Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hyperacidification of Trans‐Golgi Network and Endo/Lysosomes in Melanocytes by Glucosylceramide‐Dependent V‐ATPase Activity

Sphingolipids are considered to play a key role in protein sorting and membrane trafficking. In melanocytic cells, sorting of lysosomal and melanosomal proteins requires the sphingolipid glucosylceramide (GlcCer). This sorting information is located in the lumenal domain of melanosomal proteins. We found that two processes dependent on lumenal pH, protein sialylation and lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) activity were aberrant in GM95 melanocyte cells, which do not produce glycosphingolipids. Using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), we found that the lumenal pH in the trans‐Golgi network and lysosomes of wild‐type melanocyte MEB4 cells are >1 pH unit lower than GM95 cells and fibroblasts. In addition to the lower pH found in vivo, the in vitro activity of the proton pump, the vacuolar‐type H+‐translocating ATPase (V‐ATPase), was twofold higher in MEB4 compared to GM95 cells. The apparent Ki for inhibition of the V‐ATPase by concanamycin A and archazolid A, which share a common binding site on the c‐ring, was lower in glycosphingolipid‐deficient GM95 cells. No difference between the MEB4 and GM95 cells was found for the V‐ATPase inhibitors apicularen A and salicylihalimide. We conclude that hyperacidification in MEB4 cells requires glycosphingolipids and propose that low pH is necessary for protein sorting and melanosome biogenesis. Furthermore, we suggest that glycosphingolipids are indirectly involved in protein sorting and melanosome biogenesis by stimulating the proton pump, possibly through binding of GlcCer. These experiments establish, for the first time, a link between pH, glycosphingolipids and melanosome biogenesis in melanocytic MEB4 cells, to suggest a role for glycosphingolipids in hyperacidification in melanocytes.
Cybercrime in Progress: Theory and prevention of technology-enabled offenses

1. Technology and Cybercrime 2. Issues in Empirical Assessments of Cybercrime 3. Applications of Criminological Theory to Cybercrimes 4. Issues in Domestic and Transnational Cybercrime Investigation 5. Issues in the Prevention of Cybercrime 6. The Future of Cybercrime and Digital Forensic Research.
Instructional Leadership Model through Asian Principals' Perspectives

This study focuses on instructional leadership of principals of successful schools in four Asian countries India, Malaysia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates. This study followed the qualitative method involving questionnaire and interview. About fifty five principals from these countries participated in this study. The questionnaire was sent trough post or email while interview was conducted either face to face or online using msn or Skype. The responding rate of participants was hundred percent. The discussion was focussed on three themes namely concept of instructional leadership, role of principal as instructional leader and benefits of instructional leadership. The findings accounted for instructional leadership of the participant principals as leadership for overall development of students, supported commitment for overall development of students, shared decision making, involving supervisory models and continuous professional development. It also advocated the benefits of instructional leadership in terms of fulfilment of higher needs of recognition, self esteem and self actualization of students, teachers and the principals. The study concludes with formulation of a new model based on instructional leadership practised by principals from these Asian countries.
Neuroevolution of augmenting topologies based musculor-skeletal arm neurocontroller

Human-like musculor-skeletal arm model with its unique smooth and natural movements as well as low energy cost has attracted many researchers' interests and developed rapidly nowadays. In this paper, we focus on a human-like musculor-skeletal arm model with three links driven by nine muscles and propose a control model with two neurocontrollers trained by the NEAT algorithm. The NEAT (Neuroevolution of Augmenting Topologies) is a novel neuroevolution algorithm using a modified genetic algorithm to train neural networks by changing the topology structure as well as connection weights simultaneously. To evolve the network, we generate the training sets by using forward kinematics, geometry relationships, and muscle mechanic equations. By using two neurocontrollers, Position-Angle and Angle-Activation, the control model can deal with the redundancy and non-linear problems in separate neurocontroller at the same time.
Female presence influences sperm velocity in the guppy

As sperm production is costly, males are expected to strategically allocate resources to sperm production according to mating opportunities. While sperm number adjustments have been reported in several taxa, only a few studies investigated whether sperm quality shows adaptive plasticity as well. We tested this prediction in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. A total of 46 males were initially stripped of all retrievable sperm before being randomly allocated to one of two treatments simulating different levels of mating opportunities (visual contact with females or female deprived). After 3 days, males were stripped and sperm velocity was assayed using Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis. Males in the presence of females produced significantly faster sperm than their counterparts. Implications for the evolution of this ejaculate plasticity in the light of results of sperm competition studies are discussed.
Classification Of Tourist Season In Costal Tourism

Tourism seasonality is the major characteristic of tourism industry, a well know but less understood phenomenon. Seasonal fluctuations of tourism demand are implying numerous negative implications affecting tourist destination, tourist operators and tourist demand. Almost every tourist destination is facing seasonality,but the most pronounced seasonal concentration of tourist activities have costal destinations which attract tourist demand motivated primary by the 3S – sun, sand and sea concept.Seasonality in business operation is the most challenging in tourist companies with a large share of fixed capacity, as the hotel accommodating sector. Former research of causes of seasonality, implications of seasonality and potential strategies to combat seasonality had methodological flaw. Tourism product, as a product with seasonal characteristic, requires analysis of performance by season. The objective of this paper is to classify tourist season in coastal tourist destinations regarding hotel occupancy rates. This is the first attempt to empirically classify tourist season. Sample surveys are 218 hotels located in Dalmatia, Croatia. Cluster analysis on hotel occupancy rate date was conducted, whereby the statistical significance between seasons were testes by Friedman test and the statistical significance between destinations were tested by F-test and ANOVA. Further, factor analysis was conducted to test the achieved results. Regarding the research result tourist season can be divided into three seasons: low, medium and high. Low season as the longest consisting of five months: January, February, March, November and December, middle season as the shortest consisting of three months: April, May and October and high season consisting of four months: June, July, August and September. Research findings are a significant contribution to tourism theory and practice.
[Improvement of coils used in functional magnetic stimulation].

OBJECTIVE Functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) is a new technique for stimulating the excitable tissue. But the difficulty to locate the activation point and the poor capability of focusing limit the further progress of FMS. A new stimulation method using 8-shaped coil and a combinatorial coil were presented to improve coils performance. METHOD The distribution of the induced electrical field was calculated based on Faraday law. RESULT When the nerve was perpendicular to the handle of 8-shaped coil and tangential to the coil edge, the position with the maximum of first spatial gradient of the field did not change with the varying of the radius of coil and the excitation depth; the values of the first spatial gradient of field above the stimulation target decreased obviously using the combinatorial coils. CONCLUSION Comparing with the current stimulation method of 8-shaped coil, the new method gave a fixed activation point. The capability of focusing was improved using the presented combinatorial coil.
Inherited Conduction System Abnormalities—One Group of Diseases, Many Genes

The cardiac conduction system can be anatomically, developmentally, and molecularly distinguished from the working myocardium. Abnormalities in cardiac conduction can occur due to a variety of factors, including developmental and congenital defects, acquired injury or ischemia of portions of the conduction system, or less commonly due to inherited diseases that alter cardiac conduction system function. So called ‘idiopathic’ conduction system degeneration may have familial clustering, and therefore is consistent with a hereditary basis. This ‘Molecular Perspectives’ will highlight several diverse mechanisms of isolated conduction system disease as well as conduction system degeneration associated with other cardiac and non‐cardiac disorders. The first part of this review focuses on channelopathies associated with conduction system disease. Human genetic studies have identified mutations in the sodium channel SCN5A gene causing tachyarrhythmia disorders, as well as progressive cardiac conduction system diseases, or overlapping syndromes. Next, the importance of embryonic developmental genes such as homeobox and T‐box transcription factors are highlighted in conduction system development and function. Conduction system diseases associated with multisystem disorders, such as muscular and myotonic dystrophies, will be described. Last, a new glycogen storage cardiomyopathy associated with ventricular preexcitation and progressive conduction system degeneration will be reviewed. There are a myriad of mutations identified in genes encoding cardiac transcription factors, ion channels, gap junctions, energy metabolism regulators, lamins and other structural proteins. Understanding of the molecular and ionic mechanisms underlying cardiac conduction is essential for the appreciation of the pathogenesis of conduction abnormalities in structurally normal and altered hearts.
Human Axonal Survival of Motor Neuron (a-SMN) Protein Stimulates Axon Growth, Cell Motility, C-C Motif Ligand 2 (CCL2), and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF1) Production

Background: Axonal SMN is a truncated product of the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) disease gene SMN1. Results: Forced expression of axonal SMN in motoneuron-like NSC34 cells modulates growth, axonogenesis, and motility. Conclusion: Axonal SMN induces CCL2/CCL7 chemokines and the IGF-1 growth factor. CCL2 contributes to axonal SMN-induced motility and axonogenesis. Significance: Insights into the function and underlying mechanisms with relevance for axonal SMN in SMA are provided. Spinal muscular atrophy is a fatal genetic disease of motoneurons due to loss of full-length survival of motor neuron protein, the main product of the disease gene SMN1. Axonal SMN (a-SMN) is an alternatively spliced isoform of SMN1, generated by retention of intron 3. To study a-SMN function, we generated cellular clones for the expression of the protein in mouse motoneuron-like NSC34 cells. The model was instrumental in providing evidence that a-SMN decreases cell growth and plays an important role in the processes of axon growth and cellular motility. In our conditions, low levels of a-SMN expression were sufficient to trigger the observed biological effects, which were not modified by further increasing the amounts of the expressed protein. Differential transcriptome analysis led to the identification of novel a-SMN-regulated factors, i.e. the transcripts coding for the two chemokines, C-C motif ligands 2 and 7 (CCL2 and CCL7), as well as the neuronal and myotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1). a-SMN-dependent induction of CCL2 and IGF1 mRNAs resulted in increased intracellular levels and secretion of the respective protein products. Induction of CCL2 contributes to the a-SMN effects, mediating part of the action on axon growth and random cell motility, as indicated by chemokine knockdown and re-addition studies. Our results shed new light on a-SMN function and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The data provide a rational framework to understand the role of a-SMN deficiency in the etiopathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy.
Laparoscopic versus open donor nephrectomy: comparing ureteral complications in the recipients and improving the laparoscopic technique.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy (LDN) is a recently developed procedure, the performance of which needs to be studied. Given the reported advantages in the donors, this study looks at graft outcome and ureteral complications in recipients of kidneys procured by open donor nephrectomy (ODN) versus LDN. METHODS The LDN recipients consisted of 193 patients since 3/27/96. A total of 168 ODN recipients from 1991 to 1998 served as controls. Immunosuppression protocols were similar for both groups. RESULTS Two-year graft survival for LDN and ODN was 98% and 96%, respectively. Two-year patient survival for LDN and ODN was 98% and 97%, respectively. The incidence of delayed graft function and mean serum creatinine at 3 and 12 months was similar in both groups. However, the number of ureteral complications that required operative repair was significantly higher for LDN recipients compared to ODN recipients, 7.7% (n=15) vs. 0.6% (n=1) respectively (P=0.03). Ureteral stenting was required in an additional 3.1% (n=6) of LDN and 2.4% (n=4) of ODN (P=NS). There was, however, a learning curve with time. For the first 130 LDN patients, a total of 20 ureteral complications were recorded, whereas only one occurred in the more recent 63 patients (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS The higher ureteral complication rate in LDN recipients has improved over time as technical causes have been identified. We have noted significant improvement in ureteral viability by using the endogastrointestinal anastomosis instrument on the ureter and peri-ureteral tissue. LDN is therefore an excellent alternative to ODN. Identification of hazards unique to this technique is critical before its broader application.
Parallel particle swarm optimization on chaotic solutions of dynamical systems

A parallel approach for finding chaotic solutions of general third-order autonomous dynamical systems with piecewise-linear vector field utilizing particle swarm optimization (PPSO) was proposed. PPSO is a metaheuristic method that can search very large spaces of candidate solutions using modern multi-core processors performance. To discover such sensitive systems in respect to chaotic behavior, special attention was devoted to the fitness function. Some of found systems are presented and analyzed in the article. A significant speedup using multi-core operations was proved.
The spice of life: An analysis of nutmeg exposures in California

Background. Nutmeg is widely used as a household spice. Numerous citations in the medical literature report its abuse as a psychoactive agent, primarily for its purported hallucinogenic effects that are thought to be due to the compound myristicin; these are primarily limited to case reports. Methods. We performed a retrospective review of the California Poison Control System database for the years 1997–2008 for all cases of single-substance human exposure to nutmeg. Results. There were a total of 119 single-substance exposures to nutmeg. Eighty-six (72.3%) exposures were intentional. Patients intentionally abusing nutmeg were more likely to be between the ages of 13 and 20 than those with unintentional exposure to the spice (80.2% vs. 9.1%, p < 0.05). Abusers were significantly more likely to require medical evaluation than nonabusers (61.6% vs. 33.3%, p < 0.05). Patients who abused nutmeg were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) to experience tachycardia and agitation than those whose exposure was unintentional. No major effects and no deaths were reported to occur in either group. Conclusions. Although nutmeg exposure is uncommonly encountered, clinical effects from ingestion can be significant and can require medical intervention. While clinically significant effects were common, life-threatening toxicity and death did not occur in this series.
ALGORITHM-BASED FAULT DETECTION USING BLOOM FILTERS FOR COMMUNICATION APPLICATIONS

-The Bloom filter (BF) is a well-known randomized data structure that answers set membership queries with some probability of false positives. In an attempt to solve many of the limitations of current network architectures, some recent proposals rely on including small BFs in packet headers for routing, security, accountability or other purposes that move application states into the packets themselves. In this paper, we consider the design of such in-packet Bloom filters (iBF). Our main contributions are exploring the design space and the evaluation of a series of extensions (1) to increase the practicality and performance of iBFs, (2) to enable false-negative-free element deletion, and (3) to provide security enhancements. In addition to the theoretical estimates, extensive simulations of the multiple design parameters and implementation alternatives validate the usefulness of the extensions, providing for enhanced and novel iBF networking applications.
Tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum) – the African, Asian, Polynesian and Pacific Panacea

Tamanu or Calophyllum inophyllum has been used traditionally as a local medicine for many different purposes. The oil has been proven to be vulnerary and cicatrising in its effects. The chemicals responsible for this action are calophyllolide and inophyllum in addition to other complex polyphenols.
Macroeconomic Policies and Food Security

Abstract Purpose This chapter places the discussion of trade and food security in a more general macroeconomic context. Methodology/approach This chapter uses historical analysis to briefly trace the debate on economy-wide policies, starting with the 1943 United Nations (UN) Conference on Food and Agriculture that led to the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. A general economic framework is used to organize the different channels through which macroeconomic policies may affect food and nutrition security. Research implications Examples of monetary, financial, fiscal, and exchange rate policies are presented, along with their implications for food and nutrition security. Practical implications The current debates about trade and food security must be placed in the context of the overall macroeconomic framework: a single trade policy may have different impacts depending on its interactions with other macroeconomic policies and structural factors.
Polarization of received signals for wideband wireless communications in a heavy rainfall region

Wireless fixed network access offers many advantages such as scalability and ease of deployment in low population density areas. However, its coverage is greatly affected by rainfall. In this letter, we study the effects of rain attenuation on the radio channel in a heavy rainfall region for wideband signals in the 10-40-GHz frequency range. We conclude that although a lower frequency of <10 GHz is more affected by multipath due to a longer wavelength, it is still optimal in a heavy rainfall region due to high losses associated with higher frequency signals. In addition, for a path of over 1.5 km, the difference in horizontal and vertical polarization becomes significant.
Altered gut flora and environment in patients with severe SIRS.

BACKGROUND The gut is considered an important target organ of injury after severe insult such as sepsis, trauma, and shock. The impact of bacterial translocation or mesenteric lymph on systemic inflammatory response and multiple organ damage has been investigated in animals, but dynamic changes in the gut flora and environment have not been fully clarified in critically ill patients. In the present study, we quantitatively evaluated changes in the gut microflora and environment in patients with severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). METHODS Twenty-five patients with severe SIRS, who fulfilled the criteria for SIRS, had a serum CRP level >10 mg/dL, and were treated in the intensive care unit for more than 2 days, were included in our study. SIRS was a result of sepsis in 18 patients, trauma in 6, and burn in 1. A fecal sample was used for quantitative evaluation of microflora (bacterial counts of 10 key groups including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) by plate or tube technique and of the gut environment (pH and 9 organic acids by high speed liquid chromatography). Data obtained from patients were compared with corresponding data from healthy volunteers. RESULTS Analysis of fecal flora confirmed that patients with severe SIRS had significantly lower total anaerobic bacterial counts (especially 2-4 log fewer "beneficial" Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and 2 log higher "pathogenic" Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas group counts than those of healthy volunteers. Concentrations of total organic acids (especially "beneficial" short-chain fatty acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid) in the feces were significantly decreased in the patients, whereas pH was markedly increased. CONCLUSIONS The gut flora and environment are significantly altered in patients with severe SIRS. Abnormal gut flora and environment may affect systemic inflammatory response after severe insult.
Direct isolation of H1N2 recombinant virus from a throat swab of a patient simultaneously infected with H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses

Two H1N2 recombinant viruses were isolated by a plaquing method from a throat swab of a patient who was simultaneously infected with H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses during the Tokyo epidemic of 1981. This is the first direct evidence that recombination of influenza viruses occurred in the human body.
Renal cell carcinoma: A clinicopathological follow-up study after radical nephrectomy

Objective. To examine the prognostic significance of performance status, tumour stage, histological subtype, nuclear grade and histological tumour necrosis (HTN) in a population of consecutive patients subjected to radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Material and methods. The cohort consisted of 110 males and 86 females with a mean age of 66 years (range 39–88 years). The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) was determined in all cases. The tumours were staged according to the 2002 TNM classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer. Histological subtype was diagnosed using the Heidelberg classification. Nuclear grading was performed by means of Fuhrman's method. The median follow-up period was 65 months (mean 83 months; range 1–232 months). Results. Median overall survival (OS) was 65 months and median cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 171 months. CSS was correlated with TNM classification, with the longest survival occurring for stage I and II tumours, shorter survival for stage III tumours and shortest survival for stage IV tumours (p<0.001). A significant difference in CSS was found between T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 tumours (p<0.01). A 15-year CSS of 100% was revealed in patients with tumours ≤4 cm in size. There was a significant difference in CSS between low nuclear grade (NG; 1+2) and high NG (3+4) tumours (p<0.001). HTN and ECOG PS were found to be independent prognostic factors (p<0.01). Conclusion. ECOG PS, TNM stage, nuclear grade and tumour necrosis were found to be independent prognostic factors for survival.