Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electronic conduction above 4 K of slightly reduced oxygen-deficient rutile TiO2-x.

Based on electrical resistivity and Hall-coefficient measurements from 2 to 370 K on slightly reduced semiconductive rutile single crystals with various oxygen deficiencies ${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{d}}$ from 3.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$ to 1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{19}$/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$, electronic conduction above 4 K is discussed in terms of two conduction bands separated by 0.03\char21{}0.05 eV. In this range of ${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{d}}$, defects are mostly Ti interstitial ions. Ionization of Ti interstitial donors takes place above about 4 K. The ionization energy ${\mathit{E}}_{2}$ depends on the donor concentration ${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{D}}$ and decreases with increasing ${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{D}}$ for ${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{d}}$1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{19}$/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. The density of states effective mass ${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{d}}$** of the lower conduction band is estimated to be (7\char21{}8)${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{e}}$ (${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{e}}$ is the free electron mass). The anisotropy of the effective mass is also estimated to be roughly ${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{c}}$ **\ensuremath{\simeq}(2\char21{}4)${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{e}}$ and ${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{a}}$ **\ensuremath{\simeq}(10\char21{}16)${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{e}}$ in the c and a directions, respectively. The mobility above 50 K of the lower conduction band electrons is discussed. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Restenosis and gene therapy

Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity in westernised countries. Treatment of symptomatic atherosclerosis by angioplasty involves major vascular responses such as neointima formation and constrictive vascular remodelling leading to restenosis. Stent placement prevents vasoconstriction but is associated with in-stent neointima formation. Therefore, stent placement requires adjunctive therapy. In this review we discuss the potential of local gene therapy for restenosis. More particularly, we focus on strategies to inhibit smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and migration, prevent thrombosis, decrease oxidative stress in the arterial wall and enhance re-endothelialisation associated with adaptive remodelling. The potential of different vector systems and devices for local gene transfer in the arterial wall is discussed.
Family-focused cognitive behaviour therapy versus psycho-education for chronic fatigue syndrome in 11- to 18-year-olds: a randomized controlled treatment trial

Background Only one previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) has examined the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in children. The aim of this study was to compare family-focused CBT with psycho-education for CFS in adolescents. Method Sixty-three 11- to 18-year-olds (43 girls, 20 boys) with CFS were randomly assigned to either family-focused CBT or psycho-education delivered over 6 months. School attendance was the main outcome, which was assessed at the end of treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. Results At the main outcome point (the 6-month follow-up) both groups had improved similarly. However, although those who received family-focused CBT were attending school for longer than those who received psycho-education, at discharge from treatment and at 3 months follow-up, they improved less quickly across the follow-up period. Conclusions Adolescents with CFS get back to school more quickly after family-focused CBT. This is important as they are at a crucial stage of their development. However, the finding that psycho-education was as effective as family-focused CBT at 6 and 12 months follow-up has important implications for health service delivery.
Retinal Ganglion Cell Topography in Elasmobranchs

Retinal wholemounts are used to examine the topographic distribution of retinal cells within the ganglion cell layer in a range of elasmobranchs from different depths. The retina is examined for regional specializations for acute vision in six species of selachians, Galeocerdo cuvieri, Hemiscyllium ocellatum, Scyliorhinus canicula, Galeus melastomus, Etmopterus spinax, Isistius brasiliensis, one species of batoid, Raja bigelowi and one species of chimaera, Hydrolagus mirabilis. These species represent a range of lifestyles including pelagic, mesopelagic and benthic habitats, living from shallow water to the sea bottom at a depth of more than 3000 m. The topography of cells within the ganglion cell layer is non-uniform and changes markedly across the retina. Most species possess an increased density of cells across the horizontal (dorsal) meridian or visual streak, with a density range of 500 to 2,500 cells per mm2 with one or more regional increases in density lying within this specialized horizontal area. It is proposed that the higher spatial resolving power provided by the horizontal streak in these species mediates panoramic vision in the lower frontal visual field. Only I. brasiliensis possesses a concentric arrangement of retinal iso-density contours in temporal retina or an area centralis, thereby increasing spatial resolving power in a more specialized part of the visual field, an adaptation for its unusual feeding behavior. In Nissl-stained material, amacrine and ganglion cell populations could be distinguished on the criteria of soma size, soma shape and nuclear staining. Quantitative analyses show that the proportion of amacrine cells lying within the ganglion cell layer is non-uniform and ranges between 0.4 and 12.3% in specialized retinal areas and between 8.2 and 48.1% in the peripheral non-specialized regions. Analyses of soma area of the total population of cells in the ganglion cell layer also show that the pelagic species possess significantly smaller soma (9–186 μm2) than benthic and/or deep-sea species (16–338 μm2), and that a number of different morphological classes of cells are present including a small population of giant ganglion cells.
Variation in site of death among nursing home residents in British Columbia, Canada.

OBJECTIVE To assess the proportion of in-hospital versus in-nursing home deaths among a population of decedent nursing home residents in British Columbia, Canada, and to identify facility and individual characteristics associated with in-hospital death. METHODS We examined nursing home (ownership/organization, size) and individual (age, level of care, sex, previous hospitalization within 30 days) characteristics of all decedent residents of British Columbia's freestanding publicly funded nursing homes. Secondary administrative data from the Ministry of Health, supplemented with facility data were analyzed. The study population included those aged 65 years and older who died between April 1, 1996 and August 1, 1999 (n = 14,413). Mixed models were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (AOR; 95% confidence intervals [CI]) for factors associated with in-hospital death. RESULTS Almost one quarter (24.6%) of deaths occurred in hospital. In-hospital death was more frequent in nonprofit (NP) single-site facilities compared to NP facilities owned and/or operated by a health authority (AOR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.64). Smaller nursing home size (AOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.50) and male gender (AOR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.27) were also associated with a greater odds of in-hospital death. Progressively lower odds ratios of in-hospital death were observed for each category of increasing age and declining function, respectively. CONCLUSIONS While individual characteristics play a significant role in explaining variation in site of death, residence in a NP single-site and smaller-sized facility was also associated with a greater frequency of in-hospital death.
New insights on Prestosuchus chiniquensis Huene, 1942 (Pseudosuchia, Loricata) based on new specimens from the “Tree Sanga” Outcrop, Chiniquá Region, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The ‘rauisuchians’ are a group of Triassic pseudosuchian archosaurs that displayed a near global distribution. Their problematic taxonomic resolution comes from the fact that most taxa are represented only by a few and/or mostly incomplete specimens. In the last few decades, renewed interest in early archosaur evolution has helped to clarify some of these problems, but further studies on the taxonomic and paleobiological aspects are still needed. In the present work, we describe new material attributed to the ‘rauisuchian’ taxon Prestosuchus chiniquensis, of the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone, Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of the Santa Maria Supersequence of southern Brazil, based on a comparative osteologic analysis. Additionally, we present well supported evidence that these represent juvenile forms, due to differences in osteological features (i.e., a subnarial fenestra) that when compared to previously described specimens can be attributed to ontogeny and indicate variation within a single taxon of a problematic but important osteological structure in the study of ‘rauisuchians. ’
Microscopic analysis of the cellular events during scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor‐induced epithelial tubulogenesis

Scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor (SF/HGF), a large multifunctional polypeptide growth and motility factor, is known to play important roles during embryonic development, adult tissue growth and repair. In an established three‐dimensional type I collagen model, SF/HGF induces Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cysts to form long, branching tubules (tubulogenesis). In addition, the composition of the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) has been shown to modulate SF/HGF‐induced morphogenesis, where tubulogenesis was completely abrogated in Matrigel basement membrane. Many cellular events that occur during SF/HGF‐mediated remodelling, and its modulation by the ECM, remain unclear. We have investigated these mechanisms through microscopic examination of the time‐course of SF/HGF‐induced responses in MDCK cysts cultured in type I collagen or Matrigel. We found that early responses to SF/HGF were matrix‐independent. Changes included increased paracellular spacing between normally closely apposed lateral membranes, and the formation of filopodial processes, indicating a partial motile response. Cell–cell contact was maintained, with the persistence of cell junctions. Therefore, while one or a number of ECM components are preventing SF/HGF‐primed cells from undergoing an invasive and/or migratory programme, non‐permissive matrices are not preventing SF/HGF signalling to the cell. Later matrix‐dependent responses, which occurred in type I collagen but not Matrigel, included the formation of basal protrusions that comprise two or more neighbouring cells, which extend to form nascent tubules. Modified polarity of cells comprising the basal protrusions was evident, with a marker for the apical membrane being found in the same region as adherens junctions and desmosomes, typically localized at lateral membranes. We propose a model for SF/HGF‐induced tubulogenesis in which tubules form from basal protrusions of adjacent cells. This mechanism of in vitro tubule formation has many similarities to reported in vivo epithelial tubulogenesis.
Dynamic Incentive Effects of Relative Performance Pay: A Field Experiment

We conduct a field experiment among 189 stores of a retail chain to study dynamic incentive effects of relative performance pay. Employees in the randomly selected treatment stores could win a bonus by outperforming three comparable stores from the control group over the course of four weeks. Treatment stores received weekly feedback on relative performance. Control stores were kept unaware of their involvement, so that their performance generates exogenous variation in the relative performance of the treatment stores. As predicted by theory, we find that treatment stores that lag far behind do not respond to the incentives, while the responsiveness of treatment stores close to winning a bonus increases in relative performance. On average, the introduction of the relative performance pay scheme does not lead to higher performance.
Evaluation of the Prevalence of Complete Isthmii in Permanent Teeth Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Introduction: The current study aimed at determining the prevalence of complete isthmii in permanent teeth, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a selected Iranian community. Methods and Materials: In this cross sectional study, 100 CBCT images (from 58 female and 42 male patients) including 1654 teeth (809 maxillary and 845 mandibular teeth) were evaluated. Each tooth root was evaluated in axial plane (interval, 0.1 mm; thickness, 0.1 mm) from the orifice to the apex and from the apex to the orifice to detect the presence of complete isthmus. Scans of teeth with complete isthmii were reevaluated in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes with the thickness, 0.1 mm. Presence and absence of complete isthmii in each tooth was reported. The root canal was divided into 3 equal parts (cervical, middle and apical thirds), and isthmii were classified with respect to the start and end points. Findings were classified into 6 categories with respect to the start and end points of the isthmii: 1) the beginning and end in the cervical third; 2) the beginning in the cervical third and end in the middle third ; 3) the beginning in the cervical third and end in the apical third ; 4) the beginning and end in the middle third ; 5) the beginning in the middle third and end in the apical third and 5) the beginning and end in the apical third. Results: The prevalence of complete isthmus in permanent teeth was 8.6%, and the highest prevalence was reported in mesial roots of the mandibular first molars. In maxilla, the highest prevalence of complete isthmus was found in mesiobuccal roots of the maxillary first molars, whereas in canines and central incisors, no isthmii were detected. In the mandible, the lowest prevalence of isthmus was found in second premolars. In maxillary molars, isthmii starting and ending in the middle third of the root had the highest prevalence. On the other hand, isthmii in mandibular molars, from apical or middle third of the root beginning to the end of the apical third, had the highest prevalence. Conclusion: As the prevalence of complete isthmii was the highest in molars, endodontists should pay particular attention to accomplish a successful surgical or nonsurgical root canal therapy.
Aniseikonia Induced by Cataract Surgery and Its Effect on Binocular Vision

Purpose This study measured aniseikonia before and after the first and second cataract surgeries in ametropic adults. The relationship of aniseikonia to anisometropia and its effect on stereopsis, ocular alignment, and clinical symptoms were determined. Methods Seventeen patients scheduled to have bilateral cataract surgery with 2 diopters or more ametropia participated. Patients were evaluated before cataract surgery and 4 weeks (±1 week) after the first and second surgery. Visual acuity, refractive error, aniseikonia, stereopsis, ocular alignment, and visual symptoms were determined at each visit. Results Aniseikonia increased after the first cataract surgery. The increase in aniseikonia occurred in concert with increased anisometropia and resulted in poorer stereopsis overall. Aniseikonia and anisometropia 1 month (±1 week) after the second cataract surgery returned to near baseline and were associated with better stereopsis. The amount of aniseikonia showed substantial variance and could not be predicted by the amount of induced anisometropia. Changes in ocular alignment were minimal. Statistically significant changes in patient symptoms between study visits were infrequent. Conclusions Aniseikonia induced by cataract surgery may not be a substantial problem for ametropic adults with normal binocular vision, at least in the short term.
Increased oxidation and degradation of cytosolic proteins in alcohol‐exposed mouse liver and hepatoma cells

We recently developed a sensitive method using biotin‐N‐maleimide (biotin‐NM) as a probe to positively identify oxidized mitochondrial proteins. In this study, biotin‐NM was used to identify oxidized cytosolic proteins in alcohol‐fed mouse livers. Alcohol treatment for 6 wk elevated the levels of CYP2E1 and nitrotyrosine, a marker of oxidative stress. Markedly increased levels of oxidized proteins were detected in alcohol‐fed mouse livers compared to pair‐fed controls. The biotin‐NM‐labeled oxidized proteins from alcohol‐exposed mouse livers were subsequently purified with streptavidin‐agarose and resolved on 2‐DE. More than 90 silver‐stained protein spots that displayed differential intensities on 2‐D gels were identified by MS. Peptide sequence analysis revealed that many enzymes or proteins involved in stress response, chaperone activity, intermediary metabolism, and antioxidant defense systems such as peroxiredoxin were oxidized after alcohol treatment. Smaller fragments of many proteins were repeatedly detected only in alcohol‐fed mice, indicating that many oxidized proteins after alcohol exposure were degraded. Immunoblot results showed that the level of oxidized peroxiredoxin (inactivated) was markedly increased in the alcohol‐exposed mouse livers and ethanol‐sensitive hepatoma cells compared to the corresponding controls. Our results may explain the underlying mechanism for cellular dysfunction and increased susceptibility to other toxic agents following alcohol‐mediated oxidative stress.
Prediction of Individual Long‐term Outcomes in Smoking Cessation Trials Using Frailty Models

Summary In smoking cessation clinical trials, subjects commonly receive treatment and report daily cigarette consumption over a period of several weeks. Although the outcome at the end of this period is an important indicator of treatment success, substantial uncertainty remains on how an individual's smoking behavior will evolve over time. Therefore it is of interest to predict long‐term smoking cessation success based on short‐term clinical observations. We develop a Bayesian method for prediction, based on a cure‐mixture frailty model we proposed earlier, that describes the process of transition between abstinence and smoking. Specifically we propose a two‐stage prediction algorithm that first uses importance sampling to generate subject‐specific frailties from their posterior distributions conditional on the observed data, then samples predicted future smoking behavior trajectories from the estimated model parameters and sampled frailties. We apply the method to data from two randomized smoking cessation trials comparing bupropion to placebo. Comparisons of actual smoking status at one year with predictions from our model and from a variety of empirical methods suggest that our method gives excellent predictions.
A Novel Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Dependent 2-Keto-d-Glucose Dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aureofaciens

ABSTRACT A gene encoding an enzyme similar to a pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent sugar dehydrogenase from filamentous fungi, which belongs to new auxiliary activities (AA) family 12 in the CAZy database, was cloned from Pseudomonas aureofaciens. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned enzyme showed only low homology to previously characterized PQQ-dependent enzymes, and multiple-sequence alignment analysis showed that the enzyme lacks one of the three conserved arginine residues that function as PQQ-binding residues in known PQQ-dependent enzymes. The recombinant enzyme was heterologously expressed in an Escherichia coli expression system for further characterization. The UV-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectrum of the oxidized form of the holoenzyme, prepared by incubating the apoenzyme with PQQ and CaCl2, revealed a broad peak at approximately 350 nm, indicating that the enzyme binds PQQ. With the addition of 2-keto-d-glucose (2KG) to the holoenzyme solution, a sharp peak appeared at 331 nm, attributed to the reduction of PQQ bound to the enzyme, whereas no effect was observed upon 2KG addition to authentic PQQ. Enzymatic assay showed that the recombinant enzyme specifically reacted with 2KG in the presence of an appropriate electron acceptor, such as 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol, when PQQ and CaCl2 were added. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analysis of reaction products revealed 2-keto-d-gluconic acid (2KGA) as the main product, clearly indicating that the recombinant enzyme oxidizes the C-1 position of 2KG. Therefore, the enzyme was identified as a PQQ-dependent 2KG dehydrogenase (Pa2KGDH). Considering the high substrate specificity, the physiological function of Pa2KGDH may be for production of 2KGA.
Variables Associated with Therapy Attendance in Runaway Substance Abusing Youth: Preliminary Findings

Service providers and researchers note that youth with substance abuse problems are difficult to engage in treatment and, when engaged, often drop out early. Estimates of the alcohol and drug abuse rate of runaway youth range from 70% to 95%. This study evaluated predictors of therapy attendance in a sample of substance abusing youth recruited through two southwestern runaway shelters. Runaway youth and their families (N = 36) were engaged into a 15-session ecologically-based family therapy (EBFT) intervention. Fewer days between the pretreatment assessment and the first therapy session, as well as less perceived parental care, predicted more therapy sessions attended. No relationship was found between level of substance use and treatment attendance. The findings highlight the importance of engaging families in therapy soon after the youth's arrival to the shelter, as treatment motivation may decrease as the crisis lessens.
Productivity, Business Profitability, and Consumer Surplus: Three Different Measures of Information Technology Value

The business value of information technology (IT) has been debated for a number of years. While some authors have attributed large productivity improvements and substantial consumer benefits to IT, others report that IT has not had any bottom line impact on business profitability. This paper focuses on the fact that while productivity, consumer value, and bush ness profitability are related, they are ultimate1 Allen Lee was the accepting senior editor for this paper. 2 An earlier version of this paper appears in the
AC Transport Current Loss Characteristics of YBCO Coated Conductors Subjected to Bending Strains

Dependence of AC transport current losses on bending strains of two kinds of YBCO coated conductors (CCs) manufactured by IBAD/MOCVD and IBAD/PLD processes were investigated. The bending strains were applied to CCs samples by mounting the samples on U-shape sample holders consisted of straight and half-cylindrical sections. The bending strains to the superconductor layer were in tensile and compressive directions. The experimental results showed that the bending dependence of the AC transport current loss could be characterized by the amount of the deteriorations of the conductor critical currents dependent on structure changes of the superconductor layers due to the bending strains, regardless of the CCs manufacturing processes and the directions of the strains.