Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiplier-free Feedforward

A novel feedforward network is proposed which lends itself to cost-eeective implementations in digital hardware and has a fast forward-pass capability. It diiers from the conventional model in restricting its synapses to the set f? 1; 0; 1g while allowing unrestricted oosets. The beneet of this connguration is in having 1-bit synapses and a multiplication operation which consists of a single sign-change instruction. The procedure proposed for training these networks is mainly based on steepest descent. It also has a perturbation process to avoid getting trapped in local minima, as well as a unique mechanism for rounding oònearly-discrete' weights. It incorporates weight elimination implicitly, which simpliies the choice of the start-up network connguration for training. A new theoretical result is also presented which shows that the proposed multiplier-free network is a universal approximator over the space of continuous functions of one variable. Experimental results indicate that the same is true for functions of many variables. These experiments were performed to compare the generalization performances of the new network with that of the conventional one using the MONK's benchmark, thèonset of diabetes prediction' data set, and a handwritten numeral recognition database. The results show that the new network, despite having strong constraints on its weights, has a generalization performance similar to that of its conventional counterpart. Ease of hardware implementation is one of the features which distinguishes the feedforward network from competing statistical and machine learning techniques. The most distinctive characteristic of the graph of a feedforward network is its homogeneous modularity. Because of its modular architecture, the natural implementation of this network is a parallel one, whether in software or in hardware. Although most current activity is in software implementations on serial computers 49], the unique beneet of the feedforward network, i.e. fast speed of execution, can only be achieved through its realization in parallel hardware: electronic or optical, analog or digital. Of these parallel realizations, the digital electronic is the one that holds the most interest currently { the modular architecture of the feedforward network is well matched with the current VLSI design tools and therefore lends itself to cost-eeective mass production. There is, however, a hitch which makes this union between the feedforward network and digital electronic hardware far from ideal: the network parameters (weights) and its internal functions (dot products and activation functions) are inherently analog. It is too much to expect a network trained in an analog …
Large Deflection Elastic and Inelastic Transient Analyses of Composite and Sandwich Plates with a Refined Theory

A C° continuous finite element formulation of a higher order displacement theory is presented for predicting linear and non-linear transient responses of composite and sandwich plates. The geometric non-linearity is accounted for in the sense of von Kar man assumptions and the material behaviour is assumed as elasto-perfectly plastic. The elasto-perfectly plastic material behaviour is incorporated using the flow theory of plastic ity. In particular, the modified version of Hill's initial yield criterion with amsotropic pa rameters of plasticity is used. The layered approach is adopted to account for the plasticity through the thickness of the plate. The displacement model accounts for non-linear cubic variation of tangential displacement components through the thickness of the laminate and the theory requires no shear correction coefficients. In the time domain, the explicit cen tral difference integrator is used in conjunction with the special mass matrix diagonaliza tion scheme which conserves the total mass of the element and includes effects due to rotary inertia terms. The parametric effects of the time step, finite element mesh, lamina tion scheme and orthotropy on the linear and non-linear responses are investigated. Nu merical results are presented for composite and sandwich plates under various boundary conditions and loadings and these are compared with the results from other sources. Some new results are also presented for future reference.
Molecular Species of Diacylglycerols and Phosphoglycerides and the Postmortem Changes in the Molecular Species of Diacylglycerols in Rat Brains

Abstract: The molecular species of 1,2‐diacyl‐sn‐glycerol (DAG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4‐phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2) from brains of adult rats (weighing 150 g) were determined. The DAG, isolated from brain lipid extracts by TLC, was benzoylated, and the molecular species of the purified benzoylated derivatives were separated from each other by reverse‐phase HPLC. The total amount and the concentration of each species were quantified by using 1,2‐distearoyl‐sn‐glycerol (18:0–18:0) as an internal standard. About 30 different molecular species containing different fatty acids at the sn‐1 and sn‐2 positions of DAG were identified in rat brains (1 min postmortem), and the predominant ones were 18:0–20:4 (35%), 16:0–18:1 (15%), 16:0–16:0 (9%), and 16:0–20:4 (8%). The molecular species of PC, PE, PS, and PI were determined by hydrolyzing the lipids with phospholipase C to DAG, which was then benzoylated and subjected to reverse‐phase HPLC, PIP and PIP2 were first dephosphorylated to PI with alkaline phosphatase before hydrolysis by phospholipase C. The molecular species composition of phosphoinositides showed predominantly the 18:0–20:4 species (50% in PI and ∼65% in PIP and PIP2). PS contained mainly the 18:0–22:6 (42%) and 18:0–18:1 (24%) species. PE was mainly composed of the 18:0–20:4 (22%), 18:0–22:6 (18%), 16:0–18:1 (15%), and 18:0–18:1 (15%) species. In PC the main molecular species were 16:0–18:1 (36%), 16:0–16:0 (19%), and 18:0–18:1 (14%). Studies on postmortem brains (30 s to 30 min) showed a rapid increase in the total amount (from 40–50 nmol/g in 0 min to 210–290 nmol/g in 30 min) and in all the molecular species of DAG. Comparatively larger increases (seven‐ to 10‐fold) were found for the 18:0–20:4 and 16:0–20:4 species. Comparison of DAG species with the molecular species of different glycerolipids indicated that the rapid postmortem increase in content of DAG was mainly due to the breakdown of phosphoinositides. However, a slow but continuous breakdown of PC to DAG was also observed.
Visualizing the proteome of Escherichia coli: an efficient and versatile method for labeling chromosomal coding DNA sequences (CDSs) with fluorescent protein genes

To investigate the feasibility of conducting a genomic-scale protein labeling and localization study in Escherichia coli, a representative subset of 23 coding DNA sequences (CDSs) was selected for chromosomal tagging with one or more fluorescent protein genes (EGFP, EYFP, mRFP1, DsRed2). We used λ-Red recombination to precisely and efficiently position PCR-generated DNA targeting cassettes containing a fluorescent protein gene and an antibiotic resistance marker, at the C-termini of the CDSs of interest, creating in-frame fusions under the control of their native promoters. We incorporated cre/loxP and flpe/frt technology to enable multiple rounds of chromosomal tagging events to be performed sequentially with minimal disruption to the target locus, thus allowing sets of proteins to be co-localized within the cell. The visualization of labeled proteins in live E. coli cells using fluorescence microscopy revealed a striking variety of distributions including: membrane and nucleoid association, polar foci and diffuse cytoplasmic localization. Fifty of the fifty-two independent targeting experiments performed were successful, and 21 of the 23 selected CDSs could be fluorescently visualized. Our results show that E. coli has an organized and dynamic proteome, and demonstrate that this approach is applicable for tagging and (co-) localizing CDSs on a genome-wide scale.
Overcompensatory response of a smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) population to harvest: release from competition?

An intensive seven-year removal of adult, juvenile, and young-of-the-year smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolo- mieu) from a north temperate lake (Little Moose Lake, New York, USA) resulted in an increase in overall population abundance, primarily due to increased abundance of immature individuals. We developed a density-dependent, stage-struc- tured model to examine conditions under which population control through harvest could result in the increase of a tar- geted species. Parameter values were derived from a 54-year data set collected from another north temperate lake (Lake Opeongo, Ontario, Canada) smallmouth bass population. Sensitivity analyses identified the demographic conditions that could lead to increased abundance in response to harvest. An increase in population abundance with harvest was most likely to occur when either (i) per capita recruitment at low levels of spawner abundance was large, juvenile survivorship was high, and maturation of age-4 and older juveniles was moderately high or (ii) per capita recruitment at low levels of spawner abundance was slightly lower, yet the maturation rate of age-3 juveniles and adult survivorship were high. Our modeling results together with empirical evidence further demonstrate the importance of overcompensation as a substantial factor to consider in efforts to regulate population abundance through harvest.
Undiscovered Bat Hosts of Filoviruses

Ebola and other filoviruses pose significant public health and conservation threats by causing high mortality in primates, including humans. Preventing future outbreaks of ebolavirus depends on identifying wildlife reservoirs, but extraordinarily high biodiversity of potential hosts in temporally dynamic environments of equatorial Africa contributes to sporadic, unpredictable outbreaks that have hampered efforts to identify wild reservoirs for nearly 40 years. Using a machine learning algorithm, generalized boosted regression, we characterize potential filovirus-positive bat species with estimated 87% accuracy. Our model produces two specific outputs with immediate utility for guiding filovirus surveillance in the wild. First, we report a profile of intrinsic traits that discriminates hosts from non-hosts, providing a biological caricature of a filovirus-positive bat species. This profile emphasizes traits describing adult and neonate body sizes and rates of reproductive fitness, as well as species’ geographic range overlap with regions of high mammalian diversity. Second, we identify several bat species ranked most likely to be filovirus-positive on the basis of intrinsic trait similarity with known filovirus-positive bats. New bat species predicted to be positive for filoviruses are widely distributed outside of equatorial Africa, with a majority of species overlapping in Southeast Asia. Taken together, these results spotlight several potential host species and geographical regions as high-probability targets for future filovirus surveillance.
Prevalence of Seizures in Children Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus

A retrospective study of 354 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected patients identified a subgroup of 27 children with seizures (7.6%, 95% confidence interval: 5.1%-10.9%). Of the total group, 13% (n = 46) had identifiable neurologic deficits and 30% (n = 107) had developmental delay. Both observations were significantly more frequent in the subgroup of patients with seizures (P < .001). The median age of patients with seizures was 20 months (range, 8-87 months) and the median baseline CD4 percentage was 13.5% (interquartile range, 8%-23%). Seizures were treated with sodium valproate (n = 11), phenobarbital (n = 3), diazepam (n = 2), lamotrigine (n = 1), and carbamazepine (n = 1). Combination therapy was required for 5 children. Suboptimal valproic acid levels were recorded for 3 patients. When resources are available, antiepileptic drug level monitoring is advised for children who require both antiepileptic and antiretroviral medications to facilitate optimal seizure management.
8Cl-cAMP cytotoxicity in both steroid sensitive and insensitive multiple myeloma cell lines is mediated by 8Cl-adenosine.

We have examined the cytotoxic effects of cyclic adenosine-3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) derivatives on multiple myeloma cells lines and determined that the 8-Chloro substituted derivative (8Cl-cAMP) is one of the most potent. We report here that 8Cl-cAMP is cytotoxic to both steroid sensitive and insensitive myeloma cells with a half maximal concentration of approximately 3 micromol/L. 8Cl-cAMP toxicity in myeloma cells is dependent on phosphodiesterase activity in the serum of cell culture medium. A metabolite of 8Cl-cAMP, 8-Chloro-adenosine (8Cl-AD), kills myeloma cells as effectively as 8Cl-cAMP. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) converts 8Cl-AD into 8Cl-inosine and abrogates the cytotoxic effects of 8Cl-cAMP, 8Cl-AMP, and 8Cl-AD, as does 5-(p-Nitrobenzyl)-6-Thio-Inosine (NBTI), an inhibitor of nucleoside uptake. These data suggest that 8Cl-cAMP must be converted to 8Cl-AD and that 8Cl-AD is the compound that enters the cell. Contrary to glucocorticoid-mediated cell death in myeloma cells, the pathway of 8Cl-AD-mediated cell death appears to be independent of interleukin-6 (IL-6) actions. Although the exact mode of action for this agent is currently unknown, its ability to kill steroid sensitive and insensitive multiple myeloma cells in an IL-6 independent fashion may offer exciting new therapeutic options.
Impulsive Action but Not Impulsive Choice Determines Problem Gambling Severity

Background Impulsivity is a hallmark of problem gambling. However, impulsivity is not a unitary construct and this study investigated the relationship between problem gambling severity and two facets of impulsivity: impulsive action (impaired ability to withhold a motor response) and impulsive choice (abnormal aversion for the delay of reward). Methods The recruitment includes 65 problem gamblers and 35 normal control participants. On the basis of DSM-IV-TR criteria, two groups of gamblers were distinguished: problem gamblers (n = 38) and pathological gamblers (n = 27) with similar durations of gambling practice. Impulsive action was assessed using a response inhibition task (the stop-signal task). Impulsive choice was estimated with the delay-discounting task. Possible confounds (e.g., IQ, mood, ADHD symptoms) were recorded. Results Both problem and pathological gamblers discounted reward at a higher rate than their controls, but only pathological gamblers showed abnormally low performance on the most demanding condition of the stop-signal task. None of the potential confounds covaried with these results. Conclusions These results suggest that, whereas abnormal impulsive choice characterizes all problem gamblers, pathological gamblers' impairments in impulsive action may represent an important developmental pathway of pathological gambling.
Integrating Circadian Activity and Gene Expression Profiles to Predict Chronotoxicity of Drosophila suzukii Response to Insecticides

Native to Southeast Asia, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a recent invader that infests intact ripe and ripening fruit, leading to significant crop losses in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Since current D. suzukii management strategies rely heavily on insecticide usage and insecticide detoxification gene expression is under circadian regulation in the closely related Drosophila melanogaster, we set out to determine if integrative analysis of daily activity patterns and detoxification gene expression can predict chronotoxicity of D. suzukii to insecticides. Locomotor assays were performed under conditions that approximate a typical summer or winter day in Watsonville, California, where D. suzukii was first detected in North America. As expected, daily activity patterns of D. suzukii appeared quite different between ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ conditions due to differences in photoperiod and temperature. In the ‘summer’, D. suzukii assumed a more bimodal activity pattern, with maximum activity occurring at dawn and dusk. In the ‘winter’, activity was unimodal and restricted to the warmest part of the circadian cycle. Expression analysis of six detoxification genes and acute contact bioassays were performed at multiple circadian times, but only in conditions approximating Watsonville summer, the cropping season, when most insecticide applications occur. Five of the genes tested exhibited rhythmic expression, with the majority showing peak expression at dawn (ZT0, 6am). We observed significant differences in the chronotoxicity of D. suzukii towards malathion, with highest susceptibility at ZT0 (6am), corresponding to peak expression of cytochrome P450s that may be involved in bioactivation of malathion. High activity levels were not found to correlate with high insecticide susceptibility as initially hypothesized. Chronobiology and chronotoxicity of D. suzukii provide valuable insights for monitoring and control efforts, because insect activity as well as insecticide timing and efficacy are crucial considerations for pest management. However, field research is necessary for extrapolation to agricultural settings.
Long-term effects of infant rearing condition on the acquisition of dominance rank in juvenile and adult rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

We examined the effects of early rearing experience on the development of dominance status in 53 juvenile (age 3) and then in 38 adult (ages 5-8) rhesus macaques. Based on previous research investigating the behavioral outcomes of nursery-rearing, we predicted that mother-reared (MR) monkeys would outrank peer-only reared (PR) monkeys, which would in turn outrank surrogate/peer-reared (SPR) subjects. Juvenile MR and PR subjects did not differ in ranks, but monkeys from both rearing backgrounds outranked SPR cage-mates at age 3. Independent of rearing condition, high-ranking juveniles gained the most weight between ages 1-3, suggesting that low status may be associated with decreases in early weight gain. Adult MR subjects outranked both PR and SPR subjects, with PR animals occupying intermediate ranks. These results indicate that impoverished early experiences, such as adult absence and limited social interaction, are useful predictors of future social success in rhesus macaques.
Health in Ancient Mariana Islanders: A Bioarchaeological Perspective

ABSTRACT Previous investigation of health and lifestyle in the Mariana Islands indicated that the prehistoric inhabitants living on the smaller islands of this archipelago experienced more stress than those living on the larger islands. This article expands on previous research by using one of the largest datasets (N = 385) now available for examining the health of prehistoric skeletons from the Mariana Islands. A total of 13 indicators of health are investigated, including cribra orbitalia, linear enamel hypoplasia, stature, trauma, infection, and dental disease. There is considerable inter-island variability for many of the indicators but, in general, the highest frequencies of stress are often associated with skeletons from the smaller islands. The sole exception is Rota, the smallest island that reveals levels of stress similar to Guam, the largest island. For several indicators (e.g., stature, long bone fracture, spondylolysis, alveolar defect) there were no significant differences among islands. Cultural habits such as chewing areca (betel) nut, environmental factors, and other cultural differences are examined to explain these differences.
O-GlcNAcase: Promiscuous Hexosaminidase or Key Regulator of O-GlcNAc Signaling?

O-GlcNAc signaling is regulated by an opposing pair of enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase installs and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) removes the modification from proteins. The dynamics and regulation of this process are only beginning to be understood as the physiological functions of both enzymes are being probed using genetic and pharmacological approaches. This minireview charts the discovery and functional and structural analysis of OGA and summarizes the insights gained from recent studies using OGA inhibition, gene knock-out, and overexpression. We identify several areas of “known unknowns” that would benefit from future research, such as the enigmatic C-terminal domain of OGA.
Intraerythrocytic iridovirus in central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

Three adult central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) originating from a commercial breeding facility presented with clinical signs, including anorexia, dehydration, white multifocal lesions on the dorsal aspect of the tongue, blepharospasm, and weight loss. In 1 of 3 lizards, a marked regenerative anemia was noted, and all 3 bearded dragons had erythrocytic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Nine bearded dragons housed in contact also had identical, but fewer intraerythrocytic inclusions. Inclusion bodies examined by electron microscopy had particles consistent with iridoviruses. Attempts to culture the virus were unsuccessful; however, amplification and sequencing of regions of the viral DNA polymerase by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of an iridovirus. One of the bearded dragons died, while the 2 others showing clinical signs were euthanized. The remaining 9 infected bearded dragons of the teaching colony were also euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed a moderate, multifocal, lymphoplasmacytic or mononuclear adenitis of the tongue in the 3 bearded dragons, and a lymphohistiocytic hepatitis with bacterial granulomas in 2 lizards.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering in three-dimensional ordered Au nanoparticles in anodic porous alumina matrix

The fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) ordered array of metal and/or metal oxide nanoparticles in an anodic porous alumina matrix and the application of a 3D array of Au nanoparticles as a substrate for the measurement of surfaceenhanced Raman scattering (SERS) are discussed. The 3D structure is prepared by a repeated process composed of the formation of nanoholes by the anodization of Al and the subsequent electrochemical deposition of a metal into the holes. The dependence of the SERS intensity on the number of layers of the Au nanoparticle array was examined. In addition, the effect of the gap size between Au nanoparticles was also investigated. The present process allows the fabrication of 3D functional optical devices based on the enhancement of the electric field of incident light.