Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A moving‐invisible‐needle in a haystack experiment

The number of vagal neurones that project to the heart is small. These cells are scattered along most of the length of the medulla and cluster ventrolaterally to the two motor nuclei of the vagus nerve, the dorsal vagal motor nucleus (DVMN) and the nucleus ambiguus (NA). There is an even smaller number of neurones dispersed in the intermediate zone between the DVMN and NA. In order to record the electrical activity of these intermediate zone rarities in the living animal, it is necessary to drive a glass electrode in a blind fashion through the medulla, locate the cells by antidromic activation of their axons near the heart and hold these neurones as they move with the pulsations transmitted by heart beat and ventilator. The cells’ activities are usually depressed by anaesthesia but microiontophoresis of excitant amino acids evokes discharge. At the end of the experiment, the recording site must be marked. This is not an experiment for the weak of spirit, those who prefer the safety of harbour to the adventure of open sea. In this volume of Experimental Physiology we have the first paper on these rare cells by Kong et al. (2007) who, like Henry Dale, enjoy their adventures in physiology. It is necessary to explain why these experiments are worth doing, since they require hours of surgical preparation and hours of hunting and waiting for the double click of stimulus artefact and
Discordant total and free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assays: does calibration with WHO reference materials diminish the problem?

Abstract Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay-dependent variations could result in misinterpretation of individual PSA values. Therefore, the situation for clinical interpretation of PSA or percent free PSA (%fPSA) results is complicated. This review summarizes the differences in various total PSA (tPSA) and free PSA (fPSA) assays, and results obtained using the new World Health Organization (WHO) calibrated Access assays from various studies. Method comparisons between the traditionally calibrated Hybritech PSA and fPSA assays and the new “standardized” WHO calibrated assays yield results that are ∼25% lower for PSA and fPSA. A PSA cut-off of 3 or 3.1 μg/L should be considered for WHO calibrated assays in order to achieve the same sensitivity/specificity profile as with a cut-off of 4 μg/L in traditionally calibrated assays. The %fPSA cut-offs could be retained. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:1325–31.
Low-Power Reconfigurable Processor Utilizing Variable Dual $V_{\rm DD}$

The dual-VDD technique has already been employed in reconfigurable processors to improve energy efficiency. In this brief, a variable dual-VDD method is proposed to reduce power consumption further through varying the level of the lower VDD (VDDL) according to the application on a processor. It finds out the optimum VDDL mainly based on the utilization times of all arithmetic logic unit operations by this application. In this estimation, the analysis of technology and architecture is highly required as well. Static timing analysis and power analysis were performed on the RPU, a reconfigurable processor designed in 65-nm CMOS technology. It is estimated that the proposed method can reduce the power of its reconfigurable array by 32% on average for the applications of GPS, MPEG2, H.264, and audio video coding standard (AVS). If VDDL is fixed at 0.6-0.75 V, the power reduction rate of the reconfigurable array will be 15% less on average. The area penalty of this method is less than 3%.
Respiratory effects of sulfur mustard exposure, similarities and differences with asthma and COPD

Abstract Context: Previous research has found relationships between sulfur mustard (SM) toxicity and its adverse effects. Objective: SM is highly toxic to the respiratory system, leading to hacking cough, rhinorrheachest tightness, acute pharyngitis and laryngitis, chronic bronchitis and lung fibrosis. In this review, based on the scientific literature, we provide an updated summary of information on SM exposures and their differences with asthma and COPD. Method: Information of this review was obtained by searching Medline/PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Knowledge and Chemical Abstracts. Results: SM exposure can decrease pulmonary function tests (PFTs) values. In addition, inflammatory cell accumulation in the respiratory tract and increased expression of some pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), IL-1a, IL-1β, and reactive oxygen radicals due to SM exposure have been shown. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) which degrade extracellular matrix proteins, contributing to inflammatory cell recruitment, tissue injury and fibrosis are also up-regulated in the lung after SM exposure. In the lung, SM exposure also can cause serious pathological changes including airway inflammation, parenchymal tissue destruction and airway obstruction which can lead to asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Following SM poisoning, DNA damage, apoptosis and autophagy are observed in the lung along with the increased expression of activated caspases and DNA repair enzymes. Conclusion: In the present article, respiratory symptoms, changes in PFTs, lung pathology and lung inflammation due to SM exposure and the similarities and differences between them and those observed in asthma and COPD were reviewed.
Performance Evaluation of Neural Network Decision Models

Recently, promising results with neural networks have been reported for two-group classification problems such as bankruptcy prediction and thrift failures. Such applications are usually characterized by unequal frequencies of the two states of interest. This creates a major obstacle to effective performance evaluation of various decision models. Critical issues affecting the comparison include training sample design and the use of an appropriate performance metric. This paper addresses these two issues by comparing the performance of neural networks with that of statistical models for the decision problem of identifying successful new ventures.
What is new in critical illness and injury science? Patient safety amidst chaos: Are we on the same team during emergency and critical care interventions?

© 2015 International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science | Published by Wolters Kluwer Medknow More than a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine released its famous report To Err Is Human, which set an ambitious agenda for the world to reduce the number of patients harmed by medical errors. [1] In response, a number of new initiatives were launched, including electronic medical records, limited resident and faculty work hours, and implementation of evidence‐based care bundles and checklists. [2] Additionally, federal entities such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality established funding for patient safety research helped to develop patient safety organizations and a set of nationally vetted Patient Safety Goals via the National Quality Forum. In short, much of this work was focused on mitigating the risk of the human element in chaotic healthcare environments. [3] The current issue of the International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Sciences focuses on complications associated with procedures performed in the intensive care and trauma setting. [4‐10] It is imperative that all key aspects of patient safety should be maintained and observed during any routine and non‐routine invasive procedures, especially those performed outside of the standardized, controlled environment of the operating room.
DUTH at SemEval-2017 Task 5: Sentiment Predictability in Financial Microblogging and News Articles

We present the system developed by the team DUTH for the participation in Semeval-2017 task 5 - Fine-Grained Sentiment Analysis on Financial Microblogs and News, in subtasks A and B. Our approach to determine the sentiment of Microblog Messages and News Statements & Headlines is based on linguistic preprocessing, feature engineering, and supervised machine learning techniques. To train our model, we used Neural Network Regression, Linear Regression, Boosted Decision Tree Regression and Decision Forrest Regression classifiers to forecast sentiment scores. At the end, we present an error measure, so as to improve the performance about forecasting methods of the system.
Measures of Prefrontal System Dysfunction in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Clinical observations have suggested that individuals who have suffered traumatic stressful events exhibit disruption in abilities mediated by frontal brain systems. Therefore, this study employed tasks sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction, including delayed response (DR), delayed alternation (DA), object alternation (OA), delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS), and delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMTS), with participants having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared to controls, the PTSD participants were unimpaired on DA and DMTS, but they showed deficits on DR, OA, and DNMTS tasks. This pattern of results suggests disruption of functioning in selective prefrontal brain systems. Results are discussed in the context of the neuropsychological features of PTSD, as well as possible neuropathological and etiological underpinnings of this disorder.
SRRC Filter Implementation As Per DVB-S2 Standard

The new bandwidth-efficient DVB-S2 (EN302307) standard, the successor of DVB-S and DVB-DSNG is designed to address the challenges of cost-effectively transmitting high-quality video and advanced services via satellite. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of SRRC filter as part of the Baseband shaping and Quadrature modulation module of DVB-S2 standard for the three rolloff factors 0.20, 0.25, and 0.35. It is a pulse shaping filter which aims at minimising ISI.Direct form symmetric structure of FIR filter is used to design SRRC filter of order 96using MATLAB and FPGA implemented using ALTERA Quartus II.This paper will deliver the results of SRRC filter for different roll-offs along with the performance gain comparisons of DVB-S and DVB-S2 roll-offs.
Dynamics of shear-induced redistribution of F-actin in endothelial cells in vivo.

The steady-state responses of endothelial cell F-actin distribution to changes in in vivo shear stress have been well documented. The purpose of the current work was to define the dynamics of redistribution of F-actin in the period immediately after experimental changes in shear. We used abdominal aortic coarctation in rabbits to experimentally increase shear stress downstream from the coarctation by approximately twofold. In situ staining was employed to track subsequent F-actin redistribution. Within 12-15 hours, the number of stress fibers in the central regions of the cells decreased, and some separation of junctional actin in adjacent cells occurred. Long, central stress fibers of variable thickness were evident at 24 hours, but the band of actin normally seen at the periphery of the cells could no longer be distinguished. The redistribution of F-actin was completed over the next 24 hours by an increase in thickness of central stress fibers. Restoration of normal F-actin distribution after coarctations were removed proceeded more slowly. The long, thick stress fibers that were induced by high shear were replaced by thinner or shorter microfilament bundles 48 hours after the coarctations were removed. At 72 hours, central stress fibers were primarily long, thin structures. Peripheral F-actin was not fully restored at this time. Peripheral F-actin was restored at 1 week after removal of the coarctation, but there were still more and longer stress fibers at this time than were observed in control aortas. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Memorialising Gallipoli: Manufacturing Memory at Anzac

The memorials of Gallipoli have not lost their power to move, confront and often even inspire their visitors. Their meanings are re-visited, even re-invented by each successive generation of Anzac pilgrim and, contrary to the simplistic mono-dimensional readings of some historians, the Peninsula’s commemorative landscape remains a site of fierce contestation. Pacifist and patriot, back packer and bereaved all interpret it differently. Moreover, the memorials of Gallipoli continue to alert us to different cultures of commemoration; Christian, secular and Islamic, Turkish, British, French and Australian.
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

Raising and maintaining awareness in distributed agile cross-cultural teams is a challenging process, especially as the tenets of agile methods rely heavily on physical proximity, face-to-face communication, coordination and close collaboration. This paper reports on preliminary findings on how a distributed agile team within the financial sector, engages in raising awareness to carry out collaborative activities to accomplish project tasks. We have adapted the use of 3C Collaboration model as an evaluative mechanism to examine how the different dimensions (communication, coordination and cooperation) of the model stimulate awareness within a distributed agile team. The insights gained from the case study, suggest there is a constant interplay between the offshore and onshore teams to try and raise and maintain awareness in order to achieve project goals.
Protein synthesis: are there real species differences?

One of the major factors in the nitrogen metabolism of animals is the phenomenon of protein turnover i.e. the continual breakdown and synthesis of body protein, the resultant of which is protein deposition. The measurement of these processes has consequently attracted much interest although, for reasons of technique, attention has focused upon measurements of protein synthesis, protein breakdown being calculated from simultaneous measurements of growth and protein synthesis (Picou & Taylor-Roberts, 1969; Turner & Garlick, 1974; Golden et al. 1977). In this sense, the following paper will be no exception in its emphasis upon measurements of protein synthesis. The large majority of publications upon protein synthesis in vivo have been concerned with experiments in the rat and by and large these have concentrated upon individual tissues (although see Garlick et al. 1973, 1975; Lobley, Webster et al. 1978) in a wide variety of circumstances. Although there are available in the literature values for protein synthesis in various tissues in other species (Garlick et al. 1976; Nicholas et al. 1977; Buttery et al. 1977; Amal, 1977; Edmunds et al. 1978; Simon et al. 1978; Lobley, Reeds et a1. 1978) in general these have been obtained at one age and at a defined single intake of food. In all these studies the same general conclusions have been drawn i.e. that the fractional rate of protein synthesis (protein synthesis per unit time+amount of protein in tissue) in skeletal muscle is low and in the visceral tissues it is high, although there is some controversy over the relative contributions of different tissues to total body protein synthesis (discussed in Lobley et al. 1980). In contrast to these reports of ‘static’ measurements, information on protein turnover in man has been obtained under a variety of conditions (e.g. obesity, severe under-nutrition, injury and infection) but the large majority of studies have concentrated upon measurements of protein synthesis in the whole body (see Waterlow et al. 1978 for extensive review). It is difficult, therefore, to make many meaningful interspecies comparisons, particularly if interest is to be centred upon the responses of different species to
Protective properties of a human IgG preparation rich in antibodies to a wide spectrum of lipopolysaccharides

Naturally occurring human IgG, rich in antibodies to different lipopolysaccharides was investigated for possible protective effects against lethal endotoxin shock and lethal gram‐negative infection in mice. The IgG preparation was obtained from pooled serum of selected blood donors with high concentrations of antibodies to 11 different LPS as measured by ELISA. The human IgG (5 mg/mouse) protected C3H/TifF mice against an otherwise lethal infection with Salmonella typhimurium. The human IgG also inhibited the lethality induced by purified LPS in D‐galactosamine sensitized C57B1/6 mice. The protection was dependent on the IgG dose given. However, protection was not obtained against all the LPS preparations tested. Absorption of the IgG with different LPS, showed the protection to be caused by serotype‐specific anti‐LPS antibodies. Protection against a given LPS was not related directly to the corresponding anti‐LPS titer as measured by ELISA and passive hemolysis. The interpretation of these results is discussed.
Effect of influenza infection on the phagocytic and bactericidal activities of pulmonary macrophages

The effect of mouse-adapted influenza A/PR/8/34 virus on pulmonary macrophage function was evaluated by using an in vitro system which allowed direct virus interaction with macrophages and then separate analysis of the steps required for bacterial clearance by macrophages. Infection of macrophages with this virus resulted in the appearance of a hemagglutinating activity on the macrophage surface; expression of this activity was inhibited by amantadine, 2-deoxyglucose, and cycloheximide and by pretreatment of the virus inoculum with ultraviolet light and specific antiserum. Since there was no release of extracellular virus, this growth cycle appeared to be incomplete (abortive). After influenza infection, net ingestion of viable Staphylococcus aureus by macrophage monolayers was unaltered and there was no change in the fraction of the monolayer which ingested cocci over a wide range of bacterial inputs. Influenza-infected macrophages also inactivated intracellular S. aureus at a rate indistinguishable from controls. Therefore, these in vitro studies do not support the hypothesis that the defect in pulmonary antibacterial mechanisms associated with influenza infections results from a direct effect of virus infection on either the phagocytic or bactericidal activity of resident pulmonary macrophages.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Cancer: A Review

Cervical cancer is a type of malignancy emerging from cervix. This is a type of a cancer seen in women having regular oral contraceptives, infected with papillomavirus, having multiple pregnancies or by sexual relation with one or more men. This type of cancer can be detected by various symptoms like excessive bleeding through vagina after sexual contact or through metastases. It can be treated with cisplatin in chemotherapy, trachelectomy, hysterectomy and the kind of the treatment depends on the stage of the cancer and its severity.
Optimum treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation prevention.

An exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined as an acute worsening of symptoms greater than the usual day to day variation that requires increased pharmacotherapy (1). Some COPD patients suffer with exacerbations regularly, and the history of previous exacerbations is the best predictor for the risk of future exacerbations (2). The Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) uses a threshold of ≥ two exacerbations or one hospitalization in the last year to identify patients with an increased risk of future exacerbations (3).
Antiviral NK cell responses in HIV infection: I. NK cell receptor genes as determinants of HIV resistance and progression to AIDS

NK cells play an important role in controlling viral infections. They can kill virus‐infected cells directly as well as indirectly via antibody‐dependent, cell‐mediated cytotoxicity. They need no prior sensitization and expansion for this killing. NK cells are also considered as important regulators of antiviral immune responses. They do so by secreting a multitude of soluble mediators and by directly interacting with other immune cells, e.g., dendritic cells. NK cells do not possess a single well‐defined receptor to recognize antigens on target cells. Instead, they express an array of inhibitory and activating receptors and coreceptors, which bind to their cognate ligands expressed on the surface of target cells. These ligands include classical and nonclassical MHC class I antigens, MHC‐like proteins, and a variety of other self‐ and virus‐derived molecules. They may be expressed constitutively and/or de novo on the surface of virus‐infected cells. NK cell receptors (NKRs) of the killer‐cell Ig‐like receptor (KIR) family, like their MHC class I ligands, are highly polymorphic. Several recent studies suggest that epistatic interactions between certain KIR and MHC class I genes may determine innate resistance of the host to viral infections, including HIV. In the first part of this review article, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of NK cell immunobiology and describe how NKR genes, alone and in combination with HLA genes, may determine genetic resistance/susceptibilty to HIV infection and the development of AIDS in humans.
Grain Yield, Phenology and Water Use in Wheat-soybean Intercropping Compared to Sequential Crops and Cover Crop-soybean Systems

La intersiembra de soja en trigo permite el doble cultivo anual sin retrasar la siembra de soja como sucede en el doble cultivo secuencial, cubriendo el suelo durante el invierno con un cultivo de renta. Se evaluo el efecto de dos estructuras de intersiembra de soja en trigo, 50% de la superficie con trigo y 50% con soja (Tr50Sj50) y 40% trigo-60% soja (Tr40Sj60), sobre el agua disponible en el suelo (ADS) a la siembra de soja, fenologia, consumo de agua y rendimiento de soja con relacion al doble cultivo secuencial (Tr100Sj100) y soja de estacion completa (Sj). Para cuantificar el efecto del retraso en la siembra se evaluo soja tarde (Sjt), igual a Tr100Sj100. La intersiembra de soja en trigo logro un rendimiento menor al de Sj, pero Tr40Sj60 fue similar a Tr100Sj100 (3,06 Mg ha-1 para Sj y Sjt contra 2,1 y 1,78 Mg ha-1 para Tr40Sj60 y Tr100Sj100 respectivamente, p≤0,05). El trigo consumio el ADS hasta los 60 cm de profundidad tanto en la intersiembra como en Tr100Sj100. En la superficie a sembrar con soja en Tr40Sj60, el ADS a la siembra fue similar a la de Sj (57 y 41 mm respectivamente), pero al ponderarla con el ADS en la superficie con trigo, se redujo a 28 mm. La mayor produccion total se logro con Tr100Sj100, pero priorizando la soja, una estructura Tr30Sj70 lograria mantener el suelo cubierto durante el invierno, reservar ADS para la intersiembra y no perder rendimiento.
“Salt Templating”: A Simple and Sustainable Pathway toward Highly Porous Functional Carbons from Ionic Liquids

A facile method to fabricate high-surface area functional carbons via convenient "salt templating" is presented. Exemplarily, nitrogen- as well as nitrogen-/boron-co-doped carbons were synthesized using ionic liquids as precursors and eutectics as porogen. The porogen is easily removable with water and the porosities can be adjusted from micro- to mesoporous depending on the salt nature and amount.