Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved yields of cell-free varicella-zoster virus

Systematic studies on the replication of varicella-zoster virus in infected human fetal diploid lung cells have defined more optimal conditions for infection and harvesting of cultures and have led to the production of cell-free virus preparations with infectivity titers of greater than or equal to 10(6) plaque-forming units per ml. The highest yields of cell-free virus were obtained by (i) sonic treatment of the cellular phase of cultures inoculated with trypsin-dispersed infected cells at ratios of 1 infected cell to 6 to 10 uninfected cells in the monolayer and (ii) harvesting cells after 24 to 36 h of incubation at 36 degrees C. At this time the cultures showed minimal viral cytopathic effect. Spread of infectivity occurred much more rapidly in cultures inoculated with whole infected cells than in those infected with cell-free virus. Complement-fixing antigens with improved titers of greater than or equal to 1:128 were prepared from varicella-zoster virus-infected cell cultures in the same manner as cell-free virus, but harvested after 3 to 4 days of incubation when the cultures showed an advanced cytopathic effect.
Embryonic Stem Cell in the Therapy of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Xiaotang Fan1, Yongping Tang2, Kai Wang2, Xiang Cui2, Shiqi Tao2 and Haiwei Xu3,4 1Department of Histology and Embryology,Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 2Department of Physiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 3Southwest Hospital, Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 4Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, 1,2,3P.R. China 4USA
Transfer of Motor Learning Engages Specific Neural Substrates During Motor Memory Consolidation Dependent on the Practice Structure

ABSTRACT The authors investigated how brain activity during motor-memory consolidation contributes to transfer of learning to novel versions of a motor skill following distinct practice structures. They used 1 Hz repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) immediately after constant or variable practice of an arm movement skill to interfere with primary motor cortex (M1) or dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The effect of interference was assessed through skill performance on two transfer targets: one within and one outside the range of practiced movement parameters for the variable practice group. For the control (no rTMS) group, variable practice benefited delayed transfer performance more than constant practice. The rTMS effect on delayed transfer performance differed for the two transfer targets. For the within-range target, rTMS interference had no significant affect on the delayed transfer after either practice structure. However, for the outside-range target, rTMS interference to DLPFC but not M1 attenuated delayed transfer benefit following variable practice. Additionally, for the outside-range target, rTMS interference to M1 but not DLPFC attenuated delayed transfer following constant practice. This suggests that variable practice may promote reliance on DLPFC for memory consolidation associated with outside-range transfer of learning, whereas constant practice may promote reliance on M1 for consolidation and long-term transfer.
Sampling Invariants from Frequency Distributions Grigory Fedyukovich

We present a new SMT-based, probabilistic, syntax-guided method to discover numerical inductive invariants. The core idea is to initialize frequency distributions from the program’s source code, then repeatedly sample lemmas from those distributions, and terminate when the conjunction of learned lemmas becomes a safe invariant. The sampling process gets further optimized by priority distributions fine-tuned after each positive and negative sample. The stochastic nature of this approach admits simple, asynchronous parallelization. We implemented and evaluated this approach in a tool called FreqHorn which shows competitive performance on well-known linear and some non-linear programs.
Providing Self-learning to Students of Highly Attended Electronics Courses through the Remote Access to a Microelectronics Laboratory

This work, situated in the context of the Electronics curriculum of the Telecommunication Engineering Degree at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid (UPM), seeks to widen the Electronics proficiency of the students by increasing their autonomous work through the use of self-learning activities. Learning electronics requires a strong theoretical background along with a significant amount of experimental work. However, dealing with highly attended courses implies budgeting limited laboratory resources which prevents students from developing their education on electronics totally. To cover this gap between theory and practice we have elaborated a distance learning methodology that complements analog electronics lectures with support for remote simulation of electronic circuits. This methodology is based on the elaboration of several circuit libraries that cover the most important cases explained at the theoretical courses. These libraries can be simulated employing the software resources available at the Microelectronics Design Laboratory (LDIM). We have designed and implemented a graphical remote access platform to the resources of this laboratory that is available through an Internet connection.
A visual surveillance system for person re-identification

We attempt the problem of autonomous surveillance for person re-identification. This is an active research area, where most recent work focuses on the open challenges of re-identification, independently of prerequisites of detection and tracking. In this paper, we are interested in designing a complete surveillance system, joining all the pieces of the puzzle together. We start by collecting our own dataset from multiple cameras. Then, we automate the process of detection and tracking of human subjects in the scenes, followed by performing the re-identification task. We evaluate the recognition performance of our system, report its strengths, discuss open challenges and suggest ways to address them.
Analysis of Multistage Pooling Studies of Biological Specimens for Estimating Disease Incidence and Prevalence

Summary. The testing of pooled samples of biological specimens for the purpose of estimating disease prevalence may be more cost effective than testing individual samples, particularly if the prevalence of disease is low. Multistage pooling studies involve testing pools and then sequentially subdividing and testing the positive pools. A simple estimator of disease prevalence and its variance are derived for general multistage pooling studies and are shown t o be natural generalizations of Thompson's (1962) original estimators for single‐stage pooling studies. The reduction in variance associated with each additional stage is calibrated. The results are extended to estimating disease incidence rates. The methods are used to estimate HIV incidence rates from a prevalence study of early HIV infection using a PCR assay for HIV RNA.
Single-Shot Compressive Multiple-Inputs Multiple-Outputs Radar Imaging Using a Two-Port Passive Device

This paper presents a compressive technique that simplifies the architecture of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar imaging systems. By means of a passive device connected to an MIMO array of antennae, a novel approach is introduced to extract the interaction between antennae from a compressed signal measured between two ports. This technique relies on a multiplexing principle that exploits the frequency diversity and it is thus particularly suitable for ultrawideband imaging systems. This paper presents the theoretical principle underlying this compressive technique, defining the key parameters affecting the information retrieval from a measured frequency signal and the prior characterization of the compressive device's transfer functions. Simulations are performed to demonstrate the potential of the technique for MIMO ultrawideband imaging systems and its compatibility with fast range migration algorithms based on fast Fourier transforms. Finally, an experimental validation is performed with a two-dimensional radiating aperture connected to a compressive device, allowing for the three-dimensional near-field imaging of different targets.
Secure searchable public key encryption scheme against keyword guessing attacks

Byun et al. firstly proposed off-line keyword guessing (KG)attacks and proved that some searchable public key encryption (PEKS)schemes are insecure against these attacks. They supposed an open problem on how to construct PEKS schemes secure against keyword guessing attacks. In this letter, we answer this question affirmatively.
Low cost transceiver for DSRC applications

In this paper a low cost transceiver for DSRC applications is presented. First a brief overview of the new European Standards is given followed by a possible implementation of a on board unit (OBU). The implementation proposed for the RF part can be implemented with very low cost components, making this solution viable for the huge DSRC market.
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored Proteins Regulate Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling in Human Keratinocytes*

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins have been demonstrated to bind transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in certain cell lines. However, the identity of these GPI-anchored proteins and the role they may play in TGF-β signaling remain unknown. We have previously reported the presence of GPI-anchored TGF-β-binding proteins on human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes (Tam, B. Y. Y., and Philip, A. (1998) J. Cell. Physiol. 176, 553–564; Tam, B. Y. Y. , Germain, L. , and Philip, A. (1998) J. Cell. Biochem. 70, 573–586). On human keratinocytes, we identified a 150-kDa GPI-anchored TGF-β1-binding protein (r150) and demonstrated that it can form a heteromeric complex with the type I and II TGF-β signaling receptors. To explore whether GPI-anchored proteins modulate TGF-β signaling in keratinocytes, we created keratinocytes defective in GPI anchor biosynthesis (GPI mutant cells) by chemical mutagenesis of HaCaT cells. Mutant clones were selected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis based on the loss of a CD59 marker. In comparison with parental HaCaT cells, GPI mutant cells demonstrated a significant loss of r150 expression. In contrast, the levels of the type I and II TGF-β receptors and their ligand affinities, cell morphology, and doubling time remained unchanged. Importantly, GPI mutant cells displayed enhanced gene transcriptional activity and Smad2 and Smad3 activation in response to TGF-β1 treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, our results indicate that GPI-anchored protein(s) inhibit TGF-β signaling and implicate r150 as the GPI-anchored protein responsible for this inhibition in human keratinocytes.
Multi-User Service Re-Selection: react Dynamically to Events occurring at Process Execution

Considering service-based processes, the problem of determining the service candidates that fit best to a user’s target weights and requirements regarding certain non-functional properties is known as QoSaware service selection problem. Referring to multi-user processes, this requires taking into account several users with their individual goals. In this regard, users could also have preferences in the sense of user-defined requests referring to other users, so-called Inter-User-Requests (IUR). Such IUR result in dependencies among different users’ service compositions that have to be taken into account when selecting services. However, due to the dynamic environment in which services are used certain events – like the failure of a service – may occur during process execution that require service re-selection at runtime. In this work, we provide such a service re-selection approach in terms of an optimization model that considers multiple users and dependencies resulting from IUR. Moreover, for the temporal coordination of the users – necessary for time-dependent IUR – we further propose a continuous time concept and integrate that in our model. Supported by our evaluation, we feel confident that this approach can serve as a first step for a comprehensive multi-user service re-selection approach where dependencies among users exist.
Index Compression Using Byte-Aligned ANS Coding and Two-Dimensional Contexts

We examine approaches used for block-based inverted index compression, such as the OptPFOR mechanism, in which fixed-length blocks of postings data are compressed independently of each other. Building on previous work in which asymmetric numeral systems (ANS) entropy coding is used to represent each block, we explore a number of enhancements: (i) the use of two-dimensional conditioning contexts, with two aggregate parameters used in each block to categorize the distribution of symbol values that underlies the ANS approach, rather than just one; (ii) the use of a byte-friendly strategic mapping from symbols to ANS codeword buckets; and (iii) the use of a context merging process to combine similar probability distributions. Collectively, these improvements yield superior compression for index data, outperforming the reference point set by the Interp mechanism, and hence representing a significant step forward. We describe experiments using the 426 GiB gov2 collection and a new large collection of publicly-available news articles to demonstrate that claim, and provide query evaluation throughput rates compared to other block-based mechanisms.
Avaliação da Viabilidade para Produção de Bezerro de Corte a Partir dos Centros de Custo

RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi demonstrar a importância do custo de producao na pecuaria de cria, descrevendo uma metodologia padronizada que consiga mensurar o custo de producao de bezerros de corte e simultaneamente, validar o metodo em um sistema de producao. Dentro deste contexto, discute-se sobre a relevância da implantacao da metodologia dos centros de custos como suporte a tomada de decisao por meio de indices zootecnicos, devido a necessidade e analise segmentada dos processos em sistema de producao pecuario voltado a cria. As etapas para implantacao deste metodo foram obtidas por indices zootecnicos, atraves de um sistema de producao de bezerros, caracteristico da Regiao da Camapua-MS, foi definido a partir de indicadores tecnicos, relatados em revisoes bibliografica se sobre os centros de custos e despesas. Foi simulada a aplicacao desta metodologia no sistema em questao, no qual se visualizou os custos de producao de desmame dos bezerros, podendo observar os possiveis erros dentro da propriedade, possibilitando compreender o impacto de determinados processos e/ou tecnologias no sistema. Os resultados foram satisfatorios quanto a producao de bezerros em matrizes primiparas, garantindo uma taxa de desmame de 89%, comparado com matrizes multiparas que apresentou 75% de taxa de desmame. Porem, bezerros das primiparas desmamaram 4,5% mais leve quando comparado com os bezerros das matrizes multiparas. A producao das matrizes das primiparas garantiu um lucro satisfatorio por produzirem maior quantidade de bezerros, gerando maior lucro. No final, com o valor total apos a venda e retirar todos os custos em cima da producao foi realcado que somente a fase de cria esta sendo rentavel para a propriedade apresentando saldos positivos,conseguindo manter todos os custos e ainda gerar lucro para propriedade. Palavra chave: multiparas, primiparas, viabilidade economica.
Characterization of multiple bends in proteins

The concept of bends or chain reversals [nonhelical dipeptide sequences in which the distance R3 (i,i+3) between the Cα atoms of residues i and i+3 is ≦ 7.0 Å] has been extended to define double bends as tripeptide sequences, not in an α‐helix, in which two successive distances R3(i,i+3) and R3 (i+1, i+4) are both ≦7.0 Å, with analogous definitions for higher‐order multiple bends. A sample of 23 proteins, consisting of 4050 residues, contains 235 single, 58 double, and 11 higher‐order multiple bends. Multiple bends may occur as combinations of the “standard” type I, II, and III chain reversals (as well as their mirror images), but usually they require distortions from these well‐defined conformations. The frequency of occurrence of amino acids often differs significantly between single and multiple bends. The probability distribution of R3 distances does not differ in single and multiple bends. However, R4 (the distance between the Cα atoms of residues i and i+4) in multiple bends is generally shorter than in tripeptide sequences containing single bends. The value of R4 in many multiple bends is near those for α‐helices. In some other multiple bends, R4 is even shorter, indicating that these structures are very compact. The signs of the dihedral angles about the virtual bonds connecting Cα atoms and the values of curvature and torsion, as defined by means of differential geometry, indicate that there is a preference for single and multiple bends to be right‐handed (like an α‐helical sequence, for example) and that there is a strong tendency to conserve the handedness in both single‐bend components of many multiple bends. These often have a strong resemblance to distorted single turns of an α‐helix and do not constitute chain reversals. Double bends, in which the signs of two successive virtual‐bond dihedral angles differ, have conformations that are very different from an α‐helix. They act as chain reversals occuring over three residues. These chain reversals have not been described previously. Multiple bends may play an important role in protein folding because they occur fairly frequently in proteins and cause major changes in the direction of the polypeptide chain.
Myocarditis with very high troponins: risk stratification by cardiac magnetic resonance.

Myocarditis is an inﬂammation of the myocardium that can be caused by a variety of etiologies, commonly viral, but also toxins, drugs, and autoimmune processes (1). The usual patterns of clinical presentation include chest pain, arrhythmias, and heart failure. The disease severity may vary greatly, ranging from asymptomatic or mild flu-like symptoms to cardiogenic shock and sudden death (2). Patients presenting with chest pain with preserved left ventricular (LV) function typically have an excellent prognosis. Conversely, patients presenting with heart failure and/or life-threatening arrhythmias, in particular when associated with severe LV dysfunction, have a greater risk of adverse events during follow-up. An integrated approach with clinical evaluation (i.e., history, physical exam, electrocardiography) and noninvasive imaging [i.e., echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging] is fundamental for the identification of cases of suspected myocarditis. In patients with myocarditis presenting with chest pain, an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) often needs to be ruled out appropriately with an angiogram.
An approach to an optimal design of permanent magnet synchronous machines for battery electric vehicles

The described design of a permanent magnet synchronous motor for battery electric vehicles is based on a drive cycle. For a given vehicle a set of operating points of the electric machine can be derived from the cycle. The next step in the design of the traction motor is to find a suitable lamination layout. Common motor design procedures take only a few representative operating points into account. This paper describes an approach which includes a large number of operating points at early stages of the motor design process. It is based on a specialized motor model and an optimization strategy which are described in this paper. As an example a traction motor for the VW Golf CityStromer is designed by using the proposed method.
Online self-help tools for the relatives of persons with depression -- a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND The Internet's potential as health care tool should be explored. AIM One objective was to determine the feasibility of constructing a digitally based tool through an iterative design process in cooperation with potential users. The tool's purpose is to alleviate hardships in daily life of relatives of persons with depression. An additional aim was to explore motivation and hindrances to using the tool as a basis for design decisions. METHOD An iterative design approach, including data collection through focus groups and with paper and web-based prototypes, was used. RESULTS Cooperation with potential users, using an iterative design process, was valuable in developing the digitally based tool. Motivations (i.e. to create understanding and rehabilitate oneself) and hindrances (i.e. lack of time or energy) to using the tool were illuminated. Design decisions were based on consideration towards participants' privacy concerns, needs of support and the depression's influence on the relatives' daily life. CONCLUSION Prototypes and cooperation with potential users were essential and valuable for the iterative development of the website.
Biosynthetic support based on dendritic poly(L-lysine) improves human skin fibroblasts attachment

Poly(L-lysine) (PLL) dendrigrafts (DGLs) are arborescent biosynthetic polymers of regular and controlled structures. They have specific properties such as biocompatibility and non-immunogenicity, and their surface density of NH2 functions can be easily modified and therefore appears as a powerful tool for the functionalization of hydrophobic polymers used in the context of tissue engineering. In this study, we evaluated several criteria of human skin fibroblasts when cultured with DGL of generations 2, 3 and 4, with linear PLL polymer as reference. In aqueous phase, DGLs and PLL displayed a similar cytotoxicity towards fibroblasts. Plastic culture plates grafted with DGLs were further characterized as homogeneous surfaces by atomic force microscopy and surface characterization by amino density estimation by colorimetric assay. Proliferation of fibroblasts was increased when cultured onto PLL and DGLs monolayers when compared with crude plates. Cellular adhesion was increased by 20% on DGLs in comparison to PLL. Integrin α5 subunit protein expression level was increased after 48 h of culture on DGLs, in comparison to control or PLL-coated surfaces. The presence of DGLs did not lead to overexpression or activation of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9. Finally, fibroblasts adhesion was increased by 40% on poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) matrices functionalized with DGLs when compared to PLL. Overall, these features make DGL promising candidates for the surface engineering of biomaterials in tissue engineering.
The height of the cricothyroid membrane on computed tomography scans in trauma patients

Emergency cricothyrotomy is a common feature in all difficult airway algorithms. It is the final step following a ‘can't intubate, can't oxygenate’ scenario. It is rarely performed and has a significant failure rate. There is variation in the reported size of the cricothyroid membrane, especially across population groups. Procedural failure may result from attempting to pass a device with too large an external diameter through the cricothyroid membrane. We aimed to determine the maximum height of the cricothyroid membrane in a UK trauma population. Electronic callipers were used to measure the maximum height of the cricothyroid membrane on 482 reformatted trauma computed tomography scans, 377 (78.2%) of which were in male patients. The mean (SD) height of the cricothyroid membrane, as independently measured by two radiologists, was 7.89 (2.21) mm and 7.88 (2.22) mm in male patients, and 6.00 (1.76) mm and 5.92 (1.71) mm in female patients. The presence of concurrent tracheal intubation or cervical spine immobilisation was found not to have a significant effect on cricothyroid membrane height. The cricothyroid membrane height in the study population was much smaller than that previously reported. Practitioners encountering patients who may require an emergency surgical airway should be aware of these data. Rescue airway equipment with variety of external diameters should be immediately available.