Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Syntenin-1 Is a New Component of Tetraspanin-Enriched Microdomains: Mechanisms and Consequences of the Interaction of Syntenin-1 with CD63

ABSTRACT Tetraspanins are clustered in specific microdomains (named tetraspanin-enriched microdomains, or TERM) in the plasma membrane and regulate the functions of associated transmembrane receptors, including integrins and receptor tyrosine kinases. We have identified syntenin-1, a PDZ domain-containing protein, as a new component of TERM and show that syntenin-1 specifically interacts with the tetraspanin CD63. Detailed biochemical and heteronuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) studies have demonstrated that the interaction is mediated by the C-terminal cytoplasmic region of the tetraspanin and the PDZ domains of syntenin-1. Upon interaction, NMR chemical shift perturbations were predominantly localized to residues around the binding pocket of PDZ1, indicating a specific mode of recognition of the cytoplasmic tail of CD63. In addition, the C terminus of syntenin-1 has a stabilizing role in the CD63-syntenin-1 association, as deletion of the last 17 amino acids abolished the interaction. The CD63-syntenin-1 complex is abundant on the plasma membrane, and the elevated expression of the wild-type syntenin-1 slows down constitutive internalization of the tetraspanin. Furthermore, internalization of CD63 was completely blocked in cells expressing a syntenin-1 mutant lacking the first 100 amino acids. Previous results have shown that CD63 is internalized via AP-2-dependent mechanisms. Hence, our data indicate that syntenin-1 can counteract the AP-2-dependent internalization and identify this tandem PDZ protein as a new regulator of endocytosis.
Non-culture diagnosis and serogroup determination of meningococcal B and C infection by a sialyltransferase (siaD) PCR ELISA

Rapid, non-culture, serogroup determination of meningococcal infection is important in contact management where vaccination may be possible. The impending availability of polysaccharide–protein conjugate vaccines for serogroup C disease requires maximal case ascertainment, with serogroup determination, at a time when the number of culture confirmed meningococcal infections is decreasing. A polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR), based on a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the meningococcal serogroup B and C sialyltransferase (siaD) gene, was developed to combine the non-culture diagnosis of meningococcal infection from CSF, whole blood and serum with serogroup (B and C) identification. The PCR assay was adapted to an ELISA format incorporating hybridization with serogroup-specific B and C oligonucleotide probes. Specificity for CSFs was 100% and sensitivities were respectively 81, 63 and 30% for CSFs, whole blood and sera. The serogroup-specific PCR ELISA is a significant addition to currently available tests for non-culture diagnosis of meningococcal infection and outbreak investigation.
The polymorphism of HLA-DR and -DQ allelic genes associated with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to investigate the association of the polymorphisms of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II DRB1 and DQB1 alleles and the risk for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood leucocytes in 42 ICP patients and 38 normal controls and from their corresponding neonates. HLA class II DRB1 and DQB1 genotypes were determined using sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR). RESULTS Genotype analyses of HLA class revealed a significantly increased frequency of HLA-DR11 allele in ICP patients when compared with the controls (16.67% vs. 3.95%, p < 0.01), but no significant difference in other genotypes. Interestingly, analysis of the fetomaternal's -DR and -DQ alleles showed no significant difference between the patient and control groups. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that HLA-DR11 allele is associated with the susceptibility of ICP in the Chinese Changsha area.
HyperNF: building a high performance, high utilization and fair NFV platform

Network Function Virtualization has been touted as the silver bullet for tackling a number of operator problems, including vendor lock-in, fast deployment of new functionality, converged management, and lower expenditure since packet processing runs on inexpensive commodity servers. The reality, however, is that, in practice, it has proved hard to achieve the stable, predictable performance provided by hardware middleboxes, and so operators have essentially resorted to throwing money at the problem, deploying highly underutilized servers (e.g., one NF per CPU core) in order to guarantee high performance during peak periods and meet SLAs. In this work we introduce HyperNF, a high performance NFV framework aimed at maximizing server performance when concurrently running large numbers of NFs. To achieve this, HyperNF implements hypercall-based virtual I/O, placing packet forwarding logic inside the hypervisor to significantly reduce I/O synchronization overheads. HyperNF improves throughput by 10%-73% depending on the NF, is able to closely match resource allocation specifications (with deviations of only 3.5%), and to efficiently cope with changing traffic loads.
Estimation of Input-Decision Correlation (IDC) for Block-Iterative Generalized Decision Feedback Equalizer

Block-iterative generalized decision feedback equalizer (BI-GDFE) is capable of attaining close to the performance of minimum mean-square-error based iterative soft interference cancellation (MMSE-SIC) receivers with a significant lower complexity. The BI-GDFE however requires an accurate estimate of input-decision correlation (IDC), which is a statistical reliability metric of earlier-made decisions. Till date, the BI-GDFE receiver is applicable only to PSK modulations due to the absence of a methodology to estimate the IDC for higher order modulations. In this paper, we establish the relationship between the MMSE-SIC and BI-GDFE receivers, and propose an algorithm to determine the IDC from the unconditional MMSE-SIC (U-MMSE-SIC). Simulation results show that the BER performance of BI-GDFE with our generated IDC values achieves close to that of MMSE-SIC receivers
Design of quad-band bandpass filter using nested dual-mode square loop resonators

In this letter, design of a quad-band microstrip bandpass filter is presented by using nested placed four dual-mode square loop resonators (DMSLR) having different electrical lengths. Arms of the square loop resonators (SLR) are formed with low/high impedance parts, in order to obtain a maximum miniaturization by nesting DMSLRs and perturbation effects by changing the lengths of low impedance parts for the excitation of degenerate modes. Thus, the proposed configuration allows the control of mode frequencies, bandwidths and transmission zeros for each passband individually. Resonators are coupled to input/output (I/O) ports by feedlines having open-circuited stubs which suppress the harmonics. A dual-mode quad-band bandpass filter has been designed with an electrical length of 0. 25λg × 0. 25λg and fabricated, where λg is the guided wavelength at 1.79 GHz (the lowest resonance frequency). Measured and simulated results are in a good agreement.
Validation of an audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) version of the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST) in primary care patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS To address barriers to implementing the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in medical settings, we adapted the traditional interviewer-administered (IA) ASSIST to an audio-guided computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) format. This study sought to validate the ACASI ASSIST by estimating the concordance, correlation and agreement of scores generated using the ACASI versus the reference standard IA ASSIST. Secondary aims were to assess feasibility and compare ASSIST self-report to drug testing results. DESIGN Participants completed the ACASI and IA ASSIST in a randomly assigned order, followed by drug testing. SETTING Urban safety-net primary care clinic in New York City, USA. PARTICIPANTS A total of 393 adult patients. MEASUREMENTS Scores generated by the ACASI and IA ASSIST; drug testing results from saliva and hair samples. FINDINGS Concordance between the ACASI and IA ASSIST in identifying moderate-high-risk use was 92-99% for each substance class. Correlation was excellent for global scores [intraclass correlation (ICC) = 0.937, confidence interval (CI) = 0.924-0.948] and for substance-specific scores for tobacco (ICC = 0.927, CI = 0.912-0.940), alcohol (ICC = 0.912, CI = 0.893-0.927) and illicit drugs (ICC = 0.854, CI = 0.854-0.900) and good for prescription drugs (ICC = 0.676, CI = 0.613-0.729). Ninety-four per cent of differences in global scores fell within anticipated limits of agreement. Among participants with a positive saliva test, 74% self-reported use on the ACASI ASSIST. The ACASI ASSIST required a median time of 3.7 minutes (range 0.7-15.4), and 21 (5.3%) participants requested assistance. CONCLUSIONS The computer self-administered Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test appears to be a valid alternative to the interviewer-administered approach for identifying substance use in primary care patients.
The Union Learning Agenda and Trade Union Revitalisation in Wales

This thesis evaluates the Union Learning Agenda (ULA) in Wales using Behrens, Hamann and Hurd’s (2004) model of trade union revitalisation. The political, economic, membership and institutional spheres of union learning activity were explored through a mixed-method study that utilised a quantitative survey of 246 ULRs in Wales, alongside interview, observation and documentary research methods. The examination showed that within a political social partnership environment unions extracted resources from government and gained policy influence. The evaluation of workplace activity showed that ULRs were organising broadly defined learning for colleagues, and developing bargaining and consultation with employers over vocational and educational training (VET). Procedural mechanisms were more common where there was employer support for ULR activity and substantive outcomes were greater where procedural mechanisms were in place. Further, ULRs were engaging members through broad rather than narrow definitions of learning, and supporting the development of union-commitment behaviours (Snape and Redman 2004). The ULA was increasing the infrastructural resources, internal solidarity and network embeddedness of trade union institutional capacity (Levesque and Murray 2010), thereby contributing to trade union revitalisation processes. The thesis contributes to empirical knowledge on the ULA by providing the first analysis of activity in Wales. Secondly, it assessed the content and importance of multi-union and multi-actor activity in ULA networks. The thesis argues that in a context where government and employer support for union involvement is strong, a partnership approach to the ULA can aid union revitalisation not only at the workplace but beyond it.
Is Internet Job Search Still Ineffective?

While the Internet has been found to reduce trading frictions in a number of other markets, existing research has failed to detect such an effect in the labor market. In this paper, we replicate Kuhn and Skuterud's (2004) study – which found that Internet job search (IJS) was associated with longer unemployment durations in 1998/2000 – using comparable data from a decade later. We find that IJS now appears to be effective: it reduces individual workers' unemployment durations by about 25 percent. This finding is robust to controls for workers' AFQT scores and detailed indicators of Internet access. IJS appears to be most effective in reducing unemployment durations when used to contact friends and relatives, to send out resumes or fill out applications, and also to look at ads. We detect no effect of IJS on wage growth between jobs.
A Method of 2D Semantic Map Generation for Autonomous Flight of MAVs

In many applications, MAVs(Micro Aerial Vehicle) need to recognize the ground targets and locate them precisely, or in other words, to generate a semantic map of those targets, to guide the MAVs to complete mission automatically. In this paper, we introduce a method of fast 2D semantic map generation using only the images captured by the downward-looking camera in an unknown environment. The map is firstly stitched from each individual image by feature matching. Then the contour and area of each target are extracted through color detection in the global map. Finally, neural network is utilized for recognition of ground targets marked by different printed numbers. We have tested our method for automatic task performing as an MAV competition challenge in a virtual environment. By taking the generated 2D semantic map into the control loop, the MAV can localize itself, realize autonomous flight, detect and explore the environment.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of membrane-bound pyrophosphatases

Abstract Membrane-bound pyrophosphatases (M-PPases) are enzymes that enhance the survival of plants, protozoans and prokaryotes in energy constraining stress conditions. These proteins use pyrophosphate, a waste product of cellular metabolism, as an energy source for sodium or proton pumping. To study the structure and function of these enzymes we have crystallized two membrane-bound pyrophosphatases recombinantly produced in Saccharomyces cerevisae: the sodium pumping enzyme of Thermotoga maritima (TmPPase) and the proton pumping enzyme of Pyrobaculum aerophilum (PaPPase). Extensive crystal optimization has allowed us to grow crystals of TmPPase that diffract to a resolution of 2.6 Å. The decisive step in this optimization was in-column detergent exchange during the two-step purification procedure. Dodecyl maltoside was used for high temperature solubilization of TmPPase and then exchanged to a series of different detergents. After extensive screening, the new detergent, octyl glucose neopentyl glycol, was found to be the optimal for TmPPase but not PaPPase.
FROM TYRANNY TO DESPOTISM: THE ENLIGHTENMENT'S UNENLIGHTENED IMAGE OF THE TURKS

This study aims to examine the way in which European writers of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries represented Ottoman government. The Ottoman Empire had a special place in European experience and thought. The Ottomans were geographically close to Western Europe, yet they were quite apart in culture and religion, a combination that triggered interest in Turkish affairs.1 Particularly important were political affairs. The Ottoman government inspired a variety of opinions among European travelers and thinkers. During the 18th century, the Ottomans lost their image as formidable and eventually ceased to provoke curiosity in the European public. They were no longer dreaded as the “public calamity”; nor were they greatly respected as the “most modern government” on earth. Rather, they were regarded as a dull and backward sort of people. From the 16th century to the 19th century, the European observers employed two similar, yet different, concepts to characterize the government of the Ottoman Empire. The concept of tyranny was widely used during the 16th and 17th centuries, whereas the concept of despotism was used to depict the regime of the Ottomans in the 18th century. The transition from the term “tyranny” to that of “despotism” in the 18th century indicates a radical change in the European images of the Ottoman Empire. Although both of these terms designate corrupt and perverse regimes in Western political thought, a distinction was made between tyranny and despotism, and it mattered crucially which term was applied to the Ottoman state. European observers of the empire gave special meanings to these key concepts over time. “Tyranny” allowed for both positive and negative features, whereas “despotism” had no redeeming features. Early modern Europeans emphasized both admirable and frightening aspects of Ottoman greatness. On the other hand, the concept of despotism was redefined as inherently Oriental in the 18th century and employed to depict the corruption and backwardness of the Ottoman government. This transformation was profoundly reflected in the beliefs of Europeans about the East. That is, 18th century thought on Ottoman politics contains a Eurocentric analysis of Oriental despotism that is absent from the discussions of Ottoman tyranny in earlier centuries.
Compensation of load-dependent position error for a hybrid stepper motor

Load-dependent position error and its compensation approach in a hybrid stepper motor has been studied in this paper. With stepper motor modelling and load angle concept, low position stiffness feature for a stepper motor with open loop operation has been explained. A specific field oriented control has been proposed to maximize stepper motor position stiffness. Experimental verification shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results also show that stepper motor efficiency can be improved significantly by the proposed method.
Validation of Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion Indices Derived from the Liquid Meal Tolerance Test

A liquid meal tolerance test (LMTT) has been proposed as a useful alternative to more labor intensive methods of assessing insulin secretion and sensitivity. This substudy of a randomized, double‐blind, crossover study compared insulin sensitivity indices derived from a LMTT [Matsuda Insulin Sensitivity Index (MISI) and LMTT Disposition Index (LMTT‐DI)] with indices derived from minimal model analysis of data from the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) [insulin sensitivity index (SI) and Disposition Index (DI)] in 24 men and women with increased abdominal adiposity (waist circumference ≥102 cm and ≥89 cm, respectively). The correlation between SI and the MISI was 0.78 (p<0.0001). The respective associations between SI and MISI with waist circumference (r = −0.45 and −0.55, both p<0.05) and body mass index were similar (r = −0.50 and −0.54, p<0.05). The correlation between DI and LMTT‐DI was 0.60 (p=0.002). These results indicate that indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion derived from the LMTT correlate well with those from the IVGTT with minimal model analysis, suggesting that the LMTT can be a useful tool for use in clinical and population studies on glucose homeostasis.
Influence of adult domestic violence on children's internalizing and externalizing problems: an environmentally informative twin study.

OBJECTIVE Externalizing and internalizing problems may aggregate in families because (1) siblings share genetic risks for problem behaviors or (2) siblings are exposed to similar environmental risks. A genetically sensitive design was used to determine whether domestic violence accounted significantly for the variation and covariation of externalizing and internalizing problems, independent of additive genetic effects on these behavior problems. METHOD Using the Achenbach family of instruments, mothers and teachers reported internalizing and externalizing problems for 1,116 monozygotic and dizygotic 5-year-old twin pairs in the United Kingdom (93% response rate). Mothers reported their experiences of domestic violence in the previous 5 years. Structural equation models were tested to determine the effect of mothers' experiences of domestic violence on children's emotional and conduct problems, controlling for latent genetic and environmental effects on these behaviors. RESULTS A multivariate model showed that adult domestic violence accounted for 2% and 5% of the variation in children's internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively, independent of genetic effects. The co-occurrence of externalizing and internalizing scores was accounted for by genetic (62.6%) and shared environmental (29.2%) factors and by domestic violence (8%). CONCLUSIONS Because domestic violence affects children's behavior problems beyond genetic influences, programs that successfully reduce domestic violence should also prevent children's psychopathology.
Architectural and functional issues in systems requirements specifications for wireless intrusion detection systems implementation

The task of detecting, repulsing and preventing attacks in wireless environments is becoming more and more difficult as a result of several factors including defective design and improper requirements specification of wireless intrusion detection systems. Systems specifications provide the basics and framework to design an effective system, and for wireless intrusion detection systems, this assumes greater importance due to the complexity of wireless environments, and the architectural and functional constraints created by such environments. In the light of this, this paper discusses the architectural and functional issues involved in intrusion systems design for mobile and adhoc networks (wireless environments); and also proposes a new way of making systems requirements specification more effective and responsive to the needs of wireless implementations.
MR insertable brain PET using tileable GAPD arrays

The aim of this study is to develop a MR compatible PET that is insertable to MRI and allows simultaneous PET and MR imaging of human brain. The brain PET having 72 detector modules arranged in a ring of 330 mm diameter was constructed and mounted in a 3-T MRI. Each PET module composed of 4 × 4 matrix of 3 mm × 3 mm × 20 mm LYSO crystals coupled to a tileable 4 × 4 array Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (GAPD) and designed to locate between RF and gradient coils. GAPD output charge signals were transferred to preamplifiers using flat cable of 3 m long, and then sent to position decoder circuit (PDC) identifying digital address and generating an analog pulse of the one interacted channel from preamplifier signals. The PDC outputs were fed into FPGA-embedded DAQ boards. The analog signal was digitized, and arrival time and energy of the signal were calculated and stored. LYSO and GAPD were located inside MR bore and all electronics including preamplifiers were positioned outside MR bore to minimize signal interference between PET and MR. Simultaneous PET/MR images of a hot-rod and Hoffman brain phantom were acquired in a 3-T MRI using the MR compatible PET system. The rods down to a diameter of 3.5 mm were resolved in the hot-rod PET image. Activity distribution patterns between white and gray matter in Hoffman brain phantom were well imaged. No degradation of image quality of the hot-rod and Hoffman brain phantoms on the simultaneously acquired MR images obtained with standard sequences was observed. These results demonstrate that simultaneous acquisition of PET and MR images is feasible using the MR insertable PET developed in this study.
Assessing online community-building through assortativity, density and centralization in social networks

In this exploratory paper, we examine community capacity building over ten-years via an online e-government sponsored forum. Using social network analytics, we postulate that as communities evolve over time, the pattern of communication becomes denser and less centralized. We also postulate that there are clear patterns of assortativity where similar actors engage in communication with each other over time. Results show that there are mixed results in terms of growth in density and centralization values. Using sliding windows analysis, we observe a clear pattern of networks losing their disassortative character in the early years followed by disassortative networks in the later years. These network-level results add further insights to government-level metrics of communitybuilding success such as unique visitors per month or webpage hits. The research also suggests network analytics as an empirical avenue for achieving richer understanding of social processes involved in the very nature of community building.