Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chondroitinase ABC I–Mediated Enhancement of Oncolytic Virus Spread and Antitumor Efficacy

Purpose: The inhibitory role of secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans on oncolytic viral (OV) therapy was examined. Chondroitinase ABC (Chase-ABC) is a bacterial enzyme that can remove chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans from proteoglycans without any deleterious effects in vivo. We examined the effect of Chase-ABC on OV spread and efficacy. Experimental Design: Three-dimensional glioma spheroids placed on cultured brain slices were utilized to evaluate OV spread. Replication-conditional OV-expressing Chase-ABC (OV-Chase) was engineered using HSQuik technology and tested for spread and efficacy in glioma spheroids. Subcutaneous and intracranial glioma xenografts were utilized to compare antitumor efficacy of OV-Chase, rHsvQ (control), and PBS. Titration of viral particles was performed from OV-treated subcutaneous tumors. Glioma invasion was assessed in collagen-embedded glioma spheroids in vitro and in intracranial tumors. All statistical tests were two sided. Results: Treatment with Chase-ABC in cultured glioma cells significantly enhanced OV spread in glioma spheroids grown on brain slices (P < 0.0001). Inoculation of subcutaneous glioma xenografts with Chase-expressing OV significantly increased viral titer (>10 times, P = 0.0008), inhibited tumor growth, and significantly increased overall animal survival (P < 0.006) compared with treatment with parental rHsvQ virus. Single OV-Chase administration in intracranial xenografts also resulted in longer median survival of animals than rHsvQ treatment (32 vs. 21 days, P < 0.018). Glioma cell migration and invasion were not increased by OV-Chase treatment. Conclusions: We conclude that degradation of glioma extracellular matrix with OV-expressing bacterial Chase-ABC enhanced OV spread and antitumor efficacy. Clin Cancer Res; 17(6); 1362–72. ©2010 AACR.
Chapter 0 A Road Ice Sensor

The investigation of ice formation found important applications in many different fields. For instance, the accretion of ice is a common occurrence on the aircraft, due to the high velocity and humidity, and low temperature at upper air. The detection of ice formation on aircrafts is a critical issue since not only the aerodynamics change, but there is also the possibility of ice liberation from the aircraft during the flight, and falling ice could strike and possibly damage the engine [23]. Another applications of the investigation of ice formation are on the seas, in order to prevent iceberg formation and possible accident due to the crash with boats [39]. An adequate assessment of the environmental conditions of road surfaces may significantly contribute to enhance traffic safety, since corresponding decision made by administrators should be based on this information [18]. An important application of the investigation of ice formation is on the runway of airports, in order to improve safety during take off and landing of the aircrafts. Moreover, a correct estimation of the environmental condition of road and runway surfaces can be useful to reduce costs due to de-icing systems and ice control [27]. Finally, an indication of the environmental condition of the pavements could be adopted on the walkways, to prevent people falls.
A novel potential-based path planning of 3-D articulated robots with moving bases

This paper proposes a novel path planning algorithm of 3-D articulated robots with moving bases based on a generalized potential field model. The approach computes, similar to that done in electrostatics, repulsive force and torque between charged objects. A collision-free path can be obtained by locally adjusting the robot configuration to search for minimum potential configurations using these force and torque. The proposed approach is efficient since these potential gradients are analytically tractable. In order to speedup the computation, a sequential planning strategy is adopted. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm works well, in terms of collision avoidance and computation efficiency.
A four-year efficacy and safety study of the long-acting parenteral testosterone undecanoate

Introduction. This is a four-year follow-up of 25 men who received parenteral testosterone undecanoate (TU), 1000 mg every 12 weeks for at least four years. This study was a continuation of a 30-week study wherein the effects of TU had been compared to those of parenteral testosterone enanthate. Methods & Results. Plasma testosterone (T) trough values of the injection interval of 12 weeks): median 11.9 – 15.9 nmol/L (N 10.0–30.0). E2 and SHBG were stable. Body weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio remained stable. Total cholesterol, and triglycerides were unchanged but plasma LDL declined while HDL, after an initial reduction over the first 30 weeks, had increased significantly after three years. Leptin levels, bone mineral density, blood pressure, liver function tests, haemoglobin and haematocrit levels remained stable without values above the upper limit of normal. Over the first 12 months of the study there was an increase in prostate volume from 19.7 ± 8.8 mL to 22.0 ± 8.4 mL (p < 0.05) but thereafter volumes remained stable, paralleled by an increase in PSA from 0.67 ± 0.38 µg/dL to 0.75 ± 0.35 µg/dL (p < 0.05) without any further changes after 12 months. Conclusion. TU appears to be a stable and safe treatment modality of hypogonadal men.
Velocity evaluating of the moving objects

The paper deals with methods of contactless tachometry by radar sensors. The radar sensors are characterized by a good reliability and relatively high accuracy of measurements. The goal of the paper is to propose and realize the system which would manage to measure moving objects with a pulse radar and the Matlab software. Measuring of moving objects has been realized through the radar sensor which operates in an X-frequency band. The audio output of the radar sensor has been used for the velocity measurement and for the signal processing, a PC sound card and Matlab DAQ libraries have been used.
Infrared Echoes near the Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A

Two images of Cassiopeia A obtained at 24 micrometers with the Spitzer Space Telescope over a 1-year time interval show moving structures outside the shell of the supernova remnant to a distance of more than 20 arc minutes. Individual features exhibit apparent motions of 10 to 20 arc seconds per year, independently confirmed by near-infrared observations. The observed tangential velocities are at roughly the speed of light. It is likely that the moving structures are infrared echoes, in which interstellar dust is heated by the explosion and by flares from the compact object near the center of the remnant.
Subject's perceptions of the crew interaction dynamics under prolonged isolation.

BACKGROUND The interactions of individuals participating in space simulation studies can give us valuable information about ways that space crew members relate with one another. A promising method of investigating such interactions is based on the Kelly repertory grid technique. HYPOTHESES We predicted that in a space simulation crew: 1) one's personal self-concept would become closer to concepts about other crew members in a cohesive crew, and vice-versa, and 2) the similarity of one's ego images in the past, present and future influences that person's position in the group. METHOD Crews from two isolation studies lasting 135 and 90 days at the Institute for Biomedical Problems in Moscow were evaluated using a modification of the Kelly repertory grid technique. Members assessed each other on a monthly basis and during off-nominal simulated docking periods. RESULTS During both isolations, crew members were unsuccessful in making their personal self-concepts move closer to their concepts about fellow crew members. Crew disintegration resulted, with one member becoming an outsider whose personality was characterized by a disintegrated ego-image and an infantile type of the present ego. CONCLUSIONS In small isolated groups, failure to make personal self-concepts become more like concepts about other crew members can lead to group disintegration and tension and can result in the appearance of an outsider who has a disintegrated ego-image and an infantile present ego.
Regulatory effectiveness: Stakeholder perceptions of Namibia’s communications regulatory framework

Communications regulatory frameworks are established to achieve myriad regulatory objectives. These may include affordable pricing, consumer welfare and competition. A regulatory framework is therefore endowed with regulatory governance measures and regulatory incentives to enable it to achieve these purposes. In applying these measures and incentives, the framework becomes effective, or ineffective, depending on whether the regulatory purpose is met. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to assess the perceptions of the stakeholders, as active participants in the evolution of the framework, regarding the effectiveness of the types of measures and incentives implemented within the Namibian institutional context. Perception studies can be valuable because they offer insight on how the policies, laws and regulations that are implemented are viewed by the stakeholders for whom they are designed and implemented. While these are not the only inputs, knowledge of stakeholder views informs the future redesign of these measures and incentives to make the regulatory framework increasingly more effective. One of the main findings of the research was that the perceived conflict of interests between the ICT policy role of the Ministry of ICT and its shareholder role over Telecom Namibia negatively impacts competition. Its policy support for the dominant role of Telecom Namibia is in conflict with the regulatory purpose of encouraging private investment. The conclusion was that this regulatory governance design measure conflicts with the regulatory framework and requires legislative amendment and a re-design of the framework in an effort to improve competitiveness in Namibia's electronic communications market.
Progress on thermally conductive adhesive for electronic packaging

In recent years, with the rapid development of large scale integrated circuit and micro-packaging technology, the electronic components and devices tend to be high miniaturization and intensity. The heat dissipation of electronic components has become more crucial to the overall system because it affects the lifetime, performance and reliability of electronic device[1]. According to survey, the reliability of electronic components decrease by10% with the temperature increase by 2°C[2]. Heat dissipation from microelectronics is most commonly performed by thermal conduction. For this purpose, most of metal materials are used due to their good thermal conductivity, but they have some disadvantages, such as high density, complicated processing technology and poor resistance to corrosion[3]. So many researchers direct their interest to the study of thermal conductive adhesives (TCAs). As we all know, polymer matrix have low heat conductivity, so how to improve the thermal conductivity of TCAs has aroused more and more researcher's attention. In this paper, the thermal conducting mechanism and heat transfer model were introduced. In addition, it's demonstrated in detail that the recent research advances in heat conductive adhesive in the field of fixation and packaging of electronic devices. And then the factors affecting thermal conductivity and methods of enhancing thermal conducting were presented, such as exploiting new filler, modifying the surface of filler and optimizing the technological conditions. Meanwhile, the direction of further development of thermal conductive adhesive in the field of electronics was pointed out.
Hippocampal mossy fibers and swimming navigation learning in two vole species occupying different habitats

We showed previously for mice that size differences of the infrapyramidal hippocampal mossy fiber projection (IIP‐MF) correlate with spatial learning abilities. In order to clarify the role of the IIP‐MF in a natural environment, we studied the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), adapted to a wide range of different habitats, and the root vole (Microtus oeconomus), living in homogenous grassland habitats with small home ranges.
Predicting response waiting time in a chat room

In a chat room, the Response Waiting Time (RWT) provides a useful insight on user's behaviour. The RWT is the time difference between successive messages between two people. This responding time could either encourage or discourage the online conversation. In this paper, we investigate which properties of a chat can be used to predict the response waiting time. The properties considered are the number of messages exchanged between individuals, the statistical model that best describes the RWT of a conversation, the sentiment of the utterances and the topics discussed. These properties were used as inputs in a Neural Network and a Support Vector Machine to predict the duration of a chat. To classify which of these properties are more relevant for the RWT prediction we used a decision tree algorithm. We observed that the best predictors are the total number of messages exchanged by pairs of individuals and the statistical model that describes the RWT of a conversation. The topics are the next relevant and the sentiment of the utterances are the least relevant.
Phonon dispersion in polycrystalline ice: Implications for the collective behavior of liquid water.

The steep phonon-dispersion curves found in computer-simulation studies on normal and supercooled water which have been interpreted as evidence of the existence of ``fast-sound modes'' of kinetic origin are considered. From the analysis of the dynamical structure factor of polycrystalline ice it is shown that such features are present in the solid calculated within the harmonic approximation, and the anomalous steep increase in frequency is shown to be originated by optical phonon branches, which cross the acoustical ones at wave vectors below the zone center, and result in a pull-out up to a maximum frequency at ${\mathit{Q}}_{\mathit{p}}$/2, which roughly coincides with that of the sharp translational edge.
Topical application of serotonin or the 5-HT1-agonist 5-CT intraocular pressure in rabbits.

PURPOSE The effect of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) and other agonists on rabbit intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil size, and the breakdown of blood-aqueous barrier were evaluated. METHODS Serotonin and various other agonists were applied topically to the rabbit eye, and intraocular pressure was followed over the next 3 hours using a Digilab 30D pneumatometer. RESULTS It was demonstrated immunohistochemically that topical 5-HT reached the anterior chamber within 1 hour. Serotonin raised the IOP in a dose-dependent manner over a period of up to 4 hours, with a maximum reached between 30 minutes and 1 hour. A similar effect was observed with the 5-HT1-agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT). Neither tryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, melatonin, gepirone, nor 5,6/5,7-dihydroxytryptamine caused any changes in IOP. Serotonin did not cause a change in pupil size or a breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier, nor did the aqueous cAMP change significantly after topical 5-HT administration. CONCLUSIONS The data presented suggest a role for 5-HT in the control of IOP. Previously demonstrated receptors on the iris-ciliary body and the effect of the 5-HT1-agonist 5-CT suggest that the rise in IOP may be caused partly or entirely by an increase in aqueous secretion mediated by 5-HT1-like receptors. Whether or not 5-HT has a role in altering aqueous outflow resistance remains to be seen. An effect of serotonin on other aspects of aqueous dynamics or on the extraocular muscles to cause a change in IOP cannot be excluded.
Current enhancement by conductivity modulation in diamond JFETs for next generation low-loss power devices

Diamond junction field-effect transistors (JFETs) were operated in bipolar-mode to enhance the drain current. In unipolar-mode, the drain current in diamond JFET is limited by low activation of boron acceptors in the p-type channel. To increase the drain current, minority carriers were injected from the n+-diamond gates to p-channel, resulting in conductivity modulation. The drain current increased by a factor of up to 8.5 with current gains of 100-2600. We confirmed that the bipolarmode operation can be performed at a high temperature of 200 oC. The combination of the bipolar-mode and high temperature operation will lead to the realization of low-loss diamond power devices.
8-Isoprostane and Coenzyme Q10 Levels in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome has become an important health problem, which involves obesity, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure values. The components of metabolic syndrome are all suggested as independent cardiovascular disease risk factors along with high mortality and morbidity rates accompanied by many organ and system complications. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine 8-isoprostane (8-IsoP) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels in patients with metabolic syndrome and healthy individuals and demonstrate whether there was any relation between these parameters and metabolic syndrome criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 30 patients (10 male, 20 female) with metabolic syndrome and 20 age-matched healthy individuals (9 male, 11 female) were involved in the study. Body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, HbA1c, 8-IsoP and CoQ10 levels, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance indexes of all participants were determined. RESULTS 8-IsoP levels were significantly increased in metabolic syndrome compared to healthy individuals (P = 0.003), however, there was no significant difference between groups for CoQ10 levels. 8-IsoP levels were positively correlated with waist circumference (r = 0.303, P = 0.032), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.337, P = 0.017), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.329, P = 0.020) values and total cholesterol levels (r = 0.354, P = 0.012). CONCLUSION We can suggest that the levels of 8-IsoP, which is an indicator of the oxidative stress, increase in metabolic syndrome and this can be associated with high blood pressure and visceral adiposity, which are the components of metabolic syndrome.
Flexible software decoding of digital video

Modern microprocessors and desktop systems are increasingly being designed for multimedia performance. Video, audio, and 3-D graphics processing require architecture which takes into account synchronous parallel processing of massive amounts of data in realtime. To deal with this type of processing multimedia insitruction sets are used. Multimedia processing poses also many problems on a system level. These problems are related to real time operation, task coordination and synchronization necessary for good perceptual effect. Typical example of multimedia processing is the decoding of digital video compressed in the MPEG-2 standard. In this paper we overview the problems of MPEG-2 decoding on standard microprocessors with multimedia instructions sets and different operating systems. We indicate that in a near future software-only digital television will be possible leading to deeper integration of broadcast and interactive services in the PC and set-top boxes.
Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects of Endothelin ETA Receptor Blockade in Established Long-Term Heart Failure After Myocardial Infarction

Although experimental prevention studies have suggested therapeutic potential of endothelin (ET) antagonists for the treatment of heart failure, the results of clinical trials using ET antagonists on top of standard heart failure medications have been largely disappointing. This experimental study investigated the effects of chronic ETA receptor blockade in long-term survivors of myocardial infarction who had developed stable chronic heart failure in the absence of other treatments. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, organ weights of the right atrium and ventricle, and the lungs were determined, and tissue ET-1 peptide levels were measured in cardiac tissue, lung, and aorta. The results show that chronic blockade of ETA receptors stabilizes systolic blood pressure and reverses the heart failure–induced weight increases of right heart chambers and lung. The changes observed occurred independently of tissue ET-1 concentrations and heart rate, suggesting mechanisms independent of local cardiac or pulmonary ET-1 synthesis, which are yet to be identified.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein phosphatase 2A performs an essential cellular function and is encoded by two genes.

Two genes (PPH21 and PPH22) encoding the yeast homologues of protein serine‐threonine phosphatase 2A have been cloned from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic library using a rabbit protein phosphatase 2A cDNA as a hybridization probe. The PPH genes are genetically linked on chromosome IV and are predicted to encode polypeptides each with 74% amino acid sequence identity to rabbit type 2A protein phosphatase, indicating once again the extraordinarily high degree of sequence conservation shown by protein‐phosphatases from different species. The two PPH genes show less than 10% amino acid sequence divergence from each other and while disruption of either PPH gene alone is without any major effect, the double disruption is lethal. This indicates that protein phosphatase 2A activity is an essential cellular function in yeast. Measurement of type 2A protein phosphatase activity in yeast strains lacking one or other of the genes indicates that they account for most, if not all, protein phosphatase 2A activity in the cell.
Power analysis of a lossless data compression technique for wireless wearable biometric devices

This paper presents a promising time-domain based lossless compression technique called Log2 Sub-band encoding, which is designed for using on wireless biomedical devices. Data compression can help to save power from the wireless transceiver during data transmission, and from the storage medium during reading and writing, ultimately leading to a longer battery life of the device. The performance of Log2 Sub-band is measured in terms of its compression ratio (CR) on EEG data and its power consumption. Our simulation results indicate a CR that is comparable and even superior to the well-known Huffman coding, whilst consuming minimal hardware resource. The simulations primarily use electroencephalogram (EEG) data, and the power consumption during compressing process is given to evaluate the system's improvement on its power performance. The possible influence of different biomedical data on technique's performance will also be considered and the signal classification potential of Log2 Sub-band will be noted.