Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of menstruation in the vervet (Cercopithecus aethiops)

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) are Old World nonhumans that display attenuated menstruation that requires detection by vaginal swab. The physiology underlying attenuated menstruation in this species has not been previously studied. To fill this gap, we evaluated endometrial cell proliferation, steroid receptor localization and expression of menstruation‐associated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes in vervets during natural and artificial menstrual cycles. The artificial cycles were induced by sequentially treating ovariectomized animals with estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P). Because menstrual flow is exceptionally light in this species, menses was detected by vaginal swab. We found that both natural and artificially cycled animals menstruated 3–5 days after the decline of P at the end of the cycle. As in other primates, P withdrawal at the end of artificial cycles triggered endometrial expression of MMPs, including MMP‐1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 13 and 26 transcripts. In both the natural and artificial menstrual cycle, menstrual sloughing was restricted to the upper one‐fourth of the endometrium, and MMP‐1 and 2 were strongly expressed by the stroma of the sloughing zone. MMP‐7 was localized in the endometrial glands during late menses. As in macaques, epithelial cell proliferation was localized to the functionalis zone during the estrogen‐dominated proliferative phase and to the basalis zone glands during the P‐dominated secretory phase. Regulation of estrogen and progestin (or estradiol and progesterone) receptors was similar to that reported for macaques. Because strong similarities exist between the endometrium of vervets, macaques and women, we conclude that vervets can provide a useful animal model for studies on hormone regulation of menstruation. Am. J. Primatol. 69:901–916, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A feature based approach for sentiment analysis using SVM and coreference resolution

Online shopping is one of the most comfortable ways to shop in this new era of technology. People buy online products frequently and post their reviews about the products they have used. The viewpoint of the user will be in the form of tweets or product reviews which they post in an e-commerce site. These reviews will have significant role in deciding how far the products have been placed in peoples mind. These reviews will also help the manufacturers to improve the features of the product as required But it is a very difficult task to manually read the reviews and assign sentiment to them. This problem can be solved by creating an automated system in which we can analyze the reviews posted by the users and extract the users perception about a particular feature. In this work we have developed a procedure for ‘feature based sentiment analysis’ by using a classifier called Support Vector Machine.
Further relaxed stability conditions for continuous-time polynomial fuzzy system based on polynomial fuzzy Lyapunov function

This paper concerns a new stability condition for polynomial fuzzy system by introducing polynomial fuzzy Lyapunov function and slack matrix. Stability condition for polynomial fuzzy system is usually derived by common quadratic polynomial Lyapunov function. However this method results the conservative problem. To relax the conservative result, various relaxing methods which are introduced in T-S fuzzy system case are converted to polynomial fuzzy system. With this line, this paper adapts fuzzy Lyapunov function and extends it to polynomial fuzzy Lyapunov function. It is the extended version of existing fuzzy Lyapunov function which is replaced constant matrices with polynomial one. Furthermore, by adding the slack matrix to the proposed stability condition, this condition is further relaxed. Finally, these results will be proved by numerical example.
Crystal Structure of the Cysteine-rich Domain of Scavenger Receptor MARCO Reveals the Presence of a Basic and an Acidic Cluster That Both Contribute to Ligand Recognition*

MARCO is a trimeric class A scavenger receptor of macrophages and dendritic cells that recognizes polyanionic particles and pathogens. The distal, scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain of the extracellular part of this receptor has been implicated in ligand binding. To provide a structural basis for understanding the ligand-binding mechanisms of MARCO, we have determined the crystal structure of the mouse MARCO SRCR domain. The recombinant SRCR domain purified as monomeric and dimeric forms, and their structures were determined at 1.78 and 1.77Å resolution, respectively. The monomer has a compact globular fold with a twisted five-stranded antiparallel β-sheet and a long loop covering a single α-helix, whereas the dimer is formed via β-strand swapping of two monomers, thus containing a large eight-stranded β-sheet. Calculation of the surface electrostatic potential revealed that the β-sheet region with several arginines forms a basic cluster. Unexpectedly, an acidic cluster was found in the long loop region. In the monomer, the acidic cluster is involved in metal ion binding. Studies with cells expressing various SRCR domain mutants showed that all of the arginines of the basic cluster are involved in ligand binding, suggesting a cooperative binding mechanism. Ligand binding is also dependent on the acidic cluster and Ca2+ ions whose depletion appears to affect ligand binding at least by modulating the electrostatic potential or relative domain orientation. We propose that the SRCR domain dimerization can contribute to the recognition of large ligands by providing a means for the MARCO receptor oligomerization.
Through-wall tracking of moving persons by UWB sensor network

The main emphasis of our paper is put on solving of the problem arising when the nodes of ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor network track people through the walls with dissimilar parameters. In such a case, the target coordinates estimated by particular nodes do not fit together and can appear for a fusion centre as different targets. A practical solution consists in application of the low-complex method for wall parameter estimation and its effective utilization for compensation of the wall effect. The experimental results achieved with the methods outlined in the paper confirm the elimination of the false tracks as well as increasing of the localization precision.
Interstitial telomeres are hotspots for illegitimate recombination with DNA molecules injected into the macronucleus of Paramecium primaurelia.

DNA molecules injected into the macronucleus of Paramecium primaurelia replicate either as free linear telomerized or chromosome integrated molecules. In the present study we show that when a 1.77 kb BamHI DNA fragment harbouring the his3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was microinjected into the macronucleus, a fraction of the molecules are integrated into the chromosome via an illegitimate recombination process. The injected molecules were mostly inserted at their extremities at multiple points in the genome by replacing the Paramecium sequences. However, insertion sites were not totally at random. Roughly 30% of the molecules were integrated next to or in telomeric repeats. These telomeric repeats were not at the extremities of chromosomes but occupy an internal or interstitial position. We argue that such sites are hotspots for integration as the probability of random insertion near or in an interstitial telomeric site, of which there are 25–60 in a macronucleus is between 5 × 10(−4) and 3 × 10(−5).
Methodology for Wide Band-Gap Device Dynamic Characterization

The double pulse test (DPT) is a widely accepted method to evaluate the dynamic behavior of power devices. Considering the high switching-speed capability of wide band-gap devices, the test results are very sensitive to the alignment of voltage and current (V–I) measurements. Also, because of the shoot-through current induced by Cdv/dt (i.e., cross-talk), the switching losses of the nonoperating switch device in a phase-leg must be considered in addition to the operating device. This paper summarizes the key issues of the DPT, including components and layout design, measurement considerations, grounding effects, and data processing. Additionally, a practical method is proposed for phase-leg switching loss evaluation by calculating the difference between the input energy supplied by a dc capacitor and the output energy stored in a load inductor. Based on a phase-leg power module built with 1200-V/50-A SiC MOSFETs, the test results show that this method can accurately evaluate the switching loss of both the upper and lower switches by detecting only one switching current and voltage, and it is immune to V–I timing misalignment errors.
Agglomeration and innovation of knowledge intensive business services

ABSTRACT For some time now, the research focusing on Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) has been very active. Observing that knowledge as a production factor is only becoming more and more pronounced, this focus is well-grounded. It is therefore important to examine how these knowledge-hubs gain and propagate their knowledge. We hypothesize that KIBS (as many other sectors) benefit from intra-industry knowledge spillovers facilitated by geographical concentration. Our focus is the innovative capacity of KIBS, which we measure through trademarks registered by KIBS firms. While there may be several mechanisms facilitating knowledge spillovers, we can identify local intra-sectoral labor mobility as one. Accessibility measures are used to assess the geographical attenuation of the spillover effects. Results show that the distance decay of spillovers is fast. Only local concentrations of KIBS seem to be of importance. Over longer distances, we instead observe negative consequences for trademarking, indicating possible spatial competition effects.
prdm1a Regulates sox10 and islet1 in the development of neural crest and Rohon‐Beard sensory neurons

The PR domain containing 1a, with ZNF domain factor, gene (prdm1a) plays an integral role in the development of a number of different cell types during vertebrate embryogenesis, including neural crest cells, Rohon‐Beard (RB) sensory neurons and the cranial neural crest‐derived craniofacial skeletal elements. To better understand how Prdm1a regulates the development of various cell types in zebrafish, we performed a microarray analysis comparing wild type and prdm1a mutant embryos and identified a number of genes with altered expression in the absence of prdm1a. Rescue analysis determined that two of these, sox10 and islet1, lie downstream of Prdm1a in the development of neural crest cells and RB neurons, respectively. In addition, we identified a number of other novel downstream targets of Prdm1a that may be important for the development of diverse tissues during zebrafish embryogenesis. genesis 48:656–666, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Occupational Hazards and Coping Strategies of Sex Workers in Southwestern Nigeria

The researcher investigated occupational hazards of sex work and determined coping strategies adopted by female sex workers in Nigeria. Participants were 112 female sex workers selected from three urban towns in southwestern Nigeria. An instrument titled “Questionnaire on Sex Work” adapted from Akinnawo (1995) was administered to collect information on factors influencing the growth of the sex industry, occupational hazards in the industry, and coping mechanisms adopted by sex workers. It was found that the majority of sex workers joined the profession for socioeconomic reasons. Reported occupational hazards include poor health, risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), police harassment, and loss of social prestige.
Precise Manipulation of the Clostridium difficile Chromosome Reveals a Lack of Association between the tcdC Genotype and Toxin Production

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile causes a potentially fatal diarrheal disease through the production of its principal virulence factors, toxin A and toxin B. The tcdC gene is thought to encode a negative regulator of toxin production. Therefore, increased toxin production, and hence increased virulence, is often inferred in strains with an aberrant tcdC genotype. This report describes the first allele exchange system for precise genetic manipulation of C. difficile, using the codA gene of Escherichia coli as a heterologous counterselection marker. It was used to systematically restore the Δ117 frameshift mutation and the 18-nucleotide deletion that occur naturally in the tcdC gene of C. difficile R20291 (PCR ribotype 027). In addition, the naturally intact tcdC gene of C. difficile 630 (PCR ribotype 012) was deleted and then subsequently restored with a silent nucleotide substitution, or “watermark,” so the resulting strain was distinguishable from the wild type. Intriguingly, there was no association between the tcdC genotype and toxin production in either C. difficile R20291 or C. difficile 630. Therefore, an aberrant tcdC genotype does not provide a broadly applicable rationale for the perceived notion that PCR ribotype 027 strains are “high-level” toxin producers. This may well explain why several studies have reported that an aberrant tcdC gene does not predict increased toxin production or, indeed, increased virulence.
An Experimental Test of Matrix Permeability and Corridor Use by an Endemic Understory Bird

Abstract: Because of widespread habitat fragmentation, maintenance of landscape connectivity has become a major focus of conservation planning, but empirical tests of animal movement in fragmented landscapes remain scarce. We conducted a translocation experiment to test the relative permeability of three landscape elements (open habitat, shrubby secondary vegetation, and wooded corridors) to movement by the Chucao Tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula), a forest understory bird endemic to South American temperate rainforest. Forty‐one radio‐tagged subjects were translocated (individually) to three landscape treatments consisting of small release patches that were either entirely surrounded by open habitat (pasture), entirely surrounded by dense shrubs, or linked to other patches by wooded corridors that were otherwise surrounded by open matrix. The number of days subjects remained in release patches before dispersal (a measure of habitat resistance) was significantly longer for patches surrounded by open habitat than for patches adjoining corridors or surrounded by dense shrubs. These results indicate that open habitat significantly constrains Chucao dispersal, in accord with expectation, but dispersal occurs equally well through wooded corridors and shrub‐dominated matrix. Thus, corridor protection or restoration and management of vegetation in the matrix (to encourage animal movement) may be equally feasible alternatives for maintaining connectivity.
Structure reconstruction for linear network systems with dynamical structure functions

The state-space model for linear network systems which represents the structure information, in general, cannot be recovered from the dynamical input-output data, since typically the realization problem does not have a unique solution. Dynamical structure functions have been introduced to represent the structural information only between the measurements. Even though, it has shown that for a given network composed of p measured individuals, in order to completely recover the relationships between the measurements, p experiments with each experiment independently controlling a measured individual must be performed. This paper will investigate the structure reconstruction for a kind of linear networks, in which all states are measurable, but only partial states can be directly controlled by external inputs. Therefore, the network structure cannot be inferred directly by making use of the dynamical structure function. A new algorithm is proposed, in which the relations between the nodes with input are obtained from the dynamical structure function; and then, the influences from the nodes with control input to the nodes without are deduced; and finally, a convex optimization algorithm with a sparsity assumption is used to infer the full structure information.
Targeting human prostatic carcinoma through basic fibroblast growth factor receptors in an animal model: Characterizing and circumventing mechanisms of tumor resistance

Basic fibroblast growth factor receptors on DU145 human prostatic carcinoma xenografts serve as targets for the delivery of a growth factor‐toxin chimera, basic fibroblast growth factor‐saporin (bFGF‐SAP), which produces significant antitumor activity in a nude mouse model. However, DU145 tumors often become resistant to prolonged treatment.
Platelet Activation Test in Unprocessed Blood (Pac-t-UB) to Monitor Platelet Concentrates and Whole Blood of Thrombocytopenic Patients

Background: Platelet concentrate transfusion is the standard treatment for hemato-oncology patients to compensate for thrombocytopenia. We have developed a novel platelet activation test in anticoagulated unprocessed blood (pac-t-UB) to determine platelet function in platelet concentrates and in blood of thrombocytopenic patients. Methods: We have measured platelet activity in a platelet concentrate and in anticoagulated unprocessed blood of a post-transfusion thrombocytopenic patient. Results: Our data show time-dependent platelet activation by GPVI agonist (collagen related peptide; CRP), PAR-1 agonist (SFLLRN), P2Y12 agonist (ADP), and thromboxane receptor agonist (U46619) in a platelet concentrate. Furthermore, pac-t-UB showed time-dependent platelet activation in unprocessed blood of a post-transfusion patient with thrombocytopenia. Testing platelet function by different agonists in relation to storage show that 3-day-old platelet concentrates are still reactive to the studied agonists. This reactivity rapidly drops for each agonists during longer storage. Discussion: Pac-t-UB is a novel tool to estimate platelet function by different agonists in platelet concentrates and in unprocessed blood of thrombocytopenic patients. In the near future, we will validate whether pac-t-UB is an adequate test to monitor the quality of platelet concentrates and whether pac-t-UB predicts the bleeding risk of transfused thrombocytopenic patients.
Childhood Poverty and Blood Pressure Reactivity to and Recovery From an Acute Stressor in Late Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Family Conflict

Objective Childhood deprivation is inimical to health throughout the life course. Early experiences of stress could play a role in health inequalities. An important aspect of childhood poverty that has not received much attention is cardiovascular reactivity to and recovery from acute stressors. Methods Piecewise, multilevel growth curve regression was used to examine blood pressure reactivity to and recovery from a mental arithmetic task among late adolescents (mean [standard deviation] = 17.3 [1.0] years, n = 185) as a function of early childhood poverty (9 years). We also tested whether exposure to family conflict at age 13 years mediated expected linkages between childhood poverty and adolescent blood pressure reactivity and recovery to an acute stressor. Results Blood pressure reactivity was unaffected by household income during childhood, but late adolescents with lower household income during childhood showed slower systolic (b = −0.29, p = .004) and diastolic (b = −0.19, p = .002) recovery. These results include age and sex as statistical covariates. The significant poverty impact on systolic but not on diastolic blood pressure recovery was mediated by exposure to family conflict (95% confidence interval = − 0.1400 to − 0.0012). Conclusions We show that late adolescents who grew up in poverty have delayed blood pressure recovery from an acute stressor. Furthermore, childhood exposure to family conflict, a well-documented component of early childhood deprivation, accounted for some of the adverse effects of childhood poverty on stressor recovery among these adolescents. We discuss the importance of considering physiological stress accompanying early experiences of deprivation in thinking about health inequalities.
The EnVision++ system: a new immunohistochemical method for diagnostics and research. Critical comparison with the APAAP, ChemMate, CSA, LABC, and SABC techniques.

AIM: To assess a newly developed immunohistochemical detection system, the EnVision++. METHODS: A large series of differently processed normal and pathological samples and 53 relevant monoclonal antibodies were chosen. A chessboard titration assay was used to compare the results provided by the EnVision++ system with those of the APAAP, CSA, LSAB, SABC, and ChemMate methods, when applied either manually or in a TechMate 500 immunostainer. RESULTS: With the vast majority of the antibodies, EnVision++ allowed two- to fivefold higher dilutions than the APAAP, LSAB, SABC, and ChemMate techniques, the staining intensity and percentage of expected positive cells being the same. With some critical antibodies (such as the anti-CD5), it turned out to be superior in that it achieved consistently reproducible results with differently fixed or overfixed samples. Only the CSA method, which includes tyramide based enhancement, allowed the same dilutions as the EnVision++ system, and in one instance (with the anti-cyclin D1 antibody) represented the gold standard. CONCLUSIONS: The EnVision++ is an easy to use system, which avoids the possibility of disturbing endogenous biotin and lowers the cost per test by increasing the dilutions of the primary antibodies. Being a two step procedure, it reduces both the assay time and the workload.
Unbiased vs. biased approaches to the identification of cancer signatures: the case of lung cancer

Expression profiling analysis of human cancers is a promising approach to obtain precise molecular classification of cancers, to develop stratification tools for therapeutic regimens, and to predict the biological behavior of neoplasia. Direct profiling of human cancers (herein defined as “the unbiased approach”) presents, however, intrinsic problems connected with the high genetic noise embedded in the system. This, in turn, leads to fitting of the noise in the data (the so-called “overtraining”) with consequent instability of the identified signatures, when applied on different cohorts of patients. To circumvent these problems, “biased approaches” - which exploit the molecular knowledge of cancer obtained in model systems - are being developed. Biased approaches, however, are not problem-free, in that they provide information limited to single oncogenic events, thereby failing, at least in principle, to capture the complex repertoire of alterations of human cancers. In this review, we compare the two approaches and provide a test case, from our studies, of how “integrated” strategies, which combine biased and unbiased approaches, might lead to the identification of stable and reliable predictive signatures in cancer.