Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrostatics Control Actin Filament Nucleation and Elongation Kinetics*

Background: pH plays important roles in cellular morphogenesis, but how actin polymer dynamics are affected by pH is not well understood. Results: Actin filament nucleation and elongation are strongly enhanced at acidic pH due to a reduction of charge repulsion. Conclusion: Actin filament dynamics in vitro and in vivo are strongly influenced by electrostatics. Significance: Cellular pH homeostasis will impact directly on actin dynamics. The actin cytoskeleton is a central mediator of cellular morphogenesis, and rapid actin reorganization drives essential processes such as cell migration and cell division. Whereas several actin-binding proteins are known to be regulated by changes in intracellular pH, detailed information regarding the effect of pH on the actin dynamics itself is still lacking. Here, we combine bulk assays, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy techniques, and theory to comprehensively characterize the effect of pH on actin polymerization. We show that both nucleation and elongation are strongly enhanced at acidic pH, with a maximum close to the pI of actin. Monomer association rates are similarly affected by pH at both ends, although dissociation rates are differentially affected. This indicates that electrostatics control the diffusional encounter but not the dissociation rate, which is critical for the establishment of actin filament asymmetry. A generic model of protein-protein interaction, including electrostatics, explains the observed pH sensitivity as a consequence of charge repulsion. The observed pH effect on actin in vitro agrees with measurements of Listeria propulsion in pH-controlled cells. pH regulation should therefore be considered as a modulator of actin dynamics in a cellular environment.
Uses of nutrient profiling to address public health needs: from regulation to reformulation

Nutrient profiling (NP) models rate the nutritional quality of individual foods, based on their nutrient composition. Their goal is to identify nutrient-rich foods, generally defined as those that contain more nutrients than calories and are low in fat, sugar and salt. NP models have provided the scientific basis for evaluating nutrition and health claims and regulating marketing and advertising to children. The food industry has used NP methods to reformulate product portfolios. To help define what we mean by healthy foods, NP models need to be based on published nutrition standards, mandated serving sizes and open-source nutrient composition databases. Specifically, the development and testing of NP models for public health should follow the seven decision steps outlined by the European Food Safety Authority. Consistent with this scheme, the nutrient-rich food (NRF) family of indices was based on a variable number of qualifying nutrients (from six to fifteen) and on three disqualifying nutrients (saturated fat, added sugar, sodium). The selection of nutrients and daily reference amounts followed nutrient standards for the USA. The base of calculation was 418·4 kJ (100 kcal), in preference to 100 g, or serving sizes. The NRF algorithms, based on unweighted sums of percent daily values, subtracted negative (LIM) from positive (NRn) subscores (NRn – LIM). NRF model performance was tested with respect to energy density and independent measures of a healthy diet. Whereas past uses of NP modelling have been regulatory or educational, voluntary product reformulation by the food industry may have most impact on public health.
Automatic markerless registration of mobile LiDAR point-clouds

Point-cloud registration plays a significant role in the area of mobile LiDAR data processing. This paper proposes an automatic markerless registration algorithm for lidar point-clouds. It first introduces a local feature for point-cloud representation. The feature is invariant to rotations and translations of a point-cloud. It then presents a point-cloud registration method using geometric consistency check and the Iterative Closest Points (ICP) algorithm. Comparative experiments were performed on a publicly available dataset. Experimental results show that our algorithm is very accurate and outperforms the spin image and SHOT based algorithms.
Thermal modeling of BOX/DTI enclosed power devices with Green's function approach

Accurate thermal models for power devices are crucial due to the simultaneous introduction of deep trenches (DTI) and silicon on insulator (SOI) technology. A computationally efficient geometry dependent thermal model is presented that avoids the time and cost penalty of numerical thermal simulations and utilizes the Green's function approach in combination with mixed boundary conditions. The derived model is accurate (relative temperature error &#60; 10%) and valid for dimensions ranging between 5µm and 200µm. The new model allows for on-the-fly calculations of the thermal resistance Rth as well as thermal coupling coefficients for multi-finger devices, enabling predictive modeling and concurrent engineering.
Piketty : inequality , poverty and managerial capitalism

Thomas Piketty has provided an impressive amount of data which shows that inequality, under capitalism, goes hand in hand with economic growth. In principle, one could think that Piketty illustrates with abundant data Marx’s assertion that capital has the tendency for concentration and centralization in the hands of the richest capitalists. However, the French author anxiously makes it clear from the very beginning that he is not following what he calls the “Marxist principle of infinite accumulation”.
Comparison of the fast-start performances of closely related, morphologically distinct threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus spp.)

Fast-start escape performances for two species of threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus spp. , were investigated using high-speed cinematography (400 Hz). The two fishes (not yet formally described, referred to here as benthic and limnetic) inhabit different niches within Paxton Lake, British Columbia, Canada, and are recent, morphologically distinct species. All escape responses observed for both species were double-bend C-type fast-starts. There were no significant differences between the species for any linear or angular parameter (pooled averages, both species: duration 0.048 s, distance 0.033 m, maximum velocity 1.10 m s-1, maximum acceleration 137 m s-2, maximum horizontal angular velocity 473.6 rad s-1 and maximum overall angular velocity 511.1 rad s-1). Benthics and limnetics have the greatest added mass (Ma) at 0.3 and 0.6 body lengths, respectively. The maximum Ma does not include the fins for benthics, but for limnetics the dorsal and anal fins contribute greatly to the maximum Ma. The deep, posteriorly placed fins of limnetics enable them to have a fast-start performance equivalent to that of the deeper-bodied benthics. Both the limnetic and benthic fishes have significantly higher escape fast-start velocities than their ancestral form, the anadromous threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, suggesting that the high performance of the Paxton Lake sticklebacks is an evolutionarily derived trait. In this biomechanical study of functional morphology, we demonstrate that similar high fast-start performance can be achieved by different suites of morphological characteristics and suggest that predation might be the selective force for the high escape performance in these two fishes.
Identification of microRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for acute myocardial infarction in Asian populations

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Recently, several studies have revealed the diagnostic value of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) for AMI detection. However, the diagnostic capacity of miRNAs for AMI is still controversial due to the inconsistent results among studies. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve relevant articles in PubMed and other databases up to February 2017. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were used to assess the overall test performance of miRNAs. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity. We evaluated the publication bias by the Deeks’ funnel plot asymmetry test and all statistical analyses were performed using Meta-disc 1.4 and Stata software. Results: A total of 26 articles comprising 1973 AMI patients and 1236 healthy controls were included in this meta-analysis. The overall pooled diagnostic data was as follows: the pooled sensitivity of 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–0.78), the pooled specificity of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.81–0.84), the pooled PLR of 4.68 (95% CI: 3.92–5.59), the pooled NLR of 0.28 (95% CI: 0.25–0.32), and the pooled DOR of 18.66 (95% CI: 14.11–24.68). The AUC value was 0.8661 in the overall summary receiver operator characteristic curve. Subgroup analysis indicated that miRNA-499 had better diagnostic accuracy over other miRNAs. Conclusion: MiRNAs may serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers in the early diagnosis of AMI. Further studies were needed to evaluate the diagnostic value of miRNAs for AMI before clinical application.
Power loss-oriented evaluation of high voltage IGBTs and multilevel converters in transformerless traction applications

The low-frequency line transformer in todays ac rail vehicles suffers from poor efficiency and a substantial weight. Future traction drives may operate directly from the mains without this transformer. A feasible concept for a transformerless drive system consists of series connected medium voltage converters applying modern high-voltage insulated gate bipolar transistors (HV-IGBTs). In a first design step, the switching characteristics and losses of 6.5-kV IGBTs are compared to 3.3-kV and 4.5-kV IGBTs which are already commercially used in traction applications. Based on the considered HV-IGBTs, the properties of multilevel converters are analyzed and their applicability to the transformerless system is evaluated. The paper focusses on a loss analysis of the converters. Reliability aspects and harmonic spectra are briefly discussed. Taking these design aspects into account, the three-level neutral point clamped converter turns out to be a reasonable solution to realize line and motor converter modules in a transformerless traction system.
attributes and their implications Revisiting the operational RNA code for amino acids : Ensemble Material Supplemental

It has been suggested that tRNA acceptor stems specify an operational RNA code for amino acids. In the last 20 years several attributes of the putative code have been elucidated for a small number of model organisms. To gain insight about the ensemble attributes of the code, we analyzed 4925 tRNA sequences from 102 bacterial and 21 archaeal species. Here, we used a classification and regression tree (CART) methodology, and we found that the degrees of degeneracy or specificity of the RNA codes in both Archaea and Bacteria differ from those of the genetic code. We found instances of taxon-specific alternative codes, i.e., identical acceptor stem determinants encrypting different amino acids in different species, as well as instances of ambiguity, i.e., identical acceptor stem determinants encrypting two or more amino acids in the same species. When partitioning the data by class of synthetase, the degree of code ambiguity was significantly reduced. In cryptographic terms, a plausible interpretation of this result is that the class distinction in synthetases is an essential part of the decryption rules for resolving the subset of RNA code ambiguities enciphered by identical acceptor stem determinants of tRNAs acylated by enzymes belonging to the two classes. In evolutionary terms, our findings lend support to the notion that in the pre-DNA world, interactions between tRNA acceptor stems and synthetases formed the basis for the distinction between the two classes; hence, ambiguities in the ancient RNA code were pivotal for the fixation of these enzymes in the genomes of ancestral prokaryotes.
Image Super Resolution from Alignment Errors of Image Sensors and Spatial Light Modulators

In this paper, we propose a novel method for obtaining super r esolution images by using alignment errors between an image sensor and a spatial light modulator, such a s LCoS device, in the coded imaging systems. Recently, coded imaging systems are often used for obtainin g high dynamic range (HDR) images and for deblurring depth and motion blurs. For obtaining accurate HDR images and unblur images, it is very important to setup the spatial light modulators with cameras accurate ly, so that the one-to-one correspondences hold between light modulator pixels and camera image pixels. Howev er, the accurate alignment of the light modulator and the image sensor is very difficult in reality. In this pape r, we do not adjust light modulators and image sensors accurately. Instead, we use the alignment errors be tween the light modulators and the image sensors for obtaining high resolution images from low resolution ob servations in the image sensors.
Information sharing in a supply chain

Advances in information system technology have had a huge impact on the evolution of supply chain management. As a result of such technological advances, supply chain partners can now work in tight coordination to optimise the chain-wide performance, and the realised return may be shared among the partners. A basic enabler for tight coordination is information sharing, which has been greatly facilitated by the advances in information technology. This paper describes the types of information shared inventory, sales, demand forecast, order status, and production schedule. We discuss how and why this information is shared using industry examples and relating them to academic research. We also discuss three alternative system models of information sharing - the information transfer model, the third party model and the information hub model.
Overproduced Esterases in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Vietnam

Abstract The electrophoretic polymorphism of loci encoding for 10 enzymes was studied in Culex p. quinquefasciatus Say from six localities of Vietnam. The analysis of 11 “neutral genes” showed that differentiation among samples was low, but significant (Fst = 0.06), and significantly related to geographic distance between sample sites. These results are similar to those observed in other countries (Europe and west Africa). A single type of overproduced esterases (A2-B2) was observed, and its frequency was high (60–100%) in all samples. This situation is in sharp contrast with that observed in other countries of South East Asia (China, South Korea and Japan), where two or more types of overproduced esterases have been reported. A map summarizing the geographic distribution of Asian Cx. p. quinquefasciatus with overproduced esterases is provided.
Cobalamin (coenzyme B12): synthesis and biological significance.

This review examines deoxyadenosylcobalamin (Ado-B12) biosynthesis, transport, use, and uneven distribution among living forms. We describe how genetic analysis of enteric bacteria has contributed to these issues. Two pathways for corrin ring formation have been found-an aerobic pathway (in P. denitrificans) and an anaerobic pathway (in P. shermanii and S. typhimurium)-that differ in the point of cobalt insertion. Analysis of B12 transport in E. coli reveals two systems: one (with two proteins) for the outer membrane, and one (with three proteins) for the inner membrane. To account for the uneven distribution of B12 in living forms, we suggest that the B12 synthetic pathway may have evolved to allow anaerobic fermentation of small molecules in the absence of an external electron acceptor. Later, evolution of the pathway produced siroheme, (allowing use of inorganic electron acceptors), chlorophyll (O2 production), and heme (aerobic respiration). As oxygen became a larger part of the atmosphere, many organisms lost fermentative functions and retained dependence on newer, B12 functions that did not involve fermentation. Paradoxically, Salmonella spp. synthesize B12 only anaerobically but can use B12 (for degradation of ethanolamine and propanediol) only with oxygen. Genetic analysis of the operons for these degradative functions indicate that anaerobic degradation is important. Recent results suggest that B12 can be synthesized and used during anaerobic respiration using tetrathionate (but not nitrate or fumarate) as an electron acceptor. The branch of enteric taxa from which Salmonella spp. and E. coli evolved appears to have lost the ability to synthesize B12 and the ability to use it in propanediol and glycerol degradation. Salmonella spp. , but not E. coli, have acquired by horizontal transfer the ability to synthesize B12 and degrade propanediol. The acquired ability to degrade propanediol provides the selective force that maintains B12 synthesis in this group.
Linking Ethical Leadership to Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Hiding: The Mediating Role of Psychological Engagement

Despite the strides made in ethical-leadership research, surprisingly, no systematic attempts have been made to reveal the relationship between ethical leadership and knowledge management among direct reports, together with, which is an increasingly eminent variable in relation to employee well-being, psychological engagement. Integrating research on ethical leadership, employee engagement, and knowledge management literature, this study aims to provide new conceptual insights and empirical evidence on the mediating process underlying the ethical leadership-knowledge management relationship. Results from 150 leader-follower dyads (N = 300) of university full-time students at a university in Hong Kong disclosed that ethical leadership has a positive effect on knowledge sharing behavior, and the former is negatively related to knowledge hiding behavior among subordinates. Additionally, these relationships are partially mediated by employee psychological engagement. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.
The Effect of the Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor L-NMMA on Basal CBF and Vasoneuronal Coupling in Man: A PET Study

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates basal CBF. In a number of animal models NO has been implicated in the mediation of the regional changes in CBF (rCBF) that accompany neuronal activation (vasoneuronal coupling). However, some results in animal models have failed to confirm this finding, and the validity of extrapolation to man from animal data is uncertain. To determine the contribution of NO to basal global CBF and activation-induced changes in rCBF, the authors have performed quantitative H215O positron emission tomography (PET) studies before and after administration of the non-isoform-specific NO synthase inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (L-NMMA), in 10 healthy male volunteers. Learning a novel sequence of finger movements was used as a paradigm to induce regional frontal cortex activation. The effect of NO synthase inhibition on the magnitude and pattern of activation was determined. Resting global CBF fell from 33.3 ± 5.3 mL·100 g−1·min−1 at rest before L-NMMA, to 26.5 ± 7.7 mL·100 g−1·min−1 after L-NMMA (P = 0.001). This fall was reversed by l-arginine administration. Learning sequential finger movements induced increases in rCBF in the left motor, right prefrontal, and bilateral premotor cortices. After NO synthase inhibition with L-NMMA, there was no change in this pattern of activation and no reduction in the magnitude of rCBF responses at the foci of maximal stimulation before and after L-NMMA. These findings confirm that NO production contributes to basal CBF regulation in man, but show that systemic NO synthase inhibition with L-NMMA does not impair regional vasoneuronal coupling.
AN ENHANCED SENTENCE LEVEL SENTIMENT CLASSIFICATION OPINION MINING SYSTEM WITH POS TAGGING

-Sentiment analysis addresses the computational of feeling, sentiments and subjectivity in content, has reached an impressive consideration in recent years. Rather than the customary coarse-grained sentiment analysis tasks, for example document-level sentiment analysis. Aspect-oriented opinion mining aims to identify product aspects (features of products) about which opinion has been expressed in the text. This paper is an attempt to enhance the existing partially-supervised alignment model, which regards identifying opinion relations as an alignment process to enhanced Option mining system with ranking, sentence Level Sentiment Classification with Part of Speech (POS) Tagging. E-Commerce is growing rapidly and more number of products is sold online. Many users are using the Internet to post the opinions about the products and its aspects. As there are large numbers of reviews, it is impossible to read all the reviews. So we propose a ranking system using opinion mining to rank the products based on features (aspects). Users can perform opinion search to rank products based on the feature. In this system, we consider the reviews of people who have purchased the product as those reviews are more likely to contain less spam and more utility. In this system, we perform sentence level sentiment classification of reviews to identify important product aspects and the opinions about those aspects. Experimental results were carried out in Movie, Hotel and Airline datasets which exhibits good classification accuracy using ranking based sentiment level classification algorithm. Keyword: Sentiment analysis, Opinion mining, Part of Speech Tagging, ECommerce and sentence level structure.
Schwann cells genetically engineered to express PSA show enhanced migratory potential without impairment of their myelinating ability in vitro

Schwann cells, the myelin‐forming cells of the PNS, are attractive candidates for remyelination therapy as they can remyelinate CNS axons. Yet their integration in CNS tissue appears hampered, at least in part, by their limited motility in the CNS environment. As the polysialylated (PSA) form of NCAM regulates migration of neural precursors in the CNS and is not expressed by developing Schwann cells, we investigated whether conferring sustained expression of PSA to Schwann cells derived from postnatal rats enhances their motility. Cells were transduced with a retrovirus encoding polysialyl‐transferase STX, an enzyme that synthesizes PSA on NCAM. Migration of wild type and transduced cells expressing STX or the marker gene alkaline phosphatase was examined using a gap bridging assay in dissociated cells and by grafting cells in slice cultures of postnatal brain. Migration of PSA expressing cells was significantly increased in both models, as compared to control cells, and this effect was abolished by endoneuraminidase‐N stripping of PSA. PSA‐positive Schwann cells retained the ability to differentiate in vitro and expressed the Krox20 and P zero myelination markers. When grafted in neonatal cerebellar slices, STX‐transduced cells started to myelinate Purkinje cell axons like control cells and make myelin internodes after 2 to 3 weeks. PSA was redistributed on the cell membrane and downregulated during differentiation in pure Schwann cell cultures and slice co‐cultures. Thus, migratory properties of PNS myelin‐forming cells within the CNS can be enhanced without altering their differentiation program. This finding may be beneficial for the development of remyelination therapies. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.