Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kinematics and singularity analysis of a planar cable-driven parallel manipulator

A cable-driven parallel manipulator (CDPM) possesses a number of promising advantages over the conventional rigid-link manipulators, such as the simple and lightweight mechanical structure, high-loading capacity, and large reachable workspace. However, due to the unilateral driving capability of the flexible cables, most of the well-developed modelling and analysis methods for conventional rigid-link mechanisms cannot be directly applied to CDPM. This paper focuses on the kinematics and singularity analysis of a specific type of CDPM, i.e., a completely restrained planar CDPM. Following an analytical approach, the forward displacement analysis leads to solve a fourth order polynomial equation. Hence, the solutions can be determined efficiently in symbolic forms. To verify the effectiveness of this method, a computation example is provided, in which four real solutions are found out. It is realized the Jacobian-based singularity analysis, where all cables are treated as rigid links, is incomplete for the CDPM. Based on the concept of the instantaneous center and taking into account the cable-tension condition, a new geometrical singularity analysis method is proposed, which is able to effectively identify all forward singularity configurations for a completely restrained planar CDPM.
Functional interrelationships between follicles greater than 4 mm and the follicle-stimulating hormone surge in heifers.

The interrelationships between the FSH surge that initiates a follicular wave and the follicles in the wave were examined in heifers. In experiment 1, > or = 5-mm follicles were ablated 5 days after ovulation and heifers (n = 6/group) received a total dosage of 0, 37.5, 75, or 150 units of porcine FSH. Half of the FSH dosage was administered 24 h after ablation followed by the other half 12 h later. Blood samples were taken after the initial FSH injection for FSH assay, and ovaries were examined daily with ultrasound to monitor follicle growth. There were progressively higher FSH concentrations at the mean peak (8 h after initial injection in all groups) as the dosage increased (interaction of dose and time; p < 0.001). Compared to values in controls, the highest dosage (150 units) approximately doubled the number of 5- and 6-mm follicles; this then progressed into a 4- to 7-fold increase in the number of 7- and 8-mm follicles. In experiment 2, either all (controls; n = 6), two (n = 11), one (n = 6), or zero (n = 6) follicles of the first wave of an estrous cycle were retained and the remaining were ablated upon reaching 5 mm. Scanning and blood sampling were performed every 8 h for 72 h after the initial ablation. Mean FSH concentrations during 0 to 72 h decreased (p < 0.004) as the number of retained follicles increased. In heifers in the one-follicle group, the randomly chosen 5-mm follicle developed the characteristics of a dominant follicle. The following conclusions were made: 1) the number of follicles that advanced into a follicular wave was increased by exaggerating the height of the FSH surge, 2) all > or = 5-mm follicles of a wave contributed to the declining portion of the FSH surge, and 3) any 5-mm follicles at the emergence of a wave were capable of becoming the dominant follicle.
Pathology of Ovarian Cancers in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Carriers

Purpose: Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer increased susceptibility to ovarian cancer. There is evidence that tumors in carriers may exhibit a distinct distribution of pathological features, but previous studies on the pathology of such tumors have been small. Our aim was to evaluate the morphologies and immunophenotypes in a large cohort of patients with familial ovarian cancer. Experimental Design: We performed a systematic review of ovarian tumors from 178 BRCA1 mutation carriers, 29 BRCA2 mutation carriers, and 235 controls with a similar age distribution. Tumors were evaluated by four pathologists blinded to mutation status. Both morphological features and immunochemical staining for p53 and HER2 were evaluated. Results: Tumors in BRCA1 mutation carriers were more likely than tumors in age-matched controls to be invasive serous adenocarcinomas (odds ratio, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.79) and unlikely to be borderline or mucinous tumors. Tumors in BRCA1 carriers were of higher grade (P < 0.0001), had a higher percentage solid component (P = 0.001), and were more likely to stain strongly for p53 (P = 0.018). The distribution of pathological features in BRCA2 carriers was similar to that in BRCA1 carriers. Conclusions: Use of pathological features can substantially improve the targeting of predictive genetic testing. Results also suggest that BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumors are relatively aggressive and may be expected to have poor prognosis, although this may be treatment dependent.
Study of spider fauna from orange agro ecosystem in the catchment area of upper Wardha dam, Amravati, Maharashtra, India

Spiders are important predators in terrestrial ecosystem and biological control agent against pest in agro ecosystems. The present study was conducted to survey the spiders diversity in ten different Orange farms from the catchment area of Upper Wardha dam, Amravati, Maharashtra, India. Survey was done from June2011 to May-2012 during day time from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. every weekend. Total 219 individuals were collected during the survey including 49 species from 22 genus and 9 families from Orange farms.
Mendelian randomization with invalid instruments: effect estimation and bias detection through Egger regression

Background: The number of Mendelian randomization analyses including large numbers of genetic variants is rapidly increasing. This is due to the proliferation of genome-wide association studies, and the desire to obtain more precise estimates of causal effects. However, some genetic variants may not be valid instrumental variables, in particular due to them having more than one proximal phenotypic correlate (pleiotropy). Methods: We view Mendelian randomization with multiple instruments as a meta-analysis, and show that bias caused by pleiotropy can be regarded as analogous to small study bias. Causal estimates using each instrument can be displayed visually by a funnel plot to assess potential asymmetry. Egger regression, a tool to detect small study bias in meta-analysis, can be adapted to test for bias from pleiotropy, and the slope coefficient from Egger regression provides an estimate of the causal effect. Under the assumption that the association of each genetic variant with the exposure is independent of the pleiotropic effect of the variant (not via the exposure), Egger’s test gives a valid test of the null causal hypothesis and a consistent causal effect estimate even when all the genetic variants are invalid instrumental variables. Results: We illustrate the use of this approach by re-analysing two published Mendelian randomization studies of the causal effect of height on lung function, and the causal effect of blood pressure on coronary artery disease risk. The conservative nature of this approach is illustrated with these examples. Conclusions: An adaption of Egger regression (which we call MR-Egger) can detect some violations of the standard instrumental variable assumptions, and provide an effect estimate which is not subject to these violations. The approach provides a sensitivity analysis for the robustness of the findings from a Mendelian randomization investigation.
Influences of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on soil microbial community composition with or without Vegetation

Uptake of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), naphthalene (NAP), phenanthrene (PHN), and pyrene (PYR), from soils by ryegrass, white clover and soybean were investigated in an 8-week pot experiment. The microbial phospholipid-fatty-acid (PLFA) patterns in PAHs-contaminated soil were analyzed. Contamination with PAHs inhibited the soil microbial activity. In non-vegetated soils, the total PLFA showed 87% reduction on the addition of PAHs after an 8-week incubation compared to the PAH-free soil; the concentrations of NAP, PHN, and PYR in soils showed 19.4%, 25.5% and 24.3% reduction, respectively, due mainly to the evaporative loss and microbial degradation. In vegetated soils, the reduction of added NAP and PHN levels was not related to the plant biomass nor to the total PLFA. However, the reduction in PYR concentrations in soil mediated by soybean growth was much pronounced than those by ryegrass or white clover growth, but thisis not related to the total microbial biomass as revealed by PLFAs. The principal-component analysis (PCA) of the PLFA signatures revealed significant changes in the PLFA pattern in PAH-spiked soils when different vegetations were planted. Using the PLFA as a biomarker, it was found that the Gram-negative bacteria were more sensitive to PAHs than Gram-positive bacteria and fungi.
The adaptor molecule RIAM integrates signaling events critical for integrin-mediated control of immune function and cancer progression

Functional analyses of the adaptor molecule RIAM highlight the importance of integrin-mediated signaling in immune function and cancer biology. Gloss Rap1-interacting molecule (RIAM) is a multidomain protein that regulates multiple functions in immune cells. RIAM contains an RA (RalGDS/AF-6 or Ras-association) domain, a PH (pleckstrin homology) domain, and two proline-rich regions. It also contains two putative coiled-coil regions at the amino (N) terminus. The simultaneous interaction of PH and RA domains with their partners results in relocation of RIAM to the plasma membrane upon cell activation. Through its N terminus, RIAM interacts with various sites of talin, leading to talin-mediated activation of integrins. RIAM controls cell adhesion and migration and is involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses and in the invasion and migration of cancer cells. Thus, RIAM might be an attractive therapeutic target to modulate immune cell processes mediated by β2 integrin interactions in immune cells but also to block cancer cell migration. This review includes four figures and 95 references. Lymphocyte activation requires adhesion to antigen-presenting cells. This is a critical event linking innate and adaptive immunity. Lymphocyte adhesion is accomplished through LFA-1, which must be activated by a process referred to as inside-out integrin signaling. Among the few signaling molecules that have been implicated in inside-out integrin activation in hematopoietic cells are the small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Rap1 and its downstream effector Rap1-interacting molecule (RIAM), a multidomain protein that defined the Mig10-RIAM-lamellipodin (MRL) class of adaptor molecules. Through its various domains, RIAM is a critical node of signal integration for activation of T cells, recruits monomeric and polymerized actin to drive actin remodeling and cytoskeletal reorganization, and promotes inside-out integrin signaling in T cells. As a regulator of inside-out integrin activation, RIAM affects multiple functions of innate and adaptive immunity. The effects of RIAM on cytoskeletal reorganization and integrin activation have implications in cell migration and trafficking of cancer cells. We provide an overview of the structure and interactions of RIAM, and we discuss the implications of RIAM functions in innate and adaptive immunity and cancer.
Supporting server selection in differentiated service networks

As the Internet has grown in size and diversity of applications, two trends have emerged to provide good end-user perceived performance. First, servers are often replicated for better scalability of the service. Second, QoS approaches, such as the differentiated services framework, have been proposed as enhancement to the best-effort IP service. We are interested in the combination of these two trends; that is, replicated servers in QoS-based networks. We focus on the problem of selecting amongst replicated servers in the context of differentiated service networks. Our contributions are twofold. First, we design a QoS-based server-selection architecture. The architecture is scalable in the sense that server selection and resource reservation are done in an aggregated fashion and operate in the background, rather than being driven by individual client demand. At the same time, the architecture offers a fast response time to client requests for server selection. Second, we explore the design space implied by the architecture and evaluate various design options including signalling protocols, server selection/sorting algorithms and resource reservation granularity.
Limnological assessment of anthropogenic activities of River Henwal

January March 2018 77 JCPS Volume 11 Issue 1 Limnological assessment of anthropogenic activities of River Henwal Matta Gagan, Avinash Kumar, Gulshan K. Dhingra, Singh Prashant, Gjyli Laura, Amit Kumar Department of Zoology & Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar Department of Botany, Govt. P.G. College, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand Department of Chemistry, D.A. V. (P.G) College, Dehradun Deparment of Medicine, Universiteti Alexander Moisu Durres, Durres, Albania Department of Environmental Science, Eternal University, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh *Corresponding author: E-Mail: drgaganmatta@gkv.ac. in ABSTRACT The River Henwal is ecological important tributary of River Ganga and drain in the western part of Uttarakhand, India. As it flows through the commercial and city areas, the large amount of wastages discharged inform of domestic and commercial wastewater and other activities like clothes washing and bathing using detergent and soaps. Also due to its aesthetic importance large number of tourism activities is also affecting the water body from its originating point itself. In the present study, water quality of the river is assessed at 4 sampling locations including one control site, with the comprehensive pollution index (CPI) by considering the 11 physiochemical parameters like conductivity, turbidity, total solids (TS), dissolved oxygen (DO), free CO2, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), Ca hardness, Mg hardness, Cl, phosphate and eight heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al, Cd and Mg). Besides this, Simpson’s diversity index (D), Shannon-Weaver index (H) and Taxon Evenness (E) are also calculated to get the diversity of planktons and their impact on water quality of river. The CPI was found to be 1.884. 37 (CPI > 2), which is indicates that water quality of River Henwal is slightly and severely polluted too on different sites. The high value of Simpson, Shannon-Weiner index and group evenness was 1.60, 4.88 and 0.47 respectively. Therefore, in this study the water quality was found unfit for drinking purposes and requires proper treatment before use.
The Role of Women in Economic Participation and Employment : A Logistic Model for Iran

The phenomenon of female economic activity and also the phenomenon of women's employment are main issues in each economy in special after the industrial Revolution. Typically female economic activity in formal sectors like industry, services and somewhat the agricultural sector is measurable, but the main activities of women are in informal sectors such as house works, training and education of children, activities in agricultural sectors and household services is not measurable. In this paper by using the data of Household Income and Expenditure Survey in urban areas, we study the participation of headed household of Iran's economy which is based on assessment of their role in economy activities. Also in a logistic model, gender roles and other important features of socio-economic of the households about the chance of being employed is studied. The results have shown that a great role of women's economic activities in the household levels. So that on average women plays a major role in the management of household expenditure compare to men. Technical review of gender in a logistic model in 2006 suggests those households which their head are men, have more chances of being employed compare to those households which their head are women. Generally according to these results, although female heads of households have less chance of being employed than male heads of households, but if women heads households have college degree, they can have more chance for being employed compared to men.
MIF Promotes B Cell Chemotaxis through the Receptors CXCR4 and CD74 and ZAP-70 Signaling

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine with chemokine-like functions that plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases by promoting leukocyte recruitment. We showed that MIF promotes the atherogenic recruitment of monocytes and T cells through its receptors CXCR2 and CXCR4. Effects of MIF on B cell recruitment have not been addressed. In this study, we tested the involvement of MIF in B cell chemotaxis and studied the underlying mechanism. We show that MIF promotes primary murine B cell chemotaxis in a dose-dependent manner, comparable to the B cell chemokines CXCL13 and CXCL12. Splenic B cells express CXCR4 and the receptor CD74 but not CXCR2. Inhibition of CXCR4 or CD74 or a genetic deficiency of Cd74 in primary B cells fully abrogated MIF-mediated B cell migration, implying cooperative involvement of both receptors. MIF stimulation of B cells resulted in a rapid increase in intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and F-actin polymerization. Intriguingly, the tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 was activated upon MIF and CXCL12 treatment in a CXCR4- and CD74-dependent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of ZAP-70 resulted in abrogation of primary B cell migration. Functional involvement of ZAP-70 was confirmed by small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown in Ramos B cell migration. Finally, primary B cells from ZAP-70 gene–deficient mice exhibited ablated transmigration in response to MIF or CXCL12. We conclude that MIF promotes the migration of B cells through a ZAP-70–dependent pathway mediated by cooperative engagement of CXCR4 and CD74. The data also suggest that MIF may contribute to B cell recruitment in vivo (e.g., in B cell–related immune disorders).
Integrated adaptive optics optical coherence tomography and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope system for simultaneous cellular resolution in vivo retinal imaging

We describe an ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) retinal imaging system that combines adaptive optics Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) with an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO) to allow simultaneous data acquisition by the two modalities. The AO-SLO subsystem was integrated into the previously described AO-UHR OCT instrument with minimal changes to the latter. This was done in order to ensure optimal performance and image quality of the AO- UHR OCT. In this design both imaging modalities share most of the optical components including a common AO-subsystem and vertical scanner. One of the benefits of combining Fd-OCT with SLO includes automatic co-registration between two acquisition channels for direct comparison between retinal structures imaged by both modalities (e.g., photoreceptor mosaics or microvasculature maps). Because of differences in the detection scheme of the two systems, this dual imaging modality instrument can provide insight into retinal morphology and potentially function, that could not be accessed easily by a single system. In this paper we describe details of the components and parameters of the combined instrument, including incorporation of a novel membrane magnetic deformable mirror with increased stroke and actuator count used as a single wavefront corrector. We also discuss laser safety calculations for this multimodal system. Finally, retinal images acquired in vivo with this system are presented.
Low voltage LNA implementations in 90 nm CMOS technology for multistandard GNSS

In this paper, two topologies of CMOS low noise amplifiers (LNAs) have been simulated. The inductively degenerated cascode (LC), which achieves high gain and low noise figure (NF), and folded cascode (FC), which can work with ultra low supply voltage, were considered. LNAs were optimized for a GPS/Galileo receiver using UMC 90 nm CMOS technology. Chosen circuits demonstrate a gain of 16.42 dB and 17.27 dB, consuming current 2.492 mA and 3.093 mA, showing NF 1.881 dB and 1.914 dB, third order input interception point (IIP3) −14.99 dBm and −13.3 dBm, input referred 1-dB compression point (Pin-1) −29 dBm and −29.47 dBm for inductively degenerated cascode and folded cascode respectively. Both input return loss (S11) and output return loss (S22) are below −40 dB. For these circuits supply voltage is 0.6 V and die area equals 0.33 mm2.
Short-term diabetes attenuates left ventricular dysfunction and mortality rates after myocardial infarction in rodents

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of hyperglycemia on left ventricular dysfunction, morphometry, myocardial infarction area, hemodynamic parameters, oxidative stress profile, and mortality rate in rats that had undergone seven days of myocardial infarction. INTRODUCTION: Previous research has demonstrated that hyperglycemia may protect the heart against ischemic injury. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control-sham, diabetes-sham, myocardial infarction, and diabetes + myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction was induced 14 days after diabetes induction. Ventricular function and morphometry, as well as oxidative stress and hemodynamic parameters, were evaluated after seven days of myocardial infarction. RESULTS: The myocardial infarction area, which was similar in the infarcted groups at the initial evaluation, was reduced in the diabetes + myocardial infarction animals (23±3%) when compared with the myocardial infarction (42±7%, p<0.001) animals at the final evaluation. The ejection fraction (22%, p = 0.003), velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (30%, p = 0.001), and left ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time (26%, p = 0.002) were increased in the diabetes + myocardial infarction group compared with the myocardial infarction group. The diabetes-sham and diabetes + myocardial infarction groups displayed increased catalase concentrations compared to the control-sham and myocardial infarction groups (diabetes-sham: 32±3; diabetes + myocardial infarction: 35±0.7; control-sham: 12±2; myocardial infarction: 16±0.1 pmol min-1 mg-1 protein). The levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were reduced in the diabetes-sham rats compared to the control-sham rats. These positive adaptations were reflected in a reduced mortality rate in the diabetes + myocardial infarction animals (18.5%) compared with the myocardial infarction animals (40.7%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that short-term hyperglycemia initiates compensatory mechanisms, as demonstrated by increased catalase levels, which culminate in improvements in the ventricular response, infarcted area, and mortality rate in diabetic rats exposed to ischemic injury.