Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Redo Surgery for Carotid Artery Stenosis: When and How?

Purpose: We analyzed operations performed at our institution retrospectively for recurrent carotid artery stenosis to assess the indication for surgery. We also assessed the techniques used for these operations. Patients and methods: From January 1992 to December 1998 1210 carotid endarterectomies were performed. Forty two (3.4%) of these were for recurrent stenosis. A new vein patch was implanted in 27 cases, PTFE patches were used in nine cases. In six cases an interposition with the great saphenous vein was performed. Results: The mean interval between primary and secondary procedure was 60.2 months (3 months to 23 yr). Twenty five of our 41 patients had had ipsilateral neurologic symptoms before redo surgery, the remainder were free of symptoms. The grade of stenosis was over 90% in 22 cases, between 75 and 90% in 11 cases and below 75% in nine cases, two cases had aneurysmatic lesions. None of the patients died in the 30 day observation period. One patient had a stroke with a permanent neurological deficit. In two cases postoperative bleeding occurred requiring reexploration. Two patients developed hypoglossal neurapraxia and in four patients the recurrent laryngeal nerve was injured. One patient had an apnoic episode in the recovery room. Conclusion: The reported incidence of recurrent carotid artery stenosis surgery ranges from 3 to 36% and our incidence is at the lower end of this range. The surgical results of reoperating are acceptable with a low incidence of complications.
Gestational exposure to the AhR agonist 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin induces BRCA‐1 promoter hypermethylation and reduces BRCA‐1 expression in mammary tissue of rat offspring: Preventive effects of resveratrol

Studies with murine models suggest that maternal exposure to aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists may impair mammary gland differentiation and increase the susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis in offspring. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these perturbations remain largely unknown. Previously, we reported that the AhR agonists 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) induced CpG methylation of the breast cancer‐1 (BRCA‐1) gene and reduced BRCA‐1 expression in breast cancer cell lines. Based on the information both the human and rat BRCA‐1 genes harbor xenobiotic responsive elements (XRE = 5′‐GCGTG‐3′), which are binding targets for the AhR, we extended our studies to the analysis of offspring of pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats treated during gestation with TCDD alone or in combination with the dietary AhR antagonist resveratrol (Res). We report that the in utero exposure to TCDD increased the number of terminal end buds (TEB) and reduced BRCA‐1 expression in mammary tissue of offspring. The treatment with TCDD induced occupancy of the BRCA‐1 promoter by DNA methyltransferase‐1 (DNMT‐1), CpG methylation of the BRCA‐1 promoter, and expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin‐dependent kinase‐4 (CDK4). These changes were partially overridden by pre‐exposure to Res, which stimulated the expression of the AhR repressor (AhRR) and its recruitment to the BRCA‐1 gene. These findings point to maternal exposure to AhR agonists as a risk factor for breast cancer in offspring through epigenetic inhibition of BRCA‐1 expression, whereas dietary antagonists of the AhR may exert protective effects. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multisensor data and thermodynamic sea-ice model based sea-ice thickness chart with application to the Kara Sea, Arctic Russia

Abstract We introduce a method to construct an ice thickness chart using two satellite datasets and a one-dimensional high-resolution thermodynamic snow and sea-ice model (HIGHTSI). Thin-ice thickness up to 40 cm is retrieved using MODIS ice surface temperature data. For thicker ice, thickness is retrieved from a combination of SAR image and background level ice thickness chart H i provided by HIGHTSI. Because H i is inherently static, we utilize passive microwave data based sea-ice concentration charts to introduce mesoscale ice dynamics into H i. In order to create the thickness chart, the value of modified H i is scaled by a factor which depends on the magnitude of backscattering coefficient σ0. The proposed method is effective in cold winter conditions. We calculated a series of ice thickness charts covering the Kara Sea, Arctic Russia, during winter 2008/09. The ice thickness charts were validated against Russian ice charts. Our method gave realistic results in the thickness range 30–120 cm and was uncertain for the detection of thinner-ice areas. Due to the limitations in our reference dataset, more validation work is needed to establish the accuracy in more detail. Our thickness charts can be used for operational purposes and in climate studies.
Effects of Aggregation Size and Host Plant on the Survival of an Ant-Tended Membracid (Hemiptera: Membracidae): Potential Roles in Selecting for Generalized Host Plant Use

Abstract Insect herbivores that are tended by ants exhibit a range in host plant use from specialists to extreme generalists. Potential factors that may influence relative suitability of different host plants include the presence or absence of ants and the size of aggregations formed by nymphs feeding on a host. We used a membracid-ant mutualism to test whether presence of ants or aggregation size (from 20 to 320 nymphs per plant) resulted in variable selection for host use by the generalist membracid Publilia modesta (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) that feeds on host species Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Hook.) Nutt. and Wyethia spp. , among others. Survival of nymphs as mid-instars and the percentage of nymphs developing into adults on C. viscidiflorus were greater for nymphs in small than in large aggregations. Survival of nymphs as mid-instars on Wyethia spp. was also greater in smaller aggregations, but the percentage of nymphs developing into adults was independent of aggregation size. The presence of the tending ant, Formica obscuripes Forel, had no effect on the percentage of nymphs developing into adults during this experiment. The survival of membracids on C. viscidiflorus was always greater than survival of membracids on Wyethia spp. , regardless of aggregation size or presence of ants; the favored host did not vary in a way that would explain the observed generalized host plant use. C. viscidiflorus was a superior host plant, because it senesced after nymphs became adults, whereas Wyethia spp. senesced early enough that most nymphs died before reaching adulthood.
Space bounds for transactional synchronization

Most general purpose shared memory synchronization primitives such as COMPARE&SWAP, FETCH&ADD, etc. can be classified as read-rnodi~y-wtite operations; in one atomic sequence, a shaxed memory value is read, a function is applied to the value, and a new value (possibly the same) is written back. Recently [4, 6, 7] another paradigm has been proposed, in which syncrhonization is accomplished by linking independent read and write operations separated by an arbitraxy computation. The linking is such that the write operation will succeed only if the shared memory has not been modified since the read. We call this transactional synchronization. It is natural to investigate the relationship between these two types of synchronization. Clearly, using transactional synchronization we can simulate an-y RMW primitive using optimal time and space, but is the converse true? It follows from Herlihy’s well-known results [3] that a sufficiently powerful (i.e., universal) primitive is both necessary and sufficient to implement transactional synchronization. More recently, Anderson and Moir [1] have given a construction implementing transactional synchronization from COMPARE&SWAP that requires only constant time. Can sufficiently powerful RMW primitives implement transactional synchronization using only a constant amount of space? We show that the answer is no. In order to answer this question, we propose a model and the r-eservationicommit problem. A solution to this problem is parameterized by three variables: n, M, and k. Informally, a solution to the (M, k)-RC problem for n processes can be used to implement transactional synchronization for a shared memory of size A4 where a single process can have at most k outstanding transactions. It can be shown that any solution to the (1, 1)-RC problem for n processes requires at least n distinct states; by introducing the technical requirement that the solution be memor-yless [2], we can raise this bound to 2n – 1. Thus, any implement ation of transactional synchronization using RMW primitives must use at least n bits of memory. We discuss extending these results to the cases (&f, 1) and (M, k). Both appear to require strictly more space, although the exact bounds are as yet unknown. We also discuss upper bounds for the problem under
Response of Antioxidative Enzymes and Apoplastic Bypass Transport in Thlaspi Caerulescens and Raphanus Sativus to Cadmium Stress

A hydroponics experiment using hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens (alpine pennycress) and non-specific accumulator Raphanus sativus (common radish) was conducted to investigate the short-term effect of increasing Cd concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 μM) on metal uptake, chlorophyll content, antioxidative enzymes, and apoplastic bypass flow. As expected, T. caerulescens generally showed better resistance to metal stress, which was reflected by higher Cd accumulation within plant tissues with no signs of chlorosis, or wilt. Glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in fresh leaves were monitored as the plant metal-detoxifying response. In general, both plant species exhibited an increase trend of GR activity before declining at 100 μM likely due to excessive levels of phytotoxic Cd. SOD activity exhibited almost a similar variation pattern to GR and decreased also at 100 μM Cd. For both plant species, fluorescent PTS uptake (8-hydroxy-l,3,6-pyrenetrisulphonic acid) increased significantly with metal level in exposure solutions indicating that Cd has a comparable effect to drought or salinity in terms of the gain of relative importance in apoplastic bypass transport under such stress conditions.
Mechanism Design for Strategic Project Scheduling

Organizing large scale projects (e.g., Conferences, IT Shows, F1 race) requires precise scheduling of multiple dependent tasks on common resources where multiple selfish entities are competing to execute the individual tasks. In this paper, we consider a well studied and rich scheduling model referred to as RCPSP (Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem). The key change to this model that we consider in this paper is the presence of selfish entities competing to perform individual tasks with the aim of maximizing their own utility. Due to the selfish entities in play, the goal of the scheduling problem is no longer only to minimize makespan for the entire project, but rather, to maximize social welfare while ensuring incentive compatibility and economic efficiency. We show that traditional VCG mechanism is not incentive compatible in this context and hence we provide two new practical mechanisms that extend on VCG. These new mechanisms referred to as Individual Completion based Payments (ICP) and Social Completion based Payments (SCP) provide strong theoretical properties including strategy proofness.
Bone formation in interleukin‐4 and interleukin‐13 depleted mice

Background and purpose Cytokines play an important role in the complex process of bone formation. We have previously found an altered skeletal phenotype with reduction of cortical bone mass in mice depleted of the 2 cytokines interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and interleukin‐13 (IL 13). The present study was performed to investigate a potential role of IL‐4 and IL‐13 in fracture healing and bone induction by demineralized xenogenic bone matrix (DXBM). Methods Callus formation in IL‐4-/-IL‐13-/- (IL‐4/13 knockout) and wild‐type (WT) male mice was compared using a standardized fracture model. The capacity of IL‐4-/-IL‐13-/- and WT male and female mice to form heterotopic bone was compared using intramuscular implants of DXBM. Bone formation and mechanical properties were evaluated by pQCT, ash weight, 3‐point bending, radiology, and immunohistology. Results In the fracture investigation substantial amounts of new bone formation by 5 weeks were found, but no differences in radiographical healing, callus volume, BMD, BMC, or mechanical properties were detected between IL‐4-/-IL‐13-/- and WT mice. In the DXBM investigation radiographic analysis confirmed mineralization of implants in both groups, but no difference in the amount of mineral deposition (net bone formation) between IL‐4-/-IL‐13-/- and WT mice was found. Immunohistology showed inhibition of autonomic nerves in the capsule of the IL‐4-/-IL‐13-/- group along with a lack of vascularization within the implants. Interpretation Depletion of IL‐4 and IL‐13 does not cause any major alteration in fracture healing or heterotopic bone formation in mice. The pattern of autonomous nerve expression and expression of markers of neovascularization is, however, altered to some extent by the absence of IL‐4 and IL‐13.
The Physical Driver of the Optical Eigenvector 1 in Quasar Main Sequence

Quasars are complex sources, characterized by broad band spectra from radio through optical to X-ray band, with numerous emission and absorption features. However, Boroson & Green (1992) used Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and with this analysis they were able to show significant correlations between the measured parameters. The leading component, related to Eigenvector 1 (EV1) was dominated by the anticorrelation between the Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ optical emission and [OIII] line and EV1 alone contained 30% of the total variance. It opened a way in defining a quasar main sequence, in close analogy to the stellar main sequence on the Hertzsprung-Russel (HR) diagram (Sulentic et al. 2001). The question still remains which of the basic theoretically motivated parameters of an active nucleus (Eddington ratio, black hole mass, accretion rate, spin, and viewing angle) is the main driver behind the EV1. Here we limit ourselves to the optical waveband, and concentrate on theoretical modelling the Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ to H$\mathrm{\beta}$ ratio, and we test the hypothesis that the physical driver of EV1 is the maximum of the accretion disk temperature, reflected in the shape of the spectral energy distribution (SED). We performed computations of the H$\mathrm{\beta}$ and optical Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ for a broad range of SED peak position using CLOUDY photoionisation code. We assumed that both H$\mathrm{\beta}$ and Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ emission come from the Broad Line Region represented as a constant density cloud in a plane-parallel geometry. We expected that a hotter disk continuum will lead to more efficient production of Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ but our computations show that the Fe${\mathrm{II}}$ to H$\mathrm{\beta}$ ratio actually drops with the rise of the disk temperature. Thus either hypothesis is incorrect, or approximations used in our paper for the description of the line emissivity is inadequate.
Metabolic response to graded downhill walking.

Compared with level walking or running, progressive downhill walking or running requires a decreasing energy cost to some minimum where the cost again increases with further decrements in grade. Margaria estimated this minimum occurs at a -9% grade. In this study an attempt was made to more precisely track the energy cost curve in progressive downhill treadmill walking. Ten men, mean age 22.0 +/- 2.5 yr, volunteered as subjects. After VO2max determinations the subjects attended two downhill walking sessions. Each subject performed 14 randomly ordered walking bouts of 6 min in duration, at speeds of 90 and 105 m.min-1. The grades used were 0, -3, -6, -9, -12, -15, and -18%. Gas exchange measurements were obtained by open circuit spirometry during each work bout. Heart rate was monitored continuously and the stride frequency was counted by direct observation during each walking bout. Net VO2 values decreased with decrements in grade to -9, -12% for the respective speeds of 90 and 105 m.min-1. The group mean net VO2 minimums at -9 and -12%, however, were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the group mean values at -6 and -15% at 90 m.min-1, or between -9 and -15% grades at 105 m.min-1, Group mean net VO2 values at 0, -3, and -18% were significantly different (P < 0.05) from net VO2 values for the other grades at 90 m.min-1 walking. At 105 m.min-1, mean net VO2 values at 0, -3, -6, and -18% were significantly different (P < 0.05) from net VO2 values at the other grades. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Neural architecture of the “transient” ON directionally selective (class IIb1) ganglion cells in rabbit retina, partly co-stratified with starburst amacrine cells

Abstract Recent physiological studies coupled with intracellular staining have subdivided ON directionally selective (DS) ganglion cells of rabbit retina into two types. One exhibits more “transient” and more “brisk” responses (ON DS-t), and the other has more “sustained’ and more “sluggish” responses (ON DS-s), although both represent the same three preferred directions and show preference for low stimulus velocity, as reported in previous studies of ON DS ganglion cells in rabbit retina. ON DS-s cells have the morphology of ganglion cells previously shown to project to the medial terminal nucleus (MTN) of the accessory optic system, and the MTN-projecting, class IVus1 cells have been well-characterized previously in terms of their dendritic morphology, branching pattern, and stratification. ON DS-t ganglion cells have a distinctly different morphology and exhibit heterotypic coupling to amacrine cells, including axon-bearing amacrine cells, with accompanying synchronous firing, while ON DS-s cells are not coupled. The present study shows that ON DS-t cells are morphologically identical to the previously well-characterized, “orphan” class IIb1 ganglion cell, previously regarded as a member of the “brisk-concentric” category of ganglion cells. Its branching pattern, quantitatively analyzed, is similar to that of the morphological counterparts of X and Y cells, and very different from that of the ON DS-s ganglion cell. Close analysis of the dendritic stratification of class IIb1 ganglion cells together with fiducial cells indicates that they differ from that of the ON DS-s cells. In agreement with one of the three previous studies, class IIb1/ON DS-t cells, unlike class IVus1/ON DS-s ganglion cells, in the main do not co-stratify with starburst amacrine cells. As the present study shows, however, portions of their dendrites do deviate from the main substratum, coming within range of starburst boutons. Parsimony favors DS input from starburst amacrine cells both to ON DS-s and to ON DS-t ganglion cells, given the similarity of their DS responses, but further studies will be required to substantiate the origin of the DS responses of ON DS-t cells. Previously reported OFF DS responses in ON DS-t cells, unmasked by pharmacological agents, and mediated by gap junctions with amacrine cells, suggests an unusual trans-sublaminar organization of directional selectivity in the inner plexiform layer, connecting sublamina a and sublamina b.
A motion planner for car-like robots based on a mixed global/local approach

Deals with the problem of motion planning for a car-like robot (i.e. nonholonomic mobile robot whose turning radius is lower bounded). The main contribution is the introduction of a new metric in the configuration space R/sup 2/*S/sup 1/ of such a system. This metric is defined from the length of the shortest paths in the absence of obstacles. The authors study the relations between the new induced topology and the classical one. This study leads to new theoretical issues about sub-Riemannian geometry and to practical results for motion planning. In particular they prove an inclusion relation of neighbourhoods in both topologies, which is the basis of an efficient obstacle avoidance local method. <<ETX>>
Risk factors that affect reproductive target achievement in fertile dairy cows.

The aims of the present study were to investigate (1) the risk factors that influence the achievement of reproductive targets postpartum (pp) and (2) the key factors that influence pregnancy rate following first artificial insemination (AI) in dairy cows. Ninety-eight Holstein-Friesian pp cows were blood sampled from wk 1 to 4 pp for hematology and biochemistry. Reproductive tract health was assessed weekly by ultrasonography and vaginal mucus scoring. Body condition score (BCS), lameness score, and milk yield were assessed every 2 wk. Milk samples for progesterone assay were collected twice weekly and on d 4, 5, and 7 after AI. Risk factors associated with achieving reproductive targets depended on (1) increased metabolic activity of the liver (increased glutamate dehydrogenase at calving and increased γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in wk 4), (2) a competent immune system (increased neutrophils in wk 1; decreased α1-acid glycoprotein in wk 1, 2, and 3), (3) an endocrine system that was capable of responding by producing sufficient triiodothyronine in wk 2 and increased insulin-like growth factor I in wk 3 and 4, (4) a lower negative energy balance status (decreased nonesterified fatty acid concentration in wk 1; decreased β-hydroxybutyrate concentration in wk 2; BCS loss between calving and d 28 pp <0.5), (5) good reproductive tract health [normal uterine scan at d 45 pp; clear vaginal mucus discharge at first ovulation and at d 45 pp; resumed ovarian cyclicity by the end of the voluntary waiting period (≥ d 35 pp)], and (6) adequate diet (to ensure increased glutathione peroxidase in wk 2 and 3 and increased magnesium in wk 4). Risk factors that increased the odds of a successful first AI were previous ovulation(s) (odds ratio=3.17 per ovulation), BCS >2.5 at AI (odds ratio=3.01), and clear vaginal mucus (score=0) compared with purulent mucus (score >0) 4 d after first AI (odds ratio=2.99). In conclusion, this study identified key risk factors in the early pp period that give a higher probability of cows achieving their reproductive targets and of having a first-AI pregnancy.
Organic Urban Agriculture

Abstract Urban agriculture (UA) has a long tradition in many countries worldwide, is actively engaging about 800 million people, and is now increasingly considered by urban planning and land-use personnel. Urban cropland, in particular, covers more than 67 Mha or more than 5% of the total global cropland area. Urban agriculture practices have many benefits and, in particular, may contribute to food security of urban dwellers by providing vegetables and fruits. However, growing food in urban ecosystems and, especially, on degraded urban soils is challenging, and research on UA in the past has focused on the social sciences. Although the number of studies on urban soils has increased strongly during the last two decades, much work needs to be done as many urban areas have been neglected in previous studies. The needs and benefits of UA and organic agriculture such as building up natural resources through biological mechanism and recycling of wastes, keeping the nutrients cycle within the system, strengthening communities, and improving human capacity are interconnected. Thus, more research is needed on how to maintain or enhance urban soil fertility by soil and land-use management practices. This knowledge must be disseminated among urban gardeners and farmers for improving UA and organic UA systems. Transdisciplinary approaches involving practitioners, urban dwellers, planners, policy makers, and, especially, soil scientists are needed to enhance UA production.
WhoselsThat: finding software engineers with codebook

In this demo, we describe WhoseIsThat, a social search portal which we built using the Codebook framework. We improve the search experience in two ways: first, we search across multiple software repositories at once with a single query; second, we return not just a list of artifacts in the results, but also engineers.