Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selective Induction of Homeostatic Th17 Cells in the Murine Intestine by Cholera Toxin Interacting with the Microbiota

Th17 cells play a role as an inflammation mediator in a variety of autoimmune disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, and thus are widely considered to be pathogenic. However, Th17 cells are present in the normal intestine and show a homeostatic phenotype; that is, they participate in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis rather than inducing inflammation. We observed an enlarged Th17 population in the small intestine of C57BL/6.IgA−/− mice compared with wild-type mice, which was further amplified with cholera toxin (CT) immunization without causing intestinal inflammation. The increased Th17 induction and the correspondingly 10-fold higher CT B subunit–specific serum IgG response in IgA−/− mice after CT immunization was microbiota dependent and was associated with increased segmented filamentous bacteria in the small intestine of IgA−/− mice. Oral administration of vancomycin greatly dampened both CT immunogenicity and adjuvanticity, and the differential CT responses in IgA−/− and wild-type mice disappeared after intestinal microbiota equalization. Using gnotobiotic mouse models, we found that CT induction of homeostatic intestinal Th17 responses was supported not only by segmented filamentous bacteria, but also by other commensal bacteria. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis using IL-17AhCD2 reporter mice revealed a similar gene expression profile in CT-induced intestinal Th17 cells and endogenous intestinal Th17 cells at homeostasis, with upregulated expression of a panel of immune-regulatory genes, which was distinctly different from the gene expression profile of pathogenic Th17 cells. Taken together, we identified a nonpathogenic signature of intestinal homeostatic Th17 cells, which are actively regulated by the commensal microbiota and can be selectively stimulated by CT.
Supporting navigation in Wikipedia by information visualization: extended evaluation measures

– The authors introduce two semantics-based navigation applications that facilitate information-seeking activities in internal link-based web sites in Wikipedia. These applications aim to help users find concepts within a topic and related articles on a given topic quickly and then gain topical knowledge from internal link-based encyclopedia web sites. The paper aims to discuss these issues. , – The WNavi s application consists of three information visualization (IV) tools which are a topic network, a hierarchy topic tree and summaries for topics. The WikiMap application consists of a topic network. The goal of the topic network and topic tree tools is to help users to find the major concepts of a topic and identify relationships between these major concepts easily. In addition, in order to locate specific information and enable users to explore and read topic-related articles quickly, the topic tree and summaries for topics tools support users to gain topical knowledge quickly. The authors then apply the k-clique of cohesive indicator to analyze the sub topics of the seed query and find out the best clustering results via the cosine measure. The authors utilize four metrics, which are correctness, time cost, usage behaviors, and satisfaction, to evaluate the three interfaces. These metrics measure both the outputs and outcomes of applications. As a baseline system for evaluation the authors used a traditional Wikipedia interface. For the evaluation, the authors used an experimental user study with 30 participants. , – The results indicate that both WikiMap and WNavi s supported users to identify concepts and their relations better compared to the baseline. In topical tasks WNavi s over performed both WikiMap and the baseline system. Although there were no time differences in finding concepts or answering topical questions, the test systems provided users with a greater gain per time unit. The users of WNavi s leaned on the hierarchy tree instead of other tools, whereas WikiMap users used the topic map. , – The findings have implications for the design of IR support tools in knowledge-intensive web sites that help users to explore topics and concepts. , – The authors explored to what extent the use of each IV support tool contributed to successful exploration of topics in search tasks. The authors propose extended task-based evaluation measures to understand how each application provides useful context for users to accomplish the tasks and attain the search goals. That is, the authors not only evaluate the output of the search results, e.g. the number of relevant items retrieved, but also the outcome provided by the system for assisting users to attain the search goal.
In vitro–in vivo extrapolation of hepatic clearance involving active uptake: Theoretical and experimental aspects

The importance of hepatic uptake transporters in drug clearance is well recognized. The subject is reviewed with the intention of providing an overview of the concepts in order to link the increasing knowledge of transporter-mediated uptake into established models of hepatic clearance. In order to understand and quantify their impact, models of hepatic elimination that incorporate permeability barriers are required. Models that include both active and passive uptake into hepatocytes are discussed and simulations of the influence of active uptake and passive diffusion on hepatic clearance are presented. The advantages and weaknesses of a number of in vitro assays of hepatic uptake are described, and their ability to predict hepatic clearance is reviewed.
Novel Three-Port Converter With High-Voltage Gain

In this paper, a novel three-port converter (TPC) with high-voltage gain for stand-alone renewable power system applications is proposed. This converter uses only three switches to achieve the power flow control. Two input sources share only one inductor. Thus, the volume can be reduced. Besides, the conversion ratio of the converter is higher than other TPCs. Thus, the degree of freedom of duty cycle is large. The converter can have a higher voltage gain for both low-voltage ports with a lower turns ratio and a reasonable duty ratio. The voltage stress of switches is low; thus, conduction loss can be further improved by adopting low Rds(on) switches. Therefore, the converter can achieve a high conversion ratio and high efficiency at the same time. The operation principles, steady-state analysis, and control method of the converter are presented and discussed. A prototype of the proposed converter with a low input voltage 24 V for photovoltaic source, a battery port voltage 48 V, and an output voltage 400 V is implemented to verify the theoretical analysis. The power flow control of the converter is also built and tested with a digital signal processor.
An electrophoretic approach to the assessment of the spatial distribution of DNA double‐strand breaks in mammalian cells

An approach is presented making it possible to investigate whether breaks in fragmented mammalian chromosomal DNA were induced randomly and independently from each other. Genomic DNA isolated from mammalian cells irradiated with γ‐rays or restriction enzyme‐treated human DNA was resolved according to size using pulsed field gel electrophoresis, and the resulting DNA mass distributions were measured in ethidium bromide‐stained gels. The DNA profiles thus obtained were compared to the predictions on DNA fragment size distribution which follow from a so‐called random breakage model to test whether the experimental outcome is compatible with the assumption of a random localization of breaks. Comparisons of fragment distributions may be performed utilizing two equivalent representations that are linked by an adequate transformation. Considering either directly measurable DNA mass profiles in units of migration distances along a gel lane or transformed distributions in units of molecular length, we show for γ‐irradiated samples that the predictions derived from the employed models agree well with the observed data, thus allowing an immediate quantification of double‐strand breaks (DSB). Using restriction enzyme‐treated DNA as a paradigm, the disagreement of predicted and observed data shows the applicability of our approach to the detection of a non‐random distribution of DSB. Therefore, we suppose that our approach may also be useful to reveal a clustering of DSB, which is postulated to occur after damage induction by densely ionizing radiation. Furthermore, investigations on the spatial distribution of chemically or endogenously produced DSB, as well as residual DSB after repair, may be attempted.
Continuous fractional Kalman filter

This paper develops a new Kalman filter for linear systems described with continuous time fractional model. It extends the classical Kalman filter to deals with fractional differentiation. It is called continuous fractional Kalman Filter. The algorithm of the new filter is detailed and a suboptimal filter can be deduced. A numerical example illustrates the state estimation of a fractional model with the new filter.
K-band loss characterization of electroplated nickel for RF MEMS devices

A group of sputtered gold and electroplated nickel CPW lines are fabricated to investigate electrical behaviors of nickel at K-band. DC resistance and scattering parameters of these lines are measured and compared with analytic models and HFSS simulation. Permeability of electroplated nickel at k-band is evaluated by curve-fitting techniques and this will be useful in characterization and design of electroplated nickel RF-MEMS.
Hyperinsulinism as a marker in obese children.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between insulin and the metabolic profile and eventual weight loss in obese children. DESIGN We first attempted to define the metabolic profile for 18 obese children; we then studied weight loss in this group longitudinally. SETTING Department of Pediatrics in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Eighteen randomly selected, young, obese male subjects from 5 to 16 years of age. INTERVENTIONS (1) Metabolic screening at the outset, including insulinemia and glycemia after the oral glucose tolerance test and plasma levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, and (2) weight loss treatment. RESULTS We divided the sample into "normoinsulinemic" and "hyperinsulinemic" groups, similar for all the variables tested except for weight loss and plasma triglyceride levels. A direct relationship between weight loss results and duration of treatment was found for the entire group. The "hyperinsulinemic" group had a lower percentage reduction in excess weight, and the results in this group were not dependent on the duration of treatment. CONCLUSIONS The effort to keep "normoinsulinemic" obese children in treatment may be useful; it is advisable to study "hyperinsulinemic" children more in depth.
Hospital nurse following robot: hardware development and sensor integration

Hospital nurse regularly bring her instrument to the patient using cart. They need to push or pull the cart to the patient bed and bring it back many times in a day. This can be tiresome for nurses because they need to treat many patients in the hospital. This research is mainly to solve this problem by constructing a mobile robot for nurses that is able to follow and carry the medical equipment and at the same time perform obstacle avoidance. The designed robot has ability to move in and out at constricted space and is able to avoid any obstacles either static or dynamic. This robot can carry a load of 20 kg and used dc geared motor to move. The mobile platform is able to rotate at axial axis with the construction of special wheel and the placement of the motor. A suitable ultrasonic sensor bank is selected so that robot can detect obstacle around the mobile platform and avoid the obstacle. The robot control and obstacle avoidance system is designed by adopting the facilities of Basic ATOM microcontroller for better performance.
Decision making as measured with the Iowa Gambling Task in patients with borderline personality disorder

Affective instability is a core dimension of borderline personality disorder. The somatic marker hypothesis suggests that emotions play a crucial role in decision making. In this preliminary study, decision making was assessed in individuals with borderline personality disorder. Patients with borderline personality disorder (n = 20) and healthy comparison subjects (n = 15) were tested with the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The patients showed less advantageous choices on the IGT than did the healthy comparison subjects. The results could not be explained by indicators of general cognitive function or by symptoms of depression. These findings demonstrate that deficits in decision making in borderline personality disorder may manifest themselves in an ecologically valid neuropsychological test. Future studies should address whether those deficits are related to the behavioral characteristics of affective dysregulation and/or impulsivity, to the proposed dysfunctions and reduced volume of the orbitofrontal cortex and/or the amygdala, and to other neuropsychological functions. (JINS, 2007, 13, 699–703.)
Real-time implementation of Add-On Simple Adaptive Control Algorithm to linear stage

Application of the Add-On Simple Adaptive Control Algorithm in real time is presented. The algorithm is applied to a real linear drive system. The algorithm has been implemented in SIMULINK® within the dSPACE® Real-Time Control Environment. The Add-On simple adaptive control algorithm is briefly reviewed and design procedure is outlined. The performance in real-time shows the ability of the Add-On simple adaptive control algorithm to perform on real hardware in noisy environment while improving the performance and robustness.
Abstracting Digital Movies Automatically

Large video on demand databases consisting of thousands of digital movies are not easy to handle: the user must have an attractive means to retrieve his movie of choice. For analog video, movie trailers are produced to allow a quick preview and perhaps stimulate possible buyers. This paper presents techniques to automatically produce such movie abstracts of digtial videos. We define a video abstract to be a sequence of still or moving images presenting the content of a video in such a way that the resprective target groupis rapidly provided with concise information about the content while the essential message of the original is preserved. We therefore mainly distinguish video abstracts consisting of a collection of salient still images and video abstracts consisting of a collection of scenes (sequences of images) which are therefore a video themselves. Still-images abstracting systems have been reported often in the literature. We propose a moving-images abstracting system, called VAbstract, and explain its concept, algorithmic realization and advantages. The paper also describes a series of abstracting experiments in which we compared our automatically produced abstracts to manually produced trailers of TV series.
Modifiable behavioral factors in a biopsychosocial model predict inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain.

OBJECTIVE The research addresses two questions: Are potentially modifiable psychosocial and behavioral factors related to gestational weight gain? Do the same factors relate to both excessive and insufficient weight gain? DESIGN Prospective cohort study that followed women from early pregnancy until two years postpartum. Data were collected through mailed questionnaires and an audit of the medical record. Subjects/setting The sample included 622 healthy adult women who gave birth to live singleton infants. Subjects were recruited from all women who registered for prenatal care in a hospital and primary care clinic system serving a 10-county area of Upstate New York. Statistical analyses performed Multiple linear and logistic regression with adjustment for timing of measurements and length of gestation were performed. RESULTS Only 38% of women gained an amount of weight in pregnancy that was within the range recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Valid and easily implemented measures of change in food intake and physical activity from prepregnancy and cigarette smoking during pregnancy were each significantly (P<.05) and independently related to gestational weight gain. Along with other variables in a biopsychosocial regression model, these variables accounted for 27% of the variance in gestational weight gain and were also significantly related to risk of inadequate and excessive gain. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS The findings facilitate the design of more effective nutrition interventions to promote appropriate gestational weight gain and the long-term health of women and their infants.
The inhibition of the growth of Clostridium welchii by lipids isolated from the contents of the small intestine of the pig.

SUMMARY: The growth of Clostridium welchii type A NCTC 8246 was inhibited by the contents of the small intestine of pigs from which food had been withheld for 24 hr; no inhibitory activity was observed by the contents of the stomach, caccum and large intestine. Inhibitory activity was absent from the contents of the small intestine during the early stages of digestion but first appeared about 6 hr after the pigs had been given food. This indicated that under normal feeding practice there were periods during each day when the contents of the small intestine would be inhibitory for C. welchii. The inhibitory activity was in the lipid fraction of the intestinal contents. Fractionation of the intestinal lipids showed that the inhibitory substances were linoleic and arachidonic acids, lysolecithin and an unidentified phospholipid. The poly-unsaturated fatty acids and lysolecithin appeared to be derived mainly from the action of pancreatic phospholipase A on biliary lecithin in the lumen of the small intestine. The possibility that these inhibitory lipids control to some extent the numbers of C. welchii in the alimentary tract of the pig is discussed.
Münsterberg in 1898, Not Allport in 1937, Introduced the Terms ‘Idiographic’ and ‘Nomothetic’ to American Psychology

Psychologists use the term ‘idiographic’ to refer to the characteristics of unique individuals and ‘nomothetic’ to refer to universal characteristics. It is widely accepted that Gordon Allport borrowed those terms from the German philosopher Wilhelm Windelband and introduced the idiographic/nomothetic distinction to American psychology. However, in this paper we argue that the terms were made a part of American psychological discourse at least as early as 1898 by Hugo Münsterberg, two generations before Allport, and were incorporated by William Stern, who had a strong influence on Allport. Recognizing Münsterberg's and Stern's contribution assists in a more secure interpretation of Allport's understanding of the importance of a balance between idiographic and nomothetic approaches.
Accelerating architectural simulation by parallel execution of trace samples

In order to quickly decide which architectural features are to be included in future processors the author has developed a simulation approach that samples benchmark program instruction traces. Rather than simulating an architecture with the entire SPEC92 program suite of more than 100 billion instructions, he simulates using a set of samples of the SPEC92 suite containing less than 1% of the total instruction trace. Each of the samples contains a short instruction trace that can be simulated quickly. By distributing the simulation of the samples across many workstations he is able to carry out architectural simulations in less than one half hour. The sample set is verified to be representative of the complete instruction trace using several metrics. The technique described can be applied to existing architectural models to produce significant reductions in simulation time. <<ETX>>
Computational fluid dynamics

In this article, we have described a computational framework for multiscale simulation of gas flow in subject-specific airway models of the human lung. The framework consists of five major components: accurate extraction of airway geometry from MDCT image data sets, geometrical modeling of airway trees, novel 3-D and 1-D coupled mesh generation, 3-D high-fidelity CFD techniques for turbulent and transitional flow, and CT-derived subject-specific physiological boundary conditions. This work demonstrates the importance of multi-scale simulation of pulmonary gas flow for accurate prediction of flow characteristics at large and small airways and their interactions. The multiscale simulation presented here can be further applied to other healthy and diseased human subjects for intra- and intersubject analyses to better understand the lung flow-structure relationship, the progression of lung diseases, and the correlation between inhaled pharmaceutical drug aerosols or air pollutants with airway structure.
Neuropsychological performance in African children with HIV enrolled in a multisite antiretroviral clinical trial

Objective and design: Children with HIV infection (HIV+) are at neuropsychological risk, but few studies have evaluated this at multiple sites in low-income and middle-income countries. We compared neuropsychological outcomes at enrollment (>5 years age) among HIV+, HIV perinatally exposed uninfected (HEU), and HIV unexposed uninfected (HUU) children from four sub-Saharan countries. Methods: IMPAACT P1060 compared nevirapine versus lopinavir/ritonavir-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) in HIV-infected children 6–35 months of age. The present study (P1104s) enrolled P1060 children at 5–11 years of age and evaluated their neuropsychological performance over 2 years using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (KABC-II), Tests of Variables of Attention (TOVA), Bruininks–Oseretsky Test, 2nd edition (BOT-2), and parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Cohorts were compared using generalized estimating equations least-squares means adjusted for site, child age and sex, and personal and social characteristics for child and caregiver. Results: Six hundred and eleven (246 HIV+, 183 HEU, 182 HUU) of the 615 enrolled at six sites [South Africa (three), Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda] were available for analysis. Mean age was 7.2 years, 48% male, 69% in school. Unadjusted and adjusted comparisons were consistent. HIV+ children performed significantly worse than HEU and HUU cohorts on all KABC-II cognitive performance domains and on BOT-2 total motor proficiency (P < 0.001), but not on the BRIEF Global Executive Indices. HUU and HEU cohorts were comparable on cognitive outcomes. HIV+ children initiated on ART before 1 year of age had significantly better BRIEF evaluations (lower scores - fewer behavior problems), compared with those started after (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Significant cognitive deficits were documented among HIV+ children at school age, even when started on ART at an early age. Earlier HIV treatment, neuropsychological monitoring, and rehabilitative interventions are all needed. Subsequent testing for 2 more years will help further evaluate how HIV infection and exposure affect the developmental trajectory.
Lecture Notes on Testing by Implicit Sampling

Building on the junta tester, we present a general methodology for constructing testers for properties of Boolean functions (of the form f : {0, 1} → {0, 1}) that can be approximated by small juntas. This methodology yields testers of low query complexity for many natural properties, which contain functions that depend on relatively few relevant variables; specifically, the query complexity is related to the size of the junta and is independent of the length of the input to the function (i.e., l).