Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Survey on reconfigurable antennas

The study of reconfigurable antennas has made great progress in recent years. Compared with conventional antennas, reconfigurable antennas have more advantages and better prospects. They are lighter in weight, smaller in dimension and lower in price. Moreover, the reconfigurable antennas can provide diversity feature of operating resonant frequency, polarization, and radiation pattern. The latest researches of the reconfigurable antenna are analyzed and summarized in this paper to present the characteristics and classifications.
Evaluation of protein N‐glycosylation in 2‐DE: Erythropoietin as a study case

The structure, function, and physico‐chemical properties of many proteins are determined by PTM, being glycosylation the most complex. This study describes how a combination of typical proteomics methods (2‐DE) combines with glycomics strategies (HPLC, MALDI‐TOF‐MS, exoglycosidases sequencing) to yield comprehensive data about single spot‐microheterogeneity, providing meaningful information for the detection of disease markers, pharmaceutical industry, antidoping control, etc. Recombinant erythropoietin and its hyperglycosylated analogue darbepoetin‐α were chosen as showcases because of their relevance in these fields and the analytical challenge they represent. The combined approach yielded good results in terms of sample complexity (mixture glycoforms), reproducibility, sensitivity (∼25 pmoles of glycoprotein/spot), and identification of the underlying protein. Heterogeneity was present in all spots but with a clear tendency; spots proximal to the anode contained the highest amount of tetra‐antennary tetra‐sialylated glycans, whereas the opposite occurred for spots proximal to the cathode with the majority of the structures being undersialylated. Spot microheterogeneity proved a consequence of the multiple glycosylation sites as they contributed directly to the number of possibilities to account for a discrete charge in a single spot. The interest of this combined glycoproteomics method resides in the efficiency for detecting and quantifying subtle dissimilarities originated from altered ratios of identical glycans including N‐acetyl‐lactosamine repeats, acetylation, or antigenic epitopes, that do not significantly contribute to the electrophoretic mobility, but affect the glycan microheterogeneity and the potential underlying related functionality.
Random Linear Network Coding Is Key to Data Survival in Highly Dynamic Distributed Storage

Distributed storage solutions have become widespread due to their ability to store large amounts of data reliably across a network of unreliable nodes, by employing repair mechanisms to prevent data loss. Conventional systems rely on static designs with a central control entity to oversee and control the repair process. Given the large costs for maintaining and cooling large data centers, our work proposes and studies the feasibility of a fully decentralized systems that can store data even on unreliable and, sometimes, unavailable mobile devices. This imposes new challenges on the design as the number of available nodes varies greatly over time and keeping track of the system's state becomes unfeasible. As a consequence, conventional erasure correction approaches are ill-suited for maintaining data integrity. In this highly dynamic context, random linear network coding (RLNC) provides an interesting solution. Our goal is to characterize RLNC's guaranteed data integrity region in terms of the total number of storage devices that need to be available and stored data per device. We compare our fully distributed RLNC approach to centralized (genie aided) and fully decentralized replication and Reed-Solomon mechanisms. Our results use traces from a BitTorrent client for Android devices to show that RLNC outperforms the next best scheme (fully centralized Reed-Solomon) not only by having a much lower probability of data loss, but by reducing storage requirements by up to 50% and reconstruction traffic by up to 40%. Gains over decentralized schemes are even larger.
Structural insight into equine lentivirus receptor 1

Equine lentivirus receptor 1 (ELR1) has been identified as a functional cellular receptor for equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). Herein, recombinant ELR1 and EIAV surface glycoprotein gp90 were respectively expressed in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells, and purified to homogeneity by Ni‐NTA affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. Gel filtration chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) analyses indicated that both ELR1 and gp90 existed as individual monomers in solution and formed a complex with a stoichiometry of 1:1 when mixed. The structure of ELR1 was first determined with the molecular replacement method, which belongs to the space group P42212 with one molecule in an asymmetric unit. It contains eight antiparallel β‐sheets, of which four are in cysteine rich domain 1 (CRD1) and two are in CRD2 and CRD3, respectively. Alignment of ELR1 with HVEM and CD134 indicated that Tyr61, Leu70, and Gly72 in CRD1 of ELR1 are important residues for binding to gp90. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments further confirmed that Leu70 and Gly72 are the critical residues.
A new species of Eumops (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from southwestern Peru.

The genus Eumops is the most diverse genera of molossid bats in the Neotropics. In Peru this genus is widely distributed and represented by nine species: E. auripendulus, E. delticus, E. hansae, E. maurus, E. nanus, E. patagonicus, E. perotis, E. trumbulli, and E. wilsoni. After several years of mammalian diversity surveys in the coastal desert and western slopes of southwestern Peru, a specimen of Eumops was collected whose unique set of traits allows us to assert that deserves to be described as a new species. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, the new species is related to medium-large sized species (i.e. E. glaucinus, E. auripendulus, and E. perotis). Cytochrome b genetic divergence between the new species and the other species of the genus was high (> 12%) and it is consistent with morphological divergence presented for this new species. This new species, endemic to Peru, increases the diversity of Eumops to 16 species.
Chromobacterium rhizoryzae sp. nov., isolated from rice roots.

A novel facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated LAM1188T, was isolated from the roots of rice (Oryzasativa) in Hubei Province. Cells of LAM1188T were Gram-stain-negative and motile. The temperature and pH ranges for growth were 15-40 °C (optimum: 30 °C) and pH 5-10 (optimum: pH 7), respectively. The strain did not require NaCl for growth but tolerated up to 3.5 % NaCl (w/v). Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the isolate represented a member of the genus Chromobacterium, and was most closely related to Chromobacterium haemolyticum MDA0585T and Chromobacterium aquaticum CC-SEYA-1T with 98.7 % and 97.3 % sequence similarity, respectively. The values of DNA-DNA hybridization between LAM1188T and C. haemolyticum JCM 14163T and C. aquaticum CCUG 55175T were 54.0±2.1 % and 44.0±1.2 %, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c). The main polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids and four unidentified lipids. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-8. The DNA G+C content was 64.1 mol% as determined by the Tm method. On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain LAM1188T is suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Chromobacterium, for which the name Chromobacte riumrhizoryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LAM1188T (=ACCC 19900T=JCM 31180T).
The effect of moderate-dose corticosteroids in preventing severe flares in patients with serologically active, but clinically stable, systemic lupus erythematosus: findings of a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Serial measurements of anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and complement are routine in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but their utility as biomarkers in preemptive treatment to prevent flares remains a subject of controversy. We hypothesized that concomitant elevation of anti-dsDNA and C3a can predict SLE activity in patients with stable or inactive disease and that short-term treatment with corticosteroids can avert flares. METHODS In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 154 patients were evaluated monthly for up to 18 months, with measurements of C3a, C3, C4, CH50, and anti-dsDNA levels. Patients who remained clinically stable but showed serologic evidence of an SLE flare (elevation of both the anti-dsDNA level by 25% and the C3a level by 50% over the previous 1-2 monthly visits) were randomized to receive either prednisone or placebo therapy at a dosage of 30 mg/day for 2 weeks, 20 mg/day for 1 week, and 10 mg/day for 1 week. RESULTS Forty-one patients (21 randomized to prednisone and 20 randomized to placebo) experienced a serologic flare. Analysis of severe flares occurring <or=90 days from randomization revealed that 6 occurred in patients taking placebo and none occurred in patients taking prednisone (P = 0.007). Severe flares resulted in an increase in the prednisone dosage to >40 mg/day and/or the addition of an immunosuppressive agent. Furthermore, improvement in scores on the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, decreased levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies, and increased levels of C4 occurred 1 month after initiation of prednisone treatment. CONCLUSION These preliminary data support our hypothesis that in a subset of clinically stable SLE patients with a combination of elevated C3a and anti-dsDNA levels, short-term corticosteroid therapy may avert a severe flare.
Morphological Variability and Molecular Identification of Uncinaria spp. (Nematoda: Ancylostomatidae) from Grizzly and Black Bears: New Species or Phenotypic Plasticity?

Abstract: The hookworms Uncinaria rauschi Olsen, 1968 and Uncinaria yukonensis (Wolfgang, 1956) were formally described from grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis) and black bears (Ursus americanus) of North America. We analyzed the intestinal tracts of 4 grizzly and 9 black bears from Alberta and British Columbia, Canada and isolated Uncinaria specimens with anatomical traits never previously documented. We applied morphological and molecular techniques to investigate the taxonomy and phylogeny of these Uncinaria parasites. The morphological analysis supported polymorphism at the vulvar region for females of both U. rauschi and U. yukonensis. The hypothesis of morphological plasticity for U. rauschi and U. yukonensis was confirmed by genetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Two distinct genotypes were identified, differing at 5 fixed sites for ITS-1 (432 base pairs [bp]) and 7 for ITS-2 (274 bp). Morphometric data for U. rauschi revealed host-related size differences: adult U. rauschi were significantly larger in black bears than in grizzly bears. Interpretation of these results, considering the historical biogeography of North American bears, suggests a relatively recent host-switching event of U. rauschi from black bears to grizzly bears which likely occurred after the end of the Wisconsin glaciation. Phylogenetic maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses of the concatenated ITS-1 and ITS-2 datasets strongly supported monophyly of U. rauschi and U. yukonensis and their close relationship with Uncinaria stenocephala (Railliet, 1884), the latter a parasite primarily of canids and felids. Relationships among species within this group, although resolved by ML, were unsupported by MP and bootstrap resampling. The clade of U. rauschi, U. yukonensis, and U. stenocephala was recovered as sister to the clade represented by Uncinaria spp. from otariid pinnipeds. These results support the absence of strict host–parasite co-phylogeny for Uncinaria spp. and their carnivore hosts. Phylogenetic relationships among Uncinaria spp. provided a framework to develop the hypothesis of similar transmission patterns for the closely related U. rauschi, U. yukonensis, and U. stenocephala.
Sparseness-based multichannel nonnegative matrix factorization for blind source separation

This paper deals with the problem of audio source separation using multichannel observation. Utilizing the sparseness of sound signals in the time-frequency domain is a successful approach to source separation that enables us to perform separation based on spatial features obtained from a microphone array. On the other hand, nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) is also a promising approach for audio source separation, which performs separation based on spectral features. This paper incorporates the idea of NMF into sparseness-based source separation and proposes a novel approach to multichannel source separation based on both spatial and spectral features. Experimental results reveal that our proposed method improves the signal-to-distortion ratio (SDR) by 0.26 dB and the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) by 1.96 dB compared with a conventional sparseness-based approach. In addition, our proposed model eliminates the need for a number of matrix inversions thanks to the sparseness assumption, and thereby requires a much lower computational cost than a previously-proposed multichannel NMF approach, which also utilizes spectral and spatial features.
Chronic Lithium‐Induced Down‐Regulation of MARCKS in Immortalized Hippocampal Cells: Potentiation by Muscarinic Receptor Activation

Abstract: Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that exposure of rats to chronic lithium results in a significant reduction in the hippocampus of levels of the protein kinase C (PKC) phosphoprotein substrate MARCKS (myristoylated alanine‐rich C kinase substrate), which persists after withdrawal and is not observed following acute administration. In an immortalized hippocampal cell line (HN33), we have determined that phorbol esters rapidly down‐regulate PKC activity and lead to a subsequent PKC‐dependent reduction in content of MARCKS protein. We now report that chronic exposure of HN33 cells to LiCl (1–10 mM) produces a dose‐ and time‐dependent down‐regulation of MARCKS protein. The lithium‐induced reduction in MARCKS is dependent on the concentration of inositol present in the medium and is reversed and prevented in the presence of elevated inositol concentrations. When HN33 cells were exposed to lithium at clinically relevant concentrations (1 mM) under limiting inositol conditions, activation of muscarinic receptor‐coupled phosphoinositide signaling significantly potentiated the lithium‐induced down‐regulation of MARCKS protein. It has been suggested that a major action of lithium in the brain is linked to its inositol monophosphatase inhibitory activity in receptor‐mediated signaling through the inositol trisphosphate/diacylglycerol pathway, resulting in a relative inositol depletion. Our data provide evidence that this initial action of lithium may translate into a PKC‐dependent long‐term down‐regulation of MARCKS protein expression in the hippocampus.
Fluorescence-based methods for evaluating the RNA affinity and specificity of HIV-1 Rev-RRE inhibitors.

RNA plays a pivotal role in the replication of all organisms, including viral and bacterial pathogens. The development of small molecules that selectively interfere with undesired RNA activity is a promising new direction for drug design. Currently, there are no anti-HIV treatments that target nucleic acids. This article presents the HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) as an important focus for the development of antiviral agents that target RNA. The Rev binding site on the RRE is highly conserved, even between different groups of HIV-1 isolates. Compounds that inhibit HIV replication by binding to the RRE and displacing Rev are therefore expected to retain activity across groups of genetically diverse HIV infections. Systematic evaluations of both the RRE affinity and specificity of numerous small molecule inhibitors are essential for deciphering the parameters that govern effective RRE recognition. This article discusses fluorescence-based techniques that are useful for probing a small molecule's RRE affinity and its ability to inhibit Rev-RRE binding. Rev displacement experiments can be conducted by observing the fluorescence anisotropy of a fluorescein-labeled Rev peptide, or by quantifying its displacement from a solid-phase immobilized RRE. Experiments conducted in the presence of competing nucleic acids are useful for evaluating the RRE specificity of Rev-RRE inhibitors. The discovery and characterization of new RRE ligands are described. Eilatin is a polycyclic aromatic heterocycle that has at least one binding site on the RRE (apparent Kd is approximately 0.13 microM), but it does not displace Rev upon binding the RRE (IC50 > 3 microM). In contrast, ethidium bromide and two eilatin-containing metal complexes show better consistency between their RRE affinity and their ability to displace a fluorescent Rev peptide from the RRE. These results highlight the importance of conducting orthogonal binding assays that establish both the RNA affinity of a small molecule and its ability to inhibit the function of the RNA target. Some Rev-RRE inhibitors, including ethidium bromide, Lambda-[Ru(bpy)(2)eilatin]2+, and Delta-[Ru(bpy)(2)eilatin]2+ also inhibit HIV-1 gene expression in cell cultures (IC50 = 0.2-3 microM). These (and similar) results should facilitate the future discovery and implementation of anti-HIV drugs that are targeted to viral RNA sites. In addition, a deeper general understanding of RNA-small molecule recognition will assist in the effective targeting of other therapeutically important RNA sites.
Accuracy and reproducibility in phase contrast imaging using SENSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of phase contrast imaging using the sensitivity encoding (SENSE) method at different reduction factors. Analytical expressions were derived that state how reproducibility is influenced for velocity and flow measurements. Computer simulations, and in vitro and in vivo studies were performed in order to validate these expressions and to assess how accuracy is affected when different reduction factors are applied. It was shown that reproducibility depends on the reduction and geometry factors. Since the geometry factor varies spatially, so does the reproducibility for phase contrast imaging. In areas with high geometry factors, the standard deviation (SD) may become so large that aliasing occurs. The accuracy of phase contrast imaging is not influenced directly when SENSE is used, but may be indirectly influenced due to high SDs of the measured phase that may subsequently cause aliasing. The current results show that it is possible to achieve accurate flow measurements even at high reduction factors. By taking the geometry factor into account, it may be possible to find areas where phase contrast imaging is accurate even at high reduction factors. Magn Reson Med 50:1061–1068, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nanostructured Materials: Importance, Synthesis and Characterization-A Review

The current state of research is surveyed. The revi ew covers the catalytic technologies, the importanc e of nanostructured materials, the methods of preparation and the chara cterization of these materials is discussed, and he re we take an example of iron nanomaterials for the preparation of nanost ructured materials. Interest in iron nanoparticles originates from iron’s magnetic properties, for its ready availability and low cost, and its high reactivity, particularly, i n reducing atmospheres. Specific applications for iron nanoparticles includ e Fischer‐Tropsch catalysts, oxygen reduction catal ysts in fuel cells, and environmental adsorbents for CO or arsenic, nanoscale iron particles also have large surface areas and high surface reactivity. It is also important; they provide enor mous flexibility for in situ applications. This rev iew also has shown that nanoscale iron particles are very effective for the transformation and detoxification of a wide variet y of common environmental contaminants, such as chlorinated org anic solvents and catalysts for CO oxidation.
Collaborative filtering and rating aggregation based on multicriteria rating

Ratings by users on various items such as hotels and movies have become easily available on the Web. In many cases, other than overall rating for each item by each user, more detailed information such as ratings from different viewpoints and free text comments, as well as aggregated information such as the average of ratings by different users, are also available. We investigated the effectiveness of six existing collaborative filtering methods for large-scale sparse multicriteria rating data. We formulated rating aggregation as a collaborative filtering problem and applied six collaborative filtering methods to it. Furthermore, we extended three of the methods to calculate user similarity using indirect users and review comments and applied them to collaborative filtering and rating aggregation. The results show that multicriteria rating approaches perform better than single criterion rating approaches. The extended methods had better performance both in collaborative filtering and in rating aggregation.
Fuzzy Logic Based Prosumer Agent in a Modular Smart Grid Prosumer Architecture

The investment to DERs (Distributed Energy Resources) in the emerging smart energy grids are critical to achieving goals for environmental protection, reducing energy costs and coping with failures. An architecture and market mechanism is needed to support the participation of owners of DERs that aim to maximize the profit from this investment within a system that is also able to achieve grid level objectives. Due to privacy requirements, owners of DERs should not be requested to divulge information such as the state of charge of a local energy store, and yet such information is very relevant for operating the grid in such a way that meets the objectives of the owner of the grid, who may operate a large power plant that is ultimately responsible for satisfying the load that cannot be covered by DERs. This paper builds on previous work to propose a modular multi-agent architecture in which prosumer agents represent DER owners and an auctioneer agent represents the power plant operator. The architecture allows the different agents to use different algorithms aiming at satisfying local and grid level objectives while meeting the privacy requirement. In particular, a fuzzy logic based algorithm is developed for the distributed automation platform that supports the architecture. The capability of the architecture to flexibly evaluate the performance of various algorithms from the DER owner and plant operator perspective is demonstrated with a case study in the district heating domain.