Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local sustained delivery of acetylsalicylic acid via hybrid stent with biodegradable nanofibers reduces adhesion of blood cells and promotes reendothelialization of the denuded artery

Incomplete endothelialization, blood cell adhesion to vascular stents, and inflammation of arteries can result in acute stent thromboses. The systemic administration of acetylsalicylic acid decreases endothelial dysfunction, potentially reducing thrombus, enhancing vasodilatation, and inhibiting the progression of atherosclerosis; but, this is weakened by upper gastrointestinal bleeding. This study proposes a hybrid stent with biodegradable nanofibers, for the local, sustained delivery of acetylsalicylic acid to injured artery walls. Biodegradable nanofibers are prepared by first dissolving poly(D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide and acetylsalicylic acid in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol. The solution is then electrospun into nanofibrous tubes, which are then mounted onto commercially available bare-metal stents. In vitro release rates of pharmaceuticals from nanofibers are characterized using an elution method, and a highperformance liquid chromatography assay. The experimental results suggest that biodegradable nanofibers release high concentrations of acetylsalicylic acid for three weeks. The in vivo efficacy of local delivery of acetylsalicylic acid in reducing platelet and monocyte adhesion, and the minimum tissue inflammatory reaction caused by the hybrid stents in treating denuded rabbit arteries, are documented. The proposed hybrid stent, with biodegradable acetylsalicylic acid-loaded nanofibers, substantially contributed to local, sustained delivery of drugs to promote re-endothelialization and reduce thrombogenicity in the injured artery. The stents may have potential applications in the local delivery of cardiovascular drugs. Furthermore, the use of hybrid stents with acetylsalicylic acid-loaded nanofibers that have high drug loadings may provide insight into the treatment of patients with high risk of acute stent thromboses.
A multi-agent collaborative control architecture with fuzzy adjustment for a mobile robot

One of the current challenges of control research is to make systems capable of showing intelligent responses to changing circumstances. To address this task, more complex systems are being developed. However, it is technologically difficult and potentially dangerous to build complex systems that are controlled in a completely centralized way. One approach to building decentralization systems is using multi-agent technology for building control architectures. But it seems risky to recursively extend using multi-agent systems to develop part of the system, such as a single behaviour.One alternative approach is to use collaborative control to deploy specific (low level) behaviours, so that several controllers are combined in a single agent of the multi-agent architecture in order to achieve the wanted behaviour. This paper presents a collaborative controller applied to the goto behaviour. The experiments were carried out using a Pioneer mobile robot.
Computational mammography using deep neural networks

Automatic tissue classification from medical images is an important step in pathology detection and diagnosis. Here, we deal with mammography images and present a novel supervised deep learning-based framework for region classification into semantically coherent tissues. The proposed method uses Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to learn discriminative features automatically. We overcome the difficulty involved in a medium-size database by training the CNN in an overlapping patch-wise manner. In order to accelerate the pixel-wise automatic class prediction, we use convolutional layers instead of the classical fully connected layers. This approach results in significantly faster computation, while preserving the classification accuracy. The proposed method was tested on annotated mammography images and demonstrates promising image segmentation and tissue classification results.
IONIC TRANSFER ACROSS THE ISOLATED FROG LARGE INTESTINE

The unidirectional fluxes of sodium, chloride, and of the bicarbonate and CO2 pair were determined across the isolated large intestine of the bullfrog, Rana catesbiana. The isolated large intestine of the frog is characterized by a mean transmembrane potential of 45 mv. , serosal surface positive with respect to mucosal. The unidirectional sodium flux from mucosal to serosal surface was found to be equal to the short-circuit current, thus the net flux was less than the simultaneous short-circuit current. This discrepancy between active sodium transport and short-circuit current can be attributed to the active transport of cation in the same direction as sodium and/or the active transport of anion in the opposite direction. The unidirectional fluxes of chloride and the bicarbonate and CO2 pair revealed no evidence for active transport of either anion. A quantitative study of chloride fluxes at 45 mv. revealed a flux ratio of 1.8 which is considerably less than a ratio of 6 expected for free passive diffusion. It was concluded that a considerable proportion of the isotopic transfer of chloride could be attributed to "exchange diffusion. " Study of the electrical properties of the isolated frog colon reveals that it can be treated as a simple D. C. resistance over the range of -20 to +95 mv.
Pathways for positive cattle-wildlife interactions in semi-arid rangelands

Livestock- wildlife interactions in rangelands are often viewed in terms of competition, but livestock and native ungulates can also benefi t each other through long- term modifi cations of rangeland habitats. Here we synthesize research on rangelands in central Laikipia focusing on two types of cattle- wildlife interactions that have implica- tions for their long- term coexistence. The fi rst interaction occurs via redistribution of soil nutrients within the ecosystem, which is a consequence of the use of bomas (temporary corrals) to manage livestock. Our studies on two different soil types show that rotational boma management creates hectare- scale patches in the landscape that are enriched in soil and plant nutrients and persist for decades to centuries. In both of the predominant soil types in Laikipia, forage phosphorus content is low relative to ungulate demands during peak lactation. Nutrient- rich boma sites (hereafter referred to as glades) provide a key wet- season forage resource of nutritional suffi ciency for lactation. Our studies further show that a wide range of native ungulates selectively use glades relative to surrounding nutrient- poor habitats. Impala (Aepyceros melampus) in particular show intensive use of glades on sandy soils and are rare in portions of the landscape lacking glades. A second important pathway for cattle- wildlife interaction occurs through the infl uence of native browsing ungulates on woody vegetation. Shrub and tree cover has been increasing in Laikipia over the past century, followed by increases in native browsers in recent decades on ranches where wildlife are allowed to coexist with cattle. Our exclosure experiments in central Laikipia indicate that native browsers suppress shrub encroachment on both dominant soil types. However, the strength of browser effects are three to seven times greater on sandy soils, where two browsers, dik- dik and elephants, are both abundant, compared to heavy clay soils, where elephants are the only dominant browser. In the clay soils, native browsers still exert a signifi cant infl uence on dynamics of the domi- nant tree, Acacia drepanolobium, and suppress encroachment by subdominant shrub species. Browser effects on woody vegetation likely enhance forage production for cattle and maintain open habitats favored by native grazers for predator avoidance. Taken together, our studies indicate that boma rotation and browser control of shrub encroach- ment are key interaction pathways that promote cattle- wildlife coexistence in the Ewaso ecosystem.
The role of mitochondria in stem cell fate and aging

ABSTRACT The importance of mitochondria in energy metabolism, signal transduction and aging in post-mitotic tissues has been well established. Recently, the crucial role of mitochondrial-linked signaling in stem cell function has come to light and the importance of mitochondria in mediating stem cell activity is becoming increasingly recognized. Despite the fact that many stem cells exhibit low mitochondrial content and a reliance on mitochondrial-independent glycolytic metabolism for energy, accumulating evidence has implicated the importance of mitochondrial function in stem cell activation, fate decisions and defense against senescence. In this Review, we discuss the recent advances that link mitochondrial metabolism, homeostasis, stress responses, and dynamics to stem cell function, particularly in the context of disease and aging. This Review will also highlight some recent progress in mitochondrial therapeutics that may present attractive strategies for improving stem cell function as a basis for regenerative medicine and healthy aging. Summary: This Review looks beyond the role of mitochondria in cellular energy metabolism and highlights recent studies that implicate mitochondrial function in stem cell activation, fate decisions and defense against senescence.
Cannabinoids as therapeutic agents in cancer: current status and future implications

The pharmacological importance of cannabinoids has been in study for several years. Cannabinoids comprise of (a) the active compounds of the Cannabis sativa plant, (b) endogenous as well as (c) synthetic cannabinoids. Though cannabinoids are clinically used for anti-palliative effects, recent studies open a promising possibility as anti-cancer agents. They have been shown to possess anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects in vitro as well as in vivo in different cancer models. Cannabinoids regulate key cell signaling pathways that are involved in cell survival, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, etc. There is more focus on CB1 and CB2, the two cannabinoid receptors which are activated by most of the cannabinoids. In this review article, we will focus on a broad range of cannabinoids, their receptor dependent and receptor independent functional roles against various cancer types with respect to growth, metastasis, energy metabolism, immune environment, stemness and future perspectives in exploring new possible therapeutic opportunities.
Increase in Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis Does Not Prevent Muscle Loss but Increased Tumor Size in a Mouse Model of Acute Cancer-Induced Cachexia

Cancer-associated cachexia is a complex metabolic condition characterized by the progressive loss of body fat and deterioration of muscle mass. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cachexia are incompletely understood, previous studies have suggested mitochondrial dysfunction in murine models of cancer cachexia. To better understand the metabolic shift in cancer-induced cachexia, we studied the effects of enhanced oxidative capacity on muscle wasting using transgenic mice over-expressing Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma Co-activator-1α (PGC-1α) in skeletal muscle in a Lewis lung carcinoma-implanted model. Increased mitochondrial biogenesis was observed in the skeletal muscle of tumor-implanted mice. However, these increases did not prevent or reverse muscle wasting in mice harboring tumors. Moreover, tumor size was increased in muscle PGC-1α over-expressing mice. We found similar levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines in tumor-implanted animals, which was not affected by increased muscle expression of PGC-1α. Our data indicated that increased mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle is not sufficient to rescue tumor-associated, acute muscle loss, and could promote tumor growth, possibly through the release of myokines.
Inhibition of cancer cell invasion by cannabinoids via increased expression of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1.

BACKGROUND Cannabinoids, in addition to having palliative benefits in cancer therapy, have been associated with anticarcinogenic effects. Although the antiproliferative activities of cannabinoids have been intensively investigated, little is known about their effects on tumor invasion. METHODS Matrigel-coated and uncoated Boyden chambers were used to quantify invasiveness and migration, respectively, of human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells that had been treated with cannabinoids (the stable anandamide analog R(+)-methanandamide [MA] and the phytocannabinoid delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) in the presence or absence of antagonists of the CB1 or CB2 cannabinoid receptors or of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) or inhibitors of p38 or p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting were used to assess the influence of cannabinoids on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and endogenous tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs). The role of TIMP-1 in the anti-invasive action of cannabinoids was analyzed by transfecting HeLa, human cervical carcinoma (C33A), or human lung carcinoma cells (A549) cells with siRNA targeting TIMP-1. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Without modifying migration, MA and THC caused a time- and concentration-dependent suppression of HeLa cell invasion through Matrigel that was accompanied by increased expression of TIMP-1. At the lowest concentrations tested, MA (0.1 microM) and THC (0.01 microM) led to a decrease in invasion (normalized to that observed with vehicle-treated cells) of 61.5% (95% CI = 38.7% to 84.3%, P < .001) and 68.1% (95% CI = 31.5% to 104.8%, P = .0039), respectively. The stimulation of TIMP-1 expression and suppression of cell invasion were reversed by pretreatment of cells with antagonists to CB1 or CB2 receptors, with inhibitors of MAPKs, or, in the case of MA, with an antagonist to TRPV1. Knockdown of cannabinoid-induced TIMP-1 expression by siRNA led to a reversal of the cannabinoid-elicited decrease in tumor cell invasiveness in HeLa, A549, and C33A cells. CONCLUSION Increased expression of TIMP-1 mediates an anti-invasive effect of cannabinoids. Cannabinoids may therefore offer a therapeutic option in the treatment of highly invasive cancers.
5 # Turbulence-driven instabilities limit insect flight performance

Environmental turbulence is ubiquitous in natural habitats, but its effect on flying animals remains unknown because most flight studies are performed in still air or artificially smooth flow. Here we show that variability in external airflow limits maximum flight speed in wild orchid bees by causing severe instabilities. Bees flying in front of an outdoor, turbulent air jet become increasingly unstable about their roll axis as airspeed and flow variability increase. Bees extend their hindlegs ventrally at higher speeds, improving roll stability but also increasing body drag and associated power requirements by 30%. Despite the energetic cost, we observed this stability-enhancing behavior in 10 euglossine species from 3 different genera, spanning an order of magnitude in body size. A field experiment in which we altered the level of turbulence demonstrates that flight instability and maximum flight speed are directly related to flow variability. The effect of environmental turbulence on flight stability is thus an important and previously unrecognized determinant of flight performance.
Diabetes mellitus and changes of peripheral blood cells in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been identified as a new risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is also associated with changes of peripheral blood cells. However, no information was available for the relationship between DM and changes of peripheral blood cells. Our present study was designed to determine this relationship in our Chinese HCC patients. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with HCC and hospitalized at our hospital in the period from January 2003 to April 2012 were included in this study. Their data, including demographic, metabolic, laboratory, biochemical, instrumental, radiological and pathological features, were analyzed. Results: A total of 375 HCC patients were included and 63 (16.8%) of which were diagnosed with diabetes. Compared with patients without DM, the HCC patients with DM were older, and had increased levels of fasting glucose and systolic blood pressure (SBP), lower values of hemoglobin and platelet count, and a lower percentage of patients with HBV infection. Multivariable analysis showed that hemoglobin (OR=0.982; 95% CI, 0.971-0.993; P=0.002) and SBP (OR=1.017; 95% CI, 1.001-1.034; P=0.039) were independently associated with HCC and DM. Considering the effect of cirrhosis and HBV infection for DM, sub-group analyses were performed and similar results were gained for hemoglobin (OR=0.984, 95% CI=0.970-0.998, P=0.030; OR=0.982, 95% CI=0.969-0.995, P=0.006; respectively). For treatment of diabetes, patients with biguanide use had increased levels of hemoglobin, compared with those without biguanide use. Conclusions: Hemoglobin concentrations may be affected by diabetes in our HCC patients and treatment with biguanide maybe has the potential to prevent this change.
4D-STEM for Quantitative Imaging of Magnetic Materials with Enhanced Contrast and Resolution

There is a rich variety of methods for imaging magnetic fields in TEM [1], but currently far fewer options are available for the STEM geometry. Differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging with a STEM quadrant detector provides a signal approximately proportional to the deflection of the electron beam from the local magnetic field [2]. While DPC is enjoying a resurgence, there are multiple constraints to this technique including limited dynamic ranges of the detectors, nonlinearities introduced by the signal normalization when the detector is not perfectly centered, and changing beam shape. However, if a detector can determine the true center of mass (COM) of a diffraction pattern [3], and thereby is able to obtain the probability current flow, the shifts from COM can be quantitatively connected to the projected Lorentz force [4]. Here, we demonstrate a true COM imaging system to quantitatively reconstruct magnetic fields and domains, where the full convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) pattern, containing all crystallographic information, is collected at high dynamic range, and high speed using an electron microscopy pixelated array detector (EMPAD) developed at Cornell [5]. This allows for the identification of effects arising from sample thickness, tilt, and diffraction as well as true magnetic deflections.
Partial stabilizability of cascaded systems applications to partial attitude control

In this work, the problem of partial stabilization of nonlinear control cascade systems with integrators is considered. The latter systems present an anomaly, which is the non complete stabilization via continuous purestate feedback, this is due to Brockett necessary condition. To cope with this difficulty we propose the partial stabilization. For a given motion of a dynamical system, say x(t, x0, t0) = (y(t, y0, t0), z(t, z0, t0)), the partial stabilization is the qualitative behavior of the y-component of the motion (i.e the asymptotic stabilization of the motion with respect to y) and thez-component converges, relative to the initial vector x(t0) = x0 = (y0, z0). In the present work, we establish a new results for the adding integrators for partial stabilization, we show that if the control systems is partially stabilizable, then the augmented cascade system is partially stabilizable. Two applications are considered. The first one is devoted to partial attitude stabilization of rigid spacecraft. The second application is intended to the study of underactuated ship. Numerical simulations are given to illustrate our results.
Activity Identification and Visualization

Understanding activity from observing the motion of agents is simple for people to do, yet the procedure is difficult to codify. It is impossible to enumerate all possible motion patterns which could occur, or to dictate the ex- plicit behavioural meaning of each motion. We develop visualization tools to assist a human user in labelling detected behaviours and identifying useful at- tributes. We also apply machine learning to the classification of motion into motion and behavioural labels. Issues include feature selection and classifier performance.
An examination of drivers and barriers to reducing carbon emissions in China’s manufacturing sector

Purpose Carbon Efficient Practices (CEPs) are gaining momentum due to the serious consequences of climate change. While past studies have focused on the effects of either drivers or barriers to green practices especially in the context of developed countries, relatively little attention has been devoted to the simultaneous effects of drivers and barriers on product redesign, particularly in the context of China. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using a blend of the Contextual Interaction Theory and Newton’s second law of motion, this paper proposes a conceptual model that simultaneously examines the impact of CEP drivers and barriers on product redesign and performance. Findings Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis on a sample of 239 Chinese manufacturing firms indicated that drivers had substantially higher effects on product redesign and performance compared to the influence of other barriers. Originality/value Use of Newton’s second law of motion as a theoretical framework for understanding the adoption of CEPs in the context of China is novel. Implications of this pattern of results on academic theory building and practice are offered.
Ecological Importance of Large Herbivores in the Ewaso Ecosystem

Large ungulate herbivores are widely considered to be functionally important components of African savannas, but this belief is based largely on what is known about their direct interactions (as consumers of plants and food for predators). Their indirect interactions, both as key consumers within food webs and as “engineers” of habitat structure, are less well understood. Here we review the results of nearly 15 years of experimental research at Mpala Research Centre (Laikipia, Kenya), focusing primarily on the indirect effects of ungulates on the abundance, distribution, and diversity of other species. We highlight several broad conclusions: (1) ungulate exclusion increases densities of plants and many small consumers; (2) the strength of these indirect effects is context dependent and may vary systematically along environmental gradients; (3) impacts of different ungulate species vary both quantitatively and qualitatively. Although some of the observed effects of ungulate exclusion were predictable, others were surprising. These insights are obliquely relevant to management, but there remains a mismatch between the kinds of information most interesting to academics on the one hand and most useful to land mangers on the other. We conclude by identifying some areas of likely convergence between questions of basic and applied importance.