Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of proteomic analysis to monitor responses to biological therapies

Proteomics has the potential to revolutionise diagnosis and disease management. Serum protein pattern profiling by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time of flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry is emerging as a novel approach to discover protein patterns capable of distinguishing disease and disease-free states with high sensitivity and specificity. This method has shown great promise for early diagnosis of ovarian cancer and is being applied to a range of pathological states. Protein microarray technology is being evaluated as a new means to track biological responses to therapy. Through the measurement of key protein phosphorylation sites at different stages of disease progression or before and after treatment, protein signal pathways can be mapped and thus become the starting point for individualised therapy. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) coupled with immunostaining of protein microarrays allows isolation of pure cell populations and relative quantitation of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms of the cell’s key signalling proteins. This technology is currently in use at the National Institutes of Health in Phase II clinical trials of metastatic breast and ovarian cancer. Cell survival and apoptotic protein pathways are monitored as biological markers of disease progression in these clinical trials. Proteomic technologies, such as serum protein pattern profiling, combined with protein microarray technologies, constitute a new paradigm for detecting disease and monitoring disease response to therapy. Ultimately, proteomics and genomics will become integrated into cancer patient management through the design and tracking of individualised therapy.
Association between AKT1 gene polymorphisms and depressive symptoms in the Chinese Han population with major depressive disorder

For this study, 461 Chinese Han patients with depressive disorder were recruited. The AKT1 genotype and allele distribution were determined by PCR amplification and direct sequencing. UNPHASED software was used to analyze associations between the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, total score, four factors and the AKT1 rs2494746 and rs3001371 polymorphisms. The results indicate that there is a significant association between suicidal ideation and anxiety symptoms in depressed patients and the rs2494746 polymorphism. The other AKT1 polymorphism, rs3001371, was significantly associated with work and activities. Patients with the rs3001371-A allele had a significantly more severe illness compared to patients with the rs3001371-G allele. Thus, AKT1 polymorphisms appear to be associated with depression severity, anxiety symptoms, work and activities, and suicide attempts in patients with depressive disorder.
International Law of the Sea: An Overlook and Case Study

Sea is a large body of water that is surrounded by the land. It is a crucial part of human trade and commerce, voyage, mineral extraction, power generation and is also considered as an essential source of blue economy nowadays. International law of the sea is a law of maritime space that peacefully settles the global disputes on maritime boundary between or among the States and defines various jurisdictions of the maritime zones as well as the rights and obligations of the coastal States in these zones, especially with regard to the conservation of marine environment and biodiversity. The key objective of this piece of academic research is to demonstrate a brief overview of the international law of the sea with a special emphasize on the sources and legal framework of this law. This study also strives to focus the civil and criminal liability, jurisdictions, rights and obligations of the coastal states with regard to the different maritime zones. Furthermore this study delineates the rules and extent of using these maritime zones in the light of various treaty provisions on the international law of the sea where different adjudicated cases are also presented along with a profound scrutiny upon their fact, issues, judgment and reasoning.
Jasmonate regulates juvenile-to-adult phase transition in rice

Juvenile-to-adult phase transition is an important shift for the acquisition of adult vegetative characteristics and subsequent reproductive competence. We identified a recessive precocious (pre) mutant exhibiting a long leaf phenotype in rice. The long leaf phenotype is conspicuous in the second to the fourth leaves, which are juvenile and juvenile-to-adult transition leaves. We found that morphological and physiological traits, such as midrib formation, shoot meristem size, photosynthetic rate and plastochron, in juvenile and juvenile-to-adult transition stages of the pre mutant have precociously acquired adult characteristics. In agreement with these results, expression patterns of miR156 and miR172, which are microRNAs regulating phase change, support the accelerated juvenile-to-adult phase change in the pre mutant. The mutated gene encodes an allene oxide synthase (OsAOS1), which is a key enzyme for the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid (JA). The pre mutant showed a low level of JA and enhanced sensitivity to gibberellic acid, which promotes the phase change in some plant species. We also show that prolonged plastochron in the pre mutant is caused by accelerated PLASTOCHRON1 (PLA1) function. The present study reveals a substantial role of JA as a negative regulator of vegetative phase change. Summary: The juvenile-adult phase change in rice is regulated by the PRECOCIOUS gene, which encodes an enzyme involved in jasmonate biosynthesis and hence regulates jasmonate levels.
Hardware friendly algorithm of HR real time stereo matching for automatic drive

Stereo matching is a most challenging topic in artificial intelligence. Local algorithms are better than global ones with lower complexity and higher speed for HD real-time stereo matching. This paper proposes an optimized local stereo algorithm adaptive window disparity estimation with cross check (AWDE-CC). A region growth algorithm to fill bad pixels is also proposed which can bring an improvement of the performance in low texture regions efficiently. The average error rate of the generated disparity maps is approximately 8%.
Explaining the Causality between Economic Growth and CO2 Emissions in Taiwan: A Multivariate Sectoral Analysis

This study investigates the long-run relationships between economic growth and carbon emissions during the period 1980-2011 in Taiwan. We argue that the growth and emissions pattern could be different for sectoral analysis. We apply bounds testing approach and use Autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) to identify the cointegration relationships between economic growth and carbon emissions for industry, transport, agriculture, service sectors, as well as on the macro level. Our empirical results show that there exists uni-directional causality running from GDP toward carbon emissions for transport and service sectors, while this causality is weak for macro and industry sectors. In addition, we find “Simpson paradox” that the cointegration relationship is found in sectoral analysis instead of sector aggregated data. Finally, we also decompose the industry sectors into three sub-sectors: energy-intensive, electronics and other industries; however, the cointegration relationship is only found in the energy-intensive sub-sector.
Heating caused by radiofrequency irradiation and sample rotation in 13C magic angle spinning NMR studies of lipid membranes

Application of rapid sample rotation and radiofrequency irradiation in magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR of lipid bilayers can significantly increase the sample temperature. In this work, we studied the extent of heating during the acquisition of 1H‐decoupled 13C MAS spectra of hydrated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) in the Lα phase. First, we describe a simple procedure for determining the increase in temperature by observing the shift of the 1H water signal. The method is then used to identify and assess the various factors that contribute to the sample heating. The important factors discussed in this paper include: (i) the spinning speed, (ii) the variable‐temperature gas pressure, (iii) the rotor geometry, (iv) the power, duration and frequency of the radiofrequency irradiation and (v) the hydration level. A comparison of different heteronuclear decoupling schemes in terms of their ability to produce highly resolved 13C spectra of DMPC is also reported. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischemic stroke. The MAST-E study. MAST-E Group.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is the most critical complication of thrombolytics in clinical trials in acute stroke. The aim of this study was to determine the rates and the predictors of HT in the Multicenter Acute Stroke Trial-Europe (MAST-E) study. METHODS We performed a post hoc analysis of MAST-E data designed to assess the safety and efficacy of streptokinase administered intravenously within 6 hours of stroke onset. HT included all intracerebral hemorrhages and symptomatic hemorrhages (SHT) associated with clinical worsening. The predictors of HT and SHT were determined using multivariate modeling. RESULTS Among the 310 patients included, 159 patients had HT and 37 SHT (97 and 33 in the streptokinase group and 62 and 4 in the placebo group, respectively). Patients with SHT had significantly more atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, no heparin use, streptokinase treatment, and early CT signs. In the multivariate analysis, HT was predicted by early CT signs and streptokinase treatment. SHT was predicted by diabetes mellitus, early CT signs, streptokinase treatment, and the interaction between streptokinase treatment and decreased level of consciousness. Among the streptokinase-treated patients, the same predictors remained. CONCLUSIONS The relative risks of HT after streptokinase were in the same range in MAST-E as in other streptokinase and tPA trials. Early CT signs were strong predictors of both HT and SHT, stressing that these patients are at high risk of bleeding. In our study, the predictors of HT and SHT were similar to those of tPA trials in acute stroke.
A highly sensitive model for quantification of in vivo tumor angiogenesis induced by alginate-encapsulated tumor cells.

A remarkable approach to a specific tumor angiogenesis model in vivo is the use of alginate implants encapsulating tumor cells. However, this previously reported approach has often been questioned because of doubts regarding the relevance of hemoglobin at the alginate implant as a parameter of vascularization. In the present investigation, we examined whether or not the use of the blood pool agents FITC-dextran of high molecular weight would significantly improve the determination of vascularization at the alginate implant. In our experiments, we found a rapid distribution of FITC-dextran within the blood circulation of mice after i.v. bolus injection. The amount of FITC-dextran within alginate implants strongly correlated with the number of LL2 carcinoma cells or B16/F10 cells encapsulated. Even a low number of 10(3) cells per alginate implant led to a significantly increased accumulation of FITC-dextran. A more than 10-fold stimulation above that of controls was found with alginate implants containing 10(4) LL2 or B16/F10 tumor cells. Using the investigational compound AGM-1470 in different treatment schedules, we found that quantification of alginate implant anglogenesis with FITC-dextran is a sensitive method for the determination of angiogenesis inhibition. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that the use of FITC-dextran enables highly sensitive, quantitative measurement of blood vessel formation by alginate implants.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Internalization through Clathrin‐Coated Pits Requires Cbl RING Finger and Proline‐Rich Domains But Not Receptor Polyubiquitylation

Cbl proteins have been implicated in the regulation of endocytic trafficking of epidermal growth factor receptor. However, the precise role of Cbl in epidermal growth factor receptor endocytosis is not defined. To directly visualize Cbl in cells and perform structure‐function analysis of Cbl's role in epidermal growth factor receptor internalization, a yellow fluorescent protein‐fusion of c‐Cbl was constructed. Upon epidermal growth factor receptor activation, Cbl‐yellow fluorescent protein moved with epidermal growth factor receptor to clathrin‐coated pits and endosomes. Localization of Cbl‐yellow fluorescent protein to these endocytic organelles was dependent on a proline‐rich domain of c‐Cbl that interacts with Grb2 as shown by fluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy. In contrast, direct binding of Cbl to phosphotyrosine 1045 of the epidermal growth factor receptor was required for epidermal growth factor receptor polyubiquitination, but was not essential for Cbl‐yellow fluorescent protein localization in epidermal growth factor receptor‐containing compartments. These data suggest that the binding of Cbl to epidermal growth factor receptor through Grb2 is necessary and sufficient for Cbl function during clathrin‐mediated endocytosis. Overexpression of c‐Cbl mutants that are capable of Grb2 binding but defective in linker/RING finger domain function severely inhibited epidermal growth factor receptor internalization. The same dominant‐negative mutants of Cbl did not block epidermal growth factor receptor recruitment into coated pits but retained receptors in coated pits, thus preventing receptor endocytosis and transport to endosomes. These data suggest that the linker and RING finger domain of Cbl may function during late steps of coated vesicle formation. We propose that the RING domain of Cbl facilitates endocytosis either by epidermal growth factor receptor monoubiquitylation or by ubiquitylation of proteins associated with the receptor.
Low-Speed Control Improvements for a Two-Level Five-Phase Inverter-Fed Induction Machine Using Classic Direct Torque Control

A novel technique that improves the low-speed performance of a five-phase induction machine (IM) driven by a two-level inverter using the classic direct torque control (DTC) technique is presented. Demagnetization of the stator flux is investigated when the IM runs at lower speeds, and a solution is provided to overcome this phenomenon. The proposed technique reduces the demagnetization phenomenon by using the ±36° displaced voltage vector during low-speed operation but employs the ±72° displaced voltage vectors otherwise. The demagnetization of the stator flux is shown by simulation and experiment to be eliminated using the proposed technique. It can be observed that the proposed technique can significantly improve the rate of change of stator flux, the torque response, and the speed response compared with traditional method.
Conversion of a PLP-dependent racemase into an aldolase by a single active site mutation.

Alanine racemase (Alr) [EC 5.1.1. 1] from Geobacillus stearothermophilus is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. It is converted to an aldolase upon replacement of Tyr265, which normally serves as a catalytic base in the racemase reaction, with alanine. The Y265A mutation increases catalytic efficiency for cleavage of beta-phenylserine to benzaldehyde and glycine by 2.3 x 105 fold as compared to the wild-type racemase, while racemase activity is greatly decreased. Additional mutagenesis suggests that His166 may act as the base that initiates the retroaldol reaction. The Y265A mutant is highly stereoselective for (2R,3S)-phenylserine, a d-amino acid, and does not process its enantiomer. This preference is consistent with the expected binding mode of substrate in the modified active site and supports the proposal that naturally occurring d-threonine aldolases and alanine racemases derive from a common ancestor.
Oil Spill Detection in Hybrid-Polarimetric SAR Images

Oil spill detection in SAR images operating in a hybrid-polarimetric mode is examined. We propose and review several strategies for oil spill detection in hybrid-polarimetric SAR data. The retrieved measures are successfully applied to SAR data covering oil spill experiments outside Norway and the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico. It is shown that, under the assumption of a two-scale Bragg scattering model, a coherence measure may be recovered equally well from hybrid-polarimetric data, as for full-polarimetric data, and that this measure may be retrieved directly from the measurements without the need for any additional assumptions. The results show that low-wind lookalikes may be suppressed at the same time as the contrast of the oil spills is maintained using hybrid-polarimetric data and that multifeature images may be constructed to further enhance the oil spill detection performance. Due to the potential of wide swath widths, we conclude that hybrid-polarity is an attractive mode for future SAR-based oil spill monitoring.
Involvement of the cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein gene transcription factor in genetic preference for alcohol drinking behavior.

BACKGROUND Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-responsive element binding (CREB) protein is a gene transcription factor that can integrate the signals mediated via the cAMP second messenger cascade at the gene expression level, which then controls neuronal functions. METHODS To examine if the protein kinase A --> CREB signaling cascade is involved in genetic alcohol drinking preference, different measures of CREB were determined in various brain structures of alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rats. RESULTS We show here that CRE-DNA binding activity is significantly decreased in the amygdala but not in the cortex, hippocampus, or striatum of P rats compared with NP rats. The levels of total CREB and phosphorylated CREB protein in the amygdala are significantly lower in P rats compared with NP rats. On the other hand, levels of the alpha-isoform of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A protein, and basal as well as cAMP-stimulated protein kinase A activity are similar in the amygdala of both P and NP rats. CONCLUSIONS Because P and NP rats are genetically bred for high and low alcohol drinking behavior, respectively, these results suggest the possibility that decreased expression of CREB protein in the amygdala may be associated with the high alcohol drinking behavior of P rats.
Critical Role for Cryopyrin/Nalp3 in Activation of Caspase-1 in Response to Viral Infection and Double-stranded RNA*>

Viral infection induces the production of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 in macrophages through the activation of caspase-1, but the mechanism by which host cells sense viruses to induce caspase-1 activation is unknown. In this report, we have identified a signaling pathway leading to caspase-1 activation that is induced by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and viral infection that is mediated by Cryopyrin/Nalp3. Stimulation of macrophages with dsRNA, viral RNA, or its analog poly(I:C) induced the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 in a cryopyrin-dependent manner. Consistently, caspase-1 activation triggered by poly(I:C), dsRNA, and viral RNA was abrogated in macrophages lacking cryopyrin or the adaptor ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-activating and recruitment domain) but proceeded normally in macrophages deficient in Toll-like receptor 3 or 7. We have also shown that infection with Sendai and influenza viruses activates the cryopyrin inflammasome. Finally, cryopyrin was required for IL-1β production in response to poly(I:C) in vivo. These results identify a mechanism mediated by cryopyrin and ASC that links dsRNA and viral infection to caspase-1 activation resulting in IL-1β and IL-18 production.
Effect of Epicatechin Gallate Dietary Supplementation on Transgenic Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease

ABSTRACT Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and aggregation of alpha synuclein (αS) in the brain. The role of epicatechin gallate (EG) was studied on the transgenic Drosophila model of flies expressing normal human alpha synuclein (h-αS) in the neurons. The objectives of the present work include the study of the effect of EG on the climbing ability, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis in the brain of PD model flies. These flies exhibit locomotor dysfunction as the age progresses. EG at final concentration of 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 μg/mL was supplemented in diet and flies were allowed to feed for 24 days. The climbing ability was assessed after 24 days. The supplementation of 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 μg/mL of EG showed a dose-dependent significant delay in the loss of climbing ability and reduced the oxidative stress and apoptosis in the brain of PD model flies.
An Integrated Model of Posttraumatic Stress and Growth

A number of recent models have examined cognitive predictors of posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth (S. Barton, A. Boals, & L. Knowles, 2013; J. Groleau, L. Calhoun, A. Cann, & G. Tedeschi, 2013; K. N. Triplett, R. G. Tedeschi, A. Cann, L. G. Calhoun, & C. L. Reeve, 2012). The current study examined an integrated model of predictors of distress and perceived growth in 194 college undergraduates. Domains covered included the roles of core belief challenge, event centrality, posttrauma cognitions, and event-related rumination. Negative cognitions about the self and the centrality of the event directly predicted both growth and distress, although intrusive rumination predicted only posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and deliberate rumination predicted only posttraumatic growth. Future research should continue to examine the shared and unique predictors of postevent growth and distress.
Educating Supervisors of Employees with Diabetes

The worksite presents special challenges not only for employees with diabetes, but also for their supervisors. Supervisors wonder whether certain behaviors are willful misconduct or indicative of health problems, as well as if and how to accommodate employees with diabetes to meet the needs of the employees and the company, within the law. The purpose of this research was to pilot test an innovative educational program for supervisors of employees with diabetes to benefit employees' health and diabetes control while meeting the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nine supervisors completed a 6-hour program that included innovative teaching strategies—“living the life” of a person with diabetes for 2 days and case studies to practice decision making according to the ADA. The program increased supervisors' reported self-efficacy for supervising employees with diabetes and should improve work life for employees with diabetes, ultimately decreasing employers' health care costs.
Induction of alpha/beta interferon and gamma interferon in mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes during pregnancy

Alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) was induced in the bloodstream of mice 48 h after intravenous infection with Listeria monocytogenes, whereas IFN-gamma was induced in the bloodstream 6 h after stimulation with specific antigen on day 5 of infection in virgin mice. In contrast, no IFN-alpha/beta or IFN-gamma was produced in the bloodstream of pregnant mice after L. monocytogenes infection. However, unusual acid-labile IFN-alpha/beta instead of IFN-gamma was produced in some of the pregnant mice in response to specific antigen. The bacterial growth in the organs of pregnant mice in the early stage of infection was normal, but resulted in the delay of T-cell-dependent elimination of bacteria from the organs of pregnant animals in the late stage, and numerous bacteria were detected in both the placenta and the fetus. The significance of the IFN system induced by L. monocytogenes infection in pregnant mice is discussed.