Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Connectivity, Resource Integration, and High Performance Reconfigurable Computing for Autonomous UAVs

In an investigation into the capabilities of small autonomous formations of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), we identified connectivity, processing power, and lack of resource integration as three major limiting factors of current technology. In an endeavor to address these issues, we propose a new novel hardware and software environment consisting of a traditional Von Neumann processor coupled with a field programmable gate array (FPGA) for high performance processing, along with support libraries to better manage the resources of a formation. The supporting software libraries have the primary functions of allowing any networked resource (such as processors and UAV sensors) to be accessed from any location in the UAV formation, and also provide support that allows algorithms implemented simultaneously on the reconfigurable and traditional processors to migrate between UAVs for better connectivity to resources or to balance processing loads. In this paper we present the issues we faced in the design of these systems, along with our preliminary results indicating the advantages and shortcomings of the system. We also describe in detail the construction of the prototype systems used to determine the correct software settings for the mobile algorithms
Social marketing messaging to promote girls’ active transportation to school in Victoria, BC

Supervisory Committee Dr. Patti-Jean Naylor, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education Co-Supervisor Dr. Joan Wharf Higgins, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education Co-Supervisor Background: Physical activity (PA) is responsible for a multitude of health benefits for girls and young women. Research on active transportation to school (ATS) shows that it is a known way to increase PA. However, girls do not regularly use ATS despite the many physical, mental, and community health benefits of an active commute. One route to improve girls’ ATS is by using a Social Marketing framework to discern critical messages for use in a public health marketing campaign. Methods: Focus groups with 79 girls between the ages of 7 and 15 were conducted in Spring 2017. Transcripts and poster data were a priori categorized by the SM ‘4Ps’ framework (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). Participant groups were segmented into three age categories for tailored messaging. Data were managed using NVivo 11 and were analyzed using Constant Comparative Method tools (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Results: Two thematic areas, Price and Place, were particularly important to girls in defining and appropriate ‘marketing mix’ for an ATS campaign. Based on our findings, a Social Marketing initiative with girls as the priority audience should be built on empowering girls to overcome the barriers to ATS. Positive and lighthearted messaging emphasizing friendship and independence as promised benefits of ATS would resonate with girls across a broad age range. Further segmentation of the audience would result in more tailored messages based on the different core values and beliefs held by this diverse group.
A randomized, open‐label study to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of human hepatitis C immune globulin (Civacir) in liver transplant recipients

Chronic hepatitis C is the most common indication for liver transplantation, but viral recurrence is universal and progressive graft injury occurs in most recipients. Our aim was to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and antiviral effects of high doses of a human hepatitis C antibody enriched immune globulin product (HCIG) in patients undergoing liver transplantation for chronic hepatitis C. This was a multicenter, randomized, open‐label, controlled trial conducted at 4 transplant centers in the United States. A total of 18 patients with chronic hepatitis C, who underwent liver transplantation, were randomized to receive low‐dose HCIG (75 mg/kg) or high‐dose HCIG (200 mg/kg), or no treatment. A total of 17 infusions of HCIG were administered in each treated patient over 14 weeks using a time‐dependent dosing strategy based on the PK of anti‐hepatitis B immune globulin in liver transplant recipients. Hepatitis C virus levels, liver enzymes, and liver biopsies were obtained serially throughout the study period. PK profiles of HCV antibodies were determined on days 4, 10, and 98. HCIG infusions were safe and tolerated. The infusion rate could not be maximized because of symptoms for 18% to 30% of the doses. The half‐life of HCIG was extremely short immediately after transplantation but was gradually prolonged. In the high‐dose group, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels normalized in most subjects and no patient developed hepatic fibrosis. However, serum HCV RNA levels were not suppressed at either dose. In conclusion, HCIG, an anti‐HCV enriched immune globulin product, appears to be safe in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing liver transplantation. Further studies are required to determine whether the drug has beneficial effects in this group of patients. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:941–949.)
Evaluation par PCR de l'activité antivirale des inhibiteurs de l'ADN polymérase du Virus d'Epstein-Barr

Un systeme d'evaluation in vitro de l'activite de medicaments anti-EBV a ete mis au point en utilisant la PCR/RT-PCR quantitative en temps reel. Trois composes appartenant a differentes classes antivirales ont ete testes : un analogue nucleosidique, le ganciclovir (GCV), un analogue nucleotidique, le cidofovir (HPMPC), et un analogue du pyrophosphate, le foscarnet (PFA). Apres 7 jours de traitement des cellules P3HR-1 productrices de virions, les concentrations inhibant de 50 % la replication de l'ADN viral sont respectivement de 0. 28 µg/mL, 0. 29 µg/mL et 13. 6 µg/mL pour le GCV, le HPMPC et le PFA. L'expression de l'ARNm de la glycoproteine tardive gp350/220 est reduite de 79 a 89 % apres 4 jours. Nous avons aussi demontre la specificite de l'effet antiviral en mesurant les taux d'ADN (b-globine) ou d'ARN (hPBGD) cellulaires. En conclusion, notre systeme permet l'evaluation de l'effet antiviral contre l'EBV de facon quantitative, simple et precise.
Suppression of the STK15 oncogenic activity requires a transactivation‐independent p53 function

Using a transactivation‐defective p53 derivative as bait, STK15, a centrosome‐associated oncogenic serine/threonine kinase, was isolated as a p53 partner. The p53–STK15 interaction was confirmed further by co‐immunoprecipitation and GST pull‐down studies. In co‐transfection experiments, p53 suppressed STK15‐induced centrosome amplification and cellular transformation in a transactivation‐independent manner. The suppression of STK15 oncogenic activity by p53 might be explained in part by the finding that p53 inhibited STK15 kinase activity via direct interaction with the latter's Aurora box. Taken together, these findings revealed a novel mechanism for the tumor suppressor function of p53.
Performance Standards for Restaurants: A New Approach to Addressing the Obesity Epidemic

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Gating charge and ionic currents associated with quinidine block of human Kv1.5 delayed rectifier channels.

1. The mechanism of quinidine‐induced ionic and gating current inhibition was studied in human Kv1.5 (hKv1.5) delayed rectifier channels expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. In the steady state, quinidine produced a voltage‐dependent block between +30 and +120 mV (Kd at +60 mV = 7.2 microM) with an equivalent electrical distance, delta, of 0.29 +/‐ 0.06 and 0.26 +/‐ 0.05 at 10 and 50 microM quinidine, respectively. The apparent affinity at 0 mV (Kd) was 25 microM at 10 microM quinidine and 38 microM at 50 microM quinidine. The data suggested a quinidine binding site that sensed 20‐30% of the transmembrane electrical field, from the inside. Non‐steady‐state measurements indicated rapid open channel block with mean time constants of 2.1 +/‐ 0.9 and 1.2 +/‐ 0.2 ms at 10 and 50 microM quinidine, respectively. 2. ‘On’ gating current (on‐Ig) was unaffected over a wide range of potentials and between 10 and 100 microM quinidine. On‐gating charge (Qon) was similarly conserved in the steady state between ‐100 and +50 mV. On return to ‐100 mV, quinidine slowed the off‐gating current (off‐Ig) after depolarizations more positive than ‐25 mV. After depolarizations to +50 mV, only 59 +/‐ 3.4% (10 microM quinidine) and 6.6 +/‐ 9.5% (100 microM quinidine) of the charge returned within 25 ms, compared with 100% in control. Due to the conservation of Qon in subsequent pulses, the remaining charge must have returned during the subsequent 10 s interpulse interval. 3. A threshold for quinidine action on off‐Ig was established positive to ‐25 mV. The voltage dependence of Qoff immobilization at more positive potentials than +20 mV had an equivalent electrical distance of 0.32 +/‐ 0.04 (10 microM quinidine) and 0.20 +/‐ 0.32 (100 microM quinidine) with calculated Kd values of 21.6 +/‐ 4.6 and 16.2 +/‐ 8.4 microM at 10 and 100 microM quinidine, respectively. These characteristics of block are in good agreement with values obtained from ionic data. 4. Simultaneous measurements of ionic and gating currents confirmed, after subtraction, an ionic current threshold at ‐21.8 +/‐ 1.8 mV. The gating current data confirm directly that ionic current block by quinidine occurs by binding at a site on the hKv1.5 channel that becomes accessible when the channel opens. There was no evidence for action of quinidine on kinetic states prior to the open state at concentrations of quinidine up to 100 microM.
The kinetics of exsheathment of infective nematode larvae is disturbed in the presence of a tannin-rich plant extract (sainfoin) both in vitro and in vivo

SUMMARY The mode of action of bioactive plants on gastrointestinal nematodes remains obscure. Previous in vitro studies showed that exsheathment was significantly disturbed after contact with tannin-rich extracts. However, the role of important factors (extract concentration, parasite species) has not been assessed and no information is available on the occurrence in vivo. These questions represent the objectives of this study. The model incorporated the parasites Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis with sainfoin as the bioactive plant. A set of in vitro assays was performed, measuring the changes observed, after 3 h of contact with increasing concentrations of sainfoin, on the rate of artificial exsheathment. The results indicated that sainfoin extracts interfered with exsheathment in a dose-dependent manner and the process overall was similar for both nematodes. The restoration of control values observed after adding PEG to extracts confirms a major role for tannins. A second study was performed in vivo on rumen-cannulated sheep fed with different proportions of sainfoin in the diet to verify these in vitro results. The consumption of a higher proportion of sainfoin was indeed associated with significant delays in Haemonchus exsheathment. Overall, the results confirmed that interference with the early step of nematode infection might be one of the modes of action that contributes to the anthelmintic properties of tanniniferous plants.
The Impact of New Stadiums on Professional Baseball Team Finances

This paper investigates the impact of a new stadium on the finances of professional baseball teams and updates the empirical evidence through the 1990s. the data suggest that new stadiums continue to generate substantial short-term returns to team owners, partially explaining their insistence on public subsidies for new stadiums. Conclusions that the public returns to a new stadium are minimal likely reflect the ability of team owners to negotiate for the majority of the additional revenue generated by a new stadium. the additional profit to a team owner averaged in excess of seven million dollars during each of the first five years of a new baseball stadium.
Measurement of the universal gas constant R using a spherical acoustic resonator.

A spherical acoustic resonator has been used to redetermine the universal gas constant R with an uncertainty of 1.8 ppm (standard deviation). To accomplish this, three subtasks were completed. (1) The volume of a spherical shell was determined by weighing the mercury required to exactly fill it at the temperature of the triple point of water, 273.16 K. (2) With the resonator filled with commercially supplied argon, the resonance frequencies of the radial modes were measured as a function of pressure. Using our theoretical model for the cavity, the frequency measurements were combined with the mean resonator radius determined in subtask (1) to obtain the speed of sound in commercially supplied argon. (3) Finally, the speed of sound in the commerically supplied argon was compared to the speed of sound in a “standard” sample whose chemical and isotopic composition was accurately established.
Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme status in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to investigate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. METHODS Thirty-four non-insulin dependent diabetic patients were selected for this study and they were initially treated with antidiabetic drugs alone for one month. This was followed by supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (1,080 mg of EPA and 720 mg of DHA per day) along with the antidiabetic drugs for a period of two months. RESULTS No change in glycaemic control was observed in diabetic patients at the end of two months of omega-3 fatty acids therapy along with antidiabetic drugs. The combined treatment significantly reduced serum triglycerides (2.07 +/- 0.94 mmol/l, before combined therapy vs 1.54 +/- 0.49 mmol/l after combined therapy, P<0.05) and increased HDL-cholesterol levels (0.93 +/- 0.099 mmol/l, before combined therapy vs 1.04 +/- 0.098 mmol/l after therapy, P<0.01). The raised lipid peroxide levels (5.14 +/- 0.61 micromol MDA/l in controls vs 6.36 +/- 1.56 micromol MDA/l in diabetic patients, P<0.001) were significantly decreased in these patients after the combined therapy (6.36 +/- 1.56 micromol MDA/l, before combined therapy vs 5.16 +/- 0.7 micromol MDA/l, after combined therapy, P<0.01). Among the erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes, the Glutathione peroxidase activity was increased (32.5 +/- 9.9 U/g Hb/min, before combined therapy vs 42.25 +/- 4.6 U/g Hb/min, after combined therapy, P<0.01) while no change was observed in Catalase (99.7 +/- 30.4 KU/g Hb before combined therapy vs 85.35 +/- 23.41 KU/g Hb, after combined therapy) and Superoxide dismutase activities (2.6 +/- 1.04 U/mg Hb/min, before therapy vs 3.01 +/- 1.08 U/mg Hb/min, after combined therapy) after the 2 months of combined treatment with antidiabetic agents and omega-3 fatty acids. CONCLUSION Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has beneficial effects on serum triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes, which may lead to decreased rate of occurrence of vascular complications in diabetes.
Direct effect of alcohol on the motility and morphology of human spermatozoa

Summary. Excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with impaired reproductive function by causing the inhibition of penile tumescence and ejaculatory capability. Alcohol intoxication has also been implicated in impaired spermatogenesis and an increase in sperm structural anomalies. The aim of this study was to determine the direct effects of alcohol on sperm motility and morphology in vitro.
Array comparative genomic hybridization identifies a distinct DNA copy number profile in renal cell cancer associated with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC) is a tumor predisposition syndrome with cutaneous and uterine leiomyomatosis as well as renal cell cancer (RCC) as its clinical manifestations. HLRCC is caused by heterozygous germline mutations in the fumarate hydratase (fumarase) gene. In this study, we used array comparative genomic hybridization to identify the specific copy number changes characterizing the HLRCC‐associated RCCs. The study material comprised formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded renal tumors obtained from Finnish patients with HLRCC. All 11 investigated tumors displayed the papillary type 2 histopathology typical for HLRCC renal tumors. The most frequent copy number changes detected in at least 3/11 (27%) of the tumors were gains in chromosomes 2, 7, and 17, and losses in 13q12.3‐q21.1, 14, 18, and X. These findings provide genetic evidence for a distinct copy number profile in HLRCC renal tumors compared with sporadic RCC tumors of the same histopathological subtype, and delineate chromosomal regions that associate with this very aggressive form of RCC. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
FAMILY QUALITY OF LIFE IN PRACTICE: A PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE FQOL-2006 SURVEY

As families are increasingly recognized as the primary caregivers for their family members with disabilities, family quality of life (FQOL) research has focused on the impact of disability within the family. This field of research seeks to gain an understanding of the complex challenges and successes families have, with the goal of assisting families in expanding their FQOL. To accomplish this task, the FQOL survey (FQOL-2006) was created. Developed in 2000 and later revised, the FQOL-2006 survey has been used in over 20 countries to explore the perceptions of families, parents, and main caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While there has been considerable research using the FQOL-2006 survey, there is limited research that focuses on integrating the survey into practice. This article discusses a possible application of the survey in practical contexts by reflecting on some of the qualitative data collected from my recent FQOL master’s thesis study. Specifically, the article highlights the mutual benefits that service providers and families could receive by integrating the FQOL-2006 survey into service models, as it could allow professionals to establish a framework for assessing each client-family’s overall quality of life, including their greatest supports, strengths, challenges, and needs. This application provides a new research opportunity for the FQOL field for both researchers and professionals.
Double-peaked Low-Ionization Emission Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei

We present a new sample of 116 double-peaked Balmer line active galactic nuclei (AGNs) selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Double-peaked emission lines are believed to originate in the accretion disks of AGNs, a few hundred gravitational radii (RG) from the supermassive black hole. We investigate the properties of the candidate disk emitters with respect to the full sample of AGNs over the same redshifts, focusing on optical, radio, and X-ray flux, broad-line shapes and narrow-line equivalent widths, and line flux ratios. We find that the disk emitters have medium luminosities (∼1044 ergs s-1) and FWHM on average 6 times broader than the AGNs in the parent sample. The double-peaked AGNs are 1.6 times more likely to be radio sources and are predominantly (76%) radio-quiet, with about 12% of the objects classified as LINERs. Statistical comparison of the observed double-peaked line profiles with those produced by axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric accretion disk models allows us to impose constraints on accretion disk parameters. The observed Hα line profiles are consistent with accretion disks with inclinations smaller than 50°, surface emissivity slopes of 1.0–2.5, outer radii larger than ∼2000RG, inner radii of (200–800)RG, and local turbulent broadening of 780–1800 km s-1. The comparison suggests that 60% of accretion disks require some form of asymmetry (e.g., elliptical disks, warps, spiral shocks, or hot spots).
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes mediate Staphylococcus aureus Panton-Valentine leukocidin-induced lung inflammation and injury

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is epidemic in the United States, even rivaling HIV/AIDS in its public health impact. The pandemic clone USA300, like other CA-MRSA strains, expresses Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), a pore-forming toxin that targets polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). PVL is thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing pneumonia, but data from rodent infection models are inconclusive. Rodent PMNs are less susceptible than human PMNs to PVL-induced cytolysis, whereas rabbit PMNs, like those of humans, are highly susceptible to PVL-induced cytolysis. This difference in target cell susceptibility could affect results of experimental models. Therefore, we developed a rabbit model of necrotizing pneumonia to compare the virulence of a USA300 wild-type strain with that of isogenic PVL-deletion mutant and -complemented strains. PVL enhanced the capacity of USA300 to cause severe lung necrosis, pulmonary edema, alveolar hemorrhage, hemoptysis, and death, hallmark clinical features of fatal human necrotizing pneumonia. Purified PVL instilled directly into the lung caused lung inflammation and injury by recruiting and lysing PMNs, which damage the lung by releasing cytotoxic granule contents. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of PVL-induced lung injury and inflammation and demonstrate the utility of the rabbit for studying PVL-mediated pathogenesis.
A thermoelectric energy harvesting system with bridgeless boost/buck-boost rectifier

In recent years, thermoelectric generator (TEG) is expected as a power supply source for wireless sensor nodes. An open circuit voltage of TEG is proportional to a temperature difference between each side of TEG. TEG has a maximum power point (MPP) because of the large internal resistance. Therefore, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control is needed to track the MPP against temperature variation. Temperature difference between a room and outside air changes depending on the season and time. Therefore, polarity of output voltage of TEG can be reversed. This paper proposes a thermoelectric power generation system which is composed of a bridgeless boost/buck-boost rectifier and a microcontroller. The bridgeless boost/buck-boost rectifier is used as a bipolar input DC-DC converter. The MPPT algorithm based on the open circuit voltage method is installed. The circuit operation has been confirmed by circuit experiment.
Learning Based on CC1 and CC4 Neural Networks

We propose that a general learning system should have three kinds of agents corresponding to sensory, short-term, and long-term memory that implicitly will facilitate context-free and context-sensitive aspects of learning. These three agents perform mututally complementary functions that capture aspects of the human cognition system. We investigate the use of CC1 and CC4 networks for use as models of short-term and sensory memory.