Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Production of oncolytic adenovirus and human mesenchymal stem cells in a single‐use, Vertical‐Wheel bioreactor system: Impact of bioreactor design on performance of microcarrier‐based cell culture processes

Anchorage‐dependent cell cultures are used for the production of viruses, viral vectors, and vaccines, as well as for various cell therapies and tissue engineering applications. Most of these applications currently rely on planar technologies for the generation of biological products. However, as new cell therapy product candidates move from clinical trials towards potential commercialization, planar platforms have proven to be inadequate to meet large‐scale manufacturing demand. Therefore, a new scalable platform for culturing anchorage‐dependent cells at high cell volumetric concentrations is urgently needed. One promising solution is to grow cells on microcarriers suspended in single‐use bioreactors. Toward this goal, a novel bioreactor system utilizing an innovative Vertical‐Wheel™ technology was evaluated for its potential to support scalable cell culture process development. Two anchorage‐dependent human cell types were used: human lung carcinoma cells (A549 cell line) and human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). Key hydrodynamic parameters such as power input, mixing time, Kolmogorov length scale, and shear stress were estimated. The performance of Vertical‐Wheel bioreactors (PBS‐VW) was then evaluated for A549 cell growth and oncolytic adenovirus type 5 production as well as for hMSC expansion. Regarding the first cell model, higher cell growth and number of infectious viruses per cell were achieved when compared with stirred tank (ST) bioreactors. For the hMSC model, although higher percentages of proliferative cells could be reached in the PBS‐VW compared with ST bioreactors, no significant differences in the cell volumetric concentration and expansion factor were observed. Noteworthy, the hMSC population generated in the PBS‐VW showed a significantly lower percentage of apoptotic cells as well as reduced levels of HLA‐DR positive cells. Overall, these results showed that process transfer from ST bioreactor to PBS‐VW, and scale‐up was successfully carried out for two different microcarrier‐based cell cultures. Ultimately, the data herein generated demonstrate the potential of Vertical‐Wheel bioreactors as a new scalable biomanufacturing platform for microcarrier‐based cell cultures of complex biopharmaceuticals. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 31:1600–1612, 2015
Field Experiments With a Grooming Switch for OTDM Meshed Networking

Field experiments of 42.7/128.1 Gb/s wavelength-division multiplexed, optical time-division multiplexed (WDM-OTDM) transmultiplexing and all-optical dual-wavelength regeneration at the OTDM rate are presented in this paper. By using the asynchronous retiming scheme, we achieve error-free bufferless data grooming with time-slot interchange capability for OTDM meshed networking. We demonstrate excellent performance from the system, discuss scalability, applicability, and the potential reach of the asynchronous retiming scheme for transparent OTDM-domain interconnection.
Performance analysis of cooperative diversity systems with opportunistic relaying and adaptive transmission

The system performance of the opportunistic relaying technique in amplify-and-forward cooperative systems with adaptive transmission over Rayleigh fading channels is analysed. Two rate-adaptive modulation techniques, continuous-rate and discrete-rate adaptive techniques, are considered. Closed-form expressions are derived for the average spectral efficiency, outage probability and the average bit error rate for two cases: independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) fading links and independent and non-identically distributed (i.ni.d.) links. Using numerical evaluations, the performances of different cases are compared showing the advantages of each adaptive modulation technique in conjunction with the opportunistic relaying in a cooperative communication over both i.i. d. and i.ni. d. fading links.
Research on unit commitment considering battery swapping station and fluctuating wind power

Wind power and Electric Vehicles (EVs) hold a promising future due to their operations is less carbon intensive and have capacity to reduce reliance to fossil fuels. When the amount of wind power and EVs increase, it is necessary to consider their impacts on power system operations and scheduling. In this paper, Battery Swapping Station (BSS) and fluctuating wind power are incorporated in the Unit Commitment (UC) formulation. Firstly, we present a mathematical definition of a battery swapping station. Then, the model is solved using Mixed Integer Quadratic Programming (MIQP). Adopting a 10-unit system as an example, the simulation results show that the charging and discharging of BSSs can reduce the system operating costs and make up for the fluctuation of wind power.
Nomis Solutions Draft : Not for Citation or Distribution Version 7 : Novembrer , 2008 1 Why study the “ history of pricing ” ?

Santayana’s injunction that “Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it,” is often used as a justification for studying the history of some recondite topic. When it comes to the history of pricing, Faulkner’s observation that “The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past” is more appropriate. After all, pricing managers who are ignorant of the history of pricing are in little danger of reverting to barter. However, they may insufficiently appreciate the extent to which the way that prices are set, communicated, negotiated (or not), and evaluated in their markets are the result of history. The pricing activities in a market are not ahistoric and fixed, but are historically determined and dynamic. The way a particular market operates right now is not a snapshot, but a frame in a motion picture. Furthermore, the processes, organization, technologies, and techniques that an organization uses to manage its prices can either enable or hinder its ability to adapt to changing market conditions. At the very least, some familiarity with the history of pricing can engender a healthy appreciation of the potential for future change and the need to be ready for it. This chapter introduces the concept of a pricing modality. By pricing modality, I refer to the way that buyers and sellers interact in order to determine prices in a market. In the terms of Mark Granovetter (1992), prices themselves are an “outcome” while a pricing modality is an “institution”. Depending upon the situation, a pricing modality can either be a particular instance of an economic institution or part of a larger economic institution (e.g. a “market structure”). Some examples of pricing modalities include:
miR-136 targets MIEN1 and involves the metastasis of colon cancer by suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

MIEN1 is a novel oncogene, and it involves tumor progression in various cancer types, including colon cancer. However, the definite molecular mechanisms of MIEN1 in colon cancer progression remain to be completely elucidated. In the present study, bioinformatics prediction showed that miR-136 could be an upstream regulator of MIEN1; a luciferase assay and Western blot assay revealed that miR-136 negatively regulates MIEN1 expression via directly targeting its 3′-untranslated region sequence. Moreover, a functional assay using wound healing and transwell invasion showed that overexpressed miR-136 inhibited cell migration and invasion, and overexpression of MIEN1 partly rescued the above-mentioned effects of miR-136 in colon cancer cells. Additionally, a clinical sample assay showed that miR-136 expression was generally downregulated in colon cancer tissue, which was inversely correlated with MIEN1 expression. Furthermore, we found that miR-136 suppressed the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer. These results suggest that miR-136, as a tumor suppressor, acts in tumor metastasis by suppressing MIEN1 expression in colon cancer, providing a novel target for the treatment of colon cancer.
Polymyxin B Combination Therapy for the Treatment ofCarbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections

Background: Recent studies suggest a mortality benefit in patients with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) who received combination therapy with more than one active in vitro agent. CRKP isolates often preserve susceptibility to polymyxins only; therefore, having two active agents may not be an option. Objective: Evaluate clinical outcomes in CRKP infections who received polymyxin B (PMB) backbone therapy in combination therapy with in vitro active vs. inactive agent(s). Methods: This single center retrospective cohort study evaluated adult patients with CRKP infections who had presumed sepsis syndrome and received PMB combination therapy ≥48 h. Results: Among 170 patients with CRKP infections between 2007 and 2014, 62 patients treated with PMB plus active (n=30) or inactive agent(s) (n=32) were included. Median age was 78 (31-93) years, mAPACHE score was 18 (5-29), 76% of patients required intensive care unit (ICU) stay, 60% had septic shock, and these were comparable between groups. The most common infections were respiratory and bacteremia. Agents most frequently used in combination with PMB were tigecycline (60%) and meropenem (34%). In-hospital mortality was 57%. In patients treated with PMB plus in vitro active vs. inactive agent(s) mortality was 67% vs. 47%, P=0.13; microbiologic failure was 39% vs. 52%, P=0.34 and clinical failure was 57% vs. 44%, P=0.45. In multivariate analysis, ICU stay was associated with 11-fold increase in mortality (odds ratio [OR] 11.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.15 to 62.01, P=0.004) and urinary tract infection was associated with survival ([OR] 0.09; 95% [CI] 0.009 to 0.863, P=0.037). Conclusions: In this study mortality, microbiological and clinical failure was comparable between patients with CRKP infections treated with PMB in combination with in vitro active vs. inactive agent(s).
The complexity of narrowband echo envelopes as a function of fish side-aspect angle

High-frequency, narrowband acoustic signals may contain more information on fish size and orientation than previously thought. Our observations of dual frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) images of fish orientation paired with split-beam echo envelopes helped clarify why metrics such as echo duration have performed better than target strength measurements when predicting salmon lengths at side aspect. Fish orientation has a pronounced effect on the duration and shape of split-beam echo envelopes from large (80 –130 cm) salmon insonified at side aspect. At near-normal aspect angles, echo envelopes are unimodal, symmetrical, and resemble echo envelopes from calibration spheres. With increasing oblique-aspect angle, echo shapes become less symmetrical as the number of peaks increases, and echo duration and amplitude become more variable. Using angle and range coordinates, peaks in an echo envelope can be traced to their origin on a DIDSON image. At oblique-aspect angles, discrete peaks develop that are reflected from regions close to the head and tail. In addition, the distance between peaks increases with increasing aspect angle and is larger than can be explained by swimbladder length.
Reproductive biology of the yellow snapper, Lutjanus argentiventris (Pisces, Lutjanidae), from the Mexican central Pacific

The yellow snapper, Lutjanus argentiventris, is a commercial species along the Pacific coast, yet few studies have been carried out on its reproductive biology. Monthly samplings of the artisanal fishery off the coast of Jalisco, Mexico, were made from 1998 to 2008. Mean total length and weight of analyzed specimens were 32.6 cm (±0.13) and 567.3 g (±9.15), respectively. A total of 945 females (50.3%) and 932 males (49.7%) were collected; the overall sex ratio was 1:0.99. The highest percentages of mature fish were obtained between July and October. The highest gonadosomatic index values (1.46 to 0.81) and highest oocyte diameters were also obtained during that period. For this reason the period from July to October is considered the breeding season of L. argentiventris. This species presented asynchronous ovarian development and seven stages of oocyte development were identified. The testis showed lobular development and in the ripe stage, sperm were observed in the center of the lobes and in the main duct. Mean size at sexual maturity (L50) was 31.6 cm for females and 31.4 cm for males, and there was no significant variation in L50 among years. Due to the long period of study, this information could be used to establish measures for the proper exploitation of the species.
Influence of body mass index and age on the lung function of obese women

Introducao: A obesidade e o envelhecimento podem promover alteracoes na funcao pulmonar. Objetivo: avaliar se a massa corporal, o indice de massa corporal (IMC) e a idade tem influencia sobre a capacidade vital (CV) e o volume expiratorio forcado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) em mulheres. Metodos: Participaram do estudo 81 mulheres, com idade entre 30 e 75 anos, obesas e obesas morbidas, nao fumantes, sedentarias e sem alteracoes pulmonares cronicas. Foram realizadas anamnese, avaliacao antropometrica e espirometrica. A analise estatistica dos dados foi realizada atraves dos testes de correlacao de Pearson e Spearman, adotando um nivel de significância de 5%. Resultados: Pode-se observar que a idade apresentou correlacoes significativas e negativas com a CV e seus componentes: volume de reserva inspiratorio (VRI), volume de reserva expiratorio (VRE) e volume corrente (VC) e tambem com o VEF1. Houve correlacao significativa e positiva da massa corporal com a CV e com o VRI, e correlacao significativa e negativa entre o IMC e o VRE. Conclusao: Com o passar dos anos ocorre declinio da funcao pulmonar. A massa corporal parece exercer maior influencia no VRI, ao passo que com o aumento do IMC ocorre declinio do VRE.
Effects of egg weight on hatchability, chick hatch-weight and subsequent productivity of indigenous venda chickens in polokwane, South Africa

A study was conducted to determine the effect of egg weight on hatchability, chick hatch-weight, mortality and subsequent productivity of indigenous Venda chickens. Three hundred and sixty indigenous Venda chicken eggs were collected for a period of a week and selection was done based on the weight of the eggs. A complete randomized design was used, with four treatment weights, each with 90 eggs. The four treatment weights were as follows: below 49 g, between 50 and 59 g, between 60 and 69 g, and above 70 g. Egg weight was positively and strongly correlated with egg hatchability (r 2 = 0.727) and chick hatch-weight (r 2 = 0.953). Heavier-sized eggs hatched chicks had higher mortality rates. Growth rate and live weight of the chickens were optimized at different egg weights of 56 (r 2 = 0.657) and 60 (r 2 = 0.870) g, respectively, for chickens aged 1 to 7 weeks, and egg weights of 61 g (r 2 = 0.514) and 60 g (r 2 = 0.948), respectively, for chickens aged 8 to 13 weeks. It is concluded that indigenous Venda chicken egg weight affects hatchability, hatch-weight, mortality and subsequent productivity of the chickens. It is concluded that production variables were optimized at different egg weights. This means that the selection of eggs for incubation will depend on the parameter in question. Keywords : Venda chickens, egg weight for optimal productivity, growth, mortality
The transient equations of viscous quantum hydrodynamics

We study the viscous model of quantum hydrodynamics in a bounded domain of space dimension 1, 2, or 3, and in the full one‐dimensional space. This model is a mixed‐order partial differential system with nonlocal and nonlinear terms for the particle density, current density, and electric potential. By a viscous regularization approach, we show existence and uniqueness of local in time solutions. We propose a reformulation as an equation of Schrödinger type, and we prove the inviscid limit. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distributed algorithm for connected Dominating Sets in Wireless Sensor Networks with different transmission ranges

Since there is no fixed infrastructure or centralized management in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), a connected dominating set (CDS) has been proposed as a virtual backbone. The CDS plays a major role in routing, broadcasting, coverage and activity scheduling. The CDS problem has been studied intensively in unit disk graph (UDG), in which each node has the same transmission range. In real world this kind of networks are not necessarily contain nodes with equal transmission range. Recently one research has investigated the CDS problem in disk graph with bidirectional links (DGB), in which nodes have different transmission ranges. This approach has constant Approximation ratio with time and message complexity of O(n2). In this paper, a new distributed algorithm for CDS problem in DGB with constant approximation ratio is introduced which has outstanding time complexity of O(n) and message complexity of O(nlog n).
Valuation of the prepayment option of a perpetual corporate loan

We investigate in this paper a perpetual prepayment option related to a corporate loan. The default intensity of the firm is supposed to follow a CIR process. Two frameworks are discussed: first a constant interest rate and a secondly a multi-regime framework where the interest rate is augmented by a liquidity factor dependent on the regime. The prepayment option needs specific attention as the payoff itself is an implicit function of the parameters of the problem and of the dynamics. We establish in the unique regime case analytic formulas for the payoff of the option; in both cases we give a verification result that allows to compute the price of the option. Numerical results that implement the findings are also presented and are completely consistent with the theory; it is seen that when liquidity parameters are very different (i.e., when a liquidity crisis occur) in the high liquidity cost regime the exercise domain may entirely disappear meaning that it is not optimal for the borrower to prepay during such a liquidity crisis. The method allows to quantify and interpret these findings.
ATTRACTION OF MEXICAN FRUIT FLIES (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) TO  TWO SYNTHETIC LURES: EFFECTS OF WATER AND THERMAL STRESS

Abstract Experiments were conducted in a flight chamber in a controlled-environment greenhouse to determine if thermal and water stress differentially affects attraction of Mexican fruit flies, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), to BioLure MFF 2-component lures and AFF lures. For most combinations of air temperature, water vs. no water in traps, and non-thirsty vs. thirsty flies, responses to traps with BioLures or AFF lures were equal. Generally, higher temperatures, water deprivation of flies, and especially presence of water in traps, increased attraction to both lures. Results indicate that observed greater attractiveness of BioLures compared with AFF lures in Multi-Lure traps in the field is not due to water in traps or thermal stress. Results are consistent with observed greater attractiveness of Multi-Lure traps containing water compared with sticky traps under hot, dry field conditions.
Improving Animal Well-Being Through Genetic Selection 1 , 2

This paper reviews the possibilities of adapting laying hens to cages by means of genetic selection. By selecting separately for rate of lay and longevity using a kin selection method, a strain of laying hen has been developed that shows much less feather pecking and cannibalism than a control strain, and with no decrease in productivity. This experimental strain enjoys a higher level of welfare in cages because it does not require beak trimming. (
Chapter: Rehabilitation and Plasticity

Therapies for effective neurorehabiltiation are in part based on brain mechanism commonly described as neuroplasticity. These therapeutic approaches emphasize the re-learning of functionality that was lost due to the injury through reorganization of neural circuits in the remaining intact tissue. Important elements of these therapies are intensive and repetitive training, motivation and potentially interactive devices (therapy ”robots”) and supportive therapies such as brain stimulation or plasticity inducing medications. Because neuroplasticity-based interventions are complex and multifactorial optimized treatment protocols have to be developed before large clinical trials can provide the evidence of efficacy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000348879 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-84739 Journal Article Accepted Version Originally published at: Luft, A R (2013). Rehabilitation and plasticity. Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience, 32:88-94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000348879 Chapter: Rehabilitation and Plasticity Andreas R. Luft Neurology, University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland
Characterization of Salmonella serovars in comparison with some enterobacteria by SDS-page analysis.

Salmonella bacteria causes a wide variety of disease and disease syndrome in different animals, birds including human beings and remains as a serious problem with public health significance throughout the world. A suitable vaccine or suitable immunogen detection system is not yet still available. However, it is interesting to characterize of a common immunodominant surface protein from a wide variety of Salmonella serovars to get the protective measures of Salmonellosis. Salmonella surface protein characterization could be useful for development of protective measures against Salmonellosis and for analysis of the protein profile relationship among the Salmonella serovars. A common and immunodominant surface protein of Salmonella serovars was critically important. SDS-PAGE analysis during the period of January 2004 to December 2004 showed a target surface protein of 37.81 kDa among the 54 Salmonella serovars in comparison to some enterobactors. The protein profiles in SDS-PAGE of Salmonella serovars were not different among all Salmonella serovars examined in this study. In contrast to the protein band of 37.81 kDa in all serovars of Salmonella were compared and recorded with those of Escherichia coli , Enterobacter aerogenes , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Enterobacter cloacae and were detected as 36.5 kDa. SDS-PAGE analysis showed different size of protein of Salmonella serovars and other tested enterobacters. However, it needs further investigation including Western blotting and 2-D PAGE analysis of the specific band of 37.81 kDa and 36.5 kDa protein. Key words: Salmonella serovars, characterization, SDS-PAGE doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v6i2. 2331 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2008). 6 (2): 169-174 Â Â
Paper Chromatographic Study of Diffusible Auxin' 2

It is difficult to relate extractable auxin directly to the growth of plant tissues. The diffusible auxin, on the other hand, can be correlated with the growth in younger stem tissues (2, 6). The chemical nature of this important substance is poorly characterized. Using paper chromatography Raadts and Soding (5) identified part of the diffusible auxin from the Avena coleoptile tip as IAA and reported the presence of another diffusible auxin (Wanderung auxin). By paper chromatography Shibaoka and Yamaki (9) could not find the Wanderung auxin. They found only IAA. The diffusible auxin from sunflower leaf (8) and Coleus stem tip (7) has been reported to be IAA also by paper chromatography. The present study was undertaken to examine the nature of diffusible auxin in etiolated and green plants, and to determine the effect of light on the diffusible auxin.