Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ets transcription factor Pointed promotes the generation of intermediate neural progenitors in Drosophila larval brains

Intermediate neural progenitor (INP) cells are transient amplifying neurogenic precursor cells generated from neural stem cells. Amplification of INPs significantly increases the number of neurons and glia produced from neural stem cells. In Drosophila larval brains, INPs are produced from type II neuroblasts (NBs, Drosophila neural stem cells), which lack the proneural protein Asense (Ase) but not from Ase-expressing type I NBs. To date, little is known about how Ase is suppressed in type II NBs and how the generation of INPs is controlled. Here we show that one isoform of the Ets transcription factor Pointed (Pnt), PntP1, is specifically expressed in type II NBs, immature INPs, and newly mature INPs in type II NB lineages. Partial loss of PntP1 in genetic mosaic clones or ectopic expression of the Pnt antagonist Yan, an Ets family transcriptional repressor, results in a reduction or elimination of INPs and ectopic expression of Ase in type II NBs. Conversely, ectopic expression of PntP1 in type I NBs suppresses Ase expression the NB and induces ectopic INP-like cells in a process that depends on the activity of the tumor suppressor Brain tumor. Our findings suggest that PntP1 is both necessary and sufficient for the suppression of Ase in type II NBs and the generation of INPs in Drosophila larval brains.
The Rise of ‘New’ Policy Instruments in Comparative Perspective: Has Governance Eclipsed Government?

Governance is a term in good currency, but there are still too few detailed empirical analyses of the precise extent to which it has or has not eclipsed government. This article explores the temporal and spatial characteristics of the governance transition by charting the deployment of new policy instruments in eight industrialised states and the European Union. The adoption and implementation of (‘old’ and ‘new’) policy instruments offer a useful analytical touchstone because governance theory argues that regulation is the quintessence of government. Although there are many ‘new’ environmental policy instruments in these nine jurisdictions, this article finds that the change from government to governance is highly differentiated across political jurisdictions, policy sectors and even the main instrument types. Crucially, many of the new policy instruments used require some state involvement (that is, ‘government’), and very few are entirely devoid of state involvement (that is, pure ‘governance’). Far from eclipsing government, governance therefore often complements and, on some occasions, even competes with it, although there are some cases of fusion. Future research should thus explore the many complex and varied ways in which government and governance interact in public policy-making.
A new page table for 64-bit address spaces

Most computer architectures are moving to 64-bit virtual address spaces. We first discuss how this change impacts conventional linear, forward-mapped, and hashed page tables. We then introduce a new page table data structure-clustered page table-that can be viewed as a hashed page table augmented with subblocking. Specifically, it associates mapping information for several pages (e.g., sixteen) with a single virtual tag and next pointer. Simulation results with several workloads show that clustered page tables use less memory than alternatives without adversely affecting page table access time. Since physical address space use is also increasing, computer architects are using new techniques-such as superpages, complete-subblocking, and partial-subblocking-to increase the memory mapped by a translation lookaside buffer (TLB). Since these techniques are completely ineffective without page table support, we next look at extending conventional and clustered page tables to support them. Simulation results show clustered page tables support medium-sized superpage and subblock TLBs especially well.
Observation of participator Auger decay following valence photoionization with excitation.

Mesure des spectres de photoelectrons de valence complets de Ne et Ar pour des photons de 50 a 15 N. En plus du spectre d'energie d'excitation symetrique attendu, observation de nombreuse raies d'energie cinetique fixe en particulier du cote des basses energies des spectres. Interpretation par des transitions Auger d'etats satellites electron de valence electron de cœur. Discussion des taux d'ionisation double de valence a partir de processus d'excitation
Electronic Tax Filing: Preliminary Evidence from a Developing Country

Governments are seeking to benefit from information technology by incorporating various government services online for the benefits of the citizen. The Malaysian government as part of its Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project introduced e-filing in 2006, which is the process of filing taxes using the Internet as one of the e-government services. This is an exploratory study to model the determinants of intention to use an Internet tax filing system. The authors used 4 variables as predictors or intention to use which were perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, and facilitating condition. Data was collected from 100 respondents using non probability purposive sampling via a structured questionnaire. As hypothesized, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and facilitating condition were positively related to intention to use. The findings show that perceived usefulness has the strongest influence on intention to use (β = 0.341), followed by perceived ease of use (β = 0.278) and facilitating condition (β = 0.234). As hypothesized, perceived risk was negatively related (β =-0.223) to intention to use indicating that users are concerned by the risk involved in filing taxes online. The regression results show that the four variables can explain 52.2% of the variation in intention to use which indicates good explanatory power. Understanding these factors can extend the knowledge, which can lead to better planning and implementation of e-Filing in Malaysia.
Fabrication of high performance AlGaN/GaN FinFET by utilizing anisotropic wet etching in TMAH solution

AlGaN/GaN-based fin-shaped field-effect transistors (FinFETs) with very steep sidewall and various fin-widths (Wfin) have been fabricated by utilizing electron-beam lithography and additional anisotropic sidewall wet etch in tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. The device with Wfin of 180 nm exhibits normally-on performance with threshold voltage of -3.5 V and extremely broad transconductance (gm) characteristic ranging from -2 to ~ 3 V at VD = 5 V which is essential for high linearity device performance. This broad gm characteristic is because the current from the side-wall MOS channel becomes comparable to that from the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel and hence significantly contributes to the total device current. On the other hand, devices with smaller Wfin = 50 and 100 nm exhibit normally-off performance with positive threshold voltage of 2.0 and 0.6 V, respectively, and less broad gm characteristics because the current from the side-wall MOS channel dominates the total device current.
The effect of an irregular shift system on sleepiness at work in train drivers and railway traffic controllers

Sleepiness and fatigue are frequent problems in railway transportation with occasional monotony and irregular shift schedules. This study aimed at (1) studying the prevalence of severe sleepiness in shifts and (2) examining which shift and sleep‐related factors were associated with the occurrence of severe sleepiness in an irregular shift system. A total of 126 randomly selected male train drivers (Tdrs) and 104 railway traffic controllers (Tcos) were investigated using questionnaires and sleep–wake diaries. A sleep diary was used to collect information on sleepiness at work and sleeping times during the 21 consecutive days of the study. The prevalence of severe sleepiness at work (i.e. Karolinska Sleepiness Scale 7 or higher) was modelled by a logistic regression analysis for repeated measurements (GEE) using different shift schedule related factors and sleep length as explanatory variables. Severe sleepiness was reported in 49% (Tdrs) and 50% (Tcos) of the night shifts and in 20% (Tdrs) and 15% (Tcos) of the morning shifts. The odds ratios showed that the risk for severe sleepiness was 6–14 times higher in the night shift and about twice as high in the morning shift compared with the day shift. Age affected the two occupational samples differently: with Tdrs increased age was associated with an additional 8% reduction of risk for severe sleepiness for each year of age, while the Tcos did not show any age dependency. Shift length increased the risk by 15% for each hour of the shift and main sleep period decreased the risk by 15% for each hour of the main sleep. The risk of severe sleepiness was not consistently related to the time‐off period before the shifts. The results indicate that adjustments for shift timing, length and off‐duty time, in addition to actions aiming at extending the main sleep period, would probably decrease severe sleepiness in railway transportation.
A response to the ACME‐TRI Report: the Dalhousie problem‐based learning curriculum

With the class of 1996, Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine instituted a totally revised curriculum. The revisions transformed an entirely traditional curriculum to a student‐centred curriculum, which is based on learning in context, and incorporates a problem‐based approach to the entire curriculum. This paper describes our experience in the actual implementation of our revised curriculum, in the context of the Association of American Medical Colleges Assessing Change in Medical Education — The Road to Implementation (ACME‐TRI) Report.
In vivo platelet activation in critically ill patients with primary 2009 influenza A(H1N1).

BACKGROUND Changes in platelet reactivity during 2009 influenza A(H1N1) (A[H1N1]) have not been characterized. METHODS We prospectively examined platelet activation and cytokine responses in patients with A(H1N1) (n = 20), matched patients with bacterial pneumonia (n = 15), and nonhospitalized, healthy control subjects (n = 10). RESULTS Platelet-monocyte aggregation was higher in patients with A(H1N1) (21.4% ± 4.7%) compared with patients with pneumonia (10.9% ± 3.7%) and control subjects (8.1% ± 4.5%, P < .05). Similarly, PAC-1 (antibody that binds to the active conformation of integrin α(IIb)β(3)) binding to platelets is increased in patients with A(H1N1) (9.5% ± 4.7%) compared with patients with pneumonia (1.0% ± 0.7%) and healthy subjects (0.61% ± 0.15%, P < .10). PAC-1 binding was twofold higher in patients with A(H1N1) with shock vs those without shock. IL-6 levels were elevated in patients with A(H1N1), indicating systemic inflammation consistent with activation of circulating platelets. CONCLUSIONS These findings, derived from a small but documented cohort of patients, demonstrate that platelet activation responses during A(H1N1) are enhanced-exceeding responses in patients with bacterial pneumonia-and provide new evidence that platelets may contribute to inflammatory responses during A(H1N1).
emporal and spatial expression and function of TaDlea 3 in Triticum estivum during developmental stages under drought stress

Drought stress is a major factor limiting wheat growth and productivity. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are tolerant to water-related stress. To reveal the regulatory mechanisms of LEA proteins under drought stress, we cloned a novel group 3 LEA gene, namely, TaDlea3, from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Shaanhe 6. Subcellular localization assay showed that TaDlea3 protein accumulated in the cytoplasm. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results revealed that TaDlea3 expression was induced by drought stress. Western blot results indicated that TaDlea3 protein expression gradually increased with drought stress during four different developmental stages. Under normal conditions, no obvious
The association value of random shapes.

It is well known that verbal materials vary in meaningfulness or association value, and that these variations are related to learning and retention. Patterns and shapes may vary similarly; however, little systematic control over such variation has been exercised in studies of perceptual learning and retention. Indeed, little effort to standardize such materials has been expended (cf., e.g., the discussions by Hilgard [1951, p. 547] and Graham [1951, pp. 911-915]). A number of experiments have appeared in which random shapes have been used as stimuli in tasks involving perceptual learning and retention. Random shapes have also been employed in studies of mediated transfer and "predifferentiation. " In most of these studies, control has not been exercised over possible effects of association value of the shapes upon performance of 5s. The present experiment was undertaken to provide a pool of random shapes with known association value for use in studies of the effects of certain stimulus variables and pretraining upon recognitive performance. It was considered desirable to provide for variation of association value and stimulus
Three-dimensional mechanics, kinematics, and morphology of the knee viewed in virtual reality.

T he premise of this article, and the scientific exhibit upon which it is based, is that the morphologic shape of the distal aspect of the femur and its relation to the tibia and the patella dictates the kinematics of the knee. The morphologic and kinematic characteristics of the knee presented in earlier exhibits1,2 at the 2001 and 2003 Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons demonstrated the following relationships. The location and orientation of the femoral sulcus is lateral to the midplane between the femoral condyles and is oriented between the anatomic and mechanical axes of the femur (Figs. 1-A and 1-B). The center of the femur in cross section is offset, medial and anterior, to the center of the tibia, and these offset cross sections are rotated relative to each other in the pathologic knee (Fig. 2). A single, fixed flexion-extension axis of the knee is centered in the asymmetric cylindrical femoral condyles (Fig. 3). These and other observations1-8 of distal femoral morphology and their relationship to knee kinematics form the basis for the additional studies in the present article. These new studies relate the morphology of the femur (condyles and epicondyles) and the axis of the limb (mechanical axis) to the location and orientation of the flexion-extension axis of the knee in three-dimensional space. The clinical importance of this work is found in its application to ligament reconstruction and total knee arthroplasty. Despite improvements in design, implant alignment in total knee arthroplasty remains a crucial factor in the function and longevity of the implant9-11. It has been demonstrated that malalignment causes increased wear of the implant and premature failure of the construct11-14. Most contemporary implants are designed to be aligned to …
Purification of tropomyosin Br‐3 and 5NM1 and characterization of their interactions with actin

Tropomyosins were first identified in neuronal systems in 1973. Although numerous isoforms were found and described since then, many aspects of their function and interactions remained unknown. Tropomyosin isoforms show different sorting pattern in neurogenesis. As one example, TM5NM1/2 is present in developing axons, but it is replaced by TMBr‐3 in mature neurons, suggesting that these tropomyosin isoforms contribute differently to the establishment of the functional features of the neuronal actin networks. We developed a method for the efficient purification of TMBr‐3 and TM5NM1 as recombinant proteins using bacterial expression system and investigated their interactions with actin. We found that both isoforms bind actin filaments, however, the binding of TM5NM1 was much stronger than that of TMBr‐3. TMBr‐3 and TM5NM1 modestly affected actin assembly kinetics, in an opposite manner. Consistently with the higher affinity of TM5NM1 it inhibited actin filament disassembly more efficiently than TMBr‐3. Similarly to other previously studied tropomyosins TM5NM1 inhibited the Arp2/3 complex‐mediated actin assembly. Notably, TMBr‐3 did not influence the Arp2/3 complex‐mediated polymerization. This is a unique feature of TMBr‐3, since so far it is the only known tropomyosin supporting the activity of the Arp2/3 complex, indicating that TMBr‐3 may colocalize and work simultaneously with Arp2/3 complex in neuronal cells. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lack of Effectiveness of the Pulmonary Artery Catheter in Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND: The pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) continues to be used for monitoring of hemodynamics in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery despite concerns raised in other settings regarding both effectiveness and safety. Given the relative paucity of data regarding its use in CABG patients, and given entrenched practice patterns, we assessed the impact of PAC use on fatal and nonfatal CABG outcomes as practiced at a diverse set of medical centers. METHODS: Using a formal prospective observational study design, 5065 CABG patients from 70 centers were enrolled between November 1996 and June 2000 using a systemic sampling protocol. Propensity score matched-pair analysis was used to adjust for differences in likelihood of PAC insertion. The predefined composite endpoint was the occurrence of any of the following: death (any cause), cardiac dysfunction (myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure), cerebral dysfunction (stroke or encephalopathy), renal dysfunction (dysfunction or failure), or pulmonary dysfunction (acute respiratory distress syndrome). Secondary variables included treatment indices (inotrope use, fluid administration), duration of postoperative intubation, and intensive care unit length of stay. After categorization based on PAC and transesophageal echocardiography use (both, neither, PAC only, transesophageal echocardiography only), we performed the primary analysis contrasting PAC only and neither (total, 3321 patients), from which propensity paring yielded 1273 matched pairs. RESULTS: The primary endpoint occurred in 271 PAC patients versus 196 without PAC (21.3% vs.15.4%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24 to 2.26; P < 0.001). The PAC group had an increased risk of all-cause mortality, 3.5% vs 1.7% (AOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.88; P = 0.02) and an increased risk of cardiac (AOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.20; P = 0.007), cerebral (AOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.08 to 3.77; P = 0.03) and renal (AOR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.68 to 3.62; P < 0.001) morbid outcomes. PAC patients received inotropic drugs more frequently (57.8% vs 50.0%; P < 0.001), had a larger positive IV fluid balance after surgery (3220 mL vs 3022 mL; P = 0.003), and experienced longer time to tracheal extubation (15.40 hours [11.28/20.80] versus 13.18 hours [9.58/19.33], median plus Q1/Q3 interquartile range; P < 0.0001). Use of PAC was also associated with prolonged intensive care unit stay (14.5% vs 10.1%; AOR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.27; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Use of a PAC during CABG surgery was associated with increased mortality and a higher risk of severe end-organ complications in this propensity-matched observational study. A randomized controlled trial with defined hemodynamic goals would be ideal to either confirm or refute our findings.
Celiac Disease-Associated Autoimmune Endocrinopathies

ABSTRACT Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder induced by gluten intake in genetically susceptible individuals. It is characterized by the presence of serum antibodies to endomysium, reticulin, gliadin, and tissue transglutaminase. The incidence of CD in various autoimmune disorders is increased 10- to 30-fold in comparison to the general population, although in many cases CD is clinically asymptomatic or silent. The identification of such cases with CD is important since it may help in the control of type I diabetes or endocrine functions in general, as well as in the prevention of long-term complications of CD, such as lymphoma. It is believed that CD may predispose an individual to other autoimmune disorders such as type I diabetes, autoimmune thyroid, and other endocrine diseases and that gluten may be a possible trigger. The onset of type I diabetes at an early age in patients with CD, compared to non-CD, and the prevention or delay in onset of diabetes by gluten-free diet in genetically predisposed individuals substantiates this antigen trigger hypothesis. Early identification of CD patients in highly susceptible population may result in the treatment of subclinical CD and improved control of associated disorders.
COMPLEXIDADES DA RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL NO BRASIL: TERCEIRIZAÇÃO E GESTÃO PARTICIPATIVA

O presente artigo ocupa-se de duas questoes originadas de nossas pesquisas sobre a responsabilidade social com os empregados, realizadas em dez empresas brasileiras. A primeira pergunta e: Maiores niveis de gestao participativa na empresa enfraquecem as relacoes dos empregados com os sindicatos, como argumentam Heckscher (1996), Zibas (1997) e Tuma (1999)? A analise dos dados de nossas pesquisam permitem responder que existe relacao entre gestao participativa e fraca relacao entre sindicato e trabalhador e sindicato e empresa quando se trata de empregados que recebem altos salarios das empresas de servicos. A segunda pergunta e: Como estabelecer uma responsabilidade social nas politicas de recursos humanos com terceirizados sem gerar risco de passivo trabalhista, considerando a legislacao brasileira? De acordo com o discurso do CSR a responsabilidade social das empresas deve oferecer aos terceirizados os mesmos beneficios e condicoes de trabalho que oferece aos seus empregados. Entretanto, a legislacao brasileira estabelece que se a empresa oferecer aos terceirizados os mesmos beneficios que oferece aos empregados isso pode caracterizar vinculo empregaticio. Nesse caso, a empresa corre o de o empregado reclamar na justica os outros direitos de um empregado. O risco de passivo trabalhista e de fato real para as empresas pesquisadas, de acordo com os dados de nossa investigacao.
Sarpogrelate Hydrochloride, a Selective 5-hydroxytryptamine2A Antagonist, Augments Autologous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Implantation–induced Improvement in Endothelium-dependent Vasodilation in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a combination of bone marrow mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) implantation and sarpogrelate, a selective 5-HT2A antagonist, on endothelial function in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Methods: We evaluated the leg blood flow (LBF) responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside before and after BM-MNC implantation in 16 patients with CLI. We divided patients with CLI into 2 groups: those cotreated with sarpogrelate orally for 12 weeks (sarpogrelate group, n = 8) and those who remained on conventional therapy (control group, n = 8). LBF was measured by strain gauge plethysmography. Results: BM-MNC implantation improved ankle brachial pressure index, transcutaneous oxygen pressure, and pain-free walking time. There was no significant difference in these parameters between the 2 groups. Before BM-MNC implantation, LBF responses to ACh were similar in the sarpogrelate group and control group. Twelve weeks of BM-MNC implantation enhanced LBF responses to ACh in the sarpogrelate and control groups. After 12 weeks of BM-MNC implantation, LBF response to ACh was significantly greater in the sarpogrelate group than in the control group. BM-MNC implantation did not alter the LBF responses to sodium nitroprusside in either group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that BM-MNC implantation improved not only limb ischemic symptoms but also endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with CLI. A combination of BM-MNC implantation and sarpogrelate had a more beneficial effect on vascular function in these patients.