Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability of a Video-Based Noncontact Specular Microscope for Assessing the Corneal Endothelium

Purpose: To assess the within- and between-examiner reliability of corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) measurements with 2 noncontact specular microscopes: a video-based system (SeaEagle) and a photographic system (Noncon Robo). Methods: In 57 eyes of 57 subjects, 47 healthy subjects and 10 patients with corneal disease, ECD was measured in the center and at 4 paracentral areas with the video-based system (SeaEagle) and in the center with a photographic system (Noncon Robo). For the between-examiner reliability, a second examiner measured the central ECD with the SeaEagle device in 12 healthy subjects. The video-based system was also used to evaluate the agreement between the automated and the manually corrected (semiautomated) modes of repeated measurements. Results: For central ECD in all eyes, the test-retest reliability assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.77, 0.99, and 0.91 for the automated SeaEagle, semiautomated SeaEagle, and Noncon Robo, respectively. Correlation was poor to good between the 3 measurement methods (range, 0.61-0.84). For between-examiner reliability, the upper (lower) limits of agreement were 200 (−384) and 149 (−92) cell/mm2 for the automated and semiautomated SeaEagle, respectively. Conclusions: The best reliability of repeated measurements was found for the semiautomated SeaEagle. However, the semiautomated method showed significantly higher ECD values than the Noncon Robo, and this difference was highly dependent on ECD. Thus, we suggest that these methods should not be used interchangeably. The fully automated mode may need a further refinement of the cell detection algorithm.
Conformational energy and circular dichroism computed for cyclo‐(Pro‐Gly)3

An analytic cyclization procedure has allowed the complete specification of c‐(Pro‐Gly)3 conformation by three dihedral angles. Utilizing this simplification, the intramolecular potential energy of c‐(Pro‐Gly)3 has been computed over all of conformational space. Conformers with all peptide bonds trans have the lowest total potential energy. Circular dichroism spectra calculated for the low‐energy regions provide the basis for the interpretation of experimental CD spectra.
Optimizing Small Enterprises Through OD, Values, And Innovation

Every organization, including Small Medium Enterprises (SME) organization, has to grow and develop. Consequently, there are many kinds of approaches to innovation program and organizational development. On the other hand, it is undeniable the impact of culture on individual and group. The previous study showed that people and organization had their values, norm, and learning and that has also been affected by the national culture. The objective of this paper is to discuss the role of organizational development and innovation in Small Medium Enterprise, in a society, and culture. This discussion is based on the literature review as well as reviewing research findings. The objective of this paper is to develop the awareness of the role of culture in innovation and organizational development in Small Medium Enterprises. Keywords— Innovation, Organizational Development, Small Medium Enterprises and Values.
Trajectoires pour la vérification et la commande de systémes continus et hybrides

Nous presentons un ensemble de methodes pour la verification et la commande de systemes continus et hybrides, basees sur l'utilisation de trajectoires individuelles. Dans une premiere partie, nous precisons la classe des systemes consideres et leurs proprietes. Nous partons de systemes continus regis par des equations differentielles ordinaires auxquels nous ajoutons des entrees et des evenements discrets, constituant ainsi une classe de systemes dynamiques hybrides. La seconde partie est consacree la verification de ces systemes basee sur le calcul d'atteignabilite. Nous etudions comment un nombre fini de trajectoires peut couvrir l'ensemble infmi des etats atteignables du systeme. Nous montrons qu'en utilisant une analyse de la sensibilite aux conditions initiales, une sur-approximation de l'ensemble atteignable peut etre obtenue. Nous en deduisons un algorithme qui, par une selection hierarchique des trajectoires, trouve rapidement un comportement mauvais ou prouve qu'il n'en existe aucun. La troisieme partie concerne la commande optimale et se base sur des techniques de programmation dynamique approchee. Un cout est defini pour chaque trajectoire, et la commande minimisant ce cout se deduit d'une fonction valeur definie sur l'espace d'etat et que nous representons en utilisant un approximateur de fonction. Nous utilisons l'exprience fournie par des trajectoires tests pour ameliorer cette approximation. Enfin, nous utilisons les resultats de la deuxieme partie pour selectionner ces trajectoires en coherence avec les proprietes de generalisation locales de l'approximateur de fonction et en restreignant l'exploration de l'espace d'etat pour limiter les calculs.
Positioning a brand extension in a retail environment: An exploratory look

Increasingly, marketers are opting to extend existing brand names (core brands) to new product introductions instead of introducing new brands into the marketplace. Using a familiar brand name is thought to reduce the risk of failure when introducing new products by facilitating distribution and by lowering needed promotion costs. Most of the research on brand extensions has been from the perspective of promotion, specifically advertising. Today, however, a significant percentage of consumers’ choices are made in-store, leading to increased attention being placed on in-store promotion. The objective of this study, therefore, is to begin to examine the effectiveness of brand extensions from a context of an environment representing the environment encountered in a retail setting. This study adds to the knowledge base on brand extensions. The findings suggest that in-aisle promotion material which adds additional cues for consumers to evaluate new brand extensions may have an effect on the attitudes that consumers possess toward brand extensions and their purchase intensions. The findings also suggest that image transfer from the core brand to the brand extension and the effects of image of the core brand on purchasing intensions of the brand extension may be product-specific.
Gene expression profiling to monitor therapeutic and adverse effects of antisense therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to assess the utility of the gene expression profiling technique for the preclinical evaluation of drug efficacy and safety, taking a new therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) as an example. METHODS Muscles from dystrophin-deficient (mdx) mice, a well-characterized animal model for DMD, were injected with antisense constructs that restore the open reading frame in the Dmd gene. Synthetic antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) complexed with different carriers to enhance cellular uptake and recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-expressed antisense sequences were evaluated. Muscular gene expression profiles were analyzed on oligonucleotide microarrays. RESULTS Polyethylenimine (PEI)-complexed AONs restored the reading frame slightly more effectively than uncomplexed, F127- or Optison-complexed AONs. However, PEI induced the expression of many immune genes, reflecting an aggravation of the inflammation present in untreated mdx mice. Expression profiles in Optison and F127-injected muscles were similar to those of saline treated muscles, implying that these carriers did not evoke adverse responses. Due to moderate levels of exon skipping, a significant shift toward wild-type expression levels was not detected. Injection with rAAV vectors resulted in much higher production of dystrophin and greatly improved the histological appearance of the muscle. Depending on the efficacy of the treatment, the expression of genes previously shown to be elevated in muscular dystrophies, partly or completely returned to wild-type expression levels. Reductions in inflammation and fibrosis were among the most prominent changes observed. CONCLUSION Expression profiling is a powerful tool for the evaluation of both desired and adverse effects of new pharmacological therapies. It is sensitive and detects changes that are not histologically visible. In addition, its ability to simultaneously monitor a large number of different biological processes not only reduces the number of different assays required in preclinical research and clinical trials, but may also assist in the early detection of potential side effects.
Compact Dual-SRR-Loaded UWB Monopole Antenna With Dual Frequency and Wideband Notch Characteristics

This letter presents the design of a compact dual-split-ring-resonator (SRR)-loaded coplanar waveguide (CPW)- fed ultrawideband circular monopole antenna exhibiting dual frequency notch and wideband notch characteristics. The SRR pairs are inductively coupled to the radiator and loaded on the back side of the CPW line. Fabricated prototypes were measured and compared to simulations, and good agreement was obtained.
Targeting DNA hypermethylation: Computational modeling of DNA demethylation treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

ABSTRACT In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) DNA hypermethylation of gene promoters is frequently observed and often correlates with a block of differentiation. Treatment of AML patients with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors results in global hypomethylation of genes and, thereby, can lead to a reactivation of the differentiation capability. Unfortunately, after termination of treatment both hypermethylation and differentiation block return in most cases. Here, we apply, for the first time, a computational model of epigenetic regulation of transcription to: i) provide a mechanistic understanding of the DNA (de-) methylation process in AML and; ii) improve DNA demethylation treatment strategies. By in silico simulation, we analyze promoter hypermethylation scenarios referring to DNMT dysfunction, decreased H3K4me3 and increased H3K27me3 modification activity, and accelerated cell proliferation. We quantify differences between these scenarios with respect to gene repression and activation. Moreover, we compare the scenarios regarding their response to DNMT inhibitor treatment alone and in combination with inhibitors of H3K27me3 histone methyltransferases and of H3K4me3 histone demethylases. We find that the different hypermethylation scenarios respond specifically to therapy, suggesting that failure of remission originates in patient-specific deregulation. We observe that inappropriate demethylation therapy can result even in enforced deregulation. As an example, our results suggest that application of high DNMT inhibitor concentration can induce unwanted global gene activation if hypermethylation originates in increased H3K27me3 modification. Our results underline the importance of a personalized therapy requiring knowledge about the patient-specific mechanism of epigenetic deregulation.
Root Exudates of Various Host Plants of Rhizobium leguminosarum Contain Different Sets of Inducers of Rhizobium Nodulation Genes.

Rhizobium promoters involved in the formation of root nodules on leguminous plants are activated by flavonoids in plant root exudate. A series of Rhizobium strains which all contain the inducible Rhizobium leguminosarum nodA promoter fused to the Escherichia coli lacZ gene, and which differ only in the source of the regulatory nodD gene, were recently used to show that the regulatory nodD gene determines which flavonoids are able to activate the nodA promoter (HP Spaink, CA Wijffelman, E Pees, RJH Okker, BJJ Lugtenberg 1987 Nature 328: 337-340). Since these strains therefore are able to discriminate between various flavonoids, they were used to determine whether or not plants that are nodulated by R. leguminosarum produce different inducers. After chromatographic separation of root exudate constituents from Vicia sativa L. subsp. nigra (L.), V. hirsuta (L.) S.F. Gray, Pisum sativum L. cv Rondo, and Trifolium subterraneum L. , the fractions were tested with a set of strains containing a nodD gene of R. leguminosarum, R. trifolii, or Rhizobium meliloti, respectively. It appeared that the source of nodD determined whether, and to what extent, the R. leguminosarum nodA promoter was induced. Lack of induction could not be attributed to the presence of inhibitors. Most of the inducers were able to activate the nodA promoter in the presence of one particular nodD gene only. The inducers that were active in the presence of the R. leguminosarum nodD gene were different in each root exudate.
ETFs and Information Transfer Across Firms

Abstract This paper examines the role that exchange-traded funds (ETFs) play in the transfer of information across firms around earnings announcements. Our analysis focuses on the differences in information transfer between broad-based and sector ETFs. We find that firms with sector ETF ownership are associated with reduced over-extrapolation of intra-industry information, increased earnings response coefficients (ERCs), greater responsiveness to the industry and idiosyncratic components of earnings surprise, and reduced post-earnings announcement drift. Conversely, broad-based ETFs are associated with decreased ERCs and lower responsiveness to industry and idiosyncratic information. Follower firms in sector ETFs show stronger reactions and weaker reversals when leader firms in the same ETFs release earnings, while follower firms in broad-based ETFs show weaker reactions and greater reversals. Overall, sector ETFs have improved informational efficiency by facilitating information transfer, while broad ETFs might have worsened informational efficiency in the context of earnings announcements.
Exercise and NSAIDs: effect on muscle protein synthesis in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine muscle and tendon protein fractional synthesis rates (FSR) at rest and after a one-legged kicking exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) receiving either placebo or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS Twenty patients with knee OA (50-70 yr) were enrolled. For each of the 3 days before the exercise intervention, 9 patients were administered NSAIDs (1200 mg), and 11 patients were administered placebo in a double-blinded manner. Each patient performed 60 min of one-legged kicking at 55% of workload maximum while the contralateral leg remained rested. Twenty-four hours after exercise, we determined circulating concentrations of inflammatory parameters and measured FSR of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein fractions of vastus lateralis muscle and patellar tendon collagen protein by the direct incorporation method using a flooding dose of 13C/12C-proline. RESULTS Circulating levels of prostaglandin F2α were lower in the NSAID group compared with the placebo group (P < 0.05). There was an overall significant effect of exercise on FSR in muscle myofibrillar (P = 0.003) and sarcoplasmic protein (P = 0.026) but not in tendon collagen protein (P = 0.52). No overall significant effect of the drug was seen on either of the tissue protein fractions (P > 0.05) or on the interaction between the drug and exercise on FSR in tendon collagen (P = 0.21), muscle myofibrillar (P = 0.68), or sarcoplasmic protein, FSR (P = 0.16). CONCLUSION In elderly patients with knee OA, an acute bout of moderate exercise significantly increases FSR of muscle myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein, but not tendon collagen, 24 h after exercise. NSAID administration in patients with knee OA reduced the level of circulating prostaglandin F2α but did not diminish the exercise-induced response of muscle contractile protein FSR. However, we cannot exclude that a minor inhibition of muscle sarcoplasmic proteins may have been present with NSAID treatment. This study suggests that muscle hypertrophy after long-term training is not influenced by NSAIDs.
Examining Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection and Replication by Cell-Free Infection with Recombinant Virus Vectors

ABSTRACT A sensitive and quantitative cell-free infection assay, utilizing recombinant human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-based vectors, was developed in order to analyze early events in the virus replication cycle. Previous difficulties with the low infectivity and restricted expression of the virus have prevented a clear understanding of these events. Virus stocks were generated by transfecting cells with three plasmids: (i) a packaging plasmid encoding HTLV-1 structural and regulatory proteins, (ii) an HTLV-1 transfer vector containing either firefly luciferase or enhanced yellow fluorescent protein genes, and (iii) an envelope expression plasmid. Single-round infections were initiated by exposing target cells to filtered supernatants and quantified by assaying for luciferase activity in cell extracts or by enumerating transduced cells by flow cytometry. Transduction was dependent on reverse transcription and integration of the recombinant virus genome, as shown by the effects of the reverse transcriptase inhibitor 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and by mutation of the integrase gene in the packaging vector, respectively. The 50% inhibitory concentration of AZT was determined to be 30 nM in this HTLV-1 replication system. The stability of HTLV-1 particles, pseudotyped with either vesicular stomatitis virus G protein or HTLV-1 envelope, was typical of retroviruses, exhibiting a half-life of approximately 3.5 h at 37°C. The specific infectivity of recombinant HTLV-1 virions was at least 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of analogous HIV-1 particles, though both were pseudotyped with the same envelope. Thus, the low infectivity of HTLV-1 is determined in large part by properties of the core particle and by the efficiency of postentry processes.
Face age estimation by using Bisection Search Tree

Age estimation via face images has recently attracted a lot of researches in computer vision, due to its many potential applications. In this paper, a novel Bisection Search Tree (BST) algorithm is proposed for face age estimation, based on the idea of Divide and Conquer. Different from those conventional classification or regression approaches, the BST first constructs a binary tree according to the whole age range of training set, and then learns decision functions for all non-leaf nodes to determine which child node a test sample will be passed to. Gabor wavelet face representation and dimensionality reduction by using Linear Discriminative Analysis are also adopted in this paper. Experimental results on two public aging databases, MORPH-II and MEDS-II, show that the BST method is effective for age estimation and outperforms other state-of-the-art approaches.
How might harmonization influence the future prevalence of public sector creative accounting?

Abstract This paper considers the significance of future harmonization on public sector creative forms of accounting (PSCA) in the context of both national accounting and government financial reporting. The analysis is carried out through a review of studies provided in the academic and official literatures. Examples are provided of PSCA in a ‘broad’ context of any manipulation of financial information and in a ‘focused’ context, referring to the reporting of deficit / surplus and associated levels of debt. The analysis is related to the influence of harmonization using the classification of information-manipulating behaviour drawn from Birnberg, Turopolec, and Young (1983). There is potential for accounting harmonization to improve the analysability of data to restrict PSCA. However, although many techniques of PSCA have been identified, the drivers and controllers of PSCA remain unclear. Accounting researchers should use their specialist understanding to draw out the differences between apparently consistent frameworks of accounting and to understand the policy effects and social implications of harmonization and related creative forms of accounting. There are relatively few studies of PSCA. This paper represents the first study that seeks to relate PSCA to the increasing tendency towards harmonisation of accounting in the public sector context. An agenda is included to guide researchers towards issues that are worthy of further consideration in this important area of study.
Measuring citizen preferences for the Dutch Education Open Data Policy: A Path towards Citizen-Informed Decision Making

This thesis discusses the way individuals in their role as citizens make trade-offs between open education data attributes. The Dutch government agencies lack of insight in the citizen preferences for open data policy attributes lead them to evaluate and develop their open data policy only from the data provider perspective. In order to address the problem, this research aims to identify the citizens preferences for the open education data policy using the citizens stated choice experiments. The experiment is based on Random Utility Maximization theory, the study infers the citizen preferences of open education data attributes based on their choices for several hypothetical open education data policy. The study combines 4 attributes with 3 attribute levels to create the hypothetical open education data policy: mode of information presentation, number of free engaging hackathon events, number of free citizen data skill training events, and risk of your personal data exposed to the public. The citizens significantly value risk of your personal data exposed to the public and mode of information presentation. Government agencies have limited option if it wants to extend the open education data implementation because citizens reluctance to compromise the data protection attribute. This research is a first attempt to extend citizen stated choice experiment approach for the valuation of citizen preferences in the context of open education data policy. It provides an alternative method for governments to evaluate and develop their open data policy alongside the commonly used government/data provider perspective
Biotic Interactions and Sunlight Affect Persistence of Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking Genetic Markers in the Upper Mississippi River

ABSTRACT The sanitary quality of recreational waters that may be impacted by sewage is assessed by enumerating fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (Escherichia coli and enterococci); these organisms are found in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and many other animals, and hence their presence provides no information about the pollution source. Microbial source tracking (MST) methods can discriminate between different pollution sources, providing critical information to water quality managers, but relatively little is known about factors influencing the decay of FIB and MST genetic markers following release into aquatic environments. An in situ mesocosm was deployed at a temperate recreational beach in the Mississippi River to evaluate the effects of ambient sunlight and biotic interactions (predation, competition, and viral lysis) on the decay of culture-based FIB, as well as molecularly based FIB (Entero1a and GenBac3) and human-associated MST genetic markers (HF183 and HumM2) measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). In general, culturable FIB decayed the fastest, while molecularly based FIB and human-associated genetic markers decayed more slowly. There was a strong correlation between the decay of molecularly based FIB and that of human-associated genetic markers (r 2, 0.96 to 0.98; P < 0.0001) but not between culturable FIB and any qPCR measurement. Overall, exposure to ambient sunlight may be an important factor in the early-stage decay dynamics but generally was not after continued exposure (i.e., after 120 h), when biotic interactions tended to be the only/major influential determinant of persistence.