Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The distribution of lamprey GnRH-III in brains of adult sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus).

In the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, two forms of GnRH, lamprey GnRH-I and -III, have been demonstrated to be neurohormones regulating the pituitary-gonadal axis. The objective of the present study was to determine the distribution of lamprey GnRH-III in the brains of adult sea lampreys and to compare it to the distribution of lamprey GnRH-I. For this purpose, two kinds of immunostaining were employed: one was a single immunostaining by one of two GnRH antibodies using two successive sections; the other was double immunostaining of a single section. A dense accumulation of neuronal cells immunoreactive (ir) to antisera against either lamprey GnRH-I or -III was found in the arc-shaped preoptico-anterior hypothalamic area. Additional smaller numbers of irGnRH cells were found in the periventricular zone of the posterior hypothalamus. In the above-mentioned locations, the distribution of both irGnRH-I and -III cells was intermixed and very similar, but the cells exhibiting GnRH-III immunoreactivity were distinctly different from those exhibiting GnRH-I immunoreactivity. The relative numbers of irGnRH-III cells were larger than those of irGnRH-I cells in the preoptico-anterior hypothalamic area, and more than 90% of GnRH cells in the posterior hypothalamus were irGnRH-III cells. Both irGnRH-I and -III cells projected their fibers primarily into the neurohypophysis. The relative densities of the accumulated irGnRH-III fibers were similar to those of irGnRH-I fibers in the anterior neurohypophysis but higher than those of irGnRH-I fibers in the posterior neurohypophysis. The present study provides further immunocytochemical data to the already compelling physiological evidence that indicates that both lamprey GnRH-I and -III act through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to modulate reproductive processes in the sea lamprey.
Changes of Scots Pine Phyllosphere and Soil Fungal Communities during Outbreaks of Defoliating Insects

Outbreaks of forest pests increase with climate change, and thereby may affect microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. We investigated the structure of phyllosphere and soil microbial communities during defoliation by the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) (80% defoliation) and the pine tree lappet (Dendrolimus pini L.) (50% defoliation) in Scots pine forests (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Germany. Ribosomal RNA genes of fungi and bacteria were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and subsequently sequenced for taxonomic assignments. Defoliation by both pests changed the structure of the dominant fungal (but not bacterial) taxa of the phyllosphere and the soil. The highly abundant ectomycorrhizal fungal taxon (Russula sp.) in soils declined, which may be attributed to insufficient carbohydrate supply by the host trees and increased root mortality. In contrast, potentially pathogenic fungal taxa in the phyllosphere increased during pest outbreaks. Our results suggest that defoliation of pines by insect pest, change the structure of fungal communities, and thereby indirectly may be contributing to aggravation of tree health.
Object Detection for Autonomous Vehicles Gene

In this work, we have examine an approach to deep object detection that makes bounding box predictions for an image without the need for expensive preprocessing or expensive deep evaluations; the resulting DIY network, SimpleNet, gives reasonable prediction accuracy and runs in near-real-time. SimpleNet is capable of making predictions at a rate of approximately 11 frames per second, and achieves a mAP accuracy of around 12.83% on our validation set.
Nematodes and cestodes from the desert hedgehog , Paraechinus aethiopicus ( Ehrenberg ) in Central Saudi Arabia , revealed by SEM and microscopy , with notes on histopathology

Specimens of two species of nematodes and one species of tapeworms were collected from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg), in Central Saudi Arabia between summer of 2014 and spring of 2015. Females of Rictularia plagiostoma (Wedl, 1861) (Rictularidae: Nematoda) (new host record) and females of a species of Thubunaea Seurat, 1914 (Physalopteridae: Nematoda) (new record in Saudi Arabia), and of Mathevotaenia erinacei Meggitt, 1920 (Anoplocephalidae: Cestoda) (new geographical record) were collected from the intestinal tract of hedgehogs. The present report includes comparative descriptions of the Saudi material and is augmented by SEM scans. Coinfections with acanthocephalan parasites are briefly noted. Histopathological sections of the Thubunaea-host interface are also provided and a migratory tissue invading phase of larvae is demonstrated. The histopathology shows eggs hatching in the host and encysted larvae migrating into the muscle layers of the intestine causing limited damage to the host. The inflammatory response of the parasites especially the larval stages of the nematodes is characteristic of granular parasitic
Acquisition of the Sda 1-Encoding Bacteriophage Does Not Enhance Virulence of the Serotype M 1 Streptococcus pyogenes Strain SF 370

Carola Venturini, Cheryl-lynn Y. Ong, Christine M. Gillen, Nouri L. Ben-Zakour, Peter G. Maamary, Victor Nizet, Scott A. Beatson, Mark J. Walker School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia; Department of Pediatrics and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
Probabilistic Logic Programming Under the Distribution Semantics

The combination of logic programming and probability has proven useful for modeling domains with complex and uncertain relationships among elements. Many probabilistic logic programming (PLP) semantics have been proposed, among these the distribution semantics has recently gained an increased attention and is adopted by many languages such as the Independent Choice Logic, PRISM, Logic Programs with Annotated Disjunctions, ProbLog and P-log. This paper reviews the distribution semantics, beginning in the simplest case with stratified Datalog programs, and showing how the definition is extended to programs that include function symbols and nonstratified negation. The languages that adopt the distribution semantics are also discussed and compared both to one another and to Bayesian networks. We then survey existing approaches for inference in PLP languages that follow the distribution semantics. We concentrate on the PRISM, ProbLog and PITA systems. The PRISM system was one of the first and can be applied when certain restrictions on the program hold. ProbLog introduced the use of Binary Decision Diagrams that provide a computational basis for removing these restrictions and so performing inference over more general classes of logic programs. PITA speeds up inference by using tabling and answer subsumption. It supports general probabilistic programs, but can easily be optimized for simpler settings and even possibilistic uncertain reasoning. The paper also discusses the computational complexity of the various approaches together with techniques for limiting it by resorting to approximation.
Cyber-Attack Detection in the Secondary Control of DC

The paper considers the problem of detecting cyber-attacks occurring in communication networks typically used in the secondary control layer of DC microgrids. The proposed distributed methodology allows for scalable monitoring of a microgrid and is able to detect the presence of data injection attacks in the communications among Distributed Generation Units (DGUs) governed by consensus-based control and isolate the communication link over which the attack is injected. Each local attack detector requires limited knowledge regarding the dynamics of its neighbors. Detectability properties of the method are analyzed, as well as a class of undetectable attacks. Some results from numerical simulation are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Evolutionary algorithm for optimal anchor node placement to localize devices in a mobile ad hoc network during building evacuation

Using mobile devices to support the evacuation of a building is a relatively new and promising research field. An essential requirement to realize this endeavor is to be able to track the location of the mobile devices. Since GPS is generally not available in buildings, alternative localization methods, i.e. methods to determine the devices' locations, need to be used. Many of these alternative localization algorithms use a small number of so called anchor nodes which are assumed to know their positions to derive the locations of all other devices in the network. The placement of these anchor nodes is essential to the accuracy of the derived locations and has, so far, been mainly studied for static networks. Mobile networks pose different challenges, especially when used for evacuation support, where devices are simultaneously moved towards the exits of a building. Here, we present an Evolutionary Algorithm in combination with a multi-agent simulation to optimize the placement of anchor nodes in order to localize devices during evacuation. It is shown that the proposed Evolutionary Algorithm is a suitable instrument to find a good placement and some essential criteria for such a placement are identified.
A Short BRCA2-Derived Cell-Penetrating Peptide Targets RAD51 Function and Confers Hypersensitivity toward PARP Inhibition

Under conditions of genotoxic stress, cancer cells strongly rely on efficient DNA repair to survive and proliferate. The human BRCA2 tumor suppressor protein is indispensable for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination (HR) by virtue of its ability to promote RAD51 loading onto single-stranded DNA. Therefore, blocking the interaction between BRCA2 and RAD51 could significantly improve the efficacy of conventional anticancer therapies. However, targeting protein–protein interaction (PPI) interfaces has proven challenging because flat and large PPI surfaces generally do not support binding of small-molecule inhibitors. In contrast, peptides are more potent for targeting PPIs but are otherwise difficult to deliver into cells. Here, we report that a synthetic 16-mer peptide derived from the BRC4 repeat motif of BRCA2 is capable of blocking RAD51 binding to BRCA2. Efficient noncytotoxic cellular uptake of a nona-arginine (R9)-conjugated version of the BRC4 peptide interferes with DNA damage–induced RAD51 foci formation and HR. Moreover, transduction of the BRC4 peptide impairs replication fork–protective function of BRCA2 and triggers MRE11-dependent degradation of nascent DNA in response to DNA replication stress. Finally, the BRC4 cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) confers selective hypersensitivity to PARP inhibition in cancer cells but spares noncancerous cells. Taken together, our data highlight an innovative approach to develop novel peptide-based DNA repair inhibitors and establish BRCA2-derived CPPs as promising anticancer agents. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(7); 1392–404. ©2018 AACR.
Comparative ruralism and ‘opening new windows’ on gentrification

In response to the five commentaries on our paper ‘Comparative approaches to gentrification: lessons from the rural’, we open up more ‘windows’ on rural gentrification and its urban counterpart. First, we highlight the issues of metrocentricity and urbanormativity within gentrification studies, highlighting their employment by our commentators. Second, we consider the issue of displacement and its operation within rural space, as well as gentrification as a coping strategy for neoliberal existence and connections to more-than-human natures. Finally, we consider questions of scale, highlighting the need to avoid naturalistic conceptions of scale and arguing that attention could be paid to the role of material practices, symbolizations and lived experiences in producing scaled geographies of rural and urban gentrification.
EWD: A metamodeling driven customizable multi-MoC system modeling framework

We present the EWD design environment and methodology, a modeling and simulation framework suited for complex and heterogeneous embedded systems with varying degrees of expressibility and modeling fidelity. This environment promotes the use of multiple models of computation (MoCs) to support heterogeneity and metamodeling for conformance tests of syntactic and static semantics during the process of modeling. Therefore, EWD is a multiple MoC modeling and simulation framework that ensures conformance of the MoC formalisms during model construction using a metamodeling approach. In addition, EWD provides a suite of translation tools that generate executable models for two simulation frameworks to demonstrate its language-independent modeling framework. The EWD methodology uses the Generic Modeling Environment for customization of the MoC-specific modeling syntax into a visual representation. To embed the execution semantics of the MoCs into the models, we have built parsing and translation tools that leverage an XML-based interoperability language. This interoperability language is then translated into executable Standard ML or Haskell models that can also be analyzed by existing simulation frameworks such as SML-Sys or ForSyDe. In summary, EWD is a metamodeling driven multitarget design environment with multi-MoC modeling capability.
Autobiographical Memory and Patterns of Brain Atrophy in Fronto-temporal Lobar Degeneration

Autobiographical memory paradigms have been increasingly used to study the behavioral and neuroanatomical correlates of human remote memory. Although there are numerous functional neuroimaging studies on this topic, relatively few studies of patient samples exist, with heterogeneity of results owing to methodological variability. In this study, fronto-temporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), a form of dementia affecting regions crucial to autobiographical memory, was used as a model of autobiographical memory loss. We emphasized the separation of episodic (recollection of specific event, perceptual, and mental state information) from semantic (factual information unspecific in time and place) autobiographical memory, derived from a reliable method for scoring transcribed autobiographical protocols, the Autobiographical Interview [Levine, B. , Svoboda, E. , Hay, J., Winocur, G. , & Moscovitch, M. Aging and autobiographical memory: Dissociating episodic from semantic retrieval. Psychology and Aging, 17, 677689, 2002]. Patients with the fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and mixed fronto-temporal and semantic dementia (FTD/SD) variants of FTLD were impaired at reconstructing episodically rich autobiographical memories across the lifespan, with FTD/SD patients generating an excess of generic semantic autobiographical information. Patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia were mildly impaired for episodic autobiographical memory, but this impairment was eliminated with the provision of structured cueing, likely reflecting relatively intact medial-temporal lobe function, whereas the same cueing failed to bolster the FTD and FTD/SD patients' performance relative to that of matched comparison subjects. The pattern of episodic, but not semantic, autobiographical impairment was enhanced with disease progression on 1- to 2-year follow-up testing in a subset of patients, supplementing the cross-sectional evidence for specificity of episodic autobiographical impairment with longitudinal data. This behavioral pattern covaried with volume loss in a distributed left-lateralized posterior network centered on the temporal lobe, consistent with evidence from other patient and functional neuroimaging studies of autobiographical memory. Frontal lobe volumes, however, did not significantly contribute to this network, suggesting that frontal contributions to autobiographical episodic memory may be more complex than previously appreciated.
Is HTTP/2 more energy efficient than HTTP/1.1 for mobile users?

Recent technological advancements have enabled mobile devices to provide mobile users with substantial capability and accessibility. Energy is evidently one of the most critical resources for such devices; in spite of the substantial gain in popularity of mobile devices, such as smartphones, their utility is severely constrained by battery life. Mobile users are very interested in accessing the Internet while it is one of the most expensive operations in terms of energy and cost. HTTP/2 has been proposed and accepted as the new standard for supporting the World Wide Web. HTTP/2 is expected to offer better performance, such as reduced page load time. Consequently, from the mobile users point of view, question arises: Does HTTP/2 offer improved energy consumption performance achieving longer battery life? In this paper, we compare the energy consumption of HTTP/2 with its predecessor (i.e., HTTP/1.1) using a variety of real world and synthetic test scenarios. We also investigate how Transport Layer Security (TLS) impacts the energy consumption of the mobile devices. Our study suggests that Round Trip Time (RTT) is one of the biggest factors in deciding how advantageous is HTTP/2 compared to HTTP/1.1. We conclude that for networks with higher RTTs, HTTP/2 has better energy consumption performance than HTTP/1.1.
Evaluation of asphalt–aggregate interaction based on the rheological properties

Abstract The silicon dioxide (SiO2) and calcium oxide (CaO) analytical reagents are selected to prepare asphalt mastics and the effects of aggregate chemical composition on asphalt–aggregate interactions (AAI) are evaluated based on the complex modulus and phase angle. It is found that the oxide analytical reagents significantly affect the rheological properties such as complex shear modulus and phase angle, and the effects of CaO are greater than SiO2 due to the stronger interaction between asphalt binder and CaO analytical reagents. Both the modulus stiffening ratio and the phase angle-based K. Ziegel-B coefficient could be used to evaluate the AAI, and the latter is the better index. Results show that the indexes increase with the test temperature, but decrease with the loading frequency, and tend to be constant. The higher adhesive strength between asphalt binder and limestone than basalt is likely attributed to the higher content of CaO in limestone aggregate and the stronger asphalt–CaO interaction.
Human DNA Exonuclease TREX1 Is Also an Exoribonuclease That Acts on Single-stranded RNA*

Background: 3′ repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) is a DNase involved in autoimmune disorders and the antiviral response. Results: TREX1 also degrades single-stranded RNA or RNA in a RNA/DNA hybrid molecule. Conclusion: TREX1 is a human homolog of Escherichia coli RNase T. Significance: The novel RNase activity of TREX1 is crucial for understanding its physiological role. 3′ repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) is a known DNA exonuclease involved in autoimmune disorders and the antiviral response. In this work, we show that TREX1 is also a RNA exonuclease. Purified TREX1 displays robust exoribonuclease activity that degrades single-stranded, but not double-stranded, RNA. TREX1-D200N, an Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome disease-causing mutant, is defective in degrading RNA. TREX1 activity is strongly inhibited by a stretch of pyrimidine residues as is a bacterial homolog, RNase T. Kinetic measurements indicate that the apparent Km of TREX1 for RNA is higher than that for DNA. Like RNase T, human TREX1 is active in degrading native tRNA substrates. Previously reported TREX1 crystal structures have revealed that the substrate binding sites are open enough to accommodate the extra hydroxyl group in RNA, further supporting our conclusion that TREX1 acts on RNA. These findings indicate that its RNase activity needs to be taken into account when evaluating the physiological role of TREX1.
Electrochemical Characteristics of HA Film on the Ti Alloy Using Pulsed Laser Deposition

In this study, we have investigated the surface morphology of hydroxyapatite (HA) coated Ti alloy surface using pulsed laser plating. The HA (tooth ash) films were grown by pulsed KrF excimer laser, film surfaces were analyzed for topology, chemical composition, crystal structure and electrochemical behavior. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy showed α and β phase, Cp-Ti showed α phase and the HA coated surface showed HA and Ti alloy peaks. The HA coating layer was formed with 1-2㎛droplets and grain-like particles, particles which were smaller than the HA target particle, and the composition of the HA coatings were composed of Ca and P. From the electrochemical test, the pitting potential (1580 mV) of HA coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy was higher than those of Cp-Ti (1060 mV) and HA coated Cp-Ti (1350 mV). The HA coated samples showed a lower current density than non-HA coated samples, whereas, the polarization resistance of HA coated samples showed a high value compared to non-HA coated samples.
A Multi-centric, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized, Prospective Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Carica papaya Leaf Extract, as Empirical Therapy for Thrombocytopenia associated with Dengue Fever.

INTRODUCTION Dengue is a rapidly expanding global health problem. Approximately 2.5 billion people live in dengue-risk regions with about 100 million new cases each year worldwide. The cumulative dengue diseases burden has attained an unprecedented proportion in recent times with sharp increase in the size of human population at risk. The management of dengue virus infection is essentially supportive and symptomatic and no specific treatment is available for increasing the fallen platelets, which have a significant role in causing the mortality of dengue patient.This study was conducted to evaluate the platelet increasing efficacy of Carica papaya leaf extract (CPLE) in patients with dengue fever (DF). AIM The administration of Carica papaya leaf extract should significantly increase the platelet count in cases of thrombocytopenia associated with dengue, preventing the patient to go in DHF or DSS conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS A Multi-centric, Double blind, Placebo controlled, Randomized, prospective study was conducted in 300 patients across 5 centres', to evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Carica Papaya Leaf Extract, as empirical therapy for thrombocytopenia associated with dengue fever. The subjects were randomized into two groups, as control and intervention group. Both the groups were managed by the standard management guidelines for dengue except steroid administration. In addition to this, the intervention group received CPLE tablet three times daily for five days. All of them were followed daily with platelet monitoring. This study has been registered in the clinical trial registry-India (CTRI Registration number: CTRI/2015/05/005806). RESULTS The results indicate that CPLE had significant increase(p< 0.01) in the platelet count over the therapy duration, in dengue fever patients, confirming CPLE accelerates the increase in platelet count compared to the control group. There were few adverse events related to GI disturbance like nausea and vomiting which were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Thus this study concluded that Carica papaya leaf extract (CPLE) does significantly increase the platelet count in patients with thrombocytopenia associated with dengue with fewer side effects and good tolerability.