Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ON ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES IN SCANDINAVIAN AND OTHER LANGUAGES

In this paper I discuss possible structural analyses of attributive adjectives. I agrue that attributive adjectives should be given the same basic structure as predicative adjectives. Attributive adjectives are analysed as lexical heads, taking the noun as its right hand specifier. I show that this analysis, the SpecA-analysis, can account for a wide range of data concerning attributive adjectives. The paper addresses questions such as adjectival agreement, independently used adjectives, blocking effects caused by ajectives, head-movement of adjectives, and binding relations within the adjectival phrase.
Error propagation in full 3D-from-2D object recognition

Robust recognition systems require a careful understanding of the effects of error in sensed features. Error in these image features results in uncertainty in the possible image location of each additional model feature. We present an accurate, analytic approximation for this uncertainty when model poses are based on matching three image and model points. This result applies to objects that are fully three-dimensional, where past results considered only two-dimensional objects. Further, we introduce a linear programming algorithm to compute this uncertainty when poses are based on any number of initial matches. <<ETX>>
Purification and characterization of guinea-pig chorionic gonadotrophin.

A human chorionic gonadotrophin-like protein (GF-1, 1.0 g) from the placentae of 50 guinea-pigs killed at Day 26 of gestation was purified by pH and ammonium salt fractionation followed by column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and filtration on Sephadex G-100. Relative to the Second International hCG standard (MRC 61/6) GF-1 had an immunological potency of 21 000 i.u. /mg as measured in a specific hCG-beta radioimmunoassay and, using the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion assay, an apparent biological potency of 24 064 i.u. /mg. Isoelectric focusing yielded 6 bands between pH 4.4 and 5.7 and the material comprised two non-covalently linked subunits. The Stokes' radii were 3.40 nm for the native preparation, and 2.38 nm and 3.15 nm for GF-1-alpha and GF-1-beta subunits respectively. The guinea-pig placenta therefore produces a chorionic gonadotrophin which on purification has physicochemical, biological and immunological properties similar to those of hCG.
Radiotherapy plus rituximab as first-line regimen for localized follicular lymphoma

Abstract Early-stage follicular lymphoma (FL) can be cured with involved-field radiotherapy (IF-RT); however, many patients relapse in non-irradiated areas. A combined association with chemotherapy could increase treatment efficacy, but toxic effects could be unacceptable. In vitro synergistic effect between rituximab (R) and RT has been observed, but clinical data are limited. We retrospectively analyzed 41 early-stage FL patients receiving R and IF-RT as first-line treatment. We administered R 375mg/m2 weekly for four courses, before or after IF-RT (median dose 24 Gy). Primary outcome was PFS, secondary endpoints were CR rate, OS and safety. All patients achieved CR, after a median follow-up of 46 months only three patients relapsed after 18, 26 and 42 months; estimated 5-year PFS was 90%. We suggest R in association with IF-RT could represent a feasible first-line treatment option for early-stage FL and could increase efficacy without additional toxicity compared to available data about RT alone.
Rushing into American Dream? House Prices, Timing of Homeownership, and Adjustment of Consumer Credit

In this paper we use a large panel of individuals from Consumer Credit Panel dataset to study the timing of homeownership as a function of credit constraints and expectations of future house price. Our panel data allows us to track individuals over time and we model the transition probability of their first home purchase. We find that in MSAs with highest quartile house price growth, the median individual become homeowners earlier by 5 years in their lifecycle compared to MSAs with lowest quartile house price growth. The result suggests that the effect of expectation dominates the effect of credit constraints and high price growth leads individuals to purchase home earlier. We further study other credit/loan behaviors around first-home purchases for young and old buyers. We find that younger buyers make more adjustments in their finances after the purchase– taking out more debt/credit, and yet they do not appear to experience larger increase in delinquency than older buyers.
Children, multimedia content and technological artefacts: An exploratory study using text analysis tools

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the user experience of young people with video content accessed through different technological artefacts. Design/methodology/approach – To this purpose, an essay has been assigned to the pupils of two lower secondary school classes (mean age 12 years) to know their diverse types of usage of multimedia content in their everyday lives. These compositions have been analysed using a plurality of text analysis tools to find out both the preferred artefacts and their mutual relationships. Findings – The results are here presented giving emphasis to qualitative and methodological aspects. Practical implications – The analysis is to be intended as a preliminary field research study mainly oriented to testing the visualization power of the selected technical tools, primarily network text analysis, in the context of children exposure to video content made available by today’s information and communication technologies. Originality/value – The originality of the paper is cha.
The lactate shuttle during exercise and recovery.

Most (75%+) of the lactate formed during sustained, steady-rate exercise is removed by oxidation during exercise, and only a minor fraction (approximately 20%) is converted to glucose. Significant lactate extraction occurs during net lactate release from active skeletal muscle; the total lactate extraction approximates half the net chemical release. Of the lactate which appears in blood, most of this will be removed and combusted by oxidative (muscle) fibers in the active bed and the heart. The "shuttling" of oxidizable substrate in the form of lactate from areas of high glycogenolytic rate to areas of high cellular respiration through the interstitium and vasculature appears to represent an important means by which substrate is distributed, metabolic "waste" is removed, and the functions of various tissues are coordinated during exercise. During recovery from sustained exhausting exercise, most of the lactate accumulated during exercise will continue to be removed by direct oxidation. However, as the muscle respiratory rate declines in recovery, lactate becomes the preferred substrate for hepatic gluconeogenesis. Practically all of the newly formed liver glucose will be released into the circulation to serve as a precursor for cardiac and skeletal muscle glycogen repletion. Liver glycogen depots will not be restored, and muscle glycogen will not be completely restored until refeeding. This is because the diversion of lactate carbon to oxidation during exercise and recovery represents an irreversible loss of gluconeogenic precursor and because the processes of protein proteolysis and gluconeogenesis from amino acids are insufficient to achieve complete glycogen restitution after exhausting exercise. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Controlled Release from Coated Polymer Microparticles Embedded in Tissue-engineered Scaffolds

The controlled release of proteins in tissue-engineered implants is being examined with the potential application to improve vascularization and hasten tissue growth. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), was encapsulated within poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) [PLGA] microparticles. The microparticles were coated with poly(vinyl alcohol) and incorporated into PLGA tissue-engineered scaffolds during fabrication. The release of BSA from PLGA microparticles, coated PLGA microparticles, and microparticles embedded in a porous PLGA scaffold was measured. We have developed a novel approach that will permit incorporation of coated polymeric microparticles during PLGA scaffold fabrication. Growth factors or drugs could be incorporated into the microparticles resulting in a long-term, controlled release.
Amplification of chemotactic responses of motile bacterial cells for characterizing preferential chemotaxis toward carbon sources

A novel microfluidic device is described that can detect the chemotactic response of motile bacterial cells (Escherichia coli) that swim toward a preferred nutrient with high resolution by sorting and concentrating them. The device consists of the typical Y-shaped microchannels that have been widely used in chemotaxis studies to attract cells toward a high concentration and a concentrator array integrated with arrow head-shaped ratchet structures beside the main microchannel to trap and accumulate them. Since the number of accumulated cells in the concentrator array continuously increases with time, the device makes it possible to amplify the chemotactic responses of the cells to 10 times greater than that in the typical Y-shaped channels in 60 min. In addition, the device can characterize the chemotactic sensitivity of chemoreceptors to chemoeffectors by comparing the number of cells in the concentrator array at different distances from the channel junction. Since the device allows the analysis of the chemotactic responses and sensitivity of chemoreceptors with high resolution, we believe that not only can the device be broadly used for various microbial chemotaxis assays but it also can further the advancement of microbiology and even synthetic biology.
Using ‘MESH Guides’ as Translational Research and Knowledge Mobilisation for Continuing Professional Development in Schools’. CICE-2014 Proceedings: Canada International Conference on Education, pp 497-498. Pub: Infonomics Society, ISBN 978-1-908320-24-7

In this paper we propose the use of translational research, more often associated with medicine, but here to refer to evidence-based resources for educational practitioners enabling knowledge mobilisation. Smith and Helfenbein identified that translational research ‘creates a space for collaborative, co-constructed inquiry that values and utilizes the expertise of all stakeholders involved’. We present the development of a founding model, MESH (Mapping Education Specialist knowHow, www.meshguides.org), for translational research and knowledge mobilisation in schools to support improved student attainment. MESH provides the ‘space’ for co-created, peer reviewed, evidence-based educational resources.
Active damping control for a three phase grid-connected inverter using sliding mode control

This paper proposes a new active damping method based on virtual resistors for three-phase grid connected voltage source inverters (VSI) with LCL filter. The use of this filters is a standard solution to provide the proper attenuation to the sideband voltage harmonics of the modulation signal. However these grid filters can introduce an unstable dynamics if a passive or active damping is not properly introduced. The passive damping solution causes a decrease of the overall efficiency due to the associated losses and reduces the filter effectiveness but in contrast no more extra sensors are needed. Active damping methods are more efficient because they don't introduce losses but suffers from control and system complexity because in some cases a high number of sensors are needed. The proposed strategy employs a nonlinear sliding mode control (SMC) scheme in natural frame in combination with a Kalman filter to emulate a resistor in the LCL filter which damps the system actively without the use of extra sensors. Two current controllers are designed in order to control the active and reactive power independently and a voltage controller is designed to control the neutral point which is fixed with a third harmonic voltage in order to increase the control dynamic range.
Proteus mirabilis flagella and MR/P fimbriae: isolation, purification, N-terminal analysis, and serum antibody response following experimental urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection with Proteus mirabilis may lead to serious complications, including cystitis, acute pyelonephritis, fever, bacteremia, and death. In addition to the production of hemolysin and the enzyme urease, fimbriae and flagellum-mediated motility have been postulated as virulence factors for this species. We purified mannose-resistant/proteuslike (MR/P) fimbriae and flagella from strains CFT322 and HU2450, respectively. Electron microscopy revealed highly concentrated preparations of fimbriae and flagella. Fimbrial and flagellar structural subunits were estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be 18.5 and 41 kDa, respectively. N-terminal sequencing revealed that 10 of the first 20 amino acids of the major MR/P subunit matched the sequence of the P. mirabilis uroepithelial cell adhesin N terminus and 11 of 20 amino acids matched the predicted amino acid sequence of the Escherichia coli P fimbriae structural subunit, PapA. In addition, 90 and 80% homologies were found between the first 20 amino acids of P. mirabilis flagellin and those of Salmonella typhimurium phase-1 flagellin and the E. coli hag gene product, respectively. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using purified antigens showed a strong reaction between the MR/P fimbriae or flagella and sera of CBA mice challenged transurethrally with P. mirabilis. A possible role for MR/P fimbriae in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection is supported by (i) a strong immune response to the antigen in experimentally infected animals, (ii) amino acid sequence similarity to other enteric surface structure, and (iii) our previously reported observation that MR/P fimbriae are expressed preferentially as the sole fimbrial type in human pyelonephritis isolates.
Etude des conséquences fonctionnelles de l’inhibition de la myostatine par GASP-1 au cours du développement musculaire :

Le muscle squelettique est un organe possedant une grande plasticite et dont la masse est maintenue par differentes voies de signalisation regulant le turnover proteique et cellulaire. Parmi elles, la voie de signalisation de la myostatine agit comme un regulateur negatif de la croissance musculaire. Elle necessite une regulation complexe, majoritairement exercee par ses inhibiteurs tels que la follistatine, le propeptide et GASP-1 (Growth and differentiation factor-associated serum protein-1). Bien que de nombreuses analyses aient ete menees sur l’inhibition de la myostatine induite par son propeptide ou par la follistatine, les etudes concernant la proteine GASP-1 se sont jusqu’a present principalement concentrees sur la caracterisation fonctionnelle de ses domaines. Nous avons genere des lignees murines transgeniques surexprimant Gasp-1, appelees surGasp1. Deux de ces lignees, surGasp1-20 et surGasp1-06, ont ete selectionnees pour leurs niveaux eleves d’expression de Gasp-1 dans le muscle et le cerveau. Ces lignees presentent une augmentation de la masse musculaire due a une hypertrophie des myofibres sans hyperplasie. Pour comprendre les mecanismes moleculaires regulant la masse musculaire des souris surGasp1, nous avons analyse les myoblastes derives des cellules satellites des souris sauvages, surGasp1-20 (S20) et Mstn -/-. L’analyse de leurs expressions geniques a revele une augmentation de la myostatine dans les myoblastes S20. Nous avons egalement mis en evidence une augmentation de la phosphorylation de ERK1/2 et une diminution de Pax7 dans ces cellules par rapport aux cellules Mstn -/-. Nous avons propose que la deregulation de Pax7 dans les myoblastes S20 pourrait etre induite par la surexpression de la myostatine et correlerait avec l’absence d’hyperplasie chez les souris surGasp1. En parallele, nous avons montre que les myoblastes S20 presentent une augmentation de la signalisation pro-hypertrophique Akt/mTORC/p70S6K, favorisant la differenciation des myotubes et l’augmentation de leur taille, confirmant que la surexpression de Gasp-1 conduit a une hypertrophie des myofibres.
Health Care Savings: The Economic Value of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

ABSTRACT Two new white papers commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) provide an in-depth, detailed analysis of the vast economic burden associated with undiagnosed and untreated obstructive sleep apnea among adults in the United States. While the individual health benefits of treating OSA are well established, these papers emphasize the value of comprehensive OSA testing and treatment, which can provide dramatic health care savings for payors and large employers.
A high-performance mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Investigating low-cost and highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) is of crucial importance for energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, we design and prepare mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon by pyrolysis of polyaniline coated on CMK-3. This electrocatalyst exhibits excellent performance towards ORR in alkaline media. The optimized nitrogen-doped mesoporous electrocatalyst show an onset potential (Eonset) of 0.95 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.83 V (versus RHE) in 0.1 M KOH. Furthermore, the as-prepared catalyst presents superior durability and methanol tolerance compared to commercial Pt/C indicating its potential applications in fuel cells and metal–air batteries.
Structure-Function Analysis of the TibA Self-Associating Autotransporter Reveals a Modular Organization

ABSTRACT Some enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains express the TibA adhesin/invasin, a multifunctional autotransporter that mediates the autoaggregation of bacteria, biofilm formation, adhesion to cultured epithelial cells, and invasion of these cells. To elucidate the structure-function relationship in TibA, we generated mutants by transposon-based linker scanning mutagenesis and by site-directed mutagenesis. Several insertion mutants had a defect in either adhesion or autoaggregation. Mutants with a defect in autoaggregation were found in the N-terminal half of the extracellular domain, while mutants with a defect in adhesion were found in the C-terminal half. The deletion of the putative N-terminal autoaggregation domain abolished the autoaggregation of the bacteria but did not affect adhesion. The deletion of a proline-rich region located at the C terminus of the extracellular domain abolished the adhesion properties of TibA but did not affect invasion. This finding suggests that adhesion and invasion may rely on distinct mechanisms. Thus, our results reveal that TibA possesses a modular organization, with the extracellular domain being separated into an autoaggregation module and an adhesion module.
Disposable PDMS Diaphragm Micropump Actuated by PZT

Through studying the micropump and microvalve used in microfluidic control chemical analysis from the design of structure, working principle and fabrication process, a novel PZT-driven micropump was developed. The construction and the fabrication process are quite simple. It consists of flexible PDMS pump diaphragm, base plate and piezo-bimorph actuator. Diaphragm, meanwhile, is an active valve whose functions are manipulating/directing/switching the flow direction (forward or backward) and bearing the load when in the closed state, and a buffer element too. Base plate has both nozzle/diffuser or straight hole and chamber made of silicon. The thickness of the micropump membrane is about 180 mum. The length, width and depth of micropump chamber cavity are 6 mm, 6 mm and 20 mum, respectively. The performances of the micropump, such as pump rate and backpressure, are characterized. As a flow-rectifying element, the diffusers and active valves are used instead of passive check valves. The flow rate and the backpressure of the micropump the type A and type B are about 1050 muL/min, 840 muL/min and 5 kPa when applying a 100 V square wave driving voltage at frequency of 35 Hz
Differential Expression of Normal and Mutant Huntington's Disease Gene Alleles

Huntingtin expression was examined by Western blot and immunoprecipitation studies of lymphoblastoid cell lines from Huntington's disease (HD) homozygotes, heterozygotes, and a phenotypically normal individual with a t(4p16.3;12p13.3) breakpoint in the HD gene. The latter produced a reduced level of normal huntingtin without evidence of an altered protein, indicating that simple loss of huntingtin activity does not cause HD. In juvenile onset HD heterozygotes, NH2- and COOH-terminal antisera revealed reduced relative expression from the mutant allele. Pulse-chase studies indicated that huntingtin is a stable protein whose differential allelic expression is not due to destabilization of the mutant isoform. No stable breakdown products specific to mutant huntingtin were detected in either HD homozygotes or heterozygotes. These data are consistent with HD involving either a gain of function or a dominant negative loss of function that operates within severe constraints and suggest that in either case the pathogenic process is usually saturated by the amount of abnormal huntingtin produced from a single mutant allele.
Half-bridge based multilevel inverter generating higher voltage and power

One of the most suitable topologies for multilevel inverters is Cascade H-Bridge that contains full-bridge single-phase inverters. In this paper a similar cascaded structure is proposed which is made by half-bridge single-phase inverters. The proposed topology generates higher output voltage and power using the same switches and DC buses as full-bridge one. In other word, it can generate the same voltage at the output while using DC buses with half magnitude. Besides, production of even levels such as 4, 6, 8,. as well as odd levels 3, 5, . are other advantages of the Half-bridge multilevel inverter. The presented simulation results show the efficiency of the proposed Half-bridge topology in case of a three level inverter as an alternative to CHB. The results are compared with three level NPC and CHB.
Performance comparison of asynchronous adders

In asynchronous systems, average function delays principally govern overall throughput. This paper compares the performance of six adder designs with respect to their average delays. Our results show that asynchronous adders (32 or 64-bits) with a hybrid structure (e.g., carry-select adders) run 20-40% faster than simple ripple-carry adders. Hybrid adders also outperform high-cost, strictly synchronous conditional-sum adders.
The evolution of the lesion in cutaneous leishmaniasis

In order to elucidate the mechanisms for the elimination of Leishmania, the histological evolution of the lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis was studied in 118 biopsies from four geographical areas known to be associated with different species or sub‐species of Leishmania. Basically there were 3 types of response: A, parasites were eliminated within intact macrophages which later evolved as epithelioid cells; B, they were eliminated as a result of the lysis of the macrophages either individually or in small clusters, but the process was incomplete; C, there was necrosis proceeding to completion at the centre of a focalised mass of macrophages. In B and C the release of parasites caused tissue destruction; epithelioid cells were immature and often sparse, though giant cells were seen in C. A more definite tuberculoid response was found in draining lymph nodes.