Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Membrane‐type 1 matrix metalloproteinase is required for normal alveolar development

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are expressed during lung development, but their role may be limited, as mice deficient in MMP‐3, 7, 9, or 12 develop a normal adult lung. Because membrane‐type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1‐MMP) is expressed in the developing lung epithelium, we examined the lung structure of MT1‐MMP–deficient (−/−) mice. Branching morphogenesis was normal, but alveolar development was abnormal in the MT1‐MMP−/− lungs with 40% less alveolar surface area at 1 month (P < 0.01). MT1‐MMP−/− airways and alveoli had an abnormal ultrastructural appearance, but epithelial cell differentiation markers were distributed similarly in both strains. There was no evidence of excess extracellular matrix deposition or inflammation at the time points examined. In contrast, by adulthood MMP‐2−/− mice had normal alveolar size and structure, indicating normal alveolar development was not dependent on the ability of MT1‐MMP to activate pro–MMP‐2. These data indicate that MT1‐MMP is required for normal lung development. Developmental Dynamics 232:1079–1090, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Virtual humans animation in informed urban environments

In order to populate virtual cities, it is necessary to specify the behaviour of dynamic entities such as pedestrians or car drivers. Since it is not possible to construct in real time a complete mental model only from vision and image processing, we have to add higher levels of information than the geometrical one in the model of the virtual environment. In this article, a pedestrian behavioural model which exploits the information produced by VUEMS, our city modeller, is presented.
Design of a Clutch–Spring Knee Exoskeleton for Running

Because the leg is known to exhibit springlike behavior during the stance phase of running, several exoskeletons have attempted to place external springs in parallel with some or all of the leg during stance, but these designs have failed to permit natural kinematics during swing. To this end, a parallel-elastic exoskeleton is presented that introduces a clutch to disengage the parallel leg-spring and thereby not constrain swing-phase movements of the biological leg. A custom interference clutch with integrated planetary gear transmission, made necessary by the requirement for high holding torque but low mass, is presented and shown to withstand up to 190 N m at 1.8 deg resolution with a mass of only 710 g. A suitable control strategy for locking the clutch at peak knee extension is also presented, where only an onboard rate gyroscope and exoskeletal joint encoder are employed as sensory inputs. Exoskeletal electromechanics, sensing, and control are shown to achieve design critieria necessary to emulate biological knee stiffness behaviors in running. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4027841]
The Electrogenic Na+/K+ Pump Is a Key Determinant of Repolarization Abnormality Susceptibility in Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes: A Population-Based Simulation Study

Background: Cellular repolarization abnormalities occur unpredictably due to disease and drug effects, and can occur even in cardiomyocytes that exhibit normal action potentials (AP) under control conditions. Variability in ion channel densities may explain differences in this susceptibility to repolarization abnormalities. Here, we quantify the importance of key ionic mechanisms determining repolarization abnormalities following ionic block in human cardiomyocytes yielding normal APs under control conditions. Methods and Results: Sixty two AP recordings from non-diseased human heart preparations were used to construct a population of human ventricular models with normal APs and a wide range of ion channel densities. Multichannel ionic block was applied to investigate susceptibility to repolarization abnormalities. IKr block was necessary for the development of repolarization abnormalities. Models that developed repolarization abnormalities over the widest range of blocks possessed low Na+/K+ pump conductance below 50% of baseline, and ICaL conductance above 70% of baseline. Furthermore, INaK made the second largest contribution to repolarizing current in control simulations and the largest contribution under 75% IKr block. Reversing intracellular Na+ overload caused by reduced INaK was not sufficient to prevent abnormalities in models with low Na+/K+ pump conductance, while returning Na+/K+ pump conductance to normal substantially reduced abnormality occurrence, indicating INaK is an important repolarization current. Conclusions: INaK is an important determinant of repolarization abnormality susceptibility in human ventricular cardiomyocytes, through its contribution to repolarization current rather than homeostasis. While we found IKr block to be necessary for repolarization abnormalities to occur, INaK decrease, as in disease, may amplify the pro-arrhythmic risk of drug-induced IKr block in humans.
Fibrin-Rich and Platelet-Rich Thrombus Formation on Neointima: Recombinant Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor Prevents Fibrin Formation and Neointimal Development following Repeated Balloon Injury of Rabbit Aorta

Summary Thrombus formation and neointimal growth are the critical events in restenosis after balloon angioplasty. However, the responses of diseased vessels to injuries caused by balloon angioplasty have not been well examined. We investigated the thrombus formation and neointimal development following the balloon injury to the previously induced neointima in the rabbit aorta and the effects of recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (rTFPI) on these responses. Rabbit thoracic aortas were subjected to injury with a Fogarty 4F balloon catheter at 1.75 atm (first injury), and 4 weeks later the same vessels were subjected to the second injury with a Swan-Ganz 5F balloon catheter at 1.4 atm (mild-injury group) or 1.8 atm (severe-injury group), and immediately after that a retrograde bolus injection of rTFPI (100 μg/kg body weight) or saline was performed into the injured segments via the central tube of the Swan-Ganz catheter. Twenty minutes after the second injury, the injured surfaces were covered with platelet-rich thrombi in the mild-injury group and with fibrin-rich thrombi in the severe-injury group. Damaged intimal smooth muscle cells, which were immunohistochemically positive for tissue factor (TF), were observed beneath the fibrin-rich thrombi. The neointima 4 weeks after the second injury was significantly thicker in the severe-injury group than in the mild-injury group. The bolus infusion of rTFPI markedly inhibited fibrin formation on the injured surfaces, and significantly reduced the neointimal development in the severe-injury group at 4 weeks after the second injury. These results indicate that TF-dependent coagulation pathway is primarily responsible for fibrin-rich thrombus formation and may play an important role in neointimal development following the balloon injury to the rabbit aortic neointima. Additionally the bolus administration of rTFPI to the injured vessels could prevent mural thrombus formation and neointimal growth after balloon angioplasty.
Exploration of the psychosocial issues associated with gastroparesis: a qualitative investigation

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To build on the understanding of how individuals experience gastroparesis, how gastroparesis impacts on their lives and how they adapt to living with gastroparesis. BACKGROUND Gastroparesis is a neurogastroenterological disorder associated with increased psychological distress and reduced quality of life. Research shows that gastroparesis poses a significant burden across many facets of life; however, less is known about how individuals cope and adapt to living with the condition. DESIGN The study employed an interpretive phenomenological approach with semistructured interviews and thematic analysis. METHODS Ten gastroparesis patients were interviewed over the telephone (n = 8), Skype (n = 1) or face-to-face (n = 1). All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. RESULTS Key themes identified: (1) frustration, (2) identity and (3) coping and adaptation. Gastroparesis patients experience significant frustration around their diagnostic journey, being misunderstood and the burden of living with the illness. Patients differed in how they identified with the illness, and this appeared to be associated with adaptation and whether they remained socially engaged. CONCLUSIONS Gastroparesis is associated with significant frustration and burden; however, some patients adapt to living with the condition more effectively than others. Identity appears to play an important role in this relationship. Support aimed at fostering a health-focused and resilient identity may assist gastroparesis patients in adaptation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The findings of this study can help nurses and other healthcare professionals better understand the experience of living with gastroparesis and the factors that help patients best adapt to living with the condition. Nurses can help promote resilience in patients by discussing the importance of being health-focused rather than illness-focused. Nurses can also support patients by helping them problem-solve issues that may arise around social eating and remaining socially engaged.
Artificial Neural Network based Electrocardiogram Classification for Biometric Authentication

In this study, Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network model is used for the classification of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. Out of twelve leads recorded lead II, single lead, is used for analysis. ECG samples from eight normal individuals are recorded regularly almost every month for thirty six months. Input to the network is feature vector matrix of ten features and seven statistical and three morphological features are extracted. MLP networks with single hidden layer are trained with three runs and one thousand epochs. The testing results demonstrate that the neural network is effective tool for this application and the accuracy of 99.76 is observed during experimentation.
Heuristic algorithms for route-search queries over geographical data

In a geographical route search, given search terms, the goal is to find an effective route that (1) starts at a given location, (2) ends at a given location, and (3) travels via geographical entities that are relevant to the given terms. A route is effective if it does not exceed a given distance limit whereas the ranking scores of the visited entities, with respect to the search terms, are maximal. This paper introduces route-search queries, suggests three semantics for such queries and deals with the problem of efficiently answering queries under the different semantics. Since the problem of answering route-search queries is a generalization of the traveling salesman problem, it is unlikely to have an efficient solution, i.e., there is no polynomial-time algorithm that solves the problem (unless P=NP). Hence, in this work we consider heuristics for the problem. Methods for effectively computing routes are presented. The methods are compared analytically and experimentally. For these methods, experiments on both synthetic and real-world data illustrate their efficiency and their effectiveness in computing a route that satisfies the constraints of a route-search query.
Monkey Malaria in a European Traveler Returning from Malaysia

In 2007, a Finnish traveler was infected in Peninsular Malaysia with Plasmodium knowlesi, a parasite that usually causes malaria in monkeys. P. knowlesi has established itself as the fifth Plasmodium species that can cause human malaria. The disease is potentially life-threatening in humans; clinicians and laboratory personnel should become more aware of this pathogen in travelers.
Propagation of laser beams through air-sea turbulence channels

Reliable communication between aerial and undersea vehicles is a challenging issue because radio frequency signals are attenuated drastically in sea water while acoustic waves are not preferable in terrestrial links. Located in the transmittance windows of both sea water and the atmosphere, blue-green laser based free-space optical communication systems are capable of providing high speed, low latency data links for this very scenario. Apart from the absorbing and scattering attenuations in the air-water channel, another limiting factor impacting efficient laser beam propagation is the turbulence induced intensity fluctuations. Pure attenuation in sea water restricts the laser communication distance to ~100 meters, which will further reduce to ~10 meters in the presence of oceanic turbulence. Meanwhile, atmospheric turbulence can also substantially degrade the beam quality if the aerial vehicle is at high altitude. In this study, we focus our effort on the turbulence effects on beam propagation in the air-water two-stage links, not taking into account media attenuation or water surface distortions. Considering the complexity of the depth dependence of salinity and temperature in sea water and the altitude dependence of air refractive-index structure constant, we use numerical methods to simulate the beam propagation through the two-stage turbulence channel, which is modeled by discrete phase screens generated with parameterized atmospheric and oceanic turbulence power spectrums. On that basis, beam spread, area scintillation and SNR penalty at the receiver end are analyzed for the uplink as well as the downlink transmission.
Surgical Decompression for Cerebral and Cerebellar Infarcts

Following an infarction in the right cerebral hemisphere, massive cerebral edema developed in a woman and led to a marked intracranial hypertension and to a progressive “uncal and central herniation. ” The downhill course was reverted with a decompressive operation. Epidural pressure was monitored during the procedure and in the postoperative period. She showed progressive recovery from the initial motor, sensory, and visual field losses. Among 18 reported patients with cerebral infarction who underwent surgical decompression, 11 presented pupillary asymmetry, 14 were in stupor or coma, and 18 were either hemiplegic or hemiparetic preoperatively. Seven died following the operation. Among four cases of cerebellar infarction who underwent similar procedures, there were three survivors. Due to the lack of a controlled study the data available so far are not conclusive as to the beneficial effects of surgical decompression for cerebral or cerebellar infarcts. Some data of clinical relevance on cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension associated with cerebral infarction are reviewed.
Robust and reactive project scheduling: a review and classification of procedures

The vast majority of the research efforts in project scheduling over the past several years has concentrated on the development of exact and suboptimal procedures for the generation of a baseline schedule assuming complete information and a deterministic environment. During execution, however, projects may be the subject of considerable uncertainty, which may lead to numerous schedule disruptions. Predictive-reactive scheduling refers to the process where a baseline schedule is developed prior to the start of the project and updated if necessary during project execution. It is the objective of this paper to review possible procedures for the generation of proactive (robust) schedules, which are as well as possible protected against schedule disruptions, and for the deployment of reactive scheduling procedures that may be used to revise or re-optimize the baseline schedule when unexpected events occur. We also offer a framework that should allow project management to identify the proper scheduling methodology for different project scheduling environments. Finally, we survey the basics of critical chain scheduling and indicate in which environments it is useful.
Urinary 2-hydroxyestrone/16alpha-hydroxyestrone ratio and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that women who metabolize a larger proportion of their endogenous estrogen via the 16alpha-hydroxylation pathway may be at elevated risk of breast cancer compared with women who metabolize proportionally more estrogen via the 2-hydroxylation pathway. However, the supporting epidemiologic data are scant. Consequently, we compared the ratio of urinary 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1) to 16alphahydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1) in postmenopausal women with breast cancer and in healthy control subjects. METHODS Estrogen metabolites were measured in urine samples obtained from white women who had participated in a previous population-based, breast cancer case-control study at our institution. All P values are from two-sided tests. RESULTS All of the urinary estrogens measured, with the exception of estriol, were higher in the 66 case patients than in the 76 control subjects. The mean value of urinary 2-OHE1 in case patients was 13.8% (P = .20) higher than that in control subjects, 16alpha-OHE1 was 12.1% (P = .23) higher, estrone was 20.9% higher (P = .14), and 17beta-estradiol was 12.0% higher (P = .36). The ratio of 2-OHE1 to 16alpha-OHE1 was 1.1% higher in the patients (P = .84), contrary to the hypothesis. Compared with women in the lowest third of the values for the ratio of urinary 2-OHE1 to 16alpha-OHE1, women in the highest third were at a nonstatistically significantly increased risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 1.13; 95% confidence interval = 0.46-2.78), again contrary to the hypothesis. CONCLUSION This study does not support the hypothesis that the ratio of the two hydroxylated metabolites (2-OHE1/16alpha-OHE1) is an important risk factor for breast cancer.
Design and Evaluation of High Performance Multiplier Using Modified Booth Encoding Algorithm

S.Punnaiah, G.V. Ganesh, T.Praveenblessington, T.KrishnaKarthik, Sk.FazalNoorBasha Abstract: In this paper multipliers are used for high performance embedded cores and in all multiplier designs. In conventional two’s complement multiplier the main problem is that it requires more computation time. In this paper Computation time of the Two’s complement multiplier is reduced by decreasing the maximum height of the partial product array by one row in a radix-4 Modified Booth Encoded Multiplier. The classic two’s complement nxn bit multiplier using the radix 4 MBE scheme generates a partial product(PP) array with a maximum height of n/2+1 rows, here we are going to reduce the maximum height of PP array to n/2. This technique allows for faster compression of the partial product array without any increase in the delay and can be extended to higher radix encodings. This technique mostly relies on circuit optimization and minimization of the critical paths. We are using Cadence RTL compiler for synthesize report and Model simulator for simulation results.
Accelerating differential power analysis on heterogeneous systems

Differential Power Analysis (DPA) attacks allows discovering the secret key stored into secure embedded systems by exploiting the correlation between the power consumed by a device and the data being processed. The computation involved is generally relatively simple, however, if the used power traces are composed by a large number of points, the processing time can be long. In this paper we aim at speeding up the so called correlation power analysis (CPA). To do so, we used the OpenCL framework to distribute the workload of the attack over an heterogeneous platform composed by a CPU and multiple accelerators. We concentrate in the computation of the Pearson's correlation coefficients, as they cover approximately 80% of the overall execution time, and we further optimize the attack by minimizing the data transfers between the host processor and the GPUs. Our results show performance improvements of up to 9x when compared with the reference parallel implementation.
No Longer an Innocent Bystander: Epithelial Toll-Like Receptor Signaling in the Development of Mucosal Inflammation

Diseases of mucosal inflammation represent important causes of morbidity and mortality, and have led to Intense research efforts to understand the factors that lead to their development. It is well accepted that a breakdown of the normally impermeant epithelial barrier of the intestine, the lung, and the kidney is associated with the development of inflammatory disease in these organs, yet significant controversy exists as to how this breakdown actually occurs, and how such a breakdown may lead to inflammation. In this regard, much work has focused upon the role of the epithelium as an “innocent bystander,” a target of a leukocyte-mediated inflammatory cascade that leads to its destruction in the mucosal inflammatory process. However, recent evidence from a variety of laboratories indicates that the epithelium is not merely a passive component in the steps that lead to mucosal inflammation, but is a central participant in the process. In addressing this controversy, we and others have determined that epithelial cells express Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system, and that activation of TLRs by endogenous and exogenous ligands may play a central role in determining the balance between a state of “mucosal homeostasis,” as is required for optimal organ function, and “mucosal injury,” leading to mucosal inflammation and barrier breakdown. In particular, activation of TLRs within intestinal epithelial cells leads to the development of cellular injury and impairment in mucosal repair in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation, while activation of TLRs in the lung and kidney may participate in the development of pneumonitis and nephritis respectively. Recent work in support of these concepts is extensively reviewed, while essential areas of further study that are required to determine the significance of epithelial TLR signaling during states of health and disease are outlined.
Review on unit commitment under uncertainty approaches

Wind power has already become an important renewable energy resource in many regions of the world. Because of its variability and uncertainty, integration of wind power presents a challenge that, if not adequately addressed, can jeopardize the operational reliability of a power system. Generally, generation unit commitment decisions are made once a day, i.e., the commitment decisions are made 24 or more hours ahead of the actual operation. Taking into account the uncertainty of wind power prediction, these decisions need to provide sufficient flexibility at a minimum price. This paper describes the current practice and analyzes unit commitment formulations available in literature highlighting their advantages and shortcomings.
A Refinement of Perfect Equilibria Based On Substitute Sequences

We propose an equilibrium refinement of strict perfect equilibrium for the finite normal form games, which is not known in the literature. Okada came up with the idea of strict perfect equilibrium by strengthening the main definition of a perfect equilibrium, due to Selten [14]. We consider the alternative (and equivalent) definition of perfect equilibrium, based on the substitute sequences, as appeared in Selten [14]. We show that by strengthening and modifiyng this definition slightly, one can obtain a refinement stronger than strict perfectness. We call the new refinement strict substitute perfect equilibrium. The main advantage of this solution concept is that it reflects the local dominance of an equilibrium point. An example is provided to show that a strict perfect equilibrium may fail to be strict substitute perfect.