Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Light and electron microscopic demonstration of non-specific esterase in amoeboid microglial cells in the corpus callosum in postnatal rats: a cytochemical link to monocytes.

Amoeboid microglia (Ling & Tan, 1974; Ling, 1976) are a group of round or pseudopodic cells present in the loosely structured subcortical white matter in the postnatal brain (Rydberg, 1932; Stensaas & Reichert, 1971). They were thought to be invading mesodermal pial elements whkch would give rise to microglial cells during early development (Penfield, 1932; Rio-Hortega, 1932). In postnatal rats, amoeboid microglial cells form a prominent 'cell colony' in the corpus callosum above the lateral ventricle (Ling, 1976). They are readily distinguished from the numerous immature glial cells by their abundant and vacuolated cytoplasm which may contain a variable number of lysosome-like granules (Ling, 1977; Imamoto & Leblond, 1978; Penney, 1978). A recent study on the early postnatal rat (Ling, Penney & Leblond, 1980) showed that, while most of the amoeboid microglial cells in the corpus callosum appeared to be full-blown macrophages, some displayed ultrastructural features typical of blood monocytes. These observations taken together with the results from other experimental studies (Imamoto & Leblond, 1978; Ling, 1979) led to the hypothesis that some of the amoeboid microglial cells in the postnatal corpus callosum were in fact monocytes which had earlier infiltrated the developing brain tissues (Ling et al. 1980). In this connection, since blood monocytes have been shown to exhibit a strong activity of non-specific esterase (Rozenszajn, Leibovich, Shoham & Epstein, 1968; Yam, Li&Crosby, 1971; Li, Lam& Yam, 1973; Kaplow, 1975; Horwitz, Allison, Ward & Knight, 1977), it was reasoned that if, indeed, amoeboid microglial cells were exudate monocytes or their derivative macrophages, some of them might retain in them a similar enzyme activity. This information would then help to establish a cytochemical link between the two cell types, i.e. monocytes and amoeboid microglia. The present article describes the activity of non-specific esterase in amoeboid microglial cells in normal postnatal brain tissue both at the light and electron microscopical levels.
An approach of color recognition based on SVM

This paper presented an intelligent approach of color recognition with support vector machine (SVM) in the HSI color space, which is in accord with human visual perception characteristics. Based on the structural risk minimization principle, SVM can solve small-sample learning problems and avoid the over-learning as well as easily falling into local minima problems during the training process. Experimental results show that the proposed method can be used to recognize typical colors effectively.
RFID-based topological and metrical self-localization in a structured environment

This paper describes several methods proposed for RFID-based self-localization for a Trolley Robot executing motions and interacting with a User in a store: such a robot must know precisely its position so that it can guide the User until shelves where Products are put on display. The robot position is expressed as a vector (area; x; y; θ), so that the localization is both topological (to determine when the robot goes from one area to another one) and metrical (to know where is the robot with respect to an area reference frame). It is proposed two different strategies based on RFID tags for the topological and metrical localization, either with tags merged in the ground or with tags set on the shelves. Experiments or simulations are presented, and a final discussion stresses the pros and cons of every solution.
Brief report: relationship between HIV infection and WPPSI-R performance in preschool-age children.

OBJECTIVE To determine the neurodevelopmental effects of perinatally acquired HIV infection on children of preschool age. METHODS Participants included 40 children infected with HIV between the ages of three and five and an equal number of noninfected controls individually matched according to ethnicity, age, sex, and prenatal drug exposure. Participants were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R), upon which an analysis of subtest distribution was conducted. RESULTS Whereas both groups evidenced mean IQ and subtest scores significantly below published norms, an effect for HIV group status was not found when a factor combining Performance IQ (PIQ) and Verbal IQ (VIQ) was analyzed. However, the group infected with HIV scored significantly lower than controls on the Block Design subtest. CONCLUSIONS Gross cognitive deficits are not evident among preschool children infected with HIV relative to matched controls. However, this study does provides some evidence for more focal deficits. Further investigation with older children should be conducted.
Modifier genes and sickle cell anemia

Purpose of reviewWith the completion of the human genome project and HapMap, previously unknown genetic polymorphisms associated with disease have been observed. This review highlights genetic polymorphisms that have provided insight into the pathophysiology underlying the many phenotypes of sickle cell disease. Recent findingsThe phenotypes of sickle cell disease are likely to be modulated by polymorphisms in genes that are involved in inflammation, cell–cell interaction, and nitric oxide biology. Case–control studies are beginning to define the relationships between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes and the many subphenotypes of sickle cell anemia. A common theme emerging from these studies is that single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes of the transforming growth factor-β/bone morphogenetic protein and a few other genes such as Klotho are associated with several subphenotypes of sickle cell disease. SummaryGenomic medicine is merging with clinical practice as our understanding of the structure and variability of the human genome increases. Patients with diseases caused by identical mutations in a single gene – sickle cell anemia is a prime example – can have clinical courses very different from one another, and when environmental influences are removed the phenotypic heterogeneity of mendelian single-gene disorders is best explained by single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that modulate the disease phenotype. As this field expands, insights will be gained into complex epistatic factors that influence the clinical presentation of sickle cell disease, enabling physicians to better predict and manage the many complications of this disease.
WindSat on-orbit warm load calibration

Postlaunch calibration of the WindSat polarimetric microwave radiometer indicates the presence of thermal gradients across the calibration warm load during some portions of the year. These gradients are caused by reflected solar illumination or eclipse and increase total calibration errors. This paper describes the WindSat warm load and presents the measured on-orbit data which clearly illustrate the anomalous responses seen in the warm load calibration data. Detailed thermal modeling predictions of the WindSat on-orbit performance are presented along with the satellite orbital geometry model with solar inputs in order to explain the physical causes of the thermal gradients. To reduce the resultant calibration errors during periods of anomalous warm load behavior, a correction algorithm was developed which uses the physical temperatures of the gain stages in the receiver electronics to calculate an effective gain. This calibration algorithm is described, and its performance and expected accuracy are examined.
The Effect of Variable Pay Schemes on Workplace Absenteeism

We estimate the effect of variable pay schemes on workplace absenteeism using two cross sections of British establishments. Private sector establishments that explicitly link pay with individual performance are found to have significantly lower absence rates. This effect is stronger for establishments that offer variable pay schemes to a greater share of their non-managerial workforce. Matched employer-employee data suggest that the effect is robust to a number of sensitivity tests. We also find that firms that tie a greater proportion of employees’ earnings to variable pay schemes are also found to experience lower absence rates. Further, quintile regression results suggest that variable pay schemes have a stronger effect on establishments with an absence rate that is higher than an average or “sustainable” level. Finally, panel data suggest that a feedback mechanism is present, whereby high absenteeism in the past is related to a greater future incidence of individual variable pay schemes, which, in turn, is correlated with lower absence rates.
An Analysis of Timing Violations Due to Spatially Distributed Thermal Effects in Global Wires

Higher-than-normal wire temperatures and temperature gradients between the sending and receiving ends of a wire that are caused due to Joule heating and substrate hotspots affect the propagation delay of a wire significantly. In this paper, we develop a high-level model to track wire temperatures and delay variability during early stage design exploration. Results using our model show that ALU result bus wires in a 4-issue processor are likely to reach temperatures as high as 103degC (117degC) in 130-nm (45-nm) technology which is greater than the 100deg C maximum normally assumed during interconnect design. For a 130-nm processor with no power and thermal management, the temperature-induced timing violations in the ALU result bus, on average across ten SPEC CPU2K benchmarks, is 2.27 per hundred bus references and it can be as high as 4.91 per hundred bus references in some programs. It increases to an average of 6.20 per hundred bus references for the same processor at the 45-nm technology node.
Cochlear and Brain Stem Responses in Hearing Loss following Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia

The site of lesion in hearing loss following neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is unclear. Histopathological studies have implicated the brain stem auditory nuclei while other investigations have hinted at a lesion in the cochlea. In order to clarify this issue, attempts were made to record responses from the auditory pathway in 13 patients with hearing loss following neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The neural response from the auditory nerve was absent in 11 of the 13 patients and present only in response to high intensity stimuli in 2 patients. However, the response of the cochlear hair cells (cochlear microphonic potential) was present in 9 of the 13 patients. In most other cases of sensorineural hearing loss, with no history of hyperbilirubinemia, the hair cell response was absent. This is functional evidence for auditory nerve damage in cases of hearing loss following neonatal hyperbilirubinemia while the hair cells are spared.
A Monocular Pose Estimation Strategy for UAV Autonomous Navigation in GNSS-denied Environments

In this paper, an accurate, efficient, and simple vision-based pose estimation strategy for UAV navigation in GNSS-denied environments is presented. Using visual information and previous knowledge of 3D geometries present in the environment, the pose can be estimated accurately and used for autonomous navigation. The indoor mission in the IMAV 2016 competition has been chosen for developing and evaluating this approach. Three Perspective-n-Point (PnP) algorithms have been tested and benchmarked with the purpose of selecting the most suitable for navigating in this scenario. All of them have been tested in a realistic Gazebo-based simulation using our novel UAV software, Aerostack, which allows for a fully autonomous solution. A complete flight in a GNSS-denied environment has been successfully simulated, indicating that real flights are feasible with this approach.
Research on Semantic Query Expansion with Temporal Information

The temporal information is an essential attribute in the web page, such as the publish time and the content time in the web page. However, the major search engine does not have more view on the temporal information of web page, and ignored the relationship between the keywords and time phrases. In this paper, we focus on the need in time phrases recognizing and extracting from the web page. We built a query expansion model based on temporal information. The experiment results showed that the user queries based on temporal information is better than the simple semantic query expansion in the capabilities of query expression and query procession.
Monte-Carlo Tree Search for Simulation-based Play Strategy Analysis

Games are often designed to shape player behavior in a desired way; however, it can be unclear how design decisions affect the space of behaviors in a game. Designers usually explore this space through human playtesting, which can be time-consuming and of limited effectiveness in exhausting the space of possible behaviors. In this paper, we propose the use of automated planning agents to simulate humans of varying skill levels to generate game playthroughs. Metrics can then be gathered from these playthroughs to evaluate the current game design and identify its potential flaws. We demonstrate this technique in two games: the popular word game Scrabble and a collectible card game of our own design named Cardonomicon. Using these case studies, we show how using simulated agents to model humans of varying skill levels allows us to extract metrics to describe game balance (in the case of Scrabble) and highlight potential design flaws (in the case of Cardonomicon).
Tooth loss and craniofacial factors associated with changes in mandibular condylar morphology

Abstract Objective: To investigate the association between tooth loss and craniofacial factors with changes in mandibular condylar morphology. Methods: A total of 123 patients participated in this cross-sectional study. The mandibular condylar morphology was evaluated using digital panoramic radiography. The exposure variables included gender, age group, molar relationship, facial growth pattern, facial asymmetry, dental midline, posterior crossbite, presence of fixed dental prosthesis, and tooth loss. Results: Unilateral and bilateral mandibular condyle structural alterations were found in 20.3% and 28.5% of the sample, respectively. After the adjustment analysis, posterior crossbite (adjusted OR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.23–9.06) and tooth loss (adjusted OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 1.72–9.64) were associated with the outcome. The tooth type associated with mandibular condyle structural alterations were premolars and upper molars. Conclusion: The findings suggest that posterior crossbite and tooth loss are associated with mandibular condyle structural alterations.
IRF7 in the Australian Black Flying Fox, Pteropus alecto: Evidence for a Unique Expression Pattern and Functional Conservation

As the only flying mammal, bats harbor a number of emerging and re-emerging viruses, many of which cause severe diseases in humans and other mammals yet result in no clinical symptoms in bats. As the master regulator of the interferon (IFN)-dependent immune response, IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) plays a central role in innate antiviral immunity. To explore the role of bat IRF7 in the regulation of the IFN response, we performed sequence and functional analysis of IRF7 from the pteropid bat, Pteropus alecto. Our results demonstrate that bat IRF7 retains the ability to bind to MyD88 and activate the IFN response despite unique changes in the MyD88 binding domain. We also demonstrate that bat IRF7 has a unique expression pattern across both immune and non-immune related tissues and is inducible by double-strand RNA. The broad tissue distribution of IRF7 may provide bats with an enhanced ability to rapidly activate the IFN response in a wider range of tissues compared to other mammals. The importance of IRF7 in antiviral activity against the bat reovirus, Pulau virus was confirmed by siRNA knockdown of IRF7 in bat cells resulting in enhanced viral replication. Our results highlight the importance of IRF7 in innate antiviral immunity in bats.
Impact of Integrated Fish Farming on Antimicrobial Resistance in a Pond Environment

ABSTRACT Integrated fish farming combines livestock production with fish farming. Animal manure is shed directly into a fish pond as fertilizer and supports the growth of photosynthetic organisms. The livestock, mainly chickens and pigs, is often fed feed containing growth promoters. In this study we investigated the impact of integrated fish farming on the levels of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in a pond environment. One integrated broiler chicken-fish farm was studied for 2 months immediately after the start of a new fish production cycle. A significant increase over time in the resistance to six different antimicrobials was found for the indicator organism Acinetobacter spp. isolated from composite water-sediment samples. The initial resistance levels prior to the new production cycle were 1 to 5%. After 2 months the levels of resistance to oxytetracycline and sulfamethoxazole reached 100%, and the levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin were more than 80%. The long-term effects of resistance on integrated farming were studied on seven additional farms. The resistance levels were particularly high among Enterococcus spp. and were also high among Acinetobacter spp. isolated from water-sediment samples compared to the resistance levels at four control farms. In conclusion, integrated fish farming seems to favor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the pond environment. This could be attributed to the selective pressure of antimicrobials in the pond environment and/or to the introduction of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria from animal manure. Potential risks to human health were not addressed in this study and remain to be elucidated.
Journal of Graph Algorithms and Applications Visual Analysis of One-to-many Matched Graphs

Motivated by applications of social network analysis and of Web search clustering engines, we describe an algorithm and a system for the display and the visual analysis of two graphs G1 and G2 such that each Gi is defined on a different data set with its own primary relationships and there are secondary relationships between the vertices of G1 and those of G2. Our main goal is to compute a drawing of G1 and G2 that makes clearly visible the relations between the two graphs by avoiding their crossings, and that also takes into account some other important aesthetic requirements like number of bends, area, and aspect ratio. Application examples and experiments on the system performances are also presented. Research partially supported by the miur Project " mainstream: Algorithms for Massive Information Structures and Data Streams " .
Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular vasculopathy in sickle cell anaemia

Cerebral vasculopathy is the most severe complication to affect children with sickle cell anaemia and its pathophysiology is complex. Traditionally, small‐vessel occlusion by intravascular sickling and sludging was considered to underlie the strokes but, in the last 20 years, progressive major cerebral vessel involvement has become recognized as the principal responsible factor. Macrovasculopathy is well detected by abnormally high velocities on transcranial Doppler and with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and is responsible for the majority of overt strokes. Silent infarcts are ischaemic lesions detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients without history of stroke. They are associated with compromised cognitive functioning. The present review discusses the pathophysiologal mechanisms that could be involved in the development of cerebral vasculopathy, such as inflammation and hypoxia, anaemia, haemolysis and the resulting decreased nitric oxide bioavailability, genetic factors, impaired blood rheology and particular local haemodynamic profiles.
Dissecting limiting factors of the Protein synthesis Using Recombinant Elements (PURE) system

Reconstituted cell-free protein synthesis systems such as the Protein synthesis Using Recombinant Elements (PURE) system give high-throughput and controlled access to in vitro protein synthesis. Here we show that compared to the commercial S30 crude extract based RTS 100 E. coli HY system, the PURE system has less mRNA degradation and produces ~4-fold more total protein. However the majority of these polypeptides are partially translated or inactive since the signal from firefly luciferase (Fluc) translated in PURE is only ~2/3rd of that measured using the S30 crude extract system. Both of the two systems suffer from low ribosome recycling efficiency when translating proteins from 90 kD to 220 kD. A systematic fed-batch analysis of PURE shows replenishment of 6 small molecule substrates individually or in combination prior to energy depletion increased Fluc protein yield by ~1.5 to ~2-fold, while accumulation of inorganic phosphate contributes to reaction termination. Additionally, while adding EF-P to PURE reduced total protein translated, it also increased the fraction of active product and reduced partial translated product probably by slowing down the translation process. Finally, ArfA, rather than YaeJ or PrfH, helped reduce ribosome stalling when translating Fluc and improved system productivity in a template-dependent fashion.
Responses of broilers to dietary zinc concentrations and sources in relation to environmental implications

1. Since high concentrations of zinc are associated with reduced crop yields, environmental concerns are emerging regarding zinc accumulation in areas where poultry production is prevalent. This study investigates growth performance and zinc utilisation during the life cycle of broilers when diets were supplemented with various concentrations of zinc from two different sources. 2. A total of 740 Cobb 500 1-d-old male broiler chicks was randomly distributed into 88 battery cages. Excreta were collected over a 48-h period on d 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, and 45 to measure zinc excretion on a dry matter basis. 3. During the 45-d experimental period, broilers were given a maize–soybean meal basal diet (30 mg/kg zinc) supplemented with 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg of zinc from zinc sulphate, Availa®Zn amino acid complex, or an equal combination of zinc sulphate and Availa®Zn amino acid complex. 4. Progressive additions of zinc to the basal diet significantly increased body weight gain of broilers, but did not affect feed conversion or mortality. Optimum body weight gain was achieved at 80 mg/kg supplemental zinc, which exceeds the NRC recommendations of 40 mg/kg. 5. During each excreta collection period, increased supplemental zinc concentrations significantly increased zinc excretion. However, the zinc source did not influence zinc utilisation. 6. As compared with zinc sulphate supplementation, the cumulative zinc excretion data indicate that adding zinc to the basal diet in the form of Availa®Zn amino acid complex decreased zinc excretion.