Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermal Ablation of Lung Tumors: Focus on Microwave Ablation

Abstract Background Image-guided thermal ablation can be used for the treatment of medically inoperable primary and metastatic lung cancer. These techniques are based on the heating up or freezing (cryoablation) of a volume of tissue around a percutaneous applicator that induces necrosis of the tumor. Method The English-language literature concerning thermal ablation of the lung was reviewed. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the most widely performed and investigated of these techniques. Microwave ablation (MWA) represents a relatively new alternative that shares the same indications and is conducted in a very similar fashion as RFA. It has been experimentally and clinically shown that MWA produces larger, more spherical ablation zones over shorter periods of time compared to RFA. Seven different MWA systems are available in Europe and the USA with significant differences in the size and shape of the produced ablation zones. Results The types of complications caused by MWA and their rates of occurrence are very similar to those caused by RFA. The local progression rates after MWA of lung malignancies vary between 0 % and 34 % and are similar to those in the RFA literature. Conclusion Despite technical improvements, the current generation of MWA systems has comparable clinical outcomes to those of RFA. Key Points MWA is a safe technique that should be considered one of the treatment options for medically inoperable lung tumors As thermal ablations of lung tumors are becoming more frequent, radiologists should be acquainted with the post-ablation imaging characteristics Although MWA has some theoretical advantages over RFA, the clinical outcomes are similar Citation Format Vogl TJ, Nour-Eldin NA, Albrecht MH et al. Thermal Ablation of Lung Tumors: Focus on Microwave Ablation. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 828 – 843
The N-terminal 45-kDa Domain of Dna2 Endonuclease/Helicase Targets the Enzyme to Secondary Structure DNA*

Background: The biochemical function of variable N-terminal regions of eukaryotic Dna2 remains unclear. Results: The N-terminal 45-kDa domain of yeast Dna2 targets the enzyme specifically to a secondary structure flap. Conclusion: The hairpin binding activity of Dna2 contributes to efficient removal of hairpin flaps together with endonuclease and helicase activities during Okazaki fragment processing. Significance: The hairpin binding activity of Dna2 is critical for genome stability. The removal of initiating primers from the 5′-ends of each Okazaki fragment, required for the generation of contiguous daughter strands, can be catalyzed by the combined action of DNA polymerase δ and Fen1. When the flaps generated by displacement of DNA synthesis activity of polymerase δ become long enough to bind replication protein A or form hairpin structures, the helicase/endonuclease enzyme, Dna2, becomes critical because of its ability to remove replication protein A-coated or secondary structure flaps. In this study, we show that the N-terminal 45-kDa domain of Dna2 binds hairpin structures, allowing the enzyme to target secondary structure flap DNA. We found that this activity was essential for the efficient removal of hairpin flaps by the endonuclease activity of Dna2 with the aid of its helicase activity. Thus, the efficient removal of hairpin structure flaps requires the coordinated action of all three functional domains of Dna2. We also found that deletion of the N-terminal 45-kDa domain of Dna2 led to a partial loss of the intra-S-phase checkpoint function and an increased rate of homologous recombination in yeast. We discuss the potential roles of the N-terminal domain of Dna2 in the maintenance of genomic stability.
Cloud Computing: The Emperor's New Clothes of IT

Cloud computing has recently become a hot topic in IT circles. Organizations see it as an opportunity to reduce costs. Outsourcing the provision of data services has become an attractive option in the current climate promising the reduction of staff, equipment, IT operations and associated costs. This paper makes the case against using cloud computing for anything but the most trivial IT requirements. The issue is jurisdiction and what happens to your data when things go wrong. Contracting plays a big part in the process and most cloud computing contracts absolve the service provider of any responsibility for security, continuity of service, or for the integrity or privacy of the users’ data. There can also be issues surrounding access to a user’s data by official and unofficial entities. Data, such as client lists, proprietary information, and other sensitive information is the organization’s most valuable asset and should never be managed or controlled by any outside entity.
Transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase gene by protein kinase C.

The role played by protein kinase C (PKC) in TH gene regulation was investigated at transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels using PC12 cells. The cells were treated with the phorbol ester TPA, which not only activates PKC but also causes down‐regulation. PKC levels were monitored by [3H]PDBU binding assay and by using an anti‐PKC antibody that detected intact PKC (79 kd) as well as its catalytic and regulatory domains. The [3H]PDBU binding to the membrane‐associated PKC increased within 15‐30 min of TPA treatment; thereafter total cellular [3H]PDBU binding decreased to a minimum of 20% of the control at 8 h. The rate of decrease in binding was greater than the decrease in the intensity of the staining of PKC holo enzyme visualized by anti‐PKC antibody. TH mRNA levels, measured over the same time period, rose within 15 min of TPA treatment to peak at 4 h and subsequently declined below control level, paralleling the depletion of PKC. If cells depleted of PKC were reincubated in the normal medium, a recovery in PKC level was seen and, in parallel, TH mRNA levels increased to above control level. Furthermore, if down‐regulation of PKC was prevented by incubating the cells with the protease inhibitor leupeptin, a decrease beyond control level in TH mRNA was not observed. TPA rapidly induced TH gene transcription; a maximal increase of two‐fold was observed at 15 min, but the transcriptional rate then declined although it did not decrease beyond control values after 8 and 24 h of TPA treatment. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Spin Transfer Magnetization Switching Read/Write Cycle Test in MgO-Based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

We present the results of spin transfer torque magnetization switching results for some MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) with tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of 38.6% to 200% and critical current densities of 1.032 times 107 A/cm2 down to 1.68 times 106 A/cm2. We observed 2.2 times 104 stable read/write (R/W) cycles before failure under the spin transfer torque magnetization switching. The synchronized variations in both high and low magnetoresistance (MR) over the stable R/W cycles indicate that magnetization reversal into either high or low state occurs in parallel. We made a stability analysis for high and low MR distribution matching to a normalized fraction of stable cycles.
Enhanced Secretory Production of a Single-Chain Antibody Fragment from Bacillus subtilis by Coproduction of Molecular Chaperones

ABSTRACT Formation of inclusion bodies is a major limiting factor for secretory production of an antidigoxin single-chain antibody (SCA) fragment from Bacillus subtilis. To address this problem, three new strains with enhanced production of molecular chaperones were constructed. WB600BHM constitutively produces the major intracellular molecular chaperones in an appropriate ratio without any heat shock treatment. This strain reduced the formation of insoluble SCA by 45% and increased the secretory production yield by 60%. The second strain, WB600B[pEPP], overproduces an extracytoplasmic molecular chaperone, PrsA. An increase in the total yield of SCA was observed. The third strain, WB600BHM[pEPP], coproduces both intracellular and extracytoplasmic molecular chaperones. This led to a further reduction in inclusion body formation and a 2.5-fold increase in the secretory production yield. SCA fragments secreted by this strain were biologically active and showed affinity to digoxin comparable to the affinity of those secreted by strains without overproduction of molecular chaperones. Interestingly, accumulation of a pool of periplasmic SCA was observed in the PrsA-overproducing strains. This pool is suggested to represent the secreted folding intermediates in the process of achieving their final configuration.
TIME MANAGEMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON REVENUE GENERATION IN THE TOURISM SECTOR: THE MOZAMBICAN CASE

This study investigated how time management influenced revenue generation in the tourism sector in Mozambique. The major objectives were to examine theoretical models of time management on one hand, compare and contrast time management in the Western culture and African culture using Mozambique’s culture as a benchmark and then identify issues for which time management behaviours can possibly be a solution to the perceived negative time management culture in Mozambique. The study used a case study as its major research design. Data were collected through interviews, observations and a study of the tourism sector’s documents. The overall results reveal that time management varies from person to person, culture to culture and even for the same person, situation to situation. The Western perception of time proves that the Westerners are very strict in their time to an extent that they end up not really managing time but being managed by time. And yet the African perception of time shows that Africans create time thus managing time. The researches recommend a balance of the African and Western cultural perceptions and practices to guarantee effective generation of revenue in the tourism sector. Employees and employers should be trained in the two cultural perceptions and practices.
Corporate Governance and Dividend Policy in UK Listed SMEs: The Effect of Board Characteristics

Purpose: This paper examines the extent to which corporate board characteristics influence the level of dividend pay-out ratio using a sample of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 2010 to 2013 listed on the Alternative Investment Market. Design/methodology/approach: The data is analysed by employing multivariate regression techniques, including estimating fixed effects, lagged effects and two-stage least squares regressions. Findings: The results show that board size, the frequency of board meetings, board gender diversity and audit committee size have a significant relationship with the level of dividend pay-out. Audit committee size and board size have a positive association with the level of dividend pay-out, whilst the frequency of board meetings and board gender diversity has a significant negative relationship with the level of dividend pay-out. By contrast, the findings suggest that board independence and CEO role duality do not have any significant effect on the level of dividend pay-out. Originality/value: This is one of the first attempts at examining the relationship between corporate governance and dividend policy in the UK’s Alternative Investment Market, with the analysis distinctively informed by agency theoretical insights drawn from the outcome and substitution hypotheses.
Determinants of Agricultural Commercialization among Smallholder Farmers in Munyati Resettlement Area, Chikomba District, Zimbabwe

Abstract The study was carried out in Munyati resettlement area, Chikomba district in Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe with the objective of determining factors that affect smallholder commercialization of farming enterprises. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to collect data from 102 randomly sampled smallholder farmers using a questionnaire. Input and output commercialization indices were derived for all the participating farmers. Tobit model was used to regress the indices and farmer specific variables. The paper reveals that the farmers are fairly commercialized for both input and output sides. In addition, factors that determine input and output commercialization are varied. The paper recommends increased public and private sector contribution towards commercialization through training and financial support. Increased remittances by family members outside farming are recommended. The study concludes that smallholder farmers have a great potential for commercialization if necessary conditions are availed.
The impact of industry, firm age and education level on financial management performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Evidence from Turkey

Purpose Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are crucial for socio-economic growth due to their significant role in creating new workforce, gross domestic product increase, innovation and entrepreneurship. This paper aims to examine financial management performance in SMEs with regard to industry, firm age and education level of owner/managers differences. Design/methodology/approach The data used in the study are collected from 188 SMEs through structured questionnaires, and three hypotheses regarding the associations are tested by using structural equation modeling. Findings Findings of one-way ANOVA tests indicate that performance in financial management practices has a strong and positive correlation with education level of small business owner/managers, whereas no significant difference is found regarding SMEs operating in different industries. For the impact of company age, independent samples t-test is conducted, and a meaningful difference between small- and medium-sized companies which are five years or older and younger is found. Research limitations/implications This study shows that a significant difference for age of an SME is present between over and under five-year-old SMEs, with respect to financial management performance, which is an important finding for both small business and financial management literatures. The tests regarding the particular hypotheses about education level of SME owner/managers indicate that education level of SME owner/managers significantly impacts financial management performance. Practical implications The present study provides important practical implications. First, the importance of education level of owner/managers on SME financial performance is highlighted. Second, strong empirical support is found for the impact of company age on SME performance, which might be discussed as the importance of accumulation of knowledge of the owner/managers and the changes required with the growth patterns of the company, with increasing company age. Third, the study shows that industry differences do not exhibit a significant performance variation factor in financial management of SMEs, with respect to other demographic factors. Overall, these contributions help us better understand the financial management performance indicators in small and medium sized businesses. Originality/value This study focuses on company age, education level and industry differences with respect to financial management performance in SMEs in emerging economies, therefore provides additional empirical evidence to a research area where very few empirical studies exist.
A Survey of Graph-Based Representations and Techniques for Scientific Visualization

Graphs represent general node-link diagrams and have long been utilized in scientiﬁc visualization for data organization and management. However, using graphs as a visual representation and interface for navigating and exploring scientiﬁc data sets has a much shorter history yet the amount of work along this direction is clearly on the rise in recent years. In this paper, we take a holistic perspective and survey graph-based representations and techniques for scientiﬁc visualization. Speciﬁcally, we classify these representations and techniques into four categories, namely, partition-wise, relationship-wise, structure-wise, and provenance-wise. We survey related publications in each category, explaining the roles of graphs in related work and highlighting their similarities and differences. We also point out research trends and remaining challenges in graph-based representations and techniques for scientiﬁc visualization.
Androgen resistance--the clinical and molecular spectrum.

RESISTANCE to the action of androgens, like other forms of hormone resistance, is characterized by partial or complete absence of the usual effects of the hormones and normal or increased hormone production.1 Since androgens are important for normal male sexual development and fertility, defects in androgen action are often associated with abnormal sexual differentiation, infertility, or both. This article reviews the phenotypic variation and the range of molecular defects that have been identified in persons with mutations causing androgen resistance. Male Phenotypic Development During embryogenesis the indifferent gonad in males is converted to a testis in response to a testis-determining .
Sensorless control of interior permanent magnet synchronous motor: An overview and design study

This paper provides an overview of the progress in sensorless permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) control techniques in Japan. In the first stage, the techniques extracted rotor position information by back-EMF zero-crossing detection techniques. Since around 2000, model-based position-sensorless control techniques have been evolved and are widely used in home appliances as well as general industrial applications. Simultaneously, sensorless control based on the magnetic saliency has been developed and commercialized. However, owing to the considerable flux saturation in the rotors, the accuracy of saliency-based position detection depends on the design and structure of the motor. In future motor drives, motor design optimization for saliency-based sensorless control is expected to be the foremost issue for machines. In this paper, an example of design optimizations of application-specific IPMSM for saliency-based sensorless control is introduced.
Influence of the polymorphisms Tpr64Arg in the beta 3-adrenergic receptor gene and Pro12Ala in the PPAR gamma 2 gene on metabolic syndrome-related phenotypes in an indigenous population of the Brazilian Amazon.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Multiple mechanisms, including genetic factors, may contribute to this condition. The Trp64Arg variant in the β3-adrenergic receptor has been associated with features of the metabolic syndrome (1). A relatively common gene variant, Pro12Ala of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2) has been previously studied for association with obesity and type 2 diabetes (2,3). The Parkataje Indians, from the Brazilian Amazon region, remained largely isolated. Recently, they underwent a rapid and intensive process of acculturation, with important changes in their lifestyle. Accompanying these changes, an increasing prevalence of obesity and other features of the metabolic syndrome have …
The interactive effect of exercise and immunosuppressant cyclosporin A on immune function in mice

Abstract Cyclosporin A (CsA) is an effective immunosuppressive agent and exerts its actions by interfering with the activation of T cells. There is growing evidence that regular exercise improves immune function. However, the effects of exercise on immune functions in patients taking CsA are unclear. Here, we examine the interactive effects of CsA administration and regular exercise on immune function in mice. Forty-eight BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to one of six groups with eight mice per group: 0-Ex (no CsA/no exercise), 0 + Ex (no CsA + exercise), 10-Ex (10 mg · kg−1 · day−1 CsA/no exercise), 10 + Ex (10 mg · kg−1 · day−1 CsA + exercise), 20-Ex (20 mg · kg−1 · day−1 CsA/no exercise), and 20 + Ex (20 mg · kg−1 · day−1 CsA + exercise). The three exercise groups were trained for 8 weeks, three times a week, at approximately 75% maximum oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2max). Nitric oxide and interferon-gamma secretions by mitogen-activated macrophages and spleen cells, respectively, were higher in exercise groups than in non-exercise groups receiving the same doses of CsA. The results of this study indicate that regular exercise may enhance Type I helper T cell functions in mice receiving 10 or 20 mg · kg−1 · day−1 CsA. Our results demonstrate that moderate regular exercise modulates the immune function of CsA-treated mice. However, whether this exercise-induced immunomodulatory effect is beneficial or detrimental to CsA-treated patients needs to be clarified.
Pharyngeal wall perforation — an unusual complication of blind intubation with a gum elastic bougic

The editorial by Nicholl and Williatts (Anaesthesia 1998, 53, 1141–3) summarises again the Department of Health (DoH) document for the future of paediatric intensive care services in the United Kingdom [1]. As in the editorial in the British Medical Journal [2], the authors review the current proposals. No mention is made as to whether the proposed target of July 1998, after which children should no longer be looked after in the inappropriate location of general children’s wards, has been met. It is difficult to grasp, with the limited quality of the evidence for centralisation, how the DoH reached its conclusions. These studies have all used outcome as the criteria for good performance and quality of care. This is surely inappropriate in a speciality that has a less than 5% mortality. The studies have also used different scoring systems. The paediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) system was developed in the USA and scores the worst variable at 24 h whilst the paediatric index of mortality (PIM) is an Australian system that scores variables on admission. There is currently no consensus on which is the gold standard and neither has been fully validated in the British paediatric population. These issues, coupled with the fact that family and community opinions do not seem to have been taken into account, and the feeling that the Framework document is skewed towards infant and neonatal care [3], suggest that wastage of scarce resources is again taking place. What was needed, before recommendations, was good quality, properly funded long-term outcome data and research into the appropriate assessment of quality of paediatric intensive care. Once again, the gate has been shut long after the horse has bolted.
Risk and Performance of Elsoft Reseach Berhad

The study analyzes the performance about Elsoft Research Berhad as a company that develop the test and burn-in system and application specific embedded system. It include the observation of Elsoft Research Berhad business activities over the period between 2011 and 2015. The finding shows that the Elsoft company have their own characteristic to control the performance of company among the other competitor company. In year 2011, Elsoft actually face the economic crisis when the other country facing the flooding and also economic crisis such as in Europe.
Application of DNA probes to analysis of bacteriophage distribution patterns in the environment

Radiolabeled bacteriophage DNA probes have been used in this study to determine the distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infecting bacteriophages in natural samples of lake water, sediment, soil, and sewage. The sensitivity of detection of bacteriophage with the DNA probes was between 10(3) and 10(4) PFU and 10(6) to 10(7) CFU of lysogenized bacteria detectable with a homologous phage DNA probe. Analyses of environmental samples suggest that up to 40% of P. aeruginosa in natural ecosystems contain DNA sequences homologous to phage genomes. By using different bacteriophage DNA probes, the diversity of the bacteriophage population in sewage was estimated to be higher than that in other natural samples. The indication that transducing phages and prophages are widely distributed in the Pseudomonas populations investigated has considerable implications for the frequency of natural gene transfer by transduction and of lysogenic conversion of host bacteria in natural ecosystems.