Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of Klebsiella pneumoniae nif genes in Proteus mirabilis.

Self-transmissible plasmids carrying his and nif genes from Klebsiella pneumoniae have been introduced into three his mutants of Proteus mirabilis: strains 5006-1, WR19 and WR20. Expression of his by the transconjugants was unequivocal, if slightly temperature-sensitive, but none was Nif+ when tested for acetylene reduction in anaerobic glucose medium using inocula from rich or glucose-minimal aerobic agar cultures. Succinate or pyruvate in place of glucose, low glucose, lower temperature or elevated Na2MoO4 did not allow nif expression and no nitrogenase MoFe-protein peptide was detected immunologically after exposure to conditions in which diazotrophic enterobacteria, normal or genetically constructed, derepress nif. One strain, P. mirabilis WR19, carrying the his nif Kmr plasmid pMF250 was examined in detail. The nif activator gene nifA was introduced on the plasmid pCK1. Such derivatives remained Nif- when tested, after aerobic growth on rich agar media, with normal or low glucose, with succinate or with elevated Mo. However, pre-conditioning by aerobic growth on glucose-minimal agar led to subsequent anaerobic expression of nif in glucose medium from pMF250 in WR19 carrying pCK1. NH+4 or proline could serve as N-source in the glucose-minimal agar. Maximum activity was about 5% of that of K. pneumoniae in our assay conditions. Material cross-reacting with anti-serum to the nitrogenase MoFe protein was formed. Nitrogenase activity was not 'switched off' by NH+4. P. mirabilis WR19 (pCK1) showed NH+4-constitutive temperature-sensitive kanamycin resistance (a nif-related phenotype of this plasmid) in aerobic glucose minimal medium. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Accurate upper body rehabilitation system using kinect

The growing importance of Kinect as a tool for clinical assessment and rehabilitation is due to its portability, low cost and markerless system for human motion capture. However, the accuracy of Kinect in measuring three-dimensional body joint center locations often fails to meet clinical standards of accuracy when compared to marker-based motion capture systems such as Vicon. The length of the body segment connecting any two joints, measured as the distance between three-dimensional Kinect skeleton joint coordinates, has been observed to vary with time. The orientation of the line connecting adjoining Kinect skeletal coordinates has also been seen to differ from the actual orientation of the physical body segment. Hence we have proposed an optimization method that utilizes Kinect Depth and RGB information to search for the joint center location that satisfies constraints on body segment length and as well as orientation. An experimental study have been carried out on ten healthy participants performing upper body range of motion exercises. The results report 72% reduction in body segment length variance and 2° improvement in Range of Motion (ROM) angle hence enabling to more accurate measurements for upper limb exercises.
Exact Synthesis of Majority-Inverter Graphs and Its Applications

We propose effective algorithms for exact synthesis of Boolean logic networks using satisfiability modulo theories (SMTs) solvers. Since exact synthesis is a difficult problem, it can only be applied efficiently to very small functions, having up to six variables. Key in our approach is to use majority-inverter graphs (MIGs) as underlying logic representation as they are simple (homogeneous logic representation) and expressive (contain AND/OR-inverter graphs) at the same time. This has a positive impact on the problem formulation: it simplifies the encoding as SMT constraints and also allows for various techniques to break symmetries in the search space due to the regular data structure. Our algorithm optimizes with respect to the MIG’s size or depth and uses different ways to encode the problem and several methods to improve solving time, with symmetry breaking techniques being the most effective ones. We discuss several applications of exact synthesis and motivate them by experiments on a set of large arithmetic benchmarks. Using the proposed techniques, we are able to improve both area and delay after lookup table (LUT)-based technology mapping beyond the current results achieved by state-of-the-art logic synthesis algorithms.
Localization of the BiP Molecular Chaperone with Respect to Endoplasmic Reticulum Foci Containing the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator in Yeast

Almost all secreted proteins pass through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an organelle that is equipped to tolerate and/or degrade misfolded proteins. We report here that yeast expressing the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) concentrate the protein at defined sites in the ER membrane that are not necessarily enriched for the ER molecular chaperone BiP. We propose that these sites are Russell bodies, an ER subcompartment in which misfolded proteins are stored and can be targeted for degradation.
Single or Multiple Small Subarachnoid Hemorrhages by Puncturing a Small Branch of the Rat Basilar Artery Causes Chronic Cerebral Vasospasm

OBJECTIVE:This study looked at the effects of single and multiple small subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by puncturing a small branch of the basilar artery in rats. METHODS:Rats were subjected to single SAH (n = 21), multiple SAH (n = 21), sham operation (n = 21), or no procedures (control group, n = 7). SAH was induced in rats by transclival puncture of a small branch of the basilar artery. In the multiple-SAH hemorrhage groups, three small hemorrhages were produced in the same artery at three different times (initial and 24 and 48 h). In the single-SAH groups, one small hemorrhage was produced. Measurements of local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) were made at the initial SAH procedure and at three different time points. Seven animals from each general grouping were killed on Days 4, 10, and 14 (after LCBF was measured). Three different levels of the basilar artery were examined in each animal. Luminal area and arterial wall thickness were measured, and the findings were compared with control and corresponding sham group findings. RESULTS:LCBF dropped dramatically (by 40%) immediately after SAH and reached levels near baseline within 15 minutes (n = 42) (P < 0.001). LCBF continued to drop after initial SAH and reached the lowest level on Day 10 (P < 0.001) or Day 14 (P < 0.05). Significant luminal narrowing (P < 0.01) and thickening of the arterial wall (P < 0.01) were observed in both groups. CONCLUSION:Single or multiple small SAHs produced by puncturing the basilar artery in the rat cause similar acute and chronic cerebral vasospasm.
“Community Building Makes it Nice for Everybody”?: Elementary Teachers’ Understandings and Practices of Classroom Management

This qualitative research study explored elementary teachers’ understandings and practices of classroom management, particularly in regard to their own and students’ power, race, gender, and social class. In the first theme, the community building framework “makes it nice for everybody”, I work to understand how these white, middleclass teachers embrace this approach due to their race, gender, and class, which engender their desire for pleasantry. The second theme, “hard kids are hard kids”: a common sense ideology of difference, emerged from these teachers’ understandings of how race, gender, social class, and power influence student behavior and their classroom management practices.
Expression and role of PDGF-BB and PDGFR-β during testis morphogenesis in the mouse embryo

The role played by PDGF in testis morphogenesis is still incompletely understood. The present study investigates the expression and potential role of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and its receptor, PDGF receptor β (PDGFR-β), during mouse testis cord formation, and the possibility that the growth factor may be involved in the migration to the gonad of mesenchymal cells of mesonephric origin. Studies from this laboratory have previously shown that mesenchymal cells that migrate from the mesonephros into the gonad, to form peritubular myoid cells and most of the intertubular cells, can be identified by the presence on their surface of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), and can be isolated to near-purity by immunomagnetic selection with anti-p75NTR antibody. We show here that mesonephric p75NTR(+) cells also bear the PDGFR-β, and are able to migrate and proliferate in vitro in response to PDGF-BB. PDGF-BB is expressed at higher levels in male than female developing gonads, suggesting a role for this factor in testis development. Such a role is further supported by the observation that addition of PDGF-BB to serum-free medium is sufficient to allow organ-cultured male 11.5 days post-coitum urogenital ridges to form testis cords. Finally, we show that mesonephric cell motility and growth induced by exposure to PDGF-BB involve mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-K) pathways, as MAPK inhibitor U0126 and PI3K inhibitor Ly294002 inhibit migration and proliferation in vitro assays. The present findings support the hypothesis that the PDGF/PDGFR system plays a key role in testis morphogenesis in the mouse embryo.
Differences in wage determination in the Eurozone

This paper estimates a simple equilibrium wage equation for a subset of Eurozone countries over the period 1995-2015 using panel cointegration methods that account for cross-country heterogeneity and allow for structural breaks. Results show that the equilibrium wage has been affected by a structural change contemporaneous to the international financial crisis. Moreover, it has different determinants across euro area countries, among which two relatively distinct groups can be identified. In particular, the wage equation in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland is more homogeneous and seem to respond more to macroeconomic conditions than in the group composed of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland. This result is highly policy relevant in the context of a single monetary policy, as it may explain the diverging behavior of wages across the Eurozone and also be a potential source of asymmetric shocks and/or asymmetric response to a common shock.
Improved left ventricular function and topography by prolonged nitroglycerin therapy after acute myocardial infarction.

To determine whether decreasing preload and afterload by prolonged nitroglycerin therapy (NTG) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) might improve left ventricular (LV) geometry and function, 43 patients with a first anterior transmural AMI (ATAMI) were given low-dose intravenous NTG infusion for the first 48 h and then randomized to buccal NTG (1-3 mg t.i.d., five hourly with an eight-h washout period to avoid vascular tolerance; dose titrated as for i.v. NTG for 10% decrease in blood pressure but not below 80 mm Hg) or placebo for six weeks. All patients had serial two-dimensional echocardiography for 12 weeks for regional LV function and topography: Expansion index = asynergic/non-asynergic endocardial segment length; Thinning ratio = asynergic/normal wall thickness. Asynergy was defined as akinesis + dyskinesis. Between initial and 12-week studies, expansion index did not change in the buccal NTG group (2.09 vs 2.28, N.S.; n = 23) but increased in the placebo group (2.10 vs 2.89, p less than 0.05; n = 20). Over the same period, thinning ratio was unchanged with buccal NTG (0.82 vs 0.77, N.S.) but increased with placebo (0.78 vs 0.66 p less than 0.05). Both expansion and thinning at 12 weeks were greater with placebo than buccal NTG (p less than 0.01). The results indicate that prolonged NTG therapy decreased infarct expansion and infarct thinning. Compared to placebo, the NTG group also showed improved hemodynamics, decreased LV volume and asynergy, and increased ejection fraction. Thus, prolonged NTG therapy after ATAMI preserves LV function and topography. The beneficial early and late remodeling with prolonged NTG therapy might prevent aneurysm formation.
A Study on the Influence of Team Members’ Social Media Interaction Perception on Employee Creativity

Based on the questionnaire of 252 employees, this paper explores the relationship between social media interaction and employee creativity, which is influenced by the mediating effect of colleagues’ trust and the moderating role of supporting organizational culture. The study found that: 1) Social media interaction among team members has a significant positive impact on employee creativity; 2) Social media interaction among team members indirectly influences employee creativity through trust; 3) The supporting organization culture regulates the relationship between social media interaction among team members and trust among them. That is to say, the higher level of the supporting organizational culture the employees perceive, the more obvious the influence of social media interaction among team members on the trust of colleagues is. This research not only enriches the theoretical research on the relationship between social media interaction and the internal stakeholders (employees) of the enterprise, but also has important guiding significance to the practice of organization management.
Effects of the crude extract of Polygala tenuifolia Willd on human sperm in vitro

The aim of the present study is to analyze sperm membrane changes and the spermicidal effect in treatment with the crude extract from Polygala tenuifolia Willd (PTW) in vitro. The root of PTW was extracted in distilled water. Normal human spermatozoa were used to assess the spermicidal activity (Sander-Cramer assay) of the extract from the PTW root. The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test and the eosin Y (EY) staining were used to detect the integrity of sperm membrane and vitality. The sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test was performed to determine sperm DNA integrity. N-9 was used as a reference standard and semen added to physiological saline was used as the control. Semen samples were donated by 42 healthy fertile men. The crude extract from the root of PTW could immobilize and kill 100% spermatozoa within 20 s in vitro at the concentrations of 20.0 and 10.0 mg/ml; at the concentration of 5.0 mg/ml, spermatozoa were immobilized in (39.5±3.2) s. In the groups of the crude extract from the root of PTW and N-9 solution, the rate of the normal HOS (tails swollen) and the white head (unstained) was 0%, and the rate of the abnormal HOS (tails unswollen) and red head (stained) was 100%. Sperm DNA fragmentation showed no change in exposure to the crude extract from the root of PTW and N-9 solution. The sperm revival test did not show any spermatozoa that recovered their motilities. The rapid spermicidal activity of the crude extract from the root of PTW in vitro may occur by the disruption of the sperm membrane integrity.
A methodology for effective implementation of lean strategies and its performance evaluation in manufacturing organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective methodology for implementing lean manufacturing strategies and a leanness evaluation metric using continuous performance measurement (CPM). Design/methodology/approach – Based on five lean principles, a systematic lean implementation methodology for manufacturing organizations has been proposed. A simplified leanness evaluation metric consisting of both efficiency and effectiveness attributes of manufacturing performance has been developed for continuous evaluation of lean implementation. A case study to validate the proposed methodology has been conducted and proposed CPM metric has been used to assess the manufacturing leanness.Findings – Proposed methodology is able to systematically identify manufacturing wastes, select appropriate lean tools, identify relevant performance indicators, achieve significant performance improvement and establish lean culture in the organization. Continuous performance measurement matrices in terms of efficiency.
Comparative study of immunocytochemical staining versus Giemsa stain for detecting dysmegakaryopoiesis in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

Abstract: 23 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and 8 normal controls were analyzed for dysmegakaryopoiesis (DMP) in the bone marrow by alkaline phosphatase anti‐alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) technique and by conventional May‐Giemsa staining. In the immunocytochemical study, monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa was utilized to demonstrate megakaryocyte cells. 91% (21/23) of MDS cases were detected as having DMP by APAAP method, while only 52% (12/23) were detectable by Giemsa stain. There were difficulties in recognizing small micromegakaryocytes (micro MKs), designated as type 1 atypical MKs, by Giemsa staining. Furthermore, megakaryoblasts (MKBs) were detectable only by APAAP technique. In 8 normal controls, no type 1 and type 3 atypical MKs (round shaped multinuclear MKs) were observed either by Giemsa staining or by the APAAP method, suggesting that they are a distinctive feature of MDS. These results indicate the necessity of immunocytochemical technique for accurate recognition of DMP in MDS.
Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a tissue‐specific target for adenoviral transduction of prostate cancer in vitro

Adenovirus binds to the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) as a first step in the process of cellular infection. This dependence on CAR potentially limits the use of adenovirus in gene therapy, since CAR is expressed in many tissues of the body, and expression of CAR may be low or lost upon progression of certain tumors. These limitations may be overcome by transductional targeting of adenovirus towards other cell surface molecules. We have evaluated the pantumoral epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) as possible targets for adenoviral transduction of prostate cancer cells.
A Model of Heterogeneous Firm Matches in Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions

In contrast to empirical evidence, recent theories of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) assume perfect knowledge transfers – from high to low productivity firms – between acquirer and target. Using the Melitz (2003) model of heterogeneous firms, we develop a matching model of cross-border M&As which allows for both perfect and imperfect knowledge transfers, where the latter leads to assortative matching on productivity for firms in cross-border M&As. This is in line with stylized facts (because M&As frequently occur between firms of similar productivity) and in contrast to the proximity-concentration trade-off (in which only the most productive firms have a physical presence in foreign markets). Allowing for M&As raises the firm viability cut-off level, average productivity and welfare in our model. The welfare benefits are weaker for more imperfect knowledge transfers.
The Role of Structural Summaries for XML Retrieval

A Structural Summary of an XML document is a dynamically generated and maintained graph structure that preserves the structural characteristics of the document in a compact form. The versatility of structural summaries has been established with their extensive usage for diverse retrieval tasks. Within traditional XML query processing those structures have been used as primary indexes on the structure, as well as for (a) structure discovery, (b) query formulation, rewrite and optimization, (c) storage of statistics, and other important metadata information. At the same time, structural summaries have appeared within other XML retrieval scenarios including (a) XML keyword search, (b) information discovery within P2P systems, and (c) message routing within publish/subscribe systems. This tutorial introduces the concept of XML Structural Summaries and describes their role within XML retrieval. It covers the usage of those summaries for Database-style query processing, as well as Information Retrieval-style search tasks in the context of both centralized and distributed environments. Finally, it concludes with a presentation of new retrieval scenarios that can potentially be favorably supported by those summaries.
SM16, an Orally Active TGF-&bgr; Type I Receptor Inhibitor Prevents Myofibroblast Induction and Vascular Fibrosis in the Rat Carotid Injury Model

Objective—TGF-&bgr; plays a significant role in vascular injury-induced stenosis. This study evaluates the efficacy of a novel, small molecule inhibitor of ALK5/ALK4 kinase, in the rat carotid injury model of vascular fibrosis. Methods and Results—The small molecule, SM16, was shown to bind with high affinity to ALK5 kinase ATP binding site using a competitive binding assay and biacore analysis. SM16 blocked TGF-&bgr; and activin-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and TGF-&bgr;-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-luciferase activity in cells. Good overall selectivity was demonstrated in a large panel of kinase assays, but SM16 also showed nanomolar inhibition of ALK4 and weak (micromolar) inhibition of Raf and p38. In the rat carotid injury model, SM16 dosed once daily orally at 15 or 30 mg/kg SM16 for 14 days caused significant inhibition of neointimal thickening and lumenal narrowing. SM16 also prevented induction of adventitial smooth muscle &agr;-actin–positive myofibroblasts and the production of intimal collagen, but did not decrease the percentage of proliferative cells. Conclusion—These results are the first to demonstrate the efficacy of an orally active, small-molecule ALK5/ALK4 inhibitor in a vascular fibrosis model and suggest the potential therapeutic application of these inhibitors in vascular fibrosis.
A comprehensive security approach: bolstering Finnish cybersecurity capacity

Finland, at the easternmost border of the European Union (EU), has set itself apart as a global leader in cybersecurity technology. Yet, despite Finland’s relative technological strength in this space, the government has actively intervened in the market in order to bolster cybersecurity capacity and competency. Why? There is an important distinction between the presence of technological expertise and a strategy for the security of society writ large, the latter of which necessitates resilient critical infrastructure and services within a country. To this end, the government has utilised a pre-existing logic for market intervention: Finland’s geopolitical position and its corresponding defence doctrine’s emphasis on defence of society by maintaining society-wide resilience in the event of a crisis. In comprehensive security (kokonaisturvallisuus), which includes cybersecurity, the responsibility for and the safeguarding of the vital functions of society are jointly held by private and public actor.
Characterization of SCCmec elements in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures from neonates during three decades

Svensson K, Hellmark B, Söderquist B. Characterization of SCCmec elements in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures from neonates during three decades. APMIS 2011; 119: 885–93.
Novel Surgical Technique for Discogenic Cauda Equina Syndrome - Transforaminal Intra Discal Access by Annulotomy outside Central Spinal Canal

Cauda equina syndrome is characterised by disturbed function of multiple sacral and lumbar nerve roots in the lumbar vertebral canal resulting in impairment of bladder, bowel, or sexual function. Since the sacral roots are more at midline in lumbar dural sac a central disc herniation of large size can be a cause. The large central herniation causing cauda equina syndrome stretches the roots. Best results are obtained by decompression.