Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-Cleavage Site Gag Mutations in Amprenavir-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Predispose HIV-1 to Rapid Acquisition of Amprenavir Resistance but Delay Development of Resistance to Other Protease Inhibitors

ABSTRACT In an attempt to determine whether mutations in Gag in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants selected with a protease inhibitor (PI) affect the development of resistance to the same or a different PI(s), we generated multiple infectious HIV-1 clones carrying mutated Gag and/or mutated protease proteins that were identified in amprenavir (APV)-selected HIV-1 variants and examined their virological characteristics. In an HIV-1 preparation selected with APV (33 passages, yielding HIVAPVp33), we identified six mutations in protease and six apparently critical mutations at cleavage and non-cleavage sites in Gag. An infectious recombinant clone carrying the six protease mutations but no Gag mutations failed to replicate, indicating that the Gag mutations were required for the replication of HIVAPVp33. An infectious recombinant clone that carried wild-type protease and a set of five Gag mutations (rHIVWTpro12/75/219/390/409gag) replicated comparably to wild-type HIV-1; however, when exposed to APV, rHIVWTpro12/75/219/390/409gag rapidly acquired APV resistance. In contrast, the five Gag mutations significantly delayed the acquisition of HIV-1 resistance to ritonavir and nelfinavir (NFV). Recombinant HIV-1 clones containing NFV resistance-associated mutations, such as D30N and N88S, had increased susceptibilities to APV, suggesting that antiretroviral regimens including both APV and NFV may bring about favorable antiviral efficacy. The present data suggest that the preexistence of certain Gag mutations related to PI resistance can accelerate the emergence of resistance to the PI and delay the acquisition of HIV resistance to other PIs, and these findings should have clinical relevance in the therapy of HIV-1 infection with PI-including regimens.
The political economy of indigenization: the case of the Nigerian enterprises promotion decree

Recent literarture on ""underdevelopment"" and ""dependency'"" has suggested that some of the less industrialized countries have a certain margin of choice or area of manoeuvre through the exercise of public policy in creating successful indigenous capitalist economic development or at least ensuring that the activities of foreign enterprises dominating certain areas of the economy are moulded to the national interest.
Vocal cord paralysis: What matters between idiopathic and non-idiopathic cases?

OBJECTIVES This study aims to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with idiopathic and non-idiopathic vocal cord paralysis (VCP). PATIENTS AND METHODS This retrospective cohort was performed on data extracted from medical files of 92 consecutive patients (43 males, 49 females; median age 52.1±23.1 years; min. 1 - max. 87) with VCP diagnosed in the otorhinolaryngology department between April 2012 and December 2015. Diagnoses associated with VCP, side of involvement (right, left or bilateral) and previous medical histories were noted and compared between patients with idiopathic and non-idiopathic VCP. RESULTS Vocal cord paralysis occurred on the left side (n=56, 60.9%), right side (n=28, 30.4%) or bilaterally (n=8, 8.7%). A clinical entity related with VCP was identified in 63 patients (68.5%), while 29 (31.5%) patients had idiopathic VCP. Most common etiologies for VCP were thyroid surgery (n=32, 34.8%), cardiovascular surgery (n=9, 9.8%), lung cancer (n=6, 6.5%) and cardiac anomalies (n=4, 4.3%), respectively. Patients with idiopathic VCP were significantly older (p<0.001), while gender distribution (p=0.121) and side of involvement (p=0.340) did not differ between two groups. CONCLUSION Vocal cord paralysis is a relatively common clinical entity with substantial rate of morbidity. Identification of the underlying etiology and awareness on the clinical characteristics are keystones for foreseeing complications and determining the appropriate therapeutic modality.
Oseltamivir for influenza infection in children: risks and benefits

Influenza is a common disease affecting many children each year. In a number of cases, particularly in children <2 years old and in those with severe chronic underlying disease, influenza can be complicated by lower respiratory tract infections, acute otitis media, rhinosinusitis, febrile seizures, dehydration or encephalopathy. Oseltamivir is the influenza virus drug that is most commonly studied in children for both the treatment and prevention of influenza. To avoid the risk that children with mild influenza or patients suffering from different viral infections receive oseltamivir, oseltamivir treatment should be recommended only in severe influenza cases, especially if confirmed by reliable laboratory tests. However, therapy must be initiated considering the risk of complications and the presence of severe clinical manifestations at age- and weight-appropriate doses. Because the vaccine remains the best option for preventing influenza and its complications, prophylaxis using oseltamivir should only be considered in select patients.
TGF‐beta1 and TGFBR1 are Expressed in Ameloblasts and Promote MMP20 Expression

Transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐beta) signaling exerts a wide spectrum of biological functions. To investigate TGF‐beta signaling in amelogenesis, we initially assessed the expression of TGF‐beta1 and TGF‐beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1) in developing teeth by immunohistochemistry. Both TGF‐beta1 and TGFBR1 were strongly expressed in secreting ameloblasts. Next, we studied the effects of TGF‐beta signaling on the expression of MMP20 and KLK4 mRNA using ameloblast‐lineage cells (ALC) in vitro. Our RT‐PCR study showed that TGF‐beta1, TGFBR1, and enamel matrix proteases (MMP20 and KLK4) were expressed in ALC. Following TGF‐beta1 treatment, the expression of MMP20 mRNA, but not KLK4 mRNA, was significantly upregulated. To further confirm the TGF‐beta signaling involvement in the MMP20 expression, we constructed the activated TGFBR1 vector and transfected the construct into ALC. The activated TGFBR1 notably promoted MMP20 expression, but had no obvious effects on the KLK4 mRNA expression. Our studies strongly suggest that TGF‐beta signaling involved in amelogenesis is partially mediated by regulating the expression of MMP20 mRNA. Anat Rec, 292:885–890, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aggregating IaaS Service

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is the most acceptable Cloud Computing delivery model that CIO and IT managers are exploring as they relook at their IT infrastructure. However, the adoption of IaaS faces challenge/concerns such as provider lock-in, reliability, and regulatory compliance for data locality. Our project, Aggregated IaaS Service, addresses this issue by providing a common interface and description of IaaS services across multiple IaaS service provider. We had developed an abstraction model for Iaas services and then provide the interface to the commercial IaaS providers: AWS and GoGrid. The Aggregated IaaS services are exposed to the users through a portal which allow users to subscribe, monitor, and manage the life-cycle of IaaS services from multiple providers. To meet the requirements of the enterprise users the IaaS Aggregator portal have modules such as corporate account management and policy enforcement modules which transform it from a single client user to corporate/company usage of IaaS service from multiple providers.
Lead-free chip scale packages: assembly and drop test reliability

Three underfill options compatible with lead-free assembly have been evaluated: capillary underfill, fluxing underfill, and corner bond underfill. Chip scale packages (CSPs) with eutectic Sn/Pb solder were used for control samples. Without underfill, lead-free and Sn/Pb eutectic drop test results were comparable. Capillary flow underfills, dispensed and cured after reflow, are commonly used in CSP assembly with eutectic Sn/Pb solder. With capillary flow underfill, the drop test results were significantly better with lead-free solder assembly than with Sn/Pb eutectic. Fluxing underfill is dispensed at the CSP site prior to CSP placement. No solder paste is printed at the site. The CSP is placed and reflowed in a standard reflow cycle. A new fluxing underfill developed for compatibility with the higher lead-free solder reflow profiles was investigated. The fluxing underfill with lead-free solder yielded the best drop test results. Corner bond underfill is dispensed as four dots corresponding to the four corners of the CSP after solder paste print, but before CSP placement. The corner bond material cures during the reflow cycle. It is a simpler process compared to capillary or fluxing underfill. The drop test results with corner bond were intermediate between no underfill and capillary underfill and similar for both lead-free and Sn/Pb eutectic solder assembly. The effect of aging on the drop test results with lead-free solder and either no underfill or corner bond underfill was studied. Tin/lead solder with no underfill was used for control. This test was to simulate drop performance after the product has been placed in service for some period of time. There was degradation in the drop test results in all cases after 100 and 250 h of storage at 125/spl deg/C prior to the drop test. The worst degradation occurred with the lead-free solder with no underfill.
Reasons for declining extended information visit on prenatal screening among pregnant women and their partners

A two‐step model on information on prenatal screening consists of brief information at the first visit at the Maternal Health Care Centre and an offer of extended information at a separate visit. There is a lack of knowledge why some pregnant women and their partners refrain from the extended information visit. The aim of this study was to explore their reasons.
Services vs retail chains: are there any differences?

Purpose – This paper aims to review the differences between retailing and services in the particular context of franchised chains in order to highlight the main differences between retail chains and services chains.Design/methodology/approach – The existence of such differences is tested in the French context because its franchising sector is the most developed one in Europe as far as the number of chains is concerned. The empirical study deals with 530 chains among which 228 are services and 302 are retail.Findings – Some significant differences between services and retail chains are underlined in terms of age, plural form, franchising fees, franchising and advertising royalties, and contract length. Additionally to these significant differences, the new trend in franchising seems to consist in developing more services chains than retail chains.Research limitations/implications – This paper has some limitations. The focus is on only one country: France. A multi‐countries study could be useful to confirm .
Biological Control of Insect Pests on Field Crops in Kansas

Biological Control In the simplest terms, biological control is the reduction of pest populations brought about through the actions of other living organisms, often collectively referred to as natural enemies or beneficial species. Virtually all insect and mite pests have some natural enemies, although not all are effective in suppressing pest populations. Learning to recognize, manage, and conserve natural enemies can help reduce pest populations and maintain them below economic levels, thus reducing crop losses and the need for more costly control measures that may also have undesirable environmental side-effects. Biological control is often most effective when coupled with other pest control tactics in an integrated pest management (IPM) program. Practices that are often compatible with biological control include cultural controls, crop rotation, planting pest-resistant varieties, using insecticides with selective modes of action, or spot treatments that leave untreated areas to serve as refuges for natural enemies. Effective biological control often requires a good understanding of the biology of the pest and its natural enemies, as well as the ability to identify various life stages of relevant insects in the field. Field scouting usually is necessary to monitor natural enemy activity, evaluate impact on pest populations, and anticipate the need for additional control measures. Although three distinct approaches to biological control are recognized (conservation, importation, and augmentation), the principles of conservation biological control are by far the most important for producers of field crops in Kansas to understand.
Taxation and Corporate Governance

Taxation and corporate governance interact in various ways. Tax law influences corporate governance structures in companies by offering tax privileges or imposing penalties. On the other hand actual corporate governance structures in place have an impact on the way companies manage their tax affairs. Until now, no comprehensive analysis of these interactions has been carried out. The authors aim at initiating a discussion that bridges this gap by collecting and systematising the existing literature on this topic.
Early, Late, and Multiple Bidding in Internet Auctions

In Internet auctions bidders frequently bid in one of three ways: either only early, or late, or they revise their early bids. This paper rationalizes all three bidding patterns within a single equilibrium. We consider a model of a dynamic auction in which bidders can search for outside prices during the auction. We find that in the equilibrium bidders with the low search costs bid only late and always search, while the bidders with high search costs bid early or multiple times and search only if they were previously outbid. An important feature of the equilibrium is that early bidding allows bidders to search in a coordinated manner. This means that everyone searches except the bidder with the highest early bid. We also compare the static and dynamic auction and conclude that dynamic auction is always more efficient but not always more profitable.
Corporate Brand Positioning – Case Studies across Firm Levels and Over Time

Positioning is a key concept in the fields of branding, marketing, and strategy. In brand management, positioning deals fundamentally with finding a balance between sameness and differentiation. Empirical research predominantly examines the effectiveness of certain strategies. Less is known about the management process and internal brand positioning dynamics. Furthermore, positioning research still needs to be developed in a comprehensive corporate branding context, due to its recent elevated importance for organizations. This thesis remediates these limitations by identifying corporate brand positioning as a strategic development process, which is aware of activity, time, and context. This is important for refining the corporate brand positioning concept. Based on qualitative case studies within industrial multi-business firms ABB (power and automation industry), Trelleborg (polymer engineering industry), and Holmen (pulp and paper industry), this study opens the proverbial black box to reveal how corporate brand positioning occurs over time. The findings are conceptualized across five dimensions: where and when positioning occurs (that is, location and timing), why it occurs (that is, driver patterns), what occurs (that is, activities, choices, and challenges), and who is involved (that is, actors and their roles). Findings suggest understanding corporate brand positioning as strategic episodes that develop between managerial agency and institutional or environmental constraints. Positioning is found to be a recurring, multi-level process, making it more than just a corporate-level marketing activity. This thesis uncovers three broad driver patterns and their reactive and proactive nature. Positioning episodes are found to pass through seven stages, each creating enablers and barriers for change. Corporate brand positioning is in fact a political process that needs to be carefully coordinated between five key practitioner groups. It also needs to be integrated across stable firm levels as well as a temporary level that consists of micro-episodes of reflective strategic practice. This thesis develops a nuanced perspective on positioning and demarcates it from continuous brand management activities. As for deeper change mechanisms, a composite explanation sheds light on different aspects of corporate brand positioning. Finally, this study also provides corporate- and business-level managers with role-relevant implications to be better prepared when assigned to positioning change episodes. (Less)
Self-management programmes for COPD

Self-management is of increasing importance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. However, there is confusion over what processes are involved, how the value of self-management should be determined, and about the research priorities. To gain more insight into and agreement about the content of programmes, outcomes, and future directions of COPD self-management, a group of interested researchers and physicians, all of whom had previously published on this subject and who had previously collaborated on other projects, convened a workshop. This article summarises their initial findings. Self-management programmes aim at structural behaviour change to sustain treatment effects after programmes have been completed. The programmes should include techniques aimed at behavioural change, be tailored individually, take the patient’s perspective into account, and may vary with the course of the patient’s disease and co-morbidities. Assessment should include process variables. This report is a step towards greater conformity in the field of self-management. To enhance clarity regarding effectiveness, future studies should clearly describe their intervention, be properly designed and powered, and include outcomes that focus more on the acquisition and practice of new skills. In this way more evidence and a better comprehension on self-management programmes will be obtained, and more specific formulation of guidelines on self-management made possible.
Management of hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint in association with trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis

This study investigates the management of metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) hyperextension in patients undergoing trapeziectomy for thumb base osteoarthritis. A total of 297 thumbs with painful trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis were assessed on pain and thumb key and tip pinch preoperatively and at 1 year. Before surgery 101 had no MCP hyperextension, 168 had hyperextension ≤30° and 28 had hyperextension ≥35°. Of these 157 hyperextension deformities ≤30° and eight ≥35° were not treated. The others were treated by temporary insertion of a Kirschner wire (n = 9), MCP fusion (n = 6), sesamoid bone tethering to the MC head (n = 5) and palmar capsulodesis using a bone anchor (n = 11). Untreated MCP hyperextension deformities <30° did not influence the outcome of trapeziectomy. MCP hyperextension deformities ≥35° can be improved by capsulodesis or MCP fusion but this may not improve the clinical outcome.
Road versus roadside particle size distribution in a hot Mediterranean summer—Estimation of fleet emission factors

Particle size distribution at major on-road, roadside, and university-ground sites in Lebanon were studied in summer 2011. In a predominant old traffic fleet, it is shown that calculated PM2.5 mass emission factors (EFs) conform to those of heavy duty vehicles. When compared to roads in California, higher PM2.5 mass but similar particle number EFs are obtained for the average fleet of the on-road sites. This confirms the observed particle size distribution pattern, rich in particles in the accumulation range mainly between 0.425 and 0.675 µm with a prevalent peak at 0.475 µm. Corresponding total particle counts (TC) measured on the roadside are as high as 14,050 particles/cm3 and are up to 67% higher than particle counts measured at the university-ground site. In a hot, dry and humid summer weather with consistent temperature oscillations, particle dispersion is shown to be a function of meteorological factors, mainly the effect of the boundary-layer thickness, with particle counts measured during the morning being around 40% higher than particle counts measured during the afternoon. Implications In a hot and humid Mediterranean summer, high emission factors are associated with an old car fleet. The observed diurnal variation in the particle count is attributed to the change in the thickness boundary layer in summer. In comparison to road sites, the particle size distribution shows the prevalence of larger size particles. Particle counts measured at the roadside sites are at least 20% higher than those of the road sites. The findings call for the reinforcement of local regulations on car age. Furthermore, the high number of particles can cause or aggravate a number of health and ecosystem problems.
Does Female Representation on Audit Committees Affect Audit Fees?

This paper examines the association between female audit committee representation and audit fees. We hypothesize that gender diversity on audit committees has implications for external auditing, and thus affects audit fees. Using a sample of the S&P 500 firms, we find considerable evidence to suggest that firms with female audit committee chairs have significantly lower audit fees. From the audit demand perspective, our findings may indicate that female audit committee chairs reduce the need for assurance provided by external auditors. Alternatively, from the supply-side perspective, female chairs and committee members may decrease audit fees by affecting the auditor’s assessment of audit risk, for instance, by improving the effectiveness of internal control activities or by generally enhancing the integrity of the financial reporting process. If female representation reduces the inherent risk of misstatements, gender diversity on audit committees may be negatively associated with audit fees.
Enhanced depth estimation for hand-held light field cameras

Conventional depth estimation methods are confined by the occluder and homogenous regions in the scene. In this paper, we propose a new depth estimation and enhancement method. The raw depth is calculated from analyzing the Consistency Metric Range (CMR) in the angular patch. Confident depth map is obtained by analyzing the variation of CMR within a neighborhood around the lowest CMR curves. Confident depth points are propagated to the whole image by global optimization with weighted neighborhood smoothness, gradient and second derivative constraints. Finally, depth is enhanced by using weighted median filter. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed approach in providing much clearer transitions of texture regions and much smoother homogenous regions after depth propagation.