Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Fungal Elicitors on Production of Ajmalicine by Cell Cultures of Catharanthus roseus

Suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus ( C. roseus) were elicited with fungal cell wall fragments of Aspergillus niger (A.niger), Fusarium moniliforme (F. moniliforme), and Trichoderma viride (T.viride). The effects of elicitor dosage, exposures time, and age of subculture on ajmalicine accumulation were studied. A higher concentration of elicitor extract responded positively to C. roseus suspension cultures. Ajmalicine accumulation increased by about 3‐fold when cells were treated with A.niger, F. moniliforme, and T. viride. The maximum ajmalicine production (75 μg g−1 dry weight (DW)) was observed in cells treated with T. viride. Cell cultures were elicited with 5% preparation of A. niger, F. moniliforme, and T. viride and exposed for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. for elicitation. Suspension cultures elicited with T. viride for 48 h showed a 3‐fold increase (87 μg g−1 DW) in ajmalicine contents, whereas A. niger and F. moniliforme synthesized a 2‐fold increase in alkaloid and yielded 52 and 56 μg g−1 DW ajmalicine, respectively. C. roseus cells of different age (5,10, 15, 20, and 25 days old) were treated with a 5% elicitor of A. niger, F. moniliforme, and T. viride and investigated elicitors activity at different age of cell cultures. Maximum yield 166 μg g−1 DW of ajmalicine was synthesized in 20 day old suspension cultures treated with T. viride. A longer period of incubation of cell cultures with elicitors adversely affected the ajmalicine synthesis.
On the analysis of the law of the iterated logarithm in open queueing networks

ABSTRACT The modern queueing theory is one of the powerful tools for a quantitative and qualitative analysis of communication systems, computer networks, transportation systems, and many other technical systems. The paper is designated to the analysis of queueing systems, arising in the network theory and communications theory (called open queueing network). We have proved here the theorem on the law of the iterated logarithm (LIL) for the virtual waiting time of a job in an open queueing network under heavy and light traffic conditions. Also, the work presents a survey of papers for the virtual waiting time of a job in heavy traffic. Finally, we present an application of the proved theorems to the technical model from computer network practice.
What Determines Enterprises’ Perceptions of Future Development in Higher Education – Strange Bedfellows?

In the last few decades, global changes such as an ever more integrated world economy, new technologies or the emergence of an international knowledge network have increasingly determined developments in European higher education. Policymakers have addressed these challenges using processes that support the practical orientation of higher education, including university-business cooperation. Because employers are becoming important stakeholders and partners in the creation of higher education policy, the future developers of higher education need to know what employers expect of future development and whether they will meet or resist those expectations when it comes to their input. In this article, we identify the areas that need to be improved upon and examine the ways in which employers’ experiences with higher education determine their perceptions of it. Building on the EMCOSU (Emerging Modes of Cooperation between Private Sector Organisations and Universities) survey, we analysed the responses of professionals of 397 companies based in five European countries. The analysis indicated that the level at which companies participated in university-business cooperation strongly influenced their perception of the way higher education institutions should develop. To be precise, those with greater experience in university-business cooperation pressed for more strategic cooperation between universities and business, more support for the international orientation of academic institutions, and less attention to the immediate valorisation of applied research, practical orientation and short-term skill development.
Mucosal melanomas of the head and neck: new aspects of the clinical outcome, molecular pathology, and treatment with c-kit inhibitors

Approximately 50% of mucosal melanomas affect the head and neck region representing approximately 9% of all malignant head and neck tumors. The pathogenesis of this disease is unknown. Mucosal melanomas are characterized by an aggressive biological behavior, leading to a 5-year survival rate of less than 25%. Data for this review were identified by searches of Medline, Current Contents, PubMed, and references from relevant articles using the terms ‘mucosal melanoma,’ ‘head and neck melanoma,’ ‘c-kit mutation in melanoma,’ and ‘c-kit inhibitors’. Therapy aims for the complete surgical excision of the primary tumor, whereas sentinel node biopsy is not established and present data do not support the addition of radiotherapy. Mutilating operations of larger tumors should be avoided, as they do not inhibit the frequent development of distant metastasis. C-kit mutations and amplifications are found in approximately 15–30% of mucosal and acral–lentiginous melanomas. Therefore, the use of so-called targeted therapies addressing molecular structures in mucosal melanomas seem to represent new promising treatment tools. In this study, we review the literature regarding epidemiology, molecular pathology, and therapy of mucosal melanomas of the head and neck emphasizing c-kit protein inhibiting treatment modalities for tumors carrying c-kit mutations.
Linear theory of the quasi-unipolar photodiode

Quasi-unipolar (QU) operation, in which unequal numbers of electrons and holes participate in the photocurrent, is proposed as a strategy for optimizing III-V photodetector bandwidth. Analytic expressions are derived for the transport of photogenerated charge, based on a linearization of the first two moments of the Boltzmann transport equation. Microscopic charge and current densities are shown to imply an equivalent circuit model for the QU detector, for which the familiar heterojunction p-i-n and unitraveling-carrier detectors are limiting cases. Simulations demonstrate that a maximum 3-dB bandwidth may be achieved via a QU rather than a purely bipolar or unipolar operation and without penalty to junction capacitance or quantum efficiency.
Ultrafast optical property map generation using lookup tables.

Imaging technologies working in the spatial frequency domain are becoming increasingly popular for generating wide-field maps of optical properties, enabling rapid analysis of tissue parameters. While acquisition methods have become faster and are now performing in real-time, processing methods remain slow, precluding real-time display of information. We present solutions that rapidly solve the inverse problem for extracting optical properties by use of advanced lookup tables (LUTs). We present methods and results based on a dense, linearly sampled lookup table and an analytical representation that generate maps of absorption and reduced scattering in ? 10? ms, which is 100× faster than the standard method, with ? 4% error compared to the Monte-Carlo simulation. Combined with real-time acquisition methods, the proposed techniques enable video-rate feedback of real-time property maps, enabling full video-rate guidance in the clinic.
Two effective unicast modes in MIMO multi-relay systems

In MIMO multi-relay systems, close-loop precoding at relay nodes is not necessary if unicast modes are carried out. However, in unicast modes, the inter-stream interference at relay nodes may degrade the system capacity. In this paper, two unicast modes are proposed to reduce the negative impact of the residual interference. The first one suppresses the interference by applying orthogonal precoding at the source node and the second one suppresses the residual interference through receiving filters at relay nodes. Analysis of the system capacity performance are given and simulation results will demonstrate the superiority of proposed modes.
Increased Fos Expression in Oxytocin Neurons Following Masculine Sexual Behavior

Induction of the c‐fos protein product (Fos) was used to immunocytochemically identify oxytocin (OT) neurons that may be activated during copulatory interactions. Fos induction was quantified in sexually‐experienced male rats after either (a) exposure to a testing arena recently vacated by an estrous female, (b) copulatory interactions such as mounting and intromission without ejaculation, or (c) mounting and intromissions culminating in ejaculation. In the parvocellular regions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), the number of neurons expressing Fos increased following either intromission (53%) or ejaculation (124%). Significant, but less striking, increases in the number of cells expressing Fos were noted in magnocellular regions of the PVN where intromission resulted in a 13% increase and ejaculation in a 49% increase in Fos. The number of perikarya immunoreactive for OT and AVP did not differ as a function of increasing sexual contacts. In control (novel arena) males, 33–73% of the Fos labeling occurred in OT cells. Sexual interactions did not enhance the number of double‐labeled cells in most parvocellular regions. However, in lateral parvocellular regions located in the most caudal aspects of the PVN, 31% of the Fos‐positive cells occurred in OT neurons in ejaculated males, while in control males none of the OT cells were double‐labeled. This PVN subdivision is known to consist of neurons that project to the brain stem and spinal cord at lumbar levels which contain motor neurons that regulate penile reflexes. The present data suggest a possible neurochemical circuit which incorporates oxytocinergic neurons in the mediation of masculine sexual responses.
Predictors of not regaining basic mobility after hip fracture surgery

Abstract Purpose: Regaining basic mobility after hip fracture surgery is a milestone in the in-hospital rehabilitation. The aims were to investigate predictors for not regaining basic mobility at the fifth post-operative day and at discharge after undergoing hip fracture surgery. Method: In a prospective cohort study 274 hip fracture patients were included. Patients with compromised ability to exercise were excluded leaving 167 patients for analysis. Patient demographics, functional level, method of operation, post-operative hemoglobin and the completion of physiotherapy was registered. Basic mobility was assessed by the Cumulated Ambulation Score. Multivariate logistic regression was performed. Results: Age >80 years (OR = 7.5), low prefracture functional level (OR = 3.0), not completed the physiotherapy on first post-operative day (OR = 4.6) and hemoglobin <6 mmol/L measured on first post-operative day (OR = 5.8) were significant predictors of not regaining basic mobility within the fifth post-operative day (p values: 0.04–<0.0001). Predictors of not regaining basic mobility at discharge were: Age >80 years (OR = 4.3), prefracture functional level (OR = 7.0) and not completed the physiotherapy on first post-operative day (OR = 3.3) (p values: 0.009–<0.0001). Conclusions: This study shows that patients undergoing hip fracture surgery, who are not able to complete physiotherapy on first post-operative day, are at a greater risk of not regaining basic mobility during hospitalization. This highlights the importance of physiotherapy as part of the interdisciplinary treatment. Implications for Rehabilitation Regaining abilities in basic mobility after hip fracture surgery is a primary goal of rehabilitation during hospitalization in the acute ward. The following factors are indentified to predict patients not regaining their previous level of basic mobility: Age >80 years, low prefracture functional level, patients not being able to complete the physiotherapy on the first post-operative day and hemoglobin value <6 mmol/l on the first post-operative day. In future strategies, the findings regarding both modifiable and unmodifiable factors, can be used to conduct early planning of discharge and to take actions in relation to patients who are at a risk of not regaining basic mobility.
The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) as a screening tool for dementia for a predominantly illiterate chinese population

Article abstract-The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) provides ratings of an individual's changes in everyday cognitive functions during the previous 10 years. Original studies conducted in Australia showed that its score was not influenced by the subjects' educational backgrounds and that it performed at least as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as a screening instrument for dementia. The subjects of the present study were Chinese and included 399 community residents and 61 dementia patients. Their ages ranged from 50 to 92 years; their education levels ranged from 0 to 19 years, and 63% of them had never attended school. We administered the IQCODE to informants and the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), from which a CASI-estimated score of the MMSE (MMSE-CE) can be obtained, to the subjects. The diagnosis of dementia was made independently by physicians according to the DSM-III-R criteria based on semistructured interview and testing, neurologic examination, and standardized assessments of cerebral vascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and depression. The Chinese IQCODE showed no association with the subjects' education level or gender, low association with their age, and moderately high association with their MMSE-CE score. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the IQCODE was significantly larger than that of the MMSE-CE for the whole group and for the subgroup with 1 to 19 years of education but not for the subgroup with 0 years of education. Nine of the 26 items of the IQCODE could be deleted without appreciable reduction in sensitivity and specificity. The IQCODE (1) can be shortened to 17 items, (2) had good cross-cultural applicability, and (3) was better than the MMSE-CE as a screening tool for dementia in a population with large variation in educational backgrounds. NEUROLOGY 1995;45: 92-96
Fabrication, modeling, and control of plush robots

We present a class of tendon-actuated soft robots, which promise to be low-cost and accessible to non-experts. The fabrication techniques we introduce are largely based on traditional techniques for fabricating plush toys, and so we term the robots created using our approach “plush robots. ” A plush robot moves by driving internal winches that pull in (or let out) tendons routed through its skin. We provide a forward simulation model for predicting a plush robot's deformation behavior given some contractions of its internal winches. We also leverage this forward model for use in an interactive control scheme, in which the user provides a target pose for the robot, and optimal contractions of the robot's winches are automatically computed in real-time. We fabricate two examples to demonstrate the use of our system, and also discuss the design challenges inherent to plush robots.
Guidance Software-In-the-Loop simulation using X-Plane and Simulink for UAVs

This paper introduces an new method to simulate a guidance algorithm running on Simulink that controls a fixed wing unmanned aircraft model running on the flight simulator X-Plane, which simulates the vehicle dynamics, sensors, and actuators. It presents the necessary settings for running simulations on small aircrafts in X-Plane and explains the UDP communication between the flight simulator and Simulink. The functions and codes to interpret X-Plane packets are explicated in details, and all codes are written in Matlab language in order to facilitate the development. As a final implementation we propose a guidance algorithm based on waypoints to validate the Software-In-the-Loop where the UAV needs to complete two missions that are also presented in this paper.
Probabilistic Power Flow by Monte Carlo Simulation With Latin Supercube Sampling

In this paper, a Latin supercube sampling (LSS) combined with Monte Carlo simulation is presented to efficiently sample random variables in the probabilistic power flow (PPF) problem. The results of the LSS method are compared with other techniques, namely Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) and simple random sampling (SRS), using bin-by-bin histogram comparison. The simulation results are presented for the case of IEEE 118-bus test system.
The European Logarithmic Microprocesor

In 2000 we described a proposal for a logarithmic arithmetic unit, which we suggested would offer a faster, more accurate alternative to floating-point procedures. Would it in fact do so, and could it feasibly be integrated into a microprocessor so that the intended benefits might be realized? Here, we describe the European logarithmic microprocessor, a device designed around that unit, and compare its performance with that of a commercial superscalar pipelined floating-point processor. We conclude that the experiment has been successful, and that for 32-bit work, logarithmic arithmetic may now be the technique of choice.
The phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine attenuates behavioral sensitization to cocaine

The factors influencing sensitization to cocaine are complex and likely include both cellular and neural systems factors. Upregulation of the striatal dopamine cAMP-signaling pathway and enhanced accumbens adenosine tone are two mechanisms that have been proposed to underlie the development of cocaine sensitization. Isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) is a nonspecific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE) that may enhance the intracellular cAMP levels. However, IBMX may inhibit the PDE-mediated production of adenosine. In this study, intracerebroventricular IBMX did not affect the acute hyperlocomotor response to cocaine, but when coadministered with cocaine for 7 consecutive days, attenuated development of behavioral sensitization. These results suggest that IBMX inhibition of PDE-mediated adenosine production is a stronger influence on cocaine sensitization than inhibition of intracellular PDE-mediated cAMP metabolism.
Chryseomicrobium palamuruense sp. nov., a haloalkalitolerant bacterium isolated from a sediment sample.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, rod shaped, motile bacterium, designated strain PU1T, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from a drainage near hostel of Palamuru University, Mahabubnagar district, T.S, India (16°43'23″N 77°58'49″E). Cells of strain PU1T are positive for catalase, oxidase, phosphatase, lipase and urease, and negative for gelatinase, amylase, protease, cellulase, lysine decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase. The fatty acids were dominated by saturated fatty acids (82.7 %), with a high abundance of iso-C15 : 0 (48.8 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (7.3 %), iso-C16 : 0 (11.9 %), C16 : 1ω7c alcohol (11.8 %) and iso-C17 : 0 (5.3 %). Strain PU1T contained MK-8 as the major respiratory quinone and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine make up the phospholipid composition. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contains meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid and cell-wall sugars are d-glucose and d-galactose. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated Chryseomicrobium imtechense and Chryseomicrobiumamylolyticum, members of family Planococcaceae within the phylum Firmicutes, are the closest related species with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 99 %. Other members of the family Planococcaceae had sequence similarities of 99 %, and DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain PU1T and Chryseomicrobium imtechense MW 10T, Chryseomicrobiumamylolyticum JC16T were 38 and 32 % respectively. The G+C content of DNA of strain PU1T is 48.5 mol%. Based on the above-mentioned phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain PU1T represents a novel species of the genus Chryseomicrobium for which the name Chryseomicrobiumpalamuruense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PU1T(=CCUG 59101T=JCM 16712T=KCTC 13722T=NBRC106750T).
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Assembly: Processing of Recombinant Capsid Precursor by Exogenous Protease Induces Self-Assembly of Pentamers In Vitro in a Myristoylation-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT The assembly of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) particles is poorly understood. In addition, there are important differences in the antigenic and receptor binding properties of virus assembly and dissociation intermediates, and these also remain unexplained. We have established an experimental model in which the antigenicity, receptor binding characteristics, and in vitro assembly of capsid precursor can be studied entirely from purified components. Recombinant capsid precursor protein (P1 region) was expressed in Escherichia coli as myristoylated or unmyristoylated protein. The protein sedimented in sucrose gradients at 5S and reacted with monoclonal antibodies which recognize conformational or linear antigen determinants on the virion surface. In addition, it bound the integrin αvβ6, a cellular receptor for FMDV, indicating that unprocessed recombinant capsid precursor is both structurally and antigenically similar to native virus capsid. These characteristics were not dependent on the presence of 2A at the C terminus but were altered by N-terminal myristoylation and in mutant precursors which lacked VP4. Proteolytic processing of myristoylated precursor by recombinant FMDV 3Cpro in vitro induced a shift in sedimentation from 5S to 12S, indicating assembly into pentameric capsid subunits. Nonmyristoylated precursor still assembled into higher-order structures after processing with 3Cpro, but these particles sedimented in sucrose gradients at approximately 17S. In contrast, mutant precursors lacking VP4 were antigenically distinct, were unable to form pentamers, and had reduced capacity for binding integrin receptor. These studies demonstrate the utility of recombinant capsid precursor protein for investigating the initial stages of assembly of FMDV and other picornaviruses.
Extracellular ATP stimulates an inhibitory pathway towards growth factor‐induced cRaf‐1 and MEKK activation in astrocyte cultures

ATP, acting via P2Y, G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs), is a mitogenic signal and also synergistically enhances fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2)‐induced proliferation in astrocytes. Here, we have examined the effects of ATP and FGF‐2 cotreatment on the main components of the extracellular‐signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) cascade, cRaf‐1, MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) and ERK, key regulators of cellular proliferation. Surprisingly, ATP inhibited activation of cRaf‐1 by FGF‐2 in primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. The inhibitory effect did not diminish MEK and ERK activation; indeed, cotreatment resulted in a greater initial activation of ERK. ATP inhibition of cRaf‐1 activation was not mediated by an increase in cyclic AMP levels or by protein kinase C activation. ATP also inhibited the activation of cRaf‐1 by other growth factors, epidermal growth factor and platelet‐derived growth factor, as well as other MEK1 activators stimulated by FGF‐2, MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) and MEKK2. Serotonin, an agonist of another GPCR coupled to ERK, did not inhibit FGF‐2‐induced cRaf‐1 activation, thereby indicating specificity in the ATP‐induced inhibitory cross‐talk. These findings suggest that ATP stimulates an inhibitory activity that lays upstream of MEK activators and inhibits growth factor‐induced activation of cRaf‐1 and MEKKs. Such a mechanism might serve to integrate the actions of receptor tyrosine kinases and P2Y‐GPCRs.