Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of surface energy in thrombogenesis.

T HE present situation with respect to the evaluation of biomedical materials might be likened to that of a large number of individuals all busily exploring mechanisms for exit from their own independent circular mazes. After final breakthrough of the walls of any independent circular maze we discover only that we have all along been within a much larger, more intricate maze-the whole complex maze of biomedical problems-and that there are many other investigators still within isolated circular loops like the one from which we have recently emerged.
Shrinkage of Perceived Tonal Duration Produced by Extra Sounds: Effects of Spectral Density, Temporal Position, and Transition Direction

To investigate the mental mechanism that estimates the duration of sounds, the subjective duration of a tone was measured. In the first experiment a portion of the target sound was replaced with another sound. In the second and third experiments another sound either started or ended in the middle of the target sound. Ten or eleven undergraduates participated as listeners in each of the experiments. In the first experiment, effects of spectral spacing and those of temporal position of the replacing sound were tested. Compared with the intact case, the subjective duration of the replaced target shrunk, and the degree of shrinkage increased as the spectral spacing became wider. The temporal position of the replacing sound did not affect the degree of shrinkage. In the second experiment, effects produced by the start (ON) of the concurrent sound and those by the end (OFF) were compared. The ON case was more effective than the OFF case. In the third experiment, effects of the rise time and fall time of the concurrent sound were tested. A long rise and fall time reduced the difference between the ON and OFF cases. These results are discussed from two viewpoints, one assuming an interaction between the time markers, the other assuming continuous gate control in a neural-counting model for duration.
Impact of DC voltage control parameters on AC/DC system dynamics under faulted conditions

This paper discusses the influence of dynamics within a multi-terminal offshore DC grid (MTDC) on the onshore AC power system stability under faulted conditions. An AC-fault occurring at the HVDC converter station terminals may propagate via the offshore MTDC grid to the undisturbed asynchronously connected AC power system. This disturbance manifests itself as additional active power overshoot at the remotely connected converters. It is shown that the severity of this disturbance propagation is sensitive to the parameters of the DC voltage droop control employed for voltage regulation in the MTDC scheme. Furthermore, the effect of the MTDC grid topology on these dynamic interactions is illustrated by comparing a meshed with a radial topology. The analysis has been performed with phasor-mode time domain simulations, augmented with a user-defined state-space model for the MTDC grid. The AC system dynamics are based on available models of benchmark power systems in the stability simulation software PSS®E.
Indifference fee rate for variable annuities

ABSTRACT In this paper, we work on indifference valuation of variable annuities and give a computation method for indifference fees. We focus on the guaranteed minimum death benefits (GMDB) and the guaranteed minimum living benefits (GMLB) and allow the policyholder to make withdrawals. We assume that the fees are continuously paid and that the fee rate is fixed at the beginning of the contract. Following indifference pricing theory, we define indifference fee rate for the insurer as a solution of an equation involving two stochastic control problems. Relating these problems to backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs) with jumps, we provide a verification theorem and give the optimal strategies associated to our control problems. From these, we derive a computation method to get indifference fee rates. We conclude our work with numerical illustrations of indifference fees sensibilities with respect to parameters.
CLICK-IT: interactive television highlighter for sports action replay

CLICK-IT (CSIRO Laboratory for Imaging by Content and Knowledge-Interactive Television) is a PC-based system which provides the user with an intelligent highlighter pen for sports action replay. It is intended as a truly interactive improvement on the drawing pad technology currently used for video annotation in sports broadcasting. The system uses computer vision techniques to focus attention and track particular objects, e.g. player(s) or ball, and semiautomatically annotate the dynamic scene. This paper describes the system including the user interface, the tracking technology based on colour and motion information, and system performance evaluation in applications to running rugby league football, basketball and soccer.
Vortices on the string world sheet and constraints on toral compactification.

The consistency of a bosonic string theory in flat spacetime with one of the internal dimensions compactified on a circle is analyzed by studying the phase structure of the corresponding regularized two-dimensional field theory. It is shown that the radius of compactification must be larger than 2 \ensuremath{\surd}\ensuremath{\alpha}'. One can also derive in this manner the limiting temperature for strings.
Batesian Mimicry: Selective Advantage of Color Pattern

Field studies of releases and recaptures of diurnal moths painted with yellow to resemble the edible tiger swallowtail and of black moths that resemble a toxic species of swallowtail produced these results: (i) A greater proportion of the black moths were recaptured; (ii) daily trapping for a week after each release showed that the black moths survived longer than the yellow-painted moths; (iii) an analysis of wing injuries shows that most attacks can be attributed to birds and that the yellow-painted moths were attacked more often, more vigorously, or more persistently than the black moths. These results are interpreted as showing a greater predation pressure on the yellow-painted than on the black moths and, therefore, as confirming the Batesian theory of mimicry.
Taxonomy and description of Vibrio fluvialis sp. nov. (synonym group F vibrios, group EF6).

A numerical taxonomic study has been carried out to establish the relationship of group F to other biochemically similar organisms within the family Vibrionaceae. A total of 154 strains were examined including 59 of group F. Out of 114 characters determined for each strain 100 were used to compute average Euclidean distances between strains. Four methods of clustering were used, all of which gave very similar results. Strains resembling Vibrio anguillarum fell into clusters corresponding to V. anguillarum, Beneckea nereida and a previously unrecognized group, phenon 5. Strains of the Aeromonas hydrophila/punctata group formed a heterogenous phenon within which certain subdivisions, perhaps artificial, could be discerned. Group F strains all fell in one closely-knit cluster distinct from all the species of Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas and Photobacteriwn studied. Group F strains could be divided into two biovars, I and II. Both biovars are present in aquatic, particularly estuarine, environments throughout the world but biovar I strains have also been isolated from humans with diarrhoea. It is concluded that group F is a synonym of group EF6 and that the strains within these groups should be classified in a new species named Vibrio fluvialis. The type strain is NCTC 11327.
Production of EMRIs in supermassive black hole binaries

We consider the formation of extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) sourced from a stellar cusp centred on a primary supermassive black hole (SMBH) and perturbed by an inspiraling less massive secondary SMBH. The problem is approached numerically, assuming the stars are non-interacting over these short time-scales and performing an ensemble of restricted three-body integrations. From these simulations, we see that not only can EMRIs be produced during this process, but the dynamics are also quite rich. In particular, most of the EMRIs are produced through a process akin to the Kozai–Lidov mechanism, but with strong effects due to the non-Keplerian stellar potential, general relativity and non-secular oscillations in the angular momentum on the orbital time-scale of the binary SMBH system.
Serum levels of Interleukin‐16 in a multiple myeloma patient with cutaneous involvement

Cutaneous localization of plasma cell myeloma is a rare event, often associated with late-stage disease and usually reflecting high tumor burden. A review of the literature reveals less than one hundred cases. We present a case of a patient affected by multiple myeloma (MM) which involved the skin in multiple nodules that showed high serum levels of Interleukin-16 and responded poorly to therapies. A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 5-month history of rapidly enlarging subcutaneous nodules located in the abdomen, arms and thighs. The skin lesions were roundish, red-violet nodules measuring almost 2.5 cm diameter and did not itch (Fig. 1a). Three masses were also palpable in the right submandibular, left retronucal and temporal regions. Laboratory findings showed ß2-microglobulin 3.688 mg/l, C reactive protein 4 mg/l, IgG levels of 2.220 mg/dl. Serum protein electrophoresis identified a monoclonal band, confirmed by immunofixation electrophoresis as an IgG-Kappa monoclonal gammopathy. A diagnosis of stage III, IgG-Kappa MM was made. A standard skull X-ray examination showed multiple osteolytic lesions and the bone marrow aspirate showed a cellular infiltrate composed of mature plasma cells that involved about 15% of the intertrabecular spaces; the plasmacellular nature was confirmed at immunohistochemistry with the positivity for CD38+, CD138+. A skin lesion was biopsied and histology showed a cellular infiltration of the mid-deep dermis, composed of small-to-medium sized cells provided with eccentric nucleus and coarse chromatin that resembled plasma cells. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the plasmacellular nature of the infiltrate revealing positivity for CD38, monotypic restriction for kappa light chain, negativity for the B-cell marker/CD20 and the common leukocyte antigen/CD45. Interestingly, the proliferative growth was very high (90%) (Fig. 1b,c). Interleukin-16 serological dosage (Human IL-16 immunoassay; Quantikine, R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA) revealed increased values (344 pg/ml), higher than a group of nine normal controls (162.28 ± 71.95) and a group of nine MM patients at the same stage (198.05 ± 96.00). The MM group included five men and four women with a median age of 76 years. All patients had myeloma disease stage III according to the Durie Salmon staging system. The paraprotein heavy chain was IgG in all cases and all patients presented an increase of b2-microglobulin levels (3.975 mg/l ± 521). She was treated with Vincristine, Adriamycin, and Dexamethasone: after an initial regression, the cutaneous lesions rapidly spread throughout the body (Fig. 1d) and an increase of the monoclonal component and b2 microglobulin levels (4.168 mg/l) were recorded in these later stages. 435
Suboptimal control for the bilinear quadratic regulator problem: application to the activated sludge process

A suboptimal solution to the bilinear quadratic regulator problem with infinite final time is studied. The proposed control law is based on the steady-state solution of the state-dependent Riccati equation. A power-series approach of the Riccati equation is presented which results in offline calculations of one Riccati equation and a sequence of Lyapunov equations. Special emphasize is devoted to illustrate the performance of the derived control law applied to the activated sludge process.
Identification of a novel isoform of poly(A) polymerase, TPAP, specifically present in the cytoplasm of spermatogenic cells.

We have identified cDNA clones encoding a testis-specific poly(A) polymerase, termed TPAP, a candidate molecule responsible for cytoplasmic polyadenylation of preexisting mRNAs in male haploid germ cells. The TPAP gene was most abundantly expressed coincident with the additional elongation of mRNA poly(A) tails in round spermatids. The amino acid sequence of TPAP contained 642 residues, and shared a high degree of identity (86%) with that of a nuclear poly(A) polymerase, PAP II. Despite the sequence conservation of functional elements, including three catalytic Asp residues, an ATP-binding site, and an RNA-binding domain, TPAP lacked an approximately 100-residue C-terminal sequence carrying one of two bipartite-type nuclear localization signals, and part of a Ser/Thr-rich domain found in PAP II. Recombinant TPAP produced by an in vitro transcription/translation system was capable of incorporating the AMP moiety from ATP into an oligo(A)(12) RNA primer in the presence of MnCl(2). Moreover, an affinity-purified antibody against the 12-residue C-terminal sequence of TPAP recognized a 70-kDa protein in the cytoplasm of spermatogenic cells. These results suggest that TPAP may participate in the additional extension of mRNA poly(A) tails in the cytoplasm of male germ cells, and may play an important role in spermiogenesis, probably through the stabilization of mRNAs.
Cells of origin of the spinoreticular tract in the monkey

The distribution of the cells of origin of the primate spinoreticular tract was determined following injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into the pontomedullary reticular formation in Macaca fascicularis. Five animals received large bilateral injections which included the raphe nuclei and seven monkeys received smaller, unilateral injections. Sections sampled were from upper cervical levels, the cervical enlargement, upper and lower thoracic levels, and lumbosacral levels. The laminar distribution of spinoreticular cells in all spinal cord levels was comparable. More than half of the labeled cells were located ventromedially, in laminae VII and VIII. HRP‐labeled cells were also found in the dorsal horn, primarily in the lateral reticulated part of lamina V. Some cells were also found in laminae I and X. Spinoreticular cells in the lumbosacral spinal cord mainly projected to the contralateral brainstem. In the cervical enlargement, however, a bilateral distribution of cells was observed following unilateral injections of HRP. Most spinoreticular cells were multipolar neurons with extensive dendritic ramifications. The distribution of spinoreticular cells is similar to the distribution of spinal cord neurons that project to the medial thalamus, but different from that of spinal neurons projecting to the ventrobasal complex. The anatomical organization of the spinoreticular tract is consistent with a role for this pathway in nociception.
Effect of pyridoxine deficiency in young rats on high‐affinity serotonin and dopamine receptors

The high‐affinity bindings of [3H]‐5‐hydroxytryptamine to serotonin S‐l receptors, [ H]‐ketanserin to serotonin S‐2 receptors in the cerebral cortex, [3H]‐fluphenazine to dopamine D‐l receptors, and [3H]‐spiroperidol to dopamine D‐2 receptors in the corpus striatum were studied in pyridoxine‐deficient rats and compared to pyridoxine‐supplemented controls. There was a significant increase in the maximal binding (Bmax) of serotonin S‐l and S‐2 receptors with a significant decrease in their binding affinities (Kd). However, there were no significant changes either in the maximal binding or binding affinity of striatal dopamine D‐1 and D‐2 receptors. Receptor sensitivity seems to correlate negatively with the corresponding neurotransmitter concentrations in the pyridoxine‐deficient rats.
A conceptual framework for person-computer interaction in complex systems

The author presents a conceptual framework for complex systems of computers and people. Distinctions between technology and people, and between computers and nonprogrammed technology, are analyzed. This analysis is used to show how various forms of analogy and abstraction may be used to derive design principles for person-computer interaction. The analysis is extended to include relations between system structure and behavior, and used to develop a hierarchical model of the protocols in person-computer systems. >
Female sexual dysfunction: what's new?

Purpose of review The aim of this article is to summarize the most important and interesting achievements which have recently been made in the field of female sexual dysfunction. Recent findings During the last years, the characterization of the female sexual response has been re-examined, resulting in new approaches to the description of female sexual dysfunction, diagnostic criteria and (pharmacological and nonpharmacological) treatment options. The focus of this review is to summarize in brief the latest achievements in the classification, diagnosis, and therapy of symptoms of sexual arousal and orgasmic disorders in adult females. Summary Future research efforts may provide new diagnostic and (pharmacological and nonpharmacological) treatment algorithms suitable for use in daily clinical practice to approach the different categories of female sexual dysfunction symptoms.
Wireless Sensing: What Simplicity Has to Offer?

We argue that, a wireless sensor does not have to implement a full networking stack in order to be a part of an energy efficient sensing application as long as it can deliver its sensed data to an Internet connected device over a single hop. Current hardware industry trends indicate the possibility of implementing wireless sensors for a low cost with simple capabilities. This poster highlights our preliminary work aligned with this trend and aims to open a discussion on this topic.
Neurotransmitter receptor expression and activity during neuronal differentiation of embryonal carcinoma and stem cells: from basic research towards clinical applications

Abstract. Embryonal carcinoma and embryonic stem cells have served as models to understand basic aspects of neuronal differentiation and are promising candidates for regenerative medicine. Besides being well characterized regarding the capability of embryonal carcinoma and embryonic stem cells to be precursors of different tissues, the molecular mechanisms controlling neuronal differentiation are hardly understood. Neuropeptide and neurotransmitter receptors are expressed at early stages of differentiation prior to synaptogenesis, triggering transient changes in calcium concentration and inducing neurone‐specific gene expression. In vitro neuronal differentiation of embryonal carcinoma and embryonic stem cells closely resembles early neuronal development in vivo. Murine P19 EC cells are a well‐characterized model for in vitro differentiation, which upon treatment with retinoic acid differentiate into neurones. Expression and activity of various receptor proteins is regulated during their differentiation. Stimulation of kinin‐B2, endothelin‐B, muscarinic acetylcholine, and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors results in transient increases of intracellular free calcium concentration [Ca2+]i in P19 cells undergoing neuronal differentiation, whereas embryonal cells do not respond or show a smaller change in [Ca2+]i than differentiating cells. Receptor inhibition, as studied with the example of the kinin‐B2 receptor, aborts neuronal maturation of P19 cells, demonstrating the crucial importance of B2 receptors during the differentiation process. Future success in obtaining desired neuronal phenotypes from pluripotent cells in vitro may offer new therapeutic perspectives for curing genetic and acquired dysfunctions of the developing and adult nervous system.
Skin‐ and gut‐homing molecules on human circulating γδ T cells and their dysregulation in inflammatory bowel disease

Changes in phenotype and function of γδ T cells have been reported in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Dysregulation of lymphocyte migration plays a key role in IBD pathogenesis; however, data on migratory properties of γδ T cells are scarce. Human circulating γδ T cells from healthy controls (n = 27), patients with active CD (n = 15), active UC (n = 14) or cutaneous manifestations of IBD (n = 2) were characterized by flow cytometry. Circulating γδ T cells in healthy controls were CD3hi and expressed CD45RO. They expressed gut‐homing molecule β7 but not gut‐homing molecule corresponding chemokine receptors (CCR)9, or skin‐homing molecules cutaneous lymphocyte‐associated antigen (CLA) and CCR4, despite conventional T cells containing populations expressing these molecules. CCR9 expression was increased on γδ T cells in CD and UC, while skin‐homing CLA was expressed aberrantly on γδ T cells in patients with cutaneous manifestations of IBD. Lower levels of CD3 expression were found on γδ T cells in CD but not in UC, and a lower proportion of γδ T cells expressed CD45RO in CD and UC. Enhanced expression of gut‐homing molecules on circulating γδ T cells in IBD and skin‐homing molecules in cutaneous manifestations of IBD may be of clinical relevance.
Monoiodoinsulin. Preparation, purification, and characterization of a biologically active derivative substituted predominantly on tyrosine A14.

Abstract The iodination of zinc-free insulin was catalyzed by lactoperoxidase, and monoiodoinsulin was purified from the reaction mixture by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex (A-25). This fraction was demonstrated to be essentially pure by the criteria of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, specific radioactivity, and neutron activation analysis for iodine content. This derivative demonstrated the ultraviolet absorption characteristics expected of a monoiodotyrosyl insulin. Circular dichroic and immunological studies indicated no significant perturbations in the insulin molecule due to the attachment of iodine. Basic hydrolysis and subsequent amino acid analysis demonstrated that 85 to 90% of the total iodine was associated with 3-monoiodotyrosine, with the remaining iodine apparently associated with hydrolytic degradation products of 3-monoiodotyrosine. Oxidative sulfitolysis followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the S-sulfo A and B chains indicated that this monoiodoinsulin was substituted predominantly (76%) on the tyrosine at position 14 of the A chain. The biological activity of monoiodoinsulin was indistinguishable from that of native insulin by the criterion of blood sugar depression in alloxan diabetic mice, and was 70 to 80% relative to insulin in the mouse convulsion assay. It therefore seems likely that the absolute integrity of tyrosine A14 is not required for the expression of the biological activity of insulin. A marked effect of zinc on both the immunological reactivity and near ultraviolet circular dichroism of insulin was noted during the course of this work. In addition, the effect of pH on the position of iodine substitution was examined, and a method is presented for the characterization of iodination reaction mixtures by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.