Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
C/EBP Transcription Factors in Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Selective Changes in Expression of Isoforms Correlate with the Neoplastic State

The CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Proteins (C/EBPs) are a family of leucine-zipper transcription factors that regulate physiological processes such as energy metabolism, inflammation, cell cycle, and the development and differentiation of several tissues including skin. Recently, a role for C/EBPs in tumor cell proliferation and differentiation has been proposed, but the incomplete characterization in the literature of multiple translational isoforms of these proteins has made interpretation of these roles difficult. Therefore, we have carefully reexamined C/EBP isoform expression in human non-melanoma skin cancers. C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and C/EBPδ were analyzed histologically in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). The individual isoforms of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ were examined by immunofluorescent digital imaging, western blotting and DNA binding activity (electrophoretic mobility shift analysis). Expression of all C/EBP family proteins was decreased in SCC tumors. Suppression was greatest for C/EBPα, less for C/EBPβ, and least for C/EBPδ. Western analyses confirmed that C/EBPα p42 and p30 isoforms were decreased. For C/EBPβ, only the abundant full-length isoform (C/EBPβ−1, LAP*, 55 kD) was reduced, whereas the smaller isoforms, C/EBPβ−2 (LAP, 48 kD) and C/EBPβ−3 (LIP, 20 kD), which are predominantly nuclear, were significantly increased in well- and moderately-differentiated SCC (up to 14-fold for C/EBPβ−3). These elevations correlated with increases in PCNA, a marker of proliferation. Although C/EBPβ displayed increased post-translational modifications in SCC, phosphorylation of C/EBPβ−1 (Thr 235) was not altered. C/EBP-specific DNA binding activity in nuclear and whole-cell extracts of cultured cells and tumors was predominantly attributable to C/EBPβ. In summary, two short C/EBPβ isoforms, C/EBPβ−2 and C/EBPβ−3, represent strong candidate markers for epithelial skin malignancy, due to their preferential expression in carcinoma versus normal skin, and their strong correlation with tumor proliferation.
Model Checking Autonomous Planners : Even the best laid plans must be verified

Abstract— Automated planning systems (APS) are gaining acceptance for use on NASA missions as evidenced by APS flown on missions such as Earth Orbiter 1 and Deep Space 1, both of which were commanded by onboard planning systems. The planning system takes high level goals and expands them onboard into a detailed plan of action that the spacecraft executes. The system must be verified to ensure that the automatically generated plans achieve the goals as expected and do not generate actions that would harm the spacecraft or mission. These systems are typically tested using empirical methods. Formal methods, such as model checking, offer exhaustive or measurable test coverage which leads to much greater confidence in correctness.1 2
Exchange rate sensitivity of demand for money and effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies : some empirical evidence from industrialized countries

One of the arguments between proponents and opponents of floating exchange rates centres around the relative effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy. While proponents of floating rates argue that monetary policy is more effective under floating rates, its opponents contend that fiscal policy is more effective under fixed rates. However, economic theory suggests that there is room for both policies under both types of exchange rate system, depending upon degree of sterlization. Concentrating on the floating rates, Mundell (1963) has argued that the relative effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies would also depend upon sensitivity of money demand to exchange rate. More precisely he has conjectured that The demand for money is likely to depend upon the exchange rate in addition to the interest rate and the level of income; this would slightly reduce the effectiveness of a given change in the quantity of money, and slightly increase the effectiveness of fiscal policy on income and employment under .
Genetics of residual energy intake in Irish grazing dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the genetics of residual net energy intake (RNEI) in grazing Holstein-Friesian cows. RNEI was defined as net energy intake minus predicted net energy requirements using the unite fourragere lait (UFL) system. Net energy intake from grass and concentrate was estimated up to four times per lactation on 1,111 lactations from 463 cows on an experimental farm in Southern Ireland. Grass dry matter intake was estimated using the n-alkane technique. Lactation curves for milk, fat, protein, lactose and live weight were modeled with splines using weekly measures. A random regression was used to estimate residual, additive genetic and permanent environmental variances for RNEI and breeding values at Day 60 for each cow. Heritability for RNEI across lactation varied from 0.05 at 30 days in milk to 0.38 at 296 days in milk. Genetic parameters for RNEI obtained in this study are in agreement with those obtained under indoor conditions. Comparative performance between cows of low and high RNEI breeding value at Day 60 agrees with results obtained in beef cattle selected for high or low residual feed intake showing similar productivity but higher feed conversion efficiency in cows selected for low residual feed intake.
Demand for curative health care in rural India : choosing between private, public and no care

Discussions around health sector reforms in developing countries have included the issue of user fees as a possible mechanism for cost recovery as well as a technique for improving allocative efficiency. The main argument against user fees is based on the possible regressive impact on utilisation of health services. This debate can be meaningfully analysed in terms of the welfare implications of user fees, using a framework of utility maximisation and estimating demand functions for health care. The study uses the 1994–95 NCAERHDI data on rural India to explore the possible effects of an increase in user fees on demand for health care. A system of equations using both nested and non-nested multinomial logit framework was estimated, and arc price elasticities were calculated. The estimates revealed very low values of these elasticities in the government sector as well as for private qualified providers. Also, the elasticities were income-sensitive, indicating that the poor are more price-sensitive; and that there may be some scope to levy user fees in the government as well as private sector facilities. However, since these results could be due to the limited choice available to consumers, the increase in user fees will have to be accompanied by a real improvement in quality of services provided or expansion of quality services.
Improving Properties of a Novel β-Galactosidase from Lactobacillus plantarum by Covalent Immobilization

A novel β-galactosidase from Lactobacillus plantarum (LPG) was over-expressed in E. coli and purified via a single chromatographic step by using lowly activated IMAC (immobilized metal for affinity chromatography) supports. The pure enzyme exhibited a high hydrolytic activity of 491 IU/mL towards o-nitrophenyl β-d-galactopyranoside. This value was conserved in the presence of different divalent cations and was quite resistant to the inhibition effects of different carbohydrates. The pure multimeric enzyme was stabilized by multipoint and multisubunit covalent attachment on glyoxyl-agarose. The glyoxyl-LPG immobilized preparation was over 20-fold more stable than the soluble enzyme or the one-point CNBr-LPG immobilized preparation at 50 °C. This β-galactosidase was successfully used in the hydrolysis of lactose and lactulose and formation of different oligosaccharides was detected. High production of galacto-oligosaccharides (35%) and oligosaccharides derived from lactulose (30%) was found and, for the first time, a new oligosaccharide derived from lactulose, tentatively identified as 3'-galactosyl lactulose, has been described.
Determinants of Inflation in Nigeria: A Co- Integration Approach

Inflation is undeniable one of most leading and dynamics macroeconomics issues confronting almost all economies of the world. Its dynamism has made it an imperative issue to be considered. Hence the study examines the factors affecting inflation in Nigeria. Time series data were employed for the study. The data was sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria and National Bureau of Statistics. Descriptive statistics and cointegration analysis were the analytical tools used. It was observed that there were variations in the trend pattern of inflation rate. Some of the variables considered were significant in determining inflation in Nigeria. The previous total export was found to have a negative impact on current inflation while the previous total import exerts a positive effect likewise the food price index. It has thus been recommended that policies that will set the interest rate to a level at which it will encourage investment and increase in production level could be institutionalized, importation should be reduced in Nigeria such that it will not encourage change of consumer taste resulting to inflating prices, exchange rate system should be maintained at a level that will not impose threat on the Nigeria economy and the domestic consumption of petroleum product should be focused, not only exportation.
Generosity and Political Preferences

We test whether generosity is related to political preferences and partisanship in Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States using incentivized dictator games. The total sample consists of more than 5,000 respondents. We document that support for social spending and redistribution is positively correlated with generosity in all four countries. Further, we show that donors are more generous towards co-partisans in all countries, and that this effect is stronger among supporters of left-wing political parties. All results are robust to the inclusion to an extensive set of control variables, including income and education.
Use of Previously Acquired Positioning of Optimizations for Phase Ordering Exploration

This paper presents a new approach to efficiently search for suitable compiler pass sequences, a challenge known as phase ordering. Our approach relies on information about the relative positions of compiler passes in compiler pass sequences previously generated for a set of functions when compiling for a specific processor. We enhanced two iterative compiler pass exploration schemes, one relying on simple sequential compiler pass insertion and other implementing an auto-tuned simulated annealing process, with a data structure that holds information about the relative positions of compiler sequences; in order to reduce the set of compiler passes considered for insertion in a given position of a given candidate compiler pass sequence to include only the passes that have a higher probability of performing well on that relative position in the compiler sequence, speeding up the exploration time as a result. We tested our approach with two different compilers and two different targets; the ReflectC and the LLVM compilers, targeting a MicroBlaze processor and a LEON3 processor, respectively. The experimental results show that we can considerably reduce the number of algorithm iterations by a factor of up to more than an order of magnitude when targeting the MicroBlaze or the LEON3, while finding compiler sequences that result in binaries that when executed on the target processor/simulator are able to outperform (i.e. use less CPU cycles) all the standard optimization levels (i.e., we compare against the most performing optimization level flag on each kernel, e.g. -O1, -O2 or -O3 in the case of LLVM) by a geometric mean performance improvement of 1.23x and 1.20x when targeting the MicroBlaze processor, and 1.94x and 2.65x when targetting the LEON3 processor; for each of the two exploration algorithms and two kernel sets considered.
Crowd simulation for virtual heritage

AbstractVirtual heritage reconstructions usually focus on displaying architecture or artefacts, with virtualhumans playing only minor roles. In the real world, however, such places are, or have been,populated. We introduce a virtual crowd into the real-time 3D reconstruction of a complex her-itage ediﬁce to increase the realism of the reconstructed scene. We create a virtual population ofworshippers performing morning Namaz prayer inside a virtual mosque. We use a rule behav-ior system allowing ﬂexible representation of a complex scenario relatively easily adaptable todifferent ediﬁces or different numbers of persons.Keywords: crowd simulation, virtual heritage, multi-agent systems, behavioral rules 1 Introduction With the increase of computers’ speed and availability of powerful and affordablegraphic cards in the recent years, virtual reality applications became feasible in abroader range of disciplines. Virtual 3D reconstructions of ancient towns, buildings,artefacts, or natural landscapes provide an interesting way of preserving world’s cul-tural and natural heritage.Virtual heritage reconstructions usually focus on creating visual representations ofmonuments or buildings, such as cathedrals, with virtual humans playing only a minorrole. Usually there is a single "tour guide" [3][4], or virtual humans are more artefactsthan living beings such as Xian terra-cotta warriors [5][9] or Egyptian mummies [2]. In the real world, however, most of the reconstructed places are, or have been, popu-lated by smaller or larger number of people - worshippers prayed in cathedrals, druidsperformed their ceremonies in Stonehenge, gladiators combated in Colosseum in frontof spectator crowds.Although early virtual heritage works have been critised for their lack of visualrealism [1], nowadays advances in computer hardware and sophisticated 3D modellingpackages allow to create compelling visualisations of static objects. Yet, while photo-realistic architecture reconstructions can be impressive, most of the times they lackdynamic elements such as virtual humans or animals.We aim to increase the realism of the reconstructed ediﬁces by recreating life in-side architectural models. Our work is done in the context of the CAHRISMA project,which aimes to create Hybrid Architectural Heritage, where not only visual, but also
Church-based social spaces and HIV/AIDS in rural South Africa.

Primarily, this dissertation examined the extent to which churches have potential in preventing HIV/AIDS. Set in rural KwaZulu-Natal an area marked with both high levels of HIV prevalence and high religious participation, the study used the concept of social space as a framework within which the contribution of churches towards the prevention of further spread of the HIV infection can be understood. Unlike recent studies which have consistently shown that the contribution of churches in the prevention of further spread of HIV infection is likely to emanate from the churches‘ teaching on morality, this study has argued that the contribution of churches in minimizing risky sexual behaviours is likely to emanate from how churches balance their teachings on moral issues and the subsequent practice of social control on the one hand and the provision of social support on the other. This is particularly so because in African settings where behaviour is largely influenced by the prevailing circumstances within society, and where churches are significantly entrenched in the lives of individuals providing a variety of social support services, there is a strong likelihood that churches will have an impact on their adherents‘ behaviour as well. The social space concept, therefore, defines churches not only as institutions enforcing the moral code which churches emphasise but also as caring and integrating forces, providing social support for their members in time of need. The study investigated four churches representing three Christian religious denominations: the Mainline, the Pentecostal and the African Independent churches. In investigating these churches, it used two types of data: The Africa Centre Demographic surveillance Systems (ACDIS) data collected between 2002 and 2004 and the Ethnographic data collected in 2006 consisting of a total of 96 in-depth interviews, 11-13 services of each church type selected, 6-8 churchrelated activities (or groups in each church), 3 informal discussions with community members and a set of 2 conversational data from each church. The analysis is done in two parts. The first part of the analysis (Chapter Five) focuses on the existing quantitative ACDIS data, examining whether there exists a relationship between church affiliation, participation in church activities and sexual behaviours. The second part uses ethnographic data in order to provide explanations of the observed relationship. Overall, the study found that unlike church affiliation which had no influence on individual sexual behaviour, individuals who participated regularly in church activities were less likely to
Using Digital Images of the Zebra Finch Song System as a Tool to Teach Organizational Effects of Steroid Hormones: A Free Downloadable Module

Zebra finch song behavior is sexually dimorphic: males sing and females do not. The neural system underlying this behavior is sexually dimorphic, and this sex difference is easy to quantify. During development, the zebra finch song system can be altered by steroid hormones, specifically estradiol, which actually masculinizes it. Because of the ease of quantification and experimental manipulation, the zebra finch song system has great potential for use in undergraduate labs. Unfortunately, the underlying costs prohibit use of this system in undergraduate labs. Further, the time required to perform a developmental study renders such undertakings unrealistic within a single academic term. We have overcome these barriers by creating digital tools, including an image library of song nuclei from zebra finch brains. Students using this library replicate and extend a published experiment examining the dose of estradiol required to masculinize the female zebra finch brain. We have used this library for several terms, and students not only obtain significant experimental results but also make gains in understanding content, experimental controls, and inferential statistics (analysis of variance and post hoc tests). We have provided free access to these digital tools at the following website: http://mdcune.psych.ucla.edu/modules/birdsong.
Income Distribution and Inflation: An Empirical Analysis for Western Europe (1995-2006)

In the present paper it will be pointed out with panel data that inflation worsens income distribution, but not in a linear way. More specifically, at lower inflation levels as inflation goes up, then income distribution worsens more rapidly than in the case of higher inflation levels (hyperinflation). The sample covers annually most western European countries for the period 1995 - 2006. The contribution of the present paper is that at any level of inflation northern-western European countries have a better income distribution than in the case of the whole sample average. Panel data analysis is made feasible by means of Eviews software package.
Murine cytomegalovirus major immediate-early protein 3 interacts with cellular and viral proteins in viral DNA replication compartments and is important for early gene activation

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) immediate-early protein 3 (IE3) is essential for successful viral infection. This study developed MCMVs with an EGFP-fused IE3 gene in order to study IE3 gene expression, subnuclear distribution and biological function, as well as to examine the interaction of IE3 with cellular and viral proteins. The generated viruses included MCMVIE3gfp, in which IE1 was completely removed by the in-frame fusion of exons 3 and 5 and the C terminus of IE3 was tagged with EGFP, and MCMVIE1/3gfp, in which IE1 was kept intact and EGFP was also fused to the C terminus of IE3. Unlike human CMV (HCMV), whose growth was significantly reduced when IE2 (the HCMV homologue of IE3 in MCMV) was tagged with EGFP, MCMVs with IE3–EGFP presented an unchanged replication profile. Using these new constructs, the distribution of IE3 was revealed as well as its interaction with viral and cellular proteins, especially proteins pertaining to DNA replication (M44 and E1) and cellular intrinsic defence [promyelocytic leukemia protein and histone deacetylases (HDACs)]. It was also shown that IE3 domains co-localize with DNA replication domains, and IE3 attracted other required proteins into IE3 domains via protein–protein interactions. In addition, IE3 was shown to interact with HDAC2 and to eliminate the inhibitory effect of HDAC2 on early viral gene production. Together, these results suggest that IE3 acts as a key protein for viral DNA replication by establishing pre-replication domains via recruitment of the required viral and cellular proteins, and by reducing host defences.
Prevalence of erectile dysfunction in chronic renal disease patients on conservative treatment

Erectile dysfunction (ED), the inability to maintain sufficient penile erection for satisfactory sexual performance, is highly prevalent in the general population, affecting almost 50% of men in the 40-70 years age range, which corresponds to approximately 150 million men worldwide (1,2). More recently, ED has been considered a manifestation of a functional and/or structural abnormality affecting penile circulation as part of a more generalized vascular disorder (2). Erectile dysfunction, therefore, has been associated with signs of generalized arterial disease, as it frequently coexists with diseases with a high component of endothelial dysfunction, such as coronary artery disease, idiopathic systemic arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, and end-stage chronic kidney disease (ESCKD). ED is also associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and smoking (1-,3). Erectile dysfunction prevalence rates in men with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may reach 70-80%, with similar rates having been reported for those with ESCKD. A number of factors have been implicated in the development of ED in these patients, including the actual presence of a chronic disease, drugs, increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) serum levels, zinc deficiency, decreased testosterone serum levels, increased serum prolactin levels, and psychological factors (3,4).