Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Productive and abortive growth of an oncogenic simian adenovirus SV20 in cultured cells.

The growth characteristics of an oncogenic simian adenovirus, SV20, in rhesus monkey (RhMK) and hamster kidney (HamK) cell cultures were compared. The adsorption rate of SV20 in both cell systems was rather slow, but increased steadily up to 6 hr. There was 3 to 8 times more cell-associated virus in RhMK cells than in HamK cells during the first 6 hr of infection. A complete growth cycle of SV20 was obtained in infected monkey cells. This includes sequential nuclear alterations, production of T antigen, viral antigen, and infectious virus. In hamster cells, SV20 induced an abortive infection. Eosinophilic inclusions and T antigen were observed as two distinct entities in the infected hamster cells, but no viral antigen or infectious virus was found in the hamster cell system. Marked stimulation of DNA synthesis in SV20-infected hamster cells was observed.
Collision attacks on OCB

We show that collision attacks are quite effective on the OCB block cipher mode. When a collision occurs OCB loses its authentication capability. To keep adequate authentication security OCB has to be limited in the amount of data it processes. This restriction is relevant to real-life applications, and casts doubt on the wisdom of using OCB.
Study on the Therapeutic Benefit on Lactoferrin in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

A double-blinded parallel randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on two groups of colorectal cancer patients to study the therapeutic benefit of orally administered bovine lactoferrin (bLF) on colorectal cancer patients having age ranges from 20 to 71 years and who received 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin calcium. Test group (15 patients) received oral bLF 250 mg/day beside chemotherapy for three months. Control group (15 patients) received chemotherapy only. Serum lactoferrin (LF), serum glutathione-s-transferase enzyme (GST), interferon gamma (INF-γ), tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), renal function tests, hepatic function tests, and complete blood count were measured for both groups before and at the end of the trial. Although, there was a significant effect of oral bLF (250 mg/day) that indicated a significant improvement in mean percent of change of all parameters 3 months after treatment, there was no significant difference between results of patients in the test group and patients in the control group after treatment. This result suggests that oral bLF has significant therapeutic effect on colorectal cancer patients. Our study suggests that daily administration of bLF showed a clinically beneficial effect to colorectal cancer patients with better disease prognosis but that needs further looking into.
Predicting Emotional Responses to Long Informal Text

Most sentiment analysis approaches deal with binary or ordinal prediction of affective states (e.g., positive versus negative) on review-related content from the perspective of the author. The present work focuses on predicting the emotional responses of online communication in nonreview social media on a real-valued scale on the two affective dimensions of valence and arousal. For this, a new dataset is introduced, together with a detailed description of the process that was followed to create it. Important phenomena such as correlations between different affective dimensions and intercoder agreement are thoroughly discussed and analyzed. Various methodologies for automatically predicting those states are also presented and evaluated. The results show that the prediction of intricate emotional states is possible, obtaining at best a correlation of 0.89 for valence and 0.42 for arousal with the human assigned assessments.
The Relationship between Multicultural Service-Learning and Self-Reported Multicultural Competencies in Undergraduate Students: A Qualitative Participatory Action Study

Abstract In order to explore the link between multicultural service-learning (MSL) and the development of multicultural competence, a participatory action research paradigm and constructivist grounded theory were used to qualitatively explore the perceptions of multicultural competence development in 30 recreation and leisure studies majors. Major themes focused on student development as a result of MSL and the process by which this development occurred. Students reported increased awareness of their own culture and the cultural background of others, recognized privileges they hold on a variety of cultural factors, and developed an understanding of the process of MSL and the role it plays in developing multicultural competence.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as a Novel Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis

AbstractVariation in clinical evidence has prevented the adoption of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of FMT in UC.A systematic literature search was performed in 5 electronic databases from inception through September 2015. Inclusion criteria were reports of FMT in patients with UC. Studies were excluded if they did not report clinical outcomes or included patients with infections. Clinical remission (CR) was defined as the primary outcome.Eleven studies (2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 open-label case-control study, and 8 cohort studies) with a total of 133 UC patients were included in the analysis. In 11 studies (including 8 noncontrol cohort studies and the treatment arms of 3 clinical control trials), the pooled proportion of patients who achieved CR was 30.4% (95% CI 22.6–39.4%), with a low risk of heterogeneity (Cochran Q test, P = 0.139; I2 = 33%). A subgroup analysis suggested that no difference in CR was detected between upper gastrointestinal delivery versus lower gastrointestinal delivery. Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed that there was no difference in CR between single infusion versus multiple infusions (>1) of FMT. All studies reported mild adverse events.FMT is potentially useful in UC disease management but better-designed RCTs are still required to confirm our findings before wide adoption of FMT is suggested. Additionally, basic guidelines are needed imminently to identify the right patient population and to standardize the process of FMT.
The Perceptions of Directors of Gifted Education Regarding Division Factors that Contribute to Proportionate or Nearly Proportionate African American Representation in Gifted Education

This study examined school divisions in the Commonwealth whose percentage African American students in gifted education were proportionate or nearly proportionate to their representation in the general student body in order to determine if there were any commonalities in their selection criteria. The conceptual framework suggests the type of assessments, professional development, multiple criteria, and students’ self-perceptions are significant factors that determine the proportionality of African American students in gifted education programs within the Commonwealth. The reader has been provided with information on the historical perspective of disproportionate representation African Americans traditionally endured in gifted education. Data collected from interviews of directors of gifted education in school divisions that reported proportional representation of African American students in the area of General Intellectual Aptitude in gifted education. An analysis of the data revealed participating school divisions provided professional development on identifying underrepresented populations, used at least six multiple criteria options, selected both achievement and aptitude assessments during the screening process, and provided support for students’ self-perceptions with a variety of programs which resulted in a proportional or near proportional African American representation in their gifted programs.
Adoptive Immunotherapy in Postoperative Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Adoptive immunotherapy (AI) has been applied in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, but the value of postoperative AI has been inconclusive largely as a result of the small number of patients included in each study. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to address this issue for patients with postoperative NSCLC. Methods Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing adoptive immunotherapy with control therapies in postoperative NSCLC patients. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Hazard ratio (HR) was estimated and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effect model. Results Compared with control therapies, analyses of 4 randomized controlled trials (472 patients) showed a significant benefit of adoptive immunotherapy on survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84, p = 0.002), and a 39% reduction in the relative risk of death (no evidence of a difference between trials; p = 0.16, I² = 42%). In subgroup analyses by treatment cycles and treatment regimen, significant OS benefit was found in combination therapy of AI with chemotherapy, regardless of whether or not the treatment cycles were more than 10 cycles. Conclusion Adoptive immunotherapy has the potential to improve overall survival in postoperative NSCLC. The findings suggest this is a valid treatment option for these patients. Further randomized clinical trials are urgently needed.
Sex Work and Trafficking: Moving beyond Dichotomies

ABSTRACT This contribution examines how feminist economists have conceptualized sex work and trafficking through the lens of agency and stigma. The ongoing debate about legalization has focused on sex workers’ agency and choice, and on the role of stigma in shaping the supply of and demand for sex work. Building on the analysis advanced by contributions to this special issue, this study contends that theoretical and policy debates about sex work are dominated by false dichotomies of agency and stigma. It argues that the relationship between stigma and agency operates along a continuum of contractual arrangements that underpins a high degree of segmentation in the industry. The higher the stigma, the lower tends to be the agency. Current policies toward sex work therefore need reconsideration – especially mounting support for criminalization of clients, which, by increasing stigma, is likely to detract from the agency and the well-being of sex workers, however unintentionally.
Coping with IT Carve-out Projects - Towards a Maturity Model

The management of IT carve-out projects is very challenging due to the strict time frame, the severe contractual penalties, the huge number of stakeholders and the various as well as unique IT tasks that have to be conduct-ed. Up to now, there is no instrument for evaluating the readiness of the IT for a carve-out and also not for managing such a project. In order to address this, we develop a maturity model based on expert interviews and a literature review on success factors of IT carve-outs. The elements as well as the usage of the IT carve-out maturity model are explained. The maturity model has been evaluated theoretically based on design principles and during a case study in the financial services industry. The developed maturity model can be used by practitioners for the management of IT carve-outs and also by researchers to examine IT carve-outs in empirical research.
Thirst following water deprivation in humans

[PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , November 1, 2004; 287 (5): E1019-E1023. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab D. Smith, K. Moore, W. Tormey, P. H. Baylis and C. J. Thompson Downward resetting of the osmotic threshold for thirst in patients with SIADH [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , July 1, 2005; 289 (1): R275-R280. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol G. Szinnai, H. Schachinger, M. J Arnaud, L. Linder and U. Keller women Effect of water deprivation on cognitive-motor performance in healthy men and [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] R1238-R1243. , November 1, 2005; 289 (5): Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol E. M. Stricker and M. L. Hoffmann Inhibition of vasopressin secretion when dehydrated rats drink water
Drivers of Technological Capabilities in Developing Countries: An Econometric Analysis of Argentina, Brazil and Chile

This paper introduces the concept of technological knowledge and innovation as key concepts not shared equally among firms. The Evolutionary approaches to the issues of technology in developing countries have assigned a central role to the need to create indigenous technological efforts in mastering new technologies, adapting them to local conditions, improving and exploiting them. Efficiency in setting up, operating, diversifying, and expanding an industrial operation requires specific knowledge and skills in technology, that may be called ”capabilities” of the firm. Technological Capabilities (TCs) are then examined here on the perspective of Lall’s (1992) definition as a ”complex array of skills, technological knowledge, organizational structures, required to operate a technology efficiently and accomplish any process of technological change”. TCs, then, embody the resources required to manage and actualize the generation of technical change. The purpose of this work is to propose a methodology for obtaining econometrical estimates of TCs in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Based on the World Bank’s Investment Climate database, as a result of firms’ surveys made in each of the mentioned countries, the study covers firms from different industrial sectors. This work applies Wignaraja’s Technology Index (TI) in an attempt to provide a preliminary analysis for measuring Technological Capabilities (TCs) and their determinants, and to identify the reciprocal causality relation between them and firms’ economic performance. Supported by TI, the study proceeds with the econometric analysis developed through Simultaneous Equations. Endogeneity tests are also run to test the robustness of TI. Although this study does not explicitly examine TCs over time it offers a glance of the relationship between TCs, export share and other micro level factors in a certain moment in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
Classification Using Multi-Layered Perceptrons

Abstract : There has been an increasing interest in the applicability of neural networks in disparate domains. In this paper, we describe the use of multi-layered perceptrons, a type of neural network topology, for financial classification problems, with promising results. Back-propagation, which is the learning algorithm most often used in multi-layered perceptrons, however, is inherently an inefficient search procedure. We present improved procedures which have much better convergence properties. Using several financial classification applications as examples, we show the efficacy of using multi-layered perceptrons with improved learning algorithms. The modified learning algorithms have better performance, in terms of classification/prediction accuracies, than the methods previously used in the literature, such as probit analysis and similarity-based learning techniques.
Xenon-induced flow activation in patients with cerebral insult who undergo xenon-enhanced CT blood flow studies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Stable xenon-enhanced CT ((s)Xe/CT) has gained wide acceptance in the assessment of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with intracranial abnormalities. The aim of this study was to test whether the contrast medium (ie, (s)Xe) itself directly induces relevant changes in rCBF, thereby distorting any valid determination of cerebral perfusion by using (s)Xe/CT. METHODS To characterize the degree and temporal dynamics of (s)Xe-induced flow activation, a thermal diffusion (TD)-based microprobe was placed subcortically into the frontal lobe on either hemisphere to assess rCBF (TD-rCBF) continuously in 23 patients (mean age, 55 +/- 18 years) with severe intracranial insult who were undergoing (s)Xe/CT. RESULTS In 35, the (s)Xe/CT studies TD-rCBF rose from 25 +/- 17 mL/100 g per minute (range, 5-42 mL/100 g per minute) before (s)Xe administration to 28 +/- 21 mL/100 g per minute (range, 6-46 mL/100 g per minute) after arterial (s)Xe saturation was reached. Analysis of the flow activation curve showed a logarithmic shape with an increase in TD-rCBF between 3% and 7% within the first 76 seconds of (s)Xe wash-in (12% after 190 seconds) and showed no further augmentation until the end of the blood flow study. CONCLUSION The observed (s)Xe-induced rCBF activation, which showed significant inter- and intraindividual variability, might lead to overestimation of rCBF in patients with severe intracranial insult. The obtained flow activation curve provides essential information that may allow subsequent refinement of the methodology, aiming to further minimize the influence of (s)Xe-induced rCBF activation on rCBF calculations when using (s)Xe/CT technology.
Neural modulation of cephalexin intestinal absorption through the di- and tripeptide brush border transporter of rat jejunum in vivo.

Intestinal absorption of beta-lactamine antibiotics (e.g., cefixime and cephalexin) has been shown to proceed through the dipeptide carrier system. In a previous study, nifedipine (NFP), an L-type calcium channel blocker, enhanced the absorption of cefixime in vivo but not in vitro, and it was suggested that neural mechanisms might be involved in the effect of NFP. The aim of the present study was to assess the involvement of the nervous system on the intestinal absorption of cephalexin (CFX). To investigate this, we used a single-pass jejunal perfusion technique in rats. NFP and diltiazem enhanced approximately 2-fold the plasma levels of CFX in treated rats versus untreated controls. NFP also increased approximately 2-fold the CFX level in portal plasma and increased urinary excretion of CFX, thus indicating that CFX did effectively increase CFX intestinal absorption. Perfusing high concentrations of dipeptides in the jejunal lumen competitively reduced CFX absorption and inhibited the enhancement of CFX absorption produced by NFP. Hexamethonium and lidocaine inhibited the effect of NFP, whereas atropine, capsaicin, clonidine, and isoproterenol enhanced CFX absorption by the same order of magnitude as NFP. Thus, complex neural networks can modulate the function of the intestinal di- and tripeptide transporter. Sympathetic noradrenergic fibers, intestinal sensory neurons, and nicotinic synapses are involved in the increase of CFX absorption produced by NFP.
Limits to the diffusion of innovation: A literature review and integrative model

– The purpose of this article is to integrate existing theoretical explanations for innovation diffusion across the disciplines of marketing, innovation and sociology research. , – Literature reviews and historical case analysis were used to support an integrative model. , – Innovation diffusion is affected by technological, social and learning “conditions” while operating in the contextual “domain” of the individual, community or market/industry. , – The model is drawn from new product development and marketing theory. Both fields are dominated by the assumption that users adopt new technology to maximise their utility. Also, the model does not integrate the overlapping effects of the different contexts and domains. , – The article provides a sound model for orienting new product development strategy, since it may reduce the risk of low and slow user adoption of radical innovations due, for instance, to their technological, social, and cognitive differences with former products. A second critical managerial implication is that technological, social and learning conditions clearly have an effect on marketing actions and competitive strategies. , – The article provides a literature review of resistance to technology adoption through a multidisciplinary lens.
Performance evaluation of IEEE 802.15.4e DSME MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we evaluate performance of time synchronized multi-channel MAC protocol called DSME for wireless sensor networks. DSME MAC enhances IEEE 802.15. 4 MAC specification, which provides backward compatibility and adds new features such as multichannel extension to the current single channel based superframe structure; enhancing peer-to-peer communications. Our numerical results show that throughput of DSME MAC protocol is 12 times higher against IEEE802.15. 4-2006 slotted CSMA/CA in a multi-hop network with a 5×5 square grid device deployment. Energy consumption of DSME MAC protocol remains constant as the number of endpoint devices increases, while that of slotted CSMA/CA increases exponentially in star device deployment, thus, life span of a device can be increased substantially by employing DSME MAC protocol for the applications with large number of endpoint devices such as smart metering and infrastructure monitoring.
The Involvement of Recurrent Connections in Area CA3 in Establishing the Properties of Place Fields: a Model

Strong constraints on the neural mechanisms underlying the formation of place fields in the rodent hippocampus come from the systematic changes in spatial activity patterns that are consequent on systematic environmental manipulations. We describe an attractor network model of area CA3 in which local, recurrent, excitatory, and inhibitory interactions generate appropriate place cell representations from location- and direction-specific activity in the entorhinal cortex. In the model, familiarity with the environment, as reflected by activity in neuromodulatory systems, influences the efficacy and plasticity of the recurrent and feedforward inputs to CA3. In unfamiliar, novel, environments, mossy fiber inputs impose activity patterns on CA3, and the recurrent collaterals and the perforant path inputs are subject to graded Hebbian plasticity. This sculpts CA3 attractors and associates them with activity patterns in the entorhinal cortex. In familiar environments, place fields are controlled by the way that perforant path inputs select among the attractors. Depending on the training experience provided, the model generates place fields that are either directional or nondirectional and whose changes when the environment undergoes simple geometric transformations are in accordance with experimental data. Representations of multiple environments can be stored and recalled with little interference, and these have the appropriate degrees of similarity in visually similar environments.