Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pairwise elastic self-organizing maps

Visualization is one of the most powerful means for understanding the structure of multidimensional data. One of the most popular visualization methods is the Self-Organizing Map (SOM) that maps high dimensional data into low dimensional space while preserving the data's topological structure. While the topographical visualization can reveal the intrinsic characteristics of the data, SOM often fails to correctly reflect the distances between the data on the low dimensional map, thus reducing the fidelity of the visualization. The limitation of SOM to mimic the data structure is partly due to its inflexible structure, where the reference vectors are fixed, usually in two dimensional grid. In this study, a variant of SOM, where the reference vector can flexibly move to reconstruct the distribution of high dimensional data and thus can provide more precise visualization, is proposed. The proposed Elastic Self-Organizing Maps (ESOM) can also be used as nearest neighbors classifiers. This brief paper explains the basic characteristics and evaluation of ESOM against some benchmark problems.
Trends in US Hospital Admissions for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Using data from the 2000–2004 US Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample, we found that total hospital admissions for skin and soft tissue infections increased by 29% during 2000–2004; admissions for pneumonia were largely unchanged. These results are consistent with recent reported increases in community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.
When Men Murder Women

Victim/Offender Relationship In cases in which the relationship between the victim and the offender could be identified (50 cases), all but one female victim were murdered by someone they knew. Only one victim was killed by a stranger. Of victims who knew their offenders, nearly two thirds (31 victims or 63 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 31 female intimates murdered, 65 percent (20 victims) were killed with guns; 95 percent of these gun victims (19 victims) were shot and killed with handguns.
Quantum electromagnetic ‘black holes’ in a strong magnetic field

As demonstrated by Chernodub, strong magnetic field forces a vacuum to develop real condensates of electrically charged ? mesons, which form an anisotropic inhomogeneous superconducting state similar to an Abrikosov vortex lattice. As far as the electromagnetic field behaviour is concerned, this state of a vacuum constitutes a hyperbolic metamaterial [1]. Here we demonstrate that spatial variations of the magnetic field may lead to the formation of electromagnetic ? black holes? inside this metamaterial. Similar to real black holes, the horizon area of electromagnetic ? black holes? is quantized in units of the effective ? Planck scale? squared. Magnetic fields of the required strength and geometrical configuration may be created on Earth in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. We evaluate the electromagnetic field distribution around an electromagnetic ? black hole? which may be created as a result of such collisions.
Advanced LC-MS/MS Techniques Dissecting Diverse Isomers of Plant Sphingolipid Species

Sphingolipid is a major lipid class ubiquitously present in eukaryotes and several species of prokaryotes. Recent genetic and sphingolipidomic researches have been revealing complex structures of plant sphingolipids and their functions in various aspects of plant biological events as major membrane components as well as signaling molecules. Particularly, cis/transisomeric double bond at Δ8 position of long-chain bases (LCBs) is of great interest due to their potential impacts on stress tolerance in plants and yeast. In addition, free LCBs and their metabolism are also important for intracellular signaling pathways during various environmental stresses. In this review, we introduce two current improvements of sphingolipidomic analyses based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), focusing on high-throughput quantitative analysis of complex structural isomers of plant sphingolipids.
Immigration, Conict and Redistribution

This paper analyzes how the possibility of conict between natives and immigrants shapes income redistribution in democracies. Conict erupts when immigrants are given less than what they could obtain by resorting to confrontation. This threat of conict is enough to produce income redistribution towards immigrants despite they do not have the right to vote. We also show that while vertical income redistribution (from the rich to the poor) decreases with the level of immigration, horizontal income redistribution (from natives to migrants) increases with the level of immigration. This is because the threat of conict intensies as the migrant population becomes bigger. Inequality softens
Angiotensin-(1–7) is an endogenous ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor Mas

The renin–angiotensin system plays a critical role in blood pressure control and body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Besides angiotensin (Ang) II, other Ang peptides, such as Ang III [Ang-(2–8)], Ang IV [Ang-(3–8)], and Ang-(1–7) may also have important biological activities. Ang-(1–7) has become an angiotensin of interest in the past few years, because its cardiovascular and baroreflex actions counteract those of Ang II. Unique angiotensin-binding sites specific for this heptapeptide and studies with a selective Ang-(1–7) antagonist indicated the existence of a distinct Ang-(1–7) receptor. We demonstrate that genetic deletion of the G protein-coupled receptor encoded by the Mas protooncogene abolishes the binding of Ang-(1–7) to mouse kidneys. Accordingly, Mas-deficient mice completely lack the antidiuretic action of Ang-(1–7) after an acute water load. Ang-(1–7) binds to Mas-transfected cells and elicits arachidonic acid release. Furthermore, Mas-deficient aortas lose their Ang-(1–7)-induced relaxation response. Collectively, these findings identify Mas as a functional receptor for Ang-(1–7) and provide a clear molecular basis for the physiological actions of this biologically active peptide.
Modeling the response of the Gulf of Finland ecosystem to changing climate

Direct and indirect effects of changing meteorological conditions include alterations in nutrient cycling, timing and extent of algal blooms, species composition and oxygen dynamics of the Baltic coastal ecosystems. In this study the one-dimensional water column model GOTM coupled with a modified version of the biogeochemical model ERGOM was implemented to study the effects of changes in meteorological forcing associated with climate change on dynamics of nutrients, phytoplankton and dissolved oxygen in the central part of the Gulf of Finland. The modeling period from 1997 to 2008 (11 years) was chosen. Initial distributions of salinity, temperature and biogeochemical parameters from available measurement data were prescribed. As a reference run representing the present conditions of the ecosystem, model results with real atmospheric forcing were used. The model results were validated using observational data from the HELCOM monitoring program. The first three years of the simulation were used as a spin-up period. For the rest of the period modeled ecosystem sensitivity to variations in wind speed, air temperature, cloud cover and precipitation were analyzed separately and in a combination. The ranges of variations were chosen in agreement with recent publications on the assessment of climate change in the Baltic Sea region. Results have shown that increase in precipitation does not have any remarkable effect on the ecosystem. Increase in wind speed intensifies water mixing thus providing more nutrients for phytoplankton, but also slightly decreases water temperature. Change in cloud cover negatively affects phytoplankton growth due to decrease in light availability during biologically active period. Increased air temperature influences phytoplankton growth rates, leading to enhanced sedimentation of organic matter and near-bottom oxygen consumption. The scenario which combined all the previous, showed similar results as change in air temperature only, but slightly closer to the reference run due to action of wind speed and cloud cover. The study has shown that regardless of known limitations of one-dimensional models, they are a valuable tool in the investigation of marine ecosystem properties and their sensitivity to changes in the forcing parameters.
Gate stack optimization to minimize power consumption in super-lattice fets

In this work the effect of high-k gate dielectrics on the power-speed performance of SL-FETs realized with the InGaAs/InAlAs and InGaAs/InP material pairs is investigated by numerical simulations. The analysis shows that the InGaAs/InP pair, in association with Al2O3 as the gate dielectric, provides the most promising results for high-performance applications, i.e. an on-state current approaching 2 mA/μm and an intrinsic delay lower than 0.16 ps at a supply voltage of 0.4 V. The average subthreshold swing SS is much lower than 60 mV/dec over six current decades and the point slope SS ≈ 20mV/dec. These results outperform the ITRS requirements projected to year 2022 in terms of both static and dynamic power dissipation, and make the proposed device well suited for high-performance and low-power applications at the same time.
Sequential Information Arrival Hypothesis: More Evidence from the Indian Derivatives Market

The study attempts to gather additional evidence on the sequential information arrival hypothesis by examining the dynamic relationship between the trading volume and the volatility of CNX Nifty index futures traded on the National Stock Exchange of India. The documented result using a linear Granger causality model shows a unidirectional causality from volatility to trading volume, thus rejecting the theory of sequential arrival of information in Nifty index futures. Further, under a non-linear GARCH framework of analysis, it is reinforced that a lagged trading volume has no explanatory power of current conditional volatility, even in the presence of market depth surrogated by open interest in the Nifty futures market. Consequently, given the trading volume, the possibility of forecasting the price variability of Nifty futures is rejected.
The effects of building-related factors on classroom relative humidity among North Carolina schools participating in the 'Free to Breathe, Free to Teach' study.

UNLABELLED Both high and low indoor relative humidity (RH) directly impact Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), an important school health concern. Prior school studies reported a high prevalence of mold, roaches, and water damage; however, few examined associations between modifiable classroom factors and RH, a quantitative indicator of dampness. We recorded RH longitudinally in 134 North Carolina classrooms (n = 9066 classroom-days) to quantify the relationships between modifiable classroom factors and average daily RH below, within, or above levels recommended to improve school IAQ (30-50% or 30-60% RH). The odds of having high RH (>60%) were 5.8 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.9, 11.3] times higher in classrooms with annual compared to quarterly heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system maintenance and 2.5 (95% CI: 1.5, 4.2) times higher in classrooms with HVAC economizers compared to those without economizers. Classrooms with direct-expansion split systems compared to chilled water systems had 2.7 (95% CI: 1.7, 4.4) times higher odds of low RH (<30%). When unoccupied, classrooms with thermostat setbacks had 3.7 (95% CI: 1.7, 8.3) times the odds of high RH (>60%) of those without setbacks. This research suggests actionable decision points for school design and maintenance to prevent high or low classroom RH. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS This study combines longitudinal measurements of classroom relative humidity with school inspection data from several schools to describe the problem of relative humidity control in schools. Our findings on how maintenance and mechanical factors affect classroom humidity provide suggestions on building operations policies and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) design considerations that may improve classroom relative humidity control.
Total cholesterol and mortality in the elderly

Abstract Casiglia E, Mazza A, Tikhonoff V, Scarpa R, Schiavon L, Pessina AC (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Italy). Total cholesterol and mortality in the elderly. J Intern Med 2003; 254: 353–362.
Would a significant increase in the top income tax rate substantially alter income inequality

The high level of income inequality in the United States is at the forefront of policy attention. This paper focuses on one potential policy response: an increase in the top personal income tax rate. We conduct a simulation analysis using the Tax Policy Center (TPC) microsimulation model to determine how much of a reduction in income inequality would be achieved from increasing the top individual tax rate to as much as 50 percent. We calculate the resulting change in income inequality assuming an explicit redistribution of all new revenue to households in the bottom 20 percent of the income distribution. The resulting effects on overall income inequality are exceedingly modest.
Prevalence and significance of acanthosis nigricans in an adult obese population.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN Acanthosis nigricans develops commonly in obese individuals, yet its prevalence and significance in an unselected adult obese population has not been determined. To address these issues, 34 patients enrolled in the Adult Obesity Clinic at Parkland Memorial Hospital (Dallas, Tex) were chosen at random and examined. RESULTS Acanthosis nigricans was observed in fully 74% of patients; its prevalence correlated positively with severity of obesity. Black obese patients demonstrated a greater propensity for manifesting the cutaneous disorder than did white obese individuals. Patients with acanthosis nigricans exhibited fasting plasma insulin levels that were markedly higher than those of nonacanthotic cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Obesity is a significant risk factor for the development of acanthosis nigricans. Conversely, acanthosis nigricans is a reliable cutaneous marker of hyperinsulinemia in obese individuals.
Non‐linear associations between stature and mate choice characteristics for American men and their spouses

Although male height is positively associated with many aspects of mate quality, average height men attain higher reproductive success in US populations. We hypothesize that this is because the advantages associated with taller stature accrue mainly from not being short, rather than from being taller than average. Lower fertility by short men may be a consequence of their and their partner's lower scores on aspects of mate quality. Taller men, although they score higher on mate quality compared to average height men, may have lower fertility because they are more likely to be paired with taller women, who are potentially less fertile.
Colon Delivery Efficiencies of Intestinal Pressure‐controlled Colon Delivery Capsules Prepared by a Coating Machine in Human Subjects

Large quantities of pressure‐controlled colon delivery capsules (PCDCs) were prepared by a Hicoater‐mini pharmaceutical coating machine and colon delivery efficiencies were evaluated in man. Caffeine powder as a model drug was suspended with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 suppository base at 50°C, and was hardened in no. 0‐ and no. 2‐sized capsular shapes. The capsule‐shaped suppositories were coated with 5% w/v ethanolic ethylcellulose (7G grade) solution using the coating machine.
Simultaneous Activation of Viral Antigen-specific Memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells Using mRNA-electroporated CD40-activated Autologous B-cells

Recently, it has become obvious that not only CD8+ T-cells, but also CD4+ T-helper cells are required for the induction of an effective, long-lasting cellular immune response. In view of the clinical importance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we developed 2 strategies to simultaneously reactivate viral antigen-specific memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells of CMV-seropositive and HIV-seropositive subjects using mRNA-electroporated autologous CD40-activated B cells. In the setting of HIV, we provide evidence that CD40-activated B cells can be cultured from HAART-naive HIV-1 seropositive patients. These cells not only express and secrete the HIV p24 antigen after electroporation with codon-optimized HIV-1 gag mRNA, but can also be used to in vitro reactivate Gag antigen-specific interferon-γ–producing CD4+ and CD8+ autologous T-cells. For the CMV-specific approach, we applied mRNA coding for the pp65 protein coupled to the lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1 to transfect CD40-activated B cells to induce CMV antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. More detailed analysis of the activated interferon-γ–producing CMV pp65 tetramer positive CD8+ T-cells revealed an effector memory phenotype with the capacity to produce interleukin-2. Our findings clearly show that the concomitant activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ (memory) T-cells using mRNA-electroporated CD40-B cells is feasible in CMV and HIV-1–seropositive persons, which indicates the potential value of this approach for application in cellular immunotherapy of infectious diseases.
The Coagulation Profile of End-Stage Liver Disease and Considerations for Intraoperative Management

The coagulopathy of end-stage liver disease results from a complex derangement in both anticoagulant and procoagulant processes. With even minor insults, cirrhotic patients experience either inappropriate bleeding or clotting, or even both simultaneously. The various phases of liver transplantation along with fluid and blood product administration may contribute to additional disturbances in coagulation. Thus, anesthetic management of patients undergoing liver transplantation to improve hemostasis and avoid inappropriate thrombosis in the perioperative environment can be challenging. To add to this challenge, traditional laboratory tests of coagulation are difficult to interpret in patients with end-stage liver disease. Viscoelastic coagulation tests such as thromboelastography (Haemonetics Corporation, Braintree, MA) and rotational thromboelastometry (TEM International, Munich, Germany) have helped to reduce transfusion of allogeneic blood products, especially fresh frozen plasma, but have also lead to the increased use of fibrinogen-containing products. In general, advancements in surgical techniques and anesthetic management have led to significant reduction in blood transfusion requirements during liver transplantation. Targeted transfusion protocols and pharmacologic prevention of fibrinolysis may further aid in the management of the complex coagulopathy of end-stage liver disease.
Activation of lymphocytes induced by recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with malignant lymphoma.

To investigate effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) on lymphoid cells in vivo, we monitored changes in absolute lymphocyte counts, plasma concentrations of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and soluble cytotoxic/suppressor (sCD8) antigens, and phenotypic changes of surface membrane antigens of peripheral mononuclear cells from 14 patients with malignant lymphoma treated with rhGM-CSF. Eight of the 14 patients had relapsed or had refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and received rhGM-CSF after intensive chemotherapy with novantrone (NO) and high-dose Ara-C (AC) (NOAC) as salvage regimen. Six other patients with NHL or Hodgkin's disease (HD) were in complete remission and treated with rhGM-CSF to enhance peripheral hematopoietic progenitor cell harvest for autografting. An increase in absolute lymphocyte count at the zenith of leukocyte elevation and a drastic increase in concentration of sIL-2R from a median of 565 U/mL to 6,700 U/mL on rhGM-CSF infusion were found in all patients. There was also a moderate increase in sCD8 levels from a median of 277 U/mL to 470 U/mL. Ten patients were available for serial studies of phenotypic changes in surface membrane antigens. A significant increase in CD25+ (IL-2R+) (P = .0020) and CD4+ (P = .0137) lymphocytes was observed in all patients, but no significant change in CD3+, CD8+, TCR delta 1+, or CD19+ cells. Elevations in absolute lymphocyte counts or in concentrations of sIL-2R or sCD8 were not observed in four other patients during recovery from intensive chemotherapy without rhGM-CSF support. Our results provide evidence that administration of rhGM-CSF might activate lymphocytes in vivo. The impact of this activation on the remission rate and duration, as well as survival in patients with NHL, warrants further investigation.
Muscle perfusion after intramedullary nailing of the canine tibia.

BACKGROUND Intramedullary nailing with and without reaming leads to a reduction in cortical bone blood flow. The repair of the devascularized bone is mediated principally by the surrounding soft-tissue envelope. The objective of this study was to determine the effect on muscle blood flow of reamed and unreamed intramedullary nailing techniques. METHODS Midshaft tibial osteotomies to create a 2.5-cm segment of devascularized tibial cortex were performed in 19 adult canines. The tibia was stabilized with a locked intramedullary nail without reaming in 9 animals and with intramedullary reaming in 10 animals. In the unreamed group, the tibia was stabilized with a loosely fitting (n = 4) or a tightly fitting (n = 5) locked nail. In the reamed group, limited reaming (n = 5) or standard reaming (n = 5) was performed. Muscle perfusion was measured in the anterior compartment musculature of the hind-limb using laser Doppler flowmetry. RESULTS Overall muscle perfusion was greater in the reamed group than in the unreamed group at the conclusion of the nailing procedure (p = 0.0001) and at 5 weeks (p = 0.0008) and 11 weeks after nailing (p = 0.001). The degree of canal fit of the intramedullary nails and the extent of reaming before nail insertion did not further influence muscle circulation. CONCLUSION The results of this study demonstrate that in the presence of an intact soft-tissue envelope, intramedullary reaming of the canine tibia has a major effect on increasing the circulation to the surrounding muscles. The increased extraosseous circulation may have implications for fracture healing.