Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of postruminal amino acid digestibility of roasted and extruded whole soybeans with the precision-fed rooster assay.

The objectives of these studies were to predict the effects of roasting and extrusion temperatures of whole soybeans (SB) on intestinal protein digestibility in cattle. Intestinal digestibility was assessed with a two-stage in vitro or in situ ruminal incubation/precision-fed cecectomized rooster bioassay. In Exp. 1, whole SB (raw SB or SB roasted to 141, 149, or 157 degrees C exit temperature from a commercial roaster and steeped for 30 min) were incubated in strained ruminal fluid and McDougall's buffer (50:50) at 39 degrees C for 16 h. In Exp. 2, SB (ground raw SB or SB extruded at 116, 138, or 160 degrees C) were placed in polyester bags (20 x 30 cm) and suspended in the ventral rumen of steers for 16 h. Lyophilized residue of the in vitro or in situ incubations and samples of raw SB and most extensively heated SB (roasted SB at 157 degrees C or extruded SB at 160 degrees C) for each respective experiment were crop-intubated to cecectomized roosters. Total excreta were collected for 48 h after intubation and lyophilized, and amino acid (AA) concentrations were determined. In Exp. 1, total AA digestibility was 61.6 and 84.5% for unincubated whole raw SB and 157 degrees C roasted SB, respectively, and 66.2, 88.9, 91.3, and 91.6% for in vitro residues of whole raw SB and SB roasted at 141, 149, and 157 degrees C, respectively. Trypsin inhibitor (TI) activity was 20.09, 1.69, 1.54, and 1.84 mg/g fat-free DM for unincubated whole raw SB and 141, 149, and 157 degrees C roasted SB, respectively, and 30.84, 1.01, . 90, and . 26 mg/g fat-free DM for in vitro residues of whole raw SB, 141, 149, and 157 degrees C roasted SB, respectively. In Exp. 2, total AA digestibility was 68.5 and 87.7% for unincubated ground raw SB and 160 degrees C extruded SB, respectively, and 81.9, 91.3, 89.7, and 89.4% for in situ residues of ground raw SB and 116, 138, and 160 degrees C extruded SB, respectively. Trypsin inhibitor activity was 17.61, 4.89, 4.08, and 1.56 mg/g fat-free DM for unincubated ground raw SB, 116, 138, and 160 degrees C extruded SB, respectively, and 3.62, . 59, . 55, and . 21 mg/g fat-free DM for incubated ground raw SB, 116, 138, and 160 degrees C extruded SB, respectively. Heat treatment by roasting and extrusion improved AA digestibilities of SB, but there were no differences detected among the roasting or extrusion temperatures. Ruminal fermentation did not eliminate the negative effects of TI activity on intestinal digestibility of AA in whole SB but did reduce TI activity in ground SB.
The Promoter of Rv0560c Is Induced by Salicylate and Structurally-Related Compounds in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a major global health threat. During infection, bacteria are believed to encounter adverse conditions such as iron depletion. Mycobacteria synthesize iron-sequestering mycobactins, which are essential for survival in the host, via the intermediate salicylate. Salicylate is a ubiquitous compound which is known to induce a mild antibiotic resistance phenotype. In M. tuberculosis salicylate highly induces the expression of Rv0560c, a putative methyltransferase. We identified and characterized the promoter and regulatory elements of Rv0560c. PRv0560c activity was highly inducible by salicylate in a dose-dependent manner. The induction kinetics of PRv0560c were slow, taking several days to reach maximal activity, which was sustained over several weeks. Promoter activity could also be induced by compounds structurally related to salicylate, such as aspirin or para-aminosalicylic acid, but not by benzoate, indicating that induction is specific to a structural motif. The −10 and −35 promoter elements were identified and residues involved in regulation of promoter activity were identified in close proximity to an inverted repeat spanning the −35 promoter element. We conclude that Rv0560c expression is controlled by a yet unknown repressor via a highly-inducible promoter.
Inhibition of a novel sperm gelatinase in prawn sperm by the male reproduction‐related kazal‐type peptidase inhibitor

Previously, we have identified and characterized a male reproduction‐related kazal‐type peptidase inhibitor (MRPINK) gene from the prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. In the present study, MRPINK was discovered to have an inhibitory effect on the gelatinolytic activity of M. rosenbergii sperm and immunofluorescence analysis revealed it bound specifically onto the base of sperm. The proteolytic activity of sperm extracts to vitelline coat components was also detected to be interfered by MRPINK. Furthermore, a novel gelatinase on sperm was found to be specifically inhibited by MRPINK and was named M. rosenbergii sperm gelatinase (MSG). MSG was then isolated and purified by reversed‐phase high performance liquid chromatography combining with gelatinolytic assay. By amino‐terminal amino acid sequence analysis and molecular cloning, the primary structure of MSG was determined. The data presented in this study provided evidence that MRPINK has an inhibitory effect on the gelatinolytic activity as well as proteolytic activity of prawn sperm and specifically blocks the activity of MSG. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 1327–1337, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Incorporating A Priori Preferences in a Vector PSO Algorithm to Find Arbitrary Fractions of the Pareto Front of Multiobjective Design Problems

To incorporate the knowledge or preference of a decision maker or domain expert into a vector optimizer in the search for a series of subsets of the entire Pareto optimal solutions, a vector particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that implements the reference point-based approach together with a desirability function is proposed. The fitness assignment strategy and the neighborhood relationship of the PSO algorithm are redefined to facilitate the realization of the aforementioned objective. To validate and demonstrate the advantages of the proposed algorithm, its applications on two different multiobjective problems are reported.
Dopaminergic pathway reconstruction by Akt/Rheb‐induced axon regeneration

A prevailing concept in neuroscience has been that the adult mammalian central nervous system is incapable of restorative axon regeneration. Recent evidence, however, has suggested that reactivation of intrinsic cellular programs regulated by protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) signaling may restore this ability.
Knee flexion to extension peak torque ratios and low-back injuries in highly active individuals.

The purpose of this study was to investigate for possible relationships between knee flexion to extension peak torque ratios (F1/Ext(rat)) and low-back injuries in highly active males and females. Forty-eight male (age 25.9 +/- 4.5 years) and 41 female (age 27.3 +/- 2.6 years) competitive rowers, and 20 male (age 26.6 +/- 6.0 years) professional ballet dancers volunteered for the study. Each subject performed a test of lumbar and knee flexor flexibility, isokinetic dynamometry and completed a self-administered questionnaire. Flexibility was assessed by using the sit-and-reach test. Knee flexion to extension peak torques were bilaterally monitored at the angular velocities of 1.04 and 4.19 rad x s(-1). The questionnaire was designed to obtain information regarding the number of days off action (e.g., training, competition, and rehearsals), due to low-back injuries, for the 12-month period prior to testing. Results revealed significant negative correlation coefficients between knee F1/Ext(rat), obtained at 1.04 rad x s(-1), and days off physical activity for oarsmen (r = - 0.69; p < 0.01), oarswomen (r = -0.62; p < 0.01) and male dancers (r = -0.57; p < 0.05). No such correlations were found for either knee F1/ Ext(rat) obtained at the angular velocity of 4.19 rad x s(-1) or between the sit-and-reach test results and low-back injuries. A sub-group of 22 female rowers was re-tested after a 6-8 month period, during which a special hamstring strength training programme was introduced. The main conclusions were: a) the lower the F1/Ext(rat) the greater the degree of low-back injury, b) at least in female rowers, 6-8 months of hamstring strength training can contribute to a reduction of the incidence of low-back injury, and c) isokinetic assessment of quadriceps and hamstrings obtained at lower compared to higher angular velocities is more prognostic of low back injury.
An Ecient Approximation Algorithm for Combinatorial Auctions

We present a mathematical programming approximation approach to the winner determination problem for multi-round combinatorial auctions. The winner determination problem is a set packing problem, and hence NP-complete. Most methods developed recently rely on exhaustive search based methods which are exponential in worst case time complexity. We develop a two phase method where the rst phase is a primal-dual type approximation algorithm that rapidly computes an initial feasible solution and the second phase is a re nement procedure that uses the dual of the LP relaxation of the winner determination problem and a greedy heuristic to improve upon the solution from the rst phase. We present novel performance guarantees for the two phase method. In addition, single item prices are maintained that represent approximate marginal values for items. The method was tested against CPLEX MIP Solver 7.0 on several representative distributions from the literature and was found to achieve high solution quality in addition to scaling well in the number of items and bids with up to three orders of magnitude faster than CPLEX MIP Solver 7.0.
Brain and Visceral Involvement during Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection of Guinea Pigs

Summary: The virologic and histologic characteristics of congenital cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) were defined in 65 neonatal guinea pigs born from 27 mothers infected during pregnancy. Infectious virus or tissue lesions were present in 54% of the neonates tested. Guinea pig CMV was detected most often in the salivary glands (72%) and spleen (33%) of infected guinea pigs. Less frequently, virus was also detected in the brain, lung, pancreas and liver. Tissue lesions were most frequently observed in the brain and kidney, but also occurred in the salivary glands, liver, pancreas, thymus and spleen. The histopathology was identical to that observed in infants with congenital CMV infection. Infectious virus and histopathology were present in newborn guinea pigs born from mothers infected at any time during gestation. Newborns from mothers infected during early stages of gestation had virus present most frequently in the salivary glands, whereas offspring of mothers infected in late pregnancy had virus present in several tissues. Acute maternal guinea pig CMV infection produced generalized CMV infection of the offspring which was followed by persistent infection in neonatal salivary glands. Lesions remained present in several neonatal tissues including the brain. The long term consequences of such lesions in affected guinea pigs remain to be determined. The results of the study emphasize the similarities between human congenital CMV infection and congenital guinea pig CMV infection, thereby underlining the utility of this animal model as a means of understanding human congenital CMV infection.
An Energy-efficient Routing Scheme for UWB Sensor Networks

In this paper, an energy-efficient routing scheme for sensor networks based on ultra-wideband (UWB) technique is proposed and evaluated. This scheme makes use of the positioning capability of UWB and takes into account the energy efficiency in the network. By modeling the property of energy consumption, it is found that energy and quality-of-service (QoS) issues are tightly related with route selection. Accordingly, a new routing algorithm is derived to search for energy-efficient routes that can support adequate QoS requirements. The simulation results have proved the advantages of this routing scheme
CS G220 Project Report : Ideology Detection Engine

In this report, I present an early iteration of a system intended to detect the ideological bent of an arbitrary block of text along the scale from liberal to conservative. This is attempted via the use of an Adaboostgenerated ensemble of decision stumps which split upon the presence or absence of a given n-gram in the text. The training data consists of floor statements taken from the U.S. Congressional Record, paired with ideological scores for each elected representative, such that each statement is labeled according to its speaker’s ideology.
THE DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES : AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION IN THE TURKISH MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Human Resource Practice is a relatively new concept in Turkey. This paper documents the results of our empirical study on the determinants of human resource practices of 217 companies in the Turkish manufacturing industry. Therefore, this study aims at contributing to theory building by examining the determinants of human resource activities of recruiting and selection, training and development, compensation and benefits, performance appraisal, career development, and industrial relations empirically in the context of internal and external environments in which these activities take place. Our initial focus was on human resource activities of the firms considered, but the use of an empirical approach allowed also the inspection of the determinants of HR activities. This approach also assisted in identifying underlying relationships that could be interpreted as linkages among human resource activities and other organizational and environmental factors. It was possible to identify linkages between six major HR activities, and factors identified as internal, external, and control variables.
New Insights in Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is classically defined as a condition in which an abnormally low body weight is associated with an intense fear of gaining weight and distorted cognitions regarding weight, shape, and drive for thinness. This article reviews recent evidences from physiology, genetics, epigenetics, and brain imaging which allow to consider AN as an abnormality of reward pathways or an attempt to preserve mental homeostasis. Special emphasis is put on ghrelino-resistance and the importance of orexigenic peptides of the lateral hypothalamus, the gut microbiota and a dysimmune disorder of neuropeptide signaling. Physiological processes, secondary to underlying, and premorbid vulnerability factors—the “pondero-nutritional-feeding basements”- are also discussed.
Using habitat distribution models to evaluate large-scale landscape priorities for spatially dynamic species

Summary 1. Large-scale conservation planning requires the identification of priority areas in which species have a high likelihood of long-term persistence. This typically requires high spatial resolution data on species and their habitat. Such data are rarely available at a large geographical scale, so distribution modelling is often required to identify the locations of priority areas. However, distribution modelling may be difficult when a species is either not recorded, or not present, at many of the locations that are actually suitable for it. This is an inherent problem for species that exhibit metapopulation dynamics. 2. Rather than basing species distribution models on species locations, we investigated the consequences of predicting the distribution of suitable habitat, and thus inferring species presence/ absence. We used habitat surveys to define a vegetation category which is suitable for a threatened species that has spatially dynamic populations (the butterfly Euphydryas aurinia ), and used this as the response variable in distribution models. Thus, we developed a practical strategy to obtain high resolution (1 ha) large scale conservation solutions for E. aurinia in Wales, UK. 3. Habitat-based distribution models had high discriminatory power. They could generalize over a large spatial extent and on average predicted 86% of the current distribution of E. aurinia in Wales. Models based on species locations had lower discriminatory power and were poorer at generalizing throughout Wales. 4. Surfaces depicting the connectivity of each grid cell were calculated for the predicted distribution of E. aurinia habitat. Connectivity surfaces provided a distance-weighted measure of the concentration of habitat in the surrounding landscape, and helped identify areas where the persistence of E. aurinia populations is expected to be highest. These identified successfully known areas of high conservation priority for E. aurinia . These connectivity surfaces allow conservation planning to take into account long-term spatial population dynamics, which would be impossible without being able to predict the species’ distribution over a large spatial extent. 5. Synthesis and applications . Where species location data are unsuitable for building high resolution predictive habitat distribution models, habitat data of sufficient quality can be easier to collect. We show that they can perform as well as or better than species data as a response variable. When coupled with a technique to translate distribution model predictions into landscape priority (such as connectivity calculations), we believe this approach will be a powerful tool for large-scale conservation planning.
Electrostatic Probe Differential Analysis for Temperature Distribution Diagnostics of Constricted Arc Current-carrying Region in Sheet Slanting Tungsten Electrode with Insulating Solid Wall

： The method is proposed to control temperature distribution of arc in ultra narrow gap welding process with combined regulation of sheet tungsten electrode and insulating solid wall, and then the lack of fusion on the corner of square groove in ultra narrow gap can be avoided. For understanding the regulating mechanism of temperature distribution of constricted arc in sheet slanting tungsten electrode with insulating solid wall, the differential analysis of electrostatic probe is applied to diagnose the constricted arc current-carrying region. The results show that the peak temperature of arc current-carrying region in sheet slanting tungsten electrode could be enhanced by constricted effect of insulating solid wall, and then the temperature distribution range would shrink in thickness direction of sheet slanting tungsten electrode; the gap width of arc discharge could be changed by the sheet slanting tungsten electrode to lead the current density concentrate on the location with smaller gap width, which cause the global shift of higher temperature in arc, and the greater constricted effect would give rise to shift further; meanwhile the degree of shift would be reduced along the direction of arc length from anode to cathode under the influence of arc electric field; the excessive constricted effect could result in the arc current density concentrating on sheet slanting tungsten electrode locally to take electrode melting, moreover the temperature of arc current-carrying region in sheet slanting tungsten electrode could not be controlled effectively with insufficient constricted effect.
A PET Investigation of the Attribution of Intentions with a Nonverbal Task

Several authors have demonstrated that theory of mind is associated with a cerebral pattern of activity involving the medial prefrontal cortex. This study was designed to determine the cerebral regions activated during attribution of intention to others, a task which requires theory-of-mind skills. Eight healthy subjects performed three nonverbal tasks using comic strips while PET scanning was performed. One condition required subjects to attribute intentions to the characters of the comic strips. The other two conditions involved only physical logic and knowledge about objects' properties: one condition involved characters, whereas the other only represented objects. The comparison of the attribution of intention condition with the physical logic with characters condition was associated with rCBF increases in the right middle and medial prefrontal cortex including Brodmann's area (BA) 9, the right inferior prefrontal cortex (BA 47), the right inferior temporal gyrus (BA 20), the left superior temporal gyrus (BA 38), the left cerebellum, the bilateral anterior cingulate, and the middle temporal gyri (BA 21). The comparison of the physical logic with characters condition and the physical logic without characters condition showed the activation of the lingual gyri (BA 17, 18, 19), the fusiform gyri (BA 37), the middle (BA 21) and superior (BA 22, 38) temporal gyri on both sides, and the posterior cingulate. These data suggest that attribution of intentions to others is associated with a complex cerebral activity involving the right medial prefrontal cortex when a nonverbal task is used. The laterality of this function is discussed.
Promoting physical activity and improving dietary quality of Singaporean adolescents: effectiveness of a school-based fitness and wellness program

Abstract Limited data are available on the effectiveness of the school-based structured fitness and wellness program to influence dietary quality and physical activity levels in Singaporean adolescents. The study examined if a 20-h (over 10 weeks) school-based structured fitness and wellness module affects the diet quality indices, energy intakes, physical activity levels and the associated energy expenditures in a group of healthy, male adolescents with low diet quality and physical activity levels. Participant demography, anthropometry, dietary intake and daily physical activity were obtained at the beginning, mid-point and end of the 10-week program. Physical activity levels were assessed accelerometrically over a 1-weekday period. Dietary intake were taken using a structured 7-day food diary, and diet quality assessed using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). The 31 enrolled participants (age 19.8 ± 0.6 years) with body mass index (BMI) (19.8 ± 0.6 kg/m2) followed diets of low diet quality scores (48.3 ± 9.6 out of 100) and engaged in 3.87 ± 2.00 h of physical activity daily before the start of the intervention. Their dietary quality and physical activity levels did not change significantly throughout the intervention period. They scored poorly in the moderation and overall balance components of the diet quality assessment. The physical activity duration correlated inversely to the diet quality scores. Our results suggest that the prescribed school-based fitness and wellness module was ineffective in influencing the diet quality and physical activity levels of Singaporean male adolescents with low diet quality and physical activity levels.