Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Discovery The Antidiabetic DrugMetformin Inhibits Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo

Recent studies suggest that metformin, which is commonly used as an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent of the biguanide family, may reduce cancer risk and improve prognosis, but the mechanisms by which metformin affects various cancers, including gastric cancer, remains unknown. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of metformin on human gastric cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo and to study microRNAs (miRNA) associated with antitumor effect of metformin. We used MKN1, MKN45, and MKN74 human gastric cancer cell lines to study the effects of metformin on human gastric cancer cells. Athymic nude mice bearing xenograft tumors were treated with or without metformin. Tumor growth was recorded after 4 weeks, and the expressionof cell-cycle-relatedproteinswasdetermined. In addition,weusedmiRNAarray tips to explore the differences among miRNAs in MKN74 cells bearing xenograft tumors treated with or without metformin in vitro and in vivo. Metformin inhibited the proliferation of MKN1, MKN45, and MKN74 in vitro. Metformin blocked the cell cycle in G0–G1 in vitro and in vivo. This blockade was accompanied by a strong decrease of G1 cyclins, especially in cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 4, Cdk6 and by a decrease in retinoblastoma protein (Rb) phosphorylation. In addition, metformin reduced the phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in vitro and in vivo. ThemiRNA expression was markedly altered with the treatment of metformin in vitro and in vivo. Various miRNAs altered by metformin alsomay contribute to tumor growth in vitro and in vivo.MolCancer Ther; 11(3); 549–60. 2012AACR.
Quest for a universal density functional: the accuracy of density functionals across a broad spectrum of databases in chemistry and physics

Kohn–Sham density functional theory is in principle an exact formulation of quantum mechanical electronic structure theory, but in practice we have to rely on approximate exchange–correlation (xc) functionals. The objective of our work has been to design an xc functional with broad accuracy across as wide an expanse of chemistry and physics as possible, leading—as a long-range goal—to a functional with good accuracy for all problems, i.e. a universal functional. To guide our path towards that goal and to measure our progress, we have developed—building on earlier work of our group—a set of databases of reference data for a variety of energetic and structural properties in chemistry and physics. These databases include energies of molecular processes, such as atomization, complexation, proton addition and ionization; they also include molecular geometries and solid-state lattice constants, chemical reaction barrier heights, and cohesive energies and band gaps of solids. For this paper, we gather many of these databases into four comprehensive databases, two with 384 energetic data for chemistry and solid-state physics and another two with 68 structural data for chemistry and solid-state physics, and we test two wave function methods and 77 density functionals (12 Minnesota meta functionals and 65 others) in a consistent way across this same broad set of data. We especially highlight the Minnesota density functionals, but the results have broader implications in that one may see the successes and failures of many kinds of density functionals when they are all applied to the same data. Therefore, the results provide a status report on the quest for a universal functional.
Room-Temperature Growth and Applications of Carbon Nanofibers: A Review

Ar+ ion bombardment of carbon surfaces (both bulk carbon and carbon-coated substrates) induced the growth of conical protrusions, and either aligned or nonaligned carbon nanofibers (CNFs) grew on the tips without any catalyst even at room temperature. CNFs thus grown were 20 ~ 50 nm in diameter and 0.2~10 mum in length. Very interestingly, no CNF grew without cone bases, and more than one CNF never grew on the respective cone tips. The solely standing and densely distributed CNFs were successfully applied to CNF-based scanning probe microscope (SPM) tips and field electron emission (FEE) sources, respectively. Since the myriad applications are possible, sputter-induced CNFs are believed to be quite promising as one-dimensional nanomaterials
A Logic for Reasoning About Game Strategies

This paper introduces a modal logic for reasoning about game strategies. The logic is based on a variant of the well-known game description language for describing game rules and further extends it with two modalities for reasoning about actions and strategies. We develop an axiomatic system and prove its soundness and completeness with respect to a specific semantics based on the state transition model of games. Interestingly, the completeness proof makes use of forgetting techniques that have been widely used in the KR&R literature. We demonstrate how general game-playing systems can apply the logic to develop game strategies.
Structured planning: deriving project views

Structured planning draws on the systems modelling approach of structured analysis and applies those ideas to project planning: the traditional elements of a project plan, the work breakdown structure and PERT diagram, are replaced by a levelled work Bow diagram and a deliverable dictionary. A technique for providing flexible summaries of the new project model, viewing,has been defined to assist with project tracking and control. This paper develops a formal definition of work flow diagrams and the technique of viewing in order to lay a theoretical foundation for structured planning, such that a complete set of operations to build and edit a levelled work flow diagram and deliverable dictionary can be specified and implemented in an automated project management tool.
Effects of Hypertrophy Exercise in Bone Turnover Markers and Structure in Growing Male Rats

Abstract The benefits of exercise on bone density, structure and turnover markers are rather controversial. The present study aimed to examine the effects of hypertrophy exercise (HE) on bone. 20 male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in 2 experimental groups, one performing HE and the other untrained over 12 weeks. Plasma parameters, bone mineral content, bone mineral density (BMD), structure, and trabecular and cortical microarchitecture were measured. Femur Mg content was 12% higher (p<0.001), whereas femur length, dry weight, P content, and aminoterminal propeptides of type I procollagen were lower in the HE group (all, p<0.05). Total BMD and cortical/subcortical BMD were higher (both, p<0.01), whereas total cross-sectional and trabecular areas were lower (both, p<0.001), and cortical area and thickness were lower in the HE (both, p<0.05). Trabecular connectivity density, number, mean density of total and bone volume were higher in the HE (all, p<0.05). Cortical volume fraction and the mean density of total volume of the diaphysis were lower, whereas the cortical volume density was higher in the HE (all, p<0.05). This HE protocol may have beneficial effect on cancellous bone microarchitecture, but it induces low bone formation and is associated with hypogonadism in growing male rats. However, this type of training might be inefficient to maintain appropriate cortical thickness.
Meet Charles, big data query advisor

In scientific data management and business analytics, the most informative queries are a holy grail. Data collection becomes increasingly simpler, yet data exploration gets significantly harder. Exploratory querying is likely to return an empty or an overwhelming result set. On the other hand, data mining algorithms require extensive preparation, ample time and do not scale well. In this paper, we address this challenge at its core, i.e., how to query the query space associated with a given database. The space considered is formed by conjunctive predicates. To express them, we introduce the Segmentation Description Language (SDL). The user provides a query. Charles, our query advisory system, breaks its extent into meaningful segments and returns the subsequent SDL descriptions. This provides insight into the set described and offers the user directions for further exploration. We introduce a novel algorithm to generate SDL answers. We evaluate them using four orthogonal criteria: homogeneity, simplicity, breadth, and entropy. A prototype implementation has been constructed and the landscape of follow-up research is sketched.
Aberrant kinetics of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells in the murine oxygen-induced retinopathy model.

PURPOSE Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) causes serious blindness because of the vasculopathy that results from the abnormal oxygen dynamics. However, the systemic kinetics of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM-derived EPCs) during the "postnatal vasculogenesis " of ROP has yet to be elucidated. Thus, the authors investigated the kinetics of BM-derived EPCs using a murine oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. METHODS OIR was induced in C57BL/6J mice by continual aeration with 75% oxygen from postnatal day (P) 7 to P12 that afterward returned to normal room air. RESULTS The frequency of circulating EPCs (Sca-1(+)/c-Kit(+) cells in blood) in an OIR model estimated by FACS decreased immediately after the hyperoxic phase (P12) and then increased at the hypoxic phase (P17) compared with control. Further, EPC colony-forming assay of BM-Lin(-)/Sca-1(+) (BM-LS) cells exhibited a conversion from the predominant primitive EPC colony production at P12 to the definitive EPC colony at P17. In the OIR retinas of BM-transplanted mice with BM-LS cells of EGFP transgenic mice, there was less incorporation of GFP(+) cells into vascular structures at P12, whereas there was a drastic recruitment into the "tufts " and for the intact vasculature at P17. Moreover, the definitive EPC colony cells intravitreally injected into OIR significantly abrogated pathologic versus primitive vascular growth. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings propose that the deviation of functional bioactivities of BM-derived EPCs contributing to intact vascular development under the abnormal oxygen dynamics may provide important mechanistic insight into pathologic vascular development in ROP.
Comparison of Four Methods for Estimating Total Light Interception by Apple Trees of Varying Forms

Four methods of estimating daily light interception (fisheye photography with image analysis, multiple-light sensors, ceptometer, and point grid) were compared using various apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) free forms: slender spindle, Y- and T-trellises, and vertical palmette. Interactions of tree form, time of day, and atmospheric conditions with light interception estimates were examined. All methods were highly correlated to each other (r 2 >0.92) for estimated daily mean percent total light interception by the various tree forms, except that the point grid method values were slightly lower. Interactions were found among tree form, time of day, and diffuse/direct radiation balance on estimated light interception, suggesting that several readings over the day are needed under clear skies, especially in upright canopies. The similar results obtained by using the point grid method (counting shaded/exposed points on a grid under the canopy) on clear days may allow rapid, simple, and inexpensive estimates of orchard light interception
Sensitivity Increase Through a Neural Network Method for LOR Recovery of ICS Triple Coincidences in High-Resolution Pixelated- Detectors PET Scanners

Scanner sensitivity is often critical in high-resolution Positron Emission Tomography (PET) dedicated to molecular imaging. In neighboring pixelated detectors with individual readout, sensitivity decreases because of multiple coincidences produced by Compton scattering. Correct analysis of those coincidences would enable a substantial sensitivity increase. However, including scattering byproducts in the image often lead to image quality degradation because of inaccurate Line-of-Response (LOR) assessment. In such scanners, to support high count rates, multiple coincidences are usually discarded when image degradation is not acceptable, or blindly accepted for a low computational burden. This paper presents a new, real-time capable method that includes Inter-Crystal Scatter (ICS) triple coincidences in the image without significant quality degradation. The method computes the LOR using a neural network fed by preprocessed raw data. As a proof of principle, this paper analyzes the simplest ICS scenario, triple coincidences where one photoelectric 511-keV event coincides with two more whose energy sum is also 511 keV. The paper visits the algorithm structure, presents Monte Carlo assessment with the LabPET model, and displays images reconstructed from real data. With an energy window of 360-660 keV and a singles energy threshold of 125 keV, the inclusion of triple coincidences yielded a sensitivity increase of 54%, a resolution degradation similar to that of other sensitivity-increasing methods, and only a slight contrast degradation for real LabPET data, with potential for numerous further improvements.
Evaluation of early reperfusion and IV tPA therapy using diffusion- and perfusion-weighted MRI

Objective: To characterize the effects of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) therapy and early reperfusion on diffusion-weighted (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) changes observed following acute ischemic injury. Methods: Twelve patients were evaluated prospectively using echo planar DWI and bolus tracking PWI. Six patients received IV rt-PA 0.9 mg/kg and were compared with six patients who did not. Patients receiving rt-PA were initially imaged (T1) 3 to 5 hours postictus (mean, 4 hours 20 minutes) whereas those not treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) were imaged 4 to 7 hours postictus (mean, 5 hours, 25 minutes). Follow-up imaging was performed 3 to 6 hours (T2), 24 to 36 hours (T3), 5 to 7 days (T4), and 30 days (T5) after the first scan in all patients. Lesion volumes were measured on both DWI and time-to-peak maps constructed from PW images. Results: PWI was performed successfully at T1 and T3 in 11 of 12 patients. In the group that received IV tPA, initial PWI volumes were less than DWI volumes in five of six patients (83%), whereas only one of five patients (20%) not receiving tPA had PWI < DWI volume (p = 0.08). PWI normalized by 24 to 36 hours (T3) in 6 of 11 patients (early reperfusers), with 5 of 6 of these early reperfusers having received tPA. The aggregate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for the early reperfusers were consistently higher at T2 (p = 0.04), T3 (p = 0.002), and T4 (p = 0.0005). Five of six patients with early reperfusion demonstrated regions of elevated ADC within the ischemic zone (mean ipsilateral ADC/contralateral ADC, 1.46 ± 0.19) by 24 to 36 hours, whereas none of the nonearly reperfusers showed these regions of elevated ADC (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Early reperfusion is seen more frequently with IV tPA therapy. In addition, the study showed that ADC may undergo early increases that are tied closely to reperfusion, and marked ADC heterogeneity may exist within the same lesion. Early reperfusion is seen more frequently with IV tPA therapy.
Performance comparison of LTE FDD and TDD based Smart Grid communications networks for uplink biased traffic

LTE is a candidate wide area communications network for the Smart Grid and can enable applications such as AMI, Demand Response and WAMS. We compare the uplink performance of the LTE FDD and TDD modes for a typical Smart Grid scenario involving a large number of devices sending small to medium size packets to understand the advantages and disadvantages of these two modes. An OPNET simulation model is employed to facilitate realistic comparisons based upon latency and channel utilization. We demonstrate that there is a critical packet size above which there is a step increase in uplink latency due to the nature of the LTE uplink resource scheduling process. It is shown that FDD leads to better uplink performance in terms of latency, while TDD can provide greater flexibility when the split between uplink and downlink data is asymmetrical (as it is expected to be in a Smart Grid environment). It is also demonstrated that the capacity of both FDD and TDD systems in terms of the number of serviced devices is control channel (PDCCH) limited for small infrequent packets, but TDD has the advantage that the capacity remains data channel (PUSCH) limited for smaller packet sizes and lower data burst rates than an FDD system.
Easy Breathe : Health-Optimal Routing in Urban Areas Semester Thesis

Air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), has very serious effects on human health. According to the World Health Organization, diseases caused by PM reduce the average live expectancy in Europe by 9 months. This is a significant number, especially considering that 80% of the European population lives in cities with levels of PM exceeding the levels considered save by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines [1]. In this project we propose a smart phone application, which enables inhabitants of the city of Zurich to choose health-optimal paths between arbitrary locations in the city. We show in this thesis that by using health optimal paths, the exposure to particulate matter can be reduced by 6.5% on average. The paths are computed using the high resolution urban air pollution maps obtained by the OpenSense project [2]. The application does not rely on server infrastructure for the computation of the optimal paths: It uses kd-tree based nearest neighbour search along with a bidirectional shortest path search using a priority queue based variant of Dijkstra’s algorithm to compute the healthoptimal paths on the limited smart phone hardware. We tested the application on a real smart phone, achieving an average computation time of 170ms for a health-optimal path.
Fast Hardware-Accelerated Volume Rendering of CT Scans

As CT scanning is a very common medical imaging method, we propose new hardware-based algorithms using GPU (Graphical Processor Unit) programming for rapid visualization. Firstly, 3D volumes are constructed from CT scans. Then volume rendering is used to display anatomical structures via algorithms founded on improved ray casting and 2D textures. Our methods achieve interactive rendering rates and require an ordinary PC with an off-the-shelf graphics card. We expect our approach to be useful to medical practitioners for handling modern, large-scale medical datasets.
Supervised training with wireless monitoring of ECG, blood pressure and oxygen-saturation in cardiac patients

We have developed a tele-rehabilitation application for training cardiac patients. It uses a modified ergometer bicycle with a set of wireless sensors. While the patient is exercising, the ECG, blood pressure and oxygen-saturation are monitored constantly and automatically. If sensor values exceed pre-defined thresholds, the patient receives an alarm. As a result the training will either be stopped or continued at a reduced load, depending on the severity of the alarm. To measure user acceptance, we introduced the system to 13 members of staff and four patients, who trained on the system every day during their stay in hospital. A total of 39 training sessions were completed. In 27% of the exercise sessions an ECG connection could not be established and in 23%, blood pressure measurement failed. However, there were no failures to measure oxygen saturation. The overall acceptance of the patient's graphical user interface (GUI) was excellent. The doctor's GUI with its functions received an overall score of 1.5 on a scale of 1 to 4 (usefulness 1.6, usability 1.3 and operability 1.6). The SAPHIRE tele-rehabilitation system operated properly and was well accepted by patients and doctors.
Pilot study of bright-light therapy reflected toward the eyes for the pruritus of chronic liver disease

ObjectiveIt is proposed that the pruritus of cholestasis is, in part, centrally mediated by endogenous opioid peptides. The expression of these peptides and their receptors on neurons displays a circadian rhythm, as does the scratching activity in patients with cholestasis and pruritus. Because light has regulatory effects on circadian rhythms via retinothalamic pathways, we hypothesized that bright-light therapy (BLT) reflected toward the eyes might alter the pruritus of cholestasis. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effect of BLT on this form of pruritus.METHODS:Eight patients with chronic liver disease of different etiologies and pruritus were studied in an open-label, pilot study of 8-wk duration. BLT (10,000 lux) was administered for up to 60 min twice a day. Pruritus was assessed subjectively by a visual analog scale from which a visual analog score (VAS) was derived, and objectively, by a scratching activity monitoring system that recorded hourly scratching activity (HSA). RESULTS:In seven of the eight patients studied, the mean HSA was lower during BLT. BLT was associated with a mean decrease in HSA of 32.2% (p = 0.123). The mean VAS for pruritus was lower in six patients during BLT; the mean VAS score derived from the eight patients studied decreased by 42% (p = 0.05) during treatment.CONCLUSIONS:The results of this short-term study suggest that the pruritus of cholestasis is responsive to bright light reflected toward the eyes and that in some patients, BLT may ameliorate this form of pruritus.
Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli in Bovine Animals, Europe

Of 150 Escherichia coli strains we cultured from specimens taken from cattle in Europe, 3 had elevated MICs against colistin. We assessed all 3 strains for the presence of the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 gene and identified 1 isolate as mcr-1–positive and co-resistant to β-lactam, florfenicol, and fluoroquinolone antimicrobial compounds.
PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF VOLUME-WEIGHTED MEAN NUCLEAR VOLUMES IN PROSTATE ADENOCARCINOMAS

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of stereologically estimated volume-weighted mean nuclear volumes (MNV) with Gleason score in prostate adenocarcinomas. To estimate the MNV the point sample intercepts method was used. MNV was significantly associated with tumour differentiation, suggesting that estimates of MNV are prognostically equal or superior to morphological grading of malignancy, such as Gleason score, in prostate cancer.
Control of Metabolism and Growth Through Insulin-Like Peptides in Drosophila

Insulin signaling is a conserved feature in all metazoans. It evolved with the appearance of multicellularity, allowing primordial metazoans to respond to a greater diversity of environmental signals. The insulin signaling pathway is highly conserved in insects and particularly in Drosophila, where it has been extensively studied in recent years and shown to control metabolism, growth, reproduction, and longevity. Because misregulation of the insulin/IGF pathway in humans plays a role in many medical disorders, such as diabetes and various types of cancer, unraveling the regulation of insulin/IGF signaling using the power of a genetically tractable organism like Drosophila may contribute to the amelioration of these major human pathologies.