Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthetic high-density lipoproteins for delivery of 10-hydroxycamptothecin

The purpose of this study was to develop a novel synthetic high-density lipoprotein (sHDL) nanoparticle delivery system for 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) for treatment of colon carcinoma. HDL is recognized by scavenger receptor B-I (SR-BI) over-expressed in colon carcinomas 5- to 35-fold relative to the human fibroblasts. The sHDL nanoparticles were composed of apolipoprotein A-I mimic peptide (5A) and contained 0.5%–1.5% (w/w) of HCPT. An optimized HCPT-sHDL formulation exhibited 0.7% HCPT loading with 70% efficiency with an average size of 10–12 nm. Partitioning of HCPT in the sHDL lipid membrane enhanced drug stability in its active lactone form, increased solubilization, and enabled slow release. Cytotoxicity studies in HT29 colon carcinoma cells revealed that the IC50 of HCPT-sHDL was approximately 3-fold lower than that of free HCPT. Pharmacokinetics in rats following intravenous administration showed that the area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC0−t) and Cmax of HCPT-HDL were 2.7- and 6.5-fold higher relative to the values for the free HCPT, respectively. These results suggest that sHDL-based formulations of hydrophobic drugs are useful for future evaluation in treatment of SR-BI-positive tumors.
Mechanical conditioning for controlling excessive elongation in tomato transplants: sensitivity to dose, frequency, and timing of brushing

esculentum, mechanical conditioning, plug production Abstract. During production of plug transplants, the high plant density results in rapid stem elongation as plants compete for light. The resulting tall, weak-stemmed plants are difficult to transplant and are easily damaged. One technique that can prevent excessive elongation is mechanical stimulation by brushing. Wide adoption of brushing is limited by a lack of information on how plants respond to variations in applying the technique. Our investigation examined how tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Oh8245) seedling growth responded to varying doses of mechanical stimulation, varying intervals between brush strokes during stimulation, time of day that stimulation was applied, and growth stage at which application started. Seedlings were grown in 288-cell flats at 2100 plants/m 2 . Daily doses from 0 to 40 brush strokes were applied from canopy closure until the nontreated plants reached a canopy height of 15 cm. The final height was reduced by ≈20% for all brushed treatments, with little further effect with >10 strokes/d. Intervals between strokes as long as 10 minutes resulted in the same reduction in the rate of stem elongation as the same daily dose applied in one continuous treatment. Treatments were similarly effective whether applied in the morning or late afternoon. Treatments begun at a canopy height of 6 (canopy closure), 8, or 10 cm gave similar reductions in the rate of stem elongation. Plants grew 6 mm·d-1 when they were not treated and 3 mm·d -1 when treated. Therefore, the final height was directly related to the number of treatment days. Stimulation appears to be sensed and integrated over at least half an hour and the reduction in the rate of stem elongation expressed over the subsequent daily cycle of growth. All results indicate that there is substantial flexibility in applying brushing for controlling elongation in tomato transplants.
The Effectiveness of Modified Multi-Component Cognitive Strategy Instruction in Expository Text Comprehension of Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities.

Citation: Doğanay Bilgi, A. , & Özmen, E. R. (2018). The effectiveness of modified multi-component cognitive strategy instruction in expository text comprehension of students with mild intellectual disabilities. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 18, 61–84. http://dx.doi. org/10.12738/estp.2018. 1.0021 * This study was prepared using the author’s doctoral dissertation titled “The effectiveness of modified multi-component cognitive strategy instruction in comprehension of expository texts students with mental retardation. ” 1 Correspondence to: Arzu Doğanay Bilgi (PhD), Department of Special Education, Gazi University, Beşevler, Ankara 06500 Turkey. Email: arzudb@gazi.edu. tr 2 Department of Special Education, Gazi University, Beşevler, Ankara 06500 Turkey. Email: ruyaozmen@hotmail.com Abstract This study investigates the effectiveness of Modified Multi-Component Cognitive Strategy Instruction (MMCSI) on expository text comprehension skills of students with mild intellectual disability (ID). Three students participated from inclusion classes of three different secondary schools in Turkey. The study was conducted using a multiple probe design across subjects. Expository text comprehension skills of the students were evaluated by using two different approaches: Reading Comprehension Test and Summary Writing. Comprehension scores of the summaries were assessed according to the following dependent variables: length of the summary, main idea scores, and quality. MMCSI was implemented in four phases: text structure instruction, modeling, guided practice, and independent practice. Study results showed that MMCSI was effective in a) improving the students’ comprehension of descriptive texts, b) maintaining comprehension skills, and c) generalizing these skills to texts with different topic areas and structures.
Analysis of the relations between allergen specific LgG antibody and allergic dermatosis of 14 kinds foods

Abstract To use food-specific IgG antibody detection to explore its application in the allergy dermatoses. 181 patients were included from January 2014 to September 2014. Fourteen food-specific IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA. The positive rates of IgG antibody of the patient group and the healthy group were significantly different. The positive rates of IgG antibody of egg, milk, shrimp and crab took a large proportion in three groups of patients with three kinds of allergy dermatoses of urticaria, eczema and allergic dermatitis, the proportion of which was respectively 70.2%, 77.8% and 71.7%. There was mild and moderate intolerance of food in the allergic dermatitis group while there was no distribution difference of food intolerance in urticaria group and eczema group. Among urticaria and allergic dermatitis patients with positive antibody, the positive rate of children was significantly higher than that of adults while there was no significant difference between children and adults among eczema patients with positive antibody. Allergy dermatoses are closely related to food-specific IgG antibody and the allergy dermatoses patients have a high incidence rate of food intolerance; detecting IgG antibody in patients is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy dermatoses.
A PLANET IN A 0.6 AU ORBIT AROUND THE K0 GIANT HD 102272

We report the discovery of one or more planet-mass companions to the K0-giant HD 102272 with the Hobby–Eberly Telescope. In the absence of any correlation of the observed periodicities with the standard indicators of stellar activity, the observed radial velocity variations are most plausibly explained in terms of a Keplerian motion of at least one planet-mass body around the star. With an estimated stellar mass of 1.9 M☉, the minimum mass of the confirmed planet is 5.9 MJ. The planet's orbit is characterized by a small but nonzero eccentricity e = 0.05 and a semimajor axis of 0.61 AU, which makes it the most compact planet discovered so far around GK spectral type giants. This detection adds to the existing evidence that, as predicted by theory, the minimum size of planetary orbits around intermediate-mass giants is affected by both planet-formation processes and stellar evolution. The currently available evidence of another planet around HD 102272 is insufficient to obtain an unambiguous two-orbit solution.
Customer service chatbots: Anthropomorphism, adoption and word of mouth

Chatbots can be configured to provide customer service. This thesis submits two quantitative studies to support the idea that a chatbot's perceived humanness is important to consumers. Preliminary results suggest that the anthropomorphism of a chatbot leads to increases in adoption and recommendation intent. Furthermore, the source of the anthropomorphic perceptions appears linked to a chatbot's use of specific linguistic stratagems which can be manipulated by practitioners and researchers.
A climate change context for the decline of a foundation tree species in south-western Australia: insights from phylogeography and species distribution modelling.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS A worldwide increase in tree decline and mortality has been linked to climate change and, where these represent foundation species, this can have important implications for ecosystem functions. This study tests a combined approach of phylogeographic analysis and species distribution modelling to provide a climate change context for an observed decline in crown health and an increase in mortality in Eucalyptus wandoo, an endemic tree of south-western Australia. METHODS Phylogeographic analyses were undertaken using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of chloroplast DNA in 26 populations across the species distribution. Parsimony analysis of haplotype relationships was conducted, a haplotype network was prepared, and haplotype and nucleotide diversity were calculated. Species distribution modelling was undertaken using Maxent models based on extant species occurrences and projected to climate models of the last glacial maximum (LGM). KEY RESULTS A structured pattern of diversity was identified, with the presence of two groups that followed a climatic gradient from mesic to semi-arid regions. Most populations were represented by a single haplotype, but many haplotypes were shared among populations, with some having widespread distributions. A putative refugial area with high haplotype diversity was identified at the centre of the species distribution. Species distribution modelling showed high climatic suitability at the LGM and high climatic stability in the central region where higher genetic diversity was found, and low suitability elsewhere, consistent with a pattern of range contraction. CONCLUSIONS Combination of phylogeography and paleo-distribution modelling can provide an evolutionary context for climate-driven tree decline, as both can be used to cross-validate evidence for refugia and contraction under harsh climatic conditions. This approach identified a central refugial area in the test species E. wandoo, with more recent expansion into peripheral areas from where it had contracted at the LGM. This signature of contraction from lower rainfall areas is consistent with current observations of decline on the semi-arid margin of the range, and indicates low capacity to tolerate forecast climatic change. Identification of a paleo-historical context for current tree decline enables conservation interventions to focus on maintaining genetic diversity, which provides the evolutionary potential for adaptation to climate change.
Effects of a Gestational Weight Gain Restriction Program for Obese Pregnant Women: Children's Weight Development during the First Five Years of Life.

BACKGROUND Maternal prepregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) have shown a strong positive association with a higher BMI and risk of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of a GWG restriction program for obese pregnant women on the children's BMI at 5 years of age and weight-for-length/height (WL/H) development from 2 months of age until 5 years of age. METHODS This was a follow-up study of 302 children (137 children in an intervention group and 165 children in a control group) whose mothers participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy. RESULTS BMI at five years of age did not differ between girls and boys in the intervention and control group. The degree of maternal GWG, <7 kg or ≥7 kg, did not affect the offspring's WL/H. Compared with Swedish reference data, just over half of the children in both the intervention and control group had a BMI within the average range, whereas slightly more than one-third of the children had a higher BMI. CONCLUSION Despite a comprehensive gestational intervention program for obese women containing individual weekly visits and opportunity to participate in aqua aerobic classes, there were no differences between BMI or weight development among the offspring at 5 years of age in the intervention and control group.
NMDA Receptors in Hippocampal GABAergic Synapses and Their Role in Nitric Oxide Signaling

GABAergic inhibition plays a central role in the control of pyramidal cell ensemble activities; thus, any signaling mechanism that regulates inhibition is able to fine-tune network patterns. Here, we provide evidence that the retrograde nitric oxide (NO)–cGMP cascade triggered by NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation plays a role in the control of hippocampal GABAergic transmission in mice. GABAergic synapses express neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) postsynaptically and NO receptors (NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase) in the presynaptic terminals. We hypothesized that—similar to glutamatergic synapses—the Ca2+ transients required to activate nNOS were provided by NMDA receptor activation. Indeed, administration of 5 μm NMDA induced a robust nNOS-dependent cGMP production in GABAergic terminals, selectively in the CA1 and CA3c areas. Furthermore, using preembedding, postembedding, and SDS-digested freeze–fracture replica immunogold labeling, we provided quantitative immunocytochemical evidence that NMDAR subunits GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B were present in most somatic GABAergic synapses postsynaptically. These data indicate that NMDARs can modulate hippocampal GABAergic inhibition via NO–cGMP signaling in an activity-dependent manner and that this effect is subregion specific in the mouse hippocampus.
A systematic review on drugs absorption modifications after eradication in Helicobacter pylori positive patients undergoing replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been suggested as a cause of impaired drug absorption. This infection leads to alteration of the gastric acid secretion that may change the conformational characteristics of drugs and their intestinal absorption leading to uncertainties about the dose to administer and the therapeutic results. A systematic review was undertaken to clarify the implications of drug absorption during the administration of replacement therapies. METHODS Electronic databases such as MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library [which includes Cochrane Database of Systematic Review (CDSR), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Database of Abstract of Reviews of Effect (DARE)] were searched. Grey literature databases (e.g. the International clinical trials registry platform, Trials Register, Clinical Trials.gov, Controlled Trials and TrialsCentral), Theses database, Government publication and LILACS database were also searched. No language restriction was applied. RESULTS Infection and altered drug absorption were evaluated in patients under replacement therapies with iron, thyroxin and L-dopa. In all, seven studies included an improvement in drug absorption after eradication and an existing inverse correlation between the grade of gastric inflammation and indices of drug absorption were noticed. CONCLUSION This systematic review confirmed the presence of an interaction between infection and drug absorption of orally administered replacement therapies. Gastric acid reduction and subsequent alteration of drug composition seem to lead this mechanism. Clinicians should be aware of this possible interaction when starting a replacement therapy in patients and when evaluating poor clinical response.
Cubical key generation and encryption algorithm based on hybrid cube's rotation

We propose a new cryptographic algorithm based on combination of hybridization and rotation of cubes. Hybridization was performed using magic cubes with m number of n order magic square for the generating hybrid cubes. The obtained hybrid cube was shuffled via rotation square, which in turn generated from randomly selected magic square. Cubic rotation was performed as same that of simple Rubik's cube shuffling. In general, two phase of rotation was carried out, in which first one involves in the rotation of hybrid cube to generate a key and the second one involves in the rotation of original text to give rise a cipher text. The generated key was in cubical form and cipher text generated from this encryption algorithm is more secure from cryptanalysis.
Estimating severity of illness and disability in Frontotemporal Dementia: Preliminary analysis of the Dementia Disability Rating (DDR).

BACKGROUND Current measures of severity and disability do not stage or track the progression of disability in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) well. We investigated the reliability of the newly developed Dementia Disability Rating (DDR) in the measurement and staging of illness severity in FTD and dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). MATERIAL/ METHODS We studied 48 consecutive patients of the Johns Hopkins FTD and Young-Onset Dementias Clinic, with diagnoses of DAT, FTD, vascular dementia and "other" cognitive disorder (CDNOS). Cases were scored on the CDR and DDR by three trained raters, based on neuropsychiatric examinations performed at first visit and other assessments performed within the preceding year. Consensus ratings were assigned in conference. RESULTS Inter-rater correlations of DDR sum of ranks scores for DAT ranged from 0.88 to 0.91, for FTD 0.89-0.96 and for CDNOS 0.85-0.97. Similar correlations were observed of the CDR sum of rank scores for DAT and FTD. Correlations of DDR summary scores for DAT were 0.67-0.91 and for FTD 0.79-0.91, as compared to CDR data: 0.87-0.92 (p<0.0001) and 0.80-0.93 (p<0.0001) for DAT and FTD respectively. In DAT patients the correlation between CDR and DDR summary scores was higher than in FTD patients, whereas correlations based on sum of ranks scores were high in both groups. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data indicate the DDR measures disability in DAT and FTD, with reliability comparable to the CDR. Convergent validity was demonstrated for the DDR.
Use of chemical modification and mass spectrometry to identify substrate-contacting sites in proteinaceous RNase P, a tRNA processing enzyme

Abstract Among all enzymes in nature, RNase P is unique in that it can use either an RNA- or a protein-based active site for its function: catalyzing cleavage of the 5′-leader from precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNAs). The well-studied catalytic RNase P RNA uses a specificity module to recognize the pre-tRNA and a catalytic module to perform cleavage. Similarly, the recently discovered proteinaceous RNase P (PRORP) possesses two domains – pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) and metallonuclease (NYN) – that are present in some other RNA processing factors. Here, we combined chemical modification of lysines and multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry to identify putative substrate-contacting residues in Arabidopsis thaliana PRORP1 (AtPRORP1), and subsequently validated these candidate sites by site-directed mutagenesis. Using biochemical studies to characterize the wild-type (WT) and mutant derivatives, we found that AtPRORP1 exploits specific lysines strategically positioned at the tips of it's V-shaped arms, in the first PPR motif and in the NYN domain proximal to the catalytic center, to bind and cleave pre-tRNA. Our results confirm that the protein- and RNA-based forms of RNase P have distinct modules for substrate recognition and cleavage, an unanticipated parallel in their mode of action.
Energy-Aware Network Planning for Wireless Cellular System with Inter-Cell Cooperation

In traditional cellular networks, the network planning scheme is imperative for satisfying the coverage and traffic requirement. The rapidly growing number of users in today's cellular networks demands more base stations (BSs) to accommodate the increasing traffic load. The dense deployment results in severe energy consumption, which is often overlooked by existing network planning schemes. In this paper, an energy-aware network planning scheme is proposed to reduce the energy consumption of BSs by leveraging the coverage extension functionality of the inter-cell cooperation. The network planning problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming problem, which is solved with the Lagrangian relaxation method. Numerical results show that the energy efficiency can be enhanced by as much as 20% compared with the non-cooperative scheme without violating the QoS requirement. It is also shown that the proposed scheme is robust to the energy consumption structure of the BSs, and thus can be used with various types of BSs.
Next generation population genetics and phylogeography

Fig. 1 A stylized summary of the phylogeography of North American Lycaeides butterflies. The approximate current distribution of individuals derived from each glacial distribution is shown for the western (yellow), central (blue) and eastern (orange) refugia. The region of overlap and hybridization between the western and central lineages is shown in green. Some Canadian populations might be derived from a fourth refugium (denoted with question marks). Female Lycaeides from each lineage are shown on their larval host plant: Lotus nevadensis (western, photo by James Fordyce), Medicago sativa P E R S P E C T I V E
Exploiting Document Content for Efficient Aggregation of Crowdsourcing Votes

The use of crowdsourcing for document relevance assessment has been found to be a viable alternative to corpus annotation by highly trained experts. The question of quality control is a recurring challenge that is often addressed by aggregating multiple individual assessments of the same topic-document pair from independent workers. In the past, such aggregation schemes have been weighted or filtered by estimates of worker reliability based on a multitude of behavioral features. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach by relying on document information. Inspired by the clustering hypothesis of information retrieval, we assume textually similar documents to show similar degrees of relevance towards a given topic. Following up on this intuition, we propagate crowd-generated relevance judgments to similar documents, effectively smoothing the distribution of relevance labels across the similarity space. Our experiments are based on TREC Crowdsourcing Track data and show that even simple aggregation methods utilizing document similarity information significantly improve over majority voting in terms of accuracy as well as cost efficiency.
Order Free Consistency: Towards a Fully Asynchronous Memory Model

Computer architects are now studying a new generation of multi-core chip architectures that may integrate hundreds of processing cores and memory banks on a single chip employing a shared memory organization. A system may consist of many such chips (nodes) and an increasing demand to support high bandwidth and shared-address space between nodes. Furthermore, the inter-chip and intra-chip interconnections are also fast progressing with optical inter-chip and photonics intra-chip technology promising unprecedented bandwidth as well as multi-channel reordering capabilities. This paper focuses on the following fundamental question: can we have a memory model that is truly asynchronous that is: (1) memory operations can be issued freely from the processors without blocking by any memory based data dependence, and (2) the memory transmissions can travel through the interconnection network freely without worrying that they may arrive at the destination out of order. Furthermore, such a memory model must be realizable: that is, we can define an operational model 1 (hence construct an abstract machine) that can fully explore the above features during program execution. The terms “operational model” and “operational semantics” can be exchangeable in this paper.