Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coupling 40 S ribosome recruitment to modification of a cap-binding initiation factor by eIF 3 subunit e

40S ribosomes are loaded onto capped mRNAs via the multisubunit translation initiation factors eIF3 and eIF4F. While eIF4E is the eIF4F cap recognition component, the eIF4G subunit associates with 40S-bound eIF3. How this intricate process is coordinated remains poorly understood. Here, we identify an eIF3 subunit that regulates eIF4F modification and show that eIF3e is required for inducible eIF4E phosphorylation. Significantly, recruitment of the eIF4E kinase Mnk1 (MAPK signal-integrating kinase 1) to eIF4F depended on eIF3e, and eIF3e was sufficient to promote Mnk1-binding to eIF4G. This establishes a mechanism by which 40S ribosome loading imparts a phosphorylation mark on the cap-binding eIF4F complex that regulates selective mRNA translation and is synchronized by a specific eIF3 subunit.
Keystroke dynamics as a biometric

Modern computer systems rely heavily on methods of authentication and identity verification to protect sensitive data. One of the most robust protective techniques involves adding a layer of biometric analysis to other security mechanisms, as a means of establishing the identity of an individual beyond reasonable doubt. In the search for a biometric technique which is both low-cost and transparent to the end user, researchers have considered analysing the typing patterns of keyboard users to determine their characteristic timing signatures. Previous research into keystroke analysis has either required fixed performance of known keyboard input or relied on artificial tests involving the improvisation of a block of text for analysis. I is proposed that this is insufficient to determine the nature of unconstrained typing in a live computing environment. In an attempt to assess the utility of typing analysis for improving intrusion detection on computer systems, we present the notion of ‘genuinely free text’ (GFT). Through the course of this thesis, we discuss the nature of GFT and attempt to address whether it is feasible to produce a lightweight software platform for monitoring GFT keystroke biometrics, while protecting the privacy of users. The thesis documents in depth the design, development and deployment of the multigraph-based BAKER software platform, a system for collecting statistical GFT data from live environments. This software platform has enabled the collection of an extensive set of keystroke biometric data for a group of participating computer users, the analysis of which we also present here. Several supervised learning techniques were used to demonstrate that the richness of keystroke information gathered from BAKER is indeed sufficient to recommend multigraph keystroke analysis, as a means of augmenting computer security. In addition, we present a discussion of the feasibility of applying data obtained from GFT profiles in circumventing traditional static and free text analysis biometrics.
Enabling database-aware storage with OSD

The ANSI object-based storage device (OSD) standard is a major step toward enabling explicit application-awareness in storage systems behind a standard, fully- interoperable interface [3]. In this paper, we explore a particular flavor of application-awareness, that of database applications. We describe the design and implementation of a database-aware storage system that uses the OSD interface not only as a means to access data, but also to permit explicit communication between the application and the storage system. This communication is significant, as it enables our storage system to transparently optimize data placement and request scheduling. We demonstrate that OSD makes it practical to improve storage performance in these ways without exposing proprietary disk drive parameters to application code, and without labor-intensive, fragile parameter measurement.
Multi-agent coordination with event-based communication

The problem of driving a set of vehicles (agents) to a desired target configuration under event-based communication and measurement constraints is analyzed. We start by studying the single agent problem, where we propose a waypoint based solution, along with two alternative control strategies. After deriving their properties and proving some relevant results, we proceed to study the two agent case. We generalize the results obtained for this network to the multi agent network. Our strategy is able to position each agent within a given distance of its target while satisfying the constraints.We provide some numerical examples for relevant scenarios.
Brief report: Coronary heart disease events associated with hormone therapy in younger and older women

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of hormone therapy (HT) on coronary heart disease (CHD) events in younger and older postmenopausal women. DESIGN: A comprehensive database search identified randomized-controlled trials of HT of at least 6 months’ duration that reported CHD events, defined as myocardial infarction or cardiac death. MEASUREMENTS: The pooled odds ratios (ORs) for CHD events were reported separately for younger and older women, defined as participants with mean time from menopause of less than or greater than 10 years, or mean age less than or greater than 60 years. MAIN RESULTS: Pooled data from 23 trials, with 39,049 participants followed for 191,340 patient-years, showed that HT significantly reduced CHD events in younger women (OR 0.68 [confidence interval (C I), 0.48 to 0.96]), but not in older women (OR 1.03 [CI, 0.91 to 1.16]). Hormone therapy reduced events in younger women compared with older women (OR 0.66 [CI, 0.46 to 0.95]). In older women, HT increased events in the first year (OR 1.47 [CI, 1.12 to 1.92]), then reduced events after 2 years (OR 0.79 [CI, 0.67 to 0.93]). CONCLUSIONS: Hormone therapy reduces the risk of CHD events in younger postmenopausal women. In older women, HT increases, then decreases risk over time.
Sorting It Out: What JNC 8 Is and What It Is Not

The landscape for hypertension guideline development and dissemination has changed. The intense debate surrounding the recent JNC 8 publication obscures the value this guideline offers to providers managing hypertension. Recommendations published by the panel appointed to JNC 8, when interpreted and applied as intended, can indeed guide hypertension management. The purpose of this commentary is to pare down what the JNC 8 publication is and what is not, so as to transcend the controversy and foster application of these guidelines to clinical practice.
A Model for Programming Large-Scale Configurable Computing Applications

It is clear that Exascale computing will require alternative computing substrates such as FPGAs as an adjunct to traditional processors to stay within power consumption constraints. Executing applications, or parts of applications, using specialized, fine-grained computing structures configured into FPGAs can achieve a large increase in both performance and energy-efficiency for many important applications. Unfortunately, the process of designing and implementing these specialized hardware structures is tedious and requires expertise in hardware design. The lack of programming models and associated compilers for configurable computing has impeded progress in the use of FPGAs in large-scale computing platforms. This paper describes a parallel programming model and compilation strategy that we are exploring as a way to describe large-scale applications using familiar concepts and abstractions, but which can be implemented using large-scale, fine-grained parallel computing structures. We first outline this model and show how it can be used to develop a scalable parallel solution for the genomic shortread reassembly problem.
Dose-dependent limitation of arterial enlargement by the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor RS-113,456.

BACKGROUND Arterial diameter changes in response to flow. Chronic flow-mediated arterial enlargement may be mediated through metalloproteinase activity in the extracellular matrix of the arterial wall. We examined flow-mediated enlargement in the setting of increasing competitive matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition and with respect to gelatinase A and B expression and activity. METHODS Left common femoral arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) were created in dose-response (52) and time course (34) cohorts of rats. Dose-response rats received either vehicle alone or 12.5, 25, or 37. 5 mg/kg b.i. d. RS 113,456, a competitive MMP inhibitor. Heart rate, blood pressure, and weight were measured at intervals following AVF construction. Aortic and common iliac diameters were measured on postoperative day (POD) 21. Untreated time course rats were sacrificed on PODs 0 (no AVF), 3, 7, 14, and 21. Aortic diameter was measured and the vessels were harvested for tissue analysis. Equal amounts of aortic RNA underwent reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction with primers for MMP-2, MMP-9, and GAPDH. Zymography was performed on iliac artery tissue to measure gelatinolytic activity. RESULTS A significant, stepwise reduction in flow-mediated aortic and left common iliac enlargement following left femoral AVF creation was noted with progressively higher doses of RS 113,456 without apparent hemodynamic or toxic effects. Right common iliac diameter was unchanged. Over 21 days following AVF creation, there was an upward trend in expression and activity for MMP-2 not evident for MMP-9. CONCLUSION Flow-mediated arterial enlargement is limited by competitive MMP inhibition in a dose-dependent fashion. MMP-dependent flow-mediated enlargement may involve differential expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9.
Literacy in Seventeenth-Century England: More Evidence

Literacy in Seventeenth-Century England: More Evidence Certain historical records which have long been recognized as sources for genealogy and for legal, economic, and ecclesiastical history can also be made to yield information about the extent of illiteracy in seventeenth-century England. The recent "report on research" by Vann introduces Hearth Tax returns as a source for the study of literacy.1 A correlation between wealth and the ability to write seems to be possible. Stone has derived literacy scores for various parts of England from the Protestation of I642, a nationwide oath of political and religious orthodoxy, and has used marriage licence allegations and bonds from the ecclesiastical archives to chart the movement of literacy among various social groups between I635 and I822.2 Even more evidence relating to literacy may be found in other sources, including wills, the depositions of witnesses in ecclesiastical court cases, and lists of signatories to other oaths and declarations. Some of these have been the subject of study for several years now, and the fruits of this research are beginning to appear in print.3 It is the purpose of this paper to review the state of the evidence and to present some preliminary conclusions about the extent of illiteracy in early modern England. In accordance with international convention percentages are cited of illiteracy rather than literacy.4 Of the many gradations of literacy and illiteracy which may be of interest to historians only one-the ability or inability to write a signature-is directly measurable. Unfortunately there is no direct evidence of the extent of the seventeenth-century reading
The Simplest Flowchart Stating the Mechanisms for Organic Xenobiotics-induced Toxicity: Can it Possibly be Accepted as a “Central Dogma” for Toxic Mechanisms?

Xenobiotics causing a variety of toxicity in biological systems could be classified as two types, inorganic and organic chemicals. It is estimated that the organic xenobiotics are responsible for approximately 80~90% of chemical-induced toxicity in human population. In the class for toxicology, we have encountered some difficulties in explaining the mechanisms of toxicity caused especially by organic chemicals. Here, a simple flowchart was introduced for explaining the mechanism of toxicity caused by organic xenobiotics, as the central dogma of molecular biology. This flowchart, referred to as a central dogma, was described based on a view of various aspects as follows: direct-acting chemicals vs. indirect-acting chemicals, cytochrome P450-dependent vs. cytochrome P450-independent biotransformation, reactive intermediates, reactivation, toxicokinetics vs. toxicodynamics, and reversibility vs. irreversibility. Thus, the primary objective of this flowchart is to help better understanding of the organic xenobiotics-induced toxic mechanisms, providing a major pathway for toxicity occurring in biological systems.
Technology Neutrality should be a Consistent Policy Stance

In the current public consultation regarding “Licensing of Mobile Services on Expiry of Existing Licenses for Second Generation Mobile Services”, there are voices calling for a specific 3G standard in order to facilitate the development of mobile data communications. In the viewpoint of this author, this may imply that Hong Kong will give up its decades-long technology neutral stance in licensing, and therefore has significant implications to the future development of Hong Kong’ mobile communications market.
Negatively charged residues in the first extracellular loop of the L-type CaV1.2 channel anchor the interaction with the CaVα2δ1 auxiliary subunit

Voltage-gated L-type CaV1.2 channels in cardiomyocytes exist as heteromeric complexes. Co-expression of CaVα2δ1 with CaVβ/CaVα1 proteins reconstitutes the functional properties of native L-type currents, but the interacting domains at the CaV1.2/CaVα2δ1 interface are unknown. Here, a homology-based model of CaV1.2 identified protein interfaces between the extracellular domain of CaVα2δ1 and the extracellular loops of the CaVα1 protein in repeats I (IS1S2 and IS5S6), II (IIS5S6), and III (IIIS5S6). Insertion of a 9-residue hemagglutinin epitope in IS1S2, but not in IS5S6 or in IIS5S6, prevented the co-immunoprecipitation of CaV1.2 with CaVα2δ1. IS1S2 contains a cluster of three conserved negatively charged residues Glu-179, Asp-180, and Asp-181 that could contribute to non-bonded interactions with CaVα2δ1. Substitutions of CaV1.2 Asp-181 impaired the co-immunoprecipitation of CaVβ/CaV1.2 with CaVα2δ1 and the CaVα2δ1-dependent shift in voltage-dependent activation gating. In contrast, single substitutions in CaV1.2 in neighboring positions in the same loop (179, 180, and 182–184) did not significantly alter the functional up-regulation of CaV1.2 whole-cell currents. However, a negatively charged residue at position 180 was necessary to convey the CaVα2δ1-mediated shift in the activation gating. We also found a more modest contribution from the positively charged Arg-1119 in the extracellular pore region in repeat III of CaV1.2. We conclude that CaV1.2 Asp-181 anchors the physical interaction that facilitates the CaVα2δ1-mediated functional modulation of CaV1.2 currents. By stabilizing the first extracellular loop of CaV1.2, CaVα2δ1 may up-regulate currents by promoting conformations of the voltage sensor that are associated with the channel's open state.
Socially Distant Reference Groups and Consumer Aspirations

Several specific effects of various social groups on consumer behavior have been studied. Venkatesan demonstrated experimentally that individuals' product choices may be affected by conformity and reactance in small face-to-face groups [10]. Stafford [9] and Witt [11] found that small primary groups influence certain brand choice decisions, and Bourne suggested that the purchase of certain types and brands of products may be influenced by a person's reference group [1]. However, there is a significant gap in knowledge about the effects on consumer behavior of the socially distant reference group. '
Dignity, face, and honor cultures: A study of negotiation strategy and outcomes in three cultures

Summary This study compares negotiation strategy and outcomes in countries illustrating dignity, face, and honor cultures. Hypotheses predict cultural differences in negotiators' aspirations, use of strategy, and outcomes based on the implications of differences in self-worth and social structures in dignity, face, and honor cultures. Data were from a face-to-face negotiation simulation; participants were intra-cultural samples from the USA (dignity), China (face), and Qatar (honor). The empirical results provide strong evidence for the predictions concerning the reliance on more competitive negotiation strategies in honor and face cultures relative to dignity cultures in this context of negotiating a new business relationship. The study makes two important theoretical contributions. First, it proposes how and why people in a previously understudied part of the world, that is, the Middle East, use negotiation strategy. Second, it addresses a conundrum in the East Asian literature on negotiation: the theory and research that emphasize the norms of harmony and cooperation in social interaction versus empirical evidence that negotiations in East Asia are highly competitive. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cosmological brane world solutions with bulk scalar fields

Cosmological brane world solutions are found for five-dimensional bulk spacetimes with a scalar field. A supergravity inspired method for obtaining static solutions is combined with a method for finding brane cosmologies with constant bulk energies. This provides a way to generate full (bulk and brane) cosmological solutions to brane worlds with bulk scalar fields. Examples of these solutions, and their corresponding Friedmann equations, are discussed.
Batch mode active learning for multi-label image classification with informative label correlation mining

The performances of supervised learning techniques on image classification problems heavily rely on the quality of their training images. But the acquisition of high quality training images requires significant efforts from human annotators. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-label batch model active learning (MLBAL) approach that allows the learning algorithm to actively select a batch of informative example-label pairs from which it learns at each learning iteration, so as to learn accurate classifiers with less annotation efforts. Unlike existing methods, the proposed approach fines the active selection granularity from example to example-label pair, and takes into account the informative label correlations for active learning. And the empirical studies demonstrate its effectiveness.
Contexts for last occasions of unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-negative gay men in Sydney: The health in men cohort

The objective of the paper was to compare encounters involving unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and protected anal intercourse (PAI) among HIV-negative gay men in Sydney. Data were from those completing baseline face-to-face interviews to end June 2003 for the Health in Men open cohort of HIV-negative gay men in Sydney. The 1,148 participants ranged in age from 18 to 75 years (median=36). Three hundred and fifty-two (30.7%) reported an occasion of UAI with a casual partner in the previous 6 months and 531 (46.3%) reported an occasion of UAI with a regular partner in that same time. The men's most recent sexual contact with a casual partner involving UAI was distinguished from those involving PAI by a greater likelihood for both partners to disclose HIV serostatus (p=0.006) and by respondents being more inclined to restrict themselves to the insertive position or to practise withdrawal during occasions involving any UAI than when a condom was used (p=0.003 and p=0.001 respectively). Neither location nor recreational drug use differentiated men's most recent sexual contacts involving UAI from those involving PAI. The decision by HIV-negative gay men to use condoms during sexual encounters with either regular or casual partners is guided more by HIV serostatus and risk reduction strategies than by other factors.
Defects in Synaptic Plasticity, Reduced NMDA-Receptor Transport, and Instability of Postsynaptic Density Proteins in Mice Lacking Microtubule-Associated Protein 1A

Microtubule-associated protein 1A (MAP1A) is a member of the major non-motor microtubule-binding proteins. It has been suggested that MAP1A tethers NMDA receptors (NRs) to the cytoskeleton by binding with proteins postsynaptic density (PSD)-93 and PSD-95, although the function of MAP1A in vivo remains elusive. The present study demonstrates that mouse MAP1A plays an essential role in maintaining synaptic plasticity through an analysis of MAP1A knock-out mice. The mice exhibited learning disabilities, which correlated with decreased long-term potentiation and long-term depression in the hippocampal neurons, as well as a concomitant reduction in the extent of NR-dependent EPSCs. Surface expression of NR2A and NR2B subunits also decreased. Enhanced activity-dependent degradation of PSD-93 and reduced transport of NR2A/2B in dendrites was likely responsible for altered receptor function in neurons lacking MAP1A. These data suggest that tethering of NR2A/2B with the cytoskeleton through MAP1A is fundamental for synaptic function. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This work is the first report showing the significance of non-motor microtubule-associated protein in maintaining synaptic plasticity thorough a novel mechanism: anchoring of NMDA receptors to cytoskeleton supports transport of NMDA receptors and stabilizes postsynaptic density scaffolds binding to NMDA receptors. Newly generated mutant mice lacking MAP1A exhibited learning disabilities and reduced synaptic plasticity attributable to disruptions of the anchoring machinery.
DDMF: An Efficient Decision Diagram Structure for Design Verification of Quantum Circuits under a Practical Restriction

Recently much attention has been paid to quantum circuit design to prepare for the future “quantum computation era. ” Like the conventional logic synthesis, it should be important to verify and analyze the functionalities of generated quantum circuits. For that purpose, we propose an efficient verification method for quantum circuits under a practical restriction. Thanks to the restriction, we can introduce an efficient verification scheme based on decision diagrams called Decision Diagrams for Matrix Functions (DDMFs). Then, we show analytically the advantages of our approach based on DDMFs over the previous verification techniques. In order to introduce DDMFs, we also introduce new concepts, quantum functions and matrix functions, which may also be interesting and useful on their own for designing quantum circuits.
The Expropriation of Pious and Corporate Properties in Costa Rica, 1805-1860: Patterns in the Consolidation of a National Elite

Conflicts between Church and State, and between liberals and conservatives over the role of the Church, were a constant feature of nineteenth-century Mesoamerican history. These struggles eventually stripped the Church of much of its wealth, with a consequent decline in its political influence. However, the timing of this disinvestiture, the composition of liberal and conservative factions, and the role of the Church varied substantially throughout Mexico and Central America. In Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, the Church survived the turmoil of the Independence period, to continue as a major holder of wealth and an important political actor. Notwithstanding repeated royal attacks upon Church prerogatives, and innumerable forced loans levied by both colonial and national authorities against Church wealth, the decisive confrontation between the Church and the Liberal-dominated State in these nations awaited the second half of the nineteenth century.
The FcεRI signaling cascade and integrin trafficking converge at patterned ligand surfaces

Surface-patterned ligands reveal spatially targeted signaling events mediated by FcεRI on mast cells. Distinctively clustered IgE-FcεRI recruits signaling proteins, including Syk, LAT, and activated PLCγ1. β1- and β3-integrins also colocalize at patterned sites, involving actin polymerization and stimulated trafficking from recycling endosomes.