Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monoacylglycerol lipase from moderately thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain H-257: molecular cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene.

Monoacylglycerol lipase [MGLP, EC 3.1. 1.23] is produced intracellularly by the moderately thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain H-257. The gene encoding MGLP was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. A genomic library of Bacillus sp. strain H-257, prepared in the plasmid vector pACYC184, was screened with a 0.2-kbp DNA fragment amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with oligonucleotide primers designed based on the amino acid sequence of a purified MGLP. The plasmid pMGLP31, identified by hybridization with the amplified DNA fragment, contained a 5.3-kbp insert from Bacillus sp. strain H-257 DNA. Sequence analysis of the MGLP gene revealed an open reading frame encoding MGLP consisting of 250 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 27.4 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of MGLP contained the consensus pentapeptide (-Gly-Xaa-Ser-Xaa-Gly-), which is conserved among lipases, esterases, and serine proteases. The MGLP is homologous to a putative esterase/lipase from Streptomyces coelicolor (41.8% homology). When pMGLP31 was introduced into E. coli DH1, the transformants produced MGLP intracellularly as an active form to an approximately 13.8-fold greater extent than Bacillus sp. strain H-257. The purified recombinant MGLP was shown to be identical to the native enzyme in terms of chromatographic behavior, isoelectric point, and physicochemical and catalytic properties.
Using latency as a QoS indicator for global cloud computing services

Many globally distributed cloud computing (CC) applications and services running over the Internet, between globally dispersed clients and servers, will require certain levels of QoS in order to deliver and give a sufficiently smooth user experience. This would be essential for real‐time streaming multimedia applications such as online gaming and watching movies on a pay as you use basis hosted in a CC environment. However, guaranteeing or even predicting QoS in global and diverse networks that are supporting complex hosting of application services is a very challenging issue that needs a stepwise refinement approach to be solved as the technology of CC matures. In this paper, we investigate if latency in terms of simple ping measurements can be used as an indicator for other QoS parameters such as jitter and throughput. The experiments were carried out on a global scale, between servers placed in universities in Denmark, Poland, Brazil, and Malaysia. The results show the correlation between latency and throughput, and between latency and jitter, even though the results are not completely consistent. As a side result, we were able to monitor the changes in QoS parameters during a number of 24‐hour periods. This is also a first step toward defining QoS parameters to be included in service level agreements for CC at the global scale in the foreseeable future. Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A CMOS Compatible Ultracompact Silicon Photonic Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer with Misaligned Sidewall Bragg Gratings

We experimentally and via simulations demonstrate ultracompact single-stage and cascaded optical add-drop multiplexers using misaligned sidewall Bragg grating in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer for the silicon-on-insulator platform. The single-stage configuration has a device footprint of 400 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }\text{m}\,\times$</tex-math></inline-formula> 90 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }\text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, and the cascaded configuration has a footprint of 400 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }\text{m}\,\times$</tex-math></inline-formula> 125 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }\text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. The proposed designs have 3-dB bandwidths of 6 nm and extinction ratios of 25 dB and 51 dB, respectively, and have been fabricated for the transverse electric mode. A minimum lithographic feature size of 80 nm is used in our design, which is within the limitation of 193 nm deep ultraviolet lithography.
JBits&#8482; Design Abstractions

The function of modern FPGA design tools is to transform a circuit specification from a logical netlist form into a physical configuration bitstream. This transformation involves a sequence of memory and processor-intensive optimization problems, including mapping, placement and routing. By contrast, Xilinx’s JBits Software Development Kit (SDK) is a physical design tool which integrates mapping, placement and routing into a single high level language based design flow. This approach permits designs to be converted from specification into implementation in orders of magnitude less time and using far fewer resources than conventional tools. One potential drawback to this approach is that it has tended to rely on detailed, low-level knowledge of the underlying device architecture. With the addition of new capabilities at the core level, designs can be implemented at a higher, device-independent level.
Prolactin release by adipose explants, primary adipocytes, and LS14 adipocytes.

BACKGROUND Prolactin (PRL) is a multifunctional hormone produced in humans by both pituitary and extrapituitary sites, including adipose tissue. OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to: 1) compare PRL secretion by sc and visceral adipose explants and mature adipocytes from obese and nonobese patients; and 2) examine the effects of insulin and selected cytokines on PRL gene expression and release from primary adipocytes and LS14 adipocytes. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS Adipose tissue was obtained from morbidly obese [body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m(2)] and nonobese (BMI <30 kg/m(2)) patients. Explants and isolated mature adipocytes were incubated for 10 d. Primary adipocytes or LS14 cells were used before or after differentiation and incubated with the test compounds for 24 h. PRL release was analyzed by a bioassay, and PRL expression was determined by real-time PCR. RESULTS PRL release from explants and mature adipocytes increased in a time-dependent manner indicating removal from inhibition. Visceral explants from obese patients showed higher PRL release than that from sc explants; both types of explants from nonobese patients released similar amounts of PRL. Analysis of data from 50 patients revealed an inverse relationship between PRL release from sc depots and BMI. Insulin suppressed PRL expression and release from differentiated adipocytes but moderately stimulated PRL release from nondifferentiated cells. The cAMP elevating compound forskolin increased PRL release in both cell types. CONCLUSIONS PRL should be recognized as an important adipokine whose release is regulated by insulin and is affected by obesity in a depot-specific manner.
Financial Development and Poverty Reduction Nexus: A Co-Integration and Causality Analysis in Selected Arabic Countries

This paper attempts the dynamic causal relationship between poverty reduction measured as consumption per capita and financial development measured as Kaopen and Milesi-Ferreti proxies, trade openness measured measured by the sum of total exports and total imports as a percentage of GDP at 2005 constant prices and economic growth as measured by GDP per capita for 14 selected Arabic countries within the panel co-integration techniques and TYDL Granger causality approach (1996), the results show that the poor people in Arabic countries (the selected countries) did not benefit from liberalization systems and economic growth for the period because both of finance-led poverty and trade-led poverty seem to be rejected. The study, therefore, recommends that policy makers should stop the financial braking and adopt new financial policies that allow reducing poverty rates.
Regulation of an ATG7-beclin 1 Program of Autophagic Cell Death by Caspase-8

Caspases play a central role in apoptosis, a well-studied pathway of programmed cell death. Other programs of death potentially involving necrosis and autophagy may exist, but their relation to apoptosis and mechanisms of regulation remains unclear. We define a new molecular pathway in which activation of the receptor-interacting protein (a serine-threonine kinase) and Jun amino-terminal kinase induced cell death with the morphology of autophagy. Autophagic death required the genes ATG7 and beclin 1 and was induced by caspase-8 inhibition. Clinical therapies involving caspase inhibitors may arrest apoptosis but also have the unanticipated effect of promoting autophagic cell death.
Effects of Ospemifene on Breast Tissue Morphology and Proliferation: A Comparative Study Versus Other Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators in Ovariectomized Rats

Abstract Ospemifene is a tissue-selective estrogen agonist/antagonist that was recently approved for the treatment of dyspareunia associated with vulvar and vaginal atrophy, which occurs in up to approximately 50% of postmenopausal women. The current analyses were conducted to determine whether ospemifene exhibits estrogenic activity in the mammary glands of ovariectomized rats and to compare potential estrogenic activity with selective estrogen receptor modulators (tamoxifen, raloxifene, and toremifene). Three separate studies with differing durations (6, 9, and 28 days) were conducted using similar procedures in ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats. Estradiol treatment and sham-treated ovariectomized rats were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Cell proliferation was examined using labeled 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine; cytoplasmic prolactin was characterized with antibody staining. The morphology of the mammary gland was studied by histological staining of sections from the right fourth mammary glands, and the excised gland from the left side was used for counting the lobulus number. Neither ospemifene nor selective estrogen receptor modulators substantially induced 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine staining, altered the morphology of the mammary glands, or changed prolactin immunostaining in ovariectomized rats compared with the ovariectomized controls. With the exception of toremifene, the selective estrogen receptor modulators did not cause a substantial induction in mammary gland lobuli. Estradiol had effects opposite to those of the selective estrogen receptor modulators in these studies. Ospemifene exhibited no substantial estrogenic activity in the mammary gland of ovariectomized rats. Activity in the mammary gland of ovariectomized rats with ospemifene was comparable to raloxifene and tamoxifen.
Functional Analysis of the Genes Encoding Diaminopropionate Ammonia Lyase in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

ABSTRACT Diaminopropionate ammonia lyase (DAPAL) is a pyridoxal-5′phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of diaminopropionate (DAP) to pyruvate and ammonia and plays an important role in cell metabolism. We have investigated the role of the ygeX gene of Escherichia coli K-12 and its ortholog, STM1002, in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2, presumed to encode DAPAL, in the growth kinetics of the bacteria. While Salmonella Typhimurium LT2 could grow on dl-DAP as a sole carbon source, the wild-type E. coli K-12 strain exhibited only marginal growth on dl-DAP, suggesting that DAPAL is functional in S. Typhimurium. The expression of ygeX in E. coli was low as detected by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), consistent with the poor growth of E. coli on dl-DAP. Strains of S. Typhimurium and E. coli with STM1002 and ygeX, respectively, deleted showed loss of growth on dl-DAP, confirming that STM1002 (ygeX) is the locus encoding DAPAL. Interestingly, the presence of dl-DAP caused a growth inhibition of the wild-type E. coli strain as well as the knockout strains of S. Typhimurium and E. coli in minimal glucose/glycerol medium. Inhibition by dl-DAP was rescued by transforming the strains with plasmids containing the STM1002 (ygeX) gene encoding DAPAL or supplementing the medium with Casamino Acids. Growth restoration studies using media lacking specific amino acid supplements suggested that growth inhibition by dl-DAP in the absence of DAPAL is associated with auxotrophy related to the inhibition of the enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathways of pyruvate and aspartate and the amino acids derived from them.
Clinical Outcome of Novel H1N1 (Swine Flu)-Infected Patients During 2009 Pandemic at Tertiary Referral Hospital in Western India

Background: The first case of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus in Gujarat, India, was reported in August 2009. Oseltamivir was used for treatment of pandemic influenza in India. We discuss the clinical characteristics and outcome of the hospitalized patients with H1N1 infection during 2009 pandemic influenza season. Materials and Methods: Hospitalized patient with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 flu during August 2009 to February 2010 were included in this retrospective study. Data were collected from hospital ICU charts. Patients discharged from hospital were considered cured from swine flu. Data analysis was performed using CDC software EPI Info v3.5. 3. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 63 patients were included in the study, of them 41 (65%) males and 22 (35%) females. Median age was 34 (3-69) years and median duration of symptoms before hospitalization was 5 (2-20) days. Common presenting symptoms include fever 58 (92.06%), cough 58 (92.06%), breathlessness 38 (60.31%), common cold 14 (22.22%), vomiting 12 (19.04%), weakness 9 (14.28%), throat pain 7 (11.11%), body ache 5 (7.93%), and chest pain 4 (6.34%). Co-morbidities were seen in 13 (20.63%) patients. Steroids were used in 39 (61.90%) patients, and ventilatory support was required in 17 (26.98%) patients. On presentation chest x-ray was normal in 20 (31.74%) patients, while pulmonary opacities were seen in 43 (68.26%) patients. Forty-seven (74.60%) patients were cured and discharged from hospital, 14 (22.22%) patients died, and 2 (3.17%) patients were shifted to other hospital. Ventilatory requirement, pneumonia, and co-morbidities were the independent predictors of mortality, while age, sex, and steroid use were not associated with increased mortality. Conclusion: 2009 pandemic influenza A had the same clinical features as seasonal influenza except vomiting. Mortality rate was high in 2009 H1N1-infected patients with pneumonia, co-morbid conditions, and patients who required ventilatory support.
SEXUAL SELECTION AND THE EVOLUTION OF SEXUAL SIZE DIMORPHISM IN THE WATER STRIDER, AQUARIUS REMIGIS

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is often attributed to sexual selection, particularly when males are the larger sex. However, sexual selection favoring large males is common even in taxa where females are the larger sex, and is therefore not a sufficient explanation of patterns of SSD. As part of a more extensive study of the evolution of SSD in water striders (Heteroptera, Gerridae), we examine patterns of sexual selection and SSD in 12 populations of Aquarius remigis. We calculate univariate and multivariate selection gradients from samples of mating and single males, for two sexually dimorphic traits (total length and profemoral width) and two sexually monomorphic traits (mesofemoral length and wing form). The multivariate analyses reveal strong selection favoring larger males, in spite of the female‐biased SSD for this trait, and weaker selection favoring aptery and reduced mesofemoral length. Selection is weakest on the most dimorphic trait, profemoral width, and is stabilizing rather than directional. The pattern of sexual selection on morphological traits is therefore not concordant with the pattern of SSD. The univariate selection gradients reveal little net selection (direct + indirect) on any of the traits, and suggest that evolution away from the plesiomorphic pattern of SSD is constrained by antagonistic patterns of selection acting on this suite of positively correlated morphological traits. We hypothesize that SSD in A. remigis is not in equilibrium, a hypothesis that is consistent with both theoretical models of the evolution of SSD and our previous studies of allometry for SSD. A negative interpopulation correlation between the intensity of sexual selection and the operational sex ratio supports the hypothesis that, as in several other water strider species, sexual selection in A. remigis occurs through generalized female reluctance rather than active female choice. The implications of this for patterns of sexual selection are discussed.
Use of Seroconversion Panels To Estimate Delay in Detection of Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Antibodies by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay of Pooled Compared to Singleton Serum Samples

ABSTRACT The transfusion of unsafe blood worldwide accounts for 5 to 15% of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, most of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa. While developed countries now apply PCR testing of pooled samples, some developing countries still do not have universal screening policies. More efficient low-cost procedures for the screening of pooled samples have the potential to encourage mass screening efforts in resource-poor settings. The aim of this study was to estimate the delay in the detection of HIV antibodies in pooled serum samples compared to that in singleton serum samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and to evaluate the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV infection during the window period. Serial blood samples obtained from five HIV seroconversion panels were mixed with HIV-seronegative blood samples to create pools of 6, 12, 16, 24, 32, and 48 samples. The delay in detection of the first anti-HIV antibody-positive sample in tests with pooled samples was calculated for each pool size and compared to that obtained by testing of singleton samples and statistically evaluated by a robust log-linear regression analysis. The risk of a false-negative (FN) result caused by dilution was estimated by use of the incidence risk/window period model. The additional risk of transmission related to ELISA screening of pooled samples for HIV did not exceed 9% of the current risk of an FN result (estimated to be 1/1,067,000). The countries with virus prevalence rates in donors of less than 15% are expected to save up to 30% in the number of tests. ELISA screening of pooled samples could be considered in settings where the testing of blood supplies for HIV is not routinely done.
Market Bureaucracy : Neoliberalism, Competition, and EU State Aid Policy

According to a predominant way of thinking, competition is believed to be what drives society forward. It is believed to lead to economic growth through lower prices, higher quality and a more efficient distribution of resources. Competition is also believed to stimulate progress by creating incentives for creativity and innovation. Furthermore, it is commonly associated with values of freedom, by increasing freedom of choice, and justice, by rewarding those who work hard at succeeding. Drawing upon the literature on governmentality, this dissertation investigates this idea of competition as the expression of a neoliberal rationality of government. It shows how this rationality is spread through the European Union’s policy on state aid, which aims to keep the member states from distorting competition on the internal market. From this study, I make two main arguments. The first is that the neoliberal rationality of state aid policy ushers in a new way of reasoning about the role of the state, where the difference between “good” and “bad” forms of government is determined according to what is good or bad for competition. In this way, state aid policy can be seen to function as an “anti politics machine” which turns political questions about the role of the state, into technical problems of competition that can be solved by economic experts.Secondly, this dissertation shows how the neoliberal rationality of government has made it possible for the European Commission to justify its interventions in member state’s policies by claiming to be acting in the general interest of free competition. I argue that, far from leading to less government, the creation of “free markets” gives rise to a particular kind of government, which takes a distinctly bureaucratic form. Through the use of standardised forms, statistical models of evaluation and the collection of quantifiable data, state aid is made visible as an “objective” category of state action, and thereby becomes possible to govern. (Less)
Angiogenesis dependent characteristics of tumor observed on rabbit VX2 hepatic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate angiogenesis dependent characteristics of carcinoma proliferation, metastasis and to found if there is tumor vascularity architecture defect. METHODS 36 rabbits were random divided into 2 groups: Experimental group: 18 rabbits liver were implanted with VX2 tumor by surgery operation; CONTROL GROUP 18 experimental rabbits performed the same surgery operation without tumor implantation, the course of tumor growth and blood vessel invasion was observed by autopsy. One slide was used for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, one slide was used for elastic fiber staining by Victoria blue and Ponceau's histochemical staining, and one slide was used for vascular endothelial cell immunohistochemical staining with biotinylated-ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I); all three slides were observed under an optical microscopic. One additional slide was systematically observed by electron microscopy. SPSS 19.0 software was used for the statistical analyses of the data. RESULTS The tumor grew acceleration after tumor angiogenesis, volume of original tumors was correlated with vascular caliber. The central tumor found necrosis without enough blood supply while tumor grew rapidly after tumor angiogenesis. The tumor infiltrated into liver blood sinus, blood vessels in hepatic interstitial tissue, the liver capsular vein and important organs metastasis such as lungs, kidneys, abdominal cavity caused rabbits died. The average vascular density count of 18 experimental rabbits under 400 times light microscope were 43.17 ± 8.68/vessels/High Power Field; Tumor vascular diameter all within 200 μm. Vascular elastic fiber staining presented tumor blood vessels internal, external elastic plate intact, vascular endothelial cells organelles of tumor were integrity without endothelial cells architecture defect found by pathologic observation. CONCLUSION Proliferation and metastasis of rabbit VX2 hepatic carcinoma was correlated with tumor angiogenesis and no tumor vascular architecture defect was found by pathologic observation, it need further exploration by other methods.
Dépenses salariales et performance dans l’industrie du football

L’objet de cet article est d’etudier l’impact des depenses en salaire des clubs sur leur performance sportive. Nous nous focalisons sur le cas du championnat de France de football. Le modele est estime sur un panel de trente-six clubs de Ligue 1 pour la periode 2005 a 2014 et revele un impact positif des depenses en salaire sur la performance sportive. En outre, l’evaluation de modeles Probit montre que des depenses en salaires plus elevees de la part des clubs augmentent leur probabilite de se qualifier dans les competitions europeennes et reduisent celle d’etre relegues. Ce resultat empirique sur le cas de la France confirme le role joue par les depenses salariales dans le creusement des desequilibres competitifs et financiers des ligues de football en Europe, de sorte qu’une regulation des salaires des joueurs est necessaire.