Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retina recognition system using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system

Biometric based technologies including retina, face, fingerprint, speech, hand geometry, handwriting, iris and typing rhythm are used to deal high security problems because, they have reached a high degree of maturity such as applications on secure authentication. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are non-parametric prediction tools based on the analogy of biological nervous systems consisting of interconnected group of artificial neurons. They have information-processing units based on connectionist approach that can be used for a host of pattern classification and recognition applications. Fuzzy Logic (FL) is a powerful problem solving methodology receiving widespread acceptance for a range of applications. It provides a simple way to reach the definite conclusion from ambiguous, imprecise and vague information. Like ANN models, some Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) has the quality of universal approximation. ANN along with FL constitutes Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) which can be used to model a system with non-linear, random and uncertain data. An ANFIS consists of the advantages of ANN and Fuzzy System (FS). In this paper, a biometric recognition system based on retina using ANFIS as classifier is described. A number of retina samples have been collected and used in this retina recognition system as inputs for proper identification. Here, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used for the feature extraction of the blood vessels of the retina. The specialty of the work is associated with the fact that if the ANFIS is configured properly in terms of number and types of membership functions (MFs), it can tackle the variations in the retinal images properly. Experimental results show that the system is reliable for such kind of identification system.
Letter to the Editor: The need for drug-naive research in first-episode psychosis: a response to Moncrieff & Leo (2010)

relation to socioeconomic factors, mental illness and personality traits : a prospective study of middle-aged women. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 25, 83–89. Oshima A, Yamashita S, Owashi T, Murata T, Tadokoro C, Miyaoka H, Kamijima K, Higuchi T (2000). The differential ACTH responses to combined dexamethasone/CRH administration in major depressive and dysthymic disorders. Journal of Psychiatric Research 34, 325–328. Pirkola SP, Isometsä E, Suvisaari J, Aro H, Joukamaa M, Poikolainen K, Koskinen S, Aromaa A, Lönnqvist JK (2005). DSM-IV mood-, anxietyand alcohol use disorders and their comorbidity in the Finnish general population – results from the Health 2000 Study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 40, 1–10. Reaven GM (1988). Banting lecture 1988. Role of insulin resistance in human disease. Diabetes 37, 1595–1607. Roberts RE, Deleger S, Strawbridge WJ, Kaplan GA (2003). Prospective association between obesity and depression : evidence from the Alameda County Study. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 27, 514–521. Saarni SE, Saarni SI, Fogelholm M, Heliövaara M, Perälä J, Suvisaari J, Lönnqvist J (2009). Body composition in psychotic disorders : a general population survey. Psychological Medicine 39, 801–810. Saarni SE, Saarni SI, Suvisaari J, Reunanen A, Heliövaara M, Lönnqvist J (2007). Body composition in psychiatric disorders. In Proceeding of the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, p. 298. American Psychiatric Association : Arlington, VA. Salmi JA (2003). Body composition assessment with segmental multifrequency bioimpedance method. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 2 (Suppl. 3), 1–29. Salmi JA, Pekkarinen H (2004). Segmental assessments of fat-free mass by bioimpedance in relation to DXA. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 28, 127. Sartorio A, Malavolti M, Agosti F, Marinone PG, Caiti O, Battistini N, Bedogni G (2005). Body water distribution in severe obesity and its assessment from eight-polar bioelectrical impedance analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59, 155–160. Thakore JH, Richards PJ, Reznek RH, Martin A, Dinan TG (1997). Increased intra-abdominal fat deposition in patients with major depressive illness as measured by computed tomography. Biological Psychiatry 41, 1140–1142. Weber-Hamann B, Hentschel F, Kniest A, Deuschle M, Colla M, Lederbogen F, Heuser I (2002). Hypercortisolemic depression is associated with increased intra-abdominal fat. Psychosomatic Medicine 64, 274–277. Wittchen HU, Lachner G, Wunderlich U, Pfister H (1998). Test–retest reliability of the computerized DSM-IV version of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 33, 568–578. World Health Organization (1995). Physical status : the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO Expert Committee. World Health Organization Technical Report Series 854, 1–452.
Comparison of Insulin Secretory Patterns in Obese Nondiabetic LA/N-cp and Obese Diabetic SHR/N-cp Rats: Role of Hyperglycemia

Obese diabetic SHR/N-(cp/cp) rats are a genetic model for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. When SHR/N-cp rats are overtly diabetic, they are hyperinsulinemic and hyperglycemic in the fed state when consuming commercial chow or semipurified high-carbohydrate diets. Obese SHR/N-cp rats were hyperinsulinemic by 4 wk of age, although hyperglycemia did not appear until 3–4 wk later and was exacerbated by a high-sucrose diet (mean ± SE 1488 ± 238 (μ/ml insulin and 425 ± 51 mg/dl glucose). The control SHR/N-cp rats (+ /? ) on the sucrose diet remained lean and normoglycemic. The obese diabetic SHR/N-cp rats showed three alterations in pancreas perfusion data (not present in control rats): 7) paradoxically high insulin secretion at low glucose levels (2.5 mM), 2) secretion of insulin in response to arginine (10 mM) in the absence of glucose, and 3) impaired response of insulin secretion to high glucose (16.7 mM). To determine whether hyperglycemia was responsible for the abnormalities of insulin secretion, perfusion studies were conducted in obese nondiabetic LA/N-cp rats and compared with the SHR/N-cp rats. The obese LA/N-cp rats resembled the corpulent SHR/N-cp rats in every way, except that they were normoglycemic on the sucrose diet. The obese LA/N-cp rats had two of the three alterations in insulin secretion shown by obese SHR/N-cp rats, lacking only the impaired response to high glucose, suggesting that hyperglycemia was required for that defect to occur. This finding is supported by the partial reversal of this defect in the obese SHR/N-cp rats after fasting for 48–72 h, when plasma glucose levels had been close to normal for >24–48 h. Additional evidence was obtained in younger, prediabetic obese SHR/N-cp rats that also showed the first two of the three defects and showed only a slightly abnormal response to high glucose. Paradoxically, high insulin secretion at low glucose levels and hypersecretion of insulin in response to arginine without glucose are early abnormalities associated with the development of obesity in these models, whereas decreased maximal response to high glucose develops later and is associated with hyperglycemia.
Challenges in the Creation of Mixed-Use Affordable Housing: Measuring and Explaining Its Limited Prevalence

ABSTRACT Mixed-use affordable housing buildings collocate residences and commercial uses. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program provides one mechanism to fund such structures. But the literature offers little insight into the frequency of mixed-use LIHTC buildings, partly because of a lack of data identifying them, and it does not pinpoint conditions that facilitate their development. I explore these issues through a Chicago, Illinois, case study. First, I analyze imagery to create the first database of mixed-use LIHTC buildings. I show that only 5% of LIHTC structures incorporate commercial uses, and that these are concentrated in wealthier, whiter, and already retail-heavy neighborhoods. Second, I use stakeholder interviews to explain the low rate and selective location of mixed-use projects; I find that the stiffest barriers are conflicting governmental policies, difficulties securing financing in the context of a perception of weak retail demand and investor desires for reliable returns, and design constraints.
Histone Acetylation and Flagellin Are Essential for Legionella pneumophila-Induced Cytokine Expression1

Legionella pneumophila causes severe pneumonia. Acetylation of histones is thought to be an important regulator of gene transcription, but its impact on L. pneumophila-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines is unknown. L. pneumophila strain 130b induced the expression of the important chemoattractant IL-8 and genome-wide histone modifications in human lung epithelial A549 cells. We analyzed the IL-8-promoter and found that histone H4 was acetylated and H3 was phosphorylated at Ser10 and acetylated at Lys14, followed by transcription factor NF-κB. Recruitment of RNA polymerase II to the IL-8 promoter corresponded with increases in gene transcription. Histone modification and IL-8 release were dependent on p38 kinase and NF-κB pathways. Legionella-induced IL-8 expression was decreased by histone acetylase (HAT) inhibitor anacardic acid and enhanced by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A. After Legionella infection, HATs p300 and CREB-binding protein were time-dependently recruited to the IL-8 promoter, whereas HDAC1 and HDAC5 first decreased and later reappeared at the promoter. Legionella specifically induced expression of HDAC5 but not of other HDACs in lung epithelial cells, but knockdown of HDAC1 or 5 did not alter IL-8 release. Furthermore, Legionella-induced cytokine release, promoter-specific histone modifications, and RNA polymerase II recruitment were reduced in infection with flagellin-deletion mutants. Legionella-induced histone modification as well as HAT-/HDAC-dependent IL-8 release could also be shown in primary lung epithelial cells. In summary, histone acetylation seems to be important for the regulation of proinflammatory gene expression in L. pneumophila infected lung epithelial cells. These pathways may contribute to the host response in Legionnaires’ disease.
Mouse Mutants Reveal that Putative Protein Interaction Sites in the p53 Proline-Rich Domain Are Dispensable for Tumor Suppression

ABSTRACT The stability and activity of tumor suppressor p53 are tightly regulated and partially depend on the p53 proline-rich domain (PRD). We recently analyzed mice expressing p53 with a deletion of the PRD (p53ΔP). p53ΔP, a weak transactivator hypersensitive to Mdm2-mediated degradation, is unable to suppress oncogene-induced tumors. This phenotype could result from the loss of two motifs: Pin1 sites proposed to influence p53 stabilization and PXXP motifs proposed to mediate protein interactions. We investigated the importance of these motifs by generating mice encoding point mutations in the PRD. p53TTAA contains mutations suppressing all putative Pin1 sites in the PRD, while p53AXXA lacks PXXP motifs but retains one intact Pin1 site. Both mutant proteins accumulated in response to DNA damage, although the accumulation of p53TTAA was partially impaired. Importantly, p53TTAA and p53AXXA are efficient transactivators and potent suppressors of oncogene-induced tumors. Thus, Pin1 sites in the PRD may modulate p53 stability but do not significantly affect function. In addition, PXXP motifs are not essential, but structure dictated by the presence of prolines, PXXXXP motifs that may mediate protein interactions, and/or the length of this region appears to be functionally significant. These results may explain why the sequence of the p53 PRD is so variable in evolution.
High numbers of clonal CD19+ cells in the peripheral blood of a patient with multiple myeloma

Recent studies concerning the numbers of circulating clonal B cells in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have reported conflicting data regarding the exact levels of clonal B cells and the existence of clonal cells in the CD34 compartment. In this report we show that high numbers of clonal cells with a phenotype of late‐stage B cells or pre‐plasma cells were present in the peripheral blood (PB) of a patient with MM. During treatment the initial high level of PB clonal cells was markedly reduced and remained low (<1%) post transplant, even after disease progression. In addition, we found that the MM clone did not include a B‐progenitor population defined by CD34.
hBub1 negatively regulates p53 mediated early cell death upon mitotic checkpoint activation

Our previous studies showed that the depletion of the outer kinetochore protein hBub1 upon activation of spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) primarily triggers early cell death mediated by p53 rather than aneuploidy. Here, we report that phosphorylation of p53 at the Ser 37 is critical for its proapoptotic activity upon SAC activation. Furthermore, we show that p53 physically interacts with hBub1 at kinetochores in response to mitotic spindle damage suggesting a direct role for hBub1 in the suppression of p53 mediated cell death. This observation is further substantiated by the inhibition of p53 mediated transactivation of the proapoptotic target genes, PUMA and BAX, by hBub1 in SAC activated cells. In summary, our data from these and our previous studies strongly suggest that in response to SAC activation, hBub1 acts as a negative regulator of p53 mediated early cell death in a novel checkpoint pathway. On the translational medicine front, it is tempting to speculate that by disabling the hBub1 in p53 proficient cancer cells, apoptosis may be induced as a therapeutic approach to eradicate the tumor cells.
S-equol Partially Restored Endothelial Nitric Oxide Production in Isoflavone-deficient Ovariectomized Rats

Background: S-equol is known as an estrogenic substance, but its ability to restore vascular endothelial function is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of S-equol on endothelial function and intimal thickening under isoflavone- and estrogen-deficient circumstances. Methods: Twelve-week-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were bilaterally ovariectomized and assigned to one of the 3 groups: control, isoflavone-deficient (ID), or ID plus equol (n = 12, respectively). The control group received a normal diet containing isoflavones, while ID and ID plus equol groups received isoflavones-free diet. At 16th week, subcutaneous administration of S-equol (200 &mgr;g/d) started in the ID plus equol group. At 18th week, endothelial denudation of the left common carotid artery was performed in all groups, and thoracic and carotid arteries were collected at 20th week. Results: In thoracic artery, endothelium-dependent relaxation, cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels in the tissue, and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase expression and phosphorylation were significantly higher in the groups of ID plus equol and control than in the ID. The ratio of intima to media of the injured carotid artery in the control group was the lowest. Conclusions: Removal of dietary soy isoflavones decreased endothelium-derived NO level in ovariectomized rats. S-equol supplementation partially improved NO-related endothelial function.
Service Process in an Alternative Education of Understanding Self—A Case of Chinese Numerology Consulting Center

The purpose of this study is to develop a blueprint of a service process that would work well to provide a good service quality, in the case of a Chinese numerology and astrology from I Ching and geomancy research and consulting center. A heuristic inquiry research design was adopted. The first two co-authors are masters of the four pillars eight characters technique, and apply their expertise in data collections and interpretations of the 8 interviews. Data analyses have shown seven steps within five categories to form the blueprint in the service process: Tangible exhibition, customer behavior, front desk service, back office service, and support system. The third step about the consulting talk is the most important part to build customers’ trust during the service. The fourth step about sales of the relevant products for a change in fortune is probably the major step to produce incomes. Three other features are seen in this service blueprint among the five categories: External interactions between employees and customers, visible service versus invisible service and internal interactions among employees. The blueprint will provide useful information for managers to provide employee trainings and improve service quality.
Automatic and robust segmentation of endoscopic OCT images and optical staining.

We report a generic method for automatic segmentation of endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. In this method, OCT images are first processed with L1 -L0 norm minimization based de-noising and smoothing algorithms to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and enhance the contrast between adjacent layers. The smoothed images are then formulated into cost graphs based on their vertical gradients. After that, tissue-layer segmentation is performed with the shortest path search algorithm. The efficacy and capability of this method are demonstrated by automatically and robustly identifying all five interested layers of guinea pig esophagus from in vivo endoscopic OCT images. Furthermore, thanks to the ultrahigh resolution, high SNR of endoscopic OCT images and the high segmentation accuracy, this method permits in vivo optical staining histology and facilitates quantitative analysis of tissue geometric properties, which can be very useful for studying tissue pathologies and potentially aiding clinical diagnosis in real time.
Institutionele leegte: nieuwe bronnen, nieuwe uitdagingen

Societal and technological developments (such as the digital and energy revolutions) move faster than existing institutions can keep up with. The developments may lead to a metaphorical institutional void, which brings questions about the nature of the void, the changing rules, practices and responsibilities, and about the strategies to deal with the void. The concept has been around for a while but (again) seems relevant to understand current socio-technological innovations and challenges, that also allow us to further conceptualise the institutional void. In this introduction to the issue, we discuss the concept of an institutional void and explore how it is used in various domains of study, including public administration. We argue for how the concept is relevant today and therein also introduce the topics that are discussed in this special issue.
Expression of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Repair Enzymes During Spermatogenesis in Mice1

Abstract Meiotic recombination during gametogenesis is critical for proper chromosome segregation. However, the participating proteins and mechanics of recombination are not well understood in mammals. DNA repair enzymes play an essential role in both mitosis and meiosis in yeast. The mammalian mismatch repair system consists of homologues of the bacterial MutH, MutL, and MutS proteins. As part of our goal of understanding the function of enzymes that mediate meiotic recombination, we used a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction approach to identify germ cell transcripts for the MutL homologue, Pms2, and two members of the MutS family, Msh2 and Msh3. Both the Pms2 and the Msh2 genes were highly expressed in mitotically proliferating spermatogonia, and early in meiotic prophase in the leptotene and zygotene spermatocytes. Thereafter, expression declined in early and mid pachytene spermatocytes, and was negligible in postmeiotic spermatids. In contrast, expression of Msh3 was at its highest level in pachytene spermatocytes. Protein levels were similar to gene expression patterns, and both PMS2 and MSH2 were localized in spermatogonia and spermatocytes. These patterns of expression for genes encoding mismatch repair enzymes are consistent with the proposed roles of the gene products in mismatch repair during both DNA replication and recombination.
Towards a global financial stability framework

A new global financial stability framework is needed to reduce the probability and severity of a future financial crisis. The financial stability framework needs to be global in the sense of being both worldwide and comprehensive, with contributions from prudential, monetary and fiscal policies. Market discipline and microprudential regulation alone cannot achieve financial stability. Monetary and fiscal policies need to contribute by leaning against the buildup of financial imbalances and by responding to busts in a symmetric fashion. Central
Occupations, the Missing Link? A New Theoretical and Methodological Approach to Product Markets, Skill and Pay

Drawing on research of Australian cafes, this article examines the link between product market strategies, skill and pay. Addressing the methodological problems within existing research, the findings not only suggest a new methodology for future research examining these linkages but also a new theoretical proposition about the linkages based on occupation rather than firm, industry or sector.
FDI Response to Political Shocks: What Can the Arab Spring Tell Us?

Abstract This paper examines the FDI response to political shocks. I first investigate whether political or institutional quality is an important determinant of FDI inflows using a panel VAR model in a dataset of 146 countries over 1989–2015. Then, I exploit the Arab Spring incidence to measure the short-run effects of political shocks on FDI flows using the differences-in-differences (DiD) estimator for a sub-sample of nineteen countries in the MENA region. I account for possible bias of the DiD estimator resulting from dealing with heterogeneous group of countries by using the propensity score matching based on countries’ economic development and political settings. The findings show that a positive shock to political quality would increase FDI flows which lends evidence to the importance of political quality in determining FDI flows. In addition, I find that the Arab spring has led to a drop in FDI flows to the MENA region.
The Impact of Exchange Rate Volatility on Hospitality Industry â A Study in Lusaka Province of Zambia

The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of exchange rate volatility on hospitality industry in the Lusaka Province of Zambia. This research aimed to find out the impact of exchange rate volatility on profitability, capacity utilization and the impact of GDP and inflation on profitability of hospitality industry. The study used quarterly secondary data from 2005 to 2015 with respect to three big hotels which had international branding and received over fifty percent revenue in forex. The multiple regression model was used to measure the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable. The study revealed that volatility in exchange rate had significant effect on profitability. But inflation had negative effect on profitability. The GDP growth rate had positive effect on the capacity utilization. The study concluded that the Central Bank of Zambia should take necessary steps to increase the value of domestic currency, i.e., Kwacha, and stop fluctuations in it to safeguard the profitability in the hospitality industry. The study also concluded that through appropriate monetary policy, i.e., increasing the bank rate and reserve ratio and selling the bonds in the market, the inflation could be reduced by controlling money supply.