Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Generalized Fine-Wilf Theorem and Hamming Distance for Conjugates

Let x, y be strings of equal length. The Hamming distance h(x,y) between x and y is the number of positions in which x and y differ. If x is a cyclic shift of y, we say x and y are conjugates. We consider f(x,y), the Hamming distance between the conjugates xy and yx, and show it is never equal to 1; the proof uses a new generalization of the Fine-Wilf theorem. Over a binary alphabet f(x,y) is always even, and must satisfy a further technical condition. By contrast, over an alphabet of size 3 or greater, f(x,y) can take any value between 0 and |x|+|y|, except 1; furthermore, we can always assume that the smaller string has only one type of letter.
Computer-assisted morphometry of cell-substratum contacts.

AIM Quantitative analysis of size and shape of the cell-substratum contacts in Dictyostelium and comparison of these parameters between wild-type cells and the cells bearing cytoskeletal protein mutations. METHODS Reflection interference contrast microscopy (RICM) was used to image the areas of contact between aggregation-competent Dictyostelium cells and weakly adhesive mica surfaces. The cell-substratum contact areas were automatically identified in RICM micrographs by digital image processing. Information about the size and shape of the contact areas was obtained by using the shape descriptors based on two-dimensional geometrical moment invariants. RESULTS Lack of either of the two actin-crosslinking proteins, a-actinin and 120 kDa gelation factor, similarly affects the cell-substratum interactions of Dictyostelium cells. The shape descriptors, elongation and dispersion, of the contact areas were reduced by 10% to 30% in mutant cells when compared to the wild type, but the size of the contacts was not affected. CONCLUSION Video microscopy combined with digital image processing and quantitative image analysis is capable of revealing small phenotypic effects of cytoskeletal protein mutations on the level of single cells. Such automated microscopic methods are expected to gain importance and find a widespread use in biomedicine.
An Autoinhibitory Mechanism for Nonsyntaxin SNARE Proteins Revealed by the Structure of Ykt6p

Ykt6p is a nonsyntaxin SNARE implicated in multiple intracellular membrane trafficking steps. Here we present the structure of the NH2-terminal domain of Ykt6p (Ykt6pN, residues 1 to 140). The structure of Ykt6pN differed entirely from that of syntaxin and resembled the overall fold of the actin regulatory protein, profilin. Like some syntaxins, Ykt6p adopted a folded back conformation in which Ykt6pN bound to its COOH-terminal core domain. The NH2-terminal domain plays an important biological role in the function of Ykt6p, which in vitro studies revealed to include influencing the kinetics and proper assembly of SNARE complexes.
A new approach to Programming Language education for beginners with top-down learning

There are two basic approaches in learning new programming language: a bottom-up approach and a top-down approach. It has been said that if a learner has already acquired one language, the top-down approach is more efficient to learn another while, for a person who has absolutely no knowledge of any programming languages; the bottom-up approach is preferable. The major problem of the bottom-up approach is that it requires longer period to acquire the language. For quicker learning, this paper applies a top-down approach for a beginner who has not yet acquired any programming languages.
Efficiency of energy conversion during shortening of muscle fibres from the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula.

Force and heat production were measured during isovelocity shortening of tetanized white myotomal muscle fibres from the dogfish at 12 degrees C. For each fibre preparation a range of velocities was used. Mechanical power was calculated from force X velocity of shortening. The rate of total energy output during shortening was evaluated as the sum of mechanical power and the rate of heat production. The ratio of mechanical power to total energy rate was taken as a measure of efficiency of energy conversion to mechanical power during shortening. Efficiency was maximal and varied little in the range of shortening velocities 0.42-0.89 fibres lengths s-1 (0.11-0.23 Vmax); maximal efficiency was 0.33 +/- 0.01 (+/- S.E.M., N = 23 measurements on seven fibre bundles). The efficiency of the white fibres from dogfish was less than that measured in the same way in earlier experiments on frog muscle and tortoise muscle.
Activated Notch 1 signaling promotes tumor cell proliferation and survival in Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma

Notch signaling controls cell fate decisions of hematopoietic progenitors by inhibiting certain steps of differentiation and inducing either self-renewal or differentiation toward lymphoid or myeloid lineages. In addition, truncated Notch1 alleles could be associated with 10% of all cases of human T lymphoblastic leukemia and, when introduced into mouse bone marrow stem cells, cause T-cell neoplasms. However, functional links between the abundant expression of intact Notch1 and oncogenesis are still lacking. Here we show that Notch1 is highly expressed in Band T-cell–derived tumor cells of Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. We demonstrate a novel mechanism for the oncogenic capacity of Notch1 by showing that the interaction between intact Notch1 on tumor cells and its ligand Jagged1 dramatically induces proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in vitro. We further provide evidence that in Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Jagged1 is expressed in malignant and in bystander cells colocalizing with Notch1-positive tumor cells. Notch1 signaling may therefore be activated in tumor cells by Jagged1 through homotypic or heterotypic cell–cell interactions, and it seems likely that these interactions contribute to lymphomagenesis in vivo. Thus, our data suggest that activated Notch1 signaling plays an important role in the pathobiology of Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma and that it might be a potential new target for treatment. (Blood. 2002;99:3398-3403)
CONTROLLING THE RABBIT DIGESTIVE ECOSYSTEM TO IMPROVE DIGESTIVE HEALTH AND

The specific and functional diversity of the rabbit digestive ecosystem is highly diverse. The digestive ecosystem has several physiological roles: hydrolysis and fermentation of nutrients, immune system regulation, angiogenesis, gut development and acting as a barrier against pathogens. Understanding the digestive ecosystem and how to control its functional and specific diversity is a priority, since this could provide new strategies to improve the resistance of the young rabbit to digestive disorders and improve feed efficiency. This review first recalls some facts about the digestive microbiota composition in the main fermentation compartment, and its variability in rabbits and other species with some new insights based on recent molecular approaches. The main functions of the digestive microbiota will then be explained. Finally some possible ways to control rabbit caecal microbiota will be described and a suitable timing for action will be defined.
Noun Bias in Adulthood Found to Depend on Test Delay and Learning Method

Among adults learning a foreign language, might nouns be easier to learn than verbs? A noun learning bias is characteristic of child learners across most languages (e.g., Gentner, 1982), but few studies have tested for such a word class learning bias among adults learning a foreign language. To test adult susceptible to a noun bias, I trained 84 participants with novel names of 96 familiar, concrete concepts (half nouns, half verbs) by ostensive and inferential training methods, and tested vocabulary word recognition at five minutes and at one week. I tested a number of stimulus features which literature suggested could be of importance to word learnability (23 factors in total). This led to the development of a controlled test of the influence of word class apart from other contributing factors on learnability. There appears little evidence of a generalized noun bias in adulthood—a noun bias was found but was specific to ostensive training, tested five minutes but not one week later. Word imageability and image quality also contributed to vocabulary meaning recognition. Results support a theory of word learning that emphasizes referential clarity. Also discussed is the possibility of recognition likelihood as a dynamic construction.
Protein Transmission, Seeding and Degradation: Key Steps for α-Synuclein Prion-Like Propagation

Converging lines of evidence suggest that cell-to-cell transmission and the self-propagation of pathogenic amyloidogenic proteins play a central role in the initiation and the progression of several neurodegenerative disorders. This "prion-like" hypothesis has been recently reported for α-synuclein, a presynaptic protein implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders. This review summarizes recent findings on α-synuclein prion-like propagation, focusing on its transmission, seeding and degradation and discusses some key questions that remain to be explored. Understanding how α-synuclein exits cells and propagates from one brain region to another will lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of PD, aiming at slowing or stopping the disease progression.
Modulation of macrophage immune responses by Echinacea

Echinacea preparations are widely used herbal medicines for the prevention and treatment of colds and minor infections. There is little evidence for the individual components in Echinacea that contribute to immune regulatory activity. Activity of an ethanolic Echinacea extract and several constituents, including cichoric acid, have been examined using three in vitro measures of macrophage immune function – NF-κB, TNF- α and nitric oxide (NO). In cultured macrophages, all components except the monoene alkylamide (AA1) decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated NF-κB levels. 0.2 µg/ml cichoric acid and 2. 0µg/mL Echinacea Premium Liquid (EPL) and EPL alkylamide fraction (EPL AA) were found to significantly decrease TNF-α production under LPS stimulated conditions in macrophages. In macrophages, only the alkylamide mixture isolated from the ethanolic Echinacea extract decreased LPS stimulated NO production. In this study, the mixture of alkylamides in the Echinacea ethanolic liquid extract did not respond in the same manner in the assays as the individual alkylamides investigated. While cichoric acid has been shown to affect NF-κB, TNF-α and NO levels, it is unlikely to be relevant in the Echinacea alterations of the immune response in vivo due to its non- bioavailability – i.e. no demonstrated absorption across the intestinal barrier and no detectable levels in plasma. These results demonstrate that Echinacea is an effective modulator of macrophage immune responses in vitro.
Action recognition in intelligent environments using point cloud features extracted from silhouette sequences

In this paper we present our work on human action recognition in intelligent environments. We classify actions by looking at a time-sequence of silhouettes extracted from various camera images. By treating time as the third spatial dimension we generate so-called space-time shapes that contain rich information about the actions. We propose a novel approach for recognizing actions, by representing the shapes as 3D point clouds and estimating feature histograms for them. Preliminary results show that our method robustly derives different classes of actions, even in the presence of large variability in the data, coming from different persons at different time intervals.
Response to Arend, Sarooghi, and Burkemper (2015): Cocreating Effectual Entrepreneurship Research

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Effectuation as Ineffectual? Applying the 3E Theory-Assessment Framework to a Proposed New Theory of Entrepreneurship" by R.J. Arend, H. Sarooghi, and A. Burkemper in volume 40 of the periodical.
Analysis of Intracerebral EEG Recordings of Epileptic Spikes: Insights From a Neural Network Model

The pathophysiological interpretation of EEG signals recorded with depth electrodes [i.e., local field potentials (LFPs)] during interictal (between seizures) or ictal (during seizures) periods is fundamental in the presurgical evaluation of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Our objective was to explain specific shape features of interictal spikes in the hippocampus (observed in LFPs) in terms of cell- and network-related parameters of neuronal circuits that generate these events. We developed a neural network model based on ldquominimalrdquo but biologically relevant neuron models interconnected through GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses that reproduce the main physiological features of the CA1 subfield. Simulated LFPs were obtained by solving the forward problem (dipole theory) from networks including a large number (~3000) of cells. Insertion of appropriate parameters allowed the model to simulate events that closely resemble actual epileptic spikes. Moreover, the shape of the early fast component (ldquospikerdquo) and the late slow component (ldquonegative waverdquo) was linked to the relative contribution of glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic currents in pyramidal cells. In addition, the model provides insights about the sensitivity of electrode localization with respect to recorded tissue volume and about the relationship between the LFP and the intracellular activity of principal cells and interneurons represented in the network.
Central Corneal Thickness and its Relationship to Intra-Ocular and Epidmiological Determinants.

OBJECTIVE To measure central corneal thickness in Pakistani population and determine its relationship to intra-ocular pressure, age, gender and ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional observation study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, between December 2013 and February 2015. METHODOLOGY The right eyes of 1000 cases (496 males and 504 females) were recruited for this study. Inclusion criteria were Pashtun or Punjabi ethnicity, intra-ocular pressure < 22 mmHg, gonioscopically open angles, cup-disk-ratio < 0.5, and age matched normal visual fields. Cases with prior ocular surgery, contact lens use, corneal pathologies, myopia or hypermetropia > ±3.0 diopters, astigmatism of > ±1.0 diopters were excluded. Central corneal thickness was measured using a TopCon non-contact specular microscope. Intra-ocular pressure was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometer. Frequency distribution, test of significance, and regression analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. RESULTS Mean age was 47.31 ±11.78 years. Ethnic composition was 51.6% (n=516) Pashtun and 48.4% (n=484) Punjabi. The mean central corneal thickness was 503.96 (±12.47) µm, while the mean intra-ocular pressure was 15.61 (±2.68) mmHg. Regression analysis showed a significant association between central corneal thickness and intra-ocular pressure (p=0.00) and age (p=0.00). A±100 µchange in central corneal thickness was associated with change in IOPof ±3.30 mmHg, whereas central corneal thickness decreased by 0.12 µm per year. No significant association could be established between central corneal thickness and ethnicity (p=0.19). CONCLUSION Central corneal thickness of the studied races was comparable to non-Caucasians which affects intra-ocular pressure measurements, and decreases with increasing age. No relationship was observed between central corneal thickness and ethnicity or gender.
MetaData for Database Mining

At present, a machine learning application is accomplished by carefully crafting a single table from an often complex, multi-table database. The metadata necessary to create this table is rarely formally recorded, and is sometimes implicit in the structure of the database or the typing of the attributes. We categorize the types of metadata that we have encountered in our work with machine learning applications in agriculture, and describe a first generation tool that we have built to aid in the recording and use of metadata in database mining.
Theory and Applications of the NCP1294, Switching Controller, and Associated Circuits for Lead Acid Battery Charging from a Solar Panel with Maximum Peak Power Tracking (MPPT)

Introduction The following paper describes in detail the principle operation of the NCP1294, switching controller, and associated circuits for lead acid battery charging with MPPT. A design example and test data are included. The NCP1294 solar controller is a flexible solution used in Module Level Power Management (MLPM) solutions. Background and System Requirements Most of the solar controller battery chargers on the market today have a large digital content namely to manage maximum power point tracking and battery charging. The manipulation of the power stage, MPPT, and battery management can be controlled with analog circuitry in a cost effective manner. The solar controller parameters for the NCP1294 design are listed below in tabular form.
Adequacy of glycemic, lipid, and blood pressure management for patients with diabetes in a managed care setting.

OBJECTIVE We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the adequacy of glycemic, lipid, and blood pressure (BP) management for diabetic patients in a managed care organization (MCO). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Patients aged > or =18 years with diabetes (n=7,114) were retrospectively identified over a 2-year period from the MCO's administrative database based on the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set 2000 selection criteria using pharmacy, laboratory, and encounter data. Analyses examined demographics and percentages of patients tested and meeting American Diabetes Association goals for HbA1c, lipids, and BP, both overall and for those receiving medication treatment versus no treatment. RESULTS Testing rates for A1C, LDL cholesterol, and BP were 77, 54, and 95%, respectively. The percentage of patients tested who were at goal were 37% for A1C, 23% for LDL cholesterol, and 41% for systolic BP. Of the patients in our sample, 72% were treated for glycemic control, 64% were treated for BP control, and only 28% were treated for lipid control. Of the patients who received medication treatment, less than one-third were at goal for A1C (29%) and LDL cholesterol (32%), whereas 40% were at goal for systolic BP. CONCLUSIONS We found that although a large percentage of diabetic patients were tested for A1C, LDL cholesterol, and systolic BP, a much smaller percentage had reached their respective goals. More aggressive glycemic, lipid, and BP management appears to be needed to improve care for these patients.
Analysis of Mental Fatigue Basing on Power Spectrum Features of EEG

Objective To investigate the relationship between mental fatigue and power spectrum features of electroencephalogram(EEG)in order to find feasible objective indexes for analyzing mental fatigue level.Methods Gravity frequency and power spectral entropy of EEG were extracted to analyze state of mental fatigue at three epoches:BT before continuous mental arithmetic task,AT immediately after continuous mental arithmetic task,and REST 60 min after task.For comparison,subjective measurements and behavior analyses were made to evaluate mental fatigue state at the three epoches.Results The gravity frequency and power spectral entropy of EEG decreased,the scale of subjective perceived fatigue and mean response times(RT)of mental arithmetic task and psychomotor vigilance test increased at AT as compared with that at BT,while gravity frequency and power spectral entropy of EEG increase after rest,the scale of subjective perceived fatigue and the mean RT decreased as compared with that at AT.Conclusion Gravity frequency and power spectral entropy of EEG are strongly correlated with mental fatigue level.They decrease as the mental fatigue level increases.Meanwhile the results of gravity frequency and power spectral entropy analysis of EEG are consistent with that of subjective measurements and behavior analyses.Gravity frequency and power spectral entropy of EEG are expected to serve as the index for detecting mental fatigue level.
Miniature implantable PIFA for telemetry in the ISM band: Design and link budget analysis

An implantable miniaturized planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) that can operate over 2.45 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band which occupies a small volume of 92 mm3 is proposed. The impedance characteristics of the proposed antenna are measured using experimental tissue mimicking phantoms. The proposed compact PIFA has a size of 8.1×7.1×1.6 mm3 which is tested using both numerical and mixed meat phantoms for implantation either under the chest or arm or inside a muscle. An analysis of the communication link between the implanted antenna and external dipole antenna has also been examined along with a statistical pass loss analysis. Moreover, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) distribution induced by the implantable antenna inside a human tissue phantom has also been evaluated.
[Inhibitory effect of IL-27 gene on tumor formation activity of Eca109 cells in nude mice and its mechanisms].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Cytokine-based biotherapy is a hot spot in tumor research. This study was to explore the inhibitory effect of interleukin-27 (IL-27) on tumor formation activity of human esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109 in nude mice, and investigate its antitumor mechanisms. METHODS IL-27 gene was transfected into Eca109 cells with retrovirus vector and stable clones were selected by G418. The expression of IL-27 gene was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The secretion of IL-27 from Eca109/IL-27 cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected by ELISA. Cell proliferation in vitro was assessed by MTT assay. Eca109/IL-27, Eca109/LXSN and Eca109 cells were subcutaneously injected into nude mice to observe the growth of transplanted tumors. The expression of CD16 and FasL in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and the expression of Fas in tumor cells were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS IL-27p28 and IL-27EBI3 were expressed in Eca109/IL-27 cells, but not in Eca109/LXSN and Eca109 cells (P<0.01). IL-27 secretion was significantly higher in Eca109/IL-27 cells than in Eca109/LXSN and Eca109 cells (P<0.01). The proliferation rates of the 3 cell lines were similar (P> 0.05). IFN-gamma secretion was significantly higher in Eca109/IL-27 cell-stimulated PBMCs than in Eca109/LXSN cell-and Eca109 cell-stimulated PBMCs [(56.28+/-1.61) pg/mL vs. (12.70+/-0.82) pg/mL and (11.06+/-0.64) pg/mL, P<0.01]. As compared with those in Eca109 and Eca109/LXSN groups, the tumor growth in nude mice was significantly slower in Eca109/IL-27 group (P<0.05), the expression of CD16 and FasL in TIL and the expression of Fas in tumor cells were up-regulated in Eca109/IL-27 group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION IL-27 gene may inhibit the tumor formation activity of Eca109 cells in nude mouse by activating natural killer (NK) cells through Fas/FasL pathway.