Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Conditionally Replicative Adenovirus Vector Targeting Telomerase-Positive Tumor Cells

Purpose: To develop a novel conditionally replicative adenovirus vector that targets telomerase-positive cancer cells. Experimental Design: A telomerase gene-derived promoter was used to control the expression of the E1a gene so that the E1a gene is only expressed in telomerase-positive tumor cells. In addition, a reporter gene was also engineered into the vector so that its infection and replication can be monitored easily. Results: A novel recombinant adenovirus vector that could selectively replicate in telomerase-positive cancer cells was made successfully. This vector showed active replication in a panel of cancer cells and minimal replication in normal human fibroblast or epithelial cells. The recombinant vector could effectively lyse various cultured tumor cells even at very low multiplicity of infection. The replication efficiency in tumor cells is over 103-fold more than normal fibroblast and epithelial cells. In s.c. tumor models, the newly developed telomerase-selective adenovirus vectors exhibited significantly more virus replication and reporter gene expression. Conclusions: The telomerase-targeted adenovirus vector has significant potential as an oncolytic virus as well as a tumor-specific therapeutic gene delivery vehicle.
Strategic Determinants of the Use of Development-Support Instruments in the Management of SMEs

The development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which occurs under distinctive circumstances of resource shortages, is strongly determined by the ability to absorb the external instruments offered by commercial and non-commercial organizations supporting small business. Such instruments include those based on finance, capital, consulting, training, information, law, innovation or general business. The absorption of these instruments by SMEs depends on many factors of which strategic importance is given to intangible resources (knowledge and inter-organizational relations) as well as to skills and abilities (operational flexibility and the implementation of changes in an organization). With this in mind, the goal of the paper is to identify and assess the influence of these strategic factors on the use of development-support instruments by small and medium-sized enterprises. The study presents the author’s own model of strategic resources and skills determining the use of development-support instruments in the management of SMEs. The goal of the paper was also pursued through empirical studies conducted on a sample of three-hundred small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the European Union. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n3p479
Increasing Dietary Lysine Impacts Differently Growth Performance of Growing Pigs Sorted by Body Weight

Simple Summary The increasing demand on animal products expected for the next decades requires animal production systems to become more efficient in resource use. Most commercial operations feed all pigs the same feed at a determined time depending on the average BW of the batch, but without considering the variability of the population. However, low body weight (BW) pigs have been related to extra costs as reduced barn utilization, losses due to the poor carcass grading and inefficiency of phase feeding strategies. Some studies have previously hypothesized the need to do different phase feeding strategies to pigs sorted by initial BW. This work aimed to compare the effect of increasing the standardized ileal digestible lysine to net energy ratio (SID Lys:NE) over the performance of growing pigs sorted by initial BW in 3 categories (small, medium, and large). The results showed that small pigs could use more efficiently high SID Lys:NE diets compared to the large pigs during the growing phase (28–63 kg). The conclusions imply positive effects of feeding higher dietary lysine to small pigs to compensate for their reduced feed intake capacity. This strategy might improve growth rate and feed efficiency, without increasing feed costs per kg gain. Abstract An experiment was conducted analyzing whether growing pigs classified in different initial body weight categories (BWCAT) have a different response to increasing standardized ileal digestible lysine to net energy ratio (SID Lys:NE), to assess whether light pigs might benefit from being differentially fed. A total of 1170 pigs in pens of 13 were individually weighed, classified in 3 BWCAT (Lp: 32.1 ± 2.8 kg, Mp: 27.5 ± 2.3 kg, and Sp: 23.4 ± 2.9 kg), and afterwards pens were randomly allocated to 5 dietary SID Lys:NE treatments (3.25 to 4.88 g/Mcal) fed over 47 days. Results reported a greater linear improvement of growth and feed efficiency of Sp compared to Lp when increasing SID Lys:NE. Modelling the response to SID Lys:NE using quadratic polynomial models showed that the levels to reach 98% of maximum growth from day 0–47 were 3.67, 3.88, 4.06 g SID Lys/Mcal NE for Lp, Mp, and Sp, respectively. However, due to the overlapping SID Lys:NE confidence intervals at maximum performance, it was not possible to determine if requirements were different between BWCAT. Summarizing, the results suggested that feeding small pigs greater SID Lys:NE than large pigs can improve their performance and increase the efficiency of the overall production system.
Network Analysis of Possible Anaphylaxis Cases Reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System after H1N1 Influenza Vaccine

The identification of signals from spontaneous reporting systems plays an important role in monitoring the safety of medical products. Network analysis (NA) allows the representation of complex interactions among the key elements of such systems. We developed a network for a subset of the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) by representing the vaccines/adverse events (AEs) and their interconnections as the nodes and the edges, respectively; this subset we focused upon included possible anaphylaxis reports that were submitted for the H1N1 influenza vaccine. Subsequently, we calculated the main metrics that characterize the connectivity of the nodes and applied the island algorithm to identify the densest region in the network and, thus, identify potential safety signals. AEs associated with anaphylaxis formed a dense region in the 'anaphylaxis' network demonstrating the strength of NA techniques for pattern recognition. Additional validation and development of this approach is needed to improve future pharmacovigilance efforts.
Bacterial superantigens

Superantigens (SAgs) are the most powerful T cell mitogens ever discovered. Concentrations of less than 0·1 pg/ml of a bacterial superantigen are sufficient to stimulate the T lymphocytes in an uncontrolled manner resulting in fever, shock and death [1–3]. SAgs bind, as intact molecules to the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens expressed on professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) outside the peptide-binding groove then sequentially bind the T cell receptor (TcR) via the variable region of the TcR b -chain [3–6]. Every SAg binds a subset of TcR V b domains and as the number of different V b regions in the human T cell repertoire is restricted to approximately 50, comprising about 24 major types of V b elements, a substantial number of T cells are activated by SAgs. This can be as high as 20% compared with only 1 in 10 5 10 6 naive T cells that are responsive to conventional peptide antigen. This results in massive systemic release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa ) and interleukin-beta (IL-1 b ), and T cell mediators, such as IL-2, which can lead to fever and shock [3,5,7,8]. Over the last 4 years the number of known bacterial SAgs has increased sharply, due mainly to various microbial genome sequencing projects [9–14]. There are now 41 bacterial SAgs described in the literature (Table 1) and the number is growing steadily. In addition, a new family of SAg-related proteins has been identified in Staphylococcus aureus that show sequence and structural homology to the ‘classical’ SAgs, but appear to have a quite different role. This review provides a summary of the field to date with some of the more recent discoveries that shed light on the how superantigens are able to trigger such strong T cell responses and the diseases related to SAg intoxication.
A note on the arrival probability, first arrival time and age of a mutant gene in a finite population

It is pointed out that the arrival or fixation probability of a mutant gene can be easily inferred analytically. The mean first arrival time for a single overdominant mutation to reach frequency y attains its maximum when x is close to but still slightly less than y/2, where x is the equilibrium frequency of the mutant gene in an infinitely large population. For an advantageous mutation, the mean first arrival time decreases with an increasing degree of dominance if selection is strong, but it first increases, after reaching a maximum, then decreases as the degree of dominance increases, if selection is weak. Contrary to our intuition, the mean age of an advantageous mutant gene increases with increasing degree of dominance, except when selection is very strong. A simple explanation is given in terms of the sojourn time at a particular gene frequency.
Comparison of Filtering Methods for the Modeling and Retrospective Forecasting of Influenza Epidemics

A variety of filtering methods enable the recursive estimation of system state variables and inference of model parameters. These methods have found application in a range of disciplines and settings, including engineering design and forecasting, and, over the last two decades, have been applied to infectious disease epidemiology. For any system of interest, the ideal filter depends on the nonlinearity and complexity of the model to which it is applied, the quality and abundance of observations being entrained, and the ultimate application (e.g. forecast, parameter estimation, etc.). Here, we compare the performance of six state-of-the-art filter methods when used to model and forecast influenza activity. Three particle filters—a basic particle filter (PF) with resampling and regularization, maximum likelihood estimation via iterated filtering (MIF), and particle Markov chain Monte Carlo (pMCMC)—and three ensemble filters—the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter (EAKF), and the rank histogram filter (RHF)—were used in conjunction with a humidity-forced susceptible-infectious-recovered-susceptible (SIRS) model and weekly estimates of influenza incidence. The modeling frameworks, first validated with synthetic influenza epidemic data, were then applied to fit and retrospectively forecast the historical incidence time series of seven influenza epidemics during 2003–2012, for 115 cities in the United States. Results suggest that when using the SIRS model the ensemble filters and the basic PF are more capable of faithfully recreating historical influenza incidence time series, while the MIF and pMCMC do not perform as well for multimodal outbreaks. For forecast of the week with the highest influenza activity, the accuracies of the six model-filter frameworks are comparable; the three particle filters perform slightly better predicting peaks 1–5 weeks in the future; the ensemble filters are more accurate predicting peaks in the past.
Optimal placement of sensor nodes for water quality measurement

One among seven in this world dont have the luxory to have safe drinking water. As water is an essential component, ensuring the safety is very important. Providing a feasible method which is reliable and easy to deploy will help in understanding the quality of water which is used. Using wireless sensor nodes for detecting the water quality is a good option for this problem as sensor nodes are considered cheap, robust and easy to deploy. This paper designs an efficient algorithms for the placement of wireless sensor nodes which will do the purpose of water quality monitoring. National Institute of Technology, Surathkal campus has been taken as the case study for analysis.
Biomimetic Membrane-Structured Nanovesicles Carrying a Supramolecular Enzyme to Cure Lung Cancer.

Platforms for enzyme delivery must simultaneously have plasma stability, high catalytic activity and low/no immunogenicity of the enzyme. Here, we designed a novel biomimetic membrane-structured nanovesicle (BNV) to efficiently carry supramolecular enzymes to meet the above requirements. We complexed L-asparaginase (Aase) with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) to form a supramolecular amphiphile (AS) by self-assembly via noncovalent reversible interactions. Then, we used the first synthesized polyethylene glycol (PEG 2 kDa)-decorated hyaluronan (12 kDa) and HPCD to self-assemble a semipermeable biomimetic membrane-structured nanovesicle (BNV) together with AS loading. Compared to native Aase, AS@BNV exhibited superior catalytic activity preservation, improved catalytic activity, better pharmacokinetics in rats, enhanced cytotoxic effects, increased antitumor efficacy and decreased side effects. The underlying mechanisms, such as the autophagy inhibition action against tumor cells, protein-protein docking of the interaction between Aase-serum albumin and decreased hepatic enzymatic activity, were investigated. This approach paves the way for new types of powerful biomimetic-, supramolecular- and nanocarrier-based enzymatic therapies.
Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Interventions for Children with Autism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Autism is a spectrum of closely-related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Children on the autism spectrum have problems to some degree with social interaction, communication, and motor coordination. An exclusive exercise program is considered an emerging effectiveness of exercise interventions on exercise mastery, physical fitness, and social competence for children with ASD. Eight studies were employed by a systematic review, then followed by the meta-analysis. Findings indicated that the exercise interventions had a positive effect on developing skills of exercise mastery (d=.57) and social competence (d=.58). Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether early exercise intervention can moderate the sensory processing problems (i.e., poor coordination, under-respond to stimulation) and help regulating emotions of children with ASD. 
Plasmid DNA from the acetotrophic methanogen Methanosarcina acetivorans

Nine acetotrophic and three methylotrophic strains of methane-producing bacteria were screened for the presence of plasmid DNA. Plasmids were detected in three marine isolates, including Methanosarcina acetivorans. All three plasmids appeared to be similar based on size and restriction site analyses. The plasmid from M. acetivorans, designated pC2A, was approximately 5.1 kilobase pairs in size and was estimated to be present in a low copy number of six plasmids per genome. Multimers were also observed. A restriction map was constructed. The function of this plasmid is cryptic.
Reliability of measurements of wrist extension force obtained with a Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester (NMMT)

The primary aim was to determine the intra- and interexaminer reliability of measurements of isometric wrist extension force obtained with the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester (NMMT) in a “break test. ” A secondary aim was to use NMMT measurements to describe the relation between electromyographic (EMG) activity and force produced in wrist extensors at different levels of contraction strain. Two examiners tested 51 healthy subjects (aged 19–46) in a test-retest approach with 6–7 days between the tests. Eleven subjects from this sample were also recruited for the study investigating the relation between EMG and force in the wrist extensor. Intraexaminer reliability was excellent for both examiners (ICC 0.944 and 0.902). The results also showed excellent interexaminer reliability (ICC 0.925) and relatively low CV% and Sdiff. The EMG-force relation in wrist extensor muscles was strong (r = 0.985). The excellent test-retest stability indicates that measurements of isometric wrist extension force obtained with NMMT are appropriate for clinical evaluation as well as for further studies of wrist isometric extensor muscle strength. The tests indicated that the relation between force produced and levels of EMG activity in wrist extensor muscles is approximately linear.
Mobile camera based cross-screen interaction by object matching and tracking

Heterogeneous devices with large displays have become popular in people lives. While conveying public information, most of them are lack of support for human interaction. This paper proposes a cross device interaction system for users to conveniently manipulate the content on public displays through personal mobile terminals with cameras. Users acquire, insert, and act on elements of the displayed content with simple operations on mobile terminals. Cross device elements targeting is done with an efficient visual based object matching and tracking algorithm when users capture the displayed contents as a live video. Augmented information for the elements is shown on the mobile terminal screen. The content in the large display can be operated by clicking, dragging, etc., on the mobile terminal. The proposed system can be applied to interactive advertisements, multi-user games and collaborative meetings. An evaluation consisting of various experiments demonstrated the usability and efficiency of the proposed system.
Evaluation of cellular residue in the ThinPrep® PreservCyt™ vial

The ThinPrep Pap Test™ is a fluid‐based method used for the collection and preparation of cervicovaginal samples. The collection device(s) is/are rinsed in Cytyc's ThinPrep® PreservCyt™ medium and a thin‐layer slide is prepared using the ThinPrep 2000 automated processor. The purpose of this study was to determine the detection rates for cervical lesions utilizing an additional ThinPrep slide. Fifty‐four cervical samples processed by the ThinPrep method were reviewed. An additional thin‐layer slide was obtained from the cellular residue for each case utilizing a new filter. Case selection criteria included cases with a few equivocal cells, a few diagnostic cells, or several low‐grade dysplastic cells seen on the original ThinPrep slide. The original slides and repeat slides were reviewed by two cytopathologists and two cytopathology fellows. Fifty‐four patients were included in the study, mean age 35 years (range: 16–76). The original diagnoses included: 17 negative cases, 22 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), 10 low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSILs), four high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSILs), and one case of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS). On the repeat slides the diagnosis remained the same in 42 (77.8%) cases, diagnostic cells were not present in 10 (18.5%) cases, fungal elements consistent with candida were detected on the repeat smear in one case (1.8%), and higher grade dysplastic cells were found in two cases (3.7%). Our study showed that the ThinPrep method provides a representative, diagnostic sample on the slide. Repeat processing adds little to the overall diagnosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2000;23:208–212. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rotor-flux based MRAS speed estimator for direct torque and flux control of an induction motor drive

This paper presents a speed estimation scheme using Rotor flux based Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS). This estimated speed is incorporated as a feedback to the Direct Torque and Flux Control (DTFC) of Induction Motor Drive (IMD). In this scheme the rotor flux linkage components of the Induction Motor (IM) are obtained from the Reference Model (RM) and Adaptive Model (AM) respectively. The difference between these quantities is called speed tuning error signal. The speed tuning error signal is passed through a PI controller to get the estimated speed. The estimated rotor speed is feedback into AM to reduce the error signal. The performance of the Rotor flux based MRAS is compared with the measured quantities of the IMD using MATLAB/SIMULINK software. The performance of IMD is simulated under various operating conditions, such as, no-load, load, change in speed and sinusoidal speed respectively.
Characterization of paralogous and orthologous members of the superoxide dismutase gene family from genera of the halophilic archaebacteria

Four species representing three genera of halophilic archaebacteria were examined for the presence of genomic sequences that encode proteins of the superoxide dismutase family. Three species, Halobacterium cutirubrum, Halobacterium sp. strain GRB, and Haloferax volcanii, contain duplicated (paralogous) genes of the sod family; a fourth species, Haloarcula marismortui, contains only a single gene. These seven genes were cloned and sequenced, and their transcripts were characterized by Northern (RNA) hybridization, S1 nuclease protection, and primer extension. The expression of one of the two genes in H. cutirubrum, Halobacterium sp. strain GRB, and Haloferax volcanii was shown to be elevated in the presence of paraquat, a generator of superoxide radicals. The other genes, including the single gene from Haloarcula marismortui, exhibited no elevated expression in the presence of paraquat. The 5' and 3' flanking regions of all the genes contain recognizable promoter and terminator elements that are appropriately positioned relative to the 5' and 3' transcript end sites. Between genera, the orthologous paraquat-responsive genes exhibit no sequence similarity in either their 5' or 3' flanking regions, whereas the orthologous nonresponsive genes exhibit limited sequence similarity but only in the 5' flanking region. Within the coding region, the two paralogous genes of Haloferax volcanii are virtually identical (99.5%) despite the absence of similarity in the flanking regions. In contrast, the paralogous genes of H. cutirubrum and Halobacterium sp. strain GRB are only about 87% identical. In the alignment of all seven sequences, there are nine codon positions where both the TCN and AGY serine codons are utilized; some or all of these may well be examples of convergent evolution.
Acetylcholine modulates cortical synaptic transmission via different muscarinic receptors, as studied with receptor knockout mice

The central cholinergic system plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity and spatial attention; however, the roles of the individual cholinergic receptors involved in these activities are not well understood at present. In the present study, we show that acetylcholine (ACh) can facilitate or depress synaptic transmission in occipital slices of mouse visual cortex. The precise nature of the ACh effects depends on the ACh concentration, and is input specific, as shown by stimulating different synaptic pathways. Pharmacological blockade of muscarinic receptor (mAChR) subtypes and the use of M1–M5 mAChR‐deficient mice showed that specific mAChR subtypes, together with the activity of the cholinesterases (ChEs), mediate facilitation or depression of synaptic transmission. The present data suggest that local ACh, acting through mAChRs, regulates the cortical dynamics making cortical circuits respond to specific stimuli.
Evidential mapping for mobile robots with range sensors

Mapping for mobile robots integrates noisy spurious sensor data into a single coherent map useful for navigational purposes. There are various frameworks used for mapping, but the Bayesian framework appears to be most popular. In this paper, the theory behind the Bayesian framework as it is used in mapping is briefly compared to a framework based on evidential theory. The remainder of this paper evaluates the use of the evidential framework by simulating its use on a mobile robot with sparse range sensors. A sensor model is described for the range sensors to work with evidential mapping, and the framework was evaluated under varying parameters and in different simulated test environments