Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Student perceptions on the impact of career and technical education programs: a mixed methods study

This mixed-methods study analyzed student perceptions regarding the impact of career and technical education (CTE) programs on student engagement, mind-set, support of teachers, and school climate. The Tripod 7C instrument was utilized to gather quantitative data, while focus groups were utilized for gathering qualitative data. Survey results showed statistically significant differences between CTE and non-CTE subjects in the areas of care, captivate, and clarify. These findings were used to develop the questions and structure for the focus group discussions. The focus groups revealed four student-perception themes: teacher, environment, student engagement, and content. In the settings studied, CTE programs were noted to have significantly higher levels of student engagement, environments that are welcoming and warm, and caring adults.
Splicing factor SRP20 is a novel partner of BCL6 in a t(3;6)(q27;p21) translocation in transformed follicular lymphoma

The BCL6 gene mapped at chromosome band 3q27 encodes a zinc‐finger transcription factor and is frequently rearranged and deregulated in B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) by promiscuous chromosomal translocations which involve diverse genes. We identified a novel t(3;6)(q27;p21) in a follicular lymphoma (FL) with histologic evidence of transformation and, by cloning the translocation junction, determined that the SRP20 gene was the partner. In this translocation, the 5′ regulatory region of the BCL6 was substituted by a putative regulatory region of SRP20. Previously, we hypothesized that substitution of BCL6 promoter by those of the partner genes that were constitutively expressed throughout B‐cell development led to persistent and inappropriate expression of BCL6. We examined the expression pattern of SRP20 during B‐cell development by Northern blot analysis of a panel of B‐cell lines representing various stages of B‐cell development and noted that SRP20 mRNA was expressed throughout B‐cell development. The SRP20 gene plays an important role in regulation of pre‐mRNA splicing, and is expressed specifically in lymphoid tissues. This study provides the first evidence of SRP20 gene rearrangement in human hematopoietic malignancies. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cascaded Amplitude Modulations in Sound Texture Perception

Sound textures, such as crackling fire or chirping crickets, represent a broad class of sounds defined by their homogeneous temporal structure. It has been suggested that the perception of texture is mediated by time-averaged summary statistics measured from early auditory representations. In this study, we investigated the perception of sound textures that contain rhythmic structure, specifically second-order amplitude modulations that arise from the interaction of different modulation rates, previously described as “beating” in the envelope-frequency domain. We developed an auditory texture model that utilizes a cascade of modulation filterbanks that capture the structure of simple rhythmic patterns. The model was examined in a series of psychophysical listening experiments using synthetic sound textures—stimuli generated using time-averaged statistics measured from real-world textures. In a texture identification task, our results indicated that second-order amplitude modulation sensitivity enhanced recognition. Next, we examined the contribution of the second-order modulation analysis in a preference task, where the proposed auditory texture model was preferred over a range of model deviants that lacked second-order modulation rate sensitivity. Lastly, the discriminability of textures that included second-order amplitude modulations appeared to be perceived using a time-averaging process. Overall, our results demonstrate that the inclusion of second-order modulation analysis generates improvements in the perceived quality of synthetic textures compared to the first-order modulation analysis considered in previous approaches.
Mathematical models for design and synthesis of power system stabilizers

In the paper, a non-linear 7th order dynamic model and a linearized 3rd order dynamic model of a synchronous generator connected to an infinite bus are presented and compared in details. Parameters and equations of the both models are explained and summarized. The presented models represent necessary starting point for work in areas of power system stabilizers' analysis, design and synthesis. Novelty of this work represents a detailed analysis of applicability of the linearized dynamic model in an entire operating range. Theoretical conclusions were confirmed with agreement of experimental and simulation results.
Exploring the Evolution of Supporter Networks in the Creation of New Organizations

Networks are important to entrepreneurial success. However, most research in this area to date has merely addressed the what; namely, what types of networks enable success. We seek to extend this stream of research by answering the how and the why. In so doing, we elaborate on how entrepreneurs can develop their networks, arguing that in order to create new organizations, nascent entrepreneurs must acquire resources from an increasingly diverse set of relatively stronger and weaker ties throughout the emergence phase. We then hypothesize why this evolutionary path is effective across the various dimensions of tie strength. Analyzing data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics I (PSED I) with multilevel random coefficient growth curve modeling, we find strong support for our hypotheses. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for both academics and practitioners.
TraG-Like Proteins of Type IV Secretion Systems: Functional Dissection of the Multiple Activities of TraG (RP4) and TrwB (R388)

ABSTRACT TraG-like proteins are essential components of type IV secretion systems. During secretion, TraG is thought to translocate defined substrates through the inner cell membrane. The energy for this transport is presumably delivered by its potential nucleotide hydrolase (NTPase) activity. TraG of conjugative plasmid RP4 is a membrane-anchored oligomer that binds RP4 relaxase and DNA. TrwB (R388) is a hexameric TraG-like protein that binds ATP. Both proteins, however, lack NTPase activity under in vitro conditions. We characterized derivatives of TraG and TrwB truncated by the N-terminal membrane anchor (TraGΔ2 and TrwBΔ1) and/or containing a point mutation at the putative nucleotide-binding site (TraGΔ2K187T and TraGK187T). Unlike TraG and TrwB, truncated derivatives behaved as monomers without the tendency to form oligomers or aggregates. Surface plasmon resonance analysis with immobilized relaxase showed that mutant TraGK187T was as good a binding partner as the wild-type protein, whereas truncated TraG monomers were unable to bind relaxase. TraGΔ2 and TrwBΔ1 bound ATP and, with similar affinity, ADP. Binding of ATP and ADP was strongly inhibited by the presence of Mg2+ or single-stranded DNA and was competed for by other nucleotides. Compared to the activity of TraGΔ2, the ATP- and ADP-binding activity of the point mutation derivative TraGΔ2K187T was significantly reduced. Each TraG derivative bound DNA with an affinity similar to that of the native protein. DNA binding was inhibited or competed for by ATP, ADP, and, most prominently, Mg2+. Thus, both nucleotide binding and DNA binding were sensitive to Mg2+ and were competitive with respect to each other.
Comparison of four molecular typing methods for evaluating genetic diversity among Candida albicans isolates from human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with oral candidiasis

Candida albicans strain delineation by karyotyping. NotI restriction pattern analysis, hybridization with specific probe 27A, and PCR fingerprinting with the phage M13 core sequence were performed with 30 isolates from the oral cavities of 30 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and 8 reference strains. Within the panel of clinical isolates, 20 were geographically related, although 10 isolates were susceptible to fluconazole and 10 isolates were resistant to fluconazole. The remaining isolates used in this study were fluconazole resistant and geographically unrelated. A composite DNA type was defined for each of the strains as the combination of types obtained by the four molecular methods. By this procedure, a great diversity of DNA types was found among isolates from the oropharynges of HIV-infected individuals with oral candidiasis. This diversity was not reduced when isolates were evaluated on the basis of whether they came from the same geographical locale and whether they were fluconazole resistant. These data refute the idea of a clonal origin for fluconazole-resistant strains among HIV-positive patients. Karyotyping was the least discriminatory method, yielding 19 DNA types among the 38 strains analyzed. Conversely, hybridization with the 27A probe showed a unique DNA pattern for each of the strains examined in this study. Our results demonstrate that at least two different molecular methods are needed for Candida albicans typing and that there is a great deal of strain variation within the species, irrespective of place of origin or antifungal resistance patterns.
A pharmacoepidemiological study of prescription pattern in outpatient clinics in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE To study the pattern of prescriptions in outpatient clinics in a teaching hospital in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. METHODS A total of 3796 prescriptions from outpatient clinics of Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were screened randomly and systemically over one-year period (April 2000 to April 2001). The prescriptions were analyzed for the essential elements of the prescription order, and for the number and classes of drugs prescribed, source of prescription and appropriateness of prescription to the diagnosis. RESULTS The source of prescriptions was not provided in 61.5% of prescriptions. The diagnosis was missing in 15.1% and not readable in 18.9% of prescriptions. Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) was the most frequent diagnosis and was included in 21.6% of prescriptions. The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.1 +/- 1.05 (Mean +/- SD), with 90.8% of prescriptions containing 3 or fewer drugs. The most frequently prescribed drugs were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including paracetamol which were included in 51.2% of prescriptions, followed by antibacterial agents (33.2%). Only 46.4% of prescriptions were appropriate to the diagnosis, while 11.1% were partially appropriate and 5.3% were inappropriate. For the rest (37.2%), it was difficult to evaluate appropriateness due to deficient information. General practitioners and specialists were more likely to prescribe appropriately than emergency room physicians (64.6% and 60.4% versus 35.7%). None of the prescriptions for antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs and antihypertensive agents were inappropriate. CONCLUSION These results emphasize the need for continuing medical education on rational prescribing, and for periodic monitoring of physicians habits on drug utilization.
Risk factors for stroke and thromboembolism in relation to age among patients with atrial fibrillation: the Loire Valley Atrial Fibrillation Project.

BACKGROUND According to the latest European guidelines on the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), all patients aged ≥ 65 years should be treated with oral anticoagulation (if not contraindicated). Therefore, stroke risk factors should be investigated exclusively in patients with NVAF aged < 65 years. METHODS Patients diagnosed with NVAF in a four-hospital institution between 2000 and 2010 were identified. Event rates of stroke/thromboembolism were calculated according to age category (ie, age < 65, 65-74, and ≥ 75 years). Independent risk factors of stroke and thromboembolism were investigated in univariate and multivariate Cox regression models including patients with NVAF aged < 65 years only. The effect of adding vascular disease to the CHADS(2) (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes, previous stroke) score was examined by net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) models. RESULTS Among 6,438 patients with NVAF, 2,002 (31.1%) were aged < 65 years. In patients with no CHADS(2) risk factors who were not treated with anticoagulation (n = 1,035), the stroke/thromboembolic event rate per 100 person-years was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.08-0.72), 2.05 (95% CI, 1.07-3.93), and 3.99 (95% CI, 2.63-6.06) in those aged < 65, 65-74, and ≥ 75 years, respectively. Heart failure, previous stroke, and vascular disease were significantly associated with increased risk of stroke/thromboembolism in both univariate and multivariate analyses, and vascular disease significantly improved the predictive ability of the CHADS(2) score (NRI, 0.40; IDI, 0.031). CONCLUSIONS Patients with NVAF aged ≥ 65 years have event rates that merit oral anticoagulation. In patients with NVAF aged < 65 years, the risk of stroke/thromboembolism is independently increased by the presence of heart failure, previous stroke, or vascular disease. As proposed in the new CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes, previous stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category [female]) score, stroke risk stratification by the CHADS(2) score can be improved by the addition of age 65 to 74 years and vascular disease.
L-Glutamic acid as a mediator of sexual morphogenesis in Volvox capensis.

In Volvox capensis the development of sexual individuals is in response to low concentrations (68 nM) of L-glutamic acid rather than to such species-specific glycoproteins as have been isolated in Volvox carteri or are believed to exist in a number of other species. V. capensis grows equally as well in light and in darkness in a medium supplemented with sodium acetate; however, L-glutamic acid is active as an inducer of the sexual form only in populations grown in the light. The site of action of L-glutamic acid and its biochemical role in the sexual response are unknown. Attempts to induce the sexual response by using the other L-amino acids, various analogs of glutamic acid, compounds of similar structure (e.g., gamma-aminobutyric acid), and intermediates of biochemical pathways known to involve L-glutamic acid (e.g., alpha-ketoglutarate or pyroglutamic acid) have been unsuccessful. L-Glutamic acid is produced by V. capensis as a natural product of the digestion of the glycoproteinaceous parental matrix at the time young spheroids escape. As a population increases, so does the level of L-glutamic acid produced at each succeeding generation until the threshold of sensitivity is reached and the induction of sexual forms is effected. This serves as a mechanism for ensuring the production of sexual spheroids and their zygotes, the only phase in the life cycle resistant to drying. Thus, Volvox is especially adapted to an existence in ephemeral pools of water resulting from seasonal rains.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Remote Sensing for Field-Based Crop Phenotyping: Current Status and Perspectives

Phenotyping plays an important role in crop science research; the accurate and rapid acquisition of phenotypic information of plants or cells in different environments is helpful for exploring the inheritance and expression patterns of the genome to determine the association of genomic and phenotypic information to increase the crop yield. Traditional methods for acquiring crop traits, such as plant height, leaf color, leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll content, biomass and yield, rely on manual sampling, which is time-consuming and laborious. Unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing platforms (UAV-RSPs) equipped with different sensors have recently become an important approach for fast and non-destructive high throughput phenotyping and have the advantage of flexible and convenient operation, on-demand access to data and high spatial resolution. UAV-RSPs are a powerful tool for studying phenomics and genomics. As the methods and applications for field phenotyping using UAVs to users who willing to derive phenotypic parameters from large fields and tests with the minimum effort on field work and getting highly reliable results are necessary, the current status and perspectives on the topic of UAV-RSPs for field-based phenotyping were reviewed based on the literature survey of crop phenotyping using UAV-RSPs in the Web of Science™ Core Collection database and cases study by NERCITA. The reference for the selection of UAV platforms and remote sensing sensors, the commonly adopted methods and typical applications for analyzing phenotypic traits by UAV-RSPs, and the challenge for crop phenotyping by UAV-RSPs were considered. The review can provide theoretical and technical support to promote the applications of UAV-RSPs for crop phenotyping.
Multi-criteria decision making approach: a sustainable warehouse location selection problem

The selection of a strategic location of a sustainable warehouse is a multi-criteria decision making problem and has a great importance for many companies as it improves efficiency of the overall supply chain. The aim of the present research work is to identify the crucial, sustainable selection criteria for the chemical industry warehouse, along with the potential sites and to select the most appropriate site for the same. Eleven crucial selection parameters are identified from the literature review and opinions of experts, then analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed for ranking the criteria and selecting the best location among the four potential sites. After analysing the 11 selection parameters, it finds that governmental policies and regulations (C1), climatic conditions of the region (C2) and strategic location (C4) are the most significant factors. Site 'A' is found to have the highest relative weight amongst all four potential sites. The developed AHP hierarchical model is intended to guide the managers of the organisation in understanding the importance of the sustainability criteria in the process of warehouse selection.
Evaluation of a national register on occupational exposure to carcinogens: effectiveness in the prevention of occupational cancer, and cancer risks among the exposed workers.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of a register of employees exposed to carcinogens (the ASA Register) which has been in operation in Finland since 1979, and to study cancer risks among the notified workers. METHODS The impact of ASA at workplaces was studied by questionnaires mailed to 1448 work departments, which were notified to ASA in 1996, and to 1033 departments, which departed ASA in 1991-1996. The mailing was responded by 69% of departments. The cancer incidence of 35,138 workers notified to ASA in 1979-1988 was followed up through the files of the Finnish Cancer Register for the period 1980-2003. RESULTS Changes eliminating or substantially reducing exposure to carcinogens were reported by 73% of departments notified to ASA in 1996. The ASA notification process had directly prompted measures to reduce exposure (8% of cases) or contributed to them (24% of cases). Estimations based on responses of the workplaces suggested that the ASA registration had decreased exposure of 600 workers year(-1) (out of approximately 15,000 notified workers, which is <1% of the employed in Finland), preventing thereby an unknown number of occupational cancers. Other benefits of ASA included the saving of the treatment costs of prevented cancers, the prevention of other health outcomes of carcinogens, improved safety behaviour of exposed workers and avoidance of human suffering among cancer patients and their families. The labour safety authorities had better possibilities to direct their activities against carcinogen exposure. These benefits should be considered against the annual costs, mainly due to 7-8 person-years of work required by tasks related to ASA. The results of the cancer incidence study among notified workers were based on a relatively short follow-up (on average 19 years). The incidence of mesothelioma was significantly increased in the ASA cohort, probably due to exposure to asbestos. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a national exposure register may stimulate preventive measures at workplaces. Partially based on the results of the present study the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health continues ASA registration.
The short-term effectiveness of non-surgical treatment in reducing levels of interleukin-1beta and proteases in gingival crevicular fluid from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of non-surgical periodontal treatment in improving periodontal status and reducing gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-18, elastase activity, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)--8 and --9 in periodontitis patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS Twenty-three patients with T2DM (diabetes group) and 26 systemically healthy subjects (control group) with chronic periodontitis participated in this study. The clinical examination included visible plaque index, gingival bleeding index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing. GCF samples were collected from five or six deep sites to evaluate the levels of IL-1beta and -18, elastase, and MMP-8 and -9. Shallow sites were analyzed for IL-1beta and elastase. The glycemic control was analyzed by the concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The subjects received non-surgical periodontal treatment and were reexamined 90 days later. RESULTS All clinical parameters showed a significant improvement after treatment, which was accompanied by a significant reduction in IL-1beta, elastase activity, and MMP-8 and -9 levels in deep sites. The shallow sites also showed significant reductions in IL-1beta and elastase activity levels. Treatment did not significantly reduce HbA1c concentrations in patients with T2DM. CONCLUSIONS Non-surgical periodontal treatment was effective in reducing the levels of IL-1beta, elastase activity, and MMP-8 and -9 in GCF from diabetes and control groups. Patients with T2DM showed less reduction only in elastase activity in shallow sites compared to controls. This reduction was associated with improvement of the clinical periodontal status.