Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lifestyle Factors Associated with BMI in a Spanish Graduate Population: The SUN Study

Objective: To study the association between BMI and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking habits, education level and marital status in a Spanish graduate population. Method: Cross-sectional analysis of 8,706 participants (3,643 men and 5,063 women) from the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study, an ongoing dynamic cohort study in Spain. Data on body weight, height and sociodemographic characteristics, and lifestyle habits were collected with self-administered validated questionnaires. Results: Among older participants (above sex-specific median age), educational level was a factor independently associated with BMI. University graduates with a lower educational level (3-year college degree or 5-year university degree) had a significantly higher BMI than those with doctorate which requires, at least, 8 years of university studies in Spain. Mean BMI was significantly higher among past smokers than among never smokers. Alcohol consumption, marital and smoking status were associated with BMI only among men. Conclusion: In a study whose members were all university graduates, several factors were independently associated with a higher BMI, such as less years of higher education, past smoking, marital status and higher alcohol consumption.
Interaction of Bap31 and MHC Class I Molecules and Their Traffic Out of the Endoplasmic Reticulum 1

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein Bap31 associates with nascent class I MHC molecules. It appears to mediate the export of class I MHC molecules from the ER and may also be involved in their quality control. In this study, we use Förster resonance energy transfer and quantitative fluorescence imaging to show that in human, HeLa cells, Bap31 clusters with MHC class I (HLA-A2) molecules in the ER, and traffics via export vesicles to the ER/Golgi intermediate compartment. Förster resonance energy transfer between Bap31 and HLA-A2 and forward traffic increases when MHC class I molecules are loaded with a pulse of peptide. The increased forward traffic is blocked by overexpression of Bap29, a partner protein for Bap31, which localizes to the ER. Thus, in HeLa cells, Bap31 is involved in the exit of peptide-loaded MHC class I from the ER, and its function is regulated by its interaction with its homologue, Bap29.
Adenovirus 5-Vectored P. falciparum Vaccine Expressing CSP and AMA1. Part A: Safety and Immunogenicity in Seronegative Adults

Background Models of immunity to malaria indicate the importance of CD8+ T cell responses for targeting intrahepatic stages and antibodies for targeting sporozoite and blood stages. We designed a multistage adenovirus 5 (Ad5)-vectored Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine, aiming to induce both types of responses in humans, that was tested for safety and immunogenicity in a Phase 1 dose escalation trial in Ad5-seronegative volunteers. Methodology/Principal Findings The NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA vaccine combines two adenovectors encoding circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1). Group 1 (n = 6) healthy volunteers received one intramuscular injection of 2×10∧10 particle units (1×10∧10 each construct) and Group 2 (n = 6) a five-fold higher dose. Transient, mild to moderate adverse events were more pronounced with the higher dose. ELISpot responses to CSP and AMA1 peaked at 1 month, were higher in the low dose (geomean CSP = 422, AMA1 = 862 spot forming cells/million) than in the high dose (CSP = 154, p = 0.049, AMA1 = 423, p = 0.045) group and were still positive at 12 months in a number of volunteers. ELISpot depletion assays identified dependence on CD4+ or on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with few responses dependent only on CD8+ T cells. Intracellular cytokine staining detected stronger CD8+ than CD4+ T cell IFN-γ responses (CSP p = 0.0001, AMA1 p = 0.003), but similar frequencies of multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secreting two or more of IFN-γ, TNF-α or IL-2. Median fluorescence intensities were 7–10 fold higher in triple than single secreting cells. Antibody responses were low but trended higher in the high dose group and did not inhibit growth of cultured P. falciparum blood stage parasites. Significance As found in other trials, adenovectored vaccines appeared safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 1×10∧11 particle units. This is the first demonstration in humans of a malaria vaccine eliciting strong CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00392015
FcγRIIa-131R allele and FcγRIIIa-176V/V genotype are risk factors for progression of IgA nephropathy

BACKGROUND Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaRs) may play an important role in positive and negative regulation of immune cell responses and immune complex (IC) clearance. Mesangial IgG deposition and circulating IgG/IgA-IC in sera are observed in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Therefore, the pathological roles of IgG-IC in IgAN have been discussed. On the other hand, several studies have identified FcgammaR polymorphisms (FcgammaRIIa, FcgammaRIIIa and FcgammaRIIIb) that determine susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The objective of the present study was to clarify whether FcgammaR polymorphisms influence susceptibility to IgAN, clinical features or severity in patients with IgAN. METHODS Japanese patients with IgAN (n = 124) and healthy controls (n = 100) were genotyped for FcgammaR polymorphisms (FcgammaRIIa-131H or R, FcgammaRIIIa-176F or V and FcgammaRIIIb-NA1 or -NA2). The genotyping of these polymorphisms was performed using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Associations among FcgammaR polymorphisms and susceptibility, age of onset, levels of serum immunoglobulins, intensity of glomerular IgG deposition and pathological severity were analysed. RESULTS These three FcgammaR polymorphisms showed no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies between the IgAN patients and healthy controls. Each FcgammaR polymorphism had no influence on age of onset, serum levels of IgG and glomerular IgG deposition in IgAN. However, FcgammaRIIa-131R (R/R or H/R) or FcgammaRIIIa-176V homozygous carriers (V/V) showed significantly more severe injury than FcgammaRIIa-131H homozygous (H/H) (P < 0.03) or FcgammaRIIIa-176F carriers (F/F or F/V) (P < 0.03), respectively. CONCLUSION The present study shows that polymorphisms of FcgammaRIIa and FcgammaRIIIa influence the severity of IgAN in Japanese patients but not the incidence, suggesting that IgG-IC may play important roles in the progression and prognosis of this disease via FcgammaRs.
Dvl2-Dependent Activation of Daam1 and RhoA Regulates Wnt5a-Induced Breast Cancer Cell Migration

Background The Dishevelled (Dvl) and Dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (Daam1) pathway triggered by Wnt5a regulates cellular polarity during development and tissue homoeostasis. However, Wnt5a signaling in breast cancer progression remains poorly defined. Methodology/Principal Findings We showed here that Wnt5a activated Dvl2, Daam1 and RhoA, and promoted migration of breast cancer cells, which was, however, abolished by Secreted Frizzled-related protein 2 (sFRP2) pretreatment. Dominant negative Dvl2 mutants or Dvl2 siRNA significantly decreased Wnt5a-induced Daam1/RhoA activation and cell migration. Ectopic expression of N-Daam1, a dominant negative mutant, or Daam1 siRNA remarkably inhibited Wnt5a-induced RhoA activation, stress fiber formation and cell migration. Ectopic expression of dominant negative RhoA (N19) or C3 exoenzyme transferase, a Rho inhibitor, decreased Wnt5a-induced stress fiber formation and cell migration. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, we demonstrated for the first time that Wnt5a promotes breast cancer cell migration via Dvl2/Daam1/RhoA.
Inclusión “a la Chilena”: La inclusión escolar en un contexto de políticas neoliberales avanzadas

: El sistema educativo chileno ha sido considerado como uno de los más mercantilizados a nivel mundial, con fuerte presencia de proveedores privados de servicios educativos bajo un financiamiento basado en la demanda. El año 2015 se promulgo la “Ley de Inclusión Escolar” con el declarado propósito de transformar el modelo hacia uno basado en el bien público. Este artículo aborda el análisis de la justificación e instalación de esta política, como un caso en de transformación en un contexto altamente neoliberalizado. Para ello se presentan los resultados de dos estudios. El primero analiza el discurso oficial mediante el cual se justifica y promueve esta reforma. El segundo analiza los instrumentos específicos que la materializan. Esto como un modo de acceder no sólo a las retóricas mediante las cuales se justifica una transformación de este tipo, sino que a la concreción de esta transformación a partir del abordaje de los instrumentos y procedimientos específicos mediante los cuales la ley se hace operativa interpelando escuelas y comunidades a través de exigencias y regulaciones concretas. Los resultados muestran tensiones relevantes vinculadas a la persistencia del llamado school choice como principio básico, y mecanismos cuyos efectos tienden a aumentar la segregación.
HIV-1 integrase inhibitor T30177 forms a stacked dimeric G-quadruplex structure containing bulges

T30177 is a G-rich oligonucleotide with the sequence (GTGGTGGGTGGGTGGGT) which inhibits the HIV-1 integrase activity at nanomolar concentrations. Here we show that this DNA sequence forms in K+ solution a dimeric G-quadruplex structure comprising a total of six G-tetrad layers through the stacking of two propeller-type parallel-stranded G-quadruplex subunits at their 5′-end. All twelve guanines in the sequence participate in the G-tetrad formation, despite the interruption in the first G-tract by a thymine, which forms a bulge between two adjacent G-tetrads. In this work, we also propose a simple analytical approach to stoichiometry determination using concentration-dependent melting curves.
Euro Area Banking Sector Integration - Using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Techniques

In this study we apply cluster analysis techniques, including a novel smoothing method, to detect some basic patterns and trends in the euro area banking sector in terms of the degree of homogeneity of countries. We find that in the period 1998-2004 the banking sectors in the euro area countries seem to have become somewhat more homogeneous, although the results are not unequivocal and considerable differences remain, leaving scope for further integration. In terms of clustering, the Western and Central European countries (like Germany, France, Belgium, and to some extent also the Netherlands, Austria and Italy) tend to cluster together, while Spain and Portugal and more recently also Greece usually are in the same distinct cluster. Ireland and Finland form separate clusters, but overall tend to be closer to the Western and Central European cluster. JEL Classification: C49, F36, G21
Innovation and Horizontal Differentiation in a Continuous-Time Hotelling Model

We study the relationship between innovation and horizontal differentiation in a continuous-time dynamic duopoly. At any instant firms compete in prices in a Hotelling game. They may be differentiated both in terms of product quality (for which consumers have homogeneous tastes) and product location (for which tastes are heterogeneous). We consider in turn: (a) a game in which firms invest to improve quality (with fixed locations), and (b) a game in which they invest to relocate products (with an exogenous rate of quality improvement). Spillovers keep the interfirm quality differential from becoming too large. Symmetric Markov-perfect equilibria in the game with fixed locations show a relationship between taste heterogeneity and quality improvement that is U-shaped, in contrast with previous literature. In the game of endogenous product locations we show conditions for uniqueness of the symmetric MPE, and use this result to examine long-run impacts of changes in parameters, e.g., in the costs of product relocation.
e effect of ostensive cues on dogs ’ performance in amanipulative social arning task

In contrast to animal social learning (e.g. dogs learning from observing another dog), humans typically teach by attracting the attention of the learner. Also during the training of dogs, humans tend to attract their attention in a similar way. Here, we investigated dogs’ ability to learn both from a dog and a human demonstrator in a manipulative task, where the models demonstrated which part of a box to manipulate in order to get a food reward. We varied the communicative context both during the dog and during the human demonstration comparably: a second experimenter directed the attention of the subjects to the model (dog/human ostensive demonstration) or remained silent (dog/human nonostensive demonstration). Moreover, we investigated whether the training level of the dogs (well-trained vs. untrained) affected how the dogs performed in the manipulative tasks after the different demonstrations. We found that better trained dogs showed significantly better problem solving abilities. They paid more attention to the human demonstration than to the dog model, whereas such a difference in attentiveness of the less trained dogs was not found. Despite slight differences in paying attention to the different demonstrators, the presence of human or the dog demonstrators exerted equally effectiveness on the test performance of the dogs. However, the effectiveness of the demonstrations was significantly reduced if ostensive cues were given during the demonstrations by a second experimenter. Analysis of attentiveness and activity of the observer dogs during the demonstrations indicates that the reason for this negative effect was a combination of distracted attention paid to the demonstration and a higher level of excitement in the ostensive than in the non-ostensive
Can Teacher Leadership Reduce Principal Stress?

The purpose of this study was to determine what stressors face practicing school principals, with an interest in determining whether they perceived that teacher leaders could relieve some of their stress. This descriptive study used quantitative and qualitative measures that revealed differences in the stressors identified by principals. Principals from all schools reported that they encounter significant levels of stress in their position, with little connection between the roles that teacher leaders currently play and the principals’ associated workload stress. Differences in gender responses to stress and rural, suburban, and urban schools principals’ perceptions are also reflected in the findings. This article is one of a series written to analyze the complexities of principal workload and the potential role of teacher leaders in alleviating workload stress. The conceptual framework for this study is distributed leadership, chosen for its relevance and alignment with the tenets of teacher leadership in the schools.
Apolipoprotein(a) stimulates nuclear translocation of β-catenin: a novel pathogenic mechanism for lipoprotein(a)

Apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)), the distinguishing component of lipoprotein(a), accelerates atherosclerosis by provoking endothelial cell dysfunction. This study unravels proatherosclerotic and proinflammatory apo(a)-mediated signaling pathways involving PTEN/PI3K/Akt/GSK3β that result in β-catenin nuclear translocation and up-regulation of COX-2.
Principles and Practice of Informal Education

Section One: Exploring Education 1. On Being and Educator 2. What is Informal Education 3. First Lessons: Historical Perspectives on Informal Education Section Two: Working With 4. Working with People as an Informal Educator 5. Professional Values in Informal Education Work 6. Confidentiality and Professional Practice 7. Learning from Experience 8. Relationships and Learning 9. Working with Networks and Organisations in the Community Section Three: Elemants of Practice 10. Conversation 11. Place, Space and Informal Education 12. Programme Planning 13. Activities 14. One-to-one Case Work Section Four: Developing Professional Practice 16. Managing Work 17. 'We Become Experts': Working with Basic Education Students as Researchers 18. Using Line Management for Professioanl Development 19. Using Supervision for Professioanl Development 20. Evaluation of the Work
Optimal aggregation of classifiers in statistical learning

Classification can be considered as nonparametric estimation of sets, where the risk is defined by means of a specific distance between sets associated with misclassification error. It is shown that the rates of convergence of classifiers depend on two parameters: the complexity of the class of candidate sets and the margin parameter. The dependence is explicitly given, indicating that optimal fast rates approaching O(n -1 ) can be attained, where n is the sample size, and that the proposed classifiers have the property of robustness to the margin. The main result of the paper concerns optimal aggregation of classifiers: we suggest a classifier that automatically adapts both to the complexity and to the margin, and attains the optimal fast rates, up to a logarithmic factor.
Depending on Its Nano-Spacing, ALCAM Promotes Cell Attachment and Axon Growth

ALCAM is a member of the cell adhesion molecule (CAM) family which plays an important role during nervous system formation. We here show that the two neuron populations of developing dorsal root ganglia (DRG) display ALCAM transiently on centrally and peripherally projecting axons during the two phases of axon outgrowth. To analyze the impact of ALCAM on cell adhesion and axon growth, DRG single cells were cultured on ALCAM-coated coverslips or on nanopatterns where ALCAM is presented in physiological amino-carboxyl terminal orientation at highly defined distances (29, 54, 70, 86, and 137 nm) and where the interspaces are passivated to prevent unspecific protein deposition. Some axonal features (branching, lateral deviation) showed density dependence whereas others (number of axons per neuron, various axon growth parameters) turned out to be an all-or-nothing reaction. Time-lapse analyses revealed that ALCAM density has an impact on axon velocity and advance efficiency. The behavior of the sensory axon tip, the growth cone, partially depended on ALCAM density in a dose-response fashion (shape, dynamics, detachment) while other features did not (size, complexity). Whereas axon growth was equally promoted whether ALCAM was presented at high (29 nm) or low densities (86 nm), the attachment of non-neuronal cells depended on high ALCAM densities. The attachment of non-neuronal cells to the rather unspecific standard proteins presented by conventional implants designed to enhance axonal regeneration is a severe problem. Our findings point to ALCAM, presented as 86 nm pattern, for a promising candidate for the improvement of such implants since this pattern drives axon growth to its full extent while at the same time non-neuronal cell attachment is clearly reduced.
Empirical Evidence on the Conditional Relation between Higher-Order Systematic Co-Moments and Security Returns

This paper contributes to the debate on whether systematic higher-order comoments are able to explain cross-sectional security returns. We argue that a possible reason for inconclusive evidence in the previous studies might be the failure to accommodate market movements in the analysis. We estimate two risk premiums for each systematic variance, systematic skewness, and systematic kurtosis corresponding to the up market (positive excess market returns) and the down market (negative excess market returns). The results show that in the up market, the beta risk premium is positive and the co-skewness risk premium has the opposite sign to the up market skewness. In the down market, the beta risk premium is negative and the co-skewness risk premium has the same sign as the up market skewness. The systematic co-kurtosis does not appear to be priced.
Music for a Brighter World: Brightness Judgment Bias by Musical Emotion

A prevalent conceptual metaphor is the association of the concepts of good and evil with brightness and darkness, respectively. Music cognition, like metaphor, is possibly embodied, yet no study has addressed the question whether musical emotion can modulate brightness judgment in a metaphor consistent fashion. In three separate experiments, participants judged the brightness of a grey square that was presented after a short excerpt of emotional music. The results of Experiment 1 showed that short musical excerpts are effective emotional primes that cross-modally influence brightness judgment of visual stimuli. Grey squares were consistently judged as brighter after listening to music with a positive valence, as compared to music with a negative valence. The results of Experiment 2 revealed that the bias in brightness judgment does not require an active evaluation of the emotional content of the music. By applying a different experimental procedure in Experiment 3, we showed that this brightness judgment bias is indeed a robust effect. Altogether, our findings demonstrate a powerful role of musical emotion in biasing brightness judgment and that this bias is aligned with the metaphor viewpoint.
Six Hundred Schools: A Study of Resources in Australian and New Zealand Government Schools. Staffing and Resources Study Report No. 2. ACER Research Monograph No. 17.

Questionnaire data underlie this analysis of the patterns of personnel availability and utilization in a sample of government schools in Australia and New Zealand. An introduction reviews research and outlines some theoretical issues relevant to school organization and resource allocation. The design and administration of the survey are reported in the second chapter. Personnel resources available in schools are described in chapter 3, which incorporates data on the number and type of teaching staff and support staff, the configuration of teaching and support staff in schools of different types, and the principals' report of emerging needs and priorities in staffing. In the following chapter school structures concerned with policy formulation and those concerned with policy implementation are examined in light of their influence on resource distribution. Chapter 5 considers details' of resource allocation including the definition of class size, class size patterns at different school levels, and allocation of staff to noninstructional functions. The final chapter summarizes the discussion, concluding that resource allocation within schools is a complex network that needs to be understood in terms of purposes, circumstances, and structures, as well as student-teacher ratios and class sizes, and that staffing policies should be developed accordingly. Data are presented in abundant tables. (MJL) **********************A************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************
Achievable information rates for molecular communication with distinct molecules

In molecular communication, messages are conveyed from a transmitter to a receiver by releasing a pattern of molecules at the transmitter, and allowing those molecules to propagate through a fluid medium towards a receiver. In this paper, achievable information rates are estimated for a molecular communication system when information is encoded using a set of distinct molecules, and when the molecules propagate across the medium via Brownian motion. Results are provided which indicate large gains in information rate over the case where the released molecules are indistinguishable from each other.