Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid Changes in Polyphosphate Content within Acidocalcisomes in Response to Cell Growth, Differentiation, and Environmental Stress inTrypanosoma cruzi*

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) has been identified and measured in different stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. Millimolar levels (in terms of Piresidues) in chains of less than 50 residues long, and micromolar levels in chains of about 700–800 residues long, were found in different stages of T. cruzi. Analysis of purified T. cruzi acidocalcisomes indicated that polyPs were preferentially located in these organelles. This was confirmed by visualization of polyPs in the acidocalcisomes using 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. A rapid increase (within 2–4 h) in the levels of short and long chain polyPs was detected during trypomastigote to amastigote differentiation and during the lag phase of growth of epimastigotes (within 12–24 h). Levels rapidly decreased after the epimastigotes resumed growth. Short and long chain polyP levels rapidly decreased upon exposure of epimastigotes to hypo-osmotic or alkaline stresses, whereas levels increased after hyperosmotic stress. Ca2+ release from acidocalcisomes by a combination of ionophores (ionomycin and nigericin) was associated with the hydrolysis of short and long chain polyPs. In agreement with these results, acidocalcisomes were shown to contain polyphosphate kinase and exopolyphosphatase activities. Together, these results suggest a critical role for these organelles in the adaptation of the parasite to environmental changes.
An Evaluation Study of Robot Designs for Smart Environments

To identify the most optimally designed research platform for a smart home context, 214 participants evaluated various robot head prototypes that were depicted in portrait vs. full-body images mounted on a Meka wheel base. The robots differed in their degree of facial social cues intended to evoke human likeness. The proto-types were rated on human likeness, uncanniness, mind perception, design, and usability. Results showed that the body-head relation impacts participants' overall perception of a robot. However, participants' ratings did not differ between robot types when mounted on a Meka platform regarding anthropomorphic judgments and all of them were perceived equally high on design and usability. Our research highlights the importance of evaluating the holistic robot platform rather than parts of it in the design process.
Triple-twin domains in Mg doped GaN wurtzite nanowires: structural and electronic properties of this zinc-blende-like stacking

We report on the effect of Mg doping on the properties of GaN nanowires grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The most significant feature is the presence of triple-twin domains, the density of which increases with increasing Mg concentration. The resulting high concentration of misplaced atoms gives rise to local changes in the crystal structure equivalent to the insertion of three non-relaxed zinc-blende (ZB) atomic cells, which result in quantum wells along the wurtzite (WZ) nanowire growth axis. High resolution electron energy loss spectra were obtained exactly on the twinned (zinc-blende) and wurtzite planes. These atomically resolved measurements, which allow us to identify modifications in the local density of states, revealed changes in the band to band electronic transition energy from 3.4 eV for wurtzite to 3.2 eV in the twinned lattice regions. These results are in good agreement with specific ab initio atomistic simulations and demonstrate that the redshift observed in previous photoluminescence analyses is directly related to the presence of these zinc-blende domains, opening up new possibilities for band-structure engineering.
Photonic integration for high-volume, low-cost applications

To date, photonic integration has seen only limited use in a few optical interface applications. The recently adopted IEEE draft standards for 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s Ethernet single-mode fiber local area network applications will change this situation. Although first generation implementations will use discrete components based on existing technologies, long-term requirements for significant reduction in cost, size, and power of 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s transceivers will lead to a broad demand for photonic integration. Both hybrid planar lightguide circuit and monolithic photonic integrated circuit are feasible approaches that meet the requirements of the new IEEE standards.
Epigraphical splitting for solving constrained convex optimization problems with proximal tools - extended version

We propose a proximal approach to deal with a class of convex variational problems involving nonlinear con- straints. A large family of constraints, proven to be effective in the solution of inverse problems, can be expressed as the lower level set of a sum of convex functions evaluated over different blocks of the linearly-transformed signal. For such constraints, the associated projection operator generally does not have a simple form. We circumvent this difficulty by split- ting the lower level set into as many epigraphs as functions involved in the sum. In particular, we focus on constraints involving 'q-norms with q 1, distance functions to a con- vex set, and '1;p-norms with p2f2;+¥g. The proposed approach is validated in the context of image restoration by making use of constraints based on Non-Local Total Varia- tion. Experiments show that our method leads to significant improvements in term of convergence speed over existing al- gorithms for solving similar constrained problems. A second application to a pulse shape design problem is provided in order to illustrate the flexibility of the proposed approach.
A Methodology for the Discussion of Contour: Its Application to Schoenberg's "Music"

Accounts of continuity in tonal music have generally been accounts of pitch relations. This can be justified because of the gravitational power of the tonal center in defining cadences and because of the decisiveness of consonance-dissonance relations for hearing meter. For twentieth-century music, theories of pitch-class relations have attempted to play a similar role, reassuring all doubters that pitch class not only accounts for relations at the surface level, but is the only true source of deeper structural relations. Pitch-class relations, however, by their very nature, are incapable of exerting the same degree of control over the musical surface as could be attributed to pitch relations in tonal music. Whereas pitch relations are the bearers of linear continuity in tonal music via scale steps, pitch-class relations in post-tonal music, no matter how rigorously controlled, cannot make a comparable claim. We are confronted, then, with a serious gap between the vivid realities of the surface of twentieth-century music and our accounts of the rather remote abstractions that are supposed to be its prime determinants. Recent work on timbre, meter, and attack point relations has begun to remedy the one-sided pitch-class favoritism, but these parameters too often are relegated to the margins as surface phenomena. The radical music of the classical twelve-tone period most often has
Species Differences in the in Vitro Metabolism of Deltamethrin and Esfenvalerate: Differential Oxidative and Hydrolytic Metabolism by Humans and Rats

Pyrethroids are neurotoxic pesticides whose pharmacokinetic behavior plays a role in their potency. This study examined the elimination of esfenvalerate and deltamethrin from rat and human liver microsomes. A parent depletion approach in the presence and absence of NADPH was used to assess species differences in biotransformation pathways, rates of elimination, and intrinsic hepatic clearance. Esfenvalerate was eliminated primarily via NADPH-dependent oxidative metabolism in both rat and human liver microsomes. The intrinsic hepatic clearance (CLINT) of esfenvalerate was estimated to be 3-fold greater in rodents than in humans on a per kilogram body weight basis. Deltamethrin was also eliminated primarily via NADPH-dependent oxidative metabolism in rat liver microsomes; however, in human liver microsomes, deltamethrin was eliminated almost entirely via NADPH-independent hydrolytic metabolism. The CLINT for deltamethrin was estimated to be 2-fold more rapid in humans than in rats on a per kilogram body weight basis. Metabolism by purified rat and human carboxylesterases (CEs) were used to further examine the species differences in hydrolysis of deltamethrin and esfenvalerate. Results of CE metabolism revealed that human carboxylesterase 1 (hCE-1) was markedly more active toward deltamethrin than the class 1 rat CEs hydrolase A and B and the class 2 human CE (hCE-2); however, hydrolase A metabolized esfenvalerate 2-fold faster than hCE-1, whereas hydrolase B and hCE-1 hydrolyzed esfenvalerate at equal rates. These studies demonstrate a significant species difference in the in vitro pathways of biotransformation of deltamethrin in rat and human liver microsomes, which is due in part to differences in the intrinsic activities of rat and human carboxylestersases.
Multifunctional CMOS Structure with Improved linearity

An original low-power low-voltage multifunctional structure with improved performances will be further presented, allowing to implement (with minor changes in the design) four important functions: the signal gain with theoretical null distortions, voltage multiplying with very good linearity and simulation of a perfect linear resistor with both positive and negative equivalent resistance. The linearity will be strongly increased by implementing original techniques, while the silicon occupied area per function will be reduced as a result of the circuit multifunctionality. The structure is implemented in 0.35 μm CMOS technology and is supplied at ±3 V. The circuit presents a very good linearity (THD < 0.1% for differential amplifier and active resistors and THD < 0.15% for multiplier), correlated with an extended range of the input voltage (-1.5V < v1 - v2 < 1.5 V). The tuning range of the active resistor is about 100kΩ – 1.5MΩ. The second-order effects are also considered, being proposed an original technique based on an anti-parallel connection for compensating the linearity degradation introduced by these effects.
Exenatide augments first- and second-phase insulin secretion in response to intravenous glucose in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

CONTEXT First-phase insulin secretion (within 10 min after a sudden rise in plasma glucose) is reduced in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The incretin mimetic exenatide has glucoregulatory activities in DM2, including glucose-dependent enhancement of insulin secretion. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine whether exenatide can restore a more normal pattern of insulin secretion in subjects with DM2. DESIGN Fasted subjects received iv insulin infusion to reach plasma glucose 4.4-5.6 mmol/liter. Subjects received iv exenatide (DM2) or saline (DM2 and healthy volunteers), followed by iv glucose challenge. PATIENTS Thirteen evaluable DM2 subjects were included in the study: 11 males, two females; age, 56 +/- 7 yr; body mass index, 31.7 +/- 2.4 kg/m2; hemoglobin A1c, 6.6 +/- 0.7% (mean +/- sd) treated with diet/exercise (n = 1), metformin (n = 10), or acarbose (n = 2). Controls included 12 healthy, weight-matched subjects with normal glucose tolerance: nine males, three females; age, 57 +/- 9 yr; and body mass index, 32.0 +/- 3.0 kg/m2. SETTING The study was conducted at an academic hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Plasma insulin, plasma C-peptide, insulin secretion rate (derived by deconvolution), and plasma glucagon were the main outcome measures. RESULTS DM2 subjects administered saline had diminished first-phase insulin secretion, compared with healthy control subjects. Exenatide-treated DM2 subjects had an insulin secretory pattern similar to healthy subjects in both first (0-10 min) and second (10-180 min) phases after glucose challenge, in contrast to saline-treated DM2 subjects. In exenatide-treated DM2 subjects, the most common adverse event was moderate nausea (two of 13 subjects). CONCLUSIONS Short-term exposure to exenatide can restore the insulin secretory pattern in response to acute rises in glucose concentrations in DM2 patients who, in the absence of exenatide, do not display a first phase of insulin secretion. Loss of first-phase insulin secretion in DM2 patients may be restored by treatment with exenatide.
Secondary poisoning risk assessment of terrestrial birds and mammals exposed to Nickel

The European Union's Existing Substances regulation (EEC 793/93) was developed to assess the ecological risks posed by chemical substances such as Ni and includes the assessment of secondary poisoning risks. The basic structure of this secondary poisoning risk assessment followed the Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment and thus included development of predicted exposure concentrations (PECs) and predicted no‐effect concentrations (PNECs). A PEC to PNEC ratio greater than 1.0 is indicative of potential risk. The Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment provides a generic framework for assessing secondary poisoning risks and prescribes the following terrestrial food chain: soil → earthworm → worm‐eating bird or mammal. This secondary poisoning evaluation was conducted at the regional level, and it was found that the generic approach resulted in widespread estimates of potential risk, even at ambient Ni soil concentrations. Accordingly, a tiered approach was used with increasing levels of refinement, including consideration of bioavailability, consideration of a variable diet, and development of dose‐based PNEC values. Based on the refined approach, all PEC to PNEC ratios were less than 1.0, except for a ratio of 1.4 in a scenario focused on a regional clay soil, which was of natural origin. This regional‐level secondary poisoning evaluation highlighted key risk assessment components that should be considered in future localized secondary poisoning assessments of Ni and other metals, including ingestion rate to body weight ratios for the test organisms used to derive PNECs versus the representative wildlife species evaluated, the appropriateness of high assessment factors for deriving PNECs for naturally occurring essential elements, representative dietary compositions, relative metal bioavailability between the dietary toxicity study and natural diets, and ground‐truthing of the risk predictions versus background concentrations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012;8:107–119. © 2011 SETAC
Continuous monitoring of the cytoplasmic pH in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum using the intracellular factor F(420) as indicator.

The absorption spectrum of factor F(420) changes depending on the pH and the redox state of the cytoplasm. Specific wavelengths were used to calibrate absorption changes to allow the measurement of changes in the cytoplasmic pH in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Upon a hydrogen pulse, a rapid efflux of protons was observed. Under these energized conditions, the DeltapH amounts to 0.2-0.4 pH units at pH 6.6, and 0.6-0.8 pH units at pH 6.0. It decays within 10-20 s. In parallel, a sodium gradient is formed which has a slightly longer lifetime. Both DeltapH and DeltaPsi contribute to the proton-motive force present during methanogenesis. The energy-conversion rate, as indicated by the decay of the energized state of the cell, is fastest under growth conditions, i.e. at pH 6.9 and at a temperature of 58 degrees C.
Effects of niclosamide on Oncomelania hupensis, the intermediate snail host of Schistosoma japonicum: an enzyme-histochemical study

An enzyme-histochemical study of five enzymes, namely succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cytochrome oxidase (CCO), cholinesterase (CHE) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS), was elucidated in the soft tissues of Oncomelania hupensis, the intermediate host snail of Schistosoma japonicum, before and after the treatment with a suspension concentrate of niclosamide (SCN). Following the treatment of SCN, a marked loss occurred in the activity of the five enzymes mentioned above. LDH and SDH showed their strongest activity in the buccal mass and muscular fibers, CCO in buccal mass and liver, CHE in pellicle and ganglia, and NOS in muscular fibers and pharyngeal canal. The results indicate that SCN impairs the activities of the enzymes influencing the transfer of neurotransmitter and energy supply in O. hupensis, ultimately leading to the loss of various physiological functions, which is considered to be a cause of death in O. hupensis.
Large Scale Image Deduplication

With the rise of internet and personal digital camera, it becomes easy for researchers to get image data in mass quantity. With these large amount of image data, it is impossible for humans to examine each image and insure the quality of the dataset. Therefore it is crucial to develop algorithms that can process large amount of data. This paper will focus on a particular problem related to image dataset, image deduplication. We propose an efﬁ-cient and scalable method to ﬁnd near-duplicate images in an image collection. Our method includes 3-steps, ﬁrst, extract compact features from each image. Second, use a fast clustering algorithm to reduce possible image match. The clustering algorithm should be CPU/memory efﬁcient and can scale through multiple machines easily. We will use the method proposed by [3] that uses map-reduce to implement approximate nearest neighbor. Finally, apply a more accurate method on the clustered images to ﬁnd duplicate images in each group. We will use method proposal by [6].
La construction d'un système d'information géographique : principes et algorithmes du système Savane

Cette these presente un travail de recherche et de developpement informatique visant a apporter une reponse concrete a la question suivante : comment construire un systeme d'information geographique complet et operationnel, en suivant les principes theoriques de la gestion de donnees et en les adaptant aux donnees geographiques ? Son objet principal est de montrer sur un exemple concret l'implication des principes theoriques de la gestion de donnees dans la realisation pratique d'un logiciel de type SIG. Elle presente l'architecture et la realisation d'un systeme d'information geographique operationnel le systeme SAVANE - a partir des nombreux concepts, techniques et algorithmes necessaires a cette realisation. Ce travail de recherche a ete effectue dans le cadre de l'IRD (Institut de recherche pour le developpement). Le memoire reprend l'ensemble des travaux realises, en decrivant chaque aspect necessaire a la construction du systeme et en expliquant les choix effectues, selon la demarche que nous avons suivie tout au long de ce travail, a savoir : - exposer avec precision tous les aspects concernant la definition et l'utilisation de l'information geographique ; - exposer et developper les principes de la gestion de donnees (modele relationnel et objet) pour les etendre aux donnees localisees ; - developper ou mettre en oeuvre les algorithmes necessaires a l'implantation de ces principes dans un systeme d'information ; - construire un systeme operationnel, mettant en oeuvre les principes theoriques et repondant a un cahier des charges fonctionnel couvrant l'ensemble des besoins necessaires a l'utilisation de ce systeme dans le cadre de projets appliques, notamment en geographie et dans le cadre de la recherche pour le developpement. L'expose des methodes est souvent suivi de la presentation d'algorithmes et de leur realisation concrete. Des references renvoient frequemment le lecteur a une annexe contenant l'implantation effective des structures et des algorithmes.
Implicit Contextual Learning in Prodromal and Early Stage Huntington's Disease Patients

Abstract Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder affecting the basal ganglia. These subcortical structures are particularly important for motor functions, response selection and implicit learning. In the current study, we have assessed prodromal and symptomatic HD participants with an implicit contextual learning task that is not based on motor learning, but on a purely visual implicit learning mechanism. We used an implicit contextual learning task in which subjects need to locate a target among several distractors. In half of the trials, the positions of the distractors and target stimuli were repeated. By memorizing this contextual information, attention can be guided faster to the target stimulus. Nine symptomatic HD participants, 16 prodromal HD participants and 22 control subjects were included. We found that the responses of the control subjects were faster for the repeated trials than for the new trials, indicating that their visual search was facilitated when repeated contextual information was present. In contrast, no difference in response times between the repeated and new trials was found for the symptomatic and prodromal HD participants. The results of the current study indicate that both prodromal and symptomatic HD participants are impaired on an implicit contextual learning task. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–8)
Energy harvesting using cyclic prefixed OFDMA

In this work, a self-sustainable transmission approach for orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) receiver is considered, to extend the battery life of the receiver. This is achieved by exploiting the redundant part of OFDMA block structure, that is, cyclic prefix (CP). The self-sustainability level is analyzed by considering the effect of power budget at the transmitter, the power consumed by the receiver, distance-dependent path loss and shadowing. It is shown that how the number of users within a cell affects the self-sustainability performance. Simulations prove that it is possible to have a fully self-sustainable transmission under certain conditions (depending upon the cell radius and the number of users).
Sugar signalling and antioxidant network connections in plant cells

Sugars play important roles as both nutrients and regulatory molecules throughout plant life. Sugar metabolism and signalling function in an intricate network with numerous hormones and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, signalling and scavenging systems. Although hexokinase is well known to fulfil a crucial role in glucose sensing processes, a scenario is emerging in which the catalytic activity of mitochondria‐associated hexokinase regulates glucose‐6‐phosphate and ROS levels, stimulating antioxidant defence mechanisms and the synthesis of phenolic compounds. As a new concept, it can be hypothesized that the synergistic interaction of sugars (or sugar‐like compounds) and phenolic compounds forms part of an integrated redox system, quenching ROS and contributing to stress tolerance, especially in tissues or organelles with high soluble sugar concentrations.