Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estrogens Modulate Somatostatin Receptors Expression and Synergize With the Somatostatin Analog Pasireotide in Prostate Cells

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Western society. Current PC therapies prevalently target the functions of androgen receptor (AR) and may only be effective within short time periods, beyond which the majority of PC patients progress to castration-resistant PC (CRPC) and metastatic disease. The role of estradiol/estradiol receptor (ER) axis in prostate transformation and PC progression is well established. Further, considerable efforts have been made to investigate the mechanism by which somatostatin (SST) and somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) influence PC growth and progression. A number of therapeutic strategies, such as the combination of SST analogs with other drugs, show, indeed, strong promise. However, the effect of the combined treatment of SST analogs and estradiol on proliferation, epithelial mesenchyme transition (EMT) and migration of normal- and cancer-derived prostate cells has not been investigated so far. We now report that estradiol plays anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect in non-transformed EPN prostate cells, which express both ERα and ERβ. A weak apoptotic effect is observed in transformed CPEC cells that only express low levels of ERβ. Estradiol increases, mainly through ERα activation, the expression of SSTRs in EPN, but not CPEC cells. As such, the hormone enhances the anti-proliferative effect of the SST analog, pasireotide in EPN, but not CPEC cells. Estradiol does not induce EMT and the motility of EPN cells, while it promotes EMT and migration of CPEC cells. Addition of pasireotide does not significantly modify these responses. Altogether, our results suggest that pasireotide may be used, alone or in combination with other drugs, to limit the growth of prostate proliferative diseases, provided that both ER isoforms (α and β) are present. Further investigations are needed to better define the cross talk between estrogens and SSTRs as well as its role in PC.
Thrombin Contributes to Anti-myeloperoxidase Antibody Positive IgG-Mediated Glomerular Endothelial Cells Activation Through SphK1-S1P-S1PR3 Signaling

Background: Activation of coagulation system plays an important role in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) pathogenesis. Thrombin, generated during coagulation could disrupt endothelial barrier integrity through protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1). Our previous study found that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) contributed to myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA-positive IgG-induced glomerular endothelial cell (GEnC) activation through a S1P receptor (S1PR)-dependent route. In recent years, S1P signaling was reported to be involved in thrombin effects on endothelial cells. This current study investigated whether the interaction between thrombin-PAR and S1P-S1PR signaling contributed to MPO-ANCA-positive IgG-induced GEnC dysfunction. Methods: The effect of thrombin on GEnC activation was analyzed from three aspects. First, morphological alteration of GEnCs was observed. Second, permeability assay was performed to determine GEnC monolayer activation quantitatively. Third, endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels were measured. Expression levels of sphingosine kinases (SphKs) and S1PRs were detected. In addition, antagonists of PAR1 and S1PR3 were employed to determine their roles. Eventually, PAR1 and tissue factor (TF) expression levels as well as TF procoagulant activity were analyzed. Results: Thrombin induced further damage of tight junction, increase in endothelial monolayer permeability as well as upregulation of ET-1 levels in GEnCs stimulated with MPO-ANCA-positive IgG. Blocking PAR1 downregulated ET-1 levels in the supernatants of GEnCs treated by thrombin plus MPO-ANCA-positive IgG. Expression levels of SphK1, S1PR3 increased significantly in GEnCs treated with thrombin plus MPO-ANCA-positive IgG. S1P upregulated PAR1 and TF expression, and enhanced procoagulant activity of TF in MPO-ANCA-positive IgG-stimulated GEnCs. Conclusion: Thrombin synergized with SphK1-S1P-S1PR3 signaling pathway to enhance MPO-ANCA-positive IgG-mediated GEnC activation.
SAKGP: Secure Authentication Key Generation Protocol in WLAN

Wireless LAN is one of the cost effective way to establish local networking as compared to wired network. Although the last decade has seen various sophisticated WLAN routers and devices, but few of them are actually found to be highly resilient against potential attacks on WLAN. Literatures also share evidence that such issues are yet unsolved and call for a serious modeling of issues and testing the security efficiencies. The prime reason behind this is the incapability of the existing security protocols to ensure reliable authentication system. Hence, this study presents a technique that uses the most recent versions of cryptographic hash functions to ensure the bidirectional authentication between the nodes and WLAN router. Finally, the paper discusses about mathematical modeling of the presented security protocol as well as accomplished results are compared with the existing system.
Evaluation of Quality Attribute Variability in Software Product Families

Software product family or line is a software engineering paradigm that systematizes reuse. In software product line engineering, two phases are distinguished: domain engineering which is in charge of developing a common infrastructure and assets and application engineering which makes use of those assets to generate the products. One of the key aspects of product lines is variability and its management. However, the main focus has been on functional variability and quality variability in software product lines has not received so much attention by researchers. In a product line different members of the line may require different levels of a quality requirement, for instance they could differ in terms of their availability, security, reliability, etc. Due to this variability, quality evaluation in software product lines is much more complicated that in single-systems. One alternative is to evaluate all the products of a line but it is very expensive and ways of reducing evaluation efforts are necessary. In this direction, the paper presents a method for facilitating cost-effective quality evaluation of a product line taking into consideration variability on quality attributes.
Malaysian University Students’ Use of Mobile Phones for Study

Mobile technology coupled with Internet accessibility has increased not only how we communicate but also how we might engage in learning. The ubiquity of mobile technology, such as smart phones and pad devices (e.g. iPad), makes it a valuable tool for accessing learning resources on the Internet. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model has been used in previous studies to investigate how different forms of technology have been used and accepted. This paper reports on mobile technology use and acceptance using the UTAUT model as a theoretical framework to examine how a group of Malaysian pre-services teachers’ utilised mobile technology for their learning. The study found that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, attitude toward technology and self efficiently are all significant determinants of behavioural intentions to use mobile devices for learning. The researchers conclude that the result of their study has far-reaching implications for educational providers to understand how students’ use mobile technologies as a key component of their university studies.
Skillful Swimming in Age-Groups Is Determined by Anthropometrics, Biomechanics and Energetics

The aim was to compare the anthropometrics, biomechanics and energetics in young swimmers of different competitive levels. Seventy-five boys aged between 11 and 13 years-old with a broad range of performances were ranked based on their personal best time in the men’s 100m freestyle event and then split-up into three tiers (Tier-1, i.e., top-tier, best performers; Tier-2, mid-tier; Tier-3, lower-tier). A set of anthropometric features was measured (height, body mass, arm span and trunk transverse surface area). Stroke kinematics (speed, stroke length, stroke frequency) was assessed by a Speedo-meter. Swim efficiency was then estimated (stroke index, speed fluctuation, Froude efficiency). Hydrodynamics assessment encompassed the estimation of active drag and drag coefficient by velocity perturbation method and a set of dimensionless numbers (Froude, hull speed, Reynolds). Mechanical power (to overcome drag, transfer of kinetic energy to water, external power) and power input were derived. There was a significant variation with moderate effect sizes in all anthropometric features but the trunk transverse surface area. Tier-1 swimmers were taller, heavier and with longer limbs than remaining counterparts. There were also significant variations in the stroke kinematics with moderate-large effect sizes. Tier-1 swimmers showed higher stroke frequency, stroke length, speed, stroke index and propelling efficiency but lower speed fluctuations. Reynold number, Froude number and hull speed were significantly higher in Tier-1 swimmers, denoting large effect sizes. The mechanical power and power input delivered were significantly higher in tier-1 swimmers, showing moderate effect sizes. As a conclusion, it was noted significant variations, with moderate-large effect sizes, among the three tiers, for the vast majority of the selected variables. The better performances by tier-1 swimmers were related to their anthropometrics, biomechanics and energetics.
An automatic programming system based on modular integrated-concept architecture (MICA)

A description of an automatic program generation system for plant controllers is presented. The proposed method makes it possible to generate the program by expressing the operation procedure document clearly using symbols, blocks with sentences, lines, and signal names and by relating them to program modules which are based on a hierarchical and standard structure. The operation procedure document is monitored in real time with the original document format on a CRT display. <<ETX>>
A Comparison of Logistic Regression, Neural Networks, and Classification Trees Predicting Success of Actuarial Students

The authors extended previous research by 2 of the authors who conducted a study designed to predict the successful completion of students enrolled in an actuarial program. They used logistic regression to determine the probability of an actuarial student graduating in the major or dropping out. They compared the results of this study with those obtained previously, by re-examining the data using neural networks and classification trees, from Enterprise Miner, the SAS data mining package, which can provide a prediction of the dependent variable for all cases in the data set including those with missing values.
A Comparative Analysis of Quadratics Unit in Singaporean, Turkish and IBDP Mathematics Textbooks

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the contents of the chapters on quadratics in three mathematics textbooks selected from Turkey, Singapore, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) through content analysis. The analysis of mathematical content showed that the three textbooks have different approaches and priorities in terms of the positions of chapters and weights of the quadratics units, and the time allocated to them within the respective curricular programs. It was also found that the Turkish textbook covers a greater number of learning outcomes targeted for quadratics among the three mathematics syllabi, showing a detailed treatment of the topic compared to the other two textbooks. Key Words: Content analysis, international comparative studies, mathematics textbooks
Adventure Learning: Transformative hybrid online education

Adventure learning (AL) is a hybrid distance education approach that provides students with opportunities to explore real‐world issues through authentic learning experiences within collaborative learning environments. This article defines this online distance education approach, outlines an AL framework, and showcases an AL archetype. In AL environments, classroom teachers are not positioned in the role of teacher/facilitator/designer in the online learning spaces. AL online spaces are collaborative spaces where students, teachers, subject experts, and AL team members interact with one another; these are community spaces where traditional hierarchical classroom roles are blurred. Students' roles transform due to the flexibility and design of the AL learning environments as they move from student to reflective practitioner, providing for new ways of learning and teaching.
Heuristic search based on Petri net structures for FMS scheduling

A heuristic search method using Petri net structures for flexible manufacturing system (FMS) scheduling is presented. To minimize makespan, an FMS scheduling problem is formulated as finding a firing sequence from the initial state to the final state of a timed Petri net model, such that the sequence reveals the minimal cost. The reachability graph is partially generated and searched. The search process is guided by a heuristic function based on firing count vectors of the state equation, predicting the total cost. Since this heuristic search exploits the linear characteristics of the state equation, which contains sufficient global information, it can efficiently generate a near-optimal or optimal solution. To deal with large systems, the proposed algorithm exploits the concurrency information to reduce the searched state space.
The Effect of Admissions Test Preparation: Evidence from NELS:88

For students planning to apply to a four-year college, scores on standardized admissions tests — the SAT I or ACT — take on a great deal of importance. It may be the quality and quantity of an applicant’s high school coursework that receives the closest scrutiny at the more prestigious institutions, but these are cumulative indicators of performance. Standardized admissions tests, by contrast, are more of a one-shot deal. Such tests are blind to a student’s high school record — instead, they are intended as an independent, objective measure of college “readiness. ” For students with a strong high school record, admissions tests provide a way to confirm their standing. For students with a weaker high school record, admissions tests provide a way to raise their standing. A principal justification for the use of the SAT I and ACT in the admissions process is that such tests are designed to be insensitive to the high school curriculum and to short-term test preparation. If short-term preparatory activities prior to taking the SAT I or ACT can have the effect of significantly boosting the scores of students above those they would have received without the preparation, both the validity and reliability of the tests as indicators of college readiness might be called into question. There is an emerging consensus that particular forms of test preparation have the effect of improving scores on sections of the SAT I for students who take the tests more than once. That such an effect exists is not under dispute. The Are standardized test coaching programs effective?
Design of a Magnetorheological Fluid for an MR Prosthetic Knee Actuator with an Optimal Geometry

The motivation for this study is a magnetorheological (MR) prosthetic knee joint. The MR prosthetic knee is adaptive in real-time via an MR fluid. Problems have been experienced when the prosthetic device is used in demanding situations, like hill-climbing for example. The goal of this project is twofold; to increase the on-state torque output of the prosthetic device and, at the same time, to decrease the off-state torque. To achieve the two goals, a combined MR fluid design approach and an MR actuator design approach is adopted. An MR fluid is designed that is tailored for this specific application. Parallel to the fluid design, an MR rotary brake actuator is designed for the prosthetic knee. The MR fluid design is approached by experimentally evaluating twenty-two potential MR fluid compositions for the proposed device. These fluids are mixed and rated against the design objectives of the prosthetic device. Potential MR fluid compositions include; unimodal MR fluids, with a varying particle size and a variable solid loading, bimodal MR fluids with two grades of micron-sized particles, and bimodal MR fluids with nanoparticles. A fluid figure of merit is defined that is the ratio between the on-state shear yield stress and the off-state viscosity. The fluid with the highest ratio will result in the widest torque range for prosthetic device. The MR actuator design is approached by building torque models of the device and optimizing the models. An off-state and an on-state model are developed where the onstate model is based on a magnetic finite element analysis. Design objectives for the device are: high on-state braking torque, low the off-state rotational stiffness and low weight. Trade-offs between the design objectives are explored with a multi-objective optimization technique. The analysis suggests design improvements that have been realized in a newly built and an enhanced version of the MR prosthetic knee.
Finding Similar Protein Structures Efficiently and Effectively

To assess the similarities and the differences among protein structures, a variety of structure alignment algorithms and programs have been designed and implemented. We introduce a low-resolution approach and a high-resolution approach to evaluate the similarities among protein structures. Our results show that both the low-resolution approach and the high-resolution approach outperform state-of-the-art methods. For the low-resolution approach, we eliminate false positives through the comparison of both local similarity and remote similarity with little compromise in speed. Two kinds of contact libraries (ContactLib) are introduced to fingerprint protein structures effectively and efficiently. Each contact group from the contact library consists of one local or two remote fragments and is represented by a concise vector. These vectors are then indexed and used to calculate a new combined hit-rate score to identify similar protein structures effectively and efficiently. We tested our ContactLibs on the high-quality protein structure subset of SCOP30, which contains 3, 297 protein structures. For each protein structure of the subset, we retrieved its neighbor protein structures from the rest of the subset. The best area under the ROC curve, archived by a ContactLib, is as high as 0.960. This is a significant improvement over 0.747, the best result achieved by the state-of-the-art method, FragBag. For the high-resolution approach, our PROtein STructure Alignment method (PROSTA) relies on and verifies the fact that the optimal protein structure alignment always contains a small subset of aligned residue pairs, called a seed, such that the rotation and translation (ROTRAN), which minimizes the RMSD of the seed, yields both the optimal ROTRAN and the optimal alignment score. Thus, ROTRANs minimizing the RMSDs of small subsets of residues are sampled, and global alignments are calculated directly from the sampled ROTRANs. Moreover, our method incorporates remote information and filters similar ROTRANs (or alignments) by clustering, rather than by an exhaustive method, to overcome the computational inefficiency. Our high-resolution protein structure alignment method, when applied to optimizing the TM-score and the GDT-TS score, produces a significantly better result than state-ofthe-art protein structure alignment methods. Specifically, if the highest TM-score found by
Using Mixed and Hybrid TCP Probe Methods in Forward IP Paths Inference

Traceroute-like method is of foundation for inferring forward IP paths that in succession are often used for generating different level Internet topologies. Based on Paris traceroute method of avoiding traceroute anomalies, this paper examines the practical feasibility of inferring forward IP paths by sending mixed TCP packets with other control bit(s) instead of SYN to a set of well-known websites. We also provide two kinds of novel evaluation metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of probe methods. Finally, we present a novel kind of methods termed as hybrid TCP probe method, for inferring forward IP paths. We hope this case study broadening ways of forward IP path inference.
The particle swarm: social adaptation of knowledge

Particle swarm adaptation is an optimization paradigm that simulates the ability of human societies to process knowledge. The algorithm models the exploration of a problem space by a population of individuals; individuals' successes influence their searches and those of their peers. The algorithm is relevant to cognition, in particular the representation of schematic knowledge in neural networks. Particle swarm optimization successfully optimizes network weights, simulating the adaptive sharing of representations among social collaborators. The paper introduces the algorithm, begins to develop a social science context for it, and explores some aspects of its functioning.
Crafting the Perfect Blend: Student Cognitive Development Theory and Threshold Concepts for Student Success

Now that the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education is finalized and filed, many libraries are working to integrate the goals of the frames into their instruction programs. This paper intends to give readers the tools to do so by approaching the frames as a continuum of student learning across the undergraduate experience. Specifically, we will look at William Perry’s theory on intellectual and ethical development and how it can help us teach framework concepts in a way that will help our students pass through information literacy thresholds.
Cimarron Valley: A Simulation-Based EAP Composition Curriculum

This article discusses the use of a thematically linked set of semester-long simulations in an English for academic purposes composition course. The authors describe the content of the simulations and discuss their effectiveness in addressing some of the key issues in English for academic purposes writing: accessibility of content, comprehension and internalization of source material, and intellectual engagement with the topic.
Fast learning algorithms for neural networks

A generalized criterion for the training of feedforward neural networks is proposed. Depending on the optimization strategy used, this criterion leads to a variety of fast learning algorithms for single-layered as well as multilayered neural networks. The simplest algorithm devised on the basis of this generalized criterion is the fast delta rule algorithm, proposed for the training of single-layered neural networks. The application of a similar optimization strategy to multilayered neural networks in conjunction with the proposed generalized criterion provides the fast backpropagation algorithm. Another set of fast algorithms with better convergence properties is derived on the basis of the same strategy that provided recently a family of Efficient LEarning Algorithms for Neural NEtworks (ELEANNE). Several experiments verify that the fast algorithms developed perform the training of neural networks faster than the corresponding learning algorithms existing in the literature. >
FRAMES multiple access mode 1-wideband TDMA with and without spreading

An evaluation of several multiple access schemes against UMTS criteria has been carried out within the European FRAMES project. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, a harmonised radio interface termed FRAMES multiple access (FMA) has been designed consisting of two operating modes: a wideband TDMA mode with and without spreading (FMA1), and a wideband CDMA mode (FMA2). This paper describes the FMA1 radio access system proposal. The FMA2 proposal is described in Ovesjo et al.