Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the toxicity of fabric extracts using the hepa-1 cytotoxicity test, the HaCaT cytotoxicity test and the spermatozoa motility inhibition test

To detect the possible toxicity of dyed and finished fabrics, a set of such fabrics was investigated using three different cell tests – the hepa-1 cytotoxicity test, the HaCaT cytotoxicity test and the spermatozoa motility-inhibition test. In each case, cells were exposed to fabric extracts. In cytotoxicity tests, after 72 h, exposure cell growth was measured using the protein content in the wells/vials as an indicator: if the protein content in the wells was less than 80%, the test showed toxicity of the fabric extract. The spermatozoa motility-inhibition test shows toxicity if at least 25% of the cells are dead when the viability of the cells is detected under light microscopy. The results showed that none of the extracts from raw fabrics was toxic. Extracts from the vat-dyed, flame-retardant fabric showed low toxicity in the spermatozoa test, but not in other cell tests. Extracts from most of the reactive-dyed knitted fabrics showed toxic values after finishing. However, it can be concluded that reactive dyes do not usually produce adverse effects. After dyeing with reactive dyes, extracts from the bleached fabric were no longer toxic. This study showed that the cell tests were useful when examining the toxicity of extracts from textile substances.
Queueing in high-performance packet switching

The authors study the performance of four different approaches for providing the queuing necessary to smooth fluctuations in packet arrivals to a high-performance packet switch. They are (1) input queuing, where a separate buffer is provided at each input to the switch; (2) input smoothing, where a frame of b packets is stored at each of the input line to the switch and simultaneously launched into a switch fabric of size Nb*Nb; (3) output queuing, where packets are queued in a separate first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer located at each output of the switch; and (4) completely shared buffering, where all queuing is done at the outputs and all buffers are completely shared among all the output lines. Input queues saturate at an offered load that depends on the service policy and the number of inputs N, but is approximately 0.586 with FIFO buffers when N is large. Output queuing and completely shared buffering both achieve the optimal throughput-delay performance for any packet switch. However, compared to output queuing, completely shared buffering requires less buffer memory at the expense of an increase in switch fabric size. >
Molecular motors are differentially distributed on Golgi membranes from polarized epithelial cells

Microtubules (MT) are required for the efficient transport of membranes from the trans-Golgi and for transcytosis of vesicles from the basolateral membrane to the apical cytoplasm in polarized epithelia. MTs in these cells are primarily oriented with their plus ends basally near the Golgi and their minus-ends in the apical cytoplasm. Here we report that isolated Golgi and Golgi-enriched membranes from intestinal epithelial cells possess the actin based motor myosin-I, the MT minus- end-directed motor cytoplasmic dynein and its in vitro motility activator dynactin (p150/Glued). The Golgi can be separated into stacks, possessing features of the Golgi cisternae, and small membranes enriched in the trans-Golgi network marker TGN 38/41. Whereas myosin-I is present on all membranes in the Golgi fraction, dynein is present only on the small membrane fraction. Dynein, like myosin-I, is associated with membranes as a cytoplasmic peripheral membrane protein. Dynein and myosin-I coassociate with membranes that bind to MTs and cross-link actin filaments and MTs in a nucleotide-dependent manner. We propose that cytoplasmic dynein moves Golgi membranes along MTs to the cell cortex where myosin-I provides local delivery through the actin- rich cytoskeleton to the apical membrane.
High-Frequency Low-Noise Voltage-Controlled LC-Tank Oscillators Using a Tunable Inductor Technique

This paper describes 3-GHz and 7-GHz tunable-inductance LC-tank voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) implemented in 0.18-μm CMOS technology. Unlike the traditional tuning method by a varactor. a tunable inductor is employed in the VCO by using a transformer to compensate for the energy loss. The VCO facilitates the tuning frequency and low noise of the output signals, together with a variable inductor which satisfies both criteria. The 3-GHz VCO using a symmetry transformer provides the tuning range of 2.85 to 3.12GHz at 1-V supply. The power consumption is 4.8 mW while the measured phase noise is -126dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset from a 2.85-GHz carrier. A small-area stacked transformer is employed in the 7-GHz VCO, which achieves a tuning range of 6.59 to 7.02 GHz and measured phase noise of -114 dBc/Hz at 1 -MHz offset from a 6.59-GHz carrier while consuming 9 mW from a 1.2-V supply.
The Completely Sequenced Plasmid pEST4011 Contains a Novel IncP1 Backbone and a Catabolic Transposon Harboring tfd Genes for 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Degradation

ABSTRACT The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-degrading bacterium Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans strain EST4002 contains plasmid pEST4011. This plasmid ensures its host a stable 2,4-D+ phenotype. We determined the complete 76,958-bp nucleotide sequence of pEST4011. This plasmid is a deletion and duplication derivative of pD2M4, the 95-kb highly unstable laboratory ancestor of pEST4011, and was self-generated during different laboratory manipulations performed to increase the stability of the 2,4-D+ phenotype of the original strain, strain D2M4(pD2M4). The 47,935-bp catabolic region of pEST4011 forms a transposon-like structure with identical copies of the hybrid insertion element IS1071::IS1471 at the two ends. The catabolic regions of pEST4011 and pJP4, the best-studied 2,4-D-degradative plasmid, both contain homologous, tfd-like genes for complete 2,4-D degradation, but they have little sequence similarity other than that. The backbone genes of pEST4011 are most similar to the corresponding genes of broad-host-range self-transmissible IncP1 plasmids. The backbones of the other three IncP1 catabolic plasmids that have been sequenced (the 2,4-D-degradative plasmid pJP4, the haloacetate-catabolic plasmid pUO1, and the atrazine-catabolic plasmid pADP-1) are nearly identical to the backbone of R751, the archetype plasmid of the IncP1 β subgroup. We show that despite the overall similarity in plasmid organization, the pEST4011 backbone is sufficiently different (51 to 86% amino acid sequence identity between individual backbone genes) from the backbones of members of the three IncP1 subgroups (theα , β, and γ subgroups) that it belongs to a new IncP1subgroup, the δ subgroup. This conclusion was also supported by a phylogenetic analysis of the trfA2, korA, and traG gene products of different IncP1 plasmids.
Midupper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Changes in Late Pregnancy Predict Fetal Growth in Twins

Abstract The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that changes in arm anthropometry can be used to determine the risk of faltering growth in twin gestations. Serial data on midupper arm circumference (MUAC) and maternal weight gain were collected from a sample of 156 mothers. Changes in MUAC were monitored from 20 to 34 weeks. Women with a large loss of MUAC (greater than 1.5 cm), particularly when it occurred within two to four weeks of delivery, were significantly heavier, had higher pregravid Body Mass Indexes (BMIs), but gained less weight than mothers with no change in MUAC. In analysis of covariance models adjusting for length of gestation, black ethnicity, males per twin pair, monochorionicity, and baseline MUAC at 20 weeks, a large loss of MUAC was associated with significantly lower birthweight (2263 g vs. 2499 g) and birthweight z-score (–0.92 SDU vs. –0.39 SDU). Changes in MUAC from 20 to 34 weeks, and especially near delivery, are significantly associated with fetal growth in twin pregnancies. A positive change may indicate that the mother has adequate dietary intake or nutrient stores to continue to accrue lean body mass and support fetal growth, while a loss of MUAC indicates that dietary intake or nutrient stores may be inadequate. This simple, relatively precise, measure of change in maternal body composition during pregnancy may be useful in identifying twin pregnancies at risk for faltering intrauterine growth, particularly among overweight or obese women.
QoE Computation for Efficient Video Delivery over Cellular Networks

http://www.comsoc. org/~mmc/ 13/30 Vol.7, No.3, March 2012 Online QoE Computation for Efficient Video Delivery over Cellular Networks Telemaco Melia, Alcatel-Lucent laboratories, Villarceaux, France Daniele Munaretto, Leonardo Badia, Michele Zorzi, Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Consorzio Ferrara Ricerche (CFR), Ferrara, Italy telemaco.melia@alcaltel-lucent.com, {munaretto, badia, zorzi}@dei.unipd. it
A Hand-held Laser Scanner based on Multi-camera Stereo-matching

Most laser scanners in engineering are extended versions of tactile measuring machines. These high precision devices are typically very expensive and hardware modifications are not possible without impairing the precision of the device. For these reasons we built our own laser-scanner system. It is based on a multi-camera reconstruction system developed for fast 3D face reconstructions. Based on this camera system, we developed a laser-scanner using GPU accelerated stereo-matching techniques and a hand-held line-laser probe. The resulting reconstruction is solely based on the known camera positions and parameters. Thus, it is not necessary to track the position and movement of the line-laser probe. This yields an inexpensive laser-scanner system where every hardware component can be modified individually for experiments and future extensions of the system.
Optimal Replacement Last With Continuous and Discrete Policies

This paper proposes age and periodic replacement last models with continuous, and discrete policies. That is, an operating unit is replaced preventively at time T of operation as a strategic policy, or at a number N of working cycles to satisfy successive job completion, whichever occurs last. Such policies are named as replacement last, and their expected cost rates and optimal policies are obtained. However, the focus of this paper is to compare replacement last with replacement first policies, which are formulated under the classical assumption of whichever occurs first. From the points of cost and performability, different comparative methods for continuous and discrete optimizations are demonstrated to determine in what cases we should adopt replacement last rather than replacement first. All theoretical discussions in this paper are made analytically, and are computed numerically.
Hiv-1 Drug Resistance in Antiretroviral-Naive Individuals with H I V-1-Associated Tuberculous Meningitis Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy in Vietnam

Background Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected individuals in Vietnam is rapidly expanding, but there are limited data on HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) to guide ART strategies. Methods We retrospectively conducted HIVDR testing in 220 ART-naive individuals recruited to a randomized controlled trial of immediate versus deferred ART in individuals with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) from 2005–2008. HIVDR mutations were identified by population sequencing of the HIV pol gene and were defined based on 2009 WHO surveillance drug resistance mutations (SDRMs). Results We successfully sequenced 219/220 plasma samples of subjects prior to ART; 218 were subtype CRF01_AE and 1 was subtype B. SDRMs were identified in 14/219 (6.4%) subjects; 8/14 were resistant to nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs; T69D, L74V, V75M, M184V/I and K219R), 5/14 to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs; K103N, V106M, Y181C, Y188C and G190A), 1/14 to both NRTIs and NNRTIs (D67N and Y181C) and none to protease inhibitors. After 6 months of ART, eight subjects developed protocol-defined virological failure. HIVDR mutations were identified in 5/8 subjects. All five had mutations with high-level resistance to NNRTIs and three had mutations with high-level resistance to NRTIs. Due to a high early mortality rate (58%), the effect of pre-existing HIVDR mutations on treatment outcome could not be accurately assessed. Conclusions The prevalence of WHO SDRMs in ART-naive individuals with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis in HCMC from 2005–2008 is 6.4%. The SDRMs identified conferred resistance to NRTIs and/or NNRTIs, reflecting the standard first-line ART regimens in Vietnam.
Fatigue performance of aging asphalt mixtures

Fatigue and aging inevitably exist in asphalt pavement. To reveal fatigue characteristics, strength tests were carried out under different loading rates (v). The rules of dynamic loading strength (Sdz) and v were acquired and the real stress ratios corresponding to the fatigue test loading rates were obtained. Fatigue equations describing fatigue life (N f ) as a function of the nominal (t m ) and real (t s ) stress ratios were also acquired. It was discovered that the equations could be extended to the strength failure point (t s =1 ,N f = 1) based on the real stress ratio, but not the nominal stress ratio. The equation provided the theoretical method to design a method to assess aging of asphalt pavement.
The Origin of Cortical Surround Receptive Fields Studied in the Barrel Cortex

The neocortex is thought to be organized into functional columns of neurons, each of which processes an element of a larger representation. In the barrel cortex, the thalamic input to the column preferentially terminates in a barrel. To study the extent and nature of functional connections between columns, we measured the degree to which whisker responses are relayed between columns in the barrel cortex. Inactivating a single barrel by iontophoresis of the GABAA agonist muscimol abolished the representation of that barrel's whisker in neighboring barrels. Reactivating a single barrel by iontophoresis of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline while the rest of the cortex was blocked by muscimol led to single whisker receptive fields. Under the same conditions, septal cells tended to exhibit multiwhisker receptive fields. These studies demonstrate that the surround receptive fields of barrel cells are generated by intracortical transmission and that many septal cells derive a component of their surround receptive field from the thalamus.
Preserved anterograde and retrograde memory of rapidly acquired olfactory discrminations after neurotoxic hippocampal lesions

A forced‐choice discrimination paradigm was used in two experiments, to evaluate retrograde and anterograde amnesia in rats after hippocampal ablation. In a within‐subjects design (Experiment 1), rats were trained on a set of 10 olfactory discriminations 4 weeks before surgery and on a separate set of 10 discriminations 1 week before surgery. In a mixed design (Experiment 2), rats were trained on olfactory discriminations in one of three conditions: condition 1 (10 discriminations at 4 weeks before surgery); condition 2 (10 discriminations at 1 week before surgery); or condition 3 (10 discriminations at 4 weeks before surgery and 10 discriminations at 1 week before surgery). Discriminations in both experiments were rapidly learned, requiring 7–10 trials to reach criterion. After training, half of the rats in each condition received bilateral neurotoxic lesions of the hippocampus, and the other half received sham surgery. One week after surgery, all rats were given a retention test, consisting of a single critical trial for each discrimination. In both experiments, rats with selective hippocampal lesions exhibited preserved retention of these olfactory discriminations with no observable retention gradient. A postoperative acquisition test for two new discriminations indicated that anterograde memory was also preserved, while a postoperative test of spatial learning in the Morris water maze confirmed that the hippocampal lesions impaired spatial learning. Together, these experiments refute the contention that the hippocampus is requisite for (nonspatial) olfactory memory consolidation, storage, or access, despite the condition that the information be rapidly acquired. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Local elasticity properties of an amorphous structure : evidences for typical sites and shell structure ; dynamic stability

Linear and quadratic Local Elasticity coefficients (LEC) of non periodic structures are defined here. Assuming a macroscopic isotropy, the directions of local symmetry axes need not be considered, thus only 9 relevant LEC remain. This analysis applied to the ML amorphous structure shows that the local hydrostatic constraint p is uniform on each shell of atoms surrounding the centre of the structure, and takes only 5 different values for the 525 central atoms. Thus p defines 5 categories of sites and shells. The analysis of their other LEC confirms the existence of these 5 categories of shells which define bands of values for each of the LEC. Some internal structuration of the shells, i.e. subbands of LEC, is found. Site categories are analysed in terms of local symmetry and topology. Atom dynamics are considered for possible localized modes with evidence for a softening of the frequencies of the modes more or less localized on a shell which encloses some 270 central atoms. These static and dynamics point of view enable us to make simple remarks on the magic numbers which are usual for shell structures. Global elastic properties such as bulk modulus and sound celerity for the ML structures, bare of filled with small, light atoms are derived, result in a radio C 11 /C 44 =2.22, which is independent of the details of a short ranged pair interaction. This ratio is in good agreement with experimental data. Finally the size of frozen fluctuations is shown to be two or three interatomic distances. Applications to different kinds of interactions such as molecule-molecule or nucleon-nucleon interactions are suggested Definition des coefficients elastiques locaux lineaires et quadratiques de structure non periodiques. Mise en evidence de l'uniformite de la contrainte hydrostatique sur chaque couche d'atomes. Definition de cinq categories de sites et de couches, d'une structuration de couches en sous couches et d'un seuil de stabilite de la taille des germes
Pax7 Is Necessary and Sufficient for the Myogenic Specification of CD45+:Sca1+ Stem Cells from Injured Muscle

CD45+:Sca1+ adult stem cells isolated from uninjured muscle do not display any myogenic potential, whereas those isolated from regenerating muscle give rise to myoblasts expressing the paired-box transcription factor Pax7 and the bHLH factors Myf5 and MyoD. By contrast, CD45+:Sca1+ isolated from injured Pax7 −/− muscle were incapable of forming myoblasts. Infection of CD45+:Sca1+ cells from uninjured muscle with retrovirus expressing Pax7 efficiently activated the myogenic program. The resulting myoblasts expressed Myf5 and MyoD and differentiated into myotubes that expressed myogenin and myosin heavy chain. Infection of CD45−:Sca1− cells from Pax7 −/− muscle similarly gave rise to myoblasts. Notably, infection of Pax7-deficient muscle with adenoviral Pax7 resulted in the de novo formation of regenerated myofibers. Taken together, these results indicate that Pax7 is necessary and sufficient to induce the myogenic specification of CD45+ stem cells resident in adult skeletal muscle. Moreover, these experiments suggest that viral transduction of Pax7 is a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of neuromuscular degenerative diseases.
Fabrication and physical properties of high-quality zinc oxide thin films

In this paper, ZnO thin films with a polycrystalline preferential orientation and low surface roughness were successively achieved on Si (100) substrate by RF magnetron sputtering techniques under optimized experimental parameters. In our sputtered samples, the average grain size is around 15~23 nm calculated from Scherrer Formula, and transmittance in visible range was over 80% measured by spectrophotometer, d33 equal to 27.5 pV/m measured by Piezoelectric Force Microscopy (PFM), surface roughness is below 3.00 nm and a good (002) plane orientation growth observed from XRD patterns. All the excellence properties of the ZnO thin films we acquired signal them are promising materials to be applied in electronic devices.
A Comparison of Machine Learning Classifiers

A number of different classifiers have been used to improve the precision and accuracy and give better classification results. Machine learning classifiers have proven to be the most successful techniques in majority of the fields. This paper presents a comparison of the three most successful machine learning classification techniques SVM, boosting and Local SVM applied to a cancer dataset. The comparison is made on the basis of precision and accuracy along with the training time analysis. Finally, the efficacy of the classifiers is found.
Multi-objective planning of recloser-based protection systems on DG enhanced feeders

Planning of protection systems has been a significant task in order to achieve an efficient behavior of distribution systems. Feeders that offer high robustness and reliability are essential to ensure continuous energy delivering to all customer loads. Since distributed generation (DG) has increased its penetration in distribution systems, it has become necessary to place protective devices (such as reclosers) in order to allow DG islanded operation, which decreases the energy not supplied. This paper addresses efficient placement of normally closed reclosers (NCRs). A multi-objective optimization is defined to reduce SAIDI, SAIFI, and system costs. This approach yields optimal planning of NCRs by applying the non-dominated sorting differential evolution algorithm (NSDE). The NSDE is implemented in Matlab, while the power system is modeled in DigSILENT in order to employ a co-simulation environment. Simulations are developed on a real test feeder for two cases: i) without DG; and ii) with 6 MW penetration of distributed sources.
The Association Between Fall History and Physical Performance Tests in the Community-Dwelling Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Objective To evaluate the association between baseline characteristics, three physical performance tests and fall history in a sample of the elderly from Korean population. Methods A total of 307 participants (mean age, 76.70±4.85 years) were categorized into one of two groups, i.e., fallers and non-fallers. Fifty-two participants who had reported falling unexpectedly at least once in the previous 12 months were assigned to the fallers group. Physical performance tests included Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go test. The differences between the two study groups were compared and we analyzed the correlations between fall histories and physical performance tests. Results SPPB demonstrated a significant association with fall history. Although the BBS total scores did not show statistical significance, two dynamic balance test items of BBS (B12 and B13) showed a significant association among fallers. Conclusion This study suggests that SPPB and two dynamic balance test items of the BBS can be used in screening for risk of falls in an ambulatory elderly population.