Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance of the New Bayer VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0 Assay for Quantitation of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Plasma and Serum: Conversion to International Units and Comparison with the Roche COBAS Amplicor HCV Monitor, Version 2.0, Assay

ABSTRACT We have evaluated the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0. Assay (HCV 3.0 bDNA assay) (Bayer Diagnostics, Berkeley, Calif.), which is an improved signal amplification procedure for the HCV 2.0 bDNA assay for the quantitation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum or plasma of HCV-infected individuals. The HCV 3.0 bDNA assay has a linear dynamic range of 2.5 × 103 to 4.0 × 107 HCV RNA copies per ml (c/ml). The performance of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was evaluated using three different test panels. An overall specificity of 96.8% relative to the detection limit of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was found. The intra- and interrun reproducibilities for both the dilution panel and the NAP (AcroMetrix, Benicia, Calif.) panel were consistent with coefficients of variation of less than 9%. Quantitation with the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was linear over the entire range of both panels (ranges of 4.4 × 103 to 3.5 × 106 c/ml and 5 × 103 to 2 × 106 IU/ml, respectively), with correlation coefficients of 0.999, slopes close to one, and intercepts close to zero. The regression equation indicated that 1 IU corresponded to about 4.8 copies of HCV RNA. A correlation coefficient of 0.941 was found for HCV RNA values (in international units per milliliter) obtained from the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay and the HCV Monitor version 2.0 assay (HCV Monitor 2.0 assay) (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, N.J.). Quantitative results obtained close to the lower limit of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay might imply that its lower limit should be reconsidered and raised, if necessary. It appeared that quantitation values obtained from the HCV Monitor 2.0 assay of between 5 × 102 and 105 IU/ml were in general higher than those obtained from the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay, whereas values obtained from the HCV Monitor 2.0 assay were underestimated for samples with HCV RNA levels above 105 IU/ml.
Schooling, occupation and cognitive function: Evidence from compulsory schooling laws

This paper assesses whether additional schooling has lasting causal effects on cognitive function, and explores the role of occupation type in shaping these effects. Exploiting quasi-experimental variation from the 1972 raising of the school leaving age in England and Wales, an additional year of schooling improves working memory by one- to two-thirds of a standard deviation. Limited evidence was detected for causal effects on verbal fluency and numeric ability. Analyses of the underlying mechanisms show occupation can explain up to about one-fifth of schooling’s effects on memory. However these figures are imprecisely estimated, and the role of occupation remains an area for further study.
Identification of a Positive Transcription Regulatory Element within the Coding Region of the nifLA Operon in Azotobacter vinelandii

ABSTRACT Nitrogen fixation in Azotobacter vinelandii is regulated by the nifLA operon. NifA activates the transcription of nif genes, while NifL antagonizes the transcriptional activator NifA in response to fixed nitrogen and molecular oxygen levels. However, transcriptional regulation of the nifLA operon of A. vinelandii itself is not fully understood. Using the S1 nuclease assay, we mapped the transcription start site of the nifLA operon, showing it to be similar to the σ54-dependent promoters. We also identified a positive cis-acting regulatory element (+134 to +790) of the nifLA operon within the coding region of the nifL gene of A. vinelandii. Deletion of this element results in complete loss of promoter activity. Several protein factors bind to this region, and the specific binding sites have been mapped by DNase I foot printing. Two of these sites, namely dR1 (+134 to +204) and dR2 (+745 to +765), are involved in regulating the nifLA promoter activity. The absence of NtrC-like binding sites in the upstream region of the nifLA operon in A. vinelandii makes the identification of these downstream elements a highly significant finding. The interaction of the promoter with the proteins binding to the dR2 region spanning +745 to +765 appears to be dependent on the face of the helix as introduction of 4 bases just before this region completely disrupts promoter activity. Thus, the positive regulatory element present within the BglII-BglII fragment may play, in part; an important role in nifLA regulation in A. vinelandii.
Asia’s Conservative Moment: Understanding the Rise of the Right

ABSTRACT Recent scholarship has identified a new era of post-democracy or democratic crisis in the West, characterised by the increasing resort to authoritarian measures and the erosion of mechanisms such as representative parties and unions that link citizens and social forces with the political process. Conservative political movements, right-wing governments and populism have also emerged in the democratic states of the Asia-Pacific. The existing literature, with its focus on the crisis of social democratic institutions and forms of representative politics, provides inadequate frameworks for explaining these trends in the region. This article suggests that a better way of understanding the emergence of these new forms of political regime in Asia is to locate the origins of democratic crises in processes of global capitalist transformation and political incorporation and disincorporation. The articles in this special issue show that previously dominant modes of incorporation are fracturing under the conditions of neo-liberal capitalist transformation. In the wake of this fracturing, political elites have struggled to created new forms of political incorporation. This has inadvertently resulted in the sharpening of the conditions that give rise to political crisis. The political responses to crises have predominantly been conservative and have led to attempts to restructure the state to limit dissent and electoral competition.
Variation Over Time in Preventable Hospitalization Rates Across Counties

Background: The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality developed 14 prevention quality indicators (PQIs), including four PQIs related to preventable hospitalizations for diabetes and one to asthma. Quality indicators vary across counties, but variation over time has not been described. Methods: The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services published PQI data for each county in Kentucky in each of the 3 years from 2006 to 2008. Variation and correlations among PQI measures were calculated. Results: PQI rates often varied 10-fold between counties. Repeated measures of four PQIs were highly correlated, suggesting local health care processes that are stable over time. Some PQIs, such as PQI01—emergent complications of blood glucose control—correlated poorly with other measures. Other PQIs are correlated over geography and time, including PQI03 (long-term complications of diabetes); PQI14 (poorly controlled diabetes); and PQI15 (asthma). Conclusions: These county PQI measures were stable over time. Stability implies that PQI measures were not the result of random processes and did not rapidly shift. However, some health improvement needs varied between counties. Although tailoring health promotion interventions to each county's needs may be complex, stable needs afford time to undertake targeted quality improvement efforts.
SPECT and PET of the dopamine transporter in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abnormalities of frontostriatal circuits, which are modulated by dopamine, have been found by brain imaging studies in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With special radiolabeled ligands selective imaging of the dopamine transporter (DAT), which has a key function in dopamine metabolism, can be performed by SPECT and PET. Most of the studies showed a higher DAT availability in untreated patients with ADHD compared with controls. The relationship between DAT availability and a polymorphism of DAT1 gene in patients with ADHD is not clear and the results are controversial. It has been shown that methylphenidate lowers DAT availability very effectively in normal people and in patients with ADHD. First results seem to indicate that nonresponders to methylphenidate among ADHD patients have a low primary DAT availability, whereas patients with a good response to the drug have high DAT. Nicotine seems to lower DAT availability such as stimulant medication; this may explain the high percentage of smokers among patients with ADHD. Zinc is a DAT inhibitor and seems to have a positive therapeutic effect on ADHD symptoms. This article reviews the function and structure of the DAT, the results of DAT imaging with SPECT and PET, the relations between DAT availability and the DAT1 gene polymorphism, the influence of stimulants on DAT and the significance of DAT for therapeutic response, nicotine, zinc and psychotic symptoms in patients with ADHD.
The Processing of J-R Nb3Al Superconducting Wires through the Diffusion Method at Low Temperature

Eighteen-core Nb-Al strands have been fabricated by the jelly-roll (J-R) method followed by the thermal diffusion method. The effects of sintering temperature and time on the extent of diffusion and the superconducting properties of the binary Nb-Al system were investigated, with thermal diffusion taking place under isothermal heat treatment at 750 °C-1000 °C. Results showed that the J-R Nb3Al superconducting phase could be obtained by the low-temperature diffusion method, and a higher critical temperature (Tc) was obtained with sintering between 800 °C and 900 °C. On optimizing the sintering temperature and time, it was indicated that the sintering temperature had more significant effects on the superconducting properties than the sintering time. The magnetic analysis showed that the J-R Nb3Al samples were obtained with an optimal Tc of about 15.1 K by the low-temperature diffusion method with sintering for 24 h under 900 °C.
Cold Atmospheric Air Plasma Sterilization against Spores and Other Microorganisms of Clinical Interest

ABSTRACT Physical cold atmospheric surface microdischarge (SMD) plasma operating in ambient air has promising properties for the sterilization of sensitive medical devices where conventional methods are not applicable. Furthermore, SMD plasma could revolutionize the field of disinfection at health care facilities. The antimicrobial effects on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria of clinical relevance, as well as the fungus Candida albicans, were tested. Thirty seconds of plasma treatment led to a 4 to 6 log10 CFU reduction on agar plates. C. albicans was the hardest to inactivate. The sterilizing effect on standard bioindicators (bacterial endospores) was evaluated on dry test specimens that were wrapped in Tyvek coupons. The experimental D 23 ° C values for Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus atrophaeus, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus were determined as 0.3 min, 0.5 min, 0.6 min, and 0.9 min, respectively. These decimal reduction times (D values) are distinctly lower than D values obtained with other reference methods. Importantly, the high inactivation rate was independent of the material of the test specimen. Possible inactivation mechanisms for relevant microorganisms are briefly discussed, emphasizing the important role of neutral reactive plasma species and pointing to recent diagnostic methods that will contribute to a better understanding of the strong biocidal effect of SMD air plasma.
Muscular long-chain fatty acid content during graded exercise in humans.

We measured the content of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in biopsies obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle in humans at rest and after different exercise intensities. Nine volunteers exercised at 65% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) for 40 min and at 90% of VO2 max for another 15 min on a Krogh bicycle ergometer. LCFA measured in muscle tissue averaged 76 +/- 5 nmol/g wet wt at rest, decreased significantly after exercise at 65% VO2 max to 48 +/- 4 nmol/g wet wt, and increased to 68 +/- 5 nmol/g wet wt (P < 0.05) after high-intensity exercise. The calculated myocyte LCFA content at rest amounted to 69 +/- 5 nmol/g wet wt, decreased by 43% (P < 0.05) after exercise at 65% of VO2 max, and subsequently increased by 54% after exercise at 90% of VO2 max (P < 0.05) compared with the values obtained at the lower workload. The blood plasma LCFA concentration during the low-intensity exercise (366 +/- 23 nmol/ml) was similar to the values obtained at rest (372 +/- 31 nmol/ml) but decreased significantly during the high-intensity workload (249 +/- 49 nmol/ml). From these data it is proposed that 1) in human skeletal muscle, metabolism rather than cellular availability of LCFA governs the rate of LCFA utilization at rest and during exercise, and 2) consequently reduction in muscle LCFA oxidation during high-intensity exercise (e.g., 90% VO2 max) is due primarily to a decrease in mitochondrial LCFA oxidation rate rather than an insufficient cellular availability of LCFA.
Does Trade Credit Affect Technical Efficiency? Empirical Evidence from Italian Manufacturing SMEs*

Using firm‐level data from the Italian manufacturing sector, we investigate the relationship between small and medium‐sized firms technical efficiency and trade credit. Our contribution is twofold: we provide evidence on an open empirical question, and disentangle the channels through which trade credit may influence firms' efficiency. According to our findings, based on the Simar and Wilson (2007) procedure, trade credit seems to positively affect firm efficiency by mitigating financial constraints. Indeed, trade credit enhances efficiency especially for firms that are more likely to be financially constrained (i.e., smaller and/or younger firms) and during the most recent financial crisis.
Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises Accompanied by Music on Low Back Pain and Quality of Life During Pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION Back pain is commonly experienced by pregnant women. Evidence suggests that progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) therapy, a complementary therapy widely used by pregnant women, may improve the physical and psychological outcomes of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PMR training accompanied by music on perceived pain and quality of life (QOL) in pregnant women with low back pain (LBP). METHODS This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. The study was designed to examine the effects of PMR accompanied by music on pregnant women with LBP. In total, 66 pregnant women were assigned randomly to a PMR group or a control group (33 women in each). A personal information form was used as a data collection tool; a visual analog scale was used for measuring pain; and the Short Form-36 was used to evaluate QOL. RESULTS The control and intervention groups were comparable at baseline. Significant differences were observed between the 2 groups after 4 and 8 weeks of intervention. The intervention group showed significant improvement in all QOL subscales after the intervention. The intervention group, but not the control group, showed significant improvement in perceived pain after the intervention. The intervention group experienced a greater decrease in perceived pain and improved QOL than the control group. DISCUSSION Our findings show that PMR accompanied by music may be an effective therapy for improving pain and QOL in pregnant women with LBP. Large randomized studies are recommended to confirm these results.
Reliability of 3D-printed dynamic scanners

3D-printed dynamic structures have arisen as a lower cost and easier to fabricate alternative to miniaturized sensor and actuator technologies. Here, we investigate the reliability of a selected 3D-printed laser scanner, which was initially designed for miniaturized confocal imaging, having 1 x 1 cm2 footprint. The scan-line, 1st resonant frequency and quality factor of 3 devices were monitored for 100,000,000 (hundred million) cycles, and an average deviation of <6% was observed for all three parameters under investigation, for the devices under test. We conclude that 3D printed dynamic structures are promising candidates for a variety of applications, including optomedical imaging applications that demand disposable and low-cost scanning technologies.
Color constancy measurements for synthetic image generation

Solving the color constancy problem in many applica- tions implies the understanding of chromatic adaptation. The Ret- inex theory justifies chromatic adaptation, as well as other color il- lusions, on visual perception principles. Based on the above theory, we have derived an algorithm to solve the color constancy problem and to simulate chromatic adaptation. The evaluation of the results depends on the kind of applications considered. Since our purpose is to contribute to the problem of color rendering for photorealistic image synthesis, we have devised a specific test approach. A virtual ''Mondrian'' patchwork has been created by applying a rendering algorithm with a photorealistic light model to generate images under different light sources. Trichromatic values of the computer gener- ated patches are the input data for the Retinex algorithm, computing new color corrected patches. The Euclidean and the DE94 distances in the CIELAB space, between the original and Retinex color cor- rected trichromatic values, have been calculated. A preliminary analysis of the just noticeable difference has also been done on some colors compared to the closest MacAdam ellipses. Our work shows that the Retinex computational model is very well suited to solve the color constancy problem without any a priori information on the illuminant spectral distribution. © 1999 SPIE and IS&T. (S1017-9909(99)01004-1)
Monitoring mitophagy in yeast: The Om45-GFP processing assay

Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is a ubiquitous degradative process in eukaryotic cells.1 Mitochondria autophagy (mitophagy) is a type of selective autophagy that degrades mitochondria selectively.2 Mitophagy is thought to play an important role for maintaining the quality of these organelles by eliminating damaged mitochondria, and it is involved in cellular differentiation, whereas dysfunctional mitophagy is related with neurodegenerative diseases;3-5 however, the mechanism of mitophagy is poorly understood. To facilitate the analysis of mitophagy, we recently established a simple method to monitor mitophagy in yeast, the Om45-GFP processing assay.6 Om45-GFP is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein. Following the uptake of mitochondria into the vacuole, Om45-GFP is degraded, releasing the intact form of GFP, which is detected by immunoblotting. Therefore, the amount of free GFP reflects the level of mitophagy.
Maternal performance differences between porcine stress syndrome-normal and -carrier Landrace females.

Differences between porcine stress syndrome (PSS) normal (NN) and carrier (Nn) Landrace dams were determined for adjusted number of pigs born alive, adjusted number of pigs at 21 d, adjusted 21-d litter weight, proportion of pigs surviving to 21 d, and farrowing interval. Data were analyzed from a total of 841 females, 623 normal (NN) and 218 carriers (Nn) having 2,231 and 869 records, respectively. Three susceptible (nn) females from two herds were dropped from the analysis because of their small contribution to the total number of records. Frequency of the recessive PSS allele ranged from . 07 to . 28 in the nine herds involved in this study. Data were adjusted using Landrace breed-specific adjustments and analyzed with mixed-model derivative-free REML procedures fitting the dams' PSS genotype as a fixed effect in the model. Only females having two or more successive parities were used in the analysis of farrowing interval, resulting in a reduction of total records analyzed to 2,201 (1,564 NN and 637 Nn records) from 632 females (445 NN and 187 Nn females). No differences between NN and Nn dams were observed for adjusted number of pigs born alive, adjusted number of pigs at 21 d, adjusted 21-d litter weight, proportion of pigs surviving to 21 d, and farrowing interval. The results of this investigation indicate no significant maternal performance differences between PSS NN or Nn Landrace dams.
Reliability of diagnosing bacterial vaginosis is improved by a standardized method of gram stain interpretation

The purpose of the study was to examine intercenter variability in the interpretation of Gram-stained vaginal smears from pregnant women. The intercenter reliability of individual morphotypes identified on the vaginal smear was evaluated by comparing them with those obtained at a standard center. A new scoring system that uses the most reliable morphotypes from the vaginal smear was proposed for diagnosing bacterial vaginosis. This scoring system was compared with the Spiegel criteria for diagnosing bacterial vaginosis. The scoring system (0 to 10) was described as a weighted combination of the following morphotypes: lactobacilli, Gardnerella vaginalis or bacteroides (small gram-variable rods or gram-negative rods), and curved gram-variable rods. By using the Spearman rank correlation to determine intercenter variability, gram-positive cocci had poor agreement (0.23); lactobacilli (0.65), G. vaginalis (0.69), and bacteroides (0.57) had moderate agreement; and small (0.74) and curved (0.85) gram-variable rods had good agreement. The reliability of the 0 to 10 scoring system was maximized by not using gram-positive cocci, combining G. vaginalis and bacteroides morphotypes, and weighting more heavily curved gram-variable rods. For comparison with the Spiegel criteria, a score of 7 or higher was considered indicative of bacterial vaginosis. The standardized score had improved intercenter reliability (r = 0.82) compared with the Spiegel criteria (r = 0.61). The standardized score also facilitates future research concerning bacterial vaginosis because it provides gradations of the disturbance of vaginal flora which may be associated with different levels of risk for pregnancy complications.
Specific exercises reduce brace prescription in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a prospective controlled cohort study with worst-case analysis.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) exercises with "usual care" rehabilitation programmes in terms of the avoidance of brace prescription and prevention of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. DESIGN Prospective controlled cohort observational study. PATIENTS Seventy-four consecutive outpatients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, mean 15 degrees (standard deviation 6) Cobb angle, 12.4 (standard deviation 2.2) years old, at risk of bracing who had not been treated previously. METHODS Thirty-five patients were included in the SEAS exercises group and 39 in the usual physiotherapy group. The primary outcome included the number of braced patients, Cobb angle and the angle of trunk rotation. RESULTS There were 6.1% braced patients in the SEAS exercises group vs 25.0% in the usual physiotherapy group. Failures of treatment in the worst-case analysis were 11.5% and 30.8%, respectively. In both cases the differences were statistically significant. Cobb angle improved in the SEAS exercises group, but worsened in the usual physiotherapy group. In the SEAS exercises group, 23.5% of patients improved and 11.8% worsened, while in the usual physiotherapy group 11.1% improved and 13.9% worsened. CONCLUSION These data confirm the effectiveness of exercises in patients with scoliosis who are at high risk of progression. Compared with non-adapted exercises, a specific and personalized treatment (SEAS) appears to be more effective.