Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Response of Human and Rat Small Intestinal Mucosa to Oral Administration of Saccharomyces boulardii

ABSTRACT. To evaluate the response of the small intestinal mucosa to Saccharomyces boulardii (S.b.), a yeast widely used in some countries as an adjuvant drug with oral antimicrobial therapy, seven healthy adult volunteers were treated with high doses of lyophilized S.b. (250 mg four times per day) for 2 wk. A peroral jejunal suction biopsy was performed on days 0 and 15 of the study. Compared to the initial biopsy, histological examination of the posttrial biopsy revealed no morphological alteration nor change in villus height or crypt depth. After treatment, the specific activity (per U protein) of sucrase, lactase, and maltase was, respectively, increased by 82% (p<0.05) 77% (p<0.05), and 75% (p<0.05) over the basal activity of the enzymes measured on day 0, whereas mucosal protein content remained unchanged. Similar findings were found in the jejunum of adult rats treated for 5 days with either viable or killed S.b. cells. The changes in total enzyme activity (per jejunal segment) paralleled the changes in specific enzyme activity. In vitro assays on freshly prepared suspensions of S.b. (6.0 × 108 viable cells/ ml) evidenced a high activity for sucrase (mean ± SE: 8 364 ± 1280 U · g · protein-1) but no maltase, neutral lactase, acid β-galactosidase, or aminopeptidase activity. To determine whether treatment with S.b. could influence the incorporation rate of neutral lactase into the brush border membrane, 14-day-old sucklings treated either with saline or with S.b. were given intraperitoneally a dose of 20/µCi D-[114C] glucosamine 3 hours before sacrifice. Neutral lactase was isolated on SDS-PAGE of purified BBM. The amount of lactase protein eluted from the gel slices was similar in treated rats (mean ± SE: 0.026 ± 0.003) and in controls (0.021 ± 0.005 mg protein/ml). Expressed per milligram of brush border membrane lactase protein, there was no significant difference in the incorporation rate of labelled glucosamine between treated rats (mean ± SE: 8167 ± 1622 dpm-mg protein−1) and controls (9602 ± 1803 dpm-mg protein−1). In conclusion, short-term oral treatment of human volunteers and rats with S.b. is associated with a marked increase in the activity of disaccharidases without morphological alteration of the intestinal mucosa. Our findings do not suggest an effect of S.b. on the incorporation rate of enzymes into the brush border membrane.
Social Screens and Systematic Boycott Risk

We consider the pricing implications of screens adopted by socially responsible investors. A model including such investors reconciles the empirically observed risk-adjusted sin-stock abnormal return with a systematic “boycott risk premium” which has a substantial financial impact that is, however, not limited to the targeted firms. The boycott effect cannot be displaced by litigation risk, a neglect effect, and liquidity considerations, or by industry momentum and concentration. The boycott risk factor is valuable in explaining cross-sectional differences in mean returns across industries and its premium varies directly with the relative wealth of socially responsible investors and with the business cycle.
Study of a least-squares type method for noisy FIR filtering

In this paper, by assuming that the ratio between the output noise variance and the input noise variance is accessible, a modified least-squares (LS) type method with simplistic algorithmic structure is introduced to fulfil the task of FIR filtering with noisy input-output data. The mean convergence of the modified LS type method is comprehensively studied. The practical implication of the knowledge of the noise variance ratio is investigated through sensitivity analysis. This analysis results in the establishment of an alternative identification method that can work efficiently under a much relaxed condition on the knowledge of the noise variance ratio. Computer simulations are conducted to verify the theoretical discussions.
Treatment of Motor Speech Disorders in Children

Motor speech disorders are characterized by phonatory, articulatory, and/or prosodic disturbances resulting from neurologic deficit. These communicative disorders are characterized by deficits in either motor planning for speech production (i.e., apraxia of speech) or in the execution of planned speech movement due to weakness or incoordination of the speech musculature itself (i.e., dysarthria). Definitions and taxonomy are difficult because these disorders are often associated with concomitant processing difficulties in addition to the motor component deficits. Although much has been written about assessment and treatment of acquired apraxia of speech and dysarthria in adults, less attention has been given to intervention of developnlental and acquired motor speech disorders in children. [See recent texts that have focused on the nature and treatment of childhood motor speech disorders (Crary, 1993; Hall, Jordan, & Robin, 1993; Love, 1992) . ] This article will present an overview of treatment for motor speech disorders in children with primary emphasis given to developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) and the dysarthrias resulting from congenital or acquired etiologies. It includes: (1) a review of basic principles of treatment for motor speech disorders; (2) a discussion of basic principles and specific treatment approaches for developmental apraxia of speech; and (3) a physiological approach to treatment of dysarthria in children. My major intent , however, is to provide a framework from which clinical decisions regarding intervention with these speech disorders may be made.
New evidence on alliance experience and acquisition performance: Short-run pain, long-run gain?

Purpose – This study aims to build on the organizational learning theory and propose a complex strategy by combining strategic alliance with subsequent acquisitions to penetrate new product markets. The authors empirically examined whether and to what extent preacquisition alliance experience affects the short- and long-term stock performance of acquiring firms. Design/methodology/approach – Data on acquisitions, in which the acquirers have experience from preacquisition alliance activities in their targets’ respective industry, were collected. Diversifying acquisitions were focused upon to ensure that preacquisition alliance experience is the major source of organizational learning. A standard event study to examine acquirers’ abnormal returns was used and a Fama-French calendar-time portfolio approach to gauge long-run abnormal stock performance was adopted. In addition, regression analysis was conducted to investigate the alliance–acquisition relationship, controlling a set of variables capturing firm .
Substance P immunoreactivity in the major pelvic ganglion of the rat

Substance P immunoreactivity in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) of the rat was studied to define a possible role for this neuropeptide in functions of the pelvic portion of the autonomic nervous system. Substance P immunoreactivity was found in three locations in the ganglion: (1) as a plexus of varicose fibers, (2) in small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells, and (3) after colchicine pretreatment, in some principal neurons. The perineuronal plexus of fibers appeared as small varicosities closely related to the somae of principal neurons. Approximately 10–20% of principal neurons were enclosed by a substance P‐positive plexus. SIF cells were intensely stained for substance P. The general relationships of SIF cells in this ganglion were confirmed by their staining for substance P: their occurrence singly or in large clusters, their short tapering processes often related to principal neurons, and the occasional presence of a beaded process. Colchicine treatment resulted in the appearance of rare principal neurons that stained for substance P. The pelvic nerve was surgically interrupted to determine whether the perineuronal plexus of varicose fibers had an intrinsic origin or arose from cell bodies outside the ganglion. The perineuronal plexus was virtually absent following this procedure. The results of this study indicate that principal neurons in the major pelvic ganglion may be subject to the influence of substance P derived from two sources: (1) intrinsic substance P‐containing SIF cells and (2) neurons probably residing in dorsal root ganglia. The nature of principal neurons that acquire staining for substance P after colchicine is unclear.
Combined budesonide and antibiotic therapy for active Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Although antibiotics are frequently used to treat Crohn's disease, this practice is not supported by strong evidence from randomized trials. METHODS We conducted a double-blind multicenter study of patients with active Crohn's disease of the ileum, right colon, or both. Patients were randomized to receive oral ciprofloxacin and metronidazole, both 500 mg twice daily, or placebo for 8 weeks. All patients received oral budesonide 9 mg once daily. The primary efficacy measure was the proportion of patients in remission at week 8. RESULTS Of the 134 patients who were randomized, 130 were evaluated for efficacy; 66 received placebo, and 64 received antibiotics. At week 8, 21 patients (33%) assigned to antibiotics were in remission as compared with 25 patients (38%) in the placebo group (P = 0.55; absolute difference, -5%; 95% confidence interval, -21% to 11%). An interaction (P = 0.025) between treatment allocation and disease location on treatment response was identified. Among patients with disease of the colon, 9 of 17 (53%) were in remission after treatment with antibiotics, compared with 4 of 16 (25%) of those who received placebo (P = 0.10). Discontinuation of therapy because of adverse events occurred in 13 of 66 (20%) patients treated with antibiotics, compared with 0 of 68 in the group who received placebo (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In patients with active Crohn's disease of the ileum, the addition of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole to budesonide is an ineffective intervention, but this antibiotic combination may improve outcome when there is involvement of the colon.
How Global are Global Value Chains? A New Approach to Measure International Fragmentation

type="main"> Denser networks of intermediate input flows between countries suggest ongoing international fragmentation of production chains. But is this process mainly taking place between countries within a region, or is it truly global? We provide new macroeconomic evidence by extending the Feenstra and Hanson ( ) measure of fragmentation to a multicountry setting. We derive the distribution of value added by all countries involved in the production chain of a particular final good. This is based on a new input–output model of the world economy, covering 40 countries and 14 manufacturing product groups. We find that in almost all product chains, the share of value added outside the country-of-completion has increased since 1995. This is mainly added outside the region to which the country-of-completion belongs, suggesting a transition from regional production systems to “Factory World. ” This tendency was only briefly interrupted by the financial crisis in 2008.
Beyond motor neurons: expanding the clinical spectrum in Kennedy’s disease

Kennedy’s disease, or spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), is an X-linked neuromuscular condition clinically characterised by weakness, atrophy and fasciculations of the limb and bulbar muscles, as a result of lower motor neuron degeneration. The disease is caused by an abnormally expanded triplet repeat expansions in the ubiquitously expressed androgen receptor gene, through mechanisms which are not entirely elucidated. Over the years studies from both humans and animal models have highlighted the involvement of cell populations other than motor neurons in SBMA, widening the disease phenotype. The most compelling aspect of these findings is their potential for therapeutic impact: muscle, for example, which is primarily affected in the disease, has been recently shown to represent a valid alternative target for therapy to motor neurons. In this review, we discuss the emerging study of the extra-motor neuron involvement in SBMA, which, besides increasingly pointing towards a multidisciplinary approach for affected patients, deepens our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and holds potential for providing new therapeutic targets for this disease.
Adjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Healing of Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of standard wound care with adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to standard wound care alone on wound healing, markers of inflammation, glycemic control, amputation rate, survival rate of tissue, and health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised 38 patients with nonhealing DFUs who were deemed poor candidates for vascular surgery. Subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group (standard care plus HBOT, n = 20) or a control group (standard care alone, n = 18). The study setting was a medical center in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. METHODS: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered in a hyperbaric chamber under 2.5 absolute atmospheric pressure for 120 minutes; subjects were treated 5 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Both groups received standard wound care including debridement of necrotic tissue, topical therapy for Wagner grade 2 DFUs, dietary control and pharmacotherapy to maintain optimal blood glucose levels. Wound physiological indices were measured and blood tests (eg, markers of inflammation) were undertaken. Health-related quality of life was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form. RESULTS: Complete DFU closure was achieved in 5 patients (25%) in the HBOT group (n = 20) versus 1 participant (5.5%) in the routine care group (n = 18) (P = .001). The amputation rate was 5% for the HBOT group and 11% for the routine care group (&khgr;2 = 15.204, P = .010). The HBOT group showed statistically significant improvements in inflammation index, blood flow, and health-related quality of life from pretreatment to 2 weeks after the last therapy ended (P < .05). Hemoglobin A1c was significantly lower in the HBOT group following treatment (P < .05) but not in the routine care group. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive HBOT improved wound healing in persons with DFU. Therapy also reduced the risk of amputation of the affected limb. We assert that at least 20 HBOT sessions are required to be effective.
Genetic contribution to the relationship between social role function and depressive symptoms in Japanese elderly twins: a twin study

Background: Social role function is the capacity to maintain interpersonal relationships and is essential for being independent in the community. Limitations in social role function often coexist with depressive symptoms, suggesting a possible common mechanistic basis. We investigated whether the observed association between these traits is mainly a result of genetic or environmental influences.
Research Design

We can randomize the allocation of an entire program.We can randomize different components of a program.We can design our evaluation to precisely test a theoretical concept that economists have worried about for years or to test a contentious policy question. In other words, we can tailor the evaluation to answer exactly the question we need to have answered. – Rachel Glennerster and Kudzai Takavarasha, Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide.
Environmental Scanning in Botswana's SMEs: A Study of the Manufacturing Industry

Environmental scanning (ES) is an indispensable activity practiced by top executives to align their organizations to turbulent environments. However, although the subject has generated a vast body of literature, it remains an underdeveloped domain in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and in Botswana in particular. Consequently, there is a paucity of literature on the subject and this has unfortunately limited a fuller understanding of how ES in transitional contexts is practiced. The research reported here thus investigated the scanning behaviour of CEOs of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in Botswana's manufacturing sector. Data were gathered via mail-delivered questionnaires sent to respondents based in the cities of Gaborone and Francistown. The key findings of the study were: (1) the CEOs in the study display a propensity to scan the task environment with greater frequency focusing most on the customer, competitor and suppliers sectors; (2) CEOs in the sample are systematic scanners and frequently use the continuous scanning mode; (3) the sampled CEOs consider personal sources (customers, business associates, managers and suppliers) as their preferred sources of information; and (4) CEOs use a mosaic of sources but tend to rely on personal sources more than impersonal. Recommendations are made for future research on CEO scanning.
Analysis of Protein Levels of 24 Cytokines in Scrapie Agent-Infected Brain and Glial Cell Cultures from Mice Differing in Prion Protein Expression Levels

ABSTRACT Activation of microglia and astroglia is seen in many neurodegenerative diseases including prion diseases. Activated glial cells produce cytokines as a protective response against certain pathogens and as part of the host inflammatory response to brain damage. In addition, cytokines might also exacerbate tissue damage initiated by other processes. In the present work using multiplex assays to analyze protein levels of 24 cytokines in scrapie agent-infected C57BL/10 mouse brains, we observed elevation of CCL2, CCL5, CXCL1, CXCL10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12p40. Scrapie agent-infected wild-type mice and transgenic mice expressing anchorless prion protein (PrP) had similar cytokine responses in spite of extensive differences in neuropathology. Therefore, these responses may be primarily a reaction to brain damage induced by prion infection rather than specific inducers of a particular type of pathology. To study the roles of astroglia and microglia in these cytokine responses, primary glial cultures were exposed to scrapie agent-infected brain homogenates. Microglia produced only IL-12p40 and CXCL10, whereas astroglia produced these cytokines plus CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL1, G-CSF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p70, and IL-13. Glial cytokine responses from wild-type mice and transgenic mice expressing anchorless PrP differed only slightly, but glia from PrP-null mice produced only IL-12p40, indicating that PrP expression was required for scrapie agent induction of other cytokines detected. The difference in cytokine response between microglia and astroglia correlated with 20-fold-higher levels of PrP expression in astroglia versus microglia, suggesting that high-level PrP expression on astroglia might be important for induction of certain cytokines.
High density lipoprotein subfractions: isolation, composition, and their duplicitous role in oxidation Published, JLR Papers in Press, October 25, 2006.

The plasma HDLs represent a major class of cholesterol-transporting lipoprotein that can be divided into two distinct subfractions, HDL2 and HDL3, by ultracentrifugation. Existing methods for the subfractionation of HDL requires lengthy ultracentrifugations, making them unappealing for large-scale studies. We describe a method that subfractionates HDL from plasma in only 6 h, representing a substantial decrease in total isolation time. The subfractions so isolated were assessed for a variety of lipid and protein components, in addition to their susceptibility to oxidation, both alone and in combination with VLDL and LDL. We report for the first time a prooxidant role for HDL during VLDL oxidation, in which HDL donates preformed hydroperoxides to VLDL in a cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP)-dependent process. Examination of the participation of HDL in LDL oxidation has reinforced its classic role as a potent antioxidant. Furthermore, we have also implicated the second major HDL-associated enzyme, LCAT, in these processes, whereby it acts as a potent prooxidant during VLDL oxidation but as an antioxidant during LDL oxidation. Thus, we have identified a potentially duplicitous role for HDL in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, attributable to both CETP and LCAT.
Sub-picosecond aperture-uncertainty measurements [ADCs]

Sub-picosecond aperture-uncertainty measurement is a challenge today in the test of state-of-the-art high-speed, high-resolution A/D converters used in digital receivers. This work describes the existing double-channel techniques and analyzes the measurement accuracy obtainable with the instrumentation available today. Experimental results are provided which validate theory.
Measuring the social costs of coal-based electricity generation in South Africa

Energy technologies interact with the economic, social and environmental systems, and do so not only directly but indirectly as well, through upstream and downstream processes. In addition, the interactions may produce positive and negative repercussions. To make informed decisions on the selection of energy technologies that assist a nation in reaping the socio-economic benefits of power generation technologies with minimal effects on the natural environment, energy technologies need to be understood in the light of the multifaceted system in which they function. But frequently, as disclosed by the literature review conducted in this research, the evaluation of energy technologies lacks clear benchmarks of appropriate assessments, which has resulted in difficulty to compare and to gauge the quality of various assessment practices. The assessment methods and tools tend to be discipline specific with little to no integrations. Parallel with the tools, the technology assessment studies offer piecemeal information that limits deeper understanding of energy technologies and their consequent socio-economic-environmental repercussions. Improved energy technology assessment requires the use of a holistic and integrative approach that traverses the disciplinary nature of energy technology assessment tools, examines the long-term implications of technologies while at the same time embracing energy technologies’ positive-and-negative interactions with the economic, social and environmental systems and in this manner offering economic, social and environmental indicators to assist decision makers in the decision-making process. Accordingly, this study focuses on improving the assessment of energy technologies through the application of a holistic and integrative approach, specifically system dynamics approach along a life-cycle viewpoint. Precisely,
Transcript Stabilization by the RNA-Binding Protein HuR Is Regulated by Cellular Retinoic Acid-Binding Protein 2

ABSTRACT The RNA-binding protein HuR binds at 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of target transcripts, thereby protecting them against degradation. We show that HuR directly interacts with cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2 (CRABP2), a protein known to transport RA from the cytosol to the nuclear retinoic acid receptor (RAR). Association with CRABP2 dramatically increases the affinity of HuR toward target mRNAs and enhances the stability of such transcripts, including that of Apaf-1, the major protein in the apoptosome. We show further that its cooperation with HuR contributes to the ability of CRABP2 to suppress carcinoma cell proliferation. The data show that CRABP2 displays antioncogenic activities both by cooperating with RAR and by stabilizing antiproliferative HuR target transcripts. The observation that CRABP2 controls mRNA stabilization by HuR reveals that in parallel to participating in transcriptional regulation, the protein is closely involved in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression.