Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid detection of the known SNPs of CYP2C9 using oligonucleotide microarray.

AIM Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) is a polymorphic enzyme responsible for the metabolism of a large number of clinically important drugs. Individuals with mutant enzymes may risk serious side effects under routine therapy with certain drugs metabolized by CYP2C9. In order to facilitate the detection of the known SNPs of CYP2C9, an allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) based microarray was made. METHODS An oligonucleotide microarray was made to facilitate the SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) screening and was applied for the detection of CYP2C9 polymorphism in 62 high blood pressure (HBP) patients who received Irbesartan for treatment. Part of the genotyping results was confirmed by direct sequencing. And the relation between CYP2C9 polymorphism and therapeutic outcome of Irbesartan was statistically analyzed. RESULTS Heterozygous alleles of CYP2C9*1/*3 were found in 7 out of 62 subjects. No mutant alleles of CYP2C9*2, *4 and *5 and no homozygous mutant alleles were detected. The 7 heterozygous CYP2C9*1/*3 and 13 random wild type DNA samples were subjected to direct sequencing with purified PCR products and same genotyping results were obtained with the 20 DNA samples. There was no significant difference in the odds of effectiveness of Irbesartan between the wild type (normal) group and CYP2C9*1/*3 (mutant) group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The oligonucleotide microarray made in this study is a reliable assay for detecting the CYP2C9 known alleles and the heterozygous CYP2C9*1/*3 has no significant effects on the therapeutic outcome of Irbesartan.
Capacity Bounds for MIMO Nakagami- $m$ Fading Channels

This paper studies the ergodic capacity limits of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems with arbitrary finite number of antennas operating on general fading environments. Through the use of majorization theory, we first investigate in detail the ergodic capacity of Nakagami-m fading channels, for which we derive several ergodic capacity upper and lower bounds. We then show that a simple expression for the capacity upper bound is possible for high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which permits to analyze the impact of the channel fading parameter m on the ergodic capacity. The asymptotic behavior of the capacity in the large-system limit in which the number of antennas at one or both side(s) goes to infinity, is also addressed. Results demonstrate that the capacity scaling laws for Nakagami-m and Rayleigh-fading MIMO channels are identical. Finally, we employ the same technique to distributed MIMO (D-MIMO) systems undergoing composite log-normal and Nakagami fading, where we derive similar ergodic capacity upper and lower bounds. Monte Carlo simulation results are provided to verify the tightness of the proposed bounds.
TiO2 nanoparticles as back reflector in thin-film solar cells

In the field of thin film solar cells light management is an important mechanism to improve efficiency. Manipulating the reflectivity and distribution of scattering angles significantly contribute to absorbing light with relative long wavelengths. In this thesis the scattering effect of titaniumdioxide nanoparticles (0.2-0.3 micron) for the use of back reflector material in thin film solar cells. These particels are the white pigment that together with a binder material form is white paint. This research investigates binder-free nanoparticles to form a layer of densely packed nanoparticles that act as a highly reflective volume scatterer. With means of modeling the experimental RT measurements around the bandgap range the internal scattering distribution within a high refractive index material was estimated. Additionally, experimental results on full devices are presented and compared with commercially used silver back reflectors.
Survey of web service composition

A Web service (WS) is called compound or composite when its execution involves interactions with other WS to use their features. The composition of WS specifies which services need to be invoked, in what order and how to handle exception conditions. This paper gives an overview of research efforts of WS composition. The approaches proposed in the literature are diverse, interesting and have opened important research areas. Based on many studies, we extracted the most important role of WS composition use in order to facilitate its introduction in WS concept.
Corporate Venture Capital as a Window on New Technologies: Implications for the Performance of Corporate Investors When Acquiring Startups

Gaining a “window” on new technologies is a prominent motive for corporate venture capital (CVC) investing. Recent studies suggest that information gained through CVC-related activities can improve the internal R&D productivity of established firms. This study investigates an alternative means by which information gained through CVC investing could improve firm performance---by increasing the returns to corporate investors when acquiring startups. We provide new insights based on an event study of the returns to 34 corporate investors from acquiring 242 technology startups. Consistent with predictions drawn from the absorptive capacity literature, we find that the effect of CVC investing on acquisition performance hinges critically on the strength of the acquirer's internal knowledge base: as CVC investments increase relative to an acquirer's total R&D expenditures, acquisition performance improves at a diminishing rate. We also find that firms consistently engaged in venture financing earn greater returns when acquiring startups than do firms with more sporadic patterns of investing, even controlling for firm profitability, size, and acquisition experience. These findings suggest that corporate investors systematically differ in their abilities to derive added benefits from external venturing as acquirers of entrepreneurial firms.
A ug 2 00 4 HIGHER-ORDER LINKING FORMS FOR KNOTS

We construct examples of knots that have isomorphic nth-order Alexander modules, but non-isomorphic nth-order linking forms, showing that the linking forms provide more information than the modules alone. This generalizes work of Trotter [T], who found examples of knots that have isomorphic classical Alexander modules, but non-isomorphic classical Blanchfield linking forms. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 57M25
Pharmacokinetics of propofol when given by intravenous infusion.

We have previously shown with i.v. bolus studies that the elimination of propofol is much slower than previously reported. Now we have studied the implications of this for prolonged i.v. infusion of propofol in seven patients who received continuous infusions of propofol for up to 9 h. Values of elimination half-life ranged from 13.1 to 44.7 h, systemic clearance from 1.02 to 1.63 l h-1 and volume of distribution from 1390 to 3940 l and these were similar to those obtained with bolus administration. The large volume of distribution is consistent with the high octanol/blood partition coefficient, which was found to be 72.0. Despite the very long elimination half-life, blood propofol concentrations appeared to approach steady state within 20 min rather than the 4-5 half-lives normally expected. This is because for this drug, which displays multicompartment pharmacokinetics, the rate of initial rise of blood concentrations is governed primarily by the very short distribution half-life of the drug. Therefore, the long elimination half-life of propofol is probably of little significance in designing infusions regimens, but the lower systemic clearance should be taken into account to avoid unwanted accumulation.
Digital watermarking based secure multimodal biometric system

This paper presents a multimodal biometrics system using watermarking algorithms with two levels of security for simultaneously verifying an individual and protecting the biometric template. Iris template is watermarked in face, such that the face is visible for verification and the watermarked iris is used to cross authenticate the individual and secure the biometrics data as well. The accuracy of the multimodal biometrics system is around 96.8%. This system is also resistant to common attacks on biometric templates.
Diagnostic features and clinical outcome of ischemic‐type biliary complications after liver transplantation

The clinical significance and outcome of nonanastomotic strictures and dilatations involving only the biliary tree of the graft with a radiological appearance of biliary ischemia is unknown. Therefore we analyzed the grafts of 128 patients to evaluate the biochemical, radiological and histological features that prompted the diagnosis of ischemic‐type biliary stricture and the clinical outcome of this complication. Ischemic‐type biliary strictures were diagnosed in 25 patients (19%). Initial graft function was similar in all patients, whether or not this complication developed. Most ischemic‐type biliary strictures occurred between 1 and 4 mo after orthotopic liver transplantation. However, the appearance of ischemic‐type biliary stricture in the month after transplantation was predictive for a poor outcome in all six grafts with early onset of ischemic‐type biliary strictures. Eighteen patients (72%) were treated with biliary stents and repeated dilatations. Long‐term patency was achieved in 88% of these patients. Repeat transplantation was performed in six patients (24%); five survived. Finally, patients with ischemic‐type biliary strictures spent more time in the hospital during the first year after orthotopic liver transplantation than did patients without the complication (62 ± 27 days vs. 37 ± 20 days; p ± 0.001). This was due to repeated hospitalizations and a higher incidence of retransplantation. One‐year graft survival was lower in patients with ischemic‐type biliary strictures than in patients without ischemic‐type biliary strictures (69% vs. 88%; p = 0.006). However, 1‐yr patient survival was similar in the two groups (91% vs. 89%). In conclusion, early appearance of ischemic‐type biliary stricture features is associated with poor graft prognosis. The occurrence of ischemic‐type biliary stricture after transplantation is associated with increased morbidity, extended hospitalization and a higher incidence of repeat transplantation. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;17:605–609.)
Regulation of cytokine gene expression in T helper cell subsets.

We have examined the transcriptional regulation of the Th1-specific IL-2 gene and the Th2-specific IL-4 gene by transient transfection of promoter-chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) constructs into T cell clones and by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Transfection of the Th2 clone D10.G4 with IL-4 promoter-CAT constructs demonstrated anti-CD3 inducible IL-4 promoter activity. In contrast, CAT constructs containing murine IL-2 promoter sequences were not inducible in D10.G4 cells. Transfection analyses in the Th1 clone D1.1 demonstrated inducible IL-2 promoter activity but no IL-4 promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using well-defined regulatory elements in the murine IL-2 gene promoter showed that anti-CD3 stimulation of Th2 clones failed to induce a characteristic increase in the ratio of p65-p50:p50-p50 NF-kappa B binding complexes in the nucleus that did occur in IL-2-producing clones. In addition, other protein complexes with NF-kappa B binding sequences were seen using lysates from Th1 and Th0 cells but not Th2 cells. Thus, expression of the promoter-CAT constructs directly correlates with endogenous IL-2 and IL-4 gene expression in Th1 and Th2 clones, confirming that the differential expression of IL-2 and IL-4 genes in these T cells is transcriptionally controlled. Furthermore, the lack of IL-2 transcription in activated Th2 cells is associated with the failure to generate required IL-2 gene promoter binding proteins, particularly NF-kappa B in the nucleus.
Healthcare Analytics Adoption-Decision Model: A Case Study

Healthcare organizations (HCO) are under pressure to adopt emerging solutions with a view to improving the quality and efficiency of their operations, patient care and clinical decisions. In the literature, while recommendations have been put forth to follow an organizational approach to the adoption and implementation of analytics, there is a paucity of research into what specifically constitutes healthcare-analytics (HA), as well the antecedents that can explain and predict its adoption-decisions. In this paper, we fill this gap, by first proposing a typology for HA and an adoption-decision model that integrates the TOE framework with DeLone and McLean IS Success Model. We use a case study for the initial validation of the typology and the model. Our study reveals that the HCO studied has the same types of the data proposed in our typology, although the usage of the data and current/future adoption of analytics depends on many factors beyond simply technology.
Preparation, characterisation and computational study of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) based nanocomposites

Abstract In recent years, scientific and industrial interest has been focused on the preparation of organic/inorganic nanocomposites because of their unique hybrid properties correlated with the enormous interfacial adhesion region that is a characteristic of nanoparticles. The objective of the whole research was to improve poly-caprolactone (PCL) mechanical and barrier performances by using silica spherical nanoparticles for filling. In particular, in order to improve the polymeric matrix/inorganic nanofiller's interfacial adhesion and consequently to achieve a fine nanometric dispersion, silica nanoparticles have been chemically modified by grafting onto them a hydroxyl endcapped PCL, after wheich they have been melt blended with high molecular weight PCL. In the present paper, details on the synthesis, morphology and mechanical properties of the prepared nanocomposites are reported. Moreover, a numerical tool has been used to predict the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite, starting from the morphology of the material observed by scanning electron micrography, and the individual properties of the constituents.
Dinaciclib (SCH727965) Inhibits the Unfolded Protein Response through a CDK1- and 5-Dependent Mechanism

Evidence implicating dysregulation of the IRE1/XBP-1s arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in cancer pathogenesis (e.g., multiple myeloma) has prompted the development of IRE1 RNase inhibitors. Here, effects of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor SCH727965 (dinaciclib) on the IRE1 arm of the UPR were examined in human leukemia and myeloma cells. Exposure of cells to extremely low (e.g., nmol/L) concentrations of SCH727965, a potent inhibitor of CDKs 1/2/5/9, diminished XBP-1s and Grp78 induction by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducers thapsigargin and tunicamycin, while sharply inducing cell death. SCH727965, in contrast to IRE1 RNase inhibitors, inhibited the UPR in association with attenuation of XBP-1s nuclear localization and accumulation rather than transcription, translation, or XBP-1 splicing. Notably, in human leukemia cells, CDK1 and 5 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown diminished Grp78 and XBP-1s upregulation while increasing thapsigargin lethality, arguing for a functional role for CDK1/5 in activation of the cytoprotective IRE1/XBP-1s arm of the UPR. In contrast, CDK9 or 2 inhibitors or shRNA knockdown failed to downregulate XBP-1s or Grp78. Furthermore, IRE1, XBP-1, or Grp78 knockdown significantly increased thapsigargin lethality, as observed with CDK1/5 inhibition/knockdown. Finally, SCH727965 diminished myeloma cell growth in vivo in association with XBP-1s downregulation. Together, these findings demonstrate that SCH727965 acts at extremely low concentrations to attenuate XBP-1s nuclear accumulation and Grp78 upregulation in response to ER stress inducers. They also highlight a link between specific components of the cell-cycle regulatory apparatus (e.g., CDK1/5) and the cytoprotective IRE1/XBP-1s/Grp78 arm of the UPR that may be exploited therapeutically in UPR-driven malignancies. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(3); 662–74. ©2013 AACR.
Epstein–Barr virus BZLF1 gene promoter variants in pediatric patients with acute infectious mononucleosis: Its comparison with pediatric lymphomas

Epstein–Barr virus genotypes can be distinguished by polymorphic variations in the genes encoding EBNA2, 3A, 3B, and 3C. The immediate early gene BZLF1 plays a key role in modulating the switch from latency to lytic replication and therefore enabling viral propagation. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare BZLF1 promoter sequence (Zp) variation in pediatric infectious mononucleosis (IM) and in pediatric EBV positive lymphoma biopsies. Zp was sequenced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and throat swabs from 10 patients with IM at the time of diagnosis (D0) and during convalescence; and from 13 lymphoma biopsies. Zp − P and Zp − V3 variants were found in eight and one IM patients, as well as in five and six tumor biopsies, respectively. A correlation between viral genotype and Zp variant was found significant for Zp − V3 and EBV2 (P = 0.0002). One IM patient harbored two concomitant Zp variants. Regardless of anatomical compartment or stage of disease all IM patients displayed the same Zp variant along the course of the study. No new infections or adaptative selection of different variants was evidenced. A new Zp variant (Zp − V3 + 49) was described in two Hodgkin lymphomas, but not in IM. This is the first study to describe Zp variants compartmentalization in children with acute EBV infection and convalescence in a developing country; and comparing them with Zp variants in pediatric lymphomas from the same geographic area. J. Med. Virol. 81:1912–1917, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of object behaviour in Standard ML of New Jersey

We describe a method of measuring lifetime characteristics of heap objects, and discuss ways in which such quantitative object behaviour measurements can help improve language implementations, especially garbage collection performance. For Standard ML of New Jersey, we find that certain primary aspects of object behaviour are qualitatively the same across benchmark programs, in particular the rapid object decay. We show that the heap-only allocation implementation model is the cause of this similarity. We confirm the weak generational hypothesis for SML/NJ and discuss garbage collector configuration tuning. Our approach is to obtain object statistics directly from program execution, rather than simulation, for reasons of simplicity and speed. Towards this end, we exploit the flexibility of the garbage collector toolkit as a measurement tool. Careful numerical analysis of the acquired data is necessary to arrive at relevant object lifetime measures. This study fills a gap in quantitative knowledge of the workings of heap-based compilers and their run-time systems, and should be useful to functional language implementors.
Association of psychological distress, quality of life and costs with carpal tunnel syndrome severity: a cross-sectional analysis of the PALMS cohort

Objectives The Prediciting factors for response to treatment in carpal tunnel syndrome (PALMS) study is designed to identify prognostic factors for outcome from corticosteroid injection and surgical decompression for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and predictors of cost over 2 years. The aim of this paper is to explore the cross-sectional association of baseline patient-reported and clinical severity with anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life and costs of CTS in patients referred to secondary care. Methods Prospective, multicentre cohort study initiated in 2013. We collected baseline data on patient-reported symptom severity (CTS-6), psychological status (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), hand function (Michigan Hand Questionnaire) comorbidities, EQ-5D-3L (3-level version of EuroQol-5 dimension) and sociodemographic variables. Nerve conduction tests classified patients into five severity grades (mild to very severe). Data were analysed using a general linear model. Results 753 patients with CTS provided complete baseline data. Multivariable linear regression adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, duration of CTS, smoking status, alcohol consumption, employment status, body mass index and comorbidities showed a highly statistically significant relationship between CTS-6 and anxiety, depression and the EQ-5D (p<0.0001 in each case). Likewise, a significant relationship was observed between electrodiagnostic severity and anxiety (p=0.027) but not with depression (p=0.986) or the EQ-5D (p=0.257). National Health Service (NHS) and societal costs in the 3 months prior to enrolment were significantly associated with self-reported severity (p<0.0001) but not with electrodiagnostic severity. Conclusions Patient-reported symptom severity in CTS is significantly and positively associated with anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life, and NHS and societal costs even when adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking, drinking and occupational status. In contrast, there is little or no evidence of any relationship with objectively derived CTS severity. Future research is needed to understand the impact of approaches and treatments that address psychosocial stressors as well as biomedical factors on relief of symptoms from carpal tunnel syndrome.
Analytical Aberration-Corrected STEM of Ferroelectric Functional Interfaces

SuperSTEM Laboratory, STFC Daresbury, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury WA4 4AD, U.K. School of Mat. Sci. and Engineering, U. of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia. Max Planck Institute for Microsctructural Physics, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany Dept. of Chem. Eng. and Mat. Sci., University of California-Davis, Davis CA 95616 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore CA 94550
Optimal Taxation with Endogenous Default Under Incomplete Markets

How are the optimal tax and debt policies affected if the government can default on its debt? We address this question from a normative perspective in an economy with noncontingent government debt, domestic default, and labor taxes. On one hand, default prevents the government from incurring future tax distortions associated with servicing the debt. On the other hand, default risk gives rise to endogenous credit limits that hinder the government's ability to smooth taxes. We characterize the fiscal policy and show how the option to default alters the near–unit root component of taxes in the economy with risk-free borrowing. (JEL D52, E62, H21, H24, H63)
Fast and Provably Accurate Bilateral Filtering

The bilateral filter is a non-linear filter that uses a range filter along with a spatial filter to perform edge-preserving smoothing of images. A direct computation of the bilateral filter requires O(S) operations per pixel, where S is the size of the support of the spatial filter. In this paper, we present a fast and provably accurate algorithm for approximating the bilateral filter when the range kernel is Gaussian. In particular, for box and Gaussian spatial filters, the proposed algorithm can cut down the complexity to O(1) per pixel for any arbitrary S. The algorithm has a simple implementation involving N+1 spatial filterings, where N is the approximation order. We give a detailed analysis of the filtering accuracy that can be achieved by the proposed approximation in relation to the target bilateral filter. This allows us to estimate the order N required to obtain a given accuracy. We also present comprehensive numerical results to demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is competitive with the state-of-the-art methods in terms of speed and accuracy.