Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity at chromosomal location 18q: prospective evaluation of biomarkers for stages II and III colon cancer--a study of CALGB 9581 and 89803.

PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops as a result of a series of accumulated genomic changes that produce oncogene activation and tumor suppressor gene loss. These characteristics may classify CRC into subsets of distinct clinical behaviors. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied two of these genomic defects-mismatch repair deficiency (MMR-D) and loss of heterozygosity at chromosomal location 18q (18qLOH)-in patients enrolled onto two phase III cooperative group trials for treatment of potentially curable colon cancer. These trials included prospective secondary analyses to determine the relationship between these markers and treatment outcome. A total of 1,852 patients were tested for MMR status and 955 (excluding patients with MMR-D tumors) for 18qLOH. RESULTS Compared with stage III, more stage II tumors were MMR-D (21.3% v 14.4%; P < .001) and were intact at 18q (24.2% v 15.1%; P = .001). For the combined cohort, patients with MMR-D tumors had better 5-year disease-free survival (DFS; 0.76 v 0.67; P < .001) and overall survival (OS; 0.81 v 0.78; P = .029) than those with MMR intact (MMR-I) tumors. Among patients with MMR-I tumors, the status of 18q did not affect outcome, with 5-year values for patients with 18q intact versus 18qLOH tumors of 0.74 versus 0.65 (P = .18) for DFS and 0.81 versus 0.77 (P = .18) for OS. CONCLUSION We conclude that MMR-D tumor status, but not the presence of 18qLOH, has prognostic value for stages II and III colon cancer.
Incidence and outcome of polymicrobial ventilator-associated pneumonia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To determine the epidemiology and outcome of polymicrobial ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). SETTING Two ICUs (18 and 17 beds) in a university hospital. DESIGN AND PATIENTS We undertook a 16-month study of 124 patients in whom a first episode of VAP had been diagnosed. Patients in whom there was a suspicion of clinical or radiologic VAP underwent bronchoscopy, and VAP was confirmed by the presence of at least two of the following criteria: > or = 2% of cells with intracellular bacteria found on direct examination of BAL fluid (BALF); protected-specimen brush sample culture with > or = 10(3) cfu/mL; or BALF culture with > or = 10(4) cfu/mL. RESULTS Monomicrobial infections were diagnosed in 65 patients (52%), and polymicrobial infections were diagnosed in 59 patients (48%). Two different bacteria were isolated in 42 patients (34%), three different bacteria were isolated in 10 patients (8%), and four different bacteria were isolated in 7 patients (6%). Patients' clinical characteristics at ICU admission and on the day of bronchoscopy were similar, particularly the prior duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), the type of ICU admission, disease severity scores, and antibiotic therapy received before VAP was diagnosed. The percentages of nonfermenting, Gram-negative bacilli and methicillin-resistant staphylococci involved in monomicrobial and polymicrobial episodes were similar. Furthermore, no significant difference was detected in outcome parameters, specifically in the mortality rate at 30 days, the ICU mortality rate, the duration of MV, and the rate of infection relapse. CONCLUSION In our study population, the epidemiology and outcomes of patients with monomicrobial and polymicrobial VAP did not differ significantly.
Significant Predictors of Complications After Sternal Wound Reconstruction: A 21-Year Experience

BackgroundWe sought to identify patient comorbidities that predict complications after tissue flap sternal reconstruction. MethodsA retrospective study, December 1989 to December 2010, analyzed numerous comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure (CHF), and renal insufficiency, as independent risk factors for postoperative complications. Pearson &khgr;2 test, Fisher exact test, 2-sample t test, and median-unbiased estimation were used for data analysis. Significance was P ⩽ 0.05. ResultsIn all, 106 patients received 161 sternal tissue flap repairs. Nineteen patients (18%) required reoperation because of complications, including recurrent wound infection, tissue necrosis, wound dehiscence, mediastinitis, and hematoma formation. Our analysis found DM, HTN, and CHF as significant predictors of complications after sternal reconstruction (P = 0.014, 0.012, and 0.006). ConclusionsResults suggest DM, HTN, and CHF may contribute to complications after tissue flap repair of sternal wounds, possibly through impaired perfusion and healing of repairs.
The development of strategic HRM: reflections on a 30-year journey

ABSTRACT Approximately 30 years since my paper with Peter Dowling on ‘Human Resource Management and the Industrial Relations Tradition’ was published in Labour and Industry, this paper reflects on how the academic literature on Human Resource Management (HRM), particularly strategic HRM, has developed. Starting with a reprise of the claims in the original article, it offers an overview of the state of the field and concludes that there is a mixed report card for the last 30 years. There is clearly a need to more carefully theorise the economic motives of the firm and to understand the history and variety of employer behaviour in its diverse context. Hard work continues to be required in integrating theories from different disciplines and academics need to be open to research methods beyond their own personal preference. However, strategic HRM has become a more balanced subject, which embraces both sides of the employment relationship: employee well-being and organisational performance. While improving the rigour of our research methods is going to be important in the next 30 years, research in strategic HRM should also focus on making a better contribution to societal debates about the opportunities and problems of employment relations.
Transition in-and-out of exporting and its impact on employment growth

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how different strategic choices related to the transitions in-and-out of exporting (export entry, export persistence, export exit) impact employment growth in Romanian small- and medium-sized businesses. Design/methodology/approach Using linear regression models on a sample of 566 Romanian SMEs, The authors model employment growth as a function of three different dimensions of foreign market participation: export entry, persistence and exit. Findings Results indicate that exporting is positively associated with employment growth. The findings reveal that the different strategic choices linked to exporting have a differentiating impact on employment growth: while employment growth is more pronounced among new exporters which points to the presence of an impulse effect of exporting, businesses that interrupt their exporting activities report employment losses. Research limitations/implications This study underlines the relevance of distinguishing the specific impact of the different export behaviours related to the transitions in-and-out of exporting. Practical implications The results of the study fuel the debate on the relevance of promoting policies that encourage exporting among small businesses operating in emerging economies. Originality/value This study presents an original analysis of the distinctive effect that different forms of export behaviour related to the transitions in-and-out of exporting have on employment growth. The relevance of this study not only flows from the particular empirical design that simultaneously evaluates different export choices and their specific impact on employment growth.
The Exposed N-Terminal Tail of the D1 Subunit Is Required for Rapid D1 Degradation during Photosystem II Repair in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803[W]

The selective replacement of photodamaged D1 protein within the multisubunit photosystem II (PSII) complex is an important photoprotective mechanism in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. FtsH proteases are involved at an early stage of D1 degradation, but it remains unclear how the damaged D1 subunit is recognized, degraded, and replaced. To test the role of the N-terminal region of D1 in PSII biogenesis and repair, we have constructed mutants of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803 that are truncated at the exposed N terminus. Removal of 5 or 10 residues blocked D1 synthesis, as assessed in radiolabeling experiments, whereas removal of 20 residues restored the ability to assemble oxygen-evolving dimeric PSII complexes but inhibited PSII repair at the level of D1 degradation. Overall, our results identify an important physiological role for the exposed N-terminal tail of D1 at an early step in selective D1 degradation. This finding has important implications for the recognition of damaged D1 and its synchronized replacement by a newly synthesized subunit.
Consistency of genetic analyses in longitudinal data: Observations from the GAW13 Framingham Heart Study data

This paper examines the consistency of genetic analyses across time, both in the context of replicating results from one data collection point to the next, and from the perspective of modeling longitudinal processes. This summary originates from the examination of findings from nine papers from Genetic Analysis Workshop (GAW) 13 that reported on analyses of longitudinal data of a variety of traits from the Framingham Heart Study. These analyses include both assessments of consistency of aggregate genetic effects, in the form of estimation of heritability and relative risk of disease, as well as localization of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) by genome‐wide linkage screens. Consistency varied widely by trait, possibly reflecting differences in measurement error, secular trends, or underlying biological features such as genotype × age interaction. Quantitatively, comparing magnitudes of estimates across age or time, heritability estimates showed greater consistency than LOD scores. However, qualitatively, the same regions of interest were often identified in genome scans from different time points or different ages. Estimates of sibling recurrence risk, on the other hand, showed little consistency. Heritabilities were greater when participants were matched by age than when they were matched by date of examination. Multivariate approaches, either in use of multiple traits or in use of multiple measures of the same trait, appeared to provide stronger genetic signals both for relative risk and for linkage. Finally, modeling of longitudinal processes provided evidence for genotype×age interactions that may partially explain variation in results of genetic analyses across time or age. Genet Epidemiol 25 (Suppl. 1):S29–S35, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The carboxy-terminal domain of complexin I stimulates liposome fusion

Regulated exocytosis requires tight coupling of the membrane fusion machinery to a triggering signal and a fast response time. Complexins are part of this regulation and, together with synaptotagmins, control calcium-dependent exocytosis. Stimulatory and inhibitory functions have been reported for complexins. To test if complexins directly affect membrane fusion, we analyzed the 4 known mammalian complexin isoforms in a reconstituted fusion assay. In contrast to complexin III (CpxIII) and CpxIV, CpxI and CpxII stimulated soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)-pin assembly and membrane fusion. This stimulatory effect required a preincubation at low temperature and was specific for neuronal t-SNAREs. Stimulation of membrane fusion was lost when the carboxy-terminal domain of CpxI was deleted or serine 115, a putative phosphorylation site, was mutated. Transfer of the carboxy-terminal domain of CpxI to CpxIII resulted in a stimulatory CpxIII-I chimera. Thus, the carboxy-terminal domains of CpxI and CpxII promote the fusion of high-curvature liposomes.
Commodity Trade Matters

Primary commodities are used as inputs into all production processes, yet they account for approximately 16 percent of world trade. Despite their share in trade, we show that the aggregate gains from trade are largely understated if we ignore key features of commodities: low price elasticities of demand (difficulty in finding substitutes), low price elasticities of supply, and high dispersion of natural resources across countries. We develop a general-equilibrium model of consumption, production, and input-output linkages that explicitly accounts for these features. Our simulations confirm that the gains from trade are significantly larger, especially when considering large trade cost changes.
Hypoxic Trophoblast HMGB1 Induces Endothelial Cell Hyperpermeability via the TRL-4/Caveolin-1 Pathway

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) plays an important role in the pathologic processes of endothelial permeability under oxidative stress. Trophoblast oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia (PE). HMGB1 serum levels are increased in PE. However, the potential roles of HMGB1 in endothelial permeability in PE remain unclear. We assessed the effects of the hypoxic trophoblast on the permeability of the endothelial monolayer. Our results showed that the hypoxic trophoblast displayed higher HMGB1 mRNA, intracellular HMGB1 protein, and HMGB1 in conditioned medium than those of the normoxic trophoblast did. The hypoxic trophoblast conditioned medium increased the endothelial monolayer permeability and increased TLR 4 and caveolin-1 (CAV-1) protein expression in endothelial cells, which was inhibited by glycyrrhizic acid and HMGB1 small interfering RNA transfection to trophoblasts before hypoxia. The increased endothelial permeability induced by hypoxic trophoblast conditioned medium could be inhibited with TLR4 or CAV-1 gene silencing in endothelial cells. Immunoprecipitation showed that CAV-1 and TLR4 are colocalized in HUVECs and C57BL/6 mouse kidney. TLR4 small interfering RNA suppressed CAV-1 protein expression in endothelial cells upon stimulation of hypoxic trophoblast conditioned medium or HMGB1. We conclude that hypoxic trophoblasts play an important role in the mechanism of general edema (including protein urine) in PE via increasing endothelial monolayer permeability through the HMGB1/TLR4/CAV-1 pathway.
Effect of once‐daily insulin detemir on oral antidiabetic drug (OAD) use in patients with type 2 diabetes

There are acknowledged benefits to continuing metformin when initiating insulin, but there appears to be growing concern over the role of sulphonylureas and thiazolidinediones when used in combination with insulin. This analysis investigates the effects of continuing or discontinuing oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) following the initiation of once‐daily insulin detemir.
Competency of Elementary Schools Principals in Supporting the Standardization of Leadership in Education

The principal’s competencies play a vital role in supporting quality of leadership. According to the Indonesia government regulation, principal has to hold five competencies which are: personality competency, managerial competency, entrepreneurship competency, supervision competency, and social competency. This study was conducted to describe the three of five competencies of principals. They were managerial competency, entrepreneurship competency, and supervision competency of elementary schools principals. Based on the results of study towards 42 samples of elementary school principals in Makassar, it was found that the mean score on the test results of the three competencies was in middle category. When it was analyzed on each item of competencies, the managerial and entrepreneurship competencies were in middle category, while the supervision competency was in the low category. The results of the research indicated that the local government needs to prepare for school principals through pre-service training in some area of principals’ task.
9: Operational Diversity: Saying What We Mean, Doing What We Say

Diversity issues, rangingfrom individuallearning styles to institutional eq uity, are central toteaching andlearning, butidentifying and addressing these is sues is aformidable task. At the Centerfor Instructional Development and Re search (CIDR), our staffisgaining groundon this work through the Inclusive Practices Portfolio, a collaborativefOrumfor documenting, sharing, andsupport ingourindividualand organizational diversity initiatives. The process ofdevel oping the center's portfolio and the portfolio itselfare mechanisms for change withinthe center anda modelfor change at ourinstitution and beyond.
Supplemental oxygen does not modulate responses to acetylcholine or ascorbic acid in the forearm of patients with congestive heart failure.

Despite providing symptomatic relief in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), supplemental oxygen (O(2)) has been demonstrated to increase total peripheral resistance. The present study investigated the possibility that O(2) inhalation reduces nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, using endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and -independent (phentolamine) vasodilators, and the antioxidant ascorbic acid. Ten patients (nine male and one female) with primary left ventricular failure participated in the study. Forearm venous occlusion plethysmography was used to study blood flow responses to acetylcholine and the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine during inhalation of either room air or 100% O(2), with and without the simultaneous infusion of ascorbic acid. Neither O(2) inhalation (3.9+/-0.4 compared with 3.8+/-0.3 ml.min(-1). 100 ml(-1)) nor ascorbic acid infusion (5.2+/-0.4 compared with 5.5+/-0.4 ml.min(-1). 100 ml(-1)) affected resting forearm blood flow. The percentage increase from basal blood flow after acetylcholine infusion was not altered by either O(2) inhalation or ascorbic acid infusion (room air, 140+/-55%; O(2), 118+/-46%; ascorbic acid, 147+/-39%; ascorbic acid+O(2), 109+/-31%). O(2) inhalation did, however, reduce the dilation induced by phentolamine (room air, 131+/-24%; O(2), 80+/-14%; P<0.05). These data indicate that oxygen inhalation does not increase forearm vascular resistance. Secondly, preservation of reactivity to acetylcholine during O(2) inhalation suggests that degradation of NO by O(2)-derived free radicals is not enhanced. Attenuation of phentolamine-induced vasodilation during O(2) inhalation, however, implies increased adrenergic activity, which may possibly exacerbate the detrimental effects of elevated sympathetic activity in CHF.
Experimental Characterization and Multipath Cluster Modeling for 13–17 GHz Indoor Propagation Channels

The traffic explosion of mobile communications increasingly requires effective and realistic fifth-generation (5G) channel models. Recently, we have conducted measurement campaigns in lecture hall and laboratory scenarios using steerable beam antennas for characterizing 13–17 GHz channels. The Space-Alternating Generalized Expectation–maximization (SAGE) algorithm was applied to estimate the multipath components (MPCs) in delay and angle of arrival domains. These estimated MPCs were further grouped into clusters via the threshold-based approach. It is noticeable that the observed channel characteristics obtained using the SAGE algorithm are less antenna-specific than those using the raw received signals. The scatterer locations identified from the MPCs show excellent agreement with the physical objects in the environment. Moreover, we found that the configurations of antenna-half-power-beamwidth and rotation step size exert great influence on the channel characteristics. These results provide important references for the existing 5G channel sounding and data processing, which naturally leads to fidelity of future channel models.
Frequency of the WHO metabolic syndrome in European cohorts, and an alternative definition of an insulin resistance syndrome.

BACKGROUND To describe the frequency, in some European populations, of the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined metabolic syndrome and to compare the frequency of this syndrome with an alternative definition for non-diabetic subjects, called the insulin resistance syndrome proposed by the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR). METHODS Investigators of eight European studies contributed, according to a written protocol, the frequencies of abnormalities of these two syndromes, by sex and age class, as well as the overall frequencies of the syndromes and the average number of abnormalities: 8200 men and 9363 women were included. RESULTS The frequency of both syndromes increased with age and was almost always higher in men than women for a given age. In non-diabetic subjects the frequency of the WHO syndrome varied between 7% and 36% for men 40 to 55 years; for women of the same age, between 5% and 22%. The EGIR syndrome was less frequent than the WHO syndrome (1% to 22% in men, 1% to 14% in women 40-55 years), and in men this was mainly due to the differing definitions of central obesity, as the WHO definition included overall obesity, BMI > or = 30 kg/m(2). CONCLUSIONS There is great variability in the frequency of the syndrome between different populations, due to the differing frequencies of the abnormalities and no doubt to the differing methodologies of measurement. Prospective studies and advances in the knowledge of physio-pathological mechanisms are required to determine the most appropriate and practical definition of the syndrome.
Repeated sequence sets in mitochondrial DNA molecules of root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne): nucleotide sequences, genome location and potential for host-race identification.

Within a 7 kb segment of the mtDNA molecule of the root knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica, that lacks standard mitochondrial genes, are three sets of strictly tandemly arranged, direct repeat sequences: approximately 36 copies of a 102 ntp sequence that contains a TaqI site; 11 copies of a 63 ntp sequence, and 5 copies of an 8 ntp sequence. The 7 kb repeat-containing segment is bounded by putative tRNAasp and tRNAf-met genes and the arrangement of sequences within this segment is: the tRNAasp gene; a unique 1,528 ntp segment that contains two highly stable hairpin-forming sequences; the 102 ntp repeat set; the 8 ntp repeat set; a unique 1,068 ntp segment; the 63 ntp repeat set; and the tRNAf-met gene. The nucleotide sequences of the 102 ntp copies and the 63 ntp copies have been conserved among the species examined. Data from Southern hybridization experiments indicate that 102 ntp and 63 ntp repeats occur in the mtDNAs of three, two and two races of M.incognita, M.hapla and M.arenaria, respectively. Nucleotide sequences of the M.incognita Race-3 102 ntp repeat were found to be either identical or highly similar to those of the M.javanica 102 ntp repeat. Differences in migration distance and number of 102 ntp repeat-containing bands seen in Southern hybridization autoradiographs of restriction-digested mtDNAs of M.javanica and the different host races of M.incognita, M.hapla and M.arenaria are sufficient to distinguish the different host races of each species.