Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formation of insulin amyloid fibrils followed by FTIR simultaneously with CD and electron microscopy

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), and electron microscopy (EM) have been used simultaneously to follow the temperature‐induced formation of amyloid fibrils by bovine insulin at acidic pH. The FTIR and CD data confirm that, before heating, insulin molecules in solution at pH 2.3 have a predominantly native‐like α‐helical structure. On heating to 70°C, partial unfolding occurs and results initially in aggregates that are shown by CD and FT‐IR spectra to retain a predominantly helical structure. Following this step, changes in the CD and FTIR spectra occur that are indicative of the extensive conversion of the molecular conformation from α‐helical to β‐sheet structure. At later stages, EM shows the development of fibrils with well‐defined repetitive morphologies including structures with a periodic helical twist of ∼450 Å. The results indicate that formation of fibrils by insulin requires substantial unfolding of the native protein, and that the most highly ordered structures result from a slow evolution of the morphology of the initially formed fibrillar species.
Ancient trans-Atlantic flight explains locust biogeography: molecular phylogenetics of Schistocerca

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) has been an important agricultural pest at least since biblical times. Although the ecology, physiology and behaviour of this insect species have been well characterized, its biogeographical origins and evolutionary history are more obscure. Schistocerca gregaria occurs throughout Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia, but all other species in the genus Schistocerca are found in the New World. Because S. gregaria has the capacity for extreme long-distance movement associated with swarming behaviour, dispersal may have played an important role in determining current distribution patterns. Some authors have argued that S. gregaria is the product of an eastward trans-Atlantic dispersal from North America to Africa; others consider it more likely that the New World taxa are the product of westward dispersal from Africa. Here, we present a mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of Schistocerca species that supports the monophyly of New World species (including the Galapagos endemic Halmenus) relative to S. gregaria. In concert with observed patterns of molecular divergence, and in contrast to previous morphological studies, our analysis indicates a single trans-Atlantic flight from Africa to South America, followed by extensive speciation and ecological divergence in the New World.
Bilingual Newsgroups in Catalonia: A Challenge for Machine Translation

This paper presents a linguistic analysis of a corpus of messages written in Catalan and Spanish, which come from several informal newsgroups on the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia; henceforth, UOC) Virtual Campus. The surrounding environment is one of extensive bilingualism and contact between Spanish and Catalan. The study was carried out as part of the INTERLINGUA project conducted by the UOC's Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3). Its main goal is to ascertain the linguistic characteristics of the e-mail register in the newsgroups in order to assess their implications for the creation of an online machine translation environment. The results shed empirical light on the relevance of characteristics of the e-mail register, the impact of language contact and interference, and their implications for the use of machine translation for CMC data in order to facilitate cross-linguistic communication on the Internet.
Lifetime co-morbidity of panic attacks and major depression in a population-based study: age of onset

Synopsis We used survival analysis to test for a suspected effect of co-morbidity of DIS/DSM-III major depression and panic attack on the age of onset of each of these disorders, in a population-based sample from four sites of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program (N = 12668). The possible effects of gender and presence of a co-morbid disorder on age of onset of the single disorders were analysed using the Cox proportion-hazard model, with gender as an explanatory variable and the co-morbid disorders as time-dependent covariates. The disorders begin earlier in life when they are co-morbid than when they occur singly. The occurrence of one disorder increases the chance of occurrence of the other. Females have from 1·7 to almost twice the risk for developing panic and/or depression compared with men, even if the co-morbid disorder precedes the index disorder or is lifetime co-morbid. These findings are compatible with a hypothesis of a higher severity in co-morbid cases when compared with a single disorder.
Net-overhang coupled microcantilevers for sensitive mass detection

This paper presents a kind of net-overhang coupled microcantilevers for ultrasensitive mass detection. Because of the coupling through the net overhang, each cantilever would resonate in two different modes (in-phase and out-of-phase modes). Mass sensitivity of the structure based on relative changes of amplitude ratio between the two cantilevers' in-phase modes is nearly two orders greater than that based on traditionally used resonant frequency shifts. Furthermore, compared with ambient tests, results under vacuum condition demonstrate improved sensitivity and easier emergence of out-of-phase states. Besides, the amplitude ratios show better stability in comparison with the resonant amplitudes and this would contribute to a better detection resolution.
Testing a Commercial MRAM Under Neutron and Alpha Radiation in Dynamic Mode

Academic and industrial research interest in terrestrial radiation effects of electronic devices has expanded over the last years from avionics and military applications to commercial applications as well. At the same time, the need for faster and more reliable memories has given growth to new memory technologies such as Magnetic (magneto-resistive) Random Access Memories (MRAM), a promising new non-volatile memory technology that will probably replace in the future the current SRAM and FLASH based memories. In this paper, we evaluate the soft error resilience of a commercial toggle MRAM in static and dynamic test mode, under neutron radiation with energies of 25, 50 and 80 MeV as well as under a Californium (Cf-252) alpha source.
Market information feedback for the high-tech dominated IPO companies

The prevalence of investment opportunities and the cost of capital are the two uncertainties that affect the managers' selection and judgment of future investment opportunities. This study investigates the effect of an IPO company's initial return on the investment policies of managers by examining the causal relationships among variables including pre- and post-IPO capital expenditure levels, forecasted growth rates, company size and initial returns. The findings show Market Feedback Hypothesis, which applies to Taiwan's market, but also managers take advantage of their control of pre-IPO investment and dividend policies to influence the judgment of investors at the time of the initial public offering in order to affect the initial return rate. In addition, company size has an inverse relationship to the stability of both pre- and post-IPO investment policies: smaller companies' managers tend to refer to investors' expectations when adjusting their future investment policies.
A biconical taper multi-mode fiber SERS sensor

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) optical fiber sensor using biconical taper multi-mode fiber (MMF) is proposed. It is fabricated by fused elongating a multi-mode fiber and then coated the silver colloid on its waist. The Raman spectrum for R6G dye solution is measured and the detection sensitivity is 10−9M.
Maximum power point tracking for single stage grid-connected PV system under partial shading conditions

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are subject to partial shading in many practical situations due to nearby obstacles like trees, buildings and the adjacent PV panels. Multiple peaks can exist on the resulting power-voltage (P-V) characteristics of the PV panel under partial shading conditions. This may disturb the efficient maximum power point tracking (MPPT) operation as many existing MPPT methods can converge to local peaks. In this paper, effects of different shading conditions on the characteristics of the PV panel have been investigated. Based on the results and observations, a simple MPPT technique is proposed to circumvent the trappings into the local peaks. The proposed method is based on several critical observations under common shading conditions. The proposed method uses variable step approach which considerably reduces the time to track the global peak. Effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified by computer simulations and experimental results.
Objective quality assessment method of stereo images

Several metrics have been proposed in literature to assess the quality of 2D images, but the metrics devoted to quality assessment of stereoscopic images are very scarce. Therefore, in this paper, an objective assessment method is proposed to predict the quality level of stereoscopic images. This method assesses stereo images from the perspective of image quality and stereo sense. Experiments demonstrate that the objective assessment method the paper presented gets similar results with the general subjective assessment method. And the method is simple, rapid, convenient and practical.
Bovine Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cell Monolayers as a Model System for the Blood‐Brain Barrier a

Investigation of blood-brain barrier permeability and metabolic processes, and their regulation by endogenous or exogenous factors, will be important for development of efficient and selective delivery of therapeutic agents to the central nervous system. Primary cultures of brain microvessel endothelial cells offer a potentially powerful tool for studying at the cellular level the biochemical mechanisms regulating BBB function. Using this in vitro model, our studies are directed at characterization of the BBB processes that might be exploited as new schemes for drug delivery to the central nervous system.
Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Perceptions toward Technology Benefits and Integration.

This study examined preservice teacher attitudes toward and expected technology integration practices as compared to in-service teachers’ attitudes toward and actual (self-reported) practice of technology integration. The preservice teachers revealed a greater level of confidence in their ability to integrate technology and more positive beliefs in the benefits of using technology to improve teaching and learning than did in-service teachers. However, these differences were not evidenced when examining perceptions on the basis of self-reported technology skill levels. Both preservice and in-service teachers who reported above average technology skills revealed significantly more positive attitudes and perceptions about technology integration than those who indicated less skill. These findings confirm the need to continue preservice and in-service initiatives that not only better prepare K-12 teachers to effectively integrate technology into the classroom, but also increase their technology skills.
Variational Crimes and L 00 Error Estimates in the Finite Element Method * By

In order to numerically solve a second-order linear elliptic boundary value problem in a bounded domain, using the finite element method, it is often necessary in practice to violate certain assumptions of the standard variational formulation. Two of these "variational crimes" will be emphasized here and it will be shown that optimal L error estimates still hold. The first "crime" occurs when a nonconforming finite element method is employed, so that smoothness requirements are violated at interelement boundaries. The second "crime" occurs when numerical integration is employed, so that the bilinear form is perturbed. In both cases, the "patch test" is crucial to the proof of L°° estimates, just as it was in the case of mean-square estimates.
Assessing the role of food quality in the production and hatching of Temora longicornis eggs

We utilized the varying fatty acid composition of phytoplankton to create 19 different food treatments based on different ratios of 5 potentially important fatty acids and offered these to the copepod Temora longicornis. Egg production and hatching was monitored and related to ingested carbon, dietary fatty acids and the utilization of maternal fatty acid reserves. Egg production rates depended on ingested carbon and the fatty acid 20:5n-3 from the diet and from the female reserves. Hatching success showed a significant dependence on the ingested and maternal fatty acids 22:6n-3, 18:5n-3 and 18:3n-3. Production of nauplii as a combination of egg production and hatching was highly dependent on the fatty acid 22:6n-3 and carbon ingestion. The study confirms the importance of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for copepod reproduction and indicates that the female differen- tially utilizes its fatty acid reserves depending on dietary fatty acid availability during reproduction and that egg production and hatching are dependent on different dietary fatty acids.
Structural and Functional Analysis of Transmembrane XI of the NHE1 Isoform of the Na+/H+ Exchanger*

The Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 is a ubiquitously expressed integral membrane protein that regulates intracellular pH in mammals by extruding an intracellular H+ in exchange for one extracellular Na+. We characterized structural and functional aspects of the critical transmembrane (TM) segment XI (residues 449-470) by using cysteine scanning mutagenesis and high resolution NMR. Each residue of TM XI was mutated to cysteine in the background of the cysteine-less protein and the sensitivity to water-soluble sulfhydryl reactive compounds MTSET ((2-(trimethylammonium) ethyl)methanethiosulfonate) and MTSES ((2-sulfonatoethyl) methanethiosulfonate) was determined for those residues with at least moderate activity remaining. Of the residues tested, only proteins with mutations L457C, I461C, and L465C were inhibited by MTSET. The activity of the L465C mutant was almost completely eliminated, whereas that of the L457C and I461C mutants was partially affected. The structure of a peptide representing TM XI (residues Lys447-Lys472) was determined using high resolution NMR spectroscopy in dodecylphosphocholine micelles. The structure consisted of helical regions between Asp447-Tyr454 and Phe460-Lys471 at the N and C termini of the peptide, respectively, connected by a region with poorly defined, irregular structure consisting of residues Gly455-Gly459. TM XI of NHE1 had a structural similarity to TM XI of the Escherichia coli Na+/H+ exchanger NhaA. The results suggest that TM XI is a discontinuous helix, with residue Leu465 contributing to the pore.
A framework for comparing concept maps

Concept maps are at the base of teaching activity and they are widely used in the process of creating courses. In the perspective of reusing learning materials, we could do the same (reuse) also with concept maps. Unfortunately concepts maps are hard to compare in an educational setting, as most of the algorithms applied to this task work mainly on structural similarity, and may take into limited account pedagogical issues. In this work, we consider some measures that take into consideration both structural and didactic aspects of the concept maps, such as the prerequisite relation and the commonality of concepts, and present a framework that allows teacher to draw and/or compare her concept map with maps proposed by other teachers, in order to highlight common pedagogical aspects.
Photochemical Generation of 9H‐Fluorenyl Radicals

A series of 9‐substituted fluorenols and 9,9′‐disubstituted‐9,9′‐bifluorenyls were irradiated to give products derived from fluorenyl radicals. Product distribution was solvent dependent. A TEMPO adduct was isolated from the photoexcitation of 9‐fluorenol. An unusual unsymmetrical 3,9′‐bifluorenyl was observed from the photolysis of 9‐trifluoromethylfluorenol and 9,9′‐di(trifluoromethyl)‐9,9′‐bifluorenyl in more polar or hydrogen‐bonding solvents. The electronic nature of 9‐substituted fluorenyl radicals was probed using theoretical calculations showing the dipolar character of species with electron‐deficient groups. These constitute the first examples of “doubly destabilized” radicals.
Student's plagiarism--a challenge for paramedic educators.

Student's plagiarism is a growing problem not only in the writing of controlling essays, but above all in the writing in BSc. /MSc. diploma theses, which sometimes can be simply bought from ghost-writers. This is a major challenge for medical educators, particularly in paramedic professions. The aim of this paper is to overview the frequency of plagiarism among students, the factors influencing plagiarism, the ways of detecting it and potential countermeasures.
CD8 T Cell Recall Responses Are Regulated by the Tissue Tropism of the Memory Cell and Pathogen1

Whether memory CD8 T cells can be reactivated in nonlymphoid tissues is unclear. Using mice lacking the spleen, lymph nodes, or both, we show that the secondary T cell response, but not homeostatic maintenance of memory cells, required lymphoid tissue. Whereas primary and secondary CD8 T cell responses to vesicular stomatitis virus infection were lymph node dependent, responses to Listeria monocytogenes infection were driven primarily in the spleen. Memory cell subset reactivation was also regulated by location of the responding population and the pathogen. Thus, CD62Llow effector memory T cells (TEM) cells responded nearly as well as CD62Lhigh central memory T cells (TCM) and TCM cells after L. monocytogenes infection, and both subsets generated equivalent populations of secondary memory cells. In contrast, TCM cells, but not TEM cells, mounted a robust response to vesicular stomatitis virus infection. TCM and TEM cells also required lymphoid tissue to mount recall responses, and the bone marrow did not contribute significantly to the response of either subset. Our findings indicated that characteristics of the infectious agent and the migratory preferences of memory cells dictated the secondary lymphoid tissue requirement for the recall response to infection.
Immortalization of rabbit corneal epithelial cells by a recombinant SV40-adenovirus vector.

PURPOSE Cultured corneal epithelial cell is detrimental because of its short life span and its heterogeneity. We have tried to establish an immortalized epithelial cell line. METHODS Primary cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells were infected with a recombinant SV40-adenovirus vector and were cloned three times. RESULTS The immortalized cell continued to grow by more than 400 generations through 100 passages. SV40-associated large T antigen was demonstrable on the nuclear membrane of these immortalized cells by immunofluorescence technique. This cell line exhibited a similar cobblestone-like appearance as normal corneal epithelial cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed a line of evidence for stratification, including desmosome formation and microvilli development at the superficial cell layer. As the culture grew, these cells began to express cornea-specific 64 kD cytokeratins. In contrast to cultured normal corneal epithelial cells, this cell line had a good proliferative ability after a long-term storage in liquid nitrogen. CONCLUSIONS Because this particular cell line shares properties consistent with normal corneal epithelial cells and is easy to handle in vitro, it may serve as a useful tool in corneal epithelial research.
Coordinate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐1 (fit‐1) and its ligand suggests a paracrine regulation of murine vascular development

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a candidate regulator of blood vessel growth during embryonic development and in tumors. To evaluate the role of VEGF receptor‐1/flt‐1 (VEGFR1/flt‐1) in the development of the vascular system, we have characterized the murine homolog of the human flt‐1 gene and have analyzed its expression pattern during mouse embryogenesis. Receptor binding studies using transfected COS cells revealed that the murine flt‐1 gene encodes a high affinity receptor for VEGF. The apparent Kd for VEGF binding, as determined by Scatchard analysis, was 114 pM, demonstrating that VEGFR1/flt‐1 has a higher affinity to VEGF than VEGF receptor‐2/flk‐1 (VEGFR2/flk‐1). By in situ hybridization, VEGFR1/flt‐1 was detected in the yolk sac mesoderm already at the early stages of vascular development, while the receptor ligand was expressed in the entire endoderm of 7.5‐day mouse embryos. A comparison with VEGFR2/flk‐1 showed that the two receptors shared a common expression domain in the yolk sac mesoderm, but were expressed at different sites in the ectoplacental cone. The differential expression of the two VEGF receptors persisted in the developing placenta, where VEGFR1/flt‐1 mRNA was detected in the spongiotrophoblast layer, whereas VEGFR2/flk‐1 transcripts were present in the labyrinthine layer which is the site of VEGF expression. In the embryo proper, VEGFR1/flt‐1 mRNA was specifically localized in blood vessels and capillaries of the developing organs, closely resembling the pattern of VEGFR2/flk‐1 transcript distribution. In the developing brain, the expression of VEGF receptors in the perineural capillary plexus and in capillary sprouts which have invaded the neuroectoderm correlated with endothelial cell proliferation and brain angiogenesis. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that VEGF and its receptors have an important function both in the differentiation of the endothelial lineage and in the neovascularization of developing organs, and act in a paracrine fashion. © 1995 wiley‐Liss, Inc.
How Stable are WordNet Synsets

The diachronic study of the permanent WordNet sense keys reveals that the WordNet synonym sets have stayed very stable through every version of the lexical database since 1.5 (1995), even though the synset identiﬁers continually changed. In particular, contrary to expectations, 94.5% of the WordNet 1.5 synsets still persisted in the latest 2012 version, compared to only 89.2% of the corresponding sense keys. Mean-while, the splits and merges between synonym sets remained few and simple. We discuss implications of these results for WordNet mappings, and present tables that allow to estimate the lexicographic eﬀort needed for updating WordNet-based resources to newer WordNet versions.
FPGA Implementation of Particle Filter Based Object Tracking in Video

There is a continuous requirement of enhancing the computation speed with minimum resources to improve performance of signal processing algorithm. This paper proposes an architecture and implementation of a modified color histogram based Particle filter for object tracking in video. This architecture implements weight calculation and histogram calculation in a highly parallel form. The proposed architecture occupies less resource saving by effective memory utilization. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated using a single object scenario.
Design, fabrication and characterization of 585 GHz integrated focal-plane arrays based on heterostructure backward diodes

We report the design, fabrication and characterization results of 585 GHz focal-plane arrays (FPAs) using Sb-based heterostructure backward diodes (Sb-HBDs) integrated with lens-coupled folded-dipole antennas (LC-FDAs). Under impedance matching condition, a responsivity of 9,800 V/W at 585 GHz for a single array element detector can be achieved based on simulation results. In order to expand the single element into two-dimensional (2D) FPAs, the off-axis radiation patterns of the FDA array, as well as the mutual coupling between adjacent elements have been analyzed. The designed 2D arrays have been fabricated and characterization results are presented.