Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INBREEDING AND OUTBREEDING DEPRESSION IN CAENORHABDITIS NEMATODES

Abstract The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans reproduces primarily by self-fertilization of hermaphrodites, yet males are present at low frequencies in natural populations (androdioecy). The ancestral state of C. elegans was probably gonochorism (separate males and females), as in its relative C. remanei. Males may be maintained in C. elegans because outcrossed individuals escape inbreeding depression. The level of inbreeding depression is, however, expected to be low in such a highly selfing species, compared with an outcrosser like C. remanei. To investigate these issues, we measured life-history traits in the progeny of inbred versus outcrossed C. elegans and C. remanei individuals derived from recently isolated natural populations. In addition, we maintained inbred lines of C. remanei through 13 generations of full-sibling mating. Highly inbred C. remanei showed dramatic reductions in brood size and relative fitness compared to outcrossed individuals, with evidence of both direct genetic and maternal-effect inbreeding depression. This decline in fitness accumulated over time, causing extinction of nearly 90% of inbred lines, with no evidence of purging of deleterious mutations from the remaining lines. In contrast, pure strains of C. elegans performed better than crosses between strains, indicating outbreeding depression. The results are discussed in relation to the evolution of androdioecy and the effect of mating system on the level of inbreeding depression.
Exploiting Key-Value Data Stores Scalability for HPC

BigData revolutionised the IT industry. It first interested the OLTP systems. Distributed Hash Tables replaced Traditional SQL databases as they guaranteed low response time on simple read/write requests. The second wave recast the data warehousing: map-reduce systems spread as they proved to scale linearly long-running computational workloads on commodity servers. The focus now is on real-time analytics. Being able to analyse massive quantities of data in a short time enables multiple HPC applications and interactive analysis and visualization. In this paper, we study the performance of a system that employs the DHT architecture to achieve fast in local analysis on indexed data. We observed that the number of keys, nodes, and the hardware characteristics strongly influence the actual scalability of the system. Therefore, we developed a mathematical model that allows finding the right system configuration to meet desired performance for each kind of query type. We also show how our model can be used to find the right architecture for each distributed application.
Enhancing Employees’ Work Performance through Organizational Justice in the Context of Financial Crisis. A Study of the Greek Public Sector

ABSTRACT In a period of economic crisis, the increasing pressure of sparse financial resources and the structural reforms in labor law are factors pushing and forcing managers of both public and private organizations to do more with less. The current study explores how employees’ performance in the public sector is affected by perceptions of organizational justice in terms of resource allocation (e.g., benefits and compensation). The responses received from a sample of 490 employees working for public organizations in Greece indicated that work performance is significantly and positively related not only to employees’ satisfaction with pay, but also to employees’ perceptions of distributive and procedural justice.
Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Bacteria in Er(III) Solution by Thin-Film Magnetopheresis

Magnetic deposition, quantitation, and identification of bacteria reacting with the paramagnetic trivalent lanthanide ion, Er3+, was evaluated. The magnetic deposition method was dubbed thin-film magnetopheresis. The optimization of the magnetic deposition protocol was accomplished with Escherichia coli as a model organism in 150 mM NaCl and 5 mM ErCl3 solution. Three gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Enterococcus faecalis, and four gram-negative bacteria, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, were subsequently investigated. Quantitative analysis consisted of the microscopic cell count and a scattered-light scanning of the magnetically deposited material aided by the computer data acquisition system. Qualitative analysis consisted of Gram stain differentiation and fluorescein isothiocyanate staining in combination with selected antisera against specific types of bacteria on the solid substrate. The magnetic deposition protocol allowed quantitative detection of E. coli down to the concentration of 105 CFU ml-1, significant in clinical diagnosis applications such as urinary tract infections. Er3+ did not interfere with the typical appearance of the Gram-stained bacteria nor with the antigen recognition by the antibody in the immunohistological evaluations. Indirect antiserum-fluorescein isothiocyanate labelling correctly revealed the presence of E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa in the magnetically deposited material obtained from the mixture of these two bacterial species. On average, the reaction of gram-positive organisms was significantly stronger to the magnetic field in the presence of Er3+ than the reaction of gram-negative organisms. The thin-film magnetophoresis offers promise as a rapid method for quantitative and qualitative analysis of bacteria in solutions such as urine or environmental water.
Red blood cell deformability in sepsis.

The microcirculatory disturbances in sepsis have prompted micropore bulk-filtration studies of red blood cell (RBC) mechanical behavior (i.e., deformability). However, these prior reports may not solely reflect RBC behavior because of possible white blood cell (WBC) occlusion of the filter pores. The present study was designed to examine RBC mechanical alterations in human and experimental sepsis using techniques that are not affected by WBC artifacts. RBC were obtained from adult patients with sepsis and from healthy control donors. RBC were also obtained from Swiss-albino rats in which experimental sepsis was induced via cecal ligation-puncture. Red cell mechanical behavior was tested using a computerized micropore filtration system (CTA) and a laser-diffraction shearing device (LORCA); the latter provides the extent of RBC deformation at various stresses and the time constant for RBC shape recovery. Salient findings include: (1) for human RBC, significantly decreased deformability at fluid shear stresses < 5 Pa (LORCA) yet no differences from control with the CTA; (2) for rat RBC in experimental sepsis, significant decreases of deformability and shape-recovery time constant (LORCA) but no differences with the CTA. We conclude that RBC deformability is reduced in sepsis but that micropore bulk-filtration methods may not be appropriate for detecting these changes.
The promoter of the C1 inhibitor gene contains a polypurine.polypyrimidine segment that enhances transcriptional activity.

The C1 inhibitor (C1INH) promoter is unusual in two respects: 1) It contains no TATA sequence, but instead contains a TdT-like initiator element (Inr) at nucleotides -3 to +5; 2) it contains a polypurine.polypyrimidine tract between nucleotides -17 and -45. Disruption of the Inr by the introduction of point mutations reduced promoter activity by 40%. A TATA element inserted at nucleotide -30 in the wild-type promoter and in promoter constructs containing the mutated Inr led to a 2-fold increase in basal promoter activity. Previous studies suggested that the potential hinged DNA-forming polypurine.polypyrimidine tract might be important in the regulation of C1INH promoter activity. The present studies indicate that this region is capable of such intramolecular triple helix formation. Disruption of the polypurine.polypyrimidine sequence by substitution of 5 of the 23 cytosine residues with adenine prevented triple helix formation. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that the regulation of promoter activity is independent of hinged DNA-forming capacity but requires an intact AC box (ACCCTNNNNNACCCT) or the overlapping PuF binding site (GGGTGGG). The C1INH gene also contains a number of potential regulatory elements, including an Sp-1 and an hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 binding site and a CAAT box. The role of these elements in regulation of the C1INH promoter was examined. Elimination of the hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 site at nucleotides -94 to -81 by truncation reduced the activity of the promoter by approximately 50%. Similarly, site-directed mutations that disrupt this site reduce promoter activity by 70%.
The Value of Green Certification in the Singapore Housing Market

In Singapore, a real estate developer sells new apartments in the same high-rise development before and after obtaining green certification. This allows the use of within-development variation in prices over time to measure the effect of green certification on housing prices, controlling for differences across developments. I find that green certification increases prices by around 3%, suggesting that buyers value certification, possibly because it signals the presence of less-salient green features. Moreover, the effect of certification is biggest for developments that receive the lowest green rating, which likely have fewer green features and are thus less obviously green.
Aggressive Wear Testing of a Cross-Linked Polyethylene in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Recently, highly cross-linked polyethylenes with high wear and oxidation resistance have been developed. These materials may improve the in vivo performance of polyethylene components used in total knee arthroplasty. To date, the in vitro knee wear testing of these new polyethylenes has been done under conditions of normal gait. However, their critical assessment also must include aggressive in vitro fatigue and wear testing. In the current study, an aggressive in vitro knee wear and device fatigue model simulating a tight posterior cruciate ligament balance during stair climbing was developed and used to assess the performance of one type of highly cross-linked polyethylene tibial knee insert in comparison with conventional polyethylene. The highly cross-linked inserts and one group of conventional inserts were tested after sterilization. One additional group of conventional inserts was subjected to accelerated aging before testing. The articular surfaces of the inserts were inspected visually for surface delamination, cracking, and pitting at regular intervals during the test. The aged conventional polyethylene inserts showed extensive delamination and cracking as early as 50,000 cycles. In contrast, the unaged conventional and highly cross-linked polyethylene inserts did not show any subsurface cracking or delamination at 0.5 million cycles. The appearance and location of delamination that occurred in the aged conventional inserts tested with the current model previously have been observed in vivo with posterior cruciate-sparing design knee arthroplasties with a tight posterior cruciate ligament.
Ultrastructural and Biophysical Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Particles Produced in Cell Culture

ABSTRACT We analyzed the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles produced in cell culture. Negative-stain electron microscopy revealed that the particles were spherical (∼40- to 75-nm diameter) and pleomorphic and that some of them contain HCV E2 protein and apolipoprotein E on their surfaces. Electron cryomicroscopy revealed two major particle populations of ∼60 and ∼45 nm in diameter. The ∼60-nm particles were characterized by a membrane bilayer (presumably an envelope) that is spatially separated from an internal structure (presumably a capsid), and they were enriched in fractions that displayed a high infectivity-to-HCV RNA ratio. The ∼45-nm particles lacked a membrane bilayer and displayed a higher buoyant density and a lower infectivity-to-HCV RNA ratio. We also observed a minor population of very-low-density, >100-nm-diameter vesicular particles that resemble exosomes. This study provides low-resolution ultrastructural information of particle populations displaying differential biophysical properties and specific infectivity. Correlative analysis of the abundance of the different particle populations with infectivity, HCV RNA, and viral antigens suggests that infectious particles are likely to be present in the large ∼60-nm HCV particle populations displaying a visible bilayer. Our study constitutes an initial approach toward understanding the structural characteristics of infectious HCV particles.
Digital Current Controller With Error-Free Feedback Acquisition and Active Resistance

Digital current controllers have the key impact on the performance of grid-side converters and ac drives. The voltage disturbances are commonly suppressed by enhancing the controller with an inner active resistance feedback. In cases where the switching noise and parasitic oscillations introduce sampling errors, conventional sampling is replaced by the oversampling-based error-free feedback acquisition which derives the average of the measured currents over the past switching period. The time delay introduced into the feedback path creates difficulties in designing the current controller with the active resistance. In this paper, we introduce a novel structure of the current controller, which includes the error-free sampling and the active resistance feedback. Devised structure improves the disturbance rejection by extending the range of permissible values of the active resistance. Controller structure is based on the internal model principles, and it maintains the input step response unaffected. This paper comprises analytical design, the gain setting procedure, computer simulation, and experimental results obtained from an experimental setup with a three-phase inverter, digital controller, and a permanent-magnet synchronous motor.
The public service mutual: theories of motivational advantage

Public service mutuals are a form of employee-led organization in which service workers spin out of the public sector to form “mutuals” that contract back with government to provide a service. This article draws on economic and psychological theory to demonstrate that mutuals can align both self-interested and altruistic or public service motivations so as to serve the social good; moreover, by offering greater autonomy to public service professionals, mutuals are predicted to encourage energetic and persistent behaviors. In both cases, there is an advantage over alternative forms of organization such as the public sector bureaucracy, the shareholder-owned private firm, or the nonprofit organization. The employee-led mutual form, however, may not appeal to risk-averse workers, its collective decision-making systems may be inefficient, and external mechanisms may be required to ensure that organizational outcomes are always directed toward the social good.
Co-production and the third sector : a comparative study of England and France

This thesis explores co-production between citizens and third sector professionals (in community regeneration, parents’ organisations, and older people’s services) in Sheffield, England and Lyon, France. I employ an analytical framework of institutional logics to explore how the rules, practices and narratives of the organisations are specific to their contexts and how these shape co-production practices. The study finds that while the Sheffield organisations are characterised by an assimilation of the state, community and market logics, the Lyon organisations demonstrate a blend of a ‘Napoleonic state’ logic, and a ‘local solidarity’ logic. These combinations of logics illuminate two approaches to co-production. In France, co-production is informed by notions of citizenship, solidarity and participative democracy, leading to a greater focus on citizen involvement in organisational governance and influence of rules as an enabler and constraint to co-production. In Sheffield, co-production is seen as a way to improve communities, services and outcomes, and we therefore see more pragmatic attention to co-design and co-delivery activities. This thesis provides an important contribution to co-production theory and practice, by employing institutional theory to demonstrate some of the cultural and contextual subjectivity of co-production, and producing evidence of meso and macro level factors that influence co-production behaviour.
WNT4 is required for normal ovarian follicle development and female fertility

To study the role of WNT4 in the postnatal ovary, a mouse strain bearing a floxed Wnt4 allele was created and mated to the Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr strain to target deletion of Wnt4 to granulosa cells. Wnt4flox/−; Amhr2m3(cre)Bhr/+ mice had reduced ovary weights and produced smaller litters (P<0.05). Serial follicle counting demonstrated that Wnt4flox/−;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ mice were born with a normal ovarian reserve and maintained normal numbers of small follicles until puberty but had only 25.2% of the normal number of healthy antral follicles. Some Wnt4flox/−;Amhr2m3(cre)Bhr/+ mice had no antral follicles or corpora lutea and underwent premature follicle depletion. RT‐PCR analyses of Wnt4flox/−; Amhr2m3(cre)Bhr/+ granulosa cells and cultured granulosa cells that overexpress WNT4 demonstrated that WNT4 regulates the expression of Star, Cyp11a1, and Cyp19, steroidogenic genes previously identified as downstream targets of the WNT signaling effector CTNNB1. Decreased serum progesterone levels were found in immature, gonadotropin‐treated Wnt4flox/−;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ mice (P<0.05). WNT4‐ and CTNNB1‐overexpressing cultured granulosa cells were analyzed by microarray for alterations in gene expression, which showed that WNT4 regulates additional genes involved in late follicle development via the WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway. Together, these data indicate that WNT4 is required for normal antral follicle development and may act by regulating granulosa cell functions including steroidogenesis. —Boyer, A. , Lapointe, E. , Zheng, X. , Cowan, R. G. , Li, H. , Quirk, S. M. , DeMayo, F. J., Richards, J. S. , Boerboom, D. WNT4 is required for normal ovarian follicle development and female fertility. FASEB J. 24, 3010–3025 (2010). www.fasebj. org
The rebound effect of dematerialization and decoupling: a case of energy efficiency

ABSTRACT The two essential terms in environmental sciences – dematerialization and decoupling – have always been controversial. This study aims to trace the evolution path on the methodologies, the evidences and the policies, and to reflect on the implications of the development. We specifically present several classical definitions so as to summarize the similarities and differences thereinafter. Several commonly used methodologies, which are employed for evaluating the levels of dematerialization and decoupling, are discussed. As expected, the empirical evidences rarely support the absolute dematerialization and decoupling, which challenge the relevant policies implemented worldwide. In this context, the rebound effect, which is regarded as the main obstacle, is necessary to be examined in the various sectors and areas. However, the results of the rebound levels are far from unanimous. This article has a further discussion on the possible direction for the inconclusive debate in a broader perspective.
Using solution thermodynamics to describe the dispersion of rod-like solutes: application to dispersions of carbon nanotubes in organic solvents

We report a simple model describing the solubility of rods in solvents, expressing the final result explicitly in terms of the surface entropy and the enthalpy of mixing. This model can be combined with any expression for the mixing enthalpy depending on the requirements. For example, in one instance it predicts the dispersed concentration of rods to decrease exponentially with the Flory–Huggins parameter of the dispersion. Using a different enthalpy function, it predicts a Gaussian peak when concentration is plotted versus solvent surface energy. The model also suggests specific solvent–rod interactions to be important and shows the dispersed concentration to be very sensitive to ordering at the solvent–rod interface. We have used this model to describe experimental results for the concentration of dispersed nanotubes in various solvents. Qualitative agreement with these predictions is observed experimentally. However, we suggest that the fact that quantitative agreement is not found may be explained by solvent ordering at the nanotube surface.
Augmented Reality Trends in Education between 2016 and 2017 Years

The aim of this chapter is to review literature regarding using augmented reality (AR) in education articles published in between 2016 and 2017 years. The literature source was Web of Science and SSCI, SCI-EXPANDED, A&HCI, CPCI-S, CPCI-SSH, and ESCI indexes. Fifty-two articles were reviewed; however, 14 of them were not been included in the study. As a result, 38 articles were examined. Level of education, field of educa - tion, and material types of AR used in education and reported educational advantages of AR have been investigated. All articles are categorized according to target groups, which are early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, high school education, graduate education, and others. AR technology has been mostly car- ried out in primary and graduate education. “Science education” is the most explored field of education. Mobile applications and marker-based materials on paper have been mostly preferred. The major advantages indicated in the articles are “Learning/Academic Achievement,” “Motivation,” and “Attitude”. The show = Also, cognitive the and potential uses of real ity in social, and cognitive comprehension performance; metacognitive experiential activity; and of the use of AR for study, in by
Generation of 3-D finite element models of restored human teeth using micro-CT techniques.

PURPOSE This article describes the development of a three-dimensional finite element model of a premolar based on a microscale computed tomographic (CT) data-acquisition technique. The development of the model is part of a project studying the optimal design and geometry of adhesive tooth-colored cusp-replacing restorations. MATERIALS AND METHODS The premolar was digitized with a micro CT scanner with a resolution of 13 microns. Surface contours were fitted to the various materials, after which a 3-D finite element mesh was constructed to the contours. To demonstrate the potential use of the resulting model, it was applied to a cusp-replacing resin composite restoration. RESULTS The stress patterns generated in the composite material were truly 3-D. Stress concentrations were found at the surface where the load was applied and in the vicinity of the dentin-composite bonding surface, where the interface had its complex geometry. CONCLUSION The described procedure is an easy method to produce a highly detailed 3-D finite element model of a premolar with an adhesive cusp-replacing restoration.