Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ammonia Triggers Photodamage of Photosystem II in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 68031[OA]

Ammonia has long been known to be toxic for many photosynthetic organisms; however, the target for its toxicity remains elusive. Here, we show that in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, ammonia triggers a rapid photodamage of photosystem II (PSII). Whereas wild-type cells can cope with this damage by turning on the FtsH2-dependent PSII repair cycle, the FtsH2-deficient mutant is highly sensitive and loses PSII activity at millimolar concentration of ammonia. Ammonia-triggered PSII destruction is light dependent and occurs already at low photon fluence rates. Experiments with monochromatic light showed that ammonia-promoted PSII photoinhibition is executed by wavebands known to directly destroy the manganese cluster in the PSII oxygen-evolving complex, suggesting that the oxygen-evolving complex may be a direct target for ammonia toxicity.
Semi-Blind speech enhancement basedon recurrent neural network for source separation and dereverberation

This paper describes a semi-blind speech enhancement method using a semi-blind recurrent neural network (SB-RNN) for human-robot speech interaction. When a robot interacts with a human using speech signals, the robot inputs not only audio signals recorded by its own microphone but also speech signals made by the robot itself, which can be used for semi-blind speech enhancement. The SB-RNN consists of cascaded two modules: a semi-blind source separation module and a blind dereverberation module. Each module has a recurrent layer to capture the temporal correlations of speech signals. The SB-RNN is trained in a manner of multi-task learning, i.e., isolated echoic speech signals are used as teacher signals for the output of the separation module in addition to isolated unechoic signals for the output of the dereverberation module. Experimental results showed that the source to distortion ratio was improved by 2.30 dB on average compared to a conventional method based on a semi-blind independent component analysis. The results also showed the effectiveness of modularization of the network, multi-task learning, the recurrent structure, and semi-blind source separation.
Evolution of miRNA Tailing by 3′ Terminal Uridylyl Transferases in Metazoa

Abstract In bilaterian animals the 3′ ends of microRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently modified by tailing and trimming. These modifications affect miRNA-mediated gene regulation by modulating miRNA stability. Here, we analyzed data from three nonbilaterian animals: two cnidarians (Nematostella vectensis and Hydra magnipapillata) and one poriferan (Amphimedon queenslandica). Our analysis revealed that nonbilaterian miRNAs frequently undergo modifications like the bilaterian counterparts: the majority are expressed as different length isoforms and frequent modifications of the 3′ end by mono U or mono A tailing are observed. Moreover, as the factors regulating miRNA modifications are largely uncharacterized in nonbilaterian animal phyla, in present study, we investigated the evolution of 3′ terminal uridylyl transferases (TUTases) that are known to involved in miRNA 3′ nontemplated modifications in Bilateria. Phylogenetic analysis on TUTases showed that TUTase1 and TUTase6 are a result of duplication in bilaterians and that TUTase7 and TUTase4 are the result of a vertebrate-specific duplication. We also find an unexpected number of Drosophila-specific gene duplications and domain losses in most of the investigated gene families. Overall, our findings shed new light on the evolutionary history of TUTases in Metazoa, as they reveal that this core set of enzymes already existed in the last common ancestor of all animals and was probably involved in modifying small RNAs in a similar fashion to its present activity in bilaterians.
Robust optimization applied to uncertain production loading problems with import quota limits under the global supply chain management environment

Global supply chain management presents some special challenges and issues for manufacturing companies in planning production: these challenges are different from those discussed in domestic production plans. Globally loading production among different plants usually involves substantial uncertainty and great risk because of uncertain market demand, fluctuating quota costs incurred in the global manufacturing process, and shortening lead times. This study proposes a dual-response production loading strategy for two types of plants—company-owned and contracted—to hedge against the short lead time and uncertainty, and to be as responsive and flexible as possible to cope with the uncertainty and risk involved. Three types of robust optimization models are presented: the robust optimization model with solution robustness, the robust optimization model with model robustness, and the robust optimization model with the trade-off between solution robustness and model robustness. A series of experiments are designed to test the effectiveness of the proposed robust optimization models. Compared with the results of the two-stage stochastic recourse programming model, the robust optimization models provide a more responsive and flexible system with less risk, which is particularly important in the current context of global competitiveness.
Cerebellar hypermetria is larger when the inertial load is artificially increased

Hypermetria is a classical cerebellar symptom designating the overshoot observed when a patient is asked to make a very fast and accurate movement. The movement studied here was wrist flexion. Hypermetria was found to be increased by artificially increasing the inertia of the moving hand. A normal subject adapted himself to increasing inertia by increasing both his agonist activity (the launching force) and its antagonist activity (the braking force). In the same circumstances, a patient with symptoms of cerebellar system dysfunction was found to be able to increase his agonist activity but not his antagonist activity.
Factors predicting overweight in US kindergartners.

BACKGROUND Childhood overweight is a substantial public-health problem, but little is known about predictors of early childhood overweight. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify factors--alone and in combination--that predict kindergarten overweight. DESIGN We analyzed nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, a longitudinal cohort study of 6800 children followed from birth through kindergarten. Multivariable logistic regression and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) were performed to identify individual and clusters of parental, prenatal/pregnancy, infant, and toddler factors predicting kindergarten overweight. The main outcome was kindergarten overweight [body mass index (BMI) ≥85th percentile, which includes obesity]. RESULTS The prevalence of kindergarten overweight was 32%. By using combinations (derived from 131 factors) of a weight-for-length or BMI ≥85th percentile at earlier ages, race/ethnicity, a maternal gestational diabetes history, birth weight, and ages at solid-food introduction and the child pulling to a stand, the RPA identified 6 groups with a particularly high prevalence of kindergarten overweight (56-100%) and 2 groups with a particularly low prevalence (11-15%). An especially high prevalence was noted for children with a ≥85th BMI percentile at preschool age (77%) and in children with a ≥85th BMI percentile at 2 y old, for white children whose mother had gestational diabetes (100%), and for minority children with a birth weight <2695.5 g and who pulled themselves to a stand at <7.5 mo old (89%). CONCLUSION Clusters of parental, prenatal/pregnancy, infant, and toddler factors can be used to predict which children are at particularly high and low risk of becoming overweight kindergartners.
The Theory of Multimarket Competition: A Synthesis and Implications for Marketing Strategy

Multimarket competition refers to competitive situations in which the same firms compete against each other in multiple markets. The theory of multimarket competition suggests that the phenomenon of mutual forbearance may reduce the market-level intensity of competition between two firms when the multimarket contact between them (the number of markets in which they compete) increases. Mutual forbearance, a form of tacit collusion in which firms avoid competitive attacks against those rivals they meet in multiple markets, is proposed to occur because multi-market competition increases the familiarity between firms and their ability to deter each other. In this article, the authors examine how multimarket contact increases familiarity and deterrence. Furthermore, they provide an extension of the theory of multimarket competition by developing a conceptual model that identifies competitive and market factors that moderate the relationship between the degree of multimarket contact and the intensity of competition. The authors also examine the implications of multimarket competition for marketing strategy in the context of two marketing strategy issues: product line rivalry and entry strategy.
Spectral Analysis of Hybrid Capacitor-Clamp Cascade 13-Level Inverter

This paper presents a novel hybrid capacitor-clamp cascade 13-level inverter. The inverter is based on the series connection between two inverter modules with different dc bus voltage. It is the fact of a hybrid control scheme that higher voltage devices and faster devices operate in synergism. Subharmonic PWM method is employed in lower voltage module. In the case of three carrier dispositions, mathematic models of the modulation process are constructed. The rigorous analytic solution is derived, which facilitates the evaluation of spectra accurately. Spectral characteristics of output waveforms including all operation conditions were studied. The proposed inverter is also verified by simulation to confirm the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Active participation of endothelial cells in inflammation

Leukocyte migration from the blood into tissues is vital for immune surveillance and inflammation. During this diapedesis of leukocytes, the leukocytes bind to endothelial cell adhesion molecules and then migrate across the vascular endothelium. Endothelial cell adhesion molecules and their counter‐receptors on leukocytes generate intracellular signals. This review focuses on the active function of endothelial cells during leukocyte‐endothelial cell interactions. We include a discussion of the “outside‐in” signals in endothelial cells, which are stimulated by antibody cross‐linking or leukocyte binding to platelet‐endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1, intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1. Some of these signals in endothelial cells have been demonstrated to actively participate in leukocyte migration. We suggest that some of the adhesion molecule signals, which have not been assigned a function, are consistent with signals that stimulate retraction of lateral junctions, stimulate endothelial cell basal surface adhesion, or induce gene expression.
Comparison of RapidArc and Static Gantry Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Objective: RapidArc (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) is a new volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy technique with continuous modulation of gantry speed, dose rate, and multileaf collimator shape. Taking advantages of dose painting capabilities along with rotational delivery, RapidArc has shown promise in the treatment of a wide range of tumours, including intracranial, head and neck, prostate, and endometrial cancers. However, supportive data on RapidArc therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma are scanty. In this study, comparison of the quality of a treatment plan and efficiency of radiation delivery by RapidArc and intensitymodulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma was evaluated. Methods: Datasets of 3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were used to design both RapidArc and intensitymodulated radiotherapy plans. Results were analysed in terms of dose distribution and dose-volume histograms. Results: For all patients, RapidArc plans provided a comparable homogeneity index and adequate organs-atrisk sparing relative to intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans. In terms of target dose conformity, the conformity index favoured intensity-modulated radiotherapy, especially for higher dose targets using a simultaneous integrated boost approach. Conclusion: Taken together, our preliminary experience in dose optimisation with RapidArc for radiation treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was able to deliver reasonable treatment plans. Development of a sophisticated planning system with a quick optimisation algorithm and adjustable level of modulation appears crucial to take full advantage of RapidArc technology. With the ever-increasing complexity of RapidArc treatment planning and delivery, further parallel efforts in optimising quality assurance are warranted.
Region-building in the eastern neighbourhood: assessing EU regional policies in the South Caucasus

The promotion of regional cooperation has been a central feature of the European Union (EU)'s external relations. Forms of sub-regional cooperation are deemed to be essential confidence-building measures, as a means of consolidating a shared community of values, practices and interests. This article looks at region-building processes in the EU's relations with the South Caucasus, as the interface between the existing approaches and the ensuing practices. It argues that the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) in particular have some critical limitations for effective region-building in the South Caucasus, mainly pertaining to the endorsement of artificial regional labels, limited ability to balance multilateral and bilateral approaches, and poor local ownership of identity-building processes. At the same time, the EaP offers some interesting possibilities for the development of a variable-geometry regional approach, in which these states could be included.
Essays on real estate investment trusts

ESSAYS ON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS by JIAJIN CHEN Adviser: Professor Suhan Chan This dissertation is composed with two essays on real estate investment trusts. The first chapter examines REIT IPOs initial-day, short-run and long-run performance using a large sample of 370 REIT IPOs from four continents (14 different countries) during the 1996-2010 period. The result shows that (1) the newly-established REITs in other countries exhibit similar initial-day return pattern as in the U.S., (2) the low initial-day return might be caused by the fundlike structure of REITs together with the real estate assets they hold, (3) the slightly positive initial-day return is offset by the poor performance in the 190-day days subsequent to the IPO, and (4) the change in U.S. REIT IPO performance before and after 1990 is more likely due to a change in the REIT structure than to the growing maturity of the REIT industry or an increase in institutional investor participation in the REIT market. The second chapter analyzes the announcement dates and market dates of 483 entry and 439 exit events of publicly-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). The study finds that changes in asset supply (via entries or exits of REITs) affect the stock returns of incumbent REITs. Furthermore, the study partitions the sample based on the reasons for entries and exits as well as REIT asset type and management style in order to disentangle alternative explanations for the stock responses to the entry and exit events. The conclusion is that the stock responses documented in this study cannot be explained by the signaling, changes in competitive environment or market timing hypotheses.
Work in progress — A health information technology centralized web application

Healthcare is not about seeing patients anymore; the focus has shifted. Patients are concerned with the cost associated with the care and the amount of time they will spend at the doctor's office and away from work. Doctors are concerned with administration, management, business development, cost, review boards, lawyers, insurance companies, government, specialists, continuing education, and patient education. The focus is seldom on the doctor-patient relationship anymore. Improving the effectiveness of the patient data management system can help alleviate some of these issues so that more time can be spent focusing on that relationship. This study centers on faculty-led undergraduate students developing, implementing, and researching the use of a web-based, touch-screen, self-service computer kiosk or tablet to (a) provide adequate history to the provider, (b) provide feedback and information to the patient, and (c) enable the sharing of patient record (in a future expansion to the project). Doctors and patients will be surveyed to assess the system's impact on doctor-patient interactions. Staff surveys will investigate the impact of the system on human error, paperwork reduction, and administrative costs. Data from the surveys will be statistically analyzed to determine the effect of the system on the listed outcomes.
PARTICIPATION IN BUDGETARY DECISION MAKING, TASK DIFFICULTY, LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOR: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY†

This study investigates the relationship between participation in budgetary decision making and attitude (toward job and employer), taking into account the effects of task difficulty and locus of control on participation and attitude. Managers from two companies participated in the study. Attitude was found to be related positively to participation and negatively to task difficulty. Implications of the results are discusses.
Evaluation of the PFA-100® System in the Diagnosis and Therapeutic Monitoring of Patients with von Willebrand Disease

Summary We have evaluated platelet function at high shear with the PFA-100® system in different subtypes of von Willebrand disease (vWD), before and after the intravenous infusions of desmopressin or a factor-VIII/von Willebrand factor (vWF) concentrate. Closure times with the PFA-100® system were determined for both the collagen/ADP and the collagen/epinephrine cartridges in 52 patients with vWD (9 type 1 “platelet normal”, 5 type 1 “platelet-discordant”, 8 type 1 “platelet-low”, 6 type 2A, 9 type 2B, 6 type 2M Vicenza, 6 type 3 and 3 acquired vWD) and 40 controls. Measurements were repeated 1 and 4 h after the i.v. infusion of desmopressin (0.3 μg/Kg) in 26 patients with types 1, type 2M Vicenza or type 2A vWD, or of a factorVIII/vWF concentrate (Alphanate HT, 60 U/Kg) in 4 patients with type 3 vWD. At all time points, vWF plasma levels and the bleeding time (Symplate II) were also determined. Baseline closure times were longer in vWD patients than in controls with both the collagen/ADP and the collagen/ epinephrine cartridges. The sensitivity of the PFA-100® system (88% and 87% with the two cartridges) was higher than that of the bleeding time (65%). Treatment with desmopressin normalized the closure times in patients with type 1 “platelet-normal” or type 2M Vicenza vWD, had no significant effects in patients with type 1 “platelet-low”, type 1 “platelet-discordant” or type 2A vWD. Infusion of a factorVIII/vWF concentrate in patients with type 3 vWD slightly shortened their prolonged closure times. In general, changes in PFA-100® were paralleled by shortenings of the bleeding times and increases in plasma vWF levels. The PFA-100® test reflects vWF-dependent platelet function under high shear stress and could be useful in the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of patients with vWD.
Striatal NMDAR2B mRNA expression after bilateral cortical and unilateral nigral deafferentation

We have studied by in situ hybridization histochemistry the regulation of NMDAR2B mRNA expression by dopaminergic (DA) and cortical glutamatergic afferent fibres in the rat striatum. The effects induced by a unilateral lesion of the medial forebrain bundle and a bilateral lesion of the sensorimotor cortex were analysed in the dorsal striatum 3 weeks after the lesions. Using a 35S-Iabelled specific oligonucleotide probe no change in NMDAR2B mRNA level was found in DA-depleted striatum compared with the normal rat striatum. However, following cortical lesions, the levels of NMDAR2B mRNA were significantly increased, specifically in the striatal projection area of the SM cortex. These results suggest that NMDAR2B mRNA expression is regulated by cortico-striatal fibres in a topographic manner.
The Political Economy of Full Employment in Modern Britain

This paper examines the regional aspects of structural change and unemployment in the UK. Manufacturing decline has severely hit the industrial conurbations of the North. Although reflecting long-run trends, this decline has been exacerbated by poor macroeconomic management. New service jobs have been created but most of these are in the South. This growing North-South divide is reflected in a southward drift of population. The extent of the northern decline is masked by government expenditures that help to maintain employment in depressed areas. But this is only a temporary solution. As population drifts away from the depressed areas, public expenditures will eventually be cut, causing further loss of employment and population in these areas. Using a simple export base model, the paper quantifies the underlying decline of the northern economy. In relative terms, this decline has been almost as fast in the 1990s as in the previous decade of industrial crisis.
A Bayesian approach to explaining sequential adoption of components of a technological package

Agricultural innovations are often promoted as a package—a new seed variety, a recommended fertilizer application, and other recommended cultivation practices. Nevertheless, many farmers adopt pieces of the package rather than the whole, in a sequential fashion. This paper presents a behavioral model which explains sequential adoption as a consequence of learning by adopting farmers. In order to learn more about the entire technological package, the farmer may adopt a part of the package. The model is shown to be consistent with observed patterns of sequential adoption.
Prevalence and Antibiogram Profiles of Salmonella Isolated from Pigeons in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in apparently healthy pigeons at the live bird markets, farms and villages in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Cloacal swabs (n = 36), foot pads (n = 36) and feces (n = 40) of pigeons were collected aseptically and inoculated onto various culture media for isolation of Salmonella . Identification of Salmonella from culture positive samples was performed by cultural characteristics, Gram’s staining and biochemical tests. The prevalence of Salmonella in cloacal swabs, foot pads and feces was 22.22%, 58.33% and 27.50%, respectively. The overall prevalence of Salmonella in pigeons was 35.71%. Pigeons at live bird markets, farms and villages showed a 40.48%, 20% and 30% prevalence of Salmonella , respectively. Antibiotic sensitivity tests of the Salmonella was performed by the disc diffusion method against 10 randomly used antibiotics. The highest rate of resistance was found with amoxicillin (90%) followed by ampicillin (80%), erythromycin (80%) and tetracycline (60%). The highest rate of sensitivity was recorded to ciprofloxacin (80%) followed by sulphamethoxazole (70%), chloramphenicol (60%), kanamycin (60%), gentamicin (60%) and nalidixic acid (60%). Data from this study suggest that pigeons carry multi-drug resistant Salmonella which can be transferred to humans through direct contact or the food chain and could cause a potential public health hazard. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/mh.v1i2. 14090 Microbes and Health, 2012 1(2): 54-57