Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Political transfer cycles

This paper analyses transfers around elections in an opportunistic political business cycle (PBC) model with moral hazard. As some voters are uninformed, the government can improve reelection chances by increasing debt-financed transfers before elections and cutting transfers to repay the debt after elections. Transfer cycles are shown to depend on the dispersion of information among voters, the politicians’ rent-seeking motive, and the output effect of government manipulations. JEL classification: D72, E32, E62, H62.
Decomposition of edge operators

Common 2-D kernels are decomposed into basic elements to minimize their complexity and to demonstrate how they are related. Decomposition of the popular SOBEL filter kernels shows that they can be replaced by functionally identical simpler kernels. This result is significant because it proves that the SOBEL filter can be implemented with faster software or hardware than is currently possible. <<ETX>>
A Best-Effort Mechanism for Service Deployment in Contributory Computer Systems

This paper presents a simple decentralized service deployment mechanism that can be used to offer services with high availability by using contributed resources with variable, possibly very low availability. It uses little information about the state of the group, and provides best-effort results. Contributory computer systems are those where users provide their own resources to be used collectively. Contributory applications are complex to build, as they have to deal with issues like unpredictable individual resource availability, heterogeneity and ease of use, as well as the complexities derived from their own functionalities. This complexity can be alleviated by creating a middleware for the creation of contributory communities that allows the use of contributed resources in a decentralized way through service deployment.
Energy Management Systems for effective gap reduction between actual and predicted power in smart homes and buildings

In order to optimize energy efficiency and to achieve cost savings in smart buildings and grid-connected smart homes that include renewable generators and electrical storage systems, Energy Management Systems (EMSs) are today the most up to date solution. Besides achieving these two goals, a suitable design of the EMS can provide a quite deterministic management of power flows, reducing the gap between actual and predicted power due to forecasting errors. On the basis of a previously proposed EMS that allows reducing both the end-user's electricity bill and the generation/demand uncertainty impact, this paper proposes a detailed analysis of several factors affecting the EMS's performance. Variations of algorithm strategy parameters, market constraints and size of hardware components have been investigated and the results have been evaluated in terms of reduction of power gap and cash flow. Simulation results obtained in a six-day period for a grid connected smart home with a 3 kWp photovoltaic generator and a battery storage system are presented and some guidelines for proper EMS design have been proposed.
Changes in calpain activity, muscle structure, and function after eccentric exercise.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate changes in muscle function, muscle structure, and calpain activity after high-force eccentric exercise. METHODS Eleven healthy males performed 300 maximal voluntary eccentric actions with knee extensors in one leg. Maximal force-generating capacity was measured before exercise and regularly during the next 7 d. Biopsies from musculus vastus lateralis were taken in both control and exercised legs 0.5, 4, 8, 24, 96, and 168 h after exercise for evaluation of myofibrillar structure, extracellular matrix proteins, and calpain activity. RESULTS In the exercised leg, peak torque was reduced by 47 +/- 5% during exercise and was still 22 +/- 5% lower than baseline 4 d after the exercise. Calpain activity was three times higher in the exercised leg compared with the control leg 30 min after exercise. Myofibrillar disruptions were observed in 36 +/- 6% of all fibers in exercised muscle and in 2 +/- 1% of fibers in control muscle. The individual reductions in peak torque correlated with the proportion of fibers with myofibrillar disruptions (r = 0.89). The increase in calpain activity was not correlated to the proportion of fibers with myofibrillar disruptions. Nevertheless, the characteristics of the myofibrillar disruptions mimicked calpain-mediated degradation of myofibrils. Tenascin-C and the N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III showed increased staining intensity on cross-sections 4-7 d after the exercise. CONCLUSIONS Myofibrillar disruptions seem to be a main cause for the long-lasting reduction in force-generating capacity after high-force eccentric exercise. The increase in calpain activity, but the lack of a relationship between calpain activity and the amount of muscle damage, suggests multiple roles of calpain in the damage and repair process.
Natural variation for gene expression responses to abiotic stress in maize

Plants respond to abiotic stress through a variety of physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional mechanisms. Many genes exhibit altered levels of expression in response to abiotic stress, which requires concerted action of both cis- and trans-regulatory features. In order to study the variability in transcriptome response to abiotic stress, RNA sequencing was performed using 14-day-old maize seedlings of inbreds B73, Mo17, Oh43, PH207 and B37 under control, cold and heat conditions. Large numbers of genes that responded differentially to stress between parental inbred lines were identified. RNA sequencing was also performed on similar tissues of the F1 hybrids produced by crossing B73 and each of the three other inbred lines. By evaluating allele-specific transcript abundance in the F1 hybrids, we were able to measure the abundance of cis- and trans-regulatory variation between genotypes for both steady-state and stress-responsive expression differences. Although examples of trans-regulatory variation were observed, cis-regulatory variation was more common for both steady-state and stress-responsive expression differences. The genes with cis-allelic variation for response to cold or heat stress provided an opportunity to study the basis for regulatory diversity.
A wireless system for indoor air quality monitoring

Monitoring systems are necessary in buildings to monitor the working environment. This paper describes the development of a wireless monitoring system which can be deployed in a building. The system measures carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and temperature. The system developed in this paper can serve as the monitoring component of a HVAC control system and function as an indoor air quality monitor independently.
The macrophage stimulating anti-cancer agent, RRx-001, protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury

ABSTRACT Background: RRx-001, a clinical macrophage-stimulating anti-cancer agent that also produces nitric oxide (NO) was studied in a model of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: The production of NO is dependent on the oxygen tension because nitric oxide synthases convert l-arginine to NO and l-citrulline in the presence of O2. Since the P450 enzymes, which metabolize nitrate esters such as nitroglycerin are dependent on oxygen, the generation of ‘exogenous’ NO is also sensitive to alterations in tissue PO2. I/R injury was studied in a hamster chamber window, with compression of the periphery of the window for 1 h to induce ischemia. Animals received RRx-001 (5 mg/kg) 24 h before ischemia and sodium nitrite (10 nmols/kg) was supplemented 10 min after the start of reperfusion. Vessel diameter, blood flow, adherent leukocytes, and functional capillary density were assessed by intravital microscopy at 0.5, 2, and 24 h following the release of the ischemia. Results: The results demonstrated that, compared to control, RRx-001 preconditioning increased blood flow and functional capillary density, and preserved tissue viability in the absence of side effects over a sustained time period. Conclusion: Thus, RRx-001 may serve as a long-lived protective agent during postsurgical restoration of flow and other ischemia-reperfusion associated conditions, increasing blood flow and functional capillary density as well as preserving tissue viability in the absence of side effects.
The Structure of a Human p 110 a / p 85 a Complex Elucidates the Effects of Oncogenic PI 3 K a Mutations

PIK3CA, one of the two most frequently mutated oncogenes in human tumors, codes for p110a, the catalytic subunit of a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, isoform a (PI3Ka, p110a/p85). Here, we report a 3.0 angstrom resolution structure of a complex between p110a and a polypeptide containing the p110a-binding domains of p85a, a protein required for its enzymatic activity. The structure shows that many of the mutations occur at residues lying at the interfaces between p110a and p85a or between the kinase domain of p110a and other domains within the catalytic subunit. Disruptions of these interactions are likely to affect the regulation of kinase activity by p85 or the catalytic activity of the enzyme, respectively. In addition to providing new insights about the structure of PI3Ka, these results suggest specific mechanisms for the effect of oncogenic mutations in p110a and p85a.
P2Y12 Receptor Antagonists: Which One to Choose? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND Pharmacological properties of the currently available P2Y12 receptor antagonists differ significantly and lead to different degrees of platelets inhibition and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the comparative effects of newer antiplatelet agents versus clopidogrel on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, major bleeding and stent thrombosis, in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and/or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). RESULTS We identified 11 prospective randomized studies comparing newer antiplatelets to clopidogrel. The total number of participants included in meta-analysis was 70239. The total number of participants treated with clopidogrel was 34792 while 35447 patients were assigned to newer P2Y12 inhibitors, of which 29.4% received ticagrelor, 35.2% prasugrel and 35.4% were loaded with intravenous cangrelor. Ticagrelor use was associated with significantly reduced MACE, all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis and similar rates of stroke and major bleeding compared to clopidogrel in patients with ACS and/or PCI. Prasugrel use was associated with significantly lower rates of MACE, MI and stent thrombosis but significantly high rates of major bleeding and thus no all-cause mortality benefit compared to clopidogrel. CONCLUSION Newer P2Y12 receptor antagonists are associated with better cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ACS and/or undergoing PCI. Prasugrel use resulted in higher major bleeding rates and no overall mortality benefit compared with clopidogrel.
Biodegradable Gelatin Microcarriers Facilitate Re-Epithelialization of Human Cutaneous Wounds - An In Vitro Study in Human Skin

The possibility to use a suspended tridimensional matrix as scaffolding for re-epithelialization of in vitro cutaneous wounds was investigated with the aid of a human in vitro wound healing model based on viable full thickness skin. Macroporous gelatin microcarriers, CultiSpher-S, were applied to in vitro wounds and cultured for 21 days. Tissue sections showed incorporation of wound edge keratinocytes into the microcarriers and thicker neoepidermis in wounds treated with microcarriers. Thickness of the neoepidermis was measured digitally, using immunohistochemical staining of keratins as epithelial demarcation. Air-lifting of wounds enhanced stratification in control wounds as well as wounds with CultiSpher-S. Immunohistochemical staining revealed expression of keratin 5, keratin 10, and laminin 5 in the neoepidermal component. We conclude that the CultiSpher-S microcarriers can function as tissue guiding scaffold for re-epithelialization of cutaneous wounds.
Pilocytic Astrocytoma: Anatomic, Pathological and Molecular Aspects

Brain tumors are rare neoplasms, however, they represent the second commonest cancer in childhood (the first being hemato-lymphoid neoplasms) and correspond to the main solid tumor in the pediatric context (ages 0-19 years) [1]. In this setting, gliomas, and particularly astrocytomas are the leading group. Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the commonest brain tumor in the ages 5-14 years and the second in the age ranges 0-4 years and 15-19 years, although it represents about only 6% of all gliomas, according to the last Central Brain Tumors Registry (CBTRUS) Report [1]. PA affects males and females equally, and the main affected ages are 6 to 13 years-old, with 75% of cases occurring at this ages [2; 3].
Outcome models in peripheral nerve repair: Time for a reappraisal or for a novel?

Peripheral nerve injuries are still underestimated. The complexity of assessment of outcome after nerve injury and repair has been described by many authors. Furthermore, the outcome is influenced by several factors that depend on mechanisms in the peripheral as well as the central nervous system. Appropriate formulation of a global accepted postoperative clinical protocol for peripheral nerve repair in the upper extremity remains a subject of debate. The purpose of this review is to detail the current concepts of methods of evaluation after peripheral nerves repair. Finally, we discuss the most crucial factors that determine the final hand function and we consider the challenges that need to be addressed to create a realistic clinical protocol that reflects a prognostic importance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
Status of aspergillosis and sea fan populations in Curaçao ten years after the 1995 Caribbean epizootic

In 1995, a survey of sea fan corals was conducted in Curacao during a Caribbean-wide outbreak of the sea fan disease aspergillosis. The survey was repeated in 2005 using the same methodology and identical sites to examine changes in sea fan populations 10 years after the initial epizootic. Necrotic lesions typical of aspergillosis were present on as many sea fans in 2005 as in 1995 (mean ± SE: 52 ± 6 vs 43 ± 10%). The disease also showed no significant variation in virulence (9.6 ± 1.2 vs 8.8 ± 1.0% tissue loss per diseased colony). However, the average number of sea fan colonies per 10 m2 decreased from 2.7 ± 1.1 to 0.7 ± 0.2 over the 10-year period, a decline of almost 75%. This decrease occurred for all colony sizes, but was more pronounced among small colonies, resulting in an overall trend of domination by large colonies. These results support that aspergillosis can have a significant, long-term impact on sea fan population size and structure. The continued presence of the disease in 2005 could be contributing to reduced recruitment and/or selective mortality among the smallest colonies. This study provides no indication that host resistance against aspergillosis could reverse the decline of Caribbean sea fan corals. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54 (Suppl. 3): 153-160. Epub 2007 Jan. 15.
HLA-E expression and its clinical relevance in human renal cell carcinoma

The non-classical human leukocyte antigen E (HLA-E) expression is frequently overexpressed in tumor diseases, transplants and virus-infected cells and represents an immunomodulatory molecule by binding to the receptors CD94/NKG2A, -B and –C on NK and T cells. Due to its immune suppressive features HLA-E expression might represent an important mechanism of tumors to escape immune surveillance. While an aberrant expression of the non-classical HLA-G antigen in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been demonstrated to be associated with a worse outcome of patients and reduced sensitivity to immune effector cell-mediated cytotoxicity, the expression and function of HLA-E has not yet been analyzed in this tumor entity. Higher levels of HLA-E transcripts were detected in all RCC cell lines and tumor lesions, which were tested in comparison to normal kidney epithelium. Immunohistochemical staining of a tissue microarray (TMA) using the HLA-E-specific monoclonal antibody TFL-033 recognizing the cytoplasmic HLA-E α-chain as monomer revealed a heterogeneous HLA-E expression in RCC lesions with the highest frequency in chromophobe RCC when compared to other RCC subtypes. HLA-E expression did not correlate with the frequency of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and FoxP3+ immune cell infiltrations, but showed an inverse correlation with infiltrating CD56+ cells. In contrast to HLA-G, HLA-E expression in RCCs was not statistically significant associated with a decreased disease specific survival. These data suggest that HLA-E overexpression frequently occurs in RCC and correlates with reduced immunogenicity.
Biomarkers, Genetics, and Epigenetic Studies to Explore the Neurocognitive Effects of Anesthesia in Children

Exposure to commonly used anesthetic agents causes widespread neuronal degeneration in the developing mammalian brain and has been shown to impair neurodevelopment in a variety of newborn vertebrate animal species. Although retrospective studies have suggested an association between anesthesia exposure in childhood and subsequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities, a causal relationship in humans has yet to be demonstrated. Unfortunately, translation of findings from bench to bedside is limited by several factors and histologic assessment in healthy children following exposure to anesthesia is not possible. Therefore, to prove that anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity occurs in humans, alternative approaches are necessary. Here we present the summary of a focus group discussion regarding the utility of biomarkers in translational studies of anesthetic neurotoxicity as part of The 2016 Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (PANDA) Symposium at Columbia University Medical Center. The experts agreed that defining intermediate phenotypes using advanced neuroimaging as a biomarker is a highly feasible and reasonable modality to provide new insights into the deleterious effects of anesthetic exposure in the developing human brain and could illuminate a viable investigative path forward. Ultimately, well-defined intermediate phenotypes may allow us to fully understand the neurodevelopmental impact of anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity and permit us to develop the safest and most effective anesthetic strategies for the infants and children we care for.
A Novel Real-Time Reference Key Frame Scan Matching Method

Unmanned aerial vehicles represent an effective technology for indoor search and rescue operations. Typically, most indoor missions’ environments would be unknown, unstructured, and/or dynamic. Navigation of UAVs in such environments is addressed by simultaneous localization and mapping approach using either local or global approaches. Both approaches suffer from accumulated errors and high processing time due to the iterative nature of the scan matching method. Moreover, point-to-point scan matching is prone to outlier association processes. This paper proposes a low-cost novel method for 2D real-time scan matching based on a reference key frame (RKF). RKF is a hybrid scan matching technique comprised of feature-to-feature and point-to-point approaches. This algorithm aims at mitigating errors accumulation using the key frame technique, which is inspired from video streaming broadcast process. The algorithm depends on the iterative closest point algorithm during the lack of linear features which is typically exhibited in unstructured environments. The algorithm switches back to the RKF once linear features are detected. To validate and evaluate the algorithm, the mapping performance and time consumption are compared with various algorithms in static and dynamic environments. The performance of the algorithm exhibits promising navigational, mapping results and very short computational time, that indicates the potential use of the new algorithm with real-time systems.
DR5 mAb-conjugated, DTIC-loaded immuno-nanoparticles effectively and specifically kill malignant melanoma cells in vivo

We combined chemo- and immunotherapies by constructing dual therapeutic function immuno-nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of death receptor 5 monoclonal antibody (DR5 mAb)-conjugated nanoparticles loaded with dacarbazine (DTIC) (DTIC-NPs-DR5 mAb). We determined the in vivo targeting specificity of DTIC-NPs-DR5 mAb by evaluating distribution in tumor-bearing nude mice using a real-time imaging system. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed in terms of its effect on tumor volume, survival time, histomorphology, microvessel density (MVD), and apoptotic index (AI). Systemic toxicity was evaluated by measuring white blood cells (WBC) counts, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and creatinine clearance (CR). In vivo and ex vivo imaging indicates that DR5 mAb modification enhanced the accumulation of NPs within the xenograft tumor. DTIC-NPs-DR5 mAb inhibited tumor growth more effectively than DTIC or DR5 mAb alone, indicating that combining DTIC and DR5 mAb through pharmaceutical engineering achieves a better therapeutic effect. Moreover, the toxicity of DTIC-NPs-DR5 mAb was much lower than that of DTIC, implying that DR5 mAb targeting reduces nonspecific uptake of DTIC into normal tissue and thus decreases toxic side effects. These results demonstrate that DTIC-NPs-DR5 mAb is a safe and effective nanoparticle formulation with the potential to improve the efficacy and specificity of melanoma treatment.
Perceptually Regulated Exercise Test Allows Determination of V˙O2max and Ventilatory Threshold But Not Respiratory Compensation Point In Trained Runners

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the differences in maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and submaximal thresholds between a standard graded exercise test (GXT) and a perceptually regulated graded exercise test (PRGXT) in trained runners. Eleven well-trained middle- to long-distance runners performed both tests in a randomized order. PRGXT used incremental “clamps” of rating of perceived exertion (RPE) over 10×1-min stages on an automated treadmill equipped with a sonar sensor allowing them to change their running speed instantly and in a natural way. GXT used fixed 1 km.h−1 increment every minute. Ventilatory threshold (VT) and respiratory compensation point (RCP) were determined using ventilatory equivalents. No differences were found in V̇O2max (68.0 (5.3) vs. 69.5 (5.9) ml·min−1·kg−1, p=0.243), minute ventilation (V̇E) (159.4 (35.0) vs. 162.4 (33.7) l·min−1, p=0.175), heart rate (HR) (188.4 (6.9) vs. 190.7 (5.2) bpm, p=0.254) and speed (21.0 (1.7) vs. 21.1 (2.3) km·h-1, p=0.761) between GXT and PRGXT. At VT, there were no significant differences between GXT and PRGXT for any outcome variables. For 8 of 11 subjects, it was not possible to determine RCP from ventilatory equivalent in PRGXT. GXT appears more relevant for a comprehensive gas analysis in trained runners.