Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Translocation of Protein Kinase C ε during HeLa Cell Adhesion to a Gelatin Substratum*

The spreading of HeLa cells, following attachment to a collagen or gelatin substratum, requires the activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Membrane-bound PKC was previously shown to be activated during cell attachment and in response to the activation of a series of lipid second messengers turned on by the ligation of β1-integrin collagen receptors. HeLa cells express the α, γ, ε, ζ, λ, and ι isozymes of PKC as determined by Western blotting with specific antibodies. Only PKCε redistributed from the cytosol to the membrane during cell adhesion. Most of the PKCε in cells that were in suspension was in the cytosolic fraction. During cell attachment to a gelatin matrix, all of the PKCε moved out of the cytosol, with most going to the membrane fraction. After the cells became fully spread, PKCε began to reappear in the cytosol. Translocation of PKCε was not observed during the adhesion of cells to culture dishes where cells nonspecifically attach but do not spread. The conventional PKCα and -γ isozymes were translocated from the cytosol to the membrane only when phorbol ester was present at a concentration that increases the rate and extent of cell spreading. Under normal conditions, i.e. in the absence of phorbol ester, PKCε appears to be the PKC isozyme responsible for the regulation of HeLa cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix.
A FSH-Secreting Pituitary Macroadenoma Causing A Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome

FSH-secreting pituitary adenomas can affect sexual and reproductive function. In this article, we have reported the case of a 32-year-old male with secondary infertility. The patient had sexual and reproductive disturbances. The test results of the blood samples indicated obviously decreased testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels. Based on previous hormonal results, the patient received pituitary stimulation and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) tests. Both follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) showed low response during the pituitary stimulation test. The results of the hCG test indicated that T/E2 could recover to a normal level. In addition, this patient was diagnosed with pituitary macroadenoma, which was supported by the pituitary MRI. The man’s sexual and reproductive functions recovered following surgery. The pathological results confirmed that the tumor tissue was an FSH-secreting pituitary adenoma by immunohistochemical staining. The purpose of this report was to review the relative literature and discuss the influence of FSH-secreting pituitary adenomas on hormones through the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis.
Integration of Coordination Mechanisms in the BITE Multi-Robot Architecture

Recent years are seeing a renewed interest in general multi-robot architectures, capable of automating coordination. However, few architectures explore integration of multiple coordination mechanisms. Thus the question of how to best integrate coordination mechanisms is left open. This paper focuses on the micro-kernel integration approach used in BITE (Bar Ilan Teamwork Engine), a multi-robot behavior-based architecture. This approach allows the developer to plug in coordination mechanisms (teamwork behaviors) to be used depending on the context of execution. BITE imposes constraints on the specification of taskwork behaviors, which allow BITE's control algorithm to automatically determine sequencing and task-allocation points during task execution. At such points, teamwork behaviors (known as interaction behaviors) are triggered to automate the coordination processes. We argue that BITE's approach is preferable to the methodology of existing architectures, and provide analysis of experiments in using BITE with Sony AIBO robots, to support our argument
Color Image Compression on Spiral Architecture using Optimized Domain Blocks in Fractal Coding

Fractal coding is a lossy compression method and used for grey level images through rectangular range and domain blocks. The proposed approach, firstly, compose the one-plane image using the pixel's trichromatic coefficients. One-plane image in traditional square structure is represented in spiral architecture for compression, where the range and domain blocks are formed with the cluster of 7 and 49 pixels respectively. On this spiral architecture image, modified fractal grey level image coding algorithm is applied to get encoded image. In this modified fractal coding, the numbers of domain blocks are optimized. Extensive experiments are carried out on indoor and outdoor images. The proposed approach minimizes the encoding process time because of optimized domain blocks and one dimensional structure of spiral architecture with time complexity in the order of n and falls in the lossy compression category
Design and Performance Analysis of a Unified, Reconfigurable HMAC-Hash Unit

Hash functions are important security primitives used for authentication and data integrity. Among the most popular hash functions are MD5, SHA-1, and RIPEMD-160, which are all based on the function MD4. This similarity can be exploited for designing a unified engine to perform all three hash functions. Hash message authentication code (HMAC) is a shared-key security algorithm that uses these hash functions alternatively for IPSec authentication. Since some other security applications, such as digital signature, also use these three hash functions, it is prudent to design a unified, reconfigurable engine that can perform any one of them alone or with HMAC. In this work, we design an HMAC-hash unit that can be reconfigured to perform one of six standard security algorithms; namely, MD5, SHA-1, RIPEMD-160, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA-1, and HMAC-RIPEMD-160. This paper applied pipelining and parallelism to the design of the HMAC-hash unit to improve throughput, especially for large message sizes. We achieved higher throughput than engines that integrated three hash functions or more and comparable throughput to those integrated only two hash functions.
Molecular differentiation between Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Pullorum and Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Gallinarum

S. Pullorum (SP) and S. Gallinarum (SG) are very similar. They are the agents of pullorum disease and fowl typhoid, respectively, and the two diseases are responsible for economic losses in poultry production. Although SP and SG are difficult to be differentiated in routine laboratory procedures, the ability to metabolize ornithine is a biochemical test that may be used to achieve this aim. While SP is able to decarboxylate this amino acid, SG is not. However, the isolation of strains showing atypical biochemical behavior has made this differentiation difficult. One of the genes associated with the metabolization of the amino acid ornithine is called speC, and is found in both serovars. The analysis of 21 SP and 15 SG strains by means of PCR did not enable the differentiation of the two serovars, because fragments produced were identical. However, after enzymatic treatment with restriction enzyme Eco RI, the band pattern of each serovar showed to be different, even in samples of atypical biochemical behavior. This fact enabled the standardization of the technique for a quick and safe differentiation of serovars Pullorum and Gallinarum.
PMRME: A Parallel Multi-Resolution Motion Estimation Algorithm and Architecture for HDTV Sized H.264 Video Coding

The paper presents a hardware-efficient fast algorithm and its architecture for large search range motion estimation (ME) used in HDTV sized H.264 video coding. To solve the high cost and latency in large search range cases, the proposed algorithm processes ME in parallel multi-resolution levels instead of serial processing in the previous approach. This enables high data reuse for lower bandwidth and low memory cost. Further combining with our previous proposed mode filtering and bit truncation, the algorithm only increases the bit rate within -0.58% and 3.06% and at most 0.04 dB and 0.07 dB PSNR degradation for 720p and 1080p sequences respectively. The hardware implementation can save up to 49.5% of area cost and 65% of memory cost compared to the previous approach for large search range to [-128, 127].
Perceptions of Educators about Classroom Management Demands When Using Interactive Strategies.

The perceptions of elementary school teachers, principals, and supervisors about classroom management strategies required of teachers when using alternative task structures and interactive instructional strategies were studied. A questionnaire developed by the researchers was administered to 34 kindergarten through grade 5 teachers, 7 principals, and 3 supervisors involved in a staff development program in the Knox County (Tennessee) School System, Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP). Educators were readily able to identify classroom management skills necessary to promote learning in alternative task structures. The identified skills are linked to the instructional functions of planning, providing structure, facilitating group function, attending to physical requirements, actively monitoring and managing student behavior, and establishing a classroom climate that will support active social learning. Identified teacher characteristics are more in terms of attitude. Educators feel teachers need to be flexible, tolerant, facilitating, and able to help students develop responsibility and self-discipline. Giving up control is a recurrent theme. The use of alternative structures can give students more choice and control in learning and provide greater opportunities to work closely with peers, but they require more of both teachers and students. An appendix describes the survey questionnaire. (SLD) *********k************************************************************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and improverner I EDU TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as rece(ved from the person Or organization ongma hog (t 0 Minor changes have been made to Improve reproduction Quality Ponts of view oPrhons slated m this do'u meet do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
The impact of the euro on long-term growth in Portugal

This paper investigates the effects of the participation of Portugal in the Euro area. The most important channel through which joining the Euro affects the economy is a reduction in long-term interest rates. This reduction is expected to affect positively the domestic growth fundamentals and, therefore, to improve long-term GDP “per capita”. Simulation results suggest that long-term GDP “per capita” will improve by between 2.9 per cent and 13.6 per cent, with the most likely scenario placing gains at 10.0 per cent. This corresponds to an increase of 0.4 p.p. in the annual average rate of growth of GDP, that is a shift from a long-term trend of 3.1 per cent to a 3.5 per cent one.
A new feedback robot control method based on position/image sensor integration

This paper proposes a new feedback control method based on simultaneous use of position/image sensors for a robot arm. The proposed method can guarantee the stability of the robot motion with the position sensors and can enhance the reliability. Moreover, the image sensors can achieve fine positioning without being affected by position sensors. The proposed control method needs neither kinematic calibration nor camera calibration. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by experimental results in which a robot with 3DOF and a stereo camera set are utilized.
Feature Extraction for Anomaly Detection inMaritime Trajectories

The operators of a maritime surveillance system are hardpressed to make complete use of the near real-time informationflow available today. To assist them in this matterthere has been an increasing amount of interest in automated systems for the detection of anomalous trajectories.Specifically, it has been proposed that the framework of conformal anomaly detection can be used, as it provides the key property of a well-tuned alarm rate. However, inorder to get an acceptable precision there is a need to carefully tailor the nonconformity measure used to determine if a trajectory is anomalous. This also applies to the features that are used by the measure. To contribute to a better understandingof what features are feasible and how the choice of feature space relates to the types of anomalies that can be found we have evaluated a number of features on real maritime trajectory data with simulated anomalies. It isfound that none of the tested feature spaces was best for detecting all anomaly types in the test set. While one feature space might be best for detecting one kind of anomaly,another feature space might be better for other anomalies.There are indications that the best possible non conformity measure should capture both absolute anomalies, such asan anomalous position, as well as relative anomalies, such as strange turns or stops.
GIMC structure based Anti-Windup control considering L2 performance

This paper deals with GIMC (Generalized Internal Model Control) structure based Anti-Windup (AW) control system design. First, we setup a L2 performance criterion based on GIMC structure for Anti-Windup control problems. The design problem is formulated as an optimization problem with a parameter Q. Then we calculate the optimization problem and find an optimal Q. Finally, the effectiveness of proposed method is shown by experimental results for a magnetic suspension system.
Starbursts in isolated galaxies. I. The influence of stellar birth function and IMF

Context. Starbursts and substantial variations in the star formation histories are a common phenomenon in galaxies. Although predominantly found in interacting galaxies, they also occur in isolated galaxies. Aims. We study the stability properties of isolated star-forming dwarf galaxies with the aim of identifying starburst modes. The impact of the stellar birth function, i.e. a spontaneous and an induced star formation mode, the initial mass function (IMF), the stellar feedback and the interstellar medium (ISM) model on the galactic star formation history are investigated. We especially focus on dynamically driven starbursts induced by stellar feedback. Methods. We apply a one-zone model for a star-gas system coupled by both mass and energy transfer. Additionally, we extend the network for active dynamical evolution. This allows for a coupling between the dynamical state of the galaxy and its internal properties, such as star formation activity or the thermal state of the ISM. Results. While the influence of the dynamics on the total star formation rate is strong, especially with nonlinear stellar birth functions, the coupling of the internal properties (gas temperature) on the dynamics is rather limited, because radiative cooling keeps the gas temperature well below the virial temperature. Because of short cooling and feedback timescales, the star formation rate is close to the equilibrium star formation rates. Quasi-periodic starbursts occur, because star formation follows the variations in the gas density induced by decaying virial oscillations. This behaviour is quite insensitive to the nature and the details of the stellar birth description, viz. whether spontaneous or induced star formation is considered or the IMF is varied. A second type of burst is found as an instability operating when the cooling may drop at very low densities with increasing temperature, in regimes beyond 10 4 K. Conclusions. Bursts of star formation occur during transitory phases, when dynamical equilibrium is established. Then they are quasiperiodic on the dynamical timescale. Because of short heating and cooling timescales, the star formation rate follows the equilibrium star formation rate corresponding to the actual gas density.
Conserving Biodiversity in a Human-Dominated World: Degradation of Marine Sessile Communities within a Protected Area with Conflicting Human Uses

Conservation research aims at understanding whether present protection schemes are adequate for the maintenance of ecosystems structure and function across time. We evaluated long-term variation in rocky reef communities by comparing sites surveyed in 1993 and again in 2008. This research took place in Tigullio Gulf, an emblematic case study where various conservation measures, including a marine protected area, have been implemented to manage multiple human uses. Contrary to our prediction that protection should have favored ecosystem stability, we found that communities subjected to conservation measures (especially within the marine protected area) exhibited the greatest variation toward architectural complexity loss. Between 1993 and 2008, chronic anthropogenic pressures (especially organic load) that had already altered unprotected sites in 1993 expanded their influence into protected areas. This expansion of human pressure likely explains our observed changes in the benthic communities. Our results suggest that adaptive ecosystem-based management (EBM), that is management taking into account human interactions, informed by continuous monitoring, is needed in order to attempt reversing the current trend towards less architecturally complex communities. Protected areas are not sufficient to stop ecosystem alteration by pressures coming from outside. Monitoring, and consequent management actions, should therefore extend to cover the relevant scales of those pressures.
An efficient framework for detecting moving objects and structural lanes in video based surveillance systems

In this paper, we present a video based detection framework for Intelligent Transportation System. We combine the invariant color features with GMM background model to eliminate shadows and highlighted background regions during moving object segmentation. Then we provide a novel global motion detector to detect camera motions. Finally, we introduce a lane detection technique for automatic structural road detection. Experiments shows that our proposed framework can provide well inputs for vehicle tracking and traffic information detection systems and has computation cost.
A speech-based route enquiry system built from general-purpose components

The adaptation of existing general-purpose speech recognition and language understanding systems can greatly reduce the cost of developing applications. However, the components must have appropriate characteristics for this to be possible. Work is in progress to adapt two task-independent components, the AURIX speech recognizer and the CLARE language processor to create a system allowing spoken queries of the PC-based Autoroute route planning package .
Development and validation of improved algorithms for the assessment of global cardiovascular risk in women: the Reynolds Risk Score.

CONTEXT Despite improved understanding of atherothrombosis, cardiovascular prediction algorithms for women have largely relied on traditional risk factors. OBJECTIVE To develop and validate cardiovascular risk algorithms for women based on a large panel of traditional and novel risk factors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Thirty-five factors were assessed among 24 558 initially healthy US women 45 years or older who were followed up for a median of 10.2 years (through March 2004) for incident cardiovascular events (an adjudicated composite of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, coronary revascularization, and cardiovascular death). We used data among a random two thirds (derivation cohort, n = 16 400) to develop new risk algorithms that were then tested to compare observed and predicted outcomes in the remaining one third of women (validation cohort, n = 8158). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Minimization of the Bayes Information Criterion was used in the derivation cohort to develop the best-fitting parsimonious prediction models. In the validation cohort, we compared predicted vs actual 10-year cardiovascular event rates when the new algorithms were compared with models based on covariates included in the Adult Treatment Panel III risk score. RESULTS In the derivation cohort, a best-fitting model (model A) and a clinically simplified model (model B, the Reynolds Risk Score) had lower Bayes Information Criterion scores than models based on covariates used in Adult Treatment Panel III. In the validation cohort, all measures of fit, discrimination, and calibration were improved when either model A or B was used. For example, among participants without diabetes with estimated 10-year risks according to the Adult Treatment Panel III of 5% to less than 10% (n = 603) or 10% to less than 20% (n = 156), model A reclassified 379 (50%) into higher- or lower-risk categories that in each instance more accurately matched actual event rates. Similar effects were achieved for clinically simplified model B limited to age, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A(1c) if diabetic, smoking, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and parental history of myocardial infarction before age 60 years. Neither new algorithm provided substantive information about women at very low risk based on the published Adult Treatment Panel III score. CONCLUSION We developed, validated, and demonstrated highly improved accuracy of 2 clinical algorithms for global cardiovascular risk prediction that reclassified 40% to 50% of women at intermediate risk into higher- or lower-risk categories.
Hsa-miR-499 rs3746444 Polymorphism Contributes to Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of 12 Studies

Background Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) occurred in pre-microRNAs or targets of microRNAs (miRs) may contribute to cancer risks. Since 2007, many studies have investigated the association between common SNPs located on hsa-miR-499 (rs3746444) and cancer risks; however, the results were inconclusive. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a meta-analysis of 12 studies that included 5765 cases and 7076 controls to identify the strength of association. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to assess the strength of association. Overall, individuals with the variant AG (OR = 1.215, 95% CI: 1.027, 1.437; Pheterogeneity<0.01) and AG/GG (OR = 1.227, 95% CI: 1.046, 1.439; Pheterogeneity<0.01) genotypes were associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer than those with wild AA genotype. Sub-group analysis revealed that the variant AG (OR = 1.411, 95% CI: 1.142, 1.745; Pheterogeneity = 0.01) and AG/GG (OR = 1.413, 95% CI: 1.163, 1.717, Pheterogeneity = 0.01) genotypes still showed an increased risk of cancer in Asians; however, a trend of reduced risk of cancer was observed in Caucasians (AG vs. AA: OR = 0.948, 955 CI: 0.851, 1.057, Pheterogeneity = 0.12; AG/GG vs. AA: OR = 0.959, 95% CI: 0.865, 1.064; Pheterogeneity = 0.19). Meta-regression showed that ethnicity (p = 0.048) and sample size (p = 0.02) but not cancer types (p = 0.89) or source of control (p = 0.97) were the sources of heterogeneity. Conclusions These meta-analysis results suggest that hsa-miR-499 polymorphism rs3746444 is associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer, especially in Asian populations.