Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloning Vectors Based on Cryptic Plasmids Isolated from Lactic Acid Bacteria:Their Characteristics and Potential Applications in Biotechnology

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are Gram positive bacteria, widely distributed in nature, and industrially important as they are used in a variety of industrial food fermentations. The use of genetic engineering techniques is an effective means of enhancing the industrial applicability of LAB. However, when using genetic engineering technology, safety becomes an essential factor for the application of improved LAB to the food industry. Cloning and expression systems should be derived preferably from LAB cryptic plasmids that generally encode genes for which functions can be proposed, but no phenotypes can be observed. However, some plasmid-encoded functions have been discovered in cryptic plasmids originating from Lactobacillus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Pediococcus spp. and can be used as selective marker systems in vector construction. This article presents information concerning LAB cryptic plasmids, and their structures, functions, and applications. A total of 134 cryptic plasmids collated are discussed.
Electrostimulation Training Effects on diurnal Fluctuations of Neuromuscular Performance

Abstract This study examined the effects of electrostimulation (ES) strength training at the same time-of-day on the diurnal fluctuations of maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and surface electromyography (EMG). 20 male performed 3 MVICs of knee extension coupled with surface EMG before and after 5 weeks of 3 ES training sessions per week. Each ES training session consisted in 45 isometric contractions. The participants were randomly assigned to either a morning (MTG, 07:00–08:00 h) or an evening (ETG, 17:00–18:00 h) training group. Both groups performed the evaluation tests at 07:00 and 17:00 h. Before ES training, MVIC was significantly higher in the evening compared to the morning for all groups, but there was no significant difference between groups for all EMG parameters. After the ES training, the diurnal variations in MVIC were blunted in the MTG and persisted in the ETG. Significant time-of-day effect was noticed for all EMG parameters but there was no group effect. The elimination of the diurnal fluctuations of MVIC and the appearance of EMG variations by training in the morning hours suggest that neural adaptations are the main source of temporal specificity of neuromuscular performance after ES strength training.
The multiagent project scheduling problem: complexity of finding a minimum-makespan Nash equilibrium

This paper considers cooperative projects that involve a set of agents (or organizations), each one being in charge of the execution of a part of the project. It is assumed that any agent is able to control the duration of its activities by leveling, at a given cost, the usage of extra resources. The outcome of agents not only depend on their decision strategy, but also on the strategies of their partners and on the satisfaction of the customer (Evaristo & van Fenema 1999), which depends on the project makespan: a xed price is established for the project, together with rewards in case agents manage to nish the project earlier than expected (Estevez Fernandez 2008). Concerning the sharing of rewards among agents, we assume that it is balanced accordingly to some ratios that have been previously agreed upon the design phase of the actors' network (Cachon & Lariviere 2005). The framework depicted here can be viewed as a particular non-cooperative game where players (i.e., the agents and the customer) play together for performing a project, intending to maximize their objective (i.e., pro t maximization and makespan minimization, respectively). This paper mainly discusses the complexity of nding a Nash equilibrium that minimizes the project makespan. It is structured as follows. Section 2 de nes formally the multiagent project scheduling problem. Section 3 illustrates the notion of strategy e ciency and stability, which are at the heart of the problem considered in this abstract. Section 4 describes how Nash equilibria can be characterized using the notion of a residual cut. Section 5 show that the problem of minimizing the project makespan under the constraint that the found strategy is a Nash equilibrium is unary NP-hard.
Vascular wall: Potential target for the physicochemical effects of cis‐unsaturated free fatty acids

Diets rich in monounsaturated cis‐FFA (cis FFA) are associated with a significant reduction of cardiovascular risk. Although several different mechanisms have been proposed to explain this protective effect, the biochemical processes involved have not been fully elucidated. It has been shown that upon their incorporation into the plasma membrane, cis FFA induce a marked perturbation of the lipid domains, altering membrane fluidity as well as lipid–lipid and lipid–protein interactions in the bilayer plane. During the last few years, several lines of evidence have shown that these perturbations disrupt the activity of several membrane proteins and enzymatic systems. As a result, several critical transmembrane signaling systems, including the Ins(1,4,5)P3/DAG/[Ca2+]i, the cAMP/PKA, and the voltage‐operated Ca2+ influx are strongly inhibited by cis FFA in different experimental models. Furthermore, this inhibition is associated with alterations in the timing of the cell cycle as well as in the final steps of the secretory pathway. We propose that this complex set of biological actions exerted by cis FFA at the plasma membrane may contribute to explain the protective roles that these molecules appear to exert on the vascular wall. Microsc. Res. Tech. 60:23–29, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Comparative Study of Methamphetamine Abuse among Pathological Gamblers

Methamphetamine abuse is a significant problem in Asian society, but insufficient research has been done to determine levels of pathological gambling among methamphetamine abusers in the United States. This descriptive study used a survey method to determine the prevalence of pathological gambling in a population of substance abusers for a comparative analysis of methamphetamine abusers. Quantitative data from the South Oaks Gambling Scale and Massachusetts Gambling Screen instruments measured the criteria for lifetime and past year pathological gambling. A sample of 109 subjects who had been screened for a substance addiction were administered the instruments. Of these, 32 had either a primary or a secondary diagnosis of methamphetamine abuse or dependence, and 77 had other addiction diagnoses. A two-tailed t-test was used to compare mean scores of methamphetamine abusers and all other substance abusers combined. The analysis showed that a higher percentage of methamphetamine abusers met criteria for pathological gambling than non-methamphetamine abuse.
Haplotype Analysis of CYP 11 A 1 Identifies Promoter Variants Associated with Breast Cancer Risk

The CYP11A1 gene encodes the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme that catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis. A large number of epidemiologic studies have implicated the duration and degree of endogenous estrogen exposure in the development of breast cancer in women. Here, we conduct a systematic investigation of the role of genetic variation of the CYP11A1 gene in breast cancer risk in a study of 1193 breast cancer cases and 1310 matched controls from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. We characterize the genetic architecture of the CYP11A1 gene in a Chinese study population. We then genotype tagging polymorphisms to capture common variation at the locus for tests of association. Variants designating a haplotype encompassing the gene promoter are significantly associated with both increased expression (P = 1.6e 6) and increased breast cancer risk: heterozygote age-adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.51 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.19–1.91]; homozygote age-adjusted OR, 2.94 (95% CI, 1.22–7.12), test for trend, P = 5.0e 5. Among genes controlling endogenous estrogen metabolism, CYP11A1 harbors common variants that may influence expression to significantly modify risk of breast cancer. [Cancer Res 2007;67(12):5673–82]
Title Multi-Source-Driven Asynchronous Diffusion Model for Video-Sharing in Online Social Networks

Characterizing the video diffusion in online social networks (OSNs) is not only instructive for network traffic engineering, but also provides insights into the information diffusion process. A number of continuous-time diffusion models have been proposed to describe video diffusion under the assumption that the activation latency along social links follows a single parametric distribution. However, such assumption has not been empirically verified. Moreover, a user usually has multiple activated neighbors with different activation times, and it is hard to distinguish the different contributions of these multiple potential sources. To fill this gap, we study the multiple-source-driven asynchronous information diffusion problem based on substantial video diffusion traces. Specifically, we first investigate the latency of information propagation along social links and define the single-source (SS) activation latency for an OSN user. We find that the SS activation latency follows the exponential mixture model. Then we develop an analytical framework which incorporates the temporal factor and the influence of multiple sources to describe the influence propagation process. We show that one’s activation probability decreases exponentially with time. We also show that the time shift of the exponential function is only determined by the most recent source (MRS) active user, but the total activation probability is the combination of influence exerted by all active neighbors. Based on these discoveries, we develop a multi-source-driven asynchronous diffusion model (MADM). Using maximum likelihood techniques, we develop an algorithm based on expectation maximization (EM) to learn model parameters, and validate our proposed model with real data. The experimental results show that the MADM obtains better prediction accuracy under various evaluation metrics.
Genetic diversity in an endangered alpine plant, Eryngium alpinum L. (Apiaceae), inferred from amplified fragment length polymorphism markers

Eryngium alpinum L. is an endangered species found across the European Alps. In order to obtain base‐line data for the conservation of this species, we investigated levels of genetic diversity within and among 14 populations from the French Alps. We used the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique with three primer pairs and scored a total of 62 unambiguous, polymorphic markers in 327 individuals. Because AFLP markers are dominant, within‐population genetic structure (e.g. FIS) could not be assessed. Analyses based either on the assumption of random‐mating or on complete selfing lead to very similar results. Diversity levels within populations were relatively high (mean Nei’s expected heterozygosity = 0.198; mean Shannon index = 0.283), and a positive correlation was detected between both genetic diversity measurements and population size (Spearman rank correlation: P = 0.005 and P = 0.002, respectively). Moreover, FST values and exact tests of differentiation revealed high differentiation among populations (mean pairwise FST = 0.40), which appeared to be independent of geographical distance (nonsignificant Mantel test). Founder events during postglacial colonizations and/or bottlenecks are proposed to explain this high but random genetic differentiation. By contrast, we detected a pattern of isolation by distance within populations and valleys. Predominant local gene flow by pollen or seed is probably responsible for this pattern. Concerning the management of E. alpinum, the high genetic differentiation leads us to recommend the conservation of a maximum number of populations. This study demonstrates that AFLP markers enable a quick and reliable assessment of intraspecific genetic variability in conservation genetics.
Genetics of resistance to phosphonoacetic acid in strain KOS of herpes simplex virus type 1

A DNA- temperature-sensitive mutant of herpes simplex virus type 1 exhibiting thermolabile DNA polymerase activity, tsD9, was shown to be resistant to phosphonoacetic acid (PAA) when plated at the permissive temperature. ts+ revertants of tsD9 were PAA sensitive and exhibited DNA polymerase activity intermediate between that of the wild-type virus and tsD9, indicating that both temperature sensitivity and sensitivity to PAA are controlled by the same gene. Since the position of tsD9 on the existing herpes simplex virus type 1 linkage map is known, the locus for PAA resistance--and therefore for the structural gene for viral DNA polymerase--has been identified.
Efficient Codebook Design for Co-Operative MIMO Systems With Decode-and-Forward Relay

We present an efficient codebook for co-operative multiple-input multiple-output systems that use decode-and-forward relay. To achieve full diversity gain, the channel state information (CSI) of the source-to-relay link should be quantized and forwarded with low overhead to the destination. To achieve this requirement, we investigate explicit and implicit vector quantization techniques. The explicit vector quantization technique exploits the reduced dimensionality of the channel Gram matrix, but has weak feed-forward efficiency when the number of feed-forward bits is small. To improve this efficiency, we use Jensen's inequality and eigen-decomposition to exploit the upper bound of the pairwise error probability. The proposed design criterion mitigates the eigen-spreads of the exact CSI and the quantized CSI. With the proposed quantization, the bit-error-rate (BER) approaches the lower-bound within 1.3-dB at $\text{BER} ={10^{-5}}$ by using 0-bit feed-forward.
SMART KNOWLEDGE-SHARING PLATFORM FOR E-DECISIONAL COMMUNITY

Knowledge plays a major role in enterprises, given its importance as a significant organizational asset. In order to solve problems and support complex decision-making processes, knowledge and experience have to be transmitted between diverse individuals and organizations. Thus, knowledge-sharing can be considered a fundamental element in any knowledge-oriented process, because it fosters collaboration, and facilitates experiential knowledge discovery, distribution, and use. We present the E-Decisional Community, a proposal for an integrated knowledge-sharing platform where several entities are able to share experiential knowledge. Its main concern is to promote experiential knowledge evolution and sharing through generations of decision makers, aiming at the creation of a marketplace where knowledge is provided as a service.
Nondestructive Measurement of Lossy Materials using the Reflection from an Array of Narrow Series Slots on the Broad Face of a Rectangular Waveguide

The reflection from an array of narrow series slots on the broad face of a rectangular waveguide is used in order to determine the dielectric properties of the medium into which the slots radiate. The relationship linking the reflection coefficient to the complex permittivity is obtained, from the theoretical study of the electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the slots. A system of integral equations is established for an arbitrary set of slots, taking into account both internal and external mutual coupling. The numerical solution is discussed and an optimization procedure for the array is presented, providing a simple relationship over a specified permittivity range. Computed results are compared to experimental values.
A Demographic and Ecological Analysis of the Distribution of Physicians in Metropolitan America, 1960

This study examines five demograpic and ecological variables that influence the distribution of physicians within the metropolitan areas of the United States: population size, population composition (age, race, education), and "medical environment. " The use of multiple correlation analysis permits an assessment of the relative importance of each of these variables. The findings clearly indicate that the five variables significantly influence on physicians in general practice and on specialists.
Multi-Objective Optimisation using the Bees Algorithm

This paper describes the first application of the Bees Algorithm to multi-objective optimisation problems. The Bees Algorithm is a search procedure inspired by the way honey bees forage for food. A standard mechanical design problem, the design of a welded beam structure, was used to benchmark the Bees Algorithm. The results obtained show the robust performance of the Bees Algorithm.
Model predictive control of a hybrid battery-ultracapacitor power source

In this paper we propose a model predictive control system for a hybrid battery-ultracapacitor power source. The main advantage of the proposed system is that the battery current, the battery state of the charge, the ultracapacitor current and the ultracapacitor voltage are maintained within the predefined constraints during the operation. The input to the system is the total required power (current) that is to be supplied or stored by the hybrid power source. The model predictive controller predicts how the total current is to be shared between the battery and the ultracapacitor subject to the predefined constraints. At the same time, the controller allocates fast current changes to the ultracapacitor while the battery responds mainly to slow current changes which helps to increase the battery lifetime. Presented simulation results verify operation of the proposed system.
Functional homology between N-myc and c-myc in murine plasmacytomagenesis: plasmacytoma development in N-myc transgenic mice.

Mouse plasmacytomas induced by pristane oil alone, or in combination with Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV), regularly carry one of three alternative chromosomal translocations that juxtapose c-myc to immunoglobulin heavy- or light-chain loci. E mu-c-myc transgenic mice develop translocation-free plasmacytomas after induction by pristane oil and/or A-MuLV [Sugiyama, H. , Silva, S. , Wang, Y. , Weber, G. , Babonits, M. , Rosen, A. , Wiener, F. & Klein, G. (1990). Int. J. Cancer, 46, 845-852]. In order to test whether another member of the myc family, N-myc, could play a similar role as c-myc, we treated E mu-N-myc transgenic mice with pristane and helper-free A-MuLV. Of 20 mice that received a single pristane injection followed by A-MuLV, 17 developed plasmacytomas with a mean latency period of 54 +/- 20 days. In a corresponding group that only received a single pristane injection, five out of six transgenic mice developed plasmacytomas with a mean latency period of 142 +/- 32 days. However, after three monthly injections of pristane, all 15 transgenic mice developed plasmacytomas with a mean latency period of 128 +/- 20 days. All plasmacytomas expressed the N-myc transgene, while none of them expressed either c-myc or endogenous N-myc. None of the tumors carried the usual plasmacytoma-associated translocations.
Color quantization and optimization of luminance for digital mirror device–based projector

Projectors using digital mirror devices (DMDs) are widely used in consumer electronics. DMDs can switch between the ON and OFF states. Light is reflected by the DMDs, and a binary image is projected onto a screen. Full-color images can be represented by switching 24-binary images rapidly. To increase the frame rate, it is necessary to speed up the DMD switching. However, this is difficult because the switching time is limited by the mechanical constraints of the DMD. One solution is reducing the number of binary images to represent a full-color image. This paper proposes a framework for optimizing the color quantization and light-emitting diode (LED) luminance. The constructed system was evaluated by using a projector and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera. The experimental results indicated that the proposed method improves the total luminance of a projected image approximately 122% compared to previous models and produces better image quality1.
The application and comparison of web services for sentiment analysis in tourism

The popularity of social computing and sentiment analysis has attracted an increasing attention of tourism industry and academia. The sentiment analysis of residents' and tourists' plays an important role to the development of tourism. It aims to identify and analyze opinions and emotions contained in reviews which are expressed by residents or tourists. Although it's a challenging task, many companies and research institutes are developing web services to provide public-access and cost-effective solutions to the problem. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are very few studies to apply and compare these web services in tourism. Therefore, in this work we make an initial attempt to explore a set of three web services and compare their sentiment analysis capabilities using the well-known TripAdvisor data collection. Experiment results lead to some interesting conclusions.
Evoked Potentials and Head Injury: 1. Rating of Evoked Potential Abnormality

This paper describes a method for rating the degree of abnormality of auditory, visual and somatosensory evoked potential patterns in head injury (HI) patients. Criteria for judging degree of EP abnormality are presented that allow assessment of the extent and severity of subcortical and cortical dysfunction associated with traumatic brain damage. Interrater reliability data based upon blind ratings of normal and HI patients are presented and shown to be highly significant. Tables of normative values of peak latencies and amplitudes are given and illustrations of EP patterns of different degrees of abnormality are presented.
3D navigation and collision avoidance for a non-holonomic vehicle

This paper expands the methodology of Navigation Functions for the control of a spherical aircraft-like 3- dimensional nonholonomic vehicle. A Dipolar Navigation Function is used to generate a feasible, non-holonomic trajectory for the vehicle that leads from an arbitrary position to the target, in combination with a discontinuous feedback control law that steers the vehicle. The motion model used incorporates the nonholonomic constraints imposed on an aircraft, preventing any movement along the lateral or perpendicular axis, as well as preventing high yaw rotation rates. The control strategy provides guaranteed collision avoidance and convergence, and is supported by non-trivial simulation results.
Geographic Routing in Clustered Multi-layer Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks for Load Balancing Purposes

To improve the quality of wireless communication and extend the range of applications in Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET), a clustered multi-layer hybrid network structure is proposed by the combination of Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) and Ad Hoc Network. Making use of location information, congestion monitoring and routing switch, we design a geographic routing in VANET for load balancing purposes. The hidden terminal problem has been solved by transmitting data in the forwarding node set. An opportunistic routing algorithm is applied when the network connectivity is poor. Based on the routing switch mechanism for load balancing, unicast and multicast can be achieved to ensure the Quality of Service (QoS) under various network connectivity and load scenarios. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can reduce the transmission latency and network packet loss rate, and therefore is more suitable for hybrid VANET architecture.
Stone Algebras

A range of algebras between lattices and Boolean algebras generalise the notion of a complement. We develop a hierarchy of these pseudo-complemented algebras that includes Stone algebras. Independently of this theory we study filters based on partial orders. Both theories are combined to prove Chen and Grätzer’s construction theorem for Stone algebras. The latter involves extensive reasoning about algebraic structures in addition to reasoning in algebraic structures.