Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction of carnitine with insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism in humans.

To characterize the interactions of carnitine with glucose metabolism, we administered L-carnitine as a primed (3 mmol) constant (17 mumol/min) intravenous infusion to healthy young volunteers during short-term (2 h) euglycemic hyperinsulinemia. In comparison with a control (saline) infusion, exogenous carnitine administration resulted in a stable, fourfold increase in basal serum carnitine levels (160 +/- 14 vs. 36 +/- 2 microM, P less than 0.001). At similar steady-state plasma insulin levels (75 microU/ml), carnitine infusion was associated with a 17 +/- 3% stimulation of whole body glucose utilization (6.56 +/- 0.60 vs. 5.57 +/- 0.44 mg.min-1.kg-1, P less than 0.001). This effect was more pronounced in the subjects with higher rates of glucose disposal (r = 0.65, P less than 0.05). Net rates of insulin-induced glucose oxidation (measured by continuous, computerized indirect calorimetry) were similar with or without carnitine (1.67 +/- 0.23 vs. 1.65 +/- 0.10 mg.min-1.kg-1, respectively). As a consequence, the carnitine-induced enhancement of total glucose metabolism was quantitatively accounted for by a 50% increase in nonoxidative glucose disposal (2.89 +/- 0.81 vs. 1.92 +/- 0.51 mg.min-1.kg-1, P less than 0.05). The inhibitory effect of insulin on net lipid oxidation was not altered by carnitine (-0.67 +/- 0.09 vs. -0.62 +/- 0.06 mg.min-1.kg-1). Circulating levels of free fatty acids (FFA), glycerol, and beta-hydroxybutyrate fell in parallel during insulin infusion in the test and control study, and blood lactate concentrations rose by similar amounts (approximately 0.35 mM). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Multi-Band Covariance Interpolation with Applications in Massive MIMO

In this paper, we study the problem of multiband (frequency-variant) covariance interpolation with a particular emphasis towards massive MIMO applications. In massive MIMO, the communication between each Base Station (BS) with $M$ » 1 antennas and each single-antenna user occurs through a collection of scatterers in the environment, where the channel vector of each user at BS antennas consists in a weighted linear combination of the array responses of the scatterers, where each scatterer has its own angle of arrival (AoA) and complex channel gain. The array response at a given AoA depends on the wavelength of the incoming planar wave and is naturally frequency dependent. While in typical wireless communication applications the signal bandwidth is narrow enough, such that the channel second-order statistics (notably, the channel covariance matrix) can be considered frequency independent, in many other applications such as Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) the uplink (UL) and the downlink (DL) channels are separated by a large frequency interval, such that the dependence of the channel covariance on frequency cannot be ignored. In this paper, we show that although this dependence is generally negligible for a small number of antennas M, it results in a considerable distortion of the covariance matrix when M →∞. Moreover, we prove that this frequency-dependent distortion can be fully compensated by a suitable covariance interpolation in frequency. We analyze the covariance interpolation problem mathematically and prove its stability under a very mild reciprocity condition on the angular power spread function (PSF) of the users. We also investigate the validity of our results using numerical simulations.
Arabidopsis Microtubule-Destabilizing Protein 25 Functions in Pollen Tube Growth by Severing Actin Filaments[W]

This study elucidates a mechanism whereby calcium enhances the actin filament–severing activity of MICROTUBULE-DESTABILIZING PROTEIN25 (MDP25) in the subapical region of pollen tubes, thereby modulating pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis. The formation of distinct actin filament arrays in the subapical region of pollen tubes is crucial for pollen tube growth. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the organization and dynamics of the actin filaments in this region remain to be determined. This study shows that Arabidopsis thaliana MICROTUBULE-DESTABILIZING PROTEIN25 (MDP25) has the actin filament–severing activity of an actin binding protein. This protein negatively regulated pollen tube growth by modulating the organization and dynamics of actin filaments in the subapical region of pollen tubes. MDP25 loss of function resulted in enhanced pollen tube elongation and inefficient fertilization. MDP25 bound directly to actin filaments and severed individual actin filaments, in a manner that was dramatically enhanced by Ca2+, in vitro. Analysis of a mutant that bears a point mutation at the Ca2+ binding sites demonstrated that the subcellular localization of MDP25 was determined by cytosolic Ca2+ level in the subapical region of pollen tubes, where MDP25 was disassociated from the plasma membrane and moved into the cytosol. Time-lapse analysis showed that the F-actin-severing frequency significantly decreased and a high density of actin filaments was observed in the subapical region of mdp25-1 pollen tubes. This study reveals a mechanism whereby calcium enhances the actin filament–severing activity of MDP25 in the subapical region of pollen tubes to modulate pollen tube growth.
Does competitive divergence occur if assortative mating is costly?

Most models of sympatric speciation have assumed that assortative mating has no costs. A few studies, however, have shown that the costs for being choosy can prevent such speciation. Here, we investigate the role of the strength of assortment and of the costs for being choosy for a simple genetic model of a single (‘magic’) trait that mediates both intraspecific competition for a continuum of resources and assortative mating, which is induced by choosy females who preferentially mate with males of similar phenotype. Choosiness may be costly if it is difficult to find a mating partner. Such magic trait models are considered to be most conducive of sympatric speciation. We consider a sexually reproducing population of haploid individuals that is density regulated. The trait is determined by a single locus with multiple alleles. The strength of stabilizing selection (caused by a unimodal resource distribution), the strength of competition, the degree of assortment and the costs for being choosy are independent parameters. We investigate analytically and numerically how these parameters determine the equilibrium and stability structure. In particular, we identify conditions under which no polymorphism at all is maintained as well as conditions under which strong competitive divergence occurs, or the population even splits into two reproductively isolated classes of highly diverse phenotypes. If costs are absent or moderate, genetic variability tends to be minimized at intermediate strengths of assortment, and reproductively isolated classes of phenotypes are a likely result of evolution only for intermediate or strong competition and for very strong assortment. The likelihood of divergence depends relatively weakly on the costs as long as they are not high. With high costs, however, increasingly strong assortment rapidly depletes all genetic variation, and strong competitive divergence is prevented.
Low-Level Fluoride Exposure Increases Insulin Sensitivity in Experimental Diabetes

The effect of chronic fluoride (F) exposure from the drinking water on parameters related to glucose homeostasis was investigated. Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 2 groups (diabetic [D] and nondiabetic [ND]; n = 54 each). In D, diabetes was induced with streptozotocin. Each group was further divided into 3 subgroups (0, 10, or 50 mgF/L in drinking water). After 22 days of treatment, plasma and liver samples were collected. No alterations in glycemia, insulinemia, KITT, and HOMA2-IR (homeostasis model assessment 2 of insulin resistance) were seen for ND. F-exposure of D rats led to significantly lower insulinemia, without alterations in glycemia (increased %S). Proteomic analysis detected 19, 39, and 16 proteins differentially expressed for the comparisons D0 vs. D10, D0 vs. D50, and D10 vs. D50, respectively. Gene Ontology with the most significant terms in the comparisons D0 vs. D10, D0 vs. D50, and D50 vs. D10 were organic acid metabolic process and carboxylic acid metabolic process, organic acid metabolic process, and cellular ketone metabolic process. Analysis of subnetworks revealed that proteins with fold changes interacted with GLUT4 in comparison D0 vs. D10. Among these proteins, ERj3p was present in D10. Upregulation of this protein in the presence of F might help to explain the higher %S found in these animals. These data suggest that fluoride might enhance glucose homeostasis in diabetes and identify specific biological mechanisms that merit future studies.
A high circulating copy number of HHV‐6 due to chromosomal integration in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

We report a case of a 3.5‐year‐old female with a very high copy number of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) detected by PCR in blood during acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction therapy. The patient was unsuccessfully treated with antiviral drugs. HHV‐6 genome was shown to be constitutively integrated into chromosome 22q‐tel, likely to be inherited from the mother who was found to carry high HHV‐6 copy number. This case highlights the importance of excluding HHV‐6 chromosomal integration before diagnosing HHV‐6 infection or reactivation in immunocompromised patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:1236–1238. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of asperity dominated contacts in nanoelectromechanical relays using thin films

Development of nano-electromechanical relays (NEMRs) has led to a new focus on the thermal behavior at nano-scale contacts. The asperity-asperity contacts in NEMRs are susceptible to deformation and melting due to high pressures and temperatures at the contacting surfaces. Furthermore, because of their small size, these contacts are very difficult to analyze either experimentally or theoretically. Thin films are often deposited on the contact in order to improve the material and electrical properties of the relay. This work presents new methods for analyzing the thermal behavior at the contacts formed by these thin films, thus providing design tools to help avoid or facilitate welding, depending on the purpose of the device. First, theoretical analysis of nano-scale contacts is presented in order to provide a framework for predicting the thermal behavior of devices with thin films. Second, this paper presents experimental results using NEMRs that are electrostatically actuated, then welded and released repeatedly. A welding voltage bias is applied across the contacts which melts the film (TiN), and welds or releases the device. The welding event is observed visually and electrically.
Maestro: An NFV Orchestrator for Wireless Environments Aware of VNF Internal Compositions

Dynamic Cloud Radio Access Network (Dynamic C-RAN) is an emerging wireless architecture that aims for flexibility, business agility, adaptability, among other benefits. In a Dynamic C-RAN, wireless functionalities can be split into smaller components and distributed along a hierarchical cloud infrastructure. Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) concepts have been recently investigated to facilitate management-related operations of these wireless functionalities. Despite the many advocated advantages of the function's splitting and the effectiveness of NFV orchestration solutions, both academia and industry are considering Virtualized Network Functions (VNF)s as atomic elements, disregarding the potential advantages of splitting VNFs into several different components. Aiming to improve VNF orchestration in Dynamic C-RAN scenarios, in this paper we propose Maestro: an NFV orchestrator for wireless environments that is able to decide among several possible VNF compositions which are more suitable for each situation. Maestro is designed to operate using different decision mechanisms that can be defined based on network operators' needs. We evaluate the effectiveness of our proposal by modeling the orchestrator's decision mechanism as a linear programming problem. Thus, we show how fronthaul bandwidth consumption can be reduced threefold considering different VNF compositions against atomic VNF placement.
Effects of Trihexyphenidyl on Plasma Chlorpromazine in Young Schizophrenics*

This study investigated the effects of trihexyphenidyl on chlorpromazine (CPZ) plasma levels and clinical state in 20 relatively young schizophrenic patients diagnosed using the DSM-III. Spontaneous changes in CPZ plasma levels over time were also examined. Trihexyphenidyl significantly increased CPZ plasma levels (average 41 %) but did not produce clinical change. The trihexyphenidyl-induced increase in CPZ plasma levels was independent of CPZ oral dosage and of CPZ plasma levels. Chlorpromazine plasma levels decreased non significantly (about 13%) over the four weeks following steady state, but there was marked inter-subject variability, and CPZ levels rose in some subjects. Although identical CPZ doses produced widely variable plasma levels, CPZ plasma levels correlated significantly with oral dose. The views that antiparkinsonian drugs interfere with neuroleptic efficacy, and do so by lowering neuroleptic plasma levels, are questioned.
Control of Bacillus subtilis mtl operon expression by complex phosphorylation‐dependent regulation of the transcriptional activator MtlR

Many bacteria transport mannitol via the mtlAF‐encoded phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS). In most firmicutes the transcriptional activator MtlR controls expression of the mtl operon. MtlR possesses an N‐terminal DNA binding domain, two PTS regulation domains (PRDs), an EIIBGat‐ and EIIAMtl‐like domain. These four regulatory domains contain one or two potential PTS phosphorylation sites. Replacement of His‐342 or His‐399 in PRD2 with Ala prevented the phosphorylation of Bacillus subtilis MtlR by PEP, EI and HPr. These mutations as well as EI inactivation caused a loss of MtlR function in vivo. In contrast, phosphomimetic replacement of His‐342 with Asp rendered MtlR constitutively active. The absence of phosphorylation in PRD2 serves as catabolite repression mechanism. When EIIAMtl and the soluble EIIBMtl domain of the EIICBMtl permease were included in the phosphorylation mixture, His‐599 in the EIIA‐like domain of MtlR also became phosphorylated. Replacement of His‐599 with Asp rendered MtlR inactive, while His599Ala replacement caused slightly constitutive, glucose‐repressible MtlR activity. Doubly mutated His342Ala/His599Ala MtlR was still phosphorylated by EI, HPr and EIIAMtl at Cys‐419 in the EIIBGat‐like domain. Cys419Ala replacement and deletion of EIIAMtl caused strong constitutive glucose‐repressible MtlR activity. This is the first report that Cys phosphorylation controls PRD‐containing transcriptional activators.
Validity of Clinical Tests in the Diagnosis of Root Compression in Cervical Disc Disease

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of three clinical tests (the neck compression, the axial manual traction, and the shoulder abduction test) In the diagnosis of root compression in 43 patients with cervical disc disease. The validity was investigated regarding radicular pain, neurologic signs, and root compression signs in myelography. All tests were highly specific for the validity parameters. However, the sensitivity was low; it ranged from 26 to 50% for the three single validity parameters in roots C6–8, and from 40 to 64% for combined neurologic and radiologic signs. It is concluded that, despite low sensitivity, these tests are a valuable aid in the clinical examination of a patient with neck and arm pain.
Analysis of public discussion in participatory planning process

This study proposes the method of quantitative analysis on discussion in workshop for proper operation of discussion. It also shows the characteristics and the roles of discussion in workshop in planning process. There is a perception gap about policy issues of the region between planners who set up a workshop, and participants. The objectives of this study are to make clear its gap quantitatively, and to establish a management solution for minimizing them. This study provides quantitative analysis of a content of discussion to make participant's concern clear. The efficacy of this method is also discussed.
Porphyromonas gingivalis Peptidoglycans Induce Excessive Activation of the Innate Immune System in Silkworm Larvae*

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a pathogen that causes inflammation in human periodontal tissue, killed silkworm (Bombyx mori, Lepidoptera) larvae when injected into the blood (hemolymph). Silkworm lethality was not rescued by antibiotic treatment, and heat-killed bacteria were also lethal. Heat-killed bacteria of mutant P. gingivalis strains lacking virulence factors also killed silkworms. Silkworms died after injection of peptidoglycans purified from P. gingivalis (pPG), and pPG toxicity was blocked by treatment with mutanolysin, a peptidoglycan-degrading enzyme. pPG induced silkworm hemolymph melanization at the same dose as that required to kill the animal. pPG injection increased caspase activity in silkworm tissues. pPG-induced silkworm death was delayed by injecting melanization-inhibiting reagents (a serine protease inhibitor and 1-phenyl-2-thiourea), antioxidants (N-acetyl-l-cysteine, glutathione, and catalase), and a caspase inhibitor (Ac-DEVD-CHO). Thus, pPG induces excessive activation of the innate immune response, which leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species and apoptotic cell death in the host tissue.
The impact of professional development on the teaching of problem solving in mathematics: A Social Learning Theory perspective

Teachers’ professional development (PD) has been described as an ‘unsolved problem’, particularly where there is an expectation to change teaching practices from teacher-centred orthodoxies to more studentcentred approaches. This paper considers PD that has been designed to support the teaching of problem solving in secondary classes. One of the main problems in PD design and research has been identified as the limitations of existing professional learning theory. To respond to this, the research reported in this paper is intended to contribute to the theorisation of PD. I will present a case study of one teacher – taken from a larger multiple case study − as they take part in a programme of school-based PD. Social learning theory (SLT) is used to analyse and explain the learning processes as a result of participation in the PD programme. This reveals that SLT provides a useful theoretical approach. As a result, I suggest the approach could be used more extensively in professional learning and PD, to understand, evaluate and develop programmes more effectively.
Producing Subpixel Resolution Thematic Map From Coarse Imagery: MAP Algorithm-Based Super-Resolution Recovery

Subpixel mapping (SPM) of hyperspectral remote sensing imagery is a promising technique for deriving fine mapping result by classification at fine spatial resolution. There is a type of algorithm for SPM, namely, the soft-then-hard SPM (STHSPM) algorithm that first estimates soft attribute values for land cover classes at subpixel level and then allocates classes for subpixel according to the soft attribute values. However, the fraction images derived from spectral unmixing are of less prior information of original hyperspectral remote sensing imagery and there are lots of errors in SPM result due to the limitation of spectral unmixing technology currently available. In this paper, a framework based on subpixel resolution thematic map, namely, super-resolution then classification (STC) is proposed to improve mapping result. In the proposed framework, a maximum a posteriori (MAP) model associated with the endmembers of interest (EOI), namely, T-MAP-SR is applied to the original coarse imagery to derive a high-resolution imagery with generous prior information. Then fine mapping result can be derived from the high-spatial resolution imagery by the available classification methods. Experiments show that the proposed framework can produce higher mapping accuracy result and protect the classes of interest (COI).
The 2-minute step test is independently associated with cognitive function in older adults with heart failure

Background and aims: Cognitive impairment is common in persons with heart failure (HF), and measures like the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) are known to correspond to level of impairment. The 2-minute step test (2MST) has been suggested as a more practical alternative to the 6MWT, though no study has examined whether it is associated with cognitive impairment in persons with HF. This study examined whether the 2MST is associated with cognitive function in older adults with HF. Methods: Older adults with HF (n=145; 68.97±9.31 yrs) completed the 2MST and a neuropsychological test battery that assessed function in multiple cognitive domains. Results: Consistent with past work, HF patients exhibited high rates of cognitive impairment. Hierarchical regression analyses adjusting for demographic and medical characteristics found that the 2MST accounted for unique variance in global cognitive function (ΔR2=0.09, p<0.001), executive function (ΔR2=0.03, p<0.05), and language (ΔR2=0.10, p<0.001). A trend emerged for attention (ΔR2=0.02, p=0.09). Follow-up tests indicated that better 2MST performance was significantly correlated with better global cognitive function, attention, executive, and language test performance. Conclusion: The current results indicate that the 2MST is associated with cognitive function in older adults with HF. Further work is needed to clarify underlying mechanisms for this association and the value of implementing the 2MST during routine visits.
10nm high performance mobile SoC design and technology co-developed for performance, power, and area scaling

The industry's first 10nm low power high performance mobile SoC has been successfully ramped in production. Thanks to a thorough design-technology co-development, 10nm SoC is 16% faster, 37% smaller, and 30% lower power than its 14nm predecessor. The latest SoC features a gigabit class modem and is set to advance AR/VR, AJ, machine learning, and computing. 10nm FinFet technology scaling challenges such as sharply increased wiring resistance and variation and strong layout stress effects are discussed to illustrate design and technology co-development from technology definition to product ramp stage is imperative to realize scaling entitlements.