Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dose‐ and time‐dependent responses for micronucleus induction by X‐rays and fast neutrons in gill cells of medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to various doses of X‐rays or fast neutrons, and the frequency of micronucleated cells (MNCs) was measured in gills sampled at 12‐ or 24‐hr intervals from 12 to 96 hr after exposure. The resulting time course of MNC frequency was biphasic, with a clear peak 24 hr after exposure, irrespective of the kind of radiation applied and the dose used. The half‐life of MNCs induced in the gill tissues by the two exposures fluctuated around 28 hr, with no significant dose‐dependent trend for either X‐ray‐ or neutron‐exposed fish. As assayed 24 hr after exposure, the MNC frequency increased linearly over the control level with increasing doses of both X‐rays and fast neutrons. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of fast neutrons to X‐rays for MNC induction was estimated to be 4.3 ± 0.6. This value is close to the RBE value of 5.1 ± 0.3 reported for fast neutron induction of somatic crossing‐over mutations in Drosophila melanogaster that arise from recombination repair of DNA double‐strand breaks. These results and other data support our conclusion that the medaka gill cell micronucleus assay is a reliable short‐term test for detecting potential inducers of DNA double‐strand breaks. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 44:108–112, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Investigating the Natural Monopoly Effect in Brand Purchasing: Do Big Brands Really Appeal More to Lighter Category Buyers?

The Natural Monopoly [NM] effect is that big brands appeal to somewhat ‘lighter’ or less frequent buyers of the product category, whereas small brands appeal to heavier category buyers. The NM effect has an important managerial implication. It implies that for a brand to grow from small to big, it must heighten its appeal particularly to lighter buyers of the product category. NM is potentially informative as to customer base analysis, providing empirical norms for a brand’s light and heavy category buyers. Moreover, NM could help managers understand loyalty metrics, because it pertains to systematic variation in the category purchase rate, which is an input into common loyalty measures such as SCR (share of category requirements). However, little is known as to the extent to which NM occurs and the extent to which it covaries with variables such as brand size, price and type (store brand, manufacturer brand). This study examines the NM effect in packaged goods markets using data on 24 FMCG categories in Holland. The analysis compares observed category purchase rates among buyers of each brand with theoretical ‘norms’ derived from the well-known NBD-Dirichlet model. It also examines the simple correlation between brand size and category purchase rate as a direct test of the NM effect. Analysis confirms the NM effect is quite pervasive, being present in most categories. The average correlation between brand size (i.e., penetration) and category purchase frequency is -0.36. This figure shows that buyers of large brands do buy the category less often on average. Second, the analysis finds the NBD-Dirichlet model produces accurate predictions of the average rate at which buyers of each brand buy the product category. However, there is nearly twice as much variation in the category purchase rates than predicted by the NBD-Dirichlet. As well as finding that bigger brands tend to have lighter category buyers, the study also finds lower-priced brands and store brands appeal more to heavy category buyers. The study also explains how bigger brands manage to be bought more frequently by their buyers, whilst simultaneously appealing to lighter category buyers. The answer is they obtain a higher share of requirements among light, medium and heavy category buyers: particularly heavy buyers. These findings are useful general knowledge for brand marketers and retailers. The NM effect will be subject to further research to test the extent that it is an empirical generalization.
Associations of the Major Pseudopilin XpsG with XpsN (GspC) and Secretin XpsD of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Type II Secretion Apparatus Revealed by Cross-linking Analysis*

The major pseudopilin XpsG is an essential component of type II secretion apparatus of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Along with other ancillary pseudopilins, it forms a pilus-like structure spanning between cytoplasmic and outer membranes. Associations of pseudopilins with non-pseudopilin members of type II secretion apparatus were not well documented, probably due to their dynamic or unstable nature. In this study, by treating intact cells with a cleavable cross-linker dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate) (DSP), followed by metal chelating chromatography and immunoblotting on secretion-positive strains of X. campestris pv. campestris, we discovered associations of XpsGh with XpsN (GspC), as well as XpsD. These associations were detectable in a strain missing all components, but XpsO, of the type II secretion apparatus. However, chromosomal non-polar mutation in each gene exerted different effects upon the association between the other two. The XpsGh/XpsD association is undetectable in xpsN mutant; however, it was restored to a limited extent by overproducing XpsD protein. The XpsGh/XpsN association is unaltered by a lack of XpsD protein or an elevation of its abundance. Co-immune precipitation between XpsN and XpsD, while being independent of XpsG, was nonetheless enhanced by raising XpsG protein level. These observations agree with the proposition that the type II secretion apparatus in a cell may exist as an integrated multiprotein complex with all components working in concert. Moreover, in functional machinery, the association of the major pseudopilin XpsG with secretin XpsD appears strongly dependent on the existence of XpsN, the GspC protein.
A Daily Nasal Spray with Saline Prevents Symptoms of Rhinitis

Objective —To ascertain whether a daily nasal spray with physiological saline could prevent symptoms of common cold in a population of otherwise healthy adults. Material and Methods —This was study involving 10 weeks of daily use of a nasal saline spray and 10 weeks of only recording symptoms. Young adults eligible for military service at an army barrack in Boden, Sweden were invited to participate in the study and 108 healthy conscripts aged ≈20 years agreed to do so. Data were recorded by the participants in a diary at home. In the diary the participants noted symptoms such as rhinitis, blocked nose, cough, fever and sore throat (pharyngeal pain). They also recorded inability to perform their duties due to the symptoms, and any medication or antibiotics necessitated by upper respiratory tract infection. Results —A total of 69 subjects completed the 20-week diary period. For 60 of them, compliance during the spray period exceeded 60% and their data were used in the statistical calculations. During the spray period the number of days with nasal secretion and/or blocked nose (mean 6.4 days) was significantly (p=0.027) lower than that during the observation period (mean 11 days). Furthermore, the participants had a mean of 0.7 episodes of upper respiratory tract infection during the spray period, compared with 1.0 episodes during the observation period (p=0.05). Conclusion —A daily nasal spray with saline can prevent nasal symptoms of common cold in a population of otherwise healthy adults.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Chronic Pain: What Works for Whom?

Since the introduction of behavioral medicine in the early 70s, cognitive-behavioral treatment interventions for chronic pain have expanded considerably. It is now well established that these interventions are effective in reducing the enormous suffering that patients with chronic pain have to bear. In addition, these interventions have potential economic benefits in that they appear to be cost-effective as well. Despite these achievements, there is still room for improvement. First, there is a substantial proportion of patients who do not appear to benefit from treatment interventions available. Second, although the effect sizes of most cognitive-behavioral treatments for chronic pain are comparable to those in psychopathology, they are quite modest. Third, there is little evidence for differential outcomes for different treatment methods. Fourth, there still is relatively little known about the specific biobehavioral mechanisms that lead to chronic pain and pain disability. One direction is to better match treatment programs to patients' characteristics. This can be done according to an "Aptitude X Treatment Interaction" framework, or from the perspective of the Moderator-Mediator distinction. In this introduction to the special series on what works for whom in cognitive-behavioral treatments for chronic pain, we review existing knowledge concerning both moderating and mediating variables in cognitive-behavioral treatments for chronic pain. We further argue in favor of theory-driven research as the only way to define specific a priori hypotheses about which patient-treatment interactions to expect. We also argue that replicated single-participant studies, with appropriate statistics, are likely to enhance new developments in this clinical research area.
The Effectiveness of Internal Audit in Jamaican Commercial Banks

Banks play a vital role in every economy as they hold the savings of the public, provide a means of payment for goods and services, and finance the development of businesses. The financial sector experienced a meltdown, which some critics argued was the result of inadequate regulatory oversight from regulatory bodies and the auditing function. This highlights the ever-increasing attention which should be placed on internal control systems and the critical role being played by the internal audit function in ensuring that weaknesses are minimized and that exposures to risks are adequately identified and managed. Banks in developing countries and especially those in Jamaica might find it difficult to absorb such failures due to severe resource constraints. As a result, this study seeks to investigate the factors that influence the effectiveness of the internal audit function in Jamaican commercial banks. The study found that the quality of audit investigation, organizational independence, professional proficiencies and management support have a significant impact on internal audit effectiveness. It is imperative that the various stakeholders and policy makers understand the important role internal audit plays in the financial viability and financial health of any financial institution.
Corporate Governance and Investment: Evidence from Russian Unlisted Firms

This paper investigates how corporate governance of unlisted firms in an emerging market economy affects financing constraints, measured by the sensitivity of investment to cash flow. We develop two original corporate governance indices based on a large-scale survey of Russian enterprises – one for shareholder protection and one for transparency. We estimate standard investment regressions where the cash flow variable is interacted with our corporate governance indices and variables capturing the ownership structure. The central result is that better shareholder protection diminishes the cash flow sensitivity of investment, particularly in firms with an outside controlling owner and in firms with low managerial ownership. In contrast, more transparency exacerbates financing constraints in some cases. We address the problem of the endogeneity of corporate governance by using fixed-effects regressions and a novel instrumental variable based on particular legal provisions for corporate governance in Russia depending on the number of shareholders
Intrarenal administration of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin ameliorates ischaemic acute renal failure.

BACKGROUND Thrombomodulin (TM) is an endothelial anti-coagulant cofactor which also has anti-inflammatory properties. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of recombinant human soluble TM (RHS-TM) on ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) renal injury. METHODS A right nephrectomy was performed in rats, and the left kidney was filled with RHS-TM (0.25 mg/kg), argatroban (20 mg/kg) or a vehicle for 45 min. Before reperfusion, the fluid trapped in the kidney was completely removed. At 24 h after I/R, renal cortical blood flow was measured using a CCD video camera, and the kidneys were harvested for the study. Next, cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with RHS-TM (2, 10 or 50 mg/ml) or a vehicle, and incubated for 5 h in culture medium containing 300 microM hydrogen peroxide. Apoptotic cell death was analysed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry revealed that the level of TM expression decreased in rat kidneys after I/R. RHS-TM significantly decreased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. It also prevented a reduction in cortical blood flow, and attenuated tubular damage and macrophage/neutrophil infiltration. In addition, the number of TUNEL-positive cells decreased significantly in rats treated with RHS-TM. In contrast, argatroban, an inhibitor of thrombin did not show significant renoprotective actions. The results of in vitro study showed that RHS-TM significantly suppressed the number of apoptotic cells. CONCLUSION The transient intrarenal administration of RHS-TM, but not argatroban, to the kidney attenuates I/R renal injury. The present study suggests that RHS-TM would be a useful tool in preventing transplanted kidney damage or treating acute renal failure in the clinical setting.
Efficient and secure data hiding in encrypted images: A new approach using chaos

ABSTRACT The recent trends in technology have made it possible to reproduce and share digital media more easily and more rapidly. This leads to the problem of exploiting the media illegitimately. To alleviate this problem, many cryptographic techniques are used to secure the data by encrypting them. However, the cloaked form of encrypted data attracts the intruder and shows the way to malicious attacks. Due to this, in recent times steganography has drawn more attention to secure the data. This article presents a new technique that embeds data in intermediate significant bit (ISB) and least significant bit (LSB) planes of the cover image. The method employs chaotic maps to generate random locations to hide the data bits as well as permutation order to encrypt the cover image. The cover image is first encrypted by applying permutation order, then embedding is carried out on the random locations generated. After embedding, the decrypted cover image is transmitted. This method provides two-level security in extracting the hidden data. Experimental outcomes (PSNR, MSE, NAE, and NCC) confirm that the method is proficient. The randomness of the values generated by chaotic maps is assessed by the NIST standard test suite.
Improving Long Term Stock Market Prediction with Text Analysis

The task of forecasting stock performance is well studied with clear monetary motivations for those wishing to invest. A large amount of research in the area of stock performance prediction has already been done, and multiple existing results have shown that data derived from textual sources related to the stock market can be successfully used towards forecasting. These existing approaches have mostly focused on short term forecasting, used relatively simple sentiment analysis techniques, or had little data available. In this thesis, we prepare over ten years worth of stock data and propose a solution which combines features from textual yearly and quarterly filings with fundamental factors for long term stock performance forecasting. Additionally, we develop a method of text feature extraction and apply feature selection aided by a novel evaluation function. We work with investment company Highstreet Inc. and create a set of models with our technique allowing us to compare the performance to their own models. Our results show that feature selection is able to greatly improve the validation and test performance when compared to baseline models. We also show that for 2015, our method produces models which perform comparably to Highstreet’s hand-made models while requiring no expert knowledge beyond data preparation, making the model an attractive aid for constructing investment portfolios. Highstreet has decided to continue to work with us on this research, and our machine learning models can potentially be used in actual portfolio selection in the near future.
The effects of treating male hypogonadism on couples' sexual desire and function.

INTRODUCTION Hypogonadism is a common endocrine condition characterized by low levels of testosterone (T) and marked by numerous symptoms, one of which is low sexual desire. Studies comparing T delivery systems have suggested that hypogonadal men's partners may be at risk from exposure to T gels. Little other mention is found of the impact of hypogonadism and its treatment on a man's partner and the couple's sexual function. AIM To assess sexual desire and sexual function in hypogonadal men and their woman partners before and after treatment with T replacement therapy. METHODS Twenty-one hypogonadal men and 18 partners were recruited from a tertiary endocrine clinic, and were compared with a control group of 20 eugonadal age-matched men and their partners. All men had baseline blood tests to confirm their status as hypogonadal or eugonadal, and hypogonadal men repeated tests at 3-month intervals. All participants completed the Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI) and sexual function questionnaires at baseline and at 3-month intervals until the hypogonadal men attained normal T levels. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Pre- and post-treatment SDI and sexual function questionnaires were compared once T normalization was achieved. Between- and within-group comparisons were carried out. RESULTS Pretreatment hypogonadal men recorded lower levels of sexual desire and function than controls, but significantly improved once hypogonadism was corrected. Eugonadal controls recorded no significant changes in either sexual desire or function during the study. Partners of the hypogonadal men reported no changes on the SDI, but significant improvements in sexual function as their partners recovered. CONCLUSION SDI and sexual function measures reflect sexual changes that accompany rising serum T levels during correction of male hypogonadism. Women partners reported more satisfaction, less pain, and improved sexual function following the men's treatment. Treatments affecting one partner potentially have important effects on the other.
A Combined Approach for Automatic Identification of Multi-Word Expressions for Latvian and Lithuanian

We discuss an experiment on automatic identification of bi-gram multiword expressions (MWE) in parallel Latvian and Lithuanian corpora. Raw corpora, lexical association measures (LAMs) and supervised machine learning (ML) are used due to the scarceness and quality of lexical resources (e.g., POS-tagger, parser) and tools. Combining LAMs with ML works well for other languages, our experiments show that it perform well for Lithuanian and Latvian as well. We analyse and discuss frequency thresholds in terms of potential MWE and LAMs values. Finally, combining LAMs with ML we have achieved 98,8% precision and 57,5% recall for Latvian and 96,9% precision and 61,8% recall for Lithuanian.
Comparison of TruView EVO2 with Miller laryngoscope in paediatric patients

Background Except for neonates and specific malformations in children, management of the paediatric airway is not a major problem for the anaesthetist. Miller laryngoscope was traditionally used for paediatric intubation. The TruView EVO2 system is a recently introduced device with a unique blade that provides a wide and magnified laryngeal view. Objective To assess the value of the TruView EVO2 laryngoscope with that of Miller laryngoscope in paediatric patients. Design Prospective analysis. Measurements and results Fifty 2–8-year paediatric patients presenting for surgery requiring tracheal intubation were randomly assigned to undergo intubation using a Miller (Group M, n = 25) and TruView EVO2 laryngoscope (Group T, n = 25). Preoperative airway evaluation was performed by using the Mallampati scores. The Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS), the duration of the tracheal intubation procedure, the rate of successful placement of the endotracheal tube in the trachea, the view of the glottis according to the Cormack and Lehane grading criteria, number of intubation attempts, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) before and after intubation, lowest peripheric oxygen saturation during intubation attempts and all complications (minor laseration, dental or other airway trauma) were all recorded. Results Preoperative Mallampati scores and the IDS scores were similar between the Miller and TruView EVO2 laryngoscope. The average time for laryngoscopy was 6.36 ± 0.99 s in group M and 13.8 ± 7.99 s in group T (P < 0.001). The TruView EVO2 laryngoscope improved the Cormack and Lehane glottic view compared with the Miller laryngoscope. The HR change (difference before and after) in group M was significantly lower than that in group T (P < 0.001). However, the MAP change was similar between groups. The lowest peripheric oxygen saturation during intubation attempts was different between groups, 99.4 ± 0.57% in group M and 97.6 ± 2.41% in group T (P < 0.001). Conclusion The results suggest that when compared with the Miller laryngoscope, the TruView EVO2 laryngoscope appears to improve the view of the larynx but requires a longer time for tracheal intubation. The IDS scores were similar; thus, the TruView EVO2 laryngoscope can be a good alternative to traditionally used Miller laryngoscope.
Combined protective effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and melatonin on cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in testicular histology and sperm parameters in adult Wistar rats

Background: Cyclophosphamide (CP) has been known as an anticancer drug with several side effects on various organs such as a male reproductive system that can cause infertility. Objective: To evaluate the possible combined effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZno) and melatonin (Mel) on sperm parameters and histopathological changes of the testis in CP-treated rats. Materials and Methods: 42 adult male Wistar rats were divided into six groups. GI: control, GII: 60 mg/kg/wk CP, GIII and GIV, 10 mg/kg/wk Mel and 5mg/kg/wk nZno and GV: 5 mg/kg/wk nZno and 10 mg/kg/wk Mel were given 2 hr prior to CP injection, respectively,GVI: 5mg/kg/wk nZno and 10 mg/kg/wk Mel simultaneously. After 8 wk of treatment, rats were sacrificed and testis and epididymis were harvested for further evaluation. Results: The CP-treated group showed significant decreases in the body, testes and epididymis weights and sperm parameters (sperm count, viability, motility) with an increase abnormal sperms when compared with the control (p<0.001), as well as many histological alterations included decreased diameters of seminiferous tubules and Johnsen’s Testicular Score (with degeneration, desquamation, multi-nucleated giant cell formation), whereas combined treatment (GV), showed more protective effects on CP-induced reproductive system damage compared with groups III or IV (p<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest simultaneous administration of Mel and nZno have more effectively protections against CP-induced reproductive damage than Mel or nZno alone.