Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Thrust Efficiency of a Self-Propulsive Robotic Fish: Experimental Method and Hydrodynamic Investigation

The robotic fish that utilize the body/caudal fin undulatory locomotion has long interested both biologists and engineers. Although a variety of free swimming robotic fish prototypes have already been developed, very few studies addressed the methods for determining quantitative thrust efficiency. In this paper, we propose a novel experimental method that enables the simultaneous measurement of the power, wake flow field, and self-propulsive speed of a robotic fish, which together facilitate a quantitative measurement of its efficiency. Our results show that the optimal thrust efficiency of the robotic swimmer is within the Strouhal number (St) range of 0.3 ≤ St ≤ 0.325 when single-row reverse Karman vortices are produced. Nevertheless, present robotic fish swam at Strouhal numbers outside the optimal region under self-propulsive condition, and produced another type of wake structure: “double-row vortices. ” We also show that robotic fish that utilize a low amplitude with a large flapping frequency produce higher self-propulsive speeds, whereas a larger amplitude paired with lower frequency results in higher efficiency. Additionally, a peak efficiency value of 31.6% is recored for the self-propulsive robotic swimmer. The general applicability of this experimental method indicates that broader issues regarding thrust efficiency for biomimetic underwater propulsive robots can be quanlitantively measured.
NRAMP1 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to nontuberculous mycobacterial lung diseases.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) may occur in patients with no underlying lung disease and no known immunodeficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a potential role for natural-resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene polymorphisms for human susceptibility to the NTM lung disease. DESIGN A case-control study. SETTING Tertiary university medical center. PARTICIPANTS Forty-one adult patients with NTM lung disease (Mycobacterium avium complex infection, 18 patients; Mycobacterium abscessus infection, 23 patients) were included in the study population. The diagnosis of NTM lung disease was made when the patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria published by the American Thoracic Society. All patients had findings on high-resolution CT scans, such as bilateral bronchiectasis combined with multiple small nodules and branching linear structures, that were characteristic of the nodular bronchiectatic form of NTM lung disease. Fifty healthy individuals were selected as control subjects. RESULTS Heterozygotes at intron 4 (469 + 14G/C) [INT4], codon 543 in exon 15 (D543N), and 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) were observed at significantly higher frequencies in patients with NTM lung disease than in control subjects. The odds ratios (ORs) were 2.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 6.89; p = 0.026) for INT4 G/C, 5.74 (95% CI, 1.48 to 22.30; p = 0.006) for D543 G/A, and 9.54 (95% CI, 2.49 to 36.53; p < 0.001) for 3'UTR TGTG+/del. Subjects who were heterozygous for two NRAMP1 polymorphisms in INT4 and D543N were particularly overrepresented among those with NTM lung disease, compared with those with the most common NRAMP1 genotype (OR, 10.88, 95% CI, 1.18 to 100.45; p = 0.035). There were no significant differences in the frequencies of INT4, D543N, and 3'UTR polymorphisms between the patients with M avium complex infection and those with M abscessus infection. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the NRAMP1 genetic polymorphisms are associated with human susceptibility to NTM lung disease.
Mechanisms for increases in V˙O2max with endurance training in older and young women.

PURPOSE To examine the time course and mechanisms of cardiorespiratory fitness adaptation to training in older (O) and young (Y) women. METHODS A total of six O (69 ± 7 yr) and eight Y (25 ± 5 yr) women were examined before training and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 wk of training. Training was performed on a cycle ergometer three times per week for 45 min at ∼70% of V˙O2max. RESULTS V˙O2max (mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) increased within 3 wk, with further changes observed at weeks 6 and 9 in both O (17% ± 14%) and Y and also posttraining (12 wk) in Y (22% ± 6%, P < 0.05). Maximal cardiac output (Q˙max, open-circuit acetylene) and stroke volume increased only in Y after 9 wk of training (P < 0.05). Age × testing time interactions in maximal arterial-venous O2 difference (a-vO2diff) after 6 wk of training revealed a greater dependence on a-vO2diff in O compared with Y (P < 0.05); ∼65% of the change in V˙O2max from pretraining to posttraining was explained by a widened maximal a-vO2diff in O compared with almost equal increases in Q˙max and maximal a-vO2diff in Y. The early adaptations (first 3 wk) in O relied exclusively on a nonsignificant increase in Q˙max, whereas Y depended on a widened maximal a-vO2diff. Later changes in V˙O2max were explained exclusively by an improved maximal a-vO2diff in O and a larger Q˙max in Y. CONCLUSIONS O and Y women displayed a different time course of training adaptation in V˙O2max, with Y (after an initial improvement in maximal a-vO2diff) depending more on changes in Q˙max and O mostly relying on a widened maximal a-vO2diff.
Are corporate social responsibility and advertising complements or substitutes in producing firm reputation?

ABSTRACT A firm’s reputation is one of the critical drivers of success, and two of the key levers firms use to influence their perceived reputation are corporate social responsibility (CSR) and advertising. The relationship between CSR and advertising is important because whether they are complements or substitutes has different implications for how firms use these activities. Using a unique panel dataset of US-listed companies between 2005 and 2014, we estimate flexible production functions to identify whether CSR and advertising act as complements or substitutes in the production of firm reputation. A secondary motivation of this paper is to examine whether the use of different stakeholder ratings of firm reputation matters. We find evidence consistent with advertising and CSR being substitutes toward the production of firm reputation. Our results also show that advertising, own-firm CSR activities, and industry-level CSR spillovers contribute positively to firm reputation. Lastly, we find that the effects of CSR and advertising vary across the stakeholder groups (general public, business executives, or CSR experts) used in the analysis.
Corticotropin releasing hormone inhibits an inwardly rectifying potassium current in rat corticotropes

1 The perforated‐patch‐clamp technique was used to identify an inwardly rectifying K+ current (IK(IR)) in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells highly enriched in corticotropes. IK(IR) was rapidly activating and highly selective for K+. The K+ conductance was approximately proportional to the square root of the extracellular K+ concentration. 2 I K(IR) was blocked in a voltage‐dependent manner by external Ba2+ and Cs+, slightly attenuated by 5 mM 4‐aminopyridine (15% inhibition) and insensitive to 10 mM tetra‐ethylammonium, 2 mM Ca2+, 1 mM Cd2+ and 50 μM La3+. 3 In physiological saline, 100 μM Ba2+, which inhibits 86% of IK(IR) at the cell resting potential, depolarized cells by 6.1 ± 0.7 mV from a mean resting potential of −59.6 ± 0.8 mV. 4 Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), which activates adenylyl cyclase and stimulates adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion from corticotropes, inhibited IK(IR) by 25% and depolarized the cells by 10.2 ± 1.0 mV. Dibutyryl cAMP ((Bu)2cAMP) mimicked these effects. 5 The membrane depolarization evoked by Ba2+ or CRH increased the cell firing frequency. Comparison of cells exhibiting a membrane potential of approximately −50 mV revealed that spike frequency in the presence of CRH (109 ± 7 spikes (5 min)−1) was greater than in control (60 ± 5 spikes (5 min)−1) or Ba2+‐treated (77 ± 15 spikes (5 min)−1) corticotropes. 6 The data suggest that IK(IR) contributes to maintenance of the resting membrane potential of rat corticotropes. Inhibition of IK(IR) plays a role in, but does not account for all of, the membrane depolarization and enhancement of firing frequency evoked by CRH.
Properties of isolated domains of the elongation factor Tu from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

The relative contributions of the three domains of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) to the factor's function and thermal stability were established by dissecting the domains apart with recombination techniques. Domain I (EF-TuI), domains I/II (EF-TuI/II) and domain III (EF-TuIII) of the EF-Tu from Thermus thermophilus HB8 comprising the amino acids 1-211, 1-312 and 317-405, respectively, were overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified. A polypeptide consisting of domain II and III (EF-TuII/III) was prepared by limited proteolysis of native EF-Tu with V8 protease from Staphylococcus aureus [Peter, M. E. , Reiser, C. O. A. , Schirmer, N. K. , Kiefhaber, T. , Ott, G. , Grillenbeck, N. W. & Sprinzl, M. (1990) Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 6889-6893]. As determined by circular dichroism spectrometry, the isolated domains have the secondary structure elements found in the native EF-Tu. GTP and GDP binding as well as GTPase activity are maintained by the EF-TuI and EF-TuI/II; however, the rate of GDP dissociation from EF-TuI . GDP and EF-TuI/II . GDP complex is increased as compared to native EF-Tu . GDP, reflecting a constraint imposed by domain III on the ability to release the nucleotide from its binding pocket located in domain I. A weak interaction of Tyr-tRNATyr with the EF-TuI . GTP suggests that domain I provides a part of the structure interacting with aminoacyl-tRNA. The domain III is capable of regulating the rate of GTPase in EF-Tu, since the polypeptide consisting only of domains I/II has a 39-fold higher intrinsic GTPase compared to the native EF-Tu. No in vitro poly(U)-dependent poly(Phe) synthesis was detectable with a mixture of equimolar amounts of domains I/II and domain III, demonstrating the necessity of covalent linkage between the domains of EF-Tu for polypeptide synthesis. In contrast to native EF-Tu and EF-TuII/III, EF-TuI and, to a lesser extent the polypeptide consisting of domains I/II, are unstable at elevated temperatures. This indicates that domains II/III strongly contribute to the thermal stability of this T. thermophilus EF-Tu. Deletion of amino acid residues 181-190 from domain I of T. thermophilus EF-Tu decreases the thermostability to that of EF-Tu from E. coli, which does not have these residues. Interdomain interactions must be important for the stabilisation of the structure of domain I, since isolated T. thermophilus EF-TuI is thermolabile despite the presence of the 181-190 loop. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers and malignancy in children: forty-eight cases reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

OBJECTIVE Malignancies reported in children using tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) blockers have raised concerns of a potential increased risk. This study was undertaken to investigate postmarketing reports of malignancy in children treated with TNF blockers. METHODS The FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System was searched to identify malignancies associated with the use of infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab in children in whom therapy was initiated between the ages of 0 and 18 years. The reporting rates for infliximab and etanercept were compared with the background rate of malignancy in the general pediatric population. RESULTS Forty-eight reports of malignancy in children were identified: 31 following infliximab use, 15 following etanercept use, and 2 following adalimumab use. Half of the malignancies reported were lymphomas and included both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The remaining reported cases involved a variety of different malignancies including leukemia, melanoma, and solid organ cancers. The majority of the reported cases (88%) involved the concomitant use of other immunosuppressants. Reporting rates for malignancy showed that infliximab had a consistently higher reporting rate when compared with background rates in the general pediatric population for lymphomas and all malignancies. The reporting rates for etanercept were elevated above background for lymphomas and were on par with background for all malignancies. CONCLUSION There is evidence that treatment with TNF blockers in children may increase the risk of malignancy. However, the cases were confounded by the potential risk of malignancy associated with underlying illnesses and the use of concomitant immunosuppressants; therefore, a clear causal relationship could not be established.
MDR1-Mediated Drug Resistance inCandida dubliniensis

ABSTRACT Candida dubliniensis is a recently described opportunistic fungal pathogen that is closely related to Candida albicans. Candida dubliniensis readily develops resistance to the azole antifungal agent fluconazole, both in vitro and in infected patients, and this resistance is usually associated with upregulation of the CdMDR1 gene, encoding a multidrug efflux pump of the major facilitator superfamily. To determine the role ofCdMDR1 in drug resistance in C. dubliniensis, we constructed an mdr1 null mutant from the fluconazole-resistant clinical isolate CM2, which overexpressed the CdMDR1 gene. Sequential deletion of both CdMDR1 alleles was performed by theMPAR-flipping method, which is based on the repeated use of a dominant mycophenolic acid resistance marker for selection of integrative transformants and its subsequent deletion from the genome by FLP-mediated, site-specific recombination. In comparison with its parental strain, the mdr1 mutant showed decreased resistance to fluconazole but not to the related drug ketoconazole. In addition, we found that CdMDR1 confers resistance to the structurally unrelated drugs 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, cerulenin, and brefeldin A, since the enhanced resistance to these compounds of the parent strain CM2 compared with the matched susceptible isolate CM1 was abolished in the mdr1 mutant. In contrast, CdMDR1inactivation did not cause increased susceptibility to amorolfine, terbinafine, fluphenazine, and benomyl, although overexpression ofCdMDR1 in a hypersusceptible Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain had previously been shown to confer resistance to these compounds. The effect of CdMDR1inactivation was identical to that seen in two similarly constructedC. albicans mdr1 mutants. Therefore, despite species-specific differences in the amino acid sequences of the Mdr1 proteins, overexpression of CaMDR1 andCdMDR1 in clinical C. albicans andC. dubliniensis strains seems to confer the same drug resistance profile in both species.
How Changes in Global Liquidity Affect Dynamics of Banks’ Leverage: A Case in Hong Kong

This paper examines how abundant global liquidity could influence the adjustment of banks’ leverage. Using banks in Hong Kong as an example, we find that the global liquidity effect is significant, and that mean reversion of banks’ leverage may under certain circumstances be more than offset by abundant global liquidity. Furthermore, we find that changes in global liquidity not only affect the level of leverage adjustment but also the adjustment speed of banks’ leverage.
Update on the pharmacology of calcitonin/CGRP family of peptides: IUPHAR Review 25

The calcitonin/CGRP family of peptides includes calcitonin, α and β CGRP, amylin, adrenomedullin (AM) and adrenomedullin 2/intermedin (AM2/IMD). Their receptors consist of one of two GPCRs, the calcitonin receptor (CTR) or the calcitonin receptor‐like receptor (CLR). Further diversity arises from heterodimerization of these GPCRs with one of three receptor activity‐modifying proteins (RAMPs). This gives the CGRP receptor (CLR/RAMP1), the AM1 and AM2 receptors (CLR/RAMP2 or RAMP3) and the AMY1, AMY2 and AMY3 receptors (CTR/RAMPs1–3 complexes, respectively). Apart from the CGRP receptor, there are only peptide antagonists widely available for these receptors, and these have limited selectivity, thus defining the function of each receptor in vivo remains challenging. Further challenges arise from the probable co‐expression of CTR with the CTR/RAMP complexes and species‐dependent splice variants of the CTR (CT(a) and CT(b)). Furthermore, the AMY1(a) receptor is activated equally well by both amylin and CGRP, and the preferred receptor for AM2/IMD has been unclear. However, there are clear therapeutic rationales for developing agents against the various receptors for these peptides. For example, many agents targeting the CGRP system are in clinical trials, and pramlintide, an amylin analogue, is an approved therapy for insulin‐requiring diabetes. This review provides an update on the pharmacology of the calcitonin family of peptides by members of the corresponding subcommittee of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and colleagues.
Allocation to Anchor Investors, Underpricing, and the After‐Market Performance of IPOs

We study bidding by anchor investors in a two-stage initial public offering (IPO) process and document a negative, causal relation between allocation to anchor investors and underpricing. We find that anchor investors are likely to invest in hard-to-place offerings characterized by valuation uncertainty. We also document a positive relation between allocation to reputed anchor investors and returns up to lock-up expiration. Our evidence provides support for information revelation and targeting specific investors’ theories of book building. Anchor-backed IPOs earn superior returns mainly due to monitoring. Who bids in an IPO seems to matter just as particular types of bids do.
Eyes in the Sky, Boots on the Ground: Assessing Satellite- and Ground-Based Approaches to Crop Yield Measurement and Analysis in Uganda

Crop yields in smallholder systems are traditionally assessed using farmer-reported information in surveys, occasionally by crop cuts for a sub-section of a farmer's plot, and rarely using full-plot harvests. Accuracy and cost vary dramatically across methods. In parallel, satellite data is improving in terms of spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution needed to discern performance on smallholder plots. This study uses data from a survey experiment in Uganda, and evaluates the accuracy of Sentinel-2 imagery-based, remotely-sensed plot-level maize yields with respect to ground-based measures relying on farmer self-reporting, sub-plot crop cutting (CC), and full-plot crop cutting (FP). Remotely-sensed yields include two versions calibrated to FP and CC yields (calibrated), and an alternative based on crop model simulations, using no ground data (uncalibrated). On the ground, self-reported yields explained less than 1 percent of FP (and CC) yield variability, and while the average difference between CC and FP yields was not significant, CC yields captured one-quarter of FP yield variability. With satellite data, both calibrated and uncalibrated yields captured FP yield variability on pure stand plots similarly well, and both captured half of FP yield variability on pure stand plots above 0.10 hectare. The uncalibrated yields were consistently 1 ton per hectare higher than FP or CC yields, and the satellite-based yields were less well correlated with the ground-based measures on intercropped plots compared with pure stand ones. Importantly, regressions using CC, FP and remotely-sensed yields as dependent variables all produced very similar coefficients for yield response to production factors.
Molecular and clinicopathological analysis of ovarian carcinomas with and without microsatellite instability.

BACKGROUND Microsatellite instability (MSI) occurs in sporadic ovarian carcinomas. This study tests the hypothesis that ovarian carcinomas arising through the mutator pathway have distinctive clinical and molecular features that affect clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MSI status was evaluated in 66 ovarian carcinomas and 11 epithelial ovarian tumors of low malignant potential. For the analysis with the microsatellite markers, a fluorescence-based PCR method was employed and the prognostic significance of the MSI status was assessed. DNA copy number changes in tumors with and without MSI were analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization. RESULTS High-frequency MSI (MSI-H) was found in 30% of the carcinomas, whereas low-frequency MSI (MSI-L) occurred in 32%. In LMP tumors, only MSI-L was detected (18%). There was a trend for tumors with MSI-H and MSI-L to have a poor prognosis, but this relationship did not reach significance (p=0.09 and p=0.07, respectively). MSI-H in carcinomas was significantly associated with poor differentiation (p=0.03) and higher clinical stage (p=0.03). No correlation was found between different histological types of ovarian carcinoma and the microsatellite status. In a multivariate analysis, MSI at the dinucleotide repeat D5S346 was found to be of independent prognostic significance (p<0.008) for disease-specific survival. There was no association between the total number of genetic aberrations per tumor and the MSI status. CONCLUSION Microsatellite instability is a relatively common event in ovarian carcinoma. The data indicate that instability of a single microsatellite marker on chromosome 5 (D5S346) might be indicative of disease progression when detected in early clinical stages.
Clinimetric Properties of the Timed Up and Go Test for Patients With Stroke: A Systematic Review

Abstract Objective: To systematically review and summarize the clinimetric properties, including reliability, validity, and responsiveness, the procedures used, and the meanings of the scores in the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). The TUG is a performance test that identifies problems with functional mobility in patients with stroke. Methods: MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 1991 to January 2013. Studies were included if (1) the participants were adults with stroke; (2) the research design was cross-sectional, descriptive, or longitudinal and examined the clinimetric properties, including reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change, and procedural differences in the TUG; and (3) the study was published in English from 1991 to January 2013. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 4 showed the TUG to have good convergent validity, as it had significant correlations with various instruments. Three studies that investigated the test-retest reliability showed the TUG to have excellent intrarater and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.95). The 3 studies that investigated whether the TUG could predict falls after stroke showed inconclusive results. Three studies showed the TUG to be sensitive to change, and 1 study showed the TUG to be responsive in moderate- and fast-walking patients with stroke. However, there were wide variations in the procedures and instructions used. Conclusion: The TUG can be recommended for measuring basic mobility skills after stroke in patients who are able to walk. However, the procedures and instructions should be described more clearly.