Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proposal of a knowledge management model for launch operations at the Brazilian Aerospace Technology Center: The case of the interface launch group

Knowledge management reduces risk associated to launching operations. Thus, to improve mission success, the Comando-Geral de Tecnologia Aeroespacial (CTA), a Brazilian aerospace technology center, created an Interface Launch Group. This Group is responsible for analyzing the Launch Interfaces in order to get subsidies to develop a knowledge management model that allows the transference of knowledge across different sectors and missions. In this context, the objective of this paper is to propose this knowledge management model. Thus, initially it is performed a literature review on knowledge management concepts, such as knowledge management models and knowledge cycles. Afterwards, the Interface Launch Group activities are analyzed in order to propose a model capable of capturing the main knowledge generated, so that knowledge can be transferred across sectors and missions. The model focus is to select, capture and disseminate knowledge that is key for the launch operations success. As a conclusion, it is necessary to point out that the model proposed should be considered as a first step, that must be improved and expanded by CTA, in order to conquest and retain technological growth.
Identification of specific adenovirus E1A N-terminal residues critical to the binding of cellular proteins and to the control of cell growth

Adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) oncogene-encoded sequences essential for transformation- and cell growth-regulating activities are localized at the N terminus and in regions of highly conserved amino acid sequence designated conserved regions 1 and 2. These regions interact to form the binding sites for two classes of cellular proteins: those, such as the retinoblastoma gene product, whose association with the E1A products is specifically dependent on region 2, and another class which so far is known to include only a large cellular DNA-binding protein, p300, whose association with the E1A products is specifically dependent on the N-terminal region. Association between the E1A products and either class of cellular proteins can be disrupted by mutations in conserved region 1. While region 2 has been studied intensively, very little is known so far concerning the nature of the essential residues in the N-terminal region, or about the manner in which conserved region 1 participates in the binding of two distinct sets of cellular proteins. A combination of site-directed point mutagenesis and monoclonal antibody competition experiments reported here suggests that p300 binding is dependent on specific, conserved residues in the N terminus, including positively charged residues at positions 2 and 3 of the E1A proteins, and that p300 and pRB bind to distinct, nonoverlapping subregions within conserved region 1. The availability of precise point mutations disrupting p300 binding supports previous data linking p300 with cell cycle control and enhancer function.
An update of the systematic appraisal of the accuracy and utility of lumbar discography in chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND The intervertebral disc has been implicated as a major cause of chronic lumbar spinal pain based on clinical, basic science, and epidemiological research. There is, however, a lack of consensus regarding the diagnosis and treatment of intervertebral disc disorders. Based on controlled evaluations, lumbar intervertebral discs have been shown to be the source of chronic back pain without disc herniation in 26% to 39% of patients. Lumbar provocation discography, which includes disc stimulation and morphological evaluation, is often used to distinguish a painful disc from other potential sources of pain. Despite the extensive literature, intense debate continues about lumbar discography as a diagnostic tool. STUDY DESIGN A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar provocation and analgesic discography literature. OBJECTIVE To systematically assess and re-evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar discography. METHODS The available literature on lumbar discography was reviewed. A methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) checklist. Only diagnostic accuracy studies meeting at least 50% of the designated inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. However, studies scoring less than 50% are presented descriptively and critically analyzed. The level of evidence was classified as good, fair, and limited or poor based on the quality of evidence developed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Data sources included relevant literature identified through searches of PubMed and EMBASE from 1966 to September 2012, and manual searches of the bibliographies of known primary and review articles. RESULTS Over 160 studies were considered for inclusion. Of these, 33 studies compared discography with other diagnostic tests, 30 studies assessed the diagnostic accuracy of discography, 22 studies assessed surgical outcomes for discogenic pain, and 3 studies assessed the prevalence of lumbar discogenic pain. The quality of the overall evidence supporting provocation discography based on the above studies appears to be fair. The prevalence of internal disc disruption is estimated to be 39% to 42%, whereas the prevalence of discogenic pain without assessing internal disc disruption is 26%. CONCLUSION This systematic review illustrates that lumbar provocation discography performed according to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) criteria may be a useful tool for evaluating chronic lumbar discogenic pain.
Aggression after traumatic brain injury: Analysing socially desirable responses and the nature of aggressive traits

Primary objective: To compare patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with controls on sub-types of aggression and explore the role of social desirability. Design: Quasi-experimental, matched-participants design. Methods and procedures: Sixty-nine participants were included in the study. The sample comprised a TBI group (n = 24), a spinal cord injury (SCI) group (n = 21) and an uninjured (UI) group of matched healthy volunteers (n = 24). Participants were given self-report measures of aggression, social desirability and impulsivity. Sixty-one independent ‘other-raters’ were nominated, who rated participant pre-morbid and post-morbid aggression. Main outcomes and results: Using standardized norms, 25–39% of participants with TBI were classified as high average–very high on anger and 35–38% as high average–very high on verbal aggression. Other-raters rated participants with TBI as significantly higher on verbal aggression than SCI and UI participants. There were no differences between the groups on physical aggression. The TBI group also had higher levels of impulsivity than SCI and UI groups. Social desirability was a highly significant predictor of self-reported aggression for the entire sample. Conclusions: Impulsive verbal aggression and anger are the principal aggressive traits after brain injury. Physical aggression may present in extreme cases after TBI, but appears less prominent overall in this population. Social desirability, previously overlooked in research examining TBI aggression, emerged as an influential variable that should be considered in future TBI research.
How can we restore the generality of the General Theory?

In this paper, I tackle the key issue raised by Pasinetti, namely why Keynes failed to accomplish his revolution and build a unifying ‘monetary theory of production’ framework. I argue that this occurred because, following his Marshallian background, he adopted an oversimplified view of the structure of theories, a problem which, following Leontief, might be labelled as ‘implicit theorising’ (IT). By making a comparison between the General Theory and standard macroeconomics based on Lakatos’s ‘research programme’ notion, this paper explores IT in a systematic fashion and stresses two key points. First, Keynes did not attack the ‘true’ orthodox postulates but only the conclusions deriving from them. Secondly, he failed to articulate his own research programme effectively. Based on these points, the paper concludes that filling such gaps in Keynes’s theory is the precondition for restoring his generality claim.
Venous thromboembolism and subsequent risk of cancer in patients with liver disease: a population-based cohort study

Objective Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may be a marker of occult cancer in the general population. While liver disease is known to increase the risk of VTE and cancer, it is unclear whether VTE in patients with liver disease is also a marker of occult cancer. Design A population-based cohort study. Setting Denmark. Participants We used population-based health registries to identify all patients with liver disease in Denmark with a first-time diagnosis of VTE (including superficial or deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) during 1980–2010. Patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease and patients with liver cirrhosis were followed as two separate cohorts from the date of their VTE. Measures For each cohort, we computed the absolute and relative risk (standardised incidence ratio; SIR) of cancer after VTE. Results During the study period, 1867 patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease and 888 with liver cirrhosis were diagnosed with incident VTE. In the first year following VTE, the absolute risk of cancer was 2.7% among patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease and 4.3% among those with liver cirrhosis. The SIR for the first 90 days of follow-up was 9.96 (95% CI 6.85 to 13.99) among patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease and 13.11 (95% CI 8.31 to 19.67) among patients with liver cirrhosis. After 1 year of follow-up, SIRs declined, but remained elevated in patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease (SIR=1.50, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.81) and patients with liver cirrhosis (SIR=1.95, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.57). Conclusions VTE may be a marker of occult cancer in patients with liver disease.
Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine plasma concentrations in major depression: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE Prior studies examining the relationship between fluoxetine plasma concentrations and response in major depression have either found no relationship between plasma concentration and response or suggested a curvilinear relationship with a therapeutic window. To elucidate this relationship, plasma concentrations of fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, fluoxetine plus norfluoxetine, and fluoxetine/norfluoxetine ratio were compared to therapeutic response. METHOD A total of 839 patients (577 women, 262 men; mean age = 40 [SD = 11] with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of major affective disorder who were in the course of either depression or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified and had a minimum baseline score of 16 on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were initially treated. Response was defined as follows: 1) nonresponders had less that a 50% or more reduction from baseline Hamilton depression score, 2) nonremitting responders had a 50% or more reduction from baseline Hamilton depression score but a final score higher than 7, and 3) remitters had a final Hamilton Depression score of 7 or lower. Plasma fluoxetine and norfluoxetine concentrations were measured after 8 weeks of fixed-dose treatment of 20 mg/day. RESULTS Plasma concentration data were available from 615 patients. Plasma concentration were similar in responders, both remitting and nonremitting (N = 411), and nonresponders (N = 204) for fluoxetine concentrations, for norfluoxetine concentrations, as well as for the sum of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine and for the ratio of fluoxetine to norfluoxetine. No apparent relationship was observed between plasma drug concentration and clinical response. CONCLUSION Plasma concentrations of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine do not appear to be related to clinical outcome and should not be used to make treatment decisions.
The relationship between CSR disclosure and competitive advantage

This study aims to apply signaling theory to examine whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure can deliver effective signals to stakeholders to increase a firm’s competitive advantage in China. Whether ownership patterns or environmental sensitivity causes a significant difference in the relationship between a firm’s CSR disclosure and competitive advantage is also examined. ,Data analysis is based on a regression model. Content analysis is performed to convert qualitative CSR information of Chinese firms into quantitative data, while intellectual capital (IC) is used as a proxy variable for competitive advantage. ,The difference in competitive advantage impairment between environmentally sensitive industries (ESIs) and non-environmentally sensitive industries (NESIs) is significant. Further comparisons on the relationship between overall CSR disclosure and competitive advantage among state-owned enterprises, privately owned enterprises, ESIs and NESIs suggest that the relationship is negative. ,The study extends research of strategic CSR to signaling theory and competitive advantage. In particular, a research using IC as a proxy for competitive advantage is rare. It also contributes to the literature on competitive advantage and strategic CSR by examining the effects of both CSR disclosure and IC. ,This paper provides evidence related to stakeholders’ reaction to managers’ various CSR strategies in China. The contribution of this study is that it confirms that different CSR initiatives have different effects on the competitiveness of enterprises in China.
Ultraporous β−Tricalcium Phosphate Is Well Incorporated in Small Cavitary Defects

Numerous bone graft substitutes are available as alternatives to autologous and allograft bone grafts. The use of ultraporous β-tricalcium phosphate for cavitary bone defects in our institution was based on the hypothesis that it would have gradual but complete incorporation over several months, similar to the smooth transition seen in animal models. This retrospective, uncontrolled study reviews 24 patients who had bone grafting of a cavitary defect with ultraporous β−tricalcium phosphate mixed with local blood. Radiographically, resorption and trabeculation increased steadily with time, with trabeculation lagging slightly behind resorption. Resorption and trabeculation were more advanced at times beyond 6 weeks in small defects (< 43 cm3) compared with large defects (≥ 43 cm3). The presence of peripheral radiolucency seen early around nearly all grafts disappeared in small lesions by 1 year, but still was visible in larger lesions at the latest followup. Bone renewal seems to correspond temporally with gradual replacement of graft material, but incorporation is not complete even at 1 year in large defects. Clinically, there is a low rate of complications associated with the use of ultraporous β-tricalcium phosphate, and patients progressed to unrestricted activities of daily living and recreational activities within 3 months. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series—no, or historical control group). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A new release on life: emerging concepts in proteolysis and parasite invasion

Cell invasion by apicomplexan pathogens such as the malaria parasite and Toxoplasma is accompanied by extensive proteolysis of zoite surface proteins (ZSPs) required for attachment and penetration. Although there is still little known about the proteases involved, a conceptual framework is emerging for the roles of proteolysis in cell invasion. Primary processing of ZSPs, which includes the trimming of terminal peptides or segmentation into multiple fragments, is proposed to activate these adhesive ligands for tight binding to host receptors. Secondary processing, which occurs during penetration, results in the shedding of ZSPs by one of two mechanistically distinct ways, shaving or capping. Resident surface proteins are typically shaved from the surface whereas adhesive ligands mobilized from intracellular secretory vesicles are capped to the posterior end of the parasite before being shed during the final steps of penetration. Intriguingly, recent studies have revealed that ZSPs can be released either by being cleaved adjacent to the membrane anchor or actually within the membrane itself. Mounting evidence suggests that intramembrane cleavage is catalysed by one or more integral membrane serine proteases of the Rhomboid family and we propose that several malaria adhesive ligands may be potential substrates for these enzymes. We also discuss the evidence that the key reason for ZSP shedding during invasion is to break the connection between parasite surface ligands and host receptors. The sequential proteolytic events associated with invasion by pathogenic protozoa may represent vulnerable pathways for the future development of synergistic anti‐protozoal therapies.
Social Information and Political Action in Honduras and Ghana

Author(s): Hughes, Douglas Alexander | Advisor(s): Fowler, James H | Abstract: Existing research argues for one of two sides of a dichotomy. Either, individuals' social connections shape behavior because information flows along social connections; or, social connections shape behavior because of influence between social actors. A theory of social information reconclies these two positions, arguing instead that social information is context-dependent. When the task social information is oriented toward is relatively low cost, then social information's primary role is to spread information; however, when the task-orientation requires relatively higher cost, then social information shifts into an influential role.To test these propositions, I employ two field experiments where tasks require distinct amounts of effort on the part of the political actors. In one, actors need forefit several hours' time to take political action on a weekend. In another, actors need pay no marginal cost, but instead only need coordinate their efforts in a common direction. A theory of social information predicts that in both tasks, individuals with a large number of social connections should be more effective than individuals with a small number of social connections; but for different reasons. In the high cost case, well-connected individuals can influence their relatively proximate social alters; in the low cost case, well-connected individuals are able to coordinate the actors of others by sending a commonly observed signal.
Enrichment of fetal cells from maternal blood by high gradient magnetic cell sorting (double MACS) for PCR‐based genetic analysis

For simple and effective isolation of fetal cells from peripheral maternal blood, we combined depletion of maternal cells and enrichment of fetal cells by high‐gradient magnetic cell separation (MACS). First CD45+ and CD14+ cells were depleted from maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells by MACS. From the depleted fraction, CD71+ erythroid cells were enriched up to 80 per cent by MACS. This ‘double‐MACS’ procedure yielded an average depletion rate of 780‐fold and an average enrichment rate of 500‐fold, with approximate recovery rates of 40–55 per cent. For paternity testing, cells from unseparated blood and the various fractions were analysed for polymorphism of the HLA‐DQ‐A1 locus and D1S80 locus by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In CD45−/CD71+ sorted cells from maternal blood, but not in unfractionated cells from maternal blood or CD45−/CD14− cells, paternal alleles could be detected. In the CD45−/CD71+ fraction, the relative frequency of paternal alleles compared with maternal alleles ranged from 1 in 20 to 1 in 200 (determined by titration and depending on the quality of separation and biological variation). In 7 out of 11 cases, between weeks 12 and 25 of gestation, we could identify paternal alleles by PCR, either HLA‐DQ‐A1 or D1S80. This double‐MACS procedure is simple, fast, efficient, and reliable for non‐invasive prenatal diagnosis.
Beneficial Impact of Xuezhikang on Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Elderly Hypertensive Patients With Previous Myocardial Infarction From the China Coronary Secondary Prevention Study (CCSPS)

Coronary heart disease, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are highly prevalent and commonly coexist in people who are middle‐aged and older. Previous data suggested that lowering cholesterol concentrations in individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease improved clinical outcomes. Xuezhikang, a partial extract of red yeast rice containing statin, has a marked impact on lipids. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the impact of Xuezhikang on reducing cardiovascular events and mortality in elderly Chinese hypertensive patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) enrolled in the Chinese Coronary Secondary Prevention Study. In this randomized trial, 1530 elderly hypertensive patients (≥65 years old) with previous MI were assigned either to placebo (n = 758) or to Xuezhikang (n = 772) daily for an average of 4.5 years. The primary endpoint was recurrent coronary events; the secondary endpoint was all‐cause mortality and other clinical events, including adverse effects. There were 68 cases of coronary events (8.8%) detected in the Xuezhikang group and 108 cases (14.3%) in the placebo group (38.2% risk reduction by Xuezhikang therapy). Death from coronary heart disease (CHD) totaled 49 cases in the Xuezhikang group (6.4%) and 68 cases in the placebo group (9.0%), indicating that Xuezhikang significantly decreased the risk of CHD death by 29.2%. Our study demonstrated that Xuezhikang therapy could effectively and safely reduce cardiovascular events and all‐cause death in Chinese elderly hypertensive patients with previous MI. This finding may have an important implication for the treatment of elderly hypertensive patients with CHD.
Can Loan Valuation Adjustment (LVA) Approach Immunize Collateralized Debt from Defaults?

This study focuses on structuring tangible asset backed loans to inhibit their endemic option to default. We adapt the pragmatic approach of a margin loan in the configuring of collateralized debt to yield a quasi-default-free facility. We link our practical method to the current Basel III (2017) regulatory framework. Our new concept of the Loan Valuation Adjustment (LVA) and novel method to minimize the LVA converts the risky loan into a quasi risk-free loan and achieves value maximization for the lending financial institution. As a result, entrepreneurial activities are promoted and economic growth invigorated. Information asymmetry, costly bailouts and resulting financial fragility are reduced while depositors are endowed with a safety net equivalent to deposit insurance but without the associated moral hazard between risk-averse lenders and borrowers.