Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preoperative and Postoperative Growth Rates in Acoustic Neuromas Documented with CT Scanning

Sequential computerized tomography (CT) allows us to determine the growth rate of acoustic neuromas. Prior to CT scanning, a variability in tumor growth rates was recognized on the basis of clinical signs. After incomplete tumor removal, some patients experienced rapid recurrence, whereas others lived many years without recurrence. We used CT scanning to study tumor growth rates in a heterogeneous group of 21 patients. Thirteen elderly patients were given annual scans after incomplete tumor removal, while eight patients who had not had surgery are likewise being followed up. Early detection and complete tumor removal with preservation of hearing and facial function remain the goal in vigorous and healthy patients. However, a large number of older, infirm patients with acoustic neuromas may not require surgery or be candidates for incomplete tumor removal. Because rapid tumor growth may necessitate total tumor removal even in older patients, a better understanding of the growth rates may permit us to take a more scientific approach in planning these patients' management.
Preexisting behavior facilitated the loss of a sexual signal in the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus

Behavioral preadaptations can provide an accommodating environment in which novel morphological characters may be selected. A very recent morphological mutation, flatwing, has caused the loss of male song in field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) from the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Previous studies in this and related species have shown that females require male courtship song to mount males, but flatwing T. oceanicus males still achieve matings. Females from Kauai may have a relaxed requirement for male courtship song, or flatwing males may compensate for their inability to sing by altering other courtship behaviors. We tested whether male courtship and female responses to male courtship were preadapted in a way that facilitated the spread of the male wing mutation or if parallel changes in male courtship and female responses accompanied the mutation. We performed mating trials in 2 captive-bred populations to assess how mating behavior varied depending on the presence or absence of courtship song playback. The first was an ancestral population from Kauai established prior to the emergence of the flatwing mutation, and the second was derived from Kauai after the mutation became prevalent. Mating behaviors did not differ qualitatively or quantitatively between the ancestral and current populations, and females from both accepted males for mating in the absence of courtship song. Our results provide direct evidence that a mechanism allowing flatwing males to mate with females was in place before the mutation actually arose on Kauai and demonstrate how preexisting behavior facilitated the rapid spread of a novel morphological mutation. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.
A model and tool for semi-automatic recording of design rationale in software diagrams

The purpose of this work is to present an annotation model for recording design rationale, and to describe ABCDE-DR, a prototype system which implements this model, in particular for the domain of object diagrams in software engineering. It supports: semi-formal representation of DR; recording of design rationale in a semiautomatic manner through the reflection in action theory; and the integration between artifact and design rationale. Our model uses annotations as a means of cooperations among users and also representing design rationale information.
Binding to galactose alpha 1----4galactose beta-containing receptors as potential diagnostic tool in urinary tract infection

The diagnosis of urinary tract infection is based largely on quantitative urine cultures. The usefulness of qualitative information about the virulence of the infecting bacteria remains undefined. Ability to attach to human uroepithelial cells is one characteristic of the pyelonephritogenic clones, as well as a virulence factor per se. The identification of host cell receptors for attaching bacteria has permitted the construction of agglutination tests for simple detection of bacterial binding properties. In the present study, the reactivity with Gal alpha 1----4Gal beta-latex [galactose alpha (1----4)galactose beta-latex] and globotetraosylceramide-latex was analyzed for strains from patients with acute pyelonephritis (n = 135), acute cystitis (n = 121), and asymptomatic bacteriuria (n = 119) and from the fecal flora of healthy children (n = 120) and compared with agglutination of human blood group P1 and p, as well as guinea pig, erythrocytes. The reactivity by bioassay and the receptor-specific assays were significantly correlated. The frequency of positive reactions among the pyelonephritis isolates was 78.5% with the globotetraosylceramide-latex reagent, compared with 41% for the cystitis isolates, 25% for the asymptomatic bacteriuria isolates, and 13% for the fecal isolates. The combination of bioassays and receptor-specific assays increased the resolution of adhesins. Thus, adhesins reacting with human p erythrocytes frequently were coexpressed with Gal alpha 1----4Gal beta-specific adhesins. The receptor-specific assays provide a refined reagent to resolve bacterial binding specificities, as well as a potential tool for clinical diagnosis.
El Rol de Asimetrías en el Pass-Through: Evidencia para Chile

This paper evaluates the role of non-structural factors in explaining the degree of pass-through of exchange rate movements to the general price level in the Chilean economy. We review the mechanisms that explain the presence of asymmetries and the results obtained by earlier studies for Chile. We estimate a Phillips curve allowing for, and assessing, the presence of non-linear effects in the pass-through of an exchange rate movement to prices since the adoption of inflation targeting. The results suggest that the degree of pass-through depends on the own characteristics of the exchange rate shock, mainly its expected persistence. The sign of the exchange rate variation also plays an important role. The evidence indicates that the state of the economy (output gap and real exchange rate gap) is less influential.
Effective University Management: Issues for Academics

The significant of efficient and effective management for fruitful and productive university system is stressed here. The university system is considered here in a Sri Lankan context. It is sure that university system has a center stage role in providing a productive labour force to the labour market in the country.to achieve its goal or mission it must have an appreciable and clear vision. In steering towards this mission with a better vision, leadership in the universities ought to be well equipped.This article stresses the importance of university authority and academies working together through managerial roles and sharing a strategy for an effective management process. Further an attempt is made to point out self-management, understanding individual behavior, assertiveness, delegation, empowerment and good relationship as aspects that could help to harness an effective university management process to enhance and strengthen productivity.
Sequence alignment visualization in HTML5 without Java

MOTIVATION Java has been extensively used for the visualization of biological data in the web. However, the Java runtime environment is an additional layer of software with an own set of technical problems and security risks. HTML in its new version 5 provides features that for some tasks may render Java unnecessary. RESULTS Alignment-To-HTML is the first HTML-based interactive visualization for annotated multiple sequence alignments. The server side script interpreter can perform all tasks like (i) sequence retrieval, (ii) alignment computation, (iii) rendering, (iv) identification of a homologous structural models and (v) communication with BioDAS-servers. The rendered alignment can be included in web pages and is displayed in all browsers on all platforms including touch screen tablets. The functionality of the user interface is similar to legacy Java applets and includes color schemes, highlighting of conserved and variable alignment positions, row reordering by drag and drop, interlinked 3D visualization and sequence groups. Novel features are (i) support for multiple overlapping residue annotations, such as chemical modifications, single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations, (ii) mechanisms to quickly hide residue annotations, (iii) export to MS-Word and (iv) sequence icons. CONCLUSION Alignment-To-HTML, the first interactive alignment visualization that runs in web browsers without additional software, confirms that to some extend HTML5 is already sufficient to display complex biological data. The low speed at which programs are executed in browsers is still the main obstacle. Nevertheless, we envision an increased use of HTML and JavaScript for interactive biological software. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Under GPL at: http://www.bioinformatics. org/strap/toHTML/.
Correlation of the CD4+CD25high T‐regulatory cells in recipients and their corresponding donors to acute GVHD

Graft‐versus‐host disease continues to be a major life‐threatening complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (aHSCT). The relationship of acute GVHD (aGVHD) with the levels of peripheral CD4+CD25high T cells in patients after aHSCT and in their corresponding donors is not fully investigated. We examined the levels of CD4+CD25high T cells in patients after aHSCT and in their corresponding donors, and analyzed the relationship of CD4+CD25high T cells to the incidence and prognosis of aGVHD. The recipients with normal or high CD4+CD25high T cells (three of eight, 37.5%) had no or mild aGVHD (grade I), and all survived during the follow‐up period. In striking contrast, the recipients with lower or no CD4+CD25high T cells suffered from greater than grade II aGVHD (four of four, 100%), and all died within 1‐year post‐aHSCT. Moreover, the number of CD4+CD25high T cells in recipients correlated significantly with that of their corresponding donors. The CD4+CD25high T cells from the recipients and their corresponding donors expressed high levels of Foxp3, and effectively suppressed the proliferation of CD4+CD25− responder T cells. This study suggests that human Treg cells may play an important role in aGVHD, as has been seen in murine models. The levels of peripheral CD4+CD25high T cells in recipients and donors could be helpful for predicting of the onset and outcome of aGVHD.
The lac Repressor Displays Facilitated Diffusion in Living Cells

Slide and Find Transcription factors rapidly find their specific binding sites on chromosomal DNA. It has been proposed that searching is facilitated by complementing three-dimensional diffusion with one-dimensional diffusion along DNA. Such sliding on DNA has been observed in vitro, but whether and how far transcription factors slide along chromosomes in vivo is unclear. Hammar et al. (p. 1595) used single-molecule imaging to demonstrate that the lac repressor slides into its chromosomal operators in living cells. The average sliding distance was about 45 base pairs, and the repressor frequently slid over its operator before binding. The lac repressor slides along DNA in living cells, frequently passing its operator before binding. Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that regulate the expression of genes by binding sequence-specific sites on the chromosome. It has been proposed that to find these sites fast and accurately, TFs combine one-dimensional (1D) sliding on DNA with 3D diffusion in the cytoplasm. This facilitated diffusion mechanism has been demonstrated in vitro, but it has not been shown experimentally to be exploited in living cells. We have developed a single-molecule assay that allows us to investigate the sliding process in living bacteria. Here we show that the lac repressor slides 45 ± 10 base pairs on chromosomal DNA and that sliding can be obstructed by other DNA-bound proteins near the operator. Furthermore, the repressor frequently (>90%) slides over its natural lacO1 operator several times before binding. This suggests a trade-off between rapid search on nonspecific sequences and fast binding at the specific sequence.
The Reform of the EU Data Protection Framework: A Better Way to Member States?

This essay aims to evaluate the debate about the pros and cons of the proposed EU General Data Protection Regulation of 2012. Concentrating on purpose and objective of the law, arguments presenting negative issues about the proposal can be briefly sketched out: (1) dilemma between promoting free flow of personal data to function internal market of the EU and protecting fundamental rights and freedoms is uneasy to be dealt with; (2) there are practical obstacles of transferring the Directive to the Regulation; (3) the proposed General Regulation is too complex and vague to follow; and (4) with respect to the objective of the EU data protection law, once information qualifies as identified or identifiable, it falls under the data protection regime. On the basis of acceptance of a broad conception of privacy, I argue that the promotion of a workable internal market and the protection of personal data, in particular the right to privacy, can be achieved at the same time without unnecessary crash. However, it should be noted that there are limitations with respect to broad conception of privacy. Moreover, I agree with Solove and Schwartz's argument: not every type of risk to privacy should be treated the same. However, I argue that this idea is not new in the EU data protection law regime.
Information Technology and Economic Growth

Evaluating the sources of economic growth is obviously important, and numerous attempts have been made to judge the impact of many different factors on economic growth. Since some empirical studies have reported that information technology (IT) is one of the important factors in economic growth, this paper empirically explores the impacts of IT investment on economic growth using a cross-country analysis based on data from 86 countries for the year 1970-98. To this end, a further augmented version of the neoclassical Solow growth model, explicitly including IT investment, is proposed and applied. Subject to the appropriate caveats, the results provide further support for several key conclusions of the former studies investment in physical capital, population growth, and the human capital are important in accounting for economic growth across countries. More importantly, it is concluded that IT investment significantly contributes to economic growth. In addition, the main finding is that the implied return to IT investment is very high between the sample countries.
Mitochondrial and glycolytic dysfunction in lethal injury to hepatocytes by t-butylhydroperoxide: protection by fructose, cyclosporin A and trifluoperazine.

In isolated mitochondria, t-butylhydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) and other pro-oxidants cause a permeability transition characterized by increased permeability to small ions, swelling and loss of membrane potential. Cyclosporin A and trifluoperazine inhibit this permeability transition. Here, we investigated the role of the mitochondrial permeability transition in lethal cellular injury from t-BuOOH. Hepatocytes from fasted rats were isolated by collagenase perfusion, and cell viability was assessed by propidium iodide fluorescence. t-BuOOH caused dose- and time-dependent cell killing. Fructose, a substrate for glycolytic ATP formation, protected at lower (< or = 100 microM), but not at higher concentrations of t-BuOOH. In fructose-treated cells, oligomycin (10 micrograms/ml) delayed cell killing after 100 to 300 microM t-BuOOH, whereas cyclosporin A (0.5 microM) plus trifluoperazine (5 microM) even more potently reduced lethal injury. In hepatocyte suspensions, 100 microM t-BuOOH caused mitochondrial depolarization as determined by release of rhodamine 123. Cyclosporin A plus trifluoperazine in the presence of fructose substantially reduced release of rhodamine 123. Similarly, in single cultured hepatocytes viewed by laser scanning confocal microscopy, t-BuOOH caused leakage of rhodamine 123 from mitochondria, an event which preceded cell death and which was delayed by fructose in combination with cyclosporin A plus trifluoperazine. At 1 mM, t-BuOOH inhibited glycolysis, and fructose in combination with either oligomycin or cyclosporin A plus trifluoperazine had only a short-lived protective effect. In conclusion, t-BuOOH toxicity was progressive with increasing dosages. At low t-BuOOH (< or = 50 microM), mitochondrial ATP synthetic capacity was inhibited, but not uncoupled. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Design of a tunnel relay system with a leaky coaxial cable in an 800-MHz band land mobile telephone system

System design of a tunnel relay system in an 800-MHz band land mobile telephone system is described. Several dozen RF signals from a base station or many different mobile units in the tunnel are directly amplified in the RF stage, without frequency conversion, by a common amplifier in the relay equipment installed near the tunnel entrance, then radiated into the tunnel through a leaky coaxial cable (LCX) or to the base station by a unidirectional antenna. Repeaters are inserted along the LCX to compensate for transmission loss in RF signal power inside the cable. Amplifying a number of RF signals simultaneously, a common amplifier generates intermodulation products and radiates spurious signals. The required amplifier linearity to suppress the spurious signals is discussed in detail. The combination of LCX and service area in the tunnel is determined according to the amplifier performance, the number of radio channels assigned to the base station, and the radio wave propagation characteristics in the tunnel.
Multi-polarized antenna array configuration for mmWave 5G mobile terminals

Novel antenna design technologies are devised at 28 GHz to realize vertical and horizontal polarizations and its combined radiation characteristics using ultra-thin printed circuit board (PCB) substrates. Details of the design methodologies, simulation and measurement results are presented and discussed in relation to the targeted mmWave 5G mobile application.
Opposite replication polarity of the germ line c-myc gene in HeLa cells compared with that of two Burkitt lymphoma cell lines

To study the cell type specificity of the direction of replication of the human c-myc genes and the relationship of replication polarity to transcriptional activity, we analyzed the directions of replication of the c-myc genes in two Burkitt lymphoma cell lines, CA46 and ST486, and in HeLa cells. On the basis of in vitro runoff replication of forks initiated in intact cells, we found that transcribed c-myc genes in the germ line configuration in HeLa cells were replicated in the direction of transcription from origins in the 5'-flanking DNA, while the repressed, unrearranged c-myc genes of CA46 and ST486 cells were replicated in the antitranscriptional direction. In contrast, the transcribed c-myc genes of CA46 cells were replicated in the transcriptional direction, while the translocated, amplified c-myc genes of ST486 cells showed no preferred polarity of replication. The data also provided evidence for the existence of an endogenous barrier to DNA polymerases in the flanking DNA immediately 5' to the HeLa c-myc genes.
Predictors of exercise adherence following participation in a cardiac rehabilitation program

Patients who participate in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) experience significant improvements in quality of life, rehospitalization rates, and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease. The potential efficacy of CRP is limited however, by significant program dropout rates and poor patient adherence to prescribed exercise regimens following rehabilitation. Recently, models of motivational readiness for behavior change, such as the Transtheoretical Model, have been applied to understanding the process of exercise adoption and maintenance. Interventions based on this dynamic model of behavior change have produced significant improvement in adherence to exercise in community and worksite populations. This study investigates the applicability of this model to this special population. Sixty-two men and women completed measures of motivational readiness, self-efficacy, and decisional balance for exercise adoption upon entry into a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program at posttreatment and at a 3-month follow-up. Patients made signi ficant gains during CRP in time spent exercising and self-efficacy, but not in utilization of the cognitive processes or in the perceived benefits of exercising. Exercise maintenance at follow-up was differentially associated with self-efficacy, decisional balance, and use of behavioral processes at posttreatment. Motivation-based models of exercise adoption may provide insights regarding the adoption and maintenance of regular physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation populations.
Comparative study of 16-order FIR filter design using different multiplication techniques

This study represents designing and implementation of a low power and high speed 16 order FIR filter. To optimise filter area, delay and power, different multiplication techniques such as Vedic multiplier, add and shift method and Wallace tree (WT) multiplier are used for the multiplication of filter coefficient with filter input. Various adders such as ripple carry adder, Kogge Stone adder, Brent Kung adder, Ladner Fischer adder and Han Carlson adder are analysed for optimum performance study for further use in various multiplication techniques along with barrel shifter. Secondly optimisation of filter area and delay is done by using add and shift method for multiplication, although it increases power dissipation of the filter. To reduce the complexity of filter, coefficients are represented in canonical signed digit representation as it is more efficient than traditional binary representation. The finite impulse-response (FIR) filter is designed in MATLAB using equiripple method and the same filter is synthesised on Xilinx Spartan 3E XC3S500E target field-programmable gate array device using Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) subsequently the total on-chip power is calculated in Vivado2014.4. The comparison of simulation results of all the filters show that FIR filter with WT multiplier is the best optimised filter.
Natural selection, evolvability and bias due to environmental covariance in the field in an annual plant

Estimates of the form and magnitude of natural selection based on phenotypic relationships between traits and fitness measures can be biased when environmental factors influence both relative fitness and phenotypic trait values. I quantified genetic variances and covariances, and estimated linear and quadratic selection coefficients, for seven traits of an annual plant grown in the field. For replicates of 50 paternal half‐sib families, coefficients of selection were calculated both for individual phenotypic values of the traits and for half‐sib family mean values. The potential for evolutionary response was supported by significant heritability and phenotypic directional selection for several traits but contradicted by the absence of significant genetic variation for fitness estimates and evidence of bias in phenotypic selection coefficients due to environmental covariance for at least two of the traits analysed. Only studies of a much wider range of organisms and traits will reveal the frequency and extent of such bias.