Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tuning quantum nonlocal effects in graphene plasmonics

Plasmons probe the quantum response Electronic systems are typically considered as classical Fermi liquids, and the quantum mechanical interactions and processes are usually only accessed at very low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Lundeberg et al. used tunable plasmons to probe the quantum response of the electron gas of graphene (see the Perspective by Basov and Fogler). They studied shape deformations of the Fermi surface during a plasmon oscillation, as well as many-body electronic effects. Science, this issue p. 187; see also p. 132 Tunable plasmons are used to probe the quantum properties of an electronic system. The response of electron systems to electrodynamic fields that change rapidly in space is endowed by unique features, including an exquisite spatial nonlocality. This can reveal much about the materials’ electronic structure that is invisible in standard probes that use gradually varying fields. Here, we use graphene plasmons, propagating at extremely slow velocities close to the electron Fermi velocity, to probe the nonlocal response of the graphene electron liquid. The near-field imaging experiments reveal a parameter-free match with the full quantum description of the massless Dirac electron gas, which involves three types of nonlocal quantum effects: single-particle velocity matching, interaction-enhanced Fermi velocity, and interaction-reduced compressibility. Our experimental approach can determine the full spatiotemporal response of an electron system.
Ranolazine-Induced Postrepolarization Refractoriness Suppresses Induction of Atrial Flutter and Fibrillation in Anesthetized Rabbits

Ranolazine (Ran) is a novel anti-ischemic agent with electrophysiologic properties mainly attributed to the inhibition of late Na+ current and atrial-selective early Na+ current. However, there are only limited data regarding its efficacy and mechanism of action against atrial flutter (Afl) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in intact animals. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the electrophysiologic mechanism of Ran in a rabbit model of inducible atrial tachyarrhythmias elicited by acetylcholine (ACh). Arrhythmias were produced in 19 rabbits by rapid atrial burst pacing during control, after intravenous ACh and after Ran + ACh administration. Recording of right atrial monophasic action potentials (MAPs) and programmed stimulation were utilized to determine the duration of atrial repolarization at various cycle lengths and voltage levels of action potential, including 75% of total MAP duration (MAPD75), effective refractory period (ERP), and postrepolarization refractoriness (PRR = ERP − MAPD75) prior to and after Ran. Control stimulation yielded no arrhythmias or maximal nonsustained runs of Afl/AF. Upon ACh, 17 of 19 rabbits exhibited sustained Afl and AF as well as mixed forms of Afl/AF, while 2 animals revealed none or short runs of nonsustained arrhythmias and were excluded from the study. High-frequency burst pacing during the first 30 minutes after Ran + ACh failed to induce any arrhythmia in 13 of 17 rabbits (76%), while 2 animals displayed sustained Afl/AF and 2 other animals nonsustained Afl/AF. At basic stimulation cycle length of 250 milliseconds, Ran prolonged baseline atrial ERP (80 ± 8 vs 120 ± 9 milliseconds, P < .001) much more than MAPD75 (65 ± 7 vs 85 ± 7 milliseconds, P < .001), leading to atrial PRR which was more pronounced after Ran compared with control measurements (35 ± 11 vs 15 ± 10 milliseconds, P < .001). This in vivo study demonstrates that Ran exerts antiarrhythmic activity by suppressing inducibility of ACh-mediated Afl/AF in intact rabbits. Its action may predominantly be related to a significant increase in atrial PRR, resulting in depressed electrical excitability and impediment of arrhythmia initiation.
In Vivo and In Vitro Evidence of Protective Effects of a Natural Flavone on Rat Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion and Hypoxia–Reoxygenation Injuries

In the present study, we for the first time explored the protective effect of LOB (Chrysoeriol 7-O-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside]) on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury in a rat model and on hypoxia–reoxygenation (H/R) injury in a rat myocardium cell line. An I/R rat model and an H/R rat myocardium cell model were established. The animal and H9C2 (2-1) rat myocardium cells were pretreated with increasing doses of LOB before the I/R or H/R injury. Malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the caspase 3 activity were measured. Pretreatment with LOB dose dependently reduced the elevated plasma levels of LDH and IL-6 and myocardium MDA level induced by the I/R injury in the rat model, and the elevated culture medium LDH, cell MDA levels, and caspase 3 activity induced by the H/R injury in the cell model were also reduced. Both in vivo and in vitro data showed that high-dose LOB (20 mg/kg or 10 μmol/L) had stronger protective effects than the positive control drug verapamil. In conclusion, our study for the first time provided both in vivo and in vitro evidence that LOB exerted significant cardioprotective effects on myocardial I/R injury in rats, suggesting that LOB could be a potential therapeutic agent for myocardial I/R injury.
The Efficient and Complete Frequent Itemsets Mining of Association Rules

How to generate the candidate itemsets, how to compute the supporting number of itemsets, how to reduce the size of candidate itemsets and how to decrease the scanning times of transaction databases, are four capital technique difficulties of association rules mining. In this paper, we have presented an new idea that transforms the data structure of transaction databases to the directed graph, and applies the directed itemsets graph to store the relevant information of frequent itemsets of transaction databases, and puts forward trifurcate linked list storage structure of directed itemsets graph, and provides mining algorithm of complete frequent itemsets based on the directed itemsets graph. So the four capital technique difficulties mentioned above are resolved efficiently.
Prevention of Cataracts by Statins

Background: Current data indicate a persisting concern about possible cataractogenecity of statins. Objective: To perform a meta-analysis of studies pertaining to statins and cataract. Methods: We identified 363 records by a systematic search of the MedLine, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane database, and ClinicalTrials.gov. After exclusion of duplicates, studies without cataract as an outcome, reviews, and animal or basic science studies, we analyzed 14 studies. Two end points were examined: clinical cataract (requiring extraction or reported by the patient) and lens opacities discovered by slit-lamp examination. Results: Using random effects meta-analysis, a statistically significant decrease in cataracts with statins was observed among studies examining clinical cataract (odds ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.93, P = .0022). Absolute risk reduction was 1.4% ± 0.015%, 95% CI 1.1%-1.7%, P < . 0001, corresponding to 71, 95% CI 59-91, number needed to treat. The effect was larger for the harder end point of cataract extraction (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.61-0.71, P < .0001). Metaregression indicated an increase in benefit with longer duration of statin use with OR varying from 0.54 for a treatment duration of 14 years to 0.95 for a treatment duration of 6 months. Older age was associated with lower benefit (OR 1.03 for persons in their 70s to OR 0.49 for persons in their 40s), and there were no differences by gender. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the results. Limitations of this analysis include the combination of randomized and observational studies and imprecise ascertainment of exposure and incomplete adjustment for confounders in several observational studies. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicates a clinically relevant protective effect of statins in preventing cataracts. The effect is more pronounced in younger patients and with longer duration of follow-up, while there is no difference by gender.
Characterization of the Adenosine Pharmacology of Ticagrelor Reveals Therapeutically Relevant Inhibition of Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 1

Introduction: Studies have shown that ticagrelor has a further adenosine-mediated mechanism of action in addition to its potent inhibition of the P2Y12 receptor, which may explain some of ticagrelor’s clinical characteristics. This study aimed to further characterize the adenosine pharmacology of ticagrelor, its major metabolites, and other P2Y12 receptor antagonists. Methods: Inhibition of nucleoside transporter-mediated [3H]adenosine uptake by ticagrelor, its major metabolites, and alternative P2Y12 antagonists was examined in recombinant Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The pharmacology of ticagrelor and its major metabolites at adenosine A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 receptor subtypes was examined using in vitro radioligand binding and functional assays and ex vivo C-fiber experiments in rat and guinea pig vagus nerves. Results: Ticagrelor (and less effectively its metabolites) and the main cangrelor metabolite inhibited [3H]adenosine uptake in equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT) 1-expressing MDCK cells, whereas cangrelor and the active metabolites of prasugrel or clopidogrel had no effect. No significant inhibitory activity was observed in MDCK cells expressing ENT2 or concentrative nucleoside transporters 2/3. Ticagrelor demonstrated high affinity (inhibition constant [Ki] = 41 nmol/L) for ENT1. In adenosine receptor-binding experiments, ticagrelor and its major circulating metabolite, AR-C124910XX, had low affinity (Ki > 6 µmol/L) for each of the adenosine A1, A2A, and A2B receptors, whereas ticagrelor had a submicromolar (Ki = 190 nmol/L) affinity for the adenosine A3 receptor. However, in functional assays, at high concentrations (10 µmol/L) ticagrelor only partially inhibited 3 mmol/L adenosine-induced depolarizations in the guinea pig and rat vagus nerve preparations (by 35% and 49%, respectively). Conclusions: Ticagrelor inhibits cellular adenosine uptake selectively via ENT1 inhibition at concentrations of clinical relevance. However, the low-binding affinity and functional inhibition of adenosine receptors observed with ticagrelor or its metabolites indicate that they possess a negligible adenosine-like activity at clinically relevant concentrations.
Unconstrained Transductive Support Vector Machines

Support vector machines have been extensively used in machine learning because of its efficiency and its theoretical background. This paper focuses on transductive support vector machines (TSVM) for classification and construct a new algorithm - unconstrained transductive support vector machines (UTSVM). After researching on the special construction of primal problem in TSVM, we transform it to an unconstrained problem and then smooth the derived problem in order to apply usual optimization methods.
Mining Negative Association Rules in Multi-database

Negative association rules (NARs) catch mutually exclusive correlations among items. They play important roles in decision-making. But nowadays the techniques of NARs mining focus on mono-database. With the rapid development of information and communication technologies, multi-database mining is becoming more and more important. Knowledge conflicts within databases may occur when mining both the positive and negative association rules simultaneously. This paper proposed synthesis correlation to resolve conflicts and a new algorithm PNAR_MDB for mining NARs in multi-database on base of previous work on multi-database mining. The experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm is correct and effective.
A worldwide survey of neonicotinoids in honey

From bees to honey Neonicotinoid pesticides are applied globally. Concern about their impacts has been increasing as evidence for negative effects on bee health and persistence has accumulated. Mitchell et al. looked at the prevalence of these pesticides in honey from across the world and found traces in the majority of samples tested (see the Perspective by Connolly). The neonicotinoid compounds occurred at levels considered safe for human consumption, but the contamination confirms the inundation of bees and their environments with these pesticides, despite some recent efforts to decrease their use. Science, this issue p. 109; see also p. 38 Neonicotinoid pesticides now contaminate honey worldwide. Growing evidence for global pollinator decline is causing concern for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services maintenance. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been identified or suspected as a key factor responsible for this decline. We assessed the global exposure of pollinators to neonicotinoids by analyzing 198 honey samples from across the world. We found at least one of five tested compounds (acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam) in 75% of all samples, 45% of samples contained two or more of these compounds, and 10% contained four or five. Our results confirm the exposure of bees to neonicotinoids in their food throughout the world. The coexistence of neonicotinoids and other pesticides may increase harm to pollinators. However, the concentrations detected are below the maximum residue level authorized for human consumption (average ± standard error for positive samples: 1.8 ± 0.56 nanograms per gram).
Gut microbiome influences efficacy of PD-1–based immunotherapy against epithelial tumors

Good bacteria help fight cancer Resident gut bacteria can affect patient responses to cancer immunotherapy (see the Perspective by Jobin). Routy et al. show that antibiotic consumption is associated with poor response to immunotherapeutic PD-1 blockade. They profiled samples from patients with lung and kidney cancers and found that nonresponding patients had low levels of the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila. Oral supplementation of the bacteria to antibiotic-treated mice restored the response to immunotherapy. Matson et al. and Gopalakrishnan et al. studied melanoma patients receiving PD-1 blockade and found a greater abundance of “good” bacteria in the guts of responding patients. Nonresponders had an imbalance in gut flora composition, which correlated with impaired immune cell activity. Thus, maintaining healthy gut flora could help patients combat cancer. Science, this issue p. 91, p. 104, p. 97; see also p. 32 Gut bacteria influence patient response to cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis induce sustained clinical responses in a sizable minority of cancer patients. We found that primary resistance to ICIs can be attributed to abnormal gut microbiome composition. Antibiotics inhibited the clinical benefit of ICIs in patients with advanced cancer. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from cancer patients who responded to ICIs into germ-free or antibiotic-treated mice ameliorated the antitumor effects of PD-1 blockade, whereas FMT from nonresponding patients failed to do so. Metagenomics of patient stool samples at diagnosis revealed correlations between clinical responses to ICIs and the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila. Oral supplementation with A. muciniphila after FMT with nonresponder feces restored the efficacy of PD-1 blockade in an interleukin-12–dependent manner by increasing the recruitment of CCR9+CXCR3+CD4+ T lymphocytes into mouse tumor beds.
An Adaptive Two-Level Quantizer for Networked Control Systems

This brief proposes a novel adaptive two-level quantizer, which generates 1-b per sample and can be used for a class of industrial networked control systems (NCSs). The adaptive quantizer is introduced to automatically estimate the input of the quantizer using equivalent control-based sliding mode control. The stability condition of the proposed quantizer is derived analytically with the help of a sliding-mode analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed quantized NCS is illustrated experimentally by designing a quantized feedback controller to control the position of a dc motor, where signals with 1-b per sample are utilized to interconnect the controller with the plant. Simulation results from a laboratory prototype illustrate that the proposed quantizer with the feedback controller controls the system effectively, introduces less quantization noise, and minimizes the data rate.
Modified C/GMRES Algorithm for Fast Nonlinear Model Predictive Tracking Control of AUVs

This brief presents a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) method for the trajectory tracking problem of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). By augmenting the desired output trajectory to a reference dynamical system, the tracking task can fit into the standard NMPC framework, which effectively avoids possible numerical difficulties in the following fast NMPC implementation. To relieve the conflict between short sampling period and high demand of online calculation, Ohtsuka’s continuation/generalized minimal residual (C/GMRES) algorithm is investigated. In order to handle the realistic constraints on the AUV thrusters, we incorporate the log barrier functions into the cost function and modify the C/GMRES algorithm. Several different reference trajectories are tested using the identified dynamic model of the Saab SeaEye Falcon open-frame ROV/AUV, which demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed fast algorithm for the AUV tracking control.
Toward a Smart Car: Hybrid Nonlinear Predictive Controller With Adaptive Horizon

This paper focuses on the development of an optimization algorithm for car motion predictive control that addresses both hybrid car dynamics and hybrid minimization criterion. Instead of solving computationally demanding nonlinear mixed-integer programming task or approximating the hybrid dynamics/criterion, the Hamiltonian-switching hybrid nonlinear predictive control algorithm developed in this paper incorporates the information about hybridity directly into the optimization routine. To decrease the time complexity, several adaptive prediction horizon approaches are proposed, and for some of them, it is shown that they preserve maneuverability-related properties of the car. All developed alternatives are verified on an example of a motion control of a racing car and compared with the approximation-based nonlinear predictive control and a commercial product. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis examining robustness of the algorithm is included as well.
Nosocomial Infection: General Principles and the Consequences, Importance of its Control and an Outline of the Control Policy - A Review Article

Nosocomial Infections or more commonly known as Hospital Acquired Infection [HAI], in short , may be defined as "Any infection that is being acquired in a hospital, particularly when the source or the risk factor for it is one peculiar to the hospital". The matter of concern is that nosocomial infection or hospital acquired infection at the moment affect not less than 400,000 hospitalized patients at anytime in the world and are direct or contributory causes of death of more than 80,000 cases a year in the U.S.A. alone. Billions of dollars are used annually in the developed countries alone for the control of just these hospital acquired infections alone which reflect another aspect of the magnitude of the problem. The magnitude of the problems of the nosocomial infections in other countries is even more serious and in a developing country like Bangladesh, one could one assume (since there is no established recognized statistics) the pathetic picture in terms of morbidity, mortality as well as the invisible but very valuable economic loss. The other frustrating fact regarding the natural history of Nosocomial or Hospital Acquired Infections is that they can not be eradicated entirely; but many of them can be prevented by proper control measures. In places where control programmes can be implemented, there had been a proven reduction of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the money that can be saved by reduction of nosocomial infections is much more used for infection control. DOI: 10.3329/bmj.v38i2. 3576 Bangladesh Medical Journal 38(2) 2009 60-64
A Review of Measures to Evaluate Participation Outcomes Post-Stroke

Background: Stroke is one of the most common disabling conditions of adulthood. Participation problems are extremely common post-stroke. Occupational therapists, by virtue of their commitment to enabling occupation, are in a strong position to help stroke survivors improve their participation. To demonstrate effectiveness, occupational therapists must be able to provide evidence of post-treatment changes in participation. Objective: The objective of this paper was to identify participation measures that have been developed for, or tested with, individuals who have experienced a stroke and to review them for use as occupational therapy outcome measures. Method: A literature review was carried out to locate relevant tools. These tools were then rated for psychometric and clinical properties that are critical for clinical outcome measurement. In addition, the theoretical fit of each evaluation with occupational therapy's commitment to client-centredness was considered. Results: Ten evaluations were identified and rated. These ratings were designed to assist occupational therapists to choose a participation measure for their practice. Conclusion: Selection and use of such a measure will help occupational therapists to document its effectiveness in improving participation among stroke survivors.
Flexible Heterogeneous Multicore Architectures for Versatile Media Processing Via Customized Long Instruction Words

To meet varying requirements for a wide variety of contemporary media applications with evolving standards, a generic and flexible media-processing design platform is essential to manage increasing system-on-a-chip (SoC) design complexity with minimal design cost and time-to-market. A possible solution to the problem is combining several reconfigurable hardware resources with a programmable processor into a single-chip device such that flexibility and performance can be pursued at the same time. While several innovative reconfigurable architectures have been reported in the literature, none of these architectures are poised to provide the ease of software development for sophisticated SoC-based media processing applications. In this paper, we propose a new flexible heterogeneous multicore architecture system, which comprises a main reduced-instruction set computer (RISC) processor and a reconfigurable controller along with other configurable hardware blocks such as DSP processors or intellectual property blocks (IPBs). The key idea is that the interactions of those hardware blocks are grouped together and instructions are defined to express a middle-grained parallelism among intellectual property blocks in terms of several sequences of customized long instruction words (CLIW). A CLIW ROM is reconfigurable in response to application changes. We design the instruction set architecture, called reconfigurable controller, and show the implementation details. In addition, we demonstrate the necessary software tools that are needed to generate the suitable CLIW instruction code for applications.