Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Limitations to Replication of Hepatitis Delta Virus in Avian Cells

ABSTRACT Human hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a natural subviral agent that uses hepatitis B virus as a helper. Experimentally, HDV can be made to replicate in woodchucks, using woodchuck hepatitis B virus as a helper virus. Also, independent of such helper activity, replication of the HDV RNA genome can be achieved in many mammalian cells. In this study we examined whether such replication could also be achieved in avian cells. We used cotransfection strategies and initially found no detectable genome replication in chicken LMH cells relative to the mammalian cell line Huh7, used as a positive control. We also found that, in contrast to transfected Huh7 cells, the avian cell line was readily and efficiently killed by expression of the delta protein. Three strategies were used to reduce such killing: (i) the delta protein was expressed from a separate expression vector, the amount of which was then reduced as much as 33-fold; (ii) the protein was expressed transiently, using a promoter under tetracycline control; and (iii) the transfected cells were treated with Z-VAD-fmk, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, which reduced cell killing. This last result indicated that cell killing occurred via an apoptotic pathway. After application of these three strategies to reduce cell killing, together with a novel procedure to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in Northern analyses, replication of the HDV genome was then detected in LMH cells. However, even after removal of obvious signs of toxicity, the amount was still >50 times lower than in the Huh7 cells. Our findings explain previous unsuccessful attempts to demonstrate replication of the HDV genome in avian cells and establish the precedent that in certain situations HDV replication can be cytotoxic.
Multidisciplinary integrated Parent and Child Centres in Amsterdam: a qualitative study

Background In several countries centres for the integrated delivery of services to the parent and child have been established. In the Netherlands family health care service centres, called Parent and Child Centres (PCCs) involve multidisciplinary teams. Here doctors, nurses, midwives, maternity help professionals and educationists are integrated into multidisciplinary teams in neighbourhood-based centres. To date there has been little research on the implementation of service delivery in these centres. Study design A SWOT analysis was performed by use of triangulation data; this took place by integrating all relevant published documents on the origin and organization of the PCCs and the results from interviews with PCC experts and with PCC professionals (n=91). Structured interviews were performed with PCC-professionals [health care professionals (n=67) and PCC managers n=12)] and PCC-experts (n=12) in Amsterdam and qualitatively analysed thematically. The interview themes were based on a pre-set list of codes, derived from a prior documentation study and a focus group with PCC experts. Results Perceived advantages of PCCs were more continuity of care, shorter communication lines, low-threshold contact between professionals and promising future perspectives. Perceived challenges included the absence of uniform multidisciplinary guidelines, delays in communication with hospitals and midwives, inappropriate accommodation for effective professional integration, differing expectations regarding the PCC-manager role among PCC-partners and the danger of professionals’ needs dominating clients’ needs. Conclusions Professionals perceive PCCs as a promising development in the integration of services. Remaining challenges involved improvements at the managerial and organizational level. Quantitative research into the improvements in quality of care and child health is recommended.
Image Watermarking Resynchronization to Geometric Attacks in DWT Domain

This paper presents a novel image watermarking resynchronization technique in discrete wavelet trans-form (DWT) domain. Rotation and shearing attacks desynchronizing watermark model in DWT domain are given respectively. According to these models, two corresponding watermarking resynchronization algorithms are proposed. The ideal watermark can be extracted from the resynchronized watermarked images that ever underwent rotation or shearing attacks. Experimental results show that the proposed watermarking resynchronization schemes are extremely effective to against rotation and shearing attacks.
Risk and resilience factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of individuals deployed in humanitarian relief roles after a disaster

Abstract Background: When disasters occur, humanitarian relief workers frequently deploy to assist in rescue/recovery efforts. Aims: To conduct a systematic review of factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of disaster relief workers and identify recommendations for interventions. Method: We searched MEDLINE®, Embase, PsycINFO® and Web of Science for relevant studies, supplemented by hand searches. We performed thematic analysis on their results to identify factors predicting wellbeing. Results: Sixty-one publications were included. Key themes were: pre-deployment factors (preparedness/training); peri-deployment factors (deployment length/timing; traumatic exposure; emotional involvement; leadership; inter-agency cooperation; support; role; demands and workload; safety/equipment; self-doubt/guilt; coping strategies) and post-deployment factors (support; media; personal and professional growth). Conclusions: As well as role-specific stressors, many occupational stressors not specific to humanitarian relief (e.g. poor leadership, poor support) present a significant health hazard to relief workers. Humanitarian organisations should prioritise strengthening relationships between team members and supervisors, and dealing effectively with non-role-specific stressors, to improve the psychological resilience of their workforce.
Improving performance of text-independent speaker identification by utilizing contextual principal curves filtering

In this paper, a novel filtering method in feature extraction of speech is proposed for text-independent speaker identification, called Contextual Principal Curves Filtering (CPCF). The CPCF provides a good nonlinear summary of a sequence of cepstral vectors on the time context and, the most important, keeps their intrinsic trajectory characteristics, so the CPCF algorithm do improve the cepstral coefficients to represent speech feature more precisely. We apply this CPCF algorithm into two protocols in the framework of close-set textindependent speaker identification, where the experimental data are collected from a subset of 863 speech database of China National High Technology Project. The results show a steady relative error rate reduction of the identification for more than 20% compared with the use of the conventional Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients under both of the two protocols.
Implementing neural networks onto standard low-cost microcontrollers for sensor signal processing

In this paper we show some sensor linearizing methods based on feed-forward neural networks (multilayer perceptron). These procedures can be easily programmed into a computer-based data acquisition system. Nevertheless, we show that introducing some simplifications in the neural network architecture, these linearization procedures can also be programmed onto low-cost microcontrollers for embedded (portable) applications. In this work, we make use of an NTC sensor as a case study, but the procedure is so general and flexible that it can easily be applied to other non linear sensors. System performance measurements for both simulations and real set up are presented
Towards a Shared-memory Massively Parallel Multiprocessor

A set of ultra high throughput (more than one Gigabits per second) serial links used as processor-memory network can lead to the starting up of a shared-memory massively parallel multiprocessor. The bandwidth of the network is far beyond values found in present shared-memory multiprocessor networks. To feed this network the memory must be serially multiported. Such a multiprocessor can actually be build with current technologies. This paper analyzes the characteristics of such a novel architecture, presents the solutions that must be considered and the practical problems associated with close of experiments. These results show then the way to effectively build this multiprocessor, taking into account main topics such as data coherency, latency time and scalability.
Multiclass motor imagery classification for BCI application

Motor Imagery (MI) is now highly adapted to control machine or computer by interfacing with brain or mind. This paper proposes a method to differentiate left, right and feet motor imagery movement according to two and three class classification using statistical features of the EEG signal of the subjects. For this purpose the collected EEG signals of three subjects are segmented and feed to discrete wavelet transform (DWT). DWT decomposes each EEG segmented signal to collect the relevant features. ANN classifies the three left, right and feet movement class trials data. Classification accuracy varies with respect to subject. This straightforward method can be used to design a well-organized BCI system with better accuracy.
CD27/CD70, CD134/CD134 ligand, and CD30/CD153 pathways are independently essential for generation of regulatory cells after intratracheal delivery of alloantigen

Background. We investigated whether blockade of tumor necrosis factor receptor–ligand pathways could generate regulatory cells induced by intratracheal delivery of alloantigen. Methods. CBA (H-2k) mice were pretreated with intratracheal delivery of splenocytes (1×107) from C57BL/10 (H-2b) mice and intraperitoneal administration of monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for CD70, CD134 ligand (CD134L), CD153, or CD137L. Seven days later, C57BL/10 hearts were transplanted into pretreated CBA mice. Some naive CBA mice underwent adoptive transfer of splenocytes (5×107) from pretreated CBA mice and transplantation of a C57BL/10 heart on the same day. Results. Untreated CBA mice rejected C57BL/10 cardiac grafts acutely (median survival time [MST] 12 days). Pretreatment with intratracheal delivery of C57BL/10 donor splenocytes prolonged graft survival significantly (MST 84 days). Mice given intratracheal delivery of alloantigen plus anti-CD70, anti-CD134L, or anti-CD153 mAb, but not those given intratracheal delivery of alloantigen plus anti-CD137L mAb, rejected their graft acutely (MST 16, 14, 10, and 65 days, respectively). Adoptive transfer of splenocytes from mice pretreated with intratracheal delivery of alloantigen plus anti-CD70, CD134L, or CD153 mAb did not prolong survival of C57BL/10 cardiac grafts in naive secondary CBA recipients (MST 14, 11, and 11 days, respectively), whereas adoptive transfer of splenocytes from mice given intratracheal delivery of alloantigen plus anti-CD137L mAb did (MST 75 days). Conclusion. The CD27/CD70, CD134/CD134L, and CD30/CD153 pathways are independently required for generation of regulatory cells in our model.
Whose Epidemiology, Whose Health?

Simplistic claims about the objectivity of science have been challenged from a variety of perspectives. Evaluation of the external context of production of knowledge and the methodological approaches to posing questions and assembling evidence shows that there is no pure “science”; rather, all scientific knowledge is shaped by the social history of its production. Examples are given of how quantitative concepts in modern epidemiology influence the recognition of the causes of disease. The author uses the phenomenon of intensive swine production by vertically integrated agribusiness to illustrate how broad problems such as environmental racism, agricultural determinants of nutrition, loss of natural resources, and conditions conducive to emergence of new diseases are hidden by epidemiological approaches that fit into corporate policy perspectives. It is critically important to ask who produces epidemiological knowledge, and whose health is promoted by that knowledge.
Achieving Competent Family Practice with Same-Sex Parents

Abstract Due to the increasing recognition of same-sex marriage in different jurisdictions and growing numbers of parents raising children in the context of a same-sex relationship, it is becoming ever more important for family therapists to attain clinical competence in working with families headed by same-sex parents. This paper takes as its premise that good intentions and general acceptance of diversity are not sufficient in working with this population of families. Rather, clinical competence rests on experience working with lesbian and gay clients and knowledge of the impact of heterosexism on parenting in the context of same-sex relationships. Equally critical to competent family therapy practice is a theoretical framework that pulls together complementary concepts from different bodies of theory to analyze family structures and functions in the social context of heterosexism. To this end, this paper reviews family systems theory, structural social work, ecological systems theory and queer theory with an eye to culling complementary constructs relevant to working with same-sex parents. Specific aspects of family functioning such as maintenance of boundaries around and within families and role differentiation between parents are then explored using this theoretical framework. Finally, implications for the clinician working with families led by same-sex parents are reviewed.
An evaluation method for panoramic understanding of programming by comparison with visual examples

In recent years, professionals in different fields have become able to do programming by using simplified software tools, as a consequence of this they are becoming able to understand programming in a general or “panoramic” way. This understanding is not evaluated by current programming abilities testing methods such as written paper tests or practical programming. This paper proposes a Programmed Visual Contents Comparison Method to assess programming ability, and additionally, a testing system based on this method. With this method, by comparing 2 displayed images and interactive animations produced by programming samples (a question) a subject must decide which one of the programs is more difficult to build with programming than the other, or, if the difficulty is similar for both of them. The validity of the method is confirmed by comparing the ability reported by programming teachers with the results of an experiment performed with a testing system.
Composing Diverse Identities: Narrative Inquiries into the Interwoven Lives of Children and Teachers

1. A Narrative Understanding of Lives in Schools 2. Working Alongside Children, Teachers, Parents, and Administrators in Relational Narrative Inquiry 3. Children's Stories to Live By: Teachers' Stories of Children 4. Children's Fictionalized Stories to Live By 5. Children's and Teachers' Stories to Live By in a School Story of Character Education 6. Living Alongside Children Shapes an Administrator's Stories to Live By 7. Shifting Stories to Live By: Interweaving the Personal and Professional in Teachers' Lives 8. Living in Tension: Negotiating a Curriculum of Lives 9. Composing Stories to Live By: Interrupting the Story of School 10. Afterword. References
Ultrastructural alterations produced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on rat tracheal epithelium in organ culture.

Summary Ultrastructural alterations of columnar respiratory epithelium were produced by certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in suckling rat trachea maintained in organ culture for 11 days. The potent carcinogens 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and benzo(a)pyrene and the weakly carcinogenic compounds benz(a)anthracene and 5-fluoro-7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (F-DMBA) produced cells whose cytoplasm contained little endoplasmic reticulum, many free ribosomes, complex autophagic vacuoles, and abundant cytoplasmic filaments. These cells were often connected by many desmosomes and complex interdigitations in a stratified epithelium 3 to 8 cells high, which bore a similarity to stratified squamous epithelia such as skin and also resembled bronchogenic carcinoma in situ . Some nucleolar fragmentation and disorganization also occurred in the epithelium of the carcinogentreated explants. In general, DMBA produced morphologic abnormalities at low concentrations, while the related compounds benz(a)anthracene and F-DMBA did so at concentrations 12.5- to 25-fold higher. Although autophagic vacuoles and related structures, as well as some degree of disorganization of the endoplasmic reticulum, were found in columnar cells, and increased filaments were noted in basal cells, extensive alteration of cell structure and epithelial state was not encountered in control explants or in explants treated with anthracene, benzo(e)pyrene, benzo(a)fluorene, benz(m,n,o)fluoranthene, chrysene, perinaphthoxanthene, perylene, or phenanthrene.
Demanda controle em trabalhadores hipertensos da construção civil

Objetivo: Apresentar o resultado da aplicacao do instrumento demanda controle em uma populacao de trabalhadores hipertensos da construcao civil, relacionadas ao ambiente ocupacional. Metodo: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e transversal, em trabalhadores da Construcao Civil de Cubatao, SP oferecendo subsidios para a gestao da saude do trabalhador nesse ramo de atividade. Resultados: (n=79) que relacionou o ambiente de trabalho e sua relacao com a hipertensao arterial. Conclusao: Concluiu-se que a hipertensao arterial leve foi predominante entre os trabalhadores, no entanto ha necessidade de maiores investigacoes sobre os fatores presentes no ambiente de trabalho podem agrava-la ou nao.
Absolute and relative binding free energy calculations of the interaction of biotin and its analogs with streptavidin using molecular dynamics/free energy perturbation approaches

We present calculations of the absolute and relative binding free energies of complexation of streptavidin with biotin and its analogsby means of a thermodynamic free energy perturbation method implemented with molecular dynamics. Using the recently solved crystal structure of the streptavidin–biotin complex, biotin was mutated into a dummy molecule as well as thiobiotin and iminobiotin both in the protein and insolution. The calculated absolute binding free energy was dependent on the simulation model used. Encouragingly, the “best models” provided a reasonable semiquantitative reproduction (−20 to −22 kcal/mol) of the experimental free energy (−18.3 kcal/ mol). Furthermore, the calculated results give clear insights into the binding nature of the protein–ligand complex, showing that the van der Waals energy dominates the electrostatic and hydrogen bonding energies in thebinding of biotin by streptavidin. Specifically, the mutation of biotin into a dummy molecule in solution has a ΔG (van der Waals) ∼ −4 kcal/mol, due to the cancellation of dispersion and repulsion “cavity” effects. On the other hand, in the protein, a very small free energy price must be paid to create a cavity since one already exists and the mutation of biotin into a dummy molecule has a ΔG (van der Waals) ∼ 15 kcal/mol. These results are also consistent with the interpretation that the entropy increase to be expected from hydrophobic interactions from desolvation of biotin is counterbalanced by a decrease in entropy accompanying the formationof buried hydrogen bonds, which have been derived from the apparentlyconflicting experimental data. They provide an alternative interpretationofthe reason for the extremely high affinity of the biotin‐streptavidin interaction than that recently proposed by Weber et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114:3197, 1992). In the case of the relative binding freeenergies, the calculated values of 3.8 ± 0.6 and 7.2 ± 0.6 kcal/mol compare well with the experimental values of 3.6 and 6.2 kcal/mol for the perturbation of biotin to thiobiotin and iminobiotin, respectively in the related protein avidin. The calculations indicate that desolvation of the ligand is important in understanding the relative affinity of the ligands with the protein. The above successful simulations suggestthat the molecular dynamics/free energy perturbation method is useful for understanding the energetic features affecting the binding between proteins and ligands, since it is generally difficult to determine these factors unambiguously by experiment. This set of studies provide a textbook example of the key elements of protein–ligand recognition: the electrostatic free energy dominates the relative affinities, the van der Waals free energy dominates the absolute free energy; the free energy of desolvation is a key to why iminobiotin is so much more weakly bound than biotin and the free energy of binding explains why thiobiotin is so weakly bound relative to biotin. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
COĞRAFYA DERSİNDE DRAMA TEKNİĞİNİN ÖĞRENCİ BAŞARISINA ETKİSİ

Bu calismada, cografya ogretiminde problem cozme yontemi olarak dramatizasyonun kullanilmasi ve ogrencinin akademik basarisi ve hatirlama duzeyine etkisi arastirilmistir. Ogrencilerin cinsiyetinin, ailelerin sosyoekonomik durumu, ogrencilerin cografya dersine ilgi duyma durumlari ve cografya dersi ile ilgili degerlendirmelerinin basariya etkisi, ogrencilerin ders calisma aliskanliklari ve ders calisma ortamlarinin basariya etkileri incelenmistir.
Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Block Anesthesia with Emphasis on the Interscalene Approach to Brachial Plexus Blockade

Epidemiologic data has revealed a progressive rise in the aggregate number of patient surgical visits with an increasing number occurring within the ambulatory setting [1]. Accompanying this rise has been a growing need for adequate, efficient patient anesthesia and analgesia [2]. With a significant proportion of procedures involving focal orthopedic interventions of the knee and shoulder, peripheral nerve blockade has become an increasing trend in anesthetic practice while neuraxial blockade use has decreased [2]. The popularity of peripheral nerve blockade may stem from its demonstrated effectiveness with studies showing improved analgesia and recovery during the postoperative period versus opioids [3] or general anesthetic [4]. In this chapter, we will review ultrasonography and its application to a commonly employed peripheral nerve block, namely, the interscalene block.
Essential Role for OspA/B in the Life Cycle of the Lyme Disease Spirochete

The molecular basis of how Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the Lyme disease spirochete, maintains itself in nature via a complex life cycle in ticks and mammals is poorly understood. Outer surface (lipo)protein A (OspA) of Bb has been the most intensively studied of all borrelial molecular constituents, and hence, much has been speculated about the potential role(s) of OspA in the life cycle of Bb. However, the precise function of OspA (along with that of its close relative and operonic partner, outer surface [lipo]protein B [OspB]) heretofore has not been directly determined, due primarily to the inability to generate an OspA/B-deficient mutant from a virulent strain of Bb. In this study, we created an OspA/B-deficient mutant of an infectious human isolate of Bb (strain 297) and found that OspA/B function was not required for either Bb infection of mice or accompanying tissue pathology. However, OspA/B function was essential for Bb colonization of and survival within tick midguts, events crucial for sustaining Bb in its natural enzootic life cycle.