Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the impact of case-mix heterogeneity in individual participant data meta-analysis: Novel use of I2 statistic and prediction interval

Case mix differences between trials form an important factor that contributes to the statistical heterogeneity observed in a meta-analysis. In this paper, we propose two methods to assess whether important heterogeneity would remain if the different trials in the meta-analysis were conducted in one common population defined by a given case-mix. To achieve this goal, we first standardize results of different trials over the case-mix of a target population. We then quantify the amount of heterogeneity arising from case-mix and beyond case-mix reasons by using corresponding I2 statistics and prediction intervals. These new approaches enable a better understanding of the overall heterogeneity between trial results, and can be used to support standard heterogeneity assessments in individual participant data meta-analysis practice.
Wnt/PCP signaling and myelination in the PNS

OF THE DISSERTATION . ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv TABLE OF CONTENTS . v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . ix GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS . xii CHAPTER I: Background and Introduction . 1 Morphogenetic movements associated with PNS myelination . 1 Structural and molecular organization of the myelin sheath/axon unit . 2 Composition of the myelin sheath . 5 Myelinated axon structure and saltatory conduction. 6 Molecular control of PNS myelination . 7 Radial polarization of the Schwann cell . 10 Apical-basal cell polarity and myelination . 11 Planar cell polarity . 12 Wnt signaling and myelination . 14 Scope of this thesis work . 17 CHAPTER II: Schwann cells and the developing sciatic nerves express the necessary components for Wnt/PCP signaling . 30 RATIONALE . 30 RESULTS . 31 Schwann cells and developing sciatic nerves express components that are necessary for Wnt/PCP signaling . 31 DISCUSSION . 32 vi CHAPTER III: Wnt5a regulates Schwann cell myelination in a biphasic, dose-dependent manner via Daam1 in vitro . 39 RATIONALE . 39 RESULTS . 40 Wnt5a affects in vitro myelination in a biphasic, dose-dependent manner 40 Wnt5a has no effect on axon-mediated cell proliferation and survival . 41 Daam1 is necessary to promote Schwann cell myelination in vitro . 42 Daam1 is necessary for Wnt5a (low dose)-mediated increase in myelination . 43 DISCUSSION . 44 CHAPTER IV: Molecular aspect of Wnt5a effect in Schwann cell . 53 RATIONALE . 53 RESULTS . 54 Biphasic regulation of small GTPases Rac1 and RhoA by Wnt5a in Schwann cells in vitro . 54 Effect of Wnt5a on small GTPases activity in Daam1-deficient Schwann cells . 55 Wnt5a does not activate the Wnt/β-catenin canonical pathway in Schwann cells . 56 DISCUSSION . 57 CHAPTER V: Morphogenetic effects of Wnt5a in Schwann cell . 64 RATIONALE . 64 RESULTS . 65 Wnt5a has a biphasic effect on Schwann cell elongation, and low doses increase the number of lateral lamellipodia . 65
Color segmentation and extraction of yarn-dyed fabric based on a hyperspectral imaging system

For multi-color yarn-dyed fabrics which are cross-woven by yarns with different colors, the different colors cannot be directly measured by a traditional spectrophotometer because it can only obtain the average color of solid-color sample in the limited aperture. In this paper, a novel method for color segmentation and extraction for multi-color yarn-woven fabrics based on a Hyperspectral Imaging System (HIS) was proposed. First, the multi-color yarn-woven fabric images were acquired with the HIS. Then a space transformation based on Fréchet distance was used to transform the pre-processed hyperspectral fabric images into gray images, and then an improved watershed algorithm was used to segment the transformed gray images into different color regions. Finally, to solve the problems of over-segmentation with the improved watershed algorithm, an improved k-means clustering algorithm was adopted to merge the over-segmented color regions. The experimental results on four multi-color yarn-woven fabrics showed that the color segmentation accuracy of the proposed method outperformed the ordinary k-means, Fuzzy C-means (FCM), and Density peak cluster (DPC) algorithms on evaluation indexes of compactness (CP) and separation (SP), and the execution efficiency was improved by at least 55%. Furthermore, the color difference between the proposed method and the spectrophotometric measurements ranged from 0.60 to 0.88 CMC (2:1) (Color Measurement Committee) units, which almost satisfied the accuracy of color measurement.
Attentive and emotional listening to music: The role of positive and negative affect

In a cross-sectional study, associations of global affect with two ways of listening to music – attentive-analytical listening (AL) and emotional listening (EL) – were examined. Based on a two-dimensional model of general affect, we focused on the degrees to which AL and EL are differentially correlated with positive and negative affect. In addition to bivariate relationships, the interactions between different states of general affect were tested. In Study 1, a sample of 1,291 individuals responded to questionnaires on listening to music, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA). We used the PANAS, which measures PA and NA as high arousal dimensions. AL was positively correlated with PA, EL with NA. Moderation analyses showed stronger associations between PA and AL when NA was low. Study 2 (N = 499 participants) differentiated between three facets of affect and focused, in addition to PA and NA, on the role of relaxation. Similar to the findings of Study 1, AL was correlated with PA, EL with NA and PA. Moderation analyses indicated that the degree to which PA was associated with an individual´s tendency to listen to music attentively depended on their degree of relaxation. In addition, the correlation between PA and EL was stronger for individuals who were more relaxed; for individuals who were less relaxed, the correlation between NA and EL was stronger. In sum, the results demonstrate not only simple bivariate correlations, but also that the expected associations vary, depending on the different affective states. We argue that the results reflect a dual function of listening to music, which includes emotional regulation and information processing.
Sensory and decisional components of endogenous attention are dissociable

Endogenously cueing a stimulus for attention enhances sensory processing of the attended stimulus, and efficiently selects information from the attended stimulus for guiding behavioral decisions. Yet, it is unknown if these sensory and decisional components of endogenous attention are under the control of common, overlapping or distinct mechanisms. Here, we tested human observers in a multi-alternative visuospatial attention task with probabilistic spatial cues, whose predictive validity varied across spatial locations. Observers’ behavioral choices were analyzed with a multidimensional signal detection model, derived from Bayesian decision theory. The model effectively decoupled attention’s effects on perceptual sensitivity from those on decisional thresholds (bias), and revealed striking dissociations between them. Sensitivity was highest at the cued location, and not significantly different among uncued locations, suggesting a spotlight-like allocation of sensory resources at the cued location. On the other hand, bias varied systematically with endogenous cue validity, suggesting a graded distribution of decision thresholds across all locations. Cueing-induced modulations of sensitivity and bias were uncorrelated within and across subjects. Finally, bias selectively correlated with key measures of decision-making: reaction times were strongly correlated with bias, cueing-induced benefits in reaction times were correlated with bias changes independently of sensitivity changes, and subjects who exhibited higher bias, rather than higher sensitivity, toward the cued location produced more optimal behavioral decisions. Our model and findings demonstrate that endogenous cueing of attention does not engage a unitary selection mechanism, but rather involves the operation of dissociable sensory enhancement and decisional selection processes. Significance statement The capacity for selective attention allows us to engage efficiently with the most important objects in the world around us. Attention affects the way we perceive important stimuli and also affects how we make behavioral decisions about these stimuli. In this study, we test human observers on a multiple alternative attention task and show that attention’s effects on perceptual processing and decision-making can be dissociated. Specifically, attention’s sensory effects alone are in line with the conventional notion of an attentional “spotlight”. These insights are obtained with a novel Bayesian decision model, which we propose as a powerful tool for teasing apart component processes of cognitive phenomena, and could aid the search for the neural correlates of these phenomena.
Epigenetic and Metabolic Mechanisms in Plant Resistance to Root-Knot Nematodes

Epigenetic and Metabolic Mechanisms in Plant Resistance to Root1 Knot Nematodes 2 3 Paola Leonetti and Sergio Molinari 4 Department of Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, CNR, Bari Unit, 5 Italy 6 Correspondence: sergio.molinari@ipsp.cnr. it 7 8 Abstract: Two wild-type field populations of root-knot nematodes (Mi-Vfield, Mj-TunC2field), and two isolates 9 selected for virulence in laboratory on resistant tomato cultivars (SM2V, SM11C2), were used to induce a resistance 10 reaction in tomato to the soil-borne parasites. Epigenetic and metabolic mechanisms of resistance were detected and 11 compared with those occurring in partially or fully successful infections. The activated epigenetic mechanisms in plant 12 resistance, as opposed to those activated in infected plants, were detected by analysing the methylated status of total 13 DNA, by ELISA methods, and the expression level of key genes involved in the methylation pathway, by qRT-PCR. 14 DNA hypo-methylation and down-regulation of two methyl-transferase genes (CMT2, DRM5), characterized the only 15 true resistant reaction obtained by inoculating the Mi-1.2-carrying resistant tomato cv Rossol with the avirulent field 16 population Mi-Vfield. On the contrary, in the roots into which nematodes were allowed to develop and reproduce, total 17 DNA was generally found to be hyper-methylated and methyl-transferase genes up-loaded. DNA hypo-methylation was 18 considered to be the upstream mechanism that triggers the general gene over-expression observed in plant resistance. 19 Gene silencing induced by nematodes may be obtained through DNA hyper-methylation and methyl-transferase gene 20 activation. Plant resistance is also characterized by an inhibition of the anti-oxidant enzyme system and activation of the 21 defence enzyme chitinase, as opposed to the activation of such a system and inhibition of the defence enzyme glucanase 22 in roots infested by nematodes. 23 24
Distribution of copy number variants in the genomes of East African goat breeds

1 University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria 2 Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P. O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi wilsonandolo@gmail.com (Corresponding Author) 3 National Livestock Resources Research Institute, P.O Box 96, Tororo, Uganda 4 Kyambogo University, P.O. Box 1, Kyambogo, Uganda 5 Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705-2350, USA
Evaluation of genetic diversity of cis-acting elements of Abscisic acid responsive element binding protein (ABRE-BP) in selected Sri Lankan rice varieties

Salinity is a major abiotic stress that affects rice cultivation. Osmotic stress caused by salinity activates tolerance mechanisms in rice. The Abscisic Acid Responsive Element Binding Protein (ABRE-BP), transcribes for a bZIP family transcription factor that binds to the cis-regulatory element Abscisic Acid Responsive Element (ABRE) at the promoter of downstream salinity responsive genes and regulates their expression. Hence, the study was focused on analyzing the nucleotide diversity of a region in ABRE-BP promoter. Analysis of the ABRE-BP sequences of 47 Sri Lankan rice varieties and two reference varieties retrieved from a public database revealed many insertions and deletions (INDELs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter. Eleven, abiotic stress related cis-elements were identified, but none of the INDELs spanned over them. However, SNPs either deleted existing cis-elements or created new cis-elements. The salinity stress responsive elements, MYBCORE and GT1GMSCAM4 were detected in few varieties, and were not associated with salinity tolerance based on current available salinity ratings. The presence of SNPs in cis-elements clustered them to nine groups at 68% similarity. The DNA polymorphisms on stress responsive cis-acting elements did not show a strong association with the known salinity ratings of many varieties. Nevertheless, the presence of INDELs affects the relative distance between elements, and thus may alter the expression of the ABRE-BP that regulates downstream stress responsive genes.
Direction of Arrival Based on the Multioutput Least Squares Support Vector Regression Model

The interferometer is a widely used direction-finding system with high precision. When there are comprehensive disturbances in the direction-finding system, some scholars have proposed corresponding correction algorithms, but most of them require hypothesis based on the geometric position of the array. The method of using machine learning that has attracted much attention recently is data driven, which can be independent of these assumptions. We propose a direction-finding method for the interferometer by using multioutput least squares support vector regression (MLSSVR) model. The application of this method includes the following: the construction of MLSSVR model training data, training and construction of the MLSSVR model, and the estimation of direction of arrival. Finally, the method is verified through numerical simulation. When there are comprehensive deviations in the system, the direction-finding accuracy can be effectively improved.
The Impact of the Accreditation Incentive Fund (DIA) Intervention on the Quality of LPTK Management

Higher education institutions/the Educational Personnel Education Institution (LPTK) have experienced an increase in producing qualified teacher in this couple of years. At the same time, universities have responsibility to increase the qualifications of teachers and the quality of teacher. Data collected from Accreditation Incentive Fund (DIA) program is used to increase the management capacity of the Institute of Education Personnel Management (LPTK) in 2009 to 2012. The data of this study include five aspects of DIA fund utilization, namely: improvement of governance, program management, learning processes, academic atmosphere, and information systems. This study investigates the impact of the accreditation incentive fund intervention on the quality of LPTK management. We hypothesize that DIA incentive funds to LPTK has an impact in improving the quality of LPTK management. Based on multilevel analysis, we demonstrate that the DIA intervention improved the quality of management significantly. The results indicate that the impact of DIA incentive funding can be only seen when the PGSD group received the DIA (experimental group) compared to the partner group and the non-educational group.
Risk-Based Threshold of Gull-Associated Fecal Marker Concentrations for Recreational Water

A sensitive and specific marker of gull fecal contamination, Catellicoccus (CAT), has been used to conduct microbial source tracking in surface waters throughout the world, yet there are no guidelines for interpreting measured concentrations. Here, we use quantitative microbial risk assessment to evaluate CAT concentrations within a risk-based framework and develop a threshold at which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency illness benchmark (∼3 illnesses/100 swimmers) is exceeded. We modeled illness risk from exposure to different concentrations of CAT in bathing waters using a Monte Carlo approach that considered densities of CAT and infectious zoonotic pathogens Salmonella and Campylobacter in gull feces, volume of water ingested during bathing, and dose–response relationships. We measured CAT densities in 37 fresh gull fecal droppings from six California beaches. Log10 densities ranged from 4.6 to 9.8 log10 copies CAT/g of wet feces. When the level of CAT exceeds 4 × 106 copies/100 mL of water, the .
Clinical studies on changes in purine compounds in blood and urine by the simultaneous administration of febuxostat and inosine, or by single administration of each

Objective : To examine whether concomitant oral administration of febuxostat, a xanthine dehydrogenase /xanthine oxidase inhibitor, and inosine augments ATP in human blood. Methods : We performed Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 studies. In Stage 1 study, one adult healthy male was administered febuxostat 40 mg /day and inosine 1 g /day for 14 days to examine the safety of the combined therapy. In Stage 2, 21 healthy male adults were allocated to groups A-G, each with 3 subjects, and were treated with febuxostat alone, inosine alone or both for 14 days. In Stage 3, febuxostat 40 mg / day and inosine 1 g /day were administered to 5 healthy adult males for 14 days. Purine compounds in blood were compared between before and after the treatments in Stage 2 and Stage 3. Results : Combined use of febuxostat and inosine was relatively safe at doses of febuxostat 60 mg /day and inosine 3 g /day or less in a 2 week continuous treatment. Serum uric acid levels were markedly decreased by administration of febuxostat alone, and increased by the administration of inosine alone, but milder decreases were seen in combination therapy compared with febuxostat alone. In Stage 2, concomitant treatment with febuxostat 40 mg /day and inosine 1-2 g /day increased blood hypoxanthine and ATP, no increase occurred with inosine alone, and febuxostat alone slightly increased those values at the higher dose (60 mg /day). Increase in ATP in blood was confirmed by the results of Stage 3 where concomitant use of febuxostat 40 mg /day and inosine 1 g /day increased ATP by 13.8% (P = 0.031). Conclusions : Concomitant oral administration of febuxostat 40 mg /day and inosine 1-2 g /day was shown to safely increase blood ATP. Since cellular ATP deficiency may be involved in various disorders, the present method may be useful for the treatment of those disorders. Background ATP (adenosine triphosphate) (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as ATP) is the most important compound for storing energy in living organisms and supplying it when needed, and it is considered that ATP reduction is related to the pathology of various diseases. For example, as a cause of hereditary hemolytic anemia, reduction of ATP in erythrocytes is Naoyuki Kamatani1) Masahiro Hashimoto1) Kuniko Sakurai1) Kaoru Gokita1) Junko Yoshihara1) Minoru Sekine1) Masa-aki Mochii1) Tomoko Fukuuchi2) Noriko Yamaoka2) Kiyoko Kaneko2) Clinical studies on changes in purine compounds in blood and urine by the simultaneous administration of febuxostat and inosine, or by single administration of each 受付:2017年5月13日,受理:2017年7月13日 1)Tsukuba International Clinical Pharmacology Clinic 2)Laboratory of Biomedical and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University
COMPARISON BETWEEN Trachypithecus auratus AND Trachypithecus cristatus BRAIN SIZE IN INDONESIA

Taxonomic studies on Trachypithecus species in Indonesia define that this genus separated into two species that are Trachypithecus auratus and Trachypithecus cristatus with Trachypithecus auratus auratus as a subspecies. To determine relative brain size differences between species of the genus Trachypithecus in Indonesia and to examine clinal variation, a study related to brain size and morphological characters that affect the brain size is carried out. This study analyzes the brain volume between both species and examines its relationship with morphometric measurement and variables such as sex, age, and specimen location. Brain volumes were calculated from braincase volumes using 0.5 mm silica gel as mini beads. This study reveals that there are significant differences in relative brain size inter-species, sex, age and interaction among variable. Overall, T. auratus have a bigger brain size than T. cristatus, and the brain size of males are larger than females. The older individual tends to have similar brain size with younger ones. The different relative brain size on age level influenced by GSL size. Allometric body size affects the size of the brain directly. Also, there is a clinal trend in relative brain size. Trachypithecus auratus brain size is increasing from West Java to Lombok island. Further study is needed to understand the influence of external factor such as ecological and social factors on brain size in Trachypithecus.
Effect of leaf age on the response of flower induction and related hormonal changes in Longan trees after KCLO3 treatment

Although experiments have confirmed that KClO3 treatment could promote flower induction (FI) in longan trees almost year round, this method seemed to be less effective in the presence of young leaves. After experimental prove of this loss in effectiveness we tried to find out whether KClO3 causes changes in longan trees that could account for this transition from vegetative to the generative buds. Therefore the influence of KClO3 application on photosynthesis in leaves and endogenous hormone levels in terminal buds was investigated. Furthermore diffusible and endogenous hormones of young and mature leaves were compared in order to see whether the flower inhibiting signal, originating from juvenile leaves, might be one of the known plant hormones. As a result we could show that KClO3 treatment caused a significant reduction in photosynthesis for about 10 days after application. This contradicts the hypothesis of carbohydrate reserves being a decisive factor in FI. Consistently lower auxin and higher cytokinin values, detected in buds of treated trees, might be prerequisites for FI. Higher endogenous IAA concentrations, detected in young leaves might lead to the almost doubled IAA export compared to mature leaves, which might prevent the efflux of IAA from the buds by “autoinhibition”. IAA could be a signal sending a message from leaves to the buds.
An Efficient Gradient Boosting Approach for PVT Aware Estimation of Leakage Power and Propagation Delay in CMOS/FinFET Digital Cells

In this paper, we propose an accurate and computationally efficient Gradient Boosting approach for the estimation of statistical variations aware leakage power and propagation delay in the CMOS/FinFET standard digital cells. The proposed model estimates the leakage power and propagation delay w.r. t variations in process, temperature (−55°C to 125°C) and supply voltage(±10% variations). The distinguishing feature of the proposed approach is its compatibility with both CMOS and FinFET technologies. Moreover, the performance of the proposed model is consistent with various technology nodes. Exhaustive tests report an average error of <1% in 16nm CMOS and FinFET standard digital cells w.r. t analog HSPICE simulations with several orders increase in computational speed. Further, the complex cell estimation can be carried out through precharacterized standard cells abstaining longer simulations.