Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbial Delignification with White Rot Fungi Improves Forage Digestibility

Three wild-type white rot fungi and two cellulase-less mutants developed from Phanerochaete chrysosporium K-3 (formerly Sporotrichum pulverulentum) were tested for their ability to delignify grass cell walls and improve biodegradation by rumen microorganisms. Fungal-treated and control stems of Bermuda grass were analyzed for their content of ester- and ether-linked aromatics by using alkali extraction and gas chromatography, for in vitro dry weight digestion and production of volatile fatty acids in in vitro fermentations with mixed ruminal microorganisms, for loss of lignin and other aromatics from specific cell wall types by using microspectrophotometry, and for structural changes before and after in vitro degradation by rumen microorganisms by using transmission electron microscopy. P. chrysosporium K-3 and Ceriporiopsis subvermispora FP 90031-sp produced the greatest losses in lignin and improved the biodegradation of Bermuda grass over that of untreated control substrate. However, C. subvermispora removed the most lignin and significantly improved biodegradation over all other treatments. Phellinus pini RAB-83-19 and cellulase-less mutants 3113 and 85118 developed from P. chrysosporium K-3 did not improve the biodegradation of Bermuda grass lignocellulose. Results indicated that C. subvermispora extensively removed ester-linked p-coumaric and ferulic acids and also removed the greatest amount of non-ester-linked aromatics from plant cell walls. Microscopic observations further indicated that C. subvermispora removed esters from parenchyma cell walls as well as esters and lignin from the more recalcitrant cell walls (i.e., sclerenchyma and vascular tissues). C. subvermispora improved in vitro digestion and volatile fatty acid production by ruminal microorganisms by about 80%, while dry matter loss due to fungi was about 20% greater than loss in untreated control stems. The chemical and structural studies used identified sites of specific fungal attack and suggested mechanisms whereby improvement occurred.
Error-correcting pairs: a new approach to code-based cryptography

McEliece cryptosystem is the first public-key cryptosystem based on linear error-correcting codes. Although a code with an efficient bounded distance decoding algorithm is chosen as the secret key in this cryptosystem, not knowing the secret code and its decoding algorithm faced the attacker with the problem of decoding a random-looking linear code. Moreover, it is well known that the known efficient bounded distance decoding algorithm of the families of codes proposed for code-based cryptography (like Reed-Solomon codes, Goppa codes, alternant codes or algebraic geometry codes) can be described using error correcting pairs (ECP). That means that, the McEliece cryptosystem is not based on the intractability of bounded distance decoding but on the problem of retrieving an error-correcting pair from a random linear code. The aim of this article is to propose the class of codes with a t-ECP whose error-correcting pair is not easily reconstructed from the single knowledge of a generator matrix.
Thermodynamics of partitioning of substance P in isotropic bicelles

The temperature dependence of the partition of a neuropeptide, substance P (SP), in isotropic (q = 0.5) bicelles was investigated by using pulsed field gradient NMR diffusion technique. The partition coefficient decreases as the temperature is increased from 295 to 325 K, indicating a favorable (negative) enthalpy change upon partitioning of the peptide. Thermodynamic analysis of the data shows that the partitioning of SP at 300 K is driven by the enthalpic term (ΔH) with the value of − 4.03 kcal mol−1, while it is opposed by the entropic term (−TΔS) by approximately 1.28 kcal mol−1 with a small negative change in heat capacity (ΔCp). The enthalpy‐driven process for the partition of SP in bicelles is the same as in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles, however, the negative entropy change in bicelles of flat bilayer surface is in sharp contrast with the positive entropy change in DPC micelles of highly curved surface, indicating that the curvature of the membrane surface might play a significant role in the partitioning of peptides. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased G→A Transition Frequencies Displayed by Primer Grip Mutants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase

ABSTRACT A genetic screen based on the blue-white β-galactosidase complementation assay designed to detect G→A mutations arising during RNA-dependent DNA synthesis was used to compare the fidelity of mutant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptases (RTs) with the mutations M230L and M230I with the wild-type enzyme, in the presence of biased deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools. The mutant RTs with the M230L and M230I changes were found to be 20 to 70 times less faithful than the wild-type RT in the presence of low [dCTP]/[dTTP] ratios but showed similar fidelity in assays carried out with equimolar concentrations of each nucleotide. Biased dNTP pools led to short tandem repeat deletions in the target sequence, which were also detectable with the assay. However, deletion frequencies were similar for all of the RTs tested. The reported data suggest that RT pausing due to the low dNTP levels available in the RT reaction mixture facilitates strand transfer, in a process that is not necessarily mediated by nucleotide misinsertion.
The open-set problem in acoustic scene classification

Acoustic scene classification (ASC) has attracted growing research interest in recent years. Whereas the previous work has investigated closed-set classification scenarios, the predominant ASC application is open-set in nature. The contributions of the paper are (i) the first investigation of ASC in an open-set scenario, (ii) the formulation of open-set ASC as a detection problem, (iii) a classifier tailored to the open-set scenario and (iv) a new assessment protocol and metric. Experiments show that, despite the challenge of open-set ASC, reliable performance is achieved with the support vector data description classifier for varying levels of openness.
Declining Eligibility for Social Security Spouse and Widow Benefits in the United States?

Currently, two thirds of older women receive Social Security spouse and widow benefits, which are distributed on the basis of marital rather than employment status. But marriage rates are down, particularly among Black women. This study used June 1985, 1990, and 1995 Current Population Survey data to trace trends in marriage for women from five birth cohorts and to predict marital patterns for the latter three cohorts. The authors found that the proportion of women who will reach age 62 without 10-year marriages, and thus be ineligible for spouse and widow benefits, is increasing modestly for Whites and Hispanics but dramatically for African Americans. When women who were born in the 1960s reach age 62, 82% of Whites, 85% of Hispanics, and just 50% of Blacks will be eligible. The authors discuss alternative mechanisms for distributing benefits.
Evaluation of Efficacy of the Perioperative Administration of Venlafaxine or Gabapentin on Acute and Chronic Postmastectomy Pain

ObjectivesPostmastectomy pain syndrome is a neuropathic pain syndrome that is known to develop after breast surgery. Preemptive analgesia has been shown to be efficacious in reducing postoperative pain, and may be effective in reducing the incidence of certain types of neuropathic pain. We investigated the analgesic efficacy of Venlafaxine and gabapentin on acute and chronic pain associated with cancer breast surgery. Patients and MethodsThe study was carried out on 150 patients scheduled for either partial or radical mastectomy with axillary dissection. They were randomized in a double-blinded manner to receive, extended release Venlafaxine 37.5 mg/d, gabapentin 300 mg/d, or placebo for 10 days starting the night before operation. Pain scores were recorded at rest and movement (visual analog scale) at 4, 12, and 24 hours on the first day postoperatively, daily from the second to tenth day postoperatively and visual analog scale in addition to pain character 6 months later. Analgesic requirements were compared between the 3 groups. ResultsPain after movement was reduced by gabapentin from the second to tenth postoperative day and venlafaxine group in the last 3 days but no difference was found between the groups regarding pain during rest. Gabapentin reduced morphine consumed in the first 24 hours postoperatively. The analgesic requirements from the second to tenth days for codeine and paracetamol were reduced in venlafaxine and gabapentin groups compared to the control group. Six months later, the incidence of chronic pain, its intensity, and need for analgesics were reduced in venlafaxine compared to gabapentin and the placebo group. However, burning pain was more frequent in the control groups than in the gabapentin. ConclusionVenlafaxine 37.5 mg/d extended release or gabapentin 300 mg/d have equipotent effects (except on the first day in venlafaxine group) in reducing analgesic requirements, although gabapentin is more effective in reducing pain after movement. Venlafaxine significantly reduced the incidence of postmastectomy pain syndromes (chronic pain) 6 months in women having breast cancer surgery. Gabapentin had no effect on chronic pain except decreasing incidence of burning pain.
A variable stiffness mechanism for improving energy efficiency of a planar single-legged hopping robot

Recently, variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) have been considered as actuation approaches to improve energy efficiency of legged locomotion robots. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a variable stiffness actuator, named L-MESTRAN, which allows for improving energy efficiency of a planar single-legged robot over different stride frequencies. The leg in our setup consists of an actuated hip joint and a passive knee joint equipped with the L-MESTRAN. This mechanism is capable of varying stiffness in a large range, maintaining stiffness with almost no energy, and offers a linear joint stiffness. We empirically demonstrate that the L-MESTRAN actuator can increase energy efficiency for hopping locomotion for various stride frequencies. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the capability of the L-MESTRAN to adjust stiffness to improve energy efficiency during locomotion.
A Journey to Embodied Healing: Yoga as a Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This article introduces the spiritual dimension of the experiences of 40 participants in an 8-week Kundalini yoga (KY) program to treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma disrupts the mind–body connection, while yoga is dedicated to holistic reintegration by positively affecting the nervous system and improving self-regulation, mood, and feelings of self-worth. Treatment involved yogic techniques of meditation, breath regulation, movement, and relaxation, together with a routine of meeting once a week. A phenomenological approach was used to derive the meaning of participant experiences. Narratives of program participants are presented and coincide with factors pertaining to spiritual or personal beliefs defined by the World Health Organization Quality of Life Group. Implications for holistic embodiment practice are discussed.
Studies on the mechanism of hydrated collagen gel reorganization by human skin fibroblasts.

During reorganization of collagen gels by human skin fibroblasts the total protein content of the gels remained approximately constant. Only 5% of the collagen was degraded, although the volume of the gels decreased by 85% or more. It could be concluded, therefore, that gel reorganization required physical rearrangement of pre-existing collagen fibrils rather than degradation of the original collagen and resynthesis of a new matrix. Collagen molecules in the gels were not covalently crosslinked or otherwise modified enzymically during gel reorganization, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and collagen repolymerization studies. Serum was required for gel reorganization and, in the absence of serum, cell spreading was predominantly filipodial, i.e. there was little cytoplasmic reorganization. At the electron-microscopic level it was found that many more collagen fibrils became associated with the cells in the presence of serum than in its absence. Serum was also found to promote the synthesis and secretion of proteins by the cells, and conditioned medium could take the place of serum in promoting gel reorganization. The involvement of cell-secreted factors was also demonstrated by the ability of cycloheximide to inhibit gel reorganization. Finally, when gel reorganization was stopped by adding cytochalasin D to the incubations or removing cells by detergent treatment, a small but significant re-expansion of the collagen fibrils was observed. Consequently, a portion of the collagen that had been physically reorganized by the gels was unstable and could not hold its position without continued force exerted by the cells.
Herbivore pressure increases toward the equator

Increases in species diversity and density from higher to lower latitudes are well documented. Nevertheless, the consequences of these changes in diversity for structuring ecological communities and influencing biotic evolution are largely unknown. It is widely believed that this increase in species diversity is associated with increased intensity of ecological interactions closer to the equator. For plant–herbivore interactions in particular, the predictions are that, at lower latitudes, plants will be attacked by more individual herbivores, more herbivore species, and more specialized herbivores and, therefore, will suffer greater damage. We used a large-scale latitudinal transect from Mexico to Bolivia to quantify changes in leaf damage, diversity, and abundance of lepidopteran larvae on two widely distributed host species of the genus Piper (Piperaceae). We show that both density and species richness of herbivores were highest at the equator and decreased with increasing latitude, both northward and southward. Contrary to expectation, however, this increase in herbivore diversity was attributable to the addition of generalist not specialist species. Finally, and again contrary to expectation, the increase in herbivore density with decreasing latitude did not produce a corresponding damage gradient. We propose that the lack of a latitudinal concordance between increases in herbivore density and diversity with decreasing latitude, and the resulting herbivore damage, supports the hypothesis of better plant antiherbivore defenses at lower latitudes. Furthermore, the changes in the relative abundance of generalist vs. specialist species suggest that the nature of the selective pressure is intrinsically different between higher and lower latitudes.
Nonlinear control design for a two-wheeled balancing robot

A nonlinear control scheme is investigated for the posture control of a two-wheeled balancing robot. It largely consists of the feedforward controller to follow a well-planned trajectory satisfying the boundary conditions of initial and final state plus the state feedback controller in terms of the SDRE nonlinear optimal control. In this paper, we discuss how to formulate the nonlinear control inputs given the nonlinear dynamic model with some numerical results.
Fast Oscillations and Epilepsy

Very fast oscillations, 80 Hz and greater (designated here VFOs or “ripples”) have been observed in the hippocampus and neocortex, under a variety of conditions that are summarized briefly later. VFOs may be of relevance for normal brain function (1–4) and could also be of relevance in the initiation of focal epileptic seizures (5,6). To determine whether such relevance indeed exists, an understanding of the cellular mechanisms of VFOs is essential. For purposes of this commentary, I shall assume that all forms of VFOs are governed by a few common basic underlying principles. Future experimental data may show that assumption to be false, but for now, the assumption at least allows the formulation of straightforward hypotheses that could stimulate experiments.
Coupling a UI framework with automatic generation of context-sensitive animated help

Animated help can assist users in understanding how to use computer application interfaces. An animated help facility integrated into a runtime user interface support tool requires information pertaining to user interfaces, the applications being supported, the relationships between interface and application and precise detailed information sufficient for accurate illustrations of interface components. This paper presents aknowledge model developed to support such an animated help facility. Continuing our research efforts towards automatic generation of user interfaces from specifications, a framework has been developed to utilize one knowledge model to automatically generate animated help at runtime and to assist the management of user interfaces. Cartoonist is a system implemented based on the framework. Without the help facility, Cartoonist functions as a knowledge-driven user interface. With the help facility added to Cartoonist’s user interface architecture, we demonstrate how animation of user’s actions can be simulated by superimposing animation on the actual interface. The animation sequences imitate user actionsandCartoonist’s user interface dialogue controller responds to animation “inputs”exactly as if they were from a user. The user interface runtime information managed by Cartoonist is shared with the help facility to furnish animation scenarios and to vary scenarios to suit the current user context. The Animator and the UI controller are modeled so that the Animator incorporates what is essential to the animation task and the UI controller assumes responsibility of the rest of the interactions - an approach which maintains consistency between help animation and the actual user interface.
Emerging cardiovascular actions of the incretin hormone glucagon‐like peptide‐1: potential therapeutic benefits beyond glycaemic control?

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) is an incretin hormone secreted by the small intestine in response to nutrient ingestion. It has wide‐ranging effects on glucose metabolism, including stimulation of insulin release, inhibition of glucagon secretion, reduction of gastric emptying and augmentation of satiety. Importantly, the insulinotropic actions of GLP‐1 are uniquely dependent on ambient glucose concentrations, and it is this particular characteristic which has led to its recent emergence as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Although the major physiological function of GLP‐1 appears to be in relation to glycaemic control, there is growing evidence to suggest that it may also play an important role in the cardiovascular system. GLP‐1 receptors (GLP‐1Rs) are expressed in the heart and vasculature of both rodents and humans, and recent studies have demonstrated that GLP‐1R agonists have wide‐ranging cardiovascular actions, such as modulation of heart rate, blood pressure, vascular tone and myocardial contractility. Importantly, it appears that these agents may also have beneficial effects in the setting of cardiovascular disease (CVD). For example, GLP‐1 has been found to exert cardioprotective actions in experimental models of dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertensive heart failure and myocardial infarction (MI). Preliminary clinical studies also indicate that GLP‐1 infusion may improve cardiac contractile function in chronic heart failure patients with and without diabetes, and in MI patients after successful angioplasty. This review will discuss the current understanding of GLP‐1 biology, examine its emerging cardiovascular actions in both health and disease and explore the potential use of GLP‐1 as a novel treatment for CVD.
Autonomous Virtual Mobile Robot for the Exploration of 3D Medical Images

Imaging techniques, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT), can provide nowadays high-resolution volumetric representations of the inner human body. Thus, non-invasive visualization and analysis of organs’ structures and functions have become increasingly more important in medical research and clinical practice. Nevertheless, any thorough examination involves massive amount of images, and a manual exploration is simply a prohibitive and time-consuming task. Consequently, several (semi-) automatic tools have been developed to support physicians, including the detection of regions of interest, structural and functional analyses, and data-driven visualization techniques for data exploration. Virtual endoscopy is a highly intuitive and non-invasive approach to the analysis of structures with tubular topology (e.g., blood vessels, airways, colons, cochleae, etc.): different implementations are available, and the majority of them rely on the detection of the central path of the tubular structure. Several methods have been presented in the literature for central line extraction, based on distance maps and minimal path search (Truyen et al., 2001; Haigron et al., 2004), skeletons (Kirali et al., 2004), and wave-propagation (Marquering et al., 2005). The different approaches present some limitations: methods based on wave-propagation need to control the wave’s front to avoid leaking outside the lumen; skeleton-based approaches often require post-processing steps such as pruning of the skeleton, smoothing and closing of the final path, etc.; finally, methods based on depth-maps are usually computationally heavy and therefore difficult to apply in daily clinical practice. The most desirable properties of a virtual endoscopy system are a smooth and unique trajectory through the structure, quantitative analysis of well-defined properties (e.g., radius estimation, detection of anomalies, etc.), and real time interaction (when required by the user); finally, a virtual endoscopy system should be as general as possible, allowing for the exploration of different organs of similar topology. In this chapter, we present a new approach to central line detection and virtual endoscopy, based on Autonomous Virtual Mobile Robots (AVMRs). Mobile robots have already proved helpful in several situations in which direct human intervention is either impossible or highly dangerous: blasting operations, oceanographic explorations, space missions, etc. O pe n A cc es s D at ab as e w w w . ite ch on lin e. co m
Modeling and simulation analysis of 3-level VSC-STATCOM based on SVPWM

This paper describes the modeling and analysis of a 3-level Static Synchronous Compensator(STATCOM) based on space vector pulse width modulation(SVPWM). The STATCOM is configured using a 3-level Voltage Source Converter(VSC). For high power applications the 3-level VSC is surpassed the commonly used two-level VSC in several aspects such as: harmonic components, dc link voltage and semiconductor devices switching frequency. It is important to keep the voltage constant in the power system, therefore voltage regulation is needed in the power system. VSC-based STATCOM regulate voltage in the connected bus by absorbing/supplying the required reactive power. The operating characteristics of the STATCOM is validated by simulation using PSCAD/EMTDC.