Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient transformation by Prague A Rous sarcoma virus plasmid DNA requires the presence of cis-acting regions within the gag gene

A region in addition to and outside the long terminal repeats (LTRs) in the gag gene of the Prague A strain of Rous sarcoma virus was found to be essential in cis for efficient cell transformation by cloned viral DNA. Transformation in chicken embryo fibroblasts, which requires infectious virus production and reinfection, was facilitated in cis by sequences between nucleotides 630 and 1659. Efficient transformation of NIH 3T3 cells in which secondary spread of virus is not necessary (as it is in chicken embryo fibroblasts) required sequences between nucleotides 630 and 1149. A src cDNA clone which also lacks this region demonstrated low transformation efficiency, indicating that the role of the cis element cannot be attributed to interference with RNA splicing. The gag gene segment required in cis for transformation, between nucleotides 630 and 1149, could substitute for the simian virus 40 enhancer in either orientation, and cells transfected with Rous sarcoma virus LTR-driven plasmids containing the gag cis element had a two- to threefold increase in steady-state viral RNA levels compared with plasmids lacking this region. Thus, additional cis-acting regulatory elements located outside the viral LTRs may modulate viral gene expression and contribute to the efficiency of cell transformation.
Electrochemotherapy and calcium electroporation inducing a systemic immune response with local and distant remission of tumors in a patient with malignant melanoma – a case report

Hanne Falk, Susanne Lambaa, Helle Hjorth Johannesen, Gitte Wooler, Alessandro Venzo and Julie Gehl Department of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Center for Experimental Drug and Gene Electrotransfer (CEDGE), University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Plastic Surgery, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Radiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Pathology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Plastic Surgery, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Safety and efficacy of a topical anesthetic for neonatal circumcision.

OBJECTIVE Circumcision is a common neonatal surgical procedure routinely performed without the use of anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical lidocaine cream as an anesthetic for circumcision. METHODS Thirty newborns were studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study; 15 received a topical 30% lidocaine cream and 15 received the cream base alone. Vital signs were recorded, and preoperative and postoperative serum beta-endorphin and lidocaine concentrations were measured. A videotape of the newborn was used to score behavioral changes. RESULTS Comparisons of the vital signs precircumcision and postcircumcision showed no differences between the placebo and treatment groups, with the exception of mean systolic blood pressure, which significantly increased in the placebo-treated newborns (P < .05). Serum beta-endorphin concentrations increased postoperatively in 11 of 15 subjects receiving placebo, but decreased or remained unchanged in 10 of 15 subjects receiving lidocaine (P = .03, Fisher's exact test). When stress-related behaviors in the precircumcision and post-circumcision periods were compared, the mean increase in their occurrence was greater in the placebo than in the treatment group. There was no significant absorption of lidocaine as measured in the serum. CONCLUSION Topical application of a 30% lidocaine cream as used in this study may be a safe and efficacious anesthetic for circumcision.
Binary-Feature Detection Cascades for Speech Recognition

3 Signal Processing 4 3.1 Theoretical Background . 4 3.2 Spectrogram Computation . 7 3.3 Multitaper Signal Processing . 8 3.4 Visualizations . 10 3.5 Smoothed Log Spectrograms . 10 3.6 Cepstral-Smoothed Mel Spectrograms . 13 3.7 Visualization . 15
A CRITICAL REVIEW OF PMS IN CONSTRUCTION: TOWARDS A RESEARCH AGENDA

Performance measurement system (PMS) is a fast evolving and diverse research field attracting many researchers and practitioners from the fields of strategy, accounting, operations, human resource management, and marketing. The characteristics of the construction industry that influence the research and directions adopted in practice significantly contribute to certain weaknesses in application, such as limited focus on business performance measurement, insufficient organisational learning, and difficulty in linking the project PMS with the firm. The aim of this paper is to briefly review the literature of PMS (specifically at the corporate level) for addressing the knowledge gap and presenting a research agenda in the context of construction. The main findings from this review are: (1) the evolution of PMS in construction management literature is much slow; (2) further research should focus on the design and implementation related issues of PMS in construction; and (3) benchmarking is an integral part of PMS but it is insufficient for ‘continuous improvement’. Finally, a research agenda is presented.
Identification of an Early Male-Killing Agent in the Oriental Tea Tortrix, Homona magnanima

Arthropods are frequently infected with inherited symbionts, which sometimes confer fitness benefits on female hosts or manipulate host reproduction. Early male killing, in which infected males die during embryogenesis, is induced by some bacteria, such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma. A female-biased sex ratio has been found in Homona magnanima, collected from a tea plantation in Japan. Here, we examined the male-killing trait in H. magnanima and identified the agent that induces early male killing. The sex ratio distortion (SR) strain produced only females and no males, and its egg hatch rate was significantly lower than that of the normal (N) strain. The N strain was infected with only Wolbachia, whereas the SR strain was infected with both Wolbachia and Spiroplasma. Antibiotic treatment with 0.10% tetracycline restored the 1:1 sex ratio in the SR strain. Females treated with 0.05% tetracycline were positive for Spiroplasma but not for Wolbachia and showed a female-biased sex ratio, whereas Wolbachia-positive females did not revert to male killing. When inoculated with a homogenate of the SR strain female, females infected with only Spiroplasma produced female-biased offspring. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that Spiroplasma sp. of H. magnanima belonged to the ixodetis clade. These results indicate that Spiroplasma was responsible for male killing in H. magnanima. Late male killing is induced in H. magnanima by an RNA-like virus, and therefore this is the first case in which different male-killing agents expressed at different times in the life cycle have been found within one host species.
[Social concern and independence in adults with congenital heart disease].

OBJECTIVES Recent advances in medical and surgical treatment have led to the survival of increasing numbers of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, the social status of these patients remains unknown. This survey investigated the social prospects for adults with CHD, and the limiting factors for social independence. METHODS A written questionnaire on patient characteristics, education, employability, marital status and insurability was designed to define the characteristics of social independence in adults with CHD. Randomly selected adults with CHD were enrolled: 13 patients with cyanotic unrepaired CHD (4 males, 9 females, mean age: 29.8 +/- 10 years, range: 18-56 years) and 102 patients with other CHDs (48 males, 54 females, mean age: 29.5 +/- 10 years, range: 18-74 years). RESULTS University of California at Los Angeles functional class I-II was found in 94% of patients, medication in 46%, and hospitalization in 51%. Compared with the data from Japanese general population, study patients had a lower ratio of high school graduates (86% vs 94%), life insurability (51% vs 71%), marital status (31% vs 32%) and employability (82% vs 80%). Patients with unrepaired cyanotic CHD had significantly lower ratio than those with other CHDs (marital status 15%, p = 0.19; employability 40%, p = 0.0003; high school graduates 69%, p = 0.06; life insurability 18%, p = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Factors affecting social independence in adults with CHD were severity of disease, continuing medication, lower level of education, lower self-esteem, and unknown natural history of CHD. To improve social independence in these patients, further development of medical and surgical therapy and more detailed knowledge of the patients, caretakers and society in this field are needed.
The Value of Cytological Examination in the Diagnosis of Noninvasive Thyroid Neoplasm with Papillary-like Nuclear Features (NIFTP)

Since the introduction of the concept that the noninvasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma does not warrant a diagnosis of carcinoma and shall be renamed noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP), many questions have arisen among thyroid cytopathologists concerning the implications of this changing paradigm on the cytological classification of thyroid nodules. Specifically, whether it is possible to diagnose NIFTP by fine-needle aspiration, how will the risk of malignancy of the diagnostic categories of thyroid cytopathology be affected, and which changes will be made to the current cytological workup of thyroid nodules. The aim of our work was to review published literature to analyze how cytopathologists are dealing with this changing paradigm in thyroid pathology and how, in turn, it is affecting their current practice.
Strategic Choices of China’s New Energy Vehicle Industry: An Analysis Based on ANP and SWOT

This goal of this paper is to provide a framework by which China should accelerate the development and production of new energy vehicles, which should effectively address current energy and environmental pressures, while promoting the sustainable development of the automotive industry, which is an urgent task. In addition, this paper provides guidelines that seek to transform China’s auto industry while developing a new economic growth point to gain an international competitive advantage with strategic initiatives. This study aims to provide an ANP-SWOT (Analytic Network Process and Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat analysis) approach for an interdependency analysis and to prioritize the new energy automobile industry in China. Firstly, a SWOT model is used to analyze the internal and external factors surrounding the development of the new energy automobile industry in China. Secondly, four types of development strategies are proposed by means of the SWOT matrix according to the conclusions of the factor analysis. Finally, the ANP network structure is designed to measure the effects of influential sub-factors, and then to define a strategic plan for China’s new energy automobile industry. The results of this study show that the optimal short-term development strategy for China’s new energy automotive industry is to increase the construction of new energy vehicle-related facilities, while the best long-term development strategy is to use local advantages and resources, through cost control measures which increase competition within the local new energy automotive industry.
Thinking of VACTERL‐H? Rule out Fanconi Anemia according to PHENOS

VACTERL‐H association includes three of eight features: vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, congenital heart disease, tracheo‐esophageal fistula, esophageal atresia, renal, limb anomalies, and hydrocephalus. The VACTERL‐H phenotype among cases with FA is considered to be about 5%; the frequency of FA among patients with VACTERL‐H is unknown. We examined 54 patients with FA in the National Cancer Institute Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome Cohort for features of VACTERL‐H, including imaging studies (radiology and ultrasound). Eighteen of the fifty‐four patients had three or more VACTERL‐H features. The presence of VACTERL‐H association in 33% of those with FA is much higher than the previous estimate of 5% (P < 0.0001). We created the acronym PHENOS (Pigmentation, small Head, small Eyes, central Nervous system (not hydrocephalus), Otology, and Short stature) which includes all major phenotypic features of FA that are not in VACTERL‐H; these findings were more frequent in the patients with FA who had VACTERL‐H. Identification of any components of the VACTERL‐H association should lead to imaging studies, and to consideration of the diagnosis of FA, particularly if the patient has radial ray and renal anomalies, as well as many features of PHENOS. There was no association of the presence or absence of VACTERL‐H with development of cancer, stem cell transplant, or survival. Early diagnosis will lead to genetic counseling and early surveillance and management of complications of FA. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A comparison of spreading and motility behaviour of 8701-BC breast carcinoma cells on type I, I-trimer and type V collagen substrata. Evidence for a permissive effect of type I-trimer collagen on cell locomotion.

Ductal infiltrating carcinoma (d.i.c.) of human breast is a highly invasive neoplasm characterized by enhanced deposition of collagen. Paradoxically, enhanced collagen deposition is not correlated with inhibition of the migration of tumour cells into the host tissue. d.i. c. is characterized by the reappearance of 'embryonic' type I-trimer collagen and an increase in type V collagen content in the matrix. The effects of these two collagen types were compared with type I collagen as culture substrata on the spreading pattern, cytoskeletal organization and motile behaviour of 8701-BC breast carcinoma cells using rhodamine-phalloidin staining, a DNAase I-competition assay, scanning electron microscopy and time-lapse video-microscopy. Cells grown on type I collagen were stationary, showing a well-spread morphology and an extensive stress fibre pattern. Cells grown on type V collagen were also stationary, but displayed a poorly spread and elongated morphology. In contrast, cells grown on trimer collagen were motile and displayed a compact morphology and a reduced content of stress fibres. Both single-cell and group motility were detectable on trimer collagen substratum. These data are consistent with the existence of two opposite local signals, type I-trimer and type V collagens, which may confer a more or a less metastatic phenotype on breast carcinoma cells. Moreover, the synthesis of trimer collagen in d.i. c. is conceivably instrumental in providing new stromal pathways permitting tumour cells to infiltrate the host tissue.
CD43 Deficiency Has No Impact in Competitive In Vivo Assays of Neutrophil or Activated T Cell Recruitment Efficiency1

Using noncompetitive methodologies comparing CD43+/+ and CD43−/− mice, it has been reported that CD43−/− leukocytes exhibit reduced recruitment efficiency to sites of inflammation. More recent analyses demonstrate that CD43 on activated T cells can function as an E-selectin ligand (E-SelL) in vitro, suggesting that CD43 might promote rolling interactions during recruitment of leukocytes and account for the reported recruitment deficits in CD43−/− T cells and neutrophils in vivo. Internally controlled competitive in vivo methods using fluorescent tracking dyes were applied to compare recruitment efficiency of CD43+/+ vs CD43−/− activated T cells to inflamed skin and of peripheral blood neutrophils to inflamed peritoneum. A simple CFSE perfusion method was developed to distinguish arterial/venous vasculature and confirm appropriate extravasation through venules in a Con A-induced cutaneous inflammation model. In vivo recruitment of peripheral blood neutrophils to inflamed peritoneum was core 2 GlcNAcT-I dependent, but recruitment efficiency was not influenced by absence of CD43. There were also no significant differences in core 2 GlcNAcT-I-dependent, selectin-dependent, cutaneous recruitment of activated T cells from CD43+/+ and congenic CD43−/− mice in either B6 or P-selectin−/− recipients despite biochemical confirmation that a CD43-specific E-SelL was present on activated T cells. We conclude that recruitment of neutrophils and activated T cells in these in vivo models is not influenced by CD43 expression and that if CD43 on activated T cells performs an E-SelL function in vivo, it contributes in a limited physiological context.
Experimentally observed frequency variation of the attenuation of millimeter-wave coplanar transmission lines with thin metallization

The attenuation of small coplanar transmission lines on insulating InP and GaAs has been investigated experimentally over the frequency range 0-60 GHz by on-wafer probing. The ground-to-ground spacing d, the center line width w, and the metal thickness t were varied. For thin (0.25-1 mu m) gold metallization, the variation of the attenuation with frequency was found to be dependent on the geometry of the line. A good fit to the experimental data was obtained when the attenuation a was modeled as a=a/sub 0/f/sup n/, where a/sub 0/ and n are geometry dependent. The exponent n was found to be in the range 0.15-0.35, and to increase with increasing w/d ratio, which is interpreted to be due to a correspondingly varying frequency-dependent resistance and current distribution. <<ETX>>
Role of recruitment in causing differences between intertidal assemblages on seawalls and rocky shores

Following progressive urbanisation of coastal areas, artificial structures are becoming common features of landscapes in shallow waters. Despite this, few studies have focused on the ecological role of these structures or have attempted to assess the extent to which they can act as surrogates for natural habitats. This study investigated whether colonisation of space can determine the occurrence of different intertidal assemblages on rocky shores and sandstone seawalls in Sydney Harbour (New South Wales, Australia). Areas were cleared on rocky shores and seawalls at 3 different locations to test hypotheses from 2 alternative models: (1) patterns of distribution and abundance of organisms on the 2 types of structure are the direct result of different patterns of recruitment and (2) early stages of development of assemblages are the same on the 2 types of structure, but later processes (post-recruitment) differ between structures, producing different older assemblages. Furthermore, the model that assemblages developing in clearings on each structure would converge toward mature assemblages found on the same type of structure was tested. Assemblages in clearings differed between seawalls and rocky shores from the early stages of succession and differences persisted through time. Although there was variability among locations, these assemblages tended to converge toward mature assemblages on the same type of structure. These results support the model that intrinsic differences (e.g. topography, weathering, shape and extent of surfaces) between seawalls and rocky shores could affect the recruitment of algae and invertebrates, leading to the establishment of distinct assemblages. This knowledge could improve our ability to design artificial structures that more closely mimic natural habitats, potentially mitigating some effects of loss and fragmentation of coastal habitats in urban areas.
Health-related quality of life in women patients with borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVES The aims of the study were to: (i) test the reliability of a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument [Swedish Health-Related Quality of Life Survey (SWED-QUAL)] on women patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD); (ii) compare their HRQOL to a normal population group comparable in age; and (iii) test for subgroup differences in HRQOL considering psychiatric DSM axis-I comorbidity. METHOD The study was conducted in connection to a randomized, controlled trial of psychotherapy for women BPD patients. Seventy-five women with BPD diagnosis were administered the SWED-QUAL. Statistic reliability was evaluated with inter-item correlations, total-item correlations and internal consistency criterions. The BPD patients' SWED-QUAL results were compared with data extracted from a published study and subgroup differences due to axis-I comorbidity were analysed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS SWED-QUAL could be considered as an instrument with acceptable reliability when assessing HRQOL in BPD patients. The BPD patients suffered significant impairments in HRQOL overall health dimensions compared to normal population. There were no subgroup differences due to axis-I comorbidity, which indicate that BPD in itself might be a predictor of substantial HRQOL impairment.
COSMOLOGICAL PARAMETER UNCERTAINTIES FROM SALT-II TYPE IA SUPERNOVA LIGHT CURVE MODELS

We use simulated type Ia supernova (SN Ia) samples, including both photometry and spectra, to perform the first direct validation of cosmology analysis using the SALT-II light curve model. This validation includes residuals from the light curve training process, systematic biases in SN Ia distance measurements, and a bias on the dark energy equation of state parameter w. Using the SN-analysis package SNANA, we simulate and analyze realistic samples corresponding to the data samples used in the SNLS3 analysis: ∼120 low-redshift (z < 0.1) SNe Ia, ∼255 Sloan Digital Sky Survey SNe Ia (z < 0.4), and ∼290 SNLS SNe Ia (z ⩽ 1). To probe systematic uncertainties in detail, we vary the input spectral model, the model of intrinsic scatter, and the smoothing (i.e., regularization) parameters used during the SALT-II model training. Using realistic intrinsic scatter models results in a slight bias in the ultraviolet portion of the trained SALT-II model, and w biases (winput − wrecovered) ranging from −0.005 ± 0.012 to −0.024 ± 0.010. These biases are indistinguishable from each other within the uncertainty; the average bias on w is −0.014 ± 0.007.
What Explains Nurses’ Perceptions of Staffing Adequacy?

BackgroundMuch attention is being paid to the adequacy of nurse staffing in acute care hospitals, and much of the information relies on nurses’ perceptions about staffing adequacy. Yet, we know little about what influences these perceptions. ObjectivesWe examined the impact of hospital characteristics, nursing unit characteristics, nurse characteristics, and patient characteristics on nurses’ perceptions of staffing adequacy. We tested three different models, incorporating different conceptualizations that relate current and past characteristics to these perceptions. MethodThis was a secondary analysis of data from the Outcomes Research in Nursing Administration Project, a longitudinal study conducted in 60 hospitals in the Southeastern United States. ResultsPerceptions of staffing adequacy were influenced significantly by the hospital’s case mix index and growth in hospital admissions, by the number of beds on a unit, and by patient acuity. Further, current perceptions of staffing adequacy were significantly affected by prior perceptions. ConclusionBased on our results, we present potential interventions for administrators that may ameliorate some of the negative influences on nurses’ perceptions of staffing adequacy.