Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety and Long‐Term Efficacy of Eculizumab in a Renal Transplant Patient with Recurrent Atypical Hemolytic–Uremic Syndrome

Atypical HUS develops as the result of unregulated complement progression and has been shown to cause microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Plasmapheresis is currently used in an attempt to control the progression of the complement cascade, but this therapy is cumbersome and not effective in all patients. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets complement factor C5, blocks activation of the terminal complement cascade and the generation of the proinflammatory and prothrombotic molecules C5a and C5b-9. Eculizumab has been approved for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) (1). In a recent study, a single dose of 600 mg of eculizumab appeared to resolve hemolysis and thrombocytopenia, and led to recovery of renal function in a transplant patient during an episode of aHUS (2).
The Bacterial Tyrosine Kinase Activator TkmA Contributes to Biofilm Formation Largely Independently of the Cognate Kinase PtkA in Bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT In Bacillus subtilis, biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide (EPS), a key biofilm matrix component, is regulated at the posttranslational level by the bacterial tyrosine kinase (BY-kinase) EpsB. EpsB, in turn, relies on the cognate kinase activator EpsA for activation. A concerted role of a second BY-kinase–kinase activator pair, PtkA and TkmA, respectively in biofilm formation was also indicated in previous studies. However, the exact functions of PtkA and TkmA in biofilm formation remain unclear. In this work, we show that the kinase activator TkmA contributes to biofilm formation largely independently of the cognate kinase, PtkA. We further show that the biofilm defect caused by a ΔtkmA mutation can be rescued by complementation by epsA, suggesting a functional overlap between TkmA and EpsA and providing a possible explanation for the role of TkmA in biofilm formation. We also show that the importance of TkmA in biofilm formation depends largely on medium conditions; the biofilm defect of ΔtkmA is very severe in the biofilm medium LBGM (lysogenic broth [LB] supplemented with 1% [vol/vol] glycerol and 100 μM MnSO4) but marginal in another commonly used biofilm medium, MSgg (5 mM potassium phosphate [pH 7.0], MOPS [100 mM morpholinepropanesulfonic acid] [pH 7.0], 2 mM MgCl2, 700 μM CaCl2, 50 μM MnCl2, 50 μM FeCl3, 1 μM ZnCl2, 2 μM thiamine, 0.5% glycerol, 0.5% glutamic acid, 50 μg/ml tryptophan, 50 μg/ml threonine, and 50 μg/ml phenylalanine). The molecular basis for the medium dependence is likely due to differential expression of tkmA and epsA in the two different media and complex regulation of these genes by both Spo0A and DegU. Our studies provide genetic evidence for possible cross talk between a BY-kinase activator (TkmA) and a noncognate kinase (EpsB) and an example of how environmental conditions may influence such cross talk in regulating biofilm formation in B. subtilis. IMPORTANCE In bacteria, biosynthesis of secreted polysaccharides is often regulated by bacterial tyrosine kinases (BY-kinases). BY-kinases, in turn, rely on cognate kinase activators for activation. In this study, we investigated the role of a BY-kinase activator in biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis. We present evidence that different BY-kinase activators may functionally overlap each other, as well as an example of how activities of the BY-kinase activators may be highly dependent on environmental conditions. Our study broadens the understanding of the complexity of regulation of the BY-kinases/kinase activators and the influence on bacterial cell physiology.
The UnMousePad: an interpolating multi-touch force-sensing input pad

Recently, there has been great interest in multi-touch interfaces. Such devices have taken the form of camera-based systems such as Microsoft Surface [de los Reyes et al. 2007] and Perceptive Pixel's FTIR Display [Han 2005] as well as hand-held devices using capacitive sensors such as the Apple iPhone [Jobs et al. 2008]. However, optical systems are inherently bulky while most capacitive systems are only practical in small form factors and are limited in their application since they respond only to human touch and are insensitive to variations in pressure [Westerman 1999]. We have created the UnMousePad, a flexible and inexpensive multitouch input device based on a newly developed pressure-sensing principle called Interpolating Force Sensitive Resistance. IFSR sensors can acquire high-quality anti-aliased pressure images at high frame rates. They can be paper-thin, flexible, and transparent and can easily be scaled to fit on a portable device or to cover an entire table, floor or wall. The UnMousePad can sense three orders of magnitude of pressure variation, and can be used to distinguish multiple fingertip touches while simultaneously tracking pens and styli with a positional accuracy of 87 dpi, and can sense the pressure distributions of objects placed on its surface. In addition to supporting multi-touch interaction, IFSR is a general pressure imaging technology that can be incorporated into shoes, tennis racquets, hospital beds, factory assembly lines and many other applications. The ability to measure high-quality pressure images at low cost has the potential to dramatically improve the way that people interact with machines and the way that machines interact with the world.
Institutional Context and Energy-Efficient Innovation: Are SMEs Flying Under the Radar?

Relying on the institutional theory, a conceptual framework is developed, which hypothesises that institutional features are creating an environment that significantly influences energy-efficient innovation (EEI) activities at a firm level. Economic, regulatory and social features are argued to support firms, but also exert pressures on them to introduce EEI. Furthermore, the analysis is extended to study how the institutional context is moderated by one of the most prominent features of a firm, i.e. its size. In this way, we contribute both to the literature examining the role of the institutional context in shaping economic activities, and the scientific and policy discourse on energy-efficiency in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large incumbent enterprises (LEs). The developed hypotheses are tested in a cross-country setting, using a cross-sectional sample of 9 European countries based on Community Innovation Survey (CIS) microdata, complemented with country-level information from various sources. The achieved results support the main hypothesis that institutional characteristics foster EEI. Moreover, different institutional dimensions are found to be working differently depending on the firm size. Compared to LEs, SMEs are found to be more sensitive to regulatory rather than economic and social institutional characteristics. We offer several interpretations for these somewhat controversial and thought-provoking results. Based on these, we propose implications for policy interventions that could enhance the quality of energy-efficient innovation activities, as well as insightful findings to managers of both small and large corporations.
Consensus based distributed cooperative control for multiple miniature aerial vehicles with uncertainty

In this paper, we investigate distributed consensus problems for multiple miniature aerial vehicles (MAVs) with nonlinear dynamics and uncertainty. We develop distributed consensus protocol to solve regulation synchronization problem for leaderless MAVs with directed interaction topology. Adaptive control algorithms are used locally for each vehicle to deal with nonlinear dynamics and uncertainty associated with flying environment, such as, wind gust, payload mass, aerodynamic friction and other external disturbances. The resulting protocol for synchronization problem combines simple decentralized proportional-plus-derivative like term and robust adaptive control term with position signal based consensus protocol. Lyapunov method uses to show the asymptotic convergence of the consensus errors of the closed loop systems formulated by multiple MAVs. It is shown in our analysis that all MAVs reach an agreement and synchronize to a common value which is not a priori defined. The convergence of the asymptotic consensus error is shown by using Lyapunov method and sliding mode control theory. The proposed design is simple as it does not require exact knowledge of the dynamical model and uncertainty.
Impulse noise and large scale single frequency noise mitigation for underwater acoustic OFDM

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), as a form of multicarrier modulation, has been popularly studied for underwater acoustic communication. Impulse noise and large scale single frequency noise often exist in the received signal in the ocean experiments, and the noise interference will degrade the performance of the communication system. This paper focuses on the OFDM performance in the presence of both impulse noise and large scale single frequency noise. One novel method is proposed to estimate impulse noise and large scale single frequency noise separately. Furthermore, based on the proposed approaches, joint impulse noise and large scale single frequency noise is investigated in OFDM receivers. Simulated results and experimental results are both shown that the two proposed schemes are more practical in underwater acoustic communication.
Values-Driven Business: How to Change the World, Make Money, and Have Fun

There's no shortage of books on how to run small businesses, but few of them cover the special value -- and special challenges -- of socially responsible business practices for small- or medium-size companies. Values-Driven Business addresses that gap. The first entry in Ben Cohen's new "Social Venture Network series, this guide uses real-world examples to show how "triple bottom line" practices -- profits, people, and planet -- have helped companies throughout North America thrive. The book contains first steps that owners or managers can use to start narrowing the gap between personal values and business practices. It also illustrates the many dimensions of value-driven business, addressing the varied roles of customers, employees, the community, the environment, shareholders, and owners. Included is a self-assessment tool that lets readers determine how successful their company will be in implementing values-driven practices.
Topography of the E site on the Escherichia coli ribosome.

Three photoreactive tRNA probes have been utilized in order to identify ribosomal components that are in contact with the aminoacyl acceptor end and the anticodon loop of tRNA bound to the E site of Escherichia coli ribosomes. Two of the probes were derivatives of E. coli tRNA(Phe) in which adenosines at positions 73 and 76 were replaced by 2‐azidoadenosine. The third probe was derived from yeast tRNA(Phe) by substituting wyosine at position 37 with 2‐azidoadenosine. Despite the modifications, all of the photoreactive tRNA species were able to bind to the E site of E. coli ribosomes programmed with poly(A) and, upon irradiation, formed covalent adducts with the ribosomal subunits. The tRNA(Phe) probes modified at or near the 3′ terminus exclusively labeled protein L33 in the 50S subunit. The tRNA(Phe) derivative containing 2‐azidoadenosine within the anticodon loop became cross‐linked to protein S11 as well as to a segment of the 16S rRNA encompassing the 3′‐terminal 30 nucleotides. We have located the two extremities of the E site‐bound tRNA on the ribosomal subunits according to the positions of L33, S11 and the 3′ end of 16S rRNA defined by immune electron microscopy. Our results demonstrate conclusively that the E site is topographically distinct from either the P site or the A site, and that it is located alongside the P site as expected for the tRNA exit site.
Different ratios of the piperacillin-tazobactam combination for treatment of experimental meningitis due to Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the TEM-3 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase

We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacies of piperacillin and tazobactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, given either alone or in different combinations (80:10, 200:10, and 80:25 mg/kg/h), in experimental meningitis due to a strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the TEM-3 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. Treatment was administered intravenously as a 7-h constant infusion preceded by a bolus of 20% of the total dose. The mean (+/- standard deviation) rates of penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infected animals were 6.7 +/- 3.9% for piperacillin given alone and 36.3 +/- 21.9% for tazobactam given alone. Combination treatment significantly magnified the concentration of either drug in CSF. Concentrations of bacteria in CSF increased throughout therapy in animals given either drug alone, even at high dosages. In animals given the combination at dosages of 80:10 and 200/10 mg/kg/h, only a suboptimal reduction of CSF bacterial titers was obtained in vivo, i.e. -0.49 +/- 0.34 and -0.73 +/- 0.49 log CFU/ml/h, respectively. An increase in the tazobactam dosage within the combination (80:25 mg/kg/h) was required in order to obtain a significantly faster elimination of viable organisms from the CSF (-0.97 +/- 0.35 log CFU/ml/h). The study shows that tazobactam is able to provide effective protection against piperacillin hydrolysis by the TEM-3 enzyme within the CSF. Appropriate dosage regimens of various beta-lactam-tazobactam combinations may deserve comparative studies in experimental meningitis caused by organisms producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.
A combination of MADM and genetic algorithm for optimal DG allocation in power systems

Distributed Generation (DG) can help in reducing the cost of electricity to the customer, relieve network congestion, provide environmentally friendly energy close to load centers as well as promote system technical characteristics such as loss reduction, voltage profile enhancement, reserve mitigation and many other factors. Furthermore, its capacity is also scalable and it can provide voltage support at distribution level. The planning studies include penetration level and placement evaluation which are influenced directly by DG type. Most of the previous publications in this field chose one or two preferred parameter as basic objective and implement the optimizations in systems. But due to small size of DGs output, placement according to one or two of just technical parameters usually leads to more theoretical results and with incorporation of less DG resources. Furthermore, optimization of one parameter might degrade another system attribute. In this paper a multi-objective placement and penetration level of Distributed Generators (DGs) is examined, concerning both technical and economical parameters of power system using Genetic Algorithm (GA) combined with Multi-Attribute Decision Making (MADM) method. In fact, by using GA best plans for system with incorporation of DG are determined. For approaching such aim, 4 technical parameters of system, including total losses, buses voltage profile, lines capacity limits and total reactive power flow, are consider with appropriate priorities applied to each objective. In the next step, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) along with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used as a multi attribute decision making technique to form a decision making framework for selecting the best capacity and place of DG units. The attributes are defined as technical and economical parameters. The technical parameters are the voltages on the buses, the reactive power and losses in the transmission lines and the economical parameters are the emissions, congestion and capital cost. The proposed approach is illustrated by case studies on IEEE 30 bus distribution system which demonstrate significant improvement in optimization through this procedure.
Sieve Tubes in Action

A method was designed for in vivo observation of sieve element/companion complexes by using confocal laser scanning microscopy. A leaf attached to an intact fava bean plant was mounted upside down on the stage of a confocal microscope. Two shallow paradermal cortical cuts were made in the major vein. The basal cortical window allowed us to observe the phloem intact. The apical window at 3 cm from the site of observation was used to apply phloem-mobile fluorochromes, which identified living sieve elements at the observation site. In intact sieve tubes, the sieve plates did not present a barrier to mass flow, because the translocation of fluorochromes appeared to be unhindered. Two major occlusion mechanisms were distinguished. In response to intense laser light, the parietal proteins detached from the plasma membrane and formed a network of minute strands and clustered material that aggregated and pressed against the sieve plate. In response to mechanical damage, the evenly distributed P plastids exploded, giving rise to the formation of a massive plug against the sieve plate. In case of mechanical damage, the parietal proteins transformed into elastic threads (strands) that extended throughout the sieve element lumen. Our observations cover the phenomena encountered in previous microscopic and electron microscopic studies and provide a temporal disentanglement of the events giving rise to the confusing mass of structures observed thus far.
Multiplex Strategy for Multilocus Sequence Typing, fla Typing, and Genetic Determination of Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Isolates Collected in Switzerland

ABSTRACT We present an optimized multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme with universal primer sets for amplifying and sequencing the seven target genes of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. Typing was expanded by sequence determination of the genes flaA and flaB using optimized primer sets. This approach is compatible with the MLST and flaA schemes used in the PubMLST database and results in an additional typing method using the flaB gene sequence. An identification module based on the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes was included, as well as the genetic determination of macrolide and quinolone resistances based on mutations in the 23S rRNA and gyrA genes. Experimental procedures were simplified by multiplex PCR of the 13 target genes. This comprehensive approach was evaluated with C. jejuni and C. coli isolates collected in Switzerland. MLST of 329 strains resulted in 72 sequence types (STs) among the 186 C. jejuni strains and 39 STs for the 143 C. coli isolates. Fourteen (19%) of the C. jejuni and 20 (51%) of the C. coli STs had not been found previously. In total, 35% of the C. coli strains collected in Switzerland contained mutations conferring antibiotic resistance only to quinolone, 15% contained mutations conferring resistance only to macrolides, and 6% contained mutations conferring resistance to both classes of antibiotics. In C. jejuni, these values were 31% and 0% for quinolone and macrolide resistance, respectively. The rpoB sequence allowed phylogenetic differentiation between C. coli and C. jejuni, which was not possible by 16S rRNA gene analysis. An online Integrated Database Network System (SmartGene, Zug, Switzerland)-based platform for MLST data analysis specific to Campylobacter was implemented. This Web-based platform allowed automated allele and ST designation, as well as epidemiological analysis of data, thus streamlining and facilitating the analysis workflow. Data networking facilitates the exchange of information between collaborating centers. The described approach simplifies and improves the genotyping of Campylobacter, allowing cost- and time-efficient routine monitoring.
Borrowing Locally, Operating Globally? Financing and Trading Patterns of Firms during the 2007/2008 Economic Crisis

The theory of relationship lending is based on the idea that close ties between borrowers and banks may be economically beneficial. Information asymmetries on the part of the bank introduce adverse selection and moral hazard problems into the lending process and may lead to lengthy decision processes and/or reduce the availability of credit for firms. The recent financial and economic crisis, which has been marked by increased uncertainty about the creditworthiness of firms, has reduced the quantity of available credit or raised its costs. Being able to resort to a main bank might reduce the problem of information asymmetries and enable firms to maintain access to credit in times of economic hardship. However, formal studies investigating the role of main banks in dampening the crisis effect on firms global operations are still missing. This paper seeks to fill this gap by explaining crisis-related trade reductions with the bank type used at the firm-level. We find some evidence that using a local bank for external financing reduces the probability of an export decline.
Probiotic-enriched foods and dietary supplement containing SYNBIO positively affects bowel habits in healthy adults: an assessment using standard statistical analysis and Support Vector Machines

Abstract A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study assessed in healthy adults how daily consumption of the probiotic combination SYNBIO®, administered in probiotic-enriched foods or in a dietary supplement, affected bowel habits. Primary and secondary outcomes gave the overall assessment of bowel well-being, while a Psychological General Well-Being Index compiled by participants estimated the health-related quality of life as well as the gastrointestinal tolerance determined with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. Support Vector Machine models for classification problems were used to validate the total outcomes on bowel well-being. SYNBIO® consumption improved bowel habits of volunteers consuming the probiotic foods or capsules, while the same effects were not registered in the control groups. The recovery of probiotic bacteria from the faeces of a cohort of 100 subjects for each supplemented group showed the persistence of strains in the gastrointestinal tract.
Effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

CONTEXT Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder associated with pain, mood state alteration, and disability. A structured and effective treatment plan for palliative care has not been established. The genesis of FMS is not clear. FMS occurs primarily in adult women. DESIGN Using a quasi-experimental clinical design and following the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), for FMS, 21 participants completed the study. The mean age was 53.6 years. The data were collected at baseline and at 1 and 2 months. Acupuncture treatments included 17 points for FMS symptoms, and 8 outcome measures were collected. RESULTS The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) showed significant differences at 1 and 2 months. For the SF-12, 3 subscales showed significant differences between baseline and 2 months. Four of 6 items were significantly changed. The mean number of general health symptoms was significantly decreased by 2 months. For the Catastrophe Index, significant differences were found for baseline vs 2 months. Pain threshold scores were significantly different at end of treatment for 5 bilateral tender points. There was significant improvement in Beck Depression items for both 1- and 2-month periods. In a multivariate regression model, 5 covariates were included--age, number of weeks in treatment, number of doctors treating, number of general symptoms, and baseline FIQ score. The results indicated significant age effect. This analysis showed that the higher the FIQ score, the more positive the change experienced by study participants. Number of weeks in treatment, number of doctors who treated, and total number of general health symptoms did not have a significant effect on outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Significant improvement was experienced by participants at 8 weeks of treatment. Acupuncture treatment as delivered was effective at reducing FMS symptoms in this outcome study.