Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling of Fuel-Cell-Based Power Supply System for Grid Interface

Renewable energy systems have developed wide interest to supply electricity in remote areas as well as for distributed power generation particularly during peak loads. Fuel-cell-based power generation is also gaining popularity in residential applications as well as distributed power generation due to its cleanliness, portability, and suitability for electricity and heat generation. Development of a suitable power electronic interface to make the technology viable is still a challenge. This paper presents modeling, simulation, and experimental study of a fuel cell (FC) power plant (FCPP) suitable for stand-alone application as well as for microgrid/grid interface. A single-stage pulsewidth modulation inverter is selected as power electronic interface between FC and grid. A mathematical model is developed in per unit system to define the power limits in terms of FC, converter, and power system parameters. The simulation model is developed in MATLAB environment with control scheme implementation in qd reference frame for investigation. A prototype of single-stage FCPP is developed in the laboratory to validate the results.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Arbekacin in Patients Infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT Arbekacin, a derivative of dibekacin, is an aminoglycoside developed and widely used in Japan for the treatment of patients infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The population pharmacokinetics of arbekacin was investigated in the Japanese, using 353 patients infected with MRSA and 50 healthy or renally impaired volunteers. The age of the study population ranged from 8 to 95 years, and weight ranged from 10.8 to 107 kg. In total, 1,581 serum arbekacin concentrations were measured (primarily from routine patient care) and used to perform the present pharmacokinetic analysis. Drug concentration-time data were well described by a two-compartment open model. Factors influencing arbekacin pharmacokinetics were investigated using a nonlinear mixed-effect model analysis. The best-developed model showed that drug clearance (CL) was related to creatinine clearance (CLCR), age, and body weight (WT), as expressed by CL (liter/h) = 0.0319CLCR + (26.5/age) (CLCR < 80 ml/min) and CL (liter/h) = 0.0130 CLCR + 0.0342WT + (26.5/age) (CLCR ≥ 80 ml/min). The volume of distribution for the central and peripheral compartments was different in healthy subjects and infected patients, and this difference was more pronounced among disease types. The elderly subjects (aged 80 years or over) exhibited, on average, a 19% greater volume for the central compartment. The volumes for the peripheral compartment were 50.6 liters in patients with pneumonia and 24.3 liters in patients with sepsis. The population pharmacokinetic parameters of arbekacin obtained here are useful for optimal use of this aminoglycoside in the treatment of MRSA-infected patients.
The status-signaling property of self-esteem: the role of self-reported self-esteem and perceived self-esteem in personality judgments.

OBJECTIVE The provision of information appears to be an important feature of self-esteem. The present studies examined whether self-esteem possesses a status-signaling property such that an individual's level of self-esteem is associated with how the individual is perceived by others. METHOD In Study 1, trained judges watched brief videos of 157 participants and rated targets as having higher levels of self-esteem when the targets were believed to possess more positive personality characteristics. Study 2 found that participants (357 targets) were rated as having higher levels of self-esteem when they were given more positive personality evaluations by their friends and family members (1,615 perceivers). RESULTS Consistent with the proposed status-signaling model, high levels of self-esteem were generally associated with the perception of positive personality characteristics. CONCLUSIONS These findings are discussed in the context of an extended informational model of self-esteem consisting of both the status-tracking and status-signaling properties of self-esteem.
The Two-Component Signal Transduction System CopRS of Corynebacterium glutamicum Is Required for Adaptation to Copper-Excess Stress

Copper is an essential cofactor for many enzymes but at high concentrations it is toxic for the cell. Copper ion concentrations ≥50 µM inhibited growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum. The transcriptional response to 20 µM Cu2+ was studied using DNA microarrays and revealed 20 genes that showed a ≥ 3-fold increased mRNA level, including cg3281-cg3289. Several genes in this genomic region code for proteins presumably involved in the adaption to copper-induced stress, e. g. a multicopper oxidase (CopO) and a copper-transport ATPase (CopB). In addition, this region includes the copRS genes (previously named cgtRS9) which encode a two-component signal transduction system composed of the histidine kinase CopS and the response regulator CopR. Deletion of the copRS genes increased the sensitivity of C. glutamicum towards copper ions, but not to other heavy metal ions. Using comparative transcriptome analysis of the ΔcopRS mutant and the wild type in combination with electrophoretic mobility shift assays and reporter gene studies the CopR regulon and the DNA-binding motif of CopR were identified. Evidence was obtained that CopR binds only to the intergenic region between cg3285 (copR) and cg3286 in the genome of C. glutamicum and activates expression of the divergently oriented gene clusters cg3285-cg3281 and cg3286-cg3289. Altogether, our data suggest that CopRS is the key regulatory system in C. glutamicum for the extracytoplasmic sensing of elevated copper ion concentrations and for induction of a set of genes capable of diminishing copper stress.
Constraints on Tree Structure in Concept Formation

We describe ARACHNE, a concept formation system that, uses explicit constraints on tree structure and local restructuring operators to produce well-formed probabilistic concept trees. We also present a quantitative measure of tree quality and compare the system's performance in artificial and natural domains to that of COBWEB, a well-known concept formation algorithm. The results suggest that ARACHNE frequently constructs higher-quality trees than COBWEB, while still retaining the ability to make accurate predictions.
Germline and somatic cancer-associated mutations in the ATP-binding motifs of PTEN influence its subcellular localization and tumor suppressive function

Germline and somatic PTEN mutations are found in Cowden syndrome (CS) and multiple sporadic malignancies, respectively. PTEN function appears to be modulated by subcellular compartmentalization, and mislocalization may affect function. We have shown that cellular ATP levels affect nuclear PTEN levels. Here, we examined the ATP-binding capabilities of PTEN and functional consequences, relevant to cancer-associated mutations. PTEN mutation analysis of CS patients and sporadic colorectal carcinomas and comparative aminoacid analysis were utilized to identify mutations in ATP-binding motifs. The ability of wild-type (WT) or mutant PTEN to bind ATP was assessed by ATP–agarose-binding assays. Subcellular fractionation, western blotting, confocal microscopy and growth assays were used to determine relative nuclear-cytoplasmic localization and function. Somatic colorectal carcinoma-derived PTEN missense mutations were associated with nuclear mislocalization. These mutations altered cellular proliferation, apoptosis and anchorage-dependent growth. Examination of PTEN's amino acid sequence revealed these mutations resided in previously undescribed ATP-binding motifs (c.60–73; c.122–136). In contrast to WT PTEN, both cancer-associated somatic and germline-derived PTEN missense mutations, which lie within the ATP-binding motifs, result in mutant PTEN that does not bind ATP efficiently. We also show that CS patients with germline ATP-binding motif-mutations had nuclear PTEN mislocalization. Of four unrelated patients with functional germline ATP-binding domain mutations, all three female patients had breast cancers. Germline and somatic mutations within PTEN's ATP-binding domain play important pathogenic roles in both heritable and sporadic carcinogenesis by PTEN nuclear mislocalization resulting in altered signaling and growth. Manipulation of ATP may represent novel therapies in tumors with such PTEN alterations.
Dengue Fever: Causes, Complications, and Vaccine Strategies

Dengue is a highly endemic infectious disease of the tropical countries and is rapidly becoming a global burden. It is caused by any of the 4 serotypes of dengue virus and is transmitted within humans through female Aedes mosquitoes. Dengue disease varies from mild fever to severe conditions of dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock syndrome. Globalization, increased air travel, and unplanned urbanization have led to increase in the rate of infection and helped dengue to expand its geographic and demographic distribution. Dengue vaccine development has been a challenging task due to the existence of four antigenically distinct dengue virus serotypes, each capable of eliciting cross-reactive and disease-enhancing antibody response against the remaining three serotypes. Recently, Sanofi Pasteur's chimeric live-attenuated dengue vaccine candidate has been approved in Mexico, Brazil, and Philippines for usage in adults between 9 and 45 years of age. The impact of its limited application to the public health system needs to be evaluated. Simultaneously, the restricted application of this vaccine candidate warrants continued efforts in developing a dengue vaccine candidate which is additionally efficacious for infants and naïve individuals. In this context, alternative strategies of developing a designed vaccine candidate which does not allow production of enhancing antibodies should be explored, as it may expand the umbrella of efficacy to include infants and naïve individuals.
Investigations into the Effect of Spatial Correlation on Channel Estimation and Capacity of Multiple Input Multiple Output System

The paper reports on investigations into the effect of spatial correlation on channel estimation and capacity of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication system. Least square (LS), scaled least square (SLS) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) methods are considered for estimating channel properties of a MIMO system using training sequences. The undertaken mathematical analysis reveals that the accuracy of the scaled least square (SLS) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) channel estimation methods are determined by the sum of eigenvalues of the channel correlation matrix. It is shown that for a fixed transmitted power to noise ratio (TPNR) assumed in the training mode, a higher spatial correlation has a positive effect on the performance of SLS and MMSE estimation methods. The effect of accuracy of the estimated Channel State Information (CSI) on MIMO system capacity is illustrated by computer simulations for an uplink case in which only the mobile station (MS) transmitter is surrounded by scattering objects.
Unit selection based on voice recognition

In this paper, we describe a perceptual voice recognition method to improve the naturalness of synthesized speech for Mandarin Chinese text-to-speech (TTS) baseline system. As a large TTS speech corpus, speech data always has different acoustic properties for different data recording conditions. Speech data recorded under different conditions can finally influence the naturalness of synthesized speech. Concerning this fact, we separate the speech data in a TTS corpus into several different voice classes based on an iterative voice recognition method, which is something like speaker recognition. Among each class, speech units will be considered to have the same voice characteristics. Based on the voice recognition result, a novel unit selection algorithm is performed to select better units to synthesize a more natural-sounding speech. Primary experiment shows the possibility and validity of the method.
Transmembrane conformation of the envelope protein of an alpha coronavirus, NL63

Abstract The envelope (E) proteins of coronaviruses (CoVs) form cation‐conducting channels that are associated with the pathogenicity of these viruses. To date, high‐resolution structural information about these viroporins is limited to the SARS‐CoV E protein. To broaden our structural knowledge of other members of this family of viroporins, we now investigate the conformation of the E protein of the human coronavirus (hCoV), NL63. Using two‐ and three‐dimensional magic‐angle‐spinning NMR, we have measured 13C and 15N chemical shifts of the transmembrane domain of E (ETM), which yielded backbone (ϕ, ψ) torsion angles. We further measured the water accessibility of NL63 ETM at neutral pH versus acidic pH in the presence of Ca2+ ions. These data show that NL63 ETM adopts a regular α‐helical conformation that is unaffected by pH and the N‐terminal ectodomain. Interestingly, the water accessibility of NL63 ETM increases only modestly at acidic pH in the presence of Ca2+ compared to neutral pH, in contrast to SARS ETM, which becomes much more hydrated at acidic pH. This difference suggests a structural basis for the weaker channel conductance of α‐CoV compared to β‐CoV E proteins. The weaker E channel activity may in turn contribute to the reduced virulence of hCoV‐NL63 compared to SARS‐CoV viruses.
A Serum Factor Induces Insulin-Independent Translocation of GLUT4 to the Cell Surface which Is Maintained in Insulin Resistance

In response to insulin, glucose transporter GLUT4 translocates from intracellular compartments towards the plasma membrane where it enhances cellular glucose uptake. Here, we show that sera from various species contain a factor that dose-dependently induces GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, human adipocytes, myoblasts and myotubes. Notably, the effect of this factor on GLUT4 is fully maintained in insulin-resistant cells. Our studies demonstrate that the serum-induced increase in cell surface GLUT4 levels is not due to inhibition of its internalization and is not mediated by insulin, PDGF, IGF-1, or HGF. Similarly to insulin, serum also augments cell surface levels of GLUT1 and TfR. Remarkably, the acute effect of serum on GLUT4 is largely additive to that of insulin, while it also sensitizes the cells to insulin. In accordance with these findings, serum does not appear to activate the same repertoire of downstream signaling molecules that are implicated in insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation. We conclude that in addition to insulin, at least one other biological proteinaceous factor exists that contributes to GLUT4 regulation and still functions in insulin resistance. The challenge now is to identify this factor.
The doublecortin-related gene zyg-8 is a microtubule organizer in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons

Summary Doublecortin-domain containing (DCDC) genes play key roles in the normal and pathological development of the human brain cortex. The origin of the cellular specialisation and the functional redundancy of these microtubule (MT)-associated proteins (MAPs), especially those of Doublecortin (DCX) and Doublecortin-like kinase (DCLKs) genes, is still unclear. The DCX domain has the ability to control MT architecture and bundling. However, the physiological significance of such properties is not fully understood. To address these issues, we sought post-mitotic roles for zyg-8, the sole representative of the DCX–DCLK subfamily of genes in C. elegans. Previously, zyg-8 has been shown to control anaphase-spindle positioning in one-cell stage embryos, but functions of the gene later in development have not been investigated. Here we show that wild-type zyg-8 is required beyond early embryonic divisions for proper development, spontaneous locomotion and touch sensitivity of adult worms. Consistently, we find zyg-8 expression in the six touch receptor neurons (TRNs), as well as in a subset of other neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In TRNs and motoneurons, zyg-8 controls cell body shape/polarity and process outgrowth and morphology. Ultrastructural analysis of mutant animals reveals that zyg-8 promotes structural integrity, length and number of individual MTs, as well as their bundled organisation in TRNs, with no impact on MT architecture.
Automatic Allocation of Training Data for Rapid Prototyping of Speech Understanding based on Multiple Model Combination

The optimal choice of speech understanding method depends on the amount of training data available in rapid prototyping. A statistical method is ultimately chosen, but it is not clear at which point in the increase in training data a statistical method become effective. Our framework combines multiple automatic speech recognition (ASR) and language understanding (LU) modules to provide a set of speech understanding results and selects the best result among them. The issue is how to allocate training data to statistical modules and the selection module in order to avoid overfitting in training and obtain better performance. This paper presents an automatic training data allocation method that is based on the change in the coefficients of the logistic regression functions used in the selection module. Experimental evaluation showed that our allocation method outperformed baseline methods that use a single ASR module and a single LU module at every point while training data increase.
Analysis of Complex Disease Association and Linkage Studies Using the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser

The sequencing of the human genome, the identification of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotype blocks, and advances in microarray technology have enabled the study of complex diseases at a level of detail not previously imaginable. These have aided in the design and analyses of association and linkage studies of many complex diseases including cardiovascular disease. Recent technological advances have enabled the undertaking of large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that can assay hundreds of thousands of polymorphic sites on hundreds to thousands of individuals to find genomic regions associated with disease. Although results from these experiments enable the identification of smaller regions of association compared with previous studies, as with all linkage and association studies, there is the need for the further investigation of regions of interest for the causal genes or variants. The purpose of this review is to present a detailed demonstration as to how publicly available resources can be used to easily guide more detailed research into genomic regions of interest identified in linkage and association study data. Large-scale projects, such as the Human Genome Sequencing project,1,2 have generated large volumes and varieties of annotated genomic data necessitating the development of Internet-based tools to organize and make practically available these public data. One important tool in human disease research is the web-based graphical genome browsers that use the human genome sequence as the framework on which to organize genomic annotations, providing various ways for researchers to view and extract important information. Currently, there are 3 human genome browsers that have been developed for public use: (1) the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Map Viewer3; (2) the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Genome Browser4; and (3) the European Bioinformatics Institute’s Ensembl system.5 Although these genome browsers share common features and …
Polarimetric coherence optimization for interferometric differential applications

In this paper, the potentials of polarimetric coherence-optimization techniques for differential interferometric SAR (DInSAR) applications are examined. For this purpose, the cutting-edge approaches available in the literature are considered. First, synthetic PolSAR data simulating homogeneous distributed scatterers are employed to demonstrate the convergence of the optimized differential phase to the deformation phase information. Then, real X-band ground-based PolSAR acquisitions concerning an urban environment are analyzed. The relation between optimum coherences and corresponding optimum phase in terms of deformation on retrieval is carefully analyzed using two zero-baseline fully-polarimetric data sets. In the end, general conclusions about the advantages and drawbacks of the alternative maximization approaches are drawn.
A Metastable Fo-III Wedge in Cold Slabs Subducted to the Lower Part of the Mantle Transition Zone: A Hypothesis Based on First-Principles Simulations

The metastable olivine (Ol) wedge hypothesis assumes that Ol may exist as a metastable phase at the P conditions of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) and even deeper regions due to inhibition of the phase transitions from Ol to wadsleyite and ringwoodite caused by low T in the cold subducting slabs. It is commonly invoked to account for the stagnation of the descending slabs, deep focus earthquakes and other geophysical observations. In the last few years, several new structures with the forsterite (Fo) composition, namely Fo-II, Fo-III and Fo-IV, were either experimentally observed or theoretically predicted at very low T conditions. They may have important impacts on the metastable Ol wedge hypothesis. By performing first-principles calculations, we have systematically examined their crystallographic characteristics, elastic properties and dynamic stabilities from 0 to 100 GPa, and identified the Fo-III phase as the most likely metastable phase to occur in the cold slabs subducted to the depths equivalent to the lower part of the MTZ (below the ~600 km depth) and even the lower mantle. As disclosed by our theoretical simulations, the Fo-III phase is a post-spinel phase (space group Cmc21), has all cations in sixfold coordination at P < ~60 GPa, and shows dynamic stability for the entire P range from 0 to 100 GPa. Further, our static enthalpy calculations have suggested that the Fo-III phase may directly form from the Fo material at ~22 GPa (0 K), and our high-T phase relation calculations have located the Fo/Fo-III phase boundary at ~23.75 GPa (room T) with an averaged Clapeyron slope of ~−1.1 MPa/K for the T interval from 300 to 1800 K. All these calculated phase transition pressures are likely overestimated by ~3 GPa because of the GGA method used in this study. The discrepancy between our predicted phase transition P and the experimental observation (~58 GPa at 300 K) can be explained by slow reaction rate and short experimental durations. Taking into account the P-T conditions in the cold downgoing slabs, we therefore propose that the Fo-III phase, rather than the Ol, highly possibly occurs as the metastable phase in the cold slabs subducted to the P conditions of the lower part of the MTZ (below the ~600 km depth) and even the lower mantle. In addition, our calculation has showed that the Fo-III phase has higher bulk seismic velocity, and thus may make important contributions to the high seismic speeds observed in the cold slabs stagnated near the upper mantle-lower mantle boundary. Future seismic studies may discriminate the effects of the Fo-III phase and the low T. Surprisingly, the Fo-III phase will speed up, rather than slow down, the subducting process of the cold slabs, if it metastably forms from the Ol. In general, the Fo-III phase has a higher density than the warm MTZ, but has a lower density than the lower mantle, as suggested by our calculations.