Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Residual Capacity Estimator for TCP on Wired/Wireless Links

Having an inexpensive and accurate means to estimate capacity could be put in good use for several purposes: QoS schemes could utilize it to claim the feasible ratio at which video/audio streaming are allowed to transmit, bandwidth estimators could receive help in discriminating between their samples. In this paper, we present RCE (Residual Capacity Estimator), a new scheme able to provide a simple and effective esteem of the bottleneck link capacity deducted the uniformly distributed traffic present. Our scheme is embedded in the normal TCP functionalities and achieves precise results even from the very beginning of a connection. We provide simulation results under various and complex situations in order to prove the efficacy of RCE and we conclude with future directions for this work.
Optimal Design of Microarray Immunoassays to Compensate for Kinetic Limitations

In this report we examine the limitations of existing microarray immunoassays and investigate how best to optimize them using theoretical and experimental approaches. Derived from DNA technology, microarray immunoassays present a major technological challenge with much greater physicochemical complexity. A key physicochemical limitation of the current generation of microarray immunoassays is a strong dependence of antibody microspot kinetics on the mass flux to the spot as was reported by us previously. In this report we analyze, theoretically and experimentally, the effects of microarray design parameters (incubation vessel geometry, incubation time, stirring, spot size, antibody-binding site density, etc.) on microspot reaction kinetics and sensitivity. Using a two-compartment model, the quantitative descriptors of the microspot reaction were determined for different incubation and microarray design conditions. This analysis revealed profound mass transport limitations in the observed kinetics, which may be slowed down as much as hundreds of times compared with the solution kinetics. The data obtained were considered with relevance to microspot assay diffusional and adsorptive processes, enabling us to validate some of the underlying principles of the antibody microspot reaction mechanism and provide guidelines for optimal microspot immunoassay design. For an assay optimized to maximize the reaction velocity on a spot, we demonstrate sensitivities in the am and low fm ranges for a system containing a representative sample of antigen-antibody pairs. In addition, a separate panel of low abundance cytokines in blood plasma was detected with remarkably high signal-to-noise ratios.
Credit Contraction in the Czech Republic: Causes and Effects

3 The authors would like to thank M. Čihák, O. Dědek, V. Flek, J. Pospíšil for their contributions to the paper, and E. Soukupová for her technical assistance during the project. The opinions and views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Czech National Bank.
Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of the Hfq-Regulon in Sinorhizobium meliloti 2011

Riboregulation stands for RNA-based control of gene expression. In bacteria, small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are a major class of riboregulatory elements, most of which act at the post-transcriptional level by base-pairing target mRNA genes. The RNA chaperone Hfq facilitates antisense interactions between target mRNAs and regulatory sRNAs, thus influencing mRNA stability and/or translation rate. In the α-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 2011, the identification and detection of multiple sRNAs genes and the broadly pleitropic phenotype associated to the absence of a functional Hfq protein both support the existence of riboregulatory circuits controlling gene expression to ensure the fitness of this bacterium in both free living and symbiotic conditions. In order to identify target mRNAs subject to Hfq-dependent riboregulation, we have compared the proteome of an hfq mutant and the wild type S. meliloti by quantitative proteomics following protein labelling with 15N. Among 2139 univocally identified proteins, a total of 195 proteins showed a differential abundance between the Hfq mutant and the wild type strain; 65 proteins accumulated ≥2-fold whereas 130 were downregulated (≤0.5-fold) in the absence of Hfq. This profound proteomic impact implies a major role for Hfq on regulation of diverse physiological processes in S. meliloti, from transport of small molecules to homeostasis of iron and nitrogen. Changes in the cellular levels of proteins involved in transport of nucleotides, peptides and amino acids, and in iron homeostasis, were confirmed with phenotypic assays. These results represent the first quantitative proteomic analysis in S. meliloti. The comparative analysis of the hfq mutant proteome allowed identification of novel strongly Hfq-regulated genes in S. meliloti.
Neurodegeneration Triggers Peripheral Immune Cell Recruitment into the Forebrain

Brain-intrinsic degenerative cascades have been proposed to be an initial factor driving lesion formation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we identify neurodegeneration as a potent trigger for peripheral immune cell recruitment into the mouse forebrain. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed cuprizone for 3 weeks, followed by a period of 2 weeks on normal chow to induce the formation of lesion foci in the forebrain. Subsequent immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35–55 peptide, which induces myelin autoreactive T cells in the periphery, resulted in massive immune cell recruitment into the affected forebrain. Additional adoptive transfer experiments together with flow cytometry analysis underline the importance of brain-derived signals for immune cell recruitment. This study clearly illustrates the significance of brain-intrinsic degenerative cascades for immune cell recruitment and MS lesion formation. Additional studies have to address the signaling cascades and mechanistic processes that form the top-down communication between the affected brain area, neurovascular unit, and peripheral immune cells. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We identify neurodegeneration as a potent trigger for peripheral immune cell recruitment into the forebrain. Thus, immune cell recruitment might be a second step during the formation of new inflammatory lesions in multiple sclerosis. A better understanding of factors regulating neurodegeneration-induced immune cell recruitment will pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic treatment strategies.
Variational Estimation of Land–Atmosphere Heat Fluxes and Land Surface Parameters Using MODIS Remote Sensing Data

AbstractA variational data assimilation algorithm for assimilating the land surface temperature (LST) into the Common Land Model (CLM) was implemented using the land surface energy balance equation as the adjoint physical constraint. In this data assimilation algorithm, the evaporative fractions of the soil and canopy were adjusted according to the remotely sensed surface temperature observations. This paper developed a very simple analytical algorithm to characterize the errors’ weighting matrices in the cost function. The leaf area index (LAI) retrieved from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was also assimilated into CLM using the direct insertion method. The analysis results from the CLM with the LST assimilation algorithm compare well with MODIS and field observations for the Yucheng site, especially in daytime. On the basis of the histogram of the error of the LST, it can be concluded that after assimilation, the LST was greatly improved in comparison with the MODIS observatio.
Low-Power and High-Sensitivity Humidity Sensor Using Fe-Al-Polyaniline Blends

We fabricated a humidity-sensing material, using a solution-based process of Fe-Al-polyaniline (PANI) blends. The characteristics of the developed material were verified by IR, UV-visible (VIS) spectroscopy, and SEM. Based on these observations, the water vapor absorption introduced the resistance change of the PANI blends. In addition, the fabricated sensor was also evaluated as having low power consumption and high sensitivity because of its 108 ¿ intrinsic resistance and exponential response to humidity changes. It also showed good predictability within the examined relative humidity range of 35% to 70%. We also examined the sensor selectivity, reproduction, setup time, and temperature stability.
Effects of Pioglitazone on High-Fat-Diet–Induced Ventricular Remodeling and Dysfunction in Rats

Objective: To investigate the effect of pioglitazone on high-fat (HF)-diet–induced left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and dysfunction in rats. Methods: A total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely, control, HF diet, and pioglitazone treatment group. High-fat diet group (HF group) animals were treated with HF diet for 30 weeks, whereas pioglitazone group was treated with HF diet for 30 weeks and pioglitazone in the last 6 weeks of the 30-week treatment. Fasting plasma free fatty acids (FFAs), serum, and myocardial triglyceride were measured. Left ventricular function was assessed by echocardiography. Renin, angiotensin II, and angiotensin types 1 and 2 (AT1/AT2) receptors in the myocardium were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Systolic blood pressure, plasma FFA, serum, and myocardial triglyceride concentrations in HF group were higher than in control and pioglitazone groups (P < .01). There was no significant difference in LV weight index and LV posterior wall thickness between HF and pioglitazone groups; both were higher than in the control group (P < .01). Left ventricular ejection fraction, fraction of shortening, and cardiac index in HF group were lower than in the control and pioglitazone groups (P < .05). Myocardial expression of angiotensin II and AT1 receptor protein in HF group was higher when compared with the control and pioglitazone groups (P < .01). Myocardial renin and angiotensin II messenger RNA (mRNA) in HF group was also higher when compared with the control and pioglitazone groups, whereas the expression of AT2 mRNA was lower (P < .01). Conclusion: Pioglitazone diminished HF-diet–induced LV dysfunction. These effects may be related to a reduction in blood pressure, myocardial triglycerides sedimentary, and suppression of renin–angiotensin system.
Transgenic mice with p53‐responsive lacZ: p53 activity varies dramatically during normal development and determines radiation and drug sensitivity in vivo

To analyze the involvement of p53‐dependent transcriptional activation in normal development and in response to DNA damage in vivo, we created transgenic mice with a lacZ reporter gene under the control of a p53‐responsive promoter. Five independent strains showed similar patterns of transgene expression. In untreated animals, lacZ expression was limited to the developing nervous system of embryos and newborn mice and was strongly decreased in the adult brain. γ‐irradiation or adriamycin treatment induced lacZ expression in the majority of cells of early embryos and in the spleen, thymus and small intestine in adult mice. Transgene expression was p53 dependent and coincided with the sites of strong p53 accumulation. The lacZ‐expressing tissues and early embryos, unlike other adult tissues and late embryos, are characterized by high levels of p53 mRNA expression and respond to DNA damage by massive apoptotic cell death. Analysis of p53‐null mice showed that this apoptosis is p53 dependent. These data suggest that p53 activity, monitored by the reporter lacZ transgene, is the determinant of radiation and drug sensitivity in vivo and indicate the importance of tissue and stage specificity of p53 regulation at the level of mRNA expression.
A new approach for text feature selection based on OWA operator

Feature selection has a significant role in the precision of text classification algorithms. In this regard, various approaches exist such as information Gain, Chi Square, Document Frequency, Mutual Information, etc. To improve the classification effectiveness combination of some input features may help a lot. In this paper, a new approach based on Ordered-Weighted Averaging (OWA) is proposed for combining two feature set selection algorithms named Information Gain (IG) and Chi-Square(X2). The proposed approach is applied on the dataset of Reuters-21578. Obtained results show that OWA operator in general outperforms averaging and maximizing operators which have been used before in the text classification field. To evaluate the capability of OWA in comparison with averaging and maximizing operators, micro-averaged F1 and macro-averaged F1 measures are used.
The Early History of the Permanent Magnet

The history of magnetism has been but little explored, and it is not at all generally known how powerful were the magnets produced more than two centuries ago or what methods were used for their production. It will be a surprise to many, too, that permanent magnets made from powdered iron oxide supposedly a quite recent invention were known in the eighteenth century. This article traces the history of permanent magnets from ancient times up to the invention of the Heusler alloys at the beginning of the present century.
Nonlinear control design for linear differential inclusions via convex hull quadratic Lyapunov functions

This paper presents a nonlinear control design method for robust stabilization and robust performance of linear differential inclusions. A recently introduced non-quadratic Lyapunov function, the convex hull quadratic function, is used for the construction of nonlinear state feedback laws. Design objectives include stabilization with maximal convergence rate, disturbance rejection with minimal reachable set and least Lscr2 gain. Conditions for stabilization and performances are derived in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs), which cover the existing linear matrix inequality (LMI) conditions as special cases. Optimization problems with BMI constraints are formulated and solved effectively by combining the path-following algorithm and the direct iterative algorithm. The design results are guaranteed to be at least as good as the existing results obtained from LMI conditions. In most examples, significant improvements on system performances have been achieved, which demonstrate the advantages of using nonlinear feedback control over linear feedback control for linear differential inclusions. It is also observed through numerical computation that nonlinear control strategies may help to reduce control effort substantially
Does menopausal transition really influence mental health? Findings from the prospective long‐term Zurich study

In the prospective long‐term Zurich study, we re‐examined the hypothesized association between mental health problems in women and the transition through menopausal stages. One hundred sixty‐eight women from a population‐based Swiss community cohort were prospectively followed up from age 21 to 50. At age 50, the occurrence of hot flushes/night sweats and sleep disturbances was significantly more frequent in peri‐ and post‐menopausal women. Irritability/nervousness was increased only in peri‐menopausal women, but that association was accounted for by neuroticism trait scores at age 30. Transitions to peri‐ or post‐menopause were not related to changes in either the prevalence rates of DSM major depressive episode or anxiety disorders, or the course of psychopathological syndromes as assessed by the Symptom Checklist 90 ‐ Revised. The null associations held when adjusting for duration of reproductive period or age at menopause. Preceding mental health problems between ages 21 and 41, increased neuroticism trait scores at age 30, and concurrent psychosocial distress were significantly related to mental health problems occurring between ages 41 and 50. Depending upon the cut‐off point that was chosen, the arbitrary dichotomization of a continuous depression outcome produced spurious associations with the menopausal transition. We conclude that mental health problems between ages 41 and 50 are probably not directly related to the menopausal transition, and that previously reported associations could be false positives due to inadequate dichotomizations, reporting bias, undisclosed multiple adjustments or overfitting.
Characterization of pyrimidine-repressible and arginine-repressible carbamyl phosphate synthetases from Bacillus subtilis

The number and properties of carbamyl phosphate synthetases in Bacillus subtilis have been uncertain because of conflicting genetic results and instability of the enzyme in extracts. The discovery of a previously unrecognized requirement of B. subtilis carbamyl phosphate synthetases for a high concentration of potassium ions for activity and stability permitted unequivocal demonstration that this bacterium elaborates two carbamyl phosphate synthetases. Carbamyl phosphate synthetase A was shown to be repressed by arginine, to have a molecular weight of about 200,000, and to be coded for by a gene that maps near argC4. This isozyme was insensitive to metabolites of the arginine and pyrimidine biosynthetic pathways. Carbamyl phosphate synthetase P was found to be repressed by uracil, to have a molecular weight of 90,000 to 100,000, and to be coded for by a gene that maps near the other pyr genes. This isozyme was activated by phosphoridine nucleotides. Other kinetic properties of the two isozymes were compared. Bacillus thus resembles eucaryotic microbes in producing two carbamyl phosphate synthetases, rather than the enteric bacteria, which produce a single carbamyl phosphate synthetase.
The Design and Evaluation of a Flick Gesture for 'Back' and 'Forward' in Web Browsers

Web navigation relies heavily on the use of the 'back' button to traverse pages. The traditional back button suffers from the distance and targeting issues that govern Fitts' Law. An alternative to the button approach is the use of marking menus--a gesture based technique shown to improve access times of commonly repeated tasks. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a gesture-based mechanism for issuing the back and forward commands in web navigation. Results show that subjects were able to navigate significantly faster when using gestures compared to the normal back button. Furthermore, the subjects were extremely enthusiastic about the technique, with many expressing their wish that "all browsers should support this". Subjective measures also showed significantly higher ratings for the gesture system over the back button. Finally, subjects found the 'flick' gesture easy to learn.
The Perception and Estimation of Others' Pain according to Children

Accurate interpretation of pain expressed by others is important for socialization; however, the development of this skill in children is still poorly understood. Empathy for pain models propose two main components (affective and cognitive), which develop at different stages of life. The study's objective was to investigate the children's ability between 3 and 12 years of age to detect and assess the pain intensity in others using visual stimuli depicting either facial expressions of pain or hands in painful contexts. 40 preschool children and 62 school-aged children were recruited. Children observed series of stimuli and evaluated the pain intensity depicted. Results demonstrated that children as young as three years old were able to detect and assess pain in both types of stimuli and this ability continued to improve until the age of 12. Participants demonstrated better detection performance with hands than with faces. Results were coherent with the idea that the two types of stimuli presented recruit different processes. Pain detection in hands appears to rely mostly on affective sharing processes that are effective early in life, while older children's higher ability to perceive pain in facial expressions suggests that this ability is associated with the gradual development of cognitive processes.
Retinoic acid signalling specifies intermediate character in the developing telencephalon

The organisation of the telencephalon into its major structures depends on its early regionalisation along the dorsoventral axis. Previous studies have provided evidence that sonic hedgehog (SHH) is required for the generation of telencephalic cells of ventral character, and that sequential WNT and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling specifies cells of dorsal telencephalic character. However, the signalling mechanisms that specify telencephalic cells of an intermediate character remain to be defined. We provide evidence here that retinoic acid has a crucial role in specifying telencephalic progenitor cells of intermediate character.
Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to investigate the impact of socio demographic and clinical parameters on HrQoL. Methods: A total of 627 patients were consecutively recruited in 18 sleep laboratories in the state of Hessen, Germany. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess co-morbid disorders, depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). HrQoL was evaluated with the generic EuroQol-Instrument (EQ-5D-3L index and EQ VAS). Influencing factors were analyzed using bivariate and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The mean EQ-5D-3L index was 0.86 ± 0.19, and the mean EQ VAS score was 66.8 ± 19.3. Patients primarily reported problems in the domains of pain/discomfort (55.5%), anxiety/depression (33.5%), and usual activities (29.5%). Multivariate analyses explained 34.9% and 35.9% of the variance in the EQ VAS and the EQ-5D-3L index, respectively. Relevant predictors of HrQoL were patient age, daytime sleepiness, the presence of medical comorbidities and depression. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that depressive disorders and excessive daytime sleepiness have considerable effects on patient HrQoL and should be considered in the treatment of OSA patients to improve HrQoL.