Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pseudomonas syringae Coordinates Production of a Motility-Enabling Surfactant with Flagellar Assembly

ABSTRACT Using a sensitive assay, we observed low levels of an unknown surfactant produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a that was not detected by traditional methods yet enabled swarming motility in a strain that exhibited deficient production of syringafactin, the main characterized surfactant produced by P. syringae. Random mutagenesis of the syringafactin-deficient strain revealed an acyltransferase with homology to rhlA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa that was required for production of this unidentified surfactant, subsequently characterized by mass spectrometry as 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy) alkanoic acid (HAA). Analysis of other mutants with altered surfactant production revealed that HAA is coordinately regulated with the late-stage flagellar gene encoding flagellin; mutations in genes involved in early flagellar assembly abolish or reduce HAA production, while mutations in flagellin or flagellin glycosylation genes increase its production. When colonizing a hydrated porous surface, the bacterium increases production of both flagellin and HAA. P. syringae was defective in porous-paper colonization without functional flagella and was slightly inhibited in this movement when it lacked surfactant production. Loss of HAA production in a syringafactin-deficient strain had no effect on swimming but abolished swarming motility. In contrast, a strain that lacked HAA but retained syringafactin production exhibited broad swarming tendrils, while a syringafactin-producing strain that overproduced HAA exhibited slender swarming tendrils. On the basis of further analysis of mutants altered in HAA production, we discuss its regulation in Pseudomonas syringae.
Experimental Model for Bone Regeneration in Oral and Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery

ABSTRACT Bone and tooth loss, as a result of trauma, anatomical or congenital reasons, cancer, and periodontal disease, is a common therapeutic problem in the fields of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery and periodontics. The proposed techniques for the treatment of various bone defects encountered include bone grafts, bone substitutes, guided tissue regeneration, and distraction osteogenesis as well as their combinations. In addition, dental implants have been successfully utilized for the restoration of full or partial edentulism. The introduction and development of new therapeutic approaches and devices demand the use of appropriate animal models that present bone anatomy and healing comparable to human. Among other animal models, the pig is extensively documented in several biomedical areas and has been largely used in maxillo-facial surgery and implants dentistry-related research. Anatomical and physiological similarities with human in size, physiology, and bone biology contribute to a successful involvement of this animal to understand and treat various osseous lesions. However, improvements and standardization are requested with respect to consistency and discrimination abilities. The aim of this review is to provide a critical appraisal of the literature related to swine models for the evaluation of cranio-maxillo-facial osseous defect healing, regeneration, and bone-implant interface. This review should assist researchers in the field to select the most appropriate model for each dedicated purpose and also contribute to stimulate an innovative thinking on the use of porcine models.
Modeling the Volatility of the Bucharest Stock Exchange Using the GARCH Models

This paper investigates the volatility of daily returns in the Romanian stock market over the period January 2005 to December 2017. Volatility is analysed using four stock market indices (BET, BETC, BETPlus and ROTX). We aimed in this article to identify an econometric model to shape volatility of our selected stock market indices. The analysis was carried out using GARCH models, very useful tools applied in financial economics. In the survey, the best model was identified for analysing the volatility of the stock market indices. The conditional volatility for the daily return series shows a clear evidence of volatility shifting over the period. In the course of the examination, we discovered that there is a great influence of international stock markets on the capital market operations in Romania.
Increased concentrations of the soluble mannose receptor in serum from patients with pneumococcal bacteraemia, and prediction of survival

Abstract Background: The soluble mannose receptor (sMR) is a new serum marker of macrophage activation. The aim of the present study was to investigate sMR as a prognostic marker in patients with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and compare it to other inflammatory biomarkers. Methods: Samples from 128 patients with IPD were collected at the time of first positive blood culture and analysed using an in-house sMR assay. Clinical data were retrieved from patient files. The main outcome investigated was in-hospital mortality. Results: The median sMR concentration in the entire group of patients was 0.77 mg/L. There was a significant difference in sMR concentration between patients below (n = 92, sMR = 0.82 mg/L) or above (n = 36, sMR = 0.73 mg/L) the age of 75 (p < 0.001). In the entire group there was a significant difference in sMR concentrations between survivors (n = 107, sMR = 0.72 mg/L) and non-survivors (n = 21, sMR = 1.38 mg/L), but for patients 75 years or older this difference was not statistically significant. For prediction of survival sMR seemed most promising (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.79) compared with sCD163 (AUC = 0.70) and CRP (AUC = 0.73). In patients 75 years or older the AUC was lower for all three markers (sMR = 0.56, sCD163 = 0.38, CRP = 0.66). Conclusions: The results of this study designate sMR as a potential new biomarker in infectious disease. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of research into macrophage malfunction in elderly patients.
Study on the Relationship between CSR and Financial Performance

This study analyzed whether a systematic relationship exists between corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and corporate financial performance using 191 sample firms listed on the Korea Exchange. The Korea Economic Justice Institute (KEJI) index of 2015 was used to measure CSR performance; profitability and firm value were used to measure corporate financial performance. Return on assets was used as a proxy for profitability, and Tobin’s Q was used as a proxy for firm value. The correlation between these variables and CSR performance was examined through correlation and regression analysis. The results confirm that CSR performance has a partial positive correlation with profitability and firm value. These results are partly consistent with those of previous studies reporting a positive relationship between CSR and Korean firms’ financial performance using the KEJI index before 2011. In the relationship between CSR performance and profitability, only social contribution yields a statistically positive correlation. Analysis of the correlation between CSR performance and financial performance indicators revealed a positive relationship between the growth rate of total assets and corporate soundness and social contribution. Both soundness and social contribution showed a positive correlation with Tobin’s Q, the measure of corporate value.
A spatio-temporal delineation of trans-boundary ecosystem service flows from Inner Mongolia

Ecosystem service (ES) flows across geophysical and administrative boundaries are ubiquitous and are receiving more attention in an increasingly metacoupled world. Omitting trans-boundary ES flows from ES assessments will lead to unilateral conclusions and underestimation of ES contributions over distances. Inner Mongolia is an important ecological security barrier of China and Eurasia, but the trans-boundary effect of this barrier is difficult to be quantitatively evaluated and is rarely assessed. This study assessed the ecological security barrier function of Inner Mongolia from the perspective of trans-boundary ES flows, including wind prevention and sand fixation (WPSF), water provision (WP), carbon sequestration (CS) and livestock product provision (LPP) service flows. The trans-boundary value flows for the WPSF, WP, CS and LPP services in 2010 were 6.20 × 1010 CNY (Chinese currency, yuan), 0.21 × 1010 CNY, 1.29 × 1010 CNY and 1.27 × 1010 CNY, respectively, and 5.89 × 1010 CNY, 0.16 × 1010 CNY, 0.37 × 1010 CNY and 1.33 × 1010 CNY, respectively, in 2015; correspondingly, the percentages of these trans-boundary value flows in terms of the total value flow were 69.12%, 2.34%, 14.38% and 14.16%, respectively, in 2010 and 76.00%, 2.06%, 4.77% and 17.16%, respectively, in 2015. Therefore, WPSF service plays a more important role in the trans-boundary ecological security barrier function of Inner Mongolia. This study can enhance the understanding of trans-boundary telecoupling in an integral socio-ecological system and identify the critical ESs to form a foundation for ecological conservation measures considering sustainable development.
A new resource constrained scheduling method based on dynamic combination of genetic algorithm and ant algorithm

A new resource constrained scheduling method based on dynamic combination of genetic algorithm(GA) and ant algorithm (AA) is proposed in this paper. In this method, initial pheromone distribution is generated from GA, and then optimal solutions are searched using AA. Dynamic switching conditions are also discussed. Experimental data indicates that the average scheduling time under resource constraints by our method is 5.6% less than GA and 3.3% less than AA.
On the nature of anomalous rectification in thalamocortical neurones of the cat ventrobasal thalamus in vitro

1 Intracellular sharp electrode current clamp and discontinuous single electrode voltage clamp recordings were made from thalamocortical neurones (n= 57) of the cat ventrobasal thalamus in order to investigate the mechanisms underlying anomalous rectification. 2 Under current clamp conditions, voltage‐current (V–I) relationships in a potential range of −55 to −110 mV demonstrated anomalous rectification with two components: fast rectification, which controlled the peak of negative voltage deviations, and time‐dependent rectification. Time‐dependent rectification was apparent as a depolarizing sag generated during the course of negative voltage deviations, was first formed at potentials in the range −60 to −70 mV, and was sensitive to 3 mm Cs+ (n= 6). Similarly, under voltage clamp conditions, instantaneous and steady‐state I–V relationships demonstrated anomalous rectification. A slowly activating inward current with an activation threshold in the range of −65 to −70 mV formed time‐dependent rectification. This current was sensitive to Cs+ (3 mm) (n= 3) and had properties similar to the slow inward mixed cationic current (Ih). 3 4‐(N‐Ethyl‐N‐phenylamino)‐l,2‐dimethyl‐6‐(methylamino)‐pyrimidinium chloride (ZD7288) (100–300 μm) irreversibly blocked time‐dependent rectification mediated by Ih (n= 23 of 25 neurones), and led to a hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential (6.8 ± 0.5 mV). In the presence of ZD 7288, V–I and I–V relationships exhibited fast anomalous rectification, first activated from potential more negative than −80 mV. 4 Ba2+ (100 μm) (n= 8), in the continuous presence of ZD 7288, reversibly linearized peak V–I and instantaneous I–V relationships over a potential range of −70 to −120 mV, and led to a membrane depolarization (13.3 ± 4.2 mV) or tonic inward current (192 ± 36 pA). 5 The co‐application of ZD 7288 and Ba2+ revealed a depolarizing sag in negative voltage deviations under current clamp conditions, or a large inward current with kinetics two to three times slower than those of Ih under voltage clamp conditions. This novel form of time‐dependent rectification was first apparent at potentials more negative than about −85 mV, was sensitive to 5 mm Cs+ (n= 4), and is termed Ih,slow. Ih,slow tail currents reversed between −65.3 and −56.6 mV (with potassium acetate electrodes, n= 3) or −57.6 and −50.3 mV (with KCl electrodes, n= 3). 6 Computer simulations confirmed that the pattern of anomalous rectification in thalamocortical neurones of the cat ventrobasal thalamus is mediated by the concerted action of Ih and a Ba2+ ‐sensitive current with properties similar to an inwardly rectifying K+ current (IKIR).
A Frequency-Position Function for the Human Cochlear Spiral Ganglion

Greenwood’s frequency-position function for the organ of Corti (OC) is commonly used to estimate represented frequencies for cochlear implant (CI) electrodes, both in temporal bone studies and in imaging studies of living CI recipients. However, many contemporary CIs position stimulating electrodes near the modiolus, directly targeting the spiral ganglion (SG) cells within Rosenthal’s canal. At the extreme base and apex, the SG does not extend as far as the OC, and the radial nerve fibers take a tangential course into the modiolus resulting in a potential offset between the frequency maps of the OC and SG. In this investigation, human cadaveric cochleae (n = 7) were studied in surface preparations after osmium staining. The OC and SG lengths were measured and radial fiber trajectories traced to identify frequency-matched points on each structure. These data allowed derivation of a mathematical function correlating represented frequency along the OC to position along the SG. A cubic function fit the data with a very high intersubject correlation. Better knowledge of the human SG ‘neural frequency map’ may help to refine electrode design, and to more accurately map CI channel filter bands to the appropriate cochlear place along the SG, which may be advantageous for more sophisticated CI outcomes, such as music appreciation. These data also could be valuable for electroacoustic stimulation, by defining the insertion distance of a CI electrode required to reach specific frequencies (based upon preoperative imaging) in an individual subject, thus helping to avoid trauma to cochlear regions with residual hearing.
Arrestin 3 Mediates Endocytosis of CCR7 following Ligation of CCL19 but Not CCL211

Internalization of ligand bound G protein-coupled receptors, an important cellular function that mediates receptor desensitization, takes place via distinct pathways, which are often unique for each receptor. The C-C chemokine receptor (CCR7) G protein-coupled receptor is expressed on naive T cells, dendritic cells, and NK cells and has two endogenous ligands, CCL19 and CCL21. Following binding of CCL21, 21 ± 4% of CCR7 is internalized in the HuT 78 human T cell lymphoma line, while 76 ± 8% of CCR7 is internalized upon binding to CCL19. To determine whether arrestins mediated differential internalization of CCR7/CCL19 vs CCR7/CCL21, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down expression of arrestin 2 or arrestin 3 in HuT 78 cells. Independent of arrestin 2 or arrestin 3 expression, CCR7/CCL21 internalized. In contrast, following depletion of arrestin 3, CCR7/CCL19 failed to internalize. To examine the consequence of complete loss of both arrestin 2 and arrestin 3 on CCL19/CCR7 internalization, we examined CCR7 internalization in arrestin 2−/−/arrestin 3−/− murine embryonic fibroblasts. Only reconstitution with arrestin 3-GFP but not arrestin 2-GFP rescued internalization of CCR7/CCL19. Loss of arrestin 2 or arrestin 3 blocked migration to CCL19 but had no effect on migration to CCL21. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we found that arrestins do not cluster at the membrane with CCR7 following ligand binding but cap with CCR7 during receptor internalization. These are the first studies that define a role for arrestin 3 in the internalization of a chemokine receptor following binding of one but not both endogenous ligands.
Structure of the WD40‐domain of human ATG16L1

Autophagy‐related protein ATG16L1 is a component of the mammalian ATG12∼ATG5/ATG16L1 complex, which acts as E3‐ligase to catalyze lipidation of LC3 during autophagosome biogenesis. The N‐terminal part of ATG16L1 comprises the ATG5‐binding site and coiled‐coil dimerization domain, both also present in yeast ATG16 and essential for bulk and starvation induced autophagy. While absent in yeast ATG16, mammalian ATG16L1 further contains a predicted C‐terminal WD40‐domain, which has been shown to be involved in mediating interaction with diverse factors in the context of alternative functions of autophagy, such as inflammatory control and xenophagy. In this work, we provide detailed information on the domain boundaries of the WD40‐domain of human ATG16L1 and present its crystal structure at a resolution of 1.55 Å.
Regeneration of Cut Adult Axons Fails Even in the Presence of Continuous Aligned Glial Pathways

The present study tests whether lesions small enough to allow the rapid reestablishment of a normally aligned tract glial framework would provide a permissive environment for the regeneration of cut adult CNS axons. We made penetrating microlesions which cut a narrow beam of axons in the adult rat cingulum, but caused minimal damage to the tract glial framework and no cavitation. The proximal tips of cut axons were identified by enhanced immunoreactivity for low affinity neurotrophin receptor, p75. From 1 day they became expanded into large growth-cone-like structures. At later times some axons turned back and extended in the reverse direction. Up to 14 days (after which time p75 could no longer be used as a marker), no axons advanced beyond the line of the lesion. From 1 to 2 days, OX42 immunostaining and electron microscopy showed that the lesion site was densely infiltrated by macrophages, which disappeared by 3 to 4 days. This was followed by a local hypertrophy of the OX42 immunoreactive resident tract microglial cells and an increase in both GFAP and vimentin immunoreactivity of the tract astrocytes. These responses were greatly reduced by 8 days, when the longitudinal alignment of glial processes across the lesion site was similar to that of an undamaged tract. The large growth-cone-like structures formed at the ends of the cut axons resemble those of developing axons exposed to chemorepulsive factors. This suggests that cellular elements in adult tract lesions may also exert chemorepulsive influences blocking regeneration of axons even in an apparently "open" tract framework.
An Agenda for Unemployment Research: A Challenge for Public Health

Unemployment figures are high worldwide, and this should be a challenge for both researchers and politicians. Public health research has a tradition of descriptive studies among the unemployed at the individual level and has to a limited extent been engaged in interventive and preventive trials to study the effect of different measures to counter unemployment. The article gives a brief review of the development of postwar unemployment research and proposes an agenda for unemployment research within public health for the coming years.
Vertical price transmission in the white teff market in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The paper contributes to the scant literature on vertical price transmission between farmers and retailers in the white teff market in Ethiopia, investigating the features of this phenomenon across the most important production regions. Using Vector Error Correction and Threshold Vector Error Correction models, our study complements the traditional investigations of linear vertical integration with the analysis of possible asymmetries in price transmission. We adopted monthly retail price series from July 2004 until January 2014. The retail price allowed us a better understanding of how an inefficient market system taxes consumers than did the wholesale price normally used in the literature. We found a low speed of vertical price co-integration for white teff with different features at the regional level. Our results show linear or symmetric price transmission for the Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region regions, revealing the relative efficiency and competitiveness of the market. On the other hand, we found the presence of non-linear price transmission for the Oromia and Tigrai regions; this asymmetry result pronounced towards positive price shocks implying a persistent price rise that worsens the livelihood of final users. Based on our findings, we suggest, among other measures, providing better market infrastructure, encouraging market participation for the product, introducing and disseminating cultures and institutions that bring producers and sellers closer, increasing the productivity of producers and the supply of their produce, and strengthening farmers’ organisation as measures of policy intervention to enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the white teff supply chain in Ethiopia.
Politically Connected Independent Directors and Corporate Fraud in China

This study investigates the effect of politically connected independent directors on a firm's likelihood of committing fraud in China. We classify the political backgrounds of independent directors into three categories based on their employment histories: local background, central background, and local and central background. Using corporate fraud data from 2000 to 2014, we find that independent directors with local political backgrounds significantly reduce the likelihood of a firm committing fraud. Further analysis shows that locally connected independent directors are more likely to have both employment experience in regulatory agencies and financial/accounting/law expertise.
Multi-level inverter co-simulation based on the Zynq-7000 platform

Multi-level inverters became a competitive technology in the field of medium voltage inverters. Cellular H-Bridge (CHB) is a traditional multilevel topology, which seems to have a lot of attractive features in the MV applications. During the MV product development, rapid prototype methods like co-hardware simulation can be applied to shorten the inverter control verification process. This paper presents a CHB multilevel inverter model with Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) arrangement and simulation results on Zynq-7000 platform. During the modeling and testing Matlab is used extensively. Matlab makes easier not only the development, but the debugging and verification as well.
Effect of sand storms on the microwave links

Effect of sand storms on microwave link had been presented and evaluated by finding the attenuation and scattering properties for suspended sand samples on a link that operates at 3GHz on desert region of Libya. This link as the map shows located on the medial region of Libya and originates from the Mediterranean Sea shore deep into the desert. Sand samples were collected from six sits over a period of seven months. The first from the city of Agedabia (latitude 30' 15" 40.75N, longitude 19' 11" 19.86E) which is near the Mediterranean sea (in the golf of Sirt), but has a climate as that for the desert besides the high humidity, the second is from a repeater site (station 2) which 20 km to the sought of Agedabia the third from station 3 (55km south of station 2), the fourth from station 4 (55 km from station 3) the fifth from the repeater station at city of Jalo which is 250 km south of Agedabia and the last sample where from the repeater station of Serier which is about 320km south of Agedabia deep in the desert. A big variation in, the chemical composition, and the dimensions were found from the results a model for finding the attenuation factor per unit length were presented and used along with Particle Size Distribution PSD.