Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dissociation of vasoconstrictor-stimulated basic fibroblast growth factor expression from hypertrophic growth in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Relevant roles of protein kinase C.

Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulate vascular smooth muscle hypertrophy by upregulating endogenous synthesis of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Because mitogenic phorbol esters can also stimulate bFGF formation, we investigated the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) bFGF formation and hypertrophy. Preliminary characterization of PKC isoform expression in VSMC by use of polymerase chain reaction identified PKC alpha, delta, epsilon, and zeta. Western analysis confirmed the presence of these isoforms in cultured VSMC lines and demonstrated downregulation of PKC alpha, delta, and epsilon by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) but not TXA2 or Ang II. PKC activation with 100 nmol/L PMA stimulated VSMC mitogenesis measured as incorporation of [3H]leucine and [3H]thymidine and increased cell number. Like TXA2 and Ang II, PMA increased endogenous VSMC bFGF in a time-dependent manner, whereas an inactive phorbol ester had no such effect. Addition of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide against bFGF prevented PMA-stimulated bFGF expression and inhibited PMA-stimulated growth, suggesting that bFGF synthesis is necessary for VSMC growth stimulated by PMA. To clarify the role of PKC in vasoconstrictor-stimulated VSMC production of bFGF and hypertrophy, PKC was down-regulated by prolonged exposure to PMA or was inhibited with calphostin C or staurosporine before the addition of TXA2 or Ang II. PKC inhibition prevented TXA2-stimulated and Ang II--stimulated VSMC hypertrophy without attenuating the observed increase in bFGF expression. Furthermore, PKC inhibition with calphostin C inhibited VSMC mitogenesis stimulated by exogenous bFGF. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Do Community Characteristics Influence Environmental Outcomes?: Evidence from the Toxics Release Inventory

This research uses neighborhood characteristics (at the zipcode level) in 1990 to explain toxic releases in 1993. It combines the Toxics Release Inventory data with demographic data from the 1990 US Census. We first analyze the location of manufacturing facilities in a particular neighborhood using a sample selection model, and then estimate the relationship between releases in 1993 and the demographic characteristics of the neighborhood in 1990. We conduct the analysis for the entire US as well as for different geographic regions to study regional differences in determinants of environmental outcomes. Releases in non-urban areas of the southeastern US exhibit a pattern suggesting that race might be an important determinant of release patterns. Economic characteristics of neighborhoods (such as income levels and unemployment) also affect releases. Our variables that proxy the propensity for communities to engage in political action exert greater influence on environmental outcomes in non-urban areas.
Partial shoeprint retrieval using multiple point-of-interest detectors and SIFT descriptors

Shoeprint evidence collected from crime scenes can play an important role in forensic investigations. Usually, the analysis of shoeprints is carried out manually and is based on human expertise and knowledge. As well as being error prone, such a manual process can also be time consuming; thus affecting the usability and suitability of shoeprint evidence in a court of law. Thus, an automatic system for classification and retrieval of shoeprints has the potential to be a valuable tool. This paper presents a solution for the automatic retrieval of shoeprints which is considerably more robust than existing solutions in the presence of geometric distortions such as scale, rotation and scale distortions. It addresses the issue of classifying partial shoeprints in the presence of rotation, scale and noise distortions and relies on the use of two local point-of-interest detectors whose matching scores are combined. In this work, multiscale Harris and Hessian detectors are used to select corners and blob-like structures in a scale-space representation for scale invariance, while Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) descriptor is employed to achieve rotation invariance. The proposed technique is based on combining the matching scores of the two detectors at the score level. Our evaluation has shown that it outperforms both detectors in most of our extended experiments when retrieving partial shoeprints with geometric distortions, and is clearly better than similar work published in the literature. We also demonstrate improved performance in the face of wear and tear. As matter of fact, whilst the proposed work outperforms similar algorithms in the literature, it is shown that achieving good retrieval performance is not constrained by acquiring a full print from a scene of crime as a partial print can still be used to attain comparable retrieval results to those of using the full print. This gives crime investigators more flexibility is choosing the parts of a print to search for in a database of footwear.
Design and evaluation of a bioadhesive film for transdermal delivery of propranolol hydrochloride

Design and evaluation of a bioadhesive film for transdermal delivery of propranolol hydrochloride The objective of the study was to develop a suitable trans-dermal delivery system for propranolol hydrochloride (PPL) via employing chitosan as a film former. Drug concentration uniformity, thickness, moisture uptake capacity and skin bioadhesion of the films were characterized. The effects of chitosan and PPL concentration and different penetration enhancers on the release and permeation profiles from the films were investigated. Skin irritation of the candidate film was evaluated. Chitosan film (PPL 2 mg cm-2, chitosan 2 %, m/m, cineol 10 %, m/m) was found nonirritant and achieved 88.2 % release after 8 hours in phosphate buffer. Significant high (p < 0.001) permeation of PPL through rat skin was obtained using this film compared to the film without enhancer (about 8 times enhancement factor), making it a promising trans-dermal delivery system for PPL. Dizajniranje i vrednovanje bioadhezijskog filma za transdermalnu isporuku propranolol hidroklorida Cilj rada bio je razvoj pogodnog transdermalnog sustava na bazi kitozana za isporuku propranolol hidroklorida (PPL). Svim pripravcima ispitana je jednoličnost udjela lijeka, debljina, sposobnost vlaženja i bioadhezivnost na kožu. Ispitivan je i utjecaj kitozana, koncentracije PPL-a i sredstva za povećanje permeacije na oslobađanje i permeacijski profil, te potencijalni iritacijski učinak na kožu. Iz kitozanskog filma (PPL 2 mg cm 2, 2 %, m/m, kitozana i 10 %, m/m, cineola), koji nije djelovao iritabilno, postignuto je 88,2 % oslobađanja nakon 8 sati u fosfatnom puferu. S ovim pripravkom postignuta je i vrlo značajna (p < 0,001) permeacija PPL kroz kožu štakora, oko osam puta veća u usporedbi s filmom bez sredstva za povećanje permeacije. Pripravak bi se mogao upotrijebiti za transdermalnu isporuku PPL.
Evaluation de l'apport d'une interface écologique appliquée au pilotage de sous-marin

In continuation of work resulting from the collaboration between DCNS and two laboratories (CRPCC and LABSTICC) from the University of South Brittany on Ecological Interface Design, we present an experiment to compare two interfaces. One was designed following the principles of ecological interface design, the other is a more traditional interface. This study evaluates the contribution of ecological interface for piloting a submarine using new technology (x helm). We analyze the effects of interface over performance, workload and situation awareness of participants in a piloting task. In this perspective, a piloting task was proposed to 19 experts and 20 novices with either a standard interface, either an ecological interface. This paper presents the context of this study and the methodology used. The results are being processed and will therefore be exposed during the oral presentation.
There Is More to Stages of Exercise than Just Exercise

A central construct of the transtheoretical model is stages of change, which describes progression through five stages that reflect behavioral and cognitive indicators. This article examines the usefulness of the stages of exercise to address various intensities of physical activity. It also documents support for intention, the second construct contained within the stages, which is rarely included in validations.
Self–Adaptive Bacteria Swarm for Optimization

This paper presents a self-adaptive bacteria swarm optimization algorithm, and its application in a suite of optimization benchmark problems, where the self-adaptive algorithm outperformed in most cases the non adaptive version. The algorithm follows a methodology that uses some concepts included in the evolution strategies for the parameter control, allowing the algorithm to select online the best parameter set.
Prediction and measurement of an autoregulatory genetic module

The deduction of phenotypic cellular responses from the structure and behavior of complex gene regulatory networks is one of the defining challenges of systems biology. This goal will require a quantitative understanding of the modular components that constitute such networks. We pursued an integrated approach, combining theory and experiment, to analyze and describe the dynamics of an isolated genetic module, an in vivo autoregulatory gene network. As predicted by the model, temperature-induced protein destabilization led to the existence of two expression states, thus elucidating the trademark bistability of the positive feedback-network architecture. After sweeping the temperature, observed population distributions and coefficients of variation were in quantitative agreement with those predicted by a stochastic version of the model. Because model fluctuations originated from small molecule-number effects, the experimental validation underscores the importance of internal noise in gene expression. This work demonstrates that isolated gene networks, coupled with proper quantitative descriptions, can elucidate key properties of functional genetic modules. Such an approach could lead to the modular dissection of naturally occurring gene regulatory networks, the deduction of cellular processes such as differentiation, and the development of engineered cellular control.
Experimental method to account for structural compliance in nanoindentation measurements

The standard Oliver–Pharr nanoindentation analysis tacitly assumes that the specimen is structurally rigid and that it is both semi-infinite and homogeneous. Many specimens violate these assumptions. We show that when the specimen flexes or possesses heterogeneities, such as free edges or interfaces between regions of different properties, artifacts arise in the standard analysis that affect the measurement of hardness and modulus. The origin of these artifacts is a structural compliance ( C _s), which adds to the machine compliance ( C _m), but unlike the latter, C _s can vary as a function of position within the specimen. We have developed an experimental approach to isolate and remove C _s. The utility of the method is demonstrated using specimens including (i) a silicon beam, which flexes because it is supported only at the ends, (ii) sites near the free edge of a fused silica calibration standard, (iii) the tracheid walls in unembedded loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and (iv) the polypropylene matrix in a polypropylene–wood composite.
Meeting Report: Batch-to-Batch Variability in Estrogenic Activity in Commercial Animal Diets—Importance and Approaches for Laboratory Animal Research

We report information from two workshops sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that were held to a) assess whether dietary estrogens could significantly impact end points in experimental animals, and b) involve program participants and feed manufacturers to address the problems associated with measuring and eliminating batch-to-batch variability in rodent diets that may lead to conflicting findings in animal experiments within and between laboratories. Data were presented at the workshops showing that there is significant batch-to-batch variability in estrogenic content of commercial animal diets, and that this variability results in differences in experimental outcomes. A combination of methods were proposed to determine levels of total estrogenic activity and levels of specific estrogenic constituents in soy-containing, casein-containing, and other soy-free rodent diets. Workshop participants recommended that researchers pay greater attention to the type of diet being used in animal studies and choose a diet whose estrogenic activity (or lack thereof) is appropriate for the experimental model and end points of interest. Information about levels of specific phytoestrogens, as well as estrogenic activity caused by other contaminants and measured by bioassay, should be disclosed in scientific publications. This will require laboratory animal diet manufacturers to provide investigators with information regarding the phytoestrogen content and other estrogenic compounds in commercial diets used in animal research.
Domain wall propagation in nanometric layers of (Ga,Mn)(As,P)

Domain wall dynamics is the one of the most interesting topics in the field of Spintronics because of its potential applications in the development of memory devices. These studies of dynamics are particularly focused on dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) or ferromagnetic semiconductors, which are believed to be one of the future materials for Spintronics devices. Despite the fact that the Curie temperature of these DMS is still lower than room temperature the knowledge gained in this study can be applicable to other DMS systems and will unravel new phenomena for the dynamic behavior of domain walls.In this work the dynamic behavior of magnetic domain walls in (Ga, Mn) (As, P) nanometric layers was studied. This was achieved with the use of longitudinal Kerr microscopy working at cryogenic temperature. The domain wall displacements were measured with the application of high enough magnetic fields for very short durations at two different temperatures. These magnetic fields were applied with the help of homemade microcoils used for the first time in this kind of study on DMS. A comparison is shown with the previous results obtained on the same material with a different magnetic anisotropy.The results show very high domain wall velocities for this type of material, not reported previously. The velocity curves clearly show two distinct regions with different mobilities. Finally quantitative analyses are presented to explain these velocities.
Caveolin-1 Promotes Autoregulatory, Akt-Mediated Induction of Cancer-Promoting Growth Factors in Prostate Cancer Cells

Caveolin-1 (cav-1) and the cancer-promoting growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) are often found to be upregulated in advanced prostate cancer and other malignancies. However, the relationship between cav-1 overexpression and growth factor upregulation remains unclear. This report presents, to our knowledge, the first evidence that in prostate cancer cells, a positive autoregulatory feedback loop is established in which VEGF, TGF-β1, and FGF2 upregulate cav-1, and cav-1 expression, in turn, leads to increased levels of VEGF, TGF-β1, and FGF2 mRNA and protein, resulting in enhanced invasive activities of prostate cancer cells, i.e., migration and motility. Our results further show that cav-1–enhanced mRNA stability is a major mechanism underlying the upregulation of these cancer-promoting growth factors, and that PI3-K-Akt signaling is required for forming this positive autoregulatory feedback loop. (Mol Cancer Res 2009;7(11):1781–91)
A study on the influence of surface active agent molecules on the AFM scanning and imaging of SWCNTs

The paper proposed a preprocessing method for scanning samples based on rinsing technology, and solved the effective fabrication problem of AFM scanning samples based on facilitated dispersing SWCNTs with SDS surface active agents. First, the ultrasonication oscillation method was applied, and the uniform alignment of SWCNTs in SDS was realized. Then, SDS solution of different concentrations was scanned and imaged with AFM, the influence of SDS solution on the imaging quality of SWCNTs was analyzed, and the method to effectively fabricate scanning samples after dispersing SWCNTs was found. The results of the experiments showed that the preprocessing of the SWCNTs solution scanning samples was the decisive factor to influence SWCNTs imaging quality, that the result of rinsing SWCNTs scanning samples for 5s at 0.1ml/s with di-ionized water was the best, and that with the same rinsing rate and angle, the rinsing di-ionized water quantity would influence the alignment degree of SWCNTs on the substrates and SDS macromolecules' residual quantity on SWCNTs scanning samples.
Antimicrobial Resistance: The Major Contribution of Poor Governance and Corruption to This Growing Problem

Objectives To determine how important governmental, social, and economic factors are in driving antibiotic resistance compared to the factors usually considered the main driving factors—antibiotic usage and levels of economic development. Design A retrospective multivariate analysis of the variation of antibiotic resistance in Europe in terms of human antibiotic usage, private health care expenditure, tertiary education, the level of economic advancement (per capita GDP), and quality of governance (corruption). The model was estimated using a panel data set involving 7 common human bloodstream isolates and covering 28 European countries for the period 1998–2010. Results Only 28% of the total variation in antibiotic resistance among countries is attributable to variation in antibiotic usage. If time effects are included the explanatory power increases to 33%. However when the control of corruption indicator is included as an additional variable, 63% of the total variation in antibiotic resistance is now explained by the regression. The complete multivariate regression only accomplishes an additional 7% in terms of goodness of fit, indicating that corruption is the main socioeconomic factor that explains antibiotic resistance. The income level of a country appeared to have no effect on resistance rates in the multivariate analysis. The estimated impact of corruption was statistically significant (p< 0.01). The coefficient indicates that an improvement of one unit in the corruption indicator is associated with a reduction in antibiotic resistance by approximately 0.7 units. The estimated coefficient of private health expenditure showed that one unit reduction is associated with a 0.2 unit decrease in antibiotic resistance. Conclusions These findings support the hypothesis that poor governance and corruption contributes to levels of antibiotic resistance and correlate better than antibiotic usage volumes with resistance rates. We conclude that addressing corruption and improving governance will lead to a reduction in antibiotic resistance.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Porous LSCF Cathodes

Solid oxide fuel cells ! SOFCs" are efficient, environmentally friendly, and fuel-flexible electrochemical devices for the generation of electrical power and heat. 1 They consist of three basic layers: cathode, electrolyte, and anode. The cathode is a porous, conductive catalyst for the reduction of O2 and for the oxidation of fuel. Between the cathode and anode is the dense electrolyte. The circuit is completed via cathode and anode contacts to an external load. The basic chemical formula for the cathodic reduction reaction is 1 2 O2 +V o ·· +2 e! =O o x ! 1" Current SOFC performance is limited by cathode polarization, which increases with decreasing operational temperatures. 2,3 Cathode microstructure and morphology have a strong effect on this polarization. 2-4 In this initial study a dual-beam focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope ! FIB/SEM" was utilized to reconstruct an actual three-dimensional ! 3D" model of a La0.8Sr0. 2Co0.2Fe0. 8O3! LSCF" cathode and its interface with a dense yttrium-stabilized zirconia ! YSZ" electrolyte. This highresolution, 3D technique advances the understanding of the cathode microstructure’s effect on performance. The identification of critical microstructural properties such as surface area, tortuosity, and interfacial porosity may be correlated with the ionic, electronic, and catalytic processes for a better fundamental understanding of electrochemical performance. With this tool, SOFC material and microstructural design can be more effective in reducing cathodic polarization at lower operational temperatures. The semiconductor industry has used the FIB since the 1980s to deposit, etch, micromachine, and image specimens during different stages of circuit processing. 5,6 This technology was brought forward to reconstruct 3D, geometrically complex submicrometer structures. 7-11 With the advent of 3D modeling software, nanotomography utilizing the dual-beam FIB/SEM technique was used to quantify nanoceramic suspended powders. 10-12 This technique was applied to SOFC cermet anodes to quantify microstructural properties such as porosity, triple-phase-boundary ! TPB" length, and degree of anisotropy via tortuosity. 13 Such a technique has never before been applied to reconstruct a cathode and the cathode/ electrolyte interface.
Genotypic Identification of Biofilm forming Bacteria on Stainless Steel Tracking the Stainless Steel Stainers

Each year corrosion induced damages amount to billions of Dollars. Not only does the weather and other environmental determinants favor the corrosion of metal surfaces but microorganisms accelerate and often even induce this costly abrasion through their metabolic activity. Nonetheless, the microbial communities that live on metals were scarcely investigated, so far, and there is still a lack of foolproof and quick methods for examining them. Our course project deals with the molecular analysis of corrosion inducing bacterial biofilms growing on metal surfaces. It is part of an ongoing research project on Corrosive Biofilm formation, see: http://www.microeco. unizh.ch/projects/indexpro.htm
Awareness of Sri Lankan internet users on web browsing related threats and vulnerabilities

This research work presents new trends in cyber threats, and it also quantifies user awareness of web threats and attacks. Using an online questionnaire information for the analysis of whether individuals had adequate knowledge of internet threats and attacks in order to safeguard themselves was obtained. The survey showed that many users lack an adequate understanding of what to do and what not to do in order to remain safe on the internet. Therefore, it is crucial that training and awareness be given to all individuals, especially at a young age.
Cognitive and affective neuroscience and developmental psychopathology

Can the connection between psychology and neuroscience provide a sufficient framework to support the study of the development of maladaptation and psychopathology? This Special Issue is devoted to papers that address this general issue within their specific domains. If we hope to provide a definitive answer to the question posed above, then it is important to know how cognitive and affective neuroscience arose, what are their distinctive findings to date, and, to the extent possible, predict what future developments can be expected. Before proceeding, we first examine the basic principles inherent to a developmental psychopathology perspective, as well as the multiple disciplines that played a critical role in its evolution as an interdisciplinary science.We are grateful to Mary Rothbart and Sheree L. Toth for their help with this Introduction.