Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatoprotective potential of Aloe vera polysaccharides against chronic alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

BACKGROUND Aloe vera polysaccharides are reported to exhibit multiple biological effects, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and immune enhancement. However, their influence on alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains unclear. This study was designed to determine the protective effect of extracted A. vera polysaccharides (AVGP) against ALD in a chronic alcohol-feeding mouse model and investigate the possible underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Supplementation of AVGP significantly attenuated the levels of serum aminotransferases, lipids and hepatic TG and ameliorated histopathological alterations in the model of ALD. Interestingly, AVGP markedly up-regulated hepatic expression of lipolytic genes (AMPK-α2 and PPAR-α) but had no effect on lipogenic gene expression. AVGP diminished alcohol-dependent oxidative stress partly through a decrease in MDA and increase in GSH and SOD. Alcohol-induced inflammation was also mitigated by AVGP treatment via significant reduction in LPS and TNF-α, down-regulation of TLR-4 and MyD88 and up-regulation of IκB-α. CONCLUSION This study clearly showed that AVGP exerts a potent protective effect against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. Its hepatoprotective effect appears to be associated with its antioxidant capacity and its ability to accelerate lipolysis and inhibit inflammatory response. The results indicate that AVGP could be considered as a potent food supplement in the prevention of ALD.
Ternary Polymer Solar Cells based on Two Acceptors and One Donor for Achieving 12.2% Efficiency

Ternary polymer solar cells are fabricated based on one donor PBDB-T and two acceptors (a methyl-modified small-molecular acceptor (IT-M) and a bis-adduct of Bis[70]PCBM). A high power conversion efficiency of 12.2% can be achieved. The photovoltaic performance of the ternary polymer solar cells is not sensitive to the composition of the blend.
Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Fibrosis in Relation to Myocyte Necrosis

Treatment of rats with the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol results in cardiac hypertrophy, myocyte necrosis, and interstitial cell fibrosis. Our objectives in this study have been to examine whether hypertrophy and fibrosis occur in a compensatory and reparative response to myocyte loss or whether either process may be occurring independently of myocyte loss and thus be a reactive response to adrenergic hormone stimulation. We have examined this question by evaluating each of these responses in rats treated with different doses and forms of isoproterenol administration. Myocyte necrosis was evaluated using in vivo labeling with monoclonal antimyosin for identification of myocytes with permeable sarcolemma, which was indicative of irreversible injury. Myocardial fibrosis was evaluated by morphometric point counting of Gomori-stained tissue sections and by assessment of the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation by determination of increased levels of DNA synthesis. Stimulation of fibroblast DNA synthesis was determined from DNA specific radioactivities and radioautography after pulse labeling with [3H]thymidine. The evidence provided by this study suggests that the degree and timing of myocardial hypertrophy does not follow the course of myocyte loss and, thus, appears to be either a response to altered cardiac loading or a reactive response to β-adrenergic hormone stimulation rather than a compensation for myocyte loss. Myocardial fibrosis, on the other hand, appears to be more closely related to myocyte necrosis with respect to collagen accumulation in the same areas of the heart, its dose-response relation to the amount of isoproterenol administered, and the timing of increased DNA synthesis, or fibroblast proliferation, after myocyte loss.
Advanced modeling and optimization of high performance 32nm HKMG SOI CMOS for RF/analog SoC applications

We demonstrate advanced modeling and optimization of 32nm high-K metal gate (HKMG) SOI CMOS technology for high-speed digital and RF/analog system-on-chip applications. To enable high-performance RF/analog circuit design, we present challenging device modeling features and their enhancements. At nominal Lpoly, floating-body NFET and PFET demonstrate peak fT of 300GHz and fMAX of higher than 350GHz with excellent model-to-hardware accuracy. For precision analog circuit design, body-contacted (BC) FETs and various passives are offered, and their performance and modeling accuracy are co-optimized to push the technology limit and achieve state-of-the-art circuits, e.g., 28Gb/s serial link transceiver and LC-tank VCO operating at higher than 100GHz.
A constant-frequency parabolic-modulation-based sliding mode controller for buck converters

In this paper, a direct sliding mode (SM) voltage controller based on parabolic modulation is proposed for a buck converter operating in the continuous conduction mode of operation. The objective is to achieve SM control of a switched-mode power converter with a relatively constant switching frequency through a simple control structure. This is achieved by directly modulating the constructed state trajectory through a pair of parabolic carriers. Both the steady-state and the transient performance of the buck converter with the proposed controller are tested. It is shown that the maximum switching frequency deviation throughout the testing condition is merely 3.8%. In addition, the proposed controller achieves good load regulation and dynamic performance.
Downregulation of β-Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor Attachment Protein: Proteomics-Based Identification in Early-Stage Prion Disease

Prion diseases are known as neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system with a long incubation period. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion diseases share the hallmark of severe neuronal loss, although their pathogenic mechanisms are similarly incomplete. It appears that these two neurodegenerative diseases share a complex deterioration of function involved in the onset of neuronal loss. To investigate presymptomatic biochemical changes indicative of the initial stage of prion diseases and decipher the pathophysiological mechanisms of these two neurodegenerative diseases, we performed a differential proteomic analysis on brain tissues of 263K-infected hamsters during the presymptomatic period and transgenic APPSWE, PSEN1dE9 mice (a mouse model of AD). We identified 7 differentially expressed proteins including the β-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein (β-SNAP) by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The β-SNAP expression patterns in the brains of cases and controls were further quantified by Western blotting. β-SNAP showed an early decrease followed by a progressive depletion. The expression of β-SNAP was also significantly downregulated in the mouse model of AD. β-SNAP is brain-specific and known to bind to the SNAP receptors and is therefore involved in the control of neurotransmitter release as well as in constitutive vesicular transport. Our results suggest that presynaptic failure and abnormalities in neurotransmission may be early events in the development of neuronal dysfunction.
Broadening children's involvement as design partners: from technology to

Many existing studies discuss the participation of children as design partners in the development of technology. In this paper, we shift the focus from technology to experience, and propose to broaden the role of children to become experience designer partners. We exemplify our approach by discussing a case study in the educational domain. We conducted a contextual inquiry study in a local primary school for over three months, working with twenty four children aged 10--11 who used an online tool for cooperative hyperstorytelling. Our research shows that children of this age can participate in experience design not only as informants but also as co-designers. This intergenerational partnership brings a number of educational benefits to children involved in this process. It also suggests innovative solutions in the way technology can be exploited in an educational setting.
Physical Layer Design of Energy-Efficient Data Transmission in 2D Communication Environments

This paper proposes a method to determine a physical layer (PHY) parameter that minimizes energy-per-bit rate (EBR) in a two-dimensional communication (2DC) environment. EBR is the power consumption used for 1- bit transmission/reception. 2DC uses a sheet-like waveguide medium, which guides the micro-wave along the sheet. In our previous work, the possibility of energy- efficient data transmission by using TransferJet devices in 2DC environment was reported. The reported maximum transmission rate was 71.1 Mbps with a power consumption of 118 mW. The EBR was two orders of magnitude lower than that of ZigBee despite the same power consumption. However, the data rate significantly degraded at some transceiver positions depending on the delay spread of the 2DC channel. The decrease of the transmission rate was caused by a mismatch between the PHY parameter of the communication system and the characteristics of the communication environment. This pa-per presents a method to determine an optimum PHY parameter for minimizing EBR. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the energy-efficient data transmission in 2DC environments.
A Pilot Study Examining the Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Symptoms of Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Postconcussive Syndrome

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program tailored to individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Design:A convenience sample recruited from clinical referrals over a 2-year period completed outcome measures pre- and posttreatment intervention. Setting:Post–acute brain injury rehabilitation center within a suburban medical facility. Participants:Twenty-two individuals with mTBI and a time postinjury more than 7 months. Eleven participants were men and 11 were women, ranging in age from 18 to 62 years. Intervention:A 10-week group (with weekly 2-hour sessions) modeled after the MBSR program of Kabat-Zinn, but with modifications designed to facilitate implementation in a population of individuals with brain injury. (The treatment involved enhancement of attentional skills, in addition to increased awareness of internal and external experiences associated with the perspective change of acceptance and nonjudgmental attitude regarding those experiences). Main Outcome Measures:Perceived Quality of Life Scale, Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory. Secondary measures included neuropsychological tests, a self-report problem-solving inventory, and a self-report measure of mindfulness. Results:Clinically meaningful improvements were noted on measures of quality of life (Cohen d = 0.43) and perceived self-efficacy (Cohen d = 0.50) with smaller but still significant effects on measures of central executive aspects of working memory and regulation of attention. Conclusion:The MBSR program can be adapted for participants with mTBI. Improved performance on measures associated with improved quality of life and self-efficacy may be related to treatment directed at improving awareness and acceptance, thereby minimizing the catastrophic assessment of symptoms associated with mTBI and chronic disability. Additional research on the comparative effectiveness of the MBSR program for people with mTBI is warranted.
Autoradiographic localization of (125)I[Tyr(14)]orphanin FQ/nociceptin and (125)I[Tyr(10)]orphanin FQ/nociceptin(1-11) binding sites in rat brain.

The endogenous ligand for the orphan opioid receptor, orphanin FQ/nociceptin (OFQ), has recently been characterized. The OFQ peptide sequence contains paired basic amino acids, suggesting the possibility of posttranslational processing to a peptide containing the first 11 amino acids of the OFQ peptide. This peptide has been reported in the brain and it has a unique pharmacology. In the present study, we compared the autoradiographic distribution of (125)I[Tyr(14)]OFQ and (125)I[Tyr(10)]OFQ(1-11) in coronal rat brain sections. Nonspecific binding was defined with unlabeled OFQ or OFQ(1-11), respectively. Both radioligands demonstrated high levels of specific binding (>95% of total binding), with no appreciable binding in white matter areas with either ligand. (125)I[Tyr(14)]OFQ binding was widely distributed throughout the rat brain. In contrast, (125)I[Tyr(10)]OFQ(1-11) binding was more restricted. The highest (125)I[Tyr(14)]OFQ binding levels measured in this study were found in the locus coeruleus, an area which contained very low (125)I[Tyr(10)]OFQ(1-11) binding. Both ligands labeled the cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. In the thalamus, (125)I[Tyr(14)]OFQ binding was prominent in most nuclei, whereas (125)I[Tyr(10)]OFQ(1-11) binding was restricted to the midline thalamus. (125)I[Tyr(14)]OFQ binding was heavy in the suprachiasmatic hypothalamus, and moderate in other hypothalamic nuclei. (125)I[Tyr(10)]OFQ(1-11) binding in the hypothalamus, however, was present mainly in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Lower binding levels of both ligands were found in the caudate putamen. The distinct autoradiographic patterns of these two ligands are consistent with different binding sites, which might help explain their different functional activities.
Transnational Social Capital, Business Model Design, and Firm's Growth in the Context of University Spin-off Companies

The literature on the firm growth among University Spin-off Company has been widely studied in the strategic management literature and the technology transfer practice over the last 15 years. While many studies put emphasis on the firm’s resources, yet how firm growth can be achieved under resource constraint is relatively under-explored. Therefore, through a conceptual model, it is argued that transnational social capital as firm’s internal resources and business model design as firm’s strategy can facilitate firm’s growth under resource constraint. The study attempts to explore the extent to which the transnational social capital and business model design impact firm’s growth under resource constraint. The theoretical framework utilised for this study is the extended form of resource-based view. The study postulates that internal resources that are available in young firms, function as antecedents of firm’s growth. Malaysia is nominated as the context to investigate the accuracy of the proposed model with the focus on the university spin-off companies. This paper provides insight and understanding of transnational social capital, business model design, and firm growth among University Spin-off Company. Keywords: Transnational Social Capital; Business Model Design; Firm Growth; University Spin-off Company JEL Classifications: L2
Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the NOD2/CARD15 gene are associated with an increased risk of relapse and death for patients with acute leukemia after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation with unrelated donors.

PURPOSE Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an important option in the management of acute leukemia, but the risk of disease relapse and death remains appreciable. Recent studies have suggested that nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2)/caspase recruitment domain 15 (CARD15) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), implicated in innate immunity and Crohn's disease, may also affect immune function post-HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS NOD2/CARD15 genotypes were analyzed in 196 patients diagnosed with acute leukemia and their unrelated donors. The pairs are part of a previously well-characterized cohort with a median follow-up of 2.2 years (range, 0.42 to 6.61 years). T-cell depletion was used in 83% of pairs. RESULTS NOD2/CARD15 SNPs were associated with a reduction in overall survival (44% v 22%; log-rank P = .0087) due to an increase in disease relapse (32% v 54%; Gray's test P = .001) as compared with wild-type pairs. In multivariate analyses, the two most significant factors impacting outcome were transplantation in relapse and the presence of SNPs. The incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease was low and there was no significant difference due to the presence of SNPs. CONCLUSION These data indicate an unrecognized role for the NOD2/CARD15 gene in unrelated donor HSCT for acute leukemia. The increased risk of disease relapse suggests that the wild-type gene product may contribute to a graft-versus-leukemia effect. These data suggest that NOD2/CARD15 genotyping before transplantation may contribute to prognosis and influence clinical management.
Welding and Pinching Spline Surfaces: New Methods for Interactive Creation of Complex Objects and Automatic Fleshing of Skeletons

We present three new building primitives for surface modeling systems using splines. The first two, welding and pinching, are used to interactively create more complex objects by combining and by distorting spline surfaces. The welding automatically adjusts the edges to be welded, while the pinching creates continuous junctions of tubular surfaces. The last modeling primitive builds on the first two to "flesh" the skeleton of an object with a regular "skin".
Step-up converter with high voltage gain employing three-state switching cell and voltage multiplier

This work proposes a new non-isolated DC-DC converter with high voltage gain using a three-state switching cell and voltage multiplier stages based on capacitors. The value of the gain can be modified depending on the requirements of the application by means of the number of multiplier stages and the duty cycle. The proposed converter can be employed in renewable energy systems where commonly low input voltages (12 Vdc to 48 Vdc) are involved or in uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems in order to avoid the necessity of a step-up transformer. One first advantage of the proposed solution is the reduced voltage stress across the active switches that is lower than half of the output voltage, what allows the use of MOSFETs with lower drain-to-source resistance. Moreover, by employing the three-state switching cell, the size of the inductor is reduced because the operating frequency of the inductor is double of the switching frequency. The current share between the active switches allows further reduction of the conduction losses. A prototype was built for an input voltage range of 30-45 V, 400 V output voltage and 250 W output power. The operation was evaluated and the experimental waveforms and experimental efficiency curves as a function of the output power are presented.
MPI Streams for HPC Applications

Data streams are a sequence of data flowing between source and destination processes. Streaming is widely used for signal, image and video processing for its efficiency in pipelining and effectiveness in reducing demand for memory. The goal of this work is to extend the use of data streams to support both conventional scientific applications and emerging data analytic applications running on HPC platforms. We introduce an extension called MPIStream to the de-facto programming standard on HPC, MPI. MPIStream supports data streams either within a single application or among multiple applications. We present three use cases using MPI streams in HPC applications together with their parallel performance. We show the convenience of using MPI streams to support the needs from both traditional HPC and emerging data analytics applications running on supercomputers.
Preparation, purification and characteristics of an aflatoxin degradation enzyme from Myxococcus fulvus ANSM068

Aims: To prepare, purify and characterize an extracellular enzyme from Myxococcus fulvus ANSM068, designated as myxobacteria aflatoxin degradation enzyme (MADE), which possesses degradation activity against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), G1 (AFG1) and M1 (AFM1) in solution.
Effects of threat management interactions on conservation priorities

Decisions need to be made about which biodiversity management actions are undertaken to mitigate threats and about where these actions are implemented. However, management actions can interact; that is, the cost, benefit, and feasibility of one action can change when another action is undertaken. There is little guidance on how to explicitly and efficiently prioritize management for multiple threats, including deciding where to act. Integrated management could focus on one management action to abate a dominant threat or on a strategy comprising multiple actions to abate multiple threats. Furthermore management could be undertaken at sites that are in close proximity to reduce costs. We used cost‐effectiveness analysis to prioritize investments in fire management, controlling invasive predators, and reducing grazing pressure in a bio‐diverse region of southeastern Queensland, Australia. We compared outcomes of 5 management approaches based on different assumptions about interactions and quantified how investment needed, benefits expected, and the locations prioritized for implementation differed when interactions were taken into account. Managing for interactions altered decisions about where to invest and in which actions to invest and had the potential to deliver increased investment efficiency. Differences in high priority locations and actions were greatest between the approaches when we made different assumptions about how management actions deliver benefits through threat abatement: either all threats must be managed to conserve species or only one management action may be required. Threatened species management that does not consider interactions between actions may result in misplaced investments or misguided expectations of the effort required to mitigate threats to species.
A HIGH ANGULAR RESOLUTION SURVEY OF MASSIVE STARS IN CYGNUS OB2: RESULTS FROM THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE FINE GUIDANCE SENSORS

We present results of a high angular resolution survey of massive OB stars in the Cygnus OB2 association that we conducted with the fine guidance sensor 1R (FGS1r) on the Hubble Space Telescope. FGS1r is able to resolve binary systems with a magnitude difference ΔV < 4 down to separations as small as 0. ″01. The sample includes 58 of the brighter members of Cyg OB2, one of the closest examples of an environment containing a large number of very young and massive stars. We resolved binary companions for 12 targets and confirmed the triple nature of one other target, and we offer evidence of marginally resolved companions for two additional stars. We confirm the binary nature of 11 of these systems from complementary adaptive optics imaging observations. The overall binary frequency in our study is 22% to 26% corresponding to orbital periods ranging from 20 to 20,000 yr. When combined with the known short-period spectroscopic binaries, the results support the hypothesis that the binary fraction among massive stars is >60%. One of the new discoveries is a companion to the hypergiant star MT 304 = Cyg OB2-12, and future measurements of orbital motion should provide mass estimates for this very luminous star.
ABP: A Novel AMPA Receptor Binding Protein

We review the cloning of a novel AMPA receptor binding protein (ABP) that interacts with GluR2/3 and is homologous to GRIP. ABP is enriched in the PSD with GluR2 and is localized to the PSD by EM. ABP binds GluR2 via the C-terminal VXI motif through a Class I PDZ interaction. ABP and GRIP can also homo- and heteromultimerize. Thus, ABP and GRIP may be involved in AMPA receptor regulation and localization, by linking it to other cytoskeletal or signaling molecules. We suggest that the ABP/GRIP and PSD-95 families form distinct scaffolds that anchor, respectively, AMPA and NMDA receptors. We are currently investigating proteins that bind ABP and that may regulate the AMPA receptor.