Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The cell sectioning model. Nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio studied by computer simulation.

OBJECTIVE Stereologic analysis can be supported using methods of modeling and simulation. To illustrate the use of a mathematical cell sectioning model (CSM) in predicting two-dimensional (2-D) measurement characteristics of sectioned cells by means of computer-assisted simulation, the present study was performed. STUDY DESIGN Computer software based on the CSM was developed to simulate 2-D nuclear/cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio distributions and to test the sensitivity of the parameter to several factors. Simulations were performed with the following feature set for cells of simulated populations: (1) size, shape (approximated by an ellipsoid of rotation) and orientation of the cell, and (2) size, shape and intracellular position of the nucleus. RESULTS The computer tests showed that the value of the 2-D N/C ratio depends upon many factors; the real three-dimensional N/C ratio is only one. Statistical characteristics of a 2-D N/C ratio sample were found to be sensitive to changes in (1) the nuclear position inside the cell, (2) cell shape, and (3) orientation of the asymmetric cell with respect to a cutting plane. CONCLUSION CSM tests demonstrated the model validity of and potentials for using it as an algorithm for morphometry software. Taking into account the sensitivity of the 2-D N/C ratio parameter to various factors, great care must be used in interpreting its observations.
The potential of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of diagenetically transformed carotenoids

Recently, carotenoids have received much attention as target compounds for astrobiological prospecting principally because they are a group of molecules that display unique diagnostic Raman spectra that can be assigned to organic material of unequivocal biological origin. However, no work has been performed on assessing the potential of Raman spectroscopic detection of carotenoids from fossilized microbes. Here, we report the first Raman spectra acquired from ‘perhydro’ derivatives of β-carotene and lycopene formed by hydrogenation of the polyene chain during diagenesis, resulting in much less specific fossil hydrocarbons such as β-carotane and lycopane, respectively. We propose here that diagenetically altered carotenoids formed by hydrogenation reactions during the fossilization processes also provide unique diagnostic spectra that can be interpreted as a biological signature.
Identification of congenital deafblindness

For many reasons an accurate and straightforward identification of congenital deafblindness can be difficult. This article reports on the assessment procedures and experience in Denmark where medical examinations were combined with functional assessments performed through direct observation. The study evaluated the assessment procedure of 190 children and adults found to be congenitally deafblind. Among the 190 individuals 76 percent were determined using functional assessment in addition to medical examination. A case example involving a 12-year-old child is also presented to illustrate the complexity in identifying congenital deafblindness. It is concluded that determining deafblindness should not be limited to medical procedures (vision and hearing tests) alone, but may also involve a lengthy process to assess the level of sense functioning the individual possesses.
Progesterone regulation of estrogen receptor in the hamster uterus during the estrous cycle.

The purpose of this study was to determine serum steroid-uterine receptor relationships during the preovulatory period of the hamster estrous cycle. Methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous measurement of estrogen receptor (Re) and progesterone receptor in cytosol and a KCl extract of the nuclear fraction. Receptor levels (picomoles per g tissue) were determined by Scatchard plot analysis of specific 3H-labeled steroid binding data. Serum 17β-estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) were measured by standard RIA procedures. During the 4-day cycle, nuclear Re increased from day 2 to the morning of day 4 (proestrus) in parallel with rising serum E titers. After the critical period (1300–1400 h) for the ovulatory surge of gonadotropin on day 4, there was a transient surge of serum E and a sustained elevation of serum P. Preovulatory P secretion was associated with P receptor translocation to the nuclear fraction. The E surge was accompanied by cytosol Re depletion, but there was no concomitant inc.
Exonic Splicing Mutations Are More Prevalent than Currently Estimated and Can Be Predicted by Using In Silico Tools

The identification of a causal mutation is essential for molecular diagnosis and clinical management of many genetic disorders. However, even if next-generation exome sequencing has greatly improved the detection of nucleotide changes, the biological interpretation of most exonic variants remains challenging. Moreover, particular attention is typically given to protein-coding changes often neglecting the potential impact of exonic variants on RNA splicing. Here, we used the exon 10 of MLH1, a gene implicated in hereditary cancer, as a model system to assess the prevalence of RNA splicing mutations among all single-nucleotide variants identified in a given exon. We performed comprehensive minigene assays and analyzed patient’s RNA when available. Our study revealed a staggering number of splicing mutations in MLH1 exon 10 (77% of the 22 analyzed variants), including mutations directly affecting splice sites and, particularly, mutations altering potential splicing regulatory elements (ESRs). We then used this thoroughly characterized dataset, together with experimental data derived from previous studies on BRCA1, BRCA2, CFTR and NF1, to evaluate the predictive power of 3 in silico approaches recently described as promising tools for pinpointing ESR-mutations. Our results indicate that ΔtESRseq and ΔHZEI-based approaches not only discriminate which variants affect splicing, but also predict the direction and severity of the induced splicing defects. In contrast, the ΔΨ-based approach did not show a compelling predictive power. Our data indicates that exonic splicing mutations are more prevalent than currently appreciated and that they can now be predicted by using bioinformatics methods. These findings have implications for all genetically-caused diseases.
Resource theory: Explorations and applications.

U.G. Foa, K.T. Tornbolm, E.B. Foa, and J. Converse, Jr. , Introduction: Resource Theory in Social Psychology. Probing the Basic Notions: U.G. Foa, Interpersonal and Economic Resources. J. Converse, Jr., and U.G. Foa, Some Principles of Equity in Interpersonal Exchanges. D. Brinberg and P. Castell, A Resource Exchange Theory Approach to Interpersonal Interactions: A Test of Foa's Theory. U.G. Foa, L.N. Salcedo, K.Y. Tornblom, M. Garner, H. Glaubman, and M. Teichman, Interrelation of Social Resources: Evidence of Pancultural Invariance. Resource Needs and Life Satisfaction: R. Blieszner, Resource Exchange in the Social Networks of Elderly Women. K.Y. Tornblom and B.O. Nilsson, The Effect of Matching Resources to Source on Their Perceived Importance and Sufficiency. J.H. Berg and F.A. Wiebe, Resource Exchange in the Workplace: Exchange of Economic and Interpersonal Resources. K.D. Rettig, S.M. Danes, and J.W. Bauer, Gender Differences in Perceived Family Life Quality among Economically Stressed Farm Families. M. Teichman, H. Glaubman, and M. Garner, From Early Adolescence to Middly-Age Adulthood: The Perceived Need for Interpersonal Resources in Four Developmental Stages. Applications and Integrations: J.H. Berg, K.E. Piner, and S.M. Frank, Resource Theory and Close Relationships. K. Tornblom, P. Sten, K. Pirak, A. Pudas and E. Tornlund, Type of Resource and Choice of Comparison Target. D. Brinberg and S. Ganesan, An Application of Foa's Resource Theory to Product Positioning. L.L'Abate and T. Harel, Deriving, Developing, and Expanding a Theory of Developmental Competence from Resource Exchange Theory. R.A. Hinde, Epilogue. Appendix: A Bibliography of Uriel G. Foa's Publications.
Novel Methods for the Prediction of logP, pKa, and logD

Novel methods for predicting logP, pK(a), and logD values have been developed using data sets (592 molecules for logP and 1029 for pK(a)) containing a wide range of molecular structures. An equation with three molecular properties (polarizability and partial atomic charges on nitrogen and oxygen) correlates highly with logP (r2 = 0.89). The pK(a)s are estimated for both acids and bases using a novel tree structured fingerprint describing the ionizing centers. The new models have been compared with existing models and also experimental measurements on test sets of common organic compounds and pharmaceutical molecules.
Identification of a Probable Pore-Forming Domain in the Multimeric Vacuolar Anion Channel AtALMT91[W][OPEN]

Several subunits participate in forming the permeation pathway of a vacuolar anion channel. Aluminum-activated malate transporters (ALMTs) form an important family of anion channels involved in fundamental physiological processes in plants. Because of their importance, the role of ALMTs in plant physiology is studied extensively. In contrast, the structural basis of their functional properties is largely unknown. This lack of information limits the understanding of the functional and physiological differences between ALMTs and their impact on anion transport in plants. This study aimed at investigating the structural organization of the transmembrane domain of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) vacuolar channel AtALMT9. For that purpose, we performed a large-scale mutagenesis analysis and found two residues that form a salt bridge between the first and second putative transmembrane α-helices (TMα1 and TMα2). Furthermore, using a combination of pharmacological and mutagenesis approaches, we identified citrate as an “open channel blocker” of AtALMT9 and used this tool to examine the inhibition sensitivity of different point mutants of highly conserved amino acid residues. By this means, we found a stretch within the cytosolic moiety of the TMα5 that is a probable pore-forming domain. Moreover, using a citrate-insensitive AtALMT9 mutant and biochemical approaches, we could demonstrate that AtALMT9 forms a multimeric complex that is supposedly composed of four subunits. In summary, our data provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence about the structural organization of an ion channel of the ALMT family. We suggest that AtALMT9 is a tetramer and that the TMα5 domains of the subunits contribute to form the pore of this anion channel.
Automatic Model Initialization for 3-D Monocular Visual Tracking of Human Limbs in Unconstrained Environments

Automated 3-D tracking of the human body is a necessary prerequisite for interactive entertainment applications, video security systems, computer animation, bio-mechanical analysis and humancomputer interaction (e.g., gesture recognition). Currently, technologies use artificial markers and a feature tracking methodology to recover the target poses. In addition, most tracking systems alter the working environment and/or include multiple camera viewpoints in order to solve issues of occlusion and depth ambiguities. However, the constraint of artificial markers and the assumption of multiple viewpoint availability significantly reduce the range of operating environments for a tracking system, particularly in the analysis of archival video footage or in security monitoring applications. A single-view marker-less technique for both off-line and real-time on-line 3D tracking is presented and shown to be more than adequate for various 3D human body tracking applications. Key-Words: tracking, particle filter, bio-mechanical analysis, limbs
SILO DESCRIBED AS A PERCOLATING TRANSITION

We have looked into an experiment that has been termed the “canonical example” of jamming: granular material, clogging the outlet of a container as it is discharged by gravity. We present quantitative data of such an experiment. The experimental control parameter is the ratio between the radius of the orifice and the radius of the beads. As this parameter is increased, the jamming probability decreases. However, in the range of parameters explored, no evidence of criticality —in the sense of a jamming probability that becomes infinitely small for a finite radius— has been found. We draw instead a comparison with a simple model that captures the main features of the phenomenon, namely, percolation in one dimension. The model gives indeed a phase transition, albeit a special one. PACS numbers: 45.70. Ht, 45.70. Mg
Detecting Sleepiness by Fusing Classifiers Trained with Novel Acoustic Features

Automatic sleepiness detection is a challenging task that can lead to advances in various domains including traffic safety, medicine and human-machine interaction. This paper analyzes the discriminative power of different acoustic features to detect sleepiness. The study uses the sleepy language corpus (SLC). Along with standard acoustic features, novel features are proposed including functionals across voiced segment statistics in the F0 contour, likelihoods of reference models used to contrast non-neutral speech, and a set of robust to noise spectral features. These feature sets, which have performed well in other paralinguistic tasks such as emotion recognition, are used to train classifiers that are combined at the feature and decision levels. The best unweighted accuracy (UA) is obtained by combining the classifiers at the decision level under a maximum likelihood framework (UA = 70.97%). This performance is higher than the best results reported in the corpus. Index Terms: Speaker State Recognition, Paralinguistics, Affective Computing, Sleepiness
Pharmacological Profile of Novel Acid Pump Antagonist 7-(4-Fluorobenzyloxy)-2,3-dimethyl-1-{[(1S,2S)-2-methyl cyclopropyl]methyl}-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine (CS-526)

The pharmacological profiles of the novel acid pump antagonist 7-(4-fluorobenzyloxy)-2,3-dimethyl-1-{[(1S,2S)-2-methylcyclopropyl]methyl}-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine (CS-526) were investigated in terms of hog gastric H+,K+-ATPase activity, gastric acid secretion, and acute gastroesophageal lesions in comparison with other proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). CS-526 inhibited H+,K+-ATPase activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 61 nM. The inhibitory effect of CS-526 on H+,K+-ATPase activity was more potent than that of any of the other PPIs examined. The inhibitory mechanism of CS-526 on H+,K+-ATPase was a competitive antagonism to the K+ binding site of H+,K+-ATPase, and it was also a reversible inhibition. In pylorus-ligated rats, intraduodenal or oral administration of CS-526 inhibited gastric acid secretion in a dose-dependent manner, and the ID50 values were 2.8 or 0.7 mg/kg, respectively. In Heidenhain pouch dogs, intrapouch administration of CS-526 inhibited histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in a dose- and retention time-dependent manner. In a reflux esophagitis model, intraduodenal and oral administration of CS-526 prevented esophageal lesions with ID50 values of 5.4 and 1.9 mg/kg, respectively. Lansoprazole prevented esophagitis only by intraduodenal administration (ID50 = 2.2 mg/kg). Furthermore, CS-526 inhibited acute gastric mucosal lesions. These data demonstrate that the novel acid pump antagonist CS-526 has potent antisecretory and antiulcer effects. These findings indicate that CS-526 would have a curative effect on gastroesophageal reflux disease via its potent antisecretory and antiulcer actions.
Site-restricted persistent cytomegalovirus infection after selective long-term depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes

We have established a murine model system for exploring the ability of a CD4 subset-deficient host to cope with cytomegalovirus infection, and reported three findings. First, an antiviral response of the CD8 subset of T lymphocytes could be not only initiated but also maintained for a long period of time despite a continued absence of the CD4 subset, whereas the production of antiviral antibody proved strictly dependent upon help provided by the CD4 subset. Second, no function in the defense against infection could be ascribed as yet to CD4-CD8- T lymphocytes, which were seen to accumulate to a new subset as a result of depletion of the CD4 subset. This newly arising subset did not substitute for CD4+ T lymphocytes in providing help to B lymphocytes, and was also not effective in controlling the spread of virus in host tissues. As long as a function of these cells in the generation and maintenance of a CD8 subset-mediated response is not disproved, caution is indicated with concern to an autonomy of the CD8 subset. Third, even though with delay, the CD8+ effector cells raised in the CD4 subset- deficient host were able of clear vital tissues from productive infection and to restrict asymptomatic, persistent infection to acinar glandular epithelial cells in salivary gland tissue.
The Grammar Hammer of 2012

This document is a case study in aggressive self-archiving. It collects all initiatives undertaken by its author in 2012, including unpublished ones, explains their relevance and relation with one another. Discussed topics include guided convergence of formal grammars in a broad sense, programmable grammar transformation operator suites, metasyntactic specifications and methods of their manipulation, tolerant (soft computing) methods in parsing theory, megamodelling as modelling linguistic architecture of software systems, repositories of grammatical knowledge, open notebook computer science, as well as the number of minor topics (new parsing algorithms, visualisation techniques, etc). A brief overview of involved venues is also included in the report.
CPU transparent protection of OS kernel and hypervisor integrity with programmable DRAM

Increasingly, cyber attacks (e.g., kernel rootkits) target the inner rings of a computer system, and they have seriously undermined the integrity of the entire computer systems. To eliminate these threats, it is imperative to develop innovative solutions running below the attack surface. This paper presents MGuard, a new most inner ring solution for inspecting the system integrity that is directly integrated with the DRAM DIMM devices. More specifically, we design a programmable guard that is integrated with the advanced memory buffer of FB-DIMM to continuously monitor all the memory traffic and detect the system integrity violations. Unlike the existing approaches that are either snapshot-based or lack compatibility and flexibility, MGuard continuously monitors the integrity of all the outer rings including both OS kernel and hypervisor of interest, with a greater extendibility enabled by a programmable interface. It offers a hardware drop-in solution transparent to the host CPU and memory controller. Moreover, MGuard is isolated from the host software and hardware, leading to strong security for remote attackers. Our simulation-based experimental results show that MGuard introduces no speed overhead, and is able to detect nearly all the OS-kernel and hypervisor control data related rootkits we tested.
Necessary but not sufficient: Beyond novelty in advertising creativity

Novelty has been considered the bedrock of creative advertising. However, Ang, Lee, and Leong (2007, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 35: 220–232) proposed in their ad creativity cube that, to be effective, novel ads need to be both meaningful and connect to their audience as well. This study empirically tests whether the effects of novelty can be enhanced by meaningfulness and connectedness. Results generally showed that novelty, coupled with meaningfulness and connectedness, enhances consumer ad response. Such ads were evaluated as being more creative and were recalled and liked better than novel ads which lack either meaningfulness or connectedness, or both, as well as less novel ads of a similar nature. Implications are discussed and directions for future research suggested.
Application of axiomatic design in injection molding process

An axiomatic approach to design allows engineering design to be taught as a science. As in other sciences, basic underlying principles with broad applications can be taught. These principles are applied to solving design problems and are used for evaluation. This approach has clear and important advantages over the traditional approaches, which rely on compliance with sometimes abstract algorithms to attempt to ensure good results. These approaches often include intuition, innate creativity, and evaluation by experience, teaching by one-on-one coaching, and a process based on time-intensive iterations of trial-and-error work. A good design method should be self-consistent and could therefore be used to design the content as well as the best approach for teaching engineering design. Present work attempts applying the axiomatic design & its software Accelero DFSSV5 to process design of the component in Injection Molding Process. By this the number of process design iterations are reduced in design aspect as well as manufacturing aspects. The accurate warpage for the taken model predicted using Mold Flow Plastic Insight (MPI) 5.0 software.
Tire classification from still images and video

The use of different types of tires (e.g., all-season, snow, studded, summer) is regulated by law in several states and countries. Violation of tire usage laws typically results in substantial fines for infringers. In this paper, we propose an automated method to classify tires into snow, all-season and summer tires from still images or from a sequence of video frames. Our method first trains a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier on features extracted from a set of training images. Classification of test tire images is a two-stage process that entails feature extraction and tire classification based on the processing of the extracted features by the previously trained SVM classifier. The principle underlying the feature extraction stage is the representation of tire images via a low-dimensional approximation obtained from Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In order to improve robustness to changes in illumination and perspective, the features are extracted from the frequency representation of the binary edge map of the tire tread image. Our experimental results show that the proposed method achieves high classification accuracy.