Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transthyretin, a New Cryptic Protease*

Transthyretin (TTR) is a plasma homotetrameric protein that acts physiologically as a transporter of thyroxine (T4) and retinol, in the latter case through binding to retinol-binding protein (RBP). A fraction of plasma TTR is carried in high density lipoproteins by binding to apolipoprotein AI (apoA-I). We further investigated the nature of the TTR-apoA-I interaction and found that TTR from different sources (recombinant and plasmatic) is able to process proteolytically apoA-I, cleaving its C terminus after Phe-225. TTR-mediated proteolysis was inhibited by serine protease inhibitors (phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, Pefabloc, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, chymostatin, and Nα-p-tosyl-l-phenylala-nine-chloromethyl ketone), suggesting a chymotrypsin-like activity. A fluorogenic substrate corresponding to an apoA-I fragment encompassing amino acid residues 223-228 (Abz-ESFKVS-EDDnp) was used to characterize the catalytic activity of TTR, including optimum reaction conditions (37 °C and pH 6.8) and catalytic constant (Km = 29 μm); when complexed with RBP, TTR activity was lost, whereas when complexed with T4, only a slight decrease was observed. Cell lines expressing TTR were able to degrade Abz-ESFKVS-EDDnp 2-fold more efficiently than control cells lacking TTR expression; this effect was reversed by the presence of RBP in cell culture media, therefore proving a TTR-specific proteolytic activity. TTR can act as a novel plasma cryptic protease and might have a new, potentially important role under physiological and/or pathological conditions.
Recovering 3D motion and structure from stereo and 2D token tracking cooperation

An investigation is conducted of the relationships that exist between the three-dimensional structure and kinematics, of a line moving rigidly in space and the two-dimensional structure and kinematics (optical flow) of its image in one or two cameras. The authors establish the fundamental equations that relate its three-dimensional motion to its observed image motion. They then assume that stereo matches have been established between image segments and show how the estimation of the optical flows in the two images can be used to compute part of the kinematic screw of the corresponding 3-D line. The equations are linear and provide a very simple way to estimate the full kinematic screw, if several lines of the same object are available. Experimental results using synthetic and real data are presented. <<ETX>>
Molecular heterogeneity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

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Hydrologic Modeling of Climate Scenarios for Two Illinois Watersheds

Watershed modeling applications for the Fox and Iroquois River watersheds in Illinois were used to evaluate the response in simulated streamflow to various climate scenarios. The climate scenarios applied to both watersheds are based on simulations from two global climate models, the Japan and Hadley models, which respectively represent comparatively “dry” and “wet” scenarios of future climatic conditions. The “Dry” climate scenarios result in a considerable reduction in the simulated flows for both modeling applications, although the specific amount of reduction varies considerably between the two applications. The “Wet” climate scenarios cause relatively small amounts of change in simulated streamflow amounts. For the Fox River watershed, changes in most flow parameters for the “Wet” scenario are less than 10 percent; whereas for the Iroquois River watershed, the changes are generally less than 15 percent. In particular, results indicate that increases in precipitation values may not necessarily translate into increased flooding conditions if also accompanied by warmer temperatures. The two watershed applications use different hydrologic simulation models, which is useful since the “true” hydrologic response to variations in climate is unknown and using different models can present a range of credible simulated hydrologic responses. However, more work is needed to identify and separate the varying responses related to different model algorithms versus the varying responses related to the physical characteristics of the individual watersheds being modeled.
Energy-efficient wireless communications: tutorial, survey, and open issues

With explosive growth of high-data-rate applications, more and more energy is consumed in wireless networks to guarantee quality of service. Therefore, energy-efficient communications have been paid increasing attention under the background of limited energy resource and environmental- friendly transmission behaviors. In this article, basic concepts of energy-efficient communications are first introduced and then existing fundamental works and advanced techniques for energy efficiency are summarized, including information-theoretic analysis, OFDMA networks, MIMO techniques, relay transmission, and resource allocation for signaling. Some valuable topics in energy-efficient design are also identified for future research.
Smoking and the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to collate evidence of the effects of smoking on the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer. DATA SOURCES We searched 4 electronic databases (from inception to October 2010) and scanned the reference lists of the publications retrieved to identify eligible comparative epidemiologic studies. STUDY SELECTION Titles, abstracts, and full text were assessed independently by 2 authors against prespecified inclusion/exclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION Data were extracted and quality was assessed independently by 2 authors using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. DATA SYNTHESIS Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Twenty-five studies were included. Smoking was significantly associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.15-2.01; I2 = 64%; 6 studies). Smoking was not significantly associated with basal cell carcinoma (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.82-1.09; I2 = 59%; 14 studies) or nonmelanoma skin cancer (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.21-1.79; I2 = 34%; 2 studies). CONCLUSION This study clearly demonstrates that smoking increases the risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; however, smoking does not appear to modify the risk of basal cell carcinoma.
Differential Effects of Reconstituted High-density Lipoprotein on Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Platelet Activation during Human Endotoxemia

Summary High-density lipoproteins (HDL) can bind and neutralize lipopoly- saccharides (LPS) in vitro and in vivo. HDL can also affect fibrinolytic activity and can directly influence platelet function by reducing platelet aggregation. In this study, the effects of reconstituted HDL (rHDL) on LPS-induced coagulation, fibrinolysis and platelet activation in humans were investigated. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, eight healthy male volunteers were injected with LPS (4 ng/kg) on two occasions, once in conjunction with rHDL (40 mg/kg, given as a 4 h infusion starting 3.5 h prior to LPS injection), and once in conjunction with placebo. rHDL significantly reduced LPS-induced activation of coagulation (plasma levels of prothrombin fragment F1+2) and fibrinolysis (plasma levels of tissue type plasminogen activator antigen, t-PA). No effect was observed on LPS-induced inhibition of the fibrinolytic pathway (PAI-1) or on the transient thrombocytopenia elicited by LPS. Furthermore, rHDL treatment significantly enhanced the inhibition of collagen-stimulated inhibition of platelet aggregation during endotoxemia, but had no such effect on arachido- nate-stimulated platelet aggregation. rHDL treatment per se also reduced collagen-induced platelet aggregation. These results indicate that rHDL modifies the procoagulant state associated with endotoxemia.
Organization: From Substance to Image?

This paper discusses the increased theoretical and practical interest in the idea tional dimensions of organizations, with particular emphasis on corporate images. The role of these internally in organizations, and not only for the regulation of external relations, in large parts of the modern economy is emphasized. The preconditions for the appearance of images as objects of systematic control and instrumental action in organizations are investigated. A broad trend in modem corporate life is portrayed and conceptualized as a development from a strong focus on 'substantive' issues to an increased emphasis on dealing with images as a critical aspect of organizational functioning and management. This means, among other things, that pseudo-events, pseudo-action and pseudo-structures, i.e. phenomena which have the purpose of producing effects on people's impressions and definition of reality, are important features of modem management and organization.
Posture/Walking Control for Humanoid Robot Based on Kinematic Resolution of CoM Jacobian With Embedded Motion

This paper proposes the walking pattern generation method, the kinematic resolution method of center of mass (CoM) Jacobian with embedded motions, and the design method of posture/walking controller for humanoid robots. First, the walking pattern is generated using the simplified model for bipedal robot. Second, the kinematic resolution of CoM Jacobian with embedded motions makes a humanoid robot balanced automatically during movement of all other limbs. Actually, it offers an ability of whole body coordination to humanoid robot. Third, the posture/walking controller is completed by adding the CoM controller minus the zero moment point controller to the suggested kinematic resolution method. We prove that the proposed posture/walking controller brings the disturbance input-to-state stability for the simplified bipedal walking robot model. Finally, the effectiveness of the suggested posture/walking control method is shown through experiments with regard to the arm dancing and walking of humanoid robot.
Robust Autonomous Flight in Constrained and Visually Degraded Shipboard Environments

This paper addresses the problem of autonomous navigation of a micro aerial vehicle (MAV) for inspection and damage assessment inside a constrained shipboard environment, which might be perilous or inaccessible for humans, especially in emergency scenarios. The environment is GPS‐denied and visually degraded, containing narrow passageways, doorways, and small objects protruding from the wall. This causes existing two‐dimensional LIDAR, vision, or mechanical bumper‐based autonomous navigation solutions to fail. To realize autonomous navigation in such challenging environments, we first propose a robust state estimation method that fuses estimates from a real‐time odometry estimation algorithm and a particle filtering localization algorithm with other sensor information in a two‐layer fusion framework. Then, an online motion‐planning algorithm that combines trajectory optimization with a receding horizon control framework is proposed for fast obstacle avoidance. All the computations are done in real time on the onboard computer. We validate the system by running experiments under different environmental conditions in both laboratory and practical shipboard environments. The field experiment results of over 10 runs show that our vehicle can robustly navigate 20‐m‐long and only 1‐m‐wide corridors and go through a very narrow doorway (66‐cm width, only 4‐cm clearance on each side) autonomously even when it is completely dark or full of light smoke. These experiments show that despite the challenges associated with flying robustly in challenging shipboard environments, it is possible to use a MAV to autonomously fly into a confined shipboard environment to rapidly gather situational information to guide firefighting and rescue efforts.
Trusting What You Know: Information, Knowledge, and Confidence in Social Security (WP-02-38)

Can public trust in government be increased by expanding knowledge of the activities government already performs? This study takes advantage of a naturally occurring experiment—the distribution of personal statements by the Social Security Administration— to examine the impact of increased domain-specific information on the public’s knowledge and confidence. Analysis of a large Gallup survey of attitudes toward Social Security finds that recipients of personal Social Security Statements gained more knowledge of, and confidence in, Social Security than nonrecipients after controlling for individual differences. These results suggest that citizens’ evaluations of government institutions echo, in part, the quality and quantity of information distributed to them. The implication for future research on political trust and confidence is to confirm the importance of expanding analysis from global to specific objects of evaluation.
Analysis of Nonlinear Multilayered Waveguides and MQW Structures: A Field Evolution Approach Using Finite-Difference Formulation

In this paper, we present a method of analyzing nonlinear multilayered-planar waveguides and multiple-quantum-well structures. The method is based on scalar and semi-vectorial solutions of Helmholtz's equation devised with a mode-field convergence technique in a finite-difference grid. The approach is general, simple to formulate, and applicable to any arbitrary structures with Kerr-like/non-Kerr-like nonlinearities for determining guided mode characteristics of both TE and TM polarizations and the dispersion relations. We analyze a number of known waveguide structures reported in the literature to test the accuracy and establish the efficacy of the algorithm as a useful analysis recipe for modeling and understanding the modal properties of such nonlinear multilayered waveguides.
Differential expression of CD95, Bcl‐2, and Bax in rat gastric chief and parietal cells

Apoptotic cell death is common in the inflamed gastric mucosa, but its role in the regulation of cell homeostasis in normal gastric mucosa is unknown. We investigated the expression of CD95, Bcl‐2, and Bax and their roles in the regulation of apoptosis in normal rat gastric mucosa and in cultures of highly enriched rat chief and parietal cells by immunostaining, Western blotting, and FACS. In intact tissue CD95, Bcl‐2, and Bax were localized predominantly in the glandular base region in chief cells. In freshly isolated cells, expression of CD95, Bcl‐2, and Bax was much more pronounced in chief cells than in parietal cells. A lower intracellular Bcl‐2/Bax ratio suggesting a higher susceptibility to apoptosis was noticed in chief rather than in parietal cells. In extended cultures of parietal and chief cells, Bax expression was upregulated and Bcl‐2 expression was downregulated. These regulatory changes, presumably caused by in vitro effects, were not associated with an increase in spontaneous apoptosis. Treatment of chief and parietal cells with Fas‐ligand induced apoptosis of all CD95 expressing cells. Expression of CD95, Bcl‐2, and Bax predominantly in chief cells suggests that in this cell type regulation of apoptosis may differ from that in parietal cells. Binding of FasL with functionally active CD95 receptors on chief and parietal cells may be relevant for induction of apoptosis in inflamed gastric mucosa. Microsc. Res. Tech. 53:377–388, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A population synthesis study of the luminosity function of hot white dwarfs

Context. We present a coherent and detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the population of hot white dwarfs. We assess the statistical significance of the hot end of the white dwarf luminosity function and the role played by the bolometric corrections of hydrogen-rich white dwarfs at high effective temperatures. Aims. We use the most up-to-date stellar evolutionary models and implement a full description of the observational selection biases to obtain realistic simulations of the observed white dwarf population. Methods. Our theoretical results are compared with the luminosity function of hot white dwarfs obtained from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), for both DA and non-DA white dwarfs. Results. We find that the theoretical results are in excellent agreement with the observational data for the population of white dwarfs with hydrogen deficient atmospheres (non-DA white dwarfs). For the population of white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich atmospheres (white dwarfs of the DA class), our simulations show some discrepancies with the observations for the brightest luminosity bins, namely those corresponding to luminosities larger than ~10 L.These discrepancies can be attributed to the way in which the masses of the white dwarfs contributing to this luminosity bin have been computed, as most of them have masses smaller than the theoretical lower limit for carbon-oxygen white dwarfs. Conclusions. We conclude that the way in which the observational luminosity function of hot white dwarfs is obtained is very sensitive to the particular implementation of the method used to derive the masses of the sample. We also provide a revised luminosity function for hot white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich atmospheres. © ESO, 2014.
The yydFGHIJ operon of Bacillus subtilis encodes a peptide 1 that induces the LiaRS two-component system 2 3 4 Running title : Peptide inducer of the LiaRS system 5 6 7

24 The Bacillus subtilis LiaRS two-component system (TCS) responds to perturbations of 25 the cell envelope induced by lipid II interacting antibiotics such as vancomycin, 26 ramoplanin, nisin, and bacitracin. Here we characterize Tn7-generated mutations that 27 induce the liaRS TCS. In addition to insertions in liaF, a known negative regulator of the 28 LiaRS TCS, we identified two disruptions in the last two genes of the yydFGHIJ operon. 29 This operon is predicted to encode a 49aa peptide (YydF), a modification enzyme 30 (YydG), a membrane-embedded protease (YydH), and an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) 31 transporter (YydIJ). Genome sequence comparisons suggest that the yydFGHIJ operon 32 may have been acquired by horizontal transfer. Inactivation of the YydIJ transporter 33 resulted in increased expression from the LiaR-dependent PliaI promoter only in the 34 presence of the yydFGH genes. Cells harboring the complete yydFGHIJ operon induced 35 LiaR activity in co-cultured cells lacking either this transporter or the complete operon. 36 These results suggest that this operon is involved in the synthesis and export of a 37 modified peptide (YydF*) that elicits cell envelope stress sensed by the LiaRS TCS. 38 39 Introduction 40 The B. subtilis cell envelope consists of a thick peptidoglycan cell wall and the 41 cell membrane. Conditions interfering with cell envelope function activate specific stress 42 responses coordinated by ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σ factors and various two43 component regulatory systems (TCS). The activity of ECF σ factors is often inhibited by 44 a transmembrane anti-σ which is inactivated in response to extracytoplasmic stress (17). 45 AC CE PT ED at P nn S ate U iv on F ebuary 7, 2008 jb.asm . rg D ow nladed fom
Evaluative Setting and Oral Production

The purpose of this study is to identify the influence of an evaluative setting on the Foreign Languages (FL) oral production. It was hypothesized that the FL oral production of FL learners would increase being challenged in an evaluating setting. This last term is created based on authors that refer to the importance of the teaching, learning, and evaluative methods during the FL learning process (Krashen and Terrell, 1983; McDonough and Shaw, 1993; Courtillon, 2003; Lozanov, 2005; Loewen, 2007; Clerc, 2010). The study describes the possible factors and elements that surround the evaluative process of the ability to communicate verbally in the target languages. A total of ten (10) learners were observed and interviewed in a mixed method research. The findings were analyzed taking into account interpretative techniques, recursive abstraction and coding procedures. It was found that students seem to respond to diverse personal needs increasing the FL oral communication when they are evaluated. Additionally, the characteristics of the evaluative setting components may affect the results of the oral evaluations.
A Task-Oriented Framework for Networked Wearable Computing

Body Sensor Networks (BSNs) have become prominent in research and industry alike as a powerful enabler of novel applications in human-centered domains. However, developing applications on such systems is still a cumbersome process, due to the lack of suitable software abstractions and the difficulties in managing wearable computing application within the stringent constraints of embedded systems. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework, SPINE2 (Signal Processing In Node Environment), which allows task-oriented programming on a platform-independent architecture. We demonstrate how fairly sophisticated signal-processing applications can be realized in the form of easy-to-implement embedded processes. The proposed architecture is tested experimentally and its features are illustrated through a nontrivial case study. In the last years, several frameworks and middlewares have been conceived and made available to support high-level programming in WSNs. These provide a generic set of features that can only be used for the most common application domains. However, it is hard to efficiently support the more specific domain of BSNs, which requires specific capabilities. In order to fully satisfy the BSN-based requirements, SPINE2 has been conceived as an effective and efficient tool for developing distributed signal-processing applications. Its task-oriented paradigm allows developers to specify the applications' behavior by abstracting away any low-level details concerning the platform hardware and the communication protocol. Moreover, its platform-independent architecture enables code reusability and portability, as well as application interoperability and platform heterogeneity. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and the efficiency of the runtime environment, a BSN-based activity recognition system has been developed through SPINE2. The easiness in implementing such a complex system thanks to both the provided programming abstractions and the framework components reusability is shown, as well as the efficiency of the whole system whose performance has been evaluated under a range of metrics.
Tree Image Growth Analysis Using Instantaneous Phase Modulation

We propose the use of Amplitude-Modulation Frequency-Modulation (AM-FM) methods for tree growth analysis. Tree growth is modeled using phase modulation. For adapting AM-FM methods to different images, we introduce the use of fast filterbank filter coefficient computation based on piecewise linear polynomials and radial frequency magnitude estimation using integer-based Savitzky-Golay filters for derivative estimation. For a wide range of images, a simple filterbank design with only 4 channel filters is used. Filterbank specification is based on two different methods. For each input image, the FM image is estimated using dominant component analysis. A tree growth model is developed to characterize and depict quarterly and half-seasonal growth of trees using instantaneous phase. Qualitative evaluation of inter- and intraring reconstruction is performed on 20 aspen images and a mixture of 12 tree images of various types. Qualitative scores indicate that the results were mostly of good to excellent quality (4.4/5.0 and 4.0/5.0 for the two databases, resp.).