Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Replication Efficiency of Soil-Bound Prions Varies with Soil Type

ABSTRACT Prion sorption to soil is thought to play an important role in the transmission of scrapie and chronic wasting disease (CWD) via the environment. Sorption of PrP to soil and soil minerals is influenced by the strain and species of PrPSc and by soil characteristics. However, the ability of soil-bound prions to convert PrPc to PrPSc under these wide-ranging conditions remains poorly understood. We developed a semiquantitative protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) protocol to evaluate replication efficiency of soil-bound prions. Binding of the hyper (HY) strain of transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) (hamster) prions to a silty clay loam soil yielded a greater-than-1-log decrease in PMCA replication efficiency with a corresponding 1.3-log reduction in titer. The increased binding of PrPSc to soil over time corresponded with a decrease in PMCA replication efficiency. The PMCA efficiency of bound prions varied with soil type, where prions bound to clay and organic surfaces exhibited significantly lower replication efficiencies while prions bound to sand exhibited no apparent difference in replication efficiency compared to unbound controls. PMCA results from hamster and CWD agent-infected elk prions yielded similar findings. Given that PrPSc adsorption affinity varies with soil type, the overall balance between prion adsorption affinity and replication efficiency for the dominant soil types of an area may be a significant determinant in the environmental transmission of prion diseases.
Marra Teachers ’ perceptions of learning Teachers ’ perceptions of teaching Teachers ’ approaches to teaching Students ’ approaches to learning Quality of students ’ learning outcomes

A qualitative study of experienced high school teachers’ perceptions of learning technologies is reported. Underlying the study was a research-based theoretical background that highlighted the importance of appropriate perceptions to successful integration of learning technologies into classrooms. The transcripts of 31 semi-structured, open-ended interviews with a group of teachers were combined to form a pool of decontextualized statements about learning technologies. The pool of statements was analyzed using a phenomenographic research approach. A limited number of qualitatively different perceptions of learning technologies were identified. The perceptions varied with respect to “what” and “how” components. The “what” component concerned perception of what constitutes a technology. The “how” component concerned perception of how the technology impacted on learning. Some of the perceptions were considered inappropriate with regard to the “how” component and unlikely to lead to successful integration. For teachers holding these perceptions professional development is proposed in how learning technologies can be used to encourage enhanced learning outcomes.
Content Validation of a Catalog of Exercises for Judo

This study aimed to assess the content validity of a catalog of 76 judo exercises. Two groups of raters comprising 16 judo experts evaluated the following content validity indicators: Clarity of Language, Practical Pertinence, Theoretical Relevance, and the Dimension of each exercise. The results confirmed the content validity of the judo training catalog with indicators showing scores greater than 0.80. These findings suggest that all 76 judo exercises are pertinent, representative of judo training and understandable for judo coaches. Thus, this catalog of judo exercises may help judo coaches in the selection and recording of exercises.
Mitochondrial protein ATPase family, AAA domain containing 3A correlates with radioresistance in glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND ATPase-family, AAA domain containing 3A (ATAD3A) is located on human chromosome 1p36.33, and high endogenous expression may associate with radio- and chemosensitivity. This study was conducted to investigate the significance of ATAD3A in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). METHODS Clinical significance of ATAD3A expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 67 GBM specimens, and prognostic value was assessed in 32 GBM patients statistically. To investigate in vitro phenotypic effects of ATAD3A, cell viability was measured using a clonogenic survival assay under either knockdown or ectopic expression of ATAD3A in GBM cell lines. The effects of ATAD3A knockdown on targeted DNA repair-associated proteins in T98G cells were evaluated using immunofluorescence and Western blotting. RESULTS Clinically, high expression of ATAD3A was independent of O(6)-DNA methylguanine-methyltransferase methylation status and correlated with worse prognosis. In vitro, high ATAD3A-expressing T98G cells were more resistant to radiation-induced cell death compared with control and low endogenous ATAD3A U87MG cells. After silencing ATAD3A, T98G cells became more sensitive to radiation. On the other hand, enforced ATAD3A expression in U87MG cells exhibited increased radioresistance. ATAD3A may coordinate with aldo-keto reductase genes and participate in bioactivation or detoxication of temozolomide. Surprisingly, deficient DNA repair after irradiation was observed in T98G/ATAD3A knockdown as a result of decreased nuclear ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase and histones H2AX and H3, which was also evidenced by the sustained elevation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase prior to and after radiation treatment. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that high expression of ATAD3A is an independent biomarker for radioresistance in GBM. ATAD3A could be a potential target for therapy.
Towards a quality model for the evaluation of DSS based on KDD process

A Decision Support System (DSS) based on Knowledge Discovery from Data (KDD) process is used to give confident knowledge to the final users in order to help them making right decisions. Such systems can be underused if the mined knowledge is unconfident, or if the system is hardly usable or unusable. Our target is to supply out a Quality Model (QM) ensuring a global evaluation of DSS based on KDD process (DSS/KDD). In our point of view, a QM should involve three dimensions: the evaluation of the DSS as a Software Product, as a User Interface and as a DSS. We should also take into account ISO recommendations. We intend to build a model which defines a set of criteria and allows measurement of a DSS/KDD quality evaluation using Goal-Question Method (GQM) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).
On the small sample properties of weak exogeneity tests in cointegrated VAR models

We investigate the small sample properties of two types of weak exogeneity tests in cointegrated VAR models that are frequently used in applied work. The first one is the standard Likelihood Ratio (LR) test in the Johansen framework. The second test is based on mapping the cointegrated VAR model into VECM representation and then reducing the model using some model selection procedure before testing the significance of the alpha parameters. Results from Monte Carlo experiments indicate severe size distortions in both test types in small samples. We suggest a bootstrap version of the LR test, which can be used for size correction.
In Vitro Dermal Absorption of Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) in a Roll-On Deodorant Using Human Skin

In vitro dermal absorption experiments were conducted using a roll-on deodorant that contains 1.56% di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), a plasticizer widely used in consumer products. Human skin specimens were fitted in Bronaugh flow-through Teflon diffusion cells. The diffusion cells were maintained at 32°C to reflect the skin temperature. Two amounts (low dose: 5 mg of the product; high dose: 100 mg) were applied, in triplicate, each on four different human skins. DEHA was determined in the receiver solution at 6-h intervals, using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After 24 h, the experiment was terminated and masses of DEHA in the skin depot, skin wash, and upper and lower chambers of the diffusion cell were determined. A significant portion of applied DEHA, 28% in the low amount application and 34% in the high one, was found in the skin depot. In comparison, only 0.04% and 0.002% of applied DEHA were found in the receiver solutions for the low and high doses, respectively. Under our experimental conditions, an apparent steady-state flux of low DEHA mass penetrating from skin into the receiver solution was observed with a penetration rate of 2.2 ng/cm2/h for both the low and high doses. The average mass recovery was 81% for the low dose application and 56% for the high dose.
Brain activation during script event processing

Regional cerebral blood flow was measured with positron emission tomography in seven normal volunteers while they performed various script event verification tasks. The left frontal lobe, left anterior cingulate and the anterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus were more activated in the script event membership and action categorization conditions, whereas the right frontal lobe, left superior temporal gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus bilaterally were more activated in the script event temporal order verification condition. These results indicate that the temporal ordering of script events and determining whether an event belongs to a particular script or action category are processed by distinctive distributed neuronal networks.
Pancreaticogastrostomy compared with pancreaticojejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

OBJECTIVE To assess the safety of the pancreatic anastomosis after pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD). DESIGN Non-randomized prospective trial in consecutive patients. SETTING University hospital. SUBJECTS 171 consecutive patients with resectable periampullary cancer (80%) or intractable pain due to chronic pancreatitis (20%) undergoing PD. INTERVENTIONS Pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) and pancreaticogastrostomy (PG). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mortality and morbidity rates due to anastomotic leak following PJ and PG. RESULTS 91 PJ and 80 PG patients were comparable for age, gender, total bilirubin, ASA grading, indication for PD, operating time, pancreas texture, blood loss and replacement. The rate of pancreatic fistula was significantly higher in PJ patients (13%) than in PG patients (3.7%) (12 vs. 3, p = 0.029). Overall death rate was significantly higher after PJ (12%) than after PG (3.7%) (11 vs. 3, p = 0.047). Fatal outcome due to pancreatic leak (3 vs. 1, p = 0.83) and other death rates (8 vs. 2, p = 0.14) were not significantly different in PJ and PG groups, respectively. CONCLUSION PJ was associated with significantly higher pancreatic leak rate than PG. However, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality rates directly related to pancreatic leak.
Gateways to Justice: Design and Operational Guidelines for Remote Participation in Court Proceedings

THE GATEWAYS PROJECT TEAM: Professor David Tait (University of Western Sydney); Professor Greg Battye (University of Canberra); Professor Deborah Blackman (University of Canberra); Emeritus Professor Graham Brawn (University of Melbourne); Emeritus Professor Terry Carney (University of Sydney); Professor Jane Goodman-Delahunty (Charles Sturt University); Professor Chris Lennard (University of Canberra); Associate Professor Greg Missingham (University of Melbourne); Dr Alice Richardson (University of Canberra); Dr Emma Rowden (University of Technology Sydney); Professor Anne Wallace (Edith Cowan University).
Dependence-Guided Service Composition for User-Centric SOA

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is characterized by dynamic service discovery and composition. For user-centric SOA, not only services, workflows, and application templates can be published and discovered for composition. Furthermore, a user can publish an application template and let providers supply the needed services. A key issue in user-centric service composition is to intelligently and effectively discover the subset of correlated services that best match the users' requirements. This paper proposes a two-step composition process. In the first step, users choose templates from ontology with its dependence. The dependence information identifies a set of candidate services and workflows that may be applicable for composition. In the second step, after the templates are selected, users can finalize the selection of services and workflows from a set of candidate services or workflows based on their preference. This two-step process is supported by dependence identification algorithms and is illustrated using a case study.
A new approach for information dissemination in distributed JISR coalitions

To meet todays challenges in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) defense coalitions Systems of Systems (SOS) architectures are needed that are flexible, function in a networked environment and support relevant operational doctrine and processes. To enable the distributed production of intelligence in networked operations the Intelligence Cycle and Joint ISR (JISR) provide process descriptions that adhere to multinational and multisystem collaboration. An interoperable SOS architecture supporting those processes needs to make use of standards for data/information management with a special focus on dissemination. The NATO ISR Interoperability Architecture (NIIA) and supportive standards (STANAGS- standardization agreements) have been specified to provide a solution to these needs. In terms of data distribution, STANAG 4559 is the core standard of relevance here. It defines a concept, data- and information models, interfaces and services to support information dissemination according to JISR. The current specification for synchronization of JISR results however has some deficiencies in terms of implementation complexity, flexibility, robustness and performance. Thus, there is a need for a new approach to data dissemination in networks implementing STANAG 4559 that enables the usage of all aspects currently supported by this standard but seeks to solve the known issues. Thereupon this paper presents requirements for data dissemination in a JISR enterprise, derives key performance indicators (KPIs), identifies possible technical approaches and finally defines a new solution based on the concept of Hash Tries. Here a tree-based data structure is organized based on hashes of nodes, which allows a quick identification of changes in replicated data.
Identities as performances: encouraging visual methodologies in medical education research

Identities do matter. As Lynn Monrouxe argues in this special edition of Medical Education, the process of becoming a doctor is as much a matter of successful professional identity formation as it is the learning of medical knowledge. Monrouxe articulates identities as products of intersubjective and external social processes, constructed, co-constructed and contested through social interaction. Consistent with this conceptualisation, she elaborates one example of how identities can be researched in medical education, through the analysis of talk. In particular, she discusses how she explores professional identity formation creatively using solicited audio diaries in longitudinal narrative research. Although this novel method of research in medical education is to be applauded, it does, however, fail to capture the visual performance of identities. After all, ‘most of us display our identities in visual ways through different arrangements of cultural products such as clothes. ’ Although Monrouxe does mention visual data, this commentary aims to extend that mention by discussing (and encouraging) visual methodologies in medical education research.
Inferior colliculus of the house mouse. I. A quantitative study of tonotopic organization, frequency representation, and tone‐threshold distribution

Electrophysiological mapping was used to study frequency representation in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the mouse. In the lateral nucleus (LN) only part of the frequency range of hearing was represented and tonotopicity was separate from that in the rest of the IC. Highest frequencies occupied the medial part (M) of the central nucleus (CN). A single complete representation of the hearing range was present only if representations in the dorsal cortex (plus dorsomedial nucleus) and CN (including M) were combined. Continuous isofrequency planes making up these nuclei (without the lateral part of the CN) were reconstructed. They tilted from medial to lateral and from caudal to rostral. The steepness of the slopes increased from caudal to rostral and from dorsal to ventral (i.e., with increasing frequency). Isofrequency planes had similar angles of deviation from the horizontal plane as described for dendritic laminae in the CN. Differences of mapping in the lateral part of the CN from that in the rest of the CN could be explained by the different organization of laminae in this part.
The Extent and spatial scale of connectivity among reef fish populations: implications for marine protected areas designated for fisheries enhancement

Enthusiasm for the use of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) as management tools for the protection and enhancement of coral reef fishes is widespread. However, evidence that such marine reserves actually enhance fishery yields is limited, primarily because of difficulties in quantifying the exchange of individuals—especially larvae—between local populations within and outside the protected area. Knowledge of the extent and spatial scale of this connectivity is of vital importance for the effective design and implementation of marine reserves intended as fishery management tools. We review our current understanding of connectivity among coral reef populations, including the role of important determining factors such as pelagic larval duration, larval behavior, and hydrodynamics. We also discuss artificial and natural tagging methods that potentially can be used to track movements of larvae between marine reserves and surrounding waters. To illustrate the application of such methods, we discuss ECONAR (Ecological CONnections Among Reefs), a new, regional-scale research project designed to measure the extent of connectivity among populations of coral reef fishes in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. reefs), cannot be attributed to turning a “blind eye” to the problem. On the whole, resource management agencies have recognized that fisheries around the world are in trouble, and have responded with seemingly appropriate management plans implemented to remedy the situation. These attempts at management, however, have been largely unsuccessful, especially for reef systems (Plan Development Team 1990, Roberts and Polunin 1991, Bohnsack and Ault 1996, Roberts 1997b, Guenette et al. 1998, Russ 2002, Sale 2002). Reasons for the continued decline of reef fisheries around the world are numerous and include: 1) a reliance on inappropriate, traditional management approaches that pretend fishers exploit single targets, while having no impacts on the ecosystem that sustains those species, 2) a lack of ecological information pertinent to understanding species life histories, as well as reef fish population and community dynamics, 3) an inability to understand, predict, and therefore regulate human behavior, 4) a failure to integrate the diversity of skilled personnel (i.e., ecologists, physical oceanographers, and resource managers) necessary for the development of appropriate management plans, and 5) insufficient funds to collect monitoring data or to enforce imposed fishery regulations (Plan Development Team 1990, Roberts and Polunin 1991, Bohnsack and Ault 1996, Roberts 1997b, Guenette et al. 1998, Russ 2002, Sale 2002). Gulf and Caribbean Research Vol 14(2), 119–128, 2003 Manuscript received January 28, 2002; accepted July 21, 2002
Cross-Border Opportunity Sets: An International Empirical Study Based on Ownership Types

This paper is the first, to our knowledge, to make the distinction between the investment opportunity set of real assets versus portfolio securities. We perform a large scale formal investigation of the investment opportunity set in global acquisitions based on ownership type over the period of 1985–2012. Compared to private acquirers, government acquirers have a much reduced investment opportunity set. Government acquirers invest in fewer target nations and industries, settle for smaller stakes, invest in countries with lower quality legal institutions and in nations with which political relations are more positive and see a 50% higher deal failure rate.
Analysis of dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction in genetic and toxin‐induced models of Parkinson's disease in Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster has contributed significantly to the understanding of disease mechanisms in Parkinson's disease (PD) as it is one of the very few PD model organisms that allow the study of age‐dependent behavioral defects, physiology and histology, and genetic interactions among different PD‐related genes. However, there have been contradictory results from a number of recent reports regarding the loss of dopaminergic neurons in different PD fly models. In an attempt to re‐evaluate and clarify this issue, we have examined three different genetic (α‐synuclein, Pink1, parkin) and two toxin‐based (rotenone and paraquat) models of the disease for neuronal cell loss. Our results showed no dopaminergic neuronal loss in all models tested. Despite this surprising result, we found additional phenotypes showing the dysfunctional status of the dopaminergic neurons in most of the models analyzed. A common feature found in most models is a quantifiable decrease in the fluorescence of a green‐fluorescent protein reporter gene in dopaminergic neurons that correlates well with other phenotypes found for these models and can be reliably used as a hallmark of the neurodegenerative process when modeling diseases affecting the dopaminergic system in Drosophila.
The Identification of Key Genes and Pathways in Glioma by Bioinformatics Analysis

Glioma is the most common malignant tumor in the central nervous system. This study aims to explore the potential mechanism and identify gene signatures of glioma. The glioma gene expression profile GSE4290 was analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were applied for the enriched pathways. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to find the hub genes. Survival analysis was conducted to screen and validate critical genes. In this study, 775 downregulated DEGs were identified. GO analysis demonstrated that the DEGs were enriched in cellular protein modification, regulation of cell communication, and regulation of signaling. KEGG analysis indicated that the DEGs were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway, endocytosis, oxytocin signaling, and calcium signaling. PPI network and module analysis found 12 hub genes, which were enriched in synaptic vesicle cycling rheumatoid arthritis and collecting duct acid secretion. The four key genes CDK17, GNA13, PHF21A, and MTHFD2 were identified in both generation (GSE4412) and validation (GSE4271) dataset, respectively. Regression analysis showed that CDK13, PHF21A, and MTHFD2 were independent predictors. The results suggested that CDK17, GNA13, PHF21A, and MTHFD2 might play important roles and potentially be valuable in the prognosis and treatment of glioma.