Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
miR-146a suppresses 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) expression and Leukotriene B4 production in lung cancer cells

Arachidonic acid (AA) can be converted into prostaglandins (PGs) or leukotrienes (LTs) by the enzymatic actions of cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) or 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), respectively. PGs and LTs are lipid signaling molecules that have been implicated in various diseases, including multiple cancers. 5-LO and its activating protein (FLAP) work together in the first two conversion steps of LT production. Previous work has suggested a role for LTs in cancer development and progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally, and have previously been shown to be involved in cancer. Here, we show that high FLAP expression is associated with lower overall survival in lung adenocarcinoma patients, and FLAP protein is overexpressed in lung cancer cells compared to normal lung cells. Our lab has previously shown that miR-146a regulates COX-2 in lung cancer cells, and this miRNA is also predicted to target FLAP. Transient and stable transfections of miR-146a repress endogenous FLAP expression in lung cancer cells, and reporter assays show this regulation occurs through a direct interaction between the FLAP 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and miR-146a. Restoration of miR-146a also results in decreased cancer cell Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production. Additionally, methylation analysis indicates the miR-146a promoter is hypermethylated in lung cancer cell lines. Taken together, this study and previous work from our lab suggest miR-146a is an endogenous dual inhibitor of AA metabolism in lung cancer cells by regulating both PG and LT production through direct targeting of the COX-2 and FLAP 3’ UTRs.
Mutual Fund Performance in Slovenia: An Analysis of Mutual Funds with Investment Policies in Europe and the Energy Sector

Mutual Fund Performance in Slovenia: An Analysis of Mutual Funds with Investment Policies in Europe and the Energy Sector This paper examines the risk and return performance of mutual funds in Slovenia from 2005 until August 2009. The research is limited to the regional investment policies in Europe and the energy sector. Using monthly returns, we analyzed different risk-adjusted measures such as: the Treynor ratio, the Sortino ratio and the Information ratio. We also studied selections and timing ability using the Treynor-Mazuy model. The risk and return performance of mutual funds in the Slovenian market does not deviate from those in developed markets. We also found out that the selection ability of fund managers is better than market timing and that the findings of this paper are in accordance with other international studies.
Pelargonium sidoides Extract (EPs 7630): Alternative Treatment of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

EPs 7630 is a proprietary extract from the roots of the Pelargonium sidoides plant. The herb has long been used to treat cough, sore throat, congestion, and other respiratory ailments. The EPs 7630 extract has been the subject of 20 clinical studies involving more than 9,000 patients, including 3,900 children. It has been shown to safely and effectively treat acute upper respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis, tonsillopharyngitis, sinus itis, and the common cold. The extract is also supported by safety data from post-marketing surveillance studies and pharmacovigilance based on use in Germany and elsewhere.
Efficient learning of local image descriptors

One of the most important tasks of modern computer vision with a vast amount of applications is finding correspondences between local patches extracted from different views of a physical scene. In this thesis, we investigate three main axes of this problem. We first provide a critical review of the prior work related to methods for extracting local image descriptors. Next, we show that the intrinsic visual characteristics of a patch may fundamentally alter its matching process, and we show how to exploit this phenomenon to improve the matching performance. One of the main contributions of this thesis is a novel approach to describing and matching image patches. We introduce a per-patch adapted method which makes it possible to generate feature descriptors that use simple binary tests, but match the performance of methods of significantly higher complexity. We also demonstrate that our technique can be successfully generalised to other descriptors, thus showing its potential for more general applications. We then propose novel methods to learn compact and efficient patch representations using convolutional neural networks. We show that typically used approaches such as architectural expansions or hard negative mining are not essential for the success of such methods. Our convolutional descriptors outperform the state of the art approaches at a significant fraction of the computational cost. Lastly, we demonstrate that most of the work in the area suffers from non-reproducibilty and inconsistency of evaluation results. To that end, we introduce a novel dataset accompanied with improved protocols and benchmarks that will allow for reproducible results. More importantly, the scale of our dataset allows for experimentation with learning local feature descriptors from real-world data, something that has not been feasible so far due to the lack of data. This will allow improved results and new experiments especially in the context of deep learning and convolutional neural networks.
Universitet pi ( 0 ) and eta meson production in proton-proton collisions at root s = 8 TeV

An invariant differential cross section measurement of inclusive π0 and η meson production at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV was carried out by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The spectra of π0 and η mesons were measured in transverse momentum ranges of 0.3 < p T < 35 GeV/c and 0.5 < p T < 35 GeV/c, respectively. Next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations using fragmentation functions DSS14 for the π0 and AESSS for the η overestimate the cross sections of both neutral mesons, although such calculations agree with the measured η/π0 ratio within uncertainties. The results were also compared with PYTHIA 8.2 predictions for which the Monash 2013 tune yields the best agreement with the measured neutral meson spectra. The measurements confirm a universal behavior of the η/π0 ratio seen for NA27, PHENIX and ALICE data for pp collisions from √ s = 27.5 GeV to √ s = 8 TeV within experimental uncertainties. A relation between the π0 and η production cross sections for pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV is given by m T scaling for p T > 3.5 GeV/c. However, a deviation from this empirical scaling rule is observed for transverse momenta below p T < 3.5 GeV/c in the η/π0 ratio with a significance of 6. 2σ .
Talin2 regulates breast cancer cell migration and invasion by apoptosis

Talin is a key component molecule of the extracellular matrix-integrin-cytoskeleton. It serves an important role in the activation of integrin, which, in turn, is known to mediate physiological and pathological processes, including cell adhesion, growth, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. In vertebrates, there are two Talin genes, Talin1 and Talin2. Talin1 is known to regulate focal adhesion dynamics, cell migration and cell invasion; however, the precise role of Talin2 in cancer remains unclear. In the present study, the functional role of Talin2 was examined in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Talin2 knockdown significantly inhibited growth, migratory capacity and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells, and promoted apoptosis. The expression levels of Talin2 in breast cancer cells and in the peritumoral normal breast tissues were also determined by immunohistochemistry. Talin2 was identified to be overexpressed in breast cancer tissues compared with that in the peritumoral breast tissues. In addition, the knockdown of Talin2 by specific RNA interference markedly inhibited cell growth, and caused the downregulation of the apoptotic markers, cleaved Caspase-3 and phosphorylation of poly ADP-ribose polymerase. These findings demonstrate that Talin2 expression is upregulated in human breast cancer and that downregulation of Talin2 may serve as a useful therapeutic target in patients with breast cancer.
Global Ionospheric and Thermospheric Effects of the June 2015 Geomagnetic Disturbances: Multi‐Instrumental Observations and Modeling

By using data from multiple instruments, we investigate ionospheric/thermospheric behavior during the period from 21 to 23 June 2015, when three interplanetary shocks (IS) of different intensities arrived at Earth. The first IS was registered at 16:45 UT on 21 June and caused ~50 nT increase in the SYM‐H index. The second IS arrived at 5:45 UT on 22 June and induced an enhancement of the auroral/substorm activity that led to rapid increase of thermospheric neutral mass density and ionospheric vertical total electron content at high latitudes. Several hours later, topside electron content and electron density increased at low latitudes on the nightside. The third and much larger IS arrived at 18:30 UT on 22 June and initiated a major geomagnetic storm that lasted for many hours. The storm provoked significant effects in the thermosphere and ionosphere on both dayside and nightside. In the thermosphere, the dayside neutral mass density exceeded the quiet time levels by 300–500%, with stronger effects in the summer hemisphere. In the ionosphere, both positive and negative storm effects were observed on both dayside and nightside. We compared the ionospheric observations with simulations by the coupled Sami3 is Also a Model of the Ionosphere/Rice Convection Model (SAMI3/RCM) model. We find rather good agreement between the data and the model for the first phase of the storm, when the prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) was the principal driver. At the end of the storm main phase, when the ionospheric effects were, most likely, driven by a combination of PPEF and thermospheric winds, the modeling results agree less with the observations.
Toward the Design of a Cognitive Tutor for Algebra with Gamification: A Survey of State-of-the-Art

A cognitive tutor is a kind of intelligent tutoring system, which is particularly focused on providing individualized support for the improvement of complex cognitive abilities through the practice of problem resolution. The development of a cognitive tutor involves the analysis of diverse strategies and theories related both to computer science and to pedagogy, as well as the analysis of models related to the discipline in which the tutor will be used. In this paper, an analysis of the state of the art of the topics that have been identified as necessary for the design of a cognitive tutor with gamification to support students with the solving of algebraic problems is conducted. Whenever we talk about an intelligent tutor, models capable of simulating decision making, such as fuzzy models, are required; thus, they are also considered for this analysis. Additionally, comparison tables that allow the identification of opportunity areas for the development of solutions to problems that haven’t been thoroughly covered in the literature are presented.
Rheological considerations for the modelling of submarine sliding at Rockall Bank, NE Atlantic Ocean

Recent scientific research indicates that the Rockall Bank Slide Complex in the NE Atlantic Ocean has formed as the result of repetitive slope failures that can be distinguished in at least three major phases. These sliding episodes took place during and before the Last Glacial Maximum. This work attempts the modelling of each sliding episode with the incorporation of the landslide’s rheological properties. The objective is to study the landslide kinematics and final deposition of each episode under a rheological framework that comes in agreement with the field observations. To do so in the present work, we use different types of rheological models to compute the total retarding stress and simulate submarine failure. The Bingham rheology and the frictional rheology are used to model the flow behavior. The scope of this approach is to understand the effect of the two classical laws in landslide kinematics. A rheological model that combines the two regimes is also used. To account for the hydrodynamic drag,.
MILK PRODUCTION BY DUAL PURPOSE COWS GRAZING UNSUPPLEMENTED PANGOLA OR FED IN DRYLOT ON SUGARCANE AND MOLASSES / UREA BASED DIETS

A crossbred Holstein/Zebu herd was used to compare: (A) unsupplemented grazing on pangola pasture: (B) drylot feeding with chopped sugar cane and liquid molasses/urea (50 g urea/kg) both available free choice in separate feeders, and 600 g/d cotton seed cake and minerals; and (C) the same as in (B) but with restricted grazing from 8 to 11 a.m. Cows were milked twice daily by hand, allowing the calf to be suckled before,for a few seconds to stimulate letdown and for 30 minutes after milking was finished. The trial began on 5 August 1975. Results from the drylot treatment (B) were inferior to the other two, mainly due to extremely bad conditions in the corrals caused by accumulation of mud and inadequate feed trough facilities. There were no important differences between the unsupplemented grazing and the restricted grazing plus sugar cane, molasses/urea treatment. Levels of production for these latter systems were of the order of 9 kg milk daily (including milk consumed by the calf) while body weight was maintained or increased slightly.
Exploratory Study A Physical Activity Program Improves Behavior and Cognitive Functions in Children With ADHD : An

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the effects of a moderateto high-intensity physical activity program on fitness, cognitive functions, and ADHD-related behavior in children with ADHD. Method: Fitness level, motor skills, behaviors, and cognitive functions are assessed by standardized tests before and after a 10-week training or control period. Results: Findings show that participation in a physical activity program improves muscular capacities, motor skills, behavior reports by parents and teachers, and level of information processing. Conclusion: A structured physical activity program may have clinical relevance in the functional adaptation of children with ADHD. This supports the need for further research in the area of physical activity with this population. ( J. of Att. Dis. 2012; 16(1) 71-80)
Correlation between cortical lesions and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

Gray matter (GM) damage is well known as a fundamental aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS). Above all, cortical lesions (CLs) burden, detectable at MRI with double inversion recovery (DIR) sequences, has been demonstrated to correlate with cognitive impairment (CI). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CLs number in predicting CI in a cohort of patients with MS in a clinical practice setting.
Temperature effect on seed germination of four plants in sand from coastal sand dunes in Greece

In high temperatures of coastal sand dunes, salt may limit seed germination and thus strogly limit plant survival. The relationship between germination and sand dunes soil temperatures has never been evaluated. The effect of coastal dunes sands on plant germination at 20°C and 28°C was studied. Sand samples of coastal dunes from coastline regions in Greece were analyzed and used as substrates. The Si content (89-97%) is the representative one in all soils. The Si, Al and Mg contents in the Aegean Sea sand dunes were higher than the Ionian Sea. Pigweed germination at 28°C in sand from mainland Greece was higher than the corresponding one from insular Greece. Purslane germination at 28°C in sand from the Ionian Sea (52%-57%) was higher than the corresponding one from the Aegean Sea (49%-50%) and at 20°C it remained unaffected by the soil. Chervil and coriander germination at 20°C was very low, while no germination occurred in pigweed at 20°C and chervil and coriander at 28°C in all sand soils. The study has shown that the coastal dune soils favoured germination of pigweed and purslane at 28°C. These results indicate that those plants have adapted to the coastal sand dunes environment.
Polymeric eutectic drug delivery system

Eutectic system is the mixture of at least two substances that suppresses melting point for each of them. The viscosity enhancement of liquid eutectic by polymer addition might increase the viscous environment for retardation of drug release. Typically, there are rare polymers that can dissolve in the liquid eutectic. The aim of this study was to develop the polymeric eutectic delivery system for controlling the drug delivery. Liquid eutectic used as vehicle was prepared by mixing menthol and camphor in various ratios. The obtained lowest viscosity liquid eutectic was used as vehicle in this study. Various polymers were attempted to dissolve in this vehicle to prepare the polymeric eutectic system. Different physical properties of selected polymeric eutectic system were evaluated. Viscosity and rheology were evaluated by brookfield viscometer. Contact angle on glass slide and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated slide and interfacial tension were measured by goniometer. The polymeric eutectic system selected for controlling the drug delivery contained 30%w/w eudragit EPO in 1:1 menthol:camphor. This system could be injectable with the newtonian flow property. Contact angle and interfacial tension indicated the hydrophobic characteristic of developed system which it was suitable to sustain the drug release. Various drugs were tested for incorporating in this developed liquid eutectic. Ibuprofen was the most suitable drug because of its high solubility in this system. Solubility of ibuprofen in liquid eutectic was higher than that in water about 1.1×10 folds. Viscosity of liquid eutectic increased as a function of ibuprofen concentration with the newtonian flow behavior. Drug released from this polymeric eutectic system were tested by dialysis tube method at 50 rpm and 37C. The sustainable drug release could be obtained longer than 7 days with release kinetics primarily as diffusion control. Therefore this developed polymeric liquid eutectic was suitable as the new controlled drug delivery system such as for periodontitis treatment and other injectable dosage forms.
Study of Hand Grip Strength in Indian Population.

Background and Purpose: Hand grip strength is a major component of hand function. Although reference values are available from western populations, it would not be appropriate to apply them for Indian population due to the variation in geographical, genetic, nutritional, social and cultural factors. The main objective of this present study was to generate reference values for grip strength in a healthy Indian population. Methodology: Grip strength was measured using Jamar dynamometer according to the norms provided by ASHT (American society of hand therapists) in the age group of 21 to 80 years healthy Indian participants. Results & Conclusion: This present study generated normative values of hand grip according to gender and different age groups for Indian population. The gender difference in grip strength was statistically significant with higher grip strength found in males than females. Also, it was noted that grip strength greater in dominant hand than non-dominant hand. There was an inverse relationship between age and grip strength.
Hungary RELATIONSHIP OF GERMINATION AND ESTABLISHMENT FOR TWELVE PLANT SPECIES IN RESTORED DRY

2017) Abstract. There is a lack of knowledge on germination capabilities of native species and their relation to field establishment that could help optimize ecological restoration efforts. We studied laboratory germination and second year field establishment of 12 native vascular dry grassland plant species in the frame of a restoration project in NE Hungary. Our questions are:1) For which species is cold-stratification necessary to break dormancy of seeds? 2) Is there a positive correlation between germination and second year establishment? Laboratory germination was studied with and without cold-stratification and the impact of cold-stratification was tested by linear model. Relationships between germination and field establishment were tested by generalized linear models. Cold-stratification decreased significantly the germination of four grass species, and was important to break dormancy for one dicot. Field establishment is positively connected with germination under both germination treatment. We conclude that, laboratory germination has a high predictive value on the establishment success of seeded
Genotyping‐by‐sequencing of genome‐wide microsatellite loci reveals fine‐scale harvest composition in a coastal Atlantic salmon fishery

Individual assignment and genetic mixture analysis are commonly utilized in contemporary wildlife and fisheries management. Although microsatellite loci provide unparalleled numbers of alleles per locus, their use in assignment applications is increasingly limited. However, next‐generation sequencing, in conjunction with novel bioinformatic tools, allows large numbers of microsatellite loci to be simultaneously genotyped, presenting new opportunities for individual assignment and genetic mixture analysis. Here, we scanned the published Atlantic salmon genome to identify 706 microsatellite loci, from which we developed a final panel of 101 microsatellites distributed across the genome (average 3.4 loci per chromosome). Using samples from 35 Atlantic salmon populations (n = 1,485 individuals) from coastal Labrador, Canada, a region characterized by low levels of differentiation in this species, this panel identified 844 alleles (average of 8.4 alleles per locus). Simulation‐based evaluations of assignment and mixture identification accuracy revealed unprecedented resolution, clearly identifying 26 rivers or groups of rivers spanning 500 km of coastline. This baseline was used to examine the stock composition of 696 individuals harvested in the Labrador Atlantic salmon fishery and revealed that coastal fisheries largely targeted regional groups (<300 km). This work suggests that the development and application of large sequenced microsatellite panels presents great potential for stock resolution in Atlantic salmon and more broadly in other exploited anadromous and marine species.
sophagogastric Junction Opening During Relaxation istinguishes Nonhernia Reflux Patients , Hernia Patients , nd Normal Subjects

ackground & Aims: Flow across the esophagogastric unction (EGJ) is strongly related to opening dimensions. his study aimed to determine whether opening of the elaxed EGJ was altered in patients with gastroesophaeal reflux disease (GERD). Methods: Seven normal subects (NL), 9 GERD patients without hiatus hernia (NHH), nd 7 with hiatus hernia (HH) were studied. Cross-secional area (CSA) of the relaxed EGJ was measured uring low-pressure distention using a modified barostat echnique that resulted in filling a compliant bag stradling the EGJ with renograffin to the set pressure. Swalows were imaged fluoroscopically at distensive presures of 2–12 mm Hg. The diameter of the narrowest oint of the EGJ in PA and lateral projections was meaured from digitized images. CSA was determined as a unction of intrabag pressure. Results: The minimal EGJ pening aperture occurred at the diaphragmatic hiatus n all subjects. At pressures <0 mm Hg, EGJ opening as observed only in HH patients, making it plausible for hese patients to reflux during deglutitive relaxation. At ressures >0 mm Hg, there were significant increases n EGJ CSA both for HH and NHH compared with NL (P < .001) and for HH compared with NHH (P < 0.005). This ifference may explain the diminished air/water disrimination seen during transient lower esophageal phincter (LES) relaxation–associated reflux in GERD atients. Conclusions: Anatomic degradation of the EGJ istinguishes GERD patients from normal subjects, and hese changes may impact on both the observed mechnisms of reflux and the constituents of reflux during ransient LES relaxation. Therapy focused on EGJ comliance may benefit GERD patients.