Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic heterogeneity in inherited spastic paraplegia associated with epilepsy

We have recently mapped a new rare form of spastic paraplegia complicated by bilateral cataracts, gastroesophageal reflux with persistent vomiting, and amyotrophy to chromosome 10q23.3‐q24.2. This locus, named SPG9, is located in an interval spanning about 12 cM of genomic DNA, between markers D10S536 and D10S603, where different neurological disorders have been mapped. In particular, a gene for partial epilepsy has been assigned to a 3 cM interval between markers D10S185 and D10S577, which is completely included in the SPG9 critical region. A few families affected with spastic paraplegia and epilepsy have been reported; in the present study, we tested a pedigree with concurrence of spastic paraplegia, epilepsy, and mental retardation inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, using markers located in the SPG9 interval. Haplotype reconstruction excluded the linkage to 10q23.3‐q24.2. In addition, the seven different loci so far reported to be associated with autosomal dominant pure forms of spastic paraplegia have been tested and excluded by linkage analysis and haplotype reconstruction, including SPG4 on chromosome 2p22‐p21, where a familial form of spastic paraplegia associated with dementia and epilepsy has been mapped. These data confirm genetic heterogeneity in familial spastic paraplegia with epilepsy and suggest a specific locus for the family here analyzed. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sketch-guided GUI test generation for mobile applications

Mobile applications with complex GUIs are very popular today. However, generating test cases for these applications is often tedious professional work. On the one hand, manually designing and writing elaborate GUI scripts requires expertise. On the other hand, generating GUI scripts with record and playback techniques usually depends on repetitive work that testers need to interact with the application over and over again, because only one path is recorded in an execution. Automatic GUI testing focuses on exploring combinations of GUI events. As the number of combinations is huge, it is still necessary to introduce a test interface for testers to reduce its search space. This paper presents a sketch-guided GUI test generation approach for testing mobile applications, which provides a simple but expressive interface for testers to specify their testing purposes. Testers just need to draw a few simple strokes on the screenshots. Then our approach translates the strokes to a testing model and initiates a model-based automatic GUI testing. We evaluate our sketch-guided approach on a few real-world Android applications collected from the literature. The results show that our approach can achieve higher coverage than existing automatic GUI testing techniques with just 10-minute sketching for an application.
Hardware architecture for the fast pattern matching

As the speed of current computer networks increases, it is necessary to protect networks by security systems such as firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) operating at multigigabit speeds. As attacks on modern networks became more and more complex, it is necessity to detect attack placed not only in single packet but at the level of network flows. Pattern matching in the network flows is the time-critical operation of many modern IDS. Most of the regularly used patterns are described by the regular expression. This work describes advanced hardware architecture for the fast regular expression matching based on the perfect hashing. The proposed architecture is scalable and can achieve multigigabit throughput per network flow.
Decisions Under Duress: Influences on Official Decision Making During Superstorm Sandy

During impending storms, emergency managers and politicians are tasked with the difficult decision of whether or not to issue evacuation orders for their area. This study uses Superstorm Sandy as a case study and investigates how emergency managers (EMs) and politicians made these critical evacuation decisions. Within this larger research question, this study aimed to accomplish five objectives: determining 1) the weather information sources used; 2) the chain of communication among emergency managers and politicians; 3) the situational and cognitive factors that influenced decisions made; 4) how the uncertainty and changing weather information influenced EM perceptions of risk and decision making; and 5) the relationship between and roles of EMs and politicians. Literature on decision making has focused almost exclusively on the publics, yet it is vital to understand how these officials make decisions in order to achieve a more cohesive and interconnected network of hazardous weather preparation and response among all involved parties.
CSMA/CA protocol based energy efficient transmission scheme for wireless pans

In this paper, we propose a QoS guaranteed and energy-efficient transmission scheme for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs), which operate in conjunction with contention-based access protocols, such as CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance). Energy consumption is one of the most important issues in WPAN systems, because WPAN devices are often required to operate under limited battery capacity. Furthermore, if the WPAN adopts a contention-based medium access protocol, the energy consumption problem becomes even more critical due to the collisions caused by independent channel access trials. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an algorithm that selects the optimum fragment size, modulation level, and transmission power, in order to minimize the energy consumption and guarantee the QoS (Quality of Service) requirements, simultaneously. Our simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has better performance than the previous ones.
Bank Political Connections and Performance in China

We examine the effects of bank’s political connection on bank performance and risk in China. We use hand-collected information on CEOs’ professional background to identify their political affiliations, and find that banks whose CEOs have former government experiences have higher return on assets, lower default risk, and lower credit risk. Additionally, politically connected banks have disproportionally higher performance when the CEOs previous worked in the same city where the current bank’s headquarter locates, had past banking experiences, spend more on entertainment and travel costs, and have higher previous administrative rankings (e.g., at the provincial or state level). These results suggest that politically connected banks have better access to lending to politically connected firms, which are high yield assets and more likely to be bailed out when in distress. Our results offer a mechanism of political rent seeking, consistent with the institutional environment of China’s banking and political system.
Effects of alcohol consumption in spousal relationships on health-related quality of life and life satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE The effects of heavy alcohol consumption on people who share a household with a heavy drinker are not well understood, with studies generally focusing on the families of clinical or other selected samples. This study attempts to assess how the drinking of one household member affected those with whom they live. METHOD The study used data from a population survey of households in which all adult household members provided alcohol-consumption, life satisfaction, and quality-of-life measures. The analysis focused on the satisfaction levels and health-related quality of life of 3,110 couples living in partner relationships (either married or de facto) based on the alcohol consumption of both partners. The dependent variables for the study were the respondents' satisfaction with their lives; the respondents' satisfaction with their partners; and the respondents' general health, mental health, and social functioning (measured with Short Form-36 Health Survey). Respondents were classified according to their drinking levels, and the effect of their own and their partner's drinking on their health-related quality of life was examined. Other control variables included in the analyses were whether the household included children or other members, the household's disposable income, the respondent's employment status, and his or her age and gender. RESULTS The analyses found that ex-drinkers and high-risk drinkers generally had lower life satisfaction and health-related quality of life but that the partner's drinking pattern had little effect on these measures. CONCLUSIONS Although heavy drinking appears to reduce the drinker's own health-related quality of life and life satisfaction, it appears to have very little effect on the drinker's spouse. This finding may be the result of limitations in the data and measures used in the current study but is in line with the results of some previous qualitative research in this area.
Effect of activation time on the nuclear remodeling and in vitro development of nuclear transfer embryos derived from bovine somatic cells

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of recipient activation time on the chromatin structure and development of bovine nuclear transfer embryos. Serum‐starved skin cells were electrofused to enucleated oocytes, activated 1–5 hr after fusion, and cultured in vitro. Some fused eggs were fixed at each time point after fusion without activation, or 3 or 7 hr after activation. Some nocodazole treated zygotes were fixed to analyze their chromosome constitutions. The proportion of eggs with a morphologically normal premature chromosome condensation (PCC) state increased 1–2 hr after fusion. Whereas eggs with elongated chromosome plate increased as activation time was prolonged to 3 hr, and 5 hr after fusion, 58.1% of eggs showed more than two scattered chromosome sets. The proportion of eggs with a single chromatin mass (40.6–56.7%) significantly increased when eggs were activated within 2.5 hr after fusion (P < 0.05). Only 23.3% of reconstituted embryos activated 5 hr after fusion formed one pronucleus‐like structure (PN), whereas, 64.5–78.3% of embryos activated 1–2.5 hr after fusion formed one PN. The proportion of embryos with normal chromosome constitutions decreased as activation time was prolonged. Development rates to the blastocyst stage were higher in eggs activated within 2 hr after fusion (17.3–21.7%) compared to those of others (0–8.6%, P < 0.05). The result of the present study suggests that activation time can affect the chromatin structure and in vitro development of bovine nuclear transfer embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 69: 289–295, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Complexity of Counting Colourings of Subgraphs of the Grid

It is well known that counting $\lambda$-colourings ($\lambda\geq 3$) is #P-complete for general graphs, and also for several restricted classes such as bipartite planar graphs. On the other hand, it is known to be polynomial time computable for graphs of bounded tree-width. There is often special interest in counting colourings of square grids, and such graphs can be regarded as borderline graphs of unbounded tree-width in a specific sense. We are thus motivated to consider the complexity of counting colourings of subgraphs of the square grid. We show that the problem is #P-complete when $\lambda\geq 3$. It remains #P-complete when restricted to induced subgraphs with maximum degree 3.
Polymethylmethacrylate and titanium alloy particles activate peripheral monocytes during periprosthetic inflammation and osteolysis

We investigated the interactions of particulate PMMA or titanium alloy, patient blood monocytes, and periprosthetic tissues using a SCID‐hu model of aseptic loosening. Periprosthetic tissues and bone chips obtained at revision surgery for loosening were transplanted into muscles of SCID mice. Peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) isolated from the same donors were fluorescently labeled and co‐cultured with PMMA or Ti‐6Al‐4V particles before intraperitoneal injection. Control mice with periprosthetic tissue or non‐inflammatory ligament xenografts received naive PBMCs transfusion. Mice were euthanized 2 weeks after PBMC transfusion. The human tissues were well accepted in SCID mice. Transfused fluorescent‐labeled PBMCs were markedly accumulated in transplanted periprosthetic tissues. Multinucleated osteoclast‐like cells were commonly seen within retrieved xenograft tissue, and focal bone erosions were ubiquitous. Total cell densities and CD68+ cells within the xenograft were significantly increased in mice transfused with PMMA and Ti‐provoked PBMCs compared to the naïve PBMC animals (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining identified much stronger positive IL‐1 and TNF stains in xenografts from either PMMA or Ti‐stimulated monocytes transfusion groups (p < 0.05). TRAP+ cells were found around bone chips in both activated‐PBMCs groups, although markedly more aggregated TRAP+ cells in the PMMA‐challenged group than in the titanium group (p < 0.05). MicroCT assessment confirmed the significant decrease of bone mineral density in chips interacted with activated‐monocytes/osteoclasts. In conclusion, PMMA or titanium particles readily activate peripheral monocytes and promote the cell trafficking to the debris‐containing prosthetic tissues. Particles‐provoked PBMCs participated in and promoted the local inflammatory process, osteoclastogenesis, and bone resorption. © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29:781–786, 2011
Quantifying the antiestrogen activity of wastewater treatment plant effluent using the yeast estrogen screen

The yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay was used to measure both estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent for the purpose of developing a method to quantify antiestrogenic activity. Wastewater treatment plant effluent samples were concentrated by solid‐phase extraction (SPE) and serially diluted. Five microliters of each dilution plus 195 µl of assay medium was placed in well plates and tested for estrogenic substances. Antiestrogen activity in WWTP effluent samples was indirectly measured by an effluent‐volume–dependent suppression of the β‐galactosidase activity induced by an estradiol (E2) standard. Antiestrogens and estrogens were quantified by median inhibition concentration (IC50) and median effective concentration (EC50) statistics, respectively, and were expressed in terms of effluent volume (prior to concentration by SPE). Antiestrogen IC50 and estrogen EC50 values, calculated by standard linear regression methods, averaged 25.6 µl and 22.1 µl effluent, respectively. Taken together, these values suggest that antiestrogens were responsible for approximately a 50% reduction in estrogen‐induced activity in WWTP effluent. Therefore, measurements of estrogenicity by the YES assay in WWTP effluent that typically contains a mixture of estrogenic and antiestrogenic substances should be considered net estrogenic activity. The potential for false‐positive antiestrogen activity was addressed by assays of β‐galactosidase activity in effluent, by measurements of yeast cell turbidity, and by stirred cell ultrafiltration for removal of solid‐phase coextracted organic substances. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:73–78. © 2009 SETAC
Functional Expression of HGF and HGF Receptor/c‐met in Adult Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Suggests a Role in Cell Mobilization, Tissue Repair, and Wound Healing

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) are adult stem cells with multipotent capacities. The ability of mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into many cell types, as well as their high ex vivo expansion potential, makes these cells an attractive therapeutic tool for cell transplantation and tissue engineering. hMSC are thought to contribute to tissue regeneration, but the signals governing their mobilization, diapedesis into the bloodstream, and migration into the target tissue are largely unknown. Here we report that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the cognate receptor HGFR/c‐met are expressed in hMSC, on both the RNA and the protein levels. The expression of HGF was downregulated by transforming growth factor beta. HGF stimulated chemotactic migration but not proliferation of hMSC. Therefore the HGF/c‐met signaling system may have an important role in hMSC recruitment sites of tissue regeneration. The controlled regulation of HGF/c‐met expression may be beneficial in tissue engineering and cell therapy employing hMSC.
Candida endocarditis: systematic literature review from 1997 to 2014 and analysis of 29 cases from the Italian Study of Endocarditis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Candida Endocarditis (CE) is a deadly disease. It is of paramount importance to assess risk factors for acquisition of both Candida native (NVE) and prosthetic (PVE) valve endocarditis and relate clinical features and treatment strategies with the outcome of the disease. Areas covered: We searched the literature using the Pubmed database. Cases of CE from the Italian Study on Endocarditis (SEI) were also included. Overall, 140 cases of CE were analyzed. Patients with a history of abdominal surgery and antibiotic exposure had higher probability of developing NVE than PVE. In the PVE group, time to onset of CE was significantly lower for biological prosthesis compared to mechanical prosthesis. In the whole population, greater age and longer time to diagnosis were associated with increased likelihood of death. Patients with effective anti-biofilm treatment, patients who underwent cardiac surgery and patients who were administered chronic suppressive antifungal treatment showed increased survival. For PVE, moderate active anti-biofilm and highly active anti-biofilm treatment were associated with lower mortality. Expert commentary: Both NVE and PVE could be considered biofilm-related diseases, pathogenetically characterized by Candida intestinal translocation and initial transient candidemia. Cardiac surgery, EAB treatment and chronic suppressive therapy might be crucial in increasing patient survival.
Muscle temperature and swim velocity profiles during diving in a Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii.

Locomotory muscle temperature and swim velocity profiles of an adult Weddell seal were recorded over a 21 h period. The highest temperatures occurred during a prolonged surface period (mean 37.3 degrees C, S.D. 0.16 degrees C). Muscle temperature averaged 36.8 and 36.6 degrees C (S.D. 0.25 degrees C, 0.19 degrees C) during two dive bouts and showed no consistent fluctuations between dive and interdive surface intervals. Swim velocities were also constant, near 1.3 m s-1. These data indicate that past records of low aortic temperatures (35 degrees C) during and after prolonged dives are not indicative of whole-body temperature changes, and that muscle temperature, even during dives as long as 45 min, remains near 37 degrees C.
Design and modeling of an open platform for dynamic walking research

In this paper we outline the design and parameter identification of a low-cost "compass-gait" bipedal robot for dynamic walking experiments. A compass gait walker exhibits a desirable balance of complexity in the dynamics and mechanical simplicity, making it a good candidate for a physical realization. In the hope of making the hardware of such walking robot more accessible to other researchers, we describe the the mechanical design, the software interface, as well as the dynamic modelling and parameter identification of a planar compass gait walker. Controlled walking experiments have also been performed to validate our model.
Designing a Circular Economy

 In a circular economy, reusing products, components and materials keeps them at their most useful and valuable. As a result waste is minimised.  Moving to this model could create new economic and employment opportunities and provide environmental benefits through improved materials and energy use.  Changes to product design and ownership, as well as focusing on access to services, are key to enabling circular businesses.  Establishing a circular economy will require voluntary action, government intervention and international co-operation.  Strategies differ across the UK, as policy areas are spilt between government departments and devolved administrations.  Barriers to this economic transition have been identified, such as achieving economies of scale in recovery processes
Effects of Graded Hyperventilation on Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation in Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

An impaired CBF autoregulation can be restored by hyperventilation at a PaCO2 level of about 2.9 to 4.1 kPa (22 to 31 mm Hg). However, it is uncertain whether the restoring effect can take place at lesser degrees of hypocapnia. In the current study, CBF autoregulation was studied at four PaCO2 levels: 5.33 kPa (40 mm Hg, normoventilation), 4.67 kPa (35 mm Hg, slight hyperventilation), 4.00 kPa (30 mm Hg, moderate hyperventilation), and 3.33 kPa (25 mm Hg, profound hyperventilation). At each PaCO2 level, eight rats 2 days after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and eight shamoperated controls were studied. The CBF was measured by the intracarotid 133Xe method. The CBF autoregulation was found to be intact in all controls but completely disturbed in the normoventilated SAH rats. However, by slight hyperventilation, CBF autoregulation was restored in seven of eight SAH rats with a decline in CBF of 10%. The CBF autoregulation was found intact in all of the moderately or profoundly hyperventilated SAH rats, whereas the decline in CBF was 21% and 28%, respectively. In conclusion, hyperventilation to a PaCO2 level between 4.00 and 4.67 kPa (30 to 35 mm Hg) appears to be sufficient for reestablishing an impaired autoregulation after SAH.
Flt-1 intraceptors inhibit hypoxia-induced VEGF expression in vitro and corneal neovascularization in vivo.

PURPOSE To determine whether subunits of VEGF receptor-1 coupled with an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal can block hypoxia-induced upregulation of VEGF secretion in corneal epithelial cells and block murine corneal angiogenesis induced by corneal injury. METHODS Human corneal epithelial cells, transfected with plasmids encoding Flt23K or Flt24K (the VEGF-binding domains of the Flt-1 receptor coupled with the endoplasmic reticulum retention peptide KDEL), were subjected 2 days after transfection to 5% hypoxia for 24 hours. Supernatant was sampled at 24 hours and assayed for VEGF by ELISA. For in vivo models, mouse corneas underwent intrastromal injections of plasmids encoding Flt23K or Flt24K, and 2 days later, sustained injury induced by topical NaOH and mechanical scraping. Corneas were assessed 2 days later for VEGF ELISA and leukocyte counting or 1 week later for quantification of neovascularization. RESULTS Hypoxia induced VEGF by human corneal epithelial cells was sequestered by both Flt23K and Flt24K; Flt-1 23K suppressed VEGF secretion as well. Intrastromal delivery of plasmid Flt23K suppressed VEGF by 40.4% (P = 0.009), leukocytes by 49.4% (P < 0.001), and neovascularization by 66.8% (P = 0.001). Flt24K suppressed VEGF expression by 30.8% (P = 0.042), leukocytes by 25.8% (P < 0.001), and neovascularization by 49.5% (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS Flt-1 intraceptors, which are endoplasmic reticulum retention signal-coupled VEGF receptors, significantly suppress hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion by corneal epithelial cells in vitro. In vivo, delivery of naked plasmids expressing these intraceptors inhibits injury-induced upregulation of VEGF, leukocyte infiltration, and corneal neovascularization.