Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Extracts From Sea Cucumbers and Tunicates Induce a Pro-osteogenic Effect in Zebrafish Larvae

Bone metabolic disorders such as osteoporosis are characterized by the loss of mineral from the bone tissue leading to its structural weakening and increased susceptibility to fractures. A growing body of evidence suggests that inflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the pathophysiological processes involved in the rise of these conditions. As the currently available therapeutic strategies are often characterized by toxic effects associated with their long-term use, natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds such as polyphenols promise to be a valuable alternative for the prevention and treatment of these disorders. In this scope, the marine environment is becoming an important source of bioactive compounds with potential pharmacological applications. Here, we explored the bioactive potential of three species of holothurians (Echinodermata) and four species of tunicates (Chordata) as sources of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds with a particular focus on polyphenolic substances. Hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts were obtained from animals’ biomass and screened for their content of polyphenols and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Hydroethanolic fractions of three species of tunicates displayed high polyphenolic content associated with strong antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory activity. Extracts were thereafter tested for their capacity to promote bone formation and mineralization by applying an assay that uses the developing operculum of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to assess the osteogenic activity of compounds. The same three hydroethanolic fractions from tunicates were characterized by a strong in vivo osteogenic activity, which positively correlated with their anti-inflammatory potential as measured by COX-2 inhibition. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of polyphenol-rich hydroethanolic extracts obtained from three species of tunicates as a substrate for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of bone disorders correlated to oxidative stress and inflammatory processes.
Lessons learned in developing an environmental product declaration program for the asphalt industry in North America

The objective of this paper is to report the technical and organizational challenges involved in the development of the North American Environmental Product Declaration program for asphalt mixtures. The paper explores how differences in stakeholder priorities and perspectives, in the pavement construction industry, directly shape the Product Category Rules (PCR) defining the program. The paper draws attention to specific Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) related technical questions and highlights how the solutions are negotiated. The primary challenge identified is how to ensure technical rigor of the underlying LCA, while recognizing the interests of the stakeholders and ensuring the delivery of a program that is effective. The paper discusses how technical issues regarding system boundary choice, data use and allocation presented challenges for the PCR Development Working Group accounting for different stakeholder interests. It is very important to note that this paper does not discuss the PCR itself, but rather provides insights into the discussions that informed the PCR development.
Synaptic differentiation is defective in mice lacking acetylcholine receptor β-subunit tyrosine phosphorylation

Agrin activates MuSK, a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in skeletal muscle, leading to tyrosine phosphorylation of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) β-subunit and clustering of AChRs. The importance of AChRβ -subunit tyrosine phosphorylation in clustering AChRs and regulating synaptic differentiation is poorly understood. We generated mice with targeted mutations in the three intracellular tyrosines of the AChR β-subunit (AChR-β3F/3F). Mice lacking AChRβ -subunit tyrosine phosphorylation thrive postnatally and have no overt behavioral defects, indicating that AChR β-subunit tyrosine phosphorylation is not essential for the formation of neuromuscular synapses. Nonetheless, the size of synapses and the density of synaptic AChRs are reduced in AChR- β3F/3F mutant mice. Moreover, synapses are structurally simplified and the organization of postjunctional folds is aberrant in mice lacking tyrosine phosphorylation of the AChR β-subunit. Furthermore, mutant AChRs cluster poorly in response to agrin and are readily extracted from the cell surface of cultured myotubes by non-ionic detergent. These data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of the AChR β-subunit has an important role in organizing AChRs and regulating synaptic differentiation.
Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 7

A rare, genetic, periphery neuropathy characterized by a congenital insensitivity to pain, muscular hypotonia and gastrointestinal disturbances. Patients present with delayed motor milestones achievement, self-mutilations, skin ulcers, poor wound healing, painless fractures, hyperhidrosis, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and/or constipation. Cognitive development is normal. Qeios · Definition, February 10, 2020
Design of a Low Noise Amplifier with integrated notch filter for interference rejection in ultra-wideband systems

A fully integrated 0.18um CMOS Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) with Notch Filter for interference rejection at 5–6 GHz in UWB systems is presented. The notch filter comprises a series LC resonance circuit, which with a resistance cancelation approach yields excellent attenuating characteristics. The post layout simulation of this circuit is able to achieve more than 25 dB of attenuation at 5.6 GHz. The LNA is composed of two stages-cascode and cascade stage, in addition to inter-stage LC components to achieve wider gain. The shunt resistive feedback is employed to obtain a good input matching and low noise figure. The proposed UWB LNA achieves a simulated (post layout) gain of 18 dB and has the input and output matching less than −7dB and −10dB respectively over the entire range. The NF in the region of interest is less than 5.1 dB.
On the Deposition Rates of Magnetron Sputtered Thin Films at Oblique Angles

We thank the Junta de Andalucia (Projects P09-CTS-5189, TEP5283, P12-FQM-2265 and FQM-6900) and the Spanish MINECO (Projects CONSOLIDER CSD2008-00023, MAT2010-21228, MAT2010-18447, MAT2011-29194-C02-01) for financial support.
Disruption of exploratory and habituation behavior in mice with mutation of DISC1: an ethologically based analysis

Disrupted‐in‐schizophrenia‐1 (DISC1) is a gene that has been functionally linked with neurodevelopmental processes and structural plasticity in the brain. Clinical genetic investigations have implicated DISC1 as a genetic risk factor for schizophrenia and related psychoses. Studies using mutant mouse models of DISC1 gene function have demonstrated schizophrenia‐related anatomical and behavioral endophenotypes. In the present study, ethologically based assessment of exploratory and habituation behavior in the open field was conducted in DISC1 (L100P), wild‐type (WT), heterozygous (HET), and homozygous (HOM) mutant mice of both sexes. Ethological assessment was conducted in an open‐field environment to explore specific topographies of murine exploratory behavior across the extended course of interaction from initial exploration through subsequent habituation (the ethogram). During initial exploration, HET and HOM DISC1 mutants evidenced increased levels of locomotion and rearing to wall compared with WT. A HOM‐specific increase in total rearing and a HET‐specific increase in sifting behavior and reduction in rearing seated were also observed. Over subsequent habituation, locomotion, sniffing, total rearing, rearing to wall, rearing free, and rearing seated were increased in HET and HOM mutants vs. WT. Overall, grooming was increased in HOM relative to other genotypes. HET mice displayed a selective decrease in habituation of sifting behavior. These data demonstrate impairment in both initial exploratory and habituation of exploration in a novel environment in mice with mutation of DISC1. This is discussed in the context of the functional role of the gene vis à vis a schizophrenia phenotype as well as the value of ethologically based approaches to behavioral phenotyping. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Accurate B-spline Free-Form Deformation of Polygonal Objects

Free-form deformation is an important geometric shape modification method in computer animation and geometric modeling. We explore it by means of functional composition via shifting operators. Our method takes a polygonal model as input but yields a curved model described by triangular Bezier patches as output. The proposed method solves the sampling problem of free-form deformation.
Survey Of DDoS Attacks Based On TCP / IP Protocol Vulnerabilities

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are one of the key threats and perhaps the toughest security problem for today’s Internet.Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack has become a stimulating problem to the availability of resources in computer networks.With brief or no advance warning, a DDoS attack can easily drain the computing and communication resources of its victim within a short period of time. In this paper, DDoS attacks based on the protocols vulnerabilities in the TCP/IP model, their impact on available resources viz CPU,memory,buffer space is investigated. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the existing tools,methods and comparative analysis of them,and defense mechanisms.
FMP regimen (fludarabine, mitoxantrone, prednisone) as therapy in recurrent low‐grade non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma

Abstract: Fludarabine (FLU) is a new antimetabolite chemotherapeutic agent with promising therapeutic activity in the lymphoproliferative disorders and in particular in low‐grade non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (LG‐NHL). In order to evaluate FLU in combination with other antincoplastic agents, we used a three‐drug combination of FLU, mitoxantrone and prednisone (FMP) to treat 18 patients with recurrent LG‐NHL. The FMP regimen was as follows: FLU, 25 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 to 3; mitoxantrone, 10 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1; prednisone 40 mg i.v. on days 1 to 5. Of the 18 patients, 4 (22%) achieved complete response (CR), 9 (50%) partial response, and the remaining 5 showed no benefit from the treatment. The 4 CR patients are still in remission after 4, 6, 6, and 8 months, respectively. The median duration of overall survival of all patients was 9 months. The major toxic effects observed were neutropenia (50%) and infections and/or febrile episodes (17%); no fatalities due to drug side effects occurred. These results confirm the efficacy of the fludarabine‐mitoxantrone combination‐containing regimen in inducting a good remission rate with moderate side effects in recurrent LG‐NHL.
Plesiomonas gastroenteritis in Texas.

To the Editor. — Plesiomanas shigelloides is a straight, motile gramnegative bacillus of the family Vibrionaceae. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical environments and has been isolated from ponds and rivers, as well as fish and oysters. Although the pathogenicity of P shigelloides has been questioned, the organism has been isolated in the absence of other pathogens from stools of more than 100 persons with gastroenteritis. Recent laboratory studies have indicated that this organism can produce an enterotoxin. 1,2 Thus, the emerging consensus is that it can cause gastroenteritis in immunocompetent patients. Although accummulated evidence suggests that P shigelloides is an intestinal pathogen, the source(s) of illness has only been hypothesized. Rutala et al 3 reported an outbreak of gastrointestinal tract illness associated with a North Carolina oyster roast. In that outbreak, P shigelloides was isolated from a single stool specimen as well as an oyster harvested from the same
Tenaga nasional berhad Wide Area Measurement System based applications

Synchronized phasor measurement unit or synchrophasor is a new technological advancement in electrical power measurement, where for the first time, a phasor quantities from different part of the grid can be measured and referenced to absolute time reference. Advancement in processing power of intelligent electronic device and increasing reliability of a freely available Global Positioning System signals couple with advancement in telecommunication technology has enabled synchrophasor to be widely applied in power utility applications. This technological breakthrough opens up opportunities for various power system applications, never before possible, which would bring tremendous benefits to power utilities in term of increasing grid reliability as well as financial benefits. Wide area measurement system project using synchrophasor has been embarked in TNB under collaborative tasks between Transmission division and TNB Research as a first step to take full advantage of this new technology. In-house development of the synchrophasor based system is currently being implemented as a pilot project under this research initiative. The synchrophasor applications are part of wide area intelligent system initiative being proposed under TNB 20 years Technological Road Map II program. This paper will address the in-house wide area monitoring system project that has been developed, limitation and initial outcomes.
Fostering the pharmacist-physician relationship.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a report calling for increased coordination of care to improve the quality of health care in the United States. [1][1] The IOM report led to a change in the culture of our health care system and to the advancement of multidisciplinary teams known today
Inefficient homooligomerization contributes to the dependence of myogenin on E2A products for efficient DNA binding

Myogenin is a muscle-specific transcription factor that can activate myogenesis; it belongs to a family of transcription factors that share homology within a basic region and an adjacent helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif. Although myogenin alone binds DNA inefficiently, in the presence of the widely expressed HLH proteins E12 and E47 (encoded by the E2A gene), it forms heterooligomers that bind with high affinity to a DNA sequence known as a kappa E-2 site. In contrast, E47 and to a lesser extent E12 are both able to bind the kappa E-2 site relatively efficiently as homooligomers. To define the relative contributions of the basic regions of myogenin and E12 to DNA binding and muscle-specific gene activation, we created chimeras of the two proteins by swapping their basic regions. We showed that myogenin's weak affinity for the kappa E-2 site is attributable to inefficient homooligomerization and that the myogenin basic domain alone can mediate high-affinity DNA binding when placed in E12. Within a heterooligomeric complex, two basic regions were required to form a high-affinity DNA-binding domain. Basic-domain mutants of myogenin or E2A gene products that cannot bind DNA retained the ability to oligomerize and could abolish DNA binding of the wild-type proteins in vitro. These myogenin and E2A mutants also acted as trans-dominant inhibitors of muscle-specific gene activation in vivo. These findings support the notion that muscle-specific gene activation requires oligomerization between myogenin and E2A gene products and that E2A gene products play an important role in myogenesis by enhancing the DNA-binding activity of myogenin, as well as other myogenic HLH proteins.
Ordering, metastability and phase transitions in two-dimensional systems

A new definition of order called topological order is proposed for two-dimensional systems in which no long-range order of the conventional type exists. The possibility of a phase transition characterized by a change in the response of the system to an external perturbation is discussed in the context of a mean field type of approximation. The critical behaviour found in this model displays very weak singularities. The application of these ideas to the xy model of magnetism, the solid-liquid transition, and the neutral superfluid are discussed. This type of phase transition cannot occur in a superconductor nor in a Heisenberg ferromagnet.
Isolation of Brucella melitensis strains from Syrian bovine milk samples.

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease that still constitutes a major public health problem in Syria. In the current study, Brucella has been isolated from cow milk samples and typed by both molecular and conventional techniques. Over a 6-year period (2002–2007) 2372 milk samples were collected from Syrian cow herds. The milk ring test (MRT) was performed where 57% of samples were found to be positive. Milk samples were cultured on the Brucella selective medium and incubated for 24–48 h. One-quarter of milk samples were contaminated with Brucella, which is considered as a relatively high rate of contamination. In addition, biochemical properties of isolates have been identified. All isolated Brucella strains were positive for catalase, oxidase and urea reaction, did not need CO2 to grow and rarely produced H2S, could grow in the presence of fuchsin and thionin. The agglutination test was negative with anti-R and positive with anti-M and anti-A sera; so it was determined as B. melitensis strain, biovar 3. A specific PCR assay targeting the bcsp31 gene and the specific integration of IS711 elements within the genome of Brucella species has been used. Molecular typing results were compatible with conventional methods.
Antimicrobial activities against biofilm formed by Proteus mirabilis isolates from wound and urinary tract infections.

BACKGROUND Bacterial species are capable of living as biofilm and/or planktonic forms. There is increasing evidence for the role of bacterial biofilm in various wound and urinary tract infections (UTIs). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of the bacteria, isolated from urinary tract infections (UTIs) and wound infections, to form biofilm and correlate the role of biofilm with their antimicrobial resistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS All the isolated bacteria were screened for their ability to form biofilm using the microtitre plate method. RESULTS Wound isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter sp. had more biofilm forming capacity than the UTI isolates. Proteus mirabilis isolates were among the strongest biofilm forming bacteria and were chosen for antimicrobial study. In sub-MIC concentrations of antimicrobial agents used, ciprofloxacin was found to be the most effective in decreasing biofilm formation. On the other hand, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin were effective in partial removal of preformed biofilm biomass. CONCLUSION Ciprofloxacin was more effective in killing bacterial cells especially at high antimicrobial concentrations that could be reached in urine levels and can be used in impregenating catheters.
Increased Bit Rate Direct Modulation AMO-OFDM Transmission by Optical Injection Using Monolithically Integrated Lasers

Experimental and simulation work, presented in this letter, demonstrates for the first time how the monolithic integration of two single-mode lasers in a master-slave configuration, can substantially increase the achievable bit rate of a direct modulation adaptively modulated optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (AMO-OFDM) system. The Levin-Campello algorithm is applied to select the OFDM bit and power loading scheme used for each system configuration. Improvement in terms of data throughput due to injection is measured for several transmission distances with the improvement in performance presented in terms of error vector magnitude per OFDM subcarrier.
The effect of lung volume on the co‐ordinated recruitment of scalene and sternomastoid muscles in humans

The human scalenes are obligatory inspiratory muscles that have a greater mechanical advantage than sternomastoid, an accessory muscle. This study determined scalene and sternomastoid recruitment during voluntary inspiratory tasks, and whether this activity varied with lung volume, when feedback from the lungs and inspiratory muscles would differ. If afferent feedback has a major role in determining the recruitment of the scalenes and sternomastoid, then at each lung volume, activity would be altered. Intramuscular EMG from scalene and sternomastoid muscles, and oesophageal pressure were recorded while subjects (n= 7) performed inspiratory isovolumetric ramps to maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and dynamic inspirations from functional residual capacity (FRC) to total lung capacity (TLC). The static inspiratory ramps were repeated at three lung volumes: FRC, FRC + tidal volume, and TLC. To determine the profile of inspiratory activation, i.e. the initial and ongoing recruitment of the muscles, the root mean square of the EMG was measured throughout the tasks. Scalene was recruited early, and EMG increased with pressure, reaching a plateau at 80% MIP. In contrast, sternomastoid activity began later, but then increased with pressure from 20 to 100% MIP. Similar profiles of activation occurred at all three lung volumes (n.s.). The ratio of sternomastoid to scalene EMG was also the same irrespective of the initial lung volume (n.s.). In dynamic inspirations, scalene and sternomastoid activation had similar stereotypical profiles to the static tasks, but scalene EMG was 15–40% greater (P < 0.05). Sternomastoid activation was the same in both tasks (n.s.). These results suggest that in voluntary tasks, scalene and sternomastoid are recruited in the order of their mechanical advantages, and that alterations in feedback related to changes in lung volume failed to alter their activation. Thus, in humans, the mechanism responsible for the differential activation of these two inspiratory muscles has an element that is preset.
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

According to Strategic Alignment Model (SAM), Information system (IS) project selection problems are not only multi-criteria decision-making problems, but also have different relationships among factors that have influences on the selection of IS projects under different IS application goals, and are characterized with the complexity of interdependent relationships among objectives, criteria and candidate projects. Existing methods for the problems did not fully consider the above characteristics of the problems due to the limitations of the tools (e.g. Analytic Hierarchy Process, AHP) they used. Developed by Saaty, Analytical Network Process (ANP) provides a powerful way to resolve the interdependence of elements in decision-making problems. With the attempt of combining ANP methodology with SAM, this paper proposes an integrated approach for strategic decision on IS project selection. SAM is used as the theoretical foundation for problem solving, from which some fundamental relationships for IS project selection are formulated. ANP is used as the framework for modeling the problems. Application steps of the proposed methodology are also outlined.