Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultra-compact Microstrip UWB bandpass filter with improved performance

In this paper, an ultra-compact Ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filter (BPF) based on modified multimode resonator (MMR) is proposed. The compactness of the proposed UWB BPF with good impedance matching in passband is achieved using modified MMR, which consists of meandered coupled lines, stepped-impedance stubs, open-circuited stubs and coupled-line sections. Stepped-impedance stubs which are used to nullify the effect of mutual coupling due to the presence of meandered coupled lines are analyzed in detail. The proposed filter is fabricated using Roger RT/duroid 5880 substrate (∊r = 2.2, thickness = 0.787 mm) having size of 14 mm × 5.9 mm. The experimental results show that the proposed filter has passband frequency range 3.05–10.9 GHz with upper wide stopband attenuation better than 38 dB up to 15.5 GHz. The simulation results are nearly in agreement with corresponding experimental results.
Activation of the Slx5–Slx8 Ubiquitin Ligase by Poly-small Ubiquitin-like Modifier Conjugates*

Protein sumoylation is a regulated process that is important for the health of human and yeast cells. In budding yeast, a subset of sumoylated proteins is targeted for ubiquitination by a conserved heterodimeric ubiquitin (Ub) ligase, Slx5–Slx8, which is needed to suppress the accumulation of high molecular weight small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugates. Structure-function analysis indicates that the Slx5–Slx8 complex contains multiple SUMO-binding domains that are collectively required for in vivo function. To determine the specificity of Slx5–Slx8, we assayed its Ub ligase activity using sumoylated Siz2 as an in vitro substrate. In contrast to unsumoylated or multisumoylated Siz2, substrates containing poly-SUMO conjugates were efficiently ubiquitinated by Slx5–Slx8. Although Siz2 itself was ubiquitinated, the bulk of the Ub was conjugated to SUMO residues. Slx5–Slx8 primarily mono-ubiquitinated the N-terminal SUMO moiety of the chain. These data indicate that the Slx5–Slx8 Ub ligase is stimulated by poly-SUMO conjugates and that it can ubiquitinate a poly-SUMO chain.
Investigation of the Molecular Origins of Protein-arginine Methyltransferase I (PRMT1) Product Specificity Reveals a Role for Two Conserved Methionine Residues*

Protein-arginine methyltransferases aid in the regulation of many biological processes by methylating specific arginyl groups within targeted proteins. The varied nature of the response to methylation is due in part to the diverse product specificity displayed by the protein-arginine methyltransferases. In addition to site location within a protein, biological response is also determined by the degree (mono-/dimethylation) and type of arginine dimethylation (asymmetric/symmetric). Here, we have identified two strictly conserved methionine residues in the PRMT1 active site that are not only important for activity but also control substrate specificity. Mutation of Met-155 or Met-48 results in a loss in activity and a change in distribution of mono- and dimethylated products. The altered substrate specificity of M155A and M48L mutants is also evidenced by automethylation. Investigation into the mechanistic basis of altered substrate recognition led us to consider each methyl transfer step separately. Single turnover experiments reveal that the rate of transfer of the second methyl group is much slower than transfer of the first methyl group in M48L, especially for arginine residues located in the center of the peptide substrate where turnover of the monomethylated species is negligible. Thus, altered product specificity in M48L originates from the differential effect of the mutation on the two rates. Characterization of the two active-site methionines provides the first insight into how the PRMT1 active site is engineered to control product specificity.
The effect of pH and temperature on the kinetic parameters of phosphoglucose isomerase. Participation of histidine and lysine in a proposed dual function mechanism.

Abstract Phosphoglucose isomerase (d-glucose-6-phosphate ketol-isomerase, EC 5.3.1.9) from rabbit skeletal muscle has been subjected to a detailed kinetic study of the effect of pH and temperature on the Michaelis constants, the maximal velocities, the dissociation constant for the competitive inhibitor 6-phosphogluconate, and the equilibrium constant of the reaction. A coupled pH-stat assay was established as being suitable for measurement of initial velocities in the forward direction between pH 6.0 and 10.0; analogously, the validity of a coupled spectrophotometric assay of the reverse reaction was demonstrated for the range of pH 6.0 to 9.5. Graphical and computer analysis of Km and Vmax data, obtained with these assays as a function of pH, suggest the participation in isomerase catalysis of two ionizable groups in the enzyme with average pK values of 6.75 and 9.3, at 30°. From the change in pK with temperature, values of 7,700 and 16,000 cal per mole, respectively, have been calculated for the heats of ionization for these two groups. These data are considered to be consistent with the involvement of both an imidazole group of histidine and an e-amino group of lysine. Analysis of Ki data for 6-phosphogluconate, obtained as a function of pH for the forward and the reverse reaction, showed no pK at alkaline pH; this has been interpreted as suggesting that the e-amino group of lysine is not involved in the binding of 6-phosphogluconate to the enzyme. On the basis of this evidence, a dual function mechanism is proposed in which the protonated e-amino nitrogen first catalyzes the opening of the hexose ring structure to yield the straight chain form of hexose 6-phosphate, which then undergoes isomerization via formation of an enediol intermediate, with the nonprotonated nitrogen of the imidazole group participating as a base catalyst in this second step.
A blended learning approach to teaching pre-clinical complete denture prosthodontics.

PURPOSE The current study tested the hypothesis that a blended learning curriculum would develop competency in both pre-clinical laboratory and didactic learning with less direct supervision than in a traditional curriculum, and be positively accepted by both the students and the faculty. With the ability to efficiently deliver course material electronically came the ability to blend the traditional delivery of course material with an asynchronous approach involving online lecture presentations and online laboratory demonstrations. METHODS The class was divided into two groups with bench space available to accommodate self-paced learning. All audio-visual and written support materials for both didactic and laboratory procedures were provided to the students at the beginning of the semester on a DVD. These materials included online access through the Blackboard Learning System™. RESULTS Students' performance and satisfaction in the course as well as the supporting faculty response to the course were very favourable to the new blended curriculum. CONCLUSIONS Making use of the technologically advanced environment, the blended curriculum fostered student-focused learning to develop the didactic and laboratory skills necessary for competency in a pre-clinical setting.
BRASILONEMA ANGUSTATUM SP. NOV. (NOSTOCALES), A NEW FILAMENTOUS CYANOBACTERIAL SPECIES FROM THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS 1

A new filamentous cyanobacterial species of the genus Brasilonema was isolated from the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The taxon is distinguished from the seven other species in the genus by attenuation of trichomes, and is here described as Brasilonema angustatum sp. nov. It possesses the cytoplasmic kerotimization and reddish‐brown coloration of several species in the genus. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence shows B. angustatum within a highly supported clade containing all sequenced Brasilonema species. We compared the secondary structure of the 16S–23S ITS regions for B. octagenarum and B. angustatum. The structurally conservative D1–D1′ and V3 helices show similar motifs between the two taxa, but differ structurally and in sequence, providing additional justification for erection of the new species. The Box‐B helix has identical secondary structure. The existence of tapering in a Brasilonema species is unique in this genus, and requires modification of the current concept of the genus Brasilonema, which was described as being unattenuated. Our phylogenetic evidence supports the hypothesis that tapering has developed repeatedly in separate cyanobacterial lineages and lacks the taxonomic significance once assumed by early workers.
A prospective cohort study on the association between coffee drinking and risk of non-gallstone-related acute pancreatitis

Abstract Only one previous study has examined the association between coffee consumption and risk of acute pancreatitis, and it found a reduced risk for alcohol-related episodes among high consumers of coffee. Therefore, we examined (1) the association between coffee consumption and risk of non-gallstone-related acute pancreatitis and (2) whether this association was modified by alcohol intake. Data were obtained from two prospective cohorts, the Cohort of Swedish Men and the Swedish Mammography Cohort, including 76 731 men and women (born 1914–1952). Coffee consumption was assessed at baseline with a FFQ, and the cohorts were followed up between 1998 and 2012 via linkage to national health registries. Hazard ratios were estimated using Cox models, with adjustment for potential confounding factors. During 1 035 881 person-years of total follow-up, 383 cases (246 in men and 137 in women) of incident non-gallstone-related acute pancreatitis were identified. Overall, and irrespective of whether a categorical or a continuous exposure model was used, we observed no association between coffee consumption and risk of non-gallstone-related acute pancreatitis (e.g. the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for each 1 cup/d increase in coffee consumption was 0·97; 95 % CI 0·92, 1·03). There was no evidence of effect modification by alcohol intake (P interaction=0·77). In conclusion, coffee consumption was not associated with risk of non-gallstone-related acute pancreatitis in this large prospective cohort study. Because of the limited number of epidemiological studies and their conflicting results, further research is needed to elucidate this potential association.
The Effect of Mergers & Acquisitions and Greenfield FDI on Income Inequality

This paper investigates the differential effects of cross-border mergers & acquisitions (M&As) and greenfield investment on income distribution within the host country. Using a sample of 93 countries from 1990-2009, our results show that M&As have an insignificant impact on income inequality, while greenfield investment exhibits a significantly positive effect on income disparity.
Modeling seasonal to annual carbon balance of Mer Bleue Bog, Ontario, Canada

Northern peatlands contain enormous quantities of organic carbon within a few meters of the atmosphere and play a significant role in the planetary carbon balance. We have developed a new, process‐oriented model of the contemporary carbon balance of northern peatlands, the Peatland Carbon Simulator (PCARS). Components of PCARS are (1) vascular and nonvascular plant photosynthesis and respiration, net aboveground and belowground production, and litterfall; (2) aerobic and anaerobic decomposition of peat; (3) production, oxidation, and emission of methane; and (4) dissolved organic carbon loss with drainage water. PCARS has an hourly time step and requires air and soil temperatures, incoming radiation, water table depth, and horizontal drainage as drivers. Simulations predict a complete peatland C balance for one season to several years. A 3‐year simulation was conducted for Mer Bleue Bog, near Ottawa, Ontario, and results were compared with multiyear eddy covariance tower CO2 flux and ancillary measurements from the site. Seasonal patterns and the general magnitude of net ecosystem exchange of CO2 were similar for PCARS and the tower data, though PCARS was generally biased toward net ecosystem respiration (i.e., carbon loss). Gross photosynthesis rates (calculated directly in PCARS, empirically inferred from tower data) were in good accord, so the discrepancy between model and measurement was likely related to autotrophic and/or heterotrophic respiration. Modeled and measured methane emission rates were quite low. PCARS has been designed to link with the Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS) land surface model and a global climate model (GCM) to examine climate‐peatland carbon feedbacks at regional scales in future analyses.
High expression of lncRNA MALAT1 suggests a biomarker of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to investigate the role of the long noncoding RNA MALAT1 in the prognosis of stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS The expression of MALAT1 was evaluated in cancer tissues from 146 stage II/III CRC patients undergoing radical resection and 23 paired normal colonic mucosa samples using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. Differences in the expression of MALAT1 between 23 CRC and paired normal colonic mucosa samples were analysed with the Wilcoxon test. Relationships between the expression level of MALAT1, patient clinicopathological parameters and disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed using the univariate Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate COX regression model. RESULTS The MALAT1 levels in cancerous tissues were 2.26 times higher than those measured in noncancerous tissues, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). Based on their expression level of MALAT1, the patients were divided into a high MALAT1 expression group (n = 73) and a low expression group (n = 73). Patients with tumours harbouring higher expression of MALAT1 showed a significantly worse prognosis with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.863 (95% CI, 1.659 to 4.943; P < 0.001) for DFS and 3.968 (95% CI, 1.665 to 9.456; P = 0.002) for OS. Furthermore, patients with perineural invasion demonstrated significantly worse DFS (HR = 3.459, 95% CI 2.008 to 5.957; P < 0.001) and OS (HR = 3.750, 95% CI 1.743 to 8.069; P = 0.001) than those without perineural invasion. Multivariate analyses indicated that MALAT1 expression and perineural invasion were two independent prognostic risk factors for patients with CRC. CONCLUSION The expression of MALAT1 is upregulated in CRC tissues, and a higher expression level of MALAT1 might serve as a negative prognostic marker in stage II/III CRC patients.
The Liberation Procedure Decision-Making Experience for People With Multiple Sclerosis

Despite the absence of scientific evidence demonstrating the efficacy of the “liberation procedure” in treating multiple sclerosis (MS), thousands of MS patients worldwide have undergone the procedure. The study objective was to explore the experience of liberation procedure decision making for individuals with MS. Fifteen adults in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, each participated in an in-depth interview. The data analysis revealed three groups of people: “waiters,” “early embracers,” and “late embracers. ” Using van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological approach, we identified three themes each in the stories of the early and late embracers and four themes in the waiters’ stories. A characteristic of the late embracers and waiters was skepticism, whereas desperation set the embracers apart from the waiters. With a deeper understanding of the experience, nurses can be more attuned to the perspectives of MS patients while helping them make informed decisions about undergoing the liberation procedure.
Evaluation of ground reaction forces produced by chickens walking on a force plate.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of a force plate as a method for objective gait analysis in adult poultry, to characterize ground reaction forces (GRFs) produced in adult chickens during normal walking, and to assess the variability of GRFs. ANIMALS 18 clinically normal 5-month-old Brown Leghorn hens. PROCEDURE Vertical, craniocaudal, and mediolateral GRFs were measured as hens walked across a standard force plate embedded in the middle of a runway. RESULTS All GRFs were significantly affected by speed, and variability was high. With increasing speed, overall stance time decreased, but the percentage of stance time spent in braking or propulsion remained approximately equal. There was an overall increase in maximum propulsion force, which was produced at a greater rate over a shorter time; thus, propulsion integral decreased. Maximum braking forces and braking integrals were variable, but the rate at which the forces were generated increased. Mediolateral forces were 2 to 3 times greater in hens than values that have been reported for other species. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE A standard force plate can be used to objectively measure GRFs in walking adult hens; however, the large variation in the data suggests that the technique in its current form would be of limited clinical use. Overall, vertical and craniocaudal forces had similar characteristics to those of other species, whereas mediolateral forces were found to be much greater in chickens than for other species.
Founder mutations in the LDL receptor gene contribute significantly to the familial hypercholesterolemia phenotype in the indigenous South African population of mixed ancestry

The South African population harbors genes that are derived from varying degrees of admixture between indigenous groups and immigrants from Europe and the East. This study represents the first direct mutation‐based attempt to determine the impact of admixture from other gene pools on the familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) phenotype in the recently founded Coloured population of South Africa, a people of mixed ancestry. A cohort of 236 apparently unrelated patients with clinical features of FH was screened for a common mutation causing familial defective apolipoprotein B‐100 (FDB) and seven low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene defects known to be relatively common in South Africans with FH. Six founder‐type ‘South African mutations’ were responsible for FH in ∼20% of the study population, while only 1 patient tested positive for the familial defective apolipoprotein B‐100 mutation R3500Q. The detection of multiple founder‐type LDLR gene mutations originating from European, Indian and Jewish populations provides direct genetic evidence that Caucasoid admixture contributes significantly to the apparently high prevalence of FH in South African patients of mixed ancestry. This study contributes to our knowledge of the biological history of this unique population and illustrates the potential consequences of recent admixture in populations with different disease risks.
A waveform model for surface and volume scattering from ice and snow

A method for combining surface and volume scattering effects to model the radar altimeter power waveforms recorded over continental ice and snow, such as that present on Greenland and Antarctica, is discussed. The surface model that is used is a variant of the well-known impulse response based method that is capable of modeling the returns for an altimeter having a general configuration of altitude, antenna beamwidth, transmitted pulsewidth, and pointing angle. The newly formulated volume model is also an impulse response based method that differs from previously introduced versions in that it can also be applied to a general altimeter configuration. The two models are added together assuming completely incoherent scattering. An example of fitting this combined model to altimeter data is given to illustrate the importance of accounting for the volume scattering present in ice/snow data. An optimization method can then be used to achieve a least-squares fit to actual altimeter data, providing an estimate of the parameters for that area on the ice shelf.
Low-Cost , Limited-Service Private Healthcare Providers : Evidence from Mexico

Private primary healthcare in developing countries has been shifting toward low-cost providers offering basic services. While these may expand access, there are important concerns about their quality of care. This paper focuses on private pharmacy-adjacent doctor’s offices (PADOs) in Mexico to characterize this tradeoff. I begin by documenting that the first PADO entry in the vicinity of a public clinic leads to a 6% decline in public outpatient service use. I then focus on PADO quality, by first showing that there are no changes in an extreme patient outcome, namely public inpatient care, as a result of the substitution from public clinics to PADOs. However, I find that each additional PADO is associated with a 14% increase in private pharmacy sales of stronger types of penicillin, consistent with misaligned financial incentives in prescribing behavior. I conclude that PADOs may decrease welfare by fostering bacterial resistance in the long-run.
A Dual Classiﬁcation Approach to Music Language Modelingl

I investigate the problem of modeling symbolic sequences of polyphonic music in a completely general piano-roll representation. I introduce an original architecture that poses the problem as a dual-classiﬁcation task rather than one with a multimodal probability distribution. This architecture has the ﬂexibility to optimize performance for melodic or harmonic prediction separately, or both. The approach achieves an accuracy of 77.84% on the Nottingham dataset and is used to generate original sequences of music.
Coupled Effect of High Temperature and Heating Time on the Residual Strength of Normal and High-Strength Concretes

This paper is part of a present research that leads to estimate the level of concrete degradation properties altered by high temperatures, especially by using the maturity concept. In order to evaluate the coupled effect of high temperature and heating time on the residual strength of concrete, a series of compressive and indirect tensile tests was performed on normal and high strength concretes. The effect of incorporating polypropylene fibers in high strength concretes was also investigated. Cubical concrete specimens were exposed to different target high temperatures (100, 300, 500 and 700 oC) for 3, 6 and 9 hours and then cooled in air. Compressive and flexural strengths of these concrete samples were compared with each other and with the unheated samples. Experimental results indicate that concrete strength decreases with increasing temperature and heating time. The grade of concrete affects the residual compressive and flexural strength; the decrease in the strength of ordinary concrete is more than that in High Performance Concrete (HPC), the effect being more pronounced as the heating time increases. Polypropylene fibers were found to have a beneficial effect on residual strength of HPC at least at high temperatures over their melting and vaporization.
Parkinson's disease–related increase of 
 T2* ‐weighted hypointensity in substantia nigra pars compacta

Background: In PD, at the time of diagnosis, approximately 50% of melanized dopaminergic neurons in SNpc have died, yet ongoing neuronal death and neuromelanin release with associated neuroinflammation and microglial activation continue, as does local iron accumulation. Previous studies investigating nigral iron accumulation used T2/ T2* ‐weighted contrasts to define the regions of interest in the SN. Given that T2/ T2* ‐weighted contrasts lack sensitivity to neuromelanin and thereby SNpc, neuromelanin‐sensitive MRI provides better delineation of SNpc and allows the examination of increased iron deposition in SNpc more specifically and accurately.