Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered enzymatic activity and allele frequency of OMI/HTRA2 in Alzheimer's disease

The serine‐protease OMI/HTRA2, required for several cellular processes, including mitochondrial function, autophagy, chaperone activity, and apoptosis, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Western blot quantification of OMI/HTRA2 in frontal cortex of patients with AD (n=10) and control subjects (n=10) in two separate materials indicated reduced processed (active, 35 kDa) OMI/HTRA2 levels, whereas unprocessed (50 kDa) enzyme levels were not significantly different between the groups. Interestingly, the specific protease activity of OMI/HTRA2 was found to be significantly increased in patients with AD (n=10) compared to matched control subjects (n=10) in frontal cortex in two separate materials. Comparison of OMI/HTRA2 mRNA levels in frontal cortex and hippocampus, two brain areas particularly affected by AD, indicated similar levels in patients with AD (n=10) and matched control subjects (n=10). In addition, we analyzed the occurrence of the OMI/HTRA2 variants A141S and G399S in Swedish case‐control materials for AD and PD and found a weak association of A141S with AD, but not with PD. In conclusion, our genetic, histological, and biochemical findings give further support to an involvement of OMI/HTRA2 in the pathology of AD; however, further studies are needed to clarify the role of this gene in neurodegeneration. —Westerlund, M. , Behbahani, H. , Gellhaar, S. , Forsell, C. , Carmine Belin, A. , Anvret, A. , Zettergren, A. , Nissbrandt, H. , Lind, C. , Sydow, O. , Graff, C. , Olson, L. , Ankarcrona, M. , Galter, D. Altered enzymatic activity and allele frequency of OMI/HTRA2 in Alzheimer's disease. FASEB J. 25, 1345–1352 (2011). www.fasebj. org
Efficient CMOL Gate Designs for Cryptography Applications

This paper introduces new hybrid complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-nano (CMOL) circuits for efficient implementation of cryptographic algorithms. The novelty of this study is to utilize two types of nanojunction devices with CMOS to build the crypto IC. In particular, efficient XOR gate with resistive junctions and XOR/AND gates with diode-like junctions are develop to be used as building blocks of the corresponding modules of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) crypto IC. They allow a reduction of 79%, 43%, and 53% in power dissipation, area, and time delay compared to the existing CMOL implementation of AES system. When compared to field-programmable nanowire interconnect (FPNI) design of AES, a 56% increase in power dissipation was recorded in order to achieve a 92% and 15% reduction in area and time delay. This proposed circuit study also leverages the recent fabrication results, which is a feasible CMOS-nano hybrid solution for future crypto IC development.
Distributed MPC of Aggregated Heterogeneous Thermostatically Controlled Loads in Smart Grid

Using aggregated heterogeneous thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) to provide ancillary services in a smart grid is a promising technique. This paper proposes an improved population model with lockout time considered to describe the aggregate dynamics. Based on that, a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) scheme is investigated to control a population of TCLs for the regulation service. Full derivations of the system model and the DMPC scheme are provided. A flexibility penalty is developed and added to the objective function to preserve the regulation flexibility. Simulation results, tested by real data, reveal the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Principal-agent model and risk analysis under asymmetric information condition

The paper describes a kind of principal-agent model under asymmetric information condition from actual economic life. Through the analysis on optimal solution of the model, we discover that the risk appetite of the agent has a direct effect on the optimal incentive mechanism and the risk sharing of principal and agent, and also endow a parameter in the incentive contract with new economic presentation.
GRB2 Links Signaling to Actin Assembly by Enhancing Interaction of Neural Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (N-WASp) with Actin-related Protein (ARP2/3) Complex*

Proteins of the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASp) family connect signaling pathways to the actin polymerization-driven cell motility. The ubiquitous homolog of WASp, N-WASp, is a multidomain protein that interacts with the Arp2/3 complex and G-actin via its C-terminal WA domain to stimulate actin polymerization. The activity of N-WASp is enhanced by the binding of effectors like Cdc42-guanosine 5′-3-O-(thio)triphosphate, phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate, or the Shigella IcsA protein. Here we show that the SH3-SH2-SH3 adaptor Grb2 is another activator of N-WASp that stimulates actin polymerization by increasing the amount of N-WASp·Arp2/3 complex. The concentration dependence of N-WASp activity, sedimentation velocity and cross-linking experiments together suggest that N-WASp is subject to self-association, and Grb2 enhances N-WASp activity by binding preferentially to its active monomeric form. Use of peptide inhibitors, mutated Grb2, and isolated SH3 domains demonstrate that the effect of Grb2 is mediated by the interaction of its C-terminal SH3 domain with the proline-rich region of N-WASp. Cdc42 and Grb2 bind simultaneously to N-WASp and enhance actin polymerization synergistically. Grb2 shortens the delay preceding the onset of Escherichia coli (IcsA) actin-based reconstituted movement. These results suggest that Grb2 may activate Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization downstream from the receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway.
Analyses of Signal Transduction Cascades Reveal an Essential Role of Calcium Ions for Regulation of Melatonin Biosynthesis in the Light‐Sensitive Pineal Organ of the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract: Signal transduction processes regulating melatonin production in the light‐sensitive trout pineal organ were investigated by immunocytochemical and immunochemical demonstration of phosphorylated cyclic AMP‐responsive element‐binding protein (pCREB) and measurements of cyclic AMP, melatonin, and calcium levels. Melatonin levels were tightly controlled by light and darkness. Elevation of cyclic AMP levels by 8‐bromo‐cyclic AMP, forskolin, and 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine increased the levels of pCREB and melatonin in light‐ or dark‐adapted pineal organs in vitro. Without pharmacological treatment, the levels of pCREB and cyclic AMP remained constant for several hours before and after light onset. Inhibition of cyclic AMP‐dependent proteasomal proteolysis by lactacystin, MG 132, and calpain inhibitor I did not prevent the rapid, light‐induced suppression of melatonin biosynthesis. However, changes in the intracellular calcium concentration by drugs affecting voltagegated calcium channels of the L type and intracellular calcium oscillations (cobalt chloride, nifedipine, Bay K 8644) had dramatic effects on the rapid, light‐dependent changes in melatonin levels. These effects were not accompanied by changes in cyclic AMP levels. Thus, the rapid, light‐dependent changes in melatonin levels in the trout pineal organ are regulated apparently by a novel calcium signaling pathway and do not involve changes in cyclic AMP levels, cyclic AMP‐dependent proteasomal proteolysis, or phosphorylation of cyclic AMP‐responsive element‐binding protein.
An estimation fusion method for including phasor measurements into power system real-time modeling

This paper introduces a novel multistage state estimation architecture aimed at including synchronized phasor measurements into power system state estimation. The proposed architecture keeps unchanged the internal structure of existing SCADA-based estimators, so that phasor measurements are separately processed by a distinct estimation module. An additional stage makes use of principles from estimation fusion theory in order to combine SCADA- and PMU-based estimates. The proposed multistage scheme improves the quality of the estimates provided by the SCADA-based estimator and, under certain observability and correlation conditions, provides the same optimal results given by a hybrid simultaneous estimator (that is, an estimator that simultaneously processes both SCADA and PMU measurements). The separate processing of conventional and phasor measurements circumvents the technical challenge of conciliating, within the same estimation structure, data obtained from different measuring channels and gathered at very distinct sampling rates. In addition, the execution times tend to be significantly less than those required by hybrid simultaneous schemes. The paper describes in detail the multistage structure of the proposed state estimator and also addresses the benefits brought about by phasor measurement processing to state estimation accuracy. Results of several case studies conducted on the IEEE 57-bus, 118-bus, and 300-bus benchmark systems are used to illustrate the features of the proposed strategy.
Evaluation of DNA Extraction Methods for Use in Combination with SYBR Green I Real-Time PCR To Detect Salmonella enterica Serotype Enteritidis in Poultry

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, reproducible, and robust method for detecting Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis in poultry samples. First, for the extraction and purification of DNA from the preenrichment culture, four methods (boiling, alkaline lysis, Nucleospin, and Dynabeads DNA Direct System I) were compared. The most effective method was then combined with a real-time PCR method based on the double-stranded DNA binding dye SYBR Green I used with the ABI Prism 7700 system. The specificity of the reaction was determined by the melting temperature (Tm) of the amplicon obtained. The experiments were conducted both on samples of chicken experimentally contaminated with serotype Enteritidis and on commercially available poultry samples, which were also used for comparisons with the standard cultural method (i.e., ISO 6579/2001). The results of comparisons among the four DNA extraction methods showed significant differences except for the results from the boiling and Nucleospin methods (the two methods that produced the lowest threshold cycles). Boiling was selected as the preferred extraction method because it is the simplest and most rapid. This method was then combined with SYBR Green I real-time PCR, using primers SEFA-1 and SEFA-2. The specificity of the reaction was confirmed by the Tm, which was consistently specific for the amplicon obtained; the mean peak Tm obtained with curves specific for serotype Enteritidis was 82.56 ± 0.22°C. The standard curve constructed using the mean threshold cycle and various concentrations of serotype Enteritidis (ranging from 103 to 108 CFU/ml) showed good linearity (R2 = 0.9767) and a sensitivity limit of less than 103 CFU/ml. The results of this study demonstrate that the SYBR Green I real-time PCR constitutes an effective and easy-to-perform method for detecting serotype Enteritidis in poultry samples.
Polyamine metabolism in ripening tomato fruit : I. Identification of metabolites of putrescine and spermidine.

The metabolism of [1,4-(14)C]putrescine and [terminal methylene-(3)H]spermidine was studied in the fruit pericarp (breaker stage) discs of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv Rutgers, and the metabolites identified by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The metabolism of both putrescine and spermidine was relatively slow; in 24 hours about 25% of each amine was metabolized. The (14)C label from putrescine was incorporated into spermidine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, and a polar fraction eluting with sugars and organic acids. In the presence of gabaculine, a specific inhibitor of GABA:pyruvate transaminase, the label going into glutamic acid, sugars and organic acids decreased by 80% while that in GABA increased about twofold, indicating that the transamination reaction is probably a major fate of GABA produced from putrescine in vivo. [(3)H]Spermidine was catabolized into putrescine and beta-alanine. The conversion of putrescine into GABA, and that of spermidine into putrescine, suggests the presence of polyamine oxidizing enzymes in tomato pericarp tissues. The possible pathways of putrescine and spermidine metabolism are discussed.
Comparative effect of atypical and conventional antipsychotic drugs on neurocognition in first-episode psychosis: a randomized, double-blind trial of olanzapine versus low doses of haloperidol.

OBJECTIVE The effect of antipsychotic medication on neurocognitive function remains controversial, especially since most previous work has compared the effects of novel antipsychotic medications with those of high doses of conventional medications. This study compares the neurocognitive effects of olanzapine and low doses of haloperidol in patients with first-episode psychosis. METHOD Patients with a first episode of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder (N=167) were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with olanzapine (mean modal dose= 9.63 mg/day) or haloperidol (mean modal dose=4.60 mg/day) for the 12-week acute phase of a 2-year study. The patients were assessed with a battery of neurocognitive tests at baseline and 12 weeks after beginning treatment. RESULTS An unweighted neurocognitive composite score, composed of measures of verbal fluency, motor functions, working memory, verbal memory, and vigilance, improved significantly with both haloperidol and olanzapine treatment (effect sizes of 0.20 and 0.36, respectively, no significant difference between groups). A weighted composite score developed from a principal-component analysis of the same measures improved to a significantly greater degree with olanzapine, compared with haloperidol. Anticholinergic use, extrapyramidal symptoms, and estimated IQ had little effect on the statistical differentiation of the medications, although duration of illness had a modest effect. The correlations of cognitive improvement with changes in clinical characteristics and with side effects of treatment were significant for patients who received haloperidol but not for patients who received olanzapine. CONCLUSIONS Olanzapine has a beneficial effect on neurocognitive function in patients with a first episode of psychosis. However, in a comparison of the effects of olanzapine and low doses of haloperidol, the difference in benefit is small.
A Comparison of Structural Measurements Using 2 Stratus Optical Coherence Tomography Instruments

Purpose To compare measures of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, optic disc topography, and central foveal thickness generated using 2 different Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT) instruments. Methods Ten normal subjects and 10 glaucoma subjects were included. One randomly selected eye per subject was scanned consecutively using a fast RNFL thickness protocol, fast macular thickness map, and fast optic disc protocol by 2 experienced operators on 2 instruments. The order of the machines and operators were randomized. The output power of each machine was measured using an optical power meter. For each OCT measurement 2 factor fixed effects analyses of variance were performed and a restricted maximum likelihood variance component analysis of the proportion of variance due to subject, operator, and machine was calculated. Results Significant differences (P≤0.003) between OCT instruments were observed in average, superior, and inferior RNFL thickness and central foveal thickness values among normal eyes; and average and superior RNFL thickness and cup/disc area ratio values among glaucomatous eyes. Overall, the intermachine variability (0.0% to 16.4%) was larger than the interoperator variability (0.0% to 2.4%) for all OCT measurements. In the glaucoma group the variability due to machine differences was 2.6 μm for the average RNFL thickness, 5.7 μm for the superior RNFL thickness, 0 μm for the inferior RNFL thickness, 0.03 μm for the cup/disc area ratio, 0.01 μm for the cup/disc vertical ratio, and 2.8 μm for the average foveal thickness. Conclusions Measurements of RNFL thickness, optic disc topography, and central foveal thickness significantly differ between OCT instruments.
Validation of the Reflux, Airway and Sleep Questionnaire (RASQ)

Abstract Background. Airway symptoms and sleeplessness in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be of importance. This study validates a new questionnaire dealing with such symptoms. Material and methods. The Reflux, Airway and Sleep Questionnaire (RASQ) is self-administered, asks about 18 symptoms or diagnoses possibly related to GERD answered on a seven-point Likert scale and with a 1-year recall period. There are questions about heartburn/regurgitation, sleeplessness, snoring, pneumonia, and upper airway infections, as well as various bronchial and laryngeal symptoms. The study included 305 patients diagnosed with GERD (n = 65), laryngitis (n = 32), asthma (n = 30), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 45), acute bronchitis (n = 39), pneumonia (n = 42), or upper airway infection (n = 52) during the last year, and 708 matched healthy controls. Concurrent validity was based on comparisons between patients and controls. Convergent validity for sleeplessness and snoring were tested by comparing the RASQ with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Test–retest reliability was examined in patients with GERD with stable symptoms (n = 29). Results. Response rates were 64% for patients and 55% for controls. Scores for RASQ as a total and all subscales were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Sleeplessness scores correlated significantly to the global PSQI score. Snoring correlated significantly with both the ESS and relevant aspects of the PSQI. Test–retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha were satisfactory, with coefficients ranging between 0.65–0.95 and 0.88–0.92, respectively. Conclusion. The RASQ appears to be well suited for measuring typical reflux symptoms as well as airway symptoms and sleep disturbances.
Spatial and temporal variability in a stratified hypersaline microbial mat community.

Hypersaline microbial mat communities have recently been shown to be more diverse than once thought. The variability in community composition of hypersaline mats, both in terms of spatial and temporal dimensions, is still poorly understood. Because this information is essential to understanding the complex biotic and abiotic interactions within these communities, terminal restriction fragment analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to characterize the near-surface community of a hypersaline microbial mat in Guerrero Negro, Mexico. Core samples were analyzed to assay community variability over large regional scales (centimeter to kilometer) and to track depth-related changes in population distribution at 250-microm intervals over a diel period. Significant changes in total species diversity were observed at increasing distances across the mat surface; however, key species (e.g. Microcoleus sp.) were identified throughout the mat. The vertical position and abundance of >50% of the 60 peaks detected varied dramatically over a diel cycle, including Beggiatoa sp. , cyanobacteria, Chloroflexus sp. , Halochromatium sp. , Bacteroidetes sp. and several as-yet-identified bacteria. Many of these migrations correlated strongly with diel changes in redox conditions within the mat, contributing to strong day-night community structure differences.
Attention Priority Map of Face Images in Human Early Visual Cortex

Attention priority maps are topographic representations that are used for attention selection and guidance of task-related behavior during visual processing. Previous studies have identified attention priority maps of simple artificial stimuli in multiple cortical and subcortical areas, but investigating neural correlates of priority maps of natural stimuli is complicated by the complexity of their spatial structure and the difficulty of behaviorally characterizing their priority map. To overcome these challenges, we reconstructed the topographic representations of upright/inverted face images from fMRI BOLD signals in human early visual areas primary visual cortex (V1) and the extrastriate cortex (V2 and V3) based on a voxelwise population receptive field model. We characterized the priority map behaviorally as the first saccadic eye movement pattern when subjects performed a face-matching task relative to the condition in which subjects performed a phase-scrambled face-matching task. We found that the differential first saccadic eye movement pattern between upright/inverted and scrambled faces could be predicted from the reconstructed topographic representations in V1–V3 in humans of either sex. The coupling between the reconstructed representation and the eye movement pattern increased from V1 to V2/3 for the upright faces, whereas no such effect was found for the inverted faces. Moreover, face inversion modulated the coupling in V2/3, but not in V1. Our findings provide new evidence for priority maps of natural stimuli in early visual areas and extend traditional attention priority map theories by revealing another critical factor that affects priority maps in extrastriate cortex in addition to physical salience and task goal relevance: image configuration. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prominent theories of attention posit that attention sampling of visual information is mediated by a series of interacting topographic representations of visual space known as attention priority maps. Until now, neural evidence of attention priority maps has been limited to studies involving simple artificial stimuli and much remains unknown about the neural correlates of priority maps of natural stimuli. Here, we show that attention priority maps of face stimuli could be found in primary visual cortex (V1) and the extrastriate cortex (V2 and V3). Moreover, representations in extrastriate visual areas are strongly modulated by image configuration. These findings extend our understanding of attention priority maps significantly by showing that they are modulated, not only by physical salience and task–goal relevance, but also by the configuration of stimuli images.
The Philippines 2004 measles campaign: a success story towards elimination

Prior to the 2004 Philippines Measles Follow up Elimination Campaign, measles caused an estimated 6000 deaths among Filipino children. After the campaign, cases and deaths decreased by 96.4% and 99.2%, respectively. The Nationwide Rapid Coverage Assessments, with an extensive system of feedback, was the prime factor in reaching the under-immunized areas.
Adaptive finite-time tracking control for a robotic manipulator with unknown deadzone

This paper is concerned with the adaptive finite-time control for a robotic manipulator preceded by unknown non-symmetric deadzone. Radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) are employed to approximate the unknown dynamics and the deadzone effect of actuators. Adaptive finite-time tracking controller is then proposed based on the finite-time stability theorem in combination with backstepping technique. Consequently, tracking control of a robotic manipulator with finite-time convergent property is achieved even in the presence of unknown uncertainties and deadzone nonlinearity. Stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed via Lyapunov direct method. Simulation studies on a two-joint rigid manipulator are conducted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed control.