Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amyloidosis and its related factors in Turkish patients with familial Mediterranean fever: a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE The primary aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of amyloidosis and its related factors in a large number of FMF patients. METHODS Fifteen centres from the different geographical regions of Turkey were included in the study. Detailed demographic and medical data based on a structured questionnaire and medical records were collected. The diagnosis of amyloidosis was based on histological proof of congophilic fibrillar deposits in tissue biopsy specimens. RESULTS There were 2246 FMF patients. The male/female ratio was 0.87 (1049/1197). The mean age of the patients was 34.5 years (S.D. 11.9). Peritonitis was the most frequent clinical finding and it was present in 94.6% of patients. Genetic testing was available in 1719 patients (76.5%). The most frequently observed genotype was homozygous M694V mutation, which was present in 413 (24%) patients. Amyloidosis was present in 193 patients (8.6%). Male sex, arthritis, delay in diagnosis, M694V genotype, patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and family history of amyloidosis and ESRD were significantly more prevalent in patients with amyloidosis compared with the amyloidosis-negative subjects. Patients with homozygous M694V mutations had a 6-fold higher risk of amyloidosis compared with the other genotypes (95% CI 4.29, 8.7, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION In this nationwide study we found that 8.6% of our FMF patients had amyloidosis and homozygosity for M694V was the most common mutation in these patients. The latter finding confirms the association of homozygous M694V mutation with amyloidosis in Turkish FMF patients.
Uncertainty and Unemployment

This paper studies the impact of time‐varying idiosyncratic risk at the establishment level on unemployment fluctuations over 1972–2009. I build a tractable directed search model with firm dynamics and time‐varying idiosyncratic volatility. The model allows for endogenous separations, entry and exit, and job‐to‐job transitions. I show that the model can replicate salient features of the microeconomic behavior of firms and that the introduction of volatility improves the fit of the model for standard business cycle moments. In a series of counterfactual experiments, I show that time‐varying risk is important to account for the magnitude of fluctuations in aggregate unemployment for past U.S. recessions. Though the model can account for about 40% of the total increase in unemployment for the 2007–2009 recession, uncertainty alone is not sufficient to explain the magnitude and persistence of unemployment during that episode.
PHARMACOKINETICS AND DISPOSITION

Objective: The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of artemether and dihydroartemisinin were investigated in eight Thai males following the administration of single oral and intramuscular doses of artemether (300 mg) in a randomized two-way cross-over study. Results: Both oral and intramuscular artemether were well-tolerated. In most cases, artemether and dihydroartemisinin were detected in plasma after 30 min and declined to levels below the limit of detection within 18± 24 h. Compared with intramuscular administration, oral administration of artemether resulted in a relatively rapid but incomplete absorption [Cmax: 474 vs 540 ng áml ; tmax: 2.0 vs 3.9 h; AUC: 2.17 vs 5.20 lg á h áml ]. Geographic means of lag-time and absorption half-life (t1/2a) of oral vs intramuscular artemether were 0.28 and 1.1 h vs 0.30 and 2 h, respectively. t1/2z was signi®cantly shortened after the oral dose [2.8 vs 6.9 h]. Mean oral bioavailability relative to intramuscular administration was 43.2%. The ratio of the AUCs of artemether to dihydroartemisinin was signi®cantly lower after the oral than after the intramuscular dose (geometric mean: 0.29
Barbarians at the Gate of the Middle Kingdom: The International Mobility of Financing Contract and Governance

Focusing on equity ratchet as a practice, we study how foreign private equity (PE) investors interacted with local agents in the process of legitimation and legalization of foreign financing contract and governance in the Chinese PE industry, while it was underdeveloped. Based on seven cases in China, we propose a three-stage microprocess model of international institutional entrepreneurship in an emerging field with high ambiguity: framing a motivational vision to promote a new practice; early adoption by local nonmainstream agents who gain legitimacy from diverse sources of institutional logic; and dominant mainstream adopters seeking legal protection to sustain their benefits. Our theory extends the emerging discussion on the transfer of corporate governance and institutional entrepreneurship across borders.
Analysis of Peripapillary Retinal Vessel Diameter in Unilateral Normal-Tension Glaucoma

Purpose This study sought to analyze peripapillary retinal vessel diameter and evaluate its correlation with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with unilateral normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Methods This retrospective study included 37 patients with unilateral NTG and 40 healthy controls. The unilateral NTG patients were selected based on RNFL photography and unilateral visual field (VF) defects from the Humphrey central 30-2 threshold test. The central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) were measured and calculated using retinal photographs and a computer-assisted calculation program. The RNFL thickness was measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Results The mean CRAE and CRVE were significantly narrower in the glaucomatous and fellow eyes of the unilateral NTG patients than they were in the normal subjects (p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between CRAE/CRVE and RNFL thickness. There was only a significant correlation between VF severity and RNFL thickness in unilateral NTG eyes. Conclusions Both NTG-affected eyes and NTG-fellow eyes in the unilateral NTG patients had narrower central retinal vessel diameters than did the eyes of normal subjects. Our results show that vascular factors may play a role in the NTG pathogenesis.
Rethinking resilience: home gardening, food sharing and everyday resistance

ABSTRACT Resilience and food self-provisioning (FSP), terms that until recently were deployed primarily in the study of livelihoods in the Global South, are now attracting attention from alternative food scholarship in the Global North. Drawing on a large-scale survey conducted in the Czech Republic, this article investigates FSP as a social resilience-enhancing set of practices. In addition to the traditional reading of FSP as a passive, defensive and crisis-deflecting form of resilience, this article puts forward an alternative conceptualisation of resilience as a proactive, preventative, future-oriented and transformation-enabling capacity that runs counter to the tenets of neoliberalism.
Students’ Perception of the Implementation of Entrepreneurship Education in Secondary Schools for Economic Development

The study investigated students’ perception of the extent of the implementation of entrepreneurship education for economic development. The survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 9,714 SS2 students in Calabar Education Zone. Simple random technique was used to select 936 students which made up the sample of this study. The major instrument was a questionnaire with a reliability index ranging from 0.71-0.81 achieved using Cronbach alpha method. Two hypotheses were formulated and data gathered were analyzed with population t-test. The results of the analysis were found to be significantly high for curriculum content and low for utilization of instructional facilities. Recommendations included among others that instructional facilities should be properly utilized for effective implementation of entrepreneurship education, for the purpose of economic development.
MIP‐3α, MIP‐3β and fractalkine induce the locomotion and the mobilization of intracellular calcium, and activate the heterotrimeric G proteins in human natural killer cells

We demonstrate here that the CC chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein‐3α (MIP‐3α), macrophage inflammatory protein‐3β (MIP‐3β) and the CX3C chemokine fractalkine induce the chemotaxis of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2)‐activated natural killer (IANK) cells. In addition, these chemokines enhance the binding of [γ‐35S]guanine triphosphate ([γ‐35S]GTP) to IANK cell membranes, suggesting that receptors for these chemokines are G protein‐coupled. Our results show that MIP‐3α receptors are coupled to Go, Gq and Gz, MIP‐3β receptors are coupled to Gi, Gq and Gs, whereas fractalkine receptors are coupled to Gi, and Gz. All three chemokines induced a robust calcium response flux in IANK cells. Cross‐desensitization experiments show that MIP‐3α, MIP‐3β or fractalkine use receptors not shared by each other or by the CC chemokine regulated on activation, normal, T‐cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES), the CXC chemokines stromal‐derived factor‐1α (SDF‐1α) and interferon‐inducible protein‐10 (IP‐10), or the C chemokine lymphotactin.
Analysis of the Implementation of a Social Protection Initiative to Admit the Poorest of the Poor to Mutual Health Funds in Burkina Faso

<b>English Abstract:</b> To enable mutual health funds to extend coverage to poor people, the Mutual Health Support Network ( – RAMS) in 2012 launched an initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Action and Solidarity ( – MASSN) in Burkina Faso. This article reveals difficulties in the initiative's implementation, which resulted in the continued exclusion of poor people from health services. Poor people were required not only to make co‐payments, but also to accept a limitation of coverage to three episodes of illness per year. Additional challenges to service takeup were the geographical distance of the homes of some beneficiaries covered by a mutual fund agreement from a health centre and the failure by some health workers and managers of pharmacies to recognize the mutual membership card. A formal framework was lacking that brought together all the actors involved in planning and implementing the initiative. Those involved did not all have the same information. Each structure performed the tasks within its scope, according to its own interests, but without consulting the other parties, and there was no platform for discussing implementation difficulties. <b>French Abstract:</b> Afin de permettre aux mutuelles de santé d’étendre leur couverture aux personnes démunies, le Réseau d’appui aux mutuelles de santé (RAMS) a lancé une initiative dans ce sens en 2012, en partenariat avec le ministère burkinabais de l’Action sociale et de la Solidarité nationale (MASSN). Cet article montre que, suite aux difficultés rencontrées dans la mise en œuvre de cette initiative, les pauvres ont continué d’être exclus des services de santé. En effet, ils devaient non seulement payer une partie de leurs frais de santé, mais aussi accepter de n’être couverts que pour trois épisodes de maladie par an. La mise en œuvre du programme s’est également heurtée à d’autres obstacles comme la distance géographique entre le domicile de certains bénéficiaires d’une mutuelle de santé et le centre de soins le plus proche, ainsi que la non‐reconnaissance de la carte d’adhérent à une mutuelle par certains personnels de santé et exploitants de pharmacie. Il ressort de cette étude qu’il manquait à cette initiative un cadre formel regroupant l’ensemble des acteurs impliqués dans sa planification et sa mise en œuvre. Ces derniers ne disposaient pas tous des mêmes informations. Chaque structure exécutait les tâches correspondant à son domaine de compétence et à ses propres intérêts, mais sans consulter les autres parties prenantes, et il n’existait aucun mécanisme permettant de débattre des problèmes posés par la mise en œuvre du programme.
Exosomes from Bronchoalveolar Fluid of Tolerized Mice Prevent Allergic Reaction1

Exosomes are nanovesicles originating from multivesicular bodies that are secreted by a variety of cell types. The dual capability of exosomes to promote immunity or to induce tolerance has prompted their clinical use as vehicles for vaccination against different human diseases. In the present study, the effect of allergen-specific exosomes from tolerized mice on the development of allergen-induced allergic response was determined using a mouse model. Mice were tolerized by respiratory exposure to the olive pollen allergen Ole e 1. Exosome-like vesicles were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the animals by the well-established filtration and ultracentrifugation procedure, characterized by electron microscopy, Western blot, and FACS analyses, and assessed in a prophylactic protocol. To this end, BALB/c mice were intranasally treated with tolerogenic exosomes or naive exosomes as control, 1 wk before sensitization/challenge to Ole e 1. Blood, lungs, and spleen were collected and analyzed for immune responses. Intranasal administration of tolerogenic exosomes inhibited the development of IgE response, Th2 cytokine production, and airway inflammation—cardinal features of allergy— and maintained specific long-term protection in vivo. This protective effect was associated with a concomitant increase in the expression of the regulatory cytokine TGF-β. These observations demonstrate that exosomes can induce tolerance and protection against allergic sensitization in mice. Thus, exosome-based vaccines could represent an alternative to conventional therapy for allergic diseases in humans.
Examining the role of psychological distress in linking childhood maltreatment and alcohol use in young adulthood.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Childhood maltreatment is related to alcohol use as well as psychological distress in young adulthood. Few studies have examined whether psychological distress mediates the relationship between child maltreatment and alcohol use. We examined the role of psychological distress in linking child maltreatment subtypes (ie, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect) to four patterns of alcohol use, including frequency of alcohol use, binge drinking, alcohol-related problems, and alcohol dependence. METHODS We used a community sample of young adults (N = 337), who completed an interview assessing exposure to childhood maltreatment, current psychological distress, and drinking behaviors. RESULTS Emotional abuse was associated with psychological distress, whereas psychological distress was related to more pathological drinking behaviors such as alcohol-related problems and alcohol dependence. Subsequent analyses indicated significant mediated effects between emotional abuse and alcohol-related problems and alcohol dependence via psychological distress, even after controlling for demographic factors, other maltreatment subtypes, parental alcoholism, and peer alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Findings suggest that among four types of childhood maltreatment, emotional abuse might be the major driver of pathological drinking among child maltreatment victims. Interventions aimed at negative emotionality may be useful in preventing and treating problematic drinking among the victims of childhood emotional abuse.
Modeling the effects of insider threats on cybersecurity of complex systems

With an increasing number of cybersecurity attacks due to insider threats, it is important to identify different attack mechanisms and quantify them to ease threat mitigation. We propose a discrete-event simulation model to study the impact of unintentional insider threats on the overall system security by representing time-varying human behavior using two parameters, user vulnerability and user interactions. In addition, the proposed approach determines the futuristic impact of such behavior on overall system health. We illustrate the ease of applying the proposed simulation model to explore several “what-if” analysis for an example enterprise system and derive the following useful insights, (i) user vulnerability has a bigger impact on overall system health compared to user interactions, (ii) the impact of user vulnerability depends on the system topology, and (ii) user interactions increases the overall system vulnerability due to the increase in the number of attack paths via credential leakage.
Sparse Representation and Dictionary Learning as Feature Extraction in Vessel Imagery

Abstract : This report describes experiments designed to evaluate the usefulness of a specific algorithm for classifying images of commercial ships by class. This algorithm uses a technique known as sparse coding to represent images for classification. The sparse coding algorithm is compared with another algorithm evaluated in previous publications. The sparse coding algorithm is shown to perform approximately as well as the algorithm it is compared with and does not appear to offer any improvement. Additional research is required to identify algorithms best suited for the ship classification task.
Molecular characterization and association analysis of porcine CA3

Carbonic anhydrase 3 (CA3) is a member of the carbonic anhydrase family, which plays an important role in various cell processes. In this paper, molecular characterization revealed that CA3 genomic DNA consists of seven exons and six introns, spans about 10.5 kb and maps to porcine chromosome 4q11→q14. Results of expression profiles showed that the expression levels of CA3 increased in skeletal muscles from prenatal 33- to 65-day-old Chinese Tongcheng pigs. These levels subsequently decreased to a steady state in prenatal 90-day-old, postnatal 2-day-old, postnatal 28-day-old, and pregnant 65-day-old pigs. The expression patterns of Chinese Tongcheng pig embryos were different from that of Landrace pig embryos. CA3 was expressed at higher levels in skeletal muscle and liver than in kidney, lung, stomach, intestine, and brain, but was not detected in heart and spleen. Statistical analysis showed the CA3 gene polymorphism was different between Chinese indigenous and introduced commercial western pig breeds, and was associated with intramuscular fat content and percentage of ham of pigs.
Sulphide oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria of the lugworm

Oxygen consumption, ATP production and cytochrome c oxidase activity of isolated mitochondria from body-wall tissue of Arenicola marina were measured as a function of sulphide concentration, and the effect of inhibitors of the respiratory complexes on these processes was determined. Concentrations of sulphide between 6 and 9 µmol l-1 induced oxygen consumption with a respiratory control ratio of 1.7. Production of ATP was stimulated by the addition of sulphide, reaching a maximal value of 67 nmol min-1 mg-1 protein at a sulphide concentration of 8 µmol l-1. Under these conditions, 1 mole of ATP was formed per mole of sulphide consumed. Higher concentrations of sulphide led to a decrease in ATP production until complete inhibition occurred at approximately 50 µmol l-1. The production of ATP with malate and succinate was stimulated by approximately 15 % in the presence of 4 µmol l-1 sulphide, but decreased at sulphide concentrations higher than 15­20 µmol l-1. Cytochrome c oxidase was also inhibited by sulphide, showing half-maximal inhibition at 1.5 µmol l-1 sulphide. Sulphide-induced ATP production was inhibited by antimycin, cyanide and oligomycin but not by rotenone or salicylhydroxamic acid. The present data indicate that sulphide oxidation is coupled to oxidative phosphorylation solely by electron flow through cytochrome c oxidase, whereas the alternative oxidase does not serve as a coupling site. At sulphide concentrations higher than 20 µmol l-1, oxidation of sulphide serves mainly as a detoxification process rather than as a source of energy.
Effect of lifestyle intervention on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese obese children.

AIM To investigate the effect of lifestyle intervention on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Chinese obese children. METHODS Seventy-six obese children aged from 10 to 17 years with NAFLD were enrolled for a one-month intervention and divided randomly into three groups. Group1, consisting of 38 obese children, was an untreated control group without any intervention. Group 2, consisting of 19 obese children in summer camp, was strictly controlled only by life style intervention. Group 3, consisting of 19 obese children, received oral vitamin E therapy at a dose of 100 mg/d. The height, weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting serum insulin (FINS), plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCHO) and homeostasis model assent-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured at baseline and after one month. All patients were underwent to an ultrasonographic study of the liver performed by one operator who was blinded to the groups. RESULTS The monitor indices of BMI, ALT, AST, TG, TCHO and HOMA-IR were successfully improved except in group 1. BMI and ALT in group 2 were reduced more significantly than in group 3 (2.44 +/- 0.82 vs 1.45 +/- 0.80, P = 0.001; 88.58 +/- 39.99 vs 63.69 +/- 27.05, P = 0.040, respectively). CONCLUSION Both a short-term lifestyle intervention and vitamin E therapy have an effect on NAFLD in obese children. Compared with vitamin E, lifestyle intervention is more effective. Therefore, lifestyle intervention should represent the first step in the management of children with NAFLD.
Histologically Confirmed Recellularization is a Key Factor that Affects Meniscal Healing in Immature and Mature Meniscal Tears

Healing outcomes of meniscal repair are better in younger than in older. However, exact mechanisms underlying superior healing potential in younger remain unclear from a histological perspective. This study included 24 immature rabbits and 24 mature rabbits. Tears were created in the anterior horn of medial meniscus of right knee in each rabbit. Animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. We performed macroscopic and histological evaluations of post-meniscal repair specimens. Cells were counted within a region of interest to confirm cellularization at tear site in immature menisci. The width of cell death zone was measured to determine the region of cell death in mature menisci. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. Vascularization was assessed by CD31 immunofluorescence. The glycosaminoglycans and the types 1 and 2 collagen content was evaluated by calculating average optical density of corresponding histological specimens. Cartilage degeneration was also evaluated. Healing outcomes following untreated meniscal tears were superior in immature group. Recellularization with meniscus-like cell morphology was observed at tear edge in immature menisci. Superior recellularization was observed at meniscal sites close to joint capsule than at sites distant from the capsule. Recellularization did not occur at tear site in mature group; however, we observed gradual enlargement of cell death zone. Apoptosis was presented at 1, 3, 6, 12 weeks in immature and mature menisci after untreated meniscal tears. Vascularization was investigated along the tear edges in immature menisci. Glycosaminoglycans and type 2 collagen deposition were negatively affected in immature menisci. We observed glycosaminoglycan degradation in mature menisci and cartilage degeneration, specifically in immature cartilage of the femoral condyle. In conclusion, compared with mature rabbits, immature rabbits showed more robust healing response after untreated meniscal tears. Vascularization contributed to the recellularization after meniscal tears in immature menisci. Meniscal injury fundamentally alters extracellular matrix deposition.