Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thoracic patterning by the Drosophila gap gene hunchback.

Localized gene expression patterns are critical for establishing body plans in all multicellular animals. In Drosophila, the gap gene hunchback (hb) is expressed in a dynamic pattern in anterior regions of the embryo. Hb protein is first detected as a shallow maternal gradient that prevents expression of posterior gap genes in anterior regions. hb mRNA is also expressed zygotically, first as a broad anterior domain controlled by the Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen, and then in a stripe at the position of parasegment 4 (PS4). Here, we show that the PS4-hb stripe changes the profile of the anterior Hb gradient by generating a localized peak of protein that persists until after the broad domain has started to decline. This peak is required specifically for the formation of the mesothoracic (T2) segment. At the molecular level, the PS4-hb stripe is critical for activation of the homeotic gene Antennapedia, but does not affect a gradient of Hb repressive activity formed by the combination of maternal and Bcd-dependent Hb. The repressive gradient is critical for establishing the positions of several target genes, including the gap genes Kruppel (Kr), knirps (kni), and giant (gt), and the homeotic gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx). Different Hb concentrations are sufficient for repression of gt, kni, and Ubx, but a very high level of Hb, or a combinatorial mechanism, is required for repression of Kr. These results suggest that the individual phases of hb transcription, which overlap temporally and spatially, contribute specific patterning functions in early embryogenesis.
Measurement of stable isotopes of bromine in biological fluids with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

A method is reported for the accurate measurement of the two stable isotopes of bromine in biological fluids of interest in human metabolic studies. The method is based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It is shown that the background ion beam intensities at m/z= 79 and 81 are typically in the range 70–335 and 600–7200 ions s–1, respectively, when de-ionised water is aspirated into the plasma. The corresponding range for 1.0 µg ml–1 of natural Br is 9700–18 500 ions s–1 at m/z= 79. The detection limit (3[graphic omitted]) for Br is in the range 2–5 ng ml–1. A method is given for automatic correction of the argon contribution at m/z= 81.Data are presented which show that the isotope ratio 81Br/79Br can be measured routinely with a precision (relative standard deviation) of 1% or better. The measured ratio is independent of the Br concentration in the range 3–20 µg ml–1. Linear regression equations are obtained for stable isotope calibration graphs over the range 0.997–5.322 (MIR81/79). However, the slopes of these plots deviate considerably from the expected value of one.Two chemical separation schemes are described, Scheme I, based on cation exchange and Scheme II, based on distillation from acidified solutions. The former is applicable to plasma (and possibly saliva) samples whereas the latter is successful for urine. The presence of large amounts of sulphate produces significant enhancement of the ion intensity at m/z= 81 (due to 32S16O31H+). Distillation permits the required separation of Br from sulphate, whereas precipitation with Ba(NO3)2 does not appear to be satisfactory.Application of the method of standard additions and stable isotope dilution analysis to samples of urine from several subjects indicates that this method permits quantitative analysis of bromine to be carried out with a precision (and accuracy) of about 2%.
Parametric analysis for the reliable operations of electromechanical actuators

Eliable analysis of electromechanical systems is a worldwide challenging uestion, since there are much complex coupling relations among various system parameters. In this paper, we propose an analytical framework for reliable operations of electromechanical systems. Firstly we build a mathematical model for the motor-actuator system using basic conservative relations of physical laws. And then we conduct the analysis for two main parametric relations between motor voltage, rotational speed of actuator and reduction ratio of gear cluster. Finally, based on the results in the simulation, several conclusions are drawn for the guidance of motor selection and system optimization.
Evidence for increased cardiovascular disease risk in patients with chronic kidney disease

Purpose of reviewChronic kidney disease is becoming recognized as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Recent publications on cardiovascular disease risk in chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease risk factors in chronic kidney disease and clinical trials for cardiovascular disease risk reduction in chronic kidney disease are summarized. Recent findingsAn American Heart Association statement published in 2003 recommended that patients with chronic kidney disease be considered as members of the ‘highest risk group’ for subsequent cardiovascular disease events. In the past year, several large prospective studies have reported that cardiovascular disease risk is independently associated with chronic kidney disease markers, e.g. elevated serum creatinine, low estimated glomerular filtration rate and microalbuminuria. The populations studied have included community samples of middle-aged and older adults, subjects with myocardial infarction, those undergoing coronary angiography, and transplant patients. There is a very strong crude association between a low glomerular filtration rate and cardiovascular disease and mortality. Much of the association is explained by traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, but an independent risk remains. Studies have documented a disturbing underutilization of preventive treatments for cardiovascular disease among patients with chronic kidney disease. Studies of non-traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors are reviewed. The utility of targeting these for cardiovascular disease risk reduction needs to be proved. A summary of large ongoing clinical trials intended to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in chronic kidney disease is presented. SummaryIncreasing data support the importance of chronic kidney disease as a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. However, treatments designed to lower cardiovascular disease risk are used less often in patients with chronic kidney disease than in patients without chronic kidney disease. There is a need for increased application and testing of cardiovascular disease prevention treatments in chronic kidney disease.
Combined Unipolar and Bipolar PWM for Current Distortion Improvement During Power Compensation

To eliminate leakage ground current while achieve high efficiency, many transformerless photovoltaic inverters with unipolar pulse width modulation (UP-PWM) have been proposed and verified with real power injection only. However, in 2011, German standard VDE-AR-N 4105 updated the requirement that the inverters should satisfy the power factor from 0.9 leading to 0.9 lagging at power level higher than 4.6 kVA. When compensating the reactive power under a leading power factor, the inverter with UP-PWM might not have sufficient voltage to magnetize the inductor, which results in current distortion at zero crossing. It is hard to comply with the requirement of 1% displacement-factor accuracy. The reactive power can be well compensated with a bipolar PWM (BP-PWM) scheme; however, this will result in high current ripple and high switching loss. In this study, for reducing the current distortion under leading power factors and increasing the inductor current in the negative power region, UP-PWM is changed to BP-PWM. While in the positive power region, the inverter operation is still kept with UP-PWM to yield higher efficiency and lower current ripple. The proposed combination of UP-PWM and BP-PWM can improve the current distortion and reduce THD, while still can sustain high efficiency even with the power factors other than unity. Experimental results measured from a 5 kVA PV inverter have verified the analysis and discussion of the proposed approach.
A Dynamic Deadlock Prediction , Confirmation and Fixing Framework for Multithreaded Programs

Deadlocks widely exist in real-world multithreaded programs. Existing predictive strategies are not consistently scalable; existing confirmation strategies may miss to trigger deadlocks, and existing fixing strategies may incur false positives or high runtime overheads. This paper presents an overview of my approach to automatic deadlock prediction, confirmation, and fixing.
RANGE-CONSTRAINED PHASE RECONSTRUCTION FOR RECOVERING TIME-DOMAIN SIGNAL FROM QUANTIZED AMPLITUDE AND PHASE SPECTROGRAM

This paper describes a novel algorithm for recovering time-domain signal from quantized amplitude and phase spectrogram, which is applicable for spectrogram-based audio coding. In order to obtain a better quality sound, a phase reconstruction technique is first applied with constraint for keeping phase in each time-frequency bin within each quantization range, and then, time-domain signal is recovered by the standard inverse short-time Fourier transform. Experimental evaluation based on the objective PEAQ measure shows that the proposed range-constrained phase reconstruction is effective for improving the sound quality.
TNF‐α receptor 1 deficiency enhances kainic acid–induced hippocampal injury in mice

The exact role of TNF‐α in excitotoxic neurodegeneration of the brain is unclear. To address this issue, the kainic acid (KA)–induced hippocampal injury model, a well‐characterized model of human neurodegenerative diseases, was used in TNF‐α receptor 1 (TNFR1)–knockout (TNFR1−/−) mice in the present study. After nasal application of a single dose of 40 mg of KA per kilogram body weight, TNFR1−/− mice showed significantly more severe seizures than the wild‐type mice. In addition, obvious neurodegeneration, enhanced microglia activation, and astrogliosis in the hippocampus, as well as increased locomotor activity, were found in TNFR1−/− mice compared with the wild‐type controls 8 days after KA delivery. Moreover, CC chemokine receptor 3 expression on activated microglia was increased 3 days after KA treatment in TNFR1−/− mice, as measured by flow cytometry. These data suggest that TNF‐α may play a protective role through TNFR1 signaling. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (M-WCST): Normative data for the Latin American Spanish speaking adult population.

OBJECTIVE To generate normative data on the Modified Card Sorting Test (M-WCST) across 11 countries in Latin America, with country-specific adjustments for gender, age, and education, where appropriate. METHOD The sample consisted of 3,977 healthy adults who were recruited from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico. Each subject was administered the M-WCST as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. A standardized five-step statistical procedure was used to generate the norms. RESULTS The final multiple linear regression models explained between 2-33% of the variance in M-WCST scores. Although t-tests showed significant differences between men and women from seven different countries on the M-WCST, the effect sizes were small. As a result, gender-adjusted norms were not generated. CONCLUSIONS This is the first normative multicenter study conducted in in Latin America aiming to create norms for the M-WCST; this study will have important implications for the future of neuropsychology in the region.
User Interface Cultures of Mobile Knowledge Workers

Information and communication tools (ICTs) have become a major influencer of how modern work is carried out. Methods of user-centered design do not however take into account the full complexity of technology and the user interface context the users live in. User interface culture analysis aims providing to designers new ways and strategies to better take into account the current user interface environment when designing new products. This paper describes the reasons behind user interface culture analysis and shows examples of its usage when studying mobile and distributed knowledge workers.
Indirect costs of obesity: a review of the current literature

This study reviews the recent literature on the relationship between obesity and indirect (non‐medical) costs. Medline and Web of Science searches were conducted to identify published studies from 1992 to present that report indirect costs by obesity status; 31 studies were included. The indirect costs were grouped into six categories: costs associated with absenteeism, disability, premature mortality, presenteeism, workers’ compensation, and total indirect costs. Compared with non‐obese workers, obese workers miss more workdays due to illness, injury, or disability. Costs of premature mortality vary substantially across countries. The results for presenteeism and workers’ compensation were mixed. More research is needed to determine obesity's causal role in increasing indirect costs, especially for workers’ compensation and presenteeism. Cohort and longitudinal study designs should be a priority.
Algorithmic detection of misinformation and disinformation: Gricean perspectives

Purpose With the outset of automatic detection of information, misinformation, and disinformation, the purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss various conceptions of information, misinformation, and disinformation within philosophy of information. Design/methodology/approach The examinations are conducted within a Gricean framework in order to account for the communicative aspects of information, misinformation, and disinformation as well as the detection enterprise. Findings While there often is an exclusive focus on truth and falsity as that which distinguish information from misinformation and disinformation, this paper finds that the distinguishing features are actually intention/intentionality and non-misleadingness/misleadingness – with non-misleadingness/misleadingness as the primary feature. Further, the paper rehearses the argument in favor of a true variety of disinformation and extends this argument to include true misinformation. Originality/value The findings are novel and pose a challenge to the possibility of automatic detection of misinformation and disinformation. Especially the notions of true disinformation and true misinformation, as varieties of disinformation and misinformation, which force the true/false dichotomy for information vs mis-/disinformation to collapse.
Reflector elements for aperture and aperture coupled microstrip antennas

The design advantages provided by aperture coupled microstrip patches can be very useful in certain planar antenna applications. Several papers have appeared in which a large aperture is used in conjunction with thick substrates to increase the bandwidth of the element. This technique is quite robust, and bandwidths in excess of 50% have been realized. However, one disadvantage of this method is the large amount of radiation produced by the aperture, leading to a radiation pattern with a poor front-to-back ratio. One way to improve the front-to-back ratio is to place a microstrip antenna element behind the aperture as a reflector. The action of this element is akin to that in a Yagi-Uda dipole array. However, the incorporation of a reflector in an aperture coupled patch antenna is much easier to achieve. Proximity coupling between the feedline and the reflecting element is negligible due to the thick foam substrate used, allowing the use of the reciprocity method of analysis. Also, the directive patch elements are shielded from the reflector by the ground plane. Therefore, only interactions between the reflector and the aperture need to be modelled, resulting in a simple analysis. For aperture coupled patch designs with a front-to-back ratio of 10 dB or greater, the introduction of a reflecting element has a negligible effect on the input impedance of the antenna. Therefore, a reflector element can readily be incorporated into existing designs.
Persistent pain is common 1 year after ankle and wrist fracture surgery: a register-based questionnaire study.

BACKGROUND Substantial literature documents that persistent postsurgical pain is a possible outcome of many common surgical procedures. As fracture-related surgery implies a risk of developing neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), further studies investigating the prevalence and pain characteristics are required. METHODS All patients undergoing primary surgery because of ankle or wrist fracture at Hvidovre and Odense University Hospitals, Denmark, between April 15, 2013 and April 15, 2014, were identified from the Danish Fracture Database. A questionnaire regarding pain characteristics was sent to patients 1 yr after primary surgery. RESULTS Replies were received from 328 patients, of whom 18.9% experienced persistent postsurgical pain defined as pain daily or constantly at a level that interfered much or very much with daily activities, 42.8% reported symptoms suggestive of neuropathic pain, and 4.0% fulfilled the diagnostic patient-reported research criteria for CRPS. CONCLUSIONS Persistent postsurgical pain 1 yr after wrist and ankle fracture surgery is frequent, and a large proportion of patients experience symptoms suggestive of neuropathic pain and CRPS. Patients should be informed about the substantial risk of developing persistent postsurgical pain. Future studies investigating risk factors for persistent postsurgical pain that include both surgically and conservatively treated fractures are required.
A Single Center Experience of Abdominal Wall Graft Rejection After Combined Intestinal and Abdominal Wall Transplantation

We report our outcomes following combined intestinal and abdominal wall transplantation, focusing on the presentation and treatment of acute rejection of the abdominal wall vascularized composite allograft (VCA). Retrospective analysis of all patients with combined intestinal/VCA transplantation was undertaken. Graft abnormalities were documented photographically and biopsies taken, with histological classification of rejection according to Banff 2007 guidelines. We have performed five combined intestinal and abdominal wall transplants to date. Two patients developed erythematous, maculopapular to papular eruptions confined to the VCA, histologically confirmed as grade II/III rejection, yet with normal bowel on endoscopy. Both patients' rashes resolved within 72 h of increasing immunosuppressive treatment. One patient later developed a recurrence of the rash, confirmed as skin rejection, but did not immediately seek medical attention. Treatment was therefore delayed, and mild intestinal rejection developed. We describe the rash associated with VCA rejection, and propose that while the skin of an abdominal wall VCA may reject independently of the intestinal allograft, delay in treatment of rejection episodes may result in rejection of the intestinal graft.
Consequences of simulated car driving at constant high speed on the sensorimotor control of leg muscles and the braking response

Due to the increase in time spent seated in cars, there is a risk of fatigue of the leg muscles which adjust the force exerted on the accelerator pedal. Any change in their sensorimotor control could lengthen the response to emergency braking. Fourteen healthy male subjects (mean age: 42 ± 4 years) were explored. Before and after a 1‐h driving trial at 120 km h−1, we measured the braking response, the maximal leg extension and foot inversion forces, the tonic vibratory response (TVR) in gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles to explore the myotatic reflex, and the Hoffmann reflex (H‐reflex). During driving, surface electromyograms (EMGs) of GM and TA were recorded and the ratio between high (H) and low (L) EMG energies allowed to evaluate the recruitment of high‐ and low‐frequency motor unit discharges. During driving, the H/L ratio decreased in TA, whereas modest and often no significant H/L changes occurred in GM muscle. After driving, the maximal foot inversion force decreased (−19%), while the leg extension force did not vary. Reduced TVR amplitude (−29%) was measured in TA, but no H‐reflex changes were noted. The braking reaction time was not modified after the driving trial. Driving at constant elevated speed reduced the myotatic reflex and the recruitment of motor units in TA muscle. The corresponding changes were rarely present in the GM muscle that plays a key role in the braking response, and this could explain the absence of a reduced braking reaction time.
Destruction of the CDC28/CLB mitotic kinase is not required for the metaphase to anaphase transition in budding yeast.

It is widely assumed that degradation of mitotic cyclins causes a decrease in mitotic cdc2/CDC28 kinase activity and thereby triggers the metaphase to anaphase transition. Two observations made on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are inconsistent with this scenario: (i) anaphase occurs in the presence of high levels of kinase in cdc15 mutants and (ii) overproduction of a B‐type mitotic cyclin causes arrest not in metaphase as previously reported but in telophase. Kinase destruction is therefore implicated in the exit from mitosis rather than the entry into anaphase. The behaviour of esp1 mutants shows in addition that kinase destruction can occur in the absence of anaphase completion. The execution of anaphase and the destruction of CDC28 kinase activity therefore appear to take place independently of one another.
Effects of acute systemic administration of TiO2, ZnO, SiO2, and Ag nanoparticles on hemodynamics, hemostasis and leukocyte recruitment

Abstract It has been suggested that engineered nanomaterials (ENM), once arrived in the circulation, may affect the cardiovascular system. The aim of this in vivo study was to screen major cardiovascular effects of acute systemic administration of a panel of five nanomaterials, TiO2 anatase (NM-101), TiO2 rutile (NM-104), ZnO (NM-110), SiO2 (NM-200) and Ag (NM-300). Mice were anesthetized and the ENM were injected at a dose of 1 mg/kg via a catheter placed in the left femoral artery. Hemodynamic parameters were determined by invasive measurement of blood pressure and non-invasive measurement of heart rate. Ten minutes after injection of the ENM, the formation of light/dye-induced thrombi was assessed in the cremasteric microcirculation by intravital microscopy. In addition, the numbers of rolling, firmly adherent and transmigrated leukocytes were recorded in postcapillary cremasteric venules over a time period of 120 min after injection of ENM by intravital microscopy. The systemic administration of a single dose of the ENM tested did not dramatically alter hemodynamic parameters or affect early steps of leukocyte recruitment. However, the presence of circulating TiO2 anatase, but not of TiO2 rutile, SiO2, ZnO or Ag nanoparticles, significantly accelerated thrombus formation in the murine microcirculation. Moreover, TiO2 anatase but not TiO2 rutile nanoparticles increased murine platelet aggregation in vitro. Taken together, only one of the five systemically administered ENM, TiO2 anatase, affected hemostasis, whereas none of the ENM tested in this screening study dramatically modulated hemodynamic parameters or early steps of leukocyte recruitment.