Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired step-climbing in a hexapod robot

Inspired by the observation that the cockroach changes from a tripod gait to a different gait for climbing high steps, we report on the design and implementation of a novel, fully autonomous step-climbing maneuver, which enables a RHex-style hexapod robot to reliably climb a step up to 230% higher than the length of its leg. Similar to the climbing strategy most used by cockroaches, the proposed maneuver is composed of two stages. The first stage is the ‘rearing stage,’ inclining the body so the front side of the body is raised and it is easier for the front legs to catch the top of the step, followed by the ‘rising stage,’ maneuvering the body's center of mass to the top of the step. Two infrared range sensors are installed on the front of the robot to detect the presence of the step and its orientation relative to the robot's heading, so that the robot can perform automatic gait transition, from walking to step-climbing, as well as correct its initial tilt approaching posture. An inclinometer is utilized to measure body inclination and to compute step height, thus enabling the robot to adjust its gait automatically, in real time, and to climb steps of different heights and depths successfully. The algorithm is applicable for the robot to climb various rectangular obstacles, including a narrow bar, a bar and a step (i.e. a bar of infinite width). The performance of the algorithm is evaluated experimentally, and the comparison of climbing strategies and climbing behaviors in biological and robotic systems is discussed.
Organ and gestational age effects of maternal nutrient restriction on global methylation in fetal baboons

Background A sub‐optimal intrauterine environment alters the trajectory of fetal development with profound effects on life‐time health. Altered methylation, a proposed epigenetic mechanism responsible for these changes, has been studied in non‐primate species but not nonhuman primates. We tested the hypotheses that global methylation in fetal baboon demonstrates organ specificity, gestational age specificity, and changes with maternal nutritional status.
Immunization with a Live, Attenuated Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine Leads to Restriction of Viral Diversity in Rhesus Macaques Not Protected from Pathogenic Challenge

ABSTRACT Rhesus macaques immunized with simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239Δnef but not protected from SIVmac251 challenge were studied to determine the genetic and biological characteristics of the breakthrough viruses. Assessment of SIV genetic diversity (env V1-V2) revealed a reduction in the number of viral species in the immunized, unprotected macaques, compared to the number in nonimmunized controls. However, no evidence for selection of a specific V1-V2 genotype was observed, and biologically cloned isolates from the animals with breakthrough virus were similar with respect to replication kinetics and coreceptor use in vitro.
Risk Factors for Developing Gadolinium-Induced Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

Objective: To identify medications and other potential risk factors, in addition to renal dysfunction, for developing gadolinium-induced nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Data Sources: Information was obtained from PubMed, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Iowa Drug Information Service, and Google Scholar, using the unlimited search terms nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, NSF, nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, NFD, gadolinium, gadodiamide, gadoversetamide, gadopentetate, gadobenate, and gadoteridol. Information was also obtained from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the manufacturers of the above-mentioned products. Data were collected during April and May 2007. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All identified articles and information were evaluated. Articles and other information that included data regarding concurrent medications, disease states, and other risk factors for developing gadolinium-induced NSF were included in this review, as were clinical practice guidelines. Data Synthesis: NSF is a mysterious and severe disorder that occurs in individuals with severe renal impairment. Virtually all cases of NSF have been associated with the administration of gadolinium-containing contrast media. However, not all renally impaired patients who receive gadolinium develop NSF. Thus, additional risk factors for the development of NSF have been suggested. These risk factors include medications that could cause transmetallation of gadolinium, medications that could cause acidosis, and high doses of erythropoietin. Concomitant medical conditions, including hyperphosphatemia, acidosis, recent surgery, hepatic disease, hypercoagulability, and proinflammatory processes may also predispose patients to NSF. Conclusions: Gadolinium-based contrast agents should be avoided in patients with significant renal impairment unless the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. If gadolinium is required, nonionic linear chelates (eg, gadodiamide, gadoversetamide) should not be used. Renally impaired individuals who require gadolinium should be screened proactively for underlying disease states and concomitant drugs that may increase their risk of developing NSF; therapy should be adjusted accordingly.
Review on nutritional, medicinal and pharmacological properties of Papaya ( Carica papaya Linn.)

Papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) is commonly known for its food and nutritional values throughout the world. The medicinal properties of papaya fruit and other parts of the plant are also well known in traditional system of medicine. Since, each part of papaya tree possesses economic value, it is grown on commercial scale. During the last few decades considerable progress has been achieved regarding the biological activity and medicinal application of papaya and now it is considered as valuable nutraceutical fruit plant. It can be chosen as a source of papain for the development of various industrial and pharmaceutical products. In the present review nutritional value of the fruit and medicinal properties of its various parts have been discussed to provide collective information on this multipurpose commercial fruit crop.
Latency of effects evoked by electrical and magnetic brain stimulation in lower limb motoneurones in man.

1. The latency of effects in the tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (Sol) muscles evoked by electrical and magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex was evaluated in human subjects by H reflex testing. Post‐stimulus time histograms (PSTHs) were established for the discharge of single voluntarily activated motor units and motor‐evoked potentials (MEPs) in the surface electromyogram. 2. At rest both electrical and magnetic stimulation evoked an inhibition of the Sol H reflex at the lowest intensities of stimulation. In some subjects a facilitation with an earlier onset was seen when increasing the stimulation strength. When the anode for the electrical stimulation was placed at the vertex directly above the leg motor area, the inhibition or facilitation often had the same latency as when evoked by magnetic stimulation. However, when the anode was placed 2‐3 cm lateral to the vertex, effects evoked by the electrical stimulus often occurred 1‐2 ms earlier. 3. Short‐latency peaks in the PSTH of the discharges of single TA motor units also tended to occur earlier when evoked by electrical stimulation with the anode lateral to the vertex than when evoked by magnetic stimulation or electrical stimulation with the anode at the vertex. 4. In one subject, near‐maximal electrical stimulation evoked MEPs with a latency corresponding to that seen following stimulation of the brainstem by electrodes placed bilaterally over the mastoid processes approximately 16 cm more distal. Maximal magnetic stimulation, in contrast, never resulted in responses with a latency shorter than that seen with the weakest electrical stimuli at the vertex. 5. The initial facilitation of the Sol H reflex evoked by magnetic stimulation and by electrical anodal stimulation at the vertex increased when the subject performed a voluntary plantarflexion. In contrast, the earlier facilitation evoked by electrical anodal stimulation 2‐3 cm lateral to the vertex had the same size both at rest and during contraction. 6. We suggest that magnetic stimulation and electrical anodal stimulation at the vertex may preferentially activate descending cortical cells at, or close to, the cell soma. The initial responses evoked by these two stimuli may therefore be influenced by the excitability of the cortical cells. On the other hand, electrical stimulation with the anode 2‐3 cm lateral to the vertex seems to often activate the axons at a deeper level. The initial responses evoked by this type of stimulation may therefore not be influenced by the excitability of the cortical cells.
Positional cloning of quantitative trait Loci for blood pressure: how close are we?: a critical perspective.

Blood pressure (BP) in any human population exhibits as a continuous variable that fits a bell-shaped curve. Hypertensive individuals are those whose BP is maintained at one extreme of the curve and above a defined cutoff. Despite progress made in identifying the mechanisms underlying certain rare monogenic forms of hypertension,1,2 the etiology and pathogenesis of essential hypertension remain poorly understood. Because existing human populations are genetically heterogeneous, and because environmental factors impacting on the pathogenesis of hypertension cannot be controlled in a given population, it is difficult to identify the molecular mechanisms that transduce the sequela of essential hypertension via direct human studies.3 To alleviate the drawbacks of human investigations, animal models, especially inbred rodents, have been developed and experimentally manipulated to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for BP, because major confounding environmental factors, such as diet and genetic background, can be systematically controlled. Once identified in animal models, the molecular basis may be translated into physiological understandings of essential hypertension in humans. It is with this expectation that efforts have been launched to identify the molecular basis of BP QTLs in animal models. Because the identification of individual QTLs is primarily based on their chromosome locations unbiased by, or unrestricted to, their physiological roles, positional cloning is believed to be the most efficient strategy. Before we embark on discussions regarding QTL discovery, a definition is in order. Semantic arguments abound as to exactly what a QTL, that is, a locus,4 entails. Is it 1 gene or a collection of genes? As genetic mapping progresses from a large chromosome segment to an interval of submegabase, several regions initially thought to contain 1 BP QTL5 appear to harbor >1 in each of them,6–10 whereas several other regions turned out to harbor 1 QTL as expected.11,12 …
Successful association in the treatment of pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta

References 1 Garbe C, Eigentler TK. Diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous melanoma: state of the art 2006. Melanoma Res 2007; 17: 117–127. 2 Köse O, Waseem A. Keloids and hypertrophic scars: are they two different sides of the same coin? Dermatol Surg 2008; 34: 336–346. 3 Marcoval J, Mana J, Moreno A, Gallego I, Fortuno Y, Peyri J. Foreign bodies in granulomatous cutaneous lesions of patients with systemic sarcoidosis. Arch Dermatol 2001; 137: 427–430. 4 Fanti PA, Mattioli D, Morelli R, Varotti C. Hypertrophic lichen planus occurring after surgical procedures. Cutis 1991; 48: 227–229. 5 Kim JH, Krivda SJ. Lichen planus confined to a radiation therapy site. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002; 46: 604–605. 6 Weiss G, Shemer A, Trau H. The Koebner phenomenon: review of the literature. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2002; 16: 241–248. 7 Maticic M, Poljak M, Lunder T, Rener-Sitar K, Stojanovic L. Lichen planus and other cutaneous manifestations in chronic hepatitis C: preand post-interferon-based treatment prevalence vary in a cohort of patients from low hepatitis C virus endemic area. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2008; 22: 779–788. 8 Nagao Y, Sata M, Ide T et al. Development and exacerbation of oral lichen planus during and after interferon therapy for hepatitis C. Eur J Clin Invest 1996; 26: 1171–1174. 9 Herrera Saval A, Camacho Martinez F. Lichen planus induced by interferon-alpha-2B therapy in a patient with cutaneous malignant melanoma. Acta Derm Venereol 1999; 79: 395. 10 Dalton SR, Baptista MA, Libow LF, Elston DM. Lichenoid tissue reaction in malignant melanoma: a potential pitfall. Am J Clin Pathol 2002; 117: 766–770.
Taxonomy Development in Health-IT

Health-IT is attracting increasing attention in the research community. To understand the relevant constructs and the relationships among them, many authors present taxonomies or typologies for classifying different things in health-IT. Even with much attention to health-IT, there is still limited theoretical knowledge in this field. This may be attributed to our observation that the process of developing taxonomies has not been adequately addressed in the health-IT literature. In this paper we address this challenge by (a) a comprehensive literature survey that shows a high diversity in the field and that the related discussion of the structural nature has largely been ad hoc, (b) presenting methods for developing health-IT taxonomies, and, (c) contributing to the theoretical foundations of the field by a taxonomy for health-IT applications.
Theoretical Efficiency Limits of a Serial and Parallel Linear-Assisted Switching Converter as an Envelope Amplifier

This paper presents a theoretical analysis and an optimization method for envelope amplifiers. Highly efficient envelope amplifiers based on a switching converter in parallel or in series with a linear regulator are analyzed and optimized. The results of the optimization process are shown, and these two architectures are compared regarding their complexity and efficiency. The proposed optimization method is based on the knowledge of the transmitted signal type (OFDM, WCDMA.), and it can be applied to any signal type as long as the envelope probability distribution is known. Finally, it is shown that both analyzed architectures have an inherent efficiency limit.
Lightning Electromagnetic Fields and Their Induced Voltages on Overhead Lines: The Effect of a Horizontally Stratified Ground

The effect of a horizontally stratified two-layer ground on the aboveground lightning electromagnetic (EM) fields at close, moderate, and far distances from the lightning channel base and their induced voltages on overhead transmission lines is discussed. The analysis is performed by making use of a full-wave approach based on the finite-element method solution to Maxwell's equations. It is shown that the radial electric field is the only component which is significantly affected by ground stratification at any observation point from the lightning channel base. The peak value of the radial electric field over a horizontally stratified two-layer ground, regardless of the conductivities of the soil layers, takes a value in between the peak values of the electric fields corresponding to one-layer homogeneous grounds. For close observation points and when one of the soil layers is highly conductive (i.e., conductivities well above 0.1 S/m or so), this component can be computed assuming a homogeneous ground with the characteristics of the more conductive layer. The vertical electric field and the azimuthal magnetic field are slightly affected by ground stratification only at distant observation points. The induced voltages along the line when the upper soil layer is more conductive and narrow (i.e., 2 m or so), take a value in between those corresponding to the one-layer grounds. However, when the upper soil layer is less conductive and narrow, the induced voltages become identical to those of the homogeneous ground with the same properties of the lower soil layer. When the upper soil layer is more conductive and relatively thick (i.e., 10 m or so), the induced voltages are similar to those associated with the one layer ground with the same properties of the upper soil layer. However, when the upper soil layer is less conductive and relatively thick, the induced voltage on the midpoint of the overhead line is in between those of the homogenous grounds, while at the line terminations, the induced voltages take a larger value than those of the homogenous grounds. For the ocean-side overhead lines located above a horizontally stratified two-layer ground, the ocean shows the same additional influence on the induced voltages as the horizontal two-layer ground.
Bilateral growth‐related protein expression suggests a transient increase in regenerative potential following brain trauma

The potential of mature central nervous system (CNS) neurons to regenerate after injury represents a fundamental issue in neurobiology. The regional expression of proteins associated with axonal elongation, such as microtubule‐associated protein 1B (MAP1B), its phosphorylated isoform (MAP1B‐P), growth‐associated protein 43 ( GAP‐43 ), and polysialylated neural cell‐adhesion molecule ( PSA‐NCAM ), was examined using immunohistochemistry from 24 hours to 2 months following lateral fluid percussion brain injury of moderate severity (2.4–2.6 atmospheres) in anesthetized rats. Uninjured (control) rats were subjected to anesthesia and surgery without injury or were subjected to anesthesia alone. Within the site of maximal injury, only increases in MAP1B and MAP1B‐P were observed. Increased immunoreactivity was observed bilaterally for all growth‐related proteins that were evaluated. By 24 hours postinjury, MAP1B and MAP1B‐P increased within the cortex (P < 0.01) and the hippocampus (P < 0.001), whereas MAP1B‐P also was elevated in the thalamus (P < 0.05). Within the dentate gyrus, increased immunoreactivity was observed for all proteins examined. By 48 hours postinjury, GAP‐43 was elevated bilaterally within the inner molecular layers of the dentate gyrus (P < 0.005) and within the stratum lacunosum moleculare (P < 0.01), the stratum radiatum (P < 0.005), and the stratum oriens (P < 0.05) of the hippocampus. Increased numbers of PSA‐NCAM‐labeled neurons were observed in the granule cell layers of the dentate gyrus from 48 hours through 2 weeks postinjury (P < 0.0005). The bilateral nature of increased expression of growth‐related proteins differs from unilateral patterns of neuronal degeneration previously characterized for the lateral fluid‐percussion model of brain injury. Taken together, these results suggest the existence of a temporary posttraumatic state in which the CNS may have increased regenerative potential. Enhancement of such a response may be one therapeutic strategy in treating CNS injury. J. Comp. Neurol. 424:521–531, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coupling Characteristics of Dual Liquid Crystal Core Soft Glass Photonic Crystal Fiber

In this paper, the coupling characteristics of a novel design of soft glass photonic crystal fiber with dual nematic liquid crystal core (SGLC-PCF) are introduced and analyzed. The index contrast between the core and cladding region ensures the index guiding through the reported coupler. The analysis is carried out using the full vectorial finite difference method along with the full vectorial finite difference beam propagation method. The numerical results reveal that the SGLC-PCF coupler can be used as a polarization splitter of length 6232 μm with low crosstalk better than -20 dB with great bandwidths of 250 nm and 60 nm for the quasi transverse electric and quasi transverse magnetic, modes, respectively. In addition, the proposed splitter has a tolerance of ±3% in its length which makes the design less sensitive to the perturbation introduced during the fabrication process.
Adaptive clipping tone reservation algorithm for PAPR reduction in OFDM/OQAM system

The Tone Reservation (TR) technique based on clipping technique is a lossless, simple and attractive Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) reduction technique. But, when the target clipping level is set below an initially unknown optimum value, however, we observe it cannot achieve the minimum PAPR. To overcome this low clipping level problem, a novel TR algorithm with adaptive clipping control is proposed in this paper. Firstly, an adaptive strategy is used to control the size of clipping level A. Secondly, a novel step factor μ is adopted, to complete iterative computations in order to increase the convergence speed. Simulation results verify that the proposed algorithm has reduced the PAPR and improved the convergence speed significantly without side information and without any extra processing at the receiver end.
Leveraging Patient Similarity Analytics in Personalized Medical Decision Support System

Patient similarity analytics harness the information wealth of electronic medical record (EMR) for supporting medical decision making. Finding a group of patients having similar features (for example, similar lab results or similar diagnoses), helps medical staﬀ with treatment decisions or health predictions. There are diﬀerent approaches for patient similarity metrics (PSMs) as described by [3]. We implemented patient similarity for mortality prediction as [2]. The method is based on cosine similarity that exploits similarities between ICU patients along multiple dimensions. We applied the proposed method on a real-world EMR data set MIMIC-III [1] containing both demographic data (like gender) as well as lab results. SQL is mainly used for implementing the similarity calculation. Our computation and analysis are conducted in MonetDB. Based on the requirement of calculating our PSM by SQL, our hypotheses is that column-oriented database management systems will outperform the row-oriented ones. To test this assumption, we conducted the same analyses in PostgresSQL. We intend to use other PSMs that are mentioned by [3] and compare them to ours. For enhancing the computational eﬃciency, various technologies will be considered. Since “pairwise PSM computation is very much parallelizable” [2], such technologies are the big data analytic platforms such as Apache Hadoop. We will conduct an evaluation of the diﬀerent implementations of patient similarity algorithms along with the selected technologies to achieve an eﬃcient prediction and computation combination.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Tegument Protein VP22 Induces the Stabilization and Hyperacetylation of Microtubules

ABSTRACT The role of the herpes simplex virus type 1 tegument protein VP22 during infection is as yet undefined. We have previously shown that VP22 has the unusual property of efficient intercellular transport, such that the protein spreads from single expressing cells into large numbers of surrounding cells. We also noted that in cells expressing VP22 by transient transfection, the protein localizes in a distinctive cytoplasmic filamentous pattern. Here we show that this pattern represents a colocalization between VP22 and cellular microtubules. Moreover, we show that VP22 reorganizes microtubules into thick bundles which are easily distinguishable from nonbundled microtubules. These bundles are highly resistant to microtubule-depolymerizing agents such as nocodazole and incubation at 4°C, suggesting that VP22 has the capacity to stabilize the microtubule network. In addition, we show that the microtubules contained in these bundles are modified by acetylation, a marker for microtubule stability. Analysis of infected cells by both immunofluorescence and measurement of microtubule acetylation further showed that colocalization between VP22 and microtubules, and induction of microtubule acetylation, also occurs during infection. Taken together, these results suggest that VP22 exhibits the properties of a classical microtubule-associated protein (MAP) during both transfection and infection. This is the first demonstration of a MAP encoded by an animal virus.