Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Farnesyltransferase inhibitors reduce ras activation and ameliorate acetaminophen‐induced liver injury in mice

Hepatotoxicity due to overdose of the analgesic and antipyretic acetaminophen (APAP) is a major cause of liver failure in adults. To better understand the contributions of different signaling pathways, the expression and role of Ras activation was evaluated after oral dosing of mice with APAP (400–500 mg/kg). Ras–guanosine triphosphate (GTP) is induced early and in an oxidative stress‐dependent manner. The functional role of Ras activation was studied by a single intraperitoneal injection of the neutral sphingomyelinase and farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI) manumycin A (1 mg/kg), which lowers induction of Ras‐GTP and serum amounts of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). APAP dosing decreases hepatic glutathione amounts, which are not affected by manumycin A treatment. However, APAP‐induced activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase, which plays an important role, is reduced by manumycin A. Also, APAP‐induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species are reduced by manumycin A at a later time point during liver injury. Importantly, the induction of genes involved in the inflammatory response (including iNos, gp91phox, and Fasl) and serum amounts of proinflammatory cytokines interferon‐γ (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor α, which increase greatly with APAP challenge, are suppressed with manumycin A. The FTI activity of manumycin A is most likely involved in reducing APAP‐induced liver injury, because a specific neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor, GW4869 (1 mg/kg), did not show any hepatoprotective effect. Notably, a structurally distinct FTI, gliotoxin (1 mg/kg), also inhibits Ras activation and reduces serum amounts of ALT and IFN‐γ after APAP dosing. Finally, histological analysis confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of manumycin A and gliotoxin during APAP‐induced liver damage. Conclusion: This study identifies a key role for Ras activation and demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of FTIs during APAP‐induced liver injury. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
Early Diagnosis of Leptospirosis

A 25-years old man from Zagreb, Croatia, was admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases four days after the onset of symptoms such as fever, intense pain in the calves and anuria. The patient owned a rabbit and, before the onset of the disease, repaired some rubber pipes damaged by rodents. At admission, he had a severe clinical picture with fever, hypotension, jaundice, immobility, and pain in leg muscles. Treatment with ceftriaxone was initiated in combination with volume restitution. Renal failure soon ensued. Consequently continuous venovenous hemodiaphiltration therapy was performed. Due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, the patient was mechanically ventilated. The patient’s condition gradually improved and he recovered fully from multi-organ failure. Diagnosis was confirmed by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT) covering 15 leptospira serovars and real-time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR). The first serum sample taken on day 6 tested negative for leptospira, while PCR showed positive results for leptospiral DNA. The second serum sample taken on day 13 tested positive for serovar Canicola serogroup Canicola, serovar Patoc, serovar Grippotyphosa serogroup Grippotyphosa and serovar Tarassovi serogroup Tarassovi (titre 4000, 4000, 1000 and 2000, respectively), while PCR was negative. This report highlights the benefits of combining MAT and PCR methods in early diagnosis of leptospirosis.
PeRView: A Framework for Personalized Review Selection Using Micro-Reviews

In the contemporary era, social media has its influence on people in making decisions. The proliferation of online reviews with diversified and verbose content often causes problems inaccurate decision making. Since online reviews have an impact on people of all walks of life while taking decisions, choosing appropriate reviews based on the podsolization consisting is very important since it relies on using such micro-reviews consistency to evaluate the review set section. Micro-reviews are very concise and directly talk about product or service instead of having unnecessary verbose content. Thus, micro-reviews can help in choosing reviews based on their personalized consistency that is related to directly or indirectly to the main profile of the reviews. Personalized reviews selection that is highly relevant with high personalized coverage in terms of matching with micro-reviews is the main problem that is considered in this paper. Furthermore, personalization with user preferences while making review selection is also considered based on the personalized users' profile. Towards this end, we proposed a framework known as PeRView for personalized review selection using micro-reviews based on the proposed evaluation metric approach which considering two main factors (personalized matching score and subset size). Personalized Review Selection Algorithm (PRSA) is proposed which makes use of multiple similarity measures merged to have highly efficient personalized reviews matching function for selection. The experimental results based on using reviews dataset which is collected from YELP.COM while micro-reviews dataset is obtained from Foursqure.COM. show that the personalized reviews selection is a very empirical case of study.
A Robust Synchronization to Enhance the Power Quality of Renewable Energy Systems

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) in the power grid requires high-quality power injection under various grid conditions. The synchronization method, usually a phase-locked loop (PLL) algorithm, is directly affecting the response of the grid-side converter of the RES. This paper proposes a new PLL algorithm that uses an advanced decoupling network implemented in the stationary reference frame with limited requirements for processing time to enable a fast and accurate synchronization even under harmonic distorted voltage and low-voltage grid faults. The robust response of the proposed PLL is validated, and the effect of the proposed synchronization on the performance of the grid-connected renewable energy system is investigated. This investigation proves that the robust, accurate, and dynamic response of the new PLL can enhance the quality of the injected power from the RES and can also enable an appropriate fault-ride-through operation under harmonic distorted voltage and grid faults.
Light-harvesting antennae using the host-guest chemistry of mesoporous organosilica

This study presents two series of new host-guest chromophoric systems, where BODIPY dyes are organized into mesoporous silica. The dyes self-assemble with surfactants to generate micellar templates that can direct the formation of the silica networks. The materials were characterized by means of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to elucidate their structure, and by UV-Vis spectroscopy to determine their optical properties. Dye-loaded COK-12 materials retain an ordered structure and exhibit a green fluorescence that slightly red-shifts and undergoes quenching as the dye loading increases. A second system is based on MCM-41 silica and works as a polychromatic antenna, where high energy species form within the template and drive excitation energy transfer in timescales down to 20 ps. Such systems show promising performances for the realization of photonic antennae, to be used as sensitizers for solar cells and photocatalytic devices.
High-performance application-specific networking

Experience with parallel and distributed systems has shown that different application domains require different communication models in order to perform efficiently and be programmed conveniently (37, 57, 60). Unfortunately, programmers traditionally have had to choose between inflexible but efficient in-kernel protocols and flexible but inefficient user-level protocols. This thesis presents application-specific safe handlers (ASHs), a new technique that provides a protected, efficient, and flexible communication interface. ASHs make user-level protocols more efficient and usable by enabling application-specific communication protocols to be dynamically yet safely downloaded into the kernel and tightly integrated with the communication system. ASHs eliminate kernel crossings and scheduling delays for common, time-critical events by decoupling network processing from application execution; they also provide the capability for eliminating extraneous data copying and integrating necessary data copying with other data manipulations. This thesis presents the design of ASHs and their implementation in Aegis, an exokernel-based operating system. It also presents the design and implementation of fast, asynchronous upcalls, an alternative approach to achieving many of the ASH benefits. Experiments show that ASHs and upcalls can deliver efficient yet flexible communication to applications. Microbenchmarks and end-to-end experiments demonstrate that ASHs outperform upcalls in the cases where the overhead to make them safe is not too high, or where there is a low percentage of successful handler invocations. User-level protocols which use either ASHs or upcalls are shown to outperform user-level protocols which use neither when there is more than one active process simultaneously using the system. Finally, the thesis presents an analytical model which predicts how the performance would change for different operating systems, architectural models, and application characteristics. We predict that ASHs and upcalls are likely to have even better performance over a wider range of application characteristics in traditional operating systems. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
The structure of the NGC 1333-IRAS2 protostellar system on 500 AU scales - An infalling envelope, a circumstellar disk, multiple outflows, and chemistry

This paper investigates small-scale (500 AU) structures of dense gas and dust around the low-mass protostellar binary NGC 1333-IRAS2 using millimeter-wavelength aperture-synthesis observations from the Owens Valley and Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association interferometers. The detected λ=3 mm continuum emission from cold dust is consistent with models of the envelope around IRAS2A , based on previously reported submillimeter-continuum images, down to the 3", or 500 AU, resolution of the interferometer data. Our data constrain the contribution of an unresolved point source to 22 mJy. The importance of different parameters, such as the size of an inner cavity and impact of the interstellar radiation field, is tested. Within the accuracy of the parameters describing the envelope model, the point source flux has an uncertainty by up to 25%. We interpret this point source as a cold disk of mass ≳0.3 M_⊙. The same envelope model also reproduces aperture-synthesis line observations of the optically thin isotopic species C^(34)S and H^(13)CO^+. The more optically thick main isotope lines show a variety of components in the protostellar environment: N_(2)H^+ is closely correlated with dust concentrations as seen at submillimeter wavelengths and is particularly strong toward the starless core IRAS2C . We hypothesize that N_(2)H^+ is destroyed through reactions with CO that is released from icy grains near the protostellar sources IRAS2A and B. CS, HCO^+, and HCN have complex line shapes apparently affected by both outflow and infall. In addition to the east-west jet seen in SiO and CO originating from IRAS2A, a north-south velocity gradient near this source indicates a second, perpendicular outflow. This suggests the presence of a binary companion within 0. "3 (65 AU) from IRAS2A as driving source of this outflow. Alternative explanations of the velocity gradient, such as rotation in a circumstellar envelope or a single, wide-angle ( $90^\circ$) outflow are less likely.
Mining closed discriminative dyadic sequential patterns

A lot of data are in sequential formats. In this study, we are interested in sequential data that goes in pairs. There are many interesting datasets in this format coming from various domains including parallel textual corpora, duplicate bug reports, and other pairs of related sequences of events. Our goal is to mine a set of closed discriminative dyadic sequential patterns from a database of sequence pairs each belonging to one of the two classes +ve and -ve. These dyadic sequential patterns characterize the discriminating facets contrasting the two classes. They are potentially good features to be used for the classification of dyadic sequential data. They can be used to characterize and flag correct and incorrect translations from parallel textual corpora, automate the manual and time consuming duplicate bug report detection process, etc. We provide a solution of this new problem by proposing new search space traversal strategy, projected database structure, pruning properties, and novel mining algorithms. To demonstrate the scalability and utility of our solution, we have experimented with both synthetic and real datasets. Experiment results show that our solution is scalable. Mined patterns are also able to improve the accuracy of one possible downstream application, namely the detection of duplicate bug reports using pattern-based classification.
Development of reflectance imaging methodologies to investigate super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Engineered nanoparticles, such as super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) offer significant benefits for the development of various diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Limitations of existing imaging methodologies in the study of NPs, such as the effects of fluorescent labelling and diffraction limited resolution, and the advantages that visualization of spatial localization can offer in studies, increases the demand for new and optimized imaging routines. Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM) methods were optimized and Reflectance Structured Illumination Microscopy (R-SIM) was introduced, offering a two fold increase in resolution - particularly advantageous for NP quantification and localization studies. Analysis routines were developed to enable the automated quantification of NP presence within cells via the different methodologies. Correlative procedures were also established for imaging the same sample with different reflectance methods and TEM, maximizing the information attainable from a single sample and allowing comparisons between the techniques for specific applications. These aforementioned optimized techniques were then applied to the determination of NP uptake and trafficking in cancer cell lines, and, in combination with siRNA, to ascertain proteins that are involved in the uptake process. Studies were also performed to model the degradative process of SPIONs within cellular compartments. This thesis thus provided several important tools for the future assessment of the efficacy and safety of NPs for clinical use, enabling quantitative analysis of uptake route, sub-cellular localization and NP intracellular fate.
Ezetimibe‐associated adverse effects: what the clinician needs to know

Objective: Ezetimibe is a relatively new lipid lowering agent, which is indicated for the treatment of primary hypercholesterolaemia, either as monotherapy or in combination with other hypolipidaemic drugs. The objective of the present article was to review the side effects attributed to ezetimibe administration and discuss their possible underlying mechanisms. Moreover, we aimed to comment on the possible drug interactions of ezetimibe and present current guidelines regarding its safe use.
Strata of $k$-differentials

A $k$-differential on a Riemann surface is a section of the $k$-th power of the canonical line bundle. Loci of $k$-differentials with prescribed number and multiplicities of zeros and poles form a natural stratification of the moduli space of $k$-differentials. In this paper we give a complete description for the compactification of the strata of $k$-differentials in terms of pointed stable $k$-differentials, for all $k$. The upshot is a global $k$-residue condition that can also be reformulated in terms of admissible covers of stable curves. Moreover, we study properties of $k$-differentials regarding their deformations, residues, and flat geometric structure.
PKCδ Inhibition Impairs Mammary Cancer Proliferative Capacity But Selects Cancer Stem Cells, Involving Autophagy

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine/threonine kinases that regulate diverse cellular functions including cell death, proliferation, and survival. Recent studies have reported that PKCδ, are involved in apoptosis or autophagy induction. In the present study we focused on how PKCδ regulates proliferation and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties of the hormone‐independent mammary cancer cell line LM38‐LP, using pharmacological and genetic approaches. We found that pharmacological inhibition of PKCδ, by Rottlerin treatment, impairs in vitro LM38‐LP proliferation through cell cycle arrest, inducing the formation of cytoplasmic‐vacuoles. Using immunofluorescence we confirmed that Rottlerin treatment induced the apparition of LC3 dots in cell cytoplasm, and increased autophagy flux. On the other side, the same treatment increased CSC growth rate and self‐renewal. Furthermore, Rottlerin pre‐treatment induced in CSC the development of a “grape‐like” morphology when they are growing in 3D cultures (Matrigel), usually associated with a malignant phenotype, as well as an increase in the number of experimental lung metastasis when these cells were inoculated in vivo. The PKCδ knockdown, by RNA interference, induced autophagy and increased CSC number, indicating that these effects are indeed exerted through a PKCδ dependent pathway. Finally, the increase in the number of mammospheres could be reversed by a 3MA treatment, suggesting that autophagy mechanism is necessary for the increased of CSC self‐renewal induced by PKCδ inhibition. Here we demonstrated that PKCδ activity exerts a dual role through the autophagy mechanism, decreasing proliferative capacity of mammary tumor cells but also regulating tumor stem cell self‐renewal. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 730–740, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Contribution of Photosynthesis to the Red Light Response of Stomatal Conductance1[OA]

To determine the contribution of photosynthesis on stomatal conductance, we contrasted the stomatal red light response of wild-type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum ‘W38’) with that of plants impaired in photosynthesis by antisense reductions in the content of either cytochrome b6f complex (anti-b/f plants) or Rubisco (anti-SSU plants). Both transgenic genotypes showed a lowered content of the antisense target proteins in guard cells as well as in the mesophyll. In the anti-b/f plants, CO2 assimilation rates were proportional to leaf cytochrome b6f content, but there was little effect on stomatal conductance and the rate of stomatal opening. To compare the relationship between photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, wild-type plants and anti-SSU plants were grown at 30 and 300 μmol photon m−2 s−1 irradiance (low light and medium light [ML], respectively). Growth in ML increased CO2 assimilation rates and stomatal conductance in both genotypes. Despite the significantly lower CO2 assimilation rate in the anti-SSU plants, the differences in stomatal conductance between the genotypes were nonsignificant at either growth irradiance. Irrespective of plant genotype, stomatal density in the two leaf surfaces was 2-fold higher in ML-grown plants than in low-light-grown plants and conductance normalized to stomatal density was unaffected by growth irradiance. We conclude that the red light response of stomatal conductance is independent of the concurrent photosynthetic rate of the guard cells or of that of the underlying mesophyll. Furthermore, we suggest that the correlation of photosynthetic capacity and stomatal conductance observed under different light environments is caused by signals largely independent of photosynthesis.
A further analysis of decorrelation performance of spatial smoothing technique for real multipath sources

The authors analyze and discuss the decorrelation performance of the spatial smoothing technique based on a first-order prediction approximation applied to time-delay narrowband signals. The analysis reveals that the decorrelation effect varies with the frequency bandwidth, arrival angles, and the time delay of the multipath sources. The study of the decorrelation performance with the frequency bandwidth provides more detail about the spatial smoothing than previous studies. When the bandwidth of the signal is zero, the proposed analysis is identical to that in the aforementioned studies. If it is not zero, the upper bound on the effective number of subarrays is about K approximately=0.77/FBW. The decorrelation performance is degraded when the number of subarrays added is greater than 0.77/FBW or the distance between the farthest and the reference subarrays is more than 0.385 lambda /FBW, where FBW and lambda denote fractional bandwidth and wavelength, respectively. >
The adaptive significance of autumn leaf colours

Recently W.D. Hamilton and colleagues proposed a provocative new theory to explain the adaptive significance of autumnal leaf colours. They suggested that these colours were signals produced by the trees to warn potential insect herbivores of their defensive ability and tested this theory by an analysis of data on aphid species richness on different tree species. Here we argue that the principal assumptions of their theory do not match current knowledge of plant pigment biochemistry and aphid ecology. We therefore present further adaptive explanations for autumn leaf colours and suggest alternative reasons for the reported relationship between tree leaf colour and aphid species richness.
Channeling headache

Familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 (FMH-1) is a rare form of migraine with aura, which is characterized by transient hemiparesis, sensory loss and visual disturbances. This monogenic disease shares many common features with classic migraine, suggesting a similar molecular pathophysiology. Migraine is triggered by activation and sensitization of the trigeminovascular system, specifically the trigeminal nociceptive afferents innervating the meninges. Aura migraine is associated with cortical spreading depression (CSD), which is a short-lasting intense wave of neuronal and glial cell depolarization that slowly progresses over the cortex and is followed by long-lasting neuronal activity depression.
Can a Machine Tend to Teenagers' Emotional Needs?: A Study with Conversational Agents

As teen stress and its negative consequences are on the rise, several studies have attempted to tend to their emotional needs through conversational agents (CAs). However, these attempts have focused on increasing human-like traits of agents, thereby overlooking the possible advantage of machine inherits, such as lack of emotion or the ability to perform calculations. Therefore, this paper aims to shed light on the machine inherits of CAs to help satisfy the emotional needs of teenagers. We conducted a workshop with 20 teenagers, followed by in-depth interviews with six of the participants. We discovered that teenagers expected CAs to (1) be good listeners due to their lack of emotion, (2) keep their secrets by being separated from the human world, and (3) give them advice based on the analysis of sufficient data. Based on our findings, we offer three design guidelines to build CAs.