Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Influenza Virus Matrix Protein with Ribonucleoproteins

ABSTRACT To characterize the sites and nature of binding of influenza A virus matrix protein (M1) to ribonucleoprotein (RNP), M1 of A/WSN/33 was altered by deletion or site-directed mutagenesis, expressed in vitro, and allowed to attach to RNP under a variety of conditions. Approximately 70% of the wild-type (Wt) M1 bound to RNP at pH 7.0, but less than 5% of M1 associated with RNP at pH 5.0. Increasing the concentration of NaCl reduced M1 binding, but even at a high salt concentration (0.6 M NaCl), approximately 20% of the input M1 was capable of binding to RNP. Mutations altering potential M1 RNA-binding regions (basic amino acids 101RKLKR105 and the zinc finger motif at amino acids 148 to 162) had varied effect: mutations of amino acids 101 to 105 reduced RNP binding compared to the Wt M1, but mutations of zinc finger motif did not. Treatment of RNP with RNase reduced M1 binding by approximately half, but even M1 mutants lacking RNA-binding regions had residual binding to RNase-treated RNP provided that the N-terminal 76 amino acids of M1 (containing two hydrophobic domains) were intact. Addition of detergent to the reaction mixture further reduced binding related to the N-terminal 76 amino acids and showed the greatest effect for mutations affecting the RNA-binding regions of basic amino acids. The data suggest that M1 interacts with both the RNA and protein components of RNP in assembly and disassembly of influenza A viruses.
Microbiological screening method for detection of aminoglycosides, β-lactames, macrolides, tetracyclines and quinolones in meat samples.

Antimicrobials are classified according to their chemical structure. Each class is characterized by a typical core structure and various members of the class are differentiated by the addition or removal of secondary chemical structures (1, 2). Antimicrobials can also be classified as broad or narrow spectrum, depending on the range of bacterial species against which they are active, or as bacteriostatic or bactericidal on the basis of their mechanism of action. The latter fall into four categories: inhibition of Slov Vet Res 2007; 44 (1/2): 11-8 UDC 614.31:579.67:615.33:637.5 Original Research Paper
A Global Freight Business Ecosystem Based on Low Carbon End-to-End Transport and Logistic Services

In this paper the authors present the global freight business ecosystem of the iCargo Integrated Project, that aims at advancing and extending the use of ICT to decarbonize co-modal logistics by enhancing intermodal transport reliability and optimizing environmental performances. iCargo users represent organizations involved in the provision of door-to-door low-carbon logistic services, covering an entire supply chain or a significant portion of it, producing less than alternatives, making use of the iCargo ecosystem to combine services through different transport modes and providers. The iCargo ecosystem actors are clients, like manufacturers and retailers, logistic services providers, including freight forwarders and carriers for the different transport modes, and providers of support services, ensuring access to physical and information infrastructures. The iCargo ecosystem foresees a common representation of door-to-door services with a decentralized architecture. The distinctive elements of the iCargo infrastructure provide uniform and ubiquitous access to the logistic services of ecosystem members. This increases resources utilization and allows more flexible and dynamic plans.
Continental synchronicity of human influenza virus epidemics despite climactic variation

The factors that determine the pattern and rate of spread of influenza virus at a continental-scale are uncertain. Although recent work suggests that influenza epidemics in the United States exhibit a strong geographical correlation, the spatiotemporal dynamics of influenza in Australia, a country and continent of approximately similar size and climate complexity but with a far smaller population, are not known. Using a unique combination of large-scale laboratory-confirmed influenza surveillance comprising >450,000 entries and genomic sequence data we determined the local-level spatial diffusion of this important human pathogen nationwide in Australia. We used laboratory-confirmed influenza data to characterize the spread of influenza virus across Australia during 2007–2016. The onset of established epidemics varied across seasons, with highly synchronized epidemics coinciding with the emergence of antigenically distinct viruses, particularly during the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. The onset of epidemics was largely synchronized between the most populous cities, even those separated by distances of >3000 km and those that experience vastly diverse climates. In addition, by analyzing global phylogeographic patterns we show that the synchronized dissemination of influenza across Australian cities involved multiple introductions from the global influenza population, coupled with strong domestic connectivity, rather than through the distinct radial patterns of geographic dispersal that are driven by work-flow transmission as observed in the United States. In addition, by comparing the spatial structure of influenza A and B, we found that these viruses tended to occupy different geographic regions, and peak in different seasons, perhaps indicative of moderate cross-protective immunity or viral interference effects. The highly synchronized outbreaks of influenza virus at a continental-scale revealed here highlight the importance of coordinated public health responses in the event of the emergence of a novel, human-to-human transmissible, virus.
Influence of Pyrolysis Temperature on Physicochemical Properties of Oak Sawdust Biochar for Soil Application

Biochar, the solid by-product of pyrolysis, is a form of carbon black containing carbon materials ranging from elemental or graphitic to a small amount of polyaromatic carbon. Biochar may restore degraded soil, increase crop yield, fix carbon dioxide and adsorb contaminants. Effects of biochar on improving soil fertility depend on its physical and chemical properties such as pH, surface functional groups, having high porosity and containing plentiful nutrients. Among the pyrolysis conditions, the pyrolysis temperature has the largest effect on physicochemical properties of biochar. Therefore, this work investigated the influence of pyrolysis temperature (400, 500 and 600 °C) on biochar properties which derived from oak sawdust for agricultural applications.
TQM관점에서 고객만족경영 활성화를 위한 핵심요인

The purpose of this research is to find key factors to invigorate customer satisfaction management from TQM perspective. Consequently, the results show that CS leadership has an effect on team competency, CS evaluation and feedback, and customer information system positively. Team competency and CS evaluation and feedback take positive effects on improving activities for customer focus. Improving activities for customer focus takes positive effects on result of customer satisfaction significantly.
Macro-Level Governance and International Portfolio Performance

This paper compares the performance of 'good governance' and 'poor governance' portfolios at the country level for a time period spanning January 1st 1995 until 31st December 2002. Comparison between the two portfolio types are made on the basis of an equally weighted and value weighted constructions. Results indicate that 'good governance' portfolios outperform 'poor governance' portfolios for both return and risk measures. For value weighted portfolios, 'good governance' exhibited by far superior performance as compared to 'good governance' equally weighted portfolios. More strikingly we find that value weighted portfolios substantially outperformed the Morgan Stanley Composite World Index and the equally weighted portfolios tracked the World Index quite effectively especially with regard to our passive international investment strategy. This country-level evidence is consistent with research that has been conducted at firm-level that supports the notion that good governance leads to superior investment performance. However investing at the country level offers the advantage of improving the risk-return trade-off of portfolios through international diversification. The results have policy relevant implications for fund managers as they can achieve superior returns by passively investing in value weighted investable country indices in countries with good macro governance environments and consistently beat returns on World Market portfolio. However, the results of this study also suggest a time-varying level of importance placed upon governance as a driver of international stock market returns which is more marked after emerging market crises. In other words, the premium paid for good governance may have already dissipated at the country level. Finally, Morgan Stanley may consider producing a 'good governance' value weighted index as a benchmark which potentially could encourage countries to enhance their governance environments to be included in the index.
Congenital anomalies in rural black South African neonates--a silent epidemic?

STUDY OBJECTIVE To ascertain the incidence and spectrum of congenital anomalies in neonates born in a rural hospital. DESIGN This was a prospective, hospital-based study, undertaken on liveborn neonates over the period 12 June 1989 - 31 December 1992. SETTING Mankweng Hospital, Sovenga, Northern Transvaal. MAIN RESULTS Of a total of 10,380 neonates born during this period, 7,617 (73.4%) were examined within the first 24 hours of life. On the basis of published observations, only 26.2% of severe congenital anomalies diagnosable by age 5 years are diagnosable at birth. In this South African study the finding at birth of severe, externally visible congenital anomalies in 14.97 per 1,000 livebirths could mean that by age 5 years the minimum cumulative incidence of severe congenital anomalies may involve 57.14 per 1,000 children. Extrapolating from other Third-World studies, the cumulative incidence of severe congenital anomalies in such communities may affect up to 84.85 per 1,000 children by the age of 5 years. High incidences of neural tube defects (3.55 per 1,000 livebirths) and Down syndrome (2.10 per 1,000 livebirths), both conditions which can be prevented by prenatal screening, were recorded. CONCLUSIONS These figures indicate the necessity for inclusion of appropriate prenatal, genetic, family planning and paediatric facilities into the primary health care delivery system of rural areas, to manage such problems and to initiate programmes to reduce the incidence of selected congenital anomalies such as Down syndrome and neural tube defects.
Linezolid Desensitization for a Patient with Multiple Medication Hypersensitivity Reactions

OBJECTIVE To describe a case in which a linezolid desensitization protocol was successfully used for a polymicrobial surgical wound infection in a patient with multiple drug hypersensitivity reactions. CASE SUMMARY A 24-year-old woman with vocal cord dysfunction requiring tracheostomy was admitted for a surgical wound infection following a tracheostomy fistula closure procedure. The patient reported multiple antibiotic allergies including penicillins (rash), sulfonamides (rash), vancomycin (anaphylaxis), azithromycin (rash), cephalosporins (anaphylaxis), levofloxacin (unspecified), clindamycin (unspecified), and carbapenems (unspecified). Gram stain of the purulent wound drainage demonstrated mixed gram-negative and gram-positive flora, and bacterial cultures were overgrown with Proteus mirabilis, which precluded identification of other pathogens. Following failed test doses of linezolid, tigecycline, and daptomycin, all of which resulted in hypersensitivity reactions, a 16-step linezolid desensitization protocol was developed and successfully implemented without adverse reactions. The patient completed a 2-week course of antibiotic therapy that included linezolid upon finishing the desensitization protocol. DISCUSSION Linezolid is useful in treating complicated and uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. With precautions, including premedication, a monitored nursing unit, and immediate availability of an emergency anaphylaxis kit, drug desensitization allows patients the ability to safely use medications to which they may have an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. Minimal data exist on linezolid desensitization protocols. CONCLUSIONS Linezolid desensitization can be a viable option in patients requiring antimicrobial therapy for complicated gram-positive skin infections.
Exploring consistent functional brain networks during free viewing of videos via sparse representation

Functional brain mapping under naturalistic stimuli such as video watching has been receiving greater interest in recent years. We presented a sparse representation based data-driven strategy to explore consistent functional brain networks during free viewing of continuous video streams. Compared with the traditional independent component analysis (ICA) based method, the novelty of our method is taking the intrinsic sparsity of whole-brain fMRI data into consideration and identify those highly descriptive dictionary atoms for sparse representation of fMRI signals. Our experimental results demonstrate that meaningful consistent functional brain networks can be mapped during free viewing of video stream by our method. We also compared the proposed method with ICA-based method.
The Impact of Personalized Engagement with Customers and Efficient Stock Management Software Systems on Customer Service at a Clothing Retailer in Cape Town, South Africa

In today’s day and age, technology is a major game changer in the retail industry. Parallel variables were explored concurrently to establish their simultaneous impact on customer service. The study sought to determine the impact personalized engagement on customers, as well as the impact that efficient stock management software systems on customers using a clothing retailer in Cape Town as a case study. The study also sought to explore the challenges and opportunities that retailers face when they use technology in the customer service delivery process. The methodology used in this study involved a combination of quantitative and qualitative research. The study consisted of 55 respondents specific to the chosen location. Based on the study, retailer’s still face challenges of incorporating technology to improve customer service, on an “Omni-channel” level. Technological advancements would include handheld devices operated by sales assistants and/or customers, acquiring quick and accurate product information; interactive stand-alone digital touch-screen displays allowing customers to access in store and online product and service information; mobile apps and online store fully synchronised with the retailers stock software systems, virtual personalized models and customized online ‘wardrobe’, all connected by intelligent technological in store infrastructure. Retailers have many opportunities in the form of implementing rapidly developing technology throughout physical and online stores to create a hybrid leading retail platform where virtual meets physical shopping, under one roof. The study concludes by recommending that retailers should move off out-dated systems currently employed (i.e. the legacy systems), onto innovative stock software systems. Thus, bringing current inventory software systems up to a level where they are able to interface with technologies mentioned in this study, to improve customer satisfaction. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015. v6n1p40
STAR FORMATION IN COLLISION DEBRIS: INSIGHTS FROM THE MODELING OF THEIR SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION

During galaxy–galaxy interactions, massive gas clouds can be injected into the intergalactic medium which in turn become gravitationally bound, collapse, and form stars, star clusters, or even dwarf galaxies. The objects resulting from this process are both “pristine,” as they are forming their first generation of stars, and chemically evolved because the metallicity inherited from their parent galaxies is high. Such characteristics make them particularly interesting laboratories in which to study star formation. After having investigated their star-forming properties, we use photospheric, nebular, and dust modeling to analyze their spectral energy distribution (SED) from the far-ultraviolet to the mid-infrared regime for a sample of seven star-forming regions. Our analysis confirms that the intergalactic star-forming regions in Stephan's Quintet, around Arp 105 and NGC 5291, appear devoid of stellar populations older than 109 years. We also find an excess of light in the near-infrared regime (from 2 μm to 4.5 μm) which cannot be attributed to stellar photospheric or nebular contributions. This excess is correlated with the star formation rate intensity suggesting that it is probably due to emission by very small grains fluctuating in temperature as well as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons line at 3.3 μm. Comparing the attenuation via the Balmer decrement to the mid-infrared emission allows us to check the reliability of the attenuation estimate. It suggests the presence of embedded star-forming regions in NGC 5291 and NGC 7252. Overall the SED of star-forming regions in collision debris (and Tidal Dwarf Galaxies) resemble more that of dusty star-forming regions in galactic disks than to that of typical star-forming dwarf galaxies.
Benefits of Quality Certification in Hotels: The impact of motives and the usage of quality tools

This paper presents the results of a study of hotels that are certified for quality management to identify the reasons for seeking quality certification. The authors analyze whether internal or external drivers for seeking certification have different impacts on benefits and the use of quality tools in the hotel industry. The analysis groups hotels according to the importance of their internal reasons for certification, and uses cluster analysis to identify the significant differences between groups of hotels. The findings for the 32 hotels analysed show that hotels that pursued certification for internal reasons develop better quality tools and have increased levels of benefits.
Modèles de comportements sociaux pour les collectivités d'agents et de robots. (Social behavior models for agents and robots groups)

Les travaux presentes ici, dans le cadre des Systemes Multi-Agents (SMA) et de l'Intelligence Artificielle Distribuee (IAD), s'interessent au probleme de l'organisation dans les "systemes ouverts". Dans ce cadre, nos recherches visent a definir des modeles de comportement sociaux permettant aux agents de s'organiser pour s'adapter a leur environnement. Notre demarche fait appel, entre autres principes methodologiques, au concept de "cercle vertueux" qui se propose d'emprunter des metaphores a d'autres disciplines scientifiques pour concevoir des modeles informatiques. Dans un premier temps, nous recherchons dans les societes animales (en l'occurrence chez les primates) des metaphores de comportements proches de nos besoins. Nous definissons alors des modeles d'agent qui permettent, en simulation, de reproduire une des caracteristiques sociales observees chez les primates, la reconnaissance des relations de dominance. Ces modeles font ensuite l'objet d'une transposition a un domaine different, la construction collective d'un lexique, pour estimer plus finement les dynamiques collectives sous-jacentes. Dans un second temps, nous nous interessons a une experimentation de "Robotique Collective Ouverte", dans laquelle un groupe de robots doit s'adapter a un environnement ou travaillent des humains (projet MICRobES). Nous montrons que dans ces conditions, une simple transposition n'est plus possible et qu'il faut prendre en compte la corporeite des robots. Nous proposons alors pour cela des principes de conception de comportements d'agents faisant appel a la selection naturelle (l'Ethogenetique) et nous presentons les resultats obtenus avec un framework implementant ces concepts (ATNoSFERES). Nous montrons ainsi comment elargir les principes de depart en conciliant approche multi-agent et algorithmes evolutionnistes, en empruntant des concepts issus de l'ethologie.
Evidence of patchy hydrogen reionization from an extreme Lyα trough below redshift six

We report the discovery of an extremely long (∼110 Mpc/h) and dark (τeff≳7) Lyα trough extending down to z≃5.5 towards the zem≃6.0 quasar ULAS J0148+0600. We use these new data in combination with Lyα forest measurements from 42 quasars at 4.5≤zem≤6.4 to conduct an updated analysis of the line-of-sight variance in the intergalactic Lyα opacity over 4≤z≤6. We find that the scatter in transmission among lines of sight near z∼6 significantly exceeds theoretical expectations for either a uniform ultraviolet background (UVB) or simple fluctuating UVB models in which the mean free path to ionizing photons is spatially invariant. The data, particularly near z≃5.6-5.8, instead require fluctuations in the volume-weighted hydrogen neutral fraction that are a factor of 3 or more beyond those expected from density variations alone. We argue that these fluctuations are most likely driven by large-scale variations in the mean free path, consistent with expectations for the final stages of inhomogeneous hydrogen reionization. Even by z≃5.6, however, a large fraction of the data are consistent with a uniform UVB, and by z∼5 the data are fully consistent with opacity fluctuations arising solely from the density field. This suggests that while reionization may be ongoing at z∼6, it has fully completed by z∼5.
Correcting Overestimated Effect Size Estimates in Multiple Trials

ABSTRACT In a simulation study, Brand, Bradley, Best, and Stoica (2011) have shown that Cohen's d is notably overestimated if computed for data aggregated over multiple trials. Although the phenomenon is highly important for studies and meta-analyses of studies structurally similar to the simulated scenario, the authors do not comprehensively address how the problem could be handled. In this comment, we first suggest a corrective term d ′ c that includes the number and correlation of trials. Next, the results of a simulation study provide evidence that the proposed dc′ results in a more precise estimation of trial-level effects. We conclude that, in practice, d ′ c together with plausible estimates of inter-trial correlation will produce a more precise effect size range compared to that suggested by Brand and colleagues (2011).
Cycle life evaluation of lithium cells subjected to micro-cycles

The typical operating condition of storage batteries requires to deliver and absorb small currents in large intervals of time, in order of minutes or hours. However, in the last years lithium batteries are more and more considered in “power oriented” applications in which they are required to manage large currents in short intervals of time, typically few seconds or tens of seconds. Unfortunately, very limited information on the cell life on this kind of usage are available in literature. Indeed, the paper is focused on the evaluation of the aging process for high power lithium batteries subjected to shallow-depth charge/discharge cycles. The aim is to evaluate if the battery life corresponding to such micro-cycles can reach several hundreds of thousands, allowing the hypothesis that battery performance is effectively much better than expected by the analysis of manufacturer data.