Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Up-Regulation of Cytoskeletal Proteins in Activated Microglia

Objectives: This study investigates how the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) affect the morphology, organization, and expression of actin, β-actin and tubulin in microglia. Materials and Methods: Microglia cultures were prepared from neopallia of newborn mice. Immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and ELISA studies were used. Results: When microglia are treated with TNF-α, IL-1β or a combination of both for 1–5 days, the majority change from an ameboid to a large, round and flat shape. F-actin and β-actin isoform, which are diffusely arranged throughout the cytoplasm before stimulation, are reorganized into filamentous bundles underneath and parallel to the cell membrane, which projects into many ruffles. This organization is maintained even after withdrawal of the cytokines. The dense microtubule network of tubulin in nontreated microglia becomes less dense and extends to occupy the cytoplasm of the treated microglia. Immunoblotting shows that the amount of total actin, β-actin isoform and tubulin increases in treated microglia. In addition, IL-1β and a combination of both TNF-α and IL-1β stimulate the release of IL-6 by microglia. Conclusion: This study suggests that TNF-α and IL-1β have an effect on the expression of cytoskeletal proteins similar to some extent to that of LPS. The up-regulation of actin, β-actin and tubulin may play a key role in the motility and recruitment of microglia to the area of central nervous system inflammation.
The Pathology of Cellular Anti-stress Mechanisms: A New Frontier

Exposure to stressors is an omnipresent variable for all living organisms, which have evolved anti-stress mechanisms to deal with the consequences of stress. The chaperoning systems are among these mechanisms, and their central components are the molecular chaperones that play important roles in protein biogenesis. Recent data suggest that failure of the chaperoning systems due to defective chaperones, for example, leads to pathology. Consequently, medical researchers and practitioners must now also consider the chaperoning systems, both as potentially major players in pathogenesis and as diagnostic-prognostic indicators.
Mechanisms of Zidovudine-Induced Mitochondrial Toxicity and Myopathy

Zidovudine (3-azido-3′-deoxythymidine), also referred to as azidothymidine (AZT), has become an integral component in highly active antiretroviral therapy, and has also been used in the treatment of cancer. The clinical effectiveness of AZT is constrained due to its association with increased adverse effects, such as myopathy. There are numerous potential mechanisms that may contribute to AZT-induced myopathy. The first hypothesized mechanism to explain AZT-induced toxicity was mtDNA depletion due to inhibition of DNA polymerase γ. Although mtDNA depletion is present in patients with myopathy, current data suggests that alternative mechanisms may play a more direct role in the myotoxicity. These mechanisms include AZT-induced oxidative stress, direct inhibition of mitochondrial bioenergetic machinery, and mitochondrial depletion of L-carnitine. Furthermore, we hypothesize that apoptosis may play a role in AZT-induced myopathy.
Growth, physiological, and biochemical responses of Camptotheca acuminata seedlings to different light environments

Light intensity critically affects plant growth. Camptotheca acuminata is a light-demanding species, but its optimum light intensity is not known. To investigate the response of C. acuminata seedlings to different light intensities, specifically 100% irradiance (PAR, 1500 ± 30 μmol m−2 s−1), 75% irradiance, 50% irradiance, and 25% irradiance, a pot experiment was conducted to analyze growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal structure and density, chloroplast ultrastructure, ROS concentrations, and antioxidant activities. Plants grown under 75% irradiance had significantly higher total biomass, seedling height, ground diameter, photosynthetic capacity, photochemical efficiency, and photochemical quenching than those grown under 100%, 25%, and 50% irradiance. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, relative electrolyte conductivity (REC), superoxide anion (O.−2) production, and peroxide (H2O2) content were lower under 75% irradiance. The less pronounced plant growth under 100% and 25% irradiance was associated with a decline in photosynthetic capacity and photochemical efficiency, with increases in the activity of specific antioxidants (i.e., superoxidase dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase), and with increases in MDA content and REC. Lower levels of irradiance were associated with significantly higher concentrations of chlorophyll (Chl) a and b and lower Chla/b ratios. Stomatal development was most pronounced under 75% irradiance. Modification of chloroplast development was found to be an important mechanism of responding to different light intensities in C. acuminata. The results indicated that 75% irradiance is optimal for the growth of C. acuminata seedlings. The improvement in C. acuminata growth under 75% irradiance was attributable to increased photosynthesis, less accumulation of ROS, and the maintenance of the stomatal and chloroplast structure.
Detection of Disturbances in Voltage Signals for Power Quality Analysis Using HOS

This paper outlines a higher-order statistics (HOS)-based technique for detecting abnormal conditions in voltage signals. The main advantage introduced by the proposed technique refers to its capability to detect voltage disturbances and their start and end points in a frame whose length corresponds to, at least, samples or of the fundamental component if a sampling rate equal to Hz is considered. This feature allows the detection of disturbances in submultiples or multiples of one-cycle fundamental component if an appropriate sampling rate is considered. From the computational results, one can note that almost all abnormal and normal conditions are correctly detected if s256, 128, 64, 32, and 16 and the SNR is higher than 25 dB. In addition, the proposed technique is compared to a root mean square (rms)-based technique, which was recently developed to detect the presence of some voltage events as well as their sources in a frame whose length ranges from up to one-cycle fundamental component. The numerical results reveal that the proposed technique shows an improved performance when applied not only to synthetic data, but also to real one.
Change Agentry - The Next IS Frontier

We wrote this essay to stimulate IS specialists' efforts to become more effective -- and more credible -- agents of organizational change. The essay describes what we believe to be a view of the IS specialists' change-agent role that is very commonly held by IS specialists. We believe this role, while well-intentioned and supported by structural conditions in IS work, often has negative consequences for organizations and for the credibility of IS specialists. Further, it does not fit the emerging structural conditions of IS. We describe two alternative models of what it means to be a change agent, their potential consequences, and the structural conditions that support or inhibit behavior in that role. We conclude that increased behavioral flexibility of IS specialists -- the ability to switch roles in different circumstances -- would improve organizational effectiveness and IS specialist credibility. Finally, we discuss the implications of our analysis for research, teaching, and practice.
Mapping CPA Patterns onto OntoNotes Senses

In this paper we present an alignment experiment between patterns of verb use discovered by Corpus Pattern Analysis (CPA; Hanks 2004, 2008, 2012) and verb senses in OntoNotes (ON; Hovy et al. 2006, Weischedel et al. 2011). We present a probabilistic approach for mapping one resource into the other. Firstly we introduce a basic model, based on conditional probabilities, which determines for any given sentence the best CPA pattern match. On the basis of this model, we propose a joint source channel model (JSCM) that computes the probability of compatibility of semantic types between a verb phrase and a pattern, irrespective of whether the verb phrase is a norm or an exploitation. We evaluate the accuracy of the proposed mapping using cluster similarity metrics based on entropy.
Increasing Access to Places for Physical Activity Through a Joint Use Agreement: A Case Study in Urban Honolulu

Background To increase levels of physical activity (PA), interventions that create or enhance access to places for PA are recommended. Establishing a joint use agreement is one way to increase access to existing PA and recreational facilities. The purpose of this article is to present a case study of In-Motion, a pilot joint use agreement project at one urban high school in Honolulu, Hawaii. Context Residents of urban Honolulu are underserved by the amount of parkland and recreational facilities available for their use. The Honolulu County Department of Parks and Recreation sought to implement a joint use agreement to use the facilities of one urban high school for a recreational program. The high school selected for the pilot project has a student population primarily from low-income and ethnic minority backgrounds. Methods An assessment of the potential of 7 urban high schools to implement a joint use agreement was conducted to select the pilot site. In-Motion developed and implemented a joint use agreement. PA preferences of students, staff, and community members were assessed to guide recreational program offerings. Various recreational classes were offered free to the school community. Consequences Several barriers to implementing the joint use agreement and recreational program were encountered. However, participants were satisfied with the recreational classes they attended and said that the In-Motion program helped them to engage in more PA. Program awareness by high school students and staff was high. Interpretation In-Motion has successfully modeled a pilot joint use agreement and provided new opportunities for PA to the high school's students, teachers, and staff, and to community residents.
Transglutaminase activity in the eye: cross-linking in epithelia and connective tissue structures.

PURPOSE To assess the distribution of transglutaminase (TGase) activity in ocular tissues and the target structures for cross-linking. METHODS Cryosections from human and cynomolgus monkey eyes were incubated with the biotinylated amine donor substrate cadaverine (biotC), which was subsequently visualized with streptavidin-peroxidase. Confocal laser scanning was used to colocalize biotC and fibrillin, a major component of elastic microfibrils and the zonular fibers in particular. Cryosections and isolated bovine zonules were treated with purified TGase 2 and biotC. The distribution of different TGases (1, 2, 3, and factor XIII) was confirmed immunohistochemically. RESULTS Virtually all ocular tissues showed TGase activity with a remarkable preponderance for the ciliary body, zonular fibers, and blood vessel walls. Confocal laser scanning revealed fibrillin-containing microfibrils as a major target for TGase activity, in particular the ciliary zonules. Corneal epithelium and basement membrane showed a TGase cross-linking pattern similar to skin. Treatment of cryosections and isolated bovine zonular fibers with purified TGase 2 led to additional incorporation of biotC into extracellular matrix, particularly zonular fibers. The immunohistochemically predominant TGase 2 was associated with epithelia and particularly with connective tissue fibers. TGase 1 was restricted to the corneal epithelium, whereas factor XIII was found to be associated only with blood vessels. TGase 3 was absent. CONCLUSIONS TGase 2 appears to be an important cross-linker and thus stabilizer of ocular connective tissue. In particular, the zonular fibers are a major target for TGase 2. This is of relevance in hereditary microfibrillopathies such as Marfan syndrome, which exhibits distinct ocular manifestations such as elongated bulbus, retinal detachment, and subluxation of the lens. Purified or recombinant TGase might be of therapeutic use in the future.
On the effects of design parameters on quadruped robot gaits

In this work, we link the various parameters that characterize a quadruped robot to the gait that it eventually opts for the steady state part of its locomotion. We then introduce an appropriate class of motion patterns, and provide some evidence that certain parameter values tend to favor specific pattern subclasses. This offers a new robot walking behavior qualitative view and some novel guidelines for legged systems design, in regard to the gait-effects of each design parameter. To accomplish the above, we adopt the use of an underactuated quadruped robot, and the Hildebrand diagrams paradigm for the succinct portraiture of its gaits, as well as the use of two distinct definitions regarding the motion stride.
Left versus right hemisphere differences in brain connectivity: 4-Tesla HARDI tractography in 569 twins

Diffusion imaging can map anatomical connectivity in the living brain, offering new insights into fundamental questions such as how the left and right brain hemispheres differ. Anatomical brain asymmetries are related to speech and language abilities, but less is known about left/right hemisphere differences in brain wiring. To assess this, we scanned 457 young adults (age 23.4±2.0 SD years) and 112 adolescents (age 12-16) with 4-Tesla 105-gradient high-angular resolution diffusion imaging. We extracted fiber tracts throughout the brain with a Hough transform method. A 70×70 connectivity matrix was created, for each subject, based on the proportion of fibers intersecting 70 cortical regions. We identified significant differences in the proportions of fibers intersecting left and right hemisphere cortical regions. The degree of asymmetry in the connectivity matrices varied with age, as did the asymmetry in network topology measures such as the small-world effect.
Stochastic XFEM fracture and crack propagation behavior of an isotropic plate with hole emanating radial cracks subjected to various in-plane loadings

ABSTRACT In this article, the statistics of fracture response in terms of the mean and coefficient of variation of mixed mode stress intensity factor (SIF) of an isotropic plate with hole emanating radial cracks and crack growth subjected to in-plane mechanical tensile, shear, and combined loading is evaluated. The random system parameters, such as normalized crack length, crack angle, and normalized radius of hole, are assumed as uncorrelated random variables. The basic formulation is based on the extended finite-element method with level set method combined with second-order perturbation method. The effects of the normalized radius of the hole, normalized crack length, crack angles, different positions of the hole with cracks, and in-plane loadings on the statistics of mixed mode SIF with input random system parameters are analyzed.
Susceptibility and trailing growth of Candida albicans to fluconazole: results of a Korean multicentre study

The work reported here is the first nationwide, multicenter surveillance study conducted in Korea to obtain data on fluconazole susceptibility of Candida albicans (C. albicans) isolates. A total of 1137 isolates of C. albicans obtained from 17 university hospitals in South Korea during the 6‐month period, July through December 2004, were tested. No resistant strains were observed in any of the isolates. Only five of the 1137 isolates (0.44%) of C. albicans were found to be susceptible dose dependent, with all remaining strains (99.56%) susceptible to fluconazole. Trailing growth at 48 h was found in only four isolates (0.35%).
Antihistone antibodies in patients with localized scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence and antigen specificity of antihistone antibodies (AHA) in localized scleroderma. METHODS Forty-nine serum samples from patients with localized scleroderma were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by immunoblotting. RESULTS By ELISA, AHA were demonstrated in 47% (23 of 49) of patients with localized scleroderma and in 87% (13 of 15) of patients with generalized morphea. Immunoblotting revealed that the predominant antigens were histones H1 and H3. The presence of AHA correlated with that of anti-single-stranded DNA antibody. CONCLUSION Some of the major antigens for antinuclear antibodies in patients with localized scleroderma are histones.
The prevalence of the classical and non-classical cardiovascular risk factors in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND Inflammation is known to play a role in cererovascular risk. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease that is initially characterized by inflammatory changes in the brain. We hypothesized that due to chronic inflammation, MS patients would present with a higher levels of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors than non-MS patients. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review on 206 MS patients and 142 control patients suffering from meningiomas and acoustic neuromas, non inflammatory, non autoimmune diseases of the brain. The obtained data included fasting lipid profiles, plasma glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), serum levels of homocysteine and uric acid, data on iron status, smoking habit, and list of medications. In addition, data on indicators of MS disease severity was obtained for MS patients. RESULTS MS patients had significantly higher total plasma cholesterol, p = 0.01, and plasma high density lipoprotein, P < 0.001, but lower plasma glucose, P < 0.001, and systolic BP, P = 0.001, than non-MS patients. In addition, MS patients had lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum vitamin B12, but higher serum folic acid and vitamin D3 than non-MS patients. A positive correlation was observed between plasma glucose and the extended disability status scale (EDSS), P = 0.008, and between plasma glucose and the rate of clinical relapse, P = 0.001. CONCLUSION The MS pathophysiology may be among factors for the lower CV risk factors in MS patients. Future studies should examine whether the chronic use of many pharmacological agents influence CV risk factors in MS patients.
What Are the Sources of Exposure to Eight Frequently Used Phthalic Acid Esters in Europeans?

Phthalic acid esters (phthalates) are used as plasticizers in numerous consumer products, commodities, and building materials. Consequently, phthalates are found in human residential and occupational environments in high concentrations, both in air and in dust. Phthalates are also ubiquitous food and environmental contaminants. An increasing number of studies sampling human urine reveal the ubiquitous phthalate exposure of consumers in industrialized countries. At the same time, recent toxicological studies have demonstrated the potential of the most important phthalates to disturb the human hormonal system and human sexual development and reproduction. Additionally, phthalates are suspected to trigger asthma and dermal diseases in children. To find the important sources of phthalates in Europeans, a scenario‐based approach is applied here. Scenarios representing realistic exposure situations are generated to calculate the age‐specific range in daily consumer exposure to eight phthalates. The scenarios demonstrate that exposure of infant and adult consumers is caused by different sources in many cases. Infant consumers experience significantly higher daily exposure to phthalates in relation to their body weight than older consumers. The use of consumer products and different indoor sources dominate the exposure to dimethyl, diethyl, benzylbutyl, diisononyl, and diisodecyl phthalates, whereas food has a major influence on the exposure to diisobutyl, dibutyl, and di‐2‐ethylhexyl phthalates. The scenario‐based approach chosen in the present study provides a link between the knowledge on emission sources of phthalates and the concentrations of phthalate metabolites found in human urine.
Impact of the High-Affinity Proline Permease Gene (putP) on the Virulence of Staphylococcus aureus in Experimental Endocarditis

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus causes a wide variety of invasive human infections. However, delineation of the genes which are essential for the in vivo survival of this pathogen has not been accomplished to date. Using signature tag mutagenesis techniques and large mutant pool screens, previous investigators identified several major gene classes as candidate essential gene loci for in vivo survival; these include genes for amino acid transporters, oligopeptide transporters, and lantibiotic synthesis (W. R. Schwan, S. N. Coulter, E. Y. W. Ng, M. H. Langhorne, H. D. Ritchie, L. L. Brody, S. Westbrock-Wadman, A. S. Bayer, K. R. Folger, and C. K. Stover, Infect. Immun. 66:567–572, 1998). In this study, we directly compared the virulence of four such isogenic signature tag mutants with that of the parental strain (RN6390) by using a prototypical model of invasive S. aureus infection, experimental endocarditis (IE). The oligonucleotide signature tag (OST) mutant with insertional inactivation of the gene (putP) which encodes the high-affinity transporter for proline uptake exhibited significantly reduced virulence in the IE model across three challenge inocula (104 to 106 CFU) in terms of achievable intravegetation densities (P, <0.05). The negative impact of putP inactivation on in vivo survival in the IE model was confirmed by simultaneous challenge with the originalputP mutant and the parental strain as well as by challenge with a putP mutant in which this genetic inactivation was transduced into a distinct parental strain (S6C). In contrast, inactivation of loci encoding an oligopeptide transporter, a purine repressor, and lantibiotic biosynthesis had no substantial impact on the capacity of OST mutants to survive within IE vegetations. Thus, genes encoding the uptake of essential amino acids may well represent novel targets for new drug development. These data also confirm the utility of the OST technique as an important screening methodology for identifying candidate genes as requisite loci for the in vivo survival of S. aureus.
Evaluation of transform based image coders, using different transforms and techniques in the transform domain

This paper addresses the most relevant aspects of lossy image coding techniques, and presents an evaluation study on this subject, using several transforms and different methods in the transform domain. We developed different transform based image coders/decoders (codecs) using different transforms, such as the discrete cosine transform, the discrete wavelet transform and the S transform. Besides JPEG Baseline, we also use other techniques and methods in the transform domain such as a DWT based JPEG-like (JPEG DWT), a JPEG DWT with visual threshold (JPEG-VT), a JPEG–like coder based on the ST, and an EZW coder. The codecs were programmed in MATLABTM, using custom and built-in functions. The structures of the codecs are presented, also as some experimental results which allow us evaluate them, and support this study. Key-Words: Image Coding, Image Quality, Visual Thresholds, Discrete Cosine Transform, Discrete Wavelet Transform, S Transform.
Experimental Evaluation of Stereo-Based Person Tracking in Real Environment

This paper presents an experimental evaluation of person following in real environment. We built a mobile robot system which follows a speciﬁc person while avoiding obstacles and other people walking around. Each person is detected and tracked by simple template matching using distance information obtained by stereo. In this paper, we perform experiments of spe-ciﬁc person following in real environment where many ordinary people exist, and analyze the results.