Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Voronoi Diagrams in L1 (Linfty) Metrics with 2-Dimensional Storage Applications

In this paper we study the problem of scheduling the read/write head movement to handle a batch of $nI/O$ requests in a 2-dimensional secondary storage device in minimum time. Two models of storage systems are assumed in which the access time of a record (being proportional to the “distance” between the position of the record and that of the read/write head) is measured in terms of $L_1 $ and $L_\infty $ metrics, respectively. The scheduling problem, referred to as the Open Path Problem (OPP), is equivalent to finding a shortest Hamiltonian path with a specified end point in a complete graph with n vertices. We first show in this paper that there exists a natural isometry between the $L_1 $ and $L_\infty $ metrics. Consequently, the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for the OPP in one metric implies the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for the same problem in the other metric. Based on a result by Garey, Graham and Johnson, it is easy to show that the OPP in $L_1 $ (hence in $L_\infty $) me.
Xience V™ everolimus-eluting coronary stent

Drug-eluting stents are widely used for the treatment of coronary artery disease to reduce the risk of restenosis found with bare-metal stents. Nevertheless, there are concerns about device deliverability and safety with the initial generation of drug-eluting stents. The second-generation Xience V™ everolimus-eluting stent incorporates advanced design features such as a cobalt–chromium stent platform coated with an antirestenotic drug, everolimus, incorporated into a biocompatible polymer with a long history of medical use. The efficacy of the stent has been demonstrated with low rates of angiographic restenosis, whilst randomized trials comparing the Xience V everolimus-eluting stent to the first-generation Taxus® paclitaxel-eluting stent have found a reduction in repeat revascularization rates. Further randomized trials, including ‘all-comer’ patients and registries of unselected patients are currently further evaluating the efficacy and safety of the Xience V stent in high-risk, complex cases.
Coding efficiency of VP8 and VP9 compression standards for high resolutions

Last few years the interest of multimedia services has rapidly increased. This leads to requirements of quality assessment, especially in video domain. Compression together with transmission link imperfection are two main factors that influence the quality. This paper deals with assessment of impact of VP8 and VP9 compression standards on the video quality using objective metrics and defining theirs efficiency. The evaluation is done for four types of sequences with Full HD and Ultra HD resolutions depending on content. The results showed that VP9 codec yields better compression efficiency than VP8. Based on BjØntegaard model VP9 achieves average bitrate saving 12,77% for FHD and 14,44% for UHD resolution ranging from 5% to 21% depending on content and resolution. For more static sequences the improvement is lower and with greater motion the enhancement rises too.
Phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 mediate reoxygenation-induced cardioprotection during hypoxia

In vivo exposure to chronic hypoxia (CH) depresses myocardial performance and tolerance to ischemia, but daily reoxyenation during CH (CHR) confers cardioprotection. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we tested the role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B (Akt) and p42/p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2), which are known to be associated with protection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were maintained for two weeks under CH (10% O2) or CHR (as CH but with one-hour daily exposure to room air). Then, hearts were either frozen for biochemical analyses or Langendorff-perfused to determine performance (intraventricular balloon) and tolerance to 30-min global ischemia and 45-min reperfusion, assessed as recovery of performance after I/R and infarct size (tetrazolium staining). Additional hearts were perfused in the presence of 15 μmol/L LY-294002 (inhibitor of Akt), 10 μmol/L UO-126 (inhibitor of ERK1/2) or 10 μmol/L PD-98059 (less-specific inhibitor of ERK1/2) given 15 min before ischemia and throughout the first 20 min of reperfusion. Whereas total Akt and ERK1/2 were unaffected by CH and CHR in vivo, in CHR hearts the phosphorylation of both proteins was higher than in CH hearts. This was accompanied by better performance after I/R (heart rate × developed pressure), lower end-diastolic pressure and reduced infarct size. Whereas the treatment with LY-294002 decreased the phosphorylation of Akt only, the treatment with UO-126 decreased ERK1/2, and that with PD-98059 decreased both Akt and ERK1/2. In all cases, the cardioprotective effect led by CHR was lost. In conclusion, in vivo daily reoxygenation during CH enhances Akt and ERK1/2 signaling. This response was accompanied by a complex phenotype consisting in improved resistance to stress, better myocardial performance and lower infarct size after I/R. Selective inhibition of Akt and ERK1/2 phosphorylation abolishes the beneficial effects of the reoxygenation. Therefore, Akt and ERK1/2 have an important role to mediate cardioprotection by reoxygenation during CH in vivo.
Sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation and its association with semen quality in Greek men

Due to the limitations of conventional semen analysis in predicting a man's fertility potential, sperm DNA fragmentation was recently introduced as a novel marker of sperm quality. This prospective study was undertaken to investigate the associations between conventional seminal parameters and DNA fragmentation in Greek men. A total of 669 subject data were evaluated in two groups, normozoospermic (n = 184) and non‐normozoospermic (n = 485), according to the WHO 2010 (WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, 5th edn. World Health Organization), reference limits. For all the subjects, semen volume, sperm concentration, total count, rapid and total progressive motility and morphology were recorded following the WHO 2010 methods and DNA fragmentation was assessed by the sperm chromatin dispersion assay. An inverse correlation was established between DNA fragmentation and all conventional seminal parameters except semen volume in men with seminal profiles below the reference limits, with statistical significance for rapid and total progressive motility. Normozoospermic men exhibited lower levels of DNA fragmentation than their non‐normozoospermic counterparts, even though the values were not always below 30%. DNA fragmentation testing and traditional semen analysis should therefore be considered as complementary diagnostic tools in a comprehensive evaluation of male infertility.
Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene: impact of HFE gene mutations on the manifestation of porphyria cutanea tarda.

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is the most common form of the porphyria disorders. PCT is caused by a decreased activity of the fifth enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROD; EC 4.1.1.37). In familial PCT (fPCT), the disease is associated with mutations in the gene encoding UROD, but the majority of PCT cases are apparently sporadic (sPCT). Although clinical manifestations are predominated by cutaneous lesions, various degrees of liver damage are often associated with PCT. Clinically manifest PCT usually is provoked by exogenic factors, including alcohol, estrogens, viral hepatitis infections, HIV, and iron (1). A mild to moderate iron overload is common in PCT, and several studies have revealed that the frequency of either of the two known HFE gene mutations associated with hemochromatosis, H63D and C282Y, is substantially higher in PCT patients than in the general population (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). This suggests that the inheritance of these mutations predisposes individuals to development of PCT. Recently, another HFE gene mutation, S65C, was characterized, and analysis of a large group of hemochromatosis probands suggested that S65C may also be associated with hemochromatosis (9)(10). The purpose of the present study was to examine the HFE gene in Danish PCT patients for sequence variations, including the C282Y, H63D, and S65C mutations. Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), we screened the entire coding region of the HFE gene in 57 unrelated PCT patients (15 with fPCT and 42 with sPCT). PCT diagnoses were based on the clinical picture and verified by biochemical findings. fPCT and sPCT cases were discriminated by mutation analysis of the …
Increased risk of exacerbation and hospitalization in subjects with an overlap phenotype: COPD-asthma.

BACKGROUND Several COPD phenotypes have been described; the COPD-asthma overlap is one of the most recognized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of three subgroups (asthma, COPD, and COPD-asthma overlap) in the Latin American Project for the Investigation of Obstructive Lung Disease (PLATINO) study population, to describe their main characteristics, and to determine the association of the COPD-asthma overlap group with exacerbations, hospitalizations, limitations due to physical health, and perception of general health status (GHS). METHODS The PLATINO study is a multicenter population-based survey carried out in five Latin American cities. Outcomes were self-reported exacerbations (defined by deterioration of breathing symptoms that affected usual daily activities or caused missed work), hospitalizations due to exacerbations, physical health limitations, and patients' perception of their GHS obtained by questionnaire. Subjects were classified in three specific groups: COPD--a postbronchodilator (post-BD) FEV₁/FVC ratio of < 0.70; asthma--presence of wheezing in the last year and a minimum post-BD increase in FEV₁ or FVC of 12% and 200 mL; and overlap COPD-asthma--the combination of the two. RESULTS Out of 5,044 subjects, 767 were classified as having COPD (12%), asthma (1.7%), and COPD-asthma overlap (1.8%). Subjects with COPD-asthma overlap had more respiratory symptoms, had worse lung function, used more respiratory medication, had more hospitalization and exacerbations, and had worse GHS. After adjusting for confounders, the COPD-asthma overlap was associated with higher risks for exacerbations (prevalence ratio [PR], 2.11; 95% CI, 1.08-4.12), hospitalizations (PR, 4.11; 95% CI, 1.45-11.67), and worse GHS (PR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.18-1.85) compared with those with COPD. CONCLUSIONS The coexisting COPD-asthma phenotype is possibly associated with increased disease severity.
Synchrotron Radiation Pair Distribution Function Analysis of Gels in Cements

The analysis of atomic ordering in a nanocrystalline phase with small particle sizes, below 5 nm, is intrinsically complicated because of the lack of long-range order. Furthermore, the presence of additional crystalline phase(s) may exacerbate the problem, as is the case in cement pastes. Here, we use the synchrotron pair distribution function (PDF) chiefly to characterize the local atomic order of the nanocrystalline phases, gels, in cement pastes. We have used a multi r-range analysis approach, where the ~4–7 nm r-range allows determining the crystalline phase contents; the ~1–2.5 nm r-range is used to characterize the atomic ordering in the nanocrystalline component; and the ~0.2–1.0 nm r-range gives insights about additional amorphous components. Specifically, we have prepared four alite pastes with variable water contents, and the analyses showed that a defective tobermorite, Ca11Si9O28(OH)2.8. 5H2O, gave the best fit. Furthermore, the PDF analyses suggest that the calcium silicate hydrate gel is composed of this tobermorite and amorphous calcium hydroxide. Finally, this approach has been used to study alternative cements. The hydration of monocalcium aluminate and ye’elimite pastes yield aluminum hydroxide gels. PDF analyses show that these gels are constituted of nanocrystalline gibbsite, and the particle size can be as small as 2.5 nm.
Critical review of the models to study the biologic progression of bladder cancer.

For transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, clinical data indicate that invasive, metastatic tumors can arise through at least two different progression pathways. The majority of invasive, metastatic bladder neoplasms clinically present de novo, i.e., the patients have no history of malignant bladder disease. This implies that the highly malignant tumor cells either arise de novo or have undergone a rapid progression. Alternatively, a considerable fraction of patients with superficial bladder cancer process to invasive disease after a history of relatively benign superficial TCC. The molecular and cell biological basis of tumor progression is only poorly understood. Clearly, a better understanding of this progress could have profound clinical implications, since patients with superficial TCC with a high risk for progression would have to be treated more aggressively. We discuss the problems that are associated with tumor biological studies on early steps in the progression of TCC, especially from a "model system point of view. "
A New Class of Transcription Initiation Factors, Intermediate between TATA Box-binding Proteins (TBPs) and TBP-like Factors (TLFs), Is Present in the Marine Unicellular Organism, the Dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii *

Dinoflagellates are marine unicellular eukaryotes that exhibit unique features including a very low level of basic proteins bound to the chromatin and the complete absence of histones and nucleosomal structure. A cDNA encoding a protein with a strong homology to the TATA box-binding proteins (TBP) has been isolated from an expressed sequence tag library of the dinoflagellateCrypthecodinium cohnii. The typical TBP repeat signature and the amino acid motives involved in TFIIA and TFIIB interactions were conserved in this new TBP-like protein. However, the four phenylalanines known to interact with the TATA box were substituted with hydrophilic residues (His77, Arg94, Tyr171, Thr188) as has been described for TBP-like factors (TLF)/TBP-related proteins (TRP). A phylogenetic analysis showed that cTBP is intermediate between TBP and TLF/TRP protein families, and the structural similarity of cTBP with TLF was confirmed by low affinity binding to a consensus‘ TATA box in an equivalent manner to that usually observed for TLFs. Six 5′-upstream gene regions of dinoflagellate genes have been analyzed and neither a TATA box nor a consensus-promoting element could be found within these different sequences. Our results showed that cTBP could bind stronger to a TTTT box sequence than to the canonical TATA box, especially at high salt concentration. Same binding results were obtained with a mutated cTBP (mcTBP), in which the four phenylalanines were restored. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a TBP-like protein in a unicellular organism, which also appears as the major form of TBP present in C. cohnii.
GABA‐Mediated Presynaptic Inhibition in Crayfish Primary Afferents by Non‐A, Non‐B GABA Receptors

GABAergic presynaptic inhibition has been investigated in primary afferents using an in vitro preparation of the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Presynaptic terminals of a leg proprioceptor, the coxo‐basal (CB) chordotonal organ, were impaled in the neuorpil of the 5th thoracic ganglion. Pressure ejection of small volumes of the GABAA or GABAB receptor agonists, muscimol and 3‐aminopropylphosphinic acid (3‐APA), both induce depolarizing responses in the impaled CB sensory terminal. These depolarizations are not blocked by the specific GABAA and GABAB receptor antagonists, SR‐95531 and phaclofen, but they are abolished by picrotoxin. Both muscimol‐ and 3‐APA‐induced depolarizations are carried by an increase in conductance to Cl‐. The presynaptic increase in conductance to C1‐ by GABA receptor activation leads to a depression of sensory synaptic transmission through a shunting of the incoming spikes. Monosynaptic EPSPs elicited in motor neurons by CB sensory nerve stimulation are depressed by muscimol and 3‐APA. GABA‐mediated presynaptic modulation occurs in crayfish primary afferents which can adjust the gain of reflexes. These results show that GABA‐activated Cl‐ channels can induce a modulation of synaptic transmission, but also that the distinction between GABAA and GABAB receptors, as in vertebrates, is not applicable to the crustacean primary afferents.
Alzheimer beta-amyloid peptides: structures of amyloid fibrils and alternate aggregation products.

The amyloidoses are a heterogeneous group of diseases, which are characterized by the local or systemic deposition of amyloid. At the root of these diseases are changes in protein conformation where normal innocuous proteins transform into insoluble amyloid fibrils and deposit in tissues. The amyloid fibrils of Alzheimer's disease are composed of the Abeta peptide and deposit in the form of senile plaques. Neurodegeneration surrounds the amyloid deposits, indicating that neurotoxic substances are produced during the deposition process. Whether the neurotoxic species is the amyloid fibril or a fibril precursor is a current area of active research. This review focuses on advancements made in elucidating the molecular structures of the Abeta amyloid fibril and alternate aggregation products of the Abeta peptide formed during fibrillogenesis.
Ann Senghas , Nicaragua Evidence from an Emerging Sign Language in Children Creating Core Properties of Language

http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/305/5691/1779 version of this article at: including high-resolution figures, can be found in the online Updated information and services, http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/305/5691/1779/DC1 can be found at: Supporting Online Material found at: can be related to this article A list of selected additional articles on the Science Web sites http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/305/5691/1779#related-content http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/305/5691/1779#otherarticles , 1 of which can be accessed for free: cites 8 articles This article 26 article(s) on the ISI Web of Science. cited by This article has been http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/305/5691/1779#otherarticles 6 articles hosted by HighWire Press; see: cited by This article has been http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/collection/psychology Psychology : subject collections This article appears in the following
Feedlot cattle response to rumen undegradable protein and diet fiber level of high concentrate diets

23 Introduction.24 Materials and Methods.26 Statistical Analysis.28 Results and Discussion.28 Conclusion.30 III. DIGESTIBILITY OF FIBER SOURCES IN HIGH CONCENTRATE DIETS IN VITRO.39 Abstract.39 Introduction.40 Materials and Methods.41 Continuous culture system.41 Sample collection and analyses.43 Statistical Analysis.46 Results and Discussion.47 Conclusion.49
A Single-Stage Buck-Boost Three-Level Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter with Two Input Sources for the Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power Generation

This paper proposes a novel single-stage buck-boost three-Level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter with two independent dc sources coupled for the grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) application, which can effectively solve the unbalanced operational conditions generally appearing between two independent PV sources. The proposed control scheme can simultaneously guarantee the maximum power point (MPP) operation of both PV sources and maintain the output waveform quality. Compared to the traditional two-stage PV inverter, the proposed NPC inverter could reduce the PV array voltage requirement and the voltage rating of dc-link capacitors; also it shows advantages in operational efficiency. MATLAB simulations and experimental results are presented to examine the performance of the proposed three-level NPC inverter.
Resource allocation and fairness for downlink shared data channels

For delay tolerant data users on multiplexed downlink channels, one has to consider how to make the most efficient possible allocation of resources without wasting resources or precluding other user's transmission. Most data scheduling algorithms rely on channel quality feedback for prioritizing. The reliability of channel quality feedback depends on the scheduling latency even if the feedback is error free. The degree of unreliability depends on users channel speed and amount increases with user mobility. Uncertainty about the user's channel condition affects our ability to prioritize the user appropriately. Secondly, not all users have infinite buffers. Hence, a small amount of data may need to be transmitted over an uncertain channel. Inability to track the channel variations forces a hedging strategy for reliable channel reception that consists of transmitting to the user over an extended period of time. We assume availability of user velocity or Doppler estimates and propose two proactive transmission and scheduling schemes for small data payloads to deal with channel feedback unreliability: time interlaced packet (TIP) transmission and contiguous time spreading (CTS). This results in improved user perceived throughput under uncertain channel quality and small payload conditions.
Gemcitabine transport in xenopus oocytes expressing recombinant plasma membrane mammalian nucleoside transporters.

BACKGROUND Gemcitabine, a pyrimidine analogue of deoxycytidine, is an anticancer nucleoside drug that requires functional plasma membrane nucleoside transporter proteins to reach its intracellular targets and cause cytotoxicity. Because of technical difficulties inherent in studying nucleoside transport in human cells, we rigorously defined gemcitabine membrane transportability by producing each of the available human (h) and rat (r) recombinant nucleoside transporters (NTs) individually in Xenopus laevis oocytes. METHODS Oocytes were microinjected with in vitro-transcribed RNAs derived from complementary DNAs encoding (C = concentrative) rCNT1, rCNT2, hCNT1, hCNT2, (E = equilibrative) rENT1, rENT2, hENT1, and hENT2. Uptake of [(3)H]gemcitabine and [(14)C] uridine was measured 3 days after microinjection to determine kinetic constants. We also used the two-electrode, voltage-clamp technique to investigate the electrophysiology of hCNT1-mediated gemcitabine transport. RESULTS Gemcitabine was transported by most of the tested proteins (the exceptions being the purine-selective rCNT2 and hCNT2), with the greatest uptake occurring in oocytes producing recombinant rCNT1 and hCNT1. Influxes of gemcitabine mediated by hCNT1, hENT1, and hENT2 were saturable and conformed to Michaelis-Menten kinetics with apparent K(m) values of 24, 160, and 740 microM, respectively. Gemcitabine had a limited ability to cross the lipid bilayer of oocyte membranes by simple diffusion. External application of gemcitabine to oocytes producing recombinant hCNT1 induced an inward current, which demonstrated that hCNT1 functions as a Na(+)/nucleoside co-transport protein and confirmed the transporter's ability to transport gemcitabine. CONCLUSIONS Mammalian nucleoside transporters vary widely in their affinity and capacity to transport gemcitabine. Variation in the tumor and tissue distribution of plasma membrane nucleoside transporter proteins may contribute to the solid tumor activities and schedule-dependent toxic effects of gemcitabine.