Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing the dermal accumulation of a tazarotene microemulsion using skin deposition modeling

Abstract Context: It is well known that microemulsions are mainly utilized for their transdermal rather than their dermal drug delivery potential due to their low viscosity, and the presence of penetration enhancing surfactants and co-surfactants. Objective: Applying quality by design (QbD) principles, a tazarotene microemulsion formulation for local skin delivery was optimized by creating a control space. Materials and methods: Critical formulation factors (CFF) were oil, surfactant/co-surfactant (SAA/CoS), and water percentages. Critical quality attributes (CQA) were globular size, microemulsion viscosity, tazarotene skin deposition, permeation, and local accumulation efficiency index. Results and discussion: Increasing oil percentage increased globular size, while the opposite occurred regarding SAA/CoS, (p = 0.001). Microemulsion viscosity was reduced by increasing oil and water percentages (p < 0.05), due to the inherent high viscosity of the utilized SAA/CoS. Drug deposition in the skin was reduced by increasing SAA/CoS due to the increased hydrophilicity and viscosity of the system, but increased by increasing water due to hydration effect (p = 0.009). Models with very good fit were generated, predicting the effect of CFF on globular size, microemulsion viscosity, and drug deposition. A combination of 40% oil and 45% SAA/CoS showed the maximum drug deposition of 75.1%. Clinical skin irritation study showed that the aforementioned formula was safe for topical use. Conclusion: This article suggests that applying QbD tools such as experimental design is an efficient tool for drug product design.
Integration of -omics data and networks for biomedical research with VANTED

Abstract Increasingly, research focus in the fields of biology and medicine moves from the investigation of single phenomena to the analysis of complex cause and effect relationships. The clarification of complicated relationships requires the consideration of different domains, such as gene expression, protein, and metabolite data. Furthermore, it is often sensible not to analyze the collected data in isolation, but to consider the context of relevant biological networks. In this paper newly developed functionalities of the VANTED system are presented. They allow users from medicine and biology to interactively structure extensive experimental data, to filter, to evaluate, and to visualize the data and the analysis results in the context of biological networks and classification hierarchies.
The three transfer RNAs occupying the A, P and E sites on the ribosome are involved in viral programmed -1 ribosomal frameshift

The -1 programmed ribosomal frameshifts (PRF), which are used by many viruses, occur at a heptanucleotide slippery sequence and are currently thought to involve the tRNAs interacting with the ribosomal P- and A-site codons. We investigated here whether the tRNA occupying the ribosomal E site that precedes a slippery site influences -1 PRF. Using the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) frameshift region, we found that mutating the E-site codon altered the -1 PRF efficiency. When the HIV-1 slippery sequence was replaced with other viral slippery sequences, mutating the E-site codon also altered the -1 PRF efficiency. Because HIV-1 -1 PRF can be recapitulated in bacteria, we used a bacterial ribosome system to select, by random mutagenesis, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) mutations that modify the expression of a reporter requiring HIV-1 -1 PRF. Three mutants were isolated, which are located in helices 21 and 22 of 16S rRNA, a region involved in translocation and E-site tRNA binding. We propose a novel model where -1 PRF is triggered by an incomplete translocation and depends not only on the tRNAs interacting with the P- and A-site codons, but also on the tRNA occupying the E site.
Synaptic Imbalance, Stereotypies, and Impaired Social Interactions in Mice with Altered Neuroligin 2 Expression

The level of excitation in the brain is kept under control through inhibitory signals mainly exerted by GABA neurons. However, the molecular machinery that regulates the balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I) remains unclear. Candidate molecules implicated in this process are neuroligin (NL) adhesion molecules, which are differentially enriched at either excitatory or inhibitory contacts. In this study, we use transgenic mouse models expressing NL1 or NL2 to examine whether enhanced expression of specific NLs results in synaptic imbalance and altered neuronal excitability and animal behavior. Our analysis reveals several abnormalities selectively manifested in transgenic mice with enhanced expression of NL2 but not NL1. A small change in NL2 expression results in enlarged synaptic contact size and vesicle reserve pool in frontal cortex synapses and an overall reduction in the E/I ratio. The frequency of miniature inhibitory synaptic currents was also found to be increased in the frontal cortex of transgenic NL2 mice. These animals also manifested stereotyped jumping behavior, anxiety, impaired social interactions, and enhanced incidence of spike-wave discharges, as depicted by EEG analysis in freely moving animals. These findings may provide the neural basis for E/I imbalance and altered behavior associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Mangrove and Seagrass Beds Provide Different Biogeochemical Services for Corals Threatened by Climate Change

Rapidly rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations are driving acidification in parallel with warming of the oceans. Future ocean acidification scenarios have the potential to impact coral growth and associated reef function, although reports suggest such affects could be reduced in adjacent seagrass habitats as a result of physio-chemical buffering. To-date, it remains unknown whether these habitats can actually support the metabolic function of a diverse range of corals. Similarly, whether mangroves provide the same ecological buffering service remains unclear. We examine whether reef-associated habitat sites (seagrass and mangroves) can act as potential refugia to future climate change by maintaining favorable chemical conditions (elevated pH and aragonite saturation state relative to the open-ocean), but by also assessing whether the metabolic function (photosynthesis, respiration and calcification) of important reef-building corals are sustained. We investigated three sites in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and consistently observed that seagrass beds experience an overall elevation in mean pH (8.15 ± 0.01) relative to the adjacent outer-reef (8.12 ± 0.03), but with periods of high and low pH. Corals in the seagrass habitats either sustained calcification or experienced an average reduction of 17.0 ± 6.1 % relative to the outer-reef. In contrast, mangrove habitats were characterized by a low mean pH (8.04 ± 0.01) and a relatively moderate pH range. Corals within mangrove-dominated habitats were thus pre-conditioned to low pH but with significant suppression to calcification (70.0 ± 7.3 % reduction relative to the outer-reef). Both habitats also experienced more variable temperatures (diel range up to 2.5°C) relative to the outer-reef (diel range less than 0.7°C), which did not correspond with changes in calcification rates. Here we report, for the first time, the biological costs for corals living in reef-associated habitats and characterize the environmental services these habitats may play in potentially mitigating the local effects of future ocean acidification.
ERCN merged nets for modeling degraded behavior and parallel processes in semiconductor manufacturing systems

This paper presents a new class of "well-behaved" Petrinets called ERCN merged nets that generalize the class of ERCN merged nets proposed in (X.L. Xie and M.D. Jeng, 1999). ERCN merged nets can model parallel and synchronized processes in semiconductor manufacturing such as lot split and merging. However, processing cycles for each resource type must include the initial state of the resource type. In other words, no local processing cycles are allowed. This makes the modeling of degraded behavior in semiconductor manufacturing such as rework, failure, and maintenance, difficult. In the current work, this constraint is relaxed under the "extended free-choice (EFC)" or "asymmetric choice (AC)" condition. Specifically, for each operation place with degrading outgoing arcs, the FC or AC condition is satisfied. In additions, degraded behavior is modeled as blocks within ERCNs. We show that conditions for liveness and reversibility of an unmarked siphons. The "well-behaved" conditions can be transforms into inequalities of the initial marking. Examples are shown to illustrate the proposed methodology.
Properties of individual GaP/ZnO core-shell nanowires with radial PN junction

Nanowires (NW) exhibit unique electrical and optical properties due to lowered dimensions and related confinement effects. An integration of these tiny objects necessitates better understanding of their individual intrinsic properties. Precise electrical characterization of NWs requests preparation of electrical nanocontacts with high stability, low contact resistance and ohmic behaviour. We applied a conventional field-effect transistor configuration that allows to estimate a type of conductivity and carrier mobility also. Structural properties of individual NWs were studied by means of SEM and TEM techniques. The GaP nanowires under study were grown on the p-type GaP (111)B substrate by a VLS technique using 30 nm colloidal gold particles as seeds. A part of NWs was covered by a thin ZnO layer (10 – 140 nm) deposited by RF sputtering. Deposition of thin ZnO layer on the GaP nanowire led to creation of radial PN junction in core-shell configuration.
Connecting Gröbner Bases Programs with Coq to do Proofs in Algebra, Geometry and Arithmetics

We describe how we connected three programs that compute Groebner bases to Coq, to do automated proofs on algebraic, geometrical and arithmetical expressions. The result is a set of Coq tactics and a certificate mechanism (downloadable at this http URL). The programs are: F4, GB \, and gbcoq. F4 and GB are the fastest (up to our knowledge) available programs that compute Groebner bases. Gbcoq is slow in general but is proved to be correct (in Coq), and we adapted it to our specific problem to be efficient. The automated proofs concern equalities and non-equalities on polynomials with coefficients and indeterminates in R or Z, and are done by reducing to Groebner computation, via Hilbert's Nullstellensatz. We adapted also the results of Harrison, to allow to prove some theorems about modular arithmetics. The connection between Coq and the programs that compute Groebner bases is done using the "external" tactic of Coq that allows to call arbitrary programs accepting xml inputs and outputs. We also produce certificates in order to make the proof scripts independant from the external programs.
Supporting Collaborative Information Sharing with the World Wide Web: The BSCW Shared Workspace System

The emergence and widespread adoption of the World Wide Web (W3) offers a great deal of potential for the developers of collaborative technologies, both as an enabling infrastructure and a platform for integration with existing end-user environments. This paper describes a system which attempts to exploit that potential by extending the W3 to provide a set of basic facilities for collaborative information sharing. The BSCW Shared Workspace system was conceived as an alternative to tools which currently support collaborative working for widely dispersed working groups such as electronic mail and ftp. We report on the design and implementation of our system, the problems we encountered, and the benefits accruing from our choice of the W3 as an enabling platform. Our experiences suggest how recent developments in the W3 point the way to more suitable and powerful mechanisms to support the development of collaborative systems.
An Optical Packet Switch based on Parametric Wavelength Converters

In an OPS, an optical fiber carries several wavelengths to transmit packets. An input fiber may carry as many packets as wavelengths that could be destined to one or several outpu t fibers. The output contention occurs when multiple packets from different input fibers are destined to a single output fib er using the same wavelength at the same time. Only one packet is forwarded to the output fiber and the others are dropped. Some proposed methods for resolving output contention are: i) optical buffering through fiber delay lines (FDLs) to store packets. However, the feasible delays of FDLs are smaller than the delays packets would have to wait for transmission. ii) Bufferless deflection routing [1], but network control mig ht be complex.iii) Wavelength conversion (WC) [2] where the wavelength carrying a packet that cannot be connected to its destined output because of output contention is converted t o a wavelength available at the output fiber. A full wavelength converter (FWC) can convert a wavelength to any other wavelength. However, this approach is expensive for practi c l applications as dedicated FWCs must be provisioned. To decrease the cost of FWCs, inputs can share a wavelength converter. A parametric wavelength converter (PWC) [3] allows multiple wavelengths to be simultaneously converted from one to another. Multiple wavelength conversion based on parametric process is considered becoming feasible [4]. The shared-per-node with parametric wavelength converter s (SPN-PWC) switch [5] uses a number of PWCs smaller than that of a switch with single-channel wavelength converters . In this switch, however, wavelength blocking occurs as output s of PWCs are connected into a single input port of the switch fabric. To define both which wavelength can be converted and onto which other by a PWC, a continuous pump wavelength, λp, is set. Therefore, the selection of λp defines the conversion pairs. The symmetry in wavelength conversion by a PWC provides the largest number of wavelengths converted by setting the pump wavelength in the middle of wavelength transmission interval [5]. This policy is called number ric h (NR). This switch uses multiple PWCs using the same pump wavelengths to maximize the number of pairs. However, the lack of variety in these conversion pairs, as one wavelength can be converted to only another wavelength in the blocking OPS, can severely limit the achievable performance improvement by PWCs. Therefore, this paper proposes a policy with large variety size of connection pairs, called a variety rich (VR) policy. VR in an OPS with multiple PWCs uses a different pump wavelength in each PWC.
Perceived Ontological Weaknesses Of Process Modeling Techniques : Further Evidence

The Architecture of Integrated Information Systems (ARIS) is a popular framework for integrated process modeling. Previous research analysed ARIS using an ontology developed by Bunge, Wand and Weber. The results of this study have been summarized in six propositions. This paper reports on insights gained from an empirical study testing these evaluative propositions. The study is conducted with post-graduate students as well as with experienced users of ARIS. Even when considering all five views of ARIS, modelers have problems representing business rules and the scope and boundary of systems. Surprisingly, even though it is completely ontologically redundant, users still find the function view useful in modeling.
The effect of a multidisciplinary physical activity intervention on the body composition and physical fitness of obese children.

AIM The aim was to determine the effect of a physical activity, diet, and behaviour modification intervention of 13 weeks, 3x per week for 60 minutes on the body composition and physical fitness of overweight and obese children. METHODS A convenience sample of 37 subjects with a mean age of 11 years (±0.99) was used, where 20 subjects (13 girls; seven boys) took part in the intervention and 17 (11 girls; six boys) formed part of the control group. Body composition (height, body mass, skinfolds, circumferences, body fat percentage, and body mass index) and health-promoting physical fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance) were analysed using the Fitnessgram and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-II during baseline, after the intervention programme, and after a follow-up period of three months. RESULTS The results showed statistical (P<0.05) and practical significant (d>0.2) improvement in the body composition of the group, after participation in the intervention, with a sustainable effect, three months later on body fat percentage and the subscapular skinfold. Muscular strength and flexibility improved significantly after the intervention, but with no sustainable effect. CONCLUSION It is concluded that a multi-disciplinary obesity intervention can improve the body composition profile and the health-related physical fitness of young obese children, although the effect will not be sustainable without ongoing, controlled intervention.
SemEval-2010 Task 9: The Interpretation of Noun Compounds Using Paraphrasing Verbs and Prepositions

We present a brief overview of the main challenges in understanding the semantics of noun compounds and consider some known methods. We introduce a new task to be part of SemEval-2010: the interpretation of noun compounds using paraphrasing verbs and prepositions. The task is meant to provide a standard testbed for future research on noun compound semantics. It should also promote paraphrase-based approaches to the problem, which can benefit many NLP applications.
Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) with neurological abnormalities and without chromosomal instability

Background: Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is an autosomal recessive chromosomal instability disorder with hypersensitivity to ionising radiation. The clinical phenotype is characterised by congenital microcephaly, mild dysmorphic facial appearance, growth retardation, immunodeficiency, and greatly increased risk for lymphoreticular malignancy. Most NBS patients are of Slavic origin and homozygous for the founder mutation 657del5. The frequency of 657del5 heterozygotes in the Czech population is 1:150. Recently, another NBS1 mutation, 643C>T(R215W), with uncertain pathogenicity was found to have higher frequency among tumour patients of Slavic origin than in controls. This alteration results in the substitution of the basic amino acid arginine with the non-polar tryptophan and thus could potentially interfere with the function of the NBS1 protein, nibrin. Methods and Results: Children with congenital microcephaly are routinely tested for the 657del5 mutation in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Here, we describe for the first time a severe form of NBS without chromosomal instability in monozygotic twin brothers with profound congenital microcephaly and developmental delay who are compound heterozygotes for the 657del5 and 643C>T(R215W) NBS1 mutations. Both children showed reduced expression of full length nibrin when compared with a control and a heterozygote for the 657del5 mutation. Radiation response processes such as phosphorylation of ATM and phosphorylation/stabilisation of p53, which are promoted by NBS1, are strongly reduced in cells from these patients. Conclusions: Interestingly, the patients are more severely affected than classical NBS patients. Consequently, we postulate that homozygosity for the 643C>T(R215W) mutation will also lead to a, possibly very, severe disease phenotype.
No . 2004 / 10 A Rescaled Version of the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke Poverty Indices based on an Association with the Minkowski Distance Function

This note advances a family of poverty measures, Πα, which are derived as simple, normalized Minkowski distance functions. The Πα indices turn out to be the αth roots of the corresponding Foster, Greer and Thorbecke Pα indices. The re-calibration of Pα in terms of Πα could have certain possible advantages, which are reviewed in the note. While the Πα indices are not decomposable in the ordinarily understood sense of that term, they are amenable to the completely general decomposition procedure advanced by Shorrocks (‘Decomposition Procedures for Distributional Analysis: A Unified Framework Based on the Shapley Value’) and discussed, here, as an application in the poverty context.
Dynamic Iterative Reconstruction for Interventional 4-D C-Arm CT Perfusion Imaging

Tissue perfusion measurement using C-arm angiography systems capable of CT-like imaging (C-arm CT) is a novel technique with potentially high benefit for catheter guided treatment of stroke in the interventional suite. However, perfusion C-arm CT (PCCT) is challenging: the slow C-arm rotation speed only allows measuring samples of contrast time attenuation curves (TACs) every 5-6 s if reconstruction algorithms for static data are used. Furthermore, the peak values of the TACs in brain tissue typically lie in a range of 5-30 HU, thus perfusion imaging is very sensitive to noise. We present a dynamic, iterative reconstruction (DIR) approach to reconstruct TACs described by a weighted sum of basis functions. To reduce noise, a regularization technique based on joint bilateral filtering (JBF) is introduced. We evaluated the algorithm with a digital dynamic brain phantom and with data from six canine stroke models. With our dynamic approach, we achieve an average Pearson correlation (PC) of the PCCT canine blood flow maps to co-registered perfusion CT maps of 0.73. This PC is just as high as the PC achieved in a recent PCCT study, which required repeated injections and acquisitions.
What can individual differences reveal about face processing?

Faces are probably the most widely studied visual stimulus. Most research on face processing has used a group-mean approach that averages behavioral or neural responses to faces across individuals and treats variance between individuals as noise. However, individual differences in face processing can provide valuable information that complements and extends findings from group-mean studies. Here we demonstrate that studies employing an individual differences approach—examining associations and dissociations across individuals—can answer fundamental questions about the way face processing operates. In particular these studies allow us to associate and dissociate the mechanisms involved in face processing, tie behavioral face processing mechanisms to neural mechanisms, link face processing to broader capacities and quantify developmental influences on face processing. The individual differences approach we illustrate here is a powerful method that should be further explored within the domain of face processing as well as fruitfully applied across the cognitive sciences.