Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single-step purification of Proteus mirabilis urease accessory protein UreE, a protein with a naturally occurring histidine tail, by nickel chelate affinity chromatography

Proteus mirabilis urease, a nickel metalloenzyme, is essential for the virulence of this species in the urinary tract. Escherichia coli containing cloned structural genes ureA, ureB, and ureC and accessory genes ureD, ureE, ureF, and ureG displays urease activity when cultured in M9 minimal medium. To study the involvement of one of these accessory genes in the synthesis of active urease, deletion mutations were constructed. Cultures of a ureE deletion mutant did not produce an active urease in minimal medium. Urease activity, however, was partially restored by the addition of 5 microM NiCl2 to the medium. The predicted amino acid sequence of UreE, which concludes with seven histidine residues among the last eight C-terminal residues (His-His-His-His-Asp-His-His-His), suggested that UreE may act as a Ni2+ chelator for the urease operon. To exploit this potential metal-binding motif, we attempted to purify UreE from cytoplasmic extracts of E. coli containing cloned urease genes. Soluble protein was loaded onto a nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid column, a metal chelate resin with high affinity for polyhistidine tails, and bound protein was eluted with a 0 to 0.5 M imidazole gradient. A single polypeptide of 20-kDa apparent molecular size, as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-10 to 20% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was eluted between 0.25 and 0.4 M imidazole. The N-terminal 10 amino acids of the eluted polypeptide exactly matched the deduced amino acid sequence of P. mirabilis UreE. The molecular size of the native protein was estimated on a Superdex 75 column to be 36 kDa, suggesting that the protein is a dimer. These data suggest that UreE is a Ni(2)+-binding protein that is necessary for synthesis of a catalytically active urease at low Ni(2+) concentrations.
Performance analysis of Cloud Computing for distributed data center using cloud-sim

This electronic document is about to calculate the performance of cloud computing for distributed data center using cloud-sim software programme, The simulation and performance analysis will be done by using the cloud analyst tool. It is easy to evaluate new strategies in utilization of clouds considering policies, scheduling algorithms, load balancing policies, etc. It can also be used to assess competence of strategies from various perspectives such as cost, application execution time etc. It also supports evaluation of Green IT policies. User can use it as building blocks for simulated Cloud environment and can add new policies for scheduling, load balancing, and new scenarios. It shows that it is flexible enough to be used as a library that allows you to write a desired scenario by writing a Java program.
Electrical and morphological characteristics of amorphous LPCVD Nitrogen Doped Silicon thin films after heat treatment

This work investigated the electrical and morphological properties of nitrogen doped silicon (NIDOS) thin films. The samples are obtained by LPCVD at low temperature (465degC) by a mixture of disilane (Si2H6) and ammonia (NH3). This stage of deposit is followed by a heat treatment at several temperatures and durations. The resistivity measurements showed an increase in the resistivity values with the increase in the nitrogen tenor for films annealed at temperatures lower or equals to 1000degC. However, for an annealing temperature of 1100degC, results show an improvement of films conductivity with the increase both, the annealing duration and the nitrogen tenor. The X-ray diffraction and the SEM observations showed that the film crystallinity increases with the duration annealing, and that the high nitrogen content inhibits the crystallization phenomena. The crystallization mode of NIDOS films has been determined using the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (KJMA) model and grain size distribution study. Results show that the nucleation in NIDOS films occurs heterogeneously at the interface NIDOS/SiO2. The crystallites reach the film surface in a one-dimensional way during a short time and continue to grow laterally (bi-dimensional crystallization). The improvement of the electrical characteristics of NIDOS films are strongly related to its morphological evolution of the amorphous to the polycrystalline phase.
Comparison Between the Mean-Variance Optimal and the Mean-Quadratic-Variation Optimal Trading Strategies

ABSTRACT We compare optimal liquidation policies in continuous time in the presence of trading impact using numerical solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) partial differential equations (PDEs). In particular, we compare the time-consistent mean-quadratic-variation strategy with the time-inconsistent (pre-commitment) mean-variance strategy. We show that the two different risk measures lead to very different strategies and liquidation profiles. In terms of the optimal trading velocities, the mean-quadratic-variation strategy is much less sensitive to changes in asset price and varies more smoothly. In terms of the liquidation profiles, the mean-variance strategy is much more variable, although the mean liquidation profiles for the two strategies are surprisingly similar. On a numerical note, we show that using an interpolation scheme along a parametric curve in conjunction with the semi-Lagrangian method results in significantly better accuracy than standard axis-aligned linear interpolation. We also demonstrate how a scaled computational grid can improve solution accuracy.
Compact 30:1 Bandwidth Ratio Balun for Printed Balanced Antennas

A new compact 30 : 1 bandwidth ratio balun and its application to balanced antennas are presented in this paper. To realize the balun-type function, two different types of wideband transition structures are adopted for unbalanced and balanced outputs of the balun. Further, a Vivaldi antenna integrated with the proposed balun is designed and fabricated to validate the feasibility of the new approach. Results indicated that the proposed balun can operate from 0.2 GHz to 6 GHz (a bandwidth ratio of 30 : 1). And it exhibits a good balanced performance within 0.5 dB magnitude imbalance and less than 6 degree phase imbalance between the two balanced outputs. In addition, the antenna can operate from 0.9 GHz to 6 GHz with good unidirectional radiation patterns.
Neuropsychological and Functional Measures of Severity in Alzheimer Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Semantic Dementia

Many studies attempting to compare the clinical features in different dementia syndromes have attempted to control for overall disease severity using neuropsychological or functional measures. However, these measures may not give equivalent estimates of disease severity. We examined a functional measure of severity (Clinical Dementia Rating scale [CDR] scores) in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD, n = 23), frontotemporal dementia (FTD, n = 24), and semantic dementia (SD, n = 25) who were matched for age and Mini-Mental State Examination (a neuropsychological measure of severity). Total CDR scores were significantly worse in the FTD group compared with both AD and SD patients, whose total CDR scores were similar to each other. FTD showed no difference in memory or orientation compared with AD but did show more impairment in judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care compared with AD and SD. Thus, in FTD the CDR reveals functional impairments in a wide variety of domains that are more severe than those seen in AD or SD patients with an equivalent Mini-Mental State Examination.
IT Project Manager Decision-Making Authority: An Empirical Examination of Antecedents and Consequences

Over the past several decades, information technology (IT) has become one of the most important factors for contemporary businesses in facilitating improved organizational processes (Davenport 2013) and implementing business-level strategies (Drnevich and Croson 2013). Given the potential business value organizations receive from IT, it is not surprising that in 2013 alone U.S. businesses spent $330.9 billion on IT investments, including software (United States Census Bureau 2015).
Crosslinked HIV-1 envelope–CD4 receptor complexes elicit broadly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies in rhesus macaques

The identification of HIV envelope structures that generate broadly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies is a major goal for HIV-vaccine development. In this study, we evaluated one such structure, expressed as either a gp120–CD4 or a gp140–CD4 complex, for its ability to elicit a neutralizing antibody response. In rhesus macaques, covalently crosslinked complexes of soluble human CD4 (shCD4) and HIV-1IIIB envelope glycoproteins (gp120 or gp140) generated antibodies that neutralized a wide range of primary HIV-1 isolates regardless of the coreceptor usage or genetic subtype. Ig with cross-reactive neutralizing activity was recovered by affinity chromatography with a chimeric single-chain polypeptide containing sequences for HIVBaL gp120 and a mimetic peptide that induces a CD4-triggered envelope structure. These results suggest that covalently crosslinked complexes of the HIV-1 surface envelope glycoprotein and CD4 elicit broadly neutralizing humoral responses that, in part, may be directed against a novel epitope(s) found on the HIV-1 envelope.
A dual frequency ultrasonic probe for medical applications

A dual frequency probe using a multilayer ceramic is proposed for simultaneously obtaining a high resolution B mode and a high sensitivity Doppler mode image. This ceramic consists of two layers in which the poling directions are opposite and the individual thicknesses are different. It is possible to control the values of relative electromechanical coupling factors in the fundamental and the second harmonic by changing the thickness ratio. A thickness ratio of 1:0.7 was decided from computer simulation based on the Mason's model. A sufficient resolution has been shown from the fact that the intima of the carotid artery could be distinguished by an actually fabricated probe with dual frequencies of 3.75 and 7.5 MHz. Also, the sensitivity of this probe in the Doppler mode at 5 cm depth from the surface has been improved as much as 5 dB over that of a conventional one. <<ETX>>
The differential diagnosis and treatment of normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND Normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) arises in adulthood and is characterized by a typical combination of clinical and radiological findings. The mean basal intracranial pressure is normal or mildly elevated. The typical signs of the disease are gait impairment, urinary incontinence, and dementia. The difficulty of distinguishing NPH from other neurodegenerative disorders is the likely reason why some 80% of cases remain unrecognized and untreated. According to current evidence, the spontaneous course of NPH ends, for the vast majority of patients, in dependence on nursing care. METHODS This review article is based on relevant publications retrieved by a selective search in Medline and on national and international guidelines for the management of NPH. RESULTS Studies with a high evidence level are lacking; thus, the current state of knowledge about NPH is derived from studies of low or intermediate evidence levels, e.g., observational studies. Modern forms of treatment lead to clinical improvement in 70% to 90% of treated patients. The treatment of choice is the implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The differential diagnosis is complicated by the fact that three-quarters of patients with NPH severe enough to require treatment also suffer from another neurodegenerative disorder. Therefore, the clinical findings and imaging studies often do not suffice to establish the indication for surgery. To do this, a further, semi-invasive diagnostic procedure is recommended. Current risk/benefit analyses indicate that shunt operations improve outcome compared to the spontaneous course of the disease. CONCLUSION Normal pressure hydrocephalus should always enter into the differential diagnosis of patients who present with its characteristic manifestations. If the diagnosis of NPH is confirmed, it should be treated at an early stage.
Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of chitosan-sugar complex

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of chitosan-sugar complex from six types of sugar (glucose, fructose, lactose, arabinose, maltose, and galactose) were investigated. Antioxidant properties were measured by the DPPH test and a measurement of reducing power. These two methods showed the same profile of antioxidant activity. All chitosan-sugar complexes demonstrated better antioxidant activity than chitosan. Chitosan-arabinose complex and chitosan-galactose complex seemed the most effective antioxidant activity. The IC50 values of chitosan-arabinose complex and chitosan-galactose complex were 26.38 g/ml and 28.50 g/ml, respectively. While antiradical efficiencies were 0.03791 and 0.03509, respectively. The reducing power of chitosan-galactose complex was similar to reducing power of BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) (p > 0.5). High correlation between antioxidant activity and browning product (A420) was observed (r=0.959 for antiradical efficiency). It is indicated that browning product exhibited antioxidant activity. For antimicrobial activity, most chitosan-sugar complexes were more effective than chitosan. Chitosan-sugar complex could be potential alternative natural product for synthetic food additive replacement and also meet consumer safety requirement.
A generic Digital Forensic Readiness model for BYOD using honeypot technology

Proliferation and mobility trends on digital devices has seen a significant realization of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) which is a phenomenon that allows employees in an organizational enterprise network to access computing resources through their personal mobile devices irrespective of their location. This technology has enabled cost effectiveness in organizations through increased accessibility of digital devices in daily business activities. However, the development of this technology faces a number of security challenges due to lack of effective proactive security model with digital forensic capability that is able to plan and prepare before potential security incidents occur in an organization that has allowed BYOD. It is on this premise that the authors have proposed a generic Digital Forensic Readiness (DFR) model that uses honeypot technology to detect and trap potential security incidents. In this paper, therefore, a significant security model with DFR capability has been proposed. The model is aimed at harvesting, encrypting and digitally preserving potential digital evidence (PDE) based on the DFR processes and guidelines that have been highlighted in the ISO/IEC 27043: 2015 international standard for information technology, security techniques, incident investigation principles and processes. Finally, the proposed model is meant to reduce the effort required to conduct Digital Forensic Investigation (DFI) by capturing potential digital evidence and make it available when needed by digital forensic investigators which eventually saves cost and time. A generic DFR model for BYOD using honeypot technology is the main focus of this paper.
Radio over fiber transmission by sub carrier multiplexing

The performance analysis was carried out for a sub carrier multiplexed optical fiber transmission system with RF sub carrier modulated to transmit video signal for a local video distribution network. The effect of intensity noise due to the electro-optic intensity modulator will be considered in the analysis in presence of fiber chromatic dispersion. The amount of distortion due to intermodulation crosstalk was determined analytically. The performance results were evaluated by Mat lab in terms of signal to noise ratio, signal to crosstalk ratio and the bit error rate. The optimum system parameters were determined for a specific BER.
BAD-GOOD CONSTRAINTS ON A POLARITY CORRESPONDENCE ACCOUNT FOR THE SNARC EFFECT

Thirty-eight participants judged whether single digit stimuli were odd or even using either left and right manual key-press responses or vocal voice-key responses. Half of the participants used “Left” and “Right” as vocal responses, whereas the other half responded using the words “Bad” and “Good”. SNARC-like effects were found in the results for the “Left-Right” vocal response group but not for the “Bad-Good” vocal response group. That is, for the former group, smaller magnitude digits were responded to faster with the response “Left” and larger digits with the response “Right”. For the latter group, no consistent association between smaller-larger digit magnitudes and “Bad-Good” vocal responses was present. As will be discussed, such findings do not seem to be very supportive of a polarity correspondence view of the SNARC effect.
Testing three evolutionary models of the demographic transition: Patterns of fertility and age at marriage in urban South India

Over the last three decades many authors have addressed the demographic transition from the perspective of evolutionary theory. Some authors have emphasized parental investment factors such as the costs of raising children, others have emphasized the effects of mortality and other forms of risk, and others have emphasized the biased transmission of cultural norms from people of high status. Yet the literature says little about the relative strengths of each of these types of motivations or about which ones are more likely to serve as the primary impetus for large‐scale demographic change. In this paper, I examine how each of these factors has influenced the demographic transition in urban South India during the course of the 20th century using two measures of fertility transition: number of surviving children and age at marriage. I find that investment‐related, risk‐related, and cultural transmission predictors all have significant individual effects on the outcome variables, which persist when they are entered in combination. When the three types of predictors are compared, however, investment‐related models appear to provide more robust explanations for patterns in both fertility and age of marriage. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kinetic expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (PECAM‐1/CD31) during embryonic stem cell differentiation

Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (PECAM‐1/CD31) is widely used as a marker during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis from embryonic stem (ES) cells. However, the expression of PECAM‐1 isoforms in ES cells has not been determined. The present study was designed to determine the role of PECAM‐1 isoforms during in vitro endothelial differentiation of ES cells. It was found that undifferentiated ES cells expressed high level of PECAM‐1, which primarily located at cell–cell junction, but the expression of PECAM‐1 was sharply down‐regulated during early ES cell differentiation. In addition, undifferentiated ES cells were found the expressed all eight known alternatively spliced PECAM‐1 isoforms, among them the expression of PECAM‐1 isoforms lacking exon 15 or 14&15 was predominant. Quantitative analysis revealed a significant increase in the expression of PECAM‐1 isoform lacking exon 12&14&15 as vascular development of ES cells. These results indicate a constitutive expression of PECAM‐1 in undifferentiated murine ES cells and suggest a developmental role of PECAM‐1 isoform changes during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cooperative Activation of HoxD Homeobox Genes by Factors from the Polarizing Region and the Apical Ridge in Chick Limb Morphogenesis

When a mouse zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) at the posterior margin of the limb bud was grafted into the anterior margin of the chick limb bud, the expressions of the chick homeobox genes HoxD12 and D13 were induced prior to the formation of chick extra digits. This induction was observed in a restricted domain close to both the grafted mouse ZPA and the chick apical ectodermal ridge (AER). When the posterior half of the AER was removed, the normal expression was diminished in the distaloposterior region. Thus, it is likely that at least two distinct factors, one from the ZPA and the other from the AER, act cooperatively to provide positional information to induce the sequential expression of the HoxD genes.
An Analysis of Standard Open and Endovascular Surgical Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Octogenarians

While elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has been shown to be safe in selected octogenarians, very little is known about the role of endovascular AAA exclusion in this high-risk cohort. A retrospective review of our vascular surgical registry from January 1996 to December 2001 revealed 51 octogenarians that underwent infrarenal AAA repair. Since 1999 all octogenarians who presented for AAA repair were evaluated for preferential endovascular stent graft placement. Over the 6-year period, 35 patients underwent standard open repair while 16 patients were found to be anatomic candidates for and were treated with an endovascular stent graft. Hospital and office charts were reviewed to compare the endovascular cohort to the standard open cohort. Factors considered included patient comorbidities, perioperative data, and operative outcomes. Statistical analysis was done using Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher exact test. The median age for the entire group was 83 years. There were 11 females in the open group and 1 female in the endovascular group. There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative patient comorbidities between groups. Total mortality for the entire series was 11.8 per cent but this included 5 ruptured AAAs, all of which patients died, and 11 additional AAAs that were symptomatic, of which 1 patient died. Total nonruptured mortality for the entire series was 2.2 per cent (0% for the endo-group and 3.3% for the open group). There were statistically significant differences between the endovascular versus the open groups when comparing aneurysm diameter (5.6 cm vs. 6.2 cm; P = 0.016), estimated blood loss (225 cc vs. 2100 cc; P < 0.001), ICU days (0 vs. 3; P < 0.001), length of hospital stay (2 days vs. 12 days; P < 0.001), and patients with blood transfusions (1 vs. 27; P < 0.001). When comparing postoperative morbidities, 4 of the endovascular patients (25%) and 25 of the open patients (68.6%) had a complication (P = 0.006). In conclusion, endovascular stent graft treatment of nonruptured infrarenal AAAs in octogenarians led to significantly better outcomes and should probably be considered the preferred treatment whenever anatomically appropriate. Endovascular exclusion of ruptured AAAs may potentially improve future outcomes in this high-risk group.
Discovery of New Aminosubstituted Pyrrolopyrimidines with Antiproliferative Activity Against Breast Cancer Cells and Investigation of their Effect Towards the PI3Kα Enzyme.

OBJECTIVE A series of novel 2,4-diaminosubstituted pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines was synthesized together with their corresponding 7-phenyl or 7-isopropyl counterparts. RESULTS Among the target derivatives, the 7-substituted analogues exhibited interesting cytotoxic activity against a panel of PI3Kα related human breast cancer cell lines, namely MCF7, T47D, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1954. Selected compounds were tested for potential PI3Kα inhibitory activity as well as for their cytotoxic effect in prostate cancer cell lines (DU145 and PC3). CONCLUSION Derivatives bearing a specific substitution pattern consisting of 7-phenyl as well as a 2-(4- aminocyclohexylamino) moiety (16c, 16f) display kinase inhibitory activity, elucidated on the basis of molecular simulation studies, which revealed their interaction with the DFG motif of the kinase.