Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Significance of preoperative C-reactive protein as a parameter of the perioperative course and long-term prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.

AIM C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant and a known indicator of the malignant potential of the tumour. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of preoperative CRP as a parameter of the perioperative course and long-term prognosis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. METHODS Serum CRP was determined preoperatively in 291 of 371 patients undergoing oesophagectomy for cancer from December 1989 to March 2004. Median patient age was 59 (28-79) year, 82.5% of patients were males. Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 151 (51.9%) and adenocarcinoma in 122 patients. Transhiatal oesophagectomy was done in 151 (51.9%) patients and 134 (46.0%) patients underwent the abdominothoracic procedure. RESULTS In 127 (43.6%) patients the preoperative serum CRP concentration was within the normal range (< 5 mg/dL), elevated CRP levels were measured in 164 (56.4%) patients. Tumour extension (P < 0.0005) and the number of lymph nodes affected by metastatic spread (P = 0.015) were significantly increased in the group with elevated CRP levels. Among the perioperative parameters both the number of blood transfusions (P = 0.006) and the general complication rate (P = 0.002) were higher in patients with elevated preoperative CRP levels. The long-term survival rate of 13.6 (0-109.8) mo was poorer in the group with elevated CRP levels compared to 18.9 (0-155.4) mo in the group with normal CRP levels (log-rank test: P = 0.107). Multivariate analysis with backward variables selection identified preoperative CRP as an independent prognostic factor of the long-term prognosis in patients with oesophageal carcinoma, with a hazard ratio of 1.182 (95% confidence interval: 1.030-1.356). CONCLUSION The preoperative serum CRP-level is an easily determined independent prognostic marker in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.
Treatment of external genital warts in men with imiquimod 2% in cream. A placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the safety, clinical efficacy and tolerability of imiquimod (2%) in cream to cure external genital warts in males. METHODS Preselected male patients (n=60) ranging between 18 and 50 years of age (mean 24.2) harbouring 558 lesions (mean 9.3) with clinical, histopathological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed diagnosis of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection were randomized to two parallel groups. Each patient was allocated a precoded 25g tube, and instructions on how to apply the trial medication to their lesions at home once daily for three consecutive days per week (max. 12 application in 4 weeks). To evaluate the safety, clinical efficacy and tolerance, patients were exa-mined on a weekly basis. Cure was defined as the total elimination of treated warts with PCR, and Southern blot hybridization confirmed negative HPV DNA. RESULTS By the end of the treatment, 40% (24/60) patients and 49.8% (278/558) warts were cured. Breaking the code revealed that imiquimod cream had cured 70% (21/30) patients and 86.8% of warts, while placebo healed three subjects and 28 warts (P=0.0001). Eleven patients (18.3%), predominantly in the imiquimod cream group, experienced mild to moderate, non-objective, drug-related side effects with no dropouts. The study was followed up for 18 months from the first day of the treatment, and among the 26 cured patients, one in the imiquimod cream group and two in the placebo had a relapse after 14 months. CONCLUSION The study demonstrated that 2% imiquimod in cream with mild non-objective side effects is safe, tolerable and significantly more effective than placebo in curing external genital warts in males.
Comparison of changes in markers of muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise and ischemia/reperfusion

To examine the effects of eccentric exercise (EE) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on the markers of muscle damage, 72 rats were randomly assigned to the EE group, I/R group and control group (C), respectively. The rats in EE ran downhill on a treadmill with a 16° inclination at a constant speed for 90 min, and the rats in the I/R group underwent 90 min of four‐limb ischemia, followed by 24, 48 and 72 h of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were collected immediately, 24, 48 and 72 h after exercise or reperfusion. Quantitative analyses showed that the I/R group had a significantly larger mitochondrial volume at 24 h after reperfusion compared with the C, and there were more disrupted Z‐lines in the EE group and more disrupted mitochondria in the I/R group at 24 h after exercise or reperfusion. When compared with the C, a significantly lower total antioxidant capacity and higher interleukin‐6 value were observed after exercise or reperfusion. Our data suggest that although EE and I/R result in some similar changes in the muscle damage markers, there are still some differences. The EE‐ and I/R‐induced muscle damage may be due to different mechanisms.
Temporal Focus and Analyst Scrutiny: Evidence from Earnings Conference Calls

Using the setting of earnings conference calls, this paper investigates the temporal focus of management presentation during those calls, i.e., the extent to which managers allocate their discussions to future firm prospects relative to past firm performance. I find a negative association between firms’ past performance and the future focus of management presentation. Moreover, the association is less negative for firms with more long-term investors and is more negative for firms with high litigation risk. Additionally, I find that the temporal focus of management presentation is positively associated with that of analyst questions. I also find that managers’ future focus is positively associated with the number of analysts following the firm but negatively associated with forecast quality of analyst reports (lower accuracy and higher dispersion). Finally, I find the future discussions in management presentation is positively associated with the time that analysts took to release the next quarter’s forecasts.
Spontaneous Rayleigh Seed for Stimulated Rayleigh Scattering in High Power Fiber Amplifiers

We estimate the Stokes wave starting power for stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering (STRS) produced by thermal fluctuations in the fiber core that transiently alter the refractive index profile in the core. A transverse temperature gradient creates a transverse refractive index gradient via the thermooptic effect, and if the fluctuation frequency lies in the STRS gain band, it can couple light from mode LP01 to LP11 to seed STRS. This spontaneous Rayleigh seed may be stronger than the quantum background and may affect the mode instability thresholds of fiber amplifiers. This new seed estimate can be incorporated in STRS models to improve threshold calculations.
The Proteus Effect

Virtual environments allow individuals to dramatically alter their self-representation. More important, studies have shown that people infer their expected behaviors and attitudes from observing their avatar's appearance, a phenomenon known as the Proteus effect. For example, users given taller avatars negotiated more aggressively than users given shorter avatars. Two studies are reported here that extend our understanding of this effect. The first study extends the work beyond laboratory settings to an actual online community. It was found that both the height and attractiveness of an avatar in an online game were significant predictors of the player's performance. In the second study, it was found that the behavioral changes stemming from the virtual environment transferred to subsequent face-to-face interactions. Participants were placed in an immersive virtual environment and were given either shorter or taller avatars. They then interacted with a confederate for about 15 minutes. In addition to causing a behavioral difference within the virtual environment, the authors found that participants given taller avatars negotiated more aggressively in subsequent face-to-face interactions than participants given shorter avatars. Together, these two studies show that our virtual bodies can change how we interact with others in actual avatar-based online communities as well as in subsequent face-to-face interactions.
Comparison of Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Intensity of the International Iron and Steel Industry: Case Studies from China, Germany, Mexico, and the United States:

Author(s): Hasanbeigi, Ali; Cardenas, Jose Carlos Rojas; Price, Lynn, K. ; Triolo, Ryan; Arens, Marlene | Abstract: Production of iron and steel is an energy-intensive manufacturing process. The energy efficiency of steel production has a direct impact on overall energy consumption and related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The goal of this study was to develop a methodology for accurately comparing the energy-related CO2 emissions intensity of steel production in different countries and to demonstrate the application of this methodology in an analysis of the steel industry in China, Germany, Mexico, and the U.S. Emissions intensity values are often sought by policy makers who must decide questions related to energy, greenhouse gases, and competitiveness. Our methodology addresses the industry’s boundary definition, conversion factors, and industry structure. The results of our analysis show that, for the entire iron and steel production process, the base-case (2010) CO2 emissions intensity was 2,148 kilogram (kg) CO2/tonne crude steel in China, 1,708 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in Germany, 1,080 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in Mexico, and 1,736 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in the U.S. One of the main reasons that Mexico has the lowest CO2 emissions intensity is Mexico’s large share of steel production using electric arc furnaces (EAFs) (69.4%). EAF steel production has lower CO2 emissions intensity than production using blast furnaces/basic oxygen furnaces. China, by contrast, has the smallest share of EAF production among the four countries – 9.8% in the base-case year 2010. In one scenario, we applied the Chinese share of EAF production to the other three case-study countries; the result was an increase in CO2 emissions intensity of steel production of 19% (2,036 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in Germany, 92% (2,074 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in Mexico, and 56% (2,703 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in the U.S. compared to these countries’ base-case analyses. In another scenario, we applied the Chinese national average grid electricity CO2 emissions factor from 2010, which is the highest emissions factor among the four countries, to the other three countries. In that scenario, the CO2 emissions intensity of steel production increased by 5% in Germany, 11% in Mexico, and 10% in the U.S. Additional scenarios were analyzed showing that when comparing the CO2 emissions intensities of the steel industry in different countries, it is necessary to take into account the industry structure, especially the share of EAFs and the effect of electricity grid CO2 emissions factors. This report also discusses a number of other important variables affecting steel industry CO2 intensity.
The potential of foods treated with supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) as novel foods

Purpose Supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) is a promising novel treatment that might be used in the food industry, such as sc-CO2 pasteurisation and sc-CO2 drying. Before sc-CO2 treated foodstuffs may be introduced to European market, they have to be authorised according to novel food regulation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to give an overview of available literature data on sc-CO2 treated fruits and vegetables, which might be used for novel food authorisation. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on literature data available via Science Direct, EBSCO and Wiley concerning sc-CO2 pasteurisation and drying of fruits/vegetables. Studies performed on animal foodstuffs were manually excluded, while articles related to novel foods and legislation were included in the study. Findings Database search resulted 34 articles related to microbiological and compositional/nutritional changes in sc-CO2 treated foods. Obtained data indicated that sc-CO2 pasteurisation is effective in inactivating microorganisms in liquids, while no general conclusion on the microbiological quality of sc-CO2 pasteurised solid foods or sc-CO2 dried foods could be made. Available literature data showed that sc-CO2 pasteurisation did not result in significant compositional/nutritional changes in liquids, while for sc-CO2 pasteurised solid foods or sc-CO2 dried foods, one is not able to make common conclusions due to insufficient research data. Therefore, additional research and case-by-case study for each treated food have to be prepared. Originality/value This study is original to the extent that it brought together available information on sc-CO2 pasteurised and dried foods, needed the novel food application.
Colorectal cancer specific conditions promote Streptococcus gallolyticus gut colonization

Significance Growing evidence indicates a correlation between colorectal cancer and intestinal dysbiosis or colonization by single bacterial species such as Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (SGG), yet a causality link remains to be established. To address this point experimentally, we colonized Apc+/− Notch-inducible mice with SGG. Apc+/− is a pioneer somatic mutation driving the occurrence of polyps. We did not observe significant changes in the occurrence or development of polyps in this model. However, we observed a strong SGG colonization in Apc+/− mice at the expense of resident enterococci. We related this ecological substitution to activation of a SGG-specific bacteriocin whose activity is induced in vivo by the detergent effect of an increased concentration of secondary bile acids in relation to oncogenic situation. Colonization by Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (SGG) is strongly associated with the occurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the factors leading to its successful colonization are unknown, and whether SGG influences the oncogenic process or benefits from the tumor-prone environment to prevail remains an open question. Here, we elucidate crucial steps that explain how CRC favors SGG colonization. By using mice genetically prone to CRC, we show that SGG colonization is 1,000-fold higher in tumor-bearing mice than in normal mice. This selective advantage occurs at the expense of resident intestinal enterococci. An SGG-specific locus encoding a bacteriocin (“gallocin”) is shown to kill enterococci in vitro. Importantly, bile acids strongly enhance this bacteriocin activity in vivo, leading to greater SGG colonization. Constitutive activation of the Wnt pathway, one of the earliest signaling alterations in CRC, and the decreased expression of the bile acid apical transporter gene Slc10A2, as an effect of the Apc founding mutation, may thereby sustain intestinal colonization by SGG. We conclude that CRC-specific conditions promote SGG colonization of the gut by replacing commensal enterococci in their niche.
Results of a CCPR Intercomparison of Spectral Irradiance Measurements by National Laboratories

An intercomparison of spectral irradiance measurements by 12 national laboratories has been carried out between 1987 and 1990. The intercomparison was conducted under the auspices of the Comité Consultatif de Photometrie et Radiometrie (CCPR) of the Comité International des Poids et Mesures, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) served as the pilot laboratory. The spectral range of the intercomparison was 250 to 2400 nm and the transfer standards used were commercial tungsten-halogen lamps of two types. The world-wide consistency of the results (one standard deviation) was on the order of 1% in the visible spectral region and 2 to 4% in the ultraviolet and infrared portions of the spectrum. The intercomparison revealed no statistically significant differences between spectral-irradiance scales based on blackbody physics and absolute detector radiometry.
The Association of the DNA Repair Genes with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: The Susceptibility and the Outcome After Therapy

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common acute leukemia in adults, is a clonal hemopoietic disorder that is frequently associated with genetic instability characterized by a diversity of chromosomal and molecular abnormalities. There are a lot of reports that show that human cancer can be initiated by DNA damage caused by ultraviolet (UV), ionizing radiation, and environmental chemical agents. Many genes encode proteins that function to protect cells against genetic instability through numerous mechanisms, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair pathways and protection against oxidative stress. DNA repair pathways play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the genome, and it is obvious that defects in repair pathways are involved in many different types of diseases, including leukemia and cancer (Seedhouse, 2002). DNA damage repair and cell-cycle checkpoints are the most important defense mechanisms against mutagenic exposures. The most important DNA-repair pathways in human cells are: direct repair, base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), Double Strand Break Repair (DSB repair) and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). Each pathway repairs a different type of lession (D'Andrea, 2010). The NER pathway mainly removes bulky distortions in the shape of the DNA double helix. The BER pathway is responsible for removal of oxidized DNA bases that may arise endogenously or from exogenous agents. The DSB pathway is responsible for repairing double-strand breaks caused by a variety of exposures, including ionizing radiation. There are two distinct and complementary pathways for DSB repair-namely, homologous recombination (HR) and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Recent studies have suggested that DNA damage was related to the pathogenesis of some diseases such as AML. Therefore, some DNA repair genes may be involved in AML susceptibility (Allan, 2004; Kuptsova, 2007; Seedhouse, 2002, 2004; Voso, 2007). Exposure to carcinogenic and genotoxic compounds causes DNA damage, and the cells have developed multiple DNA repair pathways to protect themselves from different types of DNA damage.
Intracellular Clusterin Induces G2-M Phase Arrest and Cell Death in PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells1

Enhanced clusterin gene expression has been related frequently to organ remodeling, tissue involution, and cell death. Whether clusterin represents a leading cause or a consequence of apoptosis induction is still a matter of debate. Clusterin is known as an extracellular secreted glycoprotein in the mature form. However, truncated isoforms of the protein and nuclear localization of clusterin have been described recently in association to cell death. Here, we show the biological effects triggered in PC-3 androgen-independent prostate cancer cells by overexpression of an intracellular, not secreted form of clusterin (intracellular-clusterin). Transient transfection of PC-3 cells with intracellular-clusterin resulted in nuclear localization signal-independent massive nuclear localization of the protein leading to G2-M phase blockade followed by caspase-dependent apoptosis. Constitutive expression of intracellular-clusterin (pFLAG- intracellular-clusterin) in recombinant PC-3 cells caused clonogenic toxicity. The rare pFLAG-intracellular clusterin surviving clones showed inhibition of the proliferation rate and altered phenotype with impaired mitosis and endoreduplication. In these cells, caspase-independent cell death was induced. Impaired cell cycle progression in pFLAG-intracellular-clusterin clones was associated to arrest at the G2-M checkpoint by down-regulation of the mitotic complex cyclin B1/cyclin-dependent kinase 1. Intriguingly, intracellular-clusterin was localized exclusively in the cytoplasm in stably transfected cells, suggesting a negative correlation between nuclear clusterin accumulation and cell survival. These findings may possibly explain the conflicting results obtained in different laboratories, suggesting that clusterin might be a proapoptotic or a survival gene, also opening new perspectives for the characterization of androgen-independent and apoptosis-resistant prostate cancer cells.
Vertical Integration and Foreclosure: Evidence from Production Network Data

This paper studies the prevalence of potential anticompetitive effects of vertical mergers using a novel data set on U.S. and international buyer-seller relationships and across a large range of industries. We find that relationships are more likely to break when suppliers vertically integrate with one of the buyers’ competitors than when they vertically integrate with an unrelated firm. This relationship holds for both domestic and cross-border mergers and for domestic and international relationships. It also holds when instrumenting mergers using exogenous downward pressure on the supplier’s stock prices, suggesting that reverse causality is unlikely to explain the result. In contrast, the relationship vanishes when using rumored or announced but not completed integration events. Firms experience a substantial drop in sales when one of their suppliers integrates with one of their competitors. This sales drop is mitigated if the firm has alternative suppliers in place. These findings are consistent with anticompetitive effects of vertical mergers, such as vertical foreclosure, rising input costs for rivals, or self-foreclosure. This paper was accepted by Joshua Gans, business strategy.
Comparing the Efficacy of Permanent Classroom Teachers to Temporary Health Educators for Pregnancy and HIV Prevention Instruction

Ninth grade health education classrooms were randomly assigned to conditions in which a 14-lesson unit on HIV and pregnancy prevention was provided either by the permanent classroom teacher or by a temporary health educator. Student data were collected prior to the lessons and approximately 3 weeks after the completion of the unit. Results indicate that students who learned the unit from the classroom teacher reported that that the instructor was more likeable and credible and that the classrooms were more motivational. Sexually active adolescents with regular classroom teachers reported greater increases in frequency of class discussion.