Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selenium and Chronic Diseases: A Nutritional Genomics Perspective

Mechanistic data have revealed a key role for selenium (Se) and selenoproteins in biological pathways known to be altered in multifactorial diseases, such as cellular maintenance, response to oxidative stress and correct protein folding. Although epidemiological studies indicate that low Se intake is linked to increased risk for various chronic diseases, supplementation trials have given confusing outcomes, suggesting that additional genetic factors could affect the relationship between Se and health. Genetic data support this hypothesis, as risk for several chronic diseases, in particular cancer, was linked to a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) altering Se metabolism, selenoprotein synthesis or activity. Interactions between SNPs in selenoprotein genes, SNPs in related molecular pathways and biomarkers of Se status were found to further modulate the genetic risk carried by the SNPs. Taken together, nutritional genomics approaches uncovered the potential implication of some selenoproteins as well as the influence of complex interactions between genetic variants and Se status in the aetiology of several chronic diseases. This review discusses the results from these genetic associations in the context of selenoprotein functions and epidemiological investigations and emphasises the need to assess in future studies the combined contribution of Se status, environmental stress, and multiple or individual SNPs to disease risk.
Tetrabenazine Versus Deutetrabenazine for Huntington's Disease: Twins or Distant Cousins?

Tetrabenazine is the only US Food and Drug Administration‐approved drug for Huntington's disease, and deutetrabenazine was recently tested against placebo. A switching‐trial from tetrabenazine to deutetrabenazine is underway, but no head‐to‐head, blinded, randomized controlled trial is planned. Using meta‐analytical methodology, the authors compared these molecules.
Herd Behavior and Investment

This paper presents a theoretical model of herd behavior in investment. Managers mimic the investment decisions of other managers, in the process ignoring their private information about the attractiveness of various alternatives. Although this behavior is inefficient from a social standpoint, it is rational from the perspective of managers who are concerned about their reputations in the labor market. We discuss applications of the model to corporate investment, the stock market, and decisionmaking within firms.
The small GTP-binding protein Rho1p is localized on the Golgi apparatus and post-Golgi vesicles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the ras-related protein Rho1p is essentially the only target for ADP-ribosylation by exoenzyme C3 of Clostridium botulinum. Using C3 to detect Rho1p in subcellular fractions, Rho1p was found primarily in the 10,000 g pellet (P2) containing large organelles; small amounts also were detected in the 100,000 g pellet (P3), and cytosol. When P2 organelles were separated in sucrose density gradients Rho1p comigrated with the Kex-2 activity, a late Golgi marker. Rho1p distribution was shifted from P2 to P3 in several mutants that accumulate post-Golgi vesicles. Rho1p comigrated with post-Golgi transport vesicles during fractionation of P3 organelles from wild-type or sec6 cells. Vesicles containing Rho1p were of the same size but different density than those bearing Sec4p, a ras- related protein located both on post-Golgi vesicles and the plasma membrane. Immunofluorescence microscopy detected Rho1p as a punctate pattern, with signal concentrated towards the cell periphery and in the bud. Thus, in S. cerevisiae Rho1p resides primarily in the Golgi apparatus, and also in vesicles that are likely to be early post-Golgi vesicles.
Microcirculation Perfusion Monitor on the Back of the Health Volunteers

Objective. To observe the dermal microcirculation blood perfusion characterization of meridians channels (acupoints). Methods. 20 healthy human subjects were monitored using Pericam Perfusion Speckle Imager (PSI) for the changes in dermal microcirculation blood perfusion on governor meridian and other respective dermal regions as a control. Result. The microcirculation blood perfusion on Governor Meridian is higher than its control area. Conclusion. The dermal microcirculation blood perfusion on certain parts of Governor Meridian of healthy human subjects showed specifics.
ALBEDOS OF MAIN-BELT COMETS 133P/ELST-PIZARRO AND 176P/LINEAR

We present the determination of the geometric R-band albedos of two main-belt comet (MBC) nuclei based on data from the Spitzer Space Telescope and a number of ground-based optical facilities. For 133P/Elst-Pizarro, we find an albedo of pR = 0.05 ± 0.02 and an effective radius of re = 1.9 ± 0.3 km (estimated semiaxes of a ∼ 2.3 km and b ∼ 1.6 km). For 176P/LINEAR, we find an albedo of pR = 0.06 ± 0.02 and an effective radius of re = 2.0 ± 0.2 km (estimated semiaxes of a ∼ 2.6 km and b ∼ 1.5 km). In terms of albedo, 133P and 176P are similar to each other and are typical of other Themis family asteroids, C-class asteroids, and other comet nuclei. We find no indication that 133P and 176P are compositionally unique among other dynamically similar (but inactive) members of the Themis family, in agreement with previous assertions that the two objects most likely formed in situ. We also note that low albedo (pR < 0.075) remains a consistent feature of all cometary (i.e., icy) bodies, whether they originate in the inner solar system (the MBCs) or in the outer solar system (all other comets).
On the relation between complex brain activity and consciousness

Why does it feel like something to be awake? I.e. how is consciousness generated by the body, the brain in particular? Seeking to map phenomenological properties of any first person experience to neural activity patterns, theories of consciousness suggest a correlation between a specific type of neural dynamical complexity and the level of consciousness: When awake and aware, all brain regions are to a certain extent connected and there is diversity in the interactions. In support of this, Casali et al. (2013) have used EEG and transcranial magnetic stimulation to show extensively that brain response activity to direct perturbation is the more diverse across regions and time, the higher the level of consciousness. The spatio-temporal diversity of the response signal is quantified by a single index, the perturbational complexity index (PCI), using a Lempel-Ziv compression algorithm. Motivated by this result, and given that spontaneous neural signals are easier to obtain than response signals to perturbation, this thesis proposes measures - based on Lempel-Ziv compression and entropy - to quantify spontaneous neural signal diversity across channels and observations. Our measures’ sensitivity and specificity to conscious level is demonstrated by re-analysing resting state scalp EEG during propofol-induced anaesthesia and depth electrode recordings during sleep stages, resulting in consistently higher scores for subjects that are awake than being in propofol-induced anaesthesia or non-rapid eye movement sleep. In addition we demonstrate that our measures score higher for states induced by psychedelic substances by re-analysing resting state magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. We further explore in computer simulation how our measures and PCI behave as a function of connectivity of coupled oscillators, informing models of brain mechanisms associated with the loss of consciousness. While our measures may be weaker than PCI in terms of specificity and sensitivity to conscious level, they are quick and easy to compute and applicable to readily available resting state data. This thesis provides strong evidence that cortical signal diversity is a hallmark of consciousness, as predicted by integrated information and complexity theories of consciousness. iv
Goal Based Episodic Processing in Implicit Learning

Research has suggested that implicit learning tasks may rely on episodic processing to generate above chance performance on the standard classification tasks. The current research examines the invariant features task (McGeorge and Burton, 1990) and argues that such episodic processing is indeed important. The results of the experiment suggest that both rejection and similarity strategies are used by participants in this task to simultaneously reject unfamiliar items and to accept (falsely) familiar items. Primarily these decisions are based on the presence of low or high frequency goal based features of the stimuli presented in the incidental learning phase. It is proposed that a goal based analysis of the incidental learning task provides a simple step in understanding which features of the episodic processing are most important for explaining the match between incidental, implicit learning and test performance. Keywords—Episodic processing, incidental learning, implicit learning, invariant learning.
TEST DATA COMPRESSION BASED ON GOLOMB CODING AND TWO -VALUE GOLOMB CODING

In this paper, we discuss test data compression and decompression method based on variable length Golomb codes and 2-V Golomb Codes for test data. The method is targeted to minimize the amount of test data, which reduces the size of memory required in ATE for test data and also time required to transfer test data to specific device on SOC. We completed MATLAB coding for both methods and applied test vectors of some standard ISCAS benchmark circuits and compared results for same. Experimental results on ISCAS benchmark circuits show that the compressed data produced by 2-V Golomb coding is better than Golomb Coding method.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): a study of the composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts obtained with supercritical carbon dioxide

Rosemary leaf extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and Soxhlet extraction. Their chemical compositions were evaluated by GC-MS. The extracts were analyzed for compounds reported in the literature as showing antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The rosemary extracts were tested with regard to antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging and total phenolic content - Folin-Denis reagent), antibacterial (Gram-positive bacteria - Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 - and Gram-negative bacteria - Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) and antifungal (Candida albicans) activities. Antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities of the SFE extracts were confirmed.
Biochemical and genetic defects in the DNA-dependent protein kinase in murine scid lymphocytes

The scid gene product has been identified as the 460-kDa catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs p460), a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase family. DNA-PK activity is undetectable in scid cells, but the molecular basis for this defect has not been identified. Here we report that expression of p460 in scid lymphocyte precursors is detectable but is reduced at least 10-fold relative to that in wild-type lymphocytes. In addition, we show that the scid mutation disturbs p460 nuclear association, presumably affecting its role in DNA repair pathways. To examine the molecular basis for our observations, we used a degenerate PCR strategy to clone the C-terminal p460 kinase domain from wild-type and scid thymocytes. Northern (RNA) analysis with these probes revealed normal steady-state p460 mRNA levels in scid cells, suggesting that the reduced abundance of p460 protein is due to a posttranscriptional defect. Sequence comparisons identified a single-base-pair alteration in the scid C-terminal p460 kinase domain, resulting in a premature stop codon. This mutation is predicted to truncate p460 by approximately 8 kDa, but it preserves the conserved motifs required for kinase activity in members of the phosphoinositidyl 3-kinase family. Despite a computed molecular weight alteration of less than 2%, we were able to visualize this difference by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis of wild-type and scid p460. These data demonstrate that the scid DNA-PKes mutation is not a null allele and suggest a molecular rationale for the well-described leakiness of the scid phenotype.
First Stars Contribution to the Near Infrared Background Fluctuations

We show that the emission from the first, metal-free stars inside Population III objects (PopIIIs) are needed to explain the level of fluctuations in the Near Infrared Background (NIRB) recently discovered by Kashlinsky et al. (2002), at least at the shortest wavelengths. Clustering of (unresolved) Pop IIIs can in fact account for the entire signal at almost all the ∼1-30 arcsec scales probed by observations in the J band. Their contribution fades away at shorter frequencies and becomes negligible in the K band. “Normal”, highly clustered, h zi ≃ 3 galaxies undergoing intense star-formation such a those found in the Hubble Deep Fields can ’fill in’ this gap and provide for the missing signal. It is in fact found that their contribution to the intensity fluctuations is the dominant one at � = 2. 17µm, while it gradually looses importance in the H and J bands. The joint contribution from these two populations of cosmic objects is able, within the errors, to reproduce the observed power spectrum in the whole Near Infrared range on small angular scales (� ∼ 200 ′′ for Pop III protogalaxies). Signals on larger scales detected by other experiments instead require the presence of more local sources.
Are You Buying What They're Selling?: Ethnographically Exploring Organizational Identification through Employees' Everyday Talk

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v DEDICATION . vii LIST OF TABLES . xiv CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION . 1 Organizational Identification . 5 Rationale . 9 CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW . 13 Organizational Discourse . 13 Types of Organizational Discourse . 14 Narratives. 14 Stories. 15 Humor. 15 Small talk. 16 Rites. 17 Rites of passage. 17 Rites of degradation. 17 Rites of enhancement. 18 Functions of Organizational Discourse . 19 Functions of stories. 20 Functions of humor. 21 Functions of social talk. 22
Do technology strategies matter? A comparison of two electrical engineering corporations, 1988–1998

In order to reap competitive advantage from innovation, a firm's technology activities should square with its technology strategy – but how do technology strategies relate to activities and financial performance in relevant business areas? This paper investigates this question by means of a comparison between two leading firms in the electrical engineering industry: ABB and General Electric. We show that substantial performance differences between these companies in the power generation field are related to differences in their espoused technology strategies (as indicated by statements in annual reports) and technology activities (as indicated by patenting) and the degree of alignment between these.
Unraveling the Molecular Signatures of Oxidative Phosphorylation to Cope with the Nutritionally Changing Metabolic Capabilities of Liver and Muscle Tissues in Farmed Fish

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation provides over 90% of the energy produced by aerobic organisms, therefore the regulation of mitochondrial activity is a major issue for coping with the changing environment and energy needs. In fish, there is a large body of evidence of adaptive changes in enzymatic activities of the OXPHOS pathway, but less is known at the transcriptional level and the first aim of the present study was to define the molecular identity of the actively transcribed subunits of the mitochondrial respiratory chain of a livestock animal, using gilthead sea bream as a model of farmed fish with a high added value for European aquaculture. Extensive BLAST searches in our transcriptomic database (www.nutrigroup-iats.org/seabreamdb) yielded 97 new sequences with a high coverage of catalytic, regulatory and assembly factors of Complex I to V. This was the basis for the development of a PCR array for the simultaneous profiling of 88 selected genes. This new genomic resource allowed the differential gene expression of liver and muscle tissues in a model of 10 fasting days. A consistent down-regulated response involving 72 genes was made by the liver, whereas an up-regulated response with 29 and 10 differentially expressed genes was found in white skeletal muscle and heart, respectively. This differential regulation was mostly mediated by nuclear-encoded genes (skeletal muscle) or both mitochondrial- and nuclear-encoded genes (liver, heart), which is indicative of a complex and differential regulation of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, according to the changes in the lipogenic activity of liver and the oxidative capacity of glycolytic and highly oxidative muscle tissues. These insights contribute to the identification of the most responsive elements of OXPHOS in each tissue, which is of relevance for the appropriate gene targeting of nutritional and/or environmental metabolic disturbances in livestock animals.
Disease-Associated miRNA-mRNA Networks in Oral Lichen Planus

Background A large number of pathophysiological mechanisms are regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs), which represent a new class of posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. To date, little is known about their role in oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease of unknown etiology which is being discussed as a potentially premalignant condition of oropharyngeal cancer. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the pathophysiological impact of miRNAs and to determine regulatory miRNA networks which are directly linked to potentially disease-associated target transcripts in OLP. Methods Native tissue samples were collected from the oral mucosa of seven patients with OLP. The control group was composed of native tissue from elective oral surgery. The mRNA profiling was performed using the Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST Array while miRNA profiling was performed using the microRNA Galaxy Array. Subsequent validation of initial results was carried out using TaqMan real time PCR. Results We identified 24 differentially regulated miRNA and 2,694 regulated transcripts. Linking the miRNAs to their potential targets we found 11 potential miRNA-mRNA pairs, of which several are functionally related to premalignant as well as to inflammatory events. Conclusions Our data shows miRNA associated with transcripts which are regulated when comparing OLP patients with healthy control individuals. This suggests that miRNAs may potentially regulate disease-relevant transcripts, proposing the concept of therapeutic interventions based on miRNAs.
Measuring the Labor Income Share of Developing Countries: Lessons From Social Accounting Matrices

This paper is the first to address the challenges of measuring the labour income share of developing countries. The poor availability and reliability of national accounts data, and the fact that self-employed people, whose labour income is hard to capture, account for a major share of the workforce and often work in the informal sector, render its computation difficult. I consult social accounting matrices as an additional source of information to construct a labour share dataset backed up with microeconomic evidence. First descriptive results show a significant downward trend in labour shares of developing countries since the early 1990s.
Effect of environmental conditions on growth of Alternaria alternata causing leaf blight of noni.

Effect of different pH levels, temperature, light intensity and media were tested against the growth of A. alternata under in vitro conditions. The results of experiment indicated that the growth of A. alternata was maximum in pH range of 6.00- 6.50 and temperature range of 25 - 30°C. The exposure of the fungus to alternate cycles of 12 hour light and 12 hour darkness resulted in the maximum mycelial growth of A. alternata compared to continuous light and dark. Among the different media tested, host leaf extract medium supported significantly the maximum growth of all the fifteen isolates of A. alternata followed by potato dextrose agar (PDA). Further, the cultural charecters viz., colony and substrate colour, margin, topography, zonation, pigmentation, colony diameter (mm) and sporulation varied among the isolates.
Do Female Colleagues and Supervisors Influence Family Role Attitudes? A Three‐Level Test of Exposure Explanations Among Employed Men and Women in 27 European Countries

This study examines the relationship between various aspects of female labor participation and people's family role attitudes. Following exposure theory, we expect that individuals may adopt more egalitarian family roles as they are more often exposed to employed women because it dispels negative ideas about women's capabilities and brings them into contact with nontraditional networks. This study provides an elaborate test by examining the role of exposure to female colleagues and supervisors in three contexts: workplaces, occupational sectors, and countries. We found that the number of female colleagues at work and in occupational sectors was positively related to egalitarian family roles of employed men. Our study further showed that this positive relationship between exposure to female colleagues at work and men's egalitarian family roles was weaker in female-dominated sectors. Remarkably, exposure to national female labor participation was not significantly related to the family roles of employed women.
Sex and Disease-Related Alterations of Anterior Insula Functional Connectivity in Chronic Abdominal Pain

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging has been used to investigate intrinsic brain connectivity in healthy subjects and patients with chronic pain. Sex-related differences in the frequency power distribution within the human insula (INS), a brain region involved in the integration of interoceptive, affective, and cognitive influences, have been reported. Here we aimed to test sex and disease-related alterations in the intrinsic functional connectivity of the dorsal anterior INS. The anterior INS is engaged during goal-directed tasks and modulates the default mode and executive control networks. By comparing functional connectivity of the dorsal anterior INS in age-matched female and male healthy subjects and patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common chronic abdominal pain condition, we show evidence for sex and disease-related alterations in the functional connectivity of this region: (1) male patients compared with female patients had increased positive connectivity of the dorsal anterior INS bilaterally with the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and dorsal posterior INS; (2) female patients compared with male patients had greater negative connectivity of the left dorsal anterior INS with the left precuneus; (3) disease-related differences in the connectivity between the bilateral dorsal anterior INS and the dorsal medial PFC were observed in female subjects; and (4) clinical characteristics were significantly correlated to the insular connectivity with the dorsal medial PFC in male IBS subjects and with the precuneus in female IBS subjects. These findings are consistent with the INS playing an important role in modulating the intrinsic functional connectivity of major networks in the resting brain and show that this role is influenced by sex and diagnosis.