Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lithogenic diet and gallstone formation in mice: integrated response of activities of regulatory enzymes in hepatic cholesterol metabolism

Supersaturation of bile with cholesterol is a prerequisite of the development of gallstones. With the intention to study the integrated response of enzymes regulating hepatic cholesterol metabolism during gallstone formation we used an established model for the induction of cholesterol gallstone disease in mice. Ten mice were fed on a lithogenic diet containing 10 g cholesterol/kg and 5 g cholic acid/kg for 8 weeks and were compared with ten mice fed on a standard pellet diet. Cholesterol crystals or gallstones developed in 90% of gallbladders in treated mice. The lithogenic diet had an inhibitory effect on the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase (EC 1.1.1.88) activity, 39·6 (SEM 2·8) v. 171·0 (SEM 47·3) pmol/min per mg protein. Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.17) activity, regulating bile acid synthesis, was decreased by 80%, and this was assumed to be due to cholic acid in the diet. The cholesterol-enriched diet also induced a tenfold increase in cholesterol esterification rate in the liver, i.e. acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT; EC 2.3.1.26) activity. The total, as well as esterified, cholesterol contents of liver homogenates were significantly higher in cholesterol- and cholic acid-treated mice and correlated well with the ACAT activity (rs 0·72 (P < 0·005), and rs 0·68 (P < 0·01) respectively). A significantly higher ACAT activity was obtained in mice given cholesterol and cholic acid even when the enzyme was saturated with exogenous cholesterol, thus indicating an increased amount of the enzyme. The formation of gallstones is dependent on a delicate balance between lithogenic factors (increased absorption of cholesterol and reduced secretion of bile acids) and defence mechanisms (decreased synthesis and increased esterification of cholesterol). In the specific animal model studied here the two defence mechanisms cannot compensate for the increased absorption of cholesterol and the reduced synthesis of bile acids.
Toward Post-Heroic Warfare

Only one thing could possibly link the protracted warfare in the former Yugoslavia, the destruction of Grozny, and the recent border fighting between Ecuador and Peru. Once more, as in centuries past, wars are rather easily started and then fought without perceptible restraint. When belligerents see that no particular penalty is paid for opening fire first or using any and all means of warfare? even the wholesale destruction of cities by aerial or artillery bombardment? self-imposed restraints on the use of force are everywhere eroded. The border fighting between Ecuador and Peru had only just begun when tactical bombing was employed, as if it were no more conse quential than one more infantry skirmish. This new season of war is upon us as one more consequence of the passing of the Cold War. The latter induced or intensified a number of hot wars in the contested zones between each camp as each super power provided allies and clients with weapons and expertise far beyond their own capacities. Thus the Middle East especially became something of a preferred battleground by proxy. At the same time, however, the fear that escalation could eventu ally reach the nuclear level inhibited any direct combat whatsoever by the superpowers themselves in Europe or anywhere else, even on the
THE NONLINEAR NATURE OF COUNTRY RISK AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR DSGE MODELS

Country risk premia can substantially affect macroeconomic dynamics. We concentrate on one of their most important determinants—a country’s net foreign asset (NFA) position and—in contrast to the existing research—investigate its nonlinear link to risk premia. The importance of this particular nonlinearity is two-fold. First, it allows to identify the NFA level above which the elasticity becomes much (possibly dangerously) higher. Second, such a nonlinear relationship is a standard ingredient of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models, but its proper calibration/estimation is missing. Our estimation shows that indeed the link is highly nonlinear and helps to identify the NFA position where the nonlinearity kicks in at approximately −70% to −75% of GDP. We also provide a proper calibration of the risk premium—NFA relationship which can be used in DSGE models and demonstrate that its slope matters significantly for economic dynamics in such a model.
Contaminated Interaction: Another Barrier to Circular Material Flows

Contamination poses a significant problem to the circular economy (CE), which derives much of its value from maintaining pure material flows. The aim of this article is to frame contaminated interaction among other forms of contamination and investigate its effects on the CE. The research is based on a review of the contamination literature and case studies. We differentiate between three types of contamination influencing circular material flows: technical, which deals with fitness for use; systemic, which deals with efficiency in processing; and interaction, which deals with user‐object interaction and decision making. Our focus is on developing a foundational understanding of contaminated interaction and how it influences circular processes. Through multiple examples, contaminated interaction is shown to create three barriers to the CE: downcycling, disposal, and hindered circulation. Among other proposals to address contaminated interaction, the research calls for the development of experientially transferrable design—products that can move between users and uses without negative consequences.
Responses of the rat lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) to vagal efferent activation

Nitric oxide (NO) is a major candidate in vagal‐induced LOS relaxation. Vagal adrenergic fibres also innervate the gastrointestinal tract including the LOS. This study investigates the role of these two and other mechanisms in LOS responses to vagal activation in the rat, and provides functional and anatomical evidence for a smooth muscle LOS in this species. LOS, gastric and oesophageal pressures were measured in urethane anaesthetized rats during vagal stimulation. The LOS pressure (LOSP) response to vagal stimulation (5 mA, 10 Hz, 0.5 msec pulses, 5 sec) comprised three consecutive stages: (1) brief reduction of LOSP, (2) transient increase of LOSP and (3) prolonged reduction of LOSP. The influences of additive treatment with several antagonist drugs on the LOS response to vagal stimulation were investigated. L‐NAME (100 mg kg−1) reduced stage 1 and increased stage 2. Subsequent treatment with either phentolamine (1 mg kg−1) or prazosin (200 μg kg−1) abolished stage 1. After phentolamine, atropine treatment (400 μg kg−1) abolished stage 2. Stage 3 was evident throughout experiments. In five additional studies, treatment with hexamethonium (30 mg kg−1) abolished stages 2 and 3 leaving stage 1, which was later abolished by phentolamine or atropine. In the LOS response to vagal stimulation, the following major mechanisms are therefore evident: nicotinic transmission in both excitation and inhibition, alpha‐adrenergic and NO‐mediated inhibition, muscarinic excitation, and non‐adrenergic, non‐NO inhibition (not characterized further). Characteristics of these different neurotransmitter influences may be important in LOS relaxation associated with swallowing and gastro‐oesophageal reflux.
STAT1 Is Inactivated by a Caspase*

Apoptosis involves the activation of a cascade of interleukin-1β converting enzyme-like proteases (caspases), a group of cysteine proteases related to the prototype interleukin-1β-converting enzyme (caspase-1). These proteases cleave specific intracellular targets such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, DNA-dependent protein kinase, and nuclear lamins. We show here that apoptosis can be induced by double-stranded RNA. The induction of apoptosis by double-stranded RNA and other agents leads to the cleavage by a caspase of the signal transducer and activator of transcription factor, STAT1 which is pivotal in the signal transduction pathways of the interferons and many other cytokines and growth factors. The product of this cleavage is no longer able to mediate interferon-activated signal transduction and the cleavage event may play a role in regulating the apoptosis response itself.
Correlation of peripheral venous pressure and central venous pressure in surgical patients.

OBJECTIVE To determine the degree of agreement between central venous pressure (CVP) and peripheral venous pressure (PVP) in surgical patients. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING University hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients without cardiac dysfunction undergoing major elective noncardiac surgery (n = 150). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Simultaneous CVP and PVP measurements were obtained at random points in mechanically ventilated patients during surgery (n = 100) and in spontaneously ventilating patients in the postanesthesia care unit (n = 50). In a subset of 10 intraoperative patients, measurements were made before and after a 2-L fluid challenge. During surgery, PVP correlated highly to CVP (r = 0.86), and the bias (mean difference between CVP and PVP) was -1.6 +/- 1.7 mmHg (mean +/- SD). In the postanesthesia care unit, PVP also correlated highly to CVP (r = 0.88), and the bias was -2.2 +/- 1.9 (mean +/- SD). When adjusted by the average bias of -2, PVP predicted the observed CVP to within +/-3 mmHg in both populations of patients with 95% probability. In patients receiving a fluid challenge, PVP and CVP increased similarly from 6 +/- 2 to 11 +/- 2 mmHg and 4 +/- 2 to 9 +/- 2 mmHg. CONCLUSION Under the conditions of this study, PVP showed a consistent and high degree of agreement with CVP in the perioperative period in patients without significant cardiac dysfunction. PVP -2 was useful in predicting CVP over common clinical ranges of CVP. PVP is a rapid noninvasive tool to estimate volume status in surgical patients.
Extending “Continuity of Care” to include the Contribution of Family Carers

Background: Family carers, as a “shadow workforce”, are foundational to the day-to-day integration of health service delivery for older family members living with complex health needs. This paper utilises Haggerty’s model of continuity of care to explore the contribution of family carers’ to the provision of care and support for an older family member’s chronic condition within the context of health service delivery. Methods: We analysed data from interviews of 13 family carers in a case study of primary health care in New Zealand – a Maori Provider Organisation – to determine the alignment of family caregiving with the three levels of continuity of care (relational continuity, informational continuity, and management continuity). Results: We found alignment of family caregiving tasks, responsibilities, and relationships with the three levels of continuity of care. Family carers 1) partnered with providers to extend chronic care to the home; 2) transferred and contributed information from one provider/service to another; 3) supported consistent and flexible management of care. Discussion: The Maori Provider Organisation supported family carer-provider partnership enabled by shared Maori cultural values and social mandate of building family-centred wellbeing. Relational continuity was the most important level of continuity of care; it sets precedence for family carers and providers to establish the other levels – informational and management – continuity of care for their family member cared for. Family carers need to be considered as active partners working alongside responsive primary health care providers and organisation in the implementation of chronic care.
Genetic divergence between the sympatric queen morphs of the ant Myrmica rubra

Pairs of obligate social parasites and their hosts, where some of the parasites have recently diverged from their host through intraspecific social parasitism, provide intriguing systems for studying the modes and processes of speciation. Such speciation, probably in sympatry, has also been propounded in the ant Myrmica rubra and its intraspecific social parasite. In this species, parasitism is associated with queen size dimorphism, and the small microgyne has become a social parasite of the large macrogyne. Here, we investigated the genetic divergence of the host and the parasite queen morphs in 11 localities in southern Finland, using nuclear and mitochondrial markers of queens and workers. We formulated and tested four speciation‐related hypotheses that differed in the degree of genetic divergence between the morphs. The queen morphs were genetically distinct from each other with little hybridization. In the nuclear data, when localities were nested within queen morphs in the hierarchical amova, 39% of the genetic variation was explained by the queen morph (standardized F'CT = 0.63, uncorrected FCT = 0.39), whereas 18% was explained by the locality (F'SC = 0.39, FSC = 0.29). This result corroborated the hypothesis of advanced sympatric speciation. In contrast, the mitochondrial DNA could not settle between the hierarchical levels of locality and queen morph, thus substantiating equally the hypotheses of incipient and advanced sympatric speciation. Together, our results support the view that the microgynous parasite has genetically diverged from its macrogynous host to the level of a nascent species.
[Chronic complex tinnitus: therapeutic results of inpatient treatment in a tinnitus clinic].

BACKGROUND In-patient treatment of patients with chronic tinnitus is necessary only when these patients have a severe psychosomatic co-morbidity and suffer severely. However this therapeutic approach has to be supervised and evaluated properly. METHODS We present data and results of 1841 patients suffering from chronic tinnitus. Due to the severity of the symptom and psycho-neurotic side effects in-patient treatment was necessary. Therapy lasted 5 - 6 weeks, the main aspect was an intensive psychotherapeutic evaluation and stabilisation next to retraining and habituation programmes. Relaxation techniques were taught. Patients suffered from their tinnitus more than six month; 95 % further suffered from hearing-loss, mainly in high frequencies. The study evaluates results of patients from October 1994 until June 2000. Basis of the study was the evaluation of a specific tinnitus-questionnaire (TQ), published by Hallam in the UK and translated by Goebel and Hiller in Germany. Data was recorded at registration in our clinic, 4 - 6 months later during admission and at the end of the therapy. Final data was gained during a special meeting or questioning 6 months after dismissal from the clinic. RESULTS Patients that suffered most showed the greatest improvement; directly after therapy there was a highly significant improvement in the TQ for an average of 13.01 points. Highly significant improvements were found in all the TQ-subscales respectively. Only 10 % of the patients did not show any improvement at all. CONCLUSION Therapy of most severe cases of chronic tinnitus is possible, using an integrated concept of otologic and psychosomatic treatments. With large numbers of patients and sufficient data a thorough and necessary evaluation of this therapy can be achieved.
Long-wavelength erbium-doped fiber amplifier gain enhanced by ASE end-reflectors

We use for what we believe is the first time narrow-band end-reflectors to reduce losses through short-wavelength amplified stimulated emission (ASE) in silica-based erbium-doped fiber amplifiers operating at wavelengths above 1570 mm. The end-reflectors feed a small fraction of the ASE, up to a few tenths of a milliwatt, back into the amplifying fiber. The reflected ASE compresses the short-wavelength gain and thus reduces the ASE-losses, from, e,g. , 50 mW for a launched pump power of 110 mW at 980 nm without end-reflector to 10 mW with an optimized end-reflector. We investigate possible improvements of gain (around 5 dB) and output power (up to 17 mW), and the influence of the amount and wavelength of the feedback.
Automatic prediction of stock price direction based on multivariate time series and machine learning

The aim of this study is to predict the direction of the next closing price of Volkswagen AG. The study also concludes whether the stock price of Volkswagen, relies on the prices of crude oil as well as EUR/USD exchange rate. Therefore, a multivariate time series is used to form feature vectors that consist of the historical values of the same stock, prices of crude oil and prices of EUR/USD exchange rate. The direction of the next closing price of Volkswagen is predicted by comparing the performance of three supervised machine learning techniques namely, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ). The study is focused on cross-validation of the three machine learning techniques to get the best performance from each technique. In the related works, a number of machine learning techniques are studied using different stock markets. Therefore, to the best of my knowledge, the approach of comparing SVM, ANN and LVQ for the prediction of the direction of a stock price has never been investigated. The system is designed to read three historical prices data and apply the data to a Rate of Change indicator to standardize the prices. The data is used by the three machine learning techniques to train a model and generate predicted labels as output. The predicted labels are applied to a simple back testing strategy that illustrate the profit or loss after five years. The predicted labels determine the direction of the closing price of the next day. This is useful to calculate the hit rate and performance of the techniques. Also, this will help investors decide whether to buy, sell or hold to their investments. The results conclude that ANN algorithm outperformed SVM and LVQ in regards to the performance of the machine learning technique, as the former achieved the highest hit rate of 52.24% during training of the model. The back testing results show that SVM, leads to the highest profit when using the simple trading strategy created.
Do bacterial and fungal communities assemble differently during primary succession?

High‐throughput sequencing technologies are now allowing us to study patterns of community assembly for diverse microbial assemblages across environmental gradients and during succession. Here we discuss potential explanations for similarities and differences in bacterial and fungal community assembly patterns along a soil chronosequence in the foreland of a receding glacier. Although the data are not entirely conclusive, they do indicate that successional trajectories for bacteria and fungi may be quite different. Recent empirical and theoretical studies indicate that smaller microbes (like most bacteria) are less likely to be dispersal limited than are larger microbes – which could result in a more deterministic community assembly pattern for bacteria during primary succession. Many bacteria are also better adapted (than are fungi) to life in barren, early‐successional sediments in that some can fix nitrogen and carbon from the atmosphere – traits not possessed by any fungi. Other differences between bacteria and fungi are discussed, but it is apparent from this and other recent studies of microbial succession that we are a long way from understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of microbial community assembly during ecosystem succession. We especially need a better understanding of global and regional patterns of microbial dispersal and what environmental factors control the development of microbial communities in complex natural systems.
Exploring industry level capabilities in the U.K. creative industries

ABSTRACT The competitive dynamics of the U.K.'s creative industries has changed considerably over the past decade and perhaps none more so than in the publishing industry. There is no doubt that this industry continues to undergo structural changes that compel firms to adapt and transform their business in response to the dynamic nature of competitive environment. Industries have long been examined by researchers from a strategic perspective with various themes of inquiry relating to: industry structure and positioning, industry evolution and development, industry lifecycle, industry change and industry consolidation. This paper argues that ‘industry analysis' could usefully draw on Dynamic Capabilities Theory which argues for the strategic adaptation and reconfiguration of firm resources and capabilities in order to address a rapidly changing competitive environment. This paper will present empirical findings from a comparative time-series analysis (1997–2014) of the U.K. publishing industry and compare it to other industries categorised within the U.K.'s creative industries. In doing so, this analysis will add to the limited knowledge base on industry level dynamic capabilities and extend our knowledge on inter-industry comparisons in performance following the reconfiguration of industry resources.
Cyclic alternating pattern in polysomnography: what is it and what does it mean?

Purpose of review The relevance of sleep instability is poorly appreciated among the metrics of sleep physiology. The cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) is a periodic electroencephalogram activity of non-REM sleep, characterized by sequences of transient electrocortical events that are distinct from the tonic background and recur at up to 1-min intervals. In the dynamic organization of sleep, CAP expresses a condition of instability that reflects the brain's effort in preserving and regulating the physiological structure of sleep. Recent findings CAP quantification is a topical feature in the evaluation of sleep quality. In addition to duration, depth, and continuity, sleep restorative properties depend on the brain's capacity to determine the periods of sustained stable sleep. This issue is not confined only to the electroencephalogram activities but reverberates upon the ongoing autonomic and behavioral functions, which are mutually entrained in a synchronized oscillation. As a master clock involved in the dynamic organization of sleep, CAP plays a crucial role in numerous sleep disorders and is powerfully influenced by medication and appropriate treatment. Summary This article reviews the scoring, significance, and clinical applications of CAP.
The Predominance of the Environment over Genes in Cancer Causation: Implications for Genetic Epidemiology

It has generally been accepted that most cancers result from the combined effects of environmental factors and inherited susceptibilities and that only few cancers are ‘‘solely’’ of genetic origin (1, 2). Yet, the current strategies for identifying genetic risk factors for common cancers are still almost entirely based on the premise that there are two forms of the disease, one that is genetic and the other that is not. The importance of the environment in cancer causation has implications for both gene discovery and gene characterization that may not have sufficiently been appreciated or emphasized in genetic epidemiology.