Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ion and inhibitor binding of the double-ring ion selectivity filter of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter

Significance Mitochondrial calcium homeostasis is vital to cellular activities such as aerobic ATP production and cell death. Calcium uptake by mitochondria is achieved using an intricately regulated calcium channel, known as mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). MCU demonstrates high calcium selectivity and conductance but little is known about its ion selectivity filter. We used paramagnetic NMR to show that the double carboxylate rings formed by the “DXXE” signature sequence of MCU is the ion selectivity filter and that the two ion binding sites can afford high ion affinity via positive cooperativity. We also showed that the channel inhibitor Ru360 directly blocks at the selectivity filter. Our approach demonstrates the promising application of NMR in investigating ion channels interacting with ions and blockers. The calcium (Ca2+) uniporter of mitochondria is a holocomplex consisting of the Ca2+-conducting channel, known as mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), and several accessory and regulatory components. A previous electrophysiology study found that the uniporter has high Ca2+ selectivity and conductance and this depends critically on the conserved amino acid sequence motif, DXXE (Asp-X-X-Glu) of MCU. A recent NMR structure of the MCU channel from Caenorhabditis elegans revealed that the DXXE forms two parallel carboxylate rings at the channel entrance that seem to serve as the ion selectivity filter, although direct ion interaction of this structural motif has not been addressed. Here, we use a paramagnetic probe, manganese (Mn2+), to investigate ion and inhibitor binding of this putative selectivity filter. Our paramagnetic NMR data show that mutants with a single carboxylate ring, NXXE (Asn-X-X-Glu) and DXXQ (Asp-X-X-Gln), each can bind Mn2+ specifically, whereas in the WT the two rings bind Mn2+ cooperatively, resulting in ∼1,000-fold higher apparent affinity. Ca2+ can specifically displace the bound Mn2+ at the DXXE site in the channel. Furthermore, titrating the sample with the known channel inhibitor ruthenium 360 (Ru360) can displace Mn2+ binding from the solvent-accessible Asp site but not the inner Glu site. The NMR titration data, together with structural analysis of the DXXE motif and molecular dynamics simulation, indicate that the double carboxylate rings at the apex of the MCU pore constitute the ion selectivity filter and that Ru360 directly blocks ion entry into the filter by binding to the outer carboxylate ring.
Effects of a Square Groove at the Stagnation Point of a Circular Cylinder on its Near Wake

In the present study, effects of single longitudinal groove placed at its forward stagnation point on the cylinder wake are investigated. Two different square groove sizes were tested using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique and compared with the case of bare cylinder. The cylinders are immersed in a uniform flow field with the Reynolds number, Re=5000. The wakes of these cylinders are evaluated using time-averaged flow data such as vorticity, <ω>, streamline, <Ψ>, components of streamwise, <U/Uo> and transverse, <V/Uo> dimensionless velocity, Reynolds stresses, <u’v’> and turbulent kinetic energy, TKE. In addition, the Strouhal numbers are calculated using frequencies of Karman vortex shedding, which are obtained from single point spectral analysis. It is revealed that the presence of square groove located at forward stagnation point of a circular cylinder has significant effect on the wake formation and turbulence statistics. It is observed that Karman vortex shedding frequency, fk is also influenced on presence of the groove.
Building of an Electrical Machine Thermal Model in the Context of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Global Optimization

The understanding of the thermal phenomena in an Electrical Machine is significant because it influences the performances of the machine and its lifetime. In the context of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) sizing, it also impacts the performances of the entire vehicle. The paper describes the building of a robust thermal circuit model dedicated to water-cooled electrical machines as those used in HEV. A finite element analysis is used to set the thermal parameters of a lumped parameter network. The sensitivity of the thermal parameters is analysed.
Cell kinetic studies in the murine ventral tongue epithelium: mucositis induced by radiation and its protection by pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)

Abstract. Radiation kills or reduces reproductive capacity of proliferating cells, including stem cells. In the oral mucosae this can result in a decline in the number of cells in the tissue which, if severe enough, will result in the formation of an ulcer when the cellularity essentially reaches zero. We have used histometric measurements of cellularity following exposure to radiation in mouse ventral tongue epithelium as a model for oral mucositis (ulcer development). Here we provide further measurements of cellularity changes in the basal layer and in the epithelium as a whole at various times following 15, 20 or 25 Gy doses. The protective effects of prior treatment with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) are also investigated. 20 Gy of 300 kV X‐rays has become our standard reference dose and the changes in cellularity seen following this dose are highly reproducible, with minimum values being observed 6 days following irradiation. A higher dose results in a greater reduction of cellularity, although the minimum value also occurs at 6 days. A lower dose (15 Gy) results in a much shallower curve, with a minimum value being observed about 1 day earlier. These changes in cellularity can be related to the less sensitive index of mucositis, namely epithelial thickness. There is also a sharp peak in proliferation about 1 day after the minimum in cellularity, i.e. on day 7. The peak following a lower dose of radiation occurs a little earlier and, following the higher dose, the peak tends to be broader. Previous work and data presented in the preceding paper in this series has shown that KGF, given over a period of 3 days, results in a dramatic increase in epithelial thickness in oral mucosa, including the ventral tongue. As a result of the increased cellularity induced by KGF given before radiation, a delay in the fall in cellularity results, which is the consequence of the increased number of cells in the epithelium at the beginning of the study.
Functional Connectivity Disruption in Subjective Cognitive Decline and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Common Pattern of Alterations

Functional connectivity (FC) alterations represent a key feature in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and provide a useful tool to characterize and predict the course of the disease. Those alterations have been also described in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a prodromal stage of AD. There is a growing interest in detecting AD pathology in the brain in the very early stages of the disorder. Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) could represent a preclinical asymptomatic stage of AD but very little is known about this population. In the present work we assessed whether FC disruptions are already present in this stage, and if they share any spatial distribution properties with MCI alterations (a condition known to be highly related to AD). To this end, we measured electromagnetic spontaneous activity with MEG in 39 healthy control elders, 41 elders with SCD and 51 MCI patients. The results showed FC alterations in both SCD and MCI compared to the healthy control group. Interestingly, both groups exhibited a very similar spatial pattern of altered links: a hyper-synchronized anterior network and a posterior network characterized by a decrease in FC. This decrease was more pronounced in the MCI group. These results highlight that elders with SCD present FC alterations. More importantly, those disruptions affected AD typically related areas and showed great overlap with the alterations exhibited by MCI patients. These results support the consideration of SCD as a preclinical stage of AD and may indicate that FC alterations appear very early in the course of the disease.
Multi-user leo-satellite receiver for robust space detection of AIS messages

The coverage of the terrestrial automatic identification system (AIS) is limited to close areas off the coast. Low earth orbit (LEO) satellites can expand the service of AIS to a global range but it brings large variance in Doppler shift, path loss and propagation delay. The communication between ships and LEO satellites becomes asynchronous. The collision of AIS messages from thousands of ground cells results in loss of all collided messages. Previous papers discussed the use of a single user receiver to detect AIS messages under heavy co-channel interference but the problem was never well solved. In this paper, we present a multi-user receiver equipped with an antenna array on LEO satellites, which explores the spatial multiplexing in space detection of AIS messages and significantly improves the detection performance. The proposed receiver performs rank tracking and subspace intersection based on the signed URV decomposition ahead of blind source separation to provide robust separation of user data for single user receivers. The proposed receiver is tested in an exact dynamic AIS model.
Microbial Glucuronidase Inhibition Reduces Severity of Diclofenac-Induced Anastomotic Leak in Rats.

BACKGROUND The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac has been associated with intestinal anastomotic leakage, although the underlying pathophysiology is unclear. Previous data suggest that reactivation of biliary diclofenac metabolites by microbial β-glucuronidases in the gut plays a role in harming the intestinal mucosa, and that microbiome-targeted glucuronidase inhibition prevents this damage. Here, the microbial glucuronidase inhibitor Inh1 was examined for its ability to reduce diclofenac-induced anastomotic leakage in rats. METHODS Ninety male Wistar rats were allocated to five groups. In the two diclofenac groups, group DCF received diclofenac (3 mg/kg per day) and group DCF-Inh1 additionally received 800 mcg/kg per day of glucuronidase inhibitor Inh1 solution orally. In non-diclofenac groups, animals received either Inh1 (800 mcg/kg per day; group Inh1) solution, the vehicle (methylcellulose; group Veh), or no solution (group Ctrl). All solutions were provided from the day of surgery until sacrifice on day three. Plasma concentrations of diclofenac were determined. Outcomes were anastomotic leakage, leak severity, and anastomotic strength. RESULTS Anastomotic leak rates were 89% in group DCF and 44% in group DCF-Inh1 (p = 0.006). Leak severity was reduced in group DCFic-Inh1 (p = 0.029). In non-diclofenac cohorts, mostly minor leakage signs were observed in 25% in group Ctrl, 39% in group Inh1 (0.477), and 24% in group Veh (p = 1.000). Bursting pressure and breaking strength were not significantly different. Plasma concentrations of diclofenac were not changed by Inh1. CONCLUSION Microbial glucuronidase inhibitor reduces diclofenac-induced anastomotic leakage severity, which suggests a harmful effect of diclofenac metabolite reactivation in the gut. This finding improves the understanding of the pathogenesis of anastomotic leakage.
Cuihua Shen , Peter Monge and Dmitri Williams Massively Multiplayer Online Game Virtual Brokerage and Closure : Network Structure and Social Capital in a

This study proposes a structural approach to examining online bridging and bonding social capital in a large virtual world. It tests the effects of individual players’ network brokerage and closure on their task performance and trust of other players. Bridging social capital is operationalized as brokerage, the extent to which one is tied to disconnected others, and bonding social capital as closure, the extent to which one is embedded in a densely connected group. Social networks were constructed from behavioral server logs of EverQuest II, a Massively Multiplayer Online Game. Results provided strong support for the structural model, demonstrating that players’ network brokerage positively predicted their task performance in the game and players embedded in closed networks were more likely to trust each other.
Differences in the Stimulus Accommodative Convergence/Accommodation Ratio using Various Techniques and Accommodative Stimuli

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate differences in the stimulus accommodative convergence/accommodation (AC/A) ratio using various techniques and accommodative stimuli, and to describe a method for determining the stimulus AC/A ratio. Methods: A total of 81 subjects with a mean age of 21 years (range, 20–23 years) were enrolled. The relationship between ocular deviation and accommodation was assessed using two methods. Ocular deviation was measured by varying the accommodative requirement using spherical plus/minus lenses to create an accommodative stimulus of 10.00 diopters (D) (in 1.00 D steps). Ocular deviation was assessed using the alternate prism cover test in method 1 at distance (5 m) and near (1/3 m), and the major amblyoscope in method 2. The stimulus AC/A ratios obtained using methods 1 and 2 were calculated and defined as the stimulus AC/A ratios with low and high accommodation, respectively, using the following analysis method. The former was calculated as the difference between the convergence response to an accommodative stimulus of 3 D and 0 D, divided by 3. The latter was calculated as the difference between the convergence response to a maximum (max) accommodative stimulus with distinct vision of the subject and an accommodative stimulus of max minus 3.00 D, divided by 3. Results: The median stimulus AC/A ratio with low accommodation (1.0 Δ/D for method 1 at distance, 2.0 Δ/D for method 1 at near, and 2.7 Δ/D for method 2) differed significantly among the measurement methods (P < 0.01). Differences in the median stimulus AC/A ratio with high accommodation (4.0 Δ/D for method 1 at distance, 3.7 Δ/D for method 1 at near, and 4.7 Δ/D for method 2) between method 1 at distance and method 2 were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while method 1 at near was not significantly different compared with other methods. Conclusions: Differences in the stimulus AC/A ratio value were significant according to measurement technique and accommodative stimuli. However, differences caused by measurement technique may be reduced by using a high accommodative stimulus during measurements.
Simultaneous quantile inference for non-stationary long-memory time series

We consider the simultaneous or functional inference of time-varying quantile curves for a class of non-stationary long-memory time series. New uniform Bahadur representations and Gaussian approximation schemes are established for a broad class of non-stationary long-memory linear processes. Furthermore, an asymptotic distribution theory is developed for the maxima of a class of non-stationary longmemory Gaussian processes. Using the latter theoretical results, simultaneous confidence bands for the aforementioned quantile curves with asymptotically correct coverage probabilities are constructed.
An Alternative Approach to Overcome the Limitation of HRUs in Analyzing Hydrological Processes Based on Land Use/Cover Change

Since the concept of hydrological response units (HRUs) is used widely in hydrological modeling, the land use change scenarios analysis based on HRU may have direct influence on hydrological processes due to its simplified flow routing and HRU spatial distribution. This paper intends to overcome this issue based on a new analysis approach to explain what impacts for the impact of land use/cover change on hydrological processes (LUCCIHP), and compare whether differences exist between the conventional approach and the improved approach. Therefore, we proposed a sub-basin segmentation approach to obtain more reasonable impact assessment of LUCC scenario by re-discretizing the HRUs and prolonging the flow path in which the LUCC occurs. As a scenario study, the SWAT model is used in the Aksu River Basin, China, to simulate the response of hydrological processes to LUCC over ten years. Moreover, the impacts of LUCC on hydrological processes before and after model modification are compared and analyzed at three levels (catchment scale, sub-basin scale and HRU scale). Comparative analysis of Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (NSE), RSR and Pbias, model simulations before and after model improvement shows that NSE increased by up to 2%, RSR decreased from 0.73 to 0.72, and Pbias decreased from 0.13 to 0.05. The major LUCCs affecting hydrological elements in this basin are related to the degradation of grassland and snow/ice and expansion of farmland and bare land. Model simulations before and after model improvement show that the average variation of flow components in typical sub-basins (surface runoff, lateral flow and groundwater flow) are changed by +11.09%, −4.51%, and −6.58%, and +10.53%, −1.55%, and −8.98% from the base period model scenario, respectively. Moreover, the spatial response of surface runoff at the HRU level reveals clear spatial differences between before and after model improvement. This alternative approach illustrates the potential bias caused by the conventional configuration and offers the possible application.
The effects of arbitrary injection angle and flow conditions on venturi-jet mixer

This paper describes the effect of jet injection angle, cross-flow Reynolds number and velocity ratio on entrainment and mixing of jet with incompressible cross-flow in venturi-jet mixer. Five different jet injection angles 45 o , 60 o , 90 o , 125 o , and 135 o are tested to evaluate the entrainment of jet and mixing performances of the mixer. Tracer concentration along the downstream of the jet injection, cross-flow velocity, jet velocity, and pressure drop across the mixer are determined experimentally to characterise the mixing performance of the mixer. The experiments show that the performance of a venturi-jet-mixer substantially improves at high injection angle and can be augmented still by increasing velocity ratio. The jet deflects much and penetrates less in the cross-flow as the cross-flow Reynolds number is increased. The effect could contribute substantially to the better mixing index with moderate pressure drop. Normalised jet profile, concentration decay, and jet velocity profile are computed from equations of conservation of mass, momentum, and concentration written in natural co-ordinate systems. The comparison between the experimental and numerical results confirms the accuracy of the simulations. Correlations for jet trajectory and entrainment ratio of the mixer are obtained by multivariate-linear regression analysis using power law.
Teaching the Use of Cost-Benefit Reasoning in Everyday Life

Our research shows that people can apply the cost-benefit rules of microeconomic theory to their everyday decisions. Two populations were examined: (a) people who had previously received extensive formal training in the rules and (b) naive subjects who were randomly assigned to receive brief training in the rules. Training affected reasoning and reported behavior in both populations. The results indicate that extremely general rules govern choices across a wide range of domains and that use of the cost-benefit rules can be improved through training.
Sex Differences in HIV Infection: Mystique Versus Machismo

Biological sex is a determinant of both susceptibility to and pathogenesis of multiple infections, including HIV. These differences have effects on the spectrum of HIV disease from acquisition to eradication, with diverse mechanisms including distinct chromosomal complements, variation in microbiota composition, hormonal effects on transcriptional profiles, and expression of different immunoregulatory elements. With a comparative biology approach, these sex differences can be used to highlight protective and detrimental immune activation pathways, to identify strategies for effective prevention, treatment, and curative interventions.
Nutrient Removal Efficiency of Rhizophora mangle (L.) Seedlings Exposed to Experimental Dumping of Municipal Waters

Mangrove forests are conspicuous components of tropical wetlands that sustain continuous exposure to wastewater discharges commonly of municipal origins. Mangroves can remove nutrients from these waters to fulfill their nutrients demand, although the effects of continuous exposure are unknown. An experimental greenhouse imitating tidal regimes was built to measure the efficiency of mangrove seedlings to incorporate nutrients, growth and above biomass production when exposed to three periodic wastewater discharges. The experiment totaled 112 d. Nutrient removal by the exposed group, such as phosphates, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (97%, 98.35%, 71.05%, 56.57% and 64.36%, respectively) was evident up to the second dumping. By the third dumping, all nutrient concentrations increased in the interstitial water, although significant evidence of removal by the plants was not obtained (p > 0.05). Nutrient concentrations in the control group did not change significantly throughout the experiment (p > 0.05). Treated plants increased two-fold in stem girth when compared to the control (p < 0.05), although control plants averaged higher heights (p < 0.05). Biomass of treated group increased up to 45% against 37% of the control during the duration of the experiment (p < 0.05). We suggest that nutrient removal efficiency of mangroves is linked to the maintenance of oxic conditions in the pore-water because of oxygen transference from their aerial to their subterranean radicular system that facilitates the oxidation of reduced nitrogen compounds and plants uptake. Nevertheless, continuous inflows of wastewater would lead to eutrophication, establishment of anoxic conditions in water and soil, and lessening of nutrient absorption of mangroves.
Wide and Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Electricity-Theft Detection to Secure Smart Grids

Electricity theft is harmful to power grids. Integrating information flows with energy flows, smart grids can help to solve the problem of electricity theft owning to the availability of massive data generated from smart grids. The data analysis on the data of smart grids is helpful in detecting electricity theft because of the abnormal electricity consumption pattern of energy thieves. However, the existing methods have poor detection accuracy of electricity theft since most of them were conducted on one-dimensional (1-D) electricity consumption data and failed to capture the periodicity of electricity consumption. In this paper, we originally propose a novel electricity-theft detection method based on wide and deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) model to address the above concerns. In particular, wide and deep CNN model consists of two components: the wide component and the deep CNN component. The deep CNN component can accurately identify the nonperiodicity of electricity theft and the periodicity of normal electricity usage based on 2-D electricity consumption data. Meanwhile, the wide component can capture the global features of 1-D electricity consumption data. As a result, wide and deep CNN model can achieve the excellent performance in electricity-theft detection. Extensive experiments based on realistic dataset show that wide and deep CNN model outperforms other existing methods.