Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance improvement of bandwidth-flexible reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers with wavelength converters

In this paper, we propose a novel bandwidth-flexible reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) architecture based on coherent optical-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) technology. The bandwidth-flexible ROADM architecture enables sub-wavelength, superwavelength, and multiple-rate data traffic accommodation in a highly spectrum-efficient manner, thereby providing a fractional bandwidth service. We simulate and compare the blocking performance of bandwidth-flexible ROADM with and without wavelength converters. It is found that wavelength converter could obviously improve the blocking performance of bandwidth-flexible ROADM with different frequency grid. Moreover, the conversion ratios are calculated for different load and channel spacing. Based on the analysis of conversion ratio, we could make an appropriate configuration of wavelength converters in bandwidth-flexible ROADM.
Delayed Thrombosis or Stenosis Following Enterprise-Assisted Stent-Coiling: Is It Safe? Midterm Results of the Interstate Collaboration of Enterprise Stent Coiling

BACKGROUND:Stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms with self-expanding stents has widened the applicability of neuroendovascular therapies to those aneurysms previously considered “uncoilable” because of poor morphology. The Enterprise Vascular Reconstruction Device and Delivery System (Cordis) has demonstrated promising initial short-term results. However, the rates of delayed in-stent stenosis or thrombosis are not known. OBJECTIVE:To report midterm results of the Enterprise stent system. METHODS:A 10-center registry was created to provide a large volume of data on the safety and efficacy of the Enterprise stent system. Pooled data were compiled for consecutive patients undergoing Enterprise stent-assisted coiling at each institution. Available follow-up data were evaluated for the incidence of in-stent stenosis, thrombosis, and aneurysm occlusion. RESULTS:In total, 213 patients (176 females) with 219 aneurysms were treated with the Enterprise stent. One hundred ten patients had undergone delayed angiography (≥30 days from stent placement, mean follow-up 174.6 days). Forty percent of patients demonstrated total occlusion with 88% having ≥90% aneurysm occlusion. Six percent of patients had delayed (>30 days) angiographic findings, of which 3% demonstrated significant (≥50%) in-stent stenosis or occlusion. Seven delayed thrombotic events occurred (3%), along with 2 additional immediate periprocedural events. All 7 delayed events were concomitant to cessation of double-antiplatelet therapy. CONCLUSION:Midterm occlusion rates are excellent, and stenosis and thrombosis rates are comparable to other available neurovascular stents. Interruption of antiplatelet therapy appears to be a factor in those developing delayed stenosis or thrombosis.
Experiments on the post‐contraction hyperaemia of skeletal muscle

The main facts concerning the alterations in muscle blood flow, both during and subsequent to contraction, were described by Gaskell (1877). Gaskell then believed that the enormous hyperaemia following even short periods of contraction was brought about by vasodilator nerve fibres, which were stimulated concomitantly with the motor fibres themselves. When he later discovered (1880) that lactic acid, a product of muscular activity, produced a vasodilatation in perfusion experiments, he advanced the theory that locally produced metabolites bring about the hyperaemia by a direct action on the blood vessels. Subsequently, Bayliss (1901) showed that carbonic acid also produced a vasodilatation, and these results were confirmed in later experiments. Thus, Barcroft & Kato were able to assert (1915), in their paper on the effects of functional activity in striated muscle and the submaxillary gland, that, as an explanation of the hyperaemia found in both cases, Gaskell's theory was now unquestioned. Gaskell himself, however, did not reject the possibility that vasodilator fibres might play some role in the response, though he considered the extent of their contribution to be still an open question (1916). The matter has been raised again recently by Folkow & Uvnis (1948), who found that the cholinergic dilator fibres to the cat's skeletal muscle played no part in the general blood-pressure responses of the animal. These fibres can be activated by hypothalamic stimulation (Eliasson, Folkow, Lindgren & Uvniis, 1951), as part of a patterned response suggestive of a preparation for muscular activity, but no other function has as yet been definitely ascribed to them. Keller, Loeser & Rein (1930) found that a small vasodilatation occurred in the resting muscles of the opposite limb following contraction of the hind-limb muscles, while Anrep, Blalock & Samaan (1934) found that this also occurred in the resting muscles of the same limb. These were true reflex effects, and were abolished by section of the nerve to the active muscle, but they did not appear to contribute
Physiological Importance and Identification of Novel Targets for the N-Terminal Acetyltransferase NatB

ABSTRACT The N-terminal acetyltransferase NatB in Saccharomyces cerevisiae consists of the catalytic subunit Nat3p and the associated subunit Mdm20p. We here extend our present knowledge about the physiological role of NatB by a combined proteomics and phenomics approach. We found that strains deleted for either NAT3 or MDM20 displayed different growth rates and morphologies in specific stress conditions, demonstrating that the two NatB subunits have partly individual functions. Earlier reported phenotypes of the nat3Δ strain have been associated with altered functionality of actin cables. However, we found that point mutants of tropomyosin that suppress the actin cable defect observed in nat3Δ only partially restores wild-type growth and morphology, indicating the existence of functionally important acetylations unrelated to actin cable function. Predicted NatB substrates were dramatically overrepresented in a distinct set of biological processes, mainly related to DNA processing and cell cycle progression. Three of these proteins, Cac2p, Pac10p, and Swc7p, were identified as true NatB substrates. To identify N-terminal acetylations potentially important for protein function, we performed a large-scale comparative phenotypic analysis including nat3Δ and strains deleted for the putative NatB substrates involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA processing. By this procedure we predicted functional importance of the N-terminal acetylation for 31 proteins.
Effectiveness of Natalizumab in Patients with Highly Active Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Introduction: We evaluated the effectiveness of natalizumab in patients with highly active, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (HA-RRMS) to identify baseline predictors associated with freedom from disease activity. Methods: We analyzed 70 patients treated with natalizumab and followed for at least 1 year with progression of disability of ≥1 point on the EDSS before starting therapy. We recorded freedom from clinical activity, radiological activity, and disease activity (clinical and radiological). Results: The median (IQR) follow-up was 2.3 (2.0-3.8) years. Of the 52 patients who completed 2 years of treatment, 25 were free of disease activity (48.1%). The ARR decreased from a mean ± SD of 2.49 ± 0.86 at baseline to 0.47 ± 0.83 at the end of the first year (p < 0.001) and 0.34 ± 0.69 at the end of the second year (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients with gadolinium-enhanced lesions decreased from 21 at baseline to 5.7 at the end of the first year (p < 0.001) and to 5.8 during the second year (p < 0.005). Baseline EDSS ≤3.0 was significantly associated with freedom from disease activity (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.24-4.99; p = 0.010). Conclusions: Natalizumab is effective in patients with HA-RRMS. Baseline EDSS ≤3.0 increases the probability of remaining disease-free in HA-RRMS treated with natalizumab.
The Scope of Arthroscopy

Arthroscopic surgery is an established technique and is frequently done as an out-patient procedure. The technique requires two or three portals of entry into the joint with visual triangulation of operating instruments towards the area of pathology. Increased diagnostic accuracy, definitive endoscopic treatment, and minimal morbidity are major advances derived from arthroscopy.
Energy Scheduling for Island Microgrid Applications

The paper considers the calculation of an effective energy schedule in an islanded microgrid. GridLab-D open source simulation tool is used for simulation of microgrid elements. Matlab environment is used to run an optimization solver. The product GridMat is used as an interface tool between Matlab and GridLab-D. An economic scheduling optimization problem for the considered microgrid is formulated and solved. Analysis of the obtained results is presented.
Constrained Relay Node Deployment using an improved multi-objective Artificial Bee Colony in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have attracted lots of attention in recent years due to their potential for various applications. In this paper, we seek how to efficiently deploy relay nodes into traditional static WSNs with constrained locations, aiming to satisfy specific requirements of the industry, such as average energy consumption and average network reliability. This constrained relay node deployment problem (CRNDP) is known as NP-hard optimization problem in the literature. We consider addressing this multi-objective (MO) optimization problem with an improved Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm with a linear local search (MOABCLLS), which is an extension of an improved ABC and applies two strategies of MO optimization. In order to verify the effectiveness of the MOABCLLS, two versions of MO ABC, two additional standard genetic algorithms, NSGA-II and SPEA2, and two different MO trajectory algorithms are included for comparison. We employ these metaheuristics on a test data set obtained from the literature. For an in-depth analysis of the behavior of the MOABCLLS compared to traditional methodologies, a statistical procedure is utilized to analyze the results. After studying the results, it is concluded that constrained relay node deployment using the MOABCLLS outperforms the performance of the other algorithms, based on two MO quality metrics: hypervolume and coverage of two sets.
Association of syndromic mental retardation with an Xq12q13.1 duplication encompassing the oligophrenin 1 gene

OPHN1 mutations cause a syndromic form of mental retardation (MR) characterized by cerebellar hypoplasia, early hypotonia, motor and speech delay, with occasional seizures and strabismus. Here we report on a familial chromosome duplication spanning about 800 Kb of Xq12q13.1, associated with MR and a distinctive phenotype in the affected male, but not in his heterozygous mother. The parents were healthy and non‐consanguineous with a history of three pregnancies. The first resulted in the birth of a boy with MR, motor impairment and seizures. The second pregnancy was terminated because of trisomy 18. At the time of the third, the first affected boy was analyzed by array‐CGH, which revealed a 800 Kb duplication at Xq12q13.1, encompassing three genes, including OPHN1. This mutation was inherited from his healthy mother and was not present in any of the three maternal brothers. To our knowledge this is the first report of a clinical phenotype associated with duplication of Xq12q13. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of Purinergic Receptors and Receptor-Channels Expressed in Anterior Pituitary Cells.

Purinergic G protein-coupled receptors (P2YR) and ion-conducting receptor-channels (P2XR) are present in the pituitary. However, their identification, expression within pituitary cell subpopulations, and the ability to elevate intracellular Ca 21 concentration ([Ca 21 ]i )i n response to ATP stimulation were incompletely characterized. Here we show that mixed populations of rat anterior pituitary cells express messenger RNA transcripts for P2Y2R, P2X2aR, P2X2bR, P2X3R, P2X4R, and P2X7R. The transcripts and functional P2Y2R were identified in lactotrophs and GH3 cells, but not in somatotrophs and gonadotrophs, and their activation by ATP led to an extracellular Ca 21 -independent rise in [Ca 21 ]i in about 40% of cells tested. Lactotrophs and GH3 cells, but not somatotrophs, also express transcripts for P2X7R, P2X3R, and P2X4R. Functional P2X7R were identified in 74% of lactotrophs, whereas 50% of these cells expressed P2X3R and 33% expressed P2X4R. Coexpression of these receptor subtypes in single lactotrophs was frequently observed. Purified somatotrophs expressed transcripts for P2X2aR and P2X2bR, and functional receptors were identified in somatotrophs and gonadotrophs, but not in lactotrophs. Consistent with the cell-specific expression of transcripts for P2X2R and P2X3R, the expression of their functional heteromers was not evident in pituitary cells. Receptors differed in their capacities to elevate and sustain Ca 21 influx-dependent rise in [Ca 21 ]i during the prolonged ATP stimulation. These results indicate that the purinergic system of anterior pituitary is extremely complex and provides an effective mechanism for generating a cell- and receptor-specific Ca 21 signaling pattern in response to a common agonist. (Endocrinology 141: 4091‐ 4099, 2000)
Categorización de comportamientos de enseñanza desde un enfoque centrado en los estilos de aprendizaje

La Tesis trata de avanzar un paso en los estudios realizados en nuestro pais sobre los Estilos de Aprendizaje. Este sencillo avance lo intenta desde dos direcciones: el marco teorico que toma como referencia la ensenanza y el marco empirico, como analisis del proceso de ensenanza - aprendizaje. Desde la perspectiva Teorica relaciona los Estilos de Aprendizaje con los Enfoques de Ensenanza y con los Estilos de Ensenanza, considerados estos como categorizacion de comportamientos de ensenanza desde la base de los Estilos de Aprendizaje. Conceptualiza y da significado a cada uno de los cuatro Estilos de Ensenanza que se corresponde con los cuatro Estilos de Aprendizaje de Alonso, Gallego y Honey. El marco empirico diagnostica los Estilos de Aprendizaje de los alumnos (adaptacion del C.H.A.E.A.) y de sus docentes mediante el citado CHAEA (Cuestionario Honey Alonso Estilos de Aprendizaje, y contiene un instrumento elaborado y validado para determinar los Estilos de Ensenanza en funcion de los Estilos de Aprendizaje que a su vez es utilizado para diagnosticar los Estilos de Ensenanza de los docentes de la ESO con el objetivo de trabajar en el cambio del proceso educativo que aminore los desajustes que se evidencian, en determinados alumnos, entre la ensenanza y su aprendizaje.
ON SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE Gambrill / EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE Evidence-Based Practice and Policy : Choices Ahead

can be found at: Research on Social Work Practice Additional services and information for http://rsw.sagepub. com/cgi/alerts Email Alerts: http://rsw.sagepub. com/subscriptions Subscriptions: http://www.sagepub. com/journalsReprints.nav Reprints: http://www.sagepub. com/journalsPermissions.nav Permissions: http://rsw.sagepub. com/cgi/content/abstract/16/3/338#BIBL SAGE Journals Online and HighWire Press platforms): (this article cites 41 articles hosted on the Citations
Neostigmine and Anastomotic Disruption

Neostigmine is an anticholinesterase agent used to reverse the effects of nondepolarizing muscle relaxants. A study of two comparable groups of patients, out of a total of 87 undergoing total colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis, revealed that when neostigmine was administered during anesthesia, the post-operative leak rate from the anastomosis as revealed by routine barium enema three weeks postoperatively was 36%. In the group not receiving neostigmine, only 4% leaked. The most likely explanation would seem to be that neostigmineinduced contractions of the gut caused excessive traction on the anastomotic suture line. Direct observation of one case during surgery revealed that the routine dose of atropine, administered with the neostigmine, did not abolish vigorous intestinal peristalsis, and disruption of the anastomosis was seen to occur.
Effect of Prior Antibiotic Treatment on Middle Ear Disease in Children

The effect of prior antibiotic treatment on the course of otitis media was assessed in a group of 62 children who experienced 83 episodes of ear infection during 3 years of observation. Bacterial quantitation in middle ear fluids demonstrated a significantly higher colony count in symptomatic children (3.9 × 104 ± 12 bacteria per milliliter) compared to asymptomatic children (6.3 × 103 ± 10 bacteria per milliliter; p = .05). Bacterial counts similarly tended to be higher in children with Streptococcus pneumoniae (4.0 × 106 ± 16 bacteria per milliliter) and Hemophilus influenzae (2.0 × 106 ± 16 bacteria per milliliter), who were more often symptomatic (73% and 55%, respectively, versus 38 %) than children with Moraxella catarrhalis (7.9 × 103 ± 2). Antibiotic therapy between 3 and 30 days prior to bacterial diagnosis was associated with a reduction in symptoms from 70% to 38% (p< .025). However, prior treatment did not statistically reduce bacterial colony counts, although S pneumoniae decreased 90% in the previously treated group. Resistance to ampicillin occurred in 0% of S pneumoniae, 39 % of nontypeable H influenzae, and 80% of M catarrhalis subjects without prior treatment and in 0%, 46%, and 100%, respectively, of subjects previously treated (p< .025). These data suggest that prior treatment has a significant impact on the subsequent course of otitis media in children.
Chapter 1 Advances in Large-scale RDF Data Management

One of the prime goal of the LOD2 project is improving the performance and scalability of RDF storage solutions so that the increasing amount of Linked Open Data (LOD) can be efficiently managed. Virtuoso has been chosen as the basic RDF store for the LOD2 project, and during the project it has been significantly improved by incorporating advanced relational database techniques from MonetDB and Vectorwise, turning it into a compressed column store with vectored execution. This has reduced the performance gap (“RDF tax”) between Virtuoso’s SQL and SPARQL query performance in a way that still respects the “schema last” nature of RDF. However, by lacking schema information, RDF database systems such as Virtuoso still cannot use advanced relational storage optimizations such as table partitioning or clustered indexes and have to execute SPARQL queries with many self-joins to a triple table, which leads to more join effort than needed in SQL systems. In this chapter, we first discuss the new column store techniques applied to Virtuoso, the enhancements in its cluster parallel version, and show its performance using the popular BSBM benchmark at the unsurpassed scale of 150 billion triples. We finally describe ongoing work in deriving an “emergent” relational schema from RDF data which, can help to close the performance gap between relational-based and RDF-based storage solutions. 1.1 General Objectives One of the objectives of the LOD2 EU project is to boost the performance and the scalability of RDF storage solutions so that it can, efficiently manage huge datasets (e.g., one trillion RDF triples) of Linked Open Data (LOD). However, it has been Peter Boncz, Minh-Duc Pham CWI, Amsterdam e-mail: {P.Boncz,duc}@cwi.nl Orri Erling OpenLink Software, U.K. e-mail: erling@xs4all.nl
Icm/Dot‐dependent upregulation of phagocytosis by Legionella pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, a severe pneumonia. Dependent on the icm/dot loci, L. pneumophila survives and replicates in macrophages and amoebae within a specialized phagosome that does not fuse with lysosomes. Here, we report that phagocytosis of wild‐type L. pneumophila is more efficient than uptake of icm/dot mutants. Compared with the wild‐type strain JR32, about 10 times fewer icm/dot mutant bacteria were recovered from HL‐60 macrophages in a gentamicin protection assay. The defect in phagocytosis of the mutants could be complemented by supplying the corresponding genes on a plasmid. Using fluorescence microscopy and green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐expressing strains, 10–20 times fewer icm/dot mutant bacteria were found to be internalized by HL‐60 cells and human monocyte‐derived macrophages (HMMΦ). Compared with icm/dot mutants, wild‐type L. pneumophila infected two to three times more macrophages and yielded a population of highly infected host cells (15–70 bacteria per macrophage) that was not observed with icm/dot mutant strains. Wild‐type and icmT mutant bacteria were found to adhere similarly and compete for binding to HMMΦ. In addition, wild‐type L. pneumophila was also phagocytosed more efficiently by Acanthamoeba castellanii, indicating that the process is independent of adherence receptor(s). Wild‐type L. pneumophila enhanced phagocytosis of an icmT mutant strain in a synchronous co‐infection, suggesting that increased phagocytosis results from (a) secreted effector(s) acting in trans.
Structure of a 16-nm Cage Designed by Using Protein Oligomers

Design and Build Self-assembling biomolecules are attractive building blocks in the development of functional materials. Sophisticated DNA-based materials have been developed; however, progress in designing protein-based materials has been slower. King et al. (p. 1171) describe a general computational method in which protein building blocks are first symmetrically docked onto a target architecture, and then binding interfaces that drive self-assembly of the building blocks are designed. As a proof of principle, trimeric building blocks were used to design self-assembling 12-subunit complexes with tetrahedral symmetry and 24-subunit complexes with octahedral symmetry. Lai et al. (p. 1129) were able to build a 12-subunit tetrahedral protein cage from fused oligomeric protein domains. A general computational method allows the design of proteins that self-assemble into a desired symmetric architecture. Designing protein molecules that will assemble into various kinds of ordered materials represents an important challenge in nanotechnology. We report the crystal structure of a 12-subunit protein cage that self-assembles by design to form a tetrahedral structure roughly 16 nanometers in diameter. The strategy of fusing together oligomeric protein domains can be generalized to produce other kinds of cages or extended materials.
Preliminary validation of an implantable bi-directional neural interface for chronic, in vivo investigation of brain networks

This paper describes the preliminary technology validation of a bi-directional neural interface in an awake large animal model (ovine). The device addresses the major requirements of a chronic research system, including operation within the implantable environment and electrical stimulation with concurrent bioelectric sensing. Preliminary chronic measurements of network dynamics demonstrate that a chronically stable bi-directional interface to the nervous system is achievable. This was shown through chronic impedance and evoked potential measurements in the thalamo-cortical circuit of Papez. Characterization of bioelectric sensing in the presence of stimulation was also performed through measurements of the noise floor in the presence and absence of stimulation. Further technology validation was performed by using the prototype to correlate activity within and between structures in the circuit of Papez in the presence and absence of stimulation.