Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rab3 Proteins Involved in Vesicle Biogenesis and Priming in Embryonic Mouse Chromaffin Cells

The four Rab3 paralogs A–D are involved in exocytosis, but their mechanisms of action are hard to study due to functional redundancy. Here, we used a quadruple Rab3 knockout (KO) (rab3a, rab3b, rab3c, rab3d null, here denoted as ABCD−/−) mouse line to investigate Rab3 function in embryonic mouse adrenal chromaffin cells by electron microscopy and electrophysiological measurements. We show that in cells from ABCD−/− animals large dense‐core vesicles (LDCVs) are less abundant, while the number of morphologically docked granules is normal. By capacitance measurements, we show that deletion of Rab3s reduces the size of the releasable vesicle pools but does not alter their fusion kinetics, consistent with an altered function in vesicle priming. The sustained release component has a sigmoid shape in ABCD−/− cells when normalized to the releasable pool size, indicating that vesicle priming follows at a higher rate after an initial delay. Rescue experiments showed that short‐term (4–6 h) overexpression of Rab3A or Rab3C suffices to rescue vesicle priming and secretion, but it does not restore the number of secretory vesicles. We conclude that Rab3 proteins play two distinct stimulating roles for LDCV fusion in embryonic chromaffin cells, by facilitating vesicle biogenesis and stabilizing the primed vesicle state.
Measuring the driving forces of the owner-occupied and rental housing market - A DSGE analysis

This thesis analyses the developments of the U.S. owner-occupied and rental housing markets. Furthermore, it evaluates whether loose monetary policy fuelled the housing boom and therefore contributed heavily to the latest financial crisis. The dissertation findings originate from two estimated DSGE models which accommodate a combination of various, distinct features. In contrast to the literature, I introduce a banking sector into the model economy and allow for a choice between either renting or owning a home. Accounting for these characteristics enables us to capture frictions arising from the banking sector on the one hand and to properly model the change in the homeownership structure on the other. Based on this framework, the second DSGE model relaxes the assumption of a fixed housing supply and introduces sticky prices into the consumption sector. The contributions of this dissertation are twofold. First, it determines the driving forces behind the pre and post-crisis movements of the rental and owner-occupied housing sectors. The results suggest that the latest rise in rental housing is driven by a combination of various factors, such as default, bank lending, change in preferences and news about the economic outlook. Furthermore, news about future productivity increases had a significant effect on house prices before and after the financial crisis. A robustness check confirms these findings. The second contribution is to show that accommodative pre-crisis monetary policy was not the main cause of the latest housing boom, as argued in one branch of the literature. Instead, bank lending behaviour and fundamentals played a key role in the expansion of the owner-occupied housing market. The dissertation finishes with a macroprudential policy evaluation.
Macrophagic Myofasciitis in Childhood: The Role of Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy for Diagnosis

Macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) is an inflammatory myopathy related to aluminum-containing vaccines. Described in 1998, most cases were reported in adults, with only 22 cases being reported in children. Three children aged between 13 months and 3½ years were investigated in our institution for neuromuscular symptoms. They underwent thorough clinical, familial, and laboratory investigations, electroneuromyography, muscle biopsy with transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and, in one case, brain magnetic resonance imaging. They had received regular immunizations. Two patients were hypotonic and one presented with myotonia. Muscle biopsy of all patients presented macrophagic infiltrates with intracytoplasmic aluminum content as revealed by SEM/EDS analysis. Their diverse clinical picture does not support a direct relationship between local morphologic findings and systemic symptoms. The atypical clinical presentation of these children may not result from the superposition of MMF upon a background systemic neuromyopathy, suggesting instead that they are two coincident and independent conditions. Although the finding of macrophage infiltrates in muscle tissue is not new, the identification of aluminum content is recent. The use of tissue sections for aluminum detection and mapping by SEM/EDS is conclusive for, diagnosis; it has not been reported previously in a pathology journal, to the authors' knowledge.
Angiogenesis as a prognostic marker in breast carcinoma with conventional adjuvant chemotherapy: a multiparametric and immunohistochemical analysis

It has now been clearly established that quantitative immunohistochemical methods applied to tumour angiogenesis under suitable quality control conditions are a powerful prognostic tool for use in the initial assessment of breast carcinomas. Appropriate parameters for predicting the aggressiveness of tumours and their sensitivity to treatment are, however, still required. To determine whether the microvessel count (MVC) may serve to predict the chemotherapeutic response, a retrospective study was carried out on a series of 162 patients with breast carcinoma, who were all treated with the same standard adjuvant chemotherapy. Angiogenesis was assessed by performing CD31 immunostaining and MVC per mm2. Several other factors such as P53, ERBB2, BCL2, and Ki67 were also measured, and their prognostic value was compared with that of the MVC. The MVC was not found to be correlated with any of the other prognostic parameters, but turned out to be of great prognostic value whatever the threshold value chosen, which suggests that it is continuously valid at all levels. The median value of the MVC (43·5 per mm2) divided this series into two significantly different prognostic categories, in terms of both disease‐free survival (P=0·0002) and overall survival (P=0·037). Univariate analysis showed that most of the parameters analysed were of prognostic value regarding the disease‐free survival, namely grade (P=0·029), mitotic index (P=0·049), size (P=0·015), oestrogen receptors (P=0·022), progesterone receptors (P=0·018), P53 (P=0·0045), ERBB2 (P=0·046), and Ki67 (P=0·0008). As regards overall survival, grade and ERBB2 showed a loss of prognostic value. In multivariate analysis on disease‐free survival, the MVC was the most accurate prognostic factor (RR=2·64), followed by Ki67 (RR=2·06) and P53 (RR=1·69). With respect to overall survival, the MVC ranked third among the prognostic parameters analysed. Standard chemotherapy did not reduce the high prognostic value of the MVC performed on tumour angiogenesis. This suggests that the MVC may predict the degree of resistance to chemotherapy. Patients with high levels of angiogenesis, particularly node‐negative patients, might therefore be able to benefit from adjuvant therapy of another kind. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Survival in Good Performance Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Patients; Prognostic Factors and Predictors of Response

Purpose: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has a poor prognosis in general. Here we sought to evaluate prognostic factors and predictors of response to chemotherapy in good performance (PS=0-I) patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our database and enrolled patients with MPM who received platinum containing chemotherapy (2012-2014). Clinico-pathological and laboratory data were retrieved and Cox and logistic regression multivariate analyses (MVA) were respectively used to identify predictors of survival and response to chemotherapy. Comparison of good vs poor performance status (PS≥II) was accomplished using the Chi (X2) test. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were also obtained and propensity-score matching was performed for survival comparison. Results: Among 114 patients listed during the study period, 82 had good PS=0-I (median age 45years, 43 men, 30 smokers, median weight=77Kg, pretreatment haemoglobin (Hb) level=12g/dL, platelet count=372,000/μL, leukocytes=9,700/μL, neutrophils=6,100/μL, lymphocytes=1,890/μL and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR)=3.60). Some 65 had asbestosis, 23 had chronic disease, 55 (67.1%) were responders to platinum containing first line chemotherapy. A total of 49 (59.8%) had epithelial MPM. Median-OS and PFS in good PS cases were 17 and 9 months, respectively, as compared to 16 and 8 months for the poor PS group. After matching, better OS was observed among good PS vs poor PS patients (p=0.024) but there was no PFS difference (p=0.176). Significant decrease in PFS was observed among those with advanced nodal N disease (median PFS in N0 and N+ was 10 and 5 months, respectively), non-responders (p=0.012), NLR (p=0.026) and those with an epithelial pathology (p=0.062). MVA demonstrated that advanced (N) status (p=0.015), being a non-responder (p<0.001), NLR (p=0.015) and smoking (p=0.07) adversely affected the prognosis. The only predictor of response was absence of metastasis (M0; p=0.04). Conclusions: In addition to previously recognized factors, like nodal status, response, smoking and NLR, better median survival was evident in our patients with a good PS. Early detection before development of metastasis warrants greater focus to allow better responses to be obtained.
The Combined Expression Pattern of BMP2, LTBP4, and DERL1 Discriminates Malignant From Benign Canine Mammary Tumors

Several markers of malignancy have been proposed for canine mammary tumors on the mRNA and protein levels. However, their association with tumor malignancy applies only for mean values of large groups of tumors, but no single marker identified to date can be used to reliably predict malignancy for individual tumors. A quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction array was established to quantify the expression levels of 49 genes relevant to carcinogenesis in laser-microdissected tumor cells of 10 benign and 13 metastatic canine mammary tumors. Analysis of variance and discriminant analysis were used to identify relevant gene expression patterns that differentiate adenomas from metastatic carcinomas and their lymph node metastases. Seventeen genes with significant (P < .05) differences in gene expression levels between benign and malignant tumors were identified—including ERBB1, SLIT2, progesterone receptor, MIG6, SATB1, and SMAD6—but correct classification of each tumor as benign or malignant was impossible on the basis of any of these genes alone. However, the combined expression patterns of BMP2, LTBP4, and DERL1 (Derlin-1) correctly classified each individual tumor as benign or malignant. This pilot study identified a complex mRNA expression pattern of 3 genes that was able to identify malignancy in laser-microdissected tumor cells for each individual tumor, instead of group means as used in previous studies.
Analysis of Inventory Management by Using Economic Order Quantity Model - A Case Study

In today’s global market, companies are looking for growth and opportunities to reduce their total cost and management of companies would like to increase quality, efficiency and capability without increasing their investment. The success of many businesses is related to their ability to provide goods and services at right time and in right place. Different organization adopt different inventory control methods to manage their inventory to avoid stock-out and overstock. In this paper a case study of a company in Vasai, Maharashtra is considered. For this study the EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) technique of inventory management is considered. In this company inventory management is not proper which causes overstock and sometimes stock-out. In this paper inventory management technique is considered and costs are calculated to compare two methods, one is used by this company and other is recommended model.
BEST PRACTICE NO 184 Screening for thyroid disease in pregnancy

Although gestational hyperthyroidism is uncommon (0.2%), hypothyroidism (autoimmune disease or suboptimal iodine intake) occurs in 2.5% of women and is predictive of reduced neonatal and child neuropsychological development and maternal obstetric complications. Postpartum thyroid dysfunction (PPTD) occurs in 5–9% of women and is associated with antithyroid peroxidase antibodies (antiTPOAb) in 10% of women in early pregnancy. Therefore, screening for thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy should be considered. T4 and thyroid stimulating hormone measurements could be used to screen for hypothyroidism, which would require levothyroxine intervention treatment. T4 supply is crucial to fetal nervous system maturation; currently, the recommended daily iodine intake is 200 μg, and this is not always achieved, even in the UK. At present, a randomised prospective trial is ongoing to provide the evidence base for this screening strategy. Meanwhile, it is reasonable to (a) optimise iodine nutrition during pregnancy; (b) ascertain women with known thyroid disease; (c) identify women at increased risk of thyroid disease—for example, those with other autoimmune diseases. PPTD can be predicted by measurement of antiTPOAb in early gestation.
Ocean Impacts on Australian Interannual to Decadal Precipitation Variability

In Australia, successful seasonal predictions of wet and dry conditions are achieved by utilizing the remote impact of sea surface temperature (SST) variability in tropical oceans, particularly the Pacific Ocean, on the seasonal timescale. Beyond seasonal timescales, however, it is still unclear which processes and oceans contribute to interannual-to-decadal wet/dry conditions in Australia. This research examines the interannual-to-decadal relationship between global SST anomalies (SSTAs) and Australian wet/dry variability by analyzing observational data and global climate model experiments conducted with the NCAR Community Earth System Model (CESM) and the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC). A 10-member ensemble simulation suite for 1960–2015 (CESM) and 1950–2010 (MIROC) is conducted by assimilating the observed three-dimensional ocean temperature and salinity anomalies into fully coupled global climate models. In both observational analyses and ocean assimilation experiments, the most dominant annual mean precipitation variability shows a clear relationship with SSTAs in the tropical Pacific and the Atlantic. Our partial ocean assimilation experiment, in which the ocean component of the CESM and MIROC are assimilated by the observed ocean temperature and salinity anomalies in the equatorial Pacific only, shows that the tropical Pacific SST variability is the main driver of Australian precipitation variability on the interannual-to-decadal timescales. However, our additional partial ocean assimilation experiment, in which the climate models incorporate the observed anomalies solely in the Atlantic ocean, demonstrates that the Atlantic Ocean can also affect Australian precipitation variability on the interannual-to-decadal timescale through changes in tropical Pacific SSTAs and the modulation of the global Walker circulation. Our results suggest that about a half of Australian interannual-to-decadal precipitation variability originates from the Atlantic Ocean.
The correlation between peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and running performance in children and adolescents. Aspects of different units

The method of removing the confounding effect of body mass on peak oxygen uptake simply by dividing the measured values by body mass has been questioned. The aim of the study was to find an expression of body mass for compensating for differences in body mass so as to achieve the best correlation to running performance. In a cross‐sectional study, design peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) was measured in 107 boys in the age range 8–17 years and 88 girls in the age range 8–16 years. The present study indicates that VO2peak do not increase in proportion to body mass during running, rather that VO2peak is inversely related to body mass. When using allometric regression standards with the sexes separated in gender groups, there was a tendency that boys achieved scaling factors closer to unity than did the girls. The increase in subcutaneous fat in the girls throughout the pubertal years is the most likely reason why body mass increased proportionally more than VO2peak in girls. The present study indicates that VO2peak when expressed as milliliters per kilogram per minute (ml kg−1 min−1) is a poor denominator for VO2peak as a function of running performance in children and adolescents.
Pain catastrophizing moderates the effects of pain‐contingent task interruptions

A prominent behavioural consequence of pain is the temporary suspension of current activities with intent to resume them later. Little is known about the effects of such pain‐contingent task interruptions. This experiment examines the influence of pain‐contingent interruptions on the amount of time spent performing a cognitive achievement task: We expected that people would spend more time on task when task performance was interrupted in response to pain (vs. no interruption), and that negative mood and pain catastrophizing would enhance this negative impact.
Bird-Baited Traps for Surveillance of West Nile Mosquito Vectors: Effect of Bird Species, Trap Height, and Mosquito Escape Rates

Abstract Host-seeking mosquitoes were sampled in bird-baited traps at four sites in New York state in 2003–2004. Trap placement and efficacy of chickens, Gallus gallus domesticus L. , as bait compared with house sparrows, Passer domesticus L. , an important reservoir of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV), was evaluated. Each site had a chicken-baited trap near ground level (≈1.5 m) and in the tree canopy (≈9 m), and a house sparrow-baited trap at ground level and canopy level. Each trap allowed mosquito access to birds on one end, and an inner mesh screen blocked bird access on the other end. The two most abundant mosquitoes, Culex restuans Theobald and Culex pipiens pipiens L. , were differentiated using molecular characters. In 2003, Cx. restuans and Cx. p. pipiens made up 88% of total mosquito catch. In 2004, Cx. restuans comprised 43% of total catch and Cx. p. pipiens comprised 33%. The remaining species representing at least 1% of total catch were Ochlerotatus trivittatus (Coquillett), Coquilletidia perturbans (Walker), and Culiseta morsitans (Theobald). Capture rates were similar for chicken and house sparrow-baited traps; however, significantly more mosquitoes were captured in the canopy for both bird species. Cx. restuans preferred canopy traps, whereas equal numbers of Cx. p. pipiens were captured at ground and canopy levels. Mosquitoes were more likely to escape (74%) when excluded from birds than when allowed free access to birds (54%). Sentinel bird surveillance for WNV can be improved by trapping in the tree canopy in addition to ground level to capture the most important avian vectors.
Subchronic effects of methylmercury on plasma and organ biochemistries in great egret nestlings

In recent years, high concentrations of mercury have been found in wading birds in Florida, USA. Great egret (Ardea alba) chicks (2 weeks old) were dosed orally daily with the equivalent of 0, 0.5, or 5 μg/g Hg as methylmercury chloride in the diet for up to 12 weeks. Weakness of the legs or paralysis occurred in all high‐dosed birds. Geometric mean blood Hg concentrations were 0.17, 10.3, and 78.5 μg/g (wet wt), respectively. Mercury concentrations for organs (μg/g wet wt), including brain (0.22, 3.4, and 35, respectively), liver (0.34, 15.1, 138, respectively), and kidney (0.28, 8.1, and 120, respectively), increased in a dose‐dependent manner. Total glutathione (GSH) peroxidase activity was significantly lower in the plasma, brain, liver, and kidney of the high‐dosed group. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity increased with mercury treatment, whereas lactate dehydrogenase activity decreased. Four other plasma chemistries were decreased significantly in the high‐dosed group and included uric acid, total protein, albumin, and inorganic phosphorus. Lipid peroxidation increased in liver (low and high dose) and brain (high dose). Tissue changes in concentrations of reduced thiols included decreased total thiols and protein‐bound thiols in liver, decreased protein‐bound thiols in kidney, and increased GSH in kidney and brain. Activities of GSH S‐transferase and oxidized glutathione reductase increased in liver. In kidney, GSH S‐transferase and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase activities increased with mercury dose. These findings, including apparent compensatory changes, are compared to other Hg studies where oxidative stress was reported in egrets, herons, and diving ducks in the field and mallards in the laboratory.
Effectuation and Causation in Science-based New Venture Creation: A Configurational Approach

Abstract Science-based entrepreneurship plays a central role in economic and technological development. The existing literature shows that the process of new venture creation differs between science-based and traditional ventures. Building on effectuation and causation literatures, we aim to explore the antecedent factors of the approach that science-based entrepreneurs follow in new venture creation. Using data from PSED II and a QCA approach, we identify two configurations of antecedent factors relevant for science-based founders to successfully launch their ventures, and two for nonscience-based founders. We contribute to entrepreneurship literature, as well as to effectuation and causation literatures, by looking at the antecedent factors characterizing the approach, followed by an examination of the specific types of entrepreneurs in the establishment of successful ventures.
The association between a positive lactulose methane breath test and rectocele in constipated patients.

OBJECTIVES Rectocele with constipation might be related to methane (CH4) producing intestinal bacteria. We investigated the breath CH4 levels and the clinical characteristics of colorectal motility in constipated patients with rectocele. METHODS A database of consecutive female outpatients was reviewed for the evaluation of constipation according to the Rome III criteria. The patients underwent the lactulose CH4 breath test (LMBT), colon marker study, anorectal manometry, defecography and bowel symptom questionnaire. The profiles of the lactulose breath test (LBT) in 33 patients with rectocele (with size ≥ 2 cm) and 26 patients with functional constipation (FC) were compared with the breath test results of 30 healthy control subjects. RESULTS The mean size of rectocele was 3.52 ± 1.06 cm. The rate of a positive LMBT (LMBT+) was significantly higher in patients with rectocele (33.3%) than in those with FC (23.1%) or healthy controls (6.7%) (p = 0.04). Breath CH4 concentration was positively correlated with rectosigmoid colon transit time in rectocele patients (γ = 0.481, p < 0.01). A maximum high pressure zone pressure > 155 mmHg was a significant independent factor of LMBT+ in rectocele patients (OR = 8.93, 95% CI = 1.14-71.4, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS LMBT+ might be expected in constipated patients with rectocele. Moreover, increased rectosigmoid colonic transit or high anorectal pressure might be associated with CH4 breath levels. Breath CH4 could be an important therapeutic target for managing constipated patients with rectocele.