Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Tumors and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor by β and α Factors Synthesis of Messenger RNAs for Transforming Growth

Human tumors and tumor cell lines were analyzed for the presence of mRNA coding for transforming growth factors a and ÃŸ(TGF-a and -ft) and the epidermal growth factor receptor. TGF-a mRNA was not detect able in hematopoietic tumor cell lines but was found in a variety of solid tumor cells, particularly carcinomas. Many of the tumors that contained TGF-a mRNA also expressed high levels of epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA. The concentration of TGF-a in the media of several tumor cell lines did not necessarily correlate with TGF-a mRNA levels, as a substantial fraction of TGF-a can remain cell associated. The levels of TGF-/3 mRNA in tumor cell lines and tumor specimens were variable, but higher in tumors than in the adjacent normal tissues.
Eye movement based electronic wheel chair for physically challenged persons

A powered wheel chair is a mobility-aided device for persons with moderate/severe physical disabilities or chronic diseases as well as the elderly. In order to take care for different disabilities, various kinds of interfaces have been developed for powered wheelchair control; such as joystick control, head control and sip-puff control. Many people with disabilities do not have the ability to control powered wheel chair using the above mentioned interfaces. The proposed model is a possible alternative. In this paper, we use the optical-type eye tracking system to control powered wheel chair. User‘s eye movement are translated to screen position using the optical type eye tracking system. When user looks at appropriate angle, then computer input system will send command to the software based on the angle of rotation of pupil i.e., when user moves his eyes balls up (move forward), left (move left), right (move right) in all other cases wheel chair will stop. Once the image has been processed it moves onto the second part, our microprocessor. The microprocessor will take a USB output from the laptop and convert the signal into signals that will be sent to the wheelchair wheels for movement. Also, the pressure and object detection sensors will be connected to our microprocessor to provide necessary feedback for proper operation of the wheelchair system. The final part of the project is the wheelchair itself. The rear wheels will provide forward. The front two wheels will be used for steering left and right. All four wheels will be connected to our microprocessor that will send signals to control the wheels and thus the overall movement.
Global Software Development and Delay: Does Distance Still Matter?

Nowadays, distributed development is common in software development. Besides many advantages, research in the last decade has consistently found that distribution has a negative impact on collaboration in general, and communication and task completion time in particular. Adapted processes, practices and tools are demanded to overcome these challenges. We report on an empirical study of communication structures and delay, as well as task completion times in IBM's distributed development project Jazz. The Jazz project explicitly focuses on distributed collaboration and has adapted processes and tools to overcome known challenges. We explored the effect of distance on communication and task completion time and use social network analysis to obtain insights about the collaboration in the Jazz project. We discuss our findings in the light of existing literature on distributed collaboration and delays.
Jellyfish Modulate Bacterial Dynamic and Community Structure

Jellyfish blooms have increased in coastal areas around the world and the outbreaks have become longer and more frequent over the past few decades. The Mediterranean Sea is among the heavily affected regions and the common bloom - forming taxa are scyphozoans Aurelia aurita s.l. , Pelagia noctiluca, and Rhizostoma pulmo. Jellyfish have few natural predators, therefore their carcasses at the termination of a bloom represent an organic-rich substrate that supports rapid bacterial growth, and may have a large impact on the surrounding environment. The focus of this study was to explore whether jellyfish substrate have an impact on bacterial community phylotype selection. We conducted in situ jellyfish - enrichment experiment with three different jellyfish species. Bacterial dynamic together with nutrients were monitored to assess decaying jellyfish-bacteria dynamics. Our results show that jellyfish biomass is characterized by protein rich organic matter, which is highly bioavailable to ‘jellyfish - associated’ and ‘free - living’ bacteria, and triggers rapid shifts in bacterial population dynamics and composition. Based on 16S rRNA clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, we observed a rapid shift in community composition from unculturable Alphaproteobacteria to culturable species of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria. The results of sequence analyses of bacterial isolates and of total bacterial community determined by culture independent genetic analysis showed the dominance of the Pseudoalteromonadaceae and the Vibrionaceae families. Elevated levels of dissolved proteins, dissolved organic and inorganic nutrient release, bacterial abundance and carbon production as well as ammonium concentrations characterized the degradation process. The biochemical composition of jellyfish species may influence changes in the amount of accumulated dissolved organic and inorganic nutrients. Our results can contribute insights into possible changes in bacterial population dynamics and nutrient pathways following jellyfish blooms which have important implications for ecology of coastal waters.
DENSE MULTIPLE STEREO MATCHING OF HIGHLY OVERLAPPING UAV IMAGERY

UAVs are becoming standard platforms for applications aiming at photogrammetric data capture. Since these systems can be completely built-up at very reasonable prices, their use can be very cost effective. This is especially true while aiming at large scale aerial mapping of areas at limited extent. In principle, the photogrammetric evaluation of UAV-based imagery is feasible by of-the-shelf commercial software products. Thus, standard steps like aerial triangulation, the generation of Digital Surface Models and ortho image computation can be performed effectively. However, this processing pipeline can be hindered due to the limited quality of UAV data. This is especially true if low-cost sensor components are applied. To overcome potential problems in AAT, UAV imagery is frequently captured at considerable overlaps. As it will be discussed in the paper, such highly overlapping image blocks are not only beneficial during georeferencing, but are especially advantageous while aiming at a dense and accurate image based 3D surface reconstruction.
The Development of a Cognitive Scale for Functional Bowel Disorders

Objective The importance of psychosocial factors in patients with Functional Bowel Disorders (FBD) has been well-established. However, most psychosocial measures used in research with FBD patients were not designed or validated on this population. A recent international team report recommended that psychosocial measures be developed to increase our understanding and treatment of FBD. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument designed specifically to assess cognitions of patients with FBD. Method An initial set of 204 scale items was generated from a large pool of thought diaries from patients diagnosed with FBD. Items were additionally refined using several methods, including consultation with a multidisciplinary team of international experts on FBD. The remaining 95 items were administered, along with a set of validating questionnaires, to a new sample of 75 FBD patients in Canada and the United States. Results The findings indicate that the final 25-item scale has high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .93; inter-item correlation = .36); high concurrent criterion validity evidenced by the correlation of the scale with a global rating of life interference caused by bowel symptoms (r = .71; p < .001); acceptable convergent validity evidenced by the correlation of the scale with the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (r = .38; p < .01); high content validity and face validity; and minimal social desirability contamination (r = .15; NS). Conclusions The Cognitive Scale for Functional Bowel Disorders is a valid and reliable scale that can be used as an outcome measure in evaluating the efficacy of different forms of psychotherapeutic intervention for FBD, and can also serve as a helpful assessment tool for health professionals working with patients diagnosed with FBD.
A novel method for accurate one-dimensional protein structure prediction based on fragment matching

MOTIVATION The precise prediction of one-dimensional (1D) protein structure as represented by the protein secondary structure and 1D string of discrete state of dihedral angles (i.e. Shape Strings) is a prerequisite for the successful prediction of three-dimensional (3D) structure as well as protein-protein interaction. We have developed a novel 1D structure prediction method, called Frag1D, based on a straightforward fragment matching algorithm and demonstrated its success in the prediction of three sets of 1D structural alphabets, i.e. the classical three-state secondary structure, three- and eight-state Shape Strings. RESULTS By exploiting the vast protein sequence and protein structure data available, we have brought secondary-structure prediction closer to the expected theoretical limit. When tested by a leave-one-out cross validation on a non-redundant set of PDB cutting at 30% sequence identity containing 5860 protein chains, the overall per-residue accuracy for secondary-structure prediction, i.e. Q3 is 82.9%. The overall per-residue accuracy for three- and eight-state Shape Strings are 85.1 and 71.5%, respectively. We have also benchmarked our program with the latest version of PSIPRED for secondary structure prediction and our program predicted 0.3% better in Q3 when tested on 2241 chains with the same training set. For Shape Strings, we compared our method with a recently published method with the same dataset and definition as used by that method. Our program predicted at 2.2% better in accuracy for three-state Shape Strings. By quantitatively investigating the effect of data base size on 1D structure prediction we show that the accuracy increases by approximately 1% with every doubling of the database size.
Les entreprises franches à Madagascar : atouts et contraintes d'une insertion mondiale réussie

Depuis la fin des années 1980, Madagascar a opté pour la libéralisation de son économie. Cette stratégie signifie, entre autres, la promotion du secteur privé, une plus grande ouverture sur le marché mondial et l'encouragement des investissements étrangers pour pallier l'insuffisance de l'épargne nationale. La création d'un régime spécial d'entreprises franches en 1990 répond à ce choix de favoriser une croissance tirée par les exportations (1).
Regulation of intracellular Cl- levels by Na(+)-dependent Cl- cotransport distinguishes depolarizing from hyperpolarizing GABAA receptor-mediated responses in spinal neurons

Rohon-Beard (RB) spinal neurons of Xenopus larvae are depolarized by GABA. To study the mechanisms underlying this distinctive response, intracellular and patch-clamp recordings were made from RB neurons in situ. The intracellularly recorded GABA reversal potential (EREV) was near -30 mV in normal saline and was approximately 25 mV more negative in Na(+)-free saline. Whole-cell recordings from RB neurons and from neighboring dorsolateral interneurons (DLi) revealed that GABA responses of both cells were mediated by GABAA receptors. Currents elicited by GABA were mimicked by muscimol and reversibly blocked by bicuculline, and EREV shifted with changes in Cl- concentration ([Cl]) in agreement with Cl- selectivity. In perforated patch recordings, EREV for RB cells was significantly more positive than for DLi cells (-38 vs -63 mV), indicating that intact RB cells maintain higher levels of intracellular Cl-. Replacement of external Na+ or exposure to the Cl- transport inhibitor bumetanide (100 microM) shifted RB cell EREV to move negative values, consistent with Na+(-)dependent Cl cotransport contributing to higher internal [Cl]. In contrast, these treatments did not change DLi cell EREV. The results indicate that a Na+(-)dependent Cl- transport mechanism underlies GABAA receptor-mediated depolarizing Cl- conductances in RB neurons. Thus, both inhibitory and excitatory GABA responses appear to be present during the same developmental period in vivo. GABA may stimulate Ca2+ influx in RB neurons because the intracellular GABA EREV is above the threshold for low voltage- activated Ca2+ channels.
Mouse Tmem135 mutation reveals a mechanism involving mitochondrial dynamics that leads to age-dependent retinal pathologies

While the aging process is central to the pathogenesis of age-dependent diseases, it is poorly understood at the molecular level. We identified a mouse mutant with accelerated aging in the retina as well as pathologies observed in age-dependent retinal diseases, suggesting that the responsible gene regulates retinal aging, and its impairment results in age-dependent disease. We determined that a mutation in the transmembrane 135 (Tmem135) is responsible for these phenotypes. We observed localization of TMEM135 on mitochondria, and imbalance of mitochondrial fission and fusion in mutant Tmem135 as well as Tmem135 overexpressing cells, indicating that TMEM135 is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics. Additionally, mutant retina showed higher sensitivity to oxidative stress. These results suggest that the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics through TMEM135 is critical for protection from environmental stress and controlling the progression of retinal aging. Our study identified TMEM135 as a critical link between aging and age-dependent diseases. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.19264. 001
Natural Disaster and Vulnerability: An Analysis of the 2016 Flooding in Louisiana

Abstract:In August 2016, Louisiana parishes witnessed record rainfall levels, resulting in catastrophic flooding in the Amite and Comite Rivers. In this study, we analyze the spatial patterns of the social vulnerability index (SVI) in each flood zone within Louisiana parishes of East Baton Rouge, Ascension, and Livingston. We use geographically weighted regression (GWR) models to analyze the relation among spatial distribution of the SVI, flood zones, and impervious surfaces. We found that spatial distribution of population and the SVI varies significantly in the disaster affected area. We also found an increase in impervious/developed areas in all flood zones between 2001 and 2011, which may have augmented flooding intensity. The GWR results indicate that spatial variations in the relationship of the social vulnerability index with flood zones and impervious land cover are significant. The most vulnerable places from a biophysical standpoint did not always overlap with the most vulnerable populations. In conclusion, vulnerability varies over space and is not uniform throughout the disaster affected area. Therefore, timely and accurate estimation of the spatial nature of natural disasters and the specific sub-populations that are differentially affected is required.RESUMEN:En el mes de agosto del 2016, las parroquias de Louisiana registraron niveles récord de lluvia, lo cual provocó inundaciones catastróficas en los ríos Amite y Comite. En este estudio, analizamos los patrones espaciales del índice de vulnerabilidad social (SVI) en cada zona de inundación dentro de las parroquias de Louisiana en East Baton Rouge, Ascension y Livingston. Utilizamos modelos de regresión ponderada geográficamente (GWR) para analizar la relación entre la distribución espacial del SVI, zonas de inundación y superficies impermeables. Encontramos que la distribución espacial de la población y el SVI varía significativamente en el área afectada por el desastre. También encontramos un aumento en las áreas impermeables/ desarrolladas en todas las zonas de inundación entre 2001 y 2011, lo que puede haber causado un aumento en la intensidad de las inundaciones. Los resultados de GWR indican que las variaciones espaciales en la relación del índice de vulnerabilidad social con las zonas de inundación y la cubierta impermeable de la tierra son importantes. Desde un punto de vista biofísico, los lugares más vulnerables no siempre se superponían con las poblaciones más vulnerables. En conclusión, la vulnerabilidad varía con el espacio y no es uniforme en toda la zona afectada por el desastre. Por lo tanto, se requiere una estimación oportuna y precisa de la naturaleza espacial de los desastres naturales y las subpoblaciones específicas que se ven afectadas de manera diferente. Por lo tanto, se requiere una estimación oportuna y precisa de manera diferente de la naturaleza espacial de los desastres naturales y de las subpoblaciones específicas que se ven afectadas.
Differential Effects of Painful and Non-Painful Stimulation on Tactile Processing in Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Subjects with Masochistic Behaviour

Background In healthy subjects repeated tactile stimulation in a conditioning test stimulation paradigm yields attenuation of primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory cortical activation, whereas a preceding painful stimulus results in facilitation. Methodology/Principal Findings Since previous data suggest that cognitive processes might affect somatosensory processing in S1, the present study aims at investigating to what extent cortical reactivity is altered by the subjective estimation of pain. To this end, the effect of painful and tactile stimulation on processing of subsequently applied tactile stimuli was investigated in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and in subjects with masochistic behaviour (MB) by means of a 122-channel whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. Ten patients fulfilling the criteria for the diagnosis of FMS, 10 subjects with MB and 20 control subjects matched with respect to age, gender and handedness participated in the present study. Tactile or brief painful cutaneous laser stimuli were applied as conditioning stimulus (CS) followed by a tactile test stimulus (TS) 500 ms later. While in FMS patients significant attenuation following conditioning tactile stimulation was evident, no facilitation following painful stimulation was found. By contrast, in subjects with MB no attenuation but significant facilitation occurred. Attenuation as well as facilitation applied to cortical responses occurring at about 70 ms but not to early S1 or S2 responses. Additionally, in FMS patients the amount of attenuation was inversely correlated with catastrophizing tendency. Conclusion The present results imply altered cortical reactivity of the primary somatosensory cortex in FMS patients and MB possibly reflecting differences of individual pain experience.
A Stacked NoC Architecture for Quality-of-Service

As CMOS technology enters sub-micron era, a large number of intelligent properties (IPs) are integrated on a single chip (SoC). The communication patterns become difficult to model. At the same time, as transistors become small and wires become narrow, delays are becoming more and more unpredictable. The factors greatly challenge traditional on-chip buses and point-to-point interconnects because of their problems of scalability and flexibility. In the paper, we propose a stacked on-chip network architecture to provide reliable and efficient on-chip communication in SoCs. The architecture uses a delay-insensitive asynchronous physical channel control scheme and reserved virtual channel control scheme to guarantee the quality-of-service of the on-chip network.
Generating Tailored, Comparative Descriptions with Contextually Appropriate Intonation

Generating responses that take user preferences into account requires adaptation at all levels of the generation process. This article describes a multi-level approach to presenting user-tailored information in spoken dialogues which brings together for the first time multi-attribute decision models, strategic content planning, surface realization that incorporates prosody prediction, and unit selection synthesis that takes the resulting prosodic structure into account. The system selects the most important options to mention and the attributes that are most relevant to choosing between them, based on the user model. Multiple options are selected when each offers a compelling trade-off. To convey these trade-offs, the system employs a novel presentation strategy which straightforwardly lends itself to the determination of information structure, as well as the contents of referring expressions. During surface realization, the prosodic structure is derived from the information structure using Combinatory Categorial Grammar in a way that allows phrase boundaries to be determined in a flexible, data-driven fashion. This approach to choosing pitch accents and edge tones is shown to yield prosodic structures with significantly higher acceptability than baseline prosody prediction models in an expert evaluation. These prosodic structures are then shown to enable perceptibly more natural synthesis using a unit selection voice that aims to produce the target tunes, in comparison to two baseline synthetic voices. An expert evaluation and f0 analysis confirm the superiority of the generator-driven intonation and its contribution to listeners' ratings.
Modular code generation for emulating the electrical conduction system of the human heart

We study the problem of modular code generation for emulating the electrical conduction system of the heart, which is essential for the validation of implantable devices such as pacemakers. In order to develop high fidelity models, it is essential to consider the operation of hundreds, if not millions of conduction elements, called nodes of the heart. Published results so far, however, have considered a maximum of 33 nodes1, modelled as Hybrid Input Output Automata (HIOA). The behaviour of this model is captured using the well known commercial tool Simulink®. These approaches are limiting due to the lack of model fidelity of the conduction system. In this paper, we first develop a semantic preserving modular compilation approach for a network of HIOA, by proposing to translate them to a network of Finite State Machines (FSMs). We then demonstrate that a delayed synchronous composition of the cardiac nodes enables modular code generation that is both semantic preserving and efficient. In addition to the above example, we have developed several examples from other domains to compare Simulink® and the developed tool called Piha. The results show that we are able to generate code which, for the cardiac model, is 60% smaller in binary size while executing 20 times faster when compared to Simulink®.
Intelligent satellite-based visual communication over wireless ATM

This paper focuses on satellite visual (image/video) communications over wireless ATM. When compared to computer data, remote sensed imagery requires huge volumes of information to be transmitted in a timely manner. On the other hand, error-free transmission is not strictly necessary at lower layer protocols. This is because more efficient error protection can be designed at the application layer and non-correctable transmission errors may be rendered imperceptible. In the proposed system, compression, transmission error protection, and packetization are jointly implemented as part of the application. For source coding, the authors propose to use their high performance significance-linked connected component analysis (SLCCA) wavelet codec. SLCCA provides multiresolution representation well suited for remote sensing data. They also propose error protection strategies to ensure reliable transmission of satellite data.