Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE CYTOLOGY OF RICKETTSIAE

Internal structures of rickettsiae seen with phase contrast microscopy and in the electron microscope contain desoxyribonucleic acid and are therefore nuclear structures similar to those found in bacteria. They are minute spherical bodies, either single as in spherical rickettsiae or varying in number from 2 to 4 in rod-shaped forms. Occasional dumbbell-shaped chromatinic bodies are thought to represent these structures in the process of division. The presence of ribonucleic acid in the cytoplasm of rickettsiae was demonstrated with the use of ribonuclease and basic dyes. Rickettsiae therefore have a cellular organization similar to that of certain bacteria, with a clear differentiation into nuclear structure and cytoplasm.
A structure-preserving time-domain analysis for power electronic-interfaced systems

With the penetrations of large-scale renewable energy, improving the simulation efficiency while reserving the interested dynamics is important for analysis of the power electornic-interfaced systems. In order to improve the simulation efficiency and carry out stability analysis of power electronic-interfaced systems, strcture-preserving reduced order methods are proposed. In these methods, the whole system is decoupled as fast and slow subsystems based on the singular perturbation theory, deriving the reduced order models of the whole system. These models can both achieve much improvement of simulation efficiency while analyze the stability of the whole system. Simulation results of a practical power system demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method.
Rethinking Risk Management

This paper presents a theory of corporate risk management that attempts to go beyond the "variance-minimization" model that dominates most academic discussions of the subject. It argues that the primary goal of risk management is not to dampen swings in corporate cash flows or value, but rather to provide protection against the possibility of "costly lower-tail outcomes"-situations that would cause financial distress or make a company unable to carry out its investment strategy. (In the jargon of finance specialists, risk management can be viewed as the purchase of well-out-of-the-money put options designed to limit downside risk.) 1996 Morgan Stanley.
Improving data quality by source analysis

In many domains, data cleaning is hampered by our limited ability to specify a comprehensive set of integrity constraints to assist in identification of erroneous data. An alternative approach to improve data quality is to exploit different data sources that contain information about the same set of objects. Such overlapping sources highlight hot-spots of poor data quality through conflicting data values and immediately provide alternative values for conflict resolution. In order to derive a dataset of high quality, we can merge the overlapping sources based on a quality assessment of the conflicting values. The quality of the resulting dataset, however, is highly dependent on our ability to asses the quality of conflicting values effectively. The main objective of this article is to introduce methods that aid the developer of an integrated system over overlapping, but contradicting sources in the task of improving the quality of data. Value conflicts between contradicting sources are often systematic, caused by some characteristic of the different sources. Our goal is to identify such systematic differences and outline data patterns that occur in conjunction with them. Evaluated by an expert user, the regularities discovered provide insights into possible conflict reasons and help to assess the quality of inconsistent values. The contributions of this article are two concepts of systematic conflicts: contradiction patterns and minimal update sequences. Contradiction patterns resemble a special form of association rules that summarize characteristic data properties for conflict occurrence. We adapt existing association rule mining algorithms for mining contradiction patterns. Contradiction patterns, however, view each class of conflicts in isolation, sometimes leading to largely overlapping patterns. Sequences of set-oriented update operations that transform one data source into the other are compact descriptions for all regular differences among the sources. We consider minimal update sequences as the most likely explanation for observed differences between overlapping data sources. Furthermore, the order of operations within the sequences point out potential dependencies between systematic differences. Finding minimal update sequences, however, is beyond reach in practice. We show that the problem already is NP-complete for a restricted set of operations. In the light of this intractability result, we present heuristics that lead to convincing results for all examples we considered.
Association of Long ATXN 2 CAG Repeat Sizes With Increased Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Participants: A total of 556 case patients with ALS and 471 healthy controls; both groups of participants are of French or French-Canadian origin. Results: We observed a significant association between ATXN2 high-length alleles ( 29 CAG repeats) and ALS in French and French-Canadian ALS populations. Furthermore, we identified spinocerebellar ataxia type 2–pathogenic polyglutamine expansions ( 32 CAG repeats) in both familial and sporadic ALS cases.
Mutations in Cx30 that are linked to skin disease and non-syndromic hearing loss exhibit several distinct cellular pathologies

ABSTRACT Connexin 30 (Cx30), a member of the large gap-junction protein family, plays a role in the homeostasis of the epidermis and inner ear through gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Here, we investigate the underlying mechanisms of four autosomal dominant Cx30 gene mutations that are linked to hearing loss and/or various skin diseases. First, the T5M mutant linked to non-syndromic hearing loss formed functional gap junction channels and hemichannels, similar to wild-type Cx30. The loss-of-function V37E mutant associated with Clouston syndrome or keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and significantly induced apoptosis. The G59R mutant linked to the Vohwinkel and Bart-Pumphrey syndromes was retained primarily in the Golgi apparatus and exhibited loss of gap junction channel and hemichannel function but did not cause cell death. Lastly, the A88V mutant, which is linked to the development of Clouston syndrome, also significantly induced apoptosis but through an endoplasmic-reticulum-independent mechanism. Collectively, we discovered that four unique Cx30 mutants might cause disease through different mechanisms that also likely include their selective trans-dominant effects on coexpressed connexins, highlighting the overall complexity of connexin-linked diseases and the importance of GJIC in disease prevention.
Achievement and morality: a cross-cultural analysis of causal attribution and evaluation.

A recent study by Weiner and Peter has considered the emergence of certain patterns of attribution and evaluation in achievement and moral situations. According to their analysis, judgments should generally follow a Piagetian sequence in which younger children are influenced more by the outcome of an episode and older children by the intent of the protagonist. With a sample of U.S. subjects they found overall support for this analysis. A major of the present study is to determine how sociocultural factors may influence the judgmental patterns outlined by Weiner and Peter by essentially replicating their study in the manifestly different cultural context provided in Iran. Important discrepancies with Weiner and Peter were found which can be attributed to sociocultural factors. However, the cognitive-developmental framework proved generally valuable in working toward a comparative understanding of socialization patterns extant in the two cultures.
Lack of self-averaging in weakly disordered one-dimensional systems

We introduce a one-dimensional disordered Ising model which at zero temperature is characterized by a non-trivial, non-self-averaging, overlap probability distribution when the impurity concentration vanishes in the thermodynamic limit. The form of the distribution can be calculated analytically for any realization of disorder. For non-zero impurity concentration the distribution becomes a self-averaging delta function centered on a value which can be estimated by the product of appropriate transfer matrices.
Daytime sleepiness and cognitive impairment in the elderly population.

BACKGROUND Recent findings suggest that there may be a relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cognitive deficits. This study aims to determine to what extent EDS is predictive of cognitive impairment in an elderly population. METHODS A total of 1026 individuals 60 years or older representative of the general population living in the metropolitan area of Paris, France, were interviewed by telephone using the Sleep-EVAL expert system. To find these individuals, 7010 randomly selected households were called: 1269 had at least 1 household member in this age range (participation rate, 80.9%). In addition to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and International Classification of Sleep Disorders diagnoses, the system administered to participants the Psychological General Well-being Schedule, the Cognitive Difficulties Scale (MacNair-R), and an independent living scale. RESULTS Excessive daytime sleepiness was reported by 13.6% of the sample, with no significant difference among age groups. Compared with nonsleepy participants, those with EDS were at increased risk of cognitive impairment on all the dimensions of the MacNair-R scale after controlling for age, sex, physical activity, occupation, organic diseases, use of sleep or anxiety medication, sleep duration, and psychological well-being. The odd ratios were 2.1 for attention-concentration deficits, 1.7 for praxis, 2.0 for delayed recall, 2.5 for difficulties in orientation for persons, 2.2 for difficulties in temporal orientation, and 1.8 for prospective memory. CONCLUSIONS Among elderly individuals in the general population, EDS is an important risk factor for cognitive impairment. A complaint of EDS by an elderly patient should signal the possibility of an underlying cognitive impairment in need of evaluation.
Chondroitinase-mediated Degradation of Rare 3-O-Sulfated Glucuronic Acid in Functional Oversulfated Chondroitin Sulfate K and E*

Chondroitin sulfate K (CS-K) from king crab cartilage rich in rare 3-O-sulfated glucuronic acid (GlcUA(3S)) displayed neuritogenic activity and affinity toward various growth factors like CS-E from squid cartilage. CS-K-mediated neuritogenesis of mouse hippocampal neurons in culture was abolished by digestion with chondroitinase (CSase) ABC, indicating the possible involvement of GlcUA(3S). However, identification of GlcUA(3S) in CS chains by conventional high performance liquid chromatography has been hampered by its CSase ABC-mediated degradation. To investigate the degradation process, an authentic CS-E tetrasaccharide, Δ4,5HexUA-GalNAc(4S)-GlcUA(3S)-GalNAc(4S), was digested with CSase ABC, and the end product was identified as GalNAc(4S) by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Putative GalNAc(6S) and GalNAc(4S,6S), derived presumably from GlcUA(3S)-GalNAc(6S) and GlcUA(3S)-GalNAc(4S,6S), respectively, were also detected by ESI-MS in the CSase ABC digest of a CS-E oligosaccharide fraction resistant to CSases AC-I and AC-II. Intermediates during the CSase ABC-mediated degradation of Δ4,5HexUA(3S)-GalNAc(4S) to GalNAc(4S) were identified through ESI-MS of a partial CSase ABC digest of a CS-K tetrasaccharide, GlcUA(3S)-GalNAc(4S)-GlcUA(3S)-GalNAc(4S), and the conceivable mechanism behind the degradation of the GlcUA(3S) moiety was elucidated. Although a fucose branch was also identified in CS-K, defucosylated CS-K exhibited greater neuritogenic activity than the native CS-K, excluding the possibility of the involvement of fucose in the activity. Rather, (3S)-containing disaccharides are likely involved. These findings will enable us to detect GlcUA(3S)-containing disaccharides in CS chains to better understand CS-mediated biological processes.
Evaluation of the microstructural, mechanical and anti‐corrosive properties of a new ternary Ti–15Zr–5Nb alloy in simulated oral environment

A new ternary Ti–15Zr–5Nb alloy was elaborated with the aim to satisfy the most stringent requirements of a good implant material. The alloy has α + β bi‐phase microstructure (by XRD and optical microscopy) and presents a proper combination between Young's modulus, elasticity and good ultimate tensile strength and 0.2% yield strength (from stress–strain tensile curve), indicating a good suitability as implant material. Electrochemical behaviour in artificial Carter‐Brugirard saliva of different pH values (3.96, 7.84, and 9.11) and composition (un‐doped and doped with 0.05 M NaF) that simulate the severe functional conditions in the oral cavity was evaluated. All electrochemical parameters of the new alloy revealed more favourable values than those of the CP Ti and Ti–6Al–4V ELI alloy, showing a more compact, resistant passive film formed on the new alloy surface. The corrosion rates and corresponding ion release rates for the new Ti–15Zr–5Nb alloy exhibited very low values (hundreds of times smaller) in comparison with similar commercial biomaterials. Electrochemical impedance spectra distinguished bi‐layered passive film formed by inner, barrier layer and outer, porous layer. X‐ray photoelectron spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations proved that in time, protective compounds were deposited from saliva on the alloy surface, enhancing its corrosion resistance.
Predictors of gastrointestinal perforation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal perforation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is often difficult to diagnose and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for this complication in the studied population to further improve prophylaxis and diagnosis in the region of study. METHODS Of 8,975 consecutive patients undergoing CABG during 10 years (1995-2005), 15 (0.16%) developed gastrointestinal perforation requiring laparatomy. Data from patients who experienced gastrointestinal perforation were analyzed using univariate tests in a controlled retrospective design. RESULTS Prolonged bypass time and preoperative heparin administration were found to be significant (P<0.05) risk factors. CONCLUSION Low splanchnic blood flow and vasoconstriction might be underlying factors associated with both predictors. With current findings, however, clear inference about preoperative and postoperative predictors and their relation is not possible. With more information, the next step would be to build a prediction model in recognition of gastrointestinal perforation after CABG on the basis of the predisposing factors.
The Habit Programming Language Preliminary Report

• Systems programming: Unlike Haskell, which was intended to serve as a general purpose functional programming language, the design of Habit focusses on features that are needed in systems software development. These priorities are reflected fairly directly in the new features that Habit provides for describing bit-level and memory-based data representations, the introduction of new syntactic extensions to facilitate monadic programming, and, most significantly, the adoption of a call-by-value semantics to improve predictability of execution. The emphasis on systems programming also impacts the design in less direct ways, including assumptions about the expected use of whole program compilation and optimization strategies in a practical Habit implementation.
Stopping set analysis of 3-dimensional turbo code ensembles

In this paper, we analyze the asymptotic stopping set distribution of 3-dimensional turbo code (3D-TC) ensembles, consisting of a parallel turbo code concatenated in series with an inner accumulator which encodes only a fraction λ of the turbo code parity bits. We show that, for certain parameters, the stopping distance of 3D-TC ensembles asymptotically grows linearly with the block length, i.e., 3D-TCs are good for the binary erasure channel. We also consider random puncturing of non-systematic bits and show that higher (or some) linear growth rate is obtained for decreasing values of λ, contrary to the asymptotic minimum distance, whose growth rate decreases with decreasing values of λ. Finally, iterative convergence thresholds of 3D-TC ensembles are analyzed by means of extrinsic information transfer charts.
Handbook of Materials for Medical Devices

The Handbook of Materials for Medical Devices provides an in-depth review of the properties, processing, and selection of materials used in the environment of the human body - an environment that is surprisingly hostile and aggressive. Among the application areas described are orthopedics (hips, knees, and spinal and fracture fixation), cardiology (stents, heart valves, pacemakers), surgical instruments, and restorative dentistry. Materials discussed include metals and alloys, ceramics, glasses, and glass-ceramics, polymeric materials, composites, coatings, and adhesives and cements. The book is divided into three major sections. The first section provides an expansive overview of biomaterials and their use in medical devices. Charts and diagrams illustrate/list the many parts of the body that can be replaced by manmade materials. Case histories document some of the more common and successful medical device applications. Biocompatibility and mechanical requirements for implantable devices are also reviewed. The second section of the handbook deals with medical (nondental) applications. Stainless steels, cobalt-chromium alloys, titanium alloys, shape memory alloys, and tantalum are among the metallic materials described. Similar information is provided on nonmetallic materials, including new coatings that offer lubricity, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial action to device surfaces. Other coatings can be used to release drugs or make implanted devices more visible to imaging systems. The final section addresses biomaterials for dental applications. Emphasis is placed on corrosion and tribological behavior and corresponding test procedures to determine corrosion and wear resistance. Contents: Introduction: Overview of Biomaterials and Their use in Medical Devices; Physical and Mechanical Requirements for Medical Device Materials. Medical (Nondental) Applications: Metallic Materials; Corrosion of Metallic Implants and Prosthetic Devices; Failure Analysis of Metallic Orthopedic Implants; Ceramic Materials; Polymeric Materials; Adhesives and Cements; Coatings. Dental Applications: Biomaterials for Dental Applications; Tarnish and Corrosion of Dental Alloys; Friction and Wear of Dental Materials; Index.
The role of cytokine signaling in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) displays immunosuppressive properties and phenotypic plasticity. The malignant T cells in CTCL can possess features of immunomodulating regulatory T cells (Treg) and IL-17-producing helper T cells (Th17) depending on the stimuli they receive from antigen presenting cells and other sources. IL-2-type cytokines activate STAT5 to promote expression of Treg-related FoxP3, while various cytokines can activate STAT3 to induce synthesis of IL-10 and IL-17. When the Treg phenotype is activated in the early stages of CTCL, “immune evasion” can occur, allowing the clonal T cells to expand. Late stages of CTCL lose the FoxP3 expression but continue to express an immunosuppressive cell-surface ligand PD-L1 suggesting that this and possibly other immunosuppressive proteins rather than FoxP3 are critical for the immunosuppressive state in the advanced stages of CTCL. Novel therapeutic agents may potentially exploit the phenotypic plasticity of CTCL such that the malignant T cells become vulnerable to antitumor immunity.
Use of Shrubs as Nurse Plants: A New Technique for Reforestation in Mediterranean Mountains

Common techniques currently used for afforestation in the Mediterranean basin consider the pre‐existing vegetation (mainly shrubs) as a source of competition for trees, and consequently it is generally eliminated before planting. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that woody plants can facilitate the establishment of understory seedlings in environments that, like the Mediterranean area, are characterized by a pronounced dry season. In this study, we experimentally analyze the usefulness of shrubs as nurse plants for afforestation of two native conifers, Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) and Pinus nigra Arnold (black pine). Two‐year‐old seedlings were planted in four microhabitats: (1) open interspaces without vegetation (which is the usual method used in afforestation programs), (2) under individuals of Salvia lavandulifolia, (3) under the north side of spiny shrubs, and (4) under the south side of spiny shrubs. Pine survival was remarkably higher when planted under individuals of the shrub S. lavandulifolia (54.8% for Scots pine, 81.9% for black pine) compared with open areas (21.5% for Scots pine, 56.8% for black pine; chi square, p < 0.05). The survival of both pines was also higher when planted on the north side of spiny shrubs, although the survival on the south side was similar to that found in open areas. In addition, pine growth was not inhibited when planted in association with shrubs. This pattern appears to result from the combination of abiotic conditions imposed by the presence of a nurse shrub, which leads to improvement in seedling water status and therefore reduced summer mortality by drought. The results show that the use of shrubs as nurse plants is a technique that offers both economic and ecological advantages, in terms of savings in labor and plant material and reduced and even negligible impact on the pre‐existing vegetation.
Low-dimensional embedding using adaptively selected ordinal data

Low-dimensional embedding based on non-metric data (e.g., non-metric multidimensional scaling) is a problem that arises in many applications, especially those involving human subjects. This paper investigates the problem of learning an embedding of n objects into d-dimensional Euclidean space that is consistent with pairwise comparisons of the type “object a is closer to object b than c. ” While there are O(n3) such comparisons, experimental studies suggest that relatively few are necessary to uniquely determine the embedding up to the constraints imposed by all possible pairwise comparisons (i.e., the problem is typically over-constrained). This paper is concerned with quantifying the minimum number of pairwise comparisons necessary to uniquely determine an embedding up to all possible comparisons. The comparison constraints stipulate that, with respect to each object, the other objects are ranked relative to their proximity. We prove that at least Q(dn log n) pairwise comparisons are needed to determine the embedding of all n objects. The lower bounds cannot be achieved by using randomly chosen pairwise comparisons. We propose an algorithm that exploits the low-dimensional geometry in order to accurately embed objects based on relatively small number of sequentially selected pairwise comparisons and demonstrate its performance with experiments.