Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Permeabilization activated reduction in fluorescence: A novel method to measure kinetics of protein interactions with intracellular structures

Understanding kinetic information is fundamental in understanding biological function. Advanced imaging technologies have fostered the development of kinetic analyses in cells. We have developed Permeabilization Activated Reduction in Fluorescence (PARF) analysis for determination of apparent t1/2 and immobile fraction, describing the dissociation of a protein of interest from intracellular structures. To create conditions where dissociation events are observable, cells expressing a fluorescently‐tagged protein are permeabilized with digitonin, diluting the unbound protein into the extracellular media. As the media volume is much larger than the cytosolic volume, the concentration of the unbound pool decreases drastically, shifting the system out of equilibrium, favoring dissociation events. Loss of bound protein is observed as loss of fluorescence from intracellular structures and can be fit to an exponential decay. We compared PARF dissociation kinetics with previously published equilibrium kinetics as determined by FRAP. PARF dissociation rates agreed with the equilibrium‐based FRAP analysis predictions of the magnitude of those rates. When used to investigate binding kinetics of a panel of cytoskeletal proteins, PARF analysis revealed that filament stabilization resulted in slower fluorescence loss. Additionally, commonly used “general” F‐actin labels display differences in kinetic properties, suggesting that not all fluorescently‐tagged actin labels interact with the actin network in the same way. We also observed differential dissociation kinetics for GFP‐VASP depending on which cellular structure was being labeled. These results demonstrate that PARF analysis of non‐equilibrium systems reveals kinetic information without the infrastructure investment required for other quantitative approaches such as FRAP, photoactivation, or in vitro reconstitution assays. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of grain boundary structure in discrete simulations of multiscale dislocation dynamics

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Ocular Biocompatibility of Carbodiimide Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels for Cell Sheet Delivery Carriers

Due to its innocuous nature, hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most commonly used biopolymers for ophthalmic applications. We recently developed a cell sheet delivery system using carbodiimide cross-linked HA carriers. Chemical cross-linking provides an improvement in stability of polymer gels, but probably causes toxic side-effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the ocular biocompatibility of HA hydrogels cross-linked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). HA discs without cross-linking and glutaraldehyde (GTA) cross-linked HA samples were used for comparison. The disc implants were inserted in the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes for 24 weeks and characterized by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, histology and scanning electron microscopy. The ophthalmic parameters obtained from biomicroscopic examinations were also scored to provide a quantitative grading system. Results of this study showed that the HA discs cross-linked with EDC had better ocular biocompatibility than those with GTA. The continued residence of GTA cross-linked HA implants in the intraocular cavity elicited severe tissue responses and significant foreign body reactions, whereas no adverse inflammatory reaction was observed after contact with non-cross-linked HA or EDC cross-linked HA samples. It is concluded that the cross-linking agent type gives influence on ocular biocompatibility of cell carriers and the EDC-HA hydrogel is an ideal candidate for use as an implantable material in cell sheet delivery applications.
Full‐Duplex Operations in Wireless Powered Communication Networks

In this paper, a wireless powered communication network (WPCN) consisting of a hybrid access point (H‐AP) and multiple user equipment (UE), all of which operate in full‐duplex (FD), is described. We first propose a transceiver structure that enables FD operation of each UE to simultaneously receive energy in the downlink (DL) and transmit information in the uplink (UL). We then provide an energy usage model in the proposed UE transceiver that accounts for the energy leakage from the transmit chain to the receive chain. It is shown that the throughput of an FD WPCN using the proposed FD UE (FD‐WPCN‐FD) can be maximized by optimal allocation of the UL transmission time to the UE by solving a convex optimization problem. Simulation results reveal that the use of the proposed FD UE efficiently improves the throughput of a WPCN with a practical self‐interference cancellation capability at the H‐AP. Compared to the WPCN with FD H‐AP and half‐duplex (HD) UE, FD‐WPCN‐FD achieved an 18% throughput gain. In addition, the throughput of FD‐WPCN‐FD was shown to be 25% greater than that of WPCN in which an H‐AP and UE operated in HD.
Mechanical Characterization of hiPSC‐Derived Cardiac Tissues for Quality Control

Heart disease is one of the leading death causes in developed countries. To facilitate heart rehabilitation, engineered cardiac implantation has emerged as a promising alternative to organ transplantation. Currently there is no quantitative standard to ensure the safety and functionality of the engineered cardiac tissues intended for clinical uses. In anticipation of the clinical application of the engineered cardiac tissues to heart disease patients, a suite of methods is assembled to evaluate the mechanical characteristics critical to cardiac functions, including contractility, viscoelasticity, and dynamic stress distribution. As a proof of concept, 3D bioprinted cardiac tissues derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells are tested. First, the engineered cardiac tissues labeled with particles are recorded and tracked to determine spatially and temporally variable contraction forces. Viscoelastic properties are measured using magnetic tweezers. The results are used to compute 3D force and stress distribution over the engineered tissue by finite element method. In summary, a framework is developed to assess clinical‐grade engineered cardiac tissues and determine the appropriate value ranges suitable for implantation. The results relating contractility, intrinsic mechanical properties, and stress distribution in the engineered tissue, can also inform better design for future fabrication of engineered tissues.
Determination of Critical Size of Corrosion Pit on Mechanical Elements in Hydro Power Plants

Researchers in the field of fracture mechanics, predominantly developing appropriate solution algorithms for problems of solid bodies with cracks. Problems in mechanics generally, related with fracture and fatigue for solid bodies with various geometries of sharp notches, are studied to a much lesser extent. This situation can be explained by analytical difficulties arising in solving problems of elasticity theory for bodies with rounded notches. To solve problems of such class, starting from data on stress concentration in the rounded notch tip with a significant radius of curvature, simplified solutions with are therefore of great importance. Recent years, due to constant rise of computing power and development of numerical methods, re-evaluation of stress concentration factors from a viewpoint of theory of elasticity is present. This is mainly as a feedback from industry, which have requirements toward mega and nanostructures. Corrosion represents an important limitation to the safe and reliable use of many alloys in various industries. Pitting corrosion is a form of serious damage on metals surface such as high-strength aluminum alloys and stainless steel, which are susceptible to pitting when exposed to a corrosive attack in aggressive environments. This is particularly valid for dynamic loaded structures. The basic idea behind this paper is finding links between different scientific and engineering disciplines, which will enable useful level of applicability of existing knowledge. The subject of this paper is application of new method of determine length scale parameter for estimating the mechanistic aspect of corrosion pit under uniaxial/multiaxial high-cycle fatigue loading. ARTICLE HISTORY
Contactless Silicon-Based Multi-Dimensional Hall Sensor with Simultaneous Magnetic Sensing and Omni-Rotational Angle Measurement

This experimental research proposes a contactless silicon-based two-dimensional (2D) Hall sensor capable of simultaneous parallel-and perpendicular-directional magnetic sensing, with a 360° angle measurement. The Hall sensor was of non-symmetrical five-ohmic contact configuration (C1 – C5). In the study, experiments were carried out in three stages. In the first-stage experiment, the current (I) and voltage (V) of the 2D Hall sensor were determined under three schemes: schemes A (C1&C2), B (C2&C5), and C (C3&C4). In the second-stage experiment, the parallel and perpendicular absolute sensitivities of the 2D sensor were examined. Considering the discrepancy between the parallel and perpendicular absolute sensitivities, signal conditioning circuitry was incorporated into the sensor system to compensate, and the rotational angles measured in the final-stage experiment. The results revealed that the I-V curves were dominantly linear, corresponding to Ohm’s law. However, the parallel and perpendicular absolute sensitivities were low and unequal. Thus, signal conditioning circuitry was incorporated into the system to address the discrepancy and improve the performance. Importantly, the 2D Hall sensor exhibited a mere ±3o discrepancy between the measured and reference rotational angles, given the magnetic flux density of 1000 G, with the hysteresis error of 2.8%. In essence, the proposed contactless silicon-based 2D Hall sensor possesses high potential for high-precision industrial applications.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background: The diabetic condition is influenced by several factors, some of which can accelerate the disease's progression to various complications that aggravate the morbidity. Aims: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual components and the most critical predictive risk factors of MetS in type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and was conducted at the Diabetes Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana, from February, 2013 to April, 2013. The study involved the use of a questionnaire to obtain some information on the diabetics, undertaking anthropometric measurements, as well as collecting blood samples for the measurement of some biochemical parameters; fasting blood glucose and lipid profile. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 58% in the studied Ghanaian population. Hypertension was the commonest risk factor (60%), followed by central obesity (48.67%) and dyslipidemia (37%). Female type 2 diabetics had a higher prevalence of MetS, and carried more components than their male counterparts. Regression analysis showed three factors; femininity, high body mass index and low educational status were the most critical predictive risk factors of MetS, according to this study. Conclusion: With hypertension being the commonest component, future cardiovascular disease prevention strategies should focus attention on its management and prevention, through education.
Stromatoxin‐sensitive, heteromultimeric Kv2.1/Kv9.3 channels contribute to myogenic control of cerebral arterial diameter

Cerebral vascular smooth muscle contractility plays a crucial role in controlling arterial diameter and, thereby, blood flow regulation in the brain. A number of K+ channels have been suggested to contribute to the regulation of diameter by controlling smooth muscle membrane potential (Em) and Ca2+ influx. Previous studies indicate that stromatoxin (ScTx1)‐sensitive, Kv2‐containing channels contribute to the control of cerebral arterial diameter at 80 mmHg, but their precise role and molecular composition were not determined. Here, we tested if Kv2 subunits associate with ‘silent’ subunits from the Kv5, Kv6, Kv8 or Kv9 subfamilies to form heterotetrameric channels that contribute to control of diameter of rat middle cerebral arteries (RMCAs) over a range of intraluminal pressure from 10 to 100 mmHg. The predominant mRNAs expressed by RMCAs encode Kv2.1 and Kv9.3 subunits. Co‐localization of Kv2.1 and Kv9.3 proteins at the plasma membrane of dissociated single RMCA myocytes was detected by proximity ligation assay. ScTx1‐sensitive native current of RMCA myocytes and Kv2.1/Kv9.3 currents exhibited functional identity based on the similarity of their deactivation kinetics and voltage dependence of activation that were distinct from those of homomultimeric Kv2.1 channels. ScTx1 treatment enhanced the myogenic response of pressurized RMCAs between 40 and 100 mmHg, but this toxin also caused constriction between 10 and 40 mmHg that was not previously observed following inhibition of large conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ (BKCa) and Kv1 channels. Taken together, this study defines the molecular basis of Kv2‐containing channels and contributes to our understanding of the functional significance of their expression in cerebral vasculature. Specifically, our findings provide the first evidence of heteromultimeric Kv2.1/Kv9.3 channel expression in RMCA myocytes and their distinct contribution to control of cerebral arterial diameter over a wider range of Em and transmural pressure than Kv1 or BKCa channels owing to their negative range of voltage‐dependent activation.
An investigation into the food and feeding ecology of a potential aquaculture candidate, Sarotherodon galilaeus multifasciatus in a meteoritic crater lake in Ghana

An investigation into the food and feeding ecology of the cichlid, Sarotherodon galilaeus multifasciatus in a tropical meteoritic lake in Ghana was undertaken. Stomachs of the fishes, at two length classes, representing adults and juveniles, were examined and the food items identified. The juveniles of Sarotherodon galilaeus multifasciatus feed mainly on insect and insect larvae and relatively small quantities of diatoms but avoiding macrophytes. A striking feature in the composition of juvenile diet was the considerable quantities of ingested sand, which constituted about 16% of stomach contents. Ingested sand may be helpful in maceration of food in the pyloric stomach. A sandy substratum may, therefore, appear ecologically important for juveniles of the species. Adult stomachs contained mainly phytoplankton, chironomid and insect larvae with no ingested sand. No significant differences were found in the stomach contents of the fishes for the dry and wet seasons due, partly, to the lack of any considerable seasonal differences in allochthonous inputs into the lake waters. The fishes exploit a wide range of food resources in the open, sub-littoral and littoral zones of the lake. Further studies to include growth and recruitment are recommended to enhance future production of the species under culture conditions .
Localization of conductivity towards scalable and sustainable wearable electronics

Localized conductivity on fabrics is envisioned to make a shift in sustainable wearable electronics. Among the wearable electronics, localized conductivity has not been widely reported yet. Hence, we report a simple way to localize conductivity on polyester fabrics using reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO). Coupling agent, (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) was used to change the chemically dormant nature of polyester fabrics, which made easy networking with GO. Then, the GO coating was substantially reduced to rGO, accomplishing conductive tracks on fabrics. rGO coated fabric showed a surface resistivity of 320 Ω/□. Even after 20 washing cycles, a significant change in surface resistivity was not observed which signifies a good wash fastness. APTES created a covalent bond network between rGO and polyester, which was proven by FTIR. This cost effective and sustainable method endows the electronic textile industry with a rapid improvement towards scalable production.
Aquatic Exercise for the Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis

highlights the findings and application of Cochrane reviews and other evidence pertinent to the practice of physical therapy. The Cochrane library is a respected source of reliable evidence related to health care. Cochrane systematic reviews explore the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions-medications, surgery, education, nutrition, exercise-and the evidence for and against the use of diagnostic tests for specific conditions. Cochrane reviews are designed to facilitate the decisions of clinicians, patients, and others in health care by providing a careful review and interpretation of research studies published in the scientific literature. Each article in this PTJ series summarizes a Cochrane review or other scientific evidence on a single topic and presents clinical scenarios based on real patients or programs to illustrate how the results of the review can be used to directly inform clinical decisions. This article focuses on an older adult with severe knee joint pain. Can aquatic exercise help this patient with knee osteoarthritis?
Approximate distance oracles

Let <i>G</i> = <i>(V,E)</i> be an undirected <i>weighted</i> graph with |<i>V</i>| = <i>n</i> and |<i>E</i>| = <i>m</i>. Let <i>k</i> ≥ 1 be an integer. We show that <i>G</i> = <i>(V,E)</i> can be preprocessed in <i>O</i>(<i>kmn</i><sup>1/<i>k</i></sup>) expected time, constructing a data structure of size <i>O</i>(<i>kn</i><sup>1+1/<i>k</i></sup>), such that any subsequent <i>distance query</i> can be answered, approximately, in <i>O(k)</i> time. The approximate distance returned is of stretch at most <i>2k</i>−1, that is, the quotient obtained by dividing the estimated distance by the actual distance lies between 1 and <i>2k</i>−1. A 1963 girth conjecture of Erdós, implies that Ω(<i>n</i><sup>1+1/<i>k</i></sup>) space is needed in the worst case for any real stretch strictly smaller than 2<i>k</i>+1. The space requirement of our algorithm is, therefore, essentially optimal. The most impressive feature of our data structure is its <i>constant</i> query time, hence the name "oracle". Previously, data structures that used only <i>O</i>(<i>n</i><sup>1+1/<i>k</i></sup>) space had a query time of Ω(<i>n</i><sup>1/<i>k</i></sup>). Our algorithms are extremely simple and easy to implement efficiently. They also provide faster constructions of sparse <i>spanners</i> of weighted graphs, and improved <i>tree covers</i> and <i>distance labelings</i> of weighted or unweighted graphs.
Detecting Malicious Behaviors of Software through Analysis of API Sequence k-grams

Nowadays, software is widely applied to increase accuracy, efficiency, and convenience in various areas in our life. So, it is essential to use software in our recent computing environments. Despite of the valuable applications of software, malicious behaviors caused by vulnerability of software threaten our secure computing environments. So, it is important to identify and detect malicious behaviors of software for maintaining computing environments. In this paper, we propose an approach to detecting malicious behaviors of software by analyzing information of API function calls. API function calls are essentially used to make use of various services provided by operating systems or devices in developing software. In addition, API functions can describe the behaviors of software because they perform predefined specific operations during program execution. In this paper, we classify API functions in Microsoft Windows operating systems, and propose an approach to representing malicious behaviors of software with API functions. We propose an approach to detecting malicious behaviors of software by analyzing dynamic API function calls. To increase the efficiency and the tolerance of the analysis, malicious behaviors are abstracted as sets of k-grams, and they can be identified by calculating similarity between the sets of k-grams and a sequence of API function calls.
Ciprofloxacin interacts with thyroid replacement therapy

We report two cases of unexplained hypothyroidism in patients taking oral ciprofloxacin (figure). Nursing staff gave levothyroxine. Prescription charts showed no drug administration errors. Patients did not have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Unexplained hypothyroidism in patients taking oral ciprofloxacin ### Case 1 An 80 year old woman with advanced thyroid cancer had maintained suppressed concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone and stable free thyroxine by taking 125 μg levothyroxine daily. She was admitted with a pathological fracture of the femur and complicating osteomyelitis. After four weeks' treatment with oral …
Role of miR-222-3p in c-Src-Mediated Regulation of Osteoclastogenesis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play a mostly post-transcriptional regulatory role in gene expression. Using RAW264.7 pre-osteoclast cells and genome-wide expression analysis, we identified a set of miRNAs that are involved in osteoclastogenesis. Based on in silico analysis, we specifically focused on miR-222-3p and evaluated its role in osteoclastogenesis. The results show that the inhibitor of miR-222-3p upregulated the mRNA levels of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), while its mimicking agent downregulated their mRNA levels. Western blot analysis showed that its inhibitor increased the protein levels of TRAP and cathepsin K, while its mimicking agent decreased their levels. Genome-wide mRNA expression analysis in the presence and absence of receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANKL) predicted c-Src as a potential regulatory target of miR-222-3p. Live cell imaging using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique revealed that miR-222-3p acted as an inhibitor of c-Src activity, and a partial silencing of c-Src suppressed RANKL-induced expression of TRAP and cathepsin K, as well as the number of multi-nucleated osteoclasts and their pit formation. Collectively, the study herein demonstrates that miR-222-3p serves as an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis and c-Src mediates its inhibition of cathepsin K and TRAP.