Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Staphostatin-Staphopain Complex

Staphostatins are the endogenous inhibitors of the major secreted cysteine proteases of Staphylococcus aureus, the staphopains. Our recent crystal structure of staphostatin B has shown that this inhibitor forms a mixed, eight-stranded β-barrel with statistically significant similarity to lipocalins, but not to cystatins. We now present the 1.8-Å crystal structure of staphostatin B in complex with an inactive mutant of its target protease. The complex is held together through extensive interactions and buries a total surface area of 2300 Å2. Unexpectedly for a cysteine protease inhibitor, staphostatin B binds to staphopain B in an almost substrate-like manner. The inhibitor polypeptide chain runs through the protease active site cleft in the forward direction, with residues IG-TS in P2 to P2′ positions. Both in the free and complexed forms, the P1 glycine residue of the inhibitor is in a main chain conformation only accessible to glycines. Mutations in this residue lead to a loss of affinity of the inhibitor for protease and convert the inhibitor into a substrate.
The Information Sharing Behaviour of Health Service Managers: a three-part study

Objectives – The purpose of this research was to gain insight into the information behaviour of health service managers as they informed critical decisions unrelated to individual patient care. Methods – This research used two series of qualitative interviews, documentary analysis (a calendar study), a card sorting exercise and a demographic questionnaire to explore the workplace information practices of health service managers. Thirty-six managers were interviewed. Both interview studies used the critical incident technique and cross case analysis. Results are reported with observations and conclusions supported with interview content. The Second Interview Study also used within case analysis in the form of information transaction mapping. Information transactions, calendar study and card sorting exercise data were reported quantitatively. Results – Findings included that these health service managers practiced satisficing, integrating and balancing multiple types of information from multiple sources to inform their decisions until they reached the point of information saturation. After this point, additional information would not make a difference to their decision. Their dominant means of acquiring information was oral information sharing over information seeking. Conclusions – Healthcare services managers support decisions with both facts and value-based information. Lower levels of managers and hybrid managers might benefit from library and information services designed to support them as information gatekeepers. The findings may also encourage health researchers and health research funders to make sure their research informs information sources that health service managers find most convenient to use. These include explicit information such as professional standards, and interpersonal sources such as positional information gatekeepers, experts and conferences.
Stimulatory Cross-talk between NFAT3 and Estrogen Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells*

Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are ligand-regulated transcription factors that play critical roles in the development and progression of breast cancer by regulating target genes involved in cellular proliferation. The transcriptional activity of ERα and ERβ is known to be modulated by cofactor proteins. We used a yeast two-hybrid system and identified NFAT3 as a novel ERβ-binding protein. NFAT3 interacted with ERα and ERβ both in vitro and in mammalian cells in a ligand-independent fashion. NFAT3 bound specifically to the ERβ region containing the activation function-1 domain, a ligand-independent transactivation domain. Overexpression of NFAT3 enhanced both ERα and ERβ transcriptional activities in a ligand-independent manner and up-regulated downstream estrogen-responsive genes including pS2 and cathepsin D. Reduction of endogenous NFAT3 with NFAT3 small interfering RNA or overexpression of NFAT3 deletion mutants that lack the ER-binding sites reduced the NFAT3 coactivation of ERα and ERβ. NFAT3 increased binding of ERα to the estrogen-responsive element and was recruited to endogenous estrogen-responsive promoters. NFAT3 was expressed differentially in many breast cancer cell lines and overexpressed in a subset of breast cancer patients. Knockdown of endogenous NFAT3 reduced the growth of human breast cancer ZR75-1 cells in a ligand-independent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that NFAT3 may play important roles in ER signaling and represent a novel target for breast cancer therapy.
Tandem Binding of Six OmpR Proteins to the ompF Upstream Regulatory Sequence of Escherichia coli(*)

OmpR is a transcription factor in Escherichia coli whose function is modulated by phosphorylation in the presence of phosphorylated EnvZ, a transmembrane protein histidine kinase involved in osmosensing. Using a protein S-OmpR hybrid protein, we demonstrated that six OmpR molecules bind tandemly to the −100 to −39 sequence of ompF. This sequence consists of three 20-base pair units: F1, F2, and F3, each of which is bound by two OmpR proteins. Polymerase chain reaction selection of nine randomized base pairs within the F1 sequence revealed highly conserved C residues spaced 10 base pairs apart. Further mutational analysis of conserved bases indicated that two OmpR molecules bind tandemly to two direct repeats. Mobility shift assays showed that cooperative interactions play a role in enhancing binding of OmpR to lower affinity F2 and F3 sites. Activation and repression of ompF expression are thus regulated by a total of eight OmpR molecules, including two molecules that bind to a distal site (−380 to −361).
Iceland: From feminist governance to gender-blind austerity?

Iceland took a u-turn in May 2009 and elected a left wing government after 18 years of continuous right-wing rule, during which the conservative Independence Party presided over a far-ranging neo-liberalization of the Icelandic economy and society (Olafsson 2011 b). The new government defined itself as a Nordic welfare government, aiming to protect the most vulnerable from the impacts of the crisis and thereby choosing, in collaboration with the IMF, a less austere way than for example Ireland by using a mixture of tax raises and public cuts. This government, which was the most feminist one Iceland has seen, did not survive the 2013 elections. Instead, the majority voted the two right wing parties ; the Progressive party and the Independence party. What does this change in government herald for women and feminist concerns in Iceland ? In this article I will try to answer this question based on what we know about the new government’s emphasis in what are still early days.
Effect of Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies Strategies on Member's Savings Mobilization in Nairobi, Kenya

Savings mobilization is a key component in any development endeavor as it is believed to be the surest way of increasing income and boosting productivity in attempt to eradicate poverty. The main purpose of the study was to determine the effect of cooperative strategies on members’ savings mobilization and analyze the effect of intervening factor (family size, attitude, and income level) on savings mobilization. The study utilized a sample of 30 SACCOs out of 2,500 and 180 SACCO members out of 150,000 in Nairobi area. These were selected through simple random sampling method. A semi structure questionnaire was used to collect data from 210 respondents. Data was analyzed using a multiple linear regression model to test relationship and assess impact of the independent variables on members’ savings mobilization. A response rate of 45.7% (96) respondents was achieved. Correlation coefficient revealed that training requirement had an average positive influence on saving mobilization, while investment opportunities and intervening Variables had a strong positive influence on saving mobilization. The most significant factors were investment opportunities, and intervening variables at 99% confidence level. It was therefore concluded that cooperative strategies partially affected members’ savings mobilization.
Radar target identification based on feature extraction performed with RBF artificial neural networks

An artificial neural network (ANN) approach for radar image processing is presented in this paper. A renewal concept of simple adaptive units as a foundation for network assembling allows one to design ANN-based feature extraction scheme for 2D-signal processing. It was shown that ANN implementing radial basis function (RBF) processing units can be applied for identification of radar targets described by the set of scatterers. The obtained results indicate a high accuracy estimation of separate scatters centers.
Reflections on Market Sense

This essay responds to three participants in a symposium on my book Market Sense, held at the Rethinking Marxism 2006 Gala conference. It briefly presents the main objectives of the book, then addresses the concerns and issues raised by the symposium's participants. After exploring the philosophical issues concerning what ‘the market’ entails or means for society, it then considers how liberals represent globalization and whether the liberal vision of ‘the market’ is fracturing. Finally, it turns to the potential spaces for alternative forms or types of market activity designed to promote progressive social and economic outcomes.
Introducing administrative reform through the application of computer‐based information systems: A case study in India

Administrative reform in a number of developing countries has recently been directed at achieving decentralization through the diffusion of information technology to local areas. However, despite these efforts, the main objective of improving the effectiveness of development planning and monitoring systems remains unfulfilled because of poor integration between the process of technology adoption and the context within which the technology is implemented. There is a paucity of literature that aims to make explicit the nature of this integration. This paper aims to offer a contribution in this direction by describing the case of the computerized rural information systems project (CRISP) in India. The results show that during the first few years of implementation information technology served to reinforce existing inefficiencies within the bureaucracy. Information technology was later used as a vehicle for promoting change within the administration as local administrators acquired the flexibility to direct the technology towards their own requirements.
Microfluidic Multiplexing in Bioanalyses

The importance of biological assays spans from clinical diagnostics to environmental monitoring. Simultaneous detection of multiple analytes enhances the efficacy of bioassays by providing more data per assay under standardized conditions. Nevertheless, simultaneous handling and assaying of multiple samples, targets, and experimental conditions can be laborious, reagent consuming, and time intensive. Given these demands, microfluidic platforms have emerged over the past two decades as well-suited approaches for multiplexed assays. Microfluidic design supports integration of assay steps and reproducible sample manipulation across large sets of conditions—all relevant to multiplexed assays. Taken together, reduced reagent consumption, faster assay times, and potential for automation stemming from microfluidic assay design are attractive and needed multiplexed assay performance attributes. This review highlights recent advances in multiplexed bioanalyses benefitting from microfluidic integration.
Fiscal transfers and redistribution in the European Union: do smaller member states get more than their share?

Abstract In this article redistribution in the EU and fiscal transfers between member states are analysed. Which countries are beneficiaries, which are contributors, and what factors affect countries' net fiscal balances? Fiscal transfers among EU member states are partially explained by differences in the countries' economic prosperity, as well as by institutional features that favour smaller EU members. The budget is redistributive both on the revenue and on the expenditure side. Smaller member states can use their overrepresentation in the Council to obtain more benefits than their level of economic development alone would justify. Yet, this effect is not discernible on the revenue side of the budget. Overrepresented member states are not able to use their ‘extra’ voting power to reduce their share of EU costs. This finding is probably explained by the relatively simple rules that govern the financing of the budget.
Servicing a world elsewhere? Examining everyday work practices in the emerging economic spaces of Malaysia's business process outsourcing industry

The paper seeks to illuminate everyday work practices in the economic spaces of Malaysia's business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. It draws upon empirical evidence from call centre staff and promotes analytical sensitivity to the experience of labour and spatiotemporal relations within the offshore back offices of multinational corporations located in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. The analysis provides an empirical snapshot of how IT-facilitated work practices in the global information economy are embedded and socially reproduced in everyday settings. To this end, the paper engages anthropologically with BPO labour, and critiques ‘globalist’ representations of economic and social transformation frequently articulated through an abstract, dehumanized space of networks and flows often seen to wash over local places, culture and people.
A Functional C5a Anaphylatoxin Receptor in a Teleost Species1

The anaphylatoxins are potent, complement-derived low m.w. proteins that bind to specific seven-transmembrane receptors to elicit and amplify a variety of inflammatory reactions. C5a is the most potent of these phlogistic peptides and is a strong chemoattractant for neutrophils and macrophages/monocytes. Although lower vertebrates possess complement systems that are believed to function similarly to those of mammals, anaphylatoxin receptors have not previously been characterized in any nonmammalian vertebrate. To study the functions of C5a in teleost fish, we generated recombinant C5a of the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (tC5a), and used fluoresceinated tC5a (tC5aF) and flow cytometry to identify the C5a receptor (C5aR) on trout leukocytes. Granulocytes/Macrophages present in cell suspensions of the head kidney (HKL), the main hemopoietic organ in teleosts, showed a univariate type of receptor expression, whereas those from the peripheral blood demonstrated either a low or high level of expression. The binding of tC5aF was inhibited by excess amounts of unlabeled tC5a or tC5adesArg, demonstrating that sites other than the C-terminal of tC5a interact with the C5aR. Both tC5a and tC5adesArg were able to induce chemotactic responses in granulocytes in a concentration-dependent manner, but the desArg derivative was at least 10-fold less active. Homologous desensitization occurred after HKL were exposed to continuous or high concentrations of tC5a, with a loss of tC5aF binding and an 80% reduction in chemotactic responses toward tC5a. Pertussis toxin reduced the migration of HKL toward tC5a by 40%, suggesting only a partial involvement of pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi proteins in tC5a-mediated chemotaxis.
The dynamic dialogue between cells and matrices: implications of fibronectin's elasticity.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides vital structure and organization to all metazoans, but it is far from an inanimate, unchanging assemblage of collagens, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins. ECM undergoes constant remodeling, most obviously during development, wound healing, and other repair processes. Defects in regulation of the deposition and turnover of ECM play important roles in pathological processes such as osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, arthritis, and fibrotic diseases. The deposition and remodeling of ECM is accomplished by cells, and the paper of Ohashi et al. in a recent issue of the Proceedings (1) provides some of the first observations of these processes in real time in living cell cultures. Ohashi et al. transfected cells with a chimera of green fluorescent protein and fibronectin (FN). FN is a prominent constituent of ECM around and beneath many cells, and FN-rich matrices provide substrates for cell adhesion and migration during development, wound healing, and other situations, as well as affecting many cellular functions including proliferation, survival, and differentiation (2). Ohashi et al. show that the FN–GFP chimera assembles into the FN-rich matrix surrounding their transfected cells, and they then use fluorescence microscopy to observe alterations in that matrix over time. This approach offers many opportunities for future research, but the observations they report already reveal some intriguing features that have implications not only for ECM structure and function but more widely in cell adhesion and beyond.
Building a virtual branch at Vancouver Public Library using Web 2.0 tools

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the work undertaken by Vancouver Public Library (VPL) in an effort to convert its website into a true virtual branch, both through the functionality of the website itself and by extending its web presence on to external social networking sites.Design/methodology/approach – VPL worked with its development partners to conduct a thorough community consultation to ensure that the new VPL website would be truly user‐focused. Since the site's launch, VPL has made strategic management of both its internal and external web presence a key organisational priority, reflected in its creation of two new professional positions which include co‐ordination of VPL's internal and external web presence as part of their job specification.Findings – VPL has demonstrated that it is possible to take a systematic, integrated, thoughtful approach to the adoption of Web 2.0 tools and technologies in order to enhance web services without sacrificing quality or control.Originalit.
Operation of doubly fed induction generator in ocean wave energy conversion system by stator phase sequence switching

This paper presents operation of a Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) to extract oscillatory power from ocean wave energy converter (WEC). DFIG has the advantage of generating power at both sub-synchronous and super-synchronous speed with only slip power to be handled by power converter at rotor side. At super-synchronous speed the rotor generates slip power along with the stator to take the net power generation above the generator power rating. Due to power generation capability above its rating, DFIG is a good candidate for WEC system. However, to operate DFIG in an oscillatory system where direction of rotor speed keeps changing it requires controlled supply from stator side as well. In this paper, a rotor side control method is proposed to operate the DFIG in oscillatory system with a low cost stator phase sequence switching circuit to adapt to the change of direction of the rotor speed. A suitable control scheme is proposed to control the machine flux during start up and speed reversal to eliminate current inrush at the stator side. The DFIG current is controlled in vector control method with control axes orientated along stator flux axis. The current controllers are designed to control the rotor side currents to produce power and to regulate machine flux in accordance with the wave energy converter dynamics. The system is modeled and simulated in MATLAB-Simulink platform to validate the proposed scheme. All the corresponding results are presented and discussed.
Inequity Aversion May Increase Inequity

Inequity aversion models have been used to explain equitable payoff divisions in bargaining games. I show that inequity aversion can actually increase the asymmetry of payoff division if unanimity is not required. This is due to the analogy between inequity aversion and risk aversion. Inequity aversion may also affect comparative statics: the advantage of being proposer can decrease as players become more impatient.
A New Species of Pristionchus (Rhabditida: Diplogastridae) and Its Bacterial Symbiont from Yixing, China.

A new nematode species, Pristionchus entomophilus n. sp. , was collected during a soil sample survey in Yixing of Jiangsu province, eastern China. P. entomophilus n. sp. is distinguished by its unique characteristics. This new species is mainly hermaphroditic, with males seldom found. The new nematode has a similar body length but has much narrower body width compared with P. pacificus. Its body is covered with longitudinal ridges: 12 ridges on head, 13 or 14 ridges in the middle, 11 and 7 ridges in front and rear of the anus, respectively. The eurystomatous form mouth includes a triangular dorsal tooth, a large claw-like right subventral tooth, and a row of five ventral denticles placed opposite the dorsal tooth. Only eight pairs of genital papillae and a pair of phasmids are present in the tail of the male as the sixth pair of papillae having seemingly been degenerated and lost. Molecular phylogenetic trees based on 18S rDNA confirmed that the new species belongs to the genus Pristionchus and is most closely related to P. pacificus. Moreover, the new species was found to be occasionally associated with the entomopathogenic bacterial strain 09FLYB1 of Serratia nematodophila and be able to stably transfer the bacterial strain for several generations.