Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving blood pressure estimation through internal and environmental feedback.

&NA; Different bodily sensations and situational factors covary with changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP). The present experiment explored whether an awareness of SBP‐related cues could help individuals to estimate their own SBP levels more accurately. Sixty‐four adults (53 women and 11 men) participated in two experimental sessions 3 months apart. Immediately following each of 13 task and intervening baseline periods of each of the two sessions, subjects estimated their SBP and rated the degree to which they were experiencing each of 10 physical symptoms and moods (i.e., internal cues). In addition, independent judges rated the extent to which various situational factors were present during each task and baseline. Within‐subject correlations between internal and situational cues with SBP served as the basis for subjects' receiving one of four randomly assigned types of feedback: no feedback, internal cue feedback, situational cue feedback, or biosituational feedback based on both internal and situational cues. In the second experimental session 3 months later, subjects in the biosituational feedback condition were significantly better at estimating SBP than were individuals in any of the other conditions. Implications of biosituational feedback as an alternative to traditional biofeedback are discussed.
Notice of RetractionThe relationship between enterprise competitive advantage and technological innovation performance in technology innovation networks: Based on absorptive capacity of member enterprises

Based on Xi'an high-tech development zone, 105 firms as samples, through the questionnaire survey data access, we validated by empirical analysis in technology innovation networks, the member enterprises absorbing ability have positive role in promoting enterprise competitive advantage and technology innovation achievements. At the same time, the competitive advantage of enterprises can promote technological innovation performance improvement. In addition, the enterprises absorbing ability based on competitive advantage have the indirect effects to technological innovation improve performance.
A convenient way to incorporate semantic actions in two‐pass compiling schemes

We present a simple method for connecting semantic actions to parsers. Although applicable to any kind of parser it is especially suited for LR parsers. The method is based on the idea of separating syntax analysis and semantic processing and executing semantic actions by procedures, similar to those of a recursive descent compiler. The procedures are driven by structural information about the source program, which is collected during parsing. The method is applicable to L‐attributed grammars. It can be incorporated easily into any existing parser.
Identifying the Active Microbiome Associated with Roots and Rhizosphere Soil of Oilseed Rape

ABSTRACT RNA stable isotope probing and high-throughput sequencing were used to characterize the active microbiomes of bacteria and fungi colonizing the roots and rhizosphere soil of oilseed rape to identify taxa assimilating plant-derived carbon following 13CO2 labeling. Root- and rhizosphere soil-associated communities of both bacteria and fungi differed from each other, and there were highly significant differences between their DNA- and RNA-based community profiles. Verrucomicrobia, Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi were the most active bacterial phyla in the rhizosphere soil. Bacteroidetes were more active in roots. The most abundant bacterial genera were well represented in both the 13C- and 12C-RNA fractions, while the fungal taxa were more differentiated. Streptomyces, Rhizobium, and Flavobacterium were dominant in roots, whereas Rhodoplanes and Sphingomonas (Kaistobacter) were dominant in rhizosphere soil. “Candidatus Nitrososphaera” was enriched in 13C in rhizosphere soil. Olpidium and Dendryphion were abundant in the 12C-RNA fraction of roots; Clonostachys was abundant in both roots and rhizosphere soil and heavily 13C enriched. Cryptococcus was dominant in rhizosphere soil and less abundant, but was 13C enriched in roots. The patterns of colonization and C acquisition revealed in this study assist in identifying microbial taxa that may be superior competitors for plant-derived carbon in the rhizosphere of Brassica napus. IMPORTANCE This microbiome study characterizes the active bacteria and fungi colonizing the roots and rhizosphere soil of Brassica napus using high-throughput sequencing and RNA-stable isotope probing. It identifies taxa assimilating plant-derived carbon following 13CO2 labeling and compares these with other less active groups not incorporating a plant assimilate. Brassica napus is an economically and globally important oilseed crop, cultivated for edible oil, biofuel production, and phytoextraction of heavy metals; however, it is susceptible to several diseases. The identification of the fungal and bacterial species successfully competing for plant-derived carbon, enabling them to colonize the roots and rhizosphere soil of this plant, should enable the identification of microorganisms that can be evaluated in more detailed functional studies and ultimately be used to improve plant health and productivity in sustainable agriculture.
BDI in the Assessment of Depression in Different Medical Conditions

Abstract As a common disorder, depression must be diagnosed not only in psychiatric but also in different medical settings, especially in patients with chronic diseases. Beck Depression Inventory is valuable and sensitive self-report inventory used worldwide for assessment depressive symptoms. In this research we present obtained scores of BDI in different group of disorders and we showed that BDI scores are related to the clinical condition, as well as with the age.
Regulation and dysregulation of Epstein–Barr virus latency: Implications for the development of autoimmune diseases

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus hiding in a latent form in memory B cells in the majority of the world population. Although, primary EBV infection is asymptomatic or causes a self-limiting disease, infectious mononucleosis, the virus is associated with a wide variety of neoplasms developing in immunosuppressed or immunodeficient individuals, but also in patients with an apparently intact immune system. In memory B cells, tumor cells, and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs, transformed by EBV in vitro) the expression of the viral genes is highly restricted. There is no virus production (lytic viral replication associated with the expression of all viral genes) in tight latency. The expression of latent viral oncogenes and RNAs is under a strict epigenetic control via DNA methylation and histone modifications that results either in a complete silencing of the EBV genome in memory B cells, or in a cell-type dependent usage of latent promoters in tumor cells, germinal center B cells, and LCLs. Both the latent and lytic EBV proteins are potent immunogens and elicit vigorous B- and T-cell responses. In immunosuppressed and immunodeficient patients, or in individuals with a functional defect of EBV-specific T cells, lytic EBV replication is regularly activated and an increased viral load can be detected in the blood. Enhanced lytic replication results in new infection events and EBV-associated transformation events, and seems to be a risk factor both for malignant transformation and the development of autoimmune diseases. One may speculate that an increased load or altered presentation of a limited set of lytic or latent EBV proteins that cross-react with cellular antigens triggers and perpetuates the pathogenic processes that result in multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, in SLE patients EBV may cause defects of B-cell tolerance checkpoints because latent membrane protein 1, an EBV-encoded viral oncoprotein can induce BAFF, a B-cell activating factor that rescues self-reactive B cells and induces a lupus-like autoimmune disease in transgenic mice.
Inhibition of retinal pigment epithelial cell-induced tractional retinal detachment by disintegrins, a group of Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptides from viper venom.

PURPOSE Integrin-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) attachment plays an important role in vitreous contraction of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Disintegrins, a group of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing peptides from viper venom, are potential anti-adhesion agents that interfere with integrin-ECM binding. This study was performed to determine whether disintegrins were effective in inhibiting RPE cell-induced matrix attachment in vitro and tractional retinal detachment in a rabbit model in vivo. METHODS Two disintegrins, echistatin from viper Echis carinatus and flavoridin from Trimeresurus flavoviridis, were used. The expression of integrins on the surface of bovine and rabbit RPE cells was examined by indirect immunofluorescent stain with specific anti-integrin monoclonal antibodies. The inhibitory effect of disintegrins on RPE cell-mediated ECM attachment and vitreous contraction was evaluated with cell adhesion and vitreous contraction assays. In the in vivo model, rabbit eyes were injected intravitreously with either homologous rabbit RPE cells alone or together with disintegrins to induce tractional retinal detachment. The cytotoxic effect of disintegrins was examined with a cell proliferation assay using the alamar blue method. Retinal toxicity of disintegrins was evaluated with electroretinograms and histologic examination of the rabbit eyes. RESULTS Bovine and rabbit RPE cells showed the positive staining for the integrins alpha 2 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1 on cell surface. Disintegrins, echistatin, and flavoridin inhibited RPE cell attachment to the ECM. The potency of disintegrins was 150 to 300 times higher than that of Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptide. The disintegrins also inhibited RPE cell-induced vitreous contraction in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the GRGDS peptide had no effect. In the in vivo experiment, echistatin (50 microgram/ml) or flavoridin (80 microgram/ml) significantly inhibited RPE cell-induced tractional retinal detachment compared with the control group at week 2 (P< 0.05) and week 4 (P< 0.01) after surgery. Disintegrins were nontoxic to RPE cells and rabbit retina as evaluated by cytotoxicity tests, electroretinograms, and histologic examinations. CONCLUSIONS The disintegrins were effective in inhibiting RPE cell attachment to the ECM and vitreous contraction in vitro. They also were effective in suppressing RPE cell-induced tractional retinal detachment in the rabbit eyes. They were nontoxic. Disintegrins and their analogs might be potential anti-adhesion therapeutic agents in the treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
Mind change: How digital technologies are leaving their mark on our brains

This is a review of Susan Greenfield's 2015 book 'Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark On Our Brains'. Greenfield is a neuroscientist and a member of the UK House of Lords, who argues that digital technologies are changing the human environment "in an unprecedented way," and that by adapting to this environment, "the brain may also be changing in an unprecedented way. " The book and its author have created a surprising amount of controversy. I discuss both Greenfield's book and a prominent critique by Bell et al. (2015). The exchange points to some flaws in Greenfield's argument and represents an interesting debate about the public role of scientists, but it does not undermine the value of the book as a springboard for discussions about possible policies and future research.
Repair of Intermediate Structures Produced at DNA Interstrand Cross-Links in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT Bifunctional alkylating agents and other drugs which produce DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are among the most effective antitumor agents in clinical use. In contrast to agents which produce bulky adducts on only one strand of the DNA, the cellular mechanisms which act to eliminate DNA ICLs are still poorly understood, although nucleotide excision repair is known to play a crucial role in an early repair step. Using haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains disrupted for genes central to the recombination, nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ), and mutagenesis pathways, all these activities were found to be involved in the repair of nitrogen mustard (mechlorethamine)- and cisplatin-induced DNA ICLs, but the particular pathway employed is cell cycle dependent. Examination of whole chromosomes from treated cells using contour-clamped homogenous electric field electrophoresis revealed the intermediate in the repair of ICLs in dividing cells, which are mostly in S phase, to be double-strand breaks (DSBs). The origin of these breaks is not clear since they were still efficiently induced in nucleotide excision and base excision repair-deficient, mismatch repair-defective,rad27 and mre11 disruptant strains. In replicating cells, RAD52-dependent recombination and NHEJ both act to repair the DSBs. In contrast, few DSBs were observed in quiescent cells, and recombination therefore seems dispensable for repair. The activity of the Rev3 protein (DNA polymerase ζ) is apparently more important for the processing of intermediates in stationary-phase cells, since rev3 disruptants were more sensitive in this phase than in the exponential growth phase.
Forecasting Feds Fund Rate: 1982-2014

Federal funds rate in the US is the interest rate that the banks pay each other for lending funds overnight. Fed funds rate is an important benchmark in the economy because of its significant impact on many other financial indices. The target rate is determined by Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). Federal Reserve’s method of determining “reaction function” is subject to speculation for a long time. Taylor believed that the reaction function can be specified as a weighted average of deviations of inflation and unemployment from target values. But this model, even though worked for a long time, are under attack by new economists and like many old models are obsolete because of the various structural change in the society and economy. In this work, different models and different parameters are used to determine the reaction function. According to the results, VAR model gives the best FERMS (5.7%). Another interesting observation is that the inflation rate does not granger-cause Feds fund target rate which is not consistent with Taylor rule. On the other hand, the unemployment rate plays an important role in the Feds reaction function.
Objective Assessment of Strength Training Exercises using a Wrist-Worn Accelerometer.

UNLABELLED The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that all adults perform muscle-strengthening exercises to work all of the major muscle groups of the body on at least 2 d·wk, in addition to aerobic activity. Studies using objective methods of monitoring physical activity have focused primarily on the assessment of aerobic activity. To date, a method for assessing resistance training (RT) exercises has not been developed using a wrist-worn activity monitor. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer-based activity monitor for classifying upper- and lower-body dumbbell RT exercises. METHODS Sixty participants performed 10 repetitions each of 12 different upper- and lower-body dynamic dumbbell exercises. Algorithms for classifying the exercises were developed using two different methods: support vector machine and cosine similarity. Confusion matrices were developed for each method, and intermethod reliabilities were assessed using Cohen's kappa. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare the predicted repetitions, identified from the largest acceleration peaks, with the actual repetitions. RESULTS The results indicated that support vector machine and cosine similarity accurately classified the 12 different RT exercises 78% and 85% of the time, respectively. Both methods struggled to correctly differentiate bench press versus shoulder press and squat versus walking lunges. Repetition estimates were not significantly different for 8 of the 12 exercises. For the four exercises that were significantly different, the differences amount to less than 10%. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that RT exercises can be accurately classified using a single activity monitor worn on the wrist.
Dirty surplus accounting flows and valuation errors

For France, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. for the period from 1994 to 2001, this study explores empirically the association between valuation errors from a standard empirical application of the residual income valuation model and violations of the clean surplus relationship (dirty surplus accounting flows). Motivated by concern that the effect of dirty surplus accounting on the applicability of accounting-based valuation models might vary across accounting regimes, the study also documents differences across pairs of countries in the relationship between valuation errors and dirty surplus flows. The study finds some weak evidence of predicted relationships between valuation errors and dirty surplus flows in the U.S., but finds little evidence of such relationships elsewhere. There is some limited evidence of cross-country difference in the relationship between valuation errors and dirty surplus flows, mostly involving the U.S.
Neopterin: Biomarker of cell-mediated immunity and potent usage as biomarker in silicosis and other occupational diseases

Neopterin is regarded as an early biomarker of the cellular immune response. This low molecular mass compound belongs to the class of pteridine and is a metabolite of guanosine triphosphate, which is produced by the activated macrophages and dendritic cells after stimulation with γ-interferon. An international group acknowledges the fact that the levels of serum neopterin can be used as a marker of the effect of exposure to silica and other occupational diseases. The determination of neopterin is an innovative tool for monitoring diseases associated with the activation of cell-mediated immunity.
Recurrent neural networks and exponential PAA for virtual marine sensors

Virtual sensors are getting more and more important as replacement and quality control tool for expensive and fragile hardware sensors. We introduce a virtual sensor application with marine sensor data from two data sources. The virtual sensor models are built upon recurrent neural networks (RNNs). To take full advantage of past data, we employ the time dimensionality reduction method piecewise approximate aggregation (PAA). We present an extension of this method, called exponential PAA (ExPAA) that pulls finer details from recent values, but preserves less exact information about the past. Experimental results demonstrate that RNNs benefit from this extension and confirm the stability and usability of our virtual sensor models over a five-month period of multivariate marine time series data.
United Kingdom Education 1997-2001

This paper reviews the achievements of the Labour Government's education policy between 1997 and 2001. Tony Blair claimed that his Government would make education a priority. The first part of the paper reviews the scale of education spending in relation to the economy at large and within the education budget. The second part of the paper looks at the productivity of schools. How far have the changes that have affected schools in the past ten years and the past five in particular affected the quality of school achievements? The paper suggests there have been significant improvements not just on average but especially in the gains made in poor areas and in the least good schools. Finally the paper discusses the funding of higher education, the introduction of income related loans to cover maintenance and up front fees. The paper concludes some serious errors were made in policy design. Even so the use of the Inland Revenue as the collection agency was a successful innovation and should be built upon.
Adaptive waveform selection for multistatic target tracking

This paper studies the problem of adaptive waveform selection for target tracking by a multistatic radar system consisting of a dedicated transmitter and multiple receivers. The transmitted waveforms are selected to minimize the tracking mean square error by minimizing a tracking cost function obtained using the Craḿer-Rao lower bound of radar estimates. The superior performance of the proposed adaptive waveform selection algorithm over conventional waveforms is illustrated with simulation examples.
Reconstructive Rhinoplasty

Reconstructive rhinoplasty for larger nasal defects requires a three-dimensional perspective using many of the aesthetic and functional techniques commonly employed in rhinoplasty. There are numerous ways of addressing a deficiency of the internal lining and each technique is detailed. Structural grafting is imperative in order to resist the contracture and collapse of the reconstructive nose. These grafts are also used to enhance contour and definition. Resurfacing of large cutaneous defects is frequently achieved through the midline forehead flap. There are many subtle maneuvers which can significantly impact the final aesthetic outcome and these are discussed below. This article highlights the three-layered approach to subtotal and total reconstructive rhinoplasty.
Skin whitening agents: medicinal chemistry perspective of tyrosinase inhibitors

Abstract Melanogenesis is a process to synthesize melanin, which is a primary responsible for the pigmentation of human skin, eye and hair. Although numerous enzymatic catalyzed and chemical reactions are involved in melanogenesis process, the enzymes such as tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2 played a major role in melanin synthesis. Specifically, tyrosinase is a key enzyme, which catalyzes a rate-limiting step of the melanin synthesis, and the downregulation of tyrosinase is the most prominent approach for the development of melanogenesis inhibitors. Therefore, numerous inhibitors that target tyrosinase have been developed in recent years. The review focuses on the recent discovery of tyrosinase inhibitors that are directly involved in the inhibition of tyrosinase catalytic activity and functionality from all sources, including laboratory synthetic methods, natural products, virtual screening and structure-based molecular docking studies.
User Interaction for Image Recolouring using £2

Recently, an example based colour transfer approach proposed modelling the colour distributions of a palette and target image using Gaussian Mixture Models, and registers them by minimising the robust £2 distance between the mixtures. In this paper we propose to extend this approach to allow for user interaction. We present two interactive recolouring applications, the first allowing the user to select colour correspondences between a target and palette image, while the second palette based application allows the user to edit a palette of colours to determine the image recolouring. We modify the £2 based cost function to improve results when an interactive interface is used, and take measures to ensure that even when minimal input is given by the user, good colour transfer results are created. Both applications are available through a web interface and qualitatively assessed against recent recolouring techniques.