Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of soluble, active fragments of the morphogenetic protein SpoIIE from Bacillus subtilis using a library-based construct screen

SpoIIE is a dual function protein that plays important roles during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. It binds to the tubulin-like protein FtsZ causing the cell division septum to relocate from mid-cell to the cell pole, and it dephosphorylates SpoIIAA phosphate leading to establishment of differential gene expression in the two compartments following the asymmetric septation. Its 872 residue polypeptide contains a multiple-membrane spanning sequence at the N-terminus and a PP2C phosphatase domain at the C-terminus. The central segment that binds to FtsZ is unlike domains of known structure or function, moreover the domain boundaries are poorly defined and this has hampered the expression of soluble fragments of SpoIIE at the levels required for structural studies. Here we have screened over 9000 genetic constructs of spoIIE using a random incremental truncation library approach, ESPRIT, to identify a number of soluble C-terminal fragments of SpoIIE that were aligned with the protein sequence to map putative domains and domain boundaries. The expression and purification of three fragments were optimised, yielding multimilligram quantities of the PP2C phosphatase domain, the putative FtsZ-binding domain and a larger fragment encompassing both these domains. All three fragments are monomeric and the PP2C domain-containing fragments have phosphatase activity.
A Novel Delay Model of CMOS VLSI Circuits

In this paper, a piecewise linear delay model which can predict the accurate propagation delay of the general CMOS VLSI circuitry is presented. The model takes into account the effect of the slope of the input waveform on the delay. By using simple piecewise linear current model and piecewise linear channel charge storage model, it is possible to simulate the modern digital logic circuits in a reasonable amount of time. Excellent agreement with SPICE simulation has been observed in CMOS inverter and 2-input NAND gate cases.
Laboratory tests to exclude IgA deficiency in the investigation of suspected anti‐IgA transfusion reactions

Four methods were compared as to their suitability for excluding IgA deficiency in the investigation of suspected anti‐IgA transfusion reactions. The methods were radial immunodiffusion, passive hemagglutination inhibition, sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and membrane enzyme immunoassay. Parallel testing was performed on sera from 40 patients or blood donors previously found to have anti‐IgA and low or undetectable levels of IgA. All test methods identified the 40 sera as having abnormally low IgA levels. The membrane enzyme immunoassay required 10 minutes or less for testing, as compared to 3 hours for passive hemagglutination inhibition, 4 hours for sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and 48 hours for radial immunodiffusion. The membrane enzyme immunoassay offers the potential for a rapid, instrument‐free screen of IgA levels and therefore may be useful in identifying those patients with suspected anti‐IgA anaphylactic transfusion reactions who are not IgA deficient and do not require IgA‐deficient blood components for additional transfusions.
Drought monitoring and warning in the middle reach of Yangtze River with MODIS

In China, drought is one of the major environmental disasters, which bring great harm to the people. The middle reach of Yangtze River is the most important base to produce grains in China. Influenced by the summer monsoon, the drought occurs frequently. In our paper, the NDVI and LST from MODIS data were utilized to calculate the TVDI (Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index), which were used to monitor the drought of the study area. Meteorological drought indices were calculated from 10-day precipitation, temperature and evaporation data of 94 meteorological stations, including precipitation standardized variables, dryness and relative moisture index were used to analyze the degree of drought and the area of drought. The results showed that TVDI is significantly related to soil moisture.
Changes in Social Media Affect, Disclosure, and Sociality for a Sample of Transgender Americans in 2016's Political Climate

In the wake of 2016’s divisive political climate in the US, media reports indicated that vulnerable people, such as the transgender population, may be experiencing lower than normal rates of emotional wellbeing. To test these claims, we analyzed social media linguistic markers of affect, disclosure, and sociality in late 2016 as compared to the same month a year prior in a sample of US Tumblr blogs documenting people’s gender transitions. We find that both negative and positive affect, and words related to anger in particular, increased for trans women in 2016. At the same time, social words used to describe family and friends decreased for trans people, indicating that they may have interacted less with family and friends in late 2016. Self-disclosure decreased in 2016, potentially indicating increased political language vs. personal content, or self-censorship in response to a hostile political environment. Results highlight ways large scale external political events may impact how people communicate and disclose on social media. Additionally, our results indicate that social media data could also be used to identify those most in need of mental wellbeing resources in response to a hostile political climate.
Navigating with the Tekkotsu Pilot

Tekkotsu is a free, open source software framework for high-level robot programming. We describe enhancements to Tekkotsu's navigation component, the Pilot, to incorporate a particle filter for localization and an RRT-based path planner for obstacle avoidance. This allows us to largely automate the robot's navigation behavior using a combination of odometry and landmark-based localization. Beginning robot programmers need only indicate a destination in Tekkotsu's world map and the Pilot will take the robot there. The software has been tested both in simulation and on Calliope, a new educational robot developed in the Tekkotsu lab in collaboration with RoPro Design, Inc.
An evaluation of the effectiveness of cognitive radio ad hoc networks routing protocols

Cognitive radio is a dynamic technology that has a potential of addressing the spectrum scarcity challenge. However, routing in cognitive radio network is a challenge. The availability of the spectrum is probabilistic and it varies from one zone to other. The existing protocols do not guarantee the quality of service requirements for real-time data. Some of the challenges affecting the design of quality of service aware routing protocols are the mobility of nodes, the mobility of the spectrum, and the nondeterministic availability of the spectrum caused by the dynamic environment of cognitive networks. In this study, we use Network Simulator version 2 to evaluate the performance of the routing protocols and present the comparative performance results of these protocols. The simulation results show that the QoS-AODV performs well when there is limited mobility and that it requires improvements in high mobility environments.
An SOA-Based Architecture to Share Medical Data with Privacy Preservation

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in using Web services as a reliable means for medical data sharing inside and across healthcare organizations. In such service-based data sharing environments, Web service composition emerged as a viable approach to query data scattered across independent locations. Patient data privacy preservation is an important aspect that must be considered when composing medical Web services. In this paper, the authors show how data privacy can be preserved when composing and executing Web services. Privacy constraints are expressed in the form of RDF queries over a mediated ontology. Query rewriting algorithms are defined to process those queries while preserving users' privacy.
Determination of genetic variation within Plasmodium falciparum by using enzymatically amplified DNA from filter paper disks impregnated with whole blood

A new method which allows the enzymatic amplification of DNA extracted from whole blood dried on filter paper disks is presented. The method was used to study heterogeneity within an erythrocyte-binding antigen (EBA-175) of Plasmodium falciparum. Blood specimens from malaria-infected patients in Southeast Asia and Africa were spotted onto filter paper, dried, and transported for processing. P. falciparum DNA was extracted by boiling the filter paper disks in the presence of Chelex-100 ion-chelating resin, amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, and analyzed for the presence of genetic variation. In all cases examined, plasmodial DNA was successfully amplified and characterized from filter paper disks. Hybridization of the polymerase chain reaction products with internal probes demonstrated simultaneous infection with two strains of P. falciparum in two patients. This technique represents a sensitive and practical field method for the determination of genetic variation within P. falciparum and the study of molecular epidemiology.
De Novo Ligand Design to Partially Flexible Active Sites: Application of the ReFlex Algorithm to Carboxypeptidase A, Acetylcholinesterase, and the Estrogen Receptor

Reflex is a recent algorithm in the de novo ligand design software, SkelGen, that allows the flexibility of amino acid side chains in a protein to be taken into account during the drug-design process. In this paper the impact of flexibility on the solutions generated by the de novo design algorithm, when applied to carboxypeptidase A, acetylcholinesterase, and the estrogen receptor (ER), is investigated. The results for each of the targets indicate that when allowing side-chain movement in the active site, solutions are generated that were not accessible from the multiple static protein conformations available for these targets. Furthermore, an analysis of structures generated in a flexible versus a static ER active site suggests that these additional solutions are not merely noise but contain many interesting chemotypes.
A Photovoltaic System for Remote Fault Detection in Distribution Lines Using a Novel MPPT Algorithm

This paper presents the development of a photo-voltaic voltaic system used to feed a remote fault detector for 11.4kV and 22kV lines. The photovoltaic module also charges two 18Ah Lead-Acid batteries which maintain the circuit on at night. A Buck converter was used to interface the PV module and the battery bank. This MOSFET-based converter is controlled by a new MPPT algorithm developed in order to extract the maximum power of the PV module taking into account battery charging characteristics and noise effects in current and voltage measurements. The system is controlled by a TMS320LF2811 DSP, from Texas Instruments, which searches for the maximum power point of the PV module and also interfaces with the communication system, based on a 50km range mobile radio, PRO5100, from Motorola.
Validation of a short telephone administered questionnaire to evaluate dietary interventions in low income communities in Montreal, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To validate an adaptation of a short questionnaire measuring behaviour related to selecting low fat diets. The questionnaire was adapted for telephone use in a low income, low education population. DESIGN: The factorial structure of the 38 item adaptation was studied in a population based random sample of 1432 adults. Seven day test-retest reliability was measured in a convenience sample of 93 adults, and criterion related validity in measuring fat was assessed against a dietitian administered diet history in another convenience sample of 81 adults. SETTING: Adults aged 18-65 years living in low income, inner city neighbourhoods in Montreal, Canada. RESULTS: Principal components analysis identified five food factors: avoid fat, junk food, high fat traditional foods, low fat substitutes for high fat foods, and modification of meat to reduce fat. Two factors were similar to those of the original version. Internal consistency of the subscales ranged from 0.49-0.72. Test-retest reliability ranged from 0.72-0.90. Validation of the subscales against usual dietary intake indicated that the "junk food" factor, arising from questions added to the original questionnaire to reflect local dietary habits, was most closely related to fat intake (r = 0.48; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This telephone adaptation provides an inexpensive and valid method of measuring fat intake. However, these results suggest that adaptations of existing dietary instruments should be validated in the populations for which they are intended before they are used.
High-Efficiency 2-Stage Multiphase Switched-capacitor converter via Variable-Phase and PWM Control

A closed-loop scheme of 2-stage multiphase switched-capacitor (MPSC) converter is proposed by combining variable-phase control (VPC) and pulse-width-modulation (PWM) technique for low-power DC-DC step-up conversion and high-efficiency output regulation. In this MPSC, there are 2 voltage doublers in series for boosting voltage gain up to 4 at most. Here, VPC is suggested to improve power efficiency, especially for the lower output voltage. It realizes a variable multiphase operation by changing MPSC topological path for more suitable level of voltage gain (4x/3x/2x/1x) according to the desired output. Besides, PWM is adopted for better output regulation not only to compensate dynamic error, but also to reinforce robustness against source/loading variation. Further, the theoretical analysis and design include: MPSC model, steady-state analysis, power efficiency, conversion ratio, ripple percentage, capacitance selection, stability, and control design. Finally, the closed-loop MPSC is simulated, and the hardware implementation is realized and tested. All the results are illustrated to show the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
Audio–Visual Emotion-Aware Cloud Gaming Framework

The promising potential and emerging applications of cloud gaming have drawn increasing interest from academia, industry, and the general public. However, providing a high-quality gaming experience in the cloud gaming framework is a challenging task because of the tradeoff between resource consumption and player emotion, which is affected by the game screen. We tackle this problem by leveraging emotion-aware screen effects in the cloud gaming framework and combining them with remote display technology. The first stage in the framework is the learning or training stage, which establishes a relationship between screen features and emotions using Gaussian mixture model-based classifiers. In the operating stage, a linear programming model provides appropriate screen changes based on the real-time user emotion obtained in the first stage. Our experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework. The results show that our proposed framework can provide a high quality gaming experience while generating an acceptable amount of workload for the cloud server in terms of resource consumption.
Exploring customer engagement behavior: construct proposal and its antecedents

Customer engagement behavior (CEB) receives increasing attention from both academics and practitioners, as it represents one of the key customer profitability determinants. This study attempts to provide a holistic view of CEB by (1) proposing an instrument to measure CEB, and (2) its antecedents. Based on the existent literature, we conceptualize CEB as a formative construct consisting of word-of-mouth (WOM), loyalty program participation, customer interaction, and co-creation, which are determined by relationship quality, rewards, self-enhancement, learning, social integration, and company identification. In attempt to test these propositions, an online survey is conducted with 466 respondents. Our results provide empirical support for our proposed CEB construct, while corroborating five out of the six hypothesized antecedents. In closing, theoretical as well as managerial implications are discussed, while important limitations are recognized and future research directions are proposed.
DEVELOPMENT OF FILIPINO PHONETICALLY-BALANCED WORDS AND TEST USING HIDDEN MARKOV MODEL

In this paper, two sets of phonetically balanced words (PBW) in Filipino were developed; namely the 2syllable, and 3-syllable PBW list. These are tested as a speech corpus in a word-level recognizer using the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) as a framework and Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC) as a feature extraction technique. Thus, this study is a preparation for a Largecorpus Filipino Language ASR using HMM. For the testing of the PBW sets, fifty speakers were trained (25 male and 25 female speakers). For the recognition of the 2-syllable word list, an average accuracy rate of 93.25% and 88.67% were achieved for the speaker dependent and speaker independent tests, respectively. For the recognition of the 3syllable word list, the recognizer achieved an accuracy rate of 99.53% and 96.30% for the speaker dependent and speaker independent tests, respectively.
Evaluation of a laparoscopic technique for collection of serial full-thickness small intestinal biopsy specimens in standing sedated horses.

OBJECTIVE To assess a technique for laparoscopic collection of serial full-thickness small intestinal biopsy specimens in horses. ANIMALS 13 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURES In the ex vivo portion of the study, sections of duodenum and jejunum obtained from 6 horses immediately after euthanasia were divided into 3 segments. Each segment was randomly assigned to the control group, the double-layer hand-sewn closure group, or the endoscopic linear stapler (ELS) group. Bursting strength and bursting wall tension were measured and compared among groups; luminal diameter reduction at the biopsy site was compared between the biopsy groups. In the in vivo portion of the study, serial full-thickness small intestinal biopsy specimens were laparoscopically collected with an ELS from the descending duodenum and distal portion of the jejunum at monthly intervals in 7 sedated, standing horses. Biopsy specimens were evaluated for suitability for histologic examination. RESULTS Mean bursting strength and bursting wall tension were significantly lower in the ELS group than in the hand-sewn and control groups in both the duodenal and jejunal segments. Use of the hand-sewn closure technique at the biopsy site reduced luminal diameter significantly more than use of the stapling technique. In the in vivo part of the study, all 52 biopsy specimens collected during 26 laparoscopic procedures were suitable for histologic examination and no clinically important perioperative complications developed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Laparoscopic collection of serial full-thickness small intestinal biopsy specimens with a 45-mm ELS may be an effective and safe technique for use in healthy adult experimental horses.
Etude de l'impact du mécanisme chimique et des taux de photolyse "online" sur les simulations 3D d'épisodes de pollution régionale. (Exercice ESCOMPTE d'intercomparaison de modèles)

Ce travail porte sur l'etude des principaux processus physico-chimiques dirigeant la redistribution des polluants photochimiques et la capacite oxydante de l'atmosphere, grâce a une approche par la modelisation meso-echelle a l'aide du modele RAMS-Chimie. Ces etudes ont ete realisees dans le cadre de l'exercice ESCOMPTE d'intercomparaison de modeles de transport chimie. Cette campagne s'est deroule dans le sud-est de la france, a proximite de la zone urbanisee de Marseille et du site industriel de Fos-Berre. Grâce au developpement et au couplage d'un interpret- eur de mecanismes chimiques, d'un module de depot sec, et d'un code de calcul "online" des taux de photolyse, nous avons pu etudier l'impact de ces differents processus dans la repartition des polluants et de la capacite oxydante de l'atmosphere. Nous montrons que le calcul "online" des taux de photolyse est necessaire pour ne pas modifier la representation des radicaux et qu'un mecanisme chimique simplifie est suffisant dans le cadre d'etudes de processus, mais pas pour des etudes de qualite de l'air ou de capacite oxydante
Superposición de la dieta del pez león Pterois volitans (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae) con la de peces nativos de nivel trófico similar en Cuba

The spread of the Indo-Pacific lionfish has been one of the most rapid marine fish invasions in the history of the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic, and populations of this species pose a threat to native fishes feeding at similar trophic levels due to competition for food. To determine dietary overlap, 899 lionfish and 377 native fishes of the families Haemulidae, Holocentridae, Serranidae and Lutjanidae were caught in three Cuban localities, and their stomach contents were analyzed based on the number of items, frequency, volume and index of relative importance. Diet composition was similar in the studied localities; Lutjanidae, Serranidae and lionfish mainly fed on fish while Haemulidae and Holocentridae primarily consumed small benthic invertebrates. Mantel correlations showed that the consumption of fish and crustaceans did not increase as lionfish increased in size. The degree of dietary overlap between lionfish and some native fishes depends on locality, ecological zone and the characteristics of each family, confirming the opportunistic nature of the invader. It is likely that native fishes are not affected by competition with lionfish for food because they feed on the most abundant and available organisms; therefore, food availability is not a limiting factor for these groups.
Design of low-cost tactile force sensor for 3D force scan

A new 3D tactile sensor was proposed for measuring tri-axial ground reaction force distribution. Pressure sensitive electric conductive rubber (PSECR) and smart pectinate circuits were used to design the pressure sensing cells in the 3D force sensor, making it possible to implement a low-cost, compact and light sensing matrix which is highly sensitive in measuring force distribution. Moreover, to address the application for measurements of human touch force, we adopted the elastic rubber as the sensor input component to realize a comfortable human-sensor interface. A compact electrical hardware system including amplifiers module, conditioning circuits and a micro-computer controller and wireless modules was developed to sample sensor outputs into personal computer for data processing. Calibration experiments were conducted, in which a smart 3-axial force sensor (Tec Gihan, Japan) was used as the verification measurement device.
Study of Mitral Valve in Human Cadaveric Hearts

Objectives: The mitral valve is a complex structure that is altered by disease states. The classical image of the mitral valve is a bicuspid valve with two leaflets and two papillary muscles. The reason for the present study is to study the morphology and morphometry of the mitral valve. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on 116 human cadaveric hearts. Hearts were opened along the left border through the atrioventricular valve. The diameter and circumference of the annulus was measured and the number of valve leaflets was observed. Results: The mean annular diameter was 2.22 cm. The mean circumference of mitral valve annulus was 9.12 cm. The standard description of the mitral valve is bicuspid. In the present study, we found the number of cusps to be variable, from monocuspid to hexacuspid and classified them accordingly. Conclusions: The mitral valve is not always a bicuspid valve. The number of cusps varies greatly. An increase in the number of the cusp and their improper approximation most likely causes various valvular disorders.