Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oxalate ions and calcium oxalate crystal‐induced up‐regulation of osteopontin and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 in renal fibroblasts

To examine the responses of renal fibroblasts to high oxalate (Ox) and calcium Ox (CaOx) crystals, as the latter are found in the renal interstitium of patients with primary or enteric hyperoxaluria, and in animals with experimental CaOx nephrolithiasis, and are associated with tubulointerstitial inflammation (TI). TI might begin with the production of chemoattractants by the renal epithelial cells exposed to high Ox and/or CaOx crystals; as Ox levels are also high in the renal interstitium and crystal deposition in nephrolithiasis might start in the interstitium, we hypothesized that renal fibroblasts might also be involved in the development of TI.
Gardens of the World

People take up gardening for many different reasons. Some gardeners want a large weed-free lawn that evokes an English landscape park; for others, a chamomile lawn or no lawn at all better reflects their worldview and values. Some gardeners enjoy the thrill of combat with vegetation; others prefer to sit or play in a landscape that largely takes care of itself. Some want a place to entertain; others, a secluded retreat. All are legitimate ways to garden.
Determining Angular Frequency from Video with a Generalized Fast Fourier Transform

Abstract : Suppose we are given a video of a rotating object and suppose we want to determine the rate of rotation solely from the video itself and its known frame rate. In this thesis, we present a new mathematical operator called the Geometric Sum Transform (GST) that can help one determine the angular frequency of the object in question. The GST is a generalization of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and as such, the two transforms have much in common. However, whereas the DFT is applied to a sequence of scalars, the GST can be applied to a sequence of vectors. Most importantly, we show that the GST, like the DFT, can (1) be used to estimate frequency and (2) can be computed surprisingly quickly. Indeed, we provide a Fast Geometric Sum Transform (FGST) algorithm that computes the GST in O(N logN) matrix-vector multiplications, where N is the number of images in the video sequence. This is a vast improvement over the O(N2) such multiplications required for a direct computation of the GST. The remainder of this thesis is devoted to proving other properties of the GST and giving proof-of-concept numerical examples.
An efficient resource sharing technique for multi-tenant databases

In recent times, multitenant database systems in Software as a Service (SaaS) paradigm have gained a lot of attention in academics, research and business arena. The reason being, multitenant database systems are advantageous for both SaaS providers and customers (organizations/companies referred as tenants) who uses SaaS applications. By using a single database system to store data of different tenants the providers gain operational and economic benefits. The tenants in turn get access to shared software and database at an affordable cost. However, this scenario leads to several challenges. One of them being, providing tenants dynamic access to computing resources for accessing the database, nonetheless maintaining isolation and service level agreement requirements among different tenants. The presented work proposes a dynamic resource sharing technique for accessing multitenant databases addressing the aforementioned challenge.
Sensitivity analysis and distributional assumptions

In a presentation of various methods for assessing the sensitivity of regression results to unmeasured confounding, Lin et al. (1998) use a conditional independence assumption to derive algebraic relationships between the true exposure e¤ect and the apparent exposure e¤ect in a reduced model which does not control for the unmeasured confounding variable. However, Hernán and Robins (1999) have noted that if the measured covariates and the unmeasured confounder both a¤ect the exposure of interest then the principal conditional independence assumption which is used to derive these algebraic relationships cannot hold. One particular result of Lin et al. does not rely on the conditional independence assumption but only on assumptions concerning additivity. It can be shown that this assumption is satis ed for an entire family of distributions even if both the measured covariates and the unmeasured confounder a¤ect the exposure of interest. These considerations clarify the appropriate context in which relevant sensitivity analysis techniques can be applied.
Non-linearity and Expectations in Niche-Development Trajectories: Ups and Downs in Dutch Biogas Development (1973–2003)

Abstract Non-linearity and changes in the direction of technological trajectories, are related to changes in cognitive rules and expectations that guide technical search and development activities. To explain such changes, the article uses the literature on niche development, which highlights interactions between learning processes, network building and expectations. A long-term case study on Dutch biogas development illustrates how these interactions explain non-linearity, but the case study also shows the importance of external regime dynamics. It is concluded that non-linearity and changes in niche expectations are related to both internal learning processes and external developments.
Revisión de los Deinonychosauria (Dinosauria, Theropoda) de la Argentina: anatomía y filogenia

Deinonychosauria es un grupo de dinosaurios teropodos celurosaurios, con un digito pedal II con capacidad de hiperextension, entre otros rasgos. Los registros son mayormente del hemisferio norte, aunque tambien existen registros del hemisferio sur. Del Cretacico de Argentina proceden Buitreraptor gonzalezorum, Unenlagia comahuensis, Unenlagia paynemili, Neuquenraptor argentinus, Austroraptor cabazai y Pamparaptor micros; ya descriptos, generalmente en forma preliminar. Mayormente son agrupados en una subfamilia de dromeosauridos, incluida en Deinonychosauria: Unenlagiinae. Algunos estudios plantean, ademas, la posible sinonimia entre Unenlagia y Neuquenraptor. En esta tesis fueron descriptos y comparados detalladamente, incluyendo material inedito de B. gonzalezorum. Los huesos de B. gonzalezorum presentan numerosas marcas, morfologicamente diversas. Al analizarlas se concluyo que fueron producto de carroneo y que el cuerpo tuvo un cierto tiempo de exposicion subaerea. Se consideraron como productores mas probables a mamiferos, crocodyliformes e insectos. Se realizo un analisis filogenetico, buscando corroborar la monofilia del grupo y su inclusion en Deinonychosauria, resolver la identidad taxonomica de U.paynemili, la sinonimia entre Neuquenraptor y Unenlagia, y comprobar que P. micros es un deinonicosaurio. Se utilizo una matriz ya publicada como base, con modificaciones aqui realizadas. Unenlagiinae fue recuperado en el analisis e incluido dentro de Dromaeosauridae. U. comahuensis y U. paynemili pueden diferenciarse morfologicamente aunque no cladisticamente. Entre Unenlagia y Neuquenraptor hay diferencias anatomicas y los resultados cladisticos son distintos si Neuquenraptor es excluido del analisis, considerando valido a este taxon. Por otro lado, se pudo comprobar cladisticamente que P. micros es un deinonicosaurio.
Design considerations for high performance very low frequency filters

This paper deals with the design of very low frequency continuous time filters based on Operational Transconductance Amplifiers (OTAs). Design techniques for both high-performance OTAs and large capacitors are presented. Very small transconductance OTAs with low noise levels and small harmonic distortion components are discussed. Large capacitors are implemented by using impedance scalers based on current mirrors. Design strategies and simulated results for a sixth order 1 Hz lowpass filter are presented.
Sulphasalazine induced immunodeficiency.

It is sad to see the persistence of the dichotomy of long stay and presumably short stay or acute. If one has an organisation in which older people can "live to the hilt of their capacity," the acute intervention of medicine may be contained within it. We may thus avoid the "sheep and goats" m-ntality that inevitably goes with dichotomy-acute and long stay. A word of warning-an integrated interdisciplinary service is a delicate, artificially maintained system, as all civilised organisations are. It demands an overlapping of roles, sharing of patients, no proprietary rights, a certain humility, and a recognition and respect for each other's disciplines and the way they have arisen. Internal conflict, jealousies, and lack of perception can easily break up such a service.
A digit pipelined dynamic time warp processor [word recognition]

A custom CMOS systolic design is presented which can achieve real-time isolated word recognition for large dictionaries. The design is based on the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm, an exhaustive search technique which permits nonlinear pattern matching between an unknown utterance and a reference word. This design differs from previous systolic DTW designs in that all data is represented in signed-digit, base-4 format, digits are passed between processing elements in a most-significant-digit-first, digit-serial fashion, and the algorithms are pipelined at the digit level. Using most-significant digit first data flow allows digit pipelining to succeed where conventional bit-serial pipelining has failed for the arithmetic operations required in the DTW algorithm. This allows a high degree of concurrency and a high data rate to be maintained, while the pin-out requirements are kept low. As many as 25 DTW processing elements will fit on one 128-pin chip. The VLSI DTW design presented is both flexible and modular. It is independent of the number of coefficients per frame and the precision of those coefficients. The design is easily expandable in the number of frames per word and the warp factor used to achieve the nonlinear matching. >
A comparison of kainic acid plus colchicine and ibotenic acid-induced hippocampal formation damage on four configural tasks in rats.

J.W. Rudy and R.J. Sutherland (1989) suggested that the hippocampal formation (HF) is necessary for performance of configural tasks and that rats with kainic acid + colchicine (K-C) damage to the HF were impaired on the negative patterning problem (A+, B+, AB-). However, M. Gallagher and P.C. Holland (1992) found spared performance on a similar task (AC+, B+, AB-, C-) when ibotenic acid (IBO) was used. This study compared the effects of K-C- and IBO-induced HF damage on 4 configural tasks: (a) negative patterning, (b) the Gallagher-Holland task, (c) transverse patterning, and (d) place learning. Rats with IBO lesions performed like controls on the Gallagher-Holland task (replicating M. Gallagher & P.C. Holland) but were impaired on negative patterning, transverse patterning, and place learning. In contrast, rats with K-C lesions were impaired on all 4 tasks. The implications of these results for theories of HF function are discussed.
Colocalization of substance P and GABA in retinal ganglion cells: A computer-assisted visualization

Abstract Ganglion cells in the albino rat retina were retrogradely labeled with the fluorescent dye, diamidino-yellow, from the superior colliculus. Preembedding and postembedding immunocytochemical techniques were employed in conjunction with computer-assisted image processing to visualize SP- and GABA-immunoreactivity. Examination of flatmount and sectioned retinas revealed that approximately 3% of the ganglion cells projecting to the contralateral superior colliculus exhibit SP-immunoreactivity. Moreover, these cells were found to comprise a subpopulation of the GABA-immunoreactive cells projecting to the rat tectum.
Immediate and delayed effects of growth conditions on ageing parameters in nestling zebra finches

Conditions experienced during development and growth are of crucial importance as they can have a significant influence on the optimisation of life histories. Indeed, the ability of an organism to grow fast and achieve a large body size often confers short- and long-term fitness benefits. However, there is good evidence that organisms do not grow at their maximal rates as growth rates seem to have potential costs on subsequent lifespan. There are several potential proximate causes of such a reduced lifespan. Among them, one emerging hypothesis is that growth impacts adult survival and/or longevity through a shared, end point, ageing mechanism: telomere erosion. In this study, we manipulated brood size in order to investigate whether rapid growth (chicks in reduced broods) is effectively done at the cost of a short- (end of growth) and long-term (at adulthood) increase of oxidative damage and telomere loss. Contrary to what we expected, chicks from the enlarged broods displayed more oxidative damage and had shorter telomeres at the end of the growth period and at adulthood. Our study extends the understanding of the proximate mechanisms involved in the trade-off between growth and ageing. It highlights that adverse environmental conditions during growth can come at a cost via transient increased oxidative stress and pervasive eroded telomeres. Indeed, it suggests that telomeres are not only controlled by intrinsic growth rates per se but also may be under the control of some extrinsic environmental factors, which could complicate our understanding of the growth–ageing interaction.
Effect of alteration of charged residues at the N termini of signal peptides on protein export in Bacillus subtilis

The role of positively charged residues at the N termini of signal peptides in protein export has been studied in Bacillus subtilis. Bacillus signal peptides (alkaline protease [Apr] and neutral protease [Npr] from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) were altered and fused to mature levansucrase (Lvs). The effects of the various alterations on the export of Lvs in B. subtilis were determined. The replacement of positively charged residues with neutral residues in both Apr and Npr signal peptides resulted in a slight defect in the export of Lvs from B. subtilis. Introduction of a negatively charged residue (aspartic acid) at the N terminus of Npr signal peptide blocked the export of Lvs. However, Apr signal peptide with a net charge of -3 (three aspartic acid residues) was still functional.
Identification of Muir–Torre syndrome among patients with sebaceous tumors and keratoacanthomas

The Muir–Torre syndrome (MTS) is an autosomal‐dominant genodermatosis characterized by the presence of sebaceous gland tumors, with or without keratoacanthomas, associated with visceral malignancies. A subset of patients with MTS is considered a variant of the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma, which is caused by mutations in mismatch‐repair genes. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether a combined clinical, immunohistochemical, and biomolecular approach could be useful for the identification of Muir–Torre syndrome among patients with a diagnosis of sebaceous tumors and keratoacanthomas.
Fibrocystic disease in women receiving oral contraceptive hormones

Breast tissue with the diagnosis of fibrocystic disease has been examined from 25 women taking oral contraceptives. Slides from these cases were coded and mixed with slides from patients of the same ages having fibrocystic disease who denied hormone usage. Various epithelial alterations were tabulated without knowledge of hormone therapy. The patients receiving oral contraceptive hormones presented a spectrum of epithelial alterations qualitatively and quantitatively similar to their controls. Neither specific nor bizarre epithelial alterations were recognized.
Experienced Presence within Computer-Mediated Communications: Initial Explorations on the Effects of Gender with Respect to Empathy and Immersion

The concept of presence has generated much discussion over the past few years. There is a consensus that presence exists and that it can be experienced as a reaction to environmental stimuli. However, less has been written on the psychological mechanisms of engaging in presence. We argue that presence is closely linked to empathy and that strong empathic tendencies will lead to high levels of experienced presence. In this study we investigate the relationship between presence, empathy, and gender. A 2×2 experimental design was administered to participants who interacted with a flight simulator. Our results indicate that men and women engage in presence in different ways. Men appear to engage in presence via the interaction afforded by the virtual environment, whereas women appear to engage in presence via watching the environment. Both men and women appear to use empathic ability as a means of engaging in presence. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Association between ulcer site and outcome in complicated peptic ulcer disease: a Danish nationwide cohort study

Abstract Objective: Mortality rates in complicated peptic ulcer disease are high. This study aimed to examine the prognostic importance of ulcer site in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) and perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). Materials and methods: Design: a nationwide cohort study with prospective and consecutive data collection. Population: all patients treated for PUB and PPU at Danish hospitals between 2003 and 2014. Data: demographic and clinical data reported to the Danish Clinical Registry of Emergency Surgery. Outcome measures: 90- and 30-d mortality and re-intervention. Statistics: the crude and adjusted association between ulcer site (gastric and duodenal) and the outcome measures of interest were assessed by binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Some 20,059 patients with PUB and 4273 patients with PPU were included; 90-d mortality was 15.3% for PUB and 29.8% for PPU; 30-d mortality was 10.2% and 24.7%, respectively. Duodenal bleeding ulcer, as compared to gastric ulcer (GU), was associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality within 90 and 30 d, and with re-intervention: adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.47 (95% confidence interval 1.30–1.67); p < 0.001, OR 1.60 (1.43–1.77); p < 0.001, and OR 1.86 (1.68–2.06); p < 0.001, respectively. There was no difference in outcomes between gastric and duodenal ulcers (DUs) in PPU patients: adjusted OR 0.99 (0.84–1.16); p = 0.698, OR 0.93 (0.78 to 1.10); p = 0.409, and OR 0.97 (0.80–1.19); p = 0.799, respectively. Conclusions: DU site is a significant predictor of death and re-intervention in patients with PUB, as compared to GU site. This does not seem to be the case for patients with PPU.
Analysis of bacterial flora associated with peri-implantitis using obligate anaerobic culture technique and 16S rDNA gene sequence.

PURPOSE To analyze and characterize the predominant bacterial flora associated with peri-implantitis by using culture techniques under obligate anaerobic conditions and 16S rDNA gene sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subgingival bacterial specimens were taken from 30 patients: control (n = 15), consisting of patients with only healthy implants; and test (n = 15), consisting of patients with peri-implantitis. In both groups, subgingival bacterial specimens were taken from the deepest sites. An anaerobic glove box system was used to cultivate bacterial strains. The bacterial strains were identified by 16S rDNA genebased polymerase chain reaction and comparison of the gene sequences. RESULTS Peri-implantitis sites had approximately 10-fold higher mean colony forming units (per milliliter) than healthy implant sites. A total of 69 different bacterial species were identified in the peri-implantitis sites and 53 in the healthy implant sites. The predominant bacterial species in the peri-implantitis sites were Eubacterium nodatum, E. brachy, E. saphenum, Filifactor alocis, Slackia exigua, Parascardovia denticolens, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Centipeda periodontii, and Parvimonas micra. The predominant bacteria in healthy implant sites apart from Streptococcus were Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus, Veillonella species, Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces species, Propionibacterium acnes, and Parvimonas micra. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the environment in the depths of the sulcus showing peri-implantitis is well suited for growth of obligate anaerobic bacteria. The present study demonstrated that the sulcus around oral implants with peri-implantitis harbors high levels of asaccharolytic anaerobic gram-positive rods (AAGPRs) such as E. nodatum, E. brachy, E. saphenum, Filifactor alocis, Slackia exigua, and gram-negative anaerobic rods, suggesting that conventional periodontopathic bacteria are not the only periodontal pathogens active in peri-implantitis, and that AAGPRs may also play an important role.
Effect of brief cetylpyridinium chloride treatments during early and mature cariogenic biofilm formation.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the antibiofilm activity of brief cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) treatments during early and mature Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation. METHODS Streptococcus mutans biofilms were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite disks. The biofilms were treated with CPC twice daily (1 min/treatment) from 0 to 50 h or from 48 to 98 h. Acidogenicity, dry weight, viability, and water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharides of the biofilms were analyzed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images were obtained to confirm the antibiofilm activity during mature biofilm formation and to evaluate the relationship between treatment time and the antibiofilm activity. RESULTS CPC showed complete antibiofilm activity during early biofilm formation at 0.025% to 0.1%. During mature biofilm formation, CPC inhibited dry weight, viability, and acidogenicity at 0.075% and 0.1%. CLSM images showed an increase in dead cells at 0.075% and 0.1% CPC. The antibiofilm activity during mature biofilm formation increased as the concentration of CPC increased. Images from the CLSM study also showed that antibiofilm activity increased as treatment time increased. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that brief CPC treatments have strong anti-S. mutans biofilm activity. The antibiofilm activity was dependent on the stage of biofilm formation, CPC concentration, and treatment time.
Narrative therapy: a psychotherapeutic approach in the treatment of adolescents with Asperger's disorder.

TOPIC The conundrum of how to carry out psychotherapy with an adolescent whose primary currency of information exchange is visual as opposed to linguistic, and who is unable to develop a unified base of knowledge and hence generalize concepts, has confronted many mental health nurses in their encounters with individuals with Asperger's disorder. At the currently estimated escalating rate of occurrence of 1 to every 100 individuals having an autism spectrum disorder, and the estimate that 80% of these people have average or above intelligence, it makes sense that Asperger's disorder is frequently encountered by child and adolescent mental health nurses. Asperger's disorder represents a different way of being in the world that is associated with a higher frequency of anxiety disorders and depression than experienced by neurotypical counterparts. The inherent concretization in the externalization techniques in narrative therapy provide a novelly successful approach to psychotherapy with people with Asperger's disorder and in many cases resolution of the conundrum. PURPOSE This paper considers the features of Asperger's disorder and its consonance with the techniques of narrative therapy, and utilizes a case example that shows the potential efficacy of the application of this established approach in a new context. SOURCES Contemporary literature on autism and narrative therapy. CONCLUSIONS The implication of the potential application of narrative therapy in psychotherapy with individuals with autism is raised.