Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fourier Analysis of Multigrid Methods on Hexagonal Grids

This paper applies local Fourier analysis to multigrid methods on hexagonal grids. Using oblique coordinates to express the grids and a dual basis for the Fourier modes, the analysis proceeds essentially the same as for rectangular grids. The framework for one- and two-grid analyses is given and then applied to analyze the performance of multigrid methods for the Poisson problem on a hexagonal grid. Numerical results confirm the analysis. Uniform hexagonal grids provide an approximation to spherical geodesic grids; numerical results for the latter show similar performance. While the analysis is similar to that for rectangular grids, the results differ somewhat: full weighting is superior to injection for restriction, Jacobi relaxation performs about as well as Gauss-Seidel relaxation, and underrelaxation is not required for good performance. Also, coarse-fine or four-color ordering (both analogues of red-black ordering on the rectangular grid) improves the performance of Jacobi relaxation, with the latter achieving a smoothing factor of approximately 0.25. An especially simple compact fourth-order discretization works well, and the full multigrid algorithm produces the solution to the level of truncation error in work proportional to the number of unknowns.
Efficiency in Negotiation: Complexity and Costly Bargaining

Even with complete information, two-person bargaining can generate a large number of equilibria, involving disagreements and inefficiencies, in (i) negotiation games where disagreement payoffs are endogenously determined (Busch and Wen, 1995) and (ii) costly bargaining games where there are transaction/participation costs (Anderlini and Felli, 2001). We show that when the players have (at the margin) a preference for less complex strategies only efficient equilibria survive in negotiation games (with sufficiently patient players) while, in sharp contrast, it is only the most inefficient outcome involving perpetual disagreement that survives in costly bargaining games. We also find that introducing small transaction costs to negotiation games dramatically alters the selection result: perpetual disagreement becomes the only feasible equilibrium outcome. Thus, in both alternating-offers bargaining games and repeated games with exit options (via bargaining and contracts), complexity considerations establish that the Coase Theorem is valid if and only if there are no transaction/participation costs.
Flexible epidemiological model for estimates and short-term projections in generalised HIV/AIDS epidemics

Objective UNAIDS and country analysts use a simple infectious disease model, embedded in the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP), to generate annual updates on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Our objective was to develop modifications to the current model that improve fit to recently observed prevalence trends across countries. Methods Our proposed alternative to the current EPP approach simplifies the model structure and explicitly models changes in average infection risk over time, operationalised using penalised B-splines in a Bayesian framework. We also present an alternative approach to initiating the epidemic that improves standardisation and efficiency, and add an informative prior distribution for changes in infection risk beyond the last data point that enhances the plausibility of short-term extrapolations. Results The spline-based model produces better fits than the current model to observed prevalence trends in settings that have recently experienced levelling or rising prevalence following a steep decline, such as Uganda and urban Rwanda. The model also predicts a deceleration of the decline in prevalence for countries with recent experience of steady declines, such as Kenya and Zimbabwe. Estimates and projections from our alternative model are comparable to those from the current model where the latter performs well. Conclusions A more flexible epidemiological model that accommodates changing infection risk over time can provide better estimates and short-term projections of HIV/AIDS incidence, prevalence and mortality than the current EPP model. The alternative model specification can be incorporated easily into existing analytical tools that are used to produce updates on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Angiotensin II regulates the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the kidney.

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that angiotensin II (Ang II) is not only a vasoactive peptide, but also a true cytokine that regulates cell growth, inflammation and fibrosis. Many studies have demonstrated that this peptide plays an active role in the progression of renal injury. Some of Ang II-induced effects are mediated by the production of a large array of growth factors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Ang II could regulate the expression of cytokines and chemokines in the kidney and its correlation with the Ang II-induced renal damage. METHODS The model of Ang II-induced renal damage was done by systemic Ang II infusion into normal rats (50 ng/kg/min; subcutaneous osmotic minipumps). In addition, the implication of Ang II was investigated in a model of immune complex nephritis in rats treated with the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor quinapril. The mRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR and/or Northern blot, and protein levels by Western blot and/or immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Rats infused with Ang II for 3 days caused elevated renal expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; gene and protein levels). TNF-alpha positive cells were observed in glomeruli (mainly in endothelial cells), tubules and vessels. In rats with immune complex nephritis, the renal overexpression of TNF-alpha was diminished by the ACE inhibitor quinapril. Systemic infusion of Ang II also increased renal synthesis of cytokines (interleukin-6, IL-6) and chemokines (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; MCP-1) that were associated with elevated tissue levels of activated nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and the presence of inflammatory cell infiltration. CONCLUSIONS Ang II in vivo increases TNF-alpha production in the kidney. Ang II also up-regulates other proinflammatory mediators, including IL-6, MCP-1 and NF-kappaB, coincidentally associated to the presence of glomerular and interstitial inflammatory cells in the kidney. All these data further strengthen the idea that Ang II plays an active role in the inflammatory response in renal diseases.
Awake Aortic Surgery in a Tetraparetic Patient

A greater number of people with spinal cord injury is always submitted to surgical operations. Some pathologies associated to the medullary damage as the autonomic dysreflexia, the muscular spasm and the respiratory inadequacy can increase perioperative complications. Manifold early studies have shown that the multimodal approach in complex elective surgery can reduce perioperative morbility and mortality. We describe the case of a 77 year-old patient tetraparetic scheduled for open abdominal aortic aneurismectomy using multimodal approach that consists in minimal invasive surgery (subcostal incision), thoracic epidural anesthesia with light sedation and postoperative forced rehabilitation. This approach has allowed the decrease of perioperatorie complications and the improvement of postoperative outcome.
International Intellectual Property Rights : A Quantitative Assessment

The strength of intellectual property right (IPR) protection varies significantly across countries. Further, these differences have persisted across time. In this paper, I ask why countries consistently choose different levels of protection. I develop a structural dynamic general equilibrium model that blends much of the theoretical and empirical work on international protection. The model is similar in methodology to political economy models such as D’Erasmo, Corbae, and Kuruscu (2008) in which utilitarian governments choose the optimal level of protection each period. Given government policy, firms enter, produce, trade, and innovate. Market size and human capital lead to stronger protection standards while bilateral trade costs limit a country’s ability to absorb technological advances from the rest of the world. I fit the quantitative model to data on protection choices and trade flows. Counterfactual exercises provide quantitative insight into the country-specific welfare effects of World harmonization to USA patent protection standards, as well as the optimal level of global protection.
Diagnosis, treatment, and analysis of long-term outcomes in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

To the Editor:We read with interest the article by McGirt et al. (9) entitled“Diagnosis, Treatment, and Analysis of Long-term Outcomes inIdiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. ” The authors con-clude that gait impairment is the primary symptom that inde-pendently predicted improvement after shunting. The studyincluded 132 patients, 129 (98%) of whom had gait impairmentas a feature. We would like to comment on this particular selec-tion criterion, as well as improvements in the Mini Mental StateExamination (MMSE) as the sole measure of postoperative cog-nitive improvement.One of the inclusion criteria for this study was presentationwith two or more features of the classic triad. Thus, the analy-sis inevitably includes patients presenting with dementia andurinary incontinence symptoms but not gait ataxia. Althoughdementia was originally thought to be the main feature of thissyndrome, we have now come to understand that gait distur-bance is an essential selection feature for any study with nor-mal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) patients (4, 6). In a prospec-tive study of 151 patients, Marmarou et al. (8) recently advisedthat gait improvement immediately after external lumbardrainage is the best prognostic indicator of a positive shuntoutcome with greater than 90% accuracy for prediction.Although the two extra inclusion criteria, namely either A- orB-waves, present during continuous pressure monitoring andclinical improvement in symptoms during a 3-day trial of con-trolled cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage should safeguardagainst any false positive cases, we still think that the presenceof gait ataxia should have been an essential inclusion criterionin the above study. Recent guidelines published in
Differentiation of lipid tear deficiency dry eye by kinetic analysis of tear interference images.

OBJECTIVE To use kinetic changes to characterize tear interference images in patients with lipid tear deficiency (LTD) dry eye. METHODS We used a DR-1 camera to digitize and analyze sequential images of tear interference on the central 8 mm of the cornea at the start of complete blinking in 11 healthy volunteers and 8 patients with LTD and noninflamed meibomian gland dysfunction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We studied tear lipid spread time and pattern, stability of the lipid after spread, and distribution of thickness in a prospective, case-control study. RESULTS On complete lid closure, the lipid spread was horizontal in healthy eyes but vertical in LTD (P<.001). Mean +/- SD lipid spread time was 0.36 +/- 0.22 seconds in healthy eyes but 3.54 +/- 1.86 seconds in LTD (P<.001). Conventional DR-1 grading could not distinguish these groups (P =.32). Mean +/- SD lipid film thickness in healthy eyes was 74.5 +/- 6.9 nm, thicker than the 43.8 +/- 10.6 nm in LTD (P<.001), and this result was confirmed by qualification with intensity histogram (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Kinetic analysis of the tear interference revealed distinctive differences in the time and pattern of lipid spread and the distribution and stability of resultant lipid thickness between healthy subjects and patients with LTD. This method can be coupled with others for formulating effective therapies for patients with dry eye.
Dual Cd45ra, Cd45ro Positive T‐Lymphocytes Within Rheumatoid Arthritic Joints

&NA; This report documents the presence of an expanded population of dual CD45RA, CD45RO positive T cells (up to 91 % of T cells) in the rheumatoid joint. Cells from peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) were analysed by dual immunofluorescence labelling. Synovium from a separate patient population was analysed by single and dual immunoenzyme staining of serial sections. Dual CD45RA, CD45RO positive T cells were found in PB (up to 74%), SF (up to 91%) and synovium. This was associated with a lack of early activation antigens (4F2, interleukin‐2 receptor, transferrin receptor) but increased HLA‐Class II antigens (HLA‐DR, ‐DP, ‐DQ) in SF compared with PB. This intermediate activation phenotype may support the hypothesis that T cell activation or reactivation occurs within the rheumatoid joint.
Torque Loss in En-Masse Retraction of Maxillary Anterior Teeth Using Miniimplants with Force Vectors at Different Levels: 3D FEM Study.

OBJECTIVE This FEM study was conducted to quantify the amount of torque loss in maxillary anterior teeth by applying force vectors from different levels to the anterior retraction hook at various heights and comparing with that of molar anchorage system. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five 3D FEM models were constructed with force vectors at different levels: HOT-High Orthodontic Traction (13.5mm from archwire) to ARH1- Anterior Retraction Hook (5mm), HOT to ARH2 (8mm), LOT- Low Orthodontic Traction (8 mm) to ARH1, LOT to ARH2 and from conventional molar hook to ARH1. Mini-implants were placed buccally between the roots of second premolar and first molar. Torque loss was calculated by measuring the displacement of the teeth at crown tip and root apex in two planes i.e. sagittal and vertical using Y and Z axis respectively in all the five models. The results were statistically analyzed by using Kruskal Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS HOT to ARH1 showed that the anterior teeth moved bodily (p =0.5127), followed by molar hook - ARH1(p=0.0495*) which showed mild uncontrolled tipping. Whereas the HOT- ARH2, LOT - ARH1,and LOT - ARH2 models exhibited uncontrolled tipping with maximum torque loss in LOT - ARH1 (p=0.0001*). CONCLUSION It can be concluded that bodily movement with very minimal torque loss was observed in HOT-ARH1 model whereas the maximum torque loss was recorded in LOT-ARH2 model. Conventional molar anchorage group showed uncontrolled tipping with some amount of extrusion and anchor loss of posteriors.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel ZnO Nanophosphors

In this paper, the novel ZnO nanophosphors is synthesized by solgel method. The study exposed ZnO nanophosphors samples in Gamma (y) radiation to investigate their thermo-luminescence (TL) intensity as a function of temperature. The thermo-luminescence response has been studied in the dose range 0.291. 16 kGy and it is observed that the thermo-luminescence response increases with increase in the dose. Moreover, the TL intensity increases with temperature and attains its maximum value near 200 Cand decreases after this temperature. Keywords: Dosimetry; Thermo-luminescence; Zinc oxide; Nanophosphors.
History of protein crystallography in China

China has a strong background in X-ray crystallography dating back to the 1920s. Protein crystallography research in China was first developed following the successful synthesis of insulin in China in 1966. The subsequent determination of the three-dimensional structure of porcine insulin made China one of the few countries which could determine macromolecular structures by X-ray diffraction methods in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After a slow period during the 1970s and 1980s, protein crystallography in China has reached a new climax with a number of outstanding accomplishments. Here, I review the history and progress of protein crystallography in China and detail some of the recent research highlights, including the crystal structures of two membrane proteins as well as the structural genomics initiative in China.
Multi-channel broadcast encryption

Broadcast encryption aims at sending a content to a large arbitrary group of users at once. Currently, the most efficient schemes provide constant-size headers, that encapsulate ephemeral session keys under which the payload is encrypted. However, in practice, and namely for pay-TV, providers have to send various contents to different groups of users. Headers are thus specific to each group, one for each channel: as a consequence, the global overhead is linear in the number of channels. Furthermore, when one wants to zap to and watch another channel, one has to get the new header and decrypt it to learn the new session key: either the headers are sent quite frequently or one has to store all the headers, even if one watches one channel only. Otherwise, the zapping time becomes unacceptably long. This paper deals with encapsulation of several ephemeral keys, for various groups and thus various channels, in one header only, and we call this new primitive Multi-Channel Broadcast Encryption -- MCBE: one can hope for a much shorter global overhead and a much shorter zapping time since the decoder already has the information to decrypt any available channel at once. Our candidates are private variants of the Boneh-Gentry-Waters scheme, with a constant-size global header, independently of the number of channels.
The rheological complexity of waxy crude oils : yielding, thixotropy and shear heterogeneities

Precipitate-containing crude oils are of increasing economic importance, due to diminishing oil reserves and the increased need to extract hydrate and wax-containing crude oil from ultra deep-water resources. Despite this need, the rheological behavior of these types of crude oil is often poorly understood. In this thesis, we investigate some of the underlying complexities associated with the rheology of waxy crude oils. These complex phenomena are often difficult to both quantify experimentally and capture with existing constitutive models. The contribution of this thesis is therefore to develop a detailed understanding of three of these particular phenomena, through the development and use of several new experimental and theoretical tools. A better understanding of waxy crude oil rheology is critical for developing flow assurance strategies, which can in turn ensure continuous production of precipitate-containing crude oils under adverse conditions. The three phenomena studied are, first: shear heterogeneities, i.e. the manifestation of wall slip, shear banding or other shear-localization events under imposed deformations that are assumed to be homogenous. For these purposes, flow visualization techniques capable of “Rheo-PIV” measurements are developed to detect these heterogeneities. Second: elasto-viscoplasticity, or the presence of an elastic response and a yield-like behavior in a non-Newtonian fluid. Constitutive modeling of this type of behavior is difficult to achieve using standard linear viscoelastic techniques, where the viscoelastic response is decomposed into a finite number of linear elements with a spectrum of relaxation times. For these reasons, additional concepts are adopted from plasticity models in order to describe this behavior. Finally: thixotropy, which refers to the ability of a fluid to continuously evolve, or age at rest and shear rejuvenate under a constant applied shear rate. A rigorous set of experimental tests is constructed which allow for the appropriate constitutive model parameters to be determined for a thixotropic fluid. Through quantitative study of these phenomena, we reach several conclusions about how to characterize and model the rheology of a precipitate-containing crude oil. First, measurements of shear heterogeneities are important in these fluids, so
Post Septorhinoplasty Custom-Made Unilateral Nasal Stent for Nasal Cleft Deformity

Context: Nasal cleft deformity is a complicated problem. Utilization of nasal stent in post septorhinoplastyaims at establishing and maintaining airway patency, tissue position, and reduces tissue contracture after surgery. Case Report: A 16-year-old female patient presented with history of surgical reconstruction of congenital cleft lip and cleft palate with secondary septorhinoplasty of nasal cleft deformity. Patient was referred for nasal stent 1 week after septorhinoplasty. This case report provides a novel technique for fabrication of esthetic nasal stent after postseptorhinoplasty for secondary cleft nose deformity correction. Conclusion: This case report presents a simple, convenient technique for nasal stent fabrication for prevention of restenosis for cleft nose deformity post secondary septorhinoplasty. Provision of nasal stent allows breathing, maintains esthetics, comfort, nasal patency, and contour with minimal discomfort.
NCBI Peptidome: a new repository for mass spectrometry proteomics data

Peptidome is a public repository that archives and freely distributes tandem mass spectrometry peptide and protein identification data generated by the scientific community. Data from all stages of a mass spectrometry experiment are captured, including original mass spectra files, experimental metadata and conclusion-level results. The submission process is facilitated through acceptance of data in commonly used open formats, and all submissions undergo syntactic validation and curation in an effort to uphold data integrity and quality. Peptidome is not restricted to specific organisms, instruments or experiment types; data from any tandem mass spectrometry experiment from any species are accepted. In addition to data storage, web-based interfaces are available to help users query, browse and explore individual peptides, proteins or entire Samples and Studies. Results are integrated and linked with other NCBI resources to ensure dissemination of the information beyond the mass spectroscopy proteomics community. Peptidome is freely accessible at http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih. gov/peptidome.
Acaricide, Fungicide and Drug Interactions in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Background Chemical analysis shows that honey bees (Apis mellifera) and hive products contain many pesticides derived from various sources. The most abundant pesticides are acaricides applied by beekeepers to control Varroa destructor. Beekeepers also apply antimicrobial drugs to control bacterial and microsporidial diseases. Fungicides may enter the hive when applied to nearby flowering crops. Acaricides, antimicrobial drugs and fungicides are not highly toxic to bees alone, but in combination there is potential for heightened toxicity due to interactive effects. Methodology/Principal Findings Laboratory bioassays based on mortality rates in adult worker bees demonstrated interactive effects among acaricides, as well as between acaricides and antimicrobial drugs and between acaricides and fungicides. Toxicity of the acaricide tau-fluvalinate increased in combination with other acaricides and most other compounds tested (15 of 17) while amitraz toxicity was mostly unchanged (1 of 15). The sterol biosynthesis inhibiting (SBI) fungicide prochloraz elevated the toxicity of the acaricides tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos and fenpyroximate, likely through inhibition of detoxicative cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity. Four other SBI fungicides increased the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate in a dose-dependent manner, although possible evidence of P450 induction was observed at the lowest fungicide doses. Non-transitive interactions between some acaricides were observed. Sublethal amitraz pre-treatment increased the toxicity of the three P450-detoxified acaricides, but amitraz toxicity was not changed by sublethal treatment with the same three acaricides. A two-fold change in the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate was observed between years, suggesting a possible change in the genetic composition of the bees tested. Conclusions/Significance Interactions with acaricides in honey bees are similar to drug interactions in other animals in that P450-mediated detoxication appears to play an important role. Evidence of non-transivity, year-to-year variation and induction of detoxication enzymes indicates that pesticide interactions in bees may be as complex as drug interactions in mammals.