Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kininase II-Type Enzymes: Their Putative Role in Muscle Energy Metabolism

Because of the importance of bradykinin in improving heart function in some conditions or in enhancing glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, we investigated kininases in these tissues. In P3 fraction of the heart and skeletal muscles, angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) and neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP) are the major kininases, as determined first with specific substrates and second with bradykinin. ACE activity was highest in guinea pig heart (2.7 ± 0.07 μmol·h−1 · mg protein−1) but decreased in other species in this order: dog atrium, rat heart, dog ventricle, and human atrium. The specific activity of NEP was lower: 0.45 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1 in cultured neonatal cardiac myocytes and varying between 0.12 and 0.05 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1 in human, dog, rat, and guinea pig heart. In the skeletal muscle P3, ACE was most active in guinea pig and rat (1.2 and 1.1 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1, respectively) but less so in dog (0.09 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1). NEP activity was higher in dog P3 (0.28 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1) but lower in rat and guinea pig (0.19 and 0.1 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1, respectively). Continuous density gradient centrifugation enriched NEP activity in dog and rat (from 0.3 to 1.0 and 0.49 μmol · h−1 · mg protein−1, respectively). Immunoprecipitation with antiserum to purified NEP proved the specificity of the rat enzyme. Bradykinin (0.1 mmol/1) was inactivated in the presence and absence of inhibitors by rat skeletal muscle NEP, as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Here, 36% of the activity was caused by NEP and 19% by ACE. In radioimmunoassay (bradykinin 10 nmol/1), 46 and 55% of kininase in rat and dog skeletal muscle P3, respectively, was due to ACE; 36 and 28%, respectively, was due to NEP. Aside from these enzymes, an aminopeptidase in rat P3 also inactivates bradykinin. Thus, in conclusion, heart and skeletal muscle membranes contain kininase II-type enzymes, but their activity depends on the species.
Fossilization: A process for establishing truly trustworthy records

LIMITED DISTRIBUTION NOTICE: This report has been submitted for publication outside of IBM and will probably be copyrighted if accepted for publication. It has been issued as a Research Report for early dissemination of its contents. In view of the transfer of copyright to the outside publisher, its distribution outside of IBM prior to publication should be limited to peer communications and specific requests. After outside publication, requests should be filled only by reprints or legally obtained copies of the article (e.g. , payment of royalties). Copies may be requested from IBM T. J. Executive Summary Trustworthy records are vital to an organization. These records help to improve an organization's operations and aid in reducing its liability and costs. The fundamental purpose of record keeping is to establish solid proof and details of events that have occurred. A trustworthy record management system is, therefore, one that can be relied upon to provide irrefutable evidence of all of the events that have been logged. In other words, trustworthiness has to be established on an end-to-end perspective, from the proper preservation of all of the records to the subsequent delivery of the relevant records to an agent seeking the proof. In this white paper, we show that the current limited focus on storing electronic records in Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) storage is not adequate to ensure that such records are trustworthy. What is really needed is a process we call fossilization-a holistic approach to storing and managing records that ensures that they are trustworthy. Fossilization is composed of three parts. The first, fossilization of storage, guarantees that all records and their associated metadata are reliably stored and securely protected from any modification. The second, fossilization of discovery, ensures that all preserved records pertinent to an enquiry can be quickly discovered and retrieved. The third, fossilization of delivery, warrants that the exact pertinent records are delivered to the agent and that the records are delivered in an intact form. Because of the extremely high stakes involved in tampering with the records, fossilization must be realized very securely. The essential principles for securely implementing fossilization include 1) raising the barrier to any attack; 2) focusing on end-to-end trust; 3) limiting what has to be trusted; 4) using a simple, well-defined interface between trusted and untrusted components; and 5) verifying all operations.
β-Actin Messenger RNA Localization and Protein Synthesis Augment Cell Motility

In chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs), β-actin mRNA localizes near an actin-rich region of cytoplasm specialized for motility, the lamellipodia. This localization is mediated by isoform-specific 3′-untranslated sequences (zipcodes) and can be inhibited by antizipcode oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) (Kislauskis, E.H., X.-C. Zhu, and R.H. Singer. 1994. J. Cell Biol. 127: 441–451). This inhibition of β-actin mRNA localization resulted in the disruption of fibroblast polarity and, presumably, cell motility. To investigate the role of β-actin mRNA in motility, we correlated time-lapse images of moving CEFs with the distribution of β-actin mRNA in these cells. CEFs with localized β-actin mRNA moved significantly further over the same time period than did CEFs with nonlocalized mRNA. Antizipcode ODN treatment reduced this cell translocation while control ODN treatments showed no effect. The temporal relationship of β-actin mRNA localization to cell translocation was investigated using serum addition to serum-deprived cultures. β-actin mRNA was not localized in serum-deprived cells but became localized within minutes after serum addition (Latham, V.M., E.H. Kislauskis, R.H. Singer, and A.F. Ross. 1994. J. Cell Biol. 126:1211–1219). Cell translocation increased over the next 90 min, and actin synthesis likewise increased. Puromycin reduced this cell translocation and blocked this induction in cytosolic actin content. The serum induction of cell movement was also inhibited by antizipcode ODNs. These observations support the hypothesis that β-actin mRNA localization and consequent protein synthesis augment cell motility.
An all-fiber-optic endoscopy platform for simultaneous OCT and fluorescence imaging

We present an all-fiber-optically based endoscope platform for simultaneous optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescence imaging. This design entails the use of double-clad fiber (DCF) in the endoscope for delivery of OCT source and fluorescence excitation light while collecting the backscattered OCT signal through the single-mode core and fluorescence emission through the large inner cladding of the DCF. Circumferential beam scanning was performed by rotating a 45° reflector using a miniature DC motor at the distal end of the endoscope. Additionally, a custom DCF coupler and a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) were utilized to seamlessly integrate both imaging modalities to achieve an entirely fiber-optically based dual-modality imaging system. We demonstrated simultaneous intraluminal 3D OCT and 2D (surface) fluorescence imaging in ex vivo rabbit esophagus using the dual-modal endomicroscopy system. Structural morphologies (provided by OCT) and fluorophore distribution (provided by the fluorescence module) could be clearly visualized, suggesting the potential of the dual-modality system for future in vivo and clinical applications.
Density Control without Location Information in Wireless Sensor Networks

For reducing energy consumption of sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), previous studies have proposed an approach in which some of the nodes are active, while the others are inoperative and the nodes switch between these two states as and when required to ensure full coverage of the area of interest. However, previous schemes for active node selection required the location of each sensor node to be known. This study presents a density control algorithm which can ensure full coverage without the need for this information. Additionally, when applied to a system with coverage holes, the scheme is capable of detecting and wadding these holes. The simulation results show that the scheme guaranteed 100% coverage of the target area using a comparable number of active nodes as that specified by algorithms which require location data.
Magnetically Recoverable Magnetite/Gold Catalyst Stabilized by Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) for Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

Fe3O4:PVP/Au nanocomposite synthesized via a two-step procedure was tested as a quasi-homogenous alcohol oxidation catalyst. It was found that the nanocomposite was able to carry out aerobic oxidation of alcohols in water at room temperature. Studies show rapid magnetic recoverability and reusability characteristics.
Efficient Search for Transformation-based Inference

This paper addresses the search problem in textual inference, where systems need to infer one piece of text from another. A prominent approach to this task is attempts to transform one text into the other through a sequence of inference-preserving transformations, a.k. a. a proof, while estimating the proof's validity. This raises a search challenge of finding the best possible proof. We explore this challenge through a comprehensive investigation of prominent search algorithms and propose two novel algorithmic components specifically designed for textual inference: a gradient-style evaluation function, and a local-lookahead node expansion method. Evaluations, using the open-source system, BiuTee, show the contribution of these ideas to search efficiency and proof quality.
The Benefits of Sound Field Amplification in Classrooms of Inuit Students of Nunavik: A Pilot Project.

PURPOSE This pilot study investigated the potential benefits of sound field amplification for Inuit first and second language learners in a remote community of Nunavik, Northern Québec. Hearing screening results showed that 26% of students attending the local school had hearing loss due to otitis media. The study used speech intelligibility and attending behavior measures, as well as interviews, to examine the appropriateness of sound field amplification in the multilingual and multilevel instructional contexts found in the classrooms of Nunavik. METHOD Sound field amplification systems were installed in three representative classrooms for a period of 3 months. Speech intelligibility of Inuttitut syllables was compared in amplified versus non-amplified conditions for 10 students with hearing loss and 10 age-matched normal hearing peers. Observations of four categories of attending behaviors for a separate set of seven students were carried out prior to the installation of the systems and with the systems in place. Teacher and student comments were collected during the study and after the study was completed. RESULTS Results showed significant improvements in speech intelligibility scores for students with hearing impairment and normal hearing in the amplified condition. Total scores for on-task behavior improved for six of the seven students observed; all students demonstrated improvement in at least one category of attending behavior. Teacher and student comments identified numerous advantages of the amplification systems. IMPLICATIONS Results point to the potential benefits of sound field amplification for multicultural populations that are similarly challenged by high rates of hearing loss, as well as for second language learners.
Quantile regression for panel data models with fixed effects under random censoring

Abstract The locally weighted censored quantile regression approach is proposed for panel data models with fixed effects, which allows for random censoring. The resulting estimators are obtained by employing the fixed effects quantile regression method. The weights are selected either parametrically, semi-parametrically or non-parametrically. The large panel data asymptotics are used in an attempt to cope with the incidental parameter problem. The consistency and limiting distribution of the proposed estimator are also derived. The finite sample performance of the proposed estimators are examined via Monte Carlo simulations.
A study of Adjustment and Locus of Control of Socially Advantaged and Disadvantaged Adolescents

The present study aims to examine the adjustment and locus of control of socially advantaged and disadvantaged adolescents. Sample included 100 (purposive sampling method) purposively selected adolescents i.e. 50 Non Sc/St students and 50 Sc/St college students from various degree colleges of Kalaburgi district. For obtaining the data on adjustment and locus of control, adjustment scale was developed by H.M. Bell (1962) and locus of control scale was developed by Sanjay Vorha (1992) were used respectively. The statistical technique t-test was employed for comparing the two groups. The findings of the study show that there is significant difference in home (sub-dimension) of socially advantaged and disadvantaged adolescents. Whereas there is no significant difference in health, social and emotional sub-dimensions of adolescents and it was also found no significant difference in locus of control between socially advantaged and disadvantaged adolescents.
An Effective Method for Image Denoising Using Non-local Means and Statistics based Guided Filter in Nonsubsampled Contourlet Domain

: This article presents an effective method for image denoising using non-local means with packing of multi patches (NLM-PMP) in non-subsampled contourlet (NSC) domain which works based on multi-scale decomposition and directionality. Guided filter with image statistics (SGIF) is utilized to further process the obtained denoised image for mitigation of ringing artifacts those are invariably appeared, which leads to the local structure preservation like textures, edges and small details efficiently. The authors decomposed the image into low-pass subband coefficients and bandpass subband coefficients including the base and the detail scales. The low frequency noise in the base sub-band and the edges with small textural details in the detail scale are processed independently using an NLM-PMP filter. In addition, SGIF is applied to enhance the visual perception of denoised image. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach is competitive at lower noise strength with respect to peak signal to noise ratio and structural similarity index measure and excels in performance at higher noise strength compared with several state-of-the-art algorithms.
Public good dynamics drive evolution of iron acquisition strategies in natural bacterioplankton populations

A common strategy among microbes living in iron-limited environments is the secretion of siderophores, which can bind poorly soluble iron and make it available to cells via active transport mechanisms. Such siderophore–iron complexes can be thought of as public goods that can be exploited by local communities and drive diversification, for example by the evolution of “cheating. ” However, it is unclear whether bacterial populations in the environment form stable enough communities such that social interactions significantly impact evolutionary dynamics. Here we show that public good games drive the evolution of iron acquisition strategies in wild populations of marine bacteria. We found that within nonclonal but ecologically cohesive genotypic clusters of closely related Vibrionaceae, only an intermediate percentage of genotypes are able to produce siderophores. Nonproducers within these clusters exhibited selective loss of siderophore biosynthetic pathways, whereas siderophore transport mechanisms were retained, suggesting that these nonproducers can act as cheaters that benefit from siderophore producers in their local environment. In support of this hypothesis, these nonproducers in iron-limited media suffer a significant decrease in growth, which can be alleviated by siderophores, presumably owing to the retention of transport mechanisms. Moreover, using ecological data of resource partitioning, we found that cheating coevolves with the ecological specialization toward association with larger particles in the water column, suggesting that these can harbor stable enough communities for dependencies among organisms to evolve.
Size-dependent wet removal of black carbon in Canadian biomass burning plumes

Abstract. Wet deposition is the dominant mechanism for removing black carbon (BC) from the atmosphere and is key in determining its atmospheric lifetime, vertical gradient and global transport. Despite the importance of BC in the climate system, especially in terms of its ability to modulate the radiative energy budget, there are few quantitative case studies of wet removal in ambient environments. We present a case study of BC wet removal by examining aerosol size distributions and BC coating properties sampled in three Canadian boreal biomass burning plumes, one of which passed through a precipitating cloud. This depleted the majority of the plume's BC mass, and the largest and most coated BC-containing particles were found to be preferentially removed, suggesting that nucleation scavenging was likely the dominant mechanism. Calculated single-scattering albedo (SSA) showed little variation, as a large number of non-BC particles were also present in the precipitation-affected plume. The remaining BC cores were smaller than those observed in previous studies of BC in post-precipitation outflow over Asia, possibly due to the thick coating by hydrophilic compounds associated with the Canadian biomass burning particles. This study provides measurements of BC size, mixing state and removal efficiency to constrain model parameterisations of BC wet removal in biomass burning regions, which will help to reduce uncertainty in radiative forcing calculations.
Grasping the Nature of Pictures

The role of experience in the development of pictorial competence has been the center of substantial debate. The four studies presented here help resolve the controversy by systematically documenting and examining manual exploration of depicted objects by infants. We report that 9-month-old infants manually investigate pictures, touching and feeling depicted objects as if they were real objects and even trying to pick them up off the page. The same behavior was observed in babies from two extremely different societies (the United States and the Ivory Coast). This investigation of pictures occurs even though infants can discriminate between real objects and their depictions. By the time infants are 19 months of age, their manual exploration is replaced by pointing at depicted objects. These results indicate that initial uncertainty about the nature of pictures leads infants to investigate them. Through experience, infants begin to acquire a concept of “picture. ” This concept includes the fact that a picture has a dual nature (it is both an object and a representation of something other than itself), as well as knowledge about the culturally appropriate use of pictures.
Differences of venous thromboembolic risks in vascular general and trauma surgery patients.

AIM Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients undergoing surgery. The risk for VTE is determined by the combination of individual predisposing factors and features of the specific type of surgery. Although the knowledge about VTE has increased enormously during the last years VTE-prophylaxis is still inadequate. The goals of our study were to assess the correctness of the adjusted pharmacological prophylaxis, and the difference of the VTE-risks in the different surgical departments. METHODS During a three months period, 451 patients were prospective included. These patients were admitted to the Departments of Vascular and General Surgery and of Traumatology of our hospital. Based on the modified Hertfelder's VTE-risk-assessment model, we scored the patients and categorized them into 4 groups: low, moderate, high and very high risk for VTE. We enrolled every admitted patient taking their medical history and reviewing medical documents. RESULTS The mean cumulative risk value for VTE-risk was 3.68 (median 3.5, minimum: 0, maximum: 13 and standard deviation: 2.206), whereas 20.2% of our patients had a low, 27.2% middle, 21.7% high and 30.9% very high risk. The patients with vascular procedures had significantly higher mean value (5.03, SD 2.2) than the patients with general operations (3.6, SD 2.2) and those who underwent traumatology (3.06, SD 1,8) (P value <0.001). The majority of patients (n=356), (78.9%) received VTE-prophylaxis with low dose of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). Of the remaining patients, 40 (8.9%) received therapeutic dose and 55 (12.2%) received none VTE-prophylaxis. CONCLUSION The VTE-risk for surgical patients remains high, despite all efforts for prophylaxis. The main reason may be that risk-assessment is time consuming and not standardized. We demonstrated that VTE-risk for patients in vascular surgery is significantly higher than the VTE-risk for patients in general and trauma surgery. We also showed that the VTE-risk in some patients was underestimated and prophylaxis was inadequate. Therefore, it is recommended to emphasize more on short risk-assessment, adequate prophylaxis and optimal dosage in order to prevent deep venous thrombosis and embolism disease.
Building compact classifier for large character set recognition using discriminative feature extraction

In this paper, we propose an approach to building compact classifier for camera-based printed Japanese character recognition on mobile phones. We design feature vector prototypes using learning vector quantization (LVQ) for achieving high accuracy, while the complexity is lowered by linear dimensionality reduction. The discriminative feature extraction (DFE) strategy, which optimizes both subspace axes and classifier parameters, is shown to yield high classification accuracy even on low dimensional subspace. On a 120D sub-space, a 4,344-class classifier consumes only 613KB storage, and an accuracy of 99.41% was obtained on a test set.
Neural Correlates of Theory-of-Mind Reasoning: An Event-Related Potential Study

Everyday understanding of human behavior rests on having a theory of mind—the ability to relate people's actions to underlying mental states such as beliefs and desires. It has been suggested that an impaired theory of mind may lie at the heart of psychological disorders that are characterized by deficits in social understanding, such as autism. In this study, we employed the event-related potential methodology to index the activity of neural systems that are engaged during theory-of-mind reasoning in adults. Specifically, neural activity elicited by tasks that required thinking about mental as compared with nonmental representations (i.e., beliefs vs. photographs) was characterized by a focally enhanced positivity over left frontal areas, which was diminished over left parietal areas. These findings provide an important perspective on both children's theory-of-mind development and the neurobiology of disorders in which theory of mind seems to be impaired.
How To Find The Useful Information For The Referential Integrity Problem

The solution for the referential integrity problem is mainly addressed into what the useful information is. Thus, in contrast with the usual heuristics extracted from the problem domain, the novel approach of our research is to formally model the way to explain what the useful information is. We find that (i) the fewer attributes with more truth perform better than as many as possible attributes; (ii) the converging similarities can be predicted using the mathematical modelling.