Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Uptake of 99mTc-MIBI and 99mTc-tetrofosmin into malignant versus nonmalignant breast cell lines.

UNLABELLED The kinetics and cellular uptake of 99mTc-2-hexakis 2-methoxyiso-butyl-isonitrile (MIBI) and 99mTc-1 ,2-bis[bis(2-ethoxyethyl)phosphino]ethane (tetrofosmin) into malignant versus nonmalignant human breast cell lines were investigated and compared. METHODS At specific intervals after incubation at 37 degrees C and 22 degrees C with 99mTc-MIBI or 99mTc-tetrofosmin, the uptake characteristics of radiotracers into human adenocarcinoma breast cell lines MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 and human breast, nontumor cell line HBL-100 were assessed. RESULTS The uptake of 99mTc-MIBI and 99mTc-tetrofosmin was lower at an incubation temperature of 22 degrees C than that at 37 degrees C in the 3 cell lines. In MCF-7 and in SK-BR-3 cells the uptake of 99mTc-MIBI was significantly higher than the uptake of 99mTc-tetrofosmin. The uptake of 99mTc-MIBI was significantly higher into MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells than that into HBL-100 cells. In comparison with HBL-100 cells, uptake of 99mTc-tetrofosmin into SK-BR-3 cells was significantly higher, whereas uptake into MCF-7 cells was similar. CONCLUSION In vitro data suggest that 99mTc-MIBI may be a better tracer than 99mTc-tetrofosmin for discrimination between malignant and nonmalignant breast disease.
Illustration of Deviations in the Beer-Lambert Law in an Instrumental Analysis Laboratory: Measuring Atmospheric Pollutants by Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometry

With the new American Chemical Society approved option in environmental chemistry at the undergraduate level, there is a need for laboratory experiments illustrating fundamental concepts within a framework of environmental applications. We describe here a UV-visible spectroscopy experiment on gaseous NO2, which is appropriate for a junior-senior level instrumental analysis course. This experiment illustrates (1) the effects of spectral resolution as well as shifts in the 2 NO2 N2O4 equilibrium on the Beer-Lambert law; and (2) the use of differential optical absorption spectrometry to measure NO2 and other trace gases and pollutants in the troposphere.
Localization of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in phagolysosomes of murine macrophages infected with Leishmania amazonensis

Leishmania-infected macrophages are potential antigen-presenting cells for CD4+ T lymphocytes, which recognize parasite antigens bound to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (Ia). However, the intracellular sites where Ia and antigens may interact are far from clear, since parasites grow within the modified lysosomal compartment of the host cell, whereas Ia molecules seem to be targeted to endosomes. To address this question, the expression and fate of Ia molecules were studied by immunocytochemistry in Leishmania amazonensis-infected murine macrophages stimulated with gamma interferon. In uninfected macrophages, Ia molecules were localized on the plasma membrane and in perinuclear vesicles, but they underwent a dramatic redistribution after infection, since most of the intracellular staining was then associated with the periphery of the parasitophorous vacuoles (p.v.) and quite often polarized towards amastigote-binding sites. The Ii invariant chain, which is transiently associated with Ia during their intracellular transport, although well expressed in infected macrophages, apparently did not reach the p.v. Similar findings were observed with macrophages from mice either resistant or highly susceptible to Leishmania infection. In order to determine the origin of p.v. -associated Ia, the fate of plasma membrane, endosomal, and lysosomal markers, detected with specific antibodies, was determined after infection. At 48 h after infection, p.v. was found to exhibit a membrane composition typical of mature lysosomes. Overall, these data suggest that (i) Ia located in p.v. originate from secondary lysosomes involved in the biogenesis of this compartment or circulate in several endocytic organelles, including lysosomes and (ii) p.v. could play a role in antigen processing and presentation. Alternatively, the presence of high amounts of Ia in p.v. could be due to a Leishmania-induced mechanism by means of which this organism may evade the immune response.
Carrying the Team: The Importance of One Player’s Survival for Team Success in League of Legends

Objective: This research investigates the effect of “critical” team members and team familiarity on team performance in the Multi-player Online Battle Arena gaming environment, League of Legends™. Background: A critical team member is any member of a team whose presence (or absence) can have a dramatic impact on the team’s ability to reach their objective, while team familiarity can be viewed as the knowledge team members have about one another and the knowledge team members have about the tasks that must be accomplished. Methods: Data visualization techniques and logistic regression is used to explore team data collected from publicly accessible sources for the online game League of Legends, which is one of the most popular games in the world. Results: The proportion of time a team’s “Carry” is incapacitated (the “critical” team member) during a given match has a direct impact on how the team performs. Conclusions: The results show that critical team positions exist on teams, and can have a significant effect on achieving the team’s goals. In addition, there is a need for the development of tools, techniques and measures to bring “Big Data” to bear in the study of teamwork. Application: This research illustrates the feasibility of exploring online gaming data for new insights into team performance.
Oral Immunization with Recombinant Norwalk Virus-Like Particles Induces a Systemic and Mucosal Immune Response in Mice

ABSTRACT Recombinant Norwalk virus-like particles (rNV VLPs) produced in insect cells were evaluated as an oral immunogen in CD1 and BALB/c mice by monitoring rNV-specific serum total and subclass immunoglobulin G (IgG) and intestinal IgA responses. Dose and kinetics of response were evaluated in the presence and absence of the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT). rNV-specific serum IgG and intestinal IgA were detected in the absence of CT, and the number of responders was not significantly different from that of mice administered VLPs with CT at most doses. The use of CT was associated with induction of higher levels of IgG in serum; this effect was greater at higher doses of VLPs. IgG in serum was detected in the majority of animals by 9 days postimmunization (dpi), and intestinal IgA responses were detected by 24 dpi. In the absence of CT, IgG2b was the dominant IgG subclass response in both mouse strains. Thus, nonreplicating rNV VLPs are immunogenic when administered orally in the absence of any delivery system or mucosal adjuvant. These studies demonstrate that rNV VLPs are an excellent model to study the oral delivery of antigen, and they are a potential mucosal vaccine for NV infections.
The common prosody platform (CPP) — where theories of prosody can be directly compared

This paper introduces the Common Prosody Platform (CPP), a computational platform that implements major theories and models of prosody. CPP aims at a) adapting theory-specific assumptions into computational algorithms that can generate surface prosodic forms, and b) making all the models trainable through global optimization based on automatic analysis-bysynthesis learning. CPP allows examination of prosody in much finer detail than has been previously done and provides a means for speech scientists to directly compare theories and their models. So far, four theories have been included in the platform, the Command-Response model, the Autosegmental-Metrical theory, the Task Dynamic model, and the Parallel Encoding and Target Approximation model. Preliminary tests show that all the implemented models can achieve good local contour fitting with low errors and high correlations.
Evaluation of analytical performance of the Siemens ADVIA TnI ultra immunoassay.

In light of recommendations on the quality (1) and clinical use (2) of troponin assays, we evaluated the analytical performance of the ADVIA Centaur and ADVIA CP® platforms (TnI-Ultra, Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics SrL) for measurement of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). The chemiluminescent TnI-Ultra method uses 2 monoclonal capture antibodies directed to epitopes at amino acids 41–49 and 87–91 and a tracer polyclonal goat antibody labeled with acridinium ester, directed against amino acids 27–40 (1)(3)(4). Two clinical laboratories participated in the study: the CNR Institute of Physiology in Pisa and the San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza. The limit of detection (limit of the blank) for the TnI-Ultra method was calculated as the concentration corresponding to a signal of 3 SD above the mean of 60 replicates (obtained in 4 different runs and pooled together) for the calibrator in which cTnI was absent; a mean cTnI concentration of 0.006 μg/L was found. The total imprecision …
Audio-Visual Classification to Inform Semantic Scene Segmentation

Despite the significant progress made in the field of visual scene segmentation, the limitations of relying on a single sensory modality for semantic understanding of a scene have become apparent. Using auditory data to augment visual classification features provides additional information to significantly improve performance. This paper details the implementation of audio-visual segmentation and classification on a physical robot platform, where the agent gains additional information for joint objectmaterial classification by striking objects and surfaces throughout the scene and recording the resultant sounds. We evaluate the classification performance of our implementation and explore the additional design considerations and challenges involved in realising such a system in physical hardware.
Acceleration of Edit-Distance using Compression

This thesis examines how and if computation of edit distance can be accelerated by means of a specific type of string compression. Edit distance is a measure of the similarity between two strings and has applications including automatic spelling correction and DNA/Protein alignment. A well known dynamicprogramming algorithm by Wagner and Fischer, in this thesis known as the simple algorithm, exists for computing the edit distance between two input strings. The thesis is based on the algorithm described in [6] which is the latest paper in an ongoing refinement process of the algorithm. The objective of the thesis is to give a coherent description of the algorithm, prove that it works and implement and benchmark the algorithm to examine its practical feasibility. The string compression method used converts the input string into a restricted form of a context free grammar called a straight-line program (SLP). By utilizing a succinct representation of intermediate structures in the algorithm, it is possible to gain a theoretical speedup for compressible input. In practice it was found that the compression based algorithm is only faster for highly repetitive input (for example Fibonacci strings and strings from a singleton alphabet) of length longer than ≈ 30000 characters. For all other inputs the simple edit distance algorithm performed better. Therefore the compression based algorithm of [6], in its current state, is not found to be favourable in any real-world practical problems.
Continuity and reliability assessment of a scalable 3×50μm and 2×40μm via-middle TSV module

An advanced TSV metallization scheme, featuring a high conformal ALD oxide liner, a thermal ALD WN barrier, an electroless NiB platable seed and a high throughput copper ECD filling is presented. Because of the high conformality of the WN barrier and NiB seed, very thin layers can be deposited, reducing the manufacturing cost significantly, while still guaranteeing continuous barrier/seed layers all along the TSV sidewall to the bottom of the TSV. 3 × 50μm via-middle wafers, processed with this metallization scheme, are further processed through the thinning module, by using temporary bonded carriers, the backside passivation module and a copper RDL module by using a semi-additive process. The TSV resistance is measured between the 5μm thick RDL copper layer at the back side and the METPASS aluminum layer at the wafer front side. Low spread and high yield is obtained on the resistance data distribution of both single kelvin and daisy chain structures. The same metallization scheme is successfully scaled to a 2μm diameter and 40μm deep via-middle module. The conformal deposition of the barrier and the seed layer enables further scaling down to aspect ratio 20:1 through silicon via's with 5μm pitch, still ensuring the void-free bottom up copper fill by electroplating. The integrity of the liner/barrier system against Cu diffusion from TSV to silicon has been verified using the established controlled I-V method. Field acceleration factors, extracted in both copper-confined and copper-driven regime, indicate good TDDB reliability of this advanced 2 × 40μm TSV middle module.
Activity of α‐Aminoadipate Reductase Depends on the N‐Terminally Extending Domain

L‐α‐Aminoadipic acid reductases catalyze the ATP‐ and NADPH‐dependent reduction of L‐α‐aminoadipic acid to the corresponding 6‐semialdehyde during fungal L‐lysine biosynthesis. These reductases resemble peptide synthetases with regard to their multidomain composition but feature a unique domain of elusive function—now referred to as an adenylation activating (ADA) domain—that extends the reductase N‐terminally. Truncated enzymes based on NPS3, the L‐α‐aminoadipic acid reductase of the basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, lacking the ADA domain either partially or entirely were tested for activity in vitro, together with an ADA‐adenylation didomain and the ADA domainless adenylation domain. We provide evidence that the ADA domain is required for substrate adenylation: that is, the initial step of the catalytic turnover. Our biochemical data are supported by in silico modeling that identified the ADA domain as a partial peptide synthetase condensation domain.
Chronic kidney disease and venous thromboembolism: epidemiology and mechanisms

Purpose of review An estimated 13% of Americans have kidney disease. We sought to describe the association of kidney disease with risk of venous thromboembolism and discuss possible mechanisms explaining this association. Recent findings All severities of kidney disease appear to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism. In the general population the risk associated with mild to moderate kidney disease is 1.3–2-fold increased, and present even for microalbuminuria, although stage 1 chronic kidney disease itself has not been studied. End-stage renal disease is also associated with a 2.3-fold increased risk, compared to the general population. Although data are limited, risk increases after kidney transplant and with nephrotic syndrome as well. Summary Rates of kidney disease are increasing rapidly in the population and kidney disease is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. An improved understanding of mechanisms linking kidney disease with venous thromboembolism will allow further study of best prevention efforts.
Improving information sharing in Chinese hospitals with electronic medical record: The resource-based view and social capital theory perspective

This research implicates that in large Chinese hospitals, in the individual level, EMR is able to make clinicians get access to more sources of information and knowledge to increase their working efficiency and make the right decision; in organisational level, EMR helps Chinese hospitals achieve effective cross-boundary information sharing and integration and promotes organisational learning and organisational memory in these hospitals.
Activity‐Dependent Neuroplasticity Induced by an Enriched Environment Reverses Cognitive Deficits in Scribble Deficient Mouse

Abstract Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling is well known to play a critical role during prenatal brain development; whether it plays specific roles at postnatal stages remains rather unknown. Here, we investigated the role of a key PCP‐associated gene scrib in CA1 hippocampal structure and function at postnatal stages. We found that Scrib is required for learning and memory consolidation in the Morris water maze as well as synaptic maturation and NMDAR‐dependent bidirectional plasticity. Furthermore, we unveiled a direct molecular interaction between Scrib and PP1/PP2A phosphatases whose levels were decreased in postsynaptic density of conditional knock‐out mice. Remarkably, exposure to enriched environment (EE) preserved memory formation in CaMK‐Scrib−/− mice by recovering synaptic plasticity and maturation. Thus, Scrib is required for synaptic function involved in memory formation and EE has beneficiary therapeutic effects. Our results demonstrate a distinct new role for a PCP‐associated protein, beyond embryonic development, in cognitive functions during adulthood.
A meta-analysis approach for determinants of effective factors on audit quality

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a deeper understanding about the reasons behind difference in previous studies’ results in the field of audit quality determinants.Design/methodology/approachA meta-analysis method is employed in which 52 studies including 40 international studies from authentic scientific articles during the year 2000–2015 and 12 national studies out of authentic national scientific articles from 2001 to 2015 are taken to account as sample studies. Audit firm size, auditor tenure and auditor specialization are set as independent variables and audit quality is the only dependent variable in the current paper.FindingsThe results indicate that audit firm size and auditor specialization are positively associated with audit quality. In other words, contracting with larger audit firm and specialized auditor results in delivering higher quality audit services.Originality/valueThe current study is the first study to be conducted in the field of audit quality determinants. The results may be beneficial both for standard setters as well practitioners in a way that it provides evidence that contributes to basis policy and audit-standard makers about domination and determinants of audit quality.
Na-K-Cl cotransport in the shark rectal gland. II. Regulation in isolated tubules.

We examined the binding of [3H]benzmetanide, a potent inhibitor of Na-K-Cl cotransport, to secretory tubules isolated from dogfish shark rectal glands. Specific binding increased dramatically (from 3 to 40 pmol/mg protein) when the tubules were exposed to secretory stimuli [e.g., vasoactive intestinal peptide, adenosine, forskolin, and permeable adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) analogues]. Binding was also promoted by osmotically induced changes in cell volume; a 45% reduction in cell water content mimicked the effect of secretagogues on binding, whereas a 40% increase in cell water was only half as effective. Volume-responsive binding required extracellular sodium and chloride. The effect of cell shrinkage on binding was rapid and reversible (half-activation time = approximately 3 min, half-deactivation time = approximately 2 min). The binding sites evoked by secretagogues and by cell shrinkage had similar affinities for [3H]benzmetanide (Kd approximately 0.35 microM). Forskolin, a potent secretagogue, increased cell cAMP content 10-fold and respiration 7-fold, whereas hypertonicity affected neither parameter. The effects of cAMP-dependent stimuli and hypertonicity on binding were not additive. These results suggest the following. 1) Na-K-Cl cotransporters acquire the ability to bind [3H]benzmetanide with high affinity when activated. 2) Hormonal modulation of rectal gland secretion involves a coordinated regulation of basolateral Na-K-Cl cotransporters and apical Cl channels. 3) Separate signal transduction pathways, one sensitive to cAMP and another to cell volume, regulate the Na-K-Cl cotransporter.
Posterior probability locates faults under the influence of new energy resources

Energy is the power and foundation of social and economic development. The largest artificial real physical system is probably the modern power systems. And the operation of power system is near to limiting condition of its capacity. Under these circumstances, a minor fault may cause a series of extensive power failures. In this paper, posterior probability fault localization has been carried out by fully considering the intermittency and fluctuation of the access of new energies to power system. The results have confirmed that the posterior probability fault localization is accurate and reliable.
Practical loss inference in uncertain networks

In this paper, we propose a method to address the issue of link loss inference in uncertain networks. Although numerous loss inference methods have been proposed in recent years, most of them ignore the unstable states of networks. That is, the performances of real network environments, such as link loss rates and end-to-end routes, are constantly changing. Ignoring these uncertain factors of the underlying network significantly hinders development of a solution. To address this problem, we propose a method to infer the link loss rates, even when the network is uncertain. After obtaining the routing matrix corresponding to the given topology, optimal probing paths are selected from all available paths to measure the end-to-end loss rates. According to the measurement results, each link is divided into different loss levels. Finally, we compute the loss range of each congested link by sample fitting. Compared with a state-of-the art method applied to realistic Internet service provider topologies, our algorithm not only required fewer injected probes, but it also increased the accuracy by 25 to 35%. The promising results demonstrate that our new method can be well applied to the practical uncertain networks.
Quantitative Analysis of Herpes Simplex Virus Genome in Tears from Patients with Herpetic Keratitis

Purpose Herpetic keratitis is manifested in various corneal disorders, for example, dendritic keratitis, persistent epithelial defect, disciform keratitis, and endotheliitis. In this paper, we report on the quantity of herpes simplex virus (HSV) genome in tears from patients with various types of herpetic keratitis in an attempt to understand the role of HSV in these conditions. Methods We collected tear samples from both eyes of 56 consecutive patients with herpetic keratitis who visited Kinki University Hospital between June 2000 and May 2002. All patients had unilateral herpetic keratitis: epithelial keratitis in 27 eyes; persistent epithelial defect in 6; active disciform stromal keratitis in 14; silent stromal keratitis in 6; and endotheliitis in 3. We measured levels of HSV genome in these tear samples using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results In epithelial keratitis, HSV DNA was detected in all 27 samples from affected eyes (6.4 ± 4.4 × 105copies/sample). In persistent epithelial defect, HSV DNA was detected in all 6 samples from affected eyes (8.5 ± 3.3 × 104copies/sample). In active disciform stromal keratitis, HSV DNA was detected in 8 of the 14 affected eyes (1.4 ± 1.1 × 105copies/sample including zero values in negative samples). HSV DNA was not detected in samples from unaffected eyes or eyes affected by silent stromal keratitis or endotheliitis. Conclusion Real-time PCR is a useful method for quantifying HSV DNA in tear samples from patients with herpetic keratitis. Using this method, we demonstrate that HSV reproduction occurs in persistent epithelial defect and disciform stromal keratitis.