Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial Quality Control and Muscle Mass Maintenance

Loss of muscle mass and force occurs in many diseases such as disuse/inactivity, diabetes, cancer, renal, and cardiac failure and in aging-sarcopenia. In these catabolic conditions the mitochondrial content, morphology and function are greatly affected. The changes of mitochondrial network influence the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play an important role in muscle function. Moreover, dysfunctional mitochondria trigger catabolic signaling pathways which feed-forward to the nucleus to promote the activation of muscle atrophy. Exercise, on the other hand, improves mitochondrial function by activating mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy, possibly playing an important part in the beneficial effects of physical activity in several diseases. Optimized mitochondrial function is strictly maintained by the coordinated activation of different mitochondrial quality control pathways. In this review we outline the current knowledge linking mitochondria-dependent signaling pathways to muscle homeostasis in aging and disease and the resulting implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches to prevent muscle loss.
Identification and characterization of in vivo attenuated mutants of Brucella melitensis

Brucella melitensis 16M is a Gram‐negative α2‐proteobacterium responsible for abortion in goats and for Malta fever in humans. This facultative intracellular pathogen invades into and survives within both professional and non‐professional phagocytes. Signature‐tagged mutagenesis (STM) was used to identify genes required for the in vivo pathogenesis of Brucella. A library of transposon mutants was screened in a murine infection model. Out of 672 mutants screened, 20 were not recovered after a 5 day passage in BALB/c mice. The attenuation of 18 mutants was confirmed using an in vivo competition assay against the wild‐type strain. The 18 mutants were characterized further for their ability to replicate in murine macrophages and in HeLa cells. The sequences disrupted by the transposon in the mutants have homology to genes coding for proteins of different functional classes: transport, amino acid and DNA metabolism, transcriptional regulation, peptidoglycan synthesis, a chaperone‐like protein and proteins of unknown function. The mutants selected in this study provide new insights into the molecular basis of Brucella virulence.
A tool for verification and validation of neural network based adaptive controllers for high assurance systems

High reliability of mission and safety-critical software systems has been identified by NASA as a high-priority technology challenge. We present an approach for the performance analysis of a neural network (NN) in an advanced adaptive control system. This problem is important in the context of safety-critical applications that require certification, such as flight software in aircraft. We have developed a tool to measure the performance of the NN during operation by calculating a confidence interval (error bar) around the NN's output. Our tool can be used during pre-deployment verification as well as monitoring the network performance during operation. The tool has been implemented in Simulink and simulation results on a F-15 aircraft are presented.
Extending CORBA interfaces with /spl pi/-calculus for protocol compatibility

Traditional IDLs were defined for describing the services that objects offer, but not those services they require from other objects, nor the partial ordering in which they expect their methods to be used. We propose an extension of the CORBA IDL that uses a sugared subset of the polyadic /spl pi/-calculus for describing object service protocols, aimed towards the automated checking of protocol interoperability between CORBA objects in open component based environments. In addition, some advantages and disadvantages of our proposal are discussed, as well as some of the practical limitations encountered when trying to implement and use this sort of IDL extension in open systems.
Modality Specific Meta Features for Authorship Attribution in Web Forum Posts

This paper presents a new method for Authorship Attribution (AA) on online forum posts. The idea behind the method is to generate meta features that capture modality specific similarity relations among texts from different authors. Each modality represents a particular linguistic dimension (syntactic, lexical, stylistic). To evaluate this approach we measure prediction accuracy on data from an online forum with up to 100 candidate authors. We also compare our results with a state of the art approach that has shown to perform well across different genres. We have found the meta features to be especially helpful in the online forum domain, where the documents are very short, showing this to be a very promising direction for AA on a realistic web forum scenario.
Evidence from central Mexico supporting the Younger Dryas extraterrestrial impact hypothesis

We report the discovery in Lake Cuitzeo in central Mexico of a black, carbon-rich, lacustrine layer, containing nanodiamonds, microspherules, and other unusual materials that date to the early Younger Dryas and are interpreted to result from an extraterrestrial impact. These proxies were found in a 27-m-long core as part of an interdisciplinary effort to extract a paleoclimate record back through the previous interglacial. Our attention focused early on an anomalous, 10-cm-thick, carbon-rich layer at a depth of 2.8 m that dates to 12.9 ka and coincides with a suite of anomalous coeval environmental and biotic changes independently recognized in other regional lake sequences. Collectively, these changes have produced the most distinctive boundary layer in the late Quaternary record. This layer contains a diverse, abundant assemblage of impact-related markers, including nanodiamonds, carbon spherules, and magnetic spherules with rapid melting/quenching textures, all reaching synchronous peaks immediately beneath a layer containing the largest peak of charcoal in the core. Analyses by multiple methods demonstrate the presence of three allotropes of nanodiamond: n-diamond, i-carbon, and hexagonal nanodiamond (lonsdaleite), in order of estimated relative abundance. This nanodiamond-rich layer is consistent with the Younger Dryas boundary layer found at numerous sites across North America, Greenland, and Western Europe. We have examined multiple hypotheses to account for these observations and find the evidence cannot be explained by any known terrestrial mechanism. It is, however, consistent with the Younger Dryas boundary impact hypothesis postulating a major extraterrestrial impact involving multiple airburst(s) and and/or ground impact(s) at 12.9 ka.
No excess risk for colorectal cancer among subjects seropositive for the JC polyomavirus

The human polyomaviruses JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV) are oncogenic in experimental systems and commonly infect humans. JCV DNA has been reported to be present in human colon mucosa and in colorectal cancers. To investigate whether the risk for colorectal cancer is associated with JCV or BKV infection, we performed a case–control study nested in the Janus biobank, a cohort of 330,000 healthy Norwegian subjects. A 30‐year prospective follow‐up using registry linkages identified 386 men with colorectal cancer who had baseline serum samples taken >3 months before diagnosis. Control subjects were matched for sex, age and date of blood sampling and county of residence. Seropositivity for JCV or BKV had high (97–100%) sensitivity for detection of viral DNA‐positive subjects and discriminated the different polyomaviruses. Seropositivity was mostly stable over time in serial samples. The relative risk for colorectal cancer among JCV seropositive subjects was 0.9 (95% CI: 0.7–1.3) and the BKV‐associated relative risk was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.8–1.5). Determining seropositivity using alternative cutoffs also found no evidence of excess risk. In summary, this prospective study found no association between JCV or BKV infections and excess risk for colorectal cancer. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Single‐unit recording from antidromically activated optic radiation neurones

Antidromic activation of cells in the central nervous system has proved to be a most useful method of studying the properties of neurones and the part these play in synaptic transmission (see e.g. Renshaw, 1941, 1946; Araki, Otani & Furukawa, 1953; Brock, Coombs & Eccles, 1953; Frank & Fuortes, 1955; Granit & Phillips, 1956; Phillips, 1956, 1959; Coombs, Curtis & Eccles, 1957a, b; Fatt, 1957; Fuortes, Frank & Becker, 1957; Martin & Branch, 1958; Bennett, Crain & Grundfest, 1959; Freygang & Frank, 1959; Machne, Fadiga & Brookhart, 1959). The method is also valuable in establishing the identity of various cells and in determining the extent of a tract, on the principle that an antidromic impulse will not cross a synapse (e.g. Woolsey & Chang, 1947). However, the existence of recurrent collaterals is a complicating factor here. We have stimulated the visual cortex in cats whilst recording extracellularly from units in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and optic radiation with both these objects in mind. The LGN projects to a large area of cortex and in these experiments no attempt was made to stimulate this entire area but only the most anterior part. Evidence will be produced to show that the majority of our records result from a true antidromic activation of the unit. This is a necessary step, because it has been suggested that the visual cortex sends an efferent supply to the LGN (e.g. Vastola, 1957; Wid6n & Marsan, 1960 a, who also give a list of references to earlier work). Our results do, however, lend some support to this idea, because a few units could be activated only after rather long latencies. However, the results are most useful for the study of the process of impulse initiation in the cell body and in this respect support the theories advanced by Araki & Otani (1955), Coombs et al. (1957a, b) and Fuortes et al. (1957).
On an Optimization Problem in Robust Statistics

In this article, we consider a large class of computational problems in robust statistics that can be formulated as selection of optimal subsets of data based on some criterion function. To solve such problems, there are broadly two classes of algorithms available in the literature. One is based on purely random search, and the other is based on deterministically guided strategies. Though these methods can achieve satisfactory results in some specific examples, none of them can be used satisfactorily for a large class of similar problems either due to their very long expected waiting time to hit the true optimum or due to their failure to come out of a local optimum when they get trapped there. Here, we propose two probabilistic search algorithms, and under some conditions on the parameters of the algorithms, we establish the convergence of our algorithms to the true optimum. We also show some results on the probability of hitting the true optimum if the algorithms are run for a finite number of iterations. Finally, we compare the performance of our algorithms to some commonly available algorithms for computing some popular robust multivariate statistics using real datasets.
Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Between August 2004 and May 2006, 124 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with ejection fractions ≤ 35% were randomly assigned to off-pump or conventional procedures. Preoperative characteristics were the same in both groups, except for age and degree of mitral regurgitation. Off-pump coronary artery grafting was carried out using a tissue stabilizer and a single-suture technique; conventional coronary bypass employed cardiopulmonary bypass, moderate hypothermia, and antegrade-retrograde cold blood cardioplegic arrest. There were significantly fewer vessels grafted (3.09 ± 0.41) in the off-pump group than in those who had a conventional procedure (3.42 ± 0.86). The rates of mortality, morbidity, balloon pump support, inotropic usage, gastrointestinal bleeding, renal dysfunction, reintubation, as well as intensive care and hospital stay, were significantly lower in the off-pump group. The incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction did not differ significantly between groups. The results of this study indicate that beating-heart coronary bypass is safe and effective in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
Subcutaneous interferon alpha 2a combined with cryotherapy vs cryotherapy alone in the treatment of primary anogenital warts: a randomised observer blind placebo controlled study.

OBJECTIVE--To compare patient tolerance and treatment efficacy of subcutaneous interferon (IFN) alpha 2a plus cryotherapy versus cryotherapy alone in treatment of primary anogenital (AG) warts. DESIGN--Randomised placebo controlled observer blind study. Statistical analysis was by chi square and Mann Whitney U tests. PATIENTS--60 patients with newly diagnosed AG warts. INTERVENTION--29 and 31 patients were treated with subcutaneous IFN alpha 2a plus cryotherapy or placebo injections plus cryotherapy, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Clinical presence or absence of AG warts. Patients wart-free at 8 weeks were asked to re-attend at 12 weeks; those with persistent warts at 8 weeks were withdrawn from the study. RESULTS--At 8 weeks 60.7% (17/28 patients) of the IFN group and 67.9% (19/28 patients) of the placebo group were clinically wart-free (not significant); corresponding figures at 12 week review were 29.6% (8/27 patients) and 40% (10/25 patients) respectively (not significant). There was no difference in treatment response between males and females. Recurrence of warts at three month review, in patients cleared of warts at 8 weeks, was seen in 50% (8/16) and 37.5% (6/16) of patients in the IFN and placebo groups respectively (not significant). Multiple warts and the presence of perianal/anal canal warts, either alone or concurrent with warts on the genitalia, at first clinic attendance, were adverse prognostic indicators (p less than 0.001, and p = 0.05 respectively). Cervical human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, exophytic or subclinical, was present in 58.3% and 77.2% of females in the IFN and placebo groups respectively, at trial entry. Although these lesions were not directly treated, colposcopic resolution was seen in 12.5% of affected women, in both treatment groups, by the end of the 7 week treatment period. Systemic side effects were significantly more common in the IFN than in the placebo group, 50% versus 10.7% of patients (p less than 0.01). Severe influenza like symptoms occurred, after the first three injections only, in one patient treated with IFN; all other reported side effects were mild. CONCLUSIONS--Subcutaneous IFN alpha 2a combined with cryotherapy is no more effective than cryotherapy alone in the treatment of primary AG warts. The presence of multiple warts and perianal/anal canal warts are adverse prognostic indicators.
Enzymes from Fungal and Plant Origin Required for Chemical Diversification of Insecticidal Loline Alkaloids in Grass-Epichloë Symbiota

The lolines are a class of bioprotective alkaloids that are produced by Epichloë species, fungal endophytes of grasses. These alkaloids are saturated 1-aminopyrrolizidines with a C2 to C7 ether bridge, and are structurally differentiated by the various modifications of the 1-amino group: -NH2 (norloline), -NHCH3 (loline), -N(CH3)2 (N-methylloline), -N(CH3)Ac (N-acetylloline), -NHAc (N-acetylnorloline), and -N(CH3)CHO (N-formylloline). Other than the LolP cytochrome P450, which is required for conversion of N-methylloline to N-formylloline, the enzymatic steps for loline diversification have not yet been established. Through isotopic labeling, we determined that N-acetylnorloline is the first fully cyclized loline alkaloid, implying that deacetylation, methylation, and acetylation steps are all involved in loline alkaloid diversification. Two genes of the loline alkaloid biosynthesis (LOL) gene cluster, lolN and lolM, were predicted to encode an N-acetamidase (deacetylase) and a methyltransferase, respectively. A knockout strain lacking both lolN and lolM stopped the biosynthesis at N-acetylnorloline, and complementation with the two wild-type genes restored production of N-formylloline and N-acetylloline. These results indicated that lolN and lolM are required in the steps from N-acetylnorloline to other lolines. The function of LolM as an N-methyltransferase was confirmed by its heterologous expression in yeast resulting in conversion of norloline to loline, and of loline to N-methylloline. One of the more abundant lolines, N-acetylloline, was observed in some but not all plants with symbiotic Epichloë siegelii, and when provided with exogenous loline, asymbiotic meadow fescue (Lolium pratense) plants produced N-acetylloline, suggesting that a plant acetyltransferase catalyzes N-acetylloline formation. We conclude that although most loline alkaloid biosynthesis reactions are catalyzed by fungal enzymes, both fungal and plant enzymes are responsible for the chemical diversification steps in symbio.
A stereo vision based virtual reality game by using a vibrotactile device and two position sensors

If a virtual object described by a stereo vision system could be touched by a user with some tactile feeling on his/her finger tips, the sense for the reality increases much higher. To have visual impression as if the user points out a desired point on the virtual object with his/her own finger directly, we need a task that aligns the virtual space coordinate and the real space coordinate. But, if there is no tactile feeling when the user touches the virtual object with his/her own finger, the virtual object seems to be a ghost. Therefore, to get a tactile feeling, we need a haptic interface device which can give some tactile sensation to the user. We constructed a virtual reality game using a vibrotactile device module and two position/orientation sensors.
A Framework for Vision's Bag of Tricks

Why We See What We Do An Empirical Theory of Vision. Dale Purves and R. Beau Lotto. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, 2003. 272 pp. Paper, $42.95. ISBN 0-87893-752-8. The authors marshal a broad range of evidence to support their conclusion that "what humans actually see is a reflexive manifestation of past rather than a logical analysis of the present. "
Multiparameter flow cytometry remission is the most relevant prognostic factor for multiple myeloma patients who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation

Authors: Bruno Paiva, Maria-Belén Vidriales Jorge Cerveró, Gema Mateo, Jose J. Pérez, Maria Angeles Montalbán, Anna Sureda, Laura Montejano, Norma C. Gutiérrez, Alfonso García de Coca, Natalia de las Heras, Maria Victoria Mateos, Maria Consuelo López-Berges, Raimundo García-Boyero, Josefina Galende, Jose Hernández, Luis Palomera, Dolores Carrera, Rafael Martínez, Javier de la Rubia, Alejandro Martín, Joan Bladé, Juan José Lahuerta, Alberto Orfao, Jesús F. San Miguel on behalf of the GEM (Grupo Español de MM)/PETHEMA (Programa para el Estudio de la Terapéutica en Hemopatías Malignas) cooperative study groups.
The effect of exogenous RNA extract on chick embryo fibroblasts in vitro.

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile the conflicting claims of those who have treated different cells and tissues with exogenous RNA. Some authors (e.g. Niu, Cordova & Niu, 1961; Niu, Cordova & Radbill, 1962) maintain that RNA extracts alter the course of cell differentiation to conform in morphological terms to the source of the RNA; in the same vein, Amos, Askonas & Soeiro (1964) have shown that, under certain conditions, RNA from mouse and bacterial cells can stimulate chick embryo fibroblasts to synthesize protein related antigenically to the origin of the RNA. Shepley, Ambrose & Kirby (1965), however, obtained stimulation of growth with permanent morphological changes in baby hamster kidney fibroblasts by the addition of RNA from a variety of sources.
Noise robust feature extraction for ASR using the Aurora 2 database

Four front-end processing techniques developed for noise robust speech recognition are tested with the Aurora 2 database. These techniques include three previously published algorithms: variable frame rate analysis [Zhu and Alwan, 2000], peak isolation [Strope and Alwan, 1997], and harmonic demodulation [Zhu and Alwan, 2000], and a new technique for peak-to-valley ratio locking. Our previous work has focused on isolated digit recognition. In this paper, these algorithms are modified for recognition of connected digits. Recognition results with the Aurora 2 database show that a combination of these four techniques results in 40% error rate reduction when compared to the baseline MFCC front-end for the clean training condition, with no significant increase in computational complexity.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Encoded LANA Can Interact with the Nuclear Mitotic Apparatus Protein To Regulate Genome Maintenance and Segregation

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) genomes are tethered to the host chromosomes and partitioned faithfully into daughter cells with the host chromosomes. The latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is important for segregation of the newly synthesized viral genomes to the daughter nuclei. Here, we report that the nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA) and LANA can associate in KSHV-infected cells. In synchronized cells, NuMA and LANA are colocalized in interphase cells and separate during mitosis at the beginning of prophase, reassociating again at the end of telophase and cytokinesis. Silencing of NuMA expression by small interfering RNA and expression of LGN and a dominant-negative of dynactin (P150-CC1), which disrupts the association of NuMA with microtubules, resulted in the loss of KSHV terminal-repeat plasmids containing the major latent origin. Thus, NuMA is required for persistence of the KSHV episomes in daughter cells. This interaction between NuMA and LANA is critical for segregation and maintenance of the KSHV episomes through a temporally controlled mechanism of binding and release during specific phases of mitosis.