Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the product of balanced sequences

The product w = u ⊗ v of two sequences u and v is a naturally defined sequence on the alphabet of pairs of symbols. Here, we study when the product w of two balanced sequences u,v is balanced too. In the case u and v are binary sequences, we prove, as a main result, that, if such a product w is balanced and deg ( w ) = 4, then w is an ultimately periodic sequence of a very special form. The case of arbitrary alphabets is approached in the last section. The partial results obtained and the problems proposed show the interest of the notion of product in the study of balanced sequences.
Inflammatory Monocyte Mobilization Decreases Patient Survival in Pancreatic Cancer: A Role for Targeting the CCL2/CCR2 Axis

Purpose: To determine the role of the CCL2/CCR2 axis and inflammatory monocytes (CCR2+/CD14+) as immunotherapeutic targets in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Experimental Design: Survival analysis was conducted to determine if the prevalence of preoperative blood monocytes correlates with survival in patients with pancreatic cancer following tumor resection. Inflammatory monocyte prevalence in the blood and bone marrow of patients with pancreatic cancer and controls was compared. The immunosuppressive properties of inflammatory monocytes and macrophages in the blood and tumors, respectively, of patients with pancreatic cancer were assessed. CCL2 expression by human pancreatic cancer tumors was compared with normal pancreas. A novel CCR2 inhibitor (PF-04136309) was tested in an orthotopic model of murine pancreatic cancer. Results: Monocyte prevalence in the peripheral blood correlates inversely with survival, and low monocyte prevalence is an independent predictor of increased survival in patients with pancreatic cancer with resected tumors. Inflammatory monocytes are increased in the blood and decreased in the bone marrow of patients with pancreatic cancer compared with controls. An increased ratio of inflammatory monocytes in the blood versus the bone marrow is a novel predictor of decreased patient survival following tumor resection. Human pancreatic cancer produces CCL2, and immunosuppressive CCR2+ macrophages infiltrate these tumors. Patients with tumors that exhibit high CCL2 expression/low CD8 T-cell infiltrate have significantly decreased survival. In mice, CCR2 blockade depletes inflammatory monocytes and macrophages from the primary tumor and premetastatic liver resulting in enhanced antitumor immunity, decreased tumor growth, and reduced metastasis. Conclusions: Inflammatory monocyte recruitment is critical to pancreatic cancer progression, and targeting CCR2 may be an effective immunotherapeutic strategy in this disease. Clin Cancer Res; 19(13); 3404–15. ©2013 AACR.
Architecture of the Xenopus nuclear pore complex revealed by three- dimensional cryo-electron microscopy

The nuclear pore complex spans the nuclear envelope and functions as a macromolecular transporter in the ATP-dependent process of nucleocytoplasmic transport. In this report, we present three dimensional (3D) structures for both membrane-associated and detergent- extracted Xenopus NPCs, imaged in frozen buffers by cryo-electron microscopy. A comparison of the differing configurations present in the 3D maps suggests that the spokes may possess an intrinsic conformational flexibility. When combined with recent data from a 3D map of negatively stained NPCs (Hinshaw, J. E., B. O. Carragher, and R. A. Milligan. 1992. Cell. 69:1133-1141), these observations suggest a minimal domain model for the spoke-ring complex which may account for the observed plasticity of this assembly. Moreover, lumenal domains in adjacent spokes are interconnected by radial arm dimers, forming a lumenal ring that may be responsible for anchoring the NPC within the nuclear envelope pore. Importantly, the NPC transporter is visualized as a centrally tapered cylinder that spans the entire width of the NPC, in a direction normal to the nuclear envelope. The central positioning, tripartite structure, and hollow nature of the transporter suggests that it may form a macromolecular transport channel, with a globular gating domain at each end. Finally, the packing of the transporter within the spokes creates a set of eight internal channels that may be responsible, in part, for the diffusion of ions and small molecules across the nuclear envelope.
Evaluation des prothèses totales de hanche avec tête fémorale de petit diamètre et couple de frottement métal-métal versus céramiquepolyéthylène

La prothese totale de hanche (PTH) est une intervention frequente en chirurgie orthopedique. Le but de cette etude etait d'evaluer le taux de complications, ainsi que les resultats cliniques et radiologiques a 5 et 10 ans de suivi des PTH avec couple de frottement metal-metal compares au couple de frottement ceramique-polyethylene, toutes ces PTH possedant une tete d'un diametre de 28mm. 3'341 PTH primaires chez 2'714 patients ont ete inclues, 883 PTH metal-metal et 2'458 PTH ceramique-polyethylene. Le taux de revision a ete plus important pour les PTH metal-metal. Les resultats cliniques et radiologiques a 10 ans de suivi etaient comparables dans les deux groupes. La survie jusqu'a 10 ans etait similaire dans les deux groupes, a partir de 12 ans de suivi, la survie etait inferieure pour les PTH metal-metal.
Efecto del glifosato sobre la producción de aflatoxina B1 por cepas de Aspergillus sección Flavi aisladas de maíz

El glifosato es el herbicida mas utilizado en las practicas agricolas regionales en Argentina. Existe informacion limitada sobre el impacto de este herbicida en la produccion de micotoxinas por hongos que comunmente colonizan los cultivos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar in vitro el efecto de diferentes concentraciones de glifosato en la produccion de aflatoxina B1 (AFB1) por cepas de Aspergillus seccion Flavi bajo diferentes condiciones de actividad de agua (aW) y tiempos de incubacion. El medio caldo extracto de levadura, sacarosa (YES) se ajusto a una aW de 0,99; 0,96 y 0,92, el cual fue modificado con glifosato a una concentracion final de 30 y 300 mM (formula comercial) y se incubo a 25oC durante 21 dias. La produccion de aflatoxina B1 se determino mediante HPLC a los 7, 14 y 21 dias de incubacion. Las condiciones optimas para la acumulacion de AFB1 en los tratamientos de control fueron 0,92 aW a 21 dias de incubacion para Aspergillus flavus AFM16. La mayor influencia para la produccion de AFB1 fue 30 mM del herbicida para Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 a los 21 dias de incubacion. Excepto por la cepa AFM 16, todas las cepas mostraron la produccion maxima con 30 mM de glifosato a los 21 dias de incubacion. Estos datos resultan importantes para conocer las consecuencias aflatoxicologicas que implica el uso extensivo del herbicida glifosato en los cultivos extensivos de maiz.
Hypoglycemia: minimizing its impact in type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To review and discuss the risks and impact of hypoglycemia and provide guidance for the prevention of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS We review and discuss the risks and impact of hypoglycemia, providing specific guidance regarding the prevention of hypoglycemia and judicial selection of glucose-lowering agents in individuals with T2DM. RESULTS Hypoglycemia in T2DM is underrecognized and underreported. Emerging evidence from large clinical trials suggest that hypoglycemia may be an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality in T2DM. In addition, hypoglycemia is associated with reduced quality of life, greater healthcare utilization costs, and poor adherence to medical regiments. CONCLUSION These findings have led professional organizations to emphasize the prevention of hypoglycemia as an important consideration when initiating or intensifying treatment regimens. In clinical settings, particular attention should be paid to a patient's risk for hypoglycemia when initiating or intensifying the pharmacological treatment regimen. The endocrinologist can play an important role in educating not only the patient, but also other members of the diabetes-management team regarding the need for individualized therapy.
R & d productivity and alternative sources of innovation: the case of Spanish manufacturing firms

Esta tesis doctoral se enmarca en los estudios de I+D a nivel de empresa. Utilizando una base de datos recientemente disponible, la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales, ESEE, llevada a cabo por la Fundacion Empresa Publica, esta tesis desarrolla un trabajo empirico que trata de analizar no solo aspectos ya analizados para otros paises y/o para Espana en periodos anteriores, sino que tambien se plantea nuevos interrogantes. Asi, en el capitulo primero, se estudian los impactos en productividad de la I+D, tanto de la propia empresa como de aquellas adyacentes(efectos desbordamiento o externalidades tecnologicas). En el segundo capitulo se establece una taxonomia de empresas con el fin de analizar las distintas caracteristicas de las empresas que se ubican en distintos "regimenes tecnologicos". El capitulo tercero va mas alla estableciendo y analizando una secuencia de decisiones por parte de la empresa, que parte de la decision de hacer o no I+D, continua con el analisis de la decision concerniente a la propia generacion de innovaciones frente a la alternativa de su importacion y finaliza con la decision ultima de si organizar internamente la I+D o bien encargarla a terceros. Por ultimo, el capitulo cuarto analiza la fecundidad, (o tasa de exito, medida como numero de innovaciones incorporadas por la empresa para un nivel dado de gasto en I+D), de distintas fuentes de innovacion: I+D interna, I+D externa y pagos por transferencia de tecnologia. Esta tesis, como ya se ha avanzado, constituye un trabajo empirico que ha utilizado los datos de panel suministrados por ESEE. Por lo tanto, las tecnicas econometricas utilizadas se enmarcan dentro del contexto de la microeconometria.
Research in Management Information Systems, 1980-1984: Points of Work and Reference

This article examine the progress of MIS as a scholarly field of study since 1980. In this examination, MIS is identified as emerging from a supporting base of three foundational fields: computer science, management science, and organization science. Hypotheses related to this emergence are tested by an analysis of data on 271 MIS articles published during th e period 1980-84 in six academic journals and one conference proceedings. Each article is described by its work point (the field of study represented by the publication in which the article appears) and its reference point (as represented by the distribution of the article's publication citations). Results of the analysis support the proposition that MIS is emerging as a distinct field of study, with its own cumulative tradition.
The Social and Cultural Context of Coping with Sickle Cell Disease: I. A Review of Biomedical and Psychosocial Issues

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is widely conceived in the United States as a group of blood disorders that principally affect African Americans. Although pain is its principal feature, strokes, lung problems, sepsis, anxiety, depression, impaired social functioning, and maladjustment at work are frequent concomitants. This article selectively reviews biomedical and psychosocial aspects of SCD related to pain assessment, medical treatment, genetic counseling, education, and employment. The strongest support exists for claims of social deficits among adolescents and depression and work-related problems among adults. The social context of SCD, including issues related to socioeconomic status (SES), urbanicity, ethnicity, cultural values, and racial stigmatization, are important to include in empirical assessments and theoretical analyses of the effects of SCD on children and their families. The adverse psychosocial functioning often described as an effect of SCD might indeed be a consequence of these factors acting alone or in concert with the strains of SCD.
Kinetics of intercalation of fluorescent probes in magnesium–aluminium layered double hydroxide within a multiscale reaction–diffusion framework

We report the synthesis of magnesium–aluminium layered double hydroxide (LDH) using a reaction–diffusion framework (RDF) that exploits the multiscale coupling of molecular diffusion with chemical reactions, nucleation and growth of crystals. In an RDF, the hydroxide anions are allowed to diffuse into an organic gel matrix containing the salt mixture needed for the precipitation of the LDH. The chemical structure and composition of the synthesized magnesium–aluminium LDHs are determined using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR), Fourier transform infrared and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This novel technique also allows the investigation of the mechanism of intercalation of some fluorescent probes, such as the neutral three-dimensional rhodamine B (RhB) and the negatively charged two-dimensional 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (HPTS), using in situ steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The incorporation of these organic dyes inside the interlayer region of the LDH is confirmed via fluorescence microscopy, solid-state lifetime, SSNMR and PXRD. The activation energies of intercalation of the corresponding molecules (RhB and HPTS) are computed and exhibit dependence on the geometry of the involved probe (two or three dimensions), the charge of the fluorescent molecule (anionic, cationic or neutral) and the cationic ratio of the corresponding LDH. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Multiscale modelling at the physics–chemistry–biology interface’.
Double jeopardy: Interaction effects of marital and poverty status on the risk of mortality

The purpose of this paper is to examine the hypothesis that marital and poverty status interact in their effects on mortality risks beyond their main effects. This study examines the epidemiological bases for applying an additive rather than a multiplicative specification when testing for interaction between two discrete risk factors. We specifically predict that risks associated with being nonmarried and with being poor . interact to produce mortality risks that are greater than each risk acting independently. The analysis is based on men and women who were ages 25–74 during the 1971–1975 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NHANES I) and who were traced successfully in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study in 1982–1984. Overall, being both poor and nonmarried places nonelderly (ages 25–64) men, but not women, at risk of mortality greater than that expected from the main effects. This study shows that for all-cause mortality, marital and poverty status interact for men but less so for women; these findings exist when interaction is assessed with either a multiplicative or an additive standard. This difference is most pronounced for poor, widowed men and (to a lesser degree) poor, divorced men. For violent/accidental deaths among men, the interaction effects are large on the basis of an additive model. Weak main and interaction effects were detected for the elderly (age 65 +).
Effect of paratuberculosis on culling, milk production, and milk quality in dairy herds.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of paratuberculosis on culling, milk production, and milk quality in infected dairy herds. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 689 lactating dairy cows in 9 herds. PROCEDURE Milk, blood, and fecal samples were obtained from all cows. Fecal samples were evaluated via mycobacterial culture. Serum samples were tested with a commercially available ELISA for antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis, and preserved milk samples were tested with an ELISA for antibodies against M paratuberculosis. Mixed effect and proportional hazards models were used to determine the effect of paratuberculosis on 305-day milk, fat, and protein production; somatic cell count linear score; and the risk of culling. RESULTS Cows with positive results of bacteriologic culture of feces and milk ELISA produced less milk, fat, and protein, compared with herdmates with negative results. No difference in 305-day milk or fat production was detected in cows with positive results of serum ELISA, compared with seronegative cows. The 3 survival analyses revealed that cows with positive results of each test were at higher risk of being culled than cows with negative results. Paratuberculosis status, as determined by use of all 3 diagnostic tests, was not associated with milk somatic cell count linear score. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggest that for the 9 herds in this study, paratuberculosis significantly decreased milk production and cow longevity.
Study of Battery Voltage Behavior Under Loading and Charging Conditions Using 3DFEM

In this paper, a lithium ion cobalt polymer battery cell is modeled using 3-D finite elements (3DFE) for the study of its performance under a wide range of operating scenarios. The electrochemistry is modeled and coupled to an electromagnetic model to forecast the cell voltage overpotential as a result of charging and discharging under six current densities. To study this phenomenon, light (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$C$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/10), medium (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$C$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/2), and high (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1C$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) charging and discharging currents are imposed at the battery terminals and compared with experimental results. The electric field inside the electrodes and electrolyte is analyzed at each case highlighting regions where loss occurs. A magnetic field analysis depicts the total electrochemical generation of current densities inside the cell while identifying how the development of gradient currents occur, a mechanism which can shorten the life span of the battery. This paper distinguishes where 3DFE analysis battery models can be useful in studying how lithium ion batteries will behave given a particular loading or a charging profile before placing them in service.
Review of surface electrode placement for recording electromyography signals

Background: Surface Electromyography (SEMG) signal has used in monitoring muscle activities. It has been widely applied in many areas, such as body member prosthesis, noise cancellation for braincomputer interface, and robotics. The SEMG acquisition method for collecting the signal with low-noise has extensively investigated in the last decade. The objective of this study is to review the recent works on electrode position and identify avenues for future research. Methods: A review of the relevant literature published between 1986 and 2015. This study commences with the basics of SEMG and recent methods for electrode position. Result: The different noises affecting SEMG signal include the spread of the innervation zone, cross-talk from neighbour muscles, electrode size, and location of electrode placement. Moreover, electrode placement or displacement effect SEMG signal in both time and frequency domain. Conclusion: Although several SEMG studies examined the effects of electrode position and internal electrode distance on forearm muscles, only a few studies addressed the methodological difficulties of the electrode position. In the majority of studies, electrodes were placed without the specific symptoms of the points along the length or shape of the muscle. Moreover, IED varied in different studies.
Liver tissue engineering in the evaluation of drug safety

Assessment of drug–liver interactions is an integral part of predicting the safety profile of new drugs. Existing model systems range from in vitro cell culture models to FDA-mandated animal tests. Data from these models often fail, however, to predict human liver toxicity, resulting in costly failures of clinical trials. In vitro screens based on cultured hepatocytes are now commonly used in early stages of development, but many toxic responses in vivo seem to be mediated by a complex interplay among several different cell types. We discuss some of the evolving trends in liver cell culture systems applied to drug safety assessment and describe an experimental model that captures complex liver physiology through incorporation of heterotypic cell–cell interactions, 3D architecture and perfused flow. We demonstrate how heterotypic interactions in this system can be manipulated to recreate an inflammatory environment and apply the model to test compounds that potentially exhibit idiosyncratic drug toxicity. Finally, we provide a perspective on how the range of existing and emerging in vitro liver culture approaches, from simple to complex, might serve needs across the range of stages in drug discovery and development, including applications in molecular therapeutics.
Prevalence of Occult HBV Infection in HCV Positive Patients in Suez canal Area

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major health problem. The term occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is defined as the serologically undetectable hepatitis B surface antigen, despite of the presence of HBV DNA and played an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons with the lack response to interferon treatment in HCV patients. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of OBI among HCV positive patients in Suez Canal University (SCU) hospital by using the PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction) technique and we correlated the clinical , laboratory characteristics among those patients. Fifty patients with HCV were subjected to complete blood picture, liver function , anti-schistosoma antibody, HBsAg; anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. We found that the number of infected person with OBI was 3 person out of 50 which represent 6% of the studied patients. The co-infection of OBI with HCV is of great importance because of its added co-morbidity of liver enzymes elevation, increased severity of liver disease and increased risk of HCC. The highest prevalence of OBI in Egypt is similar to the scenario for classic HBV infection. K e y w o r d s
Improving TCP performance in wired-wireless networks by using a novel adaptive bandwidth estimation mechanism

The paper presents a novel dynamic bandwidth estimation mechanism for improving TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) performance in wired-cum-wireless networks. The key idea is to measure continuously the bandwidth used by a TCP flow by monitoring the rate of returning acknowledgements (ACKs) and the round-trip time (RTT) values. The distinguishing feature of this mechanism (compared to other mechanisms such as that in TCP Westwood) is that it exploits the burstiness pattern of ACK arrivals and estimates the available bandwidth more accurately. In the proposed mechanism, the bandwidth sample is calculated by distributing a burst of ACKs over an off period based on the degree of congestion and burstiness in the network. The estimation technique is robust against burstiness of ACK arrival and type of loss (e.g., wireless loss, congestion loss). A new variant of TCP New-Reno based on this adaptive bandwidth estimation technique is referred to as TCP Prairie. Simulation results obtained using ns-2 reveal that TCP Prairie provides significant throughput performance improvement over TCP New-Reno and TCP Westwood under congestion and/or wireless loss scenarios. Also, compared to TCP Westwood, TCP Prairie is observed to be more friendly towards TCP New-Reno.