Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity increment of one dimensional photonic crystal biosensor

Designing a high sensitivity device has been a research focus and a requirement in biosensor application. We found out that one of the way to increase the sensitivity of an optical biosensor device is to increase the interaction area between the target analyte and the sensing region of the biosensor device where the light propagates. Using a high quality-factor (Q) one dimensional photonic crystal (1D PhC) biosensor structure based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material, we showed here the increase in the device's sensitivity as we gradually increase the analyte interaction area with the device's sensing region, side by side until all area around the sensing region are utilized in the sensing. 3D FDTD simulation tool was used. Final sensitivity is increased by up to 500% — as compared to only utilizing the top part of the 1D PhC. Mode profile analysis of the waveguide shows and suggests that the evanescent field of the guided light and the slotted periodic holes can be exploited for sensing in all direction surrounding the PhC. Analysis of this technique is supported by the optical path length (OPL) of the Fermat's principle theory. This research's output is important in designing a high sensitivity PhC biosensor and also other related optical biosensor device.
The design of substrate integrated waveguide monopulse array antenna at Ka-band

A Ka-band monopulse planar slot array antenna is designed in this paper based on the substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. 32 element longitudinal slot array on the broad wall of SIW is design by the Stevenson method, and the amplitude of every slot is calculated by Taylor distribution. The whole resonant 8×32 slot array antenna is integrated on a single layer dielectric substrate. The antenna is able to operate over 34~36GHz with narrow beam and high gain. The antenna is simulated with a wide bandwidth of 1.8GHz from 34.2GHz to 36GHz (VSWR<;2), the gain of 28.51dB and the side lobe level of -23dB at the center frequency of 35GHz.
Teachers and their international relocation: The effect of self-esteem and pay satisfaction on adjustment and outcome variables

This is the second of two papers investigating the adjustment process in a designated group of expatriates, (teachers), who have severed ties with their home country and employer. In the first paper we examined the effect of self-efficacy and flexibility within this adjustment process, revealing the significance of self-efficacy but failing to show a pronounced relationship between flexibility and adjustment (von Kirchenheim and Richardson, 2005). In this particular study, again based on existing literature, the value of self-esteem and pay satisfaction on the adjustment process was explored. Again, it was hypothesised that adjustment would result in reduced turnover intention, increased life satisfaction, and higher job satisfaction. Based on our findings, there would now appear to be some clear implications for individuals and organisations involved in the expatriation process. More specifically, from a personal point of view, there is evidence to suggest a direct relationship between specific personal characteristics, pay satisfaction, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. In essence, those who score high on scales which measure self-efficacy and pay satisfaction would appear to be the ones most likely to find success within the international relocation process. Thus, from an organisational perspective, the accurate measurement of some of these identified intrinsic and extrinsic factors may provide valuable information to the employer regarding those applicants that have the greatest probability of adjustment. Given that both studies looked exclusively at educators in its sampling, the implications for faculties of education, who are seeing increasing numbers of their graduates accept postings in foreign jurisdictions, are profound.
Purification and subunit structure of glutathione reductase from bakers' yeast.

Abstract A scheme has been devised for the purification of glutathione reductase from bakers' yeast. The purified protein is homogeneous with respect to chromatographic, electrophoretic, and sedimentation criteria. A molecular weight of 1.24 ± 0.05 x 105 was calculated for the protein from sedimentation equilibrium and osmotic pressure measurements. In the presence of 5 m guanidine hydrochloride, the molecular weight is reduced to 5.15 ± 0.3 x 104 calculated from sedimentation equilibrium experiments, assuming no preferential interaction with the solvent, or to 5.60 x 104 calculated from osmotic pressure measurements. These values indicate that the native protein contains two polypeptide chains. The dissociated polypeptide chains appear identical with respect to net charge and molecular size. The native enzyme was found to contain 2 moles of FAD per mole of protein. Both FAD moieties can be separated from the dissociated protein by dialysis or electrophoresis, indicating that FAD is attached to the native protein by noncovalent bonds.
Association of vasopressin 1a receptor levels with a regulatory microsatellite and behavior

Vasopressin regulates complex behaviors such as anxiety, parenting, social engagement and attachment and aggression in a species‐specific manner. The capacity of vasopressin to modulate these behaviors is thought to depend on the species‐specific distribution patterns of vasopressin 1a receptors (V1aRs) in the brain. There is considerable individual variation in the pattern of V1aR binding in the brains of the prairie vole species, Microtus ochrogaster. We hypothesize that this individual variability in V1aR expression levels is associated with individual variation in a polymorphic microsatellite in the 5′ regulatory region of the prairie vole v1ar gene. Additionally, we hypothesize that individual variation in V1aR expression contributes to individual variation in vasopressin‐dependent behaviors. To test these hypotheses, we first screened 20 adult male prairie voles for behavioral variation using tests that measure anxiety‐related and social behaviors. We then assessed the brains of those animals for V1aR variability with receptor autoradiography and used polymerase chain reaction to genotype the same animals for the length of their 5′ microsatellite polymorphism in the v1ar gene. In this report, we describe the results of this discovery‐based experimental approach to identify potential gene, brain and behavior interrelationships. The analysis reveals that V1aR levels, in some but not all brain regions, are associated with microsatellite length and that V1aR levels in those and other brain regions correlate with anxiety‐related and social behaviors. These results generate novel hypotheses regarding neural control of anxiety‐related and social behaviors and yield insight into potential mechanisms by which non‐coding gene polymorphisms may influence behavioral traits.
Examining Body Mass Index in an Urban Core Population

Background. Childhood obesity is commonly encountered in the primary care office and disproportionately affects those from low income or minority backgrounds. Objective. To determine how accurately primary care clinicians in an urban setting identified patients with body mass indices (BMIs) at or above the 95th percentile for age and to determine which obesity treatment strategies are used. Materials and Methods. The study population consisted of school-aged, inner-city children with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age whose charts were made available for data collection by retrospective chart review. Results. A total of 158 patient medical charts were reviewed. Of these, 90 (57%) patients failed to be identified by the provider as having an elevated BMI. Obesity treatment was initiated in only 68 (43%) of these patients. Conclusions. Providers are not effectively recognizing childhood obesity and are not consistently implementing effective obesity treatment strategies.
Equivalences for free: univalent parametricity for effective transport

Homotopy Type Theory promises a unification of the concepts of equality and equivalence in Type Theory, through the introduction of the univalence principle. However, existing proof assistants based on type theory treat this principle as an axiom, and it is not yet clear how to extend them to handle univalence internally. In this paper, we propose a construction grounded on a univalent version of parametricity to bring the benefits of univalence to the programmer and prover, that can be used on top of existing type theories. In particular, univalent parametricity strengthens parametricity to ensure preservation of type equivalences. We present a lightweight framework implemented in the Coq proof assistant that allows the user to transparently transfer definitions and theorems for a type to an equivalent one, as if they were equal. Our approach handles both type and term dependency. We study how to maximize the effectiveness of these transports in terms of computational behavior, and identify a fragment useful for certified programming on which univalent transport is guaranteed to be effective. This work paves the way to easier-to-use environments for certified programming by supporting seamless programming and proving modulo equivalences.
The Correlation between Fx Rate Volatility and Stock Exchange Returns Volatility: An Emerging Markets Overview

This paper examines the relationship between the volatilities of equity indexes returns and FX rates for a set of emerging countries. We study the sensitivity of sector indexes volatility to FX rates volatility of local currencies with respect to the U.S. Dollar, the British Pound, and the Japanese Yen. Our empirical results largely support the hypothesis of a positive transmission mechanism between volatilities in equity and FX rates markets. Furthermore, although Ownership Restrictions and International Capital Market Controls have significant effects on the magnitude of the relation between FX rates volatility and stock returns volatility, the type of the FX rates regime does not affect this relationship. Our findings can be exploited for portfolios international diversification and adjustment of the risk management of multinational corporations. The model can also be extended using high frequency data.
Integrated Mission Specification and Task Allocation for Robot Teams-Part 1 : Design and Implementation

As the capabilities, range of missions, and the size of robot teams increase, the ability for a human operator to account for all the factors in these complex scenarios can become exceedingly difficult. Our previous research has studied the use of case-based reasoning (CBR) tools to assist a user in the generation of multi-robot missions. These tools, however, typically assume that the robots available for the mission are of the same type (i.e., homogeneous). We loosen this assumption through the integration of contract-net protocol (CNP) based task allocation coupled with a CBR-based mission specification wizard. Two alternative designs are explored for combining casebased mission specification and CNP-based team allocation as well as the tradeoffs that result from the selection of one of these approaches over the other.
Methyl 2-({6-[(1-methoxy-2-methyl-1-oxopropan-2-yl)carbamoyl]pyridin-2-yl}formamido)-2-methylpropanoate

In the title compound, C17H23N3O6, the two methoxycarbonyl C—O—C=O planes are inclined at dihedral angles of 5.3 (4) and 83.9 (4)° with respect to the central pyridine ring. An intramolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond generates an S(5) ring motif. In the crystal, molecules are linked into a chain along the c axis via C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
Solving 3D photonic band structures by a real-space transfer matrix method

The transfer matrix method (TMM) utilizing a real-space basis combined with Bloch's theorem is used to calculate the band structure for periodic structures. In this work, we focus on the real-space TMM that is good in modeling frequency dependent and negative-index materials. 3D examples are presented and discussed. Comparison between this approach and a plane-wave method showed a perfect match in results
COTS and high assurance: an oxymoron?

Can COTS software be tolerated in high assurance environments? Or is this hopelessly impossible? My position is that COTS software will exist in high assurance environments (in the near future) no matter what prudence or due diligence suggests. Prudence and due diligence would argue that it is foolish to expect dependable functionality from generic products that are mass produced, engineered for the typical user (who can tolerate failures because they are mere nuisances), suffer from shrunken development and testing schedules, and carry shrink wrap disclaimers. Prudence and due diligence would ask why we opt to use COTS software when we cannot even reach our high dependability goals via code that is written from scratch and according to standards that are known to improve dependability. After all, the COTS vendors do not follow these standards. Is it reasonable to expect software that is intended for the mass market to be highly dependable? Probably not.
Mass Loading on the Ossicles and Middle Ear Function

The middle ear as a levered vibrating system for sound transmission from the external to the inner ear is affected by changes in ossicular chain mass. Mass loading of the ossicles may impair ossicular dynamics and sound transmission to the inner ear. It is incumbent on otologic surgeons and researchers of middle ear mechanics to consider the mass loading effect on middle ear function in clinical and physiological applications. The residual hearing and frequency response can change after surgery or implantation of middle ear prostheses. We conducted experiments on mass loading effects on the middle ear transfer functions by using laser Doppler interferometry and a human temporal bone model. Two implant mass loading conditions were tested on 17 fresh or fresh-frozen temporal bones and compared with the unloaded condition for the frequencies 250 to 8,000 Hz. The results show that the linearity of the middle ear function did not change, although displacement of the stapes footplate decreased after the increased masses were placed on the incudostapedial joint. The greater the mass of the implant, the less displacement was measured at the stapes footplate. We conclude that there is a quantitative limit to increased mass on the ossicular chain above which the mass will remarkably impair hearing thresholds.
Determining the minimum number of detectable cardiac-transplanted 111In-tropolone-labelled bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by SPECT

In this work, we determined the minimum number of detectable 111In-tropolone-labelled bone-marrow-derived stem cells from the maximum activity per cell which did not affect viability, proliferation and differentiation, and the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of 111In by SPECT. Canine bone marrow mesenchymal cells were isolated, cultured and expanded. A number of samples, each containing 5 × 106 cells, were labelled with 111In-tropolone from 0.1 to 18 MBq, and cell viability was measured afterwards for each sample for 2 weeks. To determine the MDA, the anthropomorphic torso phantom (DataSpectrum Corporation, Hillsborough, NC) was used. A point source of 202 kBq 111In was placed on the surface of the heart compartment, and the phantom and all compartments were then filled with water. Three 111In SPECT scans (duration: 16, 32 and 64 min; parameters: 128 × 128 matrix with 128 projections over 360°) were acquired every three days until the 111In radioactivity decayed to undetectable quantities. 111In SPECT images were reconstructed using OSEM with and without background, scatter or attenuation corrections. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the reconstructed image was calculated, and MDA was set equal to the 111In activity corresponding to a CNR of 4. The cells had 100% viability when incubated with no more than 0.9 MBq of 111In (80% labelling efficiency), which corresponded to 0.14 Bq per cell. Background correction improved the detection limits for 111In-tropolone-labelled cells. The MDAs for 16, 32 and 64 min scans with background correction were observed to be 1.4 kBq, 700 Bq and 400 Bq, which implies that, in the case where the location of the transplantation is known and fixed, as few as 10 000, 5000 and 2900 cells respectively can be detected.
Allele- and Locus-Specific Recognition of Class I MHC Molecules by the Immunomodulatory E3-19K Protein from Adenovirus1

The E3-19K protein from human adenoviruses (Ads) retains class I MHC molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum. As a consequence, the cell surface expression of class I molecules is suppressed, allowing Ads to evade immune surveillance. Using native gel electrophoresis, gel filtration chromatography, and surface plasmon resonance, we show that a soluble form of the Ad type 2 (Ad2) E3-19K protein associates with HLA-A and -B molecules; equilibrium dissociation constants were in the nanomolar range and ∼2.5-fold higher affinity for HLA-A (-A*0201, -A*0301, -A*1101, -A*3301, and -Aw*6801) relative to HLA-B (-B*0702 and -B*0801) molecules. Among the alleles of the HLA-A locus examined, HLA-A*3101 associated ∼15-fold less avidly with soluble E3-19K. Soluble E3-19K interacted only very weakly with HLA-Cw*0304, and no interaction with HLA-Cw*0401 could be detected under identical conditions. Site-directed mutagenesis and flow cytometry demonstrated that MHC residue 56 plays a critical role in the association and endoplasmic reticulum retention of HLA-A molecules by E3-19K. This delineates the spatial environment around residue 56 as a putative E3-19K interaction surface on class I molecules. Overall, our data imply that a link may exist between host genetic factors and the susceptibility of individuals to Ad infections.
The function of two type II metacaspases in woody tissues of Populus trees.

Metacaspases (MCs) are cysteine proteases that are implicated in programmed cell death of plants. AtMC9 (Arabidopsis thaliana Metacaspase9) is a member of the Arabidopsis MC family that controls the rapid autolysis of the xylem vessel elements, but its downstream targets in xylem remain uncharacterized. PttMC13 and PttMC14 were identified as AtMC9 homologs in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides). A proteomic analysis was conducted in xylem tissues of transgenic hybrid aspen trees which carried either an overexpression or an RNA interference construct for PttMC13 and PttMC14. The proteomic analysis revealed modulation of levels of both previously known targets of metacaspases, such as Tudor staphylococcal nuclease, heat shock proteins and 14-3-3 proteins, as well as novel proteins, such as homologs of the PUTATIVE ASPARTIC PROTEASE3 (PASPA3) and the cysteine protease RD21 by PttMC13 and PttMC14. We identified here the pathways and processes that are modulated by PttMC13 and PttMC14 in xylem tissues. In particular, the results indicate involvement of PttMC13 and/or PttMC14 in downstream proteolytic processes and cell death of xylem elements. This work provides a valuable reference dataset on xylem-specific metacaspase functions for future functional and biochemical analyses.
Local infliximab injection of sacroiliac joints in non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: Impact on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging parameters of disease activity

Abstract Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of infliximab (IFX) injection into sacroiliac joints (SIJs) of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axial SpA) and its impact on clinical and MRI parameters of disease activity. Methods. Thirty-seven patients fulfilling the Association of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria for axial SpA were initially studied, with disease duration not exceeding 1 year and failed to respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Only SpA having active sacroiliitis on MRI without spondylitis (number = 7) were selected to receive bilateral SIJ injection of 20 mg IFX. Follow-up MRI was done at 24 weeks post-injection. Patients were clinically evaluated before, and 12 and 24 weeks after SIJ injection. Evaluation included back pain and stiffness scores, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis (BAS) Disease indices and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. ASAS response criteria were also assessed. Results. Twelve and twenty-four weeks after injection, there was significant decrease in back pain, stiffness, and BAS Disease Activity and Global indices. BAS Functional index, CRP, and mean bone marrow edema score of SIJs were decreased without reaching statistical significance. All patients achieved ASAS20 and five (71.4%) achieved ASAS40. Conclusion. SIJ injection of IFX could be a therapeutic option in early nr-axial SpA who failed to respond to NSAIDs.
Comparative Analysis of Output and Productivity in the Transport and Communication Sector: South Korea and Australia, 1990 to 1999

This paper examines the output and productivity performance of the Transport and Communication sector in South Korea and Australia, from 1990 to 1999. The aim of the paper is two-fold. First, the paper is the first in a series which compares the performance of various industries within the service sector. Second, it introduces a method for derivation of appropriate currency converters or purchasing power parities (PPPs) to enable quantification of output and productivity at various disaggregated levels. This method is based on the industry-of-origin approach as refined by the International Comparisons of Output and Productivity (ICOP) project based at the University of Groningen.
Effects of Sucrose on the Extracellular Matrix of Plaque-Like Biofilm Formed in vivo, Studied by Proteomic Analysis

Previous studies have shown that sucrose promotes changes in the composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of plaque-like biofilm (PLB), but its effect on protein expression has not been studied in vivo. Therefore, the protein compositions of ECM of PLB formed with and without sucrose exposure were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). For this purpose, a crossover study was conducted during two phases of 14 days each, during which a volunteer wore a palatal appliance containing eight enamel blocks for PLB accumulation. In each phase, a 20% sucrose solution or distilled and deionized water (control) were extraorally dripped onto the blocks 8×/day. On the 14th day, the PLB were collected, the ECM proteins were extracted, separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, digested by in-gel trypsin and MALDI-TOF MS analyzed. In the ECM of PLB formed under sucrose exposure, the following changes compared with the control PLB were observed: (1) the presence of upregulated proteins that may be involved in bacterial response to environmental changes induced by sucrose and (2) the absence of calcium-binding proteins that may partly explain the low inorganic concentration found in ECM of PLB formed under sucrose exposure. The findings showing that sucrose affected the ECM protein composition of PLB in vivo provide further insight into the unique cariogenic properties of this dietary carbohydrate.