that major R genes interacted with each other in a way more complex than additive effect in determining panicle blast resistance levels. Genotyping by sequencing analysis and extreme-phenotype genome-wide association study further confirmed the above results. Moreover, data showed that pyramiding multiple resistance genes did not affect the performance of basic agronomic traits. So the way to enhance levels of leaf and panicle blast resistances for rice breeding in this study is effective and may serve as a reference for breeders. Key Message: Resistant levels of rice blast is resulted from different combinations of major R genes, PPLPizt+Pi54 showed higher resistant level and better additive effects on the panicle blast resistance than PPLPi9+Pi54.
An overview of quantum cryptography: Simulation

In this work we present an introductory discussion on the basic elements of quantum cryptography (QC) and we show results of simulation using some simulators in the literature whose aim is enables the user learn or practice QC under simulated conditions to prepare for actual performance. Our discussion is presented in the framework of first commercial attempts for quantum encryption.
Inclusion of temporal constraints in the EEG inverse problem: A comparative study

Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings contain dynamic data with strong temporal information, therefore it is important the inclusion of such information in the inverse problem solution to obtain an improvement in estimation of the brain activity, reducing noise effects and guaranteeing a smooth temporal evolution. This work presents and compare two ways to include the temporal information in the inverse problem solution: On the one hand, a temporal projection over the main dynamics of the data. On the other hand, an explicit model to describe the temporal evolution of the brain activity. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using simulated EEG data under several SNRs in terms of spatial accuracy, temporal accuracy, the mean squared error and computational cost. Obtained results show that the inclusion of temporal information using a temporal projection is more robust to noise and its computational cost is significantly lower than the explicit temporal model.
Age-specific incidence rates of Alzheimer’s disease

Objective: To estimate age-specific incidence rates of AD in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Background: The BLSA is a volunteer cohort of normal subjects followed longitudinally with biennial evaluations at the Gerontology Research Center of the National Institute on Aging. Methods: Subjects are 1236 participants (802 men, 434 women) in the BLSA with longitudinal follow-up between January 1985 and May 1998. The average length of follow-up was 7.5 years, with participants evaluated every 2 years by physical, neurologic, and neuropsychological examinations. Using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed., revised and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria, the authors diagnosed dementia and AD. Results: The authors diagnosed 155 cases of dementia, of which 114 (74%) were AD. Incidence rates of AD increased with age from an estimated 0.08% per year (95% CI 0.00 to 0.43) in the 60 to 65 age group to an estimated 6.48% per year (95% CI 5.01 to 8.38) in the 85+ age group for men and women combined. The doubling time of incidence rates was estimated to be approximately 4.4 years and the median time of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to diagnosis of AD was estimated to be 4.4 years. There was a trend for women to have higher incidence rates than men and for fewer years of education to be associated with higher incidence rates; however, these effects were not significant. Conclusion: Incidence rates for AD in the BLSA are consistent with published rates in other studies. The longitudinally followed subjects of the BLSA offer a unique opportunity to prospectively investigate the antecedents of AD.
Predicting survival in patients with brain metastases treated with radiosurgery using artificial neural networks.

BACKGROUND Artificial neural networks (ANNs) excel at analyzing challenging data sets and can be exceptional tools for decision support in clinical environments. The present study pilots the use of ANNs for determining prognosis in neuro-oncology patients. OBJECTIVE To determine whether ANNs perform better at predicting 1-year survival in a group of patients with brain metastasis compared with traditional predictive tools. METHODS : ANNs were trained on a multi-institutional data set of radiosurgery patients to predict 1-year survival on the basis of several input factors. A single ANN, an ensemble of 5 ANNs, and logistic regression analyses were compared for efficacy. Sensitivity analysis was used to identify important variables in the ANN model. RESULTS A total of 196 patients were divided up into training, testing, and validation data sets consisting of 98, 49, and 49 patients, respectively. Patients surviving at 1 year tended to be female (P = .001) and of good performance status (P = .01) and to have favorable primary tumor histology (P = .001). The pooled voting of 5 ANNs performed significantly better than the multivariate logistic regression model (P = .02), with areas under the curve of 84% and 75%, respectively. The ensemble also significantly outperformed 2 commonly used prognostic indexes. Primary tumor subtype and performance status were identified on sensitivity analysis to be the most important variables for the ANN. CONCLUSION ANNs outperform traditional statistical tools and scoring indexes for predicting individual patient prognosis. Their facile implementation, robustness in the presence of missing data, and ability to continuously learn make them excellent choices for use in complicated clinical environments.
Development of Multipurpose Gas Leakage and Fire Detector with Alarm System

This project focuses on developing an electronic system that detects gas leakage and smoke giving visual level indication using LEDs. In case of high concentration gas or smoke detected, the system wirelessly activates a relay to switch off the mains thus preventing a major possibility of fire accident and also gives audio alarm for the same. The analog voltage values equivalent of smoke and gas concentration detected are wirelessly transmitted to be displayed on a computer screen periodically. The system is advantageous compared to the existing systems in the way that it is a battery powered, smart standalone module that does not require human intervention.
Polymorphisms in the transcription factor NRF2 and forearm vasodilator responses in humans

Objective Oxidative stress is integral to the development of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. As NRF2 is a key transcription factor in antioxidant defense, we aimed to determine whether polymorphisms within the promoter region of the gene encoding NRF2 (NFE2L2) would significantly modify vasodilator responses in humans. Methods Associations between the −653A/G (rs35652124), −651G/A (rs6706649), and −617C/A (rs6721961) polymorphisms within the NFE2L2 promoter and vascular function were evaluated in healthy African-American (n=64) and white (n=184) individuals. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured by strain-gauge venous occlusion plethysmography at baseline and in response to incremental doses of bradykinin or sodium nitroprusside. Forearm vascular resistance (FVR) was calculated as the mean arterial pressure/FBF. Results In African Americans, −653G variant allele carriers had significantly lower FBF and higher FVR under basal conditions as well as in response to bradykinin or sodium nitroprusside compared with wild-type individuals (P<0.05 for each comparison). In whites, although no significant associations were observed with the −653A/G genotype, −617A variant allele carriers had significantly higher FVR at baseline and in response to bradykinin or sodium nitroprusside compared with wild-type individuals (P<0.05 for each comparison). The −651G/A polymorphism was not associated with vasodilator responses in either racial group. Conclusion Polymorphisms within the NFE2L2 promoter were associated with impaired forearm vasodilator responses in an endothelial-independent manner, suggesting an important role of NRF2 in the regulation of vascular function in humans.
Nature's Capacities and Their Measurement , Nancy Cartwright. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989, x + 268 pages.

bitrary assumptions as to either epistemology, paradigm, or fact. Moreover, there is an additional disjunction between recognition of the importance of epistemology and of epistemological limits of knowledge and recognition of the limits of epistemology per se. All economics, as indeed all inquiry, is a series of footnotes to, or derivations of, various philosophical positions, each with their strengths and limitations a situation of which most economists may be formally cognizant but one that seems to result in little diffidence in the manner in which they practice their discipline and urge the results of their work on others. All this is to say that the philosophical and epistemological entries in The New Palgrave tend almost uniformly to be ahead of the actual practice of economics. That is no insubstantial compliment, and it is largely due to the fact that the editors of The New Palgrave recruited as authors specialists who know what they are writing about, not practitioners who are seeking rationalizations for their private practices of hobbyhorses although admittedly their post-Modernist epistemology may be the hobbyhorse of the editors. The pursuit of conclusive epistemological credentials is beset by the same problems as the pursuit of substantive economic statements.
Cloning of Higher Plant [omega]-3 Fatty Acid Desaturases

Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA transformants were screened for mutations affecting seed fatty acid composition. A mutant line was found with reduced levels of linolenic acid (18:3) due to a T-DNA insertion. Genomic DNA flanking the T-DNA insertion was used to obtain an Arabidopsis cDNA that encodes a polypeptide identified as a microsomal [omega]-3 fatty acid desaturase by its complementation of the mutation. Analysis of lipid content in transgenic tissues demonstrated that this enzyme is limiting for 18:3 production in Arabidopsis seeds and carrot hairy roots. This cDNA was used to isolate a related Arabidopsis cDNA, whose mRNA is accumulated to a much higher level in leaf tissue relative to root tissue. This related cDNA encodes a protein that is a homolog of the microsomal desaturase but has an N-terminal extension deduced to be a transit peptide, and its gene maps to a position consistent with that of the Arabidopsis fad D locus, which controls plastid [omega]-3 desaturation. These Arabidopsis cDNAs were used as hybridization probes to isolate cDNAs encoding homologous proteins from developing seeds of soybean and rapeseed. The high degree of sequence similarity between these sequences suggests that the [omega]-3 desaturases use a common enzyme mechanism.
Role of Serine/Threonine Phosphatase (SP-STP) in Streptococcus pyogenes Physiology and Virulence*

Background: Unlike for eukaryote-type serine/threonine kinase of group A Streptococcus (GAS), significance of its cognate serine/threonine phosphatase (SP-STP) remains elusive. Results: SP-STP is crucial for GAS pathophysiology. Conclusion: SP-STP is not essential for GAS survival, but its optimal concentration is critical for cognately maintained homeostasis within GAS. Significance: This work opens up avenues to understand the role of secretory SP-STP as an important virulence determinant in the host. Reversible phosphorylation is the key mechanism regulating several cellular events in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, signal transduction is perceived to occur primarily via the two-component signaling system involving histidine kinases and cognate response regulators. Although an alternative regulatory pathway controlled by the eukaryote-type serine/threonine kinase (Streptococcus pyogenes serine/threonine kinase; SP-STK) has been shown to modulate bacterial growth, division, adherence, invasion, and virulence in group A Streptococcus (GAS; S. pyogenes), the precise role of the co-transcribing serine/threonine phosphatase (SP-STP) has remained enigmatic. In this context, this is the first report describing the construction and characterization of non-polar SP-STP mutants in two different strains of Type M1 GAS. The STP knock-out mutants displayed increased bacterial chain lengths in conjunction with thickened cell walls, significantly reduced capsule and hemolysin production, and restoration of the phenotypes postcomplementation. The present study also reveals important contribution of cognately regulated-reversible phosphorylation by SP-STK/SP-STP on two major response regulators of two-component systems, WalRK and CovRS. We also demonstrate a distinct role of SP-STP in terms of expression of surface proteins and SpeB in a strain-specific manner. Further, the attenuation of virulence in the absence of STP and its restoration only in the complemented strains that were generated by the use of a low copy plasmid and not by a high copy one emphasize not only the essential role of STP in virulence but also highlight the tightly regulated SP-STP/SP-STK-mediated cognate functions. SP-STP thus is an important regulator of GAS virulence and plays a critical role in GAS pathogenesis.
Respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter and electrocardiographic recordings

We present an algorithm of respiratory rate extraction using particle filter (PF), which is applicable to both photoplethysmogram (PPG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. For the respiratory rate estimation, 1 min data are analyzed with combination of a PF method and an autoregressive model where among the resultant coefficients, the corresponding pole angle with the highest magnitude is searched since this reflects the closest approximation of the true breathing rate. The PPG data were collected from 15 subjects with the metronome breathing rate ranging from 24 to 36 breaths per minute in the supine and upright positions. The ECG data were collected from 11 subjects with spontaneous breathing ranging from 36 to 60 breaths per minute during treadmill exercises. Our method was able to accurately extract respiratory rates for both metronome and spontaneous breathing even during strenuous exercises. More importantly, despite slow increases in breathing rates concomitant with greater exercise vigor with time, our method was able to accurately track these progressive increases in respiratory rates. We quantified the accuracy of our method by using the mean, standard deviation and interquartile range of the error rates which all reflected high accuracy in estimating the true breathing rates. We are not aware of any other algorithms that are able to provide accurate respiratory rates directly from either ECG signals or PPG signals with spontaneous breathing during strenuous exercises. Our method is near real-time realizable because the computational time on 1 min data segment takes only 10 ms on a 2.66 GHz Intel Core2 microprocessor; the data are subsequently shifted every 10 s to obtain near-continuous breathing rates. This is an attractive feature since most other techniques require offline data analyses to estimate breathing rates.
“We're all Keynesians Now”?

This article examines mass attitudes toward budget deficits. First, we develop a new measure of budgetary policy preference that is not contaminated by philosophical and symbolic attitudes toward government spending. We then predict public attitudes toward the federal budget from the way partisan intensity interacts with egocentric and sociotropic perceptions of economic well-being. Empirical tests support our predictions that although Republicans are consistently supportive of maintaining budgetary balance, this orientation toward thrift intensifies as perceptions of the national economy worsen. Democrats are more difficult to predict, but they generally appear to demand budgetary restraint when they perceive that the economy is performing well, although tolerating deficits during perceived periods of economic recession—in classic Keynesian fashion. Finally, it appears that Republicans are more driven by pocketbook concerns than Democrats: When times get “tight,” Republicans appear less committed to governmental frugality than when wallets are heavy.
A Wireless Sensor Network‐Based Structural Health Monitoring System for Highway Bridges

Abstract: An integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) system for highway bridges is presented. The system is based on a customized wireless sensor network platform with a flexible design that provides a variety of sensors typical in SHM. These sensors include accelerometers, strain gauges, and temperature sensors with ultra‐low power consumption. An S‐Mote node, an acceleration sensor board, and a strain sensor board are developed to satisfy the requirements of bridge structural monitoring. Communication software components are integrated within TinyOS operating system to provide a flexible software platform whereas the data processing software performs analysis of acceleration, dynamic displacement, and dynamic strain data. The prototype system comprises a nearly linear multi‐hop topology and is deployed on an in‐service highway bridge. Data acquired from the system are used to examine network performance and to help evaluate the state of the bridge. Experimental results show that the system enables continuous or regular interval monitoring for in‐service highway bridges.
Interaction between Testosterone and Apolipoprotein E ε4 Status on Cognition in Healthy Older Men

Context: Reduced testosterone levels have been implicated as a potential causative factor in cognitive decline with older age. Men who possess the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; however, no studies have examined whether the influence of testosterone on cognition in healthy older men may be modulated by this genetic predisposition. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the association between serum testosterone concentrations and cognitive performance in healthy older men, taking into account APOE e4 status. Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from 2003 to 2004. Setting: The study population consisted of community-dwelling males residing in Perth, Western Australia. Participants: Healthy men over 55 yr, free of cognitive impairment and dementia (n = 45), were included in the study. Main Outcome Measures: Participants had fasting early morning blood samples for testosterone and SHBG and were assessed for mood as w.
XIAP inhibitors induce differentiation and impair clonogenic capacity of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a neoplasia characterized by the rapid expansion of immature myeloid blasts in the bone marrow, and marked by poor prognosis and frequent relapse. As such, new therapeutic approaches are required for remission induction and prevention of relapse. Due to the higher chemotherapy sensitivity and limited life span of more differentiated AML blasts, differentiation-based therapies are a promising therapeutic approach. Based on public available gene expression profiles, a myeloid-specific differentiation-associated gene expression pattern was defined as the therapeutic target. A XIAP inhibitor (Dequalinium chloride, DQA) was identified in an in silico screening searching for small molecules that induce similar gene expression regulation. Treatment with DQA, similarly to Embelin (another XIAP inhibitor), induced cytotoxicity and differentiation in AML. XIAP inhibition differentially impaired cell viability of the most primitive AML blasts and reduced clonogenic capacity of AML cells, sparing healthy mature blood and hematopoietic stem cells. Taken together, these results suggest that XIAP constitutes a potential target for AML treatment and support the evaluation of XIAP inhibitors in clinical trials.
A review on enhancing fault ride-through capability of distributed generation in a microgrid

Although the introduction of distributed generation (DG) in a distribution system improves the power quality of power system, it increases the fault current level reducing voltage at point of common-coupling (PCC). Hence, there is a need of improving fault ride-through (FRT) capability to avoid sudden tripping of DG units from the utility grid during voltage sag in a faulty condition. This paper provides an overview of distributed generation and its impact on distribution system operation. The novel feature of this paper is to study a new concept called FRT requirements and various methods for enhancing FRT capability.
Discovering high-impact routing events using traceroutes

With the increasing diffusion of Internet probing technologies, a large amount of regularly collected traceroutes are available for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) at low cost. We introduce a practically applicable methodology and algorithm that, given solely an arbitrary set of traceroutes, spot routing paths that change similarly over time, aggregate them into inferred events, and report each event along with the impacted observation points and a small set of IP addresses that can help identify its cause. The formal model at the basis of our methodology revolves around the notion of empathy, a relation that binds similarly behaving traceroutes. The correctness and completeness of our approach are based on structural properties that are easily expressed in terms of empathic measurements. We perform experiments with data from public measurement infrastructures like RIPE Atlas, showing the effectiveness of our algorithm in distilling events from a large amount of traceroute data. We also validate the accuracy of the inferred events against ground-truth knowledge of routing changes originating from induced and spontaneous routing events. Given these promising results, we believe our methodology can be an effective aid for ISPs to detect and track routing changes affecting many users (with potentially adverse effects on their connection quality).