Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role for CD2AP and Other Endocytosis-Associated Proteins in Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Pedestal Formation

ABSTRACT Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains are extracellular pathogens that generate actin-rich structures (pedestals) beneath the adherent bacteria as part of their virulence strategy. Pedestals are hallmarks of EPEC infections, and their efficient formation in vitro routinely requires phosphorylation of the EPEC effector protein Tir at tyrosine 474 (Y474). This phosphorylation results in the recruitment and direct attachment of the host adaptor protein Nck to Tir at Y474, which is utilized for actin nucleation through a downstream N-WASP-Arp2/3-based mechanism. Recently, the endocytic protein clathrin was demonstrated to be involved in EPEC pedestal formation. Here we examine the organization of clathrin in pedestals and report that CD2AP, an endocytosis-associated and cortactin-binding protein, is a novel and important component of EPEC pedestal formation that also utilizes Y474 phosphorylation of EPEC Tir. We also demonstrate the successive recruitment of Nck and then clathrin prior to actin polymerization at pedestals during the Nck-dependent pathway of pedestal formation. This study further demonstrates that endocytic proteins are key components of EPEC pedestals and suggests a novel endocytosis subversion strategy employed by these extracellular bacteria.
Clinical Use of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Tumor and Pain Reduction in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract Purpose: Evaluation of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) used for the first time in Germany in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer for reduction of tumor volume and relief of tumor-associated pain. Materials and Methods: 15 patients with locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer and tumor-related pain symptoms were treated by HIFU (n = 6 UICC stage III, n = 9 UICC stage IV). 13 patients underwent simultaneous standard chemotherapy. Ablation was performed using the JC HIFU system (Chongqing, China HAIFU Company) with an ultrasonic device for real-time imaging. Imaging follow-up (US, CT, MRI) and clinical assessment using validated questionnaires (NRS, BPI) was performed before and up to 15 months after HIFU. Results: Despite biliary or duodenal stents (4/15) and encasement of visceral vessels (15/15), HIFU treatment was performed successfully in all patients. Treatment time and sonication time were 111 min and 1103 s, respectively. The applied total energy was 386 768 J. After HIFU ablation, contrast-enhanced imaging showed devascularization of treated tumor regions with a significant average volume reduction of 63.8 % after 3 months. Considerable pain relief was achieved in 12 patients after HIFU (complete or partial pain reduction in 6 patients). Conclusion: US-guided HIFU with a suitable acoustic pathway can be used for local tumor control and relief of tumor-associated pain in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Key points: • US-guided HIFU allows an additive treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer. • HIFU can be used for tumor volume reduction. • Using HIFU, a significant reduction of cancer-related pain was achieved. • HIFU provides clinical benefit in patients with pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: • Strunk HM, Henseler J, Rauch M et al. Clinical Use of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Tumor and Pain Reduction in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2016; 188: 662 – 670
An Adaptive Memetic Algorithm using a synergy of Differential Evolution and Learning Automata

In recent years there has been a growing trend in the application of Memetic Algorithms for solving numerical optimization problems. They are population based search heuristics that integrate the benefits of natural and cultural evolution. In this paper, we propose an Adaptive Memetic Algorithm, named LA-DE which employs a competitive variant of Differential Evolution for global search and Learning Automata as the local search technique. During evolution Stochastic Automata Learning helps to balance the exploration and exploitation capabilities of DE resulting in local refinement. The proposed algorithm has been evaluated on a test-suite of 25 benchmark functions provided by CEC 2005 special session on real parameter optimization. Experimental results indicate that LA-DE outperforms several existing DE variants in terms of solution quality.
Short-Term Visual Memory and Pattern Masking

The results of two experiments involving the matching of unfamiliar, nameless shapes (Gibson forms) indicated that a visual representation of a brief (30–100 ms) stimulus survives in a Short-Term Visual Memory (STVM) for 6 s or more after the onset of a pattern mask. On the basis of these results a possible alternative to Sperling's (1967) model for short-term memory for visual stimuli was presented. In this model it is assumed that recognition processes occupy several hundred milliseconds and continue after the arrival of the mask using the information available in STVM.
The hypocretins as sensors for metabolism and arousal

Sleep disturbances are associated with hormonal imbalances and may result in metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. Therefore, circuits controlling both sleep and metabolism are likely to play a role in these physiopathological conditions. The hypocretin (Hcrt) system is a strong candidate for mediating both sleep and metabolic imbalances because Hcrt neurons are sensitive to metabolic hormones, including leptin and ghrelin, and modulate arousal and goal‐orientated behaviours. This review discusses the role of Hcrt neurons as a sensors of energy balance and arousal and proposes new ways of probing local hypothalamic circuits regulating sleep and metabolism with unprecedented cellular specificity and temporal resolution.
The development of gamified learning activities to increase student engagement in learning

In the literature, the potential efficacy of the gamification of education has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of applying gamification techniques to increase student engagement in learning. The quasi-experimental nonequivalent-control group design was used with 577 undergraduate students from six classes. The students in three of the classes were assigned to be the treatment group whereas the students in the others were the control group. Students in the treatment group attended a course designed for gamification, while students in the control group attended a regular course. The results showed that in the treatment group, student engagement in learning was significantly better than that of the students in the control group. We provide empirical support for gamification of education and conclude that students clearly valued the engagement of gamified learning activities.
Supersensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors in hepatic encephalopathy due to fulminant hepatic failure in the rat: reversal by a benzodiazepine antagonist.

Benzodiazepine receptors were studied in rats with hepatic encephalopathy due to fulminant hepatic failure induced by galactosamine. [3H]-Diazepam binding studies on brain synaptic membranes of rats with mild and severe encephalopathy show a significant increase in the number of receptors in both stages of coma. [3H]Diazepam binding to synaptic membrane preparations from rats in the mild or severe stage of encephalopathy hyper-responded to the stimulatory effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) applied in vitro at doses which for control rat preparations were in a subthreshold range. The effect of GABA was shown to be specific, since it was blocked by bicuculline methiodide. The sensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors in hepatic encephalopathy to nanomolar concentrations of GABA, which induced a significant increase in their affinity, seems to indicate a functional supersensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors in vivo in both mild and severe stages of encephalopathy. The phenomena described may be attributed to a partial degeneration of nerve terminals in hepatic encephalopathy, leading to a supersensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors, which parallels the previously described denervation supersensitivity of GABA receptors present in this animal model of fulminant hepatic failure. These findings may account for the brain hypersensitivity to sedatives administered to patients with liver diseases. The administration in vivo of a benzodiazepine antagonist, 2-phenylpyrazolo[4,3-c]-quinolin-3(5H)-one, counteracted the hypersensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors in the mild stage of encephalopathy. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Detection of mild emphysema by computed tomography density measurements

Purpose: To assess the ability of a conventional density mask method to detect mild emphysema by high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT); to analyze factors influencing quantification of mild emphysema; and to validate a new algorithm for detection of mild emphysema. Material and Methods: Fifty‐five healthy male smokers and 34 never‐smokers, 61–62 years of age, were examined. Emphysema was evaluated visually, by the conventional density mask method, and by a new algorithm compensating for the effects of gravity and artifacts due to motion and the reconstruction algorithm. Effects of the reconstruction algorithm, slice thickness, and various threshold levels on the outcome of the density mask area were evaluated. Results: Forty‐nine percent of the smokers had mild emphysema. The density mask area was higher the thinner the slice irrespective of the reconstruction algorithm and threshold level. The sharp algorithm resulted in increased density mask area. The new reconstruction algorithm could discriminate between smokers with and those without mild emphysema, whereas the density mask method could not. The diagnostic ability of the new algorithm was dependent on lung level. At about 90% specificity, sensitivity was 65–100% in the apical levels, but low in the rest of the lung. Conclusion: The conventional density mask method is inadequate for detecting mild emphysema, while the new algorithm improves the diagnostic ability but is nevertheless still imperfect.
Extracting place semantics from geo-folksonomies

Massive interest in geo-referencing of personal resources is evident on the web. People are collaboratively digitising maps and building place knowledge resources that document personal use and experiences in geographic places. Understanding and discovering these place semantics can potentially lead to the development of a different type of place gazetteer that holds not only standard information of place names and geographic location, but also activities practiced by people in a place and vernacular views of place characteristics. The main contributions of this research are as follows. A novel framework is proposed for the analysis of geo-folksonomies and the automatic discovery of place-related semantics. The framework is based on a model of geographic place that extends the definition of place as defined in traditional gazetteers and geospatial ontologies to include the notion of place affordance. A method of clustering place resources to overcome the inaccuracy and redundancy inherent in the geo-folksonomy structure is developed and evaluated. Reference ontologies are created and used in a tag resolution stage to discover place-related concepts of interest. Folksonomy analysis techniques are then used to create a place ontology and its component type and activity ontologies. The resulting concept ontologies are compared with an expert ontology of place type and activities and evaluated through a user questionnaire. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed framework, an application is developed to illustrate the possible enrichment of search experience by exposing the derived semantics to users of web mapping abstract applications. Finally, the value of using the discovered place semantics is also demonstrated by proposing two semantic based similarity approaches; user similarity and place similarity. The validity of the approaches was confirmed by the results of an experiment conducted on a realistic folksonomy dataset.
Book Review: Serotonergic Neuromodulation in the Cerebellar Cortex: Cellular, Synaptic, and Molecular Basis

The cerebellum, like most sensorimotor areas of the brain, receives a serotonergic innervation from neurons of the reticular formation. It is well established that local application of serotonin modulates the firing rate of cerebellar Purkinje cells in vivo and in vitro, but the mechanisms by which serotonin affects the cerebellar function are still poorly understood. Whereas interactions between serotonin, glutamate, and GABA have been reported to increase or decrease the firing frequency of Purkinje cells, there is little evidence for a modulation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses by serotonin in the cerebellar cortex. Changes in the intrinsic electrical properties of Purkinje cells upon application of serotonin have also been reported, but their impact on Purkinje cell firing is unclear. The recent finding that serotonin specifically modulates the activity of Lugaro cells, a class of inhibitory interneurons of the cerebellar cortex, offers new insights on the action of this neuromodulator. The peculiar axonal projection and specific interneuronal targets of the Lugaro cells suggest that the action of serotonin might occur upstream of Purkinje cells through a resetting of the computational properties of the cerebellar cortex. Understanding the mechanisms of the serotonergic modulation of the cerebellar cortex is of clinical relevance, as abnormal serotonin metabolism has been observed in animal models and pathological cases of motor disorders involving the cerebellum, and as chronic intravenous administration of L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a precursor of serotonin, was the first treatment shown to improve significantly cerebellar symptoms.
A research on the psychological contract structure between service enterprises and customers: An empirical research on China's banking industry

Purpose - The purpose of this paper, taking banking as the research object, is to build up a psychology covenant model for service enterprises and customers and to seek the form of the construction dimension in the psychology covenant between the service enterprise and the customer. Design/methodology/approach - SPSS16.0 was used for the exploratory factor analysis and AMOS7.0 for the confirmatory factor analysis. Findings - The psychological contract between service enterprises and customers is composed of two-dimensional structures: the transactional psychological contract and the relational psychological contract. Research limitations/implications - The biggest limitation of this paper is the research region being limited to banking. Future research can extend to other industries. Originality/value - The result has the theoretic reference to the tactic establishment for customer relationship management in China's service industry against the background of a transfer economy.
Gene targeting demonstrates that inducible nitric oxide synthase is not essential for resistance to oral candidiasis in mice, or for killing of Candida albicans by macrophages in vitro.

INTRODUCTION Oral candidiasis is caused by opportunistic infections with the yeast Candida albicans. Previous studies have demonstrated important roles for innate immunity and T helper type 1-mediated inflammatory reactions in recovery from infection, with macrophages and neutrophils as key effector cells. Both effector cell types use the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) to generate candidacidal molecules, but it is not clear whether nitric oxide (NO) is an absolute requirement for candidacidal effector activity. METHODS In this study we directly investigated the role of iNOS-derived NO in resistance to murine experimental oral candidiasis, using iNOS knockout mice. RESULTS Knockout mice were no more susceptible to oral candidiasis than wild-type controls. Bone marrow-derived macrophages from the knockout mice killed C. albicans yeasts efficiently in vitro, and were still able to produce nitrites in an iNOS-independent manner, albeit less efficiently than wild-type controls. There were no significant differences in local mucosal production of interleukins 6, 12, 17A, or 23, interferon-gamma, or transforming growth factor-beta 24 h after oral challenge with C. albicans. CONCLUSION These data suggest that iNOS-derived NO is not required for resistance to oral candidiasis in vivo, and that bone marrow-derived macrophages may have iNOS-independent means of generating reactive nitrogen species.
ATP-mediated Activation of the NADPH Oxidase DUOX1 Mediates Airway Epithelial Responses to Bacterial Stimuli*

Activation of the NADPH oxidase homolog dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1) within the airway epithelium represents a key mechanism of innate airway host defense, through enhanced production of H2O2, which mediates cellular signaling pathways that regulate the production of various inflammatory mediators. Production of the CXC chemokine interleukin (IL)-8/CXCL8 forms a common epithelial response to many diverse stimuli, including bacterial and viral triggers, environmental oxidants, and other biological mediators, suggesting the potential involvement of a common signaling pathway that may involve DUOX1-dependent H2O2 production. Following previous reports showing that DUOX1 is activated by extracellular ATP and purinergic receptor stimulation, this study demonstrates that airway epithelial IL-8 production in response to several bacterial stimuli involves ATP release and DUOX1 activation. ATP-mediated DUOX1 activation resulted in the activation of ERK1/2 and NF-κB pathways, which was associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand shedding by ADAM17 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17). Although ATP-mediated ADAM17 activation and IL-8 release were not prevented by extracellular H2O2 scavenging by catalase, these responses were attenuated by intracellular scavengers of H2O2 or related oxidants, suggesting an intracellular redox signaling mechanism. Both ADAM17 activation and IL-8 release were suppressed by inhibitors of EGFR/ERK1/2 signaling, which can regulate ADAM17 activity by serine/threonine phosphorylation. Collectively, our results indicate that ATP-mediated DUOX1 activation represents a common response mechanism to several environmental stimuli, involving H2O2-dependent EGFR/ERK activation, ADAM17 activation, and EGFR ligand shedding, leading to amplified epithelial EGFR activation and IL-8 production.
Generative Grammar Semantic Trees Parse Graphs Training Descriptions New Image Scene Graph Semantic Trees Generated Description Vision Models Training Images

This paper proposes a novel framework for generating lingual descriptions of indoor scenes. Whereas substantial efforts have been made to tackle this problem, previous approaches focusing primarily on generating a single sentence for each image, which is not sufficient for describing complex scenes. We attempt to go beyond this, by generating coherent descriptions with multiple sentences. Our approach is distinguished from conventional ones in several aspects: (1) a 3D visual parsing system that jointly infers objects, attributes, and relations; (2) a generative grammar learned automatically from training text; and (3) a text generation algorithm that takes into account coherence among sentences. Experiments on the NYU-v2 dataset show that our framework is able to generate natural multi-sentence descriptions, outperforming those produced by a baseline.
Steerable second order intensity features for pedestrian detection

In this paper we consider how second order intensity features can be used to boost the accuracies of SVM-based pedestrian detectors, which remain much faster than recently popular deep learning approaches. In particular, we demonstrate that combining second order information features, corresponding to Hessians of patch-wise image intensities, with HOG and LBP features leads to more than 10% improvement in accuracy for frequently used and difficult datasets. In addition, we present a framework to visualize the responses of the linear SVM classifier at different locations and for different feature types, which enables a comprehensive and detailed analysis of failure modes of the current HOG-LBP detector. An interesting observation made is that the weight patterns of the Hessian-based features change when combined with HOG and LBP features as compared to using Hessians only, and that these changes can be understood from an intuitive perspective as detailed in our paper.
DNN Transfer Learning Based Non-Linear Feature Extraction for Acoustic Event Classification

Recent acoustic event classification research has focused on training suitable filters to represent acoustic events. However, due to limited availability of target event databases and linearity of conventional filters, there is still room for improving performance. By exploiting the non-linear modeling of deep neural networks (DNNs) and their ability to learn beyond pre-trained environments, this letter proposes a DNN-based feature extraction scheme for the classification of acoustic events. The effectiveness and robustness to noise of the proposed method are demonstrated using a database of indoor surveillance environments.
ArgueSecure: Out-of-the-Box Security Risk Assessment

Most established security risk assessment methodologies aim to produce ranked lists of risks. But ranking requires quantification of risks, which in turn relies on data which may not be available or estimations which might not be accurate. As an alternative, we have previously proposed argumentation-based risk assessment. In this paper, based on practitioner feedback, we introduce the latest iteration of this method accompanied by two dedicated tools: an online, collaborative web-portal and an offline version. We focus on the lessons learned in iteratively developing and evaluating these tools and the underlying framework. This new framework – called ArgueSecure – focuses on graphically modelling the risk landscape as a collapsible tree. This tree structure intuitively encodes argument traces, therefore maintaining traceability of the results and providing insight into the decision process.
High-Speed Reconfigurable Circuits for Multirate Systems in SiGe HBT Technology

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and opportunities presented by high-speed (> 50 GHz) reconfigurable integrated circuits and how they may drive reconfigurable systems applications, such as software-defined radio, radar, and imaging. We propose silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS as an example technology that enables ultrafast reconfigurable systems and present several circuit designs based on SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). We compare circuit designs between generations of IBM's SiGe process, including a recent 9HP process featuring devices with a cutoff frequency (fT) of 300 GHz. We describe an architecture for an 8-b 80-Gs/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a 48 × 48 cell field programmable gate array (FPGA), which provide powerful solutions for useful functions, such as digital signal processing (DSP) and polyphase filtering. Other circuit concepts are described, including a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a tuning range of 26 GHz and a high-performance (80 Gb/s) crossbar switch, which provide utility in reconfigurable system applications. Measured results from fabricated implementations of these described systems are presented. We comment on future prospects of these systems and examine an emerging lateral bipolar device (fT 1/4 825 GHz) having 100x less power consumption than conventional vertical HBTs.