Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Instructions for use Title Monitoring intracellular degradation of exogenous DNA usingdiffusion properties

Artificial nonviral gene vectors have the potential to improve the safety of gene therapy; however, such artificial vectors are less efficient for gene expression due to the existence of various barriers to delivery of exogenous DNAs to the nucleus in the living cell. Here we describe the degradation activities of cytoplasmic nucleases, which are involved as a barrier to efficient exogenous gene expression. The size and structure of degraded DNA were monitored by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) in solution and in the cytoplasm of living cells. Differences in degradation by endoand exonucleases were confirmed by differences in the size and structure of DNA. Moreover, we confirmed the influence of the exonuclease degradation in cytoplasm on the expression rate of DNA transfection with a cationic lipid. Based on a comparison of in vitro and cell measurements, we conclude that cytoplasmic degradation by exonucleases can be a considerable barrier against efficient gene delivery.
Isoflurane Anesthesia and Pressure Antagonism in Mice

The anesthetic partial pressure causing a loss of righting reflex in mice (ED50) was determined for isoflurane at ambient total pressures ranging from 1 to 100 atmospheres absolute (ATA). The higher pressures, produced by adding helium, decreased isoflurane's apparent an esthetic effect: 48 percent more was needed at 100 ATA. This is consistent with previous work with N2O, where a 46 percent increase was found. The ED50 for isoflurane at 1 ATA is 0.0057 ATA, only 29 percent of that predicted by the Meyer-Overton relationship for mice.
Medical Equipment Maintenance: Management and Oversight

Abstract In addition to being essential for safe and effective patient care, medical equipment also has significant impact on the income and, thus, vitality of healthcare organizations. For this reason, its maintenance and management requires careful supervision by healthcare administrators, many of whom may not have the technical background to understand all of the relevant factors. This book presents the basic elements of medical equipment maintenance and management required of healthcare leaders responsible for managing or overseeing this function. It will enable these individuals to understand their professional responsibilities, as well as what they should expect from their supervised staff and how to measure and benchmark staff performance against equivalent performance levels at similar organizations. The book opens with a foundational summary of the laws, regulations, codes, and standards that are applicable to the maintenance and management of medical equipment in healthcare organizations. Next, .
Consistent inconsistency : the experience of interpersonal relationships from the perspective of residential staff and young people in the looked after system

Long term outcomes for looked after children are significantly poorer than children who are raised in birth families. Children within the care system have histories of profound abuse and trauma within the context of interpersonal relationships. This research aimed to explore how looked after children experience relationships within the context of ongoing trauma and loss. Interviews were conducted with young people in residential settings and staff supporting them. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three Super-ordinate themes were identified for young people and five super-ordinate themes were identified for staff. Implications for practice are explored.
Mechanism of Action of 2-Aminobenzamide HDAC Inhibitors in Reversing Gene Silencing in Friedreich’s Ataxia

The genetic defect in Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is the hyperexpansion of a GAA•TTC triplet in the first intron of the FXN gene, encoding the essential mitochondrial protein frataxin. Histone post-translational modifications near the expanded repeats are consistent with heterochromatin formation and consequent FXN gene silencing. Using a newly developed human neuronal cell model, derived from patient-induced pluripotent stem cells, we find that 2-aminobenzamide histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors increase FXN mRNA levels and frataxin protein in FRDA neuronal cells. However, only compounds targeting the class I HDACs 1 and 3 are active in increasing FXN mRNA in these cells. Structural analogs of the active HDAC inhibitors that selectively target either HDAC1 or HDAC3 do not show similar increases in FXN mRNA levels. To understand the mechanism of action of these compounds, we probed the kinetic properties of the active and inactive inhibitors, and found that only compounds that target HDACs 1 and 3 exhibited a slow-on/slow-off mechanism of action for the HDAC enzymes. HDAC1- and HDAC3-selective compounds did not show this activity. Using siRNA methods in the FRDA neuronal cells, we show increases in FXN mRNA upon silencing of either HDACs 1 or 3, suggesting the possibility that inhibition of each of these class I HDACs is necessary for activation of FXN mRNA synthesis, as there appears to be redundancy in the silencing mechanism caused by the GAA•TTC repeats. Moreover, inhibitors must have a long residence time on their target enzymes for this activity. By interrogating microarray data from neuronal cells treated with inhibitors of different specificity, we selected two genes encoding histone macroH2A (H2AFY2) and Polycomb group ring finger 2 (PCGF2) that were specifically down-regulated by the inhibitors targeting HDACs1 and 3 versus the more selective inhibitors for further investigation. Both genes are involved in transcriptional repression and we speculate their involvement in FXN gene silencing. Our results shed light on the mechanism whereby HDAC inhibitors increase FXN mRNA levels in FRDA neuronal cells.
Marching Cubes without Skinny Triangles

Most computational codes that use irregular grids depend on the single worst triangle's quality: skinny triangles can lead to bad performance and numerical instabilities. Marching cubes (MC) is the standard isosurface grid generation algorithm, and, whereas most triangles it generates are good, it almost always generates some bad triangles. Here, we show how simple changes to MC can lead to a drastically reduced number of degenerate triangles, making it a more practical choice for isosurface grid generation.
Physical Properties of Polyamide-12 versus PMMA Denture Base Material

Objectives. Polyamide-12 (PA) is a flexible material suited for denture bases and clasping. This study investigated its potential aging effects with a focus on surface roughness, color stability, and elasticity. Methods. PA specimens (Valplast) of 40 × 10 × 2 mm and equally measuring PMMA specimens (Palapress) as control were fabricated. Color changes after storage in air, water, coffee, and red wine (n = 10) were measured using the CIE L*a*b* color specification. Elasticity after thermocycling (1000, 3000, and 7000 cycles, n = 15) was measured by three-point bending testing. Mean surface roughness (Ra) was determined after storage in the liquids mentioned above and thermocycling (n = 10). Results. Tukey's HSD test (P < 0.05) revealed statistically significant color changes of PA in red wine (ΔE = 4.27 after 12 days, ΔE = 6.90 after 12 days) and coffee (ΔE = 3.93 after 36 days) but no color changes in PMMA. Elastic modulus of PA was 845 MPa and not affected by thermocycling (Tukey's HSD test, P > 0.81). Dry specimens showed significantly decreased elasticity (P < 0.001). Mean surface roughness (PA 0.20 μm, PMMA 0.28 μm) did not change significantly after thermocycling or storage (Mann-Whitney U-test, 0.16 < P < 0.65). Significance. PA exhibited a higher susceptibility to discoloration than PMMA. Neither surface roughness nor elasticity of PA was altered by artificial aging.
Adaptability of non-genetic diversity in bacterial chemotaxis

Bacterial chemotaxis systems are as diverse as the environments that bacteria inhabit, but how much environmental variation can cells tolerate with a single system? Diversification of a single chemotaxis system could serve as an alternative, or even evolutionary stepping-stone, to switching between multiple systems. We hypothesized that mutations in gene regulation could lead to heritable control of chemotactic diversity. By simulating foraging and colonization of E. coli using a single-cell chemotaxis model, we found that different environments selected for different behaviors. The resulting trade-offs show that populations facing diverse environments would ideally diversify behaviors when time for navigation is limited. We show that advantageous diversity can arise from changes in the distribution of protein levels among individuals, which could occur through mutations in gene regulation. We propose experiments to test our prediction that chemotactic diversity in a clonal population could be a selectable trait that enables adaptation to environmental variability. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.03526. 001
Correlation of Microcirculatory Parameters Derived from the Generalized Kinetic and Distributed Parameter Models: A Perfusion CT Study

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging is a functional imaging technique that can be used to assess tumor angiogenesis and yields quantitative estimates of tissue microcirculatory parameters by tracer kinetic model analysis. In this study, we explored the possible relationships between parameters of two tracer kinetic models, the generalized kinetic and distributed parameter models, by comparing these models on DCE CT datasets of actual patient study cases. Understanding the use of these models and the physiological meaning of their parameters would improve the interpretation and assessment of anti-angiogenic drug trials by DCE imaging.
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of braC, the structural gene for the leucine-, isoleucine-, and valine-binding protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO

The gene for the leucine-, isoleucine-, and valine-binding protein (LIVAT-BP) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was isolated, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The gene consisted of 1,119 nucleotides specifying a protein of 373 amino acid residues. Determination of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the LIVAT-BP purified from P. aeruginosa shock fluid suggested that the N-terminal 26 residues of the gene product are cleaved off posttranslationally, showing the characteristic features of procaryotic signal peptides. The amino acid composition of the mature product predicted from the nucleotide sequence was in good agreement with that of the purified LIVAT-BP. The plasmid carrying the LIVAT-BP gene restored the activity of the high-affinity branched-chain amino acid transport system (the leucine, isoleucine, valine [LIV-I] transport system) in the braC310 mutant of P. aeruginosa, confirming that braC is the structural gene for LIVAT-BP. The mutant LIVAT-BP lacking a 16-amino-acid peptide in the middle was found to be functional in the LIV-I transport system. LIVAT-BP showed extensive homology (51% identical) to the LIV- and leucine-specific-binding proteins of Escherichia coli K-12, which are coded for by the livJ and livK genes, respectively, suggesting that the role of the proteins in the LIV-I transport systems is analogous in both organisms.
Combinatorial targeting of TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33 in type 2 cytokine–driven inflammation and fibrosis

Combined blockade of TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33 may be needed to treat some forms of progressive inflammation and fibrosis. Teaming up against inflammation and fibrosis The cult of the individual extends to new therapies—new targets are identified and validated (or not) on a one-on-one basis. However, no protein is an island, and failure with a monotherapy does not invalidate a target. Now, Vannella et al. demonstrate that this is indeed the case for some types of progessive type 2 inflammation and fibrosis. Using a variety of models including helminth infection and allergic lung inflammation, the authors show that individual disruption of the type 2 inflammatory molecules thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TLSP), interleukin-25 (IL-25), and IL-33 had no effect on the progression of type 2–dependent inflammation or fibrosis. However, targeting all three simultaneously blocked disease development and progression. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin-25 (IL-25), and IL-33 are important initiators of type 2–associated mucosal inflammation and immunity. However, their role in the maintenance of progressive type 2 inflammation and fibrosis is much less clear. Using chronic models of helminth infection and allergic lung inflammation, we show that collective disruption of TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33 signaling suppresses chronic and progressive type 2 cytokine–driven inflammation and fibrosis. In a schistosome lung granuloma model or during chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection in the liver, individual ablation of TSLP, IL-25, or IL-33/ST2 had no impact on the development of IL-4/IL-13–dependent inflammation or fibrosis. However, significant reductions in granuloma-associated eosinophils, hepatic fibrosis, and IL-13–producing type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) were observed when signaling of all three mediators was simultaneously disrupted. Combined blockade through monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment also reduced IL-5 and IL-13 expression during primary and secondary granuloma formation in the lungs. In a model of chronic house dust mite–induced allergic lung inflammation, combined mAb treatment did not decrease established inflammation or fibrosis. TSLP/IL-33 double-knockout mice treated with anti–IL-25 mAb during priming, however, displayed decreased inflammation, mucus production, and lung remodeling in the chronic phase. Together, these studies reveal partially redundant roles for TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33 in the maintenance of type 2 pathology and suggest that in some settings, early combined targeting of these mediators is necessary to ameliorate progressive type 2–driven disease.
Predicting the Phase Noise of PLL-Based Frequency Synthesizers

A methodology is presented for predicting the phase noise of a PLL-based frequency synthesizer using simulation that is both accurate and efficient. The methodology begins by characterizing the phase noise behavior of the blocks that make up the PLL using transistor-level RF noise simulation. For each block, the phase noise is extracted and applied to a phase-domain model for the entire PLL.
Role of Propagule Size in the Success of Incipient Colonies of the Invasive Argentine Ant

Abstract: Factors that contribute to the successful establishment of invasive species are often poorly understood. Propagule size is considered a key determinant of establishment success, but experimental tests of its importance are rare. We used experimental colonies of the invasive Argentine ant ( Linepithema humile) that differed both in worker and queen number to test how these attributes influence the survivorship and growth of incipient colonies. All propagules without workers experienced queen mortality, in contrast to only 6% of propagules with workers. In small propagules (10–1,000 workers), brood production increased with worker number but not queen number. In contrast, per capita measures of colony growth decreased with worker number over these colony sizes. In larger propagules ( 1,000–11,000 workers), brood production also increased with increasing worker number, but per capita brood production appeared independent of colony size. Our results suggest that queens need workers to establish successfully but that propagules with as few as 10 workers can grow quickly. Given the requirements for propagule success in Argentine ants, it is not surprising how easily they spread via human commerce.
Patriarchies, Transpatriarchies, and Intersectionalities

Introduction: Citizenship Revisted Elzbieta H. Oleksy Part I: Gender Politics - Towards a New Vision of the Subject 1. Sexual Politics, Torture, and Secular Time Judith Butler 2. Post-Secular Feminist Ethics Rosi Braidotti 3. Return of Men's Narratives and the Vicious Circle of Gender Play Marek Wojtaszek Part II: Negotiating Citizenship - Gender, Sexuality, Politics 4. (Trans)Forming Gender: Social Change and Transgender Citizenship Sally Hines 5. Blood, Water and the Politics of Biology: Examining the Primacy of Biological Kinship in Family Policy and (Step)Family Discourse Karin Lenke 6. Intimate Citizenship and the Right to Care: The Case of Breastfeeding Lisa Smyth 7. Gender, Sexuality and Nation - Here and Now: Reflections on the Gendered and Sexualized Aspects of Contemporary Polish Nationalism Agnieszka Graff 8. Defining Pornography, Defining Gender: Sexual Citizenship in the Discourse of Czech Sexology and Criminology Katerina Liskova 9. Lesbian Representation and Postcolonial Allegory Aniko Imre Part III: Men and Masculinities - New Identities, Emerging Subjectivities 10. Patriarchies, Transpatriarchies, and Intersectionalities Jeff Hearn 11. Changing Czech Masculinities? Beyond "Environment and Children Friendly" Men Iva Smidova 12. Experiencing Masculinity: Between Crisis, Withdrawal, and Change Iwona Chmura-Rutkowska and Joanna Ostrouch 13. Bent Straights: Diversity and Flux among Heterosexual Men Michael Flood
Delay tolerant event collection for underground coal mine using mobile sinks

There is a growing interest in using wireless sensor networks for security monitoring in the underground coal mines. In such applications, the sensor nodes are deployed to detect interested events, e.g., the density of certain gas at some locations is higher than the predefined threshold. These events are then reported to the base station outside. Using conventional multi-hop routing for data reporting, however, will result in imbalance of energy consumption among the sensors. Even worse, the unfriendly communication condition underground makes the multi-hop data transmission challenging, if not impossible. In this paper, we thus propose to leverage tramcars as mobile sinks to assist event collection and delivery. We further observe that the sensor readings have spatial and temporal correlation. More precisely, the same event may be observed by multiple neighboring sensor nodes and/or at different time. Obviously, it can be more energy-efficient if the data are selectively reported. As such, we first provide a general, yet realistic definition on the events. We then transform the event collection problem into a set coverage problem; and our objective is to maximize the system lifetime with the coverage rate of events guaranteed. We show that the problem is NP-hard even when all the events are known in advance. We present an online scheme which leverages the spatial-temporal correlation of the events to balance the communication energy of the static sensor nodes. We prove that the expected event coverage rate can be guaranteed in theory. Through extensive simulation, we demonstrate that our scheme can significantly extend system lifetime, as compared to a stochastic collection scheme.
Costs of Regulating Residential Care Services for Children

INTRODUCTION A number of important changes are planned in the way that the regulatory function is to be conducted in England and Wales in the future (see the 1998 White Paper Modernising Social Services, Cm 4169). From April 2002 the National Care Standards Commission will be established as a non-departmental public body to take on the regulation of Social Care and private and voluntary health care in England. The Commission will be responsible for services not currently covered by regulatory legislation and the setting of standards at a national level. An important issue to consider in this context is the setting of fees to those who are being regulated. A key recommendation of the Burgner report on regulation and inspection of social services was that the cost of regulation should be independently reviewed with a view to relating fee levels more closely to the actual costs of regulation.
Psychological Factors Are Important Correlates of Dietary Pattern in Overweight Adults

Introduction and Purpose:Abdominal obesity, the central distribution of adipose tissue, is a well-established cardiometabolic disease risk factor. The prevalence has steadily increased since 1988, and now more than 50% of adults have abdominal obesity. Psychological distress coupled with increased dietary energy density (ED) may contribute to abdominal obesity. Guided by the stress and coping model, this study examined the relationship between psychological factors (perceived stress and depressive symptoms) and dietary ED in overweight, working adults. The first hypothesis tested if psychological factors explained a significant amount of food and beverage ED variance above that accounted for by demographic factors. The second hypothesis tested if psychological factors explained a significant amount of food and nonalcoholic beverage ED variance above that accounted for by demographic factors. Post hoc analyses compared macronutrient composition and food group pattern between overweight, working adults with and without depressive symptoms. Methods:This descriptive, cross-sectional, correlation study was composed of 87 overweight, working adults (mean age, 41.3 [SD, 10.2] years; mean body mass index, 32.1 [SD, 6.1] kg/m2; 73.6% women; 50.6% African American). Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory II and Perceived Stress Scale and weighed-3-day-food record analyzed for caloric intake (kilocalories) and weight (in grams) of consumed foods and beverages that were used to calculate ED (in kilocalories/gram). Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, and sequential regression modeling were used for data analysis. Results:Depressive symptoms were reported by 21.9% of participants and explained variance in food and beverage ED above that accounted for by African American race and reporting adequate caloric intake. Depressive symptoms explained variance in food and nonalcoholic beverage ED above that accounted for male sex, African American race, and reporting adequate caloric intake. Perceived stress and depressive symptoms were positively correlated; however, perceived stress was not a significant predictor of food and beverage ED. Conclusions:Depressive symptoms, potentially modifiable, were 4 times that found in the general population and independently predicted increased food and beverage ED. Further research is needed to determine if improvements in depressive symptoms alter dietary ED, potentially reducing cardiometabolic disease risk.
Sacred science : person-centred inquiry into the spiritual and the subtle

Contents Part 1: Perspectives of lived inquiry *Introduction and background *Spiritual inquiry and projected authority *Spiritual inquiry and the authority within *Issues in subtle inquiry *The challenge of cartography *A dipolar map of the spiritual and subtle *Methods for the second form of spiritual transformation Part 2: Co-operative inquiry reports *Procedures *Reports, adequacy and viability *Spatiotemporal extensions *Impressions of the other reality *The bliss nature and transtemporal regression *Knacks in entering altered states *Charismatic expression *Transpersonal activities in everyday life *Transpersonal inquiry within a self-generating culture *Ritual and interpersonal process *Empowerment in everyday life and group life *Co-creating *Coming into being Part 3: A participatory worldview *Participatory research *Participatory theology and cosmology