Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
S TUDY OF H AND P REFERENCES ON S IGNATURE FOR R IGHT - H ANDED AND L EFT -H ANDED P EOPLES

Signature is the easiest way to issue the document. The problem of handwritten signature verification is a pattern recognition task used to differentiate two classes of original and fake signatures. The subject of interest in this study is about signature recognition that deals with the process of verifying the written signature patterns of human individuals and specifically between right-handed and left-handed people. The method that been used in this project is an on-line verification by using Intuos TM Graphics Tablet and Intuos pen as the data capturing device. On-line signature verification involved the capturing of dynamic signature signals such as pressure of pen tips, time duration of whole signature, altitude and azimuth. The ability to capture the signature and have it immediately available in a digital form for verification has opens up a range of new application areas about this topic.
Evaluation of encapsulated microparticles of Garcinia mangostana L. extracts on marker SGOT, SGPT, BUN and creatinine serum of BALB/c mice

Garcinia mangostana L. (mangosteen) pericarp containing α-mangostin is predicted to have potential as an anticancer because it can induce apoptosis and has high antioxidant content. Moreover, the preliminary study showed that this extract has high antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity based on the brine shrimp lethality test. This indicates that mangosteen has potential as chemotherapeutic agents or additional therapy in cancers such as colorectal cancer, which the available management is not as effective. To improve its efficacy and bioavailability in the colon as a targeted area, ethyl acetate fraction of mangosteen extract was then formulated into a controlled release encapsulated microparticles by chitosan-alginate material. It is intended that the active ingredient to be released after reaching the colon. In this study, toxicity of mangosteen was investigated because there is still no toxicity data of encapsulated microparticles of the ethyl acetate fraction of mangosteen extract on function of mice’s kidneys (BUN/serum creatinine) and liver (SGOT/SGPT). Twenty female BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups. Three groups were given a single dose of 2, 3, and 5 g/kg body weight (BW) mangosteen via intragastric feeding tube and one control group without mangosteen. The findings show that marker of BUN, serum creatinine, SGPT, and SGOT are not significantly different from those of the control in the administration of microparticles ethyl acetate fraction of mangosteen extract at a single dose of 2 and 3 g/kgBW, however, significant increases of BUN and SGOT levels were found in single dose of 5 g/kgBW. The results indicate that administration encapsulated of microparticles ethyl acetate fraction of G. mangostana L. extract at single dose of 2 and 3 g/kgBW cause no toxicity on liver and kidneys function, but the single dose of 5 g/kgBW. cause toxicity to the liver and kidneys. Further studies on histopathology examinations of liver and kidneys are necessary to ensure its safety level.Garcinia mangostana L. (mangosteen) pericarp containing α-mangostin is predicted to have potential as an anticancer because it can induce apoptosis and has high antioxidant content. Moreover, the preliminary study showed that this extract has high antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity based on the brine shrimp lethality test. This indicates that mangosteen has potential as chemotherapeutic agents or additional therapy in cancers such as colorectal cancer, which the available management is not as effective. To improve its efficacy and bioavailability in the colon as a targeted area, ethyl acetate fraction of mangosteen extract was then formulated into a controlled release encapsulated microparticles by chitosan-alginate material. It is intended that the active ingredient to be released after reaching the colon. In this study, toxicity of mangosteen was investigated because there is still no toxicity data of encapsulated microparticles of the ethyl acetate fraction of mangosteen extract on function of mice’.
Hybrid adaptive/nonadaptive beamforming for ultrasound imaging

We propose and evaluate a simple yet effective technique of combining nonadaptive and adaptive beamforming methods aimed to achieve high quality of ultrasound images at low computational cost. Our hybrid beamformer automatically switches between nonadaptive and adaptive beamforming of input data vectors, based on the outcome of the comparison of the input coherence factor against a certain threshold. For illustrative purposes, we used the delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer as an example of a nonadaptive method, while the Generalized Sidelobe Canceller (GSC) and Adaptive Single Snapshot Beamformer (ASSB) served as two examples of an adaptive method. We have applied our technique to simulated ultrasound images of a 12-point phantom and a point-scattering-cyst phantom, demonstrating substantial computational savings without a significant degradation in the image resolution and contrast, in comparison to the standard GSC-based or ASSB-based beamforming methods.
Detection of fake Twitter followers using graph centrality measures

With the exponential rise in the number of Internet users, Social Networking platforms have become one of the major means of communication all over the globe. Many major players in this field exist including the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc. Impressed by the number of users an individual can reach using the existing Social Networking platforms, most organizations and celebrities make use of them to keep in touch with their fans and followers continuously. Social Networking platforms also allow the organizations or celebrities to publicize any event and to update information regarding their business just to keep themselves active in the market. Most Social Networking platforms provide some form of metric which can be used to define the popularity of an user such as the number of followers on Twitter, number of likes on Facebook etc. However, in recent years, it has been observed that many users attempt to manipulate their popularity metric with the help of fake accounts to look more popular. In this paper, we have devised a method which can be used to detect all the fake followers within a social graph network based on features related to the centrality of all the nodes in the graph and training a classifier based on a subset of the data. Using only graph based centrality measures, the proposed method yielded very high accuracy on fake follower detection. The proposed method is generic in nature and can be used irrespective of the social network platform under consideration.
Fully-Automated Quantification of Regional Brain Volumes for Improved Detection of Focal Atrophy in Alzheimer Disease

SUMMARY: Volumetric analysis of structural MR images of the brain may provide quantitative evidence of neurodegeneration and help identify patients at risk for rapid clinical deterioration. This note describes tests of a fully automated MR imaging postprocessing system for volumetric analysis of structures (such as the hippocampus) known to be affected in early Alzheimer disease (AD). The system yielded results that correlated highly with independent computer-aided manual segmentation and were sensitive to the anatomic atrophy characteristic of mild AD.
Do real-time Okun's law errors predict GDP data revisions?

Using U.S. real-time data, we show that changes in the unemployment rate unexplained by Okun's Law have significant predictive power for GDP data revisions. A positive (negative) error in Okun's Law in real time implies that GDP will be later revised to show less (more) growth than initially estimated by the statistical agency. The information in Okun's Law errors about the true state of real economic activity also helps to improve GDP forecasts in the near term. Our findings add a new dimension to the interpretation of real-time Okun's Law errors, as they show that these errors can convey information other than a change in potential GDP, the equilibrium unemployment rate, or the use of labor's intensive margin.
Cluster synchronization algorithms

This paper presents two approaches to achieving cluster synchronization in dynamical multi-agent systems. In contrast to the widely studied synchronization behavior, where all the coupled agents converge to the same value asymptotically, in the cluster synchronization problem studied in this paper, we require that all the interconnected agents to evolve into several clusters and each agent only to synchronize within its cluster. The first approach is to add a constant forcing to the dynamics of each agent that are determined by positive diffusive couplings; and the other is to introduce both positive and negative couplings between the agents. Some sufficient and/or necessary conditions are constructed to guarantee n-cluster synchronization behavior. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis.
Enhancing Keyword Search in Relational Databases Using Nearly Duplicate Records

The importance of supporting keyword searches on relations has been widely recognized. Different from the existing keyword search techniques on relations, this paper focuses on nearly duplicate records in relational databases due to abbreviation and typos. As a result, processing keyword searches with duplicate records involves many unique challenges. In this paper we discuss the motivation and present a system, RSEARCH, to show challenges in supporting keyword search using nearly duplicate records and key techniques including identifying nearly duplicate records and generating results efficiently.
A systematic review on the Rosa canina effect and efficacy profiles

Rose hip, rose hip and seed and rose hip seed, all were negatively monographed by the German Commission E due to insufficient evidence of effects and effectiveness. Therefore a comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to summarize the pharmacological and clinical effects of Rosa canina L. to reevaluate its usefulness in traditional medicine.
Performance Comparison of Background Estimation Algorithms for Detecting Moving Vehicle

Background subtraction is the one of the crucial step in detecting the moving object. Many techniques were proposed for detected moving object however there are few comparative studies carried out to verify their performance. In this paper a performance comparison of different background subtraction algorithms is carried out from the literature as well as through implementation. We investigate some of the techniques which varying from simple techniques such as frame differencing and approximation median filter, to more complicated probabilistic modeling techniques. Our results show that simple techniques such as approximation median filter can produce good results with much lower computational complexity.
Non-degradable polymer nanocomposites for drug delivery

Introduction: The need to optimize therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects is a major driving force for research and development in the controlled drug delivery field. Polymer nanocomposites (NCs) are an emerging class of materials with remarkable potential for controlled drug delivery. There are a range of release mechanisms that characterize polymer NC systems, and these may be perturbed not only by the addition of nanofillers, but also by the type of drug and the interactions of the drug with the components of the system. Areas covered: The focus of this review is on non-degradable polymer NC systems. In particular, the types of drug delivery approach from these polymer NCs and the theoretical models developed to describe those approaches are discussed. The importance of component interactions and factors affecting drug delivery from polymer NCs is also addressed. Expert opinion: Despite the remarkable potential and extensive research being conducted on polymer NCs for use in drug delivery, commercialization and large-scale production are limited by the cost and difficulty in consistently producing fully exfoliated NCs. A continuing challenge for the field is to understand better the key interactions and structure–property relationships arising from different polymer, filler and drug combinations.
A resposta ao stress - Ponto de vista fisiopatológico

6 Introdução . 8 Materiais e métodos . 12 Desenvolvimento . 13 1. Eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-suprarrenal . 14 2. Sistema nervoso central . 23 3. Resiliência . 29 4. Mecanismos de coping . 36 Discussão e conclusão . 43 Bibliografia . 47 A RESPOSTA AO STRESS – PONTO DE VISTA FISIOPATOLÓGICO
Human and nonhuman primate brains: Are they allometrically scaled versions of the same design?

Allometric analyses of brain structure sizes across the primate order demonstrate that human, ape, and other anthropoid brains are not simply allometrically scaled versions of the same generalized design. Both human and ape brains exhibit specializations with respect to other anthropoid brains. Ape specializations include elaboration of the cerebellum (all apes) and frontal lobes (great apes only), and probably connectivity between them. Human brain specializations include an overall larger proportion of neocortex, with disproportionate enlargement of prefrontal and temporal association cortices; an apparent increase in cerebellar connections with cerebral cortical association areas involved in cognition; and a probable augmentation of intracortical connectivity in prefrontal cortex.
Prenatal care visits and associated costs for treatment-seeking women with depressive disorders.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine whether a history of depressive disorders is associated with use and costs of prenatal care among pregnant women in Taiwan. METHODS Participants were mothers with singleton births between 2004 and 2006 (N=23,290), some of whom (N=614) had received care for depression in the year before conception but not during pregnancy. RESULTS The mean number of prenatal care visits was 8.50 and associated costs were $NT 51,187 for pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders and 9.17 visits and $NT 27,998, respectively, for those without such a history. After adjustment for age, monthly income, medical conditions, and obstetric complications, mothers with a history of depression were significantly less likely to receive prenatal care (relative risk=.94, 95% confidence interval=.92-.97, p<.001). However, women with a history of depression had $NT 22,494 higher prenatal care costs than mothers without a history of depression. CONCLUSIONS Pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders had fewer prenatal care visits but higher prenatal care costs. Physicians should consider screening to identify pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders.
Mitochondrial DNA Phylogenetic Definition of a Group of 'Arid-Zone' Carduelini Finches

Birds included within the Carduelini tribe (genera Rhodopechys, Carpodacus and Leucosticte) apparently be- long to the same radiation according to molecular phylogenetic analyses. Our phylogenetic analyses based on nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene (cyt-b) indicate that some of these birds (Rhodopechys mongolica, R. githaginea and Carpodacus nipalensis) do not cluster together with their respective phenetically defined allies. This new group of birds thrives in both hot and cold arid zones and are phenetically distinct, probably because of their adaptation to different ex- treme environments. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods support the existence of this new evolu- tionary basal group among finches which might have originated about 14 million years ago.
Antidiabetic activity of Sedum dendroideum: Metabolic enzymes as putative targets for the bioactive flavonoid kaempferitrin

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of a leaf extract and flavonoids from Sedum dendroideum (SD). Additionally, our goals were to establish a possible structure/activity relationship between these flavonoids and to assess the most active flavonoid on the glycolytic enzyme 6‐phosphofructo‐1‐kinase (PFK). SD juice (LJ), a flavonoid‐rich fraction (BF), and separately five flavonoids were evaluated intraperitoneally for their acute hypoglycemic activity in normal and streptozotocin‐induced diabetic mice. First, the major flavonoids kaempferol 3,7‐dirhamnoside or kaempferitrin (1), kaempferol 3‐glucoside‐7‐rhamnoside (2), and kaempferol 3‐neohesperidoside‐7‐rhamnoside (3) were tested. Then, the monoglycosides kaempferol 7‐rhamnoside (5) and kaempferol 3‐rhamnoside (6) were assayed to establish their structure/activity relationship. The effect of 1 on PFK was evaluated in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue from treated mice. LJ (400 mg/kg), BF (40 mg/kg), and flavonoid 1 (4 mg/kg) reduced glycemia in diabetic mice (120 min) by 52, 53, and 61%, respectively. Flavonoids 2, 3, 5, and 6 were inactive or showed little activity, suggesting that the two rhamnosyl moieties in kaempferitrin are important requirements. Kaempferitrin enhanced the PFK activity chiefly in hepatic tissue, suggesting that it is able to stimulate tissue glucose utilization. This result is confirmed testing kaempferitrin on C2C12 cell line, where it enhanced glucose consumption, lactate production, and the key regulatory glycolytic enzymes. The hypoglycemic activity of kaempferitrin depends on the presence of both rhamnosyl residues in the flavonoid structure when intraperitoneally administered. Our findings show for the first time that a flavonoid is capable of stimulating PFK in a model of diabetes and that kaempferitrin stimulates glucose‐metabolizing enzymes. This study contributes to the knowledge of the mechanisms by which this flavonoid exerts its hypoglycemic activity. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(5):361–370, 2014
Effect of supplemental fermented Ginkgo biloba leaves at different levels on growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant status of breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens

&NA; The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary supplementation with different levels of fermented Ginkgo biloba leaves (FGBL) on growth performance, slaughter performance, meat quality, antioxidant enzyme capacity, and free radical scavenging activities of muscles in broiler chickens. A total of 648 one‐d‐old broiler chickens were randomly allocated into six dietary treatments, including control group (CON group: basal diet), FGBL1, FGBL2, FGBL3, FGBL4, and FGBL5 groups (basal diet containing 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 g/kg FGBL, respectively). Body weight gain and feed intake were recorded at 1, 21, and 42 d. At 42 d, 2 birds from each replicate were slaughtered. The results indicated that 3.5 g/kg FGBL diet significantly increased (P < 0.05) ADFI and ADG in 1 to 42 d and ADFI in 22 to 42 d compared with the CON group. In 1 to 21 d, 4.5 g/kg FGBL diet improved (P < 0.05) ADFI and ADG. With dietary FGBL increasing, the feed: gain ratio (F/G) in 1 to 21 d was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). However, birds fed with 5.5 g/kg FGBL had a higher (P < 0.05) F/G compared with other groups in 22 to 42 d and 1 to 42 d. In addition, FGBL3 and FGBL4 showed lower (P < 0.05) L* value in breast muscle, cooking loss in thigh muscle and lower 24 h and 48 h drip loss in both breast and thigh muscles than those of other groups. Furthermore, birds in the FGBL3 and FGBL4 groups increased (P < 0.05) the activity of total superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capability in muscles, and the scavenging activities of 2,2′‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic) acid radical, OH•, and O2•− in thigh muscle, decreased (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde concentration in thigh muscle, as compared to the CON group. In conclusion, FGBL had the potential to improve the growth performance, meat quality and antioxidant status of broiler chickens. The optimal dose in the present study of FGBL in broiler diets was from 3.5 to 4.5 g/kg.
A PIF1/PIF3-HY5-BBX23 Transcription Factor Cascade Affects Photomorphogenesis1[OPEN]

Two PIF transcription factors activate the expression of HY5 and BBX23, the proteins of which interact to affect downstream gene expression in photomorphogenesis. Light signaling plays an essential role in controlling higher plants’ early developmental process termed as photomorphogenesis. Transcriptional regulation is a vital mechanism that is orchestrated by transcription factors and other regulatory proteins working in concert to finely tune gene expression. Although many transcription factors/regulators have been characterized in the light-signaling pathway, their interregulation remains largely unknown. Here, we show that PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR3 (PIF3) and PIF1 transcription factors directly bind to the regulatory regions of ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) and a B-box gene BBX23 and activate their expression in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We found that BBX23 and its close homolog gene BBX22 play a redundant role in regulating hypocotyl growth, and that plants overexpressing BBX23 display reduced hypocotyl elongation under red, far-red, and blue light conditions. Intriguingly, BBX23 transcription is inhibited by light, whereas its protein is degraded in darkness. Furthermore, we demonstrate that HY5 physically interacts with BBX23, and these two proteins coordinately regulate the expression of both light-induced and light-repressed genes. BBX23 is also recruited to the promoter sequences of the light-responsive genes in a partial HY5-dependent manner. Taken together, our study reveals that the transcriptional cascade consisting of PIF1/PIF3, HY5, and BBX23 controls photomorphogenesis, providing a transcriptional regulatory layer by which plants fine-tune their growth in response to changing light environment.
Polygalasaponin F against rotenone-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via mitochondria protection pathway

To investigate the protective effect and the underlying mechanism of polygalasaponin F (PS-F) against rotenone-induced PC12 cells, the cell viability was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay. The cell apoptosis rate was analyzed using flow cytometry. The reactive oxygen species was examined using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, and the adenosine triphosphate depletion was examined using a luciferase-coupled quantification assay. JC-1 staining was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blotting analysis was used to determine cytochrome c, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. Treatment of PC12 cells with rotenone (1–10 μmol/l) significantly reduced the cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with PS-F (0.1, 1, and 10 μmol/l) increased the viability of rotenone-induced PC12 cells, decreased rotenone-induced apoptosis, restored rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and suppressed rotenone-induced protein expression. PS-F showed a dose-dependent manner in all the treatments. PS-F protects PC12 cells against rotenone-induced apoptosis via ameliorating the mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, PS-F may be a potential bioactive compound for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.