Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Movement decline across lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans mutants in the insulin/insulin‐like signaling pathway

Research in aging biology has identified several pathways that are molecularly conserved across species that extend lifespan when mutated. The insulin/insulin‐like signaling (IIS) pathway is one of the most widely studied of these. It has been assumed that extending lifespan also extends healthspan (the period of life with minimal functional loss). However, data supporting this assumption conflict and recent evidence suggest that life extension may, in and of itself, extend the frail period. In this study, we use Caenorhabditis elegans to further probe the link between lifespan and healthspan. Using movement decline as a measure of health, we assessed healthspan across the entire lifespan in nine IIS pathway mutants. In one series of experiments, we studied healthspan in mass cultures, and in another series, we studied individuals longitudinally. We found that long‐lived mutants display prolonged mid‐life movement and do not prolong the frailty period. Lastly, we observed that early‐adulthood movement was not predictive of late‐life movement or survival, within identical phenotypes. Overall, these observations show that extending lifespan does not prolong the period of frailty. Both genotype and a stochastic component modulate aging, and movement late in life is more variable than early‐life movement.
Novel FSS filters in Ka band

Novel periodic elements are presented to design narrow band and broadband frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) filters for Ka band (26.5 - 40 GHz) operations. The employed FSS elements combine slot and a cross slot elements providing for much greater design flexibility. All results demonstrate high transmission and excellent out-of-band rejection in the Ka band.
A Design of Odometer-Aided Visual Inertial Integrated Navigation Algorithm Based on Multiple View Geometry Constraints

This paper is dedicated to studying robotic autonomous navigation technologies when the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is unavailable. To improve the robotic navigation accuracy, we propose an algorithm to fuse information from a single camera, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and a wheel odometer. At first, we present the inertial navigation equation and the error equation. Then we introduce the odometer-aided visual inertial integrated navigation algorithm based on Federal Kalman Filter. Information from wheel odometer and camera is taken as measurement by two different sub-filters, i.e., KF (Kalman Filter) and UKF (Unscented Kalman filter). KF is used to fuse the IMU/Odometer information while UKF is employed to optimize the motion estimation of carrier by using the output of KF and geometry constraints among different views of camera. We conduct a set of experiments on publicly available dataset. The results show the effectiveness, correctness and robustness of the proposed algorithm in real environment.
Concentration et fluctuations de processus stochastiques avec sauts

Cette these est constituee de deux parties independantes, le premier theme traitant du phenomene de concentration de la mesure pour des processus de naissance et de mort, tandis que le second est consacre aux fluctuations des integrales stochastiques dirigees par des processus stables. Dans la premiere partie de la these, nous explorons le phenomene de concentration des processus de naissance et de mort ergodiques. Les differentes approches considerees sont d’une part les inegalites fonctionnelles ainsi que la methode de Herbst, et d’autre part l’etude des proprietes du semigroupe associe et des techniques de martingales. En particulier, nous sommes amenes a introduire diverses notions de courbures de ces processus, analogues discrets du critere de courbure de Bakry-Emery dans le cadre des processus de diffusion. Dans la deuxieme partie de la these, nous etudions le comportement du processus supremum d’une integrale stable stochastique en etablissant des inegalites maximales que nous appliquons a des problemes de temps de passage de processus symetriques stables. Enfin, nous demontrons un principe de domination convexe pour des integrales stochastiques brownienne et stable correlees.
Xenotransplantation literature update January–February, 2007

During the period, January–February, 2007, four reviews on xenotransplantation were published [1–4]. Robert Zhong reviewed the recent experience acquired using a1,3-galactosyltransferase geneknockout (GT-KO) pig organs in non-human primate transplantation [1]. Although graft survival has been prolonged, as hyperacute humoral rejection was overcome, the overall results have not been markedly improved when compared with those using a Gala1,3Gal (Gal)-positive pig organ transgenic for a human complement-regulatory protein with the administration of a synthetic Gal-conjugate to inhibit anti-Gal antibodies. Therefore, future work in xenotransplantation should focus on further modification of donors, such as combining human complement-regulatory genes with GT-KO, deleting non-Gal antigens and adding protective genes or a gene that inhibits coagulation. Tai et al. discussed the progress achieved in xenotransplantation following the introduction of GT-KO pigs [2]. They reviewed current knowledge on porcine organ and islet transplantation, and activation of the coagulation and complement cascades. Like Zhong, they also concluded that further genetic manipulations are needed to overcome delayed rejection. Cowan reviewed the role of coagulation and porcine endothelium in the rejection process of xenotransplanted organs [3]. Transgenic overexpression of anti-thrombotic molecules on xenograft endothelium might be a future approach to prevent acute humoral rejection. Vajta et al. discussed recent achievements of somatic nuclear transfer in pigs with the aim of generating animals as sources for organ xenotransplantation [4].
Cerebral magnetic resonance image segmentation using fuzzy Markov Random Fields

In this paper, we present a fuzzy Markovian method for brain tissue segmentation from magnetic resonance images. Generally, there are three principal brain tissues in a brain dataset: gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid. However, due to the limited resolution of the acquisition system, many voxels may be composed of multiple tissue types (partial volume effects). The proposed method aims to calculate the fuzzy membership of each voxel to indicate the partial volume degree using a fuzzy Markovian segmentation. Since our method is unsupervised, it first estimates the fuzzy Markovian Random Field model parameters using a stochastic gradient algorithm. The efficiency of the proposed method is quantified on a digital phantom using an absolute average error, and qualitatively tested on real MRI brain data. The results of the fuzzy segmentation can be applied to recognition of internal structures or segmentation of tumor.
Whole‐brain cortical parcellation: A hierarchical method based on dMRI tractography

﻿In den modernen Neurowissenschaften ist allgemein anerkannt, dass die Gehirnfunktionen auf dem Zusammenwirken von verschiedenen Regionen in Netzwerken beruhen und die strukturelle Konnektivitat daher groser Bedeutung ist. Daher kann die Abgrenzung funktioneller Hirnbereiche auf der Grundlage der Diffusions-Magnet-Resonanz-Tomographie (dMRT) und der Traktografie zu wertvollen Hirnkarten fuhren.Existierende Verfahren versuchen eine fest vorgegebene Anzahl von Regionen zu finden und/oder sind auf kleine Bereiche der grauen Substanz beschrankt. Im Allgemeinen ist es jedoch unwahrscheinlich, dass eine einzelne Parzellierung des Kortex, eine ausreichende Darstellung der funktio- anatomischen Organisation des Gehirns erlaubt. In dieser Arbeit schlagen wir eine hierarchische Clusteranalyse vor um diese Einschrankungen zu uberwinden und das gesamte Gehirn zu parzellieren. Wir zeigen, dass dieses Verfahren die Eigenschaften der zugrundeliegenden Struktur auf allen Granularitatstufen des hierarchischen Baums (Dendrogramm) kodieren kann. Weiterhin entwickeln wir eine optimale Verarbeitungspipeline zur Erstellung dieses Baums, die dessen Komplexitat mit minimalem Informationsverlust reduziert. Wir zeigen wie diese Datenstrukturen verwendet werden konnen um die Ahnlichkeitstruktur von verschiedenen Probanden oder Messungen zu vergleichen und wie man daraus verschiedene Parzellierungen des Gehirns erhalten kann.Unser neuer Ansatz liefert eine ausfuhrlichere Analyse der anatomischen Strukturen und bietet eine Methode zur Parzellierung des ganzen Gehirns.
Information Retrieval Model using Generalized Pareto Distribution and Its Application to Instance Search

We adopt the generalized Pareto distribution for the information-based model and show that the parameters can be estimated based on the mean excess function. The proposed information retrieval model corresponds to the extension of the divergence from independence and is designed to be data-driven. The proposed model is then applied to the specific object search called the instance search and the effectiveness is experimentally confirmed.
Combinatorial Effect of T-Cell Receptor Ligation and CD45 Isoform Expression on the Signaling Contribution of the Small GTPases Ras and Rap1

ABSTRACT By using ligands with various affinities for the T-cell receptor (TCR) and by altering the contribution of the CD45 tyrosine phosphatase, the effects of the potency of TCR-induced signals on the function of small GTPases Ras and Rap1 were studied. T cells expressing low-molecular-weight CD45 isoforms (e.g., CD45RO) exhibited the strongest activation of the Ras-dependent Elk-1 transcription factor and the highest sensitivity to the inhibitory action of dominant negative mutant Ras compared to T cells expressing high-molecular-weight CD45 isoforms (ABC). Moreover, stimulation of CD45RO+, but not CD45ABC+, T cells with a high-affinity TCR ligand induced suboptimal Elk-1 activation compared with the stimulation induced by an intermediate-affinity TCR-ligand interaction. This observation suggested that the Ras-dependent signaling pathway is safeguarded in CD45RO+ expressors by a negative regulatory mechanism(s) which prohibits maximal activation of the Ras-dependent signaling events following high-avidity TCR-ligand engagement. Interestingly, the biochemical activity of another small GTPase, the Ras-like protein Rap1, which has been implicated in the functional suppression of Ras signaling, was inversely correlated with the extent of Elk-1 activation induced by different-affinity TCR ligands. Consistently, overexpression of putative Rap dominant negative mutant RapN17 or the physiologic inhibitor of Rap1, the Rap GTPase-activating protein RapGAP, augmented the Elk-1 response in CD45RO+ T cells. This is in contrast to the suppressive effect of RapN17 and RapGAP on CD45ABC+ T cells, underscoring the possibility that Rap1 can act as either a repressor or a potentiator of Ras effector signals, depending on CD45 isoform expression. These observations suggest that cells expressing distinct isoforms of CD45 employ different signal transduction schemes to optimize Ras-mediated signal transduction in activated T lymphocytes.
The episodic buffer and learning in early Alzheimer's disease

The role of working memory, specifically the episodic buffer, in the learning performance of patients with very mild (n = 18) and mild (n = 12) Alzheimer's disease as compared with healthy older adults (n = 29) was investigated using a series of word-lists that were manipulated (clustered, unclustered) to explore the impact of strategic organizational skills under varying attention conditions (full, divided). Results indicated that the learning performance for all three groups under full attention was better than that under divided attention, but only for the clustered word-lists. Moreover, in contrast to the mild Alzheimer's disease group, both the healthy older controls and the very mild Alzheimer's disease group demonstrated better performance on clustered word-lists than on unclustered lists, suggesting active strategic organizational skills, even at delayed free recall. The overall pattern of results indicates a staging of working-memory impairment in early Alzheimer's disease.
Remarques sur la Théorie de L'Hexagone logique de Blanché

En cet article nous montrons en premier lieu que la théorie de l'hexagone logique de Blanché n'est pas, comme il le pense, le résultat d'une réflexion philosophique, mais qu'elle relève véritablement de la logique scientifique, puisqu'elle s'insère tout naturellement dans la structure d'ensemble des liaisons uninaires (ou monaires) de la logique trivalente des propositions. Cette démonstration nous conduit, en second lieu, à renverser le jugement défavorable que E. J. Lemmon avait porté sur la toute première ébauche de cette théorie, et ainsi à déVelopper la logique modale dans le sens de Blanché plutôt que dans celui de von Wright. En troisième lieu, nous complétons l'application que fait Blanché de cette théorie de l'hexagone aux liaisons binaires de la logique bivalente des propositions, en intégrant en une seule structure tétrahexaédrique l'ensemble des seize liaisons binaires, lui-même s'étant contenté d'en grouper seulement dix en une espèce d'anneau bihexagonal.
Process Variation Aware Bus-Coding Scheme for Delay Minimization in VLSI Interconnects

Process variations can have a significant impact on both device and interconnect performance in deep sub-micron (DSM) technology. In this paper, initially authors discuss the effects of process parameter variations on bus-encoding schemes for delay minimization in VLSI interconnects. Later, process variation aware bus-coding scheme is proposed to reduce delay in interconnects. It is shown that if process variability is taken into consideration, effective capacitance (Ceff) of the bus lines varies because of which the amount of delay that each crosstalk class causes is going to vary. SPICE simulations have been carried out for interconnect lines of different dimensions at different technology nodes (180, 130, 90 and 65 nm) to find out the effect of process variation on the effective capacitance of bus lines and to evaluate the percentage delay reduction due to proposed coding scheme.
Octanol–water partition of nonzwitterionic peptides: Predictive power of a molecular size‐based model

A remarkably simple, molecular size‐based model developed to predict octanol–water partition coefficients for organic compounds is tested on a set of 188 neutral peptides with available experimental partition data. Despite using only two parameters, it gives a promising correlation (r2 = 0.914; σ = 0.455, F = 1978.0), and predictions are in a realistic range even for larger peptides (cyclosporin, melanotan, sandostatin) where common, overparametrized fragment methods become quite unreliable. Ion‐pair partitioning and the extraction constant formalism is briefly reviewed to describe the sigmoidal lipophilicity profile of ionizable, nonzwitterionic peptides. It seems possible to extend the present model to estimate apparent partition coefficients measured around neutral pH and physiological conditions for monoionic peptides; however, as no standard conditions are yet defined and only relatively small number of experimental data are available, the situation here is more complex. Proteins 30:86–99, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Northeastern Scotland in 2003 to 2007: Evolving Strain Distribution and Resistance Patterns

ABSTRACT This study explored strain distribution and resistance patterns of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over a 5-year period in northeastern Scotland. We noted a shift in the relative rates of epidemic strains and an increase in community-associated strains. Use of oral antibiotics to eradicate throat carriage may have contributed to trimethoprim resistance, which was observed to increase 10-fold.
The serotonin 5‐HT1D receptor gene and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder in Chinese Han subjects

Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heritable disease. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters involved in the etiology of ADHD. Serotonin‐1D receptors are autoreceptors which can regulate the release of serotonin in brain, so the HTR1D gene may be predisposing. The current study genotyped two variants of HTR1D gene in 272 ADHD trios of Chinese ethnicity, that is 1350T > C in the coding region and 1236A > G in 3′‐UTR by the use of transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). The A allele of the 1236A > G polymorphism exhibited both a trend toward preferential transmission to ADHD probands (χ2 = 3.815, P = 0.051) and a significant preferential transmission to probands of ADHDC (χ2 = 4.198, P = 0.040). Additional polymorphisms in this gene need to be studied further. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Functional Defects of the DnaK756 Mutant Chaperone ofEscherichia coli Indicate Distinct Roles for Amino- and Carboxyl-terminal Residues in Substrate and Co-chaperone Interaction and Interdomain Communication*

The first discovery of an Hsp70 chaperone gene was the isolation of an Escherichia coli mutant,dnaK756, which rendered the cells resistant to lytic infection with bacteriophage λ. The DnaK756 mutant protein has since been used to establish many of the cellular roles and biochemical properties of DnaK. DnaK756 has three glycine-to-aspartate substitutions at residues 32, 455, and 468, which were reported to result in defects in intrinsic and GrpE-stimulated ATPase activities, substrate binding, stability of the substrate-binding domain, interdomain communication, and, consequently, defects in chaperone activity. To dissect the effects of the different amino acid substitutions in DnaK756, we analyzed two DnaK variants carrying only the amino-terminal (residue 32) or the two carboxyl-terminal (residues 455 and 468) substitutions. The amino-terminal substitution interfered with the GrpE-stimulated ATPase activity. The carboxyl-terminal mutations (i) affected stability and function of the substrate-binding domain, (ii) caused a 10-fold elevated ATP hydrolysis rate, but (iii) did not severely affect domain coupling. Surprisingly, DnaK chaperone activity was more severely compromised by the amino-terminal than by the carboxyl-terminal amino acid substitutions both in vivoand in vitro. In the in vitro refolding of denatured firefly luciferase, the defect of the DnaK variant carrying the amino-terminal substitution results from its inability to release, upon GrpE-mediated nucleotide exchange, bound luciferase in a folding competent state. Our results indicate that the DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE chaperone system can tolerate suboptimal substrate binding, whereas the tight kinetic control of substrate dissociation by GrpE is essential.
Analysis of 13NH4+ Efflux in Spruce Roots (A Test Case for Phase Identification in Compartmental Analysis)

13NH4+-efflux analyses were conducted with roots of intact Picea glauca (Moench) Voss. seedlings at external NH4+ concentrations of 100 [mu]M and 1.5 mM. Three kinetically distinct phases were identified with half-lives of exchange of approximately 2 s, 30 s, and 14 min. The presumed identities of the subcellular compartments corresponding to these phases were confirmed by several techniques, including pretreatment of roots (a) at 75[deg]C or with SDS, (b) with [alpha]-keto-glutarate or L-methionine-DL-sulfoximine, (c) at elevated levels of Ca2+, and (d) at low pH or with Al3+ at low pH. Treatments a and b selectively influenced phase III without affecting phases I and II. Similarly, treatment c selectively perturbed phase II, and treatment d affected phases II and III. Based on these findings and the assumption of an in-series arrangement of root cell compartments, it was concluded that phase III corresponded to the cytoplasm, phase II corresponded to the Donnan free space, and phase I corresponded to a film of solution adhering to the root surface.
Cassandra's Performance and Scalability Evaluation

In the past, relational databases were the most commonly used technology for storing and retrieving data, allowing easier management and retrieval of any stored information organized as a set of tables. However, today databases are larger in size and the query execution time can become very long, requiring servers with bigger capacities. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the Cassandra NoSQL database using the Yahoo! Cloud Serving Benchmark in order to better understand the execution capabilities for various types of applications in environments with different amounts of stored data. The experiments with Cassandra show good scalability and performance results and how the database size and number of nodes affect it.
Embedded Computing: A VLIW Approach to Architecture, Compilers and Tools

The fact that there are more embedded computers than general-purpose computers and that we are impacted by hundreds of them every day is no longer news. What is news is that their increasing performance requirements, complexity and capabilities demand a new approach to their design. Fisher, Faraboschi, and Young describe a new age of embedded computing design, in which the processor is central, making the approach radically distinct from contemporary practices of embedded systems design. They demonstrate why it is essential to take a computing-centric and system-design approach to the traditional elements of nonprogrammable components, peripherals, interconnects and buses. These elements must be unified in a system design with high-performance processor architectures, microarchitectures and compilers, and with the compilation tools, debuggers and simulators needed for application development. In this landmark text, the authors apply their expertise in highly interdisciplinary hardware/software development and VLIW processors to illustrate this change in embedded computing. VLIW architectures have long been a popular choice in embedded systems design, and while VLIW is a running theme throughout the book, embedded computing is the core topic. Embedded Computing examines both in a book filled with fact and opinion based on the authors many years of R&D experience. Complemented by a unique, professional-quality embedded tool-chain on the authors' website, http://www.vliw. org/book ? Combines technical depth with real-world experience ? Comprehensively explains the differences between general purpose computing systems and embedded systems at the hardware, software, tools and operating system levels. Uses concrete examples to explain and motivate the trade-offs. Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1: An Introduction to Embedded Processing Chapter 2: An Overview of VLIW and ILP Chapter 3: An Overview of ISA Design Chapter 4: Architectural Structures in ISA design Chapter 5: Microarchitecture Design Chapter 6: System Design and Simulation Chapter 7: Embedded Compiling and Toolchains Chapter 8: Compiling for VLIWs and ILP Chapter 9: The Run-time System Chapter 10: Application Design and Customization Chapter 11: Application Areas Appendix A: The VEX System Appendix B: Glossary Appendix C: Bibliography
Les rapports entre local et global : mathématiques, rôle en physique élémentaire, questions didactiques

Les notions de proprietes locales et globales jouent un role essentiel en mathematiques, des le debut de l’analyse, mais aussi en geometrie et topologie. Elles soulevent de nombreux problemes didactiques, car elles sont souvent non explicitees. En physique elementaire, les points de vue local et global s’opposent et se completent, et l’activite de mise en equation met souvent en œuvre un jeu subtil entre ces deux points de vue. Nous developpons l’idee que faire prendre conscience aux eleves et etudiants de l’existence et du role des points de vue local et global peut permettre de leur donner acces a des methodes efficaces pour les utiliser.