Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UV-visible transmittance of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses measured with a fiber optic spectrometer

Protein deposition is one of the most frequent contaminants occurring on hydrophilic contact lenses and may modify the lens optical properties. The silicone-hydrogel contact lenses usually adsorb a lower amount of proteins than the conventional hydrogel ones. However it is important to study the influence of protein deposits on some silicone-hydrogel contact lenses properties, such as UV-Visible transmittance. In this study it is measured de UV-Visible properties of new and worn silicone-hydrogel contact lenses and the transmittance changes that can occur with wear are quantified. An optical fiber spectrometer has been used for measuring the transmittance of contact lenses. This spectrometer has the advantage that the lens can be positioned horizontally and the light beam passes through it perpendicularly. For the measurements, it was necessary to make a special cuvette to put inside the lens and keep it submerged in sterile saline solution. The contact lenses used were Biofinity®. They are manufactured by CooperVision with a material whose technical name is Comfilcon A. This material has not yet been analyzed for this purpose. Moreover, in this type of studies are commonly taken lenses of power -3.00D, however we have not limited to a single power value but we have extended the range to lower and higher values regarding to the standard power in order to see how this parameter affects.
Managing Shadow IT Instances - A Method to Control Autonomous IT Solutions in the Business Departments

Information Technology (IT) used for business processes is not only provided by the organization’s IT department. Business departments and users autonomously implement IT solutions outside of the organizational IT service management. This phenomenon is called Shadow IT. Opportunities for innovation and flexibility, and problems in security, compliance, and efficiency call for its management. Following design science research and guided by a multiple-case study, this paper provides a method to manage Shadow IT instances. The designed measures to identify, evaluate and control these are theoretically justified by informal organization research, risk maps, and Transaction Cost Theory. The modes to control Shadow IT instances, registration, coordination of related activities, or renovation, follow efficient and adaptive governance structures and consider risk-based parameters. Applying the method turns Shadow IT into a business-located IT, preserving the opportunities resulting from autonomy. The findings contribute to IT Governance research regarding IT activities at business and user level.
Arterial compliance and endothelium‐dependent vasodilation are independently related to coronary risk in the elderly: the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study

Background: Measurements of both arterial compliance and endothelium‐dependent vasodilation have previously been related to coronary risk factors, but not in the same study. In the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study, we studied the interplay between arterial compliance and endothelium‐dependent vasodilation on coronary risk.
A tri-band dual-polarized cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna with high isolation

This paper presents a tri-band dual-polarized cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (DRA). To obtain dual linear polarization, the probe- and slot-fed excitation methods are used for Ports 1 and 2 of the antenna, respectively. The antenna makes use of two fundamental modes and three higher-order modes of cylindrical dielectric resonator to achieve tri-band. Also, the antenna has high input isolation (exceeding 45 dB) and low cross polarization, which can be widely applied in communication and radar systems.
Information Technology and Quantitative Management ( ITQM 2015 ) Supply function auction for linear asymmetric oligopoly : equilibrium and convergence

We study the supply function auction for an asymmetric oligopoly with uncertain linear demand function and linear marginal cost functions of producers. We examine existence of a supply function equilibrium (SFE) in the model and convergence of the best response dynamics to this equilibrium. We show that the dynamics converges to the SFE for a duopoly, but in general the SFE and the strong best response do not exist in the model. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the organizers of ITQM 2015
Academic Achievement and Loneliness of Migrant Children in China: School Segregation and Segmented Assimilation

China’s rural-urban migration presents a significant educational challenge. This study uses theories of segmented assimilation and school segregation to measure the assimilation and well-being of migrant children who attend either Beijing’s public schools or its informal migrant schools. Controlling for other factors, we find poorer achievement and greater loneliness among migrant children who are isolated in migrant schools than similar migrant students enrolled in regular urban public schools. We show there is little difference in learning outcome or loneliness between urban native children and migrant children who attend public schools. We further discuss similarities and differences between the experiences of migrant children in China and immigrant children in the United States.
Molecular Basis of Lys-63-linked Polyubiquitination Inhibition by the Interaction between Human Deubiquitinating Enzyme OTUB1 and Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme UBC13*

Background: A deubiquitinating enzyme OTUB1 inhibits Lys-63-linked ubiquitination by binding to a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC13. Results: A mechanism of human OTUB1-UBC13 interaction was revealed by human OTUB1-UBC13-MMS2 complex structure and structure-based mutagenesis. Conclusion: The atomic-level interactions presented by the OTUB1-UBC13-MMS2 complex structure are critical for Lys-63-linked ubiquitination inhibition. Significance: Learning how ubiquitination is regulated by the OTUB1-UBC13 interaction is crucial for understanding DNA damage response in biology. UBC13 is the only known E2 ubiquitin (Ub)-conjugating enzyme that produces Lys-63-linked Ub chain with its cofactor E2 variant UEV1a or MMS2. Lys-63-linked ubiquitination is crucial for recruitment of DNA repair and damage response molecules to sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). A deubiquitinating enzyme OTUB1 suppresses Lys-63-linked ubiquitination of chromatin surrounding DSBs by binding UBC13 to inhibit its E2 activity independently of the isopeptidase activity. OTUB1 strongly suppresses UBC13-dependent Lys-63-linked tri-Ub production, whereas it allows di-Ub production in vitro. The mechanism of this non-canonical OTUB1-mediated inhibition of ubiquitination remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, the atomic level information of the interaction between human OTUB1 and UBC13 has not been reported. Here, we determined the crystal structure of human OTUB1 in complex with human UBC13 and MMS2 at 3.15 Å resolution. The presented atomic-level interactions were confirmed by surface-plasmon resonance spectroscopy with structure-based mutagenesis. The designed OTUB1 mutants cannot inhibit Lys-63-linked Ub chain formation in vitro and histone ubiquitination and 53BP1 assembly around DSB sites in vivo. Finally, we propose a model for how capping of di-Ub by the OTUB1-UBC13-MMS2/UEV1a complex efficiently inhibits Lys-63-linked tri-Ub formation.
The Intrapersonal Functions of Emotion

Emotions are short-lived psychological-physiological phenomena that represent ef® cient modes of adaptation to changing environmental demands. Psychologically, emotions alter attention, shift certain behaviors upward in response hierarchies, and activate relevant associative networks in memory. Physiologically, emotions rapidly organize the responses of disparate biological systems including facial expression, somatic muscular tonus, voice tone, autonomic nervous system activity, and endocrine activity to produce a bodily milieu that is optimal for effective response. Emotions serve to establish our position vis-aA -vis our environment, pulling us toward certain people, objects, actions and ideas, and pushing us away from others. Emotions also serve as a repository for innate and learned in uences, possessing certain invariant features, and others that show considerable variation across individuals, groups, and cultures.
Molecular Epidemiology of Erythromycin Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates from Blood and Noninvasive Sites

ABSTRACT Erythromycin-resistant isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood cultures and noninvasive sites were studied over a 3-year period. The prevalence of erythromycin resistance was 11.9% (19 of 160) in blood culture isolates but 4.2% (60 of 1,435) in noninvasive-site isolates. Sixty-two of the 79 resistant isolates were available for study. The M phenotype was responsible for 76% (47 of 62) of resistance, largely due to a serotype 14 clone, characterized by multilocus sequence typing as ST9, which accounted for 79% (37 of 47) of M phenotype resistance. The ST9 clone was 4.8 times more common in blood than in noninvasive sites. All M phenotype isolates were PCR positive for mef(A), but sequencing revealed that the ST9 clone possessed the mef(A) sequence commonly associated with Streptococcus pyogenes. All M phenotype isolates with this mef(A) sequence also had sequences consistent with the presence of the Tn1207.1 genetic element inserted in the celB gene. In contrast, isolates with the mef(E) sequence normally associated with S. pneumoniae contained sequences consistent with the presence of the mega insertion element. All MLSB isolates carried erm(B), and two isolates carried both erm(B) and mef(E). Fourteen of the 15 MLSB isolates were tetracycline resistant and contained tet(M). However, six M phenotype isolates of serotypes 19 (two isolates) and 23 (four isolates) were also tetracycline resistant and contained tet(M). MICs for isolates with the mef(A) sequence were significantly higher than MICs for isolates with the mef(E) sequence (P < 0.001). Thus, the ST9 clone of S. pneumoniae is a significant cause of invasive pneumococcal disease in northeast Scotland and is the single most important contributor to M phenotype erythromycin resistance.
Differences between Customer Satisfaction Indirect Effect and Customer Loyalty Direct Effect in an Indonesian E-Shopping

E-commercehas become a popular method of transacting all over the world. In particular, businessto-consumer online shopping, a form of e-commerce, has grown remarkably.While online shoppers receive advantages such as broader product lines, comparison of vendor offerings, and immediate access to customer reviews of products and services.E-commerce is intensely competitive because price transparancy and the presence of rival business a few mouse clicks away only, thereby making customer loyalty elusive.Hypothesis:H1: 7P marketing mix variables have positive influence on customersatisfaction.H2: Customer satisfaction has positive influence on customer loyalty.H3: There is a positive influence between 7P marketing mix and customerloyalty with customer’s satisfaction as an intervening variable.Results from the research, in descriptive analysis most of respondents voted in “good” categorized inmarketing mix variable, “very good” categorized incustomer satisfaction variable and loyalty variable. The mostdominantconfirmatoryfactor dimension Marketing Mix variable indicator is the payment process in Eshopping is easy, secure, and fast. CustomerSatisfactionvariable indicator is “Overall I was satisfied with the service given to E-shopping”. Customer Loyalty variable is “I would recommend E-shopping to friends and my family”. Path analysis calculation:Direct effect marketing mix to customer loyalty =0.121, Indirect effect marketing mix to customer loyalty intervening by customersatisfaction = 0.167. Based on the research and AMOS data analysis, it is concludedthat:Marketing mix is positively affecting customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is positively affecting customer loyalty. But Marketing mix gets higher positive value to customer loyalty. Recommendation: Needs to improve its delivery process.There are several ways to improve and maintain customer satisfaction like improving the service quality and doing evaluation in regular basis, loyalty program that give reward or gift.
The effects of selenium supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with diabetic nephropathy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract This study was carried out to assess the effects of Se supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among sixty patients with DN. Patients were randomly divided into two groups to take either 200 µg/d Se supplements as Se yeast (n 30) or placebo (n 30) for 12 weeks. In unadjusted analyses, compared with the placebo, Se supplementation led to a significant reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (−1069·2 (sd 1752·2) v. −135·3 (sd 1258·9) ng/ml, P=0·02), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) (−612·3 (sd 679·6) v. +76·0 (sd 309·1) ng/ml, P<0·001) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (−0·1 (sd 0·7) v. +0·4 (sd 0·9) µmol/l, P=0·01). In addition, a significant increase in plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (+174·9 (sd 203·9) v. +15·8 (sd 382·2) mmol/l, P=0·04) was observed following supplementation with Se compared with the placebo. Subjects who received Se supplements experienced a borderline statistically significant decrease in serum protein carbonyl (PCO) levels (P=0·06) compared with the placebo. When we adjusted the analysis for baseline values of biochemical parameters, age and BMI, serum hs-CRP (P=0·14) and MDA levels (P=0·16) became non-significant, whereas plasma nitric oxide (NO) (P=0·04) and glutathione (GSH) (P<0·001) became statistically significant, and other findings did not change. Supplementation with Se had no significant effect on NO, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), advanced glycation end products (AGE), PCO and GSH compared with the placebo. Overall, our study demonstrated that Se supplementation among DN patients had favourable effects on serum MMP-2, plasma NO, TAC and GSH, but did not affect hs-CRP, TGF-β, AGE, PCO and MDA.
Genome Analysis Reveals Pili in Group B Streptococcus

Pili are essential virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria; however, they have not been described in most important Gram-positive pathogens. While screening the sequence of multiple genomes of Group B Streptococcus, we identified protective antigens that formed high molecular weight polymers. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed that the structures have a pilus-like form. These large structures have gone unrecognized in decades of studies of Group B Streptococcus.
How Did the Introduction of Deposit Insurance Affect Chinese Banks? An Investigation of Its Wealth Effects

ABSTRACT The latest introduction of deposit insurance in China gives us a chance to explore the stock market reaction to the major regulatory policy change in banking. Our results show the average abnormal returns of all listed banks in China are significantly negative on the announcement day. It indicates the introduction of deposit insurance has an adverse wealth effect on the banking industry in China. We also find that among bank characteristics such as asset size, z-score, and ROE, only size has a statistically significant positive impact on the abnormal returns of the Chinese listed banks on the announcement day. The results mean the introduction of deposit insurance in China creates a redistribution of wealth from small banks to those with larger size.
Frequency-separation-based energy management control strategy of power flows within electric vehicles using ultracapacitors

This paper deals with a frequency-based energy sharing method between batteries and ultracapacitors (UC) as power sources within an electric vehicle (EV). A frequency splitter is used for routing the low-frequency content of power demand into the battery and its high frequencies into the UC system, taking profit from the UC as a peak power unit. The autonomy may thus be increased while also preserving the battery life. Real-time experiments on a dedicated test rig validate the proposed energy management approach.
Autoactivation of catalytic (C alpha) subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase by phosphorylation of threonine 197

We recently found, using cultured mouse cell systems, that newly synthesized catalytic (C) subunits of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase undergo a posttranslational modification that reduces their electrophoretic mobilities in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels and activates them for binding to a Sepharose-conjugated inhibitor peptide. Using an Escherichia coli expression system, we now show that recombinant murine C alpha subunit undergoes a similar modification and that the modification results in a large increase in protein kinase activity. Threonine phosphorylation appears to be responsible for both the enzymatic activation and the electrophoretic mobility shift. The phosphothreonine-deficient form of C subunit had reduced affinities for the ATP analogs p-fluorosulfonyl-[14C]benzoyl 5'-adenosine and adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) as well as for the Sepharose-conjugated inhibitor peptide; it also had markedly elevated Kms for both ATP and peptide substrates. Autophosphorylation of C-subunit preparations enriched for this phosphothreonine-deficient form reproduced the changes in enzyme activity and SDS-gel mobility that occur in intact cells. A mutant form of the recombinant C subunit with Ala substituted for Thr-197 (the only C-subunit threonine residue known to be phosphorylated in mammalian cells) was similar in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis mobility and activity to the phosphothreonine-deficient form of wild-type C subunit. In contrast to the wild-type subunit, however, the Ala-197 mutant form could not be shifted or activated by incubation with the phosphothreonine-containing wild-type form. We conclude that posttranslational autophosphorylation of Thr-197 is a critical step in intracellular expression of active C subunit.
The Escherichia coli Enterotoxin STb Permeabilizes Piglet Jejunal Brush Border Membrane Vesicles

ABSTRACT The membrane-permeabilizing ability of the Escherichia coli enterotoxin STb was evaluated using brush border membrane vesicles isolated from piglet jejunum and a membrane-potential-sensitive fluorescent probe, 3,3′-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide. A strong membrane potential was generated by the efflux of K+ ions from the vesicles in the presence of the potassium ionophore valinomycin. Under these conditions, preincubation of the vesicles with STb efficiently depolarized the membrane in a dose-dependent and saturable manner. This activity was independent of pH, however, at least between pH 5.5 and 8.0. On the other hand, in the absence of valinomycin, STb had no significant influence on the measured fluorescence levels, indicating that it was unable to modify the ionic selectivity of the intact membrane. In agreement with the fact that the integrity of the disulfide bridges of STb is known to be essential for its biological activity, a reduced and alkylated form of the toxin was unable to depolarize the membrane in the presence of valinomycin. Furthermore, two previously described poorly active STb mutants, M42S and K22A-K23A, showed no membrane-permeabilizing capacity. These results demonstrate for the first time that STb can permeabilize its target membrane and suggest that it does so by forming nonspecific pores.
Enlarging Cells Initiating Apomixis in Hieracium praealtum Transition to an Embryo Sac Program prior to Entering Mitosis1[W][OPEN]

Transcriptomic analyses show that apomixis-initiating cells embark on an embryo sac program prior to nuclear division. Hieracium praealtum forms seeds asexually by apomixis. During ovule development, sexual reproduction initiates with megaspore mother cell entry into meiosis and formation of a tetrad of haploid megaspores. The sexual pathway ceases when a diploid aposporous initial (AI) cell differentiates, enlarges, and undergoes mitosis, forming an aposporous embryo sac that displaces sexual structures. Embryo and endosperm development in aposporous embryo sacs is fertilization independent. Transcriptional data relating to apomixis initiation in Hieracium spp. ovules is scarce and the functional identity of the AI cell relative to other ovule cell types is unclear. Enlarging AI cells with undivided nuclei, early aposporous embryo sacs containing two to four nuclei, and random groups of sporophytic ovule cells not undergoing these events were collected by laser capture microdissection. Isolated amplified messenger RNA samples were sequenced using the 454 pyrosequencing platform and comparatively analyzed to establish indicative roles of the captured cell types. Transcriptome and protein motif analyses showed that approximately one-half of the assembled contigs identified homologous sequences in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), of which the vast majority were expressed during early Arabidopsis ovule development. The sporophytic ovule cells were enriched in signaling functions. Gene expression indicative of meiosis was notably absent in enlarging AI cells, consistent with subsequent aposporous embryo sac formation without meiosis. The AI cell transcriptome was most similar to the early aposporous embryo sac transcriptome when comparing known functional annotations and both shared expressed genes involved in gametophyte development, suggesting that the enlarging AI cell is already transitioning to an embryo sac program prior to mitotic division.
Risk Aversion in Travel Mode Choice with Rank-Dependent Utility

Using 2004 stated preference data on travel mode collected in the Zürich area, different parametric specifications of the rank-dependent utility function in a logit mixture model show that commuters are weakly averse to small-time losses. The results also justify Yaari's dual theory of choice under risk, that the utility function is linear on outcomes but that the perception of corresponding probabilities is biased. For leisure travel, the travelers are risk neutral to small losses of time.
Hierarchical content-based image retrieval approach

In this paper, content-based image retrieval from a hierarchically organized database (HCBIR) is proposed. Images in the database are categorized into different classes based on human perception. The characteristics of each class is represented by the prototypes extracted from images in the class by using the unsupervised optimal fuzzy clustering algorithm. Based on the proposed image-class matching distance, a modification of the Earth Mover's Distance, the relevant class of the query image can be selected. The rank of candidate images is determined in the descending order of similarity, and a class with the most number of high ranking images is then selected. The search domain is narrowed down and the retrieval efficiency is improved greatly. A comparison is done between HCBIR approach and nonhierarchical CBIR approach. It can be concluded that the HCBIR approach is believed more similar to the process of human vision, and more efficient.