Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Screening Level Approach for Nontarget Insect Risk Assessment: Transgenic Bt Corn Pollen and the Monarch Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Danaidae)

Abstract Quantitative risk assessment affords an objective approach for assessing ecological risk from crops produced using biotechnology. Ecological risk assessment for plant-incorporated insecticidal proteins necessitates consideration of risks to nontarget insects when species-specific hazard information may be lacking. Screening-level risk assessment methods afford a means by which risks to species of concern may be evaluated conservatively using exposure estimates, host-range information, and a probabilistic estimate of toxicity to sensitive species. This approach was applied to the special case of Bt corn pollen risk to monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), populations; the results were compared with more highly refined risk assessment techniques in terms of the risk conclusions which can be developed with more highly certain information. Exposure analysis based on readily available literature showed pollen interception by the host for monarch butterfly larvae (common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L.) declined exponentially with distance from the pollen source. Intra- and inter-genera sensitivity of lepidopteran species was used to project effect to monarch butterfly larvae. When the 90th percentile of effect (LC50) was used to estimate monarch butterfly sensitivity to Bt corn pollen expressing Cry1A(b) protein, the risk of lethality to individual larvae was negligible at >1 m from the edge of source corn fields. Subsequent field measurements of pollen distribution, interception by milkweed, and especially effects determinations for monarch butterfly larvae exposed to Cry1A(b) toxin indicate that the screening-level approach was effective in focusing the scope of the problem to exposure from high-expressing Cry1A(b) events occurring within source cornfields or at the near-field edge. Screening level risk assessment conservatively identifies the scope of concern and the uncertainties that need clarification so that subsequent research can be appropriately focused.
Characteristics of Prostate Cancers Missed by Biopsies: Evaluation of Cumulative Tumor Volume Missed According to Cancer True Prevalence

Purpose: To characterize missed prostate tumors and their cumulative volume with various biopsy regimens to determine optimal biopsy schemes. Methods: We performed 6, 12 and 18-core needle biopsies on 165 and 36-core biopsies on 47 autopsy prostates, respectively. The 6-core biopsy included 6 cores from the mid peripheral zone (MPZ), the 12-core biopsy included 6 cores from the MPZ and lateral PZ (LPZ), and the 18-core biopsies included 6 cores from the MPZ, LPZ and central zone (CZ). The 36-core biopsies included 12 cores in each of these 3 areas. We analyzed the sensitivity of biopsies at each site and evaluated the cumulative volume of cancers and tumor foci missed. Results: Whole-mount analysis identified 59 cancers, 110 tumor foci, and a total cumulative tumor volume of 43 cm3. The percentage of tumor foci and corresponding cumulative volume missed with 6, 12, 18 and 36-core biopsies were of 79% and 58%, 64% and 48%, 57% and 26%, and 42% and 17%, respectively (p 0.05). 12-core biopsies from the MPZ and LPZ performed best for clinically significant cancers detection. However, increasing the number of cores over the 6-core biopsy cutoff increased solely the detection of tumor foci 0.5 cm3. Conclusion: Twelve biopsies from the MPZ and LPZ detected most of the clinically significant cancers while missing most of the tumor foci. These missed tumors represented only a small amount of the overall cancer volume.
Intra‐aortic Balloon Pump Assist for Cardiogenic Shock After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Intra-aortic balloon pump assist (IABP) was applied to 26 patients who could not be with-drawn from total cardiopulmonary bypass (CB) subsequent to elective surgery for multiple cardiac procedures. Eighty-eight per cent were able to separate from CB with IABP and were assisted for 36 to 168 hours. Seventeen were withdrawn from the balloon. Eleven (42%) are hospital survivors. Ten (38%) are alive at the time of this report.IABP was most effective when applied early to patients who had recognizable acute ischemic injury to the myocardium at the time of operation and/or presence of hypertrophied left ventricular myocardium with small chamber volume. Support in these conditions gave 50% survival. Poorest results were in patients with either extensive acute infarction or severe chronic irreversible myocardial damage.
Mechanisms Controlling Subcellular Localization of the G1 Cyclins Cln2p and Cln3p in Budding Yeast

ABSTRACT Different G1 cyclins confer functional specificity to the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) Cdc28p in budding yeast. The Cln3p G1 cyclin is localized primarily to the nucleus, while Cln2p is localized primarily to the cytoplasm. Both binding to Cdc28p and Cdc28p-dependent phosphorylation in the C-terminal region of Cln2p are independently required for efficient nuclear depletion of Cln2p, suggesting that this process may be physiologically regulated. The accumulation of hypophosphorylated Cln2 in the nucleus is an energy-dependent process, but may not involve the RAN GTPase. Phosphorylation of Cln2p is inefficient in small newborn cells obtained by elutriation, and this lowered phosphorylation correlates with reduced Cln2p nuclear depletion in newborn cells. Thus, Cln2p may have a brief period of nuclear residence early in the cell cycle. In contrast, the nuclear localization pattern of Cln3p is not influenced by Cdk activity. Cln3p localization requires a bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) located at the C terminus of the protein. This sequence is required for nuclear localization of Cln3p and is sufficient to confer nuclear localization to green fluorescent protein in a RAN-dependent manner. Mislocalized Cln3p, lacking the NLS, is much less active in genetic assays specific for Cln3p, but more active in assays normally specific for Cln2p, consistent with the idea that Cln3p localization explains a significant part of Clnp functional specificity.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype may predict survival following major trauma

Background: As a key component of the endocrine renin-angiotensin system (RAS), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) regulates circulatory homeostasis. Meanwhile, the local RAS influences tissue growth, inflammatory and metabolic responses. The absence (deletion, D) rather than the presence (insertion, I) of a 287 base pair fragment in the ACE gene is associated with higher circulating and tissue ACE activity, with excess mortality in critical illness (including adult acute respiratory distress syndrome and paediatric meningococcal infection) and with worse functional outcome from traumatic brain injury. Objective: To determine if the ACE genotype is associated with mortality following major trauma. Methods: 41 subjects with major trauma admitted to the Royal London Hospital over a 2-year period via the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service were enrolled. ACE genotype was available in 36. Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), age, sex and outcome data were recorded for each. ACE genotype was determined from leucocyte DNA using well described techniques. Results: The presence of one or more D alleles was associated with a mortality of 36.4% compared with 7.1% for II alleles (p = 0.048). Age (p = 0.044) also predicted mortality whereas RTS (p = 0.08) and ISS (p = 0.46) did not. ACE genotype was significantly associated with RTS but not age or ISS. Conclusion: The ACE D allele may be associated with mortality from major trauma. Replication of these findings in larger studies may aid definition of high-risk subgroups that would benefit from early intensive management. New therapeutic targets might also be suggested.
Input partitioning to mixture of experts

Given a supervised learning context, the mixture of experts approach uses several neural networks in parallel to provide a modular solution to the overall problem. Under the mixtures of experts architecture a method for 'designing' the number of experts and assigning local 'regions' of the input space to individual experts is investigated. Classification performance and transparency of the scheme is found to be significantly better than that using a standard mixtures of experts.
Reactive Nodular Mucinosis: A Variant of Cutaneous Focal Mucinosis?

l;20) with a speckled pattern; serutn glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) 51 U/L (normal up to 29); gamtna glutytnyl transferase (y-GT), 71 U/L (normal 5-38); complete hlood count (CBC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and serologic tests for sypbilis were within normal litnits or nonreactive. Because of the impression of alopecia areata and nummular eczema, systemic and topical corticosteroids were given from March 1992 to May 1993, but the skin lesions did not cbange. Biopsies were taken from a nodule on tbe forehead and an alopecic patch of the scalp iti May 1993. The specimen of the forehead showed irregular acantbosis, diffuse parakeratosis, focal spotigiosis of tbe epidermis, exocytosis of lympbocytes, a dermal perivascular lytnphobistiocytic infiltrate, atid mucin deposition in the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Mucinous tnaterial was widespread atnong collagen bundles throughout the dertnis and subcutaneous fat layer; it was positively staitied by alcian blue stain and negatively by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. A direct imunofluorescence study of a forebead lesion showed a local trace of C3 and IgM deposits along the dermoepidermal junction. The bistopathologic features of the scalp biopsies were: tnoderate lytnpbohistiocytic cellular infiltrate around blood vessels and skin appendages, dertnal edema, moderate lobular panniculitis, and fat necrosis. No abnormal tinditigs were observed iti the overlyitig epidermis. In addition, mucinous material was deposited throughout the dermis and subcutaneous fat layer. Examitiation by direct itntnunofluorescence (DIE) sbowed focal C3 deposits alotig the hair follicular sheath. According to these findings, tbe diagnoses of papulonodular mucinosis on the forehead and alopecia with LE panniculitis on the scalp were tnade. Therefore, the adtninistration of hydroxychloroquine, 200 tng per day was begun. One year later, the papulonodular skin lesions had mostly disappeared and marked hair regrowth had occurred except for focal residual atrophy. The ANA became negative.
A CMOS active feedback wideband single-to-differential LNA using inductive shunt-peaking for saw-less SDR receivers

A wideband active feedback single-to-differential (S-to-D) LNA composed of a S-to-D converter, a voltage combiner, and a negative feedback network is proposed. By feeding the single-ended output of the voltage combiner, which is used for combining the differential output of the S-to-D converter, to the input of the LNA through the feedback network, a wideband S-to-D LNA exploiting negative feedback is implemented. By using shunt-peaking of the source follower (SF) based active inductor, the proposed S-to-D LNA can achieve wider loop gain bandwidth with balun functionality. The 3-dB gain bandwidth of the proposed S-to-D LNA is above 5 GHz and the NF is below 4 dB from 100 MHz to 5 GHz. An average voltage gain of 18 dB and an ΠΡ3 of −5 dBm are obtained.
A new method for efficient drive and current control of small-sized brushless DC motor: Experiments and its evaluation

In the low inductance and small-sized brushless DC motor, the conventional PWM driving method makes relatively large copper loss because of an unintended directional transition current caused by ordinary complementary switching in the halfbridge circuits. We implemented the experimental feedforward current control system based on the method proposed by us[1] in which the bridge circuits are driven non-complementarily to improve the power efficiency based on the circuit analysis and measured an actual power consumption. In the experimental system, driving circuits and micro controller are existing products in which control software is replaced, without current pickup circuit. In this paper, we report on the detail of the implementation and results of experiments on the real small-sized motor. And also the discussions on the effectiveness of proposed method is given.
Hybrid speciation in sparrows II: a role for sex chromosomes?

Homoploid hybrid speciation in animals is poorly understood, mainly because of the scarcity of well‐documented cases. Here, we present the results of a multilocus sequence analysis on the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), Spanish sparrow (P. hispaniolensis) and their proposed hybrid descendant, the Italian sparrow (P. italiae). The Italian sparrow is shown to be genetically intermediate between the house sparrow and Spanish sparrow, exhibiting genealogical discordance and a mosaic pattern of alleles derived from either of the putative parental species. The average variation on the Z chromosome was significantly reduced compared with autosomal variation in the putative parental species, the house sparrow and Spanish sparrow. Additionally, divergence between the two species was elevated on the Z chromosome relative to the autosomes. This pattern of variation and divergence is consistent with reduced introgression of Z‐linked genes and/or a faster‐Z effect (increased rate of adaptive divergence on the Z). FST‐outlier tests were consistent with the faster‐Z hypothesis: two of five Z‐linked loci (CHD1Z and PLAA) were identified as candidates for being subject to positive, divergent selection in the putative parental species. Interestingly, the two latter genes showed a mosaic pattern in the (hybrid) Italian sparrow; that is, the Italian sparrow was found to be fixed for Spanish sparrow alleles at CHD1Z and to mainly have house sparrow alleles at PLAA. Preliminary evidence presented in this study thus suggests that sex chromosomes may play a significant role in this case of homoploid hybrid speciation.
The determinants of change in patella cartilage volume in osteoarthritic knees.

OBJECTIVE The rate of change in patella articular cartilage and factors influencing it, in subjects with osteoarthritis (OA), is unknown. We performed a cohort study to determine this. METHODS One hundred ten subjects with OA had baseline skyline and lateral radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on their knee. They were followed 2 years later with a repeat MRI of the same knee. Patella and tibial cartilage volume was measured at baseline and followup. Risk factors assessed at baseline were tested for their association with change in patella cartilage volume over time. RESULTS The annual percentage loss of patella cartilage was 4.5 +/- 4.3%. Sex, body mass index (BMI), and pain score at baseline were associated with an increase in cartilage loss. The rate of patella cartilage loss was greater in women than men, 5.3% versus 3.5% (p < 0.03), independent of age, BMI, and pain score. No association was seen between change in patellar cartilage volume and change in either medial or lateral tibial cartilage volume (r = 0.02, p = 0.86 and r = 0.08, p = 0.43, respectively). CONCLUSION In OA, patella cartilage volume is lost at 4.5 +/- 4.3% per year. The main factors affecting this are sex, BMI, and baseline pain score. The poor correlation between patella cartilage loss and cartilage loss in the tibial compartment suggests that the pathogenetic mechanisms for OA in the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joint may differ. Further work will be required to determine whether the rate of patella cartilage loss in OA is steady or phasic, and to determine which factors can be modified to reduce cartilage loss.
Diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers: the association of wound size, wound duration, and wound grade on healing.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to evaluate whether simple risk factors can be identified that successfully characterize who will heal and who will not heal among patients who have received standard therapy for diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS For this cohort study, we evaluated >31,000 individuals with a diabetic neuropathic foot ulcer seen in the Curative Health Services System. Using multivariate logistic regression, we evaluated the association between wound size, wound duration, wound grade, and other variables and their effect on whether a patient would heal by the 20th week of care. RESULTS We demonstrated that wound size, wound duration, and wound grade are all significantly associated with the likelihood of a wound healing by the 20th week of care. In addition, we noted that these associations were not significantly affected by the treating wound care center, whether the unit of analysis was one wound on a patient or all of their wounds, or current adjuvant therapies. CONCLUSIONS We have shown that three easy-to-measure risk factors are associated with a wound healing. These results should help clinicians understand the likelihood that a wound will heal and help those conducting clinical investigations to design better trials.
An Improved Vector Fitting Method for Parametric Identification of Transfer Functions in EMC Measurement

Due to the non-flat amplitude-frequency characteristics of antennas used in EMC measurement, measuring results can not accurately present the real levels of radiations. So, transfer functions for frequency-domain compensation of antennas, should be adopted to rectify the radiations levels. Vector fitting is a popular iterative rational approximation technique for transfer function in the frequency domain. In this paper, an improved methodology is introduced, which improves the calculation accuracy and reduces the influence of condition number.
Unified DC-Link Current Control for Low-Voltage Ride-Through in Current-Source-Converter-Based Wind Energy Conversion Systems

The increased penetration of wind power into utility grid brings challenges to power converter design in wind energy conversion systems (WECSs). Among all, low-voltage ride-through has been enforced in the field, which is one of the major challenges for WECS. It is necessary to design an integrated controller to protect the converter from overvoltage/overcurrent and to support the grid voltage during faults and recoveries. In this paper, a unified dc-link current control scheme for current-source-converter-based WECS is proposed. The controllers for generator- and grid-side converters are coordinated to provide fault ride-through capability. In normal operations, the proposed control scheme can also smooth the real power flow while keeping the fast dynamic performance of the dc-link current control. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the proposed control scheme.
Pleiotrophin: a cytokine with diverse functions and a novel signaling pathway.

Pleiotrophin (PTN the protein, Ptn the gene) is a 136 amino acid secreted heparin-binding cytokine that signals diverse functions, including lineage-specific differentiation of glial progenitor cells, neurite outgrowth, and angiogenesis. Pleiotrophin gene expression is found in cells in early differentiation during different development periods and upregulated in cells with an early differentiation phenotype in wound repair. The Ptn gene is a protooncogene. It is strongly expressed in different human tumor cells and expression of the Ptn gene in tumor cells in vivo accelerates growth and stimulates tumor angiogenesis. Separate independent domains have been identified in PTN to signal transformation and tumor angiogenesis. Pleiotrophin is the first ligand of any of the known transmembrane tyrosine phosphatases. Pleiotrophin inactivates the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) beta/zeta. The interaction of PTN and RPTP beta/zeta increases steady-state tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin. Pleiotrophin thus regulates both normal cell functions and different pathological conditions at many levels. It signals these functions through a transmembrane tyrosine phosphatase.
The Porter Five-forces Industry Analysis Framework For Religious Nonprofits: A conceptual analysis

Goold (1997) has argued that the Porter (1980) five-forces framework for industry analysis is not applicable to nonprofits. In light of recent essays (e.g. Miller, 2002) as well as literature from the world of religious nonprofit organizations and organization theory, the Porter framework is analyzed through a review of representative literature. The religious nonprofit arena was chosen for this conceptual analysis based on an assumed key difference between religious nonprofits and for-profit firms: the stronger influence that mission has in strategy formulation compared with the influence of the external environment. Implications for further research are suggested.
Pregnancy and perinatal conditions and atopic disease prevalence in childhood and adulthood

Previous studies showed controversial results for the influence of pregnancy‐related and perinatal factors on subsequent respiratory and atopic diseases in children. The aim of this study was to assess the association between perinatal variables and the prevalence of asthma, bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR), flexural eczema (FE), allergic rhinitis, and sensitization in childhood and early adulthood.
Structure-function analysis of the maf oncogene product, a member of the b-Zip protein family

The v-maf oncogene, identified as the transforming gene of the avian retrovirus AS42, encodes a protein containing a b-Zip motif. From this structural feature, the v-Maf protein was expected to form a dimer and function as a nuclear DNA-binding protein. In this study, we demonstrate that this protein indeed localizes predominantly in the nucleus and forms a homodimer through its leucine zipper structure. To delineate the structural requirement for the transforming activity, we constructed and characterized a panel of v-maf mutants harboring various deletions or point mutations. A region of about 100 amino acid residues located near its carboxyl terminus, which contains the b-Zip motif, was found to be essential for the basal transforming activity of v-Maf on chicken embryo fibroblasts. On the other hand, the amino-terminal two-thirds of the v-Maf protein seems to play a role in potentiating the transforming activity of v-Maf. It was also found that the c-maf proto-oncogene, without any structural modification in its protein-coding region, could transform cells as efficiently as could the v-maf oncogene when transduced by a retroviral vector. Thus, it is probably deregulated expression that makes the v-maf gene oncogenic. In addition, we discovered one point mutation, altering the structure of the b-Zip domain, which further enhances the transforming activity of the v-maf oncogene. Such mutant will be useful in exploring the mechanism of action of the Maf protein.
INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHOLIPID COMPOSITION ON THE ADJUVANTICITY AND PROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF LIPOSOME-ENCAPSULATED LEISHMANIA DONOVANI ANTIGENS

In this study, we evaluate the effect of phospholipid on the adjuvanicity and protective efficacy of liposome vaccine carriers against visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in a hamster model. Liposomes prepared with distearyol derivative of l-α-phosphatidyl choline (DSPC) having liquid crystalline transition temperature (Tc) 54 C were as efficient as dipalmitoyl (DPPC) (Tc 41 C) and dimyristoyl (DMPC) (Tc 23 C) derivatives in their ability to entrap Leishmania donovani membrane antigens (LAg) and to potentiate strong antigen-specific antibody responses. However, whereas LAg in DPPC and DMPC liposomes stimulated inconsistent delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, strong DTH was observed with LAg in DSPC liposomes. The heightened adjuvant activity of DSPC liposomes corresponded with 95% protection, with almost no protectivity with LAg in DPPC and DMPC liposomes, 4 mo after challenge with L. donovani. These data demonstrate the superiority of DSPC liposomes for formulation of L. donovani vaccine. In addition, they demonstrate a correlation of humoral and cell-mediated immunity with protection against VL in hamsters.