Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellulase adsorption and relationship to features of corn stover solids produced by leading pretreatments

Although essential to enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass to sugars for fermentation to ethanol or other products, enzyme adsorption and its relationship to substrate features has received limited attention, and little data and insight have been developed on cellulase adsorption for promising pretreatment options, with almost no data available to facilitate comparisons. Therefore, adsorption of cellulase on Avicel, and of cellulase and xylanase on corn stover solids resulting from ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), controlled pH, dilute acid, lime, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) pretreatments were measured at 4°C. Langmuir adsorption parameters were then estimated by non‐linear regression using Polymath software, and cellulase accessibility to cellulose was estimated based on adsorption data for pretreated solids and lignin left after carbohydrate digestion. To determine the impact of delignification and deacetylation on cellulose accessibility, purified CBHI (Cel7A) adsorption at 4°C and hydrolysis with whole cellulase were followed for untreated (UT) corn stover. In all cases, cellulase attained equilibrium in less than 2 h, and upon dilution, solids pretreated by controlled pH technology showed the greatest desorption followed by solids from dilute acid and SO2 pretreatments. Surprisingly, the lowest desorption was measured for Avicel glucan followed by solids from AFEX pretreatment. The higher cellulose accessibility for AFEX and lime pretreated solids could account for the good digestion reported in the literature for these approaches. Lime pretreated solids had the greatest xylanase capacity and AFEX solids the least, showing pretreatment pH did not seem to be controlling. The 24 h glucan hydrolysis rate data had a strong relationship to cellulase adsorption capacities, while 24 h xylan hydrolysis rate data showed no relationship to xylanase adsorption capacities. Furthermore, delignification greatly enhanced enzyme effectiveness but had a limited effect on cellulose accessibility. And because delignification enhanced release of xylose more than glucose, it appears that lignin did not directly control cellulose accessibility but restricted xylan accessibility which in turn controlled access to cellulose. Reducing the acetyl content in corn stover solids significantly improved both cellulose accessibility and enzyme effectiveness. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;103: 252–267. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Network latency impact on performance of software deployed across multiple clouds

In cloud computing, an "edge cloud" may be introduced close to some of the end users, to give faster service for very demanding applications. The transactions that require heavy processing capacity and longer processing times are seen as more suitable to be carried out at the "core" cloud. Parts in the core and edge may then have to communicate, introducing associated network latencies. An application should be deployed across edge and core with the aim to reduce the overall effect of network latencies, in order to meet end user response time goals. In this paper, we use a Layered Queueing Network performance model to explore the impact of network latency and some possible deployment choices on the responsiveness of an application called HCAT (Home Care Aides Technology). The evaluations show that the use of the edge cloud may cause performance degradation, rather than gain, for some kinds of applications.
Genome-Wide Analyses of Nkx2-1 Binding to Transcriptional Target Genes Uncover Novel Regulatory Patterns Conserved in Lung Development and Tumors

The homeodomain transcription factor Nkx2-1 is essential for normal lung development and homeostasis. In lung tumors, it is considered a lineage survival oncogene and prognostic factor depending on its expression levels. The target genes directly bound by Nkx2-1, that could be the primary effectors of its functions in the different cellular contexts where it is expressed, are mostly unknown. In embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) mouse lung, epithelial cells expressing Nkx2-1 are predominantly expanding, and in E19.5 prenatal lungs, Nkx2-1-expressing cells are predominantly differentiating in preparation for birth. To evaluate Nkx2-1 regulated networks in these two cell contexts, we analyzed genome-wide binding of Nkx2-1 to DNA regulatory regions by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by tiling array analysis, and intersected these data to expression data sets. We further determined expression patterns of Nkx2-1 developmental target genes in human lung tumors and correlated their expression levels to that of endogenous NKX2-1. In these studies we uncovered differential Nkx2-1 regulated networks in early and late lung development, and a direct function of Nkx2-1 in regulation of the cell cycle by controlling the expression of proliferation-related genes. New targets, validated in Nkx2-1 shRNA transduced cell lines, include E2f3, Cyclin B1, Cyclin B2, and c-Met. Expression levels of Nkx2-1 direct target genes identified in mouse development significantly correlate or anti-correlate to the levels of endogenous NKX2-1 in a dosage-dependent manner in multiple human lung tumor expression data sets, supporting alternative roles for Nkx2-1 as a transcriptional activator or repressor, and direct regulator of cell cycle progression in development and tumors.
Three Essays on the Economic Impact of Immigration

OF DISSERTATION THREE ESSAYS ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION With the significant rise in immigration to the U.S. over the last few decades, fully understanding the economic impact of immigration is paramount for policy makers. As such, this dissertation consists of three empirical essays contributing to the literature on the impact of immigration. In my first essay, I re-examine the impact of immigration on housing rents and completely controlling for endogenous location choices of immigrants. I model rents as a function of both contemporaneous and initial economic and housing market conditions. I show that existing estimates of the impact of immigration on rents are biased and the source of the bias is the instrumental variable strategy common in much of the immigration literature. In my second essay, I present a new approach to estimating the effect of immigration on native wages. Noting the imperfect substitutability of immigrants and natives within education groups, I posit an empirical framework where labor markets are stratified by occupations. Using occupationspecific skill to define homogeneous skill groups, I estimate the partial equilibrium (within skill group) effect of immigration. The results suggest that when one defines labor market cohorts that directly compete in the labor market, the effect of immigration on native wages is roughly twice as large as previous estimates in the literature. In my third essay, I return to the housing market and examine the effects of immigration within metropolitan areas. Specifically, I investigate the relationship between immigrant inflows, native outflows, and rents. Taking advantage of the unique settlement patterns of immigrants, I show that the effect of immigration on rents is lower in both high-immigrant neighborhoods and portions of the rent distribution where immigrants cluster. Contrary to the existing belief in the literature, the results suggest that the preferences of natives, not immigrants, bid up rents in response to an immigrant inflow.
Interaction between Plate Make and Protein in Protein Crystallisation Screening

Background Protein crystallisation screening involves the parallel testing of large numbers of candidate conditions with the aim of identifying conditions suitable as a starting point for the production of diffraction quality crystals. Generally, condition screening is performed in 96-well plates. While previous studies have examined the effects of protein construct, protein purity, or crystallisation condition ingredients on protein crystallisation, few have examined the effect of the crystallisation plate. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed a statistically rigorous examination of protein crystallisation, and evaluated interactions between crystallisation success and plate row/column, different plates of same make, different plate makes and different proteins. From our analysis of protein crystallisation, we found a significant interaction between plate make and the specific protein being crystallised. Conclusions/Significance Protein crystal structure determination is the principal method for determining protein structure but is limited by the need to produce crystals of the protein under study. Many important proteins are difficult to crystallise, so that identification of factors that assist crystallisation could open up the structure determination of these more challenging targets. Our findings suggest that protein crystallisation success may be improved by matching a protein with its optimal plate make.
Frequency Selective Compressed Sensing

In this paper the authors describe the problem of acquisition of interfered signals and formulate a filtering problem. A frequency-selective compressed sensing technique is proposed as a solution to this problem. Signal acquisition is critical in facilitating frequency-selective compressed sensing. The authors propose a filtering compressed sensing parameter, which allows to assess if a given acquisition process makes frequency-selective compressed sensing possible for a given filtering problem. A numerical experiment which shows how the described method works in practice is conducted.
Interactions between spinal interneurons and ventral spinocerebellar tract neurons

Abstract Recent evidence indicates that ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT) neurons do not merely receive information provided by spinal interneurons but may also modulate the activity of these interneurons. Hence, interactions between them may be mutual. However, while it is well established that spinal interneurons may provide both excitatory and inhibitory input to ascending tract neurons, the functional consequences of the almost exclusively inhibitory input from premotor interneurons to subpopulations of VSCT neurons were only recently addressed. These are discussed in the first part of this review. The second part of the review summarizes evidence that some VSCT neurons may operate both as projection neurons and as spinal interneurons and play a role in spinal circuitry. It outlines the evidence that initial axon collaterals of VSCT neurons target premotor inhibitory interneurons in disynaptic reflex pathways from tendon organs and muscle spindles (group Ia, Ib and/or II muscle afferents) to motoneurons. By activating these interneurons VSCT neurons may evoke disynaptic IPSPs in motoneurons and thus facilitate inhibitory actions of contralateral muscle afferents on motoneurons. In this way they may contribute to the coordination between neuronal networks on both sides of the spinal cord in advance of modulatory actions evoked via the cerebellar control systems.
Bioactive macrolides and polyketides from marine dinoflagellates

Abstract Absolute stereochemistry of amphidinolides G and H, potent cytotoxic 27- and 26-membered macrolides, respectively, isolated from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. , was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, synthesis of a degradation product, and chemical interconversion. Six new macrolides, amphidinolides H2~H5, G2, G3, and W, have been isolated from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. (strain Y-42), and the structures were elucidated by 2D NMR data and chemical means. The structure-activity relationship of amphidinolide H-type macrolides for cytotoxicity was examined. The biosynthetic origins of amphidinolides B, C, H, J, T1, and W were investigated on the basis of 13C NMR data of 13C-enriched samples obtained by feeding experiments with [1-13C], [2-13C], and [1,2-13C2] sodium acetates in cultures of the dinoflagellates. Five novel long-chain polyhydroxyl compounds, colopsinols A~E, were obtained from the Amphidinium sp. (strain Y-5).
Cortical Depression and Potentiation: Basic Mechanisms for Phantom Pain

People experience the feeling of the missing body part long after it has been removed after amputation are known as phantom limb sensations. These sensations can be painful, sometimes becoming chronic and lasting for several years (or called phantom pain). Medical treatment for these individuals is limited. Recent neurobiological investigations of brain plasticity after amputation have revealed new insights into the changes in the brain that may cause phantom limb sensations and phantom pain. In this article, I review recent progresses of the cortical plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a critical cortical area for pain sensation, and explore how they are related to abnormal sensory sensations such as phantom pain. An understanding of these alterations may guide future research into medical treatment for these disorders.
Representatives for Visually Analyzing Cluster Hierarchies

search in database systems is becoming an in- creasingly important task in modern application domains such as multimedia, molecular biology, medical imaging, computer aided engineering, marketing and purchasing as- sistance as well as many others. In this paper, we show how visualizing the hierarchical clustering structure of a database of objects can aid the user in his time consum- ing task to nd similar objects. We present related work and explain its shortcomings which led to the development of our new methods. Based on reachability plots, we intro- duce approaches which automatically extract the signicant clusters in a hierarchical cluster representation along with suitable cluster representatives. These techniques can be used as a basis for visual data mining. We implemented our algorithms resulting in an industrial prototype which we used for the experimental evaluation. This evaluation is based on a real world test data set and points out that our new approaches to automatic cluster recognition and extrac- tion of cluster representatives create meaningful and useful results.
An Epidermal Stimulation and Sensing Platform for Sensorimotor Prosthetic Control, Management of Lower Back Exertion, and Electrical Muscle Activation

The design of an ultrathin, conformal electronic device that integrates electrotactile stimulation with electromyography, temperature, and strain sensing in a single, simple platform is reported. Experiments demonstrate simultaneous use of multiple modes of operation of this type of device in the sensorimotor control of robotic systems, in the monitoring of lower back exertion and in muscle stimulation.
Towards heterogenous 3D-stacked reliable computing with von Neumann multiplexing

The reliability of near-future nano-meter range CMOS, and novel nano-computing devices is greatly affected by undesired effects of physical phenomena appearing due to continuous technology scaling. The emerging 3D-Stacking Integrated Circuits (3D-SIC) technology allows devices manufactured using different technologies, and thus with different reliability, to be stacked on top of each other and connected with low latency links. In this paper, we propose to take advantage of this new design space dimension, i.e., the individual reliability of devices, when using the von Neumann multiplexing redundancy technique. Our analysis suggests that multiplexing units reliability importance is determined by how high the error rate of individual gates in the system is, i.e., for high error rates the units at the end of the restoration chain are critical, while for low error rates the units at the beginning of the restoration chain are critical. We further introduce and evaluate the first, to the best of our knowledge, heterogeneous 3D-SIC multiplexing arrangements. Our results indicate that assuming that delay and area are doubled for a technology with an order of magnitude higher reliability, a heterogeneous multiplexing scheme with gates having high and medium error rates can achieve a reduction of 1.79× in delay and area, with a 9% loss in the Reliability Improvement Index (RII), over the homogeneous counterpart with only medium reliability gates. For medium and low error rates, a minimum 1% RII loss can be traded for a delay and footprint reduction of 5.66× and 4.25×, respectively.
Application of simultaneous equations model to estimate particleboard demand and supply

Dynamic supply and demand equations for particleboard using a three-stage squares simulation (3SLS) were estimated. Empirical data included annual observations over the period of 1976 to 2006. The stationary character of the data was checked by applying the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) Test. The results revealed that in the demand function, variables such as particleboard price, the gross national product (GNP) in the previous year (lagged quantity), and the MDF price were significant at 0.05%. In the supply function, variables such as the price of medium density fiberboard (MDF), demand for particleboard in the previous year, the product/raw material price ratio in the previous year, and particleboard imports in the previous year were shown to be significant at 0.05%. Also price, income, and cross elasticities of demand for particleboard were calculated as -0.65, 0.32, and 1.63, respectively, indicating that this commodity is a necessary and normal good and MDF is a substitute for it.
Regional governance of port development in China: a case study of Shanghai International Shipping Center

When China enters the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and becomes more involved in the global economy, her major seaports will be pivotal places where the international shipping and terminal operators interact, conflict and co-operate with the local and the central governments. To demonstrate and understand these interactions, this article analyzes the case of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), where the competition, co-operation and governance of Shanghai and Ningbo, the two largest ports on Chinese mainland, concern all stakeholders from the central and local governments of China to the container terminal operators and shipping lines overseas. This paper first develops a conceptual framework for analyzing port development in a regional context. The article then introduces the case of the Shanghai International Shipping Center with a focus on the efforts of the Shanghai Government to establish a regional hub port, which also involves two nearby provinces. This case study reveals the course of the decision-making processes and the power networks currently governing the port development in the YRD. Two domains of port governance are discussed: the role of port authorities in port internal governance, and the crucial influences of local and central governments on the port external governance. It provides evidence that the power of shipping lines and international terminal operators are not as prevalent as in many ports in western countries. It is suggested that the lack of good regional port governance in the region is due to structural problems in administration.
From Single Commodity to Multiattribute Models for Locomotive Optimization: A Comparison of Optimal Integer Programming and Approximate Dynamic Programming

We present a general optimization framework for locomotive models that captures different levels of detail, ranging from single and multicommodity flow models that can be solved using commercial integer programming solvers, to a much more detailed multiattribute model that we solve using approximate dynamic programming (ADP). Both models have been successfully implemented at Norfolk Southern for different planning applications. We use these models, presented using a common notational framework, to demonstrate the scope of different modeling and algorithmic strategies, all of which add value to the locomotive planning problem. We demonstrate how ADP can be used for both deterministic and stochastic models that capture locomotives and trains at a very high level of detail.
MR imaging, single-photon emission CT, and neurocognitive performance after mild traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) (Glasgow Coma Scale = 14-15) is a common neurologic disorder and a common cause of neurocognitive deficits in the young population. Most patients recover fully from mTBI, but 15% to 29% of patients have persistent neurocognitive problems. Although a partially organic origin is considered likely, little brain imaging evidence exists for this assumption. The aims of the present study were to establish the prevalence of posttraumatic lesions in mTBI patients on MR images and to assess the relation between these imaging findings and posttraumatic symptoms. Secondly, we explored the value of early posttraumatic single-photon emission CT (SPECT) for the evaluation of mTBI. METHODS Twenty-one consecutive patients were included in the study. Patients underwent MR examination, technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime SPECT, and neurocognitive assessment within 5 days after injury. Neurocognitive follow-up was conducted 2 and 6 months after injury, and MR imaging was repeated after 6 months. Lesion size and brain atrophy were measured on the MR studies. RESULTS Twelve (57%) of 21 patients had abnormal MR findings, and 11 (61%) of 18 had abnormal SPECT findings. Patients with abnormal MR or SPECT findings had brain atrophy at follow-up. The mean neurocognitive performance of all subjects was within normal range. There was no difference in neurocognitive performance between patients with normal and abnormal MR findings. Patients with abnormal MR findings only showed significantly slower reaction times during a reaction-time task. Seven patients had persistent neurocognitive complaints and one patient met the criteria for a postconcussional syndrome. CONCLUSION Brain lesions are common after mTBI; up to 77% of patients may have abnormal findings either on MR images or SPECT scans, and these lesions may lead to brain atrophy. The association between hypoperfusion seen on acute SPECT and brain atrophy after 6 months suggests the possibility of (secondary) ischemic brain damage. There is only a weak correlation between neuroimaging findings and neurocognitive outcome.
Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain

A devastating indictment of the corruption at the heart of the British State by one of our most popular media figures.George Monbiot made his name exposing the corruption of foreign governments; now he turns his keen eye on Britain. In the most explosive book on British politics of the new decade, Monbiot uncovers what many have suspected but few have been able to prove: that corporations have become so powerful they now threaten the foundations of democratic government.Many of the stories George Monbiot recounts have never been told before, and they could scarcely be more embarrassing to a government that claims to act on behalf of all of us. Some are - or should be - resigning matters. Effectively, the British government has collaborated in its own redundancy, by ceding power to international bodies controlled by corporations. CAPTIVE STATE highlights the long term threat to our society and ultimately shows us ways in which we can hope to withstand the might of big business.