Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of paxillin in colorectal carcinoma and its relationship to clinicopathological features

Background Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors. Despite advances in therapy, mortality is still very high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of paxillin in the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line SW480 and its role in cell cycle and apoptosis. We also investigated the expression of paxillin in colorectal carcinoma tissues and its relationship to clinicopathological features and survival. Methods Paxillin short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was constructed and transfected into the colon adenocarcinoma cell line SW480. The influence of paxillin shRNA on the cell cycle and cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to assess the expression of paxillin and its association with the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19‐9, p53 and Bcl‐2 in 102 patients with primary colorectal carcinoma. Western blotting was also used to investigate the expression of paxillin. Medical records were reviewed and a clinicopathological analysis was performed. Results In vitro, the percentage of cells in S phase was (45.23±1.05)%, (43.53±1.23)%, and (36.13±0.57)% in the blank control group, negative control group, and paxillin shRNA group respectively. It was significantly decreased in the paxillin shRNA group (P=0.000). The early apoptosis index of the paxillin shRNA group (17.2±1.18%) was significantly increased compared to the control shRNA group ((13.17±1.15)%, P=0.013). Paxillin was positive in 71 (69.6%) patients, and it was found to be overexpressed in tumor tissues compared with normal adjacent tissues. Paxillin positive rate was higher in patients who are less than 50‐years old (100.0% vs. 65.6%, P=0.016). Paxillin expression was associated with a high histologic grade of carcinoma (81.4% vs. 61.0%, P=0.031), a high rate of regional lymph node metastasis (22.5% vs. 13.0%, P=0.031), mesenteric artery lymph node metastasis (100.0% vs. 64.8%, P=0.008), distant metastasis (94.1% vs. 64.7%, P=0.016) and a high Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage (94.1%, 73.2%, 60.0%, and 50%, P=0.030). Multivariate analyses revealed that recurrence was associated with the rate of regional lymph node metastasis (P=0.001) and paxillin expression (P=0.024). Multivariate analysis indicated that the overall survival is related to the TNM stage (P=0.000). Conclusions In vitro, paxillin may promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in SW480 cells. Paxillin may be a potential metastasis predictor, and an independent prognosis factor of recurrence. It may also be related to poor patient outcomes, but was not an independent predictor of survival.
Symbolic model checking for temporal-epistemic logics

In this issue, Lomuscio and Penczek survey some of the recent work in verification of temporalepistemic logic via symbolic model checking, focussing on OBDD-based and SAT-based approaches for epistemic logics built on discrete and real-time branching time temporal logics. On this topic, I should mention the following paper, which compares several model checkers for epistemic logics with a temporal component, using as a test case the Russian Cards problem:
The quaternion kernel least squares

The quaternion kernel least squares algorithm (QKLS) is introduced as a generic kernel framework for the estimation of multivariate quaternion valued signals. This is achieved based on the concepts of quaternion inner product and quaternion positive definiteness, allowing us to define quaternion kernel regression. Next, the least squares solution is derived using the recently introduced Hℝ calculus. We also show that QKLS is a generic extension of standard kernel least squares, and their equivalence is established for real valued kernels. The superiority of the quaternion-valued linear kernel with respect to its real-valued counterpart is illustrated for both synthetic and real-world prediction applications, in terms of accuracy and robustness to overfitting.standard kernel least squares,quaternion-valued linear kernelreal-world prediction applications,real-world 3D inertial body sensor signals.synthetic autoregressive processes
Input-Driven Active Testing of Multi-threaded Programs

It is still a challenge to select "good" test inputs for concurrent programs within limited testing resources. We present in this paper a test case diversity metric for multi-threaded programs, which evaluates a test input with its effect in exposing concurrent thread interactions. We then propose an input-driven active testing approach with two test input selection strategies based on our test case diversity metric. We implement our testing approach based on Maple, an interleaving coverage-driven active testing tool. The effectiveness and efficiency of our testing approach are compared closely with Maple, which on its own is supplied with random test inputs. Experimental results show that our testing approach can outperform the original active testing approach in the number of test inputs executed and the time usage for fulfilling the interleaving coverage criterion of Maple. The selected test inputs based on our test case diversity metric are very cost-effective in exposing concurrent thread interactions and hence can help detect concurrency bugs with less cost and effort.
Engaging emergent bilinguals in the social dialogue of writing persuasively in high school

ions and critical reflections that may be inferred from these experiences. Theorists on intertextuality emphasize that a critical orientation to texts (e.g., Fairclough, 1992; Threadgold, 2003), one that reveals and takes an active stance in relation to embedded social processes and ideologies, flourishes in environments that encourage and links between students worlds and
Cross-Cultural Differences in Consistent Mapping Effects of Targets and Distractors

Previous cross-cultural studies have shown that East Asians pay more attention to the background information and European Americans more to the focal object. However, it has not been well investigated what cognitive benefits can be achieved with these different attention allocation strategies. In the current study, we examined whether Koreans and European Americans differ in utilizing the regularity in targets and distractors by comparing consistent mappings (CMs) with varied mappings (VMs) of stimuli. Two experiments consistently revealed that European Americans showed a greater performance benefit with the consistency embedded within the targets (i.e., the CM target effect) but not within the distractors. In contrast, Koreans showed a greater performance benefit with the consistency within the distractors (i.e., the CM distractor effect), but not within the targets. These results imply that the East–West differences in attention allocation strategies reflect the cultural differences in utilizing the information that is potentially beneficial for task performance. We discuss what kinds of cognitive benefits can be achieved by differentially paying attention to the target and the background.
Bottom-Up Construction of Ontologies

Presents a particular way of building ontologies that proceeds in a bottom-up fashion. Concepts are defined in a way that mirrors the way their instances are composed out of smaller objects. The smaller objects themselves may also be modeled as being composed. Bottom-up ontologies are flexible through the use of implicit and, hence, parsimonious part-whole and subconcept-superconcept relations. The bottom-up method complements current practice, where, as a rule, ontologies are built top-down. The design method is illustrated by an example involving ontologies of pure substances at several levels of detail. It is not claimed that bottom-up construction is a generally valid recipe; indeed, such recipes are deemed uninformative or impossible. Rather, the approach is intended to enrich the ontology developer's toolkit.
A case of high‐titer anti‐D hemolytic disease of the newborn in which late onset and mild course is associated with the D variant, RHD‐CE(9)‐D

The RhD antigen is very immunogenic and is a significant cause of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). The RHD‐CE(8‐9)‐D hybrid allele is commonly associated with a D– phenotype. Here, we report a case of high‐titer maternal anti‐D and late onset of HDN in a newborn carrying a RHD‐CE(9)‐D variant supposedly encoding the same partial D antigen as the RHD‐CE(8‐9)‐D allele, but with significant expression of D antigen.
Risk assessment using the species sensitivity distribution method: Data quality versus data quantity

Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are cumulative distributions of measures of species sensitivity to a stressor or toxicant, and are used to estimate concentrations that will protect p% of a community (PCp). There is conflict between the desire to use high‐quality sensitivity data in SSDs, and to construct them with a large number of species forming a representative sample. Trade‐offs between data quality and quantity were investigated using the effects of increasing salinity on the macroinvertebrate community from the Hunter River catchment, in eastern Australia. Five SSDs were constructed, representing five points along a continuum of data quality versus data quantity and representativeness. This continuum was achieved by the various inclusion/exclusion of censored data, nonmodeled data, and extrapolation from related species. Protective concentrations were estimated using the Burr type III distribution, Kaplan‐Meier survival function, and two Bayesian statistical models. The dominant taxonomic group was the prime determinant of protective concentrations, with an increase in PC95 values resulting from a decrease in the proportion of Ephemeropteran species included in the SSD. In addition, decreases in data quantity in a SSD decreased community representativeness. The authors suggest, at least for salinity, that the inclusion of right censored data provides a more representative sample of species that reflects the natural biotic assemblage of an area to be protected, and will therefore improve risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:1360–1369. © 2013 SETAC
An extended release local anaesthetic: potential for future use in veterinary surgical patients?

Abstract One of the most effective means of preventing the transduction and transmission of acute and perioperative pain is through the use of local anaesthetics. However, local anaesthetics currently available have a relatively short duration of action. Although there are several tools available to treat perioperative pain in companion animals, overall, there is an unmet need for products that can be administered in the clinic, and provide pain relief for the crucial first few days following surgery in the home environment. Specifically, in relation to local anaesthetics, there is a clear unmet need for a long‐acting local anaesthetic that can be added to the multimodal analgesic protocol to provide pain relief to patients in the home environment or during extended hospitalization. Bupivacaine liposomal injectable suspension recently became available for use in humans, and has proven efficacious and safe. This paper will review the use of local anaesthetics, particularly bupivacaine, in dogs and cats, and introduce a new formulation of prolonged release bupivacaine that is in development for dogs and cats.
Image inpainting via singular value thresholding

This paper proposes an inpainting technique based on the singular value thresholding (SVT) algorithm for matrix completion. The SVT algorithm computes the missing elements of a matrix so that the resultant matrix is an approximate of the completion with least rank. It can be implemented by a straightforward iteration procedure which performs singular value decompositions followed by a soft thresholding on the singular values. Experimental results show that the technique can effectively recover texture parts of damaged images.
Nonlinear control of underactuated mechanical systems with application to robotics and aerospace vehicles

This thesis is devoted to nonlinear control, reduction, and classification of underactuated mechanical systems. Reduction and nonlinear control of high-order underactuated systems with kinetic symmetry is the main focus of this thesis. Our main contribution is to find explicit change of coordinates and control that transform several classes of underactuated systems, which appear in robotics and aerospace applications, into cascade nonlinear systems with structural properties that are convenient for control design purposes. The obtained cascade normal forms are three classes of nonlinear systems, namely, systems in strict feedback form, feedforward form, and nontriangular linear-quadratic form. The triangular normal forms of underactuated systems can be controlled using existing backstepping and feedforwarding procedures. However, control of the nontriangular normal forms is a major open problem. We address this problem for important classes of nontriangular systems of interest by introducing a new stabilization method based on the solutions of fixed-point equations as stabilizing nonlinear state feedback laws. As a result of the reduction process, one obtains a reduced nonlinear subsystem in cascade with a linear subsystem. For many classes of underactuated systems, this reduced nonlinear subsystem is physically meaningful. In fact, the reduced nonlinear subsystem is itself a Lagrangian system with a well-defined lower-order configuration vector. The key analytical tools that allow reduction of high-order underactuated systems using transformations in explicit forms are “normalized generalized momentums and their integrals” (whenever integrable). Both of them can be obtained from the Lagrangian of the system. Based on some basic properties of underactuated systems as actuation/passivity of shape variables, integrability/non-integrability of appropriate normalized momentums, and presence/lack of input coupling; I managed to classify underactuated systems to 8 classes. Examples of these 8 classes cover almost all major applications in robotics, aerospace systems, and benchmark systems. For underactuated systems with nonholonomic velocity constrains and symmetry, we obtained normal forms as the cascade of the constraint equation and a reduced-order Lagrangian control system which is underactuated or fully-actuated. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Salmonellae Isolates from Reptiles in Taiwan

Pets, including reptiles, have been shown to be a source of Salmonella infection in humans. Due to increasing popularity and variety of exotic reptiles as pets in recent years, more human clinical cases of reptile-associated Salmonella infection have been identified. However, limited information is available with regard to serotypes in different reptiles (turtles, snakes, and lizards) and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella in pet reptiles. The current study was thus conducted to determine the prevalence of Salmonella colonization in pet reptiles. Salmonella organisms were isolated from 30.9% of 476 reptiles investigated. The isolation prevalences were 69.7% (23/33), 62.8% (27/43), and 24.3% (97/400) in snakes, lizards, and turtles, respectively. A total of 44 different Salmonella serovars were identified. Compared with S. Heron, Bredeney, Treforest, and 4,[5],12:i:-, S. Typhimurium isolates were resistant to many antimicrobials tested, and notably 61.1% of the isolates were resistant to cephalothin. The results indicated that raising reptiles as pets could be a possible source of Salmonella infection in humans, particularly zoonotic Salmonella serovars such as S. Typhimurium that may be resistant to antimicrobials.
The Role of Neuroinflammation in Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Anxiety Disorders: a possible therapeutic target

III DEDICATION . V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . VI CONTENTS . VIII LIST OF TABLES . XI LIST OF FIGURES . XII CHAPTER I . 1 General Introduction Prevalence of Post-traumatic Anxiety . 2 Neuroinflammation . 5 Danger Signals . 6 Inflammation and Anxiety . 9 Brain structures . 11 Neurotransmitter Dysfunction . 13 Immune based treatments . 15 CHAPTER II . 19 Innate Immune Responses increase Neuronal Excitability following Cortical Application of Lipopolysaccharide Abstract . 20 Introduction . 21 Materials and Methods . 23 Evoked Potential Studies . 23
Delving Deeper into the Unexpected Correlation Between Gene Expressivity and Codon Usage Bias of Escherichia coli Genome

Abstract Biased usage of synonymous codons has been elucidated under the perspective of cellular tRNA abundance and more recently by the mRNA secondary structure folding stability of the corresponding genes. Taking advantage of publicly available gene expression data for Escherichia coli, a comprehensive investigation of the three classes of genes having different codon usage biases was performed from the standpoint of tRNA abundance, mRNA secondary structure folding stability, and translational error minimization procedure. We detected the different evolutionary forces for translational and/or transcriptional regulation of highly expressed genes depending upon their codon bias. Additionally, the possible role of mRNA folding stability in maintaining the overall high expressivity of the set of lowly biased genes has been articulated. These novel findings certainly strengthen the understanding of the codon usage bias in the Escherichia coli genome.
Circle of Security–Parenting: A randomized controlled trial in Head Start

Abstract Although evidence shows that attachment insecurity and disorganization increase risk for the development of psychopathology (Fearon, Bakermans-Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, Lapsley, & Roisman, 2010; Groh, Roisman, van IJzendoorn, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Fearon, 2012), implementation challenges have precluded dissemination of attachment interventions on the broad scale at which they are needed. The Circle of Security–Parenting Intervention (COS-P; Cooper, Hoffman, & Powell, 2009), designed with broad implementation in mind, addresses this gap by training community service providers to use a manualized, video-based program to help caregivers provide a secure base and a safe haven for their children. The present study is a randomized controlled trial of COS-P in a low-income sample of Head Start enrolled children and their mothers. Mothers (N = 141; 75 intervention, 66 waitlist control) completed a baseline assessment and returned with their children after the 10-week intervention for the outcome assessment, which included the Strange Situation. Intent to treat analyses revealed a main effect for maternal response to child distress, with mothers assigned to COS-P reporting fewer unsupportive (but not more supportive) responses to distress than control group mothers, and a main effect for one dimension of child executive functioning (inhibitory control but not cognitive flexibility when maternal age and marital status were controlled), with intervention group children showing greater control. There were, however, no main effects of intervention for child attachment or behavior problems. Exploratory follow-up analyses suggested intervention effects were moderated by maternal attachment style or depressive symptoms, with moderated intervention effects emerging for child attachment security and disorganization, but not avoidance; for inhibitory control but not cognitive flexibility; and for child internalizing but not externalizing behavior problems. This initial randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of COS-P sets the stage for further exploration of “what works for whom” in attachment intervention.
Vpliv različnih motečih dražljajev na prostorski delovni spomin

Protecting information from distraction is essential for optimal performance of working memory. We examined how the presence of distracting stimuli influences spatial working memory and compared the effect of both task-similar and negatively emotionally salient distractors. We checked the effect of distractors on the accuracy of high-resolution representations, as well as the maintenance of spatial categories, and more precisely defined not only the existence but also the direction of the distracting influences (towards or away from the position of the distractor). Participants (n = 25, 8 men, 19-31 years old) were asked to remember the exact position of a target scrambled image and recall it with a joystick after a delay. In some trials an additional distracting image (scrambled, neutral or negative) was shown during the delay. We measured the spread of responses (standard deviation of angular error) and shifts of the average response towards the prototype angles (45°) or towards the position of distractors. Distracting stimuli did not affect the spread of responses and decreased the tendency of participants to move the responses towards the prototype angle. Different types of distractors did not differ in this effect. Contrary to expectations, the participants moved their responses away from the position of distractors; this effect was more pronounced for negative distractors. In addition to memorizing the exact position and maintaining attention on the position of the stimulus, participants are likely to strategically use information about spatial category membership (quadrants) and information about the position of the distractor. The repulsive effect of the distractor likely results from inhibition of its position and indicates the need to supplement computational models of spatial working memory and to take into account different strategies of working memory use.
Output feedback stabilization via reduced-order observer for uncertain switched nonlinear systems

This paper considers the problem of global output feedback stabilization by virtue of a reduced-order observer for a class of switched nonlinear systems with time-varying control gains under arbitrary switching. Firstly, a set of coordinate transformations is used to introduce a scaling gain. Then, state feedback controllers are designed for the individual subsystems of transformed switched system, and a recursive reduced-order observer is constructed to compensate the unavailable system states. Both the controllers and observer show their robustness to time-varying control gains and unknown nonlinearities. Finally, by selecting the scaling gain, we guarantee the negative definiteness of the derivative of a common Lyapunov function constructed in this paper, which implies that the proposed output feedback controllers render the switched nonlinear system globally asymptotic stabile under arbitrary switching. An example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Influence of the β-sheet content on the mechanical properties of aggregates during amyloid fibrillization.

Amyloid fibrils associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, consist of insoluble aggregates of α-synuclein and Aβ-42 proteins with a high β-sheet content. The aggregation of both proteins occurs by misfolding of the monomers and proceeds through the formation of intermediate oligomeric and protofibrillar species to give the final fibrillar cross-β-sheet structure. The morphological and mechanical properties of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils formed during the fibrillization process were investigated by thioflavin T fluorescence and circular dichroism in combination with AFM peak force quantitative nanomechanical technique. The results reveal an increase in the Young's modulus during the transformation from oligomers to mature fibrils, thus inferring that the difference in their mechanical properties is due to an internal structural change from a random coil to a structure with increased β-sheet content.