Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Imp3 unfolds stem structures in pre-rRNA and U3 snoRNA to form a duplex essential for small subunit processing

It was known that ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes requires hybridization between U3 snoRNA and pre-rRNA at three sites. However, these sites are buried in conserved structures. This study shows that the Imp3 protein functions to unwind these structures and make them accessible to U3 binding. The authors hypothesize that Imp3 recruitment could prevent premature or inaccurate rRNA processing.
Cloning and Functional Characterization of Human Selenophosphate Synthetase, an Essential Component of Selenoprotein Synthesis (*)

Selenocysteine is co-translationally incorporated into prokaryotic and eukaryotic selenoproteins at in-frame UGA codons. However, the only component of the eukaryotic selenocysteine incorporation machinery identified to date is the selenocysteine-specific tRNA. In prokaryotes, selenocysteine is synthesized from seryl-tRNA and the active selenium donor, selenophosphate. Selenophosphate is synthesized from selenide and ATP by the selD gene product, selenophosphate synthetase, and is required for selenocysteine synthesis and incorporation into bacterial selenoproteins. We have now cloned human selD and shown that transfection of the human selD cDNA into mammalian cells results in increased selenium labeling of a mammalian selenoprotein, type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase. Despite significant differences between the mechanisms of selenoprotein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, human selD weakly complements a bacterial selD mutation, partially restoring selenium incorporation into bacterial selenoproteins. Human selenophosphate synthetase has only 32% homology with the bacterial protein, although a highly homologous region that has similarity to a consensus ATP/GTP binding domain has been identified. Point mutations within this region result in decreased incorporation of selenium into type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase in all but one case. Further analysis revealed that reduced selenium labeling was due to altered ATP binding properties of the mutant selenophosphate synthetases.
Developing ecotourism destinations in Romania. A case study approach

Romania has an outstanding natural and cultural heritage which is not yet valorised to its full potential through ecotourism. In order to do so, the existence of green tourism businesses is not enough to assure authentic ecotourism experiences. Ecotourism principles and guidelines need to be applied and reinforced by all stakeholders: businesses, governmental authorities and NGOs, with the aim of developing ecotourism destinations. In this context, the present paper uses a case study approach to outline the challenges of developing these ecotourism destinations in Romania. Several initiatives and projects are outlined as well as their work in progress.
EXPLAIN THE CAUSAL MODEL OF THE USE OF INTERNET TECHNOLOGY BY EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL BANK OF SHIRAZ, ACCORDING TO SUBJECTIVE NORMS, GOVERNMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

هدیکچ دقم هم : یلع کینورتکلا يرادکناب ناربراک رد ینادنچ تیلوبقم کینورتکلا تراجت هعسوت هنیمز رد رایسب دیاوف مغر درادن . هب شهوژپ نیا روظنم نییبت لدم یلع هدافتسا زا يروانف تنرتنیا اب هجوت هب شقن ياـهراجنه یـنهذ و تـیامح یتلود و ینامزاس تفرگ ماجنا . شور اه : رضاح شهوژپ لاطم ، هع يا یفیصوت تسا یگتسبمه . يرامآ هعماج 800 یـلم کـناب نادنمراک زا رفن ،هنومن و زاریش رهش 260 رفن هک دندوب هب هنومن شور يریگ هشوخ يا باختنا همانـشسرپ و يدنمدوـس ياـه تلوهـس و ،هدش كاردا يراتفر دصق ، تنرتنیا يروانف زا هدافتسا ، راجنه و یتلود تیامح ،ینهذ نامزاس تیامح ی دندومن لیمکت ار . یلماع لیلحت اب ییایاپ و ییاور و دروم خابنورک يافلآ أت دـنتفرگ رارـق دیی . زا يراتخاـس تلاداـعم شور زا هدافتـسا اـب مرن هخسن لرزیل رازفا 8 / 8 هداد لیلحت و هیزجت يارب دش هدافتسا اه . جیاتن : هب ینهذ ياهراجنه كرد تلوهس و يدنمدوس كاردا رب میقتسم روط ش میقتسمریغ و هد رب و يراـتفر دصق تسا راذگریثأت تنرتنیا يروانف زا هدافتسا . تسا راذگریثأت يروانف زا هدافتسا و راتفر دصق رب يدنمدوس كاردا . تلوهـس كرد هب و نانکراک راتفر دصق رد هدش رـب تـلود تـیامح ،تسا راذگریثأت تنرتنیا يروانف زا هدافتسا رب میقتسمریغ روط اردا داجیا يدنمدوس ك أت ناربراک رد كاردا رب ینامزاس تیامح ،دراد میقتسم ریث هـب و میقتـسم ریثأـت يدنمدوـس روـط تسا راذگریثأت تنرتنیا يروانف زا هدافتسا و يراتفر دصق رب میقتسمریغ . زا هدافتـسا رد ناـنکراک راـتفر رـب راـتفر دصق تساراذگریثأت تنرتنیا ) 001 / 0 < p ( . تن هجی يریگ : شیپ لدم نیب یم هدش ی و ناریدم يارب يدنمشزرا تاعلاطا دناوت رد روشک یکناب ماظن نلاوؤسم زا هدافتسا هب ناربراک بیغرت رب میقتسمریغ و میقتسم هک یلماوع تیمها دروم يروانف دیامن هئارا ،دراد رثا تنرتنیا .
Case‐control study on stomach cancer in Germany

A multicentric hospital‐based case‐control study was simultaneously performed in a high‐risk and a low‐risk area for stomach cancer in Germany, 143 patients with incident stomach cancer and 579 controls completing a retrospective interview about life style aspects. Periods of non‐centralized water supply or well water as the only source compared to life‐long central water supply, and preservation of meat by smoking it with spruce compared to no home smoking of meat, were significantly associated with an increased stomach cancer risk. Use of a refrigerator at home for 30 and more years compared to 24 years or less showed an inverse relationship, whereas salt intake estimated by questionnaire showed no relationship to stomach cancer risk. Tobacco smoking was negatively associated with risk for current smokers of cigarettes compared to non‐smokers but was presumably not causally related. After adjustment for other food constituents, only increased vitamin C consumption showed an inverse relation to risk. For food groups, increased consumption of fruit, citrus fruit, cheese and whole‐meal bread were associated with decreased risk. A similar effect was also seen for increased consumption of raw vegetables. Total vegetable consumption was not particularly associated with risk. Increased consumption of processed meat and of beer showed a positive association with risk whereas increased wine and liquor consumption showed a significant negative association. The association of alcoholic beverages with stomach cancer risk may reflect a particular life style rather than being causally related to risk.
Heat stress alters the virulence of a rifampin-resistant mutant of Francisella tularensis LVS

We have studied the stress response of a rifampin-resistant mutant of Francisella tularensis LVS. This mutant, Rif 7, was avirulent with an intraperitoneally administered 50% lethal dose greater than 10(7) CFU in a murine model of infection. Exposure of Rif 7 to heat stress for 5 h in vitro resulted in a 2-log decrease in its 50% lethal dose (P < 0.02). The increase in virulence was dependent on the time of exposure to high temperature and was maximal at 5 h. Envelope preparations from heat-stressed cells showed increased levels of several proteins. Notable among these were polypeptides with approximate molecular masses of 16, 60, and 75 kDa. Increases in both virulence and envelope protein levels were reversed when heat-treated cells were subsequently grown at 37 degrees C. Inhibition of protein synthesis by actinomycin D during heat stress blocked the increase in virulence of Rif 7. Cell-free media from the heat-stressed Rif 7 reacted with the whole spectrum of bacterial proteins were not toxic to mice. Hyperimmune serum against Rif 7 reacted with the whole spectrum of bacterial proteins in Western blots (immunoblots), although its reaction with 34- and 45-kDa proteins and two 60- and 75-kDa proteins upregulated during heat stress was weak. Other stress conditions, low iron and low pH, caused similar increases in the virulence of Rif 7. However, examination of the protein profile did not reveal any major common polypeptides induced by different stresses. Heat-treated Rif 7 bacteria were fully able to replicate in macrophages in vitro and in the host tissues, even though heat treatment only partially restored virulence.
The 2011 bioinformatics links directory update: more resources, tools and databases and features to empower the bioinformatics community

The Bioinformatics Links Directory continues its collaboration with Nucleic Acids Research to collaboratively publish and compile a freely accessible, online collection of tools, databases and resource materials for bioinformatics and molecular biology research. The July 2011 Web Server issue of Nucleic Acids Research adds an additional 78 web server tools and 14 updates to the directory at http://bioinformatics.ca/links_directory/.
The Working Poor and Welfare Recipiency: Participation, Evidence, and Policy Directions

Current welfare debates assume that the poor are taking unfair advantage of the government's largess by shunning work for welfare benefits. Yet many studies indicate that many of those who qualify for welfare benefits fail to receive assistance. This study adds to this growing body of research by finding that a substantial number of the working poor do not receive the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Food Stamp benefits for which they qualify. Thus, it does not appear that the working poor (nor the general population of the poor) are taking advantage of the welfare system. In addition, we examine the argument that the working poor are poor because they are somewhat unusual-that they are either very young or old, do not work many hours, drop out of high school, or are in unusual family arrangements. We find that the working poor do not share these characteristics to the extent previously claimed. Many of the working poor are in married-couple families, most are in their prime working years, most have at least a high school education, and the majority work many hours. We conclude that rather than being poor because of their own bad choices or behavior, the working poor are destitute because of the particular jobs they hold, which tend to be in low-paid service occupations and industries.
Tea and non-tea flavonol intakes in relation to atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality in older women

Epidemiological studies have indicated that dietary flavonoids generally, and flavonols specifically, may contribute to cardiovascular health. Tea consumption, which is often the main dietary source of flavonoids and flavonols, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular outcomes. The primary objective of the present study was to explore the association of the habitual intake of flavonols from tea and non-tea sources with the risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality in a population of elderly women. A total of 1063 women, aged over 75 years, were randomly selected from ambulant Caucasian women living in Perth, Western Australia. Flavonoid consumption was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture Flavonoid, Flavone and Proanthocyanidin databases. Atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality was assessed over 5 years of follow-up through the Western Australian Data Linkage System. During the follow-up, sixty-four women died from atherosclerotic vascular disease. Women in the highest compared with the lowest tertile of flavonol intake had a lower risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease death (OR 0·27, 95 % CI 0·13, 0·59; P≤ 0·01 for trend in multivariate-adjusted models). Similar relationships were observed for flavonol intake derived from both tea (OR 0·38, 95 % CI 0·18, 0·79; P< 0·01) and non-tea (OR 0·41, 95 % CI 0·20, 0·85; P= 0·05) sources. Tea was the main contributor to flavonol intake (65 %), and the intakes of flavonols from tea and non-tea sources were not significantly correlated. In conclusion, increased consumption of flavonols was independently associated with a lower risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality. Both tea and non-tea sources of flavonols were independently associated with this benefit.
Explaining and Predicting Interstate War Deaths

Why are some wars deadlier than others? Arguments from bargaining models of war and empirical analyses of war duration suggest two mechanisms to explain how many fatalities states will be willing to suffer in a war: (1) states will fight to the extent necessary to resolve the underlying causes of war, or (2) states will fight until a purely military resolution to a conflict is reached. Empirical analysis of 90 wars from 1823 to 1991 provides limited evidence in support of these explanations. However, model predictions show that these theoretically-informed models match real-world observations fairly well. In-sample predictions capture observed war dead in up to 70% cases, and out-of-sample retrospective forecasts for two wars provide reasonable estimates.
Defining dementia: clinical criteria for the diagnosis of vascular dementia

The recognition of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) as a contributing factor and a cause of dementia has led to the development of clinical criteria for vascular dementia (VaD). Due to high specificity, the consensus criteria developed by the National Institute for Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)–Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences (AIREN) have been used in controlled clinical trials to select patients with pure VaD. VaD is predominantly a subcortical frontal form of dementia with prominent executive dysfunction. In contrast, the criteria of the NINCDS–Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) emphasize memory loss as the main feature to distinguish Alzheimer's disease (AD) from VaD and from other forms of dementia. Moreover, CVD may precipitate the clinical expression of AD. Although no criteria have been created specifically for patients having AD with CVD, the ischemic score, the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and a history of prestroke mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be useful for identifying patients with this mixed form of dementia.
The influence of metal artefacts on the range of ion beams

The influence of artefacts due to metal implants on the range of ion beams is investigated, using a geometrically well-defined head and pelvic phantom together with inserts from steel, titanium and tungsten. The ranges along various beam paths including artefacts were calculated from the TPS and compared to known calculations for phantoms without any insert. In the head phantom, beams intersecting the streak artefacts lead to errors in the range of around or below 1%, which is mainly due to a cancellation of various effects. Beams through the metal or close to it show an underestimation of 3.5% of the range for tungsten. For the pelvic phantom, a large underestimation of the range is observed for a lateral path through the metal insert. In the case of tungsten and steel, range errors of −5% and −18% are observed, respectively. Such beam paths are typically used for pelvic tumours in radiotherapy with ion beams. For beams in the anterior–posterior direction through the inserts, an overestimation of ion ranges of up to 3% for titanium and 8% for steel is expected, respectively. Beam paths outside the metal insert show a large cancellation for the lateral beams (leading to errors of around 1% only) and somewhat higher errors for anterior–posterior beams (around 3% for titanium and 6% for steel). The analysis of CT data of patients with dental implants of gold as compared to patients with healthy teeth also showed a significant effect of the artefacts on the distribution of HU in the data, namely a redistribution of HU to higher and lower values as compared to patients with healthy teeth. The corresponding mean range variation was a 2.5% reduction in the data with artefacts as compared to the data without artefacts. It is concluded that beam paths through metal implants should generally be avoided in proton and ion therapy. In this case, the underestimation of ion range due to artefacts alone may amount to 3% for dental fillings and up to 5% and 18% for hip prosthesis made of titanium and steel, respectively. It is important to note that the size of the metal inserts cannot be determined correctly from the images, so that a correction of the ranges in metal also leads to large uncertainties. Finally, it should be stressed that the stated relative deviations are strictly valid only for the investigated phantoms and can only give a rough estimate on the size of range uncertainties that may appear in real patients.
Coordinated neighborhood energy sharing using game theory and multi-agent systems

In this paper, a decentralized control algorithm is presented for coordinated energy sharing among smart homes in neighborhood areas using a game-theoretic approach and a multi-agent system (MAS). The aim of the study is to reduce the electricity bill of end-users with dynamic pricing where price is associated to aggregated consumption. To reduce the cost of consumption, a control algorithm performs home appliance scheduling and battery control while enabling energy sharing among neighbors in the neighborhood. We assume that photovoltaic (PV) and battery systems are installed in smart homes and end-users are decision-makers willing to optimize the run time of electricity appliances and the control inputs of the battery. In particular, end-users aim to schedule controllable appliances and/or decide about battery charging during low price hours and discharging during high price hours. The battery can be charged by three strategies: using local PV generation, from neighborhood residual generation and grid energy jointly or distinctly. In this study, a MAS is used for modeling entities (homes and aggregator) in the neighborhood as agents. The aggregator agent is the supervisor agent which determines the aggregated profile and dynamic price by communicating with home agents. Home agents are independent and selfish decision-makers which only focus on the maximization of their own welfare while achieving near-optimal performance at Nash equilibrium of a formulated non-cooperative coordination game. Results show that each smart home can benefit from this scheme, compared to a baseline (no control) scenario, as well as reduce the neighborhood total cost and peak load consumption.
Molecular epidemiology of Streptococcus agalactiae recovered from significant bacteriuria

Abstract Background: Streptococcus agalactiae has been implicated in urinary tract infections, but the molecular epidemiology of such infections is poorly characterized. Methods: In this study, 194 isolates recovered from significant bacteriuria of non-pregnant individuals were submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular characterization of macrolide resistance, PCR-based capsular typing and analysis of genetic diversity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: By disk diffusion, all isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, penicillin G and vancomycin; 87.6% and 9.3% of isolates were non-susceptible to tetracycline and clindamycin, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) confirmed that 11.3% of isolates were resistant to erythromycin. Macrolide resistance determinants were iMLSB (n = 9), cMLSB (n = 9) and M (n = 4), associated with ermA, ermB and mefA/E. Predominant capsular types were V, Ia, II and III. No significant association was observed between any capsular type and the occurrence of pyuria. However, type III was associated with erythromycin resistance, while type II was associated with erythromycin-susceptible isolates. Distinct PFGE profiles were observed among different types, but identical profiles were found among erythromycin-susceptible and -resistant isolates of the same type. Conclusion: A variety of capsular and PFGE types are involved in significant bacteriuria. Although capsular types found here are prevalent in different infections, the frequency of each type seems to be unique. Erythromycin resistance is due to polyclonal origin instead of the expansion of few clones of S. agalactiae.
Spatially controlled cell engineering on biodegradable polymer surfaces

Controlling receptor‐mediated interactions between cells and template surfaces is a central principle in many tissue engineering procedures (1–3). Biomaterial surfaces engineered to present cell adhesion ligands undergo integrin‐mediated molecular interactions with cells (1, 4, 5), stimulating cell spreading, and differentiation (6–8). This provides a mechanism for mimicking natural cell‐to‐matrix interactions. Further sophistication in the control of cell interactions can be achieved by fabricating surfaces on which the spatial distribution of ligands is restricted to micron‐scale pattern features (9–14). Patterning technology promises to facilitate spatially controlled tissue engineering with applications in the regeneration of highly organized tissues. These new applications require the formation of ligand patterns on biocompatible and biodegradable templates, which control tissue regeneration processes, before removal by metabolism. We have developed a method of generating micron‐scale patterns of any biotinylated ligand on the surface of a biodegradable block copolymer, polylactide‐poly(ethylene glycol). The technique achieves control of biomolecule deposition with nanometer precision. Spatial control over cell development has been observed when using these templates to culture bovine aortic endothelial cells and PC12 nerve cells. Furthermore, neurite extension on the biodegradable polymer surface is directed by pattern features composed of peptides containing the IKVAV sequence (15, 16), suggesting that directional control over nerve regeneration on biodegradable biomaterials can be achieved. —Patel, N. , Padera, R. , Sanders, G. H. W. , Cannizzaro, S. M. , Davies, M. C. , Langer, R. , Roberts, C. J., Tendler, S. J. B. , Williams, P. M. , and Shakesheff, K. M. Spatially controlled cell engineering on biodegradable polymer surfaces. FASEB J. 12, 1447–1454 (1998)
A Compact Printed Filtering Antenna With Good Suppression of Upper Harmonic Band

In this letter, a printed planar filtering antenna composed of the stepped-impedance dipole (SID), stepped-impedance resonator (SIR), and low-pass filter (LPF) is presented. The SIR is used as a parasitic element in proximity to the SID radiator to improve its upper band-edge selectivity and to widen its operation bandwidth. Our extensive study is at first conducted to exhibit that the upper harmonic band of radiation can be tremendously pushed upward by appropriately replacing the main dipole radiator and the parasitic resonant element with the SID and SIR. Next, a stepped-impedance LPF is employed to further effectively suppress the high-order harmonic band of radiation as quantitatively demonstrated. The measured reflection coefficient has achieved a wide fractional bandwidth up to 27.5%, covering a frequency range of 2.5–3.3 GHz, with $\vert{ S}_{11}\vert < {10}~\hbox{dB}$ . In particular, its first harmonic band for radiation has been significantly extended from 7.2 GHz beyond 14.0 GHz as confirmed in simulation and experiment.