Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computer-Assisted Annotation of Murine Sertoli Cell Small RNA Transcriptome1

ABSTRACT Mammalian genomes encode a large number of small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) that play regulatory roles during development and adulthood by affecting gene expression. Several sncRNA species, including microRNAs (miRNAs), piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs), and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), are abundantly expressed in the testis and required for normal testicular development and spermatogenesis. To evaluate global changes in sncRNA expression, the next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based sncRNA transcriptomic analysis has become routine, because it allows rapid determination of the small RNA transcriptome of a particular testicular cell type. However, annotation of small RNA NGS reads can be challenging due to the volume of reads obtained, which is usually in the millions. Therefore, we developed a computer-assisted sncRNA annotation protocol that could identify not only known sncRNAs but also previously uncharacterized ones. Using this protocol, we annotated NGS reads of a Sertoli cell sncRNA library, and we report to our knowledge the first comprehensive annotation of the sncRNA transcriptome of immature murine Sertoli cells. Moreover, the computer-assisted sncRNA annotation pipeline that we report is applicable for annotating NGS reads derived from other cell types and/or sequencing platforms.
A principal component based probabilistic DBNN for face recognition

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a powerful statistical approach for extracting facial features for recognition. The eigenface method has been reported to provide significant recognition performance over various testing and evaluation procedures. We try to improve the PCA recognition performance by concatenating a probabilistic decision based neural networks (DBNN). Our experiments show that the hybrid PCA/NN systems can improve the recognition rate by about 8% better than the PCA systems, on our facial database, which contains large rotation face images as the testing sets.
WaCo: A Wake-Up Radio COOJA Extension for Simulating Ultra Low Power Radios

Radio communication remains the primary battery consuming activity in wireless systems. Advances in MAC protocols have enabled significant lifetime improvements, but in systems with low data rate, idle listening, and other communication artifacts can begin to dominate costs. One proposal to combat this is the addition of a second, extremely low power radio component that is always-on. As a consequence of the extremely low power, such radios are incapable of decoding general data, and thus are often delegated the task of listening for a trigger, leading to the terminology wake-up radio , as this extremely low power radio is used to wake up a higher power radio, which is then used for data communication. While wake-up technology has been steadily evolving over the last decade in the hardware arena, few protocols have been developed to exploit it. In this work, we present WaCo , our wake-up radio COOJA extension that allows exploration of the capabilities of the wake-up radio from the desktop environment. We also use our extended simulator to concretely show the potential benefits of the wake-up radio hardware with two, standard data collection protocols. Our results simultaneously confirm that wake-up technology has tremendous potential and that our simulator extension provides an effective mechanism for such exploration.
Cross-modal Repetition Priming in Spoken Word Recognition

Abstract. Multimodal speech perception has become a topic of considerable interest to speech researchers. Previous research has demonstrated that perceivers use information from the visual modality to inform the process of spoken word recognition. In this paper, we used a cross-modal repetition priming paradigm to explore questions about multimodal speech perception. First, we report that participants identified spoken words mixed with noise more accurately when the words were preceded by a dynamic video clip of the word being produced than when the words were preceded by a static image. Second, analyses of the responses indicate that both correct and incorrect responses are constrained by dynamic visual information. These complementary results indicate that perceivers integrate speech information from two different sensory modalities even when the signals are presented asynchronously. Third, we addressed the nature of multimodal integration, and found that the cross-modal repetition priming was maintained even when visual and auditory signals come from different sources. We discuss implications of these results for theories of multimodal speech perception.
Simian virus 40 functions required for the establishment and maintenance of malignant transformation

Members of the five classes of temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 mutants were tested for their ability to transform Chinese hamster lung cells. Two criteria for transformation were used: the ability to form clones in medium with low serum concentrations and the ability to overgrow a monolayer. Only A mutants failed to transform at the restrictive temperature when subconfluent Chinese hamster lung monolayers were used. However, both A and D mutants failed to transform at the restrictive temperature when confluent monolayers and depleted medium were used. When transformed clones were selected, purified by recloning, and examined at both temperatures, only cell lines induced by A mutants lost the transformed phenotype at the higher temperature. Thus, A function is required for maintenance of the transformed phenotype in Chinese hamster lung cells. A function is known to be required for the initiation of viral DNA synthesis in permissive cells. Therefore, transformation may be a consequence of the introduction into a cell of the capacity for aberrant initiation of DNA replication.
Lowering the Quantum Gate Cost of Reversible Circuits

One approach to determining a quantum circuit is to first synthesize a circuit composed of binary reversible gates and to then map that circuit to an equivalent quantum gate realization. This paper considers the mapping phase with the goal of reducing the number of quantum gates required. Our method is based on novel line labeling and gate moving procedures. Results are presented for the quantum library: NOT, controlled-NOT, and the square-root-of-NOT gates (V and V+). The approach is applicable to other quantum gate libraries.
Childhood Autoimmune Hepatitis in Bahrain: a Tertiary Center Experience.

BACKGROUND Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in childhood has variable modes of presentation, and the disease should be suspected and excluded in all children presenting with symptoms and signs of prolonged or severe acute liver disease. In AIH, the liver biopsy histopathology shows inflammation in addition to presence of serum autoimmune antibodies and increased levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG). OBJECTIVES To investigate the situation of childhood autoimmune hepatitis in Bahrain and to compare it with other studies worldwide. METHODS A retrospective study describing the AIH pediatric cases diagnosed during the period of Jan 2005 to Dec 2009. We report the clinical, biochemical, histopathological, and immunological findings, mainly autoimmune profile, in addition to response to treatment, of Bahraini children with autoimmune hepatitis. RESULTS Five Bahraini children, three females and two males were diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis during the study period. Their ages at presentation ranged from 9 to 15 (median 10.6) years. One of our patients had a fulminating type. Two had other autoimmune related conditions, namely autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis and ulcerative colitis. All were AIH type 1. Variable response to conventional immunosuppressive therapy was found, from an excellent response with good prognosis, to cirrhosis, hepatic failure and liver transplantation. CONCLUSION Childhood AIH is a rare medical problem in Bahrain, with both sexes affected and a variable response to immunosuppressive therapy.
Schwann Cell Vulnerability to Demyelination is Associated with Internodal Length in Tellurium Neuropathy

The frequency of demyelinated fibers in mixed nerve and cutaneous nerve and the relationship of the frequency of demyelination to internodal length were assessed in a model of tellurium neuropathy in the rat. Twenty-day-old Long-Evans rats were fed chow containing 1.25% elemental tellurium for seven days and subsequently killed at 34 or 41 days of age. Teased-fiber preparations revealed a higher frequency of demyelinated fibers in sciatic nerve (mixed nerve) than in sural nerve (cutaneous nerve). The frequency of demyelinated fibers was positively associated with internodal length in both nerves. The type of nerve (mixed or cutaneous) was not a significant predictor of the frequency of demyelinated fibers once internodal length had been taken into account. These data indicate that there is a hierarchy of vulnerability within the population of myelinating Schwann cells to tellurium toxicity, and that this hierarchy is related to internodal length. The hierarchy of vulnerability may reflect intrinsic differences among Schwann cells, such as the volume of myelin each cell is synthesizing and maintaining, or a gradient of unrecognized axonal abnormalities.
Non-linear resistance training reduces inflammatory biomarkers in persons living with HIV: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract The purpose of this study is to analyse the effect of 12 weeks of non-linear resistance training (NLRT) on anthropometry, muscle strength and inflammatory biomarkers in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (PIHIV). Thirty previously sedentary PIHIVs were randomized into the NLRT (n = 15) and control (CON, n = 15) groups. NLRT group were submitted to 12 weeks of training, whereas the CON group maintained their daily habits. At baseline and after 12 weeks, both groups underwent anthropometric evaluations and blood sampling for the analysis of inflammatory biomarkers. Analysis of covariance using preintervention values as covariate was performed to determine the effects of exercise on anthropometry, muscle strength, cytokines levels and T cells. Significance was set at p < 0.05. After 12 weeks of intervention, there was a decrease in subcutaneous body fat (p < .0001), neck, abdomen and waist circumferences (p < .05), waist-to-hip ratio (p = .009), blood levels of interleukin (IL)-1β (p = .029), IL-6 (p = .005), IL-8 (p = .010), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α (p = .001) and an increase in muscle strength (p < .0001), IL-10 levels (p = .030) and CD4+ (p = .004) and CD8+ (p < .0001) counts in the NLRT compared to CON group. Twelve weeks of NLRT promoted positive changes in the body fat, body circumferences, muscular strength and inflammatory profile in PIHIV.
In Vivo Efficacy of Aerosolized Nanostructured Itraconazole Formulations for Prevention of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

ABSTRACT Aerosolized evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution and spray freezing into liquid nanostructured formulations of itraconazole as prophylaxis significantly improved survival relative to commercial itraconazole oral solution and the control in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Aerosolized administration of nanostructured formulations also achieved high lung tissue concentrations while limiting systemic exposure.
A Quantum Control Spectroscopy Approach by Direct UV Femtosecond Pulse Shaping

A quantum control spectroscopy (QCS) approach using directly shaped UV excitation pulse is demonstrated. Ultrafast tailored pulses in the region of 310-335 nm are combined with transient absorption to investigate reactive pathways in the excited state of (2,2'-bipyridyl)-3,3'-diol BP(OH)2. In particular, we apply QCS in the disentanglement of the competing excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) channels of BP(OH)2. Our results challenge parallel reactive pathways in the excited state and suggest a newer model based on an extremely fast sequential double ESIPT process.
Naturally occurring persistent and asymptomatic infection of the guttural pouches of horses with Streptococcus equi

During an outbreak of strangles on a farm with approximately 1500 horses, the spread of Streptococcus equi infection was monitored by repeated nasopharyngeal swabbing and culture. In order to control the infection and prevent new introductions of strangles on to the premises, a system of quarantine and swabbing of cases and all incoming animals was instituted. Long-term carriage of the organism was detected in four clinically healthy convalescent animals, and in two of 350 new ponies; it persisted for between seven and 39 months, but it was detected only intermittently by the culture of swabs which was a much less sensitive method than the culture of guttural pouch lavages taken by endoscopy (45 per cent v 88 per cent sensitivity, respectively, for any single sample). Repeated swabs were often negative for several weeks between positive samples. Nonetheless, in all but one of the long-term carriers, S equi was detected by culture of repeated swabs taken over a period of less than two to three months. Infection was detected unilaterally in the guttural pouches of five of the carriers and was accompanied by large numbers of neutrophils in the lavage samples whether or not there was empyema. Abnormalities of the affected guttural pouches were detectable by radiography but only after the instillation of contrast medium. The study indicated that clinically healthy long-term carriers of S equi present a serious risk of spreading strangles, particularly because they may be detected only by repeated nasopharyngeal swabbing over two to three months.
Techniques for automatically sizing multiple buffer pools in DB2

DB2 Universal Database (DB2/UDB) divides the buffer area into a number of independent buffer pools and each database object (table or index) is assigned to a specific buffer pool. Buffer pool sizing, which sets an appropriate size for each of the buffer pools is crucial for achieving optimal performance.In this paper, we investigate the buffer pool sizing problem. Two cost models, which are based on page fault and data access time, are examined. A greedy algorithm is proposed to search for the optimal solution. We study the effectiveness of the above techniques using experiments with the TPC-C benchmark database. The results show that the data access time based cost model is more effective for optimizing the buffer pool sizes than the page fault based cost model.
Alternatively Spliced Variant of Smad2 Lacking Exon 3

An alternatively spliced variant of Smad2 with a deletion of exon 3 (Smad2Δexon3) is found in various cell types. Here, we studied the function of Smad2Δexon3 and compared it with those of wild-type Smad2 containing exon 3 (Smad2(wt)) and Smad3. When transcriptional activity was measured using the p3TP-lux construct, Smad2Δexon3 was more potent than Smad2(wt), and had activity similar to Smad3. Transcriptional activation of the activin-responsive element (ARE) of Mix.2 gene promoter by Smad2Δexon3 was also similar to that by Smad3, and slightly less potent than that by Smad2(wt). Phosphorylation by the activated transforming growth factor-β type I receptor and heteromer formation with Smad4 occurred to similar extents in Smad2Δexon3, Smad2(wt), and Smad3. However, DNA binding to the activating protein-1 sites of p3TP-lux was observed in Smad2Δexon3 as well as in Smad3, but not in Smad2(wt). In contrast, Smad2(wt), Smad2Δexon3, and Smad3 efficiently formed ARE-binding complexes with Smad4 and FAST1, although Smad2(wt) did not directly bind to ARE. These results suggest that exon 3 of Smad2 interferes with the direct DNA binding of Smad2, and modifies the function of Smad2 in transcription of certain target genes.
Membrane hybrid optical devices and related technologies toward on-Si photonic integrated circuits

Toward realization of on-chip photonic integrated circuits on LSI for high performance computing, membrane III-V optical devices on Si using BCB bonding have been proposed. Strong optical confinement due to high index contrast between the core and cladding layers gives low threshold and high efficiency operation of lasers. Using a lateral current injection structure, RT-CW operation was demonstrated. The structure could be applied for other optical devices such as waveguide-type photodetectors and wire waveguides.
Social Media Communication in European Airlines

We investigate the state of the art of European airlines’ communication with today’s Millenials by the means of new opportunities offered by social media services. Based on Media Synchronicity Theory, a survey is conducted among members of these so called digital natives to reveal insights on their awareness raised by corporate social media appearances of the ten most important European airlines referring to passengers. Besides the analysis of main elements that affect the customers’ decision-making when purchasing a flight ticket, the social media presence and respective communication strategies of these companies are examined. In the empirical part, a cluster analysis was conducted and results reveal significant differences between identified group clusters regarding the awareness of the airlines’ social media efforts. This paper recommends different approaches to address the specific segments within the Millenials and sheds light on topics for further research.
Local object shape from tactile sensing

Studies on contact problems such as shape recovery from tactile sensing involve complex geometrics and kinematics. In the first part of the paper we introduce a convenient matrix expression of 3-D surfaces, which can be easily applied to manipulate contact constraints and kinematics equations using homogeneous transformation. In the second part of the paper we apply the notation introduced in the first part and derive an active tactile sensing strategy which consists of a shape sensing algorithm and a touch-based robot control scheme.
Diabetes Induced Changes in Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Diabetes mellitus, the single most important cause of vascular disease in the industrialized world, is also associated with bone loss and impaired fracture healing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the potential to differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes and other mesenchymal cells and play a central role in bone formation and repair. Because of this, we have investigated the possibility that diabetes has direct effects on MSCs in vivo and that this might represent a cellular basis for diabetes-induced osteoporosis. We isolated MSCs from rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and analysed them ex vivo for their ability to proliferate and differentiate in the fibroblastic colony-forming unit assay. Effects of diabetes on bone metabolism in vivo were determined by analysing tibiae from control and diabetic animals by quantitative computerized tomography. The total number of colonies and osteoblastic colonies staining positive for alkaline phosphatase were quantified and both colony size and number were found to be significantly reduced in diabetic rats. The changes appear to be mediated by the induction of apoptosis and senescence by advanced glycation end products (AGEs), together with an increase in the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). These changes were paralleled by extensive loss of trabecular bone in the tibiae of the diabetic animals. These data suggest that MSCs become exhausted during diabetes and lose their differentiation potential, leading to a net loss of trabecular bone. Therefore, direct effects on MSCs may be responsible for some of the orthopaedic effects associated with diabetes.
Health Technology Assessment in nursing: a literature review.

BACKGROUND The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) approach, which provides scientific support for the decisions taken within the health field, is of increasing importance worldwide. In a context of limited resources, HTA has the potential of being an efficient tool for addressing the sustainability problems and the allocation choices arising from the constant increase in demand. AIM This study aims to investigate HTA use in nursing, both in terms of quantifying HTA evaluations of nursing phenomena which have been conducted and in terms of the extent to which nursing has used the HTA approach. The Italian context has been analysed because of the growing diffusion of the HTA in Italy along with the recent developments in the nursing profession. METHODS A narrative review of international literature was undertaken using the following databases: HTA, PubMed, CINAHL, ILISI. RESULTS Seventy evaluation studies on nursing were identified from the HTA database (1.12% of all studies in the database). The areas of nursing intervention and the country of origin of the studies were identified. Two nursing studies on the HTA approach were found in the PubMed, CINAHL and HTA databases. The first focused on the evaluation of nursing technology process and analysed 126 studies in six main thematic areas; the second was a systematic review on HTA in nursing and analysed 192 studies (46 meta-analyses, 31 Finnish primary studies, 117 international primary studies). Three Italian studies were identified from the ILISI database and Italian grey literature. DISCUSSION In the international literature, although analyses regarding the efficacy of nursing interventions have been conducted, there are to date very few research projects that focus exclusively on the HTA process as applied to nursing. The recent development of a standardized nursing language coupled with the open debate as to which research method (qualitative vs. quantitative) best serves to 'read' nursing phenomena may explain the scarce diffusion of HTA in the field of nursing.
Network restructuring after a node removal

: Central nodes ( i.e. , prominent actors) in a social network are those that are linked to other nodes in an extensive or critical manner. Therefore, their removal may lead to points of failure. The objective of the present work is to exploit network topology to devise an approach towards (i) ﬁnding substitute(s) to a deleted node, and (ii) adding appropriate links to avoid a fragmentation of the network into unconnected subgraphs. The approach exploits the role played by nodes to predict the new structure of a social network once one entity disappears. The role of a node in the network is expressed in terms of the number of interactions it has with the rest of the network. Three important roles are considered: the leader , the mediator and the witness . An entity acts as a leader, a mediator or a witness if it has a high degree centrality, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality, respectively.