Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lysosomes: How Plasma Membrane Repair Route Can Be Hijacked by Parasites?

Lysosomes are acidic organelles that are not only involved in degradation processes but also participated in other cellular functions, such as specialized secretion and plasma membrane (PM) resealing. When the PM is ruptured, Ca 2+ flows from the extracellular milieu toward the cytoplasm potentially triggering cell death. In order to escape from the apop - totic route, cells developed an elegant mechanism in which lysosomes are recruited to the sites of injuries in a Ca 2+ -dependent fashion. Lysosomes, fuse with the PM releasing their enzymatic content. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), one of the secreted enzymes, cleaves sphingomyelin into ceramide, inducing compensatory endocytosis and internalization of the membrane-damaged site. Trypanosoma cruzi , the etiological agent of Chagas disease, relies heavily on lysosomes to successfully invade mammalian cells. By mechanically injuring the host PM, T. cruzi evokes lysosome exocytosis, and subsequently, compensa - tory endocytosis. The latter drives the parasite into the host cell, where it can replicate. This early association with lysosomes prevents T. cruzi evasion from the host cells allow - ing colonization of host intracellular milieu. This review chapter will summarize the main contributions in the field exploring the crosstalk between PM repair and T. cruzi invasion and how the understanding of these mechanisms evolved throughout the years.
Competition with Variety Seeking and Habitual Consumption: Price Commitment or Quality Commitment?

This paper investigates price and quality competition in a market where consumers seek variety and habit formation. Variety seeking is modeled as a decrease in the willingness to pay for product purchased on the previous occasion while habitual consumption may increase future marginal utility. We compare two competing strategies: price commitment and quality commitment. With a three-stage Hotelling-type model, we show that variety seeking intensifies while habitual consumption softens the competition. With price commitment, firms supply lower quality levels in period 1 and higher quality levels in period 2, while, with quality commitment, firms charge higher prices in period 1 and lower prices in period 2. However, the habitual consumption brings the opposite effect. In addition, with quality commitment variety seeking leads to a lower profit and a higher consumer surplus, while habitual consumption leads to the opposite results. On the other side, with price commitment these behaviors have no effect on the consumer surplus, although they still lower down the firm profits. Finally, we also identify conditions under which one strategy outperforms the other.
Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Modal Optical Imaging System for Early Identification of Oral Neoplasia

Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Modal Optical Imaging System for Early Identification of Oral Neoplasia by Timothy Quang Over the last decade, the five-year survival rate for oral cancer has remained at only 64%. Despite easy access to the oral cavity, most patients with oral cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment is more invasive and likely to be less successful. Imaging tools that can rapidly and accurately identify oral neoplasia could improve early detection of malignant oral lesions. This dissertation describes research to develop and evaluate a multi-modal optical imaging system with automated image processing to improve early detection of oral neoplasia. The multi-modal optical imaging system is comprised of two modalities, a highresolution microendoscope (HRME) and a wide-field autofluorescence imager (AFI) to identify suspicious areas and to confirm whether suspicious areas contain neoplasia. A tablet-interfaced HRME with automated image analysis was developed and characterized to improve early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma which has similar histologic patterns to oral neoplasia; results showed the tablet HRME can acquire comparable images to the first generation HRME design at a fraction of the cost and size. Training and validation was performed using a previously published dataset from a study of 177 patients referred for screening or surveillance endoscopy in China. Results showed that the automated image processing could differentiate between neoplastic and nonneoplastic images with a sensitivity of 95% and 91% in an independent validation set compared with 84% and 95% achieved in the original study. Additionally, automated image processing tools were developed to analyze wide-field autofluorescence images. The diagnostic performance of this approach was compared to previous results from a pilot study of 30 patients scheduled for surgical resection of a clinically suspicious oral lesion. The automated analysis method achieved a comparable area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to the previous results based on manual analysis (0.862 automated vs. 0.877 manual) while minimizing dependence on user input. The automated analysis algorithms for AFI and HRME were then evaluated together to analyze images acquired from a population of 100 patients scheduled for surgical resection of a clinically suspicious oral lesion. A classification algorithm based on image metrics derived from AFI and HRME was able to correctly classify 100% of sites taken from biopsies pathologically diagnosed as normal and 85% of sites taken from biopsies diagnosed as moderate/severe dysplasia or cancer. These results provide evidence that multi-modal optical imaging with automated image analysis could be a valuable diagnostic adjunct for early detection of oral neoplasia.
International Journal for the Scholarship of International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Teaching and Learning

Abstract When a researcher encounters the term ‘learning styles’, its meaning, rather than being explicitly obvious, is dependent on the tradition and therefore the context from which the term has originated. For a new researcher, in particular, it can be a confusing and potentially time consuming process to correctly identify the differences the terminology. Importantly, it has been recognized that different researchers may use the same term, yet may not be referring to the same concept, as is particularly the case with the term ‘learning style’. The confusion generated by the use of similar yet unrelated terminologies from different research traditions poses an ongoing important question: should the term ‘learning style’ be considered as the overall generic term that researchers use to define student learning dimensions? Therefore, the review of terminology in learning style/s related fields could benefit from the acceptance of an overarching terminology, whether it be ‘learning styles’, ‘learning patterns’, or ‘learning dimensions’. Furthermore, and far more importantly, research related to this terminology could benefit from an extended explanation of the links to other research, making clear, the basis of current and future research to other researchers.
“Crater” flux transfer events: Highroad to the X line?

We examine Cluster observations of a so‐called magnetosphere " crater FTE, " employing data from five instruments (FGM, CIS, EDI, EFW, and WHISPER), some at the highest resolution. The aim of doing this is to deepen our understanding of the reconnection nature of these events by applying recent advances in the theory of collisionless reconnection and in detailed observational work. Our data support the hypothesis of a stratified structure with regions which we show to be spatial structures. We support the bulge‐like topology of the core region (R3) made up of plasma jetting transverse to reconnected field lines. We document encounters with a magnetic separatrix as a thin layer embedded in the region (R2) just outside the bulge, where the speed of the protons flowing approximately parallel to the field maximizes: (1) short (fraction of a sec) bursts of enhanced electric field strengths (up to ∼30 mV/m) and (2) electrons flowing against the field toward the X line at approximately the same time as the bursts of intense electric fields. R2 also contains a density decrease concomitant with an enhanced magnetic field strength. At its interface with the core region, R3, electric field activity ceases abruptly. The accelerated plasma flow profile has a catenary shape consisting of beams parallel to the field in R2 close to the R2/R3 boundary and slower jets moving across the magnetic field within the bulge region. We detail commonalities our observations of crater FTEs have with reconnection structures in other scenarios. We suggest that in view of these properties and their frequency of occurrence, crater FTEs are ideal places to study processes at the separatrices, key regions in magnetic reconnection. This is a good preparation for the MMS mission.
Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ Induced Structural, Functional and Compositional Changes in the Liver and Muscle Tissue of Crucian Carp ( Carassius auratus gibelio ): an FT-IR Study

Contamination of aquatic ecosystems with toxic metals such as Cd and Pb is a serious issue in the industrialized world, which can affect freshwater fish even at low concentrations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Cd and Pb alone or in combination on the biochemical constituents of liver and muscle in Crucian carp using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results from the spectral analysis revealed significant decline in protein and increase in lipids in the two tissues with marked effect caused by the combined exposure of Cd and Pb. In case of liver, alteration in the intensity and band area at amide I resulted in a differential response of structural protein for the exposed groups. Furthermore, a decrease in the α-helix and alterations in the nucleic acids content was also observed in both liver and muscle of the exposed fish. Moreover, biochemical alterations in the vital tissue of freshwater fish due to toxic contaminants can be used as a marker of environmental pollution with the help of FT-IR spectroscopy.
Rosetta and Mars Express observations of the influence of high solar wind pressure on the Martian plasma environment

We report on new simultaneous in-situ observations at Mars from Rosetta and Mars Express (MEX) on how the Martian plasma environment is affected by high pressure solar wind. A significant sharp increase in solar wind density, magnetic field strength and turbulence followed by a gradual increase in solar wind velocity is observed during ~24 h in the combined data set from both spacecraft after Rosetta's closest approach to Mars on 25 February 2007. The bow shock and magnetic pileup boundary are coincidently observed by MEX to become asymmetric in their shapes. The fortunate orbit of MEX at this time allows a study of the inbound boundary crossings on one side of the planet and the outbound crossings on almost the opposite side, both very close to the terminator plane. The solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) downstream of Mars are monitored through simultaneous measurements provided by Rosetta. Possible explanations for the asymmetries are discussed, such as crustal magnetic fields and IMF direction. In the same interval, during the high solar wind pressure pulse, MEX observations show an increased amount of escaping planetary ions from the polar region of Mars. We link the high pressure solar wind with the observed simultaneous ion outflow and discuss how the pressure pulse could also be associated with the observed boundary shape asymmetry.
The Effect of Temperature on Electrical Parameters of Solar Cells

2 ABSTRACT: In this paper, the performance and overview use of solar cells is expressed. The role of temperature on the electric parameters of solar cells has been studied. Experimental results shows that all electrical parameters of solar cell such as maximum output power, open circuit voltage, short circuit current, and fill factor Have changed with temperature variation. As well as the amount of changes in these parameters in terms of temperature value have been obtained. According to results, the most significant is the temperature dependence of the voltage which decreases with increasing temperature while the current of cells slightly increases by temperature.
Public Sector University Governance in Punjab: a case of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore

Governance is the policy level decision making. The day to day functioning and implementation of policies may be referred to as management. In this research, we have studied the governance and management mechanism of the public sector universities in Punjab by taking University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences as a case. The qualitative methodology was applied in conducting this study. Two methods of data collection were used; secondary documents, and guided semi-structured interviews. After the reforms introduced by the HEC in the higher education system of Pakistan, and the up gradation of the university, the overall mechanics of governance, and management have taken a paradigm shift. The policy making process is structured in a way that syndicate being the highest organ of governance in this manner. Syndicate provides the direction. Vice Chancellor is the head of administration and is responsible for the daily academic and administrative functioning of the university. However, in making decisions university has to face a certain level of external interference. Keywords: Governance, Public Sector, University Governance, Punjab
Discovering community patterns in open-source

There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community. ” [M. Scott Peck] The open-source phenomenon has reached the point in which it is virtually impossible to find large applications that do not rely on it. Such grand adoption may turn into a risk if the community regulatory aspects behind open-source work (e.g., contribution guidelines or release schemas) are left implicit and their effect untracked. We advocate the explicit study and automated support of such aspects and propose Yoshi (Yielding Open-Source Health Information), a tool able to map open-source communities onto community patterns, sets of known organisational and social structure types and characteristics with measurable core attributes. This mapping is beneficial since it allows, for example, (a) further investigation of community health measuring established characteristics from organisations research, (b) reuse of pattern-specific best-practices from the same literature, and (c) diagnosis of organisational anti-patterns specific to open-source, if any. We evaluate the tool in a quantitative empirical study involving 25 open-source communities from GitHub, finding that the tool offers a valuable basis to monitor key community traits behind open-source development and may form an effective combination with web-portals such as OpenHub or Bitergia. We made the proposed tool open source and publicly available.
Low power mixed analog-digital signal processing

The power consumption of mixed-signal systems featured by an analog front-end, a digital back-end, and with signal processing tasks that can be computed with multiplications and accumulations, is analyzed. An implementation is proposed, composed of switched-capacitor mixed analog/digital multiply-accumulate units in the analog front-end, followed by an A/D converter. This implementation is shown to be superior in respect of power consumption compared to an equivalent implementation with a high-speed A/D converter in the front-end, to execute signal processing tasks that include decimation. The power savings are only due to relaxed requirement on A/D conversion rate, as a direct consequence of the decimation. In a case study of a narrowband FIR filter, realized with four multiply-accumulate units, and with a decimation factor of 100; power saving is 54 times. Implementation details are given, the power consumption, and the thermal noise are analyzed.
The age-mass-metallicity-activity relation for solar-type stars: Comparisons with asteroseismology and the NGC 188 open cluster

Context. The Mount Wilson Ca ii index log is the accepted standard metric of calibration for the chromospheric activity versus age relation for FGK stars. Recent results claim its inability to discern activity levels, and thus ages, for stars older than ~2 Gyr, which would severely hamper its application to date disk stars older than the Sun. Aims. We present a new activity-age calibration of the Mt. Wilson index that explicitly takes mass and [Fe/H] biases into account; these biases are implicit in samples of stars selected to have precise ages, which have so far not been appreciated. Methods. We show that these selection biases tend to blur the activity-age relation for large age ranges. We calibrate the Mt. Wilson index for a sample of field FGK stars with precise ages, covering a wide range of mass and [Fe/H] , augmented with data from the Pleiades, Hyades, M 67 clusters, and the Ursa Major moving group. Results. We further test the calibration with extensive new Gemini/GMOS log ()R'HK) data of the old, solar [Fe/H] clusters, M 67 and NGC 188. The observed NGC 188 activity level is clearly lower than M 67. We correctly recover the isochronal age of both clusters and establish the viability of deriving usable chromospheric ages for solar-type stars up to at least ~6 Gyr, where average errors are ~0.14 dex provided that we explicitly account for the mass and [Fe/H] dimensions. We test our calibration against asteroseismological ages, finding excellent correlation (ρ = + 0.89). We show that our calibration improves the chromospheric age determination for a wide range of ages, masses, and metallicities in comparison to previous age-activity relations.
Effect of coagulant type and storage temperature on the functionality of reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese

Effets du type de coagulant et de la temperature de stockage sur la fonctionnalite de la Mozzarella a faible teneur en lipides. Les fromages Mozzarella a faible humidite et a faible teneur en matiere grasse (∼10 %, w/w, matiere grasse) ont ete produits en triple en utilisant un de ces coagulants: chymosine produite par fermentation (FPC), proteinase de Rhizomucor miehei (RMP) ou proteinase de Rhizomucor pusillus (RPP). Les coagulants ont ete ajoutes au lait a une concentration donnee, de maniere a obtenir une fermete de caille de 60 Pa en 45 min a 36 °C. La stabilite thermique des enzymes, basee sur leur aptitude a coaguler le lait a 54 °C, decroit dans l'ordre suivant: RMP > RPP > FPC. Le fromage produit en utilisant chaque coagulant est stocke a 4 ou a 12 °C. Le type de coagulant affecte de maniere significative le niveau de premiere proteolyse, ceci etant prouve par les mesures d'azote soluble a pH 4,6, le RPP donne un niveau moyen significativement plus eleve que les autres coagulants a 4 et a 12 °C. Cependant, le type de coagulant n'affecte pas de maniere significative la fermete d'un fromage non chauffe ou la capacite d'ecoulement de celui-ci a la cuisson a 180 ou a 280 °C. L'augmentation de la temperature de stockage de 4 a 12 °C augmente de maniere significative le niveau moyen de proteolyse, la quantite de serum non extractible dans le fromage cru et la capacite d'ecoulement moyenne dans le fromage cuit.
CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAVINGS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS

This paper addresses the relationship between domestic savings and economic growth for various economies with different income levels. Using time series annual data, the Granger causality test was conducted. The study seeks to determine whether the direction of causality in these economies is different based on their income class: namely low-income, low-middle income, upper-middle income, and high-income countries.
Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Global Governance Programme Regional Trade Agreements & Procurement Rules : Facilitators or Hindrances ?

This Working Paper considers the significance of government procurement chapters in regional trade agreements (RTAs), both in their own right and vis-à-vis the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). The paper finds, inter alia, that: (i) a strong complementarity exists between government procurement trade commitments and general goods and services trade commitments, making integration of procurement commitments in a more general system such as the WTO Agreements desirable; (ii) government procurement chapters in RTAs, where they exist in detailed form, are modelled substantially or entirely on the WTO GPA – a fact which can facilitate eventual accession to the GPA by participating WTO Members; and (iii) the market access opportunities created by government procurement chapters in RTAs generally are less extensive than those available under the revised GPA a factor helping to maintain incentives for eventual GPA accession by relevant WTO Members. The recent successful renegotiation of the GPA has set the stage for a broadening of its membership, over time, ensuring that the Agreement's future remains strong.
Manipulators with two levels of friction control between links, implemented using piezoelectric transducers, oscillating in burst type excitation mode

The paper discusses the results of development and investigation of the new class of multi-degree-of-freedom robots, based on new concept. Classical rule of Robotics – the number of degree-of-freedom of robot should be equal to the number of applied actuators – is questioned here. This concept is realized by using kinematic pairs with alternating degree-of-freedom, controlled by a solitary force or moment, changing its direction in space. The number of degree-of-freedom of kinematic pair is controlled from 0 to 3, exploiting the dependence of friction forces upon oscillation in the contact zone of links.
Uptake and Transformation of the Propellants 2,4-DNT, Perchlorate and Nitroglycerin by Grasses

Abstract : The feasibility of using grasses, yellow nutsedge (Cyperus escalantus), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) in the clean-up of propellant contaminated soil was assessed by performing hydroponic and soil experiments. The propellants 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), perchlorate and nitroglycerin (GTN) often contaminate firing ranges due to partially detonated ordnances and incomplete combustion of munitions. In hydroponic experiments, sorption of 2,4-DNT to roots was significant in the grasses. Perchlorate accumulated in large amounts in leaves of the grasses with maximum accumulation in yellow nutsedge (732 mg kg-1). GTN was removed from the solution rapidly and almost 100% degradation was seen in all grasses within 52 hours. From soil experiments, it is evident that yellow nutsedge was effective in degrading 2,4-DNT. Perchlorate was accumulated in leaves of yellow nutsedge and Indian grass and GTN degradation was nearly 100% in Indian grass. Degradation in perchlorate and OTN was by bacteria.
The canonical basis and the quantum Frobenius morphism

The first goal of this paper is to study the amount of compatibility between two important constructions in the theory of quantized enveloping algebras, namely the canonical basis and the quantum Frobenius morphism. The second goal is to study orders with which the Kashiwara crystal B(infinity) of a symmetrizable Kac-Moody algebra can be endowed; these orders are defined so that the transition matrices between bases naturally indexed by B(infinity) are lower triangular.