Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Theoretical Investigation and Extension of a Model of Information Technology Architecture Maturity

Organizations that lack a coherent strategy for managing and evolving their IT platform and resources end up with fragmentation within the organization. Because the need for data sharing and systems integration is not always limited to the internal organization, the boundaries between the organization and its customers, vendors, suppliers, and partners are often blurred. It appears to be evident that organizations must have a clear idea of where they stand in regards to their own Information Technology Architecture (ITA) before preparing to adopt a new, shared ITA. This paper applies the reach and range concept and theory associated with strategic information systems planning to conceptually position ITA as a concept that provides convergence of a variety of frameworks related to IT and business alignment
Polyagglutination in Hospitalized Patients: A Prospective Study

Abstract. A hospital population at high risk for red cell polyagglutination was studied prospectively in search for cryptantigen exposure. The patients included in this study suffered from: malignancies, sepsis, direct antiglobulin test (DAT) negative anemias and various combinations of these three. 238 patients were examined, and 18 of these (7.6%) were found to have exposed cryptantigens on their erythrocytes. This is an unexpectedly high percentage. Our findings suggest that cryptantigen exposure on the red cells is a more common phenomenon than previously described, especially when looked for in a carefully chosen population. The red cells of these patients are potentially polyagglutinable, and screening with lectins will ensure their pretransfusion identification and evaluation.
Evidence of an auxin‐mediated phosphoinositide turnover and an inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate effect on isolated membranes of Daucus carota L.

Microsomal membranes from carrot suspension cells were phosphorylated in vitro with [γ‐32P]ATP. In the presence of submicromolar concentrations of the natural auxin indoleacetic acid (IAA), a rapid, but transient decrease of the [32P] label could be detected in the phospholipid extracts of the membranes. The phytohormone effect was not the result of an inhibition of the lipid phosphorylation reactions, but was caused by a simultaneous release of water‐soluble compounds, which, according to their chromatographic properties, were assumed to contain inositol polyphosphates. Although the [32P]‐labeled lipids, as well as the inositol polyphosphates, were not identified unequivocally by chemical analysis, these findings point to an auxin‐mediated control of a phosphoinositidase C‐like reaction similar to the hormone‐stimulated phosphoinositide response in animals. Exogenously applied inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate [(1,4,5)IP3] was found to release 45Ca2+ from preloaded membrane vesicles of carrot cells. Both the detection of the auxin‐stimulated phosphoinositide response and the (1,4,5)IP3‐mediated Ca2+ release on isolated cell membranes offer new experimental approaches for the identification of the putative auxin receptor and its signal transduction pathway.
Endocytosis and lysosomal delivery of tissue plasminogen activator-inhibitor 1 complexes in Hep G2 cells.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)-plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) complexes results in their clearance by Hep G2 cells. After complexes are internalized, the t-PA component is degraded. However, neither the locus of intracellular catabolism nor the fate of PAI-1 has been elucidated. To characterize these aspects of t-PA-PAI-1 catabolism, the subcellular distribution of a prebound cohort of ligand molecules was delineated after internalization at 37 degrees C. 125I-t-PA.PAI-1 and t-PA.125I-PAI-1 were compared in separate experiments. After ligand uptake, intracellular vesicles were separated on density gradients. Internalized 125I-t-PA.PAI-1 concentrated initially in endosomes. After 20 minutes of uptake, the complex began to appear in lysosomes. Subsequently, low molecular weight labeled ligand fragments were detected in culture media. A panel of lysosomotropic agents, including primaquine, chloroquine, ammonium chloride, and a combination of leupeptin and pepstatin A, inhibited degradation. When t-PA.125I-PAI-1 rather than 125I-t-PA.PAI-1 was internalized, strikingly different results were observed. Although the kinetics of internalization and the intracellular itinerary were indistinguishable for the differently labeled complexes, the 125I-PAI-1 component of t-PA.125I-PAI-1 resisted rapid degradation. After a rapid loss of t-PA, the 125I-PAI-1 moiety persisted in lysosomes for up to 180 minutes. Thus, internalized t-PA.PAI-1 is targeted to lysosomes in which PAI-1 is relatively more stable than t-PA.
Immunogenic lhrh compositions and methods relating thereto

The present invention relates generally to an immunogenic LHRH composition and more particularly to an immunogenic LHRH composition comprising an LHRH C-terminal fragment of at least five amino acids. The present invention is useful, inter alia, as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for the modification of fertility and behaviour patterns of animals, the achievement of livestock production gains such as increasing growth, decreasing feed conversion ratios or the control of unwanted organoleptic characteristics or the treatment of disorders of the reproductive organs.
The seventeenth australasian document computing symposium

The Seventeenth Australian Document Computing Symposium was held in Dunedin, New Zealand on the 5th and 6th of December 2012. In total twenty four papers were submitted. From those eleven were accepted for full presentation and 8 for short presentation. A poster session was held jointly with the Australasian Language Technology Workshop.
The Cry Wolf Effect and Weather‐Related Decision Making

Despite improvements in forecasting extreme weather events, noncompliance with weather warnings among the public remains a problem. Although there are likely many reasons for noncompliance with weather warnings, one important factor might be people's past experiences with false alarms. The research presented here explores the role of false alarms in weather‐related decision making. Over a series of trials, participants used an overnight low temperature forecast and advice from a decision aid to decide whether to apply salt treatment to a town's roads to prevent icy conditions or take the risk of withholding treatment, which resulted in a large penalty when freezing temperatures occurred. The decision aid gave treatment recommendations, some of which were false alarms, i.e., treatment was recommended but observed temperatures were above freezing. The rate at which the advice resulted in false alarms was manipulated between groups. Results suggest that very high and very low false alarm rates led to inferior decision making, but that lowering the false alarm rate slightly did not significantly affect compliance or decision quality. However, adding a probabilistic uncertainty estimate in the forecasts improved both compliance and decision quality. These findings carry implications about how weather warnings should be communicated to the public.
Distinct evolutionary strategies of human leucocyte antigen loci in pathogen-rich environments

Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) loci have a complex evolution where both stochastic (e.g. genetic drift) and deterministic (natural selection) forces are involved. Owing to their extraordinary level of polymorphism, HLA genes are useful markers for reconstructing human settlement history. However, HLA variation often deviates significantly from neutral expectations towards an excess of genetic diversity. Because HLA molecules play a crucial role in immunity, this observation is generally explained by pathogen-driven-balancing selection (PDBS). In this study, we investigate the PDBS model by analysing HLA allelic diversity on a large database of 535 populations in relation to pathogen richness. Our results confirm that geographical distances are excellent predictors of HLA genetic differentiation worldwide. We also find a significant positive correlation between genetic diversity and pathogen richness at two HLA class I loci (HLA-A and -B), as predicted by PDBS, and a significant negative correlation at one HLA class II locus (HLA-DQB1). Although these effects are weak, as shown by a loss of significance when populations submitted to rapid genetic drift are removed from the analysis, the inverse relationship between genetic diversity and pathogen richness at different loci indicates that HLA genes have adopted distinct evolutionary strategies to provide immune protection in pathogen-rich environments.
The clustering technique for Thai handwritten recognition

This paper describes an algorithm for clustering freestyle Thai handwritten character models. The algorithm groups the characters that have a similar structure. Firstly, the algorithm begins with the vertical stroke detection. The vertical stroke is an important Thai character structure. Secondly, the character area is divided into 7/spl times/10 blocks by using the stroke information. Then, the pixel distribution feature is calculated from each block. The features are trained using backpropagation neural network. Finally, the confusion matrix is used to analyze the result in a clustering process. The characters are divided into 21 groups and the accuracy of the clustered model is 97.60 percent.
Analysis of Drosophila Species Genome Size and Satellite DNA Content Reveals Significant Differences Among Strains as Well as Between Species

The size of eukaryotic genomes can vary by several orders of magnitude, yet genome size does not correlate with the number of genes nor with the size or complexity of the organism. Although “whole”-genome sequences, such as those now available for 12 Drosophila species, provide information about euchromatic DNA content, they cannot give an accurate estimate of genome sizes that include heterochromatin or repetitive DNA content. Moreover, genome sequences typically represent only one strain or isolate of a single species that does not reflect intraspecies variation. To more accurately estimate whole-genome DNA content and compare these estimates to newly assembled genomes, we used flow cytometry to measure the 2C genome values, relative to Drosophila melanogaster. We estimated genome sizes for the 12 sequenced Drosophila species as well as 91 different strains of 38 species of Drosophilidae. Significant differences in intra- and interspecific 2C genome values exist within the Drosophilidae. Furthermore, by measuring polyploid 16C ovarian follicle cell underreplication we estimated the amount of satellite DNA in each of these species. We found a strong correlation between genome size and amount of satellite underreplication. Addition and loss of heterochromatin satellite repeat elements appear to have made major contributions to the large differences in genome size observed in the Drosophilidae.
Effect of irradiation on the quality of turkey ham during storage

Effect of electron-beam irradiation on the quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) turkey ham was studied. Turkey hams were purchased from local stores and sliced into 0.5 cm-thick pieces and vacuum packaged. The ham samples were randomly separated into three groups and irradiated at 0, 1, or 2 kGy, and stored at 4 C for up to 14 days. Volatiles, color, TBARS values and sensory characteristics were determined to compare the effect of irradiation and storage on the quality of RTE turkey ham. Irradiation had little effects on color and TBARS values of RTE turkey hams. Sensory analysis indicated that sulfury odor increased as irradiation dose increased, and the contents of sulfur compounds in irradiated RTE turkey hams were higher (P <0.05) than those in nonirradiated samples. Irradiation increased (P <0.05) the production of acetaldehyde, which could be related to a metal-like flavor in irradiated hams. However, overall quality changes in RTE turkey hams by irradiation up to 2 kGy were minor. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Testosterone increases human platelet thromboxane A2 receptor density and aggregation responses.

BACKGROUND The incidence of thrombotic cardiovascular disease is greater in men than in premenopausal women. Testosterone has been implicated as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and for acute myocardial infarctions and strokes in young male athletes who abuse anabolic steroids. Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a vasoconstrictor and platelet proaggregatory agent that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We therefore tested the hypothesis that testosterone regulates the expression of human platelet TXA2 receptors. METHODS AND RESULTS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel-group study, we determined the effects of testosterone cypionate 200 mg IM given twice, 2 weeks apart, or saline placebo in 16 healthy men. Platelet TXA2 receptor density (Bmax) and dissociation constant (Kd) were measured by use of the TXA2 mimetic 125I-BOP. Platelet aggregation responses to I-BOP and to thrombin and plasma testosterone concentrations were measured before treatment (pretreatment phase), at 2 and 4 weeks (active phase), and again at 8 weeks (recovery phase). Treatment with testosterone was associated with an increase in the Bmax value from 0.95 +/- 0.13 to 2.10 +/- 0.4 pmol/mg protein (n = 9), with a peak effect at 4 weeks (P = .001), returning to baseline by 8 weeks. There was no significant change in Bmax values in the saline-treated group. The Kd values were unchanged. Testosterone treatment was associated with a significant increase in the maximum platelet aggregation response to I-BOP (P < .001) at 4 weeks and returned to baseline at 8 weeks. The EC50 values were not significantly changed. Platelet TXA2 receptor density was positively correlated (r = .56, P < .001, n = 32 measurements) with pretreatment (endogenous) plasma testosterone levels (range, 215 to 883 ng/dL) but not Kd. CONCLUSIONS Testosterone regulates the expression of platelet TXA2 receptors in humans. This may contribute to the thrombogenicity of androgenic steroids.
Porous polystyrene beads as carriers for self-emulsifying system containing loratadine

The aim of this study was to formulate a self-emulsifying system (SES) containing a lipophilic drug, loratadine, and to explore the potential of preformed porous polystyrene beads (PPB) to act as carriers for such SES. Isotropic SES was formulated, which comprised Captex 200 (63% wt/wt), Cremophore EL (16% wt/wt), Capmul MCM (16% wt/wt), and loratadine (5% wt/wt). SES was evaluated for droplet size, drug content, and in vitro drug release. SES was loaded into preformed and characterized PPB using solvent evaporation method. SES-loaded PPB were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for density, specific surface area (SBET), loading efficiency, drug content, and in vitro drug release. After SES loading, specific surface area reduced drastically, indicating filling of PPB micropores with SES. Loading efficiency was least for small size (SS) and comparable for medium size (MS) and large size (LS) PPB fractions. In vitro drug release was rapid in case of SS beads due to the presence of SES near to surface. LS fraction showed inadequate drug release owing to presence of deeper micropores that resisted outward diffusion of entrapped SES. Leaching of SES from micropores was the rate-limiting step for drug release. Geometrical features such as bead size and pore architecture of PPB were found to govern the loading efficiency and in vitro drug release from SES-loaded PPB.
Telementoring: The Surgical Tool of the Future

Abstract With decreased resident experience during training and the constant evolution of new surgical techniques, surgeons are at risk for complications during the early part of the learning curve. Mentorship by experienced surgeons may mitigate these complications. The availability of such advanced telepresence technology makes it logical that this will be used as part of the model to proctor, mentor, and train practicing surgeons. Here, we review the current state of telementoring.
Disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus Infection Following Septic Arthritis

AbstractMycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium found mainly in patients with respiratory or cutaneous infections, but it rarely causes disseminated infections. Little is known about the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of disseminated M abscessus infection.A 75-year-old Japanese woman who had been treated for 17 years with a corticosteroid for antisynthetase syndrome with antithreonyl-tRNA synthetase antibody developed swelling of her right elbow. X-ray of her right elbow joint showed osteolysis, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed fluid in her right elbow joint. M abscessus grew in joint fluid and blood cultures. She was diagnosed with a disseminated M abscessus infection following septic arthritis. Antimicrobial treatment by clarithromycin, amikacin, and imipenem/cilastatin combined with surgical debridement was administered. Although blood and joint fluid cultures became negative 1 week later, the patient died at 6 weeks from starting antimicrobial treatment.We reviewed 34 cases of disseminated M abscessus infections from the literature. Most of the patients had immunosuppressive backgrounds such as transplantation, use of immunosuppressive agents, hematological malignancy, and end stage renal disease. The duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was over 3 months in half of the cases. All fatal cases had positive blood cultures or use of immunosuppressive agents.Clinicians should bear in mind that mycobacterial infections including M abscessus are one of the differential diagnoses in patients with subacute arthritis and soft tissue infections.
Leeftijd en sociale steun in relatie tot het rouwprocesvan weduwen

Nederlands) 5 Inleiding 6 Leeftijd 7 Dual Process Model 9 Geintegreerd risico factor raamwerk 10 Sociale steun 11 Huidig onderzoek 12 Methode 14 Participanten 14 Meetinstrument 14 Demografische gegevens & verwachting 15 Negatieve stemming 15 Rouw stressoren 15 Rouw 16 Coping 16 Totale copingscore 16 Sociale steun 17 Procedure 17 Analyse 17 Uitbijters 18 Normaliteit 18 Onderzoeksvraag 18 Leeftijdsgroepen 18 Leeftijdsverschillen in de verschillende rouwmaten 18 Interactie-effect tijd sinds overlijden X leeftijd 19 Subvraag geintegreerd model 21 Invloed van coping 21 Subvraag sociale steun 22 Sociale steun en geintegreerd model 22 Thesis Willeke Stein Leeftijd en sociale steun in relatie tot het rouwproces van weduwen. 3 Subschalen sociale steun 22 Overige analyses 22 Sociale steun x tijd sinds overlijden 22 Analyses voor ‘tijd samen’ 24 Analyses voor ‘tijd sinds overlijden’ 24 Dysforie 25 Discussie 26 Leeftijd en rouw 26 Geintegreerd risico factor raamwerk 26 Sociale steun 27 Overige bevindingen 28 Limitaties 28 Implicaties 29 Vervolgonderzoek 30 Conclusie 30 Referenties 31 Bijlage 1: Vragenlijst 34 Bijlage 2: Begeleidende brief aan participanten 45 Thesis Willeke Stein Leeftijd en sociale steun in relatie tot het rouwproces van weduwen.
Chapter 5 Computational Analysis of Musical Form

Can a computer understand musical forms? Musical forms describe how a piece of music is structured. They explain how the sections work together through repetition, contrast, and variation: repetition brings unity, and variation brings interest. Learning how to hear, to analyse, to play, or even to write music in various forms is part of music education. In this chapter, we briefly review some theories of musical form, and discuss the challenges of computational analysis of musical form. We discuss two sets of problems, segmentation and form analysis. We present studies in music information retrieval (MIR) related to both problems. Thinking about codification and automatic analysis of musical forms will help the development of better MIR algorithms.
PIP1 plasma membrane aquaporins in tobacco: from cellular effects to function in plants.

The molecular functions of several aquaporins are well characterized (e.g., by analysis of aquaporin-expressing Xenopus oocytes). However, their significance in the physiology of water transport in multicellular organisms remains uncertain. The tobacco plasma membrane aquaporin NtAQP1 was used to elucidate this issue. By comparing antisense plants that were inhibited in NtAQP1 expression with control plants, we found evidence for NtAQP1 function in cellular and whole-plant water relations. The consequences of a decrease in cellular water permeability were determined by measurement of transpiration rate and stem and leaf water potential as well as growth experiments under extreme soil water depletion. Plants impaired in NtAQP1 expression showed reduced root hydraulic conductivity and lower water stress resistance. In conclusion, our results emphasize the importance of symplastic aquaporin-mediated water transport in whole-plant water relations.
Weak identification and confidence sets for covariances between errors and endogenous regressors : finite-sample and asymptotic theory ∗

In this paper, we focus on structural models and propose a finite-and large-sample projection-based techniques for building confidence sets for the endogeneity parameter between errors and regressors allowing for the presence of weak identification. First, we show that our procedure is robust to weak identification and provide analytic forms of the confidence sets for endogeneity parameter. Second, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions under which such confidence sets are bounded in both finite-and large-sample. Finally, after formulating a general asymptotic framework which allows one to take into account a possible heteroskedasticity and/or autocorrelation of model residuals, we show that our procedure is asymptotically robust to these problems (heteroskedasticity and/or autocorrelation).
Perinatal switch from synchronous to asynchronous activity of motoneurons: Link with synapse elimination

Synaptic competition is a basic feature of developing neural connections. To shed light on its dependence on the activity pattern of competing inputs, we investigated in vivo rat motoneuronal firing during late embryonic and early neonatal life, when synapse elimination occurs in muscle. Electromyographic recordings with floating microelectrodes from tibialis anterior and soleus muscles revealed that action potentials of motoneurons belonging to the same pool have high temporal correlation. The very tight linkage, a few tens of milliseconds, corresponds to the narrow time windows of published paradigms of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. A striking change occurs, however, soon after birth when motoneuronal firing switches to the adult uncorrelated type. The switch precedes the onset of synapse elimination, whose time course was determined with confocal microscopy. Interestingly, the soleus muscle, whose motoneurons switch to desynchronized activity later than those of the tibialis anterior muscle, also exhibits delayed synapse elimination. Our findings support a developmental model in which synchronous activity first favors polyneuronal innervation, whereas an asynchronous one subsequently promotes synapse elimination.