Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b: A novel serum marker for monitoring bone disease in multiple myeloma

Tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase isoform‐5b (TRACP‐5b), a new marker reflecting osteoclast activity, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured in 121 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) at diagnosis, and in 63 of them during pamidronate administration, to define their correlation with the extent of bone disease and disease activity in MM. Radiographic evaluation of the skeleton, measurement of other markers of bone remodelling, including N‐terminal cross‐linking telopeptide of type‐I collagen (NTX), bone alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin and of markers of disease activity (beta2‐microglobulin, paraprotein, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), were also performed. Levels of TRACP‐5b were increased (p < .0001), while OPG was decreased in MM patients compared to controls (p < .01). TRACP‐5b levels were associated with the radiographically assessed severity of bone disease (p < .0001) as well as with levels of NTX, IL‐6 and beta2‐microglobulin (p < .001, for each biochemical parameter, respectively). The combination of pamidronate with VAD‐chemotherapy produced a reduction in TRACP‐5b, NTX, IL‐6, paraprotein and beta2‐microglobulin levels from the 2nd month of treatment, with no effect on bone formation and OPG. A strong correlation was observed between changes in TRACP‐5b and changes in NTX, IL‐6 and beta2‐microglobulin, while TRACP‐5b predicted the disease progression in 5 patients. These findings suggest that TRACP‐5b is increased in MM, reflects the extent of myeloma bone disease and may have a predictive value. TRACP‐5b has also proved to be very useful for monitoring antimyeloma treatment, which had no effect on OPG levels. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prodrug metabolites: implications for therapeutic drug monitoring.

Prodrugs are analogs of active drugs that have been developed to improve the bioavailability and/or tolerability of the latter. Fosphenytoin (1) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (2) are two examples of prodrugs where monitoring of the active drug, the anticonvulsant phenytoin and the immunosuppressant mycophenolic acid (MPA), respectively, is used to guide therapy. The successful application of therapeutic drug monitoring to prodrugs requires a reliable analytical methodology, which in general should be specific for the active drug and should provide timely results so that the clinician can, if necessary, institute appropriate dosage adjustments. Although HPLC-based methodology is the most specific procedure for drug measurements, immunoassays are more rapid; they may, however, be subject to interference through cross-reactivity with structurally related compounds (e.g., prodrugs and drug metabolites). This problem often is aggravated in patients with liver dysfunction or renal insufficiency because of extensive accumulation of drug metabolites. The use of prodrugs has the following implications for therapeutic drug monitoring: In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , Annesley et al. (3) report on the isolation and characterization of a novel oxymethylglucuronide metabolite of fosphenytoin, a prodrug of phenytoin. This metabolite has been identified in the plasma of uremic patients …
Capsid and procapsid proteins of a bovine enterovirus.

Summary A bovine enterovirus (serotype VG-5-27) was grown in BHK 21 cells and purified using gel filtration and sedimentation procedures. Infective particles sedimented at 165s and the empty capsids or procapsids at 75s. Proteins extracted from each type of component were separated by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The infective component yielded four polypeptides of molecular weight 34,000, 28,000, 26,000 and 9,000 and were present in molar ratios of 1:1:1:0.5, respectively. Three polypeptides were extracted from the procapsid. These have molecular weights 37,000, 34,000 and 26,000 and were present in molar ratios of 1:1:1, respectively. We interpret these results as indicating that the small polypeptide of the virus particle may have a specific location in the virus in relation to the three major structural proteins.
Percepção de tempo e necessidade de atividade na sociedade do excesso: educação no contexto das tecnologias digitais

O contexto educativo promovido pelas tecnologias digitais tem sido objeto de investigacao de inumeros pesquisadores. Abordam o tempo diminuto com que as informacoes circulam e a quantidade expressiva de atividades humanas supostamente facilitadas pelas tecnologias digitais. Como se daria, entao, a relacao entre percepcao temporal e necessidade de atividade no processo educativo face a sociedade do excesso? Este artigo tem por objetivo discutir esta questao uma vez que se trata de um fato por vezes minimizado pelas pesquisas que abordam o uso das tecnologias de informacao e comunicacao na educacao. Foi feita uma revisao narrativa da literatura e seu cotejo com nossa pratica educativa nas condicoes de psicologos de uma instituicao de educacao profissional e tecnologica e professores do magisterio superior. Consumo de marcas, formacao continuada, produtivismo no trabalho e reducao da experiencia subjetiva sao formas de lidar com a emergente necessidade de atividade na sociedade do excesso. Nossas analises indicam que existe uma percepcao de tempo comprimida, o que deporia contra uma urgente e ampliada necessidade de atividade fruto de uma sociedade do excesso. Tal situacao exigiria dos profissionais da educacao uma revisao de suas praticas pedagogicas no sentido minimizarem os efeitos da compressao temporal.
SoftContract: an assertion-based software development process that enables design-by-contract

This paper discusses a model-based design flow for requirements in distributed embedded software development. Such requirements are specified using a language similar to linear temporal logic which allows one to reason about time and sequencing. They consist of assertions which must hold for a design, given some assumptions on its environment. They can be checked both during simulation and, at least for a subset, even on the target. The key contribution of the paper is the extension to the embedded software domain of assertion-based verification, and the automated generation of property-checking code in multiple target languages, from simulation, to prototyping, to final production.
Comparison of 2 methods of managing gastric residual volumes from feeding tubes.

BACKGROUND Research-based standards do not exist for the management of gastric residual volumes from feeding tubes. Withdrawing and returning residual volumes can lead to clogged tubes and exposes patients to possible contamination of the feeding system. However, discarding residual volumes may place patients at risk for electrolyte imbalance and may alter fluid or nutritional balance. OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of discarding versus returning gastric residual volumes on body weight, serum electrolyte levels, and the rate of complications associated with tube feeding. METHODS Thirty-five subjects receiving enteral feedings were recruited from intensive care units at 3 Midwest hospitals and randomized to a discard group or a return group. Eighteen sets of usable data were obtained. RESULTS Repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated no significant differences between the 2 groups for any of the variables. Complications related to enteral feedings were more common in the return group (n = 8), which had 2 episodes of tube clogging and 1 episode of diarrhea and nausea. None of these complications were experienced by patients in the discard group (n = 10). CONCLUSIONS Both groups had significant numbers of complications, including a total of 15 episodes, 7 in the discard group and 8 in the return group, of feeding delays due to high gastric residual volumes. Although serum electrolyte levels did not differ significantly between the 2 groups, potassium levels tended to be lower in the discard group. Considerations for the care of critically ill patients with feeding tubes are discussed in light of these findings.
Auditing in Egypt: A study of challenges, problems, and possibility of an automatic formulation of the auditor's report

The objective of the paper is to present an analysis of the legal framework surrounding the auditing profession in Egypt, and the problems faced by the profession. The basic Company Law of 1951 and the Banking Law of 1957 mainly govern the legal framework of auditing practice. A revision of the Company Law has been proposed in 1997, but it is yet to be finalized and implemented. Furthermore, the Central Accounting Organization Law (1988) and Capital Market Law (1992) have had considerable impact and influence on the practice of auditing in Egypt. The combined set of laws represents the legal framework for the auditing profession in Egypt. The Egyptian Society of Accountants and Auditors is the widely recognized association of chartered accountants and auditors that develop the educational and professional standards in Egypt. Despite this infrastructure, Egypt faces the problem of nonconformity to the professional standards in the auditing profession. Hence, our problem statement reads: (1) can we establish the reasons for nonconformity? , and (2) what measures are to be proposed to transform nonconformity into conformity? To get a fair view of the Egyptian world of auditing practices, a questionnaire consisting mainly of questions requiring a response on a five point Likert-scale was presented to thirty-two auditors in Egypt; thirteen auditors of academic nature and nineteen practitioners within 17 auditing firms including international auditing firms. In addition, 18 interviews were carried out with them. Based upon the results of these investigations, the nonconformity is found to be caused by four reasons: (1) the lack of experience and expertise in the profession, (2) the weaknesses in the required apprenticeship, (3) the lack of accounting and auditing education, and (4) the lack of competitiveness of the profession in terms of salaries and incentives. Our findings indicate that despite great efforts to comply with accounting and auditing standards, there is still a gap between the accounting and auditing standards and actual practices. In addition, there is a gap between the letter of the law and the practices regarding the organization of the auditing profession and compliance with the accounting and auditing standards. It was seen that the revision of the accounting practice law (133/1951) would remedy some of these problems and weaknesses, but the law is yet to be finalized by the People’s Council and will then be ready for implementation.
Management of HIV and hepatitis virus coinfection

Importance of the field: Liver disease related to infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in those infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in this era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Although progress has been made in the treatment of HBV and HCV in the setting of HIV-coinfection, there is a lack of data in certain areas and several aspects of the management are unclear at this time. Areas covered in this review: Available data on the treatment of HBV and HCV infections, especially in the HIV-coinfected patient, are presented. Practical aspects of the management of these patients are reviewed, including diagnosis, treatment indications, monitoring, and toxicities. The impact of HAART on liver disease, end-stage-liver disease, and new therapeutic approaches are also reviewed. What the reader will gain: There are two modalities for the treatment of chronic HBV infection: interferon and nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI). The latter is the mainstream of therapy for HIV–HBV-coinfected patients. The double antiviral activity of NRTI requires coordination and careful selection of treatment for both viruses to avoid selection of resistance mutations and toxicity. Combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin, the current standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C, has significant toxicity and limited efficacy in HIV–HCV-coinfected individuals. Oral anti-HCV treatments are currently under development and need to be studied in the HIV-coinfected population. Liver transplantation has a better outcome in HBV- than in HCV-HIV-coinfected patients. HAART seems to have a positive impact on the liver disease of HBV- and/or HCV-coinfected subjects but the CD4 threshold above which the benefit might take place is unknown at this time. Take home message: Anti-HBV treatment in the HIV-coinfected patient relies on the available NRTIs with activity against both viruses. Whereas HBV suppression can be achieved with this approach, toxicities and the selection of HBV-resistant variants result in challenging clinical scenarios. Current anti-HCV treatment (pegylated interferon and ribavirin) has limited efficacy in the HIV-coinfected patient, and STAT-C drugs are eagerly awaited.
Aurora-A Kinase Interacting Protein (AIP), a Novel Negative Regulator of Human Aurora-A Kinase*

Aurora kinases have evolved as a new family of mitotic centrosome- and microtubule-associated kinases that regulate the structure and function of centrosomes and spindle. One of its members, Aurora-A, is a potential oncogene. Overexpression of Aurora-A is also implicated in defective centrosome duplication and segregation, leading to aneuploidy and tumorigenesis in various cancer cell types. However, the regulatory pathways for mammalian Aurora-A are not well understood. Exploiting the lethal phenotype associated with the overexpression of Aurora-A in yeast, we performed a dosage suppressor screen in yeast and report here the identification of a novel negative regulator of Aurora-A, named AIP (Aurora-A kinase Interacting Protein). AIP is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein that interacts specifically with human Aurora-A in vivo. Ectopic expression of AIP with Aurora-A in NIH 3T3 and COS cells results in the down-regulation of ectopically expressed Aurora-A protein levels, and this down-regulation is demonstrated to be the result of destabilization of Aurora-A through a proteasome-dependent protein degradation pathway. A noninteracting deletion mutant of AIP does not down-regulate Aurora-A protein, suggesting that the interaction is important for the protein degradation. AIP could therefore be a potential useful target gene for anti-tumor drugs.
Free as in BEER: Some Explorations into Structured Improvisation Using Networked Live-Coding Systems

Abstract Much improvised music that has developed since the advent of free jazz has been concerned with the imposition of structure, often through systems of directed improvisation, or through the use of rule-based approaches (e.g., game pieces). In this article, we explore the possibility of a networked live-coding system as a structural intervention mechanism par excellence, through the discussion of two pieces from the repertoire of the Birmingham Ensemble for Electroacoustic Research.
Primary care patient and provider preferences for diabetes care managers

Purpose: The collaborative care model, using care managers, has been shown to be effective in achieving sustained treatment outcomes in chronic disease management. Little effort has been made to find out patient preferences for chronic disease care, hence, we conducted a study aimed at identifying these. Methods: A 20-item questionnaire, asking for patients’ and providers’ preferences and perceptions, was mailed out to 1000 randomly selected patients in Olmsted County, Minnesota, identified through a diabetes registry to have type 2 diabetes mellitus, a prototypical prevalent chronic disease. Surveys were also sent to 42 primary care providers. Results: There were 254 (25.4%) patient responders and 28 (66%) provider responders. The majority of patients ( . 70%) and providers (89%) expressed willingness to have various aspects of diabetes care managed by a care manager. Although 75% of providers would be comfortable expanding the care manager role to other chronic diseases, only 39.5% of patient responders would be willing to see a care manager for other chronic problems. Longer length of time from initial diagnosis of diabetes was associated with decreased patient likelihood to work with a care manager. Conclusion: Despite study limitations, such as the lack of validated measures to assess perceptions related to care management, our results suggest that patients and providers are willing to collaborate with a care manager and that both groups have similar role expectations of a care manager.
Functionalized gold nanoparticles for surface plasmon resonance detection of legionella pneumophila 16s rRNA

Legionella pneumophila is a pathogenic bacterium that proliferates in a large variety of environmental water sources. It can cause a severe infection, legionellosis, resulting in a fatal form of pneumonia. Therefore, developing detection platforms such as highly specific and sensitive biosensors is of great importance. Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi) has become one of the most widely used label-free method for fast and sensitive detection of chemical and biological analytes on sensor surfaces. We propose here a biosensing approach based on DNA capture and detection probes that specifically target the 16s rRNA sequence of pathogenic L. pneumophila, using Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging technique and gold nanoparticles for signal enhancement.
Facial Expression Biometrics Using Tracker Displacement Features

In this paper we investigate a possibility of using the face expression information for person biometrics. The idea of this research is that person's emotional face expressions are repeatable, and face expression features can be used for person identification. In order to avoid using person specific geometric or textural features traditionally used in face biometrics, we restrict ourselves to the tracker displacement features only. In contrast to previous research in facial expression biometrics, we extract features only from the pair of face images, neutral and the apex of emotion expression, instead of using the sequence of images from the video. The experiments, performed on two facial expression databases, confirm that proposed features can indeed be used for biometrics purposes.
Dynamic modeling of product development processes

Successful development projects are critical to success in many industries. To improve project performance managers must understand the dynamic concurrence relationships that constrain the sequencing of tasks as well as the effects of and interactions with resources (such as labor), project scope and targets (such as delivery dates). This article describes a multiple-phase project model which explicitly models process, resources, scope, and targets. The model explicitly portrays iteration, four distinct development activities and available work constraints to describe development processes. The model is calibrated to a semiconductor chip development project. Impacts of the dynamics of development process structures on research and practice are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Impact of Group Fears and Outside Actors on Ethnic Party Demands: Comparing Sudeten Germans in Inter-War Czechoslovakia with the Post-1989 Moravian Movement

This paper seeks to address a significant gap in the current nationalist literature that has insufficiently examined the conditions under which an ethnic group or region will radicalise or, conversely, moderate its demands against the state centre. This study introduces a bargaining model to explore the process by which ethnic groups are mobilised and then de-mobilised, such that the extremity of their demands shift over time. Two arguments are given here. First, a group’s structural characteristics (including its size and compactness) define the upper-limits of goals that groups are capable of pursuing against the centre. Second, the extremity of these claims is a joint function of: (1) the group’s expected political or economic benefits of exercising its ‘exit option’ (the independent variable), and (2), the bargaining power and activities of a group’s lobby state or organisation (the intervening variable). In putting forth this argument, I hope to explain how and why an ethnic group’s demands can shift from extreme goals, such as broad territorial autonomy, to very moderate goals, such as affirmative action policies, and vice versa. Finally, this study suggests ways in which international organisations may intervene to ameliorate the intensity of ethnic conflict. Czech Sociological Review, 1999, Vol. 7 (No. 1: 67-90)
Adrenergic status of humans during prolonged exposure to the altitude of 6,542 m.

Plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentration increases with altitude exposure while maximal heart rate (HR) and chronotropic response to isoproterenol (IP) are blunted. Downregulation of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-AR) has been evoked to explain this phenomenon. Chronotropic response was studied at extreme altitude in 10 subjects (4 women, 6 men; aged 35 +/- 6 yr). Observations were made in normoxia (N) and after 1 (H1) and 3 (H3) wk at 6,542 m. Acclimatization was accomplished by gradual climbing from 4,000 to 6,542 m over 10 days. Plasma NE was obtained at rest and during submaximal exercise. Successive doses of IP (0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 microgram/kg-1.min-1) were infused for 5 min each. Density and affinity of lymphocyte beta 2-AR were also measured. Increase in HR for maximal dose of IP decreased from 57 +/- 12 to 34 +/- 7 and 37 +/- 10 min-1 in H1 and H3, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). IP dose for which HR rises by 25 min-1 (I25) increased from 27 +/- 5 in N to 42 +/- 10 and 43 +/- 17 ng.kg-1.min-1 in H1 and H3, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Arterial O2 saturation at rest was 98 +/- 2% in N, 72 +/- 6% in H1 (P < 0.001), and 79 +/- 5% in H3 (P < 0.001). The chronotropic response was neither restored nor further attenuated after 3 wk at 6,542 m. Plasma NE levels at rest and during exercise were higher at 6,542 m than values obtained in previous studies at 4,350 and 4,800 m. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology Threat Modeling Using Fuzzy Logic Paradigm

Threat modeling, which is the process of identifying, quantifying and analyzing potential threats of computer-based systems, has become a significant consideration towards designing secure software systems. Despite the previous methods adopted for threat modeling, there are still many systems that are probable to attack. In this work, a fuzzy logic-based threat modeling technique is designed. The technique involves the fuzzification of input variables that is based on six major categories of threats (The design is based on Mamdani-style inference system which is very good for the representation of human reasoning and effective analysis. The implementation is done using MATLAB fuzzy logic tools. Using the design to test five computer systems, the result shows a tool that can be effectively used to analyze potential threats to computer-based systems.
The extracellular matrix: Structure, composition, age-related differences, tools for analysis and applications for tissue engineering

The extracellular matrix is a structural support network made up of diverse proteins, sugars and other components. It influences a wide number of cellular processes including migration, wound healing and differentiation, all of which is of particular interest to researchers in the field of tissue engineering. Understanding the composition and structure of the extracellular matrix will aid in exploring the ways the extracellular matrix can be utilised in tissue engineering applications especially as a scaffold. This review summarises the current knowledge of the composition, structure and functions of the extracellular matrix and introduces the effect of ageing on extracellular matrix remodelling and its contribution to cellular functions. Additionally, the current analytical technologies to study the extracellular matrix and extracellular matrix–related cellular processes are also reviewed.