Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biofilm Formation Mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Predicted via Genome-Scale Kinetic Models of Bacterial Metabolism

A hallmark of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is its ability to establish biofilm-based infections that are difficult to eradicate. Biofilms are less susceptible to host inflammatory and immune responses and have higher antibiotic tolerance than free-living planktonic cells. Developing treatments against biofilms requires an understanding of bacterial biofilm-specific physiological traits. Research efforts have started to elucidate the intricate mechanisms underlying biofilm development. However, many aspects of these mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we addressed questions regarding biofilm metabolism using a genome-scale kinetic model of the P. aeruginosa metabolic network and gene expression profiles. Specifically, we computed metabolite concentration differences between known mutants with altered biofilm formation and the wild-type strain to predict drug targets against P. aeruginosa biofilms. We also simulated the altered metabolism driven by gene expression changes between biofilm and stationary growth-phase planktonic cultures. Our analysis suggests that the synthesis of important biofilm-related molecules, such as the quorum-sensing molecule Pseudomonas quinolone signal and the exopolysaccharide Psl, is regulated not only through the expression of genes in their own synthesis pathway, but also through the biofilm-specific expression of genes in pathways competing for precursors to these molecules. Finally, we investigated why mutants defective in anthranilate degradation have an impaired ability to form biofilms. Alternative to a previous hypothesis that this biofilm reduction is caused by a decrease in energy production, we proposed that the dysregulation of the synthesis of secondary metabolites derived from anthranilate and chorismate is what impaired the biofilms of these mutants. Notably, these insights generated through our kinetic model-based approach are not accessible from previous constraint-based model analyses of P. aeruginosa biofilm metabolism. Our simulation results showed that plausible, non-intuitive explanations of difficult-to-interpret experimental observations could be generated by integrating genome-scale kinetic models with gene expression profiles.
Control of a hybrid glider (Kay Juul H) with regulation of roll: Preliminary results in real time

This paper describes the mechanical considerations, electronic architecture and the control strategies of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Kay Juul H. Real time experiments for pitch and roll control are presented. The applied control technique was the sliding PID control, which main advantages are: second order sliding mode control, model free control and avoids the chattering effect. Satisfactory real time results were obtained for pitch and roll regulation. The contribution of this work is the use of the Sliding PID control in a hybrid glider, this nonlinear control technique has been used in many complex systems including underwater ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicle).
Allee Effects in Metapopulation Dynamics

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of where p is the fraction of habitats occupied by the species California, Irvine, California 92697-2525 in question, m is the colonization rate of empty patches, and e is the extinction rate of occupied patches. The Submitted November 4, 1997; Accepted February 17, 1998 nontrivial equilibrium p* 5 1 2 (e/m) is globally stable as long as m . e. The Levins model is directly analogous to the logistic model dN/dt 5 rN[1 2 (N/K)] (Gilpin and Hanski
Electromagnetic Scattering From Objects Above a Rough Surface Using the Method of Moments With Half-Space Green's Function

An efficient approach is proposed to analyze the electromagnetic scattering from objects above a 2-D perfectly electric conducting rough surface. A half-space Green's function with the rough-surface interface is first derived from the Kirchhoff approximation (KA). The method of moments is then applied to analyze the scattering problem of 3-D arbitrarily shaped objects above the rough surface. Since only the objects need to be discretized, the computational time and memory requirement are greatly reduced. The radar cross sections of typical objects above the rough surface have been computed using the proposed method. Numerical results show that the proposed method has good accuracy in the valid range of KA.
Design of a linearly-polarized high-directivity microstrip patch antenna

This paper presents a microstrip patch antenna (MPA) with linear polarization and high-directivity, suitable for the use in base stations. Genetic algorithm (GA) is used to design the patch geometry and feeding position to resonate the antenna around 4 GHz. The patch has a rectangular foot print of 200 × 40 mm2 and is etched on a substrate of 240 × 80 mm2. The substrate is 1.52 mm thick and has a relative permittivity of 3.38. The MPA shows a maximum directivity of 13.2 dB at 4.04 GHz in broadside direction and can be used to replace an array having the same area. The simulations have been carried out in the HFSS environment.
High-Resolution Molecular Line Observations of the Environment of the Class 0 Source B1-IRS

In this work we present VLA observations of the NH3, CCS, and H2O maser emission at 1 cm from the star-forming region B1-IRS (IRAS 03301+3057) with ≃5'' (=1750 AU) of angular resolution. The CCS emission is distributed in three clumps around the central source. These clumps exhibit a velocity gradient from red- to blueshifted velocities toward B1-IRS, probably due to an interaction with the outflow from an embedded protostar. The outflow and its powering source are traced by a reflection nebula and an associated infrared point source detected in a 2MASS K-band image. We find that this infrared point source is associated with water maser emission distributed in an elongated structure (≃450 AU) along the major axis of the reflection nebula and tracing the base of the outflow of the region. Ammonia emission is extended and is spatially anticorrelated with CCS. This is the first time that this kind of anticorrelation is observed in a star-forming region with such a high angular resolution, and it illustrates the importance of time-dependent chemistry on small spatial scales. The relatively large abundance of CCS with respect to ammonia, compared with that in other star-forming regions, suggests an extreme youth for the B1-IRS object (≤105 yr). We suggest the possibility that CCS abundance is enhanced via shock-induced chemistry.
Ratio of Monocytes to Lymphocytes in Peripheral Blood Identifies Adults at Risk of Incident Tuberculosis Among HIV-Infected Adults Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

Background. Eight decades ago, the ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes (hereafter, the “ML ratio”) was noted to affect outcomes of mycobacterial infection in rabbits. Recent transcriptomic studies support a role for relative proportions of myeloid and lymphoid transcripts in tuberculosis outcomes. The ML ratio in peripheral blood is known to be governed by hematopoietic stem cells with distinct biases. Methods. The predictive value of the baseline ML ratio was modeled in 2 prospective cohorts of HIV-infected adults starting cART in South Africa (primary cohort, 1862 participants; replication cohort, 345 participants). Incident tuberculosis was diagnosed with clinical, radiographic, and microbiologic methods per contemporary guidelines. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional hazards modeling were conducted. Results. The incidence rate of tuberculosis differed significantly by baseline ML ratio: 32.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.38–61.54), 16.36 (95% CI, 12.39–21.23), and 51.80 (95% CI, 23.10–101.71) per 1000 patient-years for ML ratios of less than the 5th percentile, between the 5th and 95th percentiles, and greater than the 95th percentile, respectively (P = .007). Neither monocyte counts nor lymphocyte counts alone were associated with tuberculosis. After adjustment for sex, World Health Organization human immunodeficiency virus disease stage, CD4+ T-cell counts, and previous history of tuberculosis, hazards of disease were significantly higher for patients with ML ratios of less than the 5th percentile or greater than the 95th percentile (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.39–4.40; P = .002). Conclusions. The ML ratio may be a useful, readily available tool to stratify the risk of tuberculosis and suggests involvement of hematopoietic stem cell bias in tuberculosis pathogenesis.
Role of fungi in pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis: the hypothesis rejected

Purpose of reviewFungi have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This review describes the recent knowledge concerning the role of fungi in the pathogenesis of CRS and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) and the clinical implications for treatment. Recent findingsRecent studies show that, although there are several potential deficits in the innate and potentially also in the acquired immunity of CRS patients that might reduce or change their ability to react to fungi, there are not many arguments to suggest a causative role for fungi in CRS with or without nasal polyps. However, due to the intrinsic or induced change in immunity of CRS patients, fungi might have a disease-modifying role. The fact that AFRS is more prevalent in warm and humid areas may point to fungi as a factor in this disease. SummaryAlmost a decade after the launching of the hypothesis by Ponikau, the absence of convincing immunological data or evidence for clinical improvement of CRS upon therapy with antifungal agents now means that the hypothesis that fungi play a role in a majority of the cases of CRS has to be rejected and antifungal treatment should not be used.
Election Attacks with Few Candidates

We investigate the parameterized complexity of strategic behaviors in generalized scoring rules. In particular, we prove that the manipulation, control (all the 22 standard types), and bribery problems are fixed-parameter tractable for many generalized scoring rules, with respect to the number of candidates. Our results imply that all these strategic problems are fixed-parameter tractable for many common voting rules, such as Plurality, r-Approval, Borda, Copeland, Maximin, Bucklin, Ranked pairs, Schulze, etc., with respect to the number of candidates.
Family Policies in Industrialized Countries: Is There Convergence?

Abstract This article examines the trends in family policies in 22 industrialized countries since 1970. Based on time-series of indicators of cash benefits and support for working parents, it examines the hypothesis of convergence in national family policies. Results suggest that although all countries have increased their support for families since 1970, and all countries have adapted their policies to reflect the new demographic and economic realities of families, there has been no cross-national convergence. Results even suggest a divergence as captured by the growing cross-national dispersion of the family policy indicators. Results are thus in line with other studies of welfare states which have concluded that cross-national differences persist in spite of global macro-level factors.
Satellite Image Positioning Method Based upon Aligning Surface Characteristics

The satellite data positioning is to calculate the longitude and latitude of instant scanning surface from satellite, traditional location methods is done by the satellite location at the observation time, satellite attitude and scanning angle. But satellite position and attitude often can’t be obtained or the precision can’t meet the demand, consequently it is difficult to finish positioning. In this paper, resolution positioning is first done, and then the positioning is computed by matching with the historical surface characteristics. Then the result is viewed correct and target function is established in order to make the values from resolution positioning approach to the correct values, at last the positioning is finished. Keywords-image positioning; surface characteristics aligning
Immunoglobulin E in the sera of infants and children.

The serum IgE level has been studied from birth up to 14 years of age. The mean serum IgE concentration was found to be correlated with age. Parallel measurements in cord blood and maternal blood yielded a mean of 25 I.U. /ml (range, 0--90 I.U.) for the former and one of 124 I.U. /ml (range, 50-600 I.U.) for the latter. The normal IgE level ranged from 20 to 100 I.U. /ml in infants and from 100 to 200 I.U. /ml in children, but even values of 400 to 600 I.U. did not necessarily reflect a pathological condition. In the majority of patients with eczema, urticaria and spastic bronchitis, high IgE levels were measured. The highest individual and mean values were obtained in children harbouring intestinal helminths, though a normal IgE level also occurred in such patients. In coeliac disease the values were within normal limits.
As redes sociais no processo de difusão da informação: do modelo de Granovetter ao de Flache-Macy

Em qualquer dos campos da actividade humana, coloca-se sempre o problema dos canais de difusao de informacao e de adopcao de inovacoes. Ora, a questao da difusao de inovacoes liga-se de perto ao tema do sistema de ciencia e nao so na vertente de difusao de produtos tecnologicos, ja que as inovacoes nao tem necessariamente de ser produtos materiais; podem muito bem ser ideias, conceitos, hipoteses, modelos, teorias. Neste trabalho, o autor aborda o modelo da forca das ligacoes fracas de Granovetter e da difusao em rede social das inovacoes de Flache- Macy, sustentando que as abordagens mais convincentes das dinâmicas de difusao se situam na encruzilhada da psicologia social com a Analise de Redes Sociais, ja que tudo indica que a difusao opera atraves de redes sociais. O problema nao esta em ver os estudos de influencia social como estrategicos para o estudo de redes sociais, mas justamente o contrario: encarar as redes sociais como uma arena estrategica para o estudo dos processos de influencia social. Summary In any facet of human activity the problem of the channels for innovation diffusion and information transmission must be dealed with. Innovation diffusion is a concept directly linked to the science system and not only to technological or market objects, since innovation objects may also be ideas, new models or theories. In this article the author analyzes Granovetter’s ‘strength of weak ties’ and Flache-Macy’s social network diffusion models, putting forward that diffusion operates through social networks and those must be seen as the strategic arena for the analysis of social influence studies in the science system.
PARTISIPASI ANGGARAN DAN KETERLIBATAN KERJA TERHADAP SENJANGAN ANGGARAN DENGAN KOMITMEN ORGANISASI SEBAGAI VARIABEL MODERASI (Studi pada Perusahaan Industri Food and Beverage di Kawasan Industri SIER)

Partisipasi anggaran dinilai dapat mengurangi senjangan anggaran apabila bawahan membantu memberikan informasi pribadi tentang prospek masa depan sehingga anggaran yang disusun menjadi lebih akurat, meskipun tidak menutup kemungkinan bahwa semakin besar partisipasi anggaran dari para manajer akan dapat meningkatkan senjangan anggaran. Keterlibatan kerja juga diyakini dapat mempengaruhi senjangan anggaran perusahaan di mana semakin tinggi keterlibatan kerja manajer akan semakin menimbulkan besarnya kesempatan bagi para manajer untuk menimbulkan senjangan anggaran. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh yang terjadi secara langsung dari partisipasi anggaran dan keterlibatan kerja manajer terhadap senjangan anggaran maupun pengaruh tidak langsung dari kedua faktor tersebut dengan melibatkan faktor komitmen organisasi sebagai variabel moderating. Hipotesis yang diajukan dalam penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut: (1) terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan dari partisipasi anggaran dan keterlibatan kerja terhadap senjangan anggaran, (2) terdapat pengaruh partisipasi anggaran terhadap senjangan anggaran melalui komitmen organisasi sebagai variabel moderating, dan (3) terdapat pengaruh dari keterlibatan kerja terhadap senjangan anggaran melalui komitmen organisasi sebagai variabel moderating. Model analisis yang digunakan untuk mendukung hipotesis satu yang diajukan analisis regresi berganda di mana untuk hipotesis dua dan tiga adalah analisis regresi linear berganda dengan variabel moderating (moderated regression analysis). Sampel yang digunakan adalah sebesar 32 perusahaan yang tergabung dalam kawasan industri SIER - PIER Surabaya. Hasil penelitian analisis regresi menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh partisipasi anggaran dan keterlibatan kerja terhadap senjangan anggaran dan juga menemukan adanya pengaruh keterlibatan kerja terhadap senjangan anggaran melalui komitmen organisasi sebagai variabel moderating sehingga menerima hipotesis pertama dan ketiga, sedangkan untuk hipotesis kedua ditolak karena tidak ditemukan pengaruh yang signifikan dari partisipasi anggaran terhadap senjangan anggaran melalui komitmen organisasi sebagai variabel moderating.
Pathways Mediating Activity-Induced Enhancement of Recovery From Peripheral Nerve Injury

This article outlines the novel hypothesis that exercise promotes axon regeneration after peripheral nerve injury through neuronal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and there are three required means of promoting BDNF expression: 1) increased signaling through androgen receptors, 2) increased cAMP-responsive element–binding protein expression, and 3) increased expression of the transcription factor SRY-box containing gene 11.
Believable Emotion-Influenced Perception : The Path to Motivated Rebel Agents

The new Rebel Agent paradigm is meant to help achieve character believability in various forms of interactive storytelling. Rebel agents may refuse a goal or plan that they assess to be in a conflict with their own dynamic motivation model: we call such conflict situations “motivation discrepancies”. We are currently in the process of implementing a Rebel Agent prototype in eBotworks, a cognitive agent framework and simulation platform. In order to identify motivation discrepancies in the environment in a believable way, eBotworks agents need to be able to perceive the environment in ways both influenced by emotion and capable of eliciting emotion, as the relationship between emotion and perception has been theorized in psychology literature to be bidirectional. We explore ways in which such emotion-influenced perception might be achieved in the eBotworks framework for the purposes of implementing believable Rebel Agents.
Immunologic protection of rabbit corneal allografts: preparation and in vitro testing of heterologous "blocking" antibody.

Corneal allografts, like other foreign tissues, are subject to immunologic attack and rejection. Efforts to prolong graft survival have included the use of antilymphocyte serum and blocking antibodies. In this study antilymphocyte serum was tested as a potential corneal allograftblocking reagent. It has been demonstrated that guinea pig anti-rabbit lymphocyte serum and the gamma globulin fraction of this serum bind to rabbit lymphocytes and corneal cells. In the presence of serum complement the antiserum and globidin are cytotoxic for cells of the cornea. Chemical modificaton of the anti-lymphocyte globulin renders it incapable of complement fixation, creating a reagent which retains the capacity to bind to cells and, in addition, to protect them from the cytotoxic effects of unaltered antibody and serum complement. The benign and protective nature of modified antilymphocyte globulin suggests that it is an excellent candidate for use in the prevention of corneal graft rejection.
La crítica en la enseñanza de las ciencias: constructivismo y contradicción

In this study we try to justify the importance of considering in science teaching that facet of critical thinking that is based on the idea of comparing the evidence with the prevision. Together with critical thinking, the most general and fundamental condition of coherent thinking must prevail. This viewpoint is justified by employing the popperian epistemological model, the cognitive model by Piaget and the model of conceptual change. We show that for these models, contradiction is an essential epistemological element. We suggest that critical thinking should be the principal object of teachers in the science class.
Validation of the Italian version of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association—Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for adults (I-ASHA-FACS)

Background: Impairment of communicative-linguistic and cognitive functions is common after stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). While assessment of language function is usually performed in clinical practice, standardised assessment of pragmatic, functional, and communicative competences is less common, even though suggested by many recent national and international guidelines. The “American Speech-Language and Hearing Association—Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for adults” (ASHA-FACS) is a measure of communication disability that investigates functional communication. It has been translated and adapted into Italian in 2001, but psychometric properties of Italian version of ASHA-FACS (I-ASHA-FACS) have not yet been investigated. Aims: To investigate psychometric properties of the I-ASHA-FACS scale and provide normative data. Methods & Procedures: Participants included 100 healthy adult persons without neurological disorders nor communicative-cognitive deficits and 80 post-acute outpatients with aphasia following stroke (n = 60) or TBI (n = 20). Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to exclude control participants with cognitive decline (MMSE > 24). I-ASHA-FACS was completed for all participants. All patients were also assessed with Functional Independent Measure (FIM) and either Aachener Aphasie Test (AAT) for persons with aphasia due to stroke or Levels of Cognitive Functions scale (LCF) for TBI persons. I-ASHA-FACS internal consistency, inter- and intra-rater reliability and construct validity were calculated; normative data were also calculated for healthy controls stratified by age and education. Cronbach’s alpha was used for internal consistency analysis. Spearman’s test was used to correlate I-ASHA-FACS and FIM, AAT, and LCF scores. Outcomes & Results: I-ASHA-FACS showed good internal consistency (α > .84) and strong intra- and inter-rater reliability (r > .97 and >.89). All healthy persons showed very high level of functional communication abilities in all domains of communication independence (higher than 6, on a 7-point scale) and all qualitative dimensions scores (higher than 4, on a 5-point scale). Correlations between I-ASHA-FACS scores and FIM were strong in aphasic persons, particularly in problem solving (r > .71) and comprehension (r > .73) subscales. Correlations between I-ASHA-FACS and AAT were generally from moderate to strong (r values ranging from r = .31 to r = .81), and particularly strong in spontaneous speech subtest (r > .70). Correlations between I-ASHA-FACS and LCF did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: I-ASHA-FACS shows good internal consistency, strong intra- and inter-rater reliability and satisfactory validity. The application of I-ASHA-FACS to the Italian population of patients with communicative deficits due to aphasia or TBI is recommended.