Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peritoneal Fluid Reduces Angiogenesis-Related MicroRNA Expression in Cell Cultures of Endometrial and Endometriotic Tissues from Women with Endometriosis

Endometriosis, defined as the presence of endometrium outside the uterus, is one of the most frequent gynecological diseases. It has been suggested that modifications of both endometrial and peritoneal factors could be implicated in this disease. Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease in which angiogenesis and proteolysis are dysregulated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the protein expression and may be the main regulators of angiogenesis. Our hypothesis is that peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosis could modify the expression of several miRNAs that regulate angiogenesis and proteolysis in the endometriosis development. The objective of this study has been to evaluate the influence of endometriotic peritoneal fluid on the expression of six miRNAs related to angiogenesis, as well as several angiogenic and proteolytic factors in endometrial and endometriotic cell cultures from women with endometriosis compared with women without endometriosis. Methods Endometrial and endometriotic cells were cultured and treated with endometriotic and control peritoneal fluid pools. We have studied the expression of six miRNAs (miR-16, -17-5p, -20a, -125a, -221, and -222) by RT-PCR and protein and mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A, thrombospondin-1, urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by ELISA and qRT-PCR respectively. Results Control and endometriotic peritoneal fluid pools induced a significant reduction of all miRNAs levels in endometrial and endometriotic cell cultures. Moreover, both peritoneal fluids induced a significant increase in VEGF-A, uPA and PAI-1 protein levels in all cell cultures without significant increase in mRNA levels. Endometrial cell cultures from patients treated with endometriotic peritoneal fluid showed lower expression of miRNAs and higher expression of VEGF-A protein levels than cultures from controls. In conclusion, this “in vitro” study indicates that peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosis modulates the expression of miRNAs that could contribute to the angiogenic and proteolytic disequilibrium observed in this disease.
Supersymmetric electroweak one-loop contributions to flavor-changing Higgs-boson decays

The SUSY-EW one-loop quantum contributions to flavour-changing MSSM Higgs-boson decays into $b \bar s$ and $s \bar b$ are computed and discussed. We use the full diagrammatic approach that is valid for all $\tan \beta$ values and do not rely on the mass-insertion approximation for the characteristic flavour-changing parameter. We analyze in full detail the dependence of these flavour-changing partial widths on all the relevant MSSM parameters and also study the non-decoupling behaviour of these widths with the SUSY mass parameters. We find that these contributions are sizable as compared to the SM ones, and together with the SUSY-QCD contributions they can be very efficient as an indirect method in the future search for Supersymmetry.
Hierarchical task instance mining in interaction histories

Knowledge work at computer workplaces involves execution of multiple concurrent tasks with frequent task interruptions. The complexity of the resulting work processes makes task externalization a desired goal towards facilitating analysis and support of knowledge work, e.g. by extracting and disseminating best practices. In this paper, we present a task mining method that identifies tasks based on interaction histories. The method generates instances of a semantic hierarchical task model which captures an abstraction of the work processes. A specific characteristic of the method is that it mines tasks based on a combination of semantic and temporal features, extracted from enriched interaction histories. The use of semantic similarity results in a high robustness of the system with respect to task interruption and concurrent task execution. An evaluation of our task mining method based on a study with users executing frequently interrupted tasks is presented. One element of the evaluation is the assessment of different algorithms for semantic similarity computing, namely Term Matching (TM), Vector Space Model (VSM) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). For an approach using VSM a precision of 0.83, a recall of 0.76 and a F1-measure of 0.79 is reached.
In-memory dedicated dot-plot analysis for DNA repeats detection

DNA repeats are believed to play significant roles in genome evolution and manifestation of severe diseases. Many of the methods for finding repeated sequences use distances, similarities and consensus sequences to generate candidate sequences. This paper presents results obtained using a dedicated numerical representation with a mapping algorithm (using DNA distances and consensus types) and an in-memory dot-plot analysis combined with image processing techniques, to visual isolate the positions of DNA repeats with different lengths.
Time-aware Personalized Hashtag Recommendation on Social Media

The task of recommending hashtags for microblogs has been received considerable attention in recent years, and many applications can reap enormous benefits from it. Various approaches have been proposed to study the problem from different aspects. However, the impacts of temporal and personal factors have rarely been considered in the existing methods. In this paper, we propose a novel method that extends the translation based model and incorporates the temporal and personal factors. To overcome the limitation of only being able to recommend hashtags that exist in the training data of the existing methods, the proposed method also incorporates extraction strategies into it. The results of experiments on the data collected from real world microblogging services by crawling demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods that do not consider these aspects. The relative improvement of the proposed method over the method without considering these aspects is around 47.8% in F1-score.
The remote, the mouse, and the no. 2 pencil: the household media environment and academic achievement among third grade students.

BACKGROUND Media can influence aspects of a child's physical, social, and cognitive development; however, the associations between a child's household media environment, media use, and academic achievement have yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE To examine relationships among a child's household media environment, media use, and academic achievement. METHODS During a single academic year, data were collected through classroom surveys and telephone interviews from an ethnically diverse sample of third grade students and their parents from 6 northern California public elementary schools. The majority of our analyses derive from spring 2000 data, including academic achievement assessed through the mathematics, reading, and language arts sections of the Stanford Achievement Test. We fit linear regression models to determine the associations between variations in household media and performance on the standardized tests, adjusting for demographic and media use variables. RESULTS The household media environment is significantly associated with students' performance on the standardized tests. It was found that having a bedroom television set was significantly and negatively associated with students' test scores, while home computer access and use were positively associated with the scores. Regression models significantly predicted up to 24% of the variation in the scores. Absence of a bedroom television combined with access to a home computer was consistently associated with the highest standardized test scores. CONCLUSION This study adds to the growing literature reporting that having a bedroom television set may be detrimental to young elementary school children. It also suggests that having and using a home computer may be associated with better academic achievement.
Targeting the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in the Retina With a Gene-Delivered Secretable and Cell-Penetrating Peptide

Purpose Oxidative stress has been linked to several ocular diseases, initiating an inflammatory response that increases tissue injury. The Nrf2 transcription factor regulates expression of antioxidant genes and is tightly regulated by Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 (Keap-1). We evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector delivering an Nrf2-derived peptide that binds Keap-1. Methods The sequence of the Nrf2 peptide was fused to a cell-penetrating peptide (Tat-peptide) sequence (TatNrf2mer). The effects of lentiviral-delivered TatNrf2mer were studied in vitro. Transcript (quantitative [q] RT-PCR) and protein levels (ELISA and immunofluorescence) were quantified. Cell viability was measured by MTT and Cell Titer assays. The AAV vectors were packaged with the TatNrf2mer fused to secretable green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the small chicken β actin promoter. The protective effects of this vector were evaluated in a model of RPE oxidative injury and in a mouse model of uveitis after intravitreal injection. Results Expression of TatNrf2mer peptide induced antioxidant gene expression, blocked IL-1β secretion, and protected cells from oxidative injury. In mice, TatNrf2mer expression partially protected photoreceptor function based on ERG responses and optical coherence tomography measurements in the sodium iodate (NaIO3) model. Furthermore, sGFP-TatNrf2mer expression decreased IL-1β and IL-6 in the NaIO3-treated mice, and resulted in a 54% decrease in the number of inflammatory cells in the vitreous body of the endotoxin-induced uveitis mouse model. Conclusions The intravitreally delivered AAV-TatNrf2mer has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in widely-used models of ocular injury, suggesting it also could be useful in ocular diseases associated with oxidative stress and inflammasome activation.
Interchange Format-based Language Model for Automatic Speech Recognition in Speech-to-Speech Translation

This paper relates a methodology to include some semantic information early in the statistical language model for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). This work is done in the framework of a global speech-to-speech translation project. An Interchange Format (IF) based approach, representing the meaning of phrases independently of languages, is adopted. The methodology consists in introducing semantic information by using a class-based statistical language model for which classes directly correspond to IF entries. With this new Language Model, the ASR module can analyze into IF an important amount of dialogue data: 35% dialogue words; 58% speaker turns. Among these 58% turns directly analyzed, 84% are properly analyzed.
Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey: (491852006-001)

To further an understanding of violence against women, a national telephone survey on violence was conducted from November 1995 to May 1996. The survey sampled approximately 8,000 women and 8,000 men, providing comparable data on women's and men's experiences with violent victimization. Study findings provide empirical data on the prevalence and incidence of rape, physical assault, and stalking, as well as information on intimate partner violence and differences in the prevalence of rape and physical assault on women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Physical assault was found to be widespread among U.S. women, with 52% of those surveyed reporting physical assault in their lives, and 1.9 reporting physical assault in the last 12 months. Racial and ethnic differences were significant, with Native American women the most likely to report rape and physical assault victimization. Women experienced more partner violence, were more likely to be injured during an assault, and were more likely to have been stalked. Implications for public health and intervention planning are discussed. (Contains 15 exhibits and 24 endnotes.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************************
Shattered Dreams: House Prices and New Zealand Monetary Policy

New Zealanders once aspired to home ownership, for many that dream has now been shattered. This paper examines house price inflation in New Zealand, comparing the relationship between the Official Cash Rate and bank mortgage interest rates. We examine the degree of pass through, from the OCR to retail mortgage rates, in the period July 2001 until November 2012. A period of interest not only because of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, but also pre-crisis the RBNZ was increasing the OCR to dampen a booming economy while post crisis they dramatically slashed the OCR in response to global economic outlook. We find there is little pass through from the OCR to retail mortgage rates, and it has limited effect on house price inflation and house affordability. We conclude the RBNZ does not have tools to deal with housing affordability and it may be better for it to be left to the market to self-correct.
The Structure of Ad Hominem Dialogues

The paper proposes a new perspective on modelling ad hominem (AH) techniques in a dialogue. The approach is built upon the following assumptions: (i) that ad hominem is not an inferential, but undercutting structure; (ii) that it can be a non-fallacious dialectical technique in some communicative contexts; and (iii) that critical questions in Walton’s AH scheme can be used to determine strategies of defending against AH attack. We aim to achieve two goals in this paper: first, to represent the deep ontological structure of dialogues with the speaker’s character attacks and defense; and second, to design a game AdHD in which a personal attack, and defense against it, are legitimate dialogue moves.
Propagation of acoustic wave in one-dimensional phononic crystals with magnetorheological fluids

In this paper we present a kind of phononic crystals(PCs) with magnetorheological fluids(MRFs) and its band gaps can be tuned by the magnetic field for the reason that modulus of MRFs can be changed by means of the magnetic field. Finite element method and experimental method are applied to study the propagation of acoustic waves in the PC. Firstly, we obtain the variety of the shear storage modulus and the loss modulus of MRFs under different magnetic flux density. Secondly, relationships between the magnetic flux density and band gaps of the PC are achieved. We find that band gaps change in response to the magnetic field at first, but they keep constant when MRFs reach magnetic saturation state. The results demonstrate the feasibility of tuning band gaps by MRFs with changed magnetic field.
Evolutionary Learning for Intelligent Automation: A Case Study

ABSTRACTIndustrial automation calls for behavioral intelligence, that is, a mixture of flexibility, robustness and adaptiveness of robot behavior. We argue that efficient machine learning techniques can be a valuable tool for achieving behavioral intelligence. As a case study we apply ALECSYS, an implementation of a learning classifier system on a net of transputers, to a gross-motion problem for an industrial manipulator (an IBM 7547 with a SCARA geometry). A simple simulation environment allows us to experiment with different sensor configurations, and to obtain an initial coarse approximation of the robot's controller through learning. The controller is subsequently refined through a learning session run on the physical robot. As a whole, our work demonstrates some interesting distinctive features of the evolutionary computation approach, viewed as a possible alternative to classical methods of software development.
A multi-layer model for anomaly intrusion detection using program sequences of system calls

In this paper we present a new method to process sequences of system calls for anomaly intrusion detection. The key idea is to build a multi-layer model of program behaviours based on both hidden Markov models and enumerating methods for anomaly intrusion detection, which differs from the conventional single layer approach. Our experiments on Unix sendmail program have shown that the model is better in detecting anomalous behaviour of programs in terms of accuracy and response time. As we use the temporal characteristics in the model, it is suitable for online host-based intrusion detection systems in LAN environment. Index Terms Intrusion detection, anomaly detection, hidden Markov model, machine learning, system call sequence.
Predicting client-side attacks via behaviour analysis using honeypot data

In recent years, attackers have started to use web pages to deliver their malicious code to users. Web-based malware overcomes signature-based detection by modification of the code or using zero-day exploits. We propose a malicious activity detection method using Hidden Markov Models (HMM) alongside a client honeypot system. Our algorithm is able to detect the potential malicious behaviour of a web server based on current and past interactions between the web client and the server and can also predict possible future behaviours. The prediction algorithm learns from previously scanned behaviours recorded by a client honeypot system. We group such behaviours in order to enable common characteristics to be investigated across these groups.
Performance of Efficiency Measurement Models – a Study of Brand Advertising Efficiency in the German Car Industry

This paper compares three different models of efficiency measurement on the basis of multiple inputs and outputs. Various data envelopment models are compared with principle component analysis and with a naïve model that derives a single efficiency score for every unit by averaging all possible output-input ratios. The data set for this comparison consists of multiple, media-specific brand advertising expenditures of 21 car makers in the German car market for the years 19982001 and the resulting advertising effects. The analysis shows that DEA on the basis of a constant return to scales model, principal component analysis and the naïve model, produce almost identical results in terms of the overall advertising efficiency of each brand. It is argued that this similarity is due to the linear approach of these models. Differences are found between VRS and CRS models. This findings suggests that the results of efficiency measurement depend on the use of variable or constant-return-to-scale models and that researchers must select carefully between VRS and CRS according to the specifics of the underlying production function.
Based on further analysis of the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment Survey No

In addition to infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal conditions account for a substantial part of the health gap between rich and poor countries. For example, more than 99 percent of maternal deaths occur in the developing world. The majority of the deaths are caused by direct obstetric complications, including haemorrhage, sepsis, eclampsia, obstructed labour, and unsafe abortion practices. In Kenya, complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are leading causes of morbidity and mortality, translating to 414 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Although 88 percent of Kenyan women attend antenatal care, only 40 percent deliver in the health facilities, and only 42 percent of all deliveries have skilled attendance at delivery. In the Kenyan context, access to and use of quality emergency obstetric care (EmOC) are essential to efforts aimed at reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. We examine data from the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment (KSPA) to assess the availability of EmOC services in Kenya, and to demonstrate the importance of health worker training in the delivery of these life-saving services. We find that less than 20 percent of maternal health workers interviewed had received training in focused antenatal or postnatal care in the last three years. Among caregivers providing delivery services, only 18 percent had received training in lifesaving skills, and only 37 percent had received training in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV during the last three years. Our analysis also demonstrates that training is a critical element in the detection and management of complications. Recent training in relevant subject matter was found to be significantly and positively associated with the ability to provide quality care in the event of unsafe abortion and postpartum haemorrhage. Training was also positively associated with the ability to provide appropriate care in the event of a retained placenta. The obvious recommendation is to ensure that up-to-date, quality training is provided to a broad base of health workers at all types of facilities, particularly at the local facilities that are the first point of contact for women experiencing an obstetric emergency. It is recognized that there are logistical obstacles to increasing the number of health workers who receive training. Further, although we isolated the element of training for this analysis, it is clear from these findings that for optimal service outcome, quality-of-care training has to be undertaken within the context of improved infrastructure and as a support to service delivery.
Diffusion in stellar interiors: Critical tests of three numerical methods

We describe and discuss the properties of three numerical methods for solving the diffusion equation for the transport of the chemical species and of the angular momentum in stellar interiors. We study through numerical experiments both their accuracy and their ability to provide physical solutions. On the basis of new tests and analyses applied to the stellar astrophysical context, we show that the most robust method to follow the secular evolution is the implicit finite differences method. The importance of correctly estimating the diffusion coefficient between mesh points is emphasized and a procedure for estimating the average diffusion coefficient between a convective and a radiative zone is described.
EMBRYO BANKS IN THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENTAL GENETICS

HE initial discovery by POLGE, SMITH and PARKES (1949) that glycerol aff ords protection to spermatozoa during freezing and thawing subsequently led to the development of semen banks which have greatly facilitated livestock improvement especially in the cattle breeding industry. However, until recently, the few attempts to preserve mammalian embryos by freezing have been relatively unsuccessful (see reviews by AUSTIN 1961 ; HAFEZ 1969,1971 ; WHITTINGHAM 1973a). The major advantage of preserving the mammalian embryo is that the embryo, unlike the spermatozoan or oocyte, contains the complete genome of the individual to which it will give rise and this can be propagated in a foster mother of unknown genetic background. The major drawback is the limited number of embryos that are available and therefore the freezing technique must have survival rates approaching 100% if it is to have any practical application. Such survival rates are extremely high when compared with those for spermatozoa frozen under optimal conditions (30-50% SHERMAN 1969). Nevertheless, the ability to preserve viable embryos at low temperatures has practical applications in genetics, developmental biology, and the animal breeding industry as well as contributing to the understanding of basic cryobiology. The purpose of this presentation is to outline a successful technique for the low temperature storage of embryos and to describe its application in the field of genetic research especially mouse genetics.