Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in DENV Receptors

Dengue is an old disease caused by the mosquito-borne dengue viruses (DENVs), which have four antigenically distinct serotypes (DENV1–4). Infection by any of them can cause dengue fever (DF) and/or a more serious disease, that is, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). In recent decades, incidence of dengue disease has increased 30-fold, putting a third to half of the world's population living in dengue-endemic areas at high infection risk. However, the pathogenesis of the disease is still poorly understood. The virus binding with its host cell is not only a first and critical step in their replication cycle but also a key factor for the pathogenicity. In recent years, there have been significant advances in understanding interactions of DENVs with their target cells such as dendritic cells (DC), macrophages, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes. Although DENVs reportedly attach to a variety of receptors on these cells, consensus DENV receptors have not been defined. In this review, we summarize receptors for DENVs on different cells identified in recent years.
Cardiovascular Risk in Psoriasis: A Population-Based Analysis with Assessment of the Framingham Risk Score

Objective. To examine the utility of the Framingham risk score (FRS) in estimating cardiovascular risk in psoriasis. Methods. We compared the predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular events, namely, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass grafting using the FRS, to the observed risk of cardiovascular events in a population-based cohort of patients with psoriasis. Patients with incident or prevalent adult-onset psoriasis aged 30–79 years without prior history of cardiovascular disease were included. Results. Among the 1197 patients with predicted risk scores, the median FRS was 6.0%, while the observed 10-year cardiovascular risk was 6.9% (standardized incidence ratio (SIR): 1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.92–1.42). The SIR was not elevated for women nor for men. The differences between observed and predicted cardiovascular risks in patients <60 years (SIR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.73–1.41) or ≥60 years (SIR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.95–1.68) were not statistically significant. Conclusion. There was no apparent difference between observed and predicted cardiovascular risks in patients with psoriasis in our study. FRS reasonably estimated cardiovascular risk in both men and women as well as in younger and older psoriasis patients, suggesting that FRS can be used in risk stratification in psoriasis without further adjustment.
Service Nepotism in the Marketplace

This study represents the first empirical examination of a neglected phenomenon – namely, service nepotism. We propose a framework that explains a process in which customers cue service providers of potential shared commonalities, such as sexual orientation and ethnicity, in service settings in which they also represent distinct, alienated or marginalized minorities. By drawing on qualitative evidence from American gay men and ethnic Turks residing in Germany, this research proposes that customers may signal commonalities to like employees by deploying similarity-to-self cues or group markers during exchanges. Driven by ethnocentric ‘tribal’ biases, employees may respond to these cues by providing like customers with relational resources, such as upgrades, monetary discounts and enhanced service quality. We explain how these relational resources influence customers' behaviours and discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of our findings.
The transformation suppressor gene Reck is required for postaxial patterning in mouse forelimbs

Summary The membrane-anchored metalloproteinase-regulator RECK has been characterized as a tumor suppressor. Here we report that mice with reduced Reck-expression show limb abnormalities including right-dominant, forelimb-specific defects in postaxial skeletal elements. The forelimb buds of low-Reck mutants have an altered dorsal ectoderm with reduced Wnt7a and Igf2 expression, and hypotrophy in two signaling centers (i.e., ZPA and AER) that are essential for limb outgrowth and patterning. Reck is abundantly expressed in the anterior mesenchyme in normal limb buds; mesenchyme-specific Reck inactivation recapitulates the low-Reck phenotype; and some teratogens downregulate Reck in mesenchymal cells. Our findings illustrate a role for Reck in the mesenchymal-epithelial interactions essential for mammalian development.
Delay-induced multistable synchronization of biological oscillators

We analyze the dynamics of pulse coupled oscillators depending on strength and delay of the interaction. For two oscillators, we derive return maps for subsequent phase differences, and construct phase diagrams for a broad range of parameters. In-phase synchronization proves stable for inhibitory coupling and unstable for excitatory coupling if the delay is not zero. If the coupling strength is high, additional regimes with marginally stable synchronization are found. Simulations with N@2 oscillators reveal a complex dynamics including spontaneous synchronization and desynchronization with excitatory coupling, and multistable phase clustering with inhibitory coupling. We simulate a continuous description of the system for N! ‘ oscillators and demonstrate that these phenomena are independent of the size of the system. Phase clustering is shown to relate to stability and basins of attraction of fixed points in the return map of two oscillators. Our findings are generic in the sense that they qualitatively are robust with respect to modeling details. We demonstrate this using also pulses of finite rise time and the more realistic model by Hodgkin and Huxley which exhibits multistable synchronization as predicted from our analysis as well. @S1063-651X~98! 09902-4#
The Silent Takeover: Global Capitalism and the Death of Democracy

Named one of the best books of the year by "The Sunday Times" of London, and already a bestseller in England, Noreena Hertz's "The Silent Takeover" explains how corporations in the age of globalization are changing our lives, our society, and our future -- and are threatening the very basis of our democracy. Of the world's 100 largest economies, fifty-one are now corporations, only forty-nine are nation-states. The sales of General Motors and Ford are greater than the GDP (gross domestic product) of the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, and Wal-Mart now has a turnover higher than the revenues of most of the states of Eastern Europe. Yet few of us are fully aware of the growing dominance of big business: newspapers continue to place news of the actions of governments on the front page, with business news relegated to the inside pages. But do governments really have more influence over our lives than businesses? Do the parties for which we vote have any real freedom of choice in their actions? Already sparking intense debate in England and on the Continent, "The Silent Takeover" provides a new and startling take on the way we live now and who really governs us. The widely acclaimed young socio-economist Noreena Hertz brilliantly and passionately reveals how corporations across the world manipulate and pressure governments by means both legal and illegal; how protest, be it in the form of the protesters of Seattle and Genoa or the boycotting of genetically altered foods, is often becoming a more effective political weapon than the ballot-box; and how corporations in many parts of the world are taking over from the state responsibility for everything from providing technology forschools to healthcare for the community. While the activities of business, frequently under pressure from the media and the consuming public, can range from the beneficial to the pernicious, neither public protest nor corporate power is in any way democratic. What is the fate of democracy in the world of the silent takeover? "The Silent Takeover" asks us to recognize the growing contradictions of a world divided between haves and have-nots, of gated communities next to ghettos, of extreme poverty and unbelievable riches. In the face of these unacceptable extremes, Noreena Hertz outlines a new agenda to revitalize politics and renew democracy.
Multi-class classification for semantic labeling of places

Human robot interaction is an emerging area of research, where human understandable robotic representations can play a major role. Knowledge of semantic labels of places can be used to effectively communicate with people and to develop efficient navigation solutions in complex environments. In this paper, we propose a new approach that enables a robot to learn and classify observations in an indoor environment using a labeled semantic grid map, which is similar to an Occupancy Grid like representation. Classification of the places based on data collected by laser range finder (LRF) is achieved through a machine learning approach, which implements logistic regression as a multi-class classifier. The classifier output is probabilistically fused using independent opinion pool strategy. Appealing experimental results are presented based on a data set gathered in various indoor scenarios.
Finite Lorentz transformations, automorphisms, and division algebras

An explicit algebraic description of finite Lorentz transformations of vectors in ten‐dimensional Minkowski space is given by means of a parametrization in terms of the octonions. The possible utility of these results for superstring theory is mentioned. Along the way automorphisms of the two highest dimensional normed division algebras, namely, the quaternions and the octonions, are described in terms of conjugation maps. Similar techniques are used to define SO(3) and SO(7) via conjugation, SO(4) via symmetric multiplication, and SO(8) via both symmetric multiplication and one‐sided multiplication. The noncommutativity and nonassociativity of these division algebras plays a crucial role in our constructions.
Interfacial Adhesion Method for Semiconductor Applications Covering the Full Mode Mixity

Currently, prediction of interface strength is typically done using the critical energy release rate. Interface strength, however, is heavily dependent on mode mixity. Accurately predicting delamination therefore requires a material model that includes the mode dependency of interface strength. A novel test setup is designed which allows mixed mode delamination testing. The setup is a stabilized version of the mixed mode bending test previously described by Reeder and Crews (1990, 1991). It allows for the measurement of stable crack growth over the full range of mode mixities, using a single specimen design. The crack length, necessary for calculation of the energy release rate, is obtained from an analytical model. Crack length and displacement data are used in a finite element model containing a crack tip to calculate the mode mixity
Gradient-based morphological approach for software development cost estimation

In this paper we present a gradient-based morphological approach to solve the software development cost estimation (SDCE) problem. The proposed approach consists of a dilation-erosion perceptron (DEP) trained by a gradient steepest descent method using the back propagation (BP) algorithm and a systematic approach to overcome the problem of nondifferentiability of morphological operators. Furthermore, we compare the proposed approach with other neural and statistical models using five complex SDCE problems.
Histological identification of bone fragments in archaeology: telling humans apart from horses and cattle

In archaeology, it is not always possible to identify bone fragments. A novel approach was chosen to assess the potential of histology as an identification tool in those instances in which macroscopical study (e.g. by means of bone surface texture) has failed. This study concentrated on the diaphyses of long bones in three species of comparable size which are relevant to archaeology. Late juvenile and adult human diaphyseal bone structure was compared with the bone structure of horses and cattle. Since bone structure can differ even within a single bone, the restrictions in terms of bone category, bone part and species were deemed necessary for the development of a useful identification method for archaeological bone. The reference series comprised long bones from several individuals to broaden the insight into variations in diaphyseal bone structure within a single species. A general difference in the primary bone types was found between humans and the two large mammals. Human bone displayed lamellar bone types, whereas horses and cattle showed fibrous bone types. The only exceptions were separated growth layers. A difference in the secondary bone structure was also observed. A large number of connecting, primary (Volkmann's) canals, giving the secondary bone a reticular aspect, were common in horses and cattle. They were not, however, present in the human bones studied. To confirm the validity and applicability of these differences, a blind test was conducted on 15 diaphyseal fragments of identified long bones from archaeological sites. The results were very promising. Although four fragments could not be identified due to severe degradation, all the others were correctly attributed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Ecology and Evolution of Insect Baculoviruses

▪ Abstract Baculoviruses occur widely among Lepidoptera, and in some species of forest and agricultural insects, they cause epizootics in outbreak populations. Here we review recent developments in baculovirus ecology and evolution, in particular focusing on emerging areas of interest and studies relating to field populations. The expanding application of molecular techniques has started to reveal the structure of baculovirus populations and has highlighted how variable these pathogens are both genotypically and phenotypically at all levels from within individual hosts to among host populations. In addition, the detailed molecular knowledge available for baculoviruses has allowed the interpretation of gene functions across physiological and population levels in a way rarely possible in parasite-host systems and showed the diverse mechanisms that these viruses use to exploit their hosts. Analysis of the dynamic interactions between insects and baculoviruses, and their compatibility for laboratory and field.
Stromal Myofibroblasts Are Associated with Poor Prognosis in Solid Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Published Studies

Objective Published studies have evaluated the impact of stromal myofibroblasts on prognosis in solid cancers. However, the results of these studies remain controversial. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to address this issue. Methods The PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Embase databases were searched through November 30th, 2015 by two investigators, and a total of 17 studies that contained 2606 patients were included. Stromal myofibroblasts were quantified in solid cancers using α-smooth muscle actin staining. Pooled Odds Ratio with 95% Confidence Intervals were calculated, and publication bias was analyzed. Results The results of this study suggest that in solid cancers, a high density of stromal myofibroblasts is significantly associated with poor 3- and 5-year overall survival (pooled odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.33 (1.10–1.60) for 3-year overall survival and 1.68 (1.22–2.32) for 5-year overall survival). In addition, a high density of stromal myofibroblasts also predicted poor 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (1.30 (1.05–1.60) for 3-year disease-free survival and 1.36 (1.01–1.83) for 5-year disease-free survival). However, stromal myofibroblasts were not associated with 3- and 5-year cancer-specific survival. No publication bias was found for all analyses. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that a high density of stromal myofibroblasts is associated with poor survival in solid cancers. More studies were required to investigate the prognostic value of stromal myofibroblasts in different types of solid cancers.
Longitudinal Cerebral Perfusion Change in Transient Global Amnesia Related to Left Posterior Medial Network Disruption

Background The pathophysiology of transient global amnesia (TGA) is not fully understood. Previous studies using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) have reported inconclusive results regarding cerebral perfusion. This study was conducted to identify the patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in TGA patients via longitudinal SPECT analysis. An association between the observed SPECT patterns and a pathophysiological mechanism was considered. Methods Based on the TGA registry database of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 22 TGA patients were retrospectively identified. The subjects underwent initial Tc-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) SPECT within 4 days of an amnestic event and underwent follow-up scans approximately 6 months later. The difference in ECD uptake between the two scans was measured via voxel-based whole brain analysis, and the quantified ECD uptake was tested using a paired t-test. Results The TGA patients had significantly decreased cerebral perfusion at the left precuneus (P<0.001, uncorrected) and at the left superior parietal and inferior temporal gyrus according to the voxel-based whole brain analysis (P<0.005, uncorrected). A difference in the quantified ECD uptake between the 2 scans was also found at the left precuneus among the 62 cortical volumes of interest (P = 0.018, Cohen’s d = -0.25). Conclusion We identified left hemispheric lateralized hypoperfusion that may be related to posterior medial network disruption. These findings may be a contributing factor to the pathophysiology of TGA.
Mapping the Invisible Colleges of R&D Management

R&D Management has consistently been considered one of the top technology and innovation management journals since its inaugural issue in 1970. The purpose of this paper is to use bibliometric techniques to examine R&D Management in four time periods, 1986-1990, 1991-1995, 1996-2000, and 2001-2005 in order to reveal changes in its intellectual base. Bibliometric research has illuminated the knowledge domains of several technology and innovation management journals including R&D Management Linton and Thongpapanl, but there has not previously been a comprehensive detailed analysis focused only on R&D Management. Using co-citation analysis, this paper identifies the invisible colleges (research networks) associated with publications in R&D Management. The results indicate that Cohen and Levinthal's absorptive capacity model dominates the final two periods. The conclusions suggest how the absorptive capacity model might be more effectively utilized in future R&D Management research.
Synergistic Effect between Alcohol Consumption and Familial Susceptibility on Lung Cancer Risk among Chinese Men

We aimed to examine the effect of alcohol consumption on lung cancer risk stratified by smoking, and to explore whether the impact of alcohol was modified by familial susceptibility to cancer. We recruited 1208 male lung cancer incident cases and 1069 community referents during 2004–2006 and collected their lifetime history of alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and family cancer history. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR). We tested multiplicative-scale interaction between exposures of interest and examined the additive-scale interaction using synergy index. A moderate association between frequent alcohol consumption and lung cancer was observed among men who had family cancer history (OR = 4.22, 95%CI: 2.46–7.23) after adjustment of smoking and other confounders, while the alcohol effect among men without family history was weak (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 0.95–1.63) and it became no excess in the never smokers. We observed a consistent synergistic effect between alcohol drinking and family cancer history for all lung cancers and the adenocarcinoma, while there was no multiplicative-scale interaction between the exposures of interest (likelihood ratio test for interaction, p>0.05). Our study revealed a possible synergistic effect between alcohol consumption and familial susceptibility for lung cancer risk; however, this observed possible association needs to be confirmed by future larger analytic studies with more never smoking cases.
Effect of Variation on Knowledge Accumulation in the Internationalization Process

Abstract This article examines the effect of variation in the geographical scope of international business operations on experiential knowledge development in the internationalization of the firm. Based on learning theory, this article develops five hypotheses on the effects of variation on three interrelated components of international experiential knowledge: internationalization knowledge, business knowledge, and institutional knowledge. LISREL analysis indicates that variation has a positive effect on the accumulation of experiential knowledge in internationalizing firms. In particular, it demonstrates that internationalization knowledge is a key variable that mediates the effect of variation on the other knowledge variables.
Evaluation of Idiopathic Choroidal Neovascularization with Indocyanine Green Angiography in Patients Undergoing Bevacizumab Therapy

Purpose. To examine the clinical implications of change in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) size on indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in subjects with idiopathic CNV undergoing bevacizumab therapy. Methods. The charts of subjects with an idiopathic CNV treated by a modified PRN regimen with intravitreal bevacizumab over a 12-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Results. There were 34 subjects included in the analysis. Baseline CNV sizes of less than 1.0 mm2 on ICG angiography correlated with complete CNV resolution (P = 0.0404), fewer injections delivered (P = 0.0002), and better Snellen visual acuity (P = 0.0098) at 12 months. Subjects that experienced a 33% or more reduction in CNV size on ICG angiography at 2 months had complete CNV resolution (P = 0.0047) and fewer injections (P < 0.0001) at 12 months compared to subjects that did not experience a 33% or more reduction in CNV size on ICG angiography at 2 months. Conclusions. Smaller baseline CNV size on ICG angiography resulted in better visual acuity and fewer injections at 12 months, and a reduction of 33% or more in CNV size after 2 months may predict a better clinical course in subjects with idiopathic CNV undergoing bevacizumab therapy.
Integrated innovative solutions to improve healthcare scheduling

The paper presents a new scheduling method of medical appointments for chronic patients. Taking into account the current situation, in which, especially due to the growing number of chronic patients, both hospitals and primary care units have to cope with a permanently increasing number of appointments, one of the main goals of the proposed method is to balance the workload of the medical staff. A fuzzy based approach was chosen and many factors such as epidemiological context, current medical staff workload, individual preferences, holiday's periods and seasonal variations of patients' number were considered in the planning process. These factors were divided in groups and the fuzzy inference rules were applied in two stages. First, different loads of the appointment schedule for context dependent, predefined time intervals were determined. In the second stage, considering the characteristic features of the chronic disease and the current individual evolutions, the patients were distributed in the previous established time frames. Fuzzy Petri Nets were used to model the application. The proposed method is flexible, offering the opportunity to use some specific features of a corresponding monitoring of chronic patients in order to improve and specially to balance the workload of the medical staff.