Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alanine‐(87)‐threonine polymorphism impairs signaling and internalization of the human P2Y11 receptor, when co‐expressed with the P2Y1 receptor

The P2Y11 nucleotide receptor detects high extracellular ATP concentrations. Mutations of the human P2RY11 gene can play a role in brain autoimmune responses, and the P2Y11 receptor alanine‐87‐threonine (A87T) polymorphism has been suggested to affect immune‐system functions. We investigated receptor functionality of the P2Y11A87T mutant using HEK293 and 1321N1 astrocytoma cells. In HEK293 cells, the P2Y11 receptor agonist 3′‐O‐(4‐benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (BzATP) was completely inactive in evoking intracellular calcium release while the potency of ATP was reduced. ATP was also less potent in triggering cAMP generation. However, 1321N1 astrocytoma cells, which lack any endogenous P2Y1 receptors, did not display a reduction. Only when 1321N1 cells were co‐transfected with P2Y11A87T and P2Y1 receptors, the calcium responses to the P2Y11 receptor‐specific agonist BzATP were reduced. It is already known that P2Y1 and P2Y11 receptors interact. We thus conclude that the physiological impact of A87T mutation of the P2Y11 receptor derives from detrimental effects on P2Y1–P2Y11 receptor interaction. We additionally investigated alanine‐87‐serine and alanine‐87‐tyrosine P2Y11 receptor mutants. Both mutations rescue the response to BzATP in HEK293 cells, thus ruling out polarity of amino acid‐87 to be the molecular basis for altered receptor characteristics. We further found that the P2Y11A87T receptor shows complete loss of nucleotide‐induced internalization in HEK293 cells. Thus, we demonstrate impaired signaling of the P2Y11 A87T‐mutated receptors when co‐operating with P2Y1 receptors.
Fuzzy control based on LMI approach and fuzzy interpretation of the rider input for two wheeled balancing human transporter

This paper presents a novel hierarchy intelligent control scheme for a two-wheeled human transportation vehicle which is similar to an inverted pendulum. As a high-level supervisory piloting scheme, the paper presents a fuzzy intelligent interpretation of the rider's body inclination. It provides an interface between human user and the vehicle with the aim to enhance the piloting capabilities and convenience from human user viewpoint. As a direct controller, considering the nonlinearities of the system, Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model is proposed to combine linearized systems and their controllers, where the controller gains of each linear system are optimally obtained by LMI method. The effectiveness of the proposed approaches is verified by applying them on the nonlinear model of the system.
Measures of de novo synthesis of milk components from propionate in lactating goats.

Possible direct contributions of propionate to de novo synthesis of milk components by the mammary gland of lactating goats fed a concentrate-roughage diet have been studied in vivo by primed constant infusion of [1-carbon-14]propionate into the right mammary artery. Specific radioactivities of milk galactose, fatty acids, and protein were higher in the infused than in the uninfused half of the mammary gland, suggesting de novo synthesis of these compounds in the udder. Specific radioactivities of milk glucose in both udder halves were identical, ruling out any possibility of mammary gland-derived glucose from propionate of blood plasma under the experimental conditions. Of milk galactose, . 8% was derived from propionate of blood plasma, and of milk glucose, 98% was derived from glucose of blood plasma. After intraruminal infusion of unlabeled propionic acid at 11 g/h, concentration of propionate in blood plasma was doubled, its contribution to milk galactose was increased to 1.5%, and proportions of milk odd-numbered fatty acids were increased. Propionate was incorporated largely into milk odd-numbered fatty acids (9:0, 11:0, 13:0, 15:0, 17:0). We conclude that small amounts of propionate can be incorporated into principal components of milk in the mammary gland of lactating goats.
A novel method of voltage regulation of isolated six-phase self-excited induction generator fed VSI driven by wind turbine

This paper discusses a new and simple method for voltage regulation of isolated Six-Phase Self-Excited Induction Generator (SPSEIG) fed VSI driven by wind turbine under unbalanced and non-linear loading conditions. The proposed scheme consists of a wind turbine, SPSEIG, Rectifier and IGBT based voltage source inverter, which keeps the generated voltage constant despite the change in the connected load. The modulation index of the proposed inverter is adjusted to obtain a constant output voltage. A mathematical model of the SPSEIG with this regulator supplying different types of loads is derived for studying the behavior of the system under transient and dynamic conditions. Simulation results are used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed scheme.
An Investigation into the Electricity Supply and Economic Growth Nexus for South Africa

A booming industrial sector helps to complement and sustain continued economic growth. On the other hand an efficient and steady supply of electricity is of paramount importance for the growth of an industrial sector of a country as it acts as catalyst for economic growth. The study sought to examine the causal relationship between electricity supply and economic growth in South Africa for the period 1990-2012. The study incorporated electricity power outages and employment to form a multivariate framework using a vector error correction model. The study established a unidirectional causality flowing from electricity supply to economic growth. The result implies that electricity supply boosts economic growth in South Africa. There is need for the policy makers to ensure they put in place measures that can improve the electricity supply in the country through a reduction in power outages for the industrial sector.
Business email compromise and executive impersonation: are financial institutions exposed?

Purpose To explain the fraud schemes known as business email compromise (BEC) and executive impersonation that are growing in popularity, and the threat they pose to financial institutions. Design/methodology/approach This article explains BEC and executive impersonation and how they are carried out, and discusses how regulations and practical operational steps are trying to address this fraud issue. Findings Financial institutions should understand the potential for legal and regulatory risks posed by BEC and executive impersonation, and consider taking steps to create a proactive, culture of skepticism and heightened awareness to combat this type of fraud. Originality/value This article is adapted from the original report issued by the American Institute of CPAs and has been updated to address specifics concerning financial institutions.
Intellectual capital, absorptive capacity and product innovation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of intellectual capital on a firm’s absorptive capacity (ACAP), and of ACAP on product innovation. The authors argue that intellectual capital and other sets of intangible assets are mobilized by firms through dynamic capabilities such as ACAP. Product innovation is one of the results of this process. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was conducted, including 500 firms of different sizes, industries and technological intensities located in southern Brazil. The validity of constructs and the theoretical model were confirmed by structural equation modeling. Findings The authors found that intellectual capital does influence ACAP, albeit differently on each of ACAP’s dimensions. Acquisition, assimilation and exploitation of knowledge are more decisively influenced by structural capital, followed by human capital. The ability of transformation of knowledge is evenly influenced by structural and human capital, and more moderately so by social capital. The results also showed that ACAP influences product innovation, but each of its dimensions demonstrated a different impact. Practical implications This study helps practitioners to identify the development of a firm’s intangible resources and its influences on product innovation. This characterization can serve as a benchmark for managers or private and public companies to define strategies and policies to stimulate innovation. Originality/value Few studies present a theoretical discussion about the relationship between a firm’s resources and ACAP’s dimensions in broad empirical contexts or in emerging countries.
The Semantic Status of Diagnostic Criteria for Organic Mental Syndromes and Disorders in DSM‐III and DSM‐III‐R

After a general introduction referring to the contemporary debate about psychiatric classification, the nature of so‐called “diagnostic criteria” in psychiatry is discussed with special reference to DSM‐III(‐R) and to organic mental syndromes and disorders. A set of diagnostic criteria for a disease category can be intended alternatively (i) as stating logically necessary and/or sufficient conditions for the diagnostic concept in question, or (ii) as providing contingent (probabilistic) indicators of the disease. In one possible interpretation, a main aim of DSM‐III and DSM‐III‐R has been to formulate type (i), logical criteria, which amounts to an attempt to strictly identify syndromes or disorders with complex (polythetic) sets of easily observable symptoms and signs. It is shown that a logical interpretation would lead to such unwanted consequences for clinical and scientific practice that it could not possibly have been intended by the authors of DSM‐III and DSM‐III‐R. But neither can the alternative interpretation in terms of type (ii), contingent or probabilistic indicators be consistently upheld. The conclusion of the essay is that the semantic status of the diagnostic criteria in DSM‐III and DSM‐III‐R is fundamentally blurred. I his unclarity may very well lead to divergent interpretations of the concepts and to corresponding uncertainties in their clinical and scientific application.
A longitudinal MRI study of traumatic axonal injury in patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury

Objective To study the evolution of traumatic axonal injury (TAI) detected by structural MRI in patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) during the first year and relate findings to outcome. Methods 58 patients with TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 3–13) were examined with MRI at a median of 7 days, 3 months and 12 months post injury. TAI lesions were evaluated blinded and categorised into three stages based on location: hemispheres, corpus callosum and brainstem. Lesions in T2* weighted gradient echo (GRE), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were counted and FLAIR lesion volumes were estimated. Inter-rater reliability score was calculated. Outcome was assessed 12 months post injury using the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended. Results In the initial MRI, 31% had brainstem lesions compared with 17% at 3 months (p=0.008). In the FLAIR sequences, number and volumes of lesions were reduced from early to 3 months (p<0.001). In T2*GRE sequences, the number of lesions persisted at 3 months but was reduced at 12 months (p=0.007). The number of lesions in DWI and volume of FLAIR lesions on early MRI predicted worse clinical outcome in adjusted analyses (p<0.05). Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate and quantify attenuation of non-haemorrhagic TAI lesions on structural MRI during the first 3 months after TBI; most importantly, the disappearance of brainstem lesions. Haemorrhagic TAI lesions attenuate first after 3 months. Only early MRI findings predicted clinical outcome after adjustment for other prognostic factors. Hence valuable clinical information may be missed if MRI is performed too late after TBI.
Antenna gain measurements using improved radio star flux density expressions

Radio stars have been used to measure the gain of large antennas for many years. The straightforward expressions required, and the simple, direct measurements involved have made this method the most accurate available for this class of antennas. Radio astronomers provided the bases for the technique by measuring the flux density of various celestial sources having strong radio emission at frequencies from 100 MHz to 100 GHz. Many papers have documented measurements which have lead to refinements and improvements in the flux density expressions, as well as other contributing factors such as angular extent corrections and polarization effects. The existing equations extracted from current literature are presented, along with data to support new and improved flux density expressions that provide more accurate results. A solution is presented to discrepancies found when radio sources are used to measure antenna gain. Flux density expressions for radio sources Cassiopeia A (Cas A), Taurus A (Tau A), and Cygnus A (Cyg A) were examined in published data. Using Cas A as a reference, the flux expressions for Tau A and Cyg A were adjusted to eliminate the characteristically lower-than-expected results obtained when these two radio sources are used to measure antenna gain. With these new, improved expressions, Cas A, Tau A, and Cyg A give similar gain results, to within an observable average of /spl plusmn/0.04 dB, for both C-band and Ku-band antennas.
Personal-Model Beliefs and Social-Environmental Barriers Related to Diabetes Self-Management

OBJECTIVE The specific aims of the present study were to report on the level of personal beliefs and social and environmental barriers across different regimen areas and patient subgroups and on the relationship of personal models and perceived barriers to the level of self-management. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study focused on several issues related to personal models (representations of illness) and perceived barriers to diabetes self-management among a large heterogeneous survey sample of 2,056 adults throughout the U.S. RESULTS Respondents felt that diabetes was a serious disease and that their self-management activities will control their diabetes and reduce the likelihood of long-term complications. Most frequently reported barriers were related to dietary adherence, followed by exercise and glucose testing barriers. Both personal models and barriers significantly predicted level of self-management in all three regimen areas studied (diet, exercise, and glucose testing) after controlling for the influence of demographic and medical history factors. Regimen-specific models and barriers proved to be stronger predictors than more global measures. Differences on personal models and barriers were observed among different patient groups (e.g., age, health insurance, and insulin-taking status). Possible reasons for these differences and implications for intervention and future research are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Both the personal-model and barriers scales had good internal consistency and predicted variance in each of the self-management variables after controlling for demographic and medical history factors. These brief self-report personal-model scales demonstrated good internal reliability and were as predictive of self-management as the lengthier interview-based measures in previous studies. The assessment of the treatment effectiveness component of personal models may be sufficient for most clinical purposes.
Transforming IT service management - the ITIL impact

Effective information technology service provision is key to the success of organisations. This paper presents results from five Australian organisations that implemented the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). As a consequence, all these organisations have transformed their IT service management to provide significant benefits to their organisations, such as more rigorous control of testing and system changes, more predictable infrastructure, improved consultation with IT groups within the organisation, reduced server faults, seamless end-to-end service, documented and consistent IT service management processes across the organisation, and consistent logging of incidents. Key success factors for ITIL implementation include effective engagement of the personnel affected, support from senior management and communication of results.
A plant protein signal sequence improved humoral immune response to HPV prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccines

ABSTRACT Signal sequences (ss) play a critical role in the sorting of nascent secretory and membrane proteins. This function has been conserved from bacteria through eukaryotes, although ss appear diverse in length and amino acid composition. Sorting of proteins is also critical to instruct antigens for a proper immunological response. Thus, a plant ss was used to drive Human Papillomavirus (HPV) model antigens into the human secretory pathway: the HPV16 E7 oncoprotein, its chimera with the coat protein (CP) of the Potato Virus X (PVX), the first 200 amino acids of the HPV16 minor capsid protein L2 (known to harbour cross-reacting epitopes) and its chimera with E7 gene. These genes were used to transfect HEK-293 cells and to immunize C57BL/6 mice. The ss-provided genes were expressed, and proteins detected by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. Mouse immunization with DNA constructs carrying the ss elicited a strong humoral response against both E7 and L2 and a weak cell-mediated immunity. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration that a signal sequence derived from a plant can modulate the sorting of a heterologous protein in mammalian cells. This activity in mammalian cells may be responsible for the observed increased humoral response to DNA-based vaccines that are generally weak inducers of IgG response. This might open new perspectives in the design of DNA vaccines, especially to counteract infections where a strong humoral response is needed.
Big Government, Big Corruption? Examining the Relationship between Government Size and Public Corruption in the Philippines

ABSTRACT Unlike corruption, government size has not been studied in the Philippines despite numerous literature suggesting relationship between the two. This study fills that gap by looking at state spending and how it relates to the enduring political issue of public corruption. Findings suggest that, contrary to expectations, bigger disbursements actually improve public’s perception of bureaucratic corruption, similar to the effect of better institutions and rule of law.
The application of Genetic Algorithms in component parameters design

This paper investigates the application of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) in component parameters design. From the perspective of profit per unit product, we have established the nonlinear programming model to determine the machine precision and product calibration value. After that, we solve the nonlinear programming model based on GAs, which can fix out the most appropriate component parameters to optimize the result. We conduct a comparative study between GAs and the enumeration method and give relevant analysis in the end of this paper.
Nigerian Niger Delta Community Participation: Catalyst for Sustainable Human Development

Due to degeneration resulting from years of oil exploration in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the government has embarked on several developmental initiatives to improve the living conditions of the people. However, the area is classified as one of the most underdeveloped among the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria despite its enormous contribution to the national revenue. This study examines community participation as a catalyst to foster sustainable community and human development in the region. An in-depth interview was conducted with the key informants. The qualitative data obtained was analyzed using the Nvivo 10 software. The findings revealed that issues such as community involvement in decision-making, awareness of government intervention programs, adequate consultation and collaboration are the catalyst for community participation. The study, therefore, concludes that there is need for government and development agencies to understand the needs and aspiration of community in policy formulation and implementation of developmental goals.
Effects of Arginine Vasopressin on Growth of Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts: Role of V1 Receptor

&NA; The abnormal proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts is involved in the pathophysiologic process of left ventricular hypertrophy (LHV) associated with essential hypertension. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been reported to contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In this study, the authors investigated the effects of AVP and its V1 receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5Tyr2(Me)]AVP on the growth of rat cardiac fibroblasts. Cardiac fibroblasts of neonatal Sprague‐Dawley rats were isolated, and growth‐arrested cardiac fibroblasts were stimulated with 2.5% fetal calf serum in the presence and absence of AVP (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 &mgr;M) and [d(CH2)5Tyr2(Me)]AVP (0.1 &mgr;M). DNA synthesis was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Thiazolyl blue assay and flow cytometry techniques were adopted to measure cell numbers and analyze cell cycle, respectively. Arginine vasopressin (0.1 and 1 &mgr;M) significantly increased DNA synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts. Moreover, AVP (0.1 and 1 &mgr;M) significantly increased the number of cardiac fibroblasts. Analysis of cell cycle showed that AVP (0.1 &mgr;M) increased S‐stage percentage and proliferation index (PI). The V1 receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5Tyr2(Me)]AVP (0.1 &mgr;M) significantly inhibited DNA synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts. The cell number, S‐stage percentage, and PI induced by AVP (0.1 &mgr;M) were significantly decreased by [d(CH2)5Tyr2(Me)]AVP (0.1 &mgr;M). These findings suggest that AVP might promote the proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts, which seems to be mediated via the V1 receptor. Arginine vasopressin may be involved in the pathophysiologic process of LVH by promoting cardiac fibroblast proliferation.
Overuse Injuries in Professional Road Cyclists

Background Little epidemiological information exists on overuse injuries in elite road cyclists. Anecdotal reports indicate anterior knee pain and lower back pain may be common problems. Purpose This study was conducted to register overuse injuries among professional road cyclists with special focus on anterior knee and lower back pain. Study Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods We attended training camps of 7 professional teams and interviewed 109 of 116 cyclists (94%) on overuse injuries they had experienced in the previous 12 months. Injuries that required attention from medical personnel or involved time loss from cycling were registered. Additional information on anterior knee pain and lower back pain was collected using specific questionnaires. Results A total of 94 injuries were registered; 45% were in the lower back and 23% in the knee. Twenty-three time-loss injuries were registered—57% in the knee, 22% in the lower back, and 13% in the lower leg. Fifty-eight percent of all cyclists had experienced lower back pain in the previous 12 months, and 41% of all cyclists had sought medical attention for it. Thirty-six percent had experienced anterior knee pain and 19% had sought medical attention for it. Few cyclists had missed competitions because of pain in the lower back (6%) or anterior knee (9%). Conclusion Lower back pain and anterior knee pain were the most prevalent overuse injuries, with knee injuries most likely to cause time loss and lower back pain causing the highest rates of functional impairment and medical attention. Clinical Relevance Future efforts to prevent overuse injuries in competitive cyclists should focus on lower back pain and anterior knee pain.