Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Immunosuppressive Molecule Emodin Induces both CD4+FoxP3+ and CD8+CD122+ Regulatory T Cells and Suppresses Murine Allograft Rejection

Due to vigorous alloimmunity, an allograft is usually rejected without any conventional immunosuppressive treatment. However, continuous global immunosuppression may cause severe side effects, including tumors and infections. Mounting evidence has shown that cyclosporine (CsA), a common immunosuppressant used in clinic, impedes allograft tolerance by dampening regulatory T cells (Tregs), although it inhibits allograft rejection at the same time. Therefore, it is necessary to seek an alternative immunosuppressive drug that spares Tregs with high efficiency in suppression but low toxicity. In this study, we investigated the capacity of emodin, an anthraquinone molecule originally extracted from certain natural plants, to prolong transplant survival in a mouse model and explored the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its action. We found that emodin significantly extended skin allograft survival and hindered CD3+ T cell infiltration in the allograft, accompanied by an increase in CD4+Foxp3+ and CD8+CD122+ Treg frequencies and numbers but a reduction in effector CD8+CD44highCD62Llow T cells in recipient mice. Emodin also inhibited effector CD8+ T cells proliferation in vivo. However, CD4+CD25+, but not CD8+CD122+, Tregs derived from emodin-treated recipients were more potent in suppression of allograft rejection than those isolated from control recipients, suggesting that emodin also enhances the suppressive function of CD4+CD25+ Tregs. Interestingly, depleting CD25+ Tregs largely reversed skin allograft survival prolonged by emodin while depleting CD122+ Tregs only partially abrogated the same allograft survival. Furthermore, we found that emodin hindered dendritic cell (DC) maturation and reduced alloantibody production posttransplantation. Finally, we demonstrated that emodin inhibited in vitro proliferation of T cells and blocked their mTOR signaling as well. Therefore, emodin may be a novel mTOR inhibitor that suppresses alloimmunity by inducing both CD4+FoxP3+ and CD8+CD122+ Tregs, suppressing alloantibody production, and hindering DC maturation. Thus, emodin is a newly emerging immunosuppressant and could be utilized in clinical transplantation in the future.
Are Pets a Healthy Pleasure? The Influence of Pets on Blood Pressure

Pet owners often describe their pets as important and cherished family members who offer solace in times of stress. This article considers evidence suggesting that pets influence human blood pressure. Studies on this topic extend current research testing the hypothesis that having other people around in stressful times can buffer the negative consequences of stress. The existing data suggest that people perceive pets as important, supportive parts of their lives and that the presence of a pet is associated with significant cardiovascular benefits, among both people with normal blood pressure and those with high blood pressure. Studies about pets and blood pressure have examined both naturally occurring and randomly assigned pet ownership but are limited by their focus on responses to short-term, acute stress. Future prospective studies should explore the influence of pets on people at risk for cardiovascular disease and also consider explanatory mechanisms for the pet effect.
An NMF-L2,1-Norm Constraint Method for Characteristic Gene Selection

Recent research has demonstrated that characteristic gene selection based on gene expression data remains faced with considerable challenges. This is primarily because gene expression data are typically high dimensional, negative, non-sparse and noisy. However, existing methods for data analysis are able to cope with only some of these challenges. In this paper, we address all of these challenges with a unified method: nonnegative matrix factorization via the L2,1-norm (NMF-L2,1). While L2,1-norm minimization is applied to both the error function and the regularization term, our method is robust to outliers and noise in the data and generates sparse results. The application of our method to plant and tumor gene expression data demonstrates that NMF-L2,1 can extract more characteristic genes than other existing state-of-the-art methods.
VC of IRIS Images for ATM Banking

of great importance over a past few years, the increasing concern to preserve the privacy of biometric data over personal information that is stored in computer systems. It mostly has increased interest in data security. For possible use in biometric identification and protection, in this paper it applies visual cryptography(VC) which is a perfectly secured method of maintaining image security. The basic concept of visual cryptography is to divide secret images in to random shares using key and decryption is performed by superimposing the shares using the similar key which is used at encryption side. In this process it required special software for cryptographic computations and in this paper it is implemented using mat lab 7.9. A modified version of pixel sieve method is proposed in this paper for iris images to achieve more security than existing pixel sieve method. It is the modified version of pixel and is based on key shifting scheme. The simulations results show that the quality of the encrypted and decrypted images is better than existing pixel sieve method.
Effects of wildfire on catchment runoff response: a modelling approach to detect changes in snow-dominated forested catchments

Wildfire is an important disturbance affecting hydrological processes through alteration of vegetation cover and soil characteristics. The effects of fire on hydrological systems at the catchment scale are not well known, largely because site specific data from both before and after wildfire are rare. In this study a modelling approach was employed for change detection analyses of one such dataset to quantify effects of wildfire on catchment hydrology. Data from the Entiat Experimental Forest (Washington State, US) were used, a conceptual runoff model was applied for pre- and post-fire periods and changes were analyzed in three different ways: reconstruction of runoff series, comparison of model parameters and comparison of simulations using parameter sets calibrated to the two different periods. On average, observed post-fire peak flows were 120% higher than those modelled based on pre-fire conditions. For the post-fire period, parameter values for the snow routine indicated deeper snow packs and earlier and more rapid snowmelt. The net effect of the changes in all parameters was largely increased post-fire peak flows. Overall, the analyses show that change detection modelling provides a viable alternative to the paired-watershed approach for analyzing wildfire disturbance effects on runoff dynamics and supports discussions on changes in hydrological processes.
Effective coastal boundary conditions for dispersive tsunami propagation

We aim to improve the techniques to predict tsunami wave heights along the coast. The modeling of tsunamis with the shallow water equations has been very successful, but is somewhat simplistic because wave dispersion is neglected. To bypass this shortcoming, we use the (linearized) variational Boussinesq model derived by Klopman et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 657, 36--63, 2010]. Another shortcoming is that the complicated interactions between incoming and reflected waves near the shore are usually simplified by a fixed wall boundary condition at a certain shallow depth contour. To alleviate this shortcoming, we explore and present in one spatial dimension a so-called effective boundary condition (EBC). From the deep ocean to the seaward boundary, i.e., the simulation area, we model wave propagation numerically. Given the measurements of the incoming wave at the seaward boundary, we model the wave dynamics towards the shoreline analytically, based on shallow water theory and the Wentzel-Kramer-Brillouin (WKB) approximation, as well as extensions to the dispersive, Boussinesq model. The reflected wave is then influxed back into the simulation area using the EBC. The coupling between the two areas, one done numerically and one analytically, via the EBC is handled using variational principles, to preserve the overall energy in both areas. We verify and validate our approach in a series of numerical test cases of increasing complexity, including a case akin to tsunami propagation to the coastline at Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.
Assessment of plant leaf area measurement by using stereo-vision

The aim of this study is to develop an alternative measurement for the leaf area index (LAI), an important agronomic parameter for plant growth assessment. A 3D stereo-vision technique was developed to measure both leaf area and corresponding ground area. The leaf area was based on pixel related measurements while the ground area was based on the mean distance from the leaves to the camera. Laboratory and field experiments were undertaken to estimate the accuracy and the precision of the technique. Result showed that, though the leaves-camera distance had to be estimated precisely in order to have accurate measurement, the precision of the LAI evaluation, after regression, was equivalent to the reference measurements, that is to say around 10% of the estimated value. This shows the potential of the 3D measurements compared with tedious reference measurements.
The growth kinetics of colloidal InP nanocrystals

InP nanocrystals were synthesized using dehalosilylation reaction in trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO), and they were characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectrometer and fluorescent spectrometer. The growth process was studied by monitoring the photoluminescence (PL) and UV-vis absorption spectra during the whole synthetic procedure. The growth process involves: formation of precursors, decomposition of the precursors, nucleation, growth of the nuclei, Ostwald ripening, and annealing of the nanoparticles, and some of them overlap in time. Many defects are introduced in the growth process of the nuclei, but the annealing procedure will diminish the defects, which is critical for producing well crystalline InP nanocrystals.
Binding of Regulatory Subunits of Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase to Cyclic CMP Agarose

The bacterial adenylyl cyclase toxins CyaA from Bordetella pertussis and edema factor from Bacillus anthracis as well as soluble guanylyl cyclase α1β1 synthesize the cyclic pyrimidine nucleotide cCMP. These data raise the question to which effector proteins cCMP binds. Recently, we reported that cCMP activates the regulatory subunits RIα and RIIα of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In this study, we used two cCMP agarose matrices as novel tools in combination with immunoblotting and mass spectrometry to identify cCMP-binding proteins. In agreement with our functional data, RIα and RIIα were identified as cCMP-binding proteins. These data corroborate the notion that cAMP-dependent protein kinase may serve as a cCMP target.
An adaptive dynamic programming algorithm to solve optimal control of uncertain nonlinear systems

In this paper, an approximate optimal control method based on adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) is discussed for completely unknown nonlinear system. An online critic-action-identifier algorithm is developed using neural network systems, where the criticaction networks approximate the optimal value function and optimal control and the other two neural networks approximates the unknown system. Furthermore the adaptive tuning laws are given based on Lyapunov approach, which ensures the uniform ultimate bounded stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, the effectiveness is demonstrated by a simulation example.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems Understanding the Why, What, and How of Theories in IS Research

: Researchers have emphasized theory’s pivotal importance in the information systems (IS) discipline since its inception. As in many science disciplines, IS scholars’ ability to understand and contribute to theory is an important qualification in research practice. As a discipline, we require solid foundations for why we engage with theory, what theory is for us, and how we work with theory. We synthesize and reflect on the debates on theories and theorizing in the IS discipline. In doing so, we inform (particularly new) authors about the current state of the IS discipline’s debate on theory and theorizing and help them identify opportunities in theorizing to put theory to work. We do not intend to advocate or cement that status quo we portray but rather, through informing the community about it, to support early efforts to further develop and move beyond the current state of the debate on theory and theorizing in IS research.
Classroom Power Relations: Understanding Student-teacher Interaction

Contents: Preface. Introduction. Part I: Narratives of Classroom Life. Sunny Kaminski's Classroom: A Typical Readers' Workshop Time. Aileen Corvo's Classroom: A Typical Language Arts Period. Sue Anderson's Classroom: A Sample Language Arts Period. Part II: Teachers and Students Constructing Power Relations. Teacher Organization of Time and Space: One Aspect of Classroom Power Relations. Sally, Would You Like to Sit Down? Teachers Using Politeness and Indirect Discourse. Defining Classroom Knowledge: The Part That Students Play. Students in Conflict With Teachers' Agendas: Interactive Contributions to Classroom Power Relations. How Does It Help to Look at Classrooms in This Way? An Annotated Bibliography: Exploring Ideas About Power Relations in Classrooms.
Ambient Light and its Influence on Driving Experience

In modern traffic, measures are implemented to regulate speeding, which may annoy drivers who pursue an exciting driving experience and make them exceed speed limits. Others prefer a more relaxing experience resulting in socially desired driving behavior. This paper presents a study investigating the capacity of ambient light to alter the perception of speed and therefore influence the driving experience. The aim of this study was to determine how different drivers experience the concept of an ambient light moving along the a-pillar inside the vehicle. In different conditions, the light moved at different speeds. The outcomes of the study show that overall the ambient light used in this study had a positive effect on the driving experience but that the attitude towards the ambient light was highly individual. The majority indicated a preference towards the ambient light while some saw it more as a distraction or even inducing more stress.
Adopting Student-Centred Approach to Advanced Database Teaching

The paper describes our experience in teaching a database systems module that is compulsory to all final year computing and information systems students with a diverse range of backgrounds and technical abilities. This challenge has driven the attempt to develop a student-centred approach to learning and teaching. The main goal of the module is to build on database systems concepts that students were introduced to in the second year studies and cover more advanced database concepts. The coursework has been designed on the basis of object relational database systems. Our goal is to expose students to a non trivial database system development. The modelling element of the coursework is done with UML class diagrams and the application logic is implemented in user defined types' methods either in PL/SQL or JAVA.
Evaluating the Completeness and Granularity of Functional Requirements Specifications: A Controlled Experiment

Requirements Engineering (RE) is a relatively young discipline, and still many advances have been achieved during the last decades. In particular, numerous RE methods have been proposed. However, there is a growing concern for empirical validations that assess RE proposals and statements. This paper is related to the evaluation of the quality of functional requirements specifications, focusing on completeness and granularity. To do this, several concepts related to conceptual model quality are presented; these concepts lead to the definition of metrics that allow measuring certain aspects of a requirements model quality (e.g. degree of functional encapsulations completeness with respect to a reference model, number of functional fragmentation errors). A laboratory experiment with master students has been carried out, in order to compare (using the proposed metrics) two RE approaches; namely, Use Cases and Communication Analysis. Results indicate greater quality (in terms of completeness and granularity) when Communication Analysis guidelines are followed. Moreover, interesting issues arise from experimental results, which invite further research.
Improvements in hidden Markov model based Arabic OCR

This paper describes recent advances in hidden Markov model (HMM) based OCR for machine-printed arabic documents. A combination of script-independent and script-specific techniques are applied to glyph models and language models (LM). Script-independent techniques we applied are higher order n-gram LMs for N-best rescoring and discriminative estimation of glyph HMMs. Arabic specific techniques include the use of context-dependent HMMs for glyph modeling and Parts-of-Arabic-Words in language modeling. We present experimental results that demonstrate a 40% relative reduction in word error rate over the baseline configuration on a corpus of machine-printed Arabic documents.
Integration of DNA into bacterial chromosomes from plasmids without a counter-selection marker

Most bacteria can only be transformed with circular plasmids, so robust DNA integration methods for these rely upon selection of single-crossover clones followed by counter-selection of double-crossover clones. To overcome the limited availability of heterologous counter-selection markers, here we explore novel DNA integration strategies that do not employ them, and instead exploit (i) activation or inactivation of genes leading to a selectable phenotype, and (ii) asymmetrical regions of homology to control the order of recombination events. We focus here on the industrial biofuel-producing bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum, which previously lacked robust integration tools, but the approach we have developed is broadly applicable. Large sequences can be delivered in a series of steps, as we demonstrate by inserting the chromosome of phage lambda (minus a region apparently unstable in Escherichia coli in our cloning context) into the chromosome of C. acetobutylicum in three steps. This work should open the way to reliable integration of DNA including large synthetic constructs in diverse microorganisms.
Supporting "Learning by Design" Activities Using Group Blogs

The paper presents a case study of the educational exploitation of group blogging for the implementation of a "learning by design" activity. More specifically, a group of students used a blog as a communication and information management tool in the University course of ICT-enhanced Geometry learning activities. The analysis of the designed learning activities, the blog content and log files, as well as the points of view of the students (via a questionnaire and a group interview) expressed upon completion of the activity gives significant findings supporting the researchers' initial hypotheses about the potential of blogs' educational applications. Blogs combined with a proper pedagogical approach such as 'learning by design' enable teachers to offer high quality learning experiences to their students.
Genetic Association of Human Leukocyte Antigens with Chronicity or Resolution of Hepatitis B Infection in Thai Population

Background Previous studies showed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HLA-DP, TCF19 and EHMT2 genes may affect the chronic hepatitis B (CHB). To predict the degree of risk for chronicity of HBV, this study determined associations with these SNPs. Methods The participants for this study were defined into 4 groups; HCC (n = 230), CHB (n = 219), resolved HBV infection (n = 113) and HBV uninfected subjects (n = 123). The HLA-DP SNPs (rs3077, rs9277378 and rs3128917), TCF19 SNP (rs1419881) and EHMT2 SNP (rs652888) were genotyped. Results Due to similar distribution of genotype frequencies in HCC and CHB, we combined these two groups (HBV carriers). The genotype distribution in HBV carriers relative to those who resolved HBV showed that rs3077 and rs9277378 were significantly associated with protective effects against CHB in minor dominant model (OR = 0.45, p<0.001 and OR = 0.47, p<0.001). The other SNPs rs3128917, rs1419881 and rs652888 were not associated with HBV carriers. Conclusions Genetic variations of rs3077 and rs9277378, but not rs3128917, rs1419881 and rs652888, were significantly associated with HBV carriers relative to resolved HBV in Thai population.
Isolation and characterization of a novel TP53‐inducible gene, TP53TG3

We applied the differential mRNA display method to isolate genes regulated by wild‐type TP53 in cells of a colon‐cancer line (SW480) in which we had established an inducible TP53 expression system under the control of the lactose operon. Here we report isolation and characterization of a novel TP53‐inducible gene, termed TP53TG3 (TP53 target gene 3). Its DNA sequence was identical to sequences present in two BAC clones that had been mapped to chromosome band 16p13. The gene expressed several transcripts by alternative splicing; the two major transcripts, TP53TG3a and TP53TG3b, encoded 124‐ and 132‐amino‐acid peptides that were expressed predominantly in testis. Immunohistochemical analysis using cancer cells (HeLa or H1299) that had been transfected with plasmid DNA designed to express the MYC‐fused TP53TG3 proteins indicated that these products were present mainly in the cytoplasm 20 hr after transfection. However, 40 hr after transfection, the recombinant proteins had accumulated in the nuclei of some cells. Because no known nuclear localization domain was present in the amino acid sequence, we suspect that this protein plays an important role in the TP53‐mediated signaling pathway, when it forms complexes with other protein(s) and is transferred by them into the nucleus. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 26:329–335, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The reliability of the result of the umbilical cord pH

In modern obstetrical practice, the pH of the umbilical cord blood is considered as a parameter of neonatal morbidity and, by implication, as a retrospective evaluation of the quality of obstetrical care [3, 5]. In order to determine the pH, blood has to be taken from the umbilical vessels, stored and analysed. Various factors during these procedures (heparin concentration, temperature of storage, time-lapse from birth to blood sampling) influence the ultimate results of the pH. In a first study we compared the outcomes when blood was sampled and tested immediately post partum with three other procedures (sampled later and stored at room temperature, sampled from a late clamped, cool-stored segment of the umbilical cord, and sampled from the chorionic vessels of the cool-stored placenta). In a second study we investigated various factors separately (storing of blood in syringes and in segments of the cord, at room temperature and at 0 °C, early or late clamping, and sampling from the chorionic vessels of the placenta)