Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The AU-Rich RNA Recombination Hot Spot Sequence of Brome Mosaic Virus Is Functional in Tombusviruses: Implications for the Mechanism of RNA Recombination

ABSTRACT RNA recombination can be facilitated by recombination signals present in viral RNAs. Among such signals are short sequences with high AU contents that constitute recombination hot spots in Brome mosaic virus (BMV) and retroviruses. In this paper, we demonstrate that a defective interfering (DI) RNA, a model template associated with Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV), a tombusvirus, undergoes frequent recombination in plants and protoplast cells when it carries the AU-rich hot spot sequence from BMV. Similar to the situation with BMV, most of the recombination junction sites in the DI RNA recombinants were found within the AU-rich region. However, unlike BMV or retroviruses, where recombination usually occurred with precision between duplicated AU-rich sequences, the majority of TBSV DI RNA recombinants were imprecise. In addition, only one copy of the AU-rich sequence was essential to promote recombination in the DI RNA. The selection of junction sites was also influenced by a putative cis-acting element present in the DI RNA. We found that this RNA sequence bound to the TBSV replicase proteins more efficiently than did control nonviral sequences, suggesting that it might be involved in replicase “landing” during the template switching events. In summary, evidence is presented that a tombusvirus can use the recombination signal of BMV. This supports the idea that common AU-rich recombination signals might promote interviral recombination between unrelated viruses.
Study on Exchange Rate Forecasting Using Recurrent Neural Networks

It focuses on the problems of forecasting exchange rate that is a nonlinear time series. A dynamics systems approach and the recurrent neural networks (RNN) were employed to modeling this nonlinear time series. The delay time was calculated using mutual information method and embedding dimension was confirmed by false nearest neighbors. The dataset was reconstructed form source time series for trained and verified the neural networks model. The quadratic optimization criterion was considered which the neural networks weights update algorithm were derived using gradient descent method for hidden layer; recurrent layer and output layer. The calculation flow chart was designed for neural networks learning and emulation. The reliability and stability of neural networks was confirmed by testing dataset. The results of simulation showed that the recurrent neural networks were preferably performance for prediction the change of exchange rate.
Polski rynek gier wideo – sytuacja obecna oraz perspektywy na przyszłość

Video Game Market has develop vastly throughout last 60 years. Even though because of communism system we started developing our first companies in the 90’ we were able to establish more than few companies that are creating admired products – both in AAA games and smaller categories. Most successful polish companies such as CD Projekt Red, Techland and CI Games are in good financial shape after releasing games such as Wither 3 or Dying Light that were acclaimed one the best products of 2015 and 2016. In the same time we can observe rise of many new promising smaller studios such as 11 bit studios. Considering this situation and new government program GameINN which will support innovative new productions we can predict that polish video game market will be still developing quickly.
A Blockchain-based Identity Management Service Supporting Robust Identity Recovery

We propose a blockchain-based user identity management service that supports a robust recovery mechanism for user identity. The proposed user identity recovery mechanism can recover the identity of the user who has lost his/her personal ID through his/her explicit request and the confirming process with the help of friends designated by the user in advance. In addition, we present the Ethereum smart contracts for the proposed recovery mechanism in Ethereum applications.
SPG11 compound mutations in spastic paraparesis with thin corpus callosum

Background: Autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraparesis with thin corpus callosum (ARHSP-TCC) is being increasingly recognized as a variety of spastic paraplegia with mental retardation. SPG11 gene mutations have been reported to be associated with ARHSP-TCC. Methods: As an independent group, we investigated SPG11 gene involvement in four individuals not previously described with either recessive or sporadic HSP-TCC presentation. Results: Chromosome 15q13-15 segregating autosomal disease haplotypes were different across the kindreds and sequencing of SPG11 identified four novel frameshift/nonsense segregating mutations and the R2034X mutation, which were in heterozygous compound status. The affected examined had decreased thalamic and bilateral paracentral frontal lobe metabolism on 18F-flurodeoxyglucose PET. Conclusions: Loss-of-function SPG11 mutations are the major cause of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraparesis with thin corpus callosum in Southern Europe, even in apparently sporadic cases. Decreased thalamic metabolism was consistently a phenotypical SPG11 mutation hallmark.
Production of Mandarin Tone by Adults and Children with Normal Hearing: Significance for Children with Cochlear Implants

Abstract Mandarin Chinese is a tone language in which pitch variations are used to change the meanings of words. This study focused on the production of the four tones of Mandarin by adults and eight-year-old children with normal hearing, who spoke Mandarin as their first language. All speakers were recorded producing the tones in the syllable [ma]. Analysis of the speakers' productions of the four tones in [ma] showed that all of the children were able to produce the appropriate tonal contrasts. Some differences between the children and adult speakers were found in the duration of the tones. These data represent a benchmark against which the speech of children with implants can be compared.
Prognostic factors of clinical endpoints in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation during a 2-year follow-up in China

Abstract This study aimed to reveal the incidence of clinical endpoints in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) during a 2-year follow-up and evaluate the related prognostic factors of these endpoints. In total, 200 elderly patients with AF and 400 age- and sex-matched patients without AF were enrolled in this prospective observational cohort study. The incidence of clinical endpoints, including thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and all-cause death, during the 2-year follow-up was analyzed. Other follow-up data, including disease history, laboratory examinations, medication status, and other clinical endpoints, were collected. The prognostic factors of these clinical endpoints were then evaluated by Cox-survival analysis. In addition, the predicative role of C-reactive protein (CRP) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) on these clinical endpoints was analyzed. The incidence of clinical endpoints, including thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and all-cause death, was significantly higher in patients with AF than in those without AF (27.8% vs 9.8%, 29.4% vs 12.7%, and 28.7% vs 11.6%, respectively; all P < .001). Antithrombotic therapy significantly reduced the incidences of all-cause deaths (P < .05). Body mass index (BMI) and digoxin were prognostic risk factors of thromboembolism; age, massive hemorrhage history, and digoxin were prognostic risk factors of hemorrhage and age, renal insufficiency history, massive hemorrhage history, and digoxin were prognostic risk factors of all-cause death (P < .05). Further, both CRP and PAF were prognostic risk factors of thromboembolism and massive hemorrhage (P < .05). Age, BMI, massive hemorrhage history, and digoxin appear to be prognostic risk factors of clinical endpoints in elderly patients with AF. Appropriate drug use during follow-up may be beneficial in preventing the occurrence of clinical endpoints in elderly patients with AF. Trial registration number: ChiCTR-OCH-13003479.
Conceptual Design and Usability Evaluation of a Grid Utility SECOnD Portal for Under-Resourced Business Enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa

Conventional grid-enabled portal designs have been primarily based on the usual traditional requirements specifications such as security requirements, grid resource requirements, job management requirements and the likes. However, the pay-as-you-use service provisioning model of utility computing platforms need to consider and satisfy certain salient requirements considered relevant in a bid to achieve better conceptual designs of Service-based Electronic Commerce On-Demand (SECOnD) that are well-usable for grid utility platforms such as the Grid-based Utility Infrastructure for Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMME) Enabling Technology (GUISET). The work aspect profiled in paper entails the conceptual design and usability evaluation of a SECOnD portal which serves as the uniform channel through which targeted under-resourced SMMEs can inexpensively access and use e-Commerce technologies and tools without owning them. The outcome of the evaluation experiment revealed that the service portal designed largely achieve the usability expectations of it users.
Consumerism and Consumer Protection: Implication for National Development

This paper gave an overview of the purchasing value of a consumer after paying for goods. It discussed the rights of a consumer, his satisfaction, behaviour and protection from dubious producers of substandard goods. The paper suggested ways through which the consumer can seek redress for satisfaction not enjoyed from goods purchased even after use. One of the findings of the paper is that producers uses various means of adverts to mislead the general public to purchase goods they do not need as well as other substandard or expired goods. It is therefore recommended that the Standard organisation of Nigeria (SON) in collaboration with other sister agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drugs Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drugs and Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) should ensure that they publish a monthly or quarterly bulletin on the recommended foods, drugs or other consumables as well as the ones that are banned from public consumption. Also, necessary actions should be taken by the Consumers Protection Council to prosecute offending producers who publicise misleading information that lay claims to unfounded truth thereby misleading members of the public to purchase and consume such goods.
Comparative Seroprevalence and Immunogenicity of Six Rare Serotype Recombinant Adenovirus Vaccine Vectors from Subgroups B and D

ABSTRACT Recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 (rAd5) vector-based vaccines are currently being developed for both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and other pathogens. The potential limitations associated with rAd5 vectors, however, have led to the construction of novel rAd vectors derived from rare Ad serotypes. Several rare serotype rAd vectors have already been described, but a detailed comparison of multiple rAd vectors from subgroups B and D has not previously been reported. Such a comparison is critical for selecting optimal rAd vectors for advancement into clinical trials. Here we describe the construction of three novel rAd vector systems from Ad26, Ad48, and Ad50. We report comparative seroprevalence and immunogenicity studies involving rAd11, rAd35, and rAd50 vectors from subgroup B; rAd26, rAd48, and rAd49 vectors from subgroup D; and rAd5 vectors from subgroup C. All six rAd vectors from subgroups B and D exhibited low seroprevalence in a cohort of 200 individuals from sub-Saharan Africa, and they elicited Gag-specific cellular immune responses in mice both with and without preexisting anti-Ad5 immunity. The rAd vectors from subgroup D were also evaluated using rhesus monkeys and were shown to be immunogenic after a single injection. The rAd26 vectors proved the most immunogenic among the rare serotype rAd vectors studied, although all rare serotype rAd vectors were still less potent than rAd5 vectors in the absence of anti-Ad5 immunity. These studies substantially expand the portfolio of rare serotype rAd vectors that may prove useful as vaccine vectors for the developing world.
Helix formation by guanylic acid.

In 1910, Bang' reported that concentrated solutions of guanylic acid formed a gel. We have also observed that concentrated solutions (25.0 mg/ml) of guanylic acid (GMP) at pH 5 are extremely viscous and, if cooled, form a clear gel. Less concentrated solutions also gel on cooling but assume a more normal viscosity at room temperature. From examination of the optical properties of the gel and investigation of the structure of fibers obtained from the gel by drying, we have concluded that, at least in the case of the 5' isomer, the phenomenon may be explained as being due to helix formation by the guanylic acid. A possible structure is presented for this helix.
Development of scale‐free climate data for Western Canada for use in resource management

Applying climate data in resource management requires matching the spatial scale of the climate and resource databases. Interpolating climate data in mountainous regions is difficult. In this study, we present methodology to generate scale‐free climate data through the combination of interpolation techniques and elevation adjustments. We apply it to monthly temperature and precipitation normals for 1961–90 produced by the Parameter‐elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) for British Columbia, Yukon Territories, the Alaska Panhandle, and parts of Alberta and the United States. Equations were developed to calculate biologically relevant climate variables including various degree‐days, number of frost‐free days, frost‐free period, and snowfall from monthly temperature and precipitation data. Estimates of climate variables were validated using an independent dataset from weather stations that were not included in the development of the model. Weather station records generally agreed well with estimated climate variables and showed significant improvements over original PRISM climate data. A stand‐alone MS Windows application was developed to perform all calculations and to integrate future climate predictions from various global circulation models. We demonstrate the use of this application by showing how climate change may affect lodgepole pine seed planning zones for reforestation in British Columbia. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.
RETIREES FROM PUBLIC SERVICE IN NIGERIA: A SURVEY

The proportion of the Nigeria’s population that is retired is large and growing, and the government face huge fiscal burdens because of promises it has made to provide income security (pension) to this set of people. Improving the adequacy and quality of pension is a priority for Nigerian government, because of the growing disenchantment by retirees over government delays to pay new improved pension schemes. The realization that effective policy and planning must take into account what pensioners want and are prepared to take is the impetus that the government is interested in meaningful life after retirement from public service. The paper aims at enriching our study course on planning for retirement, providing policy makers with reliable basis from the field that are useful for executive decisions, and to enrich would be retirees on what many retirees are experiencing and going through, to plan and save well during work life and to prepare for challenges ahead. Infact, life in retirement is not rosy and cosy for majority as pensioners face difficulties in getting their pays, arrears for months accumulated, government reluctance to implement the 148% increase and several other problems. In protecting the old and promoting economic growth, Nigeria needs to consider comprehensive pension reforms. The research team used direct (contingent valuation) surveys and ML –Censored Normal (Tobit) methods to estimate the number of retirees’ willingness to live meaningful life should the government pay them arrears and implement the increase package and other types of improvement. Clearly, the methodology produced some illuminating in sights into how to decide what level of service is appropriate for this segment of the society and how the improved services should be well implemented.
Investigating the Relative Influence of Genes and Memes in Healthcare

The process by which genes and memes influence behaviour is poorly understood. Genes generally may have a strong influence as predispositions directing individuals towards certain behaviours; whereas memes may have a less direct influence as information inputs to cognitive processes determining behaviour. In certain areas of medical science, knowledge has progressed towards approximate quantification of genetic influences, while social psychology can provide models of mimetic influence as the spread of attitudes. This paper describes a computational model integration of genetic and mimetic influences in a healthcare domain. It models mimetic influences of advertising and health awareness messages in populations with genetic predispositions towards obesity; environmental variables influence both gene expression and mimetic force. Sensitivity analysis using the model with different population network structures is used to investigate the relative force of meme spread and influence.
Poziom wykorzystania usług elektronicznych przez firmy i gospodarstwa domowe województwa wielkopolskiego

Technological progress, especially in the information and communication technology sector (ITC) has initiated a series of changes in the existing organization of service activities. An important aspect of the organizational change in the services sector is the development of new forms of provision and distribution of traditional service with the use of computer technology and the Internet the so-called electronic services (e-services). The development of this form of service provision has occurred in almost every service activity that does not require direct contact between the provider and the recipient, and is particularly notable trade (e-commerce), public administration (e-government) and education (e-learning). This process, determined by access to the Intranet network, was launched in Poland in the 1990s Initially, access to the global network enabled communication mainly between firms located in different places of the world. Today, Internet access has become more widespread and causes significant changes in the operation of both firms and households. The main aim of this article is to analyze the scale of use of electronic services by households and business- es in the region of Wielkopolska. The analysis was based on the results of a survey conducted on a sample of businesses and households, which concerned the types of electronic services, the frequency and motives of their use, as well as barriers to such use.
Dysfunctional Chemosensation in Myasthenia Gravis: A Systematic Review

Objectives: Myasthenia gravis has traditionally been viewed as a disorder that solely affects the neuromuscular junction within the peripheral nervous system. However, there is now evidence that the cholinergic dysfunction of this disorder may be more widespread than previously believed. This article provides a systematic review of the studies that examined smell and taste function in myasthenia gravis. Methods: We analyzed studies that reported chemosensory function alterations in patients with myasthenia gravis. PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and SciELO, searched to identify articles published from January 1950 through December 2012, were supplemented by relevant articles. The following information was identified from each article: the number of patients, number of controls (if any), clinical stage of patients, neurological involvement, serological state, taste or smell involvement, chemosensory test used, and country of publication. Results: Ten studies reporting smell and taste function and dysfunction in patients with myasthenia gravis were identified, most of which were case reports commenting on apparent abnormalities in the taste system. The sole empirical study that investigated taste function, however, was negative, suggesting that some reports of taste loss may reflect olfactory loss. One study clearly documented olfactory dysfunction in patients with myasthenia gravis, dysfunction most likely attributable to altered central nervous system cholinergic function. Conclusions: Chemosensory dysfunction has been reported in a number of patients with myasthenia gravis. Given the close association between complaints of taste dysfunction and loss of flavor sensations secondary to olfactory system damage, quantitative testing should be used to accurately assess the nature and degree of the dysfunction present in this debilitating disorder.
Dopamine and Norepinephrine in Discrete Areas of the Copper‐Deficient Rat Brain 1

Abstract: Copper deficiency was induced in post‐weaning rats by feeding the dams a low copper diet during gestation and lactation. In confirmation of an earlier study, both dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the total brain were approximately 30% lower in deficient than in control rats. Doparnine in the corpus striaturm was depressed nearly 60%, but the concentration of norepinephrine in the hypothalamus was unchanged. Tyrosine concentrations in the striatum, hypothalamus, and total brain were not affected by copper deficiency, suggesting a catalytic defect rather than lack of substrate. Copper repletion restored norepinephrine level in total brain but did not affect the low level of dopamine. The results suggest that copper deficiency depresses a catalytic function of the adrenergic pathways and, further, adversely affects a structural component of the dopaminergic system during development.
Human p300 Protein Is a Coactivator for the Transcription Factor MyoD (*)

Human p300 protein is a cellular target of adenoviral E1A oncoprotein and a potential transcriptional coactivator. Both p300 and Rb family protein-binding regions of E1A are required for the repression of muscle gene expression, which is regulated by MyoD family transactivators. This implies that p300 is involved in MyoD-dependent transactivation. We show that the repression of MyoD-mediated E box (MyoD consensus) reporter activity by E1A is correlated with its interaction with p300, indicating that p300 participates in MyoD-dependent transactivation. In addition, p300 is able to interact both in vivo and in vitro with MyoD through a portion at the carboxyl-terminal cysteine/histidine-rich domain and associates with the components of the basal transcriptional complex through its two separate transactivation domains at the amino and carboxyl termini. Consistent with its role as a coactivator, p300 potentiates MyoD-activated transcription.
Optical bullet holes: Robust controllable localized states of a nonlinear cavity.

Stable localized states are predicted for a saturable absorber in an optical cavity. These ``bullet holes'' resemble 2D spatial solitons, and we demonstrate an optical memory array scheme based on them. A topological argument shows that one or more unstable localized states coexist with the stable bullet hole.