Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heart Rate Detection From Plantar Bioimpedance Measurements

In this paper, a novel technique for heart rate measurement on a standing subject is proposed that relies on electrical impedance variations detected by a plantar interface with booth feet, such as those in some bathroom weighting scales for body composition analysis. Heart-related impedance variations in the legs come from arterial blood circulation and are below 500 mOmega. To detect them, we have implemented a system with a gain in excess of 600, and whose fully differential AC input amplifier has a gain of 4.5 and a common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) higher than 90 dB at 10 kHz. Differential coherent demodulation based on synchronous sampling yields a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of about 54 dB. The system sensitivity is 610 mV/Omega. The technique has been demonstrated on 18 volunteers, whose bioimpedance signal and ECG were simultaneously recorded. A Bland-Altman plot shows a mean bias of -0.2 ms between the RR time intervals obtained from these two signals, which is negligible. The technique is simple and user friendly and does not require any additional sensors or electrodes attached to the body, hence no conductive gel or skin preparation.
Income Instability and the Response of the Safety Net

This paper examines the response of safety net transfer and tax programs to earnings and income shocks across recessions since the early 1980s. Safety net programs in the United States are designed to dampen economic instability and maintain basic needs for families. Such programs, including TANF, SNAP (food stamps), and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), have been tested during and between recessions of the past 30 years, including the recent 2007–2009 Great Recession. I use matched data in the March Current Population Survey (CPS) from 1980 to 2012 to estimate pre- and post-transfer income instability over the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, as well as across recessions. The results are disaggregated by family structure, race, income, and education. Transfer programs are associated with lowered instability levels and flatter trend growth from 1980 to 2012 among socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups, while the tax system reduces income instability for families in the top 40th percentile of the income distribution. Although the largest instability reductions occur among the poor, since 1980 the safety net appears less responsive to instability for the bottom income quintile, female-headed families, and black families. (JEL I38, J63)
Diabetes mellitus and cognitive functioning in a Serbian sample

Introduction: Diabetes is associated with cognitive impairments, particularly in executive functioning and memory. Aim: The aim was to describe cognitive functioning in Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) diabetes compared to healthy controls in a Serbian sample. Method: We studied 15 patients with adult onset T1DM (age range 19–60 years), 37 patients with T2DM (age range 50–77 years), and 32 healthy controls (28–78 years). All participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Results: T2DM subjects exhibited poorer performance than healthy controls in global cognitive performance, as well as verbal learning and memory. After correcting for multiple comparisons, follow-up examination of individual tests showed significantly poorer performance only on Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B). Effect sizes for T2DM versus healthy controls ranged from medium to large for several cognitive variables, while comparisons between T1DM and the other two groups tended to yield much smaller effects. Conclusion: T2DM is associated with poorer cognition, particularly in executive functions, learning/memory, and global cognition. Lack of group differences may be due to use of an adult onset T1DM sample, relatively young age of our T2DM sample, or characteristics of healthy control subjects in our Serbian sample.
Research and design of Industrial Ethernet communication gateway on power station

Through the analysis of two different Industrial Ethernet protocols, this paper mainly researches EPA and Modbus/TCP Industrial Ethernet communication gateway, including design and implementation of ARM embedded system and µC/OS-II real-time operating system. The Industrial Ethernet communication gateway can perform bidirectional data transceiving on EPA protocol and Modbus/TCP protocol, which provides a secure, stable, real-time and flexible solution for process control of power station. Meanwhile, the communication gateway platform is compatible with other Industrial Ethernet protocols, and it supports users to research and develop different types of communication gateways between more Industrial Ethernet technologies.
Polymorphisms in the microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene: role in lung cancer susceptibility and prognosis.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between EPHXI exon 3 Tyr113His and exon 4 His139Arg polymorphisms, predicted microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) activity, and lung cancer development. mEH is a protective enzyme involved in oxidative defences against a number of environmental chemicals and pollutants, but it is also responsible for the xenobiotic activation of carcinogens. METHODS We investigated the two polymorphisms of the mEH gene (EPHX1) in 58 lung cancer patients and 41 controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS The exon 3 Tyr113His polymorphism was associated with lung cancer (P < 0.001). The frequency of the His113His homozygote genotype in exon 3 was significantly increased in patients compared with controls (P < 0.001). In contrast, there was no significant difference in exon 4 polymorphisms between patients and controls. When the exon 3 and 4 polymorphisms were considered together, the combined EPHX1 His113His113/His139His139 genotype (very low predicted enzyme activity) was found to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (P = 0.044, OR = 3.063, CI = 0.932-10.069). We observed that patients with T3 + T4 tumors had an approximately 3-fold higher risk of the Tyr113/His113 genotype than patients with T1 + T2 tumors. Lung cancer patients carrying a heterozygote Tyr113/His 113 genotype had a 2-fold increased risk of lymph node metastases (P = 0.051). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the exon 3 Tyr113His and exon 4 His139Arg polymorphisms of EPHXI may be associated with a increased risk of lung cancer and a worse prognosis.
Using Multi-Attribute Decision Factors for a Modified All-or-Nothing Traffic Assignment

To elucidate a realistic traffic assignment scenario, a multi-criterion decision system is essential. A traffic assignment model designed to simulate real-life situation may therefore utilize absolute and/or relative impedance. Ideally, the decision-making process should identify a set of traffic impedances (factors working against the smooth flow of traffic) along with pertinent parameters in order for the decision system to select the most optimal or the least-impeded route. In this study, we developed geospatial algorithms that consider multiple impedances. The impedances utilized in this study included, traffic patterns, capacity and congestion. The attributes of the decision-making process also prioritize multi-traffic scenarios by adopting first-in-first-out prioritization method. We also further subdivided classical impedance into either relative impedance or absolute impedance. The main advantage of this innovative multi-attribute, impedance-based trip assignment model is that it can be implemented in a manner of algebraic approach to utilize shortest path algorithm embedded in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—Graphical User Interface tool. Thus, the GIS package can therefore handle the multi-attribute impedance effectively. Furthermore, the method utilized in this paper displays flexibility and better adaptation to a multi-modal transportation system. Transportation, logistics, and random events, such as terrorism, can be easily analyzed with pertinent impedance.
Blood heat shock proteins evoked by some Salmonella strains infection in ducks

Bacterial heat-shock response is a global regulatory system required for effective adaptation to changes (stress) in the environment. An in vitro study was conducted to investigate the impact of a sublethal temperature (42 C) on heat shock protein (HSP) expression in 6 Salmonella strains (Salmonella Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Virchow, S. Shubra, S. Haifa and S. Eingedi). The 6 Salmonella strains were isolated from the tissues of ducklings that had died from avian salmonellosis. To determine the induction of HSP in the 6 Salmonella strains, they were exposed to the selected temperature level for 24 h and further kept for 48 h at culturing condition of 42 C. Growth under a sublethal temperature of 42 C increased the expression of several proteins of Salmonella, including a 63 kDa protein in addition to the generation and/or overexpression of 143 proteins which were specific to heat shock, concurrent to this acquired thermotolerance. The 6 Salmonella strains responded to 24 h of thermal stress at an elevated temperature 42 C by synthesizing different heat shock proteins (HSP) with molecular weights ranging between 13.62 and 96.61 kDa. At 48 h, the 6 Salmonella strains synthesized different HSPs with molecular weights ranging between 14.53 and 103.43 kDa. It follows that salmonellae would produce HSPs during the course of the infectious process. Salmonellosis produced several proteins after 24 and 48 h of infection. Seven of these proteins (100, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20 and 10 kDa) were recognized in the serum obtained from the ducklings infected with S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Virchow, S. Shubra, S. Haifa and S. Eingedi after 24 h of infection. After 48 h, the 1–7 kDa HSP became more evident and indicated their de novo generation.
Envelope Glycoprotein Determinants of Neutralization Resistance in a Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2) Derived by Passage in Monkeys

ABSTRACT The simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV-HXBc2 contains the envelope glycoproteins of a laboratory-adapted, neutralization-sensitive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variant, HXBc2. Serial in vivo passage of the nonpathogenic SHIV-HXBc2 generated SHIV KU-1, which causes rapid CD4+ T-cell depletion and an AIDS-like illness in monkeys. A molecularly cloned pathogenic SHIV, SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2, was derived from the SHIV KU-1 isolate and differs from the parental SHIV-HXBc2 by only 12 envelope glycoprotein amino acid residues. Relative to SHIV-HXBc2, SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 was resistant to neutralization by all of the antibodies tested with the exception of the 2G12 antibody. The sequence changes responsible for neutralization resistance were located in variable regions of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein and in the gp41 transmembrane envelope glycoprotein. The 2G12 antibody, which neutralized SHIV-HXBc2 and SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 equally, bound the HXBc2 and HXBc2P 3.2 envelope glycoproteins on the cell surface comparably. The ability of the other tested antibodies to achieve saturation was less for the HXBc2P 3.2 envelope glycoproteins than for the HXBc2 envelope glycoproteins, even though the affinity of the antibodies for the two envelope glycoproteins was similar. Thus, a highly neutralization-sensitive SHIV, by modifying both gp120 and gp41 glycoproteins, apparently achieves a neutralization-resistant state by decreasing the saturability of its envelope glycoproteins by antibodies.
Comparative analysis of multi-resolution optical flow techniques for flow rate estimation

In April 20, 2010, the largest amount of oil in history leaked into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) due to the oil rig explosion. For the fact of the lack of accurate technique for estimating the volume of oil spilled in this incident, ad-hoc techniques were employed from other fields e.g. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) from fluid dynamic experiment. Of the different techniques employed, the technique by Crone based on optical plume velocimetry was the most accurate. However, the accuracy of estimation differs depending on the choice of algorithms. In this work, a comparative analysis of optical flow algorithms based on image warping theory and on Lucas and Kanade's algorithm was performed. Crone's experimental setup was replicated and a video camera was used to record the flow. The two algorithms were used to estimate flow rate. To improve estimation accuracy, a multi-resolution framework was used. Optical flow based on image warping outperforms that based on Lucas and Kanade in representing the velocity fields in all regions of flow. Moreover, a comparison between the estimated flow rates with actual flow rates resulted in a non-zero crossing of 0.064 and 0.128 m/s for image warping and Lucas and Kanade respectively.
Sub-100 nm InGaAs quantum-well (QW) tri-gate MOSFETs with Al2O3/HfO2 (EOT < 1 nm) for low-power logic applications

This paper reports tri-gate sub-100 nm In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As QW MOSFETs with electrostatic immunity of S = 77 mV/dec., DIBL = 10 mV/V, together with excellent carrier transport of g<sub>m, max</sub> > 1.5 mS/μm, at V<sub>DS</sub> = 0.5 V. This result is the best balance of g<sub>m, max</sub> and S in any reported III-V MOSFETs. In addition, extracted compact model parameter including (μ<sub>0</sub> = 760 cm<sup>2</sup>/V-s and peak v<sub>x0</sub> = 1.6×10<sup>7</sup> cm/s) indicate that InGaAs Tri-Gate MOSFETs would be a viable pathway to sub-10nm technology node.
Environmental water governance in federal rivers: opportunities and limits for subsidiarity in Australia's Murray–Darling River

A reform process is underway in the Murray–Darling Basin (Australia) to reallocate water from irrigated agriculture to the environment. The scale, complexity and politics of the recovery process have prompted interest in the role of local environmental water managers within state and federal governance arrangements. This paper examines prospects for a local role in environmental water management through the lens of the subsidiarity principle: the notion that effective governance devolves tasks to the lowest level with the political authority and capacity to perform them. The article defines and applies the subsidiarity principle to assess evolving federal–state–local interactions in environmental water policy, planning and practice in Australia9s Murray–Darling River. In this context, subsidiarity is useful to clarify institutional roles and their coordination at a whole-of-river level. This analysis demonstrates opportunities for a local role in information gathering, innovation and operational flexibility to respond to opportunities in real time. It identifies significant limits to local action in upstream–downstream tradeoffs, economies of scale, capacity building and cost sharing for basin-wide or national interests, and accountability mechanisms to balance local, state and national rights and responsibilities. Lessons are relevant internationally for regions confronting complex allocation tradeoffs between human and environmental needs within multi-jurisdictional federal systems.
The use of proteomics to study wound healing: a preliminary study for forensic estimation of wound age

Proteomics is the analysis of the protein complement of the genome. The technique involves extracting proteins from the tissue being examined; separating the proteins using methods such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and then identifying the proteins by mass spectrometry. This paper describes the application of proteomics to incised wounds of the rat to determine if this technology could be applied to the important forensic issue of determining the age of wounds. Experimental incised skin wounds were inflicted on rats 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours and 2, 5, 7 and 12 days before euthanasia. Each wound was excised and frozen at - 80°C; protein extracts were prepared and subjected to two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis over the range pH 3 to pH 10. Protein spots were identified using Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. A number of proteins were identified in skin wounds. After wounding the most prominent change was in the level of haemoglobin, which was elevated in wounds five minutes old and remained elevated for three hours, falling to near control levels after 12 hours. This pilot study has illustrated the feasibility for proteomics to be applied to determining wound age.
Plakoglobin Regulates the Expression of the Anti-apoptotic Protein BCL-2*

Plakoglobin is a cytoplasmic protein and a homologue of β-catenin and Armadillo of Drosophila with similar adhesive and signaling functions. These proteins interact with cadherins to mediate cell-cell adhesion and associate with transcription factors to induce changes in the expression of genes involved in cell fate determination and proliferation. Unlike the relatively well characterized role of β-catenin in cell proliferation via activation of c-MYC and cyclin D1 gene expression, the signaling function of plakoglobin in regulation of cell growth is undefined. Here, we show that high levels of plakoglobin expression in plakoglobin-deficient human SCC9 cells leads to uncontrolled growth and foci formation. Concurrent with the change in growth characteristics we observe a pronounced inhibition of apoptosis. This correlates with an induction of expression of BCL-2, a prototypic member of apoptosis-regulating proteins. TheBCL-2 expression coincides with decreased proteolytic processing and activation of caspase-3, an executor of programmed cell death. Our data suggest that the growth regulatory function of plakoglobin is independent of its role in mediating cell-cell adhesion. These observations clearly implicate plakoglobin in pathways regulating cell growth and provide initial evidence of its role as a pivotal molecular link between pathways regulating cell adherence and cell death.
Activity‐Dependent Recruitment of Silent Synapses a

At the crayfish neuromuscular junction, a long-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission can be induced by tetanic stimulation of 10-20 Hz for several minutes. The long-lasting enhancement is presynaptic in origin, because quantal content increases but not quantal size, and is not dependent upon broadening or enlargement of the presynaptic action potential. The enhancement can be selectively blocked by presynaptic injection of agents that inhibit adenylate cyclase or the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Entry of calcium may not be sufficient in itself to produce the enhancement. Analyses of quantal events using both a simple binomial statistical method, and a more refined method that takes into account the possibility of unequal probabilities of responding units, have shown that the number of responding units increases during the long-lasting enhancement. In addition, there is an increase in the probability of transmitter release at preexisting units. In contrast, during short-term facilitation accompanying repetitive stimulation, response probability increases greatly whereas the number of responding units increases only moderately with frequencies of activation up to 20 Hz, which increase quantal output severalfold. These results indicate that responding units, hypothesized to be transmitting synapses, can be recruited to active transmission from an unresponsive pool by tetanic activity, and that protein phosphorylation is required for long-lasting changes to occur. The existence of an excess of synapses on crustacean nerve terminals is indicated by ultrastructural studies, which invariably show many synapses on the terminals. The number of morphologically defined synapses is always greater than the number of responding units seen in statistical analyses of quantal release for the same recording location.
The effect of heating rate on Escherichia coli metabolism, physiological stress, transcriptional response, and production of temperature‐induced recombinant protein: A scale‐down study

At the laboratory scale, sudden step increases from 30 to 42°C can be readily accomplished when expressing heterologous proteins in heat‐inducible systems. However, for large scale‐cultures only slow ramp‐type increases in temperature are possible due to heat transfer limitations, where the heating rate decreases as the scale increases. In this work, the transcriptional and metabolic responses of a recombinant Escherichia coli strain to temperature‐induced synthesis of pre‐proinsulin in high cell density cultures were examined at different heating rates. Heating rates of 6, 1.7, 0.8, and 0.4°C/min were tested in a scale‐down approach to mimic fermentors of 0.1, 5, 20, and 100 m3, respectively. The highest yield and concentration of recombinant protein was obtained for the slowest heating rate. As the heating rate increased, the yield and maximum recombinant protein concentration decreased, whereas a larger fraction of carbon skeletons was lost as acetate, lactate, and formate. Compared to 30°C, the mRNA levels of selected heat‐shock genes at 38 and 42°C, as quantified by qRT‐PCR, increased between 2‐ to over 42‐fold when cultures were induced at 6, 1.7, and 0.8°C/min, but no increase was observed at 0.4°C/min. Only small increases (between 1.5‐ and 4‐fold) in the expression of the stress genes spoT and relA were observed at 42°C for cultures induced at 1.7 and 6°C/min, suggesting that cells subjected to slow temperature increases can adapt to stress. mRNA levels of genes from the transcription–translation machinery (tufB, rpoA, and tig) decreased between 40% and 80% at 6, 1.7 and 0.8°C/min, whereas a transient increase occurred for 0.4°C/min at 42°C. mRNA levels of the gene coding for pre‐proinsulin showed a similar profile to transcripts of heat‐shock genes, reflecting a probable analogous induction mechanism. Altogether, the results obtained indicate that slow heating rates, such as those likely to occur in conventional large‐scale fermentors, favored heterologous protein synthesis by the thermo‐inducible expression system used in this report. Knowledge of the effect of heating rate on bacterial physiology and product formation is useful for the rational design of scale‐down and scale‐up strategies and optimum recombinant protein induction schemes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 468–482. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The structure and formation of the byssus attachment plaque in Mytilus

The byssus attachment plaque and the tissues responsible for its formation were studied in M. califomianus by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that the plaque consists of at least three phases which ultrastructurally resemble three secretions considered to be collagen, mucoid material and polyphenol. The mucoid and polyphenol appear to mix as a colloidal suspension in which the latter is the continuous phase and forms the definitive bonding surface. Plaque collagen represents an extension of thread material into the cementing substance.