Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) increases the release of neutrophil products associated with coronary vulnerability

Summary The “blood vulnerability”, resulting from the complex balance between serum molecules and inflammatory cell atherosclerotic activities, is a major determinant in the evaluation of the “global patient cardiovascular vulnerability”. In the present study, we focused on the role of the soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL, a potential marker of coronary calcification and vulnerability) in the release of neutrophilic proteases. Then, the association between these mediators and the degree of coronary calcification (assessed by coronary calcium score [CCS]) was investigated in 20 subjects (aged ≥65 years) asymptomatic for cardiovascular disease. Results showed that RANKL dose-dependently induced matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-8 and MMP-9 release from human primary neutrophils cultured in Teflon dishes (suspension condition, mimicking cells circulating in the blood stream). Conversely, when adherent to polystyrene, neutrophils became unresponsive to RANKL. RANKL did not influence the release of other neutrophilic products in suspension and adherence cultures as well as neutrophil migration. RANKL-induced release of MMPs was dependent on the activation of defined intracellular signalling pathways (PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2). In asymptomatic subjects, serum levels of RANKL, MMP-8 and MMP-9 positively correlated with CCS, reflecting a potential relationship between circulating RANKL and coronary calcification. In conclusion, RANKL increased the release of neutrophilic products potentially related to the “blood” vulnerability via defined intracellular pathways. Serum levels of RANKL might represent a potential biomarker of coronary calcification and related cardiovascular risk.
Dopamine Modulates the Efficiency of Sensory Evidence Accumulation During Perceptual Decision Making

Abstract Background Perceptual decision making is the process through which available sensory information is gathered and processed to guide our choices. However, the neuropsychopharmacological basis of this important cognitive function is largely elusive. Yet, theoretical considerations suggest that the dopaminergic system may play an important role. Methods In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study design, we examined the effect of methylphenidate in 2 dosages (0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg body weight) in separate groups of healthy young adults. We used a moving dots task in which the coherency of the direction of moving dots stimuli was manipulated in 3 levels (5%, 15%, and 35%). Drift diffusion modelling was applied to behavioral data to capture subprocesses of perceptual decision making. Results The findings show that only the drift rate (v), reflecting the efficiency of sensory evidence accumulation, but not the decision criterion threshold (a) or the duration of nondecisional processes (Ter), is affected by methylphenidate vs placebo administration. Compared with placebo, administering 0.25 mg/kg methylphenidate increased v, but only in the 35% coherence condition. Administering 0.5 mg/kg methylphenidate did not induce modulations. Conclusions The data suggest that dopamine selectively modulates the efficacy of evidence accumulation during perceptual decision making. This modulation depends on 2 factors: (1) the degree to which the dopaminergic system is modulated using methylphenidate (i.e., methylphenidate dosage) and (2) the signal-to-noise ratio of the visual information. Dopamine affects sensory evidence accumulation only when dopamine concentration is not shifted beyond an optimal level and the incoming information is less noisy.
A Low-Power Low-Voltage High-Performance Fully Differential OTA in 65-nm CMOS Process

This paper presents the design and analysis of high speed, high gain and fully differential operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) implemented in 65-nm digital CMOS process. The OTA, which employ a folded-cascode topology with gain boosting technique, has rail-to-rail input swing and large output swing. The result shows the DC gain of 82 dB and a unity-gain frequency of 477MHz with phase margin of 59° (double 1-pF load) while consuming 4.8 mW. For the normal corner, the settling time to < 0.05% accuracy is 10 ns. KeywordsCMOS integrated circuits; OTA; gain-boosting
Direct Speech Generation for a Silent Speech Interface based on Permanent Magnet Articulography

Patients with larynx cancer often lose their voice following total laryngectomy. Current methods for post-laryngectomy voice restoration are all unsatisfactory due to different reasons: requires frequent replacement due to biofilm growth (tracheo-oesoephageal valve), speech sounds gruff and masculine (oesophageal speech) or robotic (electro-larynx) and, in general, are difficult to master (oesophageal speech and electro-larynx). In this work we investigate an alternative approach for voice restoration in which speech articulator movement is converted into audible speech using a speaker-dependent transformation learned from simultaneous recordings of articulatory and audio signals. To capture articulator movement, small magnets are attached to the speech articulators and the magnetic field generated while the user `mouths' words is captured by a set of sensors. Parallel data comprising articulatory and acoustic signals recorded before laryngectomy are used to learn the mapping between the articulatory and acoustic domains, which is represented in this work as a mixture of factor analysers. After laryngectomy, the learned transformation is used to restore the patient's voice by transforming the captured articulator movement into an audible speech signal. Results reported for normal speakers show that the proposed system is very promising.
The actin nucleator WASp is required for myoblast fusion during adult Drosophila myogenesis

Myoblast fusion provides a fundamental, conserved mechanism for muscle fiber growth. We demonstrate here that the functional contribution of Wsp, the Drosophila homolog of the conserved actin nucleation-promoting factor (NPF) WASp, is essential for myoblast fusion during the formation of muscles of the adult fly. Disruption of Wsp function results in complete arrest of myoblast fusion in all muscles examined. Wsp activity during adult Drosophila myogenesis is specifically required for muscle cell fusion and is crucial both for the formation of new muscle fibers and for the growth of muscles derived from persistent larval templates. Although Wsp is expressed both in fibers and individual myoblasts, its activity in either one of these cell types is sufficient. SCAR, a second major Arp2/3 NPF, is also required during adult myoblast fusion. Formation of fusion-associated actin ‘foci’ is dependent on Arp2/3 complex function, but appears to rely on a distinct, unknown nucleator. The comprehensive nature of these requirements identifies Arp2/3-based branched actin polymerization as a universal mechanism underlying myoblast fusion.
TRPM2 promotes the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

The aim of the present study was to investigate transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 2 (TRPM2), a promising therapeutic target and biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognosis, in addition to determining its effects regarding tumor progression and invasion. PDAC is a fatal disease with a poor prognosis, and its associated pathogenic molecular mechanisms remain to be determined. In the present study, combined analysis using genomic and transcriptomic data from two PDAC studies was performed to discover a survival-associated biomarker of PDAC. Survival analysis for genes mutated in ≥10 patients was performed using a Kaplan-Meier curve and tested for significance using a log-rank test. Furthermore, gene-expression correlation analysis was performed to determine the genes with the strongest correlations to TRPM2. In addition, a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, a scratch wound-healing assay and a Transwell assay were performed in the present study to investigate the proliferative, invasive and metastatic ability of PANC-1 cells in TRPM2-overexpressing and downregulated groups. The mutated TRPM2 gene had a strong negative correlation with patient survival probability compared with the normal control group (P=1.06×10-4). Expression of TRPM2 was strongly correlated with expression of probable phospholipid-transporting ATPase IM, γ-parvin, tudor domain containing 9, Toll-like receptor 7 and Scm-like with four MBT domains protein 2 according to the criterion of a correlation coefficient >0.5. Furthermore, the results of the present study demonstrated that the TRPM2 overexpression in a PDAC cell line (PANC-1) promoted cell proliferation, invasion and metastatic ability. TRPM2 represents a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for patients with PDAC. TRPM2 regulates cell proliferation, invasion and migration; however, the underlying mechanism requires further investigation in future studies.
QUOIN: Incentive Mechanisms for Crowd Sensing Networks

Crowd sensing networks play a critical role in big data generation where a large number of mobile devices collect various kinds of data with large-volume features. Although which information should be collected is essential for the success of crowd-sensing applications, few research efforts have been made so far. On the other hand, an efficient incentive mechanism is required to encourage all crowd-sensing participants, including data collectors, service providers, and service consumers, to join the networks. In this article, we propose a new incentive mechanism called QUOIN, which simultaneously ensures Quality and Usability Of INformation for crowd-sensing application requirements. We apply a Stackelberg game model to the proposed mechanism to guarantee each participant achieves a satisfactory level of profits. Performance of QUOIN is evaluated with a case study, and experimental results demonstrate that it is efficient and effective in collecting valuable information for crowd-sensing applications.
Poverty Traps Across Levels of Aggregation : Poverty-Traps , Coordination Failure , and Optimal Social Policy

While there is increasing evidence in both micro and macro research that poverty traps impede transitions out of poverty in certain contexts, less is known about how micro and macro poverty traps interact. We explore the extent to which layers of poverty traps potentially reinforce each other. For example, if credit market failures cause micro-level poverty traps, then big-push policies could move households out of poverty. However, if these households also live within a macro-level poverty trap, then this policy may be ineffective unless matched with a policy to overcome the macro poverty trap. We explore the conditions under which policy may target one type of poverty trap and when it is necessary to address multiple layers of poverty traps.
Low-level laser therapy in acute pain: a systematic review of possible mechanisms of action and clinical effects in randomized placebo-controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to review the biological and clinical short-term effects of photoradiation in acute pain from soft-tissue injury. BACKGROUND DATA It is unclear if and how photoradiation can reduce acute pain. METHODS Literature search of (i) controlled laboratory trials investigating potential biological mechanisms for pain relief and (ii) randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials which measure outcomes within the first 7 days after acute soft-tissue injury. RESULTS There is strong evidence from 19 out of 22 controlled laboratory studies that photoradiation can modulate inflammatory pain by reducing levels of biochemical markers (PGE(2), mRNA Cox 2, IL-1beta, TNFalpha), neutrophil cell influx, oxidative stress, and formation of edema and hemorrhage in a dose-dependent manner (median dose 7.5 J/cm(2), range 0.3-19 J/cm(2)). Four comparisons with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in animal studies found optimal doses of photoradiation and NSAIDs to be equally effective. Seven randomized placebo-controlled trials found no significant results after irradiating only a single point on the skin overlying the site of injury, or after using a total energy dose below 5 Joules. Nine randomized placebo-controlled trials (n = 609) were of acceptable methodological quality, and irradiated three or more points and/or more than 2.5 cm(2) at site of injury or surgical incision, with a total energy of 5.0-19.5 Joules. Results in these nine trials were significantly in favor of photoradiation groups over placebo groups in 15 out of 18 outcome comparisons. Poor and heterogeneous data presentation hampered statistical pooling of continuous data. Categorical data of subjective improvement were homogeneous (Q-value = 7.1) and could be calculated from four trials (n = 379) giving a significant relative risk for improvement of 2.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-3.9) in a fixed effects model. CONCLUSION photoradiation can modulate inflammatory processes in a dose-dependent manner and can be titrated to significantly reduce acute inflammatory pain in clinical settings. Further clinical trials with adequate photoradiation doses are needed to precisely estimate the effect size for photoradiation in acute pain.
Rapid Proton-Detected NMR Assignment for Proteins with Fast Magic Angle Spinning

Using a set of six 1H-detected triple-resonance NMR experiments, we establish a method for sequence-specific backbone resonance assignment of magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of 5–30 kDa proteins. The approach relies on perdeuteration, amide 2H/1H exchange, high magnetic fields, and high-spinning frequencies (ωr/2π ≥ 60 kHz) and yields high-quality NMR data, enabling the use of automated analysis. The method is validated with five examples of proteins in different condensed states, including two microcrystalline proteins, a sedimented virus capsid, and two membrane-embedded systems. In comparison to contemporary 13C/15N-based methods, this approach facilitates and accelerates the MAS NMR assignment process, shortening the spectral acquisition times and enabling the use of unsupervised state-of-the-art computational data analysis protocols originally developed for solution NMR.
Device-Free Wireless Sensing: Challenges, Opportunities, and Applications

Recent developments on DFWS have shown that wireless signals can be utilized not only as a communication medium to transmit data, but also as an enabling tool for realizing non-intrusive device-free sensing. DFWS has many potential applications, for example, human detection and localization, human activity and gesture recognition, surveillance, elder or patient monitoring, emergency rescue, and so on. With the development and maturity of DFWS, we believe it will eventually empower traditional wireless networks with the augmented ability to sense the surrounding environment, and evolve wireless communication networks into intelligent sensing networks that could sense human-scale context information within the deployment area of the network. The research field of DFWS has emerged quickly recently. This article tries to provide an integrated picture of this emerging field and hopefully inspire future research. Specifically, we present the working principle and system architecture of the DFWS system, review its potential applications, and discuss research challenges and opportunities.
Stratifying the risk of developing atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery using heart rate asymmetry indexes

Heart period (HP) asymmetry (HPA) is a peculiar pattern detectable over short-term HP variability recordings suggesting that cardiac deceleration runs are shorter than acceleration ones in healthy subjects. We tested the hypothesis that two traditional HPA indexes, namely the Porta's index (PI) and Guzik's index (GI), can distinguish patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery developing atrial fibrillation (AF) after surgery from the ones who do not (noAF). HP was derived from the electrocardiogram in 130 patients scheduled for CABG before (PRE) and after (POST) the induction of general anesthesia. PI assesses the percentage of positive HP changes, while GI quantifies the percent sum of the squared positive variations. Positive departures from 50 suggest that a series exhibits HPA. Surrogate analysis was exploited to assess the significant presence of HPA patterns. The likelihood of detecting HPA patters was higher in AF subjects and this result held during PRE. GI featured a greater statistical power than PI. Neither HP mean nor variance distinguished the two groups. HPA indexes can be exploited to improve stratification of the risk for post-surgery AF.
Tumescent infiltration of corticosteroids, lidocaine, and epinephrine into dermatomes of acute herpetic pain or postherpetic neuralgia.

Twenty-six patients with herpetic neuralgia were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 13 patients with acute herpetic neuralgia, arbitrarily defined as pain beginning from 0 days to 3 months after the onset of herpes zoster infection. Group 2 consisted of 13 patients treated during the course of the postherpetic neuralgia, arbitrarily defined as pain lasting 3 months or more from the onset of the herpes zoster outbreak. Initial pain was scored subjectively by the patient on a scale of 0 to 10. Zero equaled no pain; 1 to 4, a level of pain that was annoying without having substantial effects on the patient’s lifestyle; 5 to 9, pain that affected normal routines and activities; and 10, unbearable pain that was extremely incapacitating.
A simulation framework for decentralized formation control of non-holonomic differential drive robots

Decentralized cooperative control schemes are a prime research focus due to their resemblance to biological systems and many advantages over centralized schemes. This paper presents a simulation framework for a decentralized cooperative control scheme for differential drive mobile robots, with focus on formation control and obstacle avoidance. The framework employs a hierarchical three layered model. The highest layer responsible for defining intermediate waypoints followed by a navigation layer and a trajectory tracking layer. The navigation layer employs virtual and behavioral structures along with artificial potential field functions using non-linear systems theory to generate robot trajectories. Due to non-holonomic nature of the differential drive robots a robust sliding mode controller is employed for trajectory tracking. Simulation results for individual layer and for the integrated platform are presented, for formation control with obstacle avoidance in a practical scenario with reasonable assumptions. Simulation results validate the working of the proposed scheme.
Female mating failure and the failure of ‘mating’ in sterile insect programs

The sterile insect technique (SIT) involves the inundative release of irradiated (sterile or partially sterile) insects to decrease population levels in a target pest species. The effectiveness of SIT programs depends on sterile males mating successfully and inducing reproductive failure in wild females, or in the F1 generation in the case of lepidopteran species. Thus, from the perspective of insect control, female mating failure involves mating with a mass‐reared, sterilized male, which then results in female reproductive failure. Here, we review female mating failure in the context of SIT at two stages. First, at the pre‐copulatory stage we consider factors that affect female mating failure with sterile males, such as differences between sterile and wild males in terms of male courtship success, male discrimination of females, pheromone production, and dispersal. We emphasize studies with some degree of ecological realism and review certain factors that can affect female sexual development and choice, such as diet, age, and sex ratio. Second, at the post‐copulatory stage we consider factors that functionally result in female reproductive failure, such as ejaculate transfer and control of female remating. Sterile insect technique operations strive to incorporate methods that increase wild female mating with sterile males so that ultimately population‐wide reproductive failure is achieved in the target species.
CURRENT CONTROL OF THREE-PHASE

Three-phase voltage-source converters are used as utility interfaces. In such a case, the converter line currents are required to track sinusoidal references synchronized with the utility grid without a steady-state error. In this paper a current control method based on a sinusoidal internal model is employed. The method uses a sine transfer function with a specified resonant frequency, which is called an S regulator. The combination of a conventional proportional–integral (PI) regulator and an S regulator is called a PIS regulator. The PIS regulator ensures that the steady-state error in response to any step changes in a reference signal at the resonant frequency and 0 Hz reduces to zero. An experiment was carried out using a 1-kVA prototype of three utility-interface converters, a voltage-source rectifier, an active power filter, and static synchronous compensator. Almost perfect current-tracking performance could be observed.
Vertical illusory self-motion through haptic stimulation of the feet

Circular and linear self-motion illusions induced through visual and auditory stimuli have been studied rather extensively. While the ability of haptic stimuli to augment such illusions has been investigated, the self-motion illusions which primarily are induced by stimulation of the haptic modality remain relatively unexplored. In this paper, we present an experiment performed with the intention of investigating whether it is possible to use haptic stimulation of the main supporting areas of the feet to induce vertical illusory self-motion on behalf of unrestrained participants during exposure to a virtual environment depicting an elevator. The experiment was based on a within-subjects design where all participants were subjected to identical visual and auditory stimuli. The participants experienced a total of four conditions. For three of the conditions a different signal was used to generate the haptic feedback while the final condition included no haptic feedback. Analysis of self-reports were used to assess the participants' experience of illusory self-motion. The results indicate that such illusions are indeed possible. Significant differences were found between the condition including no haptic feedback and the remaining three conditions.