Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synovial tissue of the hip at power Doppler US: correlation between vascularity and power Doppler US signal.

PURPOSE To correlate power Doppler ultrasonographic (US) findings of the vascularity of synovial tissue of the hip joint with the results of histopathologic examination of the same tissue to assess the value of power Doppler US in the visualization of synovitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS The hip joints of 24 patients with osteoarthritis (n = 15) or rheumatoid arthritis (n = 9) of the hip joint were examined with US before arthroplasty. The vascularity of the synovial membrane was classified qualitatively by using power Doppler US. During surgery, a section of the synovial tissue examined at power Doppler US preoperatively was resected. The vascularity of the tissue specimen was investigated and graded qualitatively by a pathologist who was not aware of the US findings. Visual qualitative grading was controlled by means of analysis of the US images and histopathologic specimens with a digital image evaluation system. Correlations between power Doppler US and histopathologic examination findings were calculated by using Spearman rank correlation and Pearson correlation tests. RESULTS The correlation between the qualitative power Doppler US results and the qualitative vascularity grades was 0.92 (P <.01, Spearman rho). The correlation between quantitative and qualitative results was 0.93 (P <.01, Spearman rho) for US imaging and 0.97 (P <.01, Spearman rho) for histopathologic examination. CONCLUSION Study results showed power Doppler US to be reliable for qualitative grading of the vascularity of synovial tissue of the hip.
Energy absorption of impacts during running at various stride lengths.

PURPOSE The foot-ground impact experienced during running produces a shock wave that is transmitted through the human skeletal system. This shock wave is attenuated by deformation of the ground/shoe as well as deformation of biological tissues in the body. The goal of this study was to investigate the locus of energy absorption during the impact phase of the running cycle. METHODS Running speed (3.83 m x s[-1]) was kept constant across five stride length conditions: preferred stride length (PSL), +10% of PSL, -10% of PSL, +20% of PSL, and -20% of PSL. Transfer functions were generated from accelerometers attached to the leg and head of ten male runners. A rigid body model was used to estimate the net energy absorbed at the hip, knee, and ankle joints. RESULTS There was an increasing degree of shock attenuation as stride length increased. The energy absorbed during the impact portion of the running cycle also increased with stride length. Muscles that cross the knee joint showed the greatest adjustment in response to increased shock. CONCLUSION It was postulated that the increased perpendicular distance from the line of action of the resultant ground reaction force to the knee joint center played a role in this increased energy absorption.
Types of cell death and methods of their detection in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The occurrence of programmed cell death in unicellular organisms is a subject that arouses great interest of theoreticians and experimental scientists. Already found evolutionarily conserved genes and metabolic pathways confirmed its existence in yeast, protozoa and even bacteria. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, at least three main types of death are distinguished: apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. Their classification suggested by the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death initially based on the morphological characteristics has now been extended to include the measurable biochemical characteristics. Several laboratory methods previously used to detect the types of cell death of higher eucaryotes and later developed and successfully used for the analysis of yeast cells are here critically reviewed. Their advantages and limitations are described.
Characterization of Ca2+-Dependent Protein-Protein Interactions within the Ca2+ Release Units of Cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

In the heart, excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling is mediated by Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) through the interactions of proteins forming the Ca2+ release unit (CRU). Among them, calsequestrin (CSQ) and histidine-rich Ca2+ binding protein (HRC) are known to bind the charged luminal region of triadin (TRN) and thus directly or indirectly regulate ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) activity. However, the mechanisms of CSQ and HRC mediated regulation of RyR2 activity through TRN have remained unclear. We first examined the minimal KEKE motif of TRN involved in the interactions with CSQ2, HRC and RyR2 using TRN deletion mutants and in vitro binding assays. The results showed that CSQ2, HRC and RyR2 share the same KEKE motif region on the distal part of TRN (aa 202–231). Second, in vitro binding assays were conducted to examine the Ca2+ dependence of protein-protein interactions (PPI). The results showed that TRN-HRC interaction had a bell-shaped Ca2+ dependence, which peaked at pCa4, whereas TRN-CSQ2 or TRN-RyR2 interaction did not show such Ca2+ dependence pattern. Third, competitive binding was conducted to examine whether CSQ2, HRC, or RyR2 affects the TRN-HRC or TRN-CSQ2 binding at pCa4. Among them, only CSQ2 or RyR2 competitively inhibited TRN-HRC binding, suggesting that HRC can confer functional refractoriness to CRU, which could be beneficial for reloading of Ca2+ into SR at intermediate Ca2+ concentrations.
What Do Micro Price Data Tell Us on the Validity of the New Keynesian Phillips Curve

This paper surveys the current state of global empirical research on price setting behaviour at the firm level to evaluate the adequacy of pricing models used in the macro literature. To that end, it analyses the implications of 25 theoretical models (sticky information, menu costs, time dependent, costs of adjustment and customer anger models) in terms of their ability to match the key micro stylised facts. It is found that the explanatory power differs considerably across models and that many popular models are at odds with the main micro features, suggesting the need to further refine modelling strategies.
A new genotype of nephropathogenic infectious bronchitis virus circulating in vaccinated and non-vaccinated flocks in China

Five strains of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were isolated from five layer flocks that had nephropathogenic infection in four provinces in China. Among them, three of the five flocks had been vaccinated against infectious bronchitis. Virulence studies indicated that the five Chinese IBV isolates caused 10 to 30% mortality in 15-day-old specific pathogen free chickens and gross lesions were mainly confined to the kidneys in all of the dead chickens. Two oligonucleotide pairs, S1Uni2 and S1Oligo3′ or S1Oligo5′ and S1Oligo3′, were used after propagation of the isolates in embryonated eggs to amplify the S1 protein genes of the spike protein. The cDNA derived by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence of S1 protein gene had a similar degree of identity (≥92%) among the five Chinese IBV isolates. The nucleotide and amino acid identity of the S1 protein gene between the five Chinese IBV isolates and 16 strains of other IBVs varied from 60 to 81%. This clearly showed that the five Chinese IBV isolates comprised a separate genotype. These results demonstrated, for the first time, that there is a new genotype of nephropathogenic IBV circulating in vaccinated and non-vaccinated flocks in China.
An Estimated Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Model

We develop and estimate a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model with nominal rigidities. The sticky prices and wages are formulated both as time-dependent and state-dependent processes. The DSGE model is estimated using four alternative techniques: Maximum Likelihood with and without measurement errors and incorporating Bayesian priors; Generalised Method of Moments; Simulated Method of Moments; and Indirect Inference. The results of Monte Carlo analysis suggest that all four estimation techniques deliver reasonably good estimates. We apply the estimated DSGE model to assess the impact of structural reforms in the EU as suggested under the Country-Specific Recommendations.
INFORMATION POVERTY: ITS FORMS DIMENSIONS, AND STRATEGIES FOR CONFRONTING IT

Information Poverty: Its Forms Dimensions, and Strategies for Confronting it Saleh Rahimi (Corresponding author) PhD student of LIS, Shahid Chamran University saleh_rahimi@yahoo.com Zahed Bigdeli Professor of LIS, Shahid Chamran University bigdeli_zahed@yahoo.co.in Received: 2010.01. 05; Accepted: 2010.03. 13 Abstract Purpose: This paper aims to study the concepts of information poverty in human societies. Methodology: Using the methodology of library study, the present paper investigates different viewpoints concerning information poverty, as well as its dimensions and causes. Findings: In comparison with different forms of poverty, information poverty is more complex. It encompasses wider dimensions and in turn intensifies other forms of poverty such as economic poverty. So, information poverty and economic poverty are related to each other. Originality/Value: This paper tries to introduce main forms of poverty in present societies and believes that information poverty deals with concepts such as information poor and rich, digital gap, and information overload. It also presents ways to confront it.
A Deep Learning Method for Bearing Fault Diagnosis through Stacked Residual Dilated Convolutions

Real-time monitoring and fault diagnosis of bearings are of great significance to improve production safety, prevent major accidents, and reduce production costs. However, there are three primary concerns in the current research, namely real-time performance, effectiveness, and generalization performance. In this paper, a deep learning method based on stacked residual dilated convolutional neural network (SRDCNN) is proposed for real-time bearing fault diagnosis, which is subtly combined by the dilated convolution, the input gate structure of long short-term memory network (LSTM) and the residual network. In the SRDCNN model, the dilated convolution is used to exponentially increase the receptive field of convolution kernel and extract features from the sample with more points, alleviating the influence of randomness. The input gate structure of LSTM could effectively remove noise and control the entry of information contained in the input sample. Meanwhile, the residual network is introduced to overcome the problem of vanishing gradients caused by the deeper structure of the neural network, hence improving the overall classification accuracy. The experimental results indicate that compared with three excellent models, the proposed SRDCNN model has higher denoising ability and better workload adaptability.
Use of Immunomodulators and Biologics Before, During, and After Pregnancy

Abstract:Immunomodulators and biologic medications, alone or in combination, form the core therapeutic strategy for managing moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD incidence peaks during the prime reproductive years, raising concerns about the impact of disease and its treatment on fertility, maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, breastfeeding safety, and childhood development. Although IBD increases risk of pregnancy complications independent of disease activity, adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common when disease is active. To mitigate fetal risk, women should conceive while disease is quiescent. Aside from methotrexate, immunomodulators and biologics may be used during pregnancy to achieve and maintain disease control. Based on available safety data, there is no increased risk of congenital anomalies among infants exposed to these medications. Active thiopurine metabolites and most monoclonal antibodies cross the placenta and are detectable in neonates. They are detectable in breast milk in minute levels as well. The impact of this exposure on neonatal outcomes is discussed. Adjusted dosing schedules during gestation may reduce fetal drug exposure, though the maternal risks of such manipulation require careful consideration. Ongoing prospective studies will further inform risk assessment, including for newer medications such as the anti-integrin agents.
Selection of Reversions and Suppressors of a Mutation in the CBF Binding Site of a Lymphomagenic Retrovirus

ABSTRACT The retrovirus SL3 induces T-cell lymphomas in mice. The transcriptional enhancer in the long terminal repeat (LTR) of SL3 contains two 72-bp repeats. Each repeat contains a binding site for the transcription factor CBF (also called AML1). The CBF binding sites are called core elements. SAA is a mutant that is identical to SL3 except for the presence of a single-base-pair substitution in each of the two core elements. This mutation significantly attenuates viral lymphomagenicity. Most lymphomas that occur in SAA-infected mice contain proviruses with reversions or second-site suppressor mutations within the core element. We examined the selective pressures that might account for the predominance of the reversions and suppressor mutations in tumor proviruses by analyzing when proviruses with altered core sequences became abundant during the course of lymphomagenesis. Altered core sequences were easily detected in thymus DNAs by 4 to 6 weeks after SAA infection of mice, well before lymphomas were grossly evident. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that viruses with the core sequence alterations emerged because they replicated more effectively in mice than SAA. The number of 72-bp tandem, repeats in the viral LTR was found to vary, presumably as a consequence of reverse transcriptase slippage during polymerization. Proviruses with two repeats predominated in the thymuses of SAA- and SL3-infected mice before lymphomas developed, although LTRs with one or three repeats were also present. This suggested that two was the optimal number of 72-bp repeats for viral replication. However, in lymphomas, proviruses with three or four repeats usually predominated. This suggested that a late step in the process of lymphomagenesis led to the abundance of proviruses with additional repeats. We hypothesize that proviruses with additional 72-bp repeats endowed the cells containing them with a selective growth advantage.
Outcomes Associated With Adapting a Research-Supported Treatment for Children With Behavior Disorders

Purpose: The aims of this study are to describe an adaptation process of a research-supported treatment (RST) for children with oppositional defiant disorder and to examine provider attitudes toward RSTs prior to and following this process. Method: Providers from 14 agencies in New York State delivered the adapted RST, following training. Attitudes toward RSTs were measured by the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale at baseline and posttest. Results: Openness toward RSTs decreased from baseline to posttest. The majority of providers reported modifications to the structure and process of the intervention. Discussion: To improve the uptake and usability of RSTs in practice, future research must further address adaptation processes and their relationships to attitudes toward RSTs.
Subcellular localization and molecular topology of the dopamine transporter in the striatum and substantia nigra

Plasma membrane transporters remove neurotransmitters from the extracellular space and have been postulated to terminate synaptic activity. Their specific roles in synaptic and nonsynaptic neurotransmission at a cellular level, however, remain unclear. We have determined the subcellular location of the dopamine transporter (DAT) by immunoperoxidase and immunogold electron microscopy, using monoclonal antibodies to both the N‐terminus and the second extracellular loop. The two DAT epitopes were found on opposite faces of cellular and intracellular membranes, providing confirmation of the predicted molecular topology of DAT. In the striatum, DAT was localized in the plasma membrane of axons and terminals. Double immunocytochemistry demonstrated DAT colocalization with two other markers of nigrostriatal terminals, tyrosine hydroxylase and D2 dopamine receptors. The latter was thus demonstrated to be an autoreceptor. Labeled striatal terminals formed symmetrical synapses with spines, dendrites, and perikarya. DAT was not identified within any synaptic active zones, however, even using serial section analysis. These results suggest that striatal dopamine reuptake may occur outside of synaptic specializations once dopamine diffuses from the synaptic cleft. In the substantia nigra, DAT appears to be specifically transported into dendrites, where it can be found in smooth endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane, and pre‐ and postsynaptic active zones. These localizations suggest that DAT modulates the intracellular and extracellular dopamine levels of nigral dendrites. Within the perikarya of pars compacta neurons, DAT was localized primarily to rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, and multivesicular bodies, identifying probable sites of synthesis, modification, transport, and degradation. J. Comp. Neurol. 388:211–227, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The signal-to-noise ratio assessment in cochlear implanted patients through the Italian Matrix Sentence test (Oldenburg test)

Abstract Purpose: A lot of energy has been spent in advances in audiology to define a new strategy of diagnosis and rehabilitation in hearing-impaired patients, in particular for those rehabilitated with cochlear implants or hearing aids. The OLSA test or Matrix Sentence test is a new testing tool able to precisely define a signal-to-noise ratio in different clinical or diagnostic conditions. Spreading of this new test has a standardized level of reference which can help clinicians in comparing patients and data. Method: Implanted patients with contralateral hearing aid use were enrolled in the recent Italian Matrix Sentence test validated for the Italian language. Patients with good perceptual outcomes without post-operative complications were asked to undergo the Italian Matrix Sentence test twice in a day section with or without a cochlear implant and/or contralateral hearing aids. Results: Forty-five cochlear implanted patients with good outcomes and without major complications were enrolled in the present study to compare speech discrimination in noise with cochlear implants and/or hearing aids during bimodal or unimodal stimulation. Obviously, a significant difference was noticed in patients with cochlear implants or hearing aids when compared with patients without digital devices, as well as a statistically significant difference was found in patients with a cochlear implant only when compared with patients with hearing aids. Nevertheless, significant differences were found when comparing bimodal stimulation to unimodal stimulation with the cochlear implant: an ameliorative trend has been reported among patients with either the devices (hearing aids and cochlear implant). Conclusion: The Italian Matrix Sentence test is useful and automated speech audiometry allows a comprehensive evaluation of perceptual abilities in hearing impaired patient. Nevertheless, gives important information among implanted patients especially in the adaptive mode for central comprehension of the signal in noise.
The Israeli Democracy Index 2013

Tamar Hermann Or Anabi / Ella Heller / Fadi Omar THE ISRAELI DEMOCRACY INDEX The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) is an independent center of research and action dedicated to strengthening the foundations of Israeli democracy. IDI works to bolster the values and institutions of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. A non-partisan think-and-do tank, the Institute harnesses rigorous applied research to influence policy, legislation and public opinion. The institute partners with political leaders, policymakers, and representatives of civil society to improve the functioning of the government and its institutions, confront security threats while preserving civil liberties, and foster solidarity within Israeli society. The State of Israel recognized the positive impact of IDIʼs research and recommendations by bestowing upon the Institute its most prestigious award, the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement.
Disclosures on Control over Financial Reporting: The Reporting Practice of Banks Listed on The Warsaw Stock Exchange

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to identify the effects of the implementation of selected regulations on corporate governance in the reporting practice of banks listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The survey examined the disclosures concerning the main features of the internal control and risk management systems in relation to financial reporting in banks. Research studies on disclosures related to control over financial reporting have not yet been conducted. The paper uses a research method involving the analysis of annual reports disclosed by banks. The method of induction was used in the process of inference. The results of the study indicate that in the practice of reporting of banks listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2011, there was no uniform reporting form in terms of the presentation of information on internal control or risk management systems in relation to financial reporting. The disclosures were different both in terms of level of detail and content. In some banks disclosures were drawn at a high level of generality.
Effect of thermocycling on microleakage of resin composites polymerized with LED curing techniques.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of thermocycling on microleakage of cervical cavities restored with hybrid and flowable resin composites polymerized with 3 different light-emitting diode (LED) curing techniques. METHOD AND MATERIALS A total of 120 wedge-shaped cervical cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of human molars, restored with hybrid resin composite (Z250, 3M Espe) or with flowable resin composite (Filtek Flow, 3M Espe), and cured with either an LED standard light, an LED high-intensity light, or an LED exponential mode, which is a kind of soft-start curing method. The teeth in each group were divided randomly into 2 subgroups: (1) thermocycling for 1,000 cycles at 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C with a dwell time of 60 seconds, and (2) no thermocycling treatment. All teeth were immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin dye solution for 24 hours. The teeth then were longitudinally sectioned and scored on a 0 to 3 scale at the enamel and dentin margins. RESULTS Nonparametric statistical analysis of the results showed a significant difference in microleakage between the nonthermocycled and thermocycled specimens, except for specimens cured with soft-start polymerization. CONCLUSION The soft-start polymerization technique with LED light was not affected by thermocycling regimens.
The Italian White Paper for International Security and Defence

In May 2015, the Italian Ministry of Defence published its White Paper for International Security and Defence. In this article, Andrea Gilli, Alessandro R Ungaro and Alessandro Marrone examine the important domestic changes outlined in the document, including those made to the policy-making processes and the internal discussion about strategic issues. The document restricts Italy's focus to the Euro-Mediterranean region but sees a more active role for its armed forces - if and when necessary. European co-operation is also prioritised, especially with regards to military technology and procurement. It also puts forward reform of the defence ministry aimed at shaping an integrated approach and promotes further jointness, starting from the strengthening of the Joint Operational Command that will take responsibility for any future military operation.