Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Lycium Barbarum (Wolfberry) Polysaccharides on Preserving Retinal Function after Partial Optic Nerve Transection

Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP) are the active components of Wolfberry (a traditional Chinese medicine) which has long been used for improving visual function. This study aims to investigate localized changes of retinal function in a partial optic nerve transection (PONT) model, and effects of LBP on visual function. The multifocal electroretinograms (mfERG) were obtained from 30 eyes of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were divided into 6 groups (five treatment groups and one control group). Starting from the first day of the experiment, the rats in the (PONT+LBP) group and the (LBP) group were dosed with LBP; rats in the (PONT+PBS (phosphate buffered saline)) group and the (PBS) group were dosed with PBS via nasogastric tube every day until euthanized. The dorsal part of the optic nerve was transected in the (PONT), (PONT+LBP) and (PONT+PBS) groups at the end of week 1 (day 7 after LBP or PBS feeding began). The mfERG was measured at three time points: week 2, week 3 and week 5. Significant reduction of P1 and PhNR amplitudes of the mfERG were observed in all retinal regions a week after PONT. Feeding with LBP prior to PONT preserved retinal function. All mfERG responses returned to the normal range in the superior retina, which corresponds to the transected dorsal region of the optic nerve, while most of the inferior retinal responses were significantly increased at week 4 after PONT. The ventral part of the retina had secondary degeneration which was not only limited to the ganglion cell layer, but is a widespread effect affecting the outer retina. LBP altered the functional reduction caused by PONT by regulating the signal from the outer retina.
Semi-Automatic Domain Ontology Graph Generation System in Punjabi

Ontology is the presently rising research topic in the field of artificial intelligence, semantic web, and natural language processing. Manual ontology development is very complex and time consuming task. This research proposes and implemented a Semi-Automatic Punjabi Domain Ontology graph generation system which creates a framework semi-automatically known as Ontology Graph. It is the first time that this system has been developed for Punjabi language. Punjabi is the official language of Punjab state of India. The proposed system includes process of learning ontology that illustrate the way of learning and creates ontology graphs semi automatically from Punjabi text documents. Ontology learning process includes two phases namely Preprocessing phase and processing phase. Preprocessing phase is a representation of the Punjabi text in structured way. The proposed system starts by Pre-processing phase which includes Term extraction by applying input restrictions, removing special symbols, duplicate terms, stop words, and matching input terms with dictionary and gazetteer lists. Processing phase includes identify relationship between term and class, relationship between different terms in a class. The mapping of relationship between term and class is done according to weighted mapping. Terms that have frequency of occurrence greater than 3 are used to map the relationship between term and class. The relationship between different terms in class finds out the direct relation between terms in a class.
TERT Polymorphism rs2853669 Influences on Lung Cancer Risk in the Korean Population

Short telomeres are known as one of the risk factors for human cancers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the association between 6 polymorphisms, which were related with short telomere length in the Korean population, and lung cancer risk using 1,100 cases and 1,096 controls. Among the 6 polymorphisms, TERT rs2853669 was significantly associated with increased lung cancer risk under a recessive model (odds ratio [OR]=1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.05-1.81, P=0.02). The effect of rs2853669 on lung cancer risk was significant in younger individuals (OR=1.73, 95% CI=1.18-2.54, P=0.005) and adenocarcinoma (OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.07-2.07, P=0.02). Our results suggest that a common functional promoter polymorphism, TERT rs2853669, may influence both telomere length and lung cancer risk in the Korean population. Graphical Abstract
The Bile Acid Receptor FXR Is a Modulator of Intestinal Innate Immunity1

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a bile acid-regulated nuclear receptor expressed in enterohepatic tissues. In this study we investigated whether FXR is expressed by cells of innate immunity and regulates inflammation in animal models of colitis. Acute (7 days) and chronic (8 wk) colitis were induced in wild-type and FXR−/− mice by intrarectal administration of trinitrobenzensulfonic acid or by 7-day administration of 5% dextran sulfate in drinking water. The results of this experiment demonstrate that FXR is expressed by and exerts counterregulatory effects on cells of innate immunity. Exposure of LPS-activated macrophages to 6-ethyl chenodeoxycholic acid (6E-CDCA; INT-747) a synthetic FXR ligand, results in a reciprocal regulation of NF-κB dependent-genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-1, COX-2, and iNOS) and induction of SHP, a FXR-regulated gene. FXR activation stabilizes the nuclear corepressor NCoR on the NF-κB responsive element on the IL-1β promoter. Colon inflammation in Crohn’s disease patients and in rodent models of colitis is associated with a reduced expression of FXR mRNA. Using two rodent models of colon inflammation, we show that progression of these immune-mediated disorders is exacerbated in FXR−/− mice (p < 0.01). In vivo treatment with INT-747 attenuates organ injury and immune cell activation. FXR activation increased the colon expression of I-BABP, FXR, and SHP while reducing IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ mRNA expression and attenuating disease severity. In aggregate, these findings provide evidence that FXR is an essential component of a network of nuclear receptors that regulate intestinal innate immunity and homeostasis.
Evaluating the Efficiency of Multisensor Satellite Data Fusion Based on the Accuracy Level of Land Cover/Use Classification

The term imagery fusion has been used to describe a variety of combining operations performed to increase the ground resolution of multispectral data. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the impact of different pixel-level fusion methods on the accuracy level of land cover/use classification. Panchromatic FORMOSAT-2 data and multispectral SPOT-6 data were considered, and Brovey, Ehlers, and principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms were used as pixel- level fusion algorithms. The improvement in the accuracy of the fused images relative to the original images was determined. The land cover/use categories were classified into five groups by using a maximum likelihood algorithm. To verify and assess the accuracy of classification, training sites were selected for all land cover/use themes. The classification accuracy was calculated for all images by using error matrices. The greatest improvement in land cover/use classification was obtained by using the Brovey algorithm; the overall accuracy was 93.68% and the kappa coefficient was 0.9115. The next greatest improvement was obtained using the Ehlers algorithm, and the overall accuracy and kappa coefficient were 89.54% and 0.8620, respectively. Finally, the least accurate classification was obtained by using the PCA algorithm; the overall accuracy was 88.36% and the kappa coefficient was 0.8247. Comparing the fused images with the original images, the overall accuracy of 86.36% and kappa coefficient value of 0.8036, which were obtained for the original images, were used as benchmarks.
Studies on the toxicity and mechanism of action of p-nitrophenyl diethyl thionophosphate.

1. Measurements of the acute toxicity of parathion given intraperitoneally gave the following approximate LD50 values in mgm. /kgm. : male rats 7, female rats 4, mice 5-10, cats 3-5, and dogs 12-20. The LD50 by oral administration was 6 mgm. /kgm. for female rats and 15 mgm. /kgm. for male rats. 2. The LD50 for the oxygen analog of parathion, diethyl p-nitro phenylphosphate, was 1.2 mgm. /kgm. when given intraperitoneally in rats and 3.5 mgm. /kgm. when given orally with both sexes showing equal susceptibility. 3. Diethyl stilbesterol increased the susceptibility of male rats to parathion while testosterone propionate decreased the susceptibility of females to the insecticide. 4. A cumulative toxic action by parathion was observed in rats after daily administration of sublethal doses of the drug. 5. The symptoms produced by parathion were similar in all of the species tested and were typical of parasympathomimetic drugs. Pharmacodynamic studies showed irregular blood pressure responses to intravenous injection, a slight fall or rise, or a diphasic response being seen on different occasions. The depressor response to acetylcholine was augmented and atropine antagonized many of the effects of the drugs. After lethal doses of the drug death resulted from respiratory paralysis. 6. Parathion was found to be a strong inhibitor of cholinesterase. In vitro a final concentration of 1.2 x 10-6 M parathion produced 50 per cent inhibition of rat brain cholinesterase. After 5 mgm. /kgm. of the insecticide given intraperitoneally the cholinesterase activity of the brain was 15 per cent of normal while the submaxillary glands exhibited 29 per cent of control activity at the time of death. The free acetyicholine rose markedly in the brains of poisoned animals. 7. Treatment of rats with eserine before parathion resulted in partial protection of both the central and peripheral esterase against inhibition by the insecticide and a combination of atropine and eserine protected against the lethal action of the drug.
Construction of non-contacting power feeding system to underwater vehicle utilizing electro magnetic induction

As a method of sending electric power to underwater vehicles, the contactless power supply system (CLPS) utilizing electromagnetic induction is proposed. We also developed the cone-type coil that is suitable for use underwater. This system has an efficient nature and high power transmission capability, even when fluctuation in the sea exists. Furthermore, the electromagnetic force generated during power transmission will be useful for maintaining the location of an underwater vehicle stably. If this system is applied to the vehicle, the restriction of a sphere of activity and time in inquiry is obtained. So it is possible to reduce costs. In this paper, we considered water cooling and it is confirmed possible to transmit about 1 kW of electric power at about 90% efficiency when the diameter of the coil is 48 mm. We also designed the coil size which is suitable for the specification of the battery on the real vehicle.
Why Does the Treasury Issue Tips? The Tips-Treasury Bond Puzzle

We show that the price of a Treasury bond and an inflation-swapped TIPS issue exactly replicating the cash flows of the Treasury bond can differ by more than $20 per $100 notional. Treasury bonds are almost always overvalued relative to TIPS. Total TIPS-Treasury mispricing has exceeded $56 billion, representing nearly eight percent of the total amount of TIPS outstanding. TIPS-Treasury mispricing is strongly related to supply factors such as Treasury debt issuance and the availability of collateral in the financial markets, and is correlated with other types of fixed-income arbitrages, These results pose a major puzzle to classical asset pricing theory. In addition, they raise the issue of why the Treasury issues TIPS, since in so doing it both gives up a valuable fiscal hedging option and leaves large amounts of money on the table.
Impedance measurements in the diagnosis of Meniere's disease.

Meniere's disease is discussed in terms of diagnostic difficulties, histological findings and treatments pointing to the use of impedance techniques with this condition. Ten subjects were given a questionnaire, regarding the symptoms experienced at the time of testing and impedance measures were conducted. Acoustic impedance values were higher in 80% of the affected ears when compared to the unaffected ears. Four of these values were more than double those in the unaffected ears and three were above normal limits. Therefore, increased endolymphatic pressure appears to be reflected in the test results. It is felt that impedance techniques should be.included in the test battery for the diagnosis of Meniere's disease.
Master ’ s thesis Spatial Pattern Spectra and Content-based Image Retrieval

Granulometries are powerful and versatile tools in image analysis and pattern spectra, or size distributions, are a simple method of extracting information from an image using these granulometries. One of the drawbacks of the traditional pattern spectra, the lack of spatial information about connected components within images, is addressed in this project by introducing three extensions to the regular area pattern spectra: one based on moments, one based on translation of the components within the image, and one based on multi-scale connectivity. These three extensions are tested in the field of content-based image retrieval: are they able to retrieved images from an image-database, that are similar in some way to a certain, user-provided, query-image? This is a question that is interesting for fields like intelligent multimedia and web searches (search engines).
A “New Trade” Theory of GATT/WTO Negotiations

I suggest a novel theory of GATT/WTO negotiations based on Krugman’s “new trade” model. It emphasizes international production relocations and is easy to calibrate to bilateral trade data. Focusing on the major players in recent GATT/WTO negotiations, I find that it implies reasonable noncooperative tariffs as well as moderate gains from GATT/WTO negotiations.
Affective-Centered Design for Interactive Robots

We present a new paradigm for the design of interactive robots called affective-centered design. By drawing on the disciplines of human-computer interaction (HCI), affective computing, and human-robot interaction (HRI), we suggest techniques robot designers can use to help ensure interactions with their robots are of high affective quality, and thus more likely to be enjoyed and accepted by users. Category: Position Paper (*P*)
Evaluation of Correlations of Flow Boiling Heat Transfer of R22 in Horizontal Channels

The calculation of two-phase flow boiling heat transfer of R22 in channels is required in a variety of applications, such as chemical process cooling systems, refrigeration, and air conditioning. A number of correlations for flow boiling heat transfer in channels have been proposed. This work evaluates the existing correlations for flow boiling heat transfer coefficient with 1669 experimental data points of flow boiling heat transfer of R22 collected from 18 published papers. The top two correlations for R22 are those of Liu and Winterton (1991) and Fang (2013), with the mean absolute deviation of 32.7% and 32.8%, respectively. More studies should be carried out to develop better ones. Effects of channel dimension and vapor quality on heat transfer are analyzed, and the results provide valuable information for further research in the correlation of two-phase flow boiling heat transfer of R22 in channels.
New authenticated key agreement protocols

Key agreement protocols are used to establish common keys between two or more entities. The established key can then be used to assure confidentiality of exchanged messages through encryption. Additionally, authenticated key agreement protocols offer implicit authentication. In this paper, new authenticated key agreement protocols are proposed and their security properties are investigated. We start by examining the two-party case and then develop extensions to three parties as well as extensions to any group of k parties. The proposed protocols try to keep exchanged messages and computations minimal, while offering adequate security guarantees. Finally, we develop a variant of our multi-party key agreement protocol tailored for secure group communications among mobile devices.
Effect of female gender on the outcome of coronary artery bypass surgery for left main coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE Early mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting is generally higher in women than in men. This study analyzes the effect of female gender on early mortality of coronary artery bypass grafting particularly for left main coronary artery disease. METHODS Study population consisted of 144 consecutive patients (33 women, 111 men) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting for left main coronary artery disease. Mean follow-up was 25.1 +/- 14.0 months. Data were collected retrospectively and presented as mean +/- standard deviation. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier actuarial curve method with the log rank univariate test, followed by Cox's proportional rate multivariate model. RESULTS Overall mortality was 7% in the patient population. Cox regression analysis revealed that the independent predictors of increased total mortality were female gender (HR 8.34, 95% CI 1.79 - 38.76, p=0.007), advanced age (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.23, p=0.014), degree of left main coronary artery stenosis (HR 1.068, 95%CI 1.005-1.135, p=0.03), and left ventricular ejection fraction (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87-0.99, p=0.03). Female gender was found to be the only independent predictor of increased early mortality (HR 13.18, 95%CI 1.444-120.343, p=0.02). After discharge from the hospital, female gender was no more a predictor of increased mortality. CONCLUSION According to these data, we may assume that female gender is related with increased mortality in coronary artery surgery for left main disease in the pre-discharge period however after discharge from hospital, long-term benefit of female survivors of coronary artery bypass grafting operated on for left main coronary artery disease might be as good as in men.
Helmintos do jaraqui-escama-grossa Semaprochilodus insignis (Prochilodontidae) na Amazônia Central.

INTRODUÇÃO Na América do Sul, são conhecidas seis espécies de Prochilodontidae do gênero Semaprochilodus (OLIVEIRA et al., 2003). Na bacia amazônica e do Orinoco e em alguns rios da Guiana ocorrem três espécies desse gênero, o jaraqui-escama-grossa Semaprochilodus insignis Jardine 1841; jaraqui-escam-fina Semaprochilodus taeniurus Velenciannes, 1821 e o jaraqui Semaprochilodus brama Velenciannes, 1850. O jaraqui S. brama ocorre somente nos Rios Tocantins-Araguaia e Xingu. Os jaraquis S. insignis e S. taeniurus estão amplamente distribuídos na bacia do Rio Amazonas e seus tributários. Ambas as espécies migram duas vezes ao ano em direção aos rios ricos em nutrientes e retornam ao mesmo tributário de águas pobres em nutrientes, onde se alimentam durante 3-4 meses. Adultos de ambas as espécies são encontradas nos igapós, canal principal dos rios, lagos de várzea e igarapés (RUFFINO, 2005; BATISTA & LIMA, 2010). Na Amazônia brasileira, esses peixes são importantes fontes de proteína para as populações ribeirinhas (SOARES et al., 2007; BATISTA & LIMA, 2010). Entre todos os vertebrados, os peixes são os que apresentam as maiores taxas de infecção parasitária, pois às características do meio aquático favorecem o desenvolvimento e o ciclo de vida de diferentes grupos de parasitos (TAKEMOTO et al., 2009; SILVA et al., 2011), principalmente daqueles de transmissão direta. Assim, nos peixes, os estudos do impacto dos parasitos em populações naturais têm por finalidade ampliar o conhecimento sobre a relação hospedeiro-parasito-ambiente e as distintas estratégias usadas pelos diferentes parasitos, bem como os seus aspectos ecológicos (EIRAS et al., 2006; SILVA et al., 2011). Apesar da importância sócio-econômica do jaraqui S. insignis para a Amazônia, pouco se conhece sobre sua parasitofauna. Nas brânquias deste hospedeiro foi descrito o copepoda Ergasilus jaraquensis (THATCHER & ROBERTSON, 1982) e nas fossas nasais o copepoda Gamidactylus jaraquensis (THATCHER & BOEGER, 1984). Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo descrever a fauna parasitária de S. insignis do Lago Coari, tributário do médio Rio Solimões, Estado do Amazonas, Brasil, na Amazônia central.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Binding Protein-1 Modulates Cell Cycle Progression in Fetal Neural Stem Cells

Amyloid precursor protein binding protein-1 (APP-BP1) binds to the carboxyl terminus of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and serves as the bipartite activation enzyme for the ubiquitin-like protein, NEDD8. In the present study, we explored the physiological role of APP-BP1 in the cell cycle progression of fetal neural stem cells. Our results show that cell cycle progression of the cells is arrested at the G1 phase by depletion of APP-BP1, which results in a marked decrease in the proliferation of the cells. This action of APP-BP1 is antagonistically regulated by the interaction with APP. Consistent with the evidence that APP-BP1 function is critical for cell cycle progression, the amount of APP-BP1 varies depending upon cell cycle phase, with culminating expression at S-phase. Furthermore, our FRET experiment revealed that phosphorylation of APP at threonine 668, known to occur during the G2/M phase, is required for the interaction between APP and APP-BP1. We also found a moderate ubiquitous level of APP-BP1 mRNA in developing embryonic and early postnatal brains; however, APP-BP1 expression is reduced by P12, and only low levels of APP-BP1 were found in the adult brain. In the cerebral cortex of E16 rats, substantial expression of both APP-BP1 and APP mRNAs was observed in the ventricular zone. Collectively, these results indicate that APP-BP1 plays an important role in the cell cycle progression of fetal neural stem cells, through the interaction with APP, which is fostered by phopshorylation of threonine 668.
Recombinant fragment of von Willebrand factor AR545C inhibits platelet binding to thrombin and platelet adhesion to thrombin‐treated endothelial cells

Activated, but not resting, platelets are capable of adhering to intact endothelial cells (ECs). We evaluated the effect of a recombinant von Willebrand factor (VWF) fragment AR545C, which inhibits glycoprotein Ib (GPIb)/VWF binding, on platelet adhesion to human ECs under static or flow conditions. Incubation of resting platelets with intact endothelium under flow conditions (350/s) resulted in minimal platelet adhesion. The adhesion was enhanced two‐ to threefold after either platelet activation by thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP) or EC pretreatment with thrombin. The enhancing effect of thrombin was abolished by addition of either hirudin (10 u/ml) or PGE1 (1 µg/ml). Preincubation of resting platelets with increasing concentrations of AR545C under static or flow conditions resulted in a dose‐dependent inhibition of thrombin‐induced enhanced adhesion to ECs. AR545C (0·3 µm) completely abolished the effect of thrombin, reducing platelet adhesion to the control level observed with non‐treated ECs. In contrast, the same concentration of AR545C had no effect on the adhesion of TRAP‐activated platelets to ECs. AR545C also inhibited thrombin‐induced platelet aggregation and binding in a dose‐dependent manner. In addition, 0·3 µm of AR545C reduced thrombin‐induced serotonin release by 57%, whereas monoclonal antibody AN51, which inhibits ristocetin‐induced platelet aggregation, had no effect on either thrombin‐induced platelet aggregation or binding or on serotonin release. Similarly, AR545C had no effect on TRAP‐induced serotonin release. These findings suggest that (i) AR545C inhibits platelet activation mediated by thrombin and this inhibition occurs through blocking the high‐affinity thrombin binding sites on the GPIb/IX complex and (ii) AR545C has no effect on the moderate affinity thrombin receptor (seven transmembrane domain thrombin receptor; STDR).