Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DNA Methylation of miR-122 Aggravates Oxidative Stress in Colitis Targeting SELENBP1 Partially by p65NF-κB Signaling

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expressions contribute to the development and progression of various diseases, including Crohn's disease (CD). However, the accurate mechanisms of miRNAs in CD are definitely unclear. We employed colonic tissue samples from normal volunteers and CD patients, an acute mice colitis model induced by 2,4,6-trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS), and a cellular oxidative stress model induced by H2O2 in HT-29 cells to determine the effects of oxidative stress on expressions of miR-122, selenium-binding protein 1 (SELENBP1, SBP1), p65 nuclear factor κB (p65NF-κB) signaling, and DNA methylation. We found that SBP1 was mainly located on epithelial cells and was significantly increased in patients with active CD. SBP1 was the target gene of miR-122. miR-122 expression was downregulated while SBP1 expression was upregulated under TNBS-induced colitis or oxidative stress. Pre-miR-122 or siRNA SBP1 (si-SBP1) treatment ameliorated acute TNBS-induced colitis and H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Cotreatment of pre-miR-122 and si-SBP1 enhanced these effects. Besides, pre-miR-122 and si-SBP1 obviously activated the p65NF-κB signaling by phosphorylation of IκBα. Bisulfite sequencing of the CpG islands in the promoter region of miR-122 showed that CpG methylation was significantly increased under oxidative stress. Treating cells with 5′-AZA which was well known as a DNA-demethylating agent significantly increased miR-122 expression. Our results suggest that oxidative stress-induced DNA methylation of miR-122 aggravates colitis targeting SELENBP1 partially by p65NF-κB signaling and may promote the progression of CD.
The Effect of Delivery Mode on the Female Sexual Function Index

Background: Sexual function is one of the parameters affecting female life and life quality. We aimed to examine the effect of delivery mode on female sexual functions. Materials and methods: Female sexual function index scoring questionnaire (FSFI) was translated to Turkish and conducted on 184 volunteer sexually active women aged 18 - 49 years between June 2017 and January 2018 and their results were analyzed. Women included in the study were divided into three groups as only the vaginal delivery group, only cesarean delivery group, and both vaginal and cesarean delivery group. Women included in the study were divided into three groups 1 as only the vaginal delivery group, group 2 only cesarean delivery group, and group 3 both vaginal and cesarean delivery group. Results: Total FSFI scores were significantly higher in group 3. There was no significant difference between the vaginal delivery group and cesarean delivery group. Lubrication (5±0, p=0.005), orgasm (4.71±0.48, p=0.002), satisfaction (9.42±0.97, p=0.025) were significantly higher in group 3. There was no significant difference between total scores the group 1, group 2, and group 3. Conclusion: Sexual functions are affected by factors such as hormones, socioeconomic status, and psychological factors. Mode of delivery does not have a significant effect on FSFI in the long term.
The Role of Mineral Sea Water Bonding Process with Graphite-Aluminum Electrodes as Electric Generator

The development of alternative ecofriendly electric energy production technology is very essential. The development of electric generator by using sea water element to boost electron jump in electrode has been studied. The aim of this research is to develop an electrode material composite that can collaborate with sea water to produce electricity. The electrodes tested are copper, aluminum, activated carbon, wood powder, and graphite electrode powder. The result shows that each electrode produces different voltage when interacting with sea water. It is caused by the patterns of the electron movement disrupted by the electron of sea water in producing a new compound. The composite of graphite-aluminum generates high electricity of about 580 mV compared to other materials. The electrical conductivity of graphite material depends on the particle size which is larger at smaller particle size. This research elucidates the role of sea water elements in boosting kinetic energy of delocalized electron on graphite resulting in an electron jump.
Polarization Vision and the Development of Retinal Network Models. Neuronal Information Transfer Functions from Cones and Horizontal Cells to Bipolar Cells

Abstract : This report results from a contract tasking The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute as follows: The final study demonstrated how cones compress natural stimuli into a dynamic range the rest of the visual system can cope with. Furthermore, the study demonstrated how horizontal cells, that store global stimulus parameters such as spectral composition and e-vector orientation of the global stimulus, adjust the gains of the cone synapse such that it suits the global stimulus conditions. It was also found that bipolar cells process these responses and how interaction between inputs to bipolar cells enhances their sensitivity to changes of intensity, color and presumably e-vector orientation. We identified an additional level of gain control in bipolar cells. Finally additional opponent processing of horizontal cells could not be revealed at the ganglion cell level. This indicates that just as in the spectral domain, opponency in horizontal cells is an efficient way of information coding and does not reflect a critical analysis step in 3-vector processing. Horizontal cell system is the memory of the global spectral composition and e-vector orientation of the animal.
A Practical Tutorial on Modified Condition/Decision Coverage

This tutorial provides a practical approach to assessing modified condition/decision coverage (MC/DC) for aviation software products that must comply with regulatory guidance for DO-178B level A software. The tutorial''s approach to MC/DC is a 5-step process that allows a certification authority or verification analyst to evaluate MC/DC claims without the aid of a coverage tool. In addition to the MC/DC approach, the tutorial addresses factors to consider in selecting and qualifying a structural coverage analysis tool, tips for reviewing life cycle data related to MC/DC, and pitfalls common to structural coverage analysis.
Finite Element Analysis on Burst Pressure of Defective Steel Pipes

Pipelines are often subject to damages due to corrosion and third-party accidents such as gouges and dents. The effect of gouge depths on burst pressure of steel pipes was studied using a nonlinear finite element (FE) method combine with stress modified critical strain (SMCS) model. The procedure in determining the SMCS model parameters from smooth tensile bars is systematically discussed in this paper. The SMCS model was used to determine the burst pressure as a function of gouge depths of different pipe diameters. The burst pressure from FE was then compared with values calculated using design codes for pipelines containing defect. The FE results show the ratio of wall thickness to pipe diameter have significant influence on burst pressure.
Computer‐assisted learning and construction law: The PRC experience

L'experience acquise dans le domaine de la 'possibilite de depot de recours' (PRC) tend a demontrer qu'il faut evaluer la conception de l'ensemble du programme d'etudes dans lequel s'inserent les systemes intelligents d'enseignement assiste par ordinateur afin d'assurer que ces derniers permettent la realisation d'objectifs pedagogiques determines.
Active Sampling for Min-Max Fairness

We propose simple active sampling and reweighting strategies for optimizing min-max fairness that can be applied to any classification or regression model learned via loss minimization. The key intuition behind our approach is to use at each timestep a datapoint from the group that is worst off under the current model for updating the model. The ease of implementation and the generality of our robust formulation make it an attractive option for improving model performance on disadvantaged groups. For convex learning problems, such as linear or logistic regression, we provide a fine-grained analysis, proving the rate of convergence to a min-max fair solution.
Multiomics data analysis using tensor decomposition based unsupervised feature extraction --Comparison with DIABLO--

Multiomics data analysis is the central issue of genomics science. In spite of that, there are not well defined methods that can integrate multomics data sets, which are formatted as matrices with different sizes. In this paper, I propose the usage of tensor decomposition based unsupervised feature extraction as a data mining tool for multiomics data set. It can successfully integrate miRNA expression, mRNA expression and proteome, which were used as a demonstration example of DIABLO that is the recently proposed advanced method for the integrated analysis of multiomics data set.
Transient response measurements on a satellite system

A set of instruments designed to detect the occurance of electrical breakdown was flown on a synchronous-orbit satellite. The LeRC sensors were installed on cables inside the vehicle. Accordingly, they respond to signals coupled into the satellite wiring system. The SRI sensors were located on the exterior of the vehicle and detected the RF noise pulses associated with surface breakdowns. The results of the earlier SRI program are being used to design and develop a set of intrumentation suitable for inclusion as a general piggy-back package for the detection of the onset of satellite charging and breakdowns on synchronous orbit satellites.
Identification of candidate genes for low temperature tolerance during germination of maize using a genome-wide association study and RNA-sequencing

Background: Maize ( Zea mays L.) is the largest agricultural crop in the world based on acreage and yield, however, it is inherently sensitive to low temperatures. The growth and yield of maize can be affected by low temperature during its whole growth period, particularly during germination. Therefore, it is urgent to identify the new gene(s) related to the low temperature tolerance during maize germination. Results: In this study, 14 phenotypic traits related to seed germination were used to explore the genetic architecture of maize through genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). A total of 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with low temperature tolerance were detected (–log10( P ) > 4); 14 candidate genes were detected as being directly associated with these SNPs and 81 candidate genes were identified when the screen was extended to a distance of 30 kb from these SNPs. The candidate genes were predicted by conjoint analysis with RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to evaluate whole-genome gene expression levels. A total of nine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (|log2foldchange|≥0.585， P <0.05) were found within distance of 30 kb, including two DEGs ( GRMZM2G101383 and GRMZM2G402584 ), which were associated with SNPs directly. The differential expression of these candidate genes was verified using qRT-PCR. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) terms of DEGs GRMZM2G052129 and GRMZM2G038964 were, ‘fatty acid metabolic process’, ‘Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction’, and so on, which are related to the fluidity of the cell membrane and low temperature signal transduction. Conclusion: Therefore, further functional analysis of GRMZM2G052129 and GRMZM2G038964 will provide valuable information for understanding the genetic mechanism of low temperature tolerance during germination in maize.
Rheological Properties of Cell-Hydrogel Composites Extruding Through Small-Diameter Tips

To form 3D structures with composites of living cells and hydrogel is now becoming an attractive technology in both bioengineering and manufacturing areas. Variant processes have been presented, most of which are based on the cell composite extrusion and deposition technique. So, the design of cell extrusion nozzle turns into an important phase, and the rheological properties of cell-hydrogel composites act as a key parameter and must be well investigated. In this paper, an entrance pressure detection device and adaptor for small-diameter tips were developed. With the hypothesis of power law fluid type, the power law constant and coefficient were calculated. As derived from the experimental results, the cell-hydrogel composites (with the maximum cell concentration of 10 7 /ml) show no difference from hydrogel materials in rheological properties. Based on these, the manufacturability of cell-hydrogel composites was discussed. Also, the cell viability, which is another important issue in cell assembly technology, was discussed. The peak percentage (97%) was achieved at the flow rate of 0.5 mm 3 /s. The extruding duration and the maximum shear stress loaded on cells were considered as two influence mechanisms.
Detection of Heart Disease using Classification Algorithm

Modern Lifestyle has resulted in a significant increase in cardiovascular disease. The diagnosis and treatment for this sum up to a huge amount. To overcome this problem many research have been made to reduce the cost and deliver quick results. The study of existing systems has resulted in the discovery of the best data mining classification algorithm among various other algorithms. The algorithms used for comparison were Naïve Bayes, REPTREE, J48 and SIMPLE CART in which SIMPLE CART proved to be comparatively accurate. This comparison was done on the basis of eleven attributes which were Patient Identification Number (replaced with dummy values), Gender, Cardiogram, Age, Chest Pain, Blood Pressure Level, Heart Rate, Cholesterol, Smoking, Alcohol consumption and Blood Sugar Level. Basically the existing systems have only done comparisons among classification of algorithms. Based on the previous researches done, this paper would use “SIMPLE CART” algorithm which will be tried to integrate in a web application for detection of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this real time web application is to produce quick and accurate results at low cost. This web application will be developed on the Visual Studio Platform and SQL SERVER will be used for database management. The technology used will be Asp.Net using MVC framework. Keywords— Cardiovascular disease, Data mining, SIMPLE CART, Web Application
VSC transmission limitations imposed by AC system strength and AC impedance characteristics

The paper investigates power transmission limitations in a VSC-HVDC system imposed by the ac system's impedance characteristics. An important observation from the study is that the operation of the converter is affected, not only by the magnitude of this impedance (quantified by the Short Circuit Ratio or SCR), but also significantly by its angle. An interesting result is that the larger the resistive component (i.e. impedance angle less than 90°), the larger is the minimum SCR required at the rectifier. The trend at the inverter end is the opposite, and the inverter is able to operate into systems with smaller SCR. Although operation is theoretically possible at the analytically calculated minimum SCRs, the paper shows that as the ac system approaches this value, the gains of the phase locked loop (PLL) used for angle reference generation must be reduced. (6 pages)
Properties of Mesoscale Convective Systems Throughout Their Lifetimes Using IMERG, GPM, WWLLN, and a Simplified Tracking Algorithm

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) occur frequently over the tropics and mid‐latitudes and have a large impact on the local precipitation amounts as well as large‐scale circulation through their modulation of the vertical diabatic heating profile. To fully understand and quantify these effects, MCSs must be studied throughout their lifetimes at both mid‐ and tropical latitudes, over both land and ocean. This can be accomplished by tracking the storm using a global scale data set of precipitation and using this information to composite collocated active sensor measurements to produce a detailed analysis of storm properties along the lifetime of the MCS. To do this, we utilize precipitation features (PFs) produced using observations from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission's core satellite and from Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for GPM data by grouping contiguous raining pixels in both data sets. We propose a simplified tracking algorithm to track systems throughout their lifetimes. Lightning data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network are collocated to these tracks along with GPM PFs. These are then composited relative to the time step along the track that has the greatest number of lightning flashes, which is used as a proxy for MCSs with lightning reaching the maximum convective intensity. We then examine various radar variables for tropical and mid‐latitude systems of varying lifetimes over both land and ocean in order to determine the differences and similarities between these types of systems.
Dual‐band bandpass filter with controllable bandwidth and good selectivity by using stub‐loaded resonators

A microstrip dual‐band bandpass filter (BPF) with controllable bandwidth and good selectivity is proposed.The two bands are realized by using stub‐loaded resonators, that is, open‐stub loaded resonator (OSLR) and short‐stub loaded resonator (SSLR). The first band is realized by the combination of the even‐mode of SSLR and the odd‐mode of OSLR, while the second band is realized by the combination of the odd‐mode of SSLR and the even‐mode of OSLR, thus, the coupling of each band could be controlled by independently adjusting the mode frequencies of resonators, and transmission zeros are introduced due to the multipath effect beside each passband. A 2.4/3.5 GHz dual‐band filter with good selectivity and good stopband performance is designed and fabricated. The measured results agree well with the simulated predictions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:1525–1528, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26830
Optimisation of sliding mode controllers for marine applications : a study of methods and implementation issues

The optimisation of Sliding Mode controllers for marine vehicle guidance is presented in this thesis. This study is concerned with two optimisation methods which are based on natural processes. The first is Simulated Annealing which involves processes analogous to those involved in the cooling process in metallurgy. The second involves Genetic Algorithms which are based on the evolutionary process of species and genetics. These methods are evaluated through studying their application to the optimisation of controller parameters for particular marine vessels. Their performance is measured through simulation studies during the optimisation process. Existing literature in the fields of the two optimisation techniques, Sliding Mode control and marine control is surveyed. The theory of Simulated Annealing is presented in terms of the optimisation process and its convergence properties through Markov Chain analysis. A novel variation of this method, Segmented Simulated Annealing, is also outlined and evaluated in terms of its improved convergence properties. The theory of Genetic Algorithms is presented in terms of its process and convergence properties using Markov Chains and the Schema Theorem. The derivation of a decoupled Sliding Mode control theory is described and its well known stability robust properties are ensured by the choice of an appropriate set of design criteria. The elimination of the chattering phenomenon is achieved by soft switching which ensures performance robustness. The application of Sliding Mode controllers for governing the motion of three marine vehicles and their subsequent optimisation is presented. The first is the simulation of a linear mathematical representation of a military submarine. The second is the simulation of a non-linear mathematical representation of a super tanker. The third is an actual scale model of a supply ship which enables evaluation of the optimised controllers in a laboratory water basin facility.
A case of biceps brachii accessory humeral head associated with variant musculocutaneous and median nerve communications with clinical implications

We present a unique case of an accessory head to the biceps brachii arising from the humerus accompanied by bilateral connections of the musculocutaneous and median nerves identified during routine anatomical dissection in the anatomy lab of Rush University. On the left side, the accessory head attached proximally to the anteromedial surface of the midshaft humerus and joined the rest of the muscle via the common biceps tendon to attach distally onto the radius. It was innervated by a separate branch of the musculocutaneous nerve. Bilaterally, both connections between the musculocutaneous and median nerves occurred distal to the traditional contribution from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus. On the right side, the musculocutaneous nerve pierced the substance of the coracobrachialis muscle before giving a branch to innervate the biceps brachii muscle. These variations have clinical relevance for surgeons operating in the region and any clinician investigating peripheral nerve symptoms in the arm.
Electric conductivity and surface potential distributions in carbon fiber reinforced composites with different ply orientations

The electric conductivity and surface potential distributions of carbon fiber laminated panels with different ply orientations have been investigated. We found that the unidirectional (UD) lamina has higher conductivity along the carbon fiber direction than the perpendicular direction, and equipotential contours also show different gradients along the two directions. The cross-ply (CP) and quasi-isotropic (QI) laminates have the mixed effects of the UD lamina electric conductivity and ply orientations, while the surface potential distributions mostly depend on the surface lamina direction. The conductivity along the thickness direction depends on each lamina and inter-laminar bonding. A finite element analysis model was also developed to show the effect of ply orientation on potential distribution. The CP and QI laminates with 0° surface ply have uniform potential distributions and isotropic electricity behaviors. The results could be used to monitor damage locations and design electric composite materials.
Enabling remote activity: widening participation in field study courses

Field courses provide opportunities for students to engage with the world as part of their learning process. This chapter explores the use of a portable WiFi network and mobile technologies to support the inclusion of physically disabled students in field study courses. The Enabling Remote Activity (ERA) approach, which has been developed through multiple field courses at The Open University (UK), is introduced and a case study involving two field courses from a second-level undergraduate environmental science module is presented. The findings are discussed with regard to inclusive education and a set of recommendations for facilitating social inclusion are concluded.