Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conserved Residues in the UL24 Protein of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Are Important for Dispersal of the Nucleolar Protein Nucleolin

ABSTRACT The UL24 family of proteins is widely conserved among herpesviruses. We demonstrated previously that UL24 of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is important for the dispersal of nucleolin from nucleolar foci throughout the nuclei of infected cells. Furthermore, the N-terminal portion of UL24 localizes to nuclei and can disperse nucleolin in the absence of any other viral proteins. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that highly conserved residues in UL24 are important for the ability of the protein to modify the nuclear distribution of nucleolin. We constructed a panel of substitution mutations in UL24 and tested their effects on nucleolin staining patterns. We found that modified UL24 proteins exhibited a range of subcellular distributions. Mutations associated with a wild-type localization pattern for UL24 correlated with high levels of nucleolin dispersal. Interestingly, mutations targeting two regions, namely, within the first homology domain and overlapping or near the previously identified PD-(D/E)XK endonuclease motif, caused the most altered UL24 localization pattern and the most drastic reduction in its ability to disperse nucleolin. Viral mutants corresponding to the substitutions G121A and E99A/K101A both exhibited a syncytial plaque phenotype at 39°C. vUL24-E99A/K101A replicated to lower titers than did vUL24-G121A or KOS. Furthermore, the E99A/K101A mutation caused the greatest impairment of HSV-1-induced dispersal of nucleolin. Our results identified residues in UL24 that are critical for the ability of UL24 to alter nucleoli and further support the notion that the endonuclease motif is important for the function of UL24 during infection.
Agreement between parents and clinicians for the motor functional classification systems of children with cerebral palsy

Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate whether parental ratings of expanded and revised Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS E&R) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) had agreement with clinicians’ ratings when classifying children with CP to these two well-known classifications of motor functioning and hereby to evaluate intertester reliability of the classification systems between clinicians and parents. Method. The process of study was designed to collect data from parents using the GMFCS E&R and MACS. The total participants consisted of 100 children with CP and their parents. The overall agreement between the parents and physiotherapist GMFCS and MACS scores was analysed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results. The ICC value between parents and physiotherapist was 0.96 (95%% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–0.97) for GMFCS and 0.96 (95%% CI 0.94–0.97) for MACS and indicated excellent agreement. Conclusions. The excellent agreement between parents and clinicians indicated that parents and clinicians can talk in the same language for the motor functional classification systems of children with CP if careful administrations are provided.
Hybrid mode-locking in a 40 GHz monolithic quantum dot laser

Mode-locked semiconductor lasers are efficient sources of short optical pulses ideal for applications in high speed telecommunication systems. Especially promising for telecom applications is the new generation of quantum dot mode-locked lasers (QD-MLL) which demonstrate important advantages over the standard quantum well devices [1]. However, performance improvement is still an ongoing issue, in particular for the efficiency of hybrid mode-locking, — a commonly used technique to improve characteristics and synchronize the mode-locked pulses — namely the dependence of the locking regime on the frequency and power of the applied external signal. Based on our previous results on passive mode-locking in quantum dot lasers [2], we study experimentally and theoretically a monolithic two-section hybrid mode-locked quantum dot laser with periodically modulated reverse bias applied to the saturable absorber section.
Reduct based Q-learning: an introduction

This paper introduces an approach to Reinforcement Learning Algorithm by introducing reduct concept of rough set methodology using a variation of Q-Learning algorithm. Unlike the conventional Q-Learning, the proposed algorithm calculates the reduct from look up table of previous episodes. In modified algorithm first action selection of an agent will based upon the reduct of previous episode. In Q-learning algorithm an agent makes action selections in an effort to maximize a return obtained from the environment. Agent will changes its policy for future actions based upon return. The problem considered in this paper is convergence of Q-value that takes more episodes in conventional Q-learning. The solution to this problem results from a new form Q-learning algorithm by calculating the reduct of previous episodes. The framework provided by a reduct based Q-Learning algorithm in order to simplify the learned moves and interested in eliminating conditional moves of an Agent. Effectiveness of proposed algorithm is simulated in a 10 x 10 Grid world deterministic environment and the result for the two forms of Q-Learning Algorithms is given.
A strong bora event in the Gulf of Trieste : a numerical study of wind driven circulation in stratified conditions with a pre-operational model

This study investigates the circulation driven by a severe bora wind event in the Gulf of Trieste during the stratification season. A preliminary numerical analysis of the wind driven transport in the surface boundary layer is carried out for an idealized, laterally unbounded, shallow domain. Then, the simulations are focused on the Gulf of Trieste, using a realistic bathymetry and assuming stably stratified initial conditions. First, the model is driven by constant wind forcing, then qualitative and quantitative estimations of the dynamics of the basin are made reproducing the strong Bora event of the 25 June 2002. Numerical results show good agreement with in situ measurements and remotely sensed images. The relevance of coastal upwelling and its persistence are also assessed. The results prove that mixing and coastal upwelling (both wind-driven) govern the circulation of the basin. When bora starts blowing, buoyant surface water is moved by EKMAN transport offshore inducing a bottom onshore current. Simultaneously, wind driven stirring breaks the initial stable stratification. The surface offshore current generates a sea surface level setup on the northern boundary. When bora decreases, this surface tilt is no longer sustained, and a reversal of the circulation is observed in the upper layer. The sensitivity to the wind forcing is also discussed. All of these issues are crucial to environmental problems such as pollutant dispersion or anoxia phenomena in the bottom layers of the Gulf.
The Relationship of Musical Instrument Preference to Timbre Discrimination

The difference in the tone qualities of the various musical instruments has to do with the complexity of their sound waves. The flute, for example, has a harmonic pattern that is relatively simple, appearing on an oscilloscope basically as a sine wave; the harmonic pattern of an oboe, in contrast, is exceedingly complex. Various physicists and musical psychologists have rated musical instruments on the basis of their harmonic complexity. It also has been found that individuals differ in their ability to discern harmonic complexity in a musical tone, an ability measured by Seashore's Test of Timbre Discrimination. It was hypothesized, therefore, that individuals who can easily detect differences in the timbre of a tone would be more likely to appreciate musical instruments with more complex sound waves, and that the degree of this tendency would be directly proportional to the length of time one has played the instrument. The population for the present study consisted primarily of adolescents and young adults of both sexes. They were given Seashore's Test of Timbre Discrimination in small groups and questioned as to what musical instruments they played and how long they had played them. The Test of Timbre Discrimination consisted of one hundred pairs of tones presented on two 78 rpm records. Each subject was asked to indicate whether each pair of notes was the same or different in timbre. The pairs that differed did so by variation in the intensity of their third and fourth partials. The overall intensity of the tone was kept the same by decreasing the third partial with a corresponding increase in the fourth; the number of partials and their frequencies remained the same throughout the test. Scores on timbre discrimination were examined for age or sex differences, and the mean score was obtained for all individuals in
Structured Sparse Subspace Clustering: A unified optimization framework

Subspace clustering refers to the problem of segmenting data drawn from a union of subspaces. State of the art approaches for solving this problem follow a two-stage approach. In the first step, an affinity matrix is learned from the data using sparse or low-rank minimization techniques. In the second step, the segmentation is found by applying spectral clustering to this affinity. While this approach has led to state of the art results in many applications, it is sub-optimal because it does not exploit the fact that the affinity and the segmentation depend on each other. In this paper, we propose a unified optimization framework for learning both the affinity and the segmentation. Our framework is based on expressing each data point as a structured sparse linear combination of all other data points, where the structure is induced by a norm that depends on the unknown segmentation. We show that both the segmentation and the structured sparse representation can be found via a combination of an alternating direction method of multipliers with spectral clustering. Experiments on a synthetic data set, the Hopkins 155 motion segmentation database, and the Extended Yale B data set demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Reconstruction of Elbow by Free Fibular Graft in a Case of Osteoclastoma of Proximal Ulna: A Rare Case Report

Giant cell tumour is a benign aggressive bone tumour. Most commonly, it is seen in epiphysiometaphyseal region around knee and distal radius. Proximal ulna is a rare location for giant cell tumour. According to reports, only 4 such cases have been reported in English literature. We report one such case of giant cell tumour of proximal ulna. Patient presented with painless, progressive swelling around right elbow since 4 months. Proximal ulna along with tumour was resected and elbow was reconstructed using nonvascularized free fibular graft. At two years of follow-up, patient is tumour-free and has functional range of movement in elbow. We are reporting the case because of its rare location and for the indigenous treatment modality of using free fibular graft for elbow reconstruction.
Brains in Scanners: An Umwelt of Cognitive Neuroscience

The last decades of the twentieth century have witnessed an amazing development in the methodologies and technologies available for the study of brain activity and functionality. Partly in parallel and partly intertwined with technological development, the relationship between the mind and the brain has again appeared on the philosophical and psychological agenda. In the newly (e)merging fields of mind-brain studies and cognitive neuroscience, examinations of the role and status of the subject are becoming relevant. To some extent current discussions mirror those taking place at the beginning of the century. The Baltic German biologist Jakob von Uexkull was one of the prominent participants in this earlier debate. This article uses Uexkull's notions of Umwelt and Umgebung to conceptualize phenomenological aspects of ethnographicmaterial collectedduring recentfield workin abrain imaging community. Although Uexkull's cosmology may be outdated, his proto- semiotic theory too facile, and his notion of Umwelt more applicable for lower animals than for humans, some of his phenomenological considerations appear very important for the contemporary debate of the mind-brain relationship. The analysis of the complicated interac- tion between experimenter, experimental subject, and brain-scanner suggests, however, that when studying a symbolic species like humans, the Umwelt-Umgebung distinction does not suAce to grasp the total situa- tion. This dichotomy, in the contemporary discussion often expressed as the diAerence between a 'first person' and a 'third person' perspective, needstobesupplementedwithacommunicative secondperson perspective that connects and mediates between the two. The physical setting: Imagining brain activity Imagine yourself in a semi-dark room. Behind your back is a large window that opens up to another room. If you turn around, you can
Amelioration of Inflammation and Cytotoxicity by Dipyridamole in Brain Endothelial Cells

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that beyond its antiplatelet properties, dipyridamole may have pleiotropic effects on other cells within the neurovascular elements of the brain. In this experimental cellular study, we asked whether dipyridamole can ameliorate brain endothelial injury after exposure to inflammatory and metabolic insults. Methods: Human brain endothelial cells were grown in culture, and exposed to TNFα (continuously for 20 h) or subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD; 6 h of insult followed by 18 h recovery). Expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and PECAM-1 were measured by immunoblotting. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the conditioned media were quantified via zymography. MTT mitochondrial activity was measured to assess endothelial cell viability. Results: Exposure of human brain endothelial cells to TNFα (12.5–50 ng/ml) induced a clear increase in protein levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and MMP-9. TNFα did not alter PECAM-1. Dipyridamole (1–5 µM) significantly attenuated ICAM-1 and MMP-9 levels after this inflammatory insult. No significant effects of dipyridamole were noted for VCAM-1. Six-hour OGD induced moderate endothelial cell death accompanied by a release of MMP-9. Dipyridamole significantly decreased MMP-9 levels and cell death after this metabolic insult. Conclusions: These results suggest that dipyridamole may ameliorate brain endothelial injury after inflammation and/or metabolic insults. How these putative cellular mechanisms may relate to clinical outcomes and conditions in stroke patients remains to be elucidated.
A Novel Approach for Choosing Summary Statistics in Approximate Bayesian Computation

The choice of summary statistics is a crucial step in approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). Since statistics are often not sufficient, this choice involves a trade-off between loss of information and reduction of dimensionality. The latter may increase the efficiency of ABC. Here, we propose an approach for choosing summary statistics based on boosting, a technique from the machine-learning literature. We consider different types of boosting and compare them to partial least-squares regression as an alternative. To mitigate the lack of sufficiency, we also propose an approach for choosing summary statistics locally, in the putative neighborhood of the true parameter value. We study a demographic model motivated by the reintroduction of Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) into the Swiss Alps. The parameters of interest are the mean and standard deviation across microsatellites of the scaled ancestral mutation rate (θanc = 4Neu) and the proportion of males obtaining access to matings per breeding season (ω). By simulation, we assess the properties of the posterior distribution obtained with the various methods. According to our criteria, ABC with summary statistics chosen locally via boosting with the L2-loss performs best. Applying that method to the ibex data, we estimate θ^anc≈1.288 and find that most of the variation across loci of the ancestral mutation rate u is between 7.7 × 10−4 and 3.5 × 10−3 per locus per generation. The proportion of males with access to matings is estimated as ω^≈0.21, which is in good agreement with recent independent estimates.
MiR‐301a regulates E‐cadherin expression and is predictive of prostate cancer recurrence

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post‐transcriptionally. Dysregulation of miRNA has been implicated in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Through next generation miRNA sequencing, we recently identified a panel of five miRNAs associated with prostate cancer recurrence and metastasis. Of the five miRNAs, miR‐301a had the strongest association with prostate cancer recurrence. Overexpression of miR‐301a in prostate cancer cells, PC3, and LNCaP resulted in increased growth both in vitro and in xenografted tumors. We therefore sought to examine its role in prostate carcinogenesis in greater detail.
Defining the Cut Point Between Low-grade and High-grade Ovarian Serous Carcinomas: A Clinicopathologic and Molecular Genetic Analysis

A 2-tier grading system based on nuclear grade divides ovarian serous carcinomas into low (nuclear grade 1) and high grade (nuclear grade 3). In most instances the separation is straightforward but at times, the morphologic distinction between them can be difficult. We studied 11 ovarian serous carcinomas with features that were “intermediate” (nuclear grade 2) between low and high grade. All the cases were high staged and had a poor clinical outcome. None of the tumors showed mutations in KRAS, BRAF, and ERBB2 genes that characterize most low-grade serous carcinomas. In contrast, 10 (90.9%) of 11 cases contained nonsynonymous TP53 mutations characteristic of high-grade serous carcinomas. In summary, the molecular genetic profile and behavior of serous carcinomas with grade 2 nuclei are virtually the same as those of serous carcinomas with grade 3 nuclei, supporting the use of the 2-tier grading system for classifying ovarian serous carcinomas.
Accessible Reading Assessments for Students with Disabilities

Assessments developed and field tested for the mainstream student population may not be accessible for students with disabilities (SWDs) as a result of the impact of extraneous variables, including cognitive features, such as depth of knowledge required, grammatical and lexical complexity, lexical density, and textual/visual features. This study investigates the impact of these features on the performance outcomes of SWDs in the United States. Live test items from two different states with large numbers of SWDs were evaluated for their level of depth of knowledge features, linguistic complexity, two types of lexical features, and textual and visual characteristics. Results suggest that textual features have the greatest impact on the performance of students with different types of disabilities.
Calculation of the free-free transitions in the electron-hydrogen scattering S-wave model

The S-wave model of electron-hydrogen scattering is evaluated using the convergent close-coupling method with an emphasis on scattering from excited states including an initial state from the target continuum. Convergence is found for discrete excitations and the elastic free-free transition. The latter is particularly interesting given that the corresponding potential matrix elements are divergent.
The Institutionalist Implications of the General Systems Theory: The Societal Role of the Market

This paper examines how the general systems theory informs institutionalism, a strand of heterodox economic theory founded by Thorstein Veblen that is marked by a critical attitude towards the operation of real-world markets. Focusing on Laszlo's systems philosophy and Bogdanov's Tektology, the paper shows that the general systems theory supports the institutionalist critique of the market but is more explicit about the significance of the market in ensuring the material self-provisioning aspect of society. In line with the institutionalist critique, both Bogdanov and Laszlo share the concern that the market may not deliver the appropriate level of systemic integration within society, nor between society and the encompassing nature. However, both Bogdanov and Laszlo are shown to moderate the institutionalist critique by emphasizing the market's stabilizing and protective role, which is needed to safeguard the maintenance of social and technological complexity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Sensory Manipulations on Human Joint Stiffness Strategy and Its Adaptation for Human Dynamic Stability

— Sensory input plays an important role to human posture control system to initiate strategy in order to counterpart any unbalance condition and thus, prevent fall. In previous study, joint stiffness was observed able to describe certain issues regarding to movement performance. But, correlation between balance ability and joint stiffness is still remains unknown. In this study, joint stiffening strategy at ankle and hip were observed under different sensory manipulations and its correlation with conventional clinical test (Functional Reach Test) for balance ability was investigated. In order to create unstable condition, two different surface perturbations (tilt up-tilt (TT) down and forward-backward (FB)) at four different frequencies (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 Hz) were introduced. Furthermore, four different sensory manipulation conditions (include vision and vestibular system) were applied to the subject and they were asked to maintain their position as possible. The results suggested that joint stiffness were high during difficult balance situation. Less balance people generated high average joint stiffness compared to balance people. Besides, adaptation of posture control system under repetitive external perturbation also suggested less during sensory limited condition. Overall, analysis of joint stiffening response possible to
Novel Zeta-Mode Three-Level AC Direct Converter

In this paper, a novel Zeta-mode three-level ac direct converter is proposed. The converter realizes three-level voltage waveforms before the output filter, which can get a better harmonic spectrum and reduce the bulk of the filter. Compared with two-level ac choppers, voltage stresses of the converter can be lowered. Compared with ac-dc-ac converters with no isolation and low- or middle-frequency isolation, the converter has single power stage and bidirectional power flow. Moreover, compared with buck-mode three-level ac choppers, it can realize buck and boost output voltage. The converter has four operation states in one period of input voltage and three different operation modes in one switching period. To ensure that the converter operates reliably, the noncomplementary control strategy is presented, which can make the converter switch smoothly between different modes in bidirectional power flow. Therefore, the converter is suitable to different kinds of loads. Principle analysis and experiment results of the prototype well verify the advantages of the proposed converter.