Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robustness evaluation of grid-tied AC-stacked PV inverter system considering manufacturing inaccuracies

This paper evaluates the impact of manufacturing inaccuracies and aging on robust operation of distributed AC-stacked PV inverters. A novel index for analyzing the robustness of grid-tied AC-stacked PV inverter architectures has been used in this paper. Utilized index by considering four major operational characteristics such as conversion efficiency, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) effectiveness and Power Factor (PF) compliance provides a comparative evaluation of PV inverters in different conditions and applications. Statistical analysis and Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) algorithm are used to model the impact uncertainties on robust operation of individual and AC-stacked PV inverters with minimum sampling point. Uncertainties which are considered in this paper are physical variations of passive components due to manufacturing inaccuracies and aging and also sensing inaccuracies. Boundary of robustness of grid-tied AC-stacked PV inverter architecture for each uncertainty is determined and compared with single inverter to verify the feasibility of the operation of grid-tied AC-stacked PV inverter architecture. Simulation and experimental results verifies the feasibility of the robust operation of Ac-stacked PV inverters.
Targeting acetylcholine receptor M3 prevents the progression of airway hyperreactivity in a mouse model of childhood asthma

Asthma often progresses into adulthood from early‐life episodes of adverse environmental exposures. However, how the injury to developing lungs contributes to the pathophysiology of persistent asthma remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified an age‐related mechanism along the cholinergic nerve–airway smooth muscle (ASM) axis that underlies prolonged airway hyperreactivity (AHR) in mice. We showed that ASM continued to mature until ~3 wk after birth. Coinciding with postnatal ASM maturation, there was a critical time window for the development of ASM hypercontractility after cholinergic stimulation. We found that allergen exposure in neonatal mice, but not in adult mice, elevated the level and activity of cholinergic nerves (termed neuroplasticity). We demonstrated that cholinergic neuroplasticity is necessary for the induction of persistent AHR after neonatal exposure during rescue assays in mice deficient in neuroplasticity. In addition, early intervention with cholinergic receptor muscarinic (ChRM)‐3 blocker reversed the progression of AHR in the neonatal exposure model, whereas β2‐adrenoceptor agonists had no such effect. Together, our findings demonstrate a functional relationship between cholinergic neuroplasticity and ASM contractile phenotypes that operates uniquely in early life to induce persistent AHR after allergen exposure. Targeting ChRM3 may have disease‐modifying benefits in childhood asthma. —Patel, K. R. , Bai, Y. , Trieu, K. G. , Barrios, J., Ai, X. Targeting acetylcholine receptor M3 prevents the progression of airway hyperreactivity in a mouse model of childhood asthma. FASEB J. 31, 4335–4346 (2017). www.fasebj. org
The Montreal Imaging Stress Task: using functional imaging to investigate the effects of perceiving and processing psychosocial stress in the human brain.

OBJECTIVE We developed a protocol for inducing moderate psychologic stress in a functional imaging setting and evaluated the effects of stress on physiology and brain activation. METHODS The Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST), derived from the Trier Mental Challenge Test, consists of a series of computerized mental arithmetic challenges, along with social evaluative threat components that are built into the program or presented by the investigator. To allow the effects of stress and mental arithmetic to be investigated separately, the MIST has 3 test conditions (rest, control and experimental), which can be presented in either a block or an event-related design, for use with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission tomography (PET). In the rest condition, subjects look at a static computer screen on which no tasks are shown. In the control condition, a series of mental arithmetic tasks are displayed on the computer screen, and subjects submit their answers by means of a response interface. In the experimental condition, the difficulty and time limit of the tasks are manipulated to be just beyond the individual's mental capacity. In addition, in this condition the presentation of the mental arithmetic tasks is supplemented by a display of information on individual and average performance, as well as expected performance. Upon completion of each task, the program presents a performance evaluation to further increase the social evaluative threat of the situation. RESULTS In 2 independent studies using PET and a third independent study using fMRI, with a total of 42 subjects, levels of salivary free cortisol for the whole group were significantly increased under the experimental condition, relative to the control and rest conditions. Performing mental arithmetic was linked to activation of motor and visual association cortices, as well as brain structures involved in the performance of these tasks (e.g., the angular gyrus). CONCLUSIONS We propose the MIST as a tool for investigating the effects of perceiving and processing psychosocial stress in functional imaging studies.
Neonatal Maternal Separation Impairs Prefrontal Cortical Myelination and Cognitive Functions in Rats Through Activation of Wnt Signaling

&NA; Adverse early‐life experience such as depriving the relationship between parents and children induces permanent phenotypic changes, and impairs the cognitive functions associated with the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this work, we used rat neonatal maternal separation (NMS) model to illuminate whether and how NMS in early life affects cognitive functions, and what the underlying cellular and molecular mechanism is. We showed that rat pups separated from their dam 3 h daily during the first 3 postnatal weeks alters medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) myelination and impairs mPFC‐dependent behaviors. Myelination appears necessary for mPFC‐dependent behaviors, as blockade of oligodendrocytes (OLs) differentiation or lysolecithin‐induced demyelination, impairs mPFC functions. We further demonstrate that histone deacetylases 1/2 (HDAC1/2) are drastically reduced in NMS rats. Inhibition of HDAC1/2 promotes Wnt activation, which negatively regulates OLs development. Conversely, selective inhibition of Wnt signaling by XAV939 partly rescue myelination arrestment and behavior deficiency caused by NMS. These findings indicate that NMS impairs mPFC cognitive functions, at least in part, through modulation of oligodendrogenesis and myelination. Understanding the mechanism of NMS on mPFC‐dependent behaviors is critical for developing pharmacological and psychological interventions for child neglect and abuse.
Digital In-Line Holographic Microscopy with Various Wavelengths and Point Sources Applied to Static and Fluidic Specimens

Holography is a lensless imaging technique with intrinsic three-dimensional properties. Employing spherical waves enables the acquisition of magnified images. As the method in contrast to conventional microscopy does not require lenses, the achievable resolution only depends on the illumination wavelength and the solid detection angle. Approaching short wavelengths is thus advisable. In this thesis, 5.9, 2.9, 0.752, 0.500 and 0.356 µm polystyrene beads could be resolved. Furthermore, fibroblast cells with a diameter of about 100 µm and lithographic structures with random forms and shapes were imaged. By introducing an oil chamber with a higher refractive index into the setup, a significant increase of the numerical aperture and thus the achievable resolution was obtained. Nanosecond UV and synchrotron picosecond VUV radiation were proven to provide coherent illumination for in-line holographic microscopy measurements, enabling submicron resolution. First experiments in extending the method towards the fourth dimension included the tracking of tracer particles such as microspheres and oil droplets in flow channels. In addition to the commonly used pinholes, optical fibers were tested with respect to their suitability as alternative point sources. Due to their flexibility these sources could be used in complicated measurement geometries. Furthermore, their ability to be applied in situ makes them interesting for biological studies.
Defining community acquired pneumonia severity on presentation to hospital: an international derivation and validation study

Background: In the assessment of severity in community acquired pneumonia (CAP), the modified British Thoracic Society (mBTS) rule identifies patients with severe pneumonia but not patients who might be suitable for home management. A multicentre study was conducted to derive and validate a practical severity assessment model for stratifying adults hospitalised with CAP into different management groups. Methods: Data from three prospective studies of CAP conducted in the UK, New Zealand, and the Netherlands were combined. A derivation cohort comprising 80% of the data was used to develop the model. Prognostic variables were identified using multiple logistic regression with 30 day mortality as the outcome measure. The final model was tested against the validation cohort. Results: 1068 patients were studied (mean age 64 years, 51.5% male, 30 day mortality 9%). Age ⩾65 years (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.6 to 8.0) and albumin <30 g/dl (OR 4.7, 95% CI 2.5 to 8.7) were independently associated with mortality over and above the mBTS rule (OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.7 to 10). A six point score, one point for each of Confusion, Urea >7 mmol/l, Respiratory rate ⩾30/min, low systolic(<90 mm Hg) or diastolic (⩽60 mm Hg) Blood pressure), age ⩾65 years (CURB-65 score) based on information available at initial hospital assessment, enabled patients to be stratified according to increasing risk of mortality: score 0, 0.7%; score 1, 3.2%; score 2, 3%; score 3, 17%; score 4, 41.5% and score 5, 57%. The validation cohort confirmed a similar pattern. Conclusions: A simple six point score based on confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age can be used to stratify patients with CAP into different management groups.
Lexical processing deficits in children with developmental language disorder: An event-related potentials study

Abstract Lexical processing deficits in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have been postulated to arise as sequelae of their grammatical deficits (either directly or via compensatory mechanisms) and vice versa. We examined event-related potential indices of lexical processing in children with DLD (n = 23) and their typically developing peers (n = 16) using a picture–word matching paradigm. We found that children with DLD showed markedly reduced N400 amplitudes in response both to auditorily presented words that had initial phonological overlap with the name of the pictured object and to words that were not semantically or phonologically related to the pictured object. Moreover, this reduction was related to behavioral indices of phonological and lexical but not grammatical development. We also found that children with DLD showed a depressed phonological mapping negativity component in the early time window, suggesting deficits in phonological processing or early lexical access. The results are partially consistent with the overactivation account of lexical processing deficits in DLD and point to the relative functional independence of lexical/phonological and grammatical deficits in DLD, supporting a multidimensional view of the disorder. The results also, although indirectly, support the neuroplasticity account of DLD, according to which language impairment affects brain development and shapes the specific patterns of brain responses to language stimuli.
PGE2‐EP3 signaling exacerbates hippocampus‐dependent cognitive impairment after laparotomy by reducing expression levels of hippocampal synaptic plasticity‐related proteins in aged mice

Multifactors contribute to the development of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), of which the most important mechanism is neuroinflammation. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a key neuroinflammatory molecule and could modulate hippocampal synaptic transmission and plasticity. This study was designed to investigate whether PGE2 and its receptors signaling pathway were involved in the pathophysiology of POCD.
Identification of a novel compound heterozygous mutation of the CYP21A2 gene causing 21-hydroxylase deficiency in a Chinese pedigree

21-Hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) is the most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, 21-OHD is caused by mutations in the cytochrome P450 family 21 subfamily A member 2 (CYP21A2) gene. The present study was designed to investigate the genetic characteristics of one Chinese pedigree and to identify the genotype-phenotype association, thereby facilitating the precise diagnosis of 21-OHD at the molecular level. Members of a Chinese family with 21-OHD were screened for mutations in the CYP21A2 gene. Clinical data and biochemical parameters, including androgen and derivatives, were collected. Complete DNA sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were utilized to analyze the genetic variations in the full-length CYP21A2 gene. A C-T transition located in exon 8 of the CYP21A2 gene, leading to the predicted amino acid residue change from Arg to Trp at codon 342, was identified in the mother and four sisters. Additionally, heterozygous deletion mutations of exons 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 of paternal origin were detected in the four sisters by MLPA analysis. During the one-year follow-up, the four sisters exhibited symptom improvement following treatment with glucocorticoids, and the proband and one sister successfully conceived. The results of the present study demonstrated that novel compound heterozygous variations in the CYP21A2 gene may be causative agents of 21-OHD, providing insights into the functions of this gene and a more comprehensive understanding of the disorder.
Bacteriocyte cell death in the pea aphid/Buchnera symbiotic system

Significance Beneficial symbiotic associations, ubiquitously found in nature, have led to the emergence of eukaryotic cells, the bacteriocytes, specialized in harboring microbial partners. One of the most fundamental questions concerning these enigmatic cells is how organismal homeostasis controls their elimination. Here we report that aphid bacteriocytes have evolved a form of cell death distinct from the conserved cell-death mechanisms hitherto characterized. This cell-death mechanism is a nonapoptotic multistep process that starts with the hypervacuolation of the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by a cascade of cellular stress responses. Our findings provide a framework to study biological functioning of bacteriocytes and the cellular mechanisms associated with symbiosis and contribute to the understanding of eukaryotic cell-death diversity. Symbiotic associations play a pivotal role in multicellular life by facilitating acquisition of new traits and expanding the ecological capabilities of organisms. In insects that are obligatorily dependent on intracellular bacterial symbionts, novel host cells (bacteriocytes) or organs (bacteriomes) have evolved for harboring beneficial microbial partners. The processes regulating the cellular life cycle of these endosymbiont-bearing cells, such as the cell-death mechanisms controlling their fate and elimination in response to host physiology, are fundamental questions in the biology of symbiosis. Here we report the discovery of a cell-death process involved in the degeneration of bacteriocytes in the hemipteran insect Acyrthosiphon pisum. This process is activated progressively throughout aphid adulthood and exhibits morphological features distinct from known cell-death pathways. By combining electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and molecular analyses, we demonstrated that the initial event of bacteriocyte cell death is the cytoplasmic accumulation of nonautophagic vacuoles, followed by a sequence of cellular stress responses including the formation of autophagosomes in intervacuolar spaces, activation of reactive oxygen species, and Buchnera endosymbiont degradation by the lysosomal system. We showed that this multistep cell-death process originates from the endoplasmic reticulum, an organelle exhibiting a unique reticular network organization spread throughout the entire cytoplasm and surrounding Buchnera aphidicola endosymbionts. Our findings provide insights into the cellular and molecular processes that coordinate eukaryotic host and endosymbiont homeostasis and death in a symbiotic system and shed light on previously unknown aspects of bacteriocyte biological functioning.
Remote physiological ischemic training promotes coronary angiogenesis via molecular and cellular mobilization after myocardial ischemia

AIM This study was designed to explore the mechanism of physiological ischemic training (PIT) on remote limbs, with a special focus on the potential role of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and nitric oxide (NO) in local ischemic myocardium. METHOD Myocardial ischemia (MI) rabbit models were randomly assigned to sham-operated group (SO), training-only group (TO), MI group, PIT group, VEGF inhibitor group (VEGF-), NO inhibitor group (NO-), VEGF and NO inhibitor group (VEGF-/NO-), and EPC inhibitor group (EPC-). A constrictor was implanted around the left ventricular branch to induce controlled MI. The PIT procedure consisted of three cycles of a 3-minutes cuff inflation on the hindlimbs with a reperfusion of 5 minutes. Plasma and myocardial EPC numbers, VEGF level, and NO concentration, as well as capillary density (CD), coronary blood flow (CBF), and coronary collateral blood flow (CCBF) in myocardium, were measured. RESULTS Nonparametric statistical techniques were applied to identify the differences between groups, and regression models were used to detect correlations between agents. VEGF levels, NO concentrations, and also EPC counts in both plasma and myocardium were highest in the PIT group. Capillary density, CCBF, and CCBF/CBF were also statistically elevated in the PIT group. VEGF explained 74% of variance in NO. NO explained 65% of variance in EPCs. EPCs explained 68% of variance in capillary density. Capillary density explained 78% of variance in CCBF and CCBF/CBF. CONCLUSION PIT mobilized EPCs and promoted revascularization through upregulating VEGF and NO level.
Immune checkpoint molecules soluble program death ligand 1 and galectin‐9 are increased in pregnancy

Pregnancy requires balance between tolerance to the haploidentical fetus and the mother's ability to mount immune responses. There are parallels to this phenomenon that occur in metastatic cancer. We assessed soluble program death ligand‐1 soluble PD‐L1 (sPD‐L1) and galectin‐9 in the blood of pregnant women during gestation as these molecules are highly involved in immune suppression during cancer.
The Combination of Computational and Biosensing Technologies for Selecting Aptamer against Prostate Specific Antigen

Herein, we report a method of combining bioinformatics and biosensing technologies to select aptamers against prostate specific antigen (PSA). The main objective of this study is to select DNA aptamers with higher binding affinity for PSA by using the proposed method. Based on the five known sequences of PSA-binding aptamers, we adopted the functions of reproduction and crossover in the genetic algorithm to produce next-generation sequences for the computational and experimental analysis. RNAfold web server was utilized to analyze the secondary structures, and the 3-dimensional molecular models of aptamer sequences were generated by using RNAComposer web server. ZRANK scoring function was used to rerank the docking predictions from ZDOCK. The biosensors, the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument, were used to verify the binding ability of selected aptamer for PSA. By carrying out the simulations and experiments after two generations, we obtain one aptamer that can have the highest binding affinity with PSA, which generates almost 2-fold and 3-fold greater measured signals than the responses produced by the best known DNA sequence in the QCM and SPR experiments, respectively.
Oncogenic KRAS provides a uniquely powerful and variable oncogenic contribution among RAS family members in the colonic epithelium

Activating mutations of the RAS family of small GTPases are among the most common genetic events in human tumorigenesis. Constitutive activation of the three canonical family members, KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS segregate strongly by tissue type. Of these, KRAS mutations predominate in human tumors, including those arising from the colon and lung. We sought to compare the oncogenic contributions of different RAS isoforms in a comparable genetic setting and to explore downstream molecular changes that may explain the apparent differential oncogenic effects of the various RAS family members. We utilized colorectal cancer cell lines characterized by oncogenic KRAS in parallel with isogenically derived lines in which the mutant allele has been disrupted. We additionally attempted to reconstitute the isogenic derivatives with oncogenic forms of other RAS family members and analyze them in parallel. Pairwise analysis of HCT 116 and DLD‐1 cell lines as well as their isogenic derivatives reveals distinct K‐RASG13D signatures despite the genetic similarities of these cell lines. In DLD‐1, for example, oncogenic K‐RAS enhances the motility of these cells by downregulation of Rap1 activity, yet is not associated with increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In HCT 116, however, ERK1/2 phosphorylation is elevated relative to the isogenic derivative, but Rap1 activity is unchanged. K‐RAS is uniquely oncogenic in the colonic epithelium, though the molecular aspects of its oncogenic contribution are not necessarily conserved across cell lines. We therefore conclude that the oncogenic contribution of K‐RAS is a function of its multifaceted functionality and is highly context‐dependent. J. Cell. Physiol. 210: 740–749, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Survey and Systematization of Secure Device Pairing

Secure device pairing (SDP) schemes have been developed to facilitate secure communications among smart devices, both personal mobile devices and Internet of Things devices. Comparison and assessment of SDP schemes is troublesome, because each scheme makes different assumptions about out-of-band channels and adversary models, and are driven by their particular use-cases. A conceptual model that facilitates meaningful comparison among SDP schemes is missing. We provide such a model. In this paper, we survey and analyze a wide range of SDP schemes that are described in the literature, including a number that have been adopted as standards. A system model and consistent terminology for SDP schemes are built on the foundation of this survey, which are then used to classify existing SDP schemes into a taxonomy that, for the first time, enables their meaningful comparison and analysis. The existing SDP schemes are analyzed using this model, revealing common systemic security weaknesses among the surveyed SDP schemes that should become priority areas for future SDP research, such as improving the integration of privacy requirements into the design of SDP schemes. Our results allow SDP scheme designers to create schemes that are more easily comparable with one another, and to assist the prevention of persisting the weaknesses common to the current generation of SDP schemes.