Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Not Fear Commitment : The Initial Transition to a Surface Lifestyle by Pseudomonads

This chapter aims to describe the early stages of biofilm formation, particularly on abiotic surfaces, by focusing on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Specifically, we will dissect the early steps in the establishment of a multicellular community: (i) translocation to the surface from a free-swimming planktonic lifestyle, (ii) initial or reversible attachment, and finally (iii) irreversible attachment. We will also compare the mechanisms used by P. aeruginosa to its related fluorescent pseudomonad cousins, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida. We argue that, for pseudomonads, irreversible attachment is the first committed step in the transition to a biofilm lifestyle.
Impact of Open Social Student Modeling on Self-Assessment of Performance

This study examines the impact of Open Student Modeling (OSM) and its extension known as Open Social Student Modeling (OSSM) on students’ self-assessment of their SQL programming performance. It also explores the relationship between self-assessment and normalized gain. The study was performed with graduate students of University of Pittsburgh taking Database Course for the first semester 2014/2015 and ran for 11 weeks. The results demonstrated that both OSM and OSSM positively affect students’ regular self-assessment ability. However, only OSSM was able to positively impact students’ relative self-assessment ability (i.e., compare their SQL knowledge to others). The results also indicated that, students’ self-assessments are positively and highly correlated to their normalized gain.
Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange: three new tools.

The contraction of cardiac muscle is initiated by the influx of Ca2+ through voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels. Some of the Ca2+ entering the cell binds to Ca2+ release channels (ryanodine receptors) on the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and triggers a release of Ca2+ from the SR. After the subsequent contraction, Ca2+ must be removed from the myoplasm to facilitate relaxation. Most Ca2+ is pumped back into the SR, but a significant fraction is extruded from the cell by the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger. In the steady state, the amount of Ca2+ leaving the cell via the exchanger equals the amount of Ca2+ that enters through Ca2+ channels.1,2⇓ This simple framework explains general aspects of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling but, of course, there are complications and controversy. Some of the controversy revolves around the exact role of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger in this scenario. The exchanger can transport Ca2+ in either direction across the cell membrane and possibly sometimes mediates Ca2+ influx. The direction of net Ca2+ transport is determined by three factors: the Na+ gradient, the Ca2+ gradient, and the membrane potential. During the early phases of the action potential, for example, depolarization favors reversal of the exchanger into the Ca2+ influx mode. On the other hand, Ca2+ will be rising rapidly at this time as a result of channel openings and SR Ca2+ release. An increased intracellular Ca2+ level will push the exchanger back into the Ca2+ efflux mode. So, does the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger contribute significantly to Ca2+ influx? Attempts to address this question are not straightforward. The primary problem is that experiments to address the issue typically use pharmacological or ionic interventions …
A Distributed File System with Variable Sized Objects for Enhanced Random Writes

Cloud-based file systems are widely accepted and adopted for personal and business purposes in recent years. Statistics shows that ∼25% of file operations from a typical user are random writes. Inherited from traditional disk-based file systems, most distributed file systems are also based on objects or chunks of fixed sizes, which work well for sequential writes but poorly for random writes. This paper investigates the design paradigm of variable-sized objects for a distributed file system, where a new file write interface is proposed to provide rich write semantics. A novel distributed file system named VarFS, is presented to incorporate variable object indexing, support the random write interface and remain POSIX compatible. VarFS reduces the amount of unnecessary data being read and the number of objects modified in face of updates and consequently alleviates the total amount of data transferred. VarFS is implemented based on Ceph and the performance measurements show that it can achieve 1–2 orders of magnitude less latency than Ceph on random writes. At the same time, the overhead for initial writes and re-writes is acceptable.
Pacemaker activity in a sensory ending with multiple encoding sites: the cat muscle spindle primary ending.

1. A combined physiological, histological and computer modelling study was carried out on muscle spindles of the cat tenuissimus muscle to examine whether there was any correlation between the functional interaction of putative encoding sites, operated separately by static and dynamic fusimotor neurones, and the topological structure of the preterminal branches of the primary sensory ending. 2. Spindles, whose I a responses to stretch and separate and combined static and dynamic fusimotor stimulation were recorded in physiological experiments, were located in situ. Subsequently the ramifications of the sensory ending were reconstructed histologically, and the topology of the branch tree was used in computer simulations of I a responses to examine the effect of the electronic separation of encoding sites on the static‐dynamic interaction pattern. 3. Interactions between separate static and dynamic inputs, manifest in responses to combineed stimulation, were quantified by a coefficient of interaction (Ci) which, by definition, was 1 for strictly linear summation of separate inputs and zero for maximum occlusion between inputs. 4. For the majority of spindles static‐dynamic interactions were characterized by pronounced occlusion (C1 < 0.35). In these spindles putative encoding sites (the peripheral heminodes of the branches supplying the intrafusal fibres activated by individual fusimotor efferents) were separated by a minimum conduction path of between three and ten myelinated segments (2‐9 nodes of Ranvier). In contrast, significant summation (C1, approximately 0.7) was found in only one spindle. In this case putative encoding sites were separated by a single node. 5. Occlusion was not due to encoder saturation and it could not be accounted for by any other known physiological mechanisms (intrafusal fatigue or unloading). It is therefore attributed to competitive pacemaker interaction between encoding sites which are largely selectively operated by static and dynamic fusimotor efferents. 6. Model simulations of real preterminal‐branch tree structures confirmed that short conduction paths between encoding sites were associated with manifest summation, whereas longer minimum conduction paths favoured pronounced occlusion. 7. In the extreme, occlusion could be so pronounced as to give rise to negative values of C1 during critical segments of response cycles. This was associated with lower discharge rates during combined static and dynamic stimulation than the higher of the individual stimulation effects. This phenomenon is referred to as hyperocclusion. Computer simulations demonstrated that hyperocclusion could be accounted for by a slow ionic adaptation process. e.g. by a very slowly activating K+ conductance.
Differences in human phospholipid transfer protein activity following incubation of Fungizone® compared to lipid-based Amphotericin-B formulations in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic plasma

Aim: To investigate how different formulations of Amphotericin-B (Amp-B) affect the activity of phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) when incubated with hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic plasma at physiological temperature (37°C). Methods: Six hyperlipidemic and six normolipidemic plasma samples were collected and tested for protein concentration. Equivalent protein levels (25 μg) were then tested for PLTP activity using an in vitro established kit at physiological temperature (37°C). Increasing concentrations of different Amp-B formulations (1, 2, and 5 μg/mL) in the pharmacological range were then added to the plasma and tested for activity from 5 to 90 minutes. The Amp-B formulations used in the study were Fungizone®, Abelcet®, and AmBisome®. Results: In normolipidemic plasma, PLTP activity was found to be increased by Abelcet® and AmBisome® but inhibited by Fungizone®. In hyperlipidemic plasma, PLTP activity was found to be increased by Abelcet® and AmBisome® but not changed by Fungizone®. The Vm value for Abelcet® and AmBisome® was higher than Fungizone®; although, no difference was observed in the Km values between formulations. Conclusions: Findings suggest that lipid-based formulations of Amp-B promote the transfer of Amp-B into high-density lipoprotein fractions at a degree of increase inversely proportional to the lipid levels in the plasma.
Antimicrobial properties of resident coral mucus bacteria of Oculina patagonica.

The inhibitory properties of the microbial community of the coral mucus from the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica were examined. Out of 156 different colony morphotypes that were isolated from the coral mucus, nine inhibited the growth of Vibrio shiloi, a species previously shown to be a pathogen of this coral. An isolate identified as Pseudoalteromonas sp. was the strongest inhibitor of V. shiloi. Several isolates, especially one identified as Roseobacter sp. , also showed a broad spectrum of action against the coral pathogens Vibrio coralliilyticus and Thallassomonas loyana, plus nine other selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Inoculation of a previously established biofilm of the Roseobacter strain with V. shiloi led to a 5-log reduction in the viable count of the pathogen within 3 h, while inoculation of a Pseudoalteromonas biofilm led to complete loss of viability of V. shiloi after 3 h. These results support the concept of a probiotic effect on microbial communities associated with the coral holobiont.
The decreased plasma concentration of insulin-like growth factor-I in protein-restricted rats is not due to decreased numbers of growth hormone receptors on isolated hepatocytes.

The resistance to GH and the low serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) that occur during fasting are accompanied by decreased GH receptors in liver homogenates. In protein restriction, however, serum IGF-I but not GH receptors are decreased, suggesting that a post-receptor defect exists. Because conclusions about the status of GH receptors during dietary manipulation are based on studies using liver homogenates, the present study was undertaken to determine whether changes in GH binding by homogenates are paralleled by changes in receptors on the cell surface considered to mediate the GH signal. Collagenase-dispersed hepatocytes or liver homogenates from 7-week-old female Wistar rats fed various diets were evaluated for changes in somatogenic receptors. Fasting for 24 h reduced significantly (P less than 0.001) the plasma concentrations of IGF-I (-31%). Likewise, GH-binding sites were decreased on hepatocytes (-55%; P less than 0.01) and in liver homogenates (-60%; P less than 0.001) compared with controls, as was the velocity of initial binding (-77%; P less than 0.001). Protein restriction for 1 week decreased plasma concentrations of IGF-I (-42%; P less than 0.001) but GH-binding sites were not significantly reduced on hepatocytes or in homogenates. The velocity of initial binding was also not decreased. We conclude that observations on changes in homogenate binding of bovine GH during dietary manipulation provide a reliable means of assessing changes in cell-surface GH receptors. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
CHOKeR : Active Queue Management for Multimedia Applications

For multimedia applications processing in MANETs, even the small packet loss can cause very much degradation in quality. Hence there is a need to design an efficient Active Queue Management to reduce the packet loss. This paper proposed a CHOKeR-M algorithm to reduce the packet loss in MANETs. This AQM considers the feature information of videos and network environment to increase the Quality of Service (QoS). The complete packets were divided into five prior classes based on the information carrying by them. For an arrival of a packet with particular priority, the router will check the priority and network congestion level. The complete buffer occupancy was compared at four levels. At each and every level, the router will decide the number of packets to be buffered and also to be dropped through a parameter called drawing factor. The simulation analysis was carried out over various videos. For each and every video, the subjective measurements were carried to show the effectiveness of proposed approach. Packet Delivery Ratio, End-to-End delay, Average Throughput and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) were evaluated at each and every stage and compared with earlier CHOKeW, RED, BLUE and RIO approaches.
A fully integrated distributed active transformer based power amplifier in 0.13 µm CMOS technology

This paper presents a fully integrated CMOS Power Amplifier designed in 0.13 um CMOS technology. The power combining topology based upon Distributed Active Transformer structures is employed to achieve high output power from several stages. A simple design methodology for DAT modeling is presented and the suitability of inverse Class-D amplifier in DAT is discussed. Simulation results validate the methodology and use of inverse Class-D amplifier. The designed PA delivers output power of 27.6 dBm at 1.8 GHz from a 1 V DC supply at 46.3% PAE while keeping the device stress within safe limits. The efficiency is maximum at 52% at 1.7 GHz. The amplifier is suitable for GSM, PCS and other wireless standards.
Translational Stroke Research: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going? Interviewing Dr. Marc Fisher (editor of Stroke)

Dr. Marc Fisher obtained a bachelor of science degree in biology and medicine from Cornell University and his medical degree from the State University of New York at Syracuse. He was on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worchester, Massachusetts, where he served as a full professor and vice chairman of the Department of Neurology. Recently, Dr. Fisher has made the move to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and has been appointed a full professor at Harvard Medical School. He is the current editor-in-chief at Stroke, a position he has held since July 2010. Dr. Fisher recently visited Toronto; what follows is an interview that covers various topics ranging from his career as a clinician-scientist, his role as editorin-chief at Stroke, and the past and future of stroke research.
Electronic Commerce Modeling Language (ECML) Version 2 Specification

Status of This Memo This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Abstract Electronic commerce frequently requires a substantial exchange of information in order to complete a purchase or other transaction, especially the first time the parties communicate. A standard set of hierarchically-organized payment-related information field names in an XML syntax is defined so that this task can be more easily automated. This is the second version of an Electronic Commerce Modeling Language (ECML) and is intended to meet the requirements of RFC 3505.
Climate change and infectious diseases in North America: the road ahead

Global climate change is inevitable — the combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in a buildup of greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, causing unprecedented changes to the earth's climate. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that North America will experience marked changes in weather patterns in coming decades, including warmer temperatures and increased rainfall, summertime droughts and extreme weather events (e.g., tornadoes and hurricanes). Although these events may have direct consequences for health (e.g., injuries and displacement of populations due to thermal stress), they are also likely to cause important changes in the incidence and distribution of infectious diseases, including vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, water-and food-borne diseases and diseases with environmental reservoirs (e.g., endemic fungal diseases). Changes in weather patterns and ecosystems, and health consequences of climate change will probably be most severe in far northern regions (e.g., the Arctic). We provide an overview of the expected nature and direction of such changes, which pose current and future challenges to health care providers and public health agencies.
T cell receptor mimic antibodies for cancer therapy

The major hurdle to the creation of cancer-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) exhibiting limited cross-reactivity with healthy human cells is the paucity of known tumor-specific or mutated protein epitopes expressed on the cancer cell surface. Mutated and overexpressed oncoproteins are typically cytoplasmic or nuclear. Cells can present peptides from these distinguishing proteins on their cell surface in the context of human leukocyte antigen (HLA). T cell receptor mimic (TCRm) mAb can be discovered that react specifically to these complexes, allowing for selective targeting of cancer cells. The state-of-the-art for TCRm and the challenges and opportunities are discussed. Several such TCRm are moving toward clinical trials now.
Spectrophotometric Determination of Total Vitamin C in Some Fruits and Vegetables at Koya Area – Kurdistan Region/ Iraq

A simple UVspectrophotometric method for the determination of the total vitamin C (ascorbic acid + dehydroascorbic acid) in various fruits and vegetables at Koya area in Kurdistan Region is described. The spectrophotometric method involves the oxidation of ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid by bromine water in presence of acetic acid. After coupling with 2,4 -dinitrophenyl hydrazine at 37 ° C temperature for about three hours, the solution is treated with 85% H2SO4 to produce a red color complex. Then, the absorbance was spectrophotometrically measured at 280 nm. The content of vitamin C was 1.868 to 51.74 mg/10g in fruits and 0.841 to 17.416 mg/10g in vegetables.The standard deviation and the possible interfering factors are also discussed. Introduction Human health is very important to our survival. Vitamins help the human to maintain a healthy diet. They serve as essential components of the specific coenzymes participating in metabolism and other specialized activities. Among the vitamins, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential micronutrient required for normal metabolic function of the body (Jaffe, 1984). Human and other primates have lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C as a result of a mutation in the gene coding for L-gulonolactone oxidase, an enzyme required for the biosynthesis of vitamin C via the glucuronic acid pathway (Woodall & Ames, 1997). Thus, vitamin C must be obtained through the diet. Vitamin C plays an important role as a component of enzymes involved in the synthesis of collagens and carnitine. Vitamin C is the major water – soluble antioxidant within the body (Sies & Wilhlm, 1995; Levine el al., 1986 and Levine et al., 1995). It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol level (Rath, 1993). Not only does a vitamin C intake markedly reduce the severity of a cold, it also effectively prevents secondary viral or bacterial complications. Numerious analysis have shown that an adequate intake of vitamin C is effective in lowering
Is Information Literacy a Public Concern?: A Practice in Search of a Policy

Since its emergence in the 1970s, information literacy has developed in theory, practice, and scope. In the United States, librarians, business leaders, and political stakeholders have emphasized that information literacy is essential to an informed twenty-first-century citizenry. But despite the pervading feeling that the subject is important, there is as yet no clearly identifiable public policy on information literacy. Public policy may be defined as governmental action or inaction, decided upon and taken by the public, the state, and other actors. Public policies are usually enacted as the result of sustained effort to place them on the public policy agenda, that is, bring them to the attention of the public, and gain support from critical interest groups, influential individuals, and politicians at different levels of government. The authors contend that information literacy is not yet part of the public agenda. Rather, information literacy is claimed by a relatively narrow group of stakeholders, lacks name recognition and broad-based public support, is not mandated in U.S. primary and secondary education ("K-12"), and therefore remains fundamentally ineffective in implementation. This article considers whether information literacy is a legitimate public interest, and therefore the degree to which it merits a public policy and where such a policy might best be located. However, locating information literacy within education policy, although this seems intuitive, appears to be problematical. The authors discuss how policy options emerge, identify barriers to doing so, and provide recommendations for advancing the critical development and dissemination of information literacy.
Sustained inotropic effects of a new cardiotonic agent. OPC‐8212 in patients with chronic heart failure

OPC‐8212, a newly synthesized noncatecholamine, nonglycosidic, orally effective inotropic agent, has been shown to exert a potent cardiotonic action in acute administration to patients with heart failure. However, its long‐term effect has not yet been established. Eight patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (New York Heart Association functional class II—III) were given a single dose of 60 mg of OPC‐8212 daily for4 to 8 weeks. OPC‐8212 produced symptomatic improvement in four patients. Though there were no detectable changes in arterial pressure and left ventricular end‐diastolic dimension, heart rate and end‐systolic dimension significantly decreased after administration of OPC‐8212. Baseline fractional shortening rose significantly and depression of shortening in response to acute pressor stress (afterload mismatch) was corrected after OPC‐8212. The end‐systolic pressure‐dimension relation was shifted to the left with a steeper slope. These findings indicate that the inotropic state was substantially enhanced by the drug. No adverse effects were observed in any patient. Thus, the drug appears to hold promise for the chronic treatment of patients with moderate congestive heart failure who are essentially asymptomatic at rest, but develop severe impairment of cardiac function in a stressed state.