Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sustained striatal ciliary neurotrophic factor expression negatively affects behavior and gene expression in normal and R6/1 mice

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an elongation of CAG repeats in the HD gene, which encodes a mutant copy of huntingtin with an expanded polyglutatmine repeat. Individuals who are affected by the disease suffer from motor, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Levels of certain striatal‐enriched mRNAs decrease in both HD patients and transgenic HD mice prior to the development of motor symptoms and neuronal cell death. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has been shown to protect neurons against chemically induced toxic insults in vitro and in vivo. To test the hypothesis that CNTF might protect neurons from the negative effects of the mutant huntingtin protein in vivo, CNTF was continuously expressed following transduction of the striatum by recombinant adeno‐associated viral vectors (rAAV2). Wild‐type and R6/1 HD transgenic (R6/1) mice that received bilateral or unilateral intrastriatal injections of rAAV2‐CNTF experienced weight loss. The CNTF‐treated R6/1 HD transgenic mice experienced motor impairments at an earlier age than expected compared with age‐matched control R6/1 HD transgenic animals. CNTF also caused abnormal behavior in WT mice. In addition to behavioral impairments, in situ hybridization showed that, in both WT and R6/1 mice, CNTF expression caused a significant decrease in the levels of striatal‐enriched transcripts. Overall, continuous expression of striatal CNTF at the dose mediated by the expression cassette used in this study was detrimental to HD and wild‐type mice. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
SYMBOLIC SUMMATION SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In recent years, the problem of symbolic summation has received much attention due to the exciting applications of Zeilberger's method for deenite hypergeometric summation. This lead to renewed interest in the central part of the algorithmic machinery, Gosper's \classical" method for indeenite hypergeometric summation. We review some of the recent (partly unpublished as yet) work done in this eld, with a particular emphasis on the unifying and guiding r^ ole of normal forms for polynomials and rational functions, especially adapted to summation algorithms.
Low-income in Census Metropolitan Areas, 1980-2000

The report examines income and low income in census metropolitan areas between 1980 and 2000. It examines the situation of families and the neighbourhoods they live in. It also examines the situation of recent immigrants, Aboriginal people and lone-parent family members. Median pre-tax income rose in virtually all Canadian census metropolitan areas (CMAs) over the 1980 to 2000 period. Incomes increased at both the top and bottom of the income distribution, but tended to rise faster at the top. In nearly all cities, income increased faster in the higher income neighbourhoods - measured at the census tract (CT) level - than it did in lower income neighbourhoods. The incidence of low income was at similar levels in 1980 and 2000, but the demographic composition of low income changed, reflecting rising low-income rates among some 'at-risk' groups, as well as demographic changes in the CMA. By 2000, recent immigrants comprised more of the low-income population, and a greater share of the residents in low-income neighbourhoods than they did in 1980. Recent immigrants had much higher low-income rates in 2000 than in 1980. In 2000, Aboriginal people and people in single-parent families had much higher low-income rates than others and were over-represented in low-income neighbourhoods. The share of income that low-income families received from government transfers rose over the period. The location of low-income neighbourhoods changed in some CMAs, reflecting a decline in low-income neighbourhoods in the city centre and a rise in low-income neighbourhoods in more suburban areas. The report examines before-tax income in CMAs using the 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 censuses of Canada.
A determination of the spectral index of galactic synchrotron emission in the 1-10 GHz range

We present an analysis of simultaneous multifrequency measurements of the Galactic emission in the 1-10 GHz range with 18° angular resolution taken from a high-altitude site. Our data yield a determination of the synchrotron spectral index between 1.4 and 7.5 GHz of βsyn = 2.81 ± 0.16. Combining our data with maps made by Haslam et al. and Reich & Reich, we find βsyn = 2.76 ± 0.11 in the 0.4-7.5 GHz range. These results are in agreement with the few previously published measurements. The variation of βsyn with frequency based on our results and compared with other data found in the literature suggests a steepening of the synchrotron spectrum toward high frequencies, as expected from theory because of the steepening of the parent cosmic-ray electron energy spectrum. Comparison between the Haslam data and the 19 GHz map of Cottingham also indicates a spatial variation of the spectral index on large angular scales. Additional high-quality data are necessary to provide a serious study of these effects.
Why a large US deficit is likely to persist

It has been three years since I last wrote on the US current account deficit for CESifo Forum, based on data through 2003, when the US current account deficit (balance of payments basis) was $522 billion. I argued then that, contrary to frequent claims of unsustainability, the US deficit was likely to endure for many years. After 2003, the deficit grew annually, reaching $811 billion in 2006 before dropping below $800 billion in 2007, a response both to slower growth in the United States and to some cumulative depreciation of the dollar against other major currencies – although prices of US oil imports were significantly higher in 2007 than in 2003. The dollar depreciated in 2003 and 2004, but actually appreciated in 2005 before resuming depreciation in 2006/07. In the meantime there have been numerous articles and at least one book (Cline 2005) on the precarious state of the US deficit and the risk of major financial turmoil, although claims of literal unsustainability seem to have receded somewhat in face of growing deficits.
The Prognostic Significance of Resting Regional Left Ventricular Function in Patients With Varying Degrees of Myocardial Ischemia

Background Our aim was to determine whether regional left ventricular (LV) function on a resting transthoracic echo (TTE) provides prognostic information in patients with varying degrees of ischemia on myocardial perfusion imaging. Methods Between 2004 - 2009, we identified 503 patients (mean age 69 (SD 11); 79% male) with reversible ischemia on a myocardial SPECT scan who had a TTE within 30 days. We evaluated the rate of subsequent revascularization and death for all patients. Results Following the SPECT scan and TTE, 246/503(49%) patients underwent revascularization, 64/503 (13%) patients died, 369 (73%) patients had a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 242 (48%) patients had a resting wall motion abnormality (WMA), 21/261 (8%) with no WMA died compared to 43/242 (18%) in patients with a WMA. In patients with a WMA (n = 242) there was no significant difference in mortality when comparing patients with small (< 6 segments) and large (> 6 segments) WMA (P = 0.44). In patients with moderate/severe ischemia, the presence of a resting WMA was associated with a higher mortality rate (18% v 7%; P = 0.005). In a multivariable model, LVEF (< 50%) was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.2 (P = 0.002, 95% CI 1.34 - 3.68) however, WMA and number of abnormal segments did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion A resting wall motion abnormality in patients with moderate/severe ischemia is associated with a higher mortality compared to patients with mild ischemia on myocardial perfusion imaging. Regional left ventricular dysfunction unlike LVEF was not an independent predictor of mortality.
Flying High and Laying Low in the Public and Private Sectors: A Comparison of Pay Differentials for Male, Full-Time Employees

Using linked employee-employer data, this paper shows that, on average, male full-time public sector employees in Britain earn 8.9 per cent more than their private sector counterparts. Analysis reveals that the majority of this pay premium is associated with public sector employees having individual characteristics typically associated with higher pay, especially working in higher paid occupations. Further focussing on the highly skilled and unskilled occupations in both sectors reveals evidence of workplace segregation positively impacting on earnings in the private sector for the highly skilled, and in the public sector for the unskilled. Substantial earnings gaps between the highly skilled and unskilled are found in both sectors; and the unexplained components in these gaps are shown to be very similar regardless of sector.
Financial Distress in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) of Bangladesh: Determinants and Remedial Measures

Financial distress in SMEs is a common phenomenon across the world, which has been a subject matter of academicians, professionals and government. Although SMEs are contributing to the economy in the form of employment, supply of products and services by using indigenous technologies, social entrepreneurship, income generating activities etc. SMEs are found most vulnerable to the macro-economic as well as internal management crises. Consequently, they fall into financial distress. In view of this, the present study has been undertaken aiming at identifying the causes of financial distress in SMEs of Bangladesh. The study has employed both financial and statistical techniques for analyzing the data collected for the study. The study has identified some potential problem areas related to financial distress such as rate adequacy, sales trends, indebtedness, management capability, financial planning, etc. The study has also identified some most important causes of financial distress such as fund management & resource crunch, poor accounting system, poor financial control, poor productivity and profitability and management succession. The study has finally come out some strategic and policy related measures for both viable and financially distressed SMEs for preventing them from the exposition to financial and operating risk.
Misrepresentation in the Consumer Context

Research in social psychology suggests that motives such as self-bolstering and impression management can lead people to engage in deliberate misrepresentations during interpersonal communications. This article extends our understanding of such behavior to a new domain; that of consumer communications. Drawing on research on lying behavior and symbolic consumption, we suggest that misrepresentation about products and possessions is particularly likely to occur when these products or possessions are used to create a positive self-image in the context of social interaction. Experiments 1 and 2 simulate a social interaction wherein misrepresentation about the purchase price of a product helps participants to manage impressions. A third experiment extends these findings by testing for wealth-related misrepresentation in the context of an interaction wherein participants actually communicate their family's wealth to a recipient. Consistent with predictions derived from existing research on symbolic consumption, all 3 experiments provide support for the critical importance of recipient status on the likelihood of misrepresentation. The first 2 experiments additionally examine the role of individual differences and brand differences. Results on these dimensions are also supportive of our underlying theoretical premise regarding the antecedents of lying behavior.
Quantitative Microwave Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection Using a Planar 2.45 GHz System

Microwave imaging is recognized as a potential candidate for biomedical applications, such as breast tumor detection. In this context, the capability of a planar microwave camera to produce quantitative imaging of high-contrast inhomogeneous objects is investigated. The image reconstruction is achieved by means of an iterative Newton-Kantorovich algorithm. Promising numerical simulation results indicate that the planar geometry is suitable for quantitative imaging, as long as the signal-to-noise ratio is higher than 40 dB. Such a requirement is satisfied with the camera due to appropriate data averaging. Furthermore, different calibration techniques are discussed, aiming to reduce the model error, which results from the limitations of the numerical model involved in the reconstruction to accurately reproduce the experimental setup. The experimental work also includes the development of a phantom using a new fluid tissue equivalent mixture based on Triton X-100. As a final result, this paper shows the first reconstructed quantitative images of a high-contrast inhomogeneous 2-D object obtained by using experimental data from the camera.
Pharmacokinetics of 6-Gingerol, 8-Gingerol, 10-Gingerol, and 6-Shogaol and Conjugate Metabolites in Healthy Human Subjects

Background: Ginger shows promising anticancer properties. No research has examined the pharmacokinetics of the ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol in humans. We conducted a clinical trial with 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol, examining the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of these analytes and their conjugate metabolites. Methods: Human volunteers were given ginger at doses from 100 mg to 2.0 g (N = 27), and blood samples were obtained at 15 minutes to 72 hours after a single p.o. dose. The participants were allocated in a dose-escalation manner starting with 100 mg. There was a total of three participants at each dose except for 1.0 g (N = 6) and 2.0 g (N = 9). Results: No participant had detectable free 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, or 6-shogaol, but 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol glucuronides were detected. The 6-gingerol sulfate conjugate was detected above the 1.0-g dose, but there were no detectable 10-gingerol or 6-shogaol sulfates except for one participant with detectable 8-gingerol sulfate. The Cmax and area under the curve values (mean ± SE) estimated for the 2.0-g dose are 0.85 ± 0.43, 0.23 ± 0.16, 0.53 ± 0.40, and 0.15 ± 0.12 μg/mL; and 65.6. 33 ± 44.4, 18.1 ± 20.3, 50.1 ± 49.3, and 10.9 ± 13.0 μg·hr/mL for 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol. The corresponding tmax values are 65.6 ± 44.4, 73.1 ± 29.4, 75.0 ± 27.8, and 65.6 ± 22.6 minutes, and the analytes had elimination half-lives <2 hours. The 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol conjugates were present as either glucuronide or sulfate conjugates, not as mixed conjugates, although 6-gingerol and 10-gingerol were an exception. Conclusion: Six-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol are absorbed after p.o. dosing and can be detected as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(8):1930–6)
Prognostic value of the lymphocyte monocyte ratio in patients with colorectal cancer

Background: Inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. A low lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) is reported be a poor prognostic factor in multiple malignancies. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of preoperative LMR in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Studies investigating the prognostic role of preoperative LMR on survival in patients with CRC were systematically searched for in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane databases from inception up to August 2016. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated using fixed-effects/random-effects models. Results: A total of nine studies comprising 8626 patients with CRC were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled analysis demonstrated that low LMR was significantly associated with decreased OS (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.56–0.70, P < 0.001) and DFS/RFS (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.68–0.84, P < 0.001). The negative prognostic impact of low LMR on OS was observed in patients with different ethnicity, treatment methods, cut-off values, and across disease stages. Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrates that low preoperative LMR is associated with worse survival in patients with CRC.
The Free Rider Problem in Community-Based Rural Water Supply: A Game Theoretic Analysis

Community-based water supply projects in rural South Africa have frequently proved unsustainable, with many communities unable to raise sufficient funds to meet operation and maintenance costs. A key obstacle to cost recovery (and the focus of this paper) is the free rider problem. As rural water services are frequently supplied as a public good, the link between paying for water and receiving it is not as straightforward as it is for private goods, and beneficiaries may have a material incentive to 'free ride' on the good's production. Using a simple game-theoretic model, we identify and discuss the value of social sanctioning in deterring free riding. We conclude that social norms that generate costly punishment, such as norms of fairness may be necessary (but not sufficient) to deter free riding. We emphasise the importance of community mobilisation, social intermediation and institution building in overcoming the free rider problem.
Evolutionary Algorithms based on non-Darwinian theories of evolution

One name that comes to mind in connection with the word evolution is Darwin. One evolutionist however, who is rarely talked about, especially in the Artificial Intelligence community, is Peirce. The Darwinian model is based on the concepts of absolute chance, mechanistic laws, and inexplicable interaction between the two. In contrast, Peircepsilas framework posits a dynamic interaction between possibility, necessity and regularity to describe the process of evolution. The theory of evolution proposed by Peirce is superior to the one proposed by Darwin because it is more general and it has greater explanatory power. Peircepsilas insights are significant enough to be used to improve the existing evolutionary algorithms. It was observed during our literature review that almost all evolutionary algorithms are fundamentally based on Darwinian principles of evolution. The present paper highlights the differences between Darwinian and Peircian evolutionary theories and provides the theoretical foundation for developing a novel Peirce based Evolutionary Algorithm. Preliminary experiments have been conducted and results seem very promising.
LIBOR: Origins, Economics, Crisis, Scandal, and Reform

The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is a widely used indicator of funding conditions in the interbank market. As of 2013, LIBOR underpins more than $300 trillion of financial contracts, including swaps and futures, in addition to trillions more in variable-rate mortgage and student loans. LIBOR's volatile behavior during the financial crisis provoked questions surrounding its credibility. Ongoing regulatory investigations have uncovered misconduct by a number of financial institutions. Policymakers across the globe now face the task of reforming LIBOR in the aftermath of the scandal and crisis.
Proliferative Activity in Libyan Breast Cancer with Comparison to European and Central African Patients

Background. We evaluated the relation of proliferative indices with clinicopathological features and prognosis in breast cancer (BC) of Libyan female patients. The data were compared with corresponding results in Finland and Nigeria. Patients and Methods. Histological samples of breast cancer from 130 patients were retrospectively studied. Mitotic activity index (MAI) and standardized mitotic index (SMI) were estimated. Results. There were statistically significant correlations between the proliferative indices and most clinicopathological features, with the strongest association observed for histological grade (P = 0.01 for SMI and P = 0.003 for MAI). The proliferative differences between Libyan, Nigerian, and Finnish population were prominent. The mean values of SMI and MAI in Libyan BC patients were 32.1 mitotic figures per square millimeter and 27.3 mitotic figures per 10 high-power fields, respectively. This is clearly lower than those in Nigeria but much higher than those in Finland. The differences between countries are seen in whole material and are also present in subgroups. The results indicated that mitotic activities can be reliable prognostic indicators in Libyan BCs, as they were among Finnish and Nigerian females. Univariate and multivariate analyses found at cut-offs of 19 and 44 mitosis/mm2 of SMI were the most significant prognostic factors. Conclusions. Proliferative indices with careful estimation of the MAI and SMI could be applied as quantitative criteria for Libyan BC to separate the patients into good, moderate, and bad prognosis groups.
Effects of Ketoconazole on the Pharmacokinetics of Ponatinib in Healthy Subjects

Ponatinib is a BCR‐ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in patients resistant or intolerant to prior TKIs. In vitro studies suggested that metabolism of ponatinib is partially mediated by CYP3A4. The effects of CYP3A4 inhibition on the pharmacokinetics of ponatinib and its CYP3A4‐mediated metabolite, AP24567, were evaluated in a single‐center, randomized, two‐period, two‐sequence crossover study in healthy volunteers. Subjects (N = 22) received two single doses (orally) of ponatinib 15 mg, once given alone and once coadministered with daily (5 days) ketoconazole 400 mg, a CYP3A4 inhibitor. Ponatinib plus ketoconazole increased ponatinib maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) compared with ponatinib alone. The estimated mean ratios for AUC0–∞, AUC0–t, and Cmax indicated increased exposures to ponatinib of 78%, 70%, and 47%, respectively; exposure to AP24567 decreased by 71%. Exposure to AP24567 was marginal after ponatinib alone (no more than 4% of the exposure to ponatinib). These results suggest that caution should be exercised with the concurrent use of ponatinib and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors and that a ponatinib dose decrease to 30 mg daily, from the 45 mg daily starting dose, could be considered.
Integrated Thermal Analysis for Processing In Die-Stacking Memory

Recent application and technology trends bring a renaissance of the processing-in-memory (PIM), which was envisioned decades ago. In particular, die-stacking and silicon interposer technologies enable the integration of memory, PIMs, and the host CPU in a single chip. Yet the integration substantially increases system power density. This can impose substantial thermal challenges to the feasibility of such systems. In this paper, we comprehensively study the thermal feasibility of integrated systems consisting of the host CPU, die-stacking DRAMs, and various types of PIMs. Compared with most previous thermal studies that only focus on the memory stack, we investigate the thermal distribution of the whole processor-memory system. Furthermore, we examine the feasibility of various cooling solutions and feasible scale of various PIM designs under given thermal and area constraints. Finally, we demonstrate system run-time thermal feasibility by executing two high-performance computing applications with PIM-based systems. Based on our experimental studies, we reveal a set of thermal implications for PIM-based system design and configuration.