Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coordinate control of cell cycle regulatory genes in zebrafish development tested by cyclin D1 knockdown with morpholino phosphorodiamidates and hydroxyprolyl-phosphono peptide nucleic acids

During early zebrafish (Danio rerio) development zygotic transcription does not begin until the mid-blastula transition (MBT) ∼3 h after fertilization. MBT demarcates transition from synchronous short cell cycles of S and M phases exclusively to full cycles encompassing G1 and G2 phases. Transcriptional profiling and RT–PCR analyses during these phases enabled us to determine that this shift corresponds to decreased transcript levels of S/M phase cell cycle control genes (e.g. ccna2, ccnb1, ccnb2 and ccne) and increased transcript levels of ccnd1, encoding cyclin D1, and orthologs of p21 (p21-like) and retinoblastoma (Rb-like 1). To investigate the regulation of this process further, the translation of ccnd1 mRNA, a G1/S checkpoint control element, was impaired by microinjection of ccnd1-specific morpholino phosphorodiamidate (MO) 20mer or hydroxyprolyl-phosphono peptide nucleic acid (HypNA-pPNA) 16mer antisense oligonucleotides. The resulting downregulation of cyclin D1 protein resulted in microophthalmia and microcephaly, but not lethality. The phenotypes were not seen with 3-mismatch MO 20mers or 1-mismatch HypNA-pPNA 16mers, and were rescued by an exogenous ccnd1 mRNA construct with five mismatches. Collectively, these results indicate that transcription of key molecular determinants of asynchronous cell cycle control in zebrafish embryos commences at MBT and that the reduction of cyclin D1 expression compromises zebrafish eye and head development.
Efficiently Managing the Security and Costs of Big Data Storage using Visual Analytics

We are currently living in the age of big data with ever growing volumes of heterogeneous and fast moving data. Whether they are mobile devices, internal or external systems or cloud-based systems data is generated, stored, processed and distributed in many different systems. This leads to various information security and privacy risks. To address these issues, especially from the viewpoint of data management and data governance we propose a conceptual analysis model. Thereby, our model takes into account the dimension of data storage location together with their respective risks and costs while considering the strategic value and sensitivity of data assets. For demonstrating our approach we developed a visual analytics web application which is based on parallel sets visualizations. By being able to interactively explore the analysis dimensions users are supported in developing enhanced situational awareness for making decisions in the context of secure and economical data storage.
Microglial Activation Parallels System Degeneration in Multiple System Atrophy

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects motor-related neuroanatomic structures. The role of microglia in MSA is unknown. To address this issue, we conducted quantitative image studies on the brains from 13 cases of MSA, comprising 8 cerebellar and 5 parkinsonian variants. Microglial and glial cytoplasmic inclusion (GCI) burdens were determined with image analysis on brain sections immunostained with antibodies to HLA-DR and alpha-synuclein. Many activated microglia, as well as GCIs, were noted in motor-related structures, including the cerebellar input, extrapyramidal motor, and pyramidal motor structures, but not in the cerebellar output structures. This result indicates that microglial activation, as well as the distribution of GCIs, is system-specific in MSA. The correlation analysis between the microglial and GCI burdens yielded variable yet significant correlations in the cerebellar input, extrapyramidal motor, and pyramidal motor systems, but not in the cerebellar output system. This result suggests that microglial activation is at least partly determined by GCIs or oligodendroglial alpha-synuclein in specific neuroanatomic systems affected in MSA. Taken together, considering the known toxic effects of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, microglia may play a part in the development of system-specific tissue injuries, contributing to the system-bound clinical and pathological phenotypes.
Energy-efficient configuration of antennas and users in the downlink MIMO system

In this paper, we investigate the relationship of base station (BS) antennas and supportable users in the downlink multi-cell multi-user MIMO system to maximize system energy efficiency (EE). In order to study their relationship, we first analyze the channel capacity and derive the EE formula by considering a realistic power consumption model (PCM). Then we build an energy-efficient optimization model with respect to the number Nt of BS antennas and the number K of users. Due to the high optimization complexity, we derive an approximation of channel capacity to simplify the EE optimization. Based on the simplified optimization model, we propose a low-complexity optimization algorithm to obtain the optimum Nt and K. The simulation results suggest that the proposed algorithm can obtain the optimal configuration of BS antennas and supportable users and each user needs only about 2 BS antennas to maximize the EE with zero-forcing (ZF) precoding.
The Place and Role of Security Patterns in Software Development Process

Security is one of the key quality attributes for many contemporary software products. Designing, developing, and maintaining such software necessitates the use of a secure-software development process which specifies how achieving this quality goal can be supported throughout the development lifecycle. In addition to satisfying the explicitly-stated functional security requirements, such process is aimed at minimising the number of vulnerabilities in the design and the implementation of the software. The secure software development is a challenging task spanning various stages of the development process. This inherent difficulty may be to some extent alleviated by the use of the so-called security patterns, which encapsulate knowledge about successful solutions to recurring security problems. The paper provides an overview of the state of the art in the secure software development processes and describes the role and place of security patterns in these processes. The current usage of patterns in the secure software development is analysed, taking into account both the role of patterns in the development processes, and the limitations of the security patterns available.
[Treatment of neuropathic pain syndrome. Results of an open study on the efficacy of a pyrimidine nucleotide preparation].

BACKGROUND AND METHOD In a study carried out in the years 2000 and 2002, 40 patients with diabetic polyneuropathy were treated with a daily dose of 2 x 2 capsules of the pyrimidine nucleotide preparation, Keltican N for a period of three months. The structured neurological findings in accordance with the Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS), the conduction velocity of the peroneal and sural nerves, and pain sensation on the basis of a visual analog scale. RESULTS All parameters showed a trend towards improvement. The difference in the sensory conduction velocity of the sural nerve and in the subjective pain score was significant.
Neurotrophins in lung health and disease

Neurotrophins (NTs) are a family of growth factors that are well-known in the nervous system. There is increasing recognition that NTs (nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and NT3) and their receptors (high-affinity TrkA, TrkB and TrkC, and low-affinity p75NTR) are expressed in lung components including the nasal and bronchial epithelium, smooth muscle, nerves and immune cells. NT signaling may be important in normal lung development, developmental lung disease, allergy and inflammation (e.g., rhinitis, asthma), lung fibrosis and even lung cancer. In this review, we describe the current status of our understanding of NT signaling in the lung, with hopes of using aspects of the NT signaling pathway in the diagnosis and therapy of lung diseases.
Evidence for epitope spreading and active suppression in skin graft tolerance after donor-specific transfusion.

BACKGROUND To clarify the controversial results in the literature regarding the role of donor-specific transfusion (DST) on allograft survival, we have examined the influence of the following on DST-induced allograft survival in a 2C transgenic mouse model: varying the time between DST and transplantation; the role of MHC disparities between donor and recipient; whether tolerance induced by DST spreads to skin allografts expressing other alloantigens; and whether cyclosporine (CsA) treatment could further modulate skin allograft tolerance after DST. METHODS AND RESULTS The studies were performed in both 2C anti-Ld (MHC class I) transgenic and normal (nontransgenic) mice. Our data demonstrate that a single infusion of Ld-mismatched lymphocytes 7 days before transplantation leads to permanent acceptance of donor-specific skin allografts in both transgenic (58/58) and nontransgenic (8/8) mice in the absence of any other nonspecific immunosuppressive treatment. Pretransplantation DST from donors mismatched for more than one MHC antigen (Ag) has no beneficial effect on subsequent donor skin allograft survival. However, Ld plus multiple minor histocompatibility (mH) Ag-mismatched DST induced permanent acceptance of donor-specific skin allografts. Tolerance induced by one-locus Ld-mismatched DST spreads to skin allografts expressing either two-locus Ld or one-locus Ld plus multiple mH Ags. Administration of CsA after DST diminished skin allograft survival, rather than enhancing it, suggesting that tolerance in this model system is established by an active immunological process sensitive to CsA. CONCLUSIONS (1) Pretransplantation infusion of Ld-mismatched lymphocytes in the presence or absence of multiple mH mismatches induces permanent survival of donor-specific skin allografts. (2) CsA abrogates DST-induced transplantation tolerance.
Development of Nicarbazin as a Reproductive Inhibitor for Resident Canada Geese

Expanding populations of resident Canada geese that remain in suburban and urban areas year-round often result in increased conflicts with humans. Non-lethal and humane means are needed for managing the size of Canada goose flocks residing near or on airports, golf courses, industrial parks, government sites, and city parks. A side effect of nicarbazin, a veterinary drug used to control coccidiosis in chickens, is decreased egg production and hatching. Exploiting this side effect, studies of nicarbazin for reducing the hatchability of eggs from Canada geese were conducted. An initial study in Coturnix quail verified reduction in hatchability in a species other than chickens. Because plasma nicarbazin was not routinely measured, a study in chickens was conducted to determine the relationship between plasma and egg nicarbazin. A comparative study in chickens, mallards, and Canada geese showed that nicarbazin absorption was lowest in geese. Studies in both penned and wild Canada geese showed that reduction in hatchability was possible but neither study used bait suitable for general field application. Bait development led to the OvoControl-G® (Innolytics LLC) bait, which resulted in reduction in hatchability of 51% at treated sites compared to control sites in the field. Previous studies showed that nicarbazin is practically non-toxic and is environmentally friendly; timing and management of baiting will minimize non-target hazards. OvoControl-G® 2500 ppm nicarbazin bait is recommended for incorporation into a comprehensive management plan as a reproductive inhibitor for use in controlling resident Canada goose flock sizes.
A Wrist-Worn Integrated Health Monitoring Instrument with a Tele-Reporting Device for Telemedicine and Telecare

In this paper, the prototype development of a wrist-worn integrated health monitoring device (WIHMD) with tele-reporting function for emergency telemedicine and home telecare for the elderly is reported. The WIHMD consists of six vital biosignal measuring modules, which include a fall detector, a single-channel electrocardiogram, noninvasive blood pressure, pulse oximetry (SpO2), respiration rate, and body surface temperature measuring units. The size of the WIHMD is 60times50times20 mm, except the wrist cuff, and the total system weighs 200 g, including two 1.5-V AAA-sized batteries. The functional objective of the WIHMD is to provide information concerning current condition, such as vital biosignals and locational information, with compromised fidelity to experts at a distance through the commercial cellular phone network. The developed system will provide the facility for rapid and appropriate directions to be given by experts in emergency situations and will enable the user or caregiver to manage changes in health condition with helpful treatment
Suitability of measurement of swirling as a marker of platelet shape change in concentrates stored for transfusion

Platelet discoid shape is known to correlate with in vivo viability after transfusion. Measurement of shape change requires invasive sampling and laborious assays, which is difficult to perform in a blood transfusion center as a routine test for quality control of stored platelets. The objective of this study was to establish suitability of swirling assessment in stored platelet suspension as a routine test for quality check, by comparing platelet shape change measurement carried out in parallel. The study was done in two types of bags obtained from different manufactures (Groups 1 and 2). Platelet concentrates (PC) were stored for 120 h and samples drawn at 24-h intervals, optical analysis at 540 nm was carried out to quantify shape change in response to an agonist adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The same bags were subjected to swirling assessment, by two blood bank personnel independently and graded as positive (+, ++, +++) or as negative, based on the silky appearance of the suspension. Swirling negative platelets were prepared by storing platelets at 4°C for 24 h and were compared with swirling positive platelets. Other parameters studied in the samples drawn at 24-h intervals were platelet count, mean platelet volume, and blood gases. Swirling assessment results correlated well with shape change measurement at each study period with a P value significant at 0.02 and 0.04 for group 1 and 2 bags, respectively. In the negative swirling controls, extent of shape change was lower than the extent in test bags, showing reduced capacity to respond to ADP at 4°C. The results of the study indicate that by simple swirling measurements, stored PC can be monitored for loss of discoid shape before they are transfused. Gas tension and pH were with in permissible limits. Therefore, inspection of swirling can be a reliable method of quality control as it correlates with platelet function. The platelets that retain the discoid shape in vitro at the time of transfusion are expected to be functional in vivo.
Two Slot MIMO Configuration for Cooperative Sensor Network

Sensor networks are used in various applications. Sensors acquire samples of physical data and send them to a destination node in different topologies. Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems showed good utilization of channel characteristics. In MIMO Sensor Network, multiple signals are transmitted from the sensors and multiple sensors are used as receiving nodes. This provides each sensor multiple copies of the transmitted signal and hence, array processing techniques help in reducing the effects of noise. In this paper we devise the use of MIMO sensor network and array decision techniques to reduce the noise effect. The proposed system uses a transmission time diversity to form the MIMO system. If the number of sensors is large then groups of sensors will form the MIMO system and benefited from the diversity to reduce the required transmitted power from each sensor. Enhancing the BER reduces the required transmitted power which results in longer battery life for sensor nodes. Simulation results showed an overall gain in SNR that reaches 11 dB in some sensor network scenarios. This gain in SNR led to the opportunity of reducing the transmitted power by similar amount and hence, longer battery life is obtained.
A Kinect-Based Sign Language Hand Gesture Recognition System for Hearing- and Speech-Impaired: A Pilot Study of Pakistani Sign Language

Sign language provides hearing and speech impaired individuals with an interface to communicate with other members of the society. Unfortunately, sign language is not understood by most of the common people. For this, a gadget based on image processing and pattern recognition can provide with a vital aid for detecting and translating sign language into a vocal language. This work presents a system for detecting and understanding the sign language gestures by a custom built software tool and later translating the gesture into a vocal language. For the purpose of recognizing a particular gesture, the system employs a Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm and an off-the-shelf software tool is employed for vocal language generation. Microsoft® Kinect is the primary tool used to capture video stream of a user. The proposed method is capable of successfully detecting gestures stored in the dictionary with an accuracy of 91%. The proposed system has the ability to define and add custom made gestures. Based on an experiment in which 10 individuals with impairments used the system to communicate with 5 people with no disability, 87% agreed that the system was useful.
PTEN mutation, EGFR amplification, and outcome in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme.

BACKGROUND Survival of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma is highly variable. Prognostic markers would thus be useful to identify clinical subsets of such patients. Because specific genetic alterations have been associated with glioblastoma, we investigated whether similar genetic alterations could be detected in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma and used to identify those with particularly aggressive disease. METHODS Tissue specimens were collected from 174 patients enrolled in Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and North Central Cancer Treatment Group clinical trials for newly diagnosed gliomas, including 63 with anaplastic astrocytoma and 111 with glioblastoma multiforme. Alterations of the EGFR, PTEN, and p53 genes and of chromosomes 7 and 10 were examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization, semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Mutation of PTEN, amplification of EGFR, and loss of the q arm of chromosome 10 were statistically significantly less common in anaplastic astrocytoma than in glioblastoma multiforme (P =.033, P =.001, and P<.001, respectively), and mutation of p53 was statistically significantly more common (P<.001). Univariate survival analyses of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma identified PTEN (P =.002) and p53 (P =.012) mutations as statistically significantly associated with reduced and prolonged survival, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma showed that PTEN mutation remained a powerful prognostic factor after adjusting for patient age, on-study performance score, and extent of tumor resection (hazard ratio = 4.34; 95% confidence interval = 1.82 to 10.34). Multivariate classification and regression-tree analysis of all 174 patients identified EGFR amplification as an independent predictor of prolonged survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme who were older than 60 years of age. CONCLUSION PTEN mutation and EGFR amplification are important prognostic factors in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma and in older patients with glioblastoma multiforme, respectively.
Quantitative assessment of the high-light tolerance in plants with an impaired photosystem II donor side.

Photoinhibition is the light-induced down-regulation of photosynthetic efficiency, the primary target of which is photosystem II (PSII). Currently, there is no clear consensus on the exact mechanism of this process. However, it is clear that inhibition can occur through limitations on both the acceptor- and donor side of PSII. The former mechanism is caused by electron transport limitations at the PSII acceptor side. Whilst, the latter mechanism relies on the disruption of the oxygen-evolving complex. Both of these mechanisms damage the PSII reaction centre (RC). Using a novel chlorophyll fluorescence methodology, RC photoinactivation can be sensitively measured and quantified alongside photoprotection in vivo This is achieved through estimation of the redox state of Q A, using the parameter of photochemical quenching in the dark (qPd). This study shows that through the use of PSII donor-side inhibitors, such as UV-B and Cd2+, there is a steeper gradient of photoinactivation in the systems with a weakened donor side, independent of the level of NPQ attained. This is coupled with a concomitant decline in the light tolerance of PSII. The native light tolerance is partially restored upon the use of 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC), a PSII electron donor, allowing for the balance between the inhibitory pathways to be sensitively quantified. Thus, this study confirms that the impact of donor-side inhibition can be detected alongside acceptor-side photoinhibition using the qPd parameter and confirms qPd as a valid, sensitive and unambiguous parameter to sensitively quantify the onset of photoinhibition through both acceptor- or donor-side mechanisms.
Hypoxia induces procoagulant activity in cultured human venous endothelium.

Although it normally presents a nonthrombogenic surface, endothelium is capable of procoagulant activity and suppression of native anticoagulant properties. We theorized that hypoxia could shift normal endothelium into a procoagulant state and tested this hypothesis in cultured human umbilical venous endothelial cells. Human umbilical venous endothelial cells were obtained from fresh umbilical cords. Passage two cells were placed in control (PO2 greater than 120 mm Hg) or hypoxic (PO2 less than 60 mm Hg) media and incubated in control or hypoxic environments for 24 hours. In additional experiments, cells were reoxygenated for 4 or 48 hours after the initial hypoxic period. Cells were then assayed for procoagulant activity expressed as thromboplastin unit equivalents per 100,000 cells based on a thromboplastin standard curve. Results are expressed as percent increase in thromboplastin unit equivalents/100,000 cells +/- standard error versus control. Statistical significance was assessed by paired t test with p less than 0.05 considered significant. More than 95% of cells in all experimental and control preparations were viable after completion of the protocols. No morphologic variation was noted among the control and hypoxic groups. For cells rendered hypoxic without reoxygenation, the mean increase in procoagulant activity for the group (n = 4) versus control was 77% +/- 13% (p = 0.01). In the hypoxia and 4-hour reoxygenation group (n = 4), the mean increase in procoagulant activity was 141% +/- 43% (p less than 0.05). In cells reoxygenated for 48 hours after hypoxia (n = 8), the mean increase in procoagulant activity was 198% +/- 34% (p less than 0.001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)