Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Scheme to Avoid Collisions for Broadcast Packets in Wireless LANs

This paper proposes a new approach to avoiding collisions for broadcast packets in distributed wireless LANs. The basic idea is to use in-band pulses to convey the medium access control information for broadcast packets. The new approach extends the basic functionality of the IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF) from the unicast case to the broadcast case and significantly improves the broadcasting efficiency in wireless LANs.
A biologically active metabolite of cyclophosphamide.

Summary N,N-Bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidic acid has been isolated from incubations of cyclophosphamide with mouse liver microsomes. The compound was identified by mass spectrometry. N,N-Bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidic acid has been synthesized and studied previously by Friedman and was found to be a potent alkylating agent with both in vivo and in vitro antitumor activity. This compound may play a major role in the biological activities of cyclophosphamide.
Autotransporters as Scaffolds for Novel Bacterial Adhesins: Surface Properties of Escherichia coli Cells Displaying Jun/Fos Dimerization Domains

ABSTRACT Hybrid proteins containing the β-autotransporter domain of the immunoglobulin A (IgA) protease of Neisseria gonorrhoea (IgAβ) and the partner leucine zippers of the eukaryotic transcriptional factors Fos and Jun were expressed in Escherichia coli. Such fusion proteins targeted the leucine zipper modules to the cell surface. Cells displaying the Junβ sequence flocculated shortly after induction of the hybrid protein. E. coli cells expressing separately Fosβ and Junβ chimeras formed stable bacterial consortia. These associations were physically held by tight intercell ties caused by the protein-protein interactions of matching dimerization domains. The role of autotransporters in the emergence of new adhesins is discussed.
Structural and biochemical characterization of two binding sites for nucleation-promoting factor WASp-VCA on Arp2/3 complex

Actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex mediates the formation of actin filament branches during endocytosis and at the leading edge of motile cells. The pathway of branch formation is ambiguous owing to uncertainty regarding the stoichiometry and location of VCA binding sites on Arp2/3 complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the CA motif from the C terminus of fission yeast WASP (Wsp1p) bound to fission yeast and bovine Arp2/3 complex with a stoichiometry of 2 to 1 and very different affinities for the two sites (Kds of 0.13 and 1.6 μM for fission yeast Arp2/3 complex). Equilibrium binding, kinetic, and cross-linking experiments showed that (i) CA at high-affinity site 1 inhibited Arp2/3 complex binding to actin filaments, (ii) low-affinity site 2 had a higher affinity for CA when Arp2/3 complex was bound to actin filaments, and (iii) Arp2/3 complex had a much higher affinity for free CA than VCA cross-linked to an actin monomer. Crystal structures showed the C terminus of CA bound to the low-affinity site 2 on Arp3 of bovine Arp2/3 complex. The C helix is likely to bind to the barbed end groove of Arp3 in a position for VCA to deliver the first actin subunit to the daughter filament.
Functional impacts of ocean acidification in an ecologically critical foundation species

SUMMARY Anthropogenic CO2 is reducing the pH and altering the carbonate chemistry of seawater, with repercussions for marine organisms and ecosystems. Current research suggests that calcification will decrease in many species, but compelling evidence of impaired functional performance of calcium carbonate structures is sparse, particularly in key species. Here we demonstrate that ocean acidification markedly degrades the mechanical integrity of larval shells in the mussel Mytilus californianus, a critical community member on rocky shores throughout the northeastern Pacific. Larvae cultured in seawater containing CO2 concentrations expected by the year 2100 (540 or 970 ppm) precipitated weaker, thinner and smaller shells than individuals raised under present-day seawater conditions (380 ppm), and also exhibited lower tissue mass. Under a scenario where mussel larvae exposed to different CO2 levels develop at similar rates, these trends suggest a suite of potential consequences, including an exacerbated vulnerability of new settlers to crushing and drilling attacks by predators; poorer larval condition, causing increased energetic stress during metamorphosis; and greater risks from desiccation at low tide due to shifts in shell area to body mass ratios. Under an alternative scenario where responses derive exclusively from slowed development, with impacted individuals reaching identical milestones in shell strength and size by settlement, a lengthened larval phase could increase exposure to high planktonic mortality rates. In either case, because early life stages operate as population bottlenecks, driving general patterns of distribution and abundance, the ecological success of this vital species may be tied to how ocean acidification proceeds in coming decades.
IDENTIFYING BREEDING HABITAT FOR THE IBERIAN LYNX: INFERENCES FROM A FINE‐SCALE SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Empirical landscape habitat models are valuable tools for addressing species conservation issues in heterogeneous landscapes. These have been particularly useful for animal populations requiring extensive areas, like large mammalian carnivores. Although models are scale-dependent, they are often based exclusively on coarse-grained information on landscape structure and species distribution. However, accurate discrimination and qual- ity assessment of breeding habitats may require more detailed information on both indi- viduals' habitat use and landscape patterns. Here, we modeled breeding habitat for the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), an endangered specialist of Mediterranean native ecosystems, in a human-dominated landscape. For this, we used radiotelemetry data on breeding individuals and fine-grained landscape variables obtained over an areal extent encompassing an entire lynx metapopulation. In addition, we restricted the study domain to areas of potential presence within this extent based on previous habitat analyses. This fine-scale landscape analysis and design aimed to test wheth- er it was possible to obtain detailed inferences on breeding habitat distribution and quality within more coarsely defined habitats that only indicate where the species can be found. Landscape composition factors (i.e., fine-grain variables of landscape pattern within ter- ritories) and context factors (variables on geographical location of territories) were com- bined in different candidate habitat models. These reflected various hypotheses involving territory presence and size, including vegetation structure characteristics, landscape het- erogeneity and complexity, favorable prey habitat, and human disturbance. The best ap- proximating model for territory presence included only one landscape composition variable, namely, density of ecotones between scrubland and pastureland, which favored presence. For this model, classification accuracy was . 80% in 94% of cross-validation tests per- formed. The best approximating model for territory size explained 65% of the variation in size and included also density of ecotones, plus mean coverage of tall shrubs within ter- ritories; both correlated negatively with size. We show how these predictors are also related to prey density and suggest that this low-hierarchical-level relationship between the prey and patterns of the landscape can be interpreted as a likely mechanism explaining breeding habitat distribution and quality at a higher level. Our approach shows the potential of fine- scale landscape analysis to understand patterns of breeder abundance, and to better manage population viability of threatened species in human-populated areas.
Large-scale intermittency in two-dimensional driven turbulence.

It is generally believed that two-dimensional turbulence is immune to intermittency possibly due to the absence of vortex stretching. However, in turbulence created in a freely suspended soap film by electromagnetic forcing, it is found that intermittency is not insignificant. We draw this conclusion based on the measured velocity structure function Sp(l) (identical to ) proportional to l(zeta(p)) on scales l greater than the energy injection scale l(inj) . The scaling exponent zeta(p) vs p deviates from the expected linear relation and shows intermittent behavior comparable to that observed in fully developed three-dimensional turbulence in wind tunnels. Our measurements demonstrate that intermittency can be accounted for by the nonuniform distribution of saddle points in the flow.
Induction of cancer cell stemness by chemotherapy

Recent studies indicate that cancer stem cells (CSCs) exist in most hematological and solid tumors. CSCs are characterized by their ability to self-renew and their capacity to differentiate into the multitude of cells that comprise the tumor mass. Moreover, these cells have been shown to be intrinsically resistant to conventional anticancer therapies. Despite their fundamental role in cancer pathogenesis, the cellular origin of CSCs remains highly controversial. The aim of this study was to examine whether heterogeneous cancer cells can acquire stem cell-like properties in response to chemotherapy. We demonstrate that carboplatin can induce the self-renewal (spherogenesis) and pluripotency (Sox2 and Oct3/4 expression) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells grown under stem cell culture conditions. Moreover, we show that non-CSC cells, obtained by side population flow cytometric sorting using Hoechst 33342, can acquire stem-like properties after exposure to carboplatin. Finally, we show that knockdown of Sox2 and Oct3/4 gene expression in HCC cells can reduce carboplatin-mediated increases in sphere formation and increase cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy. Taken together, our data indicate that bulk cancer cells may be an important source of CSCs during tumor development, and that targeting Sox2 and/or Oct3/4 may be a promising approach for targeting CSCs in clinical cancer treatment.
Evaluation des traductions automatiques en français des titres de presse japonais.

Le premier objectif de cette etude exploratoire est de proposer une vue d'ensemble des performances des traducteurs automatiques du japonais vers le francais, appliques a la traduction des titres de presse en ligne. Le second objectif est de proposer un objectif raisonnable a atteindre, compte tenu de l'etat de l'art. Les titres de presse japonais sont ecrits dans un " sous-langage " different du japonais standard. A notre connaissance, aucun systeme n'a ete evalue sur ce type de texte, quelle que soit la langue cible. Dans cette etude, nous evaluation les traductions de 350 titres fournis par des systemes de traduction grand publics et comparons chaque traduction a deux traductions humaines pour chaque article. Conformement a l'intuition, les scores BLEU sont tres faibles, et meme plus faibles que les estimations les plus pessimistes. Nous montrons qu'il y aurait moyen, a peu de frais, d'obtenir de meilleurs resultats.
Influence of fluid-structure interaction on microcantilever vibrations: applications to rheological fluid measurement and chemical detection

At the microscale, cantilever vibrations depend not only on the microstructure’s properties and geometry but also on the properties of the surrounding medium. In fact, when a microcantilever vibrates in a fluid, the fluid offers resistance to the motion of the beam. The study of the influence of the hydrodynamic force on the microcantilever’s vibrational spectrum can be used to either (1) optimize the use of microcantilevers for chemical detection in liquid media or (2) extract the mechanical properties of the fluid. The classical method for application (1) in gas is to operate the microcantilever in the dynamic transverse bending mode for chemical detection. However, the performance of microcantilevers excited in this standard out-of-plane dynamic mode drastically decreases in viscous liquid media. When immersed in liquids, in order to limit the decrease of both the resonant frequency and the quality factor, alternative vibration modes that primarily shear the fluid (rather than involving motion normal to the fluid/beam interface) have been studied and tested: these include in-plane vibration modes (lateral bending mode and elongation mode). For application (2), the classical method to measure the rheological properties of fluids is to use a rheometer. To overcome the limitations of this classical method, an alternative method based on the use of silicon microcantilevers is presented. The method, which is based on the use of analytical equations for the hydrodynamic force, permits the measurement of the complex shear modulus of viscoelastic fluids over a wide frequency range.
La pronunciación del chino para hispanohablantes. Análisis contrastivo de los rasgos prosódicos distintivos entre chino y español

Este trabajo tiene como finalidad presentar a hispanohablantes la pronunciacion del chino desde el punto de vista de la funcion social del lenguaje. Basandonos en el analisis contrastivo de los rasgos prosodicos distintivos entre chino y espanol, proponemos algunos consejos practicos para mejorar la ensenanza de la fonetica del chino a alumnos hispanohablantes.Abstract:This paper aims to present the Chinese’s pronunciation from the perspective of the social function of language. Based on the contrastive analysis of distinctive prosodic features between Chinese and Spanish, we put forward some teaching suggestions to improve the teaching of Chinese’s phonics to Spanish-speaking students.
Tone conditioning potentiates rather than overshadows context fear in adult animals following adolescent ethanol exposure.

We have shown that adults exposed to ethanol during adolescence exhibit a deficit in the retention of context fear, reminiscent of that normally seen in preweanling rats. However, preweanlings have been reported to exhibit a potentiation of context fear when they are conditioned in the presence of a tone. Therefore, this study examined context retention 24 hr after tone or context conditioning in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed intragastrically to 4 g/kg ethanol or water every 48 hr (total of 11 exposures) during adolescence [Postnatal day (P) 28-48] or adulthood (P70-90). Approximately 3 weeks following exposure, retention of fear to the context in animals exposed to ethanol during adolescence was attenuated after context conditioning, but enhanced after tone conditioning. Comparable adult ethanol exposure groups showed typical overshadowing of context fear retention after tone conditioning. These data suggest that adolescent ethanol exposure may induce an immature pattern of cognitive processing.
Educacion subgraduada y pobreza: Investigacion y reflexiones en torno al acceso y retencion de estudiantes con desventaja socioeconomica

El Colectivo Universitario para el Acceso (CUA) de la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Cayey (UPR-Cayey) ha realizado cuatro proyectos de investigacion para abordar la problematica del acceso y retencion universitaria en estudiantes de sectores socio-economicamente desventajados. El proposito de este articulo es compartir datos y reflexiones del proyecto titulado Educacion subgraduada y pobreza: Reflexiones en torno al acceso y retencion de estudiantes subgraduados/as con desventaja socio-economica [Retencion - 2do a 3er ano]. Se exploro la relacion entre la educacion subgraduada (acceso y retencion), pobreza y mentoria en investigacion. Se realizo una revision critica de la literatura que se utilizo para desarrollar entrevistas a estudiantes subgraduados/as de primera generacion provenientes de sectores economicamente vulnerabilizados. Entre los hallazgos principales se destaca que las dificultades de acceso y retencion en la universidad estan relacionadas a la falta de apoyo en la escuela superior y a la carencia de recursos economicos. Algunas herramientas que han facilitado el acceso y retencion son: apoyo por personas claves, apoyo de la universidad y el desempeno academico del estudiante. Ninguno/a de los/as estudiantes entrevistados/as habia tenido experiencia como Asistente de Investigacion. A partir de los hallazgos, se recomienda mejorar procesos y practicas institucionales y desarrollar actividades de alcance comunitario.
Evaluation of control strategies in HVAC split systems

The important and continuous increment in the global electricity consumption is doing that energy saving strategies have turned into a crucial solution. Efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls are generally the most cost-effective ways to minimize the use of energy in buildings. In this framework, an energy management and control system has been developed to schedule electric end-uses in the campus of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. As a result, each system or device in the campus is able to be switched on/off by using a web platform. This paper presents an evaluation of different control strategies for HVAC split systems, which have been performed by using an energy management and control system, developed in a similar way by UPV. In order to adapt and compare several schedules, this paper analyzes the effect of these actions in a common air conditioning device. Not affecting the comfort level and the indoor air quality is an important requirement. For that reason, a multi criteria comparison must be drawn. Demand response strategies are tested in several situations, and the economic saving is calculated taking into account the electricity contract clauses. Finally, a test is realized for the control of a group of similar devices in order to reduce the maximum peak power and obtain a flexible load shape with the HVAC loads. The studies are then extrapolated on a large system, the whole university campus, for which energy and economic savings are quantified.
60 GHz channel directional characterization using extreme size virtual antenna array

In order to provide reliable knowledge about highly resolved directional properties of the radio propagation channel, straight forward beam-forming has been used in this study. Accurate measurement data based on an extreme size virtual antenna array (25×25×25 = 15625 elements) have been provided for an indoor scenario in both line of sight and non-line if sight conditions. The results indicate that the distinct spikes observed in the power-delay profile are caused mainly by specular reflections. There is however also a significant diffuse contribution due to scattering caused by the many smaller objects of the environment. The diffuse paths are spread out in essentially all azimuth and elevation directions except for the empty parts of the floor.
The effect of methylphenidate on prefrontal cognitive functioning, inattention, and hyperactivity in velocardiofacial syndrome.

OBJECTIVE Methylphenidate (MPH) is commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in all children, including those with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). Yet concerns have been raised regarding its safety and efficacy in VCFS. The goal of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of MPH in children with VCFS. METHODS Thirty-four children and adolescents with VCFS and ADHD participated in a randomized, controlled trial with a 2:1 ratio of MPH versus placebo. All subjects underwent a cardiological evaluation before and after MPH administration. The primary outcome measure was prefrontal cognitive performance following a single dose of MPH or placebo. A follow-up assessment was conducted after a 6-month treatment with MPH. RESULTS Compared with placebo, single MPH administration was associated with a more robust improvement in prefrontal cognitive performance, including achievements in the Hearts and Flowers executive function task and the visual continuous performance task. After 6 months of treatment, a 40% reduction in severity of ADHD symptoms was reported by parents on the Revised Conners Rating Scale. All subjects treated with MPH reported at least one side effect, but it did not necessitate discontinuation of treatment. MPH induced an increase in heart rate and blood pressure that was usually minor, but was clinically significant in two cases. No differences in response to MPH were observed between catechol-O-methyltransferase Met versus Val carriers. CONCLUSION The use of MPH in children with VCFS appears to be effective and relatively safe. A comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation for children with VCFS before and during stimulant treatment is recommended.
Discursive practices in the documentation of patient assessments.

AIM This paper reports a study analysing the various functions of nurses' documentation of patient assessments. BACKGROUND Modes of documentation have received much attention in the nursing press since the integration of the nursing process and nursing models. Previous research has shown that current documentation practices do not consistently promote effective communication and evaluation of patient care. A recent systematic review found no evidence that any particular system of documentation improved this situation. However, nurses' documentation serves not only to communicate information to others, but also has a political function as a presentation of what is important and ethically 'right' to report. METHOD A Foucauldian approach to discourse analysis was used to analyse 45 patient records. FINDINGS The findings indicate that nurses employ three discernible discursive practices in the documentation of patient assessments: medical, nursing and informal. Each practice has an effect on the presentation of nursing in the documentation. Because of the complex interplay between these practices, nurses present themselves as aligned with the medical profession, as distinct and professional, and as informal in their descriptions of non-biological information. The use of these practices appears to be motivated by the type of information being reporting. CONCLUSION Existing literature highlights the functional aspects of nursing documentation. In contrast, this paper explores the way in which nurses, through their documentation, constitute themselves and the nursing profession. In this way, nursing documentation is viewed as a social practice and a conduit through which particular power effects are produced and reproduced, rather than simply a matter of, for example, knowledge, individual choice or good practice.
PREFACE: PART OF A SPECIAL ISSUE ON REACTIVE OXYGEN AND NITROGEN SPECIES Unravelling how plants benefit from ROS and NO reactions, while resisting oxidative stress

� Background and Aims Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), such as nitric oxide (NO), play crucial roles in the signal transduction pathways that regulate plant growth, development and defence responses, providing a nexus of reduction/oxidation (redox) control that impacts on nearly every aspect of plant biology. Here we summarize current knowledge and concepts that lay the foundations of a new vision for ROS/RNS functions – particularly through signalling hubs – for the next decade. � Scope Plants have mastered the art of redox control using ROS and RNS as secondary messengers to regulate a diverse range of protein functions through redox-based, post-translational modifications that act as regulators of molecular master-switches. Much current focus concerns the impact of this regulation on local and systemic signalling pathways, as well as understanding how such reactive molecules can be effectively used in the control of plant growth and stress responses. � Conclusions The spectre of oxidative stress still overshadows much of our current philosophy and understanding of ROS and RNS functions. While many questions remain to be addressed – for example regarding inter-organellar regulation and communication, the control of hypoxia and how ROS/RNS signalling is used in plant cells, not only to trigger acclimation responses but also to create molecular memories of stress – it is clear that ROS and RNS function as vital signals of living cells.