Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deterioration of pre-existing hemiparesis brought about by subsequent ipsilateral lacunar infarction

Mechanisms of post-stroke recovery are still poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that cortical reorganisation in the unaffected hemisphere plays an important role. A 59 year old man developed a small lacunar infarct in the left corona radiata, which then caused marked deterioration in a pre-existing left hemiparesis that had resulted from an earlier right putaminal haemorrhage. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that the paretic left hand grip activated the ipsilateral left motor areas, but not the right hemispheric motor areas. This suggests that partial recovery of the left hemiparesis had been brought about by cortical reorganisation of the left hemisphere and intensification of the uncrossed corticospinal tract. The subsequent small infarct may have damaged the uncrossed tract, thereby causing the pre-existing hemiparesis to deteriorate even further.
Efficient Binarization for Historical Document Analysis

Readability of document images is one core issue when analysing historical documents. One way to improve the readability of those document images is image binarization. By separating the written text from its background, documents degraded by, e.g., stains or faded ink become better readable. Due to the large quantity of available historical document images, this binarization needs to be done efficiently to make this form of processing feasible. In this paper, we present our work in progress on improving the execution performance of a state-of-the-art binarization algorithm by mapping it onto a heterogenous platform. We describe how the algorithm can be divided and computed in parallel on CPU and GPU. The preliminary results, which we report in this paper, suggest that a speedup of 1.4 is possible in comparison to the original algorithm.
Prediction of the 2017 French election based on Twitter data analysis

Twitter is a social network that lets users post their opinions about current affairs, share their social events, and interact with others. Twitter has now become one of the largest sources of news, with over 200 million active users monthly. This paper proposes a method to predict election results based on Twitter data analysis. The method extracts and analyses sentimental information from microblogs to predict the popularity of candidates. The proposed method was used for predicting the result of the 2017 French presidential election. It has been shown that the proposed method significantly outperformed the Tumasjan's method, a well-recognized method for election prediction based on Twitter data.
Design of a wireless charging system with a phase-controlled inverter under varying parameters

Class-D full bridge is the most common inverter topology at the primary side for wireless electric vehicles (EVs) charging systems. This study takes a novel topology of a phase-controlled inverter as the power amplifier and puts it in a context of the whole charging system. The proposed inverter topology regulates the charging power through adjusting the phase-shift angle among phases with a constant operating frequency, which alleviates the EMI filter design. For various wireless EVs chargers, the gaps between the primary side and the secondary side are changing, which results in various coupling factors k . The equivalent resistance of the EVs battery R battery is also changing during the charging process. Even resonant frequencies at two sides are variable because of the components tolerances and operating environments. This study presents design considerations of a wireless EVs charging system with the proposed technology under variable k , R battery , and resonant frequencies. Circuit parameters are designed and the system efficiency is derived. Industrial prototype of an EV charging system is manufactured with the proposed topology at 3.0 kW. Experiments show that these design considerations can reflect the system characteristics, and the proposed system is a good candidate to be used in wireless EV battery chargers.
Capturing Word-level Dependencies in Morpheme-based Language Modeling

Morphologically rich languages suffer from data sparsity and out-of-vocabulary words problems. As a result, researchers use morphemes (sub-words) as units in language modeling instead of full-word forms. The use of morphemes in language modeling, however, might lead to a loss of word level dependency since a word can be segmented into 3 or more morphemes and the scope of the morpheme n-gram might be limited to a single word. In this paper we propose the use of roots to capture word-level dependencies in Amharic language modeling. Our experiment shows that root-based language models are better than the word based and other factored language models when compared on the basis of the probability they assign for the test set. However, no benefit has been obtained (in terms of word recognition accuracy) as a result of using root-based language models in a speech recognition task.
Performance analysis of IEEE 802.15.4 non-beacon mode with the unslotted CSMA/CA

We provide a simple mathematical model of IEEE 802.15. 4 unslotted CSMA/CA by busy cycle of M/G/l queueing system to obtain several performance measures. Our performance measures can be used for determining the optimal number of devices while supporting the required QoS constraints on the average packet delay and the packet loss probability, and also for calculating battery lifetime.
A Pilot Study for the Detection of Acute Ciguatera Intoxication in Human Blood

Introduction: Ciguatera fish poisoning arises from consumption of any of the 400 species of tropical marine reef fish containing polyether toxins. No laboratory method is available for clinical diagnosis of acute ciguatera poisoning. The objective of this pilot study was to ascertain the potential usefulness of a bioassay to detect ciguatoxins in humans suspected of acute intoxication. We analyzed plasma of healthy volunteers (asymptomatic negative controls), participants with gastrointestinal (GI) illness but without recent fish consumption (symptomatic negative controls), and participants with GI illness who had recently consumed fish. Materials and Methods: Blood samples, questionnaires, and consent forms were collected from 11 symptomatic negative controls and 86 patients that visited emergency rooms in southern Puerto Rico over a 1-year period. Patients had consumed fish within 24 hour prior to the symptoms. Plasma samples were analyzed by a neuroblastoma cell bioassay that detects seafood toxins active at the sodium voltage-gated channel in a dose-dependent fashion. Concentrations were expressed in terms of brevetoxin-1 equivalents (ng PbTx-1 equiv/mL). Results: The mean plasma concentration of 14 asymptomatic negative controls was 39.4 ng PbTx-1 equiv/mL (range 2–74). Of 86 potential ciguatoxic patients who reported fish consumption, 43 had values within the range of normal volunteers, and 9 had concentrations in the nondiagnostic range (73.9–100 ng). Thirty-four patients (40%) had concentrations 3 standard deviations above asymptomatic negative controls (>100 ng PbTx-1 equiv/mL). They had a mean concentration of 1074±244.5 ng PbTx-1 equiv/mL (range 101–7056 ng). Conclusion: Preliminary findings of elevated PbTx-1 equivalents in 40% of the patients with both ciguatera symptomatology and fish consumption in a geographical area where ciguatera is common suggest that the neuroblastoma bioassay may be a potential diagnostic tool for acute ciguatera intoxication.
Effects of Trans‐sylvian Approach to Basal Forebrain Projection Fibers: Verbal Memory Decline after Selective Amygdalohippocampectomy

To the Editor: We read the manuscript by Gleissner et al. (1) with great interest. Verbal memory decline in patients with left temporal lobectomy is an important concern after epilepsy surgery, from the viewpoint of quality of life (QoL). The decrease reportedly was progressive for >10 years after surgery, and the degree of decrease was more than that of patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy treated with medication, according to the recent report (2). Initially, selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH) was thought to produce little or no verbal memory decrease (3), but Gleissner et al. (1) demonstrated that SAH caused a significant verbal memory decrease 1 year after surgery, similar to the deficits seen at 3 months after surgery (3). Does resection of the left hippocampus inevitably cause verbal memory decline? The authors (1,3) reached the hippocampus by the transsylvian approach. Cholinergic pathways from the basal forebrain to the cerebral cortex mediate the effect that novel and relevant events have on attention and memory. The degeneration of the nucleus basalis of Meynert observed in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies results in a depletion of cortical innervation and contributes to the cognitive hypofunction. The trajectories of cholinergic pathways from the nucleus basalis of Meynert recently was identified as two lateral pathways, with a capsular and a perisylvian division in humans by means of visualization of multiple cholinergic markers (4). The capsular division courses in the medial aspect of the external capsule, and it also travels ventrally in the white matter of the uncinate fasciculus, penetrates the substance of amygdala, and continues in a dense bundle in the temporal stem. The perisylvian division courses within the claustrum, curving laterally into the white matter of the inferior frontal and superior temporal gyri, and it also radiates to the frontoparietal and opercular cortices, the superior temporal gyrus, and the insula [Figs. 3C and D in Selden et al. (4)]. Furthermore, ischemic white matter lesions along those trajectories, such as subinsular lesions, can cause the cognitive dysfunction (5). Therefore a trans-sylvian approach may disconnect the cholinergic projection pathway from the nucleus basalis of Meynert, and if so, it may produce the additional effects on cognitive dysfunction besides the hippocampal resection. Fisher et al. (6) recently showed that donepezil, a reversible inhibitor of acetylcholine esterase that is used widely in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, was effective for memory problems in patients with partial and generalized epilepsy. If verbal memory decline after left temporal resection was shown to be related to the involvement of the cholinergic system, a drug strategy such as donepezil could contribute to improving verbal memory.
PTEN in the maintenance of genome integrity: From DNA replication to chromosome segregation

Faithful DNA replication and accurate chromosome segregation are the key machineries of genetic transmission. Disruption of these processes represents a hallmark of cancer and often results from loss of tumor suppressors. PTEN is an important tumor suppressor that is frequently mutated or deleted in human cancer. Loss of PTEN has been associated with aneuploidy and poor prognosis in cancer patients. In mice, Pten deletion or mutation drives genomic instability and tumor development. PTEN deficiency induces DNA replication stress, confers stress tolerance, and disrupts mitotic spindle architecture, leading to accumulation of structural and numerical chromosome instability. Therefore, PTEN guards the genome by controlling multiple processes of chromosome inheritance. Here, we summarize current understanding of the PTEN function in promoting high‐fidelity transmission of genetic information. We also discuss the PTEN pathways of genome maintenance and highlight potential targets for cancer treatment.
Myocardial Energy Metabolism During Ischemia and the Mechanisms of Metabolic Therapies

The primary effect of ischemia is reduced aerobic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) formation in mitochondria. This triggers accelerated glycolysis and reduced cell pH, Ca2+ accumulation, K+ efflux, adenosine formation, and the clinical signs of ischemia: chest pain and a shift in the ST segment. Traditional therapies for angina are aimed at either decreasing the need for ATP by suppressing heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac contractility, or at increasing oxygen delivery to the mitochondria, or both. An additional approach to treating angina is to suppress myocardial fatty acid oxidation, increase pyruvate oxidation, and reduce anaerobic glycolysis. High fatty acid levels result in oxygen wasting and inhibit the oxidation of pyruvate in the mitochondria. In experimental models, the partial inhibition of myocardial fatty acid oxidation with agents such as oxfenicine, ranolazine, and trimetazidine stimulates glucose oxidation and reduces lactate production during ischemia. Clinical studies demonstrate that this approach is as effective as traditional hemodynamic therapies at improving exercise tolerance and reducing the frequency of angina. Moreover, because these agents do not suppress heart rate, blood pressure, or contractility, they are effective as add-on therapy to Ca2+-channel and β-adrenergic receptor antagonists.
Conserved genetic determinant of motor organ identity in Medicago truncatula and related legumes

Plants exhibit various kinds of movements that have fascinated scientists and the public for centuries. Physiological studies in plants with the so-called motor organ or pulvinus suggest that cells at opposite sides of the pulvinus mediate leaf or leaflet movements by swelling and shrinking. How motor organ identity is determined is unknown. Using a genetic approach, we isolated a mutant designated elongated petiolule1 (elp1) from Medicago truncatula that fails to fold its leaflets in the dark due to loss of motor organs. Map-based cloning indicated that ELP1 encodes a putative plant-specific LOB domain transcription factor. RNA in situ analysis revealed that ELP1 is expressed in primordial cells that give rise to the motor organ. Ectopic expression of ELP1 resulted in dwarf plants with petioles and rachises reduced in length, and the epidermal cells gained characteristics of motor organ epidermal cells. By identifying ELP1 orthologs from other legume species, namely pea (Pisum sativum) and Lotus japonicus, we show that this motor organ identity is regulated by a conserved molecular mechanism.
Dendritic Cell Precursors Are Permissive to Dengue Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

ABSTRACT CD14+ interstitial cells reside beneath the epidermis of skin and mucosal tissue and may therefore play an important role in viral infections and the shaping of an antiviral immune response. However, in contrast to dendritic cells (DC) or blood monocytes, these antigen-presenting cells (APC) have not been well studied. We have previously described long-lived CD14+ cells generated from CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors, which may represent model cells for interstitial CD14+ APC. Here, we show that these cells carry DC-SIGN and differentiate into immature DC in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. We have compared the CD14+ cells and the DC derived from these cells with respect to dengue virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Both cell types are permissive to dengue virus infection, but the CD14+ cells secrete the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 and no tumor necrosis factor alpha. Regarding HIV, the CD14+ cells are permissive to HIV-1, release higher p24 levels than the derived DC, and more efficiently activate HIV Pol-specific CD8+ memory T cells. The CD14+ DC precursors infected with either virus retain their DC differentiation potential. The results suggest that interstitial CD14+ APC may contribute to HIV-1 and dengue virus infection and the shaping of an antiviral immune response.
Chronic ethanol exposure increases goosecoid (GSC) expression in human embryonic carcinoma cell differentiation

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a set of developmental malformations caused by excess alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Using an in vitro system, we examined the role that chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure plays in gene expression changes during the early stage of embryonic differentiation. We demonstrated that EtOH affected the cell morphology, cell cycle progression and also delayed the down‐regulation of OCT4 and NANOG during differentiation. Gene expression profiling and pathway analysis demonstrated that EtOH deregulates many genes and pathways that are involved in early embryogenesis. Follow‐up analyzes revealed that EtOH exposure to embryoid bodies (EBs) induced the expression of an organizer‐specific gene, goosecoid (GSC), in comparison to controls. Moreover, EtOH treatment altered several important genes that are involved in embryonic structure formation, nervous system development, and placental and embryonic vascularization, which are all common processes that FASD can disrupt. Specifically, EtOH treatment let to a reduction in ALDOC, ENO2 and CDH1 expression, whereas EtOH treatment induced the expression of PTCH1, EGLN1, VEGFA and DEC2 in treated EBs. We also found that folic acid (FA) treatment was able to correct the expression of the majority of genes deregulated by EtOH exposure during early embryo development. Finally, the present study identified a gene set including GSC, which was deregulated by EtOH exposure that may contribute to the etiology of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). We also reported that EtOH‐induced GSC expression is mediated by Nodal signaling, which may provide a new avenue for analyzing the molecular mechanisms behind EtOH teratogenicity in FASD individuals. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A formal approach to code optimization

We examine from a formal point of view some problems which arise in code optimization and present some of the results which can come from such an approach. Specifically, a set of transformations which characterize optimization algorithms for straight line code is presented. Then we present an algorithm which produces machine code for evaluating arithmetic expressions on machines with N ≥ 1 general purpose registers. We can prove that this algorithm produces optimal code when the cost criterion is the length of machine code generated.
Multiple Mechanisms Control Phosphorylation of PHAS-I in Five (S/T)P Sites That Govern Translational Repression

ABSTRACT Control of the translational repressor, PHAS-I, was investigated by expressing proteins with Ser/Thr → Ala mutations in the five (S/T)P phosphorylation sites. Results of experiments with HEK293 cells reveal at least three levels of control. At one extreme is nonregulated phosphorylation, exemplified by constitutive phosphorylation of Ser82. At an intermediate level, amino acids and insulin stimulate the phosphorylation of Thr36, Thr45, and Thr69 via mTOR-dependent processes that function independently of other sites in PHAS-I. At the third level, the extent of phosphorylation of one site modulates the phosphorylation of another. This control is represented by Ser64 phosphorylation, which depends on the phosphorylation of all three TP sites. The five sites have different influences on the electrophoretic properties of PHAS-I and on the affinity of PHAS-I for eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). Phosphorylation of Thr45 or Ser64 results in the most dramatic decreases in eIF4E binding in vitro. However, each of the sites influences mRNA translation, either directly by modulating the binding affinity of PHAS-I and eIF4E or indirectly by affecting the phosphorylation of other sites.
Methodology for numerical comparison of similar sensor models

Often in computer-based simulations, sensor models are used to generate realistic data to stimulate an algorithm under test. These algorithms might include, but are not limited to, guidance, navigation, control, tracking, and mission management algorithms. This paper describes a systematic approach for comparing two separately developed models of the same sensor. Methods for visualizing and quantifying differences are also discussed.
Hovering and forward flight of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta: trim search and 6-DOF dynamic stability characterization

We show that the forward flight speed affects the stability characteristics of the longitudinal and lateral dynamics of a flying hawkmoth; dynamic modal structures of both the planes of motion are altered due to variations in the stability derivatives. The forward flight speed ue is changed from 0.00 to 1.00 m s−1 with an increment of 0.25 m s−1. (The equivalent advance ratio is 0.00 to 0.38; the advance ratio is the ratio of the forward flight speed to the average wing tip speed.) As the flight speed increases, for the longitudinal dynamics, an unstable oscillatory mode becomes more unstable. Also, we show that the up/down (wb) dynamics become more significant at a faster flight speed due to the prominent increase in the stability derivative Zu (up/down force due to the forward/backward velocity). For the lateral dynamics, the decrease in the stability derivative Lv (roll moment due to side slip velocity) at a faster flight speed affects a slightly damped stable oscillatory mode, causing it to become more stable; however, the thalf (the time taken to reach half the amplitude) of this slightly damped stable oscillatory mode remains relatively long (∼12T at ue = 1 m s−1; T is wingbeat period) compared to the other modes of motion, meaning that this mode represents the most vulnerable dynamics among the lateral dynamics at all flight speeds. To obtain the stability derivatives, trim conditions for linearization are numerically searched to find the exact trim trajectory and wing kinematics using an algorithm that uses the gradient information of a control effectiveness matrix and fully coupled six-degrees of freedom nonlinear multibody equations of motion. With this algorithm, trim conditions that consider the coupling between the dynamics and aerodynamics can be obtained. The body and wing morphology, and the wing kinematics used in this study are based on actual measurement data from the relevant literature. The aerodynamic model of the flapping wings of a hawkmoth is based on the blade element theory, and the necessary aerodynamic coefficients, including the lift, drag and wing pitching moment, are experimentally obtained from the results of previous work by the authors.
A comparative framework for commercial and residential markets

In the analysis of property markets, most research focuses on either the commercial or the housing sectors. Each body of literature has developed its own stylised factsi about normal values for such things as income yields and price elasticities of supply, around which cyclical models have been built. However, what is treated as normal in one sector may appear as unusual and requiring special explanation when viewed from the perspectives of the other. This work provides a matrix and organized framework to compare these two property sectors, residential and commercial, using a 4-marketsframework familiar in analysis of commercial property (Ball et al, 1998): user-occupier market; investor-owner market; developer market; and land market ii all in the context of the broader financial markets. The approach applied in this research is comparative analysis of ratios, in their means, trends and cyclical components. More than one data resource is used: UK government official public data from 1970; mortgage lendersi data; IPD UK data from 1970 for commercial market; IPD UK data from 2001 for investment residential property; company accounts data on developersi profitability and cost structure. The output of this research provides a comparative framework and model that might be useful in systemic thinking about the problems of regulating and making business decisions in housing and commercial markets and for generating more questions about the changing property economic environment in a comparative way. Last but not least, this paper aims to contribute to the literature seeking to develop a better understanding of property cycles.