Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perelman's W-functional and stability of K\

In this expository note, we study the second variation of Perelman's entropy on the space of Kahler metrics at a K\"ahler-Ricci soliton. We prove that the entropy is stable in the sense of variations. In particular, Perelman's entropy is stable along the K\"ahler-Ricci flow. The Chinese version of this note has appeared in a volume in honor of professor K.C. Chang (Scientia Sinica Math., 46 (2016), 685-696).
Carvacrol Alleviates Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Regulating the PI3K-Akt Pathway in Rats

Background Liver ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathophysiological process in many clinical settings. Carvacrol, a food additive commonly used in essential oils, has displayed antimicrobials, antitumor and antidepressant-like activities. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of carvacrol on I/R injury in the Wistar rat livers and an in vitro hypoxia/restoration (H/R) model. Methods The hepatoportal vein, hepatic arterial and hepatic duct of Wistar rats were isolated and clamped for 30 min, followed by a 2 h reperfusion. Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells were incubated under hypoxia for 4 h, followed normoxic conditions for 10 h to establish the H/R model in vitro. Liver injury was evaluated by measuring serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspatate aminotransferase (AST), and hepatic levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malondiadehyde (MDA), and hepatic histology and TUNEL staining. MTT assay, flow cytometric analysis and Hoechst 33258 staining were used to evaluate the proliferation and apoptosis of BRL cells in vitro. Protein expression was examined by Western Blot analysis. Results Carvacrol protected against I/R-induced liver damage, evidenced by significantly reducing the serum levels of ALT and AST, histological alterations and apoptosis of liver cells in I/R rats. Carvacrol exhibited anti-oxidative activity in the I/R rats, reflected by significantly reducing the activity of SOD and the content of MDA, and restoring the activity of CAT and the content of GSH, in I/R rats. In the in vitro assays, carvacrol restored the viability and inhibited the apoptosis of BRL cells, which were subjected to a mimic I/R injury induced by hypoxia. In the investigation on molecular mechanisms, carvacrol downregulated the expression of Bax and upregulated the expression of Bcl-2, thus inhibited the activation of caspase-3. Carvacrol was also shown to enhance the phosphorylation of Akt. Conclusion The results suggest that carvacrol could alleviate I/R-induced liver injury by its anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic activities, and warrant a further investigation for using carvacrol to protect I/R injury in clinic.
Maximum-Likelihood FFH/MFSK Receiver over Rayleigh-Fading Channels with Composite Effects of MTJ and PBNJ

A maximum-likelihood (ML) receiver structure is proposed for fast frequency-hopped M-ary frequency-shift keying communication systems over Rayleigh-fading channels with the composite effects of multitone jamming (MTJ) and partial-band noise jamming (PBNJ). The corresponding semi-analytical bit-error rate (BER) expressions of the proposed ML receiver are also presented and validated by simulation results. Numerical results show that the BER performance with both MTJ and PBNJ is bounded by the two extreme cases, where only MTJ or PBNJ is present. It is also found that the proposed ML receiver can better counteract MTJ than PBNJ.
Studies on the protective role of vitamin C and E against polychlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1254)—induced oxidative damage in Leydig cells

Free radical production and lipid peroxidation are potentially important mediators in testicular physiology and toxicology. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are global environmental contaminants that cause disruption of the endocrine system in human and animals. The present study was conducted to elucidate the protective role of vitamin C and E against Aroclor 1254-induced changes in Leydig cell steroidogenesis and antioxidant system. Adult male rats were dosed for 30 days with daily intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 2 mg/kg Aroclor or vehicle (corn oil). One group of rats was treated with vitamin C (100 mg/kg bw/day) while the other group was treated with vitamin E (50 mg/kg bw/day) orally, simultaneously with Aroclor 1254 for 30 days. One day after the last treatment, animals were euthanized and blood was collected for the assay of serum hormones such as luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin (PRL), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), testosterone and estradiol. Testes were quickly removed and Leydig cells were isolated in aseptic condition. Purity of Leydig cells was determined by 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) staining method. Purified Leydig cells were used for quantification of cell surface LH receptors and steroidogenic enzymes such as cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β- HSD). Leydig cellular enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C and E were assayed. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also estimated in Leydig cells. Aroclor 1254 treatment significantly reduced the serum LH, TSH, PRL, T3, T4, testosterone and estradiol. In addition to this, Leydig cell surface LH receptors, activities of the steroidogenic enzymes such as cytochrome P450scc, 3β-HSD, 17β-HSD, antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, GPX, GR, γ-GT, GST and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C and E were significantly diminished whereas, LPO and ROS were markedly elevated. However, the simultaneous administration of vitamin C and E in Aroclor 1254 exposed rats resulted a significant restoration of all the above-mentioned parameters to the control level. These observations suggest that vitamin C and E have ameliorative role against adverse effects of PCB on Leydig cell steroidogenesis.
On the Role of Fragmentary Knowledge in a Sequence Learning Task

There has been considerable debate about whether or not we need to distinguish between the acquisition of implicit—and, independently thereof, the acquisition of explicit—knowledge in sequence learning tasks. Proponents of the view that a unitary knowledge base is formed assume (a) that the knowledge acquired is explicitly available, and (b) that information about sequence fragments forms the core of this explicit knowledge. Both of these issues are addressed empirically in the present article. In two experiments, an adapted process dissociation procedure and a suitable measurement model were used to separate recollective (explicit) and fluency-based (implicit) memory processes in a sequence learning task. Experiment 1 demonstrated that fluency-based processes came into play much later than recollective processes. Such recollective processes have been conceptualized as being based on simple knowledge about sequence fragments or chunks. Indeed, Experiment 2 showed that recollective processes are more likely to contribute to sequence judgements if chunks are readily available at test than if they are not. Together, these results are in line with the view that the learning of an event systematicity can be conceived of as the memorization of chunks of events that support both the speeding up of reaction times to systematic events and explicit, recollective memory processes even after relatively little training.
Design consideration of CC-CV controller of LLC resonant converter for Li-ion battery charger

In this paper, the design consideration of the dual control scheme of a LLC resonant converter for a Li-ion battery charger is proposed to stabilize operation during whole charging process. The theoretical approach of constant-current and constant-voltage controller is presented when considering the nonlinear property of a Li-ion battery under wide ranged output voltage. By applying the extended describing function method, the small-signal ac model of the resonant converter is obtained. The feedback controller is designed to guarantee stable and robust, while providing a desired crossover frequency and sufficient phase margin. Several simulation results are provided in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed design consideration.
A study to determine the dimensions of job satisfaction, job turnover tendency, individual personalities and psychological well-being in Tehran City Hall

Article history: Received December 2, 2013 Accepted 8 May 2014 Available online May 12 2014 Among various indices of job attitudes, job satisfaction has gained especial attention by researchers and employers. Its measurement dates back to older times and the investigation of the influential factors on it are newer. Furthermore, because of its influences on organizations and people, job satisfaction has gained an increasing importance. Among various influential factors on job satisfaction and job turn over, the effect of individual personalities and psychological Well-Being is undeniable. In this article, we identify and categorize the significant factors in the four elements of job turnover, job satisfaction, individual traits and psychological Well-Being. We investigate nine factors of job satisfaction with 36 questions, two factors of the field of job turnover with seven questions, individual personalities with forty four questions and psychological Well-Being with eighteen questions and categorize them after doing a factor analysis. In this categorization, the dimensions of job satisfaction are reduced to seven dimensions. Job turnover is provided into two new dimensions. Individual personalities are categorized in eight main dimensions and the dimensions of psychological Well-Being are reduced to four dimensions. The data of this research has been gathered from 199 employees of Tehran city hall. © 2014 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Efficient macromodeling of defect propagation/growth mechanisms in VLSI fabrication

Particulate contamination deposited on silicon wafers is typically the dominant reason for yield loss in VLSI manufacturing. The transformation of contaminating particles into defects and then electrical faults is a very complex process which depends on the defect location, size, material, and the underlying IC topography. An efficient defect macromodeling methodology based on the rigorous two-dimensional (2-D) topography simulator METROPOLE, has been developed to allow the prediction and correlation of the critical physical parameters (material, size, and location) of contamination in the manufacturing process to device defects. The results for a large number of defect samples simulated using the above approach were compared with the data gathered from the AMD-Sunnyvale fabline. A good match was obtained indicating the accuracy for our method of developing contamination to defect propagation/growth macromodels.
The Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Affective Commitment

The present research examines how the social identity perspective contributes to a better understanding of the relationships between perceived organizational support, affective commitment, and employees’ performance at work. Using a sample of 253 employees from an engineering company, Study 1 found that organizational identification partially mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and affective commitment. The results of Study 1 also indicated that the relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational identification is moderated by organizational prestige. In Study 2, using a sample of 179 postal employees, the authors replicated the mediating role of organizational identification in the relationship between perceived organizational support and affective commitment and found that affective commitment mediates the relationship between organizational identification and supervisor’s ratings of extra-role performance.
Disruption of 12/15-Lipoxygenase Expression in Peritoneal Macrophages

Previously, we isolated the murine “leukocyte-type” 12-lipoxygenase (L-12LO) cDNA from RNA of peritoneal-elicited cells that consisted predominantly of leukocytes (Chen, X.-S., Kurre, U., Jenkins, N. A., Copeland, N. G., and Funk, C. D. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13979-13987). By in situ hybridization we show that the L-12LO gene is expressed abundantly in a subset of peritoneal macrophages but not in elicited leukocytes, alveolar macrophages, or bone marrow-derived macrophages. L-12LO is highly related to human and rabbit 15-lipoxygenases, enzymes that have been implicated in the maturation process of red blood cells, and the oxidative modification of low density lipoproteins that is implicated in atherogenesis. Accordingly, these enzymes have been referred to as 12/15-lipoxygenases. We have inactivated the L-12LO gene in mice using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. Macrophage expression of L-12LO was abolished in homozygous deficient mice as was formation of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE). In zymosan-stimulated cells, there was significant diversion of metabolism to the 5-lipoxygenase products leukotriene C4 and 5-HETE and in A23187-treated cells to 5-HETE only. The enhanced formation of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites was not due to compensatory changes of 5-lipoxygenase or 5-lipoxygenase activating protein but rather an apparent substrate diversion. L-12LO-deficient mice have no obvious abnormalities in reticulocyte or mature red blood cells, which suggest that in mice this pathway is not functionally important for erythrocytic development. Indices for oxidation of low density lipoprotein (measured as either thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances or the oxidant stress marker isoprostane 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α) were identical in incubations with unstimulated wild-type and L-12LO-deficient macrophages, but the zymosan-induced increase observed with wild-type macrophages was abolished in L-12LO-deficient cells. Thus, 12/15-lipoxygenase-deficient mice will be useful for the study of interaction between lipoxygenase pathways and determination of the in vivo role of 12/15-lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation of LDL in atherogenesis.
Deep Fault Analysis and Subset Selection in Solar Power Grids

Non-availability of reliable and sustainable electric power is a major problem in the developing world. Renewable energy sources like solar are not very lucrative in the current stage due to various uncertainties like weather, storage, land use among others. There also exists various other issues like mis-commitment of power, absence of intelligent fault analysis, congestion, etc. In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning-based system for predicting faults and selecting power generators optimally so as to reduce costs and ensure higher reliability in solar power systems. The results are highly encouraging and they suggest that the approaches proposed in this paper have the potential to be applied successfully in the developing world.
“The damage I could do…”– Qualitative evaluation of a low-fidelity medication administration simulation that generates error as a learning experience for pre-registration nursing students

Background: In recent years, nurse education has emphasised the development of high cost, high-fidelity simulations because they are considered to provide a more realistic learning experience. Integral is the facility to commit and learn from error. Error may provide a mechanism to make low cost, low-fidelity simulations more psychologically realistic and salient. We developed a web based medication administration simulation which included all essential cognitive elements of medication administration task, but was “low-fidelity” in engineering terms of its portrayal of the physical world. The simulation incorporated conditions designed to generate high rates of medication administration error. The purpose of this study was to determine if the low cost low-fidelity simulation provided a salient, effective and psychologically realistic learning experience for pre-registration nursing students over the long term. Methods : Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 pre-registration nursing students, from one UK university, from a group of 49 students who had received the simulation as trial participants 2-years previously. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Most participants were able to reflect on their experiences of the simulation in depth, and considered the simulation to be a valuable component to their learning. The simulation encouraged students to question their practice and highlighted their vulnerability to medication administration error. It reinforced both the importance of completing checking procedures and the potential consequences of making an error in practice. Most students believed the low- fidelity simulation provided a psychologically realistic representation of medication administration, which was underpin- ned by the negative emotional reactions to making an error, for example, guilt. Conclusions: Low-fidelity web based simulations can provide a sufficiently realistic psychological representation of medication administration to produce a salient, effective learning experience over the long-term. Low-fidelity simulations can provide a low cost alternative to high-fidelity simulations. Making error in a simulation should be transformed from a useful but passive by-product into an active component of the simulation learning approach .
HIV Aspartyl Peptidase Inhibitors Interfere with Cellular Proliferation, Ultrastructure and Macrophage Infection of Leishmania amazonensis

Background Leishmania is the etiologic agent of leishmanisais, a protozoan disease whose pathogenic events are not well understood. Current therapy is suboptimal due to toxicity of the available therapeutic agents and the emergence of drug resistance. Compounding these problems is the increase in the number of cases of Leishmania-HIV coinfection, due to the overlap between the AIDS epidemic and leishmaniasis. Methodology/Principal Findings In the present report, we have investigated the effect of HIV aspartyl peptidase inhibitors (PIs) on the Leishmania amazonensis proliferation, ultrastructure, interaction with macrophage cells and expression of classical peptidases which are directly involved in the Leishmania pathogenesis. All the HIV PIs impaired parasite growth in a dose-dependent fashion, especially nelfinavir and lopinavir. HIV PIs treatment caused profound changes in the leishmania ultrastructure as shown by transmission electron microscopy, including cytoplasm shrinking, increase in the number of lipid inclusions and some cells presenting the nucleus closely wrapped by endoplasmic reticulum resembling an autophagic process, as well as chromatin condensation which is suggestive of apoptotic death. The hydrolysis of HIV peptidase substrate by L. amazonensis extract was inhibited by pepstatin and HIV PIs, suggesting that an aspartyl peptidase may be the intracellular target of the inhibitors. The treatment with HIV PIs of either the promastigote forms preceding the interaction with macrophage cells or the amastigote forms inside macrophages drastically reduced the association indexes. Despite all these beneficial effects, the HIV PIs induced an increase in the expression of cysteine peptidase b (cpb) and the metallopeptidase gp63, two well-known virulence factors expressed by Leishmania spp. Conclusions/Significance In the face of leishmaniasis/HIV overlap, it is critical to further comprehend the sophisticated interplays among Leishmania, HIV and macrophages. In addition, there are many unresolved questions related to the management of Leishmania-HIV-coinfected patients. For instance, the efficacy of therapy aimed at controlling each pathogen in coinfected individuals remains largely undefined. The results presented herein add new in vitro insight into the wide spectrum efficacy of HIV PIs and suggest that additional studies about the synergistic effects of classical antileishmanial compounds and HIV PIs in macrophages coinfected with Leishmania and HIV-1 should be performed.
Nicotinic modulation of glutamate receptor function at nerve terminal level: a fine-tuning of synaptic signals

This review focuses on a specific interaction occurring between the nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) and the glutamatergic receptors (GluRs) at the nerve endings level. We have employed synaptosomes in superfusion and supplemented and integrated our findings with data obtained using techniques from molecular biology and immuno-cytochemistry, and the assessment of receptor trafficking. In particular, we characterize the following: (1) the direct and unequivocal localization of native α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamatergic receptors on specific nerve terminals, (2) their pharmacological characterization and functional co-localization with nAChRs on the same nerve endings, and (3) the existence of synergistic or antagonistic interactions among them. Indeed, in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAc), the function of some AMPA and NMDA receptors present on the dopaminergic and glutamatergic nerve terminals can be regulated negatively or positively in response to a brief activation of nAChRs. This effect occurs rapidly and involves the trafficking of AMPA and NMDA receptors. The event takes place also at very low concentrations of nicotine and involves the activation of several nAChRs subtypes. This dynamic control by cholinergic nicotinic system of glutamatergic NMDA and AMPA receptors might therefore represent an important neuronal presynaptic adaptation associated with nicotine administration. The understanding of the role of these nicotine-induced functional changes might open new and interesting perspectives both in terms of explaining the mechanisms that underlie some of the effects of nicotine addiction and in the development of new drugs for smoking cessation.
Producing Translation Tables by Separate N-grams Subtables

By investigating the distribution of phrase pairs in translation tables, this paper describes an approach to expand the number of n-gram alignments in translation tables output by the sampling-based alignment method. Translation subtables are produced to increase the number of ngrams. Standard normal time distribution is used to adapt the distribution of n-grams in translation tables and leads to better evaluation results than the original approach. Merging translation table of the sampling-based alignment method and that of MGIZA++ is also examined. An improvement of 1.57 BLEU point is reported by applying the technique of standard normal time distribution and merging translation tables is shown to outperform the state-of-the-art alignment method.
Seeking critically appraised topics

Now that the inaugural issue has been published, and by all accounts has been well received, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the features of Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention. Besides our main mission, the publishing of structured abstracts of appraised evidence, we also seek to publish various kinds of original papers. Critically Appraised Topics (CATs) are one of these original types of papers that we are seeking to publish in what we call the EBP Advancement Corner of the journal. This editorial is aimed to briefly introduce CATs to the reader and stimulate interest and submissions of CATs to the EBP Advancement Corner.