Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloning of the PYR3 gene of Ustilago maydis and its use in DNA transformation

The Ustilago maydis PYR3 gene encoding dihydroorotase activity was cloned by direct complementation of Escherichia coli pyrC mutations. PYR3 transformants of E. coli pyrC mutants expressed homologous transcripts of a variety of sizes and regained dihydroorotase activity. PYR3 also complemented Saccharomyces cerevisiae ura4 mutations, and again multiple transcripts were expressed in transformants, and enzyme activity was regained. A 1.25-kilobase poly(rA)+ PYR3 transcript was detected in U. maydis itself. Linear DNA carrying the PYR3 gene transformed a U. maydis pyr3-1 pyrimidine auxotroph to prototrophy. Hybridization analysis revealed that three different types of transformants could be generated, depending on the structure of the transforming DNA used. The first type involved exchange of chromosomal mutant gene sequences with the cloned wild-type plasmid sequences. A second type had integrated linear transforming DNA at the chromosomal PYR3 locus, probably via a single crossover event. The third type had integrated transforming DNA sequences at multiple sites in the U. maydis genome. In the last two types, tandemly reiterated copies of the transforming DNA were found to have been integrated. All three types had lost the sensitivity of the parental pyr3-1 mutant to UV irradiation. They had also regained dihydroorotase activity, although its level did not correlate with the PYR3 gene copy number.
A passivity criterion for sampled-data bilateral teleoperation systems

In a bilateral teleoperation system, conditions involving open-loop model parameters and controller parameters for ensuring teleoperator passivity are useful as control design guidelines to attain maximum teleoperation transparency (due to passivity/transparency tradeoffs). By teleoperator, we mean the teleoperation system excluding the human operator and the remote environment. The rationale behind considering teleoperator passivity instead of teleoperation system stability is that, unlike the former, the latter is influenced by the dynamics of the human operator and the remote environment, which are typically uncertain, time-varying, and/or nonlinear. In this paper, a condition for the passivity of a teleoperator is found when the teleoperation controllers are implemented in the discrete-time domain. Such as new passivity analysis is necessary because discretization causes energy leaks and does not necessarily preserve passivity. We show that the passivity criterion for the sampled-data teleoperator imposes a lower bound on the robot damping and upper bounds on the control gains and the sampling time. The criterion has been verified through computer simulations as well as experimental tests involving a bilateral teleoperation system consisting of a pair of Phantom Omni robots.
A Novel Operating System on Chip with Information Security Support for Embedded System

System-on-chip (SOC) has provided more powerful functions for embedded systems. Scratchpad memory (SPM), which is software-controlled on-chip memory, is used in embedded systems to reduce the speed gap between the processors and the memory and the power consumption of memory. ChipOS, a novel operating system on chip with information security support for embedded system, is proposed in this paper. It has a microkernel residing in SPM. This microkernel can execute absolutely. And it can also encapsulate the processor resources and provide virtual resources to general operating system (GPOS). At the same time, ChipOS can provide information security service through the encapsulation. The experimental results show that ChipOS has better response time and lower power consumption compared with GPOS and the security framework of ChipOS will protect GPOS with flexibility.
A Fast Stereo-based System for Detecting and Tracking Pedestrians from a Moving Vehicle

In this paper we describe a fully integrated system for detecting, localizing, and tracking pedestrians from a moving vehicle. The system can reliably detect upright pedestrians to a range of 40 m in lightly cluttered urban environments. The system uses range data from stereo vision to segment the scene into regions of interest, from which shape features are extracted and used to classify pedestrians. The regions are tracked using shape and appearance features. Tracking is used to temporally filter classifications to improve performance and to estimate the velocity of pedestrians for use in path planning. The end-to-end system runs at 5 Hz on 1,024 × 768 imagery using a standard 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad processor, and has been integrated and tested on multiple ground vehicles and environments. We show performance on a diverse set of datasets with groundtruth in outdoor environments with varying degrees of pedestrian density and clutter. In highly cluttered urban environments, the detection rates are on a par with state-of-the-art but significantly slower systems.
Citrullinated vimentin stimulates proliferation, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and PADI4 and RANKL expression of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the possible effects of vimentin (Vim) and citrullinated Vim (cVim) on proliferation capacity, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and the expression of peptidylarginine deiminase type 4 (PADI4) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) in cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Method: Human native Vim was citrullinated with rabbit PAD in vitro and detected using a Western blot assay with anti-modified citrulline antibody (anti-MC Ab). FLSs from RA or OA synovial samples were stimulated with Vim or cVim. Cell proliferation capacity was determined using the Celltiter 96 AQueous cell proliferation assay. The concentrations of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of PADI4 and RANKL was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a Western blot assay. Results: Our Western blot assay with anti-MC Ab indicated that the amount of cVim increased significantly after Vim had been incubated with rabbit PAD in vitro. The proliferation capacity and secretion of TNF-α and IL-1 were significantly enhanced in the FLSs of RA patients when treated with cVim. However, when treated with Vim, an inhibitory effect on the proliferation capacity was noted in the FLSs from RA and also from OA patients. cVim significantly increased the expression of PADI4 and RANKL in the FLSs from RA patients. Conclusion: cVim seems to have remarkable biological effects on RA as confirmed by the stimulation of proliferation capacity, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and PADI4 and RANKL expression in the FLSs of RA patients.
The acquisition of conditionals in American Sign Language: Grammaticized facial expressions

ABSTRACT An unusual facet of American Sign Language (ASL) is its use of grammaticized facial expression. In this study, we examine the acquisition of conditional sentences in ASL by 14 deaf children (ages 3;3–8;4) of deaf parents. Conditional sentences were chosen because they entail the use of both manual signs and grammaticized non-manual facial expressions. The results indicate that the children first acquire manual conditional signs, e.g., SUPPOSE, before they use the obligatory grammaticized conditional facial expression. Moreover, the children acquire the constellation of obligatory non-manual behaviors component by component, rather than holistically.
ROS and Sympathetically Mediated Mitochondria Activation in Brown Adipose Tissue Contribute to Methamphetamine-Induced Hyperthermia

Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse has been shown to induce alterations in mitochondrial function in the brain as well as to induce hyperthermia, which contributes to neurotoxicity and Meth-associated mortality. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a thermogenic site known to be important in neonates, has recently regained importance since being identified in significant amounts and in correlation with metabolic balance in human adults. Given the high mitochondrial content of BAT and its role in thermogenesis, we aimed to investigate whether BAT plays any role in the development of Meth-induced hyperthermia. By ablating or denervating BAT, we identified a partial contribution of this organ to Meth-induced hyperthermia. BAT ablation decreased temperature by 0.5°C and reduced the length of hyperthermia by 1 h, compared to sham-operated controls. BAT denervation also affected the development of hyperthermia in correlation with decreased the expression of electron transport chain molecules, and increase on PCG1a levels, but without affecting Meth-induced uncoupling protein 1 upregulation. Furthermore, in isolated BAT cells in culture, Meth, but not Norepinephrine, induced H2O2 upregulation. In addition, we found that in vivo Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) play a role in Meth hyperthermia. Thus, sympathetically mediated mitochondrial activation in the BAT and Meth-induced ROS are key components to the development of hyperthermia in Meth abuse.
Factor Associated With Neutral Sphingomyelinase Activation and Its Role in Cardiac Cell Death

Generation of proapoptotic sphingolipids by neutral sphingomyelinase activation is an early response to hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) in cardiomyocytes. F actor a ssociated with n eutral sphingomyelinase activation (FAN) mediates activation of sphingomyelinase and subsequent apoptosis. However, the participation of FAN in HR-induced cardiomyocyte cell death has not been elucidated. We therefore investigated the expression and role of FAN in rat cardiomyocytes. A cDNA was isolated from rat heart encoding putative rat FAN. Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, immunoelectron microscopy, and immunofluorescence demonstrated for the first time the expression of FAN specifically in rat cardiomyocytes. FAN expression was confirmed by the finding that expression of a dominant-negative FAN almost completely abrogated HR-induced cell death, whereas overexpression of wild-type FAN led to an increase. Treatment of FAN and dominant-negative FAN–expressing cells with C2-ceramide produced substantial cell death, indicating dominant-negative FAN exerts its protective action by interfering with the activation of the sphingolipid cascade. Taking these results together, we conclude that FAN is a previously undescribed and important HR signaling component in the heart and that inhibition of FAN may provide a novel intervention point for reducing ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Towards an automated system for short-answer assessment using ontology mapping

A key concern for any e-assessment tool (computer assisted assessment) is its efficiency in assessing the learner's knowledge, skill set and ability. Multiple-choice questions are the most common means of assessment used in e-assessment systems, and are also successful. An efficient e-assessment system should use variety of question types including short- answers, essays etc. and modes of response to assess learner's performance. In this paper, we consider the task of assessing short-answer questions. Several researches have been performed on the evaluation and assessment of short-answer questions and many products are deployed to assess the same as part of e-learning systems. We propose an automated system for assessing short-answers using ontology mapping. We also compare our approach with some existing systems and give an overall evaluation of experiment results, which shows that our approach using ontology mapping gives an optimized result.
Return Migrants: The Rise of New Entrepreneurs in Rural China

This paper analyzes return migrants' occupational choice upon their return to their home village, by using an original rural household survey conducted in Wuwei county (Anhui province, China) in 2008. We apply two complementary approaches : a horizontal comparative analysis of occupational choice between non-migrants and return migrants, and a vertical investigation of the impact of migration experience on returnees only. Two main findings are drawn up from the estimation of probit models which account for potential selection bias and endogeneity. First, return migrants are more likely to be self-employed and to opt for higher ability jobs than non-migrants. Second, both return savings and the frequency of job changes during migration increase the likelihood for return migrants to become self-employed. These findings suggest that (a) working experience during migration enhances individual's human capital and entrepreneurial ability, and (b) repatriated migration experience is a key stimulating factor in promoting rural entrepreneur activity.
Peripheral T lymphocytes from women with breast cancer exhibit abnormal protein expression of several signaling molecules.

We examined signaling molecules of peripheral blood T lymphocytes obtained from women with breast cancer. In 6 of 14 patients, T lymphocytes displayed an impaired ability to translocate NFêB p65 (Rel-A) following activation by anti-CD3 and IL-2. This observation was made despite normal cytoplasmic levels of the Rel-A protein. We also detected abnormally low levels of the signaling molecules T-cell receptor (TCR)-zeta, ZAP-70 and p56lck in 4 of 14 breast cancer patients, i.e., defects in T-cell signaling molecules. T lymphocytes from 6 of the 14 patients also exhibited an increased expression of the dual specificity phosphatase, map kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). MKP-1 inactivates MAP kinase and therefore may interfere with the activation of c-jun and c-fos. Abnormalities of I or more signaling molecules were found in 9 of 14 patients; however, only 3 patients had T cells that exhibited all 5 defects. Our data have implications for the detection of potentially dysfunctional T cells in patients with cancer. For example, the analysis of only 1 signaling molecule may allow patients with significant defects in T-cell signaling to go unnoticed. Finally, despite impaired Rel-A translocation, T cells were capable of transcribing IL-2. Impairments in the translocation of Rel-B and c-Rel further suggest that the NFKB family members Rel-A, Rel-B and c-Rel are not required for the transcription of IL-2 in the peripheral T lymphocytes of patients with breast cancer.
Learning and Motivational Characteristics of Urban Latino High School Youth

The academic achievement rates of urban Latino students are significantly lower than those of non-minority youth. To date, most of the research on this topic has focused on learning and motivational characteristics of underrepresented youth in elementary and middle school and much less on urban high schools. This study investigated variables related to learning, motivation, and engagement among high school–aged Latino youth. We found that learning and motivational variables were predictive of academic engagement for Latinos, paralleling work with non-minority samples. Motivational variables are seldom given adequate attention when considering interventions for low-achieving students, despite the abundant literature that demonstrates their connection to academic outcomes. Fortunately, the factors examined in the study are amenable to intervention.
Report of picophytoplankton study during the astro cruise in the Great Astrolabe Reef (18°45'S-178°30'E) Fiji

Prochlorococcus were studied with a flow cytometer, in the lagoon of the Great Astrolabe Reef (Fiji) the distribution of picophytoplankton within the water column was mostly homogeneous. The Prochlorococcus (Proc.) and Synechococcus (Syn.) were the most abundant groups and the picoeukaryotes (Peuk.) were an order of magnitude less abundant. The Synechococcus dominated the integrated : cell number, in vivo fluorescence and carbon biomass. In the surrounding ocean, the phytoplank1:on distribution was heterogeneous. Proc. and Peuk. had a subsurface maximum near the nitracline; Syn. was only abundant in surtàce layers and decreased drastically downward. No group c1early dominated. Prochlorococcus dominated in integrated cell numbers, whereas Synechococcus in integrated fluorescence, and picoeukaryotes in integrated carbon biomass. By comparing the present results with the results reported from offshore oligotrophic oceans and from a c10sed atoll, we conclude that active exchanges occur between the lagoon and the sUlTounding ocean. allowed us to count the dimly fluorescent Prochlororoccus, which are too dim to be observed with an epifluorescent microscope. 2. Material and methods Observations were made during the ASTRO croise, aboard RN "L'ALIS", 16 April 1 May 1994, in the lagoon of the Great Astrolabe Reef (lsc45'S-178°30'E) FIJI and in the sUITounding ocean (Fig. 1). The croise was organised by the ORSTOM-groups [TOm Papeete (French Polynesia), and [TOm Noumea (New Caledonia), in collaboration with the USP Suva. This work was supported in part by the French Embassy in Suva.
Effective Behaviours of Strength and Conditioning Coaches as Perceived by Athletes

The purpose of this study was to identify effective behaviours and characteristics of strength and conditioning coaches as perceived by elite athletes. Eight elite international level university athletes (Male = 6; Female = 2) with an average age of 20.4 years (SD = 1.3) and an average of 7 years' experience in their sport (SD = 2.4) were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Three general dimensions were identified: behaviours that enhance the relationship between the athlete and their coach; coaches' actions; and coaches' values. The findings confirm previous research that areas such as instruction, technical knowledge and feedback are essential in delivering effective strength and conditioning coaching. However, the results further highlight the important role of higher order characteristics such as trust, respect, role modelling, authenticity, motivation and inspiration. The findings suggest that these higher order characteristics augment the default instructional coaching style as these behaviours enhance the strength and conditioning coaches' effectiveness in developing the athlete. The results further aim to recommend competencies of strength and conditioning coaches by encouraging self-reflection and therefore optimising coaches' development.
Modeling and Verifying Inconsistency-Tolerant Temporal Reasoning with Hierarchical Information: Dealing with Students' Learning Processes

In this paper, we propose a formal method for modeling and verifying inconsistency-tolerant temporal reasoning with hierarchical information. For this purpose, a temporal logic called sequential paraconsistent computation tree logic (SPCTL) is obtained from the well-known computation tree logic (CTL) by adding a paraconsistent negation connective and some sequence modal operators. SPCTL can appropriately represent both, inconsistency-tolerant reasoning by the paraconsistent negation connective, and hierarchical information by the sequence modal operators. The validity, satisfiability and model-checking problems of SPCTL are shown to be EXPTIME-complete, deterministic EXPTIME-complete and deterministic PTIME-complete, respectively. Some new illustrative examples for students' learning processes are presented using SPCTL.
Agos - a universal web tool for GW Argonaute-binding domain prediction

MOTIVATION AGO(Argonaute)-binding domains, composed of repeated motifs, in which only binary combinations of tryptophan and glycine are conserved, bind AGO proteins and are essential during RNAi-mediated gene silencing. The amino acid sequence of this domain is extremely divergent and therefore very difficult to detect. Commonly used bioinformatic tools fail to identify tryptophan-glycine and/or glycine-tryptophan motifs (WG/GW) domains and currently there is no publicly available software which can detect these weakly conserved, but functional AGO-binding segments. RESULTS Recently, we have developed an algorithm based on compositional analysis of the amino acid content of the domain. We have demonstrated that the algorithm can be successfully applied for the identification of the new WG/GW proteins in the Arabidopsis genome. Here we introduce Agos (Argonaute-binding domain screener), a novel universal web service for de novo identification of WG/GW domains in protein sequences. The web implementation of the algorithm contains several new features and enhancements: (i) one universal scoring matrix which allows identification of AGO-binding proteins in sequences representing all organisms; (ii) reduction of false positive predictions by improved selectivity of the algorithm; (iii) graphical interface to easily browse the prediction results; and (iv) the option to submit a DNA sequence which will be automatically translated in six frames before running the prediction algorithm. AVAILABILITY Freely available at: http://bioinfo.amu. edu.pl/agos/.
Second-Generation Asian American Pan-Ethnic Identity: Pluralized Meanings of a Racial Label

Recent research on the collective identity label described as Asian American, which was originally formulated as a political movement symbol, shows only some support among the various Asian ethnic groups that reside in the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on a sample of second-generation Asian American student leaders in four public universities, this study provides empirical evidence that the definition of the term Asian American has multiplied as a result of major demographic and cultural factors that have affected the Asian population. These definitions reflect ethnic and religious diversification as well as the model minority stereotype and a cohort identity for the second-generation experience. At the same time, this diversification of definitions is also influenced by two concurrent and interlacing cultural discourses, one that emphasizes the racialized otherness of being “Asian American” and another that emphasizes the cultural diversity within this racial label. Implications for future research and theoretical development follow.
[Gene expression of transforming growth factor beta1 in zone II flexor tendon wound healing of rabbit].

OBJECTIVE To research the gene expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in zone II flexor tendon wound healing of rabbit. METHODS Sixty New Zealand white rabbits forepaws (left side) underwent complete transection and the middle digit flexor digitorum profundus tendon in zone II were repaired by Kessler methods as the experimental group. The normal right forepaws served as the control group. The tendons and tendon sheaths were harvested at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 56 days after repair (n = 10). The expression patterns of TGF-beta1 were analyzed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry staining methods. RESULTS The in situ hybridization examination revealed that TGF-beta1 mRNA expression up-regulated at 1 day, reached the peak levels at 14-21 days and remained high levels up to 56 days in the experimental group. The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA in control group was lower than that in the experimental group, showing statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemical staining was similar to that of in situ hybridization. CONCLUSION The normal tendon and tendon sheath cells are capable of TGF-beta1 production. The cytokine is activated in tendon wound condition. The up-regulation of this cytokine in both tendon and tendon sheath cells are coincidence with both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms for tendon repair.