Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Membrane Permeability by a Two-Component Regulatory System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT Membrane impermeability is the major contributing factor to multidrug resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By using laboratory strain PAK, a spontaneous P. aeruginosa mutant (mutant PAK1-3) whose membrane had reduced permeability and which displayed increased levels of resistance to various antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides, was isolated. By complementation of the mutant with a genomic clone library derived from wild-type strain PAK, a novel two-component regulatory system (PprA and PprB) was identified and was found to be able to increase the permeability of the bacterial membrane and render PAK1-3 sensitive to antibiotics. Furthermore, specific phosphorylation of the response regulator (PprB) by histidine kinase (PprA) was observed in vitro, demonstrating that they are cognate two-component regulatory genes. Introduction of a plasmid expressing the pprB gene into randomly chosen clinical isolates (n = 17) resulted in increased sensitivity to aminoglycosides in the majority of isolates (n = 13) tested. This is the first demonstration that P. aeruginosa membrane permeability can be regulated, providing an important clue in the understanding of the mechanism of membrane impermeability-mediated multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa.
Optimal Duplex Mode for DF Relay in Terms of the Outage Probability

This paper deals with a full-duplex relay (FDR) system over Rayleigh fading channels. The exact outage probability of FDR is derived as a closed form to consider interferences from full duplex. Then, we obtain the conditions of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the signal to interface ratios (SIRs) for cases of FDR showing a lower outage probability than that of the half-duplex relay (HDR) system under the target outage probability. According to this condition, FDR is superior to HDR with lower SIRs in the low-SNR region rather than in the high-SNR region. In addition, the target outage probability is only satisfied when the SNR and SIRs are within the boundaries. These boundaries vary due to the target rate, the channel states of each link, and the target outage probability.
Benefits of organic farming to biodiversity vary among taxa

Habitat and biodiversity differences between matched pairs of organic and non-organic farms containing cereal crops in lowland England were assessed by a large-scale study of plants, invertebrates, birds and bats. Habitat extent, composition and management on organic farms was likely to favour higher levels of biodiversity and indeed organic farms tended to support higher numbers of species and overall abundance across most taxa. However, the magnitude of the response varied; plants showed larger and more consistent responses than other taxa. Variation in response across taxa may be partly a consequence of the small size and isolated context of many organic farms. Extension of organic farming could contribute to the restoration of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
Using Variable Redefinition for Computing Lower Bounds for Minimum Spanning and Steiner Trees with Hop Constraints

We use variable redefinition (see R. MARTIN, 1987. Generating Alternative Mixed-Integer Programming Models Using Variable Redefinition, Operations Research 35, 820Â 831) to strengthen a multicommodity flow (MCF) model for minimum spanning and Steiner trees with hop constraints between a root node and any other node. Hop constraints model quality of service constraints. The Lagrangean dual value associated with one Lagrangean relaxation derived from the MCF formulation dominates the corresponding LP value. However, the lower bounds given after a reasonable number of iterations of the associated subgradient optimization procedure are, for several cases, still far from the theoretical best limit. Martin's variable redefinition technique is used to obtain a generalization of the MCF formulation whose LP bound is equal to the previously mentioned Lagrangean dual bound. We use a set of instances with up to 100 nodes, 50 basic nodes, and 350 edges for comparing an LP approach based on solving the LP relaxation of the new model with the equivalent Lagrangean scheme derived from MCF.
RLHOR: Reliability-aware location and history based opportunistic routing

Recently, routing in Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) has found significant attention. Besides, since these networks are highly dynamic and their topologies change rapidly, design of routing algorithms suitable for an urban environment is extremely challenging. Appropriate algorithms for urban environments could be opportunistic routing algorithms in which traffic transmission from source vehicles to destination vehicles is performed using the store-carry and forward mechanism. Most of the existing opportunistic routing algorithms use the flooding mechanism for increasing delivery ratio without considering the overheads of flooding. Thus, in order to reduce the overhead in these methods and improve the performance of routing in VANET, choosing an appropriate node to send messages and determining priority of messages for transmission will be very important. An efficient opportunistic routing (OR) mechanism, called Reliability-Aware Location and History Based Opportunistic Routing (RLHOR) is proposed in this paper for improving overhead. The RLHOR searches for a stable path by evaluating the stability of intermediate links based on lifetime of links, location and direction of intermediate vehicles, and history of intermediate vehicles in message delivery. Using the ONE simulator, our performance evaluation results show that the RLHOR operates better than conventional opportunistic routing algorithms. The RLHOR not only increases delivery rate, but also reduces network overhead, traffic loss, and number of aborted messages in sparse scenario.
Estimating target-induced azimuth envelope for SAR image formation and feature extraction

Conventional SAR imaging algorithms form SAR image based on imaging geometries, the resulting image indicates the spatial location of illuminated targets with respect to radar platform. Scattering characteristics of targets are overlooked by these algorithms. We construct a model of received SAR signal in terms of (1) envelope, (2) phase, (3) duration, (4) arrival time, (5) frequency center and (6) chirp rate, and the envelope shape can be controlled by two parameters. Arrival time, frequency center and chirp rate indicate the spatial location and motion dynamics of the targets, while information of scattering characteristics can be analyzed from the other parameters. The parameters of the model are then estimated via atomic decomposition. In this paper, the impact of target-induced envelope on data focusing is analyzed, furthermore, target feature can be extracted from a signal-level point of view.
Lossless image compression by quantization feedback in a content-driven enhanced Laplacian pyramid

In this paper, the effects of quantization noise feedback on the entropy of Laplacian pyramids are investigated. This technique makes it possible for the maximum absolute reconstruction error to be easily and strongly upper-bounded (near-lossless coding), and therefore, allows reversible compression. The entropy-minimizing optimum quantizer is obtained by modeling the first-order distributions of the differential signals as Laplacian densities, and by deriving a model for the equivalent memoryless entropy. A novel approach, based on an enhanced Laplacian pyramid, is proposed for the compression, either lossless or lossy, of gray-scale images. Major details are prioritized through a content-driven decision rule embedded in a uniform threshold quantizer with noise feedback. Lossless coding shows improvements over reversible Joint Photographers Expert Group (JPEG) and the reduced-difference pyramid schemes, while lossy coding outperforms JPEG, with a significant peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) gain. Also, subjective quality is higher even at very low bit rates, due to the absence of the annoying impairments typical of JPEG. Moreover, image versions having resolution and SNR that are both progressively increasing are made available at the receiving end from the earliest retrieval stage on, as intermediate steps of the decoding procedure, without any additional cost.
Topography-guided (NIDEK customized aspheric treatment zone) photorefractive keratectomy with mitomycin C after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus: case report.

PURPOSE To report topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with mitomycin C (MMC) after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus. METHODS A 34-year-old woman with irregular astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty in the right eye underwent PRK. Topography-guided surface ablation using the customized aspheric treatment zone ablation (CATz) was programmed for a 5.00-mm optical zone and an 8.50-mm transition zone. Mitomycin C was applied to corneal stroma for 20 seconds immediately after excimer laser ablation. RESULTS Two months after surgery, the patient was very satisfied with the refractive outcome. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 with a manifest refraction of -0.50 diopters. No haze formation was detected at 6-month follow-up. A significant improvement in the central 3 mm of the axial topography was noted. CONCLUSIONS Topography-guided ablation using MMC may be a reasonable alternative for the management of refractive error after penetrating keratoplasty.
Establishment and Maintenance of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency in B Cells

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the infectious cause of Kaposi's sarcoma and is also associated with two B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases, primary effusion lymphoma and the plasmablastic form of multicentric Castleman's disease. KSHV is also found in the B-cell fraction of peripheral blood mononucleocytes of some KS patients. Despite in vivo infection of B cells and the ability of KSHV to infect many cell types in culture, to date B cells in culture have been resistant to KSHV infection. However, as shown here, the lack of infection is not due to the inability of B cells to support latent KSHV infection. When KSHV DNA is introduced into B cells, the virus is maintained as an episome and can establish and maintain latency over the course of months. As in all primary effusion lymphoma cell lines, there is a low level of spontaneous lytic replication in latently infected BJAB cells. Importantly, viral gene expression is similar to that of primary effusion lymphoma cell lines. Furthermore, the virus can be reactivated to higher levels with specific stimuli and transmitted to other cells, indicating that this is a productive infection. Thus B cells in culture are capable of establishing, maintaining, and reactivating from latency. These studies provide a controlled system to analyze how KSHV alters B cells during KSHV latency and reactivation.
A personalized adaptive e-learning system based on learner's feedback and learner's multiple intelligences

Personalized feedback strategies is a powerful method that expert humans apply when helping learners to optimize their learning. Thus, research on feedback strategies tailoring feedback according to important factors of the learning process has been recognized as a promising issue in the field of adaptive e-learning systems. Our paper seeks to contribute to this area of research by addressing the following aspects: First, to investigate how learners' feedback and learners' multiple intelligences relate to learning outcomes. Second, to explore the influence of the feedback strategies on students' behavior.
Bioadhesive polymeric platforms for transmucosal drug delivery systems – a review

Of the various routes of drug delivery, the oral route is often preferred by the patient. However, peroral administration of drugs has disadvantages such as hepatic first-pass metabolism and enzymatic degradation within the gastrointestinal tract which constitutes a hindrance to oral administration of certain classes of drugs, especially peptides and proteins. Consequently, other absorptive mucosae are often considered as potential sites for drug administration. Transmucosal routes of drug delivery (i.e., the mucosal linings of the nasal, rectal, vaginal, ocular, and oral cavity) offer distinct advantages over peroral administration for systemic drug delivery. These advantages include possible bypass of firstpass effect, avoidance of presystemic elimination within the GI tract, and, depending on the particular drug, better enzymatic flora for drug absorption. However, the mucosa surface as a site for drug delivery has limitations as well. Other than the low flux associated with mucosal delivery, a major limitation of the transmucosal route of administration is the lack of dosage form retention at the site of absorption. Consequently, bioadhesive polymers have extensively been employed in transmucosal drug delivery systems. If these materials are then incorporated into pharmaceutical formulations, drug absorption by mucosal cells may be enhanced or the drug may be released at the site for an extended period of time. This review describes various bio/mucoadhesive polymers used in transmucosal drug delivery. Starting with introduction of bioadhesion with theories and mechanism, history, different bioadhesive polymers, characteristics of desired bioadhesive polymers, this article then proceeds to cover the various sites suitable for mucoadhesive drug delivery system followed by the factors affecting bio/ mucoadhesion. Keywords: Mucosa; Tansmucosal delivery; Bioadhesion; Lectin; Polymers; Thiomer; Fimbrins
Response to intraarterial induction chemotherapy: A prognostic parameter in oral and oropharyngeal cancer

Patients with head and neck cancer and good pathologic response to neoadjuvant systemic induction chemotherapy have a better prognosis for survival than do those with stable or progressive disease. Thus, induction chemotherapy could theoretically help in stratifying further treatment, but toxicity is much too high. The prognostic implication of superselective intraarterial high‐dose cisplatin administered by a femoral approach, which has much less toxicity, is not yet known.
Restenosis related to percutaneous coronary intervention has been solved?

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become the most important revascularization method in the treatment of coronary artery disease. The major problem in PCI has been renarrowing of the dilated vessel after the procedure (restenosis). The best results in the prevention of restenosis have been obtained by covering the stent with drugs that inhibit cellular growth, thus limiting excessive scar formation inside of the stent. With drug‐eluting stents, restenosis has been reduced to one‐tenth compared with balloon angioplasty and to one‐fourth compared to bare metal stents. Due to drug‐eluting stents, PCI is an alternative to bypass surgery. However, restenosis will remain a challenge due to the increased number of procedures and more difficult disease treated with PCI.
Primer Notes

The three Great Lakes of East Africa, Lakes Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika, are second to none in cichlid species richness and the speed at which those species have evolved (Fryer & Iles 1972). Nevertheless, the evolutionary histories of the endemic Lake Victoria Region (LVR) haplochromine cichlids have been poorly understood, primarily due to a lack of sufficiently variable genetic markers (Sage et al. 1984; Meyer et al. 1990). To ameliorate this problem, a size-selected partial genomic library with an average insert size of 400 bp from a LVR cichlid, Astatoreochromis alluaudi, was constructed and screened as previously described (Paetkau & Strobeck 1994). Approximately 8910 recombinant plaques were screened using a mixture of 5′-biotinylated (GT)12 and (CT)12 probes, and ≈ 22 000 recombinant plaques were screened using a mixture of 5′-biotinylated (ACC)7 and (AGC)7 probes. Approximately 1.8% (158/8910) of the recombinant plaques screened for dinucleotide microsatellites are putative positive clones, and about 0.6% (127/22 000) are putative positive clones for trinucleotide microsatellites. We define putative positive clones as clones that showed positive signals after the first round of screening. A total of 45 putative positive clones were bi-directionally sequenced using GIBCO BRL double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) Cycle Sequencing System and the M13/pUC18 universal primers, and 42 of them conMolecular Ecology (1999) 8, 895Ð906
Cognitive neuroscience of autism

The past decade has witnessed an exponential growth in research on autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting social, language, communication, and behavioral development. This growth is fuelled by many factors, including rising prevalence rates; increased media attention and public awareness; the creation of new parent-based research foundations; and targeted federal funding opportunities. Researchers have taken advantage of new theoretical frameworks and exciting scientific technologies that are now being employed to address key questions about the underlying causes and pathophysiology of autism. Advances in developmental neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience, including the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods, have had a particularly significant impact in providing insights into the neurobiology of autism. Several of these key advances, which are closely tied to changes in the way the developmental phenotype of autism has been conceptualized, are highlighted in the papers comprising this Symposium issue.
The growth of fungi and Arabidopsis thaliana is influenced by bacterial volatiles

Dual culture systems, which only allowed volatiles to cross the boundary of a bipartite Petri dish, were used to investigate the effects of bacterial volatiles on the growth of 14 fungi and A. thaliana. The majority of tested combinations exhibited dramatic growth retardations of fungi and A. thaliana, indicating that volatiles can act as antibiotics. It therefore can be concluded that bacterial volatiles influence the growth conditions of organisms in a community and in a habitat.
The limits to cost-free signalling of need between relatives

Theoretical models have demonstrated the possibility of stable cost-free signalling of need between relatives. The stability of these cost–free equilibria depends on the indirect fitness cost of cheating and deceiving a donor into giving away resources. We show that this stability is highly sensitive to the distribution of need among signallers and receivers. In particular, cost–free signalling is likely to prove stable only if there is very large variation in need (such that the least–needy individuals stand to gain much less than the most–needy individuals from additional resources). We discuss whether these conditions are likely to be found in altricial avian breeding systems—the most intensively studied instance of signalling of need between relatives. We suggest that cost–free signalling is more likely to prove stable and will provide parents with more information during the earlier phases of chick growth, when parents can more easily meet the demands of a brood (and chicks are more likely to reach satiation). Later, informative yet cost–free signalling is unlikely to persist.
Simulation of the Stable Water Isotopes in Precipitation over South America: Comparing Regional to Global Circulation Models

Abstract A simulation of the stable water isotope cycle over South America by the regional circulation model REMOiso is discussed. The performance of the regional model, with a resolution of 0.5° (∼55 km), is compared to simulations by the global circulation model ECHAMiso at two coarser resolutions and evaluated against observations of precipitation and δ18O. Here REMOiso is demonstrated to reproduce reasonably well climatic and isotopic features across South America. This paper explores further insights of δ18O as a climate proxy, based on REMOiso’s improvements as compared to ECHAMiso. In particular, the authors focus on the seasonal variation of the amount effect (δ18O decrease with precipitation amounts) and the anomalous δ18O continental gradient across the Amazon basin, as inferred from the REMOiso, ECHAMiso, and GNIP datasets. The finer resolution of topography in REMOiso enables a detailed analysis of the altitude effect: not only the first, but also the second derivative of δ18O with altitude is.
MODEL SYSTEMS ,L IPID RAFTS, AND CELL MEMBRANES 1

■ Abstract Views of how cell membranes are organized are presently changing. The lipid bilayer that constitutes these membranes is no longer understood to be a homogeneous fluid. Instead, lipid assemblies, termed rafts, have been introduced to provide fluid platforms that segregate membrane components and dynamically compartmentalize membranes. These assemblies are thought to be composed mainly of sphingolipids and cholesterol in the outer leaflet, somehow connected to domains of unknown composition in the inner leaflet. Specific classes of proteins are associated with the rafts. This review critically analyzes what is known of phase behavior and liquid-liquid immiscibility in model systems and compares these data with what is known of domain formation in cell membranes.
Food insecurity among people with severe mental disorder in a rural Ethiopian setting: a comparative, population-based study

Aim. In low-income African countries, ensuring food security for all segments of the population is a high priority. Mental illness is associated consistently with poverty, but there is little evidence regarding the association with food insecurity. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of food insecurity in people with severe mental disorders (SMD) with the general population in a rural African setting with a high burden of food insecurity. Method. Households of 292 community-ascertained people with a specialist-confirmed diagnosis of SMD (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) were compared with 284 households without a person with SMD in a rural district in south Ethiopia. At the time of the study, no mental health services were available within the district. Food insecurity was measured using a validated version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Disability was measured using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Result. Severe household food insecurity was reported by 32.5% of people with SMD and 15.9% of respondents from comparison households: adjusted odds ratio 2.82 (95% confidence interval 1.62 to 4.91). Higher annual income was associated independently with lower odds of severe food insecurity. When total disability scores were added into the model, the association between SMD and food insecurity became non-significant, indicating a possible mediating role of disability. Conclusion. Efforts to alleviate food insecurity need to target people with SMD as a vulnerable group. Addressing the disabling effects of SMD would also be expected to reduce food insecurity. Access to mental health care integrated into primary care is being expanded in this district as part of the Programme for Improving Mental health carE (PRIME). The impact of treatment on disability and food insecurity will be evaluated.
Parallax searching and mesosurface shadowing

Fine surface details and shadows are important visual cues for discerning relative object positions and surface contours of shadow receivers. Per-pixel displacement techniques have been presented which extend the bump mapping [Blinn 1978] mesosurface rendering technique. Parallax effects and self-occlusions have been achieved by adjusting albedo and normal map texture coordinates to account for the view direction [Policarpo et al. 2005; Donnelly 2005]. However, uncorrected application of the shadow mapping algorithm [Williams 1978] to these techniques results in flat shadows that do not conform to the shape of the displaced surface.