Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype a Specific Cell-Based Potency Assay to Replace the Mouse Bioassay

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A), a potent therapeutic used to treat various disorders, inhibits vesicular neurotransmitter exocytosis by cleaving SNAP25. Development of cell-based potency assays (CBPAs) to assess the biological function of BoNT/A have been challenging because of its potency. CBPAs can evaluate the key steps of BoNT action: receptor binding, internalization-translocation, and catalytic activity; and therefore could replace the current mouse bioassay. Primary neurons possess appropriate sensitivity to develop potential replacement assays but those potency assays are difficult to perform and validate. This report describes a CBPA utilizing differentiated human neuroblastoma SiMa cells and a sandwich ELISA that measures BoNT/A-dependent intracellular increase of cleaved SNAP25. Assay sensitivity is similar to the mouse bioassay and measures neurotoxin biological activity in bulk drug substance and BOTOX® product (onabotulinumtoxinA). Validation of a version of this CBPA in a Quality Control laboratory has led to FDA, Health Canada, and European Union approval for potency testing of BOTOX®, BOTOX® Cosmetic, and Vistabel®. Moreover, we also developed and optimized a BoNT/A CBPA screening assay that can be used for the discovery of novel BoNT/A inhibitors to treat human disease.
Choroidal laser Doppler flowmetry in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate normal choroidal blood flow and its relationship with various factors such as age, systemic blood pressure, and intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS A total of 70 healthy subjects were recruited. Choroidal blood flow was assessed using a method based on laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) technique. The LDF parameters of velocity, volume, and flux were obtained. The influence of age, mean systemic blood pressure, IOP, smoking, and sex on choroidal hemodynamic parameters was assessed in a multiple linear regression model. The correlations between interocular difference in IOP and interocular differences in the LDF parameters were assessed by means of the Pearson linear correlation factor. RESULTS Velocity decreased significantly (P = .03) with advancing age of the subjects and volume increased significantly (P = .02) with increasing IOP. Mean blood pressure, smoking, and sex had no influence on the choroidal LDF parameters. Interocular difference in IOP correlated significantly with interocular difference in volume (R = 0.34, P<.005). CONCLUSION Choroidal blood flow velocity decreased with increasing age of the subjects, while the volume of moving erythrocytes decreased with lower IOP.
A speech preprocessing strategy for intelligibility improvement in noise based on a perceptual distortion measure

A speech pre-processing algorithm is presented to improve the speech intelligibility in noise for the near-end listener. The algorithm improves the intelligibility by optimally redistributing the speech energy over time and frequency for a perceptual distortion measure, which is based on a spectro-temporal auditory model. In contrast to spectral-only models, short-time information is taken into account. As a consequence, the algorithm is more sensitive to transient regions, which will therefore receive more amplification compared to stationary vowels. It is known from literature that changing the vowel-transient energy ratio is beneficial for improving speech-intelligibility in noise. Objective intelligibility prediction results show that the proposed method has higher speech intelligibility in noise compared to two other reference methods, without modifying the global speech energy.
Influence of wollastonite on mechanical properties of concrete

Studies were made on cement concrete and cement-fly ash concrete mixes incorporating wollastonite as partial substitute of cementilioLIS material and sand respectively. Improvements in compressive (28-35%) and l1e1wral strength (36-42%) at 28 and 56 days respectively were observed by incorporation of wollastonite ( iO%) in concrete mixes. By incorporation of wollastonite, reduction in water absorption, drying-shrinkage and abrasion loss of concrete, and enhancement in durability against alternate freezing-thawing and sulphate attack were observed. Because of high concrete strength <J.Ild abrasion resistance, ;~ bener utilization of concrete cross sectil1n is possible. Altematively, thickness of pavement slab can be reduced by incorporation of wollastonite micro-fibres in concrete mixes.
UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Method Development and Validation of Assay of Paracetamol Tablet Formulation

A novel,safe and sensitive method of spectrophotometric estimation in UV-region has been developed for the assay of Paracetamol in its tablet formulation. The method have been developed and validated for the assay of Paracetamol using Methanol and water as diluents. Which does not shows any interference in spectrophotometric estimations. All the parameters of the analysis were chosen according to ICH [Q2(R1)] guideline and validated statistically using RSD and %RSD along with neat chromate grams.
Non-equilibrium Wall-Modeling for Large-Eddy Simulation of Inter-nal Combustion Engines

The performance, efficiency and emissions of internal combustion (IC) engines are affected by the thermo-viscous boundary layer region and heat transfer. Computational models for the prediction of engine performance typically rely on equilibrium wall-function models to overcome the need for resolving the viscous boundary layer structure. The wall shear stress and heat flux are obtained as boundary conditions for the outer flow calculation. However, these equilibrium wall-function models are typically derived by considering canonical flow configurations, introducing substantial modeling assumptions that are not necessarily justified for in-cylinder flows. The objective of this work is to assess the validity of several model approximations that are commonly introduced in the development of wallfunction models for IC-engine applications. This examination is performed by considering crank-angle resolved high-resolution micro-particle image velocimetry (μ-PIV) measurements in a spark-ignition direct-injection single cylinder engine. Using these measurements, the performance of an algebraic equilibrium wall-function model commonly used in RANS and LES IC-engine simulations is evaluated. By identifying shortcomings of this model, a non-equilibrium differential wall model is developed. By utilizing the experimental data, significant adverse pressure gradients due to the large vortical motion inside the cylinder (induced by tumble, swirl and turbulence) are observed and included in the nonequilibrium wall model to further improve the model performance. It is shown that both wall models provide adequate predictions if applied inside the viscous sublayer. However, the equilibrium wallfunction model consistently underpredicts the shear stress if applied in the log-layer. In contrast, the non-equilibrium wall model provides improved predictions of the near-wall region and shear stress irrespective of the wall distance and the piston location.
Assessing Drivers' Fatigue State Under Real Traffic Conditions Using EEG Alpha Spindles

The effectiveness of EEG alpha spindles, defined by short narrowband bursts in the alpha band, as an objective measure for assessing driver fatigue under real driving conditions was examined using an algorithm for the identification of alpha spindles. The method is applied to data recorded under real traffic conditions and compared with the performance of the traditional EEG fatigue measure alpha band power. Statistical analysis revealed significant increases from the first to the last driving section of alpha band power; with larger effect sizes for the alpha spindle based measures. An increased level of fatigue for drop-outs, as compared to participants who did not abort the drive, was observed only by means of alpha spindle parameters. EEG alpha spindle parameters increase both fatigue detection sensitivity and specificity as compared to EEG alpha band power. It is demonstrated that alpha spindles are superior to EEG band power measures for assessing driver fatigue under real traffic conditions.
A PPM Gaussian monocycle transmitter for ultra-wideband communications

A Gaussian pulse generator incorporating a pulse position modulator for use in an impulse radio ultrawideband system is described. The pulse generator is preceded by a programmable pulse position modulator and comprises a cascade of complex first-order systems, which, in turn, are made up of differential pairs employing partial positive feedback. The resulting PPM Gaussian pulse generator is designed in IBM 0.18 /spl mu/m Bi-CMOS IC technology. Simulations predict the correct operation of the circuit for supply voltages of 1.8 V and a power consumption of 30 mW. The output monocycle indeed approximates a Gaussian monocycle, having a pulse duration of about 250 ps. Proper modulation of the pulse in time is confirmed.
Achieving Extreme Resolution in Numerical Cosmology Using Adaptive Mesh Refinement: Resolving Primordial Star Formation

As an entry for the 2001 Gordon Bell Award in the "special" category, we describe our 3-d, hybrid, adaptive mesh re.nement (AMR) code Enzo designed for high-resolution, multiphysics, cosmological structure formation simulations. Our parallel implementation places no limit on the depth or complexity of the adaptive grid hierarchy, allowing us to achieve unprecedented spatial and temporal dynamic range. We report on a simulation of primordial star formation which develops over 8000 subgrids at 34 levels of re.nement to achieve a local refinement of a factor of 1012 in space and time. This allows us to resolve the properties of the first stars which form in the universe assuming standard physics and a standard cosmological model. Achieving extreme resolution requires the use of 128-bit extended precision arithmetic (EPA) to accurately specify the subgrid positions. We describe our EPA AMR implementation on the IBM SP2 Blue Horizon system at the San Diego Supercomputer Center.
Phase Stability and Point Defects in InMnO 3

During the last decade hexagonal manganites (h-RMNO3) have been a widely researched topic. This is mainly due to their multiferroic property that makes them a potential material for use in future electronics, data storage and sensors. The multiferroic property consists of the combination of ferroelectricity and magnetic order. In general, hexagonal manganites are assigned to the polar P63cm-space group and show ferroelectric behaviour at room temperature. However, recent experimental and computational studies on InMnO3 have shown deviating dielectric properties for this material. Both ferroelectric and paraelectric behaviour have been detected, which have raised questions regarding which space group is the most stable for InMnO3. The two proposed space groups in literature are ferroelectric, polar, P63cm and paraelectric, non-polar, P 3̄c1. In this project the effect of point defects on the relative stability of P63cm and P 3̄c1 is investigated through a first-principles study using density functional theory. From previous work it has been shown that interstitial and vacant oxygen decrease the energy difference between P 3̄c1 and P63cm, hence disfavour the polar structure. In this project the ground-state energies for both space groups with In-vacancies are found, the phase transition between non-polar P 3̄c1 and polar P63cm are investigated and the effect of point defects of the polarization of P63cm is studied. With In-vacancies present in InMnO3 under oxidizing (ox.) conditions the non-polar P 3̄c1 phase has the lowest energy and is therefore the most stable. Stoichiometric InMnO3 is an insulator but has shown to turn metallic when In-vacancies under ox. conditions are present. This was found for both the polar and non-polar phase. InO-vacancy pairs created in a reducing environment favoured the polar P63cm structure. Under these conditions the non-polar P 3̄c1 phase turned metallic, while the polar P 3̄c1 stayed insulating with some signs of shallow states in the band gap. The phase transition study revealed the presence of an activation energy barrier between stoichiometric P 3̄c1 and P63cm. This activation energy barrier increased with point defects of interstitial and vacant oxygen present, decreased for In-O-vacancy pairs and disappeared for In-vacancies at ox. condition. The polarization of P63cm increased with point defects of vacant oxygen and decreased substantially with In-vacancies present. The study has shown the great importance of point defects for the stability of the two phases in InMnO3, and has revealed a possible transition from insulator to metal with certain point defects present.
Oxidative stress defines an imbalance between generation of reactive oxygen DOES VITAMIN E INFLUENCE OXIDATIVE STRESS AND RENAL ANAEMIA IN HAEMODIALYSED PATIENTS ?

There is increasing evidence that oxygen radicals are involved in the progression of renal damage and of uraemic symptoms. Haemodialysis (HD) is known to be one major cause of oxidative stress. Renal anaemia is one of the main complications seen in HD patients and resulting from many pathogenic factors. In this study we aimed to evaluate the role of oxidative stress as a contributing factor in renal anaemia through studying the effect of vit E supplementation as an antioxident on the markers of oxidative stress as well as on haemoglobin in HD patients. Subjects and methods: Erythrocyte activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), selenium (Se), total protein levels, haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and haematocrit (Hct %) were measured in 43 haemodialysed pateints and compared with 20 healthy, age matched controls. After 12 weeks of vitamin E supplementation in a dosage of 400 mg/day, the baseline parameters were reassessed in the same patients group. Results: Mean plasma level of MDA was significantly higher in HD patients (p<0.0001) than in healthy controls. The erythrocyte activity of SOD, GSH-Px, plasma level of selenium and haemoglobin concentration were significantly lower (p<0.0001). Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between plasma levels of MDA and haemoglobin concentration (r=-0.62, p=0.002). After vit E supplementation there were statistically significant increase in erythrocyte activity of GSH-Px and SOD (p<0.0001), decrease in MDA concentrations (p<0.0001) and non significant increase in selenium level, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit. Conclusions: Redox imbalance in HD pateints might be a contributing factor in renal anaemia. Treatment with vit E might decrease radical generation effectively in HD patients with insignificant effect on renal anaemia.
Transcriptome analysis of genetically matched human induced pluripotent stem cells disomic or trisomic for chromosome 21

Trisomy of chromosome 21, the genetic cause of Down syndrome, has the potential to alter expression of genes on chromosome 21, as well as other locations throughout the genome. These transcriptome changes are likely to underlie the Down syndrome clinical phenotypes. We have employed RNA-seq to undertake an in-depth analysis of transcriptome changes resulting from trisomy of chromosome 21, using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a single individual with Down syndrome. These cells were originally derived by Li et al, who genetically targeted chromosome 21 in trisomic iPSCs, allowing selection of disomic sibling iPSC clones. Analyses were conducted on trisomic/disomic cell pairs maintained as iPSCs or differentiated into cortical neuronal cultures. In addition to characterization of gene expression levels, we have also investigated patterns of RNA adenosine-to-inosine editing, alternative splicing, and repetitive element expression, aspects of the transcriptome that have not been significantly characterized in the context of Down syndrome. We identified significant changes in transcript accumulation associated with chromosome 21 trisomy, as well as changes in alternative splicing and repetitive element transcripts. Unexpectedly, the trisomic iPSCs we characterized expressed higher levels of neuronal transcripts than control disomic iPSCs, and readily differentiated into cortical neurons, in contrast to another reported study. Comparison of our transcriptome data with similar studies of trisomic iPSCs suggests that trisomy of chromosome 21 may not intrinsically limit neuronal differentiation, but instead may interfere with the maintenance of pluripotency.
Does bilingual experience affect early visual perceptual development?

Visual attention and perception develop rapidly during the first few months after birth, and these behaviors are critical components in the development of language and cognitive abilities. Here we ask how early bilingual experiences might lead to differences in visual attention and perception. Experiments 1–3 investigated the looking behavior of monolingual and bilingual infants when presented with social (Experiment 1), mixed (Experiment 2), or non-social (Experiment 3) stimuli. In each of these experiments, infants' dwell times (DT) and number of fixations to areas of interest (AOIs) were analyzed, giving a sense of where the infants looked. To examine how the infants looked at the stimuli in a more global sense, Experiment 4 combined and analyzed the saccade data collected in Experiments 1–3. There were no significant differences between monolingual and bilingual infants' DTs, AOI fixations, or saccade characteristics (specifically, frequency, and amplitude) in any of the experiments. These results suggest that monolingual and bilingual infants process their visual environments similarly, supporting the idea that the substantial cognitive differences between monolinguals and bilinguals in early childhood are more related to active vocabulary production than perception of the environment.
Ultrastructure of dragonfly wing veins: composite structure of fibrous material supplemented by resilin

Dragonflies count among the most skilful of the flying insects. Their exceptional aerodynamic performance has been the subject of various studies. Morphological and kinematic investigations have showed that dragonfly wings, though being rather stiff, are able to undergo passive deformation during flight, thereby improving the aerodynamic performance. Resilin, a rubber‐like protein, has been suggested to be a key component in insect wing flexibility and deformation in response to aerodynamic loads, and has been reported in various arthropod locomotor systems. It has already been found in wing vein joints, connecting longitudinal veins to cross veins, and was shown to endow the dragonfly wing with chordwise flexibility, thereby most likely influencing the dragonfly's flight performance. The present study revealed that resilin is not only present in wing vein joints, but also in the internal cuticle layers of veins in wings of Sympetrum vulgatum (SV) and Matrona basilaris basilaris (MBB). Combined with other structural features of wing veins, such as number and thickness of cuticle layers, material composition, and cross‐sectional shape, resilin most probably has an effect on the vein′s material properties and the degree of elastic deformations. In order to elucidate the wing vein ultrastructure and the exact localisation of resilin in the internal layers of the vein cuticle, the approaches of bright‐field light microscopy, wide‐field fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser‐scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were combined. Wing veins were shown to consist of up to six different cuticle layers and a single row of underlying epidermal cells. In wing veins of MBB, the latter are densely packed with light‐scattering spheres, previously shown to produce structural colours in the form of quasiordered arrays. Longitudinal and cross veins differ significantly in relative thickness of exo‐ and endocuticle, with cross veins showing a much thicker exocuticle. The presence of resilin in the unsclerotised endocuticle suggests its contribution to an increased energy storage and material flexibility, thus to the prevention of vein damage. This is especially important in the highly stressed longitudinal veins, which have much lower possibility to yield to applied loads with the aid of vein joints, as the cross veins do. These results may be relevant not only for biologists, but may also contribute to optimise the design of micro‐air vehicles.
Values in Nordic Newspaper Editor Decision-Making

Abstract The study shows that Nordic daily newspapers—like their American peers—will have to change their content to conform more tothe tastes of readers or—at the very least—find a more reader-friendlyway to present the news. The authors compare national surveys ofNordic and U.S. editors charged with the practical aspects of choosing,justifying, editing, and publishing the news. In a search for values that underlie decision-making styles, the study uncovers three style predictors: gender, newspaper size, and journalistic values. Audience-related values, although not significant predictors, do find a home amongNordic editors, in contrast to U.S. editors. The findings, while suggesting managerial tools that newspaper editors can use, also indicates no global, overarching management style would be appropriate in tackling industryills.
Anaerobic degradation of toluene and o-xylene by a methanogenic consortium

Toluene and o-xylene were completely mineralized to stoichiometric amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and biomass by aquifer-derived microorganisms under strictly anaerobic conditions. The source of the inoculum was creosote-contaminated sediment from Pensacola, Fla. The adaptation periods before the onset of degradation were long (100 to 120 days for toluene degradation and 200 to 255 days for o-xylene). Successive transfers of the toluene- and o-xylene-degrading cultures remained active. Cell density in the cultures progressively increased over 2 to 3 years to stabilize at approximately 10(9) cells per ml. Degradation of toluene and o-xylene in stable mixed methanogenic cultures followed Monod kinetics, with inhibition noted at substrate concentrations above about 700 microM for o-xylene and 1,800 microM for toluene. The cultures degraded toluene or o-xylene but did not degrade m-xylene, p-xylene, benzene, ethylbenzene, or naphthalene. The degradative activity was retained after pasteurization or after starvation for 1 year. Degradation of toluene and o-xylene was inhibited by the alternate electron acceptors oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate. Degradation was also inhibited by the addition of preferred substrates such as acetate, H2, propionate, methanol, acetone, glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, peptone, and yeast extract. These data suggest that the presence of natural organic substrates or contaminants may inhibit anaerobic degradation of pollutants such as toluene and o-xylene at contaminated sites.