Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhanced production of branched‐chain fatty acids by replacing β‐ketoacyl‐(acyl‐carrier‐protein) synthase III (FabH)

Branched‐chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are important precursors for the production of advanced biofuels with improved cold‐flow properties. Previous efforts in engineering type II fatty acid synthase (FAS) for BCFA production suffered from low titers and/or the co‐production of a large amount of straight‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs), making it nearly impossible for further conversion of BCFAs to branched biofuels. Synthesis of both SCFAs and BCFAs requires FabH, the only β‐ketoacyl‐(acyl‐carrier‐protein) synthase in Escherichia coli that catalyzes the initial condensation reaction between malonyl‐ACP and a short‐chain acyl‐CoA. In this study, we demonstrated that replacement of the acetyl‐CoA‐specific E. coli FabH with a branched‐chain‐acyl‐CoA‐specific FabH directed the flux to the synthesis of BCFAs, resulting in a significant enhancement in BCFA titer compared to a strain containing both acetyl‐CoA‐ and branched‐chain‐acyl‐CoA‐specific FabHs. We further demonstrated that the composition of BCFAs can be tuned by engineering the upstream pathway to control the supply of different branched‐chain acyl‐CoAs, leading to the production either even‐chain‐iso‐, odd‐chain‐iso‐, or odd‐chain‐anteiso‐BCFAs separately. Overall, the top‐performing strain from this study produced BCFAs at 126 mg/L, comprising 52% of the total free fatty acids. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1613–1622. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Analysis of Brand Equity Components in the Context of Cultural Festivals

Abstract The objectives of this research are 1) to examine the tourist-based brand equity (TBBE) model for cultural festivals; 2) to analyze the components of brand equity in Loy Krathong Light and Candles Festival at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand. In order to verify the validity of the brand equity model for cultural festivals, the conceptual framework of this research was based on the concept of consumer- based brand equity model, namely, brand awareness, brand quality, brand association, brand image, brand loyalty, and brand experience. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 328 Thai tourists, and were analyzed by using the structural equation model. The results showed the correlation between the TBBE model and the empirical data with the significant level of 95. That is to say, brand awareness (BA) has a direct influence on brand quality (BQ) and brand association (BAS). Brand quality (BQ) has a direct influence on brand experience (BEx), and brand experience (BEx) has a direct influence on brand loyalty (BL). This research also found that brand experience (BEx) has an influence on the structure of brand equity for cultural festivals.
A robust finger pointing interaction in Intelligent Space

In this paper, we proposed a pointing interaction system which allows users to control devises in Intelligent Space by using hand pointing. This system consists of multiple camera devices and a pan-tilt projector. This system recognizes user's face, user's head orientation and a spot where user points with the camera devices. However, to achieve a real interaction, an intuitive feedback is required to let a user know what the Intelligent Space recognizes. We placed a pan-tilt projector in Intelligent Space and we developed an intuitive feedback method based on user's location. The experimental results show the performance and the validity of the proposed system in this paper.
Outpatient Management of Young Febrile Infants With Urinary Tract Infections

Objective Controversy exists regarding the disposition of young febrile infants who present to emergency departments (EDs) with urinary tract infections (UTIs). In a large multicenter cohort of such patients, we aimed to determine the variation in patient disposition and clinical factors independently associated with outpatient management. Methods Secondary analysis of a retrospective study of infants 29 to 60 days with fever (≥38.0°C), urinalysis finding, and culture-proven UTIs presenting to 20 North American EDs belonging to the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Collaborative Research Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We determined independent factors associated with outpatient management. Results Of 1764 infants with UTIs, 132 (7.5%) were discharged home from the ED. The proportion of infants managed as outpatients varied among sites (0%–20.0%). Of the 132 infants, 29 (22.0%) were subsequently hospitalized after culture results were known, including 5 patients with bacteremia. None of the 107 patients initially discharged from the ED for whom outcomes were known had adverse events (0%; 95% CI, 0%–2.7%). On multivariable regression and generalized estimated equations analyses, only clinical site, presence of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, absence of vomiting, and having fewer than 10 white blood cells per microliter on cerebrospinal fluid examination were independently associated with discharge from the ED. Clinical site was the factor most highly associated with outpatient management (odds ratio, 8.8; 95% confidence interval, 5.2–15.0). Conclusions There is substantial practice variation regarding the disposition of febrile infants 29 to 60 days of age with UTIs. Institutional practice is the strongest predictor of outpatient management. Further evidence is needed to guide the management of non–toxic-appearing young febrile infants with UTIs.
The Pricing Implications of the Oligopolistic Securities Lending Market: A Beneficial Owner Perspective

In the last decade, central bank interventions, flights to safety, and the shift in derivatives clearing resulted in exceptionally high demand for high quality liquid assets, such as German treasuries, in the securities lending market besides the traditional repo market activities. Despite the high demand, the realizable securities lending income has remained economically negligible for most beneficial owners. We provide empirical evidence of pricing inefficiencies in the non-transparent, oligopolistic securities lending market for German treasuries from 2006 to 2015. Consistent with Duffie, Gârleanu and Pedersen (2005)'s theory, we find that the less connected market participants' interests are underrepresented, evident in the longer maturity segment, where lenders are more likely to be conservative passive investors, such as pension funds and insurance firms. The low price elasticity in this segment hinders these beneficial owners to fully capitalize on the additional income from securities lending, giving rise to important negative welfare implications.
Matching Platforms and HIV Incidence: An Empirical Investigation of Race, Gender, and Socio-Economic Status

Although recent work has examined the adverse implications of Internet-enabled matching platforms, limited attention has been paid to whom the negative externalities accrue. We examine how the entry of platforms for the solicitation of casual sex influences the incidence rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Using a census of 12 million patients subjected to a natural experiment in Florida, we find a significant increase in HIV incidence after platform implementation, with the largest effect accruing to historically at-risk populations (i.e., African Americans) despite documented lower rates of Internet utilization. Strikingly, our analysis reveals that HIV incidence increases in historically low-risk populations as well (e.g., individuals of higher socioeconomic status) and that men and women experience similar penalties. Identifying granular effects across subpopulations allows us to offer additional insight into the mechanisms by which matching platforms increase HIV incidence. We estimate the cumulative effect of platform entry over the five-year period of the study as 1,149 additional Floridians contracting HIV at a cost of $710 million. This paper was accepted by Lorin Hitt, information systems .
COMMISSIONING OF THE DETECTION SYSTEM FOR A SUPERSONIC GAS-JETS BASED TRANSVERSE BEAM PROFILE MONITOR *

We present the commissioning results of the MicroChannel-Plate (MCP) based, ion extraction and detection system currently in use for an experimental test stand aimed at demonstrating the operation of a leastinterceptive transverse beam profile monitor based on a planar supersonic gas jet. This monitoring design features least-interceptive operation under excellent vacuum conditions and provides fast acquisition of a bidimensional transverse profile. It bears application for ultra-low energy particle beams at future storage rings, but also for e.g. linacs at high currents and light source injectors. For instance, the Ultra-low energy Storage Ring (USR), part of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Germany will store antiprotons at energies of 20-300 keV. In this contribution, we report numerical simulations and experimental results obtained by calibration of the detection system with a low energy electron beam to demonstrate a 1 mm imaging resolution only limited by recoiling ion drift.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of the Interaction between TRAP (trp RNA-binding Attenuation Protein) of Bacillus subtilis and trp Leader RNA (*)

In Bacillus subtilis, expression of the tryptophan biosynthetic genes is regulated in response to tryptophan by an RNA-binding protein called TRAP (trp RNA-binding attenuation protein). TRAP has been shown to contain 11 identical subunits arranged in a symmetrical ring. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the interaction between tryptophan-activated TRAP and trp leader RNA were studied. Results from glycerol gradients and mobility shift gels indicate that two TRAP 11-mers bind to each trp leader RNA. A filter binding assay was used to determine an apparent binding constant of 8.0 ± 1.3 × 10M (K = 0.12 ± 0.02 nM) for TRAP and an RNA containing residues +36 to +92 of the trp leader RNA in 1 mML-tryptophan at 37°C. The temperature dependence of K was somewhat unexpected demonstrating that the ΔH of the interaction is highly unfavorable at +15.9 kcal mol. Therefore, the interaction is completely driven by a ΔS of +97 cal mol K. The interaction between tryptophan-activated TRAP and trp leader RNA displayed broad salt and pH activity profiles. Finally, the rate of RNA dissociation from the RNA•TRAP•tryptophan ternary complex was found to be very slow in high concentrations of tryptophan (>40 μM) but increased in lower tryptophan concentrations. This suggests that dissociation of tryptophan from the ternary complex is the rate-limiting step in RNA dissociation.
Turning European new technology-based firms into "gazelles": the role of public (and private) venture capital

In this work, we compare sales, employees and total assets growth of Venture Capital (VC)-backed and non VC-backed New Technology-Based Firms (NTBFs). Our focus is on the type of investor, and in particular on the treatment effect that public venture capitalists (PUVCs), further distinguished into governmental and university funds, exert on the growth performances of European NTBFs. We consider a unique and recently constituted longitudinal dataset composed of 8391 NTBFs from seven European countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK) and observed from 1984 (or subsequent foundation year) to 2009. The results of econometric estimates indicate that overall NTBFs financed by PUVCs underperform with respect to firms invested by private venture capitalists (PRVCs) in terms of growth (of any type), but that the impact of PUVC is still positive and significant when it comes from governmental rather than university sources and it is provided to very young NTBFs. This evidence highlights that “hands-on” governmental intervention in the venture capital market can be extremely valuable for NTBFs in the early stages of their lives.
Distinct biochemical mechanisms for cAMP‐dependent transcription of CYP17 and CYP21

Optimal steroidogenic capacity in the adrenal cortex is regulated by ACTH via cAMP and involves transcription of the genes encoding the adrenocortical steroid hydroxylases. The microsomal steroid hydroxylases, P45017α and P450C21, are encoded by CYP17 and CYP21, respectively. These genes are thought to have arisen from a common progenitor gene and are coordinately regulated by ACTH. The cAMP responsive sequences (CRS) located in the 5′‐flanking regions of these genes are distinct from one another and from known consensus sequences imparting cAMP responsiveness in other genes. The CYP21 CRS binds a putative adrenal‐specific nuclear protein. In contrast, the CYP17 CRSI binds a ubiquitous protein that is apparently active only in steroidogenic cells. Thus the ACTH‐dependent transcription of these two genes, which have a common evolutionary origin and are coordinately expressed in the adrenal cortex, involves distinct biochemical mechanisms. —Zanger, U. M. ; Kagawa, M. ; Lund, J.; Waterman, M. R. Distinct biochemical mechanisms for cAMP‐dependent transcription of CYP17 and CYP21. FASEB J. 6: 719‐723; 1992.
Effects of Increasing Availability of Wine and Spirits in Norway

S. Nordlund: Effects of increasing availability of wine and spirits in Norway During the 1990s the monopoly on wine and spirits sales in Norway lost popular support. In 1998 the management of the monopoly therefore launched a plan for regaining popularity by increasing the number of retail outlets and introduce self service in the shops. Surveys since 1990 show that the negative trend really changed around the turn of the millennium, and the monopoly system has regained most of its popular support since then. A crucial question is then: Has the increased availability of wine and spirits resulted in increasing alcohol consumption? Data from two surveys, one in 1999 and one in 2004, are used to answer this question. According to these data the total alcohol consumption increased during this period, but only in the municipalities that had a monopoly shop before 1999, i.e. in municipalities that were not expected to be influenced by the increasing availability. This increase was mainly due to increased consumption of beer and spirits. In the municipalities that were influenced by the new monopoly shops during this period, there was a decrease in consumption of spirits. This was due to a sharp decrease in the consumption of “moonshine”, while the consumption of spirits from the monopoly shops increased. These results are in accordance with previous studies of short term (one year) effects in particular municipalities where a new monopoly shop was opened.
In vivo determination of prostatic zinc: phantom feasibility study

This paper describes a phantom-based feasibility study for a potential in vivo determination of zinc in prostate, which could bring about improved diagnosis of prostate cancer. An x-ray fluorescence topographic technique was developed, which will permit determination of the Zn content in the prostate through the rectum, namely behind a 2–3 mm thick layer of the rectal wall. The topographic approach, together with a reconstruction method developed here, minimizes the interference of Zn from non-prostatic tissue. The phantom studies show that it will be possible to determine Zn in a prostatic compartment behind a few mm thick layer of tissue using a specially designed transrectal probe. Such a probe is currently under development in our laboratories.
Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane Model as a Preclinical Tool for Nanoparticles Biology Study

A long medical history of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model (CAM) and its major advantages (e.g. high-vascularized membrane, immunodeficiency, easy handling, quick and inexpensive) explain their expanding utility in many fields like cancer research, angiogenesis, tissue morphogenesis, toxicology studies, etc. Our in vivo study examined the biocompatibility and the embolic potential of the aqueous dispersion of the Fe3O4/salicylic acid magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with various diameters, and also the utility of the CAM model in the nanoparticles design and toxicity evaluation. The MNPs were synthesized by modified Massart method and characterized with Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) in order to establish their hydrodynamic diameter range (< 50, 50-100, and > 100 nm). All MNPs dispersions were intravenous administered into CAM vessels and their biological properties evaluated with/without magnetic targeting for establish the embolic risk. The results showed that the 50-100 nm diameter range MNPs had no embolic risk, and a safety intravenous administration. Tissue MNPs deposits were biocompatible with embryos and chicken. These results validate the CAM as a suitable model to provide remarkable information about real-time visualization of MNPs intravascular behavior and properties.
Business model innovation in incubators: the role played by dynamic capabilities theory

This conceptual paper focuses on a review of the literature based on 61 articles. It shows the adjusted transferability of the business model tool resulting in the strategic guidance of public business incubators, particularly in terms of their search for new competitive advantage. By making use of dynamic capability theory, this study reveals that the entrepreneurial behavior of the public actors in business support has led them to rethink their business model. This model allows them to boost their performances in an industry that is becoming increasingly competitive thanks to the use of new opportunities. The originality of this research lies in its use of a tool traditionally devoted to businesses, the business model, for organizations for the most part financed through public funds, business incubators.
Mimicking the natural doping of migrant sandpipers in sedentary quails: effects of dietary n-3 fatty acids on muscle membranes and PPAR expression

SUMMARY Wild semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) eat n-3 fatty acids to prime their muscles for long migrations. Sedentary bobwhite quails (Colinus virginianus) were used as a model to investigate the mechanisms for this natural doping. Our goal was to characterize the stimulating effects of n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on oxidative capacity. Mechanisms linked to changes in membrane composition and in gene expression for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) were investigated. Dietary n-3 fatty acids stimulated the activities of oxidative enzymes by 58–90% (citrate synthase, cytochrome oxidase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase and hydroxyacyl dehydrogenase), and sedentary quails showed the same changes in membrane composition as sandpipers preparing for migration. EPA and DHA have the same doping effect. The substitution of n-6 arachidonic acid by n-3 EPA in membrane phospholipids plays an important role in mediating the metabolic effects of the diet, but results provide no significant support for the involvement of PPARs (as determined by changes in gene expression). The fatty acid composition of mitochondrial membranes and sarcoplasmic reticulum can be monitored by measuring total muscle phospholipids because all phospholipids are equally affected by diet. Only extreme regimes of endurance training can lead to increments in oxidative capacity matching those induced here by diet. As they prepare for long migrations, semipalmated sandpipers improve their physical fitness by eating! Choosing n-3 fatty acid doping over endurance training strikes us as a better strategy to boost aerobic capacity when rapid storage of energy is critical.
Does coercive pressure improve construction quality? The mediating role of organizational learning

Combining institutional theory and organizational learning theory, the article develops a conceptual model which describes the relationships among coercive pressure, organizational learning, and construction quality. Data were then collected via 268 valid questionnaires from construction firms located in Taiyuan in central China. Hypotheses in the conceptual model were tested with structural equation modeling. The empirical results reveal that: (1) coercive pressure has a significant positive impact on organizational learning; (2) organizational learning has a significant positive impact on construction quality; (3) organizational learning mediates the relationship between coercive pressure and construction quality. The empirical results may provide implications for Chinese construction firms aiming at improve construction quality.
Circulating Heparan Sulfate Fragments Attenuate Histone-Induced Lung Injury Independently of Histone Binding

ABSTRACT Extracellular histones are cationic damage-associated molecular pattern molecules capable of directly inducing cellular injury via charge-mediated interactions with plasma membranes. Accordingly, histones released into the plasma during critical illness are known to contribute to the onset and propagation of lung injury. Vascular injury (with consequent degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx) simultaneously releases anionic heparan sulfate fragments (hexa- to octasaccharides in size) into the plasma. It is unknown whether this endogenous release of heparan sulfate fragments modulates charge-dependent histone cytotoxicity, or if exogenous heparan sulfate fragments could therapeutically attenuate histone-induced lung injury. Using isothermic calorimetry, we found that extracellular histones only bind to heparan sulfate fragments ≥ 10 saccharides in size, suggesting that glycocalyx-derived heparan sulfate hexa/octasaccharides are incapable of intercepting/neutralizing circulating histones. However, we found that even heparan sulfate fragments incapable of histone binding (e.g., tetrasaccharides) attenuated histone-induced lung injury in vivo, suggesting a direct, size-independent protective effect of heparan sulfate. We found that histones had no effect on human neutrophils ex vivo but exerted toll-like receptor-independent cytotoxicity on human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. This cytotoxicity could be prevented by either the addition of negatively charged (i.e., highly sulfated) heparan sulfate tetrasaccharides (incapable of binding histones) or decasaccharides (capable of binding histones). Taken together, our findings suggest that heparan sulfate oligosaccharides may directly exert pulmonary endothelial-protective effects that attenuate histone-mediated lung injury.
KSGal6ST Is Essential for the 6-Sulfation of Galactose within Keratan Sulfate in Early Postnatal Brain

Keratan sulfate (KS) comprises repeating disaccharides of galactose (Gal) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Residues of Gal and GlcNAc in KS are potentially modified with sulfate at their C-6 positions. The 5D4 monoclonal antibody recognizes KS structures containing Gal and GlcNAc, both 6-sulfated, and has been used most extensively to evaluate KS expression in mammalian brains. We previously showed that GlcNAc6ST1 is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the 5D4 epitope in developing brain and in the adult brain, where it is induced after injury. It has been unclear which sulfotransferase is responsible for Gal-6-sulfation within the 5D4 KS epitope in developing brains. We produced mice deficient in KSGal6ST, a Gal-6-sulfotransferase. Western blotting and immunoprecipitation revealed that all 5D4-immunoreactivity to proteins, including phosphacan, were abolished in KSGal6ST-deficient postnatal brains. Likewise, the 5D4 epitope, expressed primarily in the cortical marginal zone and subplate and dorsal thalamus, was eliminated in KSGal6ST-deficient mice. Disaccharide analysis showed the loss of Gal-6-sulfate in KS of the KSGal6ST-deficient brains. Transfection studies revealed that GlcNAc6ST1 and KSGal6ST cooperated in the expression of the 5D4 KS epitope in HeLa cells. These results indicate that KSGal6ST is essential for C-6 sulfation of Gal within KS in early postnatal brains.