Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the dynamic interactions between a clathrin-coated pit and cargo molecules

Significance Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is the primary pathway of cargo internalization in mammalian cells. However, little is known about the time-dependent interactions between the endocytic machinery and cargo molecules. Nevertheless, these interactions are known to regulate the maturation of a clathrin-coated pit. In this study, we attain a quantitative understanding of the interactions between clathrin-coated pits and cargo using a combination of imaging techniques, single-molecule tracking, and stochastic modeling. We observe that the binding times of cargo molecules are much shorter than the overall endocytic process, albeit they exhibit a very broad distribution. Our modeling explains the measured statistics of cargo captures and binding times. This work further identifies a mechanism for the large diversity in the dynamic behavior of clathrin structures. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis takes place through the recruitment of cargo molecules into a growing clathrin-coated pit (CCP). Despite the importance of this process to all mammalian cells, little is yet known about the interaction dynamics between cargo and CCPs. These interactions are difficult to study because CCPs display a large degree of lifetime heterogeneity and the interactions with cargo molecules are time dependent. We use single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, in combination with automatic detection and tracking algorithms, to directly visualize the recruitment of individual voltage-gated potassium channels into forming CCPs in living cells. We observe association and dissociation of individual channels with a CCP and, occasionally, their internalization. Contrary to widespread ideas, cargo often escapes from a pit before abortive CCP termination or endocytic vesicle production. Thus, the binding times of cargo molecules associating to CCPs are much shorter than the overall endocytic process. By measuring tens of thousands of capturing events, we build the distribution of capture times and the times that cargo remains confined to a CCP. An analytical stochastic model is developed and compared with the measured distributions. Due to the dynamic nature of the pit, the model is non-Markovian and it displays long-tail power law statistics. The measured distributions and model predictions are in excellent agreement over more than five orders of magnitude. Our findings identify one source of the large heterogeneities in CCP dynamics and provide a mechanism for the anomalous diffusion of proteins in the plasma membrane.
Exploiting IoT-based sensed data in smart buildings to model its energy consumption

Due to the high impact that energy consumption of buildings has at global scale, it has been stated the need of achieving energy-efficient buildings to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption at global scale. In this work we propose to model the energy consumption associated with services provided in buildings to help select the best strategies to save energy. To verify the feasibility of the proposed approach using measurements of relevant parameters affecting, we carry out some analysis in a reference building of which we have contextual data. Firstly, we provide a complete characterization of this building in term of its energy consumption and generate accurate building models able to predict its energy consumption given a concrete set of inputs. Finally, considering the generated energy usage profile of the building, we propose some concrete control actions and strategies to save energy.
Inflammation-induced tumorigenesis in the colon is regulated by caspase-1 and NLRC4

Chronic inflammation is a known risk factor for tumorigenesis, yet the precise mechanism of this association is currently unknown. The inflammasome, a multiprotein complex formed by NOD-like receptor (NLR) family members, has recently been shown to orchestrate multiple innate and adaptive immune responses, yet its potential role in inflammation-induced cancer has been little studied. Using the azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate colitis-associated colorectal cancer model, we show that caspase-1–deficient (Casp1−/−) mice have enhanced tumor formation. Surprisingly, the role of caspase-1 in tumorigenesis was not through regulation of colonic inflammation, but rather through regulation of colonic epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis. Consequently, caspase-1–deficient mice demonstrate increased colonic epithelial cell proliferation in early stages of injury-induced tumor formation and reduced apoptosis in advanced tumors. We suggest a model in which the NLRC4 inflammasome is central to colonic inflammation-induced tumor formation through regulation of epithelial cell response to injury.
A Fast Reconstruction Algorithm for Gene Networks

This paper deals with gene networks whose dynamics is assumed to be generated by a continuous–time, linear, time invariant, finite dimensional system (LTI) at steady state. In particular, we deal with the problem of network reconstruction in the typical practical situation in which the number of available data is largely insufficient t o uniquely determine the network. In order to try to remove this ambiguity, we will exploit the biologically a priori assumption of network sparseness, and propose a new algorithm for network reconstruction having a very low computational complexity (linear in the number of genes) so to be able to deal also with very large networks (say, thousands of genes). Its performances are also tested both on artificial data (generated with linear models) and on real data obtained by Gardner et al. from the SOS pathway in Escherichia coli.
The amount and type of dairy product intake and incident type 2 diabetes: results from the EPIC-InterAct Study.

BACKGROUND Dairy product intake may be inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes, but the evidence is inconclusive for total dairy products and sparse for types of dairy products. OBJECTIVE The objective was to investigate the prospective association of total dairy products and different dairy subtypes with incidence of diabetes in populations with marked variation of intake of these food groups. DESIGN A nested case-cohort within 8 European countries of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study (n = 340,234; 3.99 million person-years of follow-up) included a random subcohort (n = 16,835) and incident diabetes cases (n = 12,403). Baseline dairy product intake was assessed by using dietary questionnaires. Country-specific Prentice-weighted Cox regression HRs were calculated and pooled by using a random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS Intake of total dairy products was not associated with diabetes (HR for the comparison of the highest with the lowest quintile of total dairy products: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.83, 1.34; P-trend = 0.92) in an analysis adjusted for age, sex, BMI, diabetes risk factors, education, and dietary factors. Of the dairy subtypes, cheese intake tended to have an inverse association with diabetes (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.02; P-trend = 0.01), and a higher combined intake of fermented dairy products (cheese, yogurt, and thick fermented milk) was inversely associated with diabetes (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.99; P-trend = 0.02) in adjusted analyses that compared extreme quintiles. CONCLUSIONS This large prospective study found no association between total dairy product intake and diabetes risk. An inverse association of cheese intake and combined fermented dairy product intake with diabetes is suggested, which merits further study.
The Professional Profile of Intergenerational Program Managers: General and Specific Characteristics

The interest around intergenerational programs and the fostering of intergenerational relationships is growing internationally. However, studies on the profile and functions of intergenerational program managers are still scarce. Furthermore, available approaches to the traits and functions of intergenerational program managers have not highlighted which features are distinctive of these professionals. Through a Delphi study undertaken in Spain, with participation of 18 intergenerational program managers and 12 intergenerational specialists, consensus was reached around characteristics of both the general profile of intergenerational program managers and the specificities of this occupational role. On the one hand, being able to work on a team, having skills for observation and contextual analysis, and being skilled at managing resources were identified as the most important general characteristics. On the other hand, being good at promoting contacts, social relationships, interactions, and bonds was deemed to be the most distinctive feature of this profile. After contrasting our results with international guidelines and standards for intergenerational work, the need to develop and reinforce further the relational nature of this professional figure is argued.
Analysis of the Results on Perioperative Blood Loss after a Total Knee Arthroplasty Employing Tranexamic Acid before or after Inflating the Tourniquet

Introduction: Tranexamic acid has showed its good results reducing blood loss in total knee arthroplasties. It has also probed being cost-effective (red cell concentrate: 350 euros/ TXA vial 3, 05 euros) but it remains not being clear at what time during the surgery we have to administrate it. In this prospective, randomized study, we have investigated the effects of the use of tranexamic acid before or after inflating the tourniquet on blood loss, transfusion needs and thromboembolic complications after implanting a total knee arthroplasty. 120 patients were selected and assigned randomly in two groups: tranexamic acid employed before inflating (group 1) or just before deflating the tourniquet (Group 2). Methods and Materials: From May 2011 to May 2012, 80 patients (38 males, 42 females; aged 64-81 years, mean age 69, 2years) underwent to a total knee replacement. All of them had moderate-severe knee osteoarthritis. They were randomized divided into Group1 and Group 2 of 40 patients each. The patients in Group 1 received tranexamic acid (TXA) before inflating the tourniquet and TXA was administered on the patients in Group 25 minutes before deflating the tourniquet. TXA was used in both groups every 8 hours during the first three days postop. Variables under comparison included haemoglobin determinations (pre, postop and fifth days after surgery), drainage blood volume, transfusion requirements and appearance of thromboembolic complications. Results: The drainage blood loss was 364 ± 186 ml (Group 1) and 413 ± 175 ml (Group 2). The total blood loss was 573 ± 159 ml (Group 1) and 608 ± 132 (Group 2). No statistical significant differences were found in the amount of blood at the drain and on the total blood loss.The haemoglobin values did not showed statistical significant differences between groups before surgery on the postop or 5 days after the surgery. No significant difference in haemoglobin determinations (pre, postop and fifth days after surgery), drainage blood volume, transfusion requirements, deep-vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism was detected between the groups. One patient in group 1 received 1 unit of allogenic blood and one patient in group 2 received 3 units. No statistical significant difference was seen.Two patients in group 1 and three patients in group 2 had clinical symptoms of deep vein thrombosis. Only one patient in group 2 presented an eco-Doppler study positive for a lower limb thrombosis. Conclusions: We conclude that there is no significant difference on blood loss, transfusion requirements and thromboembolic complications after performing a total knee arthroplastywhen thetranexamic acid is employed before inflating or just before releasing the tourniquet.
Non linear controller and path planner algorithm for an autonomous variable shape formation flight

A formation flight controller can be used in a UAS fleet to avoid collision, reduce fuel consumption, or to execute interactions between the UASs, such as autonomous aerial refueling. In this paper, an autonomous formation flight (AFF) controller based on non linear dynamic inversion (NLDI) and a non-colliding path planner are proposed. The proposed NLDI AFF extends a NLDI controller found in literature to account a maneuvering leader and time-varying shape formations. The proposed path planner generates a time-varying shape formation in which a set of followers flies from their initial relative position to their desired final one, via non-colliding paths. Simulation results show that the proposed controller tracks the trajectories generated by the path planner and achieves lower formation errors than the NLDI AFF controller found in literature.
Item Structure as a Determinant of Item Difficulty in Verbal Analogies

IN The Measurement of Intelligence (1927) E. L. Thomdike identified item difficulty (&dquo;altitude&dquo;) as the most important factor in the measurement of intellectual ability, i.e., the most important dimension (vs. range and speed) on which to scale intellectual ability. Half a century later, only limited progress has been made toward understanding the determinants of item difficulty. Campbell (1961) categorized the determinants of item difficulty into intrinsic factors, such as item content and item struc-
Mechanical and thermal designing aspects for a PM synchronous machine with wound rotor

In variable speed drives mechanical and thermal phenomena interfere with electromagnetic ones. When it comes to permanent magnets (PM) machines, beside the common problems related to the stator winding insulation damage at high levels of current densities, some supplementary issues are revealed at the rotor core: mechanical stress due to centrifugal forces while high speed is attempted or the irreversible demagnetization risk of the PM, since its operating point varies with the temperature. The paper presents the study of a PM synchronous machine with a supplementary field coil on the rotor. Analytical calculation and numerical computation through finite element method (FEM), accompanied by experimental tests, will reveal the behaviour of the proposed machine and will validate the applied design procedure in terms of safe operation.
Iterative Chinese Bi-gram Term Extraction Using Machine-learning Classification Approach

This paper presents an iterative approach to extracting Chinese terms. Unlike the traditional approach to extracting Chinese terms, which requires the assistance of a dictionary, the proposed approach exploits the Support Vector Machine classifier which learns the extraction rules from the occurrences of a single popular term in the corpus. Additionally, we have designed a very effective feature set and a systematic approach for selecting the positive and negative samples as the source of training. An ancient Chinese corpus, Chinese Buddhist Texts, was taken as the experiment corpus. According to our experiment results, the proposed approach can achieve a very competitive result in comparison with the Chinese Knowledge and Information Processing (CKIP) system from Academia Sinica.
Performance criteria development of maintenance service provider using case study approach analysis

Maintenance activities, both corrective and preventive, are initially conducted by maintenance department in each company. Currently, some companies implement outsourcing strategies in performing maintenance activities. Outsourcing is the delegation of business functions in total or partial to other companies in conjunction with the administrative and operational activities. One of the advantages of outsourcing is the company can focus on its core business. In addition, outsourcing is more economical due to the maintenance of activities budget; there is an adjustment of fixed costs into variable costs. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) only handles their equipment but third party outsourcing is considered more advantageous because third party outsourcing can handle some types of equipment at once. One of the industries that implement outsourcing in maintenance activity is healthcare industry named hospital. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is part of the hospital which is very vital so that it requires medical equipment with high availability and reliability. The aim of this research is to develop performance criteria for assessing the performance of medical equipment or maintenance outsourcing service provider. Several previous studies have identified performance criteria for maintenance service providers, both in the field of medical equipment as well as manufacturing area. The aim of this research is to develop criteria for assessing maintenance outsourcing performance in healthcare industry. The criteria development methodologies are elaborating previous studies criteria as well as the integrating Case Study Analysis and Delphi to obtain new criteria. Elaboration results of the previous studies, Case Study Analysis and Delphi method obtained 17 criteria to measure performance.
Exact-repair regenerating codes via layered erasure correction and block designs

A new class of exact-repair regenerating codes is constructed by combining two layers of erasure correction codes together with combinatorial block designs. The proposed codes have the “uncoded repair” property where the nodes participating in the repair simply transfer part of the stored data directly, without performing any computation. The layered error correction structure results in a low-complexity decoding process. An analysis of our coding scheme is presented. This construction is able to achieve better performance than timesharing between the minimum storage regenerating codes and the minimum repair-bandwidth regenerating codes.
PRICING AND TRADING CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS

∗This work was completed during our visit to the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge. We thank the organizers of the programme Developments in Quantitative Finance for the kind invitation. †The research of T.R. Bielecki was supported by NSF Grant 0202851 and Moody’s Corporation grant 5-55411. ‡The research of M. Jeanblanc was supported by Zeliade, Ito33, and Moody’s Corporation grant 5-55411. §The research of M. Rutkowski was supported by the 2005 Faculty Research Grant PS06987.
Developing Authenticity as a Transformative Process

The authors explored the meaning of authenticity in teaching by talking to a group of 22 educators over 3 years. Educators’ ways of being authentic in their teaching moved from concrete understandings of self, others, relationships, context, and reflection through to multifaceted and integrative perspectives. The authors used transformative learning theory and Jung’s concept of individuation to understand the development of authenticity.
Harmonic weighting for all-pole modeling of the voiced speech

A new distance measure for all-pole modeling of voiced speech is introduced in this paper. It can easily be integrated within the concept of discrete Weighted Mean Square Error (WMSE) all-pole modeling, by a suitable choice of the modeling weights. The proposed weighting will address the problems such as: harmonic estimation reliability, perceptual significance of the harmonic and the model mismatch errors. The robust estimator is proposed, to reduce the effect of outliers caused by spectral nulls or additive non-speech contributions (e.g. background noise or music). It is demonstrated that the proposed all-pole estimation can significantly improve the performance of speech coders based on sinusoidal model, since the harmonic magnitudes are modeled better by the WMSE all-pole model.
Rhodopsin 7–The unusual Rhodopsin in Drosophila

Rhodopsins are the major photopigments in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Drosophila express six well-characterized Rhodopsins (Rh1–Rh6) with distinct absorption maxima and expression pattern. In 2000, when the Drosophila genome was published, a novel Rhodopsin gene was discovered: Rhodopsin 7 (Rh7). Rh7 is highly conserved among the Drosophila genus and is also found in other arthropods. Phylogenetic trees based on protein sequences suggest that the seven Drosophila Rhodopsins cluster in three different groups. While Rh1, Rh2 and Rh6 form a “vertebrate-melanopsin-type”–cluster, and Rh3, Rh4 and Rh5 form an “insect-type”-Rhodopsin cluster, Rh7 seem to form its own cluster. Although Rh7 has nearly all important features of a functional Rhodopsin, it differs from other Rhodopsins in its genomic and structural properties, suggesting it might have an overall different role than other known Rhodopsins.
Identification of cytosolic factors required for nuclear location sequence-mediated binding to the nuclear envelope

Nuclear protein import can be separated into two distinct steps: binding to the nuclear pore complex followed by translocation to the nuclear interior. A previously identified nuclear location sequence (NLS) receptor and a 97-kD protein purified from bovine erythrocytes reconstitute the binding step in a permeabilized cell assay. Binding to the envelope is specific for a functional SV-40 large T antigen NLS and is not ATP or temperature dependent. Modification of p97 with N- ethylmaleimide (NEM) decreases binding to the pore, but interestingly, NEM treatment of the NLS receptor does not. Nuclear envelope binding is inhibited by wheat germ agglutinin suggesting a possible mechanism for the inhibition of transport by the lectin.
Four-muscle tenotomy surgery for nystagmus

Purpose of review To describe the history and literature related to four-muscle tenotomy procedure for nystagmus. Recent findings The concept of four-muscle tenotomy surgery for nystagmus initially arose from objective eye movement recordings of patients with nystagmus and an eccentric face turn who had undergone the Anderson–Kestenbaum procedure. These eye movement recordings demonstrated secondary benefits, including broadening of the null region, improved visual acuity, and improved nystagmus waveforms. Studies initially performed in dogs validated the theory that such positive effects could be obtained by horizontal four-muscle tenotomy and reattachment without transposition. Subsequent studies in humans have demonstrated that the procedure results in improved visual acuity, broadening of the null zone, and improved target acquisition in patients with nystagmus. New theories have been described regarding techniques to augment the effects of the procedure and/or replicate its effects with a safer, less invasive alternative. Summary Horizontal four-muscle tenotomy has proven to be an effective procedure for reducing nystagmus, broadening the null position, and improving visual acuity in primary position for patients with nystagmus.
Multi-path Route Determination Method for Network Load Balancing in FAP-Based WSNs Using Fuzzy Logic

A flooding attack in wireless sensor networks is a type of threat that shortens the lifetimes of the sensor networks. Although flooding attack prevention techniques have been proposed, if a continuous flooding attack occurs, the sensor node energy is depleted during detection. In this paper, we use multi-path routing to solve this problem. In order to balance the load of the sensor node, energy balancing of the sensor node is controlled by determining the number of pathways using fuzzy logic. By adjusting the energy balancing of the sensor nodes, the number of energy-exhausting sensor nodes can be reduced. As a result, when a flooding attack occurs, the energy efficiency of the sensor node is increased by determining the number of pathways.