Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Silencing gut genes associated with the peritrophic matrix of Reticulitermes flavipes (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) increases susceptibility to termiticides

The peritrophic matrix (PM) is a noncellular structure that lines the gut of most insects. Because of its close involvement in digestive processes and its role as a barrier against pathogens and toxins, the PM is an attractive target for pest management strategies. The objectives of this study were to (1) reduce the expression of a chitin synthase gene (Reticulitermes flavipes chitin synthase B, RfCHSB), a putative peritrophin [R. flavipes Protein with Peritrophin‐A domain 1, (RfPPAD1)] and a confirmed peritrophin [R. flavipes Protein with Peritrophin‐A domain 2 (RfPPAD2)] in R. flavipes by means of RNA interference, and (2) to evaluate the susceptibility of R. flavipes to termiticides and a bacterial pathogen, after silencing the target genes. Force feeding termites with 55 and 100 ng of long double‐stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), targeting RfCHSB and RfPPAD2, respectively, resulted in the highest levels of transcript suppression. RfCHSB expression was reduced by 70%, whereas the transcript level of RfPPAD2 was decreased by 90%. Force feeding 100 ng/termite of a long RfPPAD1 dsRNA reduced the expression of the transcript by 30%. Challenging termites with imidacloprid, chlorantraniliprole and noviflumuron, after silencing RfCHSB, significantly increased termite mortality. Force feeding termites a dsRNA cocktail, targeting RfCHSB, RfPPAD1 and RfPPAD2, caused the highest significant increase in termite mortality after challenging the insects with imidacloprid. These results demonstrate the viability of the R. flavipes PM as a target in termite pest management.
An experimental study on model reference adaptive control for robot manipulators

Model reference adaptive control based on Popov's hyperstability theory is applied to the trajectory tracking control of a two-link SCARA-type manipulator, and its effectiveness is examined experimentally. A linearized state equation with an optimal state feedback is used as a reference model. The similarity of the structure of the model and a real system like this is useful for simplifying the design of the adaptive control system. Further, by introducing a new adaptation law which consists of a combination of linear and non-linear control, it is possible to reduce high frequency chattering in the control inputs. The results of a simulation and experiment show that by adding a rather simple adaptation mechanism to a conventional state feedback, the effects of Coulomb frictions and parameter identification errors are removed and the accuracy of trajectory tracking is greatly improved.
Analysis of stresses in FeSi sheets induced by laser cutting

The stresses induced by laser cutting in the non-oriented fully processed electrical FeSi sheets were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. The magnetic measurements were used for studies of changes in magnetic properties due to changes in stresses. The original laser cut samples were compared with those after heat treatment. The magnetic measurements appeared as the most sensitive method among those selected for the present study. The influence of stresses has an impact on the shape of the hysteresis loops and the permeability in dependence on the excitation magnetic field. The selected heat treatment caused decrease of stresses and improvement of magnetic properties of the sheets.
Steroid Pretreatment of Organ Donors to Prevent Postischemic Renal Allograft Failure

BACKGROUND Posttransplantation acute renal failure (ARF) occurs in roughly 25% of recipients of organs from deceased donors. Inflammation in the donor organ is associated with risk for ARF. OBJECTIVE To determine whether administering corticosteroids to deceased organ donors reduces the incidence and duration of ARF in organ recipients more than placebo. DESIGN Parallel, blocked randomized trial, performed between February 2006 and November 2008, with computer-generated randomization and centralized allocation. Investigators were masked to group assignment. (Controlled-trials.com registration number: ISRCTN78828338) SETTING: 3 renal transplantation centers in Austria and Hungary. PATIENTS 306 deceased heart-beating donors and 455 renal transplant recipients. INTERVENTIONS Organ donors were administered an intravenous infusion of either 1000 mg of methylprednisolone (136 donors) or placebo (0.9% saline) (133 donors) at least 3 hours before organ harvesting. MEASUREMENTS Incidence of ARF, defined as more than 1 dialysis session in the first week after transplantation, was the primary end point. Secondary and other end points included duration of ARF and trajectories of serum creatinine level. The suppression of immune response and inflammation by the intervention was assessed in the donor organ on a genome-wide basis. RESULTS 52 of 238 recipients (22%) of kidneys from steroid-treated donors and 54 of 217 recipients (25%) of kidneys from placebo-treated donors had ARF (difference, 3 percentage points [95% CI, -11 to 5 percentage points]). One graft was lost on day 1 in each group, and 1 recipient in the placebo group died of cardiac arrest on day 2. The median duration of ARF was 5 days (interquartile range, 2 days) in the steroid group and 4 days (interquartile range, 2 days) in the placebo group (P = 0.31). The groups had similar trajectories of serum creatinine level in the first week (P = 0.72). Genomic analysis showed suppressed inflammation and immune response in kidney biopsies from deceased donors who received corticosteroids. LIMITATION Donors and recipients were mainly white, and all were from 3 transplantation centers in central Europe, which may limit generalizability. CONCLUSION Systemic suppression of inflammation in deceased donors by corticosteroids did not reduce the incidence or duration of posttransplantation ARF in allograft recipients. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Austrian Science Fund and Austrian Academy of Science.
Totally implantable middle ear device for rehabilitation of sensorineural hearing loss: preliminary experience with the Esteem®, Envoy

Conclusion. According to the first series of implanted patients, Esteem 2® technology can be regarded as a safe and reliable system for hearing restoration in case of moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Objectives. To assess the benefit deriving from implantation of a totally implantable middle ear device in subjects affected by moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss, the Esteem 2® (Envoy Medical), as measured through pure tone audiometry testing carried out during the different postoperative fitting sessions. Patients and methods. Six patients have been operated on since July 2007. Selection was carried out via preoperative audiometric tests and thorough counseling, which considered information on previous experience with conventional hearing aids as well as each patient's motivation to undergo a surgical application. Specific surgical training is needed to accommodate routine surgical steps along with less familiar steps, such as placement of cement material and overall fixation of the system. Results. The surgical procedure took a long time, but a reduced duration was recorded in the last procedure compared with the first one. The implantation process induced a deterioration in hearing thresholds, which fully recovered after activation of the device. A postoperative hearing gain could be measured in all three patients: in this regard, the perceived quality of sound was shown to be better than could be expected by the measurable hearing gain.
Fiber-spinnable solutions of silkworm fibroin

本发明涉及一种用于纺丝纤维的方法，该方法包括把丝蛋白溶解于含水的盐溶液中，从该溶液中除去盐，接下来除掉水，以形成一种再生丝材料，然后将丝材料溶解在六氟异丙醇中，以形成一种可纺纤维溶液。
High phosphorylated 4E‐binding protein 1 expression after chemoradiotherapy is a predictor for locoregional recurrence and worse survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients

As a well‐known pivotal factor of 4E‐binding protein 1 (4E‐BP1) in controlling cancer proliferation, high expression of its phosphorylated form (p‐4E‐BP1) has been reported to be associated with poor outcome in various human cancers without pretreated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT). However, no data is available regarding the implication of p‐4E‐BP1 expression after CRT. Therefore, we conducted this study.
The strength of donor‐specific antibody is a more reliable predictor of antibody‐mediated rejection than flow cytometry crossmatch analysis in desensitized kidney recipients

Mujtaba MA, Goggins W, Lobashevsky A, Sharfuddin AA, Yaqub MS, Mishler DP, Brahmi Z, Higgins N, Milgrom MM, Diez A, Taber T. The strength of donor‐specific antibody is a more reliable predictor of antibody‐mediated rejection than flow cytometry crossmatch analysis in desensitized kidney recipients. Clin Transplant 2011: 25: E96–E102. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Mo Addition to the A354 (Al–Si–Cu–Mg) Casting Alloy: Effects on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties at Room and High Temperature

Cast aluminum alloys are widely used in the automotive field for the production of complex engine parts. However, the mechanical properties of heat-treatable alloys (e.g., Al–Si–Mg or Al–Si–Cu–Mg) are negatively affected by prolonged exposure to temperatures higher than about 200 °C. To date, several researchers have proposed the addition of alloying elements, such as Sc or Hf, for enhancing the high temperature behavior of cast Al alloys, while Mo has not been widely investigated. The present study aimed to assess the effects of Mo addition on microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the A354 alloy. Samples of A354 alloy with different amount of Mo (in the range 0.1 to 0.8 wt %) were produced. The casting conditions and heat treatment parameters were optimized by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and hardness tests. Tensile tests highlighted that Mo induces a moderate increase of yield strength at room temperature (about 10%), but no appreciable improvement in the performance of the alloy at 250 °C was observed.
A test sequence selection method for statecharts

This paper presents a method for the selection of test sequences from statecharts. It is shown that a statechart can be transformed into a flow graph modelling the flow of both control and data in the statechart. The transformation enables the application of conventional control and data flow analysis techniques to test sequence selection from statecharts. The resulting set of test sequences provides the capability of determining whether an implementation establishes the desired flow of control and data expressed in statecharts. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Congenital Pulmonary Stenosis Resulting from Dysplasia of Valve

A distinctive type of pulmonary valvular stenosis, termed “pulmonary valvular dysplasia,” is described from six necropsies and 10 living children. The anatomic features of the stenotic pulmonary valve are unique in that there are three distinct cusps and no commissural fusion. The obstructive mechanism is related to markedly thickened, immobile cusps, characterized by the presence of disorganized myxomatous tissue.Several clinical features tend to distinguish this form of pulmonary stenosis. In each of 16 patients studied, a pulmonary ejection murmur was present, but this was not associated with an ejection click. Other features suggestive of this type of pulmonary stenosis were slow body growth, abnormal facies, and a positive family history of pulmonary stenosis. The electrocardiogram showed a greater degree of right axis deviation than is found in most cases of dome-shaped pulmonary stenosis. Right ventriculography revealed distinctive features of the pulmonary valve which were characterized by lack of typical dome-shaped deformity and by the presence of thick cusps.Experience with simple incision-valvulotomy was associated with a high (38%) operative mortality and significant residual stenosis in survivors. The suggested operative procedures include excision of a valve cusp, placement of a right ventricular outflow patch, or replacement of the pulmonary valve.
Propulsion by hispid flagella.

Equations are derived for the propulsive velocities and power dissipation of undulating hispid flagella. The observed rates of movement of water around the flagella of two chrysomonad flagellates and the translation speed of Ochromonas malhamensis agree closely with values calculated if it is assumed that the flagellar mastigonemes remain perpendicular to the flagellar surface and that these mastigonemes lie in two diametrically opposed rows situated in the plane of the flagellar wave.
Prolonged suppression of HBV in mice by a novel antibody that targets a unique epitope on hepatitis B surface antigen

Objective This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of monoclonal antibody (mAb) against HBV as a novel treatment approach to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in mouse models. Methods Therapeutic effects of mAbs against various epitopes on viral surface protein were evaluated in mice mimicking persistent HBV infection. The immunological mechanisms of mAb-mediated viral clearance were systematically investigated. Results Among 11 tested mAbs, a novel mAb E6F6 exhibited the most striking therapeutic effects in several HBV-persistent mice. Single-dose administration of E6F6 could profoundly suppress the levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA for several weeks in HBV-transgenic mice. E6F6 regimen efficiently prevented initial HBV infection, and reduced viral dissemination from infected hepatocytes in human-liver-chimeric mice. E6F6-based immunotherapy facilitated the restoration of anti-HBV T-cell response in hydrodynamic injection (HDI)-based HBV carrier mice. Immunological analyses suggested that the Fcγ receptor-dependent phagocytosis plays a predominant role in E6F6-mediated viral suppression. Molecular analyses suggested that E6F6 recognises an evolutionarily conserved epitope (GPCK(R)TCT) and only forms a smaller antibody–viral particle immune complex with limited interparticle crosslinking when it binds to viral particles. This unique binding characteristic of E6F6 to HBV was possibly associated with its effective in vivo opsonophagocytosis for viral clearance. Conclusions These results provided new insight into understanding the therapeutic role and mechanism of antibody against persistent viral infection. The E6F6-like mAbs may provide a novel immunotherapeutic agent against human chronic HBV infection.
A novel birefringent photonic crystal fiber surface plasmon resonance sensor

The design of birefringent photonic crystal fiber sensor based on the surface plasmon resonance model is proposed in this paper. This sensor utilizes circular air holes to introduce birefringence into the structure. The effect of geometric parameters on the performance of the sensor has been analysed with the operation wavelength between 600 nm and 800 nm. The sensor is designed to detect refractive index of the analyte between 1.33 and 1.35, which offers average sensitivity of about 4880 nm/RIU and 3940 nm/RIU for HEx11 and HEy11 modes, respectively. Moreover, the proposed sensor has a strong potential for multi-channel/multi-analyte sensing with much higher sensitivity.
Managing security risks for inter-organisational information systems: a multiagent collaborative model

Information sharing across organisations is critical to effectively managing the security risks of inter-organisational information systems. Nevertheless, few previous studies on information systems security have focused on inter-organisational information sharing, and none have studied the sharing of inferred beliefs versus factual observations. In this article, a multiagent collaborative model (MACM) is proposed as a practical solution to assess the risk level of each allied organisation’s information system and support proactive security treatment by sharing beliefs on event probabilities as well as factual observations. In MACM, for each allied organisation’s information system, we design four types of agents: inspection agent, analysis agent, control agent, and communication agent. By sharing soft findings (beliefs) in addition to hard findings (factual observations) among the organisations, each organisation’s analysis agent is capable of dynamically predicting its security risk level using a Bayesian network. A real-world implementation illustrates how our model can be used to manage security risks in distributed information systems and that sharing soft findings leads to lower expected loss from security risks.
Cerebral blood flow in nondemented elderly subjects with extensive deep white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging.

Our previous study showed that deep white matter lesions (DWML) were associated with subtle cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly people. However, even extensive (EXT)-DWML, found in 7 (4%) of 178 subjects aged 60 years or older, did not cause dementia. The purpose of the present study was to investigate brain circulation in nondemented elderly subjects with EXT-DWML. We compared cerebral blood flow in the deep white matter and frontal cortex between 5 subjects with EXT-DWML and 5 without such lesions, using a xenon-enhanced computed tomography (CT) method. Although the difference of deep white matter findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was the greatest possible (i.e., extensive v no or minimum lesions), cerebral blood flow values in anterior deep white matter and frontal cortex were 21.4 ± 5.3 standard deviation (SD) mL/100 g/minute and 42.7 ± 4.1, respectively, in subjects with extensive lesions, which were not significantly different from 24.3 ± 4.3 and 44.0 ± 7.1 in subjects without DWML. The present study suggests that EXT-DWML in nondemented elderly individuals do not necessarily indicate apparent hypoperfusion or marked cognitive decline.
The Development of an Educational Digital Library for Human-Centered Computing

INTRODUCTION Technology has the potential to improve both the efficacy and efficiency of the educational experience from the perspective of both students and teachers. Specifically, educational repositories can enhance the quality of education through the provision of a diverse set of learning materials, and enhance the efficiency of education by affording the reuse of stored objects. To that end, we have created the Georgia Tech Human-Centered Computing (HCC) Education Digital Library (HCC EDL) [12] for use by the worldwide HCC and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) communities.
Experiencing quantitative computer architecture

| Computer architecture often requires quantitative methods, either to evaluate the performance potential of a new concept or to search for the best solution within a range of competing con gurations. This concept is relatively straightforward to explain in a tutorial setting, but arguably explanation alone is insu cient to give a deep understanding of the quantitative method. In this paper we present an overview of the practical component within one, short, undergraduate computer architecture class at Edinburgh University, and explain how the practical component not only helps to reinforce the notion of quantitative methods but also informs the presentation of a wide range of architecture-related material. Keywords|Computer architecture, undergraduate teaching.
Time course of lewisite‐induced skin lesions and inflammatory response in the SKH‐1 hairless mouse model

Data on the toxicity of lewisite (L), a vesicant chemical warfare agent, are scarce and conflicting, and the use of the specific antidote is not without drawbacks. This study was designed to evaluate if the SKH‐1 hairless mouse model was suitable to study the L‐induced skin injuries. We studied the progression of lesions following exposure to L vapors for 21 days using paraclinical parameters (color, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and biomechanical measurements), histological assessments, and biochemical indexes of inflammation. Some data were also obtained over 27 weeks. The development of lesions was similar to that reported in other models. The TEWL parameter appeared to be the most appropriate index to follow their progression. Histological analysis showed inflammatory cell infiltration and microvesications at day 1 and a complete wound closure by day 21. Biochemical studies indicated a deregulation of the levels of several cytokines and receptors involved in inflammation. An increase in the quantity of pro‐matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 was shown as observed in other models. This suggests that the SKH‐1 mouse model is relevant for the investigation of the physiopathological process of skin lesions induced by L and to screen new treatment candidates.
Complexity of MRI white matter hyperintensity assessments in relation to cognition in aging and dementia from the Sunnybrook Dementia Study.

PURPOSE Quantification methods for white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging are heterogeneous, deterring their application. This study compared three WMH rating scales, varying in complexity, and a volumetric method, to evaluate trade-offs between complexity and clinical utility in differentiating dementia subgroups and in correlating with cognition. METHODS WMH were rated using the Fazekas, Age-Related White Matter Changes (ARWMC) and Scheltens scales, and segmented by computational volumetry in 108 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), 23 with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and 34 normal controls (NC). Global and hippocampal atrophy, age and education, were accounted for in correlations of WMH with cognitive domains. RESULTS Intra- and inter-rater reliability were high (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.88-0.97) across rating scales. WMH scores of all scales were highly correlated with volumes (Spearman r = 0.78-0.90, Ps < 0.001), as well as with each other (Spearman r = 0.86-0.91, Ps < 0.001). The Fazekas scale showed significant separation between AD, MCI and NC using non-parametric analysis, while the ARWMC and Scheltens' scales, and WMH volumes demonstrated significant correlations (standardized β = -0.19 to -0.24, Ps < 0.05) with cognitive domain scores using multivariate regression analysis, controlling for age, education, global and hippocampal atrophy in patients with AD. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the degree of complexity of WMH rating scales did not affect validation against WMH volumes, but did vary in validation against cognition. The simplest scale performed best in separating cognitive subgroups, but the more complex scales and quantification correlated better with cognitive measures, especially executive function. Hence the best choice of scale depends on the particular application.