Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo regulation of interleukin‐2 receptor alpha gene transcription by the coordinated binding of constitutive and inducible factors in human primary T cells.

IL‐2R alpha transcription is developmentally restricted to T cells and physiologically dependent on specific stimuli such as antigen recognition. To analyse the mechanisms used to activate IL‐2R alpha transcription as well as those used to block it in non‐expressing cells, we determined the protein‐DNA interactions at the IL‐2R alpha locus in three different cell types using the DMS/LMPCR genomic footprinting method. CD25/IL‐2R alpha can be efficiently induced in primary human T cells since approximately 100% express this gene when receiving an appropriate combination of mitogenic stimuli. To understand why IL‐2R alpha is not expressed in other haematopoietic cell types, we analysed BJAB B lymphoma cells which do not express the IL‐2R alpha gene and contain constitutively active nuclear NF‐kappa B. Primary fibroblasts from embryo and adult skin were selected to examine the mechanisms that may be used to keep the IL‐2R alpha gene inactive in non‐haematopoietic cells. The three main results are: (i) the stable in vivo occupancy of IL‐2R alpha kappa B element in resting T cells, most probably by constitutive NF‐kappa B p50 homodimer that could impair SRF binding to the flanking SRE/CArG box; (ii) its inducible occupancy by NF‐kappa B p50‐p65 associated with the binding of an SRE/CArG box DNA‐binding factor upon mitogenic stimulation; and (iii) a correlation between the precommitment of T cells to activation and the presence of stable preassembled protein‐DNA complexes in contrast with the bare IL‐2R alpha locus in non‐T cells.
Administration Flow Analysis In A Government Institute: A Strategic Flow Management System

Over the past decades, the growth and development of information technology (IT) has brought a wider variety of innovative applications and services. Since IT can always satisfy the requirements of human, those large enterprises which need to reduce cost and labors, and make the largest profit will think of what IT can do for them. Thus, BPM (Business Process Management) come with the tide of fashion, and attracted many businesses’attention. BPM has prevailed for many years and there are many applications developed by many companies. Workflow is another synonym for ‘business process’and workflow management system is an important management system in many enterprises and institutes. There is also a flow engine product in the market to help develop flow management system. Workflow management system is applied to many large businesses, but not every government institutes can develop the mutual related systems since each subordinate has its own organization structure and most of their scale is not large. In this project, we take a medium scale of government institute as an example, through the support of IT, we hope to create a basic framework for all kinds of forms, and integrate the related systems. This paper also proposes a solution of architecture combining service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process management (BPM).
Regional Difference and Threshold Effects of FDI Technology Spillovers-Empirical Evidence Based on DEA and Panel Data from China

Based on a panel data model and DEA,the paper focuses on the province level spillover effects of FDI inflow in China.As expected,it confirms that FDI affects the local technology progress differently in different provinces,and the threshold effects of economic development exist.We also empirically measure the threshold levels which ensure the spillover effects in several aspects,including economic development,economic openness,infrastructure,human capital and regional economic structure.
How Twitter reveals Cities within Cities

Cities are expanding and becoming more and more dynamic in terms of movement of population and, as a consequence, they are becoming melting pots with people of different cultures, religions and languages. In this paper, the authors use the multilingual analysis of Twitter to discover the "hidden cities" concealed within the city of Milan. Using the social media Twitter as a data source helps to detect weaker signals that are not captured through traditional census data. In this study, neighbourhoods in Milan are identified as areas where people speak mainly the same language on Twitter and these results are then compared with census data, to underline any parallelisms or discrepancies between the two sources of data. An added value of the paper is that the results are implemented within an online city dashboard, called Urbanscope.
Immunoreactive amino‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐PROBNP): a new marker of cardiac impairment

Human brain natriuretic peptide‐32 (BNP) (i.e. proBNP(77–108)), the mature form of BNP and secreted predominantly by the cardiac ventricle, is formed from a high molecular weight precursor, proBNP(1–108). We have recently identified the aminoterminal form proBNP(1–76) (NT‐proBNP) in human plasma but its source, metabolism and production in circulatory disorders are unknown. We have investigated the relationship between immunoreactive (IR) NT‐proBNP and BNP‐32 in normal and hypertensive subjects and in patients with cardiac impairment, as well as the regional plasma concentrations in patients undergoing routine cardiac catheterization.
Effect of a High-Fat Meal on the Growth Hormone Response to Exercise in Children

Exercise-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion may significantly modulate growth and development in children. Altered physiological GH responses, therefore, may reduce the beneficial effects of exercise. High-fat food ingestion before exercise blunts the GH response in adults, but it is unknown whether this occurs in children. We therefore performed standard exercise tests, following a high-fat meal or placebo, in 12 children, age 11-15 (6 M, 6 F). GH, insulin-like growth factor-I, glucose, insulin, glucagon, cortisol, epinephrine and interleukin-6 samples were drawn at baseline, end-exercise, and 30 and 60 min post-exercise. While GH was similar at baseline in all experiments, the exercise-induced GH peak was lower after the high-fat meal (6.7 +/- 1.6 ng/l vs 11.8 +/- 2.4 ng/l, p <0.02). Other exercise responses were not affected by prior fat ingestion. A high-fat meal before exercise, therefore (a common event in Western societies), may reduce the growth factor response to exercise in children, with potential implications for growth and development.
STRaND-2: Visual inspection, proximity operations & nanosatellite docking

The Surrey Training Research and Nanosatellite Demonstrator (STRaND) programme has been success in identifying and creating a leading low-cost nanosatellite programme with advanced attitude and orbit control system (AOCS) and experimental computing platforms based on smart-phone technologies. The next demonstration capabilities, that provide a challenging mission to the existing STRaND platform, is to perform visual inspection, proximity operations and nanosatellite docking. Visual inspection is to be performed using a COTS LIDAR system to estimate range and pose under 100 m. Proximity operations are controlled using a comprehensive guidance, navigation and control (GNC) loop in a polar form of the Hills Clohessy Wiltshire (HCW) frame including J2 perturbations. And finally, nanosatellite docking is performed at under 30 cm using a series of tuned magnetic coils. This paper will document the initial experiments and calculations used to qualify LIDAR components, size the mission thrust and tank requirements, and air cushion table demonstrations of the docking mechanism.
A study of inter-step stirring effects on the thickness and yield of graphene oxide prepared through an improved Hummers method

We report graphene oxide (GO) preparation from graphite powder through two different and improved versions of Hummers method. For the first method, we replicated the work already reported by T. Wu et al. In the second method, we followed the same procedure but with stirring intervals in between consecutive process steps. We call these intervals as inter-step stirring intervals. For the inter-step stirring method, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and titration analyses were conducted to understand the structure and chemistry of the prepared GO. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies were made to reveal the surface coverage feature of GO deposited from very dilute aqueous dispersion of GO, through drop casting. For thickness measurements, randomly selected GO nanosheets, obtained from both the methods, were analyzed through atomic force microscopy (AFM). We came up with the appealing finding that inter-step stirring method was responsible for the development of few-layer GO with sheets as thin as 1.17 nm. Compared to the method without inter-step stirring, this method was responsible for a 38 % reduction in sheet thickness and a 2.46% increment in yield.
Interleukin‐8 induces changes in human neutrophil actin conformation and distribution: relationship to inhibition of adhesion to cytokine‐activated endothelium

Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) induces diverse biological responses in neutrophils, including inhibition of adhesion to cytokine‐activated endothelium, which we have termed the leukocyte adhesion inhibition (LAI) effect. Pretreatment of neutrophils with cytochalasin B abolished the LAI effect of IL‐8, suggesting a microfilament‐dependent mechanism. Interleukin‐8 induced a rapid increase (≤ 15 s) in the polymerization of actin filaments in human neutrophils that was blocked by pretreatment with cytochalasin B. F‐actin depolymerization occurred gradually at a rate inversely proportional to IL‐8 concentration. This temporal pattern of actin polymerization‐depolymerization was similar to that induced by other chemotactic factors such as C5a and N‐formylmethionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine, which also exhibit a marked LAI effect, but the lipid mediators, leu‐kotriene B4 and platelet‐activating factor, lack any significant LAI effect. Scanning confocal microscopy demonstrated that neutrophil actin microfilaments undergo a dramatic rearrangement prior to detachment of the neutrophil from a surface. We suggest that the ability of IL‐8 and certain other leukocyte agonists to regulate the actin polymer network of neutrophils may play an important role in adhesive interactions with the vascular endothelium.
Speeding up genetic algorithm-based game balancing using fitness predictors

Genetic Algorithms (GAs) can find game parameters that fit a designer's requirements. An issue with this is the long time taken to evaluate fitness, as this requires running the game many times. Here we use fitness predictors, currently neural networks, to speed up the process by reducing the number of fitness evaluations. The predictors are trained using data generated by the GA at runtime. After training, the model is invoked to estimate the fitness of newly created individuals. If the estimate is below a threshold, it is accepted. Otherwise, the original fitness function is invoked. We have used this approach on Ms PacMan with promising results.
Expressions of molecules associated with hepatocyte growth factor activation after hepatectomy in liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The activation pathway of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), including HGF activator (HGFA) and HGFA inhibitor-1, 2 (HAI-1, 2), has recently been clarified. The present study examined mRNA expressions of HGF, HGFA and HAI-1 following partial hepatectomy in normal and cirrhotic rats. METHODOLOGY Liver cirrhosis was induced by intraperitoneal injections of dimethylnitrosamine. Two weeks after, the cirrhotic and normal rats underwent 70% hepatectomy and the liver regeneration rate, DNA synthesis of hepatocytes, plasma HGF level, and mRNA expressions of HGF, HGFA, and HAI-1 in the liver, spleen, and lung were examined at different times. RESULTS Liver regeneration in the cirrhotic rats was deteriorated with a later peak of hepatocellular DNA synthesis. Hepatic HGF mRNA and splenic HAI-1 mRNA were upregulated and liver HGFA mRNA was downregulated in the cirrhotic rats. CONCLUSIONS Insufficient HGF activation both by a reduced expression of hepatic HGFA and an increased expression of splenic HAI-1 may be one of the reasons for the impaired liver regeneration in cirrhosis.
Prevention of bone loss and hypoestrogenic symptoms by estrogen and interrupted progestogen add-back in long-term GnRH-agonist down-regulated patients with endometriosis and premenstrual syndrome

ObjectiveTo examine the utility of a low-dose estrogen and pulsed progestogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimen for add-back during long-term gonadotropin-releasing hormone-agonist (GnRH-agonist) therapy. DesignA pilot clinical trial conducted at a tertiary referral, academic, reproductive sciences center. The study included 15 patients with endometriosis and 5 patients with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Patients with endometriosis received leuprolide acetate depot 3.75 mg IM monthly until their symptoms had resolved (2–3 months), at which time HRT was initiated along with the GnRH-agonist. Patients with severe PMS received the same treatment with the addition of HRT after 1 month. The HRT regimen consisted of 1 mg oral micronized estradiol daily and 0.35 mg norethindrone daily for 2 days alternating with 2 days without norethindrone. The main outcome measure included bone density assessment in the lumbar spine and femoral neck by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at 6- to 12-month intervals. The mean follow-up duration ± SD while on GnRH-agonist treatment was 31.2 ± 17 months (for endometriosis patients) and 37.7 ± 8.4 months (for patients with severe PMS). ResultsBone mineral density was stable after initiation of HRT for the entire follow-up period. No patient had return of pelvic pain or resumption of mood swings after HRT add-back. After the first 3 months of HRT, all women remained amenorrheic. ConclusionsLong-term GnRH-agonist down-regulation is safe and effective when combined with HRT add-back. Furthermore, on the basis of this small study, the low-dose pulsed progestogen, continuous estrogen HRT regimen seems to be safe for use as add-back therapy in terms of bone health.
The role of C5a in the development of thrombotic glomerulonephritis in rats

Thrombus formation is the important pathologic finding observed in glomerulonephritis induced by antiglomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies. Although strong deposition of C3 and membrane attack complex (MAC) is observed in this disease, the role of complement has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of complement, especially an anaphylatoxin C5a, in a rat model of thrombotic glomerulonephritis. Rats were first pretreated with subclinical dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Thrombotic glomerulonephritis was then induced by intravenous injection with rabbit antirat GBM (RbAGBM) (Group I). For the evaluation of the role of complement, the soluble complement receptor type 1 (sCR1) (Group II) or the C5a receptor antagonist peptide (C5aR‐AP) (Group III) was intravenously administered 30 min before RbAGBM injection. For exploring the role of neutrophils, rats were pretreated with cyclophosphamide before induction of disease (Group IV). All rats were sacrificed at 6 h, and histological examination was performed.
A disorder of colour perception associated with abnormal colour after-images: a defect of the primary visual cortex

A 64 year old woman with posterior cortical atrophy secondary to probable Alzheimer's disease is described. Her presenting symptom was of seeing objects as abnormally coloured after prior exposure to a coloured stimulus. Formal testing disclosed that the patient experienced colour after-images of abnormal latency, duration, and amplitude. The demonstration of prolonged colour after-images in a patient with a cortical disease process provides strong evidence that the generation of colour after-images is mediated at least in part by the visual cortex. A mechanism for the generation of colour after-images is proposed in which abnormal prolongation of the images results from excessive rebound inhibition of previously excited wavelength selective neurons in V1. This may occur as a consequence of the relative sparing of inhibitory interneurons in V1 in the context of the degeneration of excitatory neurons that occurs in Alzheimer's disease.
Experimental and Theoretical Study of a Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester Under High Temperature

This paper focuses on studying the effect of increasing the ambient temperature up to 160 °C on the power harvested by an MEMS piezoelectric micro-cantilever manufactured using an aluminum nitride-on-silicon fabrication process. An experimental study shows that the peak output power decreases by 60% to 70% depending on the input acceleration. A theoretical study establishes the relationship of all important parameters with temperature and includes them into a temperature-dependent model. This model shows that around 50% of the power drop can be explained by a decreasing quality factor, and that thermal stresses account for around 30% of this decrease. [2017-0071]
The Beta Intervalling Effect During a Deep Economic Crisis - Evidence from Greece

Purpose – The intervalling effect bias of beta refers to the sensitivity of beta estimation with respect to the reference time interval on which returns are measured and its manifestation may indicate the degree of market inefficiencies. The purpose of this paper is to study the intervalling effect bias within an environment and during a sample period that embraces the evolution of a deep economic crisis and show in particular that its intensity is profoundly magnified. Design/methodology/approach – The Athens Stock Exchange is studied via the market model during the sample period 2007-2012 that embraces the Greek debt restructuring. Two portfolios are formed to distinguish between large and small market capitalizations, three reference intervals are considered for measurement of returns (daily, weekly, monthly) and the respective betas are calculated via OLS simple regression. The results are compared to similar studies. The results are further confirmed by using a second proxy for the market portfolio. Findings – The intensity of the intervalling effect bias was very pronounced during this sample period with regard to all aspects of the phenomenon that similar studies have reported and to which the results of this paper are compared. Originality/value – This is the first time that the intervalling effect is examined in conjunction to a deep economic crisis environment. The intensity of the intervalling effect reflects the depth of the inefficiencies of a market for some period. As a consequence, some function measuring this intensity may be devised to serve as a measure of market inefficiencies.
[Detection of interleukin-8 on tissue array of non-small cell lung cancer and its clinicopathological significance].

BACKGROUND Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a member of the CXC chemokine family, which involved in tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of IL-8 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its clinicopathologic significance. METHODS The expression of IL-8 protein and the intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) were detected in 114 cases of NSCLC on tissue array by immunohistochemical method (EnVisionTM method). RESULTS The positive rate of IL-8 expression was 81.6% (93/114) in 114 cases of the primary lung cancer and 79.1% (34/43) in metastatic lymph nodes respectively. And it was remarkably higher in NSCLC with lymph node metastasis (93.0%, 40/43)) than in those without lymph node metastasis (74.6%, 53/71) (P < 0.05). IL-8 protein expression in primary lung cancer tissues was positively related to TNM stages (P < 0.05), but not to histological type, differentiation degree, age and sex of patients (P > 0.05). In addition, there was significant difference in MVD between IL-8 positive NSCLC tissues (22.1±13.6) and negative ones (14.8±11.2) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that there is overexpression of IL-8 in NSCLC, which is closely related to angiogenesis, TNM stages and lymph node metastasis. Detection of IL-8 protein may be helpful to evaluate biological characteristics and therapy for NSCLC.
Automation of the acclimation phase in a sequencing batch reactor using dissolved oxygen regulation

In this work, an automatic strategy for acclimation of biomass to toxic wastewater biodegradation in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is proposed and evaluated. It is based on monitoring the airflow needs for regulating the dissolved oxygen concentration at a desired set point. The regulation is achieved by using a PID controller with an input/output linearizing feedforward part, using the airflow rate as input variable. A simple algorithm to detect the end of the reaction phase using this manipulated signal is proposed. The strategy was tested on a laboratory bioreactor using 4‐chlorophenol as model toxic compound and two inocula from different sources. The results show that it is a viable alternative for automatic acclimation of biomass for toxic wastewater treatment in a SBR. Furthermore, the strategy is also suitable for the operation of the reactor after acclimation.
Childhood IQ and all-cause mortality before and after age 65: prospective observational study linking the Scottish Mental Survey 1932 and the Midspan studies.

OBJECTIVES The objective was to investigate how childhood IQ related to all-cause mortality before and after age 65. DESIGN The Midspan prospective cohort studies, followed-up for mortality for 25 years, were linked to individuals' childhood IQ from the Scottish Mental Survey 1932. METHODS The Midspan studies collected data on risk factors for cardiorespiratory disease from a questionnaire and at a screening examination, and were conducted on adults in Scotland in the 1970s. An age 11 IQ from the Scottish Mental Survey 1932, a cognitive ability test conducted on 1921-born children attending schools in Scotland, was found for 938 Midspan participants. The relationship between childhood IQ and mortality risk, adjusting for adulthood socio-economic confounders, was analysed. The effect of adjustment for childhood IQ on the relationship between established risk factors (blood pressure, smoking, height and respiratory function) and mortality was also investigated. RESULTS For deaths occurring up to age 65, there was a 36% increased risk per standard deviation decrease (15 points) in childhood IQ which was reduced to 29% after adjusting for social class and deprivation category. There was no statistically significant relationship between childhood IQ and deaths occurring after the age of 65. Adjustment for childhood IQ attenuated the risk factor-mortality relationship in deaths occurring up to age 65, but had no effect in deaths occurring after age 65. CONCLUSIONS Childhood IQ was significantly related to deaths occurring up to age 65, but not to deaths occurring after age 65.
Modified versions of SLIC algorithm for generating superpixels in hyperspectral images

This paper aims at assessing the performance of the Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) superpixel generating algorithm on hyperspectral images. Two modified versions of SLIC algorithm have been proposed. In the first, the HyperSLIC version, modifications were made to the basic algorithm in order to work with higher dimensions. In the second, the FD-SLIC version, a more complex distance measure, the fractional distance, already successfully used in the unmixing procedure was introduced. HyperSLIC was also applied on the abundance maps that are produced by the endmembers of the hyperspectral image. Algorithms have been applied on two images. Evaluation was based on visual inspection, NSE metric and “danger” maps. It has been shown that whole hyperspectral volume and fractional distance metric improves SLIC performance.