Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preparation of biologically active Arabidopsis ribosomes and comparison with yeast ribosomes for binding to a tRNA-mimic that enhances translation of plant plus-strand RNA viruses

Isolation of biologically active cell components from multicellular eukaryotic organisms often poses difficult challenges such as low yields and inability to retain the integrity and functionality of the purified compound. We previously identified a cap-independent translation enhancer (3′CITE) in the 3′UTR of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) that structurally mimics a tRNA and binds to yeast 80S ribosomes and 60S subunits in the P-site. Yeast ribosomes were used for these studies due to the lack of methods for isolation of plant ribosomes with high yields and integrity. To carry out studies with more natural components, a simple and efficient procedure has been developed for the isolation of large quantities of high quality ribosomes and ribosomal subunits from Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts prepared from seed-derived callus tissue. Attempts to isolate high quality ribosomes from wheat germ, bean sprouts, and evacuolated protoplasts were unsuccessful. Addition of purified Arabidopsis 80S plant ribosomes to ribosome-depleted wheat germ lysates resulted in a greater than 1200-fold enhancement in in vitro translation of a luciferase reporter construct. The TCV 3′CITE bound to ribosomes with a three to sevenfold higher efficiency when using plant 80S ribosomes compared with yeast ribosomes, indicating that this viral translational enhancer is adapted to interact more efficiently with host plant ribosomes.
Formulation and evaluation of fast dissolving tablet containing domperidone ternary solid dispersion

Introduction: Fast dissolving tablet containing domperidone ternary solid dispersion was developed to improve the dissolution of drug and stability of solid dispersion. Materials and Methods: Binary and ternary solid dispersions were prepared by fusion method. They were characterized by solubility study, in vitro dissolution, dissolution efficiency, and stability study. The solid state properties of solid dispersions were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Ternary solid dispersion was successfully incorporated into fast dissolving tablet by direct compression method. Tablets were characterized for pre-compression parameters, post-compression parameters, and stability study. Results: Optimized ternary solid dispersion containing ratio 1:2:1.5 of drug: Gelucire 50/13: Poloxamer 188 gave maximum dissolution. The FTIR, DSC, and XRD studies of solid dispersions were confirmed the formation of solid dispersion. Ternary solid dispersion was more stable compared to binary solid dispersion at accelerated environment conditions for one month as confirmed by DSC study. Crospovidone as a superdisintegrant (4%) showed good result with disintegration time of 19 s and dissolution near to 100% in 0.1N HCL at 30 min. Conclusion: The studies indicated that the dissolution of drug and stability of solid dispersion was improved in the presence of ternary agent (surfactant) as compared to binary solid dispersion. It was concluded that fast dissolving tablet containing ternary solid dispersion was stable at accelerated environmental conditions for 1 month.
An Analysis of Stochastic Shortest Path Problems

We consider a stochastic version of the classical shortest path problem whereby for each node of a graph, we must choose a probability distribution over the set of successor nodes so as to reach a certain destination node with minimum expected cost. The costs of transition between successive nodes can be positive as well as negative. We prove natural generalizations of the standard results for the deterministic shortest path problem, and we extend the corresponding theory for undiscounted finite state Markovian decision problems by removing the usual restriction that costs are either all nonnegative or all nonpositive.
Moving beyond job search quantity

Job seeking is an important aspect throughout people’s careers. Extant theory and research has focused on one particular dimension of job search, that is, intensity/effort (i.e., job search quantity), posing that intensity/effort importantly affects employment success. The present conceptual paper extends job search theory by arguing for the importance of job search quality in explaining job search and employment success. We conceptualize job search quality as consisting of process quality and product/behavior quality, and propose that high-quality job search products/behaviors are more likely with a high-quality job search process. A four-phased cyclical self-regulatory model is presented, specifying the components of job search process quality. We build theory regarding the interrelations between quality components, the antecedents and outcomes of job search quality, and the moderators of these relations. This theory offers new and more detailed explanations for previous findings, directions for future research, and practical guidelines regarding (re)employment success and services.
Cognitive Profile of Amyloid Burden and White Matter Hyperintensities in Cognitively Normal Older Adults

Amyloid burden and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are two common markers of neurodegeneration present in advanced aging. Each represents a potential early indicator of an age-related neurological disorder that impacts cognition. The presence of amyloid is observed in a substantial subset of cognitively normal older adults, but the literature remains equivocal regarding whether amyloid in nondemented populations is deleterious to cognition. Similarly, WMH are detected in many nondemented older adults and there is a body of evidence indicating that WMH are associated with decreased executive function and other cognitive domains. The current study investigated amyloid burden and WMH in clinically normal older adult humans aged 65–86 (N = 168) and examined each biomarker's relation with cognitive domains of episodic memory, executive function, and speed of processing. Factors for each domain were derived from a neuropsychological battery on a theoretical basis without reference to the relation between cognition and the biomarkers. Amyloid burden and WMH were not correlated with one another. Age was associated with lower performance in all cognitive domains, while higher estimated verbal intelligence was associated with higher performance in all domains. Hypothesis-driven tests revealed that amyloid burden and WMH had distinct cognitive profiles, with amyloid burden having a specific influence on episodic memory and WMH primarily associated with executive function but having broad (but lesser) effects on the other domains. These findings suggest that even before clinical impairment, amyloid burden and WMH likely represent neuropathological cascades with distinct etiologies and dissociable influences on cognition.
Systems approaches in global change and biogeochemistry research

Systems approaches have great potential for application in predictive ecology. In this paper, we present a range of examples, where systems approaches are being developed and applied at a range of scales in the field of global change and biogeochemical cycling. Systems approaches range from Bayesian calibration techniques at plot scale, through data assimilation methods at regional to continental scales, to multi-disciplinary numerical model applications at country to global scales. We provide examples from a range of studies and show how these approaches are being used to address current topics in global change and biogeochemical research, such as the interaction between carbon and nitrogen cycles, terrestrial carbon feedbacks to climate change and the attribution of observed global changes to various drivers of change. We examine how transferable the methods and techniques might be to other areas of ecosystem science and ecology.
Measuring Kitchen Performance: What Assessment Should we Choose?

There are several published kitchen assessments currently available for use by clinicians. The main objective of this paper was to offer criteria for choosing standardized kitchen assessments, from a ''top-down'' cognitive perspective, in order to help clinicians in selecting the most appropriate kitchen assessment tools. Towards this objective, four standardized kitchen assessment tools were critically analyzed by means of six criteria: (1) frame of reference and theoretical basis; (2) cultural relevance; (3) clinical utility; (4) outcome measures; (5) psychometric properties; and (6) scoring methods. Each of the assessment tools was then analyzed according to ten executive function components. The advantages and disadvantages of each assessment tool are addressed in the final discussion. The main conclusion is that the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) is the most comprehensive tool for assessing occupational performance.
Anomaly detection by auto-association

Anomaly detectors (or novelty detectors) are systems for detecting behaviour that deviates from "normality ", and are useful in a wide range of surveillance, monitoring and diagnosis applications. Feed-forward auto-associative neural networks have, in several studies, shown to be effective anomaly detectors although they have a tendency to produce false negatives. Existing methods rely on anomalous examples (counter-examples) during training to prevent this problem. However, counter-examples may be hard to obtain in practical anomaly detection scenarios. We therefore propose a training scheme based on regularisation, which both reduces the problem of false negatives and also speeds up the training process, without relying on counter-examples. Experimental results on benchmark machine learning problems verify the potential of the proposed approach
Thirty Years of Inventory Routing

The inventory-routing problem (IRP) dates back 30 years. It can be described as the combination of vehicle-routing and inventory management problems, in which a supplier has to deliver products to a number of geographically dispersed customers, subject to side constraints. It provides integrated logistics solutions by simultaneously optimizing inventory management, vehicle routing, and delivery scheduling. Some exact algorithms and several powerful metaheuristic and matheuristic approaches have been developed for this class of problems, especially in recent years. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of this literature, based on a new classification of the problem. We categorize IRPs with respect to their structural variants and the availability of information on customer demand.
Unemployment and Life Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Time Structure and Collectivism1

This study investigated the mitigating role of collectivism and time structure in reaction to unemployment. Participants (N= 229) with different occupational status (employed, students, unemployed) coming from either northern or southern Italy were compared with regard to general life satisfaction. Unemployed were found to show lower life satisfaction. self-esteem, and happiness than were employed peers or students, but these effects were found to be influenced by both collectivism and time structure. Life satisfaction was lower among unemployed from northern Italy (where individualistic norms prevailed) than from southern Italy (which was found to be more collectivist). Also, among unemployed, life satisfaction tended to be higher among those who perceived their use of time as more structured and purposive. The results suggest that unemployment may have less severe consequences in a collectivistic culture and for people with good time-structure abilities.
Time of PMSG administration: Effect on progesterone and estradiolconcentration in synchronized ewes.

The objective of this study was to observe the effect of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin (PMSG) administration time on progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) concentrations in synchronized ewes. The experimental animals used in this study were Cameroon hair sheep and Thai Long Tail wool sheep crossbreds. Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR) device was implanted intravaginally to 40 ewes for 11 and 13 days. Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin (PMSG), 200 I.U. was administered at CIDR withdrawal and 24 hours prior to CIDR withdrawal. Blood samples were collected between 3 to 4 day intervals for 6 weeks after CIDR implantation. The P4 and E2 blood plasma concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Ewes that received PMSG at CIDR withdrawal gave significantly higher P4 and E2 concentrations as compared to ewes that received PMSG at 24 hours prior to CIDR withdrawal in both 11 and 13 days CIDR implantation. In conclusion, PMSG administration at 24 hour prior to or at CIDR withdrawal would affect the concentrations of blood plasma P4 and E2 in synchronized ewes and subsequently would affect the reproductive performance in ewes.
Swine models of type 2 diabetes mellitus: insulin resistance, glucose tolerance, and cardiovascular complications.

In humans, diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered a heterogeneous metabolic disorder. Swine have been used as a model for many human conditions including type 1 (insulindeficient) and type 2 (insulin-resistant) DM research because of their phenotypic similarities to humans including: cardiovascular anatomy and function, metabolism, lipoprotein profile, size, tendency to obesity, and omnivorous habits. There is phenotypic overlap between the two types of DM and pig models show characteristics and complications of both. Streptozotocin and alloxan have been used to create insulin deficient diabetes in pigs. One of the most unique and useful phenotypes is that these insulin-deficient pigs develop more severe coronary atherosclerosis than nondiabetic controls. It is not fully understood why patients with either type 1 or type 2 DM have increased severity and diffuseness of atherosclerosis compared with nondiabetic patients. The current human epidemic of type 2 DM and its attendant cardiovascular complications underscore the unmet need for creating a useful, readily available animal model of type 2 insulin resistant DM that also develops coronary artery atherosclerosis. The phenotypic susceptibility to coronary atherosclerosis makes pigs an attractive species to identify causative mechanisms. Suggested criteria for validation of an animal model of humanoid type 2 DM are described. The goal would be to develop a useful animal model for mechanistic studies as well as to develop and test novel therapeutics both for type 2 DM as well as its cardiovascular complications.
Characteristics of social support in a community‐living sample of older people: The Sydney Older Persons Study

Objectives : Lower levels of social support have been associated with higher mortality, poor health and lower levels of well‐being. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of social support in a sample of community‐living people over the age of 75 years and secondly to identify sociodemographic variables associated with social support. Method: A sample of 647 community‐dwelling elderly (75 or older) were interviewed using a structured instrument assessing social support. Social support was defined as: instrumental support; emotional support including the presence of a confidant; perceived support (perceived availability and perceived adequacy of support) and finally, social involvement or participation. Chi‐squared tests were used to compare levels of social support between males and females. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted in order to examine the relationship between social support and sociodemographic variables.
Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake Is Not Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure in US Adults With No Prior History of Hypertension

The relationship between dietary sodium and potassium intake with elevated blood pressure (BP) levels is unclear. The authors examined the association between dietary sodium and potassium intake and BP levels in 6985 adults aged 18 years and older with no prior history of hypertension who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2006). After adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, diabetes, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, there was no association between higher quartiles of sodium or potassium intake with the risk of a BP >140/90 mm Hg or >130/80 mm Hg. There was also no relationship between dietary sodium and potassium intake with BP when systolic and diastolic BP were measured as continuous outcomes (P=.68 and P=.74, respectively). Furthermore, no association was found between combinations of sodium and potassium intake with elevated BP. In the US adult population without hypertension, increased dietary sodium or low potassium intake was not associated with elevated BP levels.
TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE OF SOCIOPOLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: LISTENING TO THE VOICES OF SALVADORAN YOUTH

A mixed methods approach was used to explore dimensions of sociopolitical development of youth in El Salvador. Photovoice was used to engage 2 groups of adolescents from a rural village to document and discuss their community. Using previous theory and models of sociopolitical development as a guide, themes were identified to inform the development of a quantitative measure we call sociopolitical consciousness. New and preexisting items were combined to create a measure that reflected the themes from the qualitative data. The resulting measure was completed by 682 Salvadoran high school students across 3 different community contexts; 7 factors were subsequently identified representing both individual and collective dimensions of sociopolitical consciousness. The study demonstrates how a contextualized research process can facilitate a synergy between the emic and etic dimensions of sociopolitical development.
Proteins containing only half of the coding information of early region 1b of adenovirus are functional in human cells transformed with the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase gene and adenovirus type 2 DNA

We introduced into tk- human 143 cells adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) genes by transformation with a plasmid (p711) containing both Ad2 sequences and the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) tk gene. p711 contained approximately the left 8% of the Ad2 genome inserted in the HindIII site of pBR322, whereas the fragment of HSV-1 containing the tk gene was inserted in the BamHI site. Three tk+ cell lines were isolated after selection in HAT medium. The arrangement of viral sequences in the three transformants was analyzed by restriction endonuclease digestion and filter hybridization. All three lines contained a single insertion of Ad2 DNA which was present at approximately one copy per cell. The arrangement of Ad2 sequences in these lines was identical to that found in the linear p711 DNA used in the transformation. S1 analysis of the Ad2-specified RNA from two of these lines indicated that the early region 1a mRNA's were synthesized, though in lower amounts than found in lytic infections. These cell lines contained only the left half of early region 1b (4.6 to 11.2), which encoded the 5' portion of the 1b mRNA's. A complex pattern of 1b RNAs was made in these cell lines. Transcription of most of these RNAs began at or near the 1b promoter and proceeded through the 1b sequences into the flanking pBR322, HSV-1, or host sequences. Since many of the RNAs were terminated or spliced in the HSV-1 (anti-sense strand) or pBR322 sequences, new RNA processing sites must be used in the formation of these mRNA's. All three lines fully complemented the 1a deletion mutant Ad5 dl312. Surprisingly, these lines also permitted the growth of 1b deletion mutants (Ad5 dl313 and Ad5 dl434), although the complementation was not always complete. Presumably the new gene product(s) which contained only part of the 1b gene provided most of the essential function(s) required for viral multiplication. Alternatively, the 1b 19-kilodalton protein which was entirely encoded by the adenovirus sequences present in these cell lines was sufficient for viral growth even in the absence of the 1b 55-kilodalton protein.
Removing noise from astronomical images using a pixel-specific noise model

For digital photographs of astronomical objects, where exposure times are usually long and ISO settings high, the so-called dark-current is a significant source of noise. Dark-current refers to thermally generated electrons and is therefore present even in the absence of light. This paper presents a novel approach for denoising astronomical images that have been corrupted by dark-current noise. Our method relies on a probabilistic description of the dark-current of each pixel of a given camera. The noise model is then combined with an image prior which is adapted to astronomical images. In a laboratory environment, we use a black and white CCD camera containing a cooling unit and show that our method is superior to existing methods in terms of root mean squared error. Furthermore, we show that our method is practically relevant by providing visually more appealing results on astronomical photographs taken with a single lens reflex CMOS camera.
Why does Zeno the Stoic Hold His Breath? “Zenoism” as a New Variable for Studying Suicide

A single misfortune may be seen as just that, or may be interpreted as Zeno the Stoic did, as a “sign” of cosmic proportion (zenoizing), which paradoxically provides a missing meaning structure. This article presents two studies testing out this new variable (zenoism): in Study One (n = 233), we explore the moderating effects of religiosity and gender on zenoism, depression, demoralization, and suicidality. In Study Two (n = 137), we explore these same moderating effects on zenoism, fear of dependency, value of life, and favorability toward physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Results indicate: 1) men and non-religious respondents (especially men) zenoize more than women and religious respondents; 2) non-religious respondents, (especially men) are more generally favorable to PAS and more suicidal; 3) Zenoism is negatively related to depression, demoralization, and value of life for non-religious respondents, and for men; 4) Zenoism is positively related to favorability toward PAS toward one's self and overall suicidality; and finally 5) general and self-specific favorability toward PAS are distinct, but both relate to overall suicidality.