Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and cytokine gene expression in myeloid cells by NF-kappa B/Rel transcription factors

CD4+ macrophages in tissues such as lung, skin, and lymph nodes, promyelocytic cells in bone marrow, and peripheral blood monocytes serve as important targets and reservoirs for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication. HIV-1-infected myeloid cells are often diminished in their ability to participate in chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and intracellular killing. HIV-1 infection of myeloid cells can lead to the expression of surface receptors associated with cellular activation and/or differentiation that increase the responsiveness of these cells to cytokines secreted by neighboring cells as well as to bacteria or other pathogens. Enhancement of HIV-1 replication is related in part to increased DNA-binding activity of cellular transcription factors such as NF-kappa B. NF-kappa B binds to the HIV-1 enhancer region of the long terminal repeat and contributes to the inducibility of HIV-1 gene expression in response to multiple activating agents. Phosphorylation and degradation of the cytoplasmic inhibitor I kappa B alpha are crucial regulatory events in the activation of NF-kappa B DNA-binding activity. Both N- and C-terminal residues of I kappa B alpha are required for inducer-mediated degradation. Chronic HIV-1 infection of myeloid cells leads to constitutive NF-kappa B DNA-binding activity and provides an intranuclear environment capable of perpetuating HIV-1 replication. Increased intracellular stores of latent NF-kappa B may also result in rapid inducibility of NF-kappa B-dependent cytokine gene expression. In response to secondary pathogenic infections or antigenic challenge, cytokine gene expression is rapidly induced, enhanced, and sustained over prolonged periods in HIV-1-infected myeloid cells compared with uninfected cells. Elevated levels of several inflammatory cytokines have been detected in the sera of HIV-1-infected individuals. Secretion of myeloid cell-derived cytokines may both increase virus production and contribute to AIDS-associated disorders.
Characterization of the Oligomeric Structure of the Ca2+-activated Cl− Channel Ano1/TMEM16A*

Members of the Anoctamin (Ano)/TMEM16A family have recently been identified as essential subunits of the Ca2+-activated chloride channel (CaCC). For example, Ano1 is highly expressed in multiple tissues including airway epithelia, where it acts as an apical conduit for transepithelial Cl− secretion and helps regulate lung liquid homeostasis and mucus clearance. However, little is known about the oligomerization of this protein in the plasma membrane. Thus, utilizing mCherry- and eGFP-tagged Ano1 constructs, we conducted biochemical and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based experiments to determine the quaternary structure of Ano1. FRET and co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that tagged Ano1 subunits directly associated before they reached the plasma membrane. This association was not altered by changes in cytosolic Ca2+, suggesting that this is a fixed interaction. To determine the oligomeric structure of Ano1, we performed chemical cross-linking, non-denaturing PAGE, and electromobility shift assays, which revealed that Ano1 exists as a dimer. These data are the first to probe the quaternary structure of Ano1. Understanding the oligomeric nature of Ano1 is an essential step in the development of therapeutic drugs that could be useful in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
RBT-MF: A Distributed Rubber Band Technique for Maximum Flow Problem in Azure

In this paper, we present a novel approach based on a rubber band technique to solve the "maximum flow" problem for a single-source, single-sink directed graph implemented on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. The problem of finding the maximum possible flow for a given graph is a classic network optimization problem that arises in several real life circumstances. Having proposed several solutions to this problem in traditional distributed platforms, a solution that explicitly takes advantage of the cloud paradigm has not yet been thoroughly investigated. The rubber band technique, which is inspired by the behavior of an elastic rubber band on a plate with several poles, has been exploited in this paper to design a solution to the problem. Our experimental results show that the proposed technique can effectively find an answer for the maximum flow problem in a graph. As the size of the graph in terms of number of nodes, number of edges and flow value increase, the proposed scheme outperforms in comparison to the selected benchmarks.
Disability and inequality: socioeconomic imperatives and public policy in Jamaica

one of the most important issues which runs through the collection is the question of personal autonomy, agency and self-determination in the context of the unequal power dynamics of social, cultural and legal frameworks that disabled people are placed in. the contention over whether disabled people are seen as capable of making their own decisions in the context of their sexuality (series), everyday activities, living arrangements and finances (Rice, björnsdóttir, and smith; strnadová), job or education choices (corbisiero; Ferrucci and cortini) is presented as one of the most pressing issues people with disabilities face in contemporary society. in virtually every context addressed by the research projects presented in the volume, a fundamental power imbalance emerges which leaves disabled people disempowered and assigns control to figures of authority and forces of normalisation. the disempowered and disenfranchised position disabled people occupy also makes them especially vulnerable not only to social or economic disadvantage, but also to a disproportionate rate of physical violence, as shown by Ghosh’s and Hanisch’s essays. one of the greatest merits of the volume is that it gives voice to groups of people who are underrepresented in popular discourse or even Disability studies research itself. For example, Jo Ferrie and Nick Watson’s essay ‘the Psycho-social impact of impairments: the case of Motor Neurone Disease’ makes a strong case for including the lives of people with chronic illnesses in Disabilities studies research, while iva strnadová’s text on older women with intellectual disabilities presents research on a social group about which the author claims that its members ‘are among the least understood members of society’ (166). as opposed to the dominant cultural contexts of Disability studies which focus on UK and Us frameworks, the volume’s international scope makes sure that the voices of diverse national communities are heard. the essays’ accessible language makes the volume suitable for a non-academic/non-specialist audience; as such, Disability Research Today could be thoroughly recommended for those wishing to familiarise themselves with the broad range of experiences and issues that today’s Disability studies research engages with.
Community optimization: Function optimization by a simulated web community

In recent years a number of web-technology supported communities of humans have been developed. Such a web community is able to let emerge a collective intelligence with a higher performance in solving problems than the single members of the community. Based on the successes of collective intelligence systems like Wikipedia, the web encyclopedia, the question arises, whether such a collaborative web community could also be capable of function optimization. This paper introduces an optimization algorithm called Community Optimization (CO), which optimizes a function by simulating a collaborative web community, which edits or improves an article-base, or, more general, a knowledge-base. In order to realize this, CO implements a behavioral model derived from the human behavior that can be observed within certain types of web communities (e.g., Wikipedia or open source communities). The introduced CO method is applied to four well-known benchmark problems. CO significantly outperformed the Fully Informed Particle Swarm Optimization as well as two Differential Evolution approaches in all four cases especially in higher dimensions.
Knowledge-Based Anisotropic Di usion of Cardiac Cine

We present a general formulation for a new knowledge-based approach to anisotropic diiusion of multi-feature and multi-dimensional images, with an application to enhancement and segmentation of cardiac MR images. We incorporate all available information through a more complete deenition of the conductance function which diiers from previous deenitions in two aspects. First, we model the conductance as an explicit function of the position, therefore allowing the use of knowledge about the inherent properties of the system such as geometrical features or non-homogeneous data sampling. Secondly, by deening the conductance as a second rank tensor, the non-homogeneous diiusion equation gains a truly anisotropic character which is essential to emulate and handle certain aspects of complex data systems. We apply the proposed framework to density and velocity encoded cine volumetric MR images of the left ventricle, where we incorporate knowledge of the geometry and dynamics of the heart.
Semantic boolean arabic information retrieval

Arabic language is one of the most widely spoken languages. This language has a complex morphological structure and is considered as one of the most prolific languages in terms of article linguistic. Therefore, Arabic Information Retrieval (AIR) models need specific techniques to deal with this complex morphological structure. This paper aims to develop an integrate AIR frameworks. It lists and analysis the different Information Retrieval (IR) methods and techniques such as query processing, stemming and indexing which are used in AIR systems. We conclude that AIR frameworks have a weakness to deal with semantic in term of indexing, Boolean model, Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), Latent Semantic Index (LSI) and semantic ranking. Therefore, semantic Boolean IR framework is proposed in this paper. This model is implemented and the precision, recall and run time are measured and compared with the traditional IR model.
Manipulation of Superparamagnetic Beads on Patterned Exchange-Bias Layer Systems for Biosensing Applications

A technology platform based on a remotely controlled and stepwise transport of an array arrangement of superparamagnetic beads (SPB) for efficient molecular uptake, delivery and accumulation in the context of highly specific and sensitive analyte molecule detection for the application in lab-on-a-chip devices is presented. The near-surface transport of SPBs is realized via the dynamic transformation of the SPBs’ magnetic potential energy landscape above a magnetically stripe patterned Exchange-Bias (EB) thin film layer systems due to the application of sub-mT external magnetic field pulses. In this concept, the SPB velocity is dramatically influenced by the magnitude and gradient of the magnetic field landscape (MFL) above the magnetically stripe patterned EB substrate, the SPB to substrate distance, the magnetic properties of both the SPBs and the EB layer system, respectively, as well as by the properties of the external magnetic field pulses and the surrounding fluid. The focus of this review is laid on the specific MFL design in EB layer systems via light-ion bombardment induced magnetic patterning (IBMP). A numerical approach is introduced for the theoretical description of the MFL in comparison to experimental characterization via scanning Hall probe microscopy. The SPB transport mechanism will be outlined in terms of the dynamic interplay between the EB substrate’s MFL and the pulse scheme of the external magnetic field.
Entropy flow-based approach to detect small target in the sea-sky background

In this paper, we introduce a bionic entropy flow-based approach to the detection of small target in the sea-sky background. Entropy flow is a novel descriptor of image motion, and a differential method is applied to compute its flow field. The detection of small moving target is divided three steps: firstly, compensate the background motion through 2-dimensional histogram of entropy flow; secondly, use Robinson filter to eliminate spurious motions; thirdly, a modified local entropy-based method to segment the target. The experiments suggest that the algorithm proposed in this paper provides instructive viewpoint for small targets detection.
The star pile in Abell 545 (Research Note)

Context. Struble (1988, ApJ, 330, L25) found what appeared to be a cD halo without cD galaxy in the center of the galaxy cluster Abell 545. This remarkable feature has been passed almost unnoticed for nearly twenty years. Aims. Our goal is to review Struble's claim by providing a first (preliminary) photometric and spectroscopic analysis of this "star pile". Methods. Based on archival VLT-images and long-slit spectra obtained with Gemini-GMOS, we describe the photometric structure and measure the redshift of the star pile and of the central galaxy. Results. The star pile is indeed associated with Abell 545. Its velocity is higher by about 1300 km s −1 than that of the central object. The spectra indicate an old, presumably metal-rich population. Its brightness profile is much shallower than that of typical cD-galaxies. Conclusions. The formation history and the dynamical status of the star pile remain elusive, until high S/N spectra and a dynamical analysis of the galaxy cluster itself become available. We suggest that the star pile might provide an interesting test of the Cold Dark Matter paradigm.
Measurement of textual complexity based on categorical invariance in human concept learning

The measurement of textual complexity is a fundamental issue on e-learning, online question-answering, web search and browsing, etc. But it is still a challenge because the measuring process includes a series of cognitive mechanisms. According to the properties of cognitive principles in human text reading process, the different derivatives of textual keywords are given. Based on the categorical invariance in human conception learning, textual invariance is defined, and then the measuring method of textual complexity is developed which is consistent with the view of categorical invariance in human concept learning. Experiments prove that there is a strong correlation between the text understanding difficulty given by human and the textual complexity measured by our method. That is to say, the proposed method can reflect human's reading experience to some extent.
Preening and Associated Comfort Behavior in Birds a

In most avian species the plumage also has an important extra function compared with the pelage of mammals: flight. Accordingly preening, as a behavior that conditions the bird's integument, can be expected to play a more important role within the activity repertoire of birds than grooming does in that of mammals. Indeed preening is generally a very elaborate behavior that takes up a considerable proportion of the time budget of birds. For example, van Rhijn 2 has impressively documented the complexity of the preening behavior of gulls, and I have found that during the breeding season and at daytime 150/0 of their time was taken up by this activity.3 During moonlit nights (unpublished observations) the preening took up almost as much of the gulls' time (12%). Pigeons interrupt sleeping in complete darkness virtually only to preen"; gulls can be expected to do likewise. Although preening is such a frequent behavior among birds, our knowledge about it is still sparse and disconnected. To give this brief review the wisp of a plot, it takes the form of a somewhat personal narrative. Besides preening proper (drawing feathers through the beak), a number of other comfort patterns that are more or less closely related to preening, either motivationally or functionally, will be mentioned. The reader should realize that there are several other behaviors of this kind that, though obvi­ ously important to birds, I will not refer to. As a striking, rather exotic example, one can mention anting, or bathing in a heap of ants, an activity many bird species seem to love!
A high-performance MIMO OFDM wireless LAN

Tremendous consumer interest in multimedia applications is fueling the need for successively higher data rates in wireless networks. Data rates in wireless wide area networks are limited by the need to address wide coverage, vehicular mobility, and the limitations of licensed spectrum. Thus, data rates in WWANs continue to lag advances in wireless local area networks by orders of magnitude. There are valuable lessons to be learned from the design of WLANs that provide data rates in excess of hundreds of megabits per second. Several technologies are instrumental in enabling the future of high-performance WWANs, including multiple transmit and receive antennas, OFDM, closed loop transmission control, and low-latency MAC operation. We describe a MIMO WLAN design and prototype that exploits these attributes to provide data rates in excess of 200 Mb/s above the MAC
Level Crossing Rates of MIMO-MRC Ricean Channels and Their Implications on Adaptive Systems

The second-order statistics of the time varying signal to noise ratio at the output of a multiple-input-multiple-output(MIMO) system with maximal ratio combining (MRC) are analyzed. Exact closed-form expressions for the level crossing rate and the average fade duration are derived for the Ricean propagation and arbitrary channel matrix dimensions. Novel expressions are compared with the special case of MRC receive diversity. The analytical results are validated by simulation.
Speech Driven Synthesis of Talking Head Sequences

D Image Analysis and Synthesis, pp. 51-56, Erlangen, November 1997. In this paper we present a method for generating talking head sequences directly from speech sig- nals. A neural network is used to derive MPEG-4 facial animation parameters related to a person's mouth shape with low computational complexity. For the training of the network we use estimated parameters from an iterative and linear algorithm that uses 2D point correspondences of marker po- sitions in video sequences. Having estimated the facial parameters we can render an animation of a speaking arbitrary person. Experimental results show that the appearance of the animated talking person looks natural.
Nonlinear intelligent reentry control for hypersonic vehicles based on B-spline FLNDO

A nonlinear intelligent reentry control method with B-spline functional link network disturbance observer (BFLNDO) is presented for hypersonic vehicles (HSVs). The nonlinear generalized predictive control (NGPC) algorithm is employed to design the nominal control law of the attitude system of the HSV. The output prediction defined on finite horizon is carried out via Taylor series expansion. The unmodeled dynamics and unknown uncertainties/disturbances during reentry are estimated by a new BFLNDO. The stability analyses of the BFLNDO and close-loop control system are provided also. Finally, the simulation results show satisfactory performance of the controller for the tracking of reentry attitude angles, and the intelligent uncertainty/disturbance rejection are successfully accomplished.
An Analysis of Gains and Losses to Shareholders of Foreign Bidding Companies Engaged in Cross-Border Acquisitions Into the United Kingdom - 1986-1991

In this paper the gains and losses to shareholders of 71 foreign companies which made takeover bids for companies listed in the United Kingdom during the 1986-1991 period are analysed. The average abnormal return during the month of the bid announcement was positive, although not statistically significant. However, both prior to and sub-sequent to the bid announcement month, the overseas bidders earned highly significant negative abnormal returns. The cumulative abnormal returns over the five month period following the bid announcement were-4.77% with the index model and -9.79% with the market model. Further analysis established that Continental European companies performed significantly worse than American bidders. In addition, large companies and companies bidding for large targets, performed significantly better than the other bidders.
Towards an Expectation-based Theory of Defense

Multi-Agent Systems should not be conceived as only cooperative. As open systems situations of concurrence, competition and conflict often arise. Starting from this perspective it is relevant not only pro-social interaction modeling, but also a theory of trust and monitoring, giving special relevance to issues of security and defense: how can an agent prevent that dangerous actions of other agents and dangerous events will frustrate his own goals? In this paper a general model of defense for intentional agents is presented as well as a general ontology of defensive goals and acts. Defensive goals are activated at different point of the temporal trajectory which goes from antecedents of the expected vehicle of attack to the expected damage and are directed to prevent that different components of the expected damaging sequence of events will happen.
Dopamine-Deprived Striatal GABAergic Interneurons Burst and Generate Repetitive Gigantic IPSCs in Medium Spiny Neurons

Striatal GABAergic microcircuits modulate cortical responses and movement execution in part by controlling the activity of medium spiny neurons (MSNs). How this is altered by chronic dopamine depletion, such as in Parkinson's disease, is not presently understood. We now report that, in dopamine-depleted slices of the striatum, MSNs generate giant spontaneous postsynaptic GABAergic currents (single or in bursts at 60 Hz) interspersed with silent episodes, rather than the continuous, low-frequency GABAergic drive (5 Hz) observed in control MSNs. This shift was observed in one-half of the MSN population, including both “D1-negative” and “D1-positive” MSNs. Single GABA and NMDA channel recordings revealed that the resting membrane potential and reversal potential of GABA were similar in control and dopamine-depleted MSNs, and depolarizing, but not excitatory, actions of GABA were observed. Glutamatergic and cholinergic antagonists did not block the GABAergic oscillations, suggesting that they were generated by GABAergic neurons. In support of this, cell-attached recordings revealed that a subpopulation of intrastriatal GABAergic interneurons generated bursts of spikes in dopamine-deprived conditions. This subpopulation included low-threshold spike interneurons but not fast-spiking interneurons, cholinergic interneurons, or MSNs. Therefore, a population of local GABAergic interneurons shifts from tonic to oscillatory mode when dopamine deprived and gives rise to spontaneous repetitive giant GABAergic currents in one-half the MSNs. We suggest that this may in turn alter integration of cortical signals by MSNs.
A MMIC GaN HEMT Voltage-Controlled-Oscillator with High Tuning Linearity and Low Phase Noise

This paper presents a MMIC GaN HEMT Voltage- Controlled-Oscillator (VCO). The VCO is tunable between 6.45-7.55 GHz with good tuning linearity, average output power about 1 dBm, and a good phase noise with little variation over the tuning range. For a bias of Vd /Id = 6 V/33 mA, the measured phase noise is -98 dBc/Hz @ 100 kHz and -132 dBc/Hz @ 1 MHz offset frequencies, respectively. To the author's best knowledge, this is the lowest phase noise reported for a VCO in GaN HEMT technology with comparable oscillation frequency and tuning range. The 1 MHz offset phase noise is also comparable to state-of-the-art GaAs-InGaP HBT VCOs with similar tuning range.