Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of ambient temperatures ranging from cold to heat on thermoregulation in conscious MK801-treated rats.

The glutamate NMDA receptor has been suggested to be involved in thermoregulation. To further analyse its role, the thermoregulatory responses of rats treated with 0.5 mg.kg-1 of dizocilpine (MK801) were compared with those of control rats treated only with the same volume of saline during a 180-min exposure at one of the six different ambient temperatures, ranging from cold to heat. Colonic temperature (Tco) and tail skin temperature (Ttail) were measured throughout using Cu-Ct thermocouples. In the cold (2.4 and 12.3 degrees C), Tco decreased either sharply (MK801) or progressively (saline), reaching the same final value (2.4 degrees C) or a lower value in the MK801-treated rats (12.3 degrees C). At the same time, Ttail decreased in both groups. In the cool environment (20.7 degrees C), Tco and Ttail decreased in both groups, with lower final values in MK801-treated rats. At thermoneutrality (28.8 degrees C), the MK801-induced hyperthermia remained steady, while Ttail increased in both groups. In the heat (34.6 and 36.2 degrees C), Tco and Ttail increased in both groups, with higher final values in MK801-treated rats. Moreover, at 36.2 degrees C, only MK801-treated rats exhibited heatstroke. It is thus suggested that MK801-induced inhibition of NMDA receptors impairs thermoregulation, especially in the heat.
A Practical Scheme to Improve User Satisfaction with Reduced Power in Wireless Networks

Most known DSA(Dynamic Spectrum Access) methods in wireless network aim at enhancing the total system utility. As such, spectrum wastage may arise when the system-wise optimal allocation falls outside the desired region for QoS provisioning. The goal of this paper is to develop QoS-aware distributed DSA schemes using a game-theoretic approach. We devise a DSA solution which provides QoS level within preset range to as many users as possible. For this, we define it as a price for QoS level to escape beyond the preset range. Our scheme increases the number of satisfied users by 30% while reducing power consumption by 11%, compared with a state-of-the-art algorithm which is developed for maximum system utility.
Substance Flow Analysis of Nitrogen in Food Production and Consumption System of Thailand

Nitrogen fertilizer is a vital production factor for agriculture of which many countries worldwide including Thailand rely almost entirely on import. In Thailand, soy meal, a protein-rich feed constituting a large share of livestock feed demand is also imported. With Thailand’s great ambition to become the World’s Kitchen, a question arises in how to realize the sustainability of this ambitious target. As a principle of circular economy and sustainable agriculture, efficient use of resource should be maximized. With improved understanding of the current nutrient flows in the food system as a starting point, opportunities to close the nutrient loop can be found. Scoping on food production and consumption system of Thailand in 2014, this thesis aims to identify the origin of re-utilizable nitrogen budgets, quantify the size and evaluate the current recycling of these resources. Identification of material in which nitrogen is stored is also done wherever possible. Using Substance Flow Analysis (SFA), a nitrogen flow diagram is constructed based on official reports and scientific literatures. The system entails seven subsystems; CROP, FEED, ANIMAL, FOOD, HUMAN CONSUMPTION, FOOD WASTE, PUBLIC WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant). As a result, six key reutilizable nitrogen budgets are identified including 1) on-field residue, 2) feed unexplained, 3) manure retrieved, 4) food industrial waste, 5) food waste retrieved and 6) sewage sludge. Out of 812 ktN (±23%) re-utilizable nitrogen in total, on-field residue accounts for the largest share of 36% followed by feed unexplained 25%, animal manure 19%, food industrial waste 14%, sludge 5% and food waste 1%. This implies that 530 ktN (±28%) of organic fertilizer could potentially be returned to agricultural soil annually or approximately 22% of total input. Furthermore, an unaccounted amount of 416 ktN (±76%) is found to be a potential stock on agricultural land annually. Zooming into the constituents of these budgets, rice straw contains 172 ktN (±41%) or 60% of N in on-field residue. The manure retrieved is from chicken 37%, pig 29% and beef cow 14%, similar to their order of prevalence. Due to unknown consumption of each kind of feed, the identification of material holding N is not possible. This thesis is the first nationwide study of nitrogen flow in food production and consumption system that gives an overview in opportunity areas. Further research remains necessary to gain insights in actual capacity, utilization options and practical limitations. Keywords; Agriculture, Food production, Nitrogen, Nutrient recycle, Substance Flow Analysis
Covalently Bridging Gaps in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Conducting Molecules

Molecular electronics is often limited by the poorly defined nature of the contact between the molecules and the metal surface. We describe a method to wire molecules into gaps in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Precise oxidative cutting of a SWNT produces carboxylic acid–terminated electrodes separated by gaps of ≤10 nanometers. These point contacts react with molecules derivatized with amines to form molecular bridges held in place by amide linkages. These chemical contacts are robust and allow a wide variety of molecules to be tested electrically. In addition to testing molecular wires, we show how to install functionality in the molecular backbone that allows the conductance of the single-molecule bridges to switch with pH.
Mechanical AJ Hudspeth amplification of stimuli by hair cells

Unlike any other known sensory receptor, the hair cell uses positive feedback to augment the stimulus to which it responds. In the internal ears of many vertebrates, hair cells amplify the inputs to their mechanosensitive hair bundles. Outer hair cells of the mammalian cochlea display a unique form of somatal motility that may underlie their contribution to amplification. In other receptor organs, hair cells may effect amplification by hair-bundle movements driven by the activity of myosin or of transduction channels. Recent work has demonstrated the presence of several myosin isozymes in hair bundles, confirmed that bundles display myosin ATPase activity, and shown that the work performed by myosin molecules could account for one aspect of the amplificatory process.
Disposition of methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine in brain and other tissues in rats after intravenous administration.

These studies characterized the concentration-time profile of (+)-methamphetamine [(+)-METH] and its metabolite (+)-amphetamine [(+)-AMP] in the brain and five other tissues after (+)-METH administration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a pharmacologically active (+)-METH i.v. bolus dose (1.0 mg/kg) or a nonpharmacologically active s.c. infusion (20 h at 1.2 mg/kg/day). Tissues (n = 3 per time point) were collected for more than four elimination half-lives in the i.v. group, or at a single steady-state time point (20 h) in the s.c. group. Based on data from the area under the concentration-time curves after i.v. dosing, the rank order of (+)-METH tissue accumulation was kidney > spleen > brain > liver > heart > serum with terminal elimination half-life values ranging from 53 to 66 min. (+)-METH concentrations were highest at the first measured time point (2 min) in all tissues except the spleen, which peaked at 10 min. The brain-to-serum concentration ratio rose from 7:1 at 2 min to a peak of 13:1 at 20 min before equilibrating to a constant value of 8:1 at 2 h. Following s.c. (+)-METH dosing, the (+)-METH brain-to-serum concentration ratio was the same as the equilibrated ratio following i.v. dosing. (+)-AMP concentrations peaked at 20 min in all tissues before decaying with terminal elimination half-life values ranging from 68 to 75 min. Analysis of the area under the concentration-time curve molar amounts of (+)-AMP and (+)-METH showed that (+)-AMP accounted for approximately one-third of the drug tissue exposure over time. Thus, these data indicate the importance of both (+)-METH and (+)-AMP in pharmacological effects following i.v. (+)-METH administration.
Spatial and temporal trends in the distribution of macronutrients in surface waters of the Drake Passage

The Drake Passage (DP) links the Southern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and acts as a physical narrowing for the largest current of the World Ocean, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). This result in a constriction of the main circumpolar fronts related to the ACC: the Subantarctic Front, the Polar Front, the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front and the Continental Water Boundary Front. Previous studies showed that the DP is a high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) region, but studies on the interannual and seasonal macronutrients’ fluctuations in relation with chlorophyll and frontal areas in the DP are scarce. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal trends of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate on surface samples from 113 oceanographic stations in the DP during summer and early fall of 2001 to 2004, in relation with the different fronts and chlorophyll-a concentration. The results revealed an increase of nutrients towards the south. Nitrate showed values from 3 μM at 55o S to 27 μM at 63o S, whereas values from 0.3 μM at 55o S to 2.6 μM at 63o S were observed for phosphate. Silicate increased considerably south of Polar Front, from 0 μM at 55o S to 74 μM at 62o S. The nutrients concentration was significantly higher in summer than in early fall and showed a trend to decrease over the studied years. A complex sum of biogeochemical processes would generate the main seasonal trends, while atmospheric-oceanic processes such as Southern Annular Mode and El Nino Southern Oscillation, would be responsible of observed nutrients interannual variability.
Solid dispersions: formulation, characterisation, permeability and genomic evaluation

Poor water solubility is characterised by low dissolution rate and consequently reduced bioavailability. Formulation of solid dispersion of the drug has attracted considerable interest as a means of improving dissolution process of a range of poorly water soluble drugs. This current study investigates the formulation of solid dispersion for a range of poorly water soluble drugs with varying physicochemical properties including paracetamol, sulphamethoxazole, phenacetin, indomethacin, chloramphenicol, phenylbutazone and succinylsulphathiazole. Solid dispersions were prepared using various drugs to polymer ratios. PEG 8000 was selected as a carrier in the solid dispersions. The study revealed that inclusion of drug within the polymeric matrix, ratio of drug to polymer and physicochemical properties of the drug molecules enhance the dissolution rate. Characterisations of the solid dispersions were performed using DSC, FTIR and SEM. These studies revealed that all seven drugs were present in the amorphous form within the solid dispersions and there was a lack of interaction between the PEG 8000 and drug. Stability studies for solid dispersions showed that all seven drugs studied were unstable at accelerated conditions (40°C±2°C/75%RH±5%RH) whereas, they were found to be stable for 12 months at room conditions. Permeability of indomethacin, phenacetin, phenylbutazone and paracetamol were higher for solid dispersions as compared to drug alone across Caco-2 cell monolayers. From the cell uptake studies it was shown that PEG 8000 enhanced rhodamine123 uptake which suggested that PEG 8000 may increase the permeability of these drugs in solid dispersions. Gene expression profiles analyzing the expression changes in the ABC and solute carrier transporter during permeability studies.ABCA10, ABCB4, ABCC12, SLC12A6, MCT13, SLC22A12 and SLC6A6 gene expression were increased by indomethacin alone whereas solid dispersion of indomethacin resulted in a slight increase in expression. ABCC12 and SAMC gene expression was increased in case of paracetamol alone but slightly increased when exposed to solid dispersion of paracetamol.
On the mechanism by which phenytoin blocks post-tetanic potentiation at the frog neuromuscular junction

Post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) was elicited at the frog sartorius and cutaneous pectoris neuromuscular junctions. A 30-sec, 30-Hz tetanus produced a 2- to 3-fold post-tetanic increase in endplate potential (EPP). In surface-recorded responses this PTP decayed in a double exponential way with time constants of 12.7 sec +/- 2.4 (SEM) and 146.8 sec +/- 36.6. In acute experiments 0.2 to 0.8 mM phenytoin (5,5- diphenylhydantoin, DPH) dramatically and reversibly reduced the early component. The late component was also reduced, although to a lesser extent and often not reversibly. DPH reduced PTP even when there was no failure of the EPP during the tetanus. Thus, the DPH effect did not require a complete block of the presynaptic action potential. At longer exposures and higher DPH concentrations EPP failures did develop, and this was associated with a more profound suppression of PTP. PTP was also elicited in tetrodotoxin (TTX)-containing solutions using electronic stimulation of nerve terminals to elicit transmitter release. This PTP had a much shorter duration (about 30 sec) than that seen in normal Ringer's solution and was followed by depression of EPP amplitudes. Thus, sodium entry into nerve terminals enables a mechanism which greatly prolongs PTP. DPH had no effect on PTP in TTX. These results, together with others in the literature, suggest that the reduction of PTP by DPH involves a graded reduction of sodium influx into nerve terminals during high rates of axon stimulation. The development of all-or-none failures of the presynaptic action potential results in even greater suppression of PTP.
Exploiting the Annotation Practice for Personal and Collective Information Management

Information nowadays is a capital for any organization intending to be reactive and aware of its environment. Unfortunately most modern organizations overdose on information as almost every member daily accesses, extracts and stores a growing amount of documents, i.e. vehicles for information. This situation is even deteriorating as individual efforts to orga- nize and search for information yield poorly from the organization standpoint since diffusion mechanisms are limited. We propose a personal and collective information management archi- tecture in order to take advantage of individual efforts, and to manage documents in a collective and sustainable way. This is based on the integration of the document lifecycle activities de- picting the way people manage information and documents. The proposed architecture exploits individual efforts through interdependent processes designed on a mutual benefit scheme. These processes rely on the annotation practice, considered as a representative evidence of the way individuals interact with information.
Insight into Molecular and Functional Properties of NMNAT3 Reveals New Hints of NAD Homeostasis within Human Mitochondria

Among the enzymes involved in NAD homeostasis, nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferases (NMNAT1-3) are central to intracellular NAD formation. Although NMNAT3 is postulated to be a mitochondrial enzyme contributing to NAD-dependent organelle functioning, information on endogenous proteins is lacking. We report that in human cells a single gene nmnat3 localized on chromosome 3 codes for two mRNA splice variants NMNATv1 and FKSG76, whereas the previously reported NMNAT3v2 transcript is not present. However, NMNAT3v1 and FKSG76 proteins are not detectable, consistent with the finding that an upstream ORF in their mRNAs negatively regulates translation. NMNAT3v1 transfection demonstrates that the protein is cytosolic and inactive, whereas FKSG76 is mitochondrial but operates NAD cleavage rather than synthesis. In keeping with the lack of NMNAT3, we show that extracellular NAD, but not its metabolic precursors, sustains mitochondrial NAD pool in an ATP-independent manner. Data of the present study modify the scenario of the origin of mitochondrial NAD by showing that, in human cells, NMNAT3 is absent in mitochondria, and, akin to plants and yeast, cytosolic NAD maintains the mitochondrial NAD pool.
Interfacing cold atoms and nanostructures

Trapping and manipulating atoms by means of microscopic traps has seen enormous advances within the last decade. Today, ultra-cold atom clouds, Bose-Einstein condensates, and Fermi gases are routinely trapped in conservative potential at the surface of microchips. Such experiments have delivered important insights into fundamental interactions between atoms and surfaces and pave the way towards the coherent coupling between atoms and quantum electronic circuits [1]. In our experiments, we investigate the quantum interface between atomic clouds and superconducting devices. The state of a superconducting quantum bit can be manipulated at microelectronic rates. However, its decoherence is fast due to the coupling to the thermal environment. Transferring the quantum state to cold atoms as quantum memory may bridge sort and long time scales. We develop experimental techniques towards the realization of such solid state-atomic-light interfaces [2]. Another subject of our research is the development of integrated quantum sensors based on ultra-cold atoms. I describe the application of ultra-cold atom clouds as the “tip” of a scanning probe microscope [3,4] and discuss how Bose-Einstein condensates may be used to detect quantum properties of electric currents [5]. References 1. J. Fortágh, C. Zimmermann, “Magnetic microtraps for ultracold atoms”, Rev. Mod. Phys. 79, 235 (2007). 2. S. Bernon et al., “Manipulation and coherence of ultra-cold atoms on a superconducting atom chip”, Nat. Commun. 4:2380 doi:10.1038/ncomms3380 (2013). 3. M. Gierling et al., “Cold-atom scanning probe microscopy”, Nat. Nano. 6, 446-451 (2011). 4. P. Schneeweiß et al., Nat. Nano. 7, 515-519 (2012). 5. O. Kálmán et al., “Quantum Galvanometer by Interfacing a Vibrating Nanowire and Cold Atoms”, Nano Lett. 12, 435-439 (2012).
Supporting situated actions in high volume conversational data situations

The global conferencing system Usenet nears offers an amount of articles per day that exceeds human cognitive capabilities by far although the articles are already organized in hierarchically structured discussion groups covering distinct topics. We report here on a situated information filtering system that significantly reduces the burden by supporting the user in acting situated. Interpreting the user’s actions as situated actions, the approach complements current filtering and recommender approaches by completely avoiding the modeling of user interests; the user is the only instance for assigning (un-)interestingness to Usenet discussions.
Seasonal acclimatization in water flux rate, urine osmolality and kidney water channels in free-living degus: molecular mechanisms, physiological processes and ecological implications

SUMMARY The environmental modification of an organism's physiology in the field is often hypothesized to be responsible for allowing an organism to adjust to changing biotic and abiotic environmental conditions through increases in biological performance. Here, we examine the phenotypic flexibility of water flux rate, urine osmolality and the expression of kidney aquaporins (AQP; or water channels) in free-ranging Octodon degus, a South American desert-dwelling rodent, through an integrative study at cellular, systemic and organismal levels. Water flux rates varied seasonally and were significantly lower in austral summer than in winter, while urine osmolality was higher in summer than during winter. The observed water influx rate during summer was 10.3±2.3 ml day-1 and during winter was 40.4±9.1 ml day-1. Mean urine osmolality was 3137±472 mosmol kg-1 during summer and 1123±472 mosmol kg-1 during winter. AQP-2 medullary immunolabeling was more abundant in the kidneys of degus captured during summer than those captured during winter. This immunoreactivity was higher in apical cell membranes of medullary collecting ducts of degus in summer. AQP-1 immunostaining did not differ between seasons. Consistently, AQP-2 protein levels were increased in medulla from the summer individuals, as judged by the size of the 29 kDa band in the immunoblot. Here, we reveal how the integration of flexible mechanisms acting at cellular, systemic and organismal levels allows a small desert-dwelling mammal to cope with seasonal water scarcity in its semi-arid habitat.
Multi-object recognition and tracking with feature points matching and spatial layout consistency

In this paper, we propose a simultaneous textured object recognition and localization approach designed to real-time mobile devices applications. Local interest points are extracted and classified with the help of a strong matching algorithm. The matching procedure is based on a strict verification of the spatial layout consistency of the considered interest points. The proposed approach is well suited for real-time multi objects tracking and yields precision/recall rates superior to 90%.
Performance and Fouling in Pre-Denitrification Membrane Bioreactors Treating High-Strength Wastewater from Food Waste Disposers

The study investigated the performance of the pre-denitrification membrane bioreactor (MBR) process to treat high-strength wastewater generated from food waste disposals. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as membrane foulant and microbial community profiles were analyzed under different hydraulic retention time (HRT) operation conditions. The pre-denitrification MBR was effective for treating food wastewater with high chemical oxygen demand (COD)/N resulting in high total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency. The operational data showed that effluent qualities in terms of COD, TN, and TP improved with longer HRT. However, membrane fouling potential as shown by specific membrane fouling rate and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) increased as HRT increased. The longer HRT conditions or lower influent loading led to higher levels of bound EPS while HRT did not show large effects on the level of soluble microbial products (SMP). The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed similar microbial banding patterns from the sludges generated under different HRT conditions, indicating that HRT had minimal effects on the composition of microbial communities in the system. All these results suggest that the MBR with pre-denitrification is a feasible option for treating high-strength food wastewater and that different HRT conditions could affect the operational performance and the fouling rate, which is governed via changes in microbial responses through EPS in the system.
Data Assocation for Semantic World Modeling from Partial Views

Autonomous mobile-manipulation robots need to sense and interact with objects to accomplish high-level tasks such as preparing meals and searching for objects. To achieve such tasks, robots need semantic world models, deﬁned as object-based representations of the world involving task-level attributes. In this work, we address the problem of estimating world models from semantic perception modules that provide noisy observations of attributes. Because attribute detections are sparse, ambiguous, and are aggregated across different viewpoints, it is unclear which attribute measurements are produced by the same object, so data association issues are prevalent. We present novel clustering-based approaches to this problem, which are more efﬁcient and require less severe approximations compared to existing tracking-based approaches. These approaches are applied to data containing object type-and-pose detections from multiple viewpoints, and demonstrate comparable quality to the existing approach using a fraction of the computation time.