Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osteoblast Adhesion Dynamics: A Possible Role for ROS and LMW‐PTP

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulate a variety of intracellular events, but their role in osteoblast adhesion and spreading remains unclear. ROS is a very‐known physiological modulators of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases activities, mainly to low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW‐PTP) activity. As this biological mechanism is not clear in osteoblast adhesion, we decided to investigate ROS levels and phosphorylations of FAK and Src, identifying these proteins as potential substrates to LMW‐PTP activity. Our results showed that during osteoblast adhesion/spreading (30 min and 2 h of seeding) the intracellular ROS content (hydrogen peroxide) is finely regulated by an effective anti‐oxidant system [catalase and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activities were evaluated]. During the first 30 min of adhesion, there was an increase in ROS production and a concomitant increase in focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity after its phosphorylation at Tyrosine 397 (Y397). Moreover, after 2 h there was a decrease in ROS content and FAK phosphorylation. There was no significant change in LMW‐PTP expression at 30 min or 2 h. In order to validate our hypothesis that LMW‐PTP is able to control FAK activity by modulating its phosphorylation status, we decided to overexpress and silence LMW‐PTP in this context. Our results showed that FAK phosphorylation at Y397 was increased and decreased in osteoblasts with silenced or overexpressed LMW‐PTP, respectively. Together, these data show that ROS modulate FAK phosphorylation by an indirect way, suggesting that a LMW‐PTP/FAK supra‐molecular complex is involved in transient responses during osteoblast adhesion and spreading. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 1063–1069, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Youth and inexperience: Dynamic inconsistency among emerging adults

Why do some people think they will behave differently in the future? Building on research on dynamic inconsistency and age related preferences, this paper introduces the concept that inconsistent intertemporal preferences are directly related to age. In previous studies, standard socioeconomic variables such as age have had mixed results in predicting hyperbolic discounting (a behavior that consists of impatience now but projected patience in the future). By incorporating both demographic and behavioral variables, a clearer picture emerges. The findings from observations of a large sample of college graduates indicate that emerging adults are more likely to exhibit hyperbolic discounting behavior than adults over the age of 30. Among emerging adult respondents, lower incomes and more naive self-assessments are determinants of hyperbolic discounting behavior. Recognizing demographic trends is critical since studies show that hyperbolic discounting affects financial and planning decisions and that specially designed tools may help hyperbolic discounters follow through with plans (Ashraf, et. al. 2006).
A Discrete Meta-Control Procedure for Approximating Solutions to Binary Programs

Large-scale binary integer programs occur frequently in many real-world applications. For some binary integer problems, finding an optimal solution or even a feasible solution is computationally expensive. In this paper, we develop a discrete meta-control procedure to approximately solve large-scale binary integer programs efficiently. The key idea is to map the vector of n binary decision variables into a scalar function defined over a time interval [0; n] and construct a linear quadratic tracking (LQT) problem that can be solved efficiently. We prove that an LQT formulation has an optimal binary solution, analogous to a classical bang-bang control in continuous time. Our LQT approach can provide advantages in reducing computation while generating a good approximate solution. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method.
Effective Polynomial Families for Generating More Pairing-Friendly Elliptic Curves

Finding suitable non-supersingular elliptic curves becomes an important issue for the growing area of pairing-based cryptosystems. For this purpose, many methods have been proposed when embedding degree k and cofactor h are taken different values. In this paper we propose a new method to find pairing-friendly elliptic curves without restrictions on embedding degree k and cofactor h. We propose the idea of effective polynomial families for finding the curves through different kinds of Pell equations or special forms of D(x)V(x). In addition, we discover some efficient families which can be used to build pairing-friendly elliptic curves over extension fields, e.g. Fp and Fp.
Motivasjon for internettbasert kognitiv atferdsterapi ved hjelp av konsultasjonsstøtte: en kvalitativ studie

Bakgrunn Forekomsten av depresjon er høy og fører til enorme kostnader for samfunnet (2). Internettbasert kognitiv adferdsterapi (ICBT) har i studier vist seg som effektiv behandling av depresjon, men studiene viser også at det er mer effektivt å kombinere ICBT med menneskelig støtte (3). At pasienter ikke fullfører behandling er en utfordring (4). Implementering av ICBT i kombinasjon med korte ansikt-til-ansikt-konsultasjoner i allmennpraksis kan føre til tidlig intervensjon, gi økt tilgang til kognitiv atferdsterapi og forbedre behandlingen av depresjon, samt ta hensyn til pasientenes ønske om oppfølging gjennom konsultasjoner. Det er anbefalt å finne tiltak for å forbedre oppfølgingen – slik at pasientene fortsetter i internettbaserte intervensjoner (5) – samt forsøke å identifisere effekten av ulike elementer rundt den støtte en helsearbeider kan gi i slike intervensjoner (6). Noen tidligere studier har undersøkt motivasjon til å fortsette med ICBT, men da uten ansikt-til-ansikt-konsultasjoner gitt av en helsearbeider (7). Vår studie utforsket motivasjon til å stå i behandling ved å se på erfaringer høstet fra en gruppe pasienter som søkte hjelp i allmennpraksis og ble henvist videre til «konsultasjonsstøttet behandling», det vil si ICBT støttet av korte ansikt-til-ansikt-konsultasjoner. Metode For å belyse motivasjon i en hverdagslig kontekst samt betydningen av pasientenes erfaringer valgte vi en fenomenologisk hermeneutisk tilnærming (8). Vi intervjuet deltakerne fra intervensjonsgruppen av en randomisert kontrollert studie som evaluerte effekten av et ICBT-program kalt MoodGYM, en eHelse-intervensjon som brukes til å behandle depresjon (fritt tilgjengelig på msh.no). 14 deltakere, både noen som fullførte behandlingen og noen som ikke fullførte behandlingen, ble intervjuet (TABELL 1). Intervjuene var individuelle og semistrukturerte, dvs. vi tilstrebet at dialogen var som en vanlig samtale – samtidig som temaene ble styrt ved hjelp av en forberedt guide med åpne spørsmål. Intervjuene ble gjennomført kort tid etter at deltakerne hadde avsluttet behandlingen.
A Theory of Stochastic Harvesting in Stochastic Environments

We investigate how model populations respond to stochastic harvesting in a stochastic environment. In particular, we show that the effects of variable harvesting on the variance in population density and yield depend critically on the autocorrelation of environmental noise and on whether the endogenous dynamics of the population display over‐ or undercompensation to density. These factors interact in complicated ways; harvesting shifts the slope of the renewal function, and the net effect of this shift will depend on the sign and magnitude of the other influences. For example, when environmental noise exhibits a positive autocorrelation, the relative importance of a variable harvest to the variance in density increases with overcompensation but decreases with undercompensation. For a fixed harvesting level, an increasing level of autocorrelation in environmental noise will decrease the relative variation in population density when overcompensation would otherwise occur. These and other intricate interactions have important ramifications for the interpretation of time series data when no prior knowledge of demographic or environmental details exists. These effects are important whenever the harvesting rate is sufficiently high or variable, conditions likely to occur in many systems, whether the harvesting is caused by commercial exploitation or by any other strong agent of density‐independent mortality.
Respiration Modeling and Estimation

— We created the model for respiration, arterial blood pressure (ABP), and heart rate (HR) or RRI signal as well as developed algorithm to find the correlation and estimate those three signals by using signal processing combined with communication system and linear model method. First, we describe the behavior of the model into three kinds called Additive, Amplitude Modulation, and Frequency Modulation. Second, we use the output of those models to be input of the linear model to estimate the original respiration input signal. The performance of the models is calculated to show the numeric result rather than graphic result.
A Demonstration of a new TCP Congestion Control Algorithm over LTE and other Challenging Networks

TCP is the most widely used protocol for Internet traffic, including email, web browsing, data and an increasing portion of multimedia content delivered in real time using the HTTP/TCP protocols. Performances of existing TCP congestion control algorithms degrade significantly when deployed over wireless networks. As TCP was designed primarily for reliable, as opposed to real time delivery, the problem is particularly severe for real time applications such as HTTP/TCP based streaming. In the proposed demo, we will demonstrate the performance of a new TCP congestion control algorithm in different network conditions. Theoretical analysis and experiments both show that the new TCP congestion control algorithm, namely, TCP-FIT, out-performs existing algorithms such as Bic/Cubic, Reno, Veno, Westwood, Compound TCP, FastTCP and etc. under challenging network conditions, while maintaining good inter and intra protocol fairness. The proposed demo will be carried out using generic network emulation hardware such as the Linktropy Mini, as well as the carrier grade Neatbox software emulator for LTE networks from Nomor Research. Mobicom participants will also be able to conduct back to back or side by side comparisons of the TCP-FIT and other state of the art TCP algorithms using live wired line as well as 3G or Wi-Fi networks. A video showing one of many comparisons available to Mobicom participants can be found at http://media.cs. tsinghua.edu. cn/∼multimedia/tcp-fit/.
A Transceiver Design for Limited Feedback AF MIMO Relay System with MMSE-SIC Receiver

Precoded multiple-input multiple-output relay (MIMO relay) systems are able to not only extend the linking coverage, but improve the link quality in a cellular system. Generally, the precoding is conducted by either feeding back the channel state information (CSI) or the precoder to the transmitter. However, the perfect feedback is almost impossible due to the feedback overhead. Practically, the limited feedback mechanisms are considered, where only a quantized precoder is fed back to the transmitter. Therefore, how to select a proper quantized precoder (codeword) is a crucial issue. Comparing with conventional MIMO systems, the codeword selection is more complicated in MIMO relay systems due to the additional relay link and the far-end CSI problem. In this paper, we will study three limited feedback mechanisms, categorized by centralized and decentralized schemes, for the amplify-and-forward (AF) MIMO relay system with minimum mean-squared-error successive interference cancellation (MMSE-SIC) receivers. For the centralized codeword selection (CCS) scheme, we propose two selection criteria by minimizing the chordal distance and maximizing the worst-case post signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) criterion. To reduce the overhead burden of exchanging CSI and the computational complexity, we further propose a decentralized codeword selection (DCS) method. Simulation results show that the proposed DCS scheme can approach the proposed CCS schemes with much lower computational complexity and less CSI exchange overhead.
Look-ahead techniques for fast beam search

This paper presents two look-ahead techniques for speeding up large vocabulary continuous speech recognition. These two techniques, which are referred to as language model look-ahead and phoneme look-ahead, are incorporated into the pruning process of the time-synchronous one-pass beam search algorithm. The search algorithm is based on a tree-organized pronunciation lexicon in connection with a bigram language model. Both look-ahead techniques have been tested on the 20000-word NAB'94 task (ARPA North American Business Corpus). The recognition experiments show that the combination of bigram language model look-ahead and phoneme look-ahead reduces the size of search space by a factor of about 30 without affecting the word recognition accuracy in comparison with no look-ahead pruning technique.
Top-k Search in Product Catalogues

In the era of huge datasets, the top-k search becomes an effective way to decrease the search time of top-k objects. The original top-k search requires a monotone combination function and lists of objects ordered by attribute values. Our approach of the top-k search is motivated by complex user preferences over product catalogues. Such user preferences are composed of the local user prefe- rences of the attributes' values (user defined arbitrary fuzzy functions, one for each attribute) and a user defined monotone combination function. This paper compares two different approaches of the top-k search for this type of non- monotone query. The first approach uses several B+trees, one for each attribute, and it is based on ordered lists. The second approach is new for this type of query and requires an R-tree index.
A class-separability-based method for multi/hyperspectral image color visualization

In this paper, a new color visualization technique for multi- and hyperspectral images is proposed. This method is based on a maximization of the perceptual distance between the scene endmembers as well as natural constancy of the resulting images. The stretched CMF principle is used to transform reflectance into values in the CIE L*a*b* colorspace combined with an a priori known segmentation map for separability enhancement between classes. Boundaries are set in the a*b* subspace to balance the natural palette of colors in order to ease interpretation by a human expert. Convincing results on two different images are shown.
Enhanced activity of doxorubicin in drug resistant A549 tumor cells by encapsulation of P-glycoprotein inhibitor in PLGA-based nanovectors

Effective chemotherapy remains an important issue in the treatment of drug resistant cancer. The aim of the present study was to establish novel polymeric nanoparticles composed of the antitumor drug, doxorubicin (DOX), and an inhibitor of the drug efflux pump-associated protein, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), in order to overcome drug resistance in tumor cells. Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), DOX-loaded PLGA (PLGA-DOX), P-gp inhibitor (cyclosporin A; CsA)-coated PLGA (PLGA-CsA) and DOX and CsA co-loaded PLGA (PLGA-DOX-CsA) nanoparticles were prepared using solvent evaporation. The size distribution, ζ potential and electron microscopy observations of the nanoparticles were characterized. Accumulation and efflux assays were performed using confocal and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and the pump activity of P-gp was detected through FACS. The uptake of the nanoparticles and the viability of Taxol-resistant A549 cells treated with various nanoparticles were analyzed via FACS in vitro. Furthermore, the tumor growth and survival rates of A549-Taxol-bearing mice were monitored in vivo. Prepared particles were nanosized and the efflux rates of PLGA-DOX and PLGA-DOX-CsA were significantly decreased compared with the free DOX. Drug efflux pump activity was effectively inhibited by the PLGA-CsA and PLGA-DOX-CsA groups compared with the PLGA, PLGA-DOX and free DOX groups. Cell viability results demonstrated that PLGA-DOX and PLGA-DOX-CsA induced the increased death of A549-Taxol cells. In vivo tumor models demonstrated that PLGA-DOX and PLGA-DOX-CsA markedly inhibited the tumor growth and improved the survival rate of A549-Taxol-bearing mice. Antitumor drug and drug efflux pump inhibitor co-loaded nanoparticles offer advantages to overcome the drug resistance of tumors and highlight new therapeutic strategies to control drug resistant tumors.
Reverse-Engineering MAC: A Non-Cooperative Game Model

This paper reverse-engineers backoff-based random-access MAC protocols in ad-hoc networks. We show that the contention resolution algorithm in such protocols is implicitly participating in a non-cooperative game. Each link attempts to maximize a selfish local utility function, whose exact shape is reverse-engineered from the protocol description, through a stochastic subgradient method in which the link updates its persistence probability based on its transmission success or failure. We prove that existence of a Nash equilibrium is guaranteed in general. Then we establish the minimum amount of backoff aggressiveness needed, as a function of density of active users, for uniqueness of Nash equilibrium and convergence of the best response strategy. Convergence properties and connection with the best response strategy are also proved for variants of the stochastic-subgradient-based dynamics of the game. Together with known results in reverse-engineering TCP and BGP, this paper further advances the recent efforts in reverse-engineering layers 2-4 protocols. In contrast to the TCP reverse-engineering results in earlier literature, MAC reverse-engineering highlights the non-cooperative nature of random access.
Labeling techniques and typed fixed-point operators

Labeling techniques for untyped lambda calculus were developed by Levy, Hyland, Wadsworth and others in the 1970's. A typical application is the proof of confluence from finiteness of de- velopments: by labeling each subterm with a natural number indicating the maximum number of times this term may participate in a reduction step, we obtain a strongly-normalizing ap- proximation of β, η-reduction. Confluence then follows by a syntactic "compactness" argument (repeated in the introduction of this paper). This paper presents applications of labeling to typed lambda calculi with fixed-point opera- tors, including confluence and completeness of leftmost reduction for PCF (an "applied" lambda calculus with fixed-point operators and numeric and boolean operations) and a confluence proof for a variant of typed lambda calculus with subtyping. Labeling is simpler for typed calculi than untyped calculi because the fixed-point operator is the only source of nontermination. We can also use the method of logical relations for the labeled typed calculus, extended with basic operations like addition and conditional. This method would not apply to untyped lambda calculus.
TRIS: A Fast and Accurate Identifiers Splitting and Expansion Algorithm

Understanding source code identifiers, by identifying words composing them, is a necessary step for many program comprehension, reverse engineering, or redocumentation tasks. To this aim, researchers have proposed several identifier splitting and expansion approaches such as Samurai, TIDIER and more recently GenTest. The ultimate goal of such approaches is to help disambiguating conceptual information encoded in compound (or abbreviated) identifiers. This paper presents TRIS, TRee-based Identifier Splitter, a two-phases approach to split and expand program identifiers. First, TRIS pre-compiles transformed dictionary words into a tree representation, associating a cost to each transformation. In a second phase, it maps the identifier splitting/expansion problem into a minimization problem, i.e., the search of the shortest path (optimal split/expansion) in a weighted graph. We apply TRIS to a sample of 974 identifiers extracted from JHotDraw, 3,085 from Lynx, and to a sample of 489 identifiers extracted from 340 C programs. Also, we compare TRIS with GenTest on a set of 2,663 mixed Java, C and C++ identifiers. We report evidence that TRIS split (and expansion) is more accurate than state-of-the-art approaches and that it is also efficient in terms of computation time.
Exception Handling in Workflow Management Systems

Fault tolerance is a key requirement in process support systems (PSS), a class of distributed computing middleware encompassing applications such as workflow management systems and process centered software engineering environments. A PSS controls the flow of work between programs and users in networked environments based on a "metaprogram" (the process). The resulting applications are characterized by a high degree of distribution and a high degree of heterogeneity (properties that make fault tolerance both highly desirable and difficult to achieve). We present a solution for implementing more reliable processes by using exception handling, as it is used in programming languages, and atomicity, as it is known from the transaction concept in database management systems. We describe the mechanism incorporating both transactions and exceptions and present a validation technique allowing to assess the correctness of process specifications.
Dude, calm down! De-escalating driving anger using in-car information

Aggressive driving is cited as a major cause for road accidents. Previous research has singled out driverrs anger as a key antecedent for aggressive driving behaviour. This ongoing research project investigates how technical devices can be used to de-escalate driversr anger. In a driving simulator experiment we explore different ways of in-car information with regard to their ability to reduce driverrs anger. The simulated drive was designed to elicit driverrs anger by inhibiting their progress and comprised a traffic jam, a tailgater, and a slow driving car in front with sections of unimpeded driving in between. In-car information was either designed to distract driverrs attention from the anger eliciting aspect of the event (distraction) or to change the appraisal of the anger-provoking event (reappraisal). At 9 predefined route sections participants were ask about their amount of experienced anger. Driving parameters were measured during the whole simulated drive. Preliminary results indicate that in-car information may be able to modify driverrs anger.
High-intensity Raf signal causes cell cycle arrest mediated by p21Cip1

Activated Raf has been linked to such opposing cellular responses as the induction of DNA synthesis and the inhibition of proliferation. However, it remains unclear how such a switch in signal specificity is regulated. We have addressed this question with a regulatable Raf-androgen receptor fusion protein in murine fibroblasts. We show that Raf can cause a G1-specific cell cycle arrest through induction of p21Cip1. This in turn leads to inhibition of cyclin D- and cyclin E-dependent kinases and an accumulation of hypophosphorylated Rb. Importantly, this behavior can be observed only in response to a strong Raf signal. In contrast, moderate Raf activity induces DNA synthesis and is sufficient to induce cyclin D expression. Therefore, Raf signal specificity can be determined by modulation of signal strength presumably through the induction of distinct protein expression patterns. Similar to induction of Raf, a strong induction of activated Ras via a tetracycline-dependent promoter also causes inhibition of proliferation and p21Cip1 induction at high expression levels. Thus, p21Cip1 plays a key role in determining cellular responses to Ras and Raf signalling. As predicted by this finding we show that Ras and loss of p21 cooperate to confer a proliferative advantage to mouse embryo fibroblasts.