Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Maximal Sodium and Potassium Conductance on the Stability of Hodgkin-Huxley Model

Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) equation is the first cell computing model in the world and pioneered the use of model to study electrophysiological problems. The model consists of four differential equations which are based on the experimental data of ion channels. Maximal conductance is an important characteristic of different channels. In this study, mathematical method is used to investigate the importance of maximal sodium conductance g-Na and maximal potassium conductance g-K. Applying stability theory, and taking g-Na and g-K as variables, we analyze the stability and bifurcations of the model. Bifurcations are found when the variables change, and bifurcation points and boundary are also calculated. There is only one bifurcation point when g-Na is the variable, while there are two points when g-K is variable. The (g-Na, g-K) plane is partitioned into two regions and the upper bifurcation boundary is similar to a line when both g-Na and g-K are variables. Numerical simulations illustrate the validity of the analysis. The results obtained could be helpful in studying relevant diseases caused by maximal conductance anomaly.
THE BREEDING CYCLE OF THE SOUTHERN SEA LION, OTARIA BYROnIA

Daily counts of Southern sea lions (Otaria dyronia) made at Punta Norte, Argentina, during four consecutive breeding seasons (1980-1984) yielded similar results in the time of the reproductive events. Males and females began to arrive during the second week of December. Males reached peak numbers ( 100110) between 15 and 21 January. Females reached maximum numbers (300350) at the end of January. About 380-430 pups were born between December 20 and February 2, and 70-80 percent of births occurred between 10 and 25 January. Copulations peaked during the third week of January. The sex ratio of adult males to adult females at peak season fluctuated from 1:3.7 to 1:4.2. By the first week of February, coinciding with the maximum number of young males (25-50), 90 percent of the adult males had abandoned the area and the number of females fluctuated greatly. Since 1980 the number of females and pups has shown a slight increase, particularly during the 1983-1984 breeding season.
Automatic privacy leakage detection for massive android apps via a novel hybrid approach

Android apps frequently leak private data off the device with or without intentions. Researchers have proposed a large number of methods, for example, static and dynamic analysis methods, to pick out the apps which tend to leak private data. However, they are only able to identify part of private data leakage vulnerabilities, due to the dynamic features in codes or code coverage problem. This paper presents a novel hybrid approach that can find out more private data leakages than the existing static or dynamic methods. The approach, realized in a tool, called HybriDroid, which employs both static and dynamic analysis methods to extract the models of each apps, and then refines the behavior model to a more adequate one according to the dynamic analysis result. As a consequence, HybriDroid inherits the advantages of both static and dynamic analysis methods, which not only achieves a high code coverage, but also can deal with the dynamic features in codes. The evaluation results show that HybriDroid is effective in detecting privacy leakages for both inter- and intra-app communication. Comparing with the existing methods, it can achieve considerable improvements in data leakage detection performance with a 97.8% precision and 90% recall on the selected apps from DroidBench 3.0 test suite.
Some results on the information loss in dynamical systems

In this work we investigate the information loss in (nonlinear) dynamical input-output systems and provide some general results. In particular, we present an upper bound on the information loss rate, defined as the (non-negative) difference between the entropy rates of the jointly stationary stochastic processes at the input and output of the system. We further introduce a family of systems with vanishing information loss rate. It is shown that not only linear filters belong to that family, but — under certain circumstances — also finite-precision implementations of the latter, which typically consist of nonlinear elements.
Quantifying the Correlation Between Mobile Continents and Elevated Temperatures in the Subcontinental Mantle

Continents influence the mantle's convective wavelength and the heat flow escaping from the planet's surface. Over the last few decades, many numerical and analytical studies have contributed to the debate about whether the continents can warm up the subcontinental mantle or not and if they do, then to what extent? However, a consensus regarding the exact nature and magnitude of this correlation between continents and elevated temperatures in the subcontinental mantle remains to be achieved. By conducting a systematic parameter study using 2‐D global mantle convection simulations with mobile continents, we provide qualitative and quantitative observations on the nature of this correlation. In our incompressible and compressible convection models, we observe the general processes of downwellings bringing cold material into the mantle along continental margins and a subsequent buildup of warm thermal anomalies underneath the continents. We compute the amplitude and degree of this correlation using spectral decomposition of the temperature and composition fields. The dominant degree of correlation evolves with time and changes with continental configuration. Using simple empirical fits, we observe that this correlation decreases with increasing core temperature, number of continents, internal heating, or decreasing reference viscosity. We also report simple regressions of the time dependence of this correlation. Additionally, we show that decompression melting as a result of a mantle upwelling or small‐scale sublithospheric convection leads to voluminous volcanism. The emplacement of this dense basalt‐eclogite material breaks the continents apart and destroys the correlation.
Modeling Spinal Muscular Atrophy in Drosophila

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a recessive hereditary neurodegenerative disease in humans, has been linked to mutations in the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene. SMA patients display early onset lethality coupled with motor neuron loss and skeletal muscle atrophy. We used Drosophila, which encodes a single SMN ortholog, survival motor neuron (Smn), to model SMA, since reduction of Smn function leads to defects that mimic the SMA pathology in humans. Here we show that a normal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure depends on SMN expression and that SMN concentrates in the post-synaptic NMJ regions. We conducted a screen for genetic modifiers of an Smn phenotype using the Exelixis collection of transposon-induced mutations, which affects approximately 50% of the Drosophila genome. This screen resulted in the recovery of 27 modifiers, thereby expanding the genetic circuitry of Smn to include several genes not previously known to be associated with this locus. Among the identified modifiers was wishful thinking (wit), a type II BMP receptor, which was shown to alter the Smn NMJ phenotype. Further characterization of two additional members of the BMP signaling pathway, Mothers against dpp (Mad) and Daughters against dpp (Dad), also modify the Smn NMJ phenotype. The NMJ defects caused by loss of Smn function can be ameliorated by increasing BMP signals, suggesting that increased BMP activity in SMA patients may help to alleviate symptoms of the disease. These results confirm that our genetic approach is likely to identify bona fide modulators of SMN activity, especially regarding its role at the neuromuscular junction, and as a consequence, may identify putative SMA therapeutic targets.
Structure refinement and genetic aspects of a microcline overgrowth on amazonite from Pikes Peak batholith, Colorado, U.S.A.

Un film de microcline blanc a incolore recouvre assez couramment l'amazonite bleu-vert que l'on trouve dans la cavite centrale des pegmatites du batholite de Pikes Peak (Colorado, E.-U. A.). Un echantillon typique de ce type de surcroissance, provenant de la geode "Ray Ziegler", est essentiellement sans lamelle d'albite et ne montre aucune macle ou structure semblable, mais il possede des taches de diffraction nettes, indication d'une homogeneite structurale. Les elements majeurs, mineurs et en trace, determines en combinant des analyses par microsonde electronique, par spectrographie, et par absorption atomique afin de definir la composition de la surcroissance, donnent Or94.3Ab5. 2Rbf0.4Cn0. 1 en termes de composants predominants. Les indices structuraux et de contrainte derives par les parametres reticulaires indiquent respectivement ordre a longue distance complet dans la distribution Si, Al parmi les sites tetraedriques et absence de contrainte dans la maille. La structure de deux fragments selectionnes a ete affinee jusqu'au residu R non-pondere de 0.033 et 0.031 en utilisant respectivement 1236 et 1201 diffractions. Le contenu en Al des sites tetraedriques T obtenu par les distances correspond a celui d'un microcline completement ordonne. L'etude de cette surcroissance contribue a une meilleure definition de ce qu'est le microcline bien ordonne et ajoute a nos connaissances de l'evolution tardive des cavites centrales des pegmatites et de leur roches-hotes a Pikes Peak. Ce microcline se serait forme a une temperature inferieure a celle de la transition monoclinique-triclinique dans un systeme ouvert, ou le milieu aqueux pouvait circuler efficacement. Une croissance dans le champ de stabilite du microcline concorde avec une faible teneur en Ba et une concentration elevee en Rb dans la surcroissance, qui apparait a la toute fin d'une longue evolution d'un magma basique anorogenique.
Multi-tenancy application pattern for system administration support

Many quality aspects of software systems are addressed in the existing literature on software architecture patterns. But the aspect of system administration seems rather overlooked, even though it is perceived as important as other aspects. This work is in a certain way a sequel on our earlier paper 'Software Architecture Patterns for System Administration Support' and this paper will present a software architecture pattern that, when applied by software architects, support the work of system administrators by lowering the infrastructure costs and making their work more manageable. One pattern will be presented here: Multi-tenant Application.
A lack of ‘glue’ misplaces Rab27A to cause islet dysfunction in diabetes

Glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) involves interplay between metabolic and cationic events. Several lines of evidence suggest novel regulatory roles for small G proteins (Rac1, Cdc42, Rab27A) in cytoskeletal remodelling and docking of insulin granules on the plasma membrane for insulin secretion. Emerging evidence implicates novel roles for post‐translational prenylation (farnesylation and geranylgeranylation) of G proteins for their targeting to appropriate membranous compartments. While several recent studies were focused on prenylating enzymes in the islet β‐cell, a significant knowledge gap exists on the regulatory roles and function of enzymes that mediate intracellular generation of prenyl pyrophosphate substrates (farnesyl and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphates) for prenyltransferases. Recent work published in The Journal of Pathology by Jiang and associates highlights requisite roles for geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS) in islet β‐cell function in health and diabetes. These studies are timely and will form the basis for a series of new investigations to further validate roles for G‐protein prenylation in GSIS under physiological conditions. They also pave the path towards the identification of potential defects in these signalling pathways in β‐cell models of impaired insulin secretion including metabolic stress and diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Duplicate FLORICAULA/LEAFY homologs zfl1 and zfl2 control inflorescence architecture and flower patterning in maize

The homologous transcription factors FLORICAULA of Antirrhinum and LEAFY of Arabidopsis share conserved roles in flower meristem identity and floral patterning. While roles for FLORICAULA/LEAFY homologs in flower development have been demonstrated in numerous dicots, little is known about the function of these meristem identity genes in the more distantly related flowering plants, the monocots. We used reverse genetics to investigate the role of two duplicate FLORICAULA/LEAFY homologs in maize (Zea mays L. ssp. mays) – a monocot species with dramatically different flower and inflorescence morphology from that of dicot species. Transposon insertions into the maize genes, zfl1 and zfl2, led to a disruption of floral organ identity and patterning, as well as to defects in inflorescence architecture and in the vegetative to reproductive phase transition. Our results demonstrate that these genes share conserved roles with their dicot counterparts in flower and inflorescence patterning. The phenotype of zfl1; zfl2 double mutants suggests that these maize FLORICAULA/LEAFY homologs act as upstream regulators of the ABC floral organ identity genes, and this along with previously published work, indicates that the transcriptional network regulating flower development is at least partially conserved between monocots and dicots. Our data also suggest that the zfl genes may play a novel role in controlling quantitative aspects of inflorescence phyllotaxy in maize, consistent with their candidacy for quantitative trait loci that control differences in inflorescence structure between maize and its progenitor, teosinte.
Fatal Disseminated Trichoderma longibrachiatum Infection in an Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Patient: Species Identification and Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT Trichoderma longibrachiatum was recovered from stool surveillance cultures and a perirectal ulcer biopsy specimen from a 29-year-old male who had received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The amphotericin B (2.0 μg/ml) and itraconazole (1.0 μg/ml) MICs for the organism were elevated. Therapy with these agents was unsuccessful, and the patient died on day 58 posttransplantation. At autopsy, histologic sections from the lungs, liver, brain, and intestinal wall showed infiltration by branching septate hyphae. Cultures were positive for Trichoderma longibrachiatum. While Trichoderma species have been recognized to be pathogenic in profoundly immunosuppressed hosts with increasing frequency, this is the first report of probable acquisition through the gastrointestinal tract. Salient features regarding the identification of molds in the Trichoderma longibrachiatumspecies aggregate are presented.
Noncoherent OSTBC-OFDM for MIMO and Cooperative Communications: Perfect Channel Identifiability and Achievable Diversity Order

This paper considers the context of orthogonal space-time block coded OFDM (OSTBC-OFDM) without channel state information at the receiver. Assuming noncoherent maximum-likelihood detection, the interest herein lies in detection within one OSTBC-OFDM block, motivated by its capability of accommodating relatively fast block fading channels. Our investigation focuses on analysis aspects, where we seek to establish practical noncoherent BPSK/QPSK OSTBC-OFDM schemes that have provably good channel identifiability and diversity properties. We consider perfect channel identifiability (PCI), a strong condition guaranteeing unique noncoherent channel identification for any (nonzero) channel. Through a judicious design involving special OSTBCs and pilot placement, we propose an OSTBC-OFDM scheme that is PCI-achieving and consumes fewer pilots compared to conventional pilot-aided channel estimation methods. We further our analysis by showing that a PCI-achieving scheme also achieves maximal noncoherent spatial diversity for the Kronecker Gaussian spatial-temporal channel fading model, which covers the popular i.i. d. Rayleigh fading channel and a variety of correlated and sparse multipath channels. All these results are developed in parallel for the centralized point-to-point MIMO scenario and a distributed relay communication scenario. For the latter scenario, our diversity analysis shows that the PCI-achieving scheme can also achieve maximal noncoherent cooperative diversity. The performance merits of the proposed PCI-achieving scheme are demonstrated by simulations.
A new CRT-RSA algorithm secure against bellcore attacks

In this paper we describe a new algorithm to prevent fault attacks on RSA signature algorithms using the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT-RSA). This variant of the RSA signature algorithm is widely used on smartcards. Smartcards on the other hand are particularly susceptible to fault attacks like the one described in [7]. Recent results have shown that fault attacks are practical and easy to accomplish ([21], [17]). Therefore, they establish a practical need for fault attack protected CRT-RSA schemes. Starting from a careful derivation and classification of fault models, we describe a new variant of the CRT-RSA algorithm. For the most realistic fault model described, we rigorously analyze the success probability of an adversary against our new CRT-RSA algorithm. Thereby, we prove that our new algorithm is secure against the Bellcore attack.
Shooter Localization in Wireless Microphone Networks

Shooter localization in a wireless network of microphones is studied. Both the acoustic muzzle blast (MB) from the gunfire and the ballistic shock wave (SW) from the bullet can be detected by the microphones and considered as measurements. The MB measurements give rise to a standard sensor network problem, similar to time difference of arrivals in cellular phone networks, and the localization accuracy is good, provided that the sensors are well synchronized compared to the MB detection accuracy. The detection times of the SW depend on both shooter position and aiming angle and may provide additional information beside the shooter location, but again this requires good synchronization. We analyze the approach to base the estimation on the time difference of MB and SW at each sensor, which becomes insensitive to synchronization inaccuracies. Cramér-Rao lower bound analysis indicates how a lower bound of the root mean square error depends on the synchronization error for the MB and the MB-SW difference, respectively. The estimation problem is formulated in a separable nonlinear least squares framework. Results from field trials with different types of ammunition show excellent accuracy using the MB-SW difference for both the position and the aiming angle of the shooter.
Analysis of treatment outcome after stereotactic radiosurgery for cavernous sinus meningiomas.

OBJECT The long-term outcome of stereotactic radiosurgery for cavernous sinus (CS) meningiomas is not fully understood. The authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with 40 CS meningiomas treated with gamma knife radiosurgery. METHODS Follow-up periods for the 40 patients ranged from 12 to 123 months (median 42 months), and the overall tumor control rates were 86.4% at 3 years and 82.3% at 10 years. Factors associated with tumor recurrence in univariate analysis were histological malignancy (p < 0.0001), partial treatment (p < 0.0001), suprasellar tumor extension (p = 0.0201), or extension in more than three directions outside the CS (p = 0.0345). When the tumor was completely covered with a dose to the margin that was higher than 14 Gy (Group A, 22 patients), no patient showed recurrence within the median follow-up period of 37 months. On the other hand, when a part of the tumor was treated with 10 to 12 Gy (Group B, 15 patients) or did not receive radiation therapy (Group C, three patients), the recurrence rates were 20% and 100%, respectively. Neurological deterioration was seen in nine patients, but all symptoms were transient or very mild. CONCLUSIONS The data indicate that stereotactic radiosurgery can control tumor growth if the whole mass can be irradiated by dosages of more than 14 Gy. When optimal radiosurgical planning is not feasible because of a tumor's large size, irregular shape, or proximity to visual pathways, use of limited surgical resection before radiosurgery is the best option and should provide sufficient long-term tumor control with minimal complications.
Further insights into the role of angiotensin II in kidney development

Over the past decade, compelling studies have highlighted the fundamental role of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in renal development and long‐term control of renal function and arterial pressure. The present review provides an update of the understanding of how the RAS controls nephrogenesis and nephrovascular development. In addition, the investigations linking the perinatal development of RAS inhibition‐induced renal dysmorphology and establishment of adult blood pressure are discussed.
Exercising Multi-Layered Networks on Protein Secondary Structure

The quality of a multi-layered network predicting the secondary structure of proteins is improved substantially by: (i) using information about evolutionarily conserved amino acids (increase of overall accuracy by six percentage points), (ii) balancing the training dynamics (increase of accuracy for strand), and (iii) combining uncorrelated networks in a jury (increase two percentage points). In addition, appending a second level structure-to-structure network results in better reproduction of the length of secondary structure segments.
Phonetic Rules for Diagnosis of Pronunciation Errors

The paper describes the use of phonetic transcription rules in a component for diagnosis of pronunciation errors produced by students of a foreign language. The module is part of a computer-aided language learning tool designed to report pronunciation problems by Italian and German non-native speakers of English (Herron et al., 1999). It generates a number of possible pronunciation candidates that are tested against the spoken utterance by means of a HMM-based speech recognizer. The most plausible hypothesis is then taken to derive different kinds of feedback information for the student, including detailed error descriptions, analogous example cases, and specifically tailored follow-up exercises.
Immunity and Mastitis Immune Defenses Against Mastitis

• Mastitis is the result of a bacterial invasion of the mammary gland where the immune system is either weakened or overwhelmed • The immune system has many different components, both pathogen specific and nonspecific, which can reduce or eliminate bacterial invasion of the mammary gland; all of which are sensitive to nutritional status of animal • Of all the possible nutrients that could affect immunity and mastitis incidence, vitamin E and selenium, zinc and vitamin A have been well documented • Physiologic changes associated with the dry period and initiation of lactation predispose the cow to increased mastitis susceptibility • Proper nutritional management of the transition cow in conjunction with pathogen reduction in the cow’s environment are critical mastitis preventive measures