Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Large molecular weight antifreezes and related adaptations in freeze-tolerant Alaskan insects

by Kent R. Walters, Jr. The overwintering physiology of aquatic insects has not been well characterized. The stonefly, Nemoura arctica, was collected from the headwaters of the Chandalar River, where streambed temperatures measured as low as -12.7 ̊C in midwinter. When in contact with ice, N. arctica froze at -1.5±0.4 ̊C, but individuals survived temperatures down to -15 ̊C, making this the first described species of freeze tolerant stonefly. Nemoura arctica produce both glycerol and ice thermal hysteresis factors in response to low temperature. Hemolymph glycerol concentrations increased from 3 mM to 930±114 mM in response to acclimation at -8 ̊C and glycerol concentrations increased even after nymphs were frozen. Although, the hemolymph of individual cold acclimated nymphs occasionally exhibited more than a degree of thermal hysteresis, typically the hemolymph exhibited only hexagonal crystal growth and recrystallization inhibition. The freeze tolerant beetle Upis ceramboides is the only animal species known to accumulate high concentrations of threitol (250 mM) as a cryoprotectant; however the biosynthetic pathway has not been investigated. In vivo metabolism of C-labeled Kent R. Walters, Jr. glucose isotopomers was monitored by C{H} NMR spectroscopy, demonstrating that C3-C6 of glucose become C1-C4 of threitol, which is expected for four-carbon saccharides arising from the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). In vitro experiments show that threitol is synthesized from erythrose 4-phosphate (E4P), a C4 intermediate in the PPP. Threitol 4-phosphate appears to be the preferred substrate of the sugar phosphatase(s), promoting threitol synthesis over that of erythritol. In addition, erythritol is catabolized under conditions that promote threitol synthesis, leading to the accumulation of high concentrations of threitol without concomitant accumulation of erythritol. Upis ceramboides also produces a novel, highly active antifreeze glycolipid. This glycolipid exhibits 3.7±0.3 ̊C of thermal hysteresis at 5 mg/ml, whereas fish AF(G)Ps exhibit only 1.5 ̊C of thermal hysteresis at 20-40 mg/ml. Consistent with our structural determinations, thermal hysteresis activity is unaffected by protease, but is rapidly lost upon treatment with endo β-(1→4) xylanase. This is the first high molecular weight antifreeze to be isolated from a freeze tolerant animal. We have subsequently isolated similar TH-active glycolipids from numerous organisms, including other insects, plants, fish and amphibians.
Foreign Assistance and Economic Growth in Nigeria : The Two-Gap Model Framework

This study examines the impact exacted by foreign assistance in the form of official development assistance (ODA) and foreign direct investment (FDI) on real growth in Nigeria over the period 1980 to 2011. Using the Two-Gap model and various econometric techniques which include Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, Granger causality test, Johansen co-integration test and Error Correction Method (ECM), empirical results reveal that there is Granger no-causality between any pair of the variables. Findings of the study also established a negative relationship between FDI and real growth as ODA exacts no impact on real growth in the country.
An Adenovirus Vector with Genetically Modified Fibers Demonstrates Expanded Tropism via Utilization of a Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor-Independent Cell Entry Mechanism

ABSTRACT Recombinant adenoviruses (Ad) have become the vector system of choice for a variety of gene therapy applications. However, the utility of Ad vectors is limited due to the low efficiency of Ad-mediated gene transfer to cells expressing marginal levels of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR). In order to achieve CAR-independent gene transfer by Ad vectors in clinically important contexts, we proposed modification of viral tropism via genetic alterations to the viral fiber protein. We have shown that incorporation of an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing peptide in the HI loop of the fiber knob domain results in the ability of the virus to utilize an alternative receptor during the cell entry process. We have also demonstrated that due to its expanded tissue tropism, this novel vector is capable of efficient transduction of primary tumor cells. An increase in gene transfer to ovarian cancer cells of 2 to 3 orders of magnitude was demonstrated by the vector, suggesting that recombinant Ad containing fibers with an incorporated RGD peptide may be of great utility for treatment of neoplasms characterized by deficiency of the primary Ad type 5 receptor.
A new compact model for the avalanche effect in InAlAs/InGaAs HBTs

This letter presents a new compact model for the avalanche effect in InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors. Unlike previous models, it is based on the formulation of the avalanche multiplication by Lee (Phys. Rev., vol. 134, p. A761, 1964), which allows the model to be valid for even larger current densities than before. The description of the ionization coefficient takes into account the anomaly of the ionization coefficient of InGaAs at low electric fields. The new model is successfully verified by measurements in a conventional common-base setup.
Aspects of PROLOG History: Logic Programming and Professional Dynamics

Philippe.Rouchy@bth.se PLAN: 1. Introduction. 2. Historical background. 2.1. PROLOG in the history of AI 2.2. PROLOG origin: Predicate Calculus and the definition of clause, the Horn clause and resolution theorem proving. 2.3. Remarks about Syntax. 2.4. PROLOG and logical programming. 2.5. Liberal interpretation of syntax and innovation in algorithms 3. Some examples of disseminations of PROLOG in computer sciences 3.1 Computer Scientists’ Interest in PROLOG: Power, Efficiency and Procedural Approach 3.2 Remarks on Elegant Solution 3.3 The Development of Logical and Parallel Architecture 3.4 The Japanese Fifth Generation Computing Systems (FGCS) 3.5 The Use of Other Language and Non-logical Augmentation. 3.6 Micro-PROLOG: the development of PROLOG in education 4. Conclusion. 4.1. Logical Programming, Artificial Intelligence critiques and its implications for Social Studies of Technology. 4.2. Computer Science Practical Epistemologies. 4.3. Professional Dynamics.
Squad-based expert modules for closing diphthong recognition

The paper presents a new method of forming expert modules for modular time delay neural networks (modular TDNNs) using ensembles of similarly trained TDNNs referred to as squads. Squad base expert modules for closing diphthong recognition are compared with traditional expert modules comprising individual TDNNs and are found to afford significantly better false positive error performances, while recognition performances are comparable or better. Traditional and squad based expert modules formed from three different TDNN variants are compared. One of these variants, sequence token TDNN, embodies a novel method of using traditional TDNNs for closing diphthong recognition and is found to outperform the other variants when squad based expert modules are used.
Hsp90-mediated Assembly of the 26 S Proteasome Is Involved in Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Antigen Processing*

Heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) and the proteasome activator PA28 stimulate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen processing. It is unknown whether hsp90 influences the proteasome activity to produce T cell epitopes, although association of PA28 with the 20 S proteasome stimulates the enzyme activity. Here, we show that hsp90 is essential in assembly of the 26 S proteasome and as a result, is involved in epitope production. Addition of recombinant hsp90α to cell lysate enhanced chymotrypsin-like activity of the 26 S proteasome in an ATP-dependent manner as determined by an in-gel hydrolysis assay. We successfully pulled down histidine-tagged hsp90α- and PA28α-induced, newly assembled 26 S proteasomes from the cell extracts for in vitro epitope production assay, and we found these structures to be sensitive to geldanamycin, an hsp90 inhibitor. We found a cleaved epitope unique to the proteasome pulled down by both hsp90α and PA28α, whereas two different epitopes were identified in the hsp90α- and PA28α-pulldowns, respectively. Processing of these respective peptides in vivo was enhanced faithfully by the protein combinations used for the proteasome pulldowns. Inhibition of hsp90 in vivo by geldanamycin partly disrupted the 26 S proteasome structure, consistent with down-regulated MHC class I expression. Our results indicate that hsp90 facilitates MHC class I antigen processing through epitope production in a complex of the 26 S proteasome.
Comparative study of PI-AW and MPC-T controllers, with feedback noise applied for speed control to a switched Reluctance Motor (SRM)

This paper presents the comparative study of controllers: Model Based Predictive Control (MPC) and Proportional Integral with Anti-Windup structure (PI-AW), applied to the speed control of a switched Reluctance Motor (SRM). The SRM physically presents noise in the measurement of the speed variable given in Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) to be controlled. The PI-AW and MPC controllers was observed the presence of steady-state error, this phenomenon is called Noise Induced Tracking Error (NITE). But when considering the presence of the T-polynomial tuned intuitively and applying the MPC-T control. It is possible to reduce this error considerably in comparison to the PI-AW control. The design of the controllers was validated through performance indices IAE, TV and Steady-State Error ess.
Cell-Based Assays in High-Throughput Screening for Drug Discovery

Drug screening is a long and costly process confronted with low productivity and challenges in using animals, which limit the discovery of new drugs. To improve drug screening efficacy and minimize animal testing, recent efforts have been dedicated to developing cell-based high throughput screening (HTS) platforms that can provide more relevant in vivo biological information than biochemical assays and thus reduce the number of animal tests and accelerate the drug discovery process. Today, cell-based assays are used in more than half of all high-throughput drug screenings for target validation and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity) in the early stage of drug discovery. In this review, we discuss the uses of different types of cells and cell culture systems, including 2D, 3D and perfusion cell cultures, in cell-based HTS for drug discovery. Optical and electrochemical methods for online, non-invasive detection and quantification of cells or cellular activities are discussed. Recent progresses and applications of 3D cultures and microfluidic systems for cell-based HTS are also discussed, followed with several successful examples of using cell-based HTS in commercial development of new drugs. Finally, a brief discussion on potential applications of cell-based HTS for screening phytochemicals and herbal medicines is provided in this review.
Adaptive exploration of benthic habitats using Gaussian processes

Currently, the majority of AUV missions follow fixed pre-programmed surveys. In exploration missions, the environment is unknown and pre-programmed surveys risk wasting limited resources on data with little scientific value. This risk can be mitigated by allowing autonomous agents to adapt their behaviour to suit the environment and the scientific goals of the survey. This paper presents a method for performing adaptive surveys which combines elements from the fields of perception, machine learning and planning. During exploration, a Gaussian mixture model is used to classify sensor data. The classes returned by the Gaussian mixture model are modelled spatially using a Gaussian process classifier. This spatial model is used to guide the agent's exploration into informative areas of the environment using value iteration. The advantage of using adaptive surveys and its potential for outperforming pre-programmed surveys is demonstrated in an example application.
Efficiently Evaluating Speedup Using Sampled Processor Simulation

Cycle accurate simulation of processors is extremely time consuming. Sampling can greatly reduce simulation time while retaining good accuracy. Previous research on sampled simulation has been focusing on the accuracy of CPI. However, most simulations are used to evaluate the benefit of some microarchitectural enhancement, in which the speedup is a more important metric than CPI. We employ the ratio estimator from statistical sampling theory to design efficient sampling to measure speedup and to quantify its error. We show that to achieve a given relative error limit for speedup, it is not necessary to estimate CPI to the same accuracy. In our experiment, estimating speedup requires about 9X fewer instructions to be simulated in detail in comparison to estimating CPI for the same relative error limit. Therefore using the ratio estimator to evaluate speedup is much more cost-effective and offers great potential for reducing simulation time. We also discuss the reason for this interesting and important result.
The Development of Balb/c Cells Persistently Infected with Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Presence of Ribonucleoprotein on the Cell Surface 1

Abstract Balb/c mouse cells were persistently infected with RS virus. Continued passage of the virus produced in these Balb/c cells resulted in a 10-fold increase in the amount of infectious virus produced. Approximately 80% of the BCH4 cells expressed RNP and “spike” antigen intracellularly and associated with the cell surface.
Increased relative mortality in women with severe oxygen-dependent COPD.

BACKGROUND Although the incidence of COPD is rapidly increasing in women, knowledge is lacking concerning differences in relative mortality and causes of death in women compared with men. We aimed to analyze differences in relative mortality and cause-specific mortality between men and women on long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) for COPD. METHODS Patients starting LTOT for COPD in Sweden between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2004, were prospectively followed until termination of LTOT or through December 31, 2004. Causes of death according to the Swedish National Causes of Death Register were compared between the study group and the general Swedish population matched for age and sex, with the relative mortality expressed as standardized mortality rates (SMRs). RESULTS A total of 7,646 patients, 4,033 women and 3,613 men, were followed for a median of 1.7 years (range 0-18.0). No patient was lost to follow-up. A total of 5,448 patients, 2,745 women and 2,703 men, died. Women had a higher SMR than men: overall mortality, SMR 12.0 (95%, 11.6-12.5) vs 7.4 (95% CI, 7.1-7.6); for respiratory disease, SMR 127.9 (95% CI, 122.4-133.6) vs 66.0 (95% CI, 63.1-69.0); cancer, SMR 3.5 (95% CI, 3.0-3.9) vs 2.2 (95% CI, 1.9-2.5); and cardiovascular disease, SMR 3.7 (95% CI, 3.3-4.1) vs 2.5 (95% CI, 2.3-2.7), respectively. CONCLUSIONS In severe COPD treated with long-term oxygen, women have higher relative mortality than men both overall and for respiratory disease, as well as for cardiovascular disease and cancer.
DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF 3 D MOVING OBJECTS

The detection and classification of moving objects is a key task in many control systems. This paper presents a solution for this problem based on a laser range scanner. The method can be summarized as follows. A set of 3D data points on the object surface is obtained using the scanner. A small number of features is then computed to represent the object boundary. In fact, three alternative features are considered. Classification algorithms are then designed and evaluated using real data. The experimental tests show that the proposed techniques allow a robust classification of moving objects based on range information.
Nursing diagnoses determined by first year students: a vignette study.

PURPOSE The study aimed to determine the ability of first year students in identifying nursing diagnoses. METHODS In a descriptive evaluation study, an expert-validated vignette containing 18 nursing diagnoses was used. RESULTS The students determined 15 nursing diagnoses. The highest percentages of diagnoses identified were disturbed sleep pattern and nutrition imbalance. Students also considered medical diagnoses as nursing diagnoses: hypertension and tachycardia. CONCLUSIONS Despite the fact that students were only at the end of their first semester and had limited clinical experience, they successfully identified the majority of nursing diagnoses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Patient case study vignettes are recommended for education. To foster students' knowledge and experience, it is also suggested that evaluating nursing diagnoses in clinical practicals becomes a requirement.
Involvement of Adherence and Adhesion Staphylococcus epidermidis Genes in Pacemaker Lead-Associated Infections

ABSTRACT We explored three genes of attachment (fbe and atlE) and adhesion (ica) in 27 and 10 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains involved in pacemaker-related infections (PMI) and intravascular-catheter-related infections (IVCI), respectively, and in 25 saprophytic strains. The detection rates of fbe and atlE were identical in PMI and IVCI strains, but ica detection rates were identical in PMI and saprophytic strains.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION IN NIGERIA: IS THERE A SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION?

This study investigates the relation between trade liberalization and industrial development in Nigeria. Adopted in the study is the human capital model of endogenous growth with modifications for trade liberalization within the Nigerian context. In the empirical investigation, co-integration and error correction estimation approaches were carried out with the aid of the Generalized Method of Moments [GMM] estimator. A unique cointegration between industrial development and the explanatory variables in the study is found. In order to determine the short-run dynamics around the equilibrium relationship, we estimated an error correction model [ECM]. The empirical findings in this study have it that there is a positive and significant correlation between trade liberalization and industrial development in Nigeria, structural deregulation had positive impact on industrial development in Nigeria, Nigerian industries are labour intensive, industrial production responded negatively and insignificantly to capital formation in Nigeria, industrial development is cumulative and self-sustaining in Nigeria. The result however does not provide evidence of significance of structural deregulation over the period of short-run analysis. The results of the study suggest the need for government to embark on comprehensive implementation of trade liberalization policies in order to accelerate and sustain industrial development in Nigeria. However, the implementation of trade liberalization polices should be gradual.
Approximate inverse dynamics and passive feedback for flexible manipulators with large payloads

A derivation is presented of an approximate form of the dynamics governing a structurally flexible manipulator carrying a massive payload at its end-effector. An output called the /spl mu/-tip rate which incorporates end-effector and elastic motions is introduced. The input-output mapping relating a transformed version of the joint torques to the /spl mu/-tip rates is shown to be passive for large payloads. A feedforward torque strategy is developed which preserves the passivity property in the error dynamics and a suitable Lyapunov function is used to demonstrate global asymptotic stability of the tracking provided by a PD law. Implementation of the controllers without measurements of the elastic coordinates and rates is shown to be possible. Simulation studies of a six DOF manipulator with flexible links, modeled after the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, demonstrate excellent tracking in all six Cartesian end-effector coordinates, even for payloads with modest mass properties. A major conclusion is that some of the problems normally associated with lack of collocation in flexible manipulators can be surmounted when large (massive) payloads are involved.
Nano-Engineered Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration: What Has Been Achieved So Far?

Nanomaterials have attracted the interest of tissue engineers for the last two decades. Their unique properties make them promising for de-novo fabrication of bio-inspired hybrid/composite materials with improved regenerative properties, including the capacity for electric conductivity and the provision of antimicrobial properties, for example. However, to this day, the use of such materials in medical applications is rather limited and most of the studies have only reached the archetypical proof-of-concept stage. Herein, we present a review on the use of nanomaterials in tissue engineering for regenerative therapies of heart, skin, eye, skeletal muscle, and nervous system. The advantages and limitations of nano-engineering materials are presented in this review alongside with the future challenges and milestones nanotechnology must overcome to make an impact in biomedical applications.
Abstract 172: Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists Protect Human Cardiac Myocytes from Injury by Activation of Cell Survival Pathways

Thrombopoietin confers immediate protection against injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion in the rat heart at a dose that does not increase platelet levels. Eltrombopag is a small molecule agonist of the thrombopoietin receptor; the physiological target of thrombopoietin. Administration of thrombopoietin and eltrombopag result in a dose- and time-dependent increase in platelet counts in patients with thrombocytopenia. However, the ability of eltrombopag and thrombopoietin to immediately protect human cardiac myocytes against injury and the mechanisms underlying myocyte protection are not known. Human cardiac myocytes (7500 cells, n=10/group) were treated with eltrombopag (0.1- 30.0 μM) or thrombopoietin ( 0.1 - 30.0 ng/ml) and then subjected to 5 hours of hypoxia (95% N2/5%CO2) and 16 hours of reoxygenation to determine their ability to confer resistance to necrotic and apoptotic myocardial injury. The thrombopoietin receptor (c-Mpl) was detected in unstimulated human cardiac myocytes by western blotting.
Success factors in dealing with significant change in an organization

Purpose – As organizations attempt to deal with change that is transforming, research has identified factors that need to be present in order to optimize the change transformation. The purpose of this research paper is to focus on those critical success factors.Design/methodology/approach – After presenting a summary of the identified success factors, a combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology focusing on a single case study examines these critical factors in more depth.Findings – Presented are identified factors of previous research, and two additional critical factors are revealed: flexible curriculum – the need for a comprehensive action plan having a prescribed curriculum; and perception of personal gain – the need to present a clear understanding addressing the aspirations and individual personal goals of those who are both involved and affected by the significant change.Research limitations/implications – Beyond the limitations inherent in conducting both qualitative and quantitati.