Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in liver fibrosis: Here today, gone tomorrow?

The concept of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has taken the fibrosis world by storm. It is perhaps the most intriguing and controversial of recent hypotheses on the mechanism of fibrosis that injured epithelial cells, via an EMT, contribute directly to matrix deposition and repair. Originally invoked as a source of collagen-producing cells in the kidney (1, 2), EMT is now thought to occur in fibrosis of the lung and, through the transition of both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, the liver (3–5). This has important theoretical and practical implications for studying fibrosis: EMT provides a potential mechanism for the rapid mobilization of large numbers of fibrogenic cells after injury, and it proceeds by unique signaling programs that may prove to be viable therapeutic targets.
Relations between semantic security and indistinguishability against cpa, non-adaptive cca and adaptive cca in comparison based framework

In this paper we try to unify the frameworks of definitions of semantic security, indistinguishability and non-malleability by defining semantic security in comparison based framework. This facilitates the study of relations among these goals against different attack models and makes the proof of the equivalence of semantic security and indistinguishability easier and more understandable. Besides, our proof of the equivalence of semantic security and indistinguishability does not need any intermediate goals such as non devidability to change the definition framework.
Upgrading Root Physiology for Stress Tolerance by Ectomycorrhizas: Insights from Metabolite and Transcriptional Profiling into Reprogramming for Stress Anticipation1[C][W][OA]

Ectomycorrhizas (EMs) alleviate stress tolerance of host plants, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. To elucidate the basis of EM-induced physiological changes and their involvement in stress adaptation, we investigated metabolic and transcriptional profiles in EM and non-EM roots of gray poplar (Populus × canescens) in the presence and absence of osmotic stress imposed by excess salinity. Colonization with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus increased root cell volumes, a response associated with carbohydrate accumulation. The stress-related hormones abscisic acid and salicylic acid were increased, whereas jasmonic acid and auxin were decreased in EM compared with non-EM roots. Auxin-responsive reporter plants showed that auxin decreased in the vascular system. The phytohormone changes in EMs are in contrast to those in arbuscular mycorrhizas, suggesting that EMs and arbuscular mycorrhizas recruit different signaling pathways to influence plant stress responses. Transcriptome analyses on a whole genome poplar microarray revealed activation of genes related to abiotic and biotic stress responses as well as of genes involved in vesicle trafficking and suppression of auxin-related pathways. Comparative transcriptome analysis indicated EM-related genes whose transcript abundances were independent of salt stress and a set of salt stress-related genes that were common to EM non-salt-stressed and non-EM salt-stressed plants. Salt-exposed EM roots showed stronger accumulation of myoinositol, abscisic acid, and salicylic acid and higher K+-to-Na+ ratio than stressed non-EM roots. In conclusion, EMs activated stress-related genes and signaling pathways, apparently leading to priming of pathways conferring abiotic stress tolerance.
Insuffisance rénale aigüe: présentation rare d’une maladie d’Addison

La maladie d’Addison est une pathologie rare, qui se manifeste fréquemment par des signes cliniques non spécifiques. Ce qui peut causer un retard diagnostic et thérapeutique. Cette maladie peut se présenter comme un tableau d’insuffisance rénale aigue. Nous rapportons le cas d’un patient présentant une maladie d’Addison qui a été pris en charge initialement comme une insuffisance rénale aigue secondaire à un myélome multiple et dont le diagnostic a été redressé par la suite. Le patient s’est spectaculairement amélioré après mis en place de traitement par réhydratation par voie intraveineuse; hydrocortisone injectable.
Apis florea in Jordan: source of the founder population

A recent isolated population of Apis florea has been reported from Aqaba in Jordan at the Red Sea, consisting of numerous colonies within a still limited range which apparently is expanding. This region is about 1500 km apart from its next occurrences in Sudan where it had been introduced and first detected in 1985 and about 2000 km apart from its next natural occurrences in Iran and Oman. These bees apparently have been imported by human transport, most likely by ship. This new location thus represents a major jump in the progression of the species still to fill a wide area of possible locations offering adequate living conditions. Here we attempt to track the possible origin of this new population by morphometric methods. This analysis indicated closest relation to A. florea from Oman, thus being the most likely source of this population.ZusammenfassungVor kurzer Zeit wurde ein aus zahlreichen Völkern in einem begrenzten Areal bestehendes Vorkommen von Apis florae in Aqaba, Jordanien aufgefunden, etwa 1500 km von seinen nächsten Nachbarn im Westen und 2000 km von denen im Osten entfernt.Um die mögliche Herkunft dieser neuen Population zu bestimmen, führten wir eine Hauptfaktorenanalyse anhand von 10 an 870 einzelnen Arbeiterinnen aus 50 Völkern von 28 Herkunftsorten gewonnenen morphometrischen Merkmalen durch (Abb. 1 und zusätzliches Onlinematerial zu den Herkunftsorten). Das Hauptkomponentendiagramm zeigte zwei getrennte Morphokluster, von denen der erste von kleineren Bienen von Südindien und Sri Lanka, der zweite von größeren Bienen aus Iran in einer Abseitsposition und von den Bienen aus Sudan, Oman, Jordanien und Pakistan gebildet wurde. In den Diagrammen einer die Koloniemittelwerte aus den 6 Ländern mit mehr als einem Volk und die gleichen 10 morphometrischen Merkmale umfassenden Diskriminanzanalyse lagen die Völker aus Jordanien und Sudan innerhalb der gleichen 90 % Vertrauensellipse mit den Völkern von Pakistan und Oman (Abb. 2). Die quadrierten Mahalanobisabstände der Gruppenzentroide zeigten, das die Völker aus Jordanien höchstwahrscheinlich über Oman eingeführt wurden (Tab. I), dies erfolgte wahrscheinlich per Schiff.
Preliminary results of a user identification using haptic information

In this paper we explore the identification of handwritten signatures with haptic information. We enhance our previous work by considering two methods: 1) we filter the incoming haptics information in the handwritten signature, and 2) we further reevaluate the highly probable candidates to enhance the identification success rate. In this paper we reach an identification success rate of 87%.
Deterministic annealing design and analysis of the Noisy MIMO Interference Channel

We consider the Noisy MIMO Interference Channel (IFC) with linear transmitters and receivers and full CSI. The maximization of the Weighted Sum Rate (WSR) or transceiver design for Interference Alignment (IA) lead to cost functions with many local optima. Deterministic annealing is an approach that allows to track the variation of the known solution of one version of the problem into the unknown solution of the desired version by a controlled variation of a parameter called temperature. When the temperature parameter is chosen as inverse SNR (or noise power), the transceiver design for maximum WSR is known at low SNR and can be tracked to any desired SNR, yielding an elegant technique to find the global optimum. The solution includes filter design for the progressive switching on of streams as the SNR increases. For IA on the other hand, IA feasibility is unchanged when the MIMO crosslink channel matrices have a reduced rank equal to the maximum of the number of streams passing through them in forward and dual IFC (this would correspond to LOS channels in the case of single streams). The rank reduction simplifies IA design and feasibility analysis, and allows in particular a counting of the number of IA solutions. By choosing now the temperature parameter to be a scale factor for the remaining channel singular values, the solution for reduced rank channels can be evolved into that for arbitrary channels.
A dominant function of CCaMK in intracellular accommodation of bacterial and fungal endosymbionts

In legumes, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) is a component of the common symbiosis genes that are required for both root nodule (RN) and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbioses and is thought to be a decoder of Ca2+ spiking, one of the earliest cellular responses to microbial signals. A gain-of-function mutation of CCaMK has been shown to induce spontaneous nodulation without rhizobia, but the significance of CCaMK activation in bacterial and/or fungal infection processes is not fully understood. Here we show that a gain-of-function CCaMKT265D suppresses loss-of-function mutations of common symbiosis genes required for the generation of Ca2+ spiking, not only for nodule organogenesis but also for successful infection of rhizobia and AM fungi, demonstrating that the common symbiosis genes upstream of Ca2+ spiking are required solely to activate CCaMK. In RN symbiosis, however, CCaMKT265D induced nodule organogenesis, but not rhizobial infection, on Nod factor receptor (NFRs) mutants. We propose a model of symbiotic signaling in host legume plants, in which CCaMK plays a key role in the coordinated induction of infection thread formation and nodule organogenesis.
Mercurial Diuresis in Edematous Individuals

The electrolyte and water losses in 75 instances of diuresis following Mercuhydrin were studied in 17 edematous patients. The loss of potassium was appreciable following exhibition of the drug to patients who retained their dietary sodium almost completely. Occurrence of such clinical symptoms as weakness, nausea, and ventricular premature contractions might be attributed to this loss of potassium. The fluid lost by mercurial diuresis was isotonic with body fluids. The chloride concentration was fairly constant at 151 mEq. per liter. The concentrations of sodium and potassium were more variable, the average concentrations being 97 and 35 mEq. per liter, respectively. Loss of water and electrolyte in these concentrations leaves the patient in relative alkalosis, with a loss of intracellular potassium and a gain in intracellular sodium.
Research on network programming language and policy conflicts for SDN

Through network programmability, software defined network can simplify network control and management. Since the current software defined network southbound interface level is low and programming situation is complex, it requires a high‐level abstract programming language to simplify programming. First, this paper improves the NetCore programming language to generate NetCore‐M language, so that it can support deployment of multipolicies combination including packet drop action. This paper describes in detail the syntax, semanteme, and implementation of NetCore‐M language forwarding policy service. Secondly, this paper describes the network policy conflict systematically. Finally, this paper shows that the modified multipolicies combination algorithm can effectively detect policies conflicts based on the implementation of the Pyretic project.
Recovery plateau following stroke: Fact or fiction?

Purpose. ‘Plateau’ is an expression frequently used in relation to decisions to discharge patients from physiotherapy following stroke. This paper critically considers the concept of recovery plateau in stroke, exploring (i) the evidence for plateau, (ii) potential contributing factors, and (iii) the consequences for patients, therapists and services. Search strategy. The concept of recovery plateau in stroke was reviewed drawing on standard critical appraisal methodology for the search strategy and critique. Electronic searches using Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Department of Health Website and the Cochrane Library from the earliest dates of coverage until February 2005 identified quantitative and qualitative literature related to stroke, plateau, recovery, outcome, rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Discussion. The concept of plateau is ambiguous. Recovery has been considered to plateau within the first 6 months, yet recent studies indicate later recovery is possible. We suggest that ‘plateau’ relates not only to the patient's physical potential, but is influenced by how recovery is measured, the intensity and type of therapy, patients' actions and motivations, therapist values, and service limitations. Conclusion. ‘Plateau’ is conceptually more complex than previously considered. Current conceptualizations may limit potential recovery and hinder service development. Research into plateau which takes account of contextual issues of therapy provision is required.
Calculation of molecular lipophilicity: state of the art and comparison of methods on more than 96000 compounds

We first review the state-of-the-art in development of log P prediction approaches falling in two major categories: substructure-based and property-based methods. Then, we compare the predictive power of representative methods for one public (N = 266) and two in house datasets from Nycomed (N = 882) and Pfizer (N = 95809). A total of 30 and 18 methods were tested for public and industrial datasets, respectively. Accuracy of models declined with the number of nonhydrogen atoms. The Arithmetic Average Model (AAM), which predicts the same value (the arithmetic mean) for all compounds, was used as a baseline model for comparison. Methods with Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) greater than RMSE produced by the AAM were considered as unacceptable. The majority of analyzed methods produced reasonable results for the public dataset but only seven methods were successful on the both in house datasets. We proposed a simple equation based on the number of carbon atoms, NC, and the number of hetero atoms, NHET: log P = 1.46(+/-0.02) + 0.11(+/-0.001) NC-0.11(+/-0.001) NHET. This equation outperformed a large number of programs benchmarked in this study. Factors influencing the accuracy of log P predictions were elucidated and discussed.
Community writing as a learning experience

This brief report examines community writing as part of a community arts programme at The Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) Food Depot in Montreal. We chose the locale of a food bank because we wanted to improve the life-coping mechanisms of food recipients and to empower them, through the arts, to have the self-confidence to join the mainstream of society.
The Campus Racial Climate: Contexts of Conflict.

Racial conflict was becoming commonplace on American college campuses throughout the 1980s, with more than one hundred college campuses reporting incidents of racial/ethnic harassment and violence in each of the last two years of the decade [40]. The most highly publicized racial incidents, ranging from verbal harassment to violent beatings, occurred at some of the most elite institutions in the country [25, 56]. In many cases students organized protests as a direct response to these problems, or to express solidarity with students facing similar problems at other institutions [60]. Although these events have provided the impetus for examining the quality of race relations on individual college campuses, researchers have not explored at any great length the nature of campus race relations across a variety of institutional contexts. The research on minorities in higher education is extensive, yet a surprisingly small number of empirical studies have focused specifically on campus racial climates. Only a few studies include measures of campus race relations in their models of student persistence [54, 57, 58], academic achievement [2, 41, 42, 46], and social involvement [1]. Al-
Linear programming approaches for power savings in software-defined networks

Software-defined networks have been proposed as a viable solution to decrease the power consumption of the networking component in data center networks. Still the question remains on which scheduling algorithms are most suited to achieve this goal. We propose 4 different linear programming approaches that schedule requested traffic flows on SDN switches according to different objectives. Depending on pre-defined software quality requirements such as delay and performance, a single variation or a combination of variations can be selected to optimize the power saving and the performance metrics. Our simulation results demonstrate that all our algorithm variations outperform the shortest path scheduling algorithm, our baseline on power savings, less or more strongly depending on the power model chosen. We show that in FatTree networks, where switches can save up to 60% of power in sleeping mode, we can achieve 15% minimum improvement assuming a one-to-one traffic scenario. Two of our algorithm variations privilege performance over power saving and still provide around 45% of the maximum achievable savings.
Efficient Frontier - Comparing Different Volatility Estimators

Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) according to Markowitz states that investors form mean-variance efficient portfolios which maximizes their utility. Markowitz proposed the standard deviation as a simple measure for portfolio risk and the lower semi-variance as the only risk measure of interest to rational investors. This paper uses a third volatility estimator based on intraday data and compares three efficient frontiers on the Croatian Stock Market. The results show that range-based volatility estimator outperforms both mean-variance and lower semi-variance model.
Acidification Sources in Red Alder and Douglas Fir Soils‐Importance of Nitrification

Precipitation, throughfall, forest floor, and soil leachate samples were monitored continuously in 1981 and 1982 in a N-poor Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] forest and a red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) forest growing adjacently on a glacial soil in western Washington. The purpose of the study was to quantify the relative importance of atmospheric vs. natural sources of H⁺ input to forest soil acidification, and to determine the role of N transformation processes in the overall H⁺ balance of soils with different N status. Rainwater samples had an avg pH of 4.7 and annual H⁺ deposition via precipitation averaged 320 mol H⁺ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. This was modest compared to internal H⁺ production associated with HCO⁻₃ and NO⁻₃ formation. In the soil under alder cover, which was naturally enriched in N through symbiotic N₂-fixation, nitrification released up to 4500 mol H⁺ ha⁻¹ annually to the solution percolating through the upper part of the soil profile. In the N-poor soil no nitrification could be observed and N transformation processes had a minor influence on the soil H⁺ balance. The main internal acidification source in this case was H₂CO₃ dissociation releasing 420 mol H⁺ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. In both instances, soil solutions appeared well buffered against these external and internal acidification sources, and few H⁺ leached below the 40-cm soil depth.
Design and implementation of a compiler framework for helper threading on multi-core processors

Helper threading is a technique that utilizes a second core or logical processor in a multi-threaded system to improve the performance of the main thread. A helper thread executes in parallel with the main thread that it attempts to accelerate. In this paper, the helper thread merely prefetches data into a shared cache and does not incur any other programmer visible effects. Helper thread prefetching has been proposed as a viable solution in various scenarios where it is difficult to prefetch efficiently within the main thread itself. This paper presents our helper threading experience on SUN's second dual-core SPARC microprocessor, the UltraSPARC IV+. The two cores on this processor share an on-chip L2 and an off-chip L3 cache. We present a compiler framework to automatically construct helper threads and evaluate our scheme on the UltraSPARC IV+ processor. Our preliminary results using helper threads on the SPEC CPU2000 suite show gains of up to 22% on programs that suffer substantial L2 cache misses while at the same time incurring negligible losses on programs that do not suffer L2 cache misses.
LEARNING SECOND LANGUAGE SUPRASEGMENTALS: Effect of L2 Experience on Prosody and Fluency Characteristics of L2 Speech

This study examines effects of short, medium, and extended second language (L2) experience (3 months, 3 years, and 10 years of United States residence, respectively) on the production of five suprasegmentals (stress timing, peak alignment, speech rate, pause frequency, and pause duration) in six English declarative sentences by 30 adult Korean learners of English and 10 adult native English speakers. Acoustic analyses and listener judgments were used to determine how accurately the suprasegmentals were produced and to what extent they contributed to foreign accent. Results revealed that amount of experience influenced the production of one suprasegmental (stress timing), whereas adult learners' age at the time of first extensive exposure to the L2 (indexed as age of arrival in the United States) influenced the production of others (speech rate, pause frequency, pause duration). Moreover, it was found that suprasegmentals contributed to foreign accent at all levels of experience and that some suprasegmentals (pause duration, speech rate) were more likely to do so than others (stress timing, peak alignment). Overall, results revealed similarities between L2 segmental and suprasegmental learning.This research was partially supported by research grants from the University of Illinois and Brigham Young University. Many thanks are extended to Youngju Hong for her help in testing the Korean participants and to Molly Mack and James E. Flege for their advice throughout this research project. The authors gratefully acknowledge Randall Halter, Elizabeth Gatbonton, and five anonymous SSLA reviewers for their helpful suggestions on earlier drafts of this paper as well as Randall Halter for his invaluable statistical assistance.
Introducing Binary Decision Diagrams in the explicit-state verification of Java code

One of the big performance problems of software model checking is the state-explosion problem. Various tools exist to tackle this problem. One of such tools is Java Pathfinder (JPF) an explicit-state model checker for Java code that has been used to verify efficiently a number of real applications. We present jpf-bdd, a JPF extension that allows users to annotate Boolean variables in the system under test to be managed using Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs). Our tool partitions the program states of the system being verified and manages one part using BDDs. It maintains a formula for the values of these state partitions at every point during the verification. This allows us to merge states that would be kept distinct otherwise, thereby reducing the effect of the state-explosion problem. We demonstrate the performance improvement of our extension by means of three example programs including an implementation of the well-known dining- philosophers problem.
Regularized secondary beamforming in cognitive radio networks with limited feedback

This paper proposes a novel technique for secondary user beamforming in cognitive radio networks (CRN). A practical scheme based on limited rate feedback from secondary users to secondary base station (SBS) and feedback from primary users to SBS are employed to acquire the secondary user channel and interference channel state information. Subsequently, a scheme is presented for regularized beamforming in a secondary user system to avoid performance degradation caused by noise amplification. The proposed scheme decomposes the optimal beamformer computation paradigm into sub-problems followed by solving them in an iterative manner. Simulation results demonstrate the better performance of the proposed practical scheme in comparison to ideal scheme.