Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DNA removal from a purification process of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen

We studied the capacity of an API-rHBsAg purification process to eliminate DNA contamination from yeast-host cell. Firstly, was demonstrated consistency of manufacturing purification process to remove DNA, from (3.9 ± 1.9)10 8 pg/dose in starting material to (3.4 ± 1.6) pg/dose, equivalent to 8.2 log in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), measuring DNA quantity in several unit operations along manufacturing process for twenty batches, five consecutive in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. These values for API, lower than 10 pg/dose, accomplish current WHO requirements for Hepatitis B vaccines obtaining by recombinant DNA technology ( WHO, 1989 ; European Pharmacopoeia, 2001a ). The main removal factor for manufacturing process, equivalent to 6.4-log, was reached in negative anion-exchange chromatography. Then, the capacity of immunoaffinity chromatography and positive anion-exchange chromatography to remove chromosomal DNA purified from yeast-host cell was assessed using a scaled-down chromatographic process which was shown to yield product meeting purity criteria set for the manufacturing process. Log 10 reductions for DNA through the immunoaffinity chromatography and positive anion-exchange chromatography were 7.3 ± 0.1, and 5.8 ± 0.1 respectively. Overall, these studies indicate that total DNA clearance factor for API-rHBsAg manufacturing process was 19.4 log, 2.4 times higher than the real DNA contamination, indicating that API-rHBsAg manufacturing as described here have sufficient DNA reducing capacity to achieved a high margin of DNA safety.
Optimization of Test Pin-Count, Test Scheduling, and Test Access for NoC-Based Multicore SoCs

We present the first pin-count-aware optimization approach for test data delivery over a network-on-chip (NoC). Our approach addresses the key issue of optimal utilization of the limited I/O resources provided by automated test equipment (ATE) to keep test time and test cost under control. By co-optimizing core test scheduling and pin assignment to access points, test cost can be lowered by reducing test time for a given pin budget, or by reducing the number of test pins without impacting test time. To further improve resource utilization, we consider the use of MISRs for compacting the test responses of embedded cores. We show how the optimization framework can be extended to include power constraints during test application. Experimental results for ITC'02 test benchmarks demonstrate that pin-count-aware co-optimization leads to shorter test times for a given pin-count budget and fewer pins for a given test-time budget. Comparisons with dedicated bus-based test-access mechanism designs and a baseline heuristic method are presented; our results demonstrate the benefits of the co-optimization method for NoC-based test access. The results also highlight the advantages of the proposed use of output compaction and the impact of power constraints on the optimized test schedule and test-access architecture.
Performance Analysis of Randomized Distributed Space-Time Codes over Composite Gamma/Lognormal Fading Channels

This work investigates the end-to-end performance of randomized distributed space-time codes with complex Gaussian distribution, when employed in a wireless relay network. The relaying nodes are assumed to adopt a decode-and-forward strategy and transmissions are affected by small and large scale fading phenomena. Extremely tight, analytical approximations of the end-to-end symbol error probability and of the end-to-end outage probability are derived and successfully validated through Monte-Carlo simulation. For the high signal-to-noise ratio regime, a simple, closed-form expression for the symbol error probability is further provided.
Variation in the Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Origin in the Skeletally Immature Knee: An Anatomic Study

Background: The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is frequently reconstructed to treat recurrent patellar instability. The femoral origin of the MPFL is well described in adults but not in the skeletally immature knee. Purpose: To identify a radiographic landmark for the femoral MPFL attachment in the skeletally immature knee and study its relationship to the distal femoral physis. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Thirty-six cadaveric specimens between 2 and 11 years old were dissected and examined (29 male and 7 female). Metallic markers were placed at the proximal and distal borders of the MPFL femoral origin footprint. Computed tomography scans with 0.625-mm slices in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes were used to measure the maximum ossified height and ossified depth. The measurements were used to describe the position of the midpoint MPFL attachment with respect to the posterior-anterior and distal-proximal dimensions of the femoral condyle on the sagittal view and to describe the distance from the physis to the femoral origin of the MPFL. Results: In 23 of 36 specimens, the femoral origin of the MPFL was distal to the physis. Thirteen of the 36 specimens had an MPFL origin at or proximal to the physis, with a more proximal MPFL origin consistently seen in older specimens. The distance of the MPFL origin to the physis ranged from 15.1 mm distal to the physis to 8.3 mm proximal to the physis. The mean midpoint of the MPFL femoral origin was located 3.0 ± 5.5 mm distal to the physis for all specimens. For specimens aged <7 years, the mean MPFL origin was 4.7 mm distal to the physis, and for specimens aged ≥7 years, the mean MPFL origin was 0.8 mm proximal to the femoral physis. The MPFL origin was more proximal and anterior for those aged ≥7 years and more distal and posterior for those aged <7 years. Conclusion: Surgical reconstruction of the MPFL is a common treatment to restore patellar stability. There appears to be significant variability in the origin of the MPFL in skeletally immature specimens. This study demonstrated that the MPFL origin was more proximal and anterior with respect to the physis in the older age group. The MPFL origin footprint may be customized for different age groups. Clinical Relevance: This information shows anatomic variation of the MPFL origin with age, with older specimens having a footprint that was more proximal and anterior than younger specimens. Customization of the surgical technique might be considered based on patient age.
Child Passenger Safety Technician Consultation in the Pediatric Primary Care Setting

Correct use of a child safety seat (CSS) can reduce the risk of fatal motor vehicle crash–related injury by up to 71%; however, misuse rates for CSS are as high as 70%. We recruited 189 caregivers at 2 large suburban pediatric office practices; 94 in the intervention group and 95 in the control group. All participants completed a baseline survey and received a CSS safety brochure. Intervention participants had their CSS installation checked at enrollment by a certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician. Follow-up was conducted 4 months post enrollment. Intervention group participants had a 21.3% reduction in critical misuse at follow-up, whereas control participants critical misuse rate at follow-up was identical to the intervention group at baseline. A consult with a certified CPS technician, at the time of a routine visit to the pediatrician, resulted in a reduction in CSS misuse rates.
The unfavorable effects of concomitant asthma and sleeplessness due to the atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) on quality of life in subjects allergic to house‐dust mites

Background: Allergic rhinitis, asthma or the atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) may independently impair quality of life in patients. However, although many allergic patients may suffer from more than one disorder, the effect of concomitant disease — in particular, the impact of AEDS — is largely unknown. As part of a large multicenter clinical trial on the efficacy of mattress casings in house‐dust mite (HDM) allergy, generic quality of life in a mixed population of 224 subjects with rhinitis (n = 198) and/or asthma (n = 111) and/or AEDS (n = 64) was studied. The study aimed to estimate quality of life impairment in these atopic patients and to address the questionissue of whether one atopic disorder goes beyond other existing allergic diseases, thereby causing further impairment to quality of life.
Fluoroscopically Guided Supraglenoid Tubercle Steroid Injections for the Management of Biceps Tendonitis

Background: The management of bicipital tendonitis can be challenging to the clinician. Traditionally, blind injections near the bicipital groove have been performed by clinicians with risk of bicipital tendon rupture or atrophy. Because of the inaccuracy and risk associated with blind bicipital tendon steroid injections, we sought to ascertain whether a fluoroscopically guided steroid injection into the region of the origin of the long head of the bicipital tendon (supraglenoid tubercle) was efficacious.
Factors Associated With Willingness to Try Different Pain Treatments for Pain After a Spinal Cord Injury

ObjectiveTo develop and establish the psychometric properties of a pain treatment willingness scale and identify factors associated with willingness to try specific pain treatments for spinal cord injury (SCI)-related pain. DesignAs part of a larger study, a questionnaire was designed to assess willingness to use various pain medications and other types of pain treatments. This questionnaire, which included measures of pain severity, pain interference, mood, hope, and current use of pain treatments, was completed by persons with SCI recruited through the mail or in person. SubjectsOne hundred fifteen persons completed the questionnaire (35% response rate). Seventy-two percent of the participants were men, mean age was 49.1 years, and average time elapsed since injury was 8 years. ResultsFactor analysis indicated two factors—willingness to use opioids and willingness to use nonpharmacological treatment (i.e., physical therapy, relaxation methods and stress management, and alternative medicine). Internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity were established. Persons experiencing SCI-related pain were more willing to use pain treatments than those without current pain, and those who were currently using opioids reported greater willingness to use that treatment. Persons who reported SCI-related pain were more willing to use nonpharmacological treatments than opioid medications. Finally, participants demonstrated different degrees of willingness to use an opioid medication based on its name (i.e., “narcotic,” “codeine,” “morphine,” “methadone”). ConclusionsWillingness to use a specific pain treatment may be a key factor mediating the behavior of using that specific treatment. Assessment of patient attitudes toward various treatments options, particularly regarding opioid medications, is warranted to optimize treatment adherence. Once the factors that determine these attitudes are identified, interventions to increase willingness to use nonpharmacological or opioid treatments can be designed and evaluated.
New Einstein-Sasaki and Einstein Spaces from Kerr-de Sitter

In this paper, which is an elaboration of our results in Phys. Rev. Lett. 95:071101, 2005 (hep-th/0504225), we construct new Einstein-Sasaki spaces Lp,q,r1,. ,rn−1 in all odd dimensions D = 2n+1 ≥ 5. They arise by taking certain BPS limits of the Euclideanised Kerr-de Sitter metrics. This yields local Einstein-Sasaki metrics of cohomogeneity n, with toric U(1)n+1 principal orbits, and n real non-trivial parameters. By studying the structure of the degenerate orbits we show that for appropriate choices of the parameters, characterised by the (n+1) coprime integers (p,q,r1,.,rn−1), the local metrics extend smoothly onto complete and non-singular compact Einstein-Sasaki manifolds Lp,q,r1,. ,rn−1. We also construct new complete and non-singular compact Einstein spaces Λp,q,r1,. ,rn in D = 2n+1 that are not Sasakian, by choosing parameters appropriately in the Euclideanised Kerr-de Sitter metrics when no BPS limit is taken.
Critical issues in psychological test use in the South African workplace.

Various factors in South African workplaces, ranging from unemployment and equity considerations to rapid occupational change driven by technological inputs, have placed greater emphasis on effective selection and development of human resources. This leads to greater demands on psychological assessment in the organizational setting with respect to ensuring responsible, ethical and equitable assessment. The study aims to investigate the extent and purposes of psychological test usage, the influence of the changing world of work on assessment, equity and cross-cultural applicability of tests and competence of test users in South Africa. The results are based on twenty two structured individual interviews, which were conducted with purposively sampled stakeholders from various economic sectors. Opsomming Verskeie faktore in Suid-Afrikaanse werkomgewing, wat wissel van werkloosheid en billikheidsoorwegings tot by vinnig veranderende beroepsomstandighede as gevolg van tegnologiese ontwikkeling, plaas toenemende druk op die doeltreffende keuring en ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronne. Dit lei tot toenemende eise wat in die organisasie konteks aan sielkundige meting gestel word om verantwoordelike, etiese en billike assessering te verseker. Hierdie studie was daarop gerig om die doel met en omvang van die gebruik van sielkundige toetse, die invloed van die veranderende wereld van werk op die assessering, billike en kruiskulturele toepaslikheid van toetse, asook die bevoegdheid van toetsgebruikers in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Die resultate is gebaseer op ’n doelgerigte steekproef van twee-en-twintig gestruktureerde onderhoude wat met belanghebbers uit verskillende ekonomiese sektore, gevoer is.
Is SpxA2 involved in hydrogen peroxide production and competence development in Streptococcus sanguinis?

Purpose. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether Streptococcus sanguinis SpxA2 plays a role in competence development and endogenous H2O2 generation, and whether the SpxA2 Cys10‐XX‐Cys13 (CXXC) motif is involved in competence development. Methodology. The competence development of wild‐type S. sanguinis (SK36) and its derivatives was compared by transformation efficiency assay and real‐time RT‐PCR. The spx allele mutants, spxA2 (C10A) and spxA2 (C13A), were constructed by site‐directed mutagenesis. The &Dgr;pox mutant was treated with 1 mM H2O2 to exclude the effect of other Pox products on competence development. Results. Compared with the wild‐type (4.42±0.58×10−4), the &Dgr;spxA2 mutant showed decreased transformation efficiency (0.07±0.03×10−4). Furthermore, there was a 2‐ to 15‐fold reduction in &Dgr;spxA2 mutant com gene expression. SpxA2 was able to down‐regulate endogenous H2O2 generation by repressing pox expression. Additionally, endogenous H2O2 negatively regulated competence without affecting spxA2 expression. The &Dgr;pox mutant increased com gene expression (2‐ to 8‐fold), but the 1 mM H2O2‐treated &Dgr;pox mutant showed decreased com gene expression. Interestingly, the &Dgr;spxA2&Dgr;pox mutant showed enhanced competence‐associated parameters. The fact that spxA2 (C10A) and spxA2 (C13A) behaved like the &Dgr;spxA2 mutant revealed the role of the CXXC motif in competence development. Conclusion. Although the intricate relationship between SpxA2, pox‐mediated H2O2 production and competence development was clarified in S. sanguinis, it would be worthwhile to explore further whether H2O2 is involved in competence development through oxidizing the SpxA2 CXXC motif.
Somatoform disorders in patients with musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases in comparison to the general population

Objective: The present epidemiological study investigates sex- and age-adjusted 4-week, 12-month, and lifetime prevalence rates of somatoform disorders in in-patients with musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases in comparison with prevalence rates of these disorders in the general population in Germany. Methods: Prevalence rates were calculated from two samples, one from rehabilitation in-patients with musculoskeletal (n = 187) or cardiovascular (n = 116) diseases, and one from a large sample of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey – Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS; n = 3889). The prevalence rates were based on the M-CIDI, an interview for the assessment of mental disorders. Results: The adjusted prevalence rates of any mental disorder in both clinical samples are higher compared with rates of the general population (e.g. lifetime musculoskeletal, 59.3%; cardiovascular, 56.2%; general population, 47.9%). Prevalence rates of patients with cardiovascular (e.g. 12.2%) and musculoskeletal (21.5%) diseases do not indicate an increased prevalence of somatoform disorders compared with the general population (18.2%). Conclusions: The results confirm that patients with chronic somatic diseases have increased prevalence rates of mental disorders. However, these increased prevalence rates go primarily back to affective and anxiety disorders and not to somatoform disorders. The diagnostic criteria for somatoform disorders and the question algorithm of the M-CIDI are probably responsible for potential underestimation of somatoform disorders in patients with chronic somatic diseases.
Is Vector Control Sufficient to Limit Pathogen Spread in Vineyards?

ABSTRACT Vector control is widely viewed as an integral part of disease management. Yet epidemiological theory suggests that the effectiveness of control programs at limiting pathogen spread depends on a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of a pathosystem. Moreover, control programs rarely evaluate whether reductions in vector density or activity translate into reduced disease prevalence. In areas of California invaded by the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis Germar), Pierce's disease management relies heavily on chemical control of this vector, primarily via systemic conventional insecticides (i.e., imidacloprid). But, data are lacking that attribute reduced vector pressure and pathogen spread to sharpshooter control. We surveyed 34 vineyards over successive years to assess the epidemiological value of within-vineyard chemical control. The results showed that imidacloprid reduced vector pressure without clear nontarget effects or secondary pest outbreaks. Effects on disease prevalence were more nuanced. Treatment history over the preceding 5 yr affected disease prevalence, with significantly more diseased vines in untreated compared with regularly or intermittently treated vineyards. Yet, the change in disease prevalence between years was low, with no significant effects of insecticide treatment or vector abundance. Collectively, the results suggest that within-vineyard applications of imidacloprid can reduce pathogen spread, but with benefits that may take multiple seasons to become apparent. The relatively modest effect of vector control on disease prevalence in this system may be attributable in part to the currently low regional sharpshooter population densities stemming from areawide control, without which the need for within-vineyard vector control would be more pronounced.
George Gershwin’s Self-Portrait in the Mirror with My Mother

This paper considers from a personal and historical perspective the meaning of a 1934 photograph by George Gershwin, a self-portrait in the mirror with a twelve-year-old child, who was the author’s mother. The author traces her mother’s connection to Gershwin and explores the complex relationships that brought the composer and her mother together. Starting with a first person account of childhood awareness of and response to the figures in the photograph, the author elucidates the historical context that led to Gershwin’s taking up photography, including the role of his psychoanalyst Gregory Zilboorg. The paper explores the world in which the photograph was created, the photograph’s composition, the author’s mother’s lifelong fascination with photography, and the author’s childhood desire to be seen by Gershwin the way the girl in the picture, her mother, was seen.
Software architecture for cyber-physical control systems with flexible application of the software-as-a-service and on-premises model

In this paper a new software architecture is introduced which combines and adapts effective design patterns for the development of cloud-based algorithms in cyber-physical control systems (CPCS). The integration of cloud computing and cyber-physical systems (CPS) allows the flexible use of IT-Services and offers nearly infinite amount of storage space and computing capacities for embedded systems. With capable cloud-based algorithms, enhanced and situation-related decisions become possible without a need for scaling the computing capacities of the embedded system itself. Further advantages are the easy integration of third-party data-sources into cloud-based algorithms and the flexible development of control algorithms in high-level programming languages like Java.
Altered Fos immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus after glucose administration in pre- and post-weaning malnourished rats

Abstract The present study explored the effects of malnutrition and nutritional rehabilitation on the response to glucose in hypothalamic nuclei involved in metabolic homeostasis. Male Wistar rats were malnourished during gestation–lactation (MGL) or at weaning to 55 days (MPW). Two groups of rats were rehabilitated with a balanced diet until 90 days (MGL-R and MPW-R, respectively). After a glucose tolerance test (GTT), brains were processed for Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR). Both malnourished groups displayed hyperglycemia after GTT. MGL exhibited an increased number of Fos-IR neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), while MPW showed increased Fos-IR in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and VMH and a decrease in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), as compared with their controls. Nutritional rehabilitation normalized values of glucose after GTT in both groups, while low number of Fos-IR neurons remained in the ARC, PVN and VMH of MPW-R rats, indicating a deleterious, long-lasting effect after post-weaning malnutrition.
Different practices for open innovation: a context-based approach

Purpose – The authors aim to investigate the concept of open innovation, identify different open innovation practices which help describe the continuum between closed and open innovation, and propose a framework that suggests an association between innovation contexts and practices.Design/methodology/approach – The authors first identify the variables to describe innovation contexts and practices. Such variables are developed based on the literature and on a previous paper by the same authors in 2011. Then, they establish an association between contexts and practices, and test it through cases drawn from the existing literature.Findings – The paper proposes a detailed assessment of open innovation practices and suggests the association between each of them and diverse innovation contexts. A few case examples drawn from the literature prove coherent with the theoretical framework underlying the proposed association.Practical implications – The authors' results (and specifically the framework) enhance the o.