Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Peritonitis by Amide Local Anesthetics

Peritonitis was induced in rats by exposing the peritoneal surface to 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCI). Peritonitis was quantified by extraction of Evans blucbound albumin from the tissue exposed to HCI and analyzed by a spectrophotometric technique. In the first set of experiments, one group of rats had the peritoneal surface exposed to HCI following local pretreatment with isotonic saline; a second group of rats had the peritoneum exposed to HCI after topical pretreatment with an equal volume of lidocaine 1%, whereas in a third group the peritoneal surface was exposed only to saline without HCI. The experimental design in the second set of experiments was similar to that of the first set except that bupivacaine 0.5% was used instead of lidocaine in the second group. Results show a significant inhibition of peritonitis in the groups pretreated with lidocaine (P < 0.01) and bupivacaine (P < 0.05) compared with rats in the saline pretreated group. In the lidocaine-pretreated group Evans blue albumin extravasation did not differ significantly from the rats not receiving HCI, whereas the bupivacaine-pretreated group showed a slightly but significantly (P < 0.05) more pronounced peritonitis than control rats not exposed to HCI. In the third set of experiments the peritoneurn was topically treated with either lidocaine 1%, bupivacaine 0.5%, or isotonic saline after first having exposed the peritoneal surface to HCI. A significant inhibition of albumin extravasation was seen following lidocaine (P < 0.001) or bupivacaine (P < 0.01) treatment compared with treatment with isotonic saline. The penetration of local anesthetics into the tissue was visualized by autoradiography and, like the inflammatory reaction, was limited to the outer surface of the intestinal wall. Amide local anesthetics can prevent as well as modify the development of chemical peritonitis.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Feature Selection for Gait Recognition Using Smartwatches

Activity recognition that recognises who a user is by what they are doing at a specific point of time is attracting an enormous amount of attention. Whilst previous research in activity recognition has focused on wearable dedicated sensors (body worn sensors) or using a smartphone’s sensors (e.g. accelerometer and gyroscope), little attention is given to the use of wearable devices – which tend to be sensor-rich highly personal technologies. This paper presents a thorough analysis of the current state of the art in transparent and continuous authentication using acceleration and gyroscope sensors and an advanced feature selection approach to select the optimal features for each user. Two experiments are conducted; the first experiment used all the extracted features (i.e., 143 unique features) while (for comparison) a more selective set of only 30 features are used in the second experiment. The best results of the first experiment are average Euclidean distance scores of 0.55 and 1.41 for users’ intra acceleration and gyroscope signals respectively and 3.33 and 5.85 for users’ inter acceleration and gyroscope activities accordingly-providing sufficient disparity in distance to suggest a strong classification performance. In comparison, the second experiment demonstrated stronger results when evaluated (at best the average Euclidean distance scores is 0.03 and 0.19 for users’ intra acceleration and gyroscope signals respectively and 1.65 and 1.1 for users’ inter acceleration and gyroscope activities). The findings demonstrate that the technology is sufficiently capable and the nature of the signals captured sufficiently discriminative to be useful in performing activity recognition. Moreover, the proposed feature selection approach could offer better results
Optimal pricing strategy for queuing systems with balking loss and reneging loss

The lost profit from lost business is quite difficult to be estimated for the queuing systems with cyclic demands. My previous work presented a creative and effective approach to formulate waiting cost as balking loss plus reneging loss. Using the estimation of waiting cost may allow decision makers to have the capability to determine the optimal number of servers for each planning period. Unfortunately, some queuing systems have trouble in extending the number of servers to earn more profit. Hence, an alternative way, the optimal pricing strategy, can be used to solve this capacity constraint problem. In this paper, the balking index and reneging index are introduced and formulated with discount level as three key parameters on maximizing the total profit.
The sorting of proteins to the plasma membrane in epithelial cells

T HE plasma membrane of epithelial cells is polarized by division into apical and basolateral domains of unique protein and lipid composition (reviewed in Simons and Fuller, 1985). Development and maintenance of plasma membrane polarity is achieved by the sorting of membrane constituents. Both membrane and secretory proteins must be recognized as apical or basolateral, segregated from each other, and delivered to their correct final destinations. This brief review will summarize recent investigations into these sorting events and discuss possible mechanisms of recognition and segregation.
Cerebellar Vermis Relative Hypermetabolism: An Almost Constant PET Finding in an Injured Brain

Cortical alterations of brain metabolism, as seen in PET, obviously depend on the nature of the damage (either mechanical, toxic, anoxic, or other). However, some subcortical abnormalities seem to occur rather frequently regardless of the extension, position and cause of the damage. In particular, relative cerebellar vermis activation seems to be frequently encountered. The aim of this work was to determine the incidence of this pattern in a heterogeneous population of brain trauma, and to compare it on a quantitative basis with a group of age-sex matched controls. The case records of this study consist of 58 consecutive patients, 44 males, 14 females, age 14–69 (median 34) 44 traumatic, 8 anoxic, 4 vascular and 2 toxic injuries. In the trauma group, the visualization of the cerebellar vermis was readily appreciable as a consistent majority of cases. In particular, the mean vermis/cerebellum ratio (calculated by appropriate ROI positioning) was 1.26 ± 0.17 SD (range 0.92–1.82); in the control group the same parameters showed much less dispersion: average 0.92 ± 0.06, range 0.80–1.10 (P < 0.005). If, on the basis of the normal group data, a cut-off value of 1 is accepted for the v/c ratio, it is noted that 54/57 trauma patients (95%) showed a ratio above this value. In conclusion, a hypermetabolic cerebellar vermis is a common finding in a damaged brain, regardless of the nature of the trauma (probably due to the relative preservation compared with other structures of alternative metabolic pathways), and seems to be the hallmark of the injured brain.
Limportance de la procdure dans les choix de loteries

Using a literature review we explain the motivations for the elaboration of expected utility theory. We show that the transformation of the role of this theory from being a normative tool to become a fundamental research problem is due to the numerous tests not yet explained. Then we discuss on the relevance of considering the procedure used by the decision maker to be the basic concept. A l’aide d’une revue de litterature, nous expliquons les motivations qui ont entraine la creation de la theorie de l’esperance d’utilite. Nous montrons que le passage de cette theorie du role d’outil normatif a celui de probleme de recherche fondamentale est la consequence de l’arrivee de nombreux tests encore non expliques. Par la suite nous discutons de la pertinence de considerer la procedure employee par le decideur comme etant le point important a la base des modeles.
Intraretinal oxygen distribution in the rat with graded systemic hyperoxia and hypercapnia.

PURPOSE To describe the nature of oxygen level changes in specific layers in the rat retina under graded levels of systemic hyperoxia, with and without hypercapnia. METHODS Oxygen-sensitive microelectrodes were used to measure oxygen tension as a function of depth through the retina of anesthetized, mechanically ventilated rats. Breathing mixtures were manipulated to produce stepwise increments in systemic oxygen levels, with or without 5% CO2. Retinal arteriovenous oxygen differences were also measured as an indicator of oxygen delivery through the retinal circulation. Systemic blood gas levels were measured under each condition. RESULTS Hyperoxia increases PO2 throughout the retina to a varying extent in different retinal layers, with the increase more pronounced in the outer retina than in the inner retina. Simultaneous hypercapnia results in further increases in retinal oxygen levels. The lowest intraretinal oxygen level was consistently found in the inner plexiform layer (IPL), between the two capillary layers that support this region. There was a greater than fourfold increase in oxygen supply from the choroid with hyperoxia but, remarkably, the retinal circulation continued to provide a net delivery of oxygen to the retina. CONCLUSIONS Hyperoxia results in a significant but nonuniform increase in oxygen level in all layers of the rat retina, which is augmented by hypercapnia. The persistence of a minimum oxygen level in the IPL, despite the dramatic increase in oxygen flux from the choroid, suggests that oxygen consumption increases significantly in the IPL under hyperoxic conditions.
Acute axonal Guillain‐Barré syndrome with IgG antibodies against motor axons following parenteral gangliosides

We studied 7 patients with an acute motor axonal Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS), manifested 5 to 15 days after parenteral injection of a commercial ganglioside preparation given for nonspecific pain syndromes. The serum IgG and IgM antibody response to ganglioside was studied serially and the recognition of epitopes on the peripheral nerves and motor end‐plates was examined using biotinylated IgG extracted from the patient's serum. Sera from 8 patients treated with the same ganglioside preparation who did not develop neuropathy and from 25 patients with classic GBS never treated with gangliosides were studied concurrently. All patients with ganglioside‐related GBS had a rather severe axonal degeneration, incomplete recovery, and high IgG, but not IgM, antiganglioside antibody titers, ranging from 1:320 to 1:10,240. Seven (28%) of the 25 GBS patients had IgG antibody titers, ranging from 1:160 to 1:10,240. None of the ganglioside‐treated patients who did not develop GBS and none of the 50 disease control subjects had IgG GM1 antibodies. Purified IgG from the patients with high GM1 antibodies, but not from the others, recognized epitopes at the nodes of Ranvier and the distal motor nerve terminals at the end‐plate. We conclude that exogenous ganglioside injections can be immunogenic, triggering IgG antiganglioside antibodies with specificity for motor nerve terminals. In some patients with axonal GBS such antibodies may be Marchkersor mediators of axonal involvement.
Observations of the bone activity adjacent to unloaded dental implants coated with Polyactive or HA.

In addition to bone-bonding biomaterials such as calcium phosphate ceramics and Bioglass/glass ceramics, an elastomeric poly(ethylene oxide) poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEO/PBT) segmented block co-polymer (Polyactive) was recently introduced. In contrast to ceramic biomaterials, Polyactive is a flexible material. In a previous three-dimensional finite element analysis study, it was stated that application of a flexible Polyactive coating simulates the function of the periodontal ligament. The topic of this investigation was to compare the bone-bonding capacity of Polyactive-coated titanium implants with hydroxylapatite (HA) coated implants. The implants were inserted bilaterally in the edentulous part of the mandibular bone of 12 goats. After 3 weeks, the implants were in close contact with the cortical bone, but no cortical bone reaction or remodelling was observed. After 9 weeks, an extensive bone reaction was seen around the HA and Polyactive-coated implants and contact was frequently encountered between newly formed bone and the implants. Within the surface of the Polyactive coating, a considerable amount of calcification was present. After 25 weeks, cortical remodelling was still apparent. A striking finding was the apparent association between osteon formation and calcification within the surface of the Polyactive layer. Back-scatter analysis of the non-decalcified Polyactive bone interface showed the presence of a calcium phosphate layer in the implant material that apparently formed a continuity with the mineral matrix of bone, suggesting bone-bonding. In general, it was observed that the bone reactions to HA and Polyactive were comparable. A swelling of the coating, just beneath the cortical layer (champagne-cork effect) was often seen. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A hybrid recommendation method that combines forgotten items and non-content attributes

Sistemas de Recomendacao (SsR) desempenham um papel importante em diversas aplicacoes Web, ajudando os usuarios a encontrar seus itens favoritos em meio a um grande numero de opcoes. Dentre os varios desafios ainda em aberto inerentes a SsR, esta tese aborda o desafio de ampliar a descoberta de itens potencialmente relevantes para cada usuario. Neste sentido, exploramos duas limitacoes algoritmicas despercebidas na literatura. Primeiro, SsR falham em recuperar itens consumidos ha muito tempo que sao potencialmente relevantes para os usuarios atualmente. Em segundo lugar, SsR nao conseguem capturar toda a extensao na qual sinais implicitos de preferencias observadas no consumo passado se relacionam com preferencias observadas no consumo atual. Abordamos a primeira limitacao revisando o passado remoto de consumo de cada usuario e identificando um subconjunto de itens consumidos e esquecidos atualmente, mas ainda re-consumiveis (i.e., itens esquecidos re-consumiveis). Mitigamos a segunda limitacao modelando explicitamente um subconjunto de atributos derivados de dados de consumo e metadados (i.e., atributos nao baseados em conteudo). Finalmente, propusemos ForNonContent, um metodo hibrido que aborda ambas limitacoes simultaneamente. Alem de validar a existencia de tais limitacoes lgoritmicas, analises offline em quatro conjuntos de dados reais demonstraram que recomendar itens esquecidos re-consumiveis pode propiciar recomendacoes diversificadas e nao obvias. Verificamos tambem que os atributos nao baseados em conteudo podem aperfeicoar recomendacoes geradas por seis principais SsR. Ademais, identificamos uma natureza complementar entre as melhorias associadas a cada limitacao. Finalmente, avaliacoes com usuarios reais do sistema MovieLens demonstraram que usuarios apreciaram as recomendacoes geradas por ForNonContent. Em suma, este trabalho apontou uma nova e promissora direcao para melhorar a experiencia dos usuarios com SsR.
Rangewide phylogeography in the greater horseshoe bat inferred from microsatellites: implications for population history, taxonomy and conservation

The distribution of genetic variability across a species’ range can provide valuable insights into colonization history. To assess the relative importance of European and Asian refugia in shaping current levels of genetic variation in the greater horseshoe bats, we applied a microsatellite‐based approach to data collected from 56 localities ranging from the UK to Japan. A decline in allelic richness from west Asia to the UK and analyses of FST both imply a northwestward colonization across Europe. However, sharp discontinuities in gene frequencies within Europe and between the Balkans and west Asia (Syria/Russia) are consistent with suture zones following expansion from multiple refugia, and a lack of recent gene flow from Asia Minor. Together, these results suggest European populations originated from west Asia in the ancient past, and experienced a more recent range expansion since the Last Glacial Maximum. Current populations in central Europe appear to originate from the Balkans and those from west Europe from either Iberia and/or Italy. Comparisons of RST and FST suggest that stepwise mutation has contributed to differentiation between island and continental populations (France/UK and China/Japan) and also among distant samples. However, pairwise RST values between distant populations appear to be unreliable, probably due to size homoplasy. Our findings also highlight two priorities for conservation. First, stronger genetic subdivision within the UK than across 4000 km of continental Eurasia is most likely the result of population fragmentation and highlights the need to maintain gene flow in this species. Second, deep splits within China and between Europe and China are indicative of cryptic taxonomic divisions which need further investigation.
Optimal opportunistic transmissions over directional mm wave channels

Future millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency networks leveraging great swaths of unlicensed bandwidth, dense access point deployments, and beamforming may satiate the current demand for higher throughput. In a dense network, a centralized scheduling approach becomes infeasible. Therefore a user may opportunistically transmit to one of the multiple access points (AP) in its vicinity. Leveraging the AP diversity, a user may probe several APs before selecting a destination for the transmission. However, it is possible that the destination AP becomes unavailable or is in blockage when the user decides to transmit due to the density of the network. We present a novel mm Wave opportunistic network model which encompasses the probability of an AP becoming unavailable. Our optimal opportunistic transmission strategy maximizes the throughput of an opportunistic user. Results show that when users are unwilling to bear large delays, our strategy outperforms alternative methods. Additionally, our strategy performs equally to alternatives when users can shoulder the burden of delay.
Immobilization of Polymethylgalacturonase Producing Aspergillus niger on Luffa Sponge Material

Abstract The vegetable sponge of Luffa cylindrica was studied as a matrix for the immobilization of Aspergillus niger 26. p roducer of polymethylgalacturonase (PMG). Entrapped spores could grow and multiply within the lattice of the sponge. The influence of loofa sponge inoculum content, initial spore inoculum content, and du ration of the growth cycle on the enzyme activity and mycelium growth was studied. The best yield of PMG was reach ed with 1 piece of loofa sponge (approx. 0.10 g dry weight), 109 spores per g carrier and 48 h duration of one cycle. Data obtained during long-term semicontinuous cultivation showed that production capacity increased significantly and the production period was extended more than 10 times compared with the free cell culture.
Perception and Behaviour of Mutual Funds Investors In Indore, Madhya Pradesh

The concept of Mutual funds has been on the financial landscape for long in a primitive form. The story of the M F industry in India started in 1963, with the formation of the Unit Trust of India at the initiative of the Government of India and Reserve Bank. The launching of innovative schemes in India has been rather slow due to the prevailing investment psychology and infrastructural inadequacies. Risk averse investors are interested in schemes with tolerable capital risk and return over a bank deposit, which has restricted the launching of riskier products in the Indian Capital market. But this objective of the Mutual Fund industry has changed over the decades. For many years, funds were more of a service than a product, the service being professional money management. In the last 15 years, Mutual Funds have evolved to be a product. A competent fund manager should analyze investor behaviour and understand their needs and expectations, to gear up the performance of MFs to meet investors' requirements. It is the time for mutual fund companies to understand the fund selection/ switching behaviour of the investors' and to design the fund schemes according to the changing needs of consumers. The present study makes efforts in this regard to suggest ways to penetrate this mode of investment deep in the Indian society, and it also provides information regarding what the present investor expects.
CovR Alleviates Transcriptional Silencing by a Nucleoid-Associated Histone-Like Protein in Streptococcus mutans

ABSTRACT In Streptococcus mutans, the global response regulator CovR plays an important role in biofilm formation, stress tolerance response, and caries production. We have previously demonstrated that CovR activates a large gene cluster, which is a part of a genomic island, TnSmu2. In this article, we have further characterized CovR at the molecular level to understand the gene activation mechanism. Toward this end, we mapped the transcription start site of the operon that lies upstream of the SMU.1348 gene (PSMU.1348), the first gene of the cluster. We constructed a transcriptional reporter fusion and showed that CovR induces expression from PSMU.1348. We also demonstrated that purified CovR protects the sequence surrounding the −10 region of PSMU.1348. In an in vitro transcription assay, we showed that histone-like protein (HLP), a homologue of Escherichia coli HU protein, represses transcription from PSMU.1348. In vivo overexpression of HLP in trans also represses transcription from PSMU.1348. Addition of CovR to the HLP-repressed PSMU.1348 resulted in increased transcription from the promoter, suggesting a role for CovR in countering HLP silencing. Moreover, addition of SMU.1349, a transcriptional activator of the operon, to the in vitro assay further stimulated the transcription. Based on our in vivo and in vitro results, we propose a model for transcriptional activation of the operon.
Mass media effects on the production of information: Evidence from Non-Governmental Organization

The media report news that in turn influences behaviors. This news is drawn from a set of available information. In this paper, we study how the set of information is “ex ante” affected by anticipated media coverages. First, we take an exogenous but anticipated shock of media coverage: Olympic Games and FIFA World Cups. Then, we estimate the effect of this media coverage shock on the production of reports by a publicity-seeking actor: NGOs. We use a unique database that collects NGO reports on a sample of 572 firms in 140 countries between 2002 and 2010. Those reports deal with firm practices, and tone of the speech of these reports is classified as ”good" or ”bad" for the reputation of the firm. We find that these media coverage shocks significantly impact the production of information. More precisely, stories that are substitute to sport news (reports on host and participant countries) are significantly less reported by NGOs, while the number of reports on complement to sport news (practices of sponsors) significantly increases. Further, in both cases bad reports overreact compared to good ones.