Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sporulation and Enterotoxin Production by Clostridium perfringens Type A at 37 and 43 ° C

Clostridium perfringens is a spore-forming bacterium that is perhaps the most widely distributed pathogenic bacterium in the environment. It has an optimal growth temperature of 43 to 45°C (14), at which it has one of the shortest generation times shown by any microorganism (14, 29). Human food poisoning produced by C. perfringens is due to an enterotoxin which is produced during sporulation of the organism in the small intestine following ingestion of large numbers of vegetative cells (14). Although many Bacillus and Clostridium species sporulate satisfactorily at their optimal growth temperatures, two reports have indicated that C. perfringens is unable to sporulate at its optimal growth temperature (13, 15). Those experiments were carried out using sporulation media with starch as the main carbohydrate source. However, recently we found that many enterotoxin-positive (ENT') strains were not able to hydrolyze starch at temperatures above 43°C and that the organism could not grow well under these conditions (7). Several conditions during sporulation can influence the resistance of spores (18, 24, 28). Craven recently reported that during the sporulation of C. perfringens the pH of the environment can alter the heat resistance of the spores (3). Also, it has been shown for other spore-forming bacteria that the heat resistance of spores is enhanced as sporulation temperature is increased within a specific range (12, 19, 20, 30). For C. perfringens, Rey et al. (23) reported that incubation temperature did not alter the heat resistance of spores when they were produced and heated in cooked meat medium. In addition to starch, several other carbohydrates and substances have been shown to support sporulation and enterotoxin production of C. perfringens at 37°C (10, 16, 17, 26). In this work we investigated the sporulation, spore heat tolerance, and enterotoxin production of C. perfringens type A at 43°C cultured in a sporulation medium containing raffinose as the principal carbohydrate. Cultural conditions. The following C. perfringens strains were used: NCTC 10240, FD-1, ATCC 3624, FD-1041, and FD-884. Strains FD-1041, FD-884, and NCTC 10240 are ENT'. Strains ATCC 3624 and FD-1 are enterotoxin negative (ENT-). All strains were maintained as sporulated stock cultures in Robertson cooked meat broth (31) at -20°C. Inocula were prepared as previously described (7) and used
A hierarchical conditional random field model for labeling and classifying images of man-made scenes

Semantic scene interpretation as a collection of meaningful regions in images is a fundamental problem in both photogrammetry and computer vision. Images of man-made scenes exhibit strong contextual dependencies in the form of spatial and hierarchical structures. In this paper, we introduce a hierarchical conditional random field to deal with the problem of image classification by modeling spatial and hierarchical structures. The probability outputs of an efficient randomized decision forest classifier are used as unary potentials. The spatial and hierarchical structures of the regions are integrated into pairwise potentials. The model is built on multi-scale image analysis in order to aggregate evidence from local to global level. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method using images from eTRIMS dataset, where our focus is the object classes building, car, door, pavement, road, sky, vegetation, and window.
Positive (gratitude, eudaimonia) and negative (scarcity, costs) determinants of water conservation behaviour / Determinantes positivos (gratitud, eudaimonia) y negativos (escasez, costos) del ahorro de agua

Abstract The aim of this study was to test a self-reported structural model of water conservation, estimating its relationships with measures of gratitude, eudaimonia, costs as environmental conservation requirements and water scarcity/shortage. Responses were analysed from a purposive sample of 107 participants, mainly university students from Hermosillo, Mexico. Univariate statistics were obtained along with the internal consistency of the measures in order to test the model, which adequately fit the data and explained 11% of variance in water conservation. Eudaimonia had a positive and direct effect on this behaviour, with no other direct effects found. Furthermore, eudaimonia was significantly affected by gratitude and water scarcity/shortage. Costs as requirements of environmental conservation were not associated with the rest of the variables. These results suggest that eudaimonia operates as a promoter of water conservation.
Coordinated placement and replacement for large-scale distributed caches

In a large-scale information system such as a digital library or the World Wide Web, a set of distributed caches can improve their effectiveness by coordinating their data placement decisions. Using simulation, we examine three practical cooperative placement algorithms, including one that is provably close to optimal, and we compare these algorithms to the optimal placement algorithm and several cooperative and non-cooperative replacement algorithms. We draw five conclusions from these experiments: (1) cooperative placement can significantly improve performance compared to local replacement algorithms, particularly when the size of individual caches is limited compared to the universe of objects; (2) although the Amortized Placement algorithm is only guaranteed to be within 14 times the optimal, in practice it seems to provide an excellent approximation of the optimal; (3) in a cooperative caching scenario, the GreedyDual local replacement algorithm performs much better than the other local replacement algorithms; (4) our Hierarchical GreedyDual replacement algorithm yields further improvements over the GreedyDual algorithm, especially when there are idle caches in the system; and (5) a key challenge to coordinated placement algorithms is generating good predictions of access patterns based on past accesses.
A kinetic study of pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase from potato tubers. Application to a microassay of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate.

Pyrophosphate : fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PPi-PFK) has been purified 150-fold from potato tubers and the kinetic properties of the purified enzyme have been investigated both in the forward and the reverse direction. Saturation curves for fructose 6-phosphate and also for fructose 1,6-bisphosphate were sigmoidal whereas those for PPi and Pi were hyperbolic. In the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, the affinity for fructose 6-phosphate and for fructose 1,6-bisphosphate were greatly increased and the kinetics became Michaëlian. The effect of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was increased by the presence of fructose 6-phosphate and decreased by the presence of Pi. Consequently, the Ka for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was as low as 5 nM for the forward reaction and reached 150 nM for the reverse reaction. On the basis of these properties, a procedure allowing one to measure fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in amounts lower than a picomole, is described.
Joint Adaptive Redundancy and Partial Retransmission for Reliable Transmission in Wireless Sensor Networks

As a potentially competitive technique, erasure coding has been employed in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to enhance transmission reliability. In this paper, to design a practical and efficient redundancy mechanism in WSNs, we firstly provide a theoretical study of packet delivery probability and average energy consumption for retransmission and redundancy mechanisms. The theoretical results indicate that in WSNs, the adaptive redundancy coding mechanism is more energy efficient than retransmission while keeping the same level of reliability in most scenarios. Then based on the mapping table and two basic design principles obtained from the theoretical analysis, we propose a reliable transport protocol ARRTP which combines the adaptive redundancy mechanism and partial retransmission. The simulation and trace-driven results both verify that when the loss probability varies from low to high, our protocol provides reliability with comparably lower energy consumption. Furthermore, compared with fixed redundancy degrees, the robustness of the adaptive mechanism are also evaluated.
Cellular Neuroscience

Fast oscillatory activity in the anterior cingulate cortex: dopaminergic modulation and effect of perineuronal net loss Dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in cognitive function such as working memory, attention and planning. Dopamine exerts complex modulation on excitability of pyramidal neurons and interneurons, and regulates excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. Because of the complexity of this modulation, it is difficult to fully comprehend the effect of dopamine on neuronal network activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of dopamine on local high-frequency oscillatory neuronal activity (in β band) in slices of the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We found that dopamine enhanced the power of these oscillations induced by kainate and carbachol, but did not affect their peak frequency. Activation of D2R and in a lesser degree D1R increased the oscillation power, while activation of D4R had no effect. These high-frequency oscillations in the ACC relied on both phasic inhibitory and excitatory transmission and functional gap junctions. Thus, dopamine released in the ACC promotes high-frequency synchronized local cortical activity which is known to favor information transfer, fast selection and binding of distributed neuronal responses. Finally, the power of these oscillations was significantly enhanced after degradation of the perineuronal nets (PNNs) enwrapping most parvalbumin interneurons. This study provides new insights for a better understanding of the abnormal prefrontal gamma activity in schizophrenia (SZ) patients who display prefrontal anomalies of both the dopaminergic system and the PNNs.
Computer-assisted English vowel learning system for Japanese speakers using cross language formant structures

We present a novel Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) system for Japanese students who learn English as a second language. We regard formant structure of Japanese vowels pronounced by Japanese learners of English as their own formant structure. This structure is transformed to learner’s ideal English formant structure based on the relationship between English and Japanese articulation charts both of which are corresponded with formant structure. When the learners’ English pronunciation is input, it is compared with the estimated ideal one, and articulatory instructions are given. We verified that the mapping and estimation of English vowel parameters are correct with bilingual speakers’ speech and observed the learning effect with five students who tried the system.
Small-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx: Report of a Rare Case Lacking Association With Epstein-Barr Virus

Only 2 cases of nasopharyngeal small cell carcinoma have been reported. Another case of this rare type of nasopharyngeal tumor confirmed by immunopositivity for CD56, synaptophysin, and chromogranin A is described in this study. The tumor was also negative for cytokeratin (CK) 20 and thyroid transcription factor-1. Clinical investigation did not find any primary tumor in other anatomic sites. Therefore, this case was established as a primary nasopharyngeal small cell carcinoma. Epstein-Barr virus was shown to be absent by Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA in situ hybridization study in this case, which further distinguished it from conventional nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Clinical features of this case and 2 previously reported cases are compared. They do not differ from conventional nasopharyngeal carcinoma in clinical presentation, but the prognosis seems to be worse. More cases are needed to confirm the observation and for understanding the clinical behavior of this rare type of nasopharyngeal tumor.
Minimum energy point tracking for sub-threshold digital CMOS circuits using an in-situ energy sensor

The design of an energy sensor and a minimum energy point tracking algorithm are presented. When synthesized with standard cells in a 0. 13μm CMOS process, the tracking algorithm requires 2021 gates (0.008mm2), which consume 32μW when clocked at 100MHz. The proposed energy sensor operates by integrating the voltage drop across a power gating device. A digitally-assisted integrator ensures a wide dynamic range. When operated from a 1.2V supply, the sensor dissipates only 80μW, which is further reduced by a comparator-sharing scheme. The sensor has a resolution of 10fJ and can resolve 0.0025 activity changes in a 0.7MHz bandwidth.
Power-aware QoS routing for wireless multimedia sensor networks

Meeting quality of service(QoS) is a challenging task in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks(WMSNs). In this paper, a new power-aware QoS routing protocol for WMSNs is proposed, which uses local information in choosing the next hop. For real-time communication, we consider both delay at the sender node and queuing delay at the receiver, and try to reach the latency requirements by minimizing the hop counts for a packet needed to be transferred towards the sink. In order to achieve reliability requirements and energy efficiency, each node dynamically adjusts it's transmission power and chooses nodes which have less remaining hops towards the sink. We consider the history of the packet in order to update these requirements at each hop. A load balancing approach is used to increase lifetime and avoid congestion. Simulation results shows that our protocol can support QoS with less energy consumption.
Evaluating protein structures determined by structural genomics consortia

Structural genomics projects are providing large quantities of new 3D structural data for proteins. To monitor the quality of these data, we have developed the protein structure validation software suite (PSVS), for assessment of protein structures generated by NMR or X‐ray crystallographic methods. PSVS is broadly applicable for structure quality assessment in structural biology projects. The software integrates under a single interface analyses from several widely‐used structure quality evaluation tools, including PROCHECK (Laskowski et al., J Appl Crystallog 1993;26:283–291), MolProbity (Lovell et al., Proteins 2003;50:437–450), Verify3D (Luthy et al., Nature 1992;356:83–85), ProsaII (Sippl, Proteins 1993;17: 355–362), the PDB validation software, and various structure‐validation tools developed in our own laboratory. PSVS provides standard constraint analyses, statistics on goodness‐of‐fit between structures and experimental data, and knowledge‐based structure quality scores in standardized format suitable for database integration. The analysis provides both global and site‐specific measures of protein structure quality. Global quality measures are reported as Z scores, based on calibration with a set of high‐resolution X‐ray crystal structures. PSVS is particularly useful in assessing protein structures determined by NMR methods, but is also valuable for assessing X‐ray crystal structures or homology models. Using these tools, we assessed protein structures generated by the Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium and other international structural genomics projects, over a 5‐year period. Protein structures produced from structural genomics projects exhibit quality score distributions similar to those of structures produced in traditional structural biology projects during the same time period. However, while some NMR structures have structure quality scores similar to those seen in higher‐resolution X‐ray crystal structures, the majority of NMR structures have lower scores. Potential reasons for this “structure quality score gap” between NMR and X‐ray crystal structures are discussed. Proteins 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mutational Analysis of Active Site Residues Essential for Sensing of Organic Hydroperoxides by Bacillus subtilis OhrR

ABSTRACT Bacillus subtilis OhrR is the prototype for the one-Cys family of organic peroxide-sensing regulatory proteins. Mutational analyses indicate that the high sensitivity of the active site cysteine (C15) to peroxidation requires three Tyr residues. Y29 and Y40 from the opposing subunit of the functional dimer hydrogen bond with the reactive Cys thiolate, and substitutions at these positions reduce or eliminate the ability of OhrR to respond to organic peroxides. Y19 is also critical for peroxide sensing, and the Ala substitution mutant (OhrR Y19A) is less susceptible to oxidation at the active site C15 in vivo. The Y19A protein also displays decreased sensitivity to peroxide-mediated oxidation in vitro. Y19 is in van der Waals contact with two residues critical for protein function, F16 and R23. The latter residue makes critical contact with the DNA backbone in the OhrR-operator complex. These results indicate that the high sensitivity of the OhrR C15 residue to oxidation requires interactions with the opposed Tyr residues. Oxidative modification of C15 likely disrupts the C15-Y29′-Y40′ hydrogen bond network and thereby initiates conformational changes that reduce the ability of OhrR to bind to its operator site.
Exploring the impacts of P2P networks on the entertainment industry

Any solution that will solve the problem the entertainment industry is currently facing will need to address the underlying theme in the decline of self‐policing and morally acceptable behavior in terms of intellectual rights. It has become a norm to download music off the Internet and transfer them onto compact discs (CDs) without compensating the artist who created the music or the firms that created, packaged, promoted, and distributed the music materials. Within the repackaged application will be technology that will allow the consumer to sample the product as well as make a purchase instantly over the Internet. This will benefit the entertainment industry in several ways: expanding the number of distribution channels (providing greater reach); utilizing the P2P‐related networks to their advantage rather than disadvantage (providing greater richness); opening international markets with relative ease; and providing faster delivery times and the ability to provide a much richer content than what is currently offered. Through a succession of models, the basic conclusion is that the Internet plays a much more important role with regards the entertainment industry than currently believed. Although the artists should rightfully be compensated for their artistic talents, it is time that a new model is created to compensate them, since the existing model is not going to work due to the inadequacies of the current distribution channels that are being used by the entertainment industry.
Arithmetic fake projective spaces and arithmetic fake grassmannians

We show that if n>5, PU(n-1,1) does not contain a cocompact arithmetic subgroup with the same Euler-Poincare characteristic (in the sense of C.T.C. Wall) as the complex projective space of dimension n-1, and show that if n=5, there are at least four such subgroups, which are in fact torsion-free. This, in particular, leads to examples of a fake projective space of dimension 4. Analogous results for arithmetic fake grassmannians Gr(m,n) with n>3 odd are also obtained.
The past, the present and the person : an exploration of the use of reminiscence-based activities as a catalyst for learning in later life

This study explores the ways in which learning might take place in a reminiscence group for older people who are moving towards the end of life. The overall aim was to seek a greater understanding of the processes underpinning reminiscence groups as well as the benefits - to individuals and the wider community - of such learning opportunities. This is a piece of practitioner research with the author combining the roles of facilitator of the themed reminiscence groups and observer. The study used a qualitative methodological approach from a social constructivist perspective, relying on observation and follow-up individual interviews to build ‘cases’ of the learning journeys of seven participants. The findings suggest that reminiscence is a potentially useful route to and catalyst for learning about the self and others, with the thesis being structured around the four main research questions which focus on whether learning is taking place, its nature, and the potential outcomes and benefits of such learning to both individual participants and wider society. The study, situated within what is recognized as ‘an ageing society’, hopes to demonstrate the value of learning through group reminiscing in later life and provide encouragement to local councils and their Adult Education teams (the predominant providers of such programmes in the UK) to continue to fund and support such activities. Furthermore, the insights gained make a potential contribution to wider understandings of the individual and social benefits of informal education for older adults in ways which may be useful to policy-makers seeking to promote the wellbeing of an ageing population.
Fascin-1 Promoter Activity Is Regulated by CREB and the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Human Carcinoma Cells

Background Fascin is an actin-bundling protein that is absent from most normal epithelia yet is upregulated in multiple forms of human carcinoma, where its expression correlates clinically with a poor prognosis. How fascin-1 transcription is activated in carcinoma cells is largely unknown, although the hypothesis of regulation by β-catenin signaling has received attention. The question is important because of the clinical significance of fascin expression in human carcinomas. Methodology/Principal Findings Through comparative genomics we made an unbiased analysis of the DNA sequence of the fascin-1 promoter region from six mammalian species. We identified two regions in which highly conserved motifs are concentrated. Luciferase promoter reporter assays for the human fascin-1 promoter were carried out in fascin-positive and -negative human breast and colon carcinoma cells, and in human dermal fibroblasts that are constitutively fascin-positive. In all fascin-positive cells, the region −219/+114 that contains multiple highly conserved motifs had strong transcriptional activity. The region −2953/−1582 appeared to contain repressor activity. By examining the effects of single or multiple point mutations of conserved motifs within the −219/+114 region on transcriptional reporter activity, we identified for the first time that the conserved CREB and AhR binding motifs are major determinants of transcriptional activity in human colon carcinoma cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitations for CREB, AhR or β-catenin from extracts from fascin-positive or -negative human colon carcinoma cells identified that CREB and AhR specifically associate with the −219/+114 region of the FSCN1 promoter in fascin-positive colon carcinoma cells. An association of β-catenin was not specific to fascin-positive cells. Conclusion Upregulation of fascin-1 in aggressive human carcinomas appears to have a multi-factorial basis. The data identify novel roles for CREB and AhR as major, specific regulators of FSCN-1 transcription in human carcinoma cells but do not support the hypothesis that β-catenin signaling has a central role.