Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Specialized sorting of GLUT4 and its recruitment to the cell surface are independently regulated by distinct Rabs

RAB10 and RAB14 function at sequential steps of insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. RAB14 functions upstream of RAB10 in GLUT4 sorting to the specialized transport vesicles, and RAB10 and its GAP protein comprise the main signaling module that regulates the accumulation of GLUT4 transport vesicles at the plasma membrane.
1990년대 중반 이후 교역조건 하락추세의 원인분석 (Causes of the Decline in Terms of Trade in Korea Since the Mid-1990s)

Korean Abstract: 본 논문에서는 1990년대 중반 이후 우리나라 교역조건의 추세적 하락요인을 Baxter and Kouparitsas(2000)의 분해방법론을 이용하여 분석해 보았다. 주요 분석결과는 다음과 같다. 교역조건의 변화의 분해방법을 통해 우리나라 교역조건의 하락추세가 대부분 공산품 대비 연료의 상대가격 상승으로 인한 재화상대가격효과에 기인함이 나타났다. 또한 전 세계 55개국의 교역조건 변화를 동일한 방법론으로 분해해 본 결과, 1990년대 중반 이후 재화상대가격효과에 의한 교역조건의 추세적 하락이 선진국․개도국을 불문하고 공산품 수출국의 공통적인 현상임을 보였다. 이는 우리나라 교역조건 하락의 주요 원인이 우리나라 내부적 요인보다는 예를 들어 중국의 무역확대 등 외부적 요인에 기인함을 시사한다. 회귀분석 결과 중국의 무역확대는 우리나라의 교역조건 하락의 중요한 원인이 되었으며, 특히 2000년대의 원유와 원자재 수입가격의 상승과 공산품의 수출가격을 하락시킨 것으로 나타났는데, 이는 교역조건 분해결과가 시사하는 바와 부합한다. English Abstract: This paper examines the causes of the terms of trade decline in Korea since the mid-1990s, using the decomposition methodology suggested by Baxter and Kouparitsas (2000) as well as regression analysis. The main empirical results are summarized as follows.The decomposition exercise of changes in terms of trade showed that Korea’s terms of trade decline for the past decade or so is attributable to goods price effect which were driven by the rise of oil prices relative to manufactures. The decomposition of terms of trade change for 55 countries showed that terms of trade decline due to goods price effect is a phenomenon that was commonly observed for exporters of manufactures since mid-1990s.These results suggest that external factors such as China’s trade expansion, rather than internal factors, are mostly responsible for the decline in terms of trade. In accordance with these results, the regression results suggest that China’s trade expansion contributed to Korea’s terms of trade decline, especially in 2000s, by raising the import prices of oil and raw materials and lowering the export prices of manufacturing products.
Artificial Selection Response due to Polygenic Adaptation from a Multilocus, Multiallelic Genetic Architecture

The ability of a population to adapt to changes in their living conditions, whether in nature or captivity, often depends on polymorphisms in multiple genes across the genome. In-depth studies of such polygenic adaptations are difficult in natural populations, but can be approached using the resources provided by artificial selection experiments. Here, we dissect the genetic mechanisms involved in long-term selection responses of the Virginia chicken lines, populations that after 40 generations of divergent selection for 56-day body weight display a 9-fold difference in the selected trait. In the F15 generation of an intercross between the divergent lines, 20 loci explained >60% of the additive genetic variance for the selected trait. We focused particularly on fine-mapping seven major QTL that replicated in this population and found that only two fine-mapped to single, bi-allelic loci; the other five contained linked loci, multiple alleles or were epistatic. This detailed dissection of the polygenic adaptations in the Virginia lines provides a deeper understanding of the range of different genome-wide mechanisms that have been involved in these long-term selection responses. The results illustrate that the genetic architecture of a highly polygenic trait can involve a broad range of genetic mechanisms, and that this can be the case even in a small population bred from founders with limited genetic diversity.
Are Animal Tests Inherently Valid?

The proposition that animal tests are inherently valid, merely because they are animal tests, is discussed and is rejected. It is concluded that there is no justifiable reason for subjecting new or substantially modified animal test procedures or testing strategies to a validation process that is any less stringent than that applied to non-animal tests and testing strategies.
Type 1 Fimbriae Contribute to Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Biofilm formation on catheters is thought to contribute to persistence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), which represent the most frequent nosocomial infections. Knowledge of genetic factors for catheter colonization is limited, since their role has not been assessed using physicochemical conditions prevailing in a catheterized human bladder. The current study aimed to combine data from a dynamic catheterized bladder model in vitro with in vivo expression analysis for understanding molecular factors relevant for CAUTI caused by Escherichia coli. By application of the in vitro model that mirrors the physicochemical environment during human infection, we found that an E. coli K-12 mutant defective in type 1 fimbriae, but not isogenic mutants lacking flagella or antigen 43, was outcompeted by the wild-type strain during prolonged catheter colonization. The importance of type 1 fimbriae for catheter colonization was verified using a fimA mutant of uropathogenic E. coli strain CFT073 with human and artificial urine. Orientation of the invertible element (IE) controlling type 1 fimbrial expression in bacterial populations harvested from the colonized catheterized bladder in vitro suggested that the vast majority of catheter-colonizing cells (up to 88%) express type 1 fimbriae. Analysis of IE orientation in E. coli populations harvested from patient catheters revealed that a median level of ∼73% of cells from nine samples have switched on type 1 fimbrial expression. This study supports the utility of the dynamic catheterized bladder model for analyzing catheter colonization factors and highlights a role for type 1 fimbriae during CAUTI.
Is There an Infectious Agent Behind Prostate Cancer

This CHAPTER deals with a more defined and specified issue: whether we can already identify, point our fingers toward a specific infectious agent or infectivity pathway most likely targeting and lurking behind prostate cancer (PCa). This issue became quite evident in the past 5-6 years, in view of the heated debate on the possible role of a what was consid‐ ered a novel retrovirus: Xenotropic Murine Related Virus, or XMRV, in the aetiology of PCa and subsequently also of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Over two years ago, the same issue was discussed by the author at the International Congress on Muscle Fatigue held in Pisa in July 2010. That presentation has been now transformed in a paper, which is in press in the journal Neuro Muscolar Disease (NMD, Springer Verlag) [1]. The reader is therefore referred to that article -most likely already published by the time of this book printingfor aetiological considerations on CFS [1]. In this section, I will more extensively discuss the as‐ sociation of XMRV with PCa. Such an association was the first one to be discovered and this finding was the basis for also searching XMRV in CFS. In CFS, the potential association with an infective agent doesn’t appear to be trivial, since “fatigue” has been widely associated with several types of cancer in the so called Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF), also discussed more extensively in the NMD paper [1] [2].
Efficacy and Predictors for Biofeedback Therapeutic Outcome in Patients with Dyssynergic Defecation

Aim To evaluate the short-term efficacy of biofeedback therapy (BFT) for dyssynergic defecation (DD) and to explore the predictors of the efficacy of BFT. Methods Clinical symptoms, psychological state, and quality of life of patients before and after BFT were investigated. All patients underwent lifestyle survey and anorectal physiology tests before BFT. Improvement in symptom scores was considered proof of clinical efficacy of BFT. Thirty-eight factors that could influence the efficacy of BFT were studied. Univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to identify the independent predictors. Results Clinical symptoms, psychological state, and quality of life of DD patients improved significantly after BFT. Univariate analysis showed that efficacy of BFT was positively correlated to one of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey terms, the physical role function (r = 0.289; P = 0.025), and negatively correlated to the stool consistency (r = −0.220; P = 0.032), the depression scores (r = −0.333; P = 0.010), and the first rectal sensory threshold volume (r = −0.297; P = 0.022). Multivariate analysis showed depression score (β = −0.271; P = 0.032) and first rectal sensory threshold volume (β = −0.325; P = 0.013) to be independent predictors of BFT efficacy. Conclusion BFT improves the clinical symptoms of DD patients. Depression state and elevated first rectal sensory threshold volume were independent predictors of poor outcome with BFT.
Evolving Intelligent Systems: Methods, Learning, & Applications

The basic concept, formulation, background, and a panoramic view over the recent research results and open problems in the newly emerging area of Evolving Intelligent Systems are summarized in this short communication. Intelligent systems can be defined as systems that incorporate some form of reasoning that is typical for humans. Fuzzy Systems are well known for being able to formalize human knowledge that still separates humans from machines. Artificial Neural Networks have proven to be a useful form of parallel processing of information that employs principles from the organization of the brain. Finally, the evolution is a phenomenon that was initially used to solve optimization problems inspired by the progress in Genetic Algorithms, Evolutionary Computing, and Genetic Programming. These types of evolutionary algorithms are mimicking the natural selection that takes place in populations of living creatures over generations. More recently, the evolution of individual systems within their life-span (self-organization, learning through experience, and self-developing) has attracted attention. These systems called `evolving' came as a result of the research on practical intelligent systems and on-line learning algorithms that are capable of extracting knowledge from data and performing a higher level adaptation of model structure as well as model parameters. Evolving systems can also be considered an extension of the multi-model concept known from the control theory, and of the on-line identification of fuzzy rule-based models. They can also be regarded as an extension of the methods for on-line learning neural networks with flexible structure that can grow and shrink.
Factors influencing the protein binding of azosemide using an equilibrium dialysis technique

Various factors most likely to influence the plasma protein binding of azosemide to 4% human serum albumin (HSA) were evaluated using equilibrium dialysis at the initial azosemide concentration of 10 μg mL−1. It took approximately 8h of incubation to reach an equilibrium between 4% HSA and isotonic phosphate buffer of pH 7.4 containing 3% dextran (the ‘buffer’) using a Spectra/Por 2 membrane (molecular weight cut‐off 12000–14000) in a water bath shaker kept at 37°C and a rate of 50 oscillations min−1. Azosemide was fairly stable both in 4% HSA and in the ‘buffer’ for up to 24h. The binding of azosemide to 4% HSA was constant (95.5 ± 0.142%) at azosemide concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 μg mL−1. However, the extent of binding was dependent on HSA concentration: the values were 88.4, 91.0, 92.2, 94.2, 94.9, 94.9, and 94.9% at albumin concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6% respectively. The binding was also dependent on incubation temperature; the binding values were 97.0, 94.9, and 94.9% when incubated at 6, 28, and 37°C, respectively. The binding of azosemide was also influenced by buffers containing various chloride ion concentrations and buffer pHs. The binding values were 95.3, 94.9, and 93.6% for the chloride ion concentrations of 0, 0.249, and 0.546%, respectively, and the unbound values were 6.8, 5.1, 3.8, 3.4, and 3.3% for buffer pHs of 5.8, 6.4, 7.0, 7.4, and 8.0, respectively. The binding of azosemide was independent of the quantity of heparin (up to 40 UmL−1), AAG (up to 0.16%), sodium azide (NaN3, up to 5%), its metabolite, Ml (up to 10 μg mL−1), and anticoagulants (EDTA and citrate).
A preventive control for contingencies security

This paper presents an advance stratagem to prevent contingencies and solve the optimal problem of economic and security dispatch. The dispatch takes outage and limitation of technical constraints into account. In order to ensure state steady stability for accidents, preventive control algorithm (PCA) based on the generalized reduced gradient method processing a preventive contingency set jointly. The technique determines the active power dispatch and voltage of each generating unit before contingent condition so as to minimize the energy re-dispatch cost subject to dispatch, network, and security constraints. A secure process is proposed to control the power system and provide operators with emergency suggestions in deregulated market.
The best next drug in the course of generalized anxiety disorders: the “PN-GAD-algorithm”

Abstract Objective. Today, there are many pharmacotherapeutic options for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The question is, which is the best medication for a particular patient at a particular moment? This is especially challenging because GAD is by definition a chronic disorder and new interventions should learn from earlier experiences. An algorithm which can help to use pretreatment information for drug selection is the “Pretreatment – Next Treatment (PN) – Algorithm”. This article introduces an PN-algorithm for GAD. Methods and results. For the development of a GAD-specific PN-algorithm, all possible pharmacological options for GAD are reviewed and brought into a rank order on the basis of scientific evidence regarding efficacy, tolerability, or price: (1) pregabalin, (2) venlafaxine XR, (3) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, (4) tricyclic antidepressants, (5) buspirone, (6) antipsychotics, (7) benzodiazepines, and (8) hydroxyzine. Based on this hierarchy and patient-specific information, a decision algorithm is derived, which allows to assess and evaluate pretreatment and to select the drug with no contraindications, limited negative or convincing positive effects, or the option which has not been used so far but which is the next compound in the hierarchy. Conclusions. The “PN-GAD-algorithm” can be easily translated into a checklist to support clinical decision-making. It can also help to increase patient empowerment and cooperation in long-term treatment.
Measurement of Cortical Thickness Using an Automated 3-D Algorithm: A Validation Study

A validation study was conducted to assess the accuracy of the algorithm developed by MacDonald et al. (1999) for measuring cortical thickness. This algorithm automatically determines the cortical thickness by 3-D extraction of the inner and outer surfaces of the cerebral cortex from an MRI scan. A manual method of tagging the grey-csf and grey-white interface was used on 20 regions (10 cortical areas found in each hemisphere) in 40 MRIs of the brain to validate the algorithm. The regions were chosen throughout the cortex to get broad assessment of the algorithm's performance. Accuracy was determined by an anatomist tagging the csf-grey and grey-white borders of selected gyri and by allowing the algorithm to determine the csf-grey and grey-white borders and the corresponding cortical thickness of the same region. Results from the manual and automatic methods were statistically compared using overall ANOVA and paired t tests for each region. The manual and automatic methods were in agreement for all but 4 of the 20 regions tested. The four regions where there were significant differences between the two methods were the insula left and right, the right cuneus, and the right parahippocampus. We conclude that the automatic algorithm is valid for most of the cortex and provides a viable alternative to manual methods of determining cortical thickness in vivo. However, caution should be taken when measuring the regions mentioned previously where the results of the algorithm can be biased by surrounding grey structures.
Graph-based visual instance mining with geometric matching and nearest candidates selection

The goal of this work is to cluster frequently appearing visual instances from a collection of images, called visual instance mining. State-of-the-art approaches employ clustering on the matching graph. Although these graph-based approaches are quite effective, their performances are still modest. In this paper, we propose two methods to further improve the accuracy of graph-based approaches. Firstly, we improve graph construction by integrating geometric constraints. Particularly, we exploit Hamming Embedding code, burstiness removal, and geometric consistency in our framework to remove false connections. Secondly, unlike most of the existing methods which cluster images similar to an entry point, we cluster them by prioritizing the correlation between the candidates and members in the cluster. We enlarge the cluster by adding the nearest candidate at each re-expanding. Our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on benchmark datasets. Especially, our results are 21.2% and 5.5% higher than the latest results, conducted respectively in MQA dataset and PartialDup dataset.
Ordinal multidimensional inequality: theory and application to the 2x2 case

This paper develops a method for ordinal comparison of multidimensional inequality. In our model, one distribution is more unequal than another when the distributions have common arithmetic median and the first can be obtained from second by one or more elementary shifts in population density that increase inequality. For the benchmark 2x2 case (i.e. the case of two binary outcome variables), we derive an empirical approach to making ordinal inequality comparisons. As an illustration, we apply the model to childhood poverty in Mozambique.
The acute effects of physical activity on cigarette cravings: systematic review and meta-analysis with individual participant data.

AIMS To conduct an updated systematic review and the first meta-analysis of experimental trials investigating the acute effects of short bouts of physical activity (PA) on strength of desire (SoD) and desire to smoke (DtS) using individual participant data (IPD). METHODS A systematic review of literature and IPD meta-analyses included trials assessing the acute effects of shorts bouts of PA on SoD and DtS among temporarily abstaining smokers not using pharmaceutical aids for smoking cessation. Authors of eligible studies were contacted and raw IPD were obtained. Two-stage and one-stage IPD random-effects meta-analyses were conducted. Participants engaging in PA were compared against control participants, using post-intervention SoD and DtS with baseline adjustments. RESULTS A two-stage IPD meta-analysis assessing effects of PA on SoD yielded an average standardized mean difference (SMD) between PA and control conditions (across 15 primary studies) of -1.91 [95% confidence interval (CI): -2.59 to -1.22]. A two-stage IPD meta-analysis assessing effects of PA on DtS yielded an average SMD between PA and control conditions (across 17 primary studies) of -2.03 (95% CI: -2.60 to -1.46). Additional meta-analyses, including those using a one-stage model, those including only parallel arm studies and meta-analyses comparing only moderate exercise against a control condition, showed significant craving reduction following PA. Despite a high degree of between-study heterogeneity, effects sizes of all primary studies were in the same direction, with PA showing a greater reduction in cravings compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS There is strong evidence that physical activity acutely reduces cigarette craving.
Enhanced QRD-M algorithm for soft-output MIMO detection

QR-decomposition with M algorithm is a promising technique for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. When the number of candidates is insufficient, its performance is, however, degraded due to an inaccurate log likelihood ratio (LLR). To address this problem, an enhanced soft LLR calculation scheme is proposed for soft-output MIMO detection. Based on QR-decomposition, the proposed algorithm can efficiently obtain a soft information of minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) equalization. With this information, an optimal weighted combining method is derived in an MSE sense. In addition, we compute a more reliable clipping value from the soft information of MMSE equalization. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm provides a considerable performance gain over conventional algorithms and its performance is close to optimal performance with insufficient candidates.
LMO2 (LIM domain only 2) is expressed in a subset of acute myeloid leukaemia and correlates with normal karyotype

LMO2 is a transcription factor that plays a key role in haematopoiesis. Expression of LMO2 has been demonstrated in germinal centre B cells, various B cell lymphomas and T lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukaemia (T‐ALL), but has not been studied extensively in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Nato3 plays an integral role in dorsoventral patterning of the spinal cord by segregating floor plate/p3 fates via Nkx2.2 suppression and Foxa2 maintenance

During embryogenesis, the dorsal roof plate and the ventral floor plate (FP) act as organizing centers to pattern the developing neural tube. Organizer-secreted morphogens provide signals that are interpreted via the graded expression of transcription factors. These factors establish a combinatorial code, which subsequently determines the fate of neuronal progenitors along the dorsoventral axis. To further separate the fates and promote distinct identities of the neural progenitors, mutual repression takes place among transcription factors expressed in progenitors situated along the dorsoventral axis. The molecular mechanisms acting in the developing spinal cord and underlying the segregation of the progenitor pool containing cells with a mixed FP/p3 fate into separate FP cells and V3 neurons are not fully understood. Using in vivo ectopic expression in chick, we found that Nato3 induces ectopic Foxa2-positive cells and indirectly downregulates Nkx2.2 expression. To examine the role of Nato3 in the FP, Foxa2-Nato3 signaling was blocked in Nato3 null mice and to a greater extent in Nato3 null/Foxa2 heterozygous bigenic mutants. Complementary to the findings obtained by gain of function in chick, the loss of function in mouse indicated that the segregation of the FP/p3 population into its derivatives was interrupted. Together, the data suggest that Nato3 is a novel determinant factor regulating the segregation of the FP and p3 identities, which is an essential step for establishing a definitive FP fate in the embryonic spinal cord.
Gaze driven animation of eyes

We present a data driven model of eye movement, that includes movement of the globes, the periorbital soft tissues and eyelids and also the formation of wrinkles in the tissues. We describe a pipeline for measurement and estimation of tissue movement around the eyes using monocular high speed video capture. We use dense optical flow techniques to simultaneously estimate skin and globe motion, as well as high resolution texture images. Our methods are robust to transient occlusions. Finally, we present a system for interactive animation of eyes using a small number of animation parameters, including gaze. These parameters can be obtained from any source, such as keyframe animation or an actor's performance.