Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Neonatal Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rat Model for the Development of Cataract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) generally follows prediabetes (PD) conditions such as impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Although studies reported an association of IGT or IFG with cataract, the experimental basis for PD associated cataract is not known. Hence, we evaluated neonatal streptozotocin (nSTZ) induced rat model to study PD associated cataractogenesis by injecting STZ to two-day old rats. While majority (70%) of nSTZ injected pups developed IGT (nSTZ-PD) by two months but not cataract even after seven months, remaining (30%) nSTZ rats developed hyperglycemia (nSTZ-D) by two months and mature cataract by seven months. Lens biochemical analysis indicated increased oxidative stress as indicated by increased SOD activity, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl levels in nSTZ-D cataractous lens. There was also increased polyol pathway as assessed by aldose reductase activity and sorbitol levels. Though nSTZ-PD animals have not shown any signs of lenticular opacity, insolubilization of proteins along with enhanced polyol pathway was observed in the lens. Further there was increased oxidative stress in lens of IGT animals. These results suggest that oxidative stress along with increased polyol pathway might play a role in IGT-associated lens abnormalities. In conclusion, nSTZ-PD rat model could aid to investigate IGT-associated lens abnormalities.
Isolation and characterization of a light chain variable region gene for human rheumatoid factors

Previously, we isolated a Vk gene (Humkv325) from a human placenta that encodes RF light chains bearing the PSL2 and PSL3 CRI markers. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a second human Vk gene (Humkv328) that can be used for RF synthesis. This Vk gene probably encodes at least two 6B6.6 CRI+ RF light chains (Les and Pom) from unrelated subjects, and thus may be related to the light chain- associated 6B6.6 CRI.
Towards Progressive Searching of Biological Sequences

The explosive growth of genome databases makes similarity search a challenging problem. Current search tools are non-interactive in the sense that the user has to wait a long time until the entire database is inspected. We consider the problem of progressive searching, and propose a set of interactive -NN ( -Nearest Neighbor) search algorithms for biological sequences. We develop a new model for computing the distance distribution of a query string to a set of strings. Using this distribution, our first technique orders the MBRs (Minimum Bounding Rectangles) of an index structure based on their order statistics. We also propose an early pruning strategy to reduce the total search time for this technique. Our second technique exploits existing statistical models to define an order on the index structure MBRs. We also propose a method to compute the confidence levels for the partial results. Our experiments show that our technique can achieve 75% accuracy within the first 2.5-35% of the iterations and 90% accuracy within the first 12-45% of the iterations. Furthermore, the reported confidence levels reflect the quality of the partial results accurately.
A capacity management service for resource pools

Resource pools are computing environments that offer virtualized access to shared resources. When used effectively they can align the use of capacity with business needs (flexibility), lower infrastructure costs (via resource sharing), and lower operating costs (via automation). This paper describes the Quartermaster capacity manager service for managing such pools. It implements a trace-based technique that models workload (e.g., application) resource demands, their corresponding resource allocations, and resource access quality of service. The primary advantages of the technique are its accuracy, generality, support for resource access qualities of service, and optimizing search method. We pose general capacity management questions for resource pools and explain how the capacity manager helps to address them in an automated manner. A case study demonstrates and validates the method on empirical data from an enterprise application. We show that the technique exploits much of the resource savings to be achieved from resource sharing and is significantly more accurate at estimating per-server required capacity than a benchmark method used in practice to manage a resource pool. Finally, we explain how the problems relate to other practices regarding enterprise capacity management and software performance engineering.
Munc 13 C 2 B domain is an activity-dependent Ca 2 + regulator of synaptic exocytosis

Synaptic transmission is initiated when Ca2+ influx during an action potential triggers neurotransmitter release1. Synaptic transmission is not a constant point-to-point transfer of information from one neuron to the next but, instead, changes as a function of use, rendering synapses elementary computational units of the brain2. Many different types of use-dependent synaptic plasticity have been described, among which presynaptic short-term plasticity stands out because it is universally present at synapses and can alter synaptic transmission more than ten-fold3. Short-term plasticity is of central importance for information processing by the brain; for example, it may underlie working memory formation in the cortex4. At first approximation, presynaptic short-term plasticity results from two opposing processes3. Repeated action potentials deplete the readily releasable pool (RRP) of synaptic vesicles, thereby inducing synaptic depression. At the same time, Ca2+ influx during repeated action potentials causes accumulation of residual Ca2+, thereby inducing synaptic facilitation. As a consequence, a high release probability usually results in synaptic depression, because the RRP becomes depleted, whereas a low release probability usually results in synaptic facilitation, because vesicle depletion is delayed but accumulating residual Ca2+ increases the effectiveness of Ca2+ in triggering release. Considerable evidence, however, indicates that presynaptic plasticity is an active, regulated and synapse-specific process that goes beyond a passive response dictated by the release probability and RRP size. For example, RIM1α and Munc13 are proteins of the active zone that interact with each other and form a heterotrimeric complex with the synaptic vesicle protein Rab3 (refs. 5–9). Mutations in each of these three proteins induce changes in short-term synaptic plasticity that cannot be accounted for by corresponding alterations in residual Ca2+, release probability or RRP8,10–14. These and other observations indicate not only that Ca2+ triggers release but that, during stimulus trains, the residual Ca2+ accumulating between action potentials regulates release by independent mechanisms. At present, the major Ca2+ regulator in short-term synaptic plasticity is thought to be calmodulin15. Calmodulin regulates neurotransmitter release by multiple mechanisms, including a direct modulation of Ca2+ channels16,17, activation of protein kinases18, regulation of synaptic vesicle priming via the cytoskeleton19 and a process involving binding to the Munc13-1 and Munc13-2 isoforms13. Moreover,
Enlargement of cerebrospinal fluid spaces in long-term benzodiazepine abusers

Synopsis In 17 benzodiazepine (BDZ) dependent in-patients a CT scan was performed before initiation of withdrawal therapy. The evaluation of the ventricular to brain ratio (VBR) by standardized and computerized measurements revealed significantly higher mean VBRs for both high-and low-dose BDZ-dependent patients compared to the mean VBR of an age- and sex-matched control group. In addition, the mean VBR of high-dose BDZ-dependent patients (N = 8) was significantly higher than the mean VBR of low-dose BDZ-dependent patients (N = 9). This difference could not be accounted for by the age of the patients or duration of BDZ-dependency and, therefore, suggests a dose-dependent effect of BDZs on the enlargement of internal CSF-spaces. On the other hand, higher values for the width of external CSF-spaces were found to be related to increasing age of the patients and duration of BDZ-dependency.
On Time Series Forecasting Error Measures for Finite Horizon Control

Time series forecasting is routinely utilized to improve regulation in finite horizon control (FHC) problems by forecasting the system’s uncontrollable inputs. In this brief, we propose a novel measure for validating forecasting models for FHC applications. Specifically, for the case of linear-quadratic time-invariant systems, we derive a closed-form equation for the increase in cost due to forecast error, present techniques for reducing its computational cost, and demonstrate that compared with conventional error measures, model validation using this measure can improve the controller’s performance.
Quantitative Comparison of Integral and Fractional Slot Permanent Magnet Vernier Motors

This paper presents and compares two permanent magnet vernier (PMV) motors with fractional slot concentrated windings (FSCWs) and integral slot distributed windings (ISDWs). The ISDW PMV motor is newly proposed and optimized for a fair comparison with the existing FSCW one. The equations of back electromotive force of both motors are investigated and derived showing that the ISDW PMV motor has the potential to obtain higher torque capability. Also, their electromagnetic performances, such as torque capability, fault tolerance, loss, and efficiency, are calculated and compared by using the finite-element analysis. Then, the maximum power strategy for PMV motors operating at high speed is presented. The simulated results show that both motors possess excellent flux weakening capability. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis is verified by the finite-element analysis results and experiments on a prototype FSCW PMV motor.
Evaluation of the Esthetic Properties of Developmental Defects of Enamel: A Spectrophotometric Clinical Study

Objectives. Detailed clinical quantification of optical properties of developmental defect of enamel is possible with spectrophotometric evaluation. Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) are daily encountered in clinical practice. DDE are an alteration in quality and quantity of the enamel, caused by disruption and/or damage to the enamel organ during amelogenesis. Methods. Several clinical indices have been developed to categorize enamel defects based on their nature, appearance, microscopic features, or cause. A sample of 39 permanent teeth presenting DDE on labial surface was examined using the DDE Modified Index and SpectroShade evaluation. The spectrophotometric approach quantifies L * (luminosity), a * (quantity of green-red), and b * (quantity of blue-yellow) of different DDE. Conclusions. SpectroShade evaluation of the optical properties of the enamel defect enhances clinical understanding of severity and extent of the defect and characterizes the enamel alteration in terms of color discrepancy and surface characterization.
Saunders' Pocket Essentials of Psychiatry

Case presentation Signs and symptoms of psychiatric disorder Organic psychiatry Psychoactive substance use disorders Schizophrenia, delusional disorders and schizoaffective disorders Mood disorders Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders Eating disorders Psychosexual and gender disorders Personality disorders Child and adolescent psychiatry People with learning disabilities (mental retardation) Psychiatry of the elderly Suicide and parasuicide Disorders associated with menstruation and pregnancy Treatments Transcultural psychiatry Forensic psychiatry Final Medicine Examination: Questions and Answers Appendix 1: Mental health legislation Appendix 2: ICD-10 classification Appendix 3: DSM-IV classification Glossary Index
Tourism community relationships

Acknowledgements. Why do we need to understand and manage the tourism--community relationship? What are social representations? Social representations and the tourism--community relationship. Social representations in action: international examples. Social representations in action: Australian examples. Community participation in tourism planning. The future of the tourism--community relationship. References. Appendices.
The need for innovation in assessing web content performance: A case study

Best practices provide convenient, but general, guidelines for authoring web content; however, as general guidelines, they cannot possibly provide the best advice for every context. Testing is required to know if their application works in a specific context. However, testing web content is challenging, especially content that does not support the funnel-shaped interactions typically found in commerce-oriented web sites. This paper presents the case of an experiment that tested how varying two common best practices for web content- content minimalism and visual navigational affordances-affected software developers' perceptions and task performance. Applying these best practices improved some metrics as expected, but also reduced or had no measurable effect on others. The experience from this case study revealed opportunities for innovation in web-content authoring: (1) describing best practices to include the contexts in which they are most effective and the factors they might improve, (2) developing methods for modeling audience requirements and goals as they relate to the effective use of information concepts and visual design, and (3) improving the tools and methods used to measure web content and integrate such measurements into the authoring process.
Towards Highly Efficient DGEMM on the Emerging SW26010 Many-Core Processor

The matrix-matrix multiplication is an essential building block that can be found in various scientific and engineering applications. High-performance implementations of the matrix-matrix multiplication on state-of-the-art processors may be of great importance for both the vendors and the users. In this paper, we present a detailed methodology of implementing and optimizing the double-precision general format matrix-matrix multiplication (DGEMM) kernel on the emerging SW26010 processor, which is used to build the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer. We propose a three level blocking algorithm to orchestrate data on the memory hierarchy and expose parallelism on different hardware levels, and design a collective data sharing scheme by using the register communication mechanism to exchange data efficiently among different cores. On top of those, further optimizations are done based on a data-thread mapping method for efficient data distribution, a double buffering scheme for asynchronous DMA data transfer, and an instruction scheduling method for maximizing the pipeline usage. Experiment results show that the proposed DGEMM implementation can fully exploit the unique hardware features provided by SW26010 and can sustain up to 95% of the peak performance.
Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the NarQ, NarX, and NarL proteins of the nitrate-dependent two-component regulatory system of Escherichia coli

The NarX, NarQ, and NarL proteins make up a nitrate-responsive regulatory system responsible for control of the anaerobic respiratory pathway genes in Escherichia coli, including nitrate reductase (narGHJI), dimethyl sulfoxide/trimethylamine-N-oxide reductase (dmsABC), and fumarate reductase (frdABCD) operons among others. The two membrane-bound proteins NarX and NarQ can independently sense the presence of nitrate and transfer this signal to the DNA-binding regulatory protein NarL, which controls gene expression by transcriptional activation or repression. To establish the role of protein phosphorylation in this process and to determine whether the NarX and NarQ proteins differ in their interaction with NarL, the cytoplasmic domains of NarX and NarQ were overproduced and purified. Both proteins were autophosphorylated in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and MgCl2 but not with [alpha-32P]ATP. Whereas these autophosphorylation reactions were unaffected by the presence of nitrate, molybdate, GTP, or AMP, ADP was an inhibitor. The phosphorylated forms of 'NarX and 'NarQ were stable for hours at room temperature. Each protein transferred its phosphoryl group to purified NarL protein, although 'NarQ-phosphate catalyzed the transfer reaction at an apparently much faster rate than did 'NarX-phosphate. In addition, NarL was autophosphorylated with acetyl phosphate but not with ATP as a substrate. NarL-phosphate remained phosphorylated for at least 3 h. However, addition of 'NarX resulted in rapid dephosphorylation of NarL-phosphate. In contrast, 'NarQ exhibited a much slower phosphatase activity with NarL-phosphate. These studies establish that the cytoplasmic domains of the two nitrate sensors 'NarX and 'NarQ differ in their ability to interact with NarL.
Attitudes Toward Women, 1970–1995

The social climate for women has changed considerably since the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS; Spence & Helmreich, 1972a) was developed in the early 1970s, but the pattern of change in AWS scores throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s is unclear. Published reports of data from 71 samples of American undergraduates responding to the AWS were located and analyzed for differences across time (1970–1995) and region (South and non-South). Women's AWS scores were strongly correlated with year of scale administration (r = .78, p < .001), and men's scores showed a similar trend toward more liberal/feminist attitudes (r = .60, p < .001). Scores show a steady trend toward more liberal/feminist attitudes, with no appreciable reversal or slowdown during the 1980s. Gender differences steadily increased from 1970 to 1985 and decreased from 1986 to 1995. Southern samples were marginally more conservative/traditional. The results are discussed in terms of generational differences, the effects of maternal employment on attitudes, and the individual's experience of cultural change.
Random forest-based feature selection for emotion recognition

The purpose of this paper is to develop a wrapper Random Forest-based feature selection method and to study the performance on emotion recognition of different selected feature sets. A large bank of Gabor filters is used to extract the face appearance. A feature selection is then applied on the wide feature set based on feature importance score computed by Random Forest. A multi-class SVM is finally trained on the chosen features using a widely used database (CK+ database). Results show the impact of the chosen features on the recognition rate and reveal that anger, sadness and the neutral expression recognition is increased by feature selection.
Hantaviruses. a short review.

OBJECTIVES Hantaviruses are rodent viruses that have been identified as etiologic agents of 2 diseases of humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). This article presents a concise review of hantavirus biology, the medical features of HFRS and HPS, and tests for the detection of hantavirus infections in humans. DATA SYNTHESIS Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is a disease found outside the Americas and denotes a group of clinically similar illnesses that vary in severity relative to the causative agent. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is associated with higher mortality than HFRS, was first recognized as a hantavirus disease in 1993, and occurs within the American continents. Recent genetic studies show that both Old and New World hantavirus species coevolved with specific rodent hosts. The list of distinct hantaviruses associated with HPS is growing. The burgeoning human population is causing disruption of natural habitats as more and more land is cleared for commercial and residential purposes. Many rodents readily adapt to life in human settlements, where they generally benefit from reduced predation and where they sometimes proliferate to high numbers. CONCLUSIONS Although often referred to as emerging pathogens, HPS-associated hantaviruses emerge through increased exposure of humans to rodents and their excreta, not through genetic drift or reassortment of the viral genome. Based on current human population growth and development trends, hantavirus diseases will become more common in the near future unless public health measures are taken to curtail or eliminate rodents from human communities.
Verbal Synchrony and Action Dynamics in Large Groups

While synchronized movement has been shown to increase liking and feelings of togetherness between people, we investigated whether collective speaking in time would change the way that larger groups played a video game together. Anthropologists have speculated that the function of interpersonal coordination in dance, chants, and singing is not just to produce warm, affiliative feelings, but also to improve group action. The group that chants and dances together hunts well together. Direct evidence for this is sparse, as research so far has mainly studied pairs, the effects of coordinated physical movement, and measured cooperation and affiliative decisions. In our experiment, large groups of people were given response handsets to play a computer game together, in which only joint coordinative efforts lead to success. Before playing, the synchrony of their verbal behavior was manipulated. After the game, we measured group members’ affiliation toward their group, their performance on a memory task, and the way in which they played the group action task. We found that verbal synchrony in large groups produced affiliation, enhanced memory performance, and increased group members’ coordinative efforts. Our evidence suggests that the effects of synchrony are stable across modalities, can be generalized to larger groups and have consequences for action coordination.
A study on measuring heart- and respiration-rate via wrist-worn accelerometer-based seismocardiography (SCG) in comparison to commonly applied technologies

Since the human body is a living organism, it emits various life signs which can be traced with an action potential sensitive electromyography, but also with motion sensitive sensors such as typical inertial sensors. In this paper, we present a possibility to recognize the heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), and the muscular microvibrations (MV) by an accelerometer worn on the wrist. We compare our seismocardiography (SCG) / ballistocardiography (BCG) approach to commonly used measuring methods. In conclusion, our study confirmed that SCG/BCD with a wrist-worn accelerometer also provides accurate vital parameters. While the recognized RR deviated slightly from the ground truth (SD=16.61%), the detection of HR is non-significantly different (SD=1.63%) to the gold standard.