Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Involvement of Human MOF in ATM Function

ABSTRACT We have determined that hMOF, the human ortholog of the Drosophila MOF gene (males absent on the first), encoding a protein with histone acetyltransferase activity, interacts with the ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated) protein. Cellular exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) enhances hMOF-dependent acetylation of its target substrate, lysine 16 (K16) of histone H4 independently of ATM function. Blocking the IR-induced increase in acetylation of histone H4 at K16, either by the expression of a dominant negative mutant ΔhMOF or by RNA interference-mediated hMOF knockdown, resulted in decreased ATM autophosphorylation, ATM kinase activity, and the phosphorylation of downstream effectors of ATM and DNA repair while increasing cell killing. In addition, decreased hMOF activity was associated with loss of the cell cycle checkpoint response to DNA double-strand breaks. The overexpression of wild-type hMOF yielded the opposite results, i.e., a modest increase in cell survival and enhanced DNA repair after IR exposure. These results suggest that hMOF influences the function of ATM.
Subset Selection under Noise

The problem of selecting the best $k$-element subset from a universe is involved in many applications. While previous studies assumed a noise-free environment or a noisy monotone submodular objective function, this paper considers a more realistic and general situation where the evaluation of a subset is a noisy monotone function (not necessarily submodular), with both multiplicative and additive noises. To understand the impact of the noise, we firstly show the approximation ratio of the greedy algorithm and POSS, two powerful algorithms for noise-free subset selection, in the noisy environments. We then propose to incorporate a noise-aware strategy into POSS, resulting in the new PONSS algorithm. We prove that PONSS can achieve a better approximation ratio under some assumption such as i.i. d. noise distribution. The empirical results on influence maximization and sparse regression problems show the superior performance of PONSS.
Tri-Level Robust Investment Planning of DERs in Distribution Networks With AC Constraints

Integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) has salient technical benefits such as improving power system resiliency, reducing transmission network losses, and regulating voltage indistributionnetworks. In addition to technical benefits,DERs bring remarkable economic profits for their investor. Accordingly, a comprehensive and accurate planning study is urgently neededby an investor who is to build DERs in a distribution network. In this paper, a tri-level investment planning model is proposed to maximize the net present value (NPV) of DERs in distribution networks. Robust optimization is utilized to cope with physical and financial data uncertainty in load demand, DERs output, and energy selling price. An effective decomposition strategy called column and constraint generation (C&CG) method is adapted to link the first and second levels of the proposed optimization problem. An iterative AC optimal power flow (AC-OPF) is presented to model the distribution grid circuit equations. The developed AC-OPF is solved in the third level through a modified Newton’s method lied within a Benders decomposition framework. The proposed model is formulated as mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem and its effectiveness is illustrated by the IEEE 33-bus distribution test system.
Biocompatibility of Fe3O4@Au composite magnetic nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo

Purpose This research was conducted to assess the biocompatibility of the core–shell Fe3O4@ Au composite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which have potential application in tumor hyperthermia. Methods Fe3O4@Au composite MNPs with core–shell structure were synthesized by reduction of Au3+ in the presence of Fe3O4-MNPs prepared by improved co-precipitation. Cytotoxicity assay, hemolysis test, micronucleus (MN) assay, and detection of acute toxicity in mice and beagle dogs were then carried out. Results The result of cytotoxicity assay showed that the toxicity grade of this material on mouse fibroblast cell line (L-929) was classified as grade 1, which belongs to no cytotoxicity. Hemolysis rates showed 0.278%, 0.232%, and 0.197%, far less than 5%, after treatment with different concentrations of Fe3O4@Au composite MNPs. In the MN assay, there was no significant difference in MN formation rates between the experimental groups and negative control (P > 0.05), but there was a significant difference between the experimental groups and the positive control (P < 0.05). The median lethal dose of the Fe3O4@Au composite MNPs after intraperitoneal administration in mice was 8.39 g/kg, and the 95% confidence interval was 6.58–10.72 g/kg, suggesting that these nanoparticles have a wide safety margin. Acute toxicity testing in beagle dogs also showed no significant difference in body weight between the treatment groups at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after liver injection and no behavioral changes. Furthermore, blood parameters, autopsy, and histopathological studies in the experimental group showed no significant difference compared with the control group. Conclusion The results indicate that Fe3O4@Au composite MNPs appear to be highly biocompatible and safe nanoparticles that are suitable for further application in tumor hyperthermia.
Fast Content Aware Image Retargeting

This paper addresses the problem of retargeting, namely adapting large source images for effective viewing at a smaller size with possible applications to PDAs, or dynamic page layouts. Instead of extracting regions of interest for retargeting, the uninteresting parts are removed from the scene in Shai Avidan and Shamir, A. (2007). This is done by computing the RGB variance within non-overlapping 3times3 blocks and removing the block path with minimal variance cost using dynamic programming. It is shown that transformation to CIELAB space is more effective for visual interpretation of image content. The implementations are shown to be much faster than the seam carving approach of Shai Avidan and Shamir, A. (2007). Schemes are also presented for speeding up the seam carving scheme itself.
Early Graft Loss After Kidney Transplantation: Risk Factors and Consequences

Early graft loss (EGL) after kidney transplantation is a catastrophic outcome that is assumed to be more likely after the use of kidneys from suboptimal donors. We therefore examined its incidence, risk factors and consequences in our center in relation to different donor types. Of 801 recipients who received a kidney‐only transplant from deceased donors, 50 (6.2%) suffered EGL within 30 days of transplantation. Significant risks factors for EGL were donation after circulatory death (DCD) (odds ratio [OR] 2.88; p = 0.006), expanded criteria donor (ECD) transplantation (OR 4.22; p = 0.010), donor age (OR 1.03; p = 0.044) and recipient past history of thrombosis (OR 4.91; p = 0.001). Recipients with EGL had 12.28 times increased risk of death within the first year, but long‐term survival was worse for patients remaining on the waiting list. In comparison with patients on the waiting list but not transplanted, and with all patients on the waiting list, the risk of death after EGL decreased to baseline 4 and 23 months after transplantation, respectively. Our findings suggest that DCD and ECD transplantation are significant risk factors for EGL, which is a major risk factor for recipient death. However, long‐term mortality is even greater for those remaining on the waiting list.
Applying Cooperative Distributed Problem Solving Methods to Trumpeter Swan Management

We are developing a decision support system in an effort to assist biologists who are managing habitats for the Rocky Mountain population of trumpeter swans. Swan management is a domain that is ecologically complex, and this complexity is compounded by spatial and temporal issues. We are focused on providing decision support that allows managers to develop habitat management plans for local sites while recognizing that such decisions have ramifications not only at other sites but in the flyway as a whole. Because swan management is an inherently distributed problem, our system utilizes artificial intelligence methods including cooperative distributed problem solving, blackboards, and expert systems. The system will be made available to swan managers through the world wide web, using commercially available software that provides a common gateway interface between the web server software and an inference engine.
A Molecular Neuroanatomical Study of the Developing Human Neocortex from 8 to 17 Postconceptional Weeks Revealing the Early Differentiation of the Subplate and Subventricular Zone

We have employed immunohistochemistry for multiple markers to investigate the structure and possible function of the different compartments of human cerebral wall from the formation of cortical plate at 8 postconceptional weeks (PCW) to the arrival of thalamocortical afferents at 17 PCW. New observations include the subplate emerging as a discrete differentiated layer by 10 PCW, characterized by synaptophysin and vesicular gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter expression also seen in the marginal zone, suggesting that these compartments may maintain a spontaneously active synaptic network even before the arrival of thalamocortical afferents. The subplate expanded from 13 to 17 PCW, becoming the largest compartment and differentiated further, with NPY neurons located in the outer subplate and KCC2 neurons in the inner subplate. Glutamate decarboxylase and calretinin-positive inhibitory neurons migrated tangentially and radially from 11.5 PCW, appearing in larger numbers toward the rostral pole. The proliferative zones, marked by Ki67 expression, developed a complicated structure by 12.5 PCW reflected in transcription factor expression patterns, including TBR2 confined to the inner subventricular and outer ventricular zones and TBR1 weakly expressed in the subventricular zone (SVZ). PAX6 was extensively expressed in the proliferative zones such that the human outer SVZ contained a large reservoir of PAX6-positive potential progenitor cells.
Participant Characteristics Associated with Symptomatic Improvement from Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain

Context Studies suggest that yoga is effective for moderate to severe chronic low back pain (cLBP) in diverse predominantly lower socioeconomic status populations. However, little is known about factors associated with benefit from the yoga intervention. Objective Identify factors at baseline independently associated with greater efficacy among participants in a study of yoga for cLBP. Design From September–December 2011, a 12-week randomized dosing trial was conducted comparing weekly vs. twice-weekly 75-minute hatha yoga classes for 95 predominantly low-income minority adults with nonspecific cLBP. Participant characteristics collected at baseline were used to determine factors beyond treatment assignment (reported in the initial study) that predicted outcome. We used bivariate testing to identify baseline characteristics associated with improvement in function and pain, and included select factors in a multivariate linear regression. Setting Recruitment and classes occurred in an academic safety-net hospital and five affiliated community health centers in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants Ninety-five adults with nonspecific cLBP, ages ranging from 20–64 (mean 48) years; 72 women and 23 men. Outcome measures Primary outcomes were changes in back-related function (modified Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, RMDQ; 0–23) and mean low back pain intensity (0–10) in the previous week, from baseline to week 12. Results Adjusting for group assignment, baseline RMDQ, age, and gender, foreign nationality and lower baseline SF36 physical component score (PCS) were independently associated with improvement in RMDQ. Greater than high school education level, cLBP less than 1 year, and lower baseline SF36 PCS were independently associated with improvement in pain intensity. Other demographics including race, income, gender, BMI, and use of pain medications were not associated with either outcome. Conclusions Poor physical health at baseline is associated with greater improvement from yoga in back-related function and pain. Race, income, and body mass index do not affect the potential for a person with low back pain to experience benefit from yoga.
A 2.4-GHz 24-dBm SOI CMOS Power Amplifier With Fully Integrated Reconfigurable Output Matching Network

In this paper, the potential of load adaptation for enhanced backoff efficiency in RF power amplifiers (PAs) has been investigated through a 0.13-mum silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS fabrication technology. The RF power performance of the adopted SOI CMOS process has been preliminarily characterized by on-wafer load-pull measurements on a custom unit power transistor. A 2.4-GHz 24-dBm 2-V SOI CMOS PA with fully integrated reconfigurable output matching network has then been designed and experimentally characterized. A significant efficiency improvement of up to 34% has been achieved through load adaptation, peak efficiency being as high as 65%. Linear operation has also been demonstrated under two-tone excitation, as a 16-dBm output power has been attained while complying with a - 40-dBc third-order intermodulation distortion specification.
Noninformative priors for the between-group variance in the unbalanced one-way random effects model with heterogeneous error variances

ABSTRACT For the unbalanced one-way random effects model with heterogeneous error variances, we propose the non-informative priors for the between-group variance and develop the first- and second-order matching priors. It turns out that the second-order matching priors do not exist and the reference prior and Jeffreys prior do not satisfy a first-order matching criterion. We also show that the first-order matching prior meets the frequentist target coverage probabilities much better than the Jeffreys prior and reference prior through simulation study, and the Bayesian credible intervals based on the matching prior and reference prior give shorter intervals than the existing confidence intervals by examples.
Interventions for prevention of post-operative atrial fibrillation and its complications after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

AIMS Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common complication after cardiac surgery. We aimed to evaluate, by meta-analysis, all randomized trials testing interventions for preventing AF. METHODS AND RESULTS Ninety-four trials of prevention of post-operative AF were identified, by standard search methods, and analysed by standard meta-analysis techniques. All five commonly tested interventions, beta-blockers (BBs), sotalol, amiodarone, magnesium, and atrial pacing, were effective in preventing AF. The odds ratio (OR) for the effect of BB on the incidence of AF was 0.36 (95% CI 0.28-0.47, P<0.001), but after trials confounded by post-operative non-study BB withdrawal were excluded was 0.69 (95% CI 0.54-0.87, P=0.002). Sotalol reduced AF, compared with placebo (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.26-0.45, P<0.001) and compared with conventional BB (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.26-0.65, P<0.001). Amiodarone reduced AF (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.40-0.57, P<0.001). Magnesium (Mg) also had an effect (OR 0.57 95% CI 0.42-0.77) but there was significant heterogeneity (P<0.001), partly explained by concomitant BB. The effect of Mg with BB was less (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.60-1.16). Pacing reduced AF (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.47-0.77, P<0.001), despite wide variations in techniques. Only amiodarone and pacing significantly reduced length of stay, average -0.60 days (95% CI -0.92 to -0.29) and -1.3 days (95% CI -2.55 to -0.08), respectively. Collectively, all treatments analysed together reduced stroke (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.98). Amiodarone was the only intervention that alone significantly reduced stroke rate (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.30-0.95). CONCLUSION All five interventions reduced the incidence of AF, though the effect of BBs is less than previously thought. The significant reductions in length of stay and stroke in meta-analysis suggest that there are worthwhile benefits from aggressive prevention. Larger studies to confirm these clinical benefits and evaluate their cost-effectiveness would be worthwhile.
A first approach to argument-based recommender systems based on defeasible logic programming

Recommender systems have evolved in the last years as specialized tools to assist users in a plethora of computermediated tasks by providing guidelines or hints. Most recommender systems are aimed at facilitating access to relevant items, a situation particularly common when performing web-based tasks. At the same time, defeasible argumentation has evolved as a successful approach in AI to model commonsense qualitative reasoning, with applications in many areas, such as agent theory, knowledge engineering and legal reasoning. This paper presents a first approach towards the integration of web-based recommender systems with a defeasible argumentation framework. The final goal is to enhance practical reasoning capabilities of current recommender system technology by incorporating argument-based qualitative inference.
Stress controls the mechanics of collagen networks

Significance We report nonlinear rheology experiments on collagen type I networks, which demonstrate a surprising concentration independence of the network stiffness in the nonlinear elastic regime. We develop a model that can account for this, as well as the classical observations of an approximate exponential stress–strain relationship in collagenous tissues, for which a microscopic model has been lacking. Our model also demonstrates the importance of normal stresses in controlling the nonlinear mechanics of fiber networks. Collagen is the main structural and load-bearing element of various connective tissues, where it forms the extracellular matrix that supports cells. It has long been known that collagenous tissues exhibit a highly nonlinear stress–strain relationship, although the origins of this nonlinearity remain unknown. Here, we show that the nonlinear stiffening of reconstituted type I collagen networks is controlled by the applied stress and that the network stiffness becomes surprisingly insensitive to network concentration. We demonstrate how a simple model for networks of elastic fibers can quantitatively account for the mechanics of reconstituted collagen networks. Our model points to the important role of normal stresses in determining the nonlinear shear elastic response, which can explain the approximate exponential relationship between stress and strain reported for collagenous tissues. This further suggests principles for the design of synthetic fiber networks with collagen-like properties, as well as a mechanism for the control of the mechanics of such networks.
Model for software power estimation of an 8-bit microcontroller

Over the last years, power has became a primary consideration in hardware design, and it is critical in computer systems especially for portable devices where the batteries should last long before they need to be replaced or recharged. Starting from this consideration the paper presents a model for estimation of power consumption of an 8-bit microcontroller early in the design cycle of embedded software. The tool analyses the assembly code being executed and provides an estimate of its average power consumption.
Sleep latency testing as a time course measure of state arousal

The purpose of this study was to determine how long the effects of a brief period of physiological arousal persisted using repeated sleep latency testing and measurement of heart rate. Thirteen normal sleeping young adults spent two non‐consecutive nights and the following days in the laboratory. On each day, subjects had five sleep latency measurements – at 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, and 11:00 hours. The 09:00 test was a premanipulation baseline. Following this nap, subjects either walked for 5 min (on one day) or rested in bed for 10 min (on another day) prior to the 09:30 hours sleep latency test. Significant increases in sleep latency were found at 09:30, 10:00, and 11:00 hours following the single 5‐min walk as compared with resting in bed (mean sleep latency after the walk was 11.7 min compared with 7.1 min for the resting condition). Heart rate was significantly higher throughout all of the postmanipulation naps following the walk. The elevated sleep latency is probably secondary to the changes in underlying physiological arousal as measured in this study by heart rate.
Temporal cortex direct current stimulation enhances performance on a visual recognition memory task in Alzheimer disease

Several studies have reported that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive method of neuromodulation, enhances some aspects of working memory in healthy and Parkinson disease subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of anodal tDCS on recognition memory, working memory and selective attention in Alzheimer disease (AD). Ten patients with diagnosis of AD received three sessions of anodal tDCS (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left temporal cortex and sham stimulation) with an intensity of 2 mA for 30 min. Sessions were performed in different days in a randomised order. The following tests were assessed during stimulation: Stroop, Digit Span and a Visual Recognition Memory task (VRM). The results showed a significant effect of stimulation condition on VRM (p = 0.0085), and post hoc analysis showed an improvement after temporal (p = 0.01) and prefrontal (p = 0.01) tDCS as compared with sham stimulation. There were no significant changes in attention as indexed by Stroop task performance. As far as is known, this is the first trial showing that tDCS can enhance a component of recognition memory. The potential mechanisms of action and the implications of these results are discussed.
Correlation between Breastfeeding Duration and Motor Development in Children

World Health Organization (WHO) recommends to continue breastfeeding until two years of age. There are few studies assessing the correlation between breastfeeding duration and motor development. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2016 in Muara Batang Gadis District. The sample were children 3-6 years of age. Breastfeeding duration was obtained by interview, and motor development was assessed using Denver Developmental Screening Test II. Chi-square test was used to evaluate the correlation between breastfeeding duration and motor development, with P-value <0.05 and 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Among 204 children, 5.4% had the fine motor delay, and 1% had the gross motor delay. Children with breastfeeding duration for at least for two years had better fine motor development compared to breastfeeding duration for less than two years (P<0.001, PR=1.139, 95% CI=1.055-1.231) and there is no difference in gross motor development (P=0.193, PR=1.023, 95% CI=0.991-1.055). There is a correlation between breastfeeding duration and fine motor development.
Clothing Co-Segmentation Based on HOG Features and E-SVM Classifier

To improve the accuracy of clothing segmentation, a novel co-segmentation method is proposed in this paper based on HOG(Histogram of Oriented Gradients) features and E-SVM(Exemplar Support Vector Machine) classifier. The cosegmentation method uses an auxiliary dataset and is implemented with three steps: superpixel grouping, E-SVM classifier training, and segmentation propagation. Firstly, image input by user is segmented in superpixel, such that the images in auxiliary dataset can be divided into multi-regions. Secondly, some regions are selected to a positive segmentation and HOG information is used to train E-SVM classifiers. Finally, the cloth is segmented into user image with E-SVM classifiers and segmentation propagation. Experimental results show that the proposed method can segment clothing images with high accuracy.