Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of the Functional Na+/I- Symporter (NIS) Expression in Breast Cancer Cells

Iodide (I-) is transported from bloodstream to lactating mammary gland tissue and it is secreted to mother’s milk (Honour et al., 1952; Grosvenor, 1960; Eskin et al., 1974; Bakheet et al., 1998). Iin milk is then used by the suckling newborn in thyroid hormone biosynthesis (Brown-Grant, 1957; 1961; Azizi and Smyth, 2009). As the supply of Ito neonate comes exclusively from milk during first months of its life, Iuptake by lactocytes and its accumulation in mother’s milk is vital for proper development of the nervous system, skeletal muscles, and lungs at those early periods of life (Stanbury, 1992; Delange, 2000; Semba & Delange, 2001). The activity of the sodium/Isymporter (Na+/ISymporter, or NIS) expressed in alveolar cells of lactating breast is essential for secretion of Ito milk (Cho et al., 2000; Tazebay et al., 2000). In fact, by many clinicians and researchers, cellular Itransport activity was mostly associated with the thyroid gland as the Iuptake into thyroid follicular cells is the first step in enzymatic synthesis of iodide-containing thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4). Molecular investigations following the cloning of NIS gene by Dai et al. (1996) have proven that this symporter is not only a key enzyme in Iuptake in thyroid, but it is also functional in extrathyroidal tissues such as lactating mammary glands, stomach, intestine, salivary glands, kidney, and placenta (Ajjan et al., 1998; Tazebay et al., 2000; Bidart et al., 2000; Mitchell et al., 2001; Spitzweg et al., 2001; Nicola et al., 2009). Therefore, together with its key role in thyrocytes, NIS seems to be the long seeked (Wolff & Maurey, 1961) major Itransport protein in extrathyroidal tissues as well (De la Vieja et al., 2000). But, as one could expect, the expression and activity of NIS is differentially regulated in thyroid and in above mentioned non-thyroidal tissues (see below). In human, NIS is encoded by the gene annotated as Solute Carrier 5A5 (SLC5A5) in NCBI databases (www.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Among its other members, SLC5A transporter family includes Na+/glucose co-transporters 1 and 2, the Na+/myoinositol transporter, and the Na+/monocarboxylate transporter (Wright and Turk, 2004). The human NIS gene is located on chromosome 19, mapping to loci 19p13.2-p12 (Smanik et al., 1997). Previous extensive molecular studies carried out by Nancy Carrasco’s group at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have revealed that the transporter is a glycoprotein belonging to the Na+/solute symporter family, and it is integrated to membrane by 13 hydrophobic
Norway Spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) as a Bioresource: Evaluation of Solid Wood, Particleboard, and MDF Technological Properties and Formaldehyde Emission

Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) is an important forest species, comprising approximately 55.9% of the growing stock of Czech forests. The variations in the wood densities from three different locations were evaluated with respect to their mechanical and physical properties. Also, mechanical properties and formaldehyde emission of particleboard (PB) and medium-density fibreboard (MDF) panels produced from Norway spruce wood were investigated. The overall average density of the spruce wood was 509.22 kg/m3, ranging from 400.95 ± 27.92 to 617.50 ± 29.91 kg/m3 by location. Most of the panels exceeded the requirements of EN standards for the measurements of MOE, MOR, and the internal bond. Furthermore, the results showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) among the panels for PB and MDF, which could be related to inter-panel variations. The formaldehyde emissions of PB and MDF were below the E1 emission limits. Moreover, positive correlations were found between the formaldehyde emissions (perforator and gas analysis methods) and board density. The results of this study verify our knowledge of wood density variation as affected by location as well as the age of trees and their relationship to mechanical and physical properties. Consequently, the variation in mechanical properties of the produced panels as well as the formaldehyde emission can further contribute to creating models to predict the quality of the product.
Effects of Dietary Calcium Levels on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry and Whole Body Composition in Juvenile Bighead Carp ( Aristichthys nobilis )

An eight weeks feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) levels on growth performance, blood biochemistry and whole body composition in bighead carp (105.52 ±0.33g; 16.91±0.09cm). Six practical diets (31.0% crude protein, 6.0% crude lipid) were formulated to contain graded Ca levels ranging from 0.41% to 1.59% of dry diet. At the end of the feeding trial, results showed that survival rate (SR) was not significantly affected by dietary Ca level. Final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR) increased with the increasing dietary Ca level up to 1.26%, and thereafter showed a decreasing trend, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed a converse trend. Furthermore, high Ca level (1.59%) significantly increased the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and significantly decreased serum phosphorus (P) content (P<0.05). Alkaline phosphates (ALP) activity was significantly higher than other groups with Ca-deficient diets (0.41%) (P<0.05). High Ca level (1.59%) significantly decreased serum P levels. Serum Ca levels were not significantly affected by dietary Ca levels (P>0.05). Based on FCR and SGR, the optimal dietary Ca level was determined to be 1.26%, and the corresponding Ca/ P ratio was calculated to be 1.13:1.
PERFORMANCES OF A SYNTHETIC RABBIT LINE AND RABBITS OF LOCAL POPULATIONS IN ALGERIA , IN 2 BREEDING LOCATIONS

The aim of this study was to compare the production of a synthetic line (Syn) of rabbits to that of 2 local Algerian populations (W and Loc). The Syn line was obtained from the crossbreeding of a well adapted local population frequently used in Algerian familial farms (Loc) with a more productive French strain. The W population is maintained by a public cooperative and is used mainly in Kabylia region; it is called “white” because of its albino phenotype. Rabbits were placed under the same experimental conditions in 2 rabbitries of a state technical institute. In Baba Ali (Algiers), 50 does of each genotype were raised during 2 yr. In Lamtar (Sidi Bel Abbes), 30 does of the Syn line and 30 of Loc population were compared during 16 mo of production. Natural mating was used 10-11 d after parturition. Kits were weaned at 33-35 d. Litter size and litter weights were measured at birth and weaning. In both locations Syn dams were heavier than those of the other genotypes: (3616, 3464 and 3305 g for Syn, W and Loc in Baba Ali, and 3592 and 3173 for Syn and Loc in Lamtar; P<0.001). The observed litter sizes showed a superiority (P<0.001) of the Syn line compared to W and Loc does at birth time (8.76, 6.78 and 6.19 for Syn, W and Loc in Baba Ali, and 8.02 and 5.90 for Syn and Loc in Lamtar) and at weaning (6.85, 5.83 and 5.44 for Syn, W and Loc in Baba Ali, and 6.61 and 5.15 for Syn and Loc in Lamtar; P<0.001). Most probably as a consequence of the important difference in litter sizes, average individual weight at weaning was weaker for the synthetic line than for the Loc population: 543 vs. 563 g in Baba Ali and 561 vs. 621 g in Lamtar. For the W population in Baba Ali, the weaning weight was similar to that of the Loc population: 565 vs. 563 g. There were no genotype×season interactions which changed the genotypes ranking, and the Syn line performances were more regular from one season to the other than those of the 2 other genotypes. This means that the synthetic line is well adapted to local climatic conditions. Thus, this comparison confirms the interest of this more prolific and more regular synthetic line to develop rabbit production in Algeria.
Understanding the Effects of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Obesity is a grave public health concern in the United States today. From 2007 to 2008, the prevalence of obesity was over one-third of the U.S. adult population [1]. It contributes to significant morbidity and mortality including heart disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis and sleep apnea. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) also has been shown to increase with increasing obesity. Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999 – 2006) showed that nearly half of individuals with a body mass index greater than 40 kg/m2 have diabetes [2]. Results from various studies have shown that weight reduction significantly reduces the risk of developing T2DM in obese individuals [3], as well as improv‐ ing glycemic control in those already with T2DM [4,5].
Bacterial and Viral Fish Diseases in Turkey

This review summarizes the state of knowledge about the major bacterial and viral pathogens of fish found in Turkey. It also considers diseases prevention and treatment. In this study, peer reviewed scientific articles, theses and dissertations, symposium proceedings, government records as well as recent books, which published between 1976 and 2013 were used as a source to compile dispersed literature. Bacterial and viral disease problems were investigated during this period in Turkey. Total of 48 pathogen bacteria and 5 virus species have been reported in Turkey. It does mean that all the bacteria and virus present in fish have been covered since every year new disease agents have been isolated. The highest outbreaks occurred in larval and juvenile stages of the fish. This article focused on geographical distribution, host range, and occurrence year of pathogenic bacteria and virus species. Vibriosis, Furunculosis, Motile Aeromonas Septicemia, Yersiniosis, Photobacteriosis and Flavobacteriosis are among the most frequently reported fish diseases. Meanwhile, Vagococcus salmoninarum, Renibacterium salmoninarum, Piscirickettsia salmonis and Pseudomonas luteola are rarely encountered pathogens and might be emerging disease problems. Finally, the current status in fish diseases prevention and their treatment strategies are also addressed.
Self-assessment of employability skill outcomes among undergraduates and alignment with academic ratings

Despite acknowledgement of the benefits of self-assessment in higher education, disparity between student and academic assessments, with associated trends in over- and underrating, plagues its meaningful use, particularly as a tool for formal assessment. This study examines self-assessment of capabilities in certain employability skills in more than 1000 Australian business undergraduates. It evaluates the extent to which student self-assessments differ from academics, in what ways and the influence of certain individual and background characteristics - such as stage of degree, gender and academic ability - on rating accuracy. Explanations for documented disparities are presented, in addition to implications and strategies for educators.
Numerical simulation of a concentrated emulsion in shear flow

A three-dimensional computer simulation of a concentrated emulsion in shear flow has been developed for low-Reynolds-number finite-capillary-number conditions. Numerical results have been obtained using an efficient boundary integral formulation with periodic boundary conditions and up to twelve drops in each periodically replicated unit cell. Calculations have been performed over a range of capillary numbers where drop deformation is significant up to the value where drop breakup is imminent. Results have been obtained for dispersed-phase volume fractions up to 30% and dispersed- to continuous-phase viscosity ratios in the range of 0 to 5. The results reveal a complex rheology with pronounced shear thinning and large normal stresses that is associated with an anisotropic microstructure that results from the alignment of deformed drops in the flow direction. The viscosity of an emulsion is only a moderately increasing function of the dispersed-phase volume fraction, in contrast to suspensions of rigid particles or undeformed drops. Unlike rigid particles, deformable drops do not form large clusters.
COMPARING THE EFFECT OF RESISTIVE INSPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING AND INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY ON RESPIRATORY PATTERN OF COPD PATIENTS

Background: Resistive Inspiratory Muscle Training (RIMT) is a well-known technique for rehabilitation of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Incentive spirometry is another technique with potential viability for this application, but there is limited evidence in support of its efficacy in the rehabilitation of COPD patients. Aim: The objective of this study was to compare the effect ofresistive inspiratory muscle training and incentive spirometry on respiratory pattern of COPD patients. Method: This study was a randomized clinical trial on 30 patients with moderate COPD who were referred, in 2011, to the pulmonary clinic of Emamreza Hospital of Mashhad (Iran). The patients were randomly divided into the RIMT and the IS treatment group. In both groups, exercise regimen consisted of two 15-minute sessions of exercise per day, in the morning and evening, four days a week for 4 weeks. Respiratory pattern (respiratory rate and depth) and dyspnea (at rest and during activity) were measured before and after exercise. Data was analyzed with the Mann-Whitney and ratio difference tests using SPSS v.11. 5. Results: The average age was 50. 8Â±10.7 in the IS group and 51Â±10.8 in the RIMT group. The statistical tests found no significant difference between the groups in terms of post-intervention exertional dyspnea, dyspnea at rest, tidal volume, and respiratory rate (P>0.05); but post-intervention maximal inspiratory pressure and maximal voluntary ventilation in the two groups were found to be significantly different (P <0.05). Implications for Practice: despite statistically superior performance of resistive training in improving the maximal voluntary ventilation and maximal inspiratory pressure, the difference between its results and the results of incentive spirometry is not clinically important, therefore positive clinical outcomes of incentive spirometry are sufficiently significant to encourage its use in COPD rehabilitation programs.
Development of Duration Models to Determine Rolling Stock Fleet Size

Transit agencies are looking for analytical tools to improve their rolling stock maintenance programs and fleet size. If agencies underestimate the number of buses out of service for maintenance at any given time, they cannot adequately cover all scheduled service. If agencies overestimate the number of buses requiring maintenance, they overcapitalize the rolling stock fleet, resulting in an inefficient allocation of scarce funds. This article presents a methodology for using a fully parametric duration model to determine the expected amount of time a vehicle is in service and out of service. Additionally, the transition probabilities are calculated using the hazard data to determine the probability of transitioning from an in service state to an out-of-service state at a given point in time. An empirical analysis is conducted using data from San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency and duration models used to identify the transition probabilities from in service to out-of-service states and the optimum fleet size.
Investment Decisions and Socio-demographic Characteristics - Empirical Evidence from Germany

Financial decisions are influenced by psychological factors. Investors make typical mistakes which are well-documented in the literature. To test these mistakes we conduct a survey among German individual investors. Moreover we analyze whether socio demographic attributes experience, education and income affect behavior. The study shows that systematic mistakes are prevalent among German investors: they act according to the Self-Attribution Bias and the Endowment Effect. They overweight domestic stocks and anchor their decisions on irrelevant information. Representativeness and Herd Behavior is also prevalent. Among tested characteristics, education best predicts investor behavior. A higher level of education reduces Self-Attribution Bias, Anchoring and Representativeness significantly.
Seed Germination Studies in Pterocarpus santalinus L . f . – An Endangered and Endemic Medicinal Plant , and Relevance to Conservation

Pterocarpus santalinus L.f. (Fabaceae), an endangered tree, is commercially and medicinally the most valuable endemic to the Deccan ecoregion of India. It is a highly recalcitrant leguminous species and the seeds show a dormancy period of approximately one year. Studies on seed germination from various locations were carried out with the aim of producing appropriate germination protocols for use in ex situ conservation. In field conditions 60% germination was observed from seeds collected from Balpally. In vitro studies revealed 100% germination with 3% sucrose solution i.e., in water and in different combinations of Murashige and Skoog medium, which is highly cost effective. Among all the locations of collection, seeds from Balpally and Papireddypally showed the highest percentage of seed germination. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dynamic characterization and mechanical simulation of cantilevers for electromechanical vibration energy harvesting

Energy harvesting from ambient vibrations has become an interesting topic for powering small-scale wireless electronic devices, medical devices and sensors. Usually, ambient vibrations are sub-1 kHz. Hence, for efficient energy harvesting, resonant microdevices based on MEMS, that can provide a resonant behavior at low frequency, have become of central importance. Indeed, the power produced at resonance is at least one order of magnitude larger than off frequency power since the largest strain is obtained at resonance. In this context, in order to obtain large strain for efficient electromechanical energy conversion, polymer materials, which are more flexible than silicon ones, have been considered for the vibrating devices. In this paper, two preliminary resonant microcantilevers made of viscoelastic polymer have been simulated with COMSOL to deduce both the resonant frequency and quality factor of the first flexural resonance mode. Simulation results are presented and compared with experimental ones. We have also investigated how the resonant frequency and the axial strain vary with the microcantilever thickness, to optimize the behavior of such MEMS resonators as electromechanical energy harvesters.
Corporate governance quality and the cost of capital

The objective of this study is to further investigate what channel causes firms with weak (strong) corporate governance to be valued less (more) by investors. Specifically, we examine the relationship between corporate governance scores and firms' cost of capital, including both equity capital and debt. This research is conducted in Canada over a four-year period from 2002 to 2005 and uses panel data of 155 S&P/TSX firms. The quality of firm-level governance is measured based on the ROB index published by The Globe and Mail. Using fixed-effect regressions in a 2SLS framework, we find strong evidence that the cost of equity/debt decreases as the quality of corporate governance practices increases. Canadian firms with higher ROB scores have a lower cost of capital.
Double Degeneracy in Multiphase Modulation and the Emergence of the Boussinesq Equation

In recent years, a connection between conservation law singularity, or more generally zero characteristics arising within the linear Whitham equations, and the emergence of reduced nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) from systems generated by a Lagrangian density has been made in conservative systems. Remarkably, the conservation laws form part of the reduced nonlinear system. Within this paper, the case of double degeneracy is investigated in multiphase wavetrains, characterized by a double zero characteristic of the linearized Whitham system, with the resulting modulation of relative equilibrium (which are a generalization of the modulation of wavetrains) leading to a vector two‐way Boussinesq equation. The derived PDE adheres to the previous results (such as [1]) in the sense that all but one of its coefficients is related to the conservation laws along the relative equilibrium solution, which are then projected to form a corresponding scalar system. The theory is applied to two examples to highlight how both the criticality can be assessed and the two‐way Boussinesq equation's coefficients are obtained. The first is the coupled Nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) system and is the first time the two‐way Boussinesq equation has been shown to arise in such a context, and the second is a stratified shallow water model which validates the theory against existing results.
Optional word order in wh-questions in two Norwegian dialects: a diachronic analysis of synchronic variation

Based on a corpus of spontaneous production data, this paper compares the word order of wh-questions in two Norwegian dialects, Kåfjord and Tromsø. While the choice of word order (V2 or non-V2) in Tromsø is dependent on information structure, the Kåfjord speakers produce considerably more non-V2 in questions with monosyllabic wh-elements. The majority of questions with multisyllabic wh-constituents, on the other hand, occurs with V2. This synchronic variation is given a diachronic analysis within a Split-CP model of clause structure and a cue-based approach to acquisition and change, where an economy principle (head preference) also plays an important role. Furthermore, an information structure drift from V2 to non-V2 is argued to cause the cue for verb movement to fall below a critical level in the input to children, the result being that V2 only survives in lexically marked cases in Kåfjord, i.e. with the verb ‘be’.
Optimizing distributions over molecular space. An Objective-Reinforced Generative Adversarial Network for Inverse-design Chemistry (ORGANIC)

Molecular discovery seeks to generate chemical species tailored to very speciﬁc needs. In this paper, we present ORGANIC , a framework based on Objective-Reinforced Generative Adversarial Networks (ORGAN), capable of producing a distribution over molecular space that matches with a certain set of desirable metrics. This methodology combines two successful techniques from the machine learning community: a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), to create non-repetitive sensible molecular species, and Reinforcement Learning (RL), to bias this generative distribution towards certain attributes. We explore several applications, from optimization of random physicochemical properties to candidates for drug discovery and organic photovoltaic material design.
On fair pricing of emission-related derivatives

Tackling climate change is at the top of many agendas. In this context, emission trading schemes are considered as promising tools. The regulatory framework for an emission trading scheme introduces a market for emission allowances and creates a need for risk management by appropriate financial contracts. In this work, we address logical principles underlying their valuation.