Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantification of Murine IFN‐γ mRNA and Protein Expression: Impact of Real‐Time Kinetic RT–PCR Using SYBR Green I Dye

Reliable quantification of cytokine mRNA expression is an important technique for analyzing immune responses. Up until now, little to no information has been available as to whether different mRNA quantification techniques lead to similar results. Recently, real time quantitative reverse transcriptase (RT)‐PCR using SYBR® Green I as a double stranded DNA specific dye has been introduced. This novel method enables simple and rapid measurement of PCR product accumulation during the log‐linear reaction phase and obviates the need for expensive hybridization probes. Here, we analyzed murine gamma interferon (IFN)‐γ mRNA expression in splenocytes by this technique in comparison to semiquantitative noncompetitive RT–PCR, Northern blot analysis, and ELISA after stimulation of the cells with interleukin (IL)‐12, IL‐18 and a combination of both cytokines. The results clearly show that all of the techniques detect differences in the IFN‐γ gene expression induced by these distinctive stimuli qualitatively exactly in the same order. However, real‐time kinetic RT–PCR offers several advantages, notably its high sensitivity that allows the detection of basal IFN‐γ mRNA expression in unstimulated samples. In addition it provides the lowest interassay variability of all techniques investigated. Finally, the gene expression measured by this method eliminates any post‐PCR manipulations because the PCR product identification can be easily performed by melting curve analysis.
A comparative study of assessment methods for medical image quality

Image reconstruction plays an important role in medical imaging technology, the quality of reconstructed image will directly affect the results of clinical diagnosis. How to assess the quality of the image is an attractive research topic. In this paper, a comparative study of quality assessment for medical image with seven common algorithms was presented, the images were reconstructed from the result of the GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission) simulation of PET/CT imaging, then the algorithms are used to assess the reconstructed image. The results of comparative experiment show that the algorithms have their individual characteristics to assess image quality, appropriate method or a comprehensive method should be selected for the assessment of reconstructed medical image depending on clinical practice.
The Role of Synaptopodin in Membrane Protein Diffusion in the Dendritic Spine Neck

The dynamic exchange of neurotransmitter receptors at synapses relies on their lateral diffusion in the plasma membrane. At synapses located on dendritic spines this process is limited by the geometry of the spine neck that restricts the passage of membrane proteins. Biochemical compartmentalisation of the spine is believed to underlie the input-specificity of excitatory synapses and to set the scale on which functional changes can occur. Synaptopodin is located predominantly in the neck of dendritic spines, and is thus ideally placed to regulate the exchange of synaptic membrane proteins. The central aim of our study was to assess whether the presence of synaptopodin influences the mobility of membrane proteins in the spine neck and to characterise whether this was due to direct molecular interactions or to spatial constraints that are related to the structural organisation of the neck. Using single particle tracking we have identified a specific effect of synaptopodin on the diffusion of metabotropic mGluR5 receptors in the spine neck. However, super-resolution STORM/PALM imaging showed that this was not due to direct interactions between the two proteins, but that the presence of synaptopodin is associated with an altered local organisation of the F-actin cytoskeleton, that in turn could restrict the diffusion of membrane proteins with large intracellular domains through the spine neck. This study contributes new data on the way in which the spine neck compartmentalises excitatory synapses. Our data complement models that consider the impact of the spine neck as a function of its shape, by showing that the internal organisation of the neck imposes additional physical barriers to membrane protein diffusion.
Basophil and eosinophil accumulation and mast cell degranulation in the nasal mucosa of patients with hay fever after local allergen provocation.

BACKGROUND Basophils and mast cells have certain similarities and are believed to be important in upper and lower respiratory allergy. OBJECTIVE We sought to apply immunohistology to investigate the distribution and numbers of mast cells and basophils in the nasal mucosa after allergen provocation. METHODS Allergen challenge with grass pollen was performed in 9 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis out of the hay fever season. Nasal biopsy specimens were taken before and approximately 1 hour, 24 hours, and 1 week after intranasal allergen provocation. We determined relative numbers and their phenotypic characteristics by using mAbs specific for tryptase, chymase, IgE, eosinophils (BMK-13), and a new mAb against basophils (BB1) by using immunohistochemistry in frozen sections. RESULTS In the nasal mucosa at baseline, practically no basophils were found in the epithelium. A significant increase in numbers was found in the epithelium and lamina propria of the nasal mucosa in the early phase as early as 1 hour after allergen provocation. At 24 hours and 1 week after allergen provocation, a significant increase in basophil numbers was found in the lamina propria only. The proportion of mast cells staining for chymase in the lamina propria decreased from a median of 38% (range, 0%-82%) to 14% (range, 0%-78%) within 1 hour of allergen provocation. The proportion of mast cells staining for chymase increased from 1% (range, 0%-86%) at baseline to 21% (range, 3%-85%) within 1 hour of allergen provocation. One week after provocation, mast cells returned to baseline numbers. A definite tissue eosinophilia was observed after allergen provocation. CONCLUSION Basophil numbers are increased in the epithelium and lamina propria of the nasal mucosa of subjects with rhinitis after allergen challenge, with influx already apparent at 1 hour. Moreover, changes in mast cell percentages and numbers were observed within 1 hour of allergen provocation.
Cell Wall Assembly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

SUMMARY An extracellular matrix composed of a layered meshwork of β-glucans, chitin, and mannoproteins encapsulates cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This organelle determines cellular morphology and plays a critical role in maintaining cell integrity during cell growth and division, under stress conditions, upon cell fusion in mating, and in the durable ascospore cell wall. Here we assess recent progress in understanding the molecular biology and biochemistry of cell wall synthesis and its remodeling in S. cerevisiae. We then review the regulatory dynamics of cell wall assembly, an area where functional genomics offers new insights into the integration of cell wall growth and morphogenesis with a polarized secretory system that is under cell cycle and cell type program controls.
Two-dimensional Beam Selection for Multi-user Massive MIMO System Based on Multi-armed Bandit Algorithm

A massive Multiple-input Multiple-output (MIMO) system for multiple users is important to achieve large capacity for future wireless communications. As the number of beams and users increases, appropriate beam selection becomes difficult because of a large number of searches. In this paper, we propose a simple 2-dimensional beam selection method using the information of the received power for multi-user massive MIMO systems and formulate the 2-dimensional beam selection method with the e-greedy method. The objective is to improve the system performance by independently selecting the beam that maximizes the received power of each user terminal. By the numerical analysis, the validity of the proposed method is confirmed and the relationship between the search rate and the achieved received power is clarified.
The effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids on serum concentrations of C-reactive protein: a dose–response study

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker for low-grade inflammation. Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect on serum levels of CRP of n-3 PUFA at two different doses. We also investigated correlations between CRP and the cellular contents of PUFA. Sixty healthy volunteers (twenty-five women and thirty-five men) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups in a double-blind design. The subjects received a supplement of either 6·6 g n-3 PUFA/d, 2·0 g n-3 PUFA/d or placebo (olive oil) for 12 weeks. CRP was measured using a highly sensitive assay. The median serum CRP concentration was 0·78 mg/l. No significant correlations were found between CRP and the content of n-3 PUFA in granulocytes or platelets. Subjects receiving n-3 PUFA had a significant (P<0·01) increase in the cellular contents of 20: 5n-3, 22: 5n-3 and 22: 6n-3, with the largest increase occurring in the group receiving 6·6 g PUFA/d. A significant (P<0·01) decrease in cellular content of 18: 2n-6 and 20: 4n-6 was observed simultaneously. Serum CRP concentrations, however, were unaffected by the PUFA-containing supplements. The present study shows that dietary supplementation with PUFA-containing supplements has no effect on serum concentrations of CRP, measured with a highly sensitive assay, in healthy subjects.
Innovating at Cultural Crossroads: How Multicultural Social Networks Promote Idea Flow and Creativity

Diversity in social networks is often linked to enhanced creativity. Emerging research on exposure to diverse informational resources (e.g., ideas and knowledge), however, has painted a more complex picture regarding its effect on individuals’ creative performance. This research examines the effects of culturally diverse networks on the flow of ideas and individuals’ creativity. Combining social network analysis with experimental methods, two studies using different samples found that a culturally diverse network increases the likelihood of receiving culture-related novel ideas (but not other types of novel ideas) from network contacts, whether or not these contacts share one’s own culture of origin. Additionally, the creativity effect of network diversity depends on the type of tasks. Networks’ degree of cultural diversity increases creativity on tasks that draw on varied cultural-knowledge resources but not on other types of tasks. These findings highlight that network diversity provides access to specific forms of knowledge and has a domain-specific effect on creativity. Theoretical and practical implications for creativity and social network research are discussed.
Left brain, right brain : perspectives from cognitive neuroscience

Introduction - left brain, right brain and the new sciences of the mind the discovery of asymmetry - clues from the clinic exploring asymmetry in the normal brain handedness, sex, and the brain from the clinic to the laboratory - intergrating neuropsychology and neuroscience the evolution and development of asymmetry pathology and asymmetry hypotheses and speculation - beyond the data postscript - cerebral asymmetry as a continuing theme in the study of the brain.
A Multi-start Local Search Scheduler for an Energy-aware Cloud Manager

The field of cloud computing uses different management techniques for data center virtualization such as OpenNebula. However, computers composing the cloud infrastructure use a significant and growing portion of energy in the world specifically when dealing with virtualization for high performance computing (HPC). Therefore, energy-aware computing is crucial for large-scale systems that consume considerable amount of energy. In this paper, we present a new work that aims to deal with the energy consumption within a realistic cloud infrastructure using OpenNebula as a software management solution. Our scheduler is based on a multi-start local search heuristic that helps to find the best scheduling by dispatching the arriving of virtual machines (VM) according to the minimum energy consumption.
Sustainable Tourism as Emergent Discourse

Paradoxical images and understandings inherent in sustainable tourism discourses are identified as relating to two undergirding incongruities where (1) humans and the environment are seen as discrete entities and inherently interrelated, and where (2) humans and the environment are viewed as evolving over time, and as static and unchanging. To resolve these tensions, it is suggested that rather than taking an essentialist perspective, it is more useful to treat sustainable tourism as an aspiring evolving discourse. Recognition of human complicity in discourse construction is proposed as necessary for fostering greater circumspection: thoughtful attention to the circumstances that reciprocally give rise to our own evolving consciousness and existential circumstances.
Inclusive Education Ideal at the Negotiating Table: Accounts of Educational Possibilities for Disabled Children Within Inter‐Disciplinary Team Meetings

The debate about whether to include all kinds of students in the general education classrooms is a current topic in the European and Scandinavian educational policy. This paper comes to grips with this topic by focusing on the process through which professionals define educational possibilities and risks for one group of children considered as special needs children. The study is based on the transcripts of four Finnish interdisciplinary team meetings in which professionals and parents negotiate for the school choices of preschool‐aged children with cochlear implants. Analysis of the data is based on the principles of qualitative discourse analytical methods of conversation. Results show that despite the presence of an inclusive ideal in the meetings, the realisation of the ideal cannot be fulfilled when an appeal is made to limitations in resources in general education or when referring to the lack of skills, fundamental differences or vulnerable personalities of particular children.
Embodiment: Embodying Feminist Rhetorics

To think about rhetoric, we must think about bodies. To do this means also to articulate how scholars’ own bodies have intimately informed our disciplinary understanding of rhetoric. The links between embodiment and rhetoric consistently appear in both discourses about bodies and research emphasizing the material body itself. Scholars of rhetoric, particularly those in feminist rhetorics, have worked to reveal the inequitable distributions of power across groups. We echo these scholars’ concerns about the ways women and their bodies have been obscured in conventional scholarship. We also suggest there is more work to do: by recognizing the inherent relationship between embodiment and rhetoric, we can make all bodies and the power dynamics invested in their (in)visibility visible, thereby strengthening the commitment to feminist rhetorical work. One approach is to cultivate an even more expansive view of embodied rhetorics, one that supports our discipline’s movement beyond seeing the body in binary terms as either objectified or subjectified. Granted, feminist rhetorics has recognized embodiment by connecting areas like labor, literacies, cultural practices, and the bodies who regulate/are regulated by such. But what if we could recontextualize bodies and experience the physical body as an entity with its own rhetorical agency? This re-vision can provide insights, experiences, and questions into areas like ethics, community, pedagogy, and meaning-making. In order to experience the physical body’s rhetorical power, we start here: the physical body carries meaning through discourse about or by a body. But embodiment theories suggest that meaning can be articulated beyond language. All bodies do rhetoric through texture, shape, color, consistency, movement, and function. Embodiment encourages a methodological approach that addresses the reflexive acknowledgement of the researcher from feminist traditions and conveys an awareness or consciousness about how bodies—our own and others’—figure in our work. Just as considerations of our positions as researchers are critical to understanding our individual and collective commitments to arguments about the role of bodies and rhetoric, our bodies inform our ways of knowing. We offer some tactics for such an approach, and some Embodiment: Embodying Feminist Rhetorics
Learning DNF in time 2 Õ(n 1/3 ) .

Using techniques from learning theory, we show that any s-term DNF over n variables can be computed by a polynomial threshold function of degree O(n log s). This upper bound matches, up to a logarithmic factor, the longstanding lower bound given by Minsky and Papert in their 1968 book Perceptrons. As a consequence of this upper bound we obtain the fastest known algorithm for learning polynomial size DNF, one of the central problems in computational learning theory. Supported in part by NSF grant CCR-97-01304. Supported in part by NSF grant CCR-95-04436 and by NSF grant CCR-98-77049.
Electronic integration and strategic advantage: a quasi-experimental study in the insurance industry

Strategic advantage through information technology is a popular theme, but the extent of research support is sporadic, minimal, and unsystematic. This paper reports some preliminary results of a quasiexperimental study on the role of dedicated electronic integration (between an insurance carrier and its independent agents in the Property and Casualty market) in providing strategic benefits to this carrier. The results indicate that the agents that are electronically interfaced with the carrier report improvements in a set of four performance factors in the expected direction (six months after system installation) but statistically different from a matched set of non-interfaced agents (based on size, state, and location category) only in terms of increases in efficiency (number of policies) but not in terms of effectiveness (increase in financial performance indices). Further, within the sample of electronicallyinterfaced agents, over a one-year period after integration, the differential performance positions continue for this factor, raising the possibility of learning effects. Some explanations, extensions and research implications are outlined.
Hats, auctions and derandomization

We investigate derandomizations of digital good randomized auctions. We propose a general derandomization method which can be used to show that for every random auction there exists a deterministic auction having asymptotically the same revenue. In addition, we construct an explicit optimal deterministic auction for bi‐valued auctions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 46, 478–493, 2015
Analysis of Modified Buck Boost Converter fed DC Motor drive

Power Electronic Converters have plenty of applications after the invention of Switched Mode Power Supplies. The Prominent Converters are Buck Converter, Boost Converter and Buck-Boost Converter. The Buck Boost Converter includes the advantages of Buck and the Boost Converter individually. This Paper Proposes a Single-Phase AC-AC buck boost Converter with Multiplier Stage to improve low input Voltage to a Higher Output Voltage. The Modified Buck-Boost Converter is simulated both in open loop and Closed loop System. The time domain Specifications are measured with PI Controller and Fuzzy Logic Controllers. The Steady state Error drastically decreases when the Converter is simulated with a Fuzzy Logic Controller. The Software analysis is done using MATLAB Simulink.
Can greater uncertainty hasten investment

This paper examines irreversible investment in a project with uncertain returns, when there is an advantage to being the first to invest and externalities to investing when others also do so. We show that in a duopoly, greater uncertainty can actually hasten rather than delay investment, contrary to the usual outcome, due its effect on the equilibrium of the timing game between the players. In the presence of positive externalities, greater uncertainty can raise the leader's value more than the follower's; pre-emption then entails that the leader must act sooner. A switch in the pattern of equilibrium investment as uncertainty increases is also possible, which may hasten investment. These findings reinforce the importance of extending real options analysis to include strategic interactions and externalities between players.
Beyond \genetic Programming": Incremental Self-improvement

Back in 1986, Dickmanns, Winklhofer, and the author used a genetic algorithm to evolve variable-length computer programs 4]. Today , our approach would be classiied as \Ge-netic Programming" (GP). We applied it to simple tasks, including the \lawnmower problem" (later also studied by Koza, 1994). In subsequent work (1987 | 1994), we found GP unsatisfactory for many reasons: (1) GP's way of constructing new code from old code does not improve itself: it always remains limited to the initial crossover and mutation mechanisms. (2) Like almost all other learning paradigms, GP requires concepts that are unrealistic in real world applications , such as \resettable environments and exactly repeatable trials". In general, however , realistic environments cannot be reset { time is one-way, and there is only one single lifelong training sequence. (3) Like almost all other learning paradigms, GP's objective function does not take into account the computation time required for learning itself. To go beyond GP and similar paradigms, this paper introduces the \incremental self-improvement paradigm". Unlike previous methods, incremental self-improvement encourages a reinforcement learning system to improve the way it learns, and to improve the way it improves the way it learns, etc. Incre-mental self-improvement's theoretical basis is sound. A particular implementation based on the novel paradigm is presented. It is designed to exploit what conventional digital machines are good at: fast storage addressing , arithmetic operations etc. Experiments illustrate the system's mode of operation. 1 Previous Work / Outline Standard GP's way of constructing new code from old code does not improve itself: it always remains limited to the initial crossover and mutation mechanisms 12, 22, 7, 6, 8] introduced by the programmer. This paper is about embedding the mechanism for constructing new code within the learning system itself, and making it accessible to self-manipulation. In what follows, I will rst brieey describe my previous work on this subject, some problems with previous work, and the train of thought leading to this paper. Then I will present a novel way for dealing with \meta-learning" in a way that is theoretically sound. Meta-evolution. My rst attempts to come up with schemes for \true" 1 self-referential learning based on universal languages date back to 1986. They were partly inspired by a collaboration with Dickmanns and Winklhofer (1986). We used a genetic algorithm (GA) to evolve variable length programs for solving simple tasks (the system was implemented in Prolog). Today …