Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequence analysis and transcriptional organization of the Rhodopseudomonas viridis cytochrome c2 gene

The cytochrome c2 gene (cycA) of the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas viridis was isolated from a genomic library by using two degenerate oligonucleotides containing all possible DNA sequences predicted from the published amino acid sequence of this protein (Ambler et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73:472-475, 1976). Cloning and sequence analysis of the cytochrome c2 gene indicated the presence of a typical procaryotic 20-residue signal peptide, suggesting that this periplasmic protein in synthesized in vivo as a precursor. In addition, four amino acids were found to be different by comparing the published sequence of the mature protein with that deduced from the isolated cycA gene (Lys-14----Leu, Ser-46----Ala, Ile-84----Val, Leu-97----Ile). Northern (RNA) blot analysis and fine mapping of the 5' and 3' ends of the cycA gene transcript from photoheterotrophically grown R. viridis cells revealed one abundant transcript of 523 to 530 nucleotides in length, with the transcription start site at position -39 relative to the coding region of cytochrome c2. A low-abundance transcript with an extended 3' end (about 600 bases in length) is thought to be processed by exonucleases, resulting in the slightly shorter main transcript.
Event‐Based Precipitation Isotopes in the Laurentian Great Lakes Region Reveal Spatiotemporal Patterns in Moisture Recycling

Lake effect snowstorms influence climate, ecology, and agriculture in the Laurentian Great Lakes region and can be costly to surrounding communities in the United States and Canada. Stable isotopes of lake effect precipitation events throughout the year display a distinct signature that can be used to better understand how these storms may respond to a changing climate. Here we present event‐based δ18O and δ2H of precipitation from a site in Skaneateles, NY, downwind of Lakes Ontario and Erie, between April 2015 and February 2018. We find a seasonal isotopic cycle with a well‐defined signature of high deuterium excess (d‐excess) during National Weather Service‐defined lake effect snowstorms. Application of a previously developed moisture recycling model to this data set shows that up to 25% more moisture recycling takes place when the lake water and air temperature difference is large, air temperature is below freezing, and wind direction permits storms to move over Lake Ontario or Lake Erie. Moisture recycling occurs less frequently during spring, summer, and early fall due to meteorological and lake parameters that are less conducive to moisture recycling. Comparison of annual mean precipitation d‐excess at sites both upwind and downwind of the Laurentian Great Lakes provides evidence that this high d‐excess signature is characteristic of mean annual precipitation isotopic composition at downwind sites and therefore may be used to quantify changes in moisture recycling that occur on event to annual time scales in response to past and future climate changes.
Purification and properties of a new clathrin assembly protein.

A clathrin assembly protein (AP180) has been purified and characterized from coated vesicles of bovine brain. This protein has hitherto escaped detection because in SDS‐gel electrophoresis it is obscured by the 180 kd heavy chain of clathrin. Despite the similarity in electrophoretic mobility, AP180 differs from clathrin in both its subunit and native mol. wt, as well as hydrodynamic properties, surface charge and tryptic peptide composition. It also appears immunologically distinct from clathrin, since neither a polyclonal antiserum nor a monoclonal antibody, that have been shown to be specific for AP180, cross‐react with the heavy chain of clathrin. AP180 binds to clathrin triskelia and thereby promotes clathrin assembly into regular polyhedral structures of narrow size‐distribution (60‐90 nm), reminiscent of the surface coat of coated vesicles. In this respect AP180 bears a functional resemblance to the 100‐110 kd clathrin assembly polypeptides that have been previously described.
State of the art of information systems failure managements

Information systems (IS) play a vital role in our daily life. They collect, store, organize and distribute data in structured and organized ways to improve people's daily activities in the most efficient and effective manner. To achieve that, functions and structures are mixed together in a dynamic way to construct an information system with sophisticated capabilities beyond sending emails and publishing data online. Consequently, enterprises and government departments allocate huge financial and human resources for the development of interconnected information systems. However, failures in information systems projects have been growing in the last few years despite their massive allocated resources. That means any IS projects that do not meet their objectives and goal have gone beyond budget or not completed within the agreed time. While there are several factors triggering these failures, this research aims to investigate and address the key factors that are responsible for failure within information systems in various regions, The work conducted includes identifying different role of information systems components, comparing two important information systems success/failure models namely DeLone and Mclean model and ITPOSMO model, and summarising critical success/factors for information systems from various regions. The research findings can be used for developing an framework for effectively managing Information System.
Expression and Refolding of Truncated Recombinant Major Outer Membrane Protein Antigen (r56) of Orientia tsutsugamushi and Its Use in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays

ABSTRACT The variable 56-kDa major outer membrane protein of Orientia tsutsugamushi is the immunodominant antigen in human scrub typhus infections. The gene encoding this protein from Karp strain was cloned into the expression vector pET11a. The recombinant protein (r56) was expressed as a truncated nonfusion protein (amino acids 80 to 456 of the open reading frame) which formed an inclusion body when expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Refolded r56 was purified and compared to purified whole-cell lysate of the Karp strain of O. tsutsugamushi by immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for reactivity with rabbit sera prepared against eight antigenic prototypes of O. tsutsugamushi as well as several other species of Rickettsiales and nonrickettsial antigens. Refolded r56 exhibited broad reactivity with the rabbit antisera against the Orientia prototypes, and the ELISA reactions with the r56 and Karp whole-cell lysate antigens correlated well (r = 0.81, n = 22, sensitivity compared to that of standard ELISA of 91%). Refolded r56 did not react with most antisera against other rickettsial species or control antigens (specificity = 92%, n = 13) using a positive cutoff value determined with eight uninfected rabbit sera. Refolded r56 was evaluated further by ELISA, using 128 sera obtained from patients with suspected scrub typhus from Korat, Thailand, and 74 serum specimens from healthy Thai soldiers. By using the indirect immunoperoxidase assay as the reference assay, the recombinant antigen exhibited a sensitivity and specificity of 93% or greater for detection of both IgG and IgM in the ELISA at 1:400 serum dilution. These results strongly suggest that purified r56 is a suitable candidate for replacing the density gradient-purified, rickettsia-derived, whole-cell antigen currently used in the commercial dipstick assay available in the United States.
Corruption and Social Interaction: Evidence from China

To theoretically and empirically explore whether social interaction, either local and global, influences the incidence of corruption, we first present an interaction-based model which predicts that the level of corruption is positively associated with social interaction. We then empirically verify this theoretical prediction using within-country evidence at the province-level in China from 1998 to 2007. The panel data evidence clearly indicates that social interaction has a statistically significantly positive effect on the corruption rate in China. Our findings therefore underscore the relevance of social interaction in understanding corruption and point to important policy implications.
3-D Micro Coaxial Transmission Lines With Integrated MEM Capacitors

This paper introduces a 20 mum-tall, rectangular micro coaxial transmission line with an embedded micro electromechanical (MEM) capacitor. The measured capacitance ratio is about 6.5 with an actuation voltage of 30-50 V. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time a MEM device has been implemented within a fully-shielded, micro coaxial transmission line structure. The fabrication includes a single step release process for a dual layer suspended structure (beam and the top lid).
Poverty impacts of trade integration with the European Union: lessons for Ecuador

This research proposes to quantify the effects of a trade agreement with the European Union on poverty in Ecuador. Both poverty and the signing of a trade agreement with the EU are issues under discussion in Ecuador. Ecuador seeks to sign a trade agreement with the EU given their complementarities in trade: the EU is a major market for Ecuadorian agricultural and fish products, and Ecuador imports mainly manufacturing goods from the EU. In particular, the EU is the main market for the main agricultural export product of Ecuador: bananas. The transmission mechanisms to study these issues include changes in commodity prices, wages and earnings, and labor market demands. This research combines a reduced-form micro household income and occupational choice model with a standard single-country computable general equilibrium model (CGE); for Ecuador. This study highlights that a trade agreement with the EU may have a different impact on poverty depending on the degree of initial tariff reduction, on labor market considerations, and on whether better access to Ecuadorian bananas is granted by the negotiations or not. Through trade liberalization there is a significant increase in imports from the EU, particularly in protected sectors. With better access for bananas to the EU market, investment constraints may mean that increasing export and production of bananas can be achieved by pulling resources (namely production and labor); out from other sectors. Nearly every scenario of trade agreement leads to a decline in extreme poverty in rural regions. In contrast, extreme poverty in urban regions may increase.
Perceptions of cross-racial adoption in South Africa.

This study aimed to explore possible ways in which racist ideology and counter positions to this ideology are played out in discourses about cross-racial adoption (CRA) in the current post-apartheid context of South Africa. Three focus group interviews were conducted with 18 psychology students at the University of the Witwatersrand. The study adopted a social constructionist approach to knowledge and transcripts from the focus groups were analyzed using discourse analysis that combined techniques from Braun and Clarke (2006) and Parker (1992, 1999). Analysis revealed that students’ discussion focused mainly on the extent to which they thought black children raised by white parents should (or should not) be exposed to black culture. The discourses underlying these opinions appeared to gain social legitimacy for their speakers through three overarching repertoires, all of which tended to be used to divert attention away from the political ramifications of arguments. Firstly, participants claimed that their arguments were made with “the best interests of the child” at heart. Secondly, participants constructed particular meanings of the relationship between ‘race’ and identity by framing these meanings as central to “knowing who you are”. Thirdly, participants distanced themselves from accountability for their opinions by framing them as reflections of “other South Africans’ attitudes” towards ‘race’ and CRA. Overall, the analysis revealed that processes of racialisation show strong persistence in both black and white people’s discourses about CRA, but tend to be overtly expressed as a value and tolerance of different cultures and ethnicities. However, counter voices to these discourses did emerge in prominent challenges to the idea that ‘race’, ethnicity and culture are intrinsic and immutable features of people. Less prominent were the occasional counter voices that suggested these constructs are nevertheless pertinent, because of the ways in which they may be used to either challenge ‘racially’-derived inequalities between groups, or to fuel the prominence of racist ideology in society.
Feasibility analysis of detecting the finger orientation with depth cameras

Over the last decade, a body of research investigated enriching touch actions by using finger orientation as an additional input. Beyond new interaction techniques, we envision new user interface elements to make use of the additional input information. We define the fingers orientation by the pitch, roll, and yaw on the touch surface. Determining the finger orientation is not possible using current state-of-the-art devices. As a first step, we built a system that can determine the finger orientation. We developed a working prototype with a depth camera mounted on a tablet. We conducted a study with 12 participants to record ground truth data for the index, middle, ring and little finger to evaluate the accuracy of our prototype using the PointPose [3] algorithm to estimate the pitch and yaw of the finger. By applying 2D linear correction models, we further show a reduction of RMSE by 45.4% for pitch and 21.83% for yaw.
Hemipherical wineglass shells fabricated by a Chemical Foaming Process

This paper explores a Chemical Foaming Process (CFP) as an enabling mechanism for creating 3-D structures such as hemispherical shells. The Chemical Foaming Process utilizes the thermal decomposition of the foaming agent, TiH2 in the paper, to increase the air pressure in the cavity to foam Pyrex 7740 glass into 3-D smooth and symmetric wineglass shells under high temperature. The Chemical Foaming Process for fabricating 3-D hemispherical shells was experimentally demonstrated, and the hemispherical shell was characterized by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the method for fabricating 3-D hemispherical shells of high aspect ratio may provide a basis for hemispherical shell resonators and promise micro-scale Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscope (μHRG).
ATP synthesis and proton handling in muscle during short periods of exercise and subsequent recovery.

We used (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study proton buffering in finger flexor muscles of eight healthy men (25-45 yr), during brief (18-s) voluntary finger flexion exercise (0.67-Hz contraction at 10% maximum voluntary contraction; 50/50 duty cycle) and 180-s recovery. Phosphocreatine (PCr) concentration fell 19 +/- 2% during exercise and then recovered with half time = 0.24 +/- 0.01 min. Cell pH rose by 0.058 +/- 0.003 units during exercise as a result of H(+) consumption by PCr splitting, which (assuming no lactate production or H(+) efflux) implies a plausible non-P(i) buffer capacity of 20 +/- 3 mmol. l intracellular water(-1). pH unit(-1). There was thus no evidence of significant glycogenolysis to lactate during exercise. Analysis of PCr kinetics as a classic linear response suggests that oxidative ATP synthesis reached 48 +/- 2% of ATP demand by the end of exercise; the rest was met by PCr splitting. Postexercise pH recovery was faster than predicted, suggesting "excess proton" production, with a peak value of 0.6 +/- 0.2 mmol/l intracellular water at 0.45 min of recovery, which might be due to, e.g., proton influx driven by cellular alkalinization, or a small glycolytic contribution to PCr resynthesis in recovery.
Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) envenomation in small animals.

OBJECTIVE To provide a comprehensive review of relevant literature regarding the brown recluse spider (BRS) and to define those criteria that must be satisfied before making a diagnosis of brown recluse envenomation. ETIOLOGY The complex venom of the BRS contains sphingomyelinase D, which is capable of producing all the clinical signs in the human and some animal models. DIAGNOSIS There is no current commercially available test. In humans there are many proposed guidelines to achieve a definitive diagnosis; however, there are no established guidelines for veterinary patients. THERAPY Currently, no consensus exists for treatment of BRS envenomation other than supportive care, which includes rest, thorough cleaning of the site, ice, compression, and elevation. PROGNOSIS Prognosis varies based on severity of clinical signs and response to supportive care.
Mitogenicity and release of vascular endothelial growth factor with and without heparin from fibrin glue.

PURPOSE Fibrin glue (FG) has been used for local cytokine delivery on both vascular grafts and angioplasty sites. We measured the diffusive release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and heparin from FG and the mitogenic activity of VEGF with and without heparin in FG on canine endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). METHODS Release of VEGF labeled with iodine 125 and tritiated heparin from FG into the overlying media was serially measured over 96 hours, and the data are reported as the mean percent released +/- SD. Proliferation assays measuring tritiated thymidine incorporation were performed for ECs and SMCs plated in media with 10% serum on FG containing various concentrations of VEGF and heparin. Media was placed on the FG for 24 hours and removed before plating cells to minimize the effect of the released, soluble VEGF and heparin. RESULTS At 24 hours, 54% +/- 1% and 58% +/- 1% of the radioactive VEGF and heparin were released, respectively, with minimal release thereafter (58% +/- 1% and 66% +/- 1% at 96 hours). The ECs, SMCs, or media only (no cells) was plated on FG containing radioactive VEGF in an immediate or 24-hour delayed fashion for 72 hours to determine the percent release of VEGF into the media with the two different methods of plating. Cell type and the presence or absence of cells did not affect VEGF release, but there was three times more VEGF in the media for the immediate versus delayed plating (P <.001). Without heparin, VEGF at 100 ng/mL or more in the FG was needed to induce EC proliferation. Heparin at 5 U/mL enhanced EC proliferation at the VEGF dose of 100 ng/mL as compared wtih no heparin (P <.001), but not at the VEGF dose of 1000 ng/mL, which likely represents a maximal response. With heparin at 500 U/mL, the ECs died. In contrast, VEGF, in the presence or absence of heparin, did not affect SMC proliferation. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that FG with VEGF at 1000 ng/mL and heparin at 5 U/mL is the optimal concentration for in vivo use because this may encourage EC, but not SMC, proliferation. The VEGF at 1000 ng/mL should leave mitogenic concentrations of VEGF intact after the initial, diffusive loss, and the addition of heparin at 5 U/mL may enhance VEGF mitogenic activity.
Gastric emptying, postprandial blood pressure, glycaemia and splanchnic flow in Parkinson's disease.

AIM To determine gastric emptying, blood pressure, mesenteric artery blood flow, and blood glucose responses to oral glucose in Parkinson's disease. METHODS Twenty-one subjects (13 M, 8 F; age 64.2 ± 1.6 years) with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr score 1.4 ± 0.1, duration of known disease 6.3 ± 0.9 years) consumed a 75 g glucose drink, labelled with 20 MBq (99m)Tc-calcium phytate. Gastric emptying was quantified with scintigraphy, blood pressure and heart rate with an automated device, superior mesenteric artery blood flow by Doppler ultrasonography and blood glucose by glucometer for 180 min. Autonomic nerve function was evaluated with cardiovascular reflex tests and upper gastrointestinal symptoms by questionnaire. RESULTS The mean gastric half-emptying time was 106 ± 9.1 min, gastric emptying was abnormally delayed in 3 subjects (14%). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell (P < 0.001) and mesenteric blood flow and blood glucose (P < 0.001 for both) increased, following the drink. Three subjects (14%) had definite autonomic neuropathy and 8 (38%) had postprandial hypotension. There were no significant relationships between changes in blood pressure, heart rate or mesenteric artery blood flow with gastric emptying. Gastric emptying was related to the score for autonomic nerve function (R = 0.55, P < 0.01). There was an inverse relationship between the blood glucose at t = 30 min (R = -0.52, P < 0.05), while the blood glucose at t = 180 min was related directly (R = 0.49, P < 0.05), with gastric emptying. CONCLUSION In mild to moderate Parkinson's disease, gastric emptying is related to autonomic dysfunction and a determinant of the glycaemic response to oral glucose.
Effect of nefopam- versus fentanyl-based patient-controlled analgesia on postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery: a prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective: This study comparatively evaluated the effect of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) regimens using equipotent doses of nefopam or fentanyl during laparoscopic gynecological surgery on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Research design and methods: Patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery were randomly allocated to receive either nefopam- (non-opioid; N group) or fentanyl-based (F group) PCA. PONV and postoperative pain were assessed during the 72 hours following discharge from the post-anesthetic care unit (PACU). The adverse effects of nefopam were also evaluated. Clinical trial registration: Cris.nih. go.kr ID KCT0000783. Results: In total, 94 patients were included in the final analysis. The PONV incidence and scale and the Rhodes index scores were significantly lower in the N group than the F group at all measured times. The N group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of PONV (15/47 [31.9%] vs. 27/47 [57.4%], respectively; P = 0.022) and severity of PONV (0 [1] vs. 1 [2], respectively; P = 0.005) 24 hours after PACU discharge and a significantly lower Rhodes index score (0 [3] vs. 5 [9], respectively; P = 0.002) from 30 minutes after PACU arrival to 24 hours after PACU discharge than did the F group. There was no significant difference in postoperative pain at any time between the two groups. Dry mouth on PACU arrival was significantly more frequent in the N group. However, the frequency of dry mouth decreased after PACU arrival in the N group, resulting in a significantly lower incidence 24 hours after PACU discharge. Conclusions: Use of a PCA regimen with nefopam for analgesia was associated with a similar degree of pain control and superior PONV outcomes 24 hours after PACU discharge and no adverse events compared with a PCA regimen using an equipotent dose of fentanyl.