Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial calcium and its regulation in neurodegeneration induced by oxidative stress

A proposed mechanism of neuronal death associated with a variety of neurodegenerative diseases is the response of neurons to oxidative stress and consequent cytosolic Ca2+ overload. One hypothesis is that cytosolic Ca2+ overload leads to mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and prolonged opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP), resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction. Elimination of cyclophilin D (CyPD), a key regulator of the PTP, results in neuroprotection in a number of murine models of neurodegeneration in which oxidative stress and high cytosolic Ca2+ have been implicated. However, the effects of oxidative stress on the interplay between cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ in adult neurons and the role of the CyPD‐dependent PTP in these dynamic processes have not been examined. Here, using primary cultured cerebral cortical neurons from adult wild‐type (WT) mice and mice missing cyclophilin D (CyPD‐KO), we directly assess cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+, as well as ATP levels, during oxidative stress. Our data demonstrate that during acute oxidative stress mitochondria contribute to neuronal Ca2+ overload by release of their Ca2+ stores. This result contrasts with the prevailing view of mitochondria as a buffer of cytosolic Ca2+ under stress conditions. In addition, we show that CyPD deficiency reverses the release of mitochondrial Ca2+, leading to lower of cytosolic Ca2+ levels, attenuation of the decrease in cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP, and a significantly higher viability of adult CyPD‐knockout neurons following exposure of neurons oxidative stress. The study offers a first insight into the mechanism underlying CyPD‐dependent neuroprotection during oxidative stress.
Genotyping horse epithelial cells from fecal matter by isolation of polymerase chain reaction products

Aim To show that application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method modified for amplification of a low-copy number DNA samples, ie, the isolation of PCR products (IPCRp), would represent improvement in obtaining genotypes from a fecal DNA compared with previously used genotyping methods. Methods The DNA from the horse fecal matter was extracted by modified Qiagen DNA Stool Mini Kit protocol. Following the extraction, the DNA genotypes from fecal samples were obtained by the most powerful PCR amplification method, the IPCRp. The IPCRp-based multiplex kit amplified biotin-labeled strands were captured on streptavidin-coated plates, where everything but the dye-labeled target sequence was washed, eliminating all the background noise, released, and run on a genotyping instrument in a single-strand configuration. Results The IPCRp-based multiplex kit (6 loci) revealed equine DNA full genotype profiles, ie, appearance of all six loci, when sampled from fresh feces in 87% of the samples and partial genotype profile (appearance of one to five loci) in 13% of the samples, for a total of 100% genotyping success rate. Conclusion These results indicate that the IPCRp amplification method, coupled with the Qiagen DNA Stool Mini Kit extraction can maximize the likelihood of obtaining horse DNA genotypes from fecal samples.
Deep Mean-Shift Priors for Image Restoration-Supplemental Material

We perform an evaluation to find the best ratio between the runtime additive noise during stochastic gradient descent and the noise used during DAE training. Specifically, we set up an experiment for image deconvolution with our framework for fixed σ = 15 and compare the performance for different ratios between σ1 and σ2 (Equation 17 in the paper). First, we train different DAEs with noise levels σ1 = 1 : 15. Second, for each DAE we compute the variance of runtime additive noise by setting it to σ 2 = σ 2 − σ 1 . And finally, we evaluate the performance of each configuration with our experiment. Figure 1 shows the quantitative performance for each ratio σ 2 1 σ2 . The configuration σ 2 1 = σ 2 2 = σ 2 achieves the best performance. This is expected since our the DAE trained with a noise variance σ 1 performs better for that specific noise variance, therefore it is better to use the same variance for runtime additive noise.
It’s All In Your Personality: Combatting Technostress In The Workplace

Contemporary information and communication technologies like e-mail and instant messenger are pervasive in the workplace. Our “always-on” lifestyle has had a dramatic impact on business productivity and technology-induced stress, termed technostress. We know very little about how personality influences technostress or how perceptions of stress and objective strain differ from each other. In this study, we examine three personality characteristics: locus of control, self-efficacy, and negative and positive affect to see how they correlate with perceived stress, objective strain, and perceived performance. We found that stress and strain are not correlated and that they inversely correlate with performance. Secondly, we found that an internal locus of control positively influences objective strain. Finally, we found that negative affects are more likely to feel stress and have less confidence in their technology skills. The results provide insight into how personality differently affects stress and strain.
Towards the Rectification of Highly Distorted Texts

A frequent challenge for many Text Understanding Systems is to tackle the variety of text characteristics in born-digital and natural scene images to which current OCRs are not well adapted. For example, texts in perspective are frequently present in real-word images, but despite the ability of some detectors to accurately localize such text objects, the recognition stage fails most of the time. Indeed, most OCRs are not designed to handle text strings in perspective but rather expect horizontal texts in a parallel-frontal plane to provide a correct transcription. In this paper, we propose a rectification procedure that can correct highly distorted texts, subject to rotation, shearing and perspective deformations. The method is based on an accurate estimation of the quadrangle bounding the deformed text in order to compute a homography to transform this quadrangle (and its content) into a horizontal rectangle. The rectification is validated on the dataset proposed during the ICDAR 2015 Competition on Scene Text Rectification.
Are the light-harvesting I complexes from Rhodospirillum rubrum arranged around the reaction centre in a square geometry?

The basic photosynthetic unit containing the reaction centre and the light-harvesting I complex (RC-LHI) of the purple non-sulphur bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum was purified and reconstituted into two-dimensional (2D) membrane crystals. Transmission electron microscopy using conventional techniques and cryoelectron microscopy of the purified single particles and of 2D crystals yielded a projection of the RC-LHI complex at a resolution of at least 1.6 nm. In this projection the LHI ring appears to have a square symmetry and packs in a square crystal lattice. The square geometry of the LHI ring was observed also in images of single isolated particles of the RC-LHI complex. However, although the LHI units are packed identically within the crystal lattice, a new rotational analysis developed here showed that the reaction centres take up one of four possible orientations within the ring. This fourfold disorder supports our interpretation of a square ring symmetry and suggests that a hitherto undetected component may be present within the photosynthetic unit.
Functional diversity of the plant glycine-rich proteins superfamily

The first plant glycine–rich proteins (GRPs) have been isolated more than 20 years ago based on their specific expression pattern and/or modulation by several biotic and abiotic factors. This superfamily is characterized by the presence of a glycine-rich domain arranged in (Gly)n-X repeats. The presence of additional motifs, as well as the nature of the glycine repeats, groups them in different classes. The diversity in structure as well as in expression pattern, modulation and sub-cellular localization have always indicated that these proteins, although classified as members of the same superfamily, would perform different functions in planta. Only now, two decades later, with the first functional characterizations of plant GRPs their involvement in diverse biological and biochemical processes are being uncovered. Here, we review the so far ascribed functions of plant GRPs.
Gross Profit Taxation Versus Distributed Profit Taxation and Firm Performance: Effects of Estonia’s Corporate Income Tax Reform

Systems of profit taxation are undergoing continuous change and are subject to numerous studies. This paper estimates the effect of the corporate tax reform in Estonia in the year 2000, a reform that was unique anywhere. This reform nullified the taxation of retained earnings and retained the corporate income tax only on distributed profits. We estimate the effect of the reform on firms’ capital structure, liquidity, investments and productivity. The effect of the reform is identified by comparing the performance of Estonian firms that were affected with that of firms from Latvia and Lithuania, the two other Baltic states, which are economically fairly similar to Estonia and have correlated business cycles. We use firm-level financial data and the difference in differences and propensity score matching methods for our analysis. The results show that the corporate tax reform has resulted in increased holdings of liquid assets and lower use of debt financing; these results can be seen especially among the smaller companies affected by the liquidity constraints. These developments have contributed positively to firms’ survival during the recent global economic crisis. A positive effect on investment and labour productivity has also been found, especially among companies in the services sector. The results imply that distributed profit taxation schemes may have significant positive effects on economic development and firms’ survival.
A resource allocation algorithm for downlink CDMA system

A resource allocation algorithm, that assigns the users to be served together with their number of Walsh codes and power, is proposed for a downlink CDMA system. The optimal solution of maximizing the reward function is achieved by serving at most two users simultaneously. In the proposed algorithm the maximum number of users served simultaneously, m, is variable. This allows to trade the reward and the throughput-capacity in a flexible manner. Simulations performed in the 1xEV-DV framework show that the proposed algorithm has a graceful degradation of the reward function as m increases. For m=2 the algorithm performs close to the optimal solution.
Analysis of Multi-Lingual Emotion Recognition Using Auditory Attention Features

In this paper, we build mono-lingual and cross-lingual emotion recognition systems and report performance on English and German databases. The emotion recognition system uses biologically inspired auditory attention features together with a neural network for learning the mapping between features and emotion classes. We first build mono-lingual systems for both Berlin Database of Emotional Speech (EMO-DB) and LDC’s Emotional Prosody (Emo-Prosody) and achieve 82.7% and 56.7% accuracy for five class emotion classification (neutral, sad, angry, happy, and boredom) using leave-one-speakerout cross validation. When tested with cross-lingual systems, the five-class emotion recognition accuracy drops to 55.1% and 41.4% accuracy for EMO-DB and Emo-Prosody, respectively. Finally, we build a bilingual emotion recognition system and report experimental results and their analysis. Bilingual system performs close to the performance of individual mono-lingual systems.
Low-voltage diode-configured sige:C HBT triggered ESD power clamps using a raised extrinsic base 200/285 GHz (fT/fMAX) SiGe:C HBT device

As the faster transistors are produced in BiCMOS SiGe technology, low voltage trigger ESD networks will be required to achieve good ESD protection. Diode-configured SiGe HBT trigger elements are used in a SiGe C HBT power clamp network in a 200/285 GHz fT/fMAX silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology in a 0.13-propm CMOS technology base.
The Mps1 Kinase Modulates the Recruitment and Activity of Cnn1CENP-T at Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kinetochores

Kinetochores are conserved protein complexes that bind the replicated chromosomes to the mitotic spindle and then direct their segregation. To better comprehend Saccharomyces cerevisiae kinetochore function, we dissected the phospho-regulated dynamic interaction between conserved kinetochore protein Cnn1CENP-T, the centromere region, and the Ndc80 complex through the cell cycle. Cnn1 localizes to kinetochores at basal levels from G1 through metaphase but accumulates abruptly at anaphase onset. How Cnn1 is recruited and which activities regulate its dynamic localization are unclear. We show that Cnn1 harbors two kinetochore-localization activities: a C-terminal histone-fold domain (HFD) that associates with the centromere region and a N-terminal Spc24/Spc25 interaction sequence that mediates linkage to the microtubule-binding Ndc80 complex. We demonstrate that the established Ndc80 binding site in the N terminus of Cnn1, Cnn160–84, should be extended with flanking residues, Cnn125–91, to allow near maximal binding affinity to Ndc80. Cnn1 localization was proposed to depend on Mps1 kinase activity at Cnn1–S74, based on in vitro experiments demonstrating the Cnn1–Ndc80 complex interaction. We demonstrate that from G1 through metaphase, Cnn1 localizes via both its HFD and N-terminal Spc24/Spc25 interaction sequence, and deletion or mutation of either region results in anomalous Cnn1 kinetochore levels. At anaphase onset (when Mps1 activity decreases) Cnn1 becomes enriched mainly via the N-terminal Spc24/Spc25 interaction sequence. In sum, we provide the first in vivo evidence of Cnn1 preanaphase linkages with the kinetochore and enrichment of the linkages during anaphase.
The future of health IT innovation and informatics: a report from AMIA's 2010 policy meeting

While much attention has been paid to the short-term impact that widespread adoption of health information technology (health IT) will have on the healthcare system, there is a corresponding need to look at the long-term effects that extant policies may have on health IT system resilience, innovation, and related ethical, social/legal issues. The American Medical Informatics Association's 2010 Health Policy Conference was convened to further the national discourse on the issues surrounding these longer-term considerations. Conference participants self-selected into three broad categories: resilience in healthcare and health IT; ethical, legal, and social challenges; and innovation, adoption, and sustainability. The discussions about problem areas lead to findings focusing on the lack of encouragement for long-term IT innovation that may result from current health IT policies; the potential impact of uneven adoption of health IT based on the exclusions of the current financial incentives; the weaknesses of contingency and risk mitigation planning that threaten system resilience; and evolving standards developed in response to challenges relating to the security, integrity, and availability of electronic health information. This paper discusses these findings and also offers recommendations that address the interwoven topics of innovation, resilience, and adoption. The goal of this paper is to encourage public and private sector organizations that have a role in shaping health information policy to increase attention to developing a national strategy that assures that health IT innovation and resilience are not impeded by shorter-term efforts to implement current approaches emphasizing adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records.
Data scheduling algorithm for layered P2P VoD streaming networks

Streaming layered video over peer-to-peer (P2P) networks has been recognized as an efficient way to address the receiver heterogeneity problem. The distinctive characteristics of layer encoded video also introduce complexities to data scheduling. In this paper, we propose a new data scheduling algorithm for layered P2P video-on-demand (VoD) streaming networks. Our algorithm consists of two parts: 1) layer adaptation, where peers adaptively adjust the number of subscribed layers to ensure a continuous playback of the highest possible video quality; and 2) piece selection, in which a peer selects a missing data piece to request based on its utility. The piece utility is calculated based on the playback constraint and the layer dependency of a piece. Through extensive packet-level simulations we show that our proposed data scheduling algorithm can effectively enhance the video playback quality.
Facilitating Learning Through Hands-on Engagement With Virtual Museum Artefacts

In collaborative museum learning contexts, it is problematic that groups of museum visitors are not able able to touch, handle, and pass museum artefacts around during collaborative discussions. This can be due to the fragility of the artefacts themselves or due to the people discussing them being in different locations. Interacting with virtual representations of artefacts is a solution to the problem, but digital experiences have typically lacked many of the qualities that are so successful in engaging museum learners with physical artefacts.
Technology Assessment in the Normative Aging Study

Abstract This review of publications based on data from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study identified four articles that were considered assessments of health care technologies. Three evaluated methods for research on body composition, the fourth studied ventricular size in patients with presenile dementia. Several additional articles are discussed that provided data on baseline values or risk factors for disease that might be useful in generating hypotheses to be tested in later assessments of technologies.
Tying up loose ends: a method for constructing and evaluating decision aids that meet blunt and sharp-end goals

We present a methodological framework for constructing and evaluating decision aids – fast and frugal trees (FFTs) – ideally suited to the front line of an organisation. Their performance can be analysed in signal detection theory, allowing for transparent selection of FFTs given managerial-level trade-offs among type I and II errors. We extend FFTs from binary classification to selection from multiple actions (FFT multiple) as well as performance analysis to organisational goal states beyond type I and II error reduction. Concepts and framework are introduced and a tutorial-style example application (threat assessment at military checkpoints) is provided. Throughout, we discuss ways to deal with missing or incomplete data and show that the performance of decision aids may be overestimated if the effectiveness of actions is not heeded. The methodology can be used to construct and evaluate decision aids in any area characterised by dichotomised cues and a one-to-many mapping between categorisation outcomes and actions. Practitioner Summary: The paper presents a methodological framework for the construction of decision aids and their evaluation along multiple goal states across institutional levels. We then apply this framework to construct and evaluate decision aids for threat assessment in military operations. Ways to deal with missing and incomplete data are discussed.
Trajectory generation of an unmanned forklift for autonomous operation in material handling system

In this paper, a trajectory generation algorithm for the development of an unmanned autonomous forklift is discussed. A kinematic model of the forklift with a spin-turn steering mechanism in the inertial frame is described first, and then the model is transformed to a chained form. A polynomial control input for the trajectory generation of the unmanned forklift is derived based on the obtained chained form model. The effectiveness of the proposed trajectory generation algorithm is examined through simulations of trajectory generation of the unmanned forklift between two arbitrary configurations.
Topography of the oculomotor area of the cerebellar vermis in macaques as determined by microstimulation.

1. Oculomotor responses to microstimulation of the cerebellar vermis of macaque monkeys were investigated by using a magnetic search-coil method. 2. The oculomotor responses were conjugate eye movements with an ipsilateral horizontal component. Analyses of amplitude-velocity and amplitude-duration relationships revealed that the peak eye velocities and the durations of the responses were comparable to those of saccadic eye movements. 3. Systematic mapping with microstimulation disclosed that the region in the cerebellar vermis that yielded saccades with weak stimulus currents was confined to lobule VII in five monkeys but included a part of folium VIc in the other four monkeys. This region coincided with the distribution of the saccade-related neural activity observed in the present study and also corresponded to the vermal folia from which we recorded the burst mossy-fiber units and the oculomotor Purkinje cell activity. 4. The oculomotor vermis was defined as that region of the cerebellar vermis that met the following criteria: 1) saccades were evoked with low-intensity microstimulation (with currents less than 10 microA); 2) vigorous saccade-related neural activity was present; and 3) Purkinje cell discharges were modulated with eye movements. The oculomotor vermis was more circumscribed and located more posteriorly than the vermal cortex explored in previous microstimulation experiments on monkeys. 5. Microstimulation of the oculomotor vermis evoked more or less curved saccades in oblique directions. The horizontal and vertical components were not simultaneous in some saccades: the shorter component started later or ended earlier than the other component and their peak velocities were not always synchronous. 6. The amplitude of the saccade depended on stimulus parameters; microstimulation with 10-12 pulses within a period of approximately 20 ms (500-600 Hz) was shown to be optimal. When the pulses were applied to the white matter or to the granular layer, a stimulus current of 10 microA was sufficient to evoke saccades. When the molecular layer was stimulated, evoked saccades were smaller and frequently curved, and an increase in the stimulus current changed either the initial direction or the trajectory of the saccade. 7. When the stimulus current was carefully controlled and maintained near the threshold, the direction of the saccade evoked from the oculomotor vermis was topographically organized. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)