Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytochrome P450 as Dimerization Catalyst in Diketopiperazine Alkaloid Biosynthesis

As dimeric natural products frequently exhibit useful biological activities, identifying and understanding their mechanisms of dimerization is of great interest. One such compound is (−)‐ditryptophenaline, isolated from Aspergillus flavus, which inhibits substance P receptor for potential analgesic and anti‐inflammatory activity. Through targeted gene knockout in A. flavus and heterologous yeast gene expression, we determined for the first time the gene cluster and pathway for the biosynthesis of a dimeric diketopiperazine alkaloid. We also determined that a single cytochrome P450, DtpC, is responsible not only for pyrroloindole ring formation but also for concurrent dimerization of N‐methylphenylalanyltryptophanyl diketopiperazine monomers into a homodimeric product. Furthermore, DtpC exhibits relaxed substrate specificity, allowing the formation of two new dimeric compounds from a non‐native monomeric precursor, brevianamide F. A radical‐mediated mechanism of dimerization is proposed.
Bargaining power and firm profits in asymmetric duopoly: an inverted-U relationship

This paper investigates the effects of bargaining power on downstream firms’ profits. Consider a vertically related industry consisting of one upstream and two downstream firms, the latter having different marginal costs. Each pair bargains over a linear wholesale price, and then the downstream firms engage in Cournot competition. We show that the inefficient downstream firm may benefit from an increase in the bargaining power of the upstream firm. Furthermore, we obtain similar results when each downstream firm trades with its exclusive upstream agent, under non-linear demand function, or when downstream firms compete in price.
Science is all in the eye of the beholder: Keyword maps in Google scholar citations

This paper introduces a keyword map of the labels used by the scientists registered in the Google Scholar Citations (GSC) database from December 2011. In all, 15,000 random queries were formulated to GSC to obtain a list of 26,682 registered users. From this list a network graph of 6,660 labels was built and classified according to the Scopus Subject Area classes. Results display a detailed label map of the most used (>15 times) tags. The structural analysis shows that the core of the network is occupied by computer science–related disciplines that account for the most used and shared labels. This core is surrounded by clusters of disciplines related or close to computing such as Information Sciences, Mathematics, or Bioinformatics. Classical areas such as Chemistry and Physics are marginalized in the graph. It is suggested that GSC would in the future be an accurate source to map Science because it is based on the labels that scientists themselves use to describe their own research activity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ATP is released from rabbit urinary bladder epithelial cells by hydrostatic pressure changes–possible sensory mechanism?

1 The responses of rabbit urinary bladder to hydrostatic pressure changes and to electrical stimulation have been investigated using both the Ussing chamber and a superfusion apparatus. These experiments enabled us to monitor changes in both ionic transport across the tissue and cellular ATP release from it. 2 The urinary bladder of the rabbit maintains an electrical potential difference across its wall as a result largely of active sodium transport from the urinary (mucosal) to the serosal surface. 3 Small hydrostatic pressure differences produced by removal of bathing fluid from one side of the tissue caused reproducible changes in both potential difference and short‐circuit current. The magnitude of these changes increases as the volume of fluid removed increases. 3 Amiloride on the mucosal (urinary), but not the serosal, surface of the membrane reduces the transepithelial potential difference and short‐circuit current with an IC50 of 300 nm. Amiloride reduces the size of, but does not abolish, transepithelial potential changes caused by alterations in hydrostatic pressure. 4 Field electrical stimulation of strips of bladder tissue produces a reproducible release of ATP. Such release was demonstrated to occur largely from urothelial cells and is apparently non‐vesicular as it increases in the absence of calcium and is not abolished by tetrodotoxin. 5 It is proposed that ATP is released from the urothelium as a sensory mediator for the degree of distension of the rabbit urinary bladder and other sensory modalities.
The prognostic significance of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging for patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

A fundamental property of malignant tumors is increased glucose metabolism, which can be estimated by imaging the glucose analog fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). The aim of this study was to determine whether FDG uptake in lung carcinoma, as measured on positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients with newly diagnosed bronchogenic carcinoma, has prognostic significance.
Impact of oil price volatility on Economic growth: Conceptual perspective

This study examines the conceptual impact of oil price volatility on Nigeria economic growth. The impact of oil price volatility on the economy has occupied the attention of researchers for almost four decades. Majority of studies support the existence of a negative association while other studies suggest otherwise. The methodology used was purely exploratory. It is a library research which entails review of both conceptual and empirical literature which forms the basis for the study’s conclusion and recommendations. Based on the empirical review of various studies carried out by different researchers, this study is in agreement with the works of those scholars which reviews that there is significant (that is positive) relationship between oil price volatility and Nigeria economic growth. This implies that oil price changes determines government expenditure level, rate of inflation, level of unemployment, which in turn determines the growth of the Nigerian economy. Considering the destabilizing effects of oil price fluctuations on economic activity and government spending in Nigeria, the study makes some recommendations which includes that the country should diversify its export revenue base as a means of minimising reliance on crude oil and petroleum product thereby diversifying to agriculture, operations of budgetary, fiscal prudence , corporate governance, encourage savings and proper accountability. This will further protect the economy from the impact of oil price volatility on the economy, and thus prevent the effect of the shocks from attaining a statistical significance level.
Polymorphism of the kappa-casein gene in two Bosnian autochthonous cattle breeds

Busa is an old endangered autochthonous breed of the western Balkan, especially Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. A related breed is Gatacko, derived from Busa × Tirolean Grey crossbreds. Fifteen purebred Busa cattle and thirteen Gatacko animals were genotyped for polymorphisms at the kappa-casein gene by a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) essay. The alleles A, B and C were found and the allelic frequencies were 0.46 (A), 0.46 (B) and 0.08 (C) in Busa cattle and 0.58 (A) and 0.42 (B) in Gatacko. Only AA, AB, BB and BC genotypes occurred. Further alleles were not detected and are therefore either absent in both populations or rare. The allele »B« found in this small population will be useful for a sire selection program in the future.
N-grams corpus generation from inverted index for query refinement in information retrieval applications

Query refinement is useful for automatically generating term. , which gives direction for the user to improve the query. The user can modify the terms in the query by considering and adding the suggested terms with the original query conjunctively for improving the precision of retrieval. Query refinement mechanism use n-grams corpus with sequence of terms having the length of N. It uses probabilistic to determine the prediction of the next item in a sequence of a (n-l) order. In this paper. , n-gram corpus is generated from the inverted index posting list and effectively used for retrieval application. This method reduces the time and space required for generating the corpus compared to the conventional approaches. , which generate the corpus from user queries. This approach generates the corpus using only the terms available in the documents along with their frequency of occurrence. The conditional probability is calculated for matching the pattern to refine the user query for n-grams. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using the documents and corresponding inverted index fetched from http://www.nitt. edu/. We found that the proposed approach gives better precision of retrieval.
Genome Sequence of Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461, a Highly Productive Industrial Strain of Gellan Gum

ABSTRACT The commercial gelling agent gellan gum is a heteropolysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461. However, the genes involved in the biosynthesis, regulation, and modification of gellan gum have not been fully characterized. Here we describe the draft genome sequence of stain ATCC 31461 and major findings from its annotation.
Design of Quad-Band HTS Bandpass Filter Using Quadruple-Mode Square Ring Loaded Resonator

In this paper, a quadruple-mode square ring loaded resonator (SRLR) is proposed to design a quad-band HTS bandpass filter (BPF). To investigate the resonant characteristics of SRLR, the resonator is analyzed by even- and odd-mode method. Then, two design graphs for the relationship of the parameters of electrical length and resonant frequencies were built. To construct a quad-band BPF, two quadruple-mode SRLRs are coupled with a pseudo-interdigital coupling structure and such that two poles are created in every passband. The filter is fabricated on a 2-in-diameter 0.5-mm-thick MgO wafer with double-sided YBCO thin films and measured at the temperature of 77 K. Measured results agree well with the simulated results and show that the insertion losses in passbands are less than 0.87 dB, which exhibit superiority in transmission loss.
The Role of Demand on Innovation: Evidence from a Resource Rich Economy

As the demand-pull theories of innovation are making their come back, there is also increasing interest in the role of government demand in stimulating innovation. Governments, especially in OECD countries, have announced initiatives and reforms aimed at mobilising the use of procurement to support competitiveness and innovation (OECD, 2013). In the past 10 years, the oil and gas rich countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have earmarked substantial financial resources to support the development of domestic innovation systems. This paper draws on the Abu Dhabi Innovation Survey to discern the impact of demand on innovation, particularly that of government demand. With a few exceptions (Aschhoff and Sofka 2009; Slavtchev and Wiederhold 2012; Guerzoni and Raiteri 2015), most of the empirical evidence on the effect of government demand on innovation is based on case studies (Edler 2013, Edquist and Zabala-Iturriagagoitia 2012, 2014; Edquist 2015; Georghiou et al. 2014;). This paper therefore provides two unique insights, firstly, insights into an innovation survey from the Middle East and, secondly, insights into the influence of substantial domestic albeit “un-articulated” demand.
A modern Dionysus' tale: new evidence on the Greek debt crisis and the related costs

In March 2012 Greece pressured its private creditors into agreeing a 53% write-off of its privately-held debt, amounting to â‚¬100 billion. Using a game theory approach, we determine whether debt reduction was optimal in reducing the probability of default. We estimate the costs associated with the reduction as well as the potential risks and costs of contagion within the eurozone, especially for large European economies such as Italy and Spain. We show evidence that the Greek sovereign debt crisis could not be handled in the same way as previous experiences. Greece's sovereign debt crisis is unique insofar as the country belongs to a monetary union that has failed to reach economic convergence among its members. This creates significant spillover risk for the other eurozone economies, especially regarding the potential costs of another credit event.
Estimating the public preferences for solid waste management programmes using choice experiments in Macao

This paper reports on the potential to apply the choice experiment method to understand the public’s preferences for solid waste management programmes in Macao. A random sample survey of 260 respondents in Macao was conducted during the summer in 2004. The survey data was analysed using conditional multinomial logit models. The study results indicate that Macao residents prefer: (1) waste segregation and recycling at source; (2) noise reduction during waste collection and transportation and (3) lower garbage fees. The study concludes that choice experiment is a reliable tool in the analysis of respondents’ preferences for developing a suitable solid waste management programme in Macao.
Simple and elegant design of a virion egress structure in Archaea

Some viruses of Archaea use an unusual egress mechanism that involves the formation of virus-associated pyramids (VAPs) on the host cell surface. At the end of the infection cycle, these structures open outward and create apertures through which mature virions escape from the cell. Here we describe in detail the structure and composition of VAPs formed by the Sulfolobus islandicus rod-shaped virus 2 (SIRV2) in cells of its hyperthermophilic archaeal host. We show that the VAPs are stable and autonomous assemblies that can be isolated from membranes of infected cells and purified without affecting their structure. The purified VAPs are heterogeneous in size, reflecting the dynamics of VAP development in a population of infected cells; however, they have a uniform geometry, consisting of seven isosceles triangular faces forming a baseless pyramid. Biochemical and immunoelectron microscopy analyses revealed that the 10-kDa P98 protein encoded by the SIRV2 virus is the sole component of the VAPs. The VAPs were produced in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Escherichia coli by heterologous expression of the SIRV2-P98 gene. The results confirm that P98 is the only constituent of the VAPs and demonstrate that no other viral protein is involved in the assembly of pyramids. P98 was able to produce stable structures under conditions ranging from moderate to extremely high temperatures (80 °C) and from neutral to extremely acidic pH (pH 2), demonstrating another remarkable property of this exceptional viral protein.
Analysis of MC4R rs17782313, POMC rs1042571, APOE-Hha1 and AGRP rs3412352 genetic variants with susceptibility to obesity risk in North Indians

Abstract Background: Obesity is a multi-factorial disorder influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The physiological pathways associated with obesity are complex and involve several genes. Aim: The aim of this survey is to evaluate the association of genetic variants of melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), apolipoprotein E (APOE) and agouti-related protein (AGRP) with obesity in the North Indian population. Methods: MC4R rs17782313, POMC rs1042571, APOE-Hha1 and AGRP rs3412352 polymorphisms were investigated for their association in 396 obese individuals with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and 300 healthy non-obese individuals with BMI < 30 kg/m2. Genotyping was performed using Taqman probes and PCR-RFLP methods. Single locus logistic regression analysis was conducted using (SPSS), ver.19 and PLINK software Version 1.01 and high order genetic interactions associated with obesity risk were analysed using MDR software (version 2.3.0.2). Results: The genotypes of MC4R rs17782313, POMC rs1042571 and APOE-Hha1 were significantly associated with obese individuals (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) when compared with non-obese individuals (BMI < 30 kg/m2). No association of AGRP rs34123523 was seen with obesity. Conclusions: The best interaction model for predicting obesity risk by MDR analysis was the three factor model including POMC (C > T), MC4R (T > C) and APOE (Hha1) polymorphisms. Genetic variants in MC4R, POMC and APOE genes might play significant roles in predisposing obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) in the North Indian population.
Plasma Hormones and Physical Exercise

The analysis of published data allowed us to establish main traits of blood hormone responses to exercises: There are stable changes in hormone levels that are common to all persons, as well as changes which are characterized by a polyphasic pattern and exhibiting inter-individual variability. By the response rate it is possible to discriminate fast responses, responses of a modest rate and delayed responses. Accordingly, mechanisms for a rapid and for a delayed activation exist. The changes mediated through the mechanism for a rapid activation depend on the intensity of exercise, revealing the threshold intensity for endocrine response. When a certain amount of exercise is done, the hormonal responses are triggered despite the under-threshold intensity of exercise. Consequently, a threshold duration of exercise also exists. Through training the threshold intensity of exercise increases and the functional capacities of the endocrine systems augment. The former results in the disappearance of hormonal responses during exercise intensity which was previously above the threshold. The latter makes it possible to achieve especially pronounced and long-lasting hormonal changes during extreme exercises. Emotional states as well as environmental conditions, and carbohydrate supply modulate the hormonal changes in exercise.
Poor performance of the modified early warning score for predicting mortality in critically ill patients presenting to an emergency department.

BACKGROUND This study was undertaken to validate the use of the modified early warning score (MEWS) as a predictor of patient mortality and intensive care unit (ICU)/ high dependency (HD) admission in an Asian population. METHODS The MEWS was applied to a retrospective cohort of 1 024 critically ill patients presenting to a large Asian tertiary emergency department (ED) between November 2006 and December 2007. Individual MEWS was calculated based on vital signs parameters on arrival at ED. Outcomes of mortality and ICU/HD admission were obtained from hospital records. The ability of the composite MEWS and its individual components to predict mortality within 30 days from ED visit was assessed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were derived and compared with values from other cohorts. A MEWS of ! 4 was chosen as the cut-off value for poor prognosis based on previous studies. RESULTS A total of 311 (30.4%) critically ill patients were presented with a MEWS ! 4. Their mean age was 61.4 years (SD 18.1) with a male to female ratio of 1.10. Of the 311 patients, 53 (17%) died within 30 days, 64 (20.6%) were admitted to ICU and 86 (27.7%) were admitted to HD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.71 with a sensitivity of 53.0% and a specificity of 72.1% in addition to a positive predictive value (PPV) of 17.0% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 93.4% (MEWS cut-off of ! 4) for predicting mortality. CONCLUSION The composite MEWS did not perform well in predicting poor patient outcomes for critically ill patients presenting to an ED.
Characterization of sensors and design of an embedded photodetectors array for beam profile measurements in radiotherapy

In this work, the dosimetric performance of several Commercial Of The Shelf photodiodes was studied. They were tested against gamma rays from a teletherapy source and were characterized with the aim of building a one-dimensional array of dosimeters able to measure the the spatial distribution of dose in a radiotherapy irradiation field. An embedded system comprising an array of 40 photodiodes and its acquisition electronics was built and tested. The dose resolution of each detector was 0.06 cGy and the spatial resolution of the system 0.5 cm.
Two‐sample Comparison Based on Prediction Error, with Applications to Candidate Gene Association Studies

To take advantage of the increasingly available high‐density SNP maps across the genome, various tests that compare multilocus genotypes or estimated haplotypes between cases and controls have been developed for candidate gene association studies. Here we view this two‐sample testing problem from the perspective of supervised machine learning and propose a new association test. The approach adopts the flexible and easy‐to‐understand classification tree model as the learning machine, and uses the estimated prediction error of the resulting prediction rule as the test statistic. This procedure not only provides an association test but also generates a prediction rule that can be useful in understanding the mechanisms underlying complex disease. Under the set‐up of a haplotype‐based transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) type of analysis, we find through simulation studies that the proposed procedure has the correct type I error rates and is robust to population stratification. The power of the proposed procedure is sensitive to the chosen prediction error estimator. Among commonly used prediction error estimators, the . 632+ estimator results in a test that has the best overall performance. We also find that the test using the . 632+ estimator is more powerful than the standard single‐point TDT analysis, the Pearson's goodness‐of‐fit test based on estimated haplotype frequencies, and two haplotype‐based global tests implemented in the genetic analysis package FBAT. To illustrate the application of the proposed method in population‐based association studies, we use the procedure to study the association between non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and the IL10 gene.
Transumbilical Single-incision Laparoscopic Appendectomy Using Conventional Instruments: The Single Working Channel Technique

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and cosmetic results of a novel technique, transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (TSILA), using a single working channel with conventional instruments. Patients and Methods: The study enrolled 84 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis. To test the advantages of TSILA on the management of patients with acute appendicitis, a prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted. Surgical outcomes such as operation time, complication, and hospital stay of 42 patients undergoing TSILA were analyzed and compared with those of 42 patients undergoing classic 3-port appendectomy. All patients received a follow-up visit for 3 to 12 months. Results: The study consisted of 42 patients undergoing TSILA and 42 patients undergoing classic 3-port laparoscopic appendectomy with an average age of 34.1 and 34.9 years, respectively. The mean operative time of TSILA did not show any difference when compared with the classic procedure (84.8 vs. 77.9 min, P=0.271). No operative complications occurred in patients undergoing TSILA, whereas 2 patients undergoing the classic procedure showed incisional infection. The average postoperative hospital stay was 2.7 days in the TSILA group and 2.9 days in the classic procedure group with no difference (P=0.316). At the follow-up visit, no patient showed any evidence of incisional hernia. The transumbilical incisions were visible minimally, and the cosmetic scores given by patients undergoing TSILA was higher than that given by patients undergoing the classic procedure (4.5 vs. 3.9, P<0.001). Conclusions: The results of the study demonstrate that laparoscopic appendectomy can be achieved through a single umbilical incision and a single working channel using conventional instruments and that this approach is successful, safe, economic, and esthetic.