Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) metabolism in mitochondria and its regulatory role in energy production

Although many types of ancient bacteria and archea rely on hydrogen sulfide (H2S) for their energy production, eukaryotes generate ATP in an oxygen-dependent fashion. We hypothesize that endogenous H2S remains a regulator of energy production in mammalian cells under stress conditions, which enables the body to cope with energy demand when oxygen supply is insufficient. Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) is a major H2S-producing enzyme in the cardiovascular system that uses cysteine as the main substrate. Here we show that CSE is localized only in the cytosol, not in mitochondria, of vascular smooth-muscle cells (SMCs) under resting conditions, revealed by Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy of SMCs transfected with GFP-tagged CSE plasmid. After SMCs were exposed to A23187, thapsigargin, or tunicamycin, intracellular calcium level was increased, and CSE translocated from the cytosol to mitochondria. CSE was coimmunoprecipitated with translocase of the outer membrane 20 (Tom20) in mitochondrial membrane. Tom20 siRNA significantly inhibited mitochondrial translocation of CSE and mitochondrial H2S production. The cysteine level inside mitochondria is approximately three times that in the cytosol. Translocation of CSE to mitochondria metabolized cysteine, produced H2S inside mitochondria, and increased ATP production. Inhibition of CSE activity reversed A23187-stimulated mitochondrial ATP production. H2S improved mitochondrial ATP production in SMCs with hypoxia, which alone decreased ATP production. These results suggest that translocation of CSE to mitochondria on specific stress stimulations is a unique mechanism to promote H2S production inside mitochondria, which subsequently sustains mitochondrial ATP production under hypoxic conditions.
Torsional rigidity of single actin filaments and actin-actin bond breaking force under torsion measured directly by in vitro micromanipulation.

Knowledge of the elastic properties of actin filaments is crucial for considering its role in muscle contraction, cellular motile events, and formation of cell shape. The stiffness of actin filaments in the directions of stretching and bending has been determined. In this study, we have directly determined the torsional rigidity and breaking force of single actin filaments by measuring the rotational Brownian motion and tensile strength using optical tweezers and microneedles, respectively. Rotational angular fluctuations of filaments supplied the torsional rigidity as (8.0 +/- 1.2) x 10(-26) Nm2. This value is similar to that deduced from the longitudinal rigidity, assuming the actin filament to be a homogeneous rod. The breaking force of the actin-actin bond was measured while twisting a filament through various angles using microneedles. The breaking force decreased greatly under twist, e.g., from 600-320 pN when filaments were turned through 90 degrees, independent of the rotational direction. Our results indicate that an actin filament exhibits comparable flexibility in the rotational and longitudinal directions, but breaks more easily under torsional load.
International Strategy Implementation: Understanding of Local Challenges in China

Title: International Strategy Implementation: Understanding of Local Challenges in China. Seminar date: 02-08-2008 Course: Master Thesis in Business Administration, 15 ECTS Credits Authors: Johan R. Fischer, Johan Hermerén and Martin Tullström Advisors: Stefan Sveningsson and Tony Huzzard
Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors 1, 2, and 3 in Quiescent Endothelia

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family is involved in angiogenesis, and therefore VEGFs are considered as targets for anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategies against cancer. However, the physiological functions of VEGFs in quiescent tissues are unclear and may interfere with such systemic therapies. In pathological conditions, increased levels of expression of the VEGF receptors VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3 accompany VEGF activity. In this study we investigated normal human and monkey tissues for expression patterns of these receptors. Immunohistochemical staining methods at the light and electron microscopic level were applied to normal human and monkey tissue samples, using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the three VEGFRs and anti-endothelial MAbs PAL-E and anti-CD31 to identify blood and lymph vessels. In human and monkey, similar distribution patterns of the three VEGFRs were found. Co-expression of VEGFR-1, −2, and −3 was observed in microvessels adjacent to epithelia in the eye, gastrointestinal mucosa, liver, kidney, and hair follicles, which is in line with the reported preferential expression of VEGF-A in some of these epithelia. VEGFR-1, −2, and −3 expression was also observed in blood vessels and sinusoids of lymphoid tissues. Furthermore, VEGFR-1, but not VEGFR-2 and −3, was present in microvessels in brain and retina. Electron microscopy showed that VEGFR-1 expression was restricted to pericytes and VEGFR-2 to endothelial cells in normal vasculature of tonsils. These findings indicate that VEGFRs have specific distribution patterns in normal tissues, suggesting physiological functions of VEGFs that may be disturbed by systemic anti-VEGF therapy. One of these functions may be involvement of VEGF in paracrine relations between epithelia and adjacent capillaries.
What to Say When: Influencing Consumer Choice by Delaying the Presentation of Favorable Information

Delaying the presentation of some favorable information about an alternative (e.g., a product, service, brand, store, or cause) until after consumers have completed their pre-choice screening can increase that alternative’s choice share. While such a delay reduces the alternative’s chance of surviving the screening, it can actually increase its probability of ultimately being chosen. Evidence from five experiments demonstrates this preference-enhancing effect of the delayed presentation of favorable information, and it illustrates the underlying preference dynamics across decision stages associated with such a delay. The findings also indicate that this preference-enhancing effect is driven by a combination of two mental mechanisms—a shift in the decision weights of attribute dimensions (rendering dimensions on which a delay occurs more influential across all alternatives) and an overall preference boost for the alternative about which information is delayed.
The Sound of Brands

Recent research has demonstrated that linguistic characteristics of brand names can cognitively affect product evaluations. In six experiments, the authors demonstrate that affect arising from sound repetition may also be influential. The results reveal across multiple brand names and product categories that exposure to a brand name that has sound repetition in its phonetic structure and is spoken aloud produces positive affect, which favorably affects consumers’ brand evaluations, reactions to cross-selling, and product choice. The effects are moderated by consumers’ sensitivity to repetition, consumers’ opportunity to experience emotions, and the degree to which the brand name's phonetic sound repetition deviates from linguistic expectations. The authors discuss implications for managers and avenues for further research.
Quantification of the Relationship Between Insulin Sensitivity and β-Cell Function in Human Subjects: Evidence for a Hyperbolic Function

To determine the relationship between insulin sensitivity and β-cell function, we quantified the insulin sensitivity index using the minimal model in 93 relatively young, apparently healthy human subjects of varying degrees of obesity (55 male, 38 female; 18–44 yr of age; body mass index 19.5–52.2 kg/m2) and with fasting glucose levels <6.4 mM. SI was compared with measures of body adiposity and β-cell function. Although lean individuals showed a wide range of SI, body mass index and SI were related in a curvilinear manner (P < 0.0001) so that on average, an increase in body mass index was associated generally with a lower value for SI. The relationship between the SI and the β-cell measures was more clearly curvilinear and reciprocal for fasting insulin (P < 0.0001), first-phase insulin response (AIRglucose; P < 0.0001), glucose potentiation slope (n = 56; P < 0.005), and β-cell secretory capacity (AIRmax; n = 43; P < 0.0001). The curvilinear relationship between SI and the β-cell measures could not be distinguished from a hyperbola, i.e., SI × β-cell function = constant. This hyperbolic relationship described the data significantly better than a linear function (P < 0.05). The nature of this relationship is consistent with a regulated feedback loop control system such that for any difference in SI, a proportionate reciprocal difference occurs in insulin levels and responses in subjects with similar carbohydrate tolerance. We conclude that in human subjects with normal glucose tolerance and varying degrees of obesity, β-cell function varies quantitatively with differences in insulin sensitivity. Because the function governing this relationship is a hyperbola, when insulin sensitivity is high, large changes in insulin sensitivity produce relatively small changes in insulin levels and responses, whereas when insulin sensitivity is low, small changes in insulin sensitivity produce relatively large changes in insulin levels and responses. Percentile plots based on knowledge of this interaction are presented for evaluating β-cell function in populations and over time.
Bayesian time series models and scalable inference

With large and growing datasets and complex models, there is an increasing need for scalable Bayesian inference. We describe two lines of work to address this need. In the first part, we develop new algorithms for inference in hierarchical Bayesian time series models based on the hidden Markov model (HMM), hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM), and their Bayesian nonparametric extensions. The HMM is ubiquitous in Bayesian time series models, and it and its Bayesian nonparametric extension, the hierarchical Dirichlet process hidden Markov model (HDP-HMM), have been applied in many settings. HSMMs and HDP-HSMMs extend these dynamical models to provide state-specific duration modeling, but at the cost of increased computational complexity for inference, limiting their general applicability. A challenge with all such models is scaling inference to large datasets. We address these challenges in several ways. First, we develop classes of duration models for which HSMM message passing complexity scales only linearly in the observation sequence length. Second, we apply the stochastic variational inference (SVI) framework to develop scalable inference for the HMM, HSMM, and their nonparametric extensions. Third, we build on these ideas to define a new Bayesian nonparametric model that can capture dynamics at multiple timescales while still allowing efficient and scalable inference. In the second part of this thesis, we develop a theoretical framework to analyze a special case of a highly parallelizable sampling strategy we refer to as Hogwild Gibbs sampling. Thorough empirical work has shown that Hogwild Gibbs sampling works very well for inference in large latent Dirichlet allocation models (LDA), but there is little theory to understand when it may be effective in general. By studying Hogwild Gibbs applied to sampling from Gaussian distributions we develop analytical results as well as a deeper understanding of its behavior, including its convergence and correctness in some regimes. Thesis Supervisor: Alan S. Willsky Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
A Retail Ontology: Formal Semantics and Efficient Implementation

A Retail Ontology: Formal Semantics and Efficient Implementation Maryam Fazel Zarandi Masters of Science Graduate Department of Computer Science University of Toronto 2007 In today’s competitive business environment, the ability to make effective decisions is of central importance to an organization’s survival. In order to be successful, a modern enterprise should take advantage of all available data. Business intelligence systems can help provide the means to transform the available data into information and derive specific and timely knowledge about the domain. The focus of this research is on building a customer-centric business intelligence system applied to retail. This work describes a retail ontology that can automatically deduce answers to retail queries based upon the system’s general knowledge of online retailing and actual data. To be applicable in real world situations, the system should be able to deal efficiently with the huge amounts of data present in retail environments. To this end, this work also introduces a technique for reasoning efficiently with large datasets using state-of-the-art theorem provers or reasoners and existing database technology.
The propensity to use incentive compensation for non‐family managers in SME family firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use the socio‐emotional wealth perspective to examine how the level of family involvement reduces the propensity to use incentives to non‐family managers in small to medium‐sized enterprises (SME) family firms.Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected from US firms. To evaluate the hypotheses, a logit model was employed on a final sample of 2,019 small family firms.Findings – Results suggest that family influence and control and intra‐family transgenerational succession intentions are negatively related to the propensity to use incentives. Also, the interaction effects of family management and ownership reduce the propensity to use incentives.Originality/value – The paper’s empirical findings imply that despite their potential economic benefits, family involvement reduces the probability that incentives will be offered to non‐family managers because such incentives are perceived to be inconsistent with the preservation of the family’s socioemotiona.
Consumer intention to utilize electronic shopping

By utilizing the Fishbein Behavioral Intention theoretical framework, this study examined consumers’ intention to use an electronic shopping mode. First, the Fishbein Behavioral Intention Model was tested in the context of electronic shopping in order to determine the importance of the model components. It was found that attitudinal component (A b ) and normative belief (NB) were similarly important in predicting electronic shopping intention (BI) without the function of motivation to comply (MC). Second, those who had high intention level and those who had low intention level were identified. A profile of the potential users of electronic shopping was developed in terms of shopping habits, computer ownership and usage, mail order purchase experience, and demographics.
Exploiting Page Write Pattern for Power Management of Hybrid DRAM/PRAM Memory System

The main memory has become a power bottleneck for computer systems. To reduce the energy dissipation of main memory, the non-volatile phase-change RAM (PRAM) has emerged as one of the promising memories due to its high density and low standby power. But PRAM has its intrinsic disadvantages of long write latency and high write energy. Hence, the hybrid DRAM/PRAM main memory is proposed to provide the advantage of low standby power of PRAM as well as high performance and low access power of DRAM. Data management, such as migrating frequently accessed data from PRAM to DRAM, is widely employed by past work to achieve the benefits of both DRAM and PRAM. But the past work is oblivious to the data migration energy overhead, which is considerable as confirmed by our study. In this work, we studied the page write access pattern of pages within and across applications and observed that two pattern widely exist, namely write-average and write-cluster. We then propose an adaptive page migration strategy (APMS) that migrates data of a page based on its write pattern to reduce the migration energy in DRAM/PRAM hybrid memory system. Our APMS exploits the write pattern of a page and determines the amount of data that should be migrated against the existing page-level data migration strategy. Experiments were conducted to verify the validity of the strategy. The results show that APMS can reduce the energy consumption of most applications with negligible performance impact and energy overhead.
Output double-line frequency ripple reduction method for high power density interleaved boost converters in power factor correction applications

A three-phase interleaved boost converter stage of an ac-dc PFC converter that uses GaN switches is developed that utilizes a feed-forward band-stop filter control method to suppress low-frequency output voltage ripple. To increase power density, the converter switches at 500 kHz, operates in triangular current mode (TCM) to achieve zero voltage switching (ZVS), and uses GaN switching devices. A 1-kW laboratory prototype was designed and tested to verify feasibility. With the proposed controller, output ripple was reduced by 70%. Overall efficiency is greater than 96.5% and power density is 65.028 W/in3.
Investigation of Monochromatization Light Effect at Molecular/Atomic Level in Electronegative-Electropositive Gas Mixtures Plasma

In electronegative-electropositive gas mixtures plasma, at a total pressure varying in the range of ten to hundred Torr, was reported the appearance of a quasi-mochromatization effect of the emitted radiation. This radiation could be the result of the generating mechanisms at molecular level, which is the case of the excimer radiation but also at atomic level. Thus, in the last case, in (Ne+1%Ar/Xe+H2) gas mixtures plasma in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), this effect consists in the
VAX/VMS event monitoring and analysis

Event logs can be used effectively to improve computer system availability. Uses include retrospective and predictive diagnosis; fault management; failure rate estimation; and trend analysis. Unfortunately, much of the research to date has been hampered by the lack of suitable event data, and occasionally by the incorrect interpretation of the available data. This research uses one of the largest sets of data, and the most intensive investigation of the monitoring process conducted to date, to examine event monitoring and analysis. 2.35 million events from 193 VAX/VMS systems covering 335 machine years were used. Examples are presented which show that monitoring deficiencies complicate the analyses, consume additional time, and make incorrect conclusions more likely. For example, incorrect handling of bogus timestamps changes the mean time between groups of events by an order of magnitude. An analysis procedure to identify defects is provided, along with design rules to create better quality logs. <<ETX>>
Employing highly skilled professionals in multinational corporations

Annotation Competitiveness of companies is becoming increasingly depending on persons and the method of their management. This has occurred especially during the last century when economic globalization has led to integration of regions into economic areas and strong internationalization of labour market. Multinational corporations (MNCs) operating on different world’s markets and employing personnel coming from various countries are important parts of the process. The paper supports the phenomenon with evidence of increased share of foreigners in management positions in the notable Czech companies. A speed of migration procedure is an important factor influencing a decision of MNCs about investment in particular countries. The government of the Czech Republic is aware of this fact and therefore aims to gain a competitive advantage over other states through creation effective tools supporting migration of highly skilled workers. The paper presents an overview of Czech migration measures directed at highly skilled foreigners.
Reputational Shocks and the Information Content of Credit Ratings

We investigate how shocks to the reputation of credit rating agencies and the subsequent introduction of stricter regulation affect investors’ reaction to rating signals. We focus on three major episodes of reputational distress: the Enron/WorldCom scandals, the subprime crisis and the lawsuit against Standard & Poor's. We document a stronger response of stock investors to downgrades in the aftermath of reputational shocks, which is not, however, accompanied by an improvement in rating quality. Our results are consistent with a scenario where, following evidence of misrating, market investors conclude that ratings are generally overstated and infer greater negative information from downgrades. The effect is stronger for the investment-grade segment, where rating errors have a wider reputational impact. The introduction of new regulatory measures such the SOX Act, the CRA Reform Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, seems instead to improve rating quality and soften investors’ response.
Dynamic Performance Analysis of Uplink Transmission in Cluster-Based Heterogeneous Vehicular Networks

As an emerging technology, vehicular networks have evolved into an indispensable part of intelligent transport systems (ITS). Thus, this paper focuses on the performance analysis of the cluster-based heterogeneous vehicular networks (C-HetVNETs) with dynamic data arrival rate and different vehicle densities. Different from the previous studies, which mainly focus on network capacity in just one wireless-technology-supported vehicular network, such as dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) or Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long-term evolution (LTE), we focus on the different performance metrics of uplink transmission in C-HetVNET. First, we develop a framework of C-HetVNET by employing the cluster mechanism. Then, the performance analysis models of intracluster and intercluster communications are designed based on a Markov queuing model. Due to the explosion of state space, model decomposition and iteration techniques are proposed to handle this problem. Based on the developed analytical model, the performance metrics of different scheduling schemes, in terms of throughput, delay, dropping probability, and queue length, are studied and compared. The performances of C-HetVNETs under different vehicle densities and data arrival rates are obtained via analysis and simulations, which give a useful guideline for network configuration of C-HetVNETs. The proposed analytical model can be also used for heterogeneous or two-tier network analysis and validation of network simulators under various traffic conditions. In addition, we investigate the performances of LTE networks used for vehicular communications for the purpose of performance comparison.