Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comfort Applications in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks Based on Fountain Coding

Data communication in Vehicular Ad hoc NETworks (VANETs) tends to be an important challenge mainly due to intermittent connectivity and MAC layer collisions. Such issues hinder reliable and in-order reception of data packets and hence lead to poor performance of some applications like file transferring. In this paper we propose a file exchange scheme based on Fountain coding aiming at improving throughput of the network. In the proposed approach there is no need of in-order reception of packets, thus, vehicles can make benefit of opportunistic delivery of data. As a result we use UDP in contrast to classical use of TCP while reliability is still preserved. Results of extensive simulations show that the proposed approach increases the number of successful file exchanges as well as the average throughput of each vehicle. It also facilitate resumable downloads. Therefore it can be a good candidate for comfort applications in VANETs which mainly rely on file (or any sort of bulk data) exchange.
Virtualizing the network forwarding plane

Modern system design often employs virtualization to decouple the system service model from its physical realization. Two common examples are the virtualization of computing resources through the use of virtual machines and the virtualization of disks by presenting logical volumes as the storage interface. The insertion of these abstraction layers allows operators great flexibility to achieve operational goals divorced from the underlying physical infrastructure. Today, workloads can be instantiated dynamically, expanded at runtime, migrated between physical servers (or geographic locations), and suspended if needed. Both computation and data can be replicated in real time across multiple physical hosts for purposes of high-availability within a single site, or disaster recovery across multiple sites.
Oncotargets and Therapy Dovepress Dovepress B7-h3 Is a New Cancer-specific Endothelial Marker in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: The purpose of this study was to validate B7-H3 as a new cancer-specific endothelial marker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Methods: B7-H3 expression patterns were compared between cancer and paired adjacent normal renal parenchyma by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded specimens from 200 consecutive patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma from January to December 2010. Four corpus luteum specimens were used as physiologic angiogenesis controls. B7-H3 messenger (m)RNA levels representing circulating endothelial cells were analyzed in 24 peripheral blood samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Collection and processing of tissue and peripheral blood samples was performed in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: Cancer cell-specific expression of B7-H3 was detected in 19% of clear cell renal cell carcinoma specimens, and tumor vasculature B7-H3 expression was confirmed in 98% (196) of cases. A diffuse pattern of vascular B7-H3 expression was associated with multiple adverse clinical and pathologic features (P,0.001). B7-H3 expression was not detected in paired adjacent normal renal parenchyma or vessels, or in luteal blood vessels. The B7-H3 mRNA level of circulating endothelial cells in peripheral blood was significantly higher in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (P,0.001). Conclusion: This pilot study indicates that B7-H3 is a cancer-specific endothelial marker of potential importance for the development of tumor-specific, vascular-targeted therapies, and is a prognostic marker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis: influence of pulmonary or systemic arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVES--To investigate the behaviour of circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) in patients affected by systemic sclerosis and to elucidate the relationship between systemic and pulmonary plasma peptide and arterial pressure levels. METHODS--Plasma ET-1 concentrations were determined in 48 patients affected by systemic sclerosis (41 women, seven men; mean age 47.2 (SD 5.5) years) with or without systemic or pulmonary hypertension (or both). A group of 18 normal volunteers served as controls (15 women, three men; mean age 45.0 (10.1) years). RESULTS--Plasma ET-1 levels were significantly greater in patients affected by systemic sclerosis (1.65 (0.29) pg/ml) than in controls (0.63 (0.19) pg/ml) (p < 0.0001). Pulmonary artery systolic hypertension alone was present in 14 patients with systemic sclerosis (50.5 (8.49) mm Hg, range 37-67 mm Hg), and systemic hypertension alone (160.7 (5.9)/100.6 (3.2) mm Hg) was present in 11 patients. Both conditions were present in 12 patients, while 11 patients had systemic hypertension. There were no significant differences in plasma ET-1 levels between patients with pulmonary hypertension alone (1.62 (0.21) pg/ml) and those with systemic hypertension alone (1.65 (0.43) pg/ml). In particular, patients with normal pulmonary artery and systemic pressures (n = 11) had plasma ET-1 concentrations identical to those found in patients (n = 12) with both pulmonary and systemic hypertension (1.70 (0.15) v 1.64 (0.35) pg/ml, respectively). No correlations were observed between plasma ET-1 and either pulmonary or systemic pressures. CONCLUSION--Systemic sclerosis is characterised by increased plasma ET-1 levels, but neither pulmonary nor systemic hypertension are accompanied by further increase in plasma peptide levels.
Amdb: A Design Tool for Access Methods

Designing and tuning access methods (AMs) has always been more of a black art than a rigorous discipline, with performance assessments being mostly reduced to presenting aggregate runtime or I/O numbers. This paper presents amdb, a comprehensive graphical design tool for AMs that are constructed on top of the Generalized Search Tree abstraction. At the core of amdb lies an an analysis framework for AMs that defines performance metrics that are more useful than traditional summary numbers and thereby allow the AM designer to detect and isolate deficiencies in an AM design. Amdb complements the analysis framework with visualization and debugging functionality, allowing the AM designer to investigate the source of those deficiencies that were brought to light with the help of the performance metrics. Several AM design projects undertaken at U.C. Berkeley have confirmed the usefulness of theion. At the core of amdb lies an an analysis framework for AMs that defines performance metrics that are more useful than traditional summary numbers and thereby allow the AM designer to detect and isolate deficiencies in an AM design. Amdb complements the analysis framework with visualization and debugging functionality, allowing the AM designer to investigate the source of those deficiencies that were brought to light with the help of the performance metrics. Several AM design projects undertaken at U.C. Berkeley have confirmed the usefulness of the analysis framework and its integration with visualization facilities in amdb. The analysis process that produces the performance metrics is fully automated and takes a workload—a tree and a set of queries—as input; the metrics characterize the performance of each query as well as that of the tree structure. Central to the framework is the use of the optimal behavior—which can be approximated relatively efficiently—as a point of reference against which the actual observed performance is compared. The framework applies to most balanced tree-structured AMs and is not restricted to particular types of of data or queries.
Lower layers in the motor cortex are more effective targets for penetrating microelectrodes in cortical prostheses

Improving cortical prostheses requires the development of recording neural interfaces that are efficient in terms of providing maximal control information with minimal interface complexity. While the typical approaches have targeted neurons in the motor cortex with multiple penetrating shanks, an alternative approach is to determine an efficient distribution of electrode sites within the layers of the cortex with fewer penetrating shanks. The objective of this study was to compare unit activity in the upper and lower layers of the cortex with respect to movement and direction in order to inform the design of penetrating microelectrodes. Four rats were implanted bilaterally with multi-site single-shank silicon microelectrode arrays in the neck/shoulder region of the motor cortex. We simultaneously recorded unit activity across all layers of the motor cortex while the animal was engaged in a movement direction task. Localization of the electrode array within the different layers of the cortex was determined by histology. We denoted units from layers 2 and 3 and units as upper layer units, and units from layers 5 and 6 as lower layer units. Analysis of unit spiking activity demonstrated that both the upper and lower layers encode movement and direction information. Unit responses in either cortical layer of the cortex were not preferentially associated with contralateral or ipsilateral movement. Aggregate analysis (633 neurons) and best session analysis (75 neurons) indicated that units in the lower layers (layers 5, 6) are more likely to encode direction information when compared to units in the upper layers (layers 2, 3) (p< 0.05). These results suggest that electrode sites clustered in the lower layers provide access to more salient control information for cortical neuroprostheses.
Multi-Strain Infections and ‘Relapse’ of Leucocytozoon sabrazesi Gametocytes in Domestic Chickens in Southern China

Leucocytozoon parasites infect many species of avian hosts, including domestic chicken, and can inflict heavy economic loss to the poultry industry. Although the prevalence and distribution of two Leucocytozoon species (L. sabrazesi and L. caulleryi) have been reported in China previously, there are many questions related to the parasite infection that remain unanswered, including population diversity and transmission dynamics in domestic chickens. Here we surveyed chicken blood samples from seven sites in four provinces of China to identify Leucocytozoon infection, characterized parasite diversity within individual infected hosts and between sampling sites, and investigated the dynamics of gametocytemia in chickens over time. We found high infection rates in three of the seven sites. Clustering parasite sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase III (coxIII) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes showed lack of grouping according to geographic origins and individual hosts carrying large numbers of L. sabrazesi strains. Monitoring gametocytemia in blood samples from infected chickens over time showed ‘relapse’ or persistence of low-level gametocytemia for 4–5 months, which could be explored as an in vivo model for testing drugs against liver stages of Apicomplexan parasites. This study provides important information on population diversity and transmission dynamics of L. sabrazesi and for disease control.
Involvement of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in cellular uptake of high molecular weight kininogen

Abstract In this study, we analyzed the influence of proteoglycans on the interaction between human high molecular weight kininogen (HK) and the cell surface. We found that D5-related peptide inhibits HK-biotin cellular uptake. Confocal microscopy showed that HK colocalizes with heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) at the cell surface. When biotin-HK is incubated with rabbit aorta endothelial cells (RAECs) and CHO-K1 cells, it is internalized into acidic intracellular vesicles, whereas when incubated with CHO-745 cells, which express reduced levels of glycosaminoglycans, HK is not internalized. To further verify the hypothesis that HSPG-dependent mechanisms are involved in HK uptake and proteolytic processing in lysosomes, we tested chloroquine, which blocks Alexa 488-HK colocalization with Lyso Tracker in acidic endosomal vesicles. The process of HK internalization was blocked by low temperatures, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, FCCP and 2-deoxy-d-glucose, implying that HK uptake into acidic vesicles is energy-dependent and most likely involves binding to HSPG structures localized in cholesterol-rich domains present in the plasma membrane. Kinin generation at the cell surface was much higher in tumorigenic cells (CHO-K1) when compared to endothelial cells (RAECs). The present data indicate that the process of HK endocytosis involving HSPG is a novel additional mechanism which may control kinin generation at the cell surface.
T Cell Mediated Antibody lnvariance in an Immune Response Against A Bacterial Carbohydrate Antigen Requires CD28/B7–1 Costimulation

The humoral immune response against α(1→3) dextran (Dex) in BALB/c mice is characterized by the formation of predominantly IgM antibodies bearing the J558 idiotype. IgG antibodies do not appear in euthymic mice. In athymic animals however, the response proceeds to a vigorous IgG production. In euthymic mice formation of IgG is suppressed by J558 idiotype- specific regulatory T cells recognizing in association with I-Ed and in cognate T/B interaction the VH CDR3 derived peptide of the J558 idiotpye. Only B-2 lymphocytes produce IgG whereas B-1 cells do not participate in the production of this Ig class. Using a novel synthetic all α(1→3)-D-gluco configurated tetrasaccharide the Dex-specific B cells can for the first time be analyzed in FACS. In experiments using this newly designed low molecular Dex no signs of B cell apoptosis can be found. This demonstrates a true silencing of persisting Bγ memory cells and supports previous by adoptive transfer experiments. In this suppression an involvement of CD28/B7–1 interaction can be demonstrated which is a necessary costimulatory suppression signal in addition to the cognate TCR/peptide-I-Ed interaction between J558 Id-specific T cells and J558 idiotype beating B cells. This results in an activation of 178–4 Ts cells, leading to an overall suppression of the Dex-specific IgG isotype production on the one hand and on the other hand provides a signal for the survival and clonal expansion of J558 Id-positive B cells.
Galaxy pairs in the 2dF survey ¿ II. Effects of interactions on star formation in groups and clusters

We assess the effects of galaxy-galaxy interactions on star formation (SF) by analysing pairs in groups and clusters of galaxies with virial masses in the range 10 13 -10 15 M ○. extracted from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS). We find that galaxy pairs with relative separation r p < 15 h - kpc show significant SF activity in comparison with other group member galaxies. Similar results were found for galaxy pairs in the field (rp < 25 h -1 kpc) so that the nature of SF driven by galaxy interactions is nearly independent of environment, in spite of the general lower level of SF activity in systems of galaxies. The above results reflect, on the one hand, the local nature of SF induced by tidal interactions and, on the other, the role played by the internal properties of galaxies. By using a 2dFGRS mock catalogue we estimate the contamination by spurious pairs, finding that our statistics are dominated by real pairs, in particular for close relative separations, for which our study indicates significant SF activity. We obtain a similar radial and relative velocity distribution of the pairs with respect to the group centre compared with those of other typical group members, so that galaxy pairs have no particular location and dynamics within groups. Except for pairs with small relative separations, which show significant SF activity, we find that pairs in groups are systematically redder and have a lower present-day SF activity than other group members.
Performance test of industrial dual arm robot

To experiment the performance characteristics of the developed dual-arm robot, the evaluation methods of motion characteristics of pose and path of dual-arm robot are studied and the results of performance evaluation are given. The evaluation method and item of motion performance such as payload, repeatability, maximum speed and position accuracy are studied and described. Because of the special provisions of repeatability of dual-arm robot are not given in ISO 9283, the evaluations of it are performed in based on the provisions of repeatability of single-arm robot. Generally, although there are no specifications of the position accuracy of robot movement, in this study the developed dual-arm robot is tested by using the provision of distance precision of ISO. Related to this, there are several problems of measurement of moving distance and definition of robot coordinate system. The evaluation method of payload is performed by measuring of the deflection of static payload because there is no special provision of payload in ISO. As there are no special provisions related to dual-arm robot in ISO 9283, the establishment of new provision of dual-arm robot is needed in near future.
Review of off-line synchronous inductance measurement method for permanent magnet synchronous machines

In permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs), the synchronous inductances have important influences on both steady state and dynamic performances, such as designing control strategies, predicting torque and flux-weakening capabilities. However, standard procedures for the inductance measurement have not been established yet. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and comparative study of the various off-line methods that can be used to measure the inductances based on their accuracy, experimental setup and complexity. These approaches can be classified into three main categories: load test, DC standstill test and AC standstill test. Moreover, with the employment of finite element analysis (FEA), qualitative comparisons are done among these methods.
Presurgical assessment of splenic tumors in dogs: a retrospective study of 57 cases (2012–2017)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and imaging characteristics of canine splenic tumors and to establish guidelines for the presurgical assessment of splenic tumors in dogs. Fifty-seven dogs that underwent total splenectomy for the treatment of splenic tumors were evaluated by examining medical records, hematologic results, diagnostic imaging results, and histopathologic results. The maximum lesion size from ultrasonography was significantly different between malignant and benign tumors (p = 0.002). There was a correlation between tumor margination and type of splenic tumors (p = 0.045). Precontrast lesion attenuation on computed tomography was significantly different between splenic malignant and benign tumors (p = 0.001). The mean ± SD precontrast lesion attenuation of malignant tumors was 40.3 ± 5.9 Hounsfield units (HU), and for benign tumors, it was 52.8 ± 6.8 HU. In conclusion, some variables of the imaging examination could be used to distinguish the type of splenic tumor. Based on the study results, using a diagnostic flowchart would be effective in increasing the survival rate of patients with splenic malignant tumors. In addition, fine needle aspiration or magnetic resonance imaging prior to surgical exploration and histopathologic examination may be useful in achieving a more accurate diagnosis.
Rheumatic fever in Indigenous Australian children

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) caused by acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a disease of poverty, poor hygiene and poor living standards. RHD remains one of the major causes of childhood cardiac disease in developing nations. Within developed nations, there has been a dramatic drop in the prevalence of RHD because of the improvement of living standards, access to health care and the widespread availability of penicillin‐based drugs. Despite a dramatic reduction of RHD in Australia overall, it continues to be a major contributor to childhood and adult cardiac disease in Indigenous communities throughout northern and central Australia. Currently, Australia has among the highest recorded rates of ARF and RHD in the world. The most accurate epidemiological data in Australia come from the Northern Territory's RHD control programme. In the Northern Territory, 92% of people with RHD are Indigenous, of whom 85% live in remote communities and towns. The incidence of ARF is highest in 5–14‐year‐olds, ranging from 150 to 380 per 100 000. Prevalence rates of RHD since 2000 have steadily increased to almost 2% of the Indigenous population in the Northern Territory, 3.2% in those aged 35–44 years. Living in remote communities is a contributing factor to ARF/RHD as well as a major barrier for adequate follow‐up and care. Impediments to ARF/RHD control include the paucity of specialist services, rapid turnover of health staff, lack of knowledge of ARF/RHD by health staff, patients and communities, and the high mobility of the Indigenous population. Fortunately, the recently announced National Rheumatic Fever Strategy, comprising recurrent funding to the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia for control programmes, as well as the creation of a National Coordination Unit suggest that RHD control in Australia is now a tangible prospect. For the disease to be eradicated, Australia will have to address the underpinning determinants of poverty, social and living conditions.
OPTICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE LOX-JET DISINTEGRATION PROCESSES ATHIGH PRESSURE CONDITIONS IN A LOX/H2 SINGLE COAXIAL INJECTOR COMBUSTION CHAMBER

Injector behavior is of utmost importance for the performance and stability of liquid rocket engines. A major challenge is achieving a highly efficient homogeneous mixture and effective chemical reaction of fuels at minimum chamber length. Despite substantial progress in numerical simulations a need for experimental data at representative conditions for development and validation of numerical design tools still exists. Therefore, in the framework of the DLR-project “ProTau”, we have performed tests to create an extended data base for numerical tool validation for high pressure LOX/H2 combustion. During the experimental investigations a windowed DLR subscale thrust chamber model “C” (designated BKC) has been operated over a broad range of conditions at reduced pressures of approximately 0.8 (PCC = 4 MPa), 1 (PCC = 5 MPa) and 1.2 (PCC = 6 MPa) with respect to the thermodynamic critical pressure of oxygen. Liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen have been injected through a single coaxial injector element at temperatures of ca. 120 K and ca. 130 K, respectively. High-speed optical diagnostics have been implemented, including imaging of OH* emission and shadowgraph imaging at frequencies from 8 kHz up to 10 kHz to visualize the flow field