Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Social Change on Individual Development: The Role of Social and Personal Factors and the Timing of Events

Social change can be a gradual unfolding of different ways of life or can imply a sudden, fundamental transformation of economic, social, and political institutions, as was the case in Eastern Europe after the end of the Cold War. Individuals perceive, experience, and handle effects of social change on the basis of certain sociopsychological processes. This chapter focuses on how individuals deal with social change – how social change is perceived, experienced, and acted upon by the person and how these reactions affect human development. Until recently, social change and individual development were studied separately in different disciplines. Attempting to relate these two complex topics of research may increase the risk of failing to deal successfully with either one. However, I believe that the study of individual development in a changing socioeconomic context will allow us to further our understanding of human development. This belief is based on the assumption that individual development is an active process taking place over the life course in multiple contexts. The active role of the individual is seen in the psychological processes of negotiating the self in relation to the environment, including goal setting, decision making, and behavior. The contextual view enlarges the individual-centered approach by specifying ecological conditions that affect individual development and by illuminating multidirectional processes in changing person—environment relations. When dealing with the possible effects of social change on individual development, several issues have to be clarified: Which aspects of social change have an impact on the individual person? How is the individual person affected by such factors? Why do some people gain from social change and others experience losses? How does the outcome of social change affect further individual development?
Why are “natively unfolded” proteins unstructured under physiologic conditions?

“Natively unfolded” proteins occupy a unique niche within the protein kingdom in that they lack ordered structure under conditions of neutral pH in vitro. Analysis of amino acid sequences, based on the normalized net charge and mean hydrophobicity, has been applied to two sets of proteins: small globular folded proteins and “natively unfolded” ones. The results show that “natively unfolded” proteins are specifically localized within a unique region of charge‐hydrophobicity phase space and indicate that a combination of low overall hydrophobicity and large net charge represent a unique structural feature of “natively unfolded” proteins. Proteins 2000;41:415–427. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phase II clinical studies of denileukin diftitox diphtheria toxin fusion protein in patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The safety and efficacy of the interleukin‐2 diphtheria toxin fusion protein (DAB389IL2; denileukin diftitox) directed against the IL‐2 receptor (IL‐2R) was tested in patients with recurrent or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Federated, secure trust networks for distributed healthcare IT services

Recent US regulations mandate the privacy and security of healthcare data at a level never previously contemplated. Our research group is developing a prototype healthcare IT system and medical data portal based upon a Web services approach. An authentication Web service manages trust levels, issues authorization tickets, and uses biometric devices to establish identity; an authorization Web service determines what data may be accessed, in what way, and by whom. Hospital administrators set access privileges for recursively-defined groups, subgroups, and individuals. All patient records and medical images are protected using AES encryption with 256-bit keys. Offnetwork entities such as pharmacies, insurance companies, and other medical service providers participate through a federated trust-sharing arrangement. Electronic prescriptions are transmitted securely to participating pharmacies and pick-up notifications are provided to the patient using the preferred notification method (email, alerts to a PDA, automated telephone call) stored in the patient's profile.
In vitro vitellogenin production by carp (Cyprinus carpio) hepatocytes as a screening method for determining (anti)estrogenic activity of xenobiotics.

The yolk protein precursor vitellogenin (Vtg) is secreted by the liver of female as well as male fish, in response to estrogenic compounds. In this study, an in vitro assay was developed for measuring Vtg induction, using cultured primary hepatocytes from genetically uniform strains of carp (Cyprinus carpio). Vtg production was measured by indirect competitive ELISA, using a polyclonal antiserum against goldfish Vtg that cross-reacts with carp Vtg. Vtg was dose-dependently induced by 17beta-estradiol (E2) in hepatocytes of both sexes. E2 had a lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for Vtg induction of 2 nM, an EC50 between 50 and 150 nM, and a maximum response at 2 microM. The plasticizer and xenoestrogen bisphenol-A induced Vtg secretion by hepatocytes of both sexes at 50 and 100 microM. This carp hepatocyte (CARP-HEP) assay can also be used to detect antiestrogenic activity, which was measured as the reduction of E2-stimulated Vtg synthesis. Two well-known antiestrogenic compounds, tamoxifen and 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), were tested. TCDD caused a reduction in Vtg synthesis in female hepatocytes at concentrations <0.1 nM, making it approximately 10,000-fold more potent than tamoxifen. Carp hepatocytes were also sensitive to induction of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) activity, measured as ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD). Depending on the exposure time, 18 or 96 h, EROD EC50 values for TCDD were 27 or 6 pM, respectively. The CARP-HEP assay, using the 96-well plate format, offers good possibilities to screen large numbers of compounds for (anti)estrogenic properties. In addition, it can simultaneously determine aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist properties, measured as CYP1A induction.
Clarifying the PROGINS allele association in ovarian and breast cancer risk: a haplotype-based analysis.

BACKGROUND The PROGINS allele of the progesterone receptor (PGR) gene has been associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer and a decreased risk of breast cancer. We set out to refine the association between common variation at the PGR gene locus and these two diseases. METHODS We characterized the haplotype structure of the PGR gene by genotyping 54 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 349 women. We then selected a subset of 17 haplotype-tagging SNPs that captured variation across the locus and typed them in 267 ovarian cancer case patients and 397 control subjects from two case-control studies and in 1715 breast cancer case patients and 2505 control subjects from a cohort study. RESULTS The PGR locus was characterized by four blocks of strong linkage disequilibrium. Two SNPs in block 4 were associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer among homozygous carriers as compared with noncarriers: rs1042838 (PROGINS allele; odds ratio [OR] = 3.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19 to 8.75, P = .022) and rs608995 (minor allele; OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.63 to 5.89, P<.001). The PROGINS allele was observed on a subset of chromosomes carrying the minor allele at rs608995, and its association with ovarian cancer was fully explained by its association with rs608995. In addition, rs608995 fell on two common haplotypes (4-D and 4-E), whose association with ovarian cancer was the same as that of rs608995. These same two haplotypes were associated with a non-statistically significantly reduced risk of breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS Variation in PGR was associated with ovarian cancer risk, although the strongest result was not with the PROGINS allele. Instead, any causal allele(s) are likely in or downstream of block 4 and carried on haplotypes 4-D and 4-E. There was some evidence that the same variation was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, but the association was not statistically significant.
Human Gene Targeting by Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors Is Enhanced by DNA Double-Strand Breaks

ABSTRACT The use of adeno-associated virus (AAV) to package gene-targeting vectors as single-stranded linear molecules has led to significant improvements in mammalian gene-targeting frequencies. However, the molecular basis for the high targeting frequencies obtained is poorly understood, and there could be important mechanistic differences between AAV-mediated gene targeting and conventional gene targeting with transfected double-stranded DNA constructs. Conventional gene targeting is thought to occur by the double-strand break (DSB) model of homologous recombination, as this can explain the higher targeting frequencies observed when DSBs are present in the targeting construct or target locus. Here we compare AAV-mediated gene-targeting frequencies in the presence and absence of induced target site DSBs. Retroviral vectors were used to introduce a mutant lacZ gene containing an I-SceI cleavage site and to efficiently deliver the I-SceI endonuclease, allowing us to carry out these studies with normal and transformed human cells. Creation of DSBs by I-SceI increased AAV-mediated gene-targeting frequencies 60- to 100-fold and resulted in a precise correction of the mutant lacZ reporter gene. These experiments demonstrate that AAV-mediated gene targeting can result in repair of a DNA DSB and that this form of gene targeting exhibits fundamental similarities to conventional gene targeting. In addition, our findings suggest that the selective creation of DSBs by using viral delivery systems can increase gene-targeting frequencies in scientific and therapeutic applications.
25 nm CMOS Omega FETs

Low leakage and low active-power 25 nm gate length C-MOSFETs are demonstrated for the first time with a newly proposed Omega-(/spl Omega/) shaped structure, at a conservative 17-19 /spl Aring/ gate oxide thickness, and with excellent hot carrier immunity. For 1 volt operation, the transistors give drive currents of 1440 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m and 780 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m with off state leakage currents of 8 nA//spl mu/m and 0.4 nA//spl mu/m for N-FET and P-FET, respectively. A low voltage version achieves, at 0.7 V, drive currents of 1300 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m for N-FET and 550 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m for P-FET at an off current of 1 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m. N-FET gate delay (CV/I) of 0.39 ps and P-FET gate delay of 0.88 ps exceed International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) projections.
Adverse Environmental Impact: A Consultant’s Perspective

Environmental consultants are in a unique position to address the practical aspects of a working definition of “adverse environmental impact” (AEI) within Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act. In our work with the electric utility industry, attorneys, and regulatory agencies, we have encountered numerous and sometimes conflicting interpretations as to what constitutes AEI. In our over 30 years of experience, we have applied most of the approaches suggested for addressing this issue, including biostatistical methods, trend analysis, time series methods, conditional mortality rate models, stock-recruitment models, equivalent adult models, and ecosystem models. In our experience, the paradigm most helpful in bringing about agreement among stakeholders is to (1) create a model of operating scenarios, (2) use empirical data from on-site studies to parameterize the model, (3) convert losses by life stage to equivalent adult losses, (4) convert equivalent adult losses to economic value, and (5) compare scenarios on an economic basis.
Speech Perception Skills of Deaf Children with Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants work reasonably well in many profoundly deaf adults and children. For a prelingually deaf child, the electrical stimulation transmitted by a cochlear implant represents the introduction of a new sensory modality that provides spectral and temporal information about speech and spoken language. Despite the success of cochlear implants in many deaf children, large individual differences have been reported on a wide range of speech and language outcome measures. This finding is observed in all research centers around the world. Some children do extremely well with their cochlear implant while others derive only minimal benefits after receiving their implant. Understanding the reasons for the variability in outcomes and the large individual differences following cochlear implantation is one of the most important problems in the field today. In this paper, I present a brief summary of recent findings on the speech perception skills of deaf children following cochlear implantation. The results of these studies suggest that in addition to several demographic variables, variation in children’s success with cochlear implants also reflects fundamental differences in rapid phonological coding and verbal rehearsal processes used in working memory.
Magnetoresistance Properties of Planar-Type Tunnel Junctions With Ferromagnetic Nanogap System Fabricated by Electromigration Method

We report electromigration techniques for the fabrication of planar-type tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic nanogap system. In these techniques, by monitoring the current passing through the devices, we are easily able to obtain the planar-type Ni-Vacuum-Ni tunnel junctions. In this paper, magnetoresistance (MR) properties of the planar-type Ni-based tunnel junctions formed by stepwise feedback-controlled electromigration (SFCE) and field-emission-induced electromigration (activation) are studied. We performed the SFCE method for Ni nanoconstrictions connecting asymmetrical butterfly-shape electrodes. Furthermore, the activation technique was applied to Ni nanogaps with separations of 15-45 nm. MR ratio of the devices formed by the SFCE exhibited approximately 4% at 16 K . On the other hand, the devices fabricated by the activation showed MR ratio of above 300% at 16 K. These results suggest that it is possible to fabricate planar-type ferromagnetic tunnel junctions with vacuum barriers by electromigration techniques.
Large molecules on surfaces: deposition and intramolecular STM manipulation by directional forces

Intramolecular manipulation of single molecules on a surface with a scanning tunnelling microscope enables the controlled modification of their structure and, consequently, their physical and chemical properties. This review presents examples of intramolecular manipulation experiments with rather large molecules, driven by directional, i.e. chemical or electrostatic, forces between tip and molecule. It is shown how various regimes of forces can be explored and characterized with one and the same manipulation of a single molecule by changing the tip–surface distance. Furthermore, different deposition techniques under ultrahigh vacuum conditions are discussed because the increasing functionality of such molecules can lead to fragmentation during the heating step, making their clean deposition difficult.
The Alternating Linear Scheme for Tensor Optimization in the Tensor Train Format

Recent achievements in the field of tensor product approximation provide promising new formats for the representation of tensors in form of tree tensor networks. In contrast to the canonical $r$-term representation (CANDECOMP, PARAFAC), these new formats provide stable representations, while the amount of required data is only slightly larger. The tensor train (TT) format [SIAM J. Sci. Comput. , 33 (2011), pp. 2295-2317], a simple special case of the hierarchical Tucker format [J. Fourier Anal. Appl. , 5 (2009), p. 706], is a useful prototype for practical low-rank tensor representation. In this article, we show how optimization tasks can be treated in the TT format by a generalization of the well-known alternating least squares (ALS) algorithm and by a modified approach (MALS) that enables dynamical rank adaptation. A formulation of the component equations in terms of so-called retraction operators helps to show that many structural properties of the original problems transfer to the micro-iterations, giving what is to our knowledge the first stable generic algorithm for the treatment of optimization tasks in the tensor format. For the examples of linear equations and eigenvalue equations, we derive concrete working equations for the micro-iteration steps; numerical examples confirm the theoretical results concerning the stability of the TT decomposition and of ALS and MALS but also show that in some cases, high TT ranks are required during the iterative approximation of low-rank tensors, showing some potential of improvement.
Performance analysis of precoded PTS and SLM scheme for PAPR reduction in OFDM system

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a multicarrier system which provides high data rate services in wireless communication systems. The major drawback of OFDM is high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR). An OFDM with high PAPR requires High Power Amplifiers (HPA) which are very difficult to design and manufacturing becomes complex and costlier. Many PAPR reduction techniques have been proposed out of which the existing technique is Partial Transmit Sequences (PTS) and Selected Mapping (SLM) with optimum PAPR reduction and less complexity. In this paper the analysis of OFDM system, PTS OFDM system and SLM OFDM systemwith various precoding methods like Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) Precoder, Discrete Hartley Transform (DHT)Precoder and Walsh-Hadamard Transform (WHT) Precoder techniques are analyzed for PTS, SLM for M-QAM is analyzed for better PAPR reduction.
An MPI library which uses polling, interrupts and remote copying for the Fujitsu AP1000+

A complete implementation of MPI for the Fujitsu AP1000+ is presented. The library can employ a number of different mechanisms in implementing the send and receive message passing operations. The method of detecting the arrival of new messages can be realized through interrupt-driven and polling techniques. Transferring message data is achieved by either sending the message data directly to the receiver "in-place", or using a rendezvous method which allows the use of a fast noncopying nonblocking remote-fetching operation. The MPI library exhibits good performance compared to the native message passing library, and allows the user to decide at runtime which mechanisms will be used in order to achieve the best performance on a per-application basis.
Techniques combinatoires pour les algorithmes paramétrés et les noyaux, avec applications aux problèmes de multicoupe. (Combinatorial Techniques for Parameterized Algorithms and Kernels, with Applications to Multicut.)

This thesis tackles NP-hard problems with combinatorial techniques, focusing on the framework of Fixed-Parameter Tractability. Themain problems considered here are MULTICUT and MAXIMUM LEAF OUT-BRANCHING. MULTICUT is a natural generalisation of the cut problem, and consists in simultaneously separating prescribed pairs of vertices by removing as few edges as possible in a graph. MAXIMUM LEAF OUT-BRANCHING consists in finding a spanning directed tree with as many leaves as possible in a directed graph. The main results of this thesis are the following. We show that MULTICUT is FPT when parameterized by the solution size, i.e. deciding the existence of a multicut of size k in a graph with n vertices can be done in time f(k) ∗ poly(n). We show that MULTICUT IN TREES admits a polynomial kernel, i.e. can be reduced to instances of size polynomial in k. We give anO∗(3.72k) algorithmforMAXIMUM LEAF OUT-BRANCHING and the first non-trivial (better than 2n) exact algorithm. We also provide a quadratic kernel and a constant factor approximation algorithm. These algorithmic results are based on combinatorial results and structural properties, involving tree decompositions,minors, reduction rules and s−t numberings, among others. We present results obtained with combinatorial techniques outside the scope of parameterized complexity: a characterization of Helly circle graphs as the diamond-free circle graphs, and a partial characterisation of 2-well-quasi-ordered classes of graphs.
The accessory parotid gland and facial process of the parotid gland on computed tomography

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of an anterior extension of the parotid gland, such as an accessory parotid gland (APG) or facial process (FP) and to evaluate its characteristics on computed tomography (CT) scans. We reviewed CT scans of 1,600 parotid glands from 800 patients. An APG on CT was defined as a soft-tissue mass of the same density as the main parotid gland, located at the anterior part of the main parotid gland, and completely separate from the main parotid gland. An FP was defined as a lobe of the parotid gland protruding anteriorly over the anterior edge of the ramus of the mandible on CT and showing continuity with the main gland. The overall incidence rates and characteristics of APGs and FPs were evaluated according to age, sex, and side. The incidence rates of APGs and FPs were 10.2% (163/1,600) and 28.3% (452/1,600), respectively. The mean size of an APG was 15.8 mm × 5.0 mm and the mean distance from the main parotid gland was 10.5 mm. The FP reached anteriorly between the anterior edge of the mandibular ramus and the anterior border of the masseter muscle in 405 (89.6%) cases, while it extended over the anterior border of the masseter muscle in 47 (10.4%) cases. The incidence rates of APGs and FPs decreased and increased, respectively, with increasing age, showing significant linear correlations. However, the incidence of an anterior extension of the parotid gland (either an APG or an FP) was similar across all age groups. The present study showed that CT might be helpful in identifying anterior extensions of the parotid gland including APGs and FPs. The anatomical information gained from this study contributes to a better understanding of APGs and FPs and how their incidence changes with age.
Neurite Development in PC12 Cells on Flexible Micro‐Textured Substrates under Cyclic Stretch

We investigated the combined effect of micro‐texture and mechanical strain on neuronal cell development such as neurite length and neurite density in a rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12 cells). Cells were seeded on flexible silicone substrates with micro‐texture or no texture (smooth) and cultured under static and dynamic conditions. In the static condition substrates were not stretched and in the dynamic conditions substrates were subjected to cyclic uniaxial stretching at three different strain levels of 4%, 8%, and 16% with each at three different strain rates at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 Hz. Results showed that of all cell cultures there was no significant difference in neurite development between cells on smooth and textured substrates, except in the static and 4% at 0.1 Hz conditions, where micro‐texture induced significantly longer neurites. With both types of substrates, a lower mechanical condition (4% at 1.0 Hz or 16% at 0.1 Hz) resulted in more and longer neurites and lower cell density, and a higher mechanical condition (16% at 1.0 Hz) resulted in fewer and shorter neurites and lower cell density as compared to the static condition. These findings suggest that the effect of the micro‐texture on neurite development is more prominent in low mechanical conditions than in high mechanical conditions and that the strain level and strain rate have an interrelated effect on neurite development: a higher strain level at a lower strain rate has a similar effect as a lower strain level at a higher strain rate in terms of promoting neurite development.