Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computational and in vitro studies on the inhibitory effects of herbal compounds on human cytochrome P450 1A2

Human CYP1A2 is an important enzyme for drug metabolism and procarcinogen activation. This study aimed to explore the binding mode of ligands with CYP1A2 and to screen potential inhibitors from a library of herbal compounds using computational and in vitro approaches. The heme prosthetic group and six residues (Thr124, Phe125, Phe226, Phe260, Gly316, and Ala317) in the active site of CYP1A2 were identified as important residues for ligand binding using the LIGPLOT program. Ala317 in helix I immediately above heme was highly conserved in most human CYPs with known crystal structures. In molecular docking, 19 of the 56 herbal compounds examined were identified as potential inhibitors of CYP1A2. Up to 21 of the 56 herbal compounds were hit by the pharmacophore model of CYP1A2 inhibitors developed and validated in this study. In the in vitro inhibition study, 8 herbal compounds were identified as moderate to potent inhibitors of CYP1A2. Five of the 8 herbal compounds predicted to be potential inhibitors were confirmed as CYP1A2 inhibitors in the in vitro study. A combination of computational and in vitro approaches, represent a useful tool to identify potential inhibitors for CYP1A2 from herbal compounds.
American BigLaw Lawyers and the Schools that Produce Them: A Profile and Rankings

We profile the lawyers that work at the largest 300 American law firms as of the Summer of 2008. We show how gender, years of experience, prestige of law school, and other qualities vary across lawyers of different rank and firms of different prestige. Geography is an important determinant of where lawyers work, with many going to undergraduate school and law school near where they ultimately practice. Geography is less important, however, at more prestigious firms and for graduates of higher ranked firms. We then go on to rank law firms based on the prestige of the law schools they attended and we rank law schools based on their success at placing lawyers at BigLaw firms. Chicago, Harvard, and Yale law schools are the clear leaders in placing graduates at BigLaw firms. We provide important caveats about these rankings.
The Contingent Effects of Social Networks on Social Learning in ERP Assimilation

In the assimilation stage of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, a major challenge for employees and managers is to overcome knowledge barriers and learn ERP knowledge efficiently. Social learning refers to informal learning-from-others in daily works. Prior literature has shown benefits of social networks on individual learning. However, several studies suggested that the value of social networks doesn't generalize to all conditions. We employed a comparative case study to identify key components of social learning and investigate the contingent effects of social networks on social learning in different organizational settings. Data obtained by interviewing 23 ERP users in two firms in China indicate that 1) social learning is a bidirectional process with two essential stages, 2) instrumental ties, position homophily, external ties, and centrality of ERP learning network are positively associated with social learning, and 3) expressive ties and rank homophily affect social learning contingently.
Comparisons of ATP turnover in human muscle during ischemic and aerobic exercise using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy

To investigate human muscle bioenergetics quantitatively in vivo, we used 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the flexor digitorum superficialis of four adult males during dynamic ischemic and aerobic exercise at 0.50–1.00 W and during recovery from aerobic exercise. During exercise, changes in pH and [PCr] were larger at higher power, but in aerobic exercise neither end‐exercise [ADP] nor the initial postexercise PCr resynthesis rate altered with power. In ischemic exercise we estimated total ATP synthesis from the rates of PCr depletion and glycogenolysis (inferred using an analysis of proton buffering); this was linear with power output. In aerobic exercise, again we estimated ATP synthesis rates due to phosphocreatine hydrolysis and glycogenolysis (incorporating a correction for proton efflux) and also estimated oxidative ATP synthesis by difference, using the total ATP turnover rate established during ischemic exercise. We conclude that in early exercise oxidative ATP synthesis was small, increasing by the end of exercise to a value close (as predicted) to the initial postexercise rate of PCr resynthesis. Furthermore, a plausible estimate of proton efflux during aerobic exercise can be inferred from the pH‐dependence of proton efflux in recovery.
Mobile cloud based food calorie measurement

Mobile-based applications have become ubiquitous in many aspects of people's lives over the past few years. Harnessing the potential of this trend for healthcare purposes has become a focal point for researchers and industry, in particular designing applications that can be used by patients as part of their wellness, prevention, or treatment process. Along the way, mobile cloud computing (MCC) has been introduced to be a potential paradigm for mobile health services to overcome the interoperability issues across different information formats. In this paper, we propose a mobile cloud-based food calorie measurement system. Our system provides users with convenient and intelligent mechanisms that allow them to track their food intake and monitor their calorie count. The food recognition technique in our system uses cloud Support Vector Machine (SVM) training mechanism in a cloud computing environment with Map Reduce technique for distributed machine learning. The details of the system and its implementation results are recorded in this paper.
Fuzzy control strategy of parallel HEV based on driving cycle recognition

Considering the effect of driving cycle to control strategy(CS), a fuzzy CS based on driving cycle recognition is presented in the paper to improve fuel economy of parallel hybrid electric vehicle(PHEV). The CS is composed of driving cycle recognition and fuzzy torque distribution controller. The present driving cycle is recognized by learning vector quantization combined with vehicle traveling parameters in driving cycle recognition. The torques of engine and motor are controlled by fuzzy torque distribution controller based on required torque of hybrid drive system and battery state of charge. The membership functions and rules of fuzzy torque distribution controller are optimized simultaneously by using particle swarm optimization. Based on the identification results of driving cycle recognition, fuzzy torque distribution controller selects corresponding membership function and rule to control hybrid system. The simulation research based on ADVISOR demonstrates that, compared with traditional fuzzy CS, the fuzzy CS based on driving cycle recognition improves fuel economy more effectively.
Linkage between tree species richness and soil microbial diversity improves phosphorus bioavailability

Increased availability of soil phosphorus (P) has recently been recognised as an underlying driving factor for the positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem function. The effects of plant diversity on the bioavailable forms of P involved in biologically mediated rhizospheric processes and how the link between plant and soil microbial diversity facilitates soil P bioavailability, however, remain poorly understood. This study quantified four forms of bioavailable P (CaCl₂‐P, citric‐P, enzyme‐P and HCl‐P) in mature subtropical forests using a novel biologically based approach, which emulates how rhizospheric processes influence the release and supply of available P. Soil microbial diversity was measured by Illumina high‐throughput sequencing. Our results suggest that tree species richness significantly affects soil microbial diversity (p < 0.05), increases litter decomposition, fine‐root biomass and length and soil organic carbon and thus increases the four forms of bioavailable P. A structural equation model that links plants, soil microbes and P forms indicated that soil bacterial and fungal diversity play dominant roles in mediating the effects of tree species richness on soil P bioavailability. An increase in the biodiversity of plants, soil bacteria and fungi could maintain soil P bioavailability and alleviate soil P limitations. Our results imply that biodiversity strengthens plant and soil feedback and increases P recycling. A plain language summary is available for this article.
Model Extraction Warning in MLaaS Paradigm

Machine learning models deployed on the cloud are susceptible to several security threats including extraction attacks. Adversaries may abuse a model's prediction API to steal the model thus compromising model confidentiality, privacy of training data, and revenue from future query payments. This work introduces a model extraction monitor that quantifies the extraction status of models by continually observing the API query and response streams of users. We present two novel strategies that measure either the information gain or the coverage of the feature space spanned by user queries to estimate the learning rate of individual and colluding adversaries. Both approaches have low computational overhead and can easily be offered as services to model owners to warn them against state of the art extraction attacks. We demonstrate empirical performance results of these approaches for decision tree and neural network models using open source datasets and BigML MLaaS platform.
Extension of an SDR UHF RFID Testbed for MIMO and Monostatic Time of Flight Based Ranging

This paper presents measurement results of a recently introduced time of flight (ToF) ranging method for backscattering radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The measurements are done with off-the-shelf EPC Class1 Gen2 tags, an automated tag positioner, a modified software defined radio (SDR) platform as RFID reader, and a PC post-processing the ranging results. The structure of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) enabled testbed is shown. A custom FPGA implementation was made to have access to the full potential of the used SDR platform. Furthermore, the synchronization of multiple SDRs to enable MIMO operation is discussed. The ranging error and its variance are measured and discussed for a monostatic ranging enabled RFID reader, using two USRPs. The results are compared to a bistatic setup which uses one USRP only. The underlying ranging principle is successfully verified, and its practical performance limitations, resulting from multipath propagation, are shown.
Detection of OXA-370, an OXA-48-Related Class D β-Lactamase, in Enterobacter hormaechei from Brazil

Jorge L. M. Sampaio, Vanessa B. Ribeiro, Juliana Coutinho Campos, Franciéli P. Rozales, Cibele M. Magagnin, Diego R. Falci, Renato Cassol F. da Silva, Micheline G. Dalarosa, Daniela I. Luz, Fabiane J. Vieira, Laura C. Antochevis, Afonso Luis Barth, Alexandre P. Zavascki Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas—Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Microbiologia—Fleury Medicina e Saúde, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratório de Pesquisa em Resistência Bacteriana—LABRESIS, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de PósGraduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Infection Control Service, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Infectious Diseases Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Latent Gammaherpesvirus 68 Infection Induces Distinct Transcriptional Changes in Different Organs

ABSTRACT Previous studies identified a role for latent herpesvirus infection in cross-protection against infection and exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases. Here, we identified more than 500 genes differentially expressed in spleens, livers, or brains of mice latently infected with gammaherpesvirus 68 and found that distinct sets of genes linked to different pathways were altered in the spleen compared to those in the liver. Several of the most differentially expressed latency-specific genes (e.g., the gamma interferon [IFN-γ], Cxcl9, and Ccl5 genes) are associated with known latency-specific phenotypes. Chronic herpesvirus infection, therefore, significantly alters the transcriptional status of host organs. We speculate that such changes may influence host physiology, the status of the immune system, and disease susceptibility.
The Long Run Relationship between Carbon and GDP in the G-20 Countries

Using data from the World Development Indicators 2010 this paper conducts time series econometric analyses on real GDP, real GDP2 and carbon emissions of individual country members of the G-20 group: Australia, India, China, USA, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, and UK. The analysis conducted on the time series variables Carbon Emissions and Gross Domestic Product for these countries. This paper inquires whether these variables are contains unit roots (i.e. I(1)) with or without one/two structural breaks. It is discovered that these variables are I(1) for each of these countries. However, these variables are not cointegrated at the country level or in the panel. Hence, the usual EKC type relation has no foundation at the time series level for these individual countries or the G-20 group.
Vertical leaf nitrogen distribution in relation to nitrogen status in grassland plants.

Vertical gradients of leaf nitrogen (N) per unit leaf area (NLA) are viewed as plastic responses that optimize N utilization with respect to carbon assimilation. However, it has been shown that plant species, sowing density and N availability affect the steepness of the NLA gradient relative to the photon flux density (PFD) gradient. This paper tests the hypothesis that such variation is related to the N status of the plant. The N status was analysed using the concept of the critical N concentration (Ncrit) in which shoot N per unit dry mass (NSM) decreases with shoot mass, and a negative deviation of actual NSM from Ncrit indicates N shortage in the plant. The hypothesis was tested with contrasting grassland species Medicago sativa, Dactylis glomerata and Taraxacum officinale by varying PFD and N availability, plant density and hierarchical positions of individuals within stands. Combinations of all treatments showed a general negative correlation between the N allocation coefficient (i.e. the slope of the NLA-PFD relationship) and NSM for all three species. Thus, NLA, relative to PFD, gradients became steeper with increasing shoot mass and increasing N shortage in the plant. These data are consistent with the view that internal N availability is an important factor in modifying the NLA gradient.
Secrecy outage analysis of double shadowed Rician channels

The double shadowed Rician model was recently proposed to describe some realistic physical signal propagation phenomena, where a Rician faded signal is impacted by cascaded shadowing processes. In this Letter, the authors study the outage performance of the double shadowed Rician model. More specifically, they investigate the impact of two different shadowing processes on the secrecy performance by deriving novel and exact expressions for secrecy outage performance metrics. The obtained results reveal the following physical implications: (i) when a Rician faded signal undergoes line-of-sight shadowing, which is further cascaded by another round of composite shadowing, the latter form of shadowing imposes larger impact on the secrecy performance; (ii) the widely investigated concept of ‘protected zone’ to improve the secrecy performance should not be limited to the legitimate transmitter but also extended to the legitimate receiver due to the adverse shadowing effect caused by objects in its vicinity; and (iii) the rate of outage performance degradation grows larger as the shadowings become severe.
Local-regional staging of endometrial carcinoma: role of MR imaging in surgical planning.

PURPOSE To assess magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in depicting the depth of myometrial infiltration, cervical invasion, and presence of enlarged lymph nodes in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma compared with surgicopathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-seven consecutive patients with endometrial carcinoma were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent MR imaging and surgery. Qualitative image analysis included the depth of myometrial infiltration, infiltration of the uterine cervix, and presence of enlarged lymph nodes. Quantitative image analysis included tumor and myometrium contrast-to-noise ratios during different phases of dynamic imaging. MR imaging findings were compared with surgicopathologic findings. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of MR imaging in depicting myometrial and cervical infiltration and in lymph node assessment were calculated. RESULTS Respective sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values in assessing myometrial infiltration were 87%, 91%, 89%, 87%, and 91%; those for cervical infiltration, 80%, 96%, 92%, 89%, and 93%; and those for lymph node assessment, 50%, 95%, 90%, 50%, and 95%. There was significant agreement between MR imaging and surgicopathologic findings in assessment of myometrial invasion (P <.001). Myometrial and cervical invasion and lymph node enlargement were correctly assessed with MR imaging in 28 (76%) of 37 patients. Quantitative analysis showed a significant improvement in tumor and myometrium contrast-to-noise ratios during the equilibrium phase compared with the arterial and precontrast phases (P <.001). CONCLUSION MR imaging coupled with contrast material-enhanced dynamic MR imaging is highly accurate in local-regional staging of endometrial carcinoma; more challenging is the assessment of pelvic and lumboaortic lymph nodes.
Protective cellular retroviral immunity requires both CD4+ and CD8+ immune T cells

We have found previously that postexposure chemoprophylaxis with 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (also known as zidovudine or AZT) in combination with recombinant human alpha A/D interferon fully protected mice exposed to a lethal dose of Rauscher murine leukemia virus (RLV) against viremia and disease. After cessation of therapy, over 90% of these mice were able to resist rechallenge with live RLV, thus demonstrating an acquired immunity. Adoptive cell transfer of 4 x 10(7) cells from immunized mice fully protected naive recipients from viremia and splenomegaly after RLV challenge. However, when these immune T cells were fractionated into CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations, only partial protection was found when 4 x 10(7) T cells of either subset were given. Full protection against RLV challenge was seen again when the T-cell subsets from immunized mice were recombined and transferred at the same number into naive mice. We conclude that cellular immunity alone is protective and that both CD4+ and CD8+ cell types are required for conferring full protection against live virus challenge.
Motor Carrier Deregulation and Highway Safety: An Empirical Analysis

The passage of the Motor Carrier Reform and Modernization Act of 1980 (MCA 1980) effectively marked the end of rate and entry regulation in the interstate trucking industry, and most economists agree that this legislation has created many important economic benefits during the 1980s. For example, shipping rates fell in real terms, service expanded and improved in quality, and generally resources were used more efficiently. ' There is increasing concern, however, that deregulation has led firms to reduce safety expenditures in order to remain competitive, and that trucking accidents and fatalities have increased as a consequence [4; 9]. Indeed, Brock Adams (former U.S. Secretary of Transportation) claims that trucking accidents have increased since 1980 for this very reason.2 The limited empirical evidence reported in the literature suggests otherwise. Moore [17], for example, shows that accident, fatality, and injury rates have fallen since 1980 despite the rapid increase in the number of truck-miles traveled [13]. His analysis, however, is based on a comparison of rates across time, and does not reveal any of the potential economic or institutional forces that may be affecting the evolution of these data. In a more systematic analysis, Traynor [22] finds that deregulation has reduced accident rates in California, although it may be difficult to extend his results to the national experience as a whole. This paper has two major objectives. The first is to estimate an empirical model using a pooled, cross section of state data to determine whether the evidence Traynor [22] reports for California holds, in general, for all other states. The second objective is to determine empirically those factors that may be driving the results in Moore [17]. Pooling these data allow us to test
Identification of the gonococcal glmU gene encoding the enzyme N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate uridyltransferase involved in the synthesis of UDP-GlcNAc

In searching for the gonococcal sialyltransferase gene(s), we cloned a 3.8-kb DNA fragment from gonococcus strain MS11 that hybridized with the oligonucleotide JU07, which was derived from the conserved C terminus of the sialyl motif present in mammalian sialyltransferases. Sequencing of the fragment revealed four putative open reading frames (ORFs), one of which (ORF-1) contained a partial sialyl motif including the amino acid sequence VGSKT, which is highly conserved among sialyltransferases. The gene was flanked by two inverted repeats containing the neisserial DNA uptake sequence and was preceded by a putative sigma 54 promoter. Database searches, however, revealed a high degree of homology between ORF-1 and the N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and not with any known sialyltransferase. This homology was further established by the successful complementation of an orf-1 mutation by the E. coli glmU gene. Enzyme assays demonstrated that ORF-1 did not possess sialyltransferase activity but mimicked GlmU function catalyzing the conversion of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate into UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, which is a key metabolite in the syntheses of lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, and sialic acids.
Stimulation of B10.BR T cells with superantigenic staphylococcal toxins.

The Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins are known to be potent T cell activators, stimulating cell proliferation and lymphokine production. Two additional S. aureus proteins, exfoliating toxin and toxic shock syndrome toxin, share these properties. Recently these molecules have been termed "super-antigens" because of their ability to bind to class II MHC molecules and thus form ligands that interact with TCR in an unconventional manner. In this paper we show that each toxin stimulates mouse T cells bearing receptors that include particular V beta regions, almost regardless of the other variable receptor components. In addition, different toxins have different specificities for V beta.