Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Genuine Virtual Collaboration: Designing the Use of Mobile Remote Presence in Offshore-Outsourced Projects

Informal communication between work team members is critical for collaborative tasks, building relationships and coordinating group activities. Achieving informal communication and collaboration is particularly challenging in in offshore outsourced projects. Supporting informal communication is difficult for most collaboration technologies. One approach is the adoption of mobile remote presence technologies (MRP). Such systems comprise a video conferencing system mounted on a user-controlled, mobile robotic base. This paper seeks to design the deployment of an MRP system in an offshore-outsourced software development team (located between Germany and India). The design process involved observing the use a MRP system in a distributed team in Germany. We observed the influence of the mobile remote presence system on types and frequency of team interaction over a 12-month period. It supported a wide range of collaborative interaction, including planned and unplanned meetings and social interactions. After an adjustment period of several weeks, local and remote users worked almost as if they were co-located. The paper concludes with plans for deploying the mobile remote presence system in an offshore outsourced team, which include an extended adjustment period and daily scheduled meetings to ensure usage and enable a range of interaction types.
Use of FTA gene guard filter paper for the storage and transportation of tumor cells for molecular testing.

CONTEXT Efficient methods of storing tumor specimens for molecular testing are needed in the modern surgical pathology laboratory. The FTA Gene Guard system is a novel method for the collection and room temperature storage of blood samples for DNA testing. The method uses index card-sized filter papers that provide an ideal medium on which to store tumor specimens for DNA testing. OBJECTIVE To determine whether FTA filter paper can be used in the surgical pathology laboratory to store tumor cells for DNA testing. DESIGN Cell suspensions were prepared from 60 surgical specimens, and DNA was extracted either immediately or after storage on FTA paper. The DNA extracted by each method was tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the beta-globin and interferon gamma genes, and the results were compared. Fifteen lymph node specimens stored on FTA paper were then tested for immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement by PCR, and these results were compared with those obtained for immediately extracted DNA. SETTING University medical center. RESULTS The DNA extracted from cells stored on FTA paper performed as well in the PCR as the freshly extracted DNA in nearly all cases (>95%). The results of tests for IgH gene rearrangements showed 100% concordance between the 2 methods of DNA extraction.Conclusion. -Cells from surgical specimens can be stored on FTA paper for extended lengths of time, and DNA can be extracted from these cells for PCR-based testing. FTA filter paper is a reliable medium for the storage and/or transport of tumor cells for PCR-based DNA analysis.
A target-field method to design circular biplanar coils for asymmetric shim and gradient fields

The paper presents a method for designing circular, shielded biplanar coils that can generate any desired field. A particular feature of these coils is that the target field may be located asymmetrically within the coil. A transverse component of the magnetic field produced by the coil is made to match a prescribed target field over the surfaces of two concentric spheres (the diameter of spherical volume) that define the target field location. The paper shows winding patterns and fields for several gradient and shim coils. It examines the effect that the finite coil size has on the winding patterns, using a Fourier-transform calculation for comparison.
Successful validation of genomic biomarkers for human immunotoxicity in Jurkat T cells in vitro

Previously, we identified 25 classifier genes that were able to assess immunotoxicity using human Jurkat T cells. The present study aimed to validate these classifiers. For that purpose, Jurkat cells were exposed for 6 h to subcytotoxic doses of nine immunotoxicants, five non‐immunotoxicants and four compounds for which human immunotoxicity has not yet been fully established. RNA was isolated and subjected to Fluidigm quantitative real time (qRT)–PCR analysis. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the screening assay as based on the nine immunotoxicants and five non‐immunotoxicants used in this study were 100%, 80% and 93%, respectively, which is better than the performance in our previous study. Only one compound was classified as false positive (benzo‐e‐pyrene). Of the four potential (non‐)immunotoxicants, chlorantraniliprole and Hidrasec were classified immunotoxic and Sunset yellow and imidacloprid as non‐immunotoxic. ToxPi analysis of the PCR data provided insight in the molecular pathways that were affected by the compounds. The immunotoxicants 2,3‐dichloro‐propanol and cypermethrin, although structurally different, affected protein metabolism and cholesterol biosynthesis and transport. In addition, four compounds, i.e. chlorpyrifos, aldicarb, benzo‐e‐pyrene and anti‐CD3, affected genes in cholesterol metabolism and transport, protein metabolism and transcription regulation. qRT–PCR on eight additional genes coding for similar processes as defined in ToxPi analyzes, supported these results. In conclusion, the 25 immunotoxic classifiers performed very well in a screening with new non‐immunotoxic and immunotoxic compounds. Therefore, the Jurkat screening assay has great promise to be applied within a tiered approach for animal free testing of human immunotoxicity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pressure Overload Promotes HMGB1 Signaling in the Ischemic-reperfused Heart

Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) are released following tissue injury and can activate proinflammatory pathways. Prototypical DAMPs include the High-Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein which is released from necrotic cells. In turn, HMGB1 promotes inflammation via mechanisms likely involving phosphorylation/ activation of c-Jun-NH2-Terminal Kinase (JNK) and production of the inflammasome-associated cytokine, interleukin- 1β (IL-1β). We have shown that pressure overload increases infarct size in association with poorer functional recovery of the heart subjected to an ischemia-reperfusion insult. This study tested the hypothesis that pressure overload augments HMGB1 expression in association with increased IL-1β generation and JNK phosphorylation thereby contributing to increased tissue injury. Accordingly, hearts of male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to an ischemia (40 min) reperfusion (15 min) insult with perfusion pressure set at either 80 or 160 cm H2O. Thereafter, hearts were processed for flow cytometry and Western blot studies. The ischemic-reperfused hearts subjected to the high pressure displayed (a) greater expression of HMGB1 and IL-1β which were shown to also be generated by cardiomyocytes, (b) increased phosphoJNK levels and c) increased necrotic and apoptotic cell death. Collectively, the results suggest that pressure-related upregulation of HMGB1 signaling contributes to the pro-inflammatory response of the ischemic-reperfused heart involving augmented JNK activation and IL-1β generation.
Towards prosthetic systems providing comprehensive tactile feedback for utility and embodiment

The present research moves in the direction of enabling a bidirectional communication between the subject brain and the prosthetic limb, by providing the prosthesis with an artificial cutaneous sensing through an electronic skin. In this preliminary study, the skin response to the applied mechanical stimuli is conveyed to the human subject using electrotactile stimulation. Experimental tests on two healthy subjects show that a short training through reinforced learning increased considerably the success rate in the identification of the impact location. This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of communicating the tactile information from the electronic skin to the human subject using multichannel electrocutaneous stimulation. The result is promising since it implies that it might be possible to achieve the embodiment of the artificial skin into the body scheme of the human subject, relying on the brain ability to successfully process the artificial tactile information.
At the Crossroads of Chemistry and Cell Biology: Inhibiting Membrane Traffic by Small Molecules

Intracellular membrane traffic regulates cell physiology at multiple levels ranging from cell growth and development to the function of the nervous and immune systems. Multiple endocytic routes are used by distinct cargoes including ligands bound to their receptors but also viruses and pathogens to gain access to the cell interior. Within the endosomal system, proteins and lipids are sorted for degradation or recycling allowing cells to dynamically respond to environmental signals and to regulate cell shape and morphology. Some receptors or toxins are sorted along the retrograde pathway from endosomes to the Golgi complex, where they intersect with secretory cargo destined for exocytosis. Genetic manipulations of these pathways frequently cause problems with regard to data interpretation as the resulting phenotypes may be indirect consequences resulting from perturbation of multiple steps or trafficking routes. Hence, novel approaches are needed to acutely and reversibly perturb intracellular membrane traffic, e.g. by small molecule inhibitors. Such drugs may also be pharmacologically important as they offer new avenues to fight human diseases. Here, we provide an overview of the small molecules available to interfere with intracellular membrane traffic and outline strategies for future research.
Refined Supercell and Tornado Forecast Parameters

Abstract This note updates a previous study that utilized a baseline climatology of soundings associated with large hail, significant tornadoes, and 10 or more cloud-to-ground lightning flashes from 1992. Expanding on the earlier analysis, it is shown that three modified forecast parameters have more value in distinguishing between environments that favor significant tornadoes and those that favor large hail but no significant tornadoes, in the climatological data. These parameters are storm-relative helicity in the 0–1-km layer adjacent to the ground, energy–helicity index computed from this measure of helicity, and the convective available potential energy that accrues from the surface to 3 km above ground level. In addition, this note provides caveats regarding the interpretation of the climatological findings.
Coordinated Involvement of Mast Cells and T Cells in Allergic Mucosal Inflammation: Critical Role of the CC Chemokine Ligand 1:CCR8 Axis

CCL1 is the predominant chemokine secreted from IgE-activated human and mouse mast cells in vitro, colocalizes to mast cells in lung biopsies, and is elevated in asthmatic airways. CCR8, the receptor for CCL1, is expressed by ∼70% of CD4+ T lymphocytes recruited to the asthmatic airways, and the number of CCR8-expressing cells is increased 3-fold in the airways of asthmatic subjects compared with normal volunteers. In vivo, CCL1 expression in the lung is reduced in mast cell-deficient mice after aeroallergen provocation. Neutralization of CCL1 or CCR8 deficiency results in reduced mucosal lung inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and mucus hypersecretion to a similar degree as detected in mast cell-deficient mice. Adenoviral delivery of CCL1 to the lungs of mast cell-deficient mice restores airway hyperresponsiveness, lung inflammation, and mucus hypersecretion to the degree observed in wild-type mice. The consequences of CCR8 deficiency, including a marked reduction in Th2 cytokine levels, are comparable with those observed by depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Thus, mast cell-derived CCL1- and CCR8-expressing CD4+ effector T lymphocytes play an essential role in orchestrating lung mucosal inflammatory responses.
p130/E2F4 Binds to and Represses the cdc2 Promoter in Response to p53*

p53 represses the transcription ofcdc2 and cyclin B1, causing loss of Cdc2 activity and G2 arrest. Here we show that the region −22 to −2 of the cdc2 promoter called the R box is required for repression by p53 but not for basal promoter activity. The R box confers p53-dependent repression on heterologous promoters and binds to p130/E2F4 in response to overexpression of p53. R box-dependent repression requires p21/waf1, and overexpression of p21/waf1 also represses the cdc2promoter. These observations suggest that p53 represses thecdc2 promoter by inducing p21/waf1, which inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase activity, enhancing the binding of p130 and E2F4, which together bind to and repress the cdc2promoter.
Arbitrary-Order Full-Vectorial Interface Conditions and Higher Order Finite-Difference Analysis of Optical Waveguides

We derive generalized full-vectorial continuity relations of field derivatives across an abrupt curved interface. Using the Helmholtz wave equation, we can extend the interface conditions by two orders. Repeating the process, we obtain interface conditions of even and odd orders from the zeroth- and first-order interface conditions, respectively, which can be extended to arbitrary orders. The interface conditions combined with Taylor series expansion are applied in higher order full-vectorial finite-difference analysis of several waveguide structures. From effective index convergence analysis of optical fiber modes, the 6-, 15-, and 28-point schemes give second-, fourth-, and sixth-order convergence, respectively. The higher order formulation is also applied to guided mode analysis of photonic crystal fibers and terahertz pipe waveguides, where improved accuracy is obtained when using higher order scheme. Our proposed method allows coarser discretization, which can greatly reduce the computation time and memory. The ultimate accuracy can also be higher due to smaller accumulated roundoff error.
EFFECTS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INTRA-ABDOMINAL HYPERTENSION ON MESENTERIC LYMPH FLOW: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ABDOMINAL COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

Intra-abdominal hypertension leading to abdominal compartment syndrome complicates trauma resuscitation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of primary (1°) and secondary (2°) intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) on hemodynamics, intestinal fluid balance, and mesenteric lymph flow. Anesthetized dogs were instrumented with vascular catheters, intra-abdominal manometer, and mesenteric lymphatic fistulae. 1° IAH was created by infusing 0.9% saline into the peritoneal cavity to increase abdominal pressure. 2° IAH was created by elevating the inferior vena cava (IVC) pressure between 20 and 25 mmHg and crystalloid resuscitation to create intestinal edema to induce IAH. At baseline and at 30-min intervals, hemodynamics, lymph flow (QL), IVC, and intra-abdominal pressures were measured. Tissue water was determined using microgravimetry to assess gut edema. Results are reported as mean ± SEM, with n = 7-8 dogs per group. 1° IAH significantly increased CVP and decreased QL. 1° IAH stopped mesenteric QL, thus transvascular fluid flux necessarily exceeded QL, contributing to gut edema formation. 2° IAH significantly increased CVP and QL. 2° IAH increased QL despite elevated IAP. Interstitial protein washdown maintained the plasma-to-interstitial oncotic gradient, thus increased transvascular fluid flux was due principally to increased capillary pressure. Transvascular fluid flux exceeded QL as manifested by increasing gut tissue water as QL plateaued. Modest elevations in IAP significantly affect mesenteric QL and the development of gut edema. The principle of early abdominal decompression to reduce mesenteric/IVC venous hypertension and capillary pressure is supported by these data.
scyllo-Inositol Promotes Robust Mutant Huntingtin Protein Degradation*

Background: Effects of scyllo-inositol, a modulator of misfolded protein accumulation, were tested in a cellular model of Huntington disease. Results: scyllo-Inositol lowered mutant huntingtin aggregation and decreased protein abundance through proteasomal and lysosomal degradation. Conclusion: scyllo-Inositol promotes mutant huntingtin degradation in a model of Huntington disease. Significance: In contrast to other compounds targeting mutant huntingtin aggregation and accumulation, scyllo-inositol promotes effective degradation. Huntington disease is characterized by neuronal aggregates and inclusions containing polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin protein and peptide fragments (polyQ-Htt). We have used an established cell-based assay employing a PC12 cell line overexpressing truncated exon 1 of Htt with a 103-residue polyQ expansion that yields polyQ-Htt aggregates to investigate the fate of polyQ-Htt-drug complexes. scyllo-Inositol is an endogenous inositol stereoisomer known to inhibit accumulation and toxicity of the amyloid-β peptide and α-synuclein. In light of these properties, we investigated the effect of scyllo-inositol on polyQ-Htt accumulation. We show that scyllo-inositol lowered the number of visible polyQ-Htt aggregates and robustly decreased polyQ-Htt protein abundance without concomitant cellular toxicity. We found that scyllo-inositol-induced polyQ-Htt reduction was by rescue of degradation pathways mediated by the lysosome and by the proteasome but not autophagosomes. The rescue of degradation pathways was not a direct result of scyllo-inositol on the lysosome or proteasome but due to scyllo-inositol-induced reduction in mutant polyQ-Htt protein levels.
Model for passive mode locking in semiconductor lasers (13 pages)

We derive and study a model describing passive mode locking--a set of differential equations with time delay. Unlike classical mode locking models based on the Haus master equation, this model does not assume small gain and loss per cavity round trip. Therefore, it is valid in a parameter range typical of semiconductor lasers. The limit of a slow saturable absorber is analyzed analytically. Bifurcations responsible for the appearance and breakup of the mode locking regime are studied numerically.
RADIOLOGICAL OSTEOPOROSIS: CORRELATION WITH DIETARY AND BIOCHEMICAL FINDINGS

Abstract: Roentgenograms of the lumbar spine, left femur and left hand were obtained on 1451 adults who did not have bone disease or malignant disease. Osteoporosis was visually evaluated on the basis of radiological density and the number of collapsed vertebrae. The height and the antero‐posterior length of the 3rd lumbar vertebra, and the total and medullary diameters of the femur and the 2nd metacarpus were measured. In females, vertebral height decreased with age and the degree of osteoporosis. The ratio of vertebral mid‐height to anteroposterior length decreased in females with age and in both sexes with increasing severity of osteoporosis. The ratio of mid‐height to anterior vertebral height was independent of age, sex and the presence of osteoporosis. In tubular bones, the medullary‐canal width increased with age and the severity of osteoporosis, particularly in females. This finding was more pronounced in the metacarpus than in the femur.
CPW-Fed Frequency-Reconfigurable Slot-Loop Antenna With a Tunable Matching Network Based on Ferroelectric Varactors

A frequency-reconfigurable slot-loop antenna with a tunable matching network (TMN) is designed, fabricated, and measured. The frequency-reconfigurable antenna is designed by loading ferroelectric (FE) varactors along a slot loop. The varactor-loaded slot-loop antenna is fed using a coplanar waveguide (CPW) line rather than a microstrip line to preserve the advantage of being uniplanar. However, because it is more difficult to achieve a good matching over wide bandwidth with a direct CPW feed, we propose to add a TMN. It is found that the TMN can be realized using a series varactor, which does not increase the size of the antenna. Measurement results show that by adjusting the bias of the FE varactors from 0 to 15 V, the operating frequency of the antenna can be tuned from 6.71 to 9.14 GHz, translating into a 30.6% frequency tuning range (FTR). At 6.71 GHz, the size of the slot loop is 0.056 λ0 ×0.056λ0. When biased at 15 V, the antenna gain is -3.1 dBi. Over the entire FTR, the return loss is greater than 20 dB, demonstrating the effectiveness of the tunable matching technique.
Context-Aware Approach for Personalized Information Service

Personalized information service (PIS) aims at improving the information retrieval process by taking into account the particular interests of individual users. However, not all user preferences are relevant in all situations. It is well known that human preferences are complex, multiple, heterogeneous, changing, even contradictory, and should be understood in context with the user goals and tasks at hand. Therefore, a context-aware approach is proposed to improve PIS quality. In this paper, after the requirements of PIS are analyzed, the context aware PIS process is put forward, and the keys to realize such a process are presented in details. An experiment study is conducted to verify the effectiveness of our proposed approach.
Gravitational waves from binary supermassive black holes missing in pulsar observations

Placing bounds on gravitational wave detection Gravitational waves are expected to be generated by the interaction of the massive bodies in black-hole binary systems. As gravitational waves distort spacetime, it should be possible to verify their existence as they interfere with the pulses emitted by millisecond pulsars. However, after monitoring 24 pulsars with the Parkes radio telescope for 12 years, Shannon et al. found no detectable variation in pulsar records. This nondetection result indicates that a new detection strategy for gravitational waves is needed. Science, this issue p. 1522 A lack of observed variations in the timing of pulsars places constraints on the detection of gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are expected to be radiated by supermassive black hole binaries formed during galaxy mergers. A stochastic superposition of gravitational waves from all such binary systems would modulate the arrival times of pulses from radio pulsars. Using observations of millisecond pulsars obtained with the Parkes radio telescope, we constrained the characteristic amplitude of this background, Ac,yr, to be <1.0 × 10−15 with 95% confidence. This limit excludes predicted ranges for Ac,yr from current models with 91 to 99.7% probability. We conclude that binary evolution is either stalled or dramatically accelerated by galactic-center environments and that higher-cadence and shorter-wavelength observations would be more sensitive to gravitational waves.
Computational analysis of lung deformation after murine pneumonectomy

In many mammalian species, the removal of one lung (pneumonectomy) is associated with the compensatory growth of the remaining lung. To investigate the hypothesis that parenchymal deformation may trigger lung regeneration, we used microCT scanning to create 3D finite element geometric models of the murine lung pre- and post-pneumonectomy (24 h). The structural correspondence between models was established using anatomic landmarks and an iterative computational algorithm. When compared with the pre-pneumonectomy lung, the post-pneumonectomy models demonstrated significant translation and rotation of the cardiac lobe into the post-pneumonectomy pleural space. 2D maps of lung deformation demonstrated significant heterogeneity; the areas of greatest deformation were present in the subpleural regions of the lobe. Consistent with the previously identified growth patterns, subpleural regions of enhanced deformation are compatible with a mechanical signal – likely involving parenchymal stretch – triggering lung growth.