Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Actions of Novel Antidiabetic Agent Englitazone in Hyperglycemic Hyperinsulinemic ob/ob Mice

The effects of CP 68722 (racemic englitazone) were examined in ob/ob mice, in adipocytes and soleus muscles from ob/ob mice, and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Administration of englitazone at 5–50 mg · kg−1 · day−1 lowered plasma glucose and insulin dose dependently without producing frank hypoglycemia in either the diabetic or nondiabetic lean animals. The glucoselowering effect in ob/ob mice preceded the reduction in hyperinsulinemia. On cessation of drug, plasma insulin returned to untreated levels within 48 h, whereas plasma glucose rose slowly over 5 days. Englitazone (50 mg/kg) for 11 days lowered plasma glucose (22.2 ± 1.4 to 14.0 ± 1.9 mM), insulin (7.57 ± 0.67 to 1.64 ± 0.60 nM), nonesterified fatty acids (1813 ± 86 to 914 ± 88 μM), glycerol (9.20 ± 0.98 to 4.94 ± 0.03 mM), triglycerides (1.99 ± 0.25 to 1.03 ± 0.11 g/L), and cholesterol (6.27 ± 0.96 to 3.87 ± 0.57 mM), but no effects were observed 3 h after a single dose. Basal and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis were enhanced in adipocytes from ob/ob mice treated with 50 mg/kg englitazone for 11 days compared with lipogenesis in cells from vehicle-treated controls. Treatment of ob/ob mice with 50 mg/kg englitazone reversed the defects in insulin-stimulated glycolysis (from [3-3H]glucose) and glycogenesis and basal glucose oxidation (from [1-14C]glucose) in isolated soleus muscles. Englitazone (30 μM) stimulated 2- deoxy-D-glucose transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes from 0.37 ± 0.03 to 0.65 ± 0.06 and 1.53 nmol · min−1 · mg−1 protein at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Thus, englitazone has 1) insulinomimetic and insulin-enhancing actions in vitro and 2) glucose-, insulin-, triglyceride-, and cholesterol-lowering properties in an animal model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in which sulfonylureas have little or no effect. Thus, this new agent may have beneficial effects including a reduced risk of hypoglycemia in patients with NIDDM.
Estimating Safety Effects of Pavement Management Factors Utilizing Bayesian Random Effect Models

Objective: Previous studies of pavement management factors that relate to the occurrence of traffic-related crashes are rare. Traditional research has mostly employed summary statistics of bidirectional pavement quality measurements in extended longitudinal road segments over a long time period, which may cause a loss of important information and result in biased parameter estimates. The research presented in this article focuses on crash risk of roadways with overall fair to good pavement quality. Real-time and location-specific data were employed to estimate the effects of pavement management factors on the occurrence of crashes. Methods: This research is based on the crash data and corresponding pavement quality data for the Tennessee state route highways from 2004 to 2009. The potential temporal and spatial correlations among observations caused by unobserved factors were considered. Overall 6 models were built accounting for no correlation, temporal correlation only, and both the temporal and spatial correlations. These models included Poisson, negative binomial (NB), one random effect Poisson and negative binomial (OREP, ORENB), and two random effect Poisson and negative binomial (TREP, TRENB) models. The Bayesian method was employed to construct these models. The inference is based on the posterior distribution from the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation. These models were compared using the deviance information criterion. Results: Analysis of the posterior distribution of parameter coefficients indicates that the pavement management factors indexed by Present Serviceability Index (PSI) and Pavement Distress Index (PDI) had significant impacts on the occurrence of crashes, whereas the variable rutting depth was not significant. Among other factors, lane width, median width, type of terrain, and posted speed limit were significant in affecting crash frequency. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that a reduction in pavement roughness would reduce the likelihood of traffic-related crashes. Hence, maintaining a low level of pavement roughness is strongly suggested. In addition, the results suggested that the temporal correlation among observations was significant and that the ORENB model outperformed all other models.
The ontogeny of the canary HVC revealed by the expression of androgen and oestrogen receptors

THE vocal control nucleus HVC (nucleus hyperstriatalis ventrale, pars caudale) of the canary (Serinus canaria) is a model in which to study the relationship between anatomical plasticity and vocal developmental learning. Much of the structural plasticity of the HVC is sensitive to the action of androgenic and oestrogenic gonadal hormones that affect the brain by binding to androgen receptors (AR) and oestrogen receptors (ER). Here we report developmental changes of AR and ER expression in the HVC using in situ hybridization with avian specific cRNA probes. AR and ER are first expressed in the HVC at post-hatching day 10 (P10) and P30, respectively and are, therefore, present in the HVC throughout the singing-learning period of the canary. Because AR occur only in the caudal neostriatum of the HVC we mapped the size of the HVC with this marker. The size and neurone number of the AR-defined HVC reaches adult values at P30 and differentiates, therefore, independently of the singing activity and probably independently of oestrogens. Continuing neurogenesis in the HVC requires neuronal death and replacement from P30 on.
A New Framework for Teaching the Triple Bottom Line: The Sustainability Triangle and the Sustainability Index

A New Framework for Teaching the Triple Bottom Line: The Sustainability Triangle and the Sustainability Index Dr. Michael R. Penn, University of Wisconsin, Platteville Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Lead author of the textbook, Introduction to Infrastructure: An Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering. Contributor to the ASCE Report Card on Wisconsin’s Infrastructure. Dr. Kristina M. Fields, University of Wisconsin, Platteville Dr. Kristina Fields is a civil engineering professor focusing her coursework on transportation, construction, and computer applications of civil and environmental engineering. She is active in pre-college engineering outreach and improving non-motorized transportation infrastructure.
High-transconductance delta-doped InAs/AlSb HFETs with ultrathin silicon-doped InAs quantum well donor layer

Modulation-doping of InAs/AlSb quantum wells generally requires the use of chalcogenide donor impurities because silicon, the usual donor of choice in MBE, displays an amphoteric behavior in antimonide compounds. In this letter, we demonstrate the use of an ultrathin 9 /spl Aring/ silicon doped InAs well to delta-dope the current-carrying InAs channel of an InAs/AlSb heterostructure field-effect transistor (HFET). Using this new approach, we have fabricated delta-doped 0.6-/spl mu/m gate InAs/AlSb HFETs with a measured extrinsic transconductance of 800 mS/mm at V/sub DS/=0.8 V, a cutoff frequency f/sub T/=60 GHz (F/sub MAX/=87 GHz), and well-behaved I-V curves. HFET's with a 2-/spl mu/m gatelength also feature very high transconductances in the 700-800 mS/mm range at V/sub DS/=1.5 V. The present work eliminates the requirement for chalcogenide compound donor sources to delta-dope InAs/AlSb quantum wells by allowing the use of silicon in the fabrication of high-performance InAs/AlSb HFET's.
Targeted Inactivation of the 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3-1α-Hydroxylase Gene (CYP27B1) Creates an Animal Model of Pseudovitamin D-Deficiency Rickets.

Pseudovitamin D-deficiency rickets is caused by mutations in the cytochrome P450 enzyme, 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3)-1alpha-hydroxylase (1alpha-OHase). Patients with the disease exhibit growth retardation, rickets, and osteomalacia. Serum biochemistry is characterized by hypocalcemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and undetectable levels of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3). We have inactivated the 1alpha-OHase gene in mice after homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. Serum analysis of homozygous mutant animals confirmed that they were hypocalcemic, hypophosphatemic, hyperparathyroidic, and that they had undetectable 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3). Histological analysis of the bones from 3-week-old mutant animals confirmed the evidence of rickets. At the age of 8 weeks, femurs from 1alpha-OHase-ablated mice present a severe disorganization in the architecture of the growth plate and marked osteomalacia. These results show that we have successfully inactivated the 1alpha-OHase gene in mice and established a valid animal model of pseudovitamin D-deficiency rickets.
Cell-wall lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli B.

The lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli BB and a number of R-phage selected (e.g. T3, T4) cell-wall-defective mutants were analyzed. From their lipopolysaccharides the respective core oligosaccharides were obtained. Following dephosphorylation, the oligosaccharides were methylated and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This revealed the sugar sequence in the hexose-heptose region of the core. The linkage of heptose (Hep) to 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO) was established as . Hep 1,5 leads to KDO . by methylation analysis. The substituted derivative of KDO was identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The KDO region contains three KDO units. Its structure was elaborated by (a) selective removal and identification of 7-phosphoryl ethanolamine-KDO (KDO-PN), (b) periodate oxidation and thiobarbituric acid reaction in conjunction with mild hydrolysis, (c) a modified methylation analysis. Phosphate substitution of E. coli BB core was studied by beta-elimination and using the information obtained with KDO-PN. The structures of the cell wall lipopolysaccharides from E. coli BB and cell-wall-defective mutants are given.
Androgens Negatively Regulate Forkhead Transcription Factor FKHR (FOXO1) through a Proteolytic Mechanism in Prostate Cancer Cells*

The ability of androgens to inhibit apoptosis in both normal and malignant prostatic cells has been well documented. However, the underlying mechanisms are understood poorly. Here we demonstrated that forkhead transcription factor FKHR (FOXO1)-induced death of LNCaP cells was blocked by a synthetic androgen R1881. Androgen treatment also resulted in a reduction in transcriptional activity of FKHR in these cells. Moreover, treatment of LNCaP cells with R1881 led to a decrease in the intact FKHR protein (70 kDa) and an increase in a faster migrating protein band (60 kDa). Androgen-enhanced appearance of the 60-kDa protein was diminished specifically by lysosomal acidic cysteine protease inhibitors. Mass spectrometry analyses of the purified FLAG-tagged 70- and 60-kDa proteins demonstrated that the 60-kDa species is a FKHR protein product that lacks about 120 amino acid residues of the C-terminal end. Mutagenesis of the basic amino acid Arg537 in the protease cleavage region, as suggested by mass spectrometry, abrogated both the androgen-induced accumulation of the 60-kDa product and decrease in cell death induced by FKHR, suggesting that the residue Arg537 is a potential protease cleavage site. Finally, ectopic expression of the first 537 amino acids of FKHR produced an inhibitory effect on transcriptional activity of the intact protein. Together, these results suggest that androgens induce increased activity of an acidic cysteine protease, which in turn cleaves FKHR. This provides a mechanism by which androgens protect prostate cancer cells from the killing effect of FKHR.
Single-switch cell voltage equalizer using voltage multipliers for series-connected supercapacitors

A novel single-switch cell voltage equalizer using voltage multipliers for series-connected supercapacitors (SCs) is proposed. Since the proposed equalizer can operate with a single switch at a fixed duty cycle when operated in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), the circuit complexity can be reduced significantly when compared with conventional equalizers, and can also eliminate feedback control. Operation analyses are made and a dc equivalent circuit is mathematically derived to prove the voltage equalization mechanism. An experimental equalization test using the proposed equalizer operating with a fixed duty cycle was performed for series-connected SCs from an initially cell-voltage-imbalanced condition. The cell voltage imbalance was successfully eliminated with an average power conversion efficiency of 78.8%.
Implementation of multiple PID controllers on FPGA

Proportional Integral Control (PID) is one of the most widely used control techniques. Its main advantages are simplicity of design and ease of implementation. Although many other control techniques have been proposed and used, the PID controller is the workhorse of the industry. Usually, PID controllers are implemented on microcontrollers. However, with the increase of the use of FPGA's and especially when we require a large number of controllers controlling the same plant (although many processes), FPGA's seem as a very good alternative. One point though, today's FPGA chips run at a frequency of 50-100 MHz or even more for high-end chips. That is very high frequency than what is required for most PID controllers. Our goal is to utilize the FPGA chip resources to implement multiple PID controllers in the same chip. In this paper, we present a technique to implement multiple PID controllers on the same FPGA chip using the computational resources required by only 1 PID core.
Phase-encoded optical sampling for analog-to-digital converters

A high-speed optical sampling system for electrical signals has been developed using a gain-switched diode laser and a dual-output Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The optical phase shift between the branches of the interferometer is highly linear in the applied electrical signal. The phase shift is encoded in the two outputs of the interferometer and is recovered through digital signal processing. Analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion with 78-dB spur-free dynamic range is demonstrated. Our phase-encoded sampling technique allows high-resolution (12-bit) conversion with high linearity at practical laser power levels.
Offset and Normalized Min-Sum Algorithms for ATSC 3.0 LDPC Decoder

Offset min-sum algorithm (OMSA) and normalized min-sum algorithm (NMSA) are widely used in commercial LDPC decoders due to low complexity and reasonable performance. In this paper, we provide optimized offset and scaling values for those LDPC decoders based on Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 LDPC codes. Furthermore, according to extensive computer simulations, it is shown that the performance of the OMSA and NMSA with the obtained values is close to that of sum-product algorithm, even though the NMSA-based decoder may show a serious error floor due to a channel mismatch effect. Consequently, we recommend that the ATSC 3.0 transmitters use a concatenation of BCH outer code and LDPC inner code as channel coding, considering the use of NMSA for LDPC decoder in ATSC 3.0 receivers.
ORBIT: an integrated environment for user-customized bioinformatics tools

MOTIVATION There are a large number of computational programs freely available to bioinformaticians via a client/server, web-based environment. However, the client interface to these tools (typically an html form page) cannot be customized from the client side as it is created by the service provider. The form page is usually generic enough to cater for a wide range of users. However, this implies that a user cannot set as 'default' advanced program parameters on the form or even customize the interface to his/her specific requirements or preferences. Currently, there is a lack of end-user interface environments that can be modified by the user when accessing computer programs available on a remote server running on an intranet or over the Internet. RESULTS We have implemented a client/server system called ORBIT (Online Researcher's Bioinformatics Interface Tools) where individual clients can have interfaces created and customized to command-line-driven, server-side programs. Thus, Internet-based interfaces can be tailored to a user's specific bioinformatic needs. As interfaces are created on the client machine independent of the server, there can be different interfaces to the same server-side program to cater for different parameter settings. The interface customization is relatively quick (between 10 and 60 min) and all client interfaces are integrated into a single modular environment which will run on any computer platform supporting Java. The system has been developed to allow for a number of future enhancements and features. ORBIT represents an important advance in the way researchers gain access to bioinformatics tools on the Internet.
Strategic stealthy attacks: The output-to-output ℓ2-gain

In this paper, we characterize and analyze the set of strategic stealthy false-data injection attacks on discrete-time linear systems. In particular, the threat scenarios tackled in the paper consider adversaries that aim at deteriorating the system's performance by maximizing the corresponding quadratic cost function, while remaining stealthy with respect to anomaly detectors. As opposed to other work in the literature, the effect of the adversary's actions on the anomaly detector's output is not constrained to be zero at all times. Moreover, scenarios where the adversary has uncertain model knowledge are also addressed. The set of strategic attack policies is formulated as a non-convex constrained optimization problem, leading to a sensitivity metric denoted as the output-to-output ℓ2-gain. Using the framework of dissipative systems, the output-to-output gain is computed through an equivalent convex optimization problem. Additionally, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the output-to-output gain to be unbounded, with and without model uncertainties, which are tightly related to the invariant zeros of the system.
Establishment of The First WAQF Bank in Bahrain: Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT:This paper surveys awqaf over a historical and geographical trajectory as a backdrop to exploring the lineaments of a new waqf bank. The Kingdom of Bahrain is on the cusp of founding a new waqf bank but many issues with respect to creation of a waqf bank need to be threshed out and limned in detail. To this end, a survey was designed and distributed to key decision-makers in the Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) in Bahrain to obtain their feedback about the possibility to establish the first Waqf (Endowment) Bank of Bahrain along three axes; . 1) proposed structure; 2) sources of capital and 3) recommended modes of financial transactions. 67% of IFIs responded and questionnaires filled out by 12 IFIs were analyzed in terms of descriptive statistics. The result of the survey indicate substantial support among IFIs for the creation in Bahrain of a waqf bank, organized as a domestic and international investment and development bank, with financings drawn primarily from Muslim sources and public banks (CBB) and secondarily from all corporations (be they Islamic or non-Islamic. Preferred legal status would be as an independent corporation. IFI informants suggest that the new waqf bank would be licensed to conduct a wide variety of Islamic transactions, with a strong preference in favor of direct investment with equity participation but, notably, exclusive of engaging in loans with service charges. This study should prove utile to the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) in determining how to set up a new waqf bank in line with a need to craft new guidelines and regulatory measures covering operations of such new Islamic financial entities. In addition, this study should be particularly relevant to central banking authorities considering in Islamic economies of whether, and how to, go about formation of waqf banks in their jurisdictions in Bahrain for strategizing and encouraging the establishment of the Waqf Bank.
The Impact of Electricity on Economic Development: A Macroeconomic Perspective

This paper provides a review of the macro-level evidence on the importance of electricity for economic development. We find that electricity access and use are strongly correlated with economic development, as theory suggests. Despite a large empirical literature, however, there are few methodologically strong studies that establish causal effects of either electricity use or electricity infrastructure on economic growth. The micro-level literature provides more convincing evidence of causal effects, although these appear not to be uniform in all locations. We present a number of country case studies that are suggestive of electrification playing an important role in broad-based development progress. The paper also identifies potential avenues for future research. High-quality macro-level evidence on the economic effects of electricity access and reliability would help policy-makers and aid agencies make decisions regarding investment priorities.
Experimental monitoring data for prognostics and health management of MEMS

This paper presents the data acquisition step of a Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) application. The targeted MEMS device is an electro-thermally actuated MEMS valve. The data acquisition is performed during the accelerated lifetime tests. To perform tests, an experimental test bed is designed and built. Several test campaigns are performed where MEMS valves operated continuously and data acquired regularly. The obtained experimental results show that MEMS fabricated with the same micro-fabrication process and tested in the same conditions do not have the same behavior and the same evolution of degradation in time. Therefore, this supports the importance of applying PHM of MEMS rather than the predictive reliability.
Sovereign co-risk measures in the Euro Area

We propose a method to extract significant risk interactions between Countries adopting the Graphical Lasso algorithm, used in graph theory to sort out the spurious effect of common components. In this context, the major issue is the definition of the penalization parameter. We propose a search algorithm aimed at the best separation of the variables (expressed in terms of conditional dependence) given an a priori desired partition. The case study focuses on Sovereign Bond Yields over the period 2009–2017. The proposed algorithm is used in systemic risk estimation of the Euro area sovereigns. Abstract L’algoritmo Glasso è noto nella letteratura associata alla teoria dei grafi per filtrare correlazioni spurie, se presenti. Il principale problema di questo metodo è la calibrazione del parametro di penalizzazione. In questo lavoro viene proposto un algoritmo volto a trovare la miglior separazione delle variabili in esame, in termini di indipendenza condizionale, assegnata una partizione ottimale definita a priori. L’applicazione esamina la relazione tra rendimenti dei bond sovrani nell’area Euro nel periodo 2009–2017 al fine di verificare l’assunto della separazione o della interdipendenza tra paesi Core e Periferici.
Clout of Professional Education and Religion on Conflict Resolution Style

India is a multi-cultural and multi-religion county. Due to the globalization, professional qualification evolved in India and started getting lot of due importance. India has become the global hub of the professional institutes, which imparts quality education and training to their students. It is a well established fact that culture/religion and education majorly influence communication and more importantly conflict resolution style. It can also be said that communication gets lot importance in professional qualification/training and students are well trained to adopt the appropriate communication and conflict resolution style. In this study we have considered the sample of professionally qualified people belonging to two major religious communities of India i.e. Hindu & Muslims and with the help of in-depth quantitative analysis studied the pattern of conflict resolution styles which are specific to the mentioned communities.