Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacodynamic profile of short-term abciximab treatment demonstrates prolonged platelet inhibition with gradual recovery from GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade.

BACKGROUND The glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist abciximab is approved for use in high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions. The purpose of the present study was to establish the pharmacodynamic profile and platelet-bound life span of abciximab. METHODS AND RESULTS The pharmacodynamics of abciximab (inhibition of ex vivo platelet aggregation and GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade) were measured in 41 individuals who were randomized to receive a 0.25-mg/kg bolus and a 12-hour infusion of either 10 microg/min (EPIC regimen) or 0.125 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) (EPILOG regimen) of the antiplatelet agent. At extended times, the amount and distribution of platelet-bound abciximab were monitored by flow cytometry. The EPIC and EPILOG infusion regimens exhibited equivalent blockade of both GP IIb/IIIa receptors and platelet aggregation throughout the duration of abciximab treatment. Flow cytometry revealed a single, highly fluorescent platelet population during treatment, consistent with complete saturation and homogeneous distribution of abciximab on circulating platelets. For 15 days after treatment, the fluorescence histograms remained unimodal with gradually diminishing fluorescence intensity, indicating decreasing levels of platelet-bound abciximab. At 8 and 15 days, which exceeds the normal circulating life span of platelets, median relative fluorescence intensity corresponded to 29100 (29% GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade) and 13300 (13% GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade) abciximab molecules bound per platelet, respectively. CONCLUSIONS These results are consistent with continuous reequilibration of abciximab among circulating platelets and may explain the gradual recovery of platelet function and long-term prevention of ischemic complications by abciximab after coronary intervention.
New Insights on Astrocyte Ion Channels: Critical for Homeostasis and Neuron-Glia Signaling

Initial biophysical studies on glial cells nearly 50 years ago identified these cells as being electrically silent. These first studies also demonstrated a large K+ conductance, which led to the notion that glia may regulate extracellular K+ levels homeostatically. This view has now gained critical support from the study of multiple disease models discussed herein. Dysfunction of a major astrocyte K+ channel, Kir4.1, appears as an early pathological event underlying neuronal phenotypes in several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. An expanding list of other astrocyte ion channels, including the calcium-activated ion channel BEST-1, hemichannels, and two-pore domain K+ channels, all contribute to astrocyte biology and CNS function and underpin new forms of crosstalk between neurons and glia. Once considered merely the glue that holds the brain together, it is now increasingly recognized that astrocytes contribute in several fundamental ways to neuronal function. Emerging new insights and future perspectives of this active research area are highlighted within. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The critical role of astrocyte potassium channels in CNS homeostasis has been reemphasized by recent studies conducted in animal disease models. Emerging evidence also supports the signaling role mediated by astrocyte ion channels such as BEST1, hemichannels, and two-pore channels, which enable astrocytes to interact with neurons and regulate synaptic transmission and plasticity. This minisymposium highlights recent developments and future perspectives of these research areas.
THE GEOMETRY OF K3 SURFACES

Of course, smooth surfaces of degree 4 are one type of K3 surface. (For those who don’t know, a K3 surface is a (smooth) surface X which is simply connected and has trivial canonical bundle. Such surfaces satisfy χ(OX ) = ∞, and for every divisor D on X, D · D is an even integer. ) We first try a very straightforward approach to this problem. Let C be any smooth curve of genus 3, and let Z be any divisor on C of degree 8. (For example, we may take Z to be the sum of any 8 points on C.) I claim that the linear system |Z| defines an embedding of C. This follows from a more general fact, which I hope you have seen before.
Quantitative Theory of Richtmyer-Meshkov InstabilityJohn

The acceleration of a material interface by a shock wave generates an interface instability known as the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. Previous attempts to model the growth rate of the instability have produced values that are almost twice that of the experimental measurements. This article presents numerical simulations using front tracking that for the rst time are in quantitative agreement with experiments of a shocked air-SF 6 interface. Moreover, the failure of the impulsive model, and the linear theory from which it is derived, to model experiments correctly is understood in terms of time limits on the validity of the linear model.
Illustrative visualization of segmented human cardiac anatomy based on context-preserving model

The layered structure of human heart is a challenging task for visualization. Conventional visualization method can hardly be used to provide satisfied rendering results due to the complex anatomical structure of human heart. In addition, it is very hard to find a balance between rendering the inner structure and the silhouettes of the heart. In this work we adopt the context-preserving volume rendering model which has been widely applied to layered medical data sets. We add new ingredient to the context-preserving model to fit the human heart volume data set and design an interactive tuning transfer function to enhance the tissue silhouettes. A transfer function is designed to map the gray scale in 3D cardiac data to the corresponding optical attribute according to the anatomical structure. To enhance rendering efficiency, we implement our method in a Graphic Processing Units (GPU) based framework.
Multiwavelet-Based Estimation for Improving Magnetic Resonance Images

It is well known that magnetic resonance (MR) image data obey a Rician distribution, which introduces a signaldependent bias to the data. Thinking over the Rician model, the text studies a translation-invariant (TI) multiwavelet thresholding technique and applies it to the squared magnitude MR images. Besides, a directional Wiener filter in the TI multiwavelet domain is presented using the adaptive neighborhood windows by the fact that the energy clusters in the three oriented wavelet subbands are different. Accordingly, the sizes of the windows should be adjusted as the scale changes. The optimum values were obtained by a large number of experiments. The denoising performance of the algorithm superior to other methods is demonstrated on both simulated and actual MR images. Keywords-magnetic resonance imaging; Rician noise; magnitude images; TI multiwavelet transform; directional Wiener filtering
Performance-driven simultaneous place and route for island-style FPGAs

Sequential place and route tools for FPGAs are inherently weak at addressing both wirability and timing optimizations. This is primarily due to the difficulty of accurately predicting wirability and delay during placement. A new performance-driven simultaneous placement/routing technique has been developed for island-style FPGA designs. On a set of industrial designs for Xilinx 4000-series FPGAs, our scheme produces 100% routed designs with 8%-15% improvement in delay when compared to the Xilinx XACT5.0 place and route system.
Será o trabalho não remunerado o principal determinante para a baixa percepção do status social subjetivo em atletas de futebol de base

espanolEl objetivo del estudio fue verificar hasta que punto el trabajo no remunerado y la propiedad estan asociados con una baja percepcion del Status Social Subjetivo (SSS) en los jugadores de futbol. Un total de 152 atletas masculinos con una edad media de 16.2 (SD= 1.69), pertenecientes a Sub 15 (n= 45), Sub17 (n= 46) y Sub 20 (n= 49) de dos clubes profesionales en Santa Catarina Estado -Sur de Brasil, participando en la 2da division del Campeonato Brasileno. Se concluye que el derecho del Club es la principal variable explicativa para el SSS inferior para las categorias jovenes (sub 15 y sub 17), y que el hecho de recibir o no un salario se convierte en un predictor importante de percepcion baja con SSS cuando los atletas envejecen 20). EnglishThe objective of the study was to verify the extent to which unpaid work and ownership are associated with low perception of Subjective Social Status (SSS) in soccer players. A total of 152 male athletes with a mean age of 16.2 (SD= 1.69), belonging to Sub 15 (n= 45), Sub17 (n= 46) and Sub 20 (n= 49) of two professional clubs in the Santa Catarina State –Southern Brazil, participating in the 2nd division of the Brazilian National Championship. It is concluded that the Club entitlement is the main explanatory variable for the lower SSS for younger (sub 15 and sub 17 categories), and that whether or not receives salary becomes an important predictor of low perception with SSS when athletes getting older (Category Sub 20). portuguesO objetivo do estudo foi verificar em que medida o trabalho nao remunerado e a titularidade estao associados a baixa percepcao do Status Social Subjetivo (SSS) em atletas de base do futebol. Participaram desse estudo 152 atletas do sexo masculino em fase de formacao esportiva com media de idade de 16.2 (DP= 1.69) anos, pertencentes as categorias Sub 15 (n= 45), Sub17 (n= 46) e Sub 20 (n= 49) de dois clubes profissionais do estado de Santa Catarina-Brasil participantes da 2a divisao do Campeonato Brasileiro. Conclui-se que a titularidade e a principal variavel explicativa para o baixo SSS para mais jovens (categorias sub 15 e sub 17), e que o receber ou nao salario, se torna um importante preditor da baixa percepcao com SSS ao passar da idade (categoria sub 20).
On the nature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli are microorganisms that adaptto stressful conditions generated by the infected host against them. By slowing metabolism or becoming dormant, they may counterbalance these conditions and appear as silent to the immune system. Moreover, the dynamic turnover of the infected cells provokes a constant reactivation of the latent bacilli when the environmental conditions are favourable, or an activation after being dormant in necrotic and fibrotic lesions for a long period of time. Since there is no in vivo nor in vitro evidence for quick resuscitation of dormant bacilli, the current authors strongly favour the possibility that latent tuberculosis infection can be maintained for no longer than ∼10 yrs, which is, nowadays, a time period very close to that considered for “primary” tuberculosis. This concept may also be helpful for newer epidemiological considerations regarding the real impact of reinfection in tuberculosis.
Hybrid sales structures in the age of e-commerce

Sales organizations continue to exhibit meaningful changes in their structures during the e-commerce era. This article examines the impact of Internet technology on the evolution of sales organizations and identifies key components underpinning a successful hybrid sales structure. A comprehensive review of sales organization studies leads to the derivation of a hybrid sales structure model, as well as a series of key recommendations pertaining to the organization and sales performance. These findings establish a platform for further research into the hybrid sales structure. The transition from a reliance on traditional, outside sales forces to a concomitant use of inside sales personnel produces hybrid sales structures that can accommodate online buyer–seller interactions and also leverage technological advances in sales automation and business intelligence to boost sales performance.
Noncoding RNAs in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: From Key Regulators to Clinical Players

Recent analyses have shown that human cells transcribe almost their entire genomes, implying the existence of a huge mass of ncRNAs. At the present, microRNAs are the most investigated regulative non-coding RNAs. Several studies have demonstrated that microRNAs play a crucial role in hematopoietic differentiation and hematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Aberrant expression of microRNAs has been associated with specific genetic abnormalities and clinical outcome of patients with AML. In addition, since microRNAs can function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, the potential of using these molecules as therapeutic targets opens up new opportunities in the future of AML therapy. The recent demonstration that other regulatory ncRNAs, in addition to microRNAs, are involved in hematopoietic cell differentiation and diseases, suggests that they may also have a biological relevance in AML. This paper will describe the role of ncRNAs in AML and discuss the expectations for the use of ncRNAs in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of AML.
The potential impact of the application of electronic portfolio on Iranian EFL learners’ writing performance seeking their gender role

Abstract Electronic portfolios are one of the potentially influential e-learning developments that could successfully find its way into language learning classes all around the world, although in Iranian EFL context students are not entirely familiar with them yet. The primary objective of this paper was to answer questions regarding the effect of e-portfolio on the students’ writing proficiency. Also, the potential effect of gender on their use of electronic portfolio was investigated as well. 157 male and female Iranian English-major students were involved in the study during one academic semester. The data obtained from a quasi-experimental design, comparing electronic portfolio assessment and conventional method of teaching writing, was quantitatively analyzed. The findings revealed that the application of e-portfolio has a significant effect on students’ writing proficiency. However, gender had no impact on their use of e-portfolio.
Assessment of the Muscle Strength and Range of Motion Ankle in Boys With and Without Flatfoot

The purpose of the present survey is the comparison of the strength and range of motion of ankles’ muscles in teenager boys with and without flatfoot. For this purpose, 50 subjects consisted of 25 students who had flexible flat foot, with a mean age, height and weight, 12±0.87 years, 149.84±9.71cm, 45.92±10.58kg respectively, and 25 students without flatfoot with a mean age, height and weight, 11.92±0.81 years, 150.88±8.21cm and 46.28±9.34kg respectively, participated in the research after medical examination by the physician. The comparison of the strength of ankle’s muscles in D.F and P.F, and the ankles’ range of motion in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion was evaluated in three conditions of without resistance, under pressure, and with resistance in both healthy and affected groups. Clear universal goniometer was used for measuring the range of motion. Lafayette hand-held digital dynamometer was used for measuring the strength. All the data was evaluated through SPSS software version 20. Alpha 0.05 was regarded as the level of significance. Independent t-test was used for comparing the aforementioned variables in two groups. To compare the range of motion in D.F and P.F in three evaluating conditions for each of the motions one inter group variable of measurement condition (including 3 levels) and one intra group variable was used based on separated variance analysis. Multiple analysis of variance test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni correction was used. The present investigation showed that no significant difference was seen between the aforesaid hypotheses among two healthy and flat foot affected groups.
Polarization Measurements of the Magnetic Field Strengths in the L 183 , L 1544 , and L 43 Prestellar Cores

We have mapped linearly polarized dust emission from L183 with the JCMT SCUBA polarimeter and have analyzed these and our previously published data for the prestellar cores L183, L1544, and L43 in order to estimate magnetic field strengths in the plane of the sky, Bpos. The analysis used the ChandrasekharFermi technique, which relates the dispersion in polarization position angles to Bpos. We have used these estimates of the field strengths (neglecting the unmeasured line-of-sight component) to find the mass-to-magnetic flux ratios λ (in units of the critical ratio for magnetic support). Results are Bpos ≈ 80 μG and λ ≈ 2.6 for L183, Bpos ≈ 140 μG and λ ≈ 2.3 for L1544, and Bpos ≈ 160 μG and λ ≈ 1.9 for L43. Hence, without correction for geometrical biases, for all three cores the mass-to-flux ratios are supercritical by a factor of ∼ 2, and magnetic support cannot prevent collapse. However, a statistical mean correction for geometrical bias may be up to a factor of three; this correction would reduce the
Astrocyte-Associated Fibronectin Is Critical for Axonal Regeneration in Adult White Matter

Although it has been suggested that astroglia guide pioneering axons during development, the cellular and molecular substrates that direct axon regeneration in adult white matter have not been elucidated. We show that although adult cortical neurons were only able to elaborate very short, highly branched, dendritic-like processes when seeded onto organotypic slice cultures of postnatal day 35 (P35) rat brain containing the corpus callosum, adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were able to regenerate lengthy axons within the reactive glial environment of this degenerating white matter tract. The callosum in both P35 slices and adult rat brain was rich in fibronectin, but not laminin. Furthermore, the fibronectin was intimately associated with the intratract astrocytes. Blockade of fibronectin function in situ with an anti-fibronectin antibody dramatically decreased outgrowth of DRG neurites, suggesting that fibronectin plays an important role in axon regeneration in mature white matter. The critical interaction between regrowing axons and astroglial-associated fibronectin in white matter may be an additional factor to consider when trying to understand regeneration failure and devising strategies to promote regeneration.
Molecular Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis in HIV/HCV Coinfection

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in people coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several studies have shown that HIV infection promotes accelerated HCV hepatic fibrosis progression, even with HIV replication under full antiretroviral control. The pathogenesis of accelerated hepatic fibrosis among HIV/HCV coinfected individuals is complex and multifactorial. The most relevant mechanisms involved include direct viral effects, immune/cytokine dysregulation, altered levels of matrix metalloproteinases and fibrosis biomarkers, increased oxidative stress and hepatocyte apoptosis, HIV-associated gut depletion of CD4 cells, and microbial translocation. In addition, metabolic alterations, heavy alcohol use, as well drug use, may have a potential role in liver disease progression. Understanding the pathophysiology and regulation of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV co-infection may lead to the development of therapeutic strategies for the management of all patients with ongoing liver disease. In this review, we therefore discuss the evidence and potential molecular mechanisms involved in the accelerated liver fibrosis seen in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV.
On the role of steric clashes in methylation control of restriction endonuclease activity

Restriction-modification systems digest non-methylated invading DNA, while protecting host DNA against the endonuclease activity by methylation. It is widely believed that the methylated DNA would not ‘fit’ into the binding site of the endonuclease in the productive orientation, and thus steric clashes should account for most of the protection. We test this concept statistically by grafting methyl groups in silico onto non-methylated DNA in co-crystal structures with restriction endonucleases. Clash scores are significantly higher for protective than non-protective methylation (P < 0.05% according to the Wilcoxon rank sum test). Structural data alone are sufficient to distinguish between protective and non-protective DNA methylation with 90% confidence and decision thresholds of 1.1 Å and 48 Å3 for the most severe distance-based and cumulative volume-based clash with the protein, respectively (0.1 Å was deducted from each interatomic distance to allow for coordinate errors). The most severe clashes are more pronounced for protective methyl groups attached to the nitrogen atoms (N6-methyladenines and N4-methylcytosines) than for C5-methyl groups on cytosines. Cumulative clashes are comparable for all three types of protective methylation.
A Novel Class of Linear MIMO Detectors with Boosted Communications Performance: Algorithm and VLSI Architecture

This paper introduces a novel class of linear soft-input soft-output detectors with boosted communications performance. The detector showed an SNR gain of up to 2.4 dB compared to state-of-the-art linear detectors. We introduce a low-complexity algorithm tailored for VLSI implementation, and propose a suitable architecture. The developed ASIC demonstrates the feasibility and efficiency of the concept, achieving the IEEE 802.11n standard's peak data rate of 600 Mbit/s.
Czech language database of car speech and environmental noise

This paper will present new Czech language twochannel (stereo) speech database recorded in car environment. The created database was designed for experiments with speech enhancement for communication purposes and for the study and the design of a robust speech recognition systems. It respects car noise environment which is currently at the top of the interest. Tools for automated phoneme labelling based on Baum-Welch re-estimation were designed. The noise analysis of the car background environment was done.