Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic graphical models for credibility analysis in evolving online communities

One of the major hurdles preventing the full exploitation of information from online communities is the widespread concern regarding the quality and credibility of user-contributed content. Prior works in this domain operate on a static snapshot of the community, making strong assumptions about the structure of the data (e.g., relational tables), or consider only shallow features for text classification. To address the above limitations, we propose probabilistic graphical models that can leverage the joint interplay between multiple factors in online communities --- like user interactions, community dynamics, and textual content --- to automatically assess the credibility of user-contributed online content, and the expertise of users and their evolution with user-interpretable explanation. To this end, we devise new models based on Conditional Random Fields for different settings like incorporating partial expert knowledge for semi-supervised learning, and handling discrete labels as well as numeric ratings for fine-grained analysis. This enables applications such as extracting reliable side-effects of drugs from user-contributed posts in healthforums, and identifying credible content in news communities. Online communities are dynamic, as users join and leave, adapt to evolving trends, and mature over time. To capture this dynamics, we propose generative models based on Hidden Markov Model, Latent Dirichlet Allocation, and Brownian Motion to trace the continuous evolution of user expertise and their language model over time. This allows us to identify expert users and credible content jointly over time, improving state-of-the-art recommender systems by explicitly considering the maturity of users. This also enables applications such as identifying helpful product reviews, and detecting fake and anomalous reviews with limited information.
A fully-integrated, high-conversion-ratio and dual-output voltage boost converter with MPPT for low-voltage energy harvesting

This paper proposes a fully-integrated high-conversion-ratio dual-output voltage boost converter (VBC) with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuits for low-voltage energy harvesting. The VBC consists of two voltage generators that generate VOUT1 and VOUT2. VOUT1 and VOUT2 are three and nine times higher than the harvester's output Vin, respectively. VOUT1 is used as a supply voltage for on-chip application circuits while VOUT2 is used as the charging voltage for a Li-ion battery. The VBC achieves a high voltage conversion ratio (max. × 9) and a high power conversion efficiency with a small number of charge pumps (CPs). The MPPT circuits control the operating frequencies of the CPs to extract maximum power at each output. The measurement results demonstrated that the circuit converted a 0.59-V input to a 1.41-V output with 75.8% efficiency when the output powers of VOUT1 and VOUT2 were 396 and 0 μW, respectively, and a 0.62-V input to a 4.54-V output with 49.1% efficiency when the output powers were 0 and 114 μW, respectively.
Sensitivity of some smooth strains of Escherichia coli to the bactericidal action of normal human serum

The sensitivity to normal human serum of 144 smooth strains of Escherichia coli isolated from cases of urinary tract infection was determined. It was found that serum-sensitive and serum-resistant strains were not randomly distributed throughout the 10 O serogroups commonly associated with urinary infection. A similar distribution was observed when a group of strains isolated from rectal swabs was studied. The results indicate that serum resistance may be related to qualitative characteristics of the O antigen.
THE CHROMOSOMES OF PARTHENOGENETIC FROGS AND TADPOLES

1. This paper presents cytological observations upon Dr. Loeb's parthenogenetic frog material, with considerations upon the mechanism by which the diploid number and both sexes may be produced. 2. Both sexes of adults and tadpoles are present. 3. The chromosome number is diploid and probably 26 in both sexes. Sex chromosomes cannot be distinguished. 4. The chromosome numbers observed by other authors in parthenogenetic frog material are haploid, diploid, and variable. Their significance is considered. 5. The mechanism producing the diploid number, based on European observations, appears to be a doubling of the haploid number at some time after the second polar body is given off. 6. Overripeness may be a factor in producing both sexes of parthenogenetic frogs and tadpoles. 7. Genetic data indicate that the normal male is digametic and that there are differences of potency between male and female factors for sex which vary in frogs of the two races and in strains within the race. These differences have been interpreted by Witschi as forming a series of multiple allelomorphs.
Oxygen-sensitive cation transport in sickle cells.

There are many examples of O2-sensitive solute transport in vertebrate red cells. The response is selective, specific, and conserved across the entire vertebrate spectrum. A number of possible physiological roles have been proposed, but abnormal responses to O2 may also be important pathologically. Significant alterations in O2 dependence of red cell cation transport are observed in sickle cell disease (and also following exposure to oxidants) and probably contribute to its pathophysiology. In this paper, we review some of the features of O2-sensitive solute transporters in red cells and possible reasons for the abnormal response in sickle cells. Our aim is to identify specific, novel pharmacological inhibitors of these abnormal pathways and thereby ameliorate the disease.
Prospective Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Incidental Pancreatic Cysts During Routine Outpatient Endoscopic Ultrasound

Objective Incidental pancreatic cysts are often detected during abdominal imaging and require follow-up since some have malignant potential. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is highly sensitive for pancreatic diseases, yet the prevalence of incidental pancreatic cysts discovered with EUS is unknown. The objective of the study was to determine its prevalence by EUS. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients undergoing EUS for nonpancreatic indications and without known pancreatic abnormality were recruited to assess the prevalence of pancreatic cysts and its characteristics. Risk factors were determined by logistic regression. Results We enrolled 341 patients (mean age, 59 years; 187 females) and found 46 incidental pancreatic cysts (median [range], 5 [2–80] mm) in 32 patients (9.4%). Branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm was the most common finding. Seven cysts were larger than 1 cm and 1 adenocarcinoma was discovered. Multivariate logistic regression showed an association between pancreatic cysts and older age (odds ratio, 1.04 per year; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.08) and female sex (odds ratio, 3.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.25–7.45). Conclusions In our population, the prevalence of incidental pancreatic cyst discovered on EUS was 9.4% and the majority were less than 1 cm. Increasing age and female sex were associated with the development of pancreatic cysts.
Culture of Phenotypically Defined Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Other Progenitors at Limiting Dilution on Dexter Monolayers

Highly enriched, phenotypically defined hematopoietic stem, Thy-I"Lin-Sca-l+, and progenitor cell populations from mouse bone marrow (BM) were tested at limiting dilution for their ability to reconstitute Dexter monolayers. Several classes of BM cells can reconstitute Dexter cultures, first forming discrete "cobblestone" areas which then mature into colonies consisting primarily of maturing myeloid and erythroid cells. Most such colonies have a limited lifespan in culture. Only the Thy-1"Lin-Sca-1' cell fraction gives rise to colonies that survive longer than 3 weeks, which suggests that a limiting-dilution analysis for long-term reconstitution of Dexter cultures can serve as a quantitative measure of stem cell
Conflict Management in Service-Oriented Pervasive Platforms

Smart Home solutions are currently booming and apply to a variety of areas in order to improve inhabitants' quality of life. Many Smart Home solutions are based on service-oriented pervasive platforms providing context services. These services may correspond to devices (a lamp for instance) or to any computing unit providing useful functions (luminosity in a room for example). One of the big issues today is that applications running on top of such platforms share services, which can lead to conflicts if acting in incompatible ways. In this paper, we present an approach to manage conflicts in service-oriented pervasive platforms based on locking mechanisms installed at the context level. Our approach is optimistic and addresses conflicts at runtime before their undesired effects occur. This approach is developed and integrated in the iCASA pervasive platform.
La evolución de la terapia antiplaquetaria

Las plaquetas juegan un rol importante en la fisiopatologia de la trombosis coronaria. Los antagonistas de los receptores de ADP actuan en la superficie de las plaquetas inhibiendo la activacion y agregacion plaquetaria en pacientes que tienen una ruptura espontanea o cuando se realiza una intervencion coronaria percutanea atenuando el inicio de una trombosis aguda. La adicion del clopidogrel al acido acetil salicilico fue un cambio revolucionario en el tratamiento del Sindrome Coronario Agudo. Sin embargo, a pesar de los resultados obtenidos con esta asociacion, el clopidogrel ha mostrado tener ciertas limitaciones incluyendo una variabilidad en el efecto inhibitorio antiplaquetario, que han sido asociados con eventos adversos de tipo trombotico. Por esta razon se han realizado nuevos estudios de antagonistas de los receptores P2Y12 siendo los mas importantes los realizados con el Prasugrel y Ticagrelor, que demostraron mayor inhibicion plaquetaria que el clopidogrel. Sin embargo esta potente accion inhibitoria viene asociado con un incremento en las complicaciones hemorragicas, siendo necesario una adecuada estratificacion de riesgo trombotico /y o hemorragico en cada paciente. El exito en la terapia bloqueadora de los receptores P2Y12 han reducido el uso de los Inhibidores de Glicoproteina IIB/IIIA, usandose en forma complementaria en pacientes con alto riesgo trombotico o en pacientes cuya angiografia evidencia trombos residuales.
Chlamydia pneumoniae Inclusion Membrane Protein Cpn0585 Interacts with Multiple Rab GTPases

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae are intracellular bacteria that develop within a membrane-bound vacuole called an inclusion. To ensure that the inclusion is a safe niche for chlamydial replication, chlamydiae exploit a number of host cell processes, including membrane-trafficking pathways. Recently, several Rab GTPases were found to associate with the inclusions of various chlamydial species. Here we report that Cpn0585, a Chlamydia pneumoniae inclusion membrane protein (Inc), interacts with multiple Rab GTPases. The results from yeast two-hybrid experiments revealed that an amino-terminally truncated form of Cpn0585 (Cpn0585102-651) interacts with Rab1, Rab10, and Rab11 but not with Rab4 or Rab6. Cpn0585-Rab GTPase interactions are direct and GTP dependent as shown in glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays using native and recombinant Cpn0585. In C. pneumoniae-infected HEp-2 cells transfected with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged Rab GTPases, the colocalization with Cpn0585 at the inclusion membrane was partial for EGFP-Rab1 and EGFP-Rab10, but extensive for wild-type EGFP-Rab11A and the constitutively active GTPase-deficient EGFP-Rab11AQ70L. Moreover, Cpn0585 colocalized with EGFP-Rab11AQ70L as early as 2 h postinfection. Upon delivery into live C. pneumoniae-infected cells, Cpn0585628-651-specific antibodies bound to the inclusion membrane, demonstrating that the Rab GTPase-interacting domain of Cpn0585 faces the host cell cytosol. Finally, ectopic expression of Cpn0585102-651 partially inhibited the development of C. pneumoniae inclusions in EGFP. but not in EGFP-Rab11AQ70L-expressing HEp-2 cells. Collectively, these data suggest that Cpn0585 is involved in the recruitment of Rab GTPases to the inclusion membrane and that interfering with this function may adversely impact the fitness of the C. pneumoniae inclusion for chlamydial replication.
On the capacity of uniform hypergraphs

The capacity of uniform hypergraphs can be defined as a natural generalization of the Shannon capacity of graphs. Corresponding to every uniform hypergraph there is a discrete memoryless channel in which the zero error capacity, in the case of the smallest list size for which it is positive, equals the capacity of the hypergraph, and vice versa. Also, the problem of perfect hashing can be considered as a hypergraph capacity problem. Upper bounds are derived for the capacity of uniform hypergraphs, using a technique developed earlier for perfect hashing based on the concepts of graph entropy and hypergraph entropy. These are subadditive functionals on probabilistic graphs and hypergraphs (i.e. graphs and hypergraphs within a probability distribution given on their vertex sets). A modified version of this technique is given, replacing graph entropy by another subadditive functional on probabilistic graphs. This functional can be considered as a probabilistic refinement of Lovasz's delta -functional. >
Molecular Pathways: Targeting DNA Repair Pathway Defects Enriched in Metastasis

The maintenance of a pristine genome, free from errors, is necessary to prevent cellular transformation and degeneration. When errors in DNA are detected, DNA damage repair (DDR) genes and their regulators are activated to effect repair. When these DDR pathways are themselves mutated or aberrantly downregulated, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders can ensue. Multiple lines of evidence now indicate, however, that defects in key regulators of DNA repair pathways are highly enriched in human metastasis specimens and hence may be a key step in the acquisition of metastasis and the ability of localized disease to disseminate. Some of the key regulators of checkpoints in the DNA damage response are the TP53 protein and the PARP enzyme family. Targeting of these pathways, especially through PARP inhibition, is now being exploited therapeutically to effect significant clinical responses in subsets of individuals, particularly in patients with ovarian cancer or prostate cancer, including cancers with a marked metastatic burden. Targeting DNA repair–deficient tumors with drugs that take advantage of the fundamental differences between normal repair–proficient cells and repair-deficient tumors offers new avenues for treating advanced disease in the future. Clin Cancer Res; 22(13); 3132–7. ©2016 AACR.
Autismo y conectividad neural

Introduccion. Estudios recientes han investigado la conectividad funcional y estructural del cerebro en pacientes con tras- tornos del espectro autista (TEA). Los estudios de neuroimagen y electroencefalograficos han encontrado evidencias que sugieren que los patrones de conectividad estan alterados en los TEA. Objetivos. Revisar los trabajos publicados recientemente sobre neuroimagen estructural y funcional, asi como los estudios neurofisiologicos, y aportar una sintesis de los avances en investigacion sobre la alteracion de la conectividad en los TEA. Desarrollo. Los hallazgos funcionales ponen de manifiesto que los pacientes con TEA tienen deficit en las conexiones de larga distancia (subconectividad), con un deficit mas destacado en las conexiones frontoposteriores. Respecto a la conec- tividad estructural, hay evidencia de alteracion en las estructuras de sustancia blanca interhemisfericas. Menos estudios funcionales muestran que los pacientes con TEA tambien tienen un exceso de conexiones locales (sobreconectividad), pero los hallazgos de los estudios estructurales son bastante mas contradictorios. Conclusiones. Los hallazgos convergentes de anomalias en la conectividad funcional y anomalias en la sustancia blanca en el autismo sugieren que las alteraciones en la conectividad neural y la comunicacion entre diferentes regiones cerebra- les pueden estar implicadas en los deficits cognitivos y conductuales asociados al autismo. Palabras clave. Conectividad estructural. Conectividad funcional. Resonancia magnetica funcional. Subconectividad. Ten- sor de difusion. Trastornos del espectro autista.
Reduced time-on-target in pulse Doppler radar: Slow time domain compressed sensing

Pulse Doppler radars measure both the targets distance to the transceiver and their radial velocity, through estimation of time delays and Doppler frequencies, respectively. This digital processing is traditionally performed on samples of the received signal at its Nyquist rate, which can be prohibitively high. Overcoming the rate bottleneck, sub-Nyquist sampling methods have been proposed that break the link between radar signal bandwidth and sampling rate. In this work, we extend this concept to the slow time domain. We choose to transmit non-uniformly spaced pulses in one direction, thus allowing to reduce the average time-on-target by exploiting the complementary set of transmitted pulses in another direction. Both software and hardware simulations demonstrate reduced time-on-target and recovery of several delay-Doppler maps within the same coherent processing interval.
Proteinases, their receptors and inflammatory signalling: the Oxford South Parks Road connection

In keeping with the aim of the Paton Memorial Lecture to ‘facilitate the historical study of pharmacology’, this overview, which is my distinct honour to write, represents a ‘Janus‐like’ personal perspective looking both backwards and forwards at the birth and growth of ‘receptor molecular pharmacology’ with special relevance to inflammatory diseases. The overview begins in the Oxford Department of Pharmacology in the mid‐1960s and then goes on to provide a current perspective of signalling by proteinases. Looking backwards, the synopsis describes the fruitful Oxford Pharmacology Department infrastructure that Bill Paton generated in keeping with the blueprint begun by his predecessor, J H Burn. Looking forwards, the overview illustrates the legacy of that environment in generating some of the first receptor ligand‐binding data and providing the inspiration and vision for those like me who were training in the department at the same time. With apologies, I mention only in passing a number of individuals who benefitted from the ‘South Parks Road connection’ using myself as one of the ‘outcome study’ examples. It is also by looking forward that I can meet the complementary aim of summarizing the lecture presented at a ‘BPS 2014 Focused Meeting on Cell Signalling’ to provide an overview of the role of proteinases and their signalling mechanisms in the setting of inflammation.
More nerve root injuries occur with minimally invasive lumbar surgery, especially extreme lateral interbody fusion: A review

Background: In the lumbar spine, do more nerve root injuries occur utilizing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques versus open lumbar procedures? To answer this question, we compared the frequency of nerve root injuries for multiple open versus MIS operations including diskectomy, laminectomy with/without fusion addressing degenerative disc disease, stenosis, and/or degenerative spondylolisthesis. Methods: Several of Desai et al. large Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial studies showed the frequency for nerve root injury following an open diskectomy ranged from 0.13% to 0.25%, for open laminectomy/stenosis with/without fusion it was 0%, and for open laminectomy/stenosis/degenerative spondylolisthesis with/without fusion it was 2%. Results: Alternatively, one study compared the incidence of root injuries utilizing MIS transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) versus posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) techniques; 7.8% of PLIF versus 2% of TLIF patients sustained root injuries. Furthermore, even higher frequencies of radiculitis and nerve root injuries occurred during anterior lumbar interbody fusions (ALIFs) versus extreme lateral interbody fusions (XLIFs). These high frequencies were far from acceptable; 15.8% following ALIF experienced postoperative radiculitis, while 23.8% undergoing XLIF sustained root/plexus deficits. Conclusions: This review indicates that MIS (TLIF/PLIF/ALIF/XLIF) lumbar surgery resulted in a higher incidence of root injuries, radiculitis, or plexopathy versus open lumbar surgical techniques. Furthermore, even a cursory look at the XLIF data demonstrated the greater danger posed to neural tissue by this newest addition to the MIS lumbar surgical armamentariu. The latter should prompt us as spine surgeons to question why the XLIF procedure is still being offered to our patients?
From problem landscapes to language landscapes: questions in genetic improvement

Managing and curating software is a time consuming process particularly as programming languages, libraries, and execution environments change. To support the engineering of software, we propose applying a GP-based continuous learning system to all "useful" software. We take the position that search-based itemization and analysis of all commonly used software is feasible, in large part, because the requirements that people place on software can be used to bound the search space to software which is of high practical use. By repeatedly reusing the information generated during the search process we hope to attain a higher-level, but also more rigorous, understanding of our engineering material - source code.
Unexpected Insensitivity of the Cholinergic Motor Responses to Morphine in the Human Small Intestine

Background/Aims: Morphine is known to inhibit cholinergic contractions of the guinea pig small intestine. This has been compared to the human small intestinal innervated longitudinal muscle in the current study. Methods: Cholinergic primary contractions of human small intestinal longitudinal strips were evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS; 0.5– 5 Hz in the presence of purinergic and nitrergic blockers or 5 Hz without pretreatment) and recorded isotonically in organ bath experiments. Guinea pig small intestinal segments were also studied. Results and Conclusion: Neurogenic cholinergic contractions of human preparations were unaffected by morphine (1, 2 or 10 µmol/l). Longitudinal contractions of the guinea pig ileum were concentration-dependently suppressed by morphine (0.1–10 µmol/l). It is concluded that myenteric neurons supplying the longitudinal muscle of the human small intestine are much less sensitive to morphine than those of the guinea pig.
Chemoattractant and neutrophil degranulation activities related to interleukin-8 in vitreous fluid in uveitis and vitreoretinal disorders.

PURPOSE To investigate whether the cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8), a strong chemoattractant and activator for neutrophils, is responsible for neutrophil infiltration and degranulation in the eye in uveitis. METHODS IL-8 and elastase were measured with specific enzyme-linked immunoassays in vitreous fluid samples obtained from 69 patients with various uveitis entities. Vitreous fluid of nonuveitis patients and eye bank eyes served as controls. The chemotactic activity of vitreous fluid was tested with the Boyden chamber technique. RESULTS IL-8 was detected in 45% of the vitreous fluid samples from uveitis patients and in 26% of vitreous fluid samples from nonuveitis patients. Vitreous fluid samples with IL-8 levels exceeding 100 pg/ml were chemotactic for neutrophils. This chemotactic activity could be blocked by 41% to 79% with a monoclonal anti-IL-8 antibody. Elastase levels in vitreous fluid of uveitis patients with detectable IL-8 were significantly higher than those in vitreous fluid samples with no detectable IL-8. CONCLUSION These results indicate that IL-8 participates in the inflammatory processes in the eye by attracting and degranulating neutrophils. It is suggested that these processes contribute to the pathogenesis of tissue destruction in uveitis.