Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Class switching and meiotic defects in mice lacking the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF8

53BP1 is a well-known mediator of the cellular response to DNA damage. Two alternative mechanisms have been proposed to explain 53BP1’s interaction with DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), one by binding to methylated histones and the other via an RNF8 E3 ligase–dependent ubiquitylation pathway. The formation of RNF8 and 53BP1 irradiation-induced foci are both dependent on histone H2AX. To evaluate the contribution of the RNF8-dependent pathway to 53BP1 function, we generated RNF8 knockout mice. We report that RNF8 deficiency results in defective class switch recombination (CSR) and accumulation of unresolved immunoglobulin heavy chain–associated DSBs. The CSR DSB repair defect is milder than that observed in the absence of 53BP1 but similar to that found in H2AX−/− mice. Moreover, similar to H2AX but different from 53BP1 deficiency, RNF8−/− males are sterile, and this is associated with defective ubiquitylation of the XY chromatin. Combined loss of H2AX and RNF8 does not cause further impairment in CSR, demonstrating that the two genes function epistatically. Importantly, although 53BP1 foci formation is RNF8 dependent, its binding to chromatin is preserved in the absence of RNF8. This suggests a two-step mechanism for 53BP1 association with chromatin in which constitutive loading is dependent on interactions with methylated histones, whereas DNA damage–inducible RNF8-dependent ubiquitylation allows its accumulation at damaged chromatin.
Effects of temperature, soil moisture content and soil type on the degradation of cypermethrin in two types of Malaysian agricultural soils

The effects of temperature, soil moisture content and soil type on the degradation of cypermethrin was studied using two agricultural soil types namely peat and silty clay. The cypermethrin residue in the soil was extracted using a mixture of water and acetonitril (ratio 1:2). The final extract was redisolved in hexane prior to GC-ECD analysis. The half-life of cypermethrin decreased from 5.93 to 3.24 weeks when the temperature was increased from 25 to 35°C. Results also showed that the half-life decreased from 6.59 to 2.54 weeks as soil moisture content increased from 40 to 60%. The half-life of cypermethrin in non-autoclaved peat and silty clay soil was lower compared to that in the autoclaved soils. In conclusion, temperature, moisture content and soil type greatly influenced the dissipation of cypermethrin.
Intra-Vehicle Information Security Framework

This paper presents an internal information security services framework for vehicular environments. The framework consists of a logical toolbox — a set of logical modules that are installed in a variety of embodiments (e.g., controllers) and which provide security functionality that vehicular applications require. The framework also includes several enablers, which are higher-level security functions that are integrated into vehicular applications. These enablers use the aforementioned tools to provide for many typical use-cases, such as secure logging, secure code update, and secure feature activation. The purpose of the toolbox is to provide some of the common security functions at the highest effective abstraction level, and to implement these functions securely in well suited embodiments. This detachment of security functions from the applications that use them shall allow developers to develop secure applications without requiring extensive security know-how, as well as to reduce the attack surface of their applications.
Assessing the Equalizing Force of Mobility Using Short Panels: France, 1990–2000

In this paper, we document whether and how much the equalizing force of earnings mobility has changed in France in the 1990’s. For this purpose, we use a representative three-year panel, the French Labour Force Survey. We develop a model of earnings dynamics that combines a flexible specification of marginal earnings distributions (to fit the large cross-sectional dimension of the data) with a tight parametric representation of the dynamics (adapted to the short time-series dimension). Log earnings are modelled as the sum of a deterministic component, an individual fixed effect and a transitory component which is assumed first-order Markov. The transition probability of the transitory component is modelled as a one-parameter Plackett copula. We estimate this model using a sequential expectation-maximization algorithm. We exploit the estimated model to study employment/earnings inequality in France over the 1990– 2002 period. We show that, in phase with business-cycle fluctuations (a recession in 1993 and two peaks in 1990 and 2000), earnings mobility decreases when cross-section inequality and unemployment risk increase. We simulate individual earnings trajectories and compute present values of lifetime earnings for various horizons. Inequality presents a hump-shaped evolution over the period, with a 9% increase between 1990 and 1995 and a decrease afterwards. Accounting for unemployment yields an increase of 11%. Moreover, this increase is persistent, as it translates into a 12% increase in the variance of log present values. The ratio of inequality in present values to inequality in one-year earnings, a natural measure of immobility or of the persistence of inequality, remains remarkably constant over the business cycle.
Rate-based randomized routing in large heterogeneous processor sharing systems

Randomized load balancing techniques are effective solutions to reduce mean waiting time of jobs in large web server farms, where obtaining state information of all the servers becomes costly. The classical power-of-two routing scheme, which has already been analyzed for systems of identical servers, requires the instantaneous state information of two randomly selected servers at each job-arrival instant. In this paper, we consider variants of the classical power-of-two scheme for multiserver systems where the servers may have different service rates. We modify the classical power-of-two scheme for the heterogeneous system so that it now incorporates server speeds into the criterion for server selection. We analytically characterize the stability region, stationary load distribution, and the mean sojourn time of jobs of this modified scheme. It is shown that, in the heterogeneous case, the stability region of the modified scheme may be a subset of the maximum achievable stability region. To improve the stability region, we propose and analyze another scheme which combines the power-of-two routing scheme with randomized state independent routing scheme. We show that this new scheme achieves the maximum stability region and results in the least mean sojourn time of jobs among all the schemes considered in the paper.
Habit: Leveraging human mobility and social network for efficient content dissemination in Delay Tolerant Networks

This paper proposes Habit, an efficient multi-layered approach to content dissemination in Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) that leverages information about nodes' colocation (physical layer) and their social network (application layer). More precisely, the regularity of users' colocation is learned based on historical colocation observations; also, the users' social network (or ‘network of interest’) is dynamically propagated during periods of colocation; finally, these distinct pieces of information are locally combined and used to compute the paths that content should follow, in a way that maximises both precision (i.e., nodes receive only content they are interested in) and recall (i.e., all relevant content is received by interested nodes).
Spin-Offs, Divestitures, and Conglomerate Investment

We examine whether spin-offs or divestitures cause improvements in conglomerate investment efficiency. At issue are endogeneity of these restructuring decisions and correct measurement of investment efficiency. Endogeneity is a problem because the factors that induce firms to spin off or divest divisions may also improve investment efficiency; measurement error is a problem because efficiency measures employ Tobin's q as a noisy proxy for investment opportunities. We find important differences between firms that divest or spin off and a control sample. After accounting for these differences and for measurement error in q, we find no evidence of improvements in investment efficiency.
Parents’ Responses to Coping with Bullying: Variations by Adolescents’ Self-Reported Victimization and Parents’ Awareness of Bullying Involvement

Bullying has been recognized as an important risk factor for mental health. A growing number of researchers have encouraged parents to work collaboratively with schools to prevent and intervene in bullying situations. This study explores the relationship between parents’ awareness of bullying involvement, adolescents’ self-reported victimization, and six possible parents’ responses to their child’s victimization. The participants were 1044 seventh–tenth grade students and their parents. Logistic regressions analyses were applied to determine if parents’ awareness of victimization and adolescents’ self-reporting of victimization were associated with parents’ responses to bullying victimization. The results showed that parents’ awareness of bullying and adolescents’ self-reported victimization were only associated with the “defends herself/himself” and “talks to bully” response. In other words, the parents who believe their child has been bullied are less likely to encourage their children to talk with the bully, and when children are victimized, it is less likely that their parents will encourage them to defend themselves or talk with the bully.
Recreational Screen Time Activities and Depressive Symptomatology Among Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation of Cognitive, Behavioural, Affective, and Interpersonal Factors as Mediators and Moderators

There is a well-established association between increased screen time activities (e.g., recreational computer use, television viewing, and videogame engagement) and depressive symptomatology among adolescents. Most studies, however, have been cross-sectional and have not examined underlying mechanisms that may explain the relationship between recreational screen time activities and depressive symptomatology. The purpose of the present study was to examine body image and disordered eating behaviours as mediating variables in the longitudinal relationship between total daily recreational screen time and depressive symptomatology over time. Three hundred and four students (194 females, Mage = 13.40, SD = 1.10) in Grades 7 to 12 from the National Capital Region of Canada participated in the study. The study included longitudinal data on recreational screen time activities (Leisure-Time Sedentary Activities Scale), depressive symptomatology (Children’s Depression Inventory), body image satisfaction (Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults), and disordered eating behaviours (Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire) from the Research on Eating and Adolescent Lifestyle (REAL) Study. Results from an Analysis of Moment Structures model revealed a direct and positive effect of total daily recreational screen time at baseline (T0) on depressive symptomatology at Time 4 (T4) (Estimate = 0.48, SE = 0.18, LL = 0.12, UL = 0.84), independent of age and depressive symptomatology at T0. Appearance (dis)satisfaction at Time 2 (T2) mediated the relationship between recreational screen time activities at T0 and depressive symptomatology at T4. Specifically, recreational screen time activities at T0 was significantly related to decreased appearance satisfaction at T2 (Estimate = -0.06, SE = 0.02, LL = -0.10, UL = -0.01), which was significantly related to increased depressive symptomatology at T4 (Estimate = -1.49, SE = 0.62, LL = -2.71, UL = -0.28), independent of age and depressive symptomatology at T0. This is the BODY IMAGE, SCREEN TIME, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS 40 first known study to document that the prospective relationship between recreational screen time and depressive symptomatology is mediated by appearance (dis)satisfaction among adolescents, thereby building on cross-sectional findings. Overall, findings offer a baseline for future researchers to continue to examine whether reducing screen time is an efficacious adjunctive strategy in improving body image satisfaction, and reducing depressive symptomatology during adolescence, a developmental period known to confer increased risk. BODY IMAGE, SCREEN TIME, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS 4
Auditory Evoked Fields Elicited by Spectral, Temporal, and Spectral–Temporal Changes in Human Cerebral Cortex

Natural sounds contain complex spectral components, which are temporally modulated as time-varying signals. Recent studies have suggested that the auditory system encodes spectral and temporal sound information differently. However, it remains unresolved how the human brain processes sounds containing both spectral and temporal changes. In the present study, we investigated human auditory evoked responses elicited by spectral, temporal, and spectral–temporal sound changes by means of magnetoencephalography. The auditory evoked responses elicited by the spectral–temporal change were very similar to those elicited by the spectral change, but those elicited by the temporal change were delayed by 30–50 ms and differed from the others in morphology. The results suggest that human brain responses corresponding to spectral sound changes precede those corresponding to temporal sound changes, even when the spectral and temporal changes occur simultaneously.
An Empirical Research on the Relationships between Corporate Culture, Organizational Flexibility and Enterprise Performance

Based on theoretic analysis of corporate culture, organizational flexibility and enterprise performance, this paper presents an empirical study to examine the relationship between organizational flexibility and enterprise performance, in order to study their relationship more deeply, this paper explains organizational flexibility with four indicators, and examines the relationships between the four indicators and performance separately, and also the moderating effect of corporate culture on the relationship between the two by using survey data from 204 manufacturing firms in Pearl River Delta and applying SPSS statistical software. The result shows: there is positive relationship existing between organizational flexibility and enterprise performance, corporate culture also contributes to moderate the relationship between them. But as one of the indicators of organizational flexibility, mobility of resources has no role in improving enterprise performance. Even after adding corporate culture, the relationship between mobility of resources and performance is still not significant.
The Effects of Pharmacological Preconditioning with GYKI-52466 and Domoic Acid on LTP and LTD Induction in the Rat Hippocampus

ii Acknowledgements iv Table of Figures viii Table of Tables ix List of Abbreviations x Introduction 1 1 The Need for ‘Brain Medicine’ 1 1.1 Preconditioning 2 1.2 1.2.1 Pharmacological Preconditioning 4 GYKI-52466 4 1.2.1.1 Domoic Acid 5 1.2.1.2 1.2.2 Metabotropic Involvement in Preconditioning 6 G-protein Linked AMPA and KA-Rs 7 1.2.2.1 1.2.3 Alternative uses for preconditioning 8 Synaptic Plasticity 8 1.3 1.3. 1 Hippocampus 9 Hippocampal Brain Slices 11 1.3. 1.1 1.3. 2 Long Term Potentiation 12 Early and late LTP 13 1.3. 2.1 1.3. 3 Long Term Depression 14 1.3. 4 Metaplasticity 15 Recent Findings in the Kerr Lab: 15 1.4 1.4. 1 GYKI as a nootropic agent 15 1.4. 2 Domoic Acid as a nootropic agent 16 1.4. 3 Chronic GYKI Preconditioning 17 Rationale and Aims 17 1.5 Hypothesis 18 1.6 Materials and Methodology 19 2 Animals 19 2.1 Reagents 19 2.2 Equipment 19 2.3
Bradykinin relaxation in small porcine retinal arterioles.

PURPOSE To study changes in the spontaneous diameter of small retinal arterioles and bradykinin (BK)-induced vasodilation during inhibition of the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins (PGs), and cytochrome P450 2C8/9-dependent endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). METHODS Forty-eight isolated porcine arterioles with a diameter of approximately 70 microm were mounted in a double-barreled pipette system placed in an organ bath, and diameter changes were studied under isobaric conditions. After an equilibration period, the arterioles were incubated with inhibitors of the synthesis of NO, PGs, or cytochrome P450 2C8/9-dependent EDHF, and spontaneous diameter changes were studied. Subsequently, the arterioles were precontracted, and the diameter was assessed after addition of BK in cumulative concentrations. RESULTS Inhibition of NOS elicited a significant decrease in the spontaneous diameter of the vessels (P = 0.028), whereas no change in the spontaneous diameter was induced by inhibition of PG or cytochrome P450 2C8/9 dependent EDHF synthesis (P = 0.35 and P = 0.75, respectively). The vasodilating effect of BK was decreased by inhibition of NO (P = 0.002) but not by inhibition of prostaglandin or cytochrome P450 2C8/9-dependent EDHF synthesis (P = 0.82 and P = 0.94, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest the presence of a spontaneous release of NO, which keeps the retinal microcirculation dilated under normal conditions. The finding of BK-induced relaxation being dependent on the NO synthase (NOS), but not on PGs or cytochrome P450 2C8/9-dependent EDHF may be of importance for understanding the microcirculatory effects of pharmacologic compounds affecting the BK metabolism, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
The curvilinear relationship between team familiarity and team innovation: A secondary data analysis

Abstract Paradoxical arguments and mixed empirical evidence coexist in the current literature concerning the relationship between team familiarity and team innovation. To resolve this contradiction, we apply habitual routines theory to propose that team familiarity and team innovation have an inverted U-shaped relationship. Using a data set of 68,933 R&D teams in the electrical engineering industry, our results support a nonlinear relationship between team familiarity and team innovation, and suggest that the best innovative performance is produced by moderately familiar teams. Furthermore, we find that external learning can moderate this curvilinear relationship. Theoretical contributions and future implications are discussed.
Conciencia bilingüe : the multilingual and academic writing practices of undocumented immigrant activists.

CONCIENCIA BILINGÜE: THE MULTILINGUAL AND ACADEMIC WRITING PRACTICES OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT ACTIVISTS Sara del Pilar Alvarez May 12, 2018 This qualitative research and community-based engagement focuses on the critical examination of the texts that 12 U.S. Southern and New York City undocumented young adults have produced in relation to immigrant rights advocacy. Adapting Lillis and Curry’s 2010 text-oriented ethnography methods and drawing on a collective framework informed by García and Wei’s (2014) theorization of dynamic bilingual practices, translingual theories of language difference in academic writing (Horner et. al, 2011; Lu & Horner, 2016), and Flores’s and Rosa’s (2015) call for raciolinguistics as a way to interrogate academic writing, this study examines the bilingual stances that these immigrant activists bring to their language and literacy practices, and their production of these texts. The study centers on the perspectives and lived experiences of racialized bilinguals to build on scholarship looking to the writing practices of students broadly characterized as local multilinguals (Canagarajah, 2010; Flores, Kleyn, & Menken, 2015); I argue that the dynamic and embodied language and writing practices of undocumented immigrant activists challenge monolingual assumptions about linguistic legitimacy and citizenship and should be examined in the contexts of their undocumented and immigrant lived experiences. This research offers insight on how minoritized and
Phloroglucinol and Terpenoid Derivatives from Hypericum cistifolium and H. galioides (Hypericaceae)

A new simple phloroglucinol derivative characterized as 1-(6-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-1-propanone (1) was isolated from Hypericum cistifolium (Hypericaceae) as a major constituent of the non-polar plant extract. Minor amounts of this new compound, in addition to two known structurally related phloroglucinol derivatives (2 and 3), and two new terpenoid derivatives characterized, respectively, as 2-benzoyl-3,3-dimethyl-4R,6S-bis-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-cyclohexanone (4a) and 2-benzoyl-3,3-dimethyl-4S,6R-bis-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-cyclohexanone (4b), were isolated from a related species, H. galioides Lam. The chemical structures were established using 2D-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial activity against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms and anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX catalyzed LTB4 formation.
Ligninolytic Enzymes of the Basidiomycetous Fungi Agaricus Bisporus and Phlebia Radiata on Lignocellulose-containing Media Tiivistelmä (abstract in Finnish)

Front cover picture: Agaricus bisporus (white button mushroom, herkkusieni) on culture medium (photo: Mykora Oy) 3 Abstract The production of lignin degrading enzymes (laccase, manganese peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP)) of two basidiomycetous fungi, the white-rot fungus Phlebia radiata and the litter-degrading fungus Agaricus bisporus were examined on lignocellulose-containing (pulp mill wastewater, straw, bran, compost leachate) media. In pulp bleaching wastewater and pulp mill wastewater-containing media P. radiata secreted LiP, MnP and laccase. Purification of the enzyme proteins was required to show the actual presence of ligninolytic enzymes in wastewater-containing media, since phenolic and coloured compounds from wastewater interfered with the spectrophotometric enzyme activity assays. The production of laccase and MnP were enhanced in wastewater-containing cultures. The production of LiP was also higher than expected from the results of activity measurement with the veratryl alcohol oxidation method. The consumption of glucose and the growth of the P. radiata increased with increasing amounts of pulp mill wastewater in the culture medium. Laccase and MnP were the main ligninolytic enzymes secreted by A. bisporus in compost. The laccase from compost was a blue laccase. Addition of wheat and rye bran induced MnP production in liquid cultures. The MnP isolated from compost and bran-amended cultures, designated MnP1, was the same enzyme with pI 3.25 and MW 40 kDa. The mnp1 gene expressed in bran-containing cultures was cloned and sequenced. It is the first MnP-encoding gene from a litter-degrading fungus. The predicted aa sequence of MnP is 328-aa-long polypeptide preceded by a 26-aa leader peptide. On the sequence level the MnP has the highest similarity to Pleurotus ostreatus MnP3 and Pleurotus eryngii versatile peroxidases VPL1 and VPL2. The intron-exon structure of the mnp1 gene with 14 introns resembles that of P. ostreatus MnP1 and P. eryngii VPL2. The sequence of the main MnP1 of A. bisporus can be used to monitor the ligninolytic enzyme expression and thus substrate utilization in A. bisporus compost and thus correlate the substrate utilization to mushroom production. List of original publications The thesis is based on the following articles referred to in the text by Roman numerals I-IV. In addition, unpublished data are also presented. The onset of lignin-modifying enzymes, decrease of AOX and color removal by white-rot fungi grown on bleach plant effluents. Characteristics and N-terminal amino acid sequence of manganese peroxidase from solid substrate cultures of Agaricus bisporus. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 55:170-176. peroxidase of Agaricus …