Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory Effect of High Concentration of Glucose on Relaxations to Activation of ATP-Sensitive K+ Channels in Human Omental Artery

Objective—The present study was designed to examine in the human omental artery whether high concentrations of D-glucose inhibit the activity of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the vascular smooth muscle and whether this inhibitory effect is mediated by the production of superoxide. Methods and Results—Human omental arteries without endothelium were suspended for isometric force recording. Changes in membrane potentials were recorded and production of superoxide was evaluated. Glibenclamide abolished vasorelaxation and hyperpolarization in response to levcromakalim. D-glucose (10 to 20 mmol/L) but not l-glucose (20 mmol/L) reduced these vasorelaxation and hyperpolarization. Tiron and diphenyleneiodonium, but not catalase, restored vasorelaxation and hyperpolarization in response to levcromakalim in arteries treated with D-glucose. Calphostin C and Gö6976 simultaneously recovered these vasorelaxation and hyperpolarization in arteries treated with D-glucose. Phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA) inhibited the vasorelaxation and hyperpolarization, which are recovered by calphostin C as well as Gö6976. D-glucose and PMA, but not l-glucose, significantly increased superoxide production from the arteries, whereas such increased production was reversed by Tiron. Conclusions—These results suggest that in the human visceral artery, acute hyperglycemia modulates vasodilation mediated by ATP-sensitive K+ channels via the production of superoxide possibly mediated by the activation of protein kinase C.
An open agent architecture: Fundamentals

Different application domains require different knowledge representation techniques. Therefore a robust agent oriented programming framework should not commit to a single KR technology. Instead, it should facilitate an easy integration of heterogeneous knowledge representation techniques in a single agent system. Similarly, different situations an agent might happen to be in, require different schemes of behaviours, such as reactive vs. sequential. Mixing these can lead to a more robust agent system. Finally, a complete agent-oriented programming system should be complemented by a logic for reasoning about resulting implemented agent programs and ideally serving as a methodological framework as well. In this first technical note of the series on open agent architecture we introduce theoretical fundaments of a novel agent programming framework of Behavioural State Machines. The presented framework draws a strict distinction between a knowledge representational and a behavioural level of an agent program. It 1) supports a high level of modularity w.r. t. employed KR technologies, 2) allows implementation of hybrid agents, i.e. mixing of both reactive, as well as sequential behaviours, and 3) provides a clear and concise semantics based on a well-studied computational model of Gurevich’s Abstract State Machines.
On the Computation of the Efficient Frontier of the Portfolio Selection Problem

An easy-to-use procedure is presented for improving the -constraint method for computing the efficient frontier of the portfolio selection problem endowed with additional cardinality and semicontinuous variable constraints. The proposed method provides not only a numerical plotting of the frontier but also an analytical description of it, including the explicit equations of the arcs of parabola it comprises and the change points between them. This information is useful for performing a sensitivity analysis as well as for providing additional criteria to the investor in order to select an efficient portfolio. Computational results are provided to test the efficiency of the algorithm and to illustrate its applications. The procedure has been implemented in Mathematica.
Linear and nonlinear theories of discrete analytic functions. Integrable structure and isomonodromic Green’s function

Abstract Two discretizations, linear and nonlinear, of basic notions of the complex analysis are considered. The underlying lattice is an arbitrary quasicrystallic rhombic tiling of a plane. The linear theory is based on the discrete Cauchy-Riemann equations, the nonlinear one is based on the notion of circle patterns. We clarify the role of the rhombic condition in both theories: under this condition the corresponding equations are integrable (in the sense of 3D consistency, which yields also the existense of zero curvature representations, Bäcklund transformations etc.). We demonstrate that in some precise sense the linear theory is a linearization of the nonlinear one: the tangent space to a set of integrable circle patterns at an isoradial point consists of discrete holomorphic functions which take real (imaginary) values on two sublattices. We extend solutions of the basic equations of both theories to ℤ d , where d is the number of different edge slopes of the quasicrystallic tiling. In the linear theory, we give an integral representation of an arbitrary discrete holomorphic function, thus proving the density of discrete exponential functions. We introduce the d-dimensional discrete logarithmic function which is a generalization of Kenyon’s discrete Green’s function, and uncover several new properties of this function. We prove that it is an isomonodromic solution of the discrete Cauchy-Riemann equations, and that it is a tangent vector to the space of integrable circle patterns along the family of isomonodromic discrete power functions.
Predicting newspaper sales by using data mining techniques

This study focuses on the newspaper sales prediction problem. This is a critical shortcoming especially for newspaper companies, which always try to reduce the number of sell outs and the number of return in the delivered newspapers. This is crucial for decreasing the cost and increasing the profit. It is basically a time-series problem, so it is attempted to be solved with the Holt-Winter's, Linear Regression and Fuzzy C-Means(FCM)+Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy inference system(ANFIS) methods. The relationship between the inputs and the outputs are investigated and calculated by these three methods. The results are presented in the findings section, where they are also compared. The best method for each outlet is selected according to forecast evaluation measures.
High endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA expression is associated with poor IVF outcome.

BACKGROUND The success of IVF treatment is dependent upon embryo quality and coordinated growth and differentiation of the endometrium. Aromatase P450 expression in the human endometrium is thought to be restricted to women with proliferative reproductive tract disorders such as endometriosis, leiomyomas and adenomyosis. METHODS To determine whether endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA expression is prognostic of IVF outcome, we quantified transcript levels in biopsy specimens from a cohort of subfertile patients awaiting IVF treatment using real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS Aromatase P450 transcripts were detected in all endometria examined, although the levels varied considerably between samples, ranging from 0.22 to 486.6 arbitrary units (a.u.). The clinical pregnancy rate in women with high endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA levels (> or = 8.3 a.u.; n = 21) was 9.5% compared with 30.1% in those patients with low expression levels (<8.3 a.u.; n = 101) (P < 0.05). The cycle day of the endometrial biopsy, cause of infertility, age, parity, number of oocytes collected and number of embryos transferred did not differ between patients with high versus low endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA levels (P > 0.1). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that endometrial P450 mRNA levels can identify women at increased risk of IVF treatment failure.
Death and Dying: A Sociological Introduction

Acknowledgements. Introduction. PART I. SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTITUDES TO DEATH. 1. Death, Denial and Diversity. 2. When and How People Die. 3. Life and Death in "Risk Society'. 4. Death, Religion and Spirituality. 5. Death and the Media. PART II. SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES OF DYING. 6. Dying: Institutionalization and Medicalization. 7. The Good Death. 8. The Social Organization of Sudden Death. 9. The Dying and the Dead Body. PART III. POST-DEATH RITUALS OF REMEMBRANCE AND SURVIVAL BELIEFS. 10. Grief and Loss. 11. Relationships Between the Living and the Dead. 12. Mortuary Rituals. Conclusion: Resurrecting Death? Notes. References. Index.
Crystal structures classifier for an evolutionary algorithm structure predictor

USPEX is a crystal structure predictor based on an evolutionary algorithm. Every USPEX run produces hundreds or thousands of crystal structures, some of which may be identical. To ease the extraction of unique and potentially interesting structures we applied usual high-dimensional classification concepts to the unusual field of crystallography. We experimented with various crystal structure descriptors, distinct distance measures and tried different clustering methods to identify groups of similar structures. These methods are already applied in combinatorial chemistry to organic molecules for a different goal and in somewhat different forms, but are not widely used for crystal structures classification. We adopted a visual design and validation method in the development of a library (CrystalFp) and an end-user application to select and validate method choices, to gain userspsila acceptance and to tap into their domain expertise. The use of the classifier has already accelerated the analysis of USPEX output by at least one order of magnitude, promoting some new crystallographic insight and discovery. Furthermore the visual display of key algorithm indicators has led to diverse, unexpected discoveries that will improve the USPEX algorithms.
A randomized trial of rectal indomethacin to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND Preliminary research suggests that rectally administered nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may reduce the incidence of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). METHODS In this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, we assigned patients at elevated risk for post-ERCP pancreatitis to receive a single dose of rectal indomethacin or placebo immediately after ERCP. Patients were determined to be at high risk on the basis of validated patient- and procedure-related risk factors. The primary outcome was post-ERCP pancreatitis, which was defined as new upper abdominal pain, an elevation in pancreatic enzymes to at least three times the upper limit of the normal range 24 hours after the procedure, and hospitalization for at least 2 nights. RESULTS A total of 602 patients were enrolled and completed follow-up. The majority of patients (82%) had a clinical suspicion of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Post-ERCP pancreatitis developed in 27 of 295 patients (9.2%) in the indomethacin group and in 52 of 307 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (P=0.005). Moderate-to-severe pancreatitis developed in 13 patients (4.4%) in the indomethacin group and in 27 patients (8.8%) in the placebo group (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Among patients at high risk for post-ERCP pancreatitis, rectal indomethacin significantly reduced the incidence of the condition. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00820612.).
An experimental study of consonant gemination in Iraqi colloquial Arabic

This thesis is an experimental study of the single/geminate contrasts in Iraqi Colloquial Arabic (I. C. Arabic). It falls into two major parts. Part One is the theoretical part of this study. It comprises two Chapters. Chapter One explains the linguistic significance of gemination in Arabic and sheds some light on the historical background of the phonetic studies initiated by the old Arab grammarians. The syllable structure and the stress patterns both in Classical Arabic and in I. C. Arabic are dealt with. Recent theoretical and experimental studies on Arabic gemination are reviewed. Chapter Two presents a general survey of the literature. The distinctions between long, double and geminate consonants are clarified. Theoretical and experimental studies on gemination in languages other than Arabic are also reviewed. Part Two is the experimental part of this study. It comprises five chapters. Chapter Three is an initial investigation that illustrates the acoustic characteristics of single and geminate consonants used in isolated words as well as in contextual utterances. Chapter Four is a synthetic investigation of geminate consonants carried out with the help of a microcomputer. It investigates the roles played by the segmental durations in the perception of single versus geminate consonants in I. C. Arabic. The theory of 'categorical perception' is then discussed in relation to our data. Chapter Five provides a palatographic evidence of the distinctions between geminate consonants and their single counterparts. It also reviews earlier palatographic studies and discusses the main advantages of the technique of palatography, both static and dynamic, in phonetic research. Chapter Six represents the major experimental work in this study. It investigates the articulatory, aerodynamic and acoustic aspects of the geminate/non-geminate consonants in I. C. Arabic. Two experiments are included in this chapter; the pilot experiment and the main experiment.Because a considerable number of variables are involved in the two experiments, the results have been subjected to statistical treatment, including the statistical test of the 'analysis of variance'. Chapter Seven is the final chapter in this thesis. It begins with the conclusions one can derive from this study and ends with our suggestions for further investigations. The major conclusions that can be drawn from this study are the following: 1. duration is the overriding factor in distinguishing a geminate from a single consonant both perceptually and productively; 2. there is little or no evidence for 'rearticulation' in the production of geminate consonants; and 3. no compensatory adjustment in vowel duration was observed in vowels preceding the two types ofconsonant in word-medial position.
Chaotifying linear Elman networks

A linear model of recurrent neural networks, called the Elman networks, is combined with the simple nonlinear modulo (mod) operation on its linear activated function so as to generate chaos purposely. Conditions on the weight matrix are obtained, under which the generated chaos satisfies the mathematical definition of chaos in the sense of T.Y. Li and J.A. Yorke (1975). Some simple and representative weight matrices are constructed for designing such Elman networks that can generate Li-Yorke chaos. Several numerical simulations are shown to verify and visualize the design.
To split or to conjoin: the question in image computation

Image computation is the key step in fixpoint computations that are extensively used in model checking. Two techniques have been used for this step: one based on conjunction of the terms of the transition relation, and the other based on recursive case splitting. We discuss when one technique outperforms the other, and consequently formulate a hybrid approach to image computation. Experimental results show that the hybrid algorithm is much more robust than the “pure” algorithms and outperforms both of them in most cases. Our findings also shed light on the remark of several researchers that splitting is especially effective in approximate reachability analysis.
Digit Ratio: A Pointer to Fertility, Behavior, and Health

Sex and Population Differences * Associations with Testosterone and Estrogen * Assertiveness, Aggression, Attractiveness, and the Wearing of Rings * Reproductive Success and Sexually Antagonistic Genes * Hand Preference, Verbal Fluency, Autism, and Depression * Birth Weight, Heart Attack, Breast Cancer, and Sex-Dependent Diseases * Male and Female Homosexuality * Music, Musicians, and Mare Choice * Sporting Ability, Running Speed, Spatial Perception, Football Players, and Male Competition * 2nd to 4th Digit Ratio and Future Research
Curvature Detection using Polynomial Fitting on Local Orientation

This report describes a technique to detect curvature. The technique uses local polynomial fitting on a local orientation description of an image. The idea is based on the theory of rotational symmetries which describes curvature, circles, star-patterns etc. The local polynomial fitting is shown to be equivalent to calculating partial derivatives on a lowpass version of the local orientation. The new method can therefore be very efficiently implemented both in the singlescale case and in the multiscale case.
Isocategorical groups

It is well known that if two finite groups have the same symmetric tensor categories of representations over C, then they are isomorphic. We study the following question: when do two finite groups G1,G2 have the same tensor categories of representations over C (without regard for the commutativity constraint). We call two groups with such property isocategorical. We give an example of two groups which are isocategorical but not isomorphic: the affine symplectic group of a vector space over the field of two elements, and an appropriate"affine pseudosymplectic group"introduced by R.Griess (containing the"pseudosymplectic group"of A.Weil). On the other hand, we give a classification of groups isocategorical to a given group. In particular, we show that if G has no nontrivial normal subgroups of order 2^{2m} then any group isocategorical to G must actually be isomorphic to G. The proofs use the theory of triangular Hopf algebras. We also apply the notion of isocategorical groups to studying the question: when are two triangular semisimple Hopf algebras isomorphic as Hopf algebras?
Not all lorises are slow: rapid arboreal locomotion in Loris tardigradus of Southwestern Sri Lanka

The unique slow‐climbing quadrupedalism of Asian lorises has been the subject of numerous studies; however, qualitative observations of more rapid locomotion have occasionally been reported. Field studies of the red slender loris have revealed the habitual use of unexpectedly high‐speed locomotion by the so‐called “sloth of the primate world. ” Novel video footage permitted the first quantitative kinematic analysis of rapid quadrupedalism in wild lorises. Observations revealed that this previously unexplored behavior is far from infrequent, with 26% of red slender loris locomotor activity being dedicated to high‐velocity arboreal quadrupedalism. This locomotor pattern may represent a primitive retention of the rapid, scrambling quadrupedalism that is observed in other strepsirhines, or it may constitute a more recent specialization of this smallest loris taxon. Am. J. Primatol. 69:112–120, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Daptomycin inhibits cell envelope synthesis by interfering with fluid membrane microdomains

Significance To date, simple membrane pore formation resulting in cytoplasmic leakage is the prevailing model for how membrane-active antibiotics kill bacteria and also is one of the main explanations for the activity of the membrane-binding antibiotic daptomycin. However, such models, typically derived from model membrane studies, often depict membranes as homogenous lipid bilayers. They do not take into account the complex architecture of biological membranes, with their many different membrane proteins, or the presence of microdomains with different fluidity properties. Here we report that daptomycin perturbs fluid microdomains in bacterial cell membranes, thereby interfering with membrane-bound cell wall and lipid synthesis processes. Our results add a different perspective as to how membrane-active antibiotics can kill bacteria. Daptomycin is a highly efficient last-resort antibiotic that targets the bacterial cell membrane. Despite its clinical importance, the exact mechanism by which daptomycin kills bacteria is not fully understood. Different experiments have led to different models, including (i) blockage of cell wall synthesis, (ii) membrane pore formation, and (iii) the generation of altered membrane curvature leading to aberrant recruitment of proteins. To determine which model is correct, we carried out a comprehensive mode-of-action study using the model organism Bacillus subtilis and different assays, including proteomics, ionomics, and fluorescence light microscopy. We found that daptomycin causes a gradual decrease in membrane potential but does not form discrete membrane pores. Although we found no evidence for altered membrane curvature, we confirmed that daptomycin inhibits cell wall synthesis. Interestingly, using different fluorescent lipid probes, we showed that binding of daptomycin led to a drastic rearrangement of fluid lipid domains, affecting overall membrane fluidity. Importantly, these changes resulted in the rapid detachment of the membrane-associated lipid II synthase MurG and the phospholipid synthase PlsX. Both proteins preferentially colocalize with fluid membrane microdomains. Delocalization of these proteins presumably is a key reason why daptomycin blocks cell wall synthesis. Finally, clustering of fluid lipids by daptomycin likely causes hydrophobic mismatches between fluid and more rigid membrane areas. This mismatch can facilitate proton leakage and may explain the gradual membrane depolarization observed with daptomycin. Targeting of fluid lipid domains has not been described before for antibiotics and adds another dimension to our understanding of membrane-active antibiotics.
Moving from Organizational Learning to Learning Organization

As a solution for the prompt adaptation to an instable environment, organizational studies suggest promoting organizational learning and creating some organizations that are capable of learning (“learning organization”). But what does learning mean and how can it become an attribute of an economic entity? In order to obtain an answer to this question a research had been developed. This aimed to identify the similarities and differences between organizational learning and learning organization. The goal had been achieved through a content analysis of the relevant literature. In the end, we find out that the learning organization may be categorized as a useful illusion which emphasis the importance of promoting the organizational learning within the company.
Source-Language Entailment Modeling for Translating Unknown Terms

This paper addresses the task of handling unknown terms in SMT. We propose using source-language monolingual models and resources to paraphrase the source text prior to translation. We further present a conceptual extension to prior work by allowing translations of entailed texts rather than paraphrases only. A method for performing this process efficiently is presented and applied to some 2500 sentences with unknown terms. Our experiments show that the proposed approach substantially increases the number of properly translated texts.