Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progress in the Development of Lactococcus lactis as a Mucosal Vaccine Delivery Vehicle

Lactococcus lactis, a food-grade, non-pathogenic, non-invasive, non-colonizing and “generally regarded as safe” lactic acid bacteria, is widely used in food, medicine, and husbandry industry, and it is a potential and promising candidate as a mucosal vaccine delivery vehicle (MVDV). This review describes the latest research progress of L. lactis as an MVDV and its potential improvements. Firstly, the review introduces the advantages of using L. lactis as an MVDV, emphasizing the efficient controlled protein expression and protein-targeting systems developed for production of a desired antigen. Secondly, an extensive overview is given of the progress made in improving production yield and stability of the heterologous proteins expressed in L. lactis. Thirdly, an overview is provided of the efficiency of L. lactis as MVDV for mucosal immunization. Finally, the problems limiting the use of L. lactis as MVDV are introduced and probable methods to solve them are brought forward. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Surface EMG signal normalisation and filtering improves sensitivity of equine gait analysis

Low-frequency noise attenuation and normalisation are fundamental signal processing (SP) methods for surface electromyography (sEMG), but are absent, or not consistently applied, in equine biomechanics. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different band-pass filtering and normalisation conventions on sensitivity for identifying differences in sEMG amplitude-related measures, calculated from leading (LdH) and trailing hindlimb (TrH) during canter, where between-limb differences in vertical loading are known. sEMG and 3D-kinematic data were collected from the right Biceps Femoris in 10 horses during both canter leads. Peak hip and stifle joint angle and angular velocity were calculated during stance to verify between-limb biomechanical differences. Four SP methods, with and without normalisation and high-pass filtering, were applied to raw sEMG data. Methods 1 (M1) to 4 (M4) included DC-offset removal and full-wave rectification. Method 2 (M2) included additional normalisation relative to maximum sEMG across all strides. Method 3 (M3) included additional high-pass filtering (Butterworth 4th order, 40 Hz cut-off), for artefact attenuation. M4 included the addition of high-pass filtering and normalisation. Integrated EMG (iEMG) and average rectified value (ARV) were calculated using processed sEMG data from M1 – M4, with stride duration as the temporal domain. sEMG parameters, within M1 – M4, and kinematic parameters were grouped by LdH and TrH and compared using repeated measures ANOVA. Significant between-limb differences for hip and stifle joint kinematics were found, indicating functional differences in hindlimb movement. M2 and M4, revealed significantly greater iEMG and ARV for LdH than TrH (P<0.01), with M4 producing the lowest P-values and largest effect sizes. Significant between-limb differences in sEMG parameters were not observed with M1 and M3. The results indicate that equine sEMG SP should include normalisation and high-pass filtering to improve sensitivity for identifying differences in muscle function associated with biomechanical changes during equine gait.
Intelligent interaction design: the role of human‐computer interaction research in the design of intelligent systems

As more intelligent systems are introduced into the marketplace, it is becoming increasingly urgent to consider usability for such systems. Historically, the two fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and human‐ computer interaction (HCI) have had little in common. In this paper, we consider how established HCI techniques can usefully be applied to the design and evaluation of intelligent systems, and where there is an urgent need for new approaches. Some techniques ‐ notably those for requirements acquisition and empirical evaluation ‐ can usefully be adopted, and indeed are, within many projects. However, many of the tools and techniques developed within HCI to support design and theory‐based evaluation cannot be applied in their present forms to intelligent systems because they are based on inappropriate assumptions; there is consequently a need for new approaches. Conversely, there are approaches that have been developed within AI ‐ e.g. in research on dialogue and on ontologies ‐ that could usefully be adapted and encapsulated to respond to this need. These should form the core of a future research agenda for intelligent interaction design.
Second-order statistics of the wavelet transform of multiplicative white stochastic process

We determine the second-order statistics of the wavelet transform of a class of non-stationary random process which may be interpreted as a deterministic signal being corrupted by a multiplicative white stochastic process. The correlation function of the wavelet transform of the process is obtained in terms of wavelet ambiguity function (in Woodward's (1953) sense). The upper-bound of the variance of the wavelet transform of the process is given. We show that for a narrow-band signal the upper-bound has an asymptotic decay of (2a)/sup -/spl alpha//, where a and /spl alpha/ represent, respectively, the scale level of the wavelet transform of the process and the wavelet regularity parameter. Applications of the result are discussed. <<ETX>>
Analysis of bi-directional buck-boost converter for energy storage applications

Energy storage backed applications require bi-directional energy flow. A dual carrier four switch buck-boost converter, which is one of the favorite options to support such an operation, is presented in the paper. Universal modulator required to drive the converter in all operation modes is analyzed first. It is shown that in case of dual loop cascaded control, a single controller is sufficient for stabilizing inductor current in all operation topologies. The controller output serves as an input signal to the pulsed width modulator block that includes two shifted carrier waves to create appropriate driving pulses for both converter legs. Simulation results are presented in support of the proposed theory.
Determinants Of Cattle Farmers Particiaption In Farmers Organization In Hamadan Province Of Iran

The study focused on determinants of cattle farmers particiaption in farmers organization in Hamadan province of Iran. Data was colleted from 75 randomly selected respondents with the aid of a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean score, analysis of variance and factor analysis. The findings revealed that the 5 factors deterring the participation were extracted. The first factor is called the individually motivated factor. It comprised 27.97 percents of the total variance as the most efficacious factor. The rest of the determinants known as the structural factor, the cultural factor, the membership factor, the coverage factor, express 17.38%, 12.32%, 7.29% and 5.85% of the total variances of the variables of the factors deterring the participation. These 5 determinants express 70.73% of the total variances of the variables. 29.27% of the variance pertain the factors or variables which have not been regarded in this research. Keywords : agricultural organizations, participation, deterring factors, Hamadan Province Journal of Agriculture and Social Research Vol. 8 (1) 2008: pp. 125-133
Investigation of the Potential Relationships Between Plasma Voriconazole Concentrations and Visual Adverse Events or Liver Function Test Abnormalities

This study investigated the relationship between plasma voriconazole concentrations (pVC) and risk of visual adverse events (VAEs) or liver function test (LFT) abnormalities using longitudinal logistic regression. Seven‐day mean pVC were calculated from 2925 plasma samples (1053 patients); in each 7‐day period, the presence or absence of VAEs/abnormal LFTs was analyzed as a binary outcome variable. There was a relationship between pVC and risk of VAE (P = .011) and a weaker, but statistically significant, association with risk of aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), or bilirubin but not alanine transaminase (ALT) abnormalities. The odds ratios of LFT abnormalities per 1 μg/mL pVC increase ranged from 1.07 to 1.17. Maximum weekly occurrences were 10%, 8%, 5%, and 14% for AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin abnormalities, respectively. Receiver‐operating characteristic curve analysis indicates that individual pVC cannot be used to predict subsequent LFT abnormalities.
Adrenergic activity in arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

This study compares the uptake and release of [3H]norepinephrine and residual 3H content in the tail artery of 7- to 9-week-old and 16- to 18-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age matched normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKR). The composition of the 3H overflow from the artery, analyzed with column chromatography, revealed similar proportion of norepinephrine and in metabolites, namely normetanephrine, O-methylated deaminated products, dihydroxy-phenylglycol, and dihydroxymandelic acid in SHR and WKR. [3H]Norepinephrine was retained however in greater proportion in vessels of young and older SHR than in WKR.
Crypto-based algorithms for secured medical image transmission

Booming telemedicine applications makes it deemed necessary to provide security services for such applications. The algorithms proposed in this field can be grouped into three classes: watermarking-based algorithms, crypto-based algorithms and hybrid algorithms. In this study, the authors propose two crypto-based algorithms capable of providing confidentiality, authenticity and integrity services to medical images exchanged in telemedicine applications. Strong cryptographic functions with internally generated symmetric keys and hash codes are used. The advanced encryption standard-Galois counter mode is used with the whirlpool hash function to provide confidentiality and authenticity, and the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm is used to provide authenticity and integrity. The proposed algorithms are based on the digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) standard; however, unlike the standard, the algorithms provide confidentiality, authenticity and integrity for the header data, as well as for the pixel data of the DICOM images. Effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is evaluated and demonstrated through extensive experimentation using a benchmark set of DICOM images.
Detecting domain-flux botnet based on DNS traffic features in managed network

Modern botnets such as Zeus and Conficker commonly utilize a technique called domain fluxing or a domain generation algorithm to generate a large number of pseudo-random domain names PDNs dynamically for botnet operators to control their bots. These botnets are becoming one of the most serious threats to Internet security on a global scale. How to prevent their destructive action is one of the most pressing issues of today. In this paper, we focus on detecting domain-flux botnets within the monitored network based on Domain Name System DNS traffic features. This method passively captures all DNS traffic from the gateway of a monitored network and then extracts key features to identify PDN. Based on examining and analyzing a large number of legitimate domains as well as PDN generated by botnets, we have discovered that there is a discernible bias in the rules for constructing domain names. Therefore, we introduce a methodology that analyzes DNS traffic to extract the length and the expected value, which can distinguish between a domain name generated by humans or bots. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, various machine learning algorithms are applied to train predictive models for our detection system. This proposed scheme is implemented and tested in a real local area network. The experimental results show that our proposed method achieves the highest detective efficiency for decision tree algorithms J48 with an average overall accuracy of up to 92.3% and a false positive rate of 4.8%. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of the Mechanism of Fracture of Silicone Metacarpophalangeal Prostheses

Eleven fractured Sutter metacarpophalangeal prostheses were obtained from the hands of three patients. All of the implants had fractured at the junction of the distal stem and the hinge. After visual examination, the fracture faces were prepared and viewed using a scanning electron microscope. These images indicated that fracture was initiated by abrasion on the dorsal aspect of the distal stem of the prostheses, close to the hinge. Crack propagation was shown to be due to a fatigue process. Once a crack started, its direction of travel could be followed, using topographical features common to engineering fracture analyses. Propagation was from radial to ulnar and from dorsal to palmar.
Distribution of PG-M/Versican Variants in Human Tissues andde Novo Expression of Isoform V3 upon Endothelial Cell Activation, Migration, and Neoangiogenesis in Vitro *

We have carried out a comprehensive molecular mapping of PG-M/versican isoforms V0–V3 in adult human tissues and have specifically investigated how the expression of these isoforms is regulated in endothelial cells in vitro. A survey of 21 representative tissues highlighted a prevalence of V1 mRNA; demonstrated that the relative frequency of expression was V1 > V2 > V3 ≥ V2; and showed that <15% of the tissues transcribed significant levels of all four isoforms. By employing novel and previously described anti-versican antibodies we verified a ubiquitous versican deposition in normal and tumor-associated vascular structures and disclosed differences in the glycanation profiles of versicans produced in different vascular beds. Resting endothelial cells isolated from different tissue sources transcribed several of the versican isoforms but consistently failed to translate these mRNAs into detectable proteoglycans. However, if stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α or vascular endothelial growth factor, they altered their versican expression by de novotranscribing the V3 isoform and by exhibiting a moderate V1/V2 production. Induced versican synthesis and de novo V3 expression was also observed in endothelial cells elicited to migrate in a wound-healing model in vitro and in angiogenic endothelial cells forming tubule-like structures in Matrigel or fibrin clots. The results suggest that, independent of the degree of vascularization, human adult tissues show a limited expression of versican isoforms V0, V2, and V3 and that endothelial cells may contribute to the deposition of versican in vascular structures, but only following proper stimulation.
Enhancing Power System Resilience Through Hierarchical Outage Management in Multi-Microgrids

This paper proposes a hierarchical outage management scheme to enhance the resilience of a smart distribution system comprised of multi-microgrids against unexpected disaster events. In this regard, after identifying the main features and requirements for a resilient outage management scheme, an appropriate framework is devised and the roles and tasks of different management entities in a multi-microgrids system are introduced. Based on this framework, the microgrids schedule their available resources in the first stage using a novel model predictive control-based algorithm. In the second stage, distribution system operator coordinates the possible power transfers among the microgrids and utilizes the unused capacities of microgrids' resources for feeding the unserved loads in stage I. The general optimization model that needs to be run is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming problem and a novel index is presented to quantify the performance of the proposed method. The developed scheme is implemented on a test system and its effectiveness in confronting with different outage events is demonstrated through realistic case studies.
Understanding the Effects of Colostomy-induced Alterations on Cutaneous Immunity ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿.

UNLABELLED ﻿﻿ ﻿Objective. This study describes the immunological response in the dermal layer of the peri-colostomic region, and identifies and quantifies the cellular elements present. METHODS Forty-one patients with colostomies present for more than 8 weeks were included. Thirty-one patients were men (75.6%) and 10 were women (24.4%) with an average age of 49.9 years. Thirty-four patients (82.9%) were classified as surgical risk class I and 7 patients (17.1%) were classified as class II. The data were analyzed statistically using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunn tests using 0.05 or 5%. RESULTS Analysis of the immuno-cellular response regarding the time of permanence of the colostomy showed a significant frequency of T lymphocytes (pan T-CD3) in all the time periods in a significantly superior number (P < 0.001) than the B lymphocytes (CD20) and the T lymphocytes-natural killer (CD57). T-helper cells (CD4) were present in larger numbers in the first three periods. CONCLUSION The presence of a colostomy for more than 8 weeks promotes the development of a chronic inflammation and an immuno-cellular response in the dermal layer of the peri-colostomy region. However, its intensity did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference based on time of colostomy existence. The immuno-cellular response in the peri-colostomic dermal area is composed of a major number of T lymphocytes (pan T-CD3) and T lymphocytes-helper (CD4), and is more numerous between the 16th and 20th weeks, whereas, less cellular activity was noted between the 30th and 50th weeks. ﻿﻿﻿.
Intracellular Phospholipase A1 and Acyltransferase, Which Are Involved in Caenorhabditis elegans Stem Cell Divisions, Determine the sn-1 Fatty Acyl Chain of Phosphatidylinositol

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is unique in the abundance of stearic acid at the sn-1 position. This fatty acid is thought to be incorporated through fatty acid remodeling. Here, we identified a phospholipase and acyltransferases involved in the fatty acid remodeling at the sn-1 position of PI and provide a link between the sn-1 fatty acid of PI and asymmetric cell division.
Transport at air/water interface is reason for rings in protein microarrays

Fabricating a protein microarray involves the deposition of nanoliter droplets of solutions on a solid surface. Instead of uniform spots, one often observes ring‐like structure which adds to difficulty in quantification. We show that the accumulation of proteins at the air/water interface of the nanodroplet is the reason. Transformation to a uniform spot can be achieved via the addition of competitive surfactants or the control of surface reaction kinetics.
Quorum sensing inhibitors: a patent overview

Background: Quorum sensing (QS) is a microbial cell–cell signaling system that correlates gene expression with cell population density. It plays important roles in intra-species communications and is also involved in inter-species and microbe-host interactions. Because QS controls a wide spectrum of phenotypes including virulence and biofilm formation, inhibition of QS may provide alternative therapeutic methods for treating microbial infections. Objective: To provide an overview of QS inhibitors and their applications. Methods: Search of databases for patents on QS inhibition submitted between 1999 and 2008. Results/conclusions: The reported QS inhibitors include both natural and synthetic agents and can be mainly categorized in three classes: nonpeptide small molecules, peptides and proteins. These inhibitors interrupt QS by repressing signal generation, blocking signal receptors or disrupting QS signals, and provide an alternative approach to controlling microbial pathogenesis.
Energy Availability, Not Body Fatness, Regulates Reproductive Function in Women

LOUCKS, A. B. Energy availability, not body fatness, regulates reproductive function in women. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev., Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 144–148, 2003. The morbid consequences of menstrual disorders in athletes require medical diagnosis and treatment. Reproductive disruption appears to occur when energy availability (dietary energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure) falls below a threshold between 20 and 30 kcal ·kgLBM−1·d−1, and some women may be more severely affected than others by subthreshold energy availability.
Ecografía vascular tridimensional, un nuevo método para la detección y la cuantificación de aterosclerosis subclínica

La aterosclerosis es la causa mas frecuente de morbimortalidad en la poblacion, y por tanto, la busqueda de nuevos marcadores de riesgo cardiovascular que hagan mas efectivas las estrategias de prevencion primaria es una prioridad. Actualmente, son los biomarcadores basados en el estudio directo de la aterosclerosis por tecnicas de imagen no invasiva, los que han demostrado mejorar la capacidad de predecir eventos cardiovasculares frente a los metodos tradicionales como las escalas de riesgo basadas en la valoracion de los factores de riesgo clasicos. La ecografia vascular tridimensional (3D) surge como una nueva tecnologia para el estudio de la aterosclerosis. Esta permite cuantificar el volumen de placa como estimador de la carga de aterosclerosis que presenta un individuo. La cuantificacion del volumen de placa por ecografia vascular 3D ha demostrado ser una medida mas reproducible que la estimacion por el metodo hasta ahora utilizado del barrido manual 2D/pseudo-3D por ecografia vascular 2D, que obtiene como medida de carga de aterosclerosis la suma de las areas consecutivas de placa a modo de pseudo-volumen. Sin embargo, la precision del nuevo metodo de ecografia 3D no se ha establecido, especialmente en la deteccion y cuantificacion del volumen de placas pequenas, tipicas de la enfermedad subclinica en sus estadios mas precoces. Ha sido en este tipo de placas en concreto, donde los antiguos metodos no se han mostrado precisos ni, por tanto, fiables. Ademas, debido a la novedad del uso de esta tecnica para cuantificar carga aterosclerotica, no existen protocolos estandarizados de deteccion y cuantificacion del volumen de placas en diferentes territorios arteriales, desconociendose por tanto la viabilidad y la reproducibilidad de esta nueva tecnologia si se implementara en la practica clinica.
Isolation and in vitro propagation of human skeletal muscle progenitor cells from fetal muscle

Skeletal muscle progenitor cells (SMPCs) are considered one of the most valuable cells for cell‐based therapy targeting skeletal muscle. However, an efficient protocol for isolating and maintaining human myogenic progenitors in vitro has not been fully established. In this study, we demonstrate that human myogenic progenitors can be expanded and proliferated from human fetal muscles. Human SMPCs were prepared from fetal hind limb muscles and induced to proliferate as free‐floating spheres termed myospheres in the medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Both myogenic progenitors and myoblast populations from human fetal muscles were effectively propagated in myospheres and passaged by a mechanical chopping. After expanding these spheres in culture, we tested whether myogenic progenitor cells can differentiate into multinucleated myotubes. The myospheres were dissociated, plated down on coverslips and cultured in the medium for terminal differentiation. We could confirm that the plated cells formed well‐developed, multinucleated myotubes. This culture method using myospheres is an effective protocol to isolate and maintain SMPCs from human fetal skeletal muscles in culture.