Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cell kinetic studies in the murine ventral tongue epithelium: the effects of repeated exposure to keratinocyte growth factor

Abstract. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) stimulates proliferation and differentiation in various epithelial systems. Three daily subcutaneous injections of 125 µg of this protein into mice induce dramatic changes in the histology and histometric measurements of the ventral tongue epithelium. The thickness of the epithelium is increased two‐fold and the number of cells beneath a 1‐mm length of the surface is increased 1.6‐fold. KGF also induces a four‐fold increase in the number of S phase cells labelled with tritiated thymidine in the basal layer on the third day after KGF administration. The increase in thickness and cellularity persist for at least 4 days after the end of the KGF injections. However, there is a dramatic fall in the number of S phase cells detected by 3HTdR pulse labelling 2 days after the end of the KGF treatment. There are indications that by 7 days after the 3‐day regimen of KGF treatment, both thickness and cellularity have fallen back to near control levels. Continued exposure to KGF over a period of 7 days does not result in any further increases in thickness, cellularity or proliferation. In fact, the proliferation decreases on the fifth, sixth and seventh days of KGF injection to control values on day 7. These changes in the epithelium following KGF treatment suggest that the thicker and more cellular epithelium may be more able to cope with an exposure to a cytotoxic agent and hence be protected in comparison with normal or vehicle‐treated epithelium.
ATP-independent Control of Vac8 Palmitoylation by a SNARE Subcomplex on Yeast Vacuoles*

Yeast vacuole fusion requires palmitoylated Vac8. We previously showed that Vac8 acylation occurs early in the fusion reaction, is blocked by antibodies against Sec18 (yeast N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF)), and is mediated by the R-SNARE Ykt6. Here we analyzed the regulation of this reaction on purified vacuoles. We show that Vac8 acylation is restricted to a narrow time window, is independent of ATP hydrolysis by Sec18, and is stimulated by the ion chelator EDTA. Analysis of vacuole protein complexes indicated that Ykt6 is part of a complex distinct from the second R-SNARE, Nyv1. We speculate that during vacuole fusion, Nyv1 is the classical R-SNARE, whereas the Ykt6-containing complex has a novel function in Vac8 palmitoylation.
The Effect of Training on Frequency Discrimination: Generalization to Untrained Frequencies and to the Untrained Ear

While there is growing evidence that frequency discrimination improves with practice, there are, however, limited and inclusive reports regarding the generalization of learning to untrained conditions. The goals of the present study were therefore (1) to measure the effect of multi-session training on difference limen frequency (DLF) thresholds and evaluate the relative contribution of procedural and stimulus learning by comparison to a control (untrained) group; (2) to evaluate the extent of generalization of the trained frequency to two untrained frequencies known to be temporally coded; and (3) to estimate the generalization of the trained frequency to the untrained ear, for both trained and untrained frequencies. Two groups of subjects were included: a trained group (n = 5) and a control group (n = 5). For the trained group, DLF thresholds for 1 kHz (trained frequency) and 1.1 and 2.0 kHz (untrained frequencies) were obtained using a two-interval, two-alternative forced choice paradigm before and after an eight-session training. The control group was tested using the same stimuli only twice, with a 3-week interval between testing. Results showed that (1) multi-session training improves frequency discrimination in normal hearing young adults; (2) adding a control group to the study allowed estimation of the effect of limited exposure to the stimuli and task in naïve listeners and evaluation of the magnitude of procedural learning; (3) learning was generalized across frequencies that are coded by similar mechanisms; (4) generalization of learning occurred in the untrained ear for trained and untrained frequencies. These results have important clinical and theoretical implications regarding the processes underlying perceptual learning and the effectiveness of auditory habilitation strategies.
Which farmers benefit the most from Bt corn adoption? Estimating heterogeneity effects in the Philippines

The potential contributions of new biotechnologies to sustainable food and income security have been the subject of widespread discussions around the turn of the 21st century. But distributional issues of which segments of adopters of genetically modified (GM) crops benefit the most have not been given ample attention). Using propensity scores, we apply the (a) stratification-multilevel method of estimating heterogeneous treatment effects; and the (b) matching-smoothing method of estimating heterogeneous treatment effects proposed by Xie et al. We find that the incidence of higher yields, lower insecticide use, and reduced seed utilization in the Philippines diminishes progressively as a farmer's propensity to adopt Bt corn increases. Farmers with a low propensity to adopt Bt are those who farm smaller, nonirrigated farms located farther from seed suppliers and farmers without previous training on pest identification. In most cases, while these farmers are typically poorer farmers in smaller parcels, cannot afford irrigation and are situated in remote areas away from easily accessible seed suppliers, there is no evidence, however, that profits differ across farmers with varying propensities to adopt the Bt variety.
What is the role of human papillomavirus testing in head and neck cancer?

BACKGROUND Recently, human papillomavirus (HPV) has received much attention and interest due to its role in the pathogenesis of a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). HPV-positive HNSCC is especially interesting, in that it appears to be associated with improved survival with nonsurgical treatment modalities. Traditional chemoradiotherapy for advanced HNSCC, though effective, can be acutely and chronically morbid for patients. The use of “de-escalated” treatment protocols, in which the intensity of chemoradiotherapy is reduced to minimize side effects, are currently being studied in HPV-positive HNSCC patients to optimize treatment outcomes while preserving quality of life. Thus far, no formal guidelines exist for selecting HNSCC patients who would be appropriate candidates for HPV testing. Incidentally, the vast majority of patients enrolled in randomized clinical trials for advanced HNSCC have oropharyngeal primaries; as such, HPV-positive oropharyngeal HNSCC has been the most well-studied subsite. Many studies in the literature combine multiple HNSCC subsites when determining treatment outcomes, without stratifying outcomes by subsite. This creates significant confounding bias, as HNSCC can originate from a diverse number of other subsites that may behave differently. In light of this new development within the field of head and neck oncology, would it be appropriate to test all HNSCC patients for HPVas a positive predictor of treatment outcome?
Experimental infection of cats with Tritrichomonas foetus.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether infection with Tritrichomonas foetus causes diarrhea in specific-pathogen-free or Cryptosporidium coinfected cats. ANIMALS 4 cats with subclinical cryptosporidiosis (group 1) and 4 specific-pathogen-free cats (group 2). PROCEDURE Cats were infected orogastrically with an axenic culture of T. foetus isolated from a kitten with diarrhea. Direct microscopy and protozoal culture of feces, fecal character, serial colonic mucosal biopsy specimens, and response to treatment with nitazoxanide (NTZ; group 1) or prednisolone (groups 1 and 2) were assessed. RESULTS Infection with T. foetus persisted in all cats for the entire 203-day study and resulted in diarrhea that resolved after 7 weeks. Group-1 cats had an earlier onset, more severe diarrhea, and increased number of trichomonads on direct fecal examination, compared with group-2 cats. Use of NTZ eliminated shedding of T. foetus and Cryptosporidium oocysts, but diarrhea consisting of trichomonad-containing feces recurred when treatment was discontinued. Prednisolone did not have an effect on infection with T. foetus but resulted in reappearance of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the feces of 2 of 4 cats. During necropsy, T. foetus was isolated from contents of the ileum, cecum, and colon. Tritrichomonas foetus organisms and antigen were detected on surface epithelia and within superficial detritus of the cecal and colonic mucosa. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE After experimental inoculation in cats, T. foetus organisms colonize the ileum, cecum, and colon, reside in close contact with the epithelium, and are associated with transient diarrhea that is exacerbated by coexisting cryptosporidiosis but not treatment with prednisolone.
Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction

Despite suggestive early findings on the therapeutic use of hallucinogens in the treatment of substance use disorders, rigorous follow-up has not been conducted. To determine the safety and feasibility of psilocybin as an adjunct to tobacco smoking cessation treatment we conducted an open-label pilot study administering moderate (20 mg/70 kg) and high (30 mg/70 kg) doses of psilocybin within a structured 15-week smoking cessation treatment protocol. Participants were 15 psychiatrically healthy nicotine-dependent smokers (10 males; mean age of 51 years), with a mean of six previous lifetime quit attempts, and smoking a mean of 19 cigarettes per day for a mean of 31 years at intake. Biomarkers assessing smoking status, and self-report measures of smoking behavior demonstrated that 12 of 15 participants (80%) showed seven-day point prevalence abstinence at 6-month follow-up. The observed smoking cessation rate substantially exceeds rates commonly reported for other behavioral and/or pharmacological therapies (typically <35%). Although the open-label design does not allow for definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of psilocybin, these findings suggest psilocybin may be a potentially efficacious adjunct to current smoking cessation treatment models. The present study illustrates a framework for future research on the efficacy and mechanisms of hallucinogen-facilitated treatment of addiction.
Data Mining Methods Find Demographic Predictors of Preterm Birth

BackgroundPreterm births in the United States increased from 11.0% to 11.4% between 1996 and 1997; they continue to be a complex healthcare problem in the United States. ObjectiveThe objective of this research was to compare traditional statistical methods with emerging new methods called data mining or knowledge discovery in databases in identifying accurate predictors of preterm births. MethodAn ethnically diverse sample (N = 19,970) of pregnant women provided data (1,622 variables) for new methods of analysis. Preterm birth predictors were evaluated using traditional statistical and newer data mining analyses. ResultsSeven demographic variables (maternal age and binary coding for county of residence, education, marital status, payer source, race, and religion) yielded a . 72 area under the curve using Receiving Operating Characteristic curves to test predictive accuracy. The addition of hundreds of other variables added only a . 03 to the area under the curve. ConclusionSimilar results across data mining methods suggest that results are data-driven and not method-dependent, and that demographic variables offer a small set of parsimonious variables with reasonable accuracy in predicting preterm birth outcomes in a racially diverse population.
Designing search user interfaces for visually impaired searchers : a user-centred approach

The Web has been a blessing for visually impaired users as with the help of assistive technologies such as screen readers, they can access previously inaccessible information independently. However, for screen reader users, web-based information seeking can still be challenging as web pages are mainly designed for visual interaction. This affects visually impaired users’ perception of the Web as an information space as well as their experience of search interfaces. The aim of this thesis is therefore to consider visually impaired users’ information seeking behaviour, abilities and interactions via screen readers in the design of a search interface to support complex information seeking. We first conduct a review of how visually impaired users navigate the Web using screen readers. We highlight the strategies employed, the challenges encountered and the solutions to enhance web navigation through screen readers. We then investigate the information seeking behaviour of visually impaired users on the Web through an observational study and we compare this behaviour to that of sighted users to examine the impact of screen reader interaction on the information seeking process. To engage visually impaired users in the design process, we propose and evaluate a novel participatory approach based on a narrative scenario and a dialogue-led interaction to verify user requirements and to brainstorm design ideas. The development of the search interface is informed by the requirements gathered from the observational study and is supported through the inclusion of visually impaired users in the design process. We implement and evaluate the proposed search interface with novel features to support visually impaired users for complex information seeking. This thesis shows that considerations for information seeking behaviour and users’ abilities and mode of interaction contribute significantly to the design of search user interfaces to ensure that interface components are accessible as well as usable.
Predicting the ‘Global Financial Crisis’: Post‐Keynesian Macroeconomics

The ‘Global Financial Crisis’ is widely acknowledged to be a tail event for neoclassical economics (Stevens, 2008), but it was an expected outcome for a range of non‐neoclassical economists from the Austrian and post‐Keynesian schools. This article provides a survey of the post‐Keynesian approach for readers who are not familiar with this literature. It will briefly cover the history of how post‐Keynesian economics came to diverge so much from the neoclassical mainstream, and focus on post‐Keynesian macroeconomics today and its alternative indicators of macroeconomic turbulence.
Structurally sound dynamic index futures hedging

Portfolio managers use index futures for a variety of reasons. Regardless of their motivation, they will keep a close eye on the relation between the index futures returns and their stock‐portfolio returns. Whenever this relation is perceived to have changed, the manager will decide whether it is worthwhile to rebalance the index futures—portfolio mix accordingly. Exact measures as to when and how much rebalancing should occur have not yet been established. This article proposes a dynamic hedging algorithm based on a reverse order CUSUM‐squared (ROC) testing procedure, first discussed in M. H. Pesaran and A. Timmermann (2002). A comparison with standard alternatives (naive, expanding, EWLS, and rolling estimation windows) finds limited improvements in hedging performance, both in‐ and out‐of‐sample. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 25:1173–1202, 2005
The Evolving Role of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Abstract: Following its near demise in 1982, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) adopted new goals and processes designed to increase satisfaction and deliver concrete results to its member municipalities. Over time, the FCM assumed the role of primary interlocutor or broker, establishing a bridge between federal intentions and local government needs and playing a central role in the aggregation, definition, articulation and advocacy of local government issues at the federal level. These FCM actions, in conjunction with the significant improvements in the financial position of the federal government, resulted in significant monetary transfers from the federal to local governments and large increases in FCM membership. At the close of 2005, the FCM was poised to achieve its ultimate goal of establishing a joint federal-local mechanism for policy development as part of the New Deal. However, the election of the Harper government in 2006 led to a change in the federal position, leaving the FCM in a position remnminiscent of 1982 and a way forward that was suddenly less clear. While continuing to lobby strongly for fiscal transfers to municipalities, the FCM is assuming a broader role of filling the research void on local issues at the federal level. Sommaire : Apres avoir pratiquement disparu en 1982, la Federation canadienne des municipalites (FCM) a adopte de nouveaux objectifs et processus afin d'accroitre la satisfaction de ses municipalites membres et de leur fournir des resultats concrets. Au fil des ans, la FCM a assume le role de principal interlocuteur ou representant, en servant d'intermediaire entre les intentions du gouvernement federal et les besoins des administrations municipales et en jouant un role majeur dans le regroupement, la definition, la formulation et la defense des questions relatives aux administrations municipales a l'echelle federale. Ces mesures prises par la FCM, de concert avec les ameliorations importantes de la situation financiere du gouvernement federal, ont eu pour resultat d'importants transferts monetaires du gouvernement federal aux administrations municipales et de fortes augmentations d'adhesion a la FCM. A la fin de 2005, la FCM etait sur le point d'atteindre son but ultime qui etait d'etablir un mecanisme conjoint federal-municipal pour l'elaboration de politiques, dans le cadre du Nouveau pacte pour les municipalites canadiennes. Cependant, l'election du gouvernement Harper en 2006 a entraine un changement dans la position du gouvernement federal, laissant la FCM dans une position tres similaire a celle de 1982 et avec des perspectives d'avenir soudainement plus obscures. Tout en continuant a exercer de fortes pressions en faveur des transferts fiscaux aux municipalites, la FCM assume un role plus vaste en comblant le vide dans la recherche sur les questions municipales a l'echelle federale.
Family planning and women’s educational advancement in Tehran, Iran

This study examines the impact of contraceptive use on women’s educational advancement as an indicator of female empowerment, using retrospective data from the 2009 Tehran Fertility Survey. The results show that 15 per cent of married women continued their education after marriage. Also, women using modern contraceptives before a first birth were more likely to experience a 1–2-year increase in education level after marriage, controlling for other factors. Recent cohorts were more likely to continue their education after marriage, especially those who used modern vs. traditional contraceptives. The findings clearly indicate that family planning use after marriage enables women to advance their education by freeing them from reproductive activities.
Exports and Economic Growth in Developing Countries: Evidence from Time-Series and Cross-Section Data

An empirical assessment of the linkage between export performance and economic growth is important. Economic development is probably the most pressing issue in almost every part of the world. Theoretical positions on the export-growth nexus can, however, be very divergent. Standard propositions of the neoclassical type suggest that good export performance and "outward orientation" make major contributions to economic growth, for example, by (a) increasing specialization and expanding the efficiency-raising benefits of comparative advantage, (b) offering greater economies of scale due to an enlargement of the effective market size, (c) affording greater capacity utilization, and (d) inducing more rapid technological change. The "radical," neo-Marxist, or the left-leaning positions, on the other hand, suggest that trade between less-developed and industrialized countries, and, in particular, exports from the former to the latter, could constitute an important mechanism through which exploitation of the poorer countries occurs.1 In view of the importance of the subject and the wide divergence in theoretical positions, many empirical studies have been conducted to assess the role of exports in economic growth. Although the specific inferences differ somewhat, almost all empirical work seems to have concluded that exports are probably good for economic growth. Despite the differences in their methodologies and in the aspects emphasized, Balassa, Chenery, Emery, Feder, Kavoussi, Krueger, Michaely, Ram, Salvatore, and Tyler seem to be in general agreement about the beneficial effects of export performance on economic growth.2 The many existing studies on the subject have made useful contributions toward an understanding of the role of exports in economic
Black and official exchange rates in the Pacific Basin countries: an analysis of their long-run dynamics

This paper examines the long-run dynamic relationship between black and official markets for seven Pacific Basin countries over the period 1974 to 1989. The evidence shows a long-run unit proportionality between the two rates, i.e. a constant long-run black-market premium. When the premium deviates from its long-run value, the black-market rate adjusts to eliminates the division. The speed of adjustment varies and seems to depend on the financial development of the country. Finally, there is evidence of weak-form informational inefficiency in the black markets.
The application of Bayesian model averaging in assessing the impact of the regulatory framework on economic growth

The paper aims to assess the impact of regulations (measured by the Fraser Institute index of economic freedom) on economic growth in the world as well as in EU and post-socialist countries. The method of the analysis is based on growth regressions where economic freedom is included in the set of explanatory variables, along with some other control factors. The dependent variable is gross domestic product per capita growth rate. In order to be robust to the selection of explanatory variables, the paper uses Bayesian model pooling applied to Blundell and Bond's generalized method of moments system estimator. Other contributions are: the use of ‘overlapping’ panel data in which subsequent observations cover observations from partly overlapping periods and the inclusion of nonlinearities. The results show that the level of and the change in economic freedom both reveal a positive and nonlinear relationship with economic growth. The same applies to most of the component indicators.
The Distribution of Polyhedral Bacterial Microcompartments Suggests Frequent Horizontal Transfer and Operon Reassembly

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are proteinaceous organelles that carry out specific metabolic reactions. Using domain representations of the BMC shell proteins, we identified BMCs in genomes of 358 bacterial species including human gut microbes, bioremediation agents, cellulosic ethanol producers, and pathogens. Multiple BMCs of different metabolic types are present in 40% of the BMC-containing genomes. BMC genes frequently clustered at a single locus that includes enzymes related to the compartment’s metabolic function. The distribution of BMC-containin species was mapped onto a phylogenetic tree constructed from 16S rRNA sequences. The presence of BMCs was sporadically distributed across the phylogenetic tree. All bacterial families that contained species with BMCs also had species without them. Even within a species, BMC number varied, indicative of frequent horizontal transfer and gene loss. Similarly, phylogenetic trees constructed from individual BMC genes indicated that horizontal gene transfer of the BMC loci is a common occurrence.