Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oligodendrocyte excitotoxicity determined by local glutamate accumulation and mitochondrial function

Developing oligodendrocytes (OL precursors, pre‐OLs) express α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) subtype glutamate receptors (AMPARs) and are highly vulnerable to hypoxic‐ischemic or oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD)‐induced excitotoxic injury, yet the mechanisms of injury remain unclear. Here we investigated the role of glutamate accumulation and mitochondrial function in OGD‐induced pre‐OL toxicity in vitro. Bulk glutamate concentration in the culture medium did not increase during OGD and OGD‐conditioned medium did not transfer toxicity to naïve cells. Facilitation of glutamate diffusion by constant agitation of the culture reduced, while inhibition of glutamate diffusion by increasing medium viscosity with dextran enhanced, OGD‐induced pre‐OL injury. Depletion of extracellular glutamate by the glutamate scavenging system, glutamate‐pyruvate transaminase plus pyruvate, attenuated pre‐OL injury during OGD. Together these data suggest that local glutamate accumulation is critical for OGD toxicity. Interestingly, under normoxic conditions, addition of glutamate to pre‐OLs did not cause receptor‐mediated toxicity, but the toxicity could be unmasked by mitochondrial impairment with mitochondrial toxins. Furthermore, OGD caused mitochondrial potential collapse that was independent of AMPAR activation, and OGD toxicity was enhanced by mitochondrial toxins. These data demonstrate that pre‐OL excitotoxicity is exacerbated by mitochondrial dysfunction during OGD. Overall, our results indicate that OGD‐induced pre‐OL injury is a novel form of excitotoxicity caused by the combination of local glutamate accumulation that occurs without an increase in bulk glutamate concentration and mitochondrial dysfunction. Therapeutic strategies targeting local glutamate concentration and mitochondrial injury during hypoxia‐ischemia may be relevant to human disorders associated with pre‐OL excitotoxicity.
Toward a Critical Theoretic Perspective in Information Systems

The field of library and information science (LIS) has built its practice and research perspective on a logico-analytic philosophy, which has generated useful, tangible technologies. Lately there is interest in nonempirical philosophies, such as hermeneutics and critical theory, to fulfill better LIS' service-oriented mission of providing "information" to user populations. One dimension of critical theory, Jürgen Habermas' theory of communicative action, can expand LIS' conception of information and supplement logico-empirical research methods and research practices. This article examines how LIS, particularly research into librarian-patron interaction and information system design, favors an empiricist view of language and, as a consequence, may be limiting its effectiveness. It proposes how the field might expand to include communicative action in fulfilling its mission and research agenda.
Membrane topology of penicillin‐binding protein 3 of Escherichia coli

The β‐lactamase fusion vector, pJBS633, has been used to analyse the organization of penicillin‐binding protein 3 (PBP3) in the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli. The fusion junctions in 84 in‐frame fusions of the coding region of mature TEM β‐lactamase to random positions within the PBP3 gene were determined. Fusions of β‐lactamase to 61 different positions in PBP3 were obtained. Fusions to positions within the first 31 residues of PBP3 resulted in enzymatically active fusion proteins which could not protect single cells of E. coli from killing by ampicillin, indicating that the β‐lactamase moieties of these fusion proteins were not translocated to the peri‐plasm. However, all fusions that contained: ≥36 residues of PBP3 provided single ceils of E coli with substantial levels of resistance to ampicillin, indicating that the β‐lactamase moieties of these fusion proteins were translocated to the periplasm. PBP3 therefore appeared to have a simple membrane topology with residues 36 to the carboxy‐terminus exposed on the periplasmic side of the cytoplasmic membrane. This topology was confirmed by showing that PBP3 was protected from proteolytic digestion at the cytoplasmic side of the inner membrane but was completely digested by proteolytic attack from the periplasmic side. PBP3 was only inserted in the cytoplasmic membrane at its amino terminus since replacement of its putative lipoprotein signal peptide with a normal signal peptide resulted in a water‐soluble, periplasmic form of the enzyme. The periplasmic form of PBP3 retained its penicillin‐binding activity and appeared to be truly water‐soluble since it fractionated, in the absence of detergents, with the expected molecular weight on Sephadex G‐100 and was not retarded by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on Phenyl‐Superose.
The Impact of Public Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus

In this paper, we estimate the behavioral responses by individuals to the type of information-intervention a public human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing program would typify. A unique feature of the data we use is that the survey itself altered the allocation of information held by respondents by administrating a blood test for HIV as part of a longitudinal survey. Our framework for the demand for information on HIV implies that because only individuals who are surprised by the results of the intervention respond to it, in our case low-risk individuals who test HIV-positive or high-risk individuals who test HIV-negative, an information-intervention of this type may have surprising effects. Our framework also implies that looking just at the aggregate effects of an HIV testing program is a misleading indicator of the behavioral responsiveness of the average individual to the information intervention. We find that although the aggregate effect of the testing program is quite small, the effects disaggregated by private beliefs are consistent with information elastic behavior for the average individual. In addition, the subgroups of the population affected by a publicly subsidized testing program may have roughly offsetting behavioral responses, which may lead to little effect or possibly even perverse outcomes with regards to an objective of lowering disease transmission.
Efficient Recommender System based on Graph Data for Multimedia Application

With the dawning ubiquitous computing age, increasing online-based multimedia data presents new challenges for storing and querying large amounts of data to online recommendation systems. Recent studies on recommendation systems show that graph data model is more efficient than relational data model for processing complex data. This paper proposes a new graph data storage model for the collaborative filtering-based recommendation system. Our proposed storage model efficiently filters out vertices which could not impact on calculating top-k recommended items in collaborative filtering algorithm. We present our structure, mechanisms and experimental results for improving the performance of recommender systems. For showing that proposed mechanisms are applicable in multimedia applications, we use real data set of the online site, MovieLense in the experiment. The result of the experiment shows that proposed approach is efficient storage model for recommendation system.
Generalized Dynamic Constraint Satisfaction Based on Extension Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Collaborative Simulation

A novel adaptive mutation particle swarm optimization (AMPSO) algorithm based on Fuzzy matter-element analysis for generalized dynamic constraints satisfaction (GDCS) was presented to resolve the coupling domain level and knowledge level constraints introduced by collaborative simulation results. Firstly, the Fuzzy relation-element optimization method (FREOM) was used to change the solution space into the optimization space by establishing the formalized model of fuzzy relation-element for GDCS, and the regulated correlation function was regarded as the fitness function judging the stand and fall of particle; Then, in the implementation process of PSO algorithm, the mutation mechanics was introduced to mutate the inactive particle and the particle with the smallest fitness according to mutation probability, which is intended to make the algorithm converge faster and respond better to changes in dynamic optimization problems; Finally, a design example is illustrated to show effectiveness of this proposed method.
Preferences for Improved Cook Stoves: Evidence from North Indian Villages

Because emissions from solid fuel burning in traditional stoves affect global climate change, the regional environment, and household health, there is a real fascination with improved cook stoves (ICS). Surprisingly little is known about what households like about these energy products. This paper reports on preferences for ICS attributes in a sample of 2,120 rural households in north India, a global hotspot for biomass fuel use. Households have a strong preference for traditional stoves but on average are willing to pay (WTP) about $10 and $5 for realistic reductions in smoke emissions and fuel needs, respectively, or about half of the price of less expensive ICS. Still, preferences for stove attributes are highly varied and are related to household characteristics (e.g., expenditures, gender of household head, patience, and risk preferences). These results suggest that households exhibit cautious interest in the promise of ICS but that significant barriers to achieving widespread adoption remain. Therefore the policy community must reinvigorate a supply chain that (a) experiments with product attributes and (b) segments the market based on consumer education, wealth, and location in order to scale up ICS distribution and deliver household and global benefits.
Evaluation of Diagnostic Tests for Clostridium difficile Infection

ABSTRACT We evaluated toxigenic Clostridium difficile detection by a lateral flow assay for antigen and toxin, an enzyme immunoassay, and two commercial PCR methods. Compared to the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay and toxigenic culture, both toxin detection methods lacked sensitivity. PCR following combined antigen and toxin detection provided the most useful diagnostic information.
The Optimal Training Load for the Development of Muscular Power

&NA; Kawamori, N. , and G.G. Haff. The optimal training load for the development of muscular power. J. Strength Cond. Res. 18(3):675–684. 2004. —Muscular power is considered one of the main determinants of athletic performance that require the explosive production of force such as throwing and jumping. Various training methods have been suggested to improve muscular power and dynamic athletic performance. Although various acute training valuables (e.g., sets, repetitions, rest intervals) could be manipulated, the training loads used are some of the most important factors that determine the training stimuli and the consequent training adaptations. Many research results showed that the use of different training loads elicits the different training adaptations and further indicated the load‐ and velocity‐specific adaptations in muscular‐power development. Using the optimal loads at which mechanical power output occurs has been recommended, especially to enhance maximum muscular power. Additionally, introducing periodization and combined training approach into resistance‐training programs may further facilitate muscular‐power development and enhance a wide variety of athletic performances.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors and ATP modulate the conversion of smooth muscle L‐type Ca2+ channels toward a second open state

Properties of smooth and cardiac L‐type Ca2+ channels differ prominently in several physiological aspects, including sympathetic modulation. To assess the possible underlying mechanisms, we applied the whole cell patch‐clamp technique to guinea pig detrusor smooth muscle cells, in which only L‐type Ca2+ channel currents are observed in practice. During depolarization to large positive potentials, the conformation of the majority of L‐type Ca2+ channels is converted from the normal (O1) to a second open state (O2), which undergoes little inactivation during depolarization. Extracellular application of genistein, a known tyrosine kinase inhibitor, significantly attenuated the voltage‐dependent conversion of Ca2+ channels to O2, accompanied by reduction of availability, whereas genistin, an inactive analog, had little effect. In the absence of ATP in the patch pipette, intracellular application of either genistein or tyrphostin‐47 suppressed the conversion to O2. Computer calculation revealed that the acceleration of the O1 to an inactivated state qualitatively reconstructs the unique effects of PTK inhibitors antagonized by ATP. We concluded that under normal conditions smooth muscle L‐type Ca2+ channels are already modulated by tyrosine‐kinase and ATP‐related mechanism(s) and thereby easily achieve the second conversion, which yields voltage‐dependent modulation of L‐type Ca2+ current analogous to that in cardiac myocytes during β‐adrenoceptor stimulation. —Nakayama, S. , Ito, Y. , Sato, S. , Kamijo, A. , Liu, H. ‐N. , Kajioka, S. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors and ATP modulate the conversion of smooth muscle L‐type Ca2+ channels toward a second open state. FASEB J. 20, E652–E663 (2006)
Sales Management Strategies to Survive an Economic Downturn

The global economic downturn has had a profound effect on sales organizations in every industry sector impacting the salesperson’s daily tasks and selling strategies. Where the topic of selling strategy and the salesperson is abundantly covered (Biong and Selnes, 1996) there is little research in the context of personal selling during a recession. There is a wide range of consultancy and managerial articles available listing advice to sales professionals during an economic downturn; however, they are based on firsthand knowledge rather than theoretical or empirical evidence. This lack of empirical research has lead to the aim of this working paper wh ich is twofold: 1. To investigate how the economic downturn has affected Personal Selling Strategies; 2. Determine how the economic downturn has affected the role of the salesperson. Interviews were held with twenty-four UK salespeople impacted by current recession from a variety of business-to-business companies. This paper contributes new knowledge for sales management and better equips sales practitioners with the strategies to negate the consequences of economic downturns.
Distinct Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns and Antimicrobial Resistance-Harboring Genes According to Genomic Species of Acinetobacter Isolates

ABSTRACT Using 58 isolates of Acinetobacter species recovered from a university hospital between August 2004 and March 2005, we performed genomic identification by amplified rRNA gene restriction analysis (ARDRA) and investigated the existence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) producers and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Genomic species identification of Acinetobacter strains using ARDRA showed that 40 strains were genomic species 2 (Acinetobacter baumannii), 9 were 13 sensu Tjernberg and Ursing (13TU), 5 were Acinetobacter phenon 6/ct 13TU, and 4 were Acinetobacter genospecies 3. Among 58 strains, 13 isolates were MBL producers carrying blaIMP-1 or blaVIM-2 and 13 isolates were ESBL producers carrying blaPER-1. Notably, the MBL producers were mostly 13TU, Acinetobacter phenon 6/ct 13TU, and Acinetobacter genospecies 3, which showed susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and ampicillin-sulbactam. However, 12 of 13 strains carrying blaPER-1 were A. baumannii, showing multidrug resistance. The data revealed that the antimicrobial resistance patterns and resistance-harboring genes of Acinetobacter species are remarkably distinct according to the genomic species of Acinetobacter isolates.
Self-adaptive component-based interoperability framework for real-time systems

Component-based software engineering offers a way to break complex systems into well-defined parts. Self-adaptive mechanisms are crucial to enable run-time reconfiguration and increase parts reuse in other computer systems and environments. These systems must satisfy functional and nonfunctional requirements. Despite efficient data integration being a common aspiration, the practicality of achieving interoperability remains a challenge for quickly transforming functional processes. For other components work together with the existing ones, and for the new system components development to operate seamlessly with and among other systems, while maintaining proprietary information integrity, the adoption of a common set of "building codes" is required. This paper proposes a self-adaptive framework for a real-time system through a scope analysis of stakeholders' requirement. It implements generic behavioral models for Systems Servers and Invokers. Changes on a statechart dimension while adapting a system to the framework lead software engineers to a nearly transparent integration process. Platform dependencies are also captured separately, enabling code-generation subsystem to reuse same components across a wide range of heterogeneous platforms and real-time systems. The framework can lead software components to high degrees of cost-effective reuse and it is tested in a real-time system prototype developed in the Brazilian Aeronautical Institute of Technology (Instituto Tecnologico de Aerondutica -ITA). The proposed framework focused on self-adaptive services components at run-time and on an efficient interoperability approach. At the end, functional requirements and the software architectural structure are enforced such that the end-to-end timing behavior of the resulting system and its specifications can be verified.
Purify: A new algorithmic framework for next-generation radio-interferometric imaging

In recent works, compressed sensing and convex optimization techniques have been applied to radio-interferometric imaging showing the potential to outperform state-of-the-art imaging algorithms in the field. We review our latest contributions, which leverage the versatility of convex optimization to both handle realistic continuous visibilities and offer a highly parallelizable structure paving the way to significant acceleration of the reconstruction and high-dimensional data scalability. The new algorithmic structure, promoted in a new software PURIFY (beta version), relies on the simultaneous-direction method of multipliers (SDMM). The performance of various sparsity priors is evaluated through simulations in the continuous visibility setting, confirming the superiority of our recent average sparsity approach SARA.
Synthesis of missing units in a Telugu text-to-speech system

Synthesis of complex consonant clusters is a challenge in TTS systems, as it is difficult to ensure proper coarticulation. This problem surfaces in the synthesis of missing units in unit concatenation systems. Back-off techniques are used to synthesize these missing units. The current back-off techniques, which use smaller sub-word units to synthesize the missing unit, are found unsuitable for frequent usage causing severe degradation in synthesis quality. However missing units are a frequent occurrence when synthesizing unrestricted text. Hence to build open domain TTS systems, efficient back-off techniques are necessary. This problem is further aggravated when working with under-resourced languages as they lack the manually annotated speech corpora which enable the development of these high quality synthesis techniques. In this thesis we propose a two pronged strategy to improve the quality of back-off techniques. The two pronged strategy consists of refining the boundaries of units in the acoustic inventory to reduce phone insertion errors during back-off and use of a novel back-off technique to ensure coarticulation consistency. A boundary refinement algorithm which removes necessity for manually labelled data by relying on a knowledge base of cost functions derived from landmark specific acoustic cues was proposed, to increase the quality of unit boundaries. However increase in accuracy of unit boundaries was insufficient when context-dependent units are not available in the database. Hence a back-off technique which synthesizes complex consonant clusters even when the required context-dependent units are not available, was proposed. This technique is motivated from a phenomenon observed during second language acquisition and emulates native speaker intuition in synthesis of these clusters. The technique was proven to be better than the conventional backoff techniques. Further it was proven to be robust to segmentation errors, reducing the reliance on high quality segmentation techniques which require manually labelled data. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Kishore S. Prahallad Title: Assistant Professor
A simple white noise analysis of neuronal light responses

A white noise technique is presented for estimating the response properties of spiking visual system neurons. The technique is simple, robust, efficient and well suited to simultaneous recordings from multiple neurons. It provides a complete and easily interpretable model of light responses even for neurons that display a common form of response nonlinearity that precludes classical linear systems analysis. A theoretical justification of the technique is presented that relies only on elementary linear algebra and statistics. Implementation is described with examples. The technique and the underlying model of neural responses are validated using recordings from retinal ganglion cells, and in principle are applicable to other neurons. Advantages and disadvantages of the technique relative to classical approaches are discussed.
Multipath-Doppler diversity of OFDM signals in an underwater acoustic channel

High-speed communications over the underwater acoustic channel are difficult due to time-varying multipath propagation and Doppler scattering. These phenomena, however, can be effectively used for joint multipath-Doppler diversity of received signals similarly to multipath diversity in a conventional RAKE receiver. We present a new signal processing technique for data transmission over fast fading underwater acoustic channel by using OFDM signals. This technique exploits multipath-Doppler diversity which is based on the channel model as a sum of macro-rays characterised by delays, Doppler parameters and transfer functions. Delay and Doppler estimation involves calculation of the cross-ambiguity function for a pilot signal; transfer function estimation exploits frequency domain B-spline approximation. Experimental results demonstrate high BER performance of the proposed algorithm for various propagation scenarios.
Probability and Statistics with Reliability, Queuing, and Computer Science Applications

Probability and Statistics with Reliability, Queuing and Computer Science Applications, Second Edition, offers a comprehensive introduction to probabiliby, stochastic processes, and statistics for students of computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and applied mathematics. Its wealth of practical examples and up-to-date information makes it an excellent resource for practitioners as well.