Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Required Framework for the Collection of Real-life Data: An Example from University Eye Hospital Munich].

Background The importance of evaluating real-life data is constantly increasing. Currently available computer systems better allow for analyses of data, as more and more data is available in a digital form. Before a project for real-life data analyses is started, technical considerations and staff, legal, and data protection procedures need to be addressed. In this manuscript, experiences made at the University Eye Hospital in Munich will be shared. Materials and Methods Legal requirements, as found in laws and guidelines governing documentation and data privacy, are highlighted. Technical requirements for information technology infrastructure and software are defined. A survey conducted by the German Ophthalmological Society, among German eye hospitals investigating the current state of digitalization, was conducted. Also, staff requirements are outlined. Results A database comprising results of 330,801 patients was set up. It includes all diagnoses, procedures, clinical findings and results from diagnostic devices. This database was approved by the local data protection officer. In less than half of German eye hospitals (n = 21) that participated in the survey (n = 54), a complete electronic documentation is done. Fourteen institutions are completely paper-based, and the remainder of the hospitals used a mixed system. Conclusion In this work, we examined the framework that is required to develop a comprehensive database containing real-life data from clinics. In future, these databases will become increasingly important as more and more innovation are made in decision support systems. The base for this is comprehensive and well-curated databases.
Accessing capital markets: Aristocrats and new share issues in the British bicycle boom of the 1890s

Abstract The article reconsiders the mid-1890s boom in which a large number of firms in the bicycle, pneumatic tyre and related industries were floated. It investigates why so many of these issues featured aristocratic directors in their prospectuses and finds that they represented social connections that were a necessary condition for regional industrial firms to gain a London listing. The case shows that the role and value of these directors was to access capital markets and financial resources, as opposed to a temporary aberration designed to inflate share prices and mislead investors.
Development and Testing of a Screener for Intelligence and Learning Disabilities (SCIL)

BACKGROUND Many clients in contact with social services and (mental) health care have mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID). Yet, administering a full intelligence test may not be feasible. METHOD In 318 adults and 305 juveniles, the scores on 14 questions that comprise the screener for intelligence and learning disabilities (SCIL) were analysed in relation to the IQs of the participants. RESULTS The SCIL score had good predictive validity for detecting MBID in adults (AUC = 0.93). A cut-off score of 19 or lower is recommended to detect (a suspicion of) MBID. Test-retest reliability of the SCIL was 0.92. In juveniles, AUC values were 0.91 for 16- to 17-year-olds, 0.90 for 14- to 15-year-olds and 0.83 for 12- to 13-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS The SCIL appears to be a time-efficient tool for screening for MBID in adults (18+) and juveniles of 14 years or older.
UFI (UBM-Free Integration) Fan-In WLCSP Technology Enables Large Die Fine Pitch Packages

A low-cost, highly reliable UFI (UBM-free integration) wafer level chip scale packaging (WLCSP) for high performance, large die (>100 mm2) with fine solder ball pitch (350 μm) and high I/O (>800) has been developed. Reliability issues including solder cracking and high chip warpage are known to be the main challenges for extending the die size of conventional WLCSP to more than 5×5 mm2 with ball pitch smaller than 350 μm. In this paper, we present the novel WLCSP designed with a stress-mitigation structure which can significantly enhance the reliability of the package and enables die size extension. By controlling the maximum strain location and optimizing the materials using the stress-mitigation structure, the chip warpage and the stress between Si and PCB can be effectively reduced to enhance both component and board-level reliabilities of the package. The UFI WLCSP passed all component-level tests and exhibited board-level thermal cycle life that is 1.4 and 2.3 times longer than that of the conventional WLCSP in terms of the first failure and the Weibull distribution (t63), respectively. As a result, highly reliable packages with various die sizes, including 5.2×5.2, 7.2×7.2 and 10.3×10.3 mm2 and with both 400 and 350 μm ball pitches have been developed. The RDL within the package of UFI WLCSP can be utilized to form inductor structure which exhibits quality-factor nearly 50% higher than that of an on-chip inductor. Besides, in WLCSP process, die sawing typically causes delamination and cracking of packages which results in process failure in the WLCSP. The UFI unique structure consists of sidewall protection which is capable of preventing chipping and therefore effectively improves the process controls and the reliability margins. In addition, to fulfill the requirement of high I/O products and to enhance the design flexibility, we embedded multiple RDL in UFI WLCSP with die size of 10.3×10.3 mm2 and ball pitch of 350 μm, which provides a fan-in package solution with I/O >800. The large die UFI WLCSP has passed the component-level reliability tests of TCB1000, uHAST96 and HTS1000, and board-level reliability tests of TCG500 and drop tests.
The effect of litter type and macrofauna community on litter decomposition and organic matter accumulation in post-mining sites

Field microcosms consisting of mineral soil (spoil substrate) and two types of litter taken either from an unreclaimed site with spontaneously developed vegetation (mostly Salix caprea) or from an alder plantation (a mixture of Alnus glutinosa and A. incana) were exposed in spontaneously developed or reclaimed sites at a post-mining heap near Sokolov (Czech Republic) for one year. The litter types differed remarkably in C:N ratio which was 29 for spontaneous litter and 14 for alder litter. The two microcosm types were either accessible or not accessible to soil macrofauna. The effect of macrofauna exclusion on soil mixing was complex and depended on litter quality and the site that determined soil fauna composition. In reclaimed sites where macrofauna was dominated by saprophags, mainly earthworms, the macrofauna access increased soil mixing. In sites where predators dominated, the macrofauna exclusion probably suppressed fragmentation and mixing activity of the mesofauna.
Membrane Topology of System Xc- Light Subunit Reveals a Re-entrant Loop with Substrate-restricted Accessibility*

Heteromeric amino acid transporters are composed of a heavy and a light subunit linked by a disulfide bridge. 4F2hc/xCT elicits sodium-independent exchange of anionic l-cysteine and l-glutamate (system \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{x}_{\mathrm{c}}^{-}\) \end{document}). Based on the accessibility of single cysteines to 3-(N-maleimidylpropionyl)biocytin, we propose a topological model for xCT of 12 transmembrane domains with the N and C termini located inside the cell. This location of N and C termini was confirmed by immunofluorescence. Studies of biotinylation and accessibility to sulfhydryl reagents revealed a re-entrant loop within intracellular loops 2 and 3. Residues His110 and Thr112, facing outside, are located at the apex of the re-entrant loop. Biotinylation of H110C was blocked by xCT substrates, by the nontransportable inhibitor (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine, and by the impermeable reagent (2-sulfonatoethyl) methanethiosulfonate, which produced an inactivation of H110C that was protected by l-glutamate and l-cysteine with an IC50 similar to the Km. Protection was temperatureindependent. The data indicate that His110 may lie close to the substrate binding/permeation pathway of xCT. The membrane topology of xCT could serve as a model for other light subunits of heteromeric amino acid transporters.
AN AIR TRAFFIC FORECASTING STUDY AND SIMULATION

This paper analyzes the forecasting performance for air traffic movement by comparing different models. The relationship between economic variables and the air traffic demand is analyzed by tracing the past several years’ data. The econometric models are emphasized, and a long-term forecast is concentrated in this air traffic forecasting study. The aim is to find the suitable methods and variables to be applicable to the situation similar to Singapore FIR and also to improve the forecasting accuracy. The conflicts and the density of air traffic in Singapore FIR are estimated in this paper by using the results of forecasting. Article DOI: https://dx.doi. org/10.20319/mijst.2016. 23.5569 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Second malignant neoplasms in patients with Cowden syndrome with underlying germline PTEN mutations.

PURPOSE Patients with Cowden syndrome (CS) with underlying germline PTEN mutations are at increased risk of breast, thyroid, endometrial, and renal cancers. To our knowledge, risk of subsequent cancers in these patients has not been previously explored or quantified. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a 7-year multicenter prospective study (2005 to 2012) of patients with CS or CS-like disease, all of whom underwent comprehensive PTEN mutational analysis. Second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) were ascertained by medical records and confirmed by pathology reports. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for all SMNs combined and for breast, thyroid, endometrial, and renal cancers were calculated. RESULTS Of the 2,912 adult patients included in our analysis, 2,024 had an invasive cancer history. Germline pathogenic PTEN mutations (PTEN mutation positive) were identified in 114 patients (5.6%). Of these 114 patients, 46 (40%) had an SMN. Median age of SMN diagnosis was 50 years (range, 21 to 71 years). Median interval between primary cancer and SMN was 5 years (range, <1 to 35 years). Of the 51 PTEN mutation-positive patients who presented with primary breast cancer, 11 (22%) had a subsequent new primary breast cancer and 10-year second breast cancer cumulative risk of 29% (95% CI, 15.3 to 43.7). Risk of SMNs compared with that of the general population was significantly elevated for all cancers (SIR, 7.74; 95% CI, 5.84 to 10.07), specifically for breast (SIR, 8.92; 95% CI, 5.85 to 13.07), thyroid (SIR, 5.83; 95% CI, 3.01 to 10.18), and endometrial SMNs (SIR, 14.08.07; 95% CI, 7.10 to 27.21). CONCLUSION Patients with CS with germline PTEN mutations are at higher risk for SMNs compared with the general population. Prophylactic mastectomy should be considered on an individual basis given the significant risk of subsequent breast cancer.
Effect of homocysteine-lowering therapy on vascular endothelial function and exercise performance in coronary patients with hyperhomocysteinaemia

Objective — This study was performed to determine the effect of homocysteine-lowering therapy (HLT) on endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDD) and exercise performance in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods and Results — Among the patients who were on the waiting list for coronary intervention, 26 male patients (plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels >15 mol/l) who had a focal stenosis of at least 70% in the left anterior descending artery were included in the study.The patients were matched to receive HLT (n = 15; 0.4 mg of folic acid, 2 mg vitamin B6 and 6 g of vitamin B12) or placebo (n = 11) until the coronary intervention was performed (mean 3.8±0.9 weeks). Brachial artery vasomotion test and treadmill stress testing were performed at baseline and 4 weeks after HLT before the time of coronary intervention in each patient. Hcy levels were found to be decreased significantly after HLT compared to baseline (23.4±6 vs. 11.3±4 mol/l; p<0.001) whereas placebo had no effect. HLT but not placebo produced a marked improvement in EDD, from 3.9±1.1% to 9.4±2.3% (p<0.0001). Endothelium-independent nitroglycerin-induced dilation was similar in the HLT and placebo groups compared with the baseline. In the exercise testing, HLT resulted in a significant improvement in exercise duration and reduction in the amount of maximal ST-segment depression, (from 6.5±2 to 6.9±2 min, p = 0.02 and from 1.2±0.7 to 0.8±0.5 mm, p = 0.01, respectively) whereas placebo did not. Conclusion — Lowering Hcy levels improves EDD and exercise performance while reducing the exercise-induced myocardial ischaemia in patients with coronary heart disease and hyperhomocysteinaemia.
Functional Genomic Identification of Genes Required for Male Gonadal Differentiation in Caenorhabditis elegans

The Caenorhabditis elegans somatic gonad develops from a four-cell primordium into a mature organ that differs dramatically between the sexes in overall morphology (two arms in hermaphrodites and one in males) and in the cell types comprising it. Gonadal development in C. elegans is well studied, but regulation of sexual differentiation, especially later in gonadal development, remains poorly elucidated. To identify genes involved in this process, we performed a genome-wide RNAi screen using sex-specifically expressed gonadal GFP reporters. This screen identified several phenotypic classes, including ∼70 genes whose depletion feminized male gonadal cells. Among the genes required for male cell fate specification are Wnt/β-catenin pathway members, cell cycle regulators, and genes required for mitotic spindle function and cytokinesis. We find that a Wnt/β-catenin pathway independent of extracellular Wnt ligand is essential for asymmetric cell divisions and male differentiation during gonadal development in larvae. We also find that the cell cycle regulators cdk-1 and cyb-3 and the spindle/cytokinesis regulator zen-4 are required for Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in the developing gonad. After sex is determined in the gonadal primordium the global sex determination pathway is dispensable for gonadal sexual fate, suggesting that male cell fates are promoted and maintained independently of the global pathway during this period.
A Duration Analysis of Foreclosures to Sheriff Sales in Light of the Financial Crisis

The purpose of this paper is to address the efficiency of turning over homes that have gone into foreclosure. For the town of Muskego, Wisconsin, the number of homes going to foreclosure has decreased from the pinnacle of the housing crisis. Furthermore, the likelihood of a house going to sheriff sale after being foreclosed upon has gradually decreased from this point in time as well. This paper employs a probit model to determine the likelihood that a foreclosed home will go to sheriff sale compared to the reference years (2001-2004). From the initial stages of the housing crisis, homes in foreclosure were more likely to go to sheriff sale compared to the reference years, but this effect diminishes over time. Furthermore, a hazard model is implemented which confirms the results of the probit from a duration perspective.
Comparative utility of instruments for monitoring sleepiness‐related performance decrements in the operational environment

As both military and commercial operations increasingly become continuous, 24‐h‐per‐day enterprises, the likelihood of operator errors or inefficiencies caused by sleep loss and/or circadian desynchrony also increases. Avoidance of such incidents requires the timely application of appropriate interventions – which, in turn, depend on the ability to measure and monitor the performance capacity of individuals in the operational environment. Several factors determine the potential suitability of candidate measures, including their relative sensitivity, reliability, content validity, intrusiveness and cumbersomeness/fieldability. In the present study, the relative sensitivity (defined as the ratio of effect size to 95% confidence interval) of several measures to the effects of sleep loss was compared in a sleep restriction experiment, in which groups were allowed 3, 5, 7, or 9 h time in bed (TIB) across seven consecutive nights. Of the measures compared, the Psychomotor Vigilance Test was among the most sensitive to sleep restriction, was among the most reliable with no evidence of learning over repeated administrations, and possesses characteristics that make it among the most practical for use in the operational environment.
Two transcriptional activators, CCAAT-box-binding transcription factor and heat shock transcription factor, interact with a human hsp70 gene promoter

We characterized the activity of a human hsp70 gene promoter by in vitro transcription. Analysis of 5' deletion and substitution mutants in HeLa nuclear extracts showed that the basal activity of the promoter depends primarily on a CCAAT-box sequence located at -65. A protein factor, CCAAT-box-binding transcription factor (CTF), was isolated from HeLa nuclear extracts and shown to be responsible for stimulation of transcription in a reconstituted in vitro system. DNase I footprinting revealed that CTF interacts with two CCAAT-box elements located at -65 and -147 of the human hsp70 promoter. An additional binding activity, heat shock transcription factor (HSTF), which interacted with the heat shock element, was also identified in HeLa extract fractions. This demonstrates that the promoter of this human hsp70 gene interacts with at least two positive transcriptional activators, CTF, which is required for CCAAT-box-dependent transcription as in other promoters such as those of globin and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase genes, and HSTF, which is involved in heat inducibility.
Phenotypic Characterization of pncAMutants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

ABSTRACT We examined the correlation of mutations in the pyrazinamidase (PZase) gene (pncA) with the pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance phenotype with 60 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. PZase activity was determined by the method of Wayne (L. G. Wayne, Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 109:147–151, 1974), and the entirepncA nucleotide sequence, including the 74 bp upstream of the start codon, was determined. PZA susceptibility testing was performed by the method of proportions on modified Middlebrook and Cohn 7H10 medium. The PZA MICs were ≥100 μg/ml for 37 isolates, 34 of which had alterations in the pncA gene. These mutations included missense substitutions for 24 isolates, nonsense substitutions for 3 isolates, frameshifts by deletion for 4 isolates, a three-codon insertion for 1 isolate, and putative regulatory mutations for 2 isolates. Among 21 isolates for which PZA MICs were <100 μg/ml, 3 had the same mutation (Thr47→Ala) and 18 had the wild-type sequence. For the three Thr47→Ala mutants PZA MICs were 12.5 μg/ml by the method of proportions on 7H10 agar; two of these were resistant to 100 μg of PZA per ml and the third was resistant to 800 μg of PZA per ml by the BACTEC method. In all, 30 different pncA mutations were found among the 37 pncA mutants. No PZase activity was detected in 35 of 37 strains that were resistant to ≥100 μg of PZA per ml or in 34 of 37 pncA mutants. Reduced PZase activity was found in the three mutants with the Thr47→Ala mutation. This study demonstrates that mutations in the pncA gene may serve as a reliable indicator of resistance to ≥100 μg of PZA per ml.
The influence of pre- and posterror responses on measures of intraindividual variability in younger and older adults

The current study examined the effects of responses on error-adjacent trials (i.e., those immediately preceding or following errors) on age differences in measures of intraindividual variability and the shape of response time (RT) distributions on a two-back task. Removing error-adjacent responses reduced variability as measured by the coefficient of variation, but did so similarly for younger and older adults. However, older adults’ standard deviations (SDs) were less than those of younger adults with comparable RTs, raising questions regarding the validity of the coefficient of variation. An ex-Gaussian analysis revealed that removing the RTs on error-adjacent trials reduced the length of the tails of distributions and the skewness of the distributions. These properties were reduced more for older adults than for younger adults. These results indicate that the influence of error-adjacent trials should be considered when analyzing intraindividual variability and the shape of RT distributions to test theories of cognitive aging.
Multivariate statistical data analysis as a tool to analyze ex vivo expansion dynamics of cytokine‐induced killer cells

Cytokine‐induced killer (CIK) cells, obtained after mononucleated cell stimulation with interferon‐γ, interleukin‐2, and anti‐CD3 antibody, are constituted by CD3+CD56+ (CIK) cells and a minority of natural killer (NK; CD3−CD56+) cells and T‐lymphocytes (CD3+CD56−) with antitumor effect against hematological malignancies, thus representing a promising immunotherapy strategy. To ensure in vivo antitumor activity it is mandatory to maximize the percentage of CD3+56+ effector cells, which is highly variable depending on the starting sample and the harvesting day. Based on cytofluorimetric data, we have retrospectively applied multivariate statistical data analysis (MVDA) to 30 expansions building mathematical models able to predict the expansion fate and the optimal CIK harvesting day.
Study of cenesthesias and body image aberration in schizophrenia

Background: Abnormal body sensations are reported frequently by schizophrenic patients. Cenesthesias are infrequently recognized and diagnosis of cenesthopathic schizophrenia is rarely made. There are very few studies regarding the same. Aims and Objectives: To assess cenesthesias and different aspects of body image aberration and their relationship with psychopathology in patients with paranoid schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Seventy patients of paranoid schizophrenia meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were assessed with Positive and Negative Symptom Scale(PANSS) for psychopathology, Bonn Scale for Assessment of Basic Symptoms/Category D ‘Cenesthesias’ (BSABS), Image-Marking Procedure(IMP), alteration of body size and body cathexis. Assessments were made at baseline and after two weeks and assessed with SPSS 12.0. Results: The most commonly endorsed items on BSABS were depersonalization, motor weakness, abnormal pain, numbness and stiffness. Patients underestimated lower extremities and feelings of body size change which was positively correlated with PANSS-scores and improved on reassessment. Cenesthesias were positively correlated with disturbances of body concept and were present at onset in 40% and change form in 75.7%. Conclusions: Cenesthesias and body image aberrations are common in paranoid schizophrenia. They are present from onset in few, change form and improve on treatment. Cenesthesias and disturbances of body concept are correlated and body size is associated with other psychopathology.