Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Depreciation in Commercial and Multifamily Property: An Investment Perspective

This article reports empirical evidence on the nature and magnitude of real depreciation in commercial and multifamily investment properties in the United States. The article is based on a much larger and more comprehensive database than prior studies of depreciation in such properties, and it is based on actual transaction prices rather than appraisal estimates of property or building structure values. The article puts forth an &#8220;investment perspective&#8221; on depreciation, which differs from the tax policy perspective that has dominated the previous literature in the United States. From the perspective of the fundamentals of investment performance, depreciation is measured as a fraction of total property value, not just structure value, and it is oriented toward cash flow and market value metrics of investment performance such as internal rate of return and holding period return. Depreciation from this perspective includes all three age&#8208;related sources of long&#8208;term secular decline in real value: physical, functional and economic obsolescence of the building structure. The analysis based on 107,805 transaction price observations finds an overall average depreciation rate of 1.5%/year, ranging from 1.82%/year for properties with new buildings to 1.12%/year for properties with 50&#8208;year&#8208;old buildings. Apartment properties depreciate slightly faster than nonresidential commercial properties. Depreciation is caused almost entirely by decline in the property's current real income, only secondarily by increase in the capitalization rate (&#8220;cap rate creep&#8221;). Depreciation rates vary considerably across metropolitan areas, with areas characterized by space market supply constraints exhibiting notably less depreciation. This is particularly true when the supply constraints are caused by physical land scarcity as distinct from regulatory constraints. Commercial real estate asset market pricing, as indicated by transaction cap rates, is importantly related to depreciation differences across metro areas.
Quality of Complication Reporting in the Surgical Literature

ObjectiveTo identify 10 critical elements of accurate and comprehensive reports of surgical complications. Summary Background DataDespite a venerable tradition of weekly morbidity and mortality conferences, inconsistent complication reporting is common in the surgical literature. MethodsAn analysis of articles reporting short-term outcomes after pancreatectomy, esophagectomy, and hepatectomy was performed. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published from 1975 to 2001 and retrospective series of more than 100 patients published from 1990 to 2001 were reviewed. ResultsA total of 119 articles reporting outcomes in 22,530 patients were analyzed. This included 42 RCTs and 77 retrospective series. Of the 10 criteria developed, no articles met all criteria; 2% met 9 criteria, 38% 7 or 8, 34% 5 or 6, 40% 3 or 4, and 12% 1 or 2. Outpatient information (22% of articles), definitions of complications provided (34% of articles), severity grade used (20% of articles), and risk factors included in analysis (29% of articles) were the most commonly unmet quality reporting criteria. Type of study (RCT vs. retrospective), site of institution (U.S. vs. non-U.S.) and journal (U.S. vs. non-U.S.) did not influence the quality of complication reporting. ConclusionsShort-term surgical outcomes are routinely included in the data reported in the surgical literature. This is often used to show improvements over time or to assess the impact of therapeutic changes on patient outcome. The inconsistency of reporting and the lack of accepted principles of accrual, display, and analysis of complication data argue strongly for the creation and generalized use of standards for reporting this information.
Dilated cardiomyopathy‐associated proteins and their presentation in a WWW‐accessible two‐dimensional gel protein database

High resolution two‐dimensional electrophoresis (2‐DE) and computer‐assisted image analysis were used to screen 13 patients suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) versus 15 control patients for quantitative and qualitative differences in their myocardial protein expression. Right atrial tissue samples were obtained from end‐stage failing explanted hearts and control hearts. Fifty‐two spots differed significantly in average intensity between the DCM and the control groups. Myosin light chain 2, ventricular (MLC2) and heat shock protein HSP 27 were identified by protein microsequencing and gel map comparison with other databases. These proteins were found to be characteristic protein markers for DCM in the right atrium. In DCM patients, the spot intensity (protein abundance) of MLC2 is increased to 336% and HSP 27 is decreased to 59%, compared to the control group. The HEART‐2DPAGE, a World Wide Web‐accessible 2‐DE database, was used and extended for the presentation of these disease‐associated proteins. Retrievable via Internet we present a list of disease‐associated proteins, their altered level of expression in DCM, and their position on a right atrial protein pattern. The accession number to protein sequence databases confers a connection to databases like SWISS‐PROT to obtain a detailed functional and structural description of disease‐associated proteins. New DCM‐associated proteins are detected and their presentation in a 2‐DE gel protein database is described.
Receptor-Mediated Entry by Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Utilizes a pH-Dependent Endocytic Pathway

ABSTRACT Previous studies of human and nonhuman primate lentiviral entry mechanisms indicate a predominant use of pH-independent pathways, although more recent studies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 entry appear to reveal the use of a low-pH-dependent entry pathway in certain target cells. To expand the characterization of the specificity of lentiviral entry mechanisms, we have in the current study examined the entry pathway of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) during infection of its natural target, equine macrophages, permissive equine fibroblastic cell lines, and an engineered mouse cell line expressing the recently defined equine lentivirus receptor-1. The specificity of EIAV entry into these various cells was determined by assaying the effects of specific drug treatments on the level of virus entry as measured by quantitative real-time PCR assay of early reverse transcripts or by measurements of virion production. The results of these studies demonstrated that EIAV entry into all cell types was substantially inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with the vacuolar H+-ATPase inhibitors concanamycin A and bafilomycin A1 or the lysosomotropic weak base ammonium chloride. In contrast, treatments with sucrose to block clathrin-mediated endocytosis or with chloroquine to block organelle acidification failed to inhibit EIAV entry into the same target cells. The observed inhibition of EIAV entry was shown not to be related to cytotoxicity. Taken together, these experiments reveal for the first time that EIAV receptor-mediated entry into target cells is via a low-pH-dependent endocytic pathway.
Information-Theoretic Compressive Sensing Kernel Optimization and Bayesian Cramér–Rao Bound for Time Delay Estimation

With the adoption of arbitrary and increasingly wideband signals, the design of modern radar systems continues to be limited by analog-to-digital converter technology and data throughput bottlenecks. Meanwhile, compressive sensing (CS) promises to reduce sampling rates below the Nyquist rate for some applications by constraining the set of possible signals. In many practical applications, detailed prior knowledge on the signals of interest can be learned from training data, existing track information, and/or other sources, which can be used to design better compressive measurement kernels. In this paper, we use an information-theoretic approach to optimize CS kernels for time delay estimation. The measurements are modeled via a Gaussian mixture model by discretizing the a priori probability distribution of the time delay. The optimal CS kernel that approximately maximizes the Shannon mutual information between the measurements and the time delay is then found by a gradient-based search. Furthermore, we also derive the Bayesian Cramér–Rao bound (CRB) for time delay estimation as a function of the CS kernel. In numerical simulations, we compare the performance of the proposed optimal sensing kernels to random projections and the Bayesian CRB. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed technique for sensing kernel optimization can significantly improve performance, which is consistent with the Bayesian CRB versus signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Finally, we use the Bayesian CRB expressions and simulation results to make conclusions about the usefulness of CS in radar applications. Specifically, we discuss CS SNR loss versus resolution improvement in SNR- and resolution-limited scenarios.
Beta-turns and their distortions: a proposed new nomenclature.

Using the new version of a Protein Structural Database, BIPED, beta-turns have been extracted from 58 non-identical proteins (resolution less than or equal to 2 A) using the standard criteria that the distance between C alpha i and C alpha i + 3 is less than 7 A and that the central residues are not helical. It has been shown that 42% of these do not fit into the eight conventional turn types (I, I', II, II', VIa, VIb and VIII) as defined by phi, psi limits for residues i + 1 and i + 2. Most of the unclassified turns are 'distortions' of the standard turn types, lying just outside the specified limits. Eleven per cent of the turns are not related to the standard types, and have completely different phi, psi combinations. Therefore, the conformational space available to a trans tetrapeptide has been explored to find all two-residue phi, psi combinations which satisfy the criteria for beta-turn formation. The conformations generated by the search are the conformations observed in the data. On the basis of these observations a new nomenclature is suggested for beta-turns based on a shorthand descriptor of populated regions of the phi, psi plot. For example, it is proposed that a type I turn should now be described as an alpha alpha turn, the descriptor indicating the phi, psi regions of the i + 1 and i + 2 positions of the turn. The use of descriptors, which convey information about the turn type conformation, should aid protein structural workers in turn classification and visualization. The sequence preferences for the alpha beta turn have been elucidated: Pro, Asp and Ser at i + 1; Asn and His at i + 2; Pro at i + 3. These preferences have been explained in terms of specific interactions involving the side-chains. The beta-turn prediction program, BTURN 1.0, has been further developed by alterations to the calculation of parameters, the removal of incompatible multiple turn predictions and the inclusion of the distorted types alpha alpha and beta p gamma data in the respective sets of parameters, to yield BTURN 2.0. A variation of this beta-turn prediction program, called GORBTURN 1.0, has been developed, which uses the directional parameters produced from work by Garrett et al., to eliminate potential helix and strand-forming residues from the beta-turn prediction. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Influence of carbon source on pyrimidine synthesis in Pseudomonas mendocina

The effect of carbon source on the regulation of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymes in the bacterium Pseudomonas mendocina was studied. When glucose was the carbon source, orotic acid supplementation of P. mendocina cells produced the greatest depression of aspartate transcarbamoylase, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and orotate phosphoribosyltransferase activities while P. mendocina cells grown in the presence of uracil caused the maximal decrease in dihydroorotase and OMP decarboxylase activities. After the pyrimidine starvation of an orotate phosphoribosyltransferase mutant strain of P. mendocina grown on glucose, the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway enzyme activities were generally diminished. With respect to pyrimidine starvation studies, the carbon source glucose appeared to lessen regulation at the level of enzyme synthesis compared to what has been observed when succinate served as the carbon source. The regulation of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway by carbon source in P. mendocina appeared to differ from how carbon source influenced the control of pyrimidine biosynthesis in the closely‐related species Pseudomonas stutzeri.
Methods of Sterilization and Monitoring of Sterilization AcrossSelected Dental Practices in Karachi, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE To assess methods of sterilization in dental practices in Karachi and secondly to investigate methods of monitoring sterilization in dental practices in Karachi, Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Dental colleges, hospitals and private clinics of Karachi, Pakistan, from January to March 2013. METHODOLOGY A total of 251 questionnaires were obtained. Descriptive statistics were computed and differences between groups were assessed through chi-square test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. P-value < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. RESULTS Autoclave, used by 155 (61.8%) dentists was the most common method of sterilization followed by more than one method, 65 (25.9%); dry heat, 24 (9.6%); and cold sterilization, 7 (2.8%). Majority of dentists, 126 (50.1%), never monitored sterilization and those who did monitored mostly monthly. Statistically significant difference was found amongst the three groups of dentists monitoring sterilization (p=0.09) and methods of sterilization (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Statistically significant difference was found in infection control practices of specialists, postgraduate trainees and general dentists regarding method of monitoring sterilization with majority of dentists never monitoring sterilization.
Outcomes after thrombolysis in AIS according to prior statin use

Background: The impact of prior statin use on outcomes after thrombolysis is unclear. We evaluated outcomes of patients treated by IV, intra-arterial (IA) thrombolysis, or combined therapy, according to prior statin use. Methods: We analyzed data from a patient registry (606 patients) and conducted a systematic review. Results: We identified 11 previous studies (6,438 patients) that evaluated the effect of statin use on outcomes after IV thrombolysis (8 studies), IA thrombolysis (2 studies), or a single/combined approach (1 study). In our registry and in most of the retrieved studies, statin users had more risk factors and concomitant antiplatelet treatment than nonstatin users. Regardless of treatment strategy, prior statin use was not associated with favorable outcome (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.36; 95 confidence interval [CI] 0.86–2.16), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.22–1.49), or recanalization (OR 1.87; 95% CI 0.69–5.03). In meta-analysis, prior statin use was not associated with favorable outcome (crude OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.88–1.12), but was associated with an increased risk of sICH (crude OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.23–1.95). However, when the available multivariable associations were combined (5 studies), the effect of prior statin use on risk of sICH was not significant (OR 1.31; 95% CI 0.97–1.76). Conclusions: These results suggest no beneficial or detrimental effect of prior statin use in acute stroke patients treated by IV thrombolysis, IA thrombolysis, or combined therapy, although the numbers of patients treated by IA thrombolysis or combined therapy are too small to exclude an effect.
A single blind, prospective, randomized trial comparing n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive (Indermil) and sutures for skin closure in hand surgery.

Fifty patients underwent a variety of hand operations and were randomized for wound closure either with tissue adhesive (Indermil) or sutures. The two treatment groups had similar demographic characteristics and similar outcomes at the 2 and 6 week postoperative assessments which were performed by a designated tissue viability nurse blinded to the method of closure. Five minor wound dehiscences occurred: three in the adhesive group and two in the suture group. No infection occurred in either group. In conclusion, the study demonstrates tissue adhesive is as effective as suture in this type of hand surgery.
Appropriability Strategies to Capture Value from Innovation

Abstract This chapter explores the extent to which an innovator is able to capture innovation rents. After examining the two main drivers of such rents, the strength of the appropriability regime and the ownership of specialized complementary assets, the chapter examines how their interaction is so critical in affecting imitation, commercialization options, and firm performance. After reviewing the underlying conceptual framework and empirical evidence, and using a perspective that cuts across both time and industries, the authors then discuss the implications of innovation profits for the resources to be devoted to the discovery of new or improved product and processes.
A Comparative Biomechanical Investigation of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Cages: Central and Bilateral Approaches*

Background: Some biomechanical studies have been performed to evaluate the stabilization provided by interbody cages, but there are virtually no comparative data for the different designs. Furthermore, most investigators have used animal models, which may have led to different results due to morphological variation in the end plates and articular facets. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate whether two different anterior cage designs (BAK and SynCage) performed differently with respect to immediate stabilization of the spine, whether the cages stabilized the spine significantly compared with its intact condition, and whether the addition of supplementary translaminar screw fixation further stabilized the spine. Stabilization was defined as a reduction in motion after insertion of an implant. Methods: Twelve lumbar functional spinal units from human cadavera were tested under pure moments of flexion, extension, bilateral axial rotation, and bilateral lateral bending to a maximum of ten newton-meters. The relative intervertebral motions were measured, with use of an optoelectronic camera system, under three test conditions: with the spine intact, after insertion of anterior interbody cages, and after insertion of anterior interbody cages supplemented with translaminar screw fixation. Six specimens were tested for each type of cage: a bilateral, porous, threaded cylinder (BAK) and a central, porous, contoured implant with end-plate fit (SynCage). Results: The cages performed in a similar manner in all directions of loading, with no significant differences between the two designs. The cages significantly stabilized the spine compared with its intact condition in flexion, axial rotation, and lateral bending (the median value for motion was 40, 48, and 29 percent of the value for the intact condition, respectively; p = 0.002 for all three directions). Compared with the cages alone, translaminar screw fixation provided no additional stabilizing effect in these directions but it significantly increased the stability of the spine in extension (the median value for motion was 34 percent of the value with the cages alone; p = 0.013). Conclusions: There were no differences in the stabilization provided by the two different cage designs. Use of the cages alone stabilized the spine in all directions except extension, and use of supplementary translaminar screw fixation provided additional stabilization only in extension. Clinical Relevance: This study demonstrated that interbody cages do not stabilize the lumbar spine in extension, and this observation was not altered by the use of substantially different designs. If the lack of stabilization in extension is a clinical problem, possible solutions include the avoidance of extension postoperatively or the use of supplementary fixation.
The contribution of HIV fitness to the evolution pattern of reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance

All currently recommended anti‐retroviral therapy protocols employ reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs). However, mutations within the reverse transcriptase (RT) domain can lead to resistance to these agents and treatment failure. The contribution of the fitness of drug‐resistant species to the evolution of RTI resistance has not been elucidated despite its potential implications for therapeutic strategies. In this study we utilized a competitive fitness assay to assess the relative fitness of 13 drug‐resistant HIV‐1 mutants in the presence and absence of inhibitor. Among these mutants were thymidine analog mutations (TAMs) such as 41L/210W/215Y and 67N/70R/219Q, as well as single mutants such as 103N and 181C that confer high‐level resistance to non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) such as nevirapine. These studies revealed that 67N/70R and 67N/70R/219Q were fitter than the 70R progenitor species, and the acquisition of 41L by 215Y substantially increased its fitness in the absence of drug. We also observed that 215Y was more fit than 70R and 67N/70R, and that 41L/215Y and 41L/210W/215Y were the most‐fit species in the presence of zidovudine. Moreover, 103N was fitter than 181C without nevirapine but less fit with nevirapine. From these studies we conclude that viral fitness contributes substantially to the evolutionary pattern of TAMs suggesting that, as for protease inhibitor resistance, mutations can act in primary (increasing resistance) and secondary (increasing fitness) capacities. We also surmise that drug resistance and fitness are competing forces underlying the emergence of nevirapine resistant mutants 103N and 181C. J. Med. Virol. 78:425–430, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI for tumor surveillance before liver transplantation: center-based experience.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively acquired institutional results to determine the accuracy of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in liver tumor surveillance before transplantation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS One hundred fifteen patients underwent MRI of the abdomen within 90 days before liver transplantation. Images were acquired with gadolinium-enhanced 3D gradient-echo sequences in the arterial, venous, and delayed phases. Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was based on the imaging criteria arterial phase enhancement, delayed phase hypointensity, and development of an enhancing outer margin capsule. Imaging findings were compared with findings at histopathologic evaluation of the explanted liver. RESULTS Thirty-six HCCs in 27 patients were detected at histopathologic evaluation. Patient-based analysis showed the sensitivity of MRI was 88.9% (24/27); specificity, 97.7% (false-positive findings in two patients); and accuracy, 95.7%. MRI depicted 28 of 36 HCCs, resulting in a lesion-based sensitivity of 77.8%. Although all 18 HCCs 2 cm or larger were depicted with MRI, only 10 of 18 HCCs smaller than 2 cm were correctly diagnosed. However, two HCCs measuring smaller than 2 cm at pathologic examination were rated as dysplastic nodules on MRI. CONCLUSION Contrast-enhanced MRI can be used as a primary diagnostic method for accurate detection and characterization of HCC 2 cm or larger as required by the criteria of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease used by the United Network for Organ Sharing. MRI can be considered a standard tool for surveillance before liver transplantation. Reduction in cost and risk may be derived from the diminished need for other diagnostic imaging studies and biopsy and the avoidance of use of iodinated contrast agents in imaging of patients with cirrhosis, many of whom have impaired renal function.