Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interwoven Biology of the Tsetse Holobiont

ABSTRACT Microbial symbionts can be instrumental to the evolutionary success of their hosts. Here, we discuss medically significant tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), a group comprised of over 30 species, and their use as a valuable model system to study the evolution of the holobiont (i.e., the host and associated microbes). We first describe the tsetse microbiota, which, despite its simplicity, harbors a diverse range of associations. The maternally transmitted microbes consistently include two Gammaproteobacteria, the obligate mutualists Wigglesworthia spp. and the commensal Sodalis glossinidius, along with the parasitic Alphaproteobacteria Wolbachia. These associations differ in their establishment times, making them unique and distinct from previously characterized symbioses, where multiple microbial partners have associated with their host for a significant portion of its evolution. We then expand into discussing the functional roles and intracommunity dynamics within this holobiont, which enhances our understanding of tsetse biology to encompass the vital functions and interactions of the microbial community. Potential disturbances influencing the tsetse microbiome, including salivary gland hypertrophy virus and trypanosome infections, are highlighted. While previous studies have described evolutionary consequences of host association for symbionts, the initial steps facilitating their incorporation into a holobiont and integration of partner biology have only begun to be explored. Research on the tsetse holobiont will contribute to the understanding of how microbial metabolic integration and interdependency initially may develop within hosts, elucidating mechanisms driving adaptations leading to cooperation and coresidence within the microbial community. Lastly, increased knowledge of the tsetse holobiont may also contribute to generating novel African trypanosomiasis disease control strategies.
Optimum level of ammonia in the rumen liquor of cattle fed tropical pasture hay.

Fermentation of Heteropogon contortus in nylon bags in the rumen of steers was studied during stepwise infusion of urea and sulphate that increased dietary N from 4 to 15 g/kg organic matter (OM) and rumen ammonia from <2 to 140 mg N/l. Maximum fermentation was observed at ammonia levels of about 45 mg N/l. However feed intake rose at all levels of N infusion and despite a decline in in VIVO OM digestibility at the higher levels of infusion, digestible OM intake also rose throughout the experiment. (
Linezolid and Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Function

Background: To examine whether linezolid, a new oxazolidinone antibiotic, has an effect on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function. Methods: Flow-cytometric techniques for the demonstration of PMN chemotaxis towards zymosan-activated serum, and phagocytosis and respiratory burst after incubation in linezolid. Results: Linezolid at concentrations of 10– 160 mg/l did not significantly influence PMN function as measured by chemotaxis, phagocytosis and respiratory burst. Conclusions: Linezolid at therapeutic or supratherapeutic concentrations does not influence human PMN function. This applies to the chemically pure substance as well as to the commercial preparation containing additives for intravenous infusion.
Gossip-based supervision for wireless autonomic networks and services

Free riding is among the fundamental issue that P2P systems are facing. Large populations, high turnover, asymmetry of interest, collusion, zero-cost identities, and traitors; makes this issue further challenging. To tackle these challenges we proposed a cluster based gossiping protocol for P2P system in order to overcome the “tragedy of common” or lack of cooperation (free riding) among nodes. Our System detects the selfish nodes in a system by maintaining a reputation index of the nodes. Cluster based gossiping is distributed supervision approach based on self organization of autonomic components. Through simulation, we show that our technique can drive a system to nearly optimal levels of cooperation.
Congenital defects of platelet function

Congenital abnormalities of platelet function disorder (PFD) are associated with the heightened risk for bleeding. Typically, patients with PFDs have mucocutaneous bleeding of variable severity and excessive hemorrhage after surgery or trauma. The diagnostic laboratory assessment appropriate for the evaluation of suspected inherited PFD should be based on a two-step diagnostic strategy: the first step, based on screening tests, helps raising a diagnostic hypothesis, which should then be tested in the second step, which is based on the use of specific tests. The first step should include: complete blood cell count, examination of the peripheral blood smear, and assessment of platelet aggregation. Although light transmission aggregometry (LTA) is the most widely used platelet function test, it is relatively insensitive to defects of platelet secretion; for this reason, laboratory tests that measure platelet aggregation and secretion simultaneously, such as lumi-aggregometry, should be preferred to traditional LTA. The second step includes specific tests (e.g., flow cytometry, Western blotting, DNA analysis). Platelet transfusions should be used only to treat severe bleeding episodes. Recombinant Factor VIIa can be used in patients with severe bleeding episodes who do not respond to platelet transfusion because of alloimmunization. Fibrinolytic inhibitors or the vasopressin analogue desmopressin (DDAVP) should be used in all other circumstances.
Análisis de la Aplicación del Balanced Scorecard como Herramienta de Diagnóstico Adaptada a Microempresas

Resumen Las microempresas presentan un grado muy bajo de organizacion y gestion, lo cual las pone en desventaja. Es por ello que requieren atencion especial frente a sus necesidades de desempeno y crecimiento. Este articulo desarrolla un analisis de la aplicacion del Balanced Scorecard como herramienta adaptada para el diagnostico de las microempresas de la comuna 7 de la ciudad de Cali (Colombia), a fin de que estas unidades productivas puedan contar con los beneficios de la metodologia. Se aplicaron 94 encuestas y la informacion se analizo con SPSS. Los resultados ob? tenidos permiten caracterizar las microempresas de la comuna, demostrando que esta metodologia es flexible para ser adaptada a una microempresa, lo que ampliara sus opciones para estructurar negocios y permitir el crecimiento y sustentabilidad organizacional. Abstract Micro-sized enterprises have a very low degree of organization and management, which puts them at disadvantage. Therefore, special attention to meet their needs for performance and growth is required. In this article, an analysis of the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard as a tool adapted for the diagnosis of micro-sized enterprises in the commune 7 in Cali (Colombia) is developed, so that these productive units can have the benefits of this methodology. Ninety-four surveys were conducted and the information was analyzed with SPSS. The results obtained allow us to characterize the micro-sized companies in this commune, which is an indication that this methodology is flexible and it can be adapted to micro-sized enterprises; this expands options for microentrepreneurs, so that they can structure their businesses; thus, this allows organizational growth and sustainability.
A Choquet integral-based model for sustainable performance of suppliers

The supplier selection process of a company depends on numerous criteria which can have differing importance factors. Solving this kind of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) problem is essential for the long-term strategy of a company. While this problem is examined numerous times throughout the years, the consideration of involving economic, social and environmental factors, i.e. sustainability is becoming a growing necessity for this effort, especially in the recent years. We propose a Choquet integral based fuzzy model to use the data we obtain by converting the linguistic terms of perceived subcontractor performance values to trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. After the performance criteria values are normalized by the fuzzy integral, they are defuzzified into single data points which helps an evaluator to compare. A case study involving a curtain wall company in Turkey (and its 4 subcontractors) is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The defuzzified results showed which subcontractor is the optimal choice among 4 subcontractors and 17 criteria.
Factors influencing archaeological tourists' behavioral intentions: a conceptual framework

Archaeological tourism has tremendous potential to lure inbound and outbound tourists with the announcement of Lenggong Valley as a World Heritage Site in 2012. Promoting archaeological tourism needs extra effort since the public has limited idea of what the site can offer. Therefore, a series of strategies need to be developed to attract more tourists to archaeological sites. This study assesses the literature on the causal effect of destination personality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions among tourists who visit the archaeological sites. A conceptual framework was developed based on the literature propositions. This study contributes to the tourism literature by being one of the primary works in applying destination personality concept on archaeological sites. Furthermore, the findings of the research are anticipated to provide recommendations from the demand side which usually lacking for local authorities and destination marketing organizations’ in their branding and positioning strategies for destinations.
Efficient Cross-Range Scaling Method via Two-Dimensional Unitary ESPRIT Scattering Center Extraction Algorithm

For a better understanding of the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image, cross-range scaling is an essential step. To deal with the scaling problem of ISAR image, this letter proposes a novel cross-range scaling algorithm for ISAR image. This method consists of three steps. In the first step, joint time-frequency method is employed to compensate the rotational motion and generate 2-D ISAR images at two selected times. Theoretically, after rotating the angular shift between the two images, they present the same appearance. However, conventional image rotation is computationally inefficient and complex for implementation. Thus, in the second step, we propose a 2-D unitary estimation of parameters via rotation invariance technique (ESPRIT) superresolution ISAR imaging technique to extract isolated scatterers instead of conventional ISAR image. In the last step, we search rotation velocity (RV) and rotate the image by angular shift to find the right RV that makes the two selected images match each other best. Finally, simulated and real ISAR data are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed cross-range scaling algorithm.
Lifetime economic consequences to women informal carers in Australian, 2006

Home-based care provided by family members is the most common form of caring for people with disabilities in Australia. This model of care is, however, generating enormous financial consequences for informal carers. This study examines the impact of taking on a primary carer’s role on financial well-being of women in Australia over the course of their working life, by comparing women primary carers and other women. Estimates are based on information drawn from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey Wave 6 and the life tables for Australian women. The economic indictors examined cover labour force participation and income. Income indicators include individual and family income from wages and salaries, and government benefits (public transfer). While there may be a wide range of caring situations, we focus on women aged 30 to 64 years, with two or more children, who are primary carers to their child with a disability. These women are divided into four categories by partnership status (single vs partnered mothers) and educational attainment (secondary school or less vs post-secondary education). Results show that over half of the women primary carers aged 30 to 64 years are not in the paid labour force compared to less than a third of other women in the same age group. Primary carers who do work spend fewer hours in paid employment than do other women. As a consequence of limited participation in paid work, primary carers earn considerably less income from wages and salaries over their working life compared to women with similar demographics. Mothers caring for a child with a disability are likely to earn over their working life, depending on their level of education, between a quarter and a half the income of women sharing the same demographics but who are not primary carers. While carers receive more in government cash benefits than other women, these payments do not compensate fully for the income they forgo from paid work. In conclusion, women primary carers have a bleaker financial prospect compared to that of other women. Policies for ensuring financial security of women primary carers are warranted.
Service and Reputation: An Examination of the Growth in Graduate Education at Public Master’s Universities

Service and Reputation: An Examination of the Growth in Graduate Education at Public Master’s Universities Alicia Kinne-Clawson Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor William Zumeta College of Education Public Master’s granting universities have long been viewed as a sector “caught in the middle” between their much more prestigious research university counterparts and the more numerous community colleges. The little research that exists on this sector of institutions has suggested that the Master’s university classification merely represents a way station to becoming a research university. Attainment of research university status is appealing because with it come significant resources, access to high quality faculty and a research enterprise, and legitimacy through increased political clout and, for many institutions, national rankings. Over the last several decades, public Master’s universities have evolved rapidly from their heritage as largely state teacher training academies. Just as their undergraduate enrollments have grown, so too, have their graduate enrollments. Alongside booming enrollments has been a slow increase in undergraduate selectivity, steady growth in state and federal grants and contracts
Biochemical characterization of NfsA, the Escherichia coli major nitroreductase exhibiting a high amino acid sequence homology to Frp, a Vibrio harveyi flavin oxidoreductase

We identified the nfsA gene, encoding the major oxygen-insensitive nitroreductase in Escherichia coli, and determined its position on the E. coli map to be 19 min. We also purified its gene product, NfsA, to homogeneity. It was suggested that NfsA is a nonglobular protein with a molecular weight of 26,799 and is associated tightly with a flavin mononucleotide. Its amino acid sequence is highly similar to that of Frp, a flavin oxidoreductase from Vibrio harveyi (B. Lei, M. Liu, S. Huang, and S.-C. Tu, J. Bacteriol. 176:3552-3558, 1994), an observation supporting the notion that E. coli nitroreductase and luminescent-bacterium flavin reductase families are intimately related in evolution. Although no appreciable sequence similarity was detected between two E. coli nitroreductases, NfsA and NfsB, NfsA exhibited a low level of the flavin reductase activity and a broad electron acceptor specificity similar to those of NfsB. NfsA reduced nitrofurazone by a ping-pong Bi-Bi mechanism possibly to generate a two-electron transfer product.
Abscisic Acid raises the permeability of plant cells to water.

A number of recent observations have indicated a role for abscisic acid in maintaining water balance. Treatment with ABA reduces the transpiration rate (3, 5), probably by bringing about stomatal closure (2, 4). Furthermore, water stress leads to a significant increase in ABA concentration in leaves (5, 7). On the other hand, ABA increases the rate of root exudation (6). The present communication reports a marked effect ofABA on the permeability of plant tissues to water. The effect is observable both on Lp, the coefficient of hydraulic conductivity, and on Pd, the coefficient of diffusional permeability to water. The effect on hydraulic conductivity was detected in experiments in which osmotic water flux between cells and medium was followed with time. The equations for net osmotic flux into or out of cells can be written as follows:
A Point Mutation in the LIM Domain of Lhx3 Reduces Activation of the Glycoprotein Hormone α-Subunit Promoter*

Lhx3, a member of the LIM homeodomain family of transcription factors, is required for development of the pituitary in mice. A recent report has described a point mutation in the humanLHX3 gene that is associated with a combined pituitary hormone disorder. The mutation is predicted to lead to the replacement of a tyrosine residue with a cysteine in the second LIM domain of LHX3. We have characterized the effects of this point mutation (Y114C) when analyzed in the context of the mouse Lhx3 coding sequence. Mobility shift assays demonstrated that the Lhx3 Y114C mutant is capable of binding DNA, although a decrease in the formation of a specific complex was observed. Transfection assays using an expression vector for either full-length Lhx3 or a GAL4-Lhx3 LIM domain fusion provided evidence that the Lhx3 Y114C mutant has a decreased ability to stimulate transcription. In particular, a GAL4-Lhx3 Y114C LIM mutant was unable to support Ras responsiveness of a modified glycoprotein hormone α-subunit reporter gene. Protein interaction studies suggest that the Y114C mutation may modestly reduce binding to the POU transcription factor, Pit-1. Interestingly, the Y114C mutation essentially abrogated binding to the putative co-activator/adapter, selective LIM-binding protein. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms mediating transcriptional activation by Lhx3 and suggest that the observed phenotype of the human mutation probably involves reduced transcriptional activity of the mutant LHX3.
Estimated prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States.

Although awareness of Alzheimer's disease has increased strikingly among professional and lay audiences, precise means do not exist to calculate how many Americans the disease affects. Projecting data from a cohort of 32,000 individuals in a defined community in the United States, however, suggests that there were 2.88 million persons aged 65 or older with probable Alzheimer's disease in 1980. Using U.S. Census Bureau middle series projections yields an estimated total of 10.3 million persons with the disease for the year 2050. Limitations on these estimates notwithstanding, the projections indicate that more studies are needed to identify the etiology of Alzheimer's disease, its incidence, and the future costs of relevant institutional and community care.
The diced cartilage glue graft for nasal augmentation. Morphometric evidence of longevity.

BACKGROUND A grafting technique that uses diced cartilage without fascia, which improves formability while maintaining long-term stability, would be a welcome addition to the rhinoplasty armamentarium. METHODS A diced cartilage glue graft was recently introduced as the Tasman technique. The technique has been used by one of us (A.-J.T.) in 28 patients who were monitored clinically for 4 to 26 months. Sonographic morphometry of the graft was used in 10 patients with a maximum follow-up of 15 months, and 2 biopsies were obtained for histologic examination. RESULTS Fashioning the diced cartilage glue graft reduced operating time compared with the diced cartilage fascia graft and allowed for a wide variety of transplant shapes and sizes, depending on the mold used. All grafts were used for augmentation of the nasal dorsum or radix and healed uneventfully. Sonographic cross-section measures of the grafts changed between 6% and –29%(median, –5%) in the early postoperative phase and 8%and –7% (median, –2%) between 3 and 15 months after insertion. Histologic examination of the graft biopsies revealed viable cartilage with signs of regeneration. CONCLUSION The diced cartilage glue graft may become an attractive alternative to accepted methods for dorsal augmentation, the diced cartilage fascia graft in particular.
Tenascin‐R–deficient mice show structural alterations of symmetric perisomatic synapses in the CA1 region of the hippocampus

Accumulating evidence suggests that extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules play important roles in formation of synapses. Our previous electrophysiologic study of mice deficient in the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin‐R (TN‐R) showed an impaired γ‐aminobutyric acid release at perisomatic inhibitory synapses in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus. The present study investigated possible ultrastructural correlates of abnormal perisomatic inhibition. Topographic, morphometric, and stereologic methods were applied at the light and electron microscopic levels to quantify the density and spatial arrangement of cell bodies of CA1 pyramidal neurons and density and architecture of symmetric synapses formed on them in TN‐R−/− and wild‐type mice of different ages. The spatial arrangement of neuronal cell bodies in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer was found more diffuse and disordered in TN‐R−/− mice than in wild‐type animals. The coverage of the plasma membrane of pyramidal cell bodies by active zones of symmetric synapses was reduced by at least 40% in TN‐R−/− animals compared with control animals. Further, the length of active zone profiles of perisomatic inhibitory synapses in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer was 8–14% smaller, whereas the number of active zones calculated per length unit of cell body profile was 30–40% smaller in TN‐R mutants than in wild‐type animals. The density and spatial arrangement of synaptic vesicles in the synaptic terminals provided ultrastructural evidence for reduced synaptic activity in TN‐R mutants. Thus, TN‐R appears to play an important role in the regulation of the number and architecture of perisomatic inhibitory synapses, which play crucial roles in the synchronization of neuronal activity and modulation of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. J. Comp. Neurol. 456:338–349, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modeling of Strained CMOS on Disposable SiGe Dots: Strain Impacts on Devices' Electrical Characteristics

We proposed a new nonplanar disposable SiGe dot (d-Dot) MOSFET based on Si-on-nothing technology. The new device concepts' relies on self-assembled single-crystalline d-Dot. The d-Dot MOSFET is prone to a particularly high strain/stress, both from the underlaying SiGe 3-D islands and from the stressed capping layers. We show that more than 80% and 50% higher mobilities of holes and electrons, respectively, can be obtained, as indicated by 3-D simulations performed throughout the entire fabrication process. Significant improvements in drive currents, transit frequencies, and the short channel effects are demonstrated using 2-D device simulation.
New Comments on the Epilepsy of Fyodor Dostoevsky

Compte‐tenu de données nouvellement acquises sur la sémiologie des crises épileptiques et sur le comportement intercritique de Dostoevsky, l'Auteur considère que la débat reste ouvert quant à savoir si l'écrivain souffrait d'une épilepsie généralisée primaire ou d'une épilepsie du lobe temporal. Il admet toutefois que l'hypothèse la plus vraisemblable est celle, éclectique, qui associerait les deux étiologies et selon laquelle Dostoevsky aurait présentéà la fois: (1) une lésion temporale suffisamment discrète pour qu'elle n'ait eu aucune expression psychique ou somatique dans l'intervalle des crises; (2) une prédisposition épileptique constitutionnelle suffisamment importante pour qu'elle ait rendu épileptogène cette lésion d'autre part silencieuse et pour qu'elle ait entrainé la généralisation secondaire presque immédiate de chaque crise.