Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IMPLEMENTATION OF COLUMN -ORIENTED DATABASE IN POSTGRE SQL FOR OPTIMIZATION OF READ -ONLY QUERIES

The era of column-oriented database systems has truly begun with open source database systems like C-Store, MonetDb, LucidDb and commercial ones like Vertica. Column-oriented database stores data column-by-column which means it stores information of single attribute collectively. The need for Column-oriented database arose from the need of business intelligence for efficient decision making where traditional row-oriented database gives poor performance. PostgreSql is an open source row-oriented and most widely used relational database management system which does not have facility for storing data in column-oriented fashion. In our work we propose the best method for implementing column-store on top of rowstore in PostgreSql along with successful design and implementation of the same .
Towards Ontology-based Pragmatic Analysis

In this paper we describe an ontological model of pragmatic knowledge using an example from the domain of navigation that is based on the Descriptive Ontology for Linguistic and Cognitive Engineering and employs a specific ontological module called Descriptions & Situations. This framework establishes so-called ontological patterns. We employ such a pattern for modeling schematic knowledge of the pragmatics of spatial navigation.
Moving average rules, volume and the predictability of security returns with feedforward networks

This paper uses the daily Dow Jones Industrial Average Index from 1963 to 1988 to examine the linear and non-linear predictability of stock market returns with some simple technical trading rules. Some evidence of non-linear predictability in stock market returns is found by using the past buy and sell signals of the moving average rules. In addition, past information on volume improves the forecast accuracy of current returns. The technical trading rules used in this paper are very popular and very simple. The results here suggest that it is worth while to investigate more elaborate rules and the profitability of these rules after accounting for transaction costs and brokerage fees. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Emergence of Multidrug Resistant Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Eshcherichia coli Associated With Urinary Tract Infections in Bangladesh

The incidence of infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Escherichia coli has been increased dramatically in recent years. Treatment is difficult because of frequent multidrug resistance. To identify the sensitivity of commonly used antibiotics, 36 ESBL producing E. coli strains were isolated from young adult female patients in a govt. medical college hospital in Bangladesh. The samples were studied for antimicrobial sensitivity against nine (9) commonly used antibiotics namely ampicillin (amp), trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazole (tms), tetracycline (tet), ciprofloxacin (cip), mecillinum (mel), ceftriaxone (cef), nalidixic acid (nal), Azithromycin (azm) and Chloramphenicol (chl) and the MIC values were determined by agar dilution method. Overall, 72% of the strains were multidrug resistant (MDR) i.e. resistant to two or more drugs. Among 36 strains, 14 isolates were initially found to be resistant against third generation cephalosporin, ceftriaxone. Those were subjected to the test for production of ESBL (Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase) and 7 showed positive results.
Management of acute and post-operative pain in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease is common and patients with many co-morbid conditions frequently have to undergo surgical procedures and, therefore, require effective pain management. The pharmacokinetics of various analgesic agents are not well studied in patients with chronic kidney disease and the risk of accumulation of the main drug or their metabolites, resulting in serious adverse events, is a common scenario on medical and surgical wards. It is common for these patients to be cared for by 'non-nephrologists' who often prescribe the standard dose of the commonly used analgesics, without taking into consideration the patient's kidney function. It is important to recognize the problems and complications associated with the use of standard doses of analgesics, and highlight the importance of adjusting analgesic dosage based on kidney function to avoid complications while still providing adequate pain relief.
An integrated circuit for the in situ characterization of CMOS best-process micromachining

We have developed an integrated circuit for in situ monitoring and characterization of CMOS post-process micromachining. In our demonstration, the circuit provides automated readout of N-well resistors surrounding each of 140 micromachining test structures at up to 14,000 samples per second per device during the post-process silicon etch. We use this circuit to examine the effect of pit size, surrounding thin film layers, and topography in a 2 /spl mu/m CMOS process with a XeF/sub 2/ post-process step, although the circuit and results are of use to EDP, TMAH, and plasma post-processing.
Presynaptic calcium diffusion and the time courses of transmitter release and synaptic facilitation at the squid giant synapse

At the squid giant synapse, a presynaptic action potential is accompanied by an influx of calcium ions that continue to be detectable with arsenazo III microspectrophotometry for several seconds. Nevertheless, transmitter release occurs phasically, lasting only about 2 msec. If a second action potential follows within about 100 msec after the first, it releases more transmitter. In this paper, we present a mathematical model of intracellular calcium diffusion with binding to fixed cytoplasmic sites, active extrusion at the surface, and influx during an action potential, to predict the distribution of intracellular calcium following an action potential. With a square law relation between submembrane calcium and transmitter release, the model predicts the phasic release of transmitter and the magnitude and time course of synaptic facilitation following an action potential, as well as the relatively long persistence of free intracellular calcium.
The role of deep convection and nocturnal low-level jets for dust emission in summertime West Africa: Estimates from convection-permitting simulations

Convective cold pools and the breakdown of nocturnal low‐level jets (NLLJs) are key meteorological drivers of dust emission over summertime West Africa, the world's largest dust source. This study is the first to quantify their relative contributions and physical interrelations using objective detection algorithms and an off‐line dust emission model applied to convection‐permitting simulations from the Met Office Unified Model. The study period covers 25 July to 02 September 2006. All estimates may therefore vary on an interannual basis. The main conclusions are as follows: (a) approximately 40% of the dust emissions are from NLLJs, 40% from cold pools, and 20% from unidentified processes (dry convection, land‐sea and mountain circulations); (b) more than half of the cold‐pool emissions are linked to a newly identified mechanism where aged cold pools form a jet above the nocturnal stable layer; (c) 50% of the dust emissions occur from 1500 to 0200 LT with a minimum around sunrise and after midday, and 60% of the morning‐to‐noon emissions occur under clear skies, but only 10% of the afternoon‐to‐nighttime emissions, suggesting large biases in satellite retrievals; (d) considering precipitation and soil moisture effects, cold‐pool emissions are reduced by 15%; and (e) models with parameterized convection show substantially less cold‐pool emissions but have larger NLLJ contributions. The results are much more sensitive to whether convection is parameterized or explicit than to the choice of the land‐surface characterization, which generally is a large source of uncertainty. This study demonstrates the need of realistically representing moist convection and stable nighttime conditions for dust modeling.
Systems Analysis of Chaperone Networks in the Malarial Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Molecular chaperones participate in the maintenance of cellular protein homeostasis, cell growth and differentiation, signal transduction, and development. Although a vast body of information is available regarding individual chaperones, few studies have attempted a systems level analysis of chaperone function. In this paper, we have constructed a chaperone interaction network for the malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. P. falciparum is responsible for several million deaths every year, and understanding the biology of the parasite is a top priority. The parasite regularly experiences heat shock as part of its life cycle, and chaperones have often been implicated in parasite survival and growth. To better understand the participation of chaperones in cellular processes, we created a parasite chaperone network by combining experimental interactome data with in silico analysis. We used interolog mapping to predict protein–protein interactions for parasite chaperones based on the interactions of corresponding human chaperones. This data was then combined with information derived from existing high-throughput yeast two-hybrid assays. Analysis of the network reveals the broad range of functions regulated by chaperones. The network predicts involvement of chaperones in chromatin remodeling, protein trafficking, and cytoadherence. Importantly, it allows us to make predictions regarding the functions of hypothetical proteins based on their interactions. It allows us to make specific predictions about Hsp70–Hsp40 interactions in the parasite and assign functions to members of the Hsp90 and Hsp100 families. Analysis of the network provides a rational basis for the anti-malarial activity of geldanamycin, a well-known Hsp90 inhibitor. Finally, analysis of the network provides a theoretical basis for further experiments designed toward understanding the involvement of this important class of molecules in parasite biology.
A Deterministic Model to Quantify Risk and Guide Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Bluetongue Virus Transmission in California Dairy Cattle

The global distribution of bluetongue virus (BTV) has been changing recently, perhaps as a result of climate change. To evaluate the risk of BTV infection and transmission in a BTV-endemic region of California, sentinel dairy cows were evaluated for BTV infection, and populations of Culicoides vectors were collected at different sites using carbon dioxide. A deterministic model was developed to quantify risk and guide future mitigation strategies to reduce BTV infection in California dairy cattle. The greatest risk of BTV transmission was predicted within the warm Central Valley of California that contains the highest density of dairy cattle in the United States. Temperature and parameters associated with Culicoides vectors (transmission probabilities, carrying capacity, and survivorship) had the greatest effect on BTV’s basic reproduction number, R0. Based on these analyses, optimal control strategies for reducing BTV infection risk in dairy cattle will be highly reliant upon early efforts to reduce vector abundance during the months prior to peak transmission.
Leu72Met408 Polymorphism of the Ghrelin Gene Is Associated With Early Phase of Gastric Emptying in the Patients With Functional Dyspepsia in Japan

Background/Aims There are no available data about the relationship between ghrelin gene genotypes and early phase of gastric emptying in functional dyspepsia (FD) as defined by Rome III classification. Methods We enrolled 74 patients presenting with typical symptoms of FD and 64 healthy volunteers. Gastric motility was evaluated using the 13C-acetate breath test. We used Rome III criteria to evaluate upper abdominal symptoms and self-rating questionnaires for depression (SRQ-D) scores to determine status of depression. The Arg51Gln (346G>A), preproghrelin (3056T>C), Leu72Met (408C>A), Gln90Leu (3412T>A) and G-protein β3 (825C>T) polymorphisms were analyzed in the DNA from blood samples of enrolled subjects. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction. Results There was a significant relationship between the Gln90Leu3412 genotype and SRQ-D score in FD patients (P = 0.009). Area under the curve at 15 minutes (AUC15) value was significantly associated with the Leu72Met408 genotype (P = 0.015) but not with entire gastric emptying. Conclusions The Leu72Met (408C>A) single nucleotide polymorphism was significantly associated with early phase of gastric emptying in FD patients. Further studies will be necessary to clarify the association between ghrelin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and early phase of gastric emptying in FD patients.
Spatial bottom-up controls on fire likelihood vary across western North America

The unique nature of landscapes has challenged our ability to make generalizations about the effects of bottom-up controls on fire regimes. For four geographically distinct fire-prone landscapes in western North America, we used a consistent simulation approach to quantify the influence of three key bottom-up factors, ignitions, fuels, and topography, on spatial patterns of fire likelihood. We first developed working hypotheses predicting the influence of each factor based on its spatial structure (i.e., autocorrelation) in each of the four study areas. We then used a simulation model parameterized with extensive fire environment data to create high-resolution maps of fire likelihood, or burn probability (BP). To infer the influence of each bottom-up factor within and among study areas, these BP maps were compared to parallel sets of maps in which one of the three bottom-up factors was randomized. Results showed that ignition pattern had a relatively minor influence on the BP across all four study areas, whereas the influence of fuels was large. The influence of topography was the most equivocal among study areas; it had an insignificant influence in one study area and was the dominant control in another. We also found that the relationship between the influence of these factors and their spatial structure appeared nonlinear, which may have important implications for management activities aimed at attenuating the effect of fuels or ignitions on wildfire risk. This comparative study using landscapes with different biophysical and fire regime characteristics demonstrates the importance of employing consistent methodology to pinpoint the influence of bottom-up controls.
An Updated Insight into the Sialotranscriptome of Triatoma infestans: Developmental Stage and Geographic Variations

Background Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in South America. As in all hematophagous arthropods, its saliva contains a complex cocktail that assists blood feeding by preventing platelet aggregation and blood clotting and promoting vasodilation. These salivary components can be immunologically recognized by their vector's hosts and targeted with antibodies that might disrupt blood feeding. These antibodies can be used to detect vector exposure using immunoassays. Antibodies may also contribute to the fast evolution of the salivary cocktail. Methodology Salivary gland cDNA libraries from nymphal and adult T. infestans of breeding colonies originating from different locations (Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia), and cDNA libraries originating from F1 populations of Bolivia, were sequenced using Illumina technology. Coding sequences (CDS) were extracted from the assembled reads, the numbers of reads mapped to these CDS, sequences were functionally annotated and polymorphisms determined. Main findings/Significance Over five thousand CDS, mostly full length or near full length, were publicly deposited on GenBank. Transcripts that were over 10-fold overexpressed from different geographical regions, or from different developmental stages were identified. Polymorphisms were mapped to derived coding sequences, and found to vary between developmental instars and geographic origin of the biological material. This expanded sialome database from T. infestans should be of assistance in future proteomic work attempting to identify salivary proteins that might be used as epidemiological markers of vector exposure, or proteins of pharmacological interest.
Efficient Block-Based Frequency Domain Wavelet Transform Implementations

Subband decompositions for image coding have been explored extensively over the last few decades. The condensed wavelet packet (CWP) transform is one such decomposition that was recently shown to have coding performance advantages over conventional decompositions. A special feature of the CWP is that its design and implementation are performed in the cyclic frequency domain. While performance gains have been reported, efficient implementations of the CWP (or more generally, efficient implementations of cyclic filter banks) have not yet been fully explored. In this paper, we present efficient block-based implementations of cyclic filter banks along with an analysis of the arithmetic complexity. Block-based cyclic filter bank implementations of the CWP coder are compared with conventional subband/wavelet image coders whose filter banks are implemented in the time domain. It is shown that block-based cyclic filter bank implementations can result in CWP coding systems that outperform the popular image coding systems both in terms of arithmetic complexity and coding performance.
THE DETERMINANTS OF RELATION BETWEEN EXECUTIVE STOCK OPTIONS AND MANAGERIAL RISK TAKING

This research intends to explore the factor determining the positive relation between executive stock options and managerial risk taking. I firstly investigate the relation between the risk increase of investment project (referred to the risk relative) and a measure of incentive effects of stock options (referred to as the incentive ratio). The evidence shows a positive relation between the risk relative and the incentive ratio, implying that executives undertake more risky projects when their compensation contain a higher proportion of stock options. The causal link between higher option compensation leading to higher risk increase is further examined in terms of firm-specific factors, including firm size, investment opportunity, and managerial discretions (eg., internal liquidity and borrowing capability). The evidence from statistical tests and regression models (OLS and separate-slopes) supports the hypothesis that the relation between option compensation and capital investment risk is determined by firm-specific factors. The results support the hypotheses that the relation of higher option compensation and lagged impact on capital investment risk is constrained by firm-specific factors.
Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Abutting the Diaphragm: Assessment of Safety and Therapeutic Efficacy

Objective To assess the safety and therapeutic efficacy of a percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) abutting the diaphragm. Materials and Methods We retrospectively assessed 80 patients who underwent a percutaneous RF ablation for a single nodular (< 4 cm) HCC over the last four years. Each patient underwent an ultrasound-guided RF ablation using internally cooled electrodes for the first-line treatment. We divided patients into two subgroups based on whether the index tumor was abutting (less than 5 mm) the diaphragm or not: group A (abutting; n = 31) versus group B (non-abutting; n = 49). We compared the two subgroups for complications and therapeutic efficacy using image and the review of medical records. The statistical assessment included an independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, and chi-square test. Results The assessment of the diaphragmatic swelling at CT immediately following the procedure was more severe in group A than group B (mean thickness change:1.44 vs. 0.46 mm, p = 0.00). Further, right shoulder pain was more common in group A than B (p = 0.01). Although minor complications (hemothorax 1 case, pleural effusion 1 case) were noted only in group A, no major thoracic complication occurred in either group. The technical success rate was lower in group A than group B (84% vs. 98%, p = 0.03). As well, the primary and secondary technique effectiveness rates in group A and group B were 90% versus 98% (p = 0.29) and 79% versus 91% (p = 0.25), respectively. The local tumor progression rate was higher in group A than in group B (29% vs. 6%, p = 0.02). Conclusion We found that the percutaneous RF ablation for the HCC abutting the diaphragm is a safe procedure without major complications. However, it is less effective with regard to technical success and local tumor control.
MODELING OF A THERMOELECTRIC BRAIN COOLER BY ADAPTIVE NEURO-FUZZY INFERENCE SYSTEM

The object of the present study is to determine the most suitable method for control design for thermoelectric cooler headgear developed for brain hypothermia applications. Hypothermia refers to a medical treatment method protecting the brain in which the temperature of the brain drops below the level required for reducing oxygen consumption of tissues. The temperature of the headgear is controlled by current. We were examined by using Fuzzy Logic Control, one of the artificial intelligence techniques. Initial membership functions were determined and used for obtaining the data by an expert. ANFIS model were constructed on MATLAB medium and new membership functions were determined. The optimal results will be obtained by re-programming the system with these new membership functions.
Depletion of TDP 43 overrides the need for exonic and intronic splicing enhancers in the human apoA-II gene

Exon 3 of the human apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) gene is efficiently included in the mRNA although its acceptor site is significantly weak because of a peculiar (GU)16 tract instead of a canonical polypyrimidine tract within the intron 2/exon 3 junction. Our previous studies demonstrated that the SR proteins ASF/SF2 and SC35 bind specifically an exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) within exon 3 and promote exon 3 splicing. In the present study, we show that the ESE is necessary only in the proper context. In addition, we have characterized two novel sequences in the flanking introns that modulate apoA-II exon 3 splicing. There is a G-rich element in intron 2 that interacts with hnRNPH1 and inhibits exon 3 splicing. The second is a purine rich region in intron 3 that binds SRp40 and SRp55 and promotes exon 3 inclusion in mRNA. We have also found that the (GU) repeats in the apoA-II context bind the splicing factor TDP-43 and interfere with exon 3 definition. Significantly, blocking of TDP-43 expression by small interfering RNA overrides the need for all the other cis-acting elements making exon 3 inclusion constitutive even in the presence of disrupted exonic and intronic enhancers. Altogether, our results suggest that exonic and intronic enhancers have evolved to balance the negative effects of the two silencers located in intron 2 and hence rescue the constitutive exon 3 inclusion in apoA-II mRNA.