Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
LIVER FAILURE AND LIVER DISEASE

Currently there is no consensus which staging system is best in predicting the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aims of this study were to identify independent predictors of survival and to compare 7 available prognostic staging systems in patients with HCC. A total of 239 consecutive patients with cirrhosis and HCC seen between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2003, were included. Demographic, laboratory, and tumor characteristics and performance status were determined at diagnosis and before therapy. Predictors of survival were identified using the Kaplan–Meir test and the Cox model. Sixty-two percent of patients had hepatitis C, 56% had more than 1 tumor nodule, 24% had portal vein thrombosis, and 29% did not receive any cancer treatment. At the time of censorship, 153 (63%) patients had died. The 1and 3-year survival of the entire cohort was 58% and 29%, respectively. The independent predictors of survival were performance status (P < .0001), MELD score greater than 10 (P .001), portal vein thrombosis (P .0001), and tumor diameter greater than 4 cm (P .001). Treatment of HCC was related to overall survival. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system had the best independent predictive power for survival when compared with the other 6 prognostic systems. In conclusion, performance status, tumor extent, liver function, and treatment were independent predictors of survival mostly in patients with cirrhosis and HCC. The BCLC staging system includes aspects of all of these elements and provided the best prognostic stratification for our cohort of patients with HCC. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;41:707–716.)
The RNA Binding Protein Igf2bp1 Is Required for Zebrafish RGC Axon Outgrowth In Vivo

Attractive growth cone turning requires Igf2bp1-dependent local translation of β-actin mRNA in response to external cues in vitro. While in vivo studies have shown that Igf2bp1 is required for cell migration and axon terminal branching, a requirement for Igf2bp1 function during axon outgrowth has not been demonstrated. Using a timelapse assay in the zebrafish retinotectal system, we demonstrate that the β-actin 3’UTR is sufficient to target local translation of the photoconvertible fluorescent protein Kaede in growth cones of pathfinding retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in vivo. Igf2bp1 knockdown reduced RGC axonal outgrowth and tectal coverage and retinal cell survival. RGC-specific expression of a phosphomimetic Igf2bp1 reduced the density of axonal projections in the optic tract while sparing RGCs, demonstrating for the first time that Igf2bp1 is required during axon outgrowth in vivo. Therefore, regulation of local translation mediated by Igf2bp proteins may be required at all stages of axon development.
Front matter, "Economic Adjustment and Exchange Rates in Developing Countries"

In spite of the attention paid exchange rates in recent economic debates on developing countries, relatively few studies have systematically analyzed in detail the various ramifications of exchange rate policy in these countries. In this new volume from the National Bureau of Economic Research, leading economists use rigorous models to tackle various exchange rate issues, while also illuminating policy implications that emerge from their analyses. The volume, divided into four main sections, addresses: the role of exchange rates in stabilization programs and the adjustment process; the importance of exchange rate policy during liberalization reform in developing countries; exchange rate problems relevant and unique to developing countries, illustrated by case studies; and the problems defining, measuring, and identifying determinants of real exchange rates. Authors of individual papers examine the relation between commercial policies and exchange rates, the role of exchange rate policy in stabilization programs, the effectiveness of devaluations as a policy tool, and the interaction between exchange rate terms of trade an capital flow. This research will not only prove crucial to our understanding of the role of exchange rates in developing countries, but will clearly set the standard for future work in the field.
Comparative study of MGy dose level γ-radiation effect on FBGs written in different fibres

Optical Fibre Sensors (OFS) based on Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs) as sensing elements are attracting considerable interest for structural integrity monitoring. This is also true in harsh environments, like nuclear power plant, environments. The intrinsic safety, the immunity to electromagnetic interference and the enhanced multiplexing capabilities make OFSs an interesting alternative to conventional nuclear instrumentation. Little is known, however, about the response of OFSs, and FBGs in particular, to ionising radiation.
PROMOTING THE STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY LEARNING: NEWS PROGRAM, AN OUT-OF-SPEAKING CLASS ACTIVITY

This paper presents the result of the pilot project of an out-of-class; it is the making of a news program with 20-25 minutes duration. The pilot project took place at UIN Malulana Malik Ibrahim Malang; it was conducted benefitted from the familiarity of the young people toward social media. The aims of this task were to promote the students’ autonomy learning by giving them the opportunities to practice their speaking skill, building up their self-confidence, and challenging their creativity. Therefore, the questionnaire, as the self-reflection feedback, consisted of three questions; whether the making of news program gives them the opportunities to practice their speaking skill, builds up their confidence, and challenges their creativity. There were 30 students involved in this pilot project. The result of data analysis showed that most of the participants strongly agreed the making a new program give them a chance to practice their speaking skill, build up their self-confidence, and challenge their creativity. Therefore, making a news program can be an out-of-speaking class activity in order to promote the students’ autonomy learning.
Quantitative assessment of the structural bias in protein–protein interaction assays

With recent publications of several large‐scale protein–protein interaction (PPI) studies, the realization of the full yeast interaction network is getting closer. Here, we have analysed several yeast protein interaction datasets to understand their strengths and weaknesses. In particular, we investigate the effect of experimental biases on some of the protein properties suggested to be enriched in highly connected proteins. Finally, we use support vector machines (SVM) to assess the contribution of these properties to protein interactivity. We find that protein abundance is the most important factor for detecting interactions in tandem affinity purifications (TAP), while it is of less importance for Yeast Two Hybrid (Y2H) screens. Consequently, sequence conservation and/or essentiality of hubs may be related to their high abundance. Further, proteins with disordered structure are over‐represented in Y2H screens and in one, but not the other, large‐scale TAP assay. Hence, disordered regions may be important both in transient interactions and interactions in complexes. Finally, a few domain families seem to be responsible for a large part of all interactions. Most importantly, we show that there are method‐specific biases in PPI experiments. Thus, care should be taken before drawing strong conclusions based on a single dataset.
Does Capitalization of Fiscal Variables Decrease Over Time?

Capitalization of fiscal packages at the local level is often criticized as a demand side phenomenon. We provide a theoretical model in which capitalization depends on the elasticity of housing supply and demand. When supply is perfectly elastic, capitalization does not persist over time. Using an empirical linear interaction model with panel and bootstrapping individual regression coefficients for yearly estimates, we analyze changes in capitalization of fiscal variables. Our findings indicate that there is only an insignificant absolute decrease in capitalization for tax rates. For aggregated expenditures we find on the contrary that capitalization becomes more pronounced over time.
Applying fuzzy logic for decision-making on Wireless Sensor Networks

We propose a fuzzy-based decision-making mechanism for selecting data dissemination protocols in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Its goal is to select the most efficient protocol considering network performance and application-specific requirements. The mechanism relies on performing simulations and on defining and executing a two-tier fuzzy system. First, well-known WSN protocols are simulated over different scenarios and application requirements to feed a knowledge base. Then, a set of fuzzy systems are built based on the simulation results. A methodology for guiding the building of the knowledge base was developed. A case study is described to validate the mechanism and demonstrate its employment and usefulness.
Co-Infection Burden of Hepatitis C Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus among Injecting Heroin Users at the Kenyan Coast

Background Injection drug use is steadily rising in Kenya. We assessed the prevalence of both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among injecting heroin users (IHUs) at the Kenyan Coast. Methods A total of 186 IHUs (mean age, 33 years) from the Omari rehabilitation center program in Malindi were consented and screened for HIV-1 and HCV by serology and PCR and their CD4 T-cells enumerated by FACS. Results Prevalence of HIV-1 was 87.5%, that of HCV was 16.4%, co-infection was 17.9% and 18/152 (11.8%) were uninfected. Only 5.26% of the HIV-1 negative injectors were HCV positive. Co-infection was higher among injectors aged 30 to 40 years (20.7%) and among males (22.1%) than comparable groups. About 35% of the injectors were receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART). Co-infection was highest among injectors receiving D4T (75%) compared to those receiving AZT (21.6%) or TDF (10.5%) or those not on ART (10.5%). Mean CD4 T-cells were 404 (95% CI, 365 - 443) cells/mm3 overall, significantly lower for co-infected (mean, 146; 95% CI 114 – 179 cells/mm3) than HIV mono infected (mean, 437, 95% CI 386 – 487 cells/mm3, p<0.001) or uninfected (mean, 618, 95% CI 549 – 687 cells/mm3, p<0.001) injectors and lower for HIV mono-infected than uninfected injectors (p=0.002). By treatment arm, CD4 T-cells were lower for injectors receiving D4T (mean, 78; 95% CI, 0.4 – 156 cells/mm3) than TDF (mean 607, 95% CI, 196 – 1018 cells/mm3, p=0.005) or AZT (mean 474, 95% CI -377 – 571 cells/mm3, p=0.004). Conclusion Mono and dual infections with HIV-1 and HCV is high among IHUs in Malindi, but ART coverage is low. The co-infected IHUs have elevated risk of immunodeficiency due to significantly depressed CD4 T-cell numbers. Coinfection screening, treatment-as-prevention for both HIV and HCV and harm reduction should be scaled up to alleviate infection burden.
AMP Activated Protein Kinase Is Indispensable for Myocardial Adaptation to Caloric Restriction in Mice

Caloric restriction (CR) is a robust dietary intervention known to enhance cardiovascular health. AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been suggested to mediate the cardioprotective effects of CR. However, this hypothesis remains to be tested by using definitive loss-of-function animal models. In the present study, we subjected AMPKα2 knockout (KO) mice and their wild type (WT) littermates to a CR regimen that reduces caloric intake by 20%–40% for 4 weeks. CR decreased body weight, heart weight and serum levels of insulin in both WT and KO mice to the same degree, indicating the effectiveness of the CR protocol. CR activated cardiac AMPK signaling in WT mice, but not in AMPKα2 KO mice. Correspondingly, AMPKα2 KO mice had markedly reduced cardiac function during CR as determined by echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements. The compromised cardiac function was associated with increased markers of oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and myocyte apoptosis. Mechanistically, CR down-regulated the expression of ATP5g2, a subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase, and reduced ATP content in AMPKα2 KO hearts, but not in WT hearts. In addition, CR accelerated cardiac autophagic flux in WT mice, but failed to do so in AMPKα2 KO mice. These results demonstrated that without AMPK, CR triggers adverse effects that can lead to cardiac dysfunction, suggesting that AMPK signaling pathway is indispensible for energy homeostasis and myocardial adaptation to CR, a dietary intervention that normally produces beneficial cardiac effects.
The Wounded Leader: Looking for the Good Story.

This study's purpose was to understand further "how" significant leadership crises create a very particular context for telling stories and, specifically, "how" the lives of school leaders are affected by the stories they tell. The study presents the stories of seven private and public school leaders who have experienced a serious conflict, dilemma, or critical event in their leadership practice that has in some way profoundly affected or "wounded" them. The study focused on school leader's "narrative identity" to determine "who" in each case the person had become in the story, "how" their story helped them to become that person and "why. " The methodology was ethnographic in that it required retrospective interviewing and narrative analysis. Findings suggest that the difficult experiences evoked stories that could be tentatively grouped by common themes. The storytellers chose a restitution story of how the problem was fixed which echoes the myth of principal as hero; a chaos story of near disaster that was notable by what was absent, that is a distressed telling without order or coherence and an uncertain future; or a story of quest, one that leads to a new or evolved story. All themes, however, are apt to be present at different times in each of the stories. Another finding relates to the particular ways in which participants were self conscious and aware of themselves as story makers and tellers, thus could become in a sense "witnesses" to their circumstances. (Contains 25 references.) (NKA) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ********************************************************************************
The Structure, Variables and Interdependence of the Factors of Mental States of Expectations in Students’ Academic and Professional Activities

The study presents the content-analysis (n=135) and factor analysis of students’ mental states of expectations (n=123). The understanding of mental states of expectations by education workers allows operationalizing the process of solving tasks of students’ academic and professional training. The purpose is to examine the structure, variables and interdependence of the factors of students’ mental states of expectations. The research methods are content-analysis, tests with standardized questionnaires, factor analysis. Factor analysis was used to determine the structure of mental states of expectations. The principal factor in this structure is F1“meaning-of-life moderation” (20.70%), which is interrelated with F2 “pragmatic regulation” (rs=.404; p≤.01) and F3 “subjective regulation” (rs=.357; p≤.01). The obtained results could be useful for education directors organizing the academic process of students, and also for scientists in the field of psychology of expectations, psychology of constructing the future.
Desirability of Regulating Political Parties

As such, they should not be subjected to government regulation. The scrutiny of their behaviour is a matter for their members and the electorate should only assess the parties' public performance. However, and more recently, the parties have developed into professional machines with head offices and organisers, and they receive funds from the taxpayer and from sources other than their members. In these regards, the parties have a degree of freedom from the membership by way of professional advice and non-member sources of funds. Furthermore, the parties' status has changed to the point where their history ideological, a large membership presence in the electorate and self-supporting belies their current role. The present parties are brand names with a nominal membership presence in the electorate, where the market for political activism has shifted to interest groups and where they are heavily supported by the state. For example, Gary Gray (1997), the former national Secretary of the Australian Labor Party, estimates a third of all funds available to the ALP comes from taxpayers. The new status of registered political parties is semi-public. Ideally, then, they should be beholden to the public, both electorally and in a more direct proprietorial way, as well as to their membership. The issue is to decide the regulatory mix that would preserve free political association and satisfy the taxpayer's investment.
A Possible Transient Neutron Star in Quiescence in the Globular Cluster NGC 5139

Using the Chandra/ACIS-I detector, we have identified an X-ray source (CXOU 132619.7-472910.8) with a thermal spectrum consistent with that observed from transiently accreting neutron stars in quiescence at the distance of the globular cluster NGC 5139 (ω Cen). The absence of intensity variability on timescales as short as 4 s (less than 25% rms variability) and as long as 5 yr (less than 50% variability) supports the identification of this source as a neutron star, most likely maintained at a high effective temperature (≈106 K) by transient accretion from a binary companion. An alternative hypothesis—that the source is an isolated neutron star accreting from the intracluster medium—could be excluded or confirmed by identifying the X-ray source's optical counterpart. The ability to spectrally identify quiescent neutron stars in globular clusters (where the distance and interstellar column densities are known) opens up new opportunities for precision neutron star radius measurements.
A Variant In the Abo Gene Explains the Variation in Soluble E-Selectin Levels—Results from Dense Genotyping in Two Independent Populations

Background Elevated soluble (s) E-selectin levels have been associated with various cardiovascular diseases. Recently, genetic variants in the ABO blood group have been related to E-selectin levels in a small cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes. We evaluated whether this association is reproducible in two large samples of Caucasians. Methodology/ Principal Findings Data of the present study was drawn from the population-based MONICA/KORA Augsburg study (n = 1,482) and the patients-based LURIC study (n = 1,546). A high-density genotyping array (50K IBC Chip) containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from E-selectin candidate genes selected on known biology of E-selectin metabolism, mouse genetic studies, and human genetic association studies, was used for genotyping. Linear regression analyses with adjustment for age and sex (and survey in KORA) were applied to assess associations between gene variants and sE-selectin concentrations. A number of 12 SNPs (in KORA) and 13 SNPs (in LURIC), all from the ABO blood group gene, were significantly associated with the log-transformed concentration of E-selectin. The strongest association was observed for rs651007 with a change of log-transformed sE-selectin per one copy of the minor allele of −0.37 ng/ml (p = 1.87×10−103) in KORA and −0.35 ng/ml (p = 5.11×10−84) in LURIC. Inclusion of rs651007 increased the explained sE-selectin variance by 0.256 in KORA and 0.213 in LURIC. All SNPs had minor allele frequencies above 20% showing a substantial gene variation. Conclusions/ Significance Our findings in two independent samples indicate that the genetic variants at the ABO locus affect sE-selectin levels. Since distinct genome-wide association studies linked the ABO gene with myocardial infarction (MI) in the presence of coronary atherosclerosis and with coronary artery disease, these findings may not only enhance our understanding of adhesion molecule biology, but may also provide a focus for several novel research avenues.
A Comparison of Parametric Models of Income Distribution Across Countries and Over Time

The five-parameter generalized beta distribution and ten of its special cases are considered as models fore the size distribution of income. The models are fit to income data for 23 countries and various years - a total of 82 datasets. Of the models considered, the Weibull, Daagum and generalized beta of the second kind are best fitting of the models with two, three and four parameters for 62 percent, 84 percent, and 96 percent of the data sets, respectively. Increasing inequality with respect to pre-tax income is observed in most of the countries considered.
Recognition of Human Silhouette Based on Global Features

The aim of this paper is people recognition based on their gait. The authors propose a computer vision approach applied to video sequences extracting global features of human motion. From the skeleton, the authors extract the information about human joints. From the silhouette and the authors get the boundary features of the human body. The binary and gray-level-images contain different aspects about the human motion. This work proposes to recover the global information of the human body based on four segmented image models and applies a fusion model to improve classification. The authors consider frames as elements of distinct classes of video sequences and the sequences themselves as classes in a database. The classification rates obtained separately from four image sequences are then merged together by a fusion technique. The results were then compared with other techniques for gait recognition.
The Glomerular Filtration Barrier: Components and Crosstalk

The glomerular filtration barrier is a highly specialized blood filtration interface that displays a high conductance to small and midsized solutes in plasma but retains relative impermeability to macromolecules. Its integrity is maintained by physicochemical and signalling interplay among its three core constituents—the glomerular endothelial cell, the basement membrane and visceral epithelial cell (podocyte). Understanding the pathomechanisms of inherited and acquired human diseases as well as experimental injury models of this barrier have helped to unravel this interdependence. Key among the consequences of interference with the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier is the appearance of significant amounts of proteins in the urine. Proteinuria correlates with kidney disease progression and cardiovascular mortality. With specific reference to proteinuria in human and animal disease phenotypes, the following review explores the roles of the endothelial cell, glomerular basement membrane, and the podocyte and attempts to highlight examples of essential crosstalk within this barrier.
Loglinear Model for Assessment of Risk Factors of Occupational Injuries in Underground Coal Mines

In this study a loglinear model has been investigated to evaluate the role of various factors in coal mine injuries. Data on the varieties namely age, safety performance, working condition, safety environment, management and supervision, emotional stability, job involvement, job satisfaction, and job stress have been collected through questionnaire survey. The associations of the risk factors with occupational injuries are assessed through adjusted odds ratios (OR). The case study results reveal that significant contributing factors responsible for injuries are emotional stability (OR 2.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51-3.67), working condition (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.37-3.35), safety performance (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.30-3.17), safety environment (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.25-3.06), and age with two ORs of 1.84 (95% CI 1.04 to 3.28), and 2.38 (95% CI 1.27 to 4.45). Identification of these risk factors of injuries will provide valuable information in injury preventive programs. Key words: Occupational injury, human behavioural factors, loglinear model, odds ratio, association.