Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multidrug restistance and its reversal: mathematical models

Classic multidmg resistance (MDR) is a phenomenon by which cells nonspecifically extrude noxious agents from the cytoplasm before lethal concentrations build up. Some chemotherapeutically treated tumors exhibit these same dynamics. In tumor systems, the most common mechanism of facilitating MDR is the upregulation of the P-glycoprotein pump. This protein forms a transmembrane channel, and after binding the chemotherapeutic agent and 2ATP molecules, forces the noxious agent through the channel. Hydrolysis of ATP to ADP provides the energy component of this reaction. General mathematical models describing drug resistance are reviewed in this article. One model describing the molecular function of the P-glycoprotein pump in MDR cell lines is developed and presented in detail. The pump is modeled as an energy-dependent facilitated diffusion process. A partial differential equation is linked to a pair of ordinary differential equations to form the core of the model. To describe MDR reversal, the model is extended by adding an inhibitor to the equation system. Equations for competitive, one-site non-competitive, and allosteric non-competitive inhibition are then derived. Numerical simulations have been run to describe P-glycoprotein dynamics both in the presence and absence of inhibition, and these results are briefly reviewed. The character of the pump and its response to inhibition are discussed within the context of the models.
4 Tesla gradient recalled echo characteristics of photic stimulation‐induced signal changes in the human primary visual cortex

Multi‐echo measurements of photic stimulation‐induced signal changes in human visual cortex were made at 4 Tesla in order to quantify the nature of the signal change and its vascular origin, and to determine the optimum echo time for detection of the changes. Utilizing high resolution images, two distinct regions (ascribed to be microvasculature and visible venous vessels) were identified as giving rise to the signal increase. The fractional signal changes in gray matter areas depended linearly on echo time (TE) in the range of 10 to 60 ms and extrapolated to virtually zero for TE = 0, indicating that in‐flow effects secondary to stimulation‐induced blood flow increases were negligible in our functional imaging studies; instead, signal change due to photic stimulation originated from the increase in the apparent transverse relaxation rate, 1/T2*. This decrease in (1/T2*, brought about by the alterations in hemodynamic parameters, was 1.3 ± 0.4 s−1 for gray matter and 3.0 ± 0.7 s−1 (averaged over 10 individuals) for venous vessels visible in the images. The optimum choice of echo time was found to be TE ≥ T2*.
The Attractiveness Halo Effect and the Babyface Stereotype in Older and Younger Adults: Similarities, Own-Age Accentuation, and Older Adult Positivity Effects

Background/Study Context: Two well-documented phenomena in person perception are the attractiveness halo effect (more positive impressions of more attractive people), and the babyface stereotype (more childlike impressions of more babyfaced people), shown by children, young adults (YA), and people from diverse cultures. This is the first study to systematically investigate these face stereotypes in older adults (OA) and to compare effects for younger and older adult faces. Methods: YA and OA judges rated competence, health, hostility, untrustworthiness, attractiveness, and babyfaceness of older and younger neutral expression faces. Multilevel modeling assessed effects of rater age and face age on appearance stereotypes. Results: Like YA, OA showed both the attractiveness halo effect and the babyface stereotype. However, OA showed weaker effects of attractiveness on impressions of untrustworthiness, and only OA associated higher babyfaceness with greater competence. There also was own-age accentuation, with both OA and YA showing stronger face stereotypes for faces closer to their own age. Age differences in the strength of the stereotypes reflected an OA positivity effect shown in more influence of positive facial qualities on impressions or less influence of negative ones, rather than vice versa. Conclusion: OA own-age biases, previously shown in emotion, age, and identity recognition, and OA positivity effects, previously revealed in attention, memory, and social judgments, also influence age differences in the strength and content of appearance stereotypes. Future research should assess implications of these results for age-related differences in susceptibility to appearance biases that YA have shown in socially significant domains, such as judicial and personnel decisions.
Effect of BIRADS shape descriptors on breast cancer analysis

This paper focuses on an approach for characterising the spatial structure of mammogram masses using various multimodal features. Experiments have been conducted on benchmark digital database for screening mammography (DDSM) database with 300 mammograms. According to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) spatial structure of mammogram masses can be discriminated using its shape, size and density properties. Various new geometrical shape, margin and texture features and DDSM descriptors are used to characterise the morphology of masses as either benign or malignant. The effect of DDSM descriptors on classification accuracy is analysed. The experimental results shows that all 20 features including DDSM descriptors produce better accuracy of 93.3& compared to 86.7& without using DDSM descriptors. The overall Wilk's lambda value is reduced when all 20 features are used for classification. The proposed features set using shape, texture and DDSM descriptors provide better (c/v) ratio compared to wavelet, Gabor and other features reported in the literature.
Global left ventricular longitudinal strain is associated with decreased melatonin levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a two-dimensional speckle tracking study

Abstract Low circulating melatonin levels predict poor outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the present study, we investigated whether a relationship between myocardial deformation in parameters measured by echocardiography and circulating melatonin level exists. We prospectively included 112 patients with STEMI who performed echocardiography and simultaneous measurement of serum melatonin, during the light period within 72 h of admission. We found a negative correlation between circulating melatonin levels and global longitudinal strain (p = 0.006, r = −0.33). In conclusion, melatonin levels have a correlation with two-dimensional speckle tracking in patients with STEMI.
Fourth-order quantum master equation and its Markovian bath limit

Fourth-order quantum master equations (FQMEs) are derived in both time nonlocal and local forms for a general system Hamiltonian, with new detailed expressions for the fourth-order kernel, where the bath correlation functions are explicitly decoupled from the system superoperators. Further simplifications can be made for the model of linearly coupled harmonic oscillator bath. Consideration of the high temperature Ohmic bath limit leads to a general Markovian FQME with compact forms of time independent superoperators. Two examples of this equation are then considered. For the system of a quantum particle in a continuous potential field, the equation reduces to a known form of the quantum Fokker–Planck equation, except for a fourth-order potential renormalization term that can be neglected only in the weak system-bath interaction regime. For a two-level system with off-diagonal coupling to the bath, fourth-order corrections do not alter the relaxation characteristics of the second-order equation and introduce additional coherence terms in the equations for the off-diagonal elements.
Um GRASP Híbrido com Reconexão por Caminhos e Mineração de Dados

A exploracao de metaheuristicas hibridas – combinacao de metaheuristicas com conceitos e processos de outras areas – vem sendo uma importante linha de pesquisa em otimizacao combinatoria. Neste trabalho, propoe-se uma versao hibrida da metaheuristica GRASP que incorpora a tecnica de reconexao por caminhos e um modulo de mineracao de dados. Experimentos computacionais mostraram que a combinacao da tecnica de reconexao por caminhos com mineracao de dados contribuiu para que o GRASP encontrasse solucoes melhores em um menor tempo computacional. Outra contribuicao deste trabalho e a aplicacao dessa proposta hibrida ao problema de sintese de redes a 2-caminhos, que proporcionou encontrar melhores solucoes para esse problema.
Connectionism Rules, OK?

Those familiar with Paul Churchland's earlier work will expect A Neuro-computational Perspective to be lively, provocative and interesting. They will not be disappointed. Churchland is best known for his sceptical view of belief-desire psychology. He suspects this theory is hopelessly false. This welcome collection of his essays includes this work but also his papers on the subjective aspects of the mind and his more recent adventures in philosophy of science. Three themes unify the collection: an anti-sententialist view of cognition, an emphasis on the plasticity of the human mind and a strong endorsement of connectionist models of human cognitive processes.
A Classe de Grafos PI

Neste trabalho mostramos que a representacao de um grafo PI, grafo intersecao de triângulos entre duas retas paralelas, que nao e grafo de intervalo, contem um triângulo obtusângulo. Alem disso, classificamos os grafos da familia de Gallai que sao PI.
GaAs MOSFET using InAlP native oxide as gate dielectric

GaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) using wet thermally oxidized InAlP as the gate insulator are reported for the first time. Leakage current measurements show that the 11-nm-thick native oxide grown from an In/sub 0.49/Al/sub 0.51/P layer lattice-matched to GaAs has good insulating properties, with a measured leakage current density of 1.39/spl times/10/sup -7/ mA//spl mu/m/sup 2/ at 1 V bias. GaAs MOSFETs with InAlP native gate oxide have been fabricated with gate lengths from 7 to 2 /spl mu/m. Devices with 2-/spl mu/m-long gates exhibit a peak extrinsic transconductance of 24.2 mS/mm, an intrinsic transconductance of 63.8 mS/mm, a threshold voltage of 0.15 V, and an off-state gate-drain breakdown voltage of 21.2 V. Numerical Poisson's equation solutions provide close agreement with the measured sheet resistance and threshold voltage.
Vision-aided UAV navigation using GIS data

This paper proposes a novel vision-aided navigation architecture to aid the inertial navigation system (INS) for accurate unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) localization. Unlike previous image localization methods such as scene matching and terrain contour matching, our approach registers meaningful object-level features extracted from real-time aerial imagery with the data of geographic information system (GIS). Firstly, we extract from aerial images the widely distributed object features including roads, rivers, road intersections, villages, bridges et al. Then, the extracted image features are delineated as geometrical points and vectors, which coincide with the representation of GIS data. Finally, GIS model is constructed by corresponding geographical object information from GIS data, and visual geometrical features are registered with GIS model to obtain the absolute position of the image. The proposed method adopts GIS as reference data, thus the storage requirement is lower than that of scene matching. In addition, all steps of this approach can be calculated efficiently, while the computational cost of terrain contour matching is very high. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method for UAV localization.
A GAP-43-like protein in cat visual cortex

Abstract We have purified a protein that changes in relative concentration during the development of the kitten visual cortex. It resembles GAP-43 (a neuronal protein that is expressed at elevated levels during periods of development and regenerative axon growth) in the following respects: (1) it is an acidic protein (pI=4.7) whose electrophoretic mobility on SDS-PAGE is similar to, but lower than rat GAP-43, suggesting that the cat protein is larger; (2) its electrophoretic mobility varies with the acrylamide concentration in a manner that is characteristic of GAP-43; (3) its concentration in kitten forebrain is elevated during early postnatal development; (4) the sequence of ten consecutive amino acids from a chemically generated fragment matches the expected sequence from GAP-43; and (5) its amino-acid content also matches GAP-43. We conclude that our purified protein is cat GAP-43. Immunoblots with an antibody prepared against rat GAP-43 suggested that the concentration of GAP-43 in the visual cortex declines with age.
Match analysis in football: a systematic review

Abstract The main focus of this paper was to review the available literature on match analysis in adult male football. The most common research topics were identified, their methodologies described and the evolutionary tendencies of this research area systematised. A systematic review of Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Knowledge database was performed according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. The following keywords were used: football and soccer, each one associated with the terms: match analysis, performance analysis, notational analysis, game analysis, tactical analysis and patterns of play. Of 2732 studies initially identified, only 53 were fully reviewed, and their outcome measures abstracted and analysed. Studies that fit all inclusion criteria were organised according to their research design as descriptive, comparative or predictive. Results showed that 10 studies focused predominantly on a description of technical, tactical and physical performance variables. From all comparative studies, the dependent variables more frequently used were “playing position” and “competitive level”. Even though the literature stresses the importance of developing predictive models of sports performance, only few studies (n = 8) have focused on modelling football performance. Situational variables like game location, quality of opposing teams, match status and match half have been progressively included as object of research, since they seem to work as effective covariables of football performance. Taking into account the limitations of the reviewed studies, future research should provide comprehensive operational definitions for the studied variables, use standardised categories and description of activities and participants, and consider integrating the situational and interactional contexts into the analysis of football performance.
Design and analysis of an axial-flux PM vernier machine for auto-focusing systems

This paper proposes a low-speed, high-torque, axial-flux permanent magnet vernier motor (PMVM) for the auto-focusing system application. The proposed motor is designed by precisely taking into consideration of the limited lens dimensions and camera installation space. The design approach of the vernier motor is an alternative combined design solution, coupled with the analytical method and finite element method (FEM). Based on the initial design, the parameter sensitivity analysis is finally carried out to further reduce cogging torque and torque ripple while maintaining the required output torque.
A Vital Role for Interleukin-21 in the Control of a Chronic Viral Infection

Controlling Chronic Viral Infections Chronic viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses are major public health concerns. T cell—mediated immune responses are critical for controlling viral infections. In contrast to acute infections, chronic viral infections are characterized by “exhausted” cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, cells which exhibit reduced proliferative capacity, cytokine secretion, and cytotoxicity. Treatments that reverse exhaustion result in increased viral control. Despite their exhaustion, these CD8+ T cells eventually help to control chronic infections by killing virally infected cells, and require CD4+ T cell help to do so. How do CD4+ T cells provide help to CD8+ T cells during chronic infection (see the Perspective by Johnson and Jameson)? Elsaesser et al. (p. 1569, published online 7 May), Yi et al. (p. 1572, published online 14 May), and Fröhlich et al. (p. 1576, published online 28 May) now show that the cytokine, interleukin-21 (IL-21), known to be critical for the differentiation of certain CD4+ T cell effector subsets, is an essential factor produced by CD4+ T cells that helps CD8+ T cells to control chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mice. Acute and chronic infections resulted in differing amounts of IL-21 production by virus-specific CD4+ T cells. CD8+ T cells required IL-21 directly, and when CD8+ T cells were unable to signal through IL-21 or IL-21 was not available, they were reduced in number, exhibited a more exhausted phenotype, and were not able to control the virus. In contrast, the absence of IL-21–dependent signaling did not affect primary CD8+ T cell responses to acute infection or responses to a viral rechallenge, suggesting that differentiation of memory CD8+ T cells is independent of IL-21. The cytokine interleukin-21 has a profound impact on virus-specific T cell responses to chronic infections in mice. Understanding the factors that regulate the induction, quality, and longevity of antiviral T cell responses is essential for devising rational strategies to prevent or combat infections. In this study, we show that interleukin-21 (IL-21), likely produced by CD4+ T cells, directly influences the generation of polyfunctional CD8+ T cells and that the number of CD4+ T cells that produce IL-21 differs markedly between acute and chronic infections. IL-21 regulates the development of CD8+ T cell exhaustion and the ability to contain chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Thus, IL-21 serves as a critical helper factor that shapes the functional quality of antiviral CD8+ T cells and is required for viral control.
Pension reform and capital market development in Central and Eastern European countries

The paper provides new empirical evidence for the connection between pension reform and capital market development using a sample of ten Central and Eastern European countries. Using a single equation Error Correction Model, the results confirm the existence of a strong positive short-term effect, as well as a lower magnitude positive long-term effect of the pension funds’ assets on the market capitalisation.
Efecto de la actividad humana sobre el cambio global del clima

Desde que el Hombre se reconoce a si mismo como ser racional sobre la Tierra, enfrenta un dilema existencial, que puede simplificarse en las pregun­ tas: ? de donde provengo? y ? a donde voy? , o en otras palabras: ? por que y para que vivo? La percepcion abstrac­ ta de hechos naturales como el orden, la belleza, el heroismo y la caridad, entre otros, lo ha llevado a integrarse por libre eleccion en una de las dos grandes vertientes en que pueden di­ vidirse las religiones o creencias que han existido en el pasado, y aun en las que perduran en el presente: la de la causalidad o la del casualismo. La eleccion ante este dilema es hasta hoy, por lo tanto, un acto de fe y la cien­ cia experimental no puede contestar estas preguntas. Sin embargo, el conocimiento cien­ tifico acumulado ha permitido descu­ brir como es posible la vida del Hom­ bre sobre la Tierra y como se podria destruir esa posibilidad en el futuro. Ante este nuevo dilema contempora­ neo, el Hombre debera elegir, con ple­ no conocimiento y responsabilidad el destino de la vida en el planeta.
Gln368STOP myocilin mutation in families with late-onset primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE To examine families ascertained for late-onset primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) to determine mutations in the gene coding for myocilin. METHODS The diagnosis of late-onset POAG was defined as age at diagnosis more than 35 years, intraocular pressure (IOP) 22 mm Hg or more in both eyes or 19 mm Hg or more while the patient was taking two glaucoma medications, glaucomatous optic neuropathy in both eyes, and visual field loss consistent with optic nerve damage in at least one eye of the proband. Two of three criteria were required in other family members. DNA from all families was screened for polymorphisms in myocilin using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. All polymorphisms were sequenced for mutations. RESULTS Eighty-three affected people in 29 families with late-onset POAG were screened for mutations. Three mutations, two novel missense (Thr377Met and Glu352Lys) and one nonsense (Gln368STOP), were identified. The missense mutations did not segregate with the disease phenotype in these families. The nonsense mutation was found in 3 of 29 unrelated families with POAG. All affected family members and 8 of 12 in whom glaucoma was suspected had the Gln368STOP mutation. All people with this mutation had elevated IOP, and 78% had POAG by age 70. CONCLUSIONS Three mutations were identified in the gene coding for myocilin in families with late-onset POAG. Of these, the Gln368STOP mutation was highly associated with the development of glaucoma. All people with this mutation had glaucoma or elevated IOP by age 70. In the United States, the Gln368STOP mutation in myocilin is strongly associated with the development of late-onset POAG. However, factors in addition to the presence of this mutation seem to play a role in the development of ocular hypertension and glaucoma in these families.
Cutaneous Infection Caused by Aspergillus ustus, an Emerging Opportunistic Fungus in Immunosuppressed Patients

ABSTRACT We report a case of primary cutaneous infection by the emerging fungus Aspergillus ustus in an immunosuppressed patient after a domestic accident. The patient failed to respond to itraconazole and died before receiving a new treatment with amphotericin B. There have been eight other cases reported since 1973, and only two patients survived the infection. In vitro susceptibility testing of seven antifungal drugs showed that terbinafine and the new azole derivative UR-9825 were the most active against this fungus.
MicroRNAs as potential circulating biomarkers of drug-induced liver injury: key current and future issues for translation to humans

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a common form of adverse drug reaction seen within the clinic. Sensitive, specific and non-invasive biomarkers of liver toxicity are required to help diagnose hepatotoxicity and also to identify safety liabilities during drug development. Limitations exist in the current gold standard DILI biomarkers: alanine aminotransferase is not liver-specific and therefore gives rise to false-positive signals. Interest has grown in the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers of DILI. Some miRNAs display remarkable organ specificity, can be measured sensitively and are stable in a wide range of biofluids. However, little is currently known about the mechanisms through which miRNAs are released from cells. Furthermore, a clinically suitable method to measure miRNAs has not yet been developed. This review aims to highlight the current research surrounding these markers and areas in which further work is required to establish these markers within clinical and pre-clinical settings.
Parameters Selection for Filter Bank Precoded Filter Bank Multicarrier Systems

Filter Bank MultiCarrier - Offset QAM (FBMC-OQAM) is now a recognized alternative to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) for the transmission of multicarrier signals thanks to its improved spectral occupation. However FBMC-OQAM presents a high occurrence of power peaks. In order to reduce the occurrence of large power peaks, we present two efficient precoding methods: Filter Bank (FB) precoding and FB precoding with excess band. We propose the best choice of parameters for these methods in order to optimize performances in terms of peak power reduction, excess band, latency and overhead.