Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Roles of actin networks in peristaltic squeezing of sperm bundles in Bombyx mori

Two types of sperm are produced in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Nucleate eupyrene sperm is an ordinary sperm that contributes to fertilization, while anucleate apyrene sperm is considered to play important roles in assisting eupyrene sperm. At the very late stage of spermatogenesis, a phenomenon called “peristaltic squeezing” occurs in both types of sperm, whereby cytoplasm of the eupyrene and nuclei of the apyrene sperm are discarded from the posterior end, forming matured sperm. In this study, rhodamine‐phalloidin staining for actin was applied to sperm bundles. Before the start of peristaltic squeezing, actin filament networks are spread on the cyst cells and constrictions by the networks appear in several places of the bundles. Actin particles, which are later recognized as circlets, are localized within the bundles. Squeezing action by the networks occurs from the anterior region and transfers toward the posterior, eliminating cytoplasm together with circlets from the posterior end. It seems that actin filaments contribute to the peristaltic squeezing of the sperm bundles in Bombyx mori. J. Morphol. 259:1–6, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Secrecy capacity over correlated log-normal fading channel

This paper is concerned with the study of secrecy capacity for the log-normal fading channel in which the main channel is correlated with the eavesdropper channel. Perfect secrecy is achieved when the transmitter and legitimate receiver can communicate at some positive rate, while insuring that the eavesdropper gets zero bits of information. We consider the full channel state information (CSI) case, where the transmitter has access to both the main channel and eavesdropper channel gains. Under this assumption, we define the secrecy capacity of single-input single-output (SISO) log-normal fading channel and find the optimal power allocation at the transmitter that achieves the secrecy capacity. By analyzing the resulting secrecy capacity, we quantify the loss of secrecy capacity due to the correlation. We also find the closed-form analytical expression for the upper bound of secrecy capacity in terms of correlation coefficient which includes the independent case as a special one. The analysis of upper bound tells how the correlation coefficient and the ratio of main and eavesdropper channel gains affect the secrecy capacity.
Vehicle Navigation and Route Guidance Technologies: Push and Pull Factors Assessment

This study focusses on the development of navigation and route guidance technologies with an emphasis on existing systems, industrial strategies, market approach and human factors considerations. By considering the different situations in the US, Europe, and Japan the report analyzes the conditions under which one reasonably could assume a wide spread of these technologies with social and individual benefits.
A polymorphism of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene is a risk factor for multiple lacunar infarcts in Japanese men: the Takahata Study

The objective of the present study was to examine the association between a polymorphism of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene and lacunar infarcts of the brain. We conducted a population‐based, cross‐sectional study on residents from two age groups (61‐ and 72‐year olds). A total of 376 subjects participated in the study, which included brain magnetic resonance image and genetic analysis of the ALDH2 gene. Of the 61‐ and 72‐year‐old subjects, 46.4% and 64.3%, respectively, had one or more lacunar infarcts. The average number of infarcts also increased from 2.0 to 2.8 in men and from 2.3 to 3.5 in women. No significant association between the ALDH2 genotype and the presence of lacunar infarction (≥1) was found. However, in subjects with lacunar infarction, the genotype of ALDH2 *1/*1 was associated with a larger number of the lesion [‘single’ versus ‘multiple’ odds ratio (OR) 3.73, 95%CI: 1.43–9.74] in men. The OR was comparable even after adjusting for alcohol consumption, tobacco habits, age, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 3.88; 95% CI: 1.10–13.66). In women, there was no significant association between the ALDH2 genotypes and lacunar infarcts. The present study revealed that the ALDH2 *1/*1 genotype was significantly associated with the prevalence of multiple lacunar infarcts in Japanese men.
Online Clustering of Bandits

We introduce a novel algorithmic approach to content recommendation based on adaptive clustering of exploration-exploitation "bandit") strategies. We provide a sharp regret analysis of this algorithm in a standard stochastic noise setting, demonstrate its scalability properties, and prove its effectiveness on a number of artificial and real-world datasets. Our experiments show a significant increase in prediction performance over state-of-the-art methods for bandit problems.
Deep Joint Face Hallucination and Recognition

Deep models have achieved impressive performance for face hallucination tasks. However, we observe that directly feeding the hallucinated facial images into recog- nition models can even degrade the recognition performance despite the much better visualization quality. In this paper, we address this problem by jointly learning a deep model for two tasks, i.e. face hallucination and recognition. In particular, we design an end-to-end deep convolution network with hallucination sub-network cascaded by recognition sub-network. The recognition sub- network are responsible for producing discriminative feature representations using the hallucinated images as inputs generated by hallucination sub-network. During training, we feed LR facial images into the network and optimize the parameters by minimizing two loss items, i.e. 1) face hallucination loss measured by the pixel wise difference between the ground truth HR images and network-generated images; and 2) verification loss which is measured by the classification error and intra-class distance. We extensively evaluate our method on LFW and YTF datasets. The experimental results show that our method can achieve recognition accuracy 97.95% on 4x down-sampled LFW testing set, outperforming the accuracy 96.35% of conventional face recognition model. And on the more challenging YTF dataset, we achieve recognition accuracy 90.65%, a margin over the recognition accuracy 89.45% obtained by conventional face recognition model on the 4x down-sampled version.
Evidence for tubulin-binding sites on cellular membranes: plasma membranes, mitochondrial membranes, and secretory granule membranes

We describe the interaction of pure brain tubulin with purified membranes specialized in different cell functions, i.e., plasma membranes and mitochondrial membranes from liver and secretory granule membranes from adrenal medulla. We studied the tubulin-binding activity of cellular membranes using a radiolabeled ligand-receptor assay and an antibody retention assay. The tubulin-membrane interaction was time- and temperature-dependent, reversible, specific, and saturable. The binding of tubulin to membranes appears to be specific since acidic proteins such as serum albumin or actin did not interfere in the binding process. The apparent overall affinity constant of the tubulin- membrane interaction ranged between 1.5 and 3.0 X 10(7) M-1; similar values were obtained for the three types of membranes. Tubulin bound to membranes was not entrapped into vesicles since it reacted quantitatively with antitubulin antibodies. At saturation of the tubulin-binding sites, the amount of reversibly bound tubulin represents 5-10% by weight of membrane protein (0.4-0.9 nmol tubulin/mg membrane protein). The high tubulin-binding capacity of membranes seems to be inconsistent with a 1:1 stoichiometry between tubulin and a membrane component but could be relevant to a kind of tubulin assembly. Indeed, tubulin-membrane interaction had some properties in common with microtubule formation: (a) the association of tubulin to membranes increased with the temperature, whereas the dissociation of tubulin- membrane complexes increased by decreasing temperature; (b) the binding of tubulin to membranes was prevented by phosphate buffer. However, the tubulin-membrane interaction differed from tubulin polymerization in several aspects: (a) it occurred at concentrations far below the critical concentration for polymerization; (b) it was not inhibited at low ionic strength and (c) it was colchicine-insensitive. Plasma membranes, mitochondrial membranes, and secretory granule membranes contained tubulin as an integral component. This was demonstrated on intact membrane and on Nonidet P-40 solubilized membrane protein using antitubulin antibodies in antibody retention and radioimmune assays. Membrane tubulin content varied from 2.2 to 4.4 micrograms/mg protein. The involvement of membrane tubulin in tubulin-membrane interactions remains questionable since erythrocyte membranes devoid of membrane tubulin exhibited a low (one-tenth of that of rat liver plasma membranes) but significant tubulin-binding activity. These results show that membranes specialized in different cell functions possess high- affinity, large-capacity tubulin-binding sites.
Birth Weight, Childhood Body Mass Index and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Adults: Combined Historical Cohort Studies

Background Low birth weight and high childhood body mass index (BMI) is each associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in adult life. We studied individual and combined associations of birth weight and childhood BMI with the risk of CHD in adulthood. Methods/Principal Findings Birth weight and BMI at age seven years were available in 216,771 Danish and Finnish individuals born 1924–1976. Linkage to national registers for hospitalization and causes of death identified 8,805 CHD events during up to 33 years of follow-up (median = 24 years) after age 25 years. Analyses were conducted with Cox regression based on restricted cubic splines. Using median birth weight of 3.4 kg as reference, a non-linear relation between birth weight and CHD was found. It was not significantly different between cohorts, or between men and women, nor was the association altered by childhood BMI. For birth weights below 3.4 kg, the risk of CHD increased linearly and reached 1.28 (95% confidence limits: 1.13 to 1.44) at 2 kg. Above 3.4 kg the association weakened, and from about 4 kg there was virtually no association. BMI at age seven years was strongly positively associated with the risk of CHD and the relation was not altered by birth weight. The excess risk in individuals with a birth weight of 2.5 kg and a BMI of 17.7 kg/m2 at age seven years was 44% (95% CI: 30% to 59%) compared with individuals with median values of birth weight (3.4 kg) and BMI (15.3 kg/m2). Conclusions/Significance Birth weight and BMI at age seven years appeared independently associated with the risk of CHD in adulthood. From a public health perspective we suggest that particular attention should be paid to children with a birth weight below the average in combination with excess relative weight in childhood.
Distribution of a Y1 receptor mRNA in the brain of two lamprey species, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) and the river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis)

The neuropeptide Y system consists of several neuropeptides acting through a broad number of receptor subtypes, the NPY family of receptors. NPY receptors are divided into three subfamilies (Y1, Y2, and Y5) that display a complex evolutionary history due to local and large‐scale gene duplication events and gene losses. Lampreys emerged from a basal branch of the tree of vertebrates and they are in a key position to shed light on the evolutionary history of the NPY system. One member of the Y1 subfamily has been reported in agnathans, but the phylogenetic tree of the Y1 subfamily is not yet clear. We cloned the sequences of the Y1‐subtype receptor of Petromyzon marinus and Lampetra fluviatilis to study the expression pattern of this receptor in lampreys by in situ hybridization and to analyze the phylogeny of the Y1‐subfamily receptors in vertebrates. The phylogenetic study showed that the Y1 receptor of lampreys is basal to the Y1/6 branch of the Y1‐subfamily receptors. In situ hybridization showed that the Y1 receptor is widely expressed throughout the brain of lampreys, with some regions showing numerous positive neurons, as well as the presence of numerous cerebrospinal fluid–contacting cells in the spinal cord. This broad distribution of the lamprey Y1 receptor is more similar to that found in other vertebrates for the Y1 receptor than that of the other members of the Y1 subfamily: Y4, Y8, and Y6 receptors. Both phylogenetic relationship and expression pattern suggest that this receptor is a Y1 receptor. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:426–447, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Stability of Point-mass Hoppers with Varying Morphology and Minimal Feedback

In this paper we examine the stability of a class of simple three-dimensional point-mass hoppers, which have minimal feedback. These hoppers, with varying leg numbers, are representative of both animal and robotic runners: singlestance-leg runners such as humans, birds, and some monopod robots; double-stance-leg hoppers such as kangaroos; and triplestance-leg runners like the cockroach or the robot RHex. These models have minimal feedback: only liftoff and touchdown events are sensed and, during flight phases, legs are positioned in a predetermined manner for the ensuing touchdown. Only one model, that corresponding to cockroach running, is actuated, and then only in a feedforward fashion. The remaining hopper models form a subset of energy conserving, piecewise-holonomic point-mass models for running. Categorically, we show that the model for single-stance-leg runners is unstable; whereas the double-stance-leg and triple-stance-leg hopper models are stable. We abstract three ideas that warrant further study: 1) runners with multiple splayed legs are naturally more stable since they can produce sufficient corrective forces in all directions to perturbations. However, 2) In some systems with specialized hip joints, passive reactions to perturbations generated at the hip can be stabilizing. This scenario may be present in RHex. Finally, 3) A RHex and cockroach version of the three-stance-leg model are fundamentally different in how their individual legs act to produce net body forces, which affects their respective stability properties.
Understanding the link between malaria risk and climate

The incubation period for malaria parasites within the mosquito is exquisitely temperature-sensitive, so that temperature is a major determinant of malaria risk. Epidemiological models are increasingly used to guide allocation of disease control resources and to assess the likely impact of climate change on global malaria burdens. Temperature-based malaria transmission is generally incorporated into these models using mean monthly temperatures, yet temperatures fluctuate throughout the diurnal cycle. Here we use a thermodynamic malaria development model to demonstrate that temperature fluctuation can substantially alter the incubation period of the parasite, and hence malaria transmission rates. We find that, in general, temperature fluctuation reduces the impact of increases in mean temperature. Diurnal temperature fluctuation around means >21°C slows parasite development compared with constant temperatures, whereas fluctuation around <21°C speeds development. Consequently, models which ignore diurnal variation overestimate malaria risk in warmer environments and underestimate risk in cooler environments. To illustrate the implications further, we explore the influence of diurnal temperature fluctuation on malaria transmission at a site in the Kenyan Highlands. Based on local meteorological data, we find that the annual epidemics of malaria at this site cannot be explained without invoking the influence of diurnal temperature fluctuation. Moreover, while temperature fluctuation reduces the relative influence of a subtle warming trend apparent over the last 20 years, it nonetheless makes the effects biologically more significant. Such effects of short-term temperature fluctuations have not previously been considered but are central to understanding current malaria transmission and the consequences of climate change.
Ramipril retards development of aortic valve stenosis in a rabbit model: mechanistic considerations

Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. To date, no therapeutic modality has been shown to be effective in retarding AVS progression. We evaluated the effect of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibition with ramipril on disease progression in a recently developed rabbit model of AVS.
Modulation of Lymphocyte Regulation for Cancer Therapy: A Phase II Trial of Tremelimumab in Advanced Gastric and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Purpose: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4), a key negative regulator of T-cell activation, is targeted by the antibody tremelimumab to release potentially useful antitumor activity. Experimental Design: This phase II trial investigated tremelimumab as a second-line treatment for patients with metastatic gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas. Tremelimumab was given every 3 months until symptomatic disease progression. Safety, clinical efficacy, and immunologic activity were evaluated. Results: Eighteen patients received tremelimumab. Most drug-related toxicity was mild; however, there was a single death due to bowel perforation that complicated colitis. Four patients had stable disease with clinical benefit; one patient achieved a partial response after eight cycles (25.4 months) and remains well on study at 32.7 months. Markers of regulatory phenotype, forkhead box protein 3 and CTLA4, doubled transiently in CD4+CD25high lymphocytes in the first month after tremelimumab before returning to baseline. In contrast, CTLA4 increased in CD4+CD25low/negative lymphocytes throughout the cycle of treatment. De novo proliferative responses to tumor-associated antigens 5T4 (8 of 18 patients) and carcinoembryonic antigen (5 of 13) were detected. Patients with a posttreatment carcinoembryonic antigen proliferative response had median survival of 17.1 months compared with 4.7 months for nonresponders (P = 0.004). Baseline interleukin-2 release after T-cell activation was higher in patients with clinical benefit and toxicity. Conclusion: Despite the disappointing response rate of tremelimumab, one patient had a remarkably durable benefit for this poor-prognosis disease. In vitro evidence of enhanced proliferative responses to relevant tumor-associated antigens suggests that combining CTLA4 blockade with antigen-targeted therapy may warrant further investigation. Clin Cancer Res; 16(5); 1662–72
The Architecture and Characteristics of Wireless Sensor Network

As a novel information acquiring and processing technology, WSN (wireless sensor network) is made by the convergence of sensor, micro-electro-mechanism system and networks technologies. WSN consist of small nodes with sensing, computation and wireless communication capabilities. Various architectures have been developed for WSN, depending upon the requirement of application. WSN are used in different applications e.g. environmental monitoring, habitat monitoring, home automation, military application etc. In this paper we present the architecture and characteristics of WSN. As viewed from the existing work, the hot spots recent representative routing protocols are analyzed, and their characteristics and application areas are compared. Finally, the future research issues in this area are pointed out.
Family history of myopia is not related to the final amount of refractive error in low and moderate myopia

Background: Previous research has found an association between family history and presence of myopia. It is possible that family history also could be related to the final amount of refractive error developed. If that were true, then family history of myopia could have predictive value for the amount of refractive error a child or young adult would develop after first lens prescription.
VeriPlace: a privacy-aware location proof architecture

Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of location-based services, with services like Foursquare or Yelp having hundreds of thousands of users. A user's location is a crucial factor for enabling these services. Many services rely on users to correctly report their location. However, if there is an incentive, users might lie about their location. A location proof architecture enables users to collect proofs for being at a location and services to validate these proofs. It is essential that this proof collection and validation does not violate user privacy. We introduce VeriPlace, a location proof architecture with user privacy as a key design component. In addition, VeriPlace can detect cheating users who collect proofs for places where they are not located. We also present an implementation and a performance evaluation of VeriPlace and its integration with Yelp.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of the Interaction of Proteins and Nanoparticles with Biological Membranes

Biomolecular processes related to the interaction of proteins, AuNPs and biological membranes are studied in this thesis. In particular, computational methods were developed, implemented and validated. To characterize the influence of antimicrobial peptides and AuNPs on a membrane, black lipid bilayer experiments were performed. To understand interactions of certain AuNPs with the hERG ion channel, complex formation between these two was studied using atomistic simulations.
[Otosclerosis surgical techniques and results in 150 patients].

OBJECTIVES To analyze outcome after otosclerosis surgery with stamedeotomy with blood clot sealing. PATIENTS AND METHODS Otosclerosis surgery was performed in 150 adult patients between 1997 and 1999 by five surgical teams (70% of the procedures were performed by senior surgeons) and followed for 18 months. Stapedotomy was carried out under general anesthesia with an intrameatal approach in 96% of the cases. Stapedotomy (n=120, 80%) was performed with a drill in 141 cases and by laser in 9 (6%). Ninety percent of the Teflon prostheses had a 0.4 mm diameter and a 4.5 mm length. The footplate opening was sealed with blood clots. Venous interposition (n=30, 20%) was performed in the event of partial or total stapedectomy which occurred in spite of an initial stapedotomy attempt. RESULTS The preoperative air-bone gap (ABG) was 32 +/- 10.3 dB. The gain in air conduction was 25 +/- 11.7 dB with 75% of the patients having more than 15 dB gain. The ABG was 10 +/- 5.4 dB with 73% of the patients having less than 5 dB gain. The interaural difference was 0.5 +/- 14.1 dB and the bone conduction (BC) variation was 1 +/- 7.5 dB. Functional failures were related to significant intralabyrinthine bleeding and revision procedure. The following factors had not effect on outcome: i) stapedotomy versus partial or total stapedectomy, footplate opening sealed by clots or vein, ii) diameter of the stapedotomy and/or the prosthesis, iii) surgical procedure performed by a junior surgeon. CONCLUSION Sealing the stapedotomy opening with blood clots appears to provide reliable and reproducible functional outcome that remains stable over time. In this study, changing from partial to total stapedectomy with vein interposition did not modify the functional outcome.