Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of endothelial microparticle with NO, eNOS, ET-1, and fractional flow reserve in patients with coronary intermediate lesions

Abstract Endothelial microparticle (EMP) is a biomarker for endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study is to investigate the utility of EMP in evaluating coronary intermediate lesions. Participants included 49 patients with coronary intermediate lesions and 24 subjects with normal coronary arteries. Among these subjects, 28 patients accepted fractional flow reserve (FFR). Results showed that level of EMP was significantly higher in the intermediate lesion group. No correlation was found between EMP and FFR value, suggesting that circulating EMP is a systemic marker rather than a focal one.
Preexisting intimal hyperplasia of radial artery is associated with early failure of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND The radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF), which provides the best vascular access for hemodialysis, continues to have a high incidence of early failure. Intimal hyperplasia (IH) of the radial artery is observed commonly in uremic patients before hemodialysis, but the impact of this preexisting IH on the early failure of radiocephalic AVFs has not been reported yet. Therefore, we designed this study to: (1) investigate clinical risk factors for IH, and (2) determine whether preexisting IH of the radial artery is associated with early failure of a radiocephalic AVF. METHODS Specimens from the radial artery were obtained during the radiocephalic AVF operation. IH was measured with trichrome staining, and AVF patency was prospectively followed up for 12 months after the operation. RESULTS Of the 59 patients, 45 patients had evidence of IH in their radial artery (76.2%). Patients with IH (n = 45) were older than those without IH (n = 14; 58 +/- 12 versus 44 +/- 17 years; P = 0.003). The incidence of diabetes mellitus in patients with IH was greater than that in patients without IH (60.0% versus 28.6%; P = 0.004). Of the 57 patients, except for 2 patients who died before the end point of the study with patent AVFs, fistula failure was observed only in patients with IH (22 of 44 patients; 50% versus 0%; P < 0.001). The intima was thicker in the failed-AVF group than the patent-AVF group (93.1 +/- 37.5 versus 45.6 +/- 17.4 micrometer P < 0.001). CONCLUSION This study suggests that early failure of radiocephalic AVFs in hemodialysis patients is closely associated with preexisting IH of the radial artery.
An evaluation of [F‐18]‐fluorodeoxy‐D‐glucose positron emission tomography, bone scan, and bone marrow aspiration/biopsy as staging investigations in Ewing Sarcoma

Staging investigations following the diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma may include chest computerized tomography (CT), technetium bone scintigraphy (bone scan), [F‐18]‐fluorodeoxy‐D‐glucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) scan, and bone marrow biopsy and aspiration (BMA/Bx). Each of these staging investigations provides complementary prognostic information, however the optimal combination of staging investigations is not clear.
AQAK: A library anxiety scale for undergraduate students

The library environment has drastically changed since 1992 when Bostick’s Library Anxiety Scale was developed. This project aimed to develop a scale specifically for undergraduate students. A three-stage study was conducted, using students of Kuwait University. A variety of statistical measures, including factor analysis, were used to process the data. A test re-test was undertaken to estimate the reliability of the scale. The resulting scale, named AQAK, consists of 40 statements clustered into five factors which are: (1) Library resources, (2) Library staff, (3) User knowledge, (4) Library environment, and (5) User education. This new scale with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.904 is 90 percent reliable. The gender of the participants, the type of high school attended, and the college where they are studying have no relationship with library anxiety.
Traffic Surveillance : A Review of Vision Based Vehicle Detection , Recognition and Tracking

Video-based analysis of traffic surveillance is an active area of research, which has a wide variety of applications in intelligent transport systems (ITSs). In particular, urban environments are more challenging than highways due to camera placement, background clutter, and vehicle pose or orientation variations. This paper provide a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art video processing techniques for vehicle detection, recognition and tracking with analytical description. In this survey, we categorize vehicle detection into motion and appearance based techniques, varying from simple frame differencing and adaptive median filtering, to more sophisticated probabilistic modeling and feature extracting. We also discuss vehicle recognition and classification utilizing vehicle attributes like color, license plate, logo and type, provide a detailed description of the advances in the field. Next we categorize tracking into model, region and features based tracing. Finally tracking algorithms including Kalman and particle filter are discussed in term of correspondence matching, filtering, estimation and dynamical models.
STUDIES ON WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF SOME EUPHORBIA SPECIES ON EXPERIMENTAL RATS

Background: Plants of Euphorbiaceae are used in folkloric medicines in variety of ailments and well known for chemical diversity of their isoprenoid constituents. This study was carried out to explore the preliminary wound healing potential of four Euphorbia species (E. consorbina 1, E. consorbina 2, E. inarticulata, E. balsamifera and E. schimperi). Materials and Methods: Excision wound surface of the animals were topically treated with ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of plants at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight for twenty days. Povidone-iodine ointment was used as a reference drug. Wound contraction measurement and period of epithelialization were used to assess the effect of plants extracts on wound repairing. Results: The groups treated with methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi showed profound effects, high rate of wound contraction (100%) and decrease in epithelization period 19.00±0.40 and 18.50±0.64 respectively, followed by methanol extracts of E. consorbina 2, ethyl acetate extract of E. inarticulata and ethyl acetate extracts of E. consorbina 2 which showed significant (P <0.001) wound contraction and decrease in epithelization period. Conversely ethyl acetate extract of E. consorbina 1, E. balsamifera and E. schimperi and methanol extract of E. Consorbina 1 and E. Inarticulata treated groups was not showing significant wound healing. Methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi were also tested for their safety margin and found safe up to dose of 2000mg/kg body weight. Conclusion: Topical application of methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi have potential wound healing activity which is identical with standard drug Povidone-iodine.
Modeling, design and automation of 5 Gbps serial link transceiver with jitter cancellation

In this paper, a generic high speed link transceiver is modeled, and this model is used to obtain high level design parameters for the design. With system level design inputs, the model is further developed to obtain optimum circuit level design parameters and other design level decisions for a given signal integrity specification. The model is developed using Algorithmic Modeling Interface (AMI), and design parameters for USB3.0 is obtained and USB3.0 transceiver is designed. The transceiver implemented in CMOS 90nm technology is discussed, and the results are compared with the model's predicted results (thus validating the model). For USB3.0, a two tap FFE and a 3-tap DFE is found optimum and then circuit level design is implemented. This circuit-level implementation from the parameters obtained can be automated, thereby automating full design flow from specification to circuit. This automated flow to meet the given signal integrity specifications is discussed.
Elastic network models for understanding biomolecular machinery: from enzymes to supramolecular assemblies

With advances in structure genomics, it is now recognized that knowledge of structure alone is insufficient to understand and control the mechanisms of biomolecular function. Additional information in the form of dynamics is needed. As demonstrated in a large number of studies, the machinery of proteins and their complexes can be understood to a good approximation by adopting Gaussian (or elastic) network models (GNM) for simplified normal mode analyses. While this approximation lacks chemical details, it provides us with a means for assessing the collective motions of large structures/assemblies and perform a comparative analysis of a series of proteins, thus providing insights into the mechanical aspects of biomolecular dynamics. In this paper, we discuss recent applications of GNM to a series of enzymes as well as large structures such as the HK97 bacteriophage viral capsids. Understanding the dynamics of large protein structures can be computationally challenging. To this end, we introduce a new approach for building a hierarchical, reduced rank representation of the protein topology and consequently the fluctuation dynamics.
Zum Kulturbegriff im Neolithikun

Am Beispiel von Michelsberger Funden im östlichen Mitteleuropa hat R. Hachmann sich jüngst mit dem in der Erforschung des Jungneolithikums verwendeten Kulturbegriff beschäftigt. Derartige begrifflich-methodische Probleme werden nur relativ selten in den Mittelpunkt einer Betrachtung gestellt, und in aller Regel müssen die Vorstellungen über Inhalt und Abgrenzung der Begriffe aus ihrer praktischen Anwendung auf einen konkreten Fundstoff erschlossen werden. Das gilt im Neolithikum besonders für den dort so häufigen Terminus „Kultur", der zwar in der Praxis überwiegend nur auf ganz bestimmte archäologische Tatbestände angewendet wird, dessen Entstehung, Inhalt, Aussagebereich und Grenzen jedoch nicht immer bewußt erkannt und nur selten exakt beschrieben werden. So herrschen denn über die schon im Ansatz unpräzise Frage, „was eine neolithische Kultur sei", recht widersprüchliche Ansichten, die kaum jemals bis zu vollentwickelten Definitionen durchgebildet werden. Die Erörterungen von R. Hachmann geben daher einen willkommenen Anlaß, näher auf die Frage einzugehen, was denn im Neolithikum die Bezeichnung bestimmter archäologischer Erscheinungen als „Kulturen" bedeutet und was sie nicht bedeutet. Dazu scheint es angebracht, sich zunächst einige grundlegende Erfordernisse methodischen Vorgehens erneut zu vergegenwärtigen. Oswald Menghin hat in seiner sehr lesenswerten knappen Abhandlung über „urgeschichtliche Grundfragen" dargelegt, daß die Urgeschichtsforschung, wie jede andere Wissenschaft, an
RESPeRATE: Nonpharmacological Treatment of Hypertension

Systemic hypertension has been well documented as a major risk factor for premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Reduction of high blood pressure (BP) by nonpharmacological means is widely recommended, either as a primary prevention therapy or as an adjunctive treatment with antihypertensive drugs. RESPeRATE is a commercially available electronic device that presents a novel nonpharmacological approach to the treatment of hypertension. RESPeRATE-guided slow-paced breathing aimed at achieving a respiratory frequency of <10 breaths per minute has been shown, in multiple studies, to reduce BP in hypertensive individuals by improving the autonomic balance through respiratory control. This article discusses RESPeRATE and the scientific evidence that supports the use of device-guided slow breathing to reduce BP.
Avian Cholera in a Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) from Antarctica

A southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus) was found dead at Potter Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland, Antarctica. The adult male was discovered approximately 48 hr after death. Macroscopic and microscopic lesions were compatible with avian cholera and the bacterium Pasteurella multocida subsp. gallicida, serotype A1 was isolated from lung, heart, liver, pericardial sac, and air sacs. In addition, Escherichia coli was isolated from pericardial sac and air sacs. This is the first known report of avian cholera in a southern giant petrel in Antarctica.
Reports in Discourse

Attitude or speech reports in English with a non-parenthetical syntax sometimes give rise to interpretations in which the embedded clause, e.g., "John was out of town" in the report " Jill said that John was out of town", seems to convey the main point of the utterance while the attribution predicate, e.g., " Jill said that", merely plays an evidential or source-providing role (Urmson, 1952). Simons (2007) posits that parenthetical readings arise from the interaction between the report and the preceding discourse context, rather than from the syntax or semantics of the reports involved. However, no account of these discourse interactions has been developed in formal semantics. Research on parenthetical reports within frameworks of rhetorical structure has yielded hypotheses about the discourse interactions of parenthetical reports, but these hypotheses are not semantically sound. The goal of this paper is to unify and extend work in semantics and discourse structure to develop a formal, discourse-based account of parenthetical reports that does not suffer the pitfalls faced by current proposals in rhetorical frameworks.
A two-dimensional random projected minutiae vicinity decomposition-based cancellable fingerprint template

With the massive deployment of biometric applications, protecting the biometric template has attracted great attention because of the privacy issue. Although many proposals on protecting biometric template have been reported in literature, design a method simultaneously satisfying four criteria, that is performance, non-invertibility, cancellability, and diversity still remains unsolved. In this paper, we proposed a two-dimensional random projected minutiae vicinity decomposition MVD technique to secure minutiae-based fingerprint template. Minutiae vicinity is first formed from a set of fingerprint minutiae and further used to generate a set of local features, namely MVD features; then, a random matrix derived from user-specific token is used to project MVD features for the concealment of the topology of MVD. Comprehensive experiments on fingerprint verification competition datasets are carried out, and the lowest equal error rate obtained in the stolen-token scenario is 3.07% and 1.02% for fingerprint verification competition 2002 database 1 and database 2, respectively. Besides, detail analyses on the irreversibility, cancellability, template size, and computational cost have been carried out. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proton transfer unlocks inactivation in cyclic nucleotide‐gated A1 channels

Desensitization and inactivation provide a form of short‐term memory controlling the firing patterns of excitable cells and adaptation in sensory systems. Unlike many of their cousin K+ channels, cyclic nucleotide‐gated (CNG) channels are thought not to desensitize or inactivate. Here we report that CNG channels do inactivate and that inactivation is controlled by extracellular protons. Titration of a glutamate residue within the selectivity filter destabilizes the pore architecture, which collapses towards a non‐conductive, inactivated state in a process reminiscent of the usual C‐type inactivation observed in many K+ channels. These results indicate that inactivation in CNG channels represents a regulatory mechanism that has been neglected thus far, with possible implications in several physiological processes ranging from signal transduction to growth cone navigation.
Ash Wednesday: The Effects of a Fire

The psychological effects of bushfires that devastated areas of South Australia on Ash Wednesday 1983 are described. We emphasise the need to assess the various components of a disaster to understand its immediate and long-term impact. In the inventory phase, much of the symptomatic disturbance is different from that seen in psychiatric clinic populations and is best dealt with in the early stages using a consultation model. Providing information about the nature of these reactions is helpful for those affected and for service personnel managing disaster relief. In the reconstruction phase, it is important for relief agencies to be aware of the ways in which grief and psychological morbidity can interfere with people's ability to make decisions and carry out practical tasks.
Genetic variation in the seven‐pass transmembrane cadherin CELSR1: lack of association with schizophrenia

Objectives Cadherins play a critical role in morphogenesis and maintenance of neuronal connections in the adult brain. We examined the gene encoding a member of the non‐classic seven‐pass transmembrane cadherins, CELSR1 for association with schizophrenia. It maps to chromosome 22q13.31, a region in which evidence for linkage to schizophrenia has been reported. The gene has an unusually large first exon of 3544 nucleotides, which encodes the signal peptide and all nine ectodomains in the protein. Methods We screened this exon in 24 schizophrenic patients using denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography followed by sequencing. Genotyping of aminoacid changes was performed with primer extension on a sample of 244 Bulgarian schizophrenic patients from 233 families and all their parents, as well as 180 schizophrenic patients from the UK and 157 controls. Results Three amino‐acid changes were identified and shown to be in complete linkage disequilibrium: L556 V, S664W and R1126C. There was no preferential transmission of alleles from heterozygous parents to affected offspring. In the UK population the rare alleles were even more common in controls, and this difference almost reached statistical significance for R1126C (&KHgr;2 = 3.63, P = 0.057). Conclusions We conclude that variations in the nine ectodomains of CELSR1 do not increase susceptibility to schizophrenia.
La integración social de los discapacitados: Análisis de la normativa internacional en materia de discapacidad desde la perspectiva colombiana

El tema de la discapacidad en Colombia ha tenido tanta trascendencia en los ultimos veinte anos, que no ha habido uno soloen el que no se expidan normas tendientes a fortalecer la integracion social de una poblacion que -ademas de padecer lasinclemencias propias de su limitacion- le ha tocado desenvolverse en una sociedad acostumbrada a marginarla. Incluso hoy,a pesar de la existencia de un ordenamiento juridico que pretende reducir discapacidades, se carece de una cultura integracionistaque fomente -basada en la solidaridad- la inclusion material de los discapacitados- El presente articulo de reflexiones el resultado del analisis de la parte del ordenamiento internacional que hace referencia, general o especificamente, a las personas con discapacidad fisica, psiquica o sensorial. Utilizando una metodologia cronologica, se individualizan las disposiciones internacionales que, desde 1948, han sido expedidas para favorecer a la poblacion discapacitada. Finalmente, se hace un breve analisis de la normativa nacional y enuncian las disposiciones constitucionales que tienen en cuenta a estesector de la poblacion.
Therapeutic potential of dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Incretins are peptide hormones, exemplified by glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and glucagon-like peptide 1 that are released from the gut in response to nutrient ingestion and enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Incretin action is terminated due to N-terminal cleavage of the peptides by the aminopeptidase dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). Hence, inhibition of glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and glucagon-like peptide 1 degradation via reduction of DPP-IV activity represents an innovative strategy for enhancing incretin action in vivo. This review summarises the biology of incretin action, the structure, expression and pleiotropic biological activities of DPP-IV and provides an overview of the rationale, potential merits and theoretical pitfalls in the development of DPP-IV inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Case Study on LLVM as suitable intermediate language for binary analysis

Many binary analysis tools and compilers, instead of directly working on code, use an intermediate representation of it. The idea of this thesis is to use the well-tested intermediate representation from LLVM for binary analysis tasks. We take a look at McSema, a tool to translate x86 and x86_64 binaries to LLVM, describe its translation process in detail and additionally implement Python bindings for it. To practically test McSema, we present five examples of code we translate to LLVM and then recompile again. The last of these demos is an example on using KLEE, a symbolic execution engine for LLVM, on the code produced by McSema in order to successfully solve a CrackMe. We conclude that McSema’s translation approach provides a suitable way to extract functions from binaries to integrate them in other code or to analyse them using symbolic execution, as well as serving as a potential basis to implement an LLVM-based decompiler. We also compare it to Remill, another tool similar to McSema, which generates code that represents the assembly code more explicitly and VEX, the intermediate representation used in Valgind and Angr, which is also more close to the machine code.
Reading The Stone Virgins as Vera's Study of the Katabolism of War

The article addresses Vera's unusual foregrounding of a violent male figure in The Stone Virgins—that of the dissident war veteran Sibaso, whose acts of murder and rape are depicted in mesmeric detail, as is his inner life. This focus in the text is read as serving Vera's analysis of the deforming, decreating effects of war on the individual psyche and on wider social forms. The densities of Vera's style and the disquieting shifts in narrative perspective in this text are interpreted as serving her sustained enquiry into the nature and effects of war. It is argued here that close textual engagement with this novel disproves standard critical notions about Vera's feminine focus in her writing, arguing that from the beginning of The Stone Virgins the writer establishes—albeit in a challenging and interrogative context—her particular interest here in the results of male subjugation to authority forms. It is argued that in a broader sense Vera contextualizes this focus through her cautionary and by no means merely valedictory portrayal of certain female war veterans, and in her recognition by way of contrast of the soft strength of such figures as Nonceba, Thenjiwe, and Cephas.