Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apoptosis induced by ultraviolet radiation is enhanced by amplitude modulated radiofrequency radiation in mutant yeast cells

The aim of this study was to investigate whether radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure affects cell death processes of yeast cells. Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells of the strains KFy417 (wild‐type) and KFy437 (cdc48‐mutant) were exposed to 900 or 872 MHz RF fields, with or without exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and incubated simultaneously with elevated temperature (+37°C) to induce apoptosis in the cdc48‐mutated strain. The RF exposure was carried out in a special waveguide exposure chamber where the temperature of the cell cultures can be precisely controlled. Apoptosis was analyzed using the annexin V–FITC method utilizing flow cytometry. Amplitude modulated (217 pulses per second) RF exposure significantly enhanced UV induced apoptosis in cdc48‐mutated cells, but no effect was observed in cells exposed to unmodulated fields at identical time‐average specfic absorption rates (SAR, 0.4 or 3.0 W/kg). The findings suggest that amplitude modulated RF fields, together with known damaging agents, can affect the cell death process in mutated yeast cells. Bioelectromagnetics 25:127–133, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Commit Patterns and Threats to Validity in Analysis of Open Source Software Repositories

Commit Patterns and Threats to Validity in Analysis of Open Source Software Repositories Alexander C. MacLean Department of Computer Science, BYU Master of Science In the course of studying the effects of programming in multiple languages, we unearthed troubling trends in SourceForge artifacts. Our initial studies suggest that programming in multiple languages concurrently negatively affects developer productivity. While addressing our initial question of interest, we discovered a pattern of monolithic commits in the SourceForge community. Consequently, we also report on the effects that this pattern of commits can have when using SourceForge as a data-source for temporal analysis of open source projects or for studies of individual developers.
Luria's three-step test: what is it and what does it tell us?

ABSTRACT Background: The purpose of this study is to determine if the three-step Luria test is useful for differentiating between cognitive disorders. Methods: A retrospective record review of performance on the three-step Luria test was conducted on 383 participants from a university-based dementia clinic. The participants ranged in their diagnosis from frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 43), Alzheimer disease (AD; n = 153), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 56), and normal controls (NC; n = 131). Performance of the Luria test was graded as normal or abnormal. Results: An abnormal test occurred in 2.3% of NC, 21.4% of MCI, 69.8% of FTD, and 54.9% of AD subjects. The frequency of abnormal tests in all diagnostic groups increased with functional impairment as assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR). When CDR = 3 (severe), 100% of the FTD and 72.2% of the AD subjects had abnormal Luria tests. Conclusions: The three-step Luria test distinguished NC and persons with MCI from FTD and AD, but did not distinguish FTD from AD subjects.
Can Home-Based HIV Rapid Testing Reduce HIV Disparities Among African Americans in Miami?

Sixty percent of African Americans have had an HIV test, yet this population disproportionately contributes to AIDS mortality, suggesting that testing is not occurring early enough to achieve optimal outcomes. OraQuick, the first Food and Drug Administration–approved home-based HIV rapid test (HBHRT) could potentially increase testing rates. We assessed whether community health workers (CHWs) paired with HBRHT could improve HIV screening and health care access among African Americans in Miami, Florida. In October-November 2013, 60 African Americans were enrolled and randomized to the experimental condition, which received CHW assistance to complete HBHRT, or the control condition, which were instructed to complete HBHRT independently. Intervention participants were significantly (p ≤ .05) more likely than control participants to complete HBHRT and, if positive, get linked to HIV care (100% vs. 83%) χ2 (1, N = 60) = 5.46, p ≤ . 02. We concluded that CHW-assisted HBHRT may be a promising strategy to improve HIV testing and care among African Americans.
Taylor Rules for the ECB Using Expectations Data

We estimate Taylor rules for the euro area using Consensus Economics data for expected inflation and output growth, and compare these estimates with more conventional specifications in which actual outcomes are used. We find that the ECB takes expected inflation and expected output growth into account in setting interest rates, while in the more conventional model specification, the coefficient of realized inflation is not significantly different from zero.
A permanent magnet motor with reversible salient poles

In order to reduce energy consumption, we have developed a technique that quickly reverses salient poles in permanent magnet (PM) motors. When this proposed technique is used, because of this permanent magnetization, PM motors can change negative salient poles to positive salient poles. This paper proposes a novel PM motor that uses our proposed technique to reverse saliency and describes the principle of reversible pole saliency as well as the motor characteristics that are caused by reversible saliency. When the proposed motor operates with negative salient poles, a higher torque is produced at low speeds; when the motor reverses to positive salient poles, higher power and efficiency are produced at high speeds. These results confirm that the proposed motor can reverse the saliency direction of the pole and that the reversible salient pole allows the motor to have high torque at low speeds and high power at high speeds as well as to operate over a wide range of speeds.
Sustained benefits of infliximab therapy for dermatologic and articular manifestations of psoriatic arthritis: results from the infliximab multinational psoriatic arthritis controlled trial (IMPACT).

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of infliximab therapy for the articular and dermatologic manifestations of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS One hundred four patients with PsA in whom prior therapy with at least 1 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) had failed were recruited into this investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. During the initial blinded portion of the study, patients received infusions of infliximab (5 mg/kg) or placebo at weeks 0, 2, 6, and 14. After week 16, patients initially assigned to receive placebo crossed over to receive infliximab 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks through week 50, while patients initially randomized to infliximab continued to receive active treatment at the same dose through week 50. The primary efficacy outcome was achievement of the American College of Rheumatology 20% criteria for improvement in rheumatoid arthritis (ACR20) at week 16. Additional predefined clinical efficacy assessments included the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, the ACR50 and ACR70 criteria, the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, the Health Assessment Questionnaire, ratings of enthesitis and dactylitis, and the Psoriatic Arthritis Response Criteria score. RESULTS The proportion of infliximab-treated patients who achieved an ACR20 response at week 16 (65%) was significantly higher than the proportion of placebo-treated patients who achieved this response (10%). In addition, 46% of infliximab-treated patients achieved an ACR50 response, and 29% achieved an ACR70 response; no placebo-treated patient achieved these end points. Among patients who had PASI scores of >/=2.5 at baseline, 68% of infliximab-treated patients achieved improvement of >/=75% in the PASI score at week 16 compared with none of the placebo-treated patients. Continued therapy with infliximab resulted in sustained improvement in articular and dermatologic manifestations of PsA through week 50. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION Therapy with infliximab at a dose of 5 mg/kg significantly improved the signs and symptoms of arthritis, psoriasis, dactylitis, and enthesitis in patients with active PsA that had been resistant to DMARD therapy. With continued infliximab treatment, benefits were sustained through 50 weeks. The benefit-to-risk ratio appeared favorable in this study population.
CT of coronary heart disease: Part 1, CT of myocardial infarction, ischemia, and viability.

OBJECTIVE This article reviews the CT-based approaches aimed at the assessment of myocardial infarction, ischemia, and viability described in the recent literature. CONCLUSION Rapid advances in CT technology not only have improved visualization of coronary arteries but also increasingly enable noncoronary myocardial applications, including analysis of wall motion and the state of the myocardial blood supply. These advancements hold promise for eventually accomplishing the goal of comprehensively evaluating coronary heart disease with a single noninvasive modality.
Photodynamic inactivation of multi-drug resistant pathogens in Hong Kong.

1. Photodynamic therapy could be an alternative treatment for highly prevalent local antibiotic-resistant pathogens. 2. Photodynamic inactivation using toluidine blue O was observed on both reference strains and clinical samples, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, e x t e n d e d s p e c t r u m β l a c t a m a s e – p r o d u c i n g Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida glabrata and Candida krusei.
Impact of Race on the Outcome of Carotid Endarterectomy: A Population-Based Analysis of 9,842 Recent Elective Procedures

ObjectiveTo examine the influence of race and other potentially confounding variables on the outcome of carotid endarterectomy (CEA). SummaryPrevious studies have demonstrated that CEA is performed less frequently in black patients, although little attention has been focused on the influence of race on the outcome of surgery. MethodsThe Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission database was reviewed to identify all elective CEA procedures performed in all nonfederal acute care hospitals in the state from 1990 through 1995 to examine the influence of race and other factors on the rates of in-hospital complications, in-hospital stroke, length of stay, and total hospital charges. ResultsCarotid endarterectomy was performed in 9,219 (94%) white and 623 (6%) black patients during this period. The in-hospital stroke rate was 1.7%—3.1% among black patients and 1.6% among white patients. Black patients had a longer length of stay and higher mean hospital charges than white patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified black race as an independent risk factor for in-hospital stroke. Performance of CEA by a high-volume surgeon was protective for the combined occurrence of in-hospital stroke or death, and whites were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery performed by high-volume surgeons. Conversely, undergoing surgery in a low-volume hospital was associated with in-hospital stroke, and blacks were four times as likely to use low-volume hospitals. ConclusionsBlack patients who underwent elective CEA in Maryland from 1990 to 1995 had an increased incidence of in-hospital stroke, a longer hospital stay, and higher hospital charges than whites. Black race was identified as an independent risk factor for in-hospital stroke, although the reasons for this influence of race on outcome are undefined. The authors’ observations also suggest the possibility of limited access to optimal surgical care among blacks, and this issue warrants further study.
The role of bedrock topography on subsurface storm flow

We conducted a detailed study of subsurface flow and water table response coupled with digital terrain analysis (DTA) of surface and subsurface features at the hillslope scale in Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW), Georgia. Subsurface storm flow contributions of macropore and matrix flow in different sections along an artificial trench face were highly variable in terms of timing, peak flow, recession characteristics, and total flow volume. The trench flow characteristics showed linkages with the spatial tensiometer response defining water table development upslope. DTA of the ground surface did not capture the observed spatial patterns of trench flow or tensiometric response. However, bedrock surface topographic indices significantly improved the estimation of spatial variation of flow at the trench. Point‐scale tensiometric data were also more highly correlated with the bedrock surface‐based indices. These relationships were further assessed for temporal changes throughout a rainstorm. Linkages between the bedrock indices and the trench flow and spatial water table responses improved during the wetter periods of the rainstorm, when the hillslope became more hydrologically connected. Our results clearly demonstrate that in developing a conceptual framework for understanding the mechanisms of runoff generation, local bedrock topography may be highly significant at the hillslope scale in some catchments where the bedrock surface acts as a relatively impermeable boundary.
Major Birch Pollen Allergen, Bet v 1 IgE Antibodies to a Surface Patch on the Reveals Simultaneous Binding of Different with Peptide-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies Mapping of Conformational IgE Epitopes

Allergic inﬂammation is based on the cross-linking of mast cell and basophil-bound IgE Abs and requires at least two binding sites for IgE on allergens, which are difﬁcult to characterize because they are often conformational in nature. We studied the IgE recognition of birch pollen allergen Bet v 1, a major allergen for >100 million allergic patients. Monoclonal and polyclonal Abs raised against Bet v 1-derived peptides were used to compete with allergic patients’ IgE binding to Bet v 1 to search for sequences involved in IgE recognition. Strong inhibitions of patients’ IgE binding to Bet v 1 (52–75%) were obtained with mAbs speciﬁc for two peptides comprising aa 29–58 (P2) and aa 73–103 (P6) of Bet v 1. As determined by surface plasmon resonance, mAb2 speciﬁc for P2 and mAb12 speciﬁc for P6 showed high afﬁnity, but only polyclonal rabbit anti-P2 and anti-P6 Abs or a combination of mAbs inhibited allergen-induced basophil degranulation. Thus, P2 and P6 deﬁne a surface patch on the Bet v 1 allergen, which allows simultaneous binding of several different IgE Abs required for efﬁcient basophil and mast cell activation. This ﬁnding explains the high allergenic activity of the Bet v 1 allergen. The approach of using peptide-speciﬁc Abs for the mapping of conformational IgE epitopes on allergens
A New Regularized Orthogonal Local Fisher Discriminant Analysis for Image Feature Extraction

Local Fisher Discriminant Analysis (LFDA) is a feature extraction method which combines the ideas of Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA) and locality preserving projection (LPP). It works well for multimodal problems. But LFDA suffers from the under-sampled problem of the linear discriminant analysis (LDA). To deal with this problem, we propose a regularized orthogonal local Fisher discriminant analysis (ROLFDA) to improve the performance of LFDA. ROLFDA finds the optimal projection vectors in the range space of local mixture scatter matrix. The new local within-class scatter matrix is approximated by regularization method in order to regulate the eigenvalues of the newly local within-class scatter matrix. The projection vectors are orthogonal by utilizing the trace ratio criterion. Experimental results on the Yale, ORL and CMU PIE face databases demonstrate that the ROLFDA is an effective algorithm.
Prevalence of Dementia Subtypes in El Prat de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain: The PRATICON Study

Background: Studies on dementia subtypes show a wide variation in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD) worldwide. However, studies reporting on Lewy body dementia (LBD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are sparse. Aims: To describe the prevalence ofdementia and subtypes. Method: A 34% sample of 5,150 subjects aged 70 years and over in El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona) were screened by the Mini-Mental State Examination. When scoring <24, participants were assessed to establish a diagnosis. Results: There were 165 subjects diagnosed with dementia (prevalence of 9.4%). Subtypes of dementia were: AD 69.1%, VD 12.7%, LBD 9.1%, FTD 3% and secondary dementia 1.8%. Prevalences were: AD 6.5%, VD 1.2%, LBD 0.9% and FTD 0.3%. Conclusions: AD and VD were the most common type of dementia. Prevalence of dementia, AD and FTD were similar to those reported, while prevalence of VD and LBD were lower.
Random-Turn Hex and Other Selection Games

In this report, we summarize the results in [6]. We define a mathematical formulation for all selection games. When considering the random-turn selection game, we prove that the result of the game equals to two players play randomly. By using the theory of Boolean functions, we show that the average number of turns before determining the winner of Random-Turn Hex is at least L3/2+o(1), where L is the size of the board.
Distinct Associations of HbA1c and the Urinary Excretion of Pentosidine, an Advanced Glycosylation End-product, with Markers of Endothelial Function in Insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus

Summary Dysfunction of the vascular endothelium is considered an early step in the development of diabetic angiopathy. Hyperglycaemia results in endothelial dysfunction, both through direct effects of glucose and through formation of advanced glycosylation end-products (AGEs). We hypothesized that the effects of glucose and AGEs on endothelial function in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are distinct and are reflected by distinct plasma markers of endothelial function. We therefore measured plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF), soluble (s) E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and evaluated the relationship with HbA1c and urinary excretion of pentosidine, an AGE product, in 56 patients with IDDM. Urinary pentosidine excretion was higher in the diabetic than in a control group (n = 60) of similar age (P <0.0001) and showed a steeper increase with age (P <0.02 vs controls). In the diabetic group, sE-selectin was correlated to HbA1c (r = 0.52, P <0.0001), whereas sVCAM-1 was not (r = 0.11, P = 0.47). In contrast, sVCAM-1 showed a trend towards a correlation with log (pentosidine excretion) (r = 0.27, P = 0.06), whereas sE-selectin did not (r = –0.16, P = 0.27). Log(vWF) was correlated to HbA1c (r = 0.50, P <0.0001) and tended to correlate with log (pentosidine excretion) (r = 0.25, P = 0.07). Multivariate analyses with both pentosidine and HbA1c as independent variables showed significant associations of sE-selectin with HbA1c, of sVCAM-1 with pentosidine, and of log(vWF) with both HbA1c and pentosidine (all P-values <0.02). Our results imply that the effects of glucose and AGEs on the endothelium can be reflected by distinct endothelial markers. Plasma sE-selectin may reflect short-term effects of glucose on the endothelium, sVCAM-1 the effects of AGEs, and vWF the combined effect of glucose and AGEs.
Malonate and 3‐Nitropropionic Acid Neurotoxicity Are Reduced in Transgenic Mice Expressing a Caspase‐1 Dominant‐Negative Mutant

Increasing evidence implicates caspase‐1‐mediated cell death as a major mechanism of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study we investigated the role of caspase‐1 in neurotoxic experimental animal models of Huntington's disease (HD) by examining whether transgenic mice expressing a caspase‐1 dominant‐negative mutant are resistant to malonate and 3‐nitropropionic acid (3‐NP) neurotoxicity. Intrastriatal injection of malonate resulted in significantly smaller striatal lesions in mutant caspase‐1 mice than those observed in littermate control mice. Caspase‐1 was significantly activated following malonate intrastriatal administration in control mice but significantly attenuated in mutant caspase‐1 mice. Systemic 3‐NP treatment induced selective striatal lesions that were significantly smaller within mutant caspase‐1 mice than in littermate control mice. These results provide further evidence of a functional role for caspase‐1 in both malonate‐ and 3‐NP‐mediated neurotoxin models of HD.
A class of multiple-error-correcting codes and the decoding scheme

linear error-correcting codes used in communications. (14) I. S. Reed, “A class of multiple-errorcorrecting codes and the decoding scheme,” IRE. Trans. A class of multiple-error-correcting codes and the decoding scheme. more. less. I. Reed · Details · Authors · Fields of science · Bibliography · Quotations · Similar. linear error correcting codes used in communications (2). For bit study is to device a coding scheme which is able to detect and correct such errors (6). (8) Reed, I. S. , 'Class of multiple error correcting codes and their decoding scheme'.
A portable and wireless data transmission potentiostat

We propose a portable and wireless data transmission potentiostat and further exert the pH sensor to verify its performance. This potentiostat can be used to process the long-distance remote electrochemical signals of the amperometric sensor and the potentiometric sensor. Based on the popular general packet radio service (GPRS) communication systems, a personal digital assistant (PDA) cell phone, instead of personal computer (PC) in the conventional potentiostat, is used to control and collect the data of potentiostat. The collected data from the electrochemical sensor is transmitted to the telecom server. Then, the data stored in the telecom server can be retrieved by the PDA cell phone or Internet in any time and any place. Our experimental results show that the proposed potentiostat has the merits of moderate accuracy, low cost, and long-distance wireless data communication.