Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Subtractive hybridization cloning: an efficient technique to detect overexpressed mRNAs in diabetic nephropathy.

Hyperfiltration, associated with kidney hypertrophy and hyperplasia, are early markers of diabetic nephropathy [1, 2]. Procedures for the identification of renal molecules potentially involved in this early process are of particular interest. In order to detect hyperexpression of major renal proteins in early diabetic nephropathy, we used the well-known model of streptozotocin (STZ)induced diabetes in rats [3] and a robust technique of subtracted hybridization between normal and diabetic kidneys [4 ‐ 6]. Two subtracted probes were elaborated after hydridization of diabetic rat kidney cDNA with control rat kidney mRNA. These probes were used to screen a diabetic rat kidney cDNA library. Two clones were overexpressed in diabetic rat kidneys and corresponded to the multi-drug resistance 1 (mdr 1) cDNA and to the b-amyloid protein precursor (bPP), respectively. This study describes the results of subtractive hybridization cloning in rats, as well as some data obtained in human kidney sections originating from diabetic patients.
Hydrodynamic loading of microcantilevers oscillating near rigid walls

The vibrations of microcantilevers in atomic force microscopes (AFMs) or radio frequency (RF) switches are strongly influenced by the viscous hydrodynamics of the surrounding fluid in the vicinity of a rigid wall. While prior efforts to model this hydrodynamic loading have focused on squeeze film damping effects at high Knudsen and squeeze numbers, the regimes of low Knudsen and squeeze numbers are also very important for which squeeze film models need to be discarded in favor of unsteady Stokes hydrodynamics. We extend the work of Green and Sader [Phys Fluids 17, 073102 (2005); J. Appl. Phys. 98, 114913 (2005)] and present compact semianalytical formulas for the unsteady viscous hydrodynamic function of slender microbeams oscillating near rigid walls, in terms of key nondimensional numbers. Using these closed-form expressions, it becomes possible to predict easily the wet natural frequencies and quality factors of multiple modes of microcantilevers near rigid walls in diverse applications ranging from AF.
Comparison of polysomnography with ResCare Autoset in the diagnosis of the sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome.

BACKGROUND--Increasing referral numbers make the development of simplified accurate methods of diagnosing the sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome highly desirable. The accuracy of one such system--the ResCare Autoset--has been examined. METHODS--Thirty one consecutive patients assessed by polysomnography had simultaneous monitoring of their respiratory pattern using the Autoset system. The Autoset detects episodes of flattening of the flow/time profile using nasal cannulae. RESULTS--There was a good correlation (r = 0.85) between the number of apnoeas+hypopnoeas/hour in bed recorded using polysomnography and the Autoset system. The median difference in such events was 3.1 (95% confidence interval 8.4 to -1.6)/hour in bed. In two patients the Autoset scored 70 apnoeas+hypopnoeas/hour in bed compared with 34 apnoeas+hypopnoeas with 35 arousals/hour in bed by polysomnography; however, this did not alter the diagnostic category of either patient. Autoset gave a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 92%, positive predictive value of 92%, and negative predictive value of 100%, which was better than oximetry alone. A sleep study using the Autoset system costs 14 pounds compared with 126 pounds for polysomnography. CONCLUSIONS--The Autoset is clinically useful for diagnosing the sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome.
The governance of university‐industry knowledge transfer

Purpose – The aim of this article is to contribute to the debate on university‐industry knowledge transfer and on the changing organization of knowledge creation activities.Design/methodology/approach – By integrating several strands of analysis, a conceptual framework is developed that associates several properties of knowledge and of the institutional context in which university‐industry relationships take place, to the knowledge transfer governance forms that are most likely to be adopted. The framework is shown to be in accordance with results from the empirical literature, and is validated using an original dataset.Findings – The data analysis confirms that the choice of university‐industry knowledge transfer governance forms on the part of organizations involved in knowledge production and dissemination projects is related to the key dimensions in the conceptual framework.Originality/value – The conceptual framework developed in this article allows the incentives that drive the choice of specific go.
NG2 Regulates Directional Migration of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells via Rho GTPases and Polarity Complex Proteins

The transmembrane proteoglycan NG2 is expressed by oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC), which migrate to axons during developmental myelination and remyelinate in the adult after migration to injured sites. Highly invasive glial tumors also express NG2. Despite the fact that NG2 has been implicated in control of OPC migration, its mode of action remains unknown. Here, we show in vitro and in vivo that NG2 controls migration of OPC through the regulation of cell polarity. In stab wounds in adult mice we show that NG2 controls orientation of OPC toward the wound. NG2 stimulates RhoA activity at the cell periphery via the MUPP1/Syx1 signaling pathway, which favors the bipolar shape of migrating OPC and thus directional migration. Upon phosphorylation of Thr-2256, downstream signaling of NG2 switches from RhoA to Rac stimulation. This triggers process outgrowth through regulators of front–rear polarity and we show using a phospho-mimetic form of NG2 that indeed NG2 recruits proteins of the CRB and the PAR polarity complexes to stimulate Rac activity via the GEF Tiam1. Our findings demonstrate that NG2 is a core organizer of Rho GTPase activity and localization in the cell, which controls OPC polarity and directional migration. This work also reveals CRB and PAR polarity complexes as new effectors of NG2 signaling in the establishment of front-rear polarity.
Integrating Security into Agile Development Methods

Software developers can use agile software development methods to build secure information systems. Current agile methods have few (if any) explicit security features. While several discrete security methods (such as checklists and management standards) can supplement agile methods, few of these integrate seamlessly into other software development methods. Because of the severe constraints imposed by agile methods, these discrete security techniques integrate very poorly into agile approaches. This article demonstrates how the security features can be integrated into agile methods.
Financial Contracts and the Political Economy of Investor Protection

This paper studies the joint dynamics of investor protection and economic development in a political economy model with capital accumulation and occupational choice. Less investor protection implies higher costs of external financing for entrepreneurs. This excludes poorer agents from entrepreneurship, increasing the profits of the remaining entrepreneurs. The main determinants of investor protection policy preferences are the agent's net worth and the expected return from entrepreneurship. When the policy is chosen by the simple majority rule, the model generates several implications consistent with the observed variation of investor protection over time and across countries. (JEL D72, E22, E32, G18, G38, J24, L26)
The Causes and Consequences of Sector-Level Job Flows in Poland

We look at the determinants and consequences of job reallocation in the 22 2-digit sectors of the manufacturing industry in Poland over the period 1995-99. We find that import competition and a competitive market structure (weak concentration) have a positive and significant effect on job reallocation. Moreover, higher job reallocation is associated with higher labour productivity growth in some specifications. This confirms implications from neo-Schumpeterian growth models: one channel through which competition might positively affect growth is through the reallocation of scarce resources from declining firms to rising ones. Copyright (c)The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 2003.
En Bloc Kidneys Transplanted From Infant Donors Less Than 5 kg Into Pediatric Recipients

Background Given the shortage of donor kidneys, the use of grafts from deceased infant donors is a potential approach to expand the donor pool. Four infant en bloc kidney transplants in pediatric recipients were reported, performed between 2012 and 2013 in the center. Methods The en bloc graft was implanted extraperitoneally in the right iliac fossa. The distal end of the donor aorta was anastomosed end-to-end to the internal iliac artery, while the donor vena cava was anastomosed (end-to-side) to the external iliac vein. Both ureters were anastomosed individually to the bladder, with the exception of one case in which a donor bladder patch was anastomosed to the bladder. After the operation, the recipients received basiliximab as induction therapy followed by tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid for immunosuppression. Prophylactic anticoagulation was used postoperatively. Results Recipients included two girls and two boys with age ranging from 4.6 to 11.6 years. Donor age ranged from 33 to 56 days with weight ranging from 2.5 to 5.0 kg. After a follow-up of 2 to 14 months, patient and graft survivals were 100% and 75%, respectively. Complications included delayed graft function in one patient, urine leak in one, and anticoagulation-related hemorrhage in one. One graft was lost early from vascular thrombosis. The remaining three recipients had excellent graft function with median serum creatinine of 1.1 mg/dL (range, 0.8–1.3 mg/dL) at last follow-up. Conclusions Promising outcomes can be obtained from en bloc transplantation from infant donors. The use of this donor population for pediatric recipients should be encouraged.
The relative and absolute reliability of two balance performance measures in chronic stroke patients

Purpose. To examine the relative reliability and absolute reliability of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) in chronic stroke patients. Method. A total of 52 mild to moderate stroke patients, who had a stroke more than 6 months previously, participated in the study. Both balance measures were administered twice, seven days apart, to the patients. A relative reliability index (intra-class correlation coefficient, ICC2,1) was used to examine the level of agreement between test and retest. Absolute reliability indices, including the Bland and Altman method, the standard error of measurement (SEM), and the smallest real differences (SRD), were used to define the extent to which a balance score varies on test-retest measurements. Results. Test-retest agreements were high (ICC2,1: BBS = 0.98; PASS = 0.97), indicating excellent agreement from a relative perspective. The SEM of the BBS and PASS, representing the smallest change threshold that indicates a real improvement for a group of individuals, were 2.4 and 1.1, respectively. The SRD of the BBS and PASS were 6.7 and 3.2, respectively, exhibiting the smallest change threshold that indicates a real improvement for a single individual. Conclusions. The test-retest agreements of the BBS and PASS were high in mild to moderate chronic stroke patients. The thresholds of both measures to detect real change are acceptable in research and clinical settings.
A general approach to distribution converter models

This summary presents an approach to power converter modeling for distribution systems. The converter model is represented in single-phase forms to allow for a, b, c phase coordinate representation. A three-phase steady state model of a power converter (ac/dc - dc/ac) composed of a diode rectifier, a loss-less dc link and a pulse-width-modulated inverter is summarized from R. Stoicescu et al. (2002). Both the three-phase rectifier and the three-phase inverter are modeled as three, equivalent, Y-connected single-phase rectifiers and single-phase inverters, respectively. The model can be implemented within a three-phase power flow solver with phase representation.
The impact of social networks on hybrid seed adoption in India

This article adds to the literature about the impact of social networks on the adoption of modern seed technologies among smallholder farmers in developing countries. The analysis centers on the adoption of hybrid wheat and hybrid pearl millet in India. In the local context, both crops are cultivated mainly on a subsistence basis, and they provide examples of hybrid technologies at very different diffusion stages: while hybrid wheat was commercialized in India only in 2001, hybrid pearl millet was launched in 1965. The analysis is based on surveys of wheat and millet farmers in the state of Maharashtra. Comprehensive data on farmer characteristics and social interactions allow for identifying individual networks, thereby improving upon previous research approaches that employed village-level variables as proxies for network effects. Using econometric models, we find that individual social networks play an important role for technology adoption decisions. While village-level variables may be used as suitable proxies at later diffusion stages, they tend to underestimate the role of individual networks during early phases of adoption.
Detection of (1,3)-β-d-Glucan in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Histoplasma Meningitis

The diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) histoplasmosis is often difficult. Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (1,3)-β-d-glucan (BDG) is available as a biological marker for the diagnosis of fungal meningitis, there are limited data on its use for the diagnosis of Histoplasma meningitis. ABSTRACT The diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) histoplasmosis is often difficult. Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (1,3)-β-d-glucan (BDG) is available as a biological marker for the diagnosis of fungal meningitis, there are limited data on its use for the diagnosis of Histoplasma meningitis. We evaluated CSF BDG detection, using the Fungitell assay, in patients with CNS histoplasmosis and controls. A total of 47 cases and 153 controls were identified. The control group included 13 patients with a CNS fungal infection other than histoplasmosis. Forty-nine percent of patients with CNS histoplasmosis and 43.8% of controls were immunocompromised. The median CSF BDG level was 85 pg/ml for cases, compared to <31 pg/ml for all controls (P < 0.05) and 82 pg/ml for controls with other causes of fungal meningitis (P = 0.27). The sensitivity for detection of BDG in CSF was 53.2%, whereas the specificity was 86.9% versus all controls and 46% versus other CNS fungal infections. CSF BDG levels of ≥80 pg/ml are neither sensitive nor specific to support a diagnosis of Histoplasma meningitis.
Predicting Progression From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's Disease Using Autoregressive Modelling of Longitudinal and Multimodal Biomarkers

Mild cognitive impairment is a preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). For effective treatment of AD, it is important to identify mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients who are at a high risk of developing AD over the course of time. In this study, autoregressive modelling of multiple heterogeneous predictors of Alzheimer's disease is performed to capture their evolution over time. The models are trained using three different arrangements of longitudinal data. These models are then used to estimate future biomarker readings of individual test subjects. Finally, standard support vector machine classifier is employed for detecting MCI patients at risk of developing AD over the coming years. The proposed models are thoroughly evaluated for their predictive capability using both cognitive scores and MRI-derived measures. In a stratified five-fold cross validation setup, our proposed methodology delivered highest AUC of 88.93% (Accuracy = 84.29%) and 88.13% (Accuracy = 83.26%) for 1 year and 2 year ahead AD conversion prediction, respectively, on the most widely used Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative data. The notable conclusions of this study are: 1) Clinical changes in MRI-derived measures can be better forecasted than cognitive scores, 2) Multiple predictor models deliver better conversion prediction than single biomarker models, 3) Cognitive score boosted by MRI-derived measures delivers better short-term ahead conversion prediction, and 4) Neuropsychological scores alone can deliver good accuracy for long-term conversion prediction.
Amu Deviation Indicators for Coordinated Exchange Rate Policies in East Asia and Their Relationships with Effective Exchange Rates

The monetary authorities in East Asian countries have been strengthening their regional monetary cooperation since the Asian Currency Crisis in 1997. In this paper, we propose a deviation measurement for coordinated exchange rate policies in East Asia to enhance the monetary authorities' surveillance process for their regional monetary cooperation. We calculate the AMU as a weighted average of East Asian currencies following the method used to calculate the European Currency Unit (ECU) and the AMU Deviation Indicators, which how the degree of deviation from the hypothetical benchmark rate for each of the East Asian currencies in terms of the AMU. Furthermore, we investigate the relationships between the AMU and its Deviation Indicators and the effective exchange rates of each East Asian currency. As a result, we found the strong relationships between the AMU or the AMU Deviation Indicators and the effective exchange rates except for some currencies. These results indicate that the AMU Deviation Indicators have positive relationship with their effective exchange rates. Accordingly, we should monitor both the AMU and the AMU Deviation Indicator for the monetary authorities' surveillance in order to stabilize effective exchange rate in terms of trader partners'currencies.
Semantic Tagging for Medical Knowledge Tracking

We propose a semantic tagger that provides high level concept information for phrases in clinical documents, which enriches medical information tracking system that support decision making or quality assurance of medical treatment. In this paper, we have tried to deal with patient records written by doctors rather than well-formed documents such as Medline abstracts. In addition, annotating clinical text on phrases semantically rather than syntactically has been attempted, which are at higher level granularity than words that have been the target for most tagging work
Identifying elderly depression using the Depression Rating Scale as part of comprehensive standardised care assessment in nursing homes

Objectives: This study used data from the SHELTER (Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care) project to explore the benefits of using the Depression Rating Scale (DRS) as part of a standardised needs assessment in UK nursing homes, including a statistical method of effectively identifying characteristics linking to residents’ depression. Method: About 499 residents in nine nursing homes in south-east England were assessed with interRAI Long Term Care Facilities (interRAI LTCF), a standardised assessment tool containing the validated DRS residents who scored 3 or more on the DRS were considered ‘might suffer from depression’. A list of characteristics associated with depression was then examined using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Results: Among the 499 residents assessed, 67.5% were not depressed (DRS < 3) and 32.3% might suffer from depression (DRS ≥ 3). The final logistic model showed ‘never married’ (p = 0.019), ‘diagnosis of COPD’ (COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) (p = 0.015), ‘feelings of pain’ (p = 0.015) and ‘trouble sleeping’ (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with reporting of DRS score of 3 and more. Conclusion: The article argued that DRS has distinctive advantages for using in UK nursing homes where a preponderance of residents is cognitively impaired, the procedure of screening depression is not regulated and resources to treat depression is relatively scarce. This article also demonstrated how using the DRS as part of a comprehensive standardised needs assessment facilitates analysis of characteristics linking to depression, which has significant policy implications in improving care quality and management.
Temporary Employment in Russia: Why Mostly Men?

The paper deals with temporary employment in the Russian labour market. The main focus is the gender difference regarding determinants of temporary employment. Unlike most European countries, where women are more likely to have temporary work, in Russia men predominantly have this status, comparable to the situation in many developing countries. This paper seeks to understand why this is the case. The household survey of NOBUS (held in 2003 by State Statistical Centre with World Bank participation) is used to answer this question: the results suggest that gender differences in temporary employment do exist, and that the main factors that explain these differences are education, and marital status.
Effect of sequential tillage practices and N levels on energy relations and use- efficiencies of irrigation water and N in maize (Zea mays)wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system

Field experiments were conducted during 2009-10 and 2010-11 at New Delhi to evaluate the effect of four se- quential combinations of conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT) practices in conjunction with N levels (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N/ha) on energy relations and use-efficiencies of irrigation water (IWUE) and N (NUE) in maize (Zea mays L.)wheat {Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol} cropping system. ZT practices saved on an average 20 and 15 % input energy requirements over CT practices in maize and wheat, respectively. The maximum input energy requirement in maizewheat cropping system was recorded under CTCT tillage se- quence, whereas the minimum was recorded with ZTZT sequential tillage system. The gross and net output en- ergy productions by the maize-wheat cropping system were not influenced significantly due to different sequential tillage practices, however these were recorded maximum under CTZT sequential tillage system. Significantly maximum energy-use efficiency in maizewheat cropping system was recorded with ZTZT sequence, which was 29.76, 19.44 and 11.49 % higher than the CTCT, CTZT and ZTCT sequential tillage practices, respectively during the year 2010-11. ZT sown wheat based tillage sequences (CTZT and ZTZT) resulted 46 % higher IWUE than CT sown wheat based tillage sequences (CTCT and ZTCT). The energy relations, IWUE and NUE parameters of both the crops differed significantly due to various N levels. The input and output energy and IWUE increased significantly with each successive increase in levels of N from 0 to 120 kg N/ha, while reverse trends were observed with energy-use efficiency and NUE, which were decreased significantly from 0 to 180 kg N/ha. Consequently ZT involving sequential tillage practices in conjunction with application of 120 kg N/ha may be adopted to enhance resource-use efficiency in maizewheat cropping system.