Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer inhibits viability of Escherichia coli in pure culture and in mouse peritonitis.

OBJECTIVES Antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) are synthetic DNA mimics that specifically inhibit gene expression in pure cultures of Escherichia coli. Previously, an 11 base PMO targeted to an essential gene (acpP) for phospholipid biosynthesis was shown to inhibit growth of a pure culture of E. coli AS19, which has an abnormally permeable outer membrane. The objectives of experiments in this report are to show that the AcpP PMO significantly inhibits growth of strain SM105, which has a normal, intact outer membrane, both in pure culture and in infected mice. METHODS In pure culture, SM105 was grown in rich broth supplemented with 20 muM AcpP PMO, and growth was monitored by optical density and viable cell count. Mice were infected by intraperitoneal injection with a non-lethal inoculum of either E. coli AS19 or SM105. Following infection, mice were treated intraperitoneally with 300 mug of the 11 base antisense PMO targeted to acpP, a scrambled sequence PMO or PBS. RESULTS Growth of SM105 was slower and viable cells were significantly reduced by up to 61% in pure cultures supplemented with AcpP PMO compared with untreated cultures or cultures supplemented with a scrambled sequence PMO. A single dose of AcpP PMO reduced peritoneal cfu of E. coli AS19 about 39- to 600-fold compared with controls at 2, 7, 13 and 23 h after treatment. The same PMO significantly reduced cfu of E. coli SM105 75% compared with controls at 12 h after treatment. However, there was no difference in cfu at 2, 7 or 24 h. A second dose at 24 h again reduced SM105 cfu about 10-fold by 48 h post-infection. In other experiments with infected mice, multiple doses of AcpP PMO sustained the approximately 10-fold reduction in SM105 cfu at 6, 12 and 24 h post-infection. Compared with equivalent (micromolar) doses of ampicillin, AcpP PMO was significantly more effective at all time points. Specificity of PMO inhibition was shown in other experiments by treating infected mice with a PMO targeted to a non-essential reporter gene for luciferase. A luciferase-specific PMO reduced both the amount and activity of luciferase to the same extent, whereas scrambled PMO had no effect. CONCLUSIONS An 11 base antisense PMO targeted to acpP significantly inhibited viability of a strain of E. coli with a normal, intact outer membrane both in pure culture and in infected mice. Inhibition by PMOs was sequence-specific.
The social environment affects mate guarding behavior in Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica

Abstract The effect of the social environment on post-copulatory mate guarding duration in Japanese beetles, (Popillia japonica Newman), was examined in a laboratory experiment. The mate guarding durations of beetles in different sex ratios and densities were observed for 10 hours. Guarding duration was longer when females were larger, suggesting the presence of ‘cryptic’ male mate choice. Densities, but not sex ratio, affected the duration of guarding bouts, with males guarding for longer at higher densities. This result implies that males increase their guarding duration under conditions in which their female may be likely to be encountered by other males. The lack of a sex ratio effect on the duration of guarding bouts is consistent with other studies on this species that indicate males have difficulty distinguishing females from males. Consequently, because the sex ratio on food plants is typically male-biased, a paired male may react just to density, treating surrounding individuals as if they were mostly males. The total amount of time males spent guarding was lower at lower densities and at male-biased sex ratios; this suggests that after ceasing to guard one female, males were less able to find a subsequent mate under these conditions.
Business Model Development in IT Startups - The Role of Scarcity and Personalization in Generating User Feedback

Despite the widely recognized importance of continuous business model development for achieving product market fit, very little remains understood about efficient methods that may support this process in the context of nascent IT ventures. Contributions for supporting value proposition development, especially in the popular field of open innovation, have largely focused on well established firms and more traditional approaches such as the lead user method. More recent findings suggest novel ways of virtual user integration, like the collection of user feedback via promotional campaigns, which is particularly prevalent among IT startups. However, these contributions have remained conspicuously theoretical. Therefore, by drawing on an experimental study in the context of the online fashion startup StyleCrowd, we investigate the role of scarcity and personalization, two classical promotional cues that have become ubiquitous on the web yet have been overlooked by research, in enhancing the virality of nascent ventures’ online promotional campaigns to enhance user feedback. Our analysis reveals that while scarcity cues affect social sharing regardless of whether a campaign is personalized or not, personalization cues are particularly effective when scarcity is absent, yet are cancelled out when scarcity is prevalent. We discuss implications for research and practice.
Novel action of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase attenuating acute lung allograft injury.

RATIONALE Lung allografts are prone to reperfusion injury and acute rejection, which, in addition to infiltrating lymphocytes, are accompanied by neutrophil infiltration and neutrophil-associated oxidative stress. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a unique cytosolic enzyme that possesses T-cell-suppressive and antioxidant properties. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine if genetic up-regulation of IDO could ameliorate acute lung allograft injury. METHODS Lung orthotopic transplants were performed using Lewis donors and Sprague-Dawley rat recipients (allografts) or the same strain (isografts). Plasmid-encoding human IDO was delivered to donor lungs in vivo using a nonviral gene-transfer vector, polyethylenimine. Transplanted lungs were evaluated at 6 d post-transplantation based on pulmonary function, histology, inflammatory responses, and their associated oxidative stress. Basic biology of the IDO-overexpressing lung cells was evaluated in vitro in response to external oxidant. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS This gene delivery method led to uniform transgene expression in lung tissue distributed in airway, alveolar epithelial, and endothelial cells. IDO overexpression in lung allografts resulted in a significant protective effect with improvement in functional properties (peak airway pressure and oxygenation) and histologic appearance. Although IDO was able to block local T-cell responses, it failed to abrogate neutrophilic infiltration and the inflammation-associated oxidative stress. IDO-enhanced lung cells were resistance to oxidant-induced necrosis and apoptosis by limiting intracellular reactive oxygen species formation. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that IDO prevents acute lung allograft injury through augmenting the local antioxidant defense system and inhibiting alloreactive T-cell responses.
Temperature Profiles of Nearby Clusters of Galaxies

We report results from the analysis of 21 nearby galaxy clusters, 11 with cooling flow (CF) and 10 without cooling flow, observed with BeppoSAX. The temperature profiles of both CF and non-CF systems are characterized by an isothermal core extending out to ~0.2r180; beyond this radius both CF and non-CF cluster profiles rapidly decline. Our results differ from those derived by other authors, who found either continuously declining profiles or substantially flat profiles. Neither the CF nor the non-CF profiles can be modeled by a polytropic temperature profile, the reason being that the radius at which the profiles break is much larger than the core radius characterizing the gas density profiles. For r > 0.2r180, where the gas can be treated as a polytrope, the polytropic indexes derived for CF and non-CF systems are respectively 1.20 ± 0.06 and 1.46 ± 0.06. The former index is closer to the isothermal value, 1, and the latter to the adiabatic value, . Published hydrodynamic simulations do not reproduce the peculiar shape of the observed temperature profile, probably suggesting that a fundamental ingredient is missing.
Oligopolistic Pricing with Sequential Consumer Search

N identical stores compete by choosing prices for a homogeneous good with constant marginal costs. Consumers search sequentially with perfect recall for the lowest price. One class of consumers, called shoppers, have zero search costs, while all other consumers have a positive search cost, c. There is a unique symmetric Nash equilibrium price distribution with the property that it changes smoothly from "marginal cost pricing" when all consumers are shoppers and/or c = 0 and "monopoly pricing" when no consumers are shoppers. Remarkably, as the number of stores increases, the Nash equilibrium becomes more monopolistic. Copyright 1989 by American Economic Association.
A Large Mass of H2 in the Brightest Cluster Galaxy in Zwicky 3146

We present the Spitzer/IRS mid-infrared spectrum of the infrared-luminous (LIR = 4 × 1011 L☉) brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the X-ray-luminous cluster Zwicky 3146 (Z3146; z = 0.29). The spectrum shows strong aromatic emission features, indicating that the dominant source of the infrared luminosity is star formation. The most striking feature of the spectrum, however, is the exceptionally strong molecular hydrogen (H2) emission lines, which seem to be shock-excited. The line luminosities and inferred warm H2 gas mass (~1010 M☉) are 6 times larger than those of NGC 6240, the most H2-luminous galaxy at z ≲ 0.05. Together with the large amount of cold H2 detected previously (~1011 M☉), this indicates that the Z3146 BCG contains disproportionately large amounts of both warm and cold H2 gas for its infrared luminosity, which may be related to the intracluster gas cooling process in the cluster core.
Effectiveness of topical caffeine in cataract prevention: Studies with galactose cataract

Purpose The primary objective of the study was to investigate the possible inhibition of cataract formation by topical administration of caffeine using the galactosemic rat model. It was hypothesized that caffeine will do so by acting as scavenger of reactive oxygen species known to be generated under hyperglycemic conditions. Methods Cataract was induced by feeding young rats a diet containing 24% galactose for a period of 25 days. A control group of such rats was treated with a placebo eye drop preparation containing hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose as a wetting agent. In the experimental group, the rats were treated with the above preparation mixed with 72 mM caffeine. Results Administration of caffeine eye drops was found to significantly inhibit the onset as well as the progress of cataract formation. By day 25 on the galactose diet, all the animals in the control group developed advanced white opacity spread over the entire area of the lens. In the caffeine group, the formation of such opacity remained strikingly inhibited. The lenses remained largely transparent. The transparency data paralleled the higher concentration of glutathione maintained by caffeine treatment. Its levels in the placebo group were 0.8, 0.5, and 0.4 µmoles/g lens wt. on days 5, 15, and 25 against a consistent basal control value of ~3 µmoles/g over the entire period. In the caffeine group, the corresponding values were nearly 3 µmoles/g till day 15, but decreasing to ~2 µmoles/g on day 25. The levels were hence significantly higher than in the caffeine untreated group, remaining relatively closer to the basal controls. In addition, the compound was found effective in inhibiting morphological changes induced by galactose. Conclusions Micromolar amounts of topical caffeine have been found to be significantly effective in inhibiting the formation of galactose cataract, strongly suggesting its possible usefulness against diabetic cataracts. The effects are attributed to its ability to prevent oxidative stress and consequent maintenance of tissue metabolic and transport functions, in addition to preventing the induction of apoptosis.
Dexamethasone alone vs in combination with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation or tropisetron for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynaecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is commonly reported after surgery and anaesthesia. We compared the effects of combinations of electrical acupoint stimulation or tropisetron with dexamethasone with the effects of dexamethasone alone, for inhibition of PONV in gynaecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. METHODS We randomized 157 patients undergoing elective gynaecological laparoscopic surgery under general anaesthesia into the following three groups: acupoint stimulation+dexamethasone (Group Acu, n=53), tropisetron+dexamethasone (Group Trp, n=53), and dexamethasone alone (Group Dxm, n=51). The incidence of nausea, vomiting, and need for rescue antiemetics was recorded 2, 6, 24, and 48 h after surgery. RESULTS We found significant differences in the incidence of PONV during 24 h after surgery between the combination therapy groups and the dexamethasone-alone group (P=0.021). In the first 24 h, 28% of patients in Group Acu, 26% of patients in Group Trp, and 50% of patients in Group Dxm experienced nausea, vomiting, or both. The incidence of 24 h PONV in Group Acu was significantly lower than that in Group Dxm (P=0.048; odds ratio 0.389; 95% CI 0.170-0.891). The incidence of 24 h PONV in Group Trp was also significantly lower than that in Group Dxm (P=0.042; odds ratio 0.359; 95% CI 0.157-0.819). There was no significant difference between Group Acu and Group Trp (P=0.857). The need for antiemetic rescue medication was similar in the three groups. All groups expressed similar patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Combined with dexamethasone, electrical acupoint stimulation or tropisetron is more effective in PONV prophylaxis than dexamethasone alone in gynaecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT 02096835.
Systems Neuroscience

While the GENSAT Drd1a-EGFP and Drd2-EGFP transgenic lines have been useful to study the physiology of striatopallidal and striatonigral MSNs, a recent study reports that that introduction of the BAC Drd2-EGFP transgene into the mouse genome may alter dopamine D2 receptor surface expression and cause aberrant locomotor behavior (Kramer et al., 2011). These findings raise the need for alternative methodologies to discriminate between these two populations of MSNs. In a previous study, we evaluated the sensitivity and specific-ity of using a single transgenic fluorescent reporter to properly identify both populations of striatal projection neurons (Shuen et al., 2008). Fluorescence intensity of a transgenic reporter can vary across lines, limiting the utility of certain lines for identifying all cells expressing the fluorescent reporter, especially when using techniques with relatively low sensitivity such as epifluorescence microscopy commonly found on electrophysiological rigs. The development of the Drd1a-tdTomato line 5 (Shuen et al., 2008) was a significant advancement over the existing Drd1a-EGFP line as the td-Tomato red fluorescent protein has a higher relative brightness than EGFP (Deliolanis et al., 2008; Drobizhev et al., 2009) as well as a longer excitation wavelength which provides better tissue penetration. However, since its introduction, several characteristics that limit the robustness of the line 5 Drd1a-tdTomato transgenic
State witnesses and their experiences at the criminal courts of Harare, Zimbabwe

This study explores the experiences of state witnesses at the criminal courts of Harare, Zimbabwe. The study is premised on a qualitative research methodology which traces the subjective experiences of state witnesses. A number of methods are used and these include the case study, observation (court watching) and the interviews. Case study data shows that many witnesses who come to courts end up getting treatment which almost equates them to accused persons. On the other hand, data from key-informant interviews shows that the state has a divergent perspective from the witnesses, the weaknesses of the court system are ascribed to the wider macro-economic conditions. The study findings also demonstrate that the study was influenced by the choice of methodology, while semi-formal interviews were used for key-informants, informal discussions were carried out to gather data from witnesses. The data collected from case studies demonstrated a high level of personal experiences and dwelt more on the subjective lived experiences of the witnesses compared to the more rigid and formal approach which may be attributed to the interview method which followed an interview guide. Ethics were observed on this study paying attention to not harming the research participants by protecting their identities in the form of the substitution of their actual names for pseudonyms. Major points of discussion were premised on the theoretical framework of critical legal anthropology; a paradigm which borrows from neo-Marxist perspectives and the post-modern school. Therefore, an application of concepts as power, language and social interpretivism is present in this which adopted a critical analysis of the phenomena of experiences. The study concludes by arguing that data gathered from the case studies and from the key-informants, witnesses do face challenges while at the courts. The study discusses the various challenges in the final chapter and suggests possible ways of dealing with these challenges to help in the witnesses experiences of the court system. The study also highlights possible areas of further research in future. 7 Dedications This
User Participation in Information Systems Security Risk Management

This paper examines user participation in information systems security risk management and its influence in the context of regulatory compliance via a multi-method study at the organizational level. First, eleven informants across five organizations were interviewed to gain an understanding of the types of activities and security controls in which users participated as part of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, along with associated outcomes. A research model was developed based on the findings of the qualitative study and extant user participation theories in the systems development literature. Analysis of the data collected in a questionnaire survey of 228 members of ISACA, a professional association specialized in information technology governance, audit, and security, supported the research model. The findings of the two studies converged and indicated that user participation contributed to improved security control performance through greater awareness, greater alignment between IS security risk management and the business environment, and improved control development. While the IS security literature often portrays users as the weak link in security, the current study suggests that users may be an important resource to IS security by providing needed business knowledge that contributes to more effective security measures. User participation is also a means to engage users in protecting sensitive information in their business processes.
A scalable symbolic expression tree interpreter for the heuristiclab optimization framework

In this paper we describe a novel implementation of the Interpreter class for the metaheuristic optimization framework HeuristicLab, comparing it with the three existing interpreters provided with the framework. The Interpreter class is an internal software component utilized by HeuristicLab for the evaluation of the symbolic expression trees on which its Genetic Programming (GP) implementation relies. The proposed implementation is based on the creation and compilation of a . NET Expression Tree. We also analyze the Interpreters' performance, evaluating the algorithm execution times on GP Symbolic Regression problems for different run settings. Our implementation results to be the fastest on all evaluations, with comparatively better performance the larger the run population size, dataset length and tree size are, increasing HeuristicLab's computational efficiency for large problem setups.
Factors Correlated with Psychiatric Recommendations of Incompetency and Insanity

One hundred and twenty criminal defendants referred to a state hospital forensic unit underwent extensive examinations for the purpose of arriving at psychiatric recommendations regarding competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. Seventy variables were abstracted from these evaluations via use of a simple checklist. A series of discriminant function analyses utilizing these variables indicated that highly accurate predictions could be made regarding psychiatric recommendations with respect to both competency and responsibility. Factors most influential in determining these recommendations included mental status at the time of the offense, psychotic symptomatology, and DSM-III diagnoses.
DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE OFFICE BUILDING SIMULATION MODEL FOR A HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE

This paper presents the results of implementing 14 high-performance measures in a prototypical office building in a hot and humid climate using the DOE-2 simulation program. The objectives of this research were to discover high-performance measures applicable to office buildings in hot and humid climates and to develop a high-performance (maximum energy-efficient) building model that only uses technologies readily available in the contemporary market. The high-performance model showed 48% total energy savings above the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 code and 61% savings when compared to the calibrated simulation model of the case-study building. The results show that substantial energy savings can be achieved only by using common technologies.
VAQAR: Flash memory based long term in-network vital data sustainability and availability for data centric wireless sensor network applications

Sensor nodes collect data in normal and event-driven situations for monitoring environment and performing in-network computation. Such critical event-driven data deletes later carelessly due to context-less storage mechanisms. This causes data failure for network applications and loses support for reliable in-network computation. Therefore, for wireless sensor networks supporting sense, merge, store and send schemes, an efficient data organization technique is highly required. In this paper, we propose an advanced log structured external NAND flash memory based data management method called Varying Aggressive data Quality Access Reference (VAQAR) for data centric wireless sensor network applications. We focus particularly on critical data to provide long term sustainability and rapid availability for effective in-network computations. Experimental results show VAQAR an ideal memory management system software scheme proposing high performance for vital in-network data organization for wireless sensor network applications.
Design and Hardware Implementation of a Reconfigurable Mostly Digital IR-UWB Radio

This paper addresses the problem of radio interface in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). We study the specific constraints of WSN and we expose how, by using a reconfigurable mostly digital IR-UWB radio, we can solve this problem. WSN context implies constraints such as low power, low cost, small size and simplicity on the radio layer. We present the reconfigurability as a solution to the large diversity of WSN applications. Dynamic reconfigurability is implemented over an IR-UWB radio interface. A two level development is exposed, based on system architecture modelling and hardware implementation. This design flow permits to obtain a reconfigurable IR-UWB transceiver on an ASIC/FPGA implementation. The proposed solution allows data rate, spectrum, and radio range reconfigurability.