Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Growth characteristics and enzyme activities in a survey of transformation markers in adult rat liver epithelial-like cell cultures.

Abstract An extensive survey of markers for transformation of adult rat liver-derived epithelial-like cell lines was conducted. The cell surface properties associated with tumorigenicity were reported earlier. Now we report the correlation of various growth characteristics and enzyme activities with tumorigenicity. Among markers identified that correlated with tumorigenicity within the population, biochemical assay of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was specific but not sensitive. Rapid growth rate accompanied by increased cell density showed a positive trend with tumorigenicity. Activity of plasminogen activator in cell lysates was not correlated with tumorigenicity. Among identified markers that gave an estimate of the fraction of tumorigenic cells in cultures, growth in soft agar was a good quantitative marker. Cytochemical activity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was a specific and sensitive marker. Colony-formation in low-calcium medium also distinguished tumorigenic cells from nontumorigenic ones. Colony-forming efficiency in both 10 and 1% serum media was somewhat higher for tumorigenic lines, but the difference from non-tumorigenic lines was not great enough to make this a useful marker. Thus, among 11 properties examined in both parts of this survey, biochemical assay of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, high uptake of 2-deoxy-d-glucose, and growth pattern in liquid medium can serve as population markers, while growth in soft agar, cytochemical assay of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and growth in low-calcium medium can be used as cell markers. Combined use of these markers in adult rat liver lines provides a reliable means of identifying transformation in an epithelial cell system.
BOUNDS FOR THE LOSS PROBABILITY IN LARGE LOSS QUEUEING SYSTEMS

Let G(g1; g2) be the class of all probability distribution functions of positive random variables having the given first two moments g1 and g2. Let G1(x) and G2(x) be two probability distribution functions of this class satisfying the condition |G1(x) G2(x)| 1 let us denote by G1 and G2 the least positive roots of the equations z = b G1(� �z ) and z = b G2(� �z ) respectively. In the paper, the upper bound for | G1 G2| is derived. This upper bound is then used to find lower and upper bounds for the loss probabilities in different large loss queueing systems.
A Study of Legible Braille Patterns on Capsule Paper : Diameters of Braille Dots and Their Interspaces on Original Ink-printed Paper

A legibility experiment was conducted using eleven braille readers in order to determine the suitable ranges of braille dot diameters and their interdot spaces on the original image for capsule paper braille. The obtained result shows that the reading of capsule paper braille with few mistakes in the dot diameter range of 1.17 to 1.43 mm and interdot space range of 1.05 to 1.15 times the standard Japanese interdot space took a short time and was rated high. On the other hand, the reading of braille with many mistakes at a large dot diameter and a narrow interdot space took a long time and was rated low. The three-dimensional measurement of braille dot shapes clarified that difficulties in reading braille under these conditions stem from the fusion of dots due to the expansion characteristic of capsule paper.
Do review valence and review volume impact consumers’ purchase decisions as assumed?

Purpose To explore the psychological mechanism through which consumer reviews affect people’s purchasing decisions and behavior, this study aims to examine the impact of statistical evidence embedded in product reviews on consumers’ perceptions and purchasing intentions. Design/methodology/approach The effects review valence and review volume are tested using a 3 (valence: positive vs neutral vs negative) × 2 (volume: high vs low) quasi-experimental design and online questionnaires. Findings The study finds that review valence has a stronger impact on consumers’ perceptions than review volume does. Negative reviews induce higher risk perception and a less favorable attitude toward purchases compared to positive reviews. In addition, although both attitude toward purchase and subjective norm are good antecedents of purchase intention, the attitude statistically has a stronger impact than the subjective norm. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to extant literature from three perspectives. The authors have reexamined the findings of econometric models and advanced their implications by explaining the related psychological changes in people’s perceptions. Second, the authors have extended the application of the theory of reasoned action and found it to be a good fit in explaining consumers’ behavior related to consumer reviews. And finally, the authors have provided a clear guideline on the magnitude of the effects of review valence and volume on consumers’ perceptions. Originality/value This study provides a good complement to econometric studies from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It bridges the gap between exploratory studies and behavioral studies in the field of consumer reviews.
Ear Identification by Fusion of Segmented Slice Regions using Invariant Features: An Experimental Manifold with Dual Fusion Approach

This paper proposes a robust ear identification system which is developed by fusing SIFT features of color segmented slice regions of an ear. The proposed ear identification method makes use of Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to build ear model with mixture of Gaussian using vector quantization algorithm and K-L divergence is applied to the GMM framework for recording the color similarity in the specified ranges by comparing color similarity between a pair of reference ear and probe ear. SIFT features are then detected and extracted from each color slice region as a part of invariant feature extraction. The extracted keypoints are then fused separately by the two fusion approaches, namely concatenation and the Dempster-Shafer theory. Finally, the fusion approaches generate two independent augmented feature vectors which are used for identification of individuals separately. The proposed identification technique is tested on IIT Kanpur ear database of 400 individuals and is found to achieve 98.25% accuracy for identification while top 5 matched criteria is set for each subject.
Comparison of the effects of thyroxine and triiodothyronine on protein turnover and apoptosis in primary chick muscle cell cultures.

Primary chick muscle cells were treated with physiological level of thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3) to examine the effects of the hormones on growth, protein turnover, and apoptosis of the cells. Creatine kinase activity, as an index of differentiation, was increased by both T4 and T3. Even when the conversion from T4 to T3 was blocked by iopanoic acid, T4 increased creatine kinase activity. The rate of protein degradation estimated from [3H] tyrosine release was increased by T3 but not by T4. DNA cleavage and fragmentation, as indices of apoptosis, were induced by T3 but not by T4. These results show that T4 stimulates cell differentiation but not protein degradation and apoptosis in primary chick muscle cells, while all events are stimulated by T3.
Injectable silicone biomaterial (PTQTM) is more effective than carbon‐coated beads (Durasphere®) in treating passive faecal incontinence – a randomized trial

Objective Both injectable silicone biomaterial (PTQTM) and pyrolytic carbon‐coated beads (Durasphere®) have been shown to be effective in treating passive faecal incontinence due to internal sphincter dysfunction. This is a randomized study to evaluate their relative safety and efficacy.
Domino of the smart grid: An empirical study of system behaviors in the interdependent network architecture

The smart grid features a unique network architecture that consists of two coupled and interdependent networks, including the communication network and the power network. The communication network serves as the infrastructure of information disseminations to deliver control commands and device running states for the power network, whereas the power network supplies the energy to support the communication network. Nevertheless, besides such an reciprocal relationship, the two coupled networks also bring more threats of cascading failures to the smart grid against the system reliability, which will be more serious in the situation that communication devices are installed with back-up power supplies. In this paper, we present a detailed review of the system architecture of the smart grid and investigate the complicated evolution process of iterative failures' propagations between the coupled networks. Our analysis claim that there exists a potential domino affect to make original power faults be propagated in a wide area. To testify our analysis, we design and implement a co-simulation framework to integrate the communication network simulation with the power network simulation. Through experiments, we quantify two critical metrics to indicate the possibility of the potential fault spreading in the smart grid. Our work replays the complicated network behaviors implied in the coupled network architecture and provides preliminary statistical results towards a fine-grained mathematical model to describe the interesting phenomenon of iterative fault propagations.
Rapamycin Protects from Type-I Peritoneal Membrane Failure Inhibiting the Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis, and Endo-MT

Preservation of peritoneal membrane (PM) is essential for long-term survival in peritoneal dialysis (PD). Continuous presence of PD fluids (PDF) in the peritoneal cavity generates chronic inflammation and promotes changes of the PM, such as fibrosis, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis. Mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT) and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (Endo-MT) seem to play a central role in this pathogenesis. We speculated that Rapamycin, a potent immunosuppressor, could be beneficial by regulating blood and lymphatic vessels proliferation. We demonstrate that mice undergoing a combined PD and Rapamycin treatment (PDF + Rapa group) presented a reduced PM thickness and lower number of submesothelial blood and lymphatic vessels, as well as decreased MMT and Endo-MT, comparing with their counterparts exposed to PD alone (PDF group). Peritoneal water transport in the PDF + Rapa group remained at control level, whereas PD effluent levels of VEGF, TGF-β, and TNF-α were lower than in the PDF group. Moreover, the treatment of mesothelial cells with Rapamycin in vitro significantly decreased VEGF synthesis and selectively inhibited the VEGF-C and VEGF-D release when compared with control cells. Thus, Rapamycin has a protective effect on PM in PD through an antifibrotic and antiproliferative effect on blood and lymphatic vessels. Moreover, it inhibits Endo-MT and, at least partially, MMT.
Nonlinear singular spectrum analysis of the tropical stratospheric wind

The neural‐network‐based nonlinear singular spectrum analysis (NLSSA) is applied to the zonal winds in the 70–10 hPa region (roughly 20–30 km altitude) measured at near‐equatorial stations during 1956–2000. The data are pre‐filtered by the linear singular spectrum analysis (SSA), with the leading eight SSA principal components (PCs) used as inputs for the NLSSA. The NLSSA fits a curve to the data in the eight‐dimensional PC space. This NLSSA curve, when projected onto the two‐dimensional plane spanned by any two PCs, shows the relation between the two SSA PCs. As different SSA modes are associated with different time‐scales, the relations found by the NLSSA reveal the time‐scales between which there are interactions—interactions between the dominant quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) time‐scale of about 28 months and the first harmonic at 14 months, and between 28 months and 12 months are found. The anharmonic nature of the QBO is well represented by the NLSSA mode 1, but not by individual SSA modes. The NLSSA is also applied to the time series of the zonal‐wind acceleration. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society.
Professional concerns of pre-service and in-service teachers

The main goal of this paper was to determine the professional concerns of preservice and in-service teachers. Professional concerns were defined as topics which are of teachers' interest that result in positive or negative feelings and endeavours to understand and/or resolve them. I relied on Fuller's developmental model of teachers' concerns, according to which beginners have Self-concerns, whereas Task concerns and Influence concerns become more frequent over time. Research participants were nineteen students of the third and fourth year at the 'teacher' faculties and 22 subject teachers who have worked at primary schools for more than five years, who were interviewed. Their answers were analysed using the combination of the grounded theory, asdefined by Charmaz, and qualitative content analysis, more specifically, thematic analysis, according to Mayring. The analysis of students' answers revealed 11 subcategories of the category labelled as Beginner concerns: Survival, Efficacious teaching methods, Identity and meaning, Classroom climate, Colleagues, Assessment, Students' behaviour, Classroom diversity, Parents, Expert authority, and 'Technical' issues. The analysis of teachers' answers yielded nine subcategories of the category Veteran concerns- the same as for students, except for Survival, Assessment and Expert authority, with one new category - Attitude towards teachers and education. On the one hand, the obtained results have confirmed Fuller's thesis that Self-concerns are dominant at the beginning of teachers' career, but, on the other, they have invalidated it at the same time since it was determined that even students had Influence concerns. The differences between pre-service and in-service teachers were interpreted in the light of the latest educational reforms and changes in value orientations in the Serbian society. The concluding part outlines the recommendations for teacher educators.
Oxidation of Са2+-Binding Domain of NADPH Oxidase 5 (NOX5): Toward Understanding the Mechanism of Inactivation of NOX5 by ROS

NOX5 protein, one of the most active generators of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays an important role in many processes, including regulation of cell growth, death and differentiation. Because of its central role in ROS generation, it needs to be tightly regulated to guarantee cellular homeostasis. Contrary to other members of NADPH-oxidases family, NOX5 has its own regulatory calcium-binding domain and thus could be activated directly by calcium ions. While several mechanisms of activation have been described, very little is known about the mechanisms that could prevent the overproduction of ROS by NOX5. In the present study using calorimetric methods and circular dichroism we found that oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues of NOX5 decreases binding of Ca2+ ions and perturbs both secondary and tertiary structure of protein. Our data strongly suggest that oxidation of calcium-binding domain of NOX5 could be implicated in its inactivation, serving as a possible defense mechanism against oxidative stress.
Dissociation of perceptual and motor inhibition processes through the use of novel computerized conflict tasks

Abstract Efficient behavioral functioning requires early perceptual inhibition of irrelevant stimuli and later motor inhibition of inappropriate responses. The Perceptual and Motor Conflict Tasks were developed to differentially assess perceptual and motor inhibition, and to determine whether these processes utilize separate or shared cognitive resources. The computerized tasks include six subtests involving a box or an arrow appearing in various locations. Subjects respond by pressing a key on the left or right side of a keyboard. In different subtests, arrow direction or stimulus location determines correct responses. Perceptual inhibition assessment requires the subject to respond to a conflicting arrow direction while ignoring stimulus location. Motor inhibition assessment involves the subject responding in the direction opposite to that indicated by a centrally located arrow. In a neurologically normal sample (N = 44), reaction time analyses yielded significant Perceptual and Motor Conflict main effects, with slower performance under conflict conditions, but no significant Perceptual × Motor interaction. The lack of a significant Perceptual × Motor interaction, according to the additive factor model, indicates that these two processes utilize distinct cognitive resources. Nevertheless, performance on the two conflict tasks was significantly correlated with each other, and Perceptual Conflict performance was significantly correlated with Stroop interference. (JINS, 2003, 9, 25–30.)
Auditory Spatial Acuity Approximates the Resolving Power of Space-Specific Neurons

The relationship between neuronal acuity and behavioral performance was assessed in the barn owl (Tyto alba), a nocturnal raptor renowned for its ability to localize sounds and for the topographic representation of auditory space found in the midbrain. We measured discrimination of sound-source separation using a newly developed procedure involving the habituation and recovery of the pupillary dilation response. The smallest discriminable change of source location was found to be about two times finer in azimuth than in elevation. Recordings from neurons in its midbrain space map revealed that their spatial tuning, like the spatial discrimination behavior, was also better in azimuth than in elevation by a factor of about two. Because the PDR behavioral assay is mediated by the same circuitry whether discrimination is assessed in azimuth or in elevation, this difference in vertical and horizontal acuity is likely to reflect a true difference in sensory resolution, without additional confounding effects of differences in motor performance in the two dimensions. Our results, therefore, are consistent with the hypothesis that the acuity of the midbrain space map determines auditory spatial discrimination.
Randomized Phase 2b Trial of Tofacitinib (CP‐690,550) in De Novo Kidney Transplant Patients: Efficacy, Renal Function and Safety at 1 Year

In this Phase 2b study, 331 low‐to‐moderate risk de novo kidney transplant patients (approximately 60% deceased donors) were randomized to a more intensive (MI) or less intensive (LI) regimen of tofacitinib (CP‐690, 550), an oral Janus kinase inhibitor or cyclosporine (CsA). All patients received basiliximab induction, mycophenolic acid and corticosteroids. Primary endpoints were: incidence of biopsy‐proven acute rejection (BPAR) with a serum creatinine increase of ≥0.3 mg/dL and ≥20% (clinical BPAR) at Month 6 and measured GFR at Month 12. Similar 6‐month incidences of clinical BPAR (11%, 7% and 9%) were observed for MI, LI and CsA. Measured GFRs were higher (p < 0.01) at Month 12 for MI and LI versus CsA (65 mL/min, 65 mL/min vs. 54 mL/min). Fewer (p < 0.05) patients in MI or LI developed chronic allograft nephropathy at Month 12 compared with CsA (25%, 24% vs. 48%). Serious infections developed in 45%, 37% and 25% of patients in MI, LI and CsA, respectively. Anemia, neutropenia and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder occurred more frequently in MI and LI compared with CsA. Tofacitinib was equivalent to CsA in preventing acute rejection, was associated with improved renal function and less chronic allograft histological injury, but had side‐effects at the doses evaluated.
The Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. A Difficult Problem, Between Prevention and Treatment

Introduction: The familial adenomatous polyposis of the colon (FAP) is a rare hereditary disease, transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait due to the mutation of the APC gene. The purpose of the study is to assess, even according to the data of our experience, the possibility of clinical application of the results of the new genetic research, linking the problem to prevention and/or treatment. Some operative remarks conclude the study.
Accretion of visceral fat and hepatic insulin resistance in pregnant rats.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a hallmark of pregnancy. Because increased visceral fat (VF) is associated with IR in nonpregnant states, we reasoned that fat accretion might be important in the development of IR during pregnancy. To determine whether VF depots increase in pregnancy and whether VF contributes to IR, we studied three groups of 6-mo-old female Sprague-Dawley rats: 1) nonpregnant sham-operated rats (Nonpreg; n = 6), 2) pregnant sham-operated rats (Preg; n = 6), and 3) pregnant rats in which VF was surgically removed 1 mo before mating (PVF-; n = 6). VF doubled by day 19 of pregnancy (Nonpreg 5.1 +/- 0.3, Preg 10.0 +/- 1.0 g, P < 0.01), and PVF- had similar amounts of VF compared with Nonpreg (PVF- 4.6 +/- 0.8 g). Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in late gestation in chronically catheterized unstressed rats. Glucose IR (mg.kg(-1). min(-1)) was highest in Nonpreg (19.4 +/- 2.0), lowest in Preg (11.1 +/- 1.4), and intermediate in PVF- (14.7 +/- 0.6; P < 0.001 between all groups). During the clamp, Nonpreg had greater hepatic insulin sensitivity than Preg [hepatic glucose production (HGP): Nonpreg 4.5 +/- 1.3, Preg 9.3 +/- 0.5 mg.kg(-1). min(-1); P < 0.001]. With decreased VF, hepatic insulin sensitivity was similar to nonpregnant levels in PVF- (HGP 4.9 +/- 0.8 mg.kg(-1). min(-1)). Both pregnant groups had lower peripheral glucose uptake compared with Nonpreg. In parallel with hepatic insulin sensitivity, hepatic triglyceride content was increased in pregnancy (Nonpreg 1.9 +/- 0.4 vs. Preg 3.2 +/- 0.3 mg/g) and decreased with removal of VF (PVF- 1.3 +/- 0.4 mg/g; P < 0.05). Accretion of visceral fat is an important component in the development of hepatic IR in pregnancy, and accumulation of hepatic triglycerides is a mechanism by which visceral fat may modulate insulin action in pregnancy.
Extending the Computers as Theatre Metaphor : From Presence in the Theatre to Telepresence

This paper extends the connection between computers and theatre, first explored by Brenda Laurel in her research into human-computer interface. Applying a similar approach to the study of telepresence can present new perspectives and yield an interesting insight into the causes, effects and structure of telepresence. Working within a phenomenological tradition, the author establishes some points of connection between presence in the theatre and telepresence: the role of mediation, suspension of disbelief and a theatre audience’s or virtual environment user’s deliberate imaginative act. A further analysis of these aspects of presence, which are foregrounded and emphasised in the theatre, will add new dimensions to an understanding of telepresence.