Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Fokker–Planck reaction model for the epitaxial growth and shape transition of quantum dots

We construct a Fokker–Planck reaction (FPR) model to investigate the dynamics of the coupled epitaxial growth and shape transition process of an array of quantum dots (QDs). The FPR model is based on a coupled system of Fokker–Planck equations wherein the distribution of each island type is governed by its own Fokker–Planck equation for growth, with reaction terms describing the shape transitions between islands of different types including asymmetric shapes. The reaction terms for the shape transitions depend on the island size and are determined from explicit calculations of the lowest barrier pathway for each shape transition. This mean-field model enables us to consider the kinetics of asymmetric shape transitions and study the evolution of island shape distributions during the coupled growth and transition process. Asymmetric metastable shapes play a crucial role in the dynamics, with asymmetric QDs comprising up to 10% of the population, and with up to 100% of the shape transitions passing through asymmetric shapes. Moreover, we find that the characteristic multimodal distribution of pyramid/dome QD coarsening can be eliminated at sufficiently high temperature and deposition rate.
A validated, reliable method of scoring the severity of medication errors.

A method of scoring the severity of medication errors that does not require knowledge of patient outcomes was developed and tested. Thirty health care professionals from four U.K. hospitals scored 50 medication errors in terms of potential patient outcomes on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 represented a case with no potential effect and 10 a case that would result in death. Sixteen error cases reported in the literature with actual patient outcomes were included among the cases to assess the validity of the scores. Ten of the errors were scored twice. The severity of the error cases, the occasion on which they were scored, the judge, each judge's profession, and the interactions between these were considered as potential sources of variability in scoring. The data were analyzed by applying generalizability theory to two models: one based on the 10 cases that were scored twice and ignoring the effect of differences in profession and one based on all 50 cases and ignoring the effect of the occasion of scoring. Generalizability coefficients for different numbers of judges and scoring occasions were calculated. A generalizability coefficient of 0.8 or more was considered to represent acceptable reliability. Most of the variance was attributable to differences in the cases. The analysis showed that, to achieve a generalizability coefficient of more than 0.8, at least four judges would have to score each case, each on one occasion, with the mean score used as a severity indicator. A reliable, valid method of scoring the severity of medication errors that did not require knowledge of patient outcomes was developed; at least four judges were required in order to achieve reliable scores, and reliability was not affected by the professions of the judges or the number of occasions on which the errors were scored.
The Effect of Working Ban Periods for Asylum Seekers on Refugees' Employment Rates in Europe

This study evaluates the impact of working-ban policies for asylum seekers on the work integration of refugees, particularly their employment rate, in selected European countries. Integration of refugees is a key objective in many European countries refugee policy, thus the assessment of whether such working ban impedes integration of refugees is desirable. Previous studies evaluated different factors affecting refugees’ employment rate, and suggest that restrictive policies – such as working bans for asylum seekers – impede work integration of migrants. They mainly focused on single countries and lacked econometric tools to analyze the effect of working bans on work integration. Therefore, this study builds on and supplements existing literature by conducting a quantitative analysis with data of several European countries and finds that the length of workingbans for asylum seekers seems not to be correlated with refugees’ employment rates. However, this study suggests further research on policies restricting asylum seekers’ and refugees’ access to work, since it examined only a limited number of countries and the data of 2011 used by this study did not cover the current refugee crisis.
The Bel1 protein of human foamy virus contains one positive and two negative control regions which regulate a distinct activation domain of 30 amino acids

The Bel1 transactivator is essential for the replication of human foamy virus (HFV). To define the functional domains of HFV Bel1, we generated random missense mutations throughout the entire coding sequence of Bel1. Functional analyses of 24 missense mutations have revealed the presence of at least two functional domains in Bel1. One domain corresponds to a basic amino acid-rich motif which acts as a bipartite nuclear targeting sequence. A second, central domain corresponds to a presumed effector region which, when mutated, leads to dominant-negative mutants and/or lacks transactivating ability. In addition, deletion analyses and domain-swapping experiments further showed that Bel1 protein contains a strong carboxy-terminal activation domain. The activating region is also capable of functioning as a transcription-activating domain in yeast cells, although it does not bear any significant sequence homology to the well-characterized acidic activation domain which is known to function only in yeast and mammalian cells. We also demonstrated that the regions of Bel1 from residues 1 to 76 and from residues 153 to 225 repressed transcriptional activation exerted by the Bel1 activation domain. In contrast, the region from residues 82 to 150 appears to overcome an inhibitory effect. These results indicate that Bel1 contains one positive and two negative regulatory domains that modulate a distinct activation domain of Bel1. These regulatory domains of Bel1 cannot affect the function of the VP16 activation domain, suggesting that these domains specifically regulate the activation domain of Bel1. Furthermore, in vivo competition experiments showed that the positive regulatory domain acts in trans. Thus, our results demonstrate that Bel1-mediated transactivation appears to undergo a complex regulatory pathway which provides a novel mode of regulation for a transcriptional activation domain.
Evaluation of Online Training on the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism

Introduction: The integration of new evidence into clinical practice can be a prolonged process, with delays of years or even decades. One approach to speed this integration is through the use of online provider education. Problem: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious patient safety issue. Prevention requires coordinated care and adherence to evidence-based guidelines, supported by provider education. Purpose: This study reports how an interdisciplinary team developed and piloted an online provider training program for the prevention of VTE. Hypothesis: If providers use the online educational training, they will demonstrate increased mastery of key content areas related to VTE prophylaxis. Methods: We used a prospective test—retest study design in which medical residents and fellows served as their own controls. All participants were given a pretest followed by educational content and then a posttest. We also assessed 2 different types of learning content (ie, with and without case studies/questions) and randomized participants to each type prior to assessment. Results: Using the McNemar test we found a trend for knowledge gains related to VTE guidelines on the posttest for clinicians (n = 67) with a 14.5% improvement in content mastery (P = .05, 2-tailed). We did not find any significant differences between training modalities. Clinicians overall reported high levels of satisfaction with the application. Conclusion: Our online education efforts indicate the potential for increasing mastery of VTE prophylaxis concepts. If resources are limited, we suggest a static approach to content delivery and an exploration of standardized methods for portability of online curriculums across learning management systems.
Substance abuse treatment in an urban HIV clinic: who enrolls and what are the benefits?

Abstract Substance abuse treatment (SAT) is important for HIV medical care. Characteristics of those who choose SAT and effects of SAT on HIV clinical outcomes are not understood. We compared patients who enrolled and did not enroll in a SAT program offered within an HIV clinic, and evaluated the effect of SAT on CD4 T-cell counts and HIV plasma viral load (VL). Subjects were assessed and invited to enroll in SAT. Enrollees chose to receive psychological and psychiatric treatment, or motivational enhancement and relapse prevention, or residential SAT. We used logistic regressions to determine factors associated with enrollment (age, race, sex, HIV transmission risk factors, CD4 T-cell counts, and VL at assessment). A two-period (assessment and six months after SAT) data analysis was used to analyze the effect of SAT on CD4 T-cell count and log VL controlling for changes in HIV therapy. We find that, compared to Decliners (N=76), Enrollees (N=78) were more likely to be females (29.5% vs. 6.6%, OR=5.32, 95% CI 1.61–17.6), and to report injection drug use (IDU) as the HIV transmission risk factor (23.1% vs. 9.2%, OR=3.92, CI 1.38–11.1). Age (37.2 vs. 38.4), CD4 T-cell count (377.3 vs. 409.2), and log VL (3.21 vs. 2.99) at assessment were similar across the two groups (p>0.05). After six months, Enrollees and Decliners' CD4 T-cell counts increased and log VL decreased. SAT did not affect the change in CD4 T-cell count (p=0.51) or log VL (p=0.73). Similar results were found for patients with CD4 T-cell count ≤350 at assessment. In this small sample of HIV-infected patients with a limited follow-up period, women were more likely to enroll in SAT than men, and SAT reached those who needed it, e.g., IDUs. We did not find an effect of SAT on HIV clinical outcomes.
Essays on macroeconomics with financial frictions

This paper seeks to contribute to the growing literature on DSGE models with financial frictions by studying the transmission mechanism of a shock to housing investment that is confined to a limited group of constrained households (sub-primers). Financial frictions are not only operating via the borrowers’ balance sheet but also through changes in banks’ balance sheet. Indeed, on the one hand the initial shock reverberates through a decline in house prices bringing about a contagion effect that reduces consumption of durable and non-durable goods of prime borrowers, who are initially immune to the exogenous shock. On the other hand, the presence of a banking sector alters the dynamics of the shock via changes in the loan rates. We claim the following contributions. A shock to a small group of borrowers, (sub-primers account for less then 4% of total households) triggers a decline in total output because of endogenous propagation channels. We show that the amplification mechanism works mainly via house prices and changes in credit conditions. Second, sticky bank rates, and therefore monopolistic power in the banking sector amplify the shock. Third, monetary policy has a stronger effect on sub-primers since being more leveraged, they are more sensitive to changes in credit conditions. Fourth, if we compare an economy characterized by frictions on the side of the lenders and an economy with a frictionless flow of credit from lenders to borrowers the latter economy is more resilient to a house price shock. Finally, we show how an increase in the share of sub-primers, a salient fact of the precrisis years, magnifies the size of the initial shock. 4 Chapter 1. Sub-prime Mortgages and Banking in a DSGE Model
Tactile pad for the presentation of tactile sensation from moving pictures

An innovative tactile pad that presents various tactile sensations synchronizing with moving pictures is presented in this paper. To display tactile/touch sensations from a pad, a tactile display panel is designed by employing 10 micro-vibration actuators that provide tactile-stimulation sources using shape memory alloy wires. With the employment of the human higher-level perception caused by appropriate micro-vibratory stimuli, the resolution of the designed tactile display panel increases more than three times, so that people perceive various tactile sensations with high resolution enough for the better reality. By employing a webcam to capture moving pictures, the tactile pad system automatically recognizes the texture information contained in the scene, which are associated with tactile information to be output from the tactile pad. In order to let people reasonably perceive the presented tactile sensations, the developed system automatically translates visual information to tactile sensation. For verifying the effectiveness of the developed vision-based tactile pad system, experiments are conducted and the results are presented.
Induction of premature senescence in cardiomyocytes by doxorubicin as a novel mechanism of myocardial damage

Cellular senescence is an important phenomenon in decreased cellular function. Recently, it was shown that cellular senescence is induced in proliferating cells within a short period of time by oxidative stresses. This phenomenon is known as premature senescence. However, it is still unknown whether premature senescence can be also induced in cardiomyocytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a senescence‐like phenotype can be induced in cardiomyocytes by oxidative stress. In cardiomyocytes obtained from aged rats (24 months of age), the staining for senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase increased significantly and the protein or RNA levels of cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitors increased compared to those of young rats. Decreased cardiac troponin I phosphorylation and telomerase activity were also observed in aged cardiomyocytes. Treatment of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes with a low concentration of doxorubicin (DOX) (10−7 mol L−1) did not induce apoptosis but did induce oxidative stress, which was confirmed by 2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescin diacetate staining. In DOX‐treated neonatal cardiomyocytes, increased positive staining for senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase, cdk‐I expression, decreased cardiac troponin I phosphorylation, and decreased telomerase activity were observed, as aged cardiomyocytes. Alterations in mRNA expression typically seen in aged cells were observed in DOX‐treated neonatal cardiomyocytes. We also found that promyelocytic leukemia protein and acetylated p53, key proteins involved in stress‐induced premature senescence in proliferating cells, were associated with cellular alterations of senescence in DOX‐treated cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, cardiomyocytes treated with DOX showed characteristic changes similar to cardiomyocytes of aged rats. promyelocytic leukemia‐related p53 acetylation may be an underlying mechanism of senescence‐like alterations in cardiomyocytes. These findings indicate a novel mechanism of myocardial dysfunction induced by oxidative stress.
Superficial Siderosis Associated with Multiple Cavernous Malformations: Report of Three Cases

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE Superficial siderosis is a rare but potentially devastating syndrome caused by recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present three cases of superficial siderosis associated with multiple cavernous malformations, and we review previous reports of superficial siderosis attributable to vascular malformations. CLINICAL PRESENTATION Patients most commonly present with progressive sensorineural hearing loss, cerebellar ataxia, and pyramidal signs. Magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis may precede symptom development, however. In two of our cases, superficial siderosis was identified on magnetic resonance imaging scans in the absence of clinical symptoms. INTERVENTION Magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed hemosiderin deposition, characteristic of superficial siderosis, and multiple cavernous malformations in all three cases. Surgical intervention was not pursued. CONCLUSION We conclude that patients with multiple cavernous malformations and those with perisubarachnoid lesions are at risk for the development of superficial siderosis. Clinicians should recognize the radiographic appearance of superficial siderosis and its clinical presentation in patients with vascular malformations.
The Investigation of the Cox-2 Selective Inhibitor Parecoxib Effects in Spinal Cord Injury in Rat

ABSTRACT Aim: Today, spinal cord injury (SCI) can be rehabilitated but cannot be treated adequately. This experimental study was conducted to investigate possible beneficial effects of methylprednisolone and parecoxib in treatment of SCI. Materials and methods: Forty-eight male Wistar albino rats were assigned into CONTROL, acute (MP-A, PX-A, and PXMP-A), and subacute (MP-S, PX-S, and PXMP-S) stage groups. Then, to induce SCI, a temporary aneurysm clip was applied to the spinal cord following T7-8 laminectomy, except in the CONTROL group. Four hours later parecoxib, methylprednisolone, or their combination was administered to rats intraperitoneally except CONTROL, SHAM-A, and SHAM-S groups. Rats in the acute stage group were sacrificed 72 h later, and whereas rats in the subacute stage were sacrificed 7 days later for histopathological and biochemical investigation and for gene-expression analyses. Results: Parecoxib and methylprednisolone and their combination could not improve histopathological grades in any stage. They also could not decrease malondialdehyde or caspase-3, myeloperoxidase levels in any stage. Parecoxib and methylprednisolone could decrease the TNF-α gene expression in subacute stage. Methylprednisolone could increase TGF-1β gene-expression level in acute stage. Conclusion: Neither of the experimental drugs, either alone or in combination, did not show any beneficial effects in SCI model in rats.
Role of E2F transcription factor in E1A-mediated trans activation of cellular genes

Adenovirus E1A-dependent trans activation of the adenovirus E2 gene involves the activation of the cellular transcription factor E2F. E2F binding sites have also been identified in the 5'-flanking region of a number of cellular genes, raising the possibility that such genes are targets for E1A trans activation. We now demonstrate that two genes that possess E2F recognition sites, N-myc and DHFR, are stimulated by E1A, dependent on the E2F sites. We also find that although there are multiple E2F sites in these promoters, a single intact E2F binding site is sufficient for E1A-mediated induction, although not to the full wild-type level. These results thus demonstrate that a variety of cellular genes that possess E2F binding sites are subject to E1A trans activation. Moreover, since the products of most of these genes are likely critical for cellular proliferation, there are obvious consequences of this trans activation for cellular phenotype.
Ethanol-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression in cultured astrocytes via NF-&kgr;B

The CNS is particularly susceptible to the effects of alcohol and toxicity. Astrocytes are immunoactive cells, and the activation of these cells is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders. By using cultured cortical astrocytes, we show that a short ethanol treatment (100 mM) is able to up-regulate both cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and that these effects are regulated via nuclear factor kappa B (NF-&kgr;B) as revealed by the inhibition of NF-&kgr;B activation with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) or BAY 11-7082. These results suggest that ethanol is able to induce inflammatory mediators in astrocytes through the NF-&kgr;B activation.
Hydrophobic core substitutions in calbindin D9k: effects on Ca2+ binding and dissociation.

Hydrophobic core residues have a marked influence on the Ca2+-binding properties of calbindin D9k, even though there are no direct contacts between these residues and the bound Ca2+ ions. Eleven different mutants with substitutions in the hydrophobic core were produced, and their equilibrium Ca2+-binding constants measured from Ca2+ titrations in the presence of chromophoric chelators. The Ca2+-dissociation rate constants were estimated from Ca2+ titrations followed by 1H NMR1 and were measured more accurately using stopped-flow fluorescence. The parameters were measured at four KCl concentrations to assess the salt dependence of the perturbations. The high similarity between the NMR spectra of mutants and wild-type calbindin D9k suggests that the structure is largely unperturbed by the substitutions. More detailed NMR investigations of the mutant in which Val61 is substituted by Ala showed that the mutation causes only very minimal perturbations in the immediate vicinity of residue 61. Substitutions of alanines or glycines for bulky residues in the center of the core were found to have significant effects on both Ca2+ affinity and dissociation rates. These substitutions caused a reduction in affinity and an increase in off-rate. Small effects, both increases and decreases, were observed for substitutions involving residues far from the Ca2+ sites and toward the outer part of the hydrophobic core. The mutant with the substitution Phe66 --> Trp behaved differently from all other mutants, and displayed a 25-fold increase in overall affinity of binding two Ca2+ ions and a 6-fold reduction in calcium dissociation rate. A strong correlation (R = 0.94) was found between the observed Ca2+-dissociation rates and affinities, as well as between the salt dependence of the off-rate and the distance to the nearest Ca2+-coordinating atom. There was also a strong correlation (R = 0.95) between the Ca2+ affinity and stability of the Ca2+ state and a correlation (R = 0. 69) between the Ca2+ affinity and stability of the apo state, as calculated from the results in the present and preceding paper in this issue [Julenius, K. , Thulin, E. , Linse, S. , and Finn, B. E. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 8915-8925]. The change in salt dependencies of koff and cooperativity were most pronounced for residues completely buried in the core of the protein (solvent accessible surface area approximately 0). Altogether, the results suggest that the hydrophobic core residues promote Ca2+ binding both by contributing to the preformation of the Ca2+ sites in the apo state and by preferentially stabilizing the Ca2+-bound state.
An Examination of the Impact of Culture on IFRS Risk Disclosures for Firms that Cross-List in the U.S.

Accounting disclosures is an important factor in the decision making process of users of financial statements. Differences in cultural values across countries may result in different opinions regarding the adequacy or extent of the disclosures on the financial statements. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of culture on IFRS 7 risk disclosures in firms that cross-list in the United States. This paper extends the current literature in the area of culture and IFRS risk disclosure requirements. The study sample consists of 62 international firms that trade in the New York Stock Exchange. A cross-country analysis related to IFRS 7 disclosure level of financial risk was prepared for each firm. Using Hofstede (1983) and Gray’s theory (1988), each company and country was divided by cultural area and by a level of secrecy and conservatism scale. A level of risk disclosures was created for each company after considering the extension of the IFRS 7 disclosures in their annual reports. The results suggest that culture (secrecy and conservatism) do not have a significant impact in IFRS 7 disclosure levels. However, other economic and political factors seem to influence risk disclosures in financial statements.