Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory effect of black tea pigments, theaflavin-3/3′-gallate against cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest

Adverse side effects and acquired resistance to conventional chemotherapy based on platinum drive the exploration of other selective anticancer drugs. Theaflavin-3-gallate (TF2a) and theaflavin-3′-gallate (TF2b), theaflavin monomers in black tea, exhibited a potent growth inhibitory effect on cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer A2780/CP70 cells and were less cytotoxic to normal ovarian IOSE-364 cell line. Flow cytometry analysis and western blotting indicated that TF2a and TF2b induced apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest in ovarian cancer A2780/CP70 cells. Hoechst 33342 staining was used to confirm the apoptotic effect. Downregulation of CDK2 and CDK4 for TF2a and CDK2 and cyclin E1 for TF2b led to the accumulation of cells in G1 phase. TF2a and TF2b induced apoptosis and G1 through p53-dependent pathways. TF2a and TF2b induced DNA damage through ATM/Chk/p53 pathway. TF2a and TF2b also induced inhibition of A2780/CP70 cells through Akt and MAPK pathways. The results of this study implied that TF2a and TF2b might help prevent and treat platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
Optimizing RPL Objective Function for Mobile Low-Power Wireless Networks

Supporting mobility in wireless sensor networks is one of the major requirements for future Internet of Things (IoT) applications. This work focuses on optimizing the objective function of Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks (RPL) in mobile applications. RPL routing is the most common standard routing protocol designed for IoT applications. We optimized RPL objective function by combining several RPL parameters, such as (i) Expected Transmission Count (ETX), (ii) number of hops, and (iii) average Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) as inputs in a fuzzy logic model. These parameters are more influenced in mobile applications. We applied the fuzzy decision to the mRPL (a hand-off enabled RPL mechanism). We fine-tuned the weighting scheme by running extensive simulations to achieve reliable data communication. We found that the fuzzy-based hand-off approach provides high reliability by successfully delivering nearly 100% of data packets, while achieving a very short hand-off delay.
Glucocorticoids alter calcium conductances and calcium channel subunit expression in basolateral amygdala neurons

Glucocorticoid hormones, which are released in high amounts after stress, enter the brain where they bind to intracellular receptors that are abundant in limbic areas, in particular the hippocampus and amygdala nuclei. Behavioural studies indicate that glucocorticoids modulate learning and memory processes via receptors in the hippocampus and amygdala. So far, the effects of glucocorticoids on amygdala neurons have not been investigated at the cellular and molecular level. We report here that in vitro application of glucocorticoids for 20 min increases 1–4 h later the amplitude of sustained, high‐voltage‐activated calcium currents in principal neurons of the basolateral amygdala. In contrast, the transient, low‐voltage‐activated currents were decreased. We examined whether these functional changes in calcium conductance were accompanied by transcriptional regulation of calcium channel subunits. Analysis of the RNA – collected after recording and then linearly amplified – revealed that glucocorticoid‐mediated increases in sustained calcium currents are associated with a parallel shift in the relative expression of the α1 subunit constituting the pore of the sustained, high‐voltage‐activated (L‐type) calcium channel. These data indicate that glucocorticoids, probably by selectively targeting genes encoding calcium channel subunits, largely alter the calcium influx into basolateral amygdala neurons. These actions could modify amygdala network function and thus contribute to the behavioural effects exerted by the stress hormones via the basolateral amygdala.
Game theory models for IEEE 802.11 DCF in wireless ad hoc networks

Because wireless nodes decide their channel accesses independently in the IEEE 802.11-based ad hoc networks, and the channel access of a node has an influence on those of its neighboring nodes, game theory naturally becomes a useful and powerful tool to research this kind of network. In this article a game model is proposed to interpret the IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function mechanism. In addition, by designing a simple Nash equilibrium backoff strategy, we present a fairness game model. Our simulation results show that the new backoff strategy can improve TCP performance almost perfectly.
Communication of affect in schizophrenia.

WHILE there have been many experimental studies of the cognitive disturbances in schizophrenia, the affective disturbances have been more resistant to systematic investigation. Indeed, schizophrenia is often described as a thinking disorder. This is an oversimplification, however, in which the affective disturbances that are present in schizophrenia and the lack of harmony between feeling and thinking are neglected. Inappropriate affect, generally asserted to be a cardinal symptom of schizophrenia, has been described in a number of different ways. Some authors refer to the inappropriateness of the affective message in an interpersonal context, some emphasize the lack of congruence between the verbal and nonverbal aspects of the message, and others stress the disharmony among the various components of the nonverbal expression.1-4Our search of the literature failed to uncover work specifically directed toward the experimental verification of the affective disturbances in schizophrenia reported
Second order-response surface model for the automated parameter tuning problem

Several automated parameter tuning procedures/configurators have been proposed in order to find the best parameter setting for a target algorithm. These configurators can generally be classified into model-free and model-based approaches. We introduce a recent approach which is based on the hybridization of both approaches. It combines the Design of Experiments (DOE) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with prevailing model-free techniques. DOE is mainly used for determining the importance of parameters. A First Order-RSM is initially employed to define the promising region for the important parameters. A Second Order-RSM is then built to approximate the center point as well as the final promising ranges of parameter values. We show how our approach can be embedded with existing model-free techniques, namely ParamILS and Randomized Convex Search, to tune target algorithms and demonstrate that our proposed methodology leads to improvements in terms of the quality of the solutions compared against the earlier work.
Using the Scene to Calibrate the Camera

Surveillance cameras are used in public and private security systems. Typical systems may contain a large number of different cameras, which are installed in different locations. Manual calibration of each single camera in the network becomes an exhausting task. Although we can find methods that semi-automatically calibrate a static camera, to the best of our knowledge, there is not a fully automatic calibration procedure, so far. To fill this gap, we propose here a novel framework for completely auto-calibration of static surveillance cameras, based on information of the scene (environment and walkers). Characteristics of the method include robustness to walkers' pose and to camera location (pitch, roll, yaw and height), and rapid camera parameter convergence. For a thorough evaluation of the proposed method, the walkers' foot-head projection, the length of the lines projected on the ground plane and the walkers' real heights were analyzed over public and private data sets, demonstrating the potential of the proposed method.
Prevalence of hemostatic alterations in patients with recurrent spontaneous subconjunctival hemorrhage

Abstract Background: Subconjunctival hemorrage (SCH) is a frequent, mild bleeding manifestation and a common cause of consultation. Hemostatic alterations are possible causes of SCH but their role and prevalence is unknown. We assessed the prevalence of hemostatic abnormalities in patients with spontaneous, recurrent SCH to clarify the role of the hemostasis laboratory in this clinical setting. Methods: A total of 105 SCH patients (21–78 years, 65 females) with no identifiable cause (hypertension-trauma-conjunctivitis) or concomitant treatments (NSAIDs- aspirin-oral anticoagulants-antiplatelet agents) and 53 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) (22–72 years, 29 females) were evaluated for skin bleeding time, PFA-100®, blood clotting screening, platelet count, light transmission aggregomery, VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, RIPA, FVIII activity, FXIII antigen and activity and ISTH Bleeding Severity Score (BSS). Results: Prevalence of hemostatic abnormalities was not higher in the SCH population than in HCs BSS was 0.83 (95% CI 0.62–1.06) in SCH and 0.66 (0.37–0.95) in HC (p=NS). Type I Von Willebrand disease was diagnosed in one SCH and none HC patients, a prevalence not significantly different (p=NS by χ2). Conclusions: The prevalence of hemostatic alterations in patients with recurrent, spontaneous SCH is not different from the general population; hemostatic screening or second level tests are of no use in patients with recurrent SCH and no other bleedings.
Detecting Colluding Attackers in Distributed Grid Systems

Distributed grid systems offer possible benefits in terms of fast computation of tasks. This is accompanied by potential drawbacks due to their openness, the heterogeneity of participants, and the unpredictability of agent behaviour, since agents have to be considered as black-boxes. The utilisation of technical trust within adaptive collaboration strategies has been shown to counter negative effects caused by these characteristics. A major challenge in this context is the presence of colluding attackers that try to exploit or damage the system in a coordinated fashion. Therefore, this paper presents a novel approach to detect and isolate such colluding attackers. The concept is based on observations of interaction patterns and derives a classification of agent communities. Within the evaluation, we demonstrate the benefit of the approach and highlight the highly reliable classification.
Sorption of Aluminum to Plasma Membrane Vesicles Isolated from Roots of Scout 66 and Atlas 66 Cultivars of Wheat

To further elucidate the mechanisms of differential genotypic tolerance to Al, plasma membrane (PM) vesicles were isolated from whole roots, root tips, and tipless roots of Al3+-sensitive and Al3+-tolerant cultivars (cv) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Scout 66 and cv Atlas 66, respectively). Vesicles from cv Scout root tips sorbed more Al than vesicles prepared from any other source. The intrinsic surface-charge density of vesicles isolated from cv Scout was 26% more negative than vesicles from cv Atlas (-37.2 versus -29.5 millicoulombs m-2). Growth experiments indicated that cv Scout is slightly more sensitive to La3+ than is cv Atlas, that the cultivars are equally sensitive to H+, and that cv Atlas is slightly more sensitive to SeO42-. The difference in sensitivity to Al3+ was very large; for a 50% inhibition, a 16-fold greater activity of Al3+ was required for cv Atlas. Using a newly developed Gouy-Chapman-Stern model for ion sorption to the PM together with growth-response curves, we estimate that the difference in surface-charge density can account for the slightly greater sensitivity of cv Scout to cationic toxicants and the slightly greater sensitivity of cv Atlas to anionic toxicants. According to our estimates the differences in PM surface negativity and Al sorptive capacity probably account for some of the difference in sensitivity to Al3+, but the greater part of the difference probably arises from other tolerance mechanisms expressed in cv Atlas root tips that reduce the amount of Al3+ that can reach the PM.
meso-[5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-cyanophenyl)porphyrinato]zinc

In the title compound, [Zn(C48H24N8)], the coordination environment of the Zn2+ ion (site symmetry ) is octahedral, with four indole N atoms forming the equatorial plane and the axial positions being occupied by N atoms from the cyanide groups of neighbouring molecules. In the crystal, adjacent molecules are assembled into a two-dimensional supramolecular framework parallel to (01) via the coodination bonding. Topology analysis reveals this compound to be a (4,4)-connected network.
Changes in the social environment induce neurogenic plasticity predominantly in niches residing in sensory structures of the zebrafish brain independently of cortisol levels

The social environment is known to modulate adult neurogenesis. Studies in mammals and birds have shown a strong correlation between social isolation and decreases in neurogenesis, whereas time spent in an enriched environment has been shown to restore these deficits and enhance neurogenesis. These data suggest that there exists a common adaptive response among neurogenic niches to each extreme of the social environment. We sought to further test this hypothesis in zebrafish, a social species with distinct neurogenic niches within primary sensory structures and telencephalic nuclei of the brain. By examining stages of adult neurogenesis, including the proliferating stem/progenitor population, their surviving cohort, and the resulting newly differentiated neuronal population, we show that niches residing in sensory structures are most sensitive to changes in the social context, and that social isolation or novelty are both capable of decreasing the number of proliferating cells while increasing the number of newborn neurons within a single niche. Contrary to observations in rodents, we demonstrate that social novelty, a form of enrichment, does not consistently rescue deficits in cell proliferation following social isolation, and that cortisol levels do not negatively regulate changes in adult neurogenesis, but are correlated with the social context. We propose that enhancement or suppression of adult neurogenesis in the zebrafish brain under different social contexts depends largely on the type of niche (sensory or telencephalic), experience from the preceding social environment, and occurs independently of changes in cortisol levels. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 74: 1053–1077, 2014
Effects of oxygen‐glucose deprivation on microglial mobility and viability in developing mouse hippocampal tissues

As brain‐resident immune cells, microglia (MG) survey the brain parenchyma to maintain homeostasis during development and following injury. Research in perinatal stroke, a leading cause of lifelong disability, has implicated MG as targets for therapeutic intervention during stroke. Although MG responses are complex, work in developing rodents suggests that MG limit brain damage after stroke. However, little is known about how energy‐limiting conditions affect MG survival and mobility (motility and migration) in developing brain tissues. Here, we used confocal time‐lapse imaging to monitor MG viability and mobility during hypoxia or oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD) in hippocampal tissue slices derived from neonatal GFP‐reporter mice (CX3CR1GFP/+). We found that MG remain viable for at least 6 h of hypoxia but begin to die after 2 h of OGD, while both hypoxia and OGD reduce MG motility. Unexpectedly, some MG retain or recover motility during OGD and can engulf dead cells. Additionally, MG from younger neonates (P2–P3) are more resistant to OGD than those from older ones (P6–P7), indicating increasing vulnerability with developmental age. Finally, transient (2 h) OGD also increases MG death, and although motility is rapidly restored after transient OGD, it remains below control levels for many hours. Together, these results show that MG in neonatal mouse brain tissues are vulnerable to both transient and sustained OGD, and many MG die within hours after onset of OGD. Preventing MG death may, therefore, provide a strategy for promoting tissue restoration after stroke. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Numerical reconstruction of induced birefringence in uniform fiber Bragg gratings through polarization properties measurement

We present an efficient numerical method to evaluate the induced birefringence generated during the inscription process of an FBG. We use the experimental transmitted spectrum and the wavelength evolution of the corresponding first normalized Stokes parameter to obtain the value of the birefringence. Our reconstruction technique is based on the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm.
Sequence of segmental contributions in the lower cervical spine and their application to cervical arthroplasty

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Effects of Implementing Adaptable Channelization in Wi-Fi Networks

The unprecedented increase of wireless devices is now facing a serious threat of spectrum scarcity. The situation becomes even worse due to inefficient frequency distribution protocols, deployed in trivial Wi-Fi networks. The primary source of this inefficiency is static channelization used in wireless networks. In this work, we investigate the use of dynamic and flexible channelization, for optimal spectrum utilization in Wi-Fi networks. We propose optimal spectrum sharing algorithm (OSSA) and analyze its effect on exhaustive list of essential network performance measuring parameters. The elementary concept of the proposed algorithm lies in the fact that frequency spectrum should be assigned to any access point (AP) based on its current requirement. The OSSA algorithm assigns channels with high granularity, thus maximizing spectrum utilization by more than 20% as compared to static width channel allocation. This optimum spectrum utilization, in turn, increases throughput by almost 30% in many deployment scenarios. The achieved results depict considerable decrease in interference, while simultaneously increasing range. Similarly signal strength values at relatively longer distances improve significantly at narrower channel widths while simultaneously decreasing bit error rates. We found that almost 25% reduction in interference is possible in certain scenarios through proposed algorithm.
Roost Structure, Modification, and Availability in the White‐throated Round‐eared Bat, Lophostoma silvicolum (Phyllostomidae) Living in Active Termite Nests 1

We studied roost structure, modification, and availability in Lophostoma silvicolum (Phyllostomidae), an insectivorous gleaning bat, on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panamá. Collection of nest material beneath termitaria and infrared video filming indicated that males of L. silvicolum excavate and maintain cavities inside active termite nests. A binary logistic regression analysis showed that to be suitable as roosts, termite nests have to be larger than 30 cm in diameter and taller than 30 cm, well shaded, with few transecting branches, and freely accessible from below. Use of active termite nests as roosts may provide several benefits to L. silvicolum, including reduction of competition for roost sites with sympatric bat species, reduced parasite load and a suitable microclimate. A comparison of number of all termite nests in selected forest plots with number of termite nests that are potentially suited as bat roosts and number of termite nests that are actually used by bats suggests that L. silvicolum may not be roost‐limited on BCI in spite of its highly specialized roost choice.
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment as a Useful Adjunctive Tool for Pneumonia

Pneumonia, the inflammatory state of lung tissue primarily due to microbial infection, claimed 52,306 lives in the United States in 20071 and resulted in the hospitalization of 1.1 million patients2. With an average length of in-patient hospital stay of five days2, pneumonia and influenza comprise significant financial burden costing the United States $40.2 billion in 20053. Under the current Infectious Disease Society of America/American Thoracic Society guidelines, standard-of-care recommendations include the rapid administration of an appropriate antibiotic regiment, fluid replacement, and ventilation (if necessary). Non-standard therapies include the use of corticosteroids and statins; however, these therapies lack conclusive supporting evidence4. (Figure 1) Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a cost-effective adjunctive treatment of pneumonia that has been shown to reduce patients’ length of hospital stay, duration of intravenous antibiotics, and incidence of respiratory failure or death when compared to subjects who received conventional care alone5. The use of manual manipulation techniques for pneumonia was first recorded as early as the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918, when patients treated with standard medical care had an estimated mortality rate of 33%, compared to a 10% mortality rate in patients treated by osteopathic physicians6. When applied to the management of pneumonia, manual manipulation techniques bolster lymphatic flow, respiratory function, and immunological defense by targeting anatomical structures involved in the these systems7,8, 9, 10. The objective of this review video-article is three-fold: a) summarize the findings of randomized controlled studies on the efficacy of OMT in adult patients with diagnosed pneumonia, b) demonstrate established protocols utilized by osteopathic physicians treating pneumonia, c) elucidate the physiological mechanisms behind manual manipulation of the respiratory and lymphatic systems. Specifically, we will discuss and demonstrate four routine techniques that address autonomics, lymph drainage, and rib cage mobility: 1) Rib Raising, 2) Thoracic Pump, 3) Doming of the Thoracic Diaphragm, and 4) Muscle Energy for Rib 1.5,11
Real-time depth fusion using a low-cost depth sensor array

We present a method for real-time depth enhancement based on multiple depth map fusion. We use a multi-sensor setup of low-cost depth sensors to obtain a combined depth map that can be arbitrary positioned between the input sensors. Our method fills holes in the depth map and reduces sensor noise. It uses GPU acceleration via OpenGL and is applicable as a preprocessing step for a wide variety of applications where real-time depth maps are necessary. We present subjective and objective results and investigate the influence of vibrating sensors to our method.
A Universal Marginalizer for Amortized Inference in Generative Models

We consider the problem of inference in a causal generative model where the set of available observations differs between data instances. We show how combining samples drawn from the graphical model with an appropriate masking function makes it possible to train a single neural network to approximate all the corresponding conditional marginal distributions and thus amortize the cost of inference. We further demonstrate that the efficiency of importance sampling may be improved by basing proposals on the output of the neural network. We also outline how the same network can be used to generate samples from an approximate joint posterior via a chain decomposition of the graph.