Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of myosin II regulatory light chain isoforms in HeLa cells

Myosin II regulatory light chain (MRLC) is canonically known as a subunit of conventional myosin (myosin II), which tunes cytoplasmic contractility in cells. Recent studies have also revealed the noncanonical functions of MRLC, such as engagement with other proteins including unconventional myosins. Three MRLC isoforms (MRLC1, MRLC2, and MRLC3) are known in humans. The characteristics of MRLC2 are well known, but those of MRLC1 and MRLC3 are unclear; therefore, the properties of the three MRLC isoforms were investigated. The MRLCs were all phosphorylated at Thr18/Ser19, which is required for myosin II stimulation. MRLC mRNAs were expressed at the same level throughout the cell cycle in HeLa cells. The MRLCs colocalized with each other and their turnover rate was similar to that of myosin II heavy chain. Depletion of all the MRLCs perturbed cell spreading. The overproduction of MRLC2 or MRLC3, but not MRLC1, could effectively compensate for this defect, suggesting that MRLC2 and MRLC3 play dominant roles in cell spreading. Finally, computer simulations of the three‐dimensional protein structures indicated that the location of the N‐terminus of MRLC1 differs from that of MRLC2 or MRLC3, depending on its sequence. Thus, these MRLC isoforms have overlapping but distinct functions have been proposed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Swimming performance after passive and active recovery of various durations.

PURPOSE To examine the effects of active and passive recovery of various durations after a 100-m swimming test performed at maximal effort. METHODS Eleven competitive swimmers (5 males, 6 females, age: 17.3 +/- 0.6 y) completed two 100-m tests with a 15-min interval at a maximum swimming effort under three experimental conditions. The recovery between tests was 15 min passive (PAS), 5 min active, and 10 min passive (5ACT) or 10 min active and 5 min passive (10ACT). Self-selected active recovery started immediately after the first test, corresponding to 60 +/- 5% of the 100-m time. Blood samples were taken at rest, 5, 10, and 15 min after the first as well as 5 min after the second 100-m test for blood lactate determination. Heart rate was also recorded during the corresponding periods. RESULTS Performance time of the first 100 m was not different between conditions (P > .05). The second 100-m test after the 5ACT (64.49 +/- 3.85 s) condition was faster than 10ACT (65.49 +/- 4.63 s) and PAS (65.89 +/- 4.55 s) conditions (P < .05). Blood lactate during the 15-min recovery period between the 100-m efforts was lower in both active recovery conditions compared with passive recovery (P < .05). Heart rate was higher during the 5ACT and 10ACT conditions compared with PAS during the 15-min recovery period (P < .05). CONCLUSION Five minutes of active recovery during a 15-min interval period is adequate to facilitate blood lactate removal and enhance performance in swimmers. Passive recovery and/or 10 min of active recovery is not recommended.
A low-power LDO circuit with a fast load regulation

By adding a Miller frequency compensation to the conventional LDO circuit that combines the super source follower and the voltage spike detection, a low-power LDO circuit is proposed to drive the load capacitance up to 10 pF with a fast load regulation. The LDO circuit converts a 5 V input to a 3.3V output, consumes 26 μA, and settles in 75 ns at a 10 mA load current step in 1ns.
Parametric Study of Planar Artificial Magnetic Conductor Surface

In this paper, a quasi-static technique based on a simple transmission line model is used for studying a planar artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) surface. The results of this quasi-static model are verified with previously published results. This quasi-static solution is used as a fast efficient technique to obtain the effects of the different parameters on the center frequency and the operating bandwidth of a planar AMC surface. These parameters include the patch width, the gap width between the patches, the relative permittivity of the substrate and the substrate thickness
Framework to improve performance through implementing Lean Six Sigma strategies to oil exporting countries during recession or depression

Purpose - – Today’s global business environment essential requirement to an industries reduction of wastes, reduction of variations, reduction of lead time and innovative feature quality product with minimum cost. That strives to improve customer satisfaction, break through strategies to solve problems with fastest process speed. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) strategy and framework can help during recession or upcoming recession to improve business excellencies and companies strategies against recession. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - – The paper followed views of authors, industrial experts from oil industries regarding LSS strategy, framework, comparative key factors of Lean and Six Sigma to overcome continuously decline oil prices globally. LSS strategy will proactively work as preventive tool for insipid economical growth of oil-exporting countries. Findings - – To follow the LSS guidelines, oil-exporting countries can improve their business performance during ongoing oil price fall that may be influenced on gross domestic product of countries. Originality/value - – The case study may provide some help to survive ongoing crisis of continuously fallen oil price that is highly problematic for oil-exporting countries.
Comparison of 3-, 5- and 7-leg Voltage Source Inverters for low voltage applications

In the context of high power low-voltage applications as starter-generator for automotive, multi-phase drives present the attractive characteristic of reducing the current per phase and per leg. A 5- or 7-phase machine is also more suitable for using concentrated windings, attractive for their short end-windings and subsequently for a higher expected torque-to-volume density. In this perspective, the 5- and 7-leg voltage source inverters (VSI) are compared with the 3-leg VSI. In the first part, for the same set of resistances and inductances coupled in different wye-coupling configurations, we examined the DC-bus currents and the power recovered by the load for a square-wave VSI control: the 7-leg VSI is the more efficient because it makes best use of the harmonics. In the second part, the torque ripples of 3-, 5- and 7-phase drives are compared: the 7-phase drive torque ripples are the lowest ones because of the less sensitivity to the harmonics of the currents. In the last part, a pulse width modulation control is studied, with almost the same voltage harmonics amount as this one obtained with the square-wave mode control. Experimental results are given for the 7-leg VSI either with a passive load or with a 7-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor.
Reversible parkinsonism and cognitive impairment with chronic valproate use

Following our initial report of the insidious development of reversible, valproate-induced hearing, motor, and cognitive dysfunction in two patients, we evaluated 36 patients in an epilepsy clinic who had been taking therapeutic levels of valproate for at least 12 months; 29 of these patients were examined according to a prospective protocol. We observed varying degrees of parkinsonism and cognitive impairment, from none to severe. Discontinuation of valproate in 32 affected patients led to subjective and objective improvement on follow-up testing at least 3 months later. Improvement was greatest in patients who were affected most. We conclude that a syndrome of reversible parkinsonism and cognitive impairment may develop insidiously in patients who have been treated with valproate for more than 12 months. The association with valproate may be overlooked due to the insidious onset. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 626-635
Osteoclast diseases

Osteoclasts are the only cells capable of resorbing mineralised bone, dentine and cartilage. Osteoclasts act in close concert with bone forming osteoblasts to model the skeleton during embryogenesis and to remodel it during later life. A number of inherited human conditions are known that are primarily caused by a defect in osteoclasts. Most of these are rare monogenic disorders, but others, such as the more common Paget's disease, are complex diseases, where genetic and environmental factors combine to result in the abnormal osteoclast phenotype. Where the genetic defect gives rise to ineffective osteoclasts, such as in osteopetrosis and pycnodysostosis, the result is the presence of too much bone. However, the phenotype in many osteoclast diseases is a combination of osteosclerosis with osteolytic lesions. In such conditions, the primary defect is hyperactivity of osteoclasts, compensated by a secondary increase in osteoblast activity. Rapid progress has been made in recent years in the identification of the causative genes and in the understanding of the biological role of the proteins encoded. This review discusses the known osteoclast diseases with particular emphasis on the genetic causes and the resulting osteoclast phenotype. These human diseases highlight the critical importance of specific proteins or signalling pathways in osteoclasts. Microsc. Res. Tech. 61:514–532, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reconsidering the mechanism of polyglutamine peptide aggregation.

There are at least nine neurodegenerative diseases associated with proteins that contain an unusually expanded polyglutamine domain, the best known of which is Huntington's disease. In all of these diseases, the mutant protein aggregates into neuronal inclusions; it is generally, although not universally, believed that protein aggregation is an underlying cause of the observed neuronal degeneration. In an effort to examine the role of polyglutamine in facilitating protein aggregation, investigators have used synthetic polyglutamine peptides as model systems. Analysis of kinetic data led to the conclusions that aggregation follows a simple nucleation-elongation mechanism characterized by a significant lag time, during which the peptide is monomeric, and that the nucleus is a monomer in a thermodynamically unfavorable conformation [Chen, S. M. , et al. (2002) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99, 11884-11889]. We re-examined this hypothesis by measuring the aggregation kinetics of the polyglutamine peptide K2Q23K2, using sedimentation, static and dynamic light scattering, and size exclusion chromatography. Our data show that during the lag time in sedimentation kinetics, there is substantial organization of the peptide into soluble linear aggregates. These aggregates have no regular secondary structure as measured by circular dichroism but have particle dimensions and morphologies similar to those of mature insoluble aggregates. The soluble aggregates constitute approximately 30% of the total peptide mass, form rapidly, and continue to grow over a period of hours to days, eventually precipitating. Once insoluble aggregates form, loss of monomer from the solution phase continues. Our data support an assembly mechanism for polyglutamine peptide more complex than that previously proposed.
Examining the Validity and Reliability of the ABC-6 in Underserved Older Adults

Losing confidence in the ability to maintain balance can be more debilitating than a fall; therefore, the accurate measurement of balance confidence is critical. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the ABC-6, a shortened version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC), among underserved older adults. The final sample included 251 older adults (M age = 71.2 years, SD = 8.9; 72.1% African Americans, 62.5% low-income, 61% low-education). Participants completed assessments of multiple falls risk factors, physical activity, and balance confidence. The ABC-6 had excellent internal consistency reliability, substantial intraclass correlations, and significant moderate to large correlations with physical activity, mobility, balance, and total falls risk. It also demonstrated the ability to discriminate between fallers and nonfallers, and it was a significant predictor of total falls risk. The ABC-6 was a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence among underserved older adults.
Vote Buying and Campaign Promises

What explains the wide variation across countries in the use of vote buying and policy promises during election campaigns? We address this question, and account for a number of stylized facts and apparent anomalies regarding vote buying, using a model in which parties cannot fully commit to campaign promises. We find that high vote buying is associated with frequent reneging on campaign promises, strong electoral competition, and high policy rents. Frequent reneging and low party competence reduce campaign promises. If vote buying can be financed out of public resources, incumbents buy more votes and enjoy an electoral advantage, but they also promise more public goods. Vote buying has distributional consequences: voters targeted with vote buying pre-election may receive no government benefits post-election. The results point to obstacles to the democratic transition from clientelist to programmatic forms of electoral competition: parties may not benefit electorally from institutions that increase commitment.
The interactions between inflammation and coagulation

Inflammation initiates clotting, decreases the activity of natural anticoagulant mechanisms and impairs the fibrinolytic system. Inflammatory cytokines are the major mediators involved in coagulation activation. The natural anticoagulants function to dampen elevation of cytokine levels. Furthermore, components of the natural anticoagulant cascades, like thrombomodulin, minimise endothelial cell dysfunction by rendering the cells less responsive to inflammatory mediators, facilitate the neutralisation of some inflammatory mediators and decrease loss of endothelial barrier function. Hence, downregulation of anticoagulant pathways not only promotes thrombosis but also amplifies the inflammatory process. When the inflammation–coagulation interactions overwhelm the natural defence systems, catastrophic events occur, such as manifested in severe sepsis or inflammatory bowel disease.
Tepidibacillus decaturensis sp. nov., a microaerophilic, moderately thermophilic iron-reducing bacterium isolated from 1.7 km depth groundwater.

A Gram-stain-negative, microaerophilic rod-shaped organism designated as strain Z9T was isolated from groundwater of 1.7 km depth from the Mt. Simon Sandstone of the Illinois Basin, Illinois, USA. Cells of strain Z9T were rod shaped with dimensions of 0.3×(1-10) µm and stained Gram-negative. Strain Z9T grew within the temperature range 20-60 °C (optimum at 30-40 °C), between pH 5 and 8 (optimum 5.2-5.8) and under salt concentrations of 1-5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.5 % NaCl). In addition to growth by fermentation and nitrate reduction, this strain was able to reduce Fe(III), Mn(IV), Co(III) and Cr(VI) when H2 or organic carbon was available as the electron donor, but did not actively reduce oxidized sulfur compounds (e.g. sulfate, thiosulfate or S0). The G+C content of the DNA from strain Z9T was 36.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene from strain Z9T showed that it belongs to the class Bacilli and shares 97 % sequence similarity with the only currently characterized member of the genus Tepidibacillus, T.fermentans. Based on the physiological distinctness and phylogenetic information, strain Z9T represents a novel species within the genus Tepidibacillus, for which the name Tepidibacillus decaturensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Z9T (=ATCC BAA-2644T=DSM 103037T).
Adaptive Signal Identification using LMS Filter with an Analog Memory Cell

This paper presents the performance of optimal filtering; LMS with a nonvolatile analog memory cell fabricated through 1.2um CMOS process, for the adaptive identification signal problem, where transfer functions are unknown and changing. The memory stores the weight in the filter as charge on the floating gate of a transistor pMOS. The update is linear, using a pulse density modulation scheme by means of tunneling and injection mechanisms. The LMS algorithm is implemented digitally off chip, and it does not require the signal to be piecewise stationary, and requires no manual operation other than selection of the step-size.
A Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ (PPARγ)/PPARγ Coactivator 1β Autoregulatory Loop in Adipocyte Mitochondrial Function*

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation induces adipogenesis and also enhances lipogenesis, mitochondrial activity, and insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. Whereas some studies implicate PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) in the mitochondrial effect, the mechanisms involved in PPARγ regulation of adipocyte mitochondrial function are not resolved. PPARγ-activating ligands (thiazolidinediones (TZDs)) are important insulin sensitizers and were recently shown to indirectly induce PGC-1β transcription in osteoclasts. Here, we asked whether similar effects occur in adipocytes and show that TZDs also strongly induce PGC-1β in cultured 3T3-L1 cells. This effect, however, differs from the indirect effect proposed for bone and is rapid and direct and involves PPARγ interactions with an intronic PPARγ response element cluster in the PGC-1β locus. TZD treatment of cultured adipocytes results in up-regulation of mitochondrial marker genes, and increased mitochondrial activity and use of short interfering RNA confirms that these effects require PGC-1β. PGC-1β did not participate in PPARγ effects on adipogenesis or lipogenesis, and PGC-1β knockdown did not alter insulin-responsive glucose uptake into 3T3-L1 cells. Similar effects on PGC-1β and mitochondrial gene expression are seen in vivo; fractionation of obese mouse adipose tissue reveals that PPARγ and PGC-1β, but not PGC-1α, are coordinately up-regulated in adipocytes relative to preadipocytes and that TZD treatment induces PGC-1β and mitochondrial marker genes in adipose tissue of obese mice. We propose that PPARγ directly induces PGC-1β expression in adipocytes and that this effect regulates adipocyte mitochondrial activity.
Motor neurone disease and military service: evidence from the Scottish Veterans Health Study

Objectives In 2003, it was reported that motor neurone disease was linked to military service in the 1990–1991 Gulf War. A large study in the US confirmed an association with military service but found no association with specific conflicts or length of service. Non-veteran studies have suggested an association with physical activity, smoking and other risk factors. We used data from the Scottish Veterans Health Study to investigate the association between motor neurone disease and military service in UK veterans. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 57 000 veterans born 1945–1985, and 173 000 demographically matched civilians, using Cox proportional hazard models to compare the risk of motor neurone disease overall, and by sex, birth cohort, length of service and year of recruitment. We had no data on smoking prevalence. Results Veterans had an increased risk of motor neurone disease compared with non-veterans (adjusted HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.21, p=0.046). The increase was independent of birth cohort, length or period of service, or year of recruitment. Risk was associated with a history of trauma or road traffic accident in veterans and non-veterans. Conclusions We confirmed an increased risk of motor neurone disease in military veterans, although the absolute risk is extremely low. We found no evidence that the increased risk was associated with any specific conflict. We could not rule out that smoking (and perhaps other lifestyle factors) may be responsible for our findings. Trauma may play a role in the increased risk but further studies are needed.
Correlation between thymidine phosphorylase expression and invasion phenotype in cervical carcinoma cells

The correlation between thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) expression and invasion phenotype in human uterine cervical carcinoma cells was investigated using 10 cervical carcinoma cell lines. Semi‐quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to investigate the mRNA levels of dThdPase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 with β‐actin coamplified as an internal standard. dThdPase protein expression levels were detected by highly sensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Tumor cell migration along a gradient of substratum‐bound fibronectin and invasion into reconstituted basement membrane were evaluated by haptotactic migration and invasion assay. Although dThdPase mRNA and protein expression levels differed remarkably among the cell lines, there was a statistical correlation between them (r = 0.743, p = 0.0139). dThdPase gene and protein expression levels were well correlated with the number of cells that migrated and invaded (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a close correlation between MMP‐2 gene and dThdPase gene and protein expression levels (p < 0.05). Tumor cells that produce dThdPase may have a higher invasive and metastatic potential because of their capacity to pass through tissue barriers. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Circular Minichromosomes Become Highly Recombinogenic in Topoisomerase-deficient Yeast Cells*

In topoisomerase-deficient yeast cells, we have found that circular minichromosomes are present as broad distributions of multimeric forms, which consist of tandemly repeated copies of their monomeric sequences. This phenomenon selectively occurs in Δtop1 cells, and is highly magnified in double mutant Δtop1 top2–4 cells. No multimers are observed in single mutant top2–4 or Δtop3 cells, or in Δtop1 cells that express a plasmid-borne TOP1gene. Interconversion among multimeric forms takes place rapidly in double mutant Δtop1 top2–4 cells, and the multimeric distributions are readily reverted to the monomeric form when a plasmid-borne TOP1 gene is expressed from an inducible promoter. These observations are a new example of the interplay between DNA topology and genome stability, and suggest that the cell capacity to modulate DNA supercoiling is limited when DNA is organized in small topological domains. Yeast minichromosome multimerization provides an appropriate system in which to study mechanistic aspects of DNA recombination.
An Improved Data Hiding Scheme for Digital Images

Data hiding with larger payload is proposed in this paper. The basic idea of this method is to use a pixel pair as the coordinate and search it with in the pre defined neighborhood set. The proposed methods offer low embedding distortion at larger payloads when compared against the recent developed algorithms. The proposed method not only allows concealing digits in any notational system, but also provides the same or even smaller embedding distortion than DE (Diamond encoding) for various payloads. Experimental results shows that the proposed method out performs when compared against the existing algorithms both in objective and subjective analysis.