Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Periosteal Cell Pellet Culture System: A New Technique for Bone Engineering

To treat bone loss that is induced by disease or wounds, bone grafts are commonly used. In dentistry, guided tissue regeneration is effective in the treatment of periodontal diseases. However, bone resorption after implantation is a major problem with the bone graft and guided tissue regeneration technique. This study examines a cell pellet culture system without exogenous scaffolds for bone regeneration. First, we examined the effect of ascorbic acid on cells. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed that cells formed a three-dimensional structure of multiple cell layers after 5 weeks of culturing in medium containing 50 μg/ml ascorbic acid with the medium changed every 7 days. A single cell pellet was produced by centrifuging cells that were gathered from 10 tissue culture dishes. Van Gieson staining and collagen type I immunostaining showed that the pellet contained collagen fibers and cells that adhered to the collagen fibers. Several of these cell pellets were implanted subcutaneously on the backs of nude mice for 6 weeks. Histology and immunohistochemistry results indicated new bone formation, vascular invasion, and insular areas of calcification. Bone tissue was surrounded by osteoblasts. The appearance of new bone formation is similar to that seen in intramembranous ossification. The present pellet system is reliable and might solve problems of bone resorption after implantation.
Phase Shifts Induced by the Piezoelectric Transducers Attached to a Linearly Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating

A simple method enabling to generate a stable and controllable phase shift in a linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated, which is based on the utilization of the mini-size piezoelectric transducers (PZTs). The magnitude of the induced phase shift can easily be controlled by adjusting the voltage applied on the individual PZT. With this method, a narrow bandpass filter with 3-dB band width of 0.085 nm is obtained. Based on this kind of filter, an Erbium-doped fiber ring laser is also demonstrated, and both switchable and stable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) laser emission is successfully realized.
Question Answering System : A Review On Question Analysis, Document Processing, And Answer Extraction Techniques

Question Answering System could automatically provide an answer to a question posed by human in natural languages. This system consists of question analysis, document processing, and answer extraction module. Question Analysis module has task to translate query into a form that can be processed by document processing module. Document processing is a technique for identifying candidate documents, containing answer relevant to the user query. Furthermore, answer extraction module receives the set of passages from document processing module, then determine the best answers to user. Challenge to optimize Question Answering framework is to increase the performance of all modules in the framework. The performance of all modules that has not been optimized has led to the less accurate answer from question answering systems. Based on this issues, the objective of this study is to review the current state of question analysis, document processing, and answer extraction techniques. Result from this study reveals the potential research issues, namely morphology analysis, question classification, and term weighting algorithm for question classification.
Synthetic poly(amino acid) hydrogels with incorporated cell‐adhesion peptides for tissue engineering

Preparation of soft poly(amino acid) hydrogels containing biomimetic cell‐adhesive peptides was investigated. Covalently crosslinked gels were formed by radical co‐polymerization of methacryloylated macromonomer poly[N5‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐L‐glutamine‐stat‐L‐alanine‐stat‐methacryloyllysine] with 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as minor co‐monomer. Hydrogels carrying biomimetic peptides were prepared by using methacryloylated peptides, such as methacryloyl–GGGRGDSG–OH and methacryloyl–GGGYIGSR–OH, as additional monomers in the polymerization mixture. Mechanical stability and swelling in water of the hydrogels obtained for different solid:water and polypeptide:HEMA ratios were evaluated. The microporosity of gels (5–20 µm), dependent on the polyHEMA phase separation in water, was followed by low‐vacuum SEM. The effect of biomimetic modification of hydrogels with RGDS and YIGSR peptides on the seeding efficiency of porcine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was studied in vitro. While unmodified hydrogels showed very low cell adhesion, due to their highly hydrophilic nature, the incorporation of adhesive peptides significantly improved the adhesion and viability of seeded cells. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A subcellular prefractionation protocol for minute amounts of mammalian cell cultures and tissue

Subcellular localization represents an essential, albeit often neglected, aspect of proteome analysis. Generally, the subcellular location of proteins determines the function of cells and tissues. Here we present a robust and versatile prefractionation protocol for mammalian cells and tissues which is appropriate for minute sample amounts. The protocol yields three fractions: a nuclear, a cytoplasmic, and a combined membrane and organelle fraction. The subcellular specificity and the composition of the fractions were demonstrated by immunoblot analysis of five marker proteins and analysis of 43 proteins by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. To cover all protein species, both conventional two‐dimensional and benzyldimethyl‐n‐hexadecyl ammonium chloride‐sodium dodecyl sulfate (16‐BAC‐SDS) gel electrophoresis were performed. Integral membrane proteins and strongly basic nuclear histones were detected only in the 16‐BAC‐SDS gel electrophoresis system, confirming its usefulness for proteome analysis. All but one protein complied to the respective subcellular composition of the analyzed fractions. Taken together, the data make our subcellular prefractionation protocol an attractive alternative to other prefractionation methods which are based on less physiological protein properties.
Identification of Novel Pepper Genes Involved in Bax- or INF1-Mediated Cell Death Responses by High-Throughput Virus-Induced Gene Silencing

Hot pepper is one of the economically important crops in Asia. A large number of gene sequences, including expressed sequence tag (EST) and genomic sequences are publicly available. However, it is still a daunting task to determine gene function due to difficulties in genetic modification of a pepper plants. Here, we show the application of the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) repression for the study of 459 pepper ESTs selected as non-host pathogen-induced cell death responsive genes from pepper microarray experiments in Nicotiana benthamiana. Developmental abnormalities in N. benthamiana plants are observed in the 32 (7%) pepper ESTs-silenced plants. Aberrant morphological phenotypes largely comprised of three groups: stunted, abnormal leaf, and dead. In addition, by employing the combination of VIGS and Agrobacterium-mediated transient assays, we identified novel pepper ESTs that involved in Bax or INF1-mediated cell death responses. Silencing of seven pepper ESTs homologs suppressed Bax or INF1-induced cell death, five of which suppressed both cell death responses in N. benthamiana. The genes represented by these five ESTs encode putative proteins with functions in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and lipid signaling. The genes represented by the other two pepper ESTs showing only Bax-mediated cell death inhibition encode a CCCH-type zinc finger protein containing an ankyrin-repeat domain and a probable calcium-binding protein, CML30-like. Taken together, we effectively isolated novel pepper clones that are involved in hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death using VIGS, and identified silenced clones that have different responses to Bax and INF1 exposure, indicating separate signaling pathways for Bax- and INF1-mediated cell death.
Effects of Aging on BOLD fMRI during Prosaccades and Antisaccades

Age affects the ability to inhibit saccadic eye movements. According to current theories, this may be associated with age-induced neurophysiological changes in the brain and with compensatory activation in frontal brain areas. In the present study, the effects of aging are assessed on brain systems that subserve generation and inhibition of saccadic eye movements. For this purpose, an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging design was used in adults covering three age ranges (1830, 3055, and 5572 years). Group differences were controlled for task performance. Activity associated with saccadic inhibition was represented by the contrast between prosaccade and antisaccade activation. The tasks activated well-documented networks of regions known to be involved in generation and inhibition of saccadic eye movements. There was an age-related shift in activity from posterior to frontal brain regions after young adulthood. In addition, old adults demonstrated an overall reduction in the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal in the visual and oculomotor system. Age, however, did not affect saccade inhibition activity. Mid and old adults appear to increase frontal activation to maintain performance even during simple prosaccades. The global reduction of the BOLD response in old adults could reflect a reduction in neural activity, as well as changes in the neuronal-vascular coupling. Future research should address the impact of altered vascular dynamics on neural activation and the BOLD signal.
HLA-A*01:03, HLA-A*24:02, HLA-B*08:01, HLA-B*27:05, HLA-B*35:01, HLA-B*44:02, and HLA-C*07:01 Monochain Transgenic/H-2 Class I Null Mice: Novel Versatile Preclinical Models of Human T Cell Responses

We have generated a panel of transgenic mice expressing HLA-A*01:03, -A*24:02, -B*08:01, -B*27:05, -B*35:01, -B*44:02, or -C*07:01 as chimeric monochain molecules (i.e., appropriate HLA α1α2 H chain domains fused with a mouse α3 domain and covalently linked to human β2-microglobulin). Whereas surface expression of several transgenes was markedly reduced in recipient mice that coexpressed endogenous H-2 class I molecules, substantial surface expression of all human transgenes was observed in mice lacking H-2 class I molecules. In these HLA monochain transgenic/H-2 class I null mice, we observed a quantitative and qualitative restoration of the peripheral CD8+ T cell repertoire, which exhibited a TCR diversity comparable with C57BL/6 WT mice. Potent epitope-specific, HLA-restricted, IFN-γ–producing CD8+ T cell responses were generated against known reference T cell epitopes after either peptide or DNA immunization. HLA-wise, these new transgenic strains encompass a large proportion of individuals from all major human races and ethnicities. In combination with the previously created HLA-A*02:01 and -B*07:02 transgenic mice, the novel HLA transgenic mice described in this report should be a versatile preclinical animal model that will speed up the identification and optimization of HLA-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes of potential interest in various autoimmune human diseases and in preclinical evaluation of T cell–based vaccines.
Patterns of learner variation in Spanish accented Dutch

New Spanish migrants began to arrive in the Netherlands nearly ten years ago, following the economic crisis in 2008 and the steep rise in the Spanish unemployment rate. These Spanish migrants are highly skilled, mobile, highly educated, and speak English well. Most of them work in the high-tech and healthcare sectors. While they can get along communicating in English at first, they soon become aware of the importance of speaking Dutch, because it is required at work or because they want to improve their social interaction. Learning Dutch is hard for adult Spaniards, and when asked what the most difficult aspect of learning Dutch is, most of them would probably answer: “la pronunciacion”, ‘the pronunciation’. The main aim of this investigation is to study the pronunciation problems of adult Spanish learners of Dutch, and their possible sources, as well as to find out how well native Dutch listeners perceive Spanish-accented Dutch pronunciation, in terms of intelligibility. This investigation contributes to the development of specific learning tools for native speakers of Spanish who wish to improve their pronunciation accuracy in Dutch. The outcomes of this dissertation throw light on the specific pronunciation problems Spanish learners of Dutch have, as well as their sources. Such insights can help to propose pedagogical direction in phonological instruction in the Dutch L2 classroom, to develop dedicated CAPT (Computer Assisted Pronunciation Training) programs, and to create materials aimed at raising phonological awareness among Spanish learners.
Phosphorylcholine Substituents in Nematodes: Structures, Occurrence and Biological Implications

Abstract Phosphorylcholine (PC), a small haptenic molecule, is found in a wide variety of prokaryotic organisms, i. e. bacteria, and in eukaryotic parasites such as nematodes, as well as in fungi. Linked to parasite-specific glycoprotein glycans or glycolipids, it is assumed to be responsible for a variety of immunological effects, including invasion mechanisms and long-term persistence of parasites within the host. Numerous reports have indicated various effects of PC-substituted molecules derived from parasitic nematodes on signal transduction pathways in B and T lymphocytes, displaying a highly adapted and profound modulation of the immune system by these parasites. The Nematoda, comprising parasitic and free-living species, can be regarded as promising prototypic systems for structural analyses, immunological studies and biosynthetic investigations. In this context, Ascaris suum, the pig parasitic nematode, is an ideal organism for immunological studies and an excellent source for obtaining large amounts of PC-substituted (macro)-molecules. Caenorhabditis elegans, as a completely genome-sequenced species and expressing parasite analogous PC-substituted structures, together with the possibility for easy in vitro cultivation, represents a conceptual model for biosynthetic studies, whereas filarial parasites represent important model systems for human pathogens, especially in developing countries. This review summarises current knowledge on the tissue-specific expression of PC epitopes, structural data of glycoprotein glycans and glycosphingolipids bearing this substituent and biological implications for the immune systems of the respective hosts.
Precision Assembly Among Multiple Thin Objects With Various Fit Types

This paper investigates precision assembly combining several subprocesses on a platform with multiple robot arms. The task manipulates irregular objects and incorporates interference and clearance assemblies. We use a mechanism with six robot arms and three microscopes to fulfill this assignment, and propose a general control strategy to attain high precision and protect objects. System calibration includes the image Jacobian matrix to connect Cartesian motion with the image movement and force transformation matrix to relate between coordinates of force sensor and manipulators. In the control structure, a general strategy is proposed for assembly with multiple manipulators, in which we present an assembly plan module to generate desired states of each object by using an optimization approach, design a method to determine the collision when blocking, and propose a hybrid control scheme for both contact and clearance assembly controllers. Experiments are carried out to demonstrate the validation of the proposed methods.
Comparison of three methods for arthrodesis of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of diode laser surgery (LS), surgical drilling (SD), and intraarticular sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) as methods for fusing the distal intertarsal (DIT) and tarsometatarsal (TMT) joints in horses. STUDY DESIGN Experimental study. ANIMALS Adult horses (15) without radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) of the DIT and TMT joints. METHODS Group 1 (n=3) had LS performed bilaterally on DIT and TMT joints; 1 horse was evaluated for 1 week and 2 horses were evaluated for 2 weeks. Group 2 (n=6) had LS on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and MIA administration into the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 6 months. Group 3 (n=6) had LS performed on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and SD of the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 12 months. Postoperative comfort, lameness, radiography, microradiography, and histology scores were compared using repeated measures ANOVA, and paired or 2 sample t-tests; significance was set at P<. 05. RESULTS LS caused the least postoperative morbidity. In group 2, horses were less lame in 4 LS-treated limbs and 2 MIA-treated limbs at 6 months when compared with the contralateral limb. In group 3, horses were less lame in 5 LS-treated limbs and 1 SD-treated limb at 6 and 12 months compared with the contralateral limb. On microradiography, 11 MIA joints and 2 LS joints had bone bridging the joint at 6 months whereas 8 SD joints and 5 LS joints had bone bridging at 12 months. Significantly more joint space was bridged by bone in MIA- (51.4%) and SD (46.2%)-treated joints compared with LS joints at 6 (30.6%) and 12 (28.5%) months, respectively (P<.05). CLINICAL RELEVANCE SD and MIA resulted in more bone bridging of the distal 2 tarsal joints, than LS. However, LS seemingly caused less pain and discomfort to horses in the immediate postoperative period; horses were generally less lame in the LS limb. More laser energy may need to be applied to these joints to promote fusion; however, it may also have beneficial effects beyond fusion. Further research on horses with OA of the distal 2 tarsal joints is needed to determine whether LS can cause soundness without facilitating bony fusion.
A Fully Automatic Multimodality Image Registration Algorithm

Objective A fully automatic multimodality image registration algorithm is presented. The method is primarily designed for 3D registration of MR and PET images of the brain. However, it has also been successfully applied to CT-PET, MR-CT, and MR-SPECT registrations. Materials and Methods The head contour is detected on the MR image using a gradient threshold method. The head region in the MR image is then segmented into a set of connected components using the K-means clustering algorithm. When the two image sets are registered, the segmentation of the MR image indirectly generates a segmentation of the PET image. The best registration is taken to be the one that optimizes the segmentation induced on the PET image. In this article, the K-means minimum variance criterion is used as a cost function, and the optimization is performed using the method of coordinate descent. Results The algorithm was tested on 80 H215O PET and MR image pairs from 10 subjects. Qualitatively correct results were obtained in all cases. With use of external markers visible in both image modalities, the average registration error was estimated to be <3 mm. Conclusion The algorithm presented in this article requires no user interaction and can be applied to a wide range of registration problems. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the algorithm indicate a high degree of accuracy.
Committee autonomy in parliamentary systems – coalition logic or congressional rationales?

ABSTRACT Large-n comparative research on committee structures in legislatures is rare. This paper uses newly collected data to analyse committee structures across 30 legislatures of parliamentary systems which possess strong parliamentary party groups. It seeks to explain committee autonomy which reflects the degree to which committees are able to carry out their tasks independently. The variation in autonomy is accounted for by contrasting the ‘keeping tabs on coalition partners’ perspective with the congressional theories of legislative organisation (referred to as distributional, informational, and partisan theories). The results support the informational and the keeping tabs perspective. More autonomous committees tend to be found in legislatures with a relatively high workload and frequent coalition governments. For the ongoing discussion about the applicability of the congressional theories outside the US, this study provides support for the usefulness of the US theories in parliamentary systems of government.
Shortcut Tree Routing using Neighbor Table in ZigBee Wireless Networks

-ZigBee is a worldwide standard for wireless personal area network targeted to low power and cost effective data communications with business and consumer devices. The ZigBee Tree Routing is used in many resource-limited devices and applications. It is not able to require any routing table and route discovery overhead to send a packet to reach the destination. The ZigBee tree routing follows the tree topology. It cannot provide the optimal routing path. The Shortcut Tree Routing (STR) protocol has been provided the near optimal routing path as well as maintains the advantages of ZigBee tree routing that is no route discovery overhead and low memory consumption. The main idea is to provide shortcut tree routing to calculate remaining hops from a source to the destination using the hierarchical addressing scheme. Each source forwards a packet to the neighbour node with the smallest remaining hops in its neighbour table. The shortcut tree routing is fully distributed with ZigBee standard and it utilizes hierarchical addressing scheme. The aim is to find the near optimal routing path with low Route discovery overhead and Low memory consumption.
Health Economics: Scientific Expertise and Policymaking

This paper investigates the ways in which evidence about the U.S. healthcare system has been produced, evaluated, and translated into healthcare policy. The main argument of this essay is that there was a shift in the dominant mode of influence of economics. Where through the 1960s the central influence was of particular economists appointment to committees or advisory positions, this was replaced by the increasing importance of the cognitive infrastructure provided by the field of health economics by the 1990s which provided an “economic way of thinking” about healthcare policy. This case study provides a broader exploration into how scientific expert advice becomes operationalized in society, which in the case of health policy in the U.S., has remained salient up to the present with the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.