Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histological changes in mouse colon after single- and split-dose irradiation.

These studies were undertaken to determine the relationship between acute mucosal damage and late obstructions in the colorectal region in the mouse after exposure to radiation. Radiation doses that either permanently depleted the mucosal epithelial cells or spared the mucosal lining by allowing epithelial regeneration were used. The distal 2.5 cm of colon and rectum of male C3Hf/Kam mice was irradiated with either a range of single doses (15-35 Gy) or two equal doses ranging from 9.75 to 14.75 Gy separated by 10 days. The time of onset and the incidence of obstructions and strictures in the bowel were recorded as a function of dose and time after irradiation. Acute damage in the mucosa and subsequent histological changes in the bowel were documented by sequential histological studies. Doses greater than 20 Gy caused acute crypt depletion followed by nonproductive attempts at regeneration and repopulation that culminated in persistent epithelial denudation. In these mice, obstructions appeared as early as 4 weeks and were characterized histologically by a mucosal ulceration extending deep into the muscularis. Single doses of less than 20 Gy and the split doses produced acute crypt cell depletion followed by successful regeneration, repopulation, and restoration of the colonic mucosa. In these mice, obstructions did not appear until at least 40 weeks after irradiation and were characterized by an intact mucosa with a thickened and fibrotic submucosa. Animals given a single dose of 20 Gy developed obstructions throughout the duration of the experiment. Those obstructions that occurred before 6 months were characterized by ulcerations, whereas those that appeared after this time exhibited only fibrosis in the submucosa with no mucosal ulceration. Based on these data, we suggest that two types of late obstructions occur in the bowel, one that depends on persistent epithelial denudation, i.e., a "consequential" response, and the other in the absence of epithelial denudation, i.e., a true late effect.
Regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and disassembly by AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in maintaining cellular energy balance. The activity of AMPK is modulated both by the cellular AMP-to-ATP ratio and by upstream kinases. Recently, AMPK was shown to be phosphorylated and activated by LKB1, a protein kinase that plays a conserved role in epithelial polarity regulation in mammals and Drosophila. Here, we investigate the involvement of AMPK in the regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and cell polarization in MDCK cells. We show that the level of AMPK phosphorylation increases during calcium-induced tight junction assembly and cell polarization and that this increase depends on the kinase activity of LKB1. Expression of a kinase-dead mutant of AMPK inhibits tight junction assembly as indicated by measurement of transepithelial resistance and analysis of ZO-1 localization to the tight junction after calcium switch. Conversely, 5-aminoimidizole-4-carboxamide riboside, an activator of AMPK, promotes transepithelial resistance development and tight junction assembly upon calcium switch. Furthermore, 5-aminoimidizole-4-carboxamide riboside partially protects the tight junctions from disassembly induced by calcium depletion. These results support an important role of AMPK in the regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and disassembly and suggest an intriguing link between cellular energy status and tight junction function.
Duodenal Secretion and Fecal Excretion of Pancreatic Elastase‐1 in Healthy Humans and Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis

Fecal elastase-1 is a candidate for a sensitive noninvasive test detecting chronic pancreatitis. This prospective study enrolled 10 healthy male controls and 23 patients referred for tube testing of pancreatic function. It was designed (a) to correlate duodenal outputs and fecal concentrations of elastase-1 with duodenal outputs of amylase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin in the fed state (duodenal perfusion of a mixed liquid meal at 2.5 kcal/min for 150 min), (b) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of fecal elastase-1 and fecal chyrnotrypsin, and (c) to characterize the cyclical pattern of postprandial pancreatic secretion in healthy subjects and patients with chronic pancreatitis. Based on their enzyme responses to duodenal meal perfusion and imaging procedures, 12 patients were classified as having normal pancreatic function and 11 patients as having chronic pancreatitis. Duodenal enzyme outputs of elastase-1 were markedly lowered in chronic pancreatitis (p <0.0001) and correlated well with the outputs of the other four enzymes (r >0.71, p <0.00001). Fecal concentrations of elastase-1 were also clearly reduced in chronic pancreatitis (p <0.0001). Fecal chyrnotrypsin was less strongly associated with duodenal enzyme outputs (r = 0.33 to r = 0.587), whereas fecal elastase-1 correlated more precisely with the duodenal outputs of all five enzymes (r = 0.637 to r = 0.830, p <0.00001). Sensitivity and specificity in the detection of chronic pancreatitis amounted to 0.64 and 0.95 for fecal elastase-1 and 0.27 and 0.95 for fecal chyrnotrypsin, respectively. In the postprandial state, peaks of enzyme secretion occurred at a frequency of about 1 peak/150 min. The amplitude but not the frequency of secretory peaks was markedly reduced in chronic pancreatitis (p <0.01). We conclude that fecal elastase-1 clearly exceeds the sensitivity of fecal chyrnotrypsin in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis but does not reliably detect all cases with mild to moderate disease. The pattern of postprandial pancreatic secretion is cyclical, even with minimal secretory outputs in chronic pancreatitis.
Treatment for idiopathic and hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy (brachial neuritis).

BACKGROUND Neuralgic amyotrophy (also know as Parsonage-Turner syndrome or brachial plexus neuritis) is a distinct peripheral nervous system disorder characterised by episodes (attacks) of extreme neuropathic pain and rapid multifocal weakness and atrophy in the upper limbs. Neuralgic amyotrophy has both an idiopathic and hereditary form, with similar clinical symptoms but generally an earlier age of onset and more episodes in the hereditary form. The current hypothesis is that the episodes are caused by an immune-mediated response to the brachial plexus. Recovery is slow, in months to years, and many patients are left with residual pain and decreased exercise tolerance of the affected limb(s). Anecdotal evidence suggests that corticosteroids may relieve pain or help improve functional recovery. OBJECTIVES The objective was to provide a systematic review of all randomised clinical trials of treatment in neuralgic amyotrophy. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Trials Register (April 2 2009), MEDLINE (January 1966 to April 2 2009), EMBASE (January 1980 to April 2 2009), CINAHL (January 1982 to April 2 2009), and LILACS (January 1982 to April 2 2009) for randomised controlled trials of treatment for neuralgic amyotrophy. SELECTION CRITERIA Any randomised or quasi-randomised trial of any intervention for neuralgic amyotrophy would be included in the review. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors extracted the data (RH, NvA) and two authors assessed study quality and performed data extraction independently (NvA, BvE). MAIN RESULTS No randomised or quasi-randomised trials were identified. In 30 articles anecdotal evidence was found on treatment for neuralgic amyotrophy. Only three of these articles contained more than 10 treated cases, with one providing sufficient details to calculate the primary and secondary outcome measures for this review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS At this moment there is no evidence from randomised trials on any form of treatment for neuralgic amyotrophy. Evidence from one open-label retrospective series suggests that oral prednisone given in the first month after onset can shorten the duration of the initial pain and leads to earlier recovery in some patients. Randomised clinical trials are needed to establish the efficacy of treatment with corticosteroids or other immune-modulating therapies.
Contextual Multi-Scale Region Convolutional 3D Network for Activity Detection

Activity detection is a fundamental problem in computer vision. Detecting activities of different temporal scales is particularly challenging. In this paper, we propose the contextual multi-scale region convolutional 3D network (CMS-RC3D) for activity detection. To deal with the inherent temporal scale variability of activity instances, the temporal feature pyramid is used to represent activities of different temporal scales. On each level of the temporal feature pyramid, an activity proposal detector and an activity classifier are learned to detect activities of specific temporal scales. Temporal contextual information is fused into activity classifiers for better recognition. More importantly, the entire model at all levels can be trained end-to-end. Our CMS-RC3D detector can deal with activities at all temporal scale ranges with only a single pass through the backbone network. We test our detector on two public activity detection benchmarks, THUMOS14 and ActivityNet. Extensive experiments show that the proposed CMS-RC3D detector outperforms state-of-the-art methods on THUMOS14 by a substantial margin and achieves comparable results on ActivityNet despite using a shallow feature extractor.
A Random Walk Down the Options Market

Under efficient market hypothesis, option-implied forward variance forms a martingale and changes in forward variance follow a random walk. In this paper, we extract forward variance from option prices following a model-free approach and empirically test the random walk hypothesis. Although results from standard orthogonality tests support the martingale restriction, further results from autoregressive regressions seem to reject the martingale restriction as daily changes in forward variance are found to exhibit negative autocorrelation. However, this anomalous pattern of negative correlation is fully explained by illiquidity effects. Overall, the findings support the random walk hypothesis and informational efficiency of the options market.
Membrane Bistability in Olfactory Bulb Mitral Cells

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to investigate the electrophysiological properties of mitral cells in rat main olfactory bulb brain slice preparations. The majority of mitral cells are bistable. These cells spontaneously alternate between two membrane potentials, separated by ∼10 mV: a relatively depolarized potential (upstate), which is perithreshold for spike generation, and a relatively hyperpolarized potential (downstate), in which spikes do not occur. Bistability occurs spontaneously in the absence of ionotropic excitatory or inhibitory synaptic inputs. Bistability is voltage dependent; transition from the downstate to the upstate is a regenerative event activated by brief depolarization. A brief hyperpolarization can switch the membrane potential from the upstate to the downstate. In response to olfactory nerve (ON) stimulation, mitral cells in the upstate are more likely to fire an action potential than are those in the downstate. ON stimulation can switch the membrane potential from the downstate to the upstate, producing a prolonged and amplified depolarization in response to a brief synaptic input. We conclude that bistability is an intrinsic property of mitral cells that is a major determinant of their responses to ON input.
Volume and Volatility in the Fx-Market: Does it Matter Who You are?

The relationship between volume and volatility has received much attention in the the literature of financial markets. However, due to the lack of data, few results have been presented for the foreign exchange market. Further, most studies contain only aggregate series, and can not distinguish between the impact of different instruments or participants.We study the impact of volume on volatility in the the FX-market using a unique data set of daily trading in the Swedish krona (SEK) market. The data set covers 95 per cent of worldwide SEK-trading, and is disaggregated on a number of reporting banks’ buying and selling in five different instruments on a daily basis over a period of nine years. We find that volume in general depict a positive correlation with volatility. However, the strength of the relationship depends on the instrument used and the identity of the reporting bank. In particular we find that it is the large Swedish banks that dominate the relationship. These banks are probably also the best informed banks. We interpret this is as evidence that heterogeneous expectations are important to understand the volume-volatility relationship.
Mortality among men using homeless shelters in Toronto, Ontario.

CONTEXT Homeless persons in US cities have high mortality rates. However, few comparison data exist for death rates among homeless persons in other developed countries. OBJECTIVES To compare mortality rates among men using homeless shelters and the general population in Toronto, Ontario, and to determine whether mortality rates differ significantly among men using homeless shelters in Canadian and US cities. DESIGN Cohort study conducted from 1995 through 1997, with a mean follow-up of 2.6 years. PARTICIPANTS Men aged 18 years or older who used homeless shelters in Toronto in 1995 (n=8933). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Mortality rate ratios comparing age-specific mortality rates among men using homeless shelters in Toronto with those of men in the general population of Toronto and of men using homeless shelters in New York, NY; Boston, Mass; and Philadelphia, Pa. RESULTS Men using homeless shelters in Toronto were more likely to die than men in the city's general population. Mortality rate ratios were 8.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.4-15.6) for men aged 18 to 24 years, 3.7 (95% CI, 3.0-4.6) for men aged 25 to 44 years, and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.8-3.0) for men aged 45 to 64 years. In most cases, however, the risk of death was significantly lower for men using homeless shelters in Toronto than for those in US cities. For men aged 25 to 44 years using homeless shelters, mortality rate ratios were 0.52 (95% CI, 0.41-0.65) for Toronto compared with Boston and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.44-0.85) for Toronto compared with New York City. For men aged 35 to 54 years using homeless shelters, the mortality rate ratio was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.27-0.66) for Toronto compared with Philadelphia. CONCLUSIONS Mortality rates among men who use homeless shelters in Toronto, while higher than in the general population of Toronto, are much lower than mortality rates observed among men using homeless shelters in 3 major US cities. Further study is needed to identify the reasons for this disparity.
Effects of Creativity Support and Diversity Management on Employees Perception of Service Quality in Hotels

This research investigated the relationship among creativity support, diversity management, and employees’ perceptions of service quality through collecting data by using questionnaires from four and five-star hotel employees of Hurghada city in Egypt. Results indicated that experienced management of creativity and diversity will have a positive impact on employees’ perceptions of service quality in hotels. To date, this is one of the few studies that has investigated this topic and therefore makes a significant contribution towards the understanding of the mutual effect between the three variables in the area of human resources management in the hospitality industry.
Retention of critical care skills after simulation-based mastery learning.

BACKGROUND Whether cognitive and patient care skills attained during simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) are retained is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE We studied retention of intensive care unit (ICU) clinical skills after an SBML boot camp experience. METHODS Forty-seven postgraduate year (PGY)-1 residents completed SBML intervention designed to increase procedural, communication, and patient care skills. The intervention included ICU skills such as ventilator and hemodynamic parameter management. Residents were required to meet or exceed a minimum passing score (MPS) on a clinical skills examination before starting actual patient care. Skill retention was assessed in 42 residents who rotated in the medical ICU. Residents received a standardized 15-minute booster teaching session reviewing key concepts during the first week of the rotation. During the fourth week of their rotation, PGY-1 residents completed a clinical skills examination at the bedside of an actual ICU patient. Group mean examination scores and the proportion of subjects who met or exceeded the MPS at each testing occasion were compared. RESULTS Residents scored a mean 90% (SD = 6.5%) on the simulated skills examination immediately after training. Residents retained skills obtained through SBML as the mean score at bedside follow-up testing was 89% (SD = 8.9%, P = .36). Thirty-seven of 42 (88%) PGY-1 residents met or exceeded the MPS at follow-up. CONCLUSION SBML leads to substantial retention of critical care knowledge, and patient care skills PGY-1 boot camp is a highly efficient and effective model that can be administered at the beginning of the academic year.
Tailoring Leadership Theory to Indonesian Culture

Leadership in Indonesia is facing a dilemma. Taking into consideration the pressure exerted due to the country’s instability over the past 10 years, there is an appearance that there is a lack of leadership capabilities in this multicultural country. In order to tailor effective leadership theory into the Indonesian environment, this article discusses the importance of valuing leadership from cross-cultural perspectives by beginning with the transformational leadership. The similarities in the values in Asian countries can help in the generalization of the implementation of leadership theory. Such as that in Taiwan which provided strong evidence for the practice of paternalistic leadership. However, there is no empirical evidence on the leadership style preferred by Indonesians. To address these theoretical weaknesses, this study presents a comparison of several characteristics of paternalistic leadership in Taiwan and Indonesia as a prerequisite for facilitating paternalistic leadership effectiveness.
The determinants of stock market development in the Middle‐Eastern and North African region

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of stock markets in economic growth and to shed some light on the macroeconomic determinants which must have an important influence on stock markets development. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical study is conducted using an unbalanced panel data from 12 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region countries. Econometric issues are based on estimation of some fixed and random effects specifications. Findings - It is found that saving rate, financial intermediary, stock market liquidity and the stabilization variable are the important determinants of stock market development. In addition, it is found that financial intermediaries and stock markets are complements rather than substitutes in the growth process. Practical implications - This paper has some policy implications to MENA region countries. In order to promote stock market development in the region, it is important to encourage savings by appropriate incentives, to improve stock market liquidity, to develop financial intermediaries and to control inflation. Originality/value - Since it is unclear whether emerging markets in the MENA region respond, similarly, to economic and political shocks like other emerging markets and/or developed markets. This paper fills this gap by making an in-depth analysis of 12 MENA capital markets in order to assess how they can improve their capital markets, and hence, benefit the global investor.
Posttransplant Interleukin-4 Treatment Converts Rat Liver Allograft Tolerance to Rejection

Background. Previous studies showed that liver transplant rejection in the Piebald Virol Glaxo (PVG)-to-Lewis combination was associated with more intragraft interleukin (IL)-4 mRNA expression than in spontaneously tolerant grafts in the PVG-to-Dark Agouti (DA) combination. There was also immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 antibody deposition, suggesting an IL-4–induced IgG class switch in rejection. The aim of this study was to investigate whether IL-4 treatment converts PVG→DA liver transplant tolerance to rejection. Methods. DA (RT1a) rats were recipients of orthotopic PVG (RT1c) liver transplants and DA liver transplants were syngeneic controls. Supernatant from IL-4–transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells (0.5 mL, 30,000 U) or from untransfected cells was injected intraperitoneally on days 3 through 7. Samples were taken for immunohistochemical staining of frozen tissue sections to analyze cellular infiltrate and antibody deposition. Results. IL-4 treatment significantly reduced survival of liver allografts from greater than 100 days in untreated animals to 9 days (P=0.004). Pathologic analysis of IL-4–treated animals showed that death was caused by liver transplant rejection, with a heavy infiltrate of mononuclear cells, disruption of portal tract areas, and infarction. Immunohistochemistry revealed an extensive infiltrate of T cells, CD25-expressing cells, and B cells that was similar to the level in PVG→ Lewis liver allograft recipients that reject the liver. There was also a more extensive monocyte-macrophage infiltrate and more major histocompatibility complex class II expression in IL-4–treated animals compared with untreated animals. There was moderate increase of IgM, little IgG1, and no IgE or IgG2a antibody deposition. Conclusions. IL-4, a T-helper type 2 cytokine that has previously been shown to inhibit delayed-type hypersensitivity responses such as rejection, was found to promote rejection of liver allografts. There was only slight evidence of a graft-specific antibody response, showing that IL-4 induces liver allograft rejection in association with some, but not all, of the changes accompanying rejection in the PVG→Lewis strain combination.
The Affirmative Action Empire: Nations and Nationalism in the Soviet Union, 1923-1939

The Soviet Union was the first of Europe's multiethnic states to confront the rising tide of nationalism by systematically promoting the national consciousness of its ethnic minorities and establishing for them many of the institutional forms characteristic of the modern nation-state. In the 1920s, the Bolshevik government, seeking to defuse nationalist sentiment, created tens of thousands of national territories. It trained new national leaders, established national languages, and financed the production of national-language cultural products.This was a massive and fascinating historical experiment in governing a multiethnic state. Terry Martin provides a comprehensive survey and interpretation, based on newly available archival sources, of the Soviet management of the nationalities question. He traces the conflicts and tensions created by the geographic definition of national territories, the establishment of dozens of official national languages, and the world's first mass "affirmative action" programs. Martin examines the contradictions inherent in the Soviet nationality policy, which sought simultaneously to foster the growth of national consciousness among its minority populations while dictating the exact content of their cultures; to sponsor national liberation movements in neighboring countries, while eliminating all foreign influence on the Soviet Union's many diaspora nationalities. Martin explores the political logic of Stalin's policies as he responded to a perceived threat to Soviet unity in the 1930s by re-establishing the Russians as the state's leading nationality and deporting numerous "enemy nations. "