Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
1 Swenson Misdiagnosed ! 69 F with progressive lower extremity weakness followed by deteriorating mental status

Case A 69-year-old female presented with progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness evolving over several months. Except for previous lumbar disc surgery and newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus, she was healthy prior to onset of the weakness. Initially, her condition was characterized by marked weakness in her lower extremities in comparison to her upper extremities, with preserved sensory function in all four extremities. Reflexes were preserved in her upper extremities and absent in the knees and ankles. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated disc bulging with some ventral effacement of the dural sac. There was severe central spinal stenosis at L3-4, plus evidence of the prior laminectomy at L4-5. These MRI findings were not significantly different from a prior MRI done a year earlier. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyographies (EMG) suggested polyradiculopathy of the lumbar region. Head CT was normal. Lumbar puncture was not performed at that time. Given the relatively unchanged MRI, autoimmune radiculopathy was suspected and patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for 6 weeks, but this resulted in no improvement. She continued to decline and required nursing home care.
The Southern Dwarf Hunt: Local Group Dwarf Candidates in the Southern Sky

We present observations of 82 Local Group dwarf galaxy candidates, of which 62 were chosen visually from ESO-SRC survey plates of the southern sky (32 of which were not previously cataloged) and the rest suggested by various sources in the literature. Two are the Local Group galaxies Antlia and Cetus; nine are more distant galaxies, though still within a few megaparsecs; 45 are background galaxies; seven are planetary (or other emission) nebulae; 15 are reflection or other Galactic nebulae; two are galaxy clusters; one is a Galactic star cluster; and one is a misidentified star. We conclude that there is no large population of faint Local Group dwarf galaxies of any familiar type awaiting discovery. We point out the danger of relying on a single type of data to reach conclusions about an object.
Antioxidant Modulation of F2-Isoprostanes in Humans: A Systematic Review

F2-isoprostanes are a biomarker of lipid peroxidation, and their measurement has emerged as a reliable approach to assess oxidative stress. However, dietary intervention studies in humans have provided contrasting results following supplementation with antioxidant-rich foods or supplements. In this paper, we have systematically reviewed the evidence about the effect of supplementation with antioxidant-rich foods and galenic antioxidants on isoprostanes levels in humans. Moreover, the association with nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC), a biomarker of endogenous antioxidant status, has also been investigated. MEDLINE database was searched using the terms “(isoprostane* OR isoP OR iso-PGF OR epi-PGF) AND (intervention* OR consumption* OR administration* OR supplementation*),” with limits activated “humans” and “English. ” Abstracts and full texts were screened, from which were selected human intervention studies reporting isoprostanes measurement in biological fluids. The total of the studies carried out with antioxidant-rich foods and antioxidant galenic supplements was 113, reporting 154 interventions. Results suggest that dietary antioxidants modulate successfully the levels of isoprostanes in less than 45% of the interventions. A correspondence between the effect on isoprostane and NEAC has been evidenced, and this correspondence suggests the importance of measuring different biomarkers to obtain a better outline of the redox events following supplementation.
[Co-transplantation of myoblasts and schwann cells in the therapy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy].

OBJECTIVE To study the fusion of transplanted myoblast with host muscle cells and the expression of dystrophin in the muscle of mdx mice model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) after local co-transplantation of myoblasts and schwann cells. METHODS Myoblasts and schwann cells were prepared with gastrocnemius muscle taken from newborn C57BL/10 mice. Twenty four mdx mice were divided into two groups, one group received the injection of myoblasts into gastrocnemius muscle of left behind limb of mdx mice, another group received the cotransplantation of schwann cells and myoblasts in a ratio of 1:10. The cells were transplanted to host mice once a week for four times. The mdx mice were sacrificed one month later, the expression of dystrophin in gastrocnemius muscle was measured, and the pathological and immunohistochemistry exams were performed. RESULTS The IOD of dystrophin of left gastrocnemius in co-transplantation group and myoblast transplantation group were 6342429.4167 +/- 925414.20068 and 5295615.7500 +/- 1243283.86373,respectively. The difference showed statistical significance, which indicated that the expression of dystrophin in co-transplantation group was higher than that of myoblast transplantation group. CONCLUSION local co-transplantation of myoblast and schwann cell can improve the myoblast's fusion after transplantation.
Development of a Low Cost Autonomous Indoor Aerial Robotics System with Passive Stabilization

The Pima Community College UAV Club has designed an air vehicle system to compete in the International Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC). The rules require an autonomous air vehicle to fly through an open portal into a cluttered indoor environment, search for a small flash drive and exchange the drive with a decoy while evading or deactivating various security systems. The mission deadline is between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on whether security alarms are triggered. The team designed a low cost air vehicle with a jellyfish configuration, on which a balloon stabilizer provides passive stability. Twin propellers suspended beneath the balloon provide lift, and a separate modular 2D thrust vector control system provides precise horizontal positioning, allowing the vehicle to respond rapidly to changes in HVAC air movement.
Contractility as a prerequisite for TGF-beta-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation in human tenon fibroblasts.

PURPOSE To assess the significance of Rho-kinase-dependent contractility in TGF-beta-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation of human tenon fibroblasts to characterize possible pharmacological targets for the inhibition of postoperative scarring after glaucoma surgery. METHODS Human tenon fibroblasts (HTFs) were grown in culture and stimulated with TGF-beta1. The effect of TGF-beta on Rho-GTPase activity was assessed by GST-rhotekin binding domain pulldown assay and detected by Western blot analysis. Contractility was evaluated in a silicone substrate wrinkling assay and in fibroblast-populated collagen gels. The actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions were visualized by immunofluorescence microscopy. alpha-SMA transcripts were measured by real-time RT-PCR. TGF-beta-induced Smad- and p38-activation and expression of alpha-SMA were detected by Western blot analysis. Nuclear translocation of Smad2/3 was determined by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. The influence of Rho-dependent kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) were studied by using specific kinase inhibitors (Y-27632, HA-1077, H-1152, and ML-7). RESULTS Within 10 minutes of stimulation, TGF-beta induced Rho activation that was associated with an increase in cell tension and followed by actin stress fiber enhancement. ROCK inhibitors released cell tension and averted TGF-beta-induced cytoskeletal changes, p38 activation and subsequent alpha-SMA expression, whereas Smad2-phosphorylation and nuclear translocation were preserved. MLCK inhibition also blocked alpha-SMA expression. In fibroblast-populated collagen lattices, ROCK inhibitors prevented TGF-beta-induced stress fiber assembly and contraction. CONCLUSIONS TGF-beta induces a rapid contractile response in HTFs that precedes myofibroblast transdifferentiation. ROCK inhibitors release this contraction and block subsequent TGF-beta-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation and may therefore serve to modulate postoperative scarring after glaucoma filtering surgery.
Insertion- and Deletion-Associated Genetic Diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Phospholipase C-Encoding Genes among 106 Clinical Isolates from Turkey

ABSTRACT Bacterial phospholipase C has been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of many bacteria. In order to gain a better understanding of the potential role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis phospholipase C in the pathogenesis of human tuberculosis, we investigated the genetic diversity of the four M. tuberculosis phospholipase C-encoding genes (plcA, plcB, plcC, and plcD) resulting from the IS6110 insertion and associated deletion, among 106 clinical isolates obtained from Turkey, by using PCR, Southern hybridization, and DNA sequencing. Two sequenced M. tuberculosis strains, H37Rv and CDC1551, were used as the references in the comparison. Sixty-six (62.3%) of the 106 isolates had an intact plcD gene, and 40 (37.7%) showed an interruption of the gene. Of the latter 40 isolates, 19 (47.5%) had an IS6110 insertion with no associated deletion in the plcD gene, 2 (5%) had an IS6110 insertion and an associated deletion within the plcD gene, 15 (37.5%) had an IS6110 insertion in the plcD gene that was associated with a partial deletion of the plcD gene and its right forward adjacent region, and 4 (10%) had a complete deletion of the plcD gene. The proportions of the isolates with an interrupted plcA, plcB, or plcC gene were 3.8, 1.9, and 3.8%, respectively. The data indicate that there is a much higher frequency of IS6110 insertion and deletion in the plcD gene than in the plcA, plcB, and plcC genes of M. tuberculosis.
First Identification of Canine Distemper Virus in Hoary Fox (Lycalopex vetulus): Pathologic Aspects and Virus Phylogeny

Canine distemper virus (CDV) has been reported in several wild animal species, but there have been no reports of CDV in hoary fox (Lycalopex vetulus). This paper characterizes the first case of natural CDV infection in hoary fox, including the clinical and pathologic aspects of the disease as well as the viral strain phylogeny.
For Time-Continuous Optimisation: Replacing Automation with Interactive Visualisation in Multi-Objective Behavioural Design

Strategies for optimisation in design normatively assume an artefact end-point, disallowing continuous architecture that engages living systems, dynamic behaviour, and complex systems. In our Flora Robotica investigations of symbiotic plant-robot bio-hybrids, we require computational tools and strategies that help us evaluate designed behaviours, rather than discrete ‘things’. In this paper, we present our strategy of using embodied interaction to facilitate engagement with a scenario’s full scope of possible states and their continuous changes over time. We detail the ways in which this approach to timecontinuous optimisation can be broadly impactful for decisionmaking, especially in architectural systems that aspire to effective dealings with control flows and lifecycle management.
Hong Kong AUGMENTED REALITY PROMOTING TIME TUNNEL

This paper presents an Augmented Reality application intended to establish a link to site history, approaching cultural heritage issues simulating the metaphor of time tunnel. It presents an initiative to bring technology to the end user, in order to rescue the past through AR of a plaza with cultural importance that suffered intervention with time. The work was developed as an exercise of a Virtual Reality class in a Graduate Program. The class exercise involved understanding uses of AR, development of AR applications and user perception of the built environment through the augmented lenses provided by AR applications. The method proposed for the exercise was the field study developed in seven steps: AR scope definition, preliminary exploration, AR application formulation, data collection and user perception evaluation. Four AR applications were developed and evaluated: 360 panorama and an overlap image, 3D object, and video with historic information. On site, users demonstrated surprise with the experiment and no difficulty of use, however transposition to the significant record of a past time varied with AR application and simplification of implementation.
Pattern of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Males Aged Forty Years and Above : Results from Screening of Apparently Healthy University Workers

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men are common in urological practice and are common reasons for presentation at clinics and emergency rooms for evaluation and treatment worldwide. The pattern of LUTS in Calabar, South southern Nigeria is not well documented. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and assess the pattern of LUTS in apparently healthy men aged 40 years and above using the IPSS questionnaire. Sixty one men were recruited into the study. The mean age was 52.02 years with age range of 40 – 66 years. Over eighty three percent of the men (83.6%) had mild symptoms, 11.5% had moderate and 4.9% had severe symptoms. Nocturia was the most common symptom and symptom severity was found to increase with age (p >0.001). Thus, the prevalence of mild to moderate lower urinary tract symptoms was found to be high in this cohort of patients with severity increasing with age. Efforts at increasing awareness about the condition and its management should be intensified.
Disrupted Daily Activities From Interruptive Smartphone Notifications: Relations With Depression and Anxiety Severity and the Mediating Role of Boredom Proneness

Little prior research on computer or smartphone interruptive notifications (INs) has examined psychological constructs associated with their adverse effects. We examined several mental health constructs in relation to disruptions in various daily activities resulting from INs. A total of 316 undergraduate students completed a web survey querying severity of depression, anxiety, boredom proneness, emotional distress tolerance, and frequency of IN-related activity disruptions. Bivariate correlations revealed that IN-related activity disruptions were positively related to levels of depression, anxiety, and boredom proneness. Using structural equation modeling, boredom proneness mediated relations between depression severity and IN-related disruptions. Results are discussed within the context of theories on cognitive resource limitations and excessive Internet use.
Glanders and the risk for its introduction through the international movement of horses.

Glanders is the contagious zoonotic disease caused by infection with Burkholderia mallei. It affects primarily horses, donkeys and mules. The disease was eradicated from large areas of the Western world in the early 20th century, but, over the last 10-20 years, has emerged and re-emerged in areas in which it was previously unknown or had been eradicated. Although glanders was previously thought to manifest in only acute or chronic presentations, it now appears that B. mallei can produce latent infections similar to those caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. These latent infections may or may not be detectable by current diagnostic tests. The diagnostic test currently recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties [OIE]) for international trade in equids is the complement fixation test (CFT). This test has been shown to have varying sensitivities and specificities depending on the antigen and methodology used. False positives are problematic for the horse-owner and veterinary authority, whereas false negatives may allow the reintroduction of B. mallei into B. mallei-free areas. These gaps in knowledge of the epidemiology of glanders, and weaknesses in its diagnosis, coupled with the increased movement of equids, indicate that infection with B. mallei remains a major risk in the context of international movement of equids.
QUESTION ANSWERING SYSTEM FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION USING E-LEARNING AND COLLABORATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN INDIA

Today, e-learning in education & distance learning is the most popular way to gain knowledge and share information between learning communities. In India, formal learning phase is hard-hitting to lower middle class people due to economic background. To resolve this issue and improve the life standards of people, distance education based on e-learning and collaborative learning paves a way. Information retrieval domain supports in this to display the specific answer for the user query which makes the learning easier. Question answering system returns sentence segment rather than returning list of documents. We present a mobile based question answering system that serves as a personal assistant in learning and providing information about computers, software and hardware, book reviews using natural language.QA models accept the query in natural language, analyze and compare it with information stored in the knowledge base. It displays the optimized response snippets which improves the efficiency of e-learning retrieval responses. The proposed system was developed to help the users to learn the subject knowledge at times of examination, technical interview and share answer for other users. This paper proposes a technique to find the type of question that in turn leads to a correct answer. The knowledge base created from the benchmark dataset such as Amazon Book Reviews, 20newsgroup, Quora, and Yahoo! Answer. This paper also focuses on the Indian education scenario, eLearning tools for easy learning through content preparation and presentation. The system interface has been evaluated using standard metrics such as Precision, Fetch, F1 Score, Inverse Precision, and Inverse Recall for the appropriate relevant response.
Image classification by semisupervised sparse coding with confident unlabeled samples

Abstract. Sparse coding has achieved very excellent performance in image classification tasks, especially when the supervision information is incorporated into the dictionary learning process. However, there is a large amount of unlabeled samples that are expensive and boring to annotate. We propose an image classification algorithm by semisupervised sparse coding with confident unlabeled samples. In order to make the learnt sparse coding more discriminative, we select and annotate some confident unlabeled samples. A minimization model is developed in which the reconstruction error of the labeled, the selected unlabeled and the remaining unlabeled data and the classification error are integrated, which enhances the discriminant property of the dictionary and sparse representations. The experimental results on image classification tasks demonstrate that our algorithm can significantly improve the image classification performance.
Dual Benefit of Reduced Cx43 on Atherosclerosis in LDL Receptor-Deficient Mice

Paracrine cell-to-cell interactions are crucial events during atherogenesis, however, little is known on the role of gap junctional communication during this process. We recently demonstrated increased expression of Cx43 in intimal smooth muscle cells and in a subset of endothelial cells covering the shoulder of atherosclerotic plaques. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of Cx43 in the development of atherosclerosis in vivo. Atherosclerosis-susceptible LDL receptor-deficient (LDLR−/−) mice were intercrossed with mice heterozygous for Cx43 (Cx43+/−mice). Male mice with normal (Cx43+/+LDLR−/−) or reduced (Cx43+/−LDLR−/−) Cx43 level of 10 weeks old were fed a cholesterol-rich diet (1.25%) for 14 weeks. Both groups of mice showed similar increases in serum lipids and body weight. Interestingly, the progression of atherosclerosis was reduced by 50% (P < 0.01) in the thoraco-abdominal aorta and in the aortic roots of Cx43+/−LDLR−/−mice compared with Cx43+/+LDLR−/−littermate controls. In addition, atheroma in Cx43+/−LDLR−/−mice contained fewer inflammatory cells and exhibited thicker fibrous caps with more collagen and smooth muscle cells, important features associated, in human, with stable atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, reducing Cx43 expression in mice provides beneficial effects on both the progression and composition of the atherosclerotic lesions.
Virus surveys of commercial vineyards show value of planting certified vines

Viruses are of great concern in vineyards. They cost the California wine grape industry as much as $91,661 per acre over the life of a vineyard, according to a 2015 economic study of the North Coast wine-growing region. As a first step toward managing viruses, growers are encouraged to plant certified material regulated by the California Grapevine Registration and Certification program. There are risks in sourcing plant material from stocks that are not subject to the same level of regulation. We surveyed vineyards of varying ages for eight common viruses to demonstrate the value of selecting certified material for new plantings.
09 03 9 v 1 6 S ep 2 00 6 Coherent Spin Dynamics into Space Quantization

We propose a mechanism to describe how a physical quantity, w hich initially can take continuous values, is restricted within some discrete values after a measureme nt. As an example of the present theory, in which interplay between coherence of motion and fluctuation from d isturbance plays an important role, we investigate motion of a spin state in a magnetic field. First, we point out t ha discrete eigenstates are formed from continuous states as a result of coherence of precession motion of a spin . Next, by assuming disturbance from environmental electromagnetic fields, we investigate temporal change of d irection of a spin state by applying the first order perturbation theory and the Monte Carlo technique. Results of simulations show that the spins, whose directions are randomly distributed at the initial time, are reoriente d toward only two directions due to fluctuation guided by coherence.
Evaluation of Multiple Fat-Btrees on a Parallel Database

Fat-Btree, as well as the following contribution work for its efficient concurrent control, load balancing and data reliability, has been proposed for the high-speed access in parallel database systems on shared-nothing environment. Because these contributions are focus on the index accessing and maintenance efficiency only, a single Fat-Btree structure in a parallel database system is sufficient for all the previous evaluations. However, databases with multiple relations require multiple Fat-Btrees for the parallel accessing. In this work, we introduce the construction of a multiple Fat-Btree index system for multiple relations, a study of the throughput in this system using PostgreSQL based DBMS cluster is provided. Keyword Fat-Btree,Multiple Relation,Parallel Database
E-Gen : traitement automatique d'informations de ressources humaines

L’internet est au cœur du marche du travail et son utilisation s’etend a mesure qu’augmente le nombre d’internautes. La recherche d’emploi au travers des « bourses a l’emploi electroniques » et l’e-recrutement se sont banalises. Cette explosion d’informations pose divers problemes pour leur traitement rapide et efficace. Nous presentons le projet EGen, qui permet d’analyser les offres d’emploi de maniere automatique ou assistee. Base sur des classifieurs pilotes par un automate de Markov, le systeme obtient de tres bons resultats. Nous proposons egalement une strategie afin d’assister les recruteurs dans la tâche – difficile et d’une grande subjectivite – de classement de candidatures. Nous evaluons differentes mesures de similarite afin d’effectuer un classement pertinent des candidatures. L’utilisation d’un modele de relevance feedback a permis de surpasser nos resultats.