Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-level production of recombinant fungal endo-beta-1,4-xylanase in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

Efficient production of recombinant Aspergillus niger family 11 1, 4-beta-xylanase was achieved in Pichia pastoris. The cDNA-encoding XylA fused to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase signal peptide was placed under the control of the P. pastoris AOX1 promoter. Secretion yields up to 60 mg/liter were obtained in synthetic medium. The recombinant XylA was purified to homogeneity using a one-step purification protocol and found to be identical to the enzyme overexpressed in A. niger with respect to size, pI, and immunoreactivity. N-terminal sequence analysis of the recombinant protein indicated that the S. cerevisiae signal peptide was correctly processed in P. pastoris. The purified protein has a molecular weight of 19,893 Da, in excellent agreement with the calculated mass, and appears as one single band on isoelectric focusing with pI value around 3.5. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of one major isoform produced by P. pastoris and the absence of glycosylation. The recombinant enzyme was further characterized in terms of specific activity, pH profile, kinetic parameters, and thermostability toward birchwood xylan as substrate and compared with the xylanase purified from A. niger. Both enzymes exhibit a pH optimum at 3.5 and maximal activity at 50 degrees C. The enzyme activity follows normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics with K(m) and V(max) values similar for both enzymes. P. pastoris produced recombinant xylanase in high yields that can be obtained readily as a single form. A. niger xylanase is the first microbial xylanase efficiently secreted and correctly processed by P. pastoris.
Performance of Different General Circulation Models (GCMs) in the Basins of Southeastern China

Based on ten statistical characteristics and compared with NCEP Re-analysis Data,a score-based multi-criteria method is employed to evaluate the performance of 21 GCMs in simulating 17 climatic elements in the basins distributed in southeastern China.Results show that different climate variables represent a variety of statistical characteristics.The simulation abilities of 21 GCMs are not consistent with climate elements.For the ground variables,CSIRO:MK30,GFDL:CM21,GFDL:CM20 and INM:CM30 show a better performance in simulating precipitation and ground temperature.While the better models in generating high-altitude variables are CGCM2.3. 2,GISS:EH,BCCR:BCM20 and GFDL.Considering all climate elements,BCCR:BCM20,GFDL:CM20,CGCM2.3. 2 and GISS:EH perform better,comprehensively.The optimization of GCMs could provide a scientific basis for further study of climate change in study area.
Approximation algorithms for deadline-TSP and vehicle routing with time-windows

Given a metric space <i>G</i> on <i>n</i> nodes, with a start node <i>r</i> and deadlines <i>D(v)</i> for each vertex <i>v</i>, we consider the <i>Deadline-TSP</i> problem of finding a path starting at <i>r</i> that visits as many nodes as possible by their deadlines. We also consider the more general <i>Vehicle Routing with Time-Windows</i> problem, in which each node <i>v</i> also has a release-time <i>R(v)</i> and the goal is to visit as many nodes as possible within their "time-windows" [<i>R(v)</i>,<i>D(v)</i>]. No good approximations were known previously for these problems on general metric spaces. We give an <i>O</i>(log<i>n</i>) approximation algorithm for Deadline-TSP, and extend this algorithm to an <i>O</i>(log<sup>2</sup><i>n</i>) approximation for the Time-Window problem. We also give a bicriteria approximation algorithm for both problems: Given an ε>0, our algorithm produces a (1/ε) approximation, while exceeding the deadlines by a factor of 1+ε. We use as a subroutine for these results a constant-factor approximation that we develop for a generalization of the orienteering problem in which both the start and the end nodes of the path are fixed. In the process, we give a 3-approximation to the orienteering problem, improving on the previously best known 4-approximation of [6].
Interaction of Central and Peripheral Factors during Repeated Sprints at Different Levels of Arterial O2 Saturation

Purpose To investigate the interaction between the development of peripheral locomotor muscle fatigue, muscle recruitment and performance during repeated-sprint exercise (RSE). Method In a single-blind, randomised and cross-over design, ten male team-sport athletes performed two RSE (fifteen 5-s cycling sprints interspersed with 25 s of rest; power self-selected) in normoxia and in acute moderate hypoxia (FIO2 0.138). Mechanical work, total electromyographic intensity (summed quadriceps electromyograms, RMSsum) and muscle (vastus lateralis) and pre-fontal cortex near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) parameters were calculated for every sprint. Blood lactate concentration ([Lac-]) was measured throughout the protocol. Peripheral quadriceps fatigue was assessed via changes in potentiated quadriceps twitch force (ΔQtw,pot) pre- versus post-exercise in response to supra-maximal magnetic femoral nerve stimulation. The central activation ratio (QCAR) was used to quantify completeness of quadriceps activation. Results Compared with normoxia, hypoxia reduced arterial oxygen saturation (-13.7%, P=0.001), quadriceps RMSsum (-13.7%, P=0.022), QCAR (-3.3%, P=0.041) and total mechanical work (-8.3%, P=0.019). However, the magnitude of quadriceps fatigue induced by RSE was similar in the two conditions (ΔQtw,pot: -53.5% and -55.1%, P=0.71). The lower cycling performance in hypoxia occurred despite similar metabolic (muscle NIRS parameters and blood [Lac-]) and functional (twitch and M-wave) muscle states. Conclusion Results suggest that the central nervous system regulates quadriceps muscle recruitment and, thereby, performance to limit the development of muscle fatigue during intermittent, short sprints. This finding highlights the complex interaction between muscular perturbations and neural adjustments during sprint exercise, and further supports the presence of pacing during intermittent sprint exercise.
Jiang Designing a Framework for Network Security Protection

As the Internet continues to grow at a rapid pace a s the primary medium for communications and commerce and as telecommunication networks and systems continue to xpand their global reach, digital information has become the mo st popular and important information resource and our dependence u pon the underlying cyber infrastructure has been increasing significantly. Unfortunately, as our dependency has grown, so has the threat to the cyber infrastructure from spammers, attackers and c riminal enterprises. In this paper, we propose a new machi ne learning based network intrusion detection framework for cyber sec urity. The detection process of the framework consists of two stages: model construction and intrusion detection. In the model construction stage, a semi-supervised machine learning algorithm is app lied to a collected set of network audit data to generate a p rofile of normal network behavior and in the intrusion detection sta ge, input network events are analyzed and compared with the patterns gathered in the profile, and some of them are then flagged as anoma lies should these events are sufficiently far from the expected norma l behavior. The proposed framework is particularly applicable to th e situations where there is only a small amount of labeled network tra ining data available, which is very typical in real world netw ork environments. Keywords—classification, data analysis and mining, network intrusion detection, semi-supervised learning.
2 Preliminaries and Theoretical Background 2 . 1 Hamiltonian matrices and algebraic Riccati equations

We present a numerical method for the solution of the optimal H∞ control problem based on the γ-iteration and a novel extended matrix pencil formulation of the state-space solution to the (sub)optimal H∞ control problem. In particular, instead of algebraic Riccati equations or unstructured matrix pencils, our approach is solely based on solving even generalized eigenproblems. The enhanced numerical robustness of the method is derived from the fact that using the structure of the problem, spectral symmetries are preserved. Moreover, these methods are also applicable even if the pencil has eigenvalues on the imaginary axis. We compare the new method with conventional methods and present several examples.
Magnetic behavior of 360° domain walls in patterned magnetic thin films

360◦ transverse domain walls (360DWs), which form readily from transverse 180◦ domain walls (180DWs) of opposite sense, demonstrate qualitatively distinct behaviors from their constituent 180DWs and are therefore of interest both from a physics perspective and for their applications in future domain wall devices. This thesis presents experimental and modeling-based investigation of the properties and behaviors of 360DWs including formation, magnetostatic behaviors, and response to field, AC, and DC driving forces. The formation of 360DWs is first examined by simulation in a model nanowire. An injection system capable of producing 360DWs from a wire and an injection pad is presented and its behavior is analyzed both by simulation and experimentally through magnetic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis. Next, a model multilayer system is used to demonstrate the magnetostatic behavior of 360DWs, demonstrating a much reduced stray field compared to 180DWs and a strong interlayer pinning behavior that allows the 360DW to act as a programmable pinning site. The richness of this magnetostatic behavior is analyzed experimentally in a rhombic ring system which readily generates 360DWs during reversal. The action of 360DWs is shown to dominate the reversal process, reducing switching fields and showing multiple reversal pathways with a strong dependence on field history. Simulations are used to explore the response of the 360DW to field and DC and AC currents. This highlights 360DW behaviors quite distinct from those of 180DWs, including the inability to be positioned by an applied field and the ability to be destroyed in place. 360DWs are shown to have an intrinsic resonant behavior in the GHz range, the exact frequency of which is broadly tunable by an applied field. Resonance can be excited by an applied AC current, and in conjunction with DC can be used to pin and gate 360DW propagation at a geometric pinning site, using globally applied currents and without impact on nonpinned domain walls.
A simple, fast, and repeatable survey method for underwater visual 3D benthic mapping and monitoring

Abstract Visual 3D reconstruction techniques provide rich ecological and habitat structural information from underwater imagery. However, an unaided swimmer or diver struggles to navigate precisely over larger extents with consistent image overlap needed for visual reconstruction. While underwater robots have demonstrated systematic coverage of areas much larger than the footprint of a single image, access to suitable robotic systems is limited and requires specialized operators. Furthermore, robots are poor at navigating hydrodynamic habitats such as shallow coral reefs. We present a simple approach that constrains the motion of a swimmer using a line unwinding from a fixed central drum. The resulting motion is the involute of a circle, a spiral‐like path with constant spacing between revolutions. We test this survey method at a broad range of habitats and hydrodynamic conditions encircling Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The approach generates fast, structured, repeatable, and large‐extent surveys (~110 m2 in 15 min) that can be performed with two people and are superior to the commonly used “mow the lawn” method. The amount of image overlap is a design parameter, allowing for surveys that can then be reliably used in an automated processing pipeline to generate 3D reconstructions, orthographically projected mosaics, and structural complexity indices. The individual images or full mosaics can also be labeled for benthic diversity and cover estimates. The survey method we present can serve as a standard approach to repeatedly collecting underwater imagery for high‐resolution 2D mosaics and 3D reconstructions covering spatial extents much larger than a single image footprint without requiring sophisticated robotic systems or lengthy deployment of visual guides. As such, it opens up cost‐effective novel observations to inform studies relating habitat structure to ecological processes and biodiversity at scales and spatial resolutions not readily available previously.
Country and Consumer Segmentation: Multi-Level Latent Class Analysis of Financial Product Ownership

The financial services sector has internationalized over the last few decades.Important differences and similarities in financial behavior can be anticipated between both consumers within a particular country and those living in different countries.For companies in this market, the appropriate choice between strategic options and the resulting international performance may critically depend on the cross-national demand structure for the various financial products.Insight into country segments and international consumer segments based on domain-specific behavioral variables will therefore be of key strategic importance.We present a multi-level latent class framework for obtaining simultaneously such country and consumer segments.In an empirical study we apply this methodology to data on ownership of eight financial products.Information is available for fifteen European countries, with a sample size of about 1000 consumers per country.We find that both country segments and consumer segments are highly interpretable.Furthermore, consumer segmentation is related to demographic variables such as age and income.Our conclusions feature implications, both academic and managerial, and directions for future research.
Phase I/II Trial of the Anti-HIV Activity of Mifepristone in HIV-Infected Subjects ACTG 5200

Background:Mifepristone is a glucocorticoid receptor inhibitor shown in vitro to have anti-HIV activity and anti-simian immunodeficiency virus activity in a macaque model. A phase I/II trial was performed to assess the drug's safety and anti-HIV activity. Methods:A 28-day double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of mifepristone at doses of 75 mg, 150 mg, and 225 mg given daily was conducted in HIV+ persons with CD4+ lymphocyte counts ≥350 cells per cubic millimeter who had no recent antiretroviral therapy. Results:Fifty-six male and 1 female subjects with a median entry CD4+ lymphocyte count of 555 cells per cubic millimeter and plasma HIV-1 RNA of 15,623 copies per milliliter were accrued. Forty-five subjects (78.9%) were available for endpoint analysis. In each arm, changes from baseline to day 28 in plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4+ lymphocyte count were not significantly different from zero (no change). There was no relationship between mifepristone trough concentrations and plasma HIV-1 RNA. Day 28 morning plasma cortisol levels were significantly higher in the 150 mg and 225 mg arms compared with placebo, confirming biologic activity, and returned to baseline by day 56. Serum lipids did not change during the trial. Fasting blood sugar was 2.5 mg/dL higher on day 28 in the mifepristone arms, but the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) did not change. Three subjects (7.3%) receiving mifepristone developed a grade 2 rash. Conclusions:Mifepristone at doses of 75-225 mg daily was safe and well-tolerated, but did not show significant anti-HIV activity.
Neurogenesis in neonatal rat brain is regulated by peripheral injection of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)

Many major diseases of human brain involve deficiencies of select neuronal populations. As one approach to repair, we examined regulation of neurogenesis directly in vivo, employing postnatal day 1 (P1) cerebellar cortex, which is composed primarily of granule neurons and dividing precursors. We focused on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which stimulates precursor mitosis in culture and which is highly expressed in cerebellum during neurogenesis. Subcutaneous injection of bFGF increased [3H]thymidine ([3H]dT) incorporation, a marker for DNA synthesis, by 50% in whole cerebellar homogenates, suggesting that peripherally administered factor altered ongoing neural proliferation. Further, assay of isolated granule precursors revealed a 4‐fold increase in [3H]dT incorporation following in vivo bFGF treatment, indicating that granule neuroblasts were the major bFGF‐responsive population. Morphologic analysis indicated that twice as many granule precursors were in S‐phase of the mitotic cycle after peripheral bFGF. To determine whether other neurogenetic populations respond to peripheral bFGF, we examined additional brain regions in vivo. bFGF stimulated DNA synthesis by 68% in hippocampus, and by > 250% in pontine subventricular zone (SVZ). In contrast, incorporation was not altered in basal pons or cerebral cortex, regions in which neurogensis has already ceased. To define potential direct actions of peripherally administered factor, 125I‐bFGF was used to study distribution. Intact 18 kDa 125I‐bFGF was recovered from brain following peripheral injection, suggesting that the factor acted directly to stimulate mitosis in dividing neuroblasts.
Ferrihydrite-Dependent Growth of Sulfurospirillum deleyianum through Electron Transfer via Sulfur Cycling

ABSTRACT Observations in enrichment cultures of ferric iron-reducing bacteria indicated that ferrihydrite was reduced to ferrous iron minerals via sulfur cycling with sulfide as the reductant. Ferric iron reduction via sulfur cycling was investigated in more detail with Sulfurospirillum deleyianum, which can utilize sulfur or thiosulfate as an electron acceptor. In the presence of cysteine (0.5 or 2 mM) as the sole sulfur source, no (microbial) reduction of ferrihydrite or ferric citrate was observed, indicating that S. deleyianum is unable to use ferric iron as an immediate electron acceptor. However, with thiosulfate at a low concentration (0.05 mM), growth with ferrihydrite (6 mM) was possible and sulfur was cycled up to 60 times. Also, spatially distant ferrihydrite in agar cultures was reduced via diffusible sulfur species. Due to the low concentrations of thiosulfate, S. deleyianum produced only small amounts of sulfide. Obviously, sulfide delivered electrons to ferrihydrite with no or only little precipitation of black iron sulfides. Ferrous iron and oxidized sulfur species were produced instead, and the latter served again as the electron acceptor. These oxidized sulfur species have not yet been identified. However, sulfate and sulfite cannot be major products of ferrihydrite-dependent sulfide oxidation, since neither compound can serve as an electron acceptor for S. deleyianum. Instead, sulfur (elemental S or polysulfides) and/or thiosulfate as oxidized products could complete a sulfur cycle-mediated reduction of ferrihydrite.
Oxidation-reduction studies of the Mo-(2Fe-2S) protein from Desulfovibrio gigas.

Potentiometric titration followed by e.p.r. measurements were used to determine the midpoint reduction potentials of the redox centres of a molybdenum-containing iron-sulphur protein previously isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas, a sulphate-reducing bacterium (Moura, Xavier, Bruschi, Le Gall, Hall & Cammack (1976) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 728 782-789; Moura, Xavier, Bruschi, Le Gall & Cabral (1977) J. Less Common Metals 54, 555-562). The iron-sulphur centres could readily be distinguished into three types by means of g values, temperature effect, oxidation-reduction potential values and reduction rates. The type-I Fe-S centres are observed at 77 K. They show mid-point potential values of -260mV (Fe-S type IA) and -440 mV (Fe-S type IB). Centres of types IA and IB appear to have similar spectra at 77 K and 24 K. The Fe-S type-II centres are only observed below 65 K and have a midpoint potential of -28mV. Long equilibration times (30 min) with dye mediators under reducing conditions were necessary to observe the very slow equilibrating molybdenum signals. The potential values associated with this signal were estimated to be approx. -415 mV for Mo(VI)/Mo(V) and-530mV for Mo(V)/Mo(IV).
A visual tool for forensic analysis of mobile phone traffic

In this paper we present our tool LogAnalysis for forensic visual statistical analysis of mobile phone traffic. LogAnalysis graphically represents the relationships among mobile phone users with a node-link layout. Its aim is to explore the structure of a large graph, measure connectivity among users and give support to visual search and automatic identification of organizations. To do so, LogAnalysis integrates graphical representation of network elements with measures typical of Social Network Analysis (SNA) in order to help detectives or forensic analysts to systematically examine relationships. The analysis of data extracted from mobile phone traffic logs has a fundamental relevance in forensic investigations since it allows to unveil the structure of relationships among individuals suspected to be part of criminal organizations together with the role they play inside the organization itself. To this purpose, the Social Network Analysis (SNA) methods were heavily employed in order to understand the importance of relationships. Interpretation and visual exploration of graphs representing phone contacts over a given time interval may become demanding, due to the presence of numerous nodes and edges. Our main contribution is an interface that enables systematic analysis of social relationships using visual different techniques and statistical information. LogAnalysis allows a deeper and clearer understanding of criminal associations while evidencing key members inside the criminal ring, and/or those working as link among different associations
Folic acid supplementation inhibits NADPH oxidase‐mediated superoxide anion production in the kidney

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), a condition of elevated blood homocysteine (Hcy) levels, is a metabolic disease. Our recent studies indicate that HHcy can lead to renal injury by inducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is one of the important mechanisms contributing to Hcy‐induced tissue injury. Folic acid supplementation is regarded as a promising approach for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease associated with HHcy due to its Hcy lowering effect. However, its effect on the kidney is not clear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of folic acid supplementation on Hcy‐induced superoxide anion production via NADPH oxidase in the kidney. HHcy was induced in male SD rats fed a high‐methionine diet for 12 wk with or without folic acid supplementation. There was a significant increase in NADPH oxidase‐mediated superoxide production and lipid peroxidation in HHcy rats. Folic acid supplementation effectively antagonized HHcy‐induced oxidative stress. Inhibitory effect of folic acid on NADPH oxidase activation was mediated through inhibition of NOX4 and p22phox expression. In addition, folic acid supplementation attenuated xanthine oxidase activity and restored SOD activity in the kidney. These results suggest that folic acid supplementation may offer renal protective effect against oxidative stress. (This study was supported by NSERC)
Communication complexity of fault-tolerant information diffusion

This paper considers problems of fault-tolerant information diffusion in a network with cost function. We show that the problem of determining the minimum cost necessary to perform fault-tolerant gossiping among a given set of participants is NP-hard and given approximate (with respect to the cost) algorithms. We also analyze the communication time of fault-tolerant gossiping algorithms. Finally, we give an optimal cost fault tolerant broadcasting algorithm and apply our results to the atomic commitment problem. <<ETX>>