Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing Physical Impacts of Climate Change: An Attentional Perspective on Corporate Adaptation

Based on a study of the oil and gas industry, this article examines how physical impacts of climate change become events that firms notice and interpret in a way that leads to an active response to adapt to these impacts. Theoretically, the study draws on the attention-based view to highlight the potential biases that might occur as a consequence of firms’ preconceptions as well as organizational structure and context. In the empirical analysis, the article derives a model that explains the influence of the attentional process on how awareness and perceived vulnerability lead firms to adopt either routine or non-routine measures to adapt to climate change. The article also explores the relevant underlying factors of awareness and perceived vulnerability. The findings suggest that how firms channel attention to climate events has a distinctive influence on the measures firms take to cope with physical impacts. The article concludes with implications for research, management practice, and policy makers.
Expression of mel gene improves the UV resistance of Bacillus thuringiensis

Aims: To improve ultraviolet (UV) resistance of Bacillus thuringiensis for increasing the duration of the Bt product applied in the field, a genetically engineered strain Bt TD841 that produced both melanin and Cry1A protein was constructed, and its UV resistance was evaluated in the laboratory.
An evaluation of motion compensation strategies and repeatability for abdominal 1H MR spectroscopy measurements in volunteer studies and clinical trials

Increased expression of choline kinase has frequently been shown in tumours and is thought to be associated with disease progression. Studies using magnetic resonance spectroscopy have shown an increase in total choline‐containing metabolites (tCho) in tumour compared with healthy tissue. Subsequent reductions in tCho following successful treatment support the use of tCho as a biomarker of disease and response. However, accurate measurement of tCho using MRS in abdominal tumours is complicated by respiratory motion, blurring the acquisition volume and degrading the lineshape and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of metabolites.
Use of Intravenous Conivaptan in Neurosurgical Patients With Hyponatremia From Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion

BACKGROUND:Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is the most common cause of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients and is frequently associated with neurologic disorders and neurosurgical procedures. Traditional therapies such as fluid restriction, sodium repletion, and diuretics can help correct hyponatremia but do not address the underlying pathophysiology of excess arginine vasopressin secretion. Conivaptan is an arginine vasopressin receptor antagonist that has been shown to be both safe and effective in the treatment of euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the use of conivaptan to treat SIADH in a mixed neurosurgical population. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective review of 13 patients with neurosurgical disorders with SIADH that were treated with intravenous conivaptan at our institution between 2007 and 2009. RESULTS:The mean pretreatment serum sodium concentration was 125.8 ± 3.5 mEq/L. Conivaptan administration resulted in a rise in serum sodium to 132.5 ± 5.6 mEq/L at 12 hours (P < .01) and 134.1 ± 4.7 mEq/L at 24 hours posttreatment (P < .01). The mean time to an increase in serum sodium ≥ 6 mEq/L was 17.8 hours. There were no instances of rapid overcorrection. There were 3 cases of asymptomatic hyperkalemia, 3 cases of asymptomatic hypotension, and 1 case of elevated creatinine associated with conivaptan administration. CONCLUSION:These data provide further support that conivaptan can be safely used for the treatment of SIADH-induced hyponatremia in the neurosurgical arena.
Multi-capture High Dynamic Range compressive imaging

We propose a novel approach to reconstruct High Dynamic Range images from few compressive measurements. The reconstruction algorithm directly merges the information of multi-capture bayerized images. It simultaneously performs demosaicing and naive predefined tone-mapping. Two different color spaces are taken into account at the reconstruction stage to add multiple constraints on the signal. The proposed method provides a new way to compensate nonlinearities due to saturation issues in the case of multi-capture. This technique requires some prior knowledge of the pixel behavior at the sensor level. Yet, it could already be applied using existing compressive measurements performed by actual Compressive Sensing image sensors such as [1]. Future compressive sensing imagers would be able to efficiently acquire multi-capture high dynamic range compressed images.
MDMA polydrug users show processspecific central executive impairments coupled with impaired social and emotional judgement processes

In recent years working memory de.cits have been reported in users of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy). The current study aimed to assess the impact of MDMA use on three separate central executive processes (set shifting, inhibition and memory updating) and also on ëprefrontalí mediated social and emotional judgement processes. Fifteen polydrug ecstasy users and 15 polydrug non-ecstasy user controls completed a general drug use questionnaire, the Brixton Spatial Anticipation task (set shifting), Backward Digit Span procedure (memory updating), Inhibition of Return (inhibition), an emotional intelligence scale, the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). Compared with MDMA-free polydrug controls, MDMA polydrug users showed impairments in set shifting and memory updating, and also in social and emotional judgement processes. The latter two de.cits remained signi.cant after controlling for other drug use. These data lend further support to the proposal that cognitive processes mediated by the prefrontal cortex may be impaired by recreational ecstasy use.
BV–VPIN: Measuring the Impact of Order Flow Toxicity and Liquidity on International Equity Markets

Order flow toxicity is a measure of a trader's exposure to the risk that counter-parties possess private information or other informational advantages. High levels of order flow toxicity can culminate in market makers providing liquidity at a loss or in suboptimal execution of trades. From a regulatory perspective, high levels of toxicity can be harmful to overall market liquidity and precede precipitous drops in asset prices. Bulk Volume VPIN (BV-VPIN) is one way of measuring the "toxicity" component of order flow that has been successfully applied in High Frequency Trading (HFT) environments. We apply the BV-VPIN to daily data for a range of international indices to extend previous analysis of its properties. We find that a rise in BV-VPIN effectively foreshadows high-levels of volatility in the equities indices of several countries. If a BV-VPIN futures contract exists, we show that it would exhibit safe haven characteristics during market downturns. In particular, a simple active portfolio management strategy that times investments in equities (risk-free asset) when BV-VPIN levels are low (high) outperforms a buy-and-hold strategy. Thus, we find support for the application of BV-VPIN in international equities.
Annual Losses for Straight Deductible Coverage

A practical mathematical development of a probabilistic model for annual loss amounts is developed. A simulation is used to validate the hypothesis that under general conditions, the Gaussian (normal) probability model is appropriate for annual loss amounts when straight deductible insurance is purchased. Formulae for deriving the parameters of the Gaussian model are provided and a numerical example is given. Summary simular output is provided. Straight deductible limits are a feature of many insurance coverages. Monte Carlo simulation has provided one of the few generalized approaches to expressing such coverages on a fiscal period basis instead of a per incident basis [3, p. 504]. In this paper an attractive alternative approach to Monte Carlo simulation is suggested for a class of frequently discussed models for loss frequency and loss amounts (the Poisson and lognormal distributions, respectively) [6, pp. 699-704]. The methodology discussed in the present paper provides a direct method of describing the mean and variance of annual loss amounts for given deductible limits. Furthermore, evidence is offered in support of the thesis that annual loss amounts can be reflected by the common Gaussian (normal) probability distribution when expected loss frequency is about eight or more a year. RANDOM VARIABLES AND THEIR PARAMETERS Definitions and Notation X = A random variable representing the amount of loss associated with a single fortuitous event. In the present paper the assumption is that X is lognormally distributed. Stated differently, it is assumed that logeX is normally (Gaussian) distributed. fX(x) = ( exP0(1/2a2)(1og x 2]for x > 0, 0 for x < 0. Note the parameters of f (x): 1 and a2. Brian Schott is Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods, Georgia State University. He holds the Ph.D. degree and the A.S. A. designation. He is coauthor of SIMQ: A Business Simulation Game for Decision Science Students and author of RISKM: A Risk Management! Financial Management Model. He has served as an advisor to Anistics, a subsidiary of Alexander and Alexander, Inc. Research support for this work was provided by the College of Business Administration Research Council, Georgia State University.
Glu332 in the Nicastrin Ectodomain Is Essential for γ-Secretase Complex Maturation but Not for Its Activity*

The γ-secretase complex is responsible for the proteolysis of integral membrane proteins. Nicastrin has been proposed to operate as the substrate receptor of the complex with the glutamate 332 (Glu333 in human) serving as the anionic binding site for the α-amino-terminal group of substrates. The putative binding site is located within the aminopeptidase-like domain of Nicastrin. The Glu332 is proposed to function as the counterpart of the exopeptidase Glu located in the active site of these peptidases. Although Glu332 could bind the α-amino-terminal group of substrates, we hypothesized, in analogy with M28-aminopeptidases, that other residues in the putative binding site of Nicastrin should participate in the interaction as well. Surprisingly, mutagenesis of these residues affected the in vivo processing of APP and Notch substrates only weakly. In addition, the E332Q mutation, which completely abolishes the anionic α-amino-terminal binding function, remained fully active. When we introduced the previously characterized E332A mutation, we found strongly decreased γ-secretase complex levels, but the remaining complex appeared as active as the wild-type complex. We confirmed in two independent in vitro assays that the specific enzymatic activity of the E332A mutant was comparable with that of the wild-type complex. Thus, Glu332 crucially affects complex maturation rather than substrate recognition. Moreover other Nicastrin mutants, designed to either impede or alter substantially the putative binding pocket, affected only marginally γ-secretase activity. Consequently, these studies indicate that the main role of the Glu332 is in the maturation and assembly of γ-secretase rather than in the recognition of the substrates.
A model-based reconstruction method for 3-D rotational coronary angiography

This paper presents a model-based reconstruction method of the coronary tree from a few number of projections in rotational angiography imaging. The reconstruction relies on projections acquired at a same cardiac phase and an energy function minimization that aims to lead the deformation of the 3D model to fit projection data whereas preserving coherence both in time and space. Some preliminary results are provided on simulated rotational angiograms.
Biochemical Studies on Adenovirus Multiplication

The synthesis of infectious virus is reduced by 99% in adenovirus type 2-infected KB cells maintained at 42 C in suspension. Studies to delineate the steps in virus biosynthesis blocked at 42 C revealed the following. (i) The inhibition of ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis and the block in the conversion of ribosomal RNA precursors to ribosomal RNA which normally occur in infected cells at 37 C was accentuated at 42 C. (ii) The same species of early and late viral messenger RNA were synthesized at 37 and 42 C. (iii) The shift from host cell deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis to viral DNA replication occurred earlier at 42 C than at 37 C. These findings indicate that the thermosensitive block(s) in virion formation does not occur at the level of viral DNA replication or transcription of viral mRNA but probably involves the synthesis of late viral proteins or the maturation of the virion.
A control structure for a photovoltaic supply system with power compensation characteristics suitable for smart grid topologies

A system controller for a three-phase grid-connected inverter for photovoltaic applications is presented. The active and reactive currents will both be controlled in order to realize active power supply and reactive power compensation. The three-phase inverter will be controlled by a fast and robust sliding mode controller. The active and reactive current references will be calculated in order to maximize the electrical energy produced by PV arrays and at the same time as a reactive power compensator. For the calculation of these references the maximum apparent power of the three-phase inverter is also considered. When the PV system is not working at full power the three-phase inverter can also be working as reactive power compensator. The grid injected reactive power is limited by the maximum apparent power of the inverter. This allows integrating this system into a smart-grid. Numerical simulations obtained in the Simulink environment are presented in order to validate the proposed system.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases : Journal of the COPD Foundation Insight into Best Variables for COPD Case Identification : A Random Forests Analysis

Insight into Best Variables for COPD Case Identification: A Random Forests Analysis Nancy K. Leidy, PhD1 Karen G. Malley, BA1 Anna W. Steenrod, MPH1 David M. Mannino, MD3 Barry J. Make, MD2 Russ P. Bowler, MD2 Byron M. Thomashow, MD4 R. G. Barr, MD4 Stephen I. Rennard, MD5 Julia F. Houfek, PhD5 Barbara P. Yawn, MD, MSc6 Meilan K. Han, MD, MS7 Catherine A. Meldrum, PhD7 Elizabeth D. Bacci, PhD1 John W. Walsh8 Fernando Martinez, MD, MS9; for the High-Risk-COPD Screening Study Group10
c-Jun Controls Histone Modifications, NF-κB Recruitment, and RNA Polymerase II Function To Activate the ccl2 Gene

ABSTRACT Interleukin-1 (IL-1)-induced mRNA expression of ccl2 (also called MCP-1), a prototypic highly regulated inflammatory gene, is severely suppressed in cells lacking c-Jun or Jun N-terminal protein kinase 1 (JNK1)/JNK2 genes and is only partially restored in cells expressing a c-Jun(SS63/73AA) mutant protein. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation to identify three c-Jun-binding sites located in the far 5′ region close to the transcriptional start site and in the far 3′ region of murine and human ccl2 genes. Mutational analysis revealed that the latter two sites contribute to ccl2 transcription in response to the presence of IL-1 or of ectopically expressed c-Jun-ATF-2 dimers. Further experiments comparing wild-type and c-Jun-deficient cells revealed that c-Jun regulates Ser10 phosphorylation of histone H3, acetylation of histones H3 and H4, and recruitment of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), NF-κB subunits, and RNA polymerase II across the ccl2 locus. c-Jun also coimmunoprecipitated with p65 NF-κB and HDAC3. Based on DNA microarray analysis, c-Jun was required for full expression of 133 out of 162 IL-1-induced genes. For inflammatory genes, these data support the idea of an activator function of c-Jun that is executed by multiple mechanisms, including phosphorylation-dependent interaction with p65 NF-κB and HDAC3 at the level of chromatin.
Model-based media selection to minimize the cost of metabolic cooperation in microbial ecosystems

MOTIVATION Simple forms of mutualism between microorganisms are widespread in nature. Nevertheless, the role played by the environmental nutrient composition in mediating cross-feeding in microbial ecosystems is still poorly understood. RESULTS Here, we use mixed-integer bilevel linear programming to investigate the cost of sharing metabolic resources in microbial communities. The algorithm infers an optimal combination of nutrients that can selectively sustain synergistic growth for a pair of species and guarantees minimum cost of cross-fed metabolites. To test model-based predictions, we selected a pair of Escherichia coli single gene knockouts auxotrophic, respectively, for arginine and leucine: ΔargB and ΔleuB and we experimentally verified that model-predicted medium composition significantly favors mutualism. Moreover, mass spectrometry profiling of exchanged metabolites confirmed the predicted cross-fed metabolites, supporting our constraint based modeling approach as a promising tool for engineering microbial consortia. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The software is freely available as a matlab script in the Supplementary materials. CONTACT zampieri@imsb.biol.ethz.ch SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Differential repression of GAL4 and adjacent transcription activators by operators in the yeast GAL upstream activating sequence

The upstream activating sequence of the adjacent and divergently transcribed GAL1 and GAL10 genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (UASG) contains at least three distinct classes of overlapping transcriptional control sites. The transcription activator GAL4 binds to four related sites in UASG and induces expression of GAL1 and GAL10 when galactose is available. We showed that UASG contains two additional positive control sites, designated GAL4/galactose-independent activating elements (GAEs), which reside at positions adjacent to or overlapping the GAL4-binding sites. When separated from neighboring sequences in UASG, the GAEs activate transcription independently of GAL4 with no requirement for galactose. In the intact GAL1-GAL10 divergent promoter region, their activity is ordinarily repressed by multiple negative control elements, the GAL operators. When galactose is available, GAL4 overcomes the activity of the GAL operators, while the putative GAE-binding proteins stay repressed. Combined, these results imply that distinct activators (GAL4 and GAE proteins) bound at adjacent or overlapping sites in UASG are differentially regulated by putative repressor proteins simultaneously bound at adjacent GAL operators. We surmise that GAE1 and GAE2 may have a physiological function other than regulation of galactose catabolism per se and discuss three hypotheses to account for their presence in UASG.
A novel spectrum sensing scheduler algorithm for Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive Radios' is recognized as a novel approach to improve the utilization of a precious wireless communication natural resource; the radio frequency spectrum. Historically, telecom regulators assigned fixed spectrum bands to the licensee wireless network operators, this spectrum management approach is guarantee interference free environment, except of some configurations faults or illegal usage. However, with the increasing demand for more bandwidth in the finite radio spectrum, the concept of secondary operator's was emerged, but with emphases to not influence licensed operators. Consequently, Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN) architecture enters the market as an intelligent solution to these issues, with concentration on the spectrum sensing procedures to achieve the regulatory constraint. The most successful sensing algorithms is those applying cooperation and scheduling to have better scanning information, however those algorithms are developed base on the primary network activities which is good in terms of reducing the expected interference, but it lay more computational loads on the CRN. In this paper, a novel sensing scheduler algorithm is proposed, the idea is to utilize the CRN by fairly distribute the sensing task among the sensors, then utilizing the radio spectrum shared with the primary networks.
Multigene Phylogenetic Analysis of Pathogenic Candida Species in the Kazachstania (Arxiozyma) telluris Complex and Description of Their Ascosporic States as Kazachstania bovina sp. nov., K. heterogenica sp. nov., K. pintolopesii sp. nov., and K. slooffiae sp. nov

ABSTRACT A yeast causing widespread infection of laboratory mice was identified from 26S rRNA gene sequences as Candida pintolopesii. To determine the relationship of C. pintolopesii with other members of the Kazachstania (Arxiozyma) telluris species complex, nucleotide sequences from domains 1 and 2 of the 26S rRNA gene, the mitochondrial small-subunit rRNA gene, and the RNA polymerase II gene were phylogenetically analyzed. That analysis resolved the 48 strains examined into five closely related species: K. telluris, Candida bovina, C. pintolopesii, Candida slooffiae, and a previously unknown species. One or more strains of each of the last four species formed an ascosporic state much like that of K. telluris. To place these ascosporogenous strains taxonomically, it is proposed that they be assigned to the teleomorphic genus Kazachstania as K. bovina (type strain NRRL Y-7283, CBS 9732, from the nasal passage of a pigeon), K. heterogenica (type strain NRRL Y-27499, CBS 2675, from rodent feces), K. pintolopesii (type strain NRRL Y-27500, CBS 2985, from the peritoneal fluid of a dead guinea pig), and K. slooffiae (type strain NRRL YB-4349, CBS 9733, from the cecum of a horse). On the basis of multigene sequence analyses, K. heterogenica appears to be a hybrid of K. pintolopesii and a presently unknown species. With the exception of K. bovina, the phylogenetically defined species show a moderate degree of host specificity.
Learned together, extinguished apart: reducing fear to complex stimuli

Pairing a previously neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; e.g., a tone) to an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US; e.g., a footshock) leads to associative learning such that the tone alone comes to elicit a conditioned response (e.g., freezing). We have previously shown that an extinction session that occurs within the reconsolidation window attenuates fear responding and prevents the return of fear in pure tone Pavlovian fear conditioning. Here we sought to examine whether this effect also applies to a more complex fear memory. First, we show that after fear conditioning to the simultaneous presentation of a tone and a light (T+L) coterminating with a shock, the compound memory that ensues is more resistant to fear extinction than simple tone-shock pairings. Next, we demonstrate that the compound memory can be disrupted by interrupting the reconsolidation of the two individual components using a sequential retrieval+extinction paradigm, provided the stronger compound component is retrieved first. These findings provide insight into how compound memories are encoded, and could have important implications for PTSD treatment.