Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz) induces Egr‐1 gene expression and affects cell‐cycle control in human neuroblastoma cells

Many environmental signals, including ionizing radiation and UV rays, induce activation of Egr‐1 gene, thus affecting cell growth and apoptosis. The paucity and the controversial knowledge about the effect of electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure of nerve cells prompted us to investigate the bioeffects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation on SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The effect of a modulated RF field of 900 MHz, generated by a wire patch cell (WPC) antenna exposure system on Egr‐1 gene expression, was studied as a function of time. Short‐term exposures induced a transient increase in Egr‐1 mRNA level paralleled with activation of the MAPK subtypes ERK1/2 and SAPK/JNK. The effects of RF radiations on cell growth rate and apoptosis were also studied. Exposure to RF radiation had an anti‐proliferative activity in SH‐SY5Y cells with a significant effect observed at 24 h. RF radiation impaired cell cycle progression, reaching a significant G2‐M arrest. In addition, the appearance of the sub‐G1 peak, a hallmark of apoptosis, was highlighted after a 24‐h exposure, together with a significant decrease in mRNA levels of Bcl‐2 and survivin genes, both interfering with signaling between G2‐M arrest and apoptosis. Our results provide evidence that exposure to a 900 MHz‐modulated RF radiation affect both Egr‐1 gene expression and cell regulatory functions, involving apoptosis inhibitors like Bcl‐2 and survivin, thus providing important insights into a potentially broad mechanism for controlling in vitro cell viability. J. Cell. Physiol. 213:759–767. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
SEEKING HELP FROM CLOSE , SAME-SEX FRIENDS 2 Seeking Help From Close , Same-Sex Friends : Relational Costs for Japanese and Personal Costs for European Canadians Kenichi Ito Institute on Asian Consumer Insight , Singapore

People often seek help from close friends. Such social support is generally beneficial for help seekers, but also entails costs. Past cross-cultural research on social support suggested that East Asians tend to perceive relational costs (e.g., causing trouble for close friends), whereas North Americans tend to perceive personal costs (e.g., admitting incompetence). In Study 1, we collected European Canadian and Japanese people’s everyday experiences of help-seeking behaviors. In Studies 2 and 3, we investigated whether culturally specific perceptions of costs predicted relationship expectations. Using the intersubjective approach to culture (Chiu et al., 2010), we also examined whether social norms regarding seeking help mediate these relationships (Study 2 for Japanese, Study 3 for European Canadians). The results indicated that culturally specific costs of seeking help influenced people’s expectations of closeness in friendships through their perceived norms of seeking help. Implications for social cognitive research and clinical research are discussed.
Mesoscale distribution of dominant bacterioplankton groups in the northern North Sea in early summer

A case study was performed to evaluate the potential of a combination of flow cyto- metry, cell sorting and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for mesoscale monitoring of dominant bacterioplankton groups. In June 1999, the spatial distribution of phylogenetically characterised bac- terioplankton groups in an area of 150 × 350 km in the northern North Sea was studied in conjunc- tion with blooms of phytoplankton including coccolithophores. The bacterial cells were enumerated using flow cytometry and 3 groups were defined on the basis of cellular light scatter, nucleic acid and protein content. The phylogenetic composition of cells sorted from those 3 groups was analysed using FISH with a restricted set of rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes. Cells with high nucleic acid and high protein content were mainly affiliated to the α -proteobacterial genus Roseobacter. Members of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium cluster consistently accounted for the majority of cells in the high nucleic acid and low protein group; and members of the γ-proteobacterial SAR86 cluster were always present in significant amounts among the cells with low nucleic acid and low protein content. The composition of bacteria within the groups was remarkably conservative in 13 randomly selected sam- ples, while the concentration of the groups varied considerably on the 10 to 100 km scale. The bacte- rial groups formed patches of high abundance; these were spatially separated and could remain traceable for 2 to 3 d. The distribution of bacterioplankton groups did not correlate with distribution of either chlorophyll a (chl a), or phytoplankton groups (small coccolithophores and picoeukaryotic algae) or physical parameters such as temperature and salinity. It seems unlikely therefore that currently used remotely sensed parameters may be used as proxies of bacterioplankton group concentration at basin scales. However, this case study proves that a shipboard survey conducted over 4 to 6 d is effective for identifying and monitoring patches of certain bacterioplankton groups.
Removal of ocular artifacts from EEG using adaptive thresholding of wavelet coefficients

Electroencephalogram (EEG) gives researchers a non-invasive way to record cerebral activity. It is a valuable tool that helps clinicians to diagnose various neurological disorders and brain diseases. Blinking or moving the eyes produces large electrical potential around the eyes known as electrooculogram. It is a non-cortical activity which spreads across the scalp and contaminates the EEG recordings. These contaminating potentials are called ocular artifacts (OAs). Rejecting contaminated trials causes substantial data loss, and restricting eye movements/blinks limits the possible experimental designs and may affect the cognitive processes under investigation. In this paper, a nonlinear time-scale adaptive denoising system based on a wavelet shrinkage scheme has been used for removing OAs from EEG. The time-scale adaptive algorithm is based on Stein's unbiased risk estimate (SURE) and a soft-like thresholding function which searches for optimal thresholds using a gradient based adaptive algorithm is used. Denoising EEG with the proposed algorithm yields better results in terms of ocular artifact reduction and retention of background EEG activity compared to non-adaptive thresholding methods and the JADE algorithm.
Score test for detecting linkage to quantitative traits

The two most popular methods to detect linkage of a quantitative trait to a marker are the Haseman‐Elston regression method and the variance components likelihood‐ratio test. In the literature, these methods are frequently compared and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each method are well known. In this article, we derive a score test for the variance component attributable to a specific quantitative trait locus and show that for sib‐pairs it is mathematically equivalent to a recently proposed version of the Haseman‐Elston method that optimally combines the sum squared and the difference squared of the centered phenotype values of the sibs. Because score tests and likelihood‐ratio tetsts are equivalent for large sample sizes, the variance components likelihood‐ratio test is also asymptotically equivalent to this optimal Haseman‐Elston test. This fact gives a theoretical explanation of the empirical observation from simulation studies reporting similar power of the variance components likelihood‐ratio test and the optimal Haseman‐Elston method. Perhaps more importantly for practical purposes, the score test can also be extended in a natural way to support the simultaneous analysis of more than two subjects and multivariate phenotypes. Genet. Epidemiol. 22:345–355, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel defensin‐like peptide from salivary glands of the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis

A novel defensin‐like antimicrobial peptide named longicornsin was isolated from the salivary glands of the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, using a 10‐kDa cut‐off Centriprep filter and reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC). Its amino acid sequence was determined as DFGCGQGMIFMCQRRCMRLYPGSTGFCRGFRCMCDTHIPLRPPFMVG by Edman degradation. The cDNA encoding longicornsin was cloned by cDNA library screening. The predicted protein from the cDNA sequence was composed of 78 amino acids including a mature longicornsin. It showed similarity with defensin‐like peptides from other ticks by BLAST search. Different from most other tick defensin‐like peptides, longicornsin had a C‐terminal extension. Purified longicornsin exerted potent antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. Interestingly, it even showed strong antimicrobial ability against drug‐resistant microorganisms and Helicobacter pylori. The results of this study indicated that longicornsin is a potential candidate for novel antimicrobial drug design.
Improved Training for Self-Training

It is well known that for some tasks, labeled data sets may be hard to gather. Therefore, we wished to tackle here the problem of having insufficient training data. We examined learning methods from unlabeled data after an initial training on a limited labeled data set. The suggested approach can be used as an online learning method on the unlabeled test set. In the general classification task, whenever we predict a label with high enough confidence, we treat it as a true label and train the data accordingly. For the semantic segmentation task, a classic example for an expensive data labeling process, we do so pixel-wise. Our suggested approaches were applied on the MNIST data-set as a proof of concept for a vision classification task and on the ADE20K data-set in order to tackle the semi-supervised semantic segmentation problem.
Comparative study of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses surfaces before and after wear using atomic force microscopy.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to analyze surface changes of three silicone-hydrogel contact lenses after daily wear. The lenses used in this study were balafilcon A, lotrafilcon B (both surface-treated), and galyfilcon A (non surface-treated). METHODS To understand how and where proteins, lipids, and other contaminants change contact lenses, surface roughness was assessed through Atomic Force Microscopy Tapping Mode. Roughness parameters were Mean Surface roughness (R(a)), Mean-square-roughness (R(q)), and Maximum roughness (R(max)). The surface topography of unworn and worn lenses was also mapped in great detail. RESULTS Contact lenses roughness parameters exhibited different values before and after wear and the surface appearance also changed. After wear, balafilcon A and galyfilcon A showed a significant increase on surface roughness parameters, being this increase more accentuated to galyfilcon A. In lotrafilcon B materials no significant changes were observed with wear. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that surface treatment of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses can play a role in the prevention of a significant increase in roughness, and contribute to the better clinical tolerance of these lenses.
Proteomic analyses of serous and endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancers – Cases studies – Molecular insights of a possible histological etiology of serous ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian carcinogenesis may occur de novo on the surface of ovarian mesothelial epithelial cells or from cells originating in other organs. Foreign Müllerian cell intrusion into the ovarian environment has been hypothesized to explain the latter scenario. In this study, MALDI MS profiling technology was used to provide molecular insights regarding these potentially different mechanisms.
Optimism in Reinforcement Learning Based on Kullback-Leibler Divergence

We consider model-based reinforcement learning in finite Markov Decision Processes (MDPs), focussing on so-called optimistic strategies. Optimism is usually implemented by carrying out extended value iterations, under a constraint of consistency with the estimated model transition probabilities. In this paper, we strongly argue in favor of using the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence for this purpose. By studying the linear maximization problem under KL constraints, we provide an efficient algorithm for solving KL-optimistic extended value iteration. When implemented within the structure of UCRL2, the near-optimal method introduced by [2], this algorithm also achieves bounded regrets in the undiscounted case. We however provide some geometric arguments as well as a concrete illustration on a simulated example to explain the observed improved practical behavior, particularly when the MDP has reduced connectivity. To analyze this new algorithm, termed KL-UCRL, we also rely on recent deviation bounds for the KL divergence which compare favorably with the L1 deviation bounds used in previous works.
Comparative evaluation of coenzyme Q10-based gel and 0.8% hyaluronic acid gel in treatment of chronic periodontitis

Background: The anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and hyaluronic acid are well established in medical literature. The present study was undertaken to evaluate their role in chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty sites in 24 patients with clinically confirmed periodontitis were included in the study. A split-mouth design was used for intrasulcular application of CoQ10as adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP), 0.8% hyaluronic acid as adjunct to SRP and SRP alone. Clinical parameters such as plaque index (PI), gingival color change index (GCCI), Eastman interdental bleeding index (EIBI), pocket depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded. All the clinical parameters PI, EIBI, GCCI, PD, and CAL were recorded at baseline before SRP. Only PI, EIBI, and GCCI were recorded at 1st and 2nd week. Twenty-one days post 2nd week, i.e., 6th week all the clinical parameters were recorded again. Results: Intragroup analysis of all the clinical parameters showed clinical significant results between baseline and 6th week. However, on intergroup analysis, the results were not significant. Conclusion: The local application of CoQ10and hyaluronic acid gel in conjunction with SRP may have a beneficial effect on periodontal health in patients with chronic periodontitis.
Molecular imaging with PET--the future challenges.

Silvanus Thompson was very enthusiastic about the technical applications of electricity, magnetism and optics and devoted most of his life to these areas. When Rontgen’s discovery was first announced in the UK, Thompson repeated Rontgen’s experiment the following day. He gave the first public demonstration of ‘Rontgen rays’ to the Clinical Society of London and later became the first President of the Roentgen Society. He was renowned for his clarity of presentation and could explain very difficult concepts in simple language. He was renowned for his ‘‘word pictures’’. Hence it is most daunting to be asked to deliver a lecture in his name when a presentation on future challenges has to rely on word pictures. It is also daunting to realise who were the previous presenters of this lecture. The first was Lord Rutherford, followed by other greats that include J J Thompson, Bragg Senior and Junior, Hevesey, Sievert, Gray and of course, Sir Godfrey Hounsfield, together with many other eminent, mainly British, scientists.
The Crux of the Method: Assumptions in Ordinary Least Squares and Logistic Regression

Logistic regression has increasingly become the tool of choice when analyzing data with a binary dependent variable. While resources relating to the technique are widely available, clear discussions of why logistic regression should be used in place of ordinary least squares regression are difficult to find. The current paper compares and contrasts the assumptions of ordinary least squares with those of logistic regression and explains why logistic regression's looser assumptions make it adept at handling violations of the more important assumptions in ordinary least squares.
Structural perturbation of the a3-CuB site in mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase by alcohol solvents.

Ethanol has been observed to cause a perturbation of the catalytic center of the major respiratory protein cytochrome c oxidase. These effects were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of carbon monoxide complexes of cytochrome a3Fe and of CuB formed by low-temperature photodissociation of the a3FeCO complex. Carbon monoxide binds to reduced cytochrome oxidase in two major structural forms, alpha and beta, both of which are altered by ethanol. In the absence of ethanol, 15-22% of the total cytochrome oxidase in beef heart mitochondria was observed as beta-forms. Ethanol addition caused a concentration-dependent elimination of the beta-forms with 40% disappearing at 0.05 M (0.23%) ethanol, a concentration that can readily be achieved in the blood of intoxicated individuals. At 0.5 M (2.3%) ethanol and above, almost no beta-forms were detectable. The alpha-CuBCO absorption normally splits into two bands at temperatures below 40 K. This effect was decreased in the presence of ethanol and eliminated by high ethanol concentrations. It appears that ethanol increases the structural fluctuations at the active site of the enzyme, analogous to the effects of increased temperature. There was an 8-10% decrease in the maximum rate of oxygen reduction by mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase in 0.05 M ethanol at 24 degrees C, while higher concentrations of ethanol caused no further inhibition. This is the first demonstration that alpha- and beta-forms of cytochrome c oxidase can be modified by an externally added reagent. Changes in the spectra of alpha-CuBCO in the presence of 50% (v/v) ethylene glycol were quite striking, but variable. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Poor Outcome in Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancers Predicted by Loss of Plexin B1

Purpose: A common characteristic of mammary carcinomas is an inverse relationship between the estrogen receptor (ER) status and the proliferative activity of the tumor. Yet, a subset of ER-positive breast cancers is characterized by a high proliferation, suggesting malfunctions in ER responsiveness that influence the biological and therapeutic behavior of tumor cells. The expression of several ER-dependent genes seems to be dysregulated among those “uncoupled” tumors. One of those genes is plexin B1, a cell-surface receptor for the semaphorin Sema4D (CD 100). However, the biological role of plexin B1 in breast cancer is largely unknown. Experimental Design: Expression data of plexin B1 were obtained from Affymetrix microarray analysis of n = 119 breast cancer specimens. Validation was done by quantitative real-time PCR and protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Expression data were compared with clinical characteristics as well as follow-up data of the disease. Results: Low plexin B1 expression levels characterize a more aggressive tumor phenotype. The expression of plexin B1 is strongly correlated with the ER status. However, even among ER-positive tumors, loss of plexin B1 is associated with an impaired prognosis of breast cancer patients in both univariate (all patients, P = 0.0062; ER positive, P = 0.0107) and multivariate analyses (all patients, P = 0.032; ER positive, P = 0.022). Immunohistochemistry reveals that the tumor cells themselves and not the endothelial cells are the major source of plexin B1 expression in the tumor. Conclusion: Plexin B1 acts not only as a new important prognostic but should also represent a predictive marker indicating an endocrine resistance. These data give a new insight in markers that could be involved in endocrine dysregulation of breast cancer.
Tool Condition Monitoring of Single-Point Dresser Using Acoustic Emission and Neural Networks Models

Identification and online monitoring of the dresser wear are necessary to guarantee a desired wheel surface and improve the effectiveness of grinding process to a satisfactory level. However, tool wear is a complex phenomenon occurring in several and different ways in cutting processes, and there is a lack of analytical models that can represent the tool condition. On the other hand, neural networks are considered as a good approach to resolve the absence of an analytical or empirical model. This paper describes a method to characterize the dresser wear condition from acoustic emission (AE) signal. To achieve this, some neural network models are proposed. Initially, a study on the frequency content of the raw AE signal was carried out to determine features that correlate the signal and dresser wear. The features of the signal were obtained from the root mean square and ratio of power statistics at nine frequency bands selected from AE spectra. Combinations of two frequency bands were evaluated as inputs to eight neural networks models, which have been compared with their classification ability. It could be verified that the combination of the frequency bands of 28-33 and 42-50 kHz best characterized the dresser wear condition. Some of the models produced very good results and can therefore ensure the ground part will be within project specifications.
RubyStar: A Non-Task-Oriented Mixture Model Dialog System

RubyStar is a dialog system designed to create "human-like" conversation by combining different response generation strategies. RubyStar conducts a non-task-oriented conversation on general topics by using an ensemble of rule-based, retrieval-based and generative methods. Topic detection, engagement monitoring, and context tracking are used for managing interaction. Predictable elements of conversation, such as the bot's backstory and simple question answering are handled by separate modules. We describe a rating scheme we developed for evaluating response generation. We find that character-level RNN is an effective generation model for general responses, with proper parameter settings; however other kinds of conversation topics might benefit from using other models.
Local Aligner for Massive Biological Data

Motivation Next-generation sequencing technologies produce unprecedented amounts of data, leading to completely new research fields. One of these is metagenomics, the study of large-size DNA samples containing diverse organisms. A key problem in metagenomics is functionally and taxonomically classifying the sequenced DNA, to which end the well known BLAST program is usually used. But BLAST has dramatic resource requirements at metagenomic scales of data, imposing a high financial or technical burden on the researcher. Multiple attempts have been made to overcome these limitations and present a viable alternative to BLAST, but as of yet, they have not gained widespread adoption. Results In this work we present Lambda, our own alternative for BLAST in the context of sequence classification. In our tests Lambda is among the best tools at reproducing BLAST’s results and is faster than all existing solutions at comparable levels of sensitivity. Local Aligner for Massive Biological Data Hannes Hauswedell
Reported Stressors and Ways of Coping Utilized by Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Registered nurses within the intensive care unit work within a fast-paced, highly technologic setting, caring for patients with complex needs. The purpose of this investigation was to identify stressors intensive care unit nurses perceived as most prevalent within their work setting, and the types of coping utilized by nurses in this setting. The research design was a descriptive method that utilized a survey among a convenience sample of nurses, employed within the intensive care unit setting at 7 acute care metropolitan hospitals. The quest is to foster effective coping mechanisms and reduce stress to increase staff retention, increasing job value, while increasing quality of patient care and safety.