Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial Analysis of Accidental Oil Spills Using Heterogeneous Data: A Case Study from the North-Eastern Ecuadorian Amazon

Accidental oil spills were assessed in the north-eastern Ecuadorian Amazon, a rich biodiversity and cultural heritage area. Institutional reports were used to estimate oil spill volumes over the period 2001–2011. However, we had to make with heterogeneous and incomplete data. After statistically discriminating well- and poorly-documented oil blocks, some spill factors were derived from the former to spatially allocate oil spills where fragmentary data were available. Spatial prediction accuracy was assessed using similarity metrics in a cross-validation approach. Results showed 464 spill events (42.2/year), accounting for 10,000.2 t of crude oil, equivalent to annual discharges of 909.1 (±SD = 1219.5) t. Total spill volumes increased by 54.8% when spill factors were used to perform allocation to poorly-documented blocks. Resulting maps displayed pollution ‘hotspots’ in Dayuma and Joya de Los Sachas, with the highest inputs averaging 13.8 t km−2 year−1. The accuracy of spatial prediction ranged from 32 to 97%, depending on the metric and the weight given to double-zeros. Simulated situations showed that estimation accuracy depends on variabilities in incident occurrences and in spill volumes per incident. Our method is suitable for mapping hazards and risks in sensitive ecosystems, particularly in areas where incomplete data hinder this process.
Comparison of Methods to Estimate Physical Activity and Energy Expenditure in African American Children

Low levels of physical activity and high levels of obesity among children in the US is a public health concern. Accurate methods to estimate physical activity are needed to determine the efficacy of intervention programs and to explore relationships between daily physical activity and health status in children. The purpose of this study was to compare the simultaneous use of the Tritrac-R3D accelerometer (Tritrac), Yamax SW-200 Digiwalker step-counter (Digiwalker) and the Self Administered Physical Activity Checklist (SAPAC) to assess physical activity (PA) and energy expenditure (EE) in African-American children aged 7 to 10 years, using the doubly-labeled water (DLW) as the criterion method. Physical activity and energy expenditure were measured over seven consecutive days under free-living conditions. Resting metabolic rate and peak VO(2) were measured before the experimental period. There was no difference in physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) measured by Tritrac or DLW (p > 0.05). Tritrac activity counts were highly correlated with DLW-PAEE (r = 0.81). High correlations between Digiwalker and DLW were observed when body weight was considered. A low correlation (r = 0.49) was observed between the physical activity energy expenditure by SAPAC and DLW. In conclusion, with some limitations the Tritrac and Digiwalker can provide useful and accurate information about PA and EE in 7- to 10-year-old children.
The blind search for the closed states of hinge‐bending proteins

The hinge‐bending proteins provide the most pronounced example of the large‐amplitude slow motions in a number of proteins, which are critical for their functioning. They are often used as the test ground for developing novel approaches to the simulation of slow protein dynamics. In the present study, we present the algorithm, which allows physically‐consistent simulations of slow protein dynamics in globular proteins. Our algorithm is based on the hierarchical clustering of the correlation patterns (HCCP) technique of domain identification, which allows subdividing the protein into the hierarchy of the rigid‐body‐like clusters. The clusters are allowed to rotate relative to one another on the automatically identified hinges. The clusters are found in the course of automated, objective and well‐tested procedure. In the present communication, our technique is applied to 10 hinge‐bending proteins. For each of the proteins, we performed the blind search for the closed conformation, staring from the open one. Resulting closed conformations are compared with the closed states observed in crystallographic structures. It is shown that our technique produces realistic closed conformations for 8 out of 10 studied proteins. This demonstrates that HCCP technique can be used for finding alternative protein conformations and for sampling the slow motions in proteins. Proteins 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of a Pair of Phospholipid:Diacylglycerol Acyltransferases from Developing Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) Seed Catalyzing the Selective Production of Trilinolenin*

Background: Triacylglycerol (TAG) can be formed via an acyl-CoA-dependent or acyl-CoA-independent pathway. Results: Overexpressing particular flax phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) genes in yeast and Arabidopsis resulted in an enhanced proportion of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in TAG. Conclusion: Certain PDATs have the unique ability to efficiently channel ALA into TAG. Significance: The identified PDATs will benefit future projects aimed at producing oils with enhanced polyunsaturated fatty acid content. The oil from flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) has high amounts of α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3cisΔ9,12,15) and is one of the richest sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3-PUFAs). To produce ∼57% ALA in triacylglycerol (TAG), it is likely that flax contains enzymes that can efficiently transfer ALA to TAG. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a systematic characterization of TAG-synthesizing enzymes from flax. We identified several genes encoding acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGATs) and phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferases (PDATs) from the flax genome database. Due to recent genome duplication, duplicated gene pairs have been identified for all genes except DGAT2-2. Analysis of gene expression indicated that two DGAT1, two DGAT2, and four PDAT genes were preferentially expressed in flax embryos. Yeast functional analysis showed that DGAT1, DGAT2, and two PDAT enzymes restored TAG synthesis when produced recombinantly in yeast H1246 strain. The activity of particular PDAT enzymes (LuPDAT1 and LuPDAT2) was stimulated by the presence of ALA. Further seed-specific expression of flax genes in Arabidopsis thaliana indicated that DGAT1, PDAT1, and PDAT2 had significant effects on seed oil phenotype. Overall, this study indicated the existence of unique PDAT enzymes from flax that are able to preferentially catalyze the synthesis of TAG containing ALA acyl moieties. The identified LuPDATs may have practical applications for increasing the accumulation of ALA and other polyunsaturated fatty acids in oilseeds for food and industrial applications.
Structural Basis of Pilus Anchoring by the Ancillary Pilin RrgC of Streptococcus pneumoniae*

Background: RrgC is a key component of the pneumococcal pilus, a virulence factor that plays an important role in pathogenesis. Results: RrgC folds into three independent domains and requires the housekeeping sortase for surface association. Conclusion: The rod-like structure of RrgC suggests that it stably bridges peptidoglycan and pilus fiber. Significance: A complete model of the pneumococcal pilus reveals a multidomain, flexible assembly. Pili are surface-attached, fibrous virulence factors that play key roles in the pathogenesis process of a number of bacterial agents. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a causative agent of pneumonia and meningitis, and the appearance of drug-resistance organisms has made its treatment challenging, especially in developing countries. Pneumococcus-expressed pili are composed of three structural proteins: RrgB, which forms the polymerized backbone, RrgA, the tip-associated adhesin, and RrgC, which presumably associates the pilus with the bacterial cell wall. Despite the fact that the structures of both RrgA and RrgB were known previously, structural information for RrgC was still lacking, impeding the analysis of a complete model of pilus architecture. Here, we report the structure of RrgC to 1.85 Å and reveal that it is a three-domain molecule stabilized by two intradomain isopeptide bonds. RrgC does not depend on pilus-specific sortases to become attached to the cell wall; instead, it binds the preformed pilus to the peptidoglycan by employing the catalytic activity of SrtA. A comprehensive model of the type 1 pilus from S. pneumoniae is also presented.
GATA‐4:FOG interactions regulate gastric epithelial development in the mouse

Transcription factor GATA‐4 is a key participant in cytodifferentiation of the mouse hindstomach. Here we show that GATA‐4 cooperates with a Friend‐of‐GATA (FOG) cofactor to direct gene expression in this segment of gut. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that GATA‐4 and FOG‐1 are co‐expressed in hindstomach epithelial cells from embryonic days (E) 11.5 to 18.5. The other member of the mammalian FOG family, FOG‐2, was not detected in gastric epithelium. To show that GATA‐4:FOG interactions influence stomach development, we analyzed Gata4ki/ki mice, which express a mutant GATA‐4 that cannot bind FOG cofactors. Sonic Hedgehog, an endoderm‐derived signaling molecule normally down‐regulated in the distal stomach, was over‐expressed in hindstomach epithelium of E11.5 Gata4ki/ki mice, and there was a concomitant decrease in fibroblast growth factor‐10 in adjacent mesenchyme. We conclude that functional interaction between GATA‐4 and a member of the FOG family, presumably FOG‐1, is required for proper epithelial‐mesenchymal signaling in the developing stomach. Developmental Dynamics 234:355–362, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HSP70 expression: does it a novel fatigue signalling factor from immune system to the brain?

Integrative physiology studies have shown that immune system and central nervous system interplay very closely towards behavioural modulation. Since the 70‐kDa heat shock proteins (HSP70s), whose heavy expression during exercise is well documented in the skeletal muscle and other tissues, is also extremely well conserved in nature during all evolutionary periods of species, it is conceivable that HSP70s might participate of physiologic responses such as fatigue induced by some types of physical exercise. In this way, increased circulating levels of extracellular HSP70 (eHSP70) could be envisaged as an immunomodulatory mechanism induced by exercise, besides other chemical messengers (e.g. cytokines) released during an exercise effort, that are able to binding a number of receptors in neural cells. Studies from this laboratory led us to believe that increased levels of eHSP70 in the plasma during exercise and the huge release of eHSP70 from lymphocytes during high‐load exercise bouts may participate in the fatigue sensation, also acting as a danger signal from the immune system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Political Connections, Government Subsidies, and Capital Misallocation: Evidence from China

We show that the political connections of Chinese firms have a substantial influence on the allocation of government subsidies, which exacerbates the economy’s capital misallocation. Our identification strategy exploits a regulation that forces politically connected independent directors – independent directors who are current and former government officials or members of the Communist Party in China – to resign from the company. Treated firms experience a substantial decline in subsidies after the regulation, especially so for low-efficiency firms. Further, treated firms’ investment efficiency improves after the regulation. Finally, we find that the degree of capital misallocation in industries that are most affected by the regulation declines. Our findings provide supporting evidence for the effectiveness of China’s anti-corruption campaign.
Effect of Partially Purified Streptococcal M Protein on the In Vitro Phagocytosis of Streptococcus pyogenes

Domingue, Gerald J. (Tulane University, New Orleans, La.), and William A. Pierce, Jr. Effect of partially purified streptococcal M protein on the in vitro phagocytosis of Streptococcus pyogenes. J. Bacteriol. 89:583–588. 1965. —M protein from Streptococcus pyogenes strain Bailey type 12 was adsorbed onto cells of a glossy mutant of this strain. Phagocytosis experiments were performed in vitro with rabbit peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Direct microscopic counts suggested M protein-treated cells were more resistant to phagocytosis than were untreated cells. With the Cohn and Morse technique for evaluating quantitatively the fate of bacteria during phagocytosis, there was observed a more rapid drop in total and extracellular counts of treated, as compared with untreated, cells. Experiments with radioactively labeled streptococci showed that M-treated cells were more readily destroyed within leukocytes than were nontreated glossy streptococci, which suggested a reason for the scarcity of treated streptococci in direct microscopic counts.
Publicly funded cultural institutions – a comparative economic valuation study

Cultural institutions are the main creators of cultural goods and services and are responsible for their accessibility; cultural institutions are also the main beneficiaries of public funds for culture. The aim of this study is to evaluate the division of public resources into different branches of culture that are rooted in political â€˜adhocismâ€™ and historical dependencies. Based on the observed visitations and their costs, a two-stage budgeting model is employed to investigate the change in consumer surplus related to the loss of access to the markets of cinemas, museums, and theatres in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. The institutions vary in terms of public good characteristics and importance as public bodies, expressed in terms of subsidies. The inclusion of the entire markets of institutions helps to overcome the embedding effect, which affects many single-site valuations. It also enables a comparison between cultural sectors, which is rare in cultural economics. We find that people assign a positive value to the accessibility of all institutions and groups of institutions. However, the estimated value generated by each type of cultural institution is not aligned with the division of subsidies between these markets. For theatres, the total benefits exceed public support. Museums are found to deliver a lower level of benefits to society; the value they generate is outweighed by the subsidies they receive. Cinemas receive little direct support; however, they are valued twice as much as museums. The problem of cultural policy lies in the division of resources, which is much more equal relative to benefits attributed to groups of museums and theatres. At the same time the division between single institutions within all three branches of culture is unequal, with the significant exclusion of non-public institutions.
Macroeconomic variables’ impact on bitcoin price change

2 | P a g e Bitcoin is the most popular digital currency nowadays. Despite the fact that it is intrinsically worthless, Bitcoin price is more than $1000. In order to create a model for predicting high price movements of Bitcoin, this paper analyses macroeconomic indicators influencing Bitcoin price change using ARCH framework. Results suggest that the changes of Dow Jones, SSE indexes and also USD/Euro exchange rate can be used for prediction Bitcoin price change direction.
The development of family alliance from pregnancy to toddlerhood and child outcomes at 5 years.

This article presents a longitudinal study of the development of "family alliance" from pregnancy to toddlerhood in a community sample, as well as its links with the emotional and cognitive development of the child at age 5 years. Family alliance is defined as the quality of the interactive coordination between family members. We consider that the alliance constitutes a context for the child to learn emotion regulation and to develop an understanding of inner states. Family interactions (N = 38) were observed at the 5th month of pregnancy and at 3, 9, and 18 months after birth in a standardized situation of observation (Lausanne Trilogue Play). Marital satisfaction and child temperament were assessed through self-reported questionnaires. Several outcomes of the child at age 5 years were measured: theory of mind performances, predominant emotional themes in pretend play, internalized and externalized symptoms. Results show that (a) three patterns of evolution of family alliance occur: "high stable" (n = 19), "high to low" (n = 10), and "low stable" (n = 9); (b) a high stable alliance is predictive of better outcomes in children at age 5 years, especially regarding theory of mind; (c) the temperament of the child is predictive of child outcomes; and (d) an interaction effect occurs between family alliance and temperament. These results highlight the importance of both family-level and individual-level variables for understanding individual differences in the social and cognitive development of children.
Gemeinschaftsdiagnose Frühjahr 2016: Aufschwung bleibt moderat - Wirtschaftspolitik wenig wachstumsorientiert

The German economy is experiencing a moderate upturn. Gross domestic product is expected to increase by 1.6 percent this year and by 1.5 percent in 2017. The upturn will be driven by private consumption, which will benefit from continued employment growth, sizeable increases in wage and transfer income and purchasing power gains thanks to lower energy prices. Fiscal policy will also be expansively oriented, partly due to rising costs related to refugee immigration. While investment in construction is also expected to expand markedly, corporate investment activity will remain subdued. Against a background of only gradual world economic recovery and strong domestic demand, no positive economic stimulus is expected from foreign trade. Public budgets will post significant surpluses in the forecasting period. Failing to use this room for manoeuvre to promote growth, as seen in recent years, is not a sustainable path. Die deutsche Wirtschaft befindet sich in einem moderaten Aufschwung. Das Bruttoinlandsprodukt durfte in diesem Jahr um 1,6 Prozent und im kommenden Jahr um 1,5 Prozent zulegen. Getragen wird der Aufschwung vom privaten Konsum, der vom anhaltenden Beschaftigungsaufbau, den spurbaren Steigerungen der Lohn- und Transfereinkommen und den Kaufkraftgewinnen infolge der gesunkenen Energiepreise profitiert. Zudem ist die Finanzpolitik, auch wegen der zunehmenden Aufwendungen zur Bewaltigung der Fluchtlingsmigration, expansiv ausgerichtet. Wahrend die Bauinvestitionen ebenfalls merklich ausgeweitet werden, bleibt die Investitionstatigkeit der Unternehmen verhalten. Aufgrund der nur allmahlichen weltwirtschaftlichen Erholung und der starken Binnennachfrage ist vom Ausenhandel kein positiver konjunktureller Impuls zu erwarten. Die offentlichen Haushalte durften im Prognosezeitraum deutliche Uberschusse erzielen. Wurden diese Handlungsspielraume wie bereits in den vergangenen Jahren wenig wachstumsorientiert genutzt, ware das nicht nachhaltig.
Fast unmanned vehicles task allocation with moving targets

This paper presents a fast algorithm for allocation at mission-time of moving targets to a group of unmanned vehicles. A fleet of UAVs must fly through a known environment to reach partially unknown locations, or targets, where three tasks: identification, attack and verification must be performed sequentially. The total mission cost is identified to be the sum of the total times that the UAVs spend completing their tasks, while respecting the task priorities and ensuring the task precedence laws. The problem is solved in two steps; the first step is performed off-line and is the most computationally intensive: the environment is subdivided into triangle-shaped areas forming the tessellation graph (TG), and the shortest path between each two vertexes couples of the plane is computed using the all-pairs-nodes Dijkstra algorithm. The second step, at mission-time, regards management of moving targets and adaptation to the results of the identification phase. Optimal task assignment is performed using the Hungarian algorithm; exact path lengths between vehicles and targets are computed from the off-line computed Dijkstra paths. One parameter is available to tune the optimal task allocation algorithm with respect to desired aggressive/selfish or cooperative behavior.
Australian Muslim Consumers and Takaful Products: an Empirical Study Investigating Awareness, Perceptions and Purchase Intentions

Purpose: The aim of this research is to empirically investigate the relationship between levels of awareness, perceptions and purchase intentions towards Islamic insurance (Takaful) products amongst Australian Muslim consumers. We delineate between general and life insurance products and seek to examine possible relationships between three components of the consumer attitude as expounded by Rosenberg and Hovland (1960) in their tripartite attitudinal model and levels of religiosity. Design/methodology: We utilize responses gained from a convenience sample of 150 Australian Muslim consumers located across metropolitan Sydney. The study was administered online via Facebook invitations. Findings: Perception plays no significant role in mediating the relationship between religiosity and purchase intentions. There was found to be a significant positive relationship awareness and perceptions of both Islamic general and life insurance and a significant negative relationship between religiosity and purchase intentions towards Islamic general insurance. Low to moderate levels of awareness were reported across general and life insurance. Limitations: The convenience sample was drawn from a homogenous sample located within the same city. This may have affected the results and impacted generalisability of results. Implications & value: The study highlights the importance of raising awareness of such products amongst Australian Muslim’s and is a pioneering study within the context of a secular non-Muslim country.
Critical Factors Affecting Consumer Acceptance of Online Health Communication: An Application of Service Quality Models

The paper examines critical factors affecting consumer behavioral intentions in accepting online health communication through social networking sites. Unlike recent research under this topic, the paper assimilates some components of service quality dimensions and consumer behavior theories. The paper employs factor analysis and structural equation modelling analysis with latent variables to identify critical factors from the survey data collected from Korean consumers. The results of the study identifies three major constructs: consumer needs for health information, the perceived value of tangible attributes of health information providers, and the perceived value of intangible attributes of health information providers. The results show that consumer needs for health information and the tangible and intangible attributes of health information providers should be considered as important antecedents of accepting online health communication through social networking sites. The findings suggest that the success of online health communication via social networking sites largely depends on the tangible and intangible attributes of health information providers.