Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Strategic Alignment Perspective of Public-Sector Organisations in Saudi Arabia in the Digital Transformation Age (Quantitative Study)

Public-sector organisations face several challenges in their adoption of digital transformation strategies to achieve strategic goals and objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the determinants of business value related to information technology projects in public-sector organisations from a business-information technology strategic alignment perspective. This study utilised a quantitative design drawing data from 198 surveys. The main findings showed a positive, significant, and impactful linkage between Information System (IS) Governance Mechanisms and Top Management characteristics. Both are essential antecedents of the intellectual dimension of Business-IT Strategic Alignment and the quality of IT Project Planning. The findings also showed a positive relationship between Business-IT Strategic Alignment and the quality of IT Project Planning, which fully mediates the impact of IS Governance Mechanisms and Top Management characteristics on Organisational Performance, Service Innovation, and Operational Excellence.
Extended Kalman Filter-Based State of Charge and State of Power Estimation Algorithm for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Li-Po Battery Packs

Customer requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with long flight times are increasing exponentially in the personal, commercial, and military use areas. Due to their limited payload, large numbers of on-board battery packs cannot be used and this is the main reason behind the need for battery management software (BMS) packages with state of charge (SOC) estimation functions to increase the flight time. At the same time, as the UAV application range has extended widely, the size of UAVs has increased and heavy-duty UAVs are slowly appearing. As a result, the system operating power of the UAVs has been increased tremendously and their safe system power operation has become an issue. This is the main reason for the need of BMS having state of power (SOP) estimation functions. In this work a 6 S Li-Po battery pack is simulated with two ladder equivalent circuit models (ECMs) considering an impedance effect whose parameters are found using hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) current patterns with parameter determination using the table-based linear interpolation (TBLI) method. Two state estimation methods, including the current integration method and the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method are developed and the estimation accuracies of SOC and SOP are compared. Results show that the most accurate SOC estimation turns out to be 0.1477% (indoor test with HPPC), 0.1324% (outdoor test with 0 kg payload), and 0.2021% (outdoor test with 10 kg payload). Also, the most accurate SOP estimation error turns out to be 1.2% (indoor test with HPPC), 3.6% (outdoor test with 0 kg payload), and 4.2% (outdoor test with 10 kg payload).
Alpha Adrenergic Blockade during Prazosin Therapy

Patients with essential hypertension show an increase in vascular resistance. It is unclear whether this is caused by structural changes in the arterial wall or by hyperresponsiveness of vascular smooth muscle to endogenous alpha adrenergic agonists. Using the dorsal hand vein compliance technique we compared the changes in diameter of superficial veins in response to phenylephrine, an alpha, adrenergic receptor agonist, and to nitroglycerin, a venorelaxant, in patients with essential hypertension and in normotensive subjects. The dose of phenylephrine that produced 50% of maximal venoconstriction (ED50) in the hypertensive subjects was 257 ng/min (geometric mean; log mean±SD was 2.41±0.54). In the control subjects the ED50 was 269 ng/min (geometric mean; log mean was 2.43±0.43). Maximal response (E.,.) for phenylephrine was 84±13% in the hypertensive subjects and 90±6% in the control subjects. Differences in the group means of the ED50 (P = 0.92) or the E. (P = 0.27) were not significant. There were no significant differences in the ED50 (P = 0.54) or the E. ,,,, (P = 0.08) for nitroglycerin between the two groups. These results show no evidence for a generalized change in alpha adrenergic responsiveness in hypertension and support the concept that increased blood pressure responses to alpha adrenergic stimulation in hypertensives are due to structural and geometric changes in the arterial wall rather than to an increased responsiveness of postsynaptic alpha adrenergic receptors. The phenylephrine studies were repeated in seven hypertensive patients during treatment with prazosin, an alpha, adrenergic antagonist. The mean dose ratio of the shift in phenylephrine ED50 (ED50 during prazosin therapy/ED! 5 before prazosin therapy) was 6.1. This indicates that small doses of prazosin (1-2 mg) cause significant in vivo shifts in the dose-response relationship of alpha adrenergic agonists. The dorsal hand vein compliance technique is useful in detecting systemic effects of alpha adrenergic antagonists.
Impact of Release Kinetics on Efficacy of Locally Delivered Parathyroid Hormone for Bone Regeneration Applications

Characterizing the release profile for materials-directed local delivery of bioactive molecules and its effect on bone regeneration is an important step to improve our understanding of, and ability to optimize, the bone healing response. This study examined the local delivery of parathyroid hormone (PTH) using a thiol-ene hydrogel embedded in a porous poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) scaffold for bone regeneration applications. The aim of this study was to characterize the degradation-controlled in vitro release kinetics of PTH from the thiol-ene hydrogels, in vivo hydrogel degradation in a subcutaneous implant model, and bone healing in a rat critical size bone defect. Tethering PTH to the hydrogel matrix eliminated the early timepoint burst release that was observed in previous in vitro work where PTH was free to diffuse out of the matrix. Only 8% of the tethered PTH was released from the hydrogel during the first 2 weeks, but by day 21, 80% of the PTH was released, and complete release was achieved by day 28. In vivo implantation revealed that complete degradation of the hydrogel alone occurred by day 21; however, when incorporated in a three-dimensional printed osteoconductive PPF scaffold, the hydrogel persisted for >56 days. Treatment of bone defects with the composite thiol-ene hydrogel–PPF scaffold, delivering either 3 or 10mg of tethered PTH 1-84, was found to increase bridging of critical size bone defects, whereas treatment with 30 mg of tethered PTH resulted in less bone ingrowth into the defect area. Continued development of this biomaterial delivery system for PTH could lead to improved therapies for treatment of nonunion fractures and critical size bone defects.
Beneficial Effects of Exercise on Subendothelial Matrix Stiffness are Short-Lived

Julian Azar Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 e-mail: ja522@cornell.edu David Putnam Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853; Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 e-mail: dap43@cornell.edu
Location and cellular stages of NK cell development

The identification of distinct tissue-specific natural killer (NK) cell populations that apparently mature from local precursor populations has brought new insight into the diversity and developmental regulation of this important lymphoid subset. NK cells provide a necessary link between the early (innate) and late (adaptive) immune responses to infection. Gaining a better understanding of the processes that govern NK cell development should allow us to better harness NK cell functions in multiple clinical settings as well as to gain further insight into how these cells undergo malignant transformation. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding sites and cellular stages of NK cell development in humans and mice.
PKC e controls the traf ® c of b 1 integrins in motile cells

Protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in b1 integrin-mediated cell migration. Expression of the novel PKC isoform, PKCe, in PKCe±/± cells is shown here to stimulate directional migration of cells towards b1 integrin substrates in a manner dependent on PKC catalytic activity. On PKC inhibition, integrin b1 and PKCe become reversibly trapped in a tetraspanin (CD81)-positive intracellular compartment, correlating with reduced haptotaxis. Immuno ̄uorescence and pulse labelling studies indicate that this is a previously uncharacterized recycling compartment trapped by inhibition of PKC. Electron microscopy demonstrated the co-localization of PKCe and integrin b1 on the vesicular membranes. Finally, using a reconstituted in vitro system, the dissociation of PKCe from these vesicles is shown to be dependent on both the presence of cytosolic components and energy, and on PKC catalytic activity. The evidence presented indicates that PKCe controls an internal traf®c step that under uninhibited conditions permits the recycling of b1 integrin, contributing to cell motility.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate in African Women Receiving Treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Tuberculosis: Potential Concern for Standard Dosing Frequency

Correspondence: R. Mngqibisa, Enhancing Care Foundation, 16 Charles Strachan, Westridge, Durban, South Africa, 4091 (mngqibisa@ecarefoundation.com). Clinical Infectious Diseases 2020;71(3):517–24 © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz863 Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate in African Women Receiving Treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Tuberculosis: Potential Concern for Standard Dosing Frequency
Solution structure of a DNA-binding domain from HMG 1

We have determined the tertiary structure of box 2 from hamster HMG1 using bacterial expression and 3D NMR. The all a-helical fold is in the form of a V-shaped arrowhead with helices along two edges and one rather flat face. This architecture is not related to any of the known DNA binding motifs. Inspection of the fold shows that the majority of conserved residue positions in the HMG box family are those involved in maintaining the tertiary structure and thus all homologous HMG boxes probably have essentially the same fold. Knowledge of the tertiary structure permits an interpretation of the mutations in HMG boxes known to abrogate DNA binding and suggests a mode of interaction with bent and 4-way junction DNA.
An R848-Conjugated Influenza Virus Vaccine Elicits Robust Immunoglobulin G to Hemagglutinin Stem in a Newborn Nonhuman Primate Model

Received 3 September 2020; editorial decision 17 November 2020; accepted 20 November 2020; published online November 27, 2020. Correspondence: Martha A. Alexander-Miller, PhD, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest BioTech Place, Room 2E-018, 575 North Patterson Avenue, WinstonSalem, NC 27101 (Martha.Alexander-Miller@wakehealth.edu). The Journal of Infectious Diseases 2021;224:351–9 © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa728 An R848-Conjugated Influenza Virus Vaccine Elicits Robust Immunoglobulin G to Hemagglutinin Stem in a Newborn Nonhuman Primate Model
Sensorless adaptive-optics optical coherence tomographic angiography

Optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) can image the retinal blood flow but visualization of the capillary caliber is limited by the low lateral resolution. Adaptive optics (AO) can be used to compensate ocular aberrations when using high numerical aperture (NA), and thus improve image resolution. However, previously reported AO-OCTA instruments were large and complex, and have a small sub-millimeter field of view (FOV) that hinders the extraction of biomarkers with clinical relevance. In this manuscript, we developed a sensorless AO-OCTA prototype with an intermediate numerical aperture to produce depth-resolved angiograms with high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio over a 2× 2 mm FOV, with a focal spot diameter of 6 μm, which is about 3 times finer than typical commercial OCT systems. We believe these parameters may represent a better tradeoff between resolution and FOV compared to large-NA AO systems, since the spot size matches better that of capillaries. The prototype corrects defocus, astigmatism, and coma using a figure of merit based on the mean reflectance projection of a slab defined with real-time segmentation of retinal layers. AO correction with the ability to optimize focusing in arbitrary retinal depths – particularly the plexuses in the inner retina – could be achieved in 1.35 seconds. The AO-OCTA images showed greater flow signal, signal-to-noise ratio, and finer capillary caliber compared to commercial OCTA. Projection artifacts were also reduced in the intermediate and deep capillary plexuses. The instrument reported here improves OCTA image quality without excessive sacrifice in FOV and device complexity, and thus may have potential for clinical translation. © 2020 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement
Merkel Cell Polyomavirus and Two Novel Polyomaviruses Are Chronically Shed from Human Skin

Mounting evidence supports the concept that Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) is a causal factor underlying most cases of a highly lethal form of skin cancer known as Merkel cell carcinoma. To explore the possibility that polyomaviruses commonly infect healthy human skin, we developed an improved rolling circle amplification (RCA) technique to isolate circular DNA viral genomes from skin swab specimens. Complete MCV genomes were recovered from 14/35 (40%) healthy adults, providing the first full-length, apparently wild-type cloned genomes for this polyomavirus species. RCA analysis also revealed the existence of two previously unknown polyomavirus species that we name human polyomavirus-6 (HPyV6) and HPyV7. Biochemical experiments show that polyomavirus DNA is shed from the skin in the form of assembled virions. A pilot serological study indicates that infection or co-infection with the three skin-tropic polyomaviruses is very common. Thus, at least three polyomavirus species are constituents of the human skin microbiome.
Lorcaserin Treatment for Extended-Release Naltrexone Induction and Retention for Opioid Use Disorder Individuals: A Pilot, Randomized Trial

Background: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a significant public health problem associated with severe morbidity and mortality. While effective pharmacotherapies are available, limitations exist with each. Induction onto extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is more difficult than initiation of buprenorphine or methadone, even in inpatient settings, as it is recommended that patients remain abstinent for at least 7 days prior to initiating XR-NTX. The purpose of this trial was to determine if lorcaserin, a 5HT2c agonist, improves outpatient XR-NTX induction rates. Address correspondence to: Frances R. Levin, M.D., 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 66, New York, New York 10032, U.S.A. Telephone: (646) 774-6137, FAX: (212) 543-6018, frl2@columbia.edu. Contributors Authors Levin and Bisaga designed the study, Bisaga wrote the protocol, authors Levin and Bisaga obtained funding and served as PIs of the study at Columbia University and were responsible for implementation and responsible conduct of the research projects. Authors Choi, Basaraba and Pavlicova undertook the statistical analysis, and authors Levin, Choi, Pavlicova, and Mariani the interpretation of the data. Author Mahony was responsible for many aspects of study implementation, data collection, supervision and organization, IRB coordination and other study features. Author Brooks offered administrative, technical and material support. Authors Levin, Brooks, Choi, and Pavlicova wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors Naqvi and Bisaga, provided clinical support. All authors contributed to, edited and have approved the final manuscript. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03169816 URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03169816 Conflict of Interest Drs. Mariani, Pavlicova, and Naqvi reported no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Also, Ms. Choi, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Basaraba and Ms. Mahony reported no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Dr. Levin has acted as an unpaid consultant for Alkermes, Novartis, and US WorldMeds. She receives research support from US WorldMeds. Dr. Bisaga has received research support from Alkermes. HHS Public Access Author manuscript Drug Alcohol Depend. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2022 February 01. Published in final edited form as: Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021 February 01; 219: 108482. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep. 2020.108482. A uhor M anscript
Ferritin, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, and C-Reactive Protein Level in Patients with Chikungunya-Induced Chronic Polyarthritis

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a global emergent arthritogenic alphavirus transmitted by anthropophilic Stegomyia mosquitoes. Chikungunya fever may evolve to chronic arthralgia in 57–80% of infected patients. This study was developed to identify possibly fast, simple low-cost biomarkers tomonitor chronic CHIKV-induced articular disease. Between 2017 and 2018, we analyzed clinical data of patients meeting the criteria established by standard protocols to define chronic chikungunya articular disease. Patients were classified according to the disease activity scores, inflammatory biomarkers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], ferritin, and C-reactive protein [CRP] serum), positive rheumatoid factor, comorbidities, smoking, and previous use of corticosteroids determined before beginning therapy. Of 106 patients, 98 (92.5%) were women with mean age of 52 ± 13 years, 6.8 ± 4.4 months of illness duration at the first medical appointment, and 6.7 ± 4.5 affected joints. Mean ESR (26 ± 19), CRP (2.6 ± 3.6), and stratified ferritin (144 ± 115) levels were normal according to reference values. There was no significance in comparing the levels of inflammatory biomarkers and the additional variables analyzed in the presence of moderate chronic joint disease in the study population. However, we identified a negative correlation between disease activity measures and duration of disease at the first medical evaluation after initial infection (P < 0.001), corroborating data observed in the literature.
In Vivo and Targeted Inactivation in Embryonic Stem Cells

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), one of the primary regulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, exhibits abnormal regulation in pathologic states such as depression and anorexia nervosa. Analysis of the role of CRH in regulation of the HPA axis would be facilitated by the creation of animal models in which CRH gene structure and function could be manipulated. We have determined the DNA sequence of the mouse CRH gene. Using a highly sensitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method, we have found expression of CRH mRNA in adrenal, ovary, testis, gut, heart, anterior pituitary, lung, and spleen, in addition to cerebral cortex and hypothalamus. Within the spleen, CRH mRNA is localized specifically to T-lymphocytes. We mapped the chromosomal location of mouse CRH via interspecific mouse backcrosses to chromosome 3, which is not the site of any naturally occurring mutations consistent with CRH deficiency. Because of this, we inactivated a CRH allele in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells by homologous recombination with a mutant mouse CRH gene lacking the entire coding region of preproCRH. Mice chimeric for each of two ES clones with an inactivated CRH allele are being used to generate animals with complete CRH deficiency. (J. Clin. Invest. 1994. 2066-2072.)
Analyzing Change in Nursing Home IT Sophistication: A Two Year Survey

Nursing home health information technology (IT) is becoming more prevalent across the country. In this research, investigators are surveying a national sample of nursing homes for three consecutive years to determine trends in nursing home IT sophistication. Nursing home IT sophistication includes measures of IT capabilities, extent of IT use and IT integration with internal and external stakeholders. IT sophistication is measured in resident care, clinical support and administrative activities. This report provides details of the differences in nursing home IT sophistication reported by administrators completing Year 1 and Year 2 surveys. IT in clinical support (laboratory, pharmacy, and radiology) appear to have the greatest differences. This is expected since these areas typically require external contracts, making it difficult to fit IT with existing workflows, which is important for sustained adoption.
Immunosuppression by D-Penicillamine

As bstract. It has been suggested that D-penicillamine is active in rheumatoid arthritis because of its capacity to function as a selective inhibitor of T lymphocyte function. The basis for the immunosuppressive action of this drug as well as mechanisms whereby the effect of D-penicillamine could be modified by elements of rheumatoid synovial tissue were examined. As previously reported, D-penicillamine, in the presence ofcopper ions markedly inhibited mitogen-induced human T lymphocyte DNA synthesis. Since the vast majority of copper in the body exists as an integral part of the ceruloplasmin molecule, the capacity of this cuproprotein to augment D-penicillamine-mediated inhibition ofT cell function was examined. The requirement for copper ions could be entirely replaced by purified ceruloplasmin, which had been depleted of nonspecifically bound copper by passage over Chelex100 columns. The mechanism by which D-penicillamine in the presence of either copper ions or ceruloplasmin caused inhibition ofT lymphocyte responsiveness was examined. Partial protection from this inhibitory effect was accomplished by sodium borohydride. While superoxide dismutase had no protective effect, catalase was found to protect lymphocyte responsiveness totally from the inhibitory action of D-penicillamine and either copper ions or ceruloplasmin. Similarly, horseradish peroxidase and myeloperoxidase also pro-