Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered Sexual Maturation and Gamete Production in Wild Roach (Rutilus rutilus) Living in Rivers That Receive Treated Sewage Effluents1

Abstract Disruption in gonadal development of wild roach living in U.K. rivers receiving large volumes of treated sewage effluent is manifest in a variety of ways, ranging from malformation of the germ cells and/or reproductive ducts to altered gamete production. Intersex fish were also found to have an altered endocrine status and an elevated concentration of plasma vitellogenin. Gonadal growth was inhibited only in severely intersex fish, whereas progression of spermatogenesis was delayed in a large proportion of all intersex and exposed male fish. In contrast to the effects observed in the intersex and exposed male fish, the maturation of ovaries in female fish inhabiting effluent-contaminated rivers appeared to be less obviously affected, although a higher incidence of oocyte atresia was found in the effluent-exposed fish compared with the reference fish. A positive correlation was found between the proportion of female tissue in the gonads of intersex fish and their plasma vitellogenin concentration, suggesting that vitellogenin can be an indicator for the level of gonadal disruption in intersex roach. The estradiol-17β concentration in intersex fish was intermediate between the concentration found in males and females, and the plasma testosterone was between 2- and 3-fold higher in intersex fish compared with male fish. These data suggest a link between altered endocrine status in intersex and female fish and gonadal disruption. Spermiation was also affected in roach living in effluent-impacted rivers: a lower proportion of fish were found releasing sperm, and in those intersex fish that were spermiating, a reduced milt volume and a reduced sperm density were found. All intersex fish had malformations of the reproductive duct(s), and in severely affected fish, the ducts were occluded, thus preventing release of gametes. In view of the widespread occurrence of intersexuality in wild fish populations in rivers throughout the United Kingdom, assessment of the reproductive capabilities of these intersex roach is clearly needed to understand the impact of this phenomenon on roach fertility.
neXtProt: a knowledge platform for human proteins

neXtProt (http://www.nextprot.org/) is a new human protein-centric knowledge platform. Developed at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), it aims to help researchers answer questions relevant to human proteins. To achieve this goal, neXtProt is built on a corpus containing both curated knowledge originating from the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot knowledgebase and carefully selected and filtered high-throughput data pertinent to human proteins. This article presents an overview of the database and the data integration process. We also lay out the key future directions of neXtProt that we consider the necessary steps to make neXtProt the one-stop-shop for all research projects focusing on human proteins.
More entanglement, less reliability

Entanglement of quantum states is a very important resource in quantum communication systems. For many special tasks, entanglement is found to be helpful. But it is still a problem how to find the relationship between the amount of entanglement and the effect of doing the task. In this work, we consider a particular task—trying to send a single classical bit as effective as possible through a noisy quantum channel and two transmissions through the channel are available as a resource. For two special channels—amplitude damping channel and two-Pauli channel, we separately establish the quantitative connections, and try to find whether the relationship is always monotonous, i.e., the states with the larger entanglement necessarily result in the better effect. Unfortunately, this is not true. At the same time, we can get the optimal codes for the task using this method.
Third-order nonlinearities of some biquadratic monomial Boolean functions

In this paper, we estimate the lower bounds on third-order nonlinearities of some biquadratic monomial Boolean functions of the form Trn 1(λx d) for all x ∈ F2n , where λ ∈ F2n , (1) d = 2i +2 j +2k +1, i, j,k are integers such that i > j > k ≥ 1 and n > 2i. (2) d = 23` +22` +2` +1, ` is a positive integer such that gcd(i,n) = 1 and n > 6.
Analysis of the Fgfr2C342Y mouse model shows condensation defects due to misregulation of Sox9 expression in prechondrocytic mesenchyme

ABSTRACT Syndromic craniosynostosis caused by mutations in FGFR2 is characterised by developmental pathology in both endochondral and membranous skeletogenesis. Detailed phenotypic characterisation of features in the membranous calvarium, the endochondral cranial base and other structures in the axial and appendicular skeleton has not been performed at embryonic stages. We investigated bone development in the Crouzon mouse model (Fgfr2C342Y) at pre- and post-ossification stages to improve understanding of the underlying pathogenesis. Phenotypic analysis was performed by whole-mount skeletal staining (Alcian Blue/Alizarin Red) and histological staining of sections of CD1 wild-type (WT), Fgfr2C342Y/+ heterozygous (HET) and Fgfr2C342Y/C342Y homozygous (HOM) mouse embryos from embryonic day (E)12.5-E17.5 stages. Gene expression (Sox9, Shh, Fgf10 and Runx2) was studied by in situ hybridisation and protein expression (COL2A1) by immunohistochemistry. Our analysis has identified severely decreased osteogenesis in parts of the craniofacial skeleton together with increased chondrogenesis in parts of the endochondral and cartilaginous skeleton in HOM embryos. The Sox9 expression domain in tracheal and basi-cranial chondrocytic precursors at E13.5 in HOM embryos is increased and expanded, correlating with the phenotypic observations which suggest FGFR2 signalling regulates Sox9 expression. Combined with abnormal staining of type II collagen in pre-chondrocytic mesenchyme, this is indicative of a mesenchymal condensation defect. An expanded spectrum of phenotypic features observed in the Fgfr2C342Y/C342Y mouse embryo paves the way towards better understanding the clinical attributes of human Crouzon–Pfeiffer syndrome. FGFR2 mutation results in impaired skeletogenesis; however, our findings suggest that many phenotypic aberrations stem from a primary failure of pre-chondrogenic/osteogenic mesenchymal condensation and link FGFR2 to SOX9, a principal regulator of skeletogenesis. Summary: Mutation of FGFR2 causes a misregulation of Sox9, leading to disrupted mesenchymal condensation, and thus skeletal and craniofacial birth defects in mice, with implications for human Crouzon syndrome.
Validation of the Sysmex sp-1000i automated slide preparer-stainer in a clinical laboratory

Background The speed and quality of information have become essential items in the release of laboratory reports. The Sysmex®SP1000-I device has been developed to prepare and stain smear slides. However, for a device to be cleared for use in the laboratory routine it must pass through a validation process. Objective To evaluate the performance and reliability of the Sysmex® SP-1000i slide preparer-stainer incorporated into the routine of a hospital laboratory in Porto Alegre. Methods Peripheral blood samples of patients attending the laboratory for ambulatory exams with leukocyte counts between 7000/°L and 12,000/°L were evaluated, independent of gender and age. Two slides were prepared for each sample using the Sysmex® SP-1000i equipment; one of the slides was used to perform quality control tests using the CellaVision® DM96 device, and the other slide was used to compare pre-classification by the same device and the classification performed by a pharmacist-biochemist. Results The results of all the slides used as controls were acceptable according to the quality control test as established by the manufacturer of the device. In the comparison between the automated pre-classification and the classification made by the professional, there was an acceptable variation in the differential counts of leukocytes for 90% of the analyzed slides. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a strong correlation for band neutrophils (r = 0.802; p-value < 0.001), segmented neutrophils (r = 0.963; p-value < 0.001), eosinophils (r = 0.958; p-value < 0.001), lymphocytes (r = 0.985; p-value < 0.001) and atypical lymphocytes (r = 0.866; p-value < 0.001) using both methods. The red blood cell analysis was adequate for all slides analyzed by the equipment and by the professional. Conclusion The new Sysmex®SP1000-i methodology was found to be reliable, fast and safe for the routines of medium and large laboratories, improving the quality of microscopic analysis in complete blood counts.
A Novel Visual Speech Representation and HMM Classification for Visual Speech Recognition

This paper presents the development of a novel visual speech recognition (VSR) system based on a new representation that extends the standard viseme concept (that is referred in this paper to as Visual Speech Unit (VSU)) and Hidden Markov Models (HMM). The visemes have been regarded as the smallest visual speech elements in the visual domain and they have been widely applied to model the visual speech, but it is worth noting that they are problematic when applied to the continuous visual speech recognition. To circumvent the problems associated with standard visemes, we propose a new visual speech representation that includes not only the data associated with the articulation of the visemes but also the transitory information between consecutive visemes. To fully evaluate the appropriateness of the proposed visual speech representation, in this paper an extensive set of experiments have been conducted to analyse the performance of the visual speech units when compared with that offered by the standard MPEG-4 visemes. The experimental results indicate that the developed VSR application achieved up to 90% correct recognition when the system has been applied to the identification of 60 classes of VSUs, while the recognition rate for the standard set of MPEG-4 visemes was only in the range 62-72%.
DYRK1A, a Dosage-Sensitive Gene Involved in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Is a Target for Drug Development in Down Syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is one of the leading causes of intellectual disability, and patients with DS face various health issues, including learning and memory deficits, congenital heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), leukemia, and cancer, leading to huge medical and social costs. Remarkable advances on DS research have been made in improving cognitive function in mouse models for future therapeutic approaches in patients. Among the different approaches, DYRK1A inhibitors have emerged as promising therapeutics to reduce DS cognitive deficits. DYRK1A is a dual-specificity kinase that is overexpressed in DS and plays a key role in neurogenesis, outgrowth of axons and dendrites, neuronal trafficking and aging. Its pivotal role in the DS phenotype makes it a prime target for the development of therapeutics. Recently, disruption of DYRK1A has been found in Autosomal Dominant Mental Retardation 7 (MRD7), resulting in severe mental deficiency. Recent advances in the development of kinase inhibitors are expected, in the near future, to remove DS from the list of incurable diseases, providing certain conditions such as drug dosage and correct timing for the optimum long-term treatment. In addition the exact molecular and cellular mechanisms that are targeted by the inhibition of DYRK1A are still to be discovered.
Studies in the Umbelliferae. V

The family Umbelliferae in North America has not been studied as a whole since the monographs and revisions of Coulter and Rose 2 in 1900. Since that date there have been numerous publications concerning genera or groups of genera which have added to our knowledge of the family. For several years the author has been prepar ing a revision of the Umbelliferae for North American Flora. This study has necessitated not only a comprehensive survey of North American genera but also a study of closely related South American genera and species. The purpose of this paper is to describe certain new species and list new combinations. Material from the following herbaria is cited by the indicated abbreviations: Gray Herbarium, Harva rd University (GH) ; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K) ; New York Botanical Garden (NY) ; United States National Herbar ium (US).
Cucurbitacin B Induced ATM-Mediated DNA Damage Causes G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest in a ROS-Dependent Manner

Cucurbitacins are a class of triterpenoids widely distributed in plant kingdom with potent anti-cancer activities both in vitro and in vivo by inducing cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. Cucurbitacin B (Cuc B), could induce S or G2/M cell cycle arrest in cancer cells while the detailed mechanisms remain to be clear. This study was designed to precisely dissect the signaling pathway(s) responsible for Cuc B induced cell cycle arrest in human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial A549 cells. We demonstrated that low concentrations of Cuc B dramatically induced G2/M phase arrest in A549 cells. Cuc B treatment caused DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) without affecting the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), the potential molecular target for Cuc B. Cuc B triggers ATM-activated Chk1-Cdc25C-Cdk1, which could be reversed by both ATM siRNA and Chk1 siRNA. Cuc B also triggers ATM-activated p53-14-3-3-σ pathways, which could be reversed by ATM siRNA. Cuc B treatment also led to increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, which was inhibited by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment. Furthermore, NAC pretreatment inhibited Cuc B induced DNA damage and G2/M phase arrest. Taken together, these results suggested that Cuc B induces DNA damage in A549 cells mediated by increasing intracellular ROS formation, which lead to G2/M cell phase arrest through ATM-activated Chk1-Cdc25C-Cdk1 and p53-14-3-3-σ parallel branches. These observations provide novel mechanisms and potential targets for better understanding of the anti-cancer mechanisms of cucurbitacins.
Female sexual arousal and the menstrual cycle.

Self-reports of sexual arousal were significantly affected by conditions under which they were elicited. Such self-reports in women not taking oral contraceptives were congruent with a hormonal basis for such arousal only when the women were "unaware" that the study investigated sexual arousal as a function of the menstrual cycle. The "unaware" condition was operationalized by means of daily self-reports elicited from males and females for 11 weeks under the guise of a study of biological rhythms. A composite of one to three menstrual cycles for 26 women not taking oral contraceptives showed that sexual arousal during the luteal phase, when progesterone is relatively high, was significantly lower compared to peaks around ovulation, and premenstrual and late menstrual days (p less than .02). For the "aware" condition, women were asked to remember moods for the premenstrual, menstruating and luteal phases of the very last cycle on which they had just finished giving "unaware" daily self-reports. A 2 x 3 analysis of variance (with "aware" versus "unaware" conditions and premenstrual, menstruating, and luteal phases of the last cycle as the two independent variables) yielded a significant interaction effect with F = 6.5, df = 2, 50, p less than . 003. In the "unaware" condition, sexual arousal was reported lowest during the luteal phase. The opposite pattern was reported in the "aware" condition. The results suggest that cyclical variability may not be simply due to women's misattributions. However, "awareness" has an effect on self-report measures and may bias reports according to cultural stereotypes. Daily self-reports of sexual arousal for men were averaged over the duration of the study. This average was 3.16. The equivalent average for women not taking oral contraceptives was 2.35 and for women taking oral contraceptives was 2.62. Analysis of variance of these three means yielded a significant difference with F = 4.49, df = 2, 59, p less than . 02.
A comparative study of sevoflurane induction using continuous tidal volume breaths versus three vital capacity breaths technique in adult patients undergoing elective surgical procedures under general anaesthesia

Introduction: Previous studies have shown stable cardiovascular parameters and minimal airway irritation with sevoflurane induction in adults. Also, time taken for induction is comparable to intravenous drugs. The authors planned to conduct a randomized, control study to compare the effect of continuous tidal volume breaths versus three vital capacity breaths for sevoflurane induction on time taken for induction, haemodynamic parameters and intubating conditions in adult patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients planned to undergo elective surgical procedures under general anaesthesia were included in study. Patients were divided randomly using sealed opaque envelope method in group 1 and group 2 of thirty patients each. Group 1 patients received continuous tidal volume breath and group 2 patients received three vital capacity breaths. The statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics Software Version 15.0. The independent samples Student t-test was used to determine the differences in basic clinical characteristics, mean Arterial Pressure, heart Rate, and intubation time between the two groups. Quantitative data were evaluated by chi square test. Any p value less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Result: Variation in heart rate between two groups was statistically significant at 1 min. (p=0.04), 2 min. (p=0.01) and 3 min. (p=0.004) after start of induction. The time taken for loss of consciousness was significantly less in vital capacity induction group. (p <0.001) Intubating conditions were better in group2 (optimal, good in 90% and 10% participants respectively) as compared to group1 (optimal, good in 76.67% and 23.33% participants respectively). Conclusion: Heart rate and mean arterial pressure remain stable during sevoflurane induction in adult patients using three vital capacity breath or tidal volume breath technique. Intubating conditions are better and time taken to lose consciousness is less with vital capacity breaths.
Online Target Tracking and Sensor Registration using Sequential Monte Carlo Methods

In tracking applications, the target state (e.g., position, velocity) can be estimated by processing the measurements collected from all deployed sensors at a central node. The estimation performance significantly relies on the accuracy of the sensor positions/rotations when data fusion is conducted. Since in practice precise knowledge of this sensor information is seldom available, in this paper we propose a Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) approach to jointly estimate the target state and resolve the sensor position uncertainty.
Numerical Investigation on the Thermal Performance of Nanofluid-Based Cooling System for Synchronous Generators

This paper presents a nanofluid-based cooling method for a brushless synchronous generator (BLSG) by using Al2O3 lubricating oil. In order to demonstrate the superiority of the nanofluid-based cooling method, analysis of the thermal performance and efficiency of the nanofluid-based cooling system (NBCS) for the BLSG is conducted along with the modeling and simulation cases arranged for NBCS. Compared with the results obtained under the base fluid cooling condition, results show that the nanofluid-based cooling method can reduce the steady-state temperature and power losses in BLSG and decrease the temperature settling time and changing ratio, which demonstrate that both steady-state and transient thermal performance of NBCS are improved as nanoparticle volume fraction (NVF) in nanofluid increases. Besides, although the input power of cycling pumps in NBCS has ~30% increase when the NVF is 10%, the efficiency of the NBCS has a slight increase because the 4.1% reduction in power loss of BLSG is bigger than the total incensement of input power of the cycling pumps. The results illustrate the superiority of the nanofluid-based cooling method, and it indicates that the proposed method has a broad application prospect in the field of thermal control of onboard synchronous generators with high power density.
Adhesive Specificity and the Evolution of Multicellularity

Most of the cells in a multicellular organism are connected to each other and/or attached to a substrate. Physically this is mediated by adhesion molecules exposed on the cell surface and attached to the cell membrane either by covalent linkage to the lipid bilayer or by a membrane-spanning region. The establishment of cell–cell interactions is a key aspect in the origin of multicellular life forms and the acquisition of tissue and organ organisation in metazoa. Adhesion is mediated by specific adhesion molecules belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, the cadherins, the integrins, the lectins and the proteoglycans. Adhesive associations by these molecules are organising forces in the embryo, controlling morphogenesis, tissue formation and organogenesis. In the adult, cell adhesion helps to control tissue homoeostasis, the organisation of the stem cell niche and the functioning of the immune system. Key Concepts: Multicellularity requires cell–cell adhesion molecules. Cell adhesion molecules interact structurally and/or functionally with the cytoskeleton of the cell. Cell adhesion molecules integrate extracellular and intracellular cues with intracellular signalling. Cell adhesion molecules are more than molecular glue; they can act as signalling receptors inducing changes in the cytoskeleton and in gene expression. Expression of cell adhesion molecules is under tight developmental control. Changes in cell adhesion are a driving force for morphogenesis, tissue formation and organogenesis. In the adult cell adhesion helps to maintain the stem cell niche and controls homeostasis. Cell adhesion is essential for the functioning of the immune system. Aberrant regulation of cell adhesion is involved in several human diseases. Keywords: immunology; multicellular organisms; development; morphogenesis; neurogenesis; stem cells; cadherins; integrins; lectins; organogenesis
Modular Multilevel Converter With Different Submodule Concepts—Part I: Capacitor Voltage Balancing Method

This paper presents a modulation strategy for the modular multilevel converter (MMC) which provides the voltage balancing of the capacitors of different submodules comprising the converter. Not only is this modulation applicable to MMCs constructed with classic two level (2L) submodules, but it is also effective for arrangements with different submodule concepts, for instance, topologies like neutral point clamped (NPC), flying capacitors (FCs), neutral point piloted (NPP), etc. Therefore, firstly, the general modulation philosophy is explained applied to the two level (2L) submodule concept, and secondly, the extension to 3L-NPC and 3L-FC submodule topologies is analyzed. After that, the validation of the studied modulation strategy is carried out by means of successful simulation results, at different switching frequencies and number of submodules. The corresponding experimental results are shown in Part II of this paper after having implemented the aforementioned modulation strategy in a real test bench. In addition to this, a comparison based on thermal analysis and sizing of elements among the four studied submodule topologies is also included.