Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Retrovirus Entry by Using a Novel Luciferase-Based Content-Mixing Assay

ABSTRACT We describe a novel assay that permits measurement of entry of murine leukemia virus and pseudotypes with greater sensitivity and more rapidly than previously possible. To achieve this, we encapsulated a sensitive reporter enzyme, luciferase, directly into fully infectious, intact viral particles. The enzyme is specifically targeted to the viral lumen, as a C-terminal fusion on the viral envelope protein. Only when the incorporated luciferase is released from the viral lumen and gains access to its substrates is light emitted and readily detected. When cells are perfused with luciferin, quantitative measurements of entry can be made in real time on live cells. Uniquely, the amount of cell-bound virus can be determined in the same assay by addition of detergent to expose the luciferase. We demonstrate that virus carrying a mutation in the fusion peptide binds normally to cells but is unable to infect them and gives no entry signal. Using this assay, we show that inhibitors of endosomal acidification inhibit signal from vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes but not murine leukemia virus, consistent with a pH-independent mode of entry for the latter virus. Additionally, the fusion kinetics are rapid, with a half-life of 25 min after a delay of 10 to 15 min. The future use of this assay will permit a detailed examination of the entry mechanism of viruses and provide a convenient platform to discover novel entry inhibitors. The design also permits packaging of potential therapeutic protein cargoes into functional virus particles and their specific delivery to cellular targets.
Dusky Sap Beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and Other Kernel Damaging Insects in Bt and Non-Bt Sweet Corn in Illinois

Abstract Bt and non-Bt sweet corn hybrids (Rogers ‘Empire’ Bt and non-Bt,respectively) were compared for distribution of kernel damaging insectpests in central Illinois in 1998 and 1999. The occurrence and damageby caterpillars [primarily Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)] werereduced by at least 80% in each year for the Bt compared with thenon-Bt hybrid. However, the incidence of sap beetle adults (primarilyCarpophilus lugubris Murray) was higher, and larvae, lowerfor the Bt versus non-Bt in 1999. The incidence of ears with more thanfive kernels damaged by sap beetles was higher for the Bt compared withnon-Bt hybrid in 1998 (13.8 versus 5.5%), but nearly equivalent in1999 (15.3 versus 15.1%, respectively). Distribution of predators onplants (primarily Coccinelidae) and harvested ears (primarilyOrius spp.) were not significantly different on Bt versusnon-Bt hybrids. Ears with husks flush with the ear tip or with ear tipsexposed had significantly higher sap beetle damage for both hybrids,and the Bt hybrids had significantly higher incidence of exposed eartips in both years. Sap beetle numbers determined by scouting wereoften proportional to numbers of beetles captured in baited traps,increasing and decreasing at about the same time. However, valuesdetermined with traps were typically less variable than when scouted,and time of sampling was typically four times more rapid for each trapthan for each 10 plant scout sample when measured in 1999.
Educating Exceptional Children

Professor Kirk's masterly work is a comprehensive review of the proble^15 > be solved and the procedures to be adopted for the education of various categ j of exceptional children, including the intellectually-gifted, the mentally-reta^ the deaf and hard-of-hearing, the blind and partially sighted, the cerebral palsied ^ the crippled, the speech-handicapped, and the emotionally and socially maladjus (f In dealing with each category of exceptional children the author brings ^ relationship the chief medical, psychological and sociological researches in the ybearing on its special problems. He also describes and assesses the various kipd f provision made for the remedial treatment (where necessary) and the educatio^j individuals in each group, with sufficient detail to be of service to specialists wor f; in that field. His own many valuable contributions to the deeper understand! 11^ retarded children and his experimental use of diagnostic tests of psycho-ling11^: abilities inevitably set a very high standard of efficiency for dealing with 0 0<: categories and his achievement in maintaining this level throughout provides a J stimulating text-book for preparation for work in each, and all, of the various "
Effect of Modafinil on Subjective Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis and Stroke Patients

Background: Modafinil has anecdotal response to neurological fatigue, but such an effect may depend on the type and location of cerebral impairment. Objectives: It was the aim of this study to compare fatigue observed in different neurological pathologies, to evaluate the tolerability to modafinil, and to describe changes in subjective fatigue. Methods: We enrolled 14 brainstem or diencephalic stroke (BDS) patients, 9 cortical stroke (CS) patients and 17 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The Fatigue Assessment Instrument severity scale was performed at baseline, after 3 months of modafinil and after 1 month of washout. Cognition, mood and somnolence were assessed. A subgroup of 14 patients underwent activity measures before and during treatment. Results: Thirty-one patients completed the study (10 BDS, 9 CS, 12 MS). The responder profile is more frequent in MS than in CS (p = 0.04), and in BDS than in CS patients (p = 0.04). Actiwatch measures showed no changes in activity during, before and after therapy. Conclusion: Modafinil was tolerated in 75% of patients at small doses and seemed to improve the severity of fatigue in the MS and BDS groups but not in the CS group. There was no modification in measured physical activity.
An epidemiologic study of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 infection in Japan based on type-specific serological assays

A seroepidemiologic study of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) was performed on Japanese adults. Serum samples collected between 1985–9 from a total of 536 healthy adults, female prostitutes, males with sexually transmitted diseases (STD), homosexual men, and pregnant women were studied by immunodot assays using HSV type-specific antigens, glycoproteins G (gG1 and gG2). HSV-1 infections correlated mostly with age and was widely prevalent among subjects <40 years. HSV-2 prevalence varied greatly among subgroups defined by sexual activity and was associated with risk behaviours for prostitution, infection with STD, and homosexual activity. HSV-2 seroprevalence was highest among prostitutes (80%), lowest among pregnant women (7 %), and intermediate in STD patients (23%) and homosexuals (24%). Because HSV-1 infection during childhood has been decreasing, primary genital HSV-2 infection, with its higher frequency of clinical manifestations, will become a greater burden to the public health in Japan.
Trends in HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Resistance-Associated Mutations and Antiretroviral Prescription Data from 2003–2010

Background The selection of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for treatment of HIV-1 infection is based on several factors including potency, toxicity, resistance and ease of administration. Emtricitabine (FTC) or lamivudine (3TC), components of recommended initial ARV regimens, are structurally related and share the same resistance mutation (M184V/I). However they differ with respect to potency and incidence of M184V/I. Methods Resistance-associated mutation (RAM) prevalence data were obtained from genotype test results performed in a large reference laboratory from 2003–2010; subsets of data were defined by mutation pattern to resemble those following failure of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based combination therapy. Mutational trend data were compared to contemporaneous ARV prescription information. Results In the unfiltered data set (n=107,231), the prevalence in 2010 decreased compared to 2003 for all nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) RAMs, such as M184V/I (44.0% to 17.9%), T215Y (22.7% to 4.1%), and K65R (4.3% to 2.1%). Among samples resembling those typical of first-line NNRTI-based failures, prevalence of K103N increased slightly, but prevalence of M184V/I decreased (49.8% to 36.8%), as did other NRTI RAMs. These decreases were coincident with a shift in ARV prescriptions away from zidovudine and 3TC towards tenofovir and FTC, and an increase in use of fixed-dose combinations. Conclusions RAM prevalence decreased substantially since 2003 among samples submitted for resistance testing in the US. The causes of this decrease are multifactorial, but our results suggest a possible role of increased use of potent ARVs that are available as fixed-dose combinations or as single-tablet regimens.
Time-critical database scheduling: a framework for integrating real-time scheduling and concurrency control

A framework is presented for analysis of time-critical scheduling algorithms. The main assumptions are analyzed behind real-time scheduling and concurrency control algorithms, and a unified approach is proposed. Two main classes of schedulers are identified according to the availability of information about resource requirements and execution times: conflict-resolving schedulers resolve conflicts at run-time, and hence can only produce a sequence of operations satisfying task priorities and resource constraints; and conflict-avoiding schedulers determine resource requirements and expected execution times through offline transaction-class preanalysis and produce a complete time-critical schedule satisfying both timing and resource constraints. For the latter case, the resolution of overload is essential. Examples are given to illustrate the framework and the main classes of scheduling algorithms. <<ETX>>
Thickness and viscosity of organic thin films probed by combined surface acoustic Love wave and surface plasmon resonance

Direct detection biosensors aim at detecting molecu- lar (antibody-antigen, DNA hybridation, cell attachment) binding events by means of electrical, mechanical or optical effects. A quantitative analysis of the amount of material bound to the surface requires the knowledge of the physical properties of the layer, namely optical index/dielectric constant, density, thickness, and a proper model of the interaction of this layer with the probing field (acoustic or optical). We here focus on the in- situ identification of the physical properties of thin organic (polymer and protein) layers bound to a substrate supporting the propagation of surface acoustic waves. In order to resolve some uncertainty on the resulting acoustic parameters, we propose the simultaneous probing of the same bound layer by optical methods (surface plasmon resonance) in a combined instrument as a means to uniquely identify the physical properties of the layer, namely the density, optical index, viscosity and thickness of the layer. We illustrate this technique for protein layers of collagen and fibrinogen. We then propose two models - transmission line and harmonic admittance computation - for analyzing these data and extract a quantitative viscosity information.
Uniform exponential decay of the free energy for Voronoi finite volume discretized reaction‐diffusion systems

Our focus are energy estimates for discretized reaction‐diffusion systems for a finite number of species. We introduce a discretization scheme (Voronoi finite volume in space and fully implicit in time) which has the special property that it preserves the main features of the continuous systems, namely positivity, dissipativity and flux conservation.
Performance of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) fed varying protein levels.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different protein levels on growth of guinea fowl keets (Numida meagris) of the same age under intensive system in a typical poultry house from 6th week to 12th week of age. They were fed commercial broiler starter for two weeks and maintained on same diet of 18% crude protein for 5 weeks of age and given water ad libitum. The birds were separated into three pens. One hundred and twenty old guinea fowls were assigned at grower period on 3 dietary protein levels of 14, 16 and 18% crude protein (CP) on same metabolizable energy level of 2800 kcal/ kg. The study was conducted in Kgatleng District in Botswana used to test the performance of the female birds. The birds were killed at the owner’s farm by cutting the neck through the jugular vein. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in feed intake between the three treatments. The internal organs for the treatments were not significantly different.
Chemoinformatics Profiling of Ionic Liquids Cytotoxicity—From Machine Learning to Network-Like Similarity Graphs

Ionic liquids (ILs) possess a unique physicochemical profile providing a wide range of applications. However, their “greenness”, specifically their claimed relative non toxicity has been frequently questioned, hindering their REACH registration processes and so, their final application. In this work we introduce a reliable, predictive, simple and chemically interpretable classification and regression tree (CART) classifier enabling the prioritization of ILs with a favourable cytotoxicity profile. By inspecting the structure of the CART several moieties that can be regarded as “cytotoxicophores” were identified and used to establish a set of SAR trends specifically aimed to prioritise low cytotoxicity ILs. We also demonstrated the suitability of the joint use of the CART classifier and a group fusion similarity search as a virtual screening strategy for the automatic prioritisation of safe ILs disperse in a data set of ILs of moderate to very high cytotoxicity. Additionally, we decided to complement the quantitative results already obtained by applying the network-like similarity graphs (NSG) approach to the mining of relevant structure-cytotoxicity relationships (SCR) trends. Finally, the SCR information concurrently gathered by both, quantitative (CART classifier) and qualitative (NSG) approaches was used to design a focused combinatorial library enriched with potentially safe ILs.
Impact of elevated heart rate on clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction: a report from the CHART‐2 Study

It is still controversial whether elevated baseline heart rate (HR) is associated with higher mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We compared the impacts of baseline HR on mortality in patients with HFpEF and those with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
A role for the JARID1B stem cell marker for continuous melanoma growth

‘linkage group 5’). In fact, this chromosome functions as a female-determining sex chromosome resembling the function of the W sex chromosome in birds where it is the female that makes two types of haploid gametes (namely W and Z), as opposed to XY species where it is the male that makes two types of haploid gametes (namely X and Y). Nevertheless, although linkage group 5 now operates as a bona-fide W-style sex chromosome, it has not (yet) evolved other characteristics of sex chromosomes such as gene loss and genomic inversions (which support genomic isolation as they lead to nonfunctional meiotic recombination products). The authors suggest that the novel female-determining gene, which has yet to be identified, has ‘invaded’ the chromosome containing the OB locus, be it by mutation of a resident gene or by recombination, although other scenarios are also conceivable. If all this is true, how can OB males be obtained? Well, as far as studied, such males inherit OB and the femaledetermining gene fully intact but are male (i.e. sex-reversed) by yet another, still undetermined mechanism. In fact, cichlid sex determination is a really complex affair. As mentioned, many Lake Malawi species carry the ancestral XY system, others the ZW system, still others both, and then there are some in which additional sex-determining loci segregate. This surprising diversity of sex-determining systems, and the genetic conflicts it entails, may have contributed substantially to the rapid and colorful speciation of these fishes (Ser et al., 2009). The molecular identification of OB provided by Roberts et al. is clearly a milestone in our quest to understand the evolution of sex-linked coloration.
MANEJO DA IRRIGAÇÃO PELO MÉTODO PENMAM MONTEITH NA CULTURA DA VIDEIRA

Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de diferentes lâminas de irrigacao em relacao a produtividade, aos componentes de rendimento e aos atributos fisicoquimicos do mosto da cultura da videira, foi conduzido um experimento na area experimental de cultivo de uvas no Colegio Politecnico da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria no municipio de Santa Maria - RS. Foi utilizada a cultivar Venus, conduzida sob sistema de latada durante o periodo de 01 de outubro de 2010 a 05 de janeiro de 2011. A area onde foi instalado o experimento situa-se ao lado da estacao meteorologica da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria do qual foram retirados os dados climaticos para o calculo da evapotranspiracao de referencia pelo metodo de Penman-Monteith. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi blocos casualizados com cinco tratamentos e quatro repeticoes. Foi determinada uma lâmina de irrigacao de referencia. Os tratamentos das irrigacoes realizadas foram chamados de T2, T3, T4 e T5 e correspondem as fracoes de 50, 75, 100, 125% da lâmina de irrigacao de referencia, e um tratamento testemunha (T1) que nao recebeu irrigacao. Foram avaliados parâmetros da planta (produtividade e numero de cachos.planta-1), do cacho (peso dos cachos, dimensoes dos cachos, numero de bagas.cacho-1, peso de cinco bagas, diâmetro das bagas e peso do engaco) e do mosto (pH e teor de solidos soluveis totais). Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho mostraram que houve diferenca significativa para os parâmetros avaliados, entre os tratamentos irrigados e a testemunha. O tratamento que apresentou maior incremento de produtividade foi o T4, com rendimento de 17.794 Kg.ha-1, correspondendo a um aumento de produtividade 72,84% em relacao ao T1 sem irrigacao, no entanto, o efeito sobre os atributos fisico-quimicos do mosto nao foi significativo. Diante desses resultados, nas condicoes em que o experimento foi realizado, conclui-se que para a cultura da videira, ocorre um aumento de produtividade relacionado ao aumento da lâmina de irrigacao, ate um determinado limite, apos este limite, o incremento de produtividade e reduzido.
Risk of breast cancer in association with exposure to two different groups of tricyclic antidepressants

In 2002, we reported an epidemiological study in which we found that some tricyclic antidepressants (identified as genotoxic in Drosophila Melanogaster) were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, when exposure took place 11–15 years before the date of diagnosis. The implications of the results found lead us to carry out a separate case‐control study, using the same source population, to validate the conclusions drawn from our previous study.
Optimum duration of antithyroid drug treatment determined by assay of thyroid stimulating antibody in patients with Graves' disease.

OBJECTIVE--To determine the optimal duration of antithyroid drug treatment by monitoring serum thyroid stimulating antibody values in patients with Graves' disease. DESIGN--Prospective longitudinal trial of patients with Graves' disease followed up for 24 months after withdrawal of treatment. SETTING--Tertiary referral centre. PATIENTS--A total of 64 consecutive patients with untreated Graves' disease, eight of whom were subsequently excluded. Fifty six patients completed the study. INTERVENTIONS--All patients were treated initially with carbimazole 40 mg, then with decreasing doses that maintained a euthyroid state. Treatment was scheduled to continue for 18 months but was withdrawn earlier if serum thyroid stimulating antibody became undetectable. END POINT--Serum values of thyroid stimulating antibody (assayed by stimulation of human thyroid cells in vitro) and thyroid hormones and thyroid state every three months during treatment and afterwards every six months for 24 months. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--In 44 patients serum thyroid stimulating antibody became undetectable during treatment and treatment was withdrawn (median duration of treatment nine months, range 3-18 months). In 12 patients the antibody could be detected during 18 months of treatment. Among the first group of 44 patients initial values of the antibody before treatment were significantly lower than in the second group of 12 patients (median 225% (range 138-1236%) v 570% (250-1480%), p less than 0.001); the incidence of relapse was also lower (41% v 92%, p less than 0.001); and among those who did relapse the disease free interval after treatment was longer (median 12 months v 1 month, p less than 0.001). Moreover, the initial median serum values of thyroid stimulating antibodies were not related to the occurrence of relapse or remission as these did not differ between patients who did and did not have a relapse (median 267% (range 139-1480%) v 220% (range 138-1236%). CONCLUSION--Monitoring of serum thyroid stimulating antibody was a good guide to the duration of treatment as it allowed the treatment period to be considerably shortened in a large group of patients with no loss of efficiency.
Using information technology for personalizing the computer science teaching

Recommendation systems use computational techniques to select items in a personalized way to users, taking into account criteria such as history and interest. However, several authors point out that the process of recommendation in education requires models beyond the user's taste, in order to catalyze students' learning. In addition, feedback involves the student's experience. In this work we present a recommendation system of learning objects supported by a cognitive pedagogical model. The central idea of the system is to find an object that adequately challenges the student without bothering with similar problems or becoming discouraged when faced with problems beyond his or her ability. We integrate learning models into game models to integrate them into learning models. We used as a case study a virtual learning environment which has a repository with programming problems. The results indicate that, in general, when students choose more appropriate problems (ELOs similar to theirs), they get a greater number of correct answers in their submissions. When the student choose problems that do not seem to be challenging, in general, they make wrong submissions or give up learning on the platform.