Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence of lateral transmission of aggressive features between different types of breast cancer cells

Breast cancer (BrC) is a major public health problem worldwide. The intra-tumoral heterogeneity and tumor cell plasticity importantly contribute to disease progression and treatment failure. However, the dynamic interactions between different tumor clones, as well as their contribution to tumor aggressiveness are still poorly understood. In this study, we provide evidence of a lateral transmission of aggressive features between aggressive and non-aggressive tumor cells, consisting of gain of expression of cancer stem cell markers, increased expression of CXCL12 receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 and increased invasiveness in response to CXCL12, which correlated with high levels of secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1, IL-8 and metalloproteinases 1 and 2 by the aggressive cells. Noteworthy, we found no evidence of a TGF-β participation in the inducible-invasive phenotype. Altogether, our results provide evidence of communication between tumor cells with different potentials for aggressiveness, which could influence intra-tumoral population dynamics promoting the emergence of clones with novel functions. Understanding these interactions will provide better targets for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic strategies.
Chemistry of the Organic-Rich Hot Core G327.3–0.6

We present gas-phase abundances of species found in the organic-rich hot core G327.3-0.6. The data were taken with the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST). The 1-3 mm spectrum of this source is dominated by emission features of nitrile species and saturated organics, with abundances greater than those found in many other hot cores, including Sgr B2 and OMC-1. Population diagram analysis indicates that many species (CH3CN, C2H3CN, C2H5CN, CH3OH, etc.) have hot components that originate in a compact (~2'') region. Gas-phase chemical models cannot reproduce the high abundances of these molecules found in hot cores, and we suggest that they originate from processing and evaporation of icy grain mantle material. In addition, we report the first detection of vibrationally excited ethyl cyanide and the first detection of methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) outside the Galactic center.
A stratospheric “drain” over the maritime continent

Operational wind data are used to show that the time‐averaged mass flux near the tropopause is downward over the maritime continent (Indonesia) region during both summer and winter. The air descends within a layer above the convective level of neutral buoyancy (despite mean upward motion below and above this layer) and must rise through the mean tropopause elsewhere, contradicting the common view that the entry occurs over strongly‐convecting regions. Closing the energy budget in the sinking regions requires an energy sink; one possibility is that overshooting convective clouds are irreversibly injecting cold, heavy air at great heights.
A INFLUÊNCIA DAS REDES SOCIAIS VIRTUAIS NOS PROCESSOS DE RECRUTAMENTO E SELEÇÃO

Em uma sociedade globalizada e altamente conectada, a internet assume um importante papel no cotidiano das pessoas. Por sua vez, no ambiente empresarial, cada vez mais ela esta sendo utilizada para adquirir vantagens organizacionais. Neste contexto, o presente artigo traz um estudo sobre a influencia das redes sociais virtuais nos processos de recrutamento e selecao de pessoas sob a otica de profissionais da area. O artigo teve como objetivo verificar como as redes sociais virtuais podem colaborar para o recrutamento de um perfil adequado. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa de abordagem quantitativa com 18 profissionais de recursos humanos. Os resultados obtidos foram tabulados atraves de graficos, com auxilio do programa Excel, com a finalidade de apresenta-los de uma forma clara e de melhor compreensao. Sobre os resultados do estudo, pode-se identificar que a maioria dos gestores abordados costuma utilizar as redes sociais virtuais em alguma etapa dos processos de recrutamento e/ou selecao, os entrevistados tambem consideram que as redes sociais podem ser vistas, quando aliadas aos metodos tradicionais, como uma importante ferramenta de recrutamento e selecao que pode trazer resultados competitivos neste segmento para as organizacoes.
Arrhythmogenic mechanism of an LQT-3 mutation of the human heart Na(+) channel alpha-subunit: A computational analysis.

BACKGROUND D1790G, a mutation of SCN5A, the gene that encodes the human Na(+) channel alpha-subunit, is linked to 1 form of the congenital long-QT syndrome (LQT-3). In contrast to other LQT-3-linked SCN5A mutations, D1790G does not promote sustained Na(+) channel activity but instead alters the kinetics and voltage-dependence of the inactivated state. METHODS AND RESULTS We modeled the cardiac ventricular action potential (AP) using parameters and techniques described by Luo and Rudy as our control. On this background, we modified only the properties of the voltage-gated Na(+) channel according to our patch-clamp analysis of D1790G channels. Our results indicate that D1790G-induced changes in Na(+) channel activity prolong APs in a steeply heart rate-dependent manner not directly due to changes in Na(+) entry through mutant channels but instead to alterations in the balance of net plateau currents by modulation of calcium-sensitive exchange and ion channel currents. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the D1790G mutation of the Na(+) channel alpha-subunit can prolong the cardiac ventricular AP despite the absence of mutation-induced sustained Na(+) channel current. This prolongation is calcium-dependent, is enhanced at slow heart rates, and at sufficiently slow heart rate triggers arrhythmogenic early afterdepolarizations.
Essays on supply risk in global operations

YIMIN WANG: Essays On Supply Risk In Global Operations. (Under the direction of Brian Tomlin and Wendell Gilland) The prevalence of globalization has created significant operational risks in firms’ supply networks. It is, therefore, essential for firms to adopt effective risk management strategies to mitigate supply risks. Of the many operational challenges that globalization poses, this research focuses on the operational risk associated with emerging economies. These operational risks include, for example, leadtime risk, capacity risk, quality risk, intellectual property risk, political risk, regulatory risk, exchange risk, and so on. In this dissertation, we consider three of these risks, namely, leadtime risk, capacity risk, and regulatory trade barrier risk. In the first chapter, we examine the supplier random leadtime issue. In deciding when and how much to order, firms must consider lead time risk and demand risk, i.e., the accuracy of their demand forecast. We characterize a firm’s optimal timing and quantity policy. We prove that a firm’s optimal procurement time is independent of the demand forecast but that the optimal procurement quantity is not. In the second chapter, we examine the supplier random capacity issue. We relax the assumption that supplier reliability is exogenous and consider a case where a firm may have the opportunity to improve a supplier’s reliability. We characterize a firm’s optimal procurement policy for both its diversification strategy and its process improvement strategy. We prove that a firm’s procurement strategy is significantly influenced by the opportunity for process improvement. In the third chapter, we examine a firm’s sourcing strategy under regulatory trade barriers. We contrast four procurement strategies in their effectiveness to mitigate supply risk due to trade barriers.
Fast Bridging Fault Diagnosis using Logic Information

In this paper, we present a diagnosis methodology targeting the whole set of bridging faults leading to either static or dynamic faulty behavior. The adopted diagnosis algorithm resorts only to logic information provided by the tester without requiring a detailed description of the fault models. It is based on an Effect-Cause analysis providing a ranked list of suspects always including the root cause of the observed error. Experimental results on benchmarks ISCAS'89 and ITC '99 show the efficiency of the proposed solution in terms of diagnosis resolution and required computational time.
CHOLINE OR CDP-CHOLINE ALTERS SERUM LIPID RESPONSES TO ENDOTOXIN IN DOGS AND RATS: INVOLVEMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS

We showed previously that choline administration protects dogs from endotoxin-induced multiple organ injury and platelet dysfunctions. Because sepsis/endotoxemia is associated with alterations in lipid metabolism, we have investigated whether choline or cytidine-5&vprime;-diphosphate choline, a choline donor, alters serum lipid responses to endotoxin in dogs and rats. In response to endotoxin, serum concentrations of triglycerides, choline-containing phospholipids, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in a dose- and time-related manner. Administration of choline (20 mg/kg i.v. in dogs or 90 mg/kg i.p. in rats) or cytidine-5&vprime;-diphosphate choline (70 mg/kg i.v. in dogs) 5 min before and 4 and 8 h after endotoxin blocked or attenuated the increases in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acids. Endotoxin-induced elevations in serum phospholipid levels did not change in rats and were enhanced in dogs by choline. In rats, serum lipid response to endotoxin was accompanied by severalfold elevations in serum levels of hepatorenal injury markers; their elevations were also blocked by choline. Pretreatment with hexamethonium blocked choline's effects on serum lipids and hepatorenal injury markers. Pretreatment with atropine blocked endotoxin-induced elevations in serum lipid and hepatorenal injury markers, but failed to alter choline's actions on these parameters. Choline treatment improved survival rate of rats in lethal endotoxin shock. In conclusion, these data show that choline treatment alters serum lipid responses to endotoxin and prevents hepatorenal injury during endotoxemia through a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated mechanism. Hence, choline and choline-containing compounds may have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of endotoxemia/sepsis.
Epidemiological survey of risk factors and prevalence of cervical cancer in Andhra Pradesh, India

To evaluate the epidemiological survey and the prevalence of cervical cancer in Andhra Pradesh, India. The incidence of cervical cancer data were extracted from Medical Colleges and its associated hospitals from 2009 to 2012. Amongst all the surveyed cases (6,971) 29.5% are cervical cancer cases with 28.1% of stage I, II and 71.8% cases are in advanced stages. Among the suspected cases, Pap smear results indicated that the 27.3% of cases are adenocarcinoma in situ and following atypical squamous cell of undifferentiated significance. Majority surveyed patients use tobacco products (20.1%) followed by contraceptive pills (17.95%) and areca nut products (6.2%). In conclusion, cervical cancer was the second most leading cancer among the women in Andhra Pradesh and its occurrence is mainly due to the infection of human papilloma virus and then followed by bacterial and fungal infections and other risk factors respectively.
Sample size for cluster randomized trials: effect of coefficient of variation of cluster size and analysis method.

BACKGROUND Cluster randomized trials are increasingly popular. In many of these trials, cluster sizes are unequal. This can affect trial power, but standard sample size formulae for these trials ignore this. Previous studies addressing this issue have mostly focused on continuous outcomes or methods that are sometimes difficult to use in practice. METHODS We show how a simple formula can be used to judge the possible effect of unequal cluster sizes for various types of analyses and both continuous and binary outcomes. We explore the practical estimation of the coefficient of variation of cluster size required in this formula and demonstrate the formula's performance for a hypothetical but typical trial randomizing UK general practices. RESULTS The simple formula provides a good estimate of sample size requirements for trials analysed using cluster-level analyses weighting by cluster size and a conservative estimate for other types of analyses. For trials randomizing UK general practices the coefficient of variation of cluster size depends on variation in practice list size, variation in incidence or prevalence of the medical condition under examination, and practice and patient recruitment strategies, and for many trials is expected to be approximately 0.65. Individual-level analyses can be noticeably more efficient than some cluster-level analyses in this context. CONCLUSIONS When the coefficient of variation is <0.23, the effect of adjustment for variable cluster size on sample size is negligible. Most trials randomizing UK general practices and many other cluster randomized trials should account for variable cluster size in their sample size calculations.
Superficial white matter fiber systems impede detection of long-range cortical connections in diffusion MR tractography

Significance It is widely recognized that studying the detailed anatomy of the human brain is of great importance for neuroscience and medicine. The principal means for achieving this goal is presently diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tractography, which uses the local diffusion of water throughout the brain to estimate the course of long-range anatomical projections. Such projections connect gray matter regions through axons that travel in the deep white matter. The present study combines dMRI tractography with histological analysis to investigate where in the brain this method succeeds and fails. We conclude that certain superficial white matter systems pose challenges for measuring cortical connections that must be overcome for accurate determination of detailed neuroanatomy in humans. In vivo tractography based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) has opened new doors to study structure–function relationships in the human brain. Initially developed to map the trajectory of major white matter tracts, dMRI is used increasingly to infer long-range anatomical connections of the cortex. Because axonal projections originate and terminate in the gray matter but travel mainly through the deep white matter, the success of tractography hinges on the capacity to follow fibers across this transition. Here we demonstrate that the complex arrangement of white matter fibers residing just under the cortical sheet poses severe challenges for long-range tractography over roughly half of the brain. We investigate this issue by comparing dMRI from very-high-resolution ex vivo macaque brain specimens with histological analysis of the same tissue. Using probabilistic tracking from pure gray and white matter seeds, we found that ∼50% of the cortical surface was effectively inaccessible for long-range diffusion tracking because of dense white matter zones just beneath the infragranular layers of the cortex. Analysis of the corresponding myelin-stained sections revealed that these zones colocalized with dense and uniform sheets of axons running mostly parallel to the cortical surface, most often in sulcal regions but also in many gyral crowns. Tracer injection into the sulcal cortex demonstrated that at least some axonal fibers pass directly through these fiber systems. Current and future high-resolution dMRI studies of the human brain will need to develop methods to overcome the challenges posed by superficial white matter systems to determine long-range anatomical connections accurately.
Deletion of Glycine Decarboxylase in Arabidopsis Is Lethal under Nonphotorespiratory Conditions1[W][OA]

The mitochondrial multienzyme glycine decarboxylase (GDC) catalyzes the tetrahydrofolate-dependent catabolism of glycine to 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate and the side products NADH, CO2, and NH3. This reaction forms part of the photorespiratory cycle and contributes to one-carbon metabolism. While the important role of GDC for these two metabolic pathways is well established, the existence of bypassing reactions has also been suggested. Therefore, it is not clear to what extent GDC is obligatory for these processes. Here, we report on features of individual and combined T-DNA insertion mutants for one of the GDC subunits, P protein, which is encoded by two genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The individual knockout of either of these two genes does not significantly alter metabolism and photosynthetic performance indicating functional redundancy. In contrast, the double mutant does not develop beyond the cotyledon stage in air enriched with 0.9% CO2. Rosette leaves do not appear and the seedlings do not survive for longer than about 3 to 4 weeks under these nonphotorespiratory conditions. This feature distinguishes the GDC-lacking double mutant from all other known photorespiratory mutants and provides evidence for the nonreplaceable function of GDC in vital metabolic processes other than photorespiration.
Attributions about common bodily sensations: their associations with hypochondriasis and anxiety

Background. Causal attributions about bodily sensations may determine help-seeking and influence patients' demands for medical treatment. The present study aimed to differentiate the causal attributions associated with health-related and non-health-related anxiety. Methods. Anxious hypochondriacal, generally anxious, and non-anxious general practice attenders were compared on their propensity to give somatic, psychological or normalizing attributions for common bodily sensations, measured by number of each type of attribution in a given time period and the frequency of first response of each type. Results. The groups differed in all three types of attributions. Giving more psychological and fewer normalizing attributions was related to general anxiety whereas giving more somatic attributions was related specifically to hypochondriasis. Conclusions. Anxiety and hypochondriasis can be distinguished in terms of their associated patterns of attributions for bodily sensations, reinforcing the importance of attributional processes and interventions which use reattributional training.
Sex ratios of Mountain Plovers from egg production to fledging

Skewed sex ratios can have negative implications for population growth if they do not match a species’ life history. A skewed tertiary sex ratio has been detected in a population of Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus), a grassland shorebird experiencing population declines. To study the cause of the observed male skew, we examined three early life stages between egg and fledgling in eastern Colorado from 2010 to 2012. This allows us to distinguish between egg production and chick survival as an explanation for the observed skew. We examined the primary sex ratio in eggs produced and the secondary sex ratio in hatched chicks to see if the sex ratio bias occurs before hatching. We also determined the sex ratio at fledging to reveal sex-specific mortality of nestlings. The primary sex ratio was 1.01 (± 0.01) males per female. The secondary sex ratio consisted of 1.10 (± 0.02) males per female. The probability of a chick surviving to fledging differed between males (0.55 ± 0.13) and females (0.47 ± 0.15), but the precision of these survival estimates was low. Sex ratios in early life stages of the Mountain Plover do not explain the skewed sex ratio observed in adults in this breeding population. Sex-ratios de la production d'oeufs a l'envol chez le Pluvier montagnard RESUME. Des sex-ratios desequilibrees peuvent avoir des effets negatifs sur la croissance d'une population si elles sont trop eloignees de la biodemographie naturelle de l'espece. Une sex-ratio tertiaire desequilibree a ete detectee chez une population de Pluvier montagnard (Charadrius montanus), un oiseau de rivage qui se reproduit dans les prairies et dont les populations sont en baisse. Dans le but d'etudier la cause du desequilibre observe favorisant les mâles, nous avons examine trois stades precoces des oeufs a l'envol, dans l'est du Colorado de 2010 a 2012. Cet examen nous a permis d'etablir si la production d'oeufs ou la survie des jeunes pouvait expliquer la sex-ratio desequilibree. Nous avons examine la sex-ratio primaire des oeufs et la sex-ratio secondaire des poussins eclos afin de determiner si le desequilibre de la sex-ratio etait present avant l'eclosion. Nous avons aussi determine la sex-ratio des jeunes a l'envol pour obtenir la mortalite specifique au sexe des oisillons. La sex-ratio primaire s'elevait a 1,01 (± 0,01) mâle par femelle. La sex-ratio secondaire etait de 1,10 (± 0,02) mâle par femelle. La probabilite qu'un oisillon survive jusqu'a l'envol etait differente entre les mâles (0,55 ± 0,13) et les femelles (0,47 ± 0,15), mais la precision de ces estimations de survie etait faible. La sex-ratio observee aux stades precoces n'explique pas le desequilibre de la sex-ratio chez les adultes de cette population nicheuse de Pluvier montagnard.
Asthma and factory emissions in northern England: addressing public concern by combining geographical and epidemiological methods.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The prevalence of asthma was assessed to investigate respiratory health effects of airborne emissions from a factory. A geographical information system allowed flexible definition of study areas in terms of their size, distance, and location in relation to the factory. The value of the approach for this type of investigation is focussed on. SETTING--The factory is located in the south western part of a small market town in County Durham. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--A total of 1573 asthma cases were identified from general practitioner computerised repeat prescribing systems. Population denominators were defined from family health services authority patient registers. The area within 1 km and immediately to the north east of the factory had an age and sex standardised asthma prevalence 24% (confidence interval 4, 44%) in excess of the expected rate (p = 0.01). The increased prevalence was confined to middle aged and elderly adults living in the area between 0.5 and 1 km to the north east of the factory. CONCLUSIONS--The value of combining the skills of geographers and epidemiologists in addressing public health issues is shown, particularly through the use of geographical information systems which proved powerful and effective.