Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structural conformation of ciliary dynein arms and the generation of sliding forces in Tetrahymena cilia

The sliding tubule model of ciliary motion requires that active sliding of microtubules occur by cyclic cross-bridging of the dynein arms. When isolated, demembranated Tetrahymena cilia are allowed to spontaneously disintegrate in the presence of ATP, the structural conformation of the dynein arms can be clearly resolved by negative contrast electron microscopy. The arms consist of three structural subunits that occur in two basic conformations with respect to the adjacent B subfiber. The inactive conformation occurs in the absence of ATP and is characterized by a uniform, 32 degrees base-directed polarity of the arms. Inactive arms are not attached to the B subfiber of adjacent doublets. The bridged conformation occurs strictly in the presence of ATP and is characterized by arms having the same polarity as inactive arms, but the terminal subunit of the arms has become attached to the B subfiber. In most instances the bridged conformation is accompanied by substantial tip-directed sliding displacement of the bridged doublets. Because the base-directed polarity of the bridged arms is opposite to the direction required for force generation in these cilia and because the bridges occur in the presence of ATP, it is suggested that the bridged conformation may represent the initial attachment phase of the dynein cross-bridge cycle. The force-generating phase of the cycle would then require a tip-directed deflection of the arm subunit attached to the B subfiber.
District Leaders’ Framing of Educator Evaluation Policy

Purpose: Educator evaluation systems have recently undergone scrutiny and reform, and district and school leaders play a key role in interpreting and enacting these systems. This article uses framing theory to understand district leaders’ interpretation and advancement of a state’s new educator evaluation policy. Research Methods: The article draws on qualitative data from 14 Connecticut districts to highlight the relationship between state policy, district leadership, and the ideas about educator evaluation making their way into schools. We employed frame analysis to systematically analyze interview data from district leaders responsible for evaluation reform. Findings: District leaders’ frames addressed two distinct elements of the evaluation policy: accountability and development. Overall, district leaders tended to emphasize the accountability aspects of the state’s new evaluation system—SEED (System for Educator Evaluation and Development). Second, we find that district leaders’ frames predominately issued solutions and advice regarding the implementation of the evaluation policy. These leaders rarely enforced their framing of SEED. Finally, we present a vignette to highlight how one elementary school principal encountered frames within his district context and elected to respond to the ideas and rules of the new evaluation system. Implications for Research and Practice: This article’s findings encourage additional research on the role of district leaders in translating state policy into school-level change. This article also highlights the need for district-level actors to have a deep understanding of current policy as well as the skills to frame policy messages to diverse audiences.
Suppression of the proinflammatory response of metastatic melanoma cells increases TRAIL‐induced apoptosis

Melanoma is the most lethal form of human skin cancer. However, only limited chemotherapy is currently available for the metastatic stage of the disease. Since chemotherapy, radiation and sodium arsenite treatment operate mainly through induction of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, a strongly decreased mitochondrial function in metastatic melanoma cells, could be responsible for low efficacy of the conventional therapy of melanoma. Another feature of metastatic melanoma cells is their proinflammatory phenotype, linked to endogenous expression of the inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα IL6 and IL8, their receptors, and constitutive NF‐κB‐ and STAT3‐dependent gene expression, including cyclooxygenase‐2 (PTGS2/COX2). In the present study, we treated melanoma cells with immunological (monoclonal antibody against TNFα or IL6), pharmacological (small molecular inhibitors of IKKβ–NF‐κB and JAK2–STAT3) or genetic (specific RNAi for COX‐2) agents that suppressed the inflammatory response in combination with induction of apoptosis via TRAIL. As a result of these combined treatments, exogenous TRAIL via interactions with TRAIL‐R2/R1 strongly increased levels of apoptosis in resistant melanoma cells. The present study provides new understanding of the regulation of TRAIL‐mediated apoptosis in melanoma and will serve as the foundation for the potential development of a novel approach for a therapy of resistant melanomas. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 463–475, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Re-emerging chloramphenicol sensitivity and emerging low level ciprofloxacin resistance among Salmonella enterica serotype typhi isolates in North India

Ciprofloxacin has become the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of typhoid fever with the emergence and worldwide spread of Salmonella enterica typhi strains resistant to chloramphenicol. However, the rampant use of ciprofloxacin gradually led to an increase in its minimum inhibitory concentration against S. enterica typhi. This threatened its therapeutic efficacy and resulted in the re-emergence of chloramphenicol-sensitive S. enterica typhi strains.
Creating a Digital Ecosystem for the Gifted Education Classroom

To date, there is a paucity of empirical research documenting the essential environmental conditions that must exist before teachers of the gifted will integrate technology into their instruction. To establish baseline data documenting the frequency with which teachers of the gifted use technology for instructional purposes and to build theory describing the critical environmental conditions that support technology integration, researchers administered the Perceptions of Computers and Technology (PCT) survey to 255 teachers of the gifted. This survey measured teachers’ self-reported use of technology and other factors that contributed to computer integration. Results suggested five conditions (general school support, infrastructure, professional development, teacher attitude, and teacher personal use) are necessary for teachers of the gifted to create a classroom digital ecosystem. In this model, personal use accounted for the greatest amount of unique variability. Conclusions are drawn, new lines of inquiry are posed, and implications are discussed.
Sensation: Measuring the Effects of a Human-to-Human Social Touch Based Controller on the Player Experience

We observe an increasing interest on usage of full-body interaction in games. However, human-to-human social touch interaction has not been implemented as a sophisticated gaming apparatus. To address this, we designed the Sensation, a device for detecting touch patterns between players, and introduce the game, Shape Destroy, which is a collaborative game designed to be played with social touch. To understand if usage of social touch has a meaningful contribution to the overall player experience in collaborative games we conducted a user study with 30 participants. Participants played the same game using i) the Sensation and ii) a gamepad, and completed a set of questionnaires aimed at measuring the immersion levels. As a result, the collected data and our observations indicated an increase in general, shared, ludic and affective involvement with significant differences. Thus, human-to-human touch can be considered a promising control method for collaborative physical games.
Abscisic Acid Deficiency Antagonizes High-Temperature Inhibition of Disease Resistance through Enhancing Nuclear Accumulation of Resistance Proteins SNC1 and RPS4 in Arabidopsis[C][W]

High temperature often inhibits plant defense responses mediated by disease resistance (R) proteins, and this study reveals that abscisic acid (ABA) deficiency counteracts this inhibition and enhances disease resistance conferred by R proteins SNC1 and RPS4 at high temperature. Furthermore, both ABA and temperature affect the distribution of these R proteins between nucleus and cytosol and thus modulate defense responses. Plant defense responses to pathogens are influenced by abiotic factors, including temperature. Elevated temperatures often inhibit the activities of disease resistance proteins and the defense responses they mediate. A mutant screen with an Arabidopsis thaliana temperature-sensitive autoimmune mutant bonzai1 revealed that the abscisic acid (ABA)–deficient mutant aba2 enhances resistance mediated by the resistance (R) gene SUPPRESSOR OF npr1-1 CONSTITUTIVE1 (SNC1) at high temperature. ABA deficiency promoted nuclear accumulation of SNC1, which was essential for it to function at low and high temperatures. Furthermore, the effect of ABA deficiency on SNC1 protein accumulation is independent of salicylic acid, whose effects are often antagonized by ABA. ABA deficiency also promotes the activity and nuclear localization of R protein RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE4 at higher temperature, suggesting that the effect of ABA on R protein localization and nuclear activity is rather broad. By contrast, mutations that confer ABA insensitivity did not promote defense responses at high temperature, suggesting either tissue specificity of ABA signaling or a role of ABA in defense regulation independent of the core ABA signaling machinery. Taken together, this study reveals a new intersection between ABA and disease resistance through R protein localization and provides further evidence of antagonism between abiotic and biotic responses.
Synthesis of Reusable Silica Nanosphere-Supported Pt(IV) Complex for Formation of Disulfide Bonds in Peptides

Some peptide-based drugs, including oxytocin, vasopressin, ziconotide, pramlintide, nesiritide, and octreotide, contain one intramolecular disulfide bond. A novel and reusable monodispersed silica nanosphere-supported Pt(IV) complex (SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV)); TPEA: N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine) was synthesized via a four-step procedure and was used for the formation of intramolecular disulfide bonds in peptides. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and chemical mapping results for the Pt(II) intermediates and for SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) show that the silica nanospheres possess a monodisperse spherical structure and contain uniformly-distributed Si, O, C, N, Cl, and Pt. The valence state of Pt on the silica nanospheres was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Pt(IV) loaded on SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) was 0.15 mmol/g, as determined by UV-VIS spectrometry. The formation of intramolecular disulfides in six dithiol-containing peptides of variable lengths by the use of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) was investigated, and the relative oxidation yields were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, peptide 1 (Ac-CPFC-NH2) was utilized to study the reusability of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV). No significant decrease in the relative oxidation yield was observed after ten reaction cycles. Moreover, the structure of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) after being used for ten cycles was determined to be similar to its initial one, demonstrating the cycling stability of the complex.
A Primer on Cellular Network Analysis Using Stochastic Geometry

This tutorial is intended as an accessible but rigorous first reference for someone interested in learning how to model and analyze cellular network performance using stochastic geometry. In particular, we focus on computing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) distribution, which can be characterized by the coverage probability (the SINR CCDF) or the outage probability (its CDF). We model base stations (BSs) in the network as a realization of a homogeneous Poisson point process of density $\lambda$, and compute the SINR for three main cases: the downlink, uplink, and finally the multi-tier downlink, which is characterized by having $k$ tiers of BSs each with a unique density $\lambda_i$ and transmit power $p_i$. These three baseline results have been extensively extended to many different scenarios, and we conclude with a brief summary of some of those extensions.
Removal of Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts from Sea Water by Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

SUMMARY. Toxoplasma gondii infections have been reported in a number of marine mammals. Presently it is not known how these animals acquire T. gondii from their aquatic environment. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has been shown to remove Cryptosporidium oocysts from seawater and a similar phenomenon may be occurring with T. gondii oocysts and marine invertebrates. The present study was done to determine if eastern oysters could remove and retain T. gondii oocysts from seawater. Oocysts of the VEG strain of T. gondii (1 × 106 oocysts) were placed in seawater (32 ppt NaCl) containing live eastern oysters. The infected seawater was removed one day postinoculation (PI) and replaced with fresh seawater. Selected oysters were removed at 1, 3 and 6 days PL Hemolymph, gill washes, and oyster tissue were collected separately at each observation time. The oyster tissue was homogenized and all 3 samples fed separately to mice. Toxoplasma gondii positive mice were observed at each time period. The results indicate that T. gondii oocysts can be removed from seawater by eastern oysters and retain their infectivity. Contaminated raw oysters may serve as a source of T. gondii infection for marine mammals and humans.
Subterranean sources of subcultural delinquency beyond the American dream

Are subcultural forms of crime and delinquency wholesale rejections or distorted reflections of core values of market-oriented societies? Current evidence casts doubt on the former position, while contemporary theory suggests the possibility that a culture of competition encourages hierarchic forms of self-interest, leading to the acceptance of inequality and anomic amorality and, ultimately, to group-related delinquency. Oddly, the effects of this culture of competition and hierarchic self-interest have not previously been documented empirically in sociological or criminological research, even though this step is fundamental and crucial to the argument that subcultural crime and delinquency derive from market-driven values. We analyze data from four sites in East and West Germany to identify the strands of a subterranean causal web that link core values of market society to subcultural delinquency.
Equilibrium stability in decentralized design systems

The focus of this paper is on complex systems, and it presents a theoretical study of the design of complex engineering systems. More particularly, this paper studies the stability of equilibria in decentralized design environments. Indeed, the decentralization of decisions is often recommended in the design of complex systems, and the decomposition and coordination of decisions are a great challenge. The mechanisms behind this network of decentralized design decisions create difficult management and coordination issues. However, developing efficient design processes is paramount, especially with market pressures and customer expectations. Standard techniques to modelling and solving decentralized design problems typically fail to understand the underlying dynamics of the decentralized processes and therefore result in suboptimal solutions. This paper aims to model and understand the mechanisms and dynamics behind a decentralized set of decisions within a complex design process. Complex systems that are multidisciplinary and highly nonlinear in nature are the primary focus of this paper. Therefore, techniques such as response surface approximations and Game Theory are used to discuss and solve the issues related to multidisciplinary optimization. Nonlinear control theory is used in this paper as a new approach to study the stability of equilibrium points of the design space. Illustrations of the results are provided in the form of the study of the decentralized design of a pressure vessel.
Genetic Characteristics of Borrelia coriaceae Isolates from the Soft Tick Ornithodoros coriaceus (Acari: Argasidae)

ABSTRACT Two Borrelia isolates (CA434 and CA435) cultured from the soft tick Ornithodoros coriaceus were analyzed by contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis of unrestricted and ApaI-restricted DNA, standard electrophoresis of BamHI- andHindIII-restricted DNA, Southern hybridization, restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and amplification of the 5S-23S intergenic spacer region. These isolates were compared with Borrelia coriaceae type strain Co53,B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strain CA4, and the relapsing-fever spirochete B. parkeri (undesignated). The 16S rRNA region of CA434 and CA435 differed from that of B. coriaceae type strain Co53 by the presence of 1 base (C) at position 367 (GenBank accession no. U42286 ). The linear plasmid profile of CA434 was similar to that of Co53, and the ApaI,BamHI, and HindIII restriction fingerprints of the total cellular DNA of CA434 and Co53 were similar. In contrast, CA435 differed somewhat from CA434 and Co53, which demonstrates thatB. coriaceae is genetically diverse. Southern hybridization showed that the DNAs of CA434 and CA435 hybridized strongly with the digoxigenin-labeled DNA of Co53. Low homology was found between the DNA of Co53 and that of B. parkeri. The 16S rRNA sequence ofB. parkeri was identical to previously published results for B. parkeri strain M3001 (GenBank accession numberU42296 ). CA434 and CA435 represent only the second and third isolates of B. coriaceae obtained from any source since its initial isolation from an O. coriaceus tick in 1985. All threeB. coriaceae isolates were derived from adult ticks collected from the same locality in northwestern California. Difficulties encountered in detecting B. coriaceae in, and isolating this spirochete from, the tissues of O. coriaceusare discussed. The lack of concordance between different detection or isolation methods suggests that reliance upon a single technique may grossly underestimate the true prevalence of spirochetal infection in wild-caught O. coriaceus ticks.
Synaptic Overflow of Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens Arises from Neuronal Activity in the Ventral Tegmental Area

Dopamine concentrations fluctuate on a subsecond time scale in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of awake rats. These transients occur in resting animals, are more frequent following administration of drugs of abuse, and become time–locked to cues predicting reward. Despite their importance in various behaviors, the origin of these signals has not been demonstrated. Here we show that dopamine transients are evoked by neural activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a brain region containing dopaminergic cell bodies. The frequency of naturally occurring dopamine transients in a resting, awake animal was reduced by a local VTA microinfusion of either lidocaine or (±)2-amino,5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP-5), an NMDA receptor antagonist that attenuates phasic firing. When dopamine increases were pharmacologically evoked by noncontingent administration of cocaine, intra-VTA infusion of lidocaine or AP-5 significantly diminished this effect. Dopamine transients acquired in response to a cue during intracranial self-stimulation were also attenuated by intra-VTA microinfusion of AP-5, and this was accompanied by an increase in latency to lever press. The results from these three distinct experiments directly demonstrate, for the first time, how neuronal firing of dopamine neurons originating in the VTA translates into synaptic overflow in a key terminal region, the NAc shell.
TinyECCK: Efficient Elliptic Curve Cryptography Implementation over GF(2m) on 8-Bit Micaz Mote

In this paper, we revisit a generally accepted opinion: implementing Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC) over GF(2m) on sensor motes using small word size is not appropriate because XOR multiplication over GF(2m) is not efficiently supported by current low-powered microprocessors. Although there are some implementations over GF(2m) on sensor motes, their performances are not satisfactory enough to be used for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). We have found that a field multiplication over GF(2m) are involved in a number of redundant memory accesses and its inefficiency is originated from this problem. Moreover, the field reduction process also requires many redundant memory accesses. Therefore, we propose some techniques for reducing unnecessary memory accesses. With the proposed strategies, the running time of field multiplication and reduction over GF(2163) can be decreased by 21.1% and 24.7%, respectively. These savings noticeably decrease execution times spent in Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) operations (signing and verification) by around 15–19%. We present TinyECCK (Tiny Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem with Koblitz curve – a kind of TinyOS package supporting elliptic curve operations) which is the first implementation of Koblitz curve on sensor motes as far as we know. Through comparisons with existing software implementations of ECC built in C or hybrid of C and inline assembly on sensor motes, we show that TinyECCK outperforms them in terms of running time, code size and supporting services. Furthermore, we show that a field multiplication over GF(2m) can be faster than that over GF(p) on 8-bit Atmega128 processor by comparing TinyECCK with TinyECC, a well-known ECC implementation over GF(p). TinyECCK with sect163k1 can generate a signature and verify it in 1.37 and 2.32 secs on a Micaz mote with 13,748-byte of ROM and 1,004-byte of RAM.
Goffman’s Gender Advertisements revisited: combining content analysis with semiotic analysis

An analysis of 827 advertisements from a representative sample of magazines demonstrates that an abstract framework from Systemic Functional Analysis can be used to identify the semiotic resources which are the basis for gender stereotypes. Resources such as perspectival angle, plane of composition and gaze are used to investigate stereotyped portrayals of males and females. Goffman’s work, Gender Advertisements, forms the basis for hypotheses about how male and female participants would be represented in terms of eight dimensions of visual structure, derived from Kress and Van Leeuwen’s system of analysis. Hypotheses were largely confirmed, indicating that gender stereotyping was still significant in the sample of Australian magazines analysed more than two decades after Goffman’s analysis was first published. However, several results did not confirm the hypotheses or were contrary to the direction of differences predicted. Three types of explanations for exceptions to the hypotheses are discussed: first, the need for some degree of supplementary macrocosmic or contextual analysis; second, the possibility of socially determined changes in some features of stereotyped portrayals; and third, limitations in the functional semiotic framework of analysis adopted in this study.