Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inspection of Insulators on High-Voltage Power Transmission Lines

Porcelain insulators are widely used in overhead high-voltage power transmission lines in order to provide adequate insulation to withstand switching and lightning over voltages. Since the useful serviceable life of the individual insulator element and insulator strings is hard to predict, they must be verified periodically to insure that adequate reliability is maintained at all times. Over the years, many testing methods have been used for this purpose, each one with its own advantages and disadvantages. A novel insulator inspection method using low-frequency harmonics is proposed for human safety. Using this inspection device with a mobile robot can keep humans far away from power transmission lines. The working principle of this new method is based on the relationship between low-frequency harmonic components and the defective characteristic of the insulators. In this paper, the retrieval of low-frequency harmonics from complex noise is solved by using extended high-order cumulants (HOCs). The concept of cross mixing is newly proposed and the harmonic retrieval method using the slice of the sixth-order time-averaged moment poly-spectra is introduced based on this condition. It can be successfully used in the real environment where a full spectrum of multiplicative and colored noises exists. In the experiment, as one of our dedicated contributions, low-frequency harmonics and the defective characteristics of popular porcelain insulators are illustrated.
African Swine Fever Virus Multigene Family 360 and 530 Genes Are Novel Macrophage Host Range Determinants

ABSTRACT Pathogenic African swine fever virus (ASFV) isolates primarily target cells of the mononuclear-phagocytic system in infected swine and replicate efficiently in primary macrophage cell cultures in vitro. ASFVs can, however, be adapted to grow in monkey cell lines. Characterization of two cell culture-adapted viruses, MS16 and BA71V, revealed that neither virus replicated in macrophage cell cultures. Cell viability experiments and ultrastructural analysis showed that infection with these viruses resulted in early macrophage cell death, which occurred prior to viral progeny production. Genomic cosmid clones from pathogenic ASFV isolate E70 were used in marker rescue experiments to identify sequences capable of restoring MS16 and BA71V growth in macrophage cell cultures. A cosmid clone representing a 38-kbp region at the left terminus of the genome completely restored the growth of both viruses. In subsequent fine-mapping experiments, an 11-kbp subclone from this region was sufficient for complete rescue of BA71V growth. Sequence analysis indicated that both MS16 and BA71V had significant deletions in the region containing members of multigene family 360 (MGF 360) and MGF530. Deletion of this same region from highly pathogenic ASFV isolate Pr4 significantly reduced viral growth in macrophage cell cultures. These findings indicate that ASFV MGF360 and MGF530 genes perform an essential macrophage host range function(s) that involves promotion of infected-cell survival.
Retinal influences specify cortico‐cortical maps by postnatal day six in rats and mice

Studies of callosal projections in striate cortex show that the retina is involved in the development of topographical connections. In normal animals callosal fibers connect retinotopically corresponding, nonmirror‐symmetric cortical loci, whereas in animals bilaterally enucleated at birth, callosal fibers connect topographically mismatched, mirror‐symmetric loci. Moreover, in rodents the overall pattern of visual callosal connections is adult‐like by postnatal day 12 (P12). In this study we delayed the onset of retinal deafferentation in rats and mice in order to determine the period when retinal influences are critically needed for the development of retinotopically matched callosal linkages. Callosal maps were revealed by placing small injections of retrogradely and anterogradely transported tracers into different loci of lateral striate cortex. We found that the patterns of callosal linkages in rats enucleated at P12, P8, and P6 were nonmirror‐symmetric, as in normally reared rats. In contrast, the patterns of linkages in rats enucleated at P4 closely resembled the mirror‐symmetric pattern seen in rats enucleated at birth (P0). A similar reversal in topography (from symmetric to nonsymmetric) occurred in mice when enucleation was delayed from P4 to P6. These findings indicate that retinal input prior to P6, but not prior to P4, is sufficient for specifying normal callosal topography. Moreover, they suggest that development of retinotopically matched callosal linkages depends critically on retinal influences during a brief period between P4 and P6, when callosal connections are still very immature. J. Comp. Neurol. 459:156–172, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
AGGREGATE IMPORT DEMAND FUNCTION FOR EIGHTEEN OIC COUNTRIES: A COINTEGRATION ANALYSIS

This is an empirical investigation on the long-run relation of the aggregate import demand function for Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) economies, using the recently developed import demand equation that is derived from the dynamic-optimizing intertemporal approach (Xu, 2002). We include only 18 of the 27 OIC founding countries for analysis due to data unavailability for a sufficient sample span. The results of the bounds test (Pesaran, Shin and Smith, 2001) indicate that the volume of import demanded, domestic real activity, and relative prices for 10 of the 18 sample countries are cointegrated. Overall, the estimated price and domestic activity variables are inelastic in the long-run. Some policy implications on trade balance have been drawn in this study.JEL classification: C51, F14Key words: Bounds testing approach; Import demand function; Organization of Islamic Conferences
Endosomal transport function in yeast requires a novel AAA‐type ATPase, Vps4p

In a late‐Golgi compartment of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, vacuolar proteins such as carboxypeptidase Y (CPY) are actively sorted away from the secretory pathway and transported to the vacuole via a pre‐vacuolar, endosome‐like intermediate. The vacuolar protein sorting (vps) mutant vps4 accumulates vacuolar, endocytic and late‐Golgi markers in an aberrant multilamellar pre‐vacuolar compartment. The VPS4 gene has been cloned and found to encode a 48 kDa protein which belongs to the protein family of AAA‐type ATPases. The Vps4 protein was purified and shown to exhibit an N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive ATPase activity. A single amino acid change within the AAA motif of Vps4p yielded a protein that lacked ATPase activity and did not complement the protein sorting or morphological defects of the vps4Δ1 mutant. Indeed, when expressed at normal levels in wild‐type cells, the mutant vps4 gene acted as a dominant‐negative allele. The phenotypic characterization of a temperature‐sensitive vps4 allele showed that the immediate consequence of loss of Vps4p function is a defect in vacuolar protein delivery. In this mutant, precursor CPY was not secreted but instead accumulated in an intracellular compartment, presumably the pre‐vacuolar endosome. Electron microscopy revealed that upon temperature shift, exaggerated stacks of curved cisternal membranes (aberrant endosome) also accumulated in the vps4ts mutant. Based on these and other observations, we propose that Vps4p function is required for efficient transport out of the pre‐vacuolar endosome.
‘Sax‐sess’— genetics of primary succession in a pioneer species on two parallel glacier forelands

The primary succession on glacier forelands is characterized by a sequence of early and late successional species, but whether there is also a chronosequence at the intraspecific, genetic level is a matter of debate. Two opposing hypotheses differ in their prediction of genetic diversity in colonizing populations due to founder effects and postcolonization gene immigration. The development of genetic diversity in the pioneer Saxifraga aizoides was investigated along a successional gradient on two parallel glacier forelands, in order to test whether populations from older successional stages were less genetically diverse than populations from younger successional stages, and to locate the sources of the propagules that originally colonized new glacier foreland. Genetic diversity was determined with amplified fragment length polymorphisms, and potential sources of colonizing propagules were assessed via assignment tests. Our results indicate considerable postcolonization gene flow among populations on glacier forelands, since population differentiation was low and genetic diversity within populations was significantly higher. Molecular diversity and differentiation of populations did not develop linearly. Dispersal events within the glacier foreland, from the adjacent valley slopes, and from parallel glacier valleys were identified. In summary, it seems that the colonization of glacier forelands in the European Alps is highly dynamic and stochastic.
Revocable and anonymous searchable encryption in multi‐user setting

With powerful storage and computing capacities provided by cloud server provider(CSP), cloud customers can relieve from heavy storage and maintenance burden in cloud computing. Therefore, searchable encryption(SE) technology becomes a fundamental solution to search over encrypted data in outsourcing service. However, the genuine safety of SE schemes should concentrate not only on keyword privacy but also on user privacy as information tracking may leak user identity. For example, in the personal health record system, the malicious CSP may match sensitive disease information(cancer or AIDS) with certain patient. In addition, practical SE scheme should not be confined to single‐user setting because of its limitations. While SE schemes applied to multi‐user setting may result in additional secret key and ciphertext updating burden due to frequent user revocation. Along this direction, we define a revocable and anonymous SE scheme in multiple‐user setting, which is scalable and efficient in user revocation and anonymity. Security analysis shows that our scheme is Anonymous‐Revocable‐ID‐CPA secure under Decision Bilinear Diffie–Hellman assumption and is able to effectively resist decryption key exposure threat. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HDACs and HDAC inhibitors in colon cancer

The histone deacetylase (HDAC) family of transcriptional co-repressors have emerged as important regulators of colon cell maturation and transformation. Pharmacological inhibitors of class I and II HDAC activity (HDACi) are potent inducers of growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, implicating a role for these HDACs in tumor promotion. Consistent with this role, expression of several HDACs are upregulated in colon tumors, while downregulation of specific HDACs inhibits growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and intestinal tumorigenesis in vivo. This review focuses on the function and transcriptional mechanisms by which class I and II HDACs regulate colon cell maturation and transformation, and on the mechanisms by which HDACi induce growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells. The emerging role of the class III HDAC, Sirt1, in colon cancer progression is also discussed.
Enhancement of Translation Initiation by A/T-Rich Sequences Downstream of the Initiation Codon in Escherichia coli

The region located downstream of the initiation codon constitutes part of the translation initiation signal, significantly affecting the level of protein expression in E. coli. In order to determine its influence on translation initiation, we inserted random 12-base sequences downstream of the initiation codon of the lacZ gene. A total of 119 random clones showing higher β-galactosidase activities than the control lacZ gene were isolated and subsequently sequenced. Analysis of these clones revealed that their insertion sequences are strikingly rich in A and T, but poor in G, with no consensus sequences among them. Toeprinting experiments and polysome profile analysis confirmed that the A/T-rich sequences enhance translation at the level of initiation. Collectively, the present data demonstrate that A/T richness of the region following the initiation codon plays a significant role in E. coli gene expression.
Land reforms and feminization of agricultural labor in Sughd province, Tajikistan

This report analyzes the influence of agrarian transformations on the feminization of agricultural production in rural Tajikistan. It explores women’s multiple labor relations for meeting basic needs of the household. The evidence shows that households have to depend on more types of agricultural work to secure day-to-day as well as long-term livelihood security. Overall, feminization appears in different types and groupings. The implication is that women in agriculture might not be adequately targeted in policies or integrated within intervention programs.
On Relay Selection Schemes for Relay-Assisted D2D Communications in LTE-A Systems

Device-to-device (D2D) communication is a promising technique for traffic offloading in next-generation cellular systems. However, the use of only direct D2D communications limits the advantages of D2D communications due to relatively long separation distances or poor link quality between source and destination user equipments (UEs). Relay-assisted D2D communication was proposed as a supplement to direct D2D communications for enhancing traffic offloading capacity in long-term evolution–advanced (LTE-A) systems. This work aims to design a relay UE selection strategy for D2D communications, which improves D2D communication performance significantly. We propose a cross-layer relay selection scheme that considers several criteria jointly, including end-to-end data rate, relay-capable UE (RUE) remaining battery time, and end-to-end transmission delay on relay-assisted D2D path. We show how to leverage these criteria at an eNB performing relay selection in D2D communications. In particular, an end-to-end delay estimation model is established based on queuing theory. Simulation results validate the performance of the proposed scheme in terms of total amount of data transmitted under RUE remaining battery and end-to-end transmission delay.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Causes Pulmonary Vasodilation through Activation of the Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase-Nitric Oxide Pathway in the Late-Gestation Ovine Fetus

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) causes vasodilation in adult models of peripheral vascular disease and myocardial ischemia through the acute release of nitric oxide (NO). However, the hemodynamic effects of VEGF and its effects on NO production have not been studied in the developing lung circulation. We hypothesized that VEGF causes fetal pulmonary vasodilation, and that its actions are mediated through the release of endogenous NO. We performed surgery in 16 fetal lambs (125–135 d gestation; term = 147 d), and placed catheters in the main pulmonary artery, aorta, and left atrium to measure pressures. An ultrasonic flow transducer was placed on the left pulmonary artery (LPA) to measure blood flow, and a catheter was placed in the LPA for local drug infusion. Pulmonary vascular resistance in the left lung was calculated as pulmonary artery pressure minus left atrial pressure divided by LPA flow. Fetal lambs were treated with brief infusions of recombinant human VEGF (dose, 0.5–2.0 μg) into the LPA. Recombinant human VEGF infusions acutely increased LPA flow by up to 3-fold (p < 0.02) and decreased pulmonary vascular resistance by 65% (p < 0.05) in a dose-related fashion, without affecting aortic pressure or heart rate. To determine the mechanism of VEGF-induced vasodilation, we studied the effects of nitro-l-arginine, an NO synthase inhibitor, and LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor, on the response to VEGF. We found that pretreatment with either nitro-l-arginine or LY294002 completely inhibited the vasodilator response to recombinant human VEGF (p < 0.005). These findings suggest that recombinant human VEGF causes fetal pulmonary vasodilation, and that this response is likely mediated by the release of NO through activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase.
Disaster resilience and self-organisation: urban development and management perspective

This paper is based on assessment of resilience in four domains viz. technical, economic, social and organisational; and its relation with self-organisation of communities leading to a paradigm shift in disaster research. The tendency for the development of different modes for self-organisation of the communities is a much sought after virtue, after an event of disruption. How much disaster policies contribute for the development of these modes of self-organisation is the subject of the present research? This paper aims to suggest new models of institutional resilience based on flexibility, inclusiveness, communication, and information flow for the achievement of self-organisation instead of command and control-based system of governance. The paper brings forth a model design and validation of framework for Institutional Resilience for Self-Organizations (IRSO) through the empirical study of an ISO 2000 certified city Greater Noida in Gautam Buddha Nagar District, India. The key findings of the research have implication in understanding cities and its prioritised components in a system approach, achievement of resilience and self-organisation in development planning or management in general and particularly in event of disasters.
Mechanisms of FGFR3 actions in endocrine resistant breast cancer

Although endocrine therapy has dramatically improved the treatment of breast cancer therapeutic resistance and tumour recurrence occurs, even in estrogen receptor (ER) positive cases. Identifying and understanding the molecular mechanisms which underpin endocrine resistance is therefore important if future therapeutic strategies are to be developed. Members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) families have been implicated in breast cancer development and progression. Our results demonstrate that culture of michigan cancer foundation ‐ 1 (MCF)7 cells with FGF1 results in reduced sensitivity to tamoxifen in vitro. Furthermore, our tissue microarray expression data demonstrates that FGFR3 expression is increased in tamoxifen resistant breast tumours. To confirm that activation of FGFR3 reduced sensitivity to tamoxifen we used an inducible activation system and a constitutively active mutant of FGFR3 expressed in MCF7 cells. Activation of FGFR3 reduced sensitivity to tamoxifen and Fulvestrant but did not lead to phosphorylation of ER demonstrating that FGFR3 does not feedback to modulate ER activity. FGFR3 activation in MCF7 cells stimulated activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) signalling pathways, both of which have been implicated in tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer. Furthermore, our data indicates that activation of phospholipase C gamma is a key‐signalling event regulating MAPK and PI3K activation and that its activation reduces sensitivity to tamoxifen. Therefore, we hypothesise that FGFRs could play an integral part, not only in breast cancer development but also in resistance to endocrine‐therapy.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin with fludarabine, cytarabine, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (FLAG‐GO) as front‐line regimen in patients with core binding factor acute myelogenous leukemia

Despite being considered “good‐risk” acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), long term outcomes in core binding factor (CBF) AML suggest room for improvement. We report on a regimen consisting of fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and low dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin (FLAG‐GO) as front‐line therapy of patients with CBF AML. Forty‐five patients were enrolled (median age 48 years). Remission rate was 95% with 5% induction deaths. The overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) probability at 3 years are 78% and 85%, respectively. FLAG‐GO regimen results in high rates of RFS and OS in CBF AML. Our data along with recent data from several large groups strongly argues in favor of incorporation of gemtuzumab ozogamicin in frontline regimens for CBF AML. Am. J. Hematol. 89:964–968, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Convergence of European spot market prices for natural gas? A real-time analysis of market integration using the Kalman Filter

This letter provides a textbook example of an econometric analysis of the integration between two commodity markets and the subsequent price convergence or absence thereof. Price relations between spot markets are analysed for natural gas in Europe. The European market for natural gas is currently undergoing a liberalization process with the aim of creating a single, unified market. Time-varying coefficient estimation models are used, applying the Kalman filter to test whether price convergence between different locations is really taking place. The results reveal that the construction of a pipeline between the UK and Zeebrugge (Belgium) has led to almost perfect price convergence between these locations in the time period under consideration; on the other hand, liberalization on the European continent does not seem to be working so far.
Experimental quantitative comparison of different control architectures for master-slave teleoperation

A procedure for experimental evaluation and objective/quantitative comparison among the different teleoperation architectures and systems is proposed. It is based on the analysis of the different matrices that can define the teleoperated system (two-port representations) and the selection of a set of four parameters that are easy to estimate via simple experimentation: free motion impedance, position tracking in free movement, force tracking in hard contact tasks and maximum transmittable impedance. These parameters provide complete characterization of the master-slave system and have clear physical interpretation. Furthermore, they require no maneouvering of the slave robot, which is very useful in the case of heavy or nonaccessible industrial robots. The method has been applied to compare position-position (PP), force-position (FP), and four-channel (4C) controllers in a 2 DOF master-slave system. Experimental measuring for all four parameters will be shown, proving the 4C architecture clearly better than any other.
Genetic diversity and connectivity of white-tailed jackrabbit populations in Iowa with notes on seasonal home ranges

The loss and fragmentation of Iowa’s native prairies has had varied effects on different species as some move more easily through unsuitable habitat than others. Small mammals may be highly affected by isolation as they may not move easily among habitat patches. I studied white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) as a representative of Iowa’s grassland-adapted species to determine effects of habitat fragmentation on movement patterns, space use, and genetic diversity. I tracked radio-collared jackrabbits from September 2008-September 2009 to determine habitat use in an intensively agricultural landscape. I collected tissue from live-captured animals and road-killed samples across Iowa and South Dakota. Home ranges expanded and shifted following corn harvest (October 2008) and prior to the breeding season (February-May 2009). Home ranges contracted from the end of the breeding season until right before harvest (September 2009) as crop height increased. The population genetic structure analyses suggested there were two populations in Iowa, a central and northwestern population. The northwest Iowa population is not distinct from South Dakota individuals and is moderately differentiated from the less genetically diverse central Iowa population. White-tailed jackrabbit movement patterns are affected by agricultural practices and agricultural fields are a potential barrier to gene flow. These anthropogenic alterations of the landscape in Iowa may also alter other aspects of jackrabbit ecology and other grassland-adapted species.