Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a Forest Soil Metagenome Clone That Confers Indirubin and Indigo Production on Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT A microbial community analysis of forest soil from Jindong Valley, Korea, revealed that the most abundant rRNA genes were related to Acidobacteria, a major taxon with few cultured representatives. To access the microbial genetic resources of this forest soil, metagenomic libraries were constructed in fosmids, with an average DNA insert size of more than 35 kb. We constructed 80,500 clones from Yuseong and 33,200 clones from Jindong Valley forest soils. The double-agar-layer method allowed us to select two antibacterial clones by screening the constructed libraries using Bacillus subtilis as a target organism. Several clones produced purple or brown colonies. One of the selected antibacterial clones, pJEC5, produced purple colonies. Structural analysis of the purified pigments demonstrated that the metagenomic clone produced both the pigment indirubin and its isomer, indigo blue, resulting in purple colonies. In vitro mutational and subclonal analyses revealed that two open reading frames (ORFs) are responsible for the pigment production and antibacterial activity. The ORFs encode an oxygenase-like protein and a putative transcriptional regulator. Mutations of the gene encoding the oxygenase canceled both pigment production and antibacterial activity, whereas a subclone carrying the two ORFs retained pigment production and antibacterial activity. This finding suggests that these forest soil microbial genes are responsible for producing the pigment with antibacterial activity.
Functional MR imaging versus Wada test for evaluation of language lateralization: cost analysis.

PURPOSE To compare the total direct costs (fixed and variable costs) of functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and of the Wada test for evaluation of language lateralization. MATERIALS AND METHODS The direct fixed and variable costs of functional MR imaging (performed in 21 patients with mean age +/- SD of 15.5 years +/- 8.9) and of the Wada test (performed in 18 patients aged 19.2 years +/- 5.4) were determined prospectively with time and motion analyses. The labor of all personnel involved in evaluations of language lateralization was tracked, and involvement times were recorded to the nearest minute. All material items used in the studies were recorded. Costs of labor and of materials were determined from personnel reimbursement data and from vendor pricing, respectively. Direct fixed costs were determined from hospital accounting department records. Means (+/- SDs) were calculated for all direct fixed and variable costs. Total direct costs were determined for each procedure and compared by using the Student t test. RESULTS The total direct costs of the Wada test (US dollars 1130.01 +/- US dollars 138.40) and of functional MR imaging (US dollars 301.82 +/- US dollars 10.65) were significantly different (P <.001). The cost of the Wada test was 3.7 times higher than that of functional MR imaging. CONCLUSION Substantial savings are achievable with the use of functional MR imaging instead of the Wada test to evaluate language lateralization.
What i want for my social network privacy

Social Networks (SN) users have various privacy requirements to protect their information; to address this issue, a six-stage thematic analysis of scholarly articles related to SN user privacy concerns were synthesized. Then this research combines mixed methods research employing the strengths of quantitative and qualitative research to investigate general SN users, and thus construct a new set of ? ve primary and Twenty-? ve secondary SN user privacy requirements. Such an approach has been rarely used to examine the privacy requirements. Factor analysis results show superior agreement with theoretical predictions and signi? cant improvement over previous alternative models of SN user privacy requirements. This research presented here has the potential to provide for the development of more sophisticated privacy controls which will increase the ability of SN users to: specify their rights in SNs and to determine the protection of their own SN data.
Modeling a Hybrid Microgrid Using Probabilistic Reconfiguration under System Uncertainties

A novel method for a day-ahead optimal operation of a hybrid microgrid system including fuel cells, photovoltaic arrays, a microturbine, and battery energy storage in order to fulfill the required load demand is presented in this paper. In the proposed system, the microgrid has access to the main utility grid in order to exchange power when required. Available municipal waste is utilized to produce the hydrogen required for running the fuel cells, and natural gas will be used as the backup source. In the proposed method, an energy scheduling is introduced to optimize the generating unit power outputs for the next day, as well as the power flow with the main grid, in order to minimize the operational costs and produced greenhouse gases emissions. The nature of renewable energies and electric power consumption is both intermittent and unpredictable, and the uncertainty related to the PV array power generation and power consumption has been considered in the next-day energy scheduling. In order to model uncertainties, some scenarios are produced according to Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, and microgrid optimal energy scheduling is analyzed under the generated scenarios. In addition, various scenarios created by MC simulations are applied in order to solve unit commitment (UC) problems. The microgrid’s day-ahead operation and emission costs are considered as the objective functions, and the particle swarm optimization algorithm is employed to solve the optimization problem. Overall, the proposed model is capable of minimizing the system costs, as well as the unfavorable influence of uncertainties on the microgrid’s profit, by generating different scenarios.
Statistical Evaluation of Split Gate Opportunities for Improved 8T/6T Column-Decoupled SRAM Cell Yield

We study the yield improvements of mixed/split gate designs in 45 nm FinFET technology. The original contributions of this paper are: fast statistical analysis for FinFET designs including 6T and 8T column- decoupled designs, and the proposed low-voltage 6T- column-decoupled SRAM cell using stacked_and FinFET devices. Sensitivities of the cell yield to device design uncertainties and process variations are evaluated. Statistical analysis indicates that column-decoupled cells can help lower the stability requirement on the cell beta ratio and hence relax the design limitations with FinFET technology such as quantization penalties. Furthermore, physical cell image diagrams show that the 6T-decoupled cell suffers very small area penalties compared to the traditional double gate designs. Fast statistical analysis techniques are used to estimate yield trend. Numerical device/circuit mix-mode simulations support the predicted trends. Threshold voltage variations due to random dopant fluctuations are estimated using a macroscopic modeling method. The impact of fin-height variations is also evaluated.
Super-Resolution Imaging Using Compressive Sensing and Binary Pure-Phase Annular Filter

Super-resolution is an important goal for the diffraction-limited optical system. In this paper, we present a novel technique that exceeds the limit of resolving power of the diffraction-limited optical system to achieve super-resolution imaging by combining compressive sensing with a binary pure-phase annular filter. This novel technique is achieved by using a classical 4F optical system with a pure-phase spatial light modulator. The feasibility of this imaging technique is theoretically analyzed and physically validated by laboratory experiments.
A Branch-and-Bound Algorithm for the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem on Directed Graphs

We consider the asymmetric capacitated vehicle routing problem CVRP, a particular case of the standard asymmetric vehicle routing problem in which only the vehicle capacity constraints are imposed. CVRP is known to be NP-hard and finds practical applications in distribution and scheduling. We describe two new bounding procedures for CVRP, based on the so-called additive approach. Each procedure computes a sequence of nondecreasing lower bounds, obtained by solving different relaxations of CVRP. Effective implementations of the procedures are also outlined which considerably reduce the computational effort. The two procedures are combined into an overall bounding algorithm. A branch-and-bound exact algorithm is then proposed, whose performance is enhanced by means of reduction procedures, dominance criteria, and feasibility checks. Extensive computational results on both real-world and random test problems are presented, showing that the proposed approach favorably compares with previous algorithms from the literature.
A new nomogram to predict pathologic outcome following radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE To develop a preoperative nomogram to predict pathologic outcome in patients submitted to radical prostatectomy for clinical localized prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nine hundred and sixty patients with clinical stage T1 and T2 prostate cancer were evaluated following radical prostatectomy, and 898 were included in the study. Following a multivariate analysis, nomograms were developed incorporating serum PSA, biopsy Gleason score, and percentage of positive biopsy cores in order to predict the risks of extraprostatic tumor extension, and seminal vesicle involvement. RESULTS In univariate analysis there was a significant association between percentage of positive biopsy cores (p < 0.001), serum PSA (p = 0.001) and biopsy Gleason score (p < 0.001) with extraprostatic tumor extension. A similar pathologic outcome was seen among tumors with Gleason score 7, and Gleason score 8 to 10. In multivariate analysis, the 3 preoperative variables showed independent significance to predict tumor extension. This allowed the development of nomogram-1 (using Gleason scores in 3 categories - 2 to 6, 7 and 8 to 10) and nomogram-2 (using Gleason scores in 2 categories - 2 to 6 and 7 to 10) to predict disease extension based on these 3 parameters. In the validation analysis, 87% and 91.1% of the time the nomograms-1 and 2, correctly predicted the probability of a pathological stage to within 10% respectively. CONCLUSION Incorporating percent of positive biopsy cores to a nomogram that includes preoperative serum PSA and biopsy Gleason score, can accurately predict the presence of extraprostatic disease extension in patients with clinical localized prostate cancer.
Membrane cell fusion activity of the vaccinia virus A17–A27 protein complex

Vaccinia virus enters cells by endocytosis and via a membrane fusion mechanism mediated by viral envelope protein complexes. While several proteins have been implicated in the entry/fusion event, there is no direct proof for fusogenic activity of any viral protein in heterologous systems. Transient coexpression of A17 and A27 in mammalian cells led to syncytia formation in a pH‐dependent manner, as ascertained by confocal fluorescent immunomicroscopy. The pH‐dependent fusion activity was identified to reside in A17 amino‐terminal ectodomain after overexpression in insect cells using recombinant baculoviruses. Through the use of A17 ectodomain deletion mutants, it was found that the domain important for fusion spanned between residues 18 and 34. To further characterize A17–A27 fusion activity in mammalian cells, 293T cell lines stably expressing A17, A27 or coexpressing both proteins were generated using lentivectors. A27 was exposed on the cell surface only when A17 was coexpressed. In addition, pH‐dependent fusion activity was functionally demonstrated in mammalian cells by cytoplasmic transfer of fluorescent proteins, only when A17 and A27 were coexpressed. Bioinformatic tools were used to compare the putative A17–A27 protein complex with well‐characterized fusion proteins. Finally, all experimental evidence was integrated into a working model for A17–A27‐induced pH‐dependent cell‐to‐cell fusion.
Interference reflection microscopic study of sites of association between gliding bacteria and glass substrata

Sites of close contact between gliding Cytophaga sp. strain U67 cells and glass were examined by interference reflection microscopy. Site patterns changed during translocation and moved relative to the substratum, in contrast to previous interference reflection microscopy observations of fibroblast and amoeboid motility. Sinistral rotation around the long axis of the cell was coupled with gliding, except when curved cells traversed curvilinear pathways. Close contact was temporary, since cells flipped up off the substratum on one pole, pivoted, or were displaced laterally in collisions. Other members of the order Cytophagales and Myxococcus sp. demonstrated similar patterns of close association with substrata.
Differential infection of porcine alveolar macrophage subpopulations by nonopsonized Mycobacterium bovis involves CD14 receptors

The resurgence in mycobacterial infection worldwide has led to renewed attention to the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium species. The purpose of this study was to characterize the infection of alveolar macrophages (AMs) by nonopsonized Mycobacterium bovis, and to elucidate the mechanism by which a differential infection of subpopulations of AM may occur. A difference in susceptiblity to Mycobacterium bovis infection of subpopulations of AMs was observed, such that the least dense cells were the least susceptible (21.4 ± 10.7%) and the most dense cells were the most readily infected (61.8 ± 5.6%). The percentage of AMs staining for CD14 receptors showed a similar differential distribution, with fewer of the least dense cells expressing CD14 and a greater percentage of the most dense cells staining for CD14 receptor expression. To investigate the role of CD14 receptors in the infection of AMs, anti‐CD14 antibody was added to the cell cultures. Infection of AM by Mycobacterium bovis was blocked by up to 60.2% by anti‐CD14 antibody but not by isotype control antibody. The results of this study suggest that Mycobacterium bovis selectively infects AM subpopulations, specifically those with the greatest expression of CD14, a putative receptor mechanism for Mycobacterium bovis infection of porcine AM. J. Leukoc. Biol. 60: 214–220; 1996.
Neuroticism and Its Associated Brain Activation in Women With PTSD

Previous research suggests a diathesis-stress model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), wherein individuals with high levels of neuroticism who are exposed to traumatic events subsequently develop PTSD. Although studies have established relationships between neuroticism and neurological functioning in various brain regions for healthy and depressed individuals, the specific neural correlates of neuroticism for individuals with PTSD are yet unknown. This relationship is particularly relevant for women, given that their increased risk for PTSD is partially accounted for by their higher baseline levels of neuroticism. The current study examined previously established neural correlates of neuroticism in 61 women (48 women with interpersonal violence [IPV]/PTSD and 13 healthy controls). A specific region of interest map, including the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), was examined while participants completed an emotional conflict task. Results showed that the PTSD group had significantly higher neuroticism scores than the healthy control group (t = 6.90, p < .001). Higher neuroticism scores were associated with increased neural activity in the right dmPFC when participants were instructed to directly attend to faces with negative emotional valences. Significant trends between higher neuroticism scores and greater right amygdala and right ACC activation also emerged for this condition. Finally, neuroticism was found to be associated with right amygdala and right parahippocampal activity when participants were instructed to ignore faces with negative emotional valences. The results of this study lend further evidence to the proposed diathesis-stress model of neuroticism and PTSD. Moreover, findings suggest a significant association between neuroticism and neural activity in brain regions associated with fear and emotion regulation for women with IPV and subsequent PTSD.
Responses of spinohypothalamic tract neurons in the thoracic spinal cord of rats to somatic stimuli and to graded distention of the bile duct

Anatomical studies indicate that a relatively large percentage of spinohypothalamic tract (SHT) neurons are located within thoracic spinal segments. The aim of this study was to characterize the responses of SHT neurons in these segments of rats to innocuous and noxious stimulation of the skin and of a visceral structure, the bile duct. In addition, we attempted to determine the trajectories of the axons of the examined neurons within the diencephalon and brainstem. Fifty-three SHT neurons were recorded within segments T8-T13 in urethane anesthetized rats. Each cell was antidromically activated using current pulses ″30 w A delivered from the tip of an electrode located within the contralateral hypothalamus. The recording points were located in the superficial dorsal horn (9) and deep dorsal horn (44). All examined SHT neurons had receptive fields on the posterior thorax and anterior and ventral abdomen of the ipsilateral side. Ninety percent of the 41 SHT neurons responded exclusively (13) or preferentially (24) to noxious cutaneous stimuli. Thirteen of 27 (48%) examined units were activated by forceful distention of the bile duct. Response thresholds ranged from 30 to 40 mmHg. Responses incremented as pressures were increased to 50-80 mmHg. The axons of 22 of 28 (79%) examined SHT neurons appeared to cross the midline within the hypothalamus and terminate in the ipsilateral hypothalamus, thalamus or midbrain. The results indicate that SHT neurons in thoracic spinal cord of rats are capable of conveying somatic and visceral nociceptive information from the bile duct directly to targets at various levels of the brain bilaterally.
CNGA3 deficiency affects cone synaptic terminal structure and function and leads to secondary rod dysfunction and degeneration.

PURPOSE To investigate rod function and survival after cone dysfunction and degeneration in a mouse model of cone cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel deficiency. METHODS Rod function and survival in mice with cone CNG channel subunit CNGA3 deficiency (CNGA3-/- mice) were evaluated by electroretinographic (ERG), morphometric, and Western blot analyses. The arrangement, integrity, and ultrastructure of photoreceptor terminals were investigated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. RESULTS The authors found loss of cone function and cone death accompanied by impairment of rods and rod-driven signaling in CNGA3-/- mice. Scotopic ERG b-wave amplitudes were reduced by 15% at 1 month, 30% at 6 months, and 40% at 9 months and older, while scotopic a-wave amplitudes were decreased by 20% at 9 months, compared with ERGs of age-matched wild-type mice. Outer nuclear layer thickness in CNGA3-/- retina was reduced by 15% at 12 months compared with age-matched wild-type controls. This was accompanied by a 30%-40% reduction in expression of rod-specific proteins, including rhodopsin, rod transducin α-subunit, and glutamic acid-rich protein (GARP). Cone terminals in the CNGA3-/- retina showed a progressive loss of neurochemical and ultrastructural integrity. Abnormalities were observed as early as 1 month. Disorganized rod terminal ultrastructure was noted by 12 months. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate secondary rod impairment and degeneration after cone degeneration in mice with cone CNG channel deficiency. Loss of cone phototransduction accompanies the compromised integrity of cone terminals. With time, rod synaptic structure, function, and viability also become compromised.
California's Proposition 99 on tobacco, and its impact.

Tobacco consumption, especially in the form of cigarette smoking, continues toward the year 2000 as the great pestilence of the twentieth century. For people in the United States, it is the largest single preventable cause of mortality, now responsible for shortening about 400,000 lives each year, i.e. about one sixth of all deaths in the nation. Approximately one third of these deaths are from coronary heart disease; one third from lung cancer; and the remaining third mainly from other types of cancer, chronic lung disease, and stroke (32-42). Roughly the same situation prevails throughout the developed world and is spreading rapidly through the developing world (23). Recognition of the health devastation from tobacco use began in the 1930s. The biostatistician Raymond Pearl demonstrated that smoking was "statisti­ cally associated with an impairment of life duration" ( 18). Only in the late 1940s, however, did epidemiologists and other health scientists initiate the many substantial studies that led to the 1964 publication of the Surgeon­ General's Report, Smoking and Health (25). Even before that landmark document appeared, public health agencies had begun to accept tobacco consumption as a major public health problem and
Phenylpropanoid substituted flavan-3-ols from Trichilia catigua and their in vitro antioxidative activity

The new phenylpropanoid substituted flavan-3-ol apocynin E, together with eight known compounds, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin B4, procyanidin C1, cinchonain Ia, cinchonain Ib, cinchonain IIb, and cinchonain IIa were isolated from an acetone-H2O extract of the air-dried stem bark of Trichilia catigua. The cinchonain Ia e Ib were reevaluated to its estereochemistry. All the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) of their peracetate derivatives. The absolute configuration of the phenylpropanoid moiety was determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectra and by analyzing the anisotropic effects in the Dreiding model and nuclear Overhauser effect (NOESY NMR) experiments. The nine isolated compounds showed higher radical scavenging activity and reducing power than ascorbic acid and Trolox in the free-radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and Fe3+-Fe2+ reduction assay systems.
The internet and export marketing performance: The empirical link in export market ventures

Purpose – This study seeks to examine the empirical link in export market ventures of the relationship between the internet (when it is used for communication, networking, market research, sales, image enhancement, cost reduction and competitive advantage purposes) and export marketing performance.Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered via a self‐administered mail survey of Australian exporters. The sample consisted of 133 Australian firms coming from a wide cross‐section of industries.Findings – The findings indicate that, when the internet was used to achieve a competitive advantage for the firm and reduce the costs associated in doing international business, these uses of the internet were significant in discriminating between high and low export marketing performance. Furthermore, the international experience of the export venture's management was a significant factor in discriminating between high and low export marketing performance.Research limitations/implications – From a methodological.
Earnings management in corporate voting: evidence from anti-takeover charter amendments

AbstractEarnings management is examined around the time of proposals of antitakeover charter amendments. Overall, weak but statistically significant, negative abnormal accruals are found in the proposal year. The overall result appears to be driven by firms proposing restrictive charter amendments, which have strong negative abnormal accruals in the proposal year. The present interpretation is that executives of firms proposing restrictive amendments manage earnings opportunistically in that they defer income-decreasing accruals in the year prior to the amendment proposal to after the shareholders have voted on the amendment.