Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SUMOylation of Wor1 by a novel SUMO E3 ligase controls cell fate in Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen, yet is a normal commensal resident of the human gut. CO2 levels in the gut are much higher than in air, and it is known that elevated CO2 concentration promotes C. albicans cells to undergo a phenotypic switch from white to opaque phase. Wor1, the master regulator of opaque cell formation, is required for both the white to opaque transition and opaque maintenance. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of Wor1, we set out to identify Wor1‐interacting proteins using a yeast two‐hybrid screen. A SUMO E3 ligase named Wos1 (Wor1 SUMO‐ligase 1) was identified to interact with Wor1 and regulate Wor1 SUMOylation. WOS1 expression is upregulated in response to high CO2, and the induction by CO2 is dependent on the transcription factor Flo8. Under high CO2 conditions, Wos1 is required for the white to opaque switch and acts downstream of Flo8. At atmospheric CO2 levels, overexpression of Wos1 enhances Wor1 SUMOylation and promotes the white to opaque switch. Wor1 is found to be SUMOylated at lysine 385, and loss of this mark by point mutation leads to a defect in CO2‐mediated opaque cell induction. Together, our genetic and biological data show that Wos1‐mediated Wor1 SUMOylation contributes to the regulation of CO2‐induced white to opaque switching as well as heritable maintenance of the opaque cell type.
An Improved Technique for the Internal Mammary Artery Coronary Bypass Graft Procedure

Abstract An improved technique for internal mammary artery graft preparation is described. Following cautery dissection of the internal mammary artery (IMA) pedicle, the pedicle investing fascia is incised to the adventitial level along a single plane. This incision allows the tissue around the internal mammary artery to fall away and severs the muscular constrictions that often surround the internal mammary artery. Balloon calibration is performed to identify remaining constrictions and to relieve internal mammary artery spasm. A shear force limiting gauge insures that the exerted balloon force remains below the level demonstrated to cause intimal damage during electron microscopic studies. This technique allows full internal mammary artery distention without the devascularizing effects of full skeletonization. Distention of the distal internal mammary artery provides an enlarged hood to facilitate suture placement. Elongation of the internal mammary artery during balloon calibration aids in the performance of sequential grafts. This technique has been applied to 793 patients over the past five years. Postcalibration flow rates increased 3‐ to 18‐fold over precalibration flow rates. Two early occlusions occurred during this series, one due to endothelial strippage prior to the development and use of the shear force limiting gauge. Follow‐up showed 93.3% of patients to be asymptomatic. This combination of fascial incision and balloon calibration appears to offer safe technical and functional improvements to the performance of the internal mammary artery graft.
Adaptive Firefly Algorithm for nonholonomic motion planning of car-like system

This paper provides a novel approach to design an Adaptive Firefly Algorithm using self-adaptation of the algorithm control parameter values by learning from their previous experiences in generating quality solutions. Computer simulations undertaken on a well-known set of 25 benchmark functions reveals that incorporation of Q-learning in Firefly Algorithm makes the corresponding algorithm more efficient in both runtime and accuracy. The performance of the proposed adaptive firefly algorithm has been studied on an automatic motion planing problem of nonholonomic car-like system. Experimental results obtained indicate that the proposed algorithm based parking scheme outperforms classical Firefly Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization with respect to two standard metrics defined in the literature.
Design of a practical model-observer-based image quality assessment method for x-ray computed tomography imaging systems

Abstract. The use of a channelization mechanism on model observers not only makes mimicking human visual behavior possible, but also reduces the amount of image data needed to estimate the model observer parameters. The channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) and channelized scanning linear observer (CSLO) have recently been used to assess CT image quality for detection tasks and combined detection/estimation tasks, respectively. Although the use of channels substantially reduces the amount of data required to compute image quality, the number of scans required for CT imaging is still not practical for routine use. It is our desire to further reduce the number of scans required to make CHO or CSLO an image quality tool for routine and frequent system validations and evaluations. This work explores different data-reduction schemes and designs an approach that requires only a few CT scans. Three different kinds of approaches are included in this study: a conventional CHO/CSLO technique with a large sample size, a conventional CHO/CSLO technique with fewer samples, and an approach that we will show requires fewer samples to mimic conventional performance with a large sample size. The mean value and standard deviation of areas under ROC/EROC curve were estimated using the well-validated shuffle approach. The results indicate that an 80% data reduction can be achieved without loss of accuracy. This substantial data reduction is a step toward a practical tool for routine-task-based QA/QC CT system assessment.
Bighead Carp effects on the growth, abundance, and survival of larval Bluegill

Evidence suggests that Asian Carp can reduce the abundance of zooplankton within the Mississippi and Illinois River systems. Recent studies indicate that exploitative competition between Asian Carp and native planktivores is inconsistent at the adult and juvenile stages; however, little is known about their effects on the early life stages of fishes, especially those with larval stages relying on zooplankton. A series of experiments in mesocosms and ponds were used to test the effect of Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) on the growth and abundance of larval Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). The effect of Golden Shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) on larval Bluegill was also assessed to differentiate the effects of a native compared to an invasive planktivore. We hypothesized that Bighead Carp would have a greater negative effect on larval Bluegill growth, abundance, and survival than Golden Shiners. In both mesocosms and ponds, larval Bluegill grew 65-86% less when in the presence of Bighead Carp. In contrast, larval Bluegill exhibited similar growth both when in the presence of Golden Shiners and when alone. Additionally, survival of larval Bluegill in mesocosms was 30% lower when low densities of Bighead Carp were present. In ponds, there was no effect of either Bighead Carp or Golden Shiner on the abundance of larval Bluegill. Differences in responses among species were correlated with differences in zooplankton abundance between treatments over time. These results demonstrate that Asian Carp, in comparison to a native planktivore, can have greater negative effects on the larval stage of native fishes within the Mississippi and Illinois River systems, with implications for potential range expansions into the Great Lakes.
Paris vs. Prague: A “Suspicion of Fraud”: Ernst Mach Argues over Photographs and Epistemological Prerequisites

Argument In spring 1888, an anonymous critic raised severe doubts about Ernst Mach's and Peter Salcher's studies, published one year before, on the processes in the air caused by very rapid projectiles. Paraphrasing the experiments for the French popular science magazine La Nature, the critic insinuated that the photographs upon which Mach and Salcher's argument were ostensibly based must have been of such low quality that they did not allow any well-founded conclusion. The critic did not deny the phenomena Mach and Salcher had presented in their article; he denied that the photographs taken in the course of the experiments could permit any observation of the phenomena. I take the resulting quarrel as a window into the actors’ ideas on the requirements of “good observations” and the role of technical devices in this case. In particular I enquire how the various arguments relate to Lorraine Daston's and Peter Galison's framing of photography as an emblem of “mechanical objectivity. ” We will see that in the case under debate, actors considered naked-eye observation, observation by telescope and photography mainly with regard to the challenges of the particular research object.
A Review of the Effectiveness of Antimitotic Drug Injections for Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids

Hypertrophic scars and keloids are common problems after injury and cause functional and cosmetic deformities. A wide variety of treatments have been advocated for hypertrophic scars and keloids regression. Unfortunately, the reported efficacy has been variable. This article explores antimitotic drugs described in the literature such as steroid injection, 5-FU, mitomycin C, and bleomycin, which mainly target the fibroblasts in scar tissue, have been proposed as the effective modalities for scar treatment and scar prevention after surgery, but restricted due to possible side effects. The current accepted treatment for hypertrophic scar and keloid are combination therapy and the early treatment which could achieve better efficacy and less adverse effect.
Hypoxia‐ischaemia model in the 7‐day‐old rat: possibilities and shortcomings

The Levene model in 7‐day‐old rats is the most often used model of hypoxia—ischaemia (HI) in immature animals. The rat central nervous system is immature at birth and corresponds neurodevelopmentally to the term human infant during the second postnatal week. The Levene model of HI differs from clinical asphyxia with respect to the unilateral distribution of brain injury and lack of multi‐organ dysfunction. Furthermore, it does not allow cardiovascular monitoring or repeated blood sampling. On the other hand, the progressive nature of HI bears many similarities to birth asphyxia with regard to blood flow changes and cellular metabolic derangements. The model is well characterized, easy to carry out and the low cost allows inclusion of a sufficient number of animals for dose‐response evaluation of neuroprotective agents. In addition, it provides the unique opportunity of long‐term evaluation of neuropathological and functional outcome.
ℓ2;1-norm based Regression for Classification

We present a novel classification method formulating an objective model by ℓ2;1-norm based regression. The ℓ2;1-norm based loss function is robust to outliers or the large variations within given data, and the ℓ2;1-norm regularization term selects correlated samples across the whole training set with grouped sparsity. This constrained optimization problem can be efficiently solved by an iterative procedure. Several benchmark data sets including facial images and gene expression data are used for evaluating the robustness and effectiveness of the new proposed algorithm, and the results show the competitive performance.
Aortic Homograft Reconstruction of Partial Laryngectomy Defects: A New Technique

Objectives: Wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy often precludes tracheotomy decannulation. It is done infrequently today, primarily because of the popularity of chemotherapy-radiotherapy treatment regimens and limited enthusiasm for using transcervical partial laryngectomy after failed radiotherapy. We sought to identify a new reconstructive technique that would provide an alternative to total laryngectomy in as many patients as possible. Methods: We performed a retrospective examination of 15 patients who underwent single-stage wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy with cryopreserved aortic homograft reconstruction. Eight of the 15 patients had previously undergone failed radiotherapy. At least 40% of the cricoid circumference was resected in 8 patients. Results: All 15 patients had their tracheotomy tube removed and have laryngeal phonation, and 14 of the 15 resumed oral intake. There were no major surgical complications. Conclusions: Use of aortic homografts is a new, reliable, and versatile reconstructive option for performing conservation laryngeal cancer surgery that allows for airway, swallowing, and voice preservation.
A leucine to arginine amino acid substitution at codon 46 of rhodopsin is responsible for a severe form of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa

To evaluate the extent to which rhodopsin mutations are involved in autosomal dominant forms of retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) we collected DNAs from patients with adRP and screened the rhodopsin coding sequence with single‐strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing. This screening revealed a thymidine to guanine transversion at nucleotide 431 (nucleotide sequence numbers as per Genebank) in affected members of one family (RFS04). The nucleotide substitution leads to a missense mutation at the 46th amino acid of rhodopsin. The mutation occurs at an amino acid conserved in mammals and changes the hydrophobic nature of the protein at a transmembrane‐spanning region. The mutation causes the substitution of a non‐polar hydrophobic amino acid, leucine, for the basic amino acid arginine (Leu46Arg). This nucleotide substitution is unique to the family studied and occurs in the affected individuals in the family. Full‐field electroretinograms (ERGs) in four affected members of the family showed nondetectable rod responses at an early age, with markedly reduced cone responses, and a faster than average rate of progression of the phenotype as measured by yearly ERGs. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Voltage and power quality improvement strategy for a DFIG wind farm during variable wind conditions

This paper presents a voltage and power quality enhancement scheme for a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) wind farm during variable wind conditions. The wind profiles were derived considering the measured data at a DFIG wind farm located in Northern Ireland (NI). The aggregated DFIG wind farm model was validated using measured data at a wind farm during variable generation. The voltage control strategy was developed considering the X/R ratio of the wind farm feeder which connects the wind farm and the grid. The performance of the proposed strategy was evaluated for different X/R ratios, and wind profiles with different characteristics. The impact of flicker propagation along the wind farm feeder and effectiveness of the proposed strategy is also evaluated with consumer loads connected to the wind farm feeder. It is shown that voltage variability and short-term flicker severity is significantly reduced following implementation of the novel strategy described.
Act locally and think globally: Intracerebral testosterone implants induce seasonal-like growth of adult avian song control circuits

There is pronounced seasonal plasticity in the morphology of the neural circuits that regulate song behavior in adult songbirds, primarily in response to changes in plasma testosterone (T) levels. Most song nuclei have androgen receptors. Afferent input from the telencephalic nucleus HVc (also known as the “high vocal center”) is necessary for seasonal growth of the direct efferent target nuclei RA and area X. We asked here whether T-stimulated growth of HVc is sufficient to induce growth of its efferent nuclei. Intracerebral T implants were placed unilaterally near HVc or RA in photosensitive adult male white-crowned sparrows for one month. The T implant near HVc produced significant growth of the ipsilateral (but not contralateral) HVc, RA, and area X, and increased neuronal number in the ipsilateral HVc. The T implant near RA did not produce selective growth of ipsilateral RA, HVc, or area X. Intracerebral T implants did not elevate plasma T levels, nor did they stimulate growth of two peripheral androgen sensitive targets, the syrinx and the cloacal protuberance. These results suggest that seasonal growth of the adult song circuits results from T acting directly on HVc, which then stimulates the growth of RA and area X transynaptically.
Supply chain management strategy practices in Taiwan

This study investigates and demonstrates an analytical framework to assess a supply chain management strategy (SCMS). Selection of optimum supplier in a SCMS is estimated according to three primary levels, namely, criteria, attributes, and alternatives. The proposed hierarchical framework in deciding the appropriate suppliers can be applied with the assistance of the expert SCMS group. The evaluation framework is based on (i) multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) analysis which can determine the suitable alternative from the limited series of alternatives with regard to various conflicting criteria, and (ii) analytic network process (ANP) method which can consider the effect of feedback and variance dependence. It aids the case firm in identifying the main criteria in SCMS to gain a comprehensive and actual application.
Measurement Properties of Streamlined Wolf Motor Function Test in Patients at Subacute to Chronic Stages After Stroke

Background. Previous research using the streamlined Wolf Motor Function Test (SWMFT) has focused either on the 3- to 9-month period or on the >12-month period after stroke and lacked the information for those at 9 to 12 months. Whether SWMFT scores reflect motor deficit and recovery from early to late stages after stroke remains unclear. Objective. A retrospective study using the Functional Ability Scale (FAS) was conducted to evaluate whether all SWMFTs items measure the poststroke recovery of upper extremity (UE) motor function and if they could be used for patients within 9 to 12 months after a stroke. Methods. Rasch analysis was conducted, and data were drawn from patients 3 months to years after a stroke. Results. The continuum of UE motor function in SWMFT-FAS was supported. Subacute patients had the best motor function, followed by the 9- to 12-month group, and then chronic patients. Variation in UE motor function was large (2.35-2.72 logits), and motor abilities of these 3 groups overlapped. The 8 SWMFT items could target a broad range of UE motor function, from −8.28 to 7.80 logits. The average difficulty of these 8 items also matched the UE motor ability of the subgroup at 9 to 12 months after stroke, and individual versions of the SWMFT performed well to assess the motor ability of this group. Conclusions. The SWMFTs had sound hierarchical properties. The SWMFT-Chronic or the SWMFT-Subacute could be used to evaluate UE function of this subgroup at 9 to 12 months after stroke.
Using H∞ controller for monitoring and control of smart grids

Designing an efficient monitoring and control system for smart grids, which include a variety of renewable energy resources, smart meters and communication systems, is a significant problem to have a safe and reliable power system. For this purpose, in this paper, an H∞ controller which has a highly robust performance has been designed to control and monitor/state estimate a smart grid. The H∞ controllers can be separated to a state feedback controller and an observer which can be used for state estimation. Simulation results demonstrate the ability of H∞ controller in the control of smart grids beside its superiority in state estimation in comparison with the Kalman Filter.
Design of a compact MIMO antenna with polarization diversity technique for wireless communication

The present wireless communication with MIMO antennas, takes the advantages of high data rate and high capacity and requires dual polarization for the coverage of vertically and horizontally polarized signals. A G shaped polarization diversity MIMO antenna with ground modification techniques and perfect boundary conditions is proposed to resonate at 2.47 GHz for wireless communication. It covers 2.39-2.7126 GHz of common frequency spectrum for WLAN, WIMAX, and LTE bands. The size of the FR4 substrate used for MIMO antenna is 0. 58λ × 0. 29λ mm2. The proposed design shows less than -23 dB of mutual coupling, peak gain of more than 2.5 dB for each antenna, and common bandwidth of 32.26% respectively.
TH1 cells trigger tumor necrosis factor alpha-mediated hypersensitivity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa after adoptive transfer into SCID mice

Recent experiments have shown that gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), either administered or induced in vivo, e.g., by certain bacteria, is a key mediator in inducing hypersensitivity to bacterial lipopolysaccharides. The source of endogenous IFN-gamma in this context (natural killer versus TH1 cells) has not been investigated yet. In order to investigate the role of antigen-specific, IFN-gamma-producing TH1 cells in murine Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, a murine TH1 cell line was propagated in vitro by using recombinant P. aeruginosa outer membrane protein I. Adoptive transfer experiments were performed by intravenous injection of various amounts of TH1 cells into P. aeruginosa-challenged SCID mice. Adoptive transfer of 5 x 10(6) T cells into SCID mice followed by an intraperitoneal challenge with 1.4 x 10(6) CFU of live P. aeruginosa resulted in the rapid death of the animals within 12 h postchallenge, whereas transfer of lower T-cell doses and saline as a control did not cause any detrimental effects. After challenge with 2.8 x 10(6) CFU of P. aeruginosa, similar results were obtained 18 h postchallenge; however, at the end of the 72-h observation period, no significant differences in survival rates were obtained between the groups treated with different amounts of T cells. The rapid death of mice treated with 5 x 10(6) T cells was reflected by 860-fold-elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) present in serum 2 h postchallenge, whereas no significant differences in TNF-alpha serum levels were detectable in mice treated with lower doses of T cells or with saline. Pretreatment of T-cell-reconstituted SCID mice with neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibodies completely protected mice from bacterial challenge and reduced TNF-alpha levels in serum. We conclude that under the experimental conditions described here, IFN-gamma- and interleukin-2-producing TH1 cells represent an important trigger mechanism inducing TNF-alpha-mediated hypersensitivity to bacterial endotoxin.
A Step-Up Bidirectional Series Resonant DC/DC Converter Using a Continuous Current Mode

This paper presents the analysis and design of a novel technique that allows the conventional series resonant dc/dc converter (SRC) to work as a step-up and step-down converter. This is useful in bidirectional dc/dc converters where one port is attached to a fixed voltage dc line, e.g., a 360-V dc line, and the other port is attached to an energy storage device such as a bank of supercapacitors or batteries. Every converter that works in this scenario requires step-up and step-down modes to transfer energy from one port to the other. The paper presents the SRC as an alternative to the well-known dual active bridge (DAB). The dc analysis is detailed to demonstrate the step-up capability. In addition, the ac analysis is presented. Experimental results from a 6-kW prototype validate the theoretical analysis. The results indicate that this technique achieves better efficiency compared to the phase-shift DAB in a wide power range, from heavy to light loads. The main reason for this is that the converter works with smaller currents than the DAB at light loads.