Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FAK alters invadopodia and focal adhesion composition and dynamics to regulate breast cancer invasion

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is important for breast cancer progression and invasion and is necessary for the dynamic turnover of focal adhesions. However, it has not been determined whether FAK also regulates the dynamics of invasive adhesions formed in cancer cells known as invadopodia. In this study, we report that endogenous FAK functions upstream of cellular Src (c-Src) as a negative regulator of invadopodia formation and dynamics in breast cancer cells. We show that depletion of FAK induces the formation of active invadopodia but impairs invasive cell migration. FAK-deficient MTLn3 breast cancer cells display enhanced assembly and dynamics of invadopodia that are rescued by expression of wild-type FAK but not by FAK that cannot be phosphorylated at tyrosine 397. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that FAK depletion switches phosphotyrosine-containing proteins from focal adhesions to invadopodia through the temporal and spatial regulation of c-Src activity. Collectively, our findings provide novel insight into the interplay between FAK and Src to promote invasion.
Modulation of fixation stiffness from flexible to stiff in a rat model of bone healing

Background and purpose — Constant fixator stiffness for the duration of healing may not provide suitable mechanical conditions for all stages of bone repair. We therefore investigated the influence of stiffening fixation on callus stiffness and morphology in a rat diaphyseal osteotomy model to determine whether healing time was shortened and callus stiffness increased through modulation of fixation from flexible to stiff. Material and methods — An external unilateral fixator was applied to the osteotomized femur and stiffened by decreasing the offset of the inner fixator bar at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after operation. After 5 weeks, the rats were killed and healing was evaluated with mechanical, histological, and microcomputed tomography methods. Constant fixation stiffness control groups with either stiff or flexible fixation were included for comparison. Results — The callus stiffness of the stiff group and all 4 experimental groups was greater than in the flexible group. The callus of the flexible group was larger but contained a higher proportion of unmineralized tissue and cartilage. The stiff and modulated groups (3, 7, 14, and 21 days) all showed bony bridging at 5 weeks, as well as signs of callus remodeling. Stiffening fixation at 7 and 14 days after osteotomy produced the highest degree of callus bridging. Bone mineral density in the fracture gap was highest in animals in which the fixation was stiffened after 14 days. Interpretation — The predicted benefit of a large robust callus formed through early flexible fixation could not be shown, but the benefits of stabilizing a flexible construct to achieve timely healing were demonstrated at all time points.
User-Centric Access to e-Government Information: e-Citizen Discovery of e-Services

Effective and timely user access to public information is one of the most fundamental requirements for e-government and e-democracy. In this context, the discovery of e-services available to citizens plays a very important role, because it represents one of the most frequent points of contact between public administrations and citizens. We present a solution, based on dynamic taxonomies, to end-user discovery of e-services. Differently from mainstream research in semantic web, the solution we propose is intended for the direct use of end-users, rather than for programmatic or agent-mediated access.
The Role of Agents in Private Finance

In this paper we examine for the first time the role of agents in private-market financings. We show that private financings with agent involvement are larger, attract a greater number of investors, and investors that are of higher quality. We also find that the investor base and proceeds raised in financings is geographically broader when an agent is involved. The economic and statistical significance of our results are strongest when more reputable agents are involved in private financings. We further examine whether agents are compensated for the superior service they provide to issuers. We find that the most reputable agents earn significantly higher compensation through higher fees. Overall, we find strong support for the certification and networking hypotheses in the private market. Our findings indicate that agents have a much more pronounced impact in private financings than public financings. JEL Classification: G24; G32
Heterogeneous expectations and long-range correlation of the volatility of asset returns

Inspired by the recent literature on aggregation theory, we attempt to relate the long-range correlation of the stock return volatility to the heterogeneity of the investors' expectations concerning the level of the future volatility. Based on a semi-parametric model of investors' anticipations, we make the connection between the distributional properties of the heterogeneity parameters and the auto-covariance/auto-correlation functions of the realized volatility. We report different behaviors, or change of convention, the observation of which depends on the market phase under consideration. In particular, we report and justify the fact that the volatility exhibits significantly longer memory during phases of a speculative bubble than during the recovery phase following the collapse of a speculative bubble.
Detection and characterization of defects in composite materials using thermography

Composite materials are widely used in the transport industry, particularly aeronautics, due to their light weight and enhanced mechanical properties. On the downside, these new materials are less known and their behaviour are unpredictable greatly because of their anisotropic properties, being difficult to simulate and understand their behaviour. To overcome these aspects regular preventive maintenance operations are necessary. In order to avoid major problems, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) are a solution to assure the safety without destroying the components. From the vast possibilities available, field image NDT have proved to be fast, precise and easy to interpret. Image technologies usually capture and measure some type of electromagnetic radiation to identify a discontinuity in the radiation pattern that changes due to a component abnormality. Since the natural radiation emitted by objects at the ambient temperature is in the infrared waveband, this is used to create a temperature image, particularly in the middle and far-infrared wavebands. Better results can be obtained when is used a stimulation source to induce a temperature variation, highlighting any defect that a component may have. Two different types of tests can be done with: single or periodic stimulation. When using single stimulation (transient tests), a pulse of energy is applied to the object and observed its recovery to the previous equilibrium state. On the other hand, when performing periodic tests (lock-in), the stimulation is modulated in several cycles, with the amplitude response and phase delay being analysed. This work aimed to develop a numeric model able to predict the result of an infrared thermal test in carbon fiber reinforced polymers with structural defects. This work is divided in three main parts: field tests, numeric simulation and model validation. Several different field tests were performed with various test samples to identify the settings that produced the best results and give the highest sensitivity to defects detection. These tests were performed using the above refereed techniques, transient and lock-in. During the lock-in tests, it was identified an imperfection in the modulated sinusoidal stimulation, which was quantified and corrected improving the overall results. The samples used in the laboratory testes where simulated using the finite element technique in Matlab R ©. This manner it was obtained an internal view of the heat flow inside the component and provided the temperature evolution at the surface of the specimen during an entire test. With the results obtained from the simulations, it is possible to estimate the thermal response obtained with a certain type of test and waveform. Finally, the model was validated with experimental tests, consisting of samples made of carbon fiber reinforced polymers poly-methyl-meth-acrylate. At the end of this document it is presented a short comparison between the two thermal techniques and shearography.
Dopamine D 3 Receptor Alterations in Cocaine-Dependent Humans Imaged with [ 11 C](+)PHNO

, , Abstract Background— Evidence from animal models and postmortem human studies points to the importance of the dopamine D 3 receptor (D 3 R) in cocaine dependence (CD). The objective of this pilot study was to use the D 3 R-preferring radioligand [ 11 C](+)PHNO to compare receptor availability in groups with and without CD. Methods— Ten medically healthy, non-treatment seeking CD subjects (mean age 41±8) in early abstinence were compared to 10 healthy control (HC) subjects (mean age 41±6) with no history of cocaine or illicit substance abuse. Binding potential ( BP ND ), a measure of available receptors, was determined with parametric images, computed using the simplified reference tissue model (SRTM2) with the cerebellum as the reference region. Results— BP ND in CD subjects was higher in D 3 R-rich areas including the substantia nigra ((SN) 29%; P=0.03), hypothalamus (28%; P=0.02) and amygdala (35%, P=0.03). No between-group differences were observed in the striatum or pallidum. BP ND values in the SN (r = + 0.83; p =0.008) and pallidum (r = + 0.67; p = 0.03) correlated with years of cocaine Conclusions— Between-group differences suggest an important role for dopaminergic transmission in the SN, hypothalamus and amygdala in CD. Such findings also highlight the potential relevance of D 3 R as a medication development target in CD.
Extracellular Glutathione Decreases the Ability of Burkholderia cenocepacia to Penetrate into Epithelial Cells and to Induce an Inflammatory Response

Background The airway surface liquid (ASL) of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients contains a lower concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) with respect to healthy people. It is not known whether this defect may favor lung colonization by opportunistic pathogens. Principal Findings We have analyzed the effects of extracellular GSH on the ability of Burkholderia cenocepacia to penetrate and multiply in epithelial respiratory cells. Extracellular GSH proved to be able to drastically reduce the pathogen ability to adhere and invade airway epithelial cells. This effect is correlated to a GSH-dependent increase in the number of free thiols on the surface of epithelial cells, suggestive of a change in the oxidoreductive status of membrane proteins involved in B. cenocepacia recognition. Moreover, treatments with GSH led to a consistent reduction of the expression of IL-8, TNF-α and IL-1β in response to B. cenocepacia infection. Conclusions and Significance Extracellular GSH modulates the interaction between B. cenocepacia and epithelial respiratory cells and inhibits the bacterial invasion into these cells. This suggests that therapies aimed at restoring normal levels of GSH in the ASL might be beneficial to control CF lung infections.
Answer-set programming encodings for argumentation frameworks

Answer-set programming (ASP) has emerged as a declarative programming paradigm where problems are encoded as logic programs, such that the so-called answer sets of theses programs represent the solutions of the encoded problem. The efficiency of the latest ASP solvers reached a state that makes them applicable for problems of practical importance. Consequently, problems from many different areas, including diagnosis, data integration, and graph theory, have been successfully tackled via ASP. In this work, we present such ASP-encodings for problems associated to abstract argumentation frameworks (AFs) and generalisations thereof. Our encodings are formulated as fixed queries, such that the input is the only part depending on the actual AF to process. We illustrate the functioning of this approach, which is underlying a new argumentation system called ASPARTIX in detail and show its adequacy in terms of computational complexity.
Tykes and bikes: injuries associated with bicycle-towed child trailers and bicycle-mounted child seats.

OBJECTIVES To describe the incidence, type, and severity of injuries related to the use of bicycle-towed trailers for transporting children and to compare them with injuries associated with the use of child seats mounted on adult bicycles. DESIGN A retrospective analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for 1990 to 1998. RESULTS There were 49 injuries to children during the 9-year study period (estimated 2338 injuries; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1121-3555): 6 were associated with the use of bicycle-towed trailers (an estimated 322 injuries; 95% CI, 158-486) and 43 were related to the use of bicycle-mounted child seats (an estimated 2015 injuries; 95% CI, 988-3042). The mean age of injured children was 2.4 years and 51% were male. A collision with a motor vehicle accounted for 2 (33%) of the injuries associated with bicycle-towed trailers; 3 (50%) of the injuries were the result of falls. A motor vehicle was involved in 4 injuries (9%) related to the use of bicycle-mounted child seats (Fisher exact test, P<.13 vs bicycle-towed trailers); 31 (72%) were the result of falls (Fisher exact test, P<.26 vs bicycle-towed trailers). Contact with a bicycle wheel or spokes was the mechanism of 1 injury associated with the use of a bicycle-towed trailer (17%) and the mechanism for 8 (19%) of the injuries associated with the use of a bicycle-mounted child seat (Fisher exact test, P<.69). The head or face was the most common site of injury, accounting for 5 (83%) injuries among those riding in bicycle-towed trailers and 21 (49%) injuries among children in bicycle-mounted child seats (Fisher exact test, P<.12). All 6 children injured in bicycle-towed trailers had contusions/ abrasions or lacerations; 22 (51%) children injured using bicycle-mounted child seats had contusions/abrasions or lacerations and 9 (21%) had fractures. Two children (33%) injured in bicycle-towed trailers and 2 (5%) injured in bicycle-mounted child seats were admitted to the hospital (Fisher exact test, P<.06). CONCLUSIONS When compared with bicycle-mounted child seats, there were fewer reported injuries to children associated with the use of bicycle-towed trailers. Motor vehicle involvement and need for hospital admission were similar among injured children in both groups, and the head or face was the most common site of injury. These data imply that ongoing surveillance efforts to identify injuries associated with use of bicycle-towed child trailers are warranted and that bicycle helmets should be worn by children riding in bicycle-towed child trailers and in bicycle-mounted child seats.
NT-proBNP Linking Low-Moderately Impaired Renal Function and Cardiovascular Mortality in Diabetic Patients: The Population-Based Casale Monferrato Study

Background Few data are available to assess whether a low-moderate reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) has a role per se on cardiovascular (CV) mortality or other biomarkers such as NT-proBNP allow to explain such association. Methods and Findings In a prospective study including 1,645 type 2 diabetic subjects of the population-based Casale Monferrato Study, who had no clinical evidence of heart failure and eGFR >45 ml/min/1.73 m2, we examined 6 years CV mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to estimate the effect of NT-proBNP on the association between eGFR and mortality, independently of baseline CV risk factors, albumin excretion rate (AER) and C-reactive protein (CRP). During follow-up, 327 people died (149 of CV diseases) out of 8334.5 person-years. Compared to eGFR≥90 ml/min/1.73 m2, values of 60–89 and 45–59 ml/min/1.73 m2 conferred a fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of CV mortality of 1.74 (1.08–2.82) and 1.95 (1.03–3.68), respectively. After further adjustment for NT-proBNP, however, HRs were no longer significant (HRs 1.42, 0.83–2.42 and 1.22, 0.59–2.51). In this model, HR for logNT-proBNP was 1.84 (1.52–2.22). Adding NT-proBNP to the model improved the C-statistic of CV mortality from 0.79 (0.76–0.83) to 0.84 (0.81–0.87), yielded an IDI of 0.03 (p = 0.02), and a NRI of 0.44 (p = 0.016). Conclusions In diabetic people a modest reduction in renal function increased 6-year CV mortality independently of albuminuria. This association, however, was mainly explained by the effect of NT-proBNP, that remained the strongest prognostic marker for a worse CV outcome, even after adjustment for other CV risk factors and pre-existing CVD.
Changes in perception of a small humanoid robot

Humanoid robots are designed to interact with people. To improve the design and development of robots for social human-robot interaction, it is important to consider how people perceive the appearance and behavior of these robots. This paper presents the results of a study on the perception and the changes after passive and active interaction with a physically present humanoid robot in terms of anthropomorphism, animacy, likeability, perceived intelligence and perceived safety. Experimental results show that the perception of the robot changes mainly after the first interaction. The robot is perceived highly likeable in passive interactions with an increase on it's perception of animacy.
AN EVALUATION OF CAPILLARY FLOW TEST FOR DETERMINING THE PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF GEOTEXTILES AND ESTABLISHING CORRELATIONS

For the last four decades, geotextiles have been used extensively for the purpose of separation, filtration, drainage and soil reinforcement. The basic criteria that impact the behavior of a geotextile filter are soil retention, permeability, and clogging potential. The ability of a geotextile filter to fulfill these requirements depends on the pore sizes and pore size distribution. There are numerous techniques to measure the pore sizes of a geotextile, but not all of them are widely accepted. In the USA, two standard methods of measuring the largest pore size of a geotextile have been accepted, the Dry sieving test (ASTM D4751) and the Capillary flow test (ASTM D6767). Despite of the several drawbacks of the dry sieving test, including trapping of glass beads inside the geotextiles and electrostatic effects, many filtration criteria are designed based on the apparent opening size (AOS, O95). On the other hand, the capillary flow test provides a complete pore size distribution along with the largest pore size (bubble point, O98) of a geotextile, but this method is not typically used in design. The main objectives of this study are to: 1) perform calibration of the Capillary flow test device (Geo Pore Pro, GPP-1001A) to access the accuracy of the test; 2) establish correlations between bubble point (O98) and AOS (O95) for woven and non-woven geotextiles; and 3) evaluate the role of pore size distribution in the performance of geotextiles using 1-D filtration tests (Falling-head test) and Pressurized 2-D tests. To achieve these objectives, more than 700 capillary flow tests were performed using Geo Pore Pro (GPP-1001A) manufactured by Porous Materials, Inc. 20 woven geotextiles, 29 non-woven, and 2 composite geotextiles were used in the study. From Capillary flow test, O10, O15, O50, O85, O90, O95 and O98 were measured. From the calibration test, it was found that the for some thin metallic plates and membranes Capillary flow test provides 16% 23% larger pore size than the
Patch-Based Forest Change Detection from Landsat Time Series

In the species-rich and structurally complex forests of the Eastern United States, disturbance events are often partial and therefore difficult to detect using remote sensing methods. Here we present a set of new algorithms, collectively called Vegetation Regeneration and Disturbance Estimates through Time (VeRDET), which employ a novel patch-based approach to detect periods of vegetation disturbance, stability, and growth from the historical Landsat image records. VeRDET generates a yearly clear-sky composite from satellite imagery, calculates a spectral vegetation index for each pixel in that composite, spatially segments the vegetation index image into patches, temporally divides the time series into differently sloped segments, and then labels those segments as disturbed, stable, or regenerating. Segmentation at both the spatial and temporal steps are performed using total variation regularization, an algorithm originally designed for signal denoising. This study explores VeRDET’s effectiveness in detecting forest change using four vegetation indices and two parameters controlling the spatial and temporal scales of segmentation within a calibration region. We then evaluate algorithm effectiveness within a 386,000 km2 area in the Eastern United States where VeRDET has overall error of 23% and omission error across disturbances ranging from 22% to 78% depending on agent.
Implementation comparisons of the QR decomposition for MIMO detection

In the context of decoding multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) symbols, many approaches rise as promising, such as successive interference cancellation and sphere decoding. The QR decomposition (QRD) of the channel impulse response matrix is a critical point to ensure good performance of the subsequent decoding steps for both approaches. This paper presents a low-complexity hardware architecture for the basic QRD algorithm, which is extended to two improved versions, namely the sorted QR decomposition (SQRD) and the minimum mean-square error SQRD. The main contribution of this work is a comparison of hardware implementations of the three variants and an analysis of their impact on a MIMO-BICM system regarding system communications performance and computational complexity.
Mathematical modelling of in situ combustion and gasification

The total worldwide resources of oil sands, heavy oil, oil shale and coal far exceed those of conventional light oil. In situ combustion and gasification are techniques that can potentially recover the energy from these unconventional hydrocarbon resources. In situ combustion can be used to produce oil, especially viscous and immobile crudes, by heating the oil and reducing the viscosity of the hydrocarbon liquids allowing them to flow to production wells. In situ gasification can be used to convert deep carbonaceous materials into synthesis gas which can be used at surface for power generation and petrochemical applications. While both in situ combustion for oil recovery and in situ gasification of coal have been developed and demonstrated over many decades, the commercial applications of these techniques have been limited to date. There are many physical processes occurring during in situ combustion, including multi-phase flow, heat and mass transfer, chemical reactions in porous media and geomechanics. A key tool in analysing and optimising the technologies involves using numerical models to simulate the processes. This paper presents a brief review of mathematical modelling of in situ combustion and gasification with an emphasis on developing a generalised framework and describing some of the key challenges and opportunities.