Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequentially rotated broadband circularly polarized stacked Patch array antenna

This paper presents the design and development of sequentially rotated broadband circularly polarized stacked patch array antenna for data & voice communication in MSS service. A Sequential rotation technique is used for improvement in axial ratio in 2 times 2 array environment. The driven element is Electromagnetically Coupled square patch with dual edges fed by T power divider. A parasitic patch is used for increasing the return loss bandwidth and improvement in gain. The lower patch should be over excited and the upper patch should be loosely coupled to achieve maximum possible bandwidth. Measured gain is more than 15.5 dB and axial ratio less than 1 dB over the MSS band. Measured bandwidth is 40% for 10 dB return loss.
A motion planning method for a self-reconfigurable modular robot

This paper addresses motion planning of a homogeneous modular robotic system. The modules have self-reconfiguration capability so that a group of the modules can construct a robotic structure. Motion planning for self-reconfiguration is a kind of computationally difficult problem because of many combinatorial possibilities of modular configuration and the restricted degrees of freedom of the module; only two rotation axes per module. We will show a motion planning method for a class of multimodule structures. It is based on global planning and local motion scheme selection that is effective to solve the complicated planning problem.
XRCC1 gene polymorphisms in a population sample and in women with a family history of breast cancer from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

The X-ray repair cross-complementing Group1 (XRCC1) gene has been defined as essential in the base excision repair (BER) and single-strand break repair processes. This gene is highly polymorphic, and the most extensively studied genetic changes are in exon 6 (Arg194Trp) and in exon 10 (Arg399Gln). These changes, in conserved protein sites, may alter the base excision repair capacity, increasing the susceptibility to adverse health conditions, including cancer. In the present study, we estimated the frequencies of the XRCC1 gene polymorphisms Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln in healthy individuals and also in women at risk of breast cancer due to family history from Rio de Janeiro. The common genotypes in both positions (194 and 399) were the most frequent in this Brazilian sample. Although the 194Trp variant was overrepresented in women reporting familial cases of breast cancer, no statistically significant differences concerning genotype distribution or intragenic interactions were found between this group and the controls. Thus, in the population analyzed by us, variants Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln did not appear to have any impact on breast cancer susceptibility.
The Impact of Virtual Reality on Chronic Pain

The treatment of chronic pain could benefit from additional non-opioid interventions. Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to be effective in decreasing pain for procedural or acute pain but to date there have been few studies on its use in chronic pain. The present study was an investigation of the impact of a virtual reality application for chronic pain. Thirty (30) participants with various chronic pain conditions were offered a five-minute session using a virtual reality application called Cool! Participants were asked about their pain using a 0–10 visual analog scale rating before the VR session, during the session and immediately after the session. They were also asked about immersion into the VR world and about possible side effects. Pain was reduced from pre-session to post-session by 33%. Pain was reduced from pre-session during the VR session by 60%. These changes were both statistically significant at the p < . 001 level. Three participants (10%) reported no change between pre and post pain ratings. Ten participants (33%) reported complete pain relief while doing the virtual reality session. All participants (100%) reported a decrease in pain to some degree between pre-session pain and during-session pain. The virtual reality experience was found here to provide a significant amount of pain relief. A head mounted display (HMD) was used with all subjects and no discomfort was experienced. Only one participant noted any side effects. VR seems to have promise as a non-opioid treatment for chronic pain and further investigation is warranted.
A New Pan-Cultural Facial Expression of Emot ion 1

We obtained the first evidence of a facial expression unique to contempt. Contrary to our prediction, this contempt expression was not culture-specific but was recognized by people in Estonia S.S. R. , Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Scotland, Turkey, the United States, and West Sumatra. Pan-cultural agreement about the contempt expression was as high as has been found previously for other emotions.
Emergent structures and dynamics of cell colonies by contact inhibition of locomotion

Significance The regular distribution of mesenchymal cells, the formation of epithelial monolayers, or their collapse into spheroidal tumors illustrates the broad range of possible organizations of cells in tissues. Unveiling a physical picture of their emergence and dynamics is of critical importance to understand tissue morphogenesis or cancer progression. Although the role of cell–substrate and cell–cell adhesion in the organization of cell colonies has been widely studied, the impact of the cell-type–specific contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) remains unclear. Here, we include this interaction in simulations of active particles and find a number of structures and collective dynamics that recapitulate existing tissue phenotypes. We give analytical predictions for the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and the formation of 3D aggregates as a function of cell–cell adhesion and CIL strengths. Thus, our findings shed light on the physical mechanisms underlying multicellular organization. Cells in tissues can organize into a broad spectrum of structures according to their function. Drastic changes of organization, such as epithelial–mesenchymal transitions or the formation of spheroidal aggregates, are often associated either to tissue morphogenesis or to cancer progression. Here, we study the organization of cell colonies by means of simulations of self-propelled particles with generic cell-like interactions. The interplay between cell softness, cell–cell adhesion, and contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) yields structures and collective dynamics observed in several existing tissue phenotypes. These include regular distributions of cells, dynamic cell clusters, gel-like networks, collectively migrating monolayers, and 3D aggregates. We give analytical predictions for transitions between noncohesive, cohesive, and 3D cell arrangements. We explicitly show how CIL yields an effective repulsion that promotes cell dispersal, thereby hindering the formation of cohesive tissues. Yet, in continuous monolayers, CIL leads to collective cell motion, ensures tensile intercellular stresses, and opposes cell extrusion. Thus, our work highlights the prominent role of CIL in determining the emergent structures and dynamics of cell colonies.
Modeling Conformational Ensembles of Slow Functional Motions in Pin1-WW

Protein-protein interactions are often mediated by flexible loops that experience conformational dynamics on the microsecond to millisecond time scales. NMR relaxation studies can map these dynamics. However, defining the network of inter-converting conformers that underlie the relaxation data remains generally challenging. Here, we combine NMR relaxation experiments with simulation to visualize networks of inter-converting conformers. We demonstrate our approach with the apo Pin1-WW domain, for which NMR has revealed conformational dynamics of a flexible loop in the millisecond range. We sample and cluster the free energy landscape using Markov State Models (MSM) with major and minor exchange states with high correlation with the NMR relaxation data and low NOE violations. These MSM are hierarchical ensembles of slowly interconverting, metastable macrostates and rapidly interconverting microstates. We found a low population state that consists primarily of holo-like conformations and is a “hub” visited by most pathways between macrostates. These results suggest that conformational equilibria between holo-like and alternative conformers pre-exist in the intrinsic dynamics of apo Pin1-WW. Analysis using MutInf, a mutual information method for quantifying correlated motions, reveals that WW dynamics not only play a role in substrate recognition, but also may help couple the substrate binding site on the WW domain to the one on the catalytic domain. Our work represents an important step towards building networks of inter-converting conformational states and is generally applicable.
A 5-year Survey Reveals Increased Susceptibility to Glycopeptides for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Patients in a Chinese Burn Center

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are prevalent in burn wards, and are especially serious in S. aureus bacteremia (SAB) patients. Glycopeptides and daptomycin are effective against MRSA infections, but MIC creeps can reduce their efficacy. Our object was to perform a molecular epidemiological investigation of S. aureus isolates in our burn center and to evaluate MICs for antimicrobials against SAB-associated MRSA isolates. A total of 259 S. aureus isolates, obtained from August 2011 to July 2016, were used in this study. Multiple molecular typing was used for molecular epidemiological analysis. E-tests were used to determine MICs of vancomycin, teicoplanin, and daptomycin for SAB-associated MRSA isolates. MIC values were stratified by collection date or source and compared. Spearman's test was used to analyze MICs correlations amongst tested antimicrobials. ST239-MRSA-III-t030-agrI clone was found to be dominant in both SAB and non-SAB patients, and significantly more in SAB patients (P < 0.0001). SAB-MRSA isolates exhibited decreased MICs for vancomycin, teicoplanin, and daptomycin during the 5-year period. Compared to those isolated from catheters or wounds, SAB-MRSA isolates from the bloodstream were less susceptible to vancomycin and daptomycin, but more susceptible to teicoplanin. MICs Correlation was found only between vancomycin and daptomycin in MRSA isolates from the bloodstream (rho = 0.250, P = 0.024). In conclusion, our results suggest that MRSA infections are still serious problems in burn centers. In contrast to most other studies, we observed increased susceptibility to glycopeptides and daptomycin against SAB-associated MRSA in our center from 2011 to 2016, suggesting the use of glycopeptides does not lead to MIC creeps. Isolates from different sites of the body may exhibit different levels of susceptibility and change trend over time for different antimicrobials, antimicrobials selection for MRSA infections should be considered comprehensively.
Analyzing GI/E_r/1 queues

In this paper we study a single-server system with Erlang-r distributed service times and arbitrarily distributed interarrival times. It is shown that the waiting-time distribution can be expressed as a finite sum of exponentials, the exponents of which are the roots of an equation. Under certain conditions for the interarrival-time distribution, this equation can be transformed to r contraction equations, the roots of which can be easily found by successive substitutions. The conditions are satisfied for several practically relevant arrival processes. The resulting numerical procedures are easy to implement and efficient and appear to be remarkably stable, even for extreme high values of r and for values of the traffic load close to 1. Numerical results are presented.
Key Points Concerning Amyloid Infectivity and Prion-Like Neuronal Invasion

Amyloid aggregation has been related to an increasing number of human illnesses, from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases (AD/PD) to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Commonly, only prions have been considered as infectious agents with a high capacity of propagation. However, recent publications have shown that many amyloid proteins, including amyloid β-peptide, α-synuclein (α-syn) and tau protein, also propagate in a “prion-like” manner. Meanwhile, no link between propagation of pathological proteins and neurotoxicity has been demonstrated. The extremely low infectivity under natural conditions of most non-prion amyloids is far below the capacity to spread exhibited by prions. Nonetheless, it is important to elucidate the key factors that cause non-prion amyloids to become infectious agents. In recent years, important advances in our understanding of the amyloid processes of amyloid-like proteins and unrelated prions (i.e., yeast and fungal prions) have yielded essential information that can shed light on the prion phenomenon in mammals and humans. As shown in this review, recent evidence suggests that there are key factors that could dramatically modulate the prion capacity of proteins in the amyloid conformation. The concentration of nuclei, the presence of oligomers, and the toxicity, resistance and localization of these aggregates could all be key factors affecting their spread. In short, those factors that favor the high concentration of extracellular nuclei or oligomers, characterized by small size, with a low toxicity could dramatically increase prion propensity; whereas low concentrations of highly toxic intracellular amyloids, with a large size, would effectively prevent infectivity.
Endocrinology of uterine fibroids: steroid hormones, stem cells, and genetic contribution

Purpose of review Uterine fibroids are extremely common, and can cause significant morbidity, yet the exact cause of these tumors remains elusive and there are currently no long-term treatments available. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of steroid hormones, genetic abnormalities, and stem cells in the pathogenesis of uterine fibroids. Recent findings A universal feature of fibroids is responsiveness to estrogen and progesterone, and most of the currently available therapies exploit this characteristic. Ulipristal acetate has recently shown particular promise for providing long-term relief from uterine fibroids. Additionally, fibroid stem cells were isolated and appear to be necessary for growth. The recent discovery of somatic mutations involving mediator subunit complex 12 (MED12) or high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) in the majority of fibroids and the links to their pathophysiology were also significant advances. Summary The recent shift in focus from hormones to fibroid stem cells and genetic aberrations should lead not only to a deeper understanding of the specific cause of fibroids, but also to the discovery of new therapeutic targets. Targeting the products of genetic mutations or fibroid stem cells has the potential to achieve both better control of current tumors and the prevention of new fibroids.
Optical Parameter Variability in Laser Nerve Stimulation: A Study of Pulse Duration, Repetition Rate, and Wavelength

Pulsed lasers can evoke neural activity from motor as well as sensory neurons in vivo. Lasers allow more selective spatial resolution of stimulation than the conventional electrical stimulation. To date, few studies have examined pulsed, mid-infrared laser stimulation of nerves and very little of the available optical parameter space has been studied. In this study, a pulsed diode laser, with wavelength between 1.844-1.873 mum, was used to elicit compound action potentials (CAPs) from the auditory system of the gerbil. We found that pulse durations as short as 35 mus elicit a CAP from the cochlea. In addition, repetition rates up to 13Hz can continually stimulate cochlear spiral ganglion cells for extended periods of time. Varying the wavelength and, therefore, the optical penetration depth, allowed different populations of neurons to be stimulated. The technology of optical stimulation could significantly improve cochlear implants, which are hampered by a lack of spatial selectivity
Accurate Classification of RNA Structures Using Topological Fingerprints

While RNAs are well known to possess complex structures, functionally similar RNAs often have little sequence similarity. While the exact size and spacing of base-paired regions vary, functionally similar RNAs have pronounced similarity in the arrangement, or topology, of base-paired stems. Furthermore, predicted RNA structures often lack pseudoknots (a crucial aspect of biological activity), and are only partially correct, or incomplete. A topological approach addresses all of these difficulties. In this work we describe each RNA structure as a graph that can be converted to a topological spectrum (RNA fingerprint). The set of subgraphs in an RNA structure, its RNA fingerprint, can be compared with the fingerprints of other RNA structures to identify and correctly classify functionally related RNAs. Topologically similar RNAs can be identified even when a large fraction, up to 30%, of the stems are omitted, indicating that highly accurate structures are not necessary. We investigate the performance of the RNA fingerprint approach on a set of eight highly curated RNA families, with diverse sizes and functions, containing pseudoknots, and with little sequence similarity–an especially difficult test set. In spite of the difficult test set, the RNA fingerprint approach is very successful (ROC AUC > 0.95). Due to the inclusion of pseudoknots, the RNA fingerprint approach both covers a wider range of possible structures than methods based only on secondary structure, and its tolerance for incomplete structures suggests that it can be applied even to predicted structures. Source code is freely available at https://github.rcac. purdue.edu/mgribsko/XIOS_RNA_fingerprint.
Shape from contour using adaptive image selection

The “shape-from-contour method” reconstructs the 3D shape of the surface of an object by extracting its contour from each of a series of successive images of the object. This can be realized by using a CCD camera, and is a relatively accurate method of obtaining environmental information. However, to obtain an accurate result, many images must be processed. Therefore, it is important to select the images depending on their effect on the final result, particularly for high-speed processing. This paper proposes an adaptive image selection (AISE) method which depends on the required accuracy. The method has been applied to objects having various cross-sectional shapes. The errors in shape reconstruction and the number of images required in the conventional method and the proposed method are compared. The experimental results show that the proposed method requires fewer images than the conventional method, particularly when the surface curvature of the object has large variation. The theoretical relationship between the accuracy of the reconstructed shape and the number of images required is also derived. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(11): 50–60, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1163
Review: The Potential of the Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) as a Vehicle for Iron Biofortification

Common beans are a staple food and the major source of iron for populations in Eastern Africa and Latin America. Bean iron concentration is high and can be further increased by biofortification. A major constraint to bean iron biofortification is low iron absorption, attributed to inhibitory compounds such as phytic acid (PA) and polyphenol(s) (PP). We have evaluated the usefulness of the common bean as a vehicle for iron biofortification. High iron concentrations and wide genetic variability have enabled plant breeders to develop high iron bean varieties (up to 10 mg/100 g). PA concentrations in beans are high and tend to increase with iron biofortification. Short-term human isotope studies indicate that iron absorption from beans is low, PA is the major inhibitor, and bean PP play a minor role. Multiple composite meal studies indicate that decreasing the PA level in the biofortified varieties substantially increases iron absorption. Fractional iron absorption from composite meals was 4%–7% in iron deficient women; thus the consumption of 100 g biofortified beans/day would provide about 30%–50% of their daily iron requirement. Beans are a good vehicle for iron biofortification, and regular high consumption would be expected to help combat iron deficiency (ID).
Identification of genetic loci associated with primary angle-closure glaucoma in the basset hound

Purpose Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in dogs is usually caused by the gradual collapse of the iridocorneal angle and cleft, eventually leading to aqueous humor (AH) outflow obstruction. The condition occurs in several breeds of dogs and the prognosis for affected animals is typically poor. We have identified several basset hound (BH) pedigrees, as well as unrelated cases with characteristic PACG that in many aspects recapitulates PACG in human patients. The goal of this study was to utilize the BH PACG model to characterize the genetics of PACG, and potentially discover genetic factors contributing to PACG in humans and animals. Methods We conducted a genome-wide logistic regression test for association using 37 PACG cases and 41 unaffected controls. Population stratification and cryptic relatedness were assessed using a multidimensional scaling analysis. The expression of two candidate genes within the target tissues of the BH eye was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results We report significant associations at two novel loci, specifically BICF2P31912 in COL1A2 on chromosome 14 with a per-allele odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) of 3.35 (1.73–6.51), Pgenome=3.6×10−4; and BICF2P893476 residing in proximity to RAB22A on chromosome 24 with a per-allele OR (95% CI) of 3.93 (1.78–8.66), Pgenome=4.9×10−4. COL1A2 and RAB22A demonstrated widespread expression throughout the eye and were prominently noted in the ciliary body (CB), trabecular meshwork (TM), and iris. Conclusions Our finding of two genetic associations supports the potential segregation of PACG risk-conferring variants in the BH. The genetic associations identified may contribute to mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of PACG, which remain to be elucidated.
Age at surgical menopause influences cognitive decline and Alzheimer pathology in older women

Objective: To determine the association between age at surgical menopause and both cognitive decline and Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology in 2 longitudinal cohorts. Methods: Female subjects from 2 longitudinal studies of cognitive decline (Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project) were included (total n = 1,884). The primary analysis examined the association between age at surgical menopause and decline in a global cognition score. Secondary analyses examined additional outcomes: 1) decline in 5 cognitive subdomains and 2) a global measure of the burden of AD pathology. In exploratory analyses, we examined the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We adjusted all models for age, education, smoking, and cohort and stratified by surgical vs natural menopause. Results: For the 32% of subjects with surgical menopause, earlier age at menopause was associated with faster decline in global cognition (p = 0.0007), specifically episodic memory (p = 0.0003) and semantic memory (p = 0.002). Earlier age at menopause was also associated with increased AD neuropathology (p = 0.038), in particular neuritic plaques (p = 0.013). HRT use for at least 10 years, when administered within a 5-year perimenopausal window, was associated with decreased decline in global cognition. No associations were seen in women who had natural menopause. Conclusions: Early age at surgical menopause was associated with cognitive decline and AD neuropathology. Ongoing studies should clarify the potential effect of HRT on this relationship.