Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engineering Lipid Bilayer Membranes for Protein Studies

Lipid membranes regulate the flow of nutrients and communication signaling between cells and protect the sub-cellular structures. Recent attempts to fabricate artificial systems using nanostructures that mimic the physiological properties of natural lipid bilayer membranes (LBM) fused with transmembrane proteins have helped demonstrate the importance of temperature, pH, ionic strength, adsorption behavior, conformational reorientation and surface density in cellular membranes which all affect the incorporation of proteins on solid surfaces. Much of this work is performed on artificial templates made of polymer sponges or porous materials based on alumina, mica, and porous silicon (PSi) surfaces. For example, porous silicon materials have high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photoluminescence, which allow them to be used both as a support structure for lipid bilayers or a template to measure the electrochemical functionality of living cells grown over the surface as in vivo. The variety of these media, coupled with the complex physiological conditions present in living systems, warrant a summary and prospectus detailing which artificial systems provide the most promise for different biological conditions. This study summarizes the use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data on artificial biological membranes that are closely matched with previously published biological systems using both black lipid membrane and patch clamp techniques.
Effects of Mid-Passage Gap, Endwall Misalignment and Roughness on Endwall Film-Cooling

To maintain acceptable turbine airfoil temperatures, film-cooling is typically used whereby coolant, extracted from the compressor, is injected through component surfaces. In manufacturing a turbine, the first stage vanes are cast in either single airfoils or double airfoils. As the engine is assembled, these singlets or doublets are placed in a turbine disk in which there are inherent gaps between the airfoils. The turbine is designed to allow outflow of high pressure coolant rather than hot gas ingestion. Moreover, it is quite possible that the singlets or doublets become misaligned during engine operation. It has also become of interest to the turbine community as to the effect of corrosion and deposition of particles on component heat transfer. This study uses a large scale turbine vane in which the following two effects are investigated: the effect of a mid-passage gap on endwall film-cooling and the effect of roughness on endwall film-cooling. The results indicate that the mid-passage gap was found to have a significant effect on the coolant exiting from the combustor-turbine interface slot. When the gap is misaligned, the results indicate a severe reduction in the film-cooling effectiveness in the case where the pressure side endwall is below the endwall associated with the suction side of the adjacent vane.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Interactive auditory virtual environments for mobile devices

In this paper we present a client-server architecture which makes interactive auditory virtual environments (AVEs) accessible to devices with limited computational power. The implementation of an AVE generator as web service allows for platform independent "AVE services" via mobile devices almost "anywhere on any device" using a standard web browser. We propose a client-server architecture which computes the acoustic signals on a high-performance server and provides low-latency audio streaming from the server to the client.
T Cell Activation Stimulates the Association of Enzymatically Active Tyrosine-phosphorylated ZAP-70 with the Crk Adapter Proteins*

Engagement of the T cell antigen receptor initiates signal transduction involving tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple effector molecules and the formation of multimolecular complexes at the receptor site. Adapter proteins that possess SH2 and SH3 protein-protein interaction domains are implicated in the assembly of cell activation-induced signaling complexes. We found that Crk adapter proteins undergo activation-induced interaction with the ζ-chain associated protein (ZAP-70) tyrosine kinase in the human T cell line, Jurkat. Incubation of various glutathioneS-transferase fusion proteins with a lysate of activated Jurkat cells resulted in selective association of ZAP-70 with Crk, but not Grb2 or Nck, adapter proteins. In addition, tyrosine-phosphorylated ZAP-70 co-immunoprecipitated with Crk from a lysate of activated Jurkat cells, and ZAP-70 association with GST-Crk was observed in a lysate of activated human peripheral blood T cells. Association between the two molecules was mediated by direct physical interaction and involved the Crk-SH2 domain and phosphotyrosyl-containing sequences on ZAP-70. The association required intact Lck, considered to be an upstream regulator of ZAP-70, because it could not take place in activated JCaM1 cells, which express normal levels of ZAP-70 but are devoid of Lck. Finally, glutathione S-transferase-Crk fusion proteins were found to interact predominantly with membrane-residing tyrosine-phosphorylated ZAP-70 that exhibited autophosphorylation activity as well as phosphorylation of an exogenous substrate, CFB3. These findings suggest that Crk adapter proteins play a role in the early activation events of T lymphocytes, apparently, by direct interaction with, and regulation of, the membrane-residing ZAP-70 protein tyrosine kinase.
Dual circularly polarized spiral and loop antennas backed by a conducting plane reflector

Using the moment method, an asymmetrical two-wire spiral antenna has been analyzed in the presence of a conducting plane reflector. The spiral outer circumference is appropriately chosen for dual CP radiation. It is found that dual operation for a 3-dB axial-ratio criterion is obtained in a frequency bandwidth of 3%. Dual operation is also attained for a reflector-backed loop antenna with perturbation segments. Calculations reveal that the loop height above the reflector is one of the key parameters for dual operation. Once the loop height is properly selected, the loop configuration can be optimized as in the case of the dual spiral antenna.
Sheet migration by wounded monolayers as an emergent property of single-cell dynamics

Multi-cell migration is important for tissue development and repair. An experimentally accessible example of multi-cell migration is provided by the classic scratch-wound assay. In this assay, a confluent monolayer is `injured' by forcibly removing a strip of cells, and the remaining monolayer `heals' through some combination of cell migration, spreading and proliferation. The scratch wound has been used for decades as a model of wound healing and an assay of cell migration, however the mechanisms that underlie the coherent expansion of cells in the surviving monolayer are still debated. Here we develop an agent-based computational model that predicts the most robust characteristics of healing in scratch wounds. The cells in our model are simple mechanical agents that respond to cell contact by redirecting migration and slowing division. We imbued model cells with crawling and growth dynamics and measured for individual L1 fibroblasts and found that simulated recovery occurs in a steady, sheet-like and division-independent fashion to mimic healing by L1s. The lack of cohesion and biochemical cell-cell communication in the model suggests that these factors are not strictly necessary for cells to migrate as a group. Instead, our analysis suggests that steady sheet migration can be explained by cell spreading in the monolayer.
Parameter and index images of benzodiazepine receptor concentration in the brain.

UNLABELLED In vivo studies of ligand-receptor interactions with PET data are based on different approaches that provide either quantitative results (receptor density and affinity) or indices that are assumed to be correlated with the receptor concentration. The aims of this study are to obtain parametric images of benzodiazepine receptor concentration and of flumazenil affinity and to study the validity of two receptor concentration indexes. METHODS A three-compartment ligand-receptor model, [11C]flumazenil, and experimental data obtained using a three-injection protocol in human volunteers were used to acquire parametric images. The delayed activity method and the apparent distribution volume (estimated using a two-compartment model) were also tested and their results compared with those of the multi-injection approach. RESULTS Parametric images of receptor density, affinity and all kinetic parameters were obtained with acceptable variation coefficients. A correlation between receptor density and apparent affinity was found (r = 0.83; p < 0.0005). The correlation between receptor concentration and apparent distribution volume (estimated with three- and two-compartment models, respectively) was accessed using both a linear (the usual hypothesis) and a nonlinear correlation derived from the relationship between the receptor density and the affinity. CONCLUSION In spite of the complexity of this protocol (three injections, a 2-hr experiment, blood sampling and a metabolite study), we showed that the multi-injection approach is suitable for parametric brain imaging. By using this approach as a reference, we deduced that the distribution volume and delayed activity images are valid methods in the usual range of the benzodiazepine receptor concentrations found in the human brain.
Clustering via matrix powering

Given a set of n points with a matrix of pairwise similarity measures, one would like to partition the points into clusters so that similar points are together and different ones apart. We present an algorithm requiring only matrix powering that performs well in practice and bears an elegant interpretation in terms of random walks on a graph. Under a certain mixture model involving planting a partition via randomized rounding of tailored matrix entries, the algorithm can be proven effective for only a single squaring. It is shown that the clustering performance of the algorithm degrades with larger values of the exponent, thus revealing that a single squaring is optimal.
An Example of Microscopic Car Models Validation using the open source Traffic Simulation SUMO

In SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility; An open-source traffic simulation) we presented an open source simulation software for road traffic simulation. Now we show one possible field of application, the validation of microscopic car/car-driver models. Our motivation is to awake the interest in using and extending the software, so this report will describe the software´s usability but will not go into depth in interpreting the results.
Ubiquitous Diabetes Management System via Interactive Communication Based on Information Technologies: Clinical Effects and Perspectives

New diabetes management systems based on interactive communication have been introduced recently, accompanying rapid advances in information technology; these systems are referred to as "ubiquitous diabetes management systems. " In such ubiquitous systems, patients and medical teams can communicate via Internet or telecommunications, with patients uploading their glucose data and personal information, and medical teams sending optimal feedback. Clinical evidence from both long-term and short-term trials has been reported by some researchers. Such systems appear to be effective not only in reducing the levels of HbA1c but also in stabilizing glucose control. However, most notably, evidence for the cost-effectiveness of such a system should be demonstrated before it can be propagated out to the general population in actual clinical practice. To establish a cost-effective model, various types of clinical decision supporting software designed to reduce the labor time of physicians must first be developed. A number of sensors and devices for monitoring patients' data are expected to be available in the near future; thus, methods for automatic interconnections between devices and web charts were also developed. Further investigations to demonstrate the clinical outcomes of such a system should be conducted, hopefully leading to a new paradigm of diabetes management.
Generic Software Framework for Adaptive Applications on FPGAs

Adaptive systems are set to become more mainstream, as numerous practical applications in the communications domain emerge. FPGAs offer an ideal implementation platform, combining high performance with flexibility. While significant research has been undertaken in the area of FPGA partial reconfiguration, it has focussed primarily on low-level architecture-specific implementations. Building upon this previous work, we present a system model and software architecture for implementing runtime adaptive applications on FPGAs, separating the control and processing planes and abstracting away the details of hardware reconfiguration from the system designer. Hardware processing components appear as software components in the runtime system, enabling their inclusion in adaptive applications. We present an adaptive wireless application, demonstrating the use of the model and software architecture.
Resolving the ambiguity of real-time multiple object tracking using static cameras

Recently, because of its importance in computer vision and surveillance systems, object tracking has progressed rapidly. In this paper a novel strategy for tracking multiple objects using static cameras is introduced, which can be used to grant a cheap, easy installation, and robust tracking system. The proposed tracking strategy is based on scenes captured by static video cameras. Each camera is attached to a workstation that analyses its stream. All workstations are connected to a tracking server, which harmonises the system, collects the data, and creates the output spatial-tempo database. Our contribution comes in two issues. The first is to present a new methodology for transforming the image coordinates of an object to its real coordinates. The second is to offer a flexible event-based object tracking strategy, which has been tested over a CAD of soccer game environment. Preliminary experimental results show the robust performance of the proposed tracking strategy.
Deploying a personalized time management agent

We report on our ongoing practical experience in designing, implementing, and deploying PTIME, a personalized agent for time management and meeting scheduling in an open, multi-agent environment. In developing PTIME as part of a larger assistive agent called CALO, we have faced numerous challenges, including usability, multi-agent coordination, scalable constraint reasoning, robust execution, and unobtrusive learning. Our research advances basic solutions to the fundamental problems; however, integrating PTIME into a deployed system has raised other important issues for the successful adoption of new technology. As a personal assistant, PTIME must integrate easily into a user's real environment, support her normal workflow, respect her authority and privacy, provide natural user interfaces, and handle the issues that arise with deploying such a system in an open environment.
Claudin-1 Is a p63 Target Gene with a Crucial Role in Epithelial Development

The epidermis of the skin is a self-renewing, stratified epithelium that functions as the interface between the human body and the outer environment, and acts as a barrier to water loss. Components of intercellular junctions, such as Claudins, are critical to maintain tissue integrity and water retention. p63 is a transcription factor essential for proliferation of stem cells and for stratification in epithelia, mutated in human hereditary syndromes characterized by ectodermal dysplasia. Both p63 and Claudin-1 null mice die within few hours from birth due to dehydration from severe skin abnormalities. These observations suggested the possibility that these two genes might be linked in one regulatory pathway with p63 possibly regulating Claudin-1 expression. Here we show that silencing of ΔNp63 in primary mouse keratinocytes results in a marked down-regulation of Claudin-1 expression (−80%). ΔNp63α binds in vivo to the Claudin-1 promoter and activates both the endogenous Claudin-1 gene and a reporter vector containing a –1.4 Kb promoter fragment of the Claudin-1 gene. Accordingly, Claudin-1 expression was absent in the skin of E15.5 p63 null mice and natural p63 mutant proteins, specifically those found in Ankyloblepharon–Ectodermal dysplasia–Clefting (AEC) patients, were indeed altered in their capacity to regulate Claudin-1 transcription. This correlates with deficient Claudin-1 expression in the epidermis of an AEC patient carrying the I537T p63 mutation. Notably, AEC patients display skin fragility similar to what observed in the epidermis of Claudin-1 and p63 null mice. These findings reinforce the hypothesis that these two genes might be linked in a common regulatory pathway and that Claudin-1 may is an important p63 target gene involved in the pathogenesis of ectodermal dysplasias.
Load Bearing Capacity and Behaviour of Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheet

In many cases the capacity of composite slabs with profiled steel sheeting depends on the shear resistance at the sheet-concrete interface. This shear resistance is essential to the interaction between the steel sheeting and the concrete. Besides this, other factors also affect the behaviour of composite slabs. The first aim of this study is to find an effective method to measure the shear resistance at the concrete-sheet interface. Secondly, it aims to study the influence of different parameters on the load bearing capacity and behaviour of composite slabs without performing a large number of full-scale tests. The behaviour of composite slabs was investigated experimentally. A small-scale test, the concrete block bending test, was developed to measure the shear resistance at the concrete-sheet interface. The obtained shear flow-slip relation was then used in a numerical simulation using the finite element method. Moreover, six full-scale composite slabs with profiled steel sheet PEVA 45 were tested to determine the shear capacity of the slabs. The test results were evaluated according to the Swedish code and were used for comparison with the results from numerical simulations. A two-dimensional finite element model was used to study the behaviour of one-way composite slabs. It was found that the concrete strength only slightly affected the capacity of the slabs. The horizontal shear resistance at the sheet-concrete interface and the strength of the steel sheet were the most important factors. It was also found that the actual influence of horizontal shear resistance and the strength of the steel sheet depended on the failure modes of the slabs. Comparatively, the resistance for vertical separation had little effect and the influence can be neglected in the analysis. The behaviour of two-way composite slabs which were simply supported at four edges were investigated by a three-dimensional finite element model. It was found that the load transferred in two directions depended on a span to span ratio of the slabs. Compared with one-way slabs, two-way composite slabs had the advantages of a small deflection, a small end-slip and a high capacity.
More evidence on additive antipsychotic effect of adjunctive mirtazapine in schizophrenia: an extension phase of a randomized controlled trial

Adjunctive mirtazapine improved negative symptoms of schizophrenia in several studies. Recently, we found an improvement also in positive symptoms when mirtazapine was added to first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) in a 6 week randomized controlled trial (RCT). The short duration of that trial was its limitation. This study aimed to explore whether longer treatment is worthwhile.
Theoretical analysis of a multiscale algorithm for the direct segmentation of tomographic images

Several multiscale objective functions for the direct segmentation of tomographic images are presented. Standard methods of signal detection and estimation are used to develop a theoretical performance analysis, which quantitatively predicts the performance at realistic noise levels. The analysis compares the relative merit of multiscale and monoscale segmentation, and shows the impact of the Shepp-Logan skull's quantization error. <<ETX>>
A novel algorithm for synthesizing directional temporal texture animation

In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for directional temporal texture synthesis. The generated temporal textures can move in any user-specified direction at run time, while it requires only a static texture image as input. We first synthesize texture sequences that approximate to true video clips by a texture sequence synthesis algorithm. Then we use transition probabilities to generate infinite length sequences with semi-regular characteristic. The quality of synthesized temporal textures can be improved via cross-fading technique. We also extend our algorithm to interactive rendering. It allows users to design the image masks and warp grids by using mouse drag-and-drop. The temporal textures are pasted onto the scenery on the fly at the aid of image masks and warp grids. Therefore, we are able to generate a photo animation. Several examples such as ocean, pond, and ripple are included for demonstration.
Geography, demography, and economic growth in Africa.

This paper presents the effects of climate, topography, and natural ecology on public health, nutrition, demographics, technological diffusion, international trade and other determinants of economic development in Africa. The goal of this paper is to emphasize the need for intensified research on the issues at the intersection of ecology and human society. Geography was given emphasis because of three reasons: the minimal gain from another recitation of the damage caused by statism, protectionism and corruption to African economic performance; negligence of the role of natural forces in shaping economic performance; and tailoring of policies to geographical realities. The paper also discusses the general problems of tropical development and the focus of Africa's problems in worldwide tropical perspectives; demographic trends in Africa; use of standard cross-country growth equations with demographic and geographic variables, to account for the relative roles of geography; and the future growth strategies and the need for urban-based export growth in manufacturing and services. Lastly, the authors provide a summary of conclusions and discuss the agenda for future research.
ILL-CONFIGURED OBJECT REPRESENTATION BY NEIGHBOUR SET WITH APPLICATIONS TO AERIAL IMAGE ANALYSES

: We introduce herein the concept of the ill-configured object (ICO). An ICO is a geometrical object having a stable (unique) name but varying configurations (shape, size, components, and component layout). In addition, we introduce the concept of the neighbour set representation (NSR) of an object, and show that the NSR is well-fitted to the ICO. Moreover, we show that any object, either non-ICO or ICO, can be characterized as a solution of a set theoretic equation defined on its NSR. An algorithm is thus designed to detect ICOs in images. Two applications of the proposed theory are then presented. The first is ICO recognition in aerial images, and the second is automatic matching of highly deviated landmark-less images. The latter provides a foundation for automatic land cover change analysis using satellite/aerial images obtained under different conditions (time, height, and direction).