Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stability analysis of fuzzy control systems subject to uncertain grades of membership

This paper presents relaxed stability conditions for fuzzy control systems subject to parameter uncertainties. As the parameter uncertainties introduce uncertain grades of membership to the fuzzy control systems, the favorable property offered by sharing the same premises in the fuzzy plant models and fuzzy controllers cannot be employed to enhance the stabilization ability of the fuzzy control systems. To widen the applicability of the fuzzy control approach, fuzzy control systems subject to uncertain grades of membership will be investigated. New relaxed stability conditions will be derived to guarantee the stability of this class of fuzzy control systems. A numerical example will be given to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical changes of fluorescent granular perithelial cells and the interaction of FGP cells to microglia after lipopolysaccharide administration

Fluorescent granular perithelial (FGP) cells introduced by Mato et al. (1979, 1980, 1981) are situated in the Virchow‐Robin space of cerebral microvessels and exhibit a marked uptake capacity for the endo‐ and exogenous materials in physiological conditions. That is, the FGP cells are the perivascular macrophage lineage enclosed by a basal lamina and glia limitans and are distributed between blood vessels and cerebral parenchyma. As reported previously, the FGP cells were distinguishable from microglia and pericytes in their morphology, location, and epitopes on their cytoplasmic membrane. On the other hand, it is established that microglia are upregulated by lipopolysaccaride (LPS) administration, but it remains unsettled whether the FGP cells, the perivascular macrophagic cells, are activated by LPS or not and what role the FGP cells play in the upregulation of microglia. Thus far, the morphological relationship between FGP cells and microglia in the process of upregulation has not been clarified.
Déduction dans le fragment existentiel conjonctif de la logique du premier ordre : algorithme et expérimentations

Nous considerons le probleme de deduction dans le frag- ment existentiel conjonctif muni de la negation atomique en logique du premier ordre. Ce probleme peut etre reformule en termes d'autres problemes en bases de donnees et en in- telligence artificielle : l'inclusion de requetes, l'implication de clauses et la deduction dans un fragment des graphes conceptuels. Partant des resultats de Leclere et Mugnier (ICDT 07), nous raffinons leur schema d'algorithme et tes- tons experimentalement differentes heuristiques. L'article decrit notre demarche et presente les resultats experimen- taux obtenus.
Méthode globale d'équilibrage élémentaire pour la reconstruction de champs statiquement admissibles dans le cadre des éléments finis

Ce papier traite des techniques de reconstruction de champs statiquement admissibles dans le cadre de l’estimation d’erreur a posteriori, le but etant de fournir une borne superieure stricte de la norme energetique de l’erreur de discretisation. L’etape de reconstruction est souvent complexe et decisive puisque l’efficacite de l’estimateur depend fortement de la qualite du champ reconstruit. Nous proposons une nouvelle technique de reconstruction se basant sur la meme hypothese que la methode Element Equilibration Technique (EET) mais l’exploitant de maniere globale, afin de decrire tout l’espace d’optimisation. Nous detaillons cette nouvelle technique et la comparons sur un exemple 2D aux estimateurs EET et Flux-free classiques.
Genomics and proteomics of allergic disease

The world‐wide effort to identify susceptibility genes for allergic diseases is motivated by the conviction that the identification of disease genes may permit the design of new classes of anti‐inflammatory compounds. Molecules concerned with the allergic reaction, such as cytokines, chemokines, their receptors, major histocompatibility complex molecules, and transcription factors, could provide the candidate genes of the allergic diseases. On the basis of genetic studies, multiple research groups have attempted to identify a susceptibility gene for allergy using the candidate gene approach and/or genome‐wide screening. Both of these approaches suggest genetic heterogeneity of allergic diseases. Many variants of candidate genes are or are not associated with particular diseases in different ethnic groups and the function of variants is now being investigated. Based on the information accumulated thus far and the information on the human genome sequence, future advances in research on genetic factors for allergic diseases will be likely lead to the establishment of more effective prophylaxis and therapy for these diseases.
Subject Global Evaluation and Subject Satisfaction Using Injectable Poly-l-Lactic Acid versus Human Collagen for the Correction of Nasolabial Fold Wrinkles

Background: This is a report of the secondary endpoints, Subject Global Evaluation (overall improvement) and Subject Satisfaction scores, from a study designed to examine the efficacy of injectable poly-l-lactic acid for the correction of nasolabial fold wrinkles over 25 months. Methods: A randomized, subject-blinded, parallel-group, multicenter clinical study was conducted to compare the effects of injectable poly-l-lactic acid with those of human collagen for the treatment of nasolabial fold wrinkles at 13 months following the last treatment. Injectable poly-l-lactic acid–treated subjects were followed for 25 months. Results: From month 3 through month 13 following the last treatment, injectable poly-l-lactic acid–treated subjects (n = 116) reported significantly higher Subject Global Evaluation scores compared with human collagen–treated subjects (n = 117; p < 0.001). Overall Subject Global Evaluation scores for injectable poly-l-lactic acid–treated subjects were 99 percent at week 3, 91 percent at month 13, and 81 percent at month 25 (all times following the last treatment). In contrast, for human collagen–treated subjects, overall Subject Global Evaluation scores declined by 84 percent, from 96 percent at week 3 to 15 percent at month 13. Subject Satisfaction scores were significantly different (p < 0.01) between treatment groups beginning week 3 and continuing through month 13. Overall Subject Satisfaction scores were maintained for over 80 percent of injectable poly-l-lactic acid–treated subjects (n = 106) at month 25 after the last treatment. Conclusions: Treatment of nasolabial fold wrinkles with injectable poly-l-lactic acid resulted in statistically significantly higher Subject Global Evaluation and Subject Satisfaction scores compared with human collagen at 13 months. Injectable poly-l-lactic acid–treated subjects maintained improvements for up to 25 months after treatment.
Fixed Expression of Single Influenza Virus–Specific TCR Chains Demonstrates the Capacity for TCR α– and β–Chain Diversity in the Face of Peptide–MHC Class I Specificity

The characteristics of the TCR repertoire expressed by epitope-specific CD8+ T cells can be an important determinant of the quality of immune protection against virus infection. Most studies of epitope-specific TCR repertoires focus solely on an analysis of TCR β-chains, rather than the combined TCRαβ heterodimers that confer specificity. Hence, the importance of complementary α- and β-chain pairing in determining TCR specificity and T cell function is not well understood. Our earlier study of influenza-specific TCR repertoires in a C57BL/6J mouse model described a structural basis for preferred TCRαβ pairing that determined exquisite specificity for the DbPA224 epitope from influenza A virus. We have now extended this analysis using retrogenic mice engineered to express single TCR α- or β-chains specific for the DbNP366 or DbPA224 epitopes derived from influenza A virus. We found that particular TCRαβ combinations were selected for recognition of these epitopes following infection, indicating that pairing of certain α- and β-chain sequences is key for determining TCR specificity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that some TCRαβ heterodimers were preferentially expanded from the naive repertoire in response to virus infection, suggesting that appropriate αβ pairing confers optimal T cell responsiveness to Ag.
Isofrequency labelling revealed by a combined [14C]‐2‐deoxyglucose, electrophysiological, and horseradish peroxidase study of the inferior colliculus of the cat

Tonotopic sequences of single units were recorded in the central nucleus (ICC) of the inferior colliculus of cats. The sites of units with a particular characteristic frequency (CF) were marked histologically. After injection with [14C]‐2‐deoxyglucose (2‐DG), each animal was stimulated with tone bursts, which corresponded to the CFs of the selected units. The position of a selected unit was found to correspond with the position of a band of discrete 2‐DG labelling. In some animals, multiple penetrations revealed that more than one unit with the same CF was located on the same band, indicating that the 2‐DG bands represent isofrequency contours. Single units were recorded in the pars lateralis (LV) of the medial geniculate body of cats and areas of consistent CF were found, which contained the same frequencies as some of those employed with 2‐DG. Horseradish peroxidase(HRP) Was Ejected into these selected areas and labelled cells were identified in ICC after retrograde transport. The labelled cells were found to lie in a band which had a similar orientation to the 2‐DG bands produced by the same frequencies. Both sets of data indicate that ICC is organized into three‐dimensional isofrequency sheets, the orientation of which do not match the concentric model of frequency organization inferred from some Golgi studies. The isofrequency sheets slope from medial to lateral throughout ICC with high‐frequency contours found more medially and caudally and low‐frequency contours more laterally and rostrally.
Autoimmune, atopic, and mental health comorbid conditions associated with alopecia areata in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of comorbid conditions among patients with alopecia areata (AA) seen at tertiary care hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts, during an 11-year period. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. SETTING Tertiary care hospitals in Boston, including Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. PARTICIPANTS We identified 3568 individuals with AA seen in the Partners health care system in Boston between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011. We performed comprehensive searches of the Research Patient Data Repository using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 704.01. We randomly selected 350 patients and manually reviewed their medical records to train and validate a novel artificial intelligence program. This program then used natural language processing to review free-text medical records and confirm a diagnosis of AA. To confirm the algorithm, we manually reviewed a subset of records and found 93.9% validity. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The prevalence of comorbid conditions was assessed. RESULTS Common comorbid conditions included autoimmune diagnoses (thyroid disease in 14.6%, diabetes mellitus in 11.1%, inflammatory bowel disease in (2.0%) [corrected], systemic lupus erythematosus in 4.3%, rheumatoid arthritis in 3.9%, and psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in (6.3%) [corrected], atopy (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and/or eczema in 38.2% and contact dermatitis and other eczema in 35.9%), and mental health problems (depression or anxiety in 25.5%). We also found high prevalences of hyperlipidemia (24.5%), hypertension (21.9%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (17.3%). This profile was different from that seen in a comparison psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE We found a high prevalence of comorbid conditions among individuals with AA presenting to academic medical centers in Boston. Physicians caring for patients with AA should consider screening for comorbid conditions.
Cytokeratin filaments and desmosomes in the epithelioid cells of the perineurial and arachnoidal sheaths of some vertebrate species.

Using electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry with a large panel of antibodies to various cytoskeletal proteins we have noted that the single- or multi-layered sheaths of epithelioid cells ("neurothelia") surrounding peripheral nerves (perineurial cells) or structures of the central nervous system, including the optic nerve (arachnoid cells), show remarkable interspecies differences in their cytoskeletal complements. In two anuran amphibia examined (Xenopus laevis, Rana ridibunda), the cells of both forms of neurothelia, i.e., perineurial and arachnoid, are interconnected by true desmosomes and are rich intermediate-sized filaments (IFs) of the cytokeratin type. Among higher vertebrates, a similar situation is found in the bovine and chicken nervous systems, in which the arachnoid cells of the meninges contain desmosomes and IFs of both the cytokeratin (apparently with restricted epitope accessibilities in the chicken) and the vimentin type, whereas the perineurial cells of many nerves contain cytokeratin IFs, often together with vimentin, but no desmosomes. In contrast, in rat arachnoidal and perineurial cells significant reactions have been observed neither for cytokeratins nor for desmosomes. In the human nervous system, cytokeratins and desmosomes have also not been seen in the various perineuria studied whereas desmosomes are frequent in arachnoidal cell layers which are dominated by vimentin IFs and only in certain small regions of the brain contain some additional cytokeratins. The occurrence of cytokeratins in the tissues found positive by immunohistochemistry has been confirmed by gel electrophoresis of cytoskeletal proteins, followed by immunoblotting. Our results emphasize both similarities and differences between the neurothelia on the one hand and epithelia or endothelia on the other, justifying classification as a separate kind of tissue, i.e., neurothelium. The observations of interspecies differences lead to the challenging conclusion that neither desmosomes nor cytokeratins are essential for the basic functions of neurothelial sheaths nor does the specific type of IF protein expressed in these cells appear to matter in this respect. The results are also discussed in relation to the cytoskeletal characteristics of other epithelioid tissues and of human neurothelium-derived tumors.
Medical journals, impact and social media: an ecological study of the Twittersphere

Background: Twitter is an increasingly popular means of research dissemination. I sought to examine the relation between scientific merit and mainstream popularity of general medical journals. Methods: I extracted impact factors and citations for 2014 for all general medical journals listed in the Thomson Reuters InCites Journal Citation Reports. I collected Twitter statistics (number of followers, number following, number of tweets) between July 25 and 27, 2015 from the Twitter profiles of journals that had Twitter accounts. I calculated the ratio of observed to expected Twitter followers according to citations via the Kardashian Index. I created the (Fifty Shades of) Grey Scale to calculate the analogous ratio according to impact factor. Results: Only 28% (43/153) of journals had Twitter profiles. The scientific and social media impact of journals were correlated: in adjusted models, Twitter followers increased by 0.78% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38%–1.18%) for every 1% increase in impact factor and by 0.62% (95% CI 0.34%–0.90%) for every 1% increase in citations. Kardashian Index scores above the 99% CI were obsverved in 16% (7/43) of journals, including 6 of the 7 highest ranked journals by impact factor, whereas 58% (25/43) had scores below this interval. For the Grey Scale, 12% (5/43) of journals had scores above and 35% (15/43) had scores below the 99% CI. Interpretation: The size of a general medical journal’s Twitter following is strongly linked to its impact factor and citations, suggesting that higher quality research received more mainstream attention. Many journals have not capitalized on this dissemination method, although others have used it to their advantage.
Leucine Carboxyl Methyltransferase 1 (LCMT1)-dependent Methylation Regulates the Association of Protein Phosphatase 2A and Tau Protein with Plasma Membrane Microdomains in Neuroblastoma Cells*

Background: Altered methylation of PP2A, a major Tau phosphatase, occurs in Alzheimer disease. Results: PP2A methylation regulates the association of PP2A with membrane rafts and plasma membrane-bound Tau levels. Conclusion: Altered PP2A methylation inhibits targeting of PP2A and Tau to the plasma membrane. Significance: Altered PP2A and Tau membrane distribution could promote neuronal dysfunction and phospho-Tau pathology in Alzheimer disease. Down-regulation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) methylation occurs in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the regulation of PP2A methylation remains poorly understood. We have reported that altered leucine carboxyl methyltransferase (LCMT1)-dependent PP2A methylation is associated with down-regulation of PP2A holoenzymes containing the Bα subunit (PP2A/Bα) and subsequent accumulation of phosphorylated Tau in N2a cells, in vivo and in AD. Here, we show that pools of LCMT1, methylated PP2A, and PP2A/Bα are co-enriched in cholesterol-rich plasma membrane microdomains/rafts purified from N2a cells. In contrast, demethylated PP2A is preferentially distributed in non-rafts wherein small amounts of the PP2A methylesterase PME-1 are exclusively present. A methylation-incompetent PP2A mutant is excluded from rafts. Enhanced methylation of PP2A promotes the association of PP2A and Tau with the plasma membrane. Altered PP2A methylation following expression of a catalytically inactive LCMT1 mutant, knockdown of LCMT1, or alterations in one-carbon metabolism all result in a loss of plasma membrane-associated PP2A and Tau in N2a cells. This correlates with accumulation of soluble phosphorylated Tau, a hallmark of AD and other tauopathies. Thus, our findings reveal a distinct compartmentalization of PP2A and PP2A regulatory enzymes in plasma membrane microdomains and identify a novel methylation-dependent mechanism involved in modulating the targeting of PP2A, and its substrate Tau, to the plasma membrane. We propose that alterations in the membrane localization of PP2A and Tau following down-regulation of LCMT1 may lead to PP2A and Tau dysfunction in AD.
Changing models of care to improve progression through the HIV treatment cascade in different populations

Purpose of reviewWith global guidelines recommending earlier treatment for HIV infection, there will be increased demand for care and treatment services. Although health systems delivering HIV care globally have made advances in decentralizing to lower level health centers and enabling nurse-based delivery of antiretroviral treatment, they remain largely clinic based. Innovators have recently developed newer community-based care delivery models that could extend the capacity of stretched health systems to accommodate further increases in patient volumes. This review will focus on the programme outcomes from new care models and consider their ability to have an impact at scale. Recent findingsNumerous patient-centered models of care have been developed to target patients stable on treatment and minimize clinic utilization. In rural areas, these models are aimed at reducing travel times and related costs, whereas models in urban and semi-urban areas focus on decreasing clinic congestion and patient wait times. Each of these models benefits from a focus on community support, and they demonstrate excellent retention in the care cascade for patients self-selecting into them. SummaryCare models including nontraditional community-oriented care for well patients, largely delivered through nonmedical providers have demonstrated outstanding outcomes, and need to be further tested and scaled.
On Mass Sensing Using Micro/Nano Resonators - Approaches, Challenges And Directions

Abstract Micro/Nano electromechanical systems based Mass sensors are being increasingly used for detecting very low masses, with significant applications in bio-sensing as well as environmental sensing. A number of different shapes, excitation mechanisms as well as materials have been suggested for these sensors. In addition, with reducing dimensions due to improvement in fabrication, these sensors have the potential to measure bacterial level masses. This paper reviews some of the research directions in this field. Various sensing and actuation strategies for these resonators are discussed. In addition, three important challenges, which have the potential of providing new directions of research are also explored. These include quality factor, increasing nonlinearity and coupling. Coupling of sensors can provide a unique opportunity to build several resonant sensors on the same chip and reduce the number of contacts required as well as the potential bandwidth
Thin Film based lcp multi-layer circuits: Manufacturing technology and characterization

In contrary to multi-layer circuits traditionally manufactured in standard PCB (Printed Circuit Board) technology, this article specifically describes a technology which combines the benefits of Thin Film Technology processes with methods from the PCB technology. Noble metals for the formation of conductor lines combined with laminated LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) polymers as substrate and insulator materials allow the formation of multi-layer circuits with only a very limited number of different participating materials. Such types of circuits can be made completely out of biocompatible materials and thus, are excellently suitable for applications inside the human body. This article will describe the general aspects of this technology and discuss the process flow for the manufacturing of thin film based LCP multi-layer circuits. Characterization results from stability examinations of these circuits in buffered saline solution are shown and discussed to prove the performance of the manufactured circuit structures.
High efficient robotic de-palletizing system for the non-flat ceramic industry

In this paper we describe a system designed to be used on a shop floor of a factory that produces non-flat ceramic products, where an extensive mixture of human and automatic labour is present. Today manufacturing setups rely increasingly on technology. It is common to have all sources of equipment on the shop floor, commanded by industrial PCs or PLCs connected by an industrial network to other factory resources. Also, the production systems are becoming more and more autonomous requiring less operator intervention in every day normal operation. That means using computers for controlling and supervision of the production systems, industrial networks and distributed software architectures. It means also designing application software that is really distributed in the shop floor, taking advantage of the flexibility installed by using programmable equipment.