Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic aspects of susceptibility, severity, and clinical expression in ankylosing spondylitis

While twin studies have previously demonstrated high heritability of susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS), it is only recently that the involvement of genetic factors in determining the severity of the disease has been demonstrated. The genes involved in determining the rate of ankylosis in AS are likely to be different from those involved in the underlying immunologic events, and represent important potential targets for treatment of AS. This article will describe the progress that has been made in the genetic epidemiology of AS, and in identifying the genes involved.
Lowered legal blood alcohol limits for young drivers: effects on drinking, driving, and driving-after-drinking behaviors in 30 states.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the effects on drinking and driving of lowered allowable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits for drivers younger than 21 years in 30 US states between 1984 and 1998. METHODS Outcome measures were based on self-reports from a cross-sectional sample of more than 5000 high school seniors in 30 states surveyed before and after BAC limits were implemented in their states. RESULTS Frequency of driving after any drinking and driving after 5 or more drinks declined 19% and 23%, respectively. Lower BAC limits did not affect overall amount of drinking or total number of miles driven. CONCLUSIONS Significant beneficial effects of lowered youth BAC limits have appeared despite limited publicity and enforcement of the new laws.
Using Near Misses to Enhance Safety Performance in Construction

While the number of fatalities experienced by the construction industry has been declining over the past twenty years, the rate of decrease has been slowing down, almost stagnant in recent years (ILO 2003). As an industry, construction has averaged approximately 1,010 fatalities per year revealing that it is still one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. (BLS 2013a). Historically, the construction industry has defined safety performance through the measurement and assessment of lagging indicators; injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. These lagging indicator safety measures are used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to assess the state of construction safety (BLS 2013b). One major limitation of assessing worker safety performance using lagging indicators is that accidents must occur before hazards or unsafe worker behavior can be identified and mitigated; it’s like looking in the rear view mirror to see where you are going.
DockTrina: Docking triangular protein trimers

In spite of the abundance of oligomeric proteins within a cell, the structural characterization of protein–protein interactions is still a challenging task. In particular, many of these interactions involve heteromeric complexes, which are relatively difficult to determine experimentally. Hence there is growing interest in using computational techniques to model such complexes. However, assembling large heteromeric complexes computationally is a highly combinatorial problem. Nonetheless the problem can be simplified greatly by considering interactions between protein trimers. After dimers and monomers, triangular trimers (i.e. trimers with pair‐wise contacts between all three pairs of proteins) are the most frequently observed quaternary structural motifs according to the three‐dimensional (3D) complex database. This article presents DockTrina, a novel protein docking method for modeling the 3D structures of nonsymmetrical triangular trimers. The method takes as input pair‐wise contact predictions from a rigid body docking program. It then scans and scores all possible combinations of pairs of monomers using a very fast root mean square deviation test. Finally, it ranks the predictions using a scoring function which combines triples of pair‐wise contact terms and a geometric clash penalty term. The overall approach takes less than 2 min per complex on a modern desktop computer. The method is tested and validated using a benchmark set of 220 bound and seven unbound protein trimer structures. DockTrina will be made available at http://nano‐d.inrialpes. fr/software/docktrina. Proteins 2014; 82:34–44. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improve Your Social Network and Have the Advantage in the Employment Seeking Process

Human resource management uses social networks to identify new employees. This research investigates if people use social networks to identify employment opportunities and how they improve their networks to get easier and quicker access to information and resources. Researchers worldwide devote their attention to different aspects of identification of new employees via social networks. The authors of the paper have done empirical research based on an online survey with 298 respondents, and the data obtained from the survey has been analysed using various statistical tools. The number of suitable candidates for employment is decreasing and companies need knowledge about the employment seeking process to have an effective and efficient recruiting strategy. This paper studies the information channel on employment possibilities, i.e. social network, and how individuals develop and improve their networks for the employment seeking process. Moreover, the authors analyse how people use social networks in the employment seeking process compared with other channels on possible employment opportunities. KEYWORDS: social networks, employment seeking process, communication channel, human resource management. JEL CODES: L14, D83, O15. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.15181/rfds.v23i3. 1590
Immune Suppression as Related to Toxicology

INTRODUCTION Aberrant or defective immune responses are known to be the result of primary immunodeficiency diseases, e.g., in the DiGeorge syndrome (thymic hypoplasia) in man, or in homozygous mice with the mutation “nude” (nu/nu), which are hairless and suffer from congenital thymic hypoplasia (Figure l). Immune deficiency can also be secondary, e.g., a result of under-nutrition, irradiation with γ or X-rays, neonatal thymectomy, treatment with anti-lymphocyte serum, treatment with certain chemicals, and during infectious diseases. Regarding chemical compounds, relatively much information is available on the small number of immunosuppressive agents used clinically for immune suppression, e.g., some thiopurines and alkylating agents (reviewed by Bach). 1 Surprisingly, only a limited number of chemicals have been shown in toxicity studies to have immunosuppressive properties, and particularly the cell-mediated immunity has been poorly studied. A likely reason for this fact is that current procedures for toxicity testing2−6 underestimate the importance of the immune system; lymphoid organs and in general the immune system have been poorly examined. Therefore, in-depth investigations were performed with only a few chemicals as to their effect on the immune response. This raises the question of whether these chemicals represent only the tip of an iceberg, a question which can only be resolved by adequate toxicity testing that includes careful examination of the immune system both morphologically and functionally. In this review, it will be stressed that knowledge from the expansive growing immunology discipline should be incorporated into the field of toxicology. First, the immune system and the immunological response will be introduced. Next, attention will be given to the interdependence of the immune system and the macrophage system. Of special importance in toxicology is the discrimination between direct effects on the immune system and indirect effects such as nutritional deficiencies, pathogenic organisms, and changes in the endocrine balance. In this light,
Unused Potential of Quality Management Systems of the Russian Companies: an Empirical Study

The perception of ISO 9000 standards, their use and effectiveness of quality management systems (QMS) of companies around the world is ambiguous; there are ongoing discussions about the benefits and advantages of the standards, as well as their limitations. In this article the results of an empirical study are presented, conducted in the format of an online survey to identify the perception of ISO 9000 by intersectoral group of respondents - Russian enterprises and companies of the real economy and services. The survey identified the factors of implementation, benefits and the main problems of the use of ISO 9001:2008, as well as the approach to the international standard ISO 9004:2009 and a draft of a new version of ISO 9001:2015. According to some survey results the answers of the Russian respondents were compared to the responses received during the study of TC 176 ISO in 2010-2011. In accordance with the study results the following conclusions about zones of incomplete use of the QMS potential of Russian companies are formulated: insufficient focus on customer satisfaction, the surveyed companies don't see the connection between QMS and its financial results, Russian companies don't see the benefits of increasing the commitment (commitment interest) of QMS management, most actual problems of QMS in companies and organizations are: the process approach in practice, the lack of involvement of senior management in the QMS and the lack of leaders, organizations do not make a proper emphasis on continuous improvement, there is little use of the international standard ISO 9004 by companies and organizations in their activities, though many of them know about this standard.
The Monoclonal Antibody W7C5 Defines a Novel Surface Antigen on Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Abstract: We recently raised a monoclonal antibody, termed W7C5, against a surface antigen that is expressed at low levels on bone marrow and peripheral blood CD34+ stem/progenitor cells but at high levels on fetal liver CD34+ cells. A reasonable staining intensity was achieved using magnetofluorescent liposome conjugates to analyze expression of W7C5 antigen on CD34+CD38− bone marrow (BM) cells. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that W7C5 detects about 50% of immature CD34+CD38− BM cells that coexpressed the differentiation antigens CD164, CD133, and CD172a (SIRPα). In addition, W7C5 also recognized a CD34− BM fraction. These cells were negative for CD117 and CD133, but expressed CD45 and moderate levels of CD164. Injection of selected CD34+W7C5+ and CD34−W7C5+ cells into 55–60‐day‐old fetal sheep resulted in an engraftment of both fractions. Partial amino acid sequence analysis of affinity‐purified lysates of KU‐812 cells revealed that W7C5 detects a novel membrane protein. Together, W7C5 defines a novel molecule that is expressed on CD34+ as well as on CD34− stem cell subsets.
Behavior Trees for UAV Mission Management

Behavior trees are a recent development in artificial intelligence for computer games. Their application has been proposed to increase modularity of an unmanned aerial vehicle's control system. This paper first describes advantages of behavior trees for use in mission management. The paper then points out research towards their deployment. Finally, newly developed transient tasks are introduced to behavior trees. These allow for finite-state-machine-like initialization and interruption of tasks. The use of the system is demonstrated with an unmanned aircraft mission simulation.
Effects of the Dor procedure on left ventricular dimension and shape and geometric correlates of mitral regurgitation one year after surgery.

OBJECTIVES In the present study we retrospectively analyzed ventriculographic data from symptomatic patients after myocardial infarction who underwent the Dor procedure (endoventricular circular patch plasty repair) to evaluate left ventricular shape 1 year after the operation and to analyze the geometric correlates of late mitral regurgitation. METHODS Forty-four patients with previous transmural anterior myocardial infarction comprised the study group. Left ventricular volumes, global left ventricular systolic and diastolic sphericity, the extent of wall motion abnormalities, and the presence and degree of mitral regurgitation were analyzed before and 1 year after operation. RESULTS Comparing preoperative diastole to systole within the cardiac cycle, left ventricular shape becomes more elliptical in systole than it was in diastole (eccentricity index closer to 1). The intervention leads to an increased diastolic sphericity, but for each cardiac cycle, the systolic shape is more elliptical relative to its diastolic counterpart in respect to basal conditions. Mitral regurgitation was detected after operations in 17 patients; 14 of them did not have mitral regurgitation before operations. Patients with late mitral regurgitation had greater preoperative volumes and more spherical chamber than did patients without late mitral regurgitation. CONCLUSIONS Despite a more spherical postoperative left ventricular chamber, systolic pump function improves after the Dor procedure, mainly for the improvement in inferior wall shortening. The presence of late mitral regurgitation is relatively frequent in this series of patients, and this emphasizes the importance of a more accurate quantitative evaluation of preoperative functional mitral regurgitation to repair the valve when appropriate. Geometric correlates of late mitral regurgitation appeared to be greater chamber sphericity and larger ventricular volumes preoperatively.
Towards improved decision quality in person-centred healthcare: exploring the implications of decision support via Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

All healthcare visions, including that of The TIGER (Technology-Informatics-Guiding-Educational-Reform) Initiative envisage a crucial role for nursing. However, its 7 descriptive pillars do not address the disconnect between Nursing Informatics and Nursing Ethics and their distinct communities in the clinical-disciplinary landscape. Each sees itself as providing decision support by way of information inputs and ethical insights, respectively. Both have reasons – ideological, professional, institutional for their task construction, but this simultaneously disables each from engaging fully in the point-of(care)-decision. Increased pressure for translating ‘evidencebased’ research findings into ‘ethically-sound’, ‘value-based’ and 'patient-centered' practice requires rethinking the model implicit in conventional knowledge translation and informatics practice in all disciplines, including nursing. The aim is to aid ‘how nurses and other health care scientists more clearly identify clinical and other relevant data that can be captured to inform future comparative effectiveness research. ’ A prescriptive, theory-based discipline of '(Nursing) Decisionics' expands the Grid for Volunteer Development of TIGER’s newly launched virtual learning environment (VLE). This provides an enhanced TIGER-vision for educational reform to deliver ethically coherent, person-centered care transparently.
Regulation of cell separation in the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis

During its haploid phase the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis grows vegetatively by budding. We have identified two genes, don1 and don3, which control the separation of mother and daughter cells. Mutant cells form tree‐like clusters in liquid culture and grow as ring‐like (donut‐shaped) colonies on solid medium. In wild‐type U. maydis cells, two distinct septa are formed during cytokinesis and delimit a fragmentation zone. Cells defective for either don1 or don3 display only a single septum and fail to complete cell separation. don1 encodes a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) of the Dbl family specific for Rho/Rac GTPases. Don3 belongs to the germinal‐centre‐kinase (GC) subfamily of Ste20‐like protein kinases. We have isolated the U. maydis homologues of the small GTP binding proteins Rho2, Rho3, Rac1 and Cdc42. Out of these, only Cdc42 interacts specifically with Don1 and Don3 in the yeast two‐hybrid system. We propose that Don1 and Don3 regulate the initiation of the secondary septum, which is required for proper cell separation.
Reputation Based on Future Performance: A Narrative Approach in High-Tech Industries

Abstract The high number of innovations and the emergence of new markets in the high-tech industry, underline its dynamic nature as well as the high uncertainty faced by firms. Reputation is a key asset used by high-tech firms to increase their market share and attract new customers. However, when there is no inference to the past to signal the firm’s performance, as when a firm enters a new market, then the ‘classical’ mechanisms used to form reputation is not readily applicable. This paper reviews the main signaling mechanisms and the key aspects of organizational reputation in order to introduce an alternative signaling mechanism based on narratives of future performance. In particular, it depicts narratives as a signaling mechanism that has a pivotal role in the firm’s reputation formation in a new market. The analysis of two cases of Danish high-tech industry firms offers empirical support the proposed argument and highlights the challenges and opportunities raised by narratives in an environment marked by uncertainty.
A Novel N-Tetrasaccharide in Patients with Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation Including Asparagine-Linked Glycosylation Protein 1 , Phosphomannomutase 2 , and Phosphomannose Isomerase Deficiencies

METHOD: We used LC-MS/MS and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis to identify and quantify a novel N-linked tetrasccharide linked to the protein core, an N-tetrasaccharide (Neu5Ac 2,6Gal 1,4-GlcNAc 1,4GlcNAc) in plasma, serum glycoproteins, and a fibroblast lysate from patients with CDG caused by ALG1 (ALG1, chitobiosyldiphosphodolichol -mannosyltransferase), PMM2 (phosphomannomutase 2), and MPI (mannose phosphate isomerase).
Modeling TV White Spaces Availability Prediction for White Space Devices Utilization in Delta North Zone of Delta State Nigeria

TV white space is the unused TV spectrum which can be used by secondary users to solve the problem of spectrum scarcity and to increase its efficiency. This has become necessary as a result of rapid growth in wireless data traffic, ubiquitous connectivity to the end users which is of high interest in the communication world today. This paper takes a look on analyzing the availability of the TV white spaces in the digital terrestrial television bands in Delta North area of Delta State Nigeria. The frequency span analyzed is between 474-866MHz. The result shows that over 60% of the spectra in this area are underutilized, yet we have high alarming rate of spectrum scarcity by the communication industries. Most of the smart devices competing for these scarce spectra can be deployed to these unutilized spectra at low or no cost thereby freeing most of the spectrum bands. Our analysis shows that we have over 224 MHz frequency bands that are free to be used within this area. The data used for this work was retrieved from a DVB-T2 and Anritsu Ms2711A Spectrum Analyzer. This was connected to Metrodigital mega base station that provides digital terrestrial television services in this area.
Modified Retroperitoneal Access for Percutaneous Intervention after Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Percutaneous access to the surgical bed after pancreaticoduodenectomy can be a challenge, due to the post-operative anatomy alteration. However, immediate complications, such as surgical bed abscess or suspected tumor recurrence, are often best accessed percutaneously, as open surgical or endoscopic approaches are often difficult, if not impossible. We, hereby, describe a safe approach that is highly replicable, in accessing the surgical bed for percutaneous intervention, following pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Characterization of thin metal films via frequency-domain thermoreflectance

Frequency-domain thermoreflectance is extended to the characterization of thin metals films on low thermal diffusivity substrates. We show how a single noncontact measurement can yield both the thickness and thermal conductivity of a thin metal film with high accuracy. Results are presented from measurements of gold and aluminum films 20–100 nm thick on fused silica substrate. The thickness measurements are verified independently with atomic force microscope cross sections, and the thermal conductivity measurements are verified through electrical conductivity measurements via the Wiedemann–Franz law. The thermoreflectance thermal conductivity values are in good agreement with the Wiedemann–Franz results for all the films at least 30 nm thick, indicating that our method can be used to estimate electrical conductivity along with thermal conductivity for sufficiently thick films.
Increased regulatory T cells correlate with CD8 T-cell impairment and poor survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Recent studies have suggested that CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) are increased and linked to compromised immune responses in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study attempted to further characterize CD4(+)CD25(+) forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (FoxP3)(+) Treg in blood, tumor, and nontumor liver tissues of HCC patients, and to understand how the Treg affects immune responses and contributes to disease progression. METHODS A total of 123 HCC patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, 21 HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, and 47 normal controls were enrolled randomly. Flow cytometric, immunohistochemical, and immunosuppressive assays were used for analyses of properties of Treg. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors for overall survival was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS Circulating CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg frequency was increased significantly and correlated with disease progression in HCC patients. An abundant accumulation of Treg concurrent with significantly reduced infiltration of CD8(+) T cells was found in tumor regions compared with nontumor regions. Expression of granzyme A, granzyme B, and perforin was decreased dramatically in tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells. Furthermore, Treg of HCC patients inhibited proliferation, activation, degranulation, and production of granzyme A, granzyme B, and perforin of CD8(+) T cells induced by anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies. Importantly, an increased quantity of circulating Treg was associated with high mortality and reduced survival time of HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS Increased CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg may impair the effector function of CD8(+) T cells, promote disease progression, and represent both a potential prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for HBV-related HCC individuals.
Positioning tips for distal fibula ankle fracture fixation.

Patient positioning is key to successful fixation of distal fibula fractures. When supine, the leg rests in an externally rotated or neutral position. The leg must be rotated internally throughout the operation to enable adequate visualisation of the lateral ankle. Exposure is improved by elevating the ipsilateral hip with a sandbag. However, in patients with a stiff hip or excessive external rotation, this is not enough. In these cases, exposure can be improved further by placing a size 7.5 or greater glove over the foot and securing the glove fingers over the contralateral foot. This provides internal rotation throughout the operation and covers dirty toes.