Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel Decodable Two-Level Unequal Burst Error Correcting Codes

Approximate (or inexact) computing is an attractive paradigm for digital processing at nanometric scales for applications in which imprecision in computation can be tolerated for improvements in other computational figures of merit, such as power consumption, circuit complexity and delay. The same principles of approximate computing are investigated in this manuscript for storage protection using an unequal protection code (UEP). In the proposed UEP code, the codeword is divided into two partitions; these partitions have different error protection functions. This paper presents a new class of two-level burst error correcting UEP codes and its parallel decoder. The proposed code is more efficient than an existing code in term of code rate, area and power consumption for the parallel decoder.
Genome‐wide methylation analyses identify a subset of mantle cell lymphoma with a high number of methylated CpGs and aggressive clinicopathological features

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B‐cell neoplasm with an aggressive clinical behavior characterized by the t(11;14)(q13;q32) and cyclin D1 overexpression. To clarify the potential contribution of altered DNA methylation in the development and/or progression of MCL, we performed genome‐wide methylation profiling of a large cohort of primary MCL tumors (n = 132), MCL cell lines (n = 6) and normal lymphoid tissue samples (n = 31), using the Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip. DNA methylation was compared to gene expression, chromosomal alterations and clinicopathological parameters. Primary MCL displayed a heterogeneous methylation pattern dominated by DNA hypomethylation when compared to normal lymphoid samples. A total of 454 hypermethylated and 875 hypomethylated genes were identified as differentially methylated in at least 10% of primary MCL. Annotation analysis of hypermethylated genes recognized WNT pathway inhibitors and several tumor suppressor genes as frequently methylated, and a substantial fraction of these genes (22%) showed a significant downregulation of their transcriptional levels. Furthermore, we identified a subset of tumors with extensive CpG methylation that had an increased proliferation signature, higher number of chromosomal alterations and poor prognosis. Our results suggest that a subset of MCL displays a dysregulation of DNA methylation characterized by the accumulation of CpG hypermethylation highly associated with increased proliferation that may influence the clinical behavior of the tumors.
Comparative studies on the inhibition of trypsin, plasmin, and thrombin by derivatives of benzylamine and benzamidine.

Derivatives of benzylamine and benzamidine were found to be competitive inhibitors of the proteolytic enzymes trypsin, plasmin, and thrombin. The inhibitor activity of these compounds was determined by the inhibition of the hydrolysis of N-α-benzoyl-dl-arginine-4-nitroanilide, catalyzed by the three enzymes. Inhibitor constants (Ki) were ascertained. Relations be-between the chemical structure and the activity against trypsin, plasmin, and thrombin were deduced by comparing the inhibitor constants. Generally the inhibition of these enzymes by the investigated compounds runs parallel but there exist also some differences especially among the benzylamine derivatives. 4-Chlorobenzylamine, a strong thrombin inhibitor, is only of low effectiveness against trypsin and plasmin. Derivatives of benzamidine are stronger inhibitors than derivatives of benzylamine. The following compounds proved to be the most potent inhibitors: 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid, 4-aminobenzamidine, and 4-amidinobenzoic acid benzyl ester. These compounds exhibited also an anticoagulant and antifibrinolytic effect.
An electron microscopic and biochemical study of the effects of glucagon on glycogen autophagy in the liver and heart of newborn rats

The effects of glucagon on the ultrastructural appearance and acid glucosidase activities in the liver and heart of newborn rats were studied. Liver or heart glycogen‐hydrolyzing activity of acid glucosidase increased 3 hours after birth and gradually decreased from 3 to 9 hours. Maltose‐hydrolyzing activity of acid glucosidase also rose 3 hours after birth, maintained a plateau between 3 and 6 hours, and fell at 9 hours. The administration of glucagon increased autophagic activity in the hepatocytes at the age of 6 hours. Glycogen inside the autophagic vacuoles was decreased, apparently due to the increased glycogen degradation. Glycogen‐hydrolyzing activity was elevated in both the liver and the heart. Maltose‐hydrolyzing activity was elevated in the liver, but not in the heart. The results of this study suggest that the glycogen‐hydrolyzing and maltose‐hydrolyzing activities of acid glucosidase are due to different enzymes. Glucagon's effect on the glycogen‐hydrolyzing acid glucosidase activity and autophagosomal morphology is similar in both the liver and the heart. Microsc. Res. Tech. 63:87–93, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tactical Data Links and Interoperability, The Glue Between Systems

Abstract : In this time of open system architectures, systems of various makes and origin co-operate, pass, and share pieces of information The pieces of information, thus exchanged, should trigger the same understanding by all users, Ambiguities in the translation, presentation, or interpretation of the data and information may be the cause of serious problems, This paper addresses some of the aspects of interoperability and describes ways of achieving, monitoring, and maintaining inter-operability in particular for tactical data links such as Link 11 and Link 16 Emphasis is given to tactical data link interoperability with the NA TO E-3A
Phylogeography of African fruitbats (Megachiroptera).

Joint sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b and 16S rRNA genes of a wide representation of Megachiroptera were employed to evaluate the traditional taxonomic arrangement of African fruitbats and to examine their origins and evolutionary relationships. The resulting phylogenetic hypotheses are inconsistent with the previously established morphology-based subdivisions of Megachiroptera at the suprageneric level. Findings indicate the existence of an African clade, which appears to be formed by two endemic clades: the epomophorines and the myonycterines. According to our topologies, the genus Rousettus is monospecific in mainland Africa. Its traditional subgenera Stenonycteris and Lissonycteris appear closer to the myonycterines than to Rousettus. Topologies also indicate that the African genus Eidolon is not phylogenetically related to any other African fruitbat. It would seem that the arrival of fruitbats in Africa was a complex process involving at least three independent colonization events. One event took place probably in the Miocene via forested corridors that connected the African and Asian rain forest blocks, as for other groups of mammals. The resulting lineage diversified into most of the extant African fruitbats. Related to this clade, the Rousettus species group is thought to have arrived in Africa in more recent times, possibly by progressive displacement from the East through India. Finally, the present topologies suggest an independent colonization of Africa by ancestors of Eidolon.
Severe asthma: phenotyping to endotyping or vice versa?

The most recent definition of asthma is that it is a heterogeneous disease, usually characterised by chronic airway inflammation, defined by a history of chronic respiratory symptoms that vary over time, both in frequency and intensity, and associated with variable airflow limitation [1]. Admittedly, asthma is used as an umbrella term, like anaemia, arthritis and cancer. This highlights the importance of taking an individualised approach to a patient's diagnosis and management, using genomics, proteomics, and “humanomics” as emphasised in the GINA guidelines [2]. The vague definition reflects our poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the disease, particularly of its more severe expressions. In the guidelines, they are included in steps 4 and 5 of treatment. This might imply that so-called severe asthma is at the extreme of a continuum of severity, something which has never been demonstrated in prospective studies. Molecular rather than clinical phenotyping of airway inflammation might be used in the treatment of severe asthma http://ow.ly/9Kba308jaXX
Direct Benefits and Genetic Costs of Extrapair Paternity for Female American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

The idea that extrapair paternity (EPP) in birds is part of a mixed reproductive strategy driven primarily by females is controversial. In cooperatively breeding American crows, we compared predictions of four female benefits hypotheses—the genetic diversity, good genes, genetic compatibility, and direct benefits hypotheses—to our predictions if EPP was primarily male driven. We found that genetically diverse broods were not more successful, extrapair young were not in better condition and did not have a higher survival probability, and, contrary to prediction, offspring sired by within‐group extrapair males were more inbred than within‐pair offspring. There was evidence of direct benefits, however: provisioning rate and number of surviving offspring were higher in groups containing within‐group extrapair sires. Females therefore derived no apparent benefits from extragroup extrapair males but both direct benefits and genetic costs from within‐group extrapair males. We suggest that males and females both influence the distribution of EPP in this system.
Assisting Hand Assessment and Children's Hand-Use Experience Questionnaire –Observed Versus Perceived Bimanual Performance in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

ABSTRACT Aims: To explore the differences, relationship, and extent of agreement between the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), measuring observed ability to perform bimanual tasks, and the Children's Hand-Use Experience Questionnaire (CHEQ), assessing experienced bimanual performance. Methods: This study investigates a convenience sample of 34 children (16 girls) with unilateral cerebral palsy aged 6–18 years (mean 12.1, SD 3.9) in a cross-sectional design. Results: The AHA and CHEQ subscales share 8–25% of their variance (R2). Bland–Altman plots for AHA and all three CHEQ subscales indicate good average agreement, with a mean difference approaching zero but large 95% confidence intervals. Limits of agreement were extremely wide, indicating considerable disagreement between AHA and CHEQ subscales. Conclusion: AHA and CHEQ seem to measure different though somewhat related constructs of bimanual performance. Results of this investigation reinforce the recommendation to use both instruments to obtain complementary information about bimanual performance including observed and perceived performance of children with unilateral cerebral palsy.
Salmeterol enhances pulmonary fibrinolysis in healthy volunteers

Objective: Various lung diseases are associated with local activation of coagulation and concurrent inhibition of fibrinolysis. Although salmeterol, a &bgr;2‐adrenoceptor agonist with profound bronchodilatory properties, has been studied extensively, the effects of this compound on the pulmonary hemostatic balance are not elucidated. Design: A single‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study. Setting: University hospital and laboratory. Subjects: A total of 32 human volunteers. Interventions: Subjects inhaled 100 &mgr;g of salmeterol or placebo (t = −30 mins) followed by 100 &mgr;g of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or normal saline (t = 0 mins; n = 8 per group). Measurements and Main Results: Measurements were performed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained 6 hrs postchallenge. Inhalation of LPS enhanced pulmonary coagulation as determined by an increase in the concentrations of thrombin–antithrombin complexes, factor VIIa, and soluble tissue factor in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (all p < .05 vs. saline). LPS concurrently inhibited pulmonary fibrinolysis, as reflected by a decrease in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid plasminogen activator activity together with an increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (both p < .05 vs. saline). Moreover, LPS inhalation was associated with a suppression of the anticoagulant protein C pathway, as indicated by an increase in soluble thrombomodulin and decreases in protein C and activated protein C levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (all p < .05 vs. saline). Salmeterol, either with or without LPS inhalation, enhanced fibrinolysis (plasminogen activator activity and tissue‐type and urokinase‐type plasminogen activator levels) but did not influence LPS‐induced changes in coagulation or the protein C pathway. Conclusions: Salmeterol has profibrinolytic properties in the normal lung and when applied in a model of sterile pulmonary inflammation.
A Call for Standardization in Platelet-Rich Plasma Preparation Protocols and Composition Reporting: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Orthopaedic Literature

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a blood-derived preparation whose use has grown exponentially in orthopaedic practice. However, there remains an unclear understanding of the biological properties and effects of PRP on musculoskeletal healing. Heterogeneous processing methods, unstandardized nomenclature, and ambiguous classifications make comparison among studies challenging. A comprehensive assessment of orthopaedic clinical PRP trials is key to unraveling the biological complexity of PRP, while improving standardized communication. Toward this goal, we performed a systematic review of the PRP preparation protocols and PRP composition utilized in clinical trials for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed from 2006 to 2016. Inclusion criteria were human clinical trials, English-language literature, and manuscripts that reported on the use of PRP in musculoskeletal/orthopaedic conditions. Basic-science articles, editorials, surveys, special topics, letters to the editor, personal correspondence, and nonorthopaedic applications (including cosmetic use or dental application studies) were excluded. Results: A total of 105 studies (in 104 articles) met the inclusion criteria for analysis. Of these studies, only 11 (10%) provided comprehensive reporting that included a clear description of the preparation protocol that could be used by subsequent investigators to repeat the method. Only 17 studies (16%) provided quantitative metrics on the composition of the final PRP product. Conclusions: Reporting of PRP preparation protocols in clinical studies is highly inconsistent, and the majority of studies did not provide sufficient information to allow the protocol to be reproduced. Furthermore, the current reporting of PRP preparation and composition does not enable comparison of the PRP products being delivered to patients. A detailed, precise, and stepwise description of the PRP preparation protocol is required to allow comparison among studies and provide reproducibility.
Colonization of the Mediterranean basin by the vector biting midge species Culicoides imicola: an old story

Understanding the demographic history and genetic make‐up of colonizing species is critical for inferring population sources and colonization routes. This is of main interest for designing accurate control measures in areas newly colonized by vector species of economically important pathogens. The biting midge Culicoides imicola is a major vector of orbiviruses to livestock. Historically, the distribution of this species was limited to the Afrotropical region. Entomological surveys first revealed the presence of C. imicola in the south of the Mediterranean basin by the 1970s. Following recurrent reports of massive bluetongue outbreaks since the 1990s, the presence of the species was confirmed in northern areas. In this study, we addressed the chronology and processes of C. imicola colonization in the Mediterranean basin. We characterized the genetic structure of its populations across Mediterranean and African regions using both mitochondrial and nuclear markers, and combined phylogeographical analyses with population genetics and approximate Bayesian computation. We found a west/east genetic differentiation between populations, occurring both within Africa and within the Mediterranean basin. We demonstrated that three of these groups had experienced demographic expansions in the Pleistocene, probably because of climate changes during this period. Finally, we showed that C. imicola could have colonized the Mediterranean basin in the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene through a single event of introduction; however, we cannot exclude the hypothesis involving two routes of colonization. Thus, the recent bluetongue outbreaks are not linked to C. imicola colonization event, but rather to biological changes in the vector or the virus.
Dual-Frequency Antenna Design for RFID Application

With good read range and fast data rate, UHF Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is deployed in the supply chain to identify each item uniquely. However, UHF transmission power is easily absorbed by liquids, such as water. Hence, normally, in a environment with lots of liquid products, an HF RFID system is chosen instead. This paper investigates the feasibility in designing a dual-frequency (HF and UHF) RFID antenna, with frequency ratio of up to 70, to embrace the benefits offered by both the UHF and HF RFID systems. Also, this paper shows that with careful design, a single feed dual-frequency RFID antenna can be achieved. A prototype of the dual-frequency RFID antenna is presented in this paper, with valid simulation and measurement results.
The ex vivo wettability of soft contact lenses

Purpose. To investigate the ex vivo wettability of Etafilcon A contact lenses over an eight hour period of wear and observe the influence of surfactant pre-treatment. Methods. Etafilcon A hydrogel lenses, comprising poly[2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid] and 58% water, were soaked for 12 hours in either 0.9% saline (control) or a 1% aqueous solution of poloxamine 1107 (treated). The advancing and receding contact angles were subsequently determined ex vivo after various periods of wear in six adapted contact lens wearers using a single-blind, randomised protocol. Contact angles were measured with a dynamic contact angle tensiometer, using the Wilhelmy plate technique. Patient comfort scores were recorded and the static surface tensions of the probe fluids assessed. Results. Control lenses exhibited no change in wetting angles over time, indicating a lack of surface modification by components within the tear film. Treated lenses exhibited a significantly reduced advancing angle (p < 0.001) and hysteresis angle (p < 0.001) when compared with control lenses. In addition, treated lenses were consistently rated as being more comfortable than control lenses (p = 0.04). Conclusions. This study has shown clearly that new Etafilcon A lenses do not exhibit significant changes in wettability during the initial four hour wearing period. Pre-treatment of such lenses with a polymeric surfactant results in wetting of the lenses due to the adsorption of surfactant. The surfactant is retained by the lens for at least eight hours of wear, resulting in significant improvements in subjective comfort, especially over the first 30 minutes of wear.
Velocity-Free Fault-Tolerant Rendezvous Law Based on Dual-Layer Adaptive Algorithm

Considering the scenario that the obstinate and difficult-repaired sensor and actuator failure always occurs during the spacecraft rendezvous guidance phase and may cause terrible performance, this paper studies the fault-tolerant guidance method and proposes a velocity-free guidance algorithm. Above guidance law is based on a dual-layer adaptive multi-variable super-twisting-like algorithm, where two waving gains are introduced to autonomously adjust the system trajectory subject to the relative velocity. Hence, the complex parameter selection problem is overcome. Moreover, to overcome the sensor fault in relative-velocity channel, a robust observer which can drive the velocity error converge to zero in a small finite time is presented. To test the effectiveness and stability of the proposed guidance law, considering actuator faults, second-order dynamics and saturation, numerical simulations including comparisons and Monte-Carlo are carried out and the results demonstrate above properties.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein serine/threonine kinase PknG is linked to cellular glutamate/glutamine levels and is important for growth in vivo

Summary The function of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis eukaryotic‐like protein serine/threonine kinase PknG was investigated by gene knock‐out and by expression and biochemical analysis. The pknG gene (Rv0410c), when cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, encodes a functional kinase. An in vitro kinase assay of the recombinant protein demonstrated that PknG can autophosphorylate its kinase domain as well as its 30 kDa C‐terminal portion, which contains a tetratricopeptide (TPR) structural signalling motif. Western analysis revealed that PknG is located in the cytosol as well as in mycobacterial membrane. The pknG gene was inactivated by allelic exchange in M. tuberculosis. The resulting mutant strain causes delayed mortality in SCID mice and displays decreased viability both in vitro and upon infection of BALB/c mice. The reduced growth of the mutant was more pronounced in the stationary phase of the mycobacterial growth cycle and when grown in nutrient‐depleted media. The PknG‐deficient mutant accumulates glutamate and glutamine. The cellular levels of these two amino acids reached approximately threefold of their parental strain levels. Higher cellular levels of the amine sugar‐containing molecules, GlcN‐Ins and mycothiol, which are derived from glutamate, were detected in the ΔpknG mutant. De novo glutamine synthesis was shown to be reduced by 50%. This is consistent with current knowledge suggesting that glutamine synthesis is regulated by glutamate and glutamine levels. These data support our hypothesis that PknG mediates the transfer of signals sensing nutritional stress in M. tuberculosis and translates them into metabolic adaptation.
Altering disease progression: the key to successful patient management

Assessing the patient’s expectations may yield some insight into more effective management techniques. A group of 230 men referred by their primary-care physicians with symptoms of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) responded to a questionnaire before seeing a urologist and detailed their evaluation and treatment expectations (J. Nordling, unpublished data). Participants detailed on a visual scale (0–100), from ‘no importance’ to ‘very important’, their degree of concern associated with the different aspects of their condition.