Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in Experience Replay

This project combines recent advances in experience replay techniques, namely, Combined Experience Replay (CER), Prioritized Experience Replay (PER), and Hindsight Experience Replay (HER). We show the results of combinations of these techniques with DDPG and DQN methods. CER always adds the most recent experience to the batch. PER chooses which experiences should be replayed based on how beneficial they will be towards learning. HER learns from failure by substituting the desired goal with the achieved goal and recomputing the reward function. The effectiveness of combinations of these experience replay techniques is tested in a variety of OpenAI gym environments.
A RasGAP , DAB 2 IP , regulates lipid droplet homeostasis by serving as GAP toward RAB 40 C

Lipid droplet (LD) homeostasis involves activities of various RAB small GTPases. Recently, we found RAB40C was one of the RAB proteins regulating LD homeostasis. RAB40C contains a unique SOCS domain that is required for clustering of LDs. However, its precise functional role in LD homeostasis and mechanism of regulation remain largely unknown. In this study, we observed over-accumulation of LDs in cells with RAB40C deleted by Crispr-Cas9 editing. RAB40C appeared to reduce LD accumulation after long term incubation of cells with oleic acid (24 hours). Unexpectedly, we found that Ras GTPase activating protein (GAP), DAB2IP, bound to RAB40C mainly via its GAP domain and could serve as RAB40C GAP. Studies involving overexpression of DAB2IP and its GAP defective mutant and siRNA depletion of DAB2IP all confirmed that DAB2IP negatively regulated the effect of RAB40C on LD homeostasis. These results provide a novel perspective on the regulation of RAB40C and implicate various signalling pathways regulated by DAB2IP, which may play a role in LD homeostasis
An Assessment of Some Heavy Metals in Sediment of Otamiri River, Imo State, South-Eastern Nigeria

An assessment of some Heavy Metals in Sediment of Otamiri River, Imo State, South-Eastern Nigeria was conducted between the months of August to October, 2015. Water samples were collected from four sampling stations established along the river channel for 3 months (fortnightly). Physic-chemical parameters were analyzed following conventional field and standard laboratory techniques. Temperature range between 24.25℃ - 30.50℃, Hydrogen ion mean concentration value of 7.01 ± 0.19 ppm was obtained, CO2 recorded a mean value of 3.41 ± 0.19 ppm, Total Hardness recorded a mean value of 35.59 ± 1.09 ppm, Ammonia recorded a mean value of 1.36 ± 0.11 ppm, Dissolved Oxygen recorded a mean value of 4.61 ± 0.26 ppm, and mean value of 4.63 ± 0.12 ppm was observed in Biochemical Oxygen Demand. Nickel concentration ranged between 2.16 - 4.21 ppm, Lead range 0.71 - 6.01 ppm, Chromium range between 1.63 - 11.067, Chromium range between 0.74 - 3.61, and Copper concentration range between 0.94 - 10.36. All the parameters measured were significantly different at p
Dietary Fibre Intake in Australia. Paper I: Associations with Demographic, Socio-Economic, and Anthropometric Factors

Dietary fibre is important for regular laxation and reduces chronic disease risk. The National Health and Medical Research Council outlines daily fibre intake targets, yet the proportion of the population that meets these targets is unknown. Using the 2011–2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, we profiled fibre intake among Australian children and adults. Data from one-day dietary recalls were analysed (n = 12,153, ≥2 years) as well as demographic and anthropometric factors. The median fibre intake was 18.2 g (interquartile range [IQR] 13.2–25.0) in children and 20.7 g (IQR 14.3–28.7) in adults. We found that 42.3% (95% CI 40.5–44.1%) of children and 28.2% (95% CI 27.3–29.1%) of adults met the Adequate Intake (AI), and less than 20% of adults met the Suggested Dietary Target (SDT) to reduce the risk of chronic disease. Older children (aged 14–18 years), girls, young adults (19–30 years), males, and those of lower socio-economic status were less likely to meet the AI (p < 0.001). Those with a higher energy intake were more likely to meet the AI. Anthropometric measures were not associated with fibre intake or the likelihood of meeting the AI. Fibre is a nutrient of concern in Australian diets, with most children and adults falling short of recommendations. Adolescents, girls, young adults, men, and those of lower socio-economic status were less likely to meet the recommendations and may benefit most from public health interventions.
On the Economics of the “Meeting Competition Defense” Under the Robinson–Patman Act

Abstract This paper studies the welfare effects of third-degree price discrimination when competitive pressure varies across markets. In particular, we study the economic aspects of the Robinson–Patman Act associated with the “meeting competition defense. ” Using equilibrium models, the main result we find is that this defense might be used successfully in cases of primary line injury precisely when it should not be used, namely when price discrimination reduces social welfare. This result obtains both when discrimination appears in the final good market and when it is used in the intermediate goods market. We also find that these results may maintain under secondary line injury.
Affective neuroimaging in generalized anxiety disorder: an integrated review

Affective neuroimaging has contributed to our knowledge of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) through measurement of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses, which facilitate inference on neural responses to emotional stimuli during task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this article, the authors provide an integrated review of the task-based affective fMRI literature in GAD. Studies provide evidence for variable presence and directionality of BOLD abnormalities in limbic and prefrontal regions during reactivity to, regulation of, and learning from emotional cues. We conclude that understanding the sources of this variability is key to accelerating progress in this area. We propose that the cardinal symptom of GAD—worry—predominantly reflects stimulus-independent mental processes that impose abnormal, inflexible functional brain configurations, ie, the overall pattern of information transfer among behaviorally relevant neural circuits at a given point in time. These configurations that are inflexible to change from the incoming flux of environmental stimuli may underlie inconsistent task-based findings.
Voltage Mode Multiple Valued Analog to Quaternary Mapping

Most of the digital processing is performed in the binary domain. With the increasing integration, chip area became an important resource to improve transistor density and energy efficiency. An alternative to reduce chip area is to increase the representation up to base B, domain D: (0, 1, 2,…, B ‑ 1) known as Multiple-Valued Logic (MVL) to decrease chip wirings due to the fact that approximately 70% chip area is devoted to the interconnections. For the digital processing of analog signals an Analog to Digital Mapping is needed. This proposal is a mapping and not a complete analog to digital converter (ADC) due to the fact that there are not any circuits to correct errors, for example: linearity, bits synchronization, etc. This work presents a voltage mode multiple valued analog to quaternary mapping architecture for two digits utilizing the chosen universal set of MVL operators presented in the literature for quaternary base B=4:eAND1, eAND2, eAND3, Successor, and Maximum that allows to design any MVL digital circuit. Simulations on Cadence Tools for the AMS CMOS 0,35 µm technology will be presented to demonstrate concepts and circuit feasibility and functionality, showing correct behavior with respect to the specification and compatibility with the chosen universal set of gates.
Zoster Vaccination Increases the Breadth of CD4+ T Cells Responsive to Varicella Zoster Virus.

BACKGROUND The live, attenuated varicella vaccine strain (vOka) is the only licensed therapeutic vaccine. Boost of varicella zoster virus (VZV)-specific cellular immunity is a likely mechanism of action. We examined memory CD4(+) T-cell responses to each VZV protein at baseline and after zoster vaccination. METHODS Serial blood samples were collected from 12 subjects vaccinated with Zostavax and immunogenicity confirmed by ex vivo VZV-specific T-cell and antibody assays. CD4(+) T-cell lines enriched for VZV specificity were generated and probed for proliferative responses to every VZV protein and selected peptide sets. RESULTS Zoster vaccination increased the median magnitude (2.3-fold) and breadth (4.2-fold) of VZV-specific CD4(+) T cells one month post-vaccination. Both measures declined by 6 months. The most prevalent responses at baseline included VZV open reading frames (ORFs) 68, 4, 37, and 63. After vaccination, responses to ORFs 40, 67, 9, 59, 12, 62, and 18 were also prevalent. The immunogenicity of ORF9 and ORF18 were confirmed using peptides, defining a large number of discrete CD4 T-cell epitopes. CONCLUSIONS The breadth and magnitude of the VZV-specific CD4(+) T-cell response increase after zoster vaccination. In addition to glycoprotein E (ORF68), we identified antigenic ORFs that may be useful components of subunit vaccines.
Low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein-1 dysfunction synergizes with dietary cholesterol to accelerate steatohepatitis progression

Reduced low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein-1 (LRP1) expression in the liver is associated with poor prognosis of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies have shown that hepatic LRP1 deficiency exacerbates palmitate-induced steatosis and toxicity in vitro and also promotes high-fat diet–induced hepatic insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in vivo. The current study examined the impact of liver-specific LRP1 deficiency on disease progression to steatohepatitis. hLrp1+/+ mice with normal LRP1 expression and hLrp1−/− mice with hepatocyte-specific LRP1 inactivation were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet for 16 weeks. Plasma lipid levels and body weights were similar between both groups. However, the hLrp1−/− mice displayed significant increases in liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis compared with the hLrp1+/+ mice. Hepatocyte cell size, liver weight, and cell death, as measured by serum alanine aminotransferase levels, were also significantly increased in hLrp1−/− mice. The accelerated liver pathology observed in HFHC-fed hLrp1−/− mice was associated with reduced expression of cholesterol excretion and bile acid synthesis genes, leading to elevated immune cell infiltration and inflammation. Additional in vitro studies revealed that cholesterol loading induced significantly higher expression of genes responsible for hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis in hLrp1−/− hepatocytes than in hLrp1+/+ hepatocytes. These results indicate that hepatic LRP1 deficiency accelerates liver disease progression by increasing hepatocyte death, thereby causing inflammation and increasing sensitivity to cholesterol-induced pro-fibrotic gene expression to promote steatohepatitis. Thus, LRP1 may be a genetic variable that dictates individual susceptibility to the effects of dietary cholesterol on liver diseases.
Microbial Diversity of Mer Operon Genes and Their Potential Rules in Mercury Bioremediation and Resistance

REVIEW ARTICLE Microbial Diversity of Mer Operon Genes and Their Potential Rules in Mercury Bioremediation and Resistance Martha M. Naguib, Ahmed O. El-Gendy and Ahmed S. Khairalla Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Post Graduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt
Normal cellular replication of Sendai virus without the trans-frame, nonstructural V protein.

The Sendai virus V protein is a nonstructural trans-frame protein in which a highly conserved cys-rich Zn2+-binding domain is fused to the N-terminal half of the P protein via mRNA editing. Using a recently developed system in which infectious virus is recovered from cDNA, we have engineered a virus in which a translation stop codon was placed at the beginning of the V ORF. Translation of the V(stop) mRNA yields a W-like protein, i.e., a protein composed of the N-terminal half of the P protein alone which is naturally expressed at low levels from the P gene. This V-minus but W-augmented virus was found to replicate normally in cell culture and embryonated chicken eggs. The Sendai virus V protein is thus an accessory protein, and the cys-rich Zn2+-binding domain is likely to function in a specialized role during virus propagation.
A Combination of PG490 and Lipopolysaccharide Induce Apoptosis through Activation of Casapase-3 and Down- regulation of cIAP1 and XIAP in Human Astroglioma Cell

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary tumors in the central nervous system. Methods: We investigated the combined effect of PG490 and LPS on the induction of the apoptotic pathway in human astroglioma cells. Results: Treatment of U87 cells with combination of 50nM of PG490 and 50μg/ml of LPS resulted in increased internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, cleavage of PLC-γ1, and downregulation of cIAP1 and XIAP. The combination of LPS and PG490 treatment-induced apoptosis is mediated through the activation of caspase, which is inhibited by the caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk. Also, release of cytochrome c was found in PG490 and LPS-cotreated U87 cell. Conclusion: Taken together, combination of PG490 and LPS appears to be a potent inducer of apoptosis in astrogliaoma cells, and might have some benefit in the treatment of glioma patients.
Robust Task-Oriented Markerless Extrinsic Calibration for Robotic Pick-and-Place Scenarios

Camera extrinsic calibration is an important module for robotic visual tasks. A typical visual task is to use a robot and a color camera to pick an object from a variety of items and place it in a designated area. However, the noise of multi-sensor processing may have a significant impact on the results when running a full-process visual task; in addition, checkerboards are inconvenient or unavailable in pick-and-place scenarios. In this paper, we propose and develop a task-oriented markerless hand-eye calibration method by using nonlinear iterative optimization. The optimization employs a transfer error to construct cost function, which is necessarily observable and estimable for visual tasks. Our method does not require a calibration checkerboard and only uses an available saliency object in the task scene as a marker. It provides an end-to-end method that converts extrinsic parameters into variables that are optimized with the cost function, making it not only robust to sensors with noise but also able to meet the requirements of the tasks’ reconstruction accuracy. Different from classic methods detecting a known size calibration pattern, the input of our method is a batch of image points and the corresponding world points. The results show that the accuracy of our extrinsic calibration method is sufficient for the robot’s pick-and-place tasks. The experiments of the competition demonstrate that our method is definitely effective in the desired tasks of vision-in-the-loop automatic pick-and-place scenarios.
Not all expatriates are the same: non-traditional South Korean expatriates in China

Abstract Non-traditional expatriates, those expatriates whose assignments tend to be shorter, involve specialist work and often do not involve families relocating, have not been the subject of sustained research. What we do know about this group of expatriates has been mainly derived from research on Western multinational enterprises (MNEs). The current study explores the trend towards, and the management of, these non-traditional expatriates in South Korean MNEs operating in China. Using a qualitative case study approach involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with expatriates and local managers, this study reveals that the use of non-traditional expatriates has been on rise in the sample MNEs and that they undertake similar roles to the long-term expatriates including control, problem-solving, management development and knowledge transfer. This shift towards non-traditional expatriation has been brought about by the decreased need for long-term assignments and the desire to gain more organizational flexibility. We conclude that such changes represent a strategic response to the longer term issues surrounding traditional expatriates such as family, career and expatriate failure. Such a shift is not without problems as the research found that there was a lack of formal recruitment and selection processes and that training for non-traditional expatriates was limited.
Tax compliance burden for small, medium and micro establishments in the business services industry

The aim of this study is to determine whether the size of a business, classified as small, medium or micro establishment (SMME), has an impact on its management of the compliance burden placed on it by taxation laws. A survey was conducted amongst small, medium and micro establishments in the business services sector in Gauteng province, South Africa. The study finds that the majority of SMMEs in the business services sector outsource their tax responsibilities due to lack of skills and time. Also, the significance of taxation inputs for making business decisions and preferences for administrative relief measures varies according to the size of the organisation.
A MicroRNA Signature in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Associated with Risk of Macrosomia

Background/Aims: MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small non-coding RNA molecule that functions in regulation of gene expression by targeting mRNA to affect its stability and/or translation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the miRNAs involvement in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a well known risk factor for fetal overgrowth. Methods: Differential microRNA expression in placental tissues of normal controls and women with GDM were identified by miRNA micorarray analysis and further confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) on an independent set of normal and GDM placental tissues. Target genes of microRNAs were bioinformatically predicted and verified in vitro by Western blotting. Results: Our results uncovered 9 miRNAs that were significantly deregulated in GDM samples: miR-508-3p was up-regulated and miR-27a, miR-9, miR-137, miR-92a, miR-33a, miR-30d, miR-362-5p and miR-502-5p were down-regulated. Bioinformatic approaches revealed that the microRNAs signature identifies gene targets involved in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-Kinase)-Akt (also known as protein kinase B) pathway, a signal cascade which plays important roles in placental development and fetal growth. We found that the protein levels of EGFR, PI3K and phospho-Akt were up-regulated and PIKfyve (a FYVE finger-containing phosphoinositide kinase), a negative regulator of EGFR signaling, was down-regulated significantly in GDM tissues. We also confirmed PIKfyve was a direct target of miR-508-3p. Conclusion: Our data identified a miRNA signature involvement in GDM which may contribute to macrosomia through enhancing EGFR signaling.
A case report regarding general anesthesia management of a patient with pulmonary vein stenosis that underwent balloon dilatation and stent implantation

Rationale: Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a rare cardiovascular deformity that can lead to high mortality if left untreated. Patients frequently experience multiple complications such as hemoptysis, pulmonary hypertension, bronchial venous rupture and cardiac insufficiency. Currently, pulmonary vein stenosis balloon dilatation (stent implantation) is the only treatment, and this can be performed under local or general anesthesia. However, a case report on the general anesthesia management of PVS has not been previously reported. In this case report, we discuss anesthetic considerations in patients with PVS, focusing specifically on perioperative airway and circulatory management as well as the risk evaluation, and the appropriate effective management of all potential complications intraoperatively. Patient concerns: A 58-year-old male patient was admitted because of coughing rusty sputum for during 2 years as well as experiencing dyspnea and chest distress after exertion or exercising. The difficulty breathing and chest distress had been going on for a year. This patient had undergone circumferential pulmonary vein isolation twice during the last 2 years. Diagnoses: Based on the transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography, this patient's diagnosis was considered as pulmonary vein stenosis, pulmonary hypertension (secondary), and pulmonary arteriovenous thrombosis. Interventions: We considered that such severe patients with PVS require respiratory and circulatory supports and perhaps emergency surgical interventions. Henceforth, we administered general anesthesia to the patient and had extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on standby. Outcomes: The duration of the surgery was approximately 4 hours, the intraoperative vital signs were stable, no pericardial effusion was observed postoperatively, the blood flow in the pulmonary vein stent was smooth, and the patient was discharged 7 days later following rehabilitation. Lessons: This surgical procedure involving respiratory and circulatory supports requires the involvement of different medical personnel such as interventionists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons. Therefore, multidisciplinary cooperation under general anesthesia will undoubtedly benefit such patients.