Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed multi-agent consensus with multiple group information

This paper studies the discrete-time system for multi-agent consensus problem via group information. In this scheme, neither the absolute states nor inter-agent relative states are available. We partition a group of agents into several subgroups in probability, and then use the relative group information to update each agent state. In this paper, we focus on the group information as the average value of the states of agents in the corresponding subgroup. It is shown that when the agents are divided into only two subgroups, almost surely consensus is achieved if and only if the weighting parameter is greater than one. While the subgroup number m = 3 is considered, one more condition that the partition probability to the chosen two subgroups should be equal is required to guarantee the convergence. Numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the validity of our results.
Serial and parallel processing of tactual information in somatosensory cortex of rhesus monkeys.

1. Selective ablations of the hand representations in postcentral cortical areas 3a, 3b, 1, and 2 were made in different combinations to determine each area's contribution to the responsivity and modality properties of neurons in the hand representation in SII. 2. Ablations that left intact only the postcentral areas that process predominantly cutaneous inputs (i.e., areas 3b and 1) yielded SII recording sites responsive to cutaneous stimulation and none driven exclusively by high-intensity or "deep" stimulation. Conversely, ablations that left intact only the postcentral areas that process predominantly deep receptor inputs (i.e., areas 3a and 2) yielded mostly SII recording sites that responded exclusively to deep stimulation. 3. Ablations that left intact only area 3a or only area 2 yielded substantial and roughly equal reductions in the number of deep receptive fields in SII. By contrast, ablations that left intact only area 3b or only area 1 yielded unequal reductions in the number of cutaneous receptive fields in SII: a small reduction when area 3b alone was intact but a somewhat larger one when only area 1 was intact. 4. Finally, when the hand representation in area 3b was ablated, leaving areas 3a, 1, and 2 fully intact, there was again a substantial reduction in the encounter rate of cutaneous receptive fields. 5. The partial ablations often led to unresponsive sites in the SII hand representation. In SII representations other than of the hand no such unresponsive sites were found and there were no substantial changes in the ratio of cutaneous to deep receptive fields, indicating that the foregoing results were not due to long-lasting postsurgical depression or effects of anesthesia. 6. The findings indicate that modality-specific information is relayed from postcentral cortical areas to SII along parallel channels, with cutaneous inputs transmitted via areas 3b and 1, and deep inputs via areas 3a and 2. Further, area 3b provides the major source of cutaneous input to SII, directly and perhaps also via area 1. 7. The results are in line with accumulating anatomic and electrophysiologic evidence pointing to an evolutionary shift in the organization of the somatosensory system from the general mammalian plan, in which tactile information is processed in parallel in SI and SII, to a new organization in higher primates in which the processing of tactile information proceeds serially from SI to SII. The presumed functional advantages of this evolutionary shift are unknown.
Human cytomegalovirus infection of the monocyte/macrophage lineage in bone marrow

Peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) are one site of persistence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in healthy carriers. However, because PBM circulate only briefly before entering the tissues and are difficult to infect with HCMV, it has been suggested that they may acquire HCMV during development in the bone marrow. Consistent with this, we show evidence that bone marrow progenitors from healthy HCMV carriers contain endogenous HCMV DNA as detected by PCR. We also show that bone marrow precursors are readily infected by clinical isolates of HCMV in vitro but that no viral gene expression occurs until these cells become differentiated. In contrast, incubation of these cells at any developmental stage with the laboratory strain AD169 resulted in few cells expressing viral immediate-early genes, and this correlated with a lack of entry of AD169 virus. These observations are consistent with bone marrow progenitors acting as a reservoir for HCMV and transmitting the viral genome to PBM, in the absence of lytic-gene expression, until they leave the circulation and undergo tissue-specific differentiation to macrophages.
THE DELIVERY OF ENDOCYTOSED MATERIAL FROM LATE ENDOSOMES TO LYSOSOMES

Lysosomes are membrane-bound organelles containing many hydrolytic enzymes, which are optimally active at an acid pH. They are distinguished from endosomes by the absence of the two mannose-6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) and recycling cell surface receptors. They are characteristically observed by electron microscopy to be organelles of ~0.5 μm diameter and often have electron-dense cores (Holtzmann, 1989). Lysosomes are usually regarded as the terminal degradation compartment of the endocytic pathway (Kornfeld and Mellman, 1989), and play important roles in the degradation of phagocytosed material (Funato et al., 1997), in autophagy (Lawrence and Brown, 1992), in crinophagy (Noda and Farquhar, 1992) and in the proteolysis of cytosolic proteins transported across the lysosomal membrane by a carriermediated mechanism (Cuervo and Dice, 1996). However, the view that lysosomes are simply a ‘garbage-disposal unit’ has been challenged, both by a better understanding of how endocytosed material is delivered to them and also by the identification, in many cell types, of lysosomes that secrete their contents after fusion with the plasma membrane (Stinchcombe and Griffiths, 1999). Here, we review the evidence for the hypothesis that lysosomes are able to fuse directly with late endosomes to form hybrid organelles in which degradation of endocytosed material takes place and from which lysosomes can be reformed. We discuss the consequences of this hypothesis for our understanding both of how endocytosed material is delivered to lysosomes and of how newly synthesised acid hydrolases and lysosomal integral membrane glycoproteins (also known as lgps, LAMPs, lamps, LIMPs or limps) are delivered to lysosomes. We also discuss how the hypothesis leads us to a view of lysosomes as being analogous to secretory granules that store acid hydrolases in between fusion events with late endosomes. Finally, we review recent evidence from genetic studies of yeast, Drosophila, mice and humans that have led to a rapid advance in discovery of proteins involved in the molecular machinery for delivery of macromolecules to lysosomes and lysosome biogenesis. The discovery of lysosomes almost 50 years ago was a triumph of the then new technique of subcellular fractionation by ultracentrifugation (reviewed by de Duve, 1983; Bowers, 1998). Endosomal compartments on the major endocytic pathway from clathrin-coated pits at the plasma membrane to lysosomes were discovered later and found to constitute a pleiomorphic, smooth-membrane system consisting of tubular and vesicular elements, many of the latter containing intraorganelle vesicles and often being described as multivesicular bodies or MVBs (Hopkins, 1983; Hopkins et al., 1990; Trowbridge et al., 1993). Despite this complexity a generalised route map for the passage of endocytosed material to lysosomes has been established (Fig. 1). By definition, this material is delivered first to early endosomes, then to late 1515 Journal of Cell Science 113, 1515-1524 (2000) Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 2000 JCS0742
Truthful Workflow Scheduling in Cloud Computing Using Hybrid PSO-ACO

Task Scheduling is one of the major challenges in any system, whether, parallel system, distributed system, cloud computing, where we execute more than one task at a time. In a distributed system one of issue is task scheduling, based on trusting the accuracy of the information about the resource availability. In a commercial multi-cloud environment, usually any individual providers are focused towards increasing their own profits and rarely care about the utility of users and other providers. In such situations, we cannot trust the information presented by the providers. For such scheduling on the set of resources, we propose a new truthful mechanism. We implement the new hybrid PSO-ACO algorithm to achieve two main objectives minimizing cost and time.
Treatments for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES To identify the drug treatments currently available for the management of spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis (MS), and to evaluate their clinical and cost-effectiveness. DATA SOURCES Electronic bibliographic databases, National Research Register, MRC Clinical Trials Register and the US National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Register. REVIEW METHODS Systematic searches identified 15 interventions for the treatment of spasticity and 15 interventions for treatment of pain. The quality and outcomes of the studies were evaluated. Reviews of the treatment of spasticity and pain when due to other aetiologies were also sought. RESULTS There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of four oral drugs for spasticity: baclofen, dantrolene, diazepam and tizanidine. Tizanidine appears to be no more effective than comparator drugs such as baclofen and has a slightly different side-effects profile. Despite claims that it causes less muscle weakness, there was very little evidence that tizanidine performed any better in this respect than other drugs, although it is more expensive. The findings of this review are consistent with reviews of the same treatments for spasticity derived from other aetiologies. There is good evidence that both botulinum toxin (BT) and intrathecal baclofen are effective in reducing spasticity, and both are associated with functional benefit. However, they are invasive, and substantially more expensive. None of the studies included in the review of pain were designed specifically to evaluate the alleviation of pain in patients with MS and there was no consistency regarding the use of validated outcome measures. It was suggested that, although expensive, the use of intrathecal baclofen may be associated with significant savings in hospitalisation costs in relation to bed-bound patients who are at risk of developing pressure sores, thus enhancing its cost-effectiveness. No studies of cost-effectiveness were identified in the review of pain. There is evidence, albeit limited, of the clinical effectiveness of baclofen, dantrolene, diazepam, tizanidine, intrathecal baclofen and BT and of the potential cost-effectiveness of intrathecal baclofen in the treatment of spasticity in MS. CONCLUSIONS Many of the interventions identified are not licensed for the alleviation of pain or spasticity in MS and the lack of evidence relating to their effectiveness may also limit their widespread use. Indeed, forthcoming information relating to the use of cannabinoids in MS may result in there being better evidence of the effectiveness of new treatments than of any of the currently used drugs. It may therefore be of value to carry out double-blind randomised controlled trials of interventions used in current practice, where outcomes could include functional benefit and impact on quality of life. Further research into the development and validation of outcomes measures for pain and spasticity may also be useful, as perhaps would cost-utility studies.
Changes in Blood Viscosity, Hematocrit Value, and Fibrinogen Concentration in Subjects with Congestive Heart Failure

THE increased incidence of thrombo-occlusive complications in subjects with congestive heart failure is clearly recognized. Thus, pulmonary, cerebral, and myocardial infarction, thrombophlebitis, and mesenteric thrombosis are sufficiently frequent complications to compel some to include anticoagulant therapy in the routine management of cardiac decompensation. The fundamental cause of this tendency toward thrombosis has not been elucidated; hypercoagulability has been suggested but never clearly demonstrated. It has been observed that the critical period for thrombotic complications is during diuresis and restoration of compensation. ' The present study was therefore undertaken to examine day-to-day changes in blood viscosity during this treatment interval, to assess the role, if any, of these changes in the tendency toward thrombosis. Measurements were made at the height of the congestive syndrome and were repeated at frequent intervals as compensation was restored. Attempts were made to correlate the changes encountered with alterations in hematocrit level, plasma volume, and fibrinogen concentration. Problems inherent in the measurement of blood viscosity have been amply reviewed by others.2 4 Inasmuch as blood is a "non-Newtonian" suspension of erythrocytes in a 7per cent protein solution, the viscosity of this fluid, by definition, is dependent upon the rate
PROGRESSIVE ENLARGEMENT OF SCATTERED PHOTOCOAGULATION SCARS IN DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Purpose: To clarify the evolution of laser scars and factors that possibly affect progression of laser-induced chorioretinal atrophy. Methods: The authors quantified 191 areas of laser scarring from panretinal photocoagulation in 19 eyes with diabetic retinopathy and calculated the expansion rate of the laser scars. They also analyzed factors affecting expansion, including location, laser wavelength, and follow-up period. The follow-up period ranged from 36 to 122 months (mean, 62 months). Results: Most (89.5%) laser scars gradually increased in size. The mean annual expansion rates were 12.7% in the posterior pole and 7.0% in the midperiphery. The annual expansion rate (16.5%) more than 4 years (late period) after treatment was higher than that (8.8%) within 4 years of treatment (early period). The expansion rate was minimal (1.2%) after argon laser treatment, whereas it was 11.7% after treatment with a 590-nm wavelength laser and 15.8% after treatment with a 610-nm wavelength laser. Conclusion: Laser photocoagulation causes relentless expansion of laser scars over a long period. Laser scars enlarged more in the posterior pole. Lasers of a longer wavelength contributed to larger areas of chorioretinal atrophy.
Handling arbitrary unknown lineshape in in vivo MRS without searching in function space

In vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is the only technique that can non-invasely detect metabolites at arbitrary locations inside humans and animals. Because metabolites serve as markers of disease, estimation of their in vivo concentrations (quantitation) is important. Metabolite quantitation suffers when the model function of the in vivo MRS signal is only partially known. The present work concentrates on handling arbitrary unknown MRS lineshape, introducing a new approach to the problem addressed at IST 2008. Its main characteristic is that searching in function space, normally needed for modelling lineshapes of a priori unknown form, is circumvented.
Treatment of diabetes insipidus with orally administered compounds

Thirty‐five studies were done with oleous vasopressin and several antidiuretic drugs orally administered in 9 patients with idiopathic diabetes insipidus. Vasopressin was by far the most effective drug for controlling urine fiow. Benzothiadiazine derivatives, aminopyrine, and to a lesser degree spironolactone, exerted antidiuretic effects of clinical significance, especially when they were combined. The suggested mechanisms of action of thiazides and spironolactone are discussed. It is thought that the antidiuretic effect of aminopyrine is due to the decreased glomerular filtration rate.
PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL GELATIN / SILICA NANO-HYBRID AS A STYPTIC FOR MASSIVE BLEEDING

a Biomaterials Group, Department of Medical Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran b Biomaterials Group, Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials & Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran c Department of Biomaterial, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute (IPPI), P.O. Box: 14965, Tehran, Iran d Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization Research Center, MD Pathologist, Tehran, Iran
Behavioral Analysis of Second Order Sigma-Delta Modulator for Low frequency Applications

Switched capacitor (SC) based modulator is prone to various non-idealities; especially at the circuit designing stage where the integrator plays an important role and effects the overall performance of the sigma delta modulator. The non idealities take account of sampling jitter which includes the effect of switching circuitry, sampling noise. Opamp parameter include noise, finite dc gain, finite band width, slew rate, saturation voltage. Each non idealities is modeled mathematically and simulation is carried out in the MATALAB SIMULINK environment with the help of sigma delta toolbox. The simulation analysis of each model is carried out individually. At last overall performance of the modulator with all nonidealities is carried out compared with the ideal modulator and satisfactory results were found out for second order sigma delta modulator for signal bandwidth of 4 KHz.
Calbindin neurons in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus do not exhibit a circadian variation in spontaneous firing rate

The role of the mammalian suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in generating circadian rhythms in behaviours and other physiological processes is well established. A prominent feature of SCN neurons is the circadian oscillation in action potential firing frequency, with a peak near midday. A subset of calbindin‐immunoreactive (CB+) neurons form a compact subnucleus (CBsn) in the hamster SCN. Restoration of rhythmicity using fetal SCN grafts in SCN‐lesioned hamsters is critically dependent upon the presence of CB+ neurons within the transplanted grafts [LeSauter & Silver (1999) J. Neurosci. , 5574–5585]. The aim of the current study was to determine whether CB+ neurons within the CBsn of the hamster SCN fire action potentials in a circadian pattern as part of their output signal. Using patch‐clamp recording, we demonstrated that CB+ neurons in the CBsn do not express a circadian rhythm in spontaneous firing frequency under diurnal conditions in vitro. Furthermore, the percentage of silent CB– cells varies with zeitgeber time, whereas the percentage of silent CB+ cells does not. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the CBsn is a nonhomogeneous nucleus, containing many more CB– than CB+ cells. Our results reveal that CB+ neurons within the CBsn represent a functionally distinct neuronal subpopulation in which rhythmic action potential output may not be necessary for the restoration of behavioural circadian rhythmicity.
Fesoterodine: a new agent for treating overactive bladder.

OBJECTIVE To review the efficacy and safety of fesoterodine, a new antimuscarinic for treating overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. METHODS Review of efficacy and safety data from the pivotal phase 3 trials of fesoterodine for the treatment of OAB. Although there were a number of additional end points, they were not included in the US prescribing information for fesoterodine and thus are not included in this article. RESULTS OAB is a chronic condition affecting both men and women. The principal symptom is urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, with some patients experiencing increased daytime frequency and nocturia. In two 12-week, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trials, fesoterodine 4 and 8 mg administered once daily were significantly better than placebo in alleviating OAB symptoms, as determined by changes in bladder diary variables. Both doses of fesoterodine were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS Fesoterodine is an efficacious, well-tolerated treatment for OAB.
Influences of Dentinal Fluids on Experimental Caries

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUA INFLUENTIA DE LIQUIDOS DENTINAL SUPER CARIE EXPERIMENTAL. —Con le objectivo de testar le hypothese que dentes nonvital es resistente contra carie, pulpa coronal esseva oblitterate con oxydo de zinc a eugenol o con un pasta aquee de osso inorganic in un prime dente molar superior e un inferior de rattos. Post que le rattos habeva recipite un dieta cariogene durante 100 dies, un comparation esseva effectuate inter le carie in dentes tractate de maniera a crear le equivalentia de dentes sin pulpa e le carie in dentes vital. Esseva constatate significative declinos in le incidentia e etiam le severitate del carie in le dentes tractate.
Effect of stimulation frequency on metabolism of skeletal muscles.

We studied the effects of stimulation frequency on the energy metabolism of rat skeletal muscles during electrical low-frequency stimulation, using in vivo phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The sciatic nerve of Wistar-Kyoto rats (n = 16) was stimulated electrically using low frequency stimulation (LFS) at 30 Hz and high frequency stimulation (HFS) at 100 Hz as tetanizing frequencies. The initial tension during LFS was significantly different from that during HFS, 200.49 +/- 19.47 vs. 516.67 +/- 5.38 dynes (mean +/- S.E.; n = 8) (p < 0.01). In the first 2 min of stimulation, the ratio of phosphocreatine (PCr) to inorganic phosphate (Pi) + sugar phosphate (SP) during LFS and HFS were 0.28 +/- 0.04 and 0.53 +/- 0.06 (mean +/- S.E.; n = 8), respectively. Subsequently, the ratio during LFS remained lower than that during HFS. The intracellular pH during LFS and HFS in the first 2 min of stimulation was 6.27 +/- 0.02 and 6.75 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- S.E.; n = 8), respectively. From 2 min to 12 min of stimulation, the intracellular pH during LFS remained lower than that during HFS. The results showed that lower levels of both energy and intracellular pH of skeletal muscles were maintained during LFS than during HFS, facilitating aerobic glycolysis to produce ATP during stimulation.
Abnormal Glucose Regulation of Insulin Secretion in Models of Reduced B-Cell Mass

The influence of glucose on nonglucose-stimulated in sulin secretion was examined in two animal models with reduced B-cell mass: rats treated with streptozotocin as neonates (SZ) and rats with a partial pancreatectomy (Px). The effects of arginine and IBMX upon insulin secretion were studied at varying glucose con centrations using the in vitro, isolated, perfused pan creas. In normal rats, as expected, 16.7 mM glucose caused a biphasic insulin release and arginine-stimulated in sulin secretion was markedly potentiated by an in crease in background glucose concentration. In the SZ model, 16.7 mM glucose caused a minimal insulin re sponse. However, arginine stimulated insulin release at 2.8 mM glucose as well as at higher glucose concen trations. A similar alteration in the glucose regulation of insulin secretion was shown with another secret agogue, IBMX, even though responses to this agent in the SZ rats exceeded those of the controls at both high- and low-background glucose concentrations. The less diabetic, Px model showed partial preservation of the glucose regulation of the B-cell response to arginine. Thus, a reduction in B-cell mass leads not only to a toss of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion but also to impaired glucose regulation of nonglucose-stimulated insulin secretion.