Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modifications of Thomae's Function and Differentiability

As we shall see later, Thomae's function is not differentiable on the irrationals. In this note, we address whether there is a modification of Thomae's function which is differentiable on a subset of the irrationals. In Section 2, we prove that Thomae's function is not differentiable on the irrationals and define modified versions of Thomae's function. In Section 3, we show that for each of our modifications there is a dense subset of irrationals on which, quite surprisingly, the function is not differentiable. Finally, in Section 4, we show that the measure of irrationality of a given number determines which modifications of Thomae's function are differentiable at that number.
Differential roles of p38-MAPK and JNKs in mediating early protection or apoptosis in the hyperthermic perfused amphibian heart

SUMMARY In the present study the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) by hyperthermia was investigated in the isolated perfused Rana ridibunda heart. Hyperthermia (42°C) was found to profoundly stimulate p38-MAPK phosphorylation within 0.5 h, with maximal values being attained at 1 h [4.503(±0.577)-fold relative to control, P<0.01]. JNKs were also activated under these conditions in a sustained manner for at least 4 h [2.641(±0.217)-fold relative to control, P<0.01]. Regarding their substrates, heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) was maximally phosphorylated at 1 h [2.261(±0.327)-fold relative to control, P<0.01] and c-Jun at a later phase [3 h: 5.367(±0.081)-fold relative to control, P<0.001]. Hyperthermia-induced p38-MAPK activation was found to be dependent on the Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1) and was also suppressed by catalase (Cat) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), implicating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS were also implicated in the activation of JNKs by hyperthermia, with the Na+/K+-ATPase acting as a mediator of this effect at an early stage and the NHE1 getting involved at a later time point. Finally, JNKs were found to be the principal mediators of the apoptosis induced under hyperthermic conditions, as their inhibition abolished poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage after 4 h at 42°C. Overall, to our knowledge, this study highlights for the first time the variable mediators implicated in the transduction of the hyperthermic signal in the isolated perfused heart of an ectotherm and deciphers a potential salutary effect of p38-MAPK as well as the fundamental role of JNKs in the induced apoptosis.
Proteomic profiling and identification of cofilin responding to oxidative stress in vascular smooth muscle

We used 2‐DE and MALDI‐TOF/TOF to identify proteins of vascular smooth muscle cells whose expression was or was not altered by exposure to 500 μM H2O2 for 30 min. We detected more than 800 proteins on silver‐stained gels of whole protein extracts from rat aortic smooth muscle strips. Of these proteins, 135 clearly unaffected and 19 having levels altered by exposure to H2O2 were identified. Protein characterization revealed that the most prominent vascular smooth muscle proteins were those with antioxidant, cytoskeletal structure, or muscle contraction. In addition, cofilin, an isoform of the actin depolymerizing factor family, shifted to its basic site on the 2‐DE gel as a result of H2O2 treatment. In Western blot analysis of proteins from A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells, the phosphorylation, but not the expression, of cofilin was decreased by H2O2 in a dose‐dependent manner. The H2O2‐induced dephosphorylation of cofilin and apoptosis was inhibited by Na3VO4, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). These results suggest that cofilin is one of the proteins regulated by H2O2 treatment in vascular smooth muscle, and has an important role in the induction of vascular apoptosis through PTP‐dependent mechanisms.
Murine Model of Oligotrophic Tibial Nonunion

Objectives: This study aimed to use modified distraction osteogenesis techniques to develop a reliable mouse fracture nonunion model with an oligotrophic phenotype. Methods: Twenty-six 10- to 14-week-old C57BL/6 male mice underwent a proximal diaphyseal tibial osteotomy with a 2-mm bone resection. An external fixation device was applied to the tibia using cerclage wires. A total of 2.25 mm of distraction was applied over 3 days, resulting in an average distraction gap of 4.28 mm. Plain radiographs were taken at regular intervals until euthanasia at 7 (n = 9), 10 (n = 13), or 12 (n = 4) weeks. After euthanasia, all samples were fixed in formalin, scanned with microcomputed tomography, decalcified in formic acid, prepared in paraffin, and stained with Alcian blue/Mayer's hematoxylin. Results: In the distraction groups, five mice were prematurely euthanized as a result of wound complications stemming from loss of distal fixation. Of the remaining 21, two healed, resulting in a 90% nonunion rate. These nonunions radiographically resembled clinical nonunions with tapered, cone-like fracture ends and histologically demonstrated evidence of attempted healing as seen with cartilage capping. Additionally, the plain radiographic appearance of those nonunions from mice euthanized at 10 and 12 weeks did not change over the final 4 to 6 weeks. Conclusions: The use of 2-mm tibial resection osteotomy with 2-mm distraction provides a predictable model for fracture nonunion in mice with the oligotrophic phenotype closely resembling the clinical correlate. This model offers a promising means for characterization of the molecular events that occur during the development of fracture nonunion and for evaluation of noninvasive methods of nonunion rescue.
The Contribution of Splanchnic Fat to VLDL Triglyceride Is Greater in Insulin-Resistant Than Insulin-Sensitive Men and Women

OBJECTIVE—We aimed to determine differences in the postprandial contributions of different fatty acid sources to VLDL triglycerides (TGs) in healthy men and women with varying degrees of insulin resistance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Insulin-resistant (n = 11) and insulin-sensitive (n = 11) men and women (n = 6) were given an intravenous infusion of [2H2]palmitic acid to investigate systemic nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) incorporation into VLDL TGs. Participants were also fed a mixed meal containing [U-13C]palmitic acid to investigate the contribution of dietary fatty acids to VLDL TG production. Blood samples were taken over the following 6 h. Separation of VLDL was performed by density gradient ultracentrifugation and immunoaffinity techniques specific to apolipoprotein B-100. RESULTS—Insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive men had similar postprandial chylomicron and chylomicron remnant TG concentrations, but insulin-resistant men had higher postprandial VLDL TG concentrations (median [range]; area under the curve 485 μmol/l [123–992] vs. 287 μmol/l [162–510]; P < 0.05). At 360 min, most of the difference in VLDL TGs was accounted for by an additional contribution from splanchnic fat (means ± SE; 331 ± 76 μmol/l vs. 89 ± 25 μmol/l; P < 0.01). The contribution of fatty acids from endogenous systemic NEFAs was similar across the groups, as were dietary fatty acids. There was no difference in the VLDL TG concentration or the contribution of different fatty acid sources between insulin-sensitive men and women. CONCLUSIONS—In the postprandial period, the only sources of fatty acids for VLDL TG production to differ in the insulin-resistant compared with the insulin-sensitive men are those derived from splanchnic sources.
Non-heme iron protein: A potential target of nitric oxide in acute cardiac allograft rejection

We examined iron nitrosylation of non-heme protein and enzymatic activity of the Fe-S cluster protein, aconitase, in acute cardiac allograft rejection. Heterotopic transplantation of donor hearts was performed in histocompatibility matched (isografts: Lewis → Lewis) and mismatched (allografts: Wistar–Furth → Lewis) rats. On postoperative days (POD) 4–6, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) protein in allografts but not isografts. EPR spectroscopy revealed background signals at g = 2.003 (for semiquinone) and g = 2.02 and g = 1.94 (for Fe-S cluster protein) in isografts and normal hearts. In contrast, in allografts on POD4, a new axial signal at g = 2.04 and g = 2.02 appeared that was attributed to the dinitrosyl–iron complex formed by nitrosylation of non-heme protein. Appearance of this signal occurred at or before significant nitrosylation of heme protein. Iron nitrosylation of non-heme protein was coincidental with decreases in the nonnitrosylated Fe-S cluster signal at g = 1.94. Aconitase enzyme activity was decreased to ≈50% of that observed in isograft controls by POD4. Treatment with cyclosporine blocked the (i) elevation of plasma nitrate + nitrite, (ii) up-regulation of iNOS protein, (iii) decrease in Fe-S cluster EPR signal, (iv) formation of dinitrosyl–iron complexes, and (v) loss of aconitase enzyme activity. Formation of dinitrosyl–iron complexes and loss of aconitase activity within allografts also was inhibited by treatment of recipients with a selective iNOS inhibitor, l-N6-(1-iminoethyl)lysine. This report shows targeting of an important non-heme Fe-S cluster protein in acute solid organ transplant rejection.
Recherche en temps réel de séquences vidéo similaires par le contenu

A novel content-based video retrieval framework is presented in this paper. By introducing temporal flexibility in the description of video sub-sequences, this framework makes the use of flexible, but slow, distance measures (such as Dynamic Time Warping) mandatory. As a consequence, real-time retrieval of similar video sub-sequences, among hundreds of thousands of examples, is now possible. The proposed method is adaptive; a fast training procedure is presented. Performances have been successfully assessed on a dataset of 1,707 video clips (> 800,000 sub-sequences). Ultimately, we plan to design a real-time alert (and/or recommendation) generation system for computed-aided video-guided surgery.
Articulated foot improves human likeliness of walking when compared to a flat foot

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Articulated foot improves human likeliness of walking when compared to a flat foot A.P. Santos, Faïz Ben Amar, Philippe Bidaud, Vincent Padois, E. Desailly
Gene classification using an improved SVM classifier with soft decision boundary

One of the central problems of functional genomics is gene classification. Microarray data are currently a major source of information about the functionality of genes. Various mathematical techniques, such as neural networks (NNs), self-organizing map (SOM) and several statistical methods, have been applied to classify the data in attempts to extract the underlying knowledge. As for conventional classification, the problem mainly addressed so far has been how to classify the multi-label gene data and how to deal with the imbalance problem. In this paper, we proposed an improved support vector machine (SVM) classifier with soft decision boundary. This boundary is a classification boundary based on belief degrees of data. The boundary can reflect the distribution of data, especially in the mutual part between classes and the excursion caused by the data imbalance.
Crossing Oceans with Voices and Ears: Second Dialect Acquisition and Topic-Based Shifting in Production and Perception

This study investigates and compares the long and short term flexibility of participants’ production and perception, by looking at the relationship between topic-based shifting, and second dialect acquisition. 97 participants in London, UK, and Columbus, OH, were recruited to participate in this study, and belonged to one of six categories: English expatriates living in the US, American expatriates living in the UK, English fans of American football, American fans of the English Premier League, and English and American controls. The study consisted of an experimental task followed by an interview. In the experiment, participants rotated between a reading and a listening task. In the reading task, participants read words containing three variables of interest (intervocalic /t/, non-prevocalic /r/, and BATH), across American and English themed topics. In the listening task, participants were played English and American speakers in noise, and were asked to transcribe what they heard. In the production data, we find evidence of second dialect acquisition for all three variables in American participants, including non-migrants with substantial second dialect contact. English participants, however, only show e↵ects of acquisition for intervocalic /t/. I suggest, based on comments in the interview data of my participants, that this asymmetry may at least in part be due to the relative prestige of British and American English, which motivates one group of speakers to maintain, and one group of speakers to lose, their native dialects. We find a robust e↵ect of topic on rhoticity for all speaker groups, and weaker e↵ects of topic on intervocalic /t/ and BATH, that are carried by American fans and controls. Short and long term shifts between dialects do not show signs of being related, and a case
Personal care workers in Australian aged care : retention and turnover intentions

Aim(s) This study examined factors influencing personal care workers’ intentions to stay or leave Australian aged care employment, especially for older workers. Background – Retention of personal care workers is particularly important in aged care, as they provide the majority of the direct care via community aged care or long-term aged care environments. However, limited research has examined what drives their turnover and retention. Method(s) – A survey was conducted during 2012, collecting 206 responses from workers within community and long-term aged care in four organizations in Australia. Results – Perceived supervisor support, on-the-job embeddedness and area of employment were identified as predictors of both intentions to stay and leave, although the relationship strength differed. Community care workers were more likely to stay and reported more supervisor support than longterm care workers. Unexpectedly, age and health status were not predictors of staying or leaving. Conclusion(s) – While there are similarities between retention and turnover motivators, there are also differences. Within a global context of health worker shortages, such new knowledge is keenly sought to enhance organizational effectiveness and sustain the provision of quality aged care. Implications for Nursing Management – Retention strategies for older workers should involve increasing supervisor support, and seeking to embed workers more fully within their organization.
Red-winged blackbirds Ageliaus phoeniceus respond differently to song types with different performance levels

Physical constraints on animal signals can have important consequences for communication. For bird songs that include a trill, performance is physically constrained by a trade-off between the rate at which notes are repeated in the trill and the sound frequency range covered, such that a trill cannot exceed a certain frequency range for a given note repetition rate. Producing trills that are closer to this performance limit is presumably more challenging for birds than producing trills that are farther from it. Male red-winged blackbirds Ageliaus phoeniceus have repertoires of two to eight song types containing trills that span a range of performance levels. We determined the approximate trill performance maximum for a population of red-winged blackbirds, then conducted playback experiments to measure the responses of territorial males to song types with either high or low performance levels relative to this limit. Males responded significantly more strongly to songs containing low performance trills. Our results show that male red-winged blackbirds can discriminate between different song performance levels, suggesting that vocal proficiency plays a role in male-male interactions.
Centre and Periphery: Comparative Studies in Archaeology

Metropole and margin - the dependency theory and the political economy of the Solomon Islands, 1880-1980, James A.Boutilier the greater Southwest as a periphery of Mesoamerica, Randall H.McGuire explaining the Iroquois - tribalization on a prehistoric periphery, Dena F.Dincauze and Robert J.Hasenstab divergent trajectories in central Italy, 1200-500 BC, Simon Stoddart Greeks and natives in south-east Italy - approaches to the archaeological evidence, Ruth D.Whitehouse and John B.Wilkins Greeks, Etruscans and thirsty barbarians - early Iron Age interaction in the Rhone Basin of France, Michael Dietler the impact of the Roman amphora trade on pre-Roman Britain, David Williams interactions between the nomadic cultures of central Asia and China in the Middle Ages, Slawoj Szynkiewicz diffusion and cultural evolution in Iron Age Serbia, Frederick A.Winter and H.Arthur Bankoff acculturation and ethnicity in Roman Moesia Superior, Brad Bartel native American acculturation in the Spanish colonial empire - the Franciscan missions of Alta, California, Paul Farnsworth the town, the power and the land - Denmark and Europe during the first millennium AD, Klavs Randsborg Great Moravia between the Franconians, Byzantium and Rome, Lubomir E.Havlik.
Parametrizations of a two-level quantum control system

A known two-level population transfer model of a quantum system is studied. Construction of the basic four-dimensional real-variable model is repeated first. By using a technique of underdetermined systems of ordinary differential equations (ODE) the two scalar control variables are represented then as functions of the state variables. This representation is used to obtain an underdetermined system of nonlinear ODEs, which does not include the control variables. Via a flatness-based idea two state variables are used to parametrize the remaining ones and the two controls. The coordinate system of the states is converted into polar form. Then another form of parametrization is obtained for the states and controls. A quadratic energy minimizing optimization is also studied. It is converted via the two parametrizations to two equivalent variational problems. A general solution to the polar-form variational problem is given. Simulation results to be presented in a companion paper will complete results of this study.
A Reconfigurable Passive UHF Reader Loop Antenna for Near-Field and Far-Field RFID Applications

This letter presents a passive UHF printed loop antenna with left-handed loading. The RFID reader antenna can work at near- and far-field operation within the European UHF (865-868 MHz) band. The operation frequency and radiation properties can be modified by employing varactor diodes. Also, the antenna can work in the near-field region having a flat magnetic distribution in the interrogation zone. A comparative study with other passive RFID reader conventional antennas shows that the left-handed loop achieves stronger near H-field with good impedance matching. Design details, simulated results, and a fabricated prototype are presented. The concept significantly extends the design degrees of freedom for RFID antennas.
Involvement of the Ubiquitin-Mediated Proteolytic System in the Signaling Pathway Induced by Ceramide in Primary Astrocyte Cultures

The selective degradation of abnormal or short half-life proteins in eukaryotic cells proceeds through the ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic system (UbPS). The signals that tag the proteins for their ubiquitination are well known. In the present study, our aim was to investigate the relationship between the action of ceramide and the changes in the expression of certain mRNAs of the Ub pathway and in the activation of the UbPS in cultured astrocytes (ASTs). Changes in the expression of components that are known to be substrates of the UbPS and that participate in the regulation of the cell death process were also studied. Addition of different concentrations of C2 ceramide to cultured ASTs produced an increase in the expression of the Ub gene and in the gene that encodes E1, one of the enzymes involved in the ubiquitination process, without any changes on cell viability. Immunocytochemical studies showed an increase in the expression of Bcl-2 with no changes in cytochrome c. Also, there was an increase in the nuclear reactivity of NFĸB, suggesting a translocation of this factor towards the nucleus. Western blots showed a decrease in IĸB and its phosphorylated form as well as an increase in Bcl-2 with no changes in cytochrome c. All of these compounds appear to be acting as possible modulators of AST responses to C2 ceramide. Our results suggest that in AST primary cultures, C2 ceramide, at the concentrations used in this study, does not produce apoptosis. However, it induces an activation of the UbPS, probably as a consequence of an activation of phosphatases and kinases, or through the generation of reactive oxygen species, which act as triggering signals of the UbPS. The fundamental role of NFĸB and Bcl-2 as antiapoptotic factors is discussed.
On vision-based lane departure detection approach

This paper analyzes the process of lane departure detection approach. In our vision-based lane departure detection system, we use a single camera as input. In this paper, we discuss how to detect the lanes marking on the road and get the relationship between vehicle and road. Some measurements are derived to calculate TLC (time to lane crossing), for measuring the position of the vehicle relative to the lanes. Besides, the forward-looking predicting mode is introduced to establish the relationship among driver, vehicle, and road. Further more, the criterion can be got to tell whether there is an unintended lane departure. Simulations show that our vision-based lane departure approach does provide an effective alarm when the state of driver goes wrong.