Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Behavioral Symptoms after Breast Cancer Treatment: A Biobehavioral Approach

Being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer is emotionally and physically challenging. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of death for women in the United States. Accordingly, women with a breast cancer history are the largest group of female cancer survivors. Psychological stress substantially augments adverse autonomic, endocrine, and immune discharge, including enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines. Importantly, inflammation is a key biological mechanism underlying the symptom cluster of pain, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances; there is also good evidence that inflammation contributes to breast cancer recurrence. Stress may exert direct effects on psychological and physiological risk processes. In this review, we take a biobehavioral approach to understanding predictors and mechanisms underlying somatic symptoms in breast cancer survivors.
Magnesium Based Sol-Gel Derived Bioactive Glass Ceramics for Dental Tissue Regeneration

Scaffold-based tooth engineering is currently the most popular approach towards replacing dental tissues or even engineering a bio-tooth. Although, various scaffold materials have been employed in tooth regeneration, the scaffold-based tooth design has, until now, achieved only limited success. Recently, bioactive Mg-based ceramics have attracted interest as Mg plays an important role on skeletal metabolism and affects the quality and structure of hard dental tissues. Mg has been reported to improve the mechanical properties of calcium phosphate ceramics, control biodegradation rate and stabilize the cell-material interface improving cell attachment and growth. The aim of this study was the development of an experimental Mg-based ceramic material, with enhanced bioactivity and adequate mechanical properties, in order to be potentially used in dental tissue regeneration. The Mg-based ceramic was prepared by the sol-gel method, while the stabilization was performed at 1300, 1400 and 1450oC in order a fully crystalline material to be obtained. The characterization of the materials -before and after immersion is Simulated Body Fluid (SBF)- was performed by Fourier Tranform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy associated with an EDS analyzer (SEM-EDS), while the flexural strength of uniaxially pressed pellets was measured using a universal testing machine for 3- point bending tests (Instron 3344). FTIR spectra and XRD patterns of all powder samples before immersion in SBF solution confirmed the presence of three crystalline phases; akermanite, merwinite and diopside. The onset of apatite formation on the surface of all powders was observed even after three days of immersion, while the apatite formation on the surface of the sintered pellets was slightly delayed. Flexural strength values were in the range of 30Mpa. In conclusion, Mg-based glass-ceramics attain adequate mechanical integrity and high rate of bioactivity and could be potentially used in the construction of ceramic scaffolds for dental tissue regeneration.
Challenges and perspectives in combinatorial assembly of novel exopolysaccharide biosynthesis pathways

Because of their rheological properties various microbial polysaccharides are applied as thickeners and viscosifiers both in food and non-food industries. A broad variety of microorganisms secrete structurally diverse exopolysaccharides (EPS) that contribute to their surface attachment, protection against abiotic or biotic stress factors, and nutrient gathering. Theoretically, a massive number of EPS structures are possible through variations in monosaccharide sequences, condensation linkages and non-sugar decorations. Given the already-high diversity of EPS structures, taken together with the principal of combinatorial biosynthetic pathways, microbial polysaccharides are an attractive class of macromolecules with which to generate novel structures via synthetic biology approaches. However, previous manipulations primarily focused on increasing polysaccharide yield, with structural modifications restricted to removal of side chains or non-sugar decorations. This article outlines the biosynthetic pathways of the bacterial heteroexopolysaccharides xanthan and succinoglycan, which are used as thickening and stabilizing agents in food and non-food industries. Challenges and perspectives of combining synthetic biology approaches with directed evolution to overcome obstacles in assembly of novel EPS biosynthesis pathways are discussed.
A Classification Study of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Inhibitors by Variable Selection with Random Forest

Experimental pEC50s for 216 selective respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) inhibitors are used to develop classification models as a potential screening tool for a large library of target compounds. Variable selection algorithm coupled with random forests (VS-RF) is used to extract the physicochemical features most relevant to the RSV inhibition. Based on the selected small set of descriptors, four other widely used approaches, i.e., support vector machine (SVM), Gaussian process (GP), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and k nearest neighbors (kNN) routines are also employed and compared with the VS-RF method in terms of several of rigorous evaluation criteria. The obtained results indicate that the VS-RF model is a powerful tool for classification of RSV inhibitors, producing the highest overall accuracy of 94.34% for the external prediction set, which significantly outperforms the other four methods with the average accuracy of 80.66%. The proposed model with excellent prediction capacity from internal to external quality should be important for screening and optimization of potential RSV inhibitors prior to chemical synthesis in drug development.
Wave dispersion characteristics in fluid-filled carbon nanotubes embedded in an elastic medium

This paper reports the result of an investigation into the wave dispersion characteristic in fluid-filled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) embedded in an elastic medium. Based on an analysis method for a coupled system between the fluid-filled and the deformation of CNTs, the effect of a surrounding medium on the response of a fluid loading term in the CNTs is described. The result obtained indicates that for different wave modes there exist corresponding critical frequencies at which the velocity of wave propagation drops dramatically and some cut-off frequencies before which the corresponding wave modes does not appear; the response of the fluid loading item in fluid-filled CNTs embedded in an elastic medium is dependent on the axial wave mode, the circumferential wave mode, the radial constraint of the surrounding elastic medium and the response frequency of the coupled system. New features for the wave dispersion characteristic and the response of a fluid loading term in fluid-filled CNTs and meaningful results are useful in the design of a nano device, where CNTs act as basic elements for a conveying fluid.
STUDIES ON THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF DIPHTHERIA TOXIN, ANTITOXIN, AND THEIR REACTION PRODUCTS

Purified diphtheria antitoxic horse pseudoglobulin has been prepared which is homogeneous by sedimentation, diffusion, and electrophoresis. Immunologically, however, the preparation contains only 43.5 per cent antitoxin specifically precipitable by toxin. The inactive pseudoglobulin remaining after specific precipitation was found to have the same physical and chemical properties as the original antitoxic pseudoglobulin. Although the molecular weight of antitoxin is the same as that of the normal horse serum globulins, the electrophoretic mobility does differ from those normally present. The molecular weight of diphtheria toxin is 70,000 and of antitoxin is 150,000. From ultracentrifuge studies on the two reactants and on mixtures of toxin and antitoxin in the soluble inhibition zones, the average molecular composition of the specific floccules at certain reference points throughout the equivalence zone and the maximum "valence" of toxin and antitoxin with respect to each other have been calculated. The significance of the results has been discussed in relation to antigen-antibody reactions in general and a possible explanation for the exceptional behavior of the toxin-antitoxin reaction in the region of excess antitoxin has been suggested.
Flavonoids from the Japanese Monotypic Genus, Nipponanthemum

Foliar flavonoids of Nipponanthemum, which is a monotypic genus and consists of only one Japanese endemic species, N. nipponicum, were isolated for the first time. Fifteen flavonoids, i.e. six glycosides, quercetin 3,7-di-O-glucoside, vicenin-2, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside and apigenin 7-O-glucoside, and nine aglycones, luteolin, nepetin, quercetin 3-methyl ether, axillarin, apigenin, hispidulin, chrysoeriol, jaceosidin and sudachitin were identified. Of these compounds, the flavonoid aglycones existed on the leaf surface.
Design of an Adaptive Human-Machine System Based on Dynamical Pattern Recognition of Cognitive Task-Load

This paper developed a cognitive task-load (CTL) classification algorithm and allocation strategy to sustain the optimal operator CTL levels over time in safety-critical human-machine integrated systems. An adaptive human-machine system is designed based on a non-linear dynamic CTL classifier, which maps a set of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) related features to a few CTL classes. The least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) is used as dynamic pattern classifier. A series of electrophysiological and performance data acquisition experiments were performed on seven volunteer participants under a simulated process control task environment. The participant-specific dynamic LSSVM model is constructed to classify the instantaneous CTL into five classes at each time instant. The initial feature set, comprising 56 EEG and ECG related features, is reduced to a set of 12 salient features (including 11 EEG-related features) by using the locality preserving projection (LPP) technique. An overall correct classification rate of about 80% is achieved for the 5-class CTL classification problem. Then the predicted CTL is used to adaptively allocate the number of process control tasks between operator and computer-based controller. Simulation results showed that the overall performance of the human-machine system can be improved by using the adaptive automation strategy proposed.
Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes What's inside the Minds of Securely and Insecurely Attached People? the Secure-base Script and Its Associations with Attachment-style Dimensions Attachment Theory and Attachment Orientations

In 8 studies the authors explored the procedural knowledge (secure-base script; H. S. Waters & E. Waters, 2006) associated with secure attachment (i.e., low scores on attachment anxiety and avoidance). The studies assessed the accessibility, richness, and automaticity of the secure-base script and the extent to which it guided the processing of attachment-relevant information. Secure attachment (lower scores on anxiety and avoidance) was associated with greater secure-base " scriptedness " of attachment narratives, greater accessibility of the secure-base script in narratives and dreams about distressing experiences, deeper processing of script-relevant information, and faster and more confident script-relevant judgments. In addition, secure participants' tendency to process secure-base information more deeply was evident even 5 days after being exposed to it and was impervious to the depletion of cognitive resources, indicating automatic processing. The discussion focuses on implications of the findings for understanding the cognitive bases of secure people's affect-regulation strategies and behavior in social relationships. An important premise of attachment theory (Bowlby, 1982) is that temporal continuity in people's orientations to attachment, or attachment styles (e.g., secure, anxious, or avoidant), is attributable in part to mental schemas or " working models " of self, relationships, and relationship partners. The theory deals with the roots of security and insecurity in close relationships and with effects of the resulting mental structures on information processing, feelings, and interper-sonal behavior. Various approaches have been taken to defining and measuring relational schemas, models, or scripts. In the present article we consider a particular kind of mental schema or model, the " secure-base script " (Waters & Waters, 2006). This script includes three components: (a) If one encounters an obstacle and/or becomes distressed , one can approach a relationship partner for help; (b) this partner will be available and supportive when one asks for support; and (c) one will experience relief and comfort as a result of proximity to this person. We show how this construct can be measured in adult samples, and we examine several of its effects on social information processing. We begin with a brief overview of attachment theory and research and then concentrate on the secure-base-script concept. We outline a series of hypotheses that we then test in eight separate studies. The results provide a large gain in the understanding of secure-base scripts, individual differences in such scripts, and the effects of more or less well-developed scripts on social information processing. Bowlby (1982) …
Prostate epithelium-derived Ets transcription factor mRNA is overexpressed in human breast tumors and is a candidate breast tumor marker and a breast tumor antigen.

PURPOSE There is a need to identify novel breast tumor-associated molecules with a potential as diagnostic/prognostic markers of breast cancer as well as targets of vaccine and drug discovery against this cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We used a combination of digital differential display and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods to identify breast tumor-associated cDNAs. RESULTS It was found that prostate epithelium-derived Ets transcription factor (PDEF) and five other cDNAs occur at high frequency in the cDNA libraries from normal human breast tissue and human breast tumors. In contrast, these cDNAs are either undetectable or present at low frequencies in the cDNA libraries from other normal human tissues. RT-PCR expression analysis of PDEF showed it to be overexpressed in 14 of 20 primary human breast tumors and in one metastases tested. Also, consistent with the digital differential display data, RT-PCR analysis of PDEF expression showed highly restricted expression in normal human tissues. Furthermore, we show that PDEF transcript levels are 192-fold higher in the peripheral blood of a breast cancer patient in comparison with two normal individuals and another breast cancer patient. In contrast to PDEF, RT-PCR analysis of the expression of the other three cDNAs, including MYL5, Hs.44017, and Hs.215937, showed that these cDNAs are expressed in several normal human tissues. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that PDEF is a breast tumor-associated cDNA and should be further evaluated for its potential as a breast tumor marker and a breast tumor antigen.
Attacks on Inter Vehicle Communication Systems - an Analysis

— Inter-vehicle communication systems are a new paradigm of networking. Largely related to mobile ad hoc networks and their distributed, self-organizing structure, they also introduce new threats. In order to assess these threats we introduce a model of attacks on an inter-vehicle communication system in this paper. This model is used to reﬁne the system model of the NoW communication system and to ﬁnd potential weaknesses during the speciﬁcation phase of the NoW communication system. Our work shows that there are several interesting new challenges requiring novel solutions, some of which are outlined at the end of this paper. Although this is still work in progress, it is the foundation for analysis and assessment of future work. As one of the main results of this paper, we identi-ﬁed several difﬁcult to detect attacks on the hard-and software, and on the sensor input. We further point out system requirements to thwart such attacks.
Exact common information

This paper introduces the notion of exact common information, which is the minimum description length of the common randomness needed for the exact distributed generation of two correlated random variables (X, Y). We introduce the quantity G(X; Y) = minX→W→Y H(W) as a natural bound on the exact common information and study its properties and computation. We then introduce the exact common information rate, which is the minimum description rate of the common randomness for the exact generation of a 2-DMS (X, Y). We give a multiletter characterization for it as the limit G̅(X; Y) = limn→∞(1/n)G(Xn; Yn). While in general G̅(X; Y) is greater than or equal to the Wyner common information, we show that they are equal for the Symmetric Binary Erasure Source. We do not know, however, if the exact common information rate has a single letter characterization in general.
Bank Capital and Monitoring: Evidence from Loan Quality

There are two competing theoretical perspectives on whether bank capital improves or adversely affects banks’ monitoring incentives. We show that bank capital is positively associated with loan quality, an outcome of bank’s monitoring effort, and two salary-based ex-ante measures of monitoring effort that capture quality and quantity of labor input into monitoring. The evidence is robust to a battery of additional tests including an instrumental variable approach. Overall, our evidence is consistent with the prediction in Mehran and Thakor (2011) that bank capital strengthens monitoring incentives which in turn increases loan quality and hence the value of its loan portfolio.
A paradigm shift: alternative interaction techniques for use with mobile & wearable devices

Desktop user interface design originates from the fact that users are stationary and can devote all of their visual resource to the application with which they are interacting. In contrast, users of mobile and wearable devices are typically in motion whilst using their device which means that they cannot devote all or any of their visual resource to interaction with the mobile application -- it must remain with the primary task, often for safety reasons. Additionally, such devices have limited screen real estate and traditional input and output capabilities are generally restricted. Consequently, if we are to develop effective applications for use on mobile or wearable technology, we must embrace a paradigm shift with respect to the interaction techniques we employ for communication with such devices.This paper discusses why it is necessary to embrace a paradigm shift in terms of interaction techniques for mobile technology and presents two novel multimodal interaction techniques which are effective alternatives to traditional, visual-centric interface designs on mobile devices as empirical examples of the potential to achieve this shift.
Transient Activation of Cyclic AMP-dependent Protein Kinase during Hippocampal Long-term Potentiation*

Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus is a possible mechanism for mammalian learning and memory in which protein kinases play critical roles. We have investigated the involvement of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in LTP by directly studying its activation. We developed an in vitro assay which is useful for selective and accurate measurement of stimulus-induced changes in PKA activity in hippocampal slices. PKA was transiently activated 2 and 10 min after delivery of LTP-inducing stimuli in area CA1 of the hippocampus. This activation did not persist during early or late phases of LTP, suggesting that the role of PKA is in the induction of LTP, not in its expression. LTP was not associated with any change in the total activity of PKA, consistent with activation by cyclic AMP, as opposed to an increase in the amount or efficacy of the enzyme. The LTP-associated activation of PKA required stimulation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor, and bath application of NMDA was sufficient to activate PKA. Together, these results indicate that at the initiation of LTP, NMDA receptor stimulation leads to transient activation of PKA, and support a role for PKA in the induction of LTP.
Involvement of TRPC in the abnormal calcium influx observed in dystrophic (mdx) mouse skeletal muscle fibers

Duchenne muscular dystrophy results from the lack of dystrophin, a cytoskeletal protein associated with the inner surface membrane, in skeletal muscle. The absence of dystrophin induces an abnormal increase of sarcolemmal calcium influx through cationic channels in adult skeletal muscle fibers from dystrophic (mdx) mice. We observed that the activity of these channels was increased after depletion of the stores of calcium with thapsigargin or caffeine. By analogy with the situation observed in nonexcitable cells, we therefore hypothesized that these store-operated channels could belong to the transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) family. We measured the expression of TRPC isoforms in normal and mdx adult skeletal muscles fibers, and among the seven known isoforms, five were detected (TRPC1, 2, 3, 4, and 6) by RT-PCR. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry of normal and mdx muscle fibers demonstrated the localization of TRPC1, 4, and 6 proteins at the plasma membrane. Therefore, an antisense strategy was used to repress these TRPC isoforms. In parallel with the repression of the TRPCs, we observed that the occurrence of calcium leak channels was decreased to one tenth of its control value (patch-clamp technique), showing the involvement of TRPC in the abnormal calcium influx observed in dystrophic fibers.
Puerarin Attenuates Cardiac Hypertrophy Partly Through Increasing Mir-15b/195 Expression and Suppressing Non-Canonical Transforming Growth Factor Beta (Tgfβ) Signal Pathway

Background Previous studies demonstrated that puerarin has therapeutic effects on cardiac hypertrophy. This study aimed to explore whether the effect of puerarin on attenuating cardiac hypertrophy is related to regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signal pathway. Material/Methods The therapeutic effect of puerarin was assessed using an angiotensin (Ang) II-induced heart hypertrophy model in mice. The primary cardiomyocytes were used as an in vitro model. MiR-15 family expression was quantified using qRT-PCR analysis. The expression of the genes involved in canonical and non-canonical TGFβ signal pathways was measured using qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. In vitro cardiac hypertrophic features were assessed by quantifying cardiac hypertrophic genes and measurement of cell surface, protein synthesis, and total protein content. Results Puerarin attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and increased miR-15b and miR-195 expression in the mouse cardiac hypertrophy model and in primary cardiomyocytes. It suppressed both canonical and non-canonical TGFβ signal pathways, partially through miR-15b and miR-195. Puerarin reduced mRNA expression of cardiac hypertrophic genes, reduced cell surface area, and lowered the rate of protein synthesis and the total protein content induced by Ang II. Knockdown of endogenous miR-15b and miR-195 partly abrogated these effects. Knockdown of endogenous p38, but not Smad2/3/4, presented similar effects as miR-15b. Conclusions Puerarin administration enhances miR-15b and miR-195 expression in an Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy model, through which it suppresses both canonical and non-canonical TGFβ signal pathways at the same time. However, the effect of puerarin on attenuating cardiac hypertrophy is mainly through the non-canonical TGFβ pathway.