Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of HDL particles on cell-cholesterol efflux under various pathological conditions[S]

It has been reported that low cell-cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of HDL is an independent risk factor for CVD. To better understand CEC regulation, we measured ABCA1- and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-dependent cell-cholesterol efflux, HDL anti-oxidative capacity, HDL particles, lipids, and inflammatory- and oxidative-stress markers in 122 subjects with elevated plasma levels of triglyceride (TG), serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, myeloperoxidase (MPO), or β-sitosterol and in 146 controls. In controls, there were strong positive correlations between ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux and small preβ-1 concentrations (R2 = 0.317) and SR-BI-dependent cholesterol efflux and large (α-1 + α-2) HDL particle concentrations (R2 = 0.774). In high-TG patients, both the concentration and the functionality (preβ-1 concentration-normalized ABCA1 efflux) of preβ-1 particles were significantly elevated compared with controls; however, though the concentration of large particles was significantly decreased, their functionality (large HDL concentration-normalized SR-BI efflux) was significantly elevated. High levels of SAA or MPO were not associated with decreased functionality of either the small (preβ-1) or the large (α-1 + α-2) HDL particles. HDL anti-oxidative capacity was negatively influenced by high plasma β-sitosterol levels, but not by the concentrations of HDL particles, TG, SAA, fibrinogen, or MPO. Our data demonstrate that under certain conditions CEC is influenced not only by quantitative (concentration), but also by qualitative (functional) properties of HDL particles.
Information, Systems and Mobility: Looking to the Future

information is the basis of our society and of our organisations. Once upon a time information was marginal to organisations. Gradually information became central, in effect no information, no organisation. Now the ways in which our society produces, transforms, transmits and consumes information are rapidly changing and these transformations impact again on organisations. Everyone has these powers and the information world that organisations inhabit is strange and changed. This paper, part of a larger investigation, analyses and interprets some of the literature of mobilities and highlights the impending consequences for information systems in organisation. The details of these consequences are currently difficult to predict.
Microbial cellulases in Industrial applications

Cellulose, most copious constituent of plant cell wall and a renewable resource, is of considerable economic importance due to its potential applications in production of various bioenergy and bio-based products. Cellulose is used as a food source by the wide range of microorganisms and animals. Cellulose degrading enzymes are utilized in numerous applications in several industries, such as biofuel production, food and feed industry, brewing, pulp and paper, textile, laundry, and agriculture. Cellulose degrading enzymes containing microbes are widely spread in nature and isolated from different environments. In this communication we are presenting an overview of microbial cellulases used in different industrial applications.
Pseudotyping Vesicular Stomatitis Virus with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Glycoproteins Enhances Infectivity for Glioma Cells and Minimizes Neurotropism

ABSTRACT Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based oncolytic virotherapy has the potential to significantly improve the prognosis of aggressive malignancies such as brain cancer. However, VSV's inherent neurotoxicity has hindered clinical development so far. Given that this neurotropism is attributed to the glycoprotein VSV-G, VSV was pseudotyped with the nonneurotropic envelope glycoprotein of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV-GP→VSV-GP). Compared to VSV, VSV-GP showed enhanced infectivity for brain cancer cells in vitro while sparing primary human and rat neurons in vitro and in vivo, respectively. In conclusion, VSV-GP has a much wider therapeutic window than VSV and is thus more suitable for clinical applications, especially in the brain.
Análisis formal de la dinámica de sistemas no lineales mediante redes neuronales

A la hora de estudiar un sistema (sistema industrial, biologico, economico, etc.), llegar a enfocar su analisis desde un punto de vista dinamico puede ser de gran utilidad e interes, en funcion de los requerimientos que condicionen dicho analisis. Mediante un analisis dinamico se puede conocer que respuesta tendra un sistema ante determinados estimulos de entrada, cual es su comportamiento, si es estable en lazo abierto (local y globalmente), incluso si viene afectado por fenomenos no lineales, como bifurcaciones y ciclos limites, por ejemplo. En ocasiones donde el sistema es desconocido o su dinamica es lo suficientemente compleja como para formalizar su analisis dinamico a traves de modelos matematicos, las herramientas basadas en tecnicas de control inteligente, como son las redes neuronales, cobran vital importancia ya que permiten abordar el problema a traves de modelos del sistema. La literatura ha demostrado que los modelos neuronales son aproximadores universales tanto de una funcion como de su derivada, por lo que en base a datos de entrada/salida permiten modelar sistemas no lineales. Considerando que un modelo neuronal es un modelo matematico formalmente hablando, en base al mismo se pueden estudiar aspectos de la dinamica del sistema modelado real, del mismo modo a como se desarrolla en la teoria de control no lineal. Este trabajo presenta una metodologia de estudio de los estados de equilibro de un sistema no lineal, la linealizacion exacta de su modelo de estado neuronal y el estudio de la estabilidad local de los equilibrios a partir de dicha linealizacion. A partir de dicha informacion, es posible estudiar la estabilidad local de los estados de equilibrio, asi como la dinamica del sistema en su entorno y la presencia de oscilaciones, obteniendose una valiosa informacion del comportamiento dinamico del sistema.
Competition between yogurt probiotics and periodontal pathogens in vitro

Abstract Objective. To investigate the competition between probiotics in bio-yogurt and periodontal pathogens in vitro. Material and methods. The antimicrobial activity of bio-yogurt was studied by agar diffusion assays, using eight species of putative periodontal pathogens and a ‘protective bacteria’ as indicator strains. Four probiotic bacterial species (Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium) were isolated from yogurt and used to rate the competitive exclusion between probiotics and periodontal pathogens. Results. Fresh yogurt inhibited all the periodontal pathogens included in this work, showing inhibition zones ranging from 9.3 (standard deviation 0.6) mm to 17.3 (standard deviation 1.7) mm, whereas heat-treated yogurt showed lower antimicrobial activity. In addition, neither fresh yogurt nor heat-treated yogurt inhibited the ‘protective bacteria’, Streptococcus sanguinis. The competition between yogurt probiotics and periodontal pathogens depended on the sequence of inoculation. When probiotics were inoculated first, Bifidobacterium inhibited Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas circumdentaria, and Prevotella nigrescens; L. acidophilus inhibited P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. circumdentaria, P. nigrescens, and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius; L. bulgaricus inhibited P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and P. nigrescens; and S. thermophilus inhibited P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum, and P. nigrescens. However, their antimicrobial properties were reduced when both species (probiotics and periodontal pathogens) were inoculated simultaneously. When periodontal pathogens were inoculated first, Prevotella intermedia inhibited Bifidobacterium and S. thermophilus. Conclusions. The results demonstrated that bio-yogurt and the probiotics that it contains are capable of inhibiting specific periodontal pathogens but have no effect on the periodontal protective bacteria.
Greedy heuristic placement algorithms in distributed cooperative proxy system

In this paper, we investigate the object placement problem in distributed cooperative proxy systems and build a mathematics model. We prove that the problem is a NP-Hard problem and two novel greedy heuristic placement algorithms MWLC and MWGB are proposed to get the near-optimal answer in a polynomial complexity. We perform simulation and the results reported in this paper show that these two algorithms could achieve better performance than the traditional MFU algorithm (about 13.05% and 14.13% respectively). By the analysis of the experiment results, we find that the two algorithms can efficiently reduce the average request cost and balance the load of proxies. In general, the technologies proposed in this paper could be used to develop effective distributed cooperative proxy systems such as CDSP and digital library and so on.
Frequency filter networks for EEG-based recognition

In some of the EEG-based recognition tasks, for example, EEG-based emotion recognition (EEG-ER), enhancing feature extractors is difficult. In such cases, the use of deep neural networks which are capable of classification and recognition by the input of raw data is desirable. Therefore, effective components and models of neural networks for EEG-based recognition must be proposed. In addition, the capability of easily interpreting the feature networks learned is also needed not only from the viewpoint of enhancing features but also from the neuroscientific viewpoint. This paper proposes a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) layer, inverse DFT layer, and other components to compose a frequency filter module. This module was proposed for embedding a bandpass filter suitable for EEG data and the targets, and interpreting features in frequency domain. The proposed models were compared with their counterparts and state-of-the-art models, and evaluated according to their accuracies and visualizing features for person recognition and emotion recognition. The results showed that the frequency filter module is effective in preprocessing or interpreting some features in EEG with a characteristic in frequency domain.
[Altered expression of L-type calcium channel alpha1C and alpha1D subunits in colon of rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the molecular identities of L-type calcium channel alpha1C subunit (Cav1.2) and alpha1D subunit (Cav1.3) responsible for motor dysfunction of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). METHODS A total of 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. The traditional method for irritable bowel syndrome in a cold environment and intragastric administration of Folium Cassiae were combined to develop the D-IBS model. The fecal particles of rats and the water content in feces were measured. Then the expression of Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expressions of Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 were examined by immunohistochemistry in colonic tissues from D-IBS model rats and matched tissues. RESULTS The fecal particles and the water content in feces of D-IBS model rats significantly increased as compared with the normal rats (6.8 +/- 1.4 vs 3.2 +/- 0.8, P = 0.032, 80% +/- 4% vs 47% +/- 5%, P = 0.018). Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 were positively expressed in colon of both model group and control group rats. The immunohistochemical scores of Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 expression increased in colon of D-IBS model rats as compared with those in normal control rats (3.43 +/- 0.92 vs 2.82 +/- 0.60, P = 0.034, 4.32 +/- 0.51 vs 3.75 +/- 1.05, P = 0.039). The immunohistochemical scores of Cav1.3 expression were significantly higher than Cav1.2 in colon of both two group rats (P = 0.003, 0.005). Similarly, the expression of Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 mRNA increased in colon of D-IBS model rats as compared with those in normal control rats (1.18 +/- 0.15 vs 1.06 +/- 0.12, P = 0.023, 1.32 +/- 0.13 vs 1.23 +/- 0.13, P = 0.033). The expression of Cav1.3 mRNA was significantly higher than Cav1.2 in colon of both two group rats (P = 0.038, 0.012). CONCLUSIONS The traditional modeling of irritable bowel syndrome in rats alters the expression of Cav1.2 and Cav1.3. It may be directly related to the generation of enhanced colonic contraction in D-IBS. In addition, Cav1.3 may play a more important role than Cav1.2 in colonic contractility. It offers another potential therapeutic target in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.
Groundwater and ecosystems damages: Questioning the Gisser–Sánchez effect

Gisser and Sánchez (1980a) state the conditions under which welfare gains from policy intervention are negligible in aquifer management, when compared with non-regulation or “free market” outcomes. This is the so-called Gisser-Sánchez effect (GSE), which has been supported by the ensuing literature during recent decades. The GSE requires a number of assumptions, among which is the disregard for aquatic ecosystems linked and dependent on aquifer systems. The depletion of aquifer systems in arid and semiarid regions worldwide is causing acute water scarcity and quality degradation, and leading to extensive ecosystem damages. This study shows that by including environmental damages into the analytical model, results can change substantially. The analysis highlights both theoretically and empirically the importance of policies in groundwater management, as well as the potential role for stakeholders’ cooperation. The empirical application deals with two large aquifers in Spain, the Western La Mancha aquifer which is grossly mismanaged, and the Eastern La Mancha aquifer, which is moving towards sustainable management. Western and Eastern La Mancha aquifers illustrate that policies and institutions are essential to avoid the current global aquifer mismanagement. JEL classification: D62, D78, Q25.
Macro‐ and microvascular endothelial dysfunction in diabetes

Endothelial cells, as well as their major products nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin, play a key role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Diabetes‐induced endothelial dysfunction is a critical and initiating factor in the genesis of diabetic vascular complications. The present review focuses on both large blood vessels and the microvasculature. The endothelial dysfunction in diabetic macrovascular complications is characterized by reduced NO bioavailability, poorly compensated for by increased production of prostacyclin and/or endothelium‐dependent hyperpolarizations, and increased production or action of endothelium‐derived vasoconstrictors. The endothelial dysfunction of microvascular complications is primarily characterized by decreased release of NO, enhanced oxidative stress, increased production of inflammatory factors, abnormal angiogenesis, and impaired endothelial repair. In addition, non‐coding RNAs (microRNAs) have emerged as participating in numerous cellular processes. Thus, this reviews pays special attention to microRNAs and their modulatory role in diabetes‐induced vascular dysfunction. Some therapeutic strategies for preventing and restoring diabetic endothelial dysfunction are also highlighted.
Determination of Maximum Electromagnetic Torque in PM Brushless Machines Having Two-Segment Halbach Array

This paper develops a 2-D field analytical model for predicting the magnetic field distribution and the corresponding electromagnetic performance in air- and iron-cored permanent magnet (PM) brushless machines having radially or parallel magnetized two-segment Halbach array. A simple equation is derived to directly predict the optimal magnet ratio for maximum electromagnetic torque, while the influence of pole-pair number and magnet thickness on the optimal magnet ratio is investigated for both air- and iron-cored machines. The analytical model is validated by finite-element analyses and also measurements on a prototype 12-slot/10-pole PM brushless machine.
Variability of osp genes and gene products among species of Lyme disease spirochetes

A comparison of the osp operon in 24 Lyme disease isolates, including representatives from each of the three established species, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii, and group VS461, was conducted. Several properties were assessed to determine whether the variability observed in this operon was reflective of the species of the isolate. At the transcriptional level, start site and Northern (RNA) blot analyses were conducted. B. garinii and VS461 group isolates were found to possess an untranslated leader sequence 6 nucleotides longer than that observed in B. burgdorferi isolates. By Northern blot analyses all Lyme disease isolates, except the B. garinii isolate VS102, were found to produce a polycistronic full-length ospAB message. Isolate VS102 produced a truncated message lacking the ospB portion of the transcript. Southern blot analyses suggest that the deletion occurred at the DNA level and was not due to a posttranscriptional event. Analysis of the outer surface proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the OspB isoelectric points were variable, with the OspB of B. garinii isolates exhibiting a pronounced acidic shift. The reactivity of different isolates to OspA and -B monoclonal antibodies and to a hyperimmune anti-ospAB serum was also variable. The results presented here demonstrate genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity in the osp operon at both the inter- and intraspecies levels. The results have implications concerning the use of the osp genes or their gene products in the development of a Lyme disease vaccine, as diagnostic markers of Lyme disease, and in subtyping of Lyme disease isolates.
Thrombin Causes Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in the reendothelialization of the vascular wall after balloon injury. This study investigated whether thrombin, which is formed during activation of the coagulation cascade at sites of vascular injury, upregulates VEGF expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). VEGF expression was assessed in native and cultured VSMCs by Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and the release of VEGF protein by immunoassay. &agr;-Thrombin time- and concentration-dependently increased VEGF mRNA levels, mainly that mRNA coding for the soluble splice variant VEGF164/165, and stimulated the release of VEGF protein. These effects required the proteolytic activity of thrombin and were mimicked by a thrombin receptor activating–peptide. Upregulation of VEGF expression was also induced by conditioned medium from &agr;-thrombin–stimulated VSMCs. Both the early and the delayed &agr;-thrombin–induced VEGF expressions were attenuated by antioxidants and by diphenyleneiodonium. &agr;-Thrombin–induced VEGF release was significantly reduced by a platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)–, a transforming growth factor (TGF)-&bgr;–, and a basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)–neutralizing antibody. Thrombin caused a redox-sensitive upregulation of expression of VEGF in VSMCs through a direct and an indirect effect, which was dependent on the endogenous formation of PDGF, TGF-&bgr;, and bFGF. Upregulation of VEGF expression may represent an important mechanism by which the coagulation cascade contributes to the regeneration of the endothelial lining at sites of balloon injury.
THE EFFECT ON RENAL EFFICIENCY OF LOWERING ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE IN CASES OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION AND NEPHRITIS.

In 1856 L. Traube (1) postulated that arterial pressure was elevated in cases of disease of the kidneys to overcome mechanical resistance against blood flow, thus compensating for the abnormal resistance and maintaining the efficiency of the kidneys as excretory organs. The " compensatory " theory has had many adherents, some of whom have generalized it to include hypertension of varied etiology. The object of the present investigation was to compare the efficiency of excretion, when the blood pressure was at a high level, with that when it was reduced. It was hoped to bring evidence which would substantiate or refute the compensatory theory as applied to patients suffering from hypertension. The urea clearance test of M6ller, McIntosh and Van Slyke (2) was used for the comparison.
A Hybrid Framework Combining Structural and Decision-Theoretic Pattern Recognition and Applications

A new framework is introduced which allows the formulation of difficult structural classification tasks in terms of decision-theoretic-based pattern recognition. It is based on extending the classical formulation of generalized linear discriminant functions so as to permit each given object to have a different vector representation in each class. The proposed extension properly accounts for the corresponding extension of the classical learning techniques of linear discriminant functions in a way such that the convergence of the extended techniques can still be proved. The proposed framework can be considered as a hybrid methodology in which both structural and decision-theoretic pattern recognition are integrated. Furthermore, it can be considered as a means to achieve convenient tradeoffs between the inductive and deductive ways of knowledge acquisition, which can result in rendering tractable the possibly hard original inductive learning problem associated with the given task. The proposed framework and methods are illustrated through their use in two difficult structural classification tasks, showing both the appropriateness and the capability of these methods to obtain useful results.
IMPLEMENTACION DE ALGORITMOS DE VISION COMPUTACIONAL PARA LA AUTOMATIZACION DE SISTEMAS AGROINDUSTRIALES

El principal proposito de este proyecto es desarrollar un algoritmo de deteccion de maleza presente en terrenos listos para cultivar. Para lograr esta deteccion, se realizara el analisis de un conjunto de imagenes de diferentes tipos de maleza como el bledo, quinguilla, urochloa bowlesia, entre otras. Para dicho reconocimiento, se usaran herramientas computacionales como el programa MATLAB, y en el se realizara la lectura e inspeccion de cada imagen, donde se seleccionara la gama de colores verdes presentes en la imagen por medio de rangos en el espacio CIELAB. Nuestro estudio se divide en dos etapas. La primera consiste en solamente la deteccion del color verde utilizando un rectangulo generico en el espacio CIELAB. Y la segunda etapa, delimitara la zona que contiene los colores verdes excluyendo otras tonalidades.
Using Heterogeneous Choice Models to Compare Logit and Probit Coefficients Across Groups

Allison (1999) notes that comparisons of logit and probit coefficients across groups can be invalid and misleading, proposes a procedure by which these problems can be corrected, and argues that ``routine use [of this method] seems advisable'' and that ``it is hard to see how [the method] can be improved. '' In this article, the author argues that as originally proposed, Allison's method can have serious problems and should not be applied on a routine basis. However, this study also shows that his model belongs to a larger class of models variously known as heterogeneous choice or location-scale models. Several advantages of this broader and more flexible class of models are illustrated. Dependent variables can be ordinal in addition to binary, sources of heterogeneity can be better modeled and controlled for, and insights can be gained into the effects of group characteristics on outcomes that would be missed by other methods.