Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ in Vascular Inflammation

Vascular inflammation plays a crucial role in atherosclerosis, and its regulation is important to prevent cerebrovascular and coronary artery disease. The inflammatory process in atherogenesis involves a variety of immune cells including monocytes/macrophages, lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, which all express peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ). PPAR-γ is a nuclear receptor and transcription factor in the steroid superfamily and is known to be a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation. Increasing evidence from mainly experimental studies has demonstrated that PPAR-γ activation by endogenous and synthetic ligands is involved in lipid metabolism and anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, recent clinical studies have shown a beneficial effect of thiazolidinediones, synthetic PPAR-γ ligands, on cardiovascular disease beyond glycemic control. These results suggest that PPAR-γ activation is an important regulator in vascular inflammation and is expected to be a therapeutic target in the treatment of atherosclerotic complications. This paper reviews the recent findings of PPAR-γ involvement in vascular inflammation and the therapeutic potential of regulating the immune system in atherosclerosis.
Channel Uncertainty in Ultra-Wideband Communication Systems

Channel uncertainty limits the achievable data rates of certain ultra-wideband systems due to the need to estimate the channel. The use of bursty duty-cycled transmission reduces the channel uncertainty because the receiver has to estimate the channel only when transmission takes place, but the maximum amount of burstiness and hence the possible reduction of channel uncertainty both depend on the spectral efficiency of the modulation scheme used. This general principle is demonstrated by comparing the channel conditions that allow duty-cycled direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) and pulse position modulation (PPM) to achieve the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel capacity in the wideband limit. We show that duty-cycled DSSS systems achieve the wideband capacity as long as the number of independently faded resolvable paths increases sublinearly with the bandwidth, while duty-cycled PPM systems can achieve the wideband capacity only if the number of paths increases sublogarithmically. The difference is due to the fact that DSSS is spectrally more efficient than PPM and hence allows more bursty transmission
Use of Culture, PCR Analysis, and DNA Microarrays for Detection of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from Chicken Feces

ABSTRACT A DNA microarray for detection of Campylobacter spp. was recently developed and applied to detect Campylobacter spp. directly from chicken feces. Sixty-five pooled chicken cloacal swab samples from 650 individual broiler chickens were included in the study. The results of Campylobacter sp. detection obtained with DNA microarrays were compared to those obtained by conventional culture and gel electrophoresis. By conventional culture, 60% of the samples were positive for either Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli. By PCR and capillary electrophoresis, 95% of the samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. , whereas with DNA microarrays all samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. By application of DNA microarray analysis, the isolates in 4 samples (6%) could not be identified to the species level, whereas by PCR-capillary electrophoresis, the isolates in 12 samples (19%) remained unidentified. Interestingly, PCR-capillary electrophoresis analysis revealed that two (3%) of the samples were positive for both C. jejuni and C. coli, while DNA microarray analysis revealed that nine (14%) of the samples were positive for both species. Of 65 samples, 2 samples were identified to contain C. coli by conventional culture but were positive for C. jejuni by both PCR-capillary electrophoresis and DNA microarray analysis. The discrepancy between the methods is discussed.
Multitemperature single‐strand conformation polymorphism

Changes of gel temperature during single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) electrophoresis increase the sensitivity of mutation detection in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products and significantly reduce the overall time and costs of analysis. Based on these findings, a new method for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and point mutation detection – multitemperature single‐strand conformation polymorphism (MSSCP) was devised. In order to control the gel temperature with 0.1°C accuracy during electrophoresis, new equipment was developed. We demonstrated that increasing the gel temperature by 8°C or decreasing it by 10°C from 23°C led to the disappearance of all electrophoretic differences between five alleles of exon 8 of the human p53 gene during the SSCP analysis. The interesting result was the detection of two additional SNPs (out of seven analyzed) in exon 7 of the human PAH gene during a one hour MSSCP electrophoresis. This result is better than that obtained by three classical SSCP analyses of the same samples at different but constant gel temperatures. We advocate the MSSCP technology as a fast, reliable, and cost‐effective tool for the screening and preselection stage of genomics surveys, especially when a high variability of the analyzed DNA fragment is expected.
Surviving metabolic arrest: photosynthesis during desiccation and rehydration in resurrection plants

Photosynthesis is the key process that is affected by dehydration in plants. Desiccation‐tolerant resurrection plants can survive conditions of very low relative water content. During desiccation, photosynthesis is not operational, but is recovered within a short period after rehydration. While homoiochlorophyllous resurrection plants retain their photosynthetic apparatus during desiccation, poikilochlorophyllous resurrection species dismantle chloroplasts and degrade chlorophyll but resynthesize them again during rehydration. Dismantling the chloroplasts avoids the photooxidative stress in poikilochlorophyllous resurrection plants, whereas it is minimized in homoiochlorophyllous plants through the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes and protective proteins or metabolites. Although the cellular protection mechanisms in both of these species vary, these mechanisms protect cells from desiccation‐induced damage and restore photosynthesis upon rehydration. Several of the proteins synthesized during dehydration are localized in chloroplasts and are believed to play major roles in the protection of photosynthetic structures and in recovery in resurrection species. This review focuses on the strategies of resurrection plants in terms of how they protect their photosynthetic apparatus from oxidative stress during desiccation without membrane damage and with full recovery during rehydration. We review the role of the dehydration‐induced protection mechanisms in chloroplasts and how photosynthesis is restored during rehydration.
Learning influence in complex social networks

In open Multi-Agent Systems, where there is no centralised control and individuals have equal authority, ensuring cooperative and coordinated behaviour is challenging. Norms and conventions are a useful means of supporting cooperation in an emergent decentralised manner, however it takes time for effective norms and conventions to emerge. Identifying influential individuals enables the targeted seeding of desirable norms and conventions, which can reduce the establishment time and increase efficacy. Existing research is limited with respect to considering (i) how to identify influential agents, (ii) the extent to which network location imbues influence on an agent, and (iii) the extent to which different network structures affect influence. In this paper, we propose a general methodology for learning the network value of a node in terms of influence, and evaluate it using sampled real-world networks with a model of convention emergence that has realistic assumptions about the size of the convention space. We show that (i) the models resulting from our methodology are effective in predicting influential network locations, (ii) there are very few locations that can be classified as influential in typical networks, (iii) that four single metrics are robustly indicative of influence across a range of network structures, and (iv) our methodology learns which single metric or combined measure is the best predictor of influence in a given network.
Efficient 2-D Finite-Difference Frequency-Domain Method for Switching Noise Analysis in Multilayer Boards

A new numerical algorithm is presented to solve the problem of switching noise in multilayer circuit boards and packages. The algorithm is based on domain decomposition using the finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method. Each layer of the multilayer board or package is modeled using a standard 2-D FDFD scheme and linked to other layers through a multiport network that effectively incorporates the via circuit models between the layers. It is shown that the algorithm is simple to implement and is highly efficient for multilayer boards or packages as the overall FDFD system matrix is highly sparse, thus can be solved very efficiently using advanced sparse matrix solvers. Furthermore, successive solution of the system matrix for different source and victim locations does not call for new fill of the system matrix, thus allowing efficient analysis of different source and victim locations. To validate the new algorithm, we manufacture a three-layer board, measure the scattering parameters between two specific locations, and obtain strong agreement with the solution obtained using the FDFD scheme introduced here.
Factors predicting psychosocial recovery in psychiatric patients

We examined factors associated with psychosocial recovery in patients receiving specialist psychiatric treatment by means of a questionnaire directed at staff and patients (n= 1084) in an extensive study performed in North Savo, Kuopio, Finland. Psychosocial recovery was considered to have taken place if the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) score had increased from the lowest estimate obtained during the preceding year by at least 28 points at the time of the study (n= 102). The remaining cases (n= 982) served as controls. In the univariate analysis of all of the patients, the factors associated with good recovery were a high level of basic education, a diagnosis of major depression and adequate social support. The opportunity to contact a therapist outside fixed treatment visits was also a factor predicting psychosocial recovery. In the multivariate analysis, independent factors predicting recovery were the high frequency of treatment contacts in cases of schizophrenia, previous hospitalization in major depression, and a high level of basic education and hospitalization in personality disorders.
A Simple Enzymatic Method for Production of a Wide Variety of D-Amino Acids Using L-Amino Acid Oxidase from Rhodococcus sp. AIU Z-35-1

A simple enzymatic method for production of a wide variety of D-amino acids was developed by kinetic resolution of DL-amino acids using L-amino acid oxidase (L-AAO) with broad substrate specificity from Rhodococcus sp. AIU Z-35-1. The optimum pH of the L-AAO reaction was classified into three groups depending on the L-amino acids as substrate, and their respective activities between pH 5.5 and 8.5 accounted for more than 60% of the optimum activity. The enzyme was stable in the range from pH 6.0 to 8.0, and approximately 80% of the enzyme activity remained after incubation at 40°C for 60 min at pH 7.0. D-Amino acids such as D-citrulline, D-glutamine, D-homoserine or D-arginine, which are not produced by D-aminoacylases or D-hydantoinases, were produced from the racemic mixture within a 24-hr reaction at 30°C and pH 7.0. Thus, the present method using L-AAO was versatile for production of a wide variety of D-amino acids.
Reexamining information systems success through the information technology professionals perspective

In this study, I applied an approach taken from organizational development circles named “appreciative inquiry” to enhance understanding of the organizational environment, management practices, and sociocognitive determinants that are associated with successful information systems projects. In a series of 31 interviews and seven focus groups, IT professionals from various ranks and organizations followed an appreciative inquiry method to identify critical success factors of information systems projects. In addition to the traditional project success factors revealed by previous research, the crucial impact of positive affect among IT professionals on overall project success was discovered. The findings have immediate implications for the management of information systems projects. IT organizations need to pay careful attention not only to proper project management practices and socio-cultural issues. They also need to enhance positive affect among the individuals who are entrusted to design, build and maintain information systems. In addition, the study demonstrated how the affirmative perspective provided by appreciative inquiry can contribute to IS research.
Early detection of cystic fibrosis lung disease: multiple-breath washout versus raised volume tests

Background: Lung clearance index (LCI), a measure of ventilation inhomogeneity derived from the multiple-breath inert gas washout (MBW) technique, has been shown to detect abnormal lung function more readily than spirometry in preschool children with cystic fibrosis, but whether this holds true during infancy is unknown. Objectives: To compare the extent to which parameters derived from the MBW and the raised lung volume rapid thoraco–abdominal compression (RVRTC) techniques identify diminished airway function in infants with cystic fibrosis when compared with healthy controls. Methods: Measurements were performed during quiet sleep, with the tidal breathing MBW technique being performed before the forced expiratory manoeuvres. Results: Measurements were obtained in 39 infants with cystic fibrosis (mean (SD) age 41.4 (22.0) weeks) and 21 controls (37.0 (15.1) weeks). Infants with cystic fibrosis had a significantly higher respiratory rate (38 (10) vs 32 (5) bpm) and LCI (8.4 (1.5) vs 7.2 (0.3)), and significantly lower values for all forced expiratory flow-volume parameters compared with controls. Girls with cystic fibrosis had significantly lower forced expiratory volume (FEV0.5 and FEF25–75 ) than boys (mean (95% CI girls–boys): –1.2 (–2.1 to −0.3) for FEV0.5 Z score; FEF25–75: –1.2 (–2.2 to −0.15)). When using both the MBW and RVRTC techniques, abnormalities were detected in 72% of the infants with cystic fibrosis, with abnormalities detected in 41% using both techniques and a further 15% by each of the two tests performed. Conclusions: These findings support the view that inflammatory and/or structural changes in the airways of children with cystic fibrosis start early in life, and have important implications regarding early detection and interventions. Monitoring of early lung disease and functional status in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis may be enhanced by using both MBW and the RVRTC.
Music Emotion Recognition via End-to-End Multimodal Neural Networks

Music emotion recognition (MER) is a key issue in user contextaware recommendation.Many existingmethods require hand-crafted features on audio and lyrics. Here we propose a new end-to-end method for recognizing emotions of tracks from their acoustic signals and lyrics via multimodal deep neural networks. We evaluate our method on about 7,000 K-pop tracks labeled as positive or negative emotion. The proposed method is compared to end-to-end unimodal models using audio signals or lyrics only. The experimental results show that our multimodal model achieves the best accuracy as 80%, and we discuss the reasons of these results.
A penultimate glacial climate record from southern Hungary

A flowstone from the central European Abaliget Cave (Mecsek Mts, Hungary) provides a record of uninterrupted calcite deposition between ∼160 and ∼124 ka, covering most of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 and part of 5e. δ18O values of three lateral drill cores show synchronous high‐frequency (millennial‐scale) variability during MIS 6, interpreted as stadials and interstadials, and a 3.4‰ rise at the MIS 6/5e boundary. The interstadials are mostly symmetrical in shape and show consistently lower δ18O values than calcite formed during MIS 5e. The rises (decreases) in δ18O are followed by drops (increases) in δ13C with a delay of 1–2 ka, implying enhanced (reduced) soil bioproductivity. This period of highly variable climate is bracketed by two broad δ18O minima. The first minimum between ∼160 and ∼148 ka coincided with a maximum in ice‐rafted detritus in the eastern North Atlantic. The second one from ∼134 to ∼129 ka occurred during Heinrich 11, before the rapid and large δ18O increase at ∼128 ka.
Complex adjustments of photosynthetic potentials and internal diffusion conductance to current and previous light availabilities and leaf age in Mediterranean evergreen species Quercus ilex.

Mature non-senescent leaves of evergreen species become gradually shaded as new foliage develops and canopy expands, but the interactive effects of integrated light during leaf formation (Q(int)G), current light (Q(int)C) and leaf age on foliage photosynthetic competence are poorly understood. In Quercus ilex L. , we measured the responses of leaf structural and physiological variables to Q(int)C and Q(int)G for four leaf age classes. Leaf aging resulted in increases in leaf dry mass per unit area (M(A)), and leaf dry to fresh mass ratio (D(F)) and decreases in N content per dry mass (N(M)). N content per area (N(A)) was independent of age, indicating that decreases in N(M) reflected dilution of leaf N because of accumulation of dry mass (NA = N(M) M(A)). M(A), D(F) and N(A) scaled positively with irradiance, whereas these age-specific correlations were stronger with leaf growth light than with current leaf light. Area-based maximum ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) carboxylase activity (V(cmax)A), capacity for photosynthetic electron transport (J(max)A) and the rate of non-photorespiratory respiration in light (R(d)A) were also positively associated with irradiance. Differently from leaf structural characteristics, for all data pooled, these relationships were stronger with current light with little differences among leaves of different age. Acclimation to current leaf light environment was achieved by light-dependent partitioning of N in rate-limiting proteins. Mass-based physiological activities decreased with increasing leaf age, reflecting dilution of leaf N and a larger fraction of non-photosynthetic N in older leaves. This resulted in age-dependent modification of leaf photosynthetic potentials versus N relationships. Internal diffusion conductance (g(m)) per unit area (g(m)A) increased curvilinearly with increasing irradiance for two youngest leaf age classes and was independent of light for older leaves. In contrast, g(m) per dry mass (g(m)M) was negatively associated with light in current-year leaves. Greater photosynthetic potentials and moderate changes in diffusion conductance resulted in greater internal diffusion limitations of photosynthesis in higher light. Both area- and mass-based g(m) decreased with increasing leaf age. The decrease in diffusion conductance was larger than changes in photosynthetic potentials, leading to larger CO2 drawdown from leaf internal air space to chloroplasts (delta(c)) in older leaves. The increases in diffusion limitations in older leaves and at higher light scaled with age- and light-dependent increases in MA and D(F). Overall, our study demonstrates a large potential of foliage photosynthetic acclimation to changes in leaf light environment, but also highlights enhanced structural diffusion limitations in older leaves that result from leaf structural acclimation to previous rather than to current light environment and accumulation of structural compounds with leaf age.
Disparate roles of ATR and ATM in immunoglobulin class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation

Class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) are mechanistically related processes initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase. Here, we have studied the role of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) in CSR by analyzing the recombinational junctions, resulting from in vivo switching, in cells from patients with mutations in the ATR gene. The proportion of cells that have switched to immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG in the peripheral blood seems to be normal in ATR-deficient (ATRD) patients and the recombined S regions show a normal “blunt end-joining,” but impaired end joining with partially complementary (1–3 bp) DNA ends. There was also an increased usage of microhomology at the μ-α switch junctions, but only up to 9 bp, suggesting that the end-joining pathway requiring longer microhomologies (≥10 bp) may be ATR dependent. The SHM pattern in the Ig variable heavy chain genes is altered, with fewer mutations occurring at A and more mutations at T residues and thus a loss of strand bias in targeting A/T pairs within certain hotspots. These data suggest that the role of ATR is partially overlapping with that of ataxia telangiectasia–mutated protein, but that the former is also endowed with unique functional properties in the repair processes during CSR and SHM.
A Dimension-Oriented Theory of Requirements Space In Business Information Systems

Low process predictability and, consequently, excessive rework are salient characteristics in many of today’s commonly-used software development life cycle processes, making it exceedingly difficult for development organizations to deliver quality software systems within economically and technically reasonable frames. This paper advances the argument that, as a solution to this problem, building software engineering theories provides a fruitful avenue to increasing the predictability of the various software life cycle processes. Accordingly, we introduce a reusable process design methodology that relies on building software engineering theories with predictive power to inform the design of more predictive and, therefore, effective software processes. The usefulness of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through an expansive case study, which aims to design a more effective requirements engineering method for the domain of business information systems. We report results from several empirical studies to support the arguments put forward in this paper. Key–Words: Requirements Engineering, Theory Building, Process Design, Dimension Orientation, Business Information System, Domain Engineering