Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Isolation and Characterization of a Human Pseudogene for the Regulatory Subunit RIα of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinases and Its Sublocalization on Chromosome 1

Using a human cDNA (complementary DNA) encoding the regulatory subunit RIα of cAMP-dependent protein kinases (PKA) as a probe, a pseudogene for this PKA isoform was isolated from a human genomic library. The human RIα pseudogene was 89% similar to the open reading frame of the expressed human RIα at the nucleotide level. Several stop codons were found, indicating that the pseudogene does not encode a functional protein. The pseudogene also contained several frameshift mutations, small deletions, and insertions. No introns were found in the region corresponding to the open reading frame of the expressed RIα cDNA. Specific oligonucleotides for the RIα gene and pseudogene were constructed and used as primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify human DNA from healthy blood donors. Probing of the PCR products using oligonucleotides specific for the RIα gene and RIα pseudogene, respectively, showed the presence of both genes in the human genome. When DNA extracted from various somatic cell hybrids was amplified, it was shown that the RIα gene was located on human chromosome 17, whereas the RIα pseudogene was located in the p21-p31 region on chromosome 1. This is the first report describing a pseudogene for a subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinases from any species.
Comparative analysis of the bronchodilator response measured by impulse oscillometry (IOS), spirometry and body plethysmography in asthmatic children.

BACKGROUND Asthma is common among young children. The assessment of respiratory resistance by the impulse oscillometry system (IOS), based on the superimposition of respiratory flow by short-time impulses, requires no patient active collaboration. AIM We evaluated the baseline repeatability and bronchodilator response of IOS indices in preschool children, their correlation with spirometry and whole body plethysmography, and differences between atopic and nonatopic children. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-three asthmatic children (3-6 yrs.) underwent IOS measurement (R5rs, R20rs and X5rs) by triplicate at the baseline, after placebo and after salbutamol inhalation. Spirometry (FEV1) and whole body plethysmography (sRaw) were made at the baseline and after salbutamol. Baseline within-test (coefficient of variation: CV%) and between-test repeatability (baseline-placebo) were addressed. Bronchodilator response was evaluated by the SD index (change in multiples of the between-test repeatability). RESULTS Baseline repeatability for R5rs was 4.1%. Its values decreased by 2SD after salbutamol inhalation, and correlated with FEV1 and sRaw at both, baseline (r=-0.51 and r=0.49) and post-salbutamol (r=-0.63 and r=0.54). A trend towards correlation between salbutamol-induced changes in R5rs and in sRaw (r=0.33) was observed. Atopic and non-atopic children showed no differences in lung function. CONCLUSION IOS was well accepted by young asthmatic children and provided reproducible and sensitive indices of lung function. Resistance values obtained by IOS at low frequency (R5rs) were reproducible and correlated with spirometry and plethysmographic values.
Transoral Robotic Surgery Total Laryngectomy: Evaluation of Functional and Survival Outcomes in a Retrospective Case Series at a Single Institution

Background: Transoral robotic surgery total laryngectomy (TORS-TL) is a minimally invasive endoscopic surgical approach which can theoretically minimise the morbidity of large external incisions and limit dissection of tissue planes so as to reduce the risk of pharyngocutaneous fistulae related to poor tissue healing secondary to radiation soft tissue injury or malnutrition. The purpose of this paper was to report our experience with this uncommon surgical approach. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single institution to evaluate the functional and survival outcomes of a series of patients who underwent TORS-TL. Results: TORS-TL was performed on 5 patients. Two patients had total laryngectomy for recurrent aspiration secondary to neurological disorders, 1 patient had an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the subglottis, 1 patient had a low-grade subglottic chondrosarcoma, and 1 patient had a T2 local recurrence of glottic squamous cell carcinoma following treatment with primary chemoradiotherapy. Conclusions: TORS-TL is a feasible and safe treatment option with possible advantages for carefully selected patients in experienced hands.
Ideation decks: a card-based design ideation tool

Ideation Decks is a project that explores the development of a methodological tool for design ideation It involves the creation and use of bespoke project-specific card based systems which help to define constrained design problems within a broader overall problem space. Use of this system is intended to support the practice of parallel design by design practitioners, and to help more effectively explore specific problems by aiding in iterative design explorations.
Institutional Care of Children in Low- and Middle-Income Settings: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom of Oliver Twist

Whether institutions or extended families are better suited to care for orphans depends on the specific circumstances. Reported rates of traumatic experiences among orphans and vulnerable children are high in both institutions and extended families; improving the quality of care for such children should be the paramount priority in all settings. Whether institutions or extended families are better suited to care for orphans depends on the specific circumstances. Reported rates of traumatic experiences among orphans and vulnerable children are high in both institutions and extended families; improving the quality of care for such children should be the paramount priority in all settings.
Details Matter: The Impact of Presentation and Information on the Take-Up of Financial Incentives for Retirement Saving

We examine the effects of presentation and information on the take-up of financial subsidies for retirement saving in a large randomized experiment carried out with H&R Block. The subsidies raise take-up and contributions, with larger effects when the subsidy is characterized as a matching contribution rather than an equivalent-value tax credit (or cash back), and when filers are informed before the tax season about the subsidy. The results imply that both pure incentives and the presentation of those incentives affect consumer choices.
Introduction to the next generation EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS-SG) observation missions

EUMETSAT is conducting the activities for the development of the second generation EUMETSAT Polar System Second Generation (EPS-SG), to replace the current EPS from 2021 onwards and contribute to the Joint Polar System to be set up with NOAA. EPS-SG covers nine observation missions in support of operational meteorology and climate monitoring. The observation missions will be supported by ten instruments that will be carried by a two-satellite system. The Metop Second Generation (Metop-SG) satellites will occupy the same orbit as their Metop predecessors in a Sun synchronous, low earth orbit at 820 km altitude and 09:30 descending equatorial crossing time. The observation missions will be implemented by multi-spectral optical and polarisation imaging, atmospheric sounding in the optical and microwave spectral domains, radio occultation sounding, scatterometry as well as microwave and sub-millimetre-wave imaging. Two polar ground stations will receive global data from both satellites. A network of direct-broadcast reception stations will allow to support a North-Atlantic/European regional mission with high timeliness. Additionally, raw mission data are continuously broadcasted to local users world-wide. Global and regional data will be processed at EUMETSAT into well-calibrated and geo-located sensor data, and further on into geophysical products. All data will be disseminated to users in near-real time and archived in the EUMETSAT Data Centre for later retrieval by users.
Altered transcription of a defective measles virus genome derived from a diseased human brain.

Measles virus (MV) is a negative strand RNA virus which usually causes acute disease, but in rare cases its persistence in the human brain induces the lethal disease subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). The transcription of MV and of a defective MV derived from autopsy material of a SSPE case was studied in cultured cells. In the lytic infection the levels of the MV mRNAs decreased progressively with the distance of the six cognate genes from the 3′ end of the genome, reflecting transcriptional attenuation at every gene junction. Transcripts covering two or three adjacent genes accounted for up to 20% of single gene transcripts; incidentally the MV intergenic transcription signals were found to be less conserved than the analogous signals of other negative strand RNA viruses. Although the analysed SSPE‐derived defective MV showed a localized transcription defect at the phosphoprotein‐‐matrix gene junction (substitution of the mRNAs by readthrough transcripts), the corresponding intergenic ‘consensus’ sequence and the surrounding nucleotides were not altered. This implies that factor(s) involved in the transcription of this defective SSPE virus fail to recognize this particular signal sequence, a constellation which in this and other cases might be causally related to the development of MV persistence.
Comparing Leaders' Ratings to Targets' Self-Reported Resistance to Task Assignments: An Extension of Chester Barnard's Zones of Indifference

This description and preliminary test of target resistance compared leaders' with targets' ratings of the targets' willingness to perform the nature of tasks assigned by leaders. Barbuto's concentric zones were used to test this difference in perceived resistance. The concentric zones—Preference, Indifference, Legitimate, Influence, and Noninfluence—were examined from both leaders' and targets' perspectives. Response from 201 leaders and targets demonstrated that leaders and followers generally reported the anticipated resistance of assigned tasks differently. Specifically, leaders rated the tasks they assigned to targets as less enjoyable, undesirable, more above the call of duty, and more likely to be resisted than targets self-reported.
Scalable Multicore Motion Planning Using Lock-Free Concurrency

We present Parallel Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (PRRT) and Parallel RRT* (PRRT*), which are sampling-based methods for feasible and optimal motion planning designed for modern multicore CPUs. We parallelize RRT and RRT* such that all threads concurrently build a single-motion planning tree. Parallelization in this manner requires data structures, such as the nearest neighbor search tree and the motion planning tree, to be safely shared across multiple threads. Rather than relying on the traditional locks which can result in slowdowns due to lock contention, we introduce algorithms that are based on lock-free concurrency using atomic operations. We further improve scalability by using partition-based sampling (which shrinks each core's working dataset to improve cache efficiency) and parallel work-saving (in reducing the number of rewiring steps performed in PRRT*). Because PRRT and PRRT* are CPU-based, they can be directly integrated with existing libraries. In scenarios such as the Alpha Puzzle and Cubicles scenario and the Aldebaran Nao performing a twohanded task, we demonstrate that PRRT and PRRT* scale well as core counts increase, and in some cases they exhibit superlinear speedup.
Simulation of Fluid Sloshing in a Tank

Sloshing has widespread applications in many industries including automotive, aerospace, ship building and motorcycle manufacturing. The goal of sloshing simulation is to first study the sloshing pattern and then improve the tank design to reduce noise levels, stresses on the structure and optimize the baffle arrangements. In this project simulation of the fluid in tank is studied and the design modification with baffle plate is considered to minimize the sloshing phenomena using ALE method. Also it is explained that there is need to analyze the sloshing phenomena in detail. Arbitrary Langrangian Eulerian finite element methods gain interest for the capability to control mesh geometry independently from material geometry, the ALE methods are used to create a new undistorted mesh for the fluid domain. In this paper we use the ALE technique to solve fuel slosh problem. Fuel slosh is an important design consideration not only for the fuel tank, but also for the structure supporting the fuel tank. Fuel slosh can be generated by many ways: abrupt changes in acceleration (braking), as well as abrupt changes in direction (highway exit-ramp). Repetitive motion can also be involved if a sloshing resonance is generated. These sloshing events can in turn affect the overall performance of the parent structure. A finite element analysis method has been developed to analyze this complex event. A new ALE formulation for the fluid mesh can be used to keep the fluid mesh integrity during the motion of the tank. This paper explains the analysis capabilities on a technical level.
Aspect-Oriented Programming — An Object-Oriented Extension

Aspect-oriented programming is an extension to object-orientation with the goal of separating the concerns of domain logic from application logic. The essay aims at looking at aspect-oriented from a theoretical perspective, trying to place it within the existing framework provided by object-orientation. The first section is an introduction to objectorientation. Here I will present the most common elements of object-orientation, and show the multifaceted terrain that object-orientation is. Concluding this first section I present two different ways of viewing object-orientation, trying to bring some order to the material presented that far. The second section deals with aspect-oriented programming. First I introduce the topic, and then I relate it to object-orientation actual implementations. Concluding I arguing for its relevance as a complimentary technique to be added to the objectorientation toolbox.
Assessment of the Radiation Hazard Indices from Terrestrial Radiation in Mining Sites in Benue State, Nigeria

The assessment of the radiation hazard indices of solid minerals and sand in mining sites of Benue State, Nigeria was carried out using well calibrated radalert-50 and 100 meters and a Global Positioning System (Garmin 765). The sites investigated are Lessle (Barite), Gboko (Limestone), Owukpa (Coal) and Akuana (Salt) deposits fields. The mean background radiation ionization exposure rate of 0.019±0.004, 0.019±0.004, 0.014±0.002 and 0.023±0.005 mRh -1 were obtained respectively. The mean of absorbed dose rates estimated for the mining fields are 161.53, 169.40, 120.35 and 201.84 nGy/hr respectively. Estimated values of the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) for outdoor exposures 0.25, 0.26, 1.61, and 2.71 mSv/yr respectively while the mean excess lifetime cancer risk calculated for the mine fields values are (0.82, 0.86, 5.33 and 8.94) x 10 -3 respectively. The obtained values for background ionizing radiation were higher than the recommended standard limits by ICRP while the AEDE calculated in the entire mine fields are within safe values but the absorbed dose (D) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) estimated were higher than their world permissible values of 89 nGy/hr and 0.29 x10 -3 respectively. The work indicated that there is tendency for the residents near the mining sites to get high radiation doses and could develop radiation-related illness after a long time exposure.
A Study on Effectiveness of Syntactic Relationship in Dependence Retrieval Model

To relax the Term Independence Assumption, Term Dependency is introduced and it has improved retrieval precision dramatically. There are two kinds of term dependencies, one is defined by term proximity, and the other is defined by linguistic dependencies. In this paper, we take a comparative study to re-examine these two kinds of term dependencies in dependence language model framework. Syntactic relationships, derived from a dependency parser, Minipar, are used as linguistic term dependencies. Our study shows: 1) Linguistic dependencies get a better result than term proximity. 2) Dependence retrieval model achieves more improvement in sentence-based verbose queries than keywordbased short queries.
Assessment of Unstable Atherosclerosis in Mice

There is an urgent need for representative animal models where prospective examination of the events leading up to plaque rupture and the rupture process itself can be performed. Recently, reports have begun to emerge that apolipoprotein E and low density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice may spontaneously develop unstable atherosclerosis, with plaques in certain parts of the arterial tree showing features suggestive of plaque rupture. Here we discuss the problems inherent in applying definitions of plaque rupture as seen in human arteries to mice; the anatomic locations in mice where unstable plaques do and do not occur; methods of inducing plaque instability in mice; and how to assess plaque stability in mice. These considerations lead us to a number of general recommendations.
Measuring Autophagy in Macrophages

Macroautophagy is a conserved intracellular homeostatic mechanism for the degradation of cytosolic constituents. Autophagy can promote cell survival by providing essential amino acids from the breakdown of macromolecules during periods of nutrient deprivation, and can remove damaged or excess organelles, such as mitochondria and peroxisomes. More recently, autophagy has been shown to play an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses to pathogenic bacteria in macrophages and dendritic cells. This unit presents protocols for the measurement of autophagy in macrophages. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 87:14.14. 1‐14.14. 13. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Web Based Business Game Built on System Dynamics Using Cognitive Agents as Virtual Tutors

An advanced Business Game is presented in the paper, built on the methodology of System Dynamics. It can be used for cognitive learning and knowledge transmission in schools and Universities; it allows the learners to take decisions at each time step, after which it calculates the corresponding results, showing them according to the principles of double entry accounting.An agent based framework is then discussed, which constitutes a form of virtual tutorship for the learners. The agents act as a decision support system for the decisions to be taken, and can explain some cause/effect relations. The agents themselves learn how the model work by practicing it, through some reinforcement learning techniques.
The eel heart: multilevel insights into functional organ plasticity

Summary The remarkable functional homogeneity of the heart as an organ requires a well-coordinated myocardial heterogeneity. An example is represented by the selective sensitivity of the different cardiac cells to physical (i.e. shear stress and/or stretch) or chemical stimuli (e.g. catecholamines, angiotensin II, natriuretic peptides, etc.), and the cell-specific synthesis and release of these substances. The biological significance of the cardiac heterogeneity has recently received great attention in attempts to dissect the complexity of the mechanisms that control the cardiac form and function. A useful approach in this regard is to identify natural models of cardiac plasticity. Among fishes, eels (genus Anguilla), for their adaptive and acclimatory abilities, represent a group of animals so far largely used to explore the structural and ultrastructural myoarchitecture organization, as well as the complex molecular networks involved in the modulation of the heart function, such as those converting environmental signals into physiological responses. However, an overview on the existing current knowledge of eel cardiac form and function is not yet available. In this context, this review will illustrate major features of eel cardiac organization and pumping performance. Aspects of autocrine–paracrine modulation and the influence of factors such as body growth, exercise, hypoxia and temperature will highlight the power of the eel heart as an experimental model useful to decipher how the cardiac morpho-functional heterogeneities may support the uniformity of the whole-organ mechanics.
Role of target antigen in bispecific‐antibody‐mediated killing of human glioblastoma cells: A pre‐clinical study

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) directed to tumor‐associated antigens and to receptors mediating T‐cell activation, such as the TCR/CD3 complex and the co‐stimulatory CD28 molecule, are capable of activating T cells at the surface of tumor cells, resulting in tumor‐cell killing. Here we report the pre‐clinical characterization of bispecific‐antibody fragments (bsFab2) directed to 2 different glioblastoma‐associated antigens: the EGF receptor (EGFR) and a chondroitin‐sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG). Using cultured glioblastoma cells expressing both target antigens, we found that the ability of anti‐tumor × anti‐CD28 bsFab2 to mediate “targeted T‐cell co‐stimulation” is superior for constructs targeting the CSPG molecule, correlating with an approximately 6‐fold higher expression level of this antigen on the cell surface. In contrast, bsFab2 triggering CD3 are more effective if they contain EGFR‐target specificity. This indicates that the activity of anti‐tumor × anti‐CD3 constructs critically depends on properties of the antigen other than its expression level on the cell surface, e.g., its mobility in the membrane. These findings prompted us to use EGFR‐targeting bsFab2 in an ongoing clinical trial with glioma patients. Int. J. Cancer 80:612–616, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.