Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Algorithm of Discovering Approximate Periodicity Based on Self-Organizing Map for Temporal Data

This paper discusses an algorithm of discovering approximate periodicity for temporal data based on self- organizing map (SOM). First, an approximate periodic pattern based on the temporal type data is given. Then, some concepts of approximate precision and approximate periodic pattern mantle are introduced, where their relative properties are studied. Finally, an algorithm based on SOM to find approximate periodic pattern is proposed. Experiment results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient for finding out approximate periodicity for irregularity data.
Une base de données informatisée transdisciplinaire de la flore chez les Seme du Burkina Faso : un outil pour l'étude du lien nature-société

This paper reports on a cooperative effort by a team of linguists and phytoecologists to set up an electronic database of the flora known to the Seme, an ethnic group inhabiting Kenedougou province in Burkina Faso who speak a language belonging to the Kru subgroup of the Niger-Congo family. This database is intended to be a tool for users from a wide range of horizons to give access to  the botanical nomenclature of the species identified with electronic links to sources of detailed descriptions;  the Seme names for these species with a morphological breakdown of all compounds and crossreferencing of related items;  to a brief account of associated beliefs and uses for each plant;  and written and oral documentation for checking the data and/or conducting further research.
LA INTELIGIBILIDAD EN LA EXPRESIÓN ORAL EN EL IDIOMA INGLÉS

El desarrollo del idioma ingles en los diferentes niveles educativos constituye una prioridad en estos tiempos en las diferentes latitudes. Los profesores de idioma ingles en el contexto educativo cubano han logrado transformaciones, en particular, en el proceso de ensenanza-aprendizaje. El presente articulo aborda los fundamentos teoricos de la direccion del proceso de ensenanza y aprendizaje de la expresion oral en el idioma ingles; por tanto, el articulo tiene como objetivo: argumentar los principales referentes teoricos acerca de la inteligibilidad en la expresion oral del idioma ingles. Se realiza una caracterizacion filosofica, pedagogica, psicologica y sociologica de la tendencia que asume la pedagogia cubana actual y que sustenta al proceso pedagogico cubano y al proceso de ensenanza-aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera, principalmente el idioma ingles, donde recientemente centra su estudio en la formacion de habilidades orales en los estudiantes, al enfatizarse en la expresion oral pues es una de las habilidades mas afectadas. Tambien se abordan los principios didacticos que el profesor gestiona en la docencia y el trabajo metodologico que impone la solucion de los problemas de la calidad de la educacion.
Estudio de la satisfacción del usuario de hoteles cinco estrellas de la ZMG: una aplicación del instrumento Servqual

Actualmente las empresas de hospedaje estan enfocando sus esfuerzos mercadologicos hacia la satisfaccion del consumidor con el fi n de formar consumidores leales. En esta investigacion se evaluan las expectativas de los consumidores versus las percepciones generadas por hoteles cinco estrellas localizados en la zona metropolitana de la ciudad de Guadalajara, para determinar la calidad del servicio, tomado como medida para llegar a la satisfaccion de los consumidores. Para ello utilizamos una version modificada del modelo Servqual para lograr una mayor efectividad en su aplicacion. El estudio contiene una muestra inicial de 105 usuarios ubicados en dos hoteles, los cuales fueron examinados a traves de un analisis estadistico multivariante. Se concluyo que los usuarios evaluan la calidad del servicio positivamente; a pesar de que existen diferencias entre la percepcion de los usuarios en ambos hoteles, al fi nal la calidad del servicio en ambos resulta ser muy similar.
HBsAg quantification: useful for monitoring natural history and treatment outcome

The template of hepatitis B virus transcription, the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), plays a key role in the life cycle of the virus and permits the persistence of infection. It has been suggested that hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) quantification reflects the concentration of cccDNA in the liver. In hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B, HBsAg levels are higherduring the immune tolerance phase than during the immune clearance phase. During the natural history of chronic hepatitis B, serum HBsAg declines progressively from the immune‐tolerant to the low replicative phase. In HBeAg negative patients, the combination of low hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (<2000 IU/ml) and low HBsAg levels (<1000 IU/ml) can predict inactive carrier status, low risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the probability of HBsAg loss. HBsAg in combination with HBV DNA predicts the outcome of Peg‐Interferon therapy: An absence of decline at week 12 is a good predictor of non‐response and to stop therapy. Any decline at week 24, suggests that therapy should be continued to 48 weeks. Although the decrease in HBsAg decline slow with nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy, a rapid decline can predict future HBsAg seroclearance. A level <100 IU/ml during six consecutive months could be a marker of a sustained response after treatment cessation.
Virtual Reality and the Person-Environment Experience

This paper discusses how a projected virtual reality system that uses video gesture recognition technology can influence the person-environment process. The psychosocial concepts of embodiment, environmental centralization, and environmental personalization are illustrated with examples of virtual reality applications with children with disabilities. Through these, the advantages of using virtual reality to influence the person-environment relationship are discussed. Disadvantages of implementing this virtual reality approach are also presented as well as recommendations for future work in this area.
MULTIPLY-ADD OPTIMIZED FFT KERNELS

Modern computer architecture provides a special instruction — the fused multiply-add (FMA) instruction — to perform both a multiplication and an addition operation at the same time. In this paper newly developed radix-2, radix-3, and radix-5 FFT kernels that efficiently take advantage of this powerful instruction are presented. If a processor is provided with FMA instructions, the radix-2 FFT algorithm introduced has the lowest complexity of all Cooley–Tukey radix-2 algorithms. All floating-point operations are executed as FMA instructions. Compared to conventional radix-3 and radix-5 kernels, the new radix-3 and radix-5 kernels greatly improve the utilization of FMA instructions, which results in a significant reduction in complexity. In general, the advantages of the FFT algorithms presented in this paper are their low arithmetic complexity, their high efficiency, and their striking simplicity. Numerical experiments show that FFT programs using the new kernels clearly outperform even the best conventional FFT routines.
Oxidative stress in patients with Friedreich ataxia

Article abstract Increased generation of reactive oxygen species may underlie the pathophysiology of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). The authors measured concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OH2'dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, in urine and of dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA), a marker of hydroxyl radical attack, in plasma of 33 patients with FRDA. They found a 2.6-fold increase in normalized urinary 8OH2'dG but no change in plasma DHBA as compared with controls. Oral treatment with 5 mg/kg/day of the antioxidant idebenone for 8 weeks significantly decreased urinary 8OH2'dG concentrations, indicating that 8OH2'dG may be useful in monitoring therapeutic interventions in patients with FRDA. –1721
Formal Employee Training Programs and Their Impact on Labor Produc- Tivity: Evidence from a Human Resources Survey

Although economic models of training decisions are framed in terms of a company's calculation of the costs and benefits of such training, empirical work has never been able to test this model directly on company behavior. This paper utilizes a unique database to analyze the determinants of the variation in formal training across businesses and the impact of such training on labor productivity. Major findings are that large businesses, those introducing new technology end those who rely on internal promotions to fill vacancies are more likely to have formal training programs. Formal training is found to have a positive effect on labor productivity.
Milk yield persistency and its relationship with health problems in Holstein dairy cows supplemented with different levels of ruminally protected methionine and choline

Forty Holstein dairy cows in their first and second lactation were used in a lactation study from 4-week prepartum through 14-week postpartum to investigate the potential effect of feeding different levels of ruminally protected methionine and choline on milk yield persistency of Holstein dairy cows. Cows were randomly assigned to receive one of the following treatments: 18 g/d of rumen-protected methionine (RPM), 60 g/d of rumenprotected choline (RPC), 18 g/d of RPM + 60 g/d of RPC, or neither supplement (control). The use of polynomial equations revealed that the polynomial coefficients of regression were closer (P<0.05) to zero for RPM+RPC-fed cows than for other cows. Therefore, RPM+RPC-fed cows had a more persistent (P<0.05) early-lactation milk yield than did other cows. Cows fed RPM+RPC had the lowest health problems compared with other groups. The treatments significantly affected actual milk yield (P<0.05), 4 % fat-corrected milk (FCM) (P<0.01) and energy-corrected milk (ECM) (P<0.01) across lactation weeks. The treatments significantly affected average dry matter intake (DMI) for the first 14 week postpartum (P<0.05). Also, treatments significantly affected lactose percentage of milk across lactation weeks (P<0.01). In general, it was expected that RPM+RPC-fed cows with greater persistency of lactation would be healthier because the incidence of metabolic and reproductive disorders and negative energy balance that originate from the physiological stress of high milk yield would be lower.
Association between Exposure to Alkylbenzenes and Cardiovascular Disease among National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Participants

Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated that air pollution is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Alkylbenzenes are ubiquitous in outdoor and indoor air environments. Yet few studies have evaluated the potential links between exposures to alkylbenzenes and CVD independent of tobacco smoking. In this study, we used the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between alkylbenzenes (toluene, styrene, ethylbenzene, and the xylenes) and CVD prevalence. All five alkylbenzenes suggested linear trends. Subjects in higher exposure categories of blood alkylbenzenes had higher prevalence of CVD, as compared to subjects in the reference group, of below the limit of detection (LOD) and less than the 50th percentile in the case of toluene and styrene. For the remainder of the alkylbenzes, similar statistically significant associations were observed. Further studies are needed to explore associations between these highly prevalent pollutants and CVD.
The effects of selected bulky substituents on the pulmonary toxicity of 3-furyl ketones in mice.

Preliminary studies examined the toxicity of a series of simple alkyl 3-furyl ketone congeners of perilla ketone, 1-(3-furyl)-4-methylpentan-1-one (1), in mice, but little was known about how aromatic or bulky side chains might affect toxicity. Therefore, 3-furylphenyl ketone (2) 3-furylphenethyl ketone (3) and 1-3-furyl-4, 4-dimethylpentan-1-one (4) were synthesized to examine this problem. The 48-h LD50 (i.p.) in Notre Dame Swiss mice for each analog was greater than that of the parent toxicant, perilla ketone (1, 30 +/- 5; 2, 173 +/- 4; 3, 150 +/- 11; 4, 79 +/- 5 mumol/kg). Absorption and distribution of these compounds should be similar based on their lipophilicities. Preliminary evidence suggested that the reduced toxicities of 2, 3 and 4 compared with 1 cannot be explained on the basis of 13C-NMR (electron density) characteristics. Instead, the reduced potency likely is the result of steric hindrance of bioactivation by the bulky side chain substituents and(or) alternative metabolism on the phenyl ring rather than the furan ring of 2 and 3.
The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation in three separate municipalities of Middle‐Norway. A preliminary report

Abstract An epidemiological eye study has been performed in three separate municipalities in the county of SouthTrøndelag, Norway. The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome turned out to be 10.2%, 21.0%, and 19.6% in the respective areas, stating beyond doubt that there are considerable geographic variations in the distribution of this syndrome.
Effects of telmisartan on insulin resistance and visceral fat distribution in Chinese hypertensive patients with obesity.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of telmisartan on body fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in patients with hypertension and obesity. METHODS In this prospective, randomized study, outpatients from the Sixth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China were treated with telmisartan (n=23), or losartan (n=22) for 16 weeks between December 2009 to January 2011. Parameters such as waist and hip circumference, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, serum adiponectin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured before and after treatment. The abdominal visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Insulin sensitivity was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). RESULTS Compared with baseline, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in both groups. However, the levels of HOMA-IR, serum adiponectin, and TNF-alpha only improved in the telmisartan group. Similarly, the VFA was reduced in the telmisartan group, while the SFA did not change in either group. CONCLUSION Telmisartan improves both hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities found in hypertensive patients with obesity. The additional benefits may be partly due to visceral fat remodeling.
Relationships among Bone Quality, Implant Osseointegration, and Wnt Signaling

A variety of clinical classification schemes have been proposed as a means to identify sites in the oral cavity where implant osseointegration is likely to be successful. Most schemes are based on structural characteristics of the bone, for example, the relative proportion of densely compact, homogenous (type I) bone versus more trabeculated, cancellous (type III) bone. None of these schemes, however, consider potential biological characteristics of the bone. Here, we employed multiscale analyses to identify and characterize type I and type III bones in murine jaws. We then combined these analytical tools with in vivo models of osteotomy healing and implant osseointegration to determine if one type of bone healed faster and supported osseointegration better than another. Collectively, these studies revealed a strong positive correlation between bone remodeling rates, mitotic activity, and osteotomy site healing in type III bone and high endogenous Wnt signaling. This positive correlation was strengthened by observations showing that the osteoid matrix that is responsible for implant osseointegration originates from Wnt-responsive cells and their progeny. The potential application of this knowledge to clinical practice is discussed, along with a theory unifying the role that biology and mechanics play in implant osseointegration.
Mediation by corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) of adenohypophysial hormone secretion.

The key role played by the hypothalamus in the regulation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is well established (for review see 5). In 1981 laboratory isolated and characterized a 41-residue peptide from ovine hypothalami that met the criteria expected of a physiologic corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) (124, 132). Subsequently, the structures of rat (109,125), caprine and bovine (26) CRFs have also been established, and a structure has been proposed for human CRF on the basis of the DNA sequence of the human CRF genome (32). Ovine and rat CRFs differ by seven residues, while rat and human CRFs are identical. Additionally, two other peptides share homologies with ovine CRF: sauvagine, a 40-residue peptide found in frog skin (27, 76), and urotensin, a 41-residue peptide isolated from teleost urophyses (64). The availability of synthetic replicates of ovine CRF (oCRF) and rat/human CRF (r/hCRF) and the production of antisera or antagonists directed against these entities have allowed experiments that have increased our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the function of the corticotroph, and have established CRF as a major physiologic regulator of ACTH secretion. The present article deals primarily with studies carried out since the isolation of oCRF, and the literature search was completed in March 1985; for earlier work the reader is referred to some excellent reviews which have appeared over the last few years (5, 147).
Embedding a Crowd inside a Relay Baton: A Case Study in a Non-Competitive Sporting Activity

This paper presents a digital relay baton that connects long-distance runners with distributed online spectators. The baton broadcasts athletes? live locative data to a social network and communicates back remote-crowd support through haptic and audible cheers. Our work takes an exploratory design approach to bring new insights into the design of real-time techno-mediated social support. The prototype was deployed during a 170-mile charity relay race across the UK with 13 participants, 261 on-line supporters, and gathered a total of 3,153 'cheers'. We report on the insights collected during the design and deployment process and identify three fundamental design considerations: the degree of spectator expression that the design affords, the context applicability, and the data flow within the social network.
CD8brightCD56+ T Cells Are Cytotoxic Effectors in Patients with Active Behçet’s Uveitis1

Behçet’s uveitis, characterized by chronic recurrent uveitis and obliterating retinal vasculitis, frequently causes bilateral blindness. Intraocular infiltration of TCRαβ+CD8brightCD56+ cells was a distinct feature in Behçet’s uveitis. However, phenotypic natures and effector functions of the cells have remained elusive. This study was conducted to determine phenotypic and functional characteristics and cytotoxic mechanisms of CD8brightCD56+ T cells in Behçet’s uveitis. CD11b+CD27−CD62L− phenotypes of CD8brightCD56+ T cells were increased in patients with active Behçet’s uveitis compared with inactive Behcet’s patients and normal controls. Interestingly, CD45RAdimCD45RO− phenotypes were expanded, and CD94 expression was markedly up-regulated in contrast to the down-regulation of NKG2D. Furthermore, these subsets were polarized to produce IFN-γ and contained high amounts of preformed intracellular perforin while exclusively expressing surface FasL upon PI stimulation. Moreover, the cytolytic functions of freshly isolated CD8brightCD56+ T cells were up-regulated against both K562 (NK-sensitive) and Raji (NK-resistant) cells, which were effectively inhibited by perforin inhibitor (concanamycin A). Their cytolytic activity against HUVECs was also increased and was effectively suppressed by Fas ligand inhibitor (brefeldin A) and partly by perforin inhibitor. Furthermore, cytolytic functions of PMA and ionomycin-stimulated CD8brightCD56+ T cells against HUVECs were greatly enhanced, by pretreatment of recombinant human IFN-γ on HUVECs. Therefore, CD8brightCD56+ T cells in Behçet’s uveitis are characterized by cytotoxic effector phenotypes with functional NK receptors and function as strong cytotoxic effectors through both Fas ligand-dependent and perforin-dependent pathways.
The role of the Pro12Ala polymorphism in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ in diabetes risk

Purpose of reviewTo provide a timely update of the literature regarding the role of the Pro12Ala polymorphism of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ gene in type 2 diabetes and related phenotypes. Recent findingsThe adipocyte-specific γ2 isoform of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ is now considered to be one of the best-replicated genetic risk factors of common type 2 diabetes. The effect is relatively weak (pooled odds ratio is about 1.2) but because of the high prevalence and population-attributable risk, this polymorphism becomes relevant for assessing genetic susceptibility for type 2 diabetes. Less clear is the association with prediabetes subphenotypes where effects were only detectable in selected subgroups. Furthermore this review gives an overview about possible mechanisms of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ effects, gene–environment interactions, relevance to the therapeutic response to thiazolidinediones and further clinical observations. SummaryIn conclusion, the Pro12 allele of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ is a robust diabetes-risk allele, as confirmed by many replications. There are many more clinical observations related to the Pro12Ala genotype which could be interesting and these clearly need to be analyzed in future studies.
Effects of lesions to the dorsal and ventral hippocampus on defensive behaviors in rats

This study investigated the role of the hippocampus in both unconditioned and conditioned defensive behaviors by examining the effects of pretraining ibotenic acid lesions to the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in male Long–Evans hooded rats exposed to three types of threat stimuli: cat‐odor, a live cat and footshock. Defensive behaviors were assessed during exposure to cat‐odor and a live cat, and immediately following the presentation of footshock. Conditioned defensive behaviors were also assessed in each context 24 h after initial threat exposure. During both unconditioned and conditioned trials, dorsal hippocampal lesions failed to significantly alter any behavioral measure in each test of defense. In contrast, ventral hippocampal lesions significantly reduced unconditioned defensive behaviors during exposure to cat‐odor without producing any observable effects during cat exposure. Furthermore, ventral lesions significantly attenuated conditioned defensive behaviors following the administration of footshock and during re‐exposure to each context. These results suggest a specific role for the ventral, not dorsal, hippocampus in modulating anxiety‐like behaviors in certain animal models of defense.