Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing α -crystallin association with phospholipid vesicles

Purpose— Lens lipids undergo a number of changes with age, including an overall increase in phospholipid acyl chain saturation and a decrease in length. In addition, the amount of membrane bound α -crystallin increases dramatically with age and with the onset of cataract. The aim of this study was to determine if a link exists between age and cataract associated changes in lens lipids and the changes in α -crystallin membrane association. Methods— Protein-free lipid vesicles composed of a wide variety of synthetic and lens-derived lipid vesicles were formed by sonication. These vesicles were used with fluorescent native and recombinant α -crystallin conjugates in vesicle binding assays. Vesicles were collected by centrifugation and bound α -crystallin was quantified with fluorescence intensity measurements. Results— α -Crystallin complexes showed remarkably similar binding profiles for all lipid vesicles tested, regardless of lipid origin, phospholipid head group, acyl chain length or saturation, and inclusion of cholesterol. In addition, recombinant α -crystallin complexes bind to these vesicles in a manner that is essentially indistinguishable from that of native human and bovine α -crystallins. Unlike α -crystallin binding to lens membranes containing intrinsic proteins, binding of α -crystallin to protein-free vesicles was very high capacity and unsaturable. Conclusions— We conclude from these data that the binding of α -crystallin to lens membranes is not lipid-specific. Furthermore, protein post-translational changes, such as phosphorylation, do not appear to alter α -crystallin binding to these vesicles. Given the linearity of the binding curves, we propose that the only limiting factor for normal α -crystallin membrane binding is available surface area on the bilayer. Finally, the present data suggests that increased in vivo membrane association of α -crystallin is not a result of lipid changes, but more likely a result of non-lipid
A 2.14-Myr astronomically tuned record of relative geomagnetic paleointensity from the western Philippine Sea

[1] We present a 2.14-Myr astronomically tuned relative geomagnetic paleointensity record from the western Philippine Sea. Pseudosingle-domain titanomagnetite is the only magnetic mineral identified and variations in titanomagnetite concentration fall well within the accepted limits for relative paleointensity variations. No significant temporally persistent periodicities are observed in wavelet analyses of the paleointensity time series or in the rock magnetic parameters used for relative paleointensity normalization. This suggests that our paleointensity record is largely free of rock magnetic or lithological artefacts and that it represents a reliable record of geomagnetic behavior with no evidence for modulation of the field at Earth orbital periods. The paleointensity record is highly coherent with the Sint-800 global paleointensity stack for the last 800 kyr and with a coeval record from the West Caroline Basin. Our record confirms that it is normal for the geomagnetic field to undergo dynamic changes within polarity intervals, with relatively frequent collapses of the field to low paleointensities and concomitant deviations away from the stable field direction. We do not observe an asymmetrical sawtooth form in our paleointensity record, which might suggest that previously observed asymmetrical sawtooth paleointensities result from rock magnetic artefacts. Also, we do not observe a persistent 100-kyr inclination periodicity, in contrast to the suggestion that geomagnetic field directions are modulated by orbital eccentricity. Good agreement between our paleointensity record and the coeval West Caroline Basin record provides the beginning of a detailed view of geomagnetic field behavior between 0.8 and 2.14 Ma.
A Usability Study of a Mobile Content Sharing System

We investigate the usability of MobiTOP (Mobile Tagging of Objects and People), a mobile location-based content sharing system. MobiTOP allows users to annotate real world locations with both multimedia and textual content and concurrently, share the annotations among its users. In addition, MobiTOP provides additional functionality such as clustering of annotations and advanced search and filtering options. A usability evaluation of the system was conducted in the context of a travel companion for tourists. The results suggested the potential of the system in terms of functionality for mobile content sharing. Participants agreed that the features in MobiTOP were generally usable as a content sharing tool. Implications and future work are also reported in this paper.
Content-based text mapping using multi-dimensional projections for exploration of document collections

This paper presents a technique for generation of maps of documents targeted at placing similar documents in the same neighborhood. As a result, besides being able to group (and separate) documents by their contents, it runs at very manageable computational costs. Based on multi-dimensional projection techniques and an algorithm for projection improvement, it results in a surface map that allows the user to identify a number of important relationships between documents and sub-groups of documents via visualization and interaction. Visual attributes such as height, color, isolines and glyphs as well as aural attributes (such as pitch), help add dimensions for integrated visual analysis. Exploration and narrowing of focus can be performed using a set of tools provided. This novel text mapping technique, named IDMAP (Interactive Document Map), is fully described in this paper. Results are compared with dimensionality reduction and cluster techniques for the same purposes. The maps are bound to support a large number of applications that rely on retrieval and examination of document collections and to complement the type of information offered by current knowledge domain visualizations.
Evaluation Culture(s) in Europe: Differences and Convergence between National Practices

Are there differences in the way that European countries practise and use evaluation? The answer to this question needs to be qualified. Evaluation developed during different periods and under diverse external and internal influences, in varying proportions from country to country. Identifiable external influences include the PPBS, international professional networks, European Structural Funds and development aid institutions. Within European countries the impetus came from parliament, national audit office or finance ministry, depending on the case. Marked differences persist in the way that evaluation fits into the administrative culture of each country. While in some parts of Europe it is still a bureaucratic exercise, in others it is already part of democratic functioning. These differences should not be seen as national models but rather as different paths converging on a single state of maturity and professionalism. Gibt es Unterschiede, wie europaische Lander Evaluationen durchfuhren und nutzen? Dies bedarf einer qualifizierten Antwort. Evaluation hat sich in verschiedenen Perioden und unter unterschiedlichen externen und internen Einflussen von Land zu Land in verschiedenem Umfang entwickelt. Zu den externen Einflussfaktoren gehoren PPBS, internationale professionelle Netzwerke, die europaischen Strukturfonds und die Institutionen der Entwicklungshilfe. Innerhalb der europaischen Lander kam der Anstos entweder von den Parlamenten, den Rechnungshofen oder den Finanzministerien. Erhebliche Unterschiede bleiben bestehen, je nachdem, wie die Evaluation in die Verwaltungskultur jedes einzelnen Landes passt. Wahrend in manchen Teilen Europas es sich immer noch um eine burokratische Ubung handelt, ist es in anderen Regionen Teil der Demokratie. Diese Unterschiede sollten nicht als nationale Modelle angesehen werden, sondern als verschiedene Entwicklungspfade, die auf den gleichen Reifegrad und Professionalisierung hinauslaufen.
Context-Aware and Ubiquitous Learning (Guest Editorial)

Context-aware and ubiquitous learning is a computer supported learning paradigm for identifying learners' surrounding context and social situation to provide integrated, interoperable, pervasive, and seamless learning experiences. The objective of context-aware and ubiquitous learning is to enhance Web-based learning a step further from learning at anytime anywhere to learning at the right time and the right place with right resources and right collaborators. We summarize the characteristics of context-aware and ubiquitous learning in the following eight aspects: mobility, location awareness, interoperability, seamlessness, situation awareness, social awareness, adaptability, and pervasiveness: * Mobility: The continuousness of computing while learners move from one position to another. * Location awareness: The identification of learners' locations. * Interoperability: The interoperable operation between different standards of learning resources, services, and platforms. * Seamlessness: The provision of everlasting service sessions under any connection with any device. * Situation awareness: The detection of learners' various situated scenarios, and the knowledge of what learners are doing with whom at what time and where. * Social awareness: The awareness of learners' social relationship, including what do they know? What are they doing at a moment? What are their knowledge competence and social familiarity? * Adaptability: The adjustability of learning materials and services depending on learners' accessibility, preferences, and need at a moment. * Pervasiveness: The provision of intuitive and transparent way of accessing learning materials and services, predicting what learners need before their explicit expressions. The aforementioned characteristics of context-aware and ubiquitous learning pose significant challenges and motivate the original of this special issue. Huang, Huang, & Hsieh present a ubiquitous cooperative learning environment using proposed annotation services, wireless communication devices, and the Jigsaw method of cooperative learning. The purpose of their study is to investigate the potential benefits of studying digital course materials with embedded annotations. Chen, Kinshuk, Wei, & Yang present a Group Area Network (GroupNet) learning environment, which is a mobile learning management system providing better support of mobile learning for small groups of learners with effective social interaction within proximity. …
POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PHYLLOCNISTIS CITRELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: GRACILLARIIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOIDS IN TAFÍ VIEJO, TUCUMÁN, ARGENTINA

Abstract Seasonal abundance of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was investigated between Nov 1999 and Apr 2003 in Tafí Viejo (Tucuman province). Phyllocnistis citrella populations increased during spring and summer, declined during fall, and disappeared in the winter. Five species of parasitoids, one exotic and four indigenous, attacked citrus leafminer immature stages in commercial and experimental lemon orchards. Ageniaspis citricola Logvinovskaya (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was the most abundant parasitoid. Cirrospilus neotropicus Diez & Fidalgo (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was the most abundant indigenous species, followed by Galeopsomyia fausta LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). The other indigenous species were not common and were only occasionally collected from citrus leafminer larvae. Parasitoids and P. citrella exhibited similar population fluctuations throughout the entire sampling period. A certain degree of synchrony exists between the most abundant parasitoids (A. citricola, C. neotropicus, and G. fausta) and the pest. The highest rates of parasitism were observed in the fall. Ageniaspis citricola exhibited approximately 29.5% parasitism, whereas all the native species together were only 8.2%. Data showed that a clear dependence existed between percentages of parasitism and citrus leafminer population density for the most frequent parasitoid populations. The results of this study show that C. neotropicus has an important role among the native species present in Argentina.
Suppression of hyperandrogenism does not improve peripheral or hepatic insulin resistance in the polycystic ovary syndrome.

Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO) have significant insulin resistance and are at risk to develop noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It remains controversial, however, whether hyperandrogenism directly decreases insulin action. Hence, we performed 2-h euglycemic glucose (approximately 772 pmol/L steady state insulin levels) clamps in nine PCO women with insulin resistance basally and after the 12th week of therapy with a superagonist GnRH analog (40 micrograms every 8 h, sc). Diet, activity, and weight were kept constant. Despite significant decreases in plasma testosterone and androstenedione levels (both P less than 0.05), there was no significant change in insulin-mediated glucose disposal, plasma insulin levels, or hepatic glucose production. The sample size was adequate to detect a clinically significant change in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (i.e. approximately 3.3 mumol/kg.min; P less than or equal to 0.05). We conclude that suppressing androgen levels into the normal range did not result in significant changes in insulin resistance in PCO. Thus, controlling hyperandrogenemia is not a clinically effective modality to improve insulin action and thereby decrease the risk of noninsulin-dependent diabetes in PCO.
Phase II trial of bleomycin, ifosfamide, and carboplatin in metastatic cervical cancer.

PURPOSE A bleomycin, carboplatin, and ifosfamide (BIC) chemotherapy protocol was designed to evaluate tumor response and palliation in patients with advanced cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty patients with stage IV primary or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (19 previously irradiated and 21 nonirradiated) were assigned to treatment with six cycles of BIC: bleomycin, 30 mg bolus on day 1; carboplatin, 200 mg/m2 bolus on day 1; and ifosfamide, 2g/m2 for 3 consecutive days, infused over 2 hours. Mesna was administered as a bolus 15 minutes, and 4 and 8 hours after ifosfamide at 20% (intravenous [IV]), and 40% (orally, at home) of the ifosfamide dose, respectively. RESULTS Thirty-five patients (27 stage IVA and eight stage IVB) were considered eligible for response and toxicity evaluation. After a median of four cycles (maximum of six in responders), we observed objective responses in 21 patients (60%), with eight complete responses (CRs; 23%), including two histologically documented by laparotomy, and 13 (37%) partial responses (PRs) (95% confidence limits, 44% to 76%, 9% to 37%, and 21% to 53%, respectively). Median overall survival duration was 11 months (range, 3 to 24+). Median overall survival duration in the nonirradiated group was 17 months versus 4 months in the previously irradiated group (P = .005). The median progression-free survival duration of the responders was 12 months, and the median disease-free survival duration of the complete responders was 14 months. Toxicity was acceptable and included manageable alopecia, vomiting, and neutropenia. There was one toxic death due to febrile neutropenia and sepsis. CONCLUSION BIC can be administered on an outpatient basis and seems to be effective in inducing tumor response and palliation in patients with disseminated squamous cell carcinoma of cervix, with a possible survival benefit for previously nonirradiated patients, with an acceptable toxicity profile.
Removal of Struvite to Prevent Problems Associated with its Accumulation in Wastewater Treatment Works

Deposition of struvite within the infrastructure of wastewater treatment works can cause significant operating difficulties. A laboratory‐scale, two‐stage, continuously stirred tank reactor was developed to remove struvite to prevent problems associated with its deposition. Before any experimental work was conducted, the mixing regime within the system was determined using a pH‐tracer response method. Perfect mixing conditions were achieved once the stirring speed reached 500 rpm. Experiments were conducted examining the effects of various process parameters such as retention time, pH, recycling rate, and ammonium concentration. By increasing the hydraulic retention time, the residual magnesium concentration decreased, with the optimum conditions occurring at 125 minutes.
Root Nodule Enzymes of Ammonia Assimilation in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) : DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS AND RESPONSE TO APPLIED NITROGEN.

Nitrogenase-dependent acetylene reduction activity of glasshouse-grown alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) decreased rapidly in response both to harvesting (80% shoot removal) and applied NO(3) (-) at 40 and 80 kilograms N per hectare. Acetylene reduction activity of harvested plants grown on 0 kilogram N per hectare began to recover by day 15 as shoot regrowth became significant. In contrast, acetylene reduction activity of all plants treated with 80 kilograms NO(3) (-)-N per hectare and harvested plants treated with 40 kilograms NO(3) (-)-N per hectare remained low for the duration of the experiment. Acetylene reduction of unharvested alfalfa treated with 40 kilograms N per hectare declined to an intermediate level and appeared to recover slightly by day 15. Changes in N(2)-fixing capacity were accompanied by similar changes in levels of nodule soluble protein.After an initial lag of 24 hours, specific activities of alfalfa nodule glutamine synthetase, NADH-glutamate synthase, and NAD-glutamate dehydrogenase (oxidative amination) decreased similar to but less rapidly than acetylene reduction activity. Increased specific activities of these nodule enzymes occurred as acetylene reduction activity increased and shoot growth resumed. The observed rates of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase were sufficient to assimilate ammonia produced via symbiotic N(2) fixation. Nodule NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (reductive amination) specific activity was not associated with changes in acetylene reduction activity.The data indicate that host plant glutamine synthetase and NADH-glutamate synthase function to assimilate symbiotically fixed N and that NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase may function in ammonia assimilation during senescence in alfalfa nodules.
Nursing perspectives on factors influencing interdisciplinary teamwork in the Canadian primary care setting.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study investigated nurses' roles and their perspectives on the factors that influence interdisciplinary teamwork within Canadian primary care setting. BACKGROUND Interdisciplinary teams have shown to lead to better system- and patient-level outcomes and, accordingly, have became important aspects of healthcare systems especially within primary care settings. Nurses play a key role in these primary care teams, particularly with respect to chronic disease management. DESIGN A focused ethnography design using semi-structured individual interviews was conducted. METHODS Interviews were conducted with 20 primary care nurses between July 2010-May 2011. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and content and thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS Nurses experienced increasing scope of practice and professional responsibility as they transitioned into the primary care setting. Nine major roles of primary care nurses were identified. Several factors that facilitate or hinder teamwork were identified and categorised under four theme areas: (1) organisation/leadership (e.g. having common goals and mandate, unclear descriptions of team members' roles); (2) team relationships (e.g. closed loop of communication, trust, respect); (3) process/support (e.g. unclear referral process and reporting structure, large patient panels); and (4) physical environment (e.g. decentralised model of care). CONCLUSIONS Nurses' roles within primary care setting appear to be focused mainly on case management. Minimal orientation and lack of preparation of nurses for their roles, vagueness of these roles among the interdisciplinary primary care team members and lack of communication appeared to be among the most important factors that influence teamwork and nurses' functioning within these teams. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Given that nurses play a key role in interdisciplinary primary care teams, particularly in managing chronic disease patients, approaches to improve chronic disease management and care of these patients should incorporate strategies to ensure effective preparation of these nurses for their roles within these teams and settings.
An empirical study of the driving forces behind online communities

Purpose – A large variety of online communities have emerged during the last years as a result of the challenges faced by both the business and scientific worlds. This trend has also been promoted by the development of internet and new Web 2.0 technologies. In this context, this paper is focused on the determinants of success of online communities. But, as a difference from other studies, these determinants are analyzed from the social network analysis perspective. Several constructs related to the community organization as a social network are proposed and their interrelations are hypothesized in a general research framework. The obtained results test the proposed model providing the most relevant antecedents of the project success.Design/methodology/approach – A case study based on Linux ports to non‐conventional processor and environments is used to test the proposed model. Structural equation modeling analysis is used to validate the structural proposed model.Findings – The main antecedents of online .
Endoscopic ultrasound as an early diagnostic tool for primary sclerosing cholangitis: a prospective pilot study

Background and study aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare, chronic cholestatic liver disease, which typically affects middle-aged men and is frequently associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Early recognition and accurate diagnosis remains a clinical challenge. Invasive diagnostic procedures, such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiography or liver biopsy are needed when magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography remains inconclusive. As these procedures are associated with significant risks, the current study sought to determine whether endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) of the biliary tract is a useful diagnostic tool in cases of suspected PSC. Patients and methods: In a prospective pilot study, 138 patients presenting with chronic cholestatic hepatopathy were screened and 32 patients with possible PSC were evaluated further. In addition to all routine measures, EUS was included in the diagnostic work-up. The following parameters were evaluated and compared with the definitive diagnosis: wall thickening ( ≥ 1.5 mm), irregular wall structure, significant changes of caliber of the common bile duct, and perihilar lymphadenopathy. Results: In the 138 patients screened, a PSC prevalence of 13 % was found. Of the 32 patients included in the study, 17 had large-duct PSC diagnosed. When two of the aforementioned four parameters showed PSC-like features, sensitivity and specificity of predicting PSC were 76.4 % and 100 %, with positive and negative predictive values of 100 % and 79 %, respectively. In four patients presenting with strictly intrahepatic disease, EUS was not diagnostic. Conclusions: EUS proved to be a valuable tool in suspected PSC and accurately predicted extrahepatic disease. EUS should be evaluated further as an early procedure in routine diagnostic measurements. This approach promises a significant improvement in disease detection as well as a reduction in high risk invasive procedures.