Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Gegen Qinlian Decoction on Cardiac Gene Expression in Diabetic Mice

The aim of this research is to investigate the therapeutic effect of GGQL decoction on cardiac dysfunction and elucidate the pharmacological mechanisms. db/db mice were divided into DB group or GGQL group, and WT mice were used as control. All mice were accessed by echocardiography. And the total RNA of LV tissue samples was sequenced, then differential expression genes were analyzed. The RNA-seq results were validated by the results of RT-qPCR of 4 genes identified as differentially expressed. The content of pyruvate and ceramide in myocardial tissue was also measured. The results showed that GGQL decoction could significantly improve the diastolic dysfunction, increase the content of pyruvate, and had the trend to reduce the ceramide content. The results of RNA-seq showed that 2958 genes were differentially expressed when comparing the DB group with the WT group. Among them, compared with the DB group, 26 genes were differentially regulated in the GGQL group. The expression results of 4 genes were consistent with the RNA-seq results. Our study reveals that GGQL decoction has a therapeutic effect on diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricular and the effect may be related to its role in promoting myocardial glycolysis and decreasing the content of ceramide.
Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Is Essential for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Cardiac Fibrosis in Chronic Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension

Background—The roles of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the regulation of heart function under normal and pathological conditions have been well documented. Although 2 types of Ang II receptor (AT1 and AT2) are found in various proportions, most studies have focused on AT1-coupled events. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that signaling by AT2 is important to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis by Ang II infusion in mice lacking the AT2 gene (Agtr 2−/Y). Methods and Results—Male Agtr 2−/Y and age-matched wild-type (WT) mice were treated long-term with Ang II, infused at a rate of 4.2 ng · kg−1 · min−1 for 3 weeks. Ang II elevated systolic blood pressure to comparable levels in Agtr 2−/Y and WT mice. WT mice developed prominent concentric cardiac hypertrophy, prominent fibrosis, and impaired diastolic relaxation after Ang II infusion. In contrast, there was no cardiac hypertrophy in Agtr 2−/Y mice. Agtr 2−/Y mice, however, did not show signs of heart failure or impairment of ventricular relaxation and only negligible fibrosis after Ang II infusion. The absence of fibrosis may be a clue to the absence of impairment in ventricular relaxation and account for the normal left ventricular systolic and diastolic performances in Agtr 2−/Y mice. Conclusions—Chronic loss of AT2 by gene targeting abolished left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis in mice with Ang II–induced hypertension.
Creating corpora for speech-to-speech translation

This paper presents three approaches to creating corpora that we are working on for speech-to-speech translation in the travel conversation task. The first approach is to collect sentences that bilingual travel experts consider useful for people going-to/coming-from another country. The resulting English-Japanese aligned corpora are collectively called the basic travel expression corpus (BTEC), which is now being translated into several other languages. The second approach tries to expand this corpus by generating many (cid:147)synonymous(cid:148) expressions for each sentence. Although we can create large corpora by the above two approaches relatively cheaply, they may be different from utterances in actual conversation. Thus, as the third approach, we are collecting dialogue corpora by letting two people talk, each in his/her native language, through a speech-to-speech translation system. To concentrate on translation modules, we have replaced speech recognition modules with human typists. We will report some of the characteristics of these corpora as well.
Fast Micro-Differential Evolution for Topological Active Net Optimization

This paper studies the optimization problem of topological active net (TAN), which is often seen in image segmentation and shape modeling. A TAN is a topological structure containing many nodes, whose positions must be optimized while a predefined topology needs to be maintained. TAN optimization is often time-consuming and even constructing a single solution is hard to do. Such a problem is usually approached by a “best improvement local search” (BILS) algorithm based on deterministic search (DS), which is inefficient because it spends too much efforts in nonpromising probing. In this paper, we propose the use of micro-differential evolution (DE) to replace DS in BILS for improved directional guidance. The resultant algorithm is termed deBILS. Its micro-population efficiently utilizes historical information for potentially promising search directions and hence improves efficiency in probing. Results show that deBILS can probe promising neighborhoods for each node of a TAN. Experimental tests verify that deBILS offers substantially higher search speed and solution quality not only than ordinary BILS, but also the genetic algorithm and scatter search algorithm.
SKIF: a data imputation framework for concept drifting data streams

Missing data commonly occurs in many applications. While many data imputation methods exist to handle the missing data problem for large scale databases, when applied to concept drifting data streams, these methods face some common difficulties. First, due to large and continuous data volumes, we are unable to maintain all stream records to form a candidate pool and estimate missing values, as most existing methods commonly do. Second, even if we could maintain all complete stream records using a summary structure, the concept drifting problem would make some information obsolete, and thus deteriorate the imputation accuracy. Third, in data streams, it is necessary to develop a fast yet accurate algorithm to find the most similar data for imputation. Fourth, due to the dynamic and sophisticated data collection environments, the missing rate of most stream data may be much higher than that in generic static databases, so the imputation method should be able to accommodate high missing rate in the data. To tackle these challenges, we propose, in this paper, a Streaming k-Nearest-Neighbors Imputation Framework (SKIF) for concept drifting data streams. To handle concept drifting and large volume problems in data streams, SKIF first summarizes historical complete records in some micro-resources (which are high-level statistical data structures), and maintains these micro-resources in a candidate pool as benchmark data. After that, SKIF employs a novel hybrid-kNN imputation procedure, which uses a hybrid similarity search mechanism, to find the most similar micro-resources from the large scale candidate pool efficiently. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SKIF framework for data stream imputation tasks.
Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of AB2 hyperbranched polymer‐filled polypropylene

In this article, nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene (PP) and AB2 hyperbranched polymer (HBP)-filled PP have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The Avrami analysis modified by Mandelkern and a method combined with Avrami and Ozawa equations were employed to describe successfully the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of samples. The conclusion showed that HBP can prompt crystallization effectively. Furthermore, in blends of different HBP contents, the value of t1/2 became smaller with increasing HBP content; however, the crystallization rate of the blend decreased slightly when content of HBP is 5%. An increase in the Avrami exponent showed that addition of HBP influenced the mechanism of nucleation and the growth of PP crystallites. The possible explanation could be attributed to the fractal structure of HBP. The polarized micrographs showed that HBP acts as a heterogeneous nucleation agent, and the nucleation efficiency has increased remarkably in HBP/PP blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 53:2535–2540, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Modest cancer prevention benefit with long-term multivitamin supplementation: Physicians’ Health Study II results warrant cautious interpretation

Commentary on Gaziano JM, Sesso HD, Christen WG, et al. Multivitamins in the prevention of cancer in men: the Physicians’ Health Study II randomised controlled trial. JAMA 2012;308:1871–80. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Various vitamins and minerals have been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis or reduce cancer risk in preclinical experiments and observational studies. Such work has given rise to several chemoprevention trials of isolated nutrients, many of which (eg, Alpha-Tocopherol and Beta-Carotene (ATBC) Trial, Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) and Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT)) have produced disappointing findings.1 Multivitamin supplements, however, may yield greater benefit and less risk, since the nutrient profile more closely approximates a healthy, balanced diet. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of multivitamin supplements is significant since over one-third of US adults regularly take these preparations.2 Gaziano and colleagues recently reported … [1]: {openurl}? query=rft.jtitle%253DJAMA%26rft.stitle%253DJAMA%26rft.issn%253D0002-9955%26rft.aulast%253DGaziano%26rft.auinit1%253DJ. %2BM. %26rft.volume%253D308%26rft.issue%253D18%26rft.spage%253D1871%26rft.epage%253D1880%26rft.atitle%253DMultivitamins%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bprevention%2Bof%2Bcancer%2Bin%2Bmen%253A%2Bthe%2BPhysicians%2527%2BHealth%2BStudy%2BII%2Brandomized%2Bcontrolled%2Btrial. %26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Fjama.2012. 14641%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23162860%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=10.1001/jama.2012. 14641&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=23162860&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F18%2F6%2F214.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=000310952700023&link_type=ISI
Mining Time Variant Frequent Pattern using PPM and PWM: A Comparison

The process of exploring and analyzing data from different perspective, using automatic or semiautomatic techniques is called Data mining. Data mining extracts knowledge or useful information and discovers correlations or meaningful patterns and rules from large databases [1, 2]. Using these patterns and rules it is possible for business enterprises to identify new and unexpected trends, subtle relations in the data and use them to increase revenue and cut cost. In this paper we proposed a comparative study over Progressive Partition Miner (PPM) and Progressive Weighted miner (PWM).
Novel skeletogenic patterning roles for the olfactory pit

The position of the olfactory placodes suggests that these epithelial thickenings might provide morphogenetic information to the adjacent facial mesenchyme. To test this, we performed in ovo manipulations of the nasal placode in the avian embryo. Extirpation of placodal epithelium or placement of barriers on the lateral side of the placode revealed that the main influence is on the lateral nasal, not the frontonasal, mesenchyme. These early effects were consistent with the subsequent deletion of lateral nasal skeletal derivatives. We then showed in rescue experiments that FGFs are required for nasal capsule morphogenesis. The instructive capacity of the nasal pit epithelium was tested in a series of grafts to the face and trunk. Here, we showed for the first time that nasal pits are capable of inducing bone, cartilage and ectopic PAX7 expression, but these effects were only observed in the facial grafts. Facial mesenchyme also supported the initial projection of the olfactory nerve and differentiation of the olfactory epithelium. Thus, the nasal placode has two roles: as a signaling center for the lateral nasal skeleton and as a source of olfactory neurons and sensory epithelium.
The Enhanced Raman Scattering from Ag Nanoball/ZnO Hollow Nanosphere Arrays Fabricated by Laser-Induced Annealing

In this work, a facile method was presented to produce Ag nanoball (NB)/ZnO hollow nanosphere (HNS) hybrid structure. Large scale, two-dimensional (2D) ZnO HNS arrays were fabricated on sapphire substrates using the polystyrene (PS) nanospheres as the template. Ag film were deposited on ZnO HNS arrays by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and then aggregated into Ag NBs on the top of ZnO HNS by the laser irradiation treatment. The size and distribution of Ag NB arrays were controlled by employing different ZnO HNS supporting structure templates. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to visually study the evolution process of Ag NB/ZnO NHS arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was carried out to characterize crystal structures of the samples. Obvious surface enhanced Raman (SERS) signals were observed from the Ag NB/ZnO NHS nanocomposite structure compared with that in the ZnO HNS structure by using the R6G as the testing agent. Theoretical simulation results demonstrate that the Raman enhancement originates from the significant enhanced local electromagnetic field induced by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag NBs.
Culturally and linguistically diverse student and family perspectives of AAC

Abstract Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices are important for nonverbal students with disabilities to communicate with the verbal world. AAC devices provide access to academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. With the changing demographics of schools and an emphasis on meaningful, culturally relevant instruction for all students, it is important to consider how AAC devices are utilized and perceived by individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and their families. This paper reviewed empirical studies that addressed the perspectives and use of AAC devices by CLD students with disabilities and their families. A total of N = 11 studies were selected spanning almost two decades of research related to AAC use in culturally and linguistically diverse populations internationally. Discussions and implications highlight the need for a deeper understanding of culture and race as they inform instruction for AAC users with disabilities and additional current studies related to this critical topic within the field.
ECR: A low complexity generalized error cancellation rewiring scheme

Rewiring is known to be a new class of logic restructuring technique at least equally powerful in flexibility compared to other logic transformation techniques while being wiring-sensitive, a property particularly useful for interconnect based circuit synthesis processes. One of the most mature rewiring techniques is the ATPG-based Redundancy Addition and Removal (RAR) technique which adds a redundant alternative wire to make an originally irredundant target wire become redundant and thus removable. In this paper, we propose a new Error Cancellation based Rewiring scheme (ECR) which can also do non-RAR based rewiring operations with high efficiency. Based on the notion of error cancellation, we analyze and reformulate the rewiring problem and develop a generalized rewiring scheme being able to detect more rewiring cases which are not obtainable by existing schemes while still maintains low runtime complexity. Comparing with the most recent non-RAR rewiring tool IRRA, the total number of alternative wires found by our approach is about twice while CPU time is just slightly more (26%) upon benchmarks pre-optimized by rewriting of ABC.
Testing highly complex system of systems: An industrial case study

Context: Systems of systems (SoS) are highly complex and are integrated on multiple levels (unit, component, system, system of systems). Many of the characteristics of SoS (such as operational and managerial independence, integration of system into system of systems, SoS comprised of complex systems) make their development and testing challenging. Contribution: This paper provides an understanding of SoS testing in large-scale industry settings with respect to challenges and how to address them. Method: The research method used is case study research. As data collection methods we used interviews, documentation, and fault slippage data. Results: We identified challenges related to SoS with respect to fault slippage, test turn-around time, and test maintainability. We also classified the testing challenges to general testing challenges, challenges amplified by SoS, and challenges that are SoS specific. Interestingly, the interviewees agreed on the challenges, even though we sampled them with diversity in mind, which meant that the number of interviews conducted was sufficient to answer our research questions. We also identified solution proposals to the challenges that were categorized under four classes of developer quality assurance, function test, testing in all levels, and requirements engineering and communication. Conclusion: We conclude that although over half of the challenges we identified can be categorized as general testing challenges still SoS systems have their unique and amplified challenges stemming from SoS characteristics. Furthermore, it was found that interviews and fault slippage data indicated that different areas in the software process should be improved, which indicates that using only one of these methods would have led to an incomplete picture of the challenges in the case company.
Synthesis of Porous Silica via Styrene Natural Rubber Template: The Effect of Calcination

This paper discussed the preparation of porous silica using styrene natural rubber (SNR) sacrificial template. The preparation of porous silica based on SNR template involved three steps which were the synthesis of SNR, the formation of SNR/silica, and the formation of porous silica. The SNR sacrificial template was synthesized using styrene as monomer and deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR) latex as based material. The effects of different silica loading and mixing methods were studied to produce SNR/silica films. Calcinations process was carried out to remove SNR to produce porous silica structure. The increasing of silica loadings enhanced the porosity of the template structure. The shaker mixing method produced better porous structure compared to the mechanical stirring and the magnetic stirring methods. The porous structure was analyzed via SEM which the optimum silica loading was obtained at 15 % of silica loading.
Social support and quality of life of patients prior to stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

OBJECTIVES To determine the positive and detrimental aspects of social support prior to allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation/stem cell transplantation. DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS Patients completed the German version of the Illness-specific Social Support Scale (ISSS) and the Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS Participants were 282 patients (62% autologous SCT, 39% women, 97% haematological malignancies, 72% with partner). We found satisfactory reliability values for both ISSS scales: positive support (Cronbach's alpha=.91) and problematic support (=.73). Patients living with a partner displayed higher scores in positive interaction than patients living alone (p<.001). Analysis showed a significant main effect of partnership, p<. 001; F(1)=8.345, and better scores for women, p<1; F(1)=2.758. Furthermore, we determined a negative correlation between problematic interaction and emotional/social function (p<.001) and a positive correlation with insomnia, but no correlation between positive interaction, QLQ-C30, and Karnofsky's index. CONCLUSIONS We could distinguish between helpful and harmful support, and determine clinically important associations of problematic support. Partnership seems to be a major source of positive interaction.
Environmental Biotechnology: A Bioremediation Perspective

The term environmental biotechnology has a certain air of modernity when in fact it has a long history of use, if one considers the underlying principles and not the appellation. However, as part of its complex meaning, there is a dynamic new definition and purpose in this discipline with regard to bioremediation. The ability to probe the environment at the molecular level with exquisite methods, to create a new awareness of fundamental biological processes therein, has created an important new paradigm in remediation engineering design and management. Further, biological lines of evidence made extremely robust through the merger of biotechnology and environmental science are poised to be incorporated into the very fabric of site evaluation and disposition at the regulatory level. At the operational level, the field of environmental biotechnology is driven by the “omics,” the common suffix for disciplines like genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. An introduction to these elements of the process is followed by a review of how they are being used right now in a commercial framework, with the understanding that the entire process is still in the formative stages of its vast potential. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Platinum nanoparticle deposition on polymeric membranes for fuel cell applications

This work aimed to show an alternative to produce platinum nanoparticles directly on a polymeric membrane using plasma technique, in order to make these nanoparticles adhere to the membrane, in size, shape and homogeneity controlled by the process without damaging the polymeric material. In this manner the cell's production time is reduced since the catalyst is directly deposited on the polymeric membrane; the time of the process is approximately five minutes for each side of the membrane, and the total time for each membrane is 10 minutes. With this exposure time, and the advantage of controlling the other parameters such as pressure, RF power, gas flow rate and temperature of the electrode, it was possible to obtain platinum nanoparticles with dimensions of about 50 nm scattered homogenously on the membrane, without damaging the structure of the polymeric material and, consequently, affecting its performance. Together with platinum nanoparticles were also deposited carbon nanoparticles, so that these acted as catalyst support, avoiding self poisoning. Electrochemical activity tests were performed to test the efficiency of the cell where it was exposed to different pressures and flow rates of O2 and H2, reaching open-circuit voltage of 750 mVolts.
Streamflow hydrology in the boreal region under the influences of climate and human interference

The boreal region has a subarctic climate that is subject to considerable inter-annual variability and is prone to impacts of future warming. Climate influences the seasonal streamflow regime which typically exhibits winter low flow, terminated by spring freshet, followed by summer flow recession. The effects of climatic variation on streamflow cannot be isolated with confidence but the impact of human regulation of rivers can greatly alter the natural flow rhythm, changing the timing of flow to suit human demands. The effect of scenario climate change on streamflow is explored through hydrological simulation. Example of a Canadian basin under warming scenario suggests that winter flow will increase, spring freshet dates will advance but peak flow will decline, as will summer flow due to enhanced evaporation. While this simulation was site specific, the results are qualitatively applicable to other boreal areas. Future studies should consider the role of human activities as their impacts on streamflow will be more profound than those due to climate change.