Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the role of servitization to overcome barriers for innovative energy demand reduction technologies – the case of public LED street lighting in German municipalities

In this paper we analyse the case for public application of LED street lighting. Drawing from the energy services literature and transaction cost economics, we compare modes of lighting governance for modernisation. We argue that servitization can accelerate the commercialisation and diffusion of end-use energy demand reduction (EUED) technologies in the public sector if third party energy service companies (ESCo) overcome technological, institutional and economic barriers that accompany the introduction of such technologies resulting in transaction costs. This can only succeed with a supportive policy framework and an environment conducive towards the dissemination of specific technological and commercial knowledge required for the diffusion process.
A Constraint-Based Model for Cooperative Response Generation in Information Dialogues

This paper presents a constraint-based model for cooperative response generation for information systems dialogues, with an emphasis on detecting and resolving situations in which the user's information needs have been over-constrained. Our model integrates and extends the AI techniques of constraint satisfaction, solution synthesis and constraint hierarchy to provide an incremental computational mechanism for constructing and maintaining partial parallel solutions. Such a mechanism supports immediate detection of over-constrained situations. In addition, we explore using the knowledge in the solution synthesis network to support different relaxation strategies.
Simple schedules for half-duplex networks

We consider the diamond network where a source communicates with the destination through N non-interfering half-duplex relays. Deriving a simple approximation to the capacity of the network, we show that simple schedules having exactly two states and avoiding broadcast and multiple access communication can still achieve a significant constant fraction of the capacity of the 2 relay network, independent of the channel SNRs. The results are extended to the case of 3 relays for the special class of antisymmetric networks. We also study the structure of (approximately) optimal relaying strategies for such networks. Simulations show that these schedules have at most N + 1 states, which we conjecture to be true in general. We prove the conjecture for N = 2 and for special cases for N = 3.
Improved Visual Hallucination by Donepezil and Occipital Glucose Metabolism in Dementia with Lewy Bodies: The Osaki-Tajiri Project

Deficits in the cholinergic system are pronounced in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and are more severe in patients with visual hallucinations (VHs). The aim is to identify the occipital glucose metabolism patterns by positron emission tomography (PET) and the changes following donepezil treatment. 13 DLB patients with VHs were enrolled in the study. After the first FDG-PET study, 5 mg/day donepezil was administered orally, and a second PET study was performed 3 months later. After donepezil administration, VHs disappeared completely in 6 patients, and the PET studies revealed significantly decreased glucose metabolism in the medial occipital cortex. These results suggest that VHs in DLB were associated with impaired glucose metabolism in the medial occipital cortex. Donepezil treatment may modify regional glucose metabolism.
Performance of High Resolution Satellite Rainfall Products over Data Scarce Parts of Eastern Ethiopia

Accurate estimation of rainfall in mountainous areas is necessary for various water resource-related applications. Though rain gauges accurately measure rainfall, they are rarely found in mountainous regions and satellite rainfall data can be used as an alternative source over these regions. This study evaluated the performance of three high-resolution satellite rainfall products, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM 3B42), the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP_MVK+), and the Precipitation Estimation from Remotely-Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) at daily, monthly, and seasonal time scales against rain gauge records over data-scarce parts of Eastern Ethiopia. TRMM 3B42 rain products show relatively better performance at the three time scales, while PERSIANN did much better than GSMaP. At the daily time scale, TRMM correctly detected 88% of the rainfall from the rain gauge. The correlation at the monthly time scale also revealed that the TRMM has captured the observed rainfall better than the other two. For Belg (short rain) and Kiremt (long rain) seasons, the TRMM did better than the others by far. However, during Bega (dry) season, PERSIANN showed a relatively good estimate. At all-time scales, noticing the bias, TRMM tends to overestimate, while PERSIANN and GSMaP tend to underestimate the rainfall. The overall result suggests that monthly and seasonal TRMM rainfall performed better than daily rainfall. It has also been found that both GSMaP and PERSIANN performed better in relatively flat areas than mountainous areas. Before the practical use of TRMM, the RMSE value needs to be improved by considering the topography of the study area or adjusting the bias.
Leaf recognition algorithm using support vector machine with Hu moments and local binary patterns

Leaf recognition is convenient for plant classification and it is an important subfield of pattern recognition. Different leaf features such as color, shape and texture are used as well as different classifiers including artificial neural networks, k-nearest neighbor and support vector machines. In this paper we propose an algorithm based on tuned support vector machine as a classifier and Hu moments and uniform local binary pattern histogram parameters as features. Our proposed algorithm was tested on leaf images from standard benchmark database and compared with other approaches from literature where it proved to be more successful (higher recognition percentage).
Fumonisin B1–Induced Cell Death in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Requires Jasmonate-, Ethylene-, and Salicylate-Dependent Signaling Pathways

We have established an Arabidopsis protoplast model system to study plant cell death signaling. The fungal toxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) induces apoptosis-like programmed cell death (PCD) in wild-type protoplasts. FB1, however, only marginally affects the viability of protoplasts isolated from transgenic NahG plants, in which salicylic acid (SA) is metabolically degraded; from pad4-1 mutant plants, in which an SA amplification mechanism is thought to be impaired; or from jar1-1 or etr1-1 mutant plants, which are insensitive to jasmonate (JA) or ethylene (ET), respectively. FB1 susceptibility of wild-type protoplasts decreases in the dark, as does the cellular content of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, a light-inducible enzyme involved in SA biosynthesis. Interestingly, however, FB1-induced PCD does not require the SA signal transmitter NPR1, given that npr1-1 protoplasts display wild-type FB1 susceptibility. Arabidopsis cpr1-1, cpr6-1, and acd2-2 protoplasts, in which the SA signaling pathway is constitutively activated, exhibit increased susceptibility to FB1. The cpr6-1 and acd2-2 mutants also constitutively express the JA and ET signaling pathways, but only the acd2-2 protoplasts undergo PCD in the absence of FB1. These results demonstrate that FB1 killing of Arabidopsis is light dependent and requires SA-, JA-, and ET-mediated signaling pathways as well as one or more unidentified factors activated by FB1 and the acd2-2 mutation.
Jordanian Critical Care Nurses' Practices Regarding Enteral Nutrition

In Jordan, there is a gap in literature regarding nurses' practices of enteral nutrition. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess nurses' practices regarding enteral nutrition of critically ill adult patients. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to collect data through self-reported questionnaires and descriptive analyses were used to display the results of the study. The results revealed that some aspects of enteral nutrition practices were consistent with the current best evidences such as initiation time of enteral nutrition and backrest elevation. On the contrary, some aspects showed variations and inconsistency with current best evidences such as the amount of high gastric residual volume and its management. Nurses' practices regarding enteral nutrition were not consistent with international guidelines. This inconsistency can predispose patients to underfeeding. Enhancement of research utilization is highly recommended as well as establishing evidence-based guidelines.
The Influence of Pesticides on Hepatic and Renal Functions in Occupational Sprayers of Rural Malihabad, Lucknow (India)

Pesticides affect several human organs, resulting in a wide variety of physiological changes. In context with the occupational pesticide sprayers it is important to understand the influence of toxic exposure on human health. The present study is a comparative analysis of hematologic parameters, hepatic and renal function in the occupationally exposed pesticide sprayers of mango plantation of rural Malihabad, Lucknow. This area is predominantly a mango cultivation belt in North India. The select group of study comprises of sixty (60) pesticide sprayers [study group] and the control group included thirty (30) pesticides-unexposed normal healthy persons engaged in normal usual agricultural work [age group 20 to 45 years corresponding to age group of select subject group] from rural Malihabad, Lucknow [India]. Blood samples were collected from both groups. Questionnaire, interview and observation were employed to obtain demographic, occupational, dietary and clinical data. The sprayers as compared with control participants showed significantly increased serum C reactive protein, liver function marker enzymes, serum bilirubin, creatinine, blood glucose, and blood urea; whereas the acetyl cholinesterase activity and the level of serum cholesterol declined. No significant alteration was observed in the serum total protein, globulin, and the albumin/globulin ratio; however, a slight downfall in the level of serum albumin was recorded. Compared with the control group, hematologic parameters significantly decreased in pesticide sprayers. It is suggested that a high degree of pesticide absorption in occupationally exposed pesticides sprayers is responsible for decrease in the level of serum acetyl cholinesterase and consequently there is impairment of liver and kidney functions and slightly altered hematologic parameters. The present study suggests the toxic effect of pesticides on the occupational sprayer and precautionary measures must be taken to ameliorate their health status. It also suggests that restrain must be imposed on the indiscriminate use of lethal pesticides as it affects the ecosystem.
Towards aspect weaving applications

Software must be adapted to accommodate new features in the context of changing requirements. In this paper, we illustrate how applications with aspect weaving capabilities can be easily and dynamically adapted with unforeseen features. Aspects were used at three levels: in the context of semantic analysers, within a BPEL engine that orchestrates Web services, and finally within BPEL processes themselves. Each level uses its own tailored domain-specific aspect language that is easier to manipulate than a general-purpose one (close to the programming language) and the pointcuts are independent from the implementation.
Genome-Wide Identification of Glyoxalase Genes in Medicago truncatula and Their Expression Profiling in Response to Various Developmental and Environmental Stimuli

Glyoxalase is an evolutionary highly conserved pathway present in all organisms. Conventional glyoxalase pathway has two enzymes, glyoxalase I (GLYI) and glyoxalase II (GLYII) that act sequentially to detoxify a highly cytotoxic compound methylglyoxal (MG) to D-lactate with the help of reduced glutathione. Recently, proteins with DJ-1/PfpI domain have been reported to perform the same conversion in a single step without the help of any cofactor and thus termed as “unique glyoxalase III” enzyme. Genome-wide analysis of glyoxalase genes have been previously conducted in Arabidopsis, rice and Soybean plants, but no such study was performed for one of the agricultural important model legume species, Medicago truncatula. A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of Medicago identified a total of putative 29 GLYI, 14 GLYII genes, and 5 glyoxalase III (DJ-1) genes. All these identified genes and their corresponding proteins were analyzed in detail including their chromosomal distribution, gene duplication, phylogenetic relationship, and the presence of conserved domain(s). Expression of all these genes was analyzed in different tissues as well as under two devastating abiotic stresses- salinity and drought using publicly available transcript data. This study revealed that MtGLYI-4, MtGLYII-6, and MtDJ-1A are the constitutive members with a high level of expression at all 17 analyzed tissues; while MtGLYI-1, MtGLYI-11, MtGLYI-5, MtGLYI-7, and MtGLYII-13 showed tissue-specific expression. Moreover, most of the genes displayed similar pattern of expression in response to both salinity and drought stress, irrespective of stress duration and tissue type. MtGLYI-8, MtGLYI-11, MtGLYI-6, MtGLYI-16, MtGLYI-21, and MtGLYII-9 showed up-regulation, while MtGLYI-17 and MtGLYI-7/9 showed down-regulation in response to both stresses. Interestingly, MtGLYI-14/15 showed completely opposite pattern of expression in these two stresses. This study provides an initial basis about the physiological significance of glyoxalase genes in plant development and stress response of Medicago that could be explored further.
Evaluation of human recession defects treated with coronally advanced flaps and either enamel matrix derivative or connective tissue: comparison of clinical parameters at 10 years.

BACKGROUND The effective treatment of gingival recession (GR) defects is crucial for predictable outcomes. The most common treatment is the subepithelial connective tissue graft (CTG), but good outcomes have also been obtained using enamel matrix derivative (EMD). A split-mouth, randomized controlled trial was previously performed during a 12-month period to evaluate primary and secondary outcomes in Miller Class I and II GR defects treated with CTG or EMD, both in combination with coronally advanced flap (CAF). The purpose of the current study is to examine the major qualitative and quantitative parameters of this study after a 10-year follow-up. METHODS Nine of 17 original patients were available for follow-up evaluation 10 years after the original surgery. The parameters measured were: (1) GR depth; (2) probing depth (PD); (3) clinical attachment level; (4) width of keratinized tissue (wKT); (5) percentage of root coverage; (6) root dentin hypersensitivity; (7) color, texture, and contour of treatment sites; and (8) patient satisfaction at 10 years. Results at 1 and 10 years of these nine patients (nine test and nine control teeth) were compared to original baseline values. In addition, results within treatment groups between 1 and 10 years and between treatment groups (i.e., EMD versus CTG) at the same time points were examined. RESULTS At 10 years, all quantitative parameters except PD for both treatment protocols showed statistically significant improvements from baseline values, including wKT in the EMD group, which at 1 year was not significantly improved compared with baseline wKT. In addition, at 10 years, there were no statistically significant differences between EMD + CAF and CTG + CAF for any measured parameter. The only statistically significant finding in this study was the difference in wKT found at 1 year (EMD, 3.00 mm; CTG, 3.89 mm; P = 0.031). Qualitative parameters at 10 years demonstrated similar stability. The only major qualitative difference was the marginal tissue contour, which was similar to adjacent tissues at EMD-treated sites but greater than adjacent tissues at all CTG sites except one. Esthetically, both EMD- and CTG-mediated treatments were similar at 10 years. However, given the choice, six of nine patients would choose EMD over CTG treatment to avoid a secondary harvesting procedure. CONCLUSIONS This paper highlights the importance of long-term data as it relates to procedural effectiveness in selecting optimally effective protocols to treat gingival recession. Based on the results of this 10-year follow-up investigation, treatment with either EMD + CAF or CTG + CAF for Miller Class I and II GR defects appears stable, clinically effective, and similar to each other on all measured parameters.
Activation of Wnt Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling promotes growth plate column formation in vitro

Disrupting the Wnt Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling pathway in vivo results in loss of columnar growth plate architecture, but it is unknown whether activation of this pathway in vitro is sufficient to promote column formation. We hypothesized that activation of the Wnt PCP pathway in growth plate chondrocyte cell pellets would promote columnar organization in these cells that are normally oriented randomly in culture. Rat growth plate chondrocytes were transfected with plasmids encoding the Fzd7 cell‐surface Wnt receptor, a Fzd7 deletion mutant lacking the Wnt‐binding domain, or Wnt receptor‐associated proteins Ror2 or Vangl2, and then cultured as three‐dimensional cell pellets in the presence of recombinant Wnt5a or Wnt5b for 21 days. Cellular morphology was evaluated using histomorphometric measurements. Activation of Wnt PCP signaling components promoted the initiation of columnar morphogenesis in the chondrocyte pellet culture model, as measured by histomorphometric analysis of the column index (ANOVA p = 0.01). Activation of noncanonical Wnt signaling through overexpression of both the cell‐surface Wnt receptor Fzd7 and receptor‐associated protein Ror2 with addition of recombinant Wnt5a promotes the initiation of columnar architecture of growth plate chondrocytes in vitro, representing an important step toward growth plate regeneration. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1906–1914, 2012
Treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic illness with multiple consequences. The spectrum of disease ranges from simple steatosis, with benign prognosis, to a potentially progressive form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which may lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in NAFLD is comparable with that observed in hepatitis C‐infected patients once cirrhosis is established. Current therapy is limited to lifestyle changes and control of associated metabolic disorders; however, new treatments are on the way from basic research to bedside. A review of the current literature on treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is presented in this article.
Characterization of Chronic Cutaneous Lesions from TNF-Receptor-1-Deficient Mice Infected by Leishmania major

Leishmania major-infected TNF receptor 1 deficient (TNFR1 KO) mice resolve parasitism but fail to resolve lesions, while wild-type mice completely heal. We investigated the cell composition, cytokine production, and apoptosis in lesions from L. major-infected TNFR1 KO and wild-type (WT) mice. Chronic lesions from L. major-infected TNFR1 KO mice presented larger number of CD8+ T and Ly6G+ cells. In addition, higher concentrations of mRNA for IFN-γ CCL2 and CCL5, as well as protein, but lower numbers of apoptotic cells, were found in lesions from TNFR1 KO mice than in WT, at late time points of infection. Our studies showed that persistent lesions in L. major-infected TNFR1 KO mice may be mediated by continuous migration of cells to the site of inflammation due to the presence of chemokines and also by lower levels of apoptosis. We suggest that this model has some striking similarities to the mucocutaneous clinical form of leishmaniasis.
EBNA‐1: a protein pivotal to latent infection by Epstein–Barr virus

Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1, or EBNA‐1, is required for the replication of the EBV genome as an extra‒chromosomal element and is a key transcriptional regulator of this virus's latent gene expression. In this review we will describe the salient features of EBNA‐1 and oriP, the latent origin of EBV to which EBNA‐1 binds site‐specifically. EBNA‐1's association with host cellular factors, its association with metaphase chromosomes, and its ability to link DNAs to which it binds will be discussed in relation to its roles in replication and transcriptional activation. Although the mechanisms by which EBNA‐1 facilitates replication and transcription largely remain enigmatic, EBV's viral replicon has been exploited successfully for applications in gene therapy and in the design of eukaryotic vectors for use in cell culture. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correction for Utp9p facilitates Msn5p-mediated nuclear reexport of retrograded tRNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Utp9p is a nucleolar protein that is part of a subcomplex containing several U3 snoRNA-associated proteins including Utp8p, which is a protein that shuttles aminoacyl-tRNAs from the nucleolus to the nuclear tRNA export receptors Los1p and Msn5p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we show that Utp9p is also an intranuclear component of the Msn5p-mediated nuclear tRNA export pathway. Depletion of Utp9p caused nuclear accumulation of mature tRNAs derived from intron-containing precursors, but not tRNAs made from intronless pre-tRNAs. Utp9p binds tRNA directly and saturably, and copurifies with Utp8p, Gsp1p, and Msn5p, but not with Los1p or aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Utp9p interacts directly with Utp8p, Gsp1p, and Msn5p in vitro. Furthermore, Gsp1p forms a complex with Msn5p and Utp9p in a tRNA-dependent manner. However, Utp9p does not shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Because tRNA splicing occurs in the cytoplasm and the spliced tRNAs are retrograded back to the nucleus, we propose that Utp9p facilitates nuclear reexport of retrograded tRNAs. Moreover, the data suggest that Utp9p together with Utp8p translocate aminoacyl-tRNAs from the nucleolus to Msn5p and assist with formation of the Msn5p-tRNA-Gsp1p-GTP export complex.
p38 MAPK in cardioprotection – are we there yet?

PKs transfer a phosphate from ATP to the side‐chain hydroxyl group of a serine, threonine or tyrosine residue of a substrate protein. This in turn can alter that protein's function; modulating fundamental cellular processes including, metabolism, transcription, growth, division, differentiation, motility and survival. PKs are subdivided into families based on homology. One such group are the stress‐activated kinases, which as the name suggests, are activated in response to cellular stresses such as toxins, cytokines, mechanical deformation and osmotic stress. Members include the p38 MAPK family, which is composed of α, β, γ and δ, isoforms which are encoded by separate genes. These kinases transduce extracellular signals and coordinate the cellular responses needed for adaptation and survival. However, in cardiovascular and other disease states, these same systems can trigger maladaptive responses that aggravate, rather than alleviate, the disease. This situation is analogous to adrenergic, angiotensin and aldosterone signalling in heart failure, where inhibition is beneficial despite the importance of these hormones to homeostasis. The question is whether similar benefits could accrue from p38 inhibition? In this review, we will discuss the structure and function of p38, the history of p38 inhibitors and their use in preclinical studies. Finally, we will summarize the results of recent cardiovascular clinical trials with p38 inhibitors.