Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of defective beta-lactamase genes in Yersinia enterocolitica.

OBJECTIVES To study at the molecular level the heterogeneity of expression of the two chromosomal beta-lactamases, BlaA and BlaB, in Yersinia enterocolitica strains isolated from clinical samples. METHODS MIC determination by the agar dilution method and beta-lactamase assays was performed to determine the resistance level conferred by these enzymes. DNA cloning, PCR and direct sequencing were used to detect the presence of mutations. RESULTS The blaA allele from strain IP97 (blaA97) was found to carry a deletion of 51 bp which entirely abolished its beta-lactamase activity. Both the ampR gene and the promoter region of strain Y56 were shown to be functional by a gene swapping experiment. The blaB allele from strain Y56 was found to carry two point mutations, only one of them resulting in a change in the amino acid sequence of the protein. This single amino acid change created a practically inactive BlaB or AmpC cephalosporinase in Y. enterocolitica Y56. CONCLUSIONS The lack of activity observed in the beta-lactamases of some Y. enterocolitica isolates was due to the presence of point mutations or small deletions in the corresponding genes.
Dilaton black holes in the de Sitter or anti-de Sitter universe

Poletti and Wiltshire have shown that, with the exception of a pure cosmological constant, the solution of a dilaton black hole in the background of de Sitter or anti-de Sitter universe, does not exist in the presence of one Liouville-type dilaton potential. In this work we obtain the dilaton black-hole solutions in the background of the de Sitter or anti-de Sitter universe, with the combination of three Liouville-type dilaton potentials.
Smoking and Burden of Ill Health : A Review of the Malaysian Context

Tobacco smoking is a growing pandemic and in Malaysia, with the current smoking epidemic; the prevalence of smoking in Malaysia is high and tobacco related morbidity and mortality in Malaysia is equally high. The relative effectiveness of the tobacco control programmes implemented in Malaysia is measured by the prevalence of tobacco consumption among the public. Incidentally, as the prevalence of smoking is rising among Malaysian youths, the health interventions on tobacco control are predominantly targeted to the younger population. However, studies have demonstrated the lack of effectiveness of the tobacco control programmes stated in this report among Malaysian youths. Despite the low rate of quit smoking among Malaysian youths, smoking cessation services worldwide has been shown to have favourable impacts on quitting behaviours among smokers. Therefore, indicating that success rate of quit smoking among Malaysian younger population can be improved by improvising the current standard of treatment of Quit Smoking Clinic. However, for smoking cessation to be effective on national level, multiple interventions are to be integrated to ensure a healthy population with reduced number of smokers.
Observation of high‐frequency teleseismic P n on the long‐range Quartz profile across northern Eurasia

Short-period, three-component recordings of the seismic wave field of Peaceful Nuclear Explosions (PNEs) on long-range profiles are used to determine the fine structure of the mantle lithosphere. By analyzing the frequency content of the recorded phases and applying different band-pass filters to the data, it is possible to divide the wave field into two distinctly different constituents: low-frequency body waves traveling along Fermat paths (first arrivals) and the high-frequency teleseismic (or long-range) Pn phase traveling with a group velocity of 8.1 km/s and accompanied by a long, incoherent coda. This high-frequency teleseismic Pn phase is observable from about 750 km, where it separates from the faster first arrival, to the maximum recording distance of 3145 km. It is recorded from shots at different locations and appears to be almost unaffected by the major tectonic feature along the profile, the Urals. The frequency spectrum of this Pn phase contains more high-frequency energy (up to 12 Hz) than first arrivals that penetrate deeper into the upper mantle. The teleseismic high-frequency Pn arrival has a remarkable coda, which is incoherent between closely spaced stations. The coda duration is dependent on the component of motion, being shortest on the vertical and longest on the transverse component. We propose a velocity model that is characterized by a zone extending from the crust-mantle boundary to a depth of about 100 km. This zone has randomly distributed, spatially anisotropic velocity fluctuations. We propose that these velocity heterogeneities are “stretched” in the horizontal direction. This zone forms a scattering waveguide that confines the high-frequency teleseismic Pn. There are indications that below this Pn waveguide, either the scale of the velocity fluctuations or the Q factor changes. This is expressed in a separation of the teleseismic Pn phase from the phase diving deeper into the mantle lithosphere.
Confronting the Paradox of Enrichment to the Metacommunity Perspective

Resource enrichment can potentially destabilize predator-prey dynamics. This phenomenon historically referred as the "paradox of enrichment" has mostly been explored in spatially homogenous environments. However, many predator-prey communities exchange organisms within spatially heterogeneous networks called metacommunities. This heterogeneity can result from uneven distribution of resources among communities and thus can lead to the spreading of local enrichment within metacommunities. Here, we adapted the original Rosenzweig-MacArthur predator-prey model, built to study the paradox of enrichment, to investigate the effect of regional enrichment and of its spatial distribution on predator-prey dynamics in metacommunities. We found that the potential for destabilization was depending on the connectivity among communities and the spatial distribution of enrichment. In one hand, we found that at low dispersal regional enrichment led to the destabilization of predator-prey dynamics. This destabilizing effect was more pronounced when the enrichment was uneven among communities. In the other hand, we found that high dispersal could stabilize the predator-prey dynamics when the enrichment was spatially heterogeneous. Our results illustrate that the destabilizing effect of enrichment can be dampened when the spatial scale of resource enrichment is lower than that of organismss movements (heterogeneous enrichment). From a conservation perspective, our results illustrate that spatial heterogeneity could decrease the regional extinction risk of species involved in specialized trophic interactions. From the perspective of biological control, our results show that the heterogeneous distribution of pest resource could favor or dampen outbreaks of pests and of their natural enemies, depending on the spatial scale of heterogeneity.
Empirical Evaluation of Ensemble Learning for Credit Scoring

Credit scoring is an important finance activity. Both statistical techniques and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques have been explored for this topic. But different techniques have different advantages and disadvantages on different datasets. Recent studies draw no consistent conclusions to show that one technique is superior to the other, while they suggest combining multiple classifiers, i.e., ensemble learning, may have a better performance. In this study, we conduct an empirical evaluation of the performance of three popular ensemble methods, i.e., bagging, boosting, and stacking, based on four base learners, i.e., Logistic Regression Analysis (LRA), Decision Tree (DT), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The experiment uses the credit dataset including 239 companies’ financial records from China, collected by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Results reveal that ensemble learning can substantially improve individual base learners. Stacking, in our experiments, gets the best performance in terms of all six performance indicators, i.e., type I error, type II error, average accuracy, precision, recall, and F-value. Gang Wang Fudan University, PR China & City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Jin-xing Hao City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Jian Ma City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Li-hua Huang Fudan University, PR China Empirical Evaluation of Ensemble Learning for Credit Scoring DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-818-7.ch4. 19
Targeting Metabolism and Autophagy in the Context of Haematologic Malignancies

Autophagy is a cellular process that maintains the homeostasis of the normal cell. It not only allows for cell survival in times of metabolic stress with nutrient recycling but also is able to lead to cell death when required. During malignant transformation the cell is able to proliferate and survive. This is due to altered cell metabolism and the presence of altered genetic changes that maintain the cell survival. Metabolism was considered an innocent bystander that was a consequence of the increased nutrient requirement for the survival and proliferation of haematological malignancies. The interdependency of metabolism and cellular mechanisms such as autophagy are becoming more evident and important. This interdependence contributes to increased cancer progression and drug resistance. In this paper we aim to discuss autophagy, how it pertains to metabolism in the context of hematologic malignancies, and the implications for therapy.
New Generation of Flow Diverter (Surpass) for Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Prospective Single-Center Study in 37 Patients

Background and Purpose— In patients harboring intracranial aneurysms, the major goal in treatment is to prevent bleeding. A new generation of an endoluminal device (Surpass Flow Diverter [Surpass]) was developed to reconstruct parent artery and occlude the aneurysm. We present our clinical and angiographic single-center experience. Methods— Patients with a wide range of complex unruptured aneurysms were treated with the Surpass placed in the parent artery and bridging the aneurysm. Clinical and angiographic follow-up were performed at 6 months. Data were prospectively collected. Results— Thirty seven patients (mean age, 56 years; range, 32–79), harboring 49 unruptured aneurysms were treated at our center. All except 1 patient were treated with a single device. Successful delivery of the device was achieved in all patients. All 35 nonbifurcation aneurysm necks were covered completely, whereas 14 bifurcation aneurysms were only partially covered. There was no major periprocedural morbidity or mortality. During follow-up, 4 patients (10.4%) experienced transient neurological deficit. One patient (3%) developed a minor stroke at 4-month follow-up with persistent neurological deficit. Twelve patients had neurological symptoms related to their aneurysm and 7 showed improvement of these symptoms during follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, 29 of 31 aneurysms studied that had complete neck coverage showed a complete occlusion (94%) including 1 case with a 95% to 100% occlusion, whereas 5 of the 10 bifurcation aneurysms were occluded. Conclusions— Our study shows high safety and efficacy profile of a new generation endoluminal device in treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms. Long-term studies of treated bifurcation aneurysms are needed.
B Chromosomes of Aegilops speltoides Are Enriched in Organelle Genome-Derived Sequences

B chromosomes (Bs) are dispensable components of the genome exhibiting non-Mendelian inheritance. Chromosome counts and flow cytometric analysis of the grass species Aegilops speltoides revealed a tissue-type specific distribution of the roughly 570 Mbp large B chromosomes. To address the question whether organelle-to-nucleus DNA transfer is a mechanism that drives the evolution of Bs, in situ hybridization was performed with labelled organellar DNA. The observed B-specific accumulation of chloroplast- and mitochondria-derived sequences suggests a reduced selection against the insertion of organellar DNA in supernumerary chromosomes. The distribution of B-localised organellar-derived sequences and other sequences differs between genotypes of different geographical origins.
MIPoD: A Hypothesis‐Testing Framework for Microevolutionary Inference from Patterns of Divergence

Despite the many triumphs of comparative biology during the past few decades, the field has remained strangely divorced from evolutionary genetics. In particular, comparative methods have failed to incorporate multivariate process models of microevolution that include genetic constraint in the form of the G matrix. Here we explore the insights that might be gained by such an analysis. A neutral model of evolution by genetic drift that depends on effective population size and the G matrix predicts a probability distribution for divergence of population trait means on a phylogeny. Use of a maximum likelihood (ML) framework then allows us to compare independent direct estimates of G with the ML estimates based on the observed pattern of trait divergence among taxa. We assess the departure from neutrality, and thus the role of different types of selection and other forces, in a stepwise hypothesis‐testing procedure based on parameters for the size, shape, and orientation of G. We illustrate our approach with a test case of data on vertebral number evolution in garter snakes.
Super-resolution Frame Reconstruction Using Subpixel Motion Estimation

When video data is used for forensic analysis, it may transpire that the level of detail available is insufficient. This is particularly the case when it is derived from sensors deployed in the field since they have limited resolution. For example, a vehicle license plate number may not be legible in video captured during a traffic violation. In such cases, it is desirable to enhance the resolution of selected frames. However, obtaining the maximum resolution possible is computationally prohibitive. Forensic analysts need a tool where the tradeoff between detail extracted and the running time can be controlled. We describe a parametrized algorithm for obtaining higher resolution frames using temporal context in the video stream. By varying the framework’s variables, the quality of the output and the cost of computing it can be traded. We briefly report on our proof of concept implementation as well.
Data replication effectiveness in mobile ad-hoc networks

In this paper the behavior of a MANET when, for several reasons, the node density varies in such a way to cause subnet disconnections, is considered. Data replication is usually employed to avoid data loss in case of unwanted disconnection of a node, increasing its availability. Considering a time-scale connectivity and node mobility, replicas can be distributed over the net, in order to make data available even during disconnection periods.A formula can be derived, which allows to evaluate the replica availability in different scenarios, using the probability density functions describing the partitioning of a network obtained by a simulator. Applying this formula to different kind of networks, it is possible to tune the degree of replication desired for different scenarios, looking for a trade-off between space occupancy and availability gain.
Performance of ultrasound based measurement of 3D displacement using a curvilinear probe for organ motion tracking

Three-dimensional (3D) soft tissue tracking is of interest for monitoring organ motion during therapy. Our goal is to assess the tracking performance of a curvilinear 3D ultrasound probe in terms of the accuracy and precision of measured displacements. The first aim was to examine the depth dependence of the tracking performance. This is of interest because the spatial resolution varies with distance from the elevational focus and because the curvilinear geometry of the transducer causes the spatial sampling frequency to decrease with depth. Our second aim was to assess tracking performance as a function of the spatial sampling setting (low, medium or high sampling). These settings are incorporated onto 3D ultrasound machines to allow the user to control the trade-off between spatial sampling and temporal resolution. Volume images of a speckle-producing phantom were acquired before and after the probe had been moved by a known displacement (1, 2 or 8 mm). This allowed us to assess the optimum performance of the tracking algorithm, in the absence of motion. 3D speckle tracking was performed using 3D cross-correlation and sub-voxel displacements were estimated. The tracking performance was found to be best for axial displacements and poorest for elevational displacements. In general, the performance decreased with depth, although the nature of the depth dependence was complex. Under certain conditions, the tracking performance was sufficient to be useful for monitoring organ motion. For example, at the highest sampling setting, for a 2 mm displacement, good accuracy and precision (an error and standard deviation of <0.4 mm) were observed at all depths and for all directions of displacement. The trade-off between spatial sampling, temporal resolution and size of the field of view (FOV) is discussed.
User-User Relationship Migration Observed in Communication Activity

Many Twitter users build various relationships through communication activity such as replies and retweets. For example, friends engage in conversations through replies. Fans unilaterally send many replies to celebrities. In this paper, we focus on such relationships between users. We assume that such relationships are classified into several patterns based on the feature values of communication reciprocity, and the relationships migrate to other ones as time progresses. We clarify the major relationships and transitions by analyzing the pattern frequency and transitions with high probability. From analysis results using a large amount of user pairs that we obtained over a long period, we detected several major and calm relationships.
A Semidefinite Relaxation Approach to MIMO Detection for High-Order QAM Constellations

A new and conceptually simple semidefinite relaxation approach is proposed for MIMO detection in communication systems employing high-order QAM constellations. The new approach affords improved detection performance compared to existing solutions of comparable worst-case complexity order, which is nearly cubic in the dimension of the transmitted symbol vector and independent of the constellation order for uniform QAM, or affine in the constellation order for nonuniform QAM
Application-specific near field EMI estimation on time-sharing operating system

This paper proposes a measurement-based method to estimate application (APP) specific EMI on a device running a time-sharing multi-tasking operating system (OS). The proposed method includes a near-field measurement technique for APP-specific EMI and an algorithm which can estimate system EMI with any different APPs execution sequences. Because of the task-scheduling feature, the execution order of APPs inside a system is dependent on various factors. Thus, the EMI estimation of such system may be complex. In this paper, the proposed method selects an OS and two APPs as a case study. The OS used in this paper is an open-source OS for robotic control with a commercial microcontroller. The measurement results show good agreements in the different execution orders of these 2 APPs. From 40MHz (system clock rate) up to 1GHz, the maximum difference is 4 dB within the range. This method can be used to estimate near field EMI of a complex HW/SW system.
The effects of surgical exposures of dental pulps in germfree and conventional laboratory rats.

T hc problem of maintaining thr vitality of a clinically exposed dental pulp by various conservative procedures to encourage the development of dentinal bridging has been the subject of numerous investigations. ‘--’ The unpredictability of rrsults obtained from these procedures, however, ha.s been the source of great consternation to most operati\c clinicians. In those instances of successful management of pulpal exposures, a, considerable part of the success has been attributed to the extraordinary dcgrec of pulpal tissue resistance. : Reasons gi\-cn for the failure in formation of a hard-t,issue pulpal seal have included a.ge of the patient, degree of surgical trauma, excessive sealing pressures, improper choice of medication, bacterial infection, and a low threshold of host resistance. l3ecauscl of the frequency of adverse results obtained after the pulp-capping treatment of acute or chronically infected dental pulps, regardless of all the other conditions present, these particular cases arc no longer considered for this type of procedure. The microorganisms in these acute and chronically inflamed pulpal cxposurcs have therefore been thought to be the most significant cause of failures in attempts at dentinal bridging. To t,est conclusively the influence of riablc microorganisms on the fate of a surgically exposed dental pulp, a study utilizing germ-free animals was undertaken.
Averaging Gone Wrong: Using Time-Aware Analyses to Better Understand Behavior

Online communities provide a fertile ground for analyzing people's behavior and improving our understanding of social processes. Because both people and communities change over time, we argue that analyses of these communities that take time into account will lead to deeper and more accurate results. Using Reddit as an example, we study the evolution of users based on comment and submission data from 2007 to 2014. Even using one of the simplest temporal differences between users---yearly cohorts---we find wide differences in people's behavior, including comment activity, effort, and survival. Further, not accounting for time can lead us to misinterpret important phenomena. For instance, we observe that average comment length decreases over any fixed period of time, but comment length in each cohort of users steadily increases during the same period after an abrupt initial drop, an example of Simpson's Paradox. Dividing cohorts into sub-cohorts based on the survival time in the community provides further insights; in particular, longer-lived users start at a higher activity level and make more and shorter comments than those who leave earlier. These findings both give more insight into user evolution in Reddit in particular, and raise a number of interesting questions around studying online behavior going forward.
New therapeutic options in the management of COPD – focus on roflumilast

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the inflammation occurring in the airways and in other lung tissues is complex and is orchestrated by various mediators including the isoenzyme 4 of the phosphodiesterases family (PDE4), which contributes to bronchoconstriction and inflammation. Various PDE4 inhibitors have been evaluated as potential therapies in asthma or COPD but among these only roflumilast have been authorized in Europe to be used in patients with severe COPD as an add-on to the bronchodilator therapy. This review discusses the existing preclinical and clinical data supporting the use of roflumilast for this therapeutic indication and tackles some of the pending issues related to PDE4 in general and to roflumilast in particular.
Microbagging Estimators: An Ensemble Approach to Distance-weighted Classifiers

Support vector machines (SVMs) have been the predominate approach to kernel-based classication. While SVMs have demonstrated excellent performance in many application domains, they are known to be sensitive to noise in their training dataset. Motivated by the equalizing eect of bagging classiers, we present a novel approach to kernel-based classication that we call microbagging. This method bags all possible maximal-margin estimators between pairs of training points to create a novel linear kernel classier with