Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hygromycin B phosphotransferase as a selectable marker for DNA transfer experiments with higher eucaryotic cells

The DNA coding sequence for the hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene was placed under the control of the regulatory sequences of a cloned long terminal repeat of Moloney sarcoma virus. This construction allowed direct selection for hygromycin B resistance after transfection of eucaryotic cell lines not naturally resistant to this antibiotic, thus providing another dominant marker for DNA transfer in eucaryotic cells.
A novel high-frequency quasi-SOI power MOSFET for multi-gigahertz applications

We have fabricated a high-efficiency quasi-SOI power MOSFET for multi-gigahertz applications. The device was formed by reversed silicon wafer direct bonding which enables easy use of a high-resistivity substrate. The breakdown voltage of the quasi-SOI power MOSFET is more than twice that of a conventional SOI power MOSFET. Fmax of the quasi-SOI power MOSFET is 11.0 GHz, about 15% higher than that of the SOI power MOSFET. The fabricated device has the excellent power added efficiency of 68% at a 2 GHz under 3.6 V operation.
The natural history of acute dilated cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION Acute dilated cardiomyopathy (ADCM) is a frequent cause for referral for cardiac transplantation yet its prognosis and natural history on contemporary therapy remain uncertain. METHODS The Multicenter Intervention in Myocarditis and Acute Cardiomyopathy (IMAC)-2 trial enrolled 373 patients at 12 academic medical centers with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40%, heart failure symptoms < 6 months duration, and a diagnostic evaluation consistent with idiopathic cardiomyopathy or acute myocarditis. The natural history of ADCM in an earlier era (1975-2000) was also examined via a MEDLINE search of published observational studies. RESULTS Mean age of the IMAC-2 study cohort was 45 ± 4 years and 38% were female. Mean initial LVEF was 24% ± 8% and increased to 40% ± 12% during treatment with ACE-I/ARB (82%), and a beta-blocker (94%). Transplantation-free survival at 1, 2, and 4 years was 94%, 92%, and 86%, respectively. This survival rate was substantially higher than the prior era. Multivariate predictors of improvement in LVEF were smaller LV dimension and higher systolic blood pressure whereas black race and higher initial New York Heart Association functional class were associated with lower final LVEF. Genotypic variation did not correlate with response to pharmacological therapy. CONCLUSION Earlier diagnosis and aggressive pharmacologic and device-based therapy of ADCM has led to improved prognosis.
Quantification in X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) is a versatile tool in many analytical problems. Major, minor and trace elements can be qualitatively and quantitatively determined in various kinds of samples: metals, alloys, glasses, cements, minerals, rocks, ores, polymers as well as environmental and biological materials. Elements from Na to U are routinely determined using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) whereas application of wavelength-dispersive spectrometers (WDXRF) allows efficient determination of low-Z elements down to even Be. Although the samples can be analyzed without treatment, high quality results can be ensured if appropriate sample preparation is applied. This may vary from simple cleaning and polishing of the sample (metals, alloys), powdering and pelletizing with or without binder (ceramics, minerals, ores, soils, etc.), fusing the sample with appropriate flux (ceramics, rocks, ores, etc.) to digestion with acids (metals, alloys). This way errors resulting from surface roughness, particle size effect or inhomogeneity of the material can be eliminated or minimized. Due to the nondestructive character of X-ray measurement, the XRF spectrometry is widely applied in analysis of art, museum and archeological objects such as manuscripts, paintings, icons, pottery, ancient glasses, ceramics, coins. Moreover, XRF spectrometry is utilized for simultaneous determination of thickness and composition of various materials such as semiconductors, electrooptic and solar cell devices, etc., in electronic industry and other branches of technology. Typical detection limits for mediumand high-Z elements are in the ppm range, which is satisfactory for several applications. However, in some cases, the elemental concentrations are too low for a direct analysis. Then, the analytes must be preconcentrated prior to analysis using physical or chemical preconcentration or separation methods. Quantitative analysis of all types of aforementioned samples requires applying adequate empirical or theoretical methods. In quantitative XRF analysis, the measured fluorescent intensities are converted into the concentration of the analytes. This issue is rather complicated because the measured intensities depend not only on the analyte concentration but also on accompanying elements (matrix), sample type (solid, liquid or powder sample, etc.), method of sample preparation, shape and thickness of the analyzed sample and measurement conditions such as geometrical setup of the spectrometer, irradiated size, flux
Effective feedback to small and large classes

Educational experts appear to be in broad agreement when it comes to the importance of feedback for effective learning. Students benefit from plenty of opportunity and encouragement to express their understanding, and from informed, supportive, possibly challenging, feedback. At the same time, we observe that many students at our university do not find that they receive helpful feedback. One in three engineering students disagree or strongly disagree with the quality of teaching questionnaire's "I received helpful feedback on how I was going" in the individual course, and most other disciplines find themselves in a similar situation. For the university as a whole, student responses to this question are clearly less positive than to other questions on quality of teaching, intellectual stimulation, staff interest, workload, and so on, and this state of affairs seems quite common in the Australian context. We discuss best practice in feedback provision, partly based on our interviews with students and staff. We have been particularly interested in identifying cost-effective ways of providing informed and constructive feedback to large classes. Feedback is often understood, by engineering students and staff alike, simply as comments on submitted work typically written assignments. We argue in favour of a broader concept that covers a multitude of ways for a student to develop deep learning through conversation, including questions and answers provided by others, team work, study groups, and formative teacher-provided feedback during an assessment task. We emphasize the coaching role of the teacher, and feedback designed to encourage students to monitor own learning. Large classes pose particular logistic problems. We identify staff development as a crucial factor for consistent, effective feedback, and point to web-based feedback provision as a workable solution to some logistic problems. We briefly discuss the role of information technology more broadly, both for learning enhancement and for automated feedback provision.
A 2.8–7.5 pJ/pulse highly-flexible impulse-radio ultra-wideband pulse-generator

A low-power on-off-keying impulse-radio (IR) ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse generator (PG) intended for wireless-powered IR-UWB radio applications is presented. The proposed PG has high flexibility, the center frequency, output power and pulse-width (PW) are controllable depending on channel conditions and data rates. Qualitative frequency-domain and transient analyses are presented. A new figure-of-merit (FoM) is proposed such that a more precise comparison between different PGs can be made. The PG is successfully implemented in a TSMC 90 nm CMOS process, measurements show the energy consumption and FoM to be 2.8-7.5 pJ/pulse and 1.6-2.6% respectively. The output swing and PW are 277-329 mVp-p and 509-1088 ps respectively. The core area is 0.092 mm 2 .
Flexible Programs of Chemokine Receptor Expression on Human Polarized T Helper 1 and 2 Lymphocytes

Chemokines and their receptors are important elements for the selective attraction of various subsets of leukocytes. To better understand the selective migration of functional subsets of T cells, chemokine receptor expression was analyzed using monoclonal antibodies, RNase protection assays, and the response to distinct chemokines. Naive T cells expressed only CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR)4, whereas the majority of memory/activated T cells expressed CXCR3, and a small proportion expressed CC chemokine receptor (CCR)3 and CCR5. When polarized T cell lines were analyzed, CXCR3 was found to be expressed at high levels on T helper cell (Th)0s and Th1s and at low levels on Th2s. In contrast, CCR3 and CCR4 were found on Th2s. This was confirmed by functional responses: only Th2s responded with an increase in [Ca2+]i to the CCR3 and CCR4 agonists eotaxin and thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC), whereas only Th0s and Th1s responded to low concentrations of the CXCR3 agonists IFN-γ–inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by IFN-γ (Mig). Although CCR5 was expressed on both Th1 and Th2 lines, it was absent in several Th2 clones and its expression was markedly influenced by interleukin 2. Chemokine receptor expression and association with Th1 and Th2 phenotypes was affected by other cytokines present during polarization. Transforming growth factor β inhibited CCR3, but enhanced CCR4 and CCR7 expression, whereas interferon α inhibited CCR3 but upregulated CXCR3 and CCR1. These results demonstrate that chemokine receptors are markers of naive and polarized T cell subsets and suggest that flexible programs of chemokine receptor gene expression may control tissue-specific migration of effector T cells.
Agent-based Modelling for Simulating Patients Flow in a Community Hospital

One of the most innovative tools in health care informatics is agent-based modelling. Such models change dynamically and help to understand interactions in complex systems especially when simulating competitive and cooperative behaviors in human systems. In our approach we use multi-agent modelling for simulating and evaluating patients flow in a community hospital. The model proposed in this context consists of three different types of agents: the hospital agent, the unit-agent and the patient-agent. Calculation of waiting times was performed using previously collected data from elective patients entering the community hospital ambulance. Poisson distribution was used to model waiting times. The simulation was carried out using the JAVA-based multi-agent-modelling environment Quicksilver. After solving convergence problems, we found, that the simulation especially for the ambulance entrance unit did show completely unexpected results. We were able to prove that the waiting times did not solely refer to the service times of the modelled units. To assure an unobstructed patient flow, we also showed that the mean service time at the entrance unit should not exceed 25 min. Although no evidence was given by the isolated analysis of waiting times, the simulation gave hints for a âhidden patient queueâ, which after presenting the results in the quality circle meeting was confirmed by the ambulance staff.
South African Educators' Mutually Inclusive Mandates to Promote Human Rights and Positive Discipline.

South African educators are mandated by international and national law to observe and promote human rights. However, given the realities of the limited teaching time available, educators cannot fulfil this obligation solely by teaching the curriculum. Another avenue needs to be found for educators to fulfil this obligation. Educators are also mandated to follow a positive discipline approach, but they are still finding this mandate difficult to accept. The authors of this article contend that the mutual inclusivity of these mandates might hold the solution to both these challenges. It provides the avenue needed for educators to fulfil their human rights mandate because by implementing positive discipline, human rights are invariably observed and promoted. This is so because positive discipline is grounded in human rights. In this article the authors aim to explain the mutual inclusivity of these mandates to illustrate the fact that, by adopting a positive discipline approach, educators will be fulfilling their theoretical obligation to promote and observe human rights and will thus be making these rights a reality.
PIK3CA Gene Amplification and PI3K p110α Protein Expression in Breast Carcinoma

A family of PI3Ks is the lipid kinases, which enhance intracellular pools of phosphatidyl inositol 3,4,5-tri-phosphate (PIP3) through phosphorylating its precursor. Amplifications and deletions of genes, as well as somatic missense of the PIK3CA gene have been described in many human cancer varieties, including of the brain, colon, liver, lung and stomach. Immunohistochemistry and Real-time quantitative PCR tests were used to determine the PIK3CA gene amplification (gene copy number) and to detect protein expression, respectively. The results obtained were analysed and the ratio of PIK3CA to β-actin gene copy number was calculated. Positive gene amplification of PIK3CA was appointed as a copy number of ≥4. Also, PI3K p110α protein expression was scored from 0 to 3+ and the scores of 2+ and 3+ were considered as positive for PI3K p110α protein expression. We studied 50 breast carcinoma samples for PI3K p110α protein expression and PIK3CA gene copy numbers. In general, 36 out of 50 (72%) breast carcinoma samples showed a significant increase in PIK3CA gene amplification. 12 out of 50 (24%) showed positive staining, and 38 out of 50 (76%) showed negative staining for PI3K p110α expression. We have identified no significant relationship between PIK3CA amplification, race (p= 0.630) and histological type (p=0. 731) in breast carcinoma, but correlation of PIK3CA amplification and age showed a significant relationship (p=0. 003) between them. No significant relationship has been identified in correlation of PI3K p110α protein expression compared to age (p=0. 284), race (p=0. 546) and histological type (p=0. 285). Amplification of PIK3CA was frequent in breast carcinoma and occurs in stages of breast carcinoma. Our result shows that there is a relationship between gene amplification and age in breast carcinoma. We suggest that PIK3CA is significant in breast tumorigenesis serve as a prevalent mechanism contributes to the oncogenic activation pathway of PIK3CA in breast cancer.
An ISO/SWS study of the dust composition around S stars - A novel view of S-star dust

Aims. We investigate the composition of the solid-state materials in the winds around S-type AGB stars. The S stars produce dust in their wind that bears a resemblance to the dust produced in some O-rich AGB stars. However, the reported resemblance is mostly based on IRAS/LRS spectra with limited spectral resolution, sensitivity, and wavelength coverage. Methods. We investigate the dust composition around S stars using ISO/SWS data that surpass the previous studies in terms of spectral resolution and wavelength coverage. We selected the dust producing S stars in the ISO/SWS archive with enough signal to perform a detailed dust analysis, and then compare the dust spectra from the 9 sources with the O-rich AGB spectra and a subset of M super-giants. We constructed average dust emission spectra of the different categories. Results. We report the discovery of several previously unreported dust emission features in the S star spectra. The long wavelength spectra of W Aql and π 1 Gru exhibit the “30” μm feature attributed to MgS. Two sources exhibit a series of emission bands between 20 and 40 μm that we tentatively ascribe to Diopside. We show that the 10−20 μm spectra of the S stars are significantly different from the O-rich AGB stars. The O-rich stars exhibit a structured emission feature that is believed to arise from amorphous silicate and aluminium-oxide. The S stars lack the substructure found in the O-rich stars. Instead they show a smooth peak with a varying peakposition from source to source. We suggest that this feature is caused by a family of related materials, whose exact composition determines the peak position. The observed trend mimics the laboratory trend of non-stoichiometric silicates. In this scenario the degree of non-stoichiometry is related to the Mg to SiO4 ratio, in other words, to the amount of free O available during the dust grain growth.
pH-induced structural change of a multi-tryptophan protein MPT63 with immunoglobulin-like fold: identification of perturbed tryptophan residue/residues

The structural change of M. tuberculosis MPT63, which is predominantly a β-sheet protein having an immunoglobulin like fold, has been investigated in the pH range 7.5–1.5 using various biophysical techniques along with low-temperature phosphorescence (LTP) spectroscopy. MPT63 contains four Tryptophan (Trp) residues at 26, 48, 82, and 129. Although circular dichroism, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, time-resolved anisotropy, 1-aniline-8-naphthalene sulfonic (ANS) acid binding, and analytical ultracentrifuge depict more open largely unfolded structure of MPT63 at pH 1.5 and also more accessible nature of Trp residues to neutral quencher at pH 1.5, it is, however, not possible to assign the specific Trp residue/residues being perturbed. This problem has been resolved using LTP of MPT63, which shows optically resolved four distinct (0, 0) bands corresponding to four Trp residues in the pH range 7.5–3.0. LTP at pH 1.5 clearly reveals that the solvent-exposed Trp 82 and the almost buried Trp 129 are specifically affected compared with Trp 48 and Trp 26. Lys 8 and Lys 27 are predicted to affect Trp 129. Tyrosine residues are found to be silent even at pH 1.5. This type of specific perturbation in a multi-Trp protein has not been addressed before. LTP further indicates that partially exposed Trp 48 is preferentially quenched by acrylamide compared with other Trp residues at both pH 7.5 and 1.5. The solvent-exposed Trp 82 is surprisingly found to be not quenched by acrylamide at pH 7.5. All the results are obtained using micromolar concentration of protein and without using any Trp-substituted mutant.
Second‐line mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine for acute myeloid leukemia: A single‐center experience

The majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will require second‐line chemotherapy for either relapsed or refractory disease. Currently, only allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers a curative option in this setting and no preferred regimen has been established. The reported efficacy of second‐line regimens is widely disparate, thus limiting informed clinical decision making. A retrospective review of 77 patients receiving therapy between 2001 and 2008 with relapsed, 42, and refractory, 35, AML was performed to determine overall response rate and survival following mitoxantrone (8 mg/m2/day), etoposide (100 mg/m2/day), and cytarabine (1,000 mg/m2/day) chemotherapy administered over 5 days. Among 77 patients (median age of 54 years and 64% intermediate risk karyotype) with median follow‐up of 153 days, 18% achieved a complete response and 8% a morphologic leukemia‐free state. Fifty‐seven (74%) experienced treatment failure, 10 of whom achieved a remission after additional therapy. Median overall survival (OS) was 6.8 months. Among patients achieving a response, 50% received consolidation with allogeneic HCT, autologous HCT (5%), or consolidation chemotherapy alone (45%). A nonsignificant trend in overall response (50%, 27%, and 23.8%) and median OS (8.3, 6.8, and 4.7 months) was observed by cytogenetic stratification into favorable, intermediate, and unfavorable risk. Patients with refractory versus relapsed disease had similar overall responses (20% and 31%, P = 0.41) and median OS (5.3 and 7.6 months, P = 0.36). Despite risk stratification by the European Prognostic Index, our series demonstrates inferior rates of response and survival, illustrating the limited activity of this regimen in our cohort. Am. J. Hematol. , 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The people's network

This article explores perceptions of Internet access in UK public libraries within government policy, by librarians, and by library users, in the broader context of government/citizen intermediation. Predominantly theoretical, it focuses upon how discourses of self-education and empowerment have come to position Internet access within this domain in different ways. Public libraries are significant here because: (1) within policy circles, public libraries are positioned as key informational intermediaries between government and citizen; (2) they offer an opportunity to explore the role and experience of ‘traditional’ institutions incorporating Internet access (as opposed to ‘new’ institutions such as the cyber-café and e-gateway); and (3) perceptions of Internet access within public libraries have been under-explored within theoretically driven sociology. An illustrative case involving documentary analysis and interviews with librarians and library users is drawn on to question the technicist image of future domestic governance and citizenship in policy on access and intermediation. The article highlights emerging conjunctions and disjunctions between (1) government policy; (2) library-institutional discourses, interests and strategies; and (3) the everyday practices of citizens, in the context of such access. Utilizing theoretical insights from STS and cultural theory, the article stresses that ‘tensions’ between the different interested constituencies involved (government; libraries; library users) problematize any simple notions of a ‘unitary Internet’ and raise some theoretical and empirical questions regarding the current conceptualization of intermediation within policy on public Internet access.
PIAS1 Is a GATA4 SUMO Ligase That Regulates GATA4-Dependent Intestinal Promoters Independent of SUMO Ligase Activity and GATA4 Sumoylation

GATA4 confers cell type-specific gene expression on genes expressed in cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, endocrine and neuronal tissues by interacting with various ubiquitous and cell-type-restricted transcriptional regulators. By using yeast two-hybrid screening approach, we have identified PIAS1 as an intestine-expressed GATA4 interacting protein. The physical interaction between GATA4 and PIAS1 was confirmed in mammalian cells by coimmunoprecipitation and two-hybrid analysis. The interacting domains were mapped to the second zinc finger and the adjacent C-terminal basic region of GATA4 and the RING finger and the adjoining C-terminal 60 amino acids of PIAS1. PIAS1 and GATA4 synergistically activated IFABP and SI promoters but not LPH promoters suggesting that PIAS1 differentially activates GATA4 targeted promoters. In primary murine enterocytes PIAS1 was recruited to the GATA4-regulated IFABP promoter. PIAS1 promoted SUMO-1 modification of GATA4 on lysine 366. However, sumoylation was not required for the nuclear localization and stability of GATA4. Further, neither GATA4 sumoylation nor the SUMO ligase activity of PIAS1 was required for coactivation of IFABP promoter by GATA4 and PIAS1. Together, our results demonstrate that PIAS1 is a SUMO ligase for GATA4 that differentially regulates GATA4 transcriptional activity independent of SUMO ligase activity and GATA4 sumoylation.