Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analytical micromechanics equations for elastic and viscoelastic properties of strand-based composites

Using the principles of classical micromechanics, analytical equations are developed in this paper to estimate the effective orthotropic properties of a unit cell of strand-based composites according to their constituent phase properties and their microstructural features such as resin thickness, void content and strand geometrical characteristics. Although a special type of strand-based wood composite product, Parallel Strand Lumber, is considered here as an illustrative example, the methodology can be used for other wood composites consisting of high volume fraction of wood strands. The predictive accuracy of the derived analytical equations is investigated through comparisons with numerical results. Finally, applications of these equations in a linear viscoelastic analysis are discussed. The analytical micromechanics models developed here provide an efficient means of computing effective properties of a unit cell of strand-based composites. These models can then be used within a multi-scale modelling framework that has been developed previously to simulate the macroscopic behaviour of structures made of such materials.
Potent membrane-permeabilizing and cytocidal action of Vibrio cholerae cytolysin on human intestinal cells

Many strains of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 and O1 El Tor that cause diarrhea do not harbor genes for a known secretogenic toxin. However, these strains usually elaborate a pore-forming toxin, hitherto characterized as a hemolysin and here designated V. cholerae cytolysin, whose action on intestinal cells has not yet been described. We report that V. cholerae cytolysin binds as a monomer to Intestine 407 cells and then assembles into detergent-stable oligomers that probably represent tetra- or pentamers. Oligomer formation is accompanied by generation of small transmembrane pores that allow rapid flux of K+ but not influx of Ca2+ or propidium iodide. Pore formation is followed by irreversible ATP depletion and cell death. Binding of fewer than 10(4) toxin molecules per cell in vitro is lethal. The possibility is raised that production of this toxin by bacteria that are in close contact with intestinal cells is rapidly cytocidal in vivo, and death of intestinal cells may be a cause of diarrhea.
The HSP70 and Autophagy Inhibitor Pifithrin-μ Enhances the Antitumor Effects of TRAIL on Human Pancreatic Cancer

TRAIL and agonistic death receptor-specific antibodies can induce apoptosis in cancer cells with little cytotoxicity to normal cells. To improve TRAIL-induced antitumor effects, we tested its effectiveness in combination with pifithrin (PFT)-μ, which has the potential to inhibit HSP70 function and autophagy, both of which participate in TRAIL resistance in cancer cells. Among the four human pancreatic cancer cell lines tested, MiaPaca-2, Panc-1, and BxPC-3 cells showed varying sensitivities to TRAIL. In MiaPaca-2 and Panc-1 cells, knockdown of HSP70 or beclin-1, the latter an autophagy-related molecule, by RNA interference augmented TRAIL-induced antitumor effects, decreasing cell viability, and increasing apoptosis. On the basis of these findings, we next determined whether the TRAIL-induced antitumor effects could be augmented by its combination with PFT-μ. The combination of TRAIL plus PFT-μ significantly decreased the viability and colony-forming ability of MiaPaca-2 and Panc-1 cells compared with cells treated with either agent alone. When applied alone, PFT-μ increased Annexin V+ cells in both caspase-dependent and -independent manners. It also promoted TRAIL-induced apoptosis and arrested cancer cell growth. Furthermore, PFT-μ antagonized TRAIL-associated NF-κB activation in cancer cells. In a xenograft mouse model, combination therapy significantly inhibited MiaPaca-2 tumor growth compared with treatment with either agent alone. The results of this study suggest protective roles for HSP70 and autophagy in TRAIL resistance in pancreatic cancer cells and suggest that PFT-μ is a promising agent for use in therapies intended to enhance the antitumor effects of TRAIL. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(4); 341–51. ©2013 AACR.
Transmembrane Domains of Hepatitis C Virus Envelope Glycoproteins: Residues Involved in E1E2 Heterodimerization and Involvement of These Domains in Virus Entry

ABSTRACT The transmembrane (TM) domains of hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 have been shown to play multiple roles during the biogenesis of the E1E2 heterodimer. By using alanine scanning insertion mutagenesis within the TM domains of HCV envelope glycoproteins, we have previously shown that the central regions of these domains as well as the N-terminal part of the TM domain of E1 are involved in heterodimerization. Here, we used a tryptophan replacement scan of these regions to identify individual residues that participate in those interactions. Our mutagenesis study identified at least four residues involved in heterodimerization: Gly 354, Gly 358, Lys 370, and Asp 728. Interestingly, Gly 354 and Gly 358 belong to a GXXXG oligomerization motif. Our tryptophan mutants were also used to generate retrovirus-based, HCV-pseudotyped particles (HCVpp) in order to analyze the effects of these mutations on virus entry. Surprisingly, two mutants consistently displayed higher infectivity compared to that of the wild type. In contrast, HCVpp infectivity was strongly affected for many mutants, despite normal E1E2 heterodimerization and normal levels of incorporation of HCV glycoproteins into HCVpp. The characterization of some of these HCVpp mutants in the recently developed in vitro fusion assay using fluorescent-labeled liposomes indicated that mutations reducing HCVpp infectivity without altering E1E2 heterodimerization affected the fusion properties of HCV envelope glycoproteins. In conclusion, this mutational analysis identified residues involved in E1E2 heterodimerization and revealed that the TM domains of HCV envelope glycoproteins play a major role in the fusion properties of these proteins.
Polarimetric Temporal Analysis of Urban Environments With a Ground-Based SAR

Revisiting time constitutes a key constraint for continuous monitoring activities based on space- and airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) acquisitions. Conversely, the employment of terrestrial platforms overcomes this limitation and makes it possible to perform time-continuous observations of small space-scale phenomena. New research lines of SAR dealing with the backscattering evolution of different types of scenarios become hence possible through the analysis of ground-based SAR (gbSAR) data collections. The Remote Sensing Laboratory of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya drove a one-year measurements campaign in the village of Sallent, northeastern Spain, using its X-Band gbSAR sensor. The field experiment aimed at studying the subsidence phenomenon induced by the salt mining activity carried out in this area during the past decades. In this paper, the polarimetric behavior of an urban environment is investigated at different time scales. After a brief description of the test site and the measurement campaign, the analysis is focused on the stability on man-made structures at different time scales. PolSAR data monthly acquired from June 2006 to July 2007 are employed to stress the presence of nonstationary backscattering processes within the urban scene and the effect they have on differential phase information. Then, a filtering procedure aiming at reducing backscattering randomness in one-day and long-term data collections is then put forward. The improvements provided by the proposed technique are assessed using a new polarimetric descriptor, the time entropy. In the end, the importance of preserving the interferometric phase information from nonstationary backscattering contaminations using fully polarimetric data is discussed.
The Dynamics of Divided Government

What are the implications of divided government on the legislative productivity of Congress? This question is a central part of debates about the outcomes of divided government. It has been argued that the combination of partisan and institutional factors may reduce legislative productivity under divided government. This paper reviews a simple dynamic spatial model of the implications of divided government. This model illustrates that as the amount of policy space that becomes gridlocked changes, there should be policy changes to either bring policies in line with the gridlock interval between Congress and the president or to reverse previous policies. Based on the dynamics of this model, I hypothesize that as the policy gridlock changes | measured by a pivotal politics gridlock interval | legislative productivity may increase. This eect is enhanced by the liberalism of the gridlock policy space. I also nd that not all legislation is gridlocked to the same degree | in fact, much legislation is not subject to gridlock. Thus, the lawmaking process is productive, even in the face of divided government. Finally, a counterfactual analysis demonstrates that in the 1990s, signican t gridlock lowered the legislative productivity of Congress and the President because it created few opportunities to change the supply of major legislation.
Optical Properties of Nanostructures Based on Silicon Rich Silicon Oxide (SRSO) Thin Films

The development of silicon photonics has traditionally been limited by the lack of Si-based emitters, a direct result of the inefficiency of the luminescence process in bulk silicon. When Si is taken to a nano-sized scale, however, quantum confinement effects allow luminescence to occur. One way to form silicon nanocrystals is through a high temperature anneal of silicon rich silicon oxide thin films, which causes a phase separation and nucleation of the nanocrystals within an oxide [1]. In this paper, we will first discuss important issues associated with the fabrication of SRSO thin films by electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, with compositions ranging from silicon dioxide, SiO2, to amorphous silicon, a-Si. This large range of compositions is reflected in a wide range of optical properties, which can be exploited for photonic applications, such as waveguide structures. Second, we will provide a summary of the optical properties of these structures, obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry, photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Figure 1 shows ellipsometric data demonstrating the large range of refractive indices that can be obtained through varying the composition of the films. The bonding structure of the oxide phase was analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy and the results are correlated with those of photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Figure 2 shows the evolution of the room temperature photoluminescence spectrum of a film having 42% Si with the annealing temperature. Finally, we will address morphological issues arising from high temperature annealing and their consequences on the optical properties. Reference [1] T. Roschuk et al., “Silicon nanocrystal formation in silicon rich silicon oxide thin films”, to be published in the proceedings of Photonics North 2004. Acknowledgements This work was funded by Ontario Centers of Excellence (OCE) Inc. and the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund (ORDCF) under the Ontario Photonics Consortium (OPC), and was conducted in collaboration with Jobin-Yvon Inc. 1.4 1.9 2.4 2.9 3.4 3.9 4.4 600 700 800 90
Class III antiarrhythmic effects of zatebradine. Time-, state-, use-, and voltage-dependent block of hKv1.5 channels.

BACKGROUND Zatebradine is a bradycardic agent that inhibits the hyperpolarization-activated current (I(f)) in the rabbit sinoatrial node. It also prolongs action potential duration in papillary muscles in guinea pigs and in Purkinje fibers in rabbits. The underlying mechanism by which zatebradine induces this effect has not been explored, but it is likely to involve K+ channel block. METHODS AND RESULTS Cloned human cardiac K+ delayed rectifer currents (hKv1.5) were recorded in Ltk- cells transfected with their coding sequence. Zatebradine 10 mumol/L did not modify the initial activation time course of the current but induced a subsequent decline to a lower steady-state current level with a time constant of 109 +/- 16 ms. Zatebradine inhibited hKv1.5 with an apparent KD of 1.86 +/- 0.14 mumol/L. Block was voltage dependent (electrical distance delta = 0.177 +/- 0.003) and accumulated in a use-dependent manner during 0.5- and 1-Hz pulse trains because of slower recovery kinetics in the presence of the drug. Zatebradine reduced the tail current amplitude, recorded at -30 mV, and slowed the deactivation time course, which resulted in a "crossover" phenomenon when control and zatebradine tail currents were superimposed. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that (1) zatebradine is an open-channel blocker of hKv 1.5, (2) binding occurs in the internal mouth of the ion pore, (3) unbinding is required before the channel can close, and (4) zatebradine-induced block is use dependent because of slower recovery kinetics in the presence of the drug. These effects may explain the prolongation of the cardiac action potential and could be clinically relevant.
Blind adaptive channel estimation for OFDM systems

In this paper, we face the problem of blind channel estimation in zero padding OFDM systems. Based on the assumption that the transmitted symbols are independent and identically distributed, we propose a blind adaptive estimation algorithm for minimum phase channels, based on Independent Component Analysis, that exploits the particular structure of the ZP-OFDM system model. Some included simulations show that this novel algorithm can yield comparable performance as the SVD methods with a reduced computational complexity.
Reducing OCR Errors in Gothic-Script Documents

In order to improve OCR quality in texts originally typeset in Gothic script, we have built an automated correction system which is highly specialized for the given text. Our approach includes external dictionary resources as well as information derived from the text itself. The focus lies on testing and improving different methods for classifying words as correct or erroneous. Also, different techniques are applied to find and rate correction candidates. In addition, we are working on a web application that enables users to read and edit the digitized text online.
The role of oxidative stress in enantiomer‐specific, bifenthrin‐induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

With the widespread use of synthetic pyrethroids (SPs), the various toxic effects of these compounds have attracted much interest with respect to the investigation of involved mechanisms. However, research on molecular mechanisms of enantioselective toxicity of SPs has been limited. Our previous investigations suggested that enantiomers of cis‐bifenthrin (cis‐BF) behaved enantioselectively in endocrine disruption and mammalian cytotoxicity. While little is known about the molecular mechanism of the enantioselective toxicity of cis‐BF, recent experiments implicated oxidative stress in the cytotoxicity of many SPs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether cis‐BF enantioselectively induced oxidative stress lead to enantioselective cytotoxicity. In this article, we used the rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line as an in vitro model to evaluate the involvement of the oxidative stress pathway in enantioselective cytotoxicity of cis‐BF. Following exposure of cells to cis‐BF and its enantiomers, a significant reduction in cell survival and superoxide dimutase, as well as increased production of lactate dehydrogenase, intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, was observed in 1S‐cis‐BF, while 1R‐cis‐BF exhibited these effects to a lesser degree. These results clearly demonstrated that enantiomer‐specific cis‐BF‐induced oxidative damage is possibly an initiating event and contributes, at least in part, to the mechanism of cis‐BF‐induced enantioselective cytotoxicity. Furthermore, our study also indicated that enantioselectivity should be considered when evaluating the ecotoxicological effects and the health risks of chiral contaminants. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2011.
A probabilistic approach for measuring the fault tolerance of robotic manipulators

Fault tolerance is critical for various situations where robotic manipulators are applied, such as for hazardous waste disposal, exploring remote environments, or medical procedures. Metrics that are frequently applied to measure the degree of fault tolerance that a manipulator possesses have been focused on local kinematic properties of the Jacobian matrix, e.g., the worst-case manipulability (or relative manipulability) following a locked joint failure. These measures are useful for characterizing the manipulator's dexterity at a given configuration, however, they do not provide a measure for completion of a task within a specified workspace. This paper extends the use of local fault tolerance measures by using them to compute a global measure using a probabilistic analysis. Specifically, we compute cumulative density functions (CDF) that can be used to specify a desired fault tolerance threshold for completion of a task within a specified workspace region. We further show how this CDF can be improved by utilizing redundancy to optimize manipulator configurations throughout this region, using a modified nine degree of freedom Mitsubishi PA10-7C.
Complete Genome Sequences of Six Copper-Resistant Xanthomonas citri pv. citri Strains Causing Asiatic Citrus Canker, Obtained Using Long-Read Technology

ABSTRACT The gammaproteobacterium Xanthomonas citri pv. citri causes Asiatic citrus canker. Pathotype A strains have a broad host range, which includes most commercial citrus species, and they cause important economic losses worldwide. Control often relies on frequent copper sprays. We present here the complete genomes of six X. citri pv. citri copper-resistant strains.
Water uptake and migration effect on IPMC (ion-exchange polymer metal composite) actuator

The low actuating voltage and quick bending responses of ion-exchange polymer metal composite (IPMC) are considered very attractive for the construction of various types of actuators. The principle of IPMC actuation under electric field has been believed to be the ion cluster flux and electro-osmotic drag of water from anode to cathode direction through the hypothetical hydrophilic channels in the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer chains. In this study, the effect of water content residing in the perfluorinated polymer was investigated in terms of CV (cyclic voltammetry response, deformation, and bending moment. As a preliminary result of DSC thermal analysis, the water residing in the IPMC actuator seems to reside as free water and bound water, each corresponding to interstitial and hydrogen-bonded water molecules. Using the classical lamination theory (CLT), a modeling methodology was developed to predict the deformation, bending moment, and residual stress distribution of anisotropic IPMC thin plates. In this modeling methodology, the internal stress evolved by the unsymmetric distribution of water inside IPMC was quantitatively calculated and subsequently the bending moment and the curvature were estimated for various geometry of IPMC actuator. The model prediction and experimental results were compared well with practical observation and experimental results demonstrating the validity of the developed modeling methodology.
Distinct retinohypothalamic innervation patterns predict the developmental emergence of species‐typical circadian phase preference in nocturnal Norway rats and diurnal nile grass rats

How does the brain develop differently to support nocturnality in some mammals, but diurnality in others? To answer this question, one might look to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is entrained by light via the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT). However, because the SCN is more active during the day in all mammals studied thus far, it alone cannot determine circadian phase preference. In adult Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), which are nocturnal, the RHT also projects to the ventral subparaventricular zone (vSPVZ), an adjacent region that expresses an in‐phase pattern of SCN‐vSPVZ neuronal activity. In contrast, in adult Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus), which are diurnal, an anti‐phase pattern of SCN‐vSPVZ neuronal activity is expressed. We hypothesized that these species differences result in part from a weak or absent RHT‐to‐vSPVZ projection in grass rats. Here, using a developmental comparative approach, we assessed species differences in behavior, hypothalamic activity, and RHT anatomy. We report that a robust retina‐to‐vSPVZ projection develops in Norway rats around the end of the second postnatal week when nocturnal wakefulness and the in‐phase pattern of neuronal activity emerge. In grass rats, however, such a projection does not develop and the emergence of the anti‐phase pattern during the second postnatal week is accompanied by increased diurnal wakefulness. When considered within the context of previously published reports on RHT projections in a variety of species, the current findings suggest that how and when the retina connects to the hypothalamus differentially shapes brain and behavior to produce animals that occupy opposing temporal niches. J. Comp. Neurol. , 520:3277–3292, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of the Microbial Community in Indoor Environments: a Chemical-Analytical Approach

ABSTRACT An integrated procedure is presented whereby gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry is used to determine chemical markers of gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (3-hydroxy fatty acids with 10 to 18 carbon atoms), gram-positive bacteria (branched-chain fatty acids with 15 and 17 carbon atoms), bacterial peptidoglycan (muramic acid), and fungal biomass (ergosterol) in samples of settled house dust. A hydrolysate of 13C-labeled cyanobacterial cells is used as an internal standard for the first three markers. These analyses require two dust samples, one for 3-OH fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, and muramic acid and another for ergosterol. The method may be used to characterize microbial communities in environmental samples.
Fluorescence enhancement near metallic nanoparticles under two photon excitation

Fluorescence is widely used as a spectroscopic tool or for biomedical imaging. To extend these measurements to small concentrations or to fluorophores with very low quantum yield we have developed nanostructured substrates made of silver nanoparticles covered with a spacerlayer of alumina. Factors of about 200 are obtained for fluorescence enhancement with two photon excitation. Lifetime measurements reveal additional information on the decay channels induced by the nanoparticle presence.
Constant-Round Concurrently-Secure rZK in the (Real) Bare Public-Key Model

We present constant-round concurrently secure (sound) resettable zero-knowledge (rZK-CS) arguments in the bare public-key (BPK) model. Our constructions deal with general NP ZK-arguments as well as with highly efficient ZK-arguments for number-theoretic languages, most relevant to identification scenarios. These are the first constant-round protocols of this type in the original real BPK model, where nothing is assured about public-keys generated by malicious verifiers. As part of this work, we develop a one-round trapdoor commitment scheme that is based on any one-way permutation, which is of independent interest and, in particular, can be used to reduce the round-complexity of other cryptographic protocols involving trapdoor commitments.