Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro and In Vivo Relevance of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus gJ Proteins That Are Expressed from Spliced and Nonspliced mRNAs

ABSTRACT The positional homologue in the infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) genome of the glycoprotein gJ gene of herpes simplex virus and the gp2 gene of equine herpesvirus 1 is expressed into four proteins of 85, 115, 160, and 200 kDa (J. Veits, B. Köllner, J. P. Teifke, H. Granzow, T. C. Mettenleiter, and W. Fuchs, Avian Dis. 47:330-342, 2003). RNA analyses revealed that these proteins are expressed from two different late (γ2) transcripts, an unspliced 5.5-kb and a spliced 4.3-kb mRNA that are translated into proteins of 985 and 611 amino acids, respectively. ILTV gJ is incorporated into virions and is modified by N- and O-linked glycosylation. After cotransfection of chicken cells with genomic DNA of a pathogenic ILTV strain and transfer plasmids, gJ-negative ILTV mutants could be isolated. In vitro growth studies demonstrated that deletion of the gJ gene has only minor effects on direct cell-to-cell spread as measured by plaque size. However, progeny virus titers of ILTV-ΔgJ were significantly reduced in comparison to those of the parental virus and a gJ rescue mutant. After experimental infection of chickens the gJ rescue mutant, like wild-type ILTV, caused severe disease and considerable mortality, whereas ILTV-ΔgJ was significantly attenuated. All immunized animals were protected against subsequent challenge infection with virulent ILTV. In sera collected after immunization with the gJ-rescue mutant or with wild-type ILTV, gJ-specific antibodies were detectable by immunofluorescence on cells that had been transfected with a gJ expression plasmid. As expected, no gJ-specific antibodies were found in sera obtained from chickens immunized with ILTV-ΔgJ. Thus, gJ deletion mutants of ILTV might be usable as attenuated live-virus vaccines. Furthermore, the gJ gene might constitute a reliable marker for serological discrimination between vaccinated and field virus-infected chickens.
Topology-Based Optimization of Maximal Sustainable Throughput in a Latency-Insensitive System

We consider the problem of optimizing the performance of a latency-insensitive system (LIS) where the addition of backpressure has caused throughput degradation. Previous works have addressed the problem of LIS performance in different ways. In particular, the insertion of relay stations and the sizing of the input queues in the shells are the two main optimization techniques that have been proposed. We provide a unifying framework for this problem by outlining which approaches work for different system topologies, and highlighting counterexamples where some solutions do not work. We also observe that in the most difficult class of topologies, instances with the greatest throughput degradation are typically very amenable to simplifications. The contributions of this paper include a characterization of topologies that maintain optimal throughput with fixed- size queues and a heuristic for sizing queues that produces solutions close to optimal in a fraction of the time.
Influence of the cold challenge on the discriminatory capacity of the digital distal-dorsal difference in the thermographic assessment of Raynaud’s phenomenon

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Microvascular Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Microvascular Research, vol 82, issue 3, 2011, DOI 10.1016/j.mvr. 2011.03. 007
Educational Project for the Teaching of Control of Electric Traction Drives

Electric vehicles constitute a multidisciplinary subject that involves disciplines such as automotive, mechanical, electrical and control engineering. Due to this multidisciplinary technical nature, practical teaching methodologies are of special relevance. Paradoxically, in the past, the training of engineers specializing in this area has lacked the practical component represented by field tests, due to the difficulty of accessing real systems. This paper presents an educational project specifically designed for the teaching and training of engineering students with different backgrounds and experience. The teaching methodology focuses on the topology of electric traction drives and their control. It includes two stages, a simulation computer model and a scaled laboratory workbench that comprises a traction electrical drive coupled to a vehicle emulator. With this equipment, the effectiveness of different traction control strategies can be analyzed from the point of view of energy efficiency, robustness, easiness of implementation and acoustic noise.
Exploiting MAC flexibility in WiMAX for media streaming

The IEEE 802.16 standard (commonly known as WiMAX), which has emerged as a broadband wireless access technology, is capable of delivering very high data rates. However, providing performance guarantees to delay sensitive applications like streaming media is still a challenge. We study the media access control (MAC) layer of WiMAX and exploit its flexible features to construct MAC packet data units (MPDU) dynamically. The sizes of the MPDUs are constantly modified based on channel state information. The desired payload is obtained either by aggregation or fragmentation of the upper layer data units. The robustness of MPDUs is also made tunable by means of cyclic redundancy code bits. We consider both the scenarios - with and without feedback. We adhere to the 802.16 specifications and propose adapting the MPDU length for streaming media for better performance. Three metrics are defined: restore probability; goodput; dropping probability. Simulation experiments are conducted which show the performance enhancements of the proposed ARQ-enabled adaptive algorithm in terms of these three metrics.
Mechanisms of inflammatory liver injury: adhesion molecules and cytotoxicity of neutrophils.

During recent years, increasing experimental evidence has suggested that hepatic nonparenchymal cells, in particular Kupffer cells and neutrophils, can contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of liver injury in various chemical toxicities. Neutrophils are central to the mechanism of injury after hepatic ischemia reperfusion and endotoxemia. In this symposium summary, an overview of critical aspects of neutrophil-dependent liver injury is presented. A general introduction to the involvement of adhesion molecules in neutrophil rolling and transendothelial migration is provided. Mediators and mechanisms of neutrophil sequestration in the liver vasculature, extravasation, and adherence-dependent cytotoxicity are discussed using the examples of endotoxin-induced hepatic failure and ischemia-reperfusion injury. These processes involve a complex network of inflammatory mediators including cytokines, chemokines, and lipid-derived compounds. The role of neutrophil-derived cytotoxic mediators, e.g., reactive oxygen and proteases, in the molecular mechanisms of parenchymal cell injury is discussed. Furthermore, interactions between neutrophils and contractile, perisinusoidal, stellate cells that influence microvascular blood flow in the liver are discussed. Results of these and other investigations are leading to increased understanding of the complex interactions between neutrophils and tissues that result in injury.
The effects of human-induced pollution on the replenishment of coral reefs.

1.1 Abstract Coral reefs are suffering severe declines world-wide caused by multiple anthropogenic disturbances combined with natural events such as storms. Their future depends on the resilience of replenishment processes. However, few studies exist on the effects of multiple stresses on early life history of corals. In this review, We describe coral early life history processes including reproduction, settlement and post-settlement survival. We then review the literature focusing on the effects of four major human-induced threats, sedimentation, eutrophication, fishing and rising sea water temperature on reproduction, settlement and postsettlement survival. Research shows that in many cases different stresses affect the same replenishment process. Using two simple models we show that additive and synergistic stress can harm not only the energy budget of a single coral colony, but could also drive a species to extinction. A coral confronted by a disturbance may show a decrease in its energy budget due to either a change in environmental conditions such as reduced light penetration, or increased energy use for defensive mechanisms such as increased sediment rejecting activities. Adding other disturbances may reduce growth and/or reproductive output. If the energy budget decreases even further, processes involved in basal metabolism may suffer and the coral might finally die. Multiple stresses decrease maximum per capita growth of coral populations due to, for example, lower larval survival and decreased settlement success. Coral population extinctions may occur when interacting stresses are combined with Allee effects. Reduced coral densities and reduced reproductive output can lead to decreased fertilisation success. Hence, multiple stresses threaten not only adult corals, but also impact upon replenishment of coral reefs. This is a severe concern and highlights the importance of long-term studies of coral reef recovery and stress mitigation, particularly at a time where threats to reefs are expected to increase further in number, frequency and severity.
DSmT applied to seismic and acoustic sensor fusion

In this paper, we explore the use of the Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for seismic and acoustic sensor fusion. The seismic/acoustic data is noisy which leads to classification errors and conflicts in declarations. DSmT affords the redistribution of masses when there is a conflict. The goal of this paper is to present an application and comparison on DSmT with other classifier methods to include the support vector machine(SVM) and Dempster-Shafer (DS) methods. The work is based on two key references (1) Marco Duarte with the initial SVM classifier application of the seismic and acoustic sensor data and (2) Arnaud Martin in Vol. 3 with the Proportional Conflict Redistribution Rule 5/6 (PCR5/PCR6) developments. By using the developments of Duarte and Martin, we were able to explore the various aspects of DSmT in an unattended ground sensor scenario. Using the receiver operator curve (ROC), we compare the methods for individual classification as well as a measure of overall classification using the area under the curve (AUC). Conclusions of the work show that the DSmT results with a maximum forced choice are comparable to the SVM.
Malate Plays a Crucial Role in Starch Metabolism, Ripening, and Soluble Solid Content of Tomato Fruit and Affects Postharvest Softening[W][OA]

The authors show how modulating levels of malate, an abundant metabolite of the tomato fruit, substantially impacts many aspects of fruit ripening and development. Altering malate content also affects postharvest characteristics, including softening susceptibility and pathogenic infection. Despite the fact that the organic acid content of a fruit is regarded as one of its most commercially important quality traits when assessed by the consumer, relatively little is known concerning the physiological importance of organic acid metabolism for the fruit itself. Here, we evaluate the effect of modifying malate metabolism in a fruit-specific manner, by reduction of the activities of either mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase or fumarase, via targeted antisense approaches in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). While these genetic perturbations had relatively little effect on the total fruit yield, they had dramatic consequences for fruit metabolism, as well as unanticipated changes in postharvest shelf life and susceptibility to bacterial infection. Detailed characterization suggested that the rate of ripening was essentially unaltered but that lines containing higher malate were characterized by lower levels of transitory starch and a lower soluble sugars content at harvest, whereas those with lower malate contained higher levels of these carbohydrates. Analysis of the activation state of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase revealed that it correlated with the accumulation of transitory starch. Taken together with the altered activation state of the plastidial malate dehydrogenase and the modified pigment biosynthesis of the transgenic lines, these results suggest that the phenotypes are due to an altered cellular redox status. The combined data reveal the importance of malate metabolism in tomato fruit metabolism and development and confirm the importance of transitory starch in the determination of agronomic yield in this species.
The effects of aqueous extract of Boswellia Serrata on hippocampal region CA1 and learning deficit in kindled rats

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a disorder of the central nervous system in which hippocampus is mostly involved and causes memory impairment. Kindling is a model of inducing epilepsy which is created through pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) administration. This study examines the role of the aqueous extract of Boswellia on the learning and development of brain (formation of dendritic branches and axons) of the PTZ-induced kindled rats. The study is conducted on sixty-four male rats divided into 8 groups. Kindling seizures are induced by three injections of 25 mg/kg of PTZ every 15 min. The aqueous extracts (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 g/kg, i.p) are administrated to all animals for three consecutive days. Passive avoidance learning of animals is examined using shuttle box apparatus and step-through latency (STL) method. Rats are anesthetized and their brains are fixed by transcardial perfusion method and are analyzed by morphometric methods after applying Golgi and Cresyl violet staining methods. PTZ-induced kindling indicates a significant decrease in the number of pyramidal neurons and dendritic spines in hippocampal region cornu ammonis (CA1). The STL of the kindled rats is significantly reduced compared with control ones. Also, Boswellia extract dramatically increased the number of neuronal processes in CA1 region and improves passive-avoidance learning ability in both control and PTZ-kindled animals in 1 g/kg dose administration of Boswellia extract, especially at high doses can eliminate adverse effects of seizures on cognitive function in hippocampal area CA1 in rats.
Chalcogenide superlattices : growth, structure and applications

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are one of the most promising candidates for emerging storage class memory (SCM) technology. SCMs aim at bridging the cost-performance gap between nowadays established memory solutions (fast, but volatile, e. g. DRAM) and data storage technologies (slow, but non-volatile, e. g. FLASH). The application potential of PCMs rests on a high endurance, high bit density (multi-level cell capability) and programming times of the order of nanoseconds. In conventional PCM technology, the binary information is encoded by two different solid states: a crystalline (SET state) and an amorphous phase (RESET state) which differ by orders of magnitude in their electrical resistance. The phase transition is induced thermally allowing for crystallization (SET operation) or meltquenching (RESET operation) and thereby amorphization. Only recently, superior switching properties have been reported for device-integrated GeTe/ Sb2Te3 superlattice (SL) PCMs that outperform GeTe-Sb2Te3 alloys in terms of programming time, power consumption and endurance. In difference to conventional PCM technology, the contrast between SET and RESET is argued to stem from two crystalline states that differ in their local atomic arrangement at the GeTe/Sb2Te3 interface. The switching between these two atomic configurations is argued to be electric-field-driven, rather than thermally induced as in conventional PCMs. This novel switching mechanism has been ascribed for the improved device performance. At present, the superior switching behavior is confirmed in numerous publications, yet the underlying switching mechanism is under strong debate. This thesis provides insights into the structure, growth, thermal stability and thermal conductivity of GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattices (chalcogenide superlattice: CSL). Highly textured CSLs were grown by direct-current magnetron sputter deposition. Their structural quality is mirrored in prominent SL X-ray diffraction features such as SL Bragg peaks and equally spaced satellites. CSLs have been prepared with bilayer thicknesses Λ as small as Λ = 34 Å. Yet, intermixing was observed at such small values of Λ giving rise to local GeTe-Sb2Te3 alloying at the interface. This tendency for intermixing was also found in case of post-
A Switched System Approach to Exponential Stabilization of Sampled-Data T–S Fuzzy Systems With Packet Dropouts

This paper investigates the problem of exponential stabilization for sampled-data Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy control systems with packet dropouts. An input delay approach is adopted to model the sample-and-hold behavior with a time-varying delayed control input, and a switched system approach is proposed to model the data-missing phenomenon. On this basis, the sampled-data T-S fuzzy control system with packet dropouts is modeled as a switched T-S fuzzy system with time-varying delay. The objective is to design a sampled-data fuzzy controller to guarantee the exponential stability of the resulting closed-loop system. Based on a new piecewise time-dependent Lyapunov functional, a novel sufficient condition is derived for the existence of exponentially stabilizing sampled-data fuzzy controllers. All the solutions to the problem are formulated in the form of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, two simulation examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
What's up: P2P spontaneous social networking

This demo presents some features of our platform What's up for P2P social networking. The main idea of What's Up is to provide spontaneous social networks in the events such as conferences and expositions. With no infrastructure requirement, What's up enables fast setup and deployment of a distributed social network that provides VoIP, instant messaging, community creation/management, V-card sharing, search and event alert. What's up is designed to be also deployable on ad hoc networks. Moreover it works on different operating systems including windows, Linux, Windows mobile and Symbian.
Floorplanning Automation for Partial-Reconfigurable FPGAs via Feasible Placements Generation

When dealing with partially reconfigurable designs on field-programmable gate array, floorplanning represents a critical step that highly impacts system's performance and reconfiguration overhead. However, current vendor design tools still require the floorplan to be manually defined by the designer. Within this paper, we provide a novel floorplanning automation framework, integrated in the Xilinx tool chain, which is based on an explicit enumeration of the possible placements of each region. Moreover, we propose a genetic algorithm (GA), enhanced with a local search strategy, to automate the floorplanning activity on the defined direct problem representation. The proposed approach has been experimentally evaluated with a synthetic benchmark suite and real case studies. We compared the designed solution against both the state-of-the-art algorithms and alternative engines based on the same direct problem representation. Experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed direct problem representation and the superiority of the defined GA engine with respect to the other approaches in terms of exploration time and identified solution.
TRPP2 and TRPV4 Form an EGF-Activated Calcium Permeable Channel at the Apical Membrane of Renal Collecting Duct Cells

Objective Regulation of apical calcium entry is important for the function of principal cells of the collecting duct. However, the molecular identity and the regulators of the transporter/channel, which is responsible for apical calcium entry and what factors regulate the calcium conduction remain unclear. Methods and Results We report that endogenous TRPP2 and TRPV4 assemble to form a 23-pS divalent cation-permeable non-selective ion channel at the apical membrane of renal principal cells of the collecting duct. TRPP2\TRPV4 channel complex was identified by patch-clamp, immunofluorescence and co-immunprecipitation studies in both principal cells that either possess normal cilia (cilia (+)) or in which cilia are absent (cilia (-)). This channel has distinct biophysical and pharmacological and regulatory profiles compared to either TRPP2 or TRPV4 channels. The rate of occurrence detected by patch clamp was higher in cilia (-) compared to cilia (+) cells. In addition, shRNA knockdown of TRPP2 increased the prevalence of TRPV4 channel activity while knockdown of TRPV4 resulted in TRPP2 activity and knockdown of both proteins vastly decreased the 23-pS channel activity. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated TRPP2\TRPV4 channel through the EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase-dependent signaling. With loss of cilia, apical EGF treatment resulted in 64-fold increase in channel activity in cilia (-) but not cilia (+) cells. In addition EGF increased cell proliferation in cilia (-) cell that was dependent upon TRPP2\TRPV4 channel mediated increase in intracellular calcium. Conclusion We conclude that in the absence of cilia, an EGF activated TRPP2\TRPV4 channel may play an important role in increased cell proliferation and cystogenesis.
Neural, Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Active Forgetting

The neurobiology of memory formation attracts much attention in the last five decades. Conversely, the rules that govern and the mechanisms underlying forgetting are less understood. In addition to retroactive interference, retrieval-induced forgetting and passive decay of time, it has been recently demonstrated that the nervous system has a diversity of active and inherent processes involved in forgetting. In Drosophila, some operate mainly at an early stage of memory formation and involves dopamine (DA) neurons, specific postsynaptic DA receptor subtypes, Rac1 activation and induces rapid active forgetting. In mammals, others regulate forgetting and persistence of seemingly consolidated memories and implicate the activity of DA receptor subtypes and AMPA receptors in the hippocampus (HP) and related structures to activate parallel signaling pathways controlling active time-dependent forgetting. Most of them may involve plastic changes in synaptic and extrasynaptic receptors including specific removal of GluA2 AMPA receptors. Forgetting at longer timescales might also include changes in adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the HP. Therefore, based on relevance or value considerations neuronal circuits may regulate in a time-dependent manner what is formed, stored, and maintained and what is forgotten.