Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequence and expression analysis of the androgen receptor gene from Compact mouse (Brief Report)

Abstract. The phenotype of hypermuscled Compact mouse is determined by the MstnCmpt-dl1Abc myostatin mutation and also by additional modifier genes, mapped to different chromosome regions (VARGA et al. 1997, SZABO et al. 1998, VARGA et al. 2003, VARGA et al. 2005). The androgen receptor gene (Ar) was considered to be a potential candidate gene on the basis of our mapping results and its function, as it is located in that region of the X chromosome, where the strongest modifier effect was detected in the males and because Ar was described earlier as a regulator of TGF-s (CHIPUK et al. 2002). A similar regulation could thus also be assumed through the androgen response element of myostatin, a member of the TGF-s superfamily (MA et al. 2001). The sex-influenced nature of the Compact phenotype (VARGA et al. 1997, BUNGER et al. 2005) appeared to strengthen this hypothesis. In this study we analysed the coding sequence of the Ar locus in Compact mice and the expression of Ar mRNA by quantitative Real-Time PCR.
Impaired working memory for visual motion direction in schizophrenia: Absence of recency effects and association with psychopathology.

OBJECTIVE Working memory (WM) impairments are a prominent neurocognitive symptom in schizophrenia (SZ) and include deficits in memory for serial order and abnormalities in serial position effects (i.e., primacy and recency effects). Former studies predominantly focused on investigating these deficits applying verbal or static visual stimuli, but little is known about WM processes that involve dynamic visual movements. We examined WM for visual motion directions, its susceptibility to distraction and the effect of serial positioning. METHOD Twenty-three patients with paranoid SZ and 23 healthy control subjects (HC) took part in the study. We conducted an adapted Sternberg-type recognition paradigm: three random dot kinematograms (RDKs) that depicted coherent visual motion were used as stimuli and a distractor stimulus was incorporated into the task. RESULTS SZ patients performed significantly worse in the WM visual motion task, when a distractor stimulus was presented. While HC showed a recency effect for later RDKs, the effect was absent in SZ patients. WM deficits were associated with more severe psychopathological symptoms, poor visual and verbal learning, and a longer duration of illness. Furthermore, SZ patients showed impairments in several other neurocognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that early WM processing of visual motion is susceptible to interruption and that WM impairments are associated with clinical symptoms in SZ. The absence of a recency effect is discussed in respect of 3 theoretical approaches-impaired WM for serial order information, abnormalities in early visual representations (i.e., masking effects), and deficits in later visual processing (i.e., attentional blink effect). (PsycINFO Database Record
Creating state of the art, next-generation Virtual Reality exposure therapies for anxiety disorders using consumer hardware platforms: design considerations and future directions

Abstract Decades of research and more than 20 randomized controlled trials show that Virtual Reality exposure therapy (VRET) is effective in reducing fear and anxiety. Unfortunately, few providers or patients have had access to the costly and technical equipment previously required. Recent technological advances in the form of consumer Virtual Reality (VR) systems (e.g. Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear), however, now make widespread use of VRET in clinical settings and as self-help applications possible. In this literature review, we detail the current state of VR technology and discuss important therapeutic considerations in designing self-help and clinician-led VRETs, such as platform choice, exposure progression design, inhibitory learning strategies, stimuli tailoring, gamification, virtual social learning and more. We illustrate how these therapeutic components can be incorporated and utilized in VRET applications, taking full advantage of the unique capabilities of virtual environments, and showcase some of these features by describing the development of a consumer-ready, gamified self-help VRET application for low-cost commercially available VR hardware. We also raise and discuss challenges in the planning, development, evaluation, and dissemination of VRET applications, including the need for more high-quality research. We conclude by discussing how new technology (e.g. eye-tracking) can be incorporated into future VRETs and how widespread use of VRET self-help applications will enable collection of naturalistic “Big Data” that promises to inform learning theory and behavioral therapy in general.
Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry pharmacokinetic study of DL-praeruptorin A in rat plasma.

DL-praeruptorin A is a novel drug with valuable apoptosis and inflammation inhibitory effects in cardiac muscle. Previous pharmacokinetic studies of DL-praeruptorin A have had limited success due to its very low plasma concentrations. In this study, we developed and validated a new rapid, sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) method for quantitative analysis of dl-praeruptorin A in rat plasma. DL-Praeruptorin A and diazepam (internal standard) extracted from rat plasma samples with chloroform and analyzed on an XTerra™ RP₁₈ column (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 µm) were chromatographically separated within 5.5 min using methanol-water (75:25, v/v; flow rate 1 mL/min) as the mobile phase. DL-praeruptorin A was detected in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring. The method was validated and the specificity, linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ, 2.5 ng/mL), precision (intra- and inter-day <11.0%), accuracy (90.2-96.3%), recovery (>79.2%) and stability were determined. The correlation coefficient (r²) for the linear range of 2.5-2500.0 ng/mL was >0.999. No matrix effects were observed. The validated method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of dl-praeruptorin A after intravenous administration to rats. The LLOQ obtained with this method was lower than in previous studies and could be valuable for determination of dl-praeruptorin A in therapeutic drug monitoring and preclinical studies to establish appropriate dose and frequency.
Anti‐inflammatory function of Withangulatin A by targeted inhibiting COX‐2 expression via MAPK and NF‐κB pathways

Withangulatin A (WA), an active component isolated from Physalis angulata L. , has been reported to possess anti‐tumor and trypanocidal activities in model systems via multiple biochemical mechanisms. The aim of this study is to investigate its anti‐inflammatory potential and the possible underlying mechanisms. In the current study, WA significantly suppressed mice T lymphocytes proliferation stimulated with LPS in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner and inhibited pro‐inflammation cytokines (IL‐2, IFN‐γ, and IL‐6) dramatically. Moreover, WA targeted inhibited COX‐2 expression mediated by MAPKs and NF‐κB nuclear translocation pathways in mice T lymphocytes, and this result was further confirmed by the COX‐1/2 luciferase reporter assay. Intriguingly, administration of WA inhibited the extent of mice ear swelling and decreased pro‐inflammatory cytokines production in mice blood serum. Based on these evidences, WA influences the mice T lymphocytes function through targeted inhibiting COX‐2 expression via MAPKs and NF‐κB nuclear translocation signaling pathways, and this would make WA a strong candidate for further study as an anti‐inflammatory agent. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 532–541, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
FGF2-dependent neovascularization of subcutaneous Matrigel plugs is initiated by bone marrow-derived pericytes and macrophages

Vessel-like networks are quickly formed in subcutaneous FGF2-supplemented Matrigel plugs by two cell types: NG2+ pericytes and F4/80+ macrophages. Although not detected in these networks until 7 days after plug implantation, the appearance of CD31+ endothelial cells marks the onset of vessel perfusion and the establishment of mature vessel morphology, with endothelial cells invested tightly by pericytes and more loosely by macrophages. Evidence that mature vessels develop from pericyte/macrophage networks comes from experiments in which 5-day plugs are transplanted into EGFP+ recipients and allowed to mature. Fewer than 5% of pericytes in mature vessels are EGFP+ in this paradigm, demonstrating their presence in the networks prior to plug transplantation. Endothelial cells represent the major vascular cell type recruited during later stages of vessel maturation. Bone marrow transplantation using EGFP+ donors establishes that almost all macrophages and more than half of the pericytes in Matrigel vessels are derived from the bone marrow. By contrast, only 10% of endothelial cells exhibit a bone marrow origin. The vasculogenic, rather than angiogenic, nature of this neovascularization process is unique in that it is initiated by pericyte and macrophage progenitors, with endothelial cell recruitment occurring as a later step in the maturation process.
Performance comparison of pure MPI vs hybrid MPI-OpenMP parallelization models on SMP clusters

Summary form only given. We compare the performance of three programming paradigms for the parallelization of nested loop algorithms onto SMP clusters. More specifically, we propose three alternative models for tiled nested loop algorithms, namely a pure message passing paradigm, as well as two hybrid ones, that implement communication both through message passing and shared memory access. The hybrid models adopt an advanced hyperplane scheduling scheme, that allows both for minimal thread synchronization, as well as for pipelined execution with overlapping of computation and communication phases. We focus on the experimental evaluation of all three models, and test their performance against several iteration spaces and parallelization grains with the aid of a typical microkernel benchmark. We conclude that the hybrid models can in some cases be more beneficial compared to the monolithic pure message passing model, as they exploit better the configuration characteristics of an hierarchical parallel platform, such as an SMP cluster.
Adaptive and resource-aware mining of frequent sets

The performance of an algorithm that mines frequent sets from transactional databases may severely depend on the specific features of the data being analyzed. Moreover, some architectural characteristics of the computational platform used - e.g. the available main memory - can dramatically change its runtime behavior. In this paper we present DCI (Direct Count & Intersect), an efficient algorithm for discovering frequent sets from large databases. Due to the multiple heuristics strategies adopted, DCI can adapt its behavior not only to the features of the specific computing platform, but also to the features of the dataset being mined, so that it results very effective in mining both short and long patterns from sparse and dense datasets. Finally we also discuss the parallelization strategies adopted in the design of ParDCI, a distributed and multi-threaded implementation of DCI.
A sub-picosecond accumulating streak camera for x-rays

An x-ray streak camera system uses a laser triggered photo-conductive switch to synchronize the high voltage ramp applied to its sweep plates to the photo-excitation of a sample. This technique allows the jitter between successive sweeps to be kept below 100 fs compared to over 1 ps using classical methods. By accumulating a stable pulsed x-ray signal over many sweeps, a very high dynamic range can be achieved whilst maintaining a sub-picosecond time resolution. The ultimate time resolution is limited by the dispersion of electrons in the streak tube. Whilst triggering with a laser at 900 Hz we have achieved a time resolution (FWHM) of 640 fs at a detection wavelength of 267 nm for a 60 s accumulation period, corresponding to over 50 000 sweeps.
Equivalence Relations of Mealy Automata

Two independent equivalence relations are considered for Mealy automata. Simulation equivalence, on the one hand, arises from a new multi-step simulation concept under the constraint that the process of switching from one automaton to the other is reversible. Retiming equivalence, on the other hand, is the congruence induced by the so called sliding axiom in the monoidal category of automata. It is shown that these two equivalence relations coincide, and a characterization is given for simulation/retiming equivalence in terms of transition diagrams
Off-state breakdown in InAlAs/InGaAs MODFET's

Recent efforts are being focussed on improving the breakdown voltage (BV) of InAlAs/InGaAs MODFET's on InP towards high-power applications. A detailed understanding of the physics of breakdown in these devices is still lacking. In this paper, we carry out a study of off-state breakdown on state-of-the-art MODFET's in this material system. Through a combination of a surface-depleted cap and mesa-sidewall isolation the devices have BV's of around 10 V. We find that BV shows a negative temperature coefficient and also decreases with a higher InAs mole fraction in the channel. As we have recently found in InAlAs/n/sup +/-InGaAs HFET's, off-state breakdown appears to be a two-step process. First, electrons are emitted by thermionic-field emission from the gate to the insulator. Second, as a consequence of the large electric field in the insulator and the substantial /spl Delta/E/sub C/ between insulator and channel, they enter the channel hot, into the high-field drain-gate region, and relax their energy through impact-ionization. This combined hypothesis is able to explain why the MODFET breakdown voltage depends on both channel and insulator design parameters. >
Highly Sensitive and Ultrastable Skin Sensors for Biopressure and Bioforce Measurements Based on Hierarchical Microstructures.

Piezoresistive microsensors are considered to be essential components of the future wearable electronic devices. However, the expensive cost, complex fabrication technology, poor stability, and low yield have limited their developments for practical applications. Here, we present a cost-effective, relatively simple, and high-yield fabrication approach to construct highly sensitive and ultrastable piezoresistive sensors using a bioinspired hierarchically structured graphite/polydimethylsiloxane composite as the active layer. In this fabrication, a commercially available sandpaper is employed as the mold to develop the hierarchical structure. Our devices exhibit fascinating performance including an ultrahigh sensitivity (64.3 kPa-1), fast response time (<8 ms), low limit of detection of 0.9 Pa, long-term durability (>100 000 cycles), and high ambient stability (>1 year). The applications of these devices in sensing radial artery pulses, acoustic vibrations, and human body motion are demonstrated, exhibiting their enormous potential use in real-time healthcare monitoring and robotic tactile sensing.
In vivo serial evaluation of superparamagnetic iron‐oxide labeled stem cells by off‐resonance positive contrast

MRI is emerging as a diagnostic modality to track iron‐oxide‐labeled stem cells. This study investigates whether an off‐resonance (OR) pulse sequence designed to generate positive contrast at 1.5T can assess the location, quantity, and viability of delivered stem cells in vivo. Using mouse embryonic stem cell transfected with luciferase reporter gene (luc‐mESC), multimodality validation of OR signal was conducted to determine whether engraftment parameters of superparamagnetic iron‐oxide labeled luc‐mESC (SPIO‐luc‐mESC) could be determined after cell transplantation into the mouse hindlimb. A significant increase in signal‐ and contrast‐to‐noise of the SPIO‐luc‐mESC was achieved with the OR technique when compared to a gradient recalled echo (GRE) sequence. A significant correlation between the quantity of SPIO‐luc‐mESC and OR signal was observed immediately after transplantation (R2 = 0.74, P < 0.05). The assessment of transplanted cell viability by bioluminescence imaging (BLI) showed a significant increase of luciferase activities by day 16, while the MRI signal showed no difference. No significant correlation between BLI and MRI signals of cell viability was observed. In conclusion, using an OR sequence the precise localization and quantitation of SPIO‐labeled stem cells in both space and time were possible. However, the OR sequence did not allow evaluation of cell viability. Magn Reson Med 60:1269–1275, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Long-Term Use of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Ophthalmic Insert to Relieve Symptoms of Dry Eye in a Contact Lens Wearer: Case-Based Experience

Objectives: To report a case in which hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts were successfully used for the treatment of dry eye disease in a contact lens (CLs) wearer for more than 25 years. Methods: Review of clinical findings in a female CL wearer with dry eye spanning more than 30 years. The patient was diagnosed with the Sjögren syndrome and demonstrated inadequate lacrimation as assessed by Schirmer testing. Slitlamp examination demonstrated bilateral corneal stippling with fluorescein and signs of superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis. Results: Initially, the patient's symptoms improved with infrequent use of artificial tears. As the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease worsened, the patient initiated therapy with once-daily hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts. Punctal plugs and updating to increasingly oxygen-permeable soft CLs, in combination with continued use of the inserts, largely controlled the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease during a 25-year period. Simultaneous use of the hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts and CLs was well tolerated without any significant side effects or changes in visual acuity. Conclusions: Dry eye is a chronic disease often requiring long-term management. In this case, daily use of hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts effectively treated autoimmune dry eye, providing symptomatic relief, and resulted in improved objective measures of disease severity across several decades. Such an experience is consistent with the available evidence-based data for hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts and supports their use in clinical practice for the treatment of moderate-to-severe dry eye disease.
Stab resistance and thermophysiological comfort properties of boron carbide coated aramid and ballistic nylon fabrics

Abstract This research presents the stab resistance and thermo-physiological comfort properties of the fabrics prepared from high-performance fibres of aramid (i.e. Kevlar®) and ballistic nylon. The fabric samples were coated with boron carbide to improve the stab resistance properties. The quasistatic stab tests were performed using NIJ 0115.00 standard knife (P1) on the Instron tensile testing machine. The thermo-physiological comfort properties of the fabric samples were evaluated by measuring the air permeability, water-vapour resistance and thermal resistance. It was observed that the application of the coating significantly increased the stab resistance properties of the fabrics. Furthermore, the air permeability was significantly reduced; whereas, the water-vapour resistance and thermal resistance were significantly increased with the application of coating. Hence, the coated fabrics will have to compromise the comfort aspects to achieve the desired protection level, which is the prime requirement for the stab resistant textile materials.
The Influence of Eroded Blades on Wind Turbine Performance Using Numerical Simulations

During their operation, wind turbine blades are eroded due to rain and hail, or they are contaminated with insects. Since the relative inflow velocity is higher at the outer than at the inner part of the blades, erosion occurs mostly at the outer blade region. In order to prevent strong erosion, it is possible to install a leading edge protection, which can be applied to the blades after the initial installation, but changes the shape of the initial airfoil sections. It is unclear how this modification influences the aerodynamic performance of the turbine. Hence, it is investigated in this work. The NREL 5 MW turbine is simulated with clean and eroded blades, which are compared to coated blades equipped with leading edge protection. Aerodynamic polars are generated by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics, and load calculations are conducted using the blade element momentum theory. The analysis in this work shows that, compared to clean rotor blades, the worse aerodynamic behaviour of strongly eroded blades can lead to power losses of 9 % . In contrast, coated blades only have a small impact on the turbine power of less than 1 % .
Learning to Mine Chinese Coordinate Terms Using the Web

Coordinate relation refers to the relation between instances of a concept and the relation between the directly hyponyms of a concept. In this paper, we focus on the task of extracting terms which are coordinate with a user given seed term in Chinese, and grouping the terms which belong to different concepts if the seed term has several meanings. We propose a semi-supervised method that integrates manually defined linguistic patterns and automatically learned semi-structural patterns to extract coordinate terms in Chinese from web search results. In addition, terms are grouped into different concepts based on their co-occurring terms and contexts. We further calculate the saliency scores of extracted terms and rank them accordingly. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method generates results with high quality and wide coverage.
Microfluidic Technology in Vascular Research

Vascular cell biology is an area of research with great biomedical relevance. Vascular dysfunction is involved in major diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. However, when studying vascular cell biology in the laboratory, it is difficult to mimic the dynamic, three-dimensional microenvironment that is found in vivo. Microfluidic technology offers unique possibilities to overcome this difficulty. In this review, an overview of the recent applications of microfluidic technology in the field of vascular biological research will be given. Examples of how microfluidics can be used to generate shear stresses, growth factor gradients, cocultures, and migration assays will be provided. The use of microfluidic devices in studying three-dimensional models of vascular tissue will be discussed. It is concluded that microfluidic technology offers great possibilities to systematically study vascular cell biology with setups that more closely mimic the in vivo situation than those that are generated with conventional methods.
Content-Based Image Retrieval Using Multiple-Instance Learning

We explore the application of machine learning techniques to the problem of content-based image retrieval (CBIR). Unlike most existing CBIR systems in which only global information is used or in which a user must explicitly indicate what part of the image is of interest, we apply the multiple-instance (MI) learning model to use a small number of training images to learn what images from the database are of interest to the user.