Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Nonstructural Protein 3 Protease/Helicase Requires an Intact Protease Domain to Unwind Duplex RNA Efficiently*

The nonstructural 3 (NS3) protein encoded by the hepatitis C virus possesses both an N-terminal serine protease activity and a C-terminal 3′–5′ helicase activity. This study examines the effects of the protease on the helicase by comparing the enzymatic properties of the full-length NS3 protein with truncated versions in which the protease is either deleted or replaced by a polyhistidine (His tag) or a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein (GST tag). When the NS3 protein lacks the protease domain it unwinds RNA more slowly and does not unwind RNA in the presence of excess nucleic acid that acts as an enzyme trap. Some but not all of the RNA helicase activity can be restored by adding a His tag or GST tag to the N terminus of the truncated helicase, suggesting that the effects of the protease are both specific and nonspecific. Similar but smaller effects are also seen in DNA helicase and translocation assays. While translocating on RNA (or DNA) the full-length protein hydrolyzes ATP more slowly than the truncated protein, suggesting that the protease allows for more efficient ATP usage. Binding assays reveal that the full-length protein assembles on single-stranded DNA as a higher order oligomer than the truncated fragment, and the binding appears to be more cooperative. The data suggest that hepatitis C virus RNA helicase, and therefore viral replication, could be influenced by the rotations of the protease domain which likely occur during polyprotein processing.
A High-Sensitive Humidity Sensor Based on Water-Soluble Composite Material of Fullerene and Graphene Oxide

Fullerenes (C60) exhibits many advantageous properties but its poor solubility seriously restricts its applications. In this paper, C60 is dissolved in graphene oxide (GO) aqueous solution homogenously. This water-soluble composite material of GO/C60 is used for making a capacitive humidity sensor. This sensor shows a sensitivity of three times larger than that of the sensor based on C60 film. The possible reason is that C60 is uniformly adsorbed on the surface of GO, thus reducing the agglomeration of C60. This is supported by TEM, FTIR, and complex impedance test.
A compact polarization reconfigurable square slot antenna for WiMAX

This paper presents a polarization reconfigurable square slot antenna for WiMAX operation. The proposed antenna comprises a square slot on one side of the substrate and a microstrip feed on the other. Depending on the switching of the pin diode, the antenna exhibits linear polarization at 3.55 and 3.7 GHz and left-hand/right-hand circular polarization at 3.9 GHz. CST simulations are verified by HFSS simulator.
Defense Mechanisms against Viral Infection in Drosophila: RNAi and Non-RNAi

RNAi is considered a major antiviral defense mechanism in insects, but its relative importance as compared to other antiviral pathways has not been evaluated comprehensively. Here, it is attempted to give an overview of the antiviral defense mechanisms in Drosophila that involve both RNAi and non-RNAi. While RNAi is considered important in most viral infections, many other pathways can exist that confer antiviral resistance. It is noted that very few direct recognition mechanisms of virus infections have been identified in Drosophila and that the activation of immune pathways may be accomplished indirectly through cell damage incurred by viral replication. In several cases, protection against viral infection can be obtained in RNAi mutants by non-RNAi mechanisms, confirming the variability of the RNAi defense mechanism according to the type of infection and the physiological status of the host. This analysis is aimed at more systematically investigating the relative contribution of RNAi in the antiviral response and more specifically, to ask whether RNAi efficiency is affected when other defense mechanisms predominate. While Drosophila can function as a useful model, this issue may be more critical for economically important insects that are either controlled (agricultural pests and vectors of diseases) or protected from parasite infection (beneficial insects as bees) by RNAi products.
Towards a Biomechanical-Based Method for Assessing Myocardial Tissue Viability

This work presents the first steps towards the development and implementation of a novel 3D biomechanical-based method for assessing the viability of myocardial tissue, with particular interest for its application in myocardial infarction (MI) diagnosis. This assessment technique quantifies the myocardial contraction forces developed within the ventricular myofibrils in response to the electrophysiological stimulus. In this manuscript we provide a 3D finite element (FE) formulation of a contraction force reconstruction algorithm based on an inverse problem solution of linear elasticity, along with its implementation using clinical data. This algorithm has been applied to patient-specific models obtained by extracting anatomical features from high-resolution, high-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) cardiac images. The input consists of motion information extracted by nonrigid registration of the mid-diastole reference image to the remaining images of the 4D data set, acquired using ECG-gating throughout the cardiac cycle. The result consists of a display-map of the contraction force distribution superimposed on the anatomical ventricle model, which allows the clinician to identify regions of low contractility in the myocardium
Capital accumulation and growth in Hungary, 1924–2006

The objective of this paper is to analyse the role of both human and physical capital in economic growth in Hungary during the 20th century by extending the already available data on physical and human capital. Besides the standard measure for the volume of human capital, we develop a simple method to estimate the value of the human capital stock in Hungary between 1924 and 2006. While the volume index slowly grows over time, the value of human capital shows a decline during the late socialist period. Applying the value of human capital in a growth accounting analysis, we find that the Solow residual has no long-run effect on economic growth anymore.
Action Observation Areas Represent Intentions From Subtle Kinematic Features

Abstract Mirror neurons have been proposed to underlie humans’ ability to understand others’ actions and intentions. Despite 2 decades of research, however, the exact computational and neuronal mechanisms implied in this ability remain unclear. In the current study, we investigated whether, in the absence of contextual cues, regions considered to be part of the human mirror neuron system represent intention from movement kinematics. A total of 21 participants observed reach-to-grasp movements, performed with either the intention to drink or to pour while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Multivoxel pattern analysis revealed successful decoding of intentions from distributed patterns of activity in a network of structures comprising the inferior parietal lobule, the superior parietal lobule, the inferior frontal gyrus, and the middle frontal gyrus. Consistent with the proposal that parietal regions play a key role in intention understanding, classifier weights were higher in the inferior parietal region. These results provide the first demonstration that putative mirror neuron regions represent subtle differences in movement kinematics to read the intention of an observed motor act.
Using tracking error volatility to check active management and fee level of investment funds

The risk management department usually imposes to asset managers a maximum value of the tracking error volatility (TEV), but it does not establish a rule on TEV to understand whether portfolio managers are active. Analytical methods are derived to understand whether the asset allocation is active allowing to have an excess return above the benchmark large enough to cover the commission paid by investors and, concurrently, allowing to restrict the variance of the portfolio to be no more than the benchmark's variance, in order to avoid an excess return merely due to a higher risk level. These equations are a necessary (but not sufficient) condition to beat the benchmark's return, without increasing the overall variance of the portfolio. This is also a generalisation of the Jorion (2003) model with the use of commissions. These equations are applied to a liquidity fund and the fees are found to be too high.
Harmonic suppression strategy for voltage-controlled grid-connected inverter based on parameter optimization

The injected grid current of single-phase grid-connected inverter will be distorted when the grid voltage contain any low-order harmonics. Thus, an effective harmonic suppression method should be designed to reduce total harmonic distortion for injected grid current, a novel method of harmonic suppression is proposed to achieve a low THD. In this paper. Harmonic components of grid voltage is extracted by the fourth order band-pass filter separately and injected into the reference of inverter output voltage for compensation. The particle swarm optimization is used to optimize the parameters of double loop control and the fourth order band-pass filter for a better effect of harmonic suppression. Simulation and experimental results validate the feasibility of the proposed method.
Critical Challenges Ahead in Bioterrorism Preparedness Training for Clinicians

Abstract Purpose: A survey was distributed to determine physicians' confidence levels in recognizing potential Category-A bioterrorism disease threats (e.g., smallpox, anthrax), preferred means of obtaining continuing medical education (CME) credits, and their knowledge of the Connecticut Department of Public Health's (DPH) disease reporting requirements. Methods: Surveys were mailed to all physicians in the three-hospital Yale New Haven Health (YNHH) System (2,174) from January to March 2004; there were 820 respondents for a 37.7% response rate. Results: A total of 71% of physicians indicated that they were “not confident” that they could recognize five of the infectious agents named;they had higher confidence rates for smallpox (48.8%). Infectious diseases and emergency medicine physicians had the highest rates of confidence. Seventy-eight percent of physicians indicated conferences and lectures as their preferred CME learning modality. Nearly 72% of physicians reported a low familiarity with the DPH reporting requirements. Discussion: The results highlighted the breadth of perceived weaknesses among clinicians from disease recognition to reporting incidents, which signifies the need for greater training in these areas. As clinicians themselves emphasized their lack of skills and knowledge in this area, there should be a rapid development and dissemination of problem-based learning CME courses in bioterrorism preparedness.
A flexible printed millimetre-wave beamforming network for WiGig and 5G wireless subsystems

This paper presents a novel millimetre-wave (mm-wave) array beamforming network (BFN) design, analysis, and implementation based on the Rotman lens antenna array feeding, intended for operation in the unlicensed 60-GHz frequency band for the potential employment in the fifth-generation (5G) cellular communications and WiGig technology. The primary objective of the work is to thoroughly discuss the advanced cellular network, and to further develop a flexible radio frequency (RF) component based on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using the in-house inkjet materials printing process, for the mm-wave beam steering concept verification. The RF evaluation modeling demonstrates the appropriateness to develop a high-performance and well-established design for the WiGig and 5G systems, along with the analysis of the RF characteristics. The CST Microwave Studio and MATLAB software are employed in order to conduct the modelling and full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations.
Treatment of laryngeal hemiplegia in horses by prosthetic laryngoplasty, ventriculectomy and vocal cordectomy

The medical records of 80 horses treated for left laryngeal hemiplegia by prosthetic laryngoplasty, ventriculectomy and vocal cordectomy were examined, first to compare the subjective and objective success rates for groups of horses of different ages and used for different purposes, and secondly, to compare the efficacy of including vocal cordectomy in the surgical protocol with published success rates for laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy alone. Subjectively, 70 per cent of the horses were said to have had a successful surgical outcome. The success rate for thoroughbred racehorses (66 per cent) was lower than for other breeds (90 per cent) on the basis of a subjective assessment by owners and trainers. Thoroughbreds two years old or younger had a success rate of 69 per cent, but older thoroughbreds had a success rate of 61 per cent. Of the 17 horses for which an objective performance index could be calculated, 10 (59 per cent) had an improved performance postoperatively. There was a nearly significant association between the objective and subjective assessments (P=0.078). Six of 69 horses (8.7 per cent) continued to make a respiratory noise after surgery. The subjective assessment of success did not appear to correlate with the objective measure of success used in this study and age had no apparent association with a successful surgical outcome. Inclusion of a vocal cordectomy in the surgical protocol may be more important in the eradication of postoperative respiratory noise than in improving clinical success rates.
Why Are Some Properties More Difficult To Predict than Others? A Study of QSPR Models of Solubility, Melting Point, and Log P

This paper attempts to elucidate differences in QSPR models of aqueous solubility (Log S), melting point (Tm), and octanol-water partition coefficient (Log P), three properties of pharmaceutical interest. For all three properties, Support Vector Machine models using 2D and 3D descriptors calculated in the Molecular Operating Environment were the best models. Octanol-water partition coefficient was the easiest property to predict, as indicated by the RMSE of the external test set and the coefficient of determination (RMSE = 0.73, r2 = 0.87). Melting point prediction, on the other hand, was the most difficult (RMSE = 52.8 degrees C, r2 = 0.46), and Log S statistics were intermediate between melting point and Log P prediction (RMSE = 0.900, r2 = 0.79). The data imply that for all three properties the lack of measured values at the extremes is a significant source of error. This source, however, does not entirely explain the poor melting point prediction, and we suggest that deficiencies in descriptors used in melting point prediction contribute significantly to the prediction errors.
The Elastic Flap: An Expanding Vermilion Myocutaneous Flap for Lip Repairs

When searching for a solution to a reconstructive problem involving the lip, one rarely encounters a modern textbook description of a technique that stretches the lip. The purpose of this article is to attract attention to the elastic potential of the lip vermilion, for as an axial pattern myocutaneous composite flap, it lies in its bed, waiting to restore at least one half the upper or lower lip vermilion. *J Advantages of using the local vermilion as a reconstructive flap include simplicity, restoration of the orbicularis muscle ring, scar placement within aesthetic units,3 avoidance of wasteful triangularization of surgical defects, lipswitching, mobilization of distant flaps, and multistaged procedures. The concept of using the vermilion as a stretched composite flap can be found in the living archetypes of primitive peoples whose ancestors have been stretching their lips for generations.4 (Fig. 1). The National Geographic Society magazine has, for the past 75 years, published graphic and detailed descriptions of lip-stretching techniques among the peoples of central Brazil, North Africa, and New Guinea.5 To explain the florid blood supply of the vermilion elastic flap, I have termed it an axial patterned myocutaneous flap based on the marginal artery encircling the lip. This marginal vessel branches off either the superior labial artery, in the upper lip, or the inferior labial artery, in the lower lip. The labial vessels bifurcate from the external facial artery crossing the cheek near the labial commissure (Fig. 2). They are the same vessels that the Abb6,6 Estlander,7 and Karapandzics used in their flap designs.
Competition among exchanges through simplified disclosure requirements: evidence from the American and Global Depositary Receipts

In this study, we address the ongoing debate as to whether the competition among the world's major exchanges through simplified disclosure requirements is justified. Companies from across the globe have a choice of cross-listing shares as either American or Global Depositary Receipts (ADRs and GDRs, respectively). The former are primarily listed on the US exchanges – NYSE, NASDAQ and AMEX – whereas the latter are issued into non-US markets such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The GDRs listed on the LSE are subject to simplified disclosure requirements compared to their exchange-listed ADR peers that have to meet more stringent compliance standards. Proponents of the ‘light touch’ approach argue that firms cross-listing as GDRs are not subject to the higher reporting costs faced by ADRs yet still face similar valuation benefits. Those who challenge this approach argue that simplified disclosure requirements set by the LSE will ultimately be recognised by the market as ineffective, diverting traders from investing in GDRs. This study provides evidence that supports the LSE's ‘light touch’ approach and shows that the benefits of information risk reduction for ADRs and GDRs are comparable. The explanation for this finding is that the two avenues through which information asymmetry is expected to be resolved after cross-listing – disclosure and analysts – are substitutive and make equally important contribution to information risk reduction, eventually leading to similar cost of capital decline for ADRs and GDRs.
An Investigation of the Most Appropriate Capital Structure Theory and Leverage Level Determinants

In this paper, we investigate the most appropriate capital structure theory and leverage level determinants. There are several theories in a capital structure decision area and it is still controversial as to what is the best theory that can explain firms' debt ratio adjusting behaviours. Therefore, we have compared three different capital structure theories, trade-off, pecking order and market timing theories, and find that a firm's size, asset tangibility, profits, cash holding, market-to-book ratio and bankruptcy probability are generally the most important capital structure determinants. As most of these determinants are closely related to trade-off theory, although our findings suggest that no one theory dominates the others, the trade-off theory is probably the most appropriate capital structure theory. However, our results are also consistent with the expectations of the pecking order and market timing theories. This implies that all three theories have a certain level of explanation power in understanding firms' capital structure adjustments. In this paper, we consider an endogeneity problem, when using panel data, therefore, we use a GMM estimator to increase the reliability of our research.
TLR4 and NFκB signaling is critical for taxol resistance in ovarian carcinoma cells

We report here that toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and ABCB1 are upregulated in SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells that acquired resistance to the anticancer drug taxol. Silencing of TLR4 using short‐hairpin RNA sensitized taxol‐resistant SKOV3 cells to taxol (4.6 fold), whereas ectopic expression of TLR4 in parental, taxol‐sensitive SKOV3 cells or TLR4‐null HEK293 cells induced taxol resistance (∼2 fold). A sub‐lethal dose of taxol induced ABCB1 protein expression in taxol‐resistant SKOV3 cells. Inactivation of TLR4 using chemical inhibitors (CLI‐095 and AO‐I) downregulated ABCB1 protein expression and enhanced the cytotoxic activity of taxol in taxol‐resistant SKOV3 cells. While the sensitization effect of TLR4 inactivation was also detected in TOV21G ovarian cancer cells, which express moderate level of TLR4, ectopic expression of ABCB1 prevented the sensitization effect in these cells. Notably, the NFκB pathway was significantly activated by taxol, and inhibition of this pathway suppressed TLR4‐regulated ABCB1 expression. Furthermore, taxol‐induced NFκB signaling was reduced following TLR4 silencing in taxol‐resistant SKOV3 cells. Consistent with these results, ectopic expression of TLR4 in taxol‐sensitive SKOV3 cells enhanced ABCB1 expression and conferred resistance to taxol. The protective effect of exogenous TLR4 expression against taxol was reduced by treatment with NFκB inhibitor in these cells. These results demonstrate that taxol activates the TLR4‐NFκB pathway which in turn induces ABCB1 gene expression. This cellular pathway thus represents a novel target to limit resistance to taxol in ovarian cancer cells.
Transforming Growth Factor-&bgr;1 Protects Against Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction Caused By Hypoxia-Reoxygenation

ABSTRACT Intestinal epithelia regulate barrier integrity when challenged by inflammation, oxidative stress, and microbes. Transforming growth factor-&bgr;1 (TGF-&bgr;1) is a cytokine with known beneficial effects on intestinal epithelia, including barrier enhancement, after exposure to proinflammatory cytokines and infectious agents. The aim of this study was to determine whether TGF-&bgr;1 directly protects intestinal epithelia during hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR). Intestinal epithelial monolayers (T84, Caco-2bbe) were exposed to either hypoxia (1% O2, 1 h) or oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, 1 mM), followed by normoxic atmosphere for different time points in the absence and presence of varying concentrations of TGF-&bgr;1. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) assessed barrier function, with RNA extracted for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of GPx-1, HIF-1, heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NOX-1. In some experiments, intestinal epithelia were exposed to enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 during the reoxygenation period and TER recorded 7 h after the infectious challenge. Hypoxia-reoxygenation significantly decreased TER in intestinal epithelia compared with normoxic controls. Transforming growth factor-&bgr;1 pretreatment ameliorated HR-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction in T84 (at 1 – 3 h) and Caco-2bbe (1 h) monolayers. Transforming growth factor-&bgr;1 preserved barrier integrity for up to 16 h after challenge with hydrogen peroxide. In TGF-&bgr;1–treated epithelial monolayers, only HO-1 mRNA significantly increased after HR (P < 0.05 vs. normoxic controls). The EHEC-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction was significantly worsened by intestinal HR (P < 0.05 vs. normoxia-EHEC–infected cells), but this was not protected by TGF-&bgr;1 pretreatment. Transforming growth factor-&bgr;1 preserves loss of epithelial barrier integrity caused by the stress of HR via a mechanism that may involve the upregulation of HO-1 transcription. Targeted treatment with TGF-&bgr; could lead to novel therapies in enteric diseases characterized by HR injury.