Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of defect depth on reflection coefficient of ultrasonic guided waves in steel pipes

Through the analysis of dispersion equation and curves of ultrasonic guided waves in the steel pipes, L (0,2) and T (0,1) mode are applied to the defect detection field. The finite element method is used to analysis the propagation and reflection process of L (0,2) and T (0,1) mode guided waves in the steel pipes with depth varying middle defects, and the conclusion that the relationship between the depth range of the defect and the reflection coefficient of guided waves is linear in steel pipes is summed up. Finally, the conclusion is verified by field test analysis.
Investigation of a 6‐MSA Synthase Gene Cluster in Aspergillus aculeatus Reveals 6‐MSA‐derived Aculinic Acid, Aculins A–B and Epi‐Aculin A

Aspergillus aculeatus, a filamentous fungus belonging to the Aspergillus clade Nigri, is an industrial workhorse in enzyme production. Recently we reported a number of secondary metabolites from this fungus; however, its genetic potential for the production of secondary metabolites is vast. In this study we identified a 6‐methylsalicylic acid (6‐MSA) synthase from A. aculeatus, and verified its functionality by episomal expression in A. aculeatus and heterologous expression in A. nidulans. Feeding studies with fully 13C‐labeled 6‐MSA revealed that 6‐MSA is incorporated into aculinic acid, which further incorporates into three compounds that we name aculins A and B, and epi‐aculin A, described here for the first time. Based on NMR data and bioinformatic studies we propose the structures of the compounds as well as a biosynthetic pathway leading to formation of aculins from 6‐MSA.
Dual Roles for Lipolysis and Oxidation in Peroxisome Proliferation-Activator Receptor Responses to Electronegative Low Density Lipoprotein*

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) exists in various forms that possess unique characteristics, including particle content and metabolism. One circulating subfraction, electronegative LDL (LDL(–)), which is increased in familial hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, is implicated in accelerated atherosclerosis. Cellular responses to LDL(–) remain poorly described. Here we demonstrate that LDL(–) increases tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)–induced inflammatory responses through NFκB and AP-1 activation with corresponding increases in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) expression. LDL receptor overexpression increased these effects. In contrast, exposing LDL(–) to the key lipolytic enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL) reversed these responses, inhibiting VCAM1 below levels seen with TNFα alone. LPL is known to act on lipoproteins to generate endogenous peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) ligand, thus limiting inflammation. These responses varied according to the lipoprotein substrate triglyceride content (very low density lipoprotein ≫ LDL > high density lipoprotein). The PPARα activation seen with LDL, however, was disproportionately high. We show here that MUT LDL activates PPARα to an extent proportional to its LDL(–) content. As compared with LDL(–) alone, LPL-treated LDL(–) increased PPARα activation 20-fold in either cell-based transfection or radioligand displacement assays. LPL-treated LDL(–) suppressed NFκB and AP-1 activation, increasing expression of the PPARα target gene IκBα, although only in the genetic presence of PPARα and with intact LPL hydrolysis. Mass spectrometry reveals that LPL-treatment of either LDL or LDL(–) releases hydroxy-octadecadienoic acids (HODEs), potent PPARα activators. These findings suggest LPL-mediated PPARα activation as an alternative catabolic pathway that may limit inflammatory responses to LDL(–).
Summary Report of the TD-3 Workshop: Characterization of 83 Antibodies against Prostate-Specific Antigen

Twelve research groups participated in the ISOBM TD-3 Workshop in which the reactivity and specificity of 83 antibodies against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were investigated. Using a variety of techniques including cross-inhibition assays, Western blotting, BIAcore, immunoradiometric assays and immunohistochemistry, the antibodies were categorized into six major groups which formed the basis for mapping onto two- and three-dimensional (2-D and 3-D) models of PSA. The overall findings of the TD-3 Workshop are summarized in this report. In agreement with all participating groups, three main antigenic domains were identified: free PSA-specific epitopes located in or close to amino acids 86–91; discontinuous epitopes specific for PSA without human kallikrein (hK2) cross-reactivity located at or close to amino acids 158–163; and continuous or linear epitopes shared between PSA and hK2 located close to amino acids 3–11. In addition, several minor and partly overlapping domains were also identified. Clearly, the characterization of antibodies from this workshop and the location of their epitopes on the 3-D model of PSA illustrate the importance of selecting appropriate antibody pairs for use in immunoassays. It is hoped that these findings and the epitope nomenclature described in this TD-3 Workshop are used as a standard for future evaluation of anti-PSA antibodies.
Iterative Reprojection Reconstruction algorithm with attenuation correction applied to truncated projections in SPECT

When SPECT sinograms are truncated, the Iterative Reprojection Reconstruction (IRR) algorithm based on the Radon transform cannot restore the distribution that would be obtained with the complete projection data set, even in the field of view taken as a region of interest. Nevertheless, when the attenuation characteristics are known and an attenuation correction is incorporated in the IRR scheme, the source distribution can be recovered in the field of view and, in the particular case of a contrasted attenuation map, even outside the region.
Prevalence of strategies for coping with daily stress in children.

BACKGROUND The study of coping strategies in children guarantees quality of life from childhood onwards. The present paper aims to determine the prevalence of coping strategies for three everyday problems in children, while examining sociodemographic variables, context variables, and teacher assessment. METHOD The sample is composed of 7,058 school children aged between 8 and 13 years old. RESULTS Results show a higher prevalence of the Active Solution strategy at home and in school contexts compared with the health area, where the Active Solutionis the least prevalent strategy, and Concealing the Problem the most widely used, followed by Passivity. Other highly prevalent strategies in the school context include Search for Information, Emotion, and Social Support. In general, regardless of the context, Behavioural Avoidance and Passivity are theleast prevalent strategies, whereas Active Solution is the most prevalent one, followed by Emotion. The last two-Active Solution and Emotion - are part of two main coping styles suggested in a number of studies on which these results are based, which will be compared and discussed in this study. CONCLUSIONS The present study allows us to extract relevant epidemiological information on strategies used to cope with everyday problems related to health, family, and school, in a sample of socially well-adapted and psychologically healthy Spanish school children. The data obtained can be useful in an increasing number of situations and contexts, both for diagnostic purposes and for psycho-educational orientation and intervention.
R-Based Software for the Integration of Pathway Data into Bioinformatic Algorithms

Putting new findings into the context of available literature knowledge is one approach to deal with the surge of high-throughput data results. Furthermore, prior knowledge can increase the performance and stability of bioinformatic algorithms, for example, methods for network reconstruction. In this review, we examine software packages for the statistical computing framework R, which enable the integration of pathway data for further bioinformatic analyses. Different approaches to integrate and visualize pathway data are identified and packages are stratified concerning their features according to a number of different aspects: data import strategies, the extent of available data, dependencies on external tools, integration with further analysis steps and visualization options are considered. A total of 12 packages integrating pathway data are reviewed in this manuscript. These are supplemented by five R-specific packages for visualization and six connector packages, which provide access to external tools.
Effects of Nondependent Lung Ventilation With Continuous Positive-Pressure Ventilation and High-Frequency Positive-Pressure Ventilation on Right-Ventricular Function During 1-Lung Ventilation

Background. The application of volume-controlled high frequency positive pressure ventilation (HFPPV) to the nondependent lung (NL) may have comparable effects to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on the right ventricular (RV) function, oxygenation, and surgical conditions during one lung ventilation (OLV) for thoracotomy. Methods. After local ethics committee approval and informed consent, 75 patients scheduled for elective thoracotomy using OLV were randomly allocated to receive nondependent lung either CPAP 2 (CPAP2; n=25) or 5 (CPAP5; n=25) cm H2O pressure setting of the device or HFPPV using VT 3 mL-1, I: E ratio <0.3 and R.R 60/min (HFPPV; n=25), followed 15 min of OLV. Intraoperative changes in RV ejection fraction (REF), end-diastolic volume (RVEDVI) and stroke work (RVSWI), stroke volume (SVI), oxygen delivery (DO2), and uptake (VO2) indices and shunt fraction (Qs: Qt) were recorded without any surgical manipulation of the lung. Results. The application of NL-HFPPV resulted in improved REF by 33%, SVI and DO2 (P < 0.01) and reduced RVEDVI, RVSWI, PVRI, oxygen uptake, and shunt fraction by 24.8% (P < 0.01) than in the NL-CPAP groups. Conclusion. We concluded that the use of NL-HFPPV is a feasible option and offers improved RV function and oxygenation during OLV for open thoracotomy.
Performance of the ABCD and ABCD2 Scores in TIA Patients with Carotid Stenosis and Atrial Fibrillation

Background: It has been suggested that scores for risk stratification of TIA patients might not identify patients with carotid stenosis or atrial fibrillation (AF) and that this might undermine the usefulness of such scores. Methods: In patients with TIA in the Oxford Vascular Study, we studied the associations between ABCD and ABCD2 scores, the presence of ≧50% ipsilateral carotid stenosis or AF, and the risk of stroke at 7 days. Results: Among 285 TIA patients (from 559 referrals of possible TIA), 69 (24.2%) had either ≧50% carotid stenosis (n = 29) or AF (n = 42), or both (n = 2). Although the ABCD and ABCD2 scores were highly predictive of stroke at 7 days (p < 0.0001), there was no clear relationship between either score and the prevalence of ≧50% carotid stenosis or AF. However, the scores did predict the 7-day stroke risk in patients with these pathologies: ABCD score (trend – p = 0.05); ABCD2 (trend – p = 0.03). Five of the 6 patients with AF or symptomatic stenosis who had a stroke within 7 days of their TIA had an ABCD score of ≧5 and all 6 had an ABCD2 score of ≧4. Conclusions: The ABCD and ABCD2 risk scores appear to identify patients with ≧50% carotid stenosis or AF who are at high risk of stroke. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of outcomes among these subgroups, and further validations are necessary.
The Future Role of Thalidomide in Multiple Myeloma

Treatment for multiple myeloma typically is chemotherapy, high-dose therapy with stem cell transplantation or radiation. Thalidomide shows promise, but to improve knowledge and understanding of this drug, more clinical data is required. Workshops designed to propose new studies providing much needed data on the use of thalidomide as first-line therapy, as maintenance therapy and as treatment for refractory or relapsed disease are reported here. Thalidomide has been shown to be effective in previously untreated patients as monotherapy (36% remission), although greater remission is seen in combination therapy, for example, thalidomide with dexamethasone (72% remission). Thalidomide is an interesting maintenance therapy. It has the advantages of being effective in the bone marrow and having a long-lasting effect but suffers because of its significant side-effect profile; however, it is tolerated by most patients. The adverse effects are thought to be dose-limiting, and most are seen in all patients at the beginning of treatment. Further clinical evidence is needed to determine the effectiveness of thalidomide as maintenance therapy in patients with multiple myeloma, having been shown to be active against refractory multiple myeloma, even in patients who relapse after high-dose chemotherapy. The workshop acknowledged the problems associated with designing a phase III study, and it is clear that many areas need to be addressed in the use of thalidomide for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Health‐Related Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women With Low BMD With or Without Prevalent Vertebral Fractures

Fractures and subsequent morbidity determine the impact of established postmenopausal osteoporosis. Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important outcome criterion in the assessment and follow‐up of osteoporotic patients. As part of the baseline measurements of the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) study, HRQOL was assessed in 751 osteoporotic (bone mineral density [BMD] T score ≥ −2.5) women from Europe with or without vertebral fractures (VFX). This was done using the quality of life questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (QUALEFFO), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the EQ‐5D (former EuroQol). QUALEFFO contains questions in five domains: pain, physical function, social function, general health perception, and mental function. Each domain score and QUALEFFO total scores are expressed on a 100‐point scale, with 0 corresponding to the best HRQOL. In comparison with patients without VFX, those with VFX were older (66.2 ± 5.9 years vs. 68.8 ± 6.3 years; p < 0.001), had higher prevalence of nonvertebral fractures (25% vs. 36%; p = 0.002), and higher QUALEFFO scores (worse HRQOL; total score, 26 ± 14 vs. 36 ± 17; p < 0.001). QUALEFFO scores increased progressively with increasing number of VFX, especially lumbar fractures (p < 0.001). Patients with a single VFX already had a significant increase in QUALEFFO scores (p < 0.05). Similar, though weaker, associations were seen for NHP and EQ‐5D scores. This study confirms decreased HRQOL for patients with prevalent VFX. In osteoporotic patients, QUALEFFO scores change in relation to the number of VFX. QUALEFFO is suitable for clinical studies in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Requirement for transient metal ions revealed through computational analysis for DNA polymerase going in reverse

Significance DNA polymerases use a general two-metal ion mechanism for DNA synthesis. Recent time-lapse crystallographic studies identified additional adjunct metal ions in the polymerase active site. One of these ions correlates with appearance of pyrophosphate and was proposed to be involved in pyrophosphorolysis (reverse reaction of DNA synthesis). Because DNA polymerases can use pyrophosphorolysis to remove chain-terminating nucleotides during chemotherapies, a better understanding of this reaction is warranted. Through site-directed mutagenesis, pyrophosphorolysis measurements, and computational analysis, we examine the role of metal ions in the reverse reaction. The results indicate that the product-associated metal ion facilitates pyrophosphorolysis during the early stages of the reaction but deters the reaction at later stages, suggesting dynamic metal behavior that can modulate the chemical equilibrium. DNA polymerases facilitate faithful insertion of nucleotides, a central reaction occurring during DNA replication and repair. DNA synthesis (forward reaction) is “balanced,” as dictated by the chemical equilibrium by the reverse reaction of pyrophosphorolysis. Two closely spaced divalent metal ions (catalytic and nucleotide-binding metals) provide the scaffold for these reactions. The catalytic metal lowers the pKa of O3′ of the growing primer terminus, and the nucleotide-binding metal facilitates substrate binding. Recent time-lapse crystallographic studies of DNA polymerases have identified an additional metal ion (product metal) associated with pyrophosphate formation, leading to the suggestion of its possible involvement in the reverse reaction. Here, we establish a rationale for a role of the product metal using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations of the reverse reaction in the confines of the DNA polymerase β active site. Additionally, site-directed mutagenesis identifies essential residues and metal-binding sites necessary for pyrophosphorolysis. The results indicate that the catalytic metal site must be occupied by a magnesium ion for pyrophosphorolysis to occur. Critically, the product metal site is occupied by a magnesium ion early in the pyrophosphorolysis reaction path but must be removed later. The proposed dynamic nature of the active site metal ions is consistent with crystallographic structures. The transition barrier for pyrophosphorolysis was estimated to be significantly higher than that for the forward reaction, consistent with kinetic activity measurements of the respective reactions. These observations provide a framework to understand how ions and active site changes could modulate the internal chemical equilibrium of a reaction that is central to genome stability.
Human-Enabled Edge Computing: Exploiting the Crowd as a Dynamic Extension of Mobile Edge Computing

The MEC vision leverages the availability of powerful and low-cost middleboxes, statically deployed at suitable edges of the network and acting as local proxies for the centralized cloud backbone; this potentially enables, among other things, better scalability and better reactivity in the interaction with mobile nodes via local control decisions and actuation. MEC has already been proposed as an enabler for several Internet of Things and cyber-physical systems application scenarios, and also mutual benefits due to the integration of MEC and mobile crowdsensing (MCS). The article originally proposes human-driven edge computing (HEC) as a new model to ease the provisioning and to extend the coverage of traditional MEC solutions. From a methodological perspective, we show how it is possible to exploit MCS i) to support the effective deployment of fixed MEC (FMEC) proxies and ii) to further extend their coverage through the introduction of impromptu and human-enabled mobile MEC (M2EC) proxies. In addition, we describe how we have implemented these novel concepts in the MCS ParticipAct platform through the integration of the MEC Elijah platform in the ParticipAct living lab, an ongoing MCS real-world experiment that involved about 170 students at the University of Bologna for more than two years. Reported experimental results quantitatively show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques in elastically scaling the load at edge nodes according to runtime provisioning needs.
[Effect of polydatin on dynamic changes of excitatory amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid of cerebral hemorrhage rats].

OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of polydatin on dynamic changes of excitatory amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid and water content of brain tissue of cerebral hemorrhage rats. And to discuss the therapeutic action and mechanisms of polydatin on brain hemorrhagic injured rats. METHOD A quantitative determination method of Asp and Glu was established by microdialysis-HPLC. The cerebral hemorrhage model in rats was induced by local injection of type VII collagenase. The dynamic changes of Asp and Glu in cerebrospinal fluid were observed on 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108 h of cerebral hemorrhage rats, and then the water content of brain tissue was detected. RESULT The content of Asp and Glu increased rapidly within 24 h after cerebral hemorrhage, and to the highest in 24 h, then decreased gradually. Compared with the cerebral hemorrhage model group, the content of Asp and Glu increased slowly in polydatin group, and there were significant differences in 12-72 h and 6-84 h (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference after 84 h and 96 h. Compared with sham group, water content of brain tissue significantly higher in model group, while significantly lower (P < 0.01) in polydatin group. CONCLUSION Polydatin can inhibit increasing content of Asp and Glu in cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and significantly inhibit cerebral edema of cerebral hemorrhage rats. It shows that the mechanisms of anti-cerebral hemorrhage injury of polydatin may be related to increasing of excitatory amino acids after cerebral hemorrhage.
Practical simulation of GNSS signals in the presence of ionospheric scintillation

We propose a low complexity technique to generate amplitude correlated time-series with Nakagami-m distribution and phase correlated Gaussian-distributed time-series, which is useful in the simulation of ionospheric scintillation effects during the transmission of GNSS signals. The method requires only the knowledge of parameters S4 (scintillation index) and σΦ (phase standard deviation) besides the definition of models for the amplitude and phase power spectra. The Zhang algorithm is used to produce Nakagami-distributed signals from a set of Gaussian autoregressive processes.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Regulatory Protein ICP0 Aids Infection in Cells with a Preinduced Interferon Response but Does Not Impede Interferon-Induced Gene Induction

ABSTRACT Several independent lines of evidence indicate that interferon-mediated innate responses are involved in controlling herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection and that the viral immediate-early regulatory protein ICP0 augments HSV-1 replication in interferon-treated cells. However, this is a complex situation in which the experimental outcome is determined by the choice of multiplicity of infection and cell type and by whether cultured cells or animal models are used. It is now known that neither STAT1 nor interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) play essential roles in the replication defect of ICP0-null mutant HSV-1 in cultured cells. This study set out to investigate the specific role of ICP0 in HSV-1 resistance to the interferon defense. We have used a cell line in which ICP0 expression can be induced at levels similar to those during the early stages of a normal infection to determine whether ICP0 by itself can interfere with interferon or IRF-3-dependent signaling and whether ICP0 enables the virus to circumvent the effects of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). We found that the presence of ICP0 was unable to compromise ISG induction by either interferon or double-stranded RNA. On the other hand, ICP0 preexpression reduced but did not eliminate the inhibitory effects of ISGs on HSV-1 infection, with the extent of the relief being highly dependent on multiplicity of infection. The results are discussed in terms of the relationships between ICP0 and intrinsic and innate antiviral resistance mechanisms.