Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential Utility of Sodium Selenate as an Adjunct to Metformin in Treating Type II Diabetes Mellitus in Rats: A Perspective on Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase

Metformin is widely regarded as the standard first-line antidiabetic agent, in terms of efficacy and safety profiles. However, in most patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it was found that metformin alone is not enough to adequately control hyperglycemia. Thus, we designed this study with the aim to investigate the effect of sodium selenate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitor, individually and as an adjunct to metformin, on a rat model that simulates the metabolic characteristics of human T2DM. T2DM model was achieved by feeding the rats with high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFFD) for 8 weeks followed by a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg/day, i.p.). Changes in serum glucose, insulin, adiponectin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and the lipid profile were assessed. In addition, the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activity of PTP were determined in the liver. Results showed that the addition of sodium selenate to metformin was able to restore hepatic GSH back to normal levels. Also, this combination therapy corrected the altered serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and adiponectin levels. In conclusion, additive therapeutic effect was recorded when sodium selenate was used as an adjunct to metformin.
Design and Implementation of an Autonomous Mobile Robot for Fabric Fluff Collection

An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is a system that operates in an unpredictable and partially unknown environment with the ability to navigate without disruption and capable to avoid any obstacle placed within the confinement of its movement. This paper highlights the approach of designing and implementation of an AMR with duty to collect fabric fluff along part of an indoor circular knitting floor area of a specified textile factory in Mauritius, for an objective to alleviate the repetitive task of manually disposing the accumulated fabric fluff. As such, the AMR features a self-navigation capability to autonomously drive along the desired floor layout and is also equipped with obstacle detection sensors to overcome any potential collisions. Additionally, a vacuuming system is integrated for suction and temporary storage of the collected fabric fluff deposited on the floor surface.
An improved approximation algorithm for the 0-extension problem

Given a graph <i>G</i> = (<i>V, E</i>), a set of terminals <i>T ⊆ V</i>, and a metric <i>D</i> on <i>T</i>, the <i>0-extension problem</i> is to assign vertices in <i>V</i> to terminals, so that the sum, over all edges <i>e</i>, of the distance (under D) between the terminals to which the end points of <i>e</i> are assigned, is minimized. This problem was first studied by Karzanov. Calinescu, Karloff and Rabani gave an <i>O</i>(log<i>k</i>) approximation algorithm based on a linear programming relaxation for the problem, where <i>k</i> is the number of terminals. We improve on this bound, and give an <i>O</i>(log <i>k</i>/log log <i>k</i>) approximation algorithm for the problem.
Is the hippocampus of the rat part of a specialized navigational system?

The spatial mapping theory of hippocampal function proposes that the rat hippocampus is specialized for navigational computations, computations that allow the animal to solve difficult spatial problems. In this paper, we review evidence obtained by recording place cells and other “spatially tuned” cells from freely moving rats. Our main conclusion is that the nature of the signals carried by these cells and the ways in which the signals transform after changing the environment imply that the hippocampus and associated structures are able to represent aspects of the geometry of the environment. Hippocampus 1999; 9:413–422. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
International evidence on the value of product and geographic diversity

The author examines the effect of product and geographic diversification on firm value for a sample of 1,914 corporations in 18 countries. His results indicate that both product and geographic diversification destroy value at high levels of diversification, suggesting that agency and influence costs arising from the increased complexity outweigh the benefits of diversification at high levels. Geographic diversification is valuable at low levels, however. The author finds that insider ownership is associated with less diversification, across both product and geographic segments, suggesting that insiders view corporate diversification as value destroying.
Neural networks for the analysis and forecasting of advertising and promotion impact

Allocating advertising expenses and forecasting total sales levels are the key issues in retailing, especially when many products are covered and significant cross-effects among products are likely. Various statistical and econometric methods could be applied for such analyses. We explore how well neural networks can be used in analyzing the effects of advertising and promotion on sales in this article. The results reveal that the predictive quality of neural networks depends on the different frequency of data observed, i.e. daily or weekly data models, and the specific learning algorithms used. The study also shows that neural networks are capable of capturing the nonlinear aspects of complex relationships in non-stationary data. By performing sensitivity analysis, neural networks can potentially single out important input variables, thereby making it useful for scenario development and practical use. ≈ 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The total length of spindle microtubules depends on the number of chromosomes present

We extracted chromosomes by micromanipulation from Melanoplus differentialis spermatocytes, producing metaphase spindles with only one or a few chromosomes instead of the usual complement of 23. Cells with various numbers of chromosomes were prepared for electron microscopy, and spindle microtubule length was measured. A constant increment of microtubule length was lost upon the removal of each chromosome; we estimate that only approximately 40% of the original length would remain in the total absence of chromosomes. Unexpectedly, kinetochore microtubules were not the only ones affected when chromosomes were removed: nonkinetochore microtubules accounted for a substantial fraction of the total length lost. No compensatory increase in microtubule length outside the spindle was found. Studies by others show that the kinetochore microtubules of extracted chromosomes are left behind in the cell and dissassemble. The resulting increase in subunit concentration would be expected from in vitro studies to drive microtubule assembly until the original total microtubule length was restored, but that did not happen in these living cells. We conclude that the assembly of a certain, large fraction of microtubule subunits into stable microtubules is dependent on the presence of chromosomes. Possible explanations include (a) limits on microtubule length that prevent any net assembly of the subunits released after chromosomes are removed or (b) a promotion of microtubule assembly by chromosomes, which therefore is reduced in their absence. Chromosome-dependent regulation of microtubule length may account for some features of normal mitosis.
Esculape : un système de question-réponse dans le domaine médical fondé sur l’extraction de relations [Esculape: a question-answering system in the medical domain based on relation extraction]

In this article, we focus on the problem of adapting an open-d omain questionanswering system to a specialized domain, the medical domai n in the present case with family doctors as target users. More precisely, we tackle this prob lem by adding to an open-domain system the capability to exploit the concepts and relations of a domain mode. Although a large number of resources exist in this domain, it is not possible t o rely only on them, and more specifically on the relations they contain, to answer questi on . We show how this difficulty can be overcome by learning linguistic patterns for identif ying relations and applying them to
Pomalidomide for the treatment of relapsed–refractory multiple myeloma: a review of biological and clinical data

Despite the improvements thanks to the introduction of proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), nearly all myeloma patients eventually become refractory to these drugs. Consequently, the outcome of these patients is very poor. Pomalidomide is a new IMiD with a similar structure to the commonly used IMiD thalidomide and lenalidomide. Pomalidomide exhibited more potent anti-myeloma activity and a similar favorable safety profile compared with thalidomide and lenalidomide. In Phase I–II studies pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone demonstrated activity in myeloma patients refractory to both bortezomib and IMiDs. Based on the results of a Phase III trial, the FDA and EMA agencies granted accelerated approval to pomalidomide, which is now considered a new effective strategy for relapsed and/or refractory myeloma patients. Very promising results were obtained when pomalidomide-dexamethasone was used in combination with other compounds. This review provides updated information about pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action, resistance, clinical efficacy and safety of pomalidomide.
Multiple-breath inert gas washout and spirometry versus structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis

Background: A sensitive and valid non-invasive marker of early cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is sought. The lung clearance index (LCI) from multiple-breath washout (MBW) is known to detect abnormal lung function more readily than spirometry in children and teenagers with CF, but its relationship to structural lung abnormalities is unknown. A study was undertaken to determine the agreements between LCI and spirometry, respectively, with structural lung disease as measured by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in children and teenagers with CF. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 44 consecutive patients with CF aged 5–19 years (mean 12 years). At an annual check-up inspiratory and expiratory HRCT scans, LCI and spirometric parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and maximal expiratory flow when 75% of forced vital capacity was expired (FEF75)) were recorded. Abnormal structure was defined as a composite HRCT score of >5%, the presence of bronchiectasis or air trapping >30%. Abnormal lung function was defined as LCI above the predicted mean +1.96 residual standard deviations (RSD), or FEV1 or FEF75 below the predicted mean −1.96 RSD. Sensitivity/specificity assessments and correlation analyses were done. Results: The sensitivity to detect abnormal lung structure was 85–94% for LCI, 19–26% for FEV1 and 62–75% for FEF75. Specificity was 43–65% for LCI, 89–100% for FEV1 and 75–88% for FEF75. LCI correlated better with HRCT scores (Rs +0.85) than FEV1 (−0.62) or FEF75 (−0.66). Conclusions: LCI is a more sensitive indicator than FEV1 or FEF75 for detecting structural lung disease in CF, and a normal LCI almost excludes HRCT abnormalities. The finding of an abnormal LCI in some patients with normal HRCT scans suggests that LCI may be even more sensitive than HRCT scanning for detecting lung involvement in CF.
Catastrophizing, depression, and pain: correlation with and influence on quality of life and health - a study of chronic whiplash-associated disorders.

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were: (i) to classify subgroups according to the degree of pain intensity, depression, and catastrophizing, and investigate distribution in a group of patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders; and (ii) to investigate how these subgroups were distributed and inter-related multivariately with respect to consequences such as health and quality of life outcome measures. DESIGN Descriptive cross-sectional study. PATIENTS A total of 275 consecutive chronic pain patients with whiplash-associated disorders who were referred to a university hospital. METHODS The following data were obtained by means of self-report questionnaires: pain intensity in neck and shoulders, background history, Beck Depression Inventory, the catastrophizing scale of Coping Strategy Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Checklist, the SF-36 Health Survey, and the EuroQol. RESULTS Principal component analysis was used to recognize subgroups according to the degree of pain intensity, depression, and catastrophizing. These subgroups have specific characteristics according to perceived health and quality of life, and the degree of depression appears to be the most important influencing factor. CONCLUSION From a clinical point of view, these findings indicate that it is important to assess patients for intensity of pain, depression, and catastrophizing when planning a rehabilitation programme. Such an evaluation will help individualize therapy and intervention techniques so as to optimize the efficiency of the programme.
Longitudinal gains in self-regulation from regular physical exercise.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of the present study was to test whether the repeated practice of self-regulation could improve regulatory strength over time. METHOD Regulatory performance was assessed at baseline, then at monthly intervals for a period of 4 months using a visual tracking task. Perceived stress, emotional distress, self-efficacy and general regulatory behaviour were assessed by questionnaire. Following a 2-month control phase, participants entered a 2-month self-regulation programme designed to increase regulatory strength: a programme of regular physical exercise. RESULTS Relative to the control phase, participants who exercised showed significant improvement in self-regulatory capacity as measured by an enhanced performance on the visual tracking task following a thought-suppression task. During the regulatory exercise phase, participants also reported significant decreases in perceived stress, emotional distress, smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, and an increase in healthy eating, emotional control, maintenance of household chores, attendance to commitments, monitoring of spending and an improvement in study habits. The control phase showed no systematic changes in performance on the visual tracking task across sessions. Reports of perceived stress, emotional distress and regulatory behaviours were also stable across sessions. CONCLUSIONS The uptake and maintenance of an exercise programme over a 2-month period produced significant improvements in a wide range of regulatory behaviours. Nearly every major personal and social problem has some degree of regulatory failure. The idea that the capacity for self-regulation can be improved is therefore of vast practical importance.
Forwarding Techniques for IP Fragmented Packets in a Real 6LoWPAN Network

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are attracting more and more interest since they offer a low-cost solution to the problem of providing a means to deploy large sensor networks in a number of application domains. We believe that a crucial aspect to facilitate WSN diffusion is to make them interoperable with external IP networks. This can be achieved by using the 6LoWPAN protocol stack. 6LoWPAN enables the transmission of IPv6 packets over WSNs based on the IEEE 802.15. 4 standard. IPv6 packet size is considerably larger than that of IEEE 802.15. 4 data frame. To overcome this problem, 6LoWPAN introduces an adaptation layer between the network and data link layers, allowing IPv6 packets to be adapted to the lower layer constraints. This adaptation layer provides fragmentation and header compression of IP packets. Furthermore, it also can be involved in routing decisions. Depending on which layer is responsible for routing decisions, 6LoWPAN divides routing in two categories: mesh under if the layer concerned is the adaptation layer and route over if it is the network layer. In this paper we analyze different routing solutions (route over, mesh under and enhanced route over) focusing on how they forward fragments. We evaluate their performance in terms of latency and energy consumption when transmitting IP fragmented packets. All the tests have been performed in a real 6LoWPAN implementation. After consideration of the main problems in forwarding of mesh frames in WSN, we propose and analyze a new alternative scheme based on mesh under, which we call controlled mesh under.
Effective Approach to Novel Stochastic Gradient Descent compared with Naive Bayes in Real time Weather Prediction using Precision

To Analyze the Accuracy of climatic changes in real time using machine learning techniques such as Novel Stochastic Gradient Descent and Naive Bayes. Novel Stochastic Gradient Descent is utilized to determine the weather patterns and the accuracy is contrasted with Naive Bayes. The accuracy to predict the weather forecast on a sample size of 200 for each algorithm. For the SPSS analysis, G power of 0.95, CI (continuous Integration) of 95%, and alpha of 0.29 is used. As a result, Novel Stochastic Gradient Descent 94.25% is more accurate than Naive Bayes (92.78%). The accuracy significance value is 0.18. This demonstrates that there is no statistical significance among the two methods. The Novel Stochastic Gradient Descent achieved accuracy of 94.25%, better than Naive Bayes (92.78%) for the chosen Weather prediction dataset.
An Efficient Stream Cipher Algorithm for Data Encryption

Nowadays the data telecommunication security has been provided by most of well-known stream cipher algorithms which are already implemented in different secure protocols such as GSM, SSL, TLS, WEP, Bluetooth etc. These algorithms are A5/1, A5/2, E0 and RC4. On the other hand, these public algorithms already faced to serious security weakness such that they do not provide enough security of proportional plain data in front of cryptanalysis attacks. In this paper we proposed an efficient stream cipher algorithm which generates 23 random bits in each round of processing by parallel random number generator and 115 bits of Initial Vector. This algorithm can implement in high speed communication link more than 100Mb/s and it has passed all of standard cryptographic tests successfully, also it can resist in front of well-known attacks such as algebraic and correlation.
Forgetting data intelligently in data warehouses

The amount of data stored in data warehouses grows very quickly so that they can get saturated. To overcome this problem, we propose a language for specifying forgetting functions on stored data. In order to preserve the possibility of performing interesting analyses of historical data, the specifications include the definition of some summaries of deleted data. These summaries are aggregates and samples of deleted data and will be kept in the data warehouse. Once forgetting functions have been specified, the data warehouse is automatically updated in order to follow the specifications. This paper presents both the language for specifications, the structure of the summaries and the algorithms to update the data warehouse.
International engineering students—avoiding plagiarism through understanding the Western academic context of scholarship

Despite the best attempts of academic staff to teach students the mechanics of citation, the rules of referencing continue to be broken, particularly by those new to Western university systems (either first-year undergraduate students or international students from different cultural backgrounds). In late 2003, 16 postgraduate international engineering students failed an assignment as a result of plagiarism. In response, collaboration between the lecturers and the learning support staff over three years yielded significant improvements in academic scholarship. The improvement in performance was achieved by making cross-cultural assumptions about academic scholarship in the Western context explicit, while putting in place additional workshops for students. Instead of focusing on policy, remediation and punishment, staff worked to foster an understanding of critical scholarship in the Western academic context. The approach also demonstrated the benefits of partnership between engineering faculty and learning support staff.
STAT3 inhibition for cancer therapy: Cell-autonomous effects only?

ABSTRACT A paper recently published in Science Translational Medicine describes a next-generation antisense oligonucleotide that specifically downregulates the expression of human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Such an oligonucleotide, AZD9150, exerts antineoplastic effects on a selected panel of STAT3-dependent human cancer cells growing in vitro and in vivo (as xenografts in immunodeficient mice). Moreover, preliminary data from a Phase I clinical trial indicate that AZD9150 may cause partial tumor regression in patients with chemorefractory lymphoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. STAT3 not only participates in cell-autonomous processes that are required for the survival and growth of malignant cells, but also limits their ability to elicit anticancer immune responses. Moreover, STAT3 contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, the inhibition of STAT3 may promote immunosurveillance by a dual mechanism: (1) it may increase the immunogenicity of cancer cells via cell-autonomous pathways; and (2) it may favor the reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment toward an immunostimulatory state. It will therefore be important to explore whether immunological biomarkers predict the efficacy of AZD9150 in the clinic. This may ameliorate patient stratification and it may pave the way for rational combination therapies involving classical chemotherapeutics with immunostimulatory effects, AZD9150 and immunotherapeutic agents such as checkpoint blockers.
Forming an information technology department in turbulent times

The goals, objectives, characteristics, prerequisites, and courses of an information technology curriculum developed at the University of Veszprem in Hungary are discussed. Basic, introductory, and core courses as well as special subjects are listed, and the program schedule of the five years is presented. The place and role of information engineering in a changing world is discussed, including some thoughts on the role of information technology in the general university curricula. <<ETX>>
FROM JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TO ADULT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR: EXPANDING THE STATE DEPENDENCE PERSPECTIVE ON PERSISTENT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

Dr. Stephen Cernkovich, Advisor Criminological research has identified both stability and change in antisocial behavior across time. Two theoretical perspectives, the population heterogeneity and state dependence models, compete to explain why a small group of offenders persist in antisocial activities throughout the life course, while the vast majority of their contemporaries desist from such behavior. Although prior research has provided support for both perspectives, most of the previous studies are based on samples of “average” or “typical” offenders and thus fail to study serious offenders. In addition, few have examined the concurrent relationship between delinquency and various social domains, which is crucial for our understanding of the stability and change of criminal behavior over time. Meanwhile, we know very little about gender and race differences in the reciprocal relationship between adulthood delinquency and such critical social domains as social capital, self-identity, social networks, and opportunities for prosocial transitions. Further study of these social domains and their relationship with adult criminality is necessary to fill current gaps in understanding persistent antisocial behavior and to provide empirical grounding for the prevention and correction of persistent antisocial behavior. Based on a longitudinal sample of previously institutionalized youth (T1, n=254; T2, n=210), this project expands the testing of the state dependence perspective on persistent criminal behavior by using LISREL 8.54 and structural equation models. Utilizing these techniques, this study examines the reciprocal effects between adult