Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INVESTIGATING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CLPXP PROTEASE AND FTSZ IN ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE RESISTANCE IN BACILLUS ANTHRACIS

Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a deadly gram-positive bacterium that could be used as a potential bioterrorist weapon. B. anthracis has virulence factors that contribute to its deadly nature by helping the bacterium evade destruction by the host immune system. One of these factors is a protease subunit called ClpX which was shown to be essential for virulence in animal models. Loss of ClpX also resulted in decreased resistance to antimicrobial peptides, an essential part of innate immunity. However, it is not yet understood why the loss of ClpX results in a loss of resistance to antimicrobial peptides in B. anthracis. More recently, we have seen that B. anthracis lacking ClpX has aberrant cell division resulting in mini-cell formation. Mini-cell formation can occur when there is too much expression of cell division proteins such as FtsZ. Interestingly, ClpX regulates FtsZ expression in bacterial species such as E. coli. For these reasons, we hypothesized that loss of ClpX would lead to overexpression of FtsZ and to mini-cell formation. These mini-cells may be contributing to decreased resistance to antimicrobial peptides. To test this hypothesis, we overexpressed FtsZ using an inducible vector in B. anthracis and exposed the cells to increasing concentrations of an antimicrobial peptide called LL-37. However, we found that after exposure to antimicrobial peptides with increased levels of FtsZ B. anthracis did not exhibit the same phenotype as the ClpX mutant. Thus, our results suggest that the rise in FtsZ levels may not be a key factor in the loss in B. anthracis resistance to antimicrobial peptides in the ClpX mutant.
An Efficient Patch Dissemination Strategy for Mobile Networks

Mobile phones and personal digital assistants are becoming increasingly important in our daily life since they enable us to access a large variety of ubiquitous services. Mobile networks, formed by the connection of mobile devices following some relationships among mobile users, provide good platforms for mobile virus spread. Quick and efficient security patch dissemination strategy is necessary for the update of antivirus software so that it can detect mobile virus, especially the new virus under the wireless mobile network environment with limited bandwidth which is also large scale, decentralized, dynamically evolving, and of unknown network topology. In this paper, we propose an efficient semi autonomy-oriented computing (SAOC) based patch dissemination strategy to restrain the mobile virus. In this strategy, some entities are deployed in a mobile network to search for mobile devices according to some specific rules and with the assistance of a center. Through experiments involving both real-world networks and dynamically evolving networks, we demonstrate that the proposed strategy can effectively send security patches to as many mobile devices as possible at a considerable speed and lower cost in the mobile network. It is a reasonable, effective, and secure method to reduce the damages mobile viruses may cause.
Shear Banding or Not in Entangled DNA Solutions

ntangled DNA solutions are ideal as a model system to examine nonlinear shear flow behavior. ven when the number of entanglements per chain, Z, is higher than 100, the solution is still soft nough with an elastic plateau modulus under 100 Pa and is thus amenable to experimental study y commercial rotational rheometry without ambiguity and uncertainty. We have investigated onlinear flow behavior of three entangled DNA solutions with Z=24, 60, and 156, respectively, sing a combination of particle-tracking velocimetric PTV and conventional rheometric easurements. We explore questions such as a whether shear banding also occurs in moderately ntangled solutions, b whether creep results in development of nonlinear velocity profile, c hether shear banding produced in startup shear and creep persists at long times in steady state, nd d whether these entangled solutions exhibit homogeneous shear at the upper end of the stress lateau region. We found that the first DNA solution Z=24 only shows transient weakly nhomogeneous shear and steady linear velocity profile. In the more entangled solutions Z=60 and 56 , shear banding is observed in startup rateand stress-controlled shear in the shear thinning egime. Shear homogeneity eventually returns at the upper end of the stress plateau shear hinning regime. © 2009 The Society of Rheology. DOI: 10.1122/1.3009299
TO IMPROVE LEARNING AND STUDENT PROGRESS

FOR THE LAST YEAR , DURING THE COURSE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE U . S . , PEARSON ’S LEADERSHIP HAS RECOGNIZED FOUR PREVAILING TOPICS OF INTEREST OR CONCERN . THE LEVEL OF THIS INTEREST COMPELLED US TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK INTO THESE TOPICS ; AS A RESULT, WE DEVELOPED FOUR ISSUES PAPERS THAT EXAMINE THE UNDERLYING RESEARCH AND DEFINE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS . THESE THEMES OR ISSUES—COLLEGE READINESS , TEACHING QUALITY, ASSESSMENTS FOR LEARNING , AND TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL ACH IEVEMENT—H AVE SIG NIFICANT IMPLICATIO NS FO R TH E FU TU R E PROSPERITY OF THE UNITED STATES .
Controlled Assembly of Nanorod TiO2 Crystals via a Sintering Process: Photoanode Properties in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

We present for the first time a synthetic method of obtaining 1D TiO2 nanorods with sintering methods using bundle-shaped 3D rutile TiO2 particles (3D BR-TiO2) with the dimensions of around 100 nm. The purpose of this research is (i) to control crystallization of the mixture of two kinds of TiO2 semiconductor nanocrystals, that is, 3D BR-TiO2 and spherical anatase TiO2 (SA-TiO2) on FTO substrate via sintering process and (ii) to establish a new method to create photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In addition, we focus on the preparation of low-cost and environmentally friendly titania electrode by adopting the “water-based” nanofluids. Our results provide useful guidance on how to improve the photovoltaic performance by reshaping the numerous 3D TiO2 particles to 1D TiO2-based electrodes with sintering technique.
Under the Mind's Hood: What We Have Learned by Watching the Brain at Work

Imagine you were asked to investigate the workings of an engine, but to do so without ever opening the hood. Now imagine the engine fueled the human mind. This is the challenge faced by cognitive neuroscientists worldwide aiming to understand the neural bases of our psychological functions. Luckily, human ingenuity comes to the rescue. Imagine you were asked to investigate the workings of an engine, but to do so without ever opening the hood. Now imagine the engine fueled the human mind. This is the challenge faced by cognitive neuroscientists worldwide aiming to understand the neural bases of our psychological functions. Luckily, human ingenuity comes to the rescue. Around the same time as the Society for Neuroscience was being established in the 1960s, the first tools for measuring the human brain at work were becoming available. Noninvasive human brain imaging and neurophysiology have continued developing at a relentless pace ever since. In this 50 year anniversary, we reflect on how these methods have been changing our understanding of how brain supports mind.
User Interface for a Dentist Office Management Tool

In this paper the prototype of a user interface for a dentist office management tool is described. Accordingly to the rules of the human-computer software interface design, as a first step, the study of the needs and the profile of the possible users was performed. Using the results of this study a prototype was developed, consisting basically on three tightly linked environments: the Agenda, the Patients' data base and the Examination module. This prototype was developed on a Windows platform using Visual Basic TM . Resumo - Neste artigo descreve-se o prototipo de um interface de utilizador para uma ferramenta de gestao de um consultorio dentario. Seguindo as regras para o desenvolvimento de interface humano-computador, como primeiro passo foi efectuado o estudo das necessidades e do perfil dos potenciais utilizadores. Com base nos resultados deste estudo, foi desenvolvido um prototipo, basicamente constituido por tres ambientes estritamente interligados: a Agenda, a base de dados dos Pacientes e o modulo de realizacao de Consultas. O prototipo foi desenvolvido numa plataforma Windows, utilizando o Visual Basic TM .
0 WHICH FACTORS DETERMINE SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATINGS ?

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of the sovereign credit ratings provided by the three major rating agencies: Fitch Ratings, Moody’s and Standard and Poors. A principal Component Analysis is employed in order to identify the common factors affecting these ratings. The impact of the variables correlated with these factors on ratings is then assessed through linear regression modelling and ordered logistic modelling. Results show that sovereign ratings are mostly influenced by per capita income, government income, real exchange rate changes, inflation rate and default history. Our study also highlights the importance of corruption, as measured by Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, which appears as a proxy for both economic development quality of the governance of a country. EFM Classification Codes: 620
Yáñez-González, Álvaro and Skinner, Stephen and Beyrau, Frank and Heyes, Andrew L. (2015) Reusable thermal history sensing via oxidation of a divalent rare earth ion-based phosphor synthesized by the Sol-Gel

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Organisational Structure in Small and Medium Enterprises

Extant studies conducted in regard to organisational structures have produced unclear and descriptive knowledge, applicable only in theory. As a result, a confusing mixture of hypotheses, recommendations, and decision-making rules has been created, without actually contributing to the practical application of designing an organisational structure. This chapter considers contrasting scholarly and practitioners’ perspectives and offers a new prism on the role of organisational structure in small and medium enterprises. INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A number of studies have focused on organisational structures (see, for example, Mintzberg, 1979; Williamson, 1975; Robbins, 1990; Docherty et al., 2010; Hao et al., 2012; Martinez-Leon and Martinez-Garcia, 2011), and these studies agree that as soon as a company, regardless of the industry it operates, hires one or more employees, a certain type of structure emerges. The design of that structure is a mixture of intended, planned choices and operationally emerging needs, and it plays a vital role in the establishment of a future strategy because of its direct effect on the company’s capabilities and its ability to develop a competitive advantage (Burton and Obel, 1998). An organisational structure consists not only of hard components, such as departments, teams, and groups, but also of soft components representing the relationships between these hard components (Bunge, 1985). Drawing on Bunge’s (1985) study, Checkland (1999) argues that the organisational structure is a reflection of systems thinking. ). Such is composed of elements and relationships between those elements, shaping the total image of the organisation. The structure of an organisation could be considered as a superior form of those relationships, leading to the next step of collaboration. Martin Bozhilov London Metropolitan University, UK Wilson Ozuem University of Gloucestershire, UK
The Q141K single-nucleotide polymorphism impacts the transporter activity of ABCG2.

2463 The ATP-binding cassette half-transporter ABCG2 has been implicated in oncology as a mediator of drug resistance, in pharmacology as an arbiter of drug absorption, and in normal physiology as a marker of stem cell populations. Three nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been described in the ABCG2 gene, V12M, Q141K and D620N. To determine if the SNPs would have an effect on drug transport, human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) were stably transfected with ABCG2 coding the SNP mutations V12M, Q141K, or D620N. Northern and immunoblot analysis confirmed expression of ABCG2 mRNA and protein, respectively. Transport and cytotoxicity studies were performed to evaluate the potential impact of the SNPs on protein function. Efflux of both mitoxantrone and Hoechst 33342 inhibitable by fumitremorgin C (FTC) was detected with all three SNP vectors. To detect differences in transport, surface protein expression was quantified using the antibody 5D3. FTC-inhibitable efflux of mitoxantrone was calculated for HEK 293 cells transfected with the SNPs as well as wild-type R482 and the gain-of-function mutants R482G and R482T ABCG2. When FTC-inhibitable mitoxantrone efflux was normalized to cell surface ABCG2 expression, cells transfected with variant Q141K ABCG2 had significantly lower values than wild-type R482 ABCG2 (p=0.0048). Further, in 4-day cytotoxicity assays with mitoxantrone, cells transfected with wild-type R482 ABCG2 had IC50 values 6.0-fold higher than cells expressing comparable levels of Q141K ABCG2, providing support for the observation that the Q141K SNP does impact drug transport. The vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity of ABCG2 in membrane fractions of Sf9 insect cells transfected with recombinant baculoviruses containing wild-type and SNP variants of ABCG2 was subsequently examined, and ATPase activity in the Q141K variant was 1.8-fold lower compared to wild-type ABCG2. The ATPase activities of the V12M and D620N variants were comparable to that of wild-type ABCG2. The results presented suggest that the Q141K SNP affects the transport efficiency of ABCG2 and individuals carrying this ABCG2 variant may be more sensitive to ABCG2 substrate drugs.
The association between corporate social responsibility reporting and firm value for South African firms

Background: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure is widespread among the largest companies in South Africa due to the listing requirements of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). These companies have also increasingly pursued external assurance of their CSR disclosures in recent years. The increased regulation of CSR disclosure and the increased rate of obtaining assurance of these disclosures motivated us to perform our study.Aim: To examine the association between CSR reporting, including both CSR disclosure and CSR assurance, and firm value of large South African companies.Setting: The JSE listing requirements place South Africa, the setting for our study, at the forefront of corporate governance and CSR reporting.Method: Tobin’s Q is used as a measure of firm value. Three measures of CSR disclosure and three of CSR assurance are used in this study. The measures are based on data collected by Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) International on the CSR reporting practices of large South African companies. The sample period for this study coincides with the sample period covered in the KPMG surveys conducted during 2008, 2011 and 2013.Results: No significant association is found between CSR disclosure and firm value. However, a significant negative association is found between CSR assurance and firm value. Additional analysis found that the negative association between firm value and CSR assurance is more significant for companies that are not listed on the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) index.Conclusion: The results found between CSR disclosure and firm value may suggest that firm value is unaffected by CSR disclosures. Taken together, the findings on CSR assurance and firm value and the additional analysis may suggest that in South Africa managers with negative CSR issues are more likely to obtain assurance on their CSR disclosure. The findings may be of interest to regulators when considering current and future disclosure and assurance requirements for CSR reporting in South Africa, as well as other parts of the world, shareholders when considering investment options, and managers when considering the benefit of certain CSR reporting practices.
Herbal plants used in traditional Chinese medicine as a source of compounds with potential medical utilities - identification, characterization and organization

This Master thesis has been written at the Gade Institute and the Center of Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Norway.The study presented in this thesis was carried out as part of an international staff exchange programme titled “Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Post-genomic Era: Identifying Lead Therapeutic Compounds Against Cancer”. The European Council is acknowledged for the support of this program by FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES-2008, Marie Curies Actions – International Research Staff Exchange Scheme 2009 – 2013, project number 230232. The practical part of the thesis was carried out at the Modern Research Centre of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai from August 2009 to December 2009. This master thesis is part of the project Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Post-Genomic Era: Identifying Lead Therapeutic Compounds Against Cancer (TCMCANCER). It is a collaboration project between Centre de Recherche Public de la Sante in Luxembourg, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development in Beijing, China, Modern Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, China and the Gade Institute, University of Bergen in Norway.
Potential use of spectroscopic techniques for assessing table eggs and hatching eggs

In evaluating the quality of table eggs and the developmental stages of embryonic eggs, spectroscopic techniques provide greater efficiency than traditional, time-consuming and laborious approaches. This review summarises recent developments in the spectroscopic analysis of table eggs, including the determination of the chemical composition (ratios of performance to standard deviation of 4.38, 2.25, 2.28, 2.31, and 3.03 for fat, moisture, and protein in egg yolk and moisture and protein in egg albumen, respectively, have been reported). A Haugh unit detection accuracy RMSEP (root mean square error of prediction) for quality of 6.29 was obtained by hyperspectral imaging) for table eggs and fertility detection (for white-shell eggs, fertility detection has been realised at a promising rate of 93.5%) and gender determination in hatching eggs. In conclusion, hyperspectral imaging generally outperforms visible or near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy when evaluating both consumption eggs and hatching eggs, and near-infrared reflectance Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy exhibit a strong potential for gender determination prior to hatching. Scientists have attained a correct sexing rate above 90% at 3.5 d of egg incubation without removing the inner shell membrane. In the detection of blood-spot eggs or fertile eggs, eggshell colour proved to be a negative factor.
Joint retrieval of surface reflectance and aerosol properties with continuous variation of the state variables in the solution space – Part 2: application to geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite observations

Abstract. This paper presents the simultaneous retrieval of aerosol optical thickness and surface properties from the CISAR algorithm applied both to geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite observations. The theoretical concepts of the CISAR algorithm have been described in Govaerts and Luffarelli (2018). CISAR has been applied to SEVIRI and PROBA-V observations acquired over 20 AERONET stations during the year 2015. The CISAR retrieval from the two sets of observations is evaluated against independent data sets such as the MODIS land product and AERONET data. The performance differences resulting from the two types of orbit are discussed, and the information content of SEVIRI and PROBA-V observations is analysed and compared.
Class size, type of exam and student achievement

Education as a road to growth has been on the political agenda in recent years and promoted not least by the institutions of higher education. At the same time the universities have been squeezed for resources for a long period and the average class size has increased as a result. However, the production technology for higher education is not well known and this study highlights the relation between class size and student achievement using a large dataset of 80.000 gradings from the Aarhus School of Business. The estimations show a large negative effect of larger classes on the grade level of students. The type of exam also has a large and significant effect on student achievements and oral exam, take-home exam and group exam reward the student with a significantly higher grade compared with an on-site written exam
UV Light Acclimation Capacity of Leaf Photosynthetic and Photochemical Behaviour in Near-isohydric and Anisohydric Grapevines in Hot and Dry Environments

The photosynthetic and photochemical adaptation of grapevine leaves to high UV radiation, under hot and dry summer conditions, was investigated in near-isohydric Cannonau (syn. Grenache) and nearanisohydric Bovale grande (syn. Carignan). From pea-size stage until harvest, vines with mild to moderate water deficit were subjected to UV-blocking treatment (–UV) and compared to a control exposed to sunlight (C). Canopy light and thermal microclimate, growth and density, maximum leaf gas exchange, primary photochemistry (PSII) and phenols were monitored. Average increments in canopy temperature under –UV tunnels during day-time and night-time were 3.3°C and 0.8°C in Bovale grande and 2.6°C and 1.1°C in Cannonau. Cultivars reached similar leaf area, intrinsic water-use efficiency and stem water potential under C and –UV. Cannonau showed lower stomatal conductance, maximum net assimilation and transpiration rates, but also faster recovery of PSII under heat and moderate water stress. UV radiation induced a stronger and longer impact on leaf assimilation, but the duration of elevated temperatures under −UV induced higher photoinhibition and lower photochemical efficiency. A similar degree of correlation between leaf temperature and gas exchange was found among cultivars and treatments. In Cannonau, leaf anthocyanin decreased due to heat-induced long-lasting PSII photoinactivation under C. Conversely, Bovale grande showed higher phenolic content stability, thus higher photoprotection and recovery of PSII functional units. Agronomical practices affecting leaf phenolic accumulation influence canopy acclimation to heat and high sunlight. Vineyard management must avoid excessive canopy sun exposure and duration of elevated temperatures to favour high assimilation, while reducing photoinactivation and heat damage.