Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hardness of approximating the shortest vector problem in lattices

Let p > 1 be any fixed real. We show that assuming NP /spl nsube/ RP, it is hard to approximate the shortest vector problem (SVP) in l/sub p/ norm within an arbitrarily large constant factor. Under the stronger assumption NP /spl nsube/ RTIME(2/sup poly(log n)/), we show that the problem is hard to approximate within factor 2/sup log n1/2 - /spl epsi// where n is the dimension of the lattice and /spl epsi/> 0 is an arbitrarily small constant. This greatly improves all previous results in l/sub p/ norms with 1 < p < /spl infin/. The best results so far gave only a constant factor hardness, namely, 2/sup 1/p/ - /spl epsi/ by Micciancio and p/sup 1 - /spl epsi// in high l/sub p/ norms by Khot. We first give a new (randomized) reduction from closest vector problem (CVP) to SVP that achieves some constant factor hardness. The reduction is based on BCH codes. Its advantage is that the SVP instances produced by the reduction behave well under the augmented tensor product, a new variant of tensor product that we introduce. This enables us to boost the hardness factor to 2/sup log n1/2-/spl epsi//.
One Immune Simplex Particle Swarm Optimization and It's Application

In order to improve the performance of particle swarm optimization, one immune simplex PSO is proposed in the paper. Firstly, orthogonal principle is applied to the initialization of particle, so particles are evenly distributed. Secondly, during the evolution, clone and mutation operation based on fitness evaluation is applied to the particle under the concept of immune. Thirdly, because the value of velocity is close to 0 when the particle is in local optimization, the velocity of the particle is also modified after resetting the position according to the simplex principle. It is verified by multidimensional, nonlinear function (Grievank function) in MATLAB. The result shows that the improved PSO can realize global optimization effectively. And in order to analyze the static characteristic of engine effectively, the paper first transforms the nonlinear equations describing engine system characteristics into optimization problem. Then, the improved PSO proposed in the paper is applied to solve the nonlinear and multidimensional problem. The result shows that the improved PSO can analyze effectively.
Independent relation of vital exhaustion and inflammation to fibrinolysis in apparently healthy subjects

Objective—Vital exhaustion (VE) and a hypercoagulable state both have been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Candidate mechanisms by which VE predicts CAD events are impaired fibrinolysis and inflammatory changes, the latter also affecting hemostasis. We investigated whether VE and inflammation would independently relate to hemostasis. Design—Study participants were 217 (mean age ± SD, 40 ± 9 years) apparently healthy men and women working at an airplane manufacturing plant in Germany who completed the Shortened 9‐item VE Maastricht Questionnaire. All subjects had a set of classic cardiovascular risk factors assessed, and plasma levels of fibrin D‐dimer, type I plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI‐1) antigen, C‐reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α were measured. Results—PAI‐1 correlated with VE (r = 0.18, p = 0.009), CRP (r = 0.20, p = 0.004), and TNF‐α (r = 0.18, p = 0.009); D‐dimer correlated with CRP (r = 0.16, p = 0.018). In linear regression analyses, VE and TNF‐α independently explained 2 and 1%, respectively, of the variance in PAI‐1. Conclusion—Our study corroborates previous findings on impaired fibrinolysis in VE. The findings suggest that VE and inflammation may impair fibrinolysis by different pathways, and independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Exploring New Socio-Economic Thoughts for a Small and Narrow Earth

The earth has been getting smaller and narrower with the expansion of human activities. Now, it is an urgent task for social scientists to explore and study new socio-economic thoughts for this small and narrow earth. This article provides a normative theory and a descriptive theory for the present and future earth. The former is to provide, viewing the earth and human community as unity, evaluations of possible events and of designs of social institutions. The normative theory helps us think about where we should direct the earth. The latter discusses social sciences for practical management of the earth. Since, however, great diversity of cultures will remain, a unified management of the earth is practically impossible. We are required to rethink and develop new socio-economic thoughts in radical manners.
Autocrine and Juxtacrine Effects of Amphiregulin on the Proliferative, Invasive, and Migratory Properties of Normal and Neoplastic Human Mammary Epithelial Cells*

Amphiregulin (AR) autocrine loops have been associated with several types of cancer. We demonstrate that SUM149 breast cancer cells have a self-sustaining AR autocrine loop. SUM149 cells are epidermal growth factor (EGF)-independent for growth, and they overexpress AR mRNA, AR membrane precursor protein, and secreted AR relative to the EGF-dependent human mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A. MCF10A cells made to overexpress AR (MCF10A AR) are also EGF-independent for growth. Treatment with the pan-ErbB inhibitor CI1033 and the anti-EGF receptor (EGFR) antibody C225 demonstrated that ligand-mediated activation of EGFR is required for SUM149 cell proliferation. AR-neutralizing antibody significantly reduced both SUM149 EGFR activity and cell proliferation, confirming that an AR autocrine loop is required for mitogenesis in SUM149 cells. EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation was dramatically decreased in both SUM149 and MCF10A AR cells after inhibition of AR cleavage with the broad spectrum metalloprotease inhibitor GM6001, indicating that an AR autocrine loop is strictly dependent on AR cleavage in culture. However, a juxtacrine assay where fixed SUM149 cells and MCF10A AR cells were overlaid on top of EGF-deprived MCF10A cells showed that the AR membrane precursor can activate EGFR. SUM149 cells, MCF10A AR cells, and MCF10A cells growing in exogenous AR were all considerably more invasive and motile than MCF10A cells grown in EGF. Moreover, AR up-regulates a number of genes involved in cell motility and invasion in MCF10A cells, suggesting that an AR autocrine loop contributes to the aggressive breast cancer phenotype.
Eplerenone Attenuates Myocardial Fibrosis in the Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertensive Mouse: Involvement of Tenascin-C Induced by Aldosterone-Mediated Inflammation

Tenascin-C is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is supposed to be a profibrotic molecule in various fibrogenic processes. To elucidate its significance for myocardial fibrosis in the hypertensive heart, we used a mouse model with infusion of angiotensin II and examined results by histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Angiotensin II treatment elevated blood pressure and expression of tenascin-C by interstitial fibroblasts in perivascular fibrotic lesions, and angiotensin II infusion caused accumulation of macrophages. It also upregulated expression of collagen Iα2; IIIα1; and proinflammatory/profibrotic mediators including transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), platelet-derived growth factor alpha (PDGF-A), PDGF-B, and PDGF-receptor α, but not IL-1β and PDGF-receptor β, in the myocardium. Treatment with an aldosterone receptor antagonist, eplerenone, significantly attenuated angiotensin II-induced fibrosis, expression of tenascin-C, and inflammatory changes without affecting the blood pressure level. In vitro, neither eplerenone nor aldosterone exerted any influence on tenascin-C expression of cardiac fibroblasts, whereas angiotensin II, TGF-β1, and PDGF significantly upregulated expression of tenascin-C. These results suggest that, in the angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mouse heart: (1) tenascin-C may be involved in the progression of cardiac fibrosis and (2) aldosterone may elicit inflammatory reactions in myocardium, which might, in turn, induce tenascin-C synthesis of fibroblasts through at least 2 pathways mediated by TGF-β and PDGF-A-B/PDGF-receptor α.
Prevalence of mental retardation among children in RS Pura town of Jammu and Kashmir

Objective: To determine the Prevalence of mental retardation in children 3 to 10 years of age. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the framework of a population based, single centre, cross-sectional study at R.S. Pura town, 22 kms south- west of Jammu city. Results: A total of 61 (0.79 percent) of the 7,707 children surveyed had positive screening results on the Ten Questions instrument. 56 (0.72percent) children were diagnosed as suffering from mental retardation. Serious mental retardation was diagnosed in 48 children and mild mental retardation was diagnosed in 8 children. The combined prevalence estimates of mild and serious mental retardation were 7.2/1000. No notable sex differences were observed for either serious or mild retardation. Interpretation: The prevalence rates of mental retardation among children less than 19 years of age in R. S. town compares favorably with studies from developed world.
Preservation of rhizobia by lyophilization with trehalose

The objective of this study was to determine if trehalose can effectively enhance the viability and storage lifetime of Rhizobium tropici and Rhizobium etli after lyophilization as compared to the traditional protective combination of sucrose and peptone. Two strains of bean-nodulating rhizobia were effectively preserved in the lyophilized state by 100 mM trehalose, and survived for at least 12 days, even when stored under non-ideal conditions. Trehalose provided better protection than the sucrose/peptone combination. When protective excipients were introduced inside the cells, strain CFN 42 was more sensitive to the type of additive used than strain CIAT 899, probably because CIAT 899 produces b (1-2) glucan, which may have a protective effect. b (1-2) glucan combined with sucrose protected better than trehalose against leakage from freeze-dried liposomes, but by itself it had no protective capability. There was a high level of unfrozen water associated with the hydrated glucan, in addition to a thermal event at approximately 70oC, corresponding to an observed gel-sol transition in the glucan. These findings may shed light on the mechanism by which the glucan contributes to the protection of dried cells and liposomes, and may lead to further improvements in rhizobial inoculants.
Prenatal compensatory renal growth: documentation with US.

PURPOSE To determine whether compensatory renal growth (CRG), which occurs in adults, children, and infants after loss of functioning renal tissue, occurs in fetal life. MATERIALS AND METHODS Prenatal ultrasound scans were used to select 29 patients with a unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney and four patients with unilateral renal agenesis. Accurate measurements of prenatal renal length were obtained in 21 of these patients; an accurate measurement of postnatal renal length and birth weight was obtained in 27 of these patients. Prenatal and postnatal renal measurements of the contralateral kidney were compared with renal length in 23 matched control patients and previously reported normal renal lengths. RESULTS The single functioning kidneys in the study patients were significantly longer than those in the control patients before and after birth (P = .001). CONCLUSION This study provides strong evidence to support the belief that CRG occurs before birth.
Hemispheric Asymmetry of Visual Cortical Response by Means of Functional Transcranial Doppler

We assessed the visual evoked response and investigated side-to-side differences in mean blood flow velocities (MBFVs) by means of functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD) in 49 right-handed patients with severe internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and 30 healthy volunteers, simultaneously in both posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) using 2 MHz probes, successively in the dark and during the white light stimulation. Statistically significant correlation (P = 0.001) was shown in healthy and in patients (P < 0.05) between MBFV in right PCA in physiological conditions and MBFV in right PCA during the white light stimulation and in the dark. The correlation between MBVF in right PCA and contralateral left PCA was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The correlation between ipsilateral left PCA was significantly higher than the one with contralateral right PCA (P < 0.05). There is a clear trend towards the lateralisation of the visual evoked response in the right PCA.
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults in the United Arab Emirates: Clinical Features and Factors Related to Insulin-Requirement

Aims To describe and to characterize clinical features of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) compared to type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the UAE. Methods In this cross-sectional study a dataset including 18,101 subjects with adult-onset (>30 years) diabetes was accessed. 17,072 subjects fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data about anthropometrics, demographics, autoantibodies to Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GADA) and to Islet Antigen 2 (anti-IA2), HbA1c, cholesterol and blood pressure were extracted. LADA was diagnosed according to GADA and/or anti-IA2 positivity and time to insulin therapy. Results 437 (2.6%) patients were identified as LADA and 34 (0.2%) as classical type 1 diabetes in adults. Mean age at diagnosis, BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and HbA1c significantly differed between, LADA, type 2 and type 1 diabetes, LADA showing halfway features between type 2 and type 1 diabetes. A decreasing trend for age at diagnosis and waist circumference was found among LADA subjects when subdivided by positivity for anti-IA2, GADA or for both antibodies (p=0.013 and p=0.011 for trend, respectively). There was a gradual downward trend in autoantibody titre in LADA subjects requiring insulin within the first year from diagnosis to subjects not requiring insulin after 10 years of follow-up (p<0.001). Conclusions This is the first study describing the clinical features of LADA in the UAE, which appear to be different from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, we showed that the clinical phenotype of LADA is dependent on different patterns of antibody positivity, influencing the time to insulin requirement.
To Investigate the Problem of Similarity Search on Dimension Incomplete Data

: Similarity query in multidimensional database is a fundamental research problem with numerous applications in the areas of database, data mining, and information retrieval. The existing work on querying incomplete data addresses the problem where the data values on certain dimensions are unknown. Missing dimension information poses great computational challenge, since all possible combinations of missing dimensions need to be examined when evaluating the similarity between the query and the data objects. We develop the lower and upper bounds of the probability that a data object is similar to the query. These bounds enable efficient filtering of irrelevant data objects without explicitly examining all missing dimension combinations. A probability triangle inequality is also employed to further prune the search space and speed up the query process. The proposed probabilistic framework and techniques can be applied to both whole and subsequence queries. Extensive experimental results on real-life data sets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach.
Cervical cancer in southern Malawi: A prospective analysis of presentation, management, and outcomes

Background Malawi has the highest age standardised rate of cervical cancer in the world. This study describes the presentation, management and short-term outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed cervical cancer at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), in Southern Malawi. Methods All patients with a new diagnosis of cervical cancer presenting to QECH between 1st January-1st July 2015 had demographic data, referral pathway, stage, histology and management prospectively recorded at presentation, and at two months after initial presentation. Results 310 women presented with cervical cancer to QECH and 300 were included (mean age 44.9 years; HIV 47%), representing 8% of the estimated annual number of new presentations in Malawi. Mean age of patients with HIV was 6.9 years younger compared to those without HIV (p<0.05). 132 (44%) patients had stage 1 cervical cancer and 168 (56%) presented with more advanced disease (stage II-IV). There was a mean delay of 23.1 weeks between onset of symptoms and being seen by a clinician and a further 19 weeks before attending QECH. Most common management plans at initial consultation were: same day biopsy (n=112, 37.3%);, booking for curative surgery (n=76, 25.3%);, and referral to palliative care (n=93, 31%). At 2 months, 64 (57%) biopsies were reported, 31 (40.8%) operations were completed and 27 (29%) patients had attended the palliative clinic. Conclusions Patients presenting with cervical cancer to QECH were young, with a high prevalence of HIV, and late stage disease. The lack of pathological and surgical capacity and the absence of radiotherapy severely limited the possibility of curative treatment. Access to quality palliative care remains an important component of management in low resource settings. Improving awareness of cervical cancer in the community, and better recognition and management within the health service, are important in reducing the cancer burden for women in Malawi.
MOS1 Osmosensor of Metarhizium anisopliae Is Required for Adaptation to Insect Host Hemolymph

ABSTRACT Entomopathogenic fungi such as Metarhizium anisopliae infect insects by direct penetration of the cuticle, after which the fungus adapts to the high osmotic pressure of the hemolymph and multiplies. Here we characterize the M. anisopliae Mos1 gene and demonstrate that it encodes the osmosensor required for this process. MOS1 contains transmembrane regions and a C-terminal Src homology 3 domain similar to those of yeast osmotic adaptor proteins, and homologs of MOS1 are widely distributed in the fungal kingdom. Reverse transcription-PCR demonstrated that Mos1 is up-regulated in insect hemolymph as well as artificial media with high osmotic pressure. Transformants containing an antisense vector directed to the Mos1 mRNA depleted transcript levels by 80%. This produced selective alterations in regulation of genes involved in hyphal body formation, cell membrane stiffness, and generation of intracellular turgor pressure, suggesting that these processes are mediated by MOS1. Consistent with a role in stress responses, transcript depletion of Mos1 increased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses and to compounds that interfere with cell wall biosynthesis. It also disrupted developmental processes, including formation of appressoria and hyphal bodies. Insect bioassays confirmed that Mos1 knockdown significantly reduces virulence. Overall, our data show that M. anisopliae MOS1 mediates cellular responses to high osmotic pressure and subsequent adaptations to colonize host hemolymph.
An Improvement of the Binary Logit Model for Trip Generation Forecasting

This paper developed a hypothesis to overcome the disadvantage of the binary logit model used in resident trip generation. It proposed that random parameters b¿obeyed some distribution firstly. Combined the characters of trip generation and observable variables, it then put forward that b¿followed log normal distribution. The hypothesis was validated by demarcating the parameters in SAS software and forecasting trip generation volumes with two different models, both of which were based on PUMS investigation data in USA. The former result shows that all the parameters’ T values are out of [-1,1] interval and proves the assumption is correct. The latter one shows that the improved model’s forecasting precision is much higher than the previous one’s, and reveals that the application of the improved binary logit model in resident trip generation has notable effects.
Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia for prostate cancer

Magnetic nanoparticles are increasingly used for clinical applications such as drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic fluid hyperthermia. A novel method of interstitial heating of tumours following direct injection of magnetic nanoparticles has been evaluated in humans in recent clinical trials. In prostate cancer this approach has been investigated in two separate phase I studies, employing magnetic nanoparticle thermotherapy alone and in combination with permanent seed brachytherapy. The feasibility and good tolerability was shown in both trials, using the first prototype of an alternating magnetic field applicator. As with any other heating technique, this novel approach requires specific tools for planning, quality control and thermal monitoring, based on appropriate imaging and modelling techniques. In these first clinical trials a newly developed method for planning and non-invasive calculations of the 3-dimensional temperature distribution based on computed tomography was validated. Limiting factors of the new approach at present are patient discomfort at high magnetic field strengths and irregular intratumoural heat distribution. Until these limitations are overcome and thermoablation can safely be applied as a monotherapy, this treatment modality is being evaluated in combination with irradiation in patients with localised prostate cancer.
Aphid watery saliva counteracts sieve-tube occlusion: a universal phenomenon?

SUMMARY Ca2+-binding proteins in the watery saliva of Megoura viciae counteract Ca2+-dependent occlusion of sieve plates in Vicia faba and so prevent the shut-down of food supply in response to stylet penetration. The question arises whether this interaction between aphid saliva and sieve-element proteins is a universal phenomenon as inferred by the coincidence between sieve-tube occlusion and salivation. For this purpose, leaf tips were burnt in a number of plant species from four different families to induce remote sieve-plate occlusion. Resultant sieve-plate occlusion in these plant species was counteracted by an abrupt switch of aphid behaviour. Each of the seven aphid species tested interrupted its feeding behaviour and started secreting watery saliva. The protein composition of watery saliva appeared strikingly different between aphid species with less than 50% overlap. Secretion of watery saliva seems to be a universal means to suppress sieve-plate occlusion, although the protein composition of watery saliva seems to diverge between species.
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN HIGH AFFINITY CHOLINE TRANSPORT VELOCITY IN GUINEA‐PIG BRAIN

The kinetic parameters of choline accumulation by synaptosomes prepared from different regions of guinea‐pig brain (cortex, brainstem, and cerebellum) were determined. Choline was accumulated by a high affinity transport process for all regions tested and the apparent Michaelis constants were similar. However, the apparent maximal velocities of choline accumulation for the brain regions differed; the differences were related to the amount of acetylcholine formed by the respective regions. The results suggested that the maximal velocity of the high affinity transport process may reflect the density of cholinergic nerve endings within brain regions.
Ergebnisse eines Vergleichs von Modellkindergärten und Vorklassen in Nordrhein-Westfalen

From 1970 up to 1975 the government of the federal state Northrhine-Westphalia initiated a comparative evaluation study to test kindergardens and pre-schoolclasses in their effects upon the children. This article presents the main results of the research of a project-group, established at the School of Education (Pädagogische Hochschule) at Cologne, regarding the comparative tests in cognitive, social psychological and social emotional dimensions of the research program.