Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Network correlates of disease severity in multiple system atrophy

Objective: Multiple system atrophy (MSA), the most common of the atypical parkinsonian disorders, is characterized by the presence of an abnormal spatial covariance pattern in resting state metabolic brain images from patients with this disease. Nonetheless, the potential utility of this pattern as a MSA biomarker is contingent upon its specificity for this disorder and its relationship to clinical disability in individual patients. Methods: We used [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET to study 33 patients with MSA, 20 age- and severity-matched patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD), and 15 healthy volunteers. For each subject, we computed the expression of the previously characterized metabolic covariance patterns for MSA and PD (termed MSARP and PDRP, respectively) on a prospective single-case basis. The resulting network values for the individual patients were correlated with clinical motor ratings and disease duration. Results: In the MSA group, disease-related pattern (MSARP) values were elevated relative to the control and PD groups (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). In this group, MSARP values correlated with clinical ratings of motor disability (r = 0.57, p = 0.0008) and with disease duration (r = −0.376, p = 0.03). By contrast, MSARP expression in the PD group did not differ from control values (p = 1.0). In this group, motor ratings correlated with PDRP (r = 0.60, p = 0.006) but not with MSARP values (p = 0.88). Conclusions: MSA is associated with elevated expression of a specific disease-related metabolic pattern. Moreover, differences in the expression of this pattern in patients with MSA correlate with clinical disability. The findings suggest that the MSARP may be a useful biomarker in trials of new therapies for this disorder.
Key technologies of three-terminal DC transmission system based on modular multilevel converter

A three-terminal DC transmission system based on modular multilevel converter (MMC) is developed to solve the problem of power supply for distributed islands or cities. The system, with flexible features, may generate high quality output voltage and reduce construction costs and power losses in the converter stations. However, the three-terminal DC system based on MMC faces more complex situations in operation and its control strategies. In this paper, the mathematic model of three-terminal DC system based on MMC is deduced. Then according to the structure of MMC, a method of carrier phase-shift SPWM is introduced. As the system-level control, the decoupling controller for three-terminal DC system based on MMC is designed. A multi-point DC voltage control strategy based on DC voltage error method, which doesn't need communication between converter stations, is proposed to improve the system reliability. By simulation with PSCAD/EMTDC, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model and control strategies are verified.
Isolation of Thymic Epithelial Cells and Analysis by Flow Cytometry

The epithelial cells of the thymus govern the differentiation of hematopoietic precursors into T cells, which are critical for acquired immunity. Thymic epithelial cells (TEC) provide molecular cues that direct precursor recruitment, commitment to the T cell lineage, thymocyte proliferation, and the processes of positive and negative selection. Despite the importance of TEC to the immune system, fundamental questions regarding their differentiation, turnover, and function throughout life remain unanswered. This knowledge gap is largely due to technical difficulties in isolating, quantifying, and purifying this rare cell type. Here, we describe methods for the enzymatic digestion of the thymus to obtain single‐cell suspensions of TEC, their analysis by flow cytometry, enrichment using magnetic beads, and purification for a variety of downstream applications. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Detection of monoclonality in low‐grade B‐cell lymphomas using the polymerase chain reaction is dependent on primer selection and lymphoma type

Detection of B‐cell monoclonality using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) promises the quick and cost‐effective separation of monoclonal from polyclonal B‐cell disease. However, the efficiency of the method has yet to be fully assessed, particularly with regard to disease type and selection of PCR primers.
Distribution et rôle trophique du zooplancton dans le bassin versant de l’Escaut

Les caracteristiques structurelles et fonctionnelles du zooplancton du bassin versant de l'Escaut ont ete etudiees en relation avec les conditions environnementales presentees dans les cours d'eau. L'Escaut est un fleuve long de plus de 350km repartis entre la France, la Belgique et les Pays-Bas. Son bassin versant draine un territoire soumis a de nombreuses pressions d'origine anthropique industrielle, agricole et domestique. Par consequent, d'apres l'evaluation de la Directive Cadre sur l'Eau, l'etat ecologique des cours d'eau est juge plutot insatisfaisant. Les precedentes etudes sur le zooplancton de l'Escaut ayant porte principalement sur les troncons estuariens du fleuve, les communautes zooplanctoniques des cours d'eau de l'amont du bassin versant, dans la zone transfrontaliere entre la France et la Belgique etaient jusqu'alors non documentees a notre connaissance. De la source a l'embouchure de l'Escaut, 4 grandes zones fonctionnelles ont pu etre identifiees presentant differentes conditions d'habitat pour le zooplancton, definies principalement par le gradient de salinite et l'influence de la maree. A l'echelle de la partie non estuarienne du bassin versant, la variabilite spatiale et temporelle du zooplancton a ete exploree, en relation avec les conditions environnementales. La distribution du zooplancton a montre une forte heterogeneite, induisant une faible predictibilite dans au regard de l'etat ecologique (DCE), des conditions environnementales et des profils de contamination des sites (en considerant une gamme de polluants organiques persistants et metaux traces caracteristiques de la zone d'etude). En revanche, un role trophique important a pu etre mis en evidence, avec une selectivite trophique de la fraction zooplanctonique 50 -250 µm envers les groupes algaux, en particulier les Chlorophytes, et un broutage suggere sur les cyanobacteries.
ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF MEANINGFUL WORK

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study assesses the influence of the importance of work and of creative self-concept on meaningful work and the influence of meaningful work on the employability of unemployed people living in the Southeast region of the State of Pará, in Brazil, aiming at a new job. Originality/value: This study also contributes to the literature, offering three new valid and reliable measuring instruments for the following constructs: Creative self-concept, Importance of work and Meaningful work. Design/methodology/approach: The survey counts on the participation of 206 interviewees, and data were analyzed through confirmatory factorial analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings: The ten constructs used in the model showed convergent validity, discriminant validity, and adequate reliability. In structural modeling, all three possibilities were confirmed, so the creative self-concept and the importance of work explain 68% of the variance in meaningful work and, on its turn, meaningful work explains 67% of the variance in employability, in both cases, the explanatory power is great for the standards of behavioral sciences. This study makes a special contribution to address the importance of meaningful work in career counseling programs for unemployed people. It seems useful to point out a career orientation focused on meaningful work, aiming at increasing employability, as individuals with positive self-assessments are more likely to achieve a successful carrier based on personal effort. Nationally, such knowledge may foster public policy programs directed to unemployed people, focusing on their career.
Folded circuit synthesis: Logic simplification using dual edge-triggered flip-flops

Dual edge-triggered flip-flop (DETFF) captures data at both clock edges. We observe that conventional sequential circuit that contains single edge-triggered flip-flops (SETFFs) can be simplified by identifying pairs of combinational subcircuits that are structurally identical, removing one subcircuit of each pair, and providing input data twice by using DETFFs where SETFFs have been used. The resulting circuit is named folded circuit. We carry the observation to technology mapping problem, so that many identical subcircuits are synthesized early on in the design process. Experimental results with some test circuits indicate that circuit area is reduced as much as 16%.
Stages of Change Among Ethnically Diverse College Students

Abstract The authors applied the stage-of-change construct in the transtheoretical model to examine the distribution of Asian (n = 869), African American (n = 373), White (n = 1322), and Hispanic (n = 535) American undergraduate students across the 5 stages of change for exercise. Stage of change varied as a function of ethnicity. Higher percentages of minorities were in the precontemplation and contemplation stages. The likelihood of being in these stages was from 43% to 82% greater for minorities than for White students. Also examined were the congruency between stage of change and self-reported levels of physical activity. Half of the sedentary students and 15.6% of the active students were misclassified by the stage-of-change procedure. Misclassification rates were higher for minority women (27.8%) than for White women (17.8%) and for Asian students (24.6%) compared with all others (20.6%). The results of this study have implications for the design of physical activity interventions based on stage of change.
Association between hematological parameters and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Purpose of review The ability of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to reverse atherosclerosis and reduce cardiovascular disease has been shown in several randomized controlled trials. One mechanism by which high-density lipoprotein cholesterol protects the vascular system includes hemorheology, the study of blood flow. Recent findings Blood viscosity, or the resistance of flow, can be altered by red blood cell aggregation, red blood cell deformability, and plasma viscosity. Elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels may improve all of these rheological mediators. An infusion of recombinant high-density lipoprotein cholesterol can immediately release nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator and responder to changes in rheology, into the arteries by activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. The stimulation of nitric oxide release by high-density lipoprotein cholesterol may also alter blood rheology. Summary In this article, we will review hemorheology, particularly blood viscosity along with other hemorheological factors, and examine their association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Integrated economic and experimental framework for screening of primary recovery technologies for high cell density CHO cultures

Abstract Increases in mammalian cell culture titres and densities have placed significant demands on primary recovery operation performance. This article presents a methodology which aims to screen rapidly and evaluate primary recovery technologies for their scope for technically feasible and cost‐effective operation in the context of high cell density mammalian cell cultures. It was applied to assess the performance of current (centrifugation and depth filtration options) and alternative (tangential flow filtration (TFF)) primary recovery strategies. Cell culture test materials (CCTM) were generated to simulate the most demanding cell culture conditions selected as a screening challenge for the technologies. The performance of these technology options was assessed using lab scale and ultra scale‐down (USD) mimics requiring 25–110mL volumes for centrifugation and depth filtration and TFF screening experiments respectively. A centrifugation and depth filtration combination as well as both of the alternative technologies met the performance selection criteria. A detailed process economics evaluation was carried out at three scales of manufacturing (2,000L, 10,000L, 20,000L), where alternative primary recovery options were shown to potentially provide a more cost‐effective primary recovery process in the future. This assessment process and the study results can aid technology selection to identify the most effective option for a specific scenario.
A version-aware computation and storage trade-off strategy for multi-version VoD systems in the cloud

Nowdays, many Video-on-Demand (VoD) providers offer multiple-quality video streaming services to heterogeneous clients, called as multi-version VoD. Some researches focus on video transcoding in real-time or video layered encoding/decoding, but they are not widely used in VoD industry. Storing multiple versions of the same video is an easy solution, but it consumes lots of storage space. Although there are also a few works about trading-off between transcoding and storage, they did not utilize the transcoding relationships among different versions and took the video popularity into account, which bring that they may have little cost-efficiency for multi-version VoD systems. To minimize the cost, in this paper, we propose a version-aware transcoding computation and storage trade-off strategy for multi-version VoD systems in the cloud. Firstly, it utilizes the transcoding weight graph to describe the transcoding relationships among different versions of a video. According to the graph, the transcoding computation cost from one version to another version can be calculated. Secondly, it takes the video popularity of different versions, the prices of storage and computation resources in the cloud into account to decide which versions of which videos should be stored or transcoded. We then formulate it as an optimization problem and present a heuristic approximate optimal solution. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations to evaluate our strategy and solution, and the results show that they can significantly lower the cost of multi-version VoD systems.
Learners' Acceptance of the Use of Mobile Phones to Deliver Tutorials in a Distance Learning Context: A Case Study at the University of Ibadan

This case study focuses on students’ acceptance of mobile phones for learning purposes within a project that aims to support and engage distance education students by using mobile phones for distance learning tutorials, rather than using technology merely to communicate information or create access to learning resources. The research design is based on Davis's Technology Acceptance Model and tests multiple hypotheses concerning the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, interest in the technology and technology self-efficacy on the use of the mobile tutorials. The evidence gathered confirms that the mobile tutorials enhanced teaching and learning. However, it also highlights several preconditions for successful implementation, including providing technical support to students, using a well-designed interface, improving student information and communications technology (ICT) literacy, controlling the messaging and data costs faced by students, and improving the capacity of course developers and technical staff.
Novel design of E-shaped patch antenna with dual-band EBG structure

In this paper, a novel dual-band modified E-shaped antenna is proposed for wireless application. In order to achieve the 2.4/5.8GHz dual-band performance, the stub structure is added into the E-shaped patch antenna. The effects of several fundamental design parameters of the novel antenna structure on reflection coefficient are investigated. It is found that the two operating bands of the proposed antenna can be obtained by choosing proper design parameters of the novel E-shaped patch. In addition, a dual-band electromagnetic-band gap (EBG) structure is applied to improve radiation performance.
3 D Hand Tracking for Human Computer Interaction

We propose a real-time model-based 3D hand tracker that combines image regions and the signal from an off-the-shelf 3-axis accelerometer placed on the user’s hand. The visual regions allow the tracker to cope with occlusions, motion blur and background clutter, while the latter aids with the inherent silhouettepose ambiguities. The accelerometer and tracker are synchronised by casting the calibration problem as one of principal component analysis. Based on the assumption that, often, the number of possible hand configurations is limited by the activity the hand is engaging in, we use a multiclass pose classifier to distinguish between a number of activity dependent articulated hand configurations. We demonstrate the benefits of our method, both qualitatively and quantitatively, on a variety of video sequences and hand configurations and show a proof-of-concept human computer interface based on our system.
Live demonstration: A versatile, low-cost platform for testing large ReRAM cross-bar arrays

We demonstrate a practical application of memristors in a cross-bar memory array. The full set-up consists of only a PC, an mBED microcontroller and a PCB hosting external components and the memristor cross-bar chip. The system can be used for general purpose memory storage, but in this case we use it as a binary image storage device. A MATLAB interface allows the user to load a binary image into the memory and observe the resulting internal memory states of each memristor in the array along with key performance metrics describing the speed and degree of success of the memory `write' operation.
Isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli dnaA amber mutants

Specialized transducing phage lambda (formula, see text) dnaA-2 was mutagenized, and two derivatives designated lambda (formula) dnaA17(Am) and lambda (formula) dnaA452(Am) were obtained. They did not transduce such mutations as dnaA46, dnaA167, and dnaA5 when an amber suppressor was absent, but they did so in the presence of an amber suppressor. By contrast, they transduced the dna-806 and tna-2 mutations in the absence of an active amber suppressor. The dna-806 and tna-2 mutations are known to be located very close to the dnaA gene, but in separate cistrons. When ultraviolet light-irradiated uvrB cells were infected with the derivative phages and proteins specified by them were analyzed by gel electrophoresis, a 50,000-dalton protein was found to be specifically missing if an amber suppressor was absent. This protein was synthesized when an amber suppressor was present. The dnaA17(Am) mutation on the transducing phage genome was then transferred by genetic recombination onto the chromosome of an Escherichia coli strain carrying a temperature-sensitive amber suppressor supF6(Ts), yielding a strain which was temperature sensitive for growth and deoxyribonucleic acid replication. The temperature-sensitive trait was suppressed by supD, supE, or supF. We conclude that, most likely, the derivative phages acquired amber mutations in the dnaA gene whose product is a 50,000-dalton protein as identified by gel electrophoretic analysis.
Depuration of metals by the green‐colored oyster Crassostrea sikamea

The accumulation of metals (especially copper) in oysters has led to green‐color now being found in Chinese estuaries. In the present study, the authors quantified the depuration of 8 metals (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in green‐colored oysters (Crassostrea sikamea) collected from an estuary that is heavily contaminated by metals as a result of industrial effluent releases. The oysters were depurated under laboratory conditions for 4 mo; the accumulated concentrations and the subcellular distribution of metals were measured at different time intervals. Results showed that the green color of oysters faded to light yellow (nearly normal) after 4 mo of depuration. Depuration of metals could be described by a first‐order kinetic process. The calculated overall depuration rate constants of metals were in the range of 0.008 d−1 to 0.024 d−1, with a biological retention half‐life of 30 d to 70 d. The depuration rates of green‐colored contaminated oysters were significantly higher for Cd, Cu, Cr, and Ni than the rates of oysters from a less contaminated site, whereas the depuration rates of Ag, Co, Pb, and Zn were comparable between the 2 populations. When corrected for the change of oyster tissue weight, the actual efflux rate constants of the metals (0.0708–0.1014 d−1) were much higher than the overall depuration rate constants. Cellular debris and metallothionein‐like proteins were the important fractions binding with the metals in the oysters. Significant changes in metal subcellular distribution were observed during the 4‐mo depuration for Ag, Cd, Cu, and Zn. Metallothionein‐like protein became more important in sequestering the metals during the depuration period, with a concomitant decrease in metals associated with the cellular debris fraction. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2379–2385. © 2014 SETAC
Roman Field-System Earthworks in the Birklands and Belhaugh Hays, Nottinghamshire

Processing and analysis of LiDAR data in Nottinghamshire has identified the survival of earthwork field-systems beneath woodland in some of the oldest established parts of Sherwood Forest. The morphology and alignment of these field-systems strongly suggest that they represent a survival of the late Iron Age and Roman brickwork-plan field-systems of North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire with considerable potential to elucidate the history of abandonment of these fields and the establishment of Sherwood Forest.
Use of virtual reality for treating burned children: case reports.

OBJECTIVE To report the use of virtual reality (VR) in pain intensity during dressing change of two burned children hospitalized in a Burn Treatment Center (BTC) in Southern Brazil. METHOD Case report on the use of VR during dressing change of two burned children hospitalized in a BTC, from May to July 2016. For assessing pain, a facial pain rating scale was applied at four times: just before the dressing, during the dressing without the use of VR, during the dressing with the VR, and after the use of VR. RESULTS The use of goggles was easy to apply and well-accepted by the children, and also had a relevant effect reducing pain. CONCLUSION VR can become an important nonpharmacological method for treating pain in burned children.
Plant cell division

Accumulated evidence indicates that ROS fluctuations play a critical role in cell division. Dividing plant cells rapidly respond to them. Experimental disturbance of ROS homeostasis affects: tubulin polymerization; PPB, mitotic spindle and phragmoplast assembly; nuclear envelope dynamics; chromosome separation and movement; cell plate formation. Dividing cells mainly accumulate at prophase and delay in passing through the successive cell division stages. Notably, many dividing root cells of the rhd2 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, lacking the RHD2/AtRBOHC protein function, displayed aberrations, comparable to those induced by low ROS levels. Some protein molecules, playing key roles in signal transduction networks inducing ROS production, participate in cell division. NADPH oxidases and their regulators PLD, PI3K and ROP-GTPases, are involved in MT polymerization and organization. Cellular ROS oscillations function as messages rapidly transmitted through MAPK pathways inducing MAP activation, thus affecting MT dynamics and organization. RNS implication in cell division is also considered.