Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed Client-Assisted Patching for Multicast Video-on-Demand Service in an Enterprise Network

: Video-on-demand services allow users to select their desired video without watching the broadcast. Videos are stored in distributed servers. A single stream from the server can be utilized to satisfy a batch of common client requests. The key problem of this system is to minimize the server load to satisfy maximum number of clients. We propose a distributed client-side caching technique that reduces the server load significantly and increases the scalability of the system. We have implemented our system and compare our system with another state-of-the-art technique. Experimental results suggest that the newly proposed system outperforms the already proposed client assisted patching scheme.
Expression, purification and activities of the entire family of intact membrane sensor kinases from Enterococcus faecalis

Two-component signal transduction systems are the main mechanism by which bacteria sense and respond to their environment, and their membrane-located histidine protein kinases generally constitute the sensory components of these systems. Relatively little is known about their fundamental mechanisms and precise nature of the molecular signals sensed, because of the technical challenges of producing sufficient quantities of these hydrophobic membrane proteins. This study evaluated the heterologous production, purification and activities of the 16 intact membrane sensor kinases of Enterococcus faecalis. Following the cloning of the genes into expression plasmid pTTQ18His, all but one kinase was expressed successfully in Escherichia coli inner membranes. Purification of the hexa-histidine ‘tagged’ recombinant proteins was achieved for 13, and all but one were verified as intact. Thirteen intact kinases possessed autophosphorylation activity with no added signal when assayed in membrane vesicles or as purified proteins. Signal testing of two functionally-characterized kinases, FsrC and VicK, was successful examplifying the potential use of in vitro activity assays of intact proteins for systematic signal identification. Intact FsrC exhibited an approximately 10-fold increase in activity in response to a two-fold molar excess of synthetic GBAP pheromone, whilst glutathione, and possibly redox potential, were identified for the first time as direct modulators of VicK activity in vitro. The impact of DTT on VicK phosphorylation resulted in increased levels of phosphorylated VicR, the downstream response regulator, thereby confirming the potential of this in vitro approach for investigations of modulator effects on the entire signal transduction process of two-component systems.
Dose and timing requirements for immunogenicity of viral poultry vaccine antigen: investigations of emulsion-based depot function

The release requirements for vaccine antigens delivered by adjuvants with presumed depot function are poorly understood. Water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions are routinely used in many poultry vaccines. They strongly activate antibody production, and are regarded as a depot from which antigens are slowly released, resulting in prolonged antigen residence. However, from earlier studies we concluded that W/O adjuvant activity is partly based on the immunostimulatory activity of the oil phase. Here we assess the dose and regimen requirements for viral antigen in immunization experiments in chickens. Three-week-old to 4-week-old White Leghorn chickens were repeatedly injected with inactivated infectious bursal disease virus antigen over 48 days. Our aim was to compare the antibody responses in repeatedly injected animals, receiving fractioned doses of antigen, with the responses in animals receiving only one injection of the full dose of antigen formulated in either a W/O emulsion or in saline. We observed that repeated administration of small amounts of antigen results in a gradual increase of specific humoral immune responses during the immunization regimen. Immunization with a higher first dose evoked an early higher antibody response, which, however, reached a similar plateau level at the end of the regimen. When compared with lower first-dose regimens, a slow decline of serum antibody titre 2 weeks after the end of antigen injections indicated that repeated injection of small doses of antigen indeed mimics the efficacy of depot-forming adjuvants. All regimens of fractioned antigen in saline, however, proved less effective, when compared with a single-dose vaccination of the cumulative amount of antigen formulated in a W/O emulsion. From our data we confirm that W/O emulsions are very effective vaccine vehicles for improving antigen-specific humoral responses in chickens, owing to a combination of antigen residence-prolonging activity and direct immune stimulation.
Effects on neuropsychological performance and sleep quality in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may have impaired neuropsychological performance. The aim of the study is to assess neuropsychological function in OSAS patients before and on continous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to assess different neuropsychological tests – especially of sensomotor memory – in OSAS patients, and to relate neuropsychological test results to polysomnographic findings. Therefore, 36 normal controls and 18 OSAS patients performed tests of attention capacity and memory with retrieval in the evening and the following morning. Six weeks later, the tests were repeated (patients on CPAP). Controls performed significantly better than patients in the tests of attention and of memory of facts without and on CPAP therapy. Moreover, good compliance of CPAP therapy was not associated with better performance. However, there was no significant difference between controls and patients in the tests of sensomotor memory. The neuropsychological results depended on oxygen values, the arousal index, and sleep stages. There is no group difference in overnight improvement in the neuropsychological tests, which could indicate that sleep has an important function in homeostatic regulation rather than in consolidation.
Design of an electronic oscillator for biosensing applications based on a MEMS resonator

Resonant mass sensors (i.e. microbalances) are commonly used in chemical and biochemical sensing, and their MEMS counterparts, based on MEMS resonators, are actively investigated. In this work, we present the design of an integrated electronic oscillator, based on general purpose CMOS operational amplifiers (op-amps) and conceived to operate with a magnetically actuated MEMS resonator fabricated on the same chip as the op-amps. After a description of the resonator and op-amp structure and characteristics, a two-stage, positive feedback oscillator topology is presented. The simulated behavior of the oscillator is presented and discussed, and the temperature stability of the oscillator output frequency is analyzed.
Identification of gastric contractions from the cutaneous electrogastrogram.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate whether gastric contractions in the fasting and fed state can be identified from the cutaneous electrogastrogram. METHODS Simultaneous measurements of gastric myoelectrical and manometric activities were made in 10 healthy female volunteers from 1:00 AM to 9:45 AM. For manometric recording, a catheter incorporating solid state transducers was used. Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) was used for myoelectrical recording. All EGG data from 1:00 AM to 7:30 AM that occurred during motor quiescence, all EGG data that occurred during antral contractions, and 2-h EGG data after breakfast given at 7:30 AM were quantitatively analyzed and compared with each other. The EGG in three specific periods (fasting without antral contractions, fasting with contractions, and postprandial) was characterized by four parameters that include frequency, power, and stabilities of the frequency and power. RESULTS 1) the peak power of the postprandial EGG was, respectively, 12.5 dB (about 2-fold increase in amplitude) and 6.8 dB (about 1-fold increase in amplitude) higher than that during motor quiescence (p < 0.05) and motor activity in the fasting state; 2) the dominant frequency of the postprandial EGG was, respectively, 6% and 13% higher than that during motor quiescence and motor activity (p < 0.05) in the fasting state; 3) the peak power of the fasting EGG was 48% more unstable during motor activity than motor quiescence (p < 0.05); 4) the stability of the EGG frequency was not significantly different during the three different periods. CONCLUSION The EGG provides important and useful information for the assessment of gastric motility. An unstable EGG peak power is indicative of gastric contractions in the fasting state. An increase in EGG peak power and/or dominant frequency after a solid test meal suggests a normal postprandial gastric motility.
The Effects of Hypothermia on Neutrophil Function In Vitro

Hypothermia may be associated with compromised host defenses and serious bacterial infections in man. We have examined the effects of moderate hypothermia (29°C) on neutrophil function in vitro. At 29°C, neutrophil phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus was impaired. In contrast, neutrophil killing of Streptococcus faecalis was most affected by hypothermia. Phagocytosis, as measured by neutrophil ingestion of opsonized oil‐red‐O‐particles, was reduced at 29°C over the 15 min of observation. Neutrophil metabolism linked to bactericidal pathways dependent on oxidative metabolism was reduced at 29°C. Hexose monophosphate pathway (HMP) activity in neutrophils early after stimulation with latex particles was reduced. After 2 hr HMP activity was similar at 29°C and 37°C. Neotetrazolium dye reduction was reduced early after latex stimulation of neutrophils and after 30 min it was similar to cells at 37°C. Leukocyte migration under agarose to bacterial‐derived and formyl‐methionyl‐ phenylalanine chemotactic factors was reduced by 50% and 70%, respectively. Migration to serum‐derived chemotactic factor was reduced by only 20%. When cells were cooled to 29°C for 30 to 90 min and rewarmed, neutrophil function was normal. These effects of hypothermia on neutrophil function may explain, in part, the increased incidence of serious and frequently fatal bacterial infections in man.
Large signal linearity enhancement of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors by device-level Vt engineering for transconductance compensation

This study is a first demonstration of a new technology to improve the linearity of GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) through device-level transconductance (gm)-compensation. The increasing demand for mobile devices and internet of things (IoT) necessitates efficient wireless communication. GaN-based HEMTs are emerging as the ideal candidates that can address the surging demand for highly efficient, linear amplification of digitally modulated information to cater to applications such as 5G-LTE, WIMAX, Sat-Com, CAT-TV and radar. While GaN-HEMTs can yield superior output power (Pout), and power-added-efficiency (PAE), GaN-based power amplifiers (PAs) suffer from severe non-linearities. Non-linearities in the PA transistors result in significant side-bands, saturation of output power at high input powers, as well as signal distortion [1]. In addition, the back-off in input power levels needed to meet typical linearity requirements significantly reduces the PAE of the amplifier. Previous works [2], [3] demonstrated a ‘gm-compensation’ method, which can be implemented at the circuit-level to improve linearity by lowering harmonics and intermodulation distortion (IMD).
Heterochromatin Protein 1 Is Involved in Control of Telomere Elongation in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT Telomeres of Drosophila melanogaster contain arrays of the retrotransposon-like elements HeT-A and TART. Their transposition to broken chromosome ends has been implicated in chromosome healing and telomere elongation. We have developed a genetic system which enables the determination of the frequency of telomere elongation events and their mechanism. The frequency differs among lines with different genotypes, suggesting that several genes are in control. Here we show that the Su(var)2-5 gene encoding heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is involved in regulation of telomere length. Different Su(var)2-5 mutations in the heterozygous state increase the frequency of HeT-A and TART attachment to the broken chromosome end by more than a hundred times. The attachment occurs through either HeT-A/TART transposition or recombination with other telomeres. Terminal DNA elongation by gene conversion is greatly enhanced by Su(var)2-5 mutations only if the template for DNA synthesis is on the same chromosome but not on the homologous chromosome. The Drosophila lines bearing the Su(var)2-5 mutations maintain extremely long telomeres consisting of HeT-A and TART for many generations. Thus, HP1 plays an important role in the control of telomere elongation in D. melanogaster.
Parasympathetic Ganglia: Activation of an Adrenergic Inhibitory Mechanism by Cholinomimetic Agents

Electrical stimulation of the sympathetic nerves to the urinary bladder or the intraarterial administration of the cholinomimetic substances acetylcholine or methacholine produced adrenergic inhibition in parasympathetic ganglia on the surface of the bladder. The inhibition appeared to be mediated, at least in part, via adrenergic inhibitory neurons located in the pelvic plexus. Atropine blocked the inhibitory response to injected cholinomimetic agents but did not alter the response to stimulation of the sympathetic nerves. Thus, the inhibitory neurons can be activated via both muscarinic and nonmuscarinic receptors, the latter being of primary physiological importance.
Requirements for dE2F function in proliferating cells and in post‐mitotic differentiating cells.

The transcription factor E2F is a target of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRB) and may mediate pRB regulation of S phase entry in mammalian cells. The recent identification of mutant alleles of the Drosophila E2F gene (dE2F) has shown that dE2F is required for embryogenesis. dE2F‐mutant embryos lack a co‐ordinated program of gene expression which accompanies S phase entry and DNA synthesis declines to levels that are barely detectable. We have investigated the role of the dE2F gene at later stages of development. dE2F is expressed in several larval tissues and is required for cell proliferation in the eye imaginal disc. Surprisingly, dE2F expression persists in post‐mitotic cells of the eye disc of third‐instar larvae. The loss of dE2F function in these cells causes a novel phenotype, characterized by loss of photoreceptors and abnormal rhabdomere cell morphology. These results show that dE2F is required at multiple stages of development and suggest that E2F may have an important function in post‐mitotic cells in addition to its role during cell proliferation.
Tunable light sources in the visible and near infrared based on fiber taper coupled photonic crystal nanocavities

Photoluminescence at 1.53 um from Er: SiNx on silicon photonic crystal cavities was extracted via fiber tapers with 2.5x greater collection efficiency compared to free space emission. Fibers were also used to demonstrate a 10 nm tuning range of 750nm SHG emission from GaP cavities.
Primary focal hyperhidrosis: current treatment options and a step‐by‐step approach

Primary focal hyperhidrosis is a common disorder for which treatment is often a therapeutic challenge. A systematic review of current literature on the various treatment modalities for primary focal hyperhidrosis was performed and a step‐by‐step approach for the different types of primary focal hyperhidrosis (axillary, palmar, plantar and craniofacial) was established. Non‐surgical treatments (aluminium salts, local and systemic anticholinergics, botulinum toxin A (BTX‐A) injections and iontophoresis) are adequately supported by the current literature. More invasive surgical procedures (suction curettage and sympathetic denervation) have also been extensively investigated, and can offer a more definitive solution for cases of hyperhidrosis that are unresponsive to non‐surgical treatments. There is no consensus on specific techniques for sympathetic denervation, and this issue should be further examined by meta‐analysis. There are numerous treatment options available to improve the quality of life (QOL) of the hyperhidrosis patient. In practice, however, the challenge for the dermatologist remains to evaluate the severity of hyperhidrosis to achieve the best therapeutic outcome, this can be done most effectively using the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS).
Molecular Characterization of an Epidemic Clone of Panantibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT We describe the molecular characterization of a multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clone causing an outbreak in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary-care university hospital. Analysis included antimicrobial susceptibility profile, O-serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and amplified fragment length polymorphism. Resistance mechanisms were characterized, including production of naturally occurring and acquired β-lactamases, porin expression, and efflux pump systems. Eighteen patients were colonized or infected with multiresistant P. aeruginosa. Multiresistant P. aeruginosa was panresistant to penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones and remained susceptible only to colistin. Sixteen isolates (89%) belonged to serotype O:11, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type A1, and amplified fragment length polymorphism type A. Resistance characterization of this epidemic clone showed an overexpression of the chromosomal cephalosporinase AmpC combined with decreased expression of porin OprD and the absence of metallo-β-lactamase or extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. An upregulation of the MexXY efflux system due to an agrZ mutation in the mexZ repressor was detected. This epidemic clone was restricted to the ICU and was not found elsewhere in hospital. Contamination of the ICU environment and the hands of an ICU nurse with this clone suggests possible hand-borne transmission. Implementation of contact precautions effectively controlled transmission of the epidemic clone. This study illustrates the ability of multiresistant P. aeruginosa to cause an outbreak with significant morbidity and mortality and underscores the need to identify clonal outbreaks, which require targeted infection control measures.
Anthropometric and fitness profiles of elite players in two football codes.

BACKGROUND The aims were to describe anthropometric and performance characteristics of elite players in two football codes and explore the differences between them. METHODS Data were compared by means of "t"-tests. SUBJECTS subjects were 19 professional soccer players and 33 inter-county Gaelic football players. SETTINGS measurements were made on members of a Premier League soccer team throughout their regular season, whilst the Gaelic footballers were members of the Mayo squad preparing for the 1999 All-Ireland championship. RESULTS The variability in stature was significantly greater in the soccer players compared to the Gaelic footballers (p<0.01). Performances in the 10-m and 30-m sprints, and in vertical jump were superior in the soccer group compared to the Gaelic footballers (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The intra-group variability on the anthropometric and performance measures of the soccer players is likely to be due to the specificity of positional roles. The combined groups could be described as lean and muscular with a reasonably high level of capacity in all areas of physical performance. Anaerobic characteristics of the professional soccer players were superior to those of Gaelic football players. It is concluded that anthropometric and performance assessment of elite footballers using mean values masks the heterogeneity evident within the football codes.
Surgical Approach to Bismuth Type I and II Hilar Cholangiocarcinomas: Audit of 54 Consecutive Cases

Objective:To clarify the optimal surgical strategy for Bismuth type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinomas. Summary Background Data:Local or hilar resections is often performed for Bismuth type I and II tumors; however, reported outcomes have been unsatisfactory with a high recurrence and low survival rate. To improve survival, some authors have recommended right hepatectomy. However, the clinical value of this approach has not been validated. Methods:Records of 54 consecutive patients who underwent resection of a Bismuth type I or II hilar cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed retrospectively. Through 1996, bile duct resection or the smallest necessary hepatic segmentectomy was performed. Beginning in 1997, choice of resection was based on the cholangiographic tumor type. For nodular or infiltrating tumor, right hepatectomy was indicated; for papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy was chosen. Results:Right hepatectomy was performed in 5 (20.8%) of 24 patients through 1996 and was done in 22 (73.3%) of 30 patients from 1997 (P = 0.0003). In patients without pM1 disease, R0 resection was achieved more frequently in the later period than in the earlier period (23 of 24 = 95.8% vs. 13 of 21 = 61.9%, P = 0.0073), which lead to better survival (5-year survival, 44.3% vs. 25.0%, P = 0.0495). In the 31 patients with nodular or infiltrating tumor, who tolerated surgery and did not have pM1 disease, survival was better in the 18 patients who underwent right hepatectomy than in those who did not (5-year survival, 62.9% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.0030). In cases of papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy was sufficient to improve long-term survival. Conclusions:The surgical approach to Bismuth type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinomas should be determined according to cholangiographic tumor type. For nodular and infiltrating tumors, right hepatectomy is essential; for papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy is adequate.
Flavonoid Treatment of Murine Macrophages Does Not Alter Ingestion or Intracellular Survival of Listeria monocytogenes

It was recently reported that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a role in innate immunity to Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice. In this study the authors analyzed whether incubation of murine macrophages with various flavonoids that have agonist or antagonist activity for the AhR (β-naphthoflavone, α-naphthoflavone, quercetin, luteolin) affect the uptake and survival of L. monocytogenes. Using the RAW264.7 and J774 murine macrophage cell lines and bone marrow–derived macrophages, the authors found no significant difference between flavonoid-treated and control macrophages. They also found that macrophages incubated with flavonoids alone did not exhibit a significant increase in release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a crucial cytokine in anti-Listeria resistance.
[Genetic diversity of Dactylis glomerata germplasm resources detected by Inter-simple Sequence Repeats (ISSRS) molecular markers].

Inter-simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers were used to detect the genetic diversity among 50 materials of Dactylis glomerata collected from China and other countries. Twelve primers produced 101 polymorphic bands, averaged 8.41 bands each primer pair. The average percentage of polymorpgic bands was 86.3. 8%, and the range of GS (define) was 0.6116-0.9290, indicating a rich genetic diversity of D. glomerata. Based on the cluster and principal component analyses on the genetic characteristics, D. glomerata could be divided into 5 groups according to the nearest phylogenetic relationship. In most cases, accessions from the same continent were classified into the same group, the accessions from China and the United States belong to the different groups, respectively, indicating the geographical distribution of genetic diversity of D. glomerata. The present paper also discussed collection and conservation of germplasm resources in D. glomerata.