Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia-inducing factors as master regulators of stemness properties and altered metabolism of cancer- and metastasis-initiating cells

Accumulating lines of experimental evidence have revealed that hypoxia‐inducible factors, HIF‐1α and HIF‐2α, are key regulators of the adaptation of cancer‐ and metastasis‐initiating cells and their differentiated progenies to oxygen and nutrient deprivation during cancer progression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Particularly, the sustained stimulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R), stem cell factor (SCF) receptor KIT, transforming growth factor‐β receptors (TGF‐βRs) and Notch and their downstream signalling elements such as phosphatidylinositol 3′‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt/molecular target of rapamycin (mTOR) may lead to an enhanced activity of HIFs. Moreover, the up‐regulation of HIFs in cancer cells may also occur in the hypoxic intratumoral regions formed within primary and secondary neoplasms as well as in leukaemic cells and metastatic prostate and breast cancer cells homing in the hypoxic endosteal niche of bone marrow. The activated HIFs may induce the expression of numerous gene products such as induced pluripotency‐associated transcription factors (Oct‐3/4, Nanog and Sox‐2), glycolysis‐ and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) programme‐associated molecules, including CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), snail and twist, microRNAs and angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These gene products in turn can play critical roles for high self‐renewal ability, survival, altered energy metabolism, invasion and metastases of cancer cells, angiogenic switch and treatment resistance. Consequently, the targeting of HIF signalling network and altered metabolic pathways represents new promising strategies to eradicate the total mass of cancer cells and improve the efficacy of current therapies against aggressive and metastatic cancers and prevent disease relapse.
Modelling Mortgage Rate Changes with a Smooth Transition Error-Correction Model

This paper uses a smooth transition error-correction model (STECM) to model the one-year and five-year mortgage rate changes. The model allows for a non-linear adjustment process of mortgage rates towards their long-run equilibrium. We also introduce time-varying thresholds into the standard STECM specification, to capture the gradual structural changes in the error-correction term. We find that the STECM, whether with fixed or time-varying thresholds, yields better in-sample fit and lower forecast errors than the linear benchmark and univariate models. Our estimation results indicate non-linearities in the adjustment process of mortgage rates towards their long-run equilibria. In particular, we find that mortgage rates respond more significantly to a large than to a small disequilibrium. The improvement of the STECMs in forecasting is statistically significant over the univariate models, but insignificant over the linear model.
Cytochrome P450 2E1 Gene Polymorphisms/Haplotypes and Anti-Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Hepatitis in a Chinese Cohort

Objective The pathogenic mechanism of anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drug-induced hepatitis is associated with drug metabolizing enzymes. No tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of cytochrome P450 2E1(CYP2E1) in the risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis have been reported. The present study was aimed at exploring the role of tSNPs in CYP2E1 gene in a population-based anti-TB treatment cohort. Methods and Design A nested case-control study was designed. Each hepatitis case was 14 matched with controls by age, gender, treatment history, disease severity and drug dosage. The tSNPs were selected by using Haploview 4.2 based on the HapMap database of Han Chinese in Beijing, and detected by using TaqMan allelic discrimination technology. Results Eighty-nine anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis cases and 356 controls were included in this study. 6 tSNPs (rs2031920, rs2070672, rs915908, rs8192775, rs2515641, rs2515644) were genotyped and minor allele frequencies of these tSNPs were 21.9%, 23.0%, 19.1%, 23.6%, 20.8% and 44.4% in the cases and 20.9%, 22.7%, 18.9%, 23.2%, 18.2% and 43.2% in the controls, respectively. No significant difference was observed in genotypes or allele frequencies of the 6 tSNPs between case group and control group, and neither of haplotypes in block 1 nor in block 2 was significantly associated with the development of hepatitis. Conclusion Based on the Chinese anti-TB treatment cohort, we did not find a statistically significant association between genetic polymorphisms of CYP2E1 and the risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis. None of the haplotypes showed a significant association with the development of hepatitis in Chinese TB population.
Coexistence of Attention-Based Facilitation and Inhibition in the Human Cortex

A key function of attention is to select an appropriate subset of available information by facilitation of attended processes and/or inhibition of irrelevant processing. Functional imaging studies, using positron emission tomography, have during different experimental tasks revealed decreased neuronal activity in areas that process input from unattended sensory modalities. It has been hypothesized that these decreases reflect a selective inhibitory modulation of nonrelevant cortical processing. In this study we addressed this question using a continuous arithmetical task with and without concomitant disturbing auditory input (task-irrelevant speech). During the arithmetical task, irrelevant speech did not affect task-performance but yielded decreased activity in the auditory and midcingulate cortices and increased activity in the left posterior parietal cortex. This pattern of modulation is consistent with a top down inhibitory modulation of a nonattended input to the auditory cortex and a coexisting, attention-based facilitation of task-relevant processing in higher order cortices. These findings suggest that task-related decreases in cortical activity may be of functional importance in the understanding of both attentional mechanisms and task-related information processing.
Comparison of the lasing modes of a microdisk and a microring

Microcavity lasers shaped as thin circular disks are famous for the ultra-low thresholds of their whispering-gallery (WG) modes. We considered a two-dimensional (2-D) model of such a laser in free space with a ring-like active region and compared the characteristics of its modes with the modes of an active microring, i.e. a similar disk with a concentric hole. The comparison showed that a microring has considerable rarefaction effect in terms of emission thresholds, accompanied by the blue-shift of emission spectra. If the ring becomes narrower than half-wavelength in material, then all lasing modes obtain catastrophically high thresholds.
Assisting Main Task Learning by Heterogeneous Auxiliary Tasks with Applications to Skin Cancer Screening

In typical classification problems, high level concept features provided by a domain expert are usually available during classifier training but not during its deployment. We address this problem from a multitask learning (MTL) perspective by treating these features as auxiliary learning tasks. Previous efforts in MTL have mostly assumed that all tasks have the same input space. However, auxiliary tasks can have different input spaces, since their learning targets are different. Thus, to handle cases with heterogeneous input, in this paper we present a newly developed model using heterogeneous auxiliary tasks to help main task learning. First, we formulate a convex optimization problem for the proposed model, and then, we analyze its hypothesis class and derive true risk bounds. Finally, we compare the proposed model with other relevant methods when applied to the problem of skin cancer screening and public datasets. Our results show that the performance of the proposed method is highly competitive compared to other relevant methods.
The paradox of the marks. The exploitation of commons in the Eastern Netherlands, 1250-1850

Cet article presente une enquete sur le developpement des Markengenootschappen, les institutions chargees de gerer l'exploitation des terrains communaux dans l'Est des Pays-Bas entre 1250 et 1850. Il traite des principes de cette gestion en les liant a l'economie morale des paysans et s'interroge sur l'efficacite des Marks dans la prevention de la surexploitation .
An Understanding of the Differences between Internal and External Auditors in Obtaining Information about Internal Control Weaknesses

ABSTRACT The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) argues that internal auditors often have a strong “employee” identity within their organization. While external auditors are concerned that this employee identity might negatively impact internal auditors' objectivity, the IIA argues this identity can actually be beneficial as employees may be more willing to share sensitive and audit-relevant information with the internal auditor than they would with the external auditor. Through an experiment relying on the social identity and organizational silence literatures, I test the prediction that non-audit employees will identify more highly with the internal than the external auditor and they will thus, be willing to share more information about internal control weaknesses with the internal than the external auditor. The results from a moderated mediation analysis support this prediction and also show the effect is stronger as the severity of the internal control weakness increases. Overall, this research infor.
The Evolution of Alexandre Lamfalussy's Thought on the International and European Monetary System (1961-1993)

The establishment of the European Monetary Institute (EMI), the predecessor of the European Central Bank, on 1 January 1994, was a milestone in the process of European monetary integration. In this paper, we look at the work on the international and European monetary system of Alexandre Lamfalussy, its first president. Lamfalussy pursued a threefold career: as a private banker, a central banker and an academic. Partly under the influence of Robert Triffin, Lamfalussy soon became interested in international monetary issues. This paper analyses his views on the international monetary system and on European monetary integration, including his contributions to the Delors Report, which provided the framework for European monetary union. The paper draws extensively on archival research in the Lamfalussy papers at the Bank for International Settlements and the minutes of the EEC Committee of Governors' meetings. The paper provides not only an analysis of Lamfalussy's thought on European monetary integration, but also offers crucial insight into the Weltanschauung and way of thinking of European central bankers in this period.
Effect of Free Media on Views Regarding Nuclear Energy after the Fukushima Accident

Using cross-country data, this paper investigates how governance influenced views regarding the security of nuclear energy after the Fukushima accident in Japan. Key findings are: (1) citizens are less likely to agree that nuclear power plants are properly secured against accidents with the presence of a free media and higher levels of freedom of expression; and (2) freedom of expression and free media are positively associated with the presence of nuclear plants. These findings indicate that sufficient information leads citizens to both understand the risk of nuclear energy and to accept the existence of nuclear plants.
Causes and consequences of consumer online privacy concern

Purpose – Past research on internet privacy has examined various aspects of privacy regulation and consumer privacy concerns. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model that links anteceding environmental factors with the resulting consumer responses using the power-responsibility equilibrium perspective. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey of 182 net shoppers was conducted whereby respondents were asked to recall a recent web site registration that required them to provide personal information online. Findings – The results indicate that robust perceived business policies and governmental regulation reduce consumer privacy concern. More interestingly, the data show that a perceived lack of business policy or governmental regulation will result in consumers attempting to regain power balance through a variety of responses. As predicted, increased concern resulted in higher power-enhancing responses such as the fabrication of personal information, use of privacy-enhancing technologies and refusal to purchase. Practical implications – To reduce consumer privacy concern and subsequent negative responses, organizations need to pay close attention to their privacy policies through greater self-regulation, third-party accreditation and to ensure the presence of compliance mechanisms that support and check the marketing and collection activities of their organization and related parties. Regulators can reduce consumer concern by further deﬁning and improving the legal framework for protecting consumer privacy on the internet. In addition, governments should consider overseeing third-party privacy accreditation as well as ﬁrm and industry self-regulation. Finally, to improve consumer perceptions of privacy protection, enhanced regulatory privacy protection should be communicated to the public along with a response outlet for privacy concerns so that consumers know that they should report privacy-related complaints to a regulatory agency. Originality/value – The paper examines how business policies and regulation inﬂuence consumer online privacy concern, and the resulting consequences on internet user behavior.
Konwergencja regionalna w Hiszpanii w latach 1995-2012

Celem artykulu jest zbadanie procesu konwergencji regionalnej w Hiszpanii w latach 1995–2012. W opracowaniu wykorzystano koncepcje konwergencji absolutnej i miary beta i sigma konwergencji. Przeprowadzone badania potwierdzily istnienie zjawiska konwergencji absolutnej w Hiszpanii w analizowanym okresie. Regiony z wysokim poziomem dochodow per capita w roku bazowym charakteryzowaly sie nizszą dynamiką wzrostu gospodarczego w porownaniu z regionami rozwinietymi. Ponadto dyspersja dochodow wokol dochodu średniego takze ulegla redukcji, co potwierdza istnienie konwergencji typu sigma. Konwergencja pomiedzy regionami Hiszpanii wystepowala takze w przypadku produktywności pracy. Przeprowadzone analizy pokazaly, ze w glownej mierze bazowala ona na konwergencji technicznego uzbrojenia pracy. Konwergencja produktywności kapitalu odegrala mniejsze znaczenie. W artykule przeprowadzono takze badania dotyczące procesu konwergencji innych czynnikow wplywających na poziom produktywności pracy, a mianowicie zbadano konwergencje w poziomie kapital ludzkiego oraz wydatkach ponoszonych na badania i rozwoj. W ich przypadku regiony hiszpanskie wykazaly silną konwergencje. Autor przygotowując artykul wykorzystal literature polską, angielską oraz hiszpanską. Dane statystyczne dotyczące Hiszpanii oraz jej autonomicznych regionow pochodzą z bazy udostepnionej przez Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, ­AMECO oraz Fundacion Bancaja­‑Ivie.
Finding High Influence Vertices Based on Candidate Set

Influence maximization is the problem of finding a small set of seed vertices in a social network, so that the accumulated influence under certain propagation models is maximized. There are two problems about the existing methods: the influence spread of heuristic method is not stable, and the time complexity of greedy method is very high. In this paper, we devote to further reduce the gap between influence spread and running time. Firstly, we assess the comprehensive measurement of vertex, which provide a lightweight evaluation criterion rapidly for every vertex, Next, we construct the candidate vertices set from the communities, which reduce the search scope compared to the whole vertices, Finally, we tackle the efficiency issue of influence maximization from two complementary views. One is to propose the heuristic algorithm based on community candidate vertices (HBCC), attain a more competitive and stable influence spread. The other is to propose greedy algorithm based on community candidate vertices (GBCC), significantly reduce the running time. We carry out experiments on three real-world public datasets, the experiments have verified the effectiveness of the proposed methods compared to the baseline methods.
Quality Indicators for Continuous Monitoring to Improve Maternal and Infant Health in Maternity Departments: A Modified Delphi Survey of an International Multidisciplinary Panel

Objective Measuring the quality of inpatient obstetrical care using quality indicators is becoming increasingly important for both patients and healthcare providers. However, there is no consensus about which measures are optimal. We describe a modified Delphi method to identify a set of indicators for continuously monitoring the quality of maternity care by healthcare professionals. Methodology and Main Findings An international French-speaking multidisciplinary panel comprising 22 obstetricians-gynaecologists, 12 midwives, and 1 paediatrician assessed potential indicators extracted from a medical literature search, using a two-round Delphi procedure followed by a physical meeting. Each panellist rated each indicator based on validity and feasibility. In the first round, 35 panellists from 5 countries and 20 maternity units evaluated 26 indicators including 15 related to the management of the overall population of pregnant women, 3 to the management of women followed from the first trimester of pregnancy, 2 to the management of low-risk pregnant women, and 6 to the management of neonates. 25 quality indicators were kept for next step. In the second round, 27 (27/35: 77%) panellists selected 17 indicators; the remaining 8 indicators were discussed during a physical meeting. The final set comprised 18 indicators. Conclusion A multidisciplinary panel selected indicators that reflect the quality of obstetrical care. This set of indicators could be used to assess and monitor obstetrical care, with the goal of improving the quality of care in maternity units.
Base pairing and structural insights into the 5-formylcytosine in RNA duplex

Abstract 5-Formylcytidine (f5C), a previously discovered natural nucleotide in the mitochondrial tRNA of many species including human, has been recently detected as the oxidative product of 5-methylcytidine (m5C) through 5-hydroxymethylcytidine (hm5C) in total RNA of mammalian cells. The discovery indicated that these cytosine derivatives in RNA might also play important epigenetic roles similar as in DNA, which has been intensively investigated in the past few years. In this paper, we studied the base pairing specificity of f5C in different RNA duplex contexts. We found that the 5-formyl group could increase duplex thermal stability and enhance base pairing specificity. We present three high-resolution crystal structures of an octamer RNA duplex [5′-GUA(f5C)GUAC-3′]2 that have been solved under three crystallization conditions with different buffers and pH values. Our results showed that the 5-formyl group is located in the same plane as the cytosine base and forms an intra-residue hydrogen bond with the amino group in the N4 position. In addition, this modification increases the base stacking between the f5C and the neighboring bases while not causing significant global and local structure perturbations. This work provides insights into the effects of 5-formylcytosine on RNA duplex.
Monetary Policy and Exchange Rate Dynamics: New Evidence from the Narrative Approach to Shock Identification

We argue that endogenous and anticipated movements in interest rates lead to underestimates of the speed and magnitude of the exchange rate response to monetary policy. Employing the Romer and Romer (2004) exogenous monetary policy shock measure, we find that the effect of a one percentage point increase in the U.S. interest rate is up to twice as large and 3 times as fast as that obtained using the actual federal funds rate to identify monetary shocks. Moreover, new evidence from open economy VARs emphasises the adjustment role of the exchange rate. U.S. prices and output respond almost twice as quickly as they do in a closed economy VAR using the Romer and Romber shock measure. There is also evidence of stronger international transmission of U.S. monetary shocks. Overall, the estimated response speeds and magnitudes are more easily reconciled with existing models than previous empirical work.
A human rights-based approach to counteract trafficking in women: The case of Ethiopia

iii Acknowledgement . iv List of abbreviations . v Chapter One: Introduction . 1 1.1. Background of the Study . 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem . 3 1.3. 0bjective of the Study . 4 IA.Research Questions . '"' ' . '"'' . ''' '' ' . 5 1.s. Literature Review . 5 1.6. Methodology . 6 1.7. Significance of the Study . 6 1.8. Scope of the Study . 6 1.8. 1. Delimitation ofthe Study . 6 1.8 . 2.Limi tation of the Study . 7 1.9. Outline of the Study . 7 Chapter Two: Understanding Human Trafficking . 8 2.
Modal Logics for Qualitative Spatial Reasoning

Spatial reasoning is essential for many AI applications. In most existing systems the representation is primarily numerical, so the information that can be handled is limited to precise quantitative data. However, for many purposes the ability to manipulate high-level qualitative spatial information in a exible way would be extremely useful. Such capabilities can be proveded by logical calculi; and indeed 1st-order theories of certain spatial relations have been given 20]. But computing inferences in 1st-order logic is generally intractable unless special (domain dependent) methods are known. 0-order modal logics provide an alternative representation which is more expressive than classical 0-order logic and yet often more amenable to automated deduction than 1st-order formalisms. These calculi are usually interpreted as propositional logics: non-logical constants are taken as denoting propositions. However, they can also be given a nominal interpretation in which the constants stand for some kind of object. I show how 0-order logics can be given a spatial interpretation: constants denote regions and logical operators correspond to operations on regions which are important for characterising spatial situations. Representing certain spatial concepts requires the introduction of modal operators, interpreted as functions generating regions related in speciic ways to those denoted by their arguments. A signiicant example is the convex-hull operator whose value is the smallest convex region containing its argument. I investigate how this this operator can be captured in a multi-modal logic.