Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A growth model for laboratory rats

Our rats are generally requisitioned by bodyweight. It is imperative, therefore, that an efficient method be used for determining the weights of animals in a given location to fill order commitments. Given any beginning average weight at an age on or after 21 days this method predicts the average weight of animals in a cage for any future date within practical limits. It assumes that the growth curve may be adequately represented by linear segments. The method also accounts for the differing growth rates of light and heavy animals. In order to maintain current estimates of these growth rates, we take a small weekly sample of representative rats at 21 days of age. These animals are reweighed weekly to provide data for continual reestimation of the growth-rate parameters used for prediction.
Dual control of a common L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase by L-fucose and L-rhamnose in Escherichia coli

Anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli on L-fucose or L-rhamnose as the sole source of carbon and energy depends on the regeneration of NAD from NADH by disposing the intermediate L-lactaldehyde as L-1,2-propanediol. The two parallel pathways, with their own permeases and enzymes encoded by two widely separated gene clusters, appear to share a single enzyme that catalyzes the formation of L-1,2-propanediol. Although this oxidoreductase is encoded by a gene at the fuc locus, the enzyme is inducible by both L-fucose and L-rhamnose. The inducibility by L-rhamnose is controlled by a gene at the rha locus with no other known functions, since the aerobic growth rate on L-rhamnose remains normal. L-1,2-Propanediol oxidoreductase activity is inducible only anaerobically, and the effect of the two methylpentoses operates at different levels: L-fucose exerts its influence post-transcriptionally; L-rhamnose exerts its influence transcriptionally.
Some issues on posterior predictive model checks for item response theory models ∗

Assessing the validity of model assumptions is a crucial part of any parametric statistical analysis. The question of interest is whether a particular specified model appears to provide an adequate fit. For item response theory models the goodness-of-fit problem has not been completely solved. The possible number of response patterns is large for even moderately long assessments, leading to sparse contingency table so the standard chi-square tests do not apply directly. In the last years several solutions have been developed to address this problem. Some of them considered limited information statistics but there is no universally accepted model fit measure (Cagnone and Mignani, 2007; Maydeu-Olivares and Joe, 2008). Furthemore, a number of researchers also recommended the use of a parametric bootstrap (Mavridis et al., 2007). Another alternative is the Bayesian approach, which provides not only an optimal estimation of the parameters but also the associated uncertainty. One well-known procedure for Bayesian model fit is the posterior predictive model checking (PPMC). The method was firstly developed by Rubin (1984) and was later extended to include general discrepancies by Gelman et al. (1996). The method compares the observed data with replicated data generated or predicted by the model using a number of diagnostic measures that are sensitive to model misfit. Any systematic differences between aspects of the observed data set and those of the replicated data sets indicate a failure of the model to explain those aspects of the data. The choice of discrepancy measures is crucial in the application of the PPMC method. Discrepancy measures should take into account characteristics of the model relating to the scientific purposes to which the inference will be applied and to measure aspects of the data not directly addressed by the probability model. The results of the chosen discrepancy measure can be investigated by a graphical approach. Graphical display is the most natural and easily tool to implement posterior predictive checks. If graphical displays do not suffice or are cumbersome, one can use a tail-area probability, also known as a posterior predictive p-value (PPP-value). Wu et al. (2014) proposed the relative entropy posterior predictive model checking (RE-PPMC) approach to complement the original procedure so that an arbitrary assertion of graphical comparison can be avoided. PPMC is a powerful and flexible tool and has many advantageous properties. By constructing the reference distribution empirically, PPMC overcome critical problems of traditional techniques. Furthermore, PPMC incorporates uncertainty of model parameter estimates into ∗Presented at the second internal meeting of the FIRB (“Futuro in ricerca” 2012) project “Mixture and latent variable models for causal-inference and analysis of socio-economic data”, Rome (IT), January 23-24, 2015
Antiphospholipid antibodies in children with Henoch–Schonlein purpura: a prospective study from North India

Henoch–Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a smallvessel vasculitis affecting the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys (1). Autoimmunity may have a role in the pathogenesis of HSP (1, 2). Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) represent autoantibodies directed against protein-phospholipid moieties. These are associated with several vasculitic syndromes, especially systemic lupus erythematosus (3). Although there have been a few anecdotal reports of aPL in HSP (4–8), prospective data are lacking. This is the first detailed study of its kind in the literature. Fourteen children prospectively diagnosed with HSP (1) were enrolled in the current study between August 2004 and October 2005. Controls included 10 healthy siblings and normal children and 12 historical controls.
Privacy-preserving data aggregation in Intelligent Transportation Systems

Intelligent Transportation Systems(ITS) demonstrate innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management. For this, ITS rely on data collected by volunteer users in traffic. The aggregated information collected periodically offers the possibility to learn general statistics and provides ITS users with a common traffic view. For user's sensitive data, it is desired to hide individual values from other participants, but also from the ITS data aggregator, because this could disclose sensitive information. Therefore, we propose a schema for privacy-preserving aggregation based on symmetric cryptography of time-series data applicable for ITS applications.
Report and Ecological Processes Shape a Local Multilevel Antagonistic Network

Marianne Elias,1,4,* Colin Fontaine,2,4 and F.J. Frank van Veen3 1UMR 7205 CNRS, Origine Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité, Department Systematics and Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 45 rue Buffon, CP50, 75005 Paris, France 2UMR 7204 CNRS, Centre des Sciences de la Conservation, Department Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France 3Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus TR10 9EZ, UK
Astrocytes as antigen‐presenting cells: expression of IL‐12/IL‐23

Interleukin‐12 (IL‐12, p70) a heterodimeric cytokine of p40 and p35 subunits, important for Th1‐type immune responses, has been attributed a prominent role in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Recently, the related heterodimeric cytokine, IL‐23, composed of the same p40 subunit as IL‐12 and a unique p19 subunit, was shown to be involved in Th1 responses and EAE. We investigated whether astrocytes and microglia, CNS cells with antigen‐presenting cell (APC) function can present antigen to myelin basic protein (MBP)‐reactive T cells, and whether this presentation is blocked with antibodies against IL‐12/IL‐23p40. Interferon (IFN)‐γ‐treated APC induced proliferation of MBP‐reactive T cells. Anti‐IL‐12/IL‐23p40 antibodies blocked this proliferation. These results support and extend our previous observation that astrocytes and microglia produce IL‐12/IL‐23p40. Moreover, we show that stimulated astrocytes and microglia produce biologically active IL‐12p70. Because IL‐12 and IL‐23 share p40, we wanted to determine whether astrocytes also express IL‐12p35 and IL‐23p19, as microglia were already shown to express them. Astrocytes expressed IL‐12p35 mRNA constitutively, and IL‐23 p19 after stimulation. Thus, astrocytes, under inflammatory conditions, express all subunits of IL‐12/IL‐23. Their ability to present antigen to encephalitogenic T cells can be blocked by neutralizing anti‐IL‐12/IL‐23p40 antibodies.
Central Interleukin-1β Suppresses the Nocturnal Secretion of Melatonin

In vertebrates, numerous processes occur in a rhythmic manner. The hormonal signal reliably reflecting the environmental light conditions is melatonin. Nocturnal melatonin secretion patterns could be disturbed in pathophysiological states, including inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. All of these states share common elements in their aetiology, including the overexpression of interleukin- (IL-) 1β in the central nervous system. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the effect of the central injection of exogenous IL-1β on melatonin release and on the expression of the enzymes of the melatonin biosynthetic pathway in the pineal gland of ewe. It was found that intracerebroventricular injections of IL-1β (50 µg/animal) suppressed (P < 0.05) nocturnal melatonin secretion in sheep regardless of the photoperiod. This may have resulted from decreased (P < 0.05) synthesis of the melatonin intermediate serotonin, which may have resulted, at least partially, from a reduced expression of tryptophan hydroxylase. IL-1β also inhibited (P < 0.05) the expression of the melatonin rhythm enzyme arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase. However, the ability of IL-1β to affect the expression of these enzymes was dependent upon the photoperiod. Our study may shed new light on the role of central IL-1β in the aetiology of disruptions in melatonin secretion.
Trans regulation in the Ultrabithorax gene of Drosophila: alterations in the promoter enhance transvection.

We report a genetic and molecular study of UbxMX6 and Ubx195rx1, two mutations in the Ultrabithorax (Ubx) locus which appear to have a strong effect on the activity of the homologous Ubx gene. These mutations show the characteristic embryonic and adult phenotypes of Ubx null alleles, and also fail to produce any detectable Ubx product. Yet, genetic and phenotypic analyses involving a large number of trans heterozygous combinations of UbxMX6 and Ubx195rx1 with different classes of Ubx mutations, indicate that they hyperactivate the homologous gene. This effect is induced on wildtype or mutant forms of Ubx, provided that the pairing in the bithorax region is normal, i.e. these mutations have a strong positive effect on transvection. We also show that, unlike all the other known cases of transvection in Ubx, this is not zeste‐dependent. Southern analyses indicate that UbxMX6 is a 3.4 kb deletion, and Ubx195rx1 is an approximately 11 kb insertion of foreign DNA, both in the promoter region. We speculate that the region altered in the mutations may have a wildtype function to ensure cis‐autonomy of the regulation of Ubx transcription.
De novo expression of pp125FAK in human macrophages regulates CSK distribution and MAP kinase activation but does not affect focal contact structure

The protein tyrosine kinase pp125FAK (focal adhesion kinase, or FAK) is expressed by a variety of cell types and has been implicated in integrin‐mediated signaling events. We explored the potential functions of FAK by expressing it de novo in a cell type lacking FAK. We showed previously that cultured human macrophages lack FAK yet still have well‐formed focal contacts. Adenovirus‐mediated expression of FAK results in the appearance of FAK protein, which localizes to focal contacts and becomes tyrosine‐phosphorylated without perturbing overall cell morphology or focal contacts. FAK associates with CSK 48 h after infection and recruits it to focal contacts. Tyrosine phosphorylation of p130cas but not of paxillin is stimulated after FAK expression. The phosphorylation of p130cas is lost at 48 h in parallel with CSK accumulation in focal contacts. The ERK2 form of MAP kinase is similarly activated at 12–24 h, but it also returns to low levels at 48 h. These findings demonstrate that FAK can be reconstituted to focal contacts in cells that lack it without affecting cell morphology or focal contact structure. FAK can regulate the distribution and activities of elements of the MAP kinase signaling pathway. J Cell Physiol 178:164–172, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Virtual Stage: A Location-Based Karaoke System

Virtual Stage is an extended karaoke system based on virtual reality technology. A participant becomes the main character in an interactive music video. While singing along with the song played by Virtual Stage, the participant uses body movements to interact with the virtual characters, which reside in a virtual environment and behave intelligently. In Virtual Stage, the participant's video image, grabbed by a video camera, is composited with the rendered image of the 3D virtual environment. Participants will see the realistic video image of themselves and get a false feeling of immersion, as if existing in the VE.
Primary Care Providers’ Perspectives on Screening Older Adult Patients for Food Insecurity

ABSTRACT Food insecurity has been associated with poor health and health outcomes among older adults, yet food assistance resources are available and underutilized. Routine screening and referral for food insecurity in primary care is one avenue to connect food-insecure older adults with available resources. This qualitative study aims to better understand the beliefs of primary care providers (PCPs) about food security screening and referrals in a primary care setting and perceived barriers to implementation. PCPs (n = 16) who have older adult patients but do not routinely screen for food insecurity were interviewed by phone. PCPs recognize the importance of food security for older patients and discuss nutrition and food access with patients under certain circumstances. Concerns emerged with regard to implementing a systematic screening and referral process: limited time to meet with patients, a lack of resources for addressing food insecurity, and prioritizing food insecurity at both the health system and the patient levels. Despite perceived challenges, PCPs are receptive to the idea of systematically screening and referring patients to external resources for food assistance and support. Barriers could be addressed by health systems prioritizing food insecurity as a health concern and public and private payers providing reimbursement for screening.
Acoustic Emission of Composite Vessel

Generally for CNG vehicles, type II vessel, where the increase in used pressure and lighter weight are achieved through fiber-reinforced composite material, which is wrapped in hoopdirection on the steel liner is used. Since 1984, the U.S. experienced more than 80 cases of vehicle fuel tank-related accidents [3] and Korea also experienced 8 cases in which the CNG tank exploded; thus, there is a need for the development of inspection technology for highpressure fuel tanks. In the case of the U.S., the inspection technology of high-pressure fuel tanks were developed by DOD and NASA as an inspection technology for missile fuel tanks[4] but as the use of high-pressure fuel tanks for transport increased DOT executed a research on inspection technology for vehicles based on the research results of NASA and reported that among several NDT technology, Acoustic Emission(AE) has a possibility of being used as an inspection technology for vehicles[5,6]. The gas vessel, which is made of fiber-reinforced composite material, is unlike vessel made of only steel materials in that when the damage increases the acoustic generation activity increases but when the degree of damage increases even more, the acoustic generation activity rather decreases [7]. A study of defect detection and failure analysis for composite Materials using acoustic emission is progressing steadily [9-11,14].
A New Modified Binary Differential Evolution Algorithm and its Applications

: This paper proposes a novel discrete version of Differential Evolution (NBDE) algorithm to solve combinatorial optimization problems with binary variables. A new binary mutation rule is introduced derived from the table of the basic DE mutation strategy and the value of scaling factor F is 1. The eight different combinations of the three randomly selected individuals using binary encoding are deduced. The developed mutation operator enables NBDE to explore and exploit the search space efﬁciently and effectively which are veriﬁed in applications to discrete optimization problems. Numerical experiments and comparisons on One-Max problem and Knapsack problem with two different sizes demonstrate that NBDE outperforms other existing algorithms in terms of ﬁnal solution quality, search process efﬁciency and robustness.
Angptl 3-null Mice Show Low Plasma Lipid Concentrations by Enhanced Lipoprotein Lipase Activity

Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) is a secreted protein with both angiogenesis and lipid metabolism functions. We generated knockout mice that failed to express the Angptl3 gene, and analyzed the lipid metabolism. Angptl3-null mice, fed a normal diet or a high-fat, high-calorie (HFC) diet, revealed markedly low plasma lipid concentrations, especially plasma triglyceride concentration, although the body weight and liver weight were not different between Angptl3-null mice and wild-type mice. Angptl3-null mice fed an HFC diet also revealed a significantly reduced epididymal adipose tissue weight despite there being no difference in adipocyte size between them and wild-type mice. A triglyceride clearance study indicated that the lower plasma triglyceride concentration in Angptl3-null mice was caused by an accelerated clearance of triglyceride. In fact, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities in the post-heparin plasma of Angptl3-null mice were 1.57 times and 1.42 times higher than those of wild-type mice, respectively. These results suggest that ANGPTL3 may have an effect not only on lipid metabolism but also on adipose formation.
Cloning and expression of the receptor for human urokinase plasminogen activator, a central molecule in cell surface, plasmin dependent proteolysis.

The surface receptor for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPAR) has been recognized in recent years as a key molecule in regulating plasminogen mediated extracellular proteolysis. Surface plasminogen activation controls the connections between cells, basement membrane and extracellular matrix, and therefore the capacity of cells to migrate and invade neighboring tissues. We have isolated a 1.4 kb cDNA clone coding for the entire human uPAR. An oligonucleotide synthesized on the basis of the N‐terminal sequence of the purified protein was used to screen a cDNA library made from SV40 transformed human fibroblasts [Okayama and Berg (1983) Mol. Cell Biol., 3, 280‐289]. The cDNA encodes a protein of 313 amino acids, preceded by a 21 residue signal peptide. A hydrophobicity plot suggests the presence of a membrane spanning domain close to the C‐terminus. The cDNA hybridizes to a 1.4 kb mRNA from human cells, a size very close to that of the cloned cDNA. Expression of the uPAR cDNA in mouse cells confirms that the clone is complete and expresses a functional uPA binding protein, located on the cell surface and with properties similar to the human uPAR. Caseinolytic plaque assay, immunofluorescence analysis, direct binding studies and cross‐linking experiments show that the transfected mouse LB6 cells specifically bind human uPA, which in turn activates plasminogen. The Mr of the mature human receptor expressed in mouse cells is approximately 55,000, in accordance with the naturally occurring, highly glycosylated human uPAR. The Mr calculated on the basis of the cDNA sequence, approximately 35,000, agrees well with that of the deglycosylated receptor.
Heat shock proteins and immune system

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP 60 (Hsp60), Hsp70, Hsp90, and gp96, have been reported to play important roles in antigen presentation and cross‐presentation, activation of macrophages and lymphocytes, and activation and maturation of dendritic cells. HSPs contain peptide‐binding domains that bind exposed hydrophobic residues of substrate proteins. As part of their molecular chaperone functions, HSPs bind and deliver chaperoned, antigenic peptides to MHC class I molecules at the cell surface for presentation to lymphocytes. HSPs also bind nonprotein molecules with exposed hydrophobic residues including lipid‐based TLR ligands. Recombinant HSP products may be contaminated with pathogen‐associated molecules that contain exposed hydrophobic residues such as LPS (a TLR4 ligand), lipoprotein (a TLR2 ligand), and flagellin (a TLR5 ligand). These contaminants appear to be responsible for most, if not all, reported in vitro cytokine effects of HSPs, as highly purified HSPs do not show any cytokine effects. We propose that HSPs are molecular chaperones that bind protein and nonprotein molecules with exposed hydrophobic residues. The reported antigen presentation and cross‐presentation and in vitro HSP cytokine functions are a result of molecules bound to or chaperoned by HSPs but not a result of HSPs themselves.
Review of the damped least-squares inverse kinematics with experiments on an industrial robot manipulator

The goal of this paper is to present experimental results on the implementation of the damped least-squares method for the six-joint ABB IRb2000 industrial robot manipulator. A number of inverse kinematics schemes are reviewed which allow robot control through kinematic singularities. The basic scheme adopts a damped least-squares inverse of the manipulator Jacobian with a varying damping factor acting in the neighborhood of singularities. The effect of a weighted damped least-squares solution is investigated to provide user-defined accuracy capabilities along prescribed end-effector space directions. An online estimation algorithm is employed to measure closeness to singular configurations. A feedback correction error term is introduced to ensure algorithm tracking convergence and its effect on the joint velocity solution is discussed. Computational aspects are discussed in view of real-time implementation of the proposed schemes. Experimental case studies are developed to investigate manipulator performance in the case of critical end-effector trajectories passing through and near the shoulder and wrist singularities of the structure. >
In Vitro Release Studies on Matrix Type Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems of Naltrexone and Its Acetyl Prodrug

Matrix type acrylic adhesive transdermal patches of naltrexone (NTX) and its 3-O-acetyl ester prodrug were prepared and evaluated for drug content, thickness, and in vitro release characteristics. Among the four DURO-TAK® adhesive polymers (87-2516, 87-2054, 87-2501, and 87-2582) tested, 87-2516 proved to be the most suitable and compatible polymer for the transdermal delivery of NTX from NTX and prodrug patches. A linear relationship was observed for release flux (F) and cumulative amount (Mt) values versus 1%, 2%, and 3% drug loading at equimolar levels. The release of NTX from the patches showed a good correlation (R2 > 0.99) for Mt vs. profiles, indicating that a Higuchian matrix diffusion mechanism of drug release from the transdermal adhesive patches was obtained. Overall, the amounts of NTX released from the prodrug patches were significantly higher than from the NTX patches, at all three drug loading levels.