Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microfluidic Devices for the Analysis of Single Cells: Leaving No Protein Uncounted

Microfluidic devices are revolutionizing bioanalysis, and designs capable of detecting single protein molecules are now available. Two recently described microfluidic devices provide information on the number of β2-adrenergic receptors in individual cultured insect cells and measure the degradation of phycobilisomes in individual cyanobacteria, respectively. This latter experiment, which included the analysis of three single cells in parallel, heralds a bright future for high-throughput single-cell analyzers. These devices could greatly advance research in signal transduction and studies of the effects of environmental stimuli or xenobiotics on cellular responses.
Cheap deforestation for non-strict functional languages

In functional languages intermediate data structures are often used as glue to connect separate parts of a program together. Deforestation is the process of automatically removing intermediate data structures. In this thesis we present and analyse a new approach to deforestation. This new approach is both practical and general. We analyse in detail the problem of list removal rather than the more general problem of arbitrary data structure removal. This more limited scope allows a complete evaluation of the pragmatic aspects of using our deforestation technology. We have implemented our list deforestation algorithm in the Glasgow Haskell compiler. Our implementation has allowed practical feedback. One important conclusion is that a new analysis is required to infer function arities and the linearity of lambda abstractions. This analysis renders the basic deforestation algorithm far more effective. We give a detailed assessment of our implementation of deforestation. We measure the effectiveness of our deforestation on a suite of real application programs. We also observe the costs of our deforestation algorithm.
UNEQUAL PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCINATE‐DEHYDROGENASE and ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE IN PURKINJE CELL BODIES and GRANULE CELLS ISOLATED IN BULK FROM THE CEREBELLAR CORTEX OF THE IMMATURE RAT 1

Abstract— –A preparative procedure for the isolation in bulk of two cellular populations of the cerebellar cortex of the immature rat, the granule cells and the Purkinje cell bodies, is described. The procedure is used to delineate the developmental pattern of succinate‐INT‐reduclase (EC 1.3.99.1) and acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) in the crucial period of cerebellar maturation, i.e. between 12 and 19 days postnatally. Although the overall yield of neuronal RNA diminished with age, the proportion of RNA in the Purkinje cell body fraction increased while that in the granule cells decreased and microscopic examination of the fractions confirmed this result. The yields of succinate‐INT‐reductase and of acetylcholinesterase in the fractions paralleled the yields of RNA. A significant finding was the trend toward diminishing specific activities (units/μg of RNA) with age of both enzymes in the Purkinje cell bodies as against the opposite, upward trend of their specific activities in the granule cells. An additional finding of interest was the different ratio of true acetylcholinesterase/total cholinesterase activity in the two cell types, with the granule cells consistently exhibiting higher true acetylcholinesterase values than the Purkinje cell bodies. The present report thus supplements the histoenzymological data on the developing rat cerebellum in that it reveals specific differences in the enzymatic development of two different cerebellar types, a finding which was greatly facilitated by the availability of the procedure for their bulk isolation.
Strategic Alliances between Buyers and Suppliers: Lessons from the Medical Imaging Industry

The previous chapter examined inter-firm relationships from a theoretical and conceptual perspective. In this chapter the authors examine more formal relationship coordination through alliances. Building on the strategic perspectives of industrial organization and the resource-based view of the firm, the more recent strategic perspective of relational advantage is explored. The chapter takes a practical approach to examine alliances designed to reduce costs in healthcare product innovation, specifically focussing on strategic alliances between global medical imaging corporations and hospital systems and multi-specialty physician clinics in the US. It looks at the historical development of buyer–supplier alliances in the healthcare industry and, through empirical research of the focal alliances in medical imaging, draws out lessons for industry and supply chain management research.
A potential inhibitory role for the new truncated variant of somatostatin receptor 5, sst5TMD4, in pituitary adenomas poorly responsive to somatostatin analogs.

CONTEXT Somatostatin (SST) receptors, specially sst2 and sst5, provide a valuable target to inhibit excessive hormone release and cell growth in pituitary tumors by using SST analogs (SSAs). Unfortunately, an appreciable proportion of tumors fail to respond to SSA despite expressing high levels of one or more ssts. Recently we identified two novel truncated sst5 variants, sst5TMD5, and sst5TMD4, absent in normal pituitary but expressed in pituitary tumors. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN We aimed at exploring the potential role of sst5TMD5 and sst5TMD4 in the poor response of some tumors to SSA in vivo and in vitro. Specifically, 25 somatotropinomas showing different responses to octreotide in vivo and sst2 (BIM-23197)- and sst5(BIM-23268)-selective compounds in vitro were screened for sst5TMD5/sst5TMD4 expression by real-time PCR. Relationships between ssts expression and in vivo and in vitro secretory response of the corresponding pituitary samples were assessed. RESULTS sst5TMD5 was absent in all samples analyzed. sst5TMD4 was found in 85% of tumors, and its expression was positively correlated to that of sst5 (R(2) = 0.79, P < 0.001). Expression of sst5TMD4 was negatively correlated with the ability of octreotide to reduce GH levels in vivo and partially negatively correlated with inhibition of GH secretion by an sst5 selective agonist (BIM-23268) in vitro. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that sst5TMD4 is related to the reduced ability of octreotide at normalizing hormone secretion in poorly responsive tumors in vivo. Further studies will help to evaluate the potential use of sst5TMD4 expression in surgically removed pituitary adenomas as a predictor of the subsequent response of different pituitary tumors to SSA therapy.
Techniques for high-performance digital frequency synthesis and phase control

This thesis presents a 3.6-GHz, 500-kHz bandwidth digital ∆Σ frequency synthesizer architecture that leverages a recently invented noise-shaping time-to-digital converter (TDC) and an all-digital quantization noise cancellation technique to achieve excellent in-band and out-of-band phase noise, respectively. In addition, a passive digital-toanalog converter (DAC) structure is proposed as an efficient interface between the digital loop filter and a conventional hybrid voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to create a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO). An asynchronous divider structure is presented which lowers the required TDC range and avoids the divide-value-dependent delay variation. The prototype is implemented in a 0.13-μm CMOS process and its active area occupies 0.95 mm. Operating under 1.5 V, the core parts, excluding the VCO output buffer, dissipate 26 mA. Measured phase noise at 3.67 GHz achieves -108 dBc/Hz and -150 dBc/Hz at 400 kHz and 20 MHz, respectively. Integrated phase noise at this carrier frequency yields 204 fs of jitter (measured from 1 kHz to 40 MHz). In addition, a 3.2-Gb/s delay-locked loop (DLL) in a 0.18-μm CMOS for chip-tochip communications is presented. By leveraging the fractional-N synthesizer technique, this architecture provides a digitally-controlled delay adjustment with a fine resolution and infinite range. The provided delay resolution is less sensitive to the process, voltage, and temperature variations than conventional techniques. A new ∆Σ modulator enables a compact and low-power implementation of this architecture. A simple bang-bang detector is used for phase detection. The prototype operates at a 1.8-V supply voltage with a current consumption of 55 mA. The phase resolution and differential rms clock jitter are 1.4 degrees and 3.6 ps, respectively. Thesis Supervisor: Michael H. Perrott, Ph.D. Title: Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Doppel expression is regulated by the Brn-3a and Brn-3b transcription factors

Doppel and the prion protein (PrP) are two related proteins involved in different aspects of neuronal degeneration. While a structural modification of PrP is necessary and sufficient for its toxic effect, the neurotoxicity of Doppel in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum relies solely on its overexpression. Understanding the Doppel-related neurotoxicity thus involves the analysis of its developmental and transcriptional regulation. Here we report for the first time that Doppel is expressed in the embryonic neurons of mice dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord and that the closely related Brn-3a and Brn-3b transcription factors are involved in its transcriptional regulation.
Depletion of Intracellular Zinc from Neurons by Use of an Extracellular Chelator In Vivo and In Vitro

The membrane-impermeable chelator CaEDTA was introduced extracellularly among neurons in vivo and in vitro for the purpose of chelating extracellular Zn2+. Unexpectedly, this treatment caused histochemically reactive Zn2+ in intracellular compartments to drop rapidly. The same general result was seen with intravesicular Zn2+, which fell after CaEDTA infusion into the lateral ventricle of the brain, with perikaryal Zn2+ in Purkinje neurons (in vivo) and with cortical neurons (in vitro). These findings suggest either that the volume of zinc ion efflux and reuptake is higher than previously suspected or that EDTA can enter cells and vesicles. Caution is therefore warranted in attempting to manipulate extracellular or intracellular Zn2+ selectively.
Purification and Characterization of Heparan Sulfate 6-Sulfotransferase from the Culture Medium of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (*)

Heparan sulfate 6-sulfotransferase, which catalyzes the transfer of sulfate from 3′-phosphoadenylyl sulfate to position 6 of N-sulfoglucosamine in heparan sulfate, was purified 10,700-fold to apparent homogeneity with a 40% yield from the serum-free culture medium of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The isolation procedure included affinity chromatography of the first heparin-Sepharose CL-6B column (stepwise elution), 3′,5′-ADP-agarose, and the second heparin-Sepharose CL-6B column (gradient elution). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme showed two protein bands with molecular masses of 52 and 45 kDa. Both proteins appeared to be glycoproteins, because their molecular masses decreased after N-glycanase digestion. When completely desulfated and N-resulfated heparin was used as acceptor, the purified enzyme transferred sulfate to position 6 of N-sulfoglucosamine residue but did not transfer sulfate to the amino group of glucosamine residue or to position 2 of the iduronic acid residue. Heparan sulfate was also sulfated by the purified enzyme at position 6 of N-sulfoglucosamine residue. Chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate did not serve as acceptors. The optimal pH for enzyme activity was around 6.3. The enzyme activity was inhibited by dithiothreitol and was stimulated strongly by protamine. The K value for adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulfate was 0.44 μM.
The development of a college biology self-efficacy instrument for nonmajors

In an effort to test the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies that may increase biological literacy for nonbiology majors, an NSF-funded research project called “The Slice of Life,” was conducted from 1994 to 1998. In the present study, a self-efficacy instrument was constructed and designed specifically for the project to determine students' self-reported confidence in understanding and using biology in their lives. Based on social cognitive theory, the premise for developing such an instrument was that a specific measure of biological self-efficacy was deemed to be an important predictor of the change processes necessary to improve students' biological understanding. Results of this study indicate that the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale was a valid and reliable tool for studying nonbiology majors' confidence in mastering biological literacy. Factor analysis supported the contention that the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale was a multidimensional construct consisting of at least three dimensions: methods of biology; generalization to other biology/science courses and analyzing data; and application of biological concepts and skills. These dimensions represent three components of biological literacy that have been commonly described in the literature. The instrument may lead to further understanding of student behavior, which in turn can facilitate the development of strategies that may increase students' desire to understand and study biology. More specifically, by using the self-efficacy tool as a pre- and posttest indicator, instructors can gain insight into whether students' confidence levels increase as they engage in more complex tasks during the course, and, in addition, what type of teaching strategies are most effective in building confidence among students to achieve biological literacy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:397–408, 1999.
Evaluation of the performance of the state of charge on a Lithium-ion battery energy storage system applied to primary frequency regulation of microgrids

Facing the changes on the generation profile of the current energy systems, new technologies are required to follow such developments. The Lithium-ion battery energy storage systems are a choice for ensure the frequency stability of the system. Hence, this paper studying the charge and discharge behavior of these devices when connected to microgrid in order to execute the primary frequency regulation service.
Fuzzy function approximators with ellipsoidal regions

This paper discusses two types of fuzzy function approximators that dynamically generate fuzzy rules with ellipsoidal regions: a function approximator based on Takagi-Sugeno type model with the center-of-gravity defuzzification and a function approximator based on a radial basis function network. Hereafter the former is called FACG and the latter is called FALC. In FACG, for each training datum the number of the training data that are within the specified distance is calculated and the training datum which has the maximum number of the training data is selected as the center of a fuzzy rule and the covariance matrix is calculated using the training data around the center. Then the parameters of the linear equation that defines the output value of the fuzzy rule are determined by the least-squares method using the training data around the center. In FALC, the training datum with the maximum approximation error is selected as the center of a fuzzy rule. Then using the training data around the center, the covariance matrix is calculated, and the parameters of a linear equation that determines the output value are calculated by the least-squares method. Performance of FACG and FALC is compared with that of multilayered neural networks and other fuzzy function approximators for the data generated by the Mackey-Glass differential equation and the data from a water purification plant.
Design Strategy for 4G Handset Antennas and a Multiband Hybrid Antenna

A novel design strategy for multi-standard mobile handset antennas is presented and verified with experimental results. The results show that the presented antenna operates with better than -3 dB (50%) efficiency across the frequencies of 698-2900 MHz and 3250-3600 MHz, thus having state-of-the-art performance. The antenna is shown to have a robust performance with a user, and it can fulfill the specific absortion rate (SAR) and hearing aid compatibility (HAC) requirements. In addition, it is demonstrated how the multi-antenna functionality can be included within the antenna structure, simultaneously achieving a small antenna volume of 750 mm3. The diversity gain and isolation are better than 10 dB at the frequency band 2110-3600 MHz. Hence, the proposed antenna is well suited for future LTE-A mobile handsets.
Juggling Increases Interhemispheric Brain Connectivity: A Visual and Quantitative dMRI Study

We use visualization to help analyze a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study that has investigated the effects of learning how to juggle on nerve ﬁber microstructure in the human brain. Building on a standard voxel-wise statistical analysis, we perform a more elaborate visual analysis of the affected ﬁber bundles. Based on the visualization, we hypothesize that brain image data allows us to distinguish learners from controls with better-than-random accuracy; we test this hypothesis with a machine learning technique. We believe that our results exemplify the value of more tightly integrating statistical with visual analysis and machine learning in brain imaging studies, in order to complement the group-wise view of traditional analysis with insights about speciﬁc individuals.
CIRCULATION IN THE FUNDUS OF THE RABBIT EYE *

The retinal vessels are clearly visible in their transparent chamber, and easy to study by ophthalmoscope; in albino animals the choroidal vessels are also observable. Nevertheless, difficulties are encountered when an attempt is made to examine their circulation. The usual microscopic study is rendered impossible by the distance from the anterior surface of the eye. Several operative methods which have been developed (Leopold 1951, Ashton and Cook 1954, Thurinsky 1957, Friedman, Smith and Kuwabara 1964) allow of study of the vessels in a very small area at large scale magnification, although these methods are not suitable for chronic experiments. Photographic studies of the retinal circulation have been essayed since the early 1930's (Lambert 1934, Puntenney 1939, Zwiauer and Bornshein 1949). An experimental study of fundus cinematography with fluorescein was first reported by Flocks, Miller and Chao in 1959. They studied the retinal circulation in 10 cats which had been anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbital, and recorded greater variation in the retinal circulation times than had been indicated by their earlier method (Chao and Flocks 1958) with tryptan blue. As the diffuse reflection of fluorescent light from the tapetum diminishes the contrast Letween vessels and the background, it is difficult to achieve good photographic quality in study of the cat by this means. Slightly different methods of fluorescence cineangiography have been described (Hart et al., 1963, Oberhoff, Evans and Delaney 1965) for study of the human retinal circulation, and for study of the retinal circulation in the anaesthetized pig (Ashton et al. 1966). Recently a new method of fluorescence cineangiography was developed in
Local accessibility of hybrid urban public transportation

An increasing number of cities are implementing public bicycle systems to reduce traffic congestion. How to choose the locations of bicycle stations is one of the key questions in urban public transportation systems (UPTSs). This paper proposes a linear urban public transportation model to describe state transition of passengers in the sense of min-plus algebra. Based on the model, we define the local R-accessibility and obtain its necessary and sufficient condition which can be used to determine the locations of public bicycles. By numerical simulations of the UPTS in Ningbo, China, we find that our result has more advantages than the real situation in comparison with several topological characteristics and network robustness.
Proteomics of hosts and pathogens in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a congenital disease that results in great morbidity and mortality mainly in the Caucasian population. Although CF is a monogenic disease caused by mutation in the CF conductance transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene, most of the related mortality can be attributed to infection mediated by opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens. Over the past decade, advancements in the field of proteomics have helped to gain insight into the repertoire of host and pathogen proteins involved in CF pathophysiology. This review provides an overview of the contributions of proteomic studies in advancing our knowledge of the biology of CF and disease progression associated with pathogen infection and host defense responses.
Nonparametric direct mapping of rainfall‐runoff relationships: An alternative approach to data analysis and modeling?

We present a new approach for the analysis and modeling of catchment rainfall‐runoff relationships that uses as predictor variables input history summary variables only. The latter are defined as linear combinations of inputs at a given number of previous time steps. This transforms the dynamic identification problem into a static one. As the identification algorithm we use regression trees, which act as a nonlinear nonparametric model. The original algorithm is adapted to account for serial correlation in variables. The new method is applied to two subcatchments of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Andrews Experimental Forest Watershed (Oregon, United States). Simple and interpretable tree models explain more than 80% of the initial deviance of the observations in both calibration and validation. This suggests that the selected variables have a good predictive power and that further modeling attempts using them are warranted. The models show a distinct pattern of the selected explanatory variables. Applications of the method include data quality control, comparative analysis, assessment of hydrological change, and multicriterion evaluation of parametric hydrological models.
AN IMPROVED TECHNIQUE FOR STAINING RED HALOPHILIC BACTERIA

Various workers attempting to stain the halophilic bacteria which are commonly responsible for the red discoloration of salted hides and salted fish have been unanimous in reporting major difficulties. These organisms are ordinarily grown in media containing 20 per cent or more of NaCl. They are extremely sensitive to changes in osmotic pressure and will undergo plasmoptysis immediately when immersed in distilled water. Consequently, smears for microscopical examination should be made in 20 per cent brine. Then, if a good preparation is to be obtained, a special desalting procedure must be applied before the actual staining of the organisms.
A NOTE ON THE VARIETY OF PAIRS OF MATRICES WHOSE PRODUCT IS SYMMETRIC

We give different short proofs for a result proved by C. Mueller in [9]: Over an algebraically closed field pairs of n×n matrices whose product is symmetric form an irreducible, reduced, and complete intersection variety of dimension (3n2 +n)/2. Our work is connected to the work of Brennan, Pinto, and Vasconcelos in [2].