Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ABSORPTION AND FLUORESCENCE STUDY OF TYROSINE‐DERIVED CROSSLINKING AMINO ACIDS FROM COLLAGEN

Isotrityrosine, an isomer of trityrosine with an ether linkage, is a new crosslinking amino acid recently found in cuticle collagen of Ascaris lumbricoides. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of this new amino acid were examined and compared with other tyrosine‐derived crosslinking amino acids. Isotrityrosine showed UV absorption maximum at 283 nm in acidic and neutral solutions and at 303 nm in strongly basic solution. The wavelengths are almost the same with those at dityrosine and trityrosine. The values of pKa, for chromophore phenols are 7.5 and 11.0. This means that two proton dissociations occur progressively one by one. Boric acid did not have any influence on isotrityrosine, though the effect on dityrosine and trityrosine was substantial. These facts mentioned above may suggest structural inequality of two phenols in an ether‐linked isomer. The wavelength of emission maximum was 450 nm, which was the longest wavelength among relative compounds examined. The fluorescence quantum yield was as small as 0.027, and the value was about one‐tenth of those of dityrosine and trityrosine. Isotrityrosine was also found in cuticle collagen of other worms which belong to the phylum nematoda.
A New Scalar Quantization Method for Digital Image Watermarking

A new technique utilizing Scalar Quantization is designed in this paper in order to be used for Digital Image Watermarking (DIW). Efficiency of the technique is measured in terms of distortions of the original image and robustness under different kinds of attacks, with particular focus on Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) and Gain Attack (GA). The proposed technique performance is affirmed by comparing with state-of-the-art methods including Quantization Index Modulation (QIM), Distortion Compensated QIM (DC-QIM), and Rational Dither Modulation (RDM). Considerable improvements demonstrated by the method are due to a new form of distribution of quantized samples and a procedure that recovers a watermark after GA. In contrast to other known quantization methods, the detailed method here stipulates asymmetric distribution of quantized samples. This creates a distinctive feature and is expressed numerically by one of the proposed criteria. In addition, several realizations of quantization are considered and explained using a concept of Initial Data Loss (IDL) which helps to reduce watermarking distortions. The procedure for GA recovery exploits one of the two criteria of asymmetry. The accomplishments of the procedure are due to its simplicity, computational lightness, and sufficient precision of estimation of unknown gain factor.
Potent Thrombolytic Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Arterial Thrombi

Background: Platelet cross-linking during arterial thrombosis involves von Willebrand Factor (VWF) multimers. Therefore, proteolysis of VWF appears promising to disaggregate platelet-rich thrombi and restore vessel patency in acute thrombotic disorders such as ischemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome, or acute limb ischemia. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC, a clinically approved mucolytic drug) can reduce intrachain disulfide bonds in large polymeric proteins. In the present study, we postulated that NAC might cleave the VWF multimers inside occlusive thrombi, thereby leading to their dissolution and arterial recanalization. Methods: Experimental models of thrombotic stroke induced by either intra-arterial thrombin injection or ferric chloride application followed by measurement of cerebral blood flow using a combination of laser Doppler flowmetry and MRI were performed to uncover the effects of NAC on arterial thrombi. To investigate the effect of NAC on larger vessels, we also performed ferric chloride–induced carotid artery thrombosis. In vitro experiments were performed to study the molecular bases of NAC thrombolytic effect, including platelet aggregometry, platelet-rich thrombi lysis assays, thromboelastography (ROTEM), and high-shear VWF string formation using microfluidic devices. We also investigated the putative prohemorrhagic effect of NAC in a mouse model of intracranial hemorrhage induced by in situ collagenase type VII injection. Results: We demonstrated that intravenous NAC administration promotes lysis of arterial thrombi that are resistant to conventional approaches such as recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, direct thrombin inhibitors, and antiplatelet treatments. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we provide evidence that the molecular target underlying the thrombolytic effects of NAC is principally the VWF that cross-link platelets in arterial thrombi. Coadministration of NAC and a nonpeptidic GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor further improved its thrombolytic efficacy, essentially by accelerating thrombus dissolution and preventing rethrombosis. Thus, in a new large-vessel thromboembolic stroke model in mice, this cotreatment significantly improved ischemic lesion size and neurological outcome. It is important to note that NAC did not worsen hemorrhagic stroke outcome, suggesting that it exerts thrombolytic effects without significantly impairing normal hemostasis. Conclusions: We provide evidence that NAC is an effective and safe alternative to currently available antithrombotic agents to restore vessel patency after arterial occlusion.
Selective Activation of the SK1 Subtype of Human Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels by 4-(2-Methoxyphenylcarbamoyloxymethyl)-piperidine-1-carboxylic Acid tert-Butyl Ester (GW542573X) Is Dependent on Serine 293 in the S5 Segment

A new small molecule, 4-(2-methoxy-phenylcarbamoyloxymethyl)-piperidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester (GW542573X), is presented as an activator of small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK, KCa2) channels and distinguished from previously published positive modulators of SK channels, such as 1-ethyl-2-benzimidazolinone (1-EBIO) and cyclohexyl-[2-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-6-methyl-pyrimidin-4-yl]-amine (CyPPA), in several aspects. GW542573X is the first SK1-selective compound described: an EC50 value of 8.2 ± 0.8 μM (n = 6, [Ca2+]i = 200 nM) was obtained from inside-out patches excised from hSK1-expressing HEK293 cells. Whole-cell experiments showed that hSK2 and hSK3 channels were more than 10 times, and hIK channels even more than 100 times, less sensitive to GW542573X. The Ca2+-response curve of hSK1 was left-shifted from an EC50(Ca2+) value of 410 ± 20 nM (n = 9) to 240 ± 10 nM (n = 5) in the presence of 10 μM GW542573X. In addition to this positive modulation, GW542573X activated SK1 in the absence of Ca2+ and furthermore induced a 15% increase in the maximal current at saturating Ca2+. Thus, GW542573X also acts as a genuine opener of the hSK1 channels, a mechanism of action (MOA) not previously obtained with SK channels. The differential potency on hSK1 and hSK3 enabled a chimera approach to elucidate site(s) important for this new MOA and selectivity property. A single amino acid (Ser293) located in S5 of hSK1 was essential, and substituting the corresponding Leu476 in hSK3 with serine conferred hSK1-like potency (EC50 = 9.3 ± 1.4 μM, n = 5). GW542573X may activate SK channels via interaction with “deep-pore” gating structures at the inner pore vestibule or the selectivity filter in contrast to 1-EBIO and CyPPA that exert positive modulation via the intracellular calmodulin binding domain.
Reflexão sobre as estratégias de controle da anemia em gestantes no Brasil

Desde 1977, sanitaristas brasileiros estao preocupados com a anemia e suas consequencias, especialmente entre gestantes. As perdas de capacidades fisicas e mentais, dificilmente mensuraveis resultantes dessa ma nutricao, implicam altos custos de tratamentos medicos e, principalmente, significativas perdas de capital humano. A fim de controlar esta deficiencia, programas de intervencao foram introduzidos no pais em 2004 e 2005: a fortificacao com ferro das farinhas de trigo e milho e a suplementacao profilatica para criancas com sulfato ferroso. No entanto, a maioria das poucas avaliacoes disponiveis desses programas teve resultados inesperados: nao houve reducao da prevalencia de anemia de gestantes atendidas a primeira consulta nos servicos publicos brasileiros, depois de dois anos de fortificacao das farinhas com ferro. Este resultado esta associado a dois fatores: 1) a baixa biodisponibilidade dos compostos de ferro usados 2) a baixa ingestao de produtos a base de farinha de trigo e de milho devido ao alto preco e/ou habito alimentar. Os precos do trigo mostram uma tendencia de aumento, o que consequentemente, levara a diminuicao no seu consumo, principalmente entre a populacao de baixa renda. Uma das metas do Ministerio da Saude e avaliar constantemente as estrategias adotadas visando aperfeicoar sua implementacao, identificar possiveis causas de vieses e buscar alternativas para o controle da anemia e suas consequencias que afetam tanto a produtividade individual como o desenvolvimento da nacao como um todo.
Go DIELECTRIC SPECTROSCOPY OF SEMICONDUCTORS 5 th Progress Report to July 1989 e 4 J on work under US Army Grant DAJA

ABS RACT Our understanding of the frequency dependence of transport in a two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) as seen in a nearly-cut-off Field-Effect Transistor (FET) is now reasonably complete, our earlier difficulties having been due to confusing experimental artefacts. The result is a confirmation of our prediction that 2-DEG should show strong Low-Frequency Dispersion (LFD), which has some fundamental significance.
Do television food advertisements portray advertised foods in a ‘healthy’ food context?

Exposure to food promotion influences food preferences and diet. As food advertisements tend to promote ‘less healthy’ products, food advertising probably plays some role in the ‘obesity epidemic’. Amid calls for increased regulation, food manufacturers are beginning to engage in a variety of health-promoting marketing initiatives. Positioning products in the context of a ‘healthy’, balanced diet in television advertisements is one such initiative. We explored whether the wider food context in which foods are advertised on television are ‘healthier’ than the advertised foods themselves. All foods shown in food advertisements broadcast during 1 week on one commercial UK channel were identified and classified as ‘primary’ (i.e. the focus of advertisements) or ‘incidental’. The nutritional content of all foods was determined and that of primary and incidental foods were compared. Almost two-thirds of food advertisements did not include any incidental foods. When a wider food context was present, this tended to be ‘healthier’ than the primary foods that were the focus of food advertisements – particularly in terms of the food groups represented. It is not yet clear what effect this may have on consumers' perceptions and behaviour, and whether or not this practice should be encouraged or discouraged from a public health perspective.
Searching for conjunctively defined targets.

It has recently been proposed that in searching for a target defined as a conjunction of two or more separable features, attention must be paid serially to each stimulus in a display. Support for this comes from studies in which subjects searched for a target that shared a single feature with each of two different kinds of distractor items (e.g., a red O in a field of black Os and red Ns). Reaction time increased linearly with display size. We argue that this design may obscure evidence of selectivity in search. In an experiment in which the numbers of the two distractors were unconfounded, we find evidence that subjects can search through specified subsets of stimuli. For example, subjects told to search through just the Os to find the red O target do so without searching through Ns. Implications of selective search are discussed.
Proteomic Profiling of Adipose Tissue from Zmpste24−/− Mice, a Model of Lipodystrophy and Premature Aging, Reveals Major Changes in Mitochondrial Function and Vimentin Processing*

Lipodystrophy is a major disease involving severe alterations of adipose tissue distribution and metabolism. Mutations in genes encoding the nuclear envelope protein lamin A or its processing enzyme, the metalloproteinase Zmpste24, cause diverse human progeroid syndromes that are commonly characterized by a selective loss of adipose tissue. Similarly to humans, mice deficient in Zmpste24 accumulate prelamin A and display phenotypic features of accelerated aging, including lipodystrophy. Herein, we report the proteome and phosphoproteome of adipose tissue as well as serum metabolome in lipodystrophy by using Zmpste24−/− mice as experimental model. We show that Zmpste24 deficiency enhanced lipolysis, fatty acid biogenesis and β-oxidation as well as decreased fatty acid re-esterification, thus pointing to an increased partitioning of fatty acid toward β-oxidation and away from storage that likely underlies the observed size reduction of Zmpste24-null adipocytes. Besides the mitochondrial proteins related to lipid metabolism, other protein networks related to mitochondrial function, including those involved in tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, were up-regulated in Zmpste24−/− mice. These results, together with the observation of an increased mitochondrial response to oxidative stress, support the relationship between defective prelamin A processing and mitochondrial dysfunction and highlight the relevance of oxidative damage in lipoatrophy and aging. We also show that absence of Zmpste24 profoundly alters the processing of the cytoskeletal protein vimentin and identify a novel protein dysregulated in lipodystrophy, High-Mobility Group Box-1 Protein. Finally, we found several lipid derivates with important roles in energy balance, such as Lysophosphatidylcholine or 2-arachidonoylglycerol, to be dysregulated in Zmpste24−/− serum. Together, our findings in Zmpste24−/− mice may be useful to unveil the mechanisms underlying adipose tissue dysfunction and its overall contribution to body homeostasis in progeria and other lipodystrophy syndromes as well as to develop novel strategies to prevent or ameliorate these diseases.
Surface Waves Supported by Metasurfaces With Self-Complementary Geometries

This paper investigates the fundamental dispersion properties of surface waves (SWs) supported by a class of metasurfaces (MTSs) that consists of a planar layer made of metal patches and apertures with self-complementary geometries. When the MTS is suspended in free space, the supported SW is TM or TE depending on whether the vertexes of the metallic parts are interconnected or not, whereas the phase velocity is equal in the two cases. A simple analytical model, that depends only on the geometry, is derived to predict the dispersion curves for a quite general class of geometries. The proposed model is also extended to cases in which the MTSs are printed on a grounded or ungrounded dielectric slab, by using an equivalent dielectric constant. Comparisons with dispersion curves obtained through full-wave simulations confirm the accuracy of the model all over the Brillouin region. Finally, it is shown that connecting or disconnecting the metal patches along a given path allows for a confinement of the SWs on such a path. An experimental validation of this concept is also presented. This feature provides the possibility of controlling the wave's direction of propagation by changing the vertexes status by means of miniaturized switches or optical control.
Datasets as a Source for Ambiguity A Model and Experimental Evidence

In our model an individual forms beliefs over events based on the frequencies of occurrences of the events in past cases. However, in some cases, he might not know whether or not a speci c event has occurred. Our model suggests that ambiguity may arise due to this sort of partial information and that attitude towards ambiguity can be explained by the way the individual process such imprecise cases. An individual who tends to put low weight on the possibility that an event occurred in these imprecise cases will turn out to be ambiguity averse, whereas an individual who tends to put high weight on the possibility that this event occurred will turn out to be ambiguity loving. The model is followed by an experiment designed to test the main features of the model. It is corroborated that given precise data subjects are ambiguity neutral while given imprecise data subjects are ambiguity averse. We wish to thank Anat Bracha, Itzhak Gilboa, Dotan Persitz, Ariel Rubinstein, Ella Segev, Peter Wakker and participants of the PhD seminar at Tel Aviv University for many helpful comments and suggestions. yThe Eitan Berglas School of Economics, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel. E-mail: aradayal@post.tau. ac.il zDepartment of Economics, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel. E-mail: gabi.gayer@gmail.com
Characteristics and distinguishing features of hepatocellular adenoma and focal nodular hyperplasia on gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI in the characterization of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hepatocellular adenoma and to assess potential advantages of hepatocyte phase imaging in identifying features that distinguish FNH from hepatocellular adenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI examinations of 12 patients with hepatocellular adenoma and 35 patients with FNH were retrospectively evaluated by three blinded readers. Diagnoses and confidence scores were recorded before and after disclosure of hepatocyte phase images. The data obtained were combined to create receiver operating characteristic curves, and the areas under the curves were compared. Imaging characteristics, including signal intensity, were recorded. Lesion-to-liver enhancement ratio was calculated for each contrast-enhanced phase. RESULTS The readers' average receiver operating characteristic area was significantly higher after disclosure of hepatocyte phase images (p=0.024). FNHs were correctly diagnosed in 74.3-97.1% of cases before and 97.1-100% of cases after the disclosure of hepatocyte phase images; hepatocellular adenoma was correctly diagnosed in 83-100% and 91.7-100% of cases (p>0.05). The presence of a central scar in FNH and fat on hepatocellular adenoma were the only morphologic features that were statistically significantly different (p<0.05). FNH had greater average contrast-enhanced signal intensity and enhancement ratio in all phases (p<0.001). A hepatocyte phase enhancement ratio of less than 0.7 was 100% specific and 91.6% sensitive for hepatocellular adenoma, with accuracy of 97.1% for these data. CONCLUSION Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI had high accuracy in diagnosis of FNH and hepatocellular adenoma, and the hepatocyte phase improved their distinction. FNH enhances significantly more than hepatocellular adenoma. An enhancement ratio, particularly in the hepatocyte phase, can be potentially used as an additional distinguishing feature.
ASLR on the Line: Practical Cache Attacks on the MMU

Address space layout randomization (ASLR) is an important first line of defense against memory corruption attacks and a building block for many modern countermeasures. Existing attacks against ASLR rely on software vulnerabilities and/or on repeated (and detectable) memory probing. In this paper, we show that neither is a hard requirement and that ASLR is fundamentally insecure on modern cachebased architectures, making ASLR and caching conflicting requirements (ASLR⊕Cache, or simply AnC). To support this claim, we describe a new EVICT+TIME cache attack on the virtual address translation performed by the memory management unit (MMU) of modern processors. Our AnC attack relies on the property that the MMU’s page-table walks result in caching page-table pages in the shared last-level cache (LLC). As a result, an attacker can derandomize virtual addresses of a victim’s code and data by locating the cache lines that store the page-table entries used for address translation. Relying only on basic memory accesses allows AnC to be implemented in JavaScript without any specific instructions or software features. We show our JavaScript implementation can break code and heap ASLR in two major browsers running on the latest Linux operating system with 28 bits of entropy in 150 seconds. We further verify that the AnC attack is applicable to every modern architecture that we tried, including Intel, ARM and AMD. Mitigating this attack without naively disabling caches is hard, since it targets the low-level operations of the MMU. We conclude that ASLR is fundamentally flawed in sandboxed environments such as JavaScript and future defenses should not rely on randomized virtual addresses as a building block.
Retrospective Analysis of Histopathological and Microbiological Correlation ofAutopsy Series

Background: In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed macroscopic postmortem examinations of surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients who died from suspected sepsis or septic shock. Methods: All 125 Patients who were admitted in the ICU and subsequently died and cause of death labeled as sepsis/septic shock. Clinical data and postmortem findings were documented in all patients. Results: The study included postmortem results which included gross, histopathology and microbiology. The main causes of death as reported in the patient history were sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (70%) and cardiorespiratory failure (30%). Pathologies were detected in the lungs in 18 cases, kidneys/urinary tract 05 cases, gastrointestinal tract 02 cases, cardiovascular system 09 cases, liver 20 cases, spleen 01 case, central nervous system 30 cases, and pancreas 08 cases and in 32 cases multiple organ pathology was seen like lung, brain, liver. The autopsy and microbiological examination revealed confirmatory growth and septic focus in 40 (32%) cases only. The microbiological isolates were obtained from CSF, heart blood, ascitic fluid, pleural and pericardial fluid and tracheal aspirates. Most common isolate was Klebsiella in 25 cases. Conclusion: Relevant postmortem findings explaining death in surgical ICU patients who died because of sepsis/ septic shock were a continuous septic focus in approximately 40%, primary CNS pathology 37.5% cardiac pathologies in 7.2%. The most frequently affected organs were the brain, liver, lungs. Multiple organ system was also involved in 32 cases and disseminated fungal infection was the cause of death in 2 cases.
Improving defect removal effectiveness for software development

The paper first reviews the industry statistics on defects, presents a model of defect removal, then develops the relationships between the defect removal effectiveness of different defect removal phases. The defect removal effectiveness of an average organization is determined based on published data. Combining the industry data with the defect removal model, insights into improvement of the defect removal process can be gained. It is determined that the defect removal effectiveness of individual phases cannot be higher than that of the overall development process. Also, introducing inspection to the software development process will certainly allow an average organization to achieve higher defect removal effectiveness.
Effects of smoothing and quantizing the parameters of formant-coded voiced speech.

A subjective evaluation of the effects of smoothing and quantization of the parameters for formant‐coded voiced speech has been carried out. Thresholds were obtained for the degree of smoothing or quantization of specified parameters associated with a just noticeable degradation of all‐voiced sentence material. Average quantization threshold levels obtained were: pitch period, 3.9 bits; first formant, 2.7 bits; second formant, 3.1 bits. The average of low‐pass filter bandwidth thresholds for the simultaneous smoothing of formants was 7.6 Hz per formant; for pitch‐period data the low‐pass filter bandwidth threshold was 3.9 Hz. With simultaneous low‐pass filtering and quantization, the estimated over‐all bit rate for the coded parameters of all‐voiced speech was approximately 200 bits/sec.