Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The 3' conserved segment of integrons contains a gene associated with multidrug resistance to antiseptics and disinfectants

Nucleotide sequence analysis of ORF1 from the integron on the broad-host-range plasmid R751 revealed that the first 94 of 110 codons of ORF1 from R751 are identical to ORF4, an open reading frame from the 3' conserved segment of other integrons found in gram-negative bacteria, after which point they diverged completely. The predicted products of both ORF1 and ORF4 share homology with the multidrug exporter QacC. Phenotypic analysis revealed that ORF1 specifies a resistance profile to antiseptics and disinfectants almost identical to that of qacC, whereas ORF4 specifies much lower levels of resistance to these compounds. ORF4, whose product lacks the C-terminal 16 amino acids of the ORF1 protein, may have evolved by the interruption of ORF1 from the insertion of a DNA segment carrying a sulI sulfonamide resistance determinant. Hence, ORF1 was designated qacE, and its partially functional deletion derivative, ORF4, was designated qacE delta 1. Fluorimetric experiments indicated that the mechanism of resistance mediated by QacE, the protein specified by qacE, is active export energized by proton motive force. Amino acid sequence comparisons revealed that QacE is related to a family of small multidrug export proteins with four transmembrane segments.
Sovereign Ratings in the Post-Crisis World: An Analysis of Actual, Shadow and Relative Risk Ratings

This paper analyzes the evolution of sovereign credit ratings in the wake of the global financial crisis by studying changes in actual, shadow, and relative ratings between 2008 and 2012. For countries that do not have a rating from the major rating agencies, shadow ratings are estimated as a function of macroeconomic, structural, and governance variables. The shadow rating exercise confirms earlier findings in the literature that even after the financial crisis, many unrated countries appear to be more creditworthy than previously believed and can access international capital markets. The paper also develops a new rating scale called the"relative risk rating,"which ranks countries according to their actual or shadow ratings after controlling for changes in the world weighted average rating. When relative ratings in 2012 are compared with the first half of 2008, the world average rating is found to be weaker because of the financial crisis. The relative rating improved in developing economies such as Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, whereas it deteriorated in crisis-affected high-income countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Egypt. Interestingly, India, Jordan, Poland, and the United Kingdom had their rating outlook downgraded by the rating agencies, but their relative rating actually improved as other countries suffered even worse downgrades. A regression model is used to analyze the relative contributions of different variables to rating changes during 2008-2012, a helpful feature for policy makers interested in improving sovereign ratings.
Beyond the brain: disrupted in schizophrenia 1 regulates pancreatic β‐cell function via glycogen synthase kinase‐3β

Individuals with schizophrenia and their first‐degree relatives have higher rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) than the general population (18–30 vs. 1.2–6.3%), independent of body mass index and antipsychotic medication, suggesting shared genetic components may contribute to both diseases. The cause of this association remains unknown. Mutations in disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) increase the risk of developing psychiatric disorders [logarithm (base 10) of odds = 7.1]. Here, we identified DISC1 as a major player controlling pancreatic β‐cell proliferation and insulin secretion via regulation of glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK3β). DISC1 expression was enriched in developing mouse and human pancreas and adult β‐ and ductal cells. Loss of DISC1 function, through siRNA‐mediated depletion or expression of a dominant‐negative truncation that models the chromosomal translocation of human DISC1 in schizophrenia, resulted in decreased β‐cell proliferation (3 vs. 1%; P< 0.01), increased apoptosis (0.1 vs. 0.6%; P< 0.01), and glucose intolerance in transgenic mice. Insulin secretion was reduced (0.5 vs. 0.1 ng/ml; P < 0.05), and critical β‐cell transcription factors Pdx1 and Nkx6.1 were significantly decreased. Impaired DISC1 allowed inappropriate activation of GSK3β in β cells, and antagonizing GSK3β (SB216763; IC50 = 34.3 nM) rescued the β‐cell defects. These results uncover an unexpected role for DISC1 in normal β‐cell physiology and suggest that DISC1 dysregulation contributes to T2D independently of its importance for cognition. —Jurczyk, A. , Nowosielska, A. , Przewozniak, N. , Aryee, K. ‐E. , DiIorio, P., Blodgett, D. , Yang, C. , Campbell‐Thompson, M. , Atkinson, M. , Shultz, L. , Rittenhouse, A. , Harlan, D. , Greiner, D. , Bortell, R. Beyond the brain: disrupted in schizophrenia 1 regulates pancreatic β‐cell function via glycogen synthase kinase‐3β. FASEB J. 30, 983–993 (2016). www.fasebj. org
Stepwise degradation of membrane sphingomyelin by corynebacterial phospholipases

The mechanism of in vitro synergistic lysis of sheep erythrocytes by Corynebacterium ovis and Corynebacterium equi was investigated. Hemolysis required (i) the action of phospholipase D from C. ovis, (ii) the action of an extracellular protein of C. equi, and (iii) Mg2+. Maximum lysis required imposition on the system of a fourth condition (step iv), such as chilling. Steps i, ii, and iv occur sequentially and in that order. Mg2+ functions in steps i and ii. The extracellular protein C. equi was purified to homogeneity and found to be a phospholipase C capable of hydrolyzing ceramide phosphate, phosphatidic acid, and all of the isolated major phospholipids of mammalian erythrocyte membranes. The principal features of the synergistic hemolytic system could be reproduced in experiments involving liposomes containing either sphingomyelin or ceramide phosphate and trapped [14C]glucose. We inferred that sphingomyelin of sheep erythrocytes is first converted to ceramide phosphate by C. ovis phospholipase D. On the basis of results with liposomes, we propose that the ceramide phosphate is then converted to ceramide by C. equi phospholipase C. We believe that the resulting in situ ceramide then undergoes dislocation by chilling and perhaps also by virtue of an affinity between ceramide and C. equi phospholipase C. The dislocation of ceramide presumably disorganizes the lipid bilayer sufficiently to result in cell lysis.
The discrete yet ubiquitous theorems of Carathéodory, Helly, Sperner, Tucker, and Tverberg

We discuss five discrete results: the lemmas of Sperner and Tucker from combinatorial topology and the theorems of Carath\'eodory, Helly, and Tverberg from combinatorial geometry. We explore their connections and emphasize their broad impact in application areas such as game theory, graph theory, mathematical optimization, computational geometry, etc.
An ultra-low power iterative clique-based neural network integrated in 65-nm CMOS

Clique-based neural networks are less complex than commonly used neural network models. They have a limited connectivity and are composed of simple functions. They are thus adapted to implement neuro-inspired computation units operating under severe energy constraints. This paper shows an ST 65-nm CMOS ASIC implementation for a 30-neuron clique-based neural network circuit. With a 1V power supply and 300nA unitary current, the neuron energy consumption is only 17fJ per synaptic event. The network occupies a 41,820µm2 silicon area.
Relationship between in vitro susceptibility test results for chloramphenicol and production of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase by Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Aerococcus species

Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Aerococcus species were tested for susceptibility to chloramphenicol by standard broth microdilution and disk-diffusion methods. MICs and zone diameter breakpoints were correlated with production of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). A comparison of MICs and zone diameters indicated that the interpretative criteria for H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae should be an MIC of less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml or a zone diameter greater than or equal to 25 mm for susceptible strains and an MIC of greater than or equal to 8 micrograms/ml or a zone diameter of less than or equal to 20 mm for resistant strains; for Aerococcus species, interpretative criteria should be an MIC of less than or equal to 8 micrograms/ml or a zone diameter of greater than or equal to 20 mm for susceptible strains and an MIC of greater than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml or a zone diameter of less than or equal to 12 mm for resistant strains. All but four strains of H. influenzae and one strain of S. pneumoniae that were resistant to chloramphenicol by these criteria produced CAT. For Aerococcus species, however, chloramphenicol-resistant strains were negative for CAT as determined by a commercially available disk test. When comparing susceptibility results with CAT production, thiamphenicol was a better indicator of the presence of the enzyme than chloramphenicol and may be useful in assaying resistance to chloramphenicol.
Robust PCA for Anomaly Detection in Cyber Networks

This paper uses network packet capture data to demonstrate how Robust Principal Component Analysis (RPCA) can be used in a new way to detect anomalies which serve as cyber-network attack indicators. The approach requires only a few parameters to be learned using partitioned training data and shows promise of ameliorating the need for an exhaustive set of examples of different types of network attacks. For Lincoln Lab's DARPA intrusion detection data set, the method achieves low false-positive rates while maintaining reasonable true-positive rates on individual packets. In addition, the method correctly detected packet streams in which an attack which was not previously encountered, or trained on, appears.
Service Work without Emotional Labour? Role Expectations of Service Engineers, Their Employers and Customers in the Mechanical Engineering Industry

The goal of this research is to understand, if emotional labour is part of atypical service professions like service engineering. The protagonists of this study are service engineers, their employing organisations and customers (service triad). We are interested in the following questions: How do the protagonists perceive the role of the service engineers? Is emotional regulation important in this service? Is emotional labour displayed? For which purposes is it used? Our study shows, that finding technological solutions is dominating in service engineering. Yet, service engineers use not only emotional labour, but also sentimental work. The regulation and influencing of emotions serve different purposes, e.g. to build a relationship with the customer, to extract relevant information from him/her to get a technical problem solved quicker, and to cope with distress that arises from contradictory expectations. Service engineers do this although neither their employer nor the customer explicitly urges them to do so.
A Compact, Low-Power and Low-Jitter Dual-Loop Injection Locked PLL Using All-Digital PVT Calibration

This paper presents a low-jitter, low-power and a small-area injection-locked all-digital PLL (IL-ADPLL). It consists of a dual-loop and a dual-VCO architecture in which one VCO (Replica) is placed in a TDC-less synthesizable ADFLL to provide continuous tracking of voltage and temperature variations. The other VCO (main) shares the control voltage with the replica VCO but is placed outside the loop and is injection-locked to lower its jitter and accurately set its frequency to the desired one. This approach avoids timing problems in the conventional ILPLL since the injection-locked VCO is placed outside the feedback loop. It also achieves a low power and a small area, due to the absence of a power hungry TDC and an area-consuming loop filter, while tracking any PVT variations. The IL-ADPLL is implemented in a 65 nm CMOS process and measurement results show that it achieves a 0.7ps RMS jitter at 1.2 GHz while having 1.6 mW and 0.97 mW power consumption with and without intermittent operation resulting in an FOM of -243 dB. It also consumes an area of only 0.022 mm2 resulting in the best performance-area trade-off system presented up-to-date.
A Cellular Approach to NetZero Energy Cities

Recent growth in the use of photovoltaic technology and a rapid reduction in its cost confirms the potential of solar power on a large scale. In this context, planning for the deployment of smart grids is among the most important challenges to support the increased penetration of solar energy in urban areas and to ensure the resilience of the electricity system. As part this effort, the present paper describes a cellular approach to a Net-Zero energy concept, based on the balance between the potential solar energy supply and the existing consumption patterns at the urban unit scale. To do that, the Geographical Urban Units Delimitation model (GUUD) has been developed and tested on a case study. By applying the GUUD model, which combines Geographic Information Systems (GIS), parametric modelling, and solar dynamic analysis, the whole area of the city was divided into urban cells, categorized as solar producers and energy consumers. The discussion around three theoretical scenarios permits us to explore how smart grids can be approached and promoted from an urban planning perspective. The paper provides insights into how urban planning can be a driver to optimize and manage energy balance across the city if the deployment of smart grids is correctly integrated in its operative process.
A Global Comparison of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) Microbial Communities

ABSTRACT The potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli Sulc) is an economically important insect pest of solanaceous crops such as potato, tomato, pepper, and tobacco. Historically, the potato psyllid's range included central United States, Mexico, and California; more recently, populations of this insect have been reported in Central America, the Pacific Northwest, and New Zealand. Like most phytophagous insects, potato psyllids require symbiotic bacteria to compensate for nutritional deficiencies in their diet. Potato psyllids harbor the primary symbiont, Candidatus Carsonella ruddii, and may also harbor many secondary symbionts such as Wolbachia sp. , Sodalis sp. , Pseudomonas sp. , and others. These secondary symbionts can have an effect on reproduction, nutrition, immune response, and resistances to heat or pesticides. To identify regional differences in potato psyllid bacterial symbionts, 454 pyrosequencing was performed using generic 16S rRNA gene primers. Analysis was performed using the Qiime 1.6. 0 software suite, ARB Silva, and R. Operational taxonomic units were then grouped at 97% identity. Representative sequences were classified to genus using the ARB SILVA database. Potato psyllids collected in California contained a less diverse microbial community than those collected in the central United States and Central America. The crop variety, collection year, and haplotype did not seem to affect the microbial community in potato psyllids. The primary difference between psyllids in different regions was the presence and overall bacterial community composition of Candidatus Carsonella ruddii and Wolbachia.
Relationships between Providers and Users of Market Research: The Dynamics of Trust within and between Organizations

The authors investigate the role of trust between knowledge users and knowledge providers. The kind of knowledge of special concern is formal market research. Users include marketing and nonmarketing managers; providers include marketing researchers within a user's own firm and those external to the firm. A theory of the relationships centering on personal trust is developed to examine (1) how users’ trust in researchers influences various relationship processes and the use of market research and (2) how the relationships vary when examined across dyads. The relationships were tested in a sample of 779 users and providers of market research information. Results indicate that trust and perceived quality of interaction contribute most significantly to research utilization, with trust having indirect effects through other relationship processes, as opposed to important direct effects on research utilization. Deeper levels of exchange, including researcher involvement in the research process and user commitment to the research relationship, however, have little effect on research use. Finally, the relationships in the model show few differences depending on whether the producer and user share marketing or research orientations. Interorganizational dyads, however, generally exhibit stronger model relationships than intraorganizational dyads.
Theoretical and Simulation Approaches to Error Correction Strategies in Automatic Speech Recognition (Technical Note)

Abstract Baber and Hone (Error recovery and repair in automatic speech recognition systems, International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 39, 495-515, 1993) describe four strategies for error correction in automatic speech recognition. In simulation studies using task-network modelling they show that the nth choice strategy is the best in terms of transaction time for low recognition rates. At high rates there is little to choose between the strategies. This note shows that for three of the strategies the formulae developed by Ainsworth and Pratt (Feedback strategies for error correction in speech recognition systems, International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 36, 833-842, 1992) can be used to estimate the results within less than 6%.
Antibody‐based proteomics and biomarker research—Current status and limitations

Antibody‐based proteomics play a very important role in biomarker discovery and validation, facilitating the high‐throughput evaluation of candidate markers. Most proteomics‐driven discovery is nowadays based on the use of MS. MS has many advantages, including its suitability for hypothesis‐free biomarker discovery, since information on protein content of a sample is not required prior to analysis. However, MS presents one main caveat which is the limited sensitivity in complex samples, especially for body fluids, where protein expression covers a huge dynamic range. Antibody‐based technologies remain the main solution to address this challenge since they reach higher sensitivity. In this article, we review the benefits and limitations of antibody‐based proteomics in preclinical and clinical biomarker research for discovery and validation in body fluids and tissue. The combination of antibodies and MS, utilizing the best of both worlds, opens new avenues in biomarker research.
Stages of Change in Adopting Healthy Diets: Fat, Fiber, and Correlates of Nutrient Intake

The stages of change construct, which addresses the readiness to change, has only recently been applied to dietary behavior, such as fat consumption. This article describes the application of the stages of change construct to dietary fat and fiber consumption and examines the association of dietary stages to eating practices and related demographic and psychosocial factors in a large, geographically diverse population of workers. We present results from the baseline survey of 17,121 employees in the Working Well Trial. We assessed stage from an algorithm based on seven items and measured dietary intake with an 88-item food frequency questionnaire. Findings indicated that a greater proportion of the population has actively tried to reduce fat intake than to consume more fiber. Stage of change was associated with fat, fiber, and fruit and vegetable intake in a stepwise manner, as predicted. In multivariate analyses that controlled for demographic characteristics, stage of change predicted between 8 and 13% of the variance in dietary intake, and more than demographic variables. These findings have implications for the design of nutrition interventions and for the evaluation of intermediate outcomes.
Polymorphisms of Fas Gene: Relationship with Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline

The Fas antigen (CD95) is a cell surface receptor that mediates cell apoptosis signalling. Recent investigations have shown that Fas-regulated apoptosis was linked to neurodegenerative lesions in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here data regarding the association of two polymorphisms of the Fas promoter region with AD patient’s cognitive deterioration are reported. The polymorphism at position –1377 was associated with the risk of developing AD and with a differential rate of cognitive decline during a 2-year follow-up. The polymorphism at position –670 was not associated with the risk of AD and with the cognitive decline during the follow-up. Our data suggest that different genetic background in the Fas gene may influence the risk and clinical progression of the disease by affecting neurodegenerative processes leading to neuronal loss.
Optimal savings and the value of population

We study a model of economic growth in which an exogenously changing population enters in the objective function under total utilitarianism and into the state dynamics as the labor input to the production function. We consider an arbitrary population growth until it reaches a critical level (resp. saturation level) at which point it starts growing exponentially (resp. it stops growing altogether). This requires population as well as capital as state variables. By letting the population variable serve as the surrogate of time, we are still able to depict the optimal path and its convergence to the long-run equilibrium on a two-dimensional phase diagram. The phase diagram consists of a transient curve that reaches the classical curve associated with a positive exponential growth at the time the population reaches the critical level. In the case of an asymptotic population saturation, we expect the transient curve to approach the equilibrium as the population approaches its saturation level. Finally, we characterize the approaches to the classical curve and to the equilibrium.
EVALUATION OF A HYBRID SEED CONTRACT BETWEEN SMALLHOLDERS AND AN MNC IN EAST JAVA, INDONESIA

Three hundred smallholders near Malang in East Java were surveyed of whom 150 were participating in a hybrid seed contract with Pioneer Hybrid International Inc, an American MNC that has been contracting in the area since 1986. The objectives of the study were to determine whether the contract improved the welfare of those who participated and, if participation did improve welfare, to evaluate why this contract, in contrast to many other farm contracts in developing countries, is successful. A transaction cost framework was used to specify a framework for probit analysis of contract participation and regression analysis used to measure the contribution made by contract participation to gross margins. The empirical results suggest (i) contract selection was by Pioneer and not through self-selection, (ii) the contract is likely to favour larger farmers and (iii) the Pioneer contract improved returns to farm capital and hence was likely to be welfare improving for contractors. The success of the contract over many years was attributed to the nature of the contracting process which was between Pioneer and grower groups and not at the individual smallholder level.