Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constitutive secretion of MMP9 by early‐passage cultured human endothelial cells

Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP9) plays an important role during angiogenesis. It is an inducible enzyme which is known to be secreted from human endothelial cells in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), but thought not to be constitutively expressed. We examined the secretion of MMP9 by primary culture (P0), passage 1 (P1) and passage 2 (P2) human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVE). Whereas there was no detectable MMP9 in P2 cells under basal conditions, P0 HUVE secreted MMP9, as detected by zymography and ELISA. RT‐PCR and cycloheximide inhibition studies confirmed that MMP was synthesized by P0 HUVE. MMP9 secretion was passage‐dependent, decreasing rapidly as the cells were passaged in culture and was not detected at P2. The decrease was largely due to the population doubling of cells as they are cultured. This is the first report to show that cultured HUVE constitutively express MMP9 and that this secretion is restricted to very early‐passage cells. These findings may be relevant to the angiogenic potential of human endothelial cells as they age. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Testing the Role of Verbal Narration in Implicit Theory of Mind Tasks

ABSTRACT Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to attribute mental states to agents, has usually been measured with explicit verbal tasks and found to develop slowly during the preschool years. New implicit ToM measures have lately revolutionized the field by suggesting that ToM may be present much earlier in development. However, recent replication studies of implicit ToM present a complex pattern of failed, partial and successful attempts. The big challenge is to identify an underlying system to this pattern that can explain why some tasks replicate while others do not. The rationale of the present study was to address this challenge by investigating one potential factor that may explain patterns of (non-)replications of implicit measures, namely elements of verbal narration in anticipatory looking tasks. Sixty-seven 4- to 5-year-old children completed modified versions of two different anticipatory looking implicit false belief tasks which recently proved difficult to replicate. The main modification was that verbal narration was added to the original stimulus videos. Results revealed that original looking patterns could still not be replicated. There was no improvement in one task, while a slight improvement was observed in the other task. In conclusion, adding verbal narration does not necessarily improve the replicability of anticipatory ToM tasks, suggesting either that these measures might not be sufficiently sensitive to tap implicit ToM, or that other factors are crucial for successful replications.
Suboptimal vitamin D levels in pregnant women despite supplement use.

OBJECTIVE Obtaining adequate vitamin D during pregnancy is important for the health of mother and child. Low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations, a measure of vitamin D status, have been reported in pregnant women in several countries; yet, there are few studies of pregnant Canadian women. We measured 25OHD concentrations in a multi-ethnic group of pregnant women living in Vancouver (49 degrees N) and explored the determinants of 25OHD. METHODS 336 pregnant women (16-47 y) between 20 and 35 weeks gestation provided a blood sample and completed questionnaires. RESULTS Mean 25OHD was 67 (95% CI 64-69) nmol/L. Only 1% of women had a 25OHD concentration indicative of severe deficiency (<25 nmol/L). However, 24% and 65% of women were vitamin D insufficient based on cut-offs of 50 and 75 nmol/L, respectively. In multivariate analysis, mean 25OHD concentrations were 12 nmol/L higher in the summer compared to in winter. Women of European (White) ethnicity had a 9-13 nmol/L higher mean 25OHD concentration than women from other ethnic groups. Almost 80% of women took vitamin D-containing supplements containing > or = 400 IU/d. However, 24% and 65% of these women had 25OHD <50 and <75 nmol/L, respectively. CONCLUSION Vitamin D insufficiency was not uncommon in this group of pregnant women. Season and ethnicity were determinants of 25OHD but the magnitude of their effect was not large. Most women took vitamin D-containing supplements but this did not provide much protection against insufficiency. Consideration should be given to increasing the amount of vitamin D in prenatal supplements.
Exact Decoding with Multi Bottom-Up Tree Transducers

We present an experimental statistical tree-to-tree machine translation system based on the multi-bottom up tree transducer including rule extraction, tuning and decoding. Thanks to input parse forests and a “no pruning” strategy during decoding, the obtained translations are competitive. The drawbacks are a restricted coverage of 70% on test data, in part due to exact input parse tree matching, and a relatively high runtime. Advantages include easy redecoding with a different weight vector, since the full translation forests can be stored after the first decoding pass.
Magnetics Design for Switching Power Supplies

Figure 1-1 Transformer Equivalent Circuit Introduction Experienced SwitchMode Power Supply designers know that SMPS success or failure depends heavily on the proper design and implementation of the magnetic components. Parasitic elements inherent in high frequency transformers or inductors cause a variety of circuit problems including: high losses, high voltage spikes necessitating snubbers or clamps, poor cross regulation between multiple outputs, noise coupling to input or output, restricted duty cycle range, etc. Figure I represents a simplified equivalent circuit of a two-output forward converter power transformer, showing leakage inductances, core characteristics including mutual inductance, dc hysteresis and saturation, core eddy current loss resistance, and winding distributed capacitance, all of which affect SMPS performance. With rare exception, schools of engineering provide very little instruction in practical magnetics relevant to switching power supply applications. As a result, magnetic component design is usually delegated to a self-taught expert in this "black art". There are many aspects in the design of practical, manufacturable, low cost magnetic devices that unquestionably benefit from years of experience in this field. However, the magnetics expert is unlikely to be sufficiently aware of the SMPS circuit problems caused by the various parasitic elements and the impact of the specific circuit locations of these elements. This often results in poor decisions in the magnetic component design. This collection of topics on magnetics is intended to give the SMPS designer the confidence and the ability to: (I) Develop a reasonably accurate electrical circuit model of any magnetic device, to enable prediction of circuit performance, (2) Relate the electrical circuit model to the magnetic device structure, thus providing the insight needed to achieve an optimized design, (3) Collaborate effectively with experts in magnetics design, and possibly (4) Become a "magnetics expert" in his own right.
Real-Time Detection System of Driver Distraction Using Machine Learning

There is accumulating evidence that driver distraction is a leading cause of vehicle crashes and incidents. In particular, increased use of so-called in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) and partially autonomous driving assistance systems (PADAS) have raised important and growing safety concerns. Thus, detecting the driver's state is of paramount importance, to adapt IVIS and PADAS accordingly, therefore avoiding or mitigating their possible negative effects. The purpose of this paper is to show a method for the nonintrusive and real-time detection of visual distraction, using vehicle dynamics data and without using the eye-tracker data as inputs to classifiers. Specifically, we present and compare different models that are based on well-known machine learning (ML) methods. Data for training the models were collected using a static driving simulator, with real human subjects performing a specific secondary task [i.e., a surrogate visual research task (SURT)] while driving. Different training methods, model characteristics, and feature selection criteria have been compared. Based on our results, using a support vector machine (SVM) has outperformed all the other ML methods, providing the highest classification rate for most of the subjects. Potential applications of this paper include the design of an adaptive IVIS and of a “smarter” PADAS.
A Writing Assistent Using Language Models Derived From the Web

In the field of Linguistic there exists many powerful tools for measuring the statistic characteristics of words and sentences. These tools rely on a corpus to which the data is compared. In order to get good and meaningful results from the tools available, a suitable corpus is thus needed. As the corpus is the key that ties the tools together, it is of uttermost importance. For most applications, all though not all, a large corpus is useful. This paper presents a solution to using the largest corpus known to man, the Internet. It will show a prototype program using many different linguistic tools on information gathered by the premiere search engine Google.
Population Vulnerability and Disability in Kenya's Tsetse Fly Habitats

Background Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also referred to as sleeping sickness, and African Animal Trypanosomaisis (AAT), known as nagana, are highly prevalent parasitic vector-borne diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Humans acquire trypanosomiasis following the bite of a tsetse fly infected with the protozoa Trypanosoma brucei (T.b.) spp. –i.e., T.b. gambiense in West and Central Africa and T.b. rhodesiense in East and Southern Africa. Over the last decade HAT diagnostic capacity to estimate HAT prevalence has improved in active case-finding areas but enhanced passive surveillance programs are still lacking in much of rural sub-Saharan Africa. Methodology/Principal Findings This retrospective-cross-sectional study examined the use of national census data (1999) to estimate population vulnerability and disability in Kenya's 7 tsetse belts to assess the potential of HAT-acquired infection in those areas. A multilevel study design estimated the likelihood of disability in individuals, nested within households, nested within tsetse fly habitats of varying levels of poverty. Residents and recent migrants of working age were studied. Tsetse fly's impact on disability was conceptualised via two exposure pathways: directly from the bite of a pathogenic tsetse fly resulting in HAT infection or indirectly, as the potential for AAT takes land out of agricultural production and diseased livestock leads to livestock morbidity and mortality, contributing to nutritional deficiencies and poverty. Tsetse belts that were significantly associated with increased disability prevalence were identified and the direct and indirect exposure pathways were evaluated. Conclusions/Significance Incorporating reports on disability from the national census is a promising surveillance tool that may enhance future HAT surveillance programs in sub-Saharan Africa. The combined burdens of HAT and AAT and the opportunity costs of agricultural production in AAT areas are likely contributors to disability within tsetse-infested areas. Future research will assess changes in the spatial relationships between high tsetse infestation and human disability following the release of the Kenya 2009 census at the local level.
Velocity-Based Driver Intent Inference at Urban Intersections in the Presence of Preceding Vehicles

Predicting turn and stop maneuvers of potentially errant drivers is a basic requirement for advanced driver assistance systems for urban intersections. Previous work has shown that an early estimate of the driver's intent can be inferred by evaluating the vehicle's speed during the intersection approach. In the presence of a preceding vehicle, however, the velocity profile might be dictated by car-following behavior rather than by the need to slow down before doing a left or right turn. To infer the driver's intent under such circumstances, a simple, real-time capable approach using a parametric model to represent both car-following and turning behavior is proposed. The performance of two alternative parameterizations based on observations at an individual intersection and a generic curvature-based model is evaluated in combination with two different Bayes net classification algorithms. In addition, the driver model is shown to be capable of predicting the future trajectory of the vehicle.
Evaluating the impact of education on earnings in the UK: models, methods and results from the NCDS

Regression, matching, control function and instrumental variables methods for recovering the impact of education on individual earnings are reviewed for single treatment and sequential multiple treatments with and without heterogeneous returns. The sensitivity of the estimates once applied to a common dataset is then explored. We show the importance of correcting for detailed test score and family background differences and of allowing for (observable) heterogeneity in returns. We find an average return of 27% for those completing higher education versus anything less. Compared to stopping at 16 without qualifications, we find an average return to O-levels of 18%, to A-levels of 24% and to higher education of 48%.
On the impact of network QoS on automated distributed auctions

Autonomic networks offer a promising technology for the development of future distributed services, which will benefit from self-adapting communications with consequent improvements in quality of service (QoS). As electronic commerce over shared computer networks continues to grow, it becomes meaningful to gain better understanding of the relationship between network QoS and the expected results of time-sensitive e-commerce applications. In particular, to quantify possible utility improvements with the introduction of autonomic networks. This work is a simulation study of a time critical e-commerce application in the form of a system of distributed auctions that relies on a computer network for marketing, matching sellers and buyers, and conducting automated auctions and transactions. Simulation results show important reductions in utility for sellers under degrading QoS conditions, therefore suggesting the marginal gains of autonomic network support. The results also suggest that observations of the network should be considered in the design of effective trading strategies for such systems.
LogicandLogicalPhilosophy Volume5(1997),129–147 Jean-YvesBéziau LOGICMAYBESIMPLE

This paper is an attempt to clear some philosophical questions about the nature of logic by setting up a mathematical framework. The notion of congruence in logic is defined. A logical structure in which there is no non-trivial congruence relation, like some paraconsistent logics, is called simple. The relations between simplicity, the replacement theorem and algebraization of logic are studied (including MacLane-Curry’s theorem and a discussion about Curry’s algebras). We also examine how these concepts are related to such notions as semantics, truth-functionality and bivalence. We argue that a logic, which is simple, can deserve the name logic and that the opposite view is connected with a reductionist perspective (reduction of logic to algebra).
Estimating Presidential Elections: The Importance of State Fixed Effects and the Role of National Versus Local Information

Explaining the outcome of presidential elections is central to any model of American government. Previous researchers have found that economic conditions explain a substantial portion of the variation in vote outcomes. We make two contributions to this literature. First, we show that state partisan predisposition is the most important explanatory variable for the period 1972-1992. Several states are simply out of reach for one of the parties, no matter how favorable is the information about their candidate. Second, we find that national economic indicators have an effect on votes that is an order of magnitude larger than state-level aggregates. Presidents who try to curry favor with certain states through pork barrel projects are unlikely to be rewarded with large vote margins. Our model does a reasonable job forecasting the state-level vote for the 1996 election when the actual economic conditions are used as regressors. None the less we are skeptical that these type of models can accurately forecast the Electoral College winner because of the wide confidence intervals on each state's vote forecast and the potential error in predicted economic conditions. Copyright 1999 Blackwell Publishers Ltd.
Singular integral operators on non-compact manifolds and analysis on polyhedral domains

We review the definition of a Lie manifold $(M, \VV)$ and the construction of the algebra $\Psi\sp{\infty}\sb{\VV}(M)$ of pseudodifferential operators on a Lie manifold $(M, \VV)$. We give some concrete Fredholmness conditions for pseudodifferential operators in $\Psi\sp{\infty}\sb{\VV}(M)$ for a large class of Lie manifolds $(M, \VV)$. These Fredholmness conditions have applications to boundary value problems on polyhedral domains and to non-linear PDEs on non-compact manifolds. As an application, we determine the spectrum of the Dirac operator on a manifold with multi-cylindrical ends.
Counter-Regulatory Response to a Fall in Circulating Fatty Acid Levels in Rainbow Trout. Possible Involvement of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Interrenal Axis

We hypothesize that a decrease in circulating levels of fatty acid (FA) in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss would result in the inhibition of putative hypothalamic FA sensing systems with concomitant changes in the expression of orexigenic and anorexigenic factors ultimately leading to a stimulation of food intake. To assess this hypothesis, we lowered circulating FA levels treating fish with SDZ WAG 994 (SDZ), a selective A1 adenosine receptor agonist that inhibits lipolysis. In additional groups, we also evaluated if the presence of intralipid was able to counteract changes induced by SDZ treatment, and the possible involvement of the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis by treating fish with SDZ in the presence of metyrapone, which decreases cortisol synthesis in fish. The decrease in circulating levels of FA in rainbow trout induced a clear increase in food intake that was associated with the decrease of the anorexigenic potential in hypothalamus (decreased POMC-A1 and CART mRNA abundance), and with changes in several parameters related to putative FA-sensing mechanisms in hypothalamus. Intralipid treatment counteracted these changes. SDZ treatment also induced increased cortisol levels and the activation of different components of the HPI axis whereas these changes disappeared in the presence of intralipid or metyrapone. These results suggest that the HPI axis is involved in a counter-regulatory response in rainbow trout to restore FA levels in plasma.
Overexpression of poplar wounding-inducible genes in Arabidopsis caused improved resistance against Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) larvae

Four highly inducible genes of poplar trees, PtdKTI5, PtdWIN4, PtdPOP3 from hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa × P. deltoides) and PtKTI2 from trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) have been individually transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana for overexpression. High transcriptional level of each transgene in transgenic Arabidopsis lines was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. The development, body weight and survivorship of cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) fed on four types of transgenic Arabidopis plants were evaluated in the laboratory. Our data indicated that these four Populus defense-related genes exhibited various degree of insectital activity on larval and postlarval development of cotton bollworm and may be utilized for herbivore resistance improvement in plant genetic engineering.
MYCOBACTERIAL DISEASES IN WILDLIFE

Mycobacterium infections occur in numerous wildlife species worldwide and this bacterial genus can also cause disease in humans and livestock. Two Mycobacterium species and one subspecies that infect wildlife are important from a wildlife damage management perspective. Mycobacterium avium, avian tuberculosis, is a ubiquitous and cosmopolitan disease of wild and domestic birds. Wild and domestic ruminants are host to M. avium paratuberculosis, also known as Johne’s disease. Finally, Mycobaterium bovis, bovine tuberculosis, is primarily associated with domestic and wild bovines and ungulates, but also infects many other species of mammals. Eradicating these diseases from wildlife populations is very difficult if not impossible. Preventing spill-over into domestic livestock herds is also problematic. We review the Mycobacterial diseases in wildlife and discuss their implications to livestock and human health. Our emphasis is on bovine tuberculosis and the current outbreak in northern Michigan, USA.
TEACHER’S INTERACTIONAL MODIFICATIONS AND THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSES IN INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH CLASSROOM

This study is about the teacher’s interactional modifications in teaching the intermediate students in an English Course in Surabaya. The three objectives of this study are to find out the types of the teacher’s interactional modifications, the students’ responses toward the teacher’s interactional modifications, and the contribution of the interactional modifications for the students’ learning. The subject of the data is an English teacher and fourteen students. Moreover, the theory applied was a theory of the interactional modifications from William, Inscoe, and Tasker (2014). The findings revealed that the teacher used five types of interactional modifications namely confirmation check, clarification request, comprehension check, repetition, and reformulation. While for the students’ responses, it showed that the students gave correct responses, incorrect responses, and no responses. Furthermore, it also revealed that interactional modifications gave four contributions; making the meaning more comprehensible for the learners, improving the learners’ language, minimizing the misunderstanding between the teacher and the learners, and ensuring that the learners were following. Finally, the writer concluded that the interactional modifications help the learners to learning the language
Neural network learning: a new programming paradigm?

Learning in neural networks is discussed in an abstract level, and relations with conventional programming presented. These relations leads to view learning in neural networks as a new programming paradigm suitable for ill defined problems. Several points of possible future interest are suggested, such as, complexity of solving a problem with neural networks (connectionist paradigm), and the decomposition of a problem to be solved by a computer based on instructions and by a neural computer.