Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peptide-Based Inhibition of NF-κB Rescues Diaphragm Muscle Contractile Dysfunction in a Murine Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Deterioration of diaphragm function is one of the prominent factors that contributes to the susceptibility of serious respiratory infections and development of respiratory failure in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The NF-κB signaling pathway has been implicated as a contributing factor of dystrophic pathology, making it a potential therapeutic target. Previously, we demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of NF-κB via a small NEMO Binding Domain (NBD) peptide was beneficial for reducing pathological features of mdx mice. Now, we stringently test the effectiveness and clinical potential of NBD by treating mdx mice with various formulations of NBD and use diaphragm function as our primary outcome criteria. We found that administering DMSO-soluble NBD rescued 78% of the contractile deficit between mdx and wild-type (WT) diaphragm. Interestingly, synthesis of a GLP NBD peptide as an acetate salt permitted its solubility in water, but as a negative consequence, also greatly attenuated functional efficacy. However, replacing the acetic acid counterion of the NBD peptide with trifluoroacetic acid retained the peptide’s water solubility and significantly restored mdx diaphragm contractile function and improved histopathological indices of disease in both diaphragm and limb muscle. Together, these results support the feasibility of using a mass-produced, water-soluble NBD peptide for clinical use.
Fast accurate computation of large-scale IP traffic matrices from link loads

A matrix giving the traffic volumes between origin and destination in a network has tremendously potential utility for network capacity planning and management. Unfortunately, traffic matrices are generally unavailable in large operational IP networks. On the other hand, link load measurements are readily available in IP networks. In this paper, we propose a new method for practical and rapid inference of traffic matrices in IP networks from link load measurements, augmented by readily available network and routing configuration information. We apply and validate the method by computing backbone-router to backbone-router traffic matrices on a large operational tier-1 IP network -- a problem an order of magnitude larger than any other comparable method has tackled. The results show that the method is remarkably fast and accurate, delivering the traffic matrix in under five seconds.
Social robots as mediators between users and smart environments

In this paper we propose the use of a social robot as mediator between the user and a smart environment. Since the speech is considered one of the more natural and immediate input channel in human-robot interaction we discuss the importance of recognizing both the linguistic content of the spoken sentence and the valence of the user tone of voice in order to infer properly the user's intent in communication during the interaction.
SREFI: Synthesis of realistic example face images

In this paper, we propose a novel face synthesis approach that can generate an arbitrarily large number of synthetic images of both real and synthetic identities. Thus a face image dataset can be expanded in terms of the number of identities represented and the number of images per identity using this approach, without the identity-labeling and privacy complications that come from downloading images from the web. To measure the visual fidelity and uniqueness of the synthetic face images and identities, we conducted face matching experiments with both human participants and a CNN pre-trained on a dataset of 2.6M real face images. To evaluate the stability of these synthetic faces, we trained a CNN model with an augmented dataset containing close to 200,000 synthetic faces. We used a snapshot of this trained CNN to recognize extremely challenging frontal (real) face images. Experiments showed training with the augmented faces boosted the face recognition performance of the CNN.
Shift in the ratio of three‐repeat tau and four‐repeat tau mRNAs in individual cholinergic basal forebrain neurons in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Molecular mechanisms underlying tauopathy remain undetermined. In the current study, single cell gene expression profiling was coupled with custom‐designed cDNA array analysis to evaluate tau expression and other cytoskeletal elements within individual neuronal populations in patients with no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results revealed a shift in the ratio of three‐repeat tau (3Rtau) to four‐repeat tau (4Rtau) mRNAs within individual human cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons within nucleus basalis (NB) and CA1 hippocampal neurons during the progression of AD, but not during normal aging. A shift in 3Rtau to 4Rtau may precipitate a cascade of events in the selective vulnerability of neurons, ultimately leading to frank neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation in tauopathies including AD.
Surface Energy of Microcrystalline Cellulose Determined by Capillary Intrusion and Inverse Gas Chromatography

Surface energy data for samples of microcrystalline cellulose have been obtained using two techniques: capillary intrusion and inverse gas chromatography. Ten microcrystalline cellulose materials, studied using capillary intrusion, showed significant differences in the measured surface energetics (in terms of total surface energy and the acid–base characteristics of the cellulose surface), with variations noted between the seven different manufacturers who produced the microcrystalline cellulose samples. The surface energy data from capillary intrusion was similar to data obtained using inverse gas chromatography with the column maintained at 44% relative humidity for the three samples of microcrystalline cellulose studied. This suggests that capillary intrusion may be a suitable method to study the surface energy of pharmaceutical samples.
Attribute Expressions, Policy Tables and Attribute-Based Access Control

Attribute-based access control (ABAC) has attracted considerable interest in recent years, prompting the development of the standardized XML-based language XACML. ABAC policies written in languages like XACML have a tree-like structure, where leaf nodes are associated with authorization decisions and non-leaf nodes are associated with decision-combining algorithms. However, it may be difficult in XACML to construct a given policy due to the tree-structured nature of XACML and the way in which combining algorithms are defined. Furthermore, there is limited control over how requests are evaluated with respect to targets. In this paper, we introduce the notion of an attribute expression, which generalizes the notion of a target, and show how attribute expressions are used to specify policies in tabular form. We demonstrate why representing policies in this manner is convenient, intuitive and flexible for policy authors, and provide a method for automatically compiling policy tables into machine-enforceable policies. Thus, we bridge the gap between a policy representation that is convenient for end-users and a policy that can be enforced by a PDP. We then describe various methods to reduce the size of policy tables. In addition, we compare our language with XACML, highlighting various shortcomings of XACML and demonstrating how to express XACML policies in a tabular form. We then show how policy tables can be used as leaf nodes in a tree-structured language, providing a modular method for constructing enterprise-wide policies. Finally, we show how attribute expressions and policy tables can be used to make role-based access control and access control lists "attribute-aware".
Online Size-exclusion and Ion-exchange Chromatography on a SAXS Beamline

Biological small angle X-ray scattering (BioSAXS) is a powerful technique in molecular and structural biology used to determine solution structure, particle size and shape, and surface-to-volume ratio of macromolecules. The technique is applicable to a very wide variety of solution conditions spanning a broad range of concentrations, pH values, ionic strengths, temperatures, additives, etc., but the sample is required to be monodisperse. This caveat led to the implementation of liquid chromatography systems on SAXS beamlines. Here, we describe the upstream integration of size-exclusion (SEC) and ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) on a beamline, different methods for optimal background subtraction, and data reduction. As an example, we describe how we use SEC- and IEC-SAXS on a fragment of the essential vaccinia virus protein D5, consisting of a D5N helicase domain. We determine its overall shape and molecular weight, showing the hexameric structure of the protein.
Unusually limited pollen dispersal and connectivity of Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) refugial populations at the species' southern range margin

Low‐latitudinal range margins of temperate and boreal plant species typically consist of scattered populations that persist locally in microrefugia. It remains poorly understood how their refugial habitats affect patterns of gene flow and connectivity, key components for their long‐term viability and evolution. We examine landscape‐scale patterns of historical and contemporary gene flow in refugial populations of the widespread European forest tree Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) at the species' southwestern range margin. We sampled all adult trees (n = 135) growing in a 20 km long valley and genotyped 724 acorns from 72 mother trees at 17 microsatellite loci. The ten oak stands that we identified were highly differentiated and formed four distinct genetic clusters, despite sporadic historical dispersal being detectable. By far most contemporary pollination occurred within stands, either between local mates (85.6%) or through selfing (6.8%). Pollen exchange between stands (2.6%) was remarkably rare given their relative proximity and was complemented by long‐distance pollen immigration (4.4%) and hybridization with the locally abundant Quercus pyrenaica (0.6%). The frequency of between‐stand mating events decreased with increasing size and spatial isolation of stands. Overall, our results reveal outstandingly little long‐distance gene flow for a wind‐pollinated tree species. We argue that the distinct landscape characteristics of oaks' refugial habitats, with a combination of a rugged topography, dense vegetation and humid microclimate, are likely to increase plant survival but to hamper effective long‐distance pollen dispersal. Moreover, local mating might be favoured by high tree compatibility resulting from genetic purging in these long‐term relict populations.
Automatic Adaptive Center of Pupil Detection Using Face Detection and CDF Analysis

This paper presents a novel adaptive algorithm to detect the center of pupil in frontal view faces. This algorithm, at first, employs the viola-Jones face detector to find the approximate location of face in an image. The knowledge of the face structure is exploited to detect the eye region. The histogram of the detected region is calculated and its CDF is employed to extract the eyelids and iris region in an adaptive way. The center of this region is considered as the pupil center. The experimental results show ninety one percent's accuracy in detecting pupil center.
Source memory and frontal functioning in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract The most extensively described pathological abnormality in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the ventral tegmental area, with degeneration of their striatal terminals. Because of the intimate connections between the striatum and the frontal lobes, individuals with PD often demonstrate impairments on those tasks relying on the prefrontal cortex (e.g., tests of executive functioning). Source memory, or memory for context, is believed to rely on the prefrontal cortex and has been previously associated with executive functioning performance, although it has received little attention in the PD literature. Executive functioning and source memory were measured in a group of nondemented PD patients and healthy control participants. Within the PD group, an anti-Parkinson’s medication withdrawal manipulation was used to examine whether source memory was affected by phasic changes in dopamine levels. Compared to healthy control participants, PD patients were impaired in source memory (both on- and off-medication) and on a composite measure of executive functioning. Within the PD group, medication administration improved motor performance but did not have a significant effect on source memory. (JINS, 2009, 15, 399–406.)
Basic concepts for the modeling and correction of GNSS multipath effects using ray tracing and software receivers

Satellite positioning accuracy is degraded by multipath propagation between satellite and the receiver. In this paper we give an overview of a new approach to model and correct this impairment, and present some preliminary results. High accuracy 3D laser scanning is utilized to model the environment. This gives an accurate basis for the characterization of the satellite to earth radio channel by using ray tracing. The information extracted from the ray tracing simulations is used to design correction algorithms that will be implemented in GNSS software defined radio (SDR) receivers.
The role of interleukin‐6 in the human adrenal gland

Interleukin (IL)‐6 is a potent activator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis on all levels in humans, and appears to play a pathogenic role in conditions related to chronic stress and physiological ageing; with physiological ageing showing a similar hormonal and immunological pattern to chronic stress. IL‐6 and its receptor IL‐6R are coexpressed at similar sites in the human adrenal gland, which seems to be an important source of IL‐6 production. In vitro, in primary cultures of adrenal gland cells, chronic exposure to IL‐6 stimulates adrenocortical steroid release in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. This explains the high systemic cortisol levels in the absence of adequate plasma concentrations of corticotropin (ACTH) observed in patients after long‐term treatment with IL‐6. It could therefore be concluded that in situations of prolonged stress, when corticotropin‐releasing hormone and ACTH release are suppressed by feedback inhibition due to circulating glucocorticoids, IL‐6 maintains the elevated glucocorticoid levels by direct stimulation of adrenocortical steroidogenesis via autocrine/paracrine mechanisms.
Quality of service on services selection using anycast techniques: A convergence analysis

Anycast is an effective technique to select system servers among many and by spreading client requests achieve high performance and scalability. In our previous work, we presented the Global Application Layer Anycast (GALA) system. By combining real time network distances measures and geolocation, it performed better than its inherited algorithm, GAA. In this work we analyze how fast the GALA algorithm can find the best server to attend a client request and comparing its convergence to GAA. Using simulations, we show that it converges much faster and we propose a maximum selection time metric to be used in the selection process. Experimental results reveal that the GALA algorithm is two times better than the GAA considering the metric proposed.
Autoclave Processing of PEEK/Carbon Fiber Composites

The influence of processing conditions on the laminate quality for auto claved carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been studied. The pro cessing temperature, pressure, and hold-time were the major variables examined, and their influences on the structure and properties for an 8-ply thick laminate were investigated. The structural evaluation performed on a macroscopic level in terms of compaction, resin/fiber homogeneity and void content, as well as morphological studies, showed a well-defined lower processing temperature limit at approximately 375°C, for satisfactory laminate quality. The lower processing temperature limit was also corroborated by the fracture toughness properties of the laminate. Contrary to processing temperature, pro cessing pressure and hold-times showed a secondary influence on the final laminate quality.
Design and Analysis of Digital Control Platform for Ultrasonic Peen Forming

In this paper, a novel digital control platform for ultrasonic peen forming (UPF) is proposed in this study to achieve self-adaption during machining for obtaining the desired arc height. First, the structure and self-adaption principle of the platform are explained. Then, the diameter of the pits on the Almen strip after UPF is determined by a laser spectroscopy confocal microscopy to determine that the platform had sufficient accuracy. Finally, Almen strips are processed on this platform and changes in the arc height of the Almen strips under different processing conditions were compared and analyzed to determine optimal machining parameters. From the experimental results, the novel digital control platform for UPF can effectively control the processing parameters, and its flexible machining method contributes to better machining effects. Machining should have the lowest possible offset distance and the highest possible movement speed, and a suitable preload force should be selected.
Bendable Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors for the ALS micro-diffraction beamline 12.3.2: optimal tuning and alignment for multiple focusing geometries

Using an example of Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors for the micro-diffraction beamline 12.3. 2, we present the recent development of bendable x-ray optics and experimental techniques used for focusing of beams of soft and hard x-rays at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). We briefly review the nature of the bending and analyze a generalized solution of the bending equation for a side-profiled elliptically bent mirror substrate. A scaling rule is derived to understand a range of reliable tunability of the bendable optics for different applications (e.g., different focal distances and grazing incidence angles). Original design approaches are developed for assembly of bendable mirrors with minimal spurious stress and misalignment and for final precision compensation of the residual stress, substrate twist, and roll-off misalignment of the mirrors. Procedures used for optimal shaping and alignment of bendable optics at the ALS optical metrology laboratory are also briefly reviewed.
Optimal Power Flow Using Particle Swarm Intelligence Algorithm and Non-stationary Multi-stage Assignment Penalty Function

With the rapid development of national economy, modern industry develops towards a nonlinear, large-scale and totalization direction, resulting in an increasing need for fast, efficient and robust optimization algorithms. The appearance of the intelligent computing methods brings hope to the solutions of these complex issues. This paper introduces the applications of improved artificial fish and improved particle swarm algorithms in flow calculation, as well as the comparison of the two methods' advantages and disadvantages.
Effect of Action Verbs on the Performance of a Complex Movement

The interaction between language and motor action has been approached by studying the effect of action verbs, kinaesthetic imagery and mental subtraction upon the performance of a complex movement, the squat vertical jump (SVJ). The time of flight gave the value of the height of the SVJ and was measured with an Optojump® and a Myotest® apparatuses. The results obtained by the effects of the cognitive stimuli showed a statistically significant improvement of the SVJ performance after either loudly or silently pronouncing, hearing or reading the verb saute (jump in French language). Action verbs specific for other motor actions (pince = pinch, lèche = lick) or non-specific (bouge = move) showed no or little effect. A meaningless verb for the French subjects (tiáo = jump in Chinese) showed no effect as did rêve (dream), tombe (fall) and stop. The verb gagne (win) improved significantly the SVJ height, as did its antonym perds (lose) suggesting a possible influence of affects in the subjects’ performance. The effect of the specific action verb jump upon the heights of SVJ was similar to that obtained after kinaesthetic imagery and after mental subtraction of two digits numbers from three digits ones; possibly, in the latter, because of the intervention of language in calculus. It appears that the effects of the specific action verb jump did seem effective but not totally exclusive for the enhancement of the SVJ performance. The results imply an interaction among language and motor brain areas in the performance of a complex movement resulting in a clear specificity of the corresponding action verb. The effect upon performance may probably be influenced by the subjects’ intention, increased attention and emotion produced by cognitive stimuli among which action verbs.
A probabilistic approach to multi-document summarization for generating a tiled summary

Due to data overload and time-critical nature of information need, automatic summarization of documents plays a significant role in information retrieval and text data mining. This paper discusses the design of a multi-document summarizer that uses Katz's K-mixture model for term distribution. The model helps in ranking the sentences by a modified term weight assignment. The system has been evaluated against the frequently occurring sentences in the summaries generated by a set of human subjects. Our system outperforms other auto-summarizers at different extraction levels of summarization with respect to the ideal summary, and is close to the ideal summary at 40% extraction level.
Basic classes for four-manifolds not of simple type

We extend the notion of basic classes (for the Donaldson invariants) to 4-manifolds with b+ > 1 which are (potentially) not of simple type or satisfy b1 > 0.We also give a structure theorem for the Donaldson invariants of 4-manifolds with b+ > 1, b1 > 0 and of strong simple type.
Low temperature aluminisation of alloy steels by pack cementation process

Abstract The pack aluminisation process is normally applied at temperatures >973 K at which the mechanical properties of alloy steels would degrade. Thus, the present study was undertaken to apply this process to aluminising the alloy steels at temperatures <973 K in order to increase their high temperature oxidation resistance while maintaining their microstructure and hence mechanical strength and creep resistance. A type of commercial alloy steel P92 (9Cr–1Mo) was used for the present study. Pack powder mixtures consisting of Al, AlCl3 (anhydrous) or NH4Cl and Al2O3 were used to carry out the process. The aluminising temperature was varied from 773 to 973 K, pack Al content from 1 to 30 wt-% and aluminising time from 1 to 16 h to investigate their effects on the coating growth kinetics in the AlCl3 activated packs. It was observed that all the coatings formed in the AlCl3 activated packs were of a single layer structure with Fe2Al5 as the main coating phase. It was established that the interrelationship between the thickness h (in μm) of this coating layer and aluminising temperature T (in K), time t (in h) and pack Al content W (in wt-%) can be described by h=83005·9W1/2t1/2e−73330/(RT). In the NH4Cl activated packs, it was found that coating formation and dissolution took place simultaneously at 923 K and stable growth of a coating layer was only possible when the pack Al content was sufficiently high. However, the coatings formed in these packs had highly uneven regions.