Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Near-Shortest Path Planning on a Quadratic Surface With  $O(n\log n)$  Time

An O(n log n) near-shortest path-planning algorithm based on the Delaunay triangulation, Ahuja-Dijkstra algorithm, and ridge points in the quadratic plane is presented. The shortest path planning is an NP-hard problem in the general 3-D space. Compared with the other O(n log n) time near-shortest path approach, the path length of the proposed method is 2.81% longer than the Kanai and Suzuki's algorithm with 29 Steiner points, but the computation is 4,261 times faster. Notably, the proposed method is ideal for being extended to solve the path-planning problem on the mission planning of cruise missile.
Propiedades dieléctricas de suspensiones coloidales. Efecto de la geometría de la partícula

En este trabajo se analizan las propiedades de la interfase particula cargada-disolucion mediante espectroscopia dielectrica. En dicho espectro hay dos relajaciones asociadas a la dinamica en la interfase: relajacion alfa y relajacion Maxwell-Wagner-O'Konski (MWO). Concretamente se centra en varios aspectos; la parte interna de la doble capa y el efecto de la temperatura, efecto del coion sobre la constante dielectrica y estudio de particulas no esfericas. El problema experimental radica en la polarizacion de electrodos. Este fenomeno, consistente en la acumulacion de iones en la interfase disolucion-electrodo, da lugar a errores en la determinacion de la constante dielectrica a baja frecuencia y si se elimina el proceso conlleva perdida de precision. Dado que tiene lugar a frecuencias similares al a relajacion alfa, su eliminacion es fundamental para la caracterizacion del espectro dielectrico. Por ello, en el trabajo se analizan los metodos clasicos y los mas recientemente propuestos, esto es, la calibracion cuadrupolar y el metodo de la derivada logaritmica. A lo largo de todo el trabajo se comparan los resultados de ambos metodos. El primero resulta util si solo hay una relajacion en el espectro. El segundo nos permite observar y analizar varias relajaciones que ocurren a frecuencias similares. A la hora de comparar los resultados de espectroscopia dielectrica con los de electroforesis, suelen encontrarse discrepancias, las cuales se deben a la polarizacion de electrodos que cuando la muestra es muy conductora y la senal pequena no se puede eliminar del todo, y a la conductividad en la capa de estacionamiento. El analisis mediante un modelo sencillo para esta conductividad es suficiente para caracterizar el movimiento en esta capa a traves de la relajacion MWO, pero en el caso de la relajacion alfa, dado que este fenomeno es mucho mas sensible a cualquier variacion en las propiedades del
Evaluation of Histo‐Blood Group ABO Genotyping in a Danish Population: Frequency of a Novel O Allele Defined as O2

Traditional blood group ABO serology is based on immunoreactivity with the carbohydrate determinants A, B and H antigens. Recent advances at the DNA level of the ABO genes have provided a molecular genetic model for the ABO polymorphism. This genetic model has to date only been tested on a limited basis. The present study was initiated to evaluate the universality of the proposed genetic model on a larger group of serologically defined ABO phenotypes. Three hundred healthy Danish blood donors were analysed (A: 50, B: 50, AB: 50, O: 150) by PCR amplification followed by diagnostic restriction enzyme cutting. In all cases A, B, and AB at least one allele of correctly predicted status was found. However, in O phenotype individuals, 11 out of 150 carried one allele discordant to the proposed genetic model. This novel O allele (3.7% allele frequency) was further characterized by diagnostic restriction enzyme analysis in two positions divergent between A and B alleles and by DNA sequencing of the two major exons. The novel O allele is termed O2 as it typed as B in nucleotide position 526 and as A in positions 703, 796, and 803, in contrast to the most predominant O allele termed O1, which types as A in all 4 positions. The structural defect in the O2 allele appears to be an additional substitution at nucleotide position 802. The results clearly demonstrate that with the addition of the two distinctly different O alleles, O1, O2, the previously proposed molecular genetic basis of the ABO polymorphism is quite valid. More importantly the determined characteristics of these two O alleles have practical implications in ABO genotyping, because it establishes within the limits of the number of samples tested that ABO genotypes can be assessed directly by non‐allele specific PCR amplification and restriction enzyme analysis.
Client Based Power Iteration Clustering Algorithm to Reduce Dimensionality in Big Data

Clustering is a group of objects that are similar among themselves but dissimilar to objects in other clusters. Clustering large dataset is a challenging task and the need for increase in scalability and performance formulates it to use parallelism. Though the use of Big Data has become very essential, analyzing it is demanding. This paper presents the (pC-PIC) parallel Client based Power Iteration clustering algorithm based on parallel PIC originated from PIC (Power Iteration Clustering). PIC performs clustering by embedding data points in a low dimensional data derived from the similarity matrix. In this paper we have proposed a client based algorithm pC-PIC that out performs the job done by the server and reduces its execution time. The experimental results show that pC-PIC can perform well for big data. It’s fast and scalable. The result also shows that the accuracy in producing the clusters is almost similar to the original algorithm. Hence the results produced by pC-PIC are fast, scalable and accurate.
Étude des violations de temps d'établissement et de maintien dues aux variations du processus de fabrication dans un opérateur arithmétique

La reduction des dimensions des circuits integres a toujours ete faite au benefice de meilleures performances. Mais aujourd'hui, cette reduction s'accompagne d'un impact croissant des variations du processus de fabrication. Au niveau temporel, on peut ramener ces effets a une probabilite plus elevee de violations des temps de maintien et d'etablissement au niveau des bascules. Actuellement, comme principale reponse face a ce probleme, les marges de securite sont augmentees. Cet article propose une methodologie d'etude basee sur le concept d'analyse statistique temporelle (SSTA) et de calculs de probabilite de violation. Les resultats obtenus, provenant de son application sur un operateur arithmetique en technologie 65 nm, permettent d'avoir des informations beaucoup plus precises que celles donnees par les outils existants, permettant des lors de meilleures optimisations et une baisse du pessimisme introduit par l'utilisation de marges de conception.
Cystine Uptake and Glutathione Level in Fetal Brain Cells in Primary Culture and in Suspension

Abstract— The glutathione level and the factors affecting this level were investigated in fetal rat brain cells in a primary culture. Early in the culture, the glutathione level of the brain cells decreased, but after 5 h it began to increase. This increase was not observed in a cystine‐free medium and was prevented by excess glutamate. Cystine was taken up in freshly isolated brain cell suspensions, and its rate increased during the culture. The cystine uptake was mediated by a Na+‐independent, glutamate‐sensitive route previously found in various types of cells and designated as system x−c. The uptake of cystine is a crucial factor in maintaining the glutathione level of the cells under culture, because it provides cysteine for the cells for glutathione synthesis. Cysteine was undetectable in the medium before the culture, but it appeared, though at a very low level, when the brain cells were cultured there. The source of this cysteine was the cystine in the medium. Presumably the decrease in the glutathione level of the cells in the early stage of the culture resulted from the fact that the medium did not contain cysteine. The enhancement of the cystine uptake during culture may constitute a protective mechanism against the oxidative stress to which the cultured cells are exposed. Regulation of the glutathione level in fetal brain cells in vivo by the transport of cystine and cysteine is discussed.
Sympathetic Nervous System: Contribution to Human Hypertension and Related Cardiovascular Diseases

Sympathetic nervous system activation has been documented in several cardiovascular disorders. In some, characterized by cardiac failure and portal hypertension accompanying hepatic cirrhosis, the sympathetic nervous stimulation is reflex and, to some extent, compensatory but has adverse consequences. For example, in cardiac failure, the sympathetic nerves of the heart are preferentially stimulated, providing adrenergic support to the failing myocardium but at the probable cost of arrhythmogenesis and progressive myocardial deterioration. The sympathetic activation present in patients with essential hypertension, which involves the sympathetic outflows to skeletal muscle, heart, and kidneys and is seen particularly in younger patients, differs from these examples in that the sympathetic nervous stimulation is apparently not reflex and the primary cause is unknown. There is. however, evidence that activation of forebrain pressor noradrenergic nuclei may be of importance as an underlying central nervous system mechanism. This sympathetic nervous stimulation in patients with essential hypertension, in addition to initiating the blood pressure elevation, may also contribute to the commonly associated metabolic abnormalities of insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia. with neural vasoconstriction having metabolic consequences, impairing glucose delivery and causing insulin resistance in muscle, and retarding postprandial clearing of lipids in liver. Trophic effects of sympathetic activation on cardiovascular growth are claimed but have yet to be demonstrated conclusively in humans.
Stereotactic transcranial magnetic stimulation: correlation with direct electrical cortical stimulation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate stereotactic transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a tool for presurgical functional mapping of human motor cortex. METHODS Transcranial magnetic stimulation using a frameless stereotactic system was performed in two patients with tumors near the central sulcus. TMS motor function maps were plotted on the patients' three-dimensional volumetric magnetic resonance imaging data and compared with direct electrical cortical stimulation at surgery with the patient under local anesthesia. RESULTS Stereotactic TMS was well tolerated by both patients and was consistent with known somatotopic representation of human motor cortex. The results demonstrated a good correlation between the TMS and electrical cortical stimulation maps, with all TMS responses eliciting more than 75% of the maximum motor evoked potential falling within 1 cm of the electrical cortical stimulation site. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that stereotactic TMS is feasible and can provide accurate noninvasive localization of cortical motor function. It may prove to be a useful method for presurgical planning.
Na+/H+ Exchangers of Mammalian Cells*

Ejection of intracellular H in exchange for external Na is the most effective means of eliminating excess acid from actively metabolizing cells. Na/H exchange is also crucial for the regulation of the cellular volume and for the reabsorption of NaCl across renal, intestinal, and other epithelia. This remarkable array of essential functions is carried out by a family of antiporters, known generically as Na/H exchangers (NHEs). These are highly regulated (glyco)phosphoproteins present in virtually all mammalian tissues and species studied to date. The intent of this review is to provide a concise update of the structure, distribution, and regulation of the activity of the known members of the mammalian NHE family.
Psychological interventions for antisocial personality disorder.

BACKGROUND Antisocial personality disorder (AsPD) is associated with a wide range of disturbance including persistent rule-breaking, criminality, substance use, unemployment, homelessness and relationship difficulties. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the potential beneficial and adverse effects of psychological interventions for people with AsPD. SEARCH STRATEGY Our search included CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA, BIOSIS and COPAC. SELECTION CRITERIA Prospective, controlled trials in which participants with AsPD were randomly allocated to a psychological intervention and a control condition (either treatment as usual, waiting list or no treatment). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Three authors independently selected studies. Two authors independently extracted data. We calculated mean differences, with odds ratios for dichotomous data. MAIN RESULTS Eleven studies involving 471 participants with AsPD met the inclusion criteria, although data were available from only five studies involving 276 participants with AsPD. Only two studies focused solely on an AsPD sample. Eleven different psychological interventions were examined. Only two studies reported on reconviction, and only one on aggression. Compared to the control condition, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) plus standard maintenance was superior for outpatients with cocaine dependence in one study, but CBT plus treatment as usual was not superior for male outpatients with recent verbal/physical violence in another. Contingency management plus standard maintenance was superior for drug misuse for outpatients with cocaine dependence in one study but not in another, possibly because of differences in the behavioural intervention. However, contingency management was superior in social functioning and counselling session attendance in the latter. A multi-component intervention utilising motivational interviewing principles, the 'Driving Whilst Intoxicated program', plus incarceration was superior to incarceration alone for imprisoned drink-driving offenders. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that there is insufficient trial evidence to justify using any psychological intervention for adults with AsPD. Disappointingly few of the included studies addressed the primary outcomes defined in this review (aggression, reconviction, global functioning, social functioning, adverse effects). Three interventions (contingency management with standard maintenance; CBT with standard maintenance; 'Driving Whilst Intoxicated program' with incarceration) appeared effective, compared to the control condition, in terms of improvement in at least one outcome in at least one study. Each of these interventions had been originally developed for people with substance misuse problems. Significant improvements were mainly confined to outcomes related to substance misuse. No study reported significant change in any specific antisocial behaviour. Further research is urgently needed for this prevalent and costly condition.
Alcohol dependence and conduct disorder among Navajo Indians.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to examine the association between conduct disorder before age 15 and subsequent alcohol dependence, and to describe the lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence among Navajo Indian women and men. METHOD This was a case-control design which included both men (n = 735) and women (n = 351) and in which the Diagnostic Interview Schedule was used for the diagnosis of the lifetime history of alcohol dependence and conduct disorder. Alcohol dependent cases were selected from inpatient and outpatient treatment programs (204 men, 148 women). Whenever possible, controls were matched for age, sex and community of residence and were randomly selected and interviewed until a nonalcohol dependent individual was found. Among the men, there were 374 alcohol dependent controls and 157 nonalcohol dependent controls. Among the women, the figures were 60 and 143, respectively. When combined, the controls comprise samples of the adult male and female populations from which estimates of lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence, and of the amount of alcohol dependence in the population attributable to conduct disorder, may be inferred. RESULTS Conduct disorder is a risk factor for alcohol dependence among both men and women. Lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence in this population is high (70.4% for men and 29.6% for women), but the amount of alcohol dependence in the population attributable to conduct disorder is low. On the other hand, among the alcohol dependent, those with conduct disorder had the most severe alcohol- and nonalcohol-related problems. CONCLUSIONS The potential limitations of the study are those common to case-control designs, especially biased recall by cases. There are also potential sampling biases among the controls. It is shown that none of the potential biases invalidate the findings, which support the hypothesis that in this population conduct disorder is a risk for alcohol dependence. The implications for primary prevention of alcohol dependence are discussed.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bladder-sparing surgery for invasive bladder cancer: ten-year outcome.

PURPOSE To evaluate the 10-year outcome of patients with invasive (T2-3N0M0, staged according to the tumor, node, metastasis system) bladder cancer who responded completely to a combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin, and cisplatin (MVAC) chemotherapy followed by bladder-sparing surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS Of 111 surgical candidates who received neoadjuvant MVAC, 60 (54%) achieved a complete clinical response (T0) on transurethral resection (TUR) of the primary tumor site. Of these, 28 requested follow-up with TUR alone, 15 had a partial cystectomy, and 17 elected a radical cystectomy. The patients were followed up for a median of 10 years (range, 8 to 13 years). RESULTS Of 43 patients who had bladder-sparing surgery, 32 (74%) are alive, which includes 25 (58%) with an intact functioning bladder. Twenty-four patients (56%) developed bladder tumor recurrences from 5 to 96 months, which were invasive in 13 (30%) and superficial in 11 (26%). Thirteen patients required a salvage cystectomy, of whom 6 died, which includes 4 (9%) from a new invasive neoplasm. Of the 17 patients who had radical cystectomy, 11 (65%) are alive. CONCLUSION The majority of patients with invasive bladder tumors who achieve T0 status after neoadjuvant MVAC chemotherapy preserve their bladders for up to 10 years with bladder-sparing surgery. The bladder remains at risk for new invasive tumors. Cystectomy salvages the majority, but not all, of relapsing patients.
The size and conformation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (human herpesvirus 8) DNA in infected cells and virions

The genome of a novel human herpesvirus has been detected in specimens of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and in several AIDS-related lymphoproliferative disorders. Here we examine the size and genomic conformation of the DNA of this virus (known as KS-associated herpesvirus or human herpesvirus 8) in latently and lytically infected cells and in virions. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of viral DNA shows that the viral genome is similar in size to those of other gammaherpesviruses (160 to 170 kb). As with Epstein-Barr virus, KS-associated herpesvirus DNA is stably maintained in latently infected B cells as episomal monomer circles and induction from latency is associated with the selective accumulation of linear genomic forms.
Genetic insertion and exposure of a reporter epitope in the ferrichrome-iron receptor of Escherichia coli K-12

The ferrichrome-iron receptor of Escherichia coli K-12 is FhuA (M(r), 78,992), the first component of an energy-dependent, high-affinity iron uptake pathway. FhuA is also the cognate receptor for bacteriophages T5, T1, phi 80, and UC-1, for colicin M and microcin 25, and for albomycin. To probe the topological organization of FhuA which enables recognition of these different ligands, we generated a library of 16 insertion mutations within the fhuA gene. Each insertion spliced a 13-amino-acid antigenic determinant (the C3 epitope of poliovirus) at a different position within FhuA. Immunoblotting of outer membranes with anti-FhuA and anti-C3 antibodies indicated that 15 of 16 FhuA.C3 proteins were present in the outer membrane in amounts similar to that observed for plasmid-encoded wild-type FhuA. One chimeric protein with the C3 epitope inserted after amino acid 440 of FhuA was present in the outer membrane in greatly reduced amounts. Strains overexpressing FhuA.C3 proteins were subjected to flow cytometric analysis using anti-FhuA monoclonal antibodies. Such analysis showed that (i) the chimeric proteins were properly localized and (ii) the wild-type FhuA protein structure had not been grossly altered by insertion of the C3 epitope. Twelve of sixteen strains expressing FhuA.C3 proteins were proficient in ferrichrome transport and remained sensitive to FhuA-specific phages. Three FhuA.C3 proteins, with insertions after amino acid 321, 405, or 417 of FhuA, were detected at the cell surface by flow cytometry using anti-C3 antibodies. These three chimeric proteins were all biologically active. We conclude that amino acids 321, 405, and 417 are surface accessible in wild-type FhuA.
Introduction to a new wide area sar mode using the F-SCAN principle

High Resolution Wide Swath Imaging (HRWS) with spaceborne SAR systems has received major attention over the recent years [1]-[6]. The favored concepts embark on multiple phase centers distributed in both azimuth and elevation direction using Digital Beamforming (DBF) techniques. Whilst the displaced phase center technique aims at improved azimuth resolution at reduced PRF the multiple phase centers in elevation aim at improved signal to noise by using the high gain pencil beam scanning on receive (SCORE) over the target area whilst illuminating the swath with a broad beam pattern on transmit. A highly interesting alternative to the SCORE based on DBF exists with a much lower hardware complexity by exploitation of an analogue frequency scanning antenna sweeping over the target area. This approach offers a couple of unique features not obtainable by the SCORE technique such as inherent pulse compression, excellent signal to noise performance, inherent impulse response sidelobe suppression and overhead free data sampling at greatly reduced need of transmit peak power.
Putting physics in control-the example of robotics

It is argued that scalar summarizing properties, such as energy conservation or entropy production, often can be used effectively in the design of controllers for multi-input nonlinear physical systems. For instance, the conservation of total mechanical energy allows one to show simply the stability of simple proportional-derivative position controllers for robot manipulators, and it can also be systematically used to design trajectory controllers for these systems. Similarly, explicitly accounting for dissipative dynamics makes possible the use of the intrinsically stabilizing nature of certain disturbance terms such as viscous friction. Related approaches also can be of use in addressing problems of robustness to high-frequency unmodeled dynamics. The development points toward a more 'handcrafted,' physically motivated approach to nonlinear control system design. <<ETX>>