Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microenvironment for myeloma growth and drug resistance

Bone provides a unique microenvironment for myeloma (MM) cell growth and survival, including niches to foster clonogenic MM cells. MM cells stimulate bone resorption by enhancing osteoclastogenesis, while suppressing bone formation by inhibiting osteoblastic differentiation from bone marrow stromal cells, leading to extensive bone destruction with rapid loss of bone. MM cells alter the microenvironment through bone destruction in bone where they colonize, which in turn favors tumor growth and survival, thereby forming a vicious cycle between tumor progression and bone destruction. MM is still difficult to be cured despite the recent implementation of new agents, and its bone disease also remains a significant clinical problem. Further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of tumor-bone interactions and tumor growth in the bone microenvironment will provide us with new approaches that have a real impact on both bone disease and tumor progression.
Deformable single wall carbon nanotube electrode for transparent tactile touch screen

With a patterned transparent electrode and compressive-elastic gel material, a multi-input transparent touch screen, which detects touch location and touch force, has been realised. The input device of this touch screen is composed of a flexible upper single wall carbon nanotube electrode (SWCNT), a lower indium tin oxide electrode layer, and a silicone gel layer between two electrodes. When a touch force ranging from 0 N to 5 N was applied to the surface of the upper electrode film, the silicone gel was compressed to change the distance between the two electrodes, which resulted in a capacitance change ranging from 1.92 to 3.42pF. The SWCNT electrode on the polyethylene terephthalate showed sufficient flexibility and robustness for mechanical deformation.
Minimization of ion micromotion in a Paul trap

Micromotion of ions in Paul traps has several adverse effects, including alterations of atomic transition line shapes, significant second-order Doppler shifts in high-accuracy studies, and limited confinement time in the absence of cooling. The ac electric field that causes the micromotion may also induce significant Stark shifts in atomic transitions. We describe three methods of detecting micromotion. The first relies on the change of the average ion position as the trap potentials are changed. The second monitors the amplitude of the sidebands of a narrow atomic transition, caused by the first-order Doppler shift due to the micromotion. The last technique detects the Doppler shift induced modulation of the fluorescence rate of a broad atomic transition. We discuss the detection sensitivity of each method to Doppler and Stark shifts, and show experimental results using the last technique.
Wideband Cyclostationary Signal Processing Using Sparse Subsets of Narrowband Subchannels

The problem of signal detection and modulation recognition is addressed in both the blind and nonblind contexts. Many relevant modulation recognition algorithms have been created over the past three decades. The essential engineering tradeoff that fuels the algorithm-invention process is between generality and optimality. Optimal (e.g., maximum-likelihood) algorithms can be devised for narrow subsets of signal types, whereas highly general but suboptimal feature-based algorithms can be devised for wide subsets of types. It has previously been shown that cyclostationary-based classifiers possess highly desirable properties, such as tolerance to noise and cochannel interference, but also that they are computational costly and so are resistant to real-time hardware implementation. In this paper, we present a reduced-complexity method of signal detection and modulation recognition that exploits the cyclostationarity of over-the-air observed communication signals. The key idea is to represent wideband input data as a set of narrowband, contiguous, nonoverlapping subchannels, and then to extract the desired cyclostationary features for the wideband data using only sparse subsets of the subchannels.
A study on electronic stock trading behaviour — A structural equation model (SEM) approach

Equity markets have been characterised by increasing volatility and fluctuations. In recent years, cases of market inefficiency in the form of market anomalies and irrational investor behavior have been more frequent. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of investor awareness and perceived risk attitudes affects the stock market investor behavior. The research study is based on the primary data for a period of 2016–2017. This research chooses a sample of 200 investors as the subject and collects data by simple random sampling. Data was obtained through survey questionnaires. The data was analyzed using SPSS 19.0 and SEM-PLS software. The result obtained was analyzed. Investor awareness was found to significantly predict investor behavior and perceived risk attitudes The results on the relationship indicated that the investor awareness and perceived risk attitudes are positively correlated to stock market investor behaviour. In light of the above findings, various recommendations are suggested on how investors can make use of available information to make objective investment decisions. This will help in encouraging potential investors to invest in the securities market.
Methods to Improve Bulk Lifetime in n-Type Czochralski-Grown Upgraded Metallurgical-Grade Silicon Wafers

This paper investigates the potential of three different methods—tabula rasa (TR), phosphorus diffusion gettering (PDG), and hydrogenation, for improving the carrier lifetime in n-type Czochralski-grown upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon samples. Our results show that the lifetimes in the UMG wafers used in this study were affected by both mobile metallic impurities and as-grown oxygen precipitate nuclei. Thus, the dissolution of grown-in oxygen precipitate nuclei via TR and the removal of mobile impurities via PDG step were found to significantly improve the electronic quality of the UMG wafers. Finally, we report bulk lifetimes and 1-sun implied open-circuit voltages of the UMG wafers after boron and phosphorus diffusions, as typically applied in n-type cell fabrication.
Microenvironment and Immunology Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells Promote Neovascularization in Glioma by Disrupting the Blood – Brain Barrier

Enhanced platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling in glioma drives its development and progression. In this study, we define a unique role for stroma-derived PDGF signaling in maintaining tumor homeostasis within the glioma microenvironment. Large numbers of PDGF receptor-a (PDGFRa)–expressing stromal cells derived from oligodendrocytes progenitor cells (OPC) were discovered at the invasive front of high-grade gliomas, in which they exhibited a unique perivascular distribution. In PDGFRa-deficient host mice, in which orthotopic Gl261 tumors displayed reduced outgrowth, we found that tumor-associated blood vessels displayed smaller lumens and normalized vascular morphology, with tumors in host animals injected with the vascular imaging agent gadolinium also being enhanced less avidly by MRI. Notably, glioma-associated OPC promoted endothelial sprouting and tubule formation, in part by abrogating the inhibitory effect that perivascular astrocytes exert on vascular endothelial conjunctions. Stromal-derived PDGF-CC was crucial for the recruitment and activation of OPC, insofar as mice genetically deficient in PDGF-CC phenocopied the glioma/vascular defects observed in PDGFRa-deficient mice. Clinically, we showed that higher levels of PDGF-CC in glioma specimens were associated with more rapid disease recurrence and poorer overall survival. Our findings define a PDGFRa/ PDGF-CC signaling axis within the glioma stromal microenvironment that contributes to vascular remodeling and aberrant tumor angiogenesis in the brain. Cancer Res; 74(4); 1011–21. 2013 AACR.
Multimodality and Global Optimization in Aerodynamic Design

Two optimization algorithms are presented that are capable of finding a global optimum in a computationally efficient manner: a gradient-based multistart algorithm based on Sobol sampling and a hybrid optimizer combining a genetic algorithm with a gradient-based algorithm. The optimizers are used to investigate multimodality in aerodynamic-shape-optimization problems. The performance of each algorithm is tested on an analytical test function as well as several aerodynamic-shape-optimization problems in two and three dimensions. In each problem the primary objectives are to classify the problem according to the degree of multimodality and to identify the preferred optimization algorithm for the problem. The results show that multimodality should not always be assumed in aerodynamic-shape-optimization problems. Typical two-dimensional airfoil-optimization problems are unimodal. Three-dimensional shape-optimization problems may contain local optima. The number of local optima tends to increase with increasin.
Physiologically Realistic Formation of Autoassociative Memory in Networl ( s with Theta / Gamma Oscillations : Role of ' fast NMDA Channels 01 eJensen /

p Recordings from brain regions involved in memory function show dual oscillations in which each cycle of a low-frequency theta oscillation (5-8 Hz) is subdivided into about seven sub cycles by high frequency gamma oscillations (20-60 Hz). It has been proposed (Lisman and ldiart 1995) that such networks are a multiplexed short-term memory (STM) buffer that can actively maintain about seven memories, a capability of human STM. A memory is encoded by a subset of principal neurons that fire synchronously in a particular gamma subcycle. Firing is maintained by a membrane process intrinsic to each cell. We now extend this model by incorporating recurrent connections with modifiable synapses to store long-term memory (LTM). The repetition provided by STM gradually modifies synapses in a physiologically realistic way. Because different memories are active in different gamma subcycles, the formation of autoassociative LTM requires that synaptic modification depend on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) channels having a time constant of deactivation that is of the same order as the duration of a gamma subcycle (15-50 msec). Many types of NMDA channels have longer time constants (150 msec), as for instance those found in the hippocampus, but both fast and slow NMDA channels are present in cortex. This is the first proposal for the special role of these fast NMDA channels. The STM for novel items must depend on activity-dependent changes intrinsic to neurons rather than recurrent connections, which have not developed the required selectivity. Because these intrinsic mechanisms are not error-correcting, STM will become slowly corrupted by noise. This limits the accuracy with which LTM can become encoded after a single presentation. Accurate encoding of items in LTM can be achieved by multiple presentations, provided different memory items are presented in a varied interleaved order. Our results indicate that a limited memory-capacity STM model can be integrated in the same network with a high-capacity LTM model.
Quantitative phenological observations of a mixed beech forest in northern Switzerland with digital photography

[1] Vegetation phenology has a strong influence on the timing and phase of global terrestrial carbon and water exchanges and is an important indicator of climate change and variability. In this study we tested the application of inexpensive digital visible-light cameras in monitoring phenology. A standard digital camera was mounted on a 45 m tall flux tower at the Lageren FLUXNET/CarboEuropeIP site (Switzerland), providing hourly images of a mixed beech forest. Image analysis was conducted separately on a set of regions of interest representing two different tree species during spring in 2005 and 2006. We estimated the date of leaf emergence based on the levels of the extracted red, green and blue colors. Comparisons with validation data were in accordance with the phenology of the observed trees. The mean error of observed leaf unfolding dates compared with validation data was 3 days in 2005 and 3.6 days in 2006. An uncertainty analysis was performed and demonstrated moderate impacts on color values of changing illumination conditions due to clouds and illumination angles. We conclude that digital visible-light cameras could provide inexpensive, spatially representative and objective information with the required temporal resolution for phenological studies.
The brain-penetrant clinical ATM inhibitor AZD1390 radiosensitizes and improves survival of preclinical brain tumor models

Preclinical data highlight AZD1390 as a potentially powerful new therapy to enhance brain tumor patient responses to radiotherapy. Poor survival rates of patients with tumors arising from or disseminating into the brain are attributed to an inability to excise all tumor tissue (if operable), a lack of blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration of chemotherapies/targeted agents, and an intrinsic tumor radio-/chemo-resistance. Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein orchestrates the cellular DNA damage response (DDR) to cytotoxic DNA double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation (IR). ATM genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition results in tumor cell hypersensitivity to IR. We report the primary pharmacology of the clinical-grade, exquisitely potent (cell IC50, 0.78 nM), highly selective [>10,000-fold over kinases within the same phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–related kinase (PIKK) family], orally bioavailable ATM inhibitor AZD1390 specifically optimized for BBB penetration confirmed in cynomolgus monkey brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of microdosed 11C-labeled AZD1390 (Kp,uu, 0.33). AZD1390 blocks ATM-dependent DDR pathway activity and combines with radiation to induce G2 cell cycle phase accumulation, micronuclei, and apoptosis. AZD1390 radiosensitizes glioma and lung cancer cell lines, with p53 mutant glioma cells generally being more radiosensitized than wild type. In in vivo syngeneic and patient-derived glioma as well as orthotopic lung-brain metastatic models, AZD1390 dosed in combination with daily fractions of IR (whole-brain or stereotactic radiotherapy) significantly induced tumor regressions and increased animal survival compared to IR treatment alone. We established a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic-efficacy relationship by correlating free brain concentrations, tumor phospho-ATM/phospho-Rad50 inhibition, apoptotic biomarker (cleaved caspase-3) induction, tumor regression, and survival. On the basis of the data presented here, AZD1390 is now in early clinical development for use as a radiosensitizer in central nervous system malignancies.
MACROELEMENTS AND HEAVY METALS CONTENT IN PANICUM VIRGATUM CULTIVATED ON CONTAMINATED SOIL UNDER DIFFERENT FERTILIZATION

Heavy metal contamination of soils is a major problem worldwide. As a result, arable land polluted with heavy metals is unsuitable for food production. Utility of energy crops which allow the commercial exploitation of these soils by establishing biofuel feedstock production systems can offer a solution. Additionally, plant cultivation offers opportunities for site remediation. Field experiments have been performed on heavy metal contaminated arable soil located in southern Poland, in the vicinity of a former smelting factory. Although heavy metal concentration exceeded standards, the area has been used for agricultural purposes. Experiments involved testing Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) cultivated with standard NPK fertilizers and commercially available microbial inoculum. Biomass water, macronutrients (N, P, K, Mg, Ca) and heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Zn) content in aboveground plant organs were assessed at the end of two growing seasons. Switchgrass biomass water content was higher after the second year for nearly 40%. Additionally, after the first as well as the second year fertilizers increased it. Magnesium content, essential in chlorophyll biosynthesis, was higher in the first year and additionally more evident in fertilized variants after every year. Heavy metals accumulation in aboveground organs was lower after the second year compare with the first year. Similar trend was observed for Ca and N plant accumulation. However P and K accumulations were higher after the second year of experiment. In conclusion, due to acclimatization, switchgrass reduce heavy metal uptake, what could result in increase of two biogenic elements (P, K) essential in plant growth.
Studies on the effect of Acrylic acid & Methyl-meth-acrylate monomers on the Viscoelastic behavior of Divinylester resin of Bisphenol-A UV cured sheets

Tg is important both as a measure of the degree of cure and for prediction of viscoelastic behavior of cured sheets DMA is an extremely versatile thermal analysis method that provides as much information about the physical properties of a sample in a single test. At the glass transition, the storage modulus decreases dramatically and the loss modulus reaches a maximum. In the present work, Vinyl ester resin based UV cured sheets were casted and analyzed for glass transition temperature with the help of DMTA. The thermal stability of the casted sheets was studied with derivative weight loss curves obtained through simultaneous TGA/DTA thermograms. The glass transition temperatures of the casted UV Cured sheets were found between 61-77 0 C corresponding to maximum tan delta values. On the basis of the findings presented in this article, it can be concluded that the glass transition temperature is decreasing on increasing the acrylic acid and methyl methacrylate concentration in UV curable formulations, which is indicating a decrease in degree of crosslinking but on the other hand mechanical properties have shown a remarkable increase. The specific gravity of the sheets was found in the range 1.46-1.21. However, after crosslinking with acrylate monomers, thermal stability of these UV cured sheets is increasing and hence the sheets could withstand relatively high temperatures without significantly affecting other properties. The average molecular weight between the cross links (Mc) of the cured formulations was also calculated from equilibrium shear modulus at thermodynamic temperature of 25 0 C and compared with theoretical values.
Estimation of fitness from energetics and life‐history data: An example using mussels

Abstract Changing environments have the potential to alter the fitness of organisms through effects on components of fitness such as energy acquisition, metabolic cost, growth rate, survivorship, and reproductive output. Organisms, on the other hand, can alter aspects of their physiology and life histories through phenotypic plasticity as well as through genetic change in populations (selection). Researchers examining the effects of environmental variables frequently concentrate on individual components of fitness, although methods exist to combine these into a population level estimate of average fitness, as the per capita rate of population growth for a set of identical individuals with a particular set of traits. Recent advances in energetic modeling have provided excellent data on energy intake and costs leading to growth, reproduction, and other life‐history parameters; these in turn have consequences for survivorship at all life‐history stages, and thus for fitness. Components of fitness alone (performance measures) are useful in determining organism response to changing conditions, but are often not good predictors of fitness; they can differ in both form and magnitude, as demonstrated in our model. Here, we combine an energetics model for growth and allocation with a matrix model that calculates population growth rate for a group of individuals with a particular set of traits. We use intertidal mussels as an example, because data exist for some of the important energetic and life‐history parameters, and because there is a hypothesized energetic trade‐off between byssus production (affecting survivorship), and energy used for growth and reproduction. The model shows exactly how strong this trade‐off is in terms of overall fitness, and it illustrates conditions where fitness components are good predictors of actual fitness, and cases where they are not. In addition, the model is used to examine the effects of environmental change on this trade‐off and on both fitness and on individual fitness components.
Low Vitamin D in Psoriasis: Reality or Myth?

Context: Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic disease with the beneficial effect of topical vitamin D3 analogs, known for a long time. Low levels of vitamin D are increasingly found to be associated with the initial development of some autoimmune diseases. There are contradictory reports of low serum levels of vitamin D3 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Aims: (1) To determine the serum levels of vitamin D, calcium and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with psoriasis vulgaris, (2) To compare these levels with the serum levels of controls, and (3) To correlate them with the severity of the disease. Subjects and Methods: A hospital-based case–control study with 61 patients of psoriasis and 61 age- and sex-matched controls was undertaken. A detailed history was taken and examination including body mass index, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was done. Estimations of serum vitamin D, serum calcium, and CRP levels were done. Results: Mean 25(OH) vitamin D level was not significantly different between persons with and without psoriasis. Mean vitamin D level in cases was 18.41±9.41 and that in controls was 17.24±13.03 (P=0.63). However, vitamin D level were significantly lower in females than in males in both cases (P=0.02) and controls (P=0.006). There was no significant correlation between the severity of psoriasis and serum levels of vitamin D, serum calcium, and CRP. Conclusions: Serum level of vitamin D did not correlate with the severity of psoriasis in our study.
EXPLORING NEW SOURCES OF ANTIOXIDANTS AND PHENOLIC CONTENTS FROM A MARINE RED ALGA AGARDHIELLA ROBUSTA ( GREVI . ) BORG . COLLECTED FROM KARACHI COAST

The antioxidant potential and total phenolic contents of a red alga Agardhiella robusta (Grevi.) Borg belonging to Rhodophycota collected from coastal areas of Karachi, Pakistan was investigated through various in vitro protocols. Antioxidant potential measured through total antioxidant determination, total phenolic contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and DPPH analysis. The antioxidant components were initially extracted in methanol and were further fractionated in solvents of different polarity. The results showed that the petroleum ether fraction exhibited highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, i.e. (79.5±1.9%) at a concentration of 1000ug/ml with IC50 286.13±0.34 μg/mL relative to the BHT. While Methanol extract showed highest phenolic contents i.e. 1542.5 ±1.2 GAEmg/mL, highest FRAP values i.e. 18.95± TEuM/mL as well as least IC50 value of 25.81 ± 0.65 μg/mL which indicated its potential for scavenging the free radicals. On the basis of these results obtained here Agardhiella robusta (Grevi.) Borg considered as a rich source of antioxidant.