Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An unexpected role for keratin 10 end domains in susceptibility to skin cancer

Keratin 10 (K10) is a type I keratin that is expressed in post-mitotic suprabasal keratinocytes of the skin. Based on cell culture experiments and transgenic mouse studies, it has been proposed that K10 suppresses cell proliferation and tumor formation in the skin. Furthermore, the ability of K10 to suppress cell proliferation was mapped to its unique N- and C-terminal protein domains. In the present study, we modified the endogenous keratin 14 (K14) gene of mice using a knock-in approach to encode a chimeric keratin that consists of the K14 rod domain fused to the K10 head and tail domains (K1014chim). This transgene was expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis and the outer root sheath of hair follicles. Unexpectedly, we found that the K10 end domains had no effect on basal keratinocyte proliferation in vivo. Moreover, when subjected to a chemical skin carcinogenesis protocol, papilloma formation in mutant mice was accelerated instead of being inhibited. Our data suggest that the increased tumor susceptibility of K1014chim mice is in part due to a suppression of apoptosis in mutant keratinocytes. Our results support the notion that intermediate filaments, in addition to their function as cytoskeletal components, affect tumor susceptibility of epithelial cells.
Biomimetic Propulsion Systems for Mini-Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

This paper describes work carried out as part of a PhD research project investigating biomimetic propulsion systems for underwater vehicles at the University of Glasgow. The work focuses on the development of a vehicle called the RoboSalmon, which is a low-cost prototype allowing for different types of fish-like biomimetic propulsion systems to be investigated. The potential benefits of using a biomimetic propulsion system are highlighted and some applications discussed. RoboSalmon is a custom built vehicle based on the approximate dimensions of an Adult Atlantic Salmon. The first type of biomimetic propulsion system investigated is a tendon drive system which utilizes two tendon wires actuated by a single DC servo motor to produce an approximate fish-like tail movement. Development of an initial low cost prototype of the tendon drive RoboSalmon vehicle has been completed and experimentation with this prototype shows that the tendon drive propulsion system produces a forward thrust and allows for basic straight line and turning maneuvers. In parallel with the vehicle development, this investigation has also involved the development of a mathematical model of the RoboSalmon which draws on methods used for modeling conventional marine craft. Simulation results indicate good vehicle performance. From the initial surge velocity simulation results the RoboSalmon vehicle model is comparable to that of the experimentally observed velocity from the prototype using a similar tail beat frequency. Use of this prototype has also shown the limitations of this propulsion system and highlighted a number of areas where the overall vehicle design could be improved. Design work has started on an updated version of the RoboSalmon which takes into account the lessons learned from the development of the initial prototype and the parallel work on the SHARC vehicle. The next propulsion system under investigation is a tail with a number of segments individually actuated by geared DC motors. Comparisons are made and discussed between the two propulsions systems investigated thus far. Finally, the conclusions that can be drawn for the work completed to date on biomimetic propulsion systems are discussed.
Title Gastrointestinal transit measurements in mice with 99 mTc-DTPA-labeled activated charcoal using

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are commonly associated with chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Direct consequences are obstipation or diarrhea as opposite aspects of the irritable bowel syndrome, and more indirectly, alteration of appetite, feeling of fullness, flatulence, bloatedness, and eventually leading to altered absorption of nutrients. Moreover, GI retention and passage times have been recognized as important factors in determining the release site and hence the bioavailability of orally administered drugs. To facilitate the understanding of physiological and pathological processes involved, it is necessary to monitor the gut motility in animal models. Here, we describe a method for studying the GI transit time using technetium-labeled activated charcoal diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-Ch-DTPA) detected by singlephoton emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods: Tc-DTPA was adsorbed onto activated charcoal and administered orally to trypan blue-tainted (n = 4) 129SvEv mice (50 to 80 MBq/animal, n = 11). The exact distribution and movement of radioactivity in the gastrointestinal tract was measured at intervals of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 22 h by SPECT-CT. In addition, in order to validate the imaging of GI transient time, loperamide (0.25 mg/animal, n = 3) was used to delay the GI transit. Results: The transit time measured as the peak radioactivity occurring in the rectum was 6 to 7 h after gavaging of Tc-Ch-DTPA. After 1 h, the bolus had passed into the small intestine and entered the cecum and the colon. At 6 and 8 h, the cecum, the ascending, transverse, and descending colon, and the rectum showed significant labeling. Several pellets were stored in the rectum for defecation. After 22 h, little activity remained in the stomach and none was detected in the transverse colon or other GI locations. In contrast, 6 h after administration of loperamide, only the cecum and part of the transverse colon were labeled. After 22 h, both structures retained significant amount of label. This delay has been verified by non-radiolabeled dye trypan blue GI measurements (n = 4). Conclusion: Here, we present the first non-invasive study of mouse GI transit time, allowing clear differentiation between vehicleand loperamide-treated animals. This technique is useful for the investigation of GI motility in mice.
QRS time detection using Wavelet Multiresolution Analysis for determining HRV in case of ECG signals with high level noise

In this paper we studied the influence of noise when extracting QRS from electrocardiographic (ECG) signal by means of Wavelet Multiresolution Analysis. Thus, we have made a time detection of QRS waves and heart rate both on a electrocardiography signal (ECG) and on the same electrocardiography signal over that overlapped different types of noises (white noise, 50 Hz noise, Gaussian noise and their combinations).
Stability of N interacting queues in random-access systems

We revisit the stability problem of systems consisting of N buffered terminals accessing a common receiver over the collision channel by means of the standard ALOHA protocol. We find that in the slotted ALOHA system queues have "instability rank" based on their individual average arrival rates and transmission probabilities. If a queue is stable, then the queue with lower instability rank is stable as well. The instability rank is used to intelligently set up the dominant systems. And the stability inner and outer bounds can be found by bounding the idle probability of some queues in the dominant system. Through analyzing those dominant systems one by one, we are able to obtain inner and outer bounds for stability. These bounds are tighter than the known ones although they still fail to identify the exact stability region for cases of N>2. The methodology used is new and holds promise for successfully addressing other similar stability problems.
Dental abrasion as a cutting process

A mammalian tooth is abraded when a sliding contact between a particle and the tooth surface leads to an immediate loss of tooth tissue. Over time, these contacts can lead to wear serious enough to impair the oral processing of food. Both anatomical and physiological mechanisms have evolved in mammals to try to prevent wear, indicating its evolutionary importance, but it is still an established survival threat. Here we consider that many wear marks result from a cutting action whereby the contacting tip(s) of such wear particles acts akin to a tool tip. Recent theoretical developments show that it is possible to estimate the toughness of abraded materials via cutting tests. Here, we report experiments intended to establish the wear resistance of enamel in terms of its toughness and how friction varies. Imaging via atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess the damage involved. Damage ranged from pure plastic deformation to fracture with and without lateral microcracks. Grooves cut with a Berkovich diamond were the most consistent, suggesting that the toughness of enamel in cutting is 244 J m−2, which is very high. Friction was higher in the presence of a polyphenolic compound, indicating that this could increase wear potential.
An Integrated Framework to Predict Bus Travel Time and Its Variability Using Traffic Flow Data

Information about bus travel time and its variability is a key indicator of service performance, and it is valued by passengers and operators. Despite the important effect of traffic flow on bus travel time, previous predictive approaches have not fully considered a traffic measure making their predictions unresponsive to the dynamic changes in traffic congestion. In addition, existing methodologies have primarily concerned predicting average travel time given a certain set of input values. However, predicting travel-time variability has not received sufficient attention in previous research. This article proposes an integrated framework to predict bus average travel time and its variability on the basis of a range of input variables including traffic flow data. The framework is applied using GPS-based travel-time data for a bus route in Melbourne, Australia, in conjunction with dynamic traffic flow data collected by the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic Systems loop detectors and a measure of schedule adherence. Central to the framework are two artificial neural networks that are used to predict the average and variance of travel times for a certain set of input values. The outcomes are then used to construct a prediction interval corresponding to each input value set. The article demonstrates the ability of the proposed framework to provide robust prediction intervals. The article also explores the value that traffic flow data can provide to the accuracy of travel-time predictions compared with when either temporal variables or scheduled travel times are the base for prediction. While the use of scheduled travel times results in the poorest prediction performance, incorporating traffic flow data yields minor improvements in prediction accuracy compared with when temporal variables are used.
Further validation of the plasma isotope ratio method for measurement of cholesterol absorption in man.

Recently we evaluated an isotope ratio method (IRM) for measurement of cholesterol absorption in 14 patients (15 experiments) hospitalized in the metabolic ward by comparing it to simultaneous measurements with a fecal radioactivity method (FRM) and found good to excellent agreement between two procedures (Samuel, P., J. R. Crouse, and E. H. Ahrens, Jr. 1978 J. Lipid Res. 19: 82-93). This comparison has now been extended to additional studies carried out in eight hospitalized patients (19 experiments). Of the 34 comparisons between the IRM and the FRM in our hands, 29 were technically acceptable (chromic oxide fecal recovery >/=80%): percent cholesterol absorption was 43.1 +/- 12% by the FRM and 46.0 +/- 11% by the IRM, exhibiting an accuracy within 3.5% at the 95% and 4.7% at the 99% confidence levels. In addition, various procedural modifications of the IRM were studied in out-patients. The measurement of isotope ratios in a single blood sample (analyzed in sextuplicate) on the third day (or later) following the tests gave identical results to those obtained from six to eight daily blood samplings. Blood samples drawn at any time during the day gave cholesterol absorption values similar to those obtained from samples drawn following an overnight fast. Absorption tests carried out before and 1 hr after breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or giving the oral isotope in three divided daily doses all yielded identical results with tests carried out in the am in the fasting state. Cholesterol absorption was markedly reduced when the oral radiolabeled cholesterol was administered in orange juice vs. liquid formula, milk or a solution of glucose and amino acids, consistent with the well-known fact that gallbladder contraction is a critical requirement of cholesterol absorption. A meal high in cholesterol consumed on the day of the test did not influence the results of the absorption measurements. Furthermore, addition of three eggs per day (~750mg cholesterol) for 3 weeks to a low-cholesterol poly-unsaturated fat diet caused no significant change in percent cholesterol absorption in any of eight patients. We conclude that the isotope ratio method accurately and precisely measures cholesterol absorption in man, and that it is suitable not only for in- but also for out-patient studies. -Samuel, P., D. J. McNamara, E. H. Ahrens, Jr., J. R. Crouse, and T. Parker. Further validation of the plasma isotope ratio method for measurement of cholesterol absorption in man.
Molecular Investigation of Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in a Criminal Case

ABSTRACT Very few criminal cases involving human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission have been described. We report on an HIV-1 transmission case with a child being infected by an HIV-1-positive man. The objective was to determine through molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analyses whether HIV-1 from the HIV-1-positive man could be the source of infection in the HIV-1-positive child, as claimed by the authorities. We conducted genetic analysis of three different parts of the HIV-1 genome (gag, pol, and env) by PCR, direct-sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses. We used maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and neighbor-joining methods for the phylogenetic analyses to investigate whether the sequences from the man and the child were related. We found that the viral sequences from the man and the child formed separate clusters in all of the phylogenetic analyses compared to the local controls. A unique amino acid deletion was identified in the C2-V3-C3 region of the env gene in the virus from the man and the child. These results were used in the criminal court to elucidate whether the virus from the man was related to the virus from the child. In summary, the results from the phylogenetic analyses, the sequence distances between the virus from the man and the virus from the child, and the identification of the unique molecular fingerprint in the env gene together indicated that the virus from the man and the virus from the child were epidemiologically linked.
The feasibility of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection for the treatment of residual or recurrent tumor localized in therapeutic scar tissue

Abstract Background and study aims Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is used to treat superficial colorectal tumors. Previous studies have reported the efficacy of ESD for treating residual or local recurrent colorectal tumors. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of ESD in treating these lesions and to assess factors that prevent successful ESD. Methods This retrospective study assessed 25 cases of residual or local recurrent lesions that were previously treated using EMR (18 lesions), TEM (5 lesions), ESD (1 lesion) or surgery (1 lesion), and 459 primary lesions treated using ESD between April 2008 and September 2015. Clinicopathological characteristics, treatment outcome and adverse events were compared between groups with or without scar tissue. Factors related to perforation and a prolonged treatment time, which indicate the likelihood of technical difficulties, were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results In residual or local recurrent lesions groups, patients experienced more perforations (32 % vs 4 %, P < 0.001) and required a longer treatment time (117 min vs 61 min, P < 0.001) compared with the primary lesions group. Both groups showed a similar curative resection rate. Emergency surgery was not needed in any case. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that tumor location and therapeutic scar tissue were high risk factors for perforation, and that large tumor size and therapeutic scar tissue were high risk factors for prolonged treatment time. Conclusions ESD for residual or local recurrent colorectal tumors is a technically challenging, but effective and minimally invasive treatment. When performed carefully with sufficient proficiency, it is a useful treatment option.
Workers with hand dermatitis and workplace training experiences: A qualitative perspective

BACKGROUND Workplace training may help to prevent contact dermatitis, a common work-related disease. Information on the characteristics of existing workplace training programs and worker perceptions of this training is limited. METHODS Fourteen workers with suspected occupational contact dermatitis participated in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to identify interview themes. RESULTS Workers expressed a desire for hands-on training with content relevant to their job tasks, favored training from supervisors who had practical experience, and were conflicted about employer motivations for providing training. Few workers had received training on skin protection. In many cases, the training workers had received differed greatly from their desired training. CONCLUSIONS Although, workers with contact dermatitis describe having received workplace training, some question its value and effectiveness. This perspective may be attributed not only to the content and methods of training but also the health and safety culture of the workplace. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:69-76, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Osteogenic potential of rat stromal cells derived from periodontal ligament

Various mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been applied to regenerative medicine. MSCs derived from periodontal tissue could also be a useful cell source for alveolar bone regeneration. However, only a few attempts of direct comparisons have been made between MSCs from periodontal tissues and those from other somatic tissues. The purpose of this study was to clarify the osteogenic characteristics of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from bone marrow (BMSCs), adipose tissue (ASCs) and periodontal ligament (PDLSCs). BMSCs, ASCs and PDLSCs were isolated from Fisher 344 rats. After 1 week of primary culture, stromal cells were subjected to cell surface analysis and osteogenic differentiation. The cells were subcultured for 2 weeks with and without osteogenic supplements (OS), followed by biochemical and histological analyses. With regard to cell surface antigens, all MSCs were positive for CD29 and CD90 and negative for CD45. With regard to osteogenic differentiation, BMSCs with OS had the highest ALP activity, calcium uptake and osteocalcin content. Without OS, PDLSCs had the highest levels of these bone differentiation markers. RT–PCR analysis and histological analysis showed similar trends. These results indicate that PDLSCs are an ideal candidate for alveolar bone regeneration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A randomized trial comparing povidone-iodine to a chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated dressing for prevention of central venous catheter infections in neonates.

UNLABELLED Neonates who require a central venous catheter (CVC) for prolonged vascular access experience high rates of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI). PURPOSE A multicenter randomized clinical trial was undertaken to ascertain the efficacy of a novel chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing (Biopatch Antimicrobial Dressing) on the CVC sites of neonates for the prevention of catheter tip colonization, CRBSI, and bloodstream infection (BSI) without a source. Setting. Six level III neonatal intensive care units. Patients Studied. Neonates admitted to study units who would require a CVC for at least 48 hours. METHODS Eligible infants were randomized before catheter placement to 1 of the 2 catheter site antisepsis regimens: 1) 10% povidone-iodine (PI) skin scrub, or 2) a 70% alcohol scrub followed by placement of a chlorhexidine-impregnated disk over the catheter insertion site. A transparent polyurethane dressing (Bioclusive Transparent Dressing) was used to cover the insertion site in both study groups. Primary study outcomes evaluated were catheter tip colonization, CRBSI, and BSI without an identified source. RESULTS Seven hundred five neonates were enrolled in the trial, 335 randomized to receive the chlorhexidine dressing and 370 to skin disinfection with PI (controls). Neonates randomized to the antimicrobial dressing group were less likely to have colonized CVC tips than control neonates (15.0% vs 24.0%, relative risk [RR]: 0.6 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5-0.9). Rates of CRBSI (3.8% vs 3.2%, RR: 1.2, CI: 0.5-2.7) and BSI without a source (15.2% vs 14.3%, RR: 1.1, CI: 0.8-1.5) did not differ between the 2 groups. Localized contact dermatitis from the antimicrobial dressing, requiring crossover into the PI treatment group, occurred in 15 (15.3%) of 98 exposed neonates weighing </=1000 g. No neonates in the PI group developed contact dermatitis. CONCLUSION The novel chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing, replaced weekly, was as effective as cutaneous disinfection with 10% PI and redressing the site every 3 to 7 days for preventing CRBSI and BSI without a source in critically ill neonates requiring prolonged central venous access. The risk of local contact dermatitis under the chlorhexidine dressing limits its use in low birth weight infants who require prolonged central access during the first 2 weeks of life.
Re-keying mechanism for TinySec using ECC and Hash chains

Due to the myriad range of applications in environmental monitoring, wireless sensor network (WSN) have attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Since WSN suffer from many constraints including lower processing power, low battery life and small memory, security becomes the main concern to deal with such kind of networks. Due to these well accepted limitations, WSN is not able to deal with traditional cryptographic algorithms. TinySec is one the most successful implementation for providing basic security primitives with low computational overhead however the major drawback lies in its Re-Keying mechanism. In this paper, an improved Re-Keying mechanisms based on hash chains and Elliptical Curve Cryptography has been introduced. The mechanism has been simulated in TinyOS using Tossim simulator. Performance benchmarking of the proposed protocols has also been carried out.
Risk Management in Scrum Projects: A Bibliometric Study

This article presents a bibliometric study of Risk Management in Scrum Projects. It was carried out an analysis involving the ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus databases, identifying the main authors, countries and periodicals. It also identified the most cited authors by the analyzed articles, in addition to the keywords most frequently cited. These analyzes were performed using the reference maps, which were generated by CiteSpace® software, which offers a set of features to support bibliometrics. The objective was to identify the current scenario research of Risk Management applied in Scrum Projects in order to offer a consistent basis of information to researchers. The research verified that, despite the importance of the research topic, few scientific studies have been identified, which brings the need for new researches on the subject.