Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surgical treatment for primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare but unique subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our study aimed to evaluate clinicopathological characteristics and the value of surgical treatment for LELC and explore the relevant prognostic factors in a relatively large cohort. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 39 lung LELC patients who underwent pulmonary resection with curative intent between January 2009 and December 2013. The clinical and pathological characteristics, survival data and relevant prognostic factors were analysed. RESULTS The median age of lung LELC patients was 47 years (36-81), and 32 of 39 patients were non-smokers (82.1%). Positive expression of P63 and CK5/6 was shown in all the tested LELC specimens. In situ hybridization of Epstein-Bar virus-encoded RNA (EBER) was performed in 36 patients and all of them were positive. However, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutational analysis was done in 19 patients and all of them were wild-type. The median follow-up time was 26.0 months in our cohort, and 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-month recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 92, 82, 73 and 73%, respectively. Patients with positive lymph nodes experienced significantly worse postoperative RFS than those with negative ones (P = 0.002). Multivariate survival analysis confirmed that only lymph node involvement [RR 0.051; 95% confidence interval, 0.003-0.991, P = 0.049] was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS Primary lung LELC is closely associated with Epstein-Bar virus infection but not involved in EGFR mutation pathway. Radical surgery could achieve a good outcome for resectable pulmonary LELC, and regional lymph node status is a vital prognostic factor.
Role of C-terminal Serines in Desensitization and Phosphorylation of the Mouse Thromboxane Receptor*

To investigate the role of C-terminal hydroxyamino acids in desensitization of the receptor for thromboxane A2 (TxA2), we created a mutant TxA2 receptor (TP receptor) in which serines at positions 321, 322, and 328 were replaced with either alanine or glycine. Mutant and wild type receptors were expressed in a mesangial cell line, and clones expressing similar numbers of receptors were studied. Affinity and specificity of TxA2 binding to the mutant receptor were identical to wild type receptors. In contrast, TxA2-induced inositol trisphosphate generation by the mutant receptor was enhanced compared with the wild type. Prior treatment with the TxA2agonist U46619 reduced subsequent U46619-induced increases in inositol trisphosphate generation by both receptors; however, the extent of desensitization was significantly reduced in the receptor mutant. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors attenuated TxA2-induced desensitization of wild type receptors, but had little effect on TxA2-induced desensitization of mutant receptors. Pretreatment with the phorbol ester phorbol 12,13-dybutyrate (PDBu) (100 nm) decreased subsequent responsiveness of wild type but not mutant TP receptors. U46619-induced desensitization of wild type receptors was associated with enhanced phosphorylation of receptor proteins. This agonist-specific phosphorylation of the TP receptor was largely prevented by inhibitors of PKC. Treatment with 100 nm PDBu increased phosphorylation of both wild type and mutant TP receptors, but the extent of phosphorylation of the receptor mutant was reduced compared with the wild type. Increasing the concentration of PDBu from 100 nm to 1 μmPDBu reduced responsiveness of both mutant and wild type receptors without enhancing phosphorylation of either of the receptor proteins. These data suggest that 1) phosphorylation of C-terminal serines contributes to agonist-specific desensitization of the TP receptor, 2) PKC-induced desensitization of TP receptors is caused, in part, by phosphorylation of C-terminal serines, and 3) desensitization of TP receptors by PKC is complex and involves mechanisms that may not require direct phosphorylation of receptor proteins.
The Consequences of a BRCA Mutation in Women

Deleterious mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the only known causes of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome. These mutations account for 60% of hereditary breast cancer. Women with HBOC face many decision-making challenges and rely heavily on information and guidance provided by their oncology care providers. Therefore it is imperative that advanced practitioners (APs) in oncology be informed about the many facets surrounding HBOC. The purpose of this article to provide APs with a clinical overview and the most up-to-date information regarding risk assessment for these genetic mutations, genetic testing, psychological consequences associated with genetic testing, the importance of preand posttest counseling, and posttest risk-reduction strategies.
Investment Opportunity Set and Voluntary Disclosure of Prospective Information: A Simultaneous Equations Approach

This paper examines empirically the relationship between the level of disclosure of prospective information and the investment opportunity set for firms in New Zealand. Using a systems (two-stage least squares) approach that explicitly controls for potential endogeneity between disclosure and IOS, we find that the level of prospective information disclosure is significantly and positively related to IOS in both specifications in our simultaneous analysis. Further, we document that prospective information disclosure is positively related to firm size and new security offerings, and is not related to inside ownership and firm profitability. IOS is positively impacted by a firm's investments in fixed assets and its profitability. Finally, we find that forward looking disclosure levels are positively related to the proportion of outside directors on the board and negatively related to barriers to entry, but these findings are not robust across alternative model specifications. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2005.
Which Firms Die? A Look at Manufacturing Firm Exit in Ghana

In the context of Africa, which firms are driven out of business? Given that many markets do not function efficiently in Africa, the determinants of firm exit may not be the same fundamentals that force business closure elsewhere. In particular, less productive firms may not be the ones forced out of business. This article examines the determinants of manufacturing firm exit in the context of Ghana, with particular attention paid to productivity (or lack thereof) as a potential determinant of exit. Three different methods are used to measure productivity, two of which carefully handle the issue of simultaneity in production function estimation. In addition, other determinants of firm exit are examined and compared to previous results in the literature.
Conjugal transfer system of the IncN plasmid pKM101

The conjugal transfer system of the broad-host range IncN plasmid pKM101 was analyzed genetically. Its organization differed significantly from that of the F plasmid. The tra genes are located in three regions, each between 3 and 4 kilobases in length. All of the genes in the first two regions are required for sensitivity to "donor-specific" phage which bind to the plasmid-mediated sex pilus, and these genes therefore are involved in the synthesis, and possibly retraction, of the sex pilus. The plasmid's origin of transfer was localized to a 1.2-kilobase region at an extreme end of the transfer region. Using two different methods, we have identified 11 complementation groups required for transfer. One of these, traC, is of special interest in that mutations at this locus can be partially suppressed if, prior to mating, cells carrying a traC mutant plasmid are incubated with cells which elaborate sex pili but are unable to transfer their plasmids. One possible explanation for this is that pilus-elaborating cells can donate traC gene product to a traC mutant in a form that can be reused.
Gains from Trade under Variable Returns to Scale

Recently, several trade theorists have investigated the welfare consequences of international trade under variable returns to scale. For example, Kemp and Negishi [11], using the revealed preference arguments, obtain the sufficient conditions under which the opening of trade and an improvement in the terms of trade are nonharmful in the presence of variable returns to scale, production subsidies and consumption taxes. Eaton and Panagariya [7] reexamine these issues in the context of Pareto welfare criterion. It is noteworthy that the assumption of constant returns to scale is retained in their discussions on production subsidies and consumption taxes.1 The purpose of this paper is to explore the welfare implications of tariffs and consumption taxes as well as the welfare rankings of these policy instruments under variable returns to scale. We obtain several interesting results. For example, social welfare for a small country can be maximized by introducing, in addition to free trade, a policy of production tax-cum-subsidy such that the output of the industry exhibiting greater (smaller) returns to scale is pushed to the maximum (minimum). A higher tariff rate needs not result in a lower welfare, whereas a higher rate of consumption tax necessarily leads to a lower welfare. Furthermore, a tariff may be superior to an equivalent consumption tax. The paper evolves as follows. The model and assumptions are presented in Section II. Section III is the analysis regarding non-optimality of free trade, free trade versus no trade,
Enhanced visual feedback for slip prevention with a prosthetic hand

Background: Upper limb amputees have no direct sense of the grip force applied by a prosthetic hand; thus, precise control of the applied grip force is difficult for amputees. Since there is little object deformation when rigid objects are grasped, it is difficult for amputees to visually gauge the applied grip force in this situation. Objectives: To determine if the applied grip force from a prosthetic hand can be visually displayed and used to more efficaciously grasp objects. Study Design: Experimental controlled trial. Methods: Force feedback is used in the control algorithm for the prosthetic hand and supplied visually to the user through a bicolor LED experimentally mounted to the thumb. Several experiments are performed by able-bodied test subjects to rate the usefulness of the additional visual feedback when manipulating a clearly visible, brittle object that can break if grasped too firmly. A hybrid force-velocity sliding mode controller is used with and without additional visual force feedback supplied to the operators. Results: Subjective evaluations and success rates from the test subjects indicate a statistically significant reduction in breaking the grasped object when using the prosthesis with the extra visual feedback. Conclusions: The additional visual force feedback can effectively facilitate the manipulation of brittle objects. Clinical relevance The novel approach of this research is the implementation of a noninvasive, effective and economic technique to visually indicate the grip force applied by a prosthetic hand to upper limb amputees. This technique provides a statistically significant improvement when handling brittle objects.
Microfiber Knot With Taper Interferometer for Temperature and Refractive Index Discrimination

A compact sensing structure using two distinct optical devices, a microfiber knot resonator and an abrupt taper-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI), is presented. The device was fabricated using only CO2 laser processing. The transmission spectrum presents two different components with different sensitivities to different physical and chemical parameters. The sensor was characterized in temperature and refractive index. For temperature sensing in water, the MZI component presents a sensitivity of −196 ± 2 pm/°C while the microfiber knot resonator (MKR) component shows a sensitivity of 25.1 ± 0.9 pm/°C, for water temperature variations of 12 °C. Sensitivities of 1354 ± 14 nm/RIU and −43 ± 4 nm/RIU were achieved for refractive index sensing for the MZI and the MKR components, respectively, in a refractive index range from 1.32823 to 1.33001. The matrix method was used for the simultaneous measurement of temperature and refractive index.
Caste and Democratic Decentralisation in Rural Tamil Nadu

One of the most significant political changes over the past 25 years in Tamil Nadu, as elsewhere in India, is the implementation of a statutory status for a local elected government in accordance with the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution passed by the Indian Parliament in 1993. The performance of the new system in Tamil Nadu is rather average and not very vibrant. Nevertheless, it has meant that the local state has become more active in the construction and maintenance of drinking water facilities, street lights, streets, and sanitation, and also carries out certain infrastructural work like road building and construction of public buildings. With the 33 % reservation for women members and presidents, women have also started to take part in local politics. The same is true for SC (Dalit castes) and ST (tribal groups), which have reserved seats according to their proportion in the population. While we can trace some improvements to the entry of women, there is little impact of the reservation system for Dalits in our area. Local politics is mostly about representation of castes and family lineages, influence and ‘rent from office bearing’ and most of the welfare improvements seem to derive rather from general state policies and pressure generated from the electorate at large in a competitive political systems, where the leading parties compete for electoral success and in the process address publicly expressed needs and grievances. It is this pressure that eventually gets translated in improved performance in governance. Caste plays a major role in local politics and the ability to form strategic alliances is decisive in winning seats in the local bodies. In these processes, Dalits, themselves divided along caste lines, are most often at the receiving end, needing the approval of the higher and dominant castes for successful candidacy. It is a kind of cooptation in which they often loose whatever ‘teeth’ they could muster to end discrimination and improve the material well-being of the lowest castes. Finally, the Dalit tactic of forming separate associations and political parties along caste lines has lead to a fragmented representation, which is without political efficiency in the fight against remaining discrimination. (Less)
Modulation of gene methylation by genistein or lycopene in breast cancer cells

Dietary agents with chemopreventive potential, including soy‐derived genistein and tomato‐derived lycopene, have been shown to alter gene expression in ways that can either promote or potentially inhibit the carcinogenic processes. To begin to explore the mechanisms by which these agents may be acting we have examined the DNA methylation modulating capacity of genistein or lycopene for several genes relevant to breast cancer in the breast cancer cell lines MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐468, as well as in immortalized but noncancer fibrocystic MCF10A breast cells. We find using methylation specific PCR (MSP) that a low, nontoxic concentration of genistein (3.125 μM, resupplemented every 48 hr for 1 week) or a single dose of lycopene (2 μM) partially demethylates the promoter of the GSTP1 tumor suppressor gene in MDA‐MB‐468 cells. RT‐PCR studies confirm a lack of GSTP1 expression in untreated MDA‐MB‐468, with restoration of GSTP1 expression after genistein or lycopene treatment. The RARβ2 gene however, was not demethylated by genistein or lycopene in either of these breast cancer cell lines. But, lycopene (2 μM, once per week for 2 weeks) did induce demethylation of RARβ2 and the HIN‐1 genes in the noncancer MCF10A fibrocystic breast cells. These data show for the first time that the tomato carotenoid lycopene has direct DNA demethylating activity. In summary, both genistein and lycopene, at very low, dietarily relevant concentrations can potentially mitigate tumorigenic processes via promoter methylation modulation of gene expression. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Block‐holder ownership, family control and post‐listing performance of French IPOs

Purpose - While advantageous, the role of family control is under-explored in finance. Family ownership can help guarantee stability of business and long-term planning. The purpose of this study is to examine whether block-holder ownership differentially affects the long-term performance of initial public offerings (IPOs), and verifies whether this effect differs between family and non-family IPOs. Design/methodology/approach - Using a sample of 163 French IPOs from 1996 to 2000, this paper examines the links between family control and the first-year market performance. It focuses on IPOs where both families and Venture Capitalists (VCs) are engaged to lock-in their shareholdings for a period of one year following the IPO date, and are thus expected, at least in the case of families, to provide an effective monitoring during this period. Findings - The main findings bring support to the entrenchment hypothesis and show a negative, but weak, relationship between block-holder ownership and the first year market performance ( Originality/value - While most of prior research focuses on the association between ownership and governance effects on firms’ performances in publicly-owned firms, this study demonstrates links between family control and performance in issuing firms operating in France, where family-controlled IPOs are a common model of corporate governance.
Long-term study of vasectomy in Macaca radiata – histological and ultrasonographic analysis of testis and duct system

Abstract This study was aimed to investigate the long-term effect of vasectomy using the bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata) as a primate animal model. Animals weighing around 6 to 8 kg were randomly chosen for bilateral, unilateral vasectomy and sham-control. The postoperative periods of six months and two years were considered as short and long-term, respectively. Sperm were collected and subjected to analysis before euthanasia. The testes and epididymides were excised from euthanized animals then embedded in paraffin. Normal histological changes were observed in sham-operated animals and short-term contralateral testes. In contrast, marked alterations were observed in the testes and epididymides of both short and long-term groups. Seminiferous epithelium was thinned out showing marked depletion of germ cells in long-term; only a thin layer of Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and fewer spermatocytes were seen. Exfoliation of germ cells and the occurrence of multinucleated giant cells were common features in these tubules. The epididymal tubular lumens were greatly dilated with accumulated spermatozoa in short and long-term animals; significant defects were observed in the epithelium of the long-term animals. Microscopic spermatic granulomas were noticed in epididymides and the vas deferens. Large granulomas were seen in long-term vasectomized monkeys, frequently compressing the surrounding structures. These granulomas could be visualized in ultrasound, however, only at the late stage of its occurrence. Sperm collected from the unilateral vasectomized animals showed a poor motility score in the capillary mucus penetration test (CMPT). Results indicate that the changes observed after vasectomy might be due to pressure initially, whereas in the long-term the damage was supplemented by autoimmune attack. With immunoglobulin (IgG) deposition in contra-lateral unoperated testis of unilateral vasectomized animals it also showed degenerative changes and a concomitant drop in sperm quality. Although, granulomatous reactions were observed in the epididymis and vas deferens but testes were spared from such reactions even in the long-term.
Shifting the Balance: The Contemporary Narrative of Obesity

In this essay, I assess the narrative of obesity as articulated in representative contemporary mainstream media fare—namely, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Biggest Loser, and Big Medicine. I contend that the emergent narrative of obesity across these programs signals a shift from the historically received narrative in light of its intersection with the concurrent culturally resonant narratives of addiction and self-actualization. In particular, the proposed “problem” and “solution” to obesity, both historically attributed to personal responsibility, appear to be shifting in favor of cultural explanations that describe obesity as symptomatic of and secondary to broader issues related to community, emotionality, and agency. This suggests novel cultural understandings, practices, and policies regarding the mounting “obesity epidemic. ”
Climate control? The relationship between leadership, climate for change, and work outcomes

Transformational leadership is seen as one of the most effective leadership styles from which the dynamic context of temporary work agencies may benefit. The current paper presents a theoretical framework that introduces participative leadership as an additional appropriate leadership style. The prediction is that transformational leadership and participative leadership both impact work outcomes via a climate for change. Data from 258 employees working for a large Dutch employment agency support these hypotheses. Results show that transformational leadership and participative leadership are both independently related to work outcomes. Moreover, results support an indirect process from participative leadership to work outcomes, via a climate for change.
Effects of Electroacupuncture on Local Anaesthesia for Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objective To assess the effect of electroacupuncture (EA), akin to percutaneous electroneurostimulation, on pain and biochemical measures during and after inguinal hernia repair. Methods Thirty-three patients were randomised to EA (n=16) or sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) control (n=17). EA was applied at different frequencies, through needles inserted around the incision, over selected peripheral nerve branches and in the ear, from 30 min before surgery until the end of surgery, when needles were removed. All patients also received routine sedation and local anaesthesia. Results There was no difference between the pain scores in the groups receiving EA and sham TENS in the immediate postoperative period, which may be owing to adequate levels of analgesia from conventional techniques. On the fourth and seventh postoperative days, less pain and lower consumption of analgesic drugs were reported in the treatment group. Seroma occurred more frequently in the control group, which also had higher glucose blood levels in the immediate postoperative surgery period. The single case of chronic postoperative pain occurred in the control group. Conclusions The sample size was too small to draw any conclusions about the effect of EA on pain and other parameters following inguinal hernia surgery, but our observations suggest that future studies in this area are justified.