Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Trypsin, a Female-specific Midgut Protease terminal and Sequencing of the Gene in Aedes aegypti: Isolation, Amino- Sequence Determination, and Cloning

Early trypsin is a female-specific protease present in the Aedes aegypti midgut during the first hours after ingestion of a blood meal. It plays an essential role in the transcriptional activation of the late trypsin form, the major midgut endoprotease involved in the blood meal digestion. Early trypsin is the most abundant midgut polypeptide isolated by benzamidine-sepharose affinity chromatography 3 h after feeding. The amino-terminal sequence of the early trypsin protein matches that of the 3al cDNA for a putative trypsinogen described by Kalhok et al. (Insect. Molec. Biol., 2, 71-79, 1993). The early trypsin cDNA was over expressed in Escher. ichia coli. Polyclonal antibodies generated against this recombinant protein were used to show that the enzyme was present in the midgut during the first 4 h after feeding. A 2.5 kb genomic clone of the early trypsin was isolated, mapped and subcloned. A 1.56 kb subclone, corresponding to 1303 bp of the upstream regulatory region and 265 bp of the coding region, was sequenced. The gene contains a 64 nucleotide intron which interrupts the codon for Val at position 18 of the protein. This Val is located toward the end of the putative signal sequence of the protein.
BusMesh NoC: A novel NoC architecture comprised of bus-based connection and global mesh routers

Network-on-chip (NoC) architectures are emerged as a promising solution to the lack of scalability in multi-processor systems-on-chips (MPSoCs). In this paper, A busmesh network-on-chip (BMNoC) architecture is proposed, together with simulation results. It is comprised of bus-based connection and global mesh routers to enhance the performance of on-chip communication. Furthermore, MPEG-4, H.264 and a hybrid application mixed MPEG-4 and H.264 on our architecture illustrates the better performance than earlier studies and feasibility of BMNoC.
Observer-based consensus tracking for nonlinear multi-agent systems with intermittent communication

This paper addresses the observer-based consensus tracking problem of multi-agent systems with intermittent communication constraints. The agent dynamics is modeled as general linear system attached the Lipschitz-type nonlinear term. Since in reality communications among mobile agents are intermittent, a class of non-continuous observer-type protocol is proposed based on each agent only intermittently sharing relative outputs with neighbors. By virtue of the matrix theory, the switching system theory and the averaging approach, a multi-step protocol design procedure is presented, and the sufficient condition is further derived to ensure the observer-based consensus tracking. Finally, the theoretical findings are validated by a numerical example.
Relaxation and recombination in spin-polarized atomic hydrogen.

We have studied relaxation and recombination processes in compressed, doubly polarized atomic hydrogen at temperatures from 0.13 to 0.60 K and magnetic fields from 3 to 9 T. The gas and surface dipole three-body recombination rate constants at a field of 7.6 T are measured to be, respectively, L/sub g/ = 8.9(8) x 10/sup -39/ cm/sup 6/ s/sup -1/ and L/sub s/ = 1.2(4) x 10/sup -24/ cm/sup 4/ s/sup -1/. They decrease slowly with field and L/sub s/ exhibits no significant angular dependence. The three-body recombination rate due to hyperfine mixing has also been measured. Electronic and nuclear relaxation rates have been measured; the b-c electronic relaxation rate constant in the gas is G/sup b//sup c/ = 1.03(7) x 10/sup -15/ cm/sup 3/ s/sup -1/exp(-E/sub b//sub c//k/sub B/T). The temperature and field dependence of the nuclear relaxation rate in the gas are observed to be in excellent agreement with recent theoretical calculations. Three-body surface recombination-rate measurements using /sup 3/He-/sup 4/He surfaces indicate that as little as one monolayer of /sup 3/He on the liquid /sup 4/He surface appreciably decreases the adsorption energy of atomic hydrogen. Densities achieved include 4.5 x 10/sup 18/ atomsX/sup -3/ at 0.55 K (pure /supmore » 4/He walls), and 1.4 x 10/sup 18/ atomsX/sup -3/ at 0.19 K (8 at. X /sup 3/: He). « less
Blood collection techniques, heparin and quinidine protein binding

With the use of glass syringes without heparin and all glass equipment, the percent of unbound quinidine was measured by ultrafiltration and a double‐extraction assay method after addition of 2 µg/ml of quinidine sulfate. Compared to the all‐glass method, collection of blood using Vacutainers resulted in an erroneous and variable decrease in quinidine binding related to blood to rubber‐stopper contact. With glass, the unbound quinidine fraction was (mean ± standard error) 10 ± 1% in 10 normal volunteers, 8.5 ± 1.5% in 10 patients with congestive heart failure, and 11 ± 2% in 11 patients with chronic renal failure (although in 8 of the latter 11 patients the percent of unbound quinidine was 4 or more standard errors from the mean of the normal group). During cardiac catheterization, patients had markedly elevated unbound quinidine fractions: 24 ± 2% (p < 0.001). This abnormality coincided with the addition of heparin in vivo and was less apparent after the addition of up to 10 U/ml of heparin in vitro (120% and 29% increase in unbound quinidine fractions, respectively). Quinidine binding should be measured with all glass or equivalent equipment.
Graphical modeling for gene set analysis: A critical appraisal

Current demand for understanding the behavior of groups of related genes, combined with the greater availability of data, has led to an increased focus on statistical methods in gene set analysis. In this paper, we aim to perform a critical appraisal of the methodology based on graphical models developed in Massa et al. ( ) that uses pathway signaling networks as a starting point to develop statistically sound procedures for gene set analysis. We pay attention to the potential of the methodology with respect to the organizational aspects of dealing with such complex but highly informative starting structures, that is pathways. We focus on three themes: the translation of a biological pathway into a graph suitable for modeling, the role of shrinkage when more genes than samples are obtained, the evaluation of respondence of the statistical models to the biological expectations. To study the impact of shrinkage, two simulation studies will be run. To evaluate the biological expectation we will use data from a network with known behavior that offer the possibility of carrying out a realistic check of respondence of the model to changes in the experimental conditions.
Nonlinear tuning of microresonators for dynamic range enhancement

This paper investigates the development of a novel framework and its implementation for the nonlinear tuning of nano/microresonators. Using geometrically exact mechanical formulations, a nonlinear model is obtained that governs the transverse and longitudinal dynamics of multilayer microbeams, and also takes into account rotary inertia effects. The partial differential equations of motion are discretized, according to the Galerkin method, after being reformulated into a mixed form. A zeroth-order shift as well as a hardening effect are observed in the frequency response of the beam. These results are confirmed by a higher order perturbation analysis using the method of multiple scales. An inverse problem is then proposed for the continuation of the critical amplitude at which the transition to nonlinear response characteristics occurs. Path-following techniques are employed to explore the dependence on the system parameters, as well as on the geometry of bilayer microbeams, of the magnitude of the dynamic range in nano/microresonators.
Experimental pancreatic cancer in the rat treated by photodynamic therapy

Selective histological necrosis of experimental pancreatic carcinoma by photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been successful with haematoporphyrin derivatives and phthalocyanine as photosensitizers. This report describes the feasibility of PDT with pheophorbide A as the photosensitizer to treat azaserine‐induced pancreatic rat carcinoma and analyses survival of the animals. An organ distribution study 24h after pheophorbide A administration (9 mg/kg intravenously) gave a selectivity ratio of 13·5:1 between tumour and surrounding tissue. Light of 660 nm and 100 J/cm2 induced selective necrosis of the tumour. Six of nine rats were cured in 120 days whereas all 36 control animals died within 35 days (P < 0·01). The pancreas and hepatic pedicle were relatively unaffected by PDT, but the duodenum was injured.
Basic Learning Characteristics of Digital Spike Maps

Abstract—This paper studies learning algorithm of the digital spike maps. The map is equivalent to a simple one-dimensional cellular automaton and can generate various digital spike-trains. In order to approximate a class of spike-trains, we present a learning algorithm with selforganizing function. Performing a basic numerical experiment, we have clarified that the map can learn a typical class of teacher signals. The results contribute to bridge between spiking neural systems and digital dynamical systems.
A Simple Meta-heuristic Approach for the Multiple Container Loading Problem

The multiple container loading problem means that a set of boxes should be placed into one or more containers so that the required container space is minimized. In this paper this problem is solved by a simple meta-heuristic approach using a greedy algorithm, which is based on first-fit concept. This algorithm determines arrangement of each box according to a sequence of boxes. The sequence is altered by using a simple meta-heuristics, such as local search and simulated annealing. The practical constraints like load stability is taken into account. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by comparing the results obtained several other approaches for the multiple container loading problem.
Extrasynaptic Membrane Trafficking Regulated by GluR1 Serine 845 Phosphorylation Primes AMPA Receptors for Long-term Potentiation*

Enhancement of synaptic transmission, as occurs in long-term potentiation (LTP), can result from several mechanisms that are regulated by phosphorylation of the AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR). Using a quantitative assay of net serine 845 (Ser-845) phosphorylation in the GluR1 subunit of AMPARs, we investigated the relationship between phospho-Ser-845, GluR1 surface expression, and synaptic strength in hippocampal neurons. About 15% of surface AMPARs in cultured neurons were phosphorylated at Ser-845 basally, whereas chemical potentiation (forskolin/rolipram treatment) persistently increased this to 60% and chemical depression (N-methyl-d-aspartate treatment) decreased it to 10%. These changes in Ser-845 phosphorylation were paralleled by corresponding changes in the surface expression of AMPARs in both cultured neurons and hippocampal slices. For every 1% increase in net phospho-Ser-845, there was 0.75% increase in the surface fraction of GluR1. Phosphorylation of Ser-845 correlated with a selective delivery of AMPARs to extrasynaptic sites, and their synaptic localization required coincident synaptic activity. Furthermore, increasing the extrasynaptic pool of AMPA receptors resulted in stronger theta burst LTP. Our results support a two-step model for delivery of GluR1-containing AMPARs to synapses during activity-dependent LTP, where Ser-845 phosphorylation can traffic AMPARs to extrasynaptic sites for subsequent delivery to synapses during LTP.
An optimization approach to decision feedback detection under modulation constraints for MIMO fading channels

A new technique is proposed for designing decision feedback detectors (DFDs) wherein the per-symbol decision rules are obtained by exploiting modulation constraints. It is presented in the context of the multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) fading channel with K transmit and N receive antennas. Three cases are considered to illustrate the technique where all the transmitters employ real-valued pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM), or phaseshift keying (PSK), or complex quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). In each case, the corresponding per-symbol decision rules are obtained by imposing the modulation constraints on a likelihood function maximization problem. When all transmitters employ PAM, it is shown that the resulting DFD (the PAM-DFD) is equivalent to the decorrelating decision feedback detector (DDFD) when the latter is used on a modified received statistic. Two DFDs are then derived (the PSK-DFDs and the QAMDFDs) for the cases when all transmitters employ PSK and QAM, respectively. To illustrate the performance benefit, we consider the Rayleigh fading channel and derive the exact joint error probability (JEP) of the PAM-DFD and show that the (possibly fractional) diversity order of the JEP is equal to N - K-1/ 2 . This greatly improves on the diversity order of N - K + 1 of the JEP obtained by the D-DFD without exploiting the real modulation constraint. Through simulations, it is shown that the PSK-DFDs and the QAM-DFDs result in significant performance improvements over the D-DFD as well. It is conjectured that one of the PSK-DFD achieves the improved diversity order of N - K-1/ 2 as well and the QAM-DFDs result in an improvement in effective SNR gain.
Conservation tillage in Turkish dryland research

Central Anatolian soils have high risk of erosion, degradation and intensive cultivation. Consequently, they are in danger of exhausting their agricultural use unless conservation agricultural practices are adopted. Conservation agriculture is a key tool in sustainable production systems throughout the world and is developed around soil management technology that minimizes soil disturbance, maximizes the soil cover and promotes crop diversity to offer benefits to farmers and to the environment. It has been particularly effective at sustaining crop production in semi-arid rain-fed regions such as the Central Anatolian soils, where potential evaporation exceeds precipitation during most months of the year, dry farming is extensively practiced, water and wind erosion is common, and proper application of water- and soil-conserving tillage technology is critical. The area under plow expanded its limits as the number of tractors in agriculture dramatically increased in the 1960s. This is the starting point for inappropriate use of the agricultural land. The conservation agricultural technologies, therefore, are of utmost importance for the region. Common farmers’ practices of a fallow-wheat system in the central plateau of Turkey are incompatible with the conservation agriculture concept. The objective of this review is to re-evaluate the performances of the partial and full conservation tillage practices previously tried in the region. This review reached the following conclusions: (1) agreeing with the conservation principles, fall tillage as a primary operation in the fallow phase was found to be useless compared with leaving the land without tillage; (2) therefore, much research has focused on spring tillage as a primary operation and employed conventional, semi-conservative and conservative methods. Results showed that the conventional system, in addition to being ecologically unfriendly, is unprofitable as compared with other conservation practices regarding the updated cost analysis; (3) similarly, tillage depth in primary spring tillage was determined to be shallower than the depths currently practiced by farmers, in agreement with the conservation principles; (4) fallow tillage operations in summer to create dust mulch for eliminating soil moisture loss did not increase the crop yields and soil moisture as compared with chemical fallow; (5) no-till fallow was similar to the conventional clean fallow system in terms of moisture and yield levels. However, no-tillage resulted in 50% reduction in the cost of tillage besides its ecologically-friendly effects; (6) the existing dryland agricultural systems in the plateau should be transformed into or changed toward sustainable systems, although further research is required on residue and stubble management, and integrated weed control methods to drill the soil with high amounts of residue on the field.
Glutactin, a novel Drosophila basement membrane‐related glycoprotein with sequence similarity to serine esterases.

Glutactin, a new acidic sulfated glycoprotein, was isolated from Drosophila Kc cell culture media. Immunofluorescence microscopy located it to embryonic basement membranes, particularly to the sequentially invaginated envelope of the central nervous system, muscle apodemes and dorsal median cell processes. Its chromosome locus is 29D. The nucleic acid sequence coding for the 1023 residue long polypeptide contains one intron and was confirmed by partial amino acid sequencing. Glutactin has a signal peptide and an amino domain of greater than 500 residues that strongly resembles acetylcholine esterases and other serine esterases, but lacks the catalytically critical serine residue. The amino and carboxyl domains of glutactin are separated by 13 contiguous threonine residues. Glutamine and glutamic acid make up 44% of glutactin's very acidic carboxyl domain. Glutactin preferentially binds Ca2+ in the presence of excess Mg2+ and four of its tyrosines are O‐sulfated. Several similarities with mammalian entactin caused our previous, preliminary mention of glutactin as a putative Drosophila entactin, but sequence comparison now shows them to be different proteins.
An Empirical Study of Customer Contribution in Online Brand Communities for Innovation

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of online brand communities for innovation, whereby customers can contribute their innovation ideas to the companies. The central issues for managers who are interested in harnessing this new form of community include determining which customers may contribute more innovation ideas and understanding how they can further promote customers’ contributions. Using the resource-based theory of social structure, we propose hypotheses on the factors that influence customer’s contribution of innovation ideas, such as active group size, tenure in the community, connection to social network site (SNS), and interest concentration. Our findings from a preliminary analysis of panel data suggest that active group size and tenure in the community have a negative effect on customer’s likelihood of making a contribution while connection to SNS and interest concentration encourage a higher likelihood of contribution. The managerial implications and future directions of the study are discussed.
Parent participation in decision-making in health-care services for children: an integrative review.

AIM To describe and synthesize previous research on parents' perceptions of their participation in decision making in child health-care services. BACKGROUND Health policy in the area of user involvement emphasizes parent participation in decision-making (DM), thus ensuring that services are provided in accordance with their child's needs and enhancing parents' control over their child's health-care services. METHOD A systematic literature search, covering the period January 2000 to February 2011, found 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The analysis process involved data extraction, reduction, comparison and synthesizing. FINDINGS Three themes emerged: (1) relational factors and interdependence, (2) personal factors and attitudes and (3) organisational factors. CONCLUSIONS Parents highlighted the importance of the parent-health professional relationship, professionals' competence and the possibility of varying the degree of participation in decision making. Challenges involved asymmetry in authority and power, professionals' attitudes and competence and organisational shortcomings in health-care services. Health professionals need to become more aware of their critical role and responsibility in involving parents in DM. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Health professionals' attitudes and competence can be improved by knowledge of user involvement and research and facilitating the inclusion of parents in decision making by influencing the culture, routines and resources in the health service.
Improving GPS-based landing system performance using an empirical barometric altimeter confidence bound

This paper develops an empirical confidence bound for barometric altimeter altitude errors and shows how this bound may improve the performance of GPS-based approach and landing systems. This empirical bound is developed using historical meteorological data collected at a set of geographically diverse locations over a thirty year period. The confidence bound developed is shown to provide a Gaussian overbound on altimeter altitude errors in standard atmospheric conditions between a 10-5 and 10-6 confidence level. This confidence bound is integrated into the standard methodology for analyzing the performance of GPS-based landing systems and the results of a performance trade study using the confidence bound are presented. The results show that incorporating the empirical barometric altimeter confidence bound provides an increase in the coterminous United States (CONUS) service volume for lateral precision with vertical guidance (LPV) type approaches. While this increase is approximately 2% for an L1 single-frequency GPS user, it jumps to roughly 40% for an L5 single-frequency user.
Distributed optimization using population dynamics with a local replicator equation

In distributed optimization problems, each agent can get information only from a neighborhood defined by a network topology to minimize a global objective function in a networked system. To solve this problem, we present a local strategy based on population dynamics, in order to perform a dynamic resource allocation in a system described by connected graph. The local replicator equation (LRE) is applied to a lighting control system to show that the achieved equilibrium point is an optimal solution to certain distributed optimization problems. We present some simulation results with different conditions, and a stability analysis to guarantee the convergence of the proposed algorithm.
Les TIC motivent-elles les élèves du secondaire à écrire?

Des le debut du secondaire, la motivation des eleves quebecois chute (Chouinard, 2007). On sait, par ailleurs, que la motivation a ecrire compte parmi les plus importants determinants de la competence scripturale (Hayes, 1995). Puisque les logiciels utilitaires comme le traitement de texte sont associes a un plus grand sentiment d’autoefficacite (Newhouse, 2002), le fait d’avoir recours aux TIC pour developper la competence a ecrire permettrait-il de renverser cette tendance? Pour repondre a cette question de recherche, nous avons elabore une methodologie fondee sur la theorie de l’autodetermination de Deci et Ryan (2002). Nous avons rencontre 264 eleves d’une ecole secondaire de la banlieue de Montreal. Au debut de la recherche, tous ont redige une production a la main. Par la suite, le mode de redaction a ete differencie : alors que les sujets des groupes temoins ont redige deux textes a la main, ceux des groupes quasi experimentaux ont produit deux textes a l’ordinateur. Au debut et a la fin du projet de recherche, tous ont du remplir une echelle de motivation, l’Echelle de motivation a ecrire en francais, adaptee de l’Echelle de motivation a employer les TIC en enseignement. Des entrevues de groupe semi-dirigees ont ete menees pour illustrer les tendances emanant des analyses quantitatives. L’analyse quantitative des donnees provoquees permet de tracer un portrait dichotomique; alors que les scripteurs technologiques tendent a etre motives intrinsequement avant meme d’utiliser les TIC, les scripteurs traditionnels sont plus fortement amotives. L’analyse d’entrevues de groupe a confirme cet etat de fait.