Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Mechanism of PPAR Gamma Induction via EGFR Signalling Constitutes Rational for Combination Therapy in Bladder Cancer

Background Two signalling molecules that are attractive for targeted therapy are the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). We investigated possible crosstalk between these 2 pathways, particularly in light of the recent evidence implicating PPARγ for anticancer therapy. Principal Findings As evaluated by MTT assays, gefitinib (EGFR inhibitor) and DIM-C (PPARγ agonist) inhibited growth of 9 bladder cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner but with variable sensitivity. In addition, combination of gefitinib and DIM-C demonstrated maximal inhibition of cell proliferation compared to each drug alone. These findings were confirmed in vivo, where combination therapy maximally inhibited tumor growth in contrast to each treatment alone when compared to control (p<0.04). Induction of PPARγ expression along with nuclear accumulation was observed in response to increasing concentrations of gefitinib via activation of the transcription factor CCAT/enhancer-binding protein-β (CEBP-β). In these cell lines, DIM-C significantly sensitized bladder cancer cell lines that were resistant to EGFR inhibition in a schedule-specific manner. Conclusion These results suggest that PPARγ agonist DIM-C can be an excellent alternative to bladder tumors resistant to EGFR inhibition and combination efficacy might be achieved in a schedule-specific manner.
Physical Methods for Seed Invigoration: Advantages and Challenges in Seed Technology

In the context of seed technology, the use of physical methods for increasing plant production offers advantages over conventional treatments based on chemical substances. The effects of physical invigoration treatments in seeds can be now addressed at multiple levels, ranging from morpho-structural aspects to changes in gene expression and protein or metabolite accumulation. Among the physical methods available, “magneto-priming” and irradiation with microwaves (MWs) or ionizing radiations (IRs) are the most promising pre-sowing seed treatments. “Magneto-priming” is based on the application of magnetic fields and described as an eco-friendly, cheap, non-invasive technique with proved beneficial effects on seed germination, vigor and crop yield. IRs, as γ-rays and X-rays, have been widely regarded as a powerful tool in agricultural sciences and food technology. Gamma-rays delivered at low dose have showed to enhance germination percentage and seedling establishment, acting as an actual ‘priming’ treatment. Different biological effects have been observed in seeds subjected to MWs and X-rays but knowledge about their impact as seed invigoration agent or stimulatory effects on germination need to be further extended. Ultraviolet (UV) radiations, namely UV-A and UV-C have shown to stimulate positive impacts on seed health, germination, and seedling vigor. For all mentioned physical treatments, extensive fundamental and applied research is still needed to define the optimal dose, exposition time, genotype- and environment-dependent irradiation conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance has an enormous potential in seed technology not fully explored to monitor seed invigoration treatments and/or identifying the best suitable irradiation dose or time-point to stop the treatment. The present manuscript describes the use of physical methods for seed invigoration, while providing a critical discussion on the constraints and advantages. The future perspectives related to the use of these approaches to address the need of seed technologists, producers and trade markers will be also highlighted.
Experiences of returning to elite beach volleyball after shoulder injury

The purpose of this study was to examine beach volleyball players’ experience regarding shoulder injury and how it affects their return to play. To achieve the research aims a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews had been conducted, five elite beach volleyball players, four men and one woman aged 27–42 participated in the study. All participants had suffered a severe shoulder injury, with absence from training and competing for at least 28 days. The findings of this study indicate that it is the individual’s inner motivation, together with a clear goal and support from the community, family, teammate and coach that are the most important factors when going through rehabilitation and getting back to playing beach volleyball after a shoulder injury. All participants had been affected by their injury in some way; some of the participants had been affected in a positive way since they had become mentally stronger and had developed better volleyball technique after rehabilitation. The conclusions of this study indicate that there are three distinct factors that increase the chances of getting back to playing beach volleyball after shoulder injury; it is the players’ self motivation, together with a clear goal and support from the community.
A 256 channel magnetoresistive biosensor microarray for quantitative proteomics

This work presents a high sensitivity biosensing platform for quantitative proteomics. Biomolecules labeled with magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) tags are quantitatively sensed by a high density array of 256 giant magnetoresistive spin-valve (GMR SV) sensors connected to a 0.18 µm CMOS sensor interface featuring 16 ΣΔ modulators with 84 dB dynamic range. The performance of the system is demonstrated through detection of a spiked tumor biomarker, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), at concentrations below 10 picomolar (pM).
Research on model partition for large-scale rapid prototyping

To build the large-scale model efficiently based on RP, an optimal partition method was described with no need to extend the machine's work volume. By the proposed edge-based partitioning, the large and complex model can be decomposed into small and simple sub-models according to its structure. In this paper, the best fit loop selecting and the hierarchical decomposing are also presented. Several experimental results demonstrate the reliability and efficiency of the edge-based partitioning.
An Analysis of Water Collection Labor among Women and Children in 24 Sub-Saharan African Countries

Background It is estimated that more than two-thirds of the population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) must leave their home to collect water, putting them at risk for a variety of negative health outcomes. There is little research, however, quantifying who is most affected by long water collection times. Objectives This study aims to a) describe gender differences in water collection labor among both adults and children (< 15 years of age) in the households (HHs) that report spending more than 30 minutes collecting water, disaggregated by urban and rural residence; and b) estimate the absolute number of adults and children affected by water collection times greater than 30 minutes in 24 SSA countries. Methods We analyzed data from the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) (2005–2012) to describe water collection labor in 24 SSA countries. Results Among households spending more than 30 minutes collecting water, adult females were the primary collectors of water across all 24 countries, ranging from 46% in Liberia (17,412 HHs) to 90% in Cote d’Ivoire (224,808 HHs). Across all countries, female children were more likely to be responsible for water collection than male children (62% vs. 38%, respectively). Six countries had more than 100,000 households (HHs) where children were reported to be responsible for water collection (greater than 30 minutes): Burundi (181,702 HHs), Cameroon (154,453 HHs), Ethiopia (1,321,424 HHs), Mozambique (129,544 HHs), Niger (171,305 HHs), and Nigeria (1,045,647 HHs). Conclusion In the 24 SSA countries studied, an estimated 3.36 million children and 13.54 million adult females were responsible for water collection in households with collection times greater than 30 minutes. We suggest that accessibility to water, water collection by children, and gender ratios for water collection, especially when collection times are great, should be considered as key indicators for measuring progress in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector.
Adding Timing Analysis to Functional Design to Predict Implementation Errors

The classical V-cycle methodology for the design of embedded automotive systems is typically implemented by a sequence of steps, from a functional specification down to the implementation at the programming level with the support of an RTOS. The validation of the design is a complex task that consists of analyzing and verifying by testing both functional and non-functional requirements. An important subset of non-functional requirements consists of timing constraints. Implementation must be checked against any violation of the latency and schedulability constraints; otherwise the functionality of the entire system could be severely compromised. Unfortunately, even in state-of-the-art processes, this step is not supported by adequate methods and tools. Subsequently, the process is errorprone and subject to implementation errors, and it is very difficult to generate derivative designs. In this paper, we propose the use of real-time scheduling theory as a formal underpinning for a design process in which the timing behavior is considered from the earliest phases of the development. To support the designer in this phase, we have built the RT-Druid design environment, which extends the scope of traditional (and existing) schedulability and timing analysis tools in many directions. First, RT-Druid captures the mapping of the functional components of the system to the concurrent threads implementing them, and to the hardware/software platform, allowing one to precisely trace such design decisions as the allocation of functions to a thread, and to identify potential problems in thread scheduling, communication and synchronization. Second, RT-Druid provides schedulability analysis together with sensitivity analysis, showing how variations of the thread parameters affect the response times and the schedulability of the system. Finally, RT-Druid provides support for application modes to analyze systems with dynamic workloads. The RT-Druid design environment is integrated into the Eclipse open development framework and allows easy integration with third party tools. It supports the OSEK/VDX standard with import/export of OIL specifications and the generation of configuration code for Evidence’s ERIKA Enterprise RTOS.
Visual-Inertial Scene Representations

We describe a representation of a scene that captures geometric and semantic attributes of objects within, along with their uncertainty. Objects are assumed persistent in the scene, and their likelihood computed from intermittent visual data using a convolutional architecture, integrated within a Bayesian filtering framework with inertials and a context model. Our method yields a posterior estimate of geometry (attributed point cloud and associated uncertainty), semantics (identities and co-occurrence), and a point-estimate of topology for a variable number of objects within the scene, implemented causally and in real-time on commodity hardware.
A Performance Analysis of Model Transformations and Tools

Model-Driven Engineering is a software development process that has gained popularity in the recent years. Unlike traditional software engineering processes, MDE is centered around models, instead of code. By using model transformations, models can be translated from one language to another, resulting in a separation of program architecture and execution platform. However, an increase in size of any of the elements required by the transformation process might lead to performance problems. Although these problems are common and well known in the field of software engineering, problems specific to MDE have not yet been investigated in sufficient depth. In this research, we compare the performance of three model transformation engines. These tools allow the transformation of models to be specified in ATL, QVT Operational Mappings and QVT Relations. Furthermore, different implementation strategies are evaluated to determine how language constructs affect the performance of the model transformation process. The implementation of model transformation engines determines the performance of the language. Increases of model size and complexity cause transformations to run slower, yet some transformation engines are a�ected more than others. ATL is the fastest performing language, followed by QVTo and QVTr in this order. Language constructs often allow developers to define the same model transformation in multiple ways. High metric values for the number of attribute helpers, and low values for the number of calls to allInstances() indicate better performance in ATL transformations. High values for the number of called rules metric suggests an imperative specification style, resulting in a negative impact on performance. The results from this research allow transformation designers to estimate the performance of their transformation definitions. Developers of model transformation tools can use our results to improve the current version of their tools.
Some effects of de-afferentation on the developing amphibian nervous system.

An adult anuran can still walk or swim if the nerves supplying one or even two limbs are de-afferentated (Gray, 1950). However, in a developing amphibian, a limb at motile stages becomes paralysed when deprived of its sensory input. A sequence of degenerative changes then follow in the cord and in peripheral nerves. Tadpoles of Bufo marinus and late embryos of Eleutherodactylus martinicensis have been submitted to this experiment; in these tropical forms the subsequent events follow rapidly. Most attention has been paid to Eleutherodactylus , on which a quantitative study of the numbers of fibres in nerves to the hind limb during development has recently been published (Hughes, 1965 a ). This work, together with a study of the behaviour of the normal embryo (Hughes, 1965 b ) has been used as a basis for the present experimental observations. The source of the embryos of E. martinicensis and the methods of culturing and observing them remain the same as in previous studies (Hughes, 1962,1964 a & b , 1965 a & b ).
Tying Funding to Community College Outcomes: Models, Tools, and Recommendations for States. Executive Summary.

Driven by economic and educational imperatives, public policymakers, higher education leaders, and philanthropic and advocacy groups are mobilizing aggressive national and state campaigns to bolster college completion. Campaigns to improve student success are particularly concerned about the performance of our nation’s community colleges. According to U.S. Department of Education statistics, in 2008 only 26 percent of first-time beginning community college students attained a degree or certificate within five years.
Activation of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Regulates Ribosomes of Cochlear Nucleus Neurons

The brain stem auditory system of the chick is an advantageous model for examining changes that occur as a result of deafness. Elimination of acoustic input through cochlear ablation results in the eventual death of approximately 30% of neurons in the chick cochlear nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM). One early change following deafness is an alteration in NM ribosomes, evidenced both by a decrease in protein synthesis and reduction in antigenicity for Y10B, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a ribosomal epitope. Previous studies have shown that mGluR activation is necessary to maintain Y10B antigenicity and NM viability. What is still unclear, however, is whether or not mGluR activation is sufficient to prevent deafness-induced changes in these neurons, or if other activity-dependent factors are also necessary. The current study investigated the ability of mGluR activation to regulate cochlear nucleus ribosomes in the absence of auditory nerve input. In vitro methods were employed to periodically pressure eject glutamate or mGluR agonists over neurons on one side of a slice preparation leaving the opposite side of the same slice untreated. Immunohistochemistry was then performed using Y10B in order to assess ribosomal changes. Application of glutamate and both group I and II selective mGluR agonists effectively rescued ribosomal antigenicity on the treated side of the slice in comparison to ribosomes on the untreated side. These findings suggest that administration of mGluR agonists is sufficient to reduce the early interruption of normal ribosomal integrity that is typically seen following loss of auditory nerve activity.
A new reactive processor with architectural support for control dominated embedded systems

Control dominated embedded systems have to be designed for fast reaction to asynchronous external events occurring in the environment. Such systems must be able to perform signal emission, signal polling, preemption and priority resolution efficiently. Current microprocessors and microcontrollers, however, have no direct support for such tasks and employ indirect mechanisms such as polling (via a port) and interrupts. In this paper, we propose a new processor core having architectural support for reactivity at the instruction level. The new processor core (called REFLIX) is an extension of an existing open source processor (FLIX) core with additional instructions to support reactivity. Initial benchmarking results (for some control dominated programs) show that REFLIX performs, on an average, 5.92 times faster compared to FLIX and has 77% code size reduction when compared to some conventional processors.
Foreign Direct Investment and Regional Attractiveness in Southeastern European countries

The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the inward Foreign Direct Investment in South-eastern European countries in relation with the factors which determine the ability of a country to attract foreign investment capital. The paper begins with the definition of the main terms related with Foreign Direct Investment and literature review related with the factors which determine the regional allocation of the FDI flows. Specifically, the article focuses on the definition of the Foreign Direct Investment flows, regional attractiveness, location of FDI, as well as the factors which affect the location of FDI activities within and across countries and regions. Then, the article presents a comparative analysis of the relative position of the South-eastern European countries, as far as FDI is concerned. Moreover, the paper attempts, through a model specification and results analysis to estimate the relationship between FDI and a selection of potential determining factors. The analysis is made for thirteen South-eastern European countries covering a period of twelve years. The paper is completed with reference to prospects regarding the implementation and planning of an effective FDI attraction policy aiming at economic development and cohesion.
Critics: an interactive code review tool for searching and inspecting systematic changes

During peer code reviews, developers often examine program differences. When using existing program differencing tools, it is difficult for developers to inspect systematic changes—similar, related changes that are scattered across multiple files. Developers cannot easily answer questions such as "what other code locations changed similar to this change? " and "are there any other locations that are similar to this code but are not updated? " In this paper, we demonstrate Critics, an Eclipse plug-in that assists developers in inspecting systematic changes. It (1) allows developers to customize a context-aware change template, (2) searches for systematic changes using the template, and (3) detects missing or inconsistent edits. Developers can interactively refine the customized change template to see corresponding search results. Critics has potential to improve developer productivity in inspecting large, scattered edits during code reviews. The tool's demonstration video is available at https://www.youtube. com/watch? v=F2D7t_Z5rhk
Übermäßige Werbung und Marktsegmentierung durch staatliche Förderung der Regionalvermarktung: Eine theoretische Analyse

The protection of the regional origin of foods is a major part of the food-quality policy in the EU. It is the objective of this article to analyze economic effects of such policy instruments. Two different types of policy are distinguished which are both designed to promote regional products. First, generic promotion of a homogeneous commodity at the national and/or regional level in the spirit of NERLOVE and WAUGH is investigated. This instrument aims at shifting the demand for the advertised commodity outward. We derive theoretically that excessive advertising does exist if several promotion activities at different regional levels exist at one time. It would be more cost-effective due to product substitutability to move from separate strategies at the level of states to a coordinated uniform generic promotion. Secondly, there is support in the EU for regional-origin labels which combine quality assurance with the regional label. Product heterogeneity arises here when regional products reach above-average quality and prices increase. A segmented market model is utilized to show that the price bonus is affected by the magnitude of promotion expenditures, by own – and cross-price advertising elasticities on the markets and by marginal costs of program participation.
HI From Conventional Control to Autonomous Intelligent Methods

Ever since the advent of civilization, man has constantly attempted to replace human effort with machines and control systems. From the early days of steam, hydraulic, and pneumatically driiien machinery to the modern era of electrical and electronic devices, the level of control achieved over industrial systems has constantly increased. Control engineers are concerned with understanding and controlling segments of their environment, often called systems. It becomes necessary over time to rediscover and irecreate anew methods of the past and to add on each occasion to the solution a new more “contemporary” flavor that produces enhanced performance. With the availability of fast, high-capacity digital computer equipment, automatic numerically controlled industrial systems are comimon today. Having arrived upon the tkreshold of the 21st century, technologists are faced with the challenge of implementing more accurate and sophisticated methods of control to meet the ever-increasing demands of society, industry, and mankind in general. Three decades ago the term “imodern control” was commonly used for automatic control systems using feedback (see Fig. 1)-a process of measuring a controlled variable and then using that measured value to influence future values of that variable. The “modern” control methods of the ‘60s are today known as “traditional” or “conventional” control systems. In other words they are now the mainstream of control technology. The conventional methods also include the “adaptive” and “stochastic” approaches for designing control systems (these are separately discussed in later sections). More recent trends in the science have been toward control systems that tend to emulate learning characteristics of intelligent biological systems. These relatively recent approaches use both the ideas of conventional control as well as methods such as fuzzy logic, expert systems, Petri nets, search and genetic algorithms and neural networks. Some researchers believe that a mixture of the so-called “intelligent” and conventional methods may be the best way to implement autonomous systems.