Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of the C. elegans cyld-1 gene reveals extensive similarity with its human homolog

The human cylindromatosis tumor suppressor (HsCyld) has attracted extensive attention due to its association with the development of multiple types of cancer. HsCyld encodes a deubiquitinating enzyme (HsCYLD) with a broad range of functions that include the regulation of several cell growth, differentiation and death pathways. HsCyld is an evolutionarily conserved gene. Homologs of HsCyld have been identified in simple model organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) which offer extensive possibilities for functional analyses. In the present report we have investigated and compared the functional properties of HsCYLD and its C. elegans homolog (CeCYLD). As expected from the mammalian CYLD expression pattern, the CeCyld promoter is active in multiple tissues with certain gastrointestinal epithelia and neuronal cells showing the most prominent activity. CeCYLD is a functional deubiquitinating enzyme with similar specificity to HsCYLD towards K63- and M1-linked polyubiquiting chains. CeCYLD was capable of suppressing the TRAF2-mediated activation of NF-kappaB and AP1 similarly to HsCYLD. Finally, CeCYLD could suppress the induction of TNF-dependent gene expression in mammalian cells similarly to HsCYLD. Our results demonstrate extensively overlapping functions between the HsCYLD and CeCYLD, which establish the C. elegans protein as a valuable model for the elucidation of the complex activity of the human tumor suppressor protein.
A General Threshold Signature and Authenticated Encryption Scheme Based on ElGamal System

Based on ElGamal system, a group-oriented threshold signature and authenticated encryption scheme was put forward. After being signed by a signer group employing threshold signature scheme, the message was transmitted to a particular verifier group, and then the signature was verified through the cooperation of ones from the verifier group with members. Similarly, a general authenticated encryption scheme characterized by joint verification was put forward through integrating threshold signature scheme and message recovery technique together; After being encrypted singed by any ones from a group with members, the message was transmitted to a particular verifier group with members, and then recovered through the cooperation of any ones from the verifier group. The security of this scheme is based on Shamir threshold scheme and ElGamal system. It realized the directional transmission of message between different groups and enjoyed the characteristics of reduced communication load and lowered calculation complexity, etc. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i7. 2828 Full Text: PDF
Cell blocks from scraping of cytology smear: comparison with conventional cell block.

OBJECTIVE To compare cytomorphology preservation and immunohistochemistry results between conventional cell blocks (CCB) and cytoscrape cell blocks (SCB). STUDY DESIGN Fine needle aspiration (FNAC) was done in 17 consecutive cases. Air-dried smears for May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain and wet-fixed smear for hematoxylin-eosin (H-E) stain were prepared. Simultaneously another pass was made in each case for preparation of material for CCB. One of the H-E-stained smears was spared for SCB. SCB was compared with CCB for cell morphology. Immunostaining was performed both cell blocks, as well as on FNA smears in 8 cases. Results were evaluated for intensity of staining and percentage of cells showing positivity. RESULTS CCB and SCB sections showed adequate cellularity in all cases. Morphologic preservation was good in SCB sections. There was good architectural and nuclear preservation in all cases of SCB. Immunostaining results showed better and clear intensity of staining with little background in all cell block cases. CONCLUSION SCB is a valuable technique in cell blocks from stained FNA smears. The cytomorphologic details are equally good in SCB and CCB. Additional panels of immunostaining can be done on SCB for better diagnosis and classification, particularly in cases in which repeat FNA is not possible.
Delft University of Technology Accurate and Robust Numerical Methods for the Dynamic Portfolio Management

This paper enhances a well-known dynamic portfolio management algorithm, the BGSS algorithm, proposed by Brandt et al. (Review of Financial Studies, 18(3):831–873, 2005). We equip this algorithm with the components from a recently developed method, the Stochastic Grid Bundling Method (SGBM), for calculating conditional expectations. When solving the first-order conditions for a portfolio optimum, we implement a Taylor series expansion based on a nonlinear decomposition to approximate the utility functions. In the numerical tests, we show that our algorithm is accurate and robust in approximating the optimal investment strategies, which are generated by a new benchmark approach based on the COS method (Fang and Oosterlee, in SIAM Journal of Scientific Computing, 31(2):826–848, 2008).
Origin of Enriched Regulatory T Cells in Patients Receiving Combined Kidney–Bone Marrow Transplantation to Induce Transplantation Tolerance

We examined tolerance mechanisms in patients receiving HLA‐mismatched combined kidney–bone marrow transplantation (CKBMT) that led to transient chimerism under a previously published nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen (Immune Tolerance Network study 036). Polychromatic flow cytometry and high‐throughput sequencing of T cell receptor‐β hypervariable regions of DNA from peripheral blood regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD4 non‐Tregs revealed marked early enrichment of Tregs (CD3+CD4+CD25highCD127lowFoxp3+) in blood that resulted from peripheral proliferation (Ki67+), possibly new thymic emigration (CD31+), and, in one tolerant subject, conversion from non‐Tregs. Among recovering conventional T cells, central memory CD4+ and CD8+ cells predominated. A large proportion of the T cell clones detected in posttransplantation biopsy specimens by T cell receptor sequencing were detected in the peripheral blood and were not donor‐reactive. Our results suggest that enrichment of Tregs by new thymic emigration and lymphopenia‐driven peripheral proliferation in the early posttransplantation period may contribute to tolerance after CKBMT. Further, most conventional T cell clones detected in immunologically quiescent posttransplantation biopsy specimens appear to be circulating cells in the microvasculature rather than infiltrating T cells.
Polystyrene: A Potential Standard for Developing In Vitro Cellular Tracking Methods for Nanotoxicology

Nanotoxicology has emerged as a discipline of a result of the revolution of nanotechnology. While nanotoxicology is in its infancy, there is a lack of toxicological data for nanoparticles, naturally occurring or commercially produced. The need for information regarding mechanisms associated with nanoparticle uptake by biological cells, as well as internalisation and accumulation of nanoparticles once penetrating cell membranes, is imperative. This project will focus on the internalisation studies of surface modified polystyrene nanoparticles. An in vitro lung model consisting of A549 (ATCC No: CRL185), a carcinogenic lung epithelial cell line, was employed to investigate the biocompatibility of nano scaled polystyrene particles in pulmonary systems. Biological effects of 40nm and 100nm carboxylated surface modified nanopolystyrene, 50nm and 100nm neutral nanopolystyrene and 60nm aminated nanopolystyrene were monitored. Prior to cellular studies, a full particle size characterisation was carried out using Dynamic Light Scattering, Atomic Force Microscopy, Zeta Potential and Electronic Spectroscopy. The cytotoxic effects of nano scale 40nm and 100nm carboxylated, 50nm and 100nm neutral nanopolystyrene and 60nm aminated nanopolystyrene were then evaluated using four cytotoxic endpoints, namely the Neutral Red, Alamar Blue, Comassie Blue and MTT assays, with both neutral and carboxylated modified particles exhibiting no cytotoxic effect at any of the concentrations or timepoints examined. Aminated nanoparticles were observed to elicit some toxic effects in cells, over certain test concentrations and exposure times. Cellular internalisation of the fluorescently labelled particles was monitored with the aid of fluorescent confocal microscopy. Nanoparticle internalisation and accumulation within specifically labelled cell organelles was then monitored and verified with the aid of commercially available iv transfection labelling kits. Raman microscopy was then employed to spectroscopically image biological cells previously exposed to fluorescently labelled 50nm and 100nm polystyrene nanoparticles. The use of K-means clustering and principal component analysis (PCA), demonstrated that the technique was capable of localising the nanoparticles and identifying the subcellular environment based on the molecular spectroscopic signatures.
Dynamic Context-Aware Event Recognition Based on Markov Logic Networks

Event recognition in smart spaces is an important and challenging task. Most existing approaches for event recognition purely employ either logical methods that do not handle uncertainty, or probabilistic methods that can hardly manage the representation of structured information. To overcome these limitations, especially in the situation where the uncertainty of sensing data is dynamically changing over the time, we propose a multi-level information fusion model for sensing data and contextual information, and also present a corresponding method to handle uncertainty for event recognition based on Markov logic networks (MLNs) which combine the expressivity of first order logic (FOL) and the uncertainty disposal of probabilistic graphical models (PGMs). Then we put forward an algorithm for updating formula weights in MLNs to deal with data dynamics. Experiments on two datasets from different scenarios are conducted to evaluate the proposed approach. The results show that our approach (i) provides an effective way to recognize events by using the fusion of uncertain data and contextual information based on MLNs and (ii) outperforms the original MLNs-based method in dealing with dynamic data.
Breakdown Pressure Determination - A Fracture Mechanics Approach

Accurate determination of breakdown pressure in the presence of pre-existing fracture (e.g., natural fractures or perforations) can assist engineers better manage expected fracture gradients. The classical models by Hubbert and Willis, and Haimson and Fairhurst did not account for the existence of pre-existing fractures in predicting breakdown pressure. In addition, the available fracture models for the calculation of breakdown pressure do not consider nonlinear internal pressure distribution in the pre-existing fracture. Finally, some of them either ignored near wellbore stress concentrations, or they are limited to specific fracture dimensions. To overcome the limitations of current methodologies, a weight function method is applied to predict breakdown pressure of two general symmetrical radial fractures emanating from a borehole. A weight function parameter table and three weight function parameter correlations are provided for continuous dimensionless crack lengths from 0.001 to 100. For uniform pressure distribution in the pre-existing fracture, the weight function based breakdown pressure is compared against the PSA method [Paris and Sih, 1965; Abou-Sayed et al., 1978], the results show a good agreement. Weight functions are applied to predict breakdown pressure for uniform and nonuniform pressure distribution in a pre-existing fracture, and the results prove that the pressure distribution affects the breakdown pressure. Sensitivity studies are conducted to investigate the influence of pre-existing crack length, orientation, in-situ stress contrast, and fracture toughness on breakdown pressure. It indicates that breakdown pressure (1) does not always increase with increasing dimensionless crack length at different stress contrast, and (2) increase with increasing absolute value of deviation angle and fracture toughness. The weight function based breakdown pressure is further verified against measured breakdown pressure from laboratory hydraulic fracturing experiments by finetuning fracture toughness. The results are also in good agreement for selected successful fracturing experiments.
Reconstructing input models via simulation optimization

In some service operations settings, data are available only for system outputs but not the constituent input models. Examples are service call centers and patient flows in clinics, where sometimes only the waiting time or the queue length data are collected for economic or operational reasons, and the data on the “input distributions”, namely interarrival and service times, are limited or unavailable. In this paper, we study the problem of estimating these input distributions with only the availability of the output data, a problem usually known as the inverse problem, and we are interested in the context where stochastic simulation is required to generate the outputs. We take a nonparametric viewpoint, and formulate this inverse problem as a stochastic program by maximizing the entropy of the input distribution subject to moment matching. We then propose an iterative scheme via simulation to approximately solve the program.
Polyamides from renewable sources as matrices of short fiber reinforced biocomposites

Summary — At present, in production of commercially available biopolyamides, castor oil is used as one of raw materials. In this paper possibilities of processing biocomposites based on biopoly- amide (commercially delivered by Chinese company Suzhou Hipro Polymers) filled with 10 or 20 wt. % of glass, carbon or flax fibers were presented. Tensile properties (tensile strength, modu- lus of elasticity and elongation at break) of the composites in their conditioned state and after water soaking were discussed. As the results showed, a strong effect of reinforcement was obtained for all of the composites. The composites with glass and flax fibers have a great elongation and impact resistance. To evaluate fatigue stress of tested materials, simplified shortened Lehr's method was used. The results of this work can be used in the designing process of structural materials with varying stiffness and ability to dissipate energy depending on the expectations of the recipient. Keywords: biopolyamide, biocomposite, renewable sources, flax fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber. POLIAMIDY ZERODE£ ODNAWIALNYCH JAKO OSNOWY BIOKOMPOZYTOW WZMAC- NIANYCH KROTKIMI W£OKNAMI Streszczenie — W pracy zaprezentowano aktualne mo? liwoœci wytwarzania i modyfikacji poli- amidow z surowcow odnawialnych. Na przyk³adzie poliamidu otrzymywanego z oleju rycyno- wego i produkowanego na skale przemys³ow¹ (Hiprolon 211) przedstawiono wyniki badan kom- pozytow z dodatkiem 10 lub 20 % mas. w³okien — szklanych, weglowych lub lnianych. Porow- nano podstawowe w³aœciwoœci wytrzyma³oœciowe czystego biopoliamidu i jego kompozytow o ro? nym stopniu nape³nienia (rys. 2—4). Wprowadzenie w³okien we wszystkich przypadkach da³o wyraŸny efekt wzmocnienia. Wyznaczono wartoœci gestoœci, temperatury mieknienia Vicata, udarnoœci okreœlanej metod¹ Charpy'ego z karbem (tabela 1), a tak? e ch³onnoœci wody po 1, 7 i 30 dniach moczenia. Zbadano rownie? zmiany w³aœciwoœci wytrzyma³oœciowych po 30-dniowej inkubacji w wodzie (rys. 6 i 7) czystego biopoliamidu i kompozytow z dodatkiem 10 % mas. nape³niaczy. Technik¹ SEM wykonano fotografie powierzchni prze³omow po rozci¹ganiu wytwo- rzonych kompozytow. Widoczne s¹ na nich charakterystyczne cechy struktury i morfologia ro? - nych w³okien (rys. 3). Przedstawiono rezultaty badan dynamicznych kompozytow, a w szczegol- noœci poziomy si³ wymuszaj¹cych, œrednie wyd³u? enie oraz energie dyssypacji odpowiadaj¹cych narastaj¹cym iloœciom petli mechanicznej histerezy (tabela 2, rys. 9). Porownano petle histerezy kompozytow z w³oknami szklanymi, weglowymi i lnianymi (rys. 8). Wyniki przedstawionych badan wykaza³y, ? e istniej¹ du? e mo? liwoœci projektowania w³aœciwoœci wytrzyma³oœciowych kompozytow na osnowie d³ugo³ancuchowych biopoliamidow, poniewa? w³aœciwoœci te zale? ¹ od rodzaju oraz iloœci wprowadzanych w³okien. S³owa kluczowe: biopoliamid, biokompozyt, surowce odnawialne, w³okna lniane, w³okna szklane, w³okna weglowe.
Microvessel Density in Patients with Cutaneous Melanoma: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background We conducted a meta-analysis, in order to appraise the effect of microvessel density (MVD) on the survival of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Methods This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A systematic literature search in electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials) was performed. Fixed Effects or Random Effects model was used, based on the Cochran Q test. Results In total 9 studies (903 patients) were included. Pooled HR for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 2.62 (95% CI: 0.71–9.60, p = 0.15) and 2.64 (95% CI: 0.82–8.47, p = 0.10), respectively. Odds ratios of overall survival between high and low MVD groups, at 12 (1.45, 95% CI: 0.16–13.24), 36 (2.93, 95% CI: 0.63–13.59), and 60 (4.09, 95% CI: 0.85–19.77) months did not reach statistical significance. Significant superiority of low MVD group, in terms of DFS, at all time intervals (OR: 4.69, p < 0.0001; OR: 2.18, p = 0.004; OR: 7.46, p = 0.01, resp.) was documented. Discussion MVD does not affect the HR of OS and DFS. A strong correlation with DFS rates at 12, 36, and 60 months was recorded.
OPRM1 and COMT Gene–Gene Interaction Is Associated With Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption After Orthopedic Trauma

Background: mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) contribute to the neurotransmission pathway of pain. COMT affects mu receptor expression and density in the brain. The aim of this study was to explore the OPRM1 and COMT interaction effects on postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Methods: This cross-sectional exploratory study used genotype and clinical data from 153 postoperative patients. Using multiple regression analyses, four single-nucleotide polymorphisms of COMT (rs6269, rs4633, rs4818, and rs4680), their haplotypes, and diplotypes were considered for their interactions with A118G of OPRM1 regarding postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Results: For opioid consumption, significant interactions were found between OPRM1 A118G and COMT rs4680 (p = .037) and between OPRM1 and COMT rs4633 (p = .037). Patients having Met158Met of COMT rs4680 and AG/GG of OPRM1 or TT of COMT rs4633 and AG/GG of OPRM1 consumed the largest amount of opioid compared to those having other combinations. For postoperative pain, a significant interaction was found between OPRM1 and the low pain sensitivity (LPS; GCGG) haplotype of COMT (p = .017). For patients with no copies of the LPS haplotype, AA of OPRM1 A118G was significantly associated with higher pain scores compared to the variant AG/GG. However, the opposite direction was observed for patients with at least one copy of the LPS haplotype. Conclusions: The interaction of OPRM1 with COMT may contribute to variability in postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Additional larger studies are needed to confirm findings.
Miniaturization of Implantable Micro-Robot Propulsion Using a Wireless Power Transfer System

Recently implantable micro-robots have been researched actively in the means of medical application. This micro-robot can be used for localized delivery and various forms of energy. Targeted drug delivery increases the concentration of drug in region of interest and reduce the risk of side effects in the rest of the body. In addition, the micro-robot can delivery heat energy to destroy unwanted cells and collect the images inside of the body to make an accurate diagnosis. Currently, most of research are use static magnet inside of micro-robot to generate propulsion force. This kinds of micro-robot can be implemented as nano-size, but the utilization of these are limited because of the it is not containing electrical energy source [1]. To receive the electrical energy, the micro robot using wireless power transfer system have been proposed. Unlikely conventional research which using motor actuator, generate propulsion using Lorentz force is pronounced [2].
Viscoelastic effects in small-scale indentation of biological materials

Modern developments in instrumentation and analysis have vastly increased the popularity of instrumented indentation and nanoindentation techniques for mechanical characterisation of materials. However, these techniques have been developed primarily for materials exhibiting time-independent mechanical behaviour and therefore have had limited applicability in the mechanical analysis of time-dependent biological tissues. Following a brief introduction on elastic and elastic-plastic indentation, the current paper reviews the existing analytical machinery available for indentation analysis of viscoelastic materials (as developed in the context of polymeric materials). Recent works are reviewed in which the application of viscoelastic indentation techniques is extended to small-scale testing of biological tissues.
MicroRNA‐130a regulates cerebral ischemia–induced blood–brain barrier permeability by targeting Homeobox A5

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption plays a critical role in brain injury induced by cerebral ischemia, and preserving BBB integrity during ischemia could alleviate cerebral injury. We examined the role of miR‐130a in ischemic BBB disruption by using models of rat middle cerebral artery occlusion and cell oxygen–glucose deprivation. We found that ischemia significantly increased microRNA‐130a (miR‐130a) level and that miR‐130a was predominantly from brain microvascular endothelial cells. Antagomir‐130a, an antagonist of miR‐130a, could attenuate brain edema, lower BBB permeability, reduce infarct volume, and improve neurologic function. MiR‐130a overexpression induced by miR‐130a mimic increased monolayer permeability, and intercellular inhibition of miR‐130a by a miR‐130a inhibitor suppressed oxygen–glucose deprivation–induced increase in monolayer permeability. Moreover, dual luciferase reporter system showed that Homeobox A5 was the direct target of miR‐130a. MiR‐130a, by inhibiting Homeobox A5 expression, could down‐regulate occludin, thereby increasing BBB permeability. Our results suggested that miR‐130a might be implicated in ischemia‐induced BBB dysfunction and serve as a target for the treatment of ischemic stroke. —Wang, Y. , Wang, M. ‐D. , Xia, Y. ‐P., Gao, Y. , Zhu, Y. ‐Y. , Chen, S. ‐C. , Mao, L. , He, Q. ‐W. , Yue, Z. ‐Y. , Hu, B. MicroRNA‐130a regulates cerebral ischemia–induced blood–brain barrier permeability by targeting Homeobox A5. FASEB J. 32, 935–944 (2018). www.fasebj. org