Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non‐pore lining amino acid side chains influence anion selectivity of the human CFTR Cl− channel expressed in mammalian cell lines

1 The effects of individually mutating two adjacent threonine residues in the sixth membrane‐spanning region (TM6) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl− channel on permeation properties were examined using patch clamp recording from mammalian cell lines stably expressing human CFTR. 2 A number of mutations of T338 significantly affected the permeation properties of the channel. Increases and decreases in single channel conductance were observed for different mutants. Anion selectivity was strongly affected, with no two channel variants sharing the same selectivity sequence. Several mutations led to strong inward rectification of the macroscopic current‐voltage relationship. The effects of these mutations on permeation properties were correlated with the size of the amino acid side chain substituted, rather than its chemical nature. 3 Most mutations of T339 resulted in a lack of functional channel expression and apparent misprocessing of the protein. One mutant, T339V, was characterized in detail; its permeation properties were significantly altered, although these effects were not as strong as for T338 mutations. 4 These results suggest an important role for T338 in controlling the permeation properties of the CFTR Cl− channel. It is suggested that mutation of this residue alters the interaction between permeating anions and the channel pore via an indirect effect on the orientation of the TM6 helix.
The Influence of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the Productivity of the Industrial Sector in Ghana

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and its impact on the growth of host economies has been widely researched but yet to produce a conclusive empirical result. A number of researchers have therefore moved the analysis to sectoral level in terms of the heterogeneity in the way FDI affects the various sectors of the host countries’ economies. The industrial sector is one of the sectors that have received considerable attention in the sectoral paradigm. In the case of Ghana however, the studies on the impact of FDI on the industrial sector are limited and the only study available is restricted to the exporting manufacturing firms in Ghana. We therefore studied the impact of FDI on the performance of the entire industrial sector in Ghana. More importantly, our study of the industrial sector in Ghana which includes the mining & quarrying as well as the oil & gas sub-sectors makes our study more meaningful since FDI to Africa has been argued in the literature to be driven by extractive minerals. Our time series data cover the period 1980 – 2013 and we used the Johansen cointegration test for the estimation of our model. We found FDI, trade openness and gross fixed capital formation to have significant long run positive effects on the performance of the industrial sector in Ghana. We also found that exchange rage exerts significant negative effect on industrial sector performance in the long run. We recommend that policy makers should make foreign ownership of enterprises in Ghana in the industrial sector more appealing to potential and existing investors. The government should work at strengthening the Cedi against the major trading partners as the continuous depreciation of the currency hurts businesses in the planning of payments and receipts denominated in foreign currency. Companies should invest in high quality plants and machines to enhance productivity. Trade relations with other countries should also be improved and fortified as trade openness contributes to the growth of the industrial sector.
Ethics and IT: Module suggestion for a future degree qualification in computing engineering

Computers have become a very important part of our society. Most operations done in industrial, commercial, military, educational and sanitary areas (among others) would not work properly without the use of computing. As society is becoming ever more dependent on computers, we are also becoming increasingly vulnerable due to the widespread misuse of them. The development of IT ethics, along with the emergence of professional ethic codes, can help us humanise the use of computing. The ACM's curriculum for its course in Computer Science encourages all universities to teach a compulsory module in worldwide social, humanitarian and ethical aspects related to computing. There are still many universities which don't offer this module.
Performance analysis for relay networks with hierarchical support vector machines

In this paper, we consider a cooperative relay scheme for a mobile network with MIMO technology. The channel capacity for two well‐known relaying schemes are investigated: analogue relaying (amplify and forward) and digital relaying (decode and forward) from a mobile device to the base station through a relay node. In order to further increase the channel capacity, we propose an efficient hierarchical procedure based on support vector machine, namely hierarchical support vector machines (HSVM), to estimate the wireless networks condition approximately and design two ways (matched filter and minimum mean square error filter) of increasing the channel capacity according to the estimated wireless network condition. The proposed HSVM can estimate the wireless networks condition in much shorter time compared with the traditional minimum mean square error scheme without incurring much estimation error, which is spatial, useful for delay sensitive communication. For digital relaying, the effect of imperfect channel decode is also addressed. Our numerical results demonstrate the reduction of estimation complexity by adopting HSVM and the significant improvement of network capacity by applying the matched filter weight at relay nodes according to the network estimation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transforming Staple Food Value Chains in Africa: The Case of Teff in Ethiopia

Abstract We study changes in the last decade in the teff value chain, Ethiopia’s most important staple food crop by area and value. Upstream, there is increasing adoption of modern inputs and new varieties – especially by those farmers living close to cities – leading to higher land productivity. Mid- and downstream, we find improved processing costs and increasing willingness-to-pay for convenience and quality, as illustrated by the emergence of one-stop retail shops and the rise of more expensive teff varieties. Because of the large numbers of teff producers and consumers, this transformation has important implications on the country’s food security.
A mechanism for negative gene regulation in Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus

The Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) ie-1 gene product (IE-1) is thought to play a central role in stimulating early viral transcription. IE-1 has been demonstrated to activate several early viral gene promoters and to negatively regulate the promoters of two other AcMNPV regulatory genes, ie-0 and ie-2. Our results indicate that IE-1 negatively regulates the expression of certain genes by binding directly, or as part of a complex, to promoter regions containing a specific IE-1-binding motif (5'-ACBYGTAA-3') near their mRNA start sites. The IE-1 binding motif was also found within the palindromic sequences of AcMNPV homologous repeat (hr) regions that have been shown to bind IE-1. The role of this IE-1 binding motif in the regulation of the ie-2 and pe-38 promoters was examined by introducing mutations in these promoters in which the central 6 bp were replaced with BglII sites. GUS reporter constructs containing ie-2 and pe-38 promoter fragments with and without these specific mutations were cotransfected into Sf9 cells with various amounts of an ie-1-containing plasmid (pIe-1). Comparisons of GUS expression produced by the mutant and wild-type constructs demonstrated that the IE-1 binding motif mediated a significant decrease in expression from the ie-2 and pe-38 promoters in response to increasing pIe-1 concentrations. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with pIe-1-transfected cell extracts and supershift assays with IE-1-specific antiserum demonstrated that IE-1 binds to promoter fragments containing the IE-1 binding motif but does not bind to promoter fragments lacking this motif.
Um Simples Mercado de Compra e Venda

We model a buying and selling market as a market game in which (a) all goods except money are identic and inclivisible, (b) agents' preferences can be described by a reservation value, and (c) all buyers are price-takers and can buy up to their quota of goods. We prove that equilibrium prices exist and support efficient allocations of the goods to the buyers. Furthermore, every such allocation is supported by any equilibrium price. Results of comparative statics are also obtained. We reformulate a dinamic mechanism of auction existent in the literature and show that this mechanism yields the minimum competitive equilibrium in a finite number of steps. We obtain sufficient conditions under which this mechanism is individually non-manipulable by the buyers.
Platelet Counts and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Promoter Polymorphism in Patients with Gaucher Disease

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether polymorphism of the IL-6 promoter gene affects platelet counts among patients with Gaucher disease since it has been shown that in healthy individuals, the CC genotype is correlated with lower platelet counts. Methods: Blood samples from all adult patients seen at a referral clinic during a 12 month period were taken for PCR analysis for the IL-6 promoter polymorphism. Platelet counts were culled from the records on date of presentation and prior to advent of enzyme replacement therapy where relevant. Results: Of 138 Ashkenazi Jewish patients, 31 patients had platelet counts <60,000/mm3 and 37 patients had normal platelet counts (>150,000/mm3). Of the former group, 4/31 (13%) and of the latter group, 3/37 (8%), had the CC genotype. Although all seven patients had relatively mild Gaucher disease (only one required therapy), there was no statistically significant difference in allele frequency of the IL-6 promoter polymorphism in either group relative to healthy Ashkenazi Jews. Conclusion: Whether comparing patients with Gaucher disease with normal platelet counts or with thrombocytopenia to healthy Ashkenazi Jews, there was no difference in frequency of the CC state. Thus, the IL-6 promoter polymorphism may not influence Gaucher disease to induce lower platelet counts as shown in other normal Caucasians.
LINKED RECURSIVE PREFERENCES AND OPTIMALITY

We study a class of optimization problems involving linked recursive preferences in a continuous‐time Brownian setting. Such links can arise when preferences depend directly on the level or volatility of wealth, in principal–agent (optimal compensation) problems with moral hazard, and when the impact of social influences on preferences is modeled via utility (and utility diffusion) externalities. We characterize the necessary first‐order conditions, which are also sufficient under additional conditions ensuring concavity. We also examine applications to optimal consumption and portfolio choice, and applications to Pareto optimal allocations.
Construction of φ80 dhis Carrying Salmonella typhimurium Histidine Operon Mutations

Starting with a previously isolated F′his episome and φ80 dhis immλ cI857 transducing phage, we have constructed recombinant elements bearing previously isolated his mutations from Salmonella typhimurium. These phages were constructed as sources of deoxyribonucleic acid for in vitro biochemical experiments on gene regulation. The manipulation of genes between S. typhimurium and Escherichia coli described here may be useful in studying other S. typhimurium operons.
The antifilarial action and toxicity of methylene violet and of other compounds of the phenosafranine series.

These papers describe an investigation of the antifilarial action of methylene violet and its derivatives, which culminated in a clinical trial of methylene violet. Unfortunately, no effect was produced against W. bancrofti or A. perstans in man. Methylene violet RRA (NN-dimethylphenosafranine) belongs to the phenosafranine series, and is the 3-amino-7-dimethylamino-derivative of the basic structure shown at the head of Table I. A study made of the antifilarial action of the upon upon by and (1950). The were suspended in a of and Tyrode at They for several The adult worms were suspended in a similar medium in Carrel flasks at 370 C. ; in the absence of drug they survived more than three days.
18F-FDG PET-CT imaging in the neoadjuvant setting for stages II-III breast cancer: association of loco‑regional SUVmax with classical prognostic factors.

AIM Classical prognostic and predictive factors serve to predict outcome and response to neoadjuvant treatment in stage II and III breast cancer. The purpose is to determine the relation between the SUVmax of the locoregional disease with these classical prognostic factors. METHODS A prospective study including 43 stage II and III breast cancer patients was performed. In all the patients, two 18F-FDG PET-CT studies were performed before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After this treatment, surgery and adjuvant treatment were carried out. To combine the information of the locoregional disease, the SUVmax of the lesion (tumor or abnormal lymphnodes) with the highest uptake was used. SUVmax and prognostic factors were studied with the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test and with the Mann-Whitney U. RESULTS A statistically significant association between elevated SUVmax value and absence of estrogen receptors (ER) expression (16 vs. 10; P<0.019) was found. Locorregional disease with positive HER2 phenotype had a statistically significant SUVmax value greater than Luminal A (estrogen and/or progesterone positive receptors with Ki67<15%) and B (estrogen and/or progesterone positive receptors with Ki67≥to 15%) (13.4 vs. 7.9 and 8.9; P<0.022 and P<0.024, respectively). Triple negative phenotype disease had higher SUVmax than Luminal A and B (15.4; P<0.030 and P<0.038). Positive correlation between the percentage of the Ki67 Proliferation Index and SUVmax (P<0.007) was demonstrated. High grade disease had a higher SUVmax than low grade (P<0.004). CONCLUSION Locorregional SUVmax is associated to prognostic and predictive factors and reaffirms the utility of PET-CT as a tool in the common clinical practice.
Secondary prophylaxis of hepatic encephalopathy: an open-label randomized controlled trial of lactulose versus placebo.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with a poor prognosis. Lactulose is used for the treatment of HE. There is no study on the prevention of recurrence of HE using lactulose. METHODS Consecutive cirrhotic patients who recovered from HE were randomized to receive lactulose (HE-L group) or placebo (HE-NL group). All patients were assessed by psychometry (number connection test [NCT-A and B], figure connection test if illiterate [FCT-A and B], digit symbol test [DST], and object assembly test [OAT]), critical flicker frequency test, and blood ammonia at inclusion. Primary end point was development of overt HE. RESULTS Of 300 patients with HE who recovered, 140 (46.6%) met the inclusion criteria and were included. There was a high prevalence of abnormal psychometry test results (NCT-A, 67.5%; NCT-B, 62.5%; DST, 70%; and OAT, 80%), and FCT-A and B were abnormal in 10 of 14 patients. Critical flicker frequency was <38 Hz in 77 patients (55%). Twelve (19.6%) of 61 patients in the HE-L group and 30 (46.8%) of 64 in the HE-NL group (P = .001) developed HE over a median follow-up of 14 months (range, 1-20 months). Readmission rate due to causes other than HE (HE-L vs HE-NL, 9:6; P = NS) and deaths (HE-L vs HE-NL, 5:11; P = .18) in 2 groups were similar. Recurrence of overt HE was significantly associated with 2 or more abnormal psychometric tests after the recovery of an episode of HE (r = 0.369, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS Lactulose is effective for prevention of recurrence of HE in patients with cirrhosis.
Signal‐Averaged P Wave Reflects Change in Atrial Electrophysiological Substrate Afforded by Verapamil Following Cardioversion from Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Detailed analysis of signal‐averaged P waves (SAPW) can provide insights into atrial electrophysiology. Abbreviated dosing of verapamil prior to cardioversion improves outcome at 1 week postcardioversion. The mechanism by which verapamil manifests benefit is uncertain. We hypothesized the SAPW would reflect any change in atrial electrophysiologic substrate afforded by verapamil when compared with controls.
THE JOURNAL OF HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CYTOCHEMISTRY

We have developed an interactive computer system for analysing cell lineage data. It can be utilized in studies of cell motility, cell division, cell differentiation, and cell aging. It has enabled us to document the heterogeneity of human foreskin fibroblasts in culture and to propose that loss of proliferative potential may mean that cells enter a state of differentiation which makes them unable to respond to mitotic stimulation. Our method, which enables us to apply immunological and cytochemical probes after recording the history of a cell lineage, should allow us to define precisely features which uniquely distinguish cycling from noncycling cells on an individual cell basis.
Pumpkin-seed oil modulates the effect of felodipine and captopril in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Natural products like pumpkin-seed oil (PSO) may modify the potency of the calcium antagonist felodipine (FEL) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-inhibitor), captopril (CPT) in modulating the biochemical derangement in blood, heart and kidney as well as blood pressure and heart rate of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were investigated. SHR were treated orally with FEL at a dose of 0. 45 mg kg(-1) body wt. or CPT at a dose of 9 mg kg(-1) body wt. once daily for 4 weeks. PSO was administered at a dose of 40 mg kg(-1) body wt. alone or with FEL or CPT in the previous respective dose regimen for the same period to SHR. This study showed that hypertension induced increments the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 55% and 38% as well as the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) by 26% and 23% in heart and kidney, respectively, accompanied by reductions in the activity of myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) from 3.40+/-0.17 to 2.42+/-0.19 U mg protein(-1)and contents of glutathione (GSH) and protein thiols (PrSHs) in different tissues of SHR as compared to normotensive rats. Treatment of SHR with FEL or CPT monotherapy or combined with PSO produced improvement in the measured free radical scavengers in the heart and kidney. Our results also showed that pretreatment of SHR with PSO for 4 weeks then i.v. administration of FEL or CPT produced a significant beneficial hypotensive action. The results were explained in the light of the antioxidant properties of PSO. Therefore, it is concluded that concomitant administration of FEL or CPT with natural antioxidants can yield a beneficial therapeutic effect and retard the progression of hypertension.
The Effects of Oil Price Shocks on Monetary Policy in Iran

Changes and increases in the price of oil are effective on the aggregate economic. So, it's important to study on oil price shocks, because they affect on economic growth& monetary policy. In this paper a structural and generalized VAR modeless has been considered for Iran in order to study the direct effects of oil price shocks on output and prices and reaction of monetary variables to external shocks over the period 1991:I–2008:I (1370:I_1386: IV). Empirical analysis shows that inflation rate increase and exchange rate decrease and gross domestic product has fluctuations.
Reinventing government in the information age. International practice in IT-enabled public sector reform

This is a study of the behaviour of English housing associations – organizations established to provide homes for people whose needs are not served in the open market. It is written at a time of profound transformation within the social housing sector. Like many other policy ﬁelds, this sector has felt the rigours of ﬁscal restraint; been subject to injunctions to adopt ‘market principles’ and managerial techniques popular in the private sector; undergone substantial reorganizations, mergers and changes in regulatory structure; and weathered the shifting preoccupations of Conservative and Labour governments.
Behavioral and Toxicological Responses of Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) to 10 Monoterpene Alcohols

ABSTRACT The effect on locomotor activity, the repellency, and the knock-down produced by 10 monoterpene alcohols were evaluated on first-instar nymphs of Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease. A video tracking technique was used to evaluate locomotor activity and repellency by exposure to papers impregnated with monoterpenes. Eugenol on R. prolixus and (S)-cis-verbenol on T. infestans did not modify the locomotor activity. The remaining monoterpenes produced hyperactivity on both species, although the concentration required was at least a 1,000 times higher than that of deltamethrin (positive control). Carvacrol, eugenol, and geraniol resulted as repellent as N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (positive control) for both species. A similar result was observed for almost every monoterpene on T. infestans. Knock-down effect was evaluated by exposing the nymphs in closed recipients. The order of increasing toxicity on R. prolixus was (KT50 values in min): geraniol (213.7) < &agr;-terpineol (164.5) < linalool (124.2) < carvacrol (111.6) < eugenol (89.8) < thymol (78.9), and on T. infestans: &agr;-terpineol (289.8) < eugenol (221.3) < carvacrol (164.2) < linalool (154.9) < thymol (96.7). All monoterpenes were less toxic than the positive control, dichlorvos (3.6 min for R. prolixus and 3.9 min for T. infestans). After 7 h of exposure, (-)-carveol, citronellol, and menthol (on both species) and geraniol (on T. infestans) produced <50% of knock-down. After these results, it is worthwhile to explore more deeply the potential of these compounds as tools for controlling Chagas disease vectors.
A novel multiplex detection array revealed systemic complement activation in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common tumors within the oral cavity. Early diagnosis and prognosis tools are urgently needed. This study aimed to investigate the activation of the complement system in OSCC patients as potential biomarker. Therefore, an innovative complement activation array was developed. Characterized antibodies detecting the complement activation specific epitopes C3a, C5a and sC5b-9 along with control antibodies were implemented into a suspension bead array. Human serum from a healthy (n = 46) and OSCC patient (n = 57) cohort were used to investigate the role of complement activation in oral tumor progression. The novel multiplex assay detected C3a, C5a and sC5b-9 from a minimal sample volume of human tears, aqueous humor and blood samples. Limits of detection were 0.04 ng/mL for C3a, 0.03 ng/mL for C5a and 18.9 ng/mL for sC5b-9, respectively. Biological cut-off levels guaranteed specific detections from serum. The mean serum concentration of a healthy control cohort was 680 ng/mL C3a, 70 ng/mL C5a and 2247 ng/mL sC5b-9, respectively. The assay showed an intra-assay precision of 2.9–6.4% and an inter-assay precision of 9.2–18.2%. Increased systemic C5a (p < 0.0001) and sC5b-9 (p = 0.01) concentrations in OSCC patients were determined using the validated multiplex complement assay. Higher C5a concentrations correlated with tumor differentiation and OSCC extension state. Systemic sC5b-9 determination provided a novel biomarker for infiltrating tumor growth and C3a levels were associated with local tumor spreading. Our study suggests that systemic complement activation levels in OSCC patients may be useful to assess disease progression.