Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Ecological Land Cover Sampling Reclassification Model for Safety Estimation of Shoreline Systems from a Flood Defense Perspective Using Optical Satellite Remote Sensing Imaging

The safety level of a shoreline is essential for flood control projects and policy formulation or modification from both economic and environmental perspectives. With the development of remote sensing (RS) techniques, high spatial-spectral resolution and quick-revolution satellite images are now available and widely used in environment monitoring and management. It is therefore possible to more efficiently and conveniently identify the components of, and extract information for, shoreline environments. However, the problem is that the shoreline is always a long curve with a relatively narrow width, which limits the application of RS technology. This paper presents a method of recognizing different types of shoreline and of conveniently extracting the geographical coordinates of potential shoreline defense by analyzing and processing ecological information from an optical satellite RS data interpretation of land cover on both side of the shoreline. An application of this model in a low-resolution image case proved that the model can be used in the primary survey of a shoreline monitoring service platform as the basic tile level. The classification model is designed such that the requirements of image resolution for efficiently extracting information from the shoreline are low and the limitations imposed by a narrow shoreline width are avoided.
Bromination Pattern of Hydroxylated Metabolites of BDE-47 Affects Their Potency to Release Calcium from Intracellular Stores in PC12 Cells

Background Brominated flame retardants, including the widely used polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been detected in humans, raising concern about possible neurotoxicity. Recent research demonstrated that the hydroxylated metabolite 6-OH-BDE-47 increases neurotransmitter release by releasing calcium ions (Ca2+) from intracellular stores at much lower concentrations than its environmentally relevant parent congener BDE-47. Recently, several other hydroxylated BDE-47 metabolites, besides 6-OH-BDE-47, have been detected in human serum and cord blood. Objective and Methods To investigate the neurotoxic potential of other environmentally relevant PBDEs and their metabolites, we examined and compared the acute effects of BDE-47, BDE-49, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, and several metabolites of BDE-47—6-OH-BDE-47 (and its methoxylated analog 6-MeO-BDE-47), 6′-OH-BDE-49, 5-OH-BDE-47, 3-OH-BDE-47, and 4′-OH-BDE-49—on intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), measured using the Ca2+-responsive dye Fura-2 in neuroendocrine pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Results In contrast to the parent PBDEs and 6-MeO-BDE-47, all hydroxylated metabolites induced Ca2+ release from intracellular stores, although with different lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs). The major intracellular Ca2+ sources were either endoplasmic reticulum (ER; 5-OH-BDE-47 and 6′-OH-BDE-49) or both ER and mitochondria (6-OH-BDE-47, 3-OH-BDE-47, and 4′-OH-BDE-49). When investigating fluctuations in [Ca2+]i, which is a more subtle end point, we observed lower LOECs for 6-OH-BDE-47 and 4′-OH-BDE-49, as well as for BDE-47. Conclusions The present findings demonstrate that hydroxylated metabolites of BDE-47 cause disturbance of the [Ca2+]i. Importantly, shielding of the OH group on both sides with bromine atoms and/or the ether bond to the other phenyl ring lowers the potency of hydroxylated PBDE metabolites.
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT): biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, and clinical efficacy of the new selective COMT inhibitors.

[Axelrod et al. (1958)][1] first described the enzyme-catalyzed O- methylation of catecholamines and other catechols in the late 1950s. The enzyme responsible for the O- methylation, catechol- O -methyltransferase (COMT; EC[2.1.1.6][2]),2 was partly purified and characterized by the same group ([
Characterisation of the micro-architecture of direct writing melt electrospun tissue engineering scaffolds using diffusion tensor and computed tomography microimaging

This article describes the first steps toward comprehensive characterization of molecular transport within scaffolds for tissue engineering. The scaffolds were fabricated using a novel melt electrospinning technique capable of constructing 3D lattices of layered polymer fibers with well - defined internal microarchitectures. The general morphology and structure order was then determined using T 2 - weighted magnetic resonance imaging and X - ray microcomputed tomography. Diffusion tensor microimaging was used to measure the time - dependent diffusivity and diffusion anisotropy within the scaffolds. The measured diffusion tensors were anisotropic and consistent with the cross - hatched geometry of the scaffolds: diffusion was least restricted in the direction perpendicular to the fiber layers. The results demonstrate that the cross - hatched scaffold structure preferentially promotes molecular transport vertically through the layers ( z - axis), with more restricted diffusion in the directions of the fiber layers ( x – y plane). Diffusivity in the x – y plane was observed to be invariant to the fiber thickness. The characteristic pore size of the fiber scaffolds can be probed by sampling the diffusion tensor at multiple diffusion times. Prospective application of diffusion tensor imaging for the real - time monitoring of tissue maturation and nutrient transport pathways within tissue engineering scaffolds is discussed.
Pose Clustering From Stereo Data

This article describes an algorithm for pose or motion es- timation based on clustering of parameters in the six-dimensional pose space. The parameter samples are computed from data samples randomly drawn from stereo data points. The estimator is global and robust, per- forming matches to parts of a scene without prior pose information. It is general, in that it does not require any particular object features. Empirical object models can be built largely automatically. An imple- mented application from the service robotic domain and a quantitative performance study on real data are presented.
Recent advancements in the specific determination of carcinoembryonic antigens using MOF-based immunosensors

Carcinoembryonic antigens (CEAs) are prominent cancer biomarkers that enable the early detection of numerous cancers. For effective CEA screening, rapid, portable, efficient, and sensitive diagnosis approaches should be devised. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials that have received major attention for application in high-efficiency signal probes owing to their advantages such as large specific surface area, superior chemical stability and tunability, high porosity, easy surface functional modification, and adjustable size and morphology. Immunoassay strategies using antigen–antibody specific interaction are one of the imperative means for rapid and accurate measurement of target molecules in biochemical fields. The emerging MOFs and their nanocomposites are synthesized with excellent features, providing promising potential for immunoassays. This article outlines the recent breakthroughs in the synthesis approaches of MOFs and overall functionalization mechanisms of MOFs with antigen/antibody and their uses in the CEA immunoassays, which operate according to electrochemical, electrochemiluminescent and colorimetric techniques. The prospects and limitations of the preparation and immunoassay applications of MOF-derived hybrid nanocomposites are also discussed at the end.
An exploration of the application of PLS path modeling approach to creating a summary index of respondent burden

The potential effect on respondent burden is a major consideration in the evaluation of survey design options, so the ability to quantify the burden associated with alternative designs would be a useful evaluation tool. Furthermore, the development of such a tool could facilitate more systematic examination of the association between burden and data quality. In this study, we explore the application of Partial Least Squares path modeling to construct a burden score. Our data come from a phone-based, modified version of the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey in which respondents were asked post-survey assessment questions on dimensions thought to be related to burden – e.g., effort, survey length, and the frequency of survey requests (Bradburn, 1978). These dimensions served as the latent constructs in our model. We discuss model development and interpretation, assess how the measured items relate to our latent constructs, and examine the extent to which the resulting burden scores covary with other survey measures of interest. The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE), sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is currently undertaking a multiyear research effort to redesign the CE in order to improve data quality. The current Interview Survey instrument asks respondents to recall detailed out-of-pocket household expenditures over a 3-month reference period, a process acknowledged to be burdensome to the respondent. Since it is commonly assumed that respondent burden is associated with the quality of respondent reporting, the evaluation of survey design options should also take account of their potential effect on respondent burden.
Prevalence and impact of sarcopenia in individuals with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (the SARC-HF study): A prospective observational study protocol

Sarcopenia, a clinical syndrome primarily associated with reduced muscle mass in the elderly, has a negative impact on quality of life and survival. It can occur secondarily to other diseases such as heart failure (HF), a complex clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality. The simultaneous occurrence of these two conditions can worsen the prognosis of their carriers, especially in the most severe cases of HF, as in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, due to the heterogeneous diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, estimates of its prevalence present a wide variation, leading to new criteria having been recently proposed for its diagnosis, emphasizing muscle strength and function rather than skeletal muscle mass. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia and/or dynapenia in individuals with HF with reduced LVEF according to the most recent criteria, and compare the gene and protein expression of those patients with and without sarcopenia. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the association of sarcopenia and/or dynapenia with the risk of clinical events and death, quality of life, cardiorespiratory capacity, ventilatory efficiency, and respiratory muscle strength. The participants will answer questionnaires to evaluate sarcopenia and quality of life, and will undergo the following tests: handgrip strength, gait speed, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respiratory muscle strength, cardiopulmonary exercise, as well as genomic and proteomic analysis, and dosage of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and growth differentiation factor-15. An association between sarcopenia and/or dynapenia with unfavorable clinical evolution is expected to be found, in addition to reduced quality of life, cardiorespiratory capacity, ventilatory efficiency, and respiratory muscle strength.
LFA-1 Regulates CD8+ T Cell Activation via T Cell Receptor-mediated and LFA-1-mediated Erk1/2 Signal Pathways*

LFA-1 regulates T cell activation and signal transduction through the immunological synapse. T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation rapidly activates LFA-1, which provides unique LFA-1-dependent signals to promote T cell activation. However, the detailed molecular pathways that regulate these processes and the precise mechanism by which LFA-1 contributes to TCR activation remain unclear. We found LFA-1 directly participates in Erk1/2 signaling upon TCR stimulation in CD8+ T cells. The presence of LFA-1, not ligand binding, is required for the TCR-mediated Erk1/2 signal pathway. LFA-1-deficient T cells have defects in sustained Erk1/2 signaling and TCR/CD3 clustering, which subsequently prevents MTOC reorientation, cell cycle progression, and mitosis. LFA-1 regulates the TCR-mediated Erk1/2 signal pathway in the context of immunological synapse for recruitment and amplification of the Erk1/2 signal. In addition, LFA-1 ligation with ICAM-1 generates an additional Erk1/2 signal, which synergizes with the existing TCR-mediated Erk1/2 signal to enhance T cell activation. Thus, LFA-1 contributes to CD8+ T cell activation through two distinct signal pathways. We demonstrated that the function of LFA-1 is to enhance TCR signaling through the immunological synapse and deliver distinct signals in CD8+ T cell activation.
Association of daytime napping with incidence of chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease: A prospective observational study

Background and aims Few studies have examined the relationship between daytime napping and risk of kidney diseases. We aimed to investigate the association of daytime napping with the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). We also examined whether sleep duration modified the association of nap with CKD or ESKD. Methods We recruited 460,571 European middle- to older-aged adults without prior CKD or ESKD between March 13, 2006, and October 1, 2010, in the UK Biobank. Sleep behavior data were obtained through questionnaires administered during recruitment. The analysis of the relationship between napping and the occurrence of CKD and ESKD utilized Cox proportional hazards regression models. The modification role of sleep duration on the effect of nap on CKD and ESKD was also examined. Results After a mean follow-up of 11.1 (standard deviation 2.2) years, we observed 28,330 incident CKD cases and 927 ESKD cases. The daytime napping was associated with incident CKD (P for trend = .004). After fully adjusted, when compared with participants who did not take nap, those in sometimes and usually nap groups had higher risk of CKD. Nevertheless, the available evidence did not support a link between daytime napping and ESKD (P for trend = .06). Simultaneously, there was insufficient evidence suggesting that sleeping duration modified the association of daytime napping with incident CKD or ESKD. Conclusion Daytime napping was associated with an increased risk of CKD. However, the absence of conclusive evidence did not indicate a connection between daytime napping and ESKD.
EMG-based estimation of knee joint angle under functional electrical stimulation using an artificial neural network

In this paper, an artificial neural network is proposed to estimate knee joint angle in hybrid activation of knee extension motion, including voluntary muscle contraction and functional electrical stimulation (FES) induced contraction. Voluntary electromyography (EMG) signals of three muscles responsible for knee extension and FES parameter which describe the FES intensity are used as input vector of the neural network, while the estimated knee angle is the output. During the experiment, FES with different combinations of parameters (pulse amplitude and pulse width) was delivered to the rectus femoris muscle of a healthy male subject when the knee was in a periodic extension motion by voluntary muscle contraction. Raw EMG signals of three muscles, parameters of FES as well as the actual knee angle were recorded. Totally, there were 52,233 and 17,420 sampling points corresponding to 261 and 87 seconds used to train and validate the neural network. The result shows the trained network has a satisfactory performance on knee joint angle estimation whose output well follows the curve of actual knee angle. Root mean square error between estimated angle and actual angle is employed to represent the estimation accuracy which is 5.07 degree according to the experimental data.
The University of Birmingham ( Live System ) Reconsolidation : maintaining memory relevance

The retrieval of a memory places it into a plastic state, as a result of which the memory can be disrupted or even enhanced by experimental treatment. This phenomenon has been conceptualised within a framework of memories being reactivated and then reconsolidated in repeated rounds of cellular processing. The reconsolidation phase has been seized upon as critical for the understanding of memory stability, and more recently as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of disorders such as post-traumatic stress and drug addiction. However, little is known about the reactivation process, nor what might be the adaptive function of retrieval-induced plasticity. Reconsolidation has long been proposed to mediate memory updating, but only recently has this hypothesis been supported experimentally. Here, the adaptive function of memory reconsolidation is explored in more detail, with a strong emphasis on its role in updating memories to maintain their relevance.
Combinatorial and Random Testing Effectiveness for a Grid Computer Simulator

This paper compares the effectiveness of random a nd t-way combinatorial testing, where t = 2, 3, 4, for a grid computer network simulator. Previous investigations of random vs. combinatorial testing have reached conflicting resu lts, with some showing more effective fault detection for combinatorial testing and others find ing no significant difference between the two methods. In this paper, these two methods are comp ared for deadlock detection on a simulator with tests covering 2-way to 4-way combinations of c nfiguration values, paired with an equal number of randomly generated tests. Random testing provided better results than pairwise (2way) testing and there was no statistically signifi cant difference between the methods for 3-way testing, but 4-way combinatorial tests detected mor e deadlocks than the same number of random tests. The paper reviews explanations for these re sults and implications for testing.
Effects of vegetation, seasonality, organic and nitrogen loading rates in the performance of Horizontal Subsurface Constructed Wetlands

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been showing to be effective, low cost, economical and sustainable alternative solutions for wastewater treatment in comparison with conventional technologies, mainly for small rural communities. This study was carried on in three gravel based horizontal subsurface flow CW located at Aranhas, Capinha and Janeiro Cima (rural areas of the Interior Central Region of Portugal), between May and August 2008 (summer period). The objective was to evaluate the performance of the CW in the removal of pollutants and pathogens, approximately 4 years after the start-up. The summer period was chosen since is the season that may present more problems for CW performance due to high evaporation rates and high variation of incoming loads. The hydraulic loading rates (HLR) were 7.6, 3.0 and 5.5 cm.d-1 for Aranhas, Capinha and Janeiro de Cima, respectively. Generally, the results show that both the organic and the solids loads had a high variation during the summer period, whilst the influent loads of nitrogen and phosphorous were low. The mean removal efficiency (RE) for COD was 59% (Aranhas), 75% (Capinha) and 76% (Janeiro de Cima), which are lower than the values found in similar systems in Mediterranean countries. However, the beds showed a good filtration capability (RE for TSS of 79%, 94% and 84% for Aranhas, Capinha and Janeiro de Cima, respectively). The mean removal of nitrogen was very low in all systems (< 27% for TN, < 30.8 for org-N, < 7% for NH4+-N and < 18% for NOX-N), although the plants were well developed and the hydraulic retention time 6.6 d (Aranhas), 17 d (Capinha), 9 d (Janeiro de Cima) was quite high to promote nitrification. However, the RE for TP was high 44.3% (Aranhas), 41.2% (Capinha), 65% (Janeiro de Cima). TSS and COD RE was found to significant linearly proportional to its influent mass loading rate (p<0.05). Linear regression also showed statistically significant (p<0.05) increase in outlet concentration of TSS and TN with increasing its mass loading rates. Similar results were seen between NH4+-N and TP effluent concentration and its inlet loads, despite this relationship to be only significant 1 Mesquita, M.C; Latado, M. ; Carreiro, F; Albuquerque, A; Amaral, L. ; Nogueira, R. , (2011). “Performance evaluation of three horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands in the Interior region of Portugal during the summer period” (published in CD-Rom). Oral presentation in Joint Meeting of Society of Wetlands Scientists (SWS), WETPOL and Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium, 3-8 July 2011, Prague, Czech Republic.
The Role of Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) Infected Gastric Cancer in Increasing microRNA124 (miR-124) Promoter Methylation and Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) Gene Expression

The tumor suppressor microRNAs, miR-21, miR-124, and miR-494, participate in the controlling several cellular processes. To assess target miRNAs promoter methylation levels, we investigated 304 pairs of gastric cancer (GC) tissues and non-tumor tissues. We used a commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Helicobacter pylori kit to detect EBV and H. pylori DNA in GC tissues. After finding hypermethylation in the promoter of the miR-124 gene, we evaluated its expression level using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Bioinformatics analysis confirmed miR-124 as a target of enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). Additionally, qPCR confirmed the association between EZH2 and miR-124. EBV and H. pylori DNA were detected in 9.5% and 15.1% of GC patients, respectively. Our findings also revealed significant differences in the miR-124 methylation levels among EBV-infected GC patients, H. pylori infected GC patients, GC patients without EBV and H. pylori infection, and non-tumor tissue. Bioinformatics and qPCR assays suggested an inverse relationship between the expression levels of EZH2 and miR-124 in EBV-infected GC patients. Our data revealed hypermethylation of the miR-124 promoter and significant reduction in its expression in EBV-infected GC tissues. It is possible that miR-124 may target EZH2 by binding to the 3’-UTR of the EZH2 gene, thus potentially contributing to the development of EBV-infected GC.
Mean Polynomial Kernel and Its Application to Vector Sequence Recognition

Classification tasks in computer vision and brain-computer interface research have presented several applications such as biometrics and cognitive training. However, determining suitable data representation has been challenging, and recent approaches have deviated from the familiar form of one vector for each data sample. This paper considers a kernel between vector sets, the mean polynomial kernel, motivated by recent studies where data are approximated by linear subspaces, in particular, methods on Grassmann manifolds. The kernel supports vector sequences as input. We discuss how the kernel can be associated with the Grassmann Projection kernel, and provide experimental results showing how it outperforms existing subspace-based methods on Grassmann manifolds.