Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Constitutive Centromere Component CENP-50 Is Required for Recovery from Spindle Damage

ABSTRACT We identified CENP-50 as a novel kinetochore component. We found that CENP-50 is a constitutive component of the centromere that colocalizes with CENP-A and CENP-H throughout the cell cycle in vertebrate cells. To determine the precise role of CENP-50, we examined its role in centromere function by generating a loss-of-function mutant in the chicken DT40 cell line. The CENP-50 knockout was not lethal; however, the growth rate of cells with this mutation was slower than that of wild-type cells. We observed that the time for CENP-50-deficient cells to complete mitosis was longer than that for wild-type cells. Centromeric localization of CENP-50 was abolished in both CENP-H- and CENP-I-deficient cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that CENP-50 interacted with the CENP-H/CENP-I complex in chicken DT40 cells. We also observed severe mitotic defects in CENP-50-deficient cells with apparent premature sister chromatid separation when the mitotic checkpoint was activated, indicating that CENP-50 is required for recovery from spindle damage.
Different genetic pathways to proximal and distal colorectal cancer influenced by sex‐related factors

Mutations in the k‐ras and TP53 genes, as well as microsatellite instability (MIN), are frequent genetic alterations in colorectal carcinomas and represent 3 different mechanisms in the carcinogenic process. Both the incidence of colorectal cancer and the frequency of genetic alterations in such tumours have been related to different clinico‐pathological variables, including age and gender of the patient and location of the tumour. A number of studies have also reported associations between different types of genetic alterations. We therefore wanted to explore the relationship between these genetic and clinico‐pathological variables using multivariate analysis on material from 282 colorectal carcinomas. Three logistic regression models were constructed: 1) the presence of K‐ras mutations was dependent on MIN and age and gender of patient, with an especially low frequency among younger males and in tumours with MIN (overall p = 0.0003); 2) the presence of TP53 mutations was only dependent on tumour location, with a positive association to cancers occurring distally (p = 0.002); and 3) the presence of MIN was dependent on age, gender and K‐ras and TP53 mutations, as well as on tumour location. MIN was most frequent among younger male and older female patients, was rare in tumours with K‐ras or TP53 mutations and was found almost exclusively in the proximal colon (overall p < 0.0001). Our data confirm that different genetic pathways to colorectal cancer dominate in the proximal and distal segments of the bowel and suggest that the K‐ras‐ and MIN‐dependent pathways are influenced by different sex‐related factors. Int. J. Cancer 74:664–669, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coronary computed tomography angiography for the assessment of SYNTAX score.

BACKGROUND Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is applied in a growing number of clinical indications. This imaging modality is often regarded as a surrogate of invasive coronary angiography (ICA). In this paper we evaluate the applicability of CCTA alone in the assessment of the SYNTAX score. AIM To evaluate the feasibility of calculating the SYNTAX score (SXScore) using CCTA alone instead of ICA. METHODS Ninety consecutive patients with multivessel or left main (LM) coronary artery disease diagnosed with ICA, in whom prior CCTA scan was available, were included in a post-hoc analysis. First, the SXScore was calculated twice in ten-week intervals by two experienced observers using ICA for each patient. Then the SXScore was calculated twice using CCTA following the same regimen for each patient. Weighted kappa statistic was used to assess the intra-modality and inter-modality reproducibility of the SXScore. RESULTS Ninety patients, aged 63.8 ± 8.9 years, 60% male, 64.4% with two-vessel disease, and 35.6% with three-vessel or LM disease met the inclusion criteria. 287 lesions were identified by ICA and 280 by CCTA (p = 0.56). Median total SXScore was 11.5 (10.2–14.0) as calculated by ICA and 16.0 (14.3–19.4) by CCTA (p < 0.001), and the results were moderately correlated (R = 0.38). Inter-modality agreement between ICA and CCTA for SXScore tertiles was moderate (kappa = 0.40). The intra-modality reproducibility of ICA and CCTA for SXScore tertiles was 0.47 and 0.51, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Inter-modality agreement between CCTA and ICA for calculation of SXSscore is moderate but only slightly worse than intra-modality reproducibility for angiographic alone evaluation. Most of the observed variability can be assigned to the characteristic of the SXScore itself, not to the choice of imaging method. However, the application of CCTA for the assessment of SXScore should be used cautiously.
Identification of membrane proteins by tandem mass spectrometry of protein ions

The most common way of identifying proteins in proteomic analyses is to use short segments of sequence (“tags”) determined by mass spectrometric analysis of proteolytic fragments. The approach is effective with globular proteins and with membrane proteins with significant polar segments between membrane-spanning α-helices, but it is ineffective with other hydrophobic proteins where protease cleavage sites are either infrequent or absent. By developing methods to purify hydrophobic proteins in organic solvents and by fragmenting ions of these proteins by collision induced dissociation with argon, we have shown that partial sequences of many membrane proteins can be deduced easily by manual inspection. The spectra from small proteolipids (1–4 transmembrane α-helices) are dominated usually by fragment ions arising from internal amide cleavages, from which internal sequences can be obtained, whereas the spectra from larger membrane proteins (5–18 transmembrane α-helices) often contain fragment ions from N- and/or C-terminal parts yielding sequences in those regions. With these techniques, we have, for example, identified an abundant protein of unknown function from inner membranes of mitochondria that to our knowledge has escaped detection in proteomic studies, and we have produced sequences from 10 of 13 proteins encoded in mitochondrial DNA. They include the ND6 subunit of complex I, the last of its 45 subunits to be analyzed. The procedures have the potential to be developed further, for example by using newly introduced methods for protein ion dissociation to induce fragmentation of internal regions of large membrane proteins, which may remain partially folded in the gas phase.
SUPERDIFFUSION OF COSMIC RAYS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COSMIC RAY ACCELERATION

Diffusion of cosmic rays (CRs) is the key process for understanding their propagation and acceleration. We employ the description of spatial separation of magnetic field lines in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in Lazarian & Vishniac to quantify the divergence of the magnetic field on scales less than the injection scale of turbulence and show that this divergence induces superdiffusion of CR in the direction perpendicular to the mean magnetic field. The perpendicular displacement squared increases, not as the distance x along the magnetic field, which is the case for a regular diffusion, but as the x3 for freely streaming CRs. The dependence changes to x3/2 for the CRs propagating diffusively along the magnetic field. In the latter case, we show that it is important to distinguish the perpendicular displacement with respect to the mean field and to the local magnetic field. We consider how superdiffusion changes the acceleration of CRs in shocks and show how it decreases efficiency of the CRs acceleration in perpendicular shocks. We also demonstrate that in the case when the small-scale magnetic field is generated in the pre-shock region, an efficient acceleration can take place for the CRs streaming without collisions along the magnetic loops.
Medical Student and Tutor Perceptions of Video Versus Text in an Interactive Online Virtual Patient for Problem-Based Learning: A Pilot Study

Background The impact of the use of video resources in primarily paper-based problem-based learning (PBL) settings has been widely explored. Although it can provide many benefits, the use of video can also hamper the critical thinking of learners in contexts where learners are developing clinical reasoning. However, the use of video has not been explored in the context of interactive virtual patients for PBL. Objective A pilot study was conducted to explore how undergraduate medical students interpreted and evaluated information from video- and text-based materials presented in the context of a branched interactive online virtual patient designed for PBL. The goal was to inform the development and use of virtual patients for PBL and to inform future research in this area. Methods An existing virtual patient for PBL was adapted for use in video and provided as an intervention to students in the transition year of the undergraduate medicine course at St George’s, University of London. Survey instruments were used to capture student and PBL tutor experiences and perceptions of the intervention, and a formative review meeting was run with PBL tutors. Descriptive statistics were generated for the structured responses and a thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes in the unstructured responses. Results Analysis of student responses (n=119) and tutor comments (n=18) yielded 8 distinct themes relating to the perceived educational efficacy of information presented in video and text formats in a PBL context. Although some students found some characteristics of the videos beneficial, when asked to express a preference for video or text the majority of those that responded to the question (65%, 65/100) expressed a preference for text. Student responses indicated that the use of video slowed the pace of PBL and impeded students’ ability to review and critically appraise the presented information. Conclusions Our findings suggest that text was perceived to be a better source of information than video in virtual patients for PBL. More specifically, the use of video was perceived as beneficial for providing details, visual information, and context where text was unable to do so. However, learner acceptance of text was higher in the context of PBL, particularly when targeting clinical reasoning skills. This pilot study has provided the foundation for further research into the effectiveness of different virtual patient designs for PBL.
An Enhanced Remote Data Checking Scheme for Dynamic Updates

A client stores data in the cloud and uses remote data checking (RDC) schemes to check the integrity of the data. The client can detect the corruption of the data using RDC schemes. Recently, robust RDC schemes have integrated forward error-correcting codes (FECs) to ensure the integrity of data while enabling dynamic update operations. Thus, minor data corruption can be recovered by FECs, whereas major data corruption can be detected by spot-checking techniques. However, this requires high communication overhead for dynamic update, because a small update may require the client to download an entire file. The Variable Length Constraint Group (VLCG) scheme overcomes this disadvantage by downloading the RS-encoded parity data for update instead of the entire file. Despite this, it needs to download all the parity data for any minor update. In this paper, we propose an improved RDC scheme in which the communication overhead can be reduced by downloading only a part of the parity data for update while simultaneously ensuring the integrity of the data. Efficiency and security analysis show that the proposed scheme enhances efficiency without any security degradation.
Dealing with risk in business networks:the use of institutional devices

This thesis examines how companies deal with risk in business networks. Drawing on empirical evidence from German food retailer-manufacturer networks and existent research conducted at the intersection of business network and institutional research, this thesis examines two under-researched questions: What constitutes risk in business networks? And how do companies deal with risk in business networks? In answering these questions, this research refines our understanding of risk in business networks by proposing an uncertainty-based conceptualisation of risk and developing an institution-based explanation of how companies deal with risk in business networks. While network research provides a relevant ontological understanding of business interactions, this thesis draws on institutional research to explain how companies use institutional devices, including industry standards, General Terms and Conditions and framework contracts, for dealing with risk at three interdependent levels of interaction: Network, focal, and dyadic interaction. In this way, the thesis offers one of the first ventures developing an institution-based explanation of how companies deal with risk in business networks. The institution-based explanation of how companies deal with risk is captured in the development of an integrative framework. This framework conceptually crystallizes the synthesis of network and institution-based research by mapping companies’ use of institutional devices onto the three levels of network interaction. The institution-based explanation illuminates how institutional devices facilitate dealing with risk interactively across direct and indirect interactions, because their manifestation in business artefacts enables transcending time and space. This contribution is informed by empirical analysis of business artefacts-in-use and is conceptually captured in extending the Actor-Resources-Activities model. Methodologically, this thesis employs a critical realist epistemology and network ontology to underpin qualitative case study research in German food retailer-manufacturer networks. The empirical evidence involves data triangulation from 42 in-depth semi-structured interviews, participant observation and analysis of business artefacts-in-use, including documentation of the International Featured Standard, eleven General Terms and Conditions and six framework contracts.
Intercellular Glycosaminoglycans in Human Cancer 1

Intercellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) from various tissues were analyzed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and enzymatic treatment with specific mucopolysaccharidases. Each tissue exhibits a particular composition of sulfated and unsulfated molecular species. Invariably, malignant human neoplasias and their metastases show striking variations in the electrophoretic pattern typical of the corresponding normal tissue. An absolute or relative increase in surface ChS A/C and HA seems to be a consistent feature of neoplastic transformation. On the other hand, the GAGs composition of benign noninfiltrative tumors does not vary greatly with respect to the original normal tissue.
Estimation of carbonate and element content in charophytes - Methods of determination

Charophytes possess the capacity to store large amounts of various elements, but until today no studies about known methods of determining CaCO3 and elements in charophytes have been conducted. Because of the large and varying amounts of CaCO3, it is difficult to estimate the actual element content in dry mass. Simple comparisons of elements in charophyte plant tissue or between charophytes and higher plants are impossible. The main aim of this study was to investigate through laboratory experiments content of carbonates and elements in charophyte tissue using different methods of decomposition (mineralization). The proposed protocol: determination of calcium carbonate content in plants, determination of elements present in the plant dry mass, and calculation of the element content in the plant dry mass as described.
Determining early referral criteria for patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis presenting to primary care physicians: a cross-sectional study

Objective Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment for inflammatory arthritis can greatly improve patient outcome. We aimed to provide standardized and validated criteria for use by primary care physicians (PCPs) in the identification of individuals requiring referral to a rheumatologist. Patients and methods We analyzed the predictive value of a wide variety of demographic variables, patient-reported complaints, physical examination results, and biomarkers in order to identify the most useful factors for indicating a requirement for referral. Patients for this cross-sectional study were enrolled from various centers of the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, if they were ≥18 years of age and presented to a PCP with small joint pain that had been present for more than 6 weeks. A total of 203 patients were enrolled, as indicated by the sample size calculation. Each patient underwent a standardized physical examination, which was subsequently compared to ultrasound findings. Biomarker analysis and a patient interview were also carried out. Results were then correlated with the final diagnosis made by a rheumatologist. Results A total of 9 variables were identified as having high specificity and good predictive value: loss of appetite, swelling of metacarpophalangeal joint 2 or 5, swelling of proximal inter-phalangeal joint 2 or 3, wrist swelling, wrist tenderness, a positive test for rheumatoid factor, and a positive test for anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. Conclusion Nine variables should be the basis of early referral criteria. It should aid PCPs in making appropriate early referrals of patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis, accelerating diagnosis and initiation of treatment.
Mining and Classifying Image Posts on Social Media to Analyse Fires

We propose a methodology to study the occurrence of fires through image posts on Flickr; crowd-sourcing information from a noisy social media dataset can estimate the presence of fires. We collect several years worth of photos and associated metadata using fire-related search terms. We use an image classification model to detect geotagged photos that are further analysed to determine if a fire event did occur at a particular time and place. Furthermore, a case study investigates image features and spatio-temporal elements in the metadata, as well as location information contained in camera EXIF data.
The cost of passenger delay to airlines in Europe - consultation document

This document updates estimates, previously adopted by EUROCONTROL, of the cost of passenger delay to European airlines. It draws on various sources of evidence, with a particular focus on the impact of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which establishes the rules for compensation and assistance to airline passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or delay. It reviews major legal rulings on the Regulation to assess the broader cost impacts on airlines. It also assesses changes to the Regulation being considered by the European Commission, in order to ensure that the cost framework used for these delay cost calculations is sufficiently adaptable to such changes and to gain an insight into the likely future regulatory emphasis, particularly where this has a financial implication for airlines. The objective is to produce cost reference values for industry use, which accurately reflect airline delay costs. These results will be used to develop European reference values for use by industry and in wider research, updating previously published values adopted by EUROCONTROL. The Performance Review commission of EUROCONTROL has used such findings in the past, and is likely to do so again in the future. Feedback on the delay cost values presented in this document is invited, particularly from airlines. All feedback will be treated in confidence and suggestions for evidence-based adjustments will be taken into account.
Asset Allocation and Monetary Policy: Evidence from the Eurozone

The eurozone has a single short-term nominal interest rate, but monetary policy conditions measured by real short-term interest rates varied substantially across countries in the period 2003–2010. We use this cross-country variation in the (local) tightness of monetary policy to examine its influence on equity and money market flows. In line with a powerful risk-shifting channel, we find that fund investors in countries with decreased real interest rates shift their portfolio investment out of the money market and into the riskier equity market, causing significant equity price inflation in countries where investment home bias is the strongest.
Long-Term Effects of Distributed Profit Taxation on Firms: Evidence from Estonia

The study contributes to a body of research on a specific corporate taxation system, distributed profit taxation, by examining whether the system has affected corporate behavior in the long term and if it has, to what extent. The results partly corroborate previous literature but provide new evidence on the long-term effects of distributed profit taxation. We show that compared to classical gross profit taxation, companies operating under distributed profit taxation system have a lower level of external financing; higher levels of cash holdings; and that both cash holdings and investments are financed more from internal cash flows. We do not find distributed profit taxation to have a significant effect on the level of investment activity. Additionally, we provide tentative evidence on dividend policy that indicates private company payout ratios may be negatively affected by the system. (Less)
Poverty, Agriculture and a Nigerian Rural Farmer

Reforms in Nigeria’s agricultural sector offers an opportunity to improve the livelihood of a substantial number of its people living in poverty, and, in turn, have positive effects on the nation as a whole. Despite the potential advantages agriculture possess as a tool to reduce poverty in Nigeria, a large number of Nigerians living in its rural areas who in most cases engage in agricultural activities to earn a living continue to live in poverty. Thus, this research sought to understand the limiting factors that hinder agriculture in Nigeria from effectively challenging poverty. In addition, this research project provided a perspective that centred on the Nigerian rural farmer, the conditions created by the current state of Nigeria’s agricultural sector with attention to rural smallholder farmers and the Nigerian consumer public. The study adopted a “farmer’s experience” view to identifying the key challenges that require immediate attention for agriculture to more effectively limit the incidences of poverty in Nigeria. Furnished with an understanding of the key challenges of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, the study concludes with an exploration of possible steps that can be taken to reposition agriculture in Nigeria to become a more effective tool for reducing rural poverty.
Establishment of Porphyromonas gingivalis Heat-shock-protein-specific T-cell Lines from Atherosclerosis Patients

Human atherosclerotic plaques contain heat-shock proteins which may serve as potential targets of the immune response in atherosclerosis. Since periodontal infections are suggested as risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases, we undertook the present study to evaluate the T-cell immune responses specific to Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) heat-shock protein (hsp)60 in patients suffering from atherosclerosis. Anti-P. gingivalis hsp60 IgG antibody titers were elevated in all patients. We could establish P. gingivalis hsp-specific T-cell lines from the atheroma lesions and the peripheral blood. The T-cell lines were a mixture of CD4+ and CD8+ cells producing the cytokines characteristic of both Th1 and Th2 subsets. The present findings suggest that the T-cell immune response specific to P. gingivalis hsp60 may be involved in the immunopathologic process of atherosclerotic diseases.