Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CDB: Optimizing Queries with Crowd-Based Selections and Joins

Crowdsourcing database systems have been proposed to leverage crowd-powered operations to encapsulate the complexities of interacting with the crowd. Existing systems suffer from two major limitations. Firstly, in order to optimize a query, they often adopt the traditional tree model to select an optimized table-level join order. However, the tree model provides a coarse-grained optimization, which generates the same order for different joined tuples and limits the optimization potential that different joined tuples can be optimized by different orders. Secondly, they mainly focus on optimizing the monetary cost. In fact, there are three optimization goals (i.e., smaller monetary cost, lower latency, and higher quality) in crowdsourcing, and it calls for a system to enable multi-goal optimization. To address the limitations, we develop a crowd-powered database system CDB that supports crowd-based query optimizations, with focus on join and selection. CDB has fundamental differences from existing systems. First, CDB employs a graph-based query model that provides more fine-grained query optimization. Second, CDB adopts a unified framework to perform the multi-goal optimization based on the graph model. We have implemented our system and deployed it on AMT, CrowdFlower and ChinaCrowd. We have also created a benchmark for evaluating crowd-powered databases. We have conducted both simulated and real experiments, and the experimental results demonstrate the performance superiority of CDB on cost, latency and quality.
Onset and severity of inflammation in rats exposed to the learned helplessness paradigm.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that there is an association between susceptibility to inflammation and a hyporesponsive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. METHODS Animals were separated on the basis of behaviour in the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm into groups of LH(+) (i.e. animals which did not escape footshock) and LH(-) animals. Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) was subsequently induced in the LH(+) and LH(-) animals. RESULTS Plasma corticosterone was significantly increased in response to the LH test in the LH(-) compared with the LH(+) rats. We observed an earlier onset and increased inflammation in the LH(-) rats in spite of the greater corticosterone response to the acute stress. We noted lower levels of plasma testosterone in the LH(-) animals suggesting a possible influence for this protective factor in AA. CONCLUSION These data suggest that increased onset and severity of inflammation in AA is not a simple consequence of an attenuated HPA axis response to stress as proposed in the Lewis rat. Indeed we have observed the converse. Together these data suggest that the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory factors released in response to stress may influence the progress of AA.
The Long-run Effect of Geopolitical Risks on Insurance Premiums

This paper deals with the estimation of the risk-insurance nexus. We specifically examined the effect of geopolitical risk on insurance premium in a panel of 18 countries while controlling for the effect of real income. We did this by employing second generation econometric methods. We found strong evidence of a positive impact of geopolitical risks on insurance premiums. We specifically found that the impact of geopolitical risks on non-life insurance premium is higher than the impact on life insurance premium. Real income was also found to have a significantly positive effect on insurance premiums, and the impact on non-life insurance premium similarly larger than the impact on life insurance premium. On the basis of the income elasticity, we found that insurance has the semblance of a luxury good, and on the basis of the panel causality tests, we confirmed the feedback hypothesis. We therefore conclude that exposure to geopolitical risks raises insurance premiums either as a result of increased insurance demand to hedge against geopolitical uncertainty or as a result of uncertainty tax factored into insurance premiums in unstable environments.
Effects of competition on students' self-efficacy in vicarious learning.

BACKGROUND Vicarious learning is one of the fundamental sources of self-efficacy that is frequently employed in educational settings. However, little research has investigated the effects of competition on students' writing self-efficacy when they engage in vicarious learning. AIM This study compared the effects of competitive and non-competitive classrooms on students' writing self-efficacy when they engaged in vicarious learning. SAMPLE The participants were 71 grade 7 students in Hong Kong. METHOD Using prior writing performance for stratified random sampling, students were assigned either to a competitive or a non-competitive classroom. Students learned how to compose similes and metaphors in Chinese. RESULTS In the competitive classroom, students' self-efficacy decreased when they engaged in vicarious learning. In the non-competitive classroom, students' self-efficacy did not show a significant change when they engaged in vicarious learning. CONCLUSION The findings suggested that when students engaged in vicarious learning in a competitive classroom, their self-efficacy might be threatened. Implications for efforts to design constructive context for vicarious learning are discussed.
S-propargyl-cysteine, a novel water-soluble modulator of endogenous hydrogen sulfide, promotes angiogenesis through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.

AIMS Conventional revascularization strategies or drug therapies for ischemic heart disease (IHD) are designed for reperfusion of coronary arteries to salvage cardiomyocytes, but occasionally, myocardial reperfusion injury can occur because of microcirculatory dysfunction. Therefore, a more microcirculation-friendly strategy should be explored to overcome and compensate for the shortcomings of conventional strategies. In this work, we investigated the proangiogenic effect of S-Propargyl-Cysteine (SPRC), a novel water-soluble modulator of endogenous hydrogen sulfide, and elucidated the possible mechanisms involved to provide an experimental basis for angiogenesis-mediated drug therapy for IHD. RESULTS SPRC promoted cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and tube formation of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and increased angiogenesis in the rat aortic ring and Matrigel plug models. In a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia and a rat model of myocardial ischemia, SPRC also promoted angiogenesis after ligation of the left femoral artery or coronary artery to ameliorate ischemic conditions. In primary HUVEC, STAT3 phosphorylation was significantly induced after SPRC treatment. The critical roles of STAT3 in mediating the proangiogenic effect of SPRC were confirmed by RNA interference. Co-crystallization excluded the possible direct interaction between SPRC and STAT3, whereas co-immunoprecipitation revealed an enhanced interaction between VEGFR2 and STAT3 after SPRC treatment. Meanwhile, immunofluorescence and chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that SPRC induced the nuclear translocation of STAT3, followed by transcriptional activation of downstream promoters, particularly the Vegf promoter. INNOVATION AND CONCLUSION We present a novel STAT3-mediated mechanism in SPRC-induced angiogenesis and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of SPRC in ischemic disease through angiogenesis promotion.
Romanian immigrants and the inflows of foreign direct investment towards Romania

Abstract The answer to the following question summarizes the research presented in this manuscript: “Are Romanian immigrants in the EU countries enhancing the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows towards Romania? ”, and as a consequence it makes the results of the paper a useful tool for all Romanian authorities dealing with one of the two topics: migration and foreign investments. To our knowledge, the paper provides the initial evidence supporting the hypothesis that Romanian immigrants in the EU countries can be regarded as “ambassadors” of the Romanian economy in attracting FDI (to Romania) from their adoption countries. The methodological approach relies on econometric modelling which reveals a positive and statistically significant relationship between the stock of immigrants and the number of FDI firms located in Romania and sourced from 15 EU economies, when controlling for several variables. The results could be useful both for companies and for Romanian policymakers that should target as source for potential foreign capital the economies which attract important flows of Romanian immigrants.
HMG-I/Y, a New c-Myc Target Gene and Potential Oncogene

ABSTRACT The HMG-I/Y gene encodes the HMG-I and HMG-Y proteins, which function as architectural chromatin binding proteins important in the transcriptional regulation of several genes. Although increased expression of the HMG-I/Y proteins is associated with cellular proliferation, neoplastic transformation, and several human cancers, the role of these proteins in the pathogenesis of malignancy remains unclear. To better understand the role of these proteins in cell growth and transformation, we have been studying the regulation and function of HMG-I/Y. The HMG-I/Y promoter was cloned, sequenced, and subjected to mutagenesis analysis. A c-Myc–Max consensus DNA binding site was identified as an element important in the serum stimulation of HMG-I/Y. The oncoprotein c-Myc and its protein partner Max bind to this site in vitro and activate transcription in transfection experiments. HMG-I/Yexpression is stimulated by c-Myc in a Myc-estradiol receptor cell line in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, indicating that HMG-I/Y is a direct c-Myc target gene.HMG-I/Y induction is decreased in Myc-deficient fibroblasts. HMG-I/Y protein expression is also increased in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, which are known to have increased c-Myc protein. Like Myc, increased expression of HMG-I protein leads to the neoplastic transformation of both Rat 1a fibroblasts and CB33 cells. In addition, Rat 1a cells overexpressing HMG-I protein form tumors in nude mice. Decreasing HMG-I/Y proteins using an antisense construct abrogates transformation in Burkitt's lymphoma cells. These findings indicate that HMG-I/Y is a c-Myc target gene involved in neoplastic transformation and a member of a new class of potential oncogenes.
Ten-year incidence of dementia in a rural elderly US community population

Objective: To determine incidence rates by age, sex, and education of overall dementia and probable/possible AD in a largely rural community. Methods: Ten-year prospective study of a randomly selected community sample aged 65+; biennial cognitive screening followed by standardized clinical evaluation. Incidence rates were estimated for overall dementia (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed., revised, criteria and Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]) and for probable/possible AD (National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria). Results: The cohort consisted of 1,298 individuals free of dementia at study entry. Among these, 199 incident (new) cases of overall (all-cause) dementia with CDR stage ≥ 0.5, including 110 with CDR ≥ 1, were detected during follow-up. Among the incident cases, 153 (76.9%) had probable/possible AD. Age-specific incidence rates are reported for all dementia and for probable/possible AD, by sex and CDR stage. Among all-cause dementias with CDR = 0.5, controlling for age and education, men had a higher incidence rate than women. In the same group, those with less than high school education had significantly higher incidence rates than those with more education. Rates did not vary significantly by sex or education for probable/possible AD or for dementia with CDR ≥ 1. Conclusions: Incidence rates of all dementias and of AD increased with age; men and those with lesser education had higher rates of possible/incipient dementia (CDR = 0.5) in this community. Potential explanations for these sex and education effects are discussed.
Lean Six Sigma in Health Care: Improving Utilization and Reducing Waste

Healthcare costs have been increasing worldwide mainly due to over utilization of resources. The savings potentially achievable from systematic, comprehensive, and cooperative reduction in waste are far higher than from more direct and blunter cuts in care and coverage. At King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center inappropriate and over utilization of the glucose test strips used for whole blood glucose determination using glucometers was observed. The hospital implemented a project to improve its utilization. Using the Six Sigma DMAIC approach (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control), an efficient practice was put in place including updating the related internal policies and procedures and the proper implementation of an effective users' training and competency check off program. That resulted in decreasing the unnecessary Quality Control (QC) runs from 13% to 4%, decreasing the failed QC runs from 14% to 7%, lowering the QC to patient testing ratio from 24/76 to 19/81.
Temperature dependence of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions in tympanal organs of locusts

SUMMARY Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in tympanal organs of insects are vulnerable to manipulations that interfere with the animal's physiological state. Starting at a medium temperature, we raised and lowered the locust's body temperature within the range of 12 to 35°C by changing the temperature of the surrounding air, while recording DPOAEs. These experimental manipulations resulted in reversible amplitude changes of the 2f1–f2 emission, which were dependent on stimulus frequency and level. Using low f2 frequencies of up to 10 kHz, a temperature increase (median +8–9°C) led to an upward shift of DPOAE amplitudes of approximately +10 dB, whereas a temperature decrease (median −7°C) was followed by a reduction of DPOAE amplitudes by 3 to 5 dB. Both effects were only present in the range of the low-level component of DPOAE growth functions below L2 levels (levels of the f2 stimulus) of approximately 30 dB SPL. DPOAEs evoked by higher stimulus levels as well as measurements using higher stimulation frequencies above 10 kHz remained unaffected by any temperature shifts. The Arrhenius activation energy was calculated from the −10 dB SPL thresholds (representing the low-level component) of growth functions, which had been measured with 8 and 10 kHz as f2 frequencies and amounted to up to ~34 and 41 kJ mol−1, respectively. Such activation energy values provide a hint that the dynein-tubulin system within the scolopidial receptors could play an essential part in the DPOAE generation in tympanal organs.
Changes and Regulation of the C5a Receptor on Neutrophils during Septic Shock in Humans

During experimental sepsis, excessive generation of the anaphylatoxin C5a results in reduction of the C5a receptor (C5aR) on neutrophils. These events have been shown to result in impaired innate immunity. However, the regulation and fate of C5aR on neutrophils during sepsis are largely unknown. In contrast to 30 healthy volunteers, 60 patients in septic shock presented evidence of complement activation with significantly increased serum levels of C3a, C5a, and C5b-9. In the septic shock group, the corresponding decrease in complement hemolytic activity distinguished survivors from nonsurvivors. Neutrophils from patients in septic shock exhibited decreased C5aR expression, which inversely correlated with serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and clinical outcome. In vitro exposure of normal neutrophils to native pentameric CRP led to a dose- and time-dependent loss of C5aR expression on neutrophils, whereas the monomeric form of CRP, as well as various other inflammatory mediators, failed to significantly alter C5aR levels on neutrophils. A circulating form of C5aR (cC5aR) was detected in serum by immunoblotting and a flow-based capture assay, suggestive of an intact C5aR molecule. Levels of cC5aR were significantly enhanced during septic shock, with serum levels directly correlating with lethality. The data suggest that septic shock in humans is associated with extensive complement activation, CRP-dependent loss of C5aR on neutrophils, and appearance of cC5aR in serum, which correlated with a poor outcome. Therefore, cC5aR may represent a new sepsis marker to be considered in tailoring individualized immune-modulating therapy.
Role of oxidative stress in paraquat‐induced dopaminergic cell degeneration

Systemic treatment of mice with the herbicide paraquat causes the selective loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, reproducing the primary neurodegenerative feature of Parkinson's disease. To elucidate the role of oxidative damage in paraquat neurotoxicity, the time‐course of neurodegeneration was correlated to changes in 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal (4‐HNE), a lipid peroxidation marker. When mice were exposed to three weekly injections of paraquat, no nigral dopaminergic cell loss was observed after the first administration, whereas a significant reduction of neurons followed the second exposure. Changes in the number of nigral 4‐HNE‐positive neurons suggest a relationship between lipid peroxidation and neuronal death, since a dramatic increase in this number coincided with the onset and development of neurodegeneration after the second toxicant injection. Interestingly, the third paraquat administration did not cause any increase in 4‐HNE‐immunoreactive cells, nor did it produce any additional dopaminergic cell loss. Further evidence of paraquat‐induced oxidative injury derives from the observation of nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra of paraquat‐treated animals and from experiments with ferritin transgenic mice. These mice, which are characterized by a decreased susceptibility to oxidative stress, were completely resistant to the increase in 4‐HNE‐positive neurons and the cell death caused by paraquat. Thus, paraquat exposure yields a model that emphasizes the susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons to oxidative damage.
White matter structures associated with emotional intelligence: Evidence from diffusion tensor imaging

Previous studies of brain lesions, functional activity, and gray matter structures have suggested that emotional intelligence (EI) is associated with regions involved in the network of social cognition (SCN) and in somatic marker circuitry (SMC). Our new study is the first to investigate the association between white matter (WM) integrity and EI. We examined this relationship in the brain of healthy young adult men [n = 74, mean age = 21.5 years, standard deviation (SD) = 1.6] and women (n = 44, mean age = 21.9 years, SD = 1.4). We performed a voxel‐based analysis of fractional anisotropy, which is an indicator of WM integrity, using diffusion tensor imaging and used a questionnaire (EI Scale) for measuring EI to identify the correlation of WM integrity with individual EI factor (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and situation management factors). Our results showed that (a) the intrapersonal factor of EI was positively correlated with WM integrity in the right anterior insula, and (b) the interpersonal factor of EI was associated with WM integrity in a part of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). The right anterior insula is one of the important nodes of the SMC, whereas the ILF connects the visual cortex and areas related to SCN, and thus, is a part of the SCN. Our findings further support the notion that the brain regions involved in the SCN and in the SMC are associated with EI. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Site of the base change in the vaccinia virus DNA polymerase gene which confers aphidicolin resistance

An aphidicolin-resistant mutant of vaccinia virus has been shown to encode an altered viral DNA polymerase that is more resistant to aphidicolin. Marker transfer experiments with the DNA from the resistant virus localized the mutation site to an RsaI segment within the portion of the HindIII-E segment which has been shown to contain the viral DNA polymerase gene. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the mutant DNA showed a single GC to AT transition at position 2430, which indicates a leucine-to-methionine change at residue 645 in the protein.
Effects of xylitol and fluoride on the response to glucose pulses of Streptococcus mutans T8 growing in continuous culture.

Streptococcus mutans T8 was grown glucose-limited at pH 7.0 in a chemostat and pulsed, under pH free-fall conditions, with glucose, xylitol or a mixture of the two. Experiments were conducted in the absence or continual presence of low levels (1 mmol.l-1) of fluoride. Culture filtrates of samples taken at frequent intervals were assayed for carbohydrate and fermentation end-products. Fluoride had little effect on the organism's response to glucose until the culture pH fell to ca. 5.0, at which point the rate of lactate production was reduced some 3-fold. Xylitol affected the response to glucose but its effect was most marked in the presence of fluoride. Under these conditions, the rate of lactate production was reduced at least 3-fold, the pH did not fall to 5.0 and only about 50% of the added glucose was consumed. This suggests that xylitol can augment the metabolic effects on S. mutans of low levels of fluoride.
PCSK9 reduces the protein levels of the LDL receptor in mouse brain during development and after ischemic stroke[S]

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a major role in cholesterol homeostasis through enhanced degradation of the LDL receptor (LDLR) in liver. As novel inhibitors/silencers of PCSK9 are now being tested in clinical trials to treat hypercholesterolemia, it is crucial to define the physiological consequences of the lack of PCSK9 in various organs. LDLR regulation by PCSK9 has not been extensively described during mouse brain development and injury. Herein, we show that PCSK9 and LDLR are co-expressed in mouse brain during development and at adulthood. Although the protein levels of LDLR and apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the adult brain of Pcsk9−/− mice are similar to those of wild-type (WT) mice, LDLR levels increased and were accompanied by a reduction of apoE levels during development. This suggests that the upregulation of LDLR protein levels in Pcsk9−/− mice enhances apoE degradation. Upon ischemic stroke, PCSK9 was expressed in the dentate gyrus between 24 h and 72 h following brain reperfusion. Although mouse behavior and lesion volume were similar, LDLR protein levels dropped ∼2-fold less in the Pcsk9−/−-lesioned hippocampus, without affecting apoE levels and neurogenesis. Thus, PCSK9 downregulates LDLR levels during brain development and following transient ischemic stroke in adult mice.
Invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm versus sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Although invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas is thought to be more indolent than sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC), the natural history remains poorly defined. The authors compared survival and identify prognostic factors after resection for invasive IPMN versus stage‐matched PAC.