Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NAD(P)H:QUINONE OXIOREDUCTASE 1 PROTECTS LUNGS FROM OXIDANT-INDUCED EMPHYSEMA IN MICE

Emphysema is currently a leading cause of mortality with no known effective therapy to attenuate progressive loss of lung function. Previous work support that activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is protective to the lung through induction of hundreds of antioxidant genes. In models of lung injury, the expression of NAD(P)H:quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is upregulated in a manner dependent on Nrf2 and human emphysema is associated with reduced levels of NQO1. However, the functional role of NQO1 in emphysema remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate the protective role of NQO1 in the development of emphysema using mouse models. NQO1 deficient animals demonstrate premature age-related emphysema and were more susceptible to both elastase and inhaled lipopolysaccharide (LPS) models of emphysema. The absence of NQO1 was associated with enhanced markers of oxidant stress. Treatment of NQO1 deficient animals with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine reversed the NQO1-dependent emphysematous changes. In vitro studies utilizing either inhibition or induction of NQO1 demonstrate a potent antioxidant role of NQO1 in macrophages, suggesting a role of macrophage-derived oxidants in the pathogenesis of emphysema. These novel findings support a functional role of NQO1 in protecting the lung from development of emphysema. C57BL/6. Our findings demonstrate that pre-treatment with NAC can attenuate emphysema-like phenotype induced by LPS or PPE in a genetically vulnerable host.
Chain Bias in Chi-Stimulated Heteroduplex Patches in the X ren Gene Is Determined by the Orientation of X cos

Heteroduplex patch recombinants have received information in one DNA chain but have not recombined flanking markers. Evidence regarding which chain is exchanged bears on the structure of recombination intermediates. The direction of travel along DNA of RecBCD recombinase, the central enzyme in the Escherichia coli RecBCD pathway of homologous recombination, is determined in phage X by the orientation of the packaging origin, cos. cos is a double-chain cut site which serves as a preferred entry site for RecBCD. Using partially denaturing gels to resolve heteroduplex molecules, we have examined patch recombinants at the X Ten gene. We report that the transferred information in Chi-stimulated patches at ren can occur on either chain, but is biased to the chain ending 5' at the right of the X map (the X r chain) in phage carrying cos in its normal orientation. The chain bias switches in favor of the chain that ends 3' at the right (the X 1 chain) when RecBCD travel direction is reversed by inverting cos. We entertain models that accommodate these and other results pertaining to the structure of RecBCD-mediated recombinants.
The future of manufacturing industry: a strategic roadmap toward Industry 4.0

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conduct a state-of-the-art review of the ongoing research on the Industry 4.0 phenomenon, highlight its key design principles and technology trends, identify its architectural design and offer a strategic roadmap that can serve manufacturers as a simple guide for the process of Industry 4.0 transition. Design/methodology/approach The study performs a systematic and content-centric review of literature based on a six-stage approach to identify key design principles and technology trends of Industry 4.0. The study further benefits from a comprehensive content analysis of the 178 documents identified, both manually and via IBM Watson’s natural language processing for advanced text analysis. Findings Industry 4.0 is an integrative system of value creation that is comprised of 12 design principles and 14 technology trends. Industry 4.0 is no longer a hype and manufacturers need to get on board sooner rather than later. Research limitations/implications The strategic roadmap presented in this study can serve academicians and practitioners as a stepping stone for development of a detailed strategic roadmap for successful transition from traditional manufacturing into the Industry 4.0. However, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy that suits all businesses or industries, meaning that the Industry 4.0 roadmap for each company is idiosyncratic, and should be devised based on company’s core competencies, motivations, capabilities, intent, goals, priorities and budgets. Practical implications The first step for transitioning into the Industry 4.0 is the development of a comprehensive strategic roadmap that carefully identifies and plans every single step a manufacturing company needs to take, as well as the timeline, and the costs and benefits associated with each step. The strategic roadmap presented in this study can offer as a holistic view of common steps that manufacturers need to undertake in their transition toward the Industry 4.0. Originality/value The study is among the first to identify, cluster and describe design principles and technology trends that are building blocks of the Industry 4.0. The strategic roadmap for Industry 4.0 transition presented in this study is expected to assist contemporary manufacturers to understand what implementing the Industry 4.0 really requires of them and what challenges they might face during the transition process.
MicroRNAs and non-coding RNAs in virus-infected cells

Within the past few years, microRNAs (miRNAs) and other non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as elements with critically high importance in post-transcriptional control of cellular and, more recently, viral processes. Endogenously produced by a component of the miRNA-guided RNA silencing machinery known as Dicer, miRNAs are known to control messenger RNA (mRNA) translation through recognition of specific binding sites usually located in their 3 ′ untranslated region. Recent evidences indicate that the host miRNA pathway may represent an adapted antiviral defense mechanism that can act either by direct miRNA-mediated modulation of viral gene expression or through recognition and inactivation of structured viral RNA species by the protein components of the RNA silencing machinery, such as Dicer. This latter process, however, is a double-edge sword, as it may yield viral miRNAs exerting gene regulatory properties on both host and viral mRNAs. Our knowledge of the interaction between viruses and host RNA silencing machineries, and how this influences the course of infection, is becoming increasingly complex. This review article aims to summarize our current knowledge about viral miRNAs/ ncRNAs and their targets, as well as cellular miRNAs that are modulated by viruses upon infection.
Stigma and Public Support for Insurance Parity and Government Spending on Mental Health: Findings from a 2013 National Opinion Survey

Objective— The goal of this study is to gauge current attitudes among Americans about policies to: (1) require insurance parity for mental health, drug and alcohol abuse benefits and (2) increase government spending on mental health treatment. Methods— A web-based public opinion survey (N=1,517) was conducted with a national sample of Americans, and examined how respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, political predispositions, personal experience, and attitudes toward persons with mental illness were associated with policy support. Results— Sixty-nine percent of Americans supported insurance parity and 59 percent supported increasing government spending on mental health. Democrats were more supportive than Republicans or Independents. Personal experience was associated with higher support, and those expressing stigma in their attitudes toward persons with mental illness were less supportive of both policies. Conclusions— Most Americans favored policies to expand insurance and funding for mental health treatment, but stigma was associated with lower support for both policies. This finding reinforces the importance developing robust anti-stigma efforts, particularly in an era when mental illness is increasingly linked to dangerousness in news media portrayals.
Immunolabelling of embryos

The molecular mechanisms controlling Drosophila embryogenesis are among the best-studied examples in animal development. While the formation of developmental pattern in embryos was intensely examined in the past three decades, the cell biological basis of morphogenesis is now entering the centre stage of the research on fly embryos. A fundamentally important procedure has always been to determine the sub-cellular localization of proteins in embryos by immunolabelling. The challenge of the commonly used whole mount staining procedures is to balance a good structural preservation during fixation and allow at the same time the penetration of the antibodies through the tissue. Different procedures have been developed that allow the preservation of distinct compartments of the cell and thus optimize for the specific sub-cellular localization of proteins. This chapter provides a general immunolabelling protocol with variations suitable for a broad panel of antigens.
Evolutionary Diversifaction of Aminopeptidase N in Lepidoptera by Conserved Clade-specific Amino Acid Residues

Members of the aminopepidase N (APN) gene family of the insect order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) bind the naturally insecticidal Cry toxins produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis . Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences of seven lepidopteran APN classes provided strong support for the hypothesis that lepidopteran APN2 class arose by gene duplication prior to the most recent common ancestor of Lepidoptera and Diptera. The Cry toxin-binding region (BR) of lepidopteran and dipteran APNs was subject to stronger purifying selection within APN classes than was the remainder of the molecule, reflecting conservation of catalytic site and adjoining residues within the BR. Of lepidopteran APN classes, APN2, APN6, and APN8 showed the strongest evidence of functional specialization, both in expression patterns and in the occurrence of conserved derived amino acid residues. The latter three APN classes also shared a convergently evolved conserved residue close to the catalytic site. APN8 showed a particularly strong tendency towards class-specific conserved residues, including one of the catalytic site residues in the BR and ten others in close vicinity to the catalytic site residues. The occurrence of class-specific sequences along with the conservation of enzymatic function is consistent with the hypothesis that the presence of Cry toxins in the environment has been a factor shaping the evolution of this multi-gene family. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Impacts and consequences of residential segregation of Roma in urban spaces: Case studies from Hungary

This article explores residential segregation and its characteristics in medium-sized and small towns in the Southern Great Plain statistical region of Hungary. The study highlights the main features and driving forces of segregation connected to post-communist urban development. We are approaching this from the perspective of the following questions: How are segregation processes connected to ethnic issues and living conditions? What can the local government do to solve this problem? The article concludes that residential segregation is a frequent phenomenon in Hungarian agro-towns. These processes share some similarities but also differ to some degree from western European or US examples. The results em-phasise the importance of complex thinking about social integration, local planning and more effective financial allocation.
Rectangular microstrip antenna with corrugation like defects at radiating edge: A new approach to reduce cross polarization radiation

In this paper, single layer, simple and compact RMA, with corrugation like defects at the radiating edge, is studied thoroughly to reduce XP radiation from the patch. Unlike the earlier works reported on defected ground structure integrated patches and defect patch structures, in this work, corrugation like linear defects have been placed at the radiating edges of the patch to reduce cross polarisation radiation. Around 30-40 dB of CP-XP isolation is observed in H-plane with 7% impedance bandwidth and in E-plane also, more than 55 dB CP-XP isolation is found. The proposed structure is very simple to design and easy to fabricate.
Higher New York Heart Association Classes and Increased Mortality and Hospitalization in Heart Failure Patients with Preserved Left Ventricular Function

Background— The association between New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and outcomes in heart failure patients with preserved systolic function is not well known. Methods— We performed a retrospective follow-up study of 988 heart failure patients with ejection fraction >45% who participated in the Digitalis Investigation Group trial. Using Cox proportion hazard models we estimated risks for all-cause mortality, heart failure mortality, all-cause hospitalization and hospitalization due to worsening heart failure during a median follow up of 38.5 months. Results— Patients had a median age of 68 years, 41.2% were female, and 13.9% nonwhites. Overall, 23.4% of patients died, and 19.9% were hospitalized due to worsening heart failure. Proportion of patients with NYHA classes I, II, III and IV were respectively 19.9%, 58.0%, 20.9% and 1.2%, and respectively 14.7%, 21.1%, 35.9% and 58.3% died from all causes (p for trend <0.001). Respective rates for heart failure-related hospitalizations were 14.2%, 17.1%, 32.5% and 33.3% (p for trend <0.001). Compared with NYHA class I patients, adjusted hazard ratios {HR}for all-cause mortality for class II, III and IV patients respectively were 1.54 (95% confidence intervals {CI}=1.02-2.32; p=0.042), 2.56 (95%CI=1.64-24.01; p<0.001) and 8.46 (95%CI=3.57-20.03; p<0.001). Respective adjusted HR (95% CI) for hospitalization due to heart failure for class II, III, and IV patients were 1.16 (0.76-1.77; p=0.502), 2.27 (1.45-3.56; p<0.001) and 3.71 (1.25-11.02; p=018). NYHA classes II-IV were also associated with higher risk of all-cause hospitalization. Conclusion— Higher NYHA classes were associated with poorer outcomes in heart failure patients with preserved systolic function.
C. elegans Nuclear Receptors: Insights into Life Traits

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a class of hormone-gated transcription factors found in metazoans that regulate global changes in gene expression when bound to their cognate ligands. Despite species diversification, NRs act similarly across taxa to play fundamental roles in detecting intrinsic and environmental signals, and subsequently in coordinating transcriptional cascades that direct reproduction, development, metabolism, and homeostasis. These endocrine receptors function in vivo in part as molecular switches and timers that regulate transcriptional cascades. Here we discuss in detail how several C. elegans NRs integrate intrinsic and extrinsic signals to regulate the dauer diapause and longevity, molting, and heterochronic circuits of development, and draw parallels to similar in vivo endocrine regulated processes in other animals.
Regulation of Body Fat in C. elegans

Studies conducted in C. elegans over the last decade highlight the ancient and complex origins of body fat regulation. In this critical review, I introduce the major functional approaches used to study energy balance and body fat, the lipid composition of C. elegans , the regulation of cellular fat metabolism and its transcriptional control. Next I describe the influence of the sensory nervous system on body fat and the major regulatory mechanisms that couple food perception in the nervous system with the production of energy via fat metabolism. The final section describes the opportunities for the discovery of neuroendocrine factors that control communication between the nervous system and the metabolic tissues. The coming years are expected to reveal a wealth of information on the neuroendocrine control of body fat in C. elegans .
UM PROCESSO INTEGRADO PARA QUALIDADE EM MODEL-DRIVEN ENGINEERING

Model-Driven Engineering e o conceito de um novo paradigma de desenvolvimento de software. Esse paradigma preve que o desenvolvimento de software deixe de ter como artefato central o codigo e que os modelos e a arquitetura de software tomem esse papel. O conceito nao surge sem impactos as estruturas de suporte de desenvolvimento. O modo como o processo de desenvolvimento de software e visto e executado e as organizacoes relacionadas a ele sao obliteradas. A engenharia de software tem se preocupado em expandir os limites da area, criando e adaptando definicoes, metodos e estruturas para o novo paradigma. A qualidade de software e um dos conceitos de engenharia de software que precisa ser revisto, assim como o processo de desenvolvimento de software. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre os avancos de qualidade de software e do funcionamento do processo de MDE. A partir disso, propoe-se um framework de processo de desenvolvimento de software para desenvolvimento em Model-Driven Engineering, que integra os conceitos de qualidade investigados e da visao holistica ao desenvolvimento em MDE .
Predictive ZVS Control With Improved ZVS Time Margin and Limited Variable Frequency Range for a 99% Efficient, 130-W/in3 MHz GaN Totem-Pole PFC Rectifier

This paper proposes a predictive zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) control with improved ZVS time margin and limited variable switching frequency range for a 99% efficient megahertz (MHz) GaN totem-pole power-factor-correction (PFC) rectifier. The conventional ZVS control methods for totem-pole PFC may lead to zero ZVS time margin and ultra-wide switching frequency range. This paper proposes that the synchronous rectifier (SR) turn-off current is a new degree of freedom for the ZVS control. Thus, the proposed cycle-by-cycle predictive ZVS control method controls the SR turn-off currents to extend the ZVS time margin and to reduce the maximum switching frequency. With the proposed ZVS control, the minimum ZVS time margin and a limited maximum switching frequency can be realized in a MHz GaN-based totem-pole PFC. With the improved ZVS time margin, the reliability for realizing ZVS is significantly improved. With the limited maximum frequency and the limited frequency range, the difficulty in high-speed current sensing and digital control is reduced, and the frequency-related loss is also reduced, which is important for improving the light-load efficiency. To accurately extract the current and timing parameters for the proposed ZVS control, an analytical model for the ZVS totem-pole PFC is proposed. The proposed ZVS control and analytical model are applicable over the full input and output voltage range, and over the full load range. In addition, a hybrid current control is proposed and implemented based on the proposed ZVS control. Finally, a 3.2-kW MHz GaN totem-pole PFC prototype is developed and tested with full-range ZVS, minimum ZVS time margin, limited switching frequency range, 99% peak efficiency, and 130-W/in3 power density based on the proposed ZVS control and system control strategy. The realized efficiency, power level, and power density are among the best ever reported for the GaN-based totem-pole PFC.
Assessing the dosimetric accuracy of MR-generated synthetic CT images for focal brain VMAT radiotherapy

, Abstract Purpose— To assess the dosimetric accuracy of synthetic CT volumes generated from MRI data for focal brain radiotherapy. Methods— A study was conducted on 12 patients with gliomas who underwent both MR and CT imaging as part of their simulation for external beam treatment planning. Synthetic CT (MRCT) volumes were generated from the MR images. The patients’ clinical treatment planning directives were used to create 12 individual Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans, which were then optimized 10 times on each of their respective CT and MRCT-derived electron density maps. Dose metrics derived from optimization criteria, as well as monitor units and gamma analyses, were evaluated to quantify differences between the imaging modalities. Results— Mean differences between Planning Target Volume (PTV) doses on MRCT and CT plans across all patients were 0.0% (range −0.1 to 0.2%) for D 95% , 0.0% (−0.7 to 0.6%) for D 5% , and −0.2% (−1.0 to 0.2%) for D max . MRCT plans showed no significant change in monitor units (−0.4%) compared to CT plans. Organs at risk (OARs) had an average D max difference of 0.0 Gy (−2.2 to 1.9 Gy) over 85 structures across all 12 patients, with no significant differences when calculated doses approached planning constraints. Conclusions— Focal brain VMAT plans optimized on MRCT images show excellent dosimetric agreement with standard CT-optimized plans. PTVs show equivalent coverage, and OARs do not show any overdose. These results indicate that MRI-derived synthetic CT volumes can be used to support treatment planning of most patients treated for intracranial lesions. was evaluated for cases. plans were generated for 12 patients on both MRCT and CT electron density maps, and assessed in terms of dose to target and avoidance references points, monitor units used, and via a gamma analysis. Dose discrepancies between modalities were insignificant, and smaller than the variation due to inverse planning.
Optic Disc Margin Anatomy in Glaucoma Patients and Normal Controls with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Objective— To characterize optic nerve head (ONH) anatomy related to the clinical optic disc margin with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Design— Cross-sectional study. Participants— Open-angle glaucoma patients with focal, diffuse and sclerotic optic disc damage, and age-matched normal controls. Methods— High-resolution radial SD-OCT B-scans centered on the ONH were analyzed at each clock hour. For each scan, the border tissue of Elschnig was classified for obliqueness (internally oblique, externally oblique, or non-oblique), and presence of Bruch’s membrane overhang over border tissue. Optic disc stereo-photographs were co-localized to SD-OCT data with customized software. The frequency with which the disc margin identified in stereo-photographs coincided with (1) Bruch’s membrane opening, defined as the innermost edge of Bruch’s membrane; (2) Bruch’s membrane/border tissue, defined as any aspect of either, outside Bruch’s membrane opening or border tissue; or (3) border tissue, defined as any aspect of border tissue alone, in the B-scans was computed at each clock hour. There 30 patients (10 each type of disc damage) and 10 controls, with median (range) age (42–86) and 63.5 respectively. 28 patients or more border tissue configurations, the most predominant was internally oblique, superiorly and nasally, frequently Bruch’s membrane overhang.