Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Signs of Chronic Hypoxia Suggest a Novel Pathophysiological Event in α‐Synucleinopathies

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients develop respiratory and cardiovascular disturbances including obstructive sleep apnea, orthostatic hypotension, and nocturnal stridor. We hypothesized that, associated with these respiratory and cardiovascular disturbances, hypoxic events may occur in MSA and PD brains that may play a role in disease progression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of hypoxia in nonneurological controls and PD and MSA patients.
Inhibition of endothelial cell adhesion and in vitro angiogenesis by Taurolidine

Summary Taurolidine is a clinically active tumor suppressing agent. To gather experimental evidence whether an antiangiogenic mechanism might contribute to the observed anti-tumor effects in vivo, we investigated the ability of this compound to inhibit endothelial proliferation and in vitro angiogenesis. Taurolidine inhibited proliferation of microvascular endothelial cells derived from skin, bone marrow and placenta origin in concentrations of 70 ! M and lower. Taurultam, a congener of taurolidine, inhibited proliferation less effectively. Both Taurolidine and Taurultam selectively inhibited adhesion of endothelial cells to laminin but not to collagen I and fibronectin. In the in vitro angiogenesis assay, Taurolidine induced inhibition starting at concentrations of 4.4 ! M. In conclusion, our data indicate an antiangiogenic mechanism of action of Taurolidine based on inhibition of endothelial proliferation and adhesion to laminin. We propose that the antiangiogenic effect of Taurolidine contributes to its therapeutic activity in cancer patients.
Dissatisfaction with Body Weight among Polish Adolescents Is Related to Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors

The aims of the study were to determine the socio-demographic factors that may affect body weight dissatisfaction and to analyze the relationship between eating habits and dissatisfaction with body weight among a national random sample of Polish adolescents aged 13–19 years. Data on gender, age, level of education, body weight status, screen time, body weight satisfaction and selected nutritional behaviors were collected using a questionnaire. Body mass status was assessed based on weight and height measurements. A total of 14,044 students from 207 schools participated in the study. A significant effect of gender, age, level of education, body weight status and screen time status on the participants’ dissatisfaction with the body weight was observed. The greater prevalence of body weight satisfaction was observed among boys, younger subjects, secondary school students, adolescents with normal body weight status and those with screen time up to 2 h. Whereas girls, older study participants (17–19 years old), overweight/obese adolescents and subjects with screen time over 4 h were more often dissatisfied with body weight. Furthermore, it has been shown that participants dissatisfied with their body weight less often met dietary recommendations. These findings can help dietitians, nutritionists and healthcare professionals to provide age-specific and gender-specific nutrition strategies to promote healthy lifestyle among school-going adolescents.
Diagnostic significance of apical membranous and cytoplasmic dot-like CD26 expression in encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a useful marker for capsular invasion.

Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) and invasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (EFV-PTC) are indistinguishable preoperatively. CD26 expression in follicular tumor-uncertain malignant potential (FT-UMP) is reported to be clearly higher than in that without capsular invasion. To verify the diagnostic significance of CD26 immunostaining in EFV-PTC, we examined the expression pattern of CD26 in non-invasive EFV-PTC (NIFTP) and invasive EFV-PTC. We performed immunohistochemical analysis using CD26 antibody for 37 NIFTPs and 54 EFV-PTCs (34 minimally invasive EFV-PTCs and 20 widely invasive EFV-PTCs). Most NIFTP samples showed an apical membranous pattern or a cytoplasmic diffuse pattern of expression. Invasive EFV-PTCs more frequently showed a cytoplasmic dot-like pattern, and the labeling indices of tumor cells with cytoplasmic dot-like patterns were significantly higher than those in NIFTPs. The sizes of dots seen in NIFTPs (mean: 1.12 μm) were significantly smaller than in invasive EFV-PTCs (1.33 μm), minimally invasive EFV-PTC (1.27 μm), and widely invasive EFV-PTC (1.38 ‍μm). We, therefore, conclude that cytoplasmic diffuse and/or cytoplasmic dot-like CD26 expression, particularly the larger CD26-positive dots, could be useful markers for capsular invasion in EFV-PTC. CD26 immunostaining, using cell blocks or cytological specimens, may preoperatively distinguish between NIFTP and invasive EFV-PTC.
Angulated screw-retained and cemented implant crowns following flapless immediate implant placement in the aesthetic region: A 1-year prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE To compare the short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of angulated screw-retained and cemented implant crowns following flapless immediate implant placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was designed as a prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Eligible patients were divided into two groups according to restoration type: the angulated screw group (AG) and the cemented group (CG). Implant survival, marginal bone loss, mechanical complications, probing depth, bleeding on probing% and pink aesthetic score were evaluated. RESULTS After 1 year of loading, the implant survival rate was 100% in both groups (AG, n = 23; CG, n = 20). A significantly lower bleeding on probing% was found in the AG than in the CG (11.6 ± 19.1% vs. 33.3 ± 33.8%, P = 0.04). No significant differences in marginal bone loss, probing depth and mechanical complication rates were found between the two groups (P = 0.53, 0.48, 0.41, respectively). The overall pink aesthetic score value was 8.96 ± 0.88 in the AG and 8.98 ± 0.62 in the CG at 1-year examination (P = 0.96). The percentage of excellent pink aesthetic scores (≥ 9) value increased from 48% at baseline to 83% at 1 year in the AG, and from 45% at baseline to 85% at 1 year in the CG. CONCLUSION Based on the 1-year results, both treatment options provide high implant survival, a stable marginal bone level and excellent aesthetic outcomes in the short term. Angulated screw-retained crowns might benefit the long-term peri-implant conditions.
An Improved Salp Swarm Algorithm With Spiral Flight Search for Optimizing Hybrid Active Power Filters’ Parameters

In view of various issues occasioned by harmonic pollution in the power system, the optimization of the filter parameters is of great significance. However, under the system constraints, estimating the filter parameters accurately and reliably is a challenging task. To complete this task, this paper proposes an improved salp swarm algorithm based on the spiral flight search strategy (ISSA-SFS), which rationally integrates the spiral flight search (SFS) strategy, the multiple leader (ML) strategy, and the random learning (RL) strategy with two improved evolution phases: the improved lead phase (ILP) and the improved follow phase (IFP). In the ILP, the SFS strategy is introduced to enhance the global search capability and avoid premature convergence. Furthermore, in the ILP, an ML strategy is proposed to select multiple leaders, further strengthening the global search capability of the proposed algorithm. In the IFP, a simple RL strategy is developed to learn two different random individuals, efficiently improving the local exploitation. The proposed algorithm ISSA-SFS is applied to optimize two prominent hybrid active power filter (HAPF) topologies, and each topology contains four different study cases. The overall experimental results indicate that the ISSA-SFS is a more promising alternative to achieve the optimal design of HAPFs compared with other well-established algorithms, especially in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Secondary structure of the mRNA encoding listeriolysin O is essential to establish the replicative niche of L. monocytogenes

Significance Intracellular pathogens utilize specialized mechanisms for replicating within host cells while minimizing cytotoxicity. Misregulation of bacterial virulence factors that are responsible for infection can cause host cell death and the consequent loss of virulence. The results presented here reveal that the translation of a cytolysin that is responsible for host infection is reduced during bacterial growth, due to the formation of an mRNA secondary structure that results in translational inhibition. The coding domain that occludes the ribosome binding site regulates the synthesis and activity of the cytolysin inside the host cytosol, highlighting multiple levels of LLO control from this domain. These findings provide insight into how expression of a virulence factor can be translationally regulated within alternate host cellular compartments. Intracellular pathogens are responsible for an enormous amount of worldwide morbidity and mortality, and each has evolved specialized strategies to establish and maintain their replicative niche. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that secretes a pore-forming cytolysin called listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosomal membrane and, thereby, allows the bacteria access to their replicative niche in the cytosol. Nonsynonymous and synonymous mutations in a PEST-like domain near the LLO N terminus cause enhanced LLO translation during intracellular growth, leading to host cell death and loss of virulence. Here, we explore the mechanism of translational control and show that there is extensive codon restriction within the PEST-encoding region of the LLO messenger RNA (mRNA) (hly). This region has considerable complementarity with the 5′ UTR and is predicted to form an extensive secondary structure that overlaps the ribosome binding site. Analysis of both 5′ UTR and synonymous mutations in the PEST-like domain that are predicted to disrupt the secondary structure resulted in up to a 10,000-fold drop in virulence during mouse infection, while compensatory double mutants restored virulence to WT levels. We showed by dynamic protein radiolabeling that LLO synthesis was growth phase-dependent. These data provide a mechanism to explain how the bacteria regulate translation of LLO to promote translation during starvation in a phagosome while repressing it during growth in the cytosol. These studies also provide a molecular explanation for codon bias at the 5′ end of this essential determinant of pathogenesis.
A Modified Variable Step Size for Fractional Least Mean Square Algorithm for System Identification and Its FPGA Implementation

In this paper, a variable step-size fractional least mean square (FLMS) named as modified variable step-size FLMS (MVSS-FLMS) is proposed to address the issue of faster convergence time and lower steady state error of the FLMS algorithm. In order to test the superiority of the algorithm, the algorithm is verified using MATLAB and Verilog code is written and implemented on FPGA. Matlab simulations shows that the proposed algorithm achieves faster convergence and lower runtime compared to the existing FLMS and robust VSSFLMS (RVSS-FLMS).
Properties of protein unfolded states suggest broad selection for expanded conformational ensembles

Significance Amino acid sequences are known to be crucial for specifying the folded structure of a protein. Here we show that sequences also play an important role in specifying the properties of a protein’s unfolded ensemble. For an autotransporter protein, rearranging the order of only a few percent of amino acid residues can lead to more collapsed unfolded ensembles which have enhanced aggregation in vitro and degradation in vivo. Sequences that remain expanded, however, are more compatible with proper function. Most significantly, we show that the well-mixed sequence patterns that lead to expanded ensembles are broadly conserved amongst foldable, water-soluble proteins, suggesting expanded disordered states are under selection. Much attention is being paid to conformational biases in the ensembles of intrinsically disordered proteins. However, it is currently unknown whether or how conformational biases within the disordered ensembles of foldable proteins affect function in vivo. Recently, we demonstrated that water can be a good solvent for unfolded polypeptide chains, even those with a hydrophobic and charged sequence composition typical of folded proteins. These results run counter to the generally accepted model that protein folding begins with hydrophobicity-driven chain collapse. Here we investigate what other features, beyond amino acid composition, govern chain collapse. We found that local clustering of hydrophobic and/or charged residues leads to significant collapse of the unfolded ensemble of pertactin, a secreted autotransporter virulence protein from Bordetella pertussis, as measured by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Sequence patterns that lead to collapse also correlate with increased intermolecular polypeptide chain association and aggregation. Crucially, sequence patterns that support an expanded conformational ensemble enhance pertactin secretion to the bacterial cell surface. Similar sequence pattern features are enriched across the large and diverse family of autotransporter virulence proteins, suggesting sequence patterns that favor an expanded conformational ensemble are under selection for efficient autotransporter protein secretion, a necessary prerequisite for virulence. More broadly, we found that sequence patterns that lead to more expanded conformational ensembles are enriched across water-soluble proteins in general, suggesting protein sequences are under selection to regulate collapse and minimize protein aggregation, in addition to their roles in stabilizing folded protein structures.
A Time Delay Estimation Based Adaptive Sliding Mode Strategy for Hybrid Impedance Control

This paper is inspired by the automation of cleaning tasks required inside the endogenous environment. This work intends to develop a robust adaptive strategy for force-position control, using robotic manipulators. With this objective, the operational/task space is decoupled into two sub-spaces, and the impedance model for the manipulator is designed using the standard second-order filters. The impedance filter generates the reference commands for the inner loop, which assures bounded position and force tracking. A delay estimation based adaptive sliding mode strategy is proposed for carrying out the tracking objective, and its convergence is proved using the Lyapunov-Razumikhin theorem. The controller uses past data to estimate the uncertainties in the error dynamics and exploits the sliding mode strategy to provide robustness in the closed-loop. This technique circumvents the under/overestimation issues, and linear/nonlinear parametrization requirements in conventional adaptive schemes. Multiple numerical simulations and experiments are performed, and the results point to the validity of the proposed control law in real-world settings.
Cyber-security considerations for domestic-level automated demand-response systems utilizing public-key infrastructure and ISO/IEC 20922

In this paper, the Authors present MQTT (ISO/IEC 20922), coupled with Public-key Infrastructure (PKI) as being highly suited to the secure and timely delivery of the command and control messages required in a low-latency Automated Demand Response (ADR) system which makes use of domestic-level electrical loads connected to the Internet. Several use cases for ADR are introduced, and relevant security considerations are discussed; further emphasizing the suitability of the proposed infrastructure. The authors then describe their testbed platform for testing ADR functionality, and finally discuss the next steps towards getting these kinds of technologies to the next stage.
Generative Augmented Dataset and Annotation Frameworks for Artificial Intelligence (GADAFAI)

Recent Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in the field of compute vision, have been driven by the availability of large public datasets. However, as AI begins to move into embedded devices there will be a growing need for tools to acquire and re-acquire datasets from specific sensing systems to train new device models. In this paper, a roadmap in introduced for a data-acquisition framework that can build the large synthetic datasets required to train AI systems from small seed datasets. A key element to justify such a framework is the validation of the generated dataset and example results are shown from preliminary work on biometric (facial) datasets.
Simulation of Slip the Velocity Effect in an AC Electrothermal Micropump

The principal aim of this study was to analyze the effect of slip velocity at the microchannel wall on an alternating current electrothermal (ACET) flow micropump fitted with several pairs of electrodes. Using the finite element method (FEM), the coupled momentum, energy, and Poisson equations with and without slip boundary conditions have been solved to compute the velocity, temperature, and electrical field in the microchannel. The effects of the frequency and the voltage, and the electrical and thermal conductivities, respectively, of the electrolyte solution and the substrate material, have been minutely analyzed in the presence and absence of slip velocity. The slip velocity was simulated along the microchannel walls at different values of slip length. The results revealed that the slip velocity at the wall channel has a significant impact on the flow field. The existence of slip velocity at the wall increases the shear stress and therefore enhances the pumping efficiency. It was observed that higher average pumping velocity was achieved for larger slip length. When a glass substrate was used, the effect of the presence of the slip velocity was more manifest. This study shows also that the effect of slip velocity on the flow field is very important and must be taken into consideration in an ACET micropump.
Breeding Near-isogenic Lines of Morphological Markers in indica Rice

Twenty-seven morphological marker genes on 12 chromosomes were introduced into indica rice by 3～4 baekcrosses with an early season indica rice Zhefu 802 as recurrent parent, and 27 near-isogenic lines with marker genes were obtained. Agronomic characters of the near-isogenic lines were similar to the recurrent parent excepting to the marker ones.
Application of dietary supplements (synbiotics and probiotics in combination with plant products and β-glucans) in aquaculture

This review addresses the dietary supplements, synbiotics and probiotics in combination with plant products or yeast/β-glucans in aquaculture. The potential applications of synbiotics have a relatively short history in aquaculture, but have generated interest because of numerous benefits reported in endothermic animals. Since the first study was published by (Aquaculture Science in 2009) the concept has been used in aquaculture to reveal effects on growth performance, gut microbiota, gut histology, immune parameters, haematological and biochemical parameters as well as increased disease resistance. However, a limited number of probiotic bacteria (mainly Bacillus and Enterococcus) and prebiotics (mannan oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, short-chain fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, arabinoxylan–oligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharide, chitosan oligosaccharide and inulin) have been used. Additionally, some studies have used plant products or yeast/β-glucans in combination with probiotics, and these studies suggested that these dietary supplements promote growth performance and boost some immune parameters. The present review identifies evaluations of gut microbiota and gut morphology, and mucosal immune response as significant gaps in existing knowledge and suggests issues that merit further investigations to conclude the potential of dietary supplements in aquaculture.
Orbitofrontal cortex volume links polygenic risk for smoking with tobacco use in healthy adolescents

Abstract Background Tobacco smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and death and is heritable with complex underpinnings. Converging evidence suggests a contribution of the polygenic risk for smoking to the use of tobacco and other substances. Yet, the underlying brain mechanisms between the genetic risk and tobacco smoking remain poorly understood. Methods Genomic, neuroimaging, and self-report data were acquired from a large cohort of adolescents from the IMAGEN study (a European multicenter study). Polygenic risk scores (PGRS) for smoking were calculated based on a genome-wide association study meta-analysis conducted by the Tobacco and Genetics Consortium. We examined the interrelationships among the genetic risk for smoking initiation, brain structure, and the number of occasions of tobacco use. Results A higher smoking PGRS was significantly associated with both an increased number of occasions of tobacco use and smaller cortical volume of the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Furthermore, reduced cortical volume within this cluster correlated with greater tobacco use. A subsequent path analysis suggested that the cortical volume within this cluster partially mediated the association between the genetic risk for smoking and the number of occasions of tobacco use. Conclusions Our data provide the first evidence for the involvement of the OFC in the relationship between smoking PGRS and tobacco use. Future studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying tobacco smoking should consider the mediation effect of the related neural structure.
Sybr Green Real-Time PCR is a Useful Method in Screening for High Risk Human Papilloma Virus Types 16 and 18 in Neoplastic Cervical Cancer

1 Haematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur. 2 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu. 3 UPM-Makna Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute Of Biosciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. 4 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. 5