Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The authors’ response

Laserna-Mendieta and Timon-Zapata raise interesting questions about the application of our formula for LDL-c estimation to their data and Earp questions whether we have applied the correct Friedewald formula. In response to Earp, units of mmol/L were used throughout the manuscript and all data presented are in this form; the inclusion of the Friedewald formula in conventional unit form in the table was an oversight. To address the comments of Laserna-Mendieta and Timon-Zapata, we have replicated the performance of the new formula in a well-established German cohort, the Study of Health in Pomerania, baseline wave (SHIP-0). As we demonstrate in Table 1, the formula revealed equally lower LDL-c results with respect to lower, medium or higher HDL-c ranges, compared to Friedewald’s values. Hence, the differences stated by Laserna-Mendieta and Timon-Zapata in the Spanish study, a general overestimation of LDL-c and an underestimation in extreme HDL-c values, might be explained by a possible bias in their own HDL-c method or calibration. When agreement between LDL-c estimation of the Brazilian formula and a direct LDL-c method significantly differs among different ranges of HDL-c, it cannot be excluded that the origin of the bias is the direct LDL-c method used (either in the Brazilian or Spanish study) or a combination of more than one bias in the same direction. However, the new formula is not intended to substitute direct LDL-c measurement. Rather, it is intended to substitute for the use of Friedewald’s formula. The new formula has an intrinsic potential for improved performance compared to Friedewald’s formula as it does not consider triglyceride concentrations. Its total error encompasses the sum of total cholesterol and HDL-c determination errors only. These have a lower biological variability than triglycerides alone. There is a need to demonstrate, however, how the new formula performs compared to previously studied formulae in other populations and independently of HDL-c, total cholesterol or triglycerides ranges.
Association between Inflammatory Infiltrates and Isolated Monosomy 22/del(22q) in Meningiomas

Meningiomas contain highly variable levels of infiltrating tissue macrophages (TiMa) and other immune cells. In this study we investigated the potential association between the number and immunophenotype of inflammatory and other immune cells infiltrating the tumor as evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry, and the clinico-biological, cytogenetic and gene expression profile (GEP) of 75 meningioma patients. Overall, our results showed a close association between the amount and cellular composition of the inflammatory and other immune cell infiltrates and the cytogenetic profile of the tumors. Notably, tumors with isolated monosomy 22/del(22q) showed greater numbers of TiMa, NK cells and (recently)-activated CD69+ lymphocytes versus meningiomas with diploid and complex karyotypes. In addition, in the former cytogenetic subgroup of meningiomas, tumor-infiltrating TiMa also showed a more activated and functionally mature phenotype, as reflected by a greater fraction of CD69+, CD63+, CD16+ and CD33+ cells. GEP at the mRNA level showed a unique GEP among meningiomas with an isolated monosomy 22/del(22q) versus all other cases, which consisted of increased expression of genes involved in inflammatory/immune response, associated with an M1 TiMa phenotype. Altogether, these results suggest that loss of expression of specific genes coded in chromosome 22 (e.g. MIF) is closely associated with an increased homing and potentially also anti-tumoral effect of TiMa, which could contribute to explain the better outcome of this specific good-prognosis cytogenetic subgroup of meningiomas.
Dividend Policy in Nordic Listed Firms

In this paper we analyze the results from a survey among all publicly listed Nordic firms on their dividend payout policy. The results show that 72% of the Nordic companies have a specified dividend policy. Larger and more profitable companies are more likely to have a defined dividend policy in place. The dividend policy is mostly influenced by capital structure considerations and the outlook of future earnings. We also find that the likelihood for a firm having an explicit dividend policy is positively related to ownership concentration as well as to the presence of large long-term private or industrial owners. Our results support the use of defined dividend policies for agency or monitoring reasons rather than signaling reasons.
The Importance of Encoding-Related Neural Dynamics in the Prediction of Inter-Individual Differences in Verbal Working Memory Performance

Studies of brain-behaviour interactions in the field of working memory (WM) have associated WM success with activation of a fronto-parietal network during the maintenance stage, and this mainly for visuo-spatial WM. Using an inter-individual differences approach, we demonstrate here the equal importance of neural dynamics during the encoding stage, and this in the context of verbal WM tasks which are characterized by encoding phases of long duration and sustained attentional demands. Participants encoded and maintained 5-word lists, half of them containing an unexpected word intended to disturb WM encoding and associated task-related attention processes. We observed that inter-individual differences in WM performance for lists containing disturbing stimuli were related to activation levels in a region previously associated with task-related attentional processing, the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS), and this during stimulus encoding but not maintenance; functional connectivity strength between the left IPS and lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) further predicted WM performance. This study highlights the critical role, during WM encoding, of neural substrates involved in task-related attentional processes for predicting inter-individual differences in verbal WM performance, and, more generally, provides support for attention-based models of WM.
Boundary string field theory of the D anti-D system

We develop the boundary string field theory approach to tachyon condensation on the D{bar D} system. Particular attention is paid to the gauge fields, which combine with the tachyons in a natural way. We derive the RR couplings of the system and express the result in terms of Quillen's superconnection. The result is related to an index theorem, and is thus shown to be exact.
Airway transplantation of adipose stem cells protects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with poor prognosis. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) have demonstrated regenerative properties in several tissues. The hypothesis of this study was that airway transplantation of ADSC could protect against bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Fifty-eight lungs from 29 male Sprague-Dawley rats were analyzed. Animals were randomly divided into five groups: a) control (n=3); b) sham (n=6); c) BLM (n=6); d) BLM+ADSC-2d (n=6); and e) BLM+ADSC-14d (n=8). Animals received 500 µL saline (sham), 2.5 UI/kg BLM in 500 µL saline (BLM), and 2×106 ADSC in 100 µL saline intratracheally at 2 (BLM+ADSC-2d) and 14 days (BLM+ADSC-14d) after BLM. Animals were sacrificed at 28 days. Blinded Ashcroft score was used to determine pulmonary fibrosis extent on histology. Hsp27, Vegf, Nfkβ, IL-1, IL-6, Col4, and Tgfβ1 mRNA gene expression were determined using real-time quantitative-PCR. Ashcroft index was: control=0; sham=0.37±0.07; BLM=6.55±0.34 vs sham (P=0.006). BLM vs BLM+ADSC-2d=4.63±0.38 (P=0.005) and BLM+ADSC-14d=3.77±0.46 (P=0.005). BLM vs sham significantly increased Hsp27 (P=0.018), Nfkβ (P=0.009), Col4 (P=0.004), Tgfβ1 (P=0.006) and decreased IL-1 (P=0.006). BLM+ADSC-2d vs BLM significantly decreased Hsp27 (P=0.009) and increased Vegf (P=0.006), Nfkβ (P=0.009). BLM+ADSC-14d vs BLM significantly decreased Hsp27 (P=0.028), IL-6 (P=0.013), Col4 (P=0.002), and increased Nfkβ (P=0.040) and Tgfβ1 (P=0.002). Airway transplantation of ADSC significantly decreased the fibrosis rate in both early and established pulmonary fibrosis, modulating the expression of Hsp27, Vegfa, Nfkβ, IL-6, Col4, and Tgfβ1. From a translational perspective, this technique could become a new adjuvant treatment for patients with IPF.
Past and present of the Department of Neurophysiology in the Nencki Institute

The Department of Neurophysiology was founded in the Nencki Institute in 1946. At that time the Institute was located in Łódź, since Warsaw had been destroyed during the war. The founders of the Department were Jerzy Konorski and Liliana Lubińska, the pre-war Institute’s workers . Konorski, the head of the Department, was a pioneer in investigations on instrumental conditioning. Within a few years he was joined by a group of about 15, mostly very young collaborators: a second generation of the Department’s workers. The first Konorski’s associates were: Zofia Afelt, Stefan Brutkowski, Elżbieta Fonberg, Włodzimierz Kozak, Wacława Ławicka, Irena Łukaszewska, Irena Stępień, Genowefa Szwejkowska (a pre-war Institute’s worker), Wanda Wyrwicka and Andrzej Zbrożyna. Their research was mainly devoted to various aspects of conditioning in dogs. This fitted the name of the Department since according to Pavlovian tradition, the conditioned-reflex investigations represent a part of physiological research. In the middle fifties the Institute moved back to Warsaw, to a new, large building. About the same time the iron curtain was cracked in Poland and our west frontier became more open. Simultaneously the east frontier also became easier to cross. We began traveling frequently and many foreign scientists visited us. In consequence, the Department gradually lost its monolithic, conditioned-reflex profile, reacting rapidly to new tendencies in the international neuroscience. Visual, motor, psychophysiological and developmental investigations were introduced. In addition, the ethological group and later on the Laboratory of Neurochemistry (headed by Stella Niemierko, a pre-war Institute’s worker) joined us from other departments of the Institute. In the early seventies Polish authorities offered more money for science and for the second time after the war many new positions became available in the Institute. Konorski’ s pupils were joined by about 20 young researchers: a third generation of workers appeared in the Department. Some of them (Anna Grabowska, Małgorzata Kossut, Andrzej Wróbel, Jolanta Zagrodzka) are at present the heads of laboratories in the Department. In 1973 Jerzy Konorski died and I succeeded him as the head of the Department. It was rather difficult to succeed a great leader and to direct the Department which was rapidly changing. However, I was fortunate to receive the help of several colleagues. I especially owe much to Irena Stępień and later to Jolanta Zagrodzka. I have also received important encouragement from two distinguished foreign colleagues, Jerzy Rose and Eliot Stellar. Although large, the Department has remained well integrated. Our common roots are certainly one
Unique regulation of long term potentiation in the rat ventral hippocampus

Morphological and electrophysiological evidence has been accumulated in recent years to indicate that a functional gradient exists along the septo‐temporal axis of the hippocampus such that spatial memory is associated primarily with the dorsal (septal) sector while the functions of the ventral sector are not yet clearly defined. Also, the ventral hippocampus (VH) is reported to express a much smaller long term potentiation of responses to afferent stimulation than the dorsal sector. In the present study, we first confirmed that CA1 region of VH slices expresses significantly smaller LTP than the dorsal hippocampus. Strikingly, much larger LTP was obtained in VH slices following low frequency priming stimulation applied prior to the tetanic stimulation. DHPG ((S)‐3,5‐Dihydroxyphenylglycine hydrate) a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, produced a similar potentiating effect on LTP as that produced by the priming stimulation. In both cases, the spectral analysis of spontaneous electrical activity recorded from the same location in the slice revealed an increase in peak amplitude around 30 Hz. MCPG, a metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, and both thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid, inhibitors of Ca2+ release from stores, blocked the potentiating action of both DHPG and the priming stimulation. These results indicate that the ventral hippocampus possesses different network properties compared to the dorsal hippocampus and that its ability to undergo plastic changes is controlled by a metabotropic glutamate receptor. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Measuring journal quality : developing a multi-item measure and investigating its usefulness in marketing

The research journal especially in marketing, is now not only the primary communication method, but is also used to evaluate an academic's research contribution. Measuring the quality of research journals has also become more complex as a result of the rapid increase in the number of journals published. In marketing research, scientists have professed the use of sophisticated or more sensitive techniques yet little has been done to improve the measurement of research journals. This thesis investigates the use of alternative measurement techniques to explore this important aspect of the academic environment. Historically two dominant methodologies have been used to measure the quality ofjournals: Peer review and Citation Analysis. However these methods have been criticised and academics have been sceptical of the results, taking the opinion that these methods create, bias in the results. Previous methods have also taken a one-dimensional view of journal quality with little time devoted to uncovering the criteria that governs that quality. The research applied marketing methodologies that combined qualitative and quantitative research techniques to explore the problem. Four critical research questions were examined in this study. What are the important elements of journal research standing? 38 items were found to be important elements ofjoumal research standing. Is journal research standing a multi-dimensional construct? Three underlying dimensions represented the construct journal research standing, these were Reputation, Reviewing Standards and Content Quality. Do academics acknowledge the multiple dimensions of journal research standing? Academics acknowledged the -differences -between dimensions for ten selected marketing journals. What moderating factors affect academic opinions of journal research standing? Academic attitudes towards a joutnal's research stdtiding are moderated by their country of origin, familiarity and research fit. Attitudes towards a journal may also be moderated when academics have a paper rejected from that particular journal.
The Risk Factors Influencing Turnover Intention of Nurses

Purpose: This study was done to identify the risk factors influencing turnover intention of nurses. Method: The participants in this descriptive survey on causal relations were 756 nurses who were working at a tertiary university hospital in Seoul. The data were put in to multiple regression analysis to build a prediction model. Results: Turnover intention according to general features were shown as following. : Age, Clinical careers, Educational level, Marital status, Economic status(Yearly income). The relationship between turnover intention and job stress had positive correlation. But the relationship between turnover and other factors that job satisfaction, internal marketing, and organizational commitment had negative correlation. The causal factors of turnover intention were organizational commitment, the factors of organizational support and patient/caregiver relationships among subcategories of job stress and the factor of professional position among subcategories of job satisfaction. Conclusions: The findings of study suggest that board intervention program should be provided to prevent problems of turnover. It is also recommended that a program be developed that can help control the variables identified in this study along with follow up study to verify the model.
Identification of candidate genes in osteoporosis by integrated microarray analysis

Objectives In order to screen the altered gene expression profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with osteoporosis, we performed an integrated analysis of the online microarray studies of osteoporosis. Methods We searched the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for microarray studies of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with osteoporosis. Subsequently, we integrated gene expression data sets from multiple microarray studies to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between patients with osteoporosis and normal controls. Gene function analysis was performed to uncover the functions of identified DEGs. Results A total of three microarray studies were selected for integrated analysis. In all, 1125 genes were found to be signiﬁcantly differentially expressed between osteoporosis patients and normal controls, with 373 upregulated and 752 downregulated genes. Positive regulation of the cellular amino metabolic process (gene ontology (GO): 0033240, false discovery rate (FDR) = 1.00E + 00) was significantly enriched under the GO category for biological processes, while for molecular functions, flavin adenine dinucleotide binding (GO: 0050660, FDR = 3.66E-01) and androgen receptor binding (GO: 0050681, FDR = 6.35E-01) were significantly enriched. DEGs were enriched in many osteoporosis-related signalling pathways, including those of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and calcium. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis showed that the significant hub proteins contained ubiquitin specific peptidase 9, X-linked (Degree = 99), ubiquitin specific peptidase 19 (Degree = 57) and ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 B (Degree = 57). Conclusion Analysis of gene function of identified differentially expressed genes may expand our understanding of fundamental mechanisms leading to osteoporosis. Moreover, significantly enriched pathways, such as MAPK and calcium, may involve in osteoporosis through osteoblastic differentiation and bone formation. Cite this article: J. J. Li, B. Q. Wang, Q. Fei, Y. Yang, D. Li. Identification of candidate genes in osteoporosis by integrated microarray analysis. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:594–601. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.512. BJR-2016-0073.R1.
Impact of folic acid fortification in the United States: markedly diminished high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein values.

OBJECTIVE Folic acid fortification of breads and grains was implemented in the United States in 1998 in an attempt to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects. Outcome data from birth registries have shown a 20% drop-less than originally predicted. In this study, we ascertain if the impact of folic acid fortification is better seen at the time of midtrimester prenatal diagnosis by looking at incidence of high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) values. METHODS Data regarding MSAFP levels in 61,119 patients undergoing maternal serum screening at a large commercial laboratory were categorized by multiples of the median (MoM). The data were compared between 2 groups: before mandatory supplementation in the United States in 1997 and after mandatory supplementation in 2000. High MSAFP values were further categorized as high (2.75-4.00 MoM) or very high (more than 4.00 MoM). Data were analyzed by chi(2) analysis. RESULTS Comparative data showed a 32% decrease of patients with MoM greater than 2.75 + (2.5% -1.7%). Further categorizations revealed similar decreases. CONCLUSION The introduction of folic acid fortification has produced a profound decrease in the number of high MSAFP values, reflective of a decreased incidence of neural tube defects. Our results help to validate the decision to fortify food with folic acid, which represents a highly successful public health policy for primary prevention of birth defects. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II-2
Antagonistic Cross-Regulation between Sox9 and Sox10 Controls an Anti-tumorigenic Program in Melanoma

Melanoma is the most fatal skin cancer, but the etiology of this devastating disease is still poorly understood. Recently, the transcription factor Sox10 has been shown to promote both melanoma initiation and progression. Reducing SOX10 expression levels in human melanoma cells and in a genetic melanoma mouse model, efficiently abolishes tumorigenesis by inducing cell cycle exit and apoptosis. Here, we show that this anti-tumorigenic effect functionally involves SOX9, a factor related to SOX10 and upregulated in melanoma cells upon loss of SOX10. Unlike SOX10, SOX9 is not required for normal melanocyte stem cell function, the formation of hyperplastic lesions, and melanoma initiation. To the contrary, SOX9 overexpression results in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and a gene expression profile shared by melanoma cells with reduced SOX10 expression. Moreover, SOX9 binds to the SOX10 promoter and induces downregulation of SOX10 expression, revealing a feedback loop reinforcing the SOX10 low/SOX9 high ant,m/ii-tumorigenic program. Finally, SOX9 is required in vitro and in vivo for the anti-tumorigenic effect achieved by reducing SOX10 expression. Thus, SOX10 and SOX9 are functionally antagonistic regulators of melanoma development.
Effects of Heat Wave on Body Temperature and Blood Pressure in the Poor and Elderly

Objectives We aimed to investigate the acute effects of heat stress on body temperature and blood pressure of elderly individuals living in poor housing conditions. Methods Repeated measurements of the indoor temperature, relative humidity, body temperature, and blood pressure were conducted for 20 elderly individuals living in low-cost dosshouses in Seoul during hot summer days in 2010. Changes in the body temperature, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) according to variations in the indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity were analyzed using a repeated-measures ANOVA controlling for age, sex, alcohol, and smoking. Results Average indoor and outdoor temperatures were 31.47℃ (standard deviation [SD], 0.97℃) and 28.15℃ (SD, 2.03℃), respectively. Body temperature increased by 0.21℃ (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16 to 0.26℃) and 0.07℃ (95% CI, 0.04 to 0.10℃) with an increase in the indoor and outdoor temperature of 1℃. DBP decreased by 2.05 mmHg (95% CI, 0.05 to 4.05 mmHg), showing a statistical significance, as the indoor temperature increased by 1℃, while it increased by 0.20 mmHg (95% CI, -0.83 to 1.22 mmHg) as outdoor temperature increased by 1℃. SBP decreased by 1.75 mmHg (95% CI, -1.11 to 4.61 mmHg) and 0.35 mmHg (95% CI, -1.04 to 1.73 mmHg), as the indoor and outdoor temperature increased by 1℃, respectively. The effects of relative humidity on SBP and DBP were not statistically significant for both indoor and outdoor. Conclusions The poor and elderly are directly exposed to heat waves, while their vital signs respond sensitively to increase in temperature. Careful adaptation strategies to climate change considering socioeconomic status are therefore necessary.