Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of an ectodomain within the LAR protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor that binds homophilically and activates signalling pathways promoting neurite outgrowth

Elucidation of mechanisms by which receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate neurite outgrowth will require characterization of ligand–receptor interactions and identification of ligand‐induced signalling components mediating neurite outgrowth. The first identified ligand of the leucocyte common antigen‐related (LAR) receptor PTP consists of a 99‐residue ectodomain isoform, termed LARFN5C, which undergoes homophilic binding to LAR and promotes neurite outgrowth. We employed peptide mapping of LARFN5C to identify an active neurite‐promoting domain of LAR. A peptide mimetic consisting of 37 residues (L59) and corresponding to the fifth LAR fibronectin type III (FNIII) domain prevented LARFN5C homophilic binding, demonstrated homophilic binding to itself and promoted neurite outgrowth of mouse E16–17 hippocampal neurons and of dorsal root ganglia explants. Response to L59 was partially lost when using neurons derived from LAR‐deficient (–/–) mice or neurons treated with LAR siRNA, consistent with homophilic interaction of L59 with LAR. L59 neurite‐promoting activity was decreased in the presence of inhibitors of Src, Trk, PLCγ, PKC, PI3K and MAPK. L59 activated Src (a known substrate of LAR), FAK and TrkB and also activated downstream signalling intermediates including PKC, ERK, AKT and CREB. BDNF augmented the maximal neurite‐promoting activity of L59, a finding consistent with the presence of shared and distinct signalling pathways activated by L59 with BDNF and L59 with TrkB. These studies are the first to identify an ectodomain of LAR (located within the fifth FNIII domain) capable of promoting neurite outgrowth and point to novel approaches for promotion of neurite outgrowth.
Flying Capacitor Converter as a wind turbine interface - modulation and MPPT issues

This paper presents an application of the three-level Flying Capacitor Converter (FCC) in an AC-DC-AC (Back to Back - BtB) system interfacing a wind turbine with an asynchronous generator to the grid. The FCC operates as the machine converter (MC) while also three-level Diode Clamped Converter (DCC) is the grid converter (GC). Whole control is based on Voltage Oriented Control (VOC) and Indirect-Field Oriented Control (IFOC) methods. The discussion is focused on issue of a Space Vector Modulation (SVM) for the FCC. Moreover, to improve system stability the Power Feed-Forward was applied. To increase the effectiveness of power generation the Maximum Power Point Tracking was implemented. Experimental results confirm correct operation of the proposed control structure. Additionally, basic comparison of the FCC and DCC converters features are shortly pointed out. And finally a detailed analysis of flying capacitors voltages balancing are proven by experimental results.
The Impact of Tipuana tipu Species on Local Human Thermal Comfort Thresholds in Different Urban Canyon Cases in Mediterranean Climates: Lisbon, Portugal

Based upon the case of Lisbon, this article examined the in-situ effects of vegetation upon pedestrian thermal comfort levels. Focussing specifically upon the historic quarter that often witnesses the highest Tamb values and Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensities during the summer, the most common urban canyon cases (UCCs) were modelled, along with one of the most commonly used vegetative semi-deciduous species found in the city, Tipuana tipu. Based upon a reference point (RP) system, the assessments were undertaken through the use of a new version of the SkyHelios model, local obtained Grad values, and the modified physiologically equivalent temperature (mPET) index calculated through the human-biometeorological model RayMan. The study identified the in-situ thermo-physiological influences of Tipuana tipu during different periods of the year: (1) during the summer, which revealed considerable reductions of PET/mPET of up to 15.6 °C/11.6 °C during a very hot day (where daily maximum Tamb surpassed 35 °C); and (2) during the winter, which revealed the risks of oversharing as a result of the species keeping its foliage during the winter with reductions of PET/mPET of up to 2.7 °C/2.6 °C. Furthermore, the study utilised the climate tourism/transfer information scheme (CTIS) to categorise and facilitate the interpretation of the results.
A Modified Tyrosinase-Related Protein 2 Epitope Generates High-Affinity Tumor-Specific T Cells but Does Not Mediate Therapeutic Efficacy in an Intradermal Tumor Model1

The generation of tumor-specific T cells is hampered by the presentation of poorly immunogenic tumor-specific epitopes by the tumor. Here, we demonstrate that, although CD8+ T cells specific for the self/tumor Ag tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) are readily detected in tumor-bearing hosts, vaccination of either tumor-bearing or naive mice with an epitope derived from TRP2 fails to generate significant numbers of tetramer-staining TRP2-specific T cells or antitumor immunity. We identified an altered peptide epitope, called deltaV, which elicits T cell responses that are cross-reactive to the wild-type TRP2 epitope. Immunization with deltaV generates T cells with increased affinity for TRP2 compared with immunization with the wild-type TRP2 epitope, although TRP2 immunization often generates a greater number of TRP2-specific T cells based on intracellular IFN-γ analysis. Despite generating higher affinity responses, deltaV immunization alone fails to provide any greater therapeutic efficacy against tumor growth than TRP2 immunization. This lack of tumor protection is most likely a result of both the deletion of high affinity and functional tolerance induction of lower affinity TRP2-specific T cells. Our data contribute to a growing literature demonstrating the ability of variant peptide epitopes to generate higher affinity T cell responses against tumor-specific Ags. However, consistent with most clinical data, simple generation of higher affinity T cells is insufficient to mediate tumor immunity.
MicroRNAs as molecular markers for colon cancer Diagnostic screening in stool & blood

Screening for colon cancer (CC) allows for diagnosis of the early stage for malignancy and potentially reduces disease mortality as the cancer could be cured at disease earliest stages. Early detection could be desirable if accurate, practical and cost effective diagnostic measures for this cancer are available. Mortality and morbidity from colon cancer represent a major health problem involving a malignant disease that is theoretically preventable through screening. Current screening methods (e.g., the immunological fecal occult blood test, FOBTi, obtained from patients’ medical records) either lacks sensitivity and requires dietary restriction, which impedes compliance and use; are costly (e.g., colonoscopy), which decreases compliance; or could lead to mortality. In comparison to the FOBT test, a noninvasive sensitive screen for which there is no requirement for dietary restriction would be a more convenient test. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the only cancer for which screening by colonoscopy is recommended. Although colonoscopy is a reliable screening tool, its invasive nature, accompanying abdominal pain, potential complications and high cost have hampered the application of this screening method worldwide. A novel screening approach using the stable miRNA molecules, which are relatively nondegradable when extracted from noninvasive stool and semi-invasive blood samples by currently available commercial kits and manipulated thereafter, would be preferable to a transcriptomic messenger (m)RNA-, a mutation DNA-, an epigeneticor a proteomic-based test. The approach utilizes reverse transcriptase (RT), followed by a modified quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Although exosomal RNA would not be measured, using a restricted extraction of total RNA from stool or blood, then a parallel test could also be carried out on RNA obtained from stool or plasma samples, and appropriate corrections for exsosomal loss can be made to obtain accurate and quantitative results. Eventually, a chip would be developed to facilitate diagnosis, as has been carried out for the quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods. The gold standard to which the molecular miRNA test is compared is colonoscopy. If performance criteria are met, as detailed herein, then a miRNA test in human stool or blood samples based on high throughput automated technologies and quantitative expression measurements --commonly used in the diagnostic clinical laboratory-would eventually be advanced to the clinical setting, which will make a vivid impact on the prevention of colon cancer. Correspondence to: Farid E. Ahmed, GEM Tox Labs, Institute for Research in Biotechnology, 2905 South Memorial Drive, Greenville, NC 27834, USA, Tel: +1 (252) 375-9656, Fax:+1 (252) 7561656, E-mail: gemtoxconsultants@yahoo.com
Ground geometry assessment in complex stereo vision based applications

Accurate ground area detection is one of the most important tasks in various stereo vision based applications, such as autonomous driving or assistive technologies for visually impaired. Correct assertion of the ground geometry improves obstacle detection algorithms by eliminating false positive locations in image. In this paper we provide an application oriented evaluation on the correlation of the ground geometry with the quality of the disparity map. The disparity map is processed in its V-map representations and two methods for 3D ground area points identification are discussed. Next, different types of surfaces are fitted and evaluated using real data from automotive and visually impaired assistive applications.
Generalized Simple Theory for Estimating Lateral Leakage Loss Behavior in Silicon-on-Insulator Ridge Waveguides

In this paper, we numerically investigate the lateral leakage loss behavior for TM-like modes in silicon-on-insulator ridge wave guides. If the waveguide width is set to satisfy a certain condition, the leakage loss of the TM-like mode leads to be a minimum. When utilizing TM-like modes in the ridge wave guides, it is the main drawback that the tolerance for the variations in the waveguide width and operation wavelength is too small. In this paper, we propose a novel ridge waveguide structure, where a dimple is introduced at the ridge region. It is shown from the finite-element analysis that the ridge waveguide with a dimple is both low loss and fabrication tolerant.
STUDIES ON THE CHEMOAUTOTROPHIC IRON BACTERIUM FERROBACILLUS FERROOXIDANS

Studies of the biochemistry and physiology of the obligate chemolithoautotrophs have been largely restricted to the genus Thiobaciilus (Vishniac and Santer, 1957) and the nitrifying bacteria (Fry and Peel, 1954; Lees, 1955; Engel and Alexander, 1958). Such studies were made possible by the prior development of media and methods that would yield large numbers of physiologically active cells. Unfortunately, parallel developments with the obligate autotrophic iron bacteria have not proceeded at similar rates. Interest in the iron bacteria has remained high ever since Winogradsky first postulated that the energy derived from the oxidation of ferrous iron could serve as the sole support for the growth of a C02-assimilating microorganism. Since then, a variety of species of iron bacteria has been described in the literature, where it appears that the only requisite for this appellation is the ability to precipitate oxidized iron in sheaths, stalks, capsules, or the surrounding medium. But, it is doubtful whether iron oxidation by most of these organisms contributes materially to the energy supply needed for growth, i. e. , they are heterotrophs (Pringsheim, 1949a, b; Stokes, 1954). To our knowledge, only a few species are presently considered to be obligate chemoautotrophs; namely Gallionella spp. , Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, and Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans. The recent work of Kucera and Wolfe (1957) with Gallionella ferruginea has demonstrated the difficulty of obtaining suitable yields of this organism in pure culture. Further, their photographs indicate that separation of cells from the tangled mass of inert stalks would indeed be a formidable task. The
Artificial Immune Algorithm for Fault Diagnosis of Power Transformer

Artificial immune system is a kind of learning technology which is stimulated by a biological immune system and studies the natural defense mechanism of outside material. Based on the principle of immune recognition, this paper proposes a power transformer fault diagnosis method, which can get more characterization fault memory antibody characteristics of the sample collection and classification through the study of the fault samples by increasing the use of antigens, antibodies and memory types of information and so on. From the Matlab experimental data and the comparison of the results and the IEC of three ratios, we can get the conclusion that this algorithm can get much higher accuracy of diagnosis.
Associations between Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and Lipids, Lipoprotein Cholesterols, and Homocysteine

Background: Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels are inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, mediated in part by independent positive relationships with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and inverse relationships with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), triglyceride, and homocysteine. Aims: In this study, we assessed relationships between fasting serum vitamin D and lipids, lipoprotein cholesterols, and homocysteine. Materials and Methods: We studied 1534 patients sequentially referred to our center from 2007 to 2016. Fasting serum total 25(OH) vitamin D, plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, HDLC, LDLC, and homocysteine were measured. Stepwise regression models were used with total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDLC, LDLC, and homocysteine as dependent variables and explanatory variables age, race, gender, body mass index (BMI), and serum vitamin D levels. Relationships between quintiles of serum vitamin D and triglycerides, HDLC, LDLC, and homocysteine were assessed after covariance adjusting for age, race, gender, and BMI. Results: Fasting serum vitamin D was positively correlated with age, HDLC, and White race, and was inversely correlated with BMI, total and LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting serum homocysteine (P ≤ 0.0001 for all). Serum vitamin D was a significant independent inverse explanatory variable for total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol, and accounted for the largest amount of variance in serum total cholesterol (partial R 2 =3.6%), triglyceride (partial R 2 =3.1%), and LDLC (partial R 2 =2.9%) (P < 0.0001 for all). Serum vitamin D was a significant positive explanatory variable for HDLC (partial R 2 =1.4%, P < 0.0001), and a significant inverse explanatory variable for homocysteine (partial R 2 = 6.0-12.6%). Conclusions: In hyperlipidemic patients, serum vitamin D was a significant independent inverse determinant of total cholesterol, LDLC, triglyceride, and homocysteine, and a significant independent positive determinant of HDLC. Thus, serum vitamin D might be protective against CVD.
Application of Mel Cepstral Representation of Voice Recordings for Diagnosing Vocal Disorders

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) of voice samples in diagnosing vocal nodules and polyps. Patients' voice samples were analysed acoustically with the measurement of MFCC and values of the first three formants. Classification of mel coefficients was performed by applying the Sammon Mapping and Support Vector Machines. For the tests conducted on 95 patients, voice disorders were detected with accuracy reaching approx. 80%. Abstract. Celem niniejszej pracy byla ocena mozliwości zastosowania analizy tzw. wspolczynnikow cepstralnych (ang. Mel Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC)) dla probek rejestrowanego glosu pacjentow we wspomaganiu diagnozy guzow i polipow. Rejestracje mowy pacjentow poddane zostaly analizie akustycznej, w ktorej zastosowano parametry MFCC oraz wartości trzech pierwszych formantow. Do klasyfikacji wspolczynnikow cepstralnych zastosowano odwzorowanie Sammona oraz tzw. Maszyne Wektorow Nośnych. W testach wykonanych dla 95 rejestracji mowy pacjentow, zaburzenia glosu zostaly wykryte z ok. 80% dokladnością. (Zastosowanie reprezentacji Mel Cepstralnej sygnalu mowy do badania zaburzen glosu).
Local influence analysis when interfacing toxicokinetic and proportional hazard models

We present a local influence analysis to assigned model quantities in the context of a dose–response analysis of cancer mortality in relation to estimated absorbed dose of dioxin. The risk estimation is performed using dioxin dose as a time‐dependent explanatory variable in a proportional hazard model. The dioxin dose is computed using a toxicokinetic model, which depends on some factors, such as assigned constants and estimated parameters. We present a local influence analysis to assess the effects on final results of minor perturbations of toxicokinetic model factors. In the present context, there is no evidence of local influence in risk estimates. It is however possible to identify which factors are more influential. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiobjective approaches for robust electromagnetic design

Robust optimization problems are inherently multiobjective, because the designer searches for compromise solutions between the mathematical model and possible uncertainties when constructing the physical device. We propose a novel formulation that consists of the employment of a multiobjective approach for robust design. The proposed methodology is applied to two practical problems: the design of a loudspeaker and the design of a superconducting magnetic storage device. The results provide more alternatives to the decision maker, confirming the usefulness and benefit of the approach
A serial lectin approach to the mucin‐type O‐glycoproteome of Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells

Identification of mucin‐type O‐glycosylated proteins with known functions in model organisms like Drosophila could provide keys to elucidate functions of the O‐glycan moiety and proteomic analyses of O‐glycoproteins in higher eukaryotes remain a challenge due to structural heterogeneity and a lack of efficient tools for their specific isolation. Here we report a strategy to evaluate the O‐glycosylation potential of the embryonal hemocyte‐like Drosophila Schneider 2 (S2) cell line by expression of recombinant glycosylation probes derived from tandem repeats of the human mucin MUC1 or of the Drosophila salivary gland protein Sgs1. We obtained evidence that mucin‐type O‐glycosylation in S2 cells grown under serum‐free conditions is restricted to the Tn‐antigen (GalNAcα‐Ser/Thr) and the T‐antigen (Galβ1‐3GalNAcα‐Ser/Thr) and this structural homogeneity enables unique glycoproteomic strategies. We present a label‐free strategy for the isolation, profiling and analysis of O‐glycosylated proteins consisting of serial lectin affinity capture, 2‐DE‐based glycoprotein analysis by O‐glycan specific mAbs and protein identification by MALDI‐MS. Protein identity and O‐glycosylation was confirmed by ESI‐MS/MS with detection of diagnostic sugar oxonium‐ion fragments. Using this strategy, we established 2‐D reference maps and identified 21 secreted and intracellular mucin‐type O‐glycoproteins. Our results show that Drosophila S2 cells express O‐glycoproteins involved in a wide range of biological functions including proteins of the extracellular matrix (Laminin γ‐chain, Peroxidasin and Glutactin), pathogen recognition proteins (Gnbp1), stress response proteins (Glycoprotein 93), secreted proteases (Matrix‐metalloprotease 1 and various trypsin‐like serine proteases), protease inhibitors (Serpin 27A) and proteins of unknown function.
The role of laboratory testing in detection and classification of chronic kidney disease: national recommendations

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common clinical condition with significant adverse consequences for the patient and it is recognized as a significant public health problem. The role of laboratory medicine in diagnosis and management of CKD is of great importance: the diagnosis and staging are based on estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and assessment of albuminuria (or proteinuria). Therefore, the joint working group of the Croatian society of medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine and Croatian chamber of medical biochemists for laboratory diagnostics in CKD issued this national recommendation regarding laboratory diagnostics of CKD. Key factors for laboratories implementing the national guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CKD are: 1. Ensure good communication between laboratory professionals and clinicians, such as nephrologists or specialists in general/family medicine, 2. Ensure all patients are provided with the same availability of laboratory diagnostics, 3. Ensure creatinine assays are traceable to isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) method and have minimal bias and acceptable imprecision, 4. Select the appropriate GFR estimating formula. Recommended equation is the 2009 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD – EPI) equation, 5. In reporting the key laboratory tests (creatinine, eGFR, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, urine protein-to-creatinine ratio) use the appropriate reporting units, 6. Provide adequate information on limitations of creatinine measurement. The manuscript has been organized to identify critical points in laboratory tests used in basic laboratory diagnostics of CKD and is based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease.
Intermittent Gastrointestinal Bleeding in a Child: Leech Infestation

During HSP itself (without accompanying viral hepatitis) hepatomegaly is not an unusual finding and hepatitis with jaundice can be seen in severe cases of HSP, but serologic markers of viral hepatitis are negative in these unusual forms of HSP. Chronic viral hepatitis with HCV or HBV can be accompanied with vasculitis but these are not common problems in children and clinical course and serology makes them different from HSP after hepatitis A.
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: Evaluating Success Determinants for Online Q&A Communities

Researchers and community managers try to measure the success of online communities using a variety of success determinants, such as member activity, turnover and interaction. Although many success determinants have been proposed in the literature, it remains largely unclear which are applicable to which kind of online communities. In this work, we focus on the use case of question answering (Q&A) communities, where we can measure asker satisfaction as an aspect of community success towards the goal of solving questions. We evaluate how well the proposed success determinants correlate to asker satisfaction, and we find that less than half of them are at least moderately (±0.3 or more) correlated. That underlines the importance of evaluating the proposed success determinants on real data of specific community types.