Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic radioprotection of mice exposed to supralethal whole-body irradiation independent of antibacterial activity.

Oral administration of streptomycin, kanamycin, neomycin, or gentamicin to specific pathogen-free C57 x Af mice in their drinking water (4 mg/ml) for 2 weeks before supralethal whole-body irradiation very significantly prolonged their mean survival times (8.2 to 8.9 days vs 6.9 for controls) to values which exceed those reported for germ-free mice (7.3 days). The total fecal concentrations of aerobes and anaerobes were reduced by kanamycin, neomycin, and gentamicin. Streptomycin reduced the anaerobes significantly, but not the aerobes. Unlike germ-free mice, these antibiotic-treated mice did excrete free bile acids, products of bacterial action. Oral antibiotic treatment was ineffective in altering the transit time of the intestinal mucosal cells. Previously reported studies had indicated a correlation between decreased transit time and increased survival after irradiation. No significant correlation between mean survival time after irradiation and mucosal transit time was observed. The data demonstrate that certain antibiotics alter the character of the intestinal bacterial flora and increase protection against supralethal doses of whole-body irradiation. It is concluded that the mechanisms of radioresistance in antibiotic-treated mice and germ-free mice are different and that in both groups radioresistance is the result of more than elimination of postirradiation infection.
Mesenchymal progenitor cells in mouse foetal liver regulate differentiation and proliferation of hepatoblasts

Hepatoblasts are somatic progenitor cells of the foetal liver that possess high proliferative capacity and bi‐potency for differentiation into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Although mesenchymal cells are known to be important for liver ontogeny, current understanding of their interaction with hepatoblasts remains obscure. Mesenchymal cell populations in the developing liver were purified and their potential to support proliferation and differentiation of hepatoblasts was examined.
Threat scenario-based security risk analysis using use case modeling in information systems

Successful Security Risk Analysis (SRA) enables us to develop a secure information management system and provides valuable analysis data for future risk estimation. One of the qualitative techniques for SRA is the scenario method. This provides a framework for our explorations that raises our awareness and appreciation of uncertainty. However, the existing scenario methods are too abstract to be applicable to some situations and have not been formalized in information systems (ISs) because they do not explicitly define artifacts or have any standard notation. Therefore, this paper proposes the improved scenario-based SRA approach, which can create SRA reports using threat scenario templates and manage security risk directly in ISs. Furthermore, in order to show how to apply the proposed method in a specific environment, especially in a Broadband convergence Network (BcN) environment, a case study is presented. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modellierung und Verifikation von Eisenbahn-Infrastrukturen mit semantischen Technologien

Diese Arbeit zeigt, wie semantische Technologien (Sprachen und Werkzeuge) genutzt werden konnen, um Eisenbahn-Infrastrukturen zu modellieren und zu verifizieren. Dazu wurde ein semantisches Domanen-Modell entworfen und implementiert, das sowohl die Elemente von Eisenbahn-Infrastrukturen und deren Eigenschaften als auch die Beziehungen dieser Elemente untereinander darstellen kann. Zur Modellierung wurde die Web Ontology Language (OWL) in Kombination mit der Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) verwendet. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wurden Planungsrichtlinien von Eisenbahn-Infrastrukturen analysiert und exemplarisch in SWRL formalisiert. So wurde es ermoglicht, konkrete Eisenbahn-Infrastruktur-Planungsdaten in Instanzen des semantischen Domanenmodells zu transformieren, um diese Instanzen hinsichtlich ihrer Konformitat mit Planungsrichtlinien zu verifizieren. Dieser Prozess wird anhand mehrerer Beispiele veranschaulicht. Ein weiterer Teil der Arbeit befasst sich mit einem Verfahren, mit dem Eisenbahn-Ingenieure bei der Suche nach Fehlern in Planungsdaten unterstutzt werden konnen. Wahrend OWL- und SWRL-Reasoner lediglich eine allgemeine Eingrenzung von Fehlern im zu verifizierenden Modell ermoglichen, wird durch Verwendung des in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Konzepts der Semantic Constraints eine Eingrenzung auf konkrete fehlerhafte Axiome in Bezug auf die modellierten Planungsrichtlinien realisiert. Das Konzept basiert auf der Regelsprache SWRL und ermoglicht die Formulierung von Bedingungen, die dazu verwendet werden, Eisenbahn-Infrastruktur-Elemente in Form von OWL-Individuen zu uberprufen. Verstosen einzelne Individuen gegen eine Bedingung, wird diese systematisch reduziert, um die Ursachen fur den Verstos gegen die Bedingung und die damit zusammenhangende Planungsrichtlinie zu ermitteln. In der Diskussion wird die Vergleichbarkeit des vorgestellten Ansatzes mit aktuell verwendeten XML-basierten Verfahren untersucht. Die Arbeit schliest mit einem Ausblick auf mogliche Weiterentwicklungen der vorgestellten Verfahren ab.
Situatedness and Embodiment of Computational Systems

In this paper, the role of the environment and physical embodiment of computational systems for explanatory purposes will be analyzed. In particular, the focus will be on cognitive computational systems, understood in terms of mechanisms that manipulate semantic information. It will be argued that the role of the environment has long been appreciated, in particular in the work of Herbert A. Simon, which has inspired the mechanistic view on explanation. From Simon’s perspective, the embodied view on cognition seems natural but it is nowhere near as critical as its proponents suggest. The only point of difference between Simon and embodied cognition is the significance of body-based off-line cognition; however, it will be argued that it is notoriously over-appreciated in the current debate. The new mechanistic view on explanation suggests that even if it is critical to situate a mechanism in its environment and study its physical composition, or realization, it is also stressed that not all detail counts, and that some bodily features of cognitive systems should be left out from explanations.
Multi-Manifold Locality Graph Embedding Based on the Maximum Margin Criterion (MLGE/MMC) for Face Recognition

Solving problems with small sample sizes during training for feature extraction and the dimensionality reduction method will not produce high face recognition accuracy using the locality graph embedding (LGE) algorithm. Thus, we introduced a new algorithm named “multi-manifold locality graph embedding algorithm based on the maximum margin criterion” (MLGE/MMC) by combining the ideas of the maximum margin criterion (MMC) and multiple manifolds. First, each image is divided into multiple small images; this small image configuration constitutes a manifold and multiple images constitute multiple manifolds. Second, through maximizing the inter-class distance, while minimizing the intra-class distance to find the best class projection matrix, we build the multiple manifolds inter-class scatter matrix and the multiple manifolds intra-class scatter matrix, respectively. Finally, the objective function was constructed within the framework of the MMC to find the optimal solution by iteration and the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm using the ORL, Yale, and AR face image databases.
Validation of Chaos Hypothesis in NADA and Improved DDoS Detection Algorithm

With the growth of the Internet, one of the most common attacks comes in the form of a distributed denial of service attack. In this paper, we validate that the prediction error of network traffic is chaotic which is used in NADA algorithm and improve the DDoS detection algorithm based on NADA. Firstly, the paper discusses the use of the largest Lyapunov exponent to validate the chaos hypothesis. Secondly, we predict the network traffic by using an exponential smoothing model instead of the forecasting method used in NADA. Then we analyze the prediction error by using chaos theory and Back Propagation Neural Network. The experimental results conducted and discussed in the paper show that our method can detect DDoS attacks up to 98.04% accuracy.
Whole-body fuel selection in ruminants: nutrient supply and utilization by major tissues

L’utilisation de 1’Cnergie par l’animal dCpend de l’utilisation de 1’Cnergie par les differents tissus corporels. Chez les ruminants, les viscbres drainis par le sang portal et le foie reprksentent respectivement jusqu’ii 12 et 2% du poids vif, mais contribuent pour 16-29% et 17-31% aux dCpenses Cnergetiques totales. A l’oppod, la contribution des masses musculaires (35-50% du poids corporel) aux dCponses n’est que de 8-16%. L‘augmentation de la production de chaleur par l’animal entier, avec le niveau d’alimentation, provient pour 17-56% des viscbres drain& par la veine porte, pour 1644% du foie, et pour 5-7% de la carcasse. Ces increments varient avec la nature du regime alimentaire, et donc, avec le type des nutriments disponibles pour les tissus. Les objectifs de cette revue sont de dCcrire quantitativement l’influence du niveau d’alimentation et de la composition du rkgime alimentaire (d’apr&s les teneurs en cellulose brute et en mati2res azotCes totales) sur l’apporten nutriments aux principaux tissus corporels (viscbres drain& par le sang portal, foie, et train arribre), et leurs flux nets dans ces tissus. Pour ce travail, nous avons compilC les rCsultats de la littdrature obtenus chez les bovins et ovins en croissance, et chez les brebis adultes, non lactantes et non gestantes, avec des techniques de diffkrences artkrio-veineuses in vivo. Nous avons Ctabli des Cquations de regression dans la mesure du possible, entre 1’Cnergie mCtabolisable ingCrCe, la composition du rCgime alimentaire et les apports et flux de nutriments. Les nutriments CtudiCs Ctaient les principaux acides gras volatils (acktate, propionate, butyrate), le glucose, le lactate, les corps cktoniques, les acides gras libres, l’ammoniaque, 1’urCe et l’azote-a-aminC. Les rCsultats obtenus au niveau des tissus sont intCgrCs, et les cons6quences sur l’utilisation de 1’Cnergie par l’animal entier sont discutCes.
Impact de la culture d'entreprise sur l'étendue de la divulgation au niveau des rapports annuels

Nous constatons que les etudes anterieures ont attribue la variation du niveau de divulgation entre les entreprises a des facteurs relatifs aux caracteristiques de l'entreprise (taille, niveau d'endettement, statut de cotation, performance.etc.) et aux mecanismes de gouvernance (caracteristiques du conseil d'administration, structure de propriete). Toutefois, ils ont omis la dimension cachee de l'entreprise en l'occurrence la culture, on peut alors s'interroger sur le role de la culture d'entreprise ? L'objectif principal de cette recherche est d'etudier l'impact de la culture d'entreprise sur l'etendue de la divulgation dans les rapports annuels des entreprises tunisiennes. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilise l'indice de Fey et Denison (2003) pour operationnaliser le concept culture d'entreprise et nous avons developpe en outre un nouvel instrument de mesure de l'etendue de la divulgation base sur l'estimation d'une frontiere d'efficience stochastique qui traduit les bonnes pratiques de divulgation selon la methode SFA. Les resultats de l'analyse multivariee sur un echantillon de 39 entreprises cotees confirment la relation entre culture d'entreprise et niveau de divulgation.
A Shot in the Dark: How Parasitic Plants Find Host Roots

Parasitism, ranging from facultative to obligate and from general to very host specific, can be a great lifestyle, if you have the right adaptations. In the plant parasite family Orobanchaceae, which includes the agronomically destructive weed Striga , one key adaptation is the ability to sense the
The Distribution and Molecular Characteristics of the Tanning Hormone, Bursicon, in the Tobacco Hornworm Manduca Sexta

The distribution and molecular properties of the tanning hormone bursicon were studied using an isolated wing biological assay. Wing cuticle tanning activity was measured in saline homogenates of the central nervous system and selected muscles. Activity was detected in all ganglia of the nervous system in both the prepupal and pharate adult developmental stages. In both stages, this activity was predominantly located in the abdominal portion of the nervous system. The titres in all ganglia, except the suboesophageal, increased during metamorphosis. Of the various non-neural tissues examined, only the closer muscle of the spiracle contained detectable levels of activity. All activity in the nervous tissue was sensitive to proteolytic digestion; it could not be mimicked by any of the 17 putative transmitter and/or hormonal substances tested. Partial purification of the tanning activity indicated an apparent molecular weight of 20-30 K. The partially purified material (from gel filtration) resembled the hormone bursicon in the following three ways: its titre in the tissue declined following normal bursicon release; it could be recovered from the haemolymph during normal bursicon release; it could be released from isolated nervous tissue following high potassium stimulation in a calcium-dependent manner. It was concluded that the hormone bursicon represents most if not all the tanning activity present in the central nervous system, that it is widely distributed in that tissue and that it is present as a peptide (or class of peptides) with homogeneous size and charge.
Modificación del perfil de ácidos grasos de la leche a través de la manipulación nutricional en vacas lecheras

La leche es un alimento de un alto valor nutricional pero su perfil de acidos grasos (AG) no es el mas adecuado desde un punto de vista de salud humana. Esta tesis estudia como modificar el perfil de AG de la leche a traves de la nutricion animal asi como diferentes factores que pueden influir en el proceso de biohidrogenacion a nivel rumimal modificando el flujo de AG a la glandula mamaria. En el primer experimento se utilizaron 356 vacas en un diseno de bloques al azar y se estudio como la suplementacion de las dietas de vacas lecheras al inicio de la lactacion con semilla de lino extrusionada afectaba a la produccion y la composicion de la leche, y a la reproduccion. Las dietas utilizadas tenian una relacion forraje:concentrado de 40:60 (17,9% PB, 27,7% FND y 6,0% EE), se administraron ad libitum y eran similares en su composicion entre tratamientos, excepto en el suplemento proteico donde la dieta control (CTR) tenia un 4,9% de semilla de soja extrusionada, mientras que la dieta lino (LIN) tenia un 5,5% de semilla de lino extrusionada. La suplementacion con semilla de lino extrusionada redujo el porcentaje de grasa lactea y la produccion de leche corregida por grasa e incremento el porcentaje de proteina lactea, asi como tambien mejoro el perfil de AG de la leche hacia uno mas saludable, todo ello sin modificar la ingestion de MS, la produccion de leche y el rendimiento reproductivo de los animales. En el segundo estudio se utilizaron 8 fermentadores (1320 mL) de doble flujo continuo en dos periodos de 7 d (4 d adaptacion y 3 d muestro) y se estudiaron, en un diseno factorial 2 × 2, los efectos del pH (Alto = 6,4 vs. Bajo = 5,6) y de la dieta (Soja (SOY) vs. Lino (LIN)) sobre la fermentacion microbiana ruminal, la lipolisis y la biohidrogenacion ruminal, el flujo de AG del efluyente y la concentracion de DNA de bacterias implicadas en los procesos de lipolisis y biohidrogenacion ruminal. Los resultados de este estudio indicaron que el pH inhibio la lipolisis y la biohidrogenacion ruminal y que la grasa de la soja extrusionada parecia estar mas protegida contra la lipolisis que la del lino extrusionado. Se realizo un tercer estudio donde se evaluo el efecto del pH (6,4 vs. 5,6) y de dos niveles de forraje:concentrado en las dietas (70:30 F:C (HF) vs. 30:70 F:C (LF)) sobre la fermentacion microbiana ruminal, el perfil de AG del efluyente y la concentracion de DNA de bacterias involucradas en los procesos de lipolisis y biohidrogenacion ruminal. El sistema de cultivo continuo consistio en dos periodos de 8 d (5 d adaptacion y 3 d muestreo), con un diseno factorial 2 × 2 de los tratamientos. Las dietas utilizadas tuvieron un perfil similar de AG (44,0% C18:2, 9,77% C18:3). Los resultados indican que el pH bajo es la principal causa de la acumulacion de trans-10 C18:1 y trans-10, cis-12 CLA a nivel ruminal, aunque un nivel alto de concentrado en las dietas tambien incrementa la proporcion de trans-10, cis-12 CLA en el efluyente.
Liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma: experience in a Saudi population.

OBJECTIVES We present our experience with deceased-donor liver transplant and living-donor liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma. Between 2001 and 2007, we transplanted 133 organs (84 deceased-donor liver transplants, 49 living-donor liver transplants) in 126 patients (4 retransplants). Twenty-three patients had hepatocellular carcinoma (14 deceased-donor liver transplants and 9 living-donor liver transplants). MATERIALS AND METHODS The medical records of these patients were reviewed for recipient clinical, biochemical, and imaging characteristics. Slides of explants were assessed. Overall survival and tumor recurrence states were determined. All characteristics were tested for their prognostic significance. RESULTS The median age of the patients was 55 years and the median Mayo End-stage Liver Disease score was 16. The alpha-fetoprotein was >or= 400 ng/mL in 4 patients. Histopathology revealed incidental cholangiocarcinoma in 2 patients and a hepatoblastoma in 1. The mean tumor size was 4 cm; the mean number of lesions was 2. Most tumors were graded as well or moderately differentiated; 4 were poorly differentiated. Gross macrovascular invasion was seen in 2 patients, while microvascular invasion was seen in 9. After a mean follow-up of 736 days, overall patient and graft survival rates were 80.9% and 76.2%; overall disease-free patient and graft survival rates were 76.2% and 71.4%. Two patients died of primary graft nonfunction within 1 week of the transplant. Three had tumor recurrence at 10, 13, and 18 months after transplant; 2 of these occurred in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Two of these 3 died from an advanced tumor within few months. Significant risk factors for recurrence were gross major vessel invasion, microvascular invasion, tumor size, poor histologic differentiation, and absence of pretransplant tumor control therapy. The latter 2, in addition to Mayo End-stage Liver Disease score and preoperative alpha-fetoprotein, were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS In our small experience, deceased-donor liver transplant and living-donor liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma showed good long-term outcomes. Liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma accompanying cholangiocarcinoma had a poor outcome with late tumor recurrence. Use of marginal donors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma might compromise the outcome in these patients.
Poster: An energy-efficient subchannel and power allocation scheme for OFDMA cellular heterogeneous networks

In this paper, an energy-efficient subchannel and power allocation scheme for a downlink marco-femto heterogeneous network is proposed. The optimization problem which maximizes the energy efficiency of all the FBSs subject to resource allocation constraints is formulated. To solve the formulated NP hard problem, we first apply clustering algorithm, which groups FBSs with interference being lower than required threshold into clusters, and then the optimal matching from clusters to subchannels is conducted. Based on the subchannel allocation strategy, optimal power allocation strategy can be obtained. Numerical results demonstrate the efficiency of proposed algorithm.
A Constructive Classroom Exercise for Teaching InfoVis

At the beginning of a visualization course, it can be challenging to provide simple, practical exercises that allow students to explore the benefits and constraints of different visual mappings. We present an interactive teaching exercise, adapted from the VizKit visualization workshop, that can help illustrate and encourage critical thinking about basic visualization concepts. In this paper we present the unique pedagogical goals and practical challenges associated with using construction exercises in an undergraduate course. We further describe how we modified VizKit for use in a classroom setting , introducing new exercises and construction materials. Finally we reflect on the observations gathered during an initial in-class deployment with 28 students.
The Spanish version of the dementia quality of life questionnaire: A validation study

Background: The aim of the study was to adapt and validate culturally the dementia-specific health-related quality of life instrument (HRQoL) into Spanish for patients with mild to moderate dementia. Methods: Two forward translations, a reconciled version, and then a back translation were completed and subjected to expert review. A total of 112 patients with dementia, diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, from six centres providing care for persons with dementia in Spain participated in the study. The following patient-reported information was obtained by interview: demographics, subjective perception of health, depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15; GDS-15), functional ability (Barthel Index), and both generic (World Health Organization Quality of Life; WHOQOL-BREF) and dementia-specific quality of life (DQoL). Results: The Spanish version of the DQoL showed acceptable psychometric properties. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was acceptable for most of the DQoL scales. As expected, associations were found between DQoL scales and the WHOQOL-BREF psychological domain and the GDS-15, indicating good validity. Neither functional status nor severity of dementia was associated with QoL; but depressive symptoms and self-reported feeling ill had a negative association on QoL. Conclusions: The results showed that the Spanish version of the DQoL has comparable psychometric properties to the US version. The DQoL appears to be a reliable and valid instrument intended to be administered to patients with mild/moderate dementia who are living at home.
When genius errs: R.A. Fisher and the lung cancer controversy.

R.A. Fisher's work on lung cancer and smoking is critically reviewed. The controversy is placed in the context of his career and personality. Although Fisher made invaluable contributions to the field of statistics, his analysis of the causal association between lung cancer and smoking was flawed by an unwillingness to examine the entire body of data available and prematurely drawn conclusions. His views may also have been influenced by personal and professional conflicts, by his work as a consultant to the tobacco industry, and by the fact that he was himself a smoker.
On the multivariate α-µ distribution with arbitrary correlation

In this paper, an exact new closed formula for the multivariate alpha-mu joint probability density function (PDF) is derived allowing for an arbitrary correlation matrix. In addition, the bit error rate (BER) and the outage probability for the selection combining (SC) technique in a correlated alpha-mu fading channel is obtained.