Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scripts, Sequences, and Stories: Elements of a Postclassical Narratology

This essay begins by differentiating between narratively organized sequences of events and nonnarrative sequences associated with deductive reasoning, conversational exchanges, descriptions, and recipes. After reviewing classical accounts of narrative sequences, the essay sketches developments in language theory and cognitive science that have occurred after the heyday of structuralist narrative poetics and that throw further light on two interlinked questions: what is necessary to make a sequence of events a narrative, and what makes some narrative sequences more readily processed as stories than others? Both questions can be addressed by the concept, drawn from artificial-intelligence research, of “scripts”—knowledge representations storing finite, sequentially ordered groups of actions required for the accomplishment of particular tasks. Exploring some literary applications of a theoretical model based on scripts, the final section of the text outlines research strategies for a postclassical narratology that encompasses cognitive approaches to stories. By examining different modalities of the script-story interface, theorists of narrative may be able to rethink the historical development of narrative techniques and to understand better the differences among narrative genres at any given time.
Redistribution of xylan in maize cell walls during dilute acid pretreatment

Developing processes for the conversion of biomass for use in transportation fuels production is becoming a critically important economic and engineering challenge. Dilute acid pretreatment is a promising technology for increasing the enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass. However, a deeper understanding of the pretreatability of biomass is needed so that the rate of formation and yields of sugars can be increased. Xylan is an important hemicellulosic component of the plant cell wall and acts as a barrier to cellulose, essentially blocking cellulase action. To better understand xylan hydrolysis in corn stover, we have studied changes in the distribution of xylan caused by dilute acid pretreatment using correlative microscopy. A dramatic loss of xylan antibody signal from the center of the cell wall and an increase or retention of xylan at the plasma membrane interface and middle lamella of the cell were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). We also observed a reduction in xylan fluorescence signal by CLSM that is generally consistent with the decrease in xylan content measured experimentally in the bulk sample, however, the compartmentalization of this xylan retention was not anticipated. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1537–1543. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hierarchical scheduling of periodic messages in open system

This paper describes a hierarchical scheme for scheduling periodic messages of distributed real-time applications in a cluster of PCs connected by a Myrinet. The scheme allows the developer of each real-time application to validate the schedulability of the application as if it were running alone on slower dedicated processors and network. A simple acceptance test is provided. According to the test, the operating system can determine whether to admit a new real-time system application into a system without having to perform detailed global schedulability analysis. Simulation results show that the hierarchical scheduling scheme outperforms the corresponding one-level heuristic algorithms. An open system prototype on a Myrinet cluster PCs running Windows NT uses this hierarchical scheme.
An inhibitor of HIV-1 protease modulates constitutive eIF2α dephosphorylation to trigger a specific integrated stress response

Significance The integrated stress response (ISR) is an adaptation pathway that integrates multiple stress signals to decrease translation rates and promote specific transcriptional programs. Modulation of this pathway is emerging as a possible therapeutic strategy in pathologies associated with defects in protein homeostasis. In this paper, the antiviral drug Nelfinavir is found to be a strong and unconventional inducer of the ISR both in vitro and in vivo. This study uncovers an atypical mechanism that can initiate this pathway and provides insights on possible mechanisms underlying the metabolic deregulations observed in Nelfinavir-treated patients. Nelfinavir has been used for years to treat HIV; its repositioning in diseases that would benefit from decreased translation speed could therefore be of interest. Inhibitors of the HIV aspartyl protease [HIV protease inhibitors (HIV-PIs)] are the cornerstone of treatment for HIV. Beyond their well-defined antiretroviral activity, these drugs have additional effects that modulate cell viability and homeostasis. However, little is known about the virus-independent pathways engaged by these molecules. Here we show that the HIV-PI Nelfinavir decreases translation rates and promotes a transcriptional program characteristic of the integrated stress response (ISR). Mice treated with Nelfinavir display hallmarks of this stress response in the liver, including α subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) phosphorylation, activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) induction, and increased expression of known downstream targets. Mechanistically, Nelfinavir-mediated ISR bypassed direct activation of the eIF2α stress kinases and instead relied on the inhibition of the constitutive eIF2α dephosphorylation and down-regulation of the phophatase cofactor CReP (Constitutive Repressor of eIF2α Phosphorylation; also known as PPP1R15B). These findings demonstrate that the modulation of eIF2α-specific phosphatase cofactor activity can be a rheostat of cellular homeostasis that initiates a functional ISR and suggest that the HIV-PIs could be repositioned as therapeutics in human diseases to modulate translation rates and stress responses.
Clinical Virtual Reality tools to advance the prevention, assessment, and treatment of PTSD

ABSTRACT Numerous reports indicate that the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) military personnel has created a significant behavioural healthcare challenge. These findings have served to motivate research on how to better develop and disseminate evidence-based treatments for PTSD. The current article presents the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as a clinical tool to address the assessment, prevention, and treatment of PTSD, based on the VR projects that were evolved at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies since 2004. A brief discussion of the definition and rationale for the clinical use of VR is followed by a description of a VR application designed for the delivery of prolonged exposure (PE) for treating Service Members (SMs) and Veterans with combat- and sexual assault-related PTSD. The expansion of the virtual treatment simulations of Iraq and Afghanistan for PTSD assessment and prevention is then presented. This is followed by a forward-looking discussion that details early efforts to develop virtual human agent systems that serve the role of virtual patients for training the next generation of clinical providers, as healthcare guides that can be used to support anonymous access to trauma-relevant behavioural healthcare information, and as clinical interviewers capable of automated behaviour analysis of users to infer psychological state. The paper will conclude with a discussion of VR as a tool for breaking down barriers to care in addition to its direct application in assessment and intervention.
Quadtree-Based Image Representation and Retrieval

This chapter is a survey of quadtree uses in the image domain from image representation, to image storage and content-based retrieval. A quadtree is a spatial data structure built by a recursive decomposition of space into quadrants. Applied to images, it allows representing image content, compacting or compressing image information, and querying images. For thirteen years, numerous image-based approaches have used this structure. In this chapter, the authors want to underline the contribution of quadtree in image applications.
Performance assessment of three tests applied in enzootic bovine leukosis diagnosis

The aim of the present paper was the comparative assessment of two ELISA tests on serum and milk samples and agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) regarding ability to detect enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) in Timis County, according to farm type, age, breed and stage of lactation, and how these parameters affect the humoral immune response of positive cattle. Serum samples were analyzed using blocking ELISA and AGID, and the milk samples by indirect ELISA, calculating quality parameters of applied tests. The obtained results showed that AGID detected 43 positive cattle and the two ELISAs 51 positive animals. Performances of AGID were influenced by farm type, age and serum antibody level. It was established that cattle aged 3-6 years were most prone to develop EBL. The level of serum antibodies has been influenced by farm type, age and lactation phase, and milk antibodies level strictly by the phase of lactation; the lowest values of milk antibodies were registered between 2 nd and 8 th month of lactation. Consumption of insufficiently heat-treated milk from BLV positive cattle in 2-8 months of lactation is associated with increased risk of infection in humans.
A Two-dimensional Simulation of a Relativistic Jet Bent by an Oblique Magnetic Field

We have investigated a relativistic jet injected into an oblique magnetic field in a slab geometry using a newly developed relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulation code. The simulation code employs a simplified total variation diminishing method. We compare the nonrelativistic and relativistic jets to find the relativistic effects when the jet propagates across the oblique magnetic field. Numerical results show that both the nonrelativistic and relativistic jets are bent by the oblique magnetic field. However, the relativistic jet is weakly bent compared to the nonrelativistic one. We try to express the bending scale detected in the simulation with a simple model and find good agreement between them. We apply the results to the explanation of the bending of the extragalactic jets.
An E2 enzyme Ubc11 is required for ubiquitination of Slp1/Cdc20 and spindle checkpoint silencing in fission yeast

For ordered mitotic progression, various proteins have to be regulated by an ubiquitin ligase, the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) with appropriate timing. Recent studies have implied that the activity of APC/C also contributes to release of mitotic checkpoint complexes (MCCs) from its target Cdc20 in the process of silencing the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). Here we describe a temperature-sensitive mutant (ubc11-P93L) in which cell cycle progression is arrested at mitosis. The mutant grows normally at the restrictive temperature when SAC is inactivated, suggesting that the arrest is not due to abnormal spindle assembly, but rather due to prolonged activation of SAC. Supporting this notion, MCCs remain bound to APC/C even when SAC is satisfied. The ubc11+ gene encodes one of the two E2 enzymes required for progression through mitosis in fission yeast. Remarkably, Slp1 (a fission yeast homolog of Cdc20), which is degraded in an APC/C-dependent manner, stays stable throughout the cell cycle in the ubc11-P93L mutant lacking the functional SAC. Other APC/C substrates, in contrast, were degraded on schedule. We have also found that a loss of Ubc4, the other E2 required for progression through mitosis, does not affect the stability of Slp1. We propose that each of the two E2 enzymes is responsible for collaborating with APC/C for a specific set of substrates, and that Ubc11 is responsible for regulating Slp1 with APC/C for silencing the SAC.
High-Level Rearrangement and Transcription of Yeast Artificial Chromosome-Based Mouse Igκ Transgenes Containing Distal Regions of the Contig1

The mouse Igκ L chain gene locus has been extensively studied, but to date high-level expression of germline transgenes has not been achieved. Reasoning that each end of the locus may contain regulatory elements because these regions are not deleted upon Vκ-Jκ joining, we used yeast artificial chromosome-based techniques to fuse distal regions of the contig to create transgene miniloci. The largest minilocus (290 kb) possessed all members of the upstream Vκ2 gene family including their entire 5′ and 3′ flanking sequences, along with one member of a downstream Vκ21 gene family. In addition, again using yeast artificial chromosome-based technology, we created Igκ miniloci that contained differing lengths of sequences 5′ of the most distal Vκ2 gene family member. In transgenic mice, Igκ miniloci exhibited position-independent and copy number-dependent germline transcription. Igκ miniloci were rearranged in tissue and developmental stage-specific manners. The levels of rearrangement and transcription of the distal and proximal Vκ gene families were similar to their endogenous counterparts and appeared to be responsive to allelic exclusion, but were differentially sensitive to numerous position effects. The minilocus that contained the longest 5′ region exhibited significantly greater recombination of the upstream Vκ2 genes but not the downstream Vκ21 gene, providing evidence for a local recombination stimulating element. These results provide evidence that our miniloci contain nearly all regulatory elements required for bona fide Igκ gene expression, making them useful substrates for functional analyses of cis-acting sequences in the future.
Preliminary studies on cardio protective effect of Hyoscyamus niger linn in male albino rats

In this present cardioprotective activity study the crude powder of the Hyoscyamus niger Linn is administered to the male albino rats at the dose of 100mg/100g.b. wt. The markers of cardiac function test assess the normal functioning of heart. If there is a change in their normal values of these makers it indicates the dysfunction of heart. Biochemical parameters like TGL, Ck-MB and LPO were carried out to assess the cardioprotective effect of Hyoscyamus niger Linn crude powder in isoproterenol induced experimental animals. Thus, Plant based drugs have been used worldwide in traditional medicines especially Siddha medicines; suggest various herbal and herbomineral drugs for the treatment of various kinds of cardiovascular diseases. CVD will be the paramount cause of death in India which includes high blood pressure, chronic heart diseases, stroke and congestive heart failure. In the last few decades there has been an exponential growth in the field of Siddha herbal medicines or Tamil medicine.
Nonlinear H2 control for position tracking of permanent magnet stepper motors

In this paper we propose nonlinear H2 control for position tracking of permanent magnet stepper motors. The nonlinear H2 control based on linear parameter-varying (LPV) synthesis for permanent magnet stepper motors (PMSM) is formulated to improve transient response in the position control and to reduce energy consumption. The proposed method consists of a new nonlinear torque modulation with a commutation scheme and LPV gain scheduling current controller. The position control problem for PMSMs is reformulated into the LPV system optimal problem. PMSM, nonlinear system, is analyzed as LPV systems which depend on online accessible time-varying parameters which provide real-time information. The control gain scheduling is determined using H2 control based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach. Since the proposed method is designed based on optimal control with gain scheduling based on LPV synthesis, the proposed method obtains both improved transient response in the position control and reduced energy consumption. The performance of the proposed method was validated by the comparison with previous method via simulations.
Optimization of corrugated horn radiation patterns via a spline-profile

Corrugated horns are widely used as feeds for reflector antennas [1] or as direct radiators, as in global earth illumination from a satellite [2, 3] or as source antennas in an anechoic chamber. Shaping the radiation pattern of a corrugated horn is mainly done by shaping the profile [4-6] to the required aperture dimension, and to a lesser extent, for wideband applications, by using a mode-converter [7-9] tuned to the design frequency.
TRACE METALS CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER IN AND AROUND TANNERY INDUSTRIAL AREA OF PALLAVARAM, CHENNAI CITY, INDIA

Water is very essential part of all living organisms. Due to urbanization and industrialization, various contaminants are added to water sources through waste discharge resulting in the gradual degradation of water quality. The heavy metals are one type of toxic elements and are mostly released from industrial effluents. Due to various reasons water become polluted with toxic metals. A study was conducted on Tannery industrial area of Pallavaram in January 2014 and the groundwater samples were collected and were analyzed for heavy metal contamination. The heavy metals like Cr, Cu, Pb, F and Zn were analyzed in groundwater samples. The results were compared with standards prescribed by BIS. The result indicated the higher concentration of Cr and Pb metals found in the groundwater samples. From the results it is clearly evident that the groundwater of the study area is contaminated due to the industrial effluents and solid waste dumpsite and overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes. Thus water quality indicates that pollution of the water is increasing alarmingly and that it has created serious threat to human health.
Noninvasive saliva-based EGFR gene mutation detection in patients with lung cancer.

RATIONALE Constitutive activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is prevalent in epithelial cancers, particularly in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Mutations identified in EGFR predict the sensitivity to EGFR-targeted therapy. Detection of these mutations is mainly based on tissue biopsy, which is invasive, expensive, and time consuming. OBJECTIVES Noninvasive, real-time, inexpensive detection and monitoring of EGFR mutations in patients with NSCLC is highly desirable. METHODS We developed a novel core technology, electric field-induced release and measurement (EFIRM), which relies on a multiplexible electrochemical sensor that can detect EGFR mutations directly in bodily fluids. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We established EFIRM for the detection of the EGFR mutations in vitro and correlated the results with tumor size from xenografted mice. In clinical application, we demonstrated that EFIRM could detect EGFR mutations in the saliva and plasma of 22 patients with NSCLC. Finally, a blinded test was performed on saliva samples from 40 patients with NSCLC. The receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that EFIRM detected the exon 19 deletion with an area under the curve of 0.94 and the L858R mutation with an area under the curve of 0.96. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that EFIRM is effective, accurate, rapid, user-friendly, and cost effective for the detection of EGFR mutations in the saliva of patients with NSCLC. We termed this saliva-based EGFR mutation detection (SABER).
Clinical significance in combined detection of serum pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II and carbohydrate antigen 242 in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS To explore the diagnosis value and clinical significance of combined detection of serum pepsinogen I (PG I), pepsinogen II (PG II), PG I/II and CA242 in patients with stomach diseases. METHODOLOGY Serum PG I, PG II and CA242 were detected with time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) method. Serum levers of the four markers in gastric carcinoma were compared with that in chronic superficial gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric ulcer and normal controls. The four indices were analyzed to judge their diagnosis value and the relationship with the biology behavior of gastric carcinoma. RESULTS The serum concentration of PG I in gastric carcinoma and in chronic atrophic gastritis were remarkably lower than that in controls (P < 0.05). The serum concentration of CA242 in gastric carcinoma was significantly higher than that in controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS To detect the levers of serum PG I, PG II, PG I/II would help to judge the metastasis and prognosis of gastric carcinoma. Combined detection of the four indices could increase the positive rate of diagnosis in gastric carcinoma.
A Novel Polymorphic Allele of Human Arylacetamide Deacetylase Leads to Diminished Enzyme Activity

Human arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) is responsible for the hydrolysis of clinical drugs such as flutamide, phenacetin, and rifamycins. Our recent studies have suggested that human AADAC is a relevant enzyme in pharmacology and toxicology. Until now, the genetic polymorphisms that affect enzyme activity in AADAC have been unknown. In this study, we found single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human AADAC gene in a liver sample showing remarkably low flutamide hydrolase activity. Among them, g.13651G>A (V281I) and g.14008T>C (X400Q) were nonsynonymous. The latter would be predicted to cause C -terminal 1 amino acid (glutamine) extension. The AADAC*2 allele (g.13651G>A) was found in all populations investigated in this study (European-American, African-American, Koreans, and Japanese) at allele frequencies of 52.6% ~ 63.5%, whereas the AADAC*3 allele (g.13651G>A/g.14008T>C) was found in European-Americans (1.3%) and African-Americans (2.0%). COS7 cells expressing AADAC.1 (wild-type) showed flutamide, phenacetin, and rifampicin hydrolase activities with CL int values of 1.31 ± 0.06 µL/min/unit, 1.00 ± 0.02 µL/min/unit, and 0.39 ± 0.02 µL/min/unit, respectively. AADAC.2, which is a protein produced from the AADAC*2 allele, showed moderately lower or similar CL int values to AADAC.1, but AADAC.3 showed substantially lower CL int values (0.21 ± 0.02 µL/min/unit, 0.12 ± 0.00 µL/min/unit, and 0.03 ± 0.01 µL/min/unit, respectively). Microsomes from a liver sample genotyped as AADAC*3/AADAC*
Development of the “Seatrac” miniature acoustic modem and USBL positioning units for subsea robotics and diver applications

As part of the EU FP7 project CADDY, an efficient and reliable acoustic communication network is required to connect a diver, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and surface vehicle (ASV) working cooperatively. This paper describes the development of the modulation, receiver algorithms and miniature hardware platform for multi user communication and simultaneous positioning. Experiments using vehicles in the Adriatic, North Sea, enclosed docks and lakes have demonstrated reliable communication and positioning using a 100bps chirp based signaling scheme. Equally promising results are presented for experiments with a 1.4kbps direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) variant, currently being implemented on the same platform, which demonstrates remarkable tolerance of extreme multipath channels and noise using a relatively low complexity receiver algorithm.
Intraperitoneal Sodium Thiosulfate for the Treatment of Calciphylaxis

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (or calciphylaxis) is a severe complication of renal failure characterized by subcutaneous calcification of the small arteries and tissue necrosis. We describe the case of a woman receiving continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis with calciphylaxis involving upper and lower extremities. After intolerance of intravenous sodium thiosulfate and limited intravenous access options, we administered sodium thiosulfate intraperitoneally and quantitated the amount of extra calcium removed. Intraperitoneal administration of sodium thiosulfate was well tolerated and led to removal of extra calcium with peritoneal dialysis.