Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Resveratrol on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Oxidative stress and inflammation are hypothesized to contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene) is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The study aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol in a rat model with COPD on the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation via the activation of Sirtuin1 (SIRTl) and proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, COPD group and resveratrol intervention group. The COPD model was established by instilling with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and challenging with cigarette smoke (CS). The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in serum were measured. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. The expression levels of SIRT1 and PGC-1α in the lung tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry as well as real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) and western blotting analysis. After the treatment with resveratrol (50 mg/kg), compared with the COPD group, alleviation of inflammation and reconstruction in the small airways of the lungs were seen. Resveratrol might be correlated not only with the lower level of MDA and the higher activity of SOD, but also with the upregulation of SIRT1 and PGC-1α expression. Resveratrol treatment decreased serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8. Our findings indicate that resveratrol had a therapeutic effect in our rat COPD model, which is related to the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The mechanism may be related to the activation and upgrading of the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathways. Thus resveratrol might be a therapeutic modality in COPD.
A Multi-Modal Sensing Glove for Human Manual-Interaction Studies

We present an integrated sensing glove that combines two of the most visionary wearable sensing technologies to provide both hand posture sensing and tactile pressure sensing in a unique, lightweight, and stretchable device. Namely, hand posture reconstruction employs Knitted Piezoresistive Fabrics that allows us to measure bending. From only five of these sensors (one for each finger) the full hand pose of a 19 degrees of freedom (DOF) hand model is reconstructed leveraging optimal sensor placement and estimation techniques. To this end, we exploit a-priori information of synergistic coordination patterns in grasping tasks. Tactile sensing employs a piezoresistive fabric allowing us to measure normal forces in more than 50 taxels spread over the palmar surface of the glove. We describe both sensing technologies, report on the software integration of both modalities, and describe a preliminary evaluation experiment analyzing hand postures and force patterns during grasping. Results of the reconstruction are promising and encourage us to push further our approach with potential applications in neuroscience, virtual reality, robotics and tele-operation.
Diet-heart : a problematic revisit 1 – 3

1) In univariate analyses of population-based observational data, are there direct relations of dietary SFAs to CHD? 2) In multivariate analyses controlled for possible confounders, are there independent direct relations of dietary SFAs to CHD? 3) Is the SFA-CHD relation similar for ‘‘hard’’ fatal CHD and ‘‘soft’’ total CHD? 4) Do limitations in quality of dietary data in epidemiologic studies on SFA-CHD influence results? 5) What are the findings from randomized controlled trials on SFA-CHD? 6) Is the SFA-CHD relation mainly attributable to adverse SFA influence on serum cholesterol (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol)? 7) What about possible effects of dietary cholesterol? 8) With lower dietary SFA, which macronutrients are preferable to replace SFA? 9) Are dietary influences on serum lipoprotein particles clear or relevant? Do particle measurements enhance CHD risk assessment independent of serum lipids? 10) Do dietary SFAs or other macronutrients influence metabolic traits other than LDL cholesterol, particularly HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, independent of caloric balance (obesity)? Do these traits predict CHD risk independently of established major metabolic risk factors such as adverse total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, blood pressure (BP), body mass, and hyperglycemia/diabetes? 11) Do these dietary traits influence BP? 12) On the basis of all of the evidence, what are optimal dietary recommendations to reduce CHD risk?
Multi-Channel Deep Clustering: Discriminative Spectral and Spatial Embeddings for Speaker-Independent Speech Separation

The recently-proposed deep clustering algorithm represents a fundamental advance towards solving the cocktail party problem in the single-channel case. When multiple microphones are available, spatial information can be leveraged to differentiate signals from different directions. This study combines spectral and spatial features in a deep clustering framework so that the complementary spectral and spatial information can be simultaneously exploited to improve speech separation. We find that simply encoding inter-microphone phase patterns as additional input features during deep clustering provides a significant improvement in separation performance, even with random microphone array geometry. Experiments on a spatial-ized version of the wsj0-2mix dataset show the strong potential of the proposed algorithm for speech separation in reverberant environments.
Processing Properties of TiN Ceramic Coating Prepared by In-situ Synthesis Electric Spark Deposition

This paper presents the results of study concerned with the TiN coating in the 45 steel prepared by in-situ synthesis electric spark deposition(ESD),with TC4 titanium alloy as electrode and nitrogen as reactant and shielding atmosphere.Orthogonal experiment is performed on five influential factors such as output voltage,rotation speed of anode,frequency,discharge capacitance and deposition time with four levels respectively.The influence of ESD processing parameter on the thickness of coating is studied.The experiment result shows that the best excellent coating is obtained when the device works with capacitance of 120μF,output voltage of 145V and deposition time of 3 min/cm2.A metallurgy integration is formed between substrate and electric spark reactant coating.The uniform and continuous coatings are mainly consisted of TiN,FeTi and Fe9.64Ti0. 36 phases,with 30-40μm thickness.Its elastic modulus is 183.614 GPa,while its nanohardness is 14.039 GPa which is four times than that of the substrates.The test fiercely suggests the in-situ synthesis electric-spark deposition can greatly improve the surface property of materials.
Ontologies for Supporting Engineering Design Optimization

This paper presents an optimization ontology and its implementation into a prototype computational knowledge base tool dubbed ONTOP (ONT ology for OP timization). Salient features of ONTOP include a knowledge base which incorporates both standardized optimization terminology, formal method definitions, and often unrecorded optimization details, such as any idealizations and assumptions that may be made when creating an optimization model, as well as the model developer’s rationale and justification behind these idealizations and assumptions. ONTOP was developed using Protege, a Java-based, free open-source ontology development environment created by Stanford University. Two engineering design optimization case studies are presented. The first case study consists of the optimization of a structural beam element and demonstrates ONTOP ’s ability to address the variations in an optimal solution that may arise when different techniques and approaches are used. A second case study, a more complex design problem which deals with the optimization of an impeller of a pediatric left ventricular heart assist device, demonstrates the wealth of knowledge ONTOP is able to capture. Together, these test beds help illustrate the potential value of an ontology in representing application-specific knowledge while facilitating both the sharing and exchanging of this knowledge in engineering design optimization. © 2006 ASME
Investigation on magnetic and microwave behavior of magnetite nanoparticles coated carbon fibers composite

Radar absorbing materials, i.e. magnetite (Fe3O4) coated carbon fibers (MCCFs) were fabricated by electro-deposition technique. Black-colored single spinel phase Fe3O4 nanoparticles was easily synthesized by hydrothermal method using reduction of a Fe (III) - Triethanolamine complex in an aqueous alkaline solution at 60-80 ◦C. Uniform and compact Fe3O4 films were fabricated on nitric acid treated carbon fibers. A correlation between magnetic and absorption properties of specimens was made. It was found that the deposition time, and the sequences of the coating process have a significant effect on the reflection loss characteristics of the MCCFs. On the other hand, the temperature of the coating process affects strongly the composition of the thin film. MCCFs prepared at 80 ◦C possesses a much higher loss factor than the one prepared at 60 ◦C. The morphology, phases in the coating layer, magnetic properties and absorption behaviors of the MCCFs were examined using FESEM, XRD, permagraph, vector network analyzer (VNA), respectively. The highest reflection loss that is −10 dB at 12.27 GHz was observed in the sample deposited for four minutes. It was also found out that a uniform deposition layer can be observed in the sample deposited in three steps in which each step takes four minimums.
An integrated microfluidic device for screening the effective concentration of locally applied tacrolimus for peripheral nerve regeneration

The effectiveness of tacrolimus (FK506) for the promotion of nerve regeneration is known. However, at present, due to the fact that systemic application may lead to opportunistic infections and tumors, and that the treatment of peripheral nerve injury with systemic immunosuppression is not generally accepted, FK506 has not been widely used for the treatment of simple or peripheral nerve injury. In this study, a pyramid-shaped microfluidic device was designed and fabricated that was able to analyze the effective concentration of locally applied FK506. After testing the effectiveness of the microfluidic device by measuring the fluorescence intensity of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran, rat Schwann cells (SCs) were loaded into the device and cultured for 9 days in the presence of different concentrations of FK506. SC proliferation in the presence of FK506 was concentration-dependent between 0 and 2.5±0.003 ng/ml. The proliferation rate reached a maximum at 1.786±0.014 ng/ml, which was statistically significantly different from the proliferation rate at lower FK506 concentrations. There was no statistically significant difference in the proliferation rate between the 1.786 ng/ml group and groups of higher FK506 concentrations. Furthermore, the SCs in the microfluidic device and a 96-well plate continued to proliferate as the culture time increased. No statistically significant differences were identified between the microfluidic device and a 96-well plate with regard to the proliferation rates in each corresponding group. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the microfluidic device can be used as an excellent platform for the study of drug concentration at the cellular level, and the effective FK506 concentration for local application is 1.786±0.014 ng/ml.
Optimal planning for autonomous agents under time and resource uncertainty

In this paper we develop an approach for planning under time and resource uncertainty with task dependencies. We follow the line of research described by (Bresina et al., 2002), overcoming limitations of existing approaches: they only handle simple time constraints and assume a simple model of durations and resources’ uncertainty.In many domains, such as space applications (rovers, satellites), these assumptions are invalid. Our approach considers temporal and resource constraints and fully deals with their uncertainty. From a mission graph, we build a MDP that can be optimally solved by dynamic programming, even for large mission graphs.
Conditional equivalence testing: An alternative remedy for publication bias

We introduce a publication policy that incorporates “conditional equivalence testing” (CET), a two-stage testing scheme in which standard NHST is followed conditionally by testing for equivalence. The idea of CET is carefully considered as it has the potential to address recent concerns about reproducibility and the limited publication of null results. In this paper we detail the implementation of CET, investigate similarities with a Bayesian testing scheme, and outline the basis for how a scientific journal could proceed to reduce publication bias while remaining relevant.
Viable Counts of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Philippine Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt is traditionally manufactured using Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus as starter cultures. These organisms were claimed to offer some health benefits, though they are not natural inhabitants of the intestine or are unable to survive the conditions in the GI tract. Certain health benefits attributed to yoghurt consumption were due to reports that both yoghurt starter bacteria are proteolytic and thus generate bioactive peptides from milk proteins. Researchers have identified peptides with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory (ACEI) activity or antihypertensive peptides from yoghurt and other fermented milks [1]. It is in this sense that these two yoghurt bacteria can be considered probiotic bacteria or bacteria with health beneficial effects. Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium sp. and Lactobacillus casei are incorporated as adjuncts to the usual yoghurt starter bacteria [2]. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most important probiotic microorganisms typically associated with the human gastrointestinal tract [3]. Numerous commercial products containing LAB have been claimed to have health promoting function [4]. Some LAB products have been proven to be useful as adjuncts in preventing gastrointestinal disorders in humans [5].
Small Molecule Therapeutics The Combination of Cannabidiol and D 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Enhances the Anticancer Effects of Radiation in an Orthotopic Murine Glioma Model

High-grade glioma is one of the most aggressive cancers in adult humans and long-term survival rates are very low as standard treatments for glioma remain largely unsuccessful. Cannabinoids have been shown to specifically inhibit glioma growth as well as neutralize oncogenic processes such as angiogenesis. In an attempt to improve treatment outcome, we have investigated the effect of D-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) both alone and in combination with radiotherapy in a number of glioma cell lines (T98G, U87MG, and GL261). Cannabinoids were used in two forms, pure (P) and as a botanical drug substance (BDS). Results demonstrated a durationand dose-dependent reduction in cell viability with each cannabinoid and suggested that THC-BDS was more efficacious than THC-P, whereas, conversely, CBD-P was more efficacious than CBD-BDS. Median effect analysis revealed all combinations to be hyperadditive [T98G 48-hour combination index (CI) at FU50, 0.77–1.09]. Similarly, pretreating cells with THC-P and CBDP together for 4 hours before irradiation increased their radiosensitivity when compared with pretreating with either of the cannabinoids individually. The increase in radiosensitivity was associated with an increase in markers of autophagy and apoptosis. These in vitro results were recapitulated in an orthotopic murine model for glioma, which showed dramatic reductions in tumor volumes when both cannabinoids were used with irradiation (day 21: 5.5 2.2 mm vs. 48.7 24.9 mm in the control group; P < 0.01). Taken together, our data highlight the possibility that these cannabinoids can prime glioma cells to respond better to ionizing radiation, and suggest a potential clinical benefit for glioma patients by using these two treatment modalities. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(12); 2955–67. 2014 AACR.
Expert Opinion on the Perceived Effectiveness and Importance of On-Farm Biosecurity Measures for Cattle and Swine Farms in Switzerland

Biosecurity is crucial for safeguarding livestock from infectious diseases. Despite the plethora of biosecurity recommendations, published scientific evidence on the effectiveness of individual biosecurity measures is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of Swiss experts about the effectiveness and importance of individual on-farm biosecurity measures for cattle and swine farms (31 and 30 measures, respectively). Using a modified Delphi method, 16 Swiss livestock disease specialists (8 for each species) were interviewed. The experts were asked to rank biosecurity measures that were written on cards, by allocating a score from 0 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Experts ranked biosecurity measures based on their importance related to Swiss legislation, feasibility, as well as the effort required for implementation and the benefit of each biosecurity measure. The experts also ranked biosecurity measures based on their effectiveness in preventing an infectious agent from entering and spreading on a farm, solely based on transmission characteristics of specific pathogens. The pathogens considered by cattle experts were those causing Bluetongue (BT), Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). Swine experts expressed their opinion on the pathogens causing African Swine Fever (ASF), Enzootic Pneumonia (EP), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), as well as FMD. For cattle farms, biosecurity measures that improve disease awareness of farmers were ranked as both most important and most effective. For swine farms, the most important and effective measures identified were those related to animal movements. Among all single measures evaluated, education of farmers was perceived by the experts to be the most important and effective for protecting both Swiss cattle and swine farms from disease. The findings of this study provide an important basis for recommendation to farmers and policy makers.
Proteomic profiling of VCP substrates links VCP to K6‐linked ubiquitylation and c‐Myc function

Valosin‐containing protein (VCP) is an evolutionarily conserved ubiquitin‐dependent ATPase that mediates the degradation of proteins through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Despite the central role of VCP in the regulation of protein homeostasis, identity and nature of its cellular substrates remain poorly defined. Here, we combined chemical inhibition of VCP and quantitative ubiquitin remnant profiling to assess the effect of VCP inhibition on the ubiquitin‐modified proteome and to probe the substrate spectrum of VCP in human cells. We demonstrate that inhibition of VCP perturbs cellular ubiquitylation and increases ubiquitylation of a different subset of proteins compared to proteasome inhibition. VCP inhibition globally upregulates K6‐linked ubiquitylation that is dependent on the HECT‐type ubiquitin E3 ligase HUWE1. We report ~450 putative VCP substrates, many of which function in nuclear processes, including gene expression, DNA repair and cell cycle. Moreover, we identify that VCP regulates the level and activity of the transcription factor c‐Myc.
Polymorphic Variants of SCN1A and EPHX1 Influence Plasma Carbamazepine Concentration, Metabolism and Pharmacoresistance in a Population of Kosovar Albanian Epileptic Patients

Aim The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of gene variants in key genes influencing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic of carbamazepine (CBZ) on the response in patients with epilepsy. Materials & Methods Five SNPs in two candidate genes influencing CBZ transport and metabolism, namely ABCB1 or EPHX1, and CBZ response SCN1A (sodium channel) were genotyped in 145 epileptic patients treated with CBZ as monotherapy and 100 age and sex matched healthy controls. Plasma concentrations of CBZ, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZE) and carbamazepine-10,11-trans dihydrodiol (CBZD) were determined by HPLC-UV-DAD and adjusted for CBZ dosage/kg of body weight. Results The presence of the SCN1A IVS5-91G>A variant allele is associated with increased epilepsy susceptibility. Furthermore, carriers of the SCN1A IVS5-91G>A variant or of EPHX1 c.337T>C variant presented significantly lower levels of plasma CBZ compared to carriers of the common alleles (0.71±0.28 vs 1.11±0.69 μg/mL per mg/Kg for SCN1A IVS5-91 AA vs GG and 0.76±0.16 vs 0.94±0.49 μg/mL per mg/Kg for EPHX1 c.337 CC vs TT; P<0.05 for both). Carriers of the EPHX1 c.416A>G showed a reduced microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity as reflected by a significantly decreased ratio of CBZD to CBZ (0.13±0.08 to 0.26±0.17, p<0.05) also of CBZD to CBZE (1.74±1.06 to 3.08±2.90; P<0.05) and CDRCBZD (0.13±0.08 vs 0.24±0.19 μg/mL per mg/Kg; P<0.05). ABCB1 3455C>T SNP and SCN1A 3148A>G variants were not associated with significant changes in CBZ pharmacokinetic. Patients resistant to CBZ treatment showed increased dosage of CBZ (657±285 vs 489±231 mg/day; P<0.001) but also increased plasma levels of CBZ (9.84±4.37 vs 7.41±3.43 μg/mL; P<0.001) compared to patients responsive to CBZ treatment. CBZ resistance was not related to any of the SNPs investigated. Conclusions The SCN1A IVS5-91G>A SNP is associated with susceptibility to epilepsy. SNPs in EPHX1 gene are influencing CBZ metabolism and disposition. CBZ plasma levels are not an indicator of resistance to the therapy.
Generation of the first layers of a zirconia plasma sprayed coating: Correlation between splat layering and spraying parameters

Fused and crushed partially stabilized zirconia particles (8 wt % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) were plasma sprayed with an Ar-H{sub 2} plasma jet (45 slm Ar, 15 slm H{sub 2}, 600 A, nozzle i.d. 7 mm, internal injection). The study was devoted to the splat, beads and passes (maximum 8 passes) formation. The particles were sprayed on cast iron or stainless steel substrates at which temperature was kept as constant as possible either at 75 or at 350 C with the help of air jets either blown orthogonally to the plasma jet or to the substrate surface. The splat shape and morphology was examined by OM and image analysis, the beads and passes cross sections as well as fractured sections were examined by SEM and their phases determined by XRD. These examinations have shown the drastic influence of the substrate temperature on the splat shapes and contacts with underlying layers, columnar structure growth within one bead or one pass and macrocracks network within the beads and passes.
Linear time vehicle relocation in SLAM

In this paper we propose an algorithm to deter- mine the location of a vehicle in an environment represented by a stochastic map, given a set of environment measure- ments obtained by a sensor mounted on the vehicle. We show that the combined use of (1) geometric constraints considering feature correlation, (2) joint compatibility, (3) random sampling and (4) locality, make this algorithm lin- ear with both the size of the stochastic map and the number of measurements. We demonstrate the practicality and ro- bustness of our approach with experiments in an outdoor environment.