Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of vascular risk factors for atherosclerotic carotid artery plaque progression.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Investigations regarding arteriosclerosis of carotid arteries showed an association between increased intima-media thickness and vascular risk factors. A newly developed three-dimensional ultrasound method increases the reproducibility of plaque volume measurements because more exact volume measurements can be performed with a reduction of the disadvantages of two-dimensional measurements. In a pilot study the influence of vascular risk factors on carotid artery plaque progression was examined. METHODS Volumes of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid arteries in 54 patients were measured with a three-dimensional ultrasound system during a 12-month period to determine the relationship between progression or regression of plaque volume, vascular risk factors, dose of aspirin, and flow turbulence in the plaque region. RESULTS A progression of plaque volume occurred in 67% (36/54) of all plaques. In no plaque was a regression of plaque volume seen. The optimal adjustment of all risk factors showed a significant influence on plaque progression (r = .31). Diastolic blood pressure was the strongest predictor of plaque progression (P < .01), followed by diabetes (P < .03). Turbulence in the plaque region was found in 78% of the patients in the progression group (n = 36) versus 61% in the nonprogression group (n = 18) but was not significant. Dose of aspirin (100 mg versus 250/300 mg) had no influence on plaque volume after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS Treatment of vascular risk factors reduces the progression of carotid artery plaque volume in three-dimensional ultrasound. The most important factor for plaque progression is a high diastolic blood pressure. Turbulence in the flow pattern and the examined doses of aspirin showed no significant influence.
Risk-Managed Momentum: The Effect of Leverage Constraints

Risk-managed momentum allows investors to increase the Sharpe ratio of the momentum strategy and to reduce momentum crashes. Yet, the improvement in the performance comes at the price of often assuming a levered position on plain momentum. I show that leverage-constrained investors benefit from a risk-managed momentum strategy that scales the momentum exposure with the past realized positive semi-variance of momentum returns rather than with the past realized variance.
Information Extraction Based on the Dependency Relationship of Sentences

In order to get the information about the technical examination of vehicles in accident from the document, and to provide the foundation for the auto-generation of examination report in natural language, the information extraction techniques are studied, and an information extraction technique based on the dependency relationship of sentences is produced. It constructs the template according to the dependency relationship between the extracted words and frequently-used words. The template, as a set of dependency characteristics in the form of logic expression, is simple and direct. Based on these templates, we can select the word tallying mostly with the dependency characteristics of the template as the final extracted word, so the whole process is straight and speedy.
Statins, incident Alzheimer disease, change in cognitive function, and neuropathology

Objective: To examine the relation of statins to incident Alzheimer disease (AD) and change in cognition and neuropathology. Methods: Participants were 929 older Catholic clergy (68.7% women, mean baseline age 74.9 years, education 18.2 years, Mini-Mental State Examination 28.5) free of dementia, enrolled in the Religious Orders Study, a longitudinal clinical-pathologic study of AD. All agreed to brain autopsy at time of death and underwent annual structured clinical evaluations, allowing for classification of AD and assessment of cognition (based on 19 neuropsychological tests). Statins were identified by direct medication inspection. Neuropathologic data were available on 262 participants. All macroscopic chronic cerebral infarctions were recorded. A measure of global AD pathology was derived from silver stain, and separate measures of amyloid and tangles were based on immunohistochemistry. We examined the relation of statins to incident AD using Cox proportional hazards, change in cognition using mixed effects models, and pathologic indices using logistic and linear regression. Results: Statin use at baseline (12.8%) was not associated with incident AD (191 persons, up to 12 follow-up years), change in global cognition, or five separate cognitive domains (all p values > 0.20). Statin use any time prior to death (17.9%) was not related to global AD pathology. Persons taking statins were less likely to have amyloid (p = 0.02). However, among those with amyloid, there was no relation of statins to amyloid load. Statins were not related to tangles or infarction. Conclusions: Overall, statins were not related to incident Alzheimer disease (AD) or change in cognition, or continuous measures of AD pathology or infarction.
Corporate social responsibility practices in Malaysian automotive suppliers: confirmatory factor analysis

The aim of this study is to examine corporate social responsibility practices in Malaysian automotive suppliers by using confirmatory factor analysis. 288 sets of questionnaires were successfully collected which indicated a 72% response rate. In this study, structural equation modelling technique was utilised to perform the required statistical analysis of the data survey. The results of six constructs (employee involvement, customer focus, environment, corporate governance, community and society, and human right) showed that the measurement model for corporate social responsibility practices had a good fit and the model was valid and reliable for Malaysian automotive suppliers. The paper ends with a proposed future direction for this research.
Coexistence of Factor V Leiden and Factor II A20210 Mutations and Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism

Summary Patients carrying the FV Leiden or the FII A20210 mutation have a high risk of venous thromboembolism. Among 542 patients with a documented diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis in one leg consecutively referred for a thrombophilic work-up, we have retrospectively assessed the rate of objectively documented previous recurrence in carriers of both FV Leiden and FII A20210 mutations. Eighty-two patients had experienced 115 episodes of recurrent venous thromboembolism. The rate of recurrent venous thromboembolism was 29.2% among subjects with and 14.5% in those without deficiencies of natural anticoagulant proteins (p = 0.055), and 24.6% among patients with and 14.0% in those without antiphospholipid antibodies (p = 0.036). The frequency of having a recurrent thromboembolism was 16.2%, 20.0%, and 36.4% among carriers of FV Leiden, FII A20210 mutation, or both gene defects, respectively, and 12.8% in subjects carrying neither mutation (p for trend = 0.004). When adjusted for age, sex, and thrombophilic risk factors, the rate was higher among patients with than in those without deficiencies of natural anticoagulant proteins (OR: 3.0; 95% CI: 1.2-7.5), aPL 2.5 (95% CI: 1.3-4.9), or both FV Leiden and FII A20210 gene mutations (OR 4.8; 95% CI: 1.9-12.2). The rate of previous recurrent venous thromboembolism was significantly higher in subjects carrying both FV Leiden and FII 20210 mutations and was comparable to that observed in subjects with deficiencies of natural anticoagulant proteins or antiphospholipid antibodies.
Appearance Modeling for Object Pose Recognition using Canonical Correlation Analysis

This paper presents an appearance-based method for object pose recognition using single camera image. The basic idea of our method is to find the correlation between object image and its pose, and use it for object recognition and pose estimation. Canonical correlation analysis is introduced to derive such correlation and build a compact appearance model. In the approach, we first obtain a pair of training data set, i.e., object images and their pose parameters. The appearance model is given as the subspace spanned by the canonical vectors that maximize the correlation between images and poses. Pose parameters of currently observed image is predicted by finding the regression coefficient in this subspace. We also introduce the kernel methods to cope with the non-linearity lies in training data set. Experiments are conducted on object pose estimation and vehicle type classification problem. Performance of our appearance models is discussed through the comparison with conventional subspace method
A method for estimating hunger degree based on meal and exercise logs

If temporal variation of a person's hunger degree could be estimated, it would be possible to adjust his/her eating habits and/or prevent obesity. It is well-known that there is a negative correlation between a hunger degree and a blood glucose level. However, it is hard to measure a person's blood glucose level anytime and anywhere, because it relies usually on an invasive method (e.g., blood sampling). This paper proposes a method for estimating a person's hunger degree in a non-invasive way. Our proposed method is composed of (1) a blood glucose level estimation model based on logs of meals and exercises, and (2) a hunger degree estimation model based on the estimated glucose level. The former model is constructed by correlating an actual blood glucose level and logs of meals and exercises with a machine learning technique. Here, the actual blood glucose level is measured by a commercial blood glucose meter invasively. The latter model is constructed by associating the measured blood glucose level with a subjective hunger degree. We also design and develop a mobile application for facilitating a user to easily record meals and exercises information. Through an experiment with a subject, we confirmed that our system can estimate a blood glucose level within about 14% mean percentage error and finally estimate hunger degree within about 1.3 levels mean error among 10 levels.
Tensile-strained Ge/SiGe quantum-well photodetectors on silicon substrates with extended infrared response.

We report on tensile-strained Ge/Si0.11Ge0. 89 quantum-well (QW) metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors on Si substrates. A tensile strain of 0.21% is introduced into the Ge wells by growing the QW stack on in-situ annealed Ge-on-Si virtual substrates (VS). The optical characterization of Ge/Si0.11Ge0. 89 QW MSM photodetectors indicates that the optical response increases to a wavelength of 1.5 μm or higher owing to the strain-induced direct bandgap shrinkage. Analysis of the band structure by using a k · p model suggests that by optimizing the tensile strain and Ge well width, tensile-strained Ge/SiGe QW photodetectors can be designed to cover the telecommunication C-band and beyond for optical telecommunications and on-chip interconnection.
Short‐Term Kinetics of the Humoral Anti‐Clq Response in SLE Using the ELISPOT Method: Fast Decline in Production in Response to Steroids

Twenty four systemic lupus erythaematosus patients and 17 patients with other diagnoses were investigated regarding the presence of cells producing Clq reactive antibodies in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using the ELISPOT technique. These results were then compared with parallel serum levels of Clq reactive antibodies. Current production of anti‐CIq was almost entirely confined to the systemic lupus erythaematosus group. Longitudinal analysis of anti‐Clq ELISPOT positive patients showed rapid changes in the number of anti‐Clq producing cells, but only slowly changing serum levels of the corresponding antibodies in response to glucocorticoids. In one systemic lupus erythaematosus patient prednisolone treatment had a selective effect on this autoantibody production, as the production of anti‐Clq spot forming cells rapidly dropped to zero, at the same time as the number of total spotforming cells showed only less change. In another patient, self‐limiting connective tissue disease was associated with temporal occurrence of IgM anti‐Clq. We believe, from these data, that the ELISPOT method for determination of current antibody production may be of particular value in longitudinal evaluation of disease course and therapeutic effects in systemic lupus erythaematosus and other rheumatic diseases.
Hydrogen exchange in native and alcohol forms of ubiquitin.

Ubiquitin adopts a non-native folded structure in 60% methanol solution at low pH. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) was used to measure the hydrogen-exchange rates of backbone amide protons of ubiquitin in both native and methanol forms, and to characterize the structure of ubiquitin in the methanol state. Protection factors (the ratios of experimentally determined exchange rates to the rates calculated for an unfolded polypeptide) for protons in the native form of ubiquitin range from less than 10 to greater than 10(5). Most of the protons that are protected from exchange are located in regions of hydrogen-bonded secondary structure. The most strongly protected backbone amide protons are those of residues comprising the hydrophobic core. Hydrogen exchange from ubiquitin in methanol solution was too rapid to measure directly by 2D NMR, so a labeling scheme was employed, in which exchange with solvent occurred while the protein was in methanol solution. Exchange was quenched by dilution with aqueous buffer after the desired labeling time, and proton occupancies were measured by 1H NMR of the native form of the protein. Protection factors for protons in the methanol form of ubiquitin range from 2.6 to 42, with all protected protons located in hydrogen-bonded structure in the native form. Again, the most strongly protected protons are those of residues in the hydrophobic core. Comparison of the patterns of the hydrogen-exchange rates in the native and methanol forms indicates that almost all of the native secondary structure persists in the methanol form, but that it is almost uniformly destabilized by 4-6 kcal/mol. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cytokeratins as Markers of Ductal Cell Differentiation and Islet Neogenesis in the Neonatal Rat Pancreas

Cytokeratins (CKs) serve as immunocytochemical markers of epithelial cells. We found that duct cells of the neonatal and adult rat pancreas express CKs 7, 19, and 20. Because pancreatic endocrine cells are thought to derive from duct cells, we examined their expression of CKs 7, 19, and 20 during the neonatal period and the proliferative activity of the different cell types in and around islets. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the islets of the neonatal pancreas, in contrast to those of adults, strongly expressed CKs 7, 19, and 20, particularly within a peripheral mantle zone that was continuous with the epithelium of adjacent ductules. This pattern was found during the first 2 weeks of life when significant islet growth occurred as determined by morphometry and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling. Moreover, BrdU labeling kinetics indicated that the growth of neonatal islets occurred in the peripheral mantle region characterized by intense CK20 and CK19 immunoreactivity and not in the region composed of differentiated endocrine cells. These observations strongly suggest that proliferating ductal cells associated with islets represent a pool of islet β- and non-β-precursor cells.
IPX066: a novel carbidopa–levodopa extended-release formulation

Levodopa (LD) remains the most effective medication to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, most patients develop motor fluctuations and dyskinesias with long-term LD use. It is thought that these response complications are due, at least in part, to LD’s short half-life. Thus, there is great interest in long-acting LD preparations that might be able to provide robust antiparkinsonian benefit through the day and potentially avoid the development of motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. IPX066 is an investigational extended-release carbidopa–levodopa (CD–LD) formulation. It is designed to achieve rapid absorption and onset of clinical benefit, similar to CD–LD immediate release, and to provide more sustained therapeutic LD levels and longer duration of clinical benefit. In Phase III clinical trials, IPX066 was demonstrated to be efficacious in early PD compared with placebo, and in moderate-to-advanced PD, it provided more sustained clinical benefit with fewer dose administrations than CD–LD immediate release, as reported in published abstracts.
The Analysis of Mobile Learning Resources Construction on Original UGC

Mobile learning is a new way for learning and mobile learning resources construction is very important to the development of mobile learning. Original UGC have many characteristics including fragmented content, original content, plentiful resources and easy way to obtained. Original UGC can be obtained through a variety of tools such as RSS, Tag, SNS and search engine. And because of these four new technologies we can show content created by us on some platform including Blog Pod casting, Wiki and Weibo. Although at present, there are still many problems about the construction of mobile learning resources need to solve, the rapid development of original UGC really have some good effects on mobile learning resources construction. In this article we research about the value on mobile learning resources construction. The value of original UGC includes creating fragmented resources for mobile learning resources construction, providing a personalized learning resource service, encouraging more users to create their own content, providing a better communication environment for Learners, respecting Learners' principle status and improving learners' autonomous learning effect effectively. The wide spreading original UGC will produce profound influence on mobile learning resources construction. Moreover, because of these benefits, the original UGC can encourage learners learning spontaneously and freely. And at last we put forward a model about how to use original UGC to mobile learning resources construction.
'Mourning for America': Donald Trump's Climate Change Policy

Donald Trump projects slogans more than strategy, yet his administration has moved quickly and with vigour to dismantle existing climate policies in the United States. As this analysis underlines, a robust system of political checks and balances will constrain the domestic deregulatory agenda, although Trump’s actions may disturb the delicate balance of interests in international climate negotiations. A long view on the legal and political system of the United States – from the ideological foundations of American political reaction to the federal constitution and its Madisonian separation of powers – is necessary to understand whether the policy direction charted by the current administration can prevail. At first glance, the scale of regulatory roll-back appears unprecedented. Procedural and judicial limitations on federal powers that long predate awareness of climate change may nonetheless afford existing climate action surprising resilience against deconstruction. Still, the cumulative effects of deregulation, budget cuts, and personnel choices will eventually impact the scale and speed of US decarbonization. At the diplomatic level, severely diminished contributions to international climate finance will impact the political dynamic in international climate negotiations, while a disengaged US is likely to have an unsettling effect on the stocktaking and periodic review processes under the Paris Agreement. Some of these effects can be compensated by market forces and invigorated action by cities and states. Meanwhile, the underlying politics in the US remain as partisan as ever. Even if contemporary policy decisions prove to be temporary outliers, a sobering insight from this analysis is that science denialism and political opportunism will surface time and again in the US public debate on climate change.
A stochastic model for analyzing performance of Wireless Sensor Networks using proactive routing

Currently, there are many research studies which focus on analyzing the performance of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in several fields such as MAC protocols, routing protocols. In this paper we present an analytical model to evaluate the performance of WSNs based on the RSSI in the application layer. This model utilizes the available RSSI in most popular sensor nodes for analysis and considers the impact of several practical parameters such as data rate, routing information or packet acknowledgements. The use of empirical RSSI as the input can help the model to precisely reflect the real performance of deployed sensor networks. In order to carry out the validation of the model, a live WSN is setup to get the real data to input the proposed analytical model and the simulator for comparison. The results from real test-bed, simulation and analysis show that the proposed analytical model is precise enough and can be applied in estimating performance of WSNs.
Molecular cloning and genomic organization of an allatostatin preprohormone from Drosophila melanogaster.

The insect allatostatins are neurohormones, acting on the corpora allata (where they block the release of juvenile hormone) and on the insect gut (where they block smooth muscle contraction). We screened the "Drosophila Genome Project" database with electronic sequences corresponding to various insect allatostatins. This resulted in alignment with a DNA sequence coding for some Drosophila allatostatins (drostatins). Using PCR with oligonucleotide primers directed against the presumed exons of this Drosophila allatostatin gene and subsequent 3'- and 5'-RACE, we were able to clone its cDNA. The Drosophila allatostatin preprohormone contains four amino acid sequences that after processing would give rise to four Drosophila allatostatins: Val-Glu-Arg-Tyr-Ala-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH(2) (drostatin-1), Leu-Pro-Val-Tyr-Asn-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH(2) (drostatin-2), Ser-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH(2) (drostatin-3), and Thr-Thr-Arg-Pro-Gln-Pro-Phe-Asn-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH(2) (drostatin-4). Drostatin-2 is identical to helicostatin-2 (11-18) and drostatin-3 to helicostatin-3, two neurohormones previously isolated from the moth Helicoverpa armigera. Furthermore, drostatin-3 has previously been isolated from Drosophila itself. Drostatins-1 and -4 are novel members of the insect allatostatin neuropeptide family. The Drosophila allatostatin preprohormone gene contains two introns and three exons. The gene is located on the right arm of the third chromosome, position 96A-B. The existence of at least four different Drosophila allatostatins opens the possibility of a differential action of some of these hormones on the two recently cloned Drosophila allatostatin receptors, DAR-1 and -2. This is the first report on an allatostatin preprohormone from Drosophila.