Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein Localization in Escherichia coli Cells: Comparison of the Cytoplasmic Membrane Proteins ProP, LacY, ProW, AqpZ, MscS, and MscL

ABSTRACT Fluorescence microscopy has revealed that the phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) and FlAsH-labeled transporters ProP and LacY are concentrated at the poles of Escherichia coli cells. The proportion of CL among E. coli phospholipids can be varied in vivo as it is decreased by cls mutations and it increases with the osmolality of the growth medium. In this report we compare the localization of CL, ProP, and LacY with that of other cytoplasmic membrane proteins. The proportion of cells in which FlAsH-labeled membrane proteins were concentrated at the cell poles was determined as a function of protein expression level and CL content. Each tagged protein was expressed from a pBAD24-derived plasmid; tagged ProP was also expressed from the chromosome. The osmosensory transporter ProP and the mechanosensitive channel MscS concentrated at the poles at frequencies correlated with the cellular CL content. The lactose transporter LacY was found at the poles at a high and CL-independent frequency. ProW (a component of the osmoregulatory transporter ProU), AqpZ (an aquaporin), and MscL (a mechanosensitive channel) were concentrated at the poles in a minority of cells, and this polar localization was CL independent. The frequency of polar localization was independent of induction (at arabinose concentrations up to 1 mM) for proteins encoded by pBAD24-derived plasmids. Complementation studies showed that ProW, AqpZ, MscS, and MscL remained functional after introduction of the FlAsH tag (CCPGCC). These data suggest that CL-dependent polar localization in E. coli cells is not a general characteristic of transporters, channels, or osmoregulatory proteins. Polar localization can be frequent and CL independent (as observed for LacY), frequent and CL dependent (as observed for ProP and MscS), or infrequent (as observed for AqpZ, ProW, and MscL).
Molecular pathways in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common newly diagnosed cancer and accounts for the second highest number of cancer related deaths in Australia, the third worldwide and of increasing importance in Asia. It arises through cumulative effects of inherited genetic predispositions and environmental factors. Genomic instability is an integral part in the transformation of normal colonic or rectal mucosa into carcinoma. Three molecular pathways have been identified: these are the chromosomal instability (CIN), the microsatellite instability (MSI), and the CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) pathways. These pathways are not mutually exclusive, with some tumors exhibiting features of multiple pathways. Germline mutations are responsible for hereditary CRC syndromes (accounting for less than 5% of all CRC) while a stepwise accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations results in sporadic CRC. This review aims to discuss the genetic basis of hereditary CRC and the different pathways involved in the process of colorectal carcinogenesis.
Encountered-Type Haptic Interface for Representation of Shape and Rigidity of 3D Virtual Objects

This paper describes the development of an encountered-type haptic interface that can generate the physical characteristics, such as shape and rigidity, of three-dimensional (3D) virtual objects using an array of newly developed non-expandable balloons. To alter the rigidity of each non-expandable balloon, the volume of air in it is controlled through a linear actuator and a pressure sensor based on Hooke's law. Furthermore, to change the volume of each balloon, its exposed surface area is controlled by using another linear actuator with a trumpet-shaped tube. A position control mechanism is constructed to display virtual objects using the balloons. The 3D position of each balloon is controlled using a flexible tube and a string. The performance of the system is tested and the results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed principle and interface.
Saccadic eye movements in Parkinson's disease

This review focuses on saccadic eye movement research in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Results from various studies related to Parkinson disease and saccades have been discussed in terms of various saccadic parameters like latency, amplitude, velocity and gain. Neural circuitry of saccadic eye movements and cognitive processes and it's relation with altered saccadic performance in Parkinson disease has been discussed here. This article also covers various research paradigms commonly used to study saccades. Effects of medication on saccadic parameters in PD patients have also been discussed along with the effects of deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus on saccadic performance in PD patients. Literature review was done using online Pubmed search engine and National Medical Library.
Are the Recent Restatements of Financial Institutions 10K’s due to the Perceived Earning Volatility Caused by SFAS 161?

The goal of this research was to investigate the controversy surrounding the inability of SFAS 133 an amendment of SFAS 161 to portray the economics of hedging. This research examined whether or not BHCs’ design of hedge effectiveness tests was determined by the concern of the additional earnings volatility possibly evolved from economic hedges that do not qualify for hedge accounting. The results implicate that most BHCs after the amendment of SFAS 161 reassessed their risk management approach to one that is more accounting responsive to ensure that most hedges are highly effective to qualify for hedge accounting. The findings suggest that BHCs reciprocate between risk management and earnings volatility when face a trade-off between employ economic hedges which increase earnings volatility and discontinue economic hedges to avoid increases in earnings volatility. The results accede with the results of Park (2004), Singh (2008), Zhang (2008), Hariom (2014), Bratten (2016), Spencer (2018), and Thomas (2018) who found that derivative users had lower levels of earnings volatility after the introduction of SFAS 161.
Sexual swellings in female hamadryas baboons after male take‐overs: “Deceptive” swellings as a possible female counter‐strategy against infanticide

In many primate species, male infanticide is assumed to pose a serious risk for infants, and therefore female counter‐strategies are expected. These counter‐strategies may include changes in the females’ reproductive behavior and physiology, e.g., mating with multiple males and prolonged receptivity. Since the risk of infanticide is particularly high when a new male enters the group or when a male rises in rank, we studied the changes in female reproductive conditions, e.g., post‐partum amenorrhea and interbirth intervals, following group take‐overs by new males in a captive group of hamadryas baboons (Papio h. hamadryas). Following take‐overs, five out of six lactating females immediately developed sexual swellings, thus shortening their post‐partum amenorrhea. However, none of these females conceived during the first cycles after the take‐over, their reproduction was not accelerated, and four out of five dependent infants survived. Thus, interbirth intervals did not decrease compared to times with no group take‐overs. We therefore suggest that these situation‐dependent swellings are used by female hamadryas baboons as a counter‐strategy to reduce the risk of infanticide, which exists in this species after male take‐overs. By offering new males mating opportunities without allowing them to reproduce, females may increase their infants’ probability of survival and at the same time avoid the costs of being pregnant and lactating simultaneously. Am. J. Primatol. 52:157–168, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Racial Disproportionality in Wisconsin's Child Welfare System

The La Follette School of Public Affairs is a nonpartisan teaching and research department of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The school takes no stand on policy issues; opinions expressed in these pages reflect the views of the authors. The far higher proportion of African American and American Indian in the child welfare population than in the overall child population is a puzzle that we are not yet close to solving, despite ongoing research and recommendations. This report reviews the theories about why these two racial groups are so overrepresented in the child welfare system and presents measures of disproportionate representation at several decision points in Wisconsin's child welfare system. The analysis focuses on three points: investigation and out-of-home placement, which contribute to overrepresentation, and substantiation, which does not. This report improves in several ways upon analyses that had been available to the Department of Children and Families. The authors identify variation in indices of disparity and disproportionality across decision points and across counties, with Milwaukee County showing less disparity than the others. The county-level data allow the authors to speculate on reasons why representation of these two racial groups varies across the several decision points. The authors' analysis focuses on the relative rate of African American and American Indian children's involvement in the child welfare system relative to their white counterparts. However, limitations of the data available to the authors meant they could not sort out whether limited community services force families to seek state assistance or if biased reporting or higher rates of maltreatment of children leads to overrepre-sentation of African American and American Indian children in the child welfare population. Data limitations likewise reduce the ability to draw conclusions about the reasons why overrepresentation is diminished at the substantiation decision point and higher in foster care. The Department of Children and Families needs to collect and analyze additional data, preferably at the individual level, before it can understand the causes of overrepresentation and its variation across counties and decision points. The authors' training is part of the La Follette School of Public Affairs' two-year graduate program that leads to a master's degree in public affairs. Students study policy analysis and public management, and they pursue a concentration in a public policy area of their choice. They spend the first year and a half taking courses that provide them with the tools they need to analyze public policies. Although …
[Technical survey of safety levels established in building sites in the Pescara area].

In 2006, in the context of the initiative aimed at "Promotion of safety and health of workers in construction yards", the Operative Unit of Occupational Health, University G. d'Annunzio, in collaboration with the Construction School of the Province of Pescara and INAIL, started a survey of construction yards around Pescara aimed at collecting data regarding respect of the specific law concerning construction yards and the risk perception of workers. The survey of 100 construction yards provided useful information towards a concise picture of safety levels obtained. In addition 300 interviews were carried out with workers to find out about their knowledge of accident prevention, how important they considered the use of personal protection devices, how often they used them, reasons for not using them, the devices most used,. and any injuries that occurred. The studied showed that, although the situation as improved compared to the past, further steps need to be taken.
Provision of care to the underserved populations by National Health Service Corps alumni dentists.

OBJECTIVE This study examined factors associated with dentists continuing to provide care to the underserved populations beyond their National Health Service Corps (NHSC) obligation period. METHODS Self-administered questionnaires were mailed in 1998 to 404 dentists who had completed their service obligation between 1980 and 1997. The outcome variable was dentist self-report of continuing to work with the underserved population past NHSC obligation. RESULTS Among 249 respondents (62% response rate), 46 percent of alumni dentists continued to work with an underserved population. Multivariate analyses found that being an African American (odds ratio [OR] = 3.2), higher final salary during the NHSC assignment (OR = 1.2), and higher altruistic motivation to work with the underserved populations prior to entering NHSC (OR = 1.1) were significantly associated with continued service to the underserved populations. CONCLUSIONS A small number of factors were associated with alumni NHSC dentists' decisions to continue to provide care for the underserved populations. Targeting African-American students and students interested in caring for the underserved may improve the long-term commitment of dentists to provide care for the underserved populations. Attention will also need to be given to increased salary as a potential intervention to increase the numbers of dentists who continue to serve the underserved populations.
A reassessment of infantile esotropia. XLIV Edward Jackson memorial lecture.

Essential infantile esotropia is an early acquired, not a congenital, condition, although congenital factors may favor its development between the ages of 3 and 6 months. It must be distinguished from other forms of esotropia with an onset between birth and the first six months of life. The cause of essential infantile esotropia remains unknown, but advances in our knowledge can be expected from the rapidly emerging discipline of infant psychophysics. In analyzing treatment results, a clear distinction must be made between normal, subnormal, and anomalous forms of binocular cooperation. While complete restoration of normal binocular function is rarely, if ever, achieved, anomalous binocular cooperation has many functional advantages over suppression or diplopia and should not be disturbed by overzealous treatment. Subnormal binocular vision is considered to be an optimal, microtropia a desirable, and a residual small angle heterotropia an acceptable end stage of surgical therapy. In a study of 358 surgically treated patients with a documented onset of essential infantile esotropia before age 6 months, subnormal binocular vision was present in 71 (20%), a microtropia in 25 (7%), and a small angle esotropia or exotropia in 140 (39%) of the patients. Surgical alignment before completion of the second year of life improved the chances for an optimal treatment result. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ultrasound Assessment of the Vertebral Level of the Intercristal Line in Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: The intercristal line is known to most frequently cross the L4 spinous process or L4-5 interspace; however, it is speculated to be positioned higher during pregnancy because of the exaggerated lumbar lordosis. Clinical estimation of vertebral levels relying on the use of the intercristal line has been shown to often be inaccurate. We hypothesized that the vertebral level of the intercristal line determined by palpation would be higher than the level determined by ultrasound in pregnant women. METHODS: Fifty-one term pregnant patients were recruited. Two experienced anesthesiologists performed estimates of the position of the intercristal line by palpation. Using ultrasound, another anesthesiologist who was blinded to the clinical estimates, determined the position of the superior border of the iliac crest in the transverse and longitudinal planes and then identified the lumbar vertebral levels. The vertebral level at which the clinical estimates of the intercristal line crossed the spine was recorded and compared with the ultrasound-determined level of the superior border of the iliac crest. RESULTS: The clinical estimates of the spinal level of the intercristal line agreed with the ultrasound measurement 14% of the time (14 of 101; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8%, 22%). The clinical estimates were 1 level higher than the ultrasound measurement 23% of the time (23 of 101; 95% CI: 16%, 32%) and >1 level higher 25% of the time (25 of 101; 1-tailed 95% CI: >18%). The distribution of the clinical estimates found clinicians locating the intercristal line at L3 or L3-4 54% of the time (54 of 101; 95% CI: 44%, 63%) and at L2-3 or higher 27% of the time (27 of 101; 1-tailed 95% CI: >20%). CONCLUSION: The anatomical position of the intercristal line was at L3 or higher in at least 6% of term pregnant patients using ultrasound. Clinical estimates were found to be ≥1 vertebral level higher than the anatomical position determined by ultrasound at least 40% of the time. This disparity may contribute to misidentification of lumbar interspaces and increased risk of neurologic injury during neuraxial anesthesia.
Update on HIV-1 diversity in Africa: a decade in review.

BACKGROUND HIV-1 strains have diversified extensively through mutation and recombination since their initial transmission to human beings many decades ago in Central Africa in the first part of the 20th Century (between 1915 and 1941). The upward trend in global HIV-1 diversity has continued unabated, with newer groups, subtypes, and unique and circulating recombinants increasingly being reported, especially in Africa. OBJECTIVE In this review, we focus on the extensive diversity of HIV-1 over a decade (2000-2011), in 51 countries of the three African geographic regions (eastern and southern, western and central, and northern Africa) as per the WHO/UNAIDS 2010 classification. METHODOLOGY References for this review were identified through searches of PubMed, conference abstracts, Google Scholar, and Springer Online Archives Collection. We retrieved 273 citations, of which 200 reported HIV-1 diversity from Africa from January, 2000 to August, 2011. Articles resulting from these searches and relevant references cited in those articles were reviewed. Articles published in English and French were included. FINDINGS There has been a high diversity of HIV-1 in its epicenter, west-central Africa. A few subtypes, namely, A (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5), C, CRF02_AG, and D accounted for about 85% of new infections. Subtype A and D have been stable in East Africa; C in southern Africa; A, G, CRF02_AG, and CRF06_cpx in western Africa; and subtype B and CRF02_AG in northern Africa. Recently a new putative group, designated P, was reported to be found in two Cameroonians. CONCLUSION The regional distributions of individual subtypes and recombinants are broadly stable, although unique/circulating recombinant forms may play an increasing role in the HIV pandemic. Understanding the kinetics and directions of this continuing adaptation and its impact on viral fitness, immunogenicity, and pathogenicity are crucial to the successful design of effective HIV vaccines. There is need for regular monitoring and review updates, such as the one presented here, to assist countries to plan and anticipate complex forms that may be introduced with time.
Respiratory sound classification using perceptual linear prediction features for healthy - Pathological diagnosis

This study proposes a new model and feature extraction method for the classification of multi-channel respiratory sound data with the final aim of building a diagnosis aid tool for the medical doctor. Fourteen-channel data are processed separately and combined at feature level and fed to the support vector machines with radial basis kernel. Healthy-pathological subject based binary classification is employed where the recall rates for the healthy class and pathological class are 95 percent and 80 percent, respectively. The minimum precision rate is 80 percent. The method, when supported by additional features (adventitious sound frequency, type, etc.), may be employed in clinical practice as an aiding decision maker.
Prognostic markers of high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions: the role of p16INK4a and high‐risk human papillomavirus

Background. p16INK4a seems to be an indicator of the grade of Human Papillomavirus‐induced lesions and a possible predictor of the lesion evolution. There are few studies about the role of HPV test and p16INK4a in diagnosis of high‐grade cervical lesions in South‐American women. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of p16INK4a and high‐risk HPV‐DNA expression in cases diagnosed as squamous intra‐epithelial lesion and evaluate their role in the approach of high‐grade squamous intra‐epithelial lesion. Methods. p16INK4a and high‐risk Human papillomavirus were investigated in 96 samples of the cervix (13 cases of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 26 cases of low grade intraepithelial lesions and 57 normal tissues). The p16INK4a was identified by immunohistochemistry using the p16INK4a kit (E6H4 clone, DakoCytomation, Carpinteria, CA) and Human papillomavirus DNA was classified by hybrid capture (Digene®). Associations were evaluated by the KAPPA index. Results. The p16INK4a was detected in 92.3% of the high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, in 15.4% of the low‐grade and in none of the normal tissues. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for high‐grade lesion were 92.3%, 100%, 100%, and 98.3%, respectively when considering p16INK4a expression, and 100%, 70.2%, 43.3% and 100%, respectively when considering high‐risk HPV. Conclusions. p16INK4a test was better associated with high‐grade intraepithelial lesion (κ = 0.95) than was the presence of high‐risk HPV (κ = 0.47). Both tests could be complementary to high‐grade squamous intra‐epithelial lesion screening and help to define the diagnosis of the inconclusive low‐grade/high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion cases.
Quality of life in pediatric liver transplantation in a single‐center in South America

Sanchez C, Eymann A, De Cunto C, D’Agostino D. Quality of life in pediatric liver transplantation in a single‐center in South America. Pediatr Transplantation 2010: 14: 332–336. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Design of a fault tolerant control system incorporating reliability analysis and dynamic behaviour constraints

In highly automated aerospace and industrial systems where maintenance and repair cannot be carried out immediately, it is crucial to design control systems capable of ensuring desired performance when taking into account the occurrence of faults/failures on a plant/process; such a control technique is referred to as fault tolerant control (FTC). The control system processing such fault tolerance capability is referred to as a fault tolerant control system (FTCS). The objective of FTC is to maintain system stability and current performance of the system close to the desired performance in the presence of system component and/or instrument faults; in certain circumstances a reduced performance may be acceptable. Various control design methods have been developed in the literature with the target to modify or accommodate baseline controllers which were originally designed for systems operating under fault-free conditions. The main objective of this article is to develop a novel FTCS design method, which incorporates both reliability and dynamic performance of the faulty system in the design of a FTCS. Once a fault has been detected and isolated, the reconfiguration strategy proposed in this article will find possible structures of the faulty system that best preserve pre-specified performances based on on-line calculated system reliability and associated costs. The new reconfigured controller gains will also be synthesised and finally the optimal structure that has the ‘best’ control performance with the highest reliability will be chosen for control reconfiguration. The effectiveness of this work is illustrated by a heating system benchmark used in a European project entitled intelligent Fault Tolerant Control in Integrated Systems (IFATIS EU-IST-2001-32122).