Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts with well shaped platinum particles to control reaction selectivity

Colloidal and sol-gel procedures have been used to prepare heterogeneous catalysts consisting of platinum metal particles with narrow size distributions and well defined shapes dispersed on high-surface-area silica supports. The overall procedure was developed in three stages. First, tetrahedral and cubic colloidal metal particles were prepared in solution by using a procedure derived from that reported by El-Sayed and coworkers [Ahmadi TS, Wang ZL, Green TC, Henglein A, El-Sayed MA (1996) Science 272:1924–1926]. This method allowed size and shape to be controlled independently. Next, the colloidal particles were dispersed onto high-surface-area solids. Three approaches were attempted: (i) in situ reduction of the colloidal mixture in the presence of the support, (ii) in situ sol-gel synthesis of the support in the presence of the colloidal particles, and (iii) direct impregnation of the particles onto the support. Finally, the resulting catalysts were activated and tested for the promotion of carbon–carbon double-bond cis-trans isomerization reactions in olefins. Our results indicate that the selectivity of the reaction may be controlled by using supported catalysts with appropriate metal particle shapes.
The DNA‐dependent protein kinase: the director at the end

Summary: Efficient repair of DNA double‐strand breaks is essential for the maintenance of chromosomal integrity. In higher eukaryotes, non‐homologous end‐joining (NHEJ) DNA is the primary pathway that repairs these breaks. NHEJ also functions in developing lymphocytes to repair strand breaks that occur during V(D)J recombination, the site‐specific recombination process that provides for the assembly of functional antigen‐receptor genes. If V(D)J recombination is impaired, B‐ and T‐lymphocyte development is blocked resulting in severe combined immunodeficiency disease. In the last decade, an intensive research effort has focused on NHEJ resulting in a reasonable understanding of how double‐strand breaks are resolved. Six distinct gene products have been identified that function in this pathway (Ku70, Ku86, XRCC4, DNA ligase IV, Artemis, and DNA‐PKcs). Three of these comprise one complex, the DNA‐dependent protein kinase (DNA‐PK). This protein complex is central during NHEJ, because DNA‐PK initially recognizes and binds to the damaged DNA and then targets the other repair activities to the site of DNA damage. In this review, we discuss recent developments that have provided insight into how DNA‐PK functions, once bound to DNA ends.
The roles of the multiple CheW and CheA homologues in chemotaxis and in chemoreceptor localization in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Rhodobacter sphaeroides has multiple homologues of most of the Escherichia coli chemotaxis genes, organized in two major operons and other, unlinked, loci. These include cheA1 and cheW1 (che Op1) and cheA2, cheW2 and cheW3 (che Op2). We have deleted each of these cheA and cheW homologues in‐frame and examined the chemosensory behaviour of these strains on swarm plates and in tethered cell assays. In addition, we have examined the effect of these deletions on the polar localization of the chemoreceptor McpG. In E. coli, deletion of either cheA or cheW results in a non‐chemotactic phenotype, and these strains also show no receptor clustering. Here, we demonstrate that CheW2 and CheA2 are required for the normal localization of McpG and for normal chemotactic responses under both aerobic and photoheterotrophic conditions. Under aerobic conditions, deletion of cheW3 has no significant effect on McpG localization and only has an effect on chemotaxis to shallow gradients in swarm plates. Under photoheterotrophic conditions, however, CheW3 is required for McpG localization and also for chemotaxis both on swarm plates and in the tethered cell assay. These phenotypes are not a direct result of delocalization of McpG, as this chemoreceptor does not mediate chemotaxis to any of the compounds tested and can therefore be considered a marker for general methyl‐accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP) clustering. Thus, there is a correlation between the normal localization of McpG (and presumably other chemoreceptors) and chemotaxis. We propose a model in which the multiple different MCPs in R. sphaeroides are contained within a polar chemoreceptor cluster. Deletion of cheW2 and cheA2 under both aerobic and photoheterotrophic conditions, and cheW3 under photoheterotrophic conditions, disrupts the cluster and hence reduces chemotaxis to any compound sensed by these MCPs.
DEMOCRACY ’ S DIMENSIONS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

It has become customary in both the political economy and the political science literature to define democracy in terms of a single dimension, the political rights or free and fair elections dimension. In this paper, we discuss two additional dimensions, civil liberties and legitimacy, as well as important economic implications of all three dimensions. By including the civil liberties dimension the often cited conclusion of recent empirical literature that there is no causal effect between democracy and development is thrown into question. By including the legitimacy dimension, calls for the use of the analytical narratives approach to understand growth by economists and democracy by political scientists is supported. Finally, an application of these ideas to the recent Honduran political crisis illustrates how these additional dimensions are necessary to understand the evolution of democracy in a specific historical context that befuddled pundits, governments and international organizations.
Knowledge and awareness of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among Canadians 55 to 74 years of age: results from the Canadian Heart Health Surveys, 1986-1992.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in older people, who account for an increasing proportion of Canada's population. Knowledge and awareness of risk factors is essential for changes in behaviour, yet little is known about these issues in older people. The Canadian Heart Health Surveys database provides a unique resource to examine knowledge and awareness of cardiovascular risk factors in older Canadians. METHODS This descriptive cross-sectional study used data from the Canadian provinces' Heart Health Surveys, for the years 1986 to 1992. Sampling within each province consisted of stratified, 2-stage, replicated probability samples; 4976 people 55 to 74 years of age were included in the present analysis. Knowledge and awareness of cardiovascular risk factors was determined from the survey question "Can you tell me what are the major causes of heart disease or heart problems? " Blood pressure was measured during a home visit; anthropometric and blood measurements were obtained during a clinic visit. Cardiovascular health status was determined by self-reporting. RESULTS Smoking and stress or worry were mentioned as major causes of heart disease by the greatest proportion of participants (41% and 44% respectively); hypertension was mentioned by only 16%. Men and women did not differ in their awareness of high blood cholesterol (cited by 23% of participants), smoking (41%), excess weight (30%) or lack of exercise (28%) as causes of heart disease. A greater proportion of women than men were aware of hypertension (19% v. 12%) and heredity (31% v. 17%) as major causes of heart disease. Awareness of risk factors was consistently lower in the older age group (65-74 v. 55-64 years). Among women, there was greater awareness of the respective risk factors as causes of heart disease among those who were smokers (60% v. 35% of nonsmokers), those who had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater (38% v. 24% of those with a BMI less than 25) and those who were hypertensive (22% v. 17% of those without hypertension). Those who had experienced a heart attack had greater awareness of the major causes of heart disease than those who had not; this pattern was stronger among women than among men. Of those in whom elevated cholesterol level was identified during the course of the study, 62% of men and 67% of women were unaware of their cholesterol status. Of those in whom high blood pressure was diagnosed, 43% of men and 33% of women were unaware of their hypertensive status. INTERPRETATION Awareness of the major causes of cardiovascular disease is low among older Canadians, especially among men and in those 65 to 74 years of age.
Assignment1 of Stra13 to the sub-telomeric region of mouse chromosome 6 by in situ hybridization

Members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors are crucial regulators of cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis (Murre et al., 1994). We recently reported the cloning of Stra13, a novel member of the bHLH family, which is induced rapidly upon retinoic acid (RA) treatment of P19 embryonal carcinoma cells (Boudjelal et al., 1997) indicating that Stra13 may play a role in differentiation and/or growth arrest mediated by RA. We report here that the Stra13 gene (Stra13) maps to the sub-telomeric region of mouse chromosome 6. This region is syntenic with human chromosome 3 (DeBry and Seldin, 1996), where we recently mapped the human gene STRA13 to position 3p26 (Antonevich and Taneja, 1999), a region that is associated with several human cancers (Mertens et al., 1997).
A small disturbance, but a serious disease: The possible mechanism of D52H‐mutant of human PRS1 that causes gout

Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase isoform 1 (PRS1) has an essential role in the de novo and salvage synthesis of human purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. The dysfunction of PRS1 will dramatically influence nucleotides' concentration in patient's body and lead to different kinds of disorders (such as hyperuricemia, gout and deafness). The D52H missense mutation of PRS1 will lead to a conspicuous phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate content elevation in the erythrocyte of patients and finally induce hyperuricemia and serious gout. In this study, the enzyme activity analysis indicated that D52H‐mutant possessed similar catalytic activity to the wild‐type PRS1, and the 2.27 Å resolution D52H‐mutant crystal structure revealed that the stable interaction network surrounding the 52 position of PRS1 would be completely destroyed by the substitution of histidine. These interaction variations would further influence the conformation of ADP‐binding pocket of D52H‐mutant and reduced the inhibitor sensitivity of PRS1 in patient's body. © 2013 IUBMB Life, 65(6):518–525, 2013.
Advances in Brief PRC 17 , a Novel Oncogene Encoding a Rab GTPase-activating Protein , Is Amplified in Prostate Cancer

We used cDNA-based genomic microarrays to examine DNA copy number changes in a panel of prostate tumors and found a previously undescribed amplicon on chromosome 17 containing a novel overexpressed gene that we termed prostate cancer gene 17 (PRC17). When overexpressed in 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, PRC17 induced growth in low serum, loss of contact inhibition, and tumor formation in nude mice. The PRC17 gene product contains a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) catalytic core motif found in various Rab/Ypt GAPs, including RN-Tre. Similar to RN-Tre, we found that PRC17 protein interacts directly with Rab5 and stimulates its GTP hydrolysis. Point mutations that alter conserved amino acid residues within the PRC17 GAP domain abolished its transforming abilities, suggesting that GAP activity is essential for its oncogenic function. Whereas PRC17 is amplified in 15% of prostate cancers, it is highly overexpressed in approximately one-half of metastatic prostate tumors. The potent oncogenic activity of PRC17 is likely to influence the tumorigenic phenotype of these prostate cancers.
Image inpainting based on Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) technique

Sparse based inpainting method is proposed using Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) technique based on finding the region pixel, calculating pixel priority and normalizing the inpaint region boundary. The proposed method is used for removal of degraded or damaged part in an images, text removal, object or stamp removal. The proposed method gives excellent results when image is of larger dimension with reduction in computation time as compared to ordinary methods.
Optimal Gersgorin-style estimation of the largest singular value. II

In estimating the largest singular value in the class of matrices equiradial with a given $n$-by-$n$ complex matrix $A$, it was proved that it is attained at one of $n(n-1)$ sparse nonnegative matrices (see C.R.~Johnson, J.M.~Pe{\~n}a and T.~Szulc, Optimal Gersgorin-style estimation of the largest singular value; {\em Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra Algebra Appl.}, 25:48--59, 2011). Next, some circumstances were identified under which the set of possible optimizers of the largest singular value can be further narrowed (see C.R.~Johnson, T.~Szulc and D.~Wojtera-Tyrakowska, Optimal Gersgorin-style estimation of the largest singular value, {\it Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra Algebra Appl.}, 25:48--59, 2011). Here the cardinality of the mentioned set for $n$-by-$n$ matrices is further reduced. It is shown that the largest singular value, in the class of matrices equiradial with a given $n$-by-$n$ complex matrix, is attained at one of $n(n-1)/2$ sparse nonnegative matrices. Finally, an inequality between the spectral radius of a $3$-by-$3$ nonnegative matrix $X$ and the spectral radius of a modification of $X$ is also proposed.
Stepwise Upregulation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chromosomal Cephalosporinase Conferring High-Level β-Lactam Resistance Involves Three AmpD Homologues

ABSTRACT Development of resistance to the antipseudomonal penicillins and cephalosporins mediated by hyperproduction of the chromosomal cephalosporinase AmpC is a major threat to the successful treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Although ampD inactivation has been previously found to lead to a partially derepressed phenotype characterized by increased AmpC production but retaining further inducibility, the regulation of ampC in P. aeruginosa is far from well understood. We demonstrate that ampC expression is coordinately repressed by three AmpD homologues, including the previously described protein AmpD plus two additional proteins, designated AmpDh2 and AmpDh3. The three AmpD homologues are responsible for a stepwise ampC upregulation mechanism ultimately leading to constitutive hyperexpression of the chromosomal cephalosporinase and high-level antipseudomonal β-lactam resistance, as shown by analysis of the three single ampD mutants, the three double ampD mutants, and the triple ampD mutant. This is achieved by a three-step escalating mechanism rendering four relevant expression states: basal-level inducible expression (wild type), moderate-level hyperinducible expression with increased antipseudomonal β-lactam resistance (ampD mutant), high-level hyperinducible expression with high-level β-lactam resistance (ampD ampDh3 double mutant), and very high-level (more than 1,000-fold compared to the wild type) derepressed expression (triple mutant). Although one-step inducible-derepressed expression models are frequent in natural resistance mechanisms, this is the first characterized example in which expression of a resistance gene can be sequentially amplified through multiple steps of derepression.
Immunological characterization of C3H mice congenic for Faslprcg , C3H/HeJ-Faslprcg /Faslprcg

Faslpr (lpr) and Faslprcg (lprcg ) are allelic mutations of the Fas gene that is involved in apoptosis or programmed cell death. Lpr greatly reduces the expression of functional Fas and lprcg expresses the death domain-disabled, non-functional Fas on the cell surface. C3H/HeJ mice congenic for lprcg (C3H-lprcg ) were established and compared with C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H-lpr) mice for their immunological and pathological features. Lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, development of CD4-CD8-B220+ or double-negative (DN) T cells, renal pathology, and lymphoid cell infiltration in the lung and liver were not significantly different between C3H-lprcg and C3H-lpr mice. Noticeably, however, the production of serum immunoglobulin, autoantibodies against double-strand DNA and serum immune complexes were significantly lower in C3H-lprcg than in C3H-lpr mice. The results indicate that the death signal through the death domain of Fas is responsible for lymphoproliferation due to the accumulation of DN T cells and suggest that the region of Fas outside the death domain may be involved in autoantibody production. The newly-developed congenic C3H-lprcg mice will provide a powerful tool for research into the function of Fas apart from apoptosis.
Effect of language difficulties on results of engineering students

Weak language ability has a deleterious effect on a student's academic performance. This paper reports an attempt to assess how big this effect might be for engineering students. We found that there is a measurable effect - in this case, as big a difference as 17 marks out of 100 - that could be ascribed to language skills. However, it is not clear what fraction of this mark deficit is language and what fraction is due to related issues such as culture.
Exact coulomb cutoff technique for supercell calculations

Received 23 December 2005; revised manuscript received 31 March 2006; published 26 May 2006 We present a reciprocal space analytical method to cut off the long range interactions in supercell calculations for systems that are infinite and periodic in one or two dimensions, generalizing previous work to treat finite systems. The proposed cutoffs are functions in Fourier space, that are used as a multiplicative factor to screen the bare Coulomb interaction. The functions are analytic everywhere except in a subdomain of the Fourier space that depends on the periodic dimensionality. We show that the divergences that lead to the nonanalytical behavior can be exactly canceled when both the ionic and the Hartree potential are properly screened. This technique is exact, fast, and very easy to implement in already existing supercell codes. To illustrate the performance of the scheme, we apply it to the case of the Coulomb interaction in systems with reduced periodicity as one-dimensional chains and layers. For these test cases, we address the impact of the cutoff on different relevant quantities for ground and excited state properties, namely: the convergence of the ground state properties, the static polarizability of the system, the quasiparticle corrections in the GW scheme, and the binding energy of the excitonic states in the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The results are very promising and easy to implement in all available first-principles codes.
A wrapper feature selection for the polarimetric SAR data classification

The main objective is to propose a wrapper feature selection algorithm for analyzing the polarimetric SAR data for forest mapping. The method is based on the concept of feature selection and classifier ensemble. Due to its ability to take numerous and heterogeneous features into account, the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm is used as the classifier. The limitation of SVM as the evaluation function for feature selection is its time-consuming optimization. To accelerate the SVM training process, a training sample reduction strategy based on the notion of support vectors is proposed. Two fine quad-polarized Radarsat-2 images, which were acquired in leaf-on and leaf-off seasons, were chosen for this study. A wide range of SAR parameters were derived from each PolSAR image. A combined dataset was also considered. The classification results (in terms of the overall accuracy) compared to the baseline classifiers demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed wrapper scheme for forest mapping.
Coexpression after electroporation of plasmid mixtures into muscle in vivo.

AIM Muscle is perhaps the most frequently considered tissue for non-viral gene therapy, in particular after gene transfer by electroporation. Expression in muscle is stable, but since the cell turnover is so slow incorporation in the host genome is not required. This raises interesting practical and theoretical questions related to the behaviour of the transgenic DNA under such conditions. METHODS We have investigated expression of reporter genes from plasmid mixtures electroporated into the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle in mice in order to assess the degree of coexpression. RESULTS Under conditions where the reporter is easily identified the coexpression rate was 100%, as none of 287 fibres from five different muscles expressing blue fluorescent protein (BFP) failed to express green fluorescent protein (GFP). With other reporter combinations the rate was lower, but this we attribute to marginal sensitivity for fluorescent proteins, or from reporter protein degradation for beta-galactosidase. CONCLUSIONS The high degree of coexpression suggests that a large copy number takes part in the final transcription with this system. The finding also enhances the usefulness of muscle and electroporation for gene therapy and experimental biology.
Respiratory function during wakefulness and sleep among survivors of respiratory and non-respiratory poliomyelitis.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in respiratory mechanics and gas exchange between polio survivors and healthy, age-matched controls during wakefulness and sleep. Polio survivors were divided into four groups. The first group included those who had evidence of respiratory muscle involvement originally (PRM) and the second group included those who had bulbar muscle involvement originally (PBM). The third and fourth groups had only limb involvement originally but were separated by absence (PSL) or presence of a scoliosis (PSS) at the time of their evaluation. Each subject completed baseline and one year follow-up measurements of lung volumes, diffusion, flow rates, respiratory muscle strength, central and peripheral chemoreflexes and arterial blood gases. Sleep measurements included a full respiratory polysomnographic study. Fifty polio survivors and 13 controls completed the study. The PRM and PSS groups had an elevated arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) (mean +/- SE 6.0 +/- 0.4 and 6.0 +/- 0.3 kPa, respectively), reduced vital capacity (2.8 +/- 0.3 and 2.9 +/- 0.3 l, respectively), reduced maximal inspiratory pressure (-5.9 +/- 0.7 and -5.4 +/- 0.8 kPa, respectively) and reduced maximal expiratory pressure (9.8 +/- 1.1 and 9.1 +/- 1.2 kPa, respectively), when compared with non-polio controls. During sleep PRM and PSS groups experienced a higher PaCO2 (6.5 +/- 0.5 and 6.7 +/- 0.4 kPa, respectively) and a lower arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) (89 +/- 4 and 86 +/- 3%, respectively). There were no differences among groups for diffusion, flow rates and chemoreflexes. All other polio survivors showed essentially normal respiratory function. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reporting Effect Sizes in Original Psychological Research: A Discussion and Tutorial

Abstract Statistical practice in psychological science is undergoing reform which is reflected in part by strong recommendations for reporting and interpreting effect sizes and their confidence intervals. We present principles and recommendations for research reporting and emphasize the variety of ways effect sizes can be reported. Additionally, we emphasize interpreting and reporting unstandardized effect sizes because of common misconceptions regarding standardized effect sizes which we elucidate. Effect sizes should directly answer their motivating research questions, be comprehensible to the average reader, and be based on meaningful metrics of their constituent variables. We illustrate our recommendations with empirical examples involving a One-way ANOVA, a categorical variable analysis, an interaction effect in linear regression, and a simple mediation model, emphasizing the interpretation of effect sizes.