Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE ECOLOGY AND GENETICS OF FITNESS IN CHLAMYDOMONAS. XIII. FITNESS OF LONG-TERM SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL POPULATIONS IN BENIGN ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract We measured the mean fitness of populations of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii maintained in the laboratory as obligately sexual or asexual populations for about 100 sexual cycles and about 1000 asexual generations. Sexuality (random gamete fusion followed by meiosis) is expected to reduce mutational load and increase mean fitness by combining deleterious mutations from different lines of descent. We found no evidence for this process of mutation clearance: the mean fitness of sexual populations did not exceed that of asexual populations, whether measured through competition or in pure culture. We found instead that sexual progeny suffer an immediate loss in fitness, and that sexual lines maintain genetic variance for fitness. We suggest that sexual populations at equilibrium with selection in a benign environment may be mixtures of several or many epistatic genotypes with nearly equal fitness. Recombination between these genotypes reduces mean fitness and creates genetic variance for fitness. This may provide fuel for continued selection should the environment change.
The role of remote ischemic preconditioning in the treatment of atherosclerotic diseases

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is the application of a transient and brief ischemic stimulus to a distant site from the organ or tissue that is afterward exposed to injury ischemia, and has been found to reduce ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in various animal models. RIPC appears to offer two distinct phases of endothelial IRI protection, which are presumably mediated through neuronal and humoral pathways.
DISTINCT CELLULAR MIGRATION INDUCED BY Leishmania infantum chagasi AND SALIVA FROM Lutzomyia longipalpis IN A HEMORRHAGIC POOL MODEL

Recruitment of a specific cell population after Leishmania infection can influence the outcome of the disease. Cellular migration in response to Leishmania or vector saliva has been reported in air pouch model, however, cellular migration induced by Leishmania associated with host's blood and vector saliva in this model has not been described. Herein we investigated cellular migration into air pouch of hamster after stimulation with combination of L. chagasi and host's blood and Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva. Migration induced by saliva was 3-fold more than those induced by L. chagasi alone. Additionally, L. chagasi associated with blood and saliva induced significantly even more leukocytes into air pouch than Leishmania alone. L. chagasi recruited a diverse cell population; however, most of these cells seem to have not migrated to the inflammatory exudate, remaining in the pouch lining tissue. These results indicate that L. chagasi can reduce leukocyte accumulation to the initial site of infection, and when associated with vector saliva in the presence of blood components, increase the influx of more neutrophils than macrophages, suggesting that the parasite has developed a strategy to minimize the initial inflammatory response, allowing an unlimited progression within the host. This work reinforces the importance of studies on the salivary components of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis in the transmission process and the establishment of the infection.
Detailed Characterization of Local Field Potential Oscillations and Their Relationship to Spike Timing in the Antennal Lobe of the Moth Manduca sexta

The transient oscillatory model of odor identity encoding seeks to explain how odorants with spatially overlapped patterns of input into primary olfactory networks can be discriminated. This model provides several testable predictions about the distributed nature of network oscillations and how they control spike timing. To test these predictions, 16 channel electrode arrays were placed within the antennal lobe (AL) of the moth Manduca sexta. Unitary spiking and multi site local field potential (LFP) recordings were made during spontaneous activity and in response to repeated presentations of an odor panel. We quantified oscillatory frequency, cross correlations between LFP recording sites, and spike–LFP phase relationships. We show that odor-driven AL oscillations in Manduca are frequency modulating (FM) from ∼100 to 30 Hz; this was odorant and stimulus duration dependent. FM oscillatory responses were localized to one or two recording sites suggesting a localized (perhaps glomerular) not distributed source. LFP cross correlations further demonstrated that only a small (r < 0.05) distributed and oscillatory component was present. Cross spectral density analysis demonstrated the frequency of these weakly distributed oscillations was state dependent (spontaneous activity = 25–55 Hz; odor-driven = 55–85 Hz). Surprisingly, vector strength analysis indicated that unitary phase locking of spikes to the LFP was strongest during spontaneous activity and dropped significantly during responses. Application of bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, significantly lowered the frequency content of odor-driven distributed oscillatory activity. Bicuculline significantly reduced spike phase locking generally, but the ubiquitous pattern of increased phase locking during spontaneous activity persisted. Collectively, these results indicate that oscillations perform poorly as a stimulus-mediated spike synchronizing mechanism for Manduca and hence are incongruent with the transient oscillatory model.
Measuring engineering quality in airplane development

This project was motivated by the desire to apply quality metrics to the multiple stages of the airplane development process at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. This project first identified integration and process discipline as most critical towards final quality of the engineering work. Integration, defined as the path and connectivity between teams and activities, was studied by analyzing performance of a small engineering support team. To understand the effects of early stage quality on later stages, i.e. process discipline, a system dynamics model was developed focusing on the design and development of components with suppliers. The case study regarding integration focused on the engineering work as a four-steps process: Inputs, Engineering Activities, Output and Customer Review. All unplanned reworked deliverables of a 5-7 members engineering team were analyzed. The study tracked the process step at which the error was first caused. The results found that 21% of unplanned engineering rework was caused due to inadequate delivery of inputs to the requested engineering work. Furthermore, the 21% of unplanned engineering rework had the highest hours per reworked deliverable of any stages. Over all, 75% of engineering rework was due mainly to the process rather than the actual technical engineering work. The system dynamic modeling achieved two main results: showcased the necessity to simplify the process, and the importance of accounting for iterations in engineering. Through the group-modeling discussions with the process owner, it was evident the need to provide clear checkpoints and reviews of the engineering work. Furthermore, discovering engineering rework within a given stage has the same effect as delivering first-pass engineering quality. This project provided a methodology to work with engineering teams to measure their quality performance. Furthermore, it has the potential to show the thresholds of quality from one stage to another in Airplane Development.
A framework for dynamic adaptation in wireless environments

The important differences between wireless and wired environments make it indispensable for applications to adapt to the type of environment in which they execute. Solutions provided by existing approaches are often embedded in the heart of the applications functionalities making them more difficult to develop and to maintain. We propose the utilization of an adaptive framework, MoleNE, which provides applications with a set of services as an abstraction of concepts usually utilized to manage mobility issues. Services are built as a set of MoleNE components that can be customized for different applications. Further a MoleNE component can be provided with a special object the Controller, which performs the adaptation of the component behavior depending on the execution conditions. This paper describes the architecture of MoleNE components and gives evidence of the easy use of the adaptation mechanisms by presenting an adaptation strategy for a transactional hospital application.
A VARIATIONAL REPRESENTATION FOR POSITIVE FUNCTIONALS OF INFINITE DIMENSIONAL BROWNIAN MOTION

A variational representation for positive functionals of a Hilbert space valued Wiener process (W (·)) is proved. This representation is then used to prove a large deviations principle for the family {G (W (·))} >0 where G is an appropriate family of measurable maps from the Wiener space to some Polish space.
Market, Interest Rate and Foreign Exchange Rate Risk in Australian Banking: A Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity in Mean (GARCH-M) Approach

This study employs an extended version of the Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity in Mean (GARCH-M) model to consider the time-series sensitivity of Australian bank stock returns to market, interest rate and foreign exchange rate risks. Daily Australian bank portfolio returns, a market wide accumulation index, short, medium and long-term interest rates, and a trade-weighted foreign exchange index are used to model these risks over the period 1996 to 2001. The results suggest that market risk is an important determinant of bank stock returns, along with short and medium term interest rate levels and their volatility. However, long-term interest rates and the foreign exchange rate do not appear to be significant factors in the Australian bank return generating process over the period considered.
The collective dynamics of self-propelled particles

We propose a method for the dynamic simulation of a collection of self-propelled particles in a viscous Newtonian fluid. We restrict attention to particles whose size and velocity are small enough that the fluid motion is in the creeping flow regime. We propose a simple model for a self-propelled particle, and extended the Stokesian Dynamics method to conduct dynamic simulations of a collection of such particles. In our description, each particle is treated as a sphere with an orientation vector p, whose locomotion is driven by the action of a force dipole Sp of constant magnitude S0 at a point slightly displaced from its centre. To simplify the calculation, we place the dipole at the centre of the particle, and introduce a virtual propulsion force Fp to effect propulsion. The magnitude F0 of this force is proportional to S0. The directions of Sp and Fp are determined by p. In isolation, a self-propelled particle moves at a constant velocity u0 p, with the speed u0 determined by S0. When it coexists with many such particles, its hydrodynamic interaction with the other particles alters its velocity and, more importantly, its orientation. As a result, the motion of the particle is chaotic. Our simulations are not restricted to low particle concentration, as we implement the full hydrodynamic interactions between the particles, but we restrict the motion of particles to two dimensions to reduce computation. We have studied the statistical properties of a suspension of self-propelled particles for a range of the particle concentration, quantified by the area fraction φa. We find several interesting features in the microstructure and statistics. We find that particles tend to swim in clusters wherein they are in close proximity. Consequently, incorporating the finite size of the particles and the near-field hydrodynamic interactions is of the essence. There is a continuous process of breakage and formation of the clusters. We find that the distributions of particle velocity at low and high φa are qualitatively different; it is close to the normal distribution at high φa, in agreement with experimental measurements. The motion of the particles is diffusive at long time, and the self-diffusivity decreases with increasing φa. The pair correlation function shows a large anisotropic build-up near contact, which decays rapidly with separation. There is also an anisotropic orientation correlation near contact, which decays more slowly with separation. Movies are available with the online version of the paper.
A ug 2 00 7 Optimal stopping rules for active learning

Active learning algorithms aim to minimise the amount of labelled data used to learn a target concept. However, there is no formal framework for expressing the trade-off between needed accuracy and the cost of label acquisition, rendering the objective evaluation of algorithms problematic and the development of criteria for deciding when to terminate data acquisition impossible. This paper aims to increase awareness of these problems and to introduce a formal notion of optimality for active learning, thus leading to the development of stopping algorithms and finally to a procedure for assessing the real world performance of active learning algorithms.
Higher-order abstract syntax in classical higher-order logic

Higher-Order Abstract Syntax, or HOAS, is a technique for using a higher-order logic as a metalanguage for an object language with binding operators. It avoids formalizing syntactic details related to variable binding. This paper gives an extension to classical higher-order logic that supports HOAS. The logic we work with is the core of the logics employed in the widely used systems HOL and Isabelle/HOL. The extension adds recursive types, and a new type constructor for parametric functions. Using these additions, we can solve, for example, the archetypal recursive type equation for a HOAS representation of the syntax of the untyped lambda-calculus: T = (T x T) + (T ↪ T), where the function type is the new parametric one. The usual HOAS induction principles can be derived. The bulk of the technical development in the paper is a semantics of the new logic, extending the usual set-theoretic semantics of classical higher-order logic.
miR-181c Regulates the Mitochondrial Genome, Bioenergetics, and Propensity for Heart Failure In Vivo

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, which inhibit the stability and/or translation of a mRNA. miRNAs have been found to play a powerful role in various cardiovascular diseases. Recently, we have demonstrated that a microRNA (miR-181c) can be encoded in the nucleus, processed to the mature form in the cytosol, translocated into the mitochondria, and ultimately can regulate mitochondrial gene expression. However the in vivo impact of miR-181c is unknown. Here we report an in-vivo method for administration of miR-181c in rats, which leads to reduced exercise capacity and signs of heart failure, by targeting the 3′-end of mt-COX1 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1). We cloned miR-181c and packaged it in lipid-based nanoparticles for systemic delivery. The plasmid DNA complexed nanovector shows no apparent toxicity. We find that the mRNA levels of mitochondrial complex IV genes in the heart, but not any other mitochondrial genes, are significantly altered with miR-181c overexpression, suggesting selective mitochondrial complex IV remodeling due to miR-181c targeting mt-COX1. Isolated heart mitochondrial studies showed significantly altered O2-consumption, ROS production, matrix calcium, and mitochondrial membrane potential in miR-181c-treated animals. For the first time, this study shows that miRNA delivered to the heart in-vivo can lead to cardiac dysfunction by regulating mitochondrial genes.
The Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Caulerpin, a Bisindole Alkaloid Isolated from Seaweeds of the Genus Caulerpa

The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of caulerpin was investigated. This bisindole alkaloid was isolated from the lipoid extract of Caulerpa racemosa and its structure was identified by spectroscopic methods, including IR and NMR techniques. The pharmacological assays used were the writhing and the hot plate tests, the formalin-induced pain, the capsaicin-induced ear edema and the carrageenan-induced peritonitis. Caulerpin was given orally at a concentration of 100 μmol/kg. In the abdominal constriction test caulerpin showed reduction in the acetic acid-induced nociception at 0.0945 μmol (0.0103–1.0984) and for dypirone it was 0.0426 μmol (0.0092–0.1972). In the hot plate test in vivo the inhibition of nociception by caulerpin (100 μmol/kg, p.o.) was also favorable. This result suggests that this compound exhibits a central activity, without changing the motor activity (seen in the rotarod test). Caulerpin (100 μmol/kg, p.o.) reduced the formalin effects in both phases by 35.4% and 45.6%, respectively. The possible anti-inflammatory activity observed in the second phase in the formalin test of caulerpin (100 μmol/kg, p.o.) was confirmed on the capsaicin-induced ear edema model, where an inhibition of 55.8% was presented. Indeed, it was also observed in the carrageenan-induced peritonitis that caulerpin (100 μmol/kg, p.o.) exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, reducing significantly the number of recruit cells by 48.3%. Pharmacological studies are continuing in order to characterize the mechanism(s) responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory actions and also to identify other active principles present in Caulerpa racemosa.
Don’t Give Up on Basic Emotions

We argue that there are three coherent, nontrivial notions of basic-ness: conceptual basic-ness, biological basic-ness, and psychological basic-ness. There is considerable evidence for conceptually basic emotion categories (e.g., “anger,” “fear”). These categories do not designate biologically basic emotions, but some forms of anger, fear, and so on that are biologically basic in a sense we will specify. Finally, two notions of psychological basic-ness are distinguished, and the evidence for them is evaluated. The framework we offer acknowledges the force of some of the objections to basic emotion theory whilst demonstrating that the notion of a basic emotion, once properly reformulated, is still of scientific value.
Reforming the Juvenile in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century England

In a recent Green Paper on punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing the coalition government promised a ‘rehabilitation revolution’ in relation to its plans for dealing with offending by young people, ‘We must do better so that we can stop the young offenders of today becoming the prolific adult offenders of tomorrow’. 1 An emphasis on prevention, on restorative justice, and on informal intervention points to successive governments concerns about the juvenile prison population. The proposed alternative to youth custody, the Young Offenders Academy, will instead focus on community and localism, harnessing integrated education, mental health and family services in order to focus on the education and development of the children.2 However, the ethos of a more child-centred approach to the penality of juvenile delinquents is not an innovation. Historically, the development of juvenile penal institutions has weaved a course between the needs of the children and the potential for reform on the one hand, and the political and public demands for retribution in the form of custodial sentences on the other.
Signal Processing for DNA sequencing Sponsors Project Staff

Introduction The field of Digital Signal Processing grew out of the flexibility afforded by the use of digital computers in implementing signal processing algorithms and systems. It has since broadened into the use of a variety of both digital and analog technologies, spanning a broad range of applications, bandwidths, and realizations. The Digital Signal Processing Group carries out research on algorithms for signal processing and their applications. Current application areas of interest include signal enhancement and detection; speech, audio and underwater acoustic signal processing; and signal processing and coding for wireless and broadband multiuser/multimedia communication networks.
A Fitting Algorithm of Subdivision Surface from Noising and Dense Triangular Meshes

A fitting system is developed to fit subdivision surface with sharp feature from noising and dense triangular meshes of arbitrary topology. The system includes an improved mesh denoising method based on bilateral filtering of images, sharp features extraction, feature-preserving mesh simplification and topological optimization. An estimating method for Loop subdivision surface is introduced to predict how many subdivision iterations are necessary to meet a user-defined tolerance. The method of adaptive subdivision is proposed during the fitting process to handle local detailed surface features. Both experimental results and practical applications in engineering demonstrate that the system can effectively achieve a good quality of the fitting subdivision surface with nice details while using few facets in the approximation.
Eye localization towards developing a head postures based interface for wheelchair

This paper presents the localization of eyes in facial images representing the different human head postures for the purpose of developing an interface for wheelchair. A user friendly wheelchair interface is advantageous to elderly and disabled people to enhance their mobility. The CIE L*a*b* color space is used for the extraction of the face region. The localization of eyes is achieved by constructing eye map in YCbCr color space and integral projections. On the basis of the positions of the localized facial features, control signals can be generated for the wheelchair, in future. The effectiveness of the algorithm is tested using images obtained from Indian Face Database and the obtained results are promising.
Understanding the performance of short-lived control broadcast packets in 802.11p/WAVE Vehicular networks

The 802.11p standard has been recently standardized to provide Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE). A multi-channel architecture is envisioned to concurrently support both time-sensitive safety-related applications and value-added informative and entertainment services. According to the WAVE specifications, an alternating channel access scheme allows single-radio devices to tune into a common frequency during the control channel (CCH) interval, to exchange safety and control packets, and to subsequently switch to one of the available service channels (SCHs) for non-safety related data exchange. Broadcasting of short-lived packets is largely expected to be used on the CCH to deliver periodic status updates from vehicles and network initialization information. This paper investigates the joint impact of different packet generation patterns and contention window sizes on the delivery of broadcast packets on the CCH by accounting for WAVE channel switching under different traffic load conditions, data rate and packet size values.
Food insecurity and low income in an English inner city.

BACKGROUND Low incomes may not provide the minimum requirements for healthy living. We evaluated experiences of food insecurity in relation to income in inner London. METHODS Subjects attending 10 general medical practices completed a short self-administered questionnaire, including the short form Household Food Security Scale and a short food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS Responses were obtained from 431/495 (87 per cent) subjects. Overall 87 (20 per cent) of subjects were classified as food insecure. Food insecurity was negatively associated with household income (p = 0.004). University-educated subjects (8 per cent) were less often food insecure than all others (26 per cent). Subjects who were food insecure were less likely to report eating fruit daily (food secure 48 per cent, food insecure 33 per cent, p = 0.017) or vegetables or salads daily (food secure 56 per cent, food insecure 34 per cent, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Experiences of food insecurity may be common in households with incomes at the level of the UK national minimum wage or lower.