Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obstructive sleep apnoea-hypoapnoea syndrome reversibly depresses cardiac response to exercise.

AIMS To evaluate cardiac response to exercise in middle-aged normotensive obstructive sleep apnoea-hypoapnoea syndrome (OSAHS) adults with normal resting left ventricular systolic function and to test the hypothesis that nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy might improve cardiac performance during exercise. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial including 31 consecutive newly diagnosed OSAHS patients and 15 healthy subjects. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing with cardiac output measurement, blood pressure (BP) recordings, and urinary excretion of catecholamine levels were obtained at baseline and after 3 months on both effective and sham CPAP. OSAHS subjects had higher systolic and mean nocturnal BP and higher nocturnal levels of catecholamines. In contrast, they had lower increments in cardiac output (Qt) and in stroke volume (SV) in response to exercise than control subjects. CPAP therapy was associated with highly significant improvements in all the indices of left ventricular systolic performance response during exercise, whereas with sham CPAP, all of them remained unchanged. CONCLUSION OSAHS patients with normal resting left ventricular systolic function and no hypertension had a worse cardiac response to exercise than healthy subjects. In these patients, 3 months of CPAP improved both Qt and SV responses to exercise.
Project management-what is it?

The curriculum of this program was designed to teach the execution of mission-critical projects and to help students conquer the three project environments of people, processes and strategies. The 30-unit Master of Project Management is offered in a part-time evening format for working professionals. A 15-unit Graduate Certificate in Project Management is also offered and can be transferred into the degree at any time.
Synergies between critical success factors of Lean Six Sigma and public values

The purpose of this paper is to identify synergies between the relevant critical success factors (CSFs) of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and the public values (PVs) introduced into public service management. Firstly, the approach taken by authors in presenting research was to analyse recent literature review emphasizing on the relevant CSFs for LSS application and PVs introduced into public service management. Afterwards, a new analysis highlighting the synergies between these two approaches was performed. Based on the nine more relevant CSFs for LSS application and the seven PV dimensions, five significant synergies between the two approaches were identified in the recent literature. The presenting research should assist public managers of adopting the LSS practice, and guide researchers in the development of surveys aimed at the application of this methodology in public organisations in general, enabling a better quality of services provided to citizens.
Genetic Variation in the RNA Transcripts of Endogenous Virus Genes in Uninfected Chicken Cells

Uninfected cells from two different phenotypes of chicken embryos express significant amounts of endogenous viral information, though they do not produce virus particles. Cells of the phenotype gs+chf+ are positive for both group-specific (gs) antigens and chicken helper factor (chf) activity, whereas cells of a second phenotype, gsLchf+(hE), demonstrate noncoordinate expression of these two viral activities (very low amounts of gs antigens, but extremely high helper activity). RNA from these cells was analyzed to determine the size, genetic content, and relative abundance of virus-specific RNAs in cells of each phenotype. Two major size classes of polyadenylic acid-containing RNA, homologous to the avian leukosis virus genome, were detectable in cells of both types. The larger RNA, which contained most of the sequences of the leukosis virus genome, was of different sizes in the two phenotypes, 31S in gs+chf+ cells but 35S in the noncoordinate cell type. Analysis of the viral RNA with gene-specific complementary DNA probes revealed the following characteristics. (i) The 31S RNA appeared to lack portions of the gag and pol genes. (ii) A smaller RNA species, which sedimented at 21S in both cell types, was a transcript of the 3′-proximal portion of the viral genome, consisting of the env gene and the “common” sequences. (iii) The amount of env-specific RNA in the 21S region was more than six times higher in the noncoordinate cell type than in the gs+chf+ cells; this difference was concordant with the 5- to 10-fold higher chf activity in the noncoordinate cells. (iv) The endogenous viral RNA in uninfected cells and the RNA from Rous-associated virus-0 virions hybridized only partially with DNA complementary to the common region of the Rous-associated virus-2 genome, whereas the RNA of all exogenous viruses tested hybridized almost completely to this complementary DNA. Small amounts of src-specific polyadenylated RNA were also present in uninfected chicken cells. This RNA sedimented as a single peak at 26S and was not covalently linked to any other identifiable virus-specific RNA sequences. The amount of src RNA was the same in the above two types of expression-positive cells and also in cells that were gs−chf−, indicating that the transcription of the cellular sequences homologous to the src gene is independent of the transcription of the other endogenous viral genes.
The Medicare-HMO revolving door--the healthy go in and the sick go out.

BACKGROUND Enrollment in Medicare health maintenance organizations (HMOs) is encouraged because of the expectation that HMOs can help slow the growth of Medicare costs. However, Medicare HMOs, which are paid 95 percent of average yearly fee-for-service Medicare expenditures, are increasingly believed to benefit from the selective enrollment of healthier Medicare recipients. Furthermore, whether sicker patients are more likely to disenroll from Medicare HMOs, thus raising average fee-for-service costs, is not clear. METHODS We used Medicare enrollment and inpatient billing records for southern Florida from 1990 through 1993 to examine differences in the use of inpatient medical services by 375,406 beneficiaries in the Medicare fee-for-service system, 48,380 HMO enrollees before enrollment, and 23,870 HMO enrollees after disenrollment. We also determined whether these differences were related to demographic characteristics and whether the pattern of use after disenrollment persisted over time. RESULTS The rate of use of inpatient services in the HMO-enrollment group during the year before enrollment was 66 percent of the rate in the fee-for-service group, whereas the rate in the HMO-disenrollment group after disenrollment was 180 percent of that in the fee-for-service group. Beneficiaries who disenrolled from HMOs re-enrolled at about the time that their level of use dropped to that in the fee-for-service group. CONCLUSIONS These data show marked selection biases with respect to HMO enrollment and disenrollment. These biases undermine the effectiveness of the Medicare managed-care system and highlight the need for longitudinal and population-based studies.
Value & Growth Investing and PEAD in Brazil

This paper investigates whether stock picking considering post-earnings announcement drift (PEAD) together with financial statement analysis improve portfolio returns in the Brazilian market. The strategy implemented explores the PEAD anomaly (using SUE portfolios) and both F_Score (Piotroski, 2000) and G_Score (Mohanran, 2005) to build the investment portfolios. To proxy for earnings surprises we use the standardized unexpected earnings (SUE) criteria. Our analysis considers quarterly data from Brazilian listed firms from 2001 to 2011. Our results show that earnings surprise together with fundamental analysis can build portfolios with stronger returns potential considering long-only and long-short positions.
Molecular and biochemical characterizations of human oral lactobacilli as putative probiotic candidates.

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to characterize the lactobacilli from the human oral cavity as a potential source of probiotic strains. METHODS Samples were collected from four different locations within the oral cavity: surface of healthy tooth, oral mucous membrane, surface of tooth decay and deep tooth decay. On the basis of morphological and biochemical properties eight categories were formed and 26 isolates were selected for further characterization. The isolates were determined as Lactobacillus sp. using primers specific for 16S rDNA. Sequencing of 16S rDNA genes and repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reactions were used for determination to species and subspecies levels. RESULTS Predominant species were Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei, while Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus cellobiosus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus gasseri were also present. The isolates Lactobacillus salivarius BGHO1, Lactobacillus fermentum BGHO36 and BGHO64, Lactobacillus gasseri BGHO89 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis BGHO99 exhibited antagonistic action on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Micrococcus flavus, Salmonella enteritidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans, but not on growth of Candida albicans. Moreover, the isolates L. salivarius BGHO1 and L. gasseri BGHO89 were tolerant to low pH and high concentration of bile salts. CONCLUSION Taken together, these findings imply that L. salivarius BGHO1 and L. gasseri BGHO89 might be subjects for additional investigation as potential probiotic strains.
Laser phototherapy accelerates oral keratinocyte migration through the modulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway

Abstract. Keratinocytes play a central role in wound healing by responding to tissue injury through the activation of cellular proliferation and migration. Current clinical evidence suggests that the laser phototherapy (LPT) accelerates wound healing in a variety of oral diseases; however, the molecular mechanisms involved in response to LPT are not fully understood. Oral keratinocytes (NOK-SI) maintained under nutritional-deficit culture medium (2% fetal bovine serum) were irradiated with InGaAlP laser (660 nm; 40 mW; 0.04 cm2 spot size) in punctual and contact modes. The energy densities used were 4 and 20 J/cm2 corresponding to 4 and 20 s of exposure times and 0.16 and 0.8 J of energy per point, respectively. Three sessions of irradiations were applied with 6-h intervals. Further, the impact of LPT over cellular migration, proliferation, and activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, known to play a major role in epithelial migration and wound healing, was analyzed. Compared with control cells, the LPT-treated cells showed accelerated cellular migration without any changes in proliferation. Furthermore, LPT resulted in an increase in the phospho-S6 ribosomal protein, indicating activation of the mTOR signaling pathway. Collectively, these findings suggest that the LPT activates mTOR signaling pathway, promotes epithelial cell migration, and accelerates healing of oral mucosa.
Drinking to dampen affect variability: findings from a college student sample.

OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that individuals who are unable to effectively regulate emotional reactivity, which we operationalized as variability in self-reported affect throughout the day, would use alcohol more frequently and would report higher levels of drinking to cope. Further, we hypothesized that affect variation would be a stronger predictor of alcohol use or drinking to cope than level of negative affect. METHOD A total of 86 college-age students (53% female, 77% White) participated in an intensive longitudinal study for 28 days. Participants reported positive and negative affect thrice daily and reported alcohol use once daily. Participant coping motives were assessed at study initiation. RESULTS Affect variability predicted increased drinking frequency and higher levels of self-reported drinking to cope. Mean level of negative affect was not related to an increased probability of drinking, nor was it related to self-reported drinking to cope. Both individual differences in affect variation and intra-individual daily fluctuations in affect were associated with an increased likelihood of drinking. CONCLUSIONS Our results imply that individuals with higher-than-average levels of affect variation are at risk for high levels of alcohol involvement and that people are more likely to drink on days characterized by higher-than-normal levels of fluctuation in affect. Future studies on self-medication should consider negative affect variability in addition to-or instead of-level of negative affect.
The digital distribution of music and its impact on the business models of independent musicians

ABSTRACT This article analyses the impact of digital distribution of music on business models developed by independent musicians. More specifically, it aims to analyse the main changes in the network of relationships between musicians and record companies, and between musicians and consumers; and to analyse how independent musicians’ business models have been evolving as a response to increasing change in the distribution of music. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with independent musicians, music journalists, and small independent record labels. The article discusses empirically the main results regarding changes in the network of relationships under study and analyses the evolution of business models, concluding that independent musicians follow a diversification strategy, aiming to capture the business opportunities provided by technological changes in the distribution of music. The implications of such an option, including its main challenges, are discussed.
A Novel Cartilage Protein (CILP) Present in the Mid-zone of Human Articular Cartilage Increases with Age*

A novel, somewhat basic noncollagenous protein was purified from guanidine hydrochloride extracts of human articular cartilage using cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation, followed by ion-exchange chromatography at pH 5, and gel filtration on two serially coupled columns of Superose 6 and Superdex 200. The protein of 91.5 kDa contains a single polypeptide chain substituted with N-linked oligosaccharides. It appeared unique to cartilage as studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblots of various tissue extracts. Its concentration in articular cartilages showed some variability with age being lower in young individuals. It represents a chondrocyte product, since it is synthesized by articular chondrocytes in explant cultures. Interestingly, the distribution of the protein in the articular cartilage provides important information on the nature of chondrocytes at different compartments in the tissue. Thus, chondrocytes in the middle/deeper layers of the tissue in particular, appeared to have produced the protein and deposited it in the interterritorial matrix. The protein was neither seen in the superficial nor in the deepest regions of the articular cartilage. Based on its immunolocalization we have named this protein CILP (cartilage intermediate layer protein).
Anatomical and neurobehavioral investigations concerning the thalamo‐cortical organization of the rat's visual system

The organization of thalamic afferents to the rat's visual cortex was investigated autoradiographically and through the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) following injections into striate and peristriate cortex. The results revealed that Nucleus lateralis posterior (NLP) projects to a large peristriate cortical field that includes areas 18A, 7, and the anterior portion of area 18, and to a circumscribed temporal area corresponding to Krieg's ('46a,b) area 20. The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) was shown to project to two spatially discontinuous cortical areas. The largest geniculate receiving area is partially coextensive with Krieg's area 17, but an extension of this projection posterior and medial to the striate cortex was found. In addition, a geniculate projection to a restricted field located in the lateral peristriate cortex was identified.
Expression patterns of cancer stem cell markers ALDH1 and CD133 correlate with a high risk of malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia

Molecular markers for predicting oral cancer development in premalignant oral leukoplakia (OL) are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to examine the expression patterns of cancer stem cell markers ALDH1 and CD133 in samples from patients with OL, and determine their prognostic values for subsequent development of oral cancer. Immunohistochemistry for ALDH1 and CD133 was performed in samples from a cohort of 141 patients with biopsy‐proven OL who received a mean follow‐up of 5.5 years. Patient clinicopathologic and follow‐up data were analyzed. Expression of ALDH1 and CD133 was observed in 54 (38.3%) and 32 (22.7%) of 141 patients with OL, respectively. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that 48.1% patients with ALDH1‐positivity developed oral cancer compared with 12.6% those with ALDH1‐negativity (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, 59.4% patients with CD133‐positivity developed oral cancer compared with 16.5% those with CD133‐negativity (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that ALDH1 and CD133 expression was associated with 4.17‐fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.96–8.90; p < 0.001] and 2.86‐fold (95% CI, 1.48‐5.55; p = 0.002) increased risk of OL transformation, respectively. Collectively, these data demonstrated for the first time that the expression of ALDH1 and CD133 correlated with malignant transformation in a large series of patients with OL who received a long‐term follow‐up, which suggests that they may serve as predictors to identify OL with a high risk of oral cancer development.
Single Image Super-Resolution via Adaptive Transform-Based Nonlocal Self-Similarity Modeling and Learning-Based Gradient Regularization

Single image super-resolution (SISR) is a challenging work, which aims to recover the missing information in an observed low-resolution (LR) image and generate the corresponding high-resolution (HR) version. As the SISR problem is severely ill-conditioned, effective prior knowledge of HR images is necessary to well pose the HR estimation. In this paper, an effective SISR method is proposed via the local structure-adaptive transform-based nonlocal self-similarity modeling and learning-based gradient regularization (LSNSGR). The LSNSGR exploits both the natural and learned priors of HR images, thus integrating the merits of conventional reconstruction-based and learning-based SISR algorithms. More specifically, on the one hand, we characterize nonlocal self-similarity prior (natural prior) in transform domain by using the designed local structure-adaptive transform; on the other hand, the gradient prior (learned prior) is learned via the jointly optimized regression model. The former prior is effective in suppressing visual artifacts, while the latter performs well in recovering sharp edges and fine structures. By incorporating the two complementary priors into the maximum a posteriori-based reconstruction framework, we optimize a hybrid L1- and L2-regularized minimization problem to achieve an estimation of the desired HR image. Extensive experimental results suggest that the proposed LSNSGR produces better HR estimations than many state-of-the-art works in terms of both perceptual and quantitative evaluations.
Challenging cisgenderism in the ageing and aged care sector: Meeting the needs of older people of trans and/or non‐binary experience

Recent Australian legislative and policy changes can benefit people of trans and/or non‐binary experience (e.g. men assigned female with stereotypically ‘female’ bodies, women assigned male with stereotypically ‘male’ bodies, and people who identify as genderqueer, agender [having no gender], bi‐gender [having two genders] or another gender option). These populations often experience cisgenderism, which previous research defined as ‘the ideology that invalidates people's own understanding of their genders and bodies’ [1–6]. Some documented forms of cisgenderism include pathologising (treating people's genders and bodies as disordered) and misgendering (disregarding people's own understanding and classifications of their genders and bodies) [1,2,7]. This system of classifying people's lived experiences of gender and body invalidation is called the cisgenderism framework [3,7]. Applying the cisgenderism framework in the ageing and aged care sector can enhance service providers' ability to meet the needs of older people of trans and/or non‐binary experience.
Nudging the Poor and the Rich - A Field Study on the Distributional Effects of Green Electricity Defaults

Choice defaults are an increasingly popular public policy tool. Yet there is little knowledge of the distributional consequences of such nudges for different groups in society. We report results from an elicitation study in the residential electricity market in Switzerland in which we contrast consumers’ actual contract choices under an existing default regime with the same consumers' active choices in a survey presenting the same choice-set without any default. We find that the default is successful at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, but it leads poorer households to pay more for their electricity consumption than they would want to, while leaving a significant willingness to pay for green electricity by richer households untapped.
Swarming: Flexible Roaming Plans

ABSTRACT Movement over an agar surface via swarming motility is subject to formidable challenges not encountered during swimming. Bacteria display a great deal of flexibility in coping with these challenges, which include attracting water to the surface, overcoming frictional forces, and reducing surface tension. Bacteria that swarm on “hard” agar surfaces (robust swarmers) display a hyperflagellated and hyperelongated morphology. Bacteria requiring a “softer” agar surface (temperate swarmers) do not exhibit such a dramatic morphology. For polarly flagellated robust swarmers, there is good evidence that restriction of flagellar rotation somehow signals the induction of a large number of lateral flagella, but this scenario is apparently not relevant to temperate swarmers. Swarming bacteria can be further subdivided by their requirement for multiple stators (Mot proteins) or a stator-associated protein (FliL), secretion of essential polysaccharides, cell density-dependent gene regulation including surfactant synthesis, a functional chemotaxis signaling pathway, appropriate cyclic (c)-di-GMP levels, induction of virulence determinants, and various nutritional requirements such as iron limitation or nitrate availability. Swarming strategies are as diverse as the bacteria that utilize them. The strength of these numerous designs stems from the vantage point they offer for understanding mechanisms for effective colonization of surface niches, acquisition of pathogenic potential, and identification of environmental signals that regulate swarming. The signature swirling and streaming motion within a swarm is an interesting phenomenon in and of itself, an emergent behavior with properties similar to flocking behavior in diverse systems, including birds and fish, providing a convenient new avenue for modeling such behavior.