Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amyloid Oligomers and Protofibrils, but Not Filaments, Self-Replicate from Native Lysozyme

Self-assembly of amyloid fibrils is the molecular mechanism best known for its connection with debilitating human disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease but is also associated with various functional cellular responses. There is increasing evidence that amyloid formation proceeds along two distinct assembly pathways involving either globular oligomers and protofibrils or rigid monomeric filaments. Oligomers, in particular, have been implicated as the dominant molecular species responsible for pathogenesis. Yet the molecular mechanisms regulating their self-assembly have remained elusive. Here we show that oligomers/protofibrils and monomeric filaments, formed along distinct assembly pathways, display critical differences in their ability to template amyloid growth at physiological vs denaturing temperatures. At physiological temperatures, amyloid filaments remained stable but could not seed growth of native monomers. In contrast, oligomers and protofibrils not only remained intact but were capable of self-replication using native monomers as the substrate. Kinetic data further suggested that this prion-like growth mode of oligomers/protofibrils involved two distinct activities operating orthogonal from each other: autocatalytic self-replication of oligomers from native monomers and nucleated polymerization of oligomers into protofibrils. The environmental changes to stability and templating competence of these different amyloid species in different environments are likely to be important for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying both pathogenic and functional amyloid self-assembly.
Factors Supporting and Inhibiting Adherence to HIV Medication Regimen in Women: A Qualitative Analysis of Patient Interviews

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy reduces morbidity and mortality; however rates of non-adherence are variable among women for unclear reasons. This study was a single-center qualitative analysis of interviews with 18 female HIV-positive non-adherent patients (defined by virologic failure) to explore psychosocial factors impacting adherence. Factors identified were categorized as promoting, inhibiting or having no effect on adherence. Three themes, characterized as social factors, illness factors and other societal pressures, were identified. Medical systems support, family support and compliance for children were most commonly identified as promoting adherence, while psychiatric comorbidities, lack of medical systems support and side effects were identified most often as inhibitors of adherence. While stigma was frequently identified, it was not seen as a barrier to adherence. Enhancing relationships between patients and their providers as well as their community support systems are critical avenues to pursue in improving compliance. Interventions to promote compliance are important avenues of future research.
One-touch Financial Transaction Authentication

We present a design for a Wi-Fi user-authentication token that tunnels data through the SSID field, packet timing, and packet length. Previous attempts to build an online-banking transaction-signing token have been only moderately successful, due in large part to usability problems. Average consumers, especially in the United States, are simply unwilling to transcribe strings of digits from PC to token and back again. In a departure from previous work, our token communicates using point-to-point side-channels in Wi-Fi that allow two devices to directly exchange messages – even if one is also connected to an access point. The result is a token that can authenticate transactions using only one touch by the user. The increased usability means more transactions can be authenticated, reducing fraud and driving more banking business online.
Prognosis CpG Island Methylator Phenotype – Positive Tumors in the Absence of MLH 1 Methylation Constitute a Distinct Subset of Duodenal Adenocarcinomas and Are Associated with Poor Prognosis

Purpose: Little information is available on genetic and epigenetic changes in duodenal adenocarcinomas. The purpose was to identify possible subsets of duodenal adenocarcinomas based on microsatellite instability (MSI),DNAmethylation,mutations in theKRAS andBRAF genes, clinicopathologic features, and
Investigating the Effect of Student' Personality Traits Towards Improving Pair Programming's Effectiveness as a Pedagogical Tool for CS/SE Education

N) Idealist (NF) Mentor (NFJ) Teacher (ENFJ) Counselor (INFJ) Advocate (NFP) Champion (ENFP) Healer (INFP) Rational (NT) Coordinator (NTJ) Fieldmarshal (ENTJ) Mastermind (INTJ) Engineer (NTP) Inventor (ENTP) Architect (INTP) Concrete (S) Guardian (SJ) Administrator (STJ) Supervisor (ESTJ) Inspector (ISTJ) Conservator (SFJ) Provider (ESFJ) Protector (ISFJ) Artisan (SP) Operator (STP) Promoter (ESTP) Crafter (ISTP) Entertainer (SFP) Performer (ESFP) Composer (ISFP) Note: N – Intuitive; S – Sensing; F – Feelers; T – Thinker J – Judging; P – Perceiving; E – Extrovert; I – Introvert The major difference between the Myers Briggs types and Keirsey’s temperaments is that the former are concerned with how people think and feel, whereas the latter are concerned
A Lumen Detection-Based Intestinal Direction Vector Acquisition Method for Wireless Endoscopy Systems

This paper proposes a novel method for acquiring an intestinal direction vector (IDV) based on a single static wireless endoscopic image. The IDV can be used for navigation of wireless capsule endoscopy, and for multicamera microball system, this information can help to select cameras to capture images of the region of interest. Our proposal is based on lumen detection, which involves Bayer-format downsample, adaptive threshold segmentation, and radial texture detection. Then, an IDV calculation method with only one single static image by modeling the small intestine and image capture process is put forward. The performance of the proposed method is verified with experiments based on real digestive tract images and the microball demo system. The lumen detection method achieves 95.5% precision and 98.1% sensitivity. The experimental results in pig intestine show that the error of IDV is limited by a sphere with center (-0.00629, 0.00097, 0.00061) and radius 0.085.
Flip-OFDM for Unipolar Communication Systems

Unipolar communications systems can transmit information using only real and positive signals. This includes a variety of physical channels ranging from optical (fiber or free-space), to RF wireless using amplitude modulation with non-coherent reception, to baseband single wire communications. Unipolar OFDM techniques can efficiently compensate frequency selective channel distortion in unipolar communication systems. One of the leading example of unipolar OFDM is asymmetric clipped optical OFDM (ACO-OFDM) originally proposed for optical communications. Flip-OFDM is an alternative approach that was proposed in a patent, but its performance and full potentials have never been investigated in the literature. In this paper, we first compare Flip-OFDM and ACO-OFDM, and show that both techniques have the same performance but different complexities. In particular, Flip-OFDM offers 50% saving in hardware complexity at the receiver over ACO-OFDM. We then propose a new detection scheme, which enables to reduce the noise at the Flip-OFDM receiver by almost 3dB. The analytical performance of the noise filtering schemes is supported by the simulation results.
Cogging Torque in Cost-Effective Surface-Mounted Permanent-Magnet Machines

Cogging torque, as a very important design consideration in permanent-magnet (PM) machines, has been widely investigated for decades. In this paper, the study will be focused on the cogging torque behavior in surface-mounted PM (SPM) machines with two types of cost-effective PM designs. The results show that in a SPM machine with either type of cost-effective PM design, low cogging torque performance can be achieved, as confirmed by both finite-element analyses and experiments.
MLL2 mutation spectrum in 45 patients with Kabuki syndrome

Kabuki Syndrome (KS) is a rare syndrome characterized by intellectual disability and multiple congenital abnormalities, in particular a distinct dysmorphic facial appearance. KS is caused by mutations in the MLL2 gene, encoding an H3K4 histone methyl transferase which acts as an epigenetic transcriptional activator during growth and development. Direct sequencing of all 54 exons of the MLL2 gene in 45 clinically well‐defined KS patients identified 34 (75.6%) different mutations. One mutation has been described previously, all others are novel. Clinically, all KS patients were sporadic, and mutations were de novo for all 27 families for which both parents were available. We detected nonsense (n=11), frameshift (n=17), splice site (n=4) and missense (n=2) mutations, predicting a high frequency of absent or non‐functional MLL2 protein. Interestingly, both missense mutations located in the C‐terminal conserved functional domains of the protein. Phenotypically our study indicated a statistically significant difference in the presence of a distinct facial appearance (p=0.0143) and growth retardation (p=0.0040) when comparing KS patients with an MLL2 mutation compared to patients without a mutation. Our data double the number of MLL2 mutations in KS reported so far and widen the spectrum of MLL2 mutations and disease mechanisms in KS. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease

Swallowing difficulties and constipation were included in the first description of Parkinsons s syndrome from 1817 (Parkinson 1817). Since then, numerous studies have confirmed the magnitude of symptoms and addressed their pathophysiology. In spite of this, much remains to be determined and treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson s disease (PD) is often unsatisfactory. Parkinson s disease is now considered a multiorgan syndrome (Den Hartog 1960; Eadie 1963; Ohama and Ikuta 1976) and gastrointestinal dysfunction is one among a number of other complications. Gastrointestinal symptoms affect the quality of life of many patients with PD and altered gastric and small intestinal transit may cause unpredictable absorption of medication further aggravating the classical motor symptoms of PD. The severity of gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD is often closely associated with progression of the disease in general. This makes treatment even more difficult as the patient may be severely handicapped by motor and general autonomic symptoms. In spite of recent progress, the conclusion from the latest Cochrane review on treatment of bowel dysfunction in central neurological diseases still holds true: “Bowel management for these people must remain empirical until well-designed controlled trials with adequate numbers and clinically relevant outcome measures become available“ (Coggrave 2006).
Unique UV-Erasable In-Ga-Zn-O TFT Memory With Self-Assembled Pt Nanocrystals

Semiconducting amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) films are integrated with an Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Pt-nanocrystals/ Al2O3 gate-stack to form UV-erasable thin-film transistor (TFT) memory. The threshold voltage (V<sub>th</sub>), subthreshold swing, I<sub>ON</sub>/I<sub>OFF</sub> ratio, and effective electron mobility of the fabricated devices are 2.1 V, 0.39 V/decade, ~10<sup>6</sup>, and 8.4 cm<sup>2</sup>/V·s, respectively. A positive V<sub>th</sub> shift of 2.25 V is achieved after 1-ms programming at 10 V, whereas a negative V<sub>th</sub> shift as large as 3.48 V is attained after 5-s UV erasing. In addition, a 10-year memory window of 2.56 V is extrapolated at room temperature. This high-performance a-IGZO TFT memory is suitable for optical touch-panel applications.
Filopodia and actin arcs guide the assembly and transport of two populations of microtubules with unique dynamic parameters in neuronal growth cones

We have used multimode fluorescent speckle microscopy (FSM) and correlative differential interference contrast imaging to investigate the actin–microtubule (MT) interactions and polymer dynamics known to play a fundamental role in growth cone guidance. We report that MTs explore the peripheral domain (P-domain), exhibiting classical properties of dynamic instability. MT extension occurs preferentially along filopodia, which function as MT polymerization guides. Filopodial bundles undergo retrograde flow and also transport MTs. Thus, distal MT position is determined by the rate of plus-end MT assembly minus the rate of retrograde F-actin flow. Short MT displacements independent of flow are sometimes observed. MTs loop, buckle, and break as they are transported into the T-zone by retrograde flow. MT breakage results in exposure of new plus ends which can regrow, and minus ends which rapidly undergo catastrophes, resulting in efficient MT turnover. We also report a previously undetected presence of F-actin arc structures, which exhibit persistent retrograde movement across the T-zone into the central domain (C-domain) at ∼1/4 the rate of P-domain flow. Actin arcs interact with MTs and transport them into the C-domain. Interestingly, although the MTs associated with arcs are less dynamic than P-domain MTs, they elongate efficiently as a result of markedly lower catastrophe frequencies.
Dynamic Configuration for Distributed Systems

Dynamic system configuration is the ability to modify and extend a system while it is running. The facility is a requirement in large distributed systems where it may not be possible or economic to stop the entire system to allow modification to part of its hardware or software. It is also useful during production of the system to aid incremental integration of component parts, and during operation to aid system evolution. The paper introduces a model of the configuration process which permits dynamic incremental modification and extension. Using this model we determine the properties required by languages and their execution environments to support dynamic configuration. CONIC, the distributed system which has been developed at Imperial College with the specific objective of supporting dynamic configuration, is described to illustrate the feasibility of the model.
Acute and Chronic Risk Preceding Suicidal Crises Among Middle-Aged Men Without Known Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse Problems: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Analysis.

BACKGROUND Suicides among men aged 35-64 years increased by 27% between 1999 and 2013, yet little research exists to examine the nature of the suicide risk within this population. Many men do not seek help if they have mental health problems and suicides may occur in reaction to stressful circumstances. AIMS We examined the precipitating circumstances of 600 suicides without known mental health or substance abuse (MH/SA) problems and with a recent crisis. Whether these suicides occurred within the context of an acute crisis only or in the context of chronic circumstances was observed. METHOD Using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System and employing mixed-methods analysis, we examined the circumstances and context of a census of middle-aged male suicides (n = 600) in seven states between 2005 and 2010. RESULTS Precipitating circumstances among this group involved intimate partner problems (IPP; 58.3%), criminal/legal problems (50.7%), job/financial problems (22.5%), and health problems (13.5%). Men with IPP and criminal/legal issues were more likely than men with health and/or job/financial issues to experience suicide in the context of an acute crisis only. CONCLUSION Suicides occurring in reaction to an acute crisis only or in the context of acute and chronic circumstances lend themselves to opportunities for intervention. Further implications are discussed.
Predicting ovarian malignancy: application of artificial neural networks to transvaginal and color Doppler flow US.

PURPOSE To compare the performance of artificial neural networks (ANNs) with that of multiple logistic regression (MLR) models for predicting ovarian malignancy in patients with adnexal masses by using transvaginal B-mode and color Doppler flow ultrasonography (US). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 226 adnexal masses were examined before surgery: Fifty-one were malignant and 175 were benign. The data were divided into training and testing subsets by using a "leave n out method. " The training subsets were used to compute the optimum MLR equations and to train the ANNs. The cross-validation subsets were used to estimate the performance of each of the two models in predicting ovarian malignancy. RESULTS At testing, three-layer back-propagation networks, based on the same input variables selected by using MLR (i.e., women's ages, papillary projections, random echogenicity, peak systolic velocity, and resistance index), had a significantly higher sensitivity than did MLR (96% vs 84%; McNemar test, p = .04). The Brier scores for ANNs were significantly lower than those calculated for MLR (Student t test for paired samples, P = .004). CONCLUSION ANNs might have potential for categorizing adnexal masses as either malignant or benign on the basis of multiple variables related to demographic and US features.
Estandarización del Inventario CDI en niños y adolescente entre 12 y 17 años de edad, del Municipio de Sabaneta del Departamento de Antioquia-Colombia

This study is descriptive, analytic and transversal. It is a directive to the Children Depresion Inventory CDI for the diagnosis of depresion in children and adolescents, between 12 and 17 years old, scholarized in public and private school of the Municipality of Sabaneta In the Metropolitan Area of the Antioquia Department- Colombia. The Size Of the population was of 1450 people with a total of aplplied test in 583 children and youngsters. The phycometric instrument used was the CDI and realized a pilot test, this test was made indicating that the instrument is reliable and valid to evaluate and infere depression problems. These items has a high reliabety level for each of the variables and global scale; finding an ALFA of 0.7949 which indicates that the reactives are really designed to measure symtoms of children depression with in the studied population.
A DATA STRUCTURE FOR SPATIO-TEMPORAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

This paper describes about spatio-temporal geographic information system, named STIMS(Spatio-Temporal Information Management System). STIMS handle temporal information assigned each geographic object and can execute several kinds of spatial operations on the world of specified time. The system adopts implicit topology data model to handle such temporal data. By this data model, the data structure for spatio-temporal geographic objects becomes very simple. This paper describes about the data structure and how to handle spatio-temporal data on the system. STIMS is now released as free software on the WEB.
Exercise-Induced Left Ventricular Remodeling Among Competitive Athletes: A Phasic Phenomenon

Background—Contemporary understanding of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling is based on cross-sectional data and relatively short duration longitudinal studies. Temporal progression of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling remains incompletely understood. Methods and Results—A longitudinal repeated-measures study design using 2-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography was used to examine acute augmentation phase (AAP; 90 days) and more extended chronic maintenance phase (39 months) left ventricular (LV) structural and functional adaptations to endurance exercise training among competitive male rowers (n=12; age 18.6±0.5 years). LV mass was within normal limits at baseline (93±9 g/m2), increased after AAP (105±7 g/m2; P=0.001), and further increased after chronic maintenance phase (113±10 g/m2; P<0.001 for comparison to post-AAP). AAP LV hypertrophy was driven by LV dilation (&Dgr;LV end-diastolic volume, 9±3 mL/m2; P=0.004) with stable LV wall thickness (&Dgr;LV wall thickness, 0.3±0.1 mm; P=0.63). In contrast, chronic maintenance phase LV hypertrophy was attributable to LV wall thickening (&Dgr; LV wall thickness, 1.1±0.4 mm; P=0.004) with stable LV chamber volumes (&Dgr;LV end-diastolic volume, 1±1 mL/m2; P=0.48). Early diastolic peak tissue velocity increased during AAP (−11.7±1.9 versus −13.6±1.3 cm/s; P<0.001) and remained similarly increased after chronic maintenance phase. Conclusions—In a small sample of competitive endurance athletes, exercise-induced cardiac remodeling follows a phasic response with increases in LV chamber size, early diastolic function, and systolic twist in an acute augmentation phase of exercise training. This is followed by a chronic phase of adaptation characterized by increasing wall thickness and regression in LV twist. Training duration is a determinant of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling and has implications for the assessment of myocardial structure and function in athletes.
Assessment of oxidative DNA damage in the oxyR‐deficient sos chromotest strain escherichia coli PQ300

The SOS chromotest is a simple short‐term genotoxicity assay measuring the induction of gene sfiA in Escherichia coli K‐12. The recent availability of SOS tester strains with additional mutations in DNA repair or protection systems allows testing of DNA damaging compounds for genotoxic specificity. E. coli PQ300 differs from the standard SOS tester strain PQ37 in that it contains an additional mutation in gene oxyR that renders it more sensitive to oxidative genotoxins. The generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by hydroperoxides (H2O2, t‐butyl hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide), γ‐radiation, glucose oxidase, and xanthine oxidase resulted in a more vigorous SOS response in strain PQ300 compared to strain PQ37. PQ300 was also more sensitive than PQ37 for the detection of reducing agents such as ascorbic acid, cysteine, and glutathione, which also alter the redox status of the bacterial cells. However, intercalating agents (adriamycin, bleomycin, and mitomycin C) and the UV‐and radiomimetic compound 4‐nitroquinoline‐1‐oxide whose DNA damaging potential are known also to involve ROI did not show significant differences between strains PQ37 and PQ300. It is concluded that the oxyR‐deficient strain PQ300 is useful for detecting certain classes of genotoxins that change the oxidative/antioxidative balance of tester bacteria in the SOS chromotest. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sensor design and model-based tactile feature recognition

This paper1 presents the design of a flexible tactile sensor and a model-based approach for the pose estimation and surface reconstruction of objects in a gripper. We show that the proposed sensor composite can be easily attached to almost all object shapes, while still achieving a high spatial sensor resolution and a high force sensitivity. Since machine learning algorithms require a large data base and do not offer the scalability of training data, the approach that we prefer here uses model-based feature classification. In order to improve the accuracy of our approach, we investigated fundamental sensor properties and applied sustainable correction methods to the data processing. Finally, the sensor's operability and the evaluation results have been verified in a pick-and-place application for two different grippers.