Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF): Possibility of nanoparticle-mediated delivery in cancer immunotherapy

ABSTRACT Most of the cancer treatment strategies from chemotherapy to radiotherapy render cancer cells apoptotic and these apoptotic cancer cells accumulate at the tumor sites. The accumulation of apoptotic cancer cells often result in inflammation and autoimmune responses causing serious health implications. Macrophages, which are effective immune combatants, can help in the clearance of these deleterious occupants. Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a key cytokine, modulator of immune system and responsible for growth and differentiation of granulocytes and macrophages. In this regard, supply of recombinant GM-CSF can enhance the capability of macrophages for clearance of apoptotic cancer cells. However, delivery of the cytokine in vivo can suffer from certain disadvantages like faster depletion, less stability and low targeting efficiency. We believe that the stability and sustained release of GM-CSF can be improved through its encapsulation inside appropriately designed nanoparticles.
Fragile X syndrome with anxiety disorder and exceptional verbal intelligence

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is often characterized by mental retardation. However, FXS is also associated with significant emotional and psychiatric problems, including anxiety, depression, attention difficulties, and learning disabilities in the presence of a normal IQ. This report describes a unique woman with the full mutation of FXS who has an exceptional profile of above‐average intelligence combined with significant impairments due to anxiety and learning disability. Women with FXS can present primarily with learning and emotional problems, and clinicians should consider FXS in these women regardless of their IQ. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protein metabolism in guanethidine‐treated rats

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of short‐term adrenergic blockade on the rate of whole‐body protein turnover and leucine oxidation, and on protein synthesis in specific tissues in male rats. Adrenergic blockade was induced by guanethidine (100 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously). The control group was treated with saline. On the second day, the parameters of whole‐body protein and leucine metabolism were evaluated using a primed constant intravenous infusion of L‐[1–14C]leucine. Protein synthesis in tissues was determined on the basis of L‐[1–14C]leucine incorporation. Guanethidine treatment caused a decrease in norepinephrine in skeletal muscle. Whole‐body leucine oxidation and leucine oxidized fraction were higher in guanethidine‐treated rats. There was an insignificant effect of guanethidine on whole‐body proteolysis, protein synthesis and leucine clearance. However, protein balance was negative due to the larger difference between protein synthesis and proteolysis in guanethidine‐treated animals compared to controls. In guanethidine‐treated rats, protein synthesis was higher in the gastrocnemius muscle and in the kidneys and lower in liver and spleen. Changes in the small intestine and colon were insignificant. In addition, a marked decrease in concentration of several amino acids has been observed in the liver, the kidneys and the spleen. It is concluded that adrenergic blockade induced by guanethidine is associated with significant changes in protein metabolism, leucine oxidation and amino acid concentrations in several tissues. The most important consequences of treatment are considered to be a negative effect on protein balance, increased protein turnover in skeletal muscle and kidneys and decreased protein synthesis in the liver and spleen. These changes may also be induced by administration of other sympathetic blocking agents, e.g. in treatment of hypertension.
Further clues to the nature of composite LINER/H II galaxies

We have analyzed new, archival and published high resolution radio and X-ray observations of a sample of composite LINER/H  galaxies known to exhibit AGN-like properties. Five of the 16 AGN candidates have milliarcsecond-scale detections and are found to display a compact, flat spectrum, high brightness temperature radio core, four of which also exhibit extended radio emission. Five of the eight AGN candidates with available high resolution X-ray observations were found to possess a hard X-ray nuclear source, two of which have no milliarcsecond radio detection. The combined high resolution radio and X-ray data yield a 50% detection rate of low luminosity AGN among the AGN candidates, which translates into a 12% detection rate for the entire composite LINER/H  sample. In the sources where the AGN has been unambiguously detected, the ionizing power of the AGN is not sufficient to generate the observed emission lines, unless the hard X-rays are heavily obscured. We attempt to apply a canonical advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) and jet model to the sample sources in order to explain the observed radio and X-ray emission. While ADAFs may be responsible for the observed emission in submillijansky radio cores like NGC 7331, they do not appear consistent with the radio emission observed in the milliarcsecond-scale radio detected cores; the latter sources are more likely to have an energetically important contribution from a radio-emitting jet.
PERBANDINGAN DAYA DUKUNG AKSIAL PONDASI TIANG BOR TUNGGAL MENGGUNAKAN DATA STANDARD PENETRATION TEST (SPT) DAN PILE DRIVING ANALIZER (PDA) TEST PADA PROYEK PEMBANGUNAN JALAN TOL PANDAAN MALANG

Abstrak: Hasil hitungan daya dukung pondasi tiang yang didasarkan pada teori mekanika tanah, sebaiknya perlu dicek dengan mengadakan pengujian tiang untuk meyakinkan hasilnya. Salah satu pengujian tiang yang dilakukan adalah Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) Test. Penelitian ini membandingkan nilai daya dukung SPT menggunakan 3 metode yaitu Metode Meyerhof, Poulos Davis, dan Luciano Decourt dengan hasil daya dukung PDA Test serta mengetahui rumus perhitungan daya dukung SPT yang paling mendekati hasil PDA Test. Nilai daya dukung ultimit (Qu) pondasi tiang bor tunggal yang dihitung dengan Metode Meyerhof dan Luciano Decourt menggunakan data SPT sudah mendekati nilai daya dukung PDA Test. Sehingga daya dukung SPT dikatakan mampu memprediksi daya dukung pondasi dengan baik Sedangkan metode Poulos Davis hasilnya jauh dari metode lainnya karena tidak memperhitungkan koreksi nilai N-SPT. Nilai daya dukung hasil PDA relatif lebih besar dikarenakan itu pada saat pelaksanaan pengeboran tiang, bentuk dinding tiangnya tidak seragam sehingga luas ujung tiang dan selimut tiang bertambah dan menyebabkan daya dukung menjadi lebih besar. Metode yang paling mendekati hasil Qu PDA adalah Metode Meyerhof, terbukti ada tiga titik yang selisih nilai daya dukungnya kecil. Hal ini dikarenakan pada Metode Meyerhof dilakukan koreksi pada nilai N-SPT. Kata-kata kunci: Daya Dukung Tiang Bor, Daya Dukung SPT, Daya Dukung PDA Test. Abstract: Bearing capacity of pile foundation based on soil mechanics theory, should be checked by conducting pole test to assure the result. One of the pole tests performed is the Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) Test. This study compares the value of SPT support capacity using 3 methods, Meyerhof Method, Poulos Davis, and Luciano Decourt with the result of PDA Test bearing capacity and know the formula of calculation of SPT bearing capacity closest to PDA Test result. The value of bearing capacity (Qu) of single mast pile foundation computed by the Meyerhoff and Luciano Decourt Methods using SPT data is close to the bearing capacity of the PDA Test. So SPT bearing capacity is to be able to predict the bearing capacity of the foundation well. While the Poulos Davis method is far from other methods because it does not take into account the correction of N-SPT value. The value of the bearing capacity of the PDA results is relatively greater because of the time of drilling the pile, the shape of the pile wall is not uniform so that the pole end and the shaft of the pole increases and causes the bearing capacity becomes larger. The method that most closely approximates Qu PDA is Meyerhof Method, there are three points where the difference of the small bearing capacity value. This is because the Meyerhof Method corrected the N-SPT value. Keywords: Bored Pile Bearing Capacity, SPT Bearing Capacity, PDA Test .
Infection Density Dynamics of the Citrus Greening Bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” in Field Populations of the Psyllid Diaphorina citri and Its Relevance to the Efficiency of Pathogen Transmission to Citrus Plants

ABSTRACT Huanglongbing, or citrus greening, is a devastating disease of citrus plants recently spreading worldwide, which is caused by an uncultivable bacterial pathogen, “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus,” and vectored by a phloem-sucking insect, Diaphorina citri. We investigated the infection density dynamics of “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” in field populations of D. citri with experiments using field-collected insects to address how “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” infection density in the vector insect is relevant to pathogen transmission to citrus plants. Of 500 insects continuously collected from “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus”-infected citrus trees with pathological symptoms in the spring and autumn of 2009, 497 (99.4%) were “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” positive. The infections were systemic across head-thorax and abdomen, ranging from 103 to 107 bacteria per insect. In spring, the infection densities were low in March, at ∼103 bacteria per insect, increasing up to 106 to 107 bacteria per insect in April and May, and decreasing to 105 to 106 bacteria per insect in late May, whereas the infection densities were constantly ∼106 to 107 bacteria per insect in autumn. Statistical analysis suggested that several factors, such as insect sex, host trees, and collection dates, may be correlated with “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” infection densities in field D. citri populations. Inoculation experiments with citrus seedlings using field-collected “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus”-infected insects suggested that (i) “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus”-transmitting insects tend to exhibit higher infection densities than do nontransmitting insects, (ii) a threshold level (∼106 bacteria per insect) of “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” density in D. citri is required for successful transmission to citrus plants, and (iii) D. citri attaining the threshold infection level transmits “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” to citrus plants in a stochastic manner. These findings provide valuable insights into understanding, predicting, and controlling this notorious citrus pathogen.
The role of antiplatelet therapy in the management of acute coronary syndromes

The benefit of aspirin use in the emergent care of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has been well-established. Recent studies have further demonstrated the importance of antiplatelet therapy in the acute setting, primarily with the use of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors. Aspirin and the thienopyridines (ticlopidine and clopidogrel) are oral antiplatelet agents that interfere with platelet activation in complementary, but separate pathways. Combination therapy of aspirin with other antiplatelet agents has demonstrated a benefit for the management of ACS. This article reviews the pathophysiology of platelet activation in ACS, landmark trials regarding antiplatelet agents, and the current recommendations for the use of both intravenous and oral antiplatelet agents in the management of patients with ACS.
A Research Note: An exploration on the intellectual learning process of systems thinking by managers in the digital social media ecosystem

There have been serious efforts by some systems theorists to produce publications on systems thinking specifically for busy practicing managers. At the same time, the practical value for managers to learn systems thinking has long been recognized in the systems literature - to enable them to cope with the complexity very often exhibited in the problems facing them. There have been, however, barriers that hinder this managerial intellectual learning efforts. On top of that, the contemporary Internet environment, including the digital social media ecosystem, creates new learning barriers as well as new opportunities to support managerial intellectual learning. The paper examines some of these learning barriers and opportunities from the perspective of professional development, and offers some suggestions on intellectual learning to practicing managers that is immersed in the digital social media ecosystem. The vital roles of ementors, e-coaches, and e-counsellors are stressed in this paper.
Stereological study on the submandibular gland in hypothyroid rats Note

Most research done on hypothyroidism has focused on physiological and biochemical aspects of the tissues, whilst there has been little work on tissue morphology especially on salivary glands. The present study has used hypothyroid Wistar rats as a model for investigating the effects of hypothyroidism on submandibular gland structure. Two groups of Wistar rats were studied. One was made hypothyroid with methimazole and the second was an untreated euthyroid group (control). They were euthanised after 10 weeks. Submandibular glands were removed and studied. Systematic random transverse sections were obtained from submandibular glands and subjected to morphometric analysis. Volume density and absolute volume of granular, striated and excretory ducts and interlobular connective tissue were estimated by point counting. Volume‐weighted mean particle volume of serous and mucous acini was also determined by unbiased stereology. Absolute volume of granular ducts in the submandibular gland of hypothyroid rats was reduced by ∼50% (p<0.009) whilst that of the striated and excretory ducts and interlobular connective tissue was unaffected. Volume of serous acini was also significantly (p<0.03) lower in hypothyroid rats. These changes suggest that hypothyroidism has an effect on submandibular gland structure, and that this effect occurs mostly in two major exocrine compartments (granular duct and serous acinus) of the gland.
A single panel PV microinverter based on coupled inductor DC-DC

In this paper the hardware implementation of a PV microinverter based on dual coupled-inductors dc-dc converters is presented. Coupled-inductors were sized to ensure a high coupling factor, as well as to reach the desiderate voltage gain. Moreover, wide Band-Gap devices allowed to reduce weight and volume of the overall system. The control technique was optimized by adding a PI regulator to a sliding mode controller. Preliminary experimental tests are shown to demonstrate that the circuit is fully-functional and that the design approach was well-conceived.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF INCORPORATING AND TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN ADULT LITERACY CURRICULUM IN KISAU DIVISION, MAKUENI COUNTY, KENYA

This research was carried out to investigate the challenges and opportunities of incorporating and teaching Environmental Education in adult literacy curriculum in Kisau Division in Mbooni-East District. The study was extended to the entire Makueni County to acquire comprehensive data regarding general administrative and management practices of the curriculum. A total of 100 adult education learners, 18 adult literacy teachers, 10 Division Adult Education Supervisors, and 3 District Adult Education Officers, participated in the research. The adult teachers were purposively sampled. The learners sample was obtained through stratified random sampling. The Division Adult Education Supervisors and the District Adult Education Officers were purposively sampled. Primary data were obtained through use of questionnaires and an interview schedule. The primary data were subjected to statistical analysis by the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The significance level (p) was set at equal or less than 0.05 (p≤0.05). Secondary data were obtained from content analysis of four subjects; Agriculture, Science, Social Studies and Homecare & Craft contained in the Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) II and III syllabi. This was done against a pre-constructed content analysis guide. Results obtained showed that the adult literacy syllabi ABET II and ABET III were rich in EE content. EE content was incorporated using a multi-disciplinary approach. It was found that Science had the highest level of EE content incorporation with content infusion of 63.8 % in ABET II and 58.1 % in ABET III. Homecare & Craft had the least content infusion with 20 % in ABET II and 16.7 % in ABET III. An investigation on the relationship between literacy teachers attitudes on environment and their teaching of EE established a lack of correlation (rho=0.354, p=0.150). The opportunities and challenges that exist in the attempt to incorporate and teach EE in adult literacy curriculum were established. The opportunities significant to EE were; a substantial enrolment of learners. The learners were involved in agricultural activities hence much interaction with natural environment. Learners had high level of environmental awareness. Teachers were found to have a relatively good academic and professional background. The teachers possessed positive attitudes on local environmental issues. Sound environmental related development projects which can be used to deliver EE, and involvement of many stakeholders who can assist in the implementation of the EE agenda were also opportunities. The challenges were; the unbalanced gender representation in learners and teachers with the female gender dominating, the use of less effective methodologies in teaching EE concepts, and the shortage of full-time curriculum implementation team. Recommendations and suggestions for further research were provided.
ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS PRUNING APPROACH FOR GEODETIC VELOCITY FIELD DETERMINATION

There has been a need for geodetic network densification since the early days of traditional surveying. In order to densify geodetic networks in a way that will produce the most effective reference frame improvements, the crustal velocity field must be modelled. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are widely used as function approximators in diverse fields of geoinformatics including velocity field determination. Deciding the number of hidden neurons required for the implementation of an arbitrary function is one of the major problems of ANN that still deserves further exploration. Generally, the number of hidden neurons is decided on the basis of experience. This paper attempts to quantify the significance of pruning away hidden neurons in ANN architecture for velocity field determination. An initial back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN) with 30 hidden neurons is educated by training data and resultant BPANN is applied on test and validation data. The number of hidden neurons is subsequently decreased, in pairs from 30 to 2, to achieve the best predicting model. These pruned BPANNs are retrained and applied on the test and validation data. Some existing methods for selecting the number of hidden neurons are also used. The results are evaluated in terms of the root mean square error (RMSE) over a study area for optimizing the number of hidden neurons in estimating densification point velocity by BPANN.
Shared CaM‐ and S100A1‐binding epitopes in the distal TRPM4 N terminus

The transient receptor potential channel of melastatin 4 (TRPM4) belongs to a group of large ion receptors that are involved in countless cell signalling cascades. This unique member is ubiquitously expressed in many human tissues, especially in cardiomyocytes, where it plays an important role in cardiovascular processes. Transient receptor potential channels (TRPs) are usually constituted by intracellular N‐ and C‐ termini, which serve as mediators affecting allosteric modulation of channels, resulting in the regulation of the channel function. The TRPs tails contain a number of conserved epitopes that specifically bind the intracellular modulators. Here, we identify new binding sites for the calmodulin (CaM) and S100 calcium‐binding protein A1 (S100A1), located in the very distal part of the TRPM4 N terminus. We have used chemically synthesized peptides of the TRPM4, mimicking the binding epitopes, along with fluorescence methods to determine and specify CaM‐ and S100A1‐binding sites. We have found that the ligands binding epitopes at the TRPM4 N terminus overlap, but the interacting mechanism of both complexes is probably different. The molecular models supported by data from the fluorescence method confirmed that the complexes formations are mediated by the positively charged (R139, R140, R144) and hydrophobic (L134, L138, V143) residues present at the TRPM4 N terminus‐binding epitopes. The data suggest that the molecular complexes of TRPM4/CaM and TRPM4/S100A1 would lead to the modulation of the channel functions.
Macrophage physiological function after superparamagnetic iron oxide labeling

Our goal was to analyze the changes in morphology and physiological function (phagocytosis, migratory capabilities, humoral and cellular response, and nitric oxide secretion) of murine macrophages after labeling with a clinically used superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO), ferucarbotran. In SPIO‐treated macrophages, nanoparticles were taken up in the cytoplasm and accumulated in a membrane‐bound organelle. Macrophage proliferation and viability were not modified after SPIO labeling. Phagocytic function decreased after labeling with only 10 µg Fe/mL SPIO, whereas other functions including migration and production of tumor necrosis factor‐α and nitric oxide increased at the highest SPIO concentration (100 µg Fe/mL). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single molecule force spectroscopy reveals engineered metal chelation is a general approach to enhance mechanical stability of proteins

Significant mechanical stability is an essential feature shared by many elastomeric proteins, which function as molecular springs in a wide variety of biological machinery and biomaterials of superb mechanical properties. Despite the progress in understanding molecular determinants of mechanical stability, it remains challenging to rationally enhance the mechanical stability of proteins. Using single molecule force spectroscopy and protein engineering techniques, we demonstrate that engineered bi-histidine metal chelation can enhance the mechanical stability of proteins significantly and reversibly. Based on simple thermodynamic cycle analysis, we engineered a bi-histidine metal chelation site into various locations of the small protein, GB1, to achieve preferential stabilization of the native state over the mechanical unfolding transition state of GB1 through the binding of metal ions. Our results demonstrate that the metal chelation can enhance the mechanical stability of GB1 by as much as 100 pN. Since bi-histidine metal chelation sites can be easily implemented, engineered metal chelation provides a general methodology to enhance the mechanical stability of a wide variety of proteins. This general approach in protein mechanics will enable the rational tuning of the mechanical stability of proteins. It will not only open new avenues toward engineering proteins of tailored nanomechanical properties, but also provide new approaches to systematically map the mechanical unfolding pathway of proteins.
Opportunity Creation in Innovation Networks: Interactive Revealing Practices

Innovating in networks with partners that have diverse knowledge is challenging. The challenges stem from the fact that the commonly used knowledge protection mechanisms often are neither available nor suitable in early stage exploratory collaborations. This article focuses on how company participants in heterogeneous industry networks share private knowledge while protecting firm-specific appropriation. We go beyond the prevailing strategic choice perspectives to discuss interactive revealing practices that sustain joint opportunity creation in the fragile phase of early network formation.