Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CYR61 as a potential biomarker for the preoperative identification of muscle-invasive bladder cancers

Background The biological behaviors, clinical treatment, prognosis of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancers (NMIBCs) and muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs) are distinct. Accurate staging is pivotal in optimal therapy planning for bladder cancers (BCs). However, it is insufficient for urologists in preoperative determining whether the tumor has invaded within the muscularis propria through cystoscope and imaging methods (CT or MRI). Therefore, searching for ideal biomarkers from the tumor tissues and urine is important for identifying the MIBCs preoperatively. Methods Differentially expressed genes between NMIBCs and MIBCs were identified by microarray analysis and validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis. The correlation between cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61) expression and Kaplan-Meier test evaluated patients’ overall survival (OS). CYR61 protein levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in preoperatively collected urine samples from BC patients. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of uric CYR61. The siRNA mediated silencing of CYR61 in bladder carcinoma cells was performed using Lipofectamine 2000. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using wound healing and transwell assay, respectively. Results Differential gene expression analysis using microarray between 14 MIBCs and 16 NMIBCs human tumor samples revealed a significant increase (P<0.001) in the expression of CYR61 in MIBCs compared with NMIBCs. Higher expression of CYR61 in MIBCs was found in additional 54 tumor samples using qRT-PCR. Therefore, the overexpression of CYR61 in MIBCs could be used as a potential biomarker to distinguish between MIBCs and NMIBCs. ELISA detected elevated levels of CYR61 in the urine samples of MIBC patients (average 2.5-fold) compared with NMIBCs, with 72.7% sensitivity and 86.0% specificity to distinguish MIBCs from NMIBCs. Wound healing and transwell assays using CYR61-silenced carcinoma cells indicated the role of CYR61 in cell migration and invasion. Conclusions CYR61 expression is higher in MIBCs compared with NMIBCs and can serve as a promising biomarker for the preoperative diagnosis of MIBCs with prognostic value; however, multicentric prospective validation is essential for the further evaluation of CYR61.
Performance Analysis and Comparison of Complex LMS, Sign LMS and RLS Algorithms for Speech Enhancement Application

—Recent developments in the area of adaptive signal processing have advanced massively due to increase in powerful and cost effective digital signal processors with low cost memory chips. The uses of speech processing system for voice communication and recognition task have become more and more common. These factors lead to promote the use of digital signal processing technology for implementation of emerging applications. The process to remove unwanted interference is common and occurs in many situations. The technique of adaptive filtering is a method by which signal enhancement or noise reduction can be accomplished. An adaptive filter self adjusts its transfer function according to an optimizing algorithm. In this paper we carried out the analysis and experimentation to study the existing adaptive filter algorithms and their application for speech enhancement. The paper describes Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm and Recursive Least Square (RLS). The complex Least Mean Square (CLMS) algorithm and the modification in CLMS lead to Sign Least Mean Square (SLMS) algorithm. The Sign-Sign Least Mean Square algorithm (SSLMS) is also considered for comparison. Normalization operation is performed on the sample which leads to evolution of NLMS algorithm. The experimentation revels that LMS have fast convergence than RLS. The computational complexity of RLS is very high as compared to LMS.
The Mediator Effect of Job Satisfaction on The Relationship between The Perceptions of Organizational Politics and Turnover Intent of The Employees in Private Security Sector

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the effect of private security officers’ job satisfaction on the relationship between perception of organizational politics and turnover intention. The population of the study includes the private security officers working in Antalya. The data obtained from the questionnaire applied to 996 observation units determined by random sampling method were included in the analysis. In this study, Perception of Organizational Politics Scale developed by Ferris and Kacmar (1992), Intention to Quit Scale developed by Scott et al. (1999), and Job Satisfaction Scale developed by Weiss et al. (1967) were used. According to the result of the study, it was revealed that job satisfaction has partially mediator effect on the relationship between perception of organizational politics and turnover intention.
Alkylamide Profiling of Pericarps Coupled with Chemometric Analysis to Distinguish Prickly Ash Pericarps

Because of extensive cultivation areas, various cultivars, nonstandard naming notations, and morphology similarity among relative cultivars, adulteration and associated business fraud may happen in the marketplaces of prickly ash pericarps due to higher financial gain and high-frequency trading. This study presents variations in the chemical components and contents of different prickly ash species from different plantations. Alkylamide profiling of pericarps derived from Zanthoxylum armatum, Z. bungeanum, and some relative Zanthoxylum species from 72 plantations across China were tested using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Then, several chemometrics were applied to classify the prickly ash pericarps to reveal potential indicators that distinguish prickly ash pericarps and to identify the key factors that affect pericarp alkylamide profiling. The dominating alkylamides in the prickly ash pericarps were Z. piperitum (ZP)-amide C (0–20.64 mg/g) and ZP-amide D (0–30.43 mg/g). Alkylamide profiling of prickly ash pericarps varied significantly across species and geographical variations. ZP-amide D in prickly ash pericarps was identified as a potential indicator to distinguish prickly ash species. Longitude and aluminum content in soils were identified as key factors that affected alkylamide profiling of prickly ash pericarps. This study provides a useful tool to classify prickly ash species based on pericarp alkylamide profiling and to determine the key influence factors on pericarp alkylamide variations.
Ontogeny of OPN4, OPN5, GnRH and GnIH mRNA Expression in the Posthatch Male and Female Pekin Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) Suggests OPN4 May Have Additional Functions beyond Reproduction

Simple Summary Birds perceive light differently than mammals. Unlike mammals, birds’ retinas do not participate in the non-image forming, seasonal breeding aspects of light perception. Birds have deep brain photoreceptors that are involved with the seasonal increase in fertility. Until this study, it was unknown how these brain photoreceptors developed after hatching. Our novel finding is that at least one of the photoreceptors, OPN4, is expressed at high levels on the day of hatching, which suggests that this photoreceptor has functions beyond just the reproductive system. These findings could change how we light poultry barns to improve the growth, health and welfare of our poultry species. Abstract The hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis (HPG) is known to be regulated by daylength through the deep brain photoreceptor (DBP) system. The post-hatch ontogeny is not known for any of the DBPs. We set out to determine the ontogeny of OPN4 and OPN5 gene expression relative to GnRH and GnIH using qRT-PCR. Brains and serum were collected from five drakes and five hens on the day of hatching (Day 0) and again at 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 19, 25 and 31 weeks of age and analyzed by qRT-PCR. Hen and drake serum was assayed for circulating levels of estradiol and testosterone, respectively. Data were analyzed between sexes over time using a repeated measures two-way ANOVA. Interestingly, the results show that on the day of hatching (Day 0), ducks showed adult-like levels of relative OPN4, but not OPN5, gene expression. During week 10, DBP levels increased, achieving highest relative expression levels at week 19 that maintained through week 31, typically peak fertility in ducks. GnRH mRNA levels increased following the DBP expression at the onset of puberty, and gonadal steroids increased after GnRH at week 14 while estradiol preceded testosterone. GnIH mRNA levels did not appreciably change during the time course of this experiment. These observations suggest that OPN4 may be active during the peri-hatch period and may have physiological roles beyond puberty and fertility.
Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS 1.0391 by Electrostatic Spray Increases Viability after In vitro Digestibility

This study investigated the microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS 1.0391 (L. acidophilus) by electrostatic spray, and then it was studied in the imitative gastrointestinal environment. The L. acidophilus was encapsulated in alginate-sodium (1.5%) and gelatin (1%) by the method of electrostatic spray. The results indicated that the mixture of alginate-sodium and gelatin was non-toxic to L. acidophilus. When the ratio between the core (L. acidophilus) and wall (mixture of alginate-sodium and gelatin) was 1:2, the encapsulation efficiency (EE) was the highest for 96.3%. After the in vitro digestibility, samples had higher viability of L. acidophilus when subjected to the microencapsulation, from an initial 3.5 (control) to 6.6 log cfu/mL (microcapsules). This study demonstrated that the method of electrostatic spray was effective in preparing L. acidophilus microcapsules for a good acid resistance and enteric solubility. Practical Application Along with increased consumer demands on the fresh like appearance and taste of probiotics, microencapsulation as a new technology has been used for prolonging living of probiotics. This study investigated the microencapsulation of L. acidophilus KLDS 1.0391 by electrostatic spray, and then it was studied in an imitative gastrointestinal environment. Information generated from this study provided insights about the specific treatment conditions of process for prolonging living of L. acidophilus. Such information is valuable for developing industrial applications of microencapsulation processing technology in probiotics processing.
Performance Evaluation of Dynamic Adaptive Streaming on a Global Scale

There is an increasing trend over the last years to deliver different types of applications, and in particular multimedia applications, over the Internet. The prevalent solution for video streaming over the Internet is Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH), which provides a new paradigm to overcome the Internet restriction for multimedia delivery by adapting its data rate to the network conditions at each time. DASH is usually deployed on top of protocols in theory not intended for multimedia delivery, such as HTTP and TCP. Cross-layer analysis are needed to understand the real effects of these protocols on DASH performance. This thesis focuses on the effects of TCP on DASH performance, and in particular TCP’s congestion control and transmission segmentation. The lately released BBR congestion control is said to provide better performance than the widely used CUBIC algorithm, but its effect on DASH performance are still unknown. Moreover, transparent transmission segmentation promises performance improvements when the TCP connection is established throughout multiple physical links with different characteristics. The objective of this thesis is to analyse these techniques and provide insights on their effects on DASH performance in terms of Quality-of-Service and Quality-of-Experience.
The Particulate Nature of Matter : An Example of How Theory-Based Research Can Impact the Field

The Particulate Nature of Matter is vital to understanding chemistry. Chemists explain phemonena in terms of particle behavior. Several chemical education research studies have helped expand the theory of how students learn about particle behavior. Early studies established the lack of student understanding of particle action, while later studies examined treatments or interventions to help students think in terms of particles. These later studies led to a number of implications for the chemistry classroom and our understanding of how students build mental models to visualize particle behavior in chemical and physical phemonena.
Implementing an adaptive proglacial lake boundary into an ice sheet model”

Hinck and colleagues investigate the role of ponded proglacial lakes along the margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during glacial retreat. Assuming that, similar to marine-terminating glaciers (e.g. in Antarctica), the adaptive boundary conditions influence the (land-lake-terminating) ice sheet’s stress balance in various ways. They can alter the ice flow (ice streams) and hence the overall ice sheet’s geometry and stability. The changing ice load, in turn, results in the isostatic adjustment of the underlying lithosphere, which hence affects the formation (and demise) of lakes with up to several hundred meters depth in the vicinity of the ice sheet. By considering this feedback in a coupled model system applied to the North American ice complex the authors find in some lake regions self-amplified deglacial retreat, similar to what is commonly discussed for the Antarctic Ice Sheet in terms of the marine ice sheet instability (MISI). The significance of this “lake”-effect, comparing the four conducted experiments, is in deed surprising. Hence, the scientific insights of this study would be certainly a valuable contribution to the paleo ice sheet modelers community within the scope of “The Cryosphere”.
User Satisfaction of Electric-Vehicles About Charging Stations (Home, Outdoor, and Workplace)

This paper aims to investigate the user’s satisfaction with electric cars about charging stations (home, outdoor, and workplace). The descriptive approach was used. 403 questionnaires was distributed to the study population, 349 questionnaires are Usable. The Data were analyzed using Amos. The study found that there is an impact on the satisfaction of electric vehicle users in Jordan. we recommends to reducing the time spent charging electric vehicles at external charging stations, and increasing the quality of the mechanisms used in charging electric cars.
Recycling of Waste Tyre Rubber Deposits in Airfield Runway: A Review

In the recent years, the aviation industry has extended its passenger services by deploying more number of large Aircrafts connecting all possible places across the globe. Though the passenger services are significantly increased on the one side, it has also created a serious threat on the other side with more deposition of rubber at the time of landing leading to reduced payment skid-resistance and the frictional coefficient which decides the safe landing and take-off of any aircraft in the landing area. In this paper, an attempt has been made to review and discuss the various methodologies that are used for recycling the built-up rubber deposits in the airfield runway by comparing the vehicular tyre rubber recycling methodologies.
PII: S0730-725X(00)00178-8

Nowadays, electroencephalography signals can be acquired from a patient lying in a magnetic resonance imaging system. It is even possible to acquire EEG signals during an MR imaging sequence. However, such EEG signals are severely distorted by artifacts originating from various effects (e.g., MR gradients, ECG). In this paper, a simple method is presented to reduce such artifacts. Thereby, special attention is focused on artifacts related to the patient’s electrocardiogram. The method is shown to be effective, adaptive, and automatic. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF FUMARIA VAILLANTII EXTRACT ON CARBON TETRACHLORIDE- INDUCED HEAPTOTOXICITY IN RATS

Summary Fumitory is widely used in Iran as a traditional medicine for treatment of several diseases like stimulation of liver function and gall bladder. In the present study the hepatoprotectiv effects of methanolic extract of one of the species, Fumaria vaillantii were investigated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatocellular injury in rat. Three and six doses of methanol extract of fumitory (50 mg/kg, p.o.) at 12 h intervals were administered 48 h after a single oral dose of CCl4 (1.25 ml/kg). Blood and liver tissue were collected for the assessment of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 12 h after the last dose of extract. The liver tissue was used for histopathological assessment of liver damage. Post-treatment with the administration of six methanol extract (50 mg/kg, p.o.) decreased CCl4 induced alterations in AST, ALT and ALP by 94.98, 97.64 and 54.56 percent respectively. We also observed that hepatic necrosis and fatty changes caused by CCl4 were treated by F. vaillantii extract. Overall results indicate that the methanol extract of F. vaillantii possesses hepatoprotective effects on CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
Parallel Random Number Generator

—The purpose of this paper is to investigate a pseudo-random number generation technique known as Linear Feedback Shift Registers (LFSR). This random number generator is implemented using a standard serial program coded in C ++ and subsequently produced in a hardware-accelerated version of the algorithm, which would be run on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), namely the NEXYS A7 Artix 100-t from Digilent®. The latter is implemented using a form of parallel programming in Verilog Code and simulation. The two implementations are tested and compared to evaluate process speed-up. Further details regarding statistical tests are given, which are performed to ensure optimal performance of the algorithm. The digital accelerated parallel implementation of the LFSR random number generator produced random data-sets with huge speed-ups compared to the Golden Standard. The data-sets were acceptably random but their entropy needs to be improved in order to widen the applications of this parallel random number generator.
The Voice of the Systems

Software systems development teams, using agile practices, have a bias to focus on simpler solutions in early iterations and increments of a software system development process. Usually, requirements related to the system as a whole, as dependability, are considered requirements that are treated in the last iterations cycles. Without Systems Engineering concepts, these teams discovery too late that there is not refactoring to make up the initials choices. The interplay between Software Engineering and Systems Engineering must be increasingly present in organizations that develop software systems. System Engineering approach helps the software development team to coordinate their work processes and steer the team to the development of software systems with quality and value to the business that demands the system. This paper is about the Endeavor dimension of the SEMAT Essence kernel, and how we can work with it to reach the interplay between Systems and Software Engineering.
APRENDENDO COM PBL – APRENDIZAGEM

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é relatar uma experiência de projeto, implantação e condução do método PBL (ProblemBased Learning – Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas) nos cursos de engenharia civil, engenharia de produção e engenharia de computação no período de 2002 a 2008 na Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). O formato PBL adotado é parcial, ou seja, em disciplina isolada, com conteúdo de Teorias da Administração. Os problemas – desafios de diagnóstico, pesquisa e solução – são trabalhados pelos alunos em um ciclo de três aulas. Os alunos formam grupos de quatro ou cinco membros com desempenho rotativo de papéis de líder, redator e porta-voz. O grupo deve apresentar a solução do problema em produtos variados, como relatório escrito em duas páginas, apresentação oral e criação de esquema visual em cartazes. O resultado da adoção parcial do PBL é avaliado como bom pela maioria dos alunos; em torno de 90% afirmaram que a avaliação do PBL é positiva na aprendizagem. A avaliação geral do professor aponta que o método PBL é uma alternativa muito boa de ensinoaprendizagem, embora, no formato em que foi implantado, favoreça a amplitude do conteúdo em detrimento de sua profundidade. Palavras-chave: PBL, Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas, ensino de administração na engenharia.
Response of broiler chicks to diets supplemented with Moringa Oleifera dry leaves and some antioxidants under tropical summer conditions

The present study was designed to evaluate the beneficial effects of Moringa oleifera dry leaves (MOL) with some antioxidants to improve heat tolerance of broiler chicks under heat stress condition. A total number of 250 commercial broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments (commercial basal diet as control; commercial basal diet supplemented with 0.2% MOL; 0.2% MOL+200 mg/kg vitamin E; 0.2% MOL+200 mg/kg vitamin C and 0.2% MOL+0.35 g/kg organic zinc). Results showed that adding MOL with vitamin E, vitamin C or zinc significantly (p<0.05) increased body weight gain as compared with the control and MOL. Feed conversion ratio was significantly improved with all treatment groups compared with the control. All dietary supplements significantly improved hemoglobin concentration, heterophils to lymphocytes ratio, plasma total protein, albumin and globulin levels. Aspartate aminotransferase decreased significantly while, alanine aminotransferase did not affected by dietary supplements. Thyroid hormone T3 was significantly increased with MOL+zinc and T4 significantly increased with all dietary supplements, while the T3/T4 ratio not changed. Moreover, it has been noticed a significant increase occurrence in values of glutathione peroxidase and super-oxide dismutase. Malondialdehyde level was significantly decreased. The results of the present study indicated that using MOL in broiler diets with other antioxidant (vitamin E, vitamin C or organic zinc) had a beneficial effect on performance and overcome deleterious impacts of heat stress.
Periodontal Status Indices and Risk of Psoriasis in a Greek Adult Population: A Case - Control Study

Aim: The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible relationship between periodontal status indices and the risk for psoriasis development in a Greek adult population. Subjects and Methods: The study sample comprised 337 psoriasis patients-cases and 337 healthy individuals-controls between 40 to 69 years of age who referred by three dermatology and one dental private practice. Cases and controls completed a health medical and dental questionnaire and underwent an examination of their periodontal status that included the following parameters: Probing Pocket Depth (PPD), Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL), frequency of a regular/irregular annual dental follow-up, and number of missing teeth. Odds ratios (OR’s) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI’s) were assessed using logistic regression model adjusted for possible confounders. Results: The multivariate regression analysis model showed that a higher BMI (p=0.009, OR= 3.154, 95% CI= 1.532-4.028), alcohol overconsumption (p= 0.012, OR= 2.024, 95% CI=1.445-3.435), moderate /severe CAL (p=0.047, 95% CI=2.112, 1.156-3.249), and a number of missing teeth more than four (p=0.027, OR=2.817, 95% CI= 1.267-3.872 and p= 0.016, OR=3.510, 95% CI= 1.350-4.145) were statistically significantly associated with risk for psoriasis development. Conclusion: Individuals with a higher BMI, excessive alcohol consumption, moderate/severe attachment loss and a number of missing teeth more than four were at significantly higher risk for developing psoriasis. Keywords: Periodontal disease; Psoriasis; Number of missing teeth; Risk factor.