Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computational experiments based on competitive influence diffusion model

Understanding the strategies to optimize/suppress information spreads under intense competition could provide important insights in a broad range of settings including viral marketing, emergency response and information system design. However, most of existing studies about competitive influence diffusion mainly focus on two-information competition mechanism. To date, the competitive influence maximization problem considering the mechanism of multi-information competition is still not well studied. In this paper, we conducted computational experiments to study the competitive influence maximization with multi-information competition mechanism. By applying an information diffusion model called limited attention model (LAM), we carried on two computational experiments to validate the model and investigate the relation between seed selection methods and the properties of information cascades. Our experimental results show that 1) the LAM model could reproduce the features of empirical distribution in Chinese social media; 2) the eigenvector centrality-based heuristic is a reasonable seed selection method for competitive influence maximization problem. The results of this paper can provide significant potential implications for information system design and management.
fcMRI—Mapping functional connectivity or correlating cardiac‐induced noise?

Recently, Li et al. (1) investigated the effect of cocaine using functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI). The concept of mapping functional connectivity by correlating low-frequency content of fMRI time-series was introduced in 1995 by Biswal et al. (2). A repetition time (TR) of 250 ms was used in the original study. At this TR, respiratory and cardiac induced noise is critically sampled and is suppressed successfully using a low-pass filter with a frequency cut-off of 0.1 Hz. Li et al. used a TR of 2 sec, i.e., a sampling frequency of, fs 5 1/TR 5 0.5 Hz and, hence, only the respiratory noise is critically sampled. Physiological noise corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the cardiac motion (e.g., frequencies in the interval 0.95–1.05 Hz) is four times undersampled for fs 5 0.5 Hz. According to the Nyquist sampling theorem, these frequencies will become aliased into the frequency interval 0–0.05 Hz. Under these conditions, using a low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency of 0.1 Hz, cardiac noise will be unaffected. As the peak power in the power spectrum (shown in fig. 2 of Li et al.) is in the frequency interval 0.025–0.05 Hz, it is questionable whether the resting state functional connectivity map (shown in fig. 5 of Li et al.) does not include correlated cardiac-induced noise at the aliased fundamental cardiac frequency. Following cocaine administration, a maximum pulse increase of 0.5 Hz was reported. As the increase occurs during image acquisition, the cardiac-induced noise is not only undersampled but is also nonstationary. The increase of 0.5 Hz in cardiac pulse is twice the sampled bandwidth and hence the physiological noise is attenuated by the low-pass filtering differently through the time series. Consequently, it is questionable whether the changes in “functional connectivity” are an effect of infused cocaine or a cocaine-induced change in pulse. Functional connectivity is an interesting phenomenon but adequate filtering of physiological noise must be used in order to be confident of the resultant connectivity maps.
Primary Structure of Neuromedin U from the Rat

Abstract: The primary structure of neuromedin U from the rat ileum was established as: Tyr‐Lys‐Val‐Asn‐Glu5‐Tyr‐Gln‐Gly‐Pro‐Val10‐Ala‐Pro‐Ser‐Gly‐Gly15‐Phe‐Phe‐Leu‐Phe‐Arg20‐Pro‐Arg‐Asn‐NH2. There was no evidence for microheterogeneity. This amino acid sequence contains two deletions and nine substitutions compared with the neuromedin U‐25 from the pig. In particular, the replacement of the Arg'6‐Arg17 processing site in the porcine peptide by Gly14‐Gly15 in the rat means that a peptide corresponding to neuromedin U‐8 was not found in the rat intestine.
Transcriptional regulation of the cyclooxygenase-2 gene by diverse ligands in murine osteoblasts.

Osteoblasts produce prostaglandins in response to a wide variety of stimuli. Induced prostaglandin synthesis is generally the consequence of elevated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Agents as diverse as serum, bFGF, PDGF, PGE(2), or [TNFalpha + IL1beta] rapidly induce expression of COX-2 protein in murine MC3T3-E1 osteogenic cells. Transient transfection studies using reporter constructs containing either wild-type COX-2 regulatory sequences or mutated cis-acting sequences linked to a luciferase reporter gene identify a CRE site and two NF-IL6 (C/EBP) sites which play important roles in the regulation of COX-2 expression in response to all these agents in osteoblasts. Induction of wild-type COX-2 reporter gene expression in MC3T3-E1 cells by all these agents involves signaling through the MEKK/JNK pathway and activation of both c-Jun and the C/EBP family of transcription factors.
Enhanced Excitation-Coupled Calcium Entry in Myotubes Expressing Malignant Hyperthermia Mutation R163C Is Attenuated by Dantrolene

Dantrolene is the drug of choice for the treatment of malignant hyperthermia (MH) and is also useful for treatment of spasticity or muscle spasms associated with several clinical conditions. The current study examines the mechanisms of dantrolene's action on skeletal muscle and shows that one of dantrolene's mechanisms of action is to block excitation-coupled calcium entry (ECCE) in both adult mouse flexor digitorum brevis fibers and primary myotubes. A second important new finding is that myotubes isolated from mice heterozygous and homozygous for the ryanodine receptor type 1 R163C MH susceptibility mutation show significantly enhanced ECCE rates that could be restored to those measured in wild-type cells after exposure to clinical concentrations of dantrolene. We propose that this gain of ECCE function is an important etiological component of MH susceptibility and possibly contributes to the fulminant MH episode. The inhibitory potency of dantrolene on ECCE found in wild-type and MH-susceptible muscle is consistent with the drug's clinical potency for reversing the MH syndrome and is incomplete as predicted by its efficacy as a muscle relaxant.
Synaptic Localization of Nitric Oxide Synthase and Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase in the Hippocampus

Functional evidence suggests that nitric oxide released from CA1 pyramidal cells can act as a retrograde messenger to mediate hippocampal long-term potentiation, but the failure to find neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS-I) in the dendritic spines of these cells has cast doubt on this suggestion. We hypothesized that NOS-I may be in spines but in a form inaccessible to antibody when using standard histological fixation procedures. Supporting this hypothesis, we found that after a weak fixation protocol shown previously to enhance staining of synaptic proteins, CA1 pyramidal cells exhibit clear immunoreactivity for NOS-I. Confocal microscopy revealed that numerous dendritic spines in the stratum radiatum contained the NR2 subunit of the NMDA receptor and the adaptor protein postsynaptic density-95, and a subset of these spines also contained NOS-I. Quantitative studies showed that only ∼8% of synaptic puncta (identified by synaptophysin staining) were associated with NOS-I, and ∼9% contained the β subunit of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), a major target of NO. However, the majority of NOS-I-positive synaptic puncta was associated with sGC and vice versa. Postembedding immunogold electron microscopy showed that NOS-I concentrates just inside the postsynaptic plasma membrane of asymmetric axospinous synapses in the stratum radiatum of CA1, whereas sGCβ concentrates just inside the presynaptic membrane. Together, these findings support the possibility that NO may act as a retrograde messenger to help mediate homosynaptic plasticity in a subpopulation of synapses in the stratum radiatum of CA1.
Proliferation, migration and differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells in the adult mouse subventricular zone surgically separated from its olfactory bulb

The subventricular zone of the adult mammalian forebrain contains progenitor cells that, by migrating along a restricted pathway called the ‘rostral migratory stream’ (RMS), add new neurons to the olfactory bulb throughout life. To determine the influence of the olfactory bulb on the development of these progenitor cells, we performed lesions that interrupt this pathway and separate the olfactory bulb from the rest of the forebrain. By labelling cells born at several survival times after the lesions with the thymidine analogue bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), we found that disconnection from the bulb influences the rate of BrdU incorporation by the progenitor cells. The number of labelled cells in lesioned mice was almost half that found in control mice. In the disconnected migratory pathway, the number of neurons expressing calretinin was increased indicating that neuronal differentiation was enhanced: newly born neurons occurred within and around the RMS, most of them expressed calretinin and left the pathway starting about 2 weeks after the lesion. Thereafter, these neurons preserving their phenotype, spread for long distances, and accumulated ectopically in dorsal regions of the anterior olfactory nucleus and the frontal cortex. Finally, transplantation of adult subventricular cells into the lesioned pathway showed that the lesion neither prevents neuronal migration nor alters its direction. Thus, although the olfactory bulb appears to regulate the pace of the developmental processes, its disconnection does not prevent the proliferation, migration and phenotypic acquisition of newly generated bulbar interneurons that, since they cannot reach their terminal domains, populate some precise regions of the lesioned adult forebrain.
ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD: PRESENT UNDERSTANDING AND PROSPECTS FOR PREVENTION.

DURING the past ten years there has been an exponential increase in our understanding of the etiology and epidemiology of acute respiratory disease. Unfortunately development of the means for control of these illnesses has not kept pace with etiologic or epidemiologic understanding. In this presentation an attempt will he made to summarize the role of a number of viruses and mycoplasmas in acute respiratory disease of infancy and childhood. In addition the ecology of such infections will be discussed, particularly those aspects of infection which have relevance to the problem of immunoprophylaxis. Much of the information to be discussed is derived from studies at the Children's Hospital of D.C. and the Junior Village Welfare Nursery of D.C. In many instances similar findings have been reported from other localities so that the conclusions which can be drawn from the Washington, D.C., studies would appear to have more than local significance. Since the Washington D.C., studies represent the longest continuous inquiry into the nature of acute pediatric respiratory disease primary emphasis will be placed on the interpretation of these findings. Bacteria Although group A beta hemolytic streptococci play an important role in upper respiratory tract disease it would appear that these organisms are relatively unimportant in the more serious types of illness in which lower respiratory tract involvement occurs. The careful studies of Babe, Beem, and co-workers indicate that pathogenic bacteria are not important primary etiologic agents in lower respiratory tract disease of infancy and childhood. For this reason major emphasis in this presentation will be given to the role of viruses and mycoplasmas in respiratory disease.
Rescue Therapy Using Rituximab for Multiple Sclerosis

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to describe the effectiveness and safety data of rituximab in a group of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with rituximab due to failure of previous treatments or concomitant autoimmune diseases. MethodsThis is an observational study. Rituximab was considered in case of failure of the second-line therapy, failure of the first-line therapy and a contraindication to second-line therapies, or concomitant autoimmune disease. Relapses, the Expanded Disability Status Scale, the EQ VAS, and magnetic resonance imaging activity were assessed. ResultsThis study included 12 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. The mean (range) age of the patients was 35 (19–54) years. Ten patients were treated with rituximab because of treatment failure, and 2 patients were treated with rituximab because of the development of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The mean (range) follow-up duration after beginning rituximab was 40 (18–72) months. Rituximab was well tolerated, because no patient experienced serious adverse reactions or discontinued treatment. During treatment with rituximab, no patient suffered a clinical relapse, and magnetic resonance imaging activity was not detected. The Expanded Disability Status Scale scores improved in 11 of 12 patients and remained stable in 1 patient. The EuroQol visual analogue scale scores improved in 8 of 9 patients in whom the EuroQol visual analogue scale was assessed. ConclusionsTreatment with rituximab seems to be safe and effective for some patients with relapsing-remitting MS who have failed to respond to first- and second-line therapies and may also be a useful option for patients with concomitant autoimmune disorders.
High-throughput dual-shift stochastic-detection quasi-cyclic LDPC decoder

Driven by its renowned near-capacity performance over a wide spectrum of channels, the capitalization of quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC) codes is irrefutably the focal point of research and solution to virtually all communication systems of the next generation. Steered towards non-volatile memory (NVM) storage applications, we introduce a modernistic approach to LDPC decoding in this paper, known as the dual-shift stochastic-detection (DSSD). Weaving two novel ideas: dual-shift cyclic generation and stochastic-detection of local minima, our proposed DSSD decoder achieves throughput gains (~ 300%) by minimizing its overall computational delay and maximizing its operational frequency. Along with the amalgamation of our spearheading mirror-paradigm, the DSSD QC-LDPC decoder acquires yet another dimension of gain in throughput while relinquishing a cluster of its address generation counters, which elicits a wide expanse for its application.
HTA and innovative treatments evaluation: the case of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Purpose: To investigate the implications of the introduction of two hormonal therapies, abiraterone acetate + prednisone (AA+P) and enzalutamide (ENZA), for the treatment of naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the Italian setting. Methods: In 2017–2018, a Health Technology Assessment was conducted in Italy, considering the National Healthcare Service (NHS) perspective. Data were retrieved from literature evidence, economic evaluations, and qualitative questionnaires, considering the 9 EUnetHTA dimensions, and a final multi-criteria approach. Results: On the basis of mCRPC prevalence and incidence rates in Italy, the analysis considered 11,212 males eligible to either AA+P or ENZA treatments. Both drugs led to an improvement of the patients' overall survival, with respect to the standard of care, composed of docetaxel chemotherapy. However, AA+P showed a higher rate of drug-related moderate adverse events and a monitoring activities incidence superior to ENZA (+70%, p-value=0.00), which led to a major resources absorption (€ 1,056.02 vs € 316.25, p-value=0.00), whereas ENZA showed a better cost-effectiveness average value (CEV: 54,586.12 vs 57,624.15). Economic savings ranging from 1.46% to 1.61% emerged for the NHS, as well as organizational advantages, with fewer minutes required for the mCRPC management (AA+P: 815 mins vs ENZA: 500 mins). According to experts’ perceptions, based on a 7-item Likert scale (ranging from −3 to +3), similar results emerged on ethical and social impact (ENZA: 1.35 vs AA+P: 1.48, p-value>0.05), and on legal dimension (ENZA: 0.67 vs AA+P: 0.67, p-value>0.05), since both drugs improved the patients’ quality of life and received approval for use. High-level perceptions related to ENZA adoption emerged with regard to equity (ENZA: 0.69 vs AA+P: 0.25, p-value<0.05), since it is cortisone-free. Multi-criteria approach analysis highlighted a higher score of ENZA than comparator (0.79 vs 0.60, p-value=0.00). Conclusion: The evidence-based information underlined the advantages of ENZA and AA+P treatments as therapeutic options for mCRPC patients. In the appraisal phase, the higher score than the comparator suggested ENZA as the preferred treatment for mCRPC.
Fuzzy neural network based prediction coding for bayer pattern image

In this paper, a sequential lossless compression of raw data from image sensor with Bayer pattern is proposed. Inspired by model of JPEG-LS, the proposed encoder consists of fuzzy neural network predictor, adaptive correction part based on context and adaptive arithmetic coder. As in JPEG-LS, it is a empirically observed that the global statistics of residuals from the ANN fixed predictor in raw data, which effectively exploits structural redundancies between mosaic-like color components, are well-modeled by a TSGD centered at zero. In the meantime, we propose a context determination approach based on causal interpolation that achieves high coding efficiency. Consequently, we can encode mosaic images on the fly at low complexity level. Compared with existing methods of lossless compression for Bayer raw data, the performance of proposed method is apparently the best.
Evaluation of Lambda-Cyhalothrin Barrier Spray on Vegetation For Control of Aedes albopictus in China

Abstract Aedes albopictus is a primary nuisance pest and disease vector in China. Control of Ae. albopictus using current methods is difficult because of diverse larval breeding sites. In the present study, lambda-cyhalothrin was applied as a barrier spray to vegetation surrounding human dwellings for control of adult mosquito populations. Compared to the landing rate counts in the untreated control site, the barrier spray resulted in an 83–98% reduction of Ae. albopictus within 9 wk posttreatment. The study results indicate that lambda-cyhalothrin applied as a barrier spray to vegetation can reduce Ae. albopictus landing rates collections for more than 2 months.
Epidemics of tick-borne infectious diseases in Japan

Tick and mites have many endogenous microorganisms, some of which are pathogen. Recently, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have been reported in Japan, and prevention and control of the disease have been taken. In this session, we would like to introduce the outline of tick-borne infectious diseases reported in Japan from the viewpoint of medical entomology.
The use of adenosine stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance in determining incomplete revascularization post-coronary artery bypass grafting and the importance of anterior septal vessels

Incomplete revascularization post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may occur in up to one quarter of patients, and metaanalyses suggest this is associated with poor outcomes. ESC guidelines now prioritize complete revascularization when deciding between CABG or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Adenosine stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) is well suited to determine the burden and location of ischaemia over and above scar, which may guide further revascularization after CABG. In our magnetic resonance experience, patients may receive bypass grafts that inadvertently leave proximal branches of the main coronary arteries trapped between a distal bypassed stenosis, and a proximal native stenosis.
Transgenic flax/linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) - expectations and reality

Ludvikova M. , Griga M. (2015): Transgenic flax/linseed ( Linum usitatissimum L.) – expectations and reality. Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed. , 51: 123–141. This review summarizes the history, important milestones, current status and perspectives of biotech flax/ linseed ( Linum usitatissimum L.), supplemented with some of our original research, breeding and data on environmentalsafety. We show how recent biotechnology methods and genetic engineering contributed to the flax/linseed breeding in order to speed up the breeding process (doubled haploids technology; in vitro selection with the use of pathogenic toxins or heavy metals; genetic transformation) and for the creation of new flax/ linseed cultivars. The focus is laid on genetic engineering which represents an excellent technology to enrich the flax/linseed genepool with genes of interest, which are not naturally present in the flax/linseed genome. Different methods of flax transformation are mentioned, as well as various genes of interest that have been used for flax transformation to date aimed at improving transgenic flax properties, affecting both qualitative and quantitative traits. The fatty acid content and composition, the lignan (especially secoisolariciresinol digluco side – SDG) content, flax fibre quality, tolerance to herbicides and resistance to diseases belong, among others, to flax traits that have already been modified by genetic engineering. Selection genes, reporter genes and also promoters that have been used for the vector construction are also summarized. This paper describes different fields of utilization of genetically modified ( GM) flax with different improved properties. The history of the only so far officially registered transgenic linseed cultivar Triffid is described in detail. Finally, potential risks and benefits of flax modification are evaluated and also the prime expectations of GM flax and real current state of this technology compared. Unfortunately, the products created by this technology are under strict (albeit not scientifically-based) legislative/political control in the European Union ( EU), which prevents the access of
Effect of the Nature of the 3β-Substitution in Manoyl Oxides on the Thermotropic Behavior of DPPC Lipid Bilayer and on DPPC Liposomes

Functionalized manoyl oxide derivatives have been proved over the years to evoke several biological responses. Among them, 3β-hydroxy-manoyl oxide (1) and 3β-acetoxy-manoyl oxide (2) have been shown to exhibit in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity, while N-imidazole-3 β-thiocarbonyl ester of manoyl oxide (3) was found to exhibit potent cytotoxic effect. Their partitioning into phospholipid bilayers may lead to membrane structure modifications that are crucial in liposome development as they may influence their maintenance and integrity. DSC was used to study the modifications induced in DPPC bilayers by incorporating increasing concentrations of the three manoyl oxide derivatives. All derivatives were found to strongly affect the bilayer structural organization in terms of a decrease of the cooperativity, the fluidization and partially destabilization of the gel phase and the induction of a lateral phase separation in clustering domains. Derivatives 1 and 3 were incorporated into DPPC liposomes and their physicochemical stability was monitored at 4°C. The stability of liposomes was strongly influenced by the presence of 1 and 3 at any molar ratio studied. DPPC/1 liposomes were found to retain its stability for 48 h at low concentration of 10% mol, while at higher concentrations up to 30% mol they collapsed into aggregated material. In all cases DPPC/3 liposomes were found unstable and sticky aggregated structures precipitated from the bulk suspension.