Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Source and destination mobility effects on a bridge environment: results from a MANET testbed

In Mobile Ad-hoc Networks MANETs, nodes create a temporary network by cooperating in an autonomous way, and forwarding packets for each other, while moving usually in a random or unpredictable way. MANETs are attracting attention for their potential use in several fields such as collaborative computing and disaster recovery environments. Considering mobility of the terminals, the routes change more dynamically and routing becomes a key process for operation of MANETs. In this paper, we analyse the performance of Better Approach to Mobile Ad-hoc Networks BATMAN routing protocol in a bridge environment regarding throughput, delay, jitter and packetloss metrics. We consider mobility and vertical communication and implement three scenarios of node movement. According to the experimental results, when source node is moving the performance is better than when destination node is moving.
The P2X7 Receptor and Pannexin-1 Are Both Required for the Promotion of Multinucleated Macrophages by the Inflammatory Cytokine GM-CSF

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), an ATP-gated ion channel, has been implicated in the process of cell-to-cell fusion into multinucleated macrophages (MA), but its contribution to MA fusion driven by physiological/pathological stimuli is not clearly established. Based on several lines of evidence, we demonstrate that P2X7R is critical for the induction of multinucleated MA by the inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF: 1) pharmacological inhibition of P2X7R with oxidized ATP (oATP), KN-62, and the selective antagonist A740003 abrogated GM-CSF action on rat alveolar MA and murine peritoneal MA; 2) a murine J774 P2X7 low MA clone, selected for defective P2X7R function, was unresponsive; 3) MA from mice lacking P2X7R failed to respond to GM-CSF, in contrast to wild-type. GM-CSF also stimulated ATP-induced membrane permeabilization in J774 P2X7 high MA and rat alveolar MA, an effect absent in the P2X7 low MA clone and inhibited by the P2X7 blockers oATP and KN-62. Notably, the stimulatory effects of GM-CSF on pore formation and MA fusion were both inhibited by blocking functional Pannexin-1 (Panx-1), and GM-CSF failed to stimulate MA fusion in cells from Panx-1 knockout mice. We provide further evidence that extracellular ATP release from peritoneal MA is dependent on P2X7 but not on Panx-1 expression and that its metabolism to adenosine mediates P2X7-dependent MA fusion. These data demonstrate that both P2X7 and Panx-1 are required for GM-CSF promotion of MA fusion but likely act independently through different signaling pathway(s).
A Statistical Model to Estimate an Upper Bound on the Probability of Failure of a System Installed on an Irradiated Vehicle

This paper presents a risk assessment model suitable for predicting an upper bound on the probability of failure of an electronic system installed inside a vehicle that is irradiated externally or internally. Only limited information on the immunity of the device and associated cabling is required. As an example, the model is used to demonstrate an upper bound on the probability of failure of a system due to irradiation from digital audio broadcast transmitters in the U.K. The failure probability is found to be highly dependent on the clearance distance above the vehicle chassis of wire looms attached to the system, and to the accuracy with which the electric field is measured during an immunity test for the system/cable combination. The failure probability predicted by the risk assessment model is consistent with common observations of a log-normal distribution in the terminating power of receiving cables inside an irradiated vehicle or reverberation chamber.
Client–vendor knowledge transfer in IS offshore outsourcing: insights from a survey of Indian software engineers

We use knowledge‐based theory to develop and test a model of client–vendor knowledge transfer at the level of the individual offshore information systems engineer. We define knowledge transfer in this context in terms of mechanisms by which an offshore engineer employed by a vendor can (a) gain understanding of their onshore client; and (b) utilize their knowledge for the benefit of the client. Over large geographic, cultural and institutional distances, effective knowledge transfer is difficult to achieve, although it is central to the success of many offshore outsourcing contracts. Our empirical test consists of a survey of vendor software engineers physically located in India but working on development projects for clients in Europe and the United States. The findings support predictions regarding engineer exposure to explicit and tacit knowledge: We find client–vendor knowledge transfer to the offshore vendor engineer to be positively associated with formal training and client embedment. We also test whether an offshore vendor engineer's inappropriate reliance on informal discussions in the offshore location hinders effective client–vendor knowledge transfer. Our result for this is mixed. Finally, we show differences between offshore engineers who have had previous onshore experience and those who have not. Client embedment is a potent driver of knowledge transfer when the offshore engineer has had previous onshore placement, while it acts to reduce inappropriate reliance on informal discussions for those that have not had an onshore placement.
Channel-forming solvates of 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine and its solvent-free tautomer 6-chloro-5-hydroxy-2-pyridone.

On crystallization from CHCl3, CCl4, CH2ClCH2Cl and CHCl2CHCl2, 6-chloro-5-hydroxy-2-pyridone, C5H4ClNO2, (I), undergoes a tautomeric rearrangement to 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine, (II). The resulting crystals, viz. 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine chloroform 0.125-solvate, C5H4ClNO(2). 0.125CHCl3, (IIa), 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine carbon tetrachloride 0.125-solvate, C5H4ClNO(2). 0.125CCl4, (IIb), 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine 1,2-dichloroethane solvate, C5H4ClNO2.C2H4Cl2, (IIc), and 6-chloro-2,5-dihydroxypyridine 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane solvate, C5H4ClNO2.C2H2Cl4, (IId), have I4(1)/a symmetry, and incorporate extensively disordered solvent in channels that run the length of the c axis. Upon gentle heating to 378 K in vacuo, these crystals sublime to form solvent-free crystals with P2(1)/n symmetry that are exclusively the pyridone tautomer, (I). In these sublimed pyridone crystals, inversion-related molecules form R(2)(2)(8) dimers via pairs of N-H.O hydrogen bonds. The dimers are linked by O-H.O hydrogen bonds into R(4)(6)(28) motifs, which join to form pleated sheets that stack along the a axis. In the channel-containing pyridine solvate crystals, viz. (IIa)-(IId), two independent host molecules form an R(2)(2)(8) dimer via a pair of O-H.N hydrogen bonds. One molecule is further linked by O-H.O hydrogen bonds to two 4(1) screw-related equivalents to form a helical motif parallel to the c axis. The other independent molecule is O-H.O hydrogen bonded to two 4 related equivalents to form tetrameric R(4)(4)(28) rings. The dimers are pi-pi stacked with inversion-related dimers, which in turn stack the R(4)(4)(28) rings along c to form continuous solvent-accessible channels. CHCl3, CCl4, CH2ClCH2Cl and CHCl2CHCl2 solvent molecules are able to occupy these channels but are disordered by virtue of the 4 site symmetry within the channels.
Reevaluation of the cellular immune response in breast cancer patients vaccinated with MUC1

Conjugation of antigens to a carrier protein like keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) has proven effective in clinical trials for inducing antibodies against selected tumor antigens. The impact of this approach on T‐cell immunity has not been previously tested. We utilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained at leukapheresis from 6 breast cancer patients vaccinated 4 times each with a 106‐amino acid‐long MUC1 peptide conjugated with KLH plus immune adjuvant QS‐21. Proliferation after 6 days of in vitro culture and an interferon gamma ELISPOT assay with and without 6 days of in vitro sensitization with the immunizing antigen were used. Parallel experiments employed the use of the cytokine IL2. Our results indicate that despite a high response to KLH in all patients with precursor frequencies as high as 1/120 peripheral blood lymphocytes and augmentation of proliferation in excess of 200‐fold after vaccination, the T‐cell response against MUC1 peptide was minimal and inconsistent. The strength and consistency of the vaccine‐induced T‐cell response against KLH in these patients excludes general immune incompetence and assay insensitivity or inconsistency as explanations for the weak and inconsistent response against MUC1. We conclude that for any report of augmented T‐cell responses against MUC1 to be convincing, one or more postimmunization blood samples will be needed to demonstrate augmented MUC1‐specific immunity consistently on multiple occasions. Assuming this criteria, convincing induction of T‐cell immunity against MUC1 by vaccination has yet to be described. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Endothelin‐1 induces proliferation of human lung fibroblasts and IL‐11 secretion through an ETA receptor‐dependent activation of map kinases

Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is implicated in the fibrotic responses characterizing interstitial lung diseases, as well as in the airway remodeling process occurring in asthma. Within such a context, the aim of our study was to investigate, in primary cultures of normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs), the ET‐1 receptor subtypes, and the intracellular signal transduction pathways involved in the proliferative effects of this peptide. Therefore, cells were exposed to ET‐1 in the presence or absence of an overnight pre‐treatment with either ETA or ETB selective receptor antagonists. After cell lysis, immunoblotting was performed using monoclonal antibodies against the phosphorylated, active forms of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK). ET‐1 induced a significant increase in MAPK phosphorylation pattern, and also stimulated fibroblast proliferation and IL‐6/IL‐11 release into cell culture supernatants. All these effects were inhibited by the selective ETA antagonist BQ‐123, but not by the specific ETB antagonist BQ‐788. The stimulatory influence of ET‐1 on IL‐11, but not on IL‐6 secretion, was prevented by MAPK inhibitors. Therefore, such results suggest that in human lung fibroblasts ET‐1 exerts a profibrogenic action via an ETA receptor‐dependent, MAPK‐mediated induction of IL‐11 release and cell proliferation. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prognostic value of histological subtype in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas

Abstract We sought to retrospectively analyze the outcomes of patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) at our pancreatic surgery center, and to evaluate the prognostic value of histological subtype. The clinical data of 121 IPMNs treated in our center between 2005 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Pathological slides were thoroughly reviewed by 2 specialized pathologists. Of the 121 patients, 48, 57, and 16 had main-duct, branch-duct, and mixed type IPMNs, respectively. Forty-one patients had invasive IPMNs. Histological subtypes consisted of 35 intestinal (28.9%), 56 gastric (46.3%), 29 pancreatobiliary (24.0%), and 1 oncocytic type (0.8%). Histological subtype was associated with radiological type, T stage, and degree of dysplasia (P < .05). No significant difference in overall survival was observed among the 4 histological subtypes, regardless of whether we considered all IPMNs (P = .106), or invasive IPMNs only (P = .828). However, the overall survival was associated with radiological type, T stage, degree of dysplasia, lymph-node status, and nerve invasion. For invasive IPMNs, the overall survival was associated with nerve invasion and lymph-node status; however, the association between nerve invasion and overall survival lost statistical significance after multivariate analysis. Histological subtype had limited prognostic value in patients with IPMNs, and the main prognostic factor for patients with invasive IPMNs was the lymph-node status.
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl acetate fraction of Polygonum cuspidatum in experimental animals

Polygonum cuspidatum (PC) has been used for the treatment of arthritis and urinary diseases in traditional medicine. Despite recent evidence that PC has anti-oxidant, anti-tumoral, and anti-inflammatory effects, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of PC have not been elucidated yet in vivo. Thus, in the present study, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl acetate extract of PC (EAPC) were investigated in vivo for the first time. Hot plate test and tail-flick test revealed that EAPC at 200 mg/kg exerts analgesic effect (p < 0.05). In contrast, EAPC did not show significant analgesic effect in acetic acid–induced writhing test. Serotonin-induced paw edema model and Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA)–induced adjuvant arthritis model were used to examine anti-inflammatory effect of EAPC in vivo. In serotonin-induced paw edema model, EAPC suppressed swelling inflammatory response within 12 min after serotonin injection, at both 100- and 200-mg/kg dose (p < 0.05). Consistently, in FCA-induced adjuvant arthritis model, FCA at 200 mg/kg significantly suppressed FCA-induced joint swelling within 3 days (p < 0.05), whereas FCA at 100 mg/kg showed the similar result within 5 days (p < 0.05). Furthermore, EAPC effectively inhibited positive responses of c-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor compared to untreated control. Taken together, our findings suggest that EAPC can be a potent candidate for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Transcriptomic profiling of astrocytes treated with the Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil reveals cytoskeletal and pro‐survival responses

Inhibitors of Rho kinase (ROCK) have potential for management of neurological disorders by inhibition of glial scarring. Since astrocytes play key roles in brain physiology and pathology, we determined changes in the astrocytic transcriptome produced by the ROCK inhibitor Fasudil to obtain mechanistic insights into its beneficial action during brain injury. Cultured murine astrocytes were treated with Fasudil (100 µM) and morphological analyses revealed rapid stellation by 1 h and time‐dependent (2–24 h) dissipation of F‐actin‐labelled stress fibres. Microarray analyses were performed on RNA and the time‐course of global gene profiling (2, 6, 12 and 24 h) provided a comprehensive description of transcriptomic changes. Hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed genes and analysis for over‐represented gene ontology groups using the DAVID database focused attention on Fasudil‐induced changes to major biological processes regulating cellular shape and motility (actin cytoskeleton, axon guidance, transforming growth factor‐β (TGFβ) signalling and tight junctions). Bioinformatic analyses of transcriptomic changes revealed how these biological processes contributed to changes in astrocytic motility and cytoskeletal reorganisation. Here genes associated with extracellular matrix were also involved, but unexpected was a subset of alterations (EAAT2, BDNF, anti‐oxidant species, metabolic and signalling genes) indicative of adoption by astrocytes of a pro‐survival phenotype. Expression profiles of key changes with Fasudil and another ROCK inhibitor Y27632 were validated by real‐time PCR. Although effects of ROCK inhibition have been considered to be primarily cytoskeletal via reduction of glial scarring, we demonstrate additional advantageous actions likely to contribute to their ameliorative actions in brain injury. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 1199–1211, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sleep and delirium after open heart surgery

The quantity and quality of sleep have been measured objectively in 4 patients before and after open heart surgery; 2 of these became delirious on the third postoperative day. A fifth patient was studied in relation to major abdominal surgery. The degree of sleep disturbance in the early postoperative period was greater after cardiac than abdominal surgery but was not consistently related to the ensuing delirium. Although patients were woken frequently by the necessity for nursing and other care, they were unable to remain asleep when left undisturbed during the period of delirium, which lasted for several days. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was absent and delta wave sleep markedly reduced after cardiac surgery and with delirium although the patients described frequent 'dream‐like' experiences in their drowsy state. Delirium after cardiac surgery difsers from that which sometimes occurs after withdrawal of addictive drugs, when a high proportion of REM sleep is observed.
Changes in masticatory function after orthognathic treatment in patients with mandibular prognathism.

Changes in masticatory function were measured in 27 patients in whom mandibular prognathism was corrected surgically. The mean value of masticatory efficiency before treatment was 46% of that of control subjects with normal occlusion. It improved, but remained at 60% of the control value postoperatively. Similar changes were seen in the number and area of occlusal contacts and the integrated muscle activities of the masseter and temporalis on the chewing side, but the postoperative improvement in masticatory efficiency was mainly the result of improvement in masseter activity. The mean values of masticatory cycle variables in the patient group did not differ significantly from those of the controls. Their preoperative mean coefficients of variation, which were significantly higher than those of the controls, decreased significantly postoperatively. These results suggest that the stability of masticatory rhythm was improved by orthognathic surgery.
Sleep duration and quality in elite athletes measured using wristwatch actigraphy

Abstract Sleep is known to be an important component of recovery from training, yet little is known about the quality and quantity of sleep achieved by elite athletes. The aim of the present study was to quantify sleep in elite athletes using wristwatch actigraphy. Individual nights of sleep from a cohort of Olympic athletes (n = 47) from various sports were analysed and compared to non-athletic controls (n = 20). There were significant differences between athletes and controls in all measures apart from ‘time asleep’ (p = 0.27), suggesting poorer characteristics of sleep in the athlete group. There was a significant effect of gender on ‘time awake’ (mean difference: 12 minutes higher in males; 95% likely range: 3 to 21 minutes) and ‘sleep efficiency’ (mean difference: 2.4 lower in males; 95% likely range: 0.1 to 4.8). Athletes showed poorer markers of sleep quality than an age and sex matched non-athletic control group (Sleep efficiency: 80.6 ± 6.4% and 88.7 ± 3.6%, respectively. Fragmentation Index: 36.0 ± 12.4 and 29.8 ± 9.0, respectively) but remained within the range for healthy sleep. This descriptive study provides novel data for the purpose of characterising sleep in elite athletes.
Direct projections from the entopeduncular nucleus to the lower brainstem in the rat

The present study reports the existence of projection fibers from the entopeduncular nucleus to the superior colliculus and lateral parts of the pontobulbar tegmental regions (so‐called lateral tegmental field) in the rat, suggesting that the entopeduncular nucleus may control eye‐head and orofacial movements via these projection fibers. The anterograde axonal tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris‐leucoagglutinin has revealed that the entopedunculotectal fibers terminate, bilaterally, with an ipsilateral predominance, in the deep layers of the superior colliculus through its rostral one‐third level and that the entopedunculotegmental fibers terminate, bilaterally, with an ipsilateral predominance, in the parabrachial area, reticular formation surrounding the trigeminal motor nucleus, and parvicellular, dorsal, and ventral reticular nuclei. The cells of origin of the entopedunculotectal and entopedunculotegmental projections have been identified by retrograde axonal tracing with Fluoro‐Gold and cholera toxin B subunit. The entopedunculotectal or entopedunculotegmental fibers originate, respectively, from the dorsal or ventral part of the entopeduncular nucleus. Additionally, a series of fluorescent retrograde double‐labeling experiments with Fast Blue and Diamidino Yellow have indicated that single entopeduncular nucleus neurons projecting to the superior colliculus or lateral tegmental field often send their axon collaterals to the lateral habenular nucleus.
Phylogeny of Limia (Teleostei: Poeciliidae) based on NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequences.

Complete sequences for the mitochondrial gene NADH Dehydrogenase 2 (ND2) and partial sequences for the tRNA-Met and tRNA-Trp genes were obtained for 11 populations of the poeciliid fish genus (or subgenus) Limia, including species from Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman Islands. Additional sequences for Limia (2 species), Pamphorichthys (3), Poecilia (16), and Xiphophorus (1), all from the tribe Poeciliini, were extracted from GenBank, as was a sequence for Heterandria formosa, from the tribe Heterandriini. Phylogenetic analyses included parsimony, distance methods, and maximum-likelihood. Several Limia species groups that had been proposed based on morphological data were evaluated. The versicolor species group was strongly supported, as was the close relationship between the Cuban Limia vittata and the Grand Cayman Limia caymanensis. However, the proposed vittata species group was not upheld by the ND2 data. The phylogenetic position of Limia melanogaster, from Jamaica, was either sister to the versicolor species group or basal to all other included Limia species. Limia was found to be monophyletic; however, Limia species from the island of Hispaniola were not monophyletic. There was little support for any proposed sister group to Limia. The phylogeny was used to reconsider a previous comparative study of poeciliid courtship behavior and sexual dimorphism. The data indicated that there may have been two independent appearances of courtship display behavior in Limia; considering the tribe Poeciliini as a whole, there is evidence for as many as five appearances of display (including two within Limia), or a complex pattern of gains and losses of such behavior. The application of phylogenetic information to the comparative study did not refute the previously hypothesized correlation between the presence of a courtship display and the presence of sexual dimorphism in poeciliid fish.
Convergence of Approximate and Incremental Subgradient Methods for Convex Optimization

We present a unified convergence framework for approximate subgradient methods that covers various stepsize rules (including both diminishing and nonvanishing stepsizes), convergence in objective values, and convergence to a neighborhood of the optimal set. We discuss ways of ensuring the boundedness of the iterates and give efficiency estimates. Our results are extended to incremental subgradient methods for minimizing a sum of convex functions, which have recently been shown to be promising for various large-scale problems, including those arising from Lagrangian relaxation.