Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Imaging cholinergic function in vivo in the brain with radioiodinated stereoisomers of quinuclidinyl benzilate

This thesis evaluates the ability of (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB, two radioiodinated diastereoisomers of the high affinity muscarinic antagonist quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), to image dynamic changes in cholinergic function in the central nervous system using in vivo autoradiography. The regional uptake and retention of (R,S)-[125I]-QNB in the rat brain between 2 and 24 hours after intravenous administration was investigated to assess the utility of this technique to image muscarinic receptors in the central nervous system. Similarly, the uptake and retention of (R,R)-[125I]-QNB was investigated between 30 mins and 6 hours after administration using in vivo autoradiography and was compared to that of (R,S)-[125I]-QNB. Secondly, the sensitivity of (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB to dynamic changes in cholinergic neurotransmission in vivo, was assessed in conscious rats. The uptake and retention of (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB following a cholinergic challenge produced by administration of the long lasting AChE inhibitor heptylphysostigmine, was investigated. Regional brain levels of (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB in heptylphysostigmine treated animals were compared to levels in saline treated animals by in vivo autoradiography. The ability of ACh to displace (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB binding from rat brain sections in vitro in the presence of heptylphysostigmine was also investigated. Finally, the effects of heptylphysostigmine administration on regional cerebral blood flow were investigated using [14C]-IAP autoradiography in conscious rats. Three hypotheses were considered to account for the lack of radioligand displacement observed following heptylphysostigmine administration: 1) Heptylphysostigmine was ineffective in inhibiting AChE and raising synaptic ACh levels at the dosage used in this thesis. 2) A small amount of displacement occurred but was masked by the effects of increased cerebral blood flow. 3) (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB are of too high affinity for mAChRs to be displaced by endogenous neurotransmitter. The third hypothesis is viewed as the most plausible. In conclusion, (R,S)- and (R,R)-[125I]-QNB are unsuitable ligands for the detection of cholinergic function in vivo.
Evaluation of Sound Field Synthesis Techniques with a Binaural Auditory Model

Wave field synthesis and Ambisonics strive to reconstruct a sound field within a listening area using the interference of loudspeaker signals. Due to the spatial sampling, an error-free reconstruction is not achieved within the entire listening area and consequently, the perceived quality of the reproduction may be impaired. Specifically, sound events may be localized incorrectly and the individual loudspeaker signals may result in perceived coloration. Here, a binaural auditory model was employed to predict the localization error in several off-center-listening positions and to visualize coloration artifacts. The model outputs provided good match for perceptual data from previously conducted listening tests, verifying the applicability of the model to evaluate the reconstructed sound fields.
Analysis of virtualization implementation for the simulation of a multiple-particle-swarms model for expansion of the Coffee Berry Borer

In this paper the performance and time simulation of a model of multiple swarms of particles is analyzed, comparing their results on a physical machine versus a virtual machine. For experiments they were executed several cases taking the time for each simulation (each scenario was executed 50 times). The implementation of this virtualization allowed significantly reduce the execution time of the experiments, minimizing the time of data collection between the settings required for the algorithm. Since the results were satisfactory, the work corroborated the benefits of virtualization in the execution of this type of models with a large amount of calculations and a graphical component.
C-terminal sequences can inhibit the insertion of membrane proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have constructed three gene fusions that encode portions of a membrane protein, arginine permease, fused to a reporter domain, the cytoplasmic enzyme histidinol dehydrogenase (HD), located at the C-terminal end. These fusion proteins contain at least one of the internal signal sequences of arginine permease. When the fusion proteins were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), two of the fusion proteins placed HD on the luminal side of the ER membrane, but only when a piece of DNA encoding a spacer protein segment was inserted into the fusion joint. The third fusion protein, with or without the spacer included, placed HD on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. These results suggest that (i) sequences C-terminal to the internal signal sequence can inhibit membrane insertion and (ii) HD requires a preceding spacer segment to be translocated across the ER membrane.
Fuzzy min-max neural networks - Part 2: Clustering

In an earlier companion paper (56) a supervised learning neural network pattern classifier called the fuzzy min- max classification neural network was described. In this sequel, the unsupervised learning pattern clustering sibling called the fuzzy min-max clustering neural network is presented. Pattern clusters are implemented here as fuzzy sets using a membership function with a hyperbox core that is constructed from a min point and a max point. The min-max points are determined using the fuzzy min-max learning algorithm, an expansion-contraction process that refines the author's earlier Fuzzy Adaptive Reso- nance Theory neural network (50). The fuzzy min-max clustering neural network stabilizes into pattern clusters in only a few passes through a data set; it can be reduced to hard cluster boundaries that are easily examined without sacrificing the fuzzy boundaries; it provides the ability to incorporate new data and add new clusters without retraining; and it inherently provides degree of membership information that is extremely useful in higher level decision making and information processing. This paper will provide some background concerning the development of the fuzzy min-max clustering neural network and provide a comparison with similar work that has recently emerged. A brief description of fuzzy sets, pattern clustering, and their synergistic combination is presented. The fuzzy min- max clustering neural network will be explained in detail and examples of its clustering performance will be given. The paper will conclude with a description of problems that need to be addressed and a list of some potential applications.
Techniques for designing GPGPU games

The increasing level of realism in digital games depends not only on the enhancement of modeling and rendering effects, but also on the improvement of different aspects such as animation, characters artificial intelligence and physics simulation. Normally, games process most of their tasks in the CPU, using the GPU only for graphics processing. Several games and previous works also use GPU computing to process some selected non-graphics subtasks (normally the game physics), while the remaining tasks remain on the CPU. Such a processing partition is frequently pointed to as the bottleneck in these games, as it may induce several expensive data transfers between the CPU and GPU. This paper shows some game examples that execute all their methods entirely on the GPU using of a new GPU computing architecture for keeping the GPU-CPU communication to a minimum. Using the techniques explained in this paper, we present a game that can have an average optimization of about 25% when compared to traditional GPGPU game programing (i.e. only using GPGPU for physics and processing the AI in the CPU) and 200% when compared to traditional CPU programming.
Reputation in Auctions: Theory, and Evidence from Ebay

Employing a procedure suggested by a simple theoretical model of auctions in which bidders and sellers have observable and heterogenous reputations for default, we examine the effect of reputation on price in a data set drawn from the online auction site eBay. Our main empirical result is that seller's, but not bidder's, reputation has an economically and statistically significant effect on price.
Exploring MOOC from education and Information Systems perspectives: a short literature review

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have gained significance as a new paradigm in education. MOOCs are open to any interested person and provide education products for a scalable number of learners who have access to the Internet. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in MOOCs including their types, theories and challenges. Although this is an important and challenging field for Information Systems researchers, a rich and structural literature review has not yet been conducted in this area. The purpose of this article is to present a short review of recent research into MOOCs. Thirty-two papers were selected for review through four search engines with a search of key terms related to MOOCs. On the basis of this review, a holistic definition on MOOCs is presented and an overview of the relevant theories and issues is provided.
The inflammasome: an integrated view

Summary: An inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that serves as a platform for caspase‐1 activation and caspase‐1‐dependent proteolytic maturation and secretion of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β). Though a number of inflammasomes have been described, the NLRP3 inflammasome is the most extensively studied but also the most elusive. It is unique in that it responds to numerous physically and chemically diverse stimuli. The potent proinflammatory and pyrogenic activities of IL‐1β necessitate that inflammasome activity is tightly controlled. To this end, a priming step is first required to induce the expression of both NLRP3 and proIL‐1β. This event renders the cell competent for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL‐1β secretion, and it is highly regulated by negative feedback loops. Despite the wide array of NLRP3 activators, the actual triggering of NLRP3 is controlled by integration a comparatively small number of signals that are common to nearly all activators. Minimally, these include potassium efflux, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and, for certain activators, lysosomal destabilization. Further investigation of how these and potentially other as yet uncharacterized signals are integrated by the NLRP3 inflammasome and the relevance of these biochemical events in vivo should provide new insight into the mechanisms of host defense and autoinflammatory conditions.
A de novo variant in the ASPRV1 gene in a dog with ichthyosis

Ichthyoses are a heterogeneous group of inherited cornification disorders characterized by generalized dry skin, scaling and/or hyperkeratosis. Ichthyosis vulgaris is the most common form of ichthyosis in humans and caused by genetic variants in the FLG gene encoding filaggrin. Filaggrin is a key player in the formation of the stratum corneum, the uppermost layer of the epidermis and therefore crucial for barrier function. During terminal differentiation of keratinocytes, the precursor profilaggrin is cleaved by several proteases into filaggrin monomers and eventually processed into free amino acids contributing to the hydration of the cornified layer. We studied a German Shepherd dog with a novel form of ichthyosis. Comparing the genome sequence of the affected dog with 288 genomes from genetically diverse non-affected dogs we identified a private heterozygous variant in the ASPRV1 gene encoding “aspartic peptidase, retroviral-like 1”, which is also known as skin aspartic protease (SASPase). The variant was absent in both parents and therefore due to a de novo mutation event. It was a missense variant, c.1052T>C, affecting a conserved residue close to an autoprocessing cleavage site, p.(Leu351Pro). ASPRV1 encodes a retroviral-like protease involved in profilaggrin-to-filaggrin processing. By immunofluorescence staining we showed that the filaggrin expression pattern was altered in the affected dog. Thus, our findings provide strong evidence that the identified de novo variant is causative for the ichthyosis in the affected dog and that ASPRV1 plays an essential role in skin barrier formation. ASPRV1 is thus a novel candidate gene for unexplained human forms of ichthyoses.
Reducing CTL-live model checking to first-order logic validity checking

Temporal logic model checking of infinite state systems without the use of iteration or abstraction is usually considered beyond the realm of first-order logic (FOL) reasoners because of the need for a fixpoint computation. In this paper, we show that it is possible to reduce model checking of a finite or infinite Kripke structure that is expressed in FOL to a validity problem in FOL for a fragment of computational tree logic (CTL), which we call CTL-live. CTL-live includes the CTL connectives that are traditionally used to express liveness properties. Our reduction can form the basis for methods that use FOL reasoning techniques directly to accomplish model checking of CTL-live properties without the need for fixpoint operators, transitive closure, abstraction, or induction.
Dividends of Kinship : Meanings and Uses of Social Relatedness

This collection reaffirms the importance of kinship, and of studying kinship, within the framework of social anthropology. The contributors examine both the benefits and burdens of kinship across cultures and explore how 'relatedness' is inextricably linked with other concepts which define people's identities - such as gender, power and history. With examples from a wide range of areas including Austria, Greenland, Portugal, Turkey and the Amazon, it covers themes such as: * how people choose and activate kin * leadership, spiritual power and kinship * inheritance, marriage and social inequality * familial sentiment and economic interest * the role of kinship in Utopian communes Dividends of Kinship provides a timely and critical reappraisal of the place of familial relations in the contemporary world. It will be of interest to undergraduates, postgraduates and academics in anthropology, and across the social sciences.
The amino‐terminal tail of Hxt11 confers membrane stability to the Hxt2 sugar transporter and improves xylose fermentation in the presence of acetic acid

Hxt2 is a glucose repressed, high affinity glucose transporter of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is subjected to high glucose induced degradation. Hxt11 is a sugar transporter that is stably expressed at the membrane irrespective the sugar concentration. To transfer this property to Hxt2, the N‐terminal tail of Hxt2 was replaced by the corresponding region of Hxt11 yielding a chimeric Hxt11/2 transporter. This resulted in the stable expression of Hxt2 at the membrane and improved the growth on 8% d‐glucose and 4% d‐xylose. Mutation of N361 of Hxt11/2 into threonine reversed the specificity for d‐xylose over d‐glucose with high d‐xylose transport rates. This mutant supported efficient sugar fermentation of both d‐glucose and d‐xylose at industrially relevant sugar concentrations even in the presence of the inhibitor acetic acid which is normally present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1937–1945. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mega Data Center for Elastic Internet Applications

This paper outlines a scalable architecture that supports datacenter-wide resource management for elastic Internet applications in a mega data center. Our architecture includes a scalable load-balancing fabric and provides effective knobs to balance load among the applications, servers, access links, as well as the load-balancing components themselves -- the low-level resource managers and switches in the load-balancing fabric.
Eleven newspecies ofSugiyamaella andCandida fromforest habitats

Eleven new yeasts from forest habitats are described from nucleotide sequence analysis of the nearly entire large subunit rRNA gene, ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 rRNA gene, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA gene, and the cytochrome oxidase II gene. All are members of the Sugiyamaella clade. Three are heterothallic species of Sugiyamaella and eight species are assigned to Candida. The Sugiyamaella species are: Su. americana sp. nov., type strain NRRL YB-2067 (CBS 10352), mating type a, and isotype NRRL YB-4197 (CBS 10353), mating type a; Su. chiloensis sp. nov., type strain NRRL Y-17646 (CBS 8168), mating type a, and isotype NRRL Y-27101 (CBS 5927), mating type a, anamorph Ca. bertae; Su. japonica sp. nov., type strain NRRL YB-2788 (CBS 10354), diploid, NRRL YB-2764 (CBS 10355), mating type a, and NRRL YB-2799 (CBS 10356), mating type a. The Candida species with type strains are: Ca. boreocaroliniensis sp. nov. NRRL YB-1835 (CBS 10344), Ca. floridensis sp. nov. NRRL YB-3827 (CBS 10350), Ca. grinbergsii sp. nov. NRRL Y27117 (CBS 5924), Ca. lignohabitans sp. nov. NRRL YB-1473 (CBS 10342), Ca. marilandica sp. nov. NRRL YB-1847 (CBS 10346), Ca. marionensis sp. nov. NRRL YB-1336 (CBS 10341), Ca. neomexicana sp. nov. NRRL YB-2450 (CBS 10349), and Ca. pinicola sp. nov. NRRL YB-2263 (CBS 10348).
Enhanced video handling based on audio analysis

Soundtracks of videos contain a rich source of content-based information. In this paper, we propose an audio-based approach to video indexing and handling. Audio data is analysed by means of frequency analysis, and music and voice are independently detected even if they occur together. The method is implemented on a system called Video in Time as an example of creating reasonable condensed versions of dramas or movies by excerpting meaningful video segments. Users can select the desired replaying time from several different levels, depending on how much time can be afforded for viewing. Detection rates for music and voice are evaluated and experiences with the system are mentioned.
Entrained delta oscillations reflect the subjective tracking of time

ABSTRACT The ability to precisely anticipate the timing of upcoming events at the time-scale of seconds is essential to predict objects' trajectories or to select relevant sensory information. What neurophysiological mechanism underlies the temporal precision in anticipating the occurrence of events? In a recent article,1 we demonstrated that the sensori-motor system predictively controls neural oscillations in time to optimize sensory selection. However, whether and how the same oscillatory processes can be used to keep track of elapsing time and evaluate short durations remains unclear. Here, we aim at testing the hypothesis that the brain tracks durations by converting (external, objective) elapsing time into an (internal, subjective) oscillatory phase-angle. To test this, we measured magnetoencephalographic oscillatory activity while participants performed a delayed-target detection task. In the delayed condition, we observe that trials that are perceived as longer are associated with faster delta-band oscillations. This suggests that the subjective indexing of time is reflected in the range of phase-angles covered by delta oscillations during the pre-stimulus period. This result provides new insights into how we predict and evaluate temporal structure and support models in which the active entrainment of sensori-motor oscillatory dynamics is exploited to track elapsing time.
ON THE CLINICAL RECOGNITION OF STRUCTURAL DISEASE OF THE PERIPHERAL VESSELS *

are structurally diseased. In 'assessing the significance of ON THE CLINICAL RECOGNITION OF cyanosis it is to be remembered that with equal rates of STRUCTURAL DISEASE OF THE blood flow high-coloured skin will be bluer than pale PERIPHERAL VESSELS * skin, for the vessels that contribute most to the excessive coloration of the skin-the venules-are those in which BY the blood has been largely robbed of its oxygen.
A high-capacity invertible data-hiding algorithm using a generalized reversible integer transform

A high-capacity, data-hiding algorithm that lets the user restore the original host image after retrieving the hidden data is presented in this paper. The proposed algorithm can be used for watermarking valuable or sensitive images such as original art works or military and medical images. The proposed algorithm is based on a generalized, reversible, integer transform, which calculates the average and pair-wise differences between the elements of a vector extracted from the pixels of the image. The watermark is embedded into a set of carefully selected coefficients by replacing the least significant bit (LSB) of every selected coefficient by a watermark bit. Most of these coefficients are shifted left by one bit before replacing their LSBs. Several conditions are derived and used in selecting the appropriate coefficients to ensure that they remain identifiable after embedding. In addition, the selection of coefficients ensures that the embedding process does not cause any overflow or underflow when the inverse of the transform is computed. To ensure reversibility, the locations of the shifted coefficients and the original LSBs are embedded in the selected coefficients before embedding the desired payload. Simulation results of the algorithm and its performance are also presented and discussed in the paper.
Monoclonal antibodies against the ruminal bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against whole cells of two different strains of Selenomonas ruminantium and tested for specificity and sensitivity in immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedures. Species-specific and strain-specific antibodies were identified, and reactive antigens were demonstrated in solubilized cell wall extracts of S. ruminantium. A monoclonal antibody-based solid-phase immunoassay was established to quantify S. ruminantium in cultures or samples from the rumen, and this had a sensitivity of 0.01 to 0.02% from 10(7) cells. For at least one strain, the extent of antibody reaction varied depending upon the stage of bacterial growth. Antigen characterization by immunoblotting shows that monoclonal antibodies raised against two different strains of S. ruminantium reacted with the same antigen on each strain. For one strain, an additional antigen reacted with both monoclonal antibodies. In the appropriate assay, these monoclonal antibodies may have advantages over gene probes, both in speed and sensitivity, for bacterial quantification studies.
Towards a generic rotation of the Haar-Like features

The idea of this paper is based on three key points: The first is to propose a method allowing finding possible angles to rotate a Haar-Like feature without destroy its sides. The tangent of each angle equal to an rational number i.e. each angle equal to acrtan(Y/X) where Y and X are integers. The second point is manifested by the use of this rational number to determine the pixels forming the sides of the feature. In the latter, we present the integral image of a Haar-Like Features based on the work already done.