Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular interactions.

The of glutamine to the glutamine-binding protein in the protein structure Kruppel-associated of fluorescence X-ray crystallography 69- Intrinsic fluorescence properties of glutamine-binding protein from Escherichia coli and its complex with glutamine. Tryptophan and tyrosine residues location, characteristics of their microenvironment and contribution to the bulk fluorescence of the protein. Unfolding-Refolding of the glutamine-binding from Escherichia
CENTIBOTS : LARGE-SCALE AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC SEARCH AND RESCUE EXPERIMENT

The Centibots were tested, by an independent evaluation team, in an artificial "search and rescue" scenario. The key was to evaluate how to control the robots, how to deploy them, and how effective they are in the mission. The focus of the project was not on making more robotic hardware but to focus on the large-scale aspect and on the control aspect of the problem. NIST(1) runs the USAR program that focuses on the mobility and perception issues of the search-and-rescue problem. Centibots focus on scaling the number of robots and yet still have an effective solution. The robot teams will collaboratively perform tasks with minimal supervision in dynamic environments. Our major contribution will be a distributed robot architecture in which collective behavior is uniquely adaptive, fault tolerant, and capable, incorporating innovative elements.
The Effect of Environmental Enrichment on Learning in Pigs

This study examined the effects of enriching the environment on the learning abilities of growing pigs. Eighty-four pigs were housed in either barren or enriched environments from birth to 14 weeks. The barren environments were defined as intensive housing and the enriched environments incorporated extra space, including areas which contained peat and straw in a rack. The learning abilities of pigs from both environments were tested at 15-17 weeks using an operant task which involved pigs learning to push a panel for a reward and a maze test which involved spatial learning. Pigs from enriched environments learned both the operant task and the maze task more rapidly than their counterparts from barren environments. These results suggest that the cognitive development of pigs may be impaired in intensive housing systems.
Keeping Children with Disabilities at Home: Research Results of the Parent Perspective.

In focus group interviews, 39 parents of children (ages birth to 21 years) with developmental disabilities, emotional disorders, and technology-supported needs shared their perspectives regarding special needs, crisis situations, and parent/professional relationships. The purpose of the study was to determine what is necessary to keep children with disabilities in their homes. The ,study found that 50 percent of the families reported a recent, serious crisis situation that had threatened out-of-home placement. The mcst frequently stated service need in all groups was for respite care, followed by special education, counseling, and information. Values such as normalization and community integration were desired. Emotional support from other parents was a key to coping. Parents believed that crises were most often caused by the child's behavior and needs, and second most often caused by the system. Each disability group had a somewhat different perspective on the general qualities most important to their relationship with professionals. Parents recognized the importance of a coordinated, holistic system of care. Parents (especially of children with emotional disorders) often felt blamed and criticized by professionals, and expressed dismay at having to be such strong self-advocates to professionals. Implications for policy and practice are spelled out. (14 references) (JDD)
Evolutionary optimization of dynamic control problems accelerated by progressive step reduction

In this paper, we describe the use of an evolutionary algorithm (EA) to solve dynamic control optimization problems in engineering. In this class of problems, a set of control variables must be manipulated over time to optimize the outcome, which is obtained by solving a set of differential equations for the state variables. A new problem-specific technique, progressive step reduction (PSR), is shown to considerably improve the efficiency of the algorithm for this application. Factorial experimentation and rigorous statistical analysis are used to determine the effects of PSR and tune the parameters of the algorithm.
Galectin 3 as a novel therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis: comment on the article by Forsman et al.

Jian Zhao, PhD Bevra H. Hahn, MD University of California, Los Angeles John B. Harley, MD, PhD Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH Mo Yin Mok, MBBS, MRCP, FRCP, FRCPA University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Sang-Cheol Bae, MD, PhD, MPH Hanyang University Medical Center Seoul, Korea Frank C. Arnett, MD University of Texas Houston, TX Betty P. Tsao, MD University of California, Los Angeles
Autonomous development of goals: From generic rewards to goal and self detection

Goals are abstractions that express agents' intention and allow them to organize their behavior appropriately. How can agents develop such goals autonomously? This paper proposes a conceptual and computational account to this longstanding problem. We argue to consider goals as abstractions of lower-level intention mechanisms such as rewards and values, and point out that goals need to be considered alongside with a detection of the own actions' effects. Then, both goals and self-detection can be learned from generic rewards. We show experimentally that task-unspecific rewards induced by visual saliency lead to self and goal representations that constitute goal-directed reaching.
Examination of Factors Related to Motor Performance and Physical Activity in School-aged Children with and without Down Syndrome.

ABSTRACT Examination of factors related to motor performance and physical activity in school-aged children with and without Down syndrome by Chad William Tiernan Co-chairs: Dale A. Ulrich and Rosa M. Angulo-Barroso Due to widespread genetic constraints, children with Down syndrome (DS) are believed to experience deficits in several developmental domains. However, much of the research in this area is dated or inconclusive. In addition, the inter-relatedness between developmental domains is relatively unexplored in children with DS. Therefore, the primary objectives of the current studies were to: 1) describe the physical, motor, and activity profiles of school-aged children with and without DS; 2) explore physical- and activity-based correlates to gross motor skills; and 3) investigate socio-emotional characteristics of children with and without DS and determine if they were related to gross motor skills, physical activity, and participation. To address these questions, forty children with DS (N=20, mean age = 7.9 years) and with typical development (TD) (N=20, mean age = 7.9 years) were assessed on their physical, motor, activity, and socio-emotional characteristics. Results indicated that children with DS had increased range of motion, decreased leg strength, poorer gross motor skills, and less diversity in their recreational activities compared to the TD group. On average, the two groups were not
Performance evaluation of power control algorithm for TV White Space resource in UK

The digital switchover plan in the UK, expected to be completed in 2012, is capable of freeing up a total of about 240MHz TV bandwidth. This includes the license-exempt access to TV White Spaces (TVWS) as defined in IEEE 802.22 standards for Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN). In our previous studies [12], a simulation model based on the existing keep-away region algorithm is first established and verified to explore the potential TVWS resources with the Cognitive Radio technology at any given location in the UK. Then, the newly proposed power control algorithm based on the maximum allowed transmission power is to replace the keep-away region algorithm and improve the availability of a cognitive radio (CR) operation. In this paper, both of these two algorithms' performances are evaluated and compared with the results obtained from Digital UK [13] and a third-party company Wolfbane [14]. Finally, the correctness of the proposed power-control algorithm is validated and proved to have a better performance than the traditional keep-away region algorithm in terms of numbers of available channels. Finally, a comparison between these two algorithms is made in terms of system capacity.
Proteomic and genomic characterization of chromatin complexes at a boundary

We have dissected specialized assemblies on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome that help define and preserve the boundaries that separate silent and active chromatin. These assemblies contain characteristic stretches of DNA that flank particular regions of silent chromatin, as well as five distinctively modified histones and a set of protein complexes. The complexes consist of at least 15 chromatin-associated proteins, including DNA pol ɛ, the Isw2-Itc1 and Top2 chromatin remodeling proteins, the Sas3-Spt16 chromatin modifying complex, and Yta7, a bromodomain-containing AAA ATPase. We show that these complexes are important for the faithful maintenance of an established boundary, as disruption of the complexes results in specific, anomalous alterations of the silent and active epigenetic states.
A cooperative scheme for secure communications with partner selection and incentive mechanism

In this paper, we study user cooperation to enhance secure communication. Specifically, the source cooperates with intermediate nodes for secure information transfer when multiple eavesdroppers exist. We propose a three-step cooperative scheme, whereby the source selects partners and stimulates them for secure communications by paying an amount of reward. Specifically, a set of partners are selected first, each of which acts as a relay or a jammer. Then, the source and the selected partners negotiate for the payment and transmission powers, which is modeled as a two-layer game. On the top layer, a buyer-seller game is utilized, where the source pays to buy the service provided by the partners. On the bottom layer, all the partners share the reward by determining their transmission powers in a distributed way, which is formulated as a non-cooperative power selection game. By analyzing the game, the partners can determine the transmission powers for cooperation, while the source can select the best payment. The source and the partners then perform cooperative secure communication according to the results of negotiation. Simulation results are provided to validate and show the performance of the proposed scheme.
Acetaminophen Pharmacokinetics in Children With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity and the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of acetaminophen (APAP) in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Patients and Methods: Twelve boys 10 to 17 years old with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 12 age- and sex-matched controls without NAFLD were recruited. Following administration of a single oral dose of APAP (5 mg/kg, maximum 325 mg), APAP and its glucuronide metabolite (APAP-G) were measured in plasma, urine, and sputum at various intervals up to 24 hours. The activity of UDP-glucuronyltransferase was estimated by the plasma ratio of APAP-G to APAP at 4 hours. Results: Following administration of APAP, children with NAFLD had significantly higher concentrations of APAP-G in serum (P = 0.0071) and urine (P = 0.0210) compared with controls. No significant differences in APAP pharmacokinetics parameters were observed between the 2 groups. Conclusions: APAP glucuronidation is altered in children with fatty liver disease. Despite the altered disposition of this metabolite, the pharmacokinetics of a single 5 mg/kg dose of APAP is the same in children with NAFLD as in children with normal liver function.
Wavelet Transform Based Wafer Defect Map Pattern Recognition System in Semiconductor Manufacturing

defect removed, a clustering method is designed to cluster systematic defects. Clustered defects are then analyzed with minimum rectangle. A feature extraction procedure based on wavelet transform is developed to extract features that represent different defect patterns. By setting feature vectors into feature space and applying hierarchical agglomerative algorithm to clustering, it is expected to reach the goal of description and classification. The presented methodology is verified with real industrial data from a famous semiconductor company. The experimental results show the presented methodology is able to recognize defect patterns with recognition accuracy of 95%.
Osteo/Chondrocytic Transcription Factors and Their Target Genes Exhibit Distinct Patterns of Expression in Human Arterial Calcification

Objective—Mineralization-regulating proteins are found deposited at sites of vascular calcification. However, the relationship between the onset of calcification in vivo and the expression of genes encoding mineralization-regulating proteins is unknown. This study aimed to determine the temporal and spatial pattern of expression of key bone and cartilage proteins as atherosclerotic calcification progresses. Methods and Results—Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on a panel of noncalcified and calcified human arterial samples, two classes of proteins could be identified: (1) Matrix Gla protein, osteonectin, osteoprotegerin, and aggrecan were constitutively expressed by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the normal vessel media but downregulated in calcified arteries whereas (2) alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin, and collagen II were expressed predominantly in the calcified vessel together with Cbfa1, Msx2, and Sox9, transcription factors that regulate expression of these genes. In the calcified plaque in situ hybridization identified subsets of VSMCs expressing osteoblast and chondrocyte-like gene expression profiles whereas osteoclast-like macrophages were present around sites of calcification. Conclusions—These observations suggest a sequence of molecular events in vascular calcification beginning with the loss of expression by VSMCs, of constitutive inhibitory proteins, and ending with expression by VSMCs and macrophages of chondrocytic, osteoblastic, and osteoclastic-associated proteins that orchestrate the calcification process.
Glycolaldehyde‐Modified Bovine Serum Albumin Downregulates Leptin Expression in Mouse Adipocytes via a CD36‐Mediated Pathway

Abstract: Previous observations by us have clarified that proteins modified by advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are recognized as effective ligands by CD36‐overexpressed CHO cells and undergo receptor‐mediated endocytosis. CD36, a member of the class B scavenger receptor family, also acts as a fatty acid transporter in adipocytes. Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (Ox‐LDL), a ligand for CD36, is known to upregulate CD36 by activating peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPAR‐γ) in macrophages, whereas PPAR‐γ ligands such as troglitazone and 15‐deoxy‐delta12,14‐prostaglandin J2 decrease leptin secretion from adipocytes. The purpose of this study was to examine effects of AGE ligands on leptin expression in adipocytes. Glycolaldehyde‐modified bovine serum albumin (GA‐BSA) decreased leptin expression at both the protein and mRNA levels in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes and mouse epididymal adipocytes. The binding to and subsequent endocytic degradation of GA‐BSA by 3T3‐L1 adipocytes were effectively inhibited by a neutralizing anti‐CD36 antibody. These results indicate that the ligand interaction of GA‐BSA with CD36 leads to downregulation of leptin expression in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes, suggesting that AGE‐induced leptin downregulation is linked to reduction of the insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome.
Exact and quasiexact solvability of second order superintegrable quantum systems. II. Relation to separation of variables

We make explicit the intimate relationship between quasiexact solvability, as expounded, for example, by Ushveridze [Quasi-exactly Solvable Models in Quantum Mechanics (IOP, Bristol, 1993)], and the technique of separation of variables as it applies to specific superintegrable quantum Hamiltonians. It is the multiseparability of superintegrable systems that forces the existence of interesting families of polynomial solutions characteristic of quasiexact solvability that enables us to solve these systems in distinct ways and that gives us the basis of a classification theory. This connection is generalized in terms of the understanding of the role of finite solutions of quantum Hamiltonians.
A flexible approach to user-defined symbolic granularities in temporal databases

User-defined granularities, calendars and periodicities are gaining an increasing relevance in the area of temporal databases (TDB). In this paper, we discuss the advantages of adopting for TDBs a modular framework, based on a family of symbolic languages, defined starting from a set of mutually orthogonal properties that characterize periodicity. First, we show that one of the languages covers the notion of granularity (as defined in the TDB glossary), so that it can be used in order to define validity times of facts in a TDB. Second, we discuss the usefulness of using more expressive languages in the family to achieve such a goal. Third, we explore how such languages can be used in order to deal in an intensional way with infinite periodic data in temporal (relational) databases.
Design and development of an indoor navigation and object identification system for the blind

In this paper we present a new system that assists blind users in orienting themselves in indoor environments. We developed a sensor module that can be handled like a flashlight by a blind user and can be used for searching tasks within the three-dimensional environment. By pressing keys, inquiries concerning object characteristics, position, orientation and navigation can be sent to a connected portable computer, or to a federation of data servers providing models of the environment. Finally these inquiries are acoustically answered over a text-to-speech engine.
Inattentional blindness through the eyes of the observer

Inattentional blindness, the failure of noticing unexpected items or persons, will be looked at literally through the eyes of the observer in this experiment. With use of an eye-tracker, the eye-movements of the viewer will be registered and analyzed. The goal is to establish whether inattentional blindness means that the observer does not see the unexpected item, or that he does see it, but forgets about it. The participants are asked to look at two dynamic events, or movies, one does include an unexpected event, the other one does not. With these dynamic events, a counting assignment is given. After both movies four pictures are shown, with the intention to see whether the fixation time for the picture of the unexpected event is different than for the other pictures. The results show that eight of the eighteen participants who claimed they did not see the unexpected event, did look at the unexpected event. However, no evidence was found for different looking behavior for the picture of the unexpected item. Thus, the results show that the claim that inattentional blindness is caused by the participant not seeing the unexpected event is not true: the unexpected event is looked at. However, no evidence is found for the theory that states that the unexpected item is seen but forgotten: no different fixation times were found for the picture of the unexpected event. The unexpected event is looked at, but it seems that it is not noticed.
Bifurcation analysis of a predator-prey system with self- and cross-diffusion and constant harvesting rate

In this paper, we focus on a ratio dependent predator-prey system with self- and cross-diffusion and constant harvesting rate. By making use of a brief stability and bifurcation analysis, we derive the symbolic conditions for Hopf, Turing and wave bi- furcations of the system in a spatial domain. Additionally, we illustrate spatial pattern formations caused by these bifurcations via numerical examples. A series of numerical examples reveal that one can observe several typical spatiotemporal patterns such as spotted, spot-stripelike mixtures due to Turing bifurcation and an oscillatory wave pat- tern due to the wave bifurcation. Thus the obtained results disclose that the spatially extended system with self-and cross-diffusion and constant harvesting rate plays an important role in the spatiotemporal pattern formations in the two dimensional space.
MATRIX ALPS: Accelerated low rank and sparse matrix reconstruction

We propose MATRIX ALPS for recovering a sparse plus low-rank decomposition of a matrix given its corrupted and incomplete linear measurements. Our approach is a first-order projected gradient method over non-convex sets, and it exploits a well-known memory-based acceleration technique. We theoretically characterize the convergence properties of MATRIX ALPS using the stable embedding properties of the linear measurement operator. We then numerically illustrate that our algorithm outperforms the existing convex as well as non-convex state-of-the-art algorithms in computational efficiency without sacrificing stability.
Development of Twitching in Sleeping Infant Mice Depends on Sensory Experience

Mark S. Blumberg,1,2,3,* Cassandra M. Coleman,1 Greta Sokoloff,1,3 Joshua A. Weiner,2,3 Bernd Fritzsch,2,3 and Bob McMurray1,3,4 1Department of Psychology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA 2Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA 3Delta Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA 4Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Lectins: From obscurity into the limelight

My involvement with lectins is a striking example of the unpredictability of scientific research. 1 entered the field inadvertently and my path was shaped largely by chance observations and fortuitous personal encounters. It was further driven by my curiosity and the desire to contribute to human well being. The result was an intellectual adventure, exciting and rewarding. In 1962 I started working on soybean agglutinin (SBA) together with Halina Lis, with whom it has been my good fortune to collaborate all these years. It was the first of several lectins, each unique in its own way, studied extensively in my laboratory. SBA aroused our curiosity not because of i t s ability to bind sugars specifically and reversibly or to agglutinate cells, the hallmarks of proteins of this class, but because of other reasons that I shall presently mention. We did not have the slightest idea that lectins could be used for the detection and isolation of glycoproteins, for the investigation of carbohydrates on cell surfaces, or for cell fractionation, as demonstrated later in my laboratory and elsewhere. Neither did we imagine that they would provide important insights into the molecular basis of protein-carbohydrate interactions, nor that they would be found to function as mediators of cell recognition. In fact, for a time we were not even aware of the term lectin. This term (from the Latin, fegere, to pick up or choose)