Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression and Activation of BKCa Channels in Mice Protects Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Isolated Hearts by Modulating Mitochondrial Function

Aims: Activation and expression of large conductance calcium and voltage-activated potassium channel (BKCa) by pharmacological agents have been implicated in cardioprotection from ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury possibly by regulating mitochondrial function. Given the non-specific effects of pharmacological agents, it is not clear whether activation of BKCa is critical to cardioprotection. In this study, we aimed to decipher the mechanistic role of BKCa in cardioprotection from IR injury by genetically activating BKCa channels. Methods and Results: Hearts from adult (3 months old) wild-type mice (C57/BL6) and mice expressing genetically activated BKCa (Tg-BKCaR207Q, referred as Tg-BKCa) along with wild-type BKCa were subjected to 20 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion with or without ischemic preconditioning (IPC, 2 times for 2.5 min interval each). Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was recorded using Millar's Mikrotip® catheter connected to ADInstrument data acquisition system. Myocardial infarction was quantified by 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Our results demonstrated that Tg-BKCa mice are protected from IR injury, and BKCa also contributes to IPC-mediated cardioprotection. Cardiac function parameters were also measured by echocardiography and no differences were observed in left ventricular ejection fraction, fractional shortening and aortic velocities. Amplex Red® was used to assess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in isolated mitochondria by spectrofluorometry. We found that genetic activation of BKCa reduces ROS after IR stress. Adult cardiomyocytes and mitochondria from Tg-BKCa mice were isolated and labeled with Anti-BKCa antibodies. Images acquired via confocal microscopy revealed localization of cardiac BKCa in the mitochondria. Conclusions: Activation of BKCa is essential for recovery of cardiac function after IR injury and is likely a factor in IPC mediated cardioprotection. Genetic activation of BKCa reduces ROS produced by complex I and complex II/III in Tg-BKCa mice after IR, and IPC further decreases it. These results implicate BKCa-mediated cardioprotection, in part, by reducing mitochondrial ROS production. Localization of Tg-BKCa in adult cardiomyocytes of transgenic mice was similar to BKCa in wild-type mice.
Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Nuclear rDNA Sequences of Clonorchis sinensis Isolates From Human Fecal Samples in Heilongjiang Province, China

Studying the genetic diversity of parasite is important for understanding their biogeography and molecular epidemiology, as well as for establishing disease prevention and control strategies. Clonorchis sinensis is an important foodborne parasite worldwide. However, despite its epidemiological significance, the genetic diversity of C. sinensis has not been well studied from human in northeastern China. In this study, a total of 342 fecal specimens were collected from residents living in five villages in Heilongjiang Province and analyzed for the presence of C. sinensis by PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and ITS2 regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA. 21.64% (74/342) of fecal samples were found to be positive for C. sinensis by PCR. The sequences of the ITS1 region in 34 of the 74 samples (45.95%) matched that of MK179278, Genetic polymorphisms were observed at six nucleotide sites. The ITS2 gene sequence of 37 of the 74 samples (50%) matched that of MK179281. In conclusion, a low degree of genetic diversity between C. sinensis isolates from China and different geographical regions was found at ITS loci. Despite this conservation, sequencing of the rDNA region has provided important data that will be useful for future studies addressing the molecular evolution, biology, medical implications and ecology of C. sinensis.
Ceramica a vernice nera di età ellenistica da siti della Sicilia nord-occidentale : considerazioni tipologiche ed analisi archeometriche

In questo studio sono state integrate osservazioni tipologiche, condotte su forme a vernice nera rinvenute a Palermo, Termini Imerese, Monte Iato e Marineo, con i dati ricavati dalla caratterizzazione mineralogica, petrografica e chimica degli impasti. I 55 campioni selezionati appartengono a due forme : un piatto («Lamboglia 36 » , serie 1310-1320 di J.-P. Morel), tra i piu comuni nella Campana A di I e II secolo a. C. ; ed una coppa di produzione locale o regionale, attestata (fine IV-III secolo a. C.) in insediamenti della Sicilia nord-occidentale, che e stata utilizzata anche come «gruppo di riferimento » chimicopetrografico. Sono stati distinti due gruppi composizionali, da ascrivere uno all’area del Golfo di Napoli, l’altro ad ambito produttivo locale, che per le caratteristiche mineralogico-petrografiche e chimiche e riferibile alle Argille di Ficarazzi (periferia orientale di Palermo). Ad entrambi i gruppi appartengono reperti del piatto Lamboglia 36, ma solo al secondo i campioni della coppa.
Smart-SMEAR: on-line data exploration and visualization tool for SMEAR stations

Smart-SMEAR is an interface to visualize the data measured at the SMEAR II station in Hyytiälä, Finland. It is designed to be an additional tool for data mining and a simple tool for working together with trace gas and aerosol data, meteorological parameters and air mass back-trajectories, including numerous point sources. The web tool acts as an interface to the station database which can be reached with only few mouse clicks. The tool provides an overview of such a complicated dataset. The database contains all the data from the start of continuous SMEAR II measurements in 1996 until today. Here, we present also some examples of how to use Smart-SMEAR. We present examples of one typical atmospheric nucleation event day, one local pollution event with low photochemical activity, and one long-range-transport pollution day coupled with local pollution events with strong solar radiation. Smart-SMEAR, together with its search engine Smart-Search, has proven to be an effi cient tool for studying atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric aerosol dynamics.
Understanding and improving requirements discovery in open source software development: an initial exploration

In proprietary or closed source software (CSS) development, there is a formal requirements engineering (RE) phase for discovering the requirements for an application. The requirements engineering process in CSS development is comprised of many formal practices (e.g., elicitation/generation). With the advent of the Internet and web-based tools and technologies, a new and different form of software development has emerged – globally distributed, typically volunteer driven, open source software (OSS) development. OSS development largely occurs in an informal, ad hoc manner and often lacks the formal developmental practices and processes of CSS development. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the current state of RE in OSS, to identify potential directions for improving RE in OSS, and to empirically investigate the potential of some specific RE practices to improve OSS development. In pursuit of the research goal, in the initial phase of this research a web-based survey of practicing OSS developers was conducted to explore the current state of RE in OSS. Results supported the claims about informality of RE in OSS. as well as pointed towards potential directions for improvement. In the second phase of the research, a web-based experiment was conducted to investigate the actual benefits from a particular CSS development requirements generation practice – requirements reuse (operationalized as the availability of a library of reusable requirements within OSS development environment) – for OSS development. Analysis of the experimental data revealed that that the experimental treatment (availability of a library of reusable requirements) had a significant effect on the size of requirements message, requirements quantity and requirements completeness after controlling for covariates, indicating usefulness of the reusable library. The final phase of the research focused on OSS issue gathering approaches, a source of requirements for OSS. In this phase, a qualitative study of OSS developers explored how an OSS issue gathering approach, enforcing classification (versus free-form OSS issue gathering), may contribute to the misclassification problem (erroneous classification of OSS issues), and what can be done at the issue gathering interface level to mitigate the misclassification problem. Insights from the analysis of data from the final phase of the research shed light on the desirable characteristics that OSS issue gathering interfaces should possess for mitigating misclassification.
Transfer learning on convolutional activation feature as applied to a building quality assessment robot

We propose an automated postconstruction quality assessment robot system for crack, hollowness, and finishing defects in light of a need to speed up the inspection work, a more reliable inspection report, as well as an objective through fully automated inspection. Such an autonomous inspection system has a potential to cut labour cost significantly and achieve better accuracy. In the proposed system, a transfer learning network is employed for visual defect detection; a region proposal network is used for object region proposal, a deep learning network employed as feature extractor, and a linear classifier with supervised learning as object classifier; moreover, active learning of top-N ranking region of interest is undertaken for fine-tuning of the transfer learning on convolutional activation feature network. Extensive experiments are validated in a construction quality assessment system room and constructed test bed. The results are promising in a way that the novel proposed automated assessment method gives satisfactory results for crack, hollowness, and finishing defects assessment. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to having an autonomous visual inspection system for postconstruction quality assessment of building sector. We believe the proposed system is going to help to pave the way towards fully autonomous postconstruction quality assessment systems in the future.
TCP Stalls at the Server Side: Measurement and Mitigation

TCP is an important factor affecting user-perceived performance of Internet applications. Diagnosing the causes behind TCP performance issues in the wild is essential for better understanding the current shortcomings in TCP. This paper presents a TCP flow performance analysis framework that classifies causes of TCP stalls. The framework forms the basis of a tool that we use to analyze packet-level traces of three services (cloud storage, software download, and web search) deployed by a popular service provider. We find that as many as 20% of the flows are stalled for half of their lifetime. Network-related causes, especially timeout retransmissions, dominate the stalls. A breakdown of the causes for timeout retransmission stalls reveals that double retransmission and tail retransmission are among the top contributors. The importance of these causes depends however on the specific service. Based on these observations, we propose smart-retransmission time out (S-RTO), a mechanism that mitigates timeout retransmission stalls through careful and gentle aggression for retransmission. S-RTO is evaluated in a controlled network and also in a production network. The results consistently show that it is effective at improving TCP performance, especially for short flows.
Test Method of Laser Detection Sensitivity Based on Every Pulse Measurement and Rearrangement

It is very important to accurately measure the detection sensitivity of laser receiving equipment. Based on the traditional test method of detection probability curve, a new test method is proposed which works through measuring laser pulse one by one. Accurate measurement systems were constructed to improve the accuracy of laser energy measurement and energy regulation. A new data processing method of detection probability curve is put forward, which based on subsection statistics. The new data processing method in effect reduces the light source instability from 6.57% to 0.67%. These works improve the test accuracy of laser receiving detection sensitivity. It is a great support for the accurate evaluation of key technical indices of laser receiving equipment, which subsequently are done by models and simulation.
Cultural Distance awared Collaborative Filtering Algorithm in Recommendation System

Recently most of the existing studies on recommendation system are based on historical rating matrix and specific characteristics, such as location, season and weather. Different from these studies, we introduce an abstract feature about cultural backgrounds and values, called cultural distance, into the recommendation system to understand user intent better and improve the precision of recommendation results. We design a novel similarity representation which combine the item-based collaborative filtering and cultural distance to recommend items for users. We also propose a collaborative filtering-based missing cultural distance prediction algorithm to improve the precision of recommendation further. To evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithm, we execute experiments based on a large-scale real-world dataset, the results show that our algorithm can improve the precision by 10% accurate compared to existing recommendation approaches.
Development of an Independent Monitor Unit Verification Program for Photon Beams in 3-Dimensional Conformal Treatment Planning System

This study focuses on the development of an independent monitor unit verification program for photon beams in 3dimensional conformal radiotherapy as patient specific QA for isocentric treatment. An in-house MS-Excel spreadsheet program was developed to validate monitor units generated by the treatment planning system, with sole intention of ensuring an accurate dose calculation. A total of 3339 treatment fields generated from over 667 patient data for different treatment sites treated with either 6MV or 15MV or both energies were analyzed. The treatment plans were generated with Oncentra Masterplan V4.3 running on collapsed cone algorithm with heterogeneity correction. The planning system’s generated monitor units for each field was based on prescribed dose per fractionation. The independent monitor unit verification program however was built with appropriate beam data obtained from ion chamber measurements. The planning system’s dose at isocentre were juxtaposed with, and tested for accuracy with that calculated by the independent verification program. Variations between the two dose sets as well as dose at Dmax for a given monitor unit were analyzed. For homogenous medium, there was a good agreement between the treatment planning system’s dose at isocentre and the Excel-developed program; with variations in dose at isocentre ranging between -0.15% and -1.73% (against a ±7% set-tolerance). Disparities in Dmax dose ranged between -0.34% and -1.4%. However, in analyzing heterogeneous patient media, disparity in dose at isocentre and Dmax were estimated as -2.09% and -2.12% respectively.
Daily Consumption of Angelica Keiskei Juice Attenuated Hyperlipidaemia and Hepatic Steatosis Caused by Western Diet in C57BL/6J Mice

Background/Objectives: Given that western diet (WD) intake has negative impact on development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the protective effects of Angelica keiskei juice (AK) against hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis were investigated in WD-fed C57BL/6J mice. Materials and Methods: Animals were assigned into four groups (n=8/group) to receive normal diet + vehicle, WD + vehicle, WD + low AK (2 g/kg body weight), and WD + high AK (4 g/kg body weight) for 18 weeks. Biochemical analysis was performed for lipid profile in plasma; histological assessment for steatosis, inflammation, and tissue damage in the liver and intestine; and qPCR analysis for intestinal lipoprotein lipase and hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/oxidative stress markers. Results: AK significantly attenuated WD-induced increases in plasma triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein (P=0.001 for both), and hepatic triglyceride (P<0.001). Particularly, high-dose AK was effective in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and increasing mRNA expression of hepatic nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (P=0.003). It also tended to modify mRNA expressions of intestinal lipoprotein lipase (P=0.004), and hepatic carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1α (P=0.038), endoplasmic reticulum nuclei-1 (P=0.014), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (P=0.047). Conclusions: These findings suggest that daily consumption of AK juice may have potentials to prevent WD-induced NAFLD development through mitigating intestinal barrier damage, intestinal lipid absorption, and hepatic ER oxidative stress.
Green tea extract for prevention of prostate cancer progression in patients on active surveillance

Background Active surveillance (AS) has evolved as a management strategy for men with low grade prostate cancer (PCa). However, these patients report anxiety, doubts about the possible progression of the disease as well as higher decisional conflict regarding selection of active surveillance, and have been reported to ultimately opt for treatment without any major change in tumor characteristics. Currently, there is a paucity of research that systematically examines alternate strategies for this target population. Methods We conducted a review the evidence from epidemiological, in vitro, preclinical and early phase trials that have evaluated green tea catechins (GTC) for secondary chemoprevention of prostate cancer, focused on men opting for active surveillanceof low grade PCa. Results Results of our review of the in vitro, preclinical and phase I-II trials, demonstrates that green tea catechins (GTC) can modulate several relevant intermediate biological intermediate endpoint biomarkers implicated in prostate carcinogenesis as well as clinical progression of PCa, without major side effects. Discussion Although clinical trials using GTC have been evaluated in early phase trials in men diagnosed with High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia, Atypical Small Acinar Proliferation and in men with localized disease before prostatectomy, the effect of GTC on biological and clinical biomarkers implicated in prostate cancer progression have not been evaluated in this patient population. Conclusion Results of these studies promise to provide a strategy for secondary chemoprevention, reduce morbidities due to overtreatment and improve quality of life in men diagnosed with low-grade PCa.
Dynamic Routing Method over Hybrid SDN for Flying Ad Hoc Networks

Due to the high mobility and dynamic topology of the FANET network, maintaining communication links between UAVs is a challenging task. The topology of these networks is more dynamic than traditional mobile networks, which raises challenges for the routing protocol. The existing routing protocols for these networks partly fail to detect network topology changes. Few methods have recently been proposed to overcome this problem due to the rapid changes of network topology. We try to solve this problem by designing a new dynamic routing method for a group of UAVs using Hybrid SDN technology (SDN and a distributed routing protocol) with a highly dynamic topology. Comparison of the proposed method performance and two other algorithms is simulated. The simulation results show that the proposed method has better results than traditional algorithms in the package delivery ratio, average end to end delay, packet loss, throughput and normalized routing Load.
WORKSPACE-a microcomputer-based industrial robot simulator and off-line programming system

Describes WORKSPACE which was developed as the world's first industrial robot simulation software package. Since its commercial release in 1989 it has undergone many revisions. With the latest software release (version 3.2) WORKSPACE is in use on over 500 industrial and educational sites world-wide as both a graphic simulation system and a means of off-line programming a robot workcell. WORKSPACE is a software package which will create and simulate robot programmes in the native language of the robot. There is therefore no need for postprocessors to translate from a simulation language to the robot language: the full power of the robot language is available to the user through off-line programming. It is also possible to transfer existing robot programmes from the robot controller back into WORKSPACE for optimisation. Off-line programming is therefore a two-way process using WORKSPACE. This is particularly facilitated by the use of portable microcomputers which may be taken down onto the factory floor and used next to a robot workcell.
Towards Performing Arts Information As Linked Data

Semantic Web technologies and Linked Data are of crucial importance for cultural heritage institutions, as they will allow them to share data, both among them and with any kind of other agents who will be thus enabled to reuse that valuable knowledge in a variety of ways. They rely, among other things, on ontologies that provide unified representations of the (often heterogeneous) information produced by such institutions. The FRBROO model (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, object-oriented) has been under development since 2003 as an extension of the CIDOC CRM (International Committee for Documentation [of ICOM, International Council of Museums], Conceptual Reference Model), the ontology for museum information. The combination of FRBROO and CIDOC CRM provides a unified ontology for the information produced by both museums and libraries. Information relating to performing arts is explicitly taken into account in this ontology. This paper shows how performing arts, and resources that document them, are modelled in FRBROO, and how this could help libraries and museums of the performing arts to make the contents of their databases available as Linked Data.