Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer: an overview for primary care physicians

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (CaP) are major sources of morbidity in older men. Management of these disorders has evolved considerably in recent years. This article provides a focused overview of BPH and CaP management aimed at primary care physicians. Current literature pertaining to BPH and CaP is reviewed and discussed. The management of BPH has been influenced by the adoption of effective medical therapies; nonetheless, surgical intervention remains a valid option for many men. This can be accomplished with well‐established standards such as transurethral resection of the prostate or with minimally invasive techniques. Prostate cancer screening remains controversial despite the recent publication of two large clinical trials. Not all prostate cancers necessarily need to be treated. Robot‐assisted prostatectomy is a new and increasingly utilised technique for CaP management, although open radical retropubic prostatectomy is the oncological reference standard. The ageing of the population of the developed world means that primary care physicians will see an increasing number of men with BPH and CaP. Close collaboration between primary care physicians and urologists offers the key to successful management of these disorders.
Sequence Uniqueness as a Molecular Signature of HIV-1-Derived B-Cell Epitopes

The complex pathophysiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the relatively high mutation rate of the retrovirus make it challenging to design effective anti-HIV vaccines. Several attempts have been made during the last decades to elucidate the enigmatic immunology of HIV infection and to predict potential immunogenic peptides for active vaccination using bioinformatic analysis methods. The results obtained to date to address this important problem are scarce. In this study, we exploit available HIV databases and analyse previously characterized HIV-encoded linear B-cell epitopes for their amino acid sequence similarity to the human or murine host proteome. We obtained further documentation that the HIV-derived antibody-targeted sequences mostly coincide with peptide areas rarely shared with the host proteins. In toto, our past and present data give clear-cut support to the statement that low-similarity to the host proteome is a major mechanism in defining viral peptide immunogenicity and indicate a possible way for inducing effective, high-titer, and non-cross-reactive antibodies to be used in anti-HIV vaccine therapy.
Generation of transposon insertion mutant libraries for Gram-positive bacteria by electroporation of phage Mu DNA transposition complexes.

Transposon mutagenesis is a powerful technique for generating collections of insertion mutants for genetic studies. This paper describes how phage Mu DNA transposition complexes, transpososomes, can be exploited for gene delivery to efficiently introduce selectable markers to genomes of Gram-positive bacteria. Mu transpososomes were assembled in vitro with custom-designed mini-Mu transposons, concentrated, and electroporated into cells of three Gram-positive bacterial species: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus suis. Within cells, the complexes reproduced an authentic DNA transposition reaction and integrated the delivered transposons into the bacterial genomes, yielding single-copy insertions. The integration efficiency among different species and strains of Gram-positive bacteria ranged from 1x10(1) to 2x10(4) c.f. u. (mug introduced transposon DNA)(-1). The strategy should be applicable to a variety of other Gram-positive species after initial optimization of certain key factors affecting transposon delivery, such as the preparation method of competent cells and physical parameters of electroporation. This study extends the scope of the Mu transpososome delivery-based genomic DNA integration strategy to Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, a straightforward generation of sizeable mutant banks is feasible for these bacteria, potentiating several types of genomic-level approaches for studies of a variety of important bacterial processes, such as pathogenicity.
Total Factor Productivity and the Decision to Serve Foreign Markets: Firm Level Evidence from France

This paper examines productivity differences between firms doing foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic firms on a sample of 28,133 continuing French firms over the period 1996-2002. The main contribution of this paper is to scrutinize the links between the different modes of globalization (exporting vs. setting up an affiliate overseas) and address the question of causality between productivity and global expansion. Comparing domestic firms and extra-firm exporters of goods, we find that pre-entry selection is more important than post-market-entry effects. Pre-entry boosts to productiVity are interpreted as a reflection of sunk cost to exporting in our framework while the absence of post-entry productivity effects is interpreted as an absence of learning effects associated with exporting. This result does not seem to fully hold for exports of services, which we consider as a partial evidence of foreign knowledge spillovers at work in the exports of services; more in-depth investigation would be probably fruitful to identify the dynamics of the diffusion process.
Comparison of Methods for Extracting DNA from Formalin‐Fixed Paraffin Sections for Nonisotopic PCR

DNA was extracted from unstained 5-μm sections of neutral buffered 10% formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue by proteinase K digestion without detergents followed by boiling, proteinase K digestion with ionic detergents with and without phenol chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation, sonication with proteinase K followed by boiling, or boiling alone. Serial 1:10 dilutions of the extracted DNA were subject to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a 255-bp portion of the p53 gene. Digestion with proteinase K without ionic detergents followed by boiling (without phenol chloroform extraction) gave the best yield, enabling visualization of ethidium bromide-stained PCR product from a DNA dilution corresponding to 0.1 mm2 of tissue containing of the order of 103 nuclear profiles. Proteinase K digestion with detergents followed by phenol-chloroform extraction was no more effective than simple boiling. Although the success of PCR from preserved tissue will vary with the fixative and size of the amplified fragment, DNA extracted with this optimized method can be used for identification of viruses, loss of heterozygosity, and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in paraffin-embedded tissue without radioisotopes.
Glucocorticoid dose determines osteocyte cell fate

In response to cellular insult, several pathways can be activated, including necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy. Because glucocorticoids (GCs) have been shown to induce both osteocyte apoptosis and autophagy, we sought to determine whether osteocyte cell fate in the presence of GCs was dose dependent by performing in vivo and in vitro studies. Male Swiss‐Webster mice were treated with slow‐release prednisolone pellets at 1.4, 2.8, and 5.6 mg/kg/d for 28 d. An osteocyte cell line, MLO‐Y4 cells, was treated with various doses of dexamethasone. We found that GC treatments dose dependently decreased activation of antioxidant‐, autophagy‐, and antiapoptosis‐focused RT‐PCR gene pathways in mouse cortical bone. The activation of antioxidant genes was correlated with autophagy gene expression after the GC treatments. The presence of osteocyte autophagy, as detected by immunostaining for LC3, increased ~50% at the distal femur cortical bone region but not at trabecular bone region at the 1.4 and 2.8 mg/kg/d GC dose levels. The number of apoptotic osteocytes was increased at the cortical bone region by ~40% initially observed at the 2.8 mg/kg/d dose level. In addition, the presence of the osteocyte autophagy was associated with an increased protein level of cathepsin K in vitro after the GC treatments. In summary, we found that GC treatment dose‐dependently decreased antioxidant gene expression, with lower GC doses activating autophagy, whereas a higher dose increased apoptosis. These data suggest that autophagy may provide a mechanism for osteocytes to survive the stress after GC exposure and provide further insight into how GCs alter bone cell fate. —Jia, J., Yao, W. , Guan, M. , Dai, W. , Shahnazari, M. , Kar, R. , Bonewald, L. , Jiang, J. X. , Lane, N. E. Glucocorticoid dose determines osteocyte cell fate. FASEB J. 25, 3366–3376 (2011). www.fasebj. org
Gender-specific association of vitamin D receptor polymorphism combinations with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE Recent data have indicated the significance of vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). We have studied the association of five known restriction enzyme polymorphisms of the VDR gene in patients with T1DM. DESIGN AND METHODS One hundred and seven children with T1DM (T1DM for 5 Years; age, 1-14 Years; boys/girls, 57/50; body mass index, 17.0+/-2.3 kg/m(2); haemoglobin A(Ic) (HbA(Ic)), 7.87+/-1.05) and 103 healthy subjects were enrolled. The VDR polymorphisms ApaI, BsmI, FokI, TaqI and Tru9I ("a", "b", "f", "t" and "u" alleles respectively) were investigated. RESULTS The "t" and "T" alleles miss the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.01) in control and diabetic populations; we therefore excluded this polymorphism from further analysis. We did not find a difference in the allele prevalence in T1DM patients and controls of any of the five polymorphisms. However, when the "b", "a" and "u" alleles were simultaneously compared in girls, there was a significantly higher prevalence in patients with diabetes compared with controls ("b"+"a"+"u" present/absent: healthy, 0/53; diabetic, 13/37; P<0.005). In boys the prevalence of "b"+"a"+"u" genotype was similar in T1DM and controls. CONCLUSIONS The impact of the "t" allele cannot be investigated in this study population. Not a single VDR polymorphism increases the susceptibility to T1DM. The common presence of the "b", "a" and "u" alleles greatly increases the probability of T1DM in girls.
A digitally-assisted electrothermal frequency-locked loop

A digitally-assisted electrothermal frequency-locked loop (FLL) is presented, whose output frequency is determined by the temperature-dependent thermal diffusivity of bulk silicon. In contrast to previous work, its noise bandwidth is defined by a digital, rather than an analog, filter. This obviates the need for external capacitors, thus enabling full CMOS integration. Without trimming, an implementation in a 0.7µm CMOS process achieves an output frequency spread of about ±0.3% (3σ) from −55 °C to 125 °C. This corresponds to a temperature sensing inaccuracy of about ±0.7 °C (3σ).
Development of effective connectivity for narrative comprehension in children

A large-scale study of narrative comprehension using functional MRI was performed involving children of ages 5–18 years old using a recently published method, multivariate autoregressive modeling, modified for multisubject analyses to investigate effective connectivity and its development with age. Feedback networks were found during a narrative processing task and involved effective connectivity from Broca's area and the medial aspect of the superior frontal gyrus to the posterior aspects of the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally. The effective connectivity from Broca's area to the superior temporal gyrus in the left hemisphere was shown to increase with age. The results demonstrate the feasibility of performing multisubject multivariate autoregressive modeling analyses to investigate effective connectivity in the absence of an a priori model.
Online servicescapes, trust, and purchase intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss a conceptual model of purchase intentions, trust, and e‐servicescape that presents online physical environments as comprising three dimensions. It aims to develop and extend existing research into physical service environments through proposing, operationalizing, and testing a model of online servicescape.Design/methodology/approach – The study utilizes a survey approach to gather data regarding consumers' perceptions of online servicescape. Surveys were administered to 257 respondents regarding a broad range of web sites.Findings – A measure of e‐servicescape is evaluated that comprises three dimensions and 52 items while relationships between the dimensions of e‐servicescape, trust, and purchase intentions are described.Research limitations/implications – The first contribution of this study stems from the successful operationalization of a comprehensive multi‐item (in total 52 items), multi‐scale (nine scales), multi‐dimensional (three) meas.
Newcomer socialisation in New Zealand small manufacturing firms: A socialisation agent perspective

Abstract This paper examines the nature and significance of the pre-encounter and encounter phases of the OS process and resultant outcomes in small manufacturing firms in Hawke’s Bay (a New Zealand region) from the perspective of socialisation agents. Key findings of this exploratory qualitative study were: (1) informal recruitment of staff through owner/managers’ and employees’ social networks facilitated newcomer learning and adjustment; (2) selection methods were employed that enabled socialisation agents to predict newcomer learning and adjustment; (3) socialisation agents used a blend of formal and informal socialisation tactics to socialise newcomers; and (4) key outcomes of the socialisation process include turnover and work performance. The implications of these findings for policy and practice are highlighted and the paper includes suggestions for further research.
Clinical and Histological Patterns of Oropharyngeal Tumors in Selected Health Institutions in North Western Nigeria

Background: Tumors of the oropharynx affect a common pathway for deglutition, respiration and speech and therefore pose a challenge to both the patient and clinician. This paper attempts to present clinical and histologic patterns, and therapeutic challenges of oropharyngeal tumors from three selected health facilities in North Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients seen in the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Federal Medi- cal Centre Birnin Kebbi and Shepherd Specialist Hospital, Sokoto with oropharyngeal tumors over a fourteen-year period were reviewed (January 2000 to December 2013). Results: A total of 36 patients were seen. Twenty (56%) were males and 16 (44%) were females, making the male:female ratio, 1.3:1, (P value of 0.004 for the null hypothesis). The age range was 3 to 80 years, with a mean age of 45.5 years. Majority of patients were in their 5th decade of life (33%). Nineteen (53%) patients presented with dysphagia, 11 (28%) with mass in the mouth (soft palate), 7 (17%) with neck swelling, while 3 patients (7%) presented with upper airway obstruction. Twenty-six patients (72%) presented at an advanced stage. Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 31% of the cases, followed by lymphoma 14%, adenoid cystic carcinoma 8%, pleomorphic adenoma 5%, mucoepidermoid carcinoma 5%, peripheral nerve sheath tumour 3%, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (3%), tuberculoma (3%) and inflammatory polyp (3%). Surgery was carried out in 31 cases (86.1%) for the purpose of obtaining biopsy and removal of tumour, followed by chemotherapy (5.5%) and radiotherapy (5.5%) where histologic diagnosis was malignant. Five (13.9%) did not consent for any intervention. Conclusion: Oropharyngeal tumours are varied in presentation. Squamous cell carcinoma (31%) was the commonest histologic type followed by lymphoma (14%) and adencystic carcinoma (8%). About 72% of the cases were in advanced stages (T4). More than half of the tumours (53%) were of soft palate origin.
Analysis of online training system using Ranti's generic IS/IT business value and economic value added (Case study: Bank Rakyat Indonesia)

High cost of transportation and accomodation, not effective at performance and not efficient of using working hours and low rate of training frequency are some problems caused by conventional education and training system. Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) plans to take an investment online training system to improve performance effectiveness, education cost efficiency and working hours efficiency through a transition from conventional system to education and training system. From the research result, it can be concluded that implementation of online training system could increase performance effectiveness and cost efficiency by reducing cost of education and training, improving productivity caused by ease of analysis and increasing revenue caused by widening market statement with total cost of benefit are 39.033. 822.000 IDR and economic value added are 29.288. 848.720 IDR.
Determinants and rate laws of growth and death of hybridoma cells in continuous culture.

Experimental data from six hybridoma cell lines grown under diverse experimental conditions in both normal continuous and perfusion cultures are analyzed with respect to the significance of nutrients and products in determining the growth and death rates of cells and with respect to their mathematical modeling. It is shown that neither nutrients (glucose and glutamine) nor the common products lactic acid, ammonia, and monoclonal antibody can be generally assumed to be the clear-limiting or inhibiting factors for most of the cultures. Correspondingly, none of the unstructured models existing in the literature can be generally applied to describe the experimental data obtained over a relatively wide range of cultivation conditions as considered in this work. Surprisingly, for all cultures the specific growth rate (mu) almost linearly correlates with the ratio of the viable cell concentration (NV) to the dilution (perfusion) rate (D). Similarly, the specific death rate (kd) is a function of the ratio of the total cell concentration (Nt) to the dilution (perfusion) rate. These results strongly suggest the formation of not yet identified critical factors or autoinhibitors that determine both the growth and death rates of hybridoma cells. Based on these observations, simple kinetic models are developed for mu and kd which describe the experimental data satisfactorily. Analysis of the experimental data with the kinetic models reveals that under the current cultivation conditions the formation rate of the autoinhibitor(s) or the sensitivity of cell growth and death to the autoinhibitor(s) is mainly affected by the medium composition. Irrespective of the cell lines, cells grown on serum-containing media have almost the same model parameters, which are distinctively different from those of cells grown on serum-free media. Furthermore, in contrast to the prevailing view, kd is shown to positively correlate with mu if the effects of cell concentration and dilution (perfusion) rate are considered. Several important implications of these findings are discussed for the optimization and control of animal cell culture.
Bondholder Concentration, the Cost of Default, and Firm Policies

We study the relationship between corporate bondholder concentration, the costs of default, and firm policies. We consider two competing hypotheses. On the one hand, bondholder concentration reduces the cost of renegotiation with the lenders in the event of default, hence reducing the cost of default. Thus, bondholder concentration should induce greater risk taking by the firm. On the other hand, greater concentration implies that each bondholder internalizes to a greater extent the benefits from monitoring the firm. Thus bondholder concentration should lead to better monitoring, and as a result less risk taking by the firm. We test these hypotheses using a novel data set, containing institutional holdings of US corporate bonds. We find that bondholder concentration is associated with a shorter time-to-reinstatement of defaulted bonds, consistent with a smoother renegotiation in the event of default. Further, bondholder concentration is also associated with greater firm risk, in the sense of larger asset volatility and expected default probability, and smaller holdings of cash and interest coverage. In addition, when faced with concentrated bondholders, the firm gives its managers greater risk-taking incentives, in the form of a larger option-based component of compensation. These findings are more consistent with the renegotiation hypothesis than with the monitoring hypothesis. They also suggest that bondholder concentration, while associated with lower default costs, is at the same time accompanied by a greater default risk. We find that the effect on default risk dominates in the pricing of corporate bonds: bondholder concentration is associated with higher yield spreads, at the issuance date as well as in the secondary market. Instrumental variables estimation helps us interpret these results in a causal sense.
Pulmonary hypertension of sickle cell disease: More than just another lung disease

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) of sickle cell disease (SCD), as defined by a tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity by echocardiogram of ≥2.5 m/sec, occurs in approximately 1/3 of HbSS adults and is an independent risk factor for martality. Although studies of the past few years have greatly expanded our knowledge of the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of PH in SCD, many questions remain. Two of the key issues addressed by manuscripts in the issue of the American Journal of Hematology are the prevalence of PH in the large African SCD population and the association of PH with renal disease and systemic hypertension. Because of its high impact on mortality, the assessment of PH in the African population is crucial from a public health standpoint. The association of PH with systemic disease in SCD suggests that a more widespread vasculopathy occurs in these patients that may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the observed increase in mortality. It is through studies such as these that a greater understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension is sickle cell disease can ve achieved. Am. J. Hematol. , 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determination of Adopter Categories by Using Innovation Diffusion Models

Using the analytical logic underlying the classical adopter categorization approach proposed by Rogers, the authors suggest that adopter categories for a product innovation can also be developed by using other well-established diffusion models such as the Bass model. With data on 11 consumer durable products, they compare adopter categories generated by the classical approach and the Bass diffusion model, respectively. An application examining the diffusion of personal computers is documented to illustrate the usefulness of the adopter categorization based on the Bass diffusion model in studying differences among adopter categories.