Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antisense hairpin loop oligonucleotides as inhibitors of expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1: their stability in fetal calf serum and human plasma.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) is a transmembrane pump protein responsible for the efflux of chemotherapeutic drugs, an important cause of anticancer treatment failure. Trying to circumvent MRP-mediated resistance we designed and synthesized hairpin loops forming antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs), both phosphodiesters (PO-ODNs) and their phosphorothioate analogues (PS-ODNs), to reduce the protein expression by targeting its mRNA in a sequence specific manner. Melting temperature measurements as well as polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis supported the preferential formation of a secondary structure, which was expected to protect ODNs against 3'-exonuclease degradation. ODNs and PS-ODNs designed in this work were successfully tested as antisense inhibitors of the expression of MRP1 in the leukaemia HL60/ADR cell line. Foreseeing the necessity to perform clinical studies with such ODNs we investigated their stability against the 3'-exonuclease activity of fetal calf serum and human plasma. Under the conditions, corresponding to physiological ones, we observed high stability of hairpin loop forming ODNs, especially those containing longer (e.g. 7 base pair) stems. Comparative studies on the stability of chemically unmodified hairpin loop forming ODNs and their PS-counterparts indicated that endonuclease activity did not play any important role in the process of their nucleolytic degradation. Our studies provide strong evidence for high stability of chemically unmodified hairpin loop ODNs, making them an attractive alternative to phosphorothioate analogues commonly used in antisense strategy.
Unsupervised texture segmentation using discrete wavelet frames

Image segmentation could be based on texture features. In this work, an unsupervised algorithm for texture segmentation is presented. Texture analysis and characterization are obtained by appropriate frequency decomposition based on the Discrete Wavelet Frames (DWF) analysis. Texture is then characterized by the variance of the wavelet coefficients. The unsupervised algorithm determines the regions to characterize each different texture content in the image. For applying the algorithm, it is necessary to know only the number of the different texture contents of the image. Then, based on a distance measure, each point of the image is classified to one of the different contents.
Neighbors Matter : Causal Community Effects and Stock Market Participation

This paper provides evidence of a causal relation between the average stock market participation decisions of one’s community and an individual’s decision of whether to own stocks. To establish causality, we instrument for the average ownership of a non-mover’s community with the lagged average ownership of the state in which one’s non-native neighbors were born (or, more specifically, the state in which a neighbor lived when they applied for their Social Security number). Combining this instrumental variables approach with controls for individual and community fixed effects, a broad set of time-varying individual and community controls, as well as state-by-year effects, enables us to rule out alternative explanations. To further establish that this causal effect is driven by “word-of-mouth,” we show that the results are stronger in more sociable communities. The results suggest that a ten percentagepoint increase in the stock ownership of one’s community increases an individual’s own probability of owning stock by four percentage points. ∗ Acknowledgements: We thank Bo Becker, Josh Coval, Caroline Hoxby, Jeff Kubik, Erzo Luttmer, Ulrike Malmendier, Jennifer Marietta-Westberg, Josh Pollet, Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, and seminar participants at the 2004 Western Finance Association annual meetings, the 2005 People & Money: The Human Factor in Financial Decision-Making conference at DePaul University, Harvard University, Ohio State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, and the University of Wisconsin for their useful comments. The analysis for this paper was completed while Paul Smith was an economist with the Office of Tax Analysis at the U.S. Department of Treasury. We thank Jim Cilke for assistance with the tax data and Jean Roth of the NBER for expert assistance with the Census data.
STATE OF THE ART OF SKID RESISTANCE RESEARCH

CONTENTS: PAST RESULTS NATURE OF SKID RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT OF SKID RESISTANCE SKID RESISTANCE PARAMETERS PRESENT TRENDS NATURE OF SKID RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT OF SKID RESISTANCE SKID RESISTANCE PARAMETERS UTILIZATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS FUTURE NEEDS
WOMENS VOICES IN THE IMAGES AND SHADOWS OF PATRIARCHY.

This study described the images and shadows of patriarchy through the voices of women, how they were portrayed, and treated in the patriarchal society. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Interviews were conducted to generate data. These data were analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis. The key informants to this study were married women with children living in one family. These women dutifully did their responsibilities as wives and mothers, depicting the typical Cebuano household. Under the patriarchal society, their voices are limited: managing the family is their strength; emotional attachment to the family is their weakness; expanding their social reproductive roles is their opportunities; and domestic–related issues such as infirmed and/or loss of family members and child expectancy pressure plus the eventual child–rearing are their threats. The Cebuano women in the rural areas are dominantly traditional since they still ascribe to motherhood as part of their gender identity. Their images and shadows are reflections of a systemic culture of partriarchy.
Prediction of Successful Induction of Labour jointly using Bishop Score and Transvaginal Sonography in Primigravida Women in Pakistan

Objective: To assess the diagnostic efficacy of the Bishop Score and Transvaginal Ultrasonography (TVS) in predicting successful labor induction in primigravida women in a peri-urban population in Islamabad. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combining the predictions from both methods to enhance accuracy in predicting successful labor induction. Methodology: A prospective comparative study was conducted at the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, and Farooq Hospital, Islamabad, from December 2021 to December 2022. A total of 520 pregnant, primigravida women undergoing labor induction were included, and they were randomly divided into two groups for assessment using either the Bishop Score or Transvaginal ultrasonography. The outcome of interest was documented as the initiation of active labor within 24 hours. The efficacy of each method was validated separately and jointly, and the predictive accuracy of all three predictors was compared. Results: The two groups demonstrated that both TVS and the Bishop Score were individually effective at predicting successful labor induction (p<0.00001 for both methods). TVS outperformed the Bishop Score in several key predictive measures, such as accuracy and the F1 Score. However, combining predictions from both the Bishop Score and TVS significantly improved both positive and negative predictive values (by more than 10% for each metric), resulting in a more reliable prediction. Conclusion: Both the Bishop Score and TVS are effective methods for predicting successful labor induction in the peri-urban population of Islamabad, Pakistan. While TVS showed significant quantitative advantages over the Bishop Score, combining both predictors yielded even better performance, suggesting that using both methods together should be prioritized for prediction.
Aérgia: A Network-on-Chip Exploiting Packet Latency Slack

A traditional Network-on-Chip (NoC) employs simple arbitration strategies, such as round robin or oldest first, which treat packets equally regardless of the source applications' characteristics. This is suboptimal because packets can have different effects on system performance. We define slack as a key measure for characterizing a packet's relative importance. Aergia introduces new router prioritization policies that exploit interfering packets' available slack to improve overall system performance and fairness.
Choosing the ideal photoinitiator for free radical photopolymerizations: predictions based on simulations using established data

We present a tool for predicting the initiation efficiency of various type 1 (α-cleavage) photoinitiators for free radical photopolymerization. The amount of initiated polymer chains is crucial for the successful outcome of radical polymerizations. This is based on a subtle combination of intrinsic photoinitiator characteristics, i.e. quantum yields for dissociation, the absorption spectrum of the initiator in terms of its absorption bands and the corresponding absorption coefficients (e), the rate constants of the primary radicals toward the monomer, and side reactions such as oxygen quenching. Equally important are the emission properties of the utilized light source (irradiation wavelengths, light intensity). We highlight that a balanced combination of all these factors is crucial for achieving optimal initiation performance.
Hydraulic Considerations for Pipelines Crossing Stream Channels

v Introduction . 1 Surface Crossings. 3 Reconnaissance Method. 4 Physiographic Method . 6 Analytical Method . 7 Detailed Method . 8 Subsurface (Buried) Crossings . 11 Channel Degradation. 11 Channel Scour . 14 Conclusion . 17 Literature Cited. 19 Hyraulic Conerations or Pilines Crssing Sream Chnels— TENICAL NOTE 23 Abstract High flow events have the potential to damage pipelines that cross stream channels, possibly contaminating runoff. A hydrologic analysis conducted during the design of the pipeline can help determine proper placement. Flood frequency and magnitude evaluations are required for pipelines that cross at the surface. There are several methods that can be used, including reconnaissance, physiographic, analytical, and detailed methods. The method used must be appropriate for the site’s characteristics and the objectives of the analysis. Channel degradation and scour evaluations are required for pipelines crossing below the surface. Proper analysis and design can prevent future pipeline damage and reduce repair and replacement costs.
¿Generan los clusters geográficos capacidades basadas en la gestión ambiental y la innovación? Un enfoque basado en recursos

espanolEste trabajo analiza como diferentes mecanismos tipicamente presentes en los clusters geograficos, como la intensidad de la competencia, los efectos spillover de difusion del conocimiento y la interaccion con asociaciones regionales, constituyen una importante fuente de variacion en el desarrollo de dos capacidades competitivas como la proactividad medioambiental y la capacidad de innovacion. Adicionalmente, comprobamos que estas dos capacidades competitivas estan relacionadas con un mayor rendimiento organizacional en los clusters geograficos de la agricultura intensiva de Almeria y Huelva (Espana). Los resultados de analisis de ecuaciones estructurales apoyan parcialmente las hipotesis y sugieren lineas de investigacion relevantes sobre la adquisicion de capacidades competitivas en clusters geograficos. EnglishThis paper analyses different factors which characterize a geographical cluster, such as rivalry intensity between local firms, spillovers effect in knowledge diffusion, and firms? level of interactions with regional associations. These external factors, we argue, are an important source of firms? heterogeneity in the development of strategic capabilities, such as innovation and environmental strategy proactivity. By analyzing a sample of 153 firms covered by two agricultural clusters in the South of Spain characterized by an intensive production, we highlight the differential effects of this factors on the development of both capabilities and the relationships between them and economic performance.
Second-Hand Smoke: The Evolution of Children's Exposure

Second-hand smoke exposure (SHSe) causes significant morbidity and mortality in children. A large proportion of children with smoking parents do not live in smoke-free homes, however, to date, little is known about the prevalence of partial smoking restrictions and their efficacy in reducing children’s SHSe. Given the lack of convincing evidence on how to achieve further reductions in children’s SHSe in the home, the identification of the modifiable factors associated with childhood SHSe is imperative to reduce the burden of disease resulting from childhood SHSe. Analysis of the Omnibus Survey (OS) revealed that the prevalence of smoke-free homes in England did not increase significantly between 2006 and 2008. Only 30% of smokers reported a smoke-free home in 2008. However, during the same time period, the proportion of smokers (who did not have a smoke-free home) reporting that they did not smoke when in the same room as a child increased significantly from 62.5% to 74.8%. Using the Health Survey for England, biologically validated self-reported measures of child SHSe revealed that in 2008 and 2009 approximately 50% of children living with a smoking parent were not exposed to SHSe in the home (0.30ng/ml, 95% confidence interval 0.27-0.32ng/ml). Of the 50% of children who remained exposed inside the home, 29% had a parent that smoked in one room only in the home. These children had significantly lower cotinine concentrations (1.13ng/ml, 95% CI 1.05-1.22) than the 21% of children with smoking parents who smoked in 2 or more rooms in the home (2.36ng/ml, 95% CI 2.08-2.68ng/ml). Although smoking in one room equates to lower risk it does not equate to no risk and so interventions are required to change indoor smoking to outdoor smoking. The OS data found that good knowledge of SHS-related illnesses was predictive of both full and partial smoking restrictions in the home. Increases in the proportion of respondents with good knowledge occurred during 2003-2006, a period when frequent anti-SHS mass media campaigns were aired. A case-study evaluation of a brief mass media campaign in the North West and North East of England, which aimed to move smoking parents to smoke outside, was found to have no statistically significant effect on home smoking behaviour in the short term, however knowledge that SHS caused both heart attack and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome increased in this region following the campaign whilst simultaneous decreases were found in the rest of England. Following the identification of those children most exposed to SHS, and the modifiable factors associated with this exposure, this thesis suggests that a comprehensive multi-level approach to tobacco control policy, which includes emotive media campaigns which include information on SHS-related illnesses, will contribute to the continued reduction of childhood SHSe.
Fairness to dairy cows or fairness to farmers: What counts more in the preferences of conventional milk buyers for ethical attributes of milk?

We investigate the willingness-to-pay (WTP) of German conventional milk buyers for ethical attributes of milk production through a choice experiment. Respondents have the highest WTP for animal welfare – free-stall plus summer pasture – followed by biodiversity conservation, support for small, below-average-income farms, and regional milk production. Respondents also have a positive WTP to support all farms but only in combination with regional production. We further find a positive WTP to support small farms in combination with tethering. This implies animal-welfare concerns are somewhat counterbalanced by fairness aspects. Our insights may support developing labels for ethical aspects of milk production.
OPTIMIZATION OF CULTURAL CONDITIONS FOR CHITINASE PRODUCTION FROM CHITINOLYTIC BACTERIUM ISOLATED FROM SOIL SAMPLE.

Chitinases are group of enzymes which play a significant role in degrading chitin. The present study explores the natural ability of the bacteria to utilize chitin as a source of energy. Soil samples were screened for chitinolytic organisms and strain which produced highest chitinolytic activity was selected. Biochemical analysis revealed that the isolate belongs to the genus Bacillus. It was identified upto the species level as Bacillus licheniformis, using 16S rRNA based identification system. The cultural conditions for production of chitinase was optimized which resulted in a significant increase in the enzyme activity. The study demonstrates the potential of the isolate for industrial application such as production of bioactive chitin-oligosachharides.
U . S . ARMY RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES A Field Operating Agency under the Jurisdiction of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel

The purpose of this paper is to provide information to help decide whether Feuerstein's "Instrumental Enrichment" (FIE) technique (or some variation of it) might be useful in teaching leadership-relevant thinking skills to prospective Army leaders. This paper examines some 35 reports of FIE research conducted in Israel, Venezuela, Canada, and in a number of locations in the United States, and asks what can be concluded from these reports with respect to the following: (1) the nature and reliability of FIE effects; and (2) for those effects that appear to be statistically reliable, the "amount" of FIE that appears to be required in order for these effects to appear. Results of this review suggest that the following characterize those studies that tend to show experimental/comparison-group differences: (1) at least a week of FIE training for instructors; (2) generally 80 or more hours of student exposure to FIE; and (3) FIE taught in conjunction with subject matter. Observed effects have been shown on nonverbal measures of intelligence. Statistically significant differences have been observed in a number of populations. There is enough evidence suggesting that FIE improves thinking skills to encourage researchers to continue investigating it. An appendix describes Feuerstein's theory and method. (Seven pages of references are included.) (LMO) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Technical Report 699 Empirical Status of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment" set as a Method of Teaching Thinking Skills
U . S . ARMY RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES A Field Operating Agency under the Jurisdiction of the 0 Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel

AUTHOR Baum, David R. ; And Others TITLE Specification of Training Simulator Fidelity: A Research Plan. Technical Report 558. INSTITUTION Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. Systems and Research Center. SPONS AGENCY Army Research Inst. for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Alexandria, Va. PUB DATE Feb 82 CONTRACT MDA-903-81-C-0214 NOTE 96p. ; Product of the Simulation Systems Technical Area. PUB TYPE Reports Research/Technical (143)
Causes of the interannual variability of deep convection

Deep water formation in the Labrador Sea and the Gulf of Lion, for example, results from convection. A cyclonic circulation leads to a doming of the isopycnals at its centre, where stratification is then completely eroded by high surface winter buoyancy loss. This thesis assesses the causes of the interannual variability of deep convection. We first aim to quantify the relative importance of preconditioning, defined as the temperature and salinity structures and contents of the water column before the onset of convection, and of the buoyancy forcing (averaged over one winter) on the final convective mixed layer depth and on the temperature and salinity of the water mass formed. This study focuses on the Mediterranean and uses datafrom the Medar/Medatlas and Dyfamed data sets. The heat fluxes are studied and characterised. It is shown that the preconditioning is as important as the winter buoyancy fluxes in setting the final depth of convection. At the Dyfamed site (Corsica Strait), the seasonal cycle shows that the stratification frequency reaches a maximum in the intermediate layer in winter. This winter maximum is thought to be of critical importance. The second (and main) part focuses on the effect of the short-term (O(day)) variability of the surface forcing on convection, using an idealised model. The MIT model is integrated over a square box of size 64km x 64 km x 2km initialised with homogeneous salinity and a linear vertical temperature gradient. The configuration of the model is described and validated. A time-periodic cooling is then applied over a disc of radius 20km at the centre of the surface of the box. It is shown that the final mixed layer depth depends little on this short-term time variability because the lateral buoyancy fluxes are very responsive to the surface ones. Our results are compared with traditional parameterisation of the lateral buoyancy fluxes. General characteristics of the patch are also looked at, such as the rim current, the location of the angular momentum surfaces, the potential vorticity and the residual stratification in the mixed layer. The characteristics of the final water mass in each experiment are studied, showing that the short-term time variability of the forcing has an impact on the characteristics of the water mass formed. The last part compares the modelling study to gliders data for the Labrador Sea obtained by Peter Rhines and Charlie Eriksen of the University of Washington, WA, USA, in winter 2004-05. In that part of the real ocean, the variability of the boundary current seems more important than the variability in the surface forcing.
Cryptosporidiosis in Colombian children with HIV/AIDS infection

SUMMARY Introduction: Enteric cryptosporidiosis in children with HIV/AIDS is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in feces, via the Ziehl Neelsen modified technique, among Colombian children with HIV/AIDS and to determine possible associations. Methodology: Prevalence study in 131 children with HIV/AIDS at the Hospital Universitario del Valle in Cali, Colombia. We evaluated clinical records, laboratory results, environmental factors, and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis included the estimation of prevalence of infection in children and the corresponding 95% confidence interval; estimation of other descriptive conditions of interest and the association analyses by multiple logistic regression. Results: In this group of children with a mean age of 57 months, we found a prevalence of infection of 29%, more frequently among male children and among those with vertical HIV transmission. The infection was also associated with abdominal pain, having pets inside the house and C stage for HIV, with >100,000 copies/ml of viral load and CD4 percentage >25%. Association analysis showed a larger risk of Cryptosporidium infection with older age, and among patients not living in Cali, with more severe status of HIV disease, previous hospitalizations, and dried oral mucosa . Factors found finally associated were older age, chronic undernutrition, living in day-care institutions and having previous hospitalizations. Conclusion: Almost a third of these children patients had Cryptosporidium infection, and it was found associated with age, previous hospitalizations, chronic undernutrition and living in day-care institutions.