Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ASSESSMENT OF RISK OF DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN A UNIVERSITY POPULATION

Objective: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for developing type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in a university population. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study, carried out between 2013 and 2014, in a university of Parnaíba, Piauí State, with individuals aged over 18 years, who study or work in campus . Of the total campus population provision (4,310 individuals), participated in the survey 74% (111) of teachers (G1), 77.68% (94) of the administrative staff (G2), and 32.10% (1,299) of the students, totalling 1,504 individuals who answered the questionnaire “Are you at risk for type 2 diabetes? ”, translated into Portuguese, in a written, individual, and anonymous form, with responses obtained through self- administration. The risk of developing T2DM was calculated for each group, as well as the association between the group and the T2DM risk, using the chi-square test (p<0.05), and the relative risk of T2DM development, considering the scores obtained in the group. Results: The sample included 34.89% (1504) of the total sample n. T2DM risk was presented by 16.21% (18) of the individuals in G1, 13.82% (13) of G2, and 1.23% (16) of G3. For hypertension, the incidence of 17.1% (19) in G1, 12.8% (12) in G2, and 5.9% (77) in G3 was found. In G1, G2 and G3, 59.5% (66), 38.3% (36), and 41.26% (536), respectively, were not physically active. The risk of developing T2DM was higher in G1 and G2, and significantly different from G3. Conclusion: The prevalence of risk of developing type 2 diabetes was found at 16.21% in the teachers group, 13.82% in the administrative staff group, and 1.23% in the students group, with obesity and physical inactivity evidenced as the most common risk factors. (p<0,05) y el riesgo relativo (RR) para el desarrollo de la DM2 considerando las puntuaciones obtenidas en el grupo. Resultados: La muestra incluyó el 34,89% (1504) del cálculo total de la muestra. El riesgo de la DM2 se diór en el 16,21% (18) de los individuos del G1, el 13,82% (13) del G2 y el 1,23% (16) del G3. Sobre la hipertensión, se verifico la incidencia del 17,1% (19) en el G1, el 12,8% (12) en el G2 y el 5,9% (77) en el G3. En el G1, G2 y G3, el 59,5% (66), el 38,3% (36) y el 41,26% (536), respectivamente, no eran físicamente activos. El riesgo del desarrollo de la DM2 fue elevado en el G1 y el G2, significativamente distinto del G3. Conclusión: Se encontró una prevalencia del riesgo de desarrollo de la Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) del 16,21% en el grupo de docentes, del 13,82% en el grupo de técnicos administrativos y del 1,23% en el grupo de discentes destacándose la obesidad y la inactividad física como factores de riesgo más comunes.
Age-related reduction in glucose elimination is accompanied by reduced glucose effectiveness and increased hepatic insulin extraction in man.

This study examined whether insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness (SG), and hepatic extraction (HE) of insulin are altered by age when glucose tolerance is normal. A frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test was performed in 20 elderly (E, 10/10 male/female, all 63 yr old) and in 20 young subjects (Y, 10/10 male/female, all 27 yr old), who were similar in body mass index and 2-h blood glucose during oral glucose tolerance test. E exhibited impaired glucose elimination (i.v. tolerance index, 1.31 +/- 0.10 vs. 1.70 +/- 0.12% min-1; P = 0.019). First-phase insulin secretion and SI did not differ between the groups, whereas E had lower glucose sensitivity of second-phase insulin secretion (0.40 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.70 +/- 0.08 (pmol/L)min-2/(mmol/L), P = 0.026), lower SG, 0.017 +/- 0.002 vs. 0.025 +/- 0.002 min-1, P = 0.004), and higher HE (81.3 +/- 2.4 vs. 73.2 +/- 2.1%, P = 0.013). Across both groups, SG correlated positively with glucose tolerance index (r = 0.58, P < 0.001) and negatively with HE (r = -0.54, P < 0.001). Plasma leptin and glucagon did not change by age, whereas plasma pancreatic polypeptide (PP) was higher in E (122 +/- 18 vs. 66 +/- 6 pg/mL, P = 0.004). PP did not, however, correlate to any other parameter. We conclude that E subjects with normal oral glucose tolerance have reduced SG, impaired second-phase insulin secretion, and increased HE, whereas SI and first-phase insulin secretion seem normal. SG seems most related to age-dependent impairment of glucose elimination, whereas leptin, glucagon, and PP do not seem to contribute.
Titel : Discretisation of FBSDEs driven by CÀDLÀG martingales

We consider a backward stochastic differential equation with jumps (BSDEJ) which is driven by a Brownian motion and a Poisson random measure. We present two candidate-approximations to this BSDEJ and we prove that the solution of each candidateapproximation converges to the solution of the original BSDEJ in a space which we specify. We use this result to investigate in further detail the consequences of the choice of the model to (partial) hedging in incomplete markets in finance. As an application, we consider models in which the small variations in the price dynamics are modeled with a Poisson random measure with infinite activity and models in which these small variations are modeled with a Brownian motion. Using the convergence results on BSDEJs, we show that quadratic hedging strategies are robust towards the choice of the model and we derive an estimation of the model risk.
Defining functional gene‐circuit interfaces in the mouse nervous system

Complexity in the nervous system is established by developmental genetic programs, maintained by differential genetic profiles and sculpted by experiential and environmental influence over gene expression. Determining how specific genes define neuronal phenotypes, shape circuit connectivity and regulate circuit function is essential for understanding how the brain processes information, directs behavior and adapts to changing environments. Mouse genetics has contributed greatly to current percepts of gene‐circuit interfaces in behavior, but considerable work remains. Large‐scale initiatives to map gene expression and connectivity in the brain, together with advanced techniques in molecular genetics, now allow detailed exploration of the genetic basis of nervous system function at the level of specific circuit connections. In this review, we highlight several key advances for defining the function of specific genes within a neural network.
Angiogenesis: a Dynamic Balance of Stimulators and Inhibitors

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from a pre-existing vasculature, is tightly regulated in normal adults. Under physiological circumstances, angiogenesis occurs in only a few instances; e.g., the female reproductive system in response to ovulation or gestation, the normal hair cycle, etc. In these examples, growth of new capillaries is tightly controlled by an interplay of growth regulatory proteins which act either to stimulate or to inhibit blood vessel growth. Normally, the balance between these forces is tipped in favor of inhibition and consequently capillary growth is restrained. Under certain pathological circumstances, however, local inhibitory controls are unable to restrain the increased activity of angiogenic inducers. Thus, in wound healing, inflammation and tumors, to name just a few examples, angiogenesis is integral to the pathology, engendering the hope that these pathological entities could be regulated by pharmacological and/or genetic suppression (or enhancement) of blood vessel growth. This hope, in turn, has fostered interest in the molecular mechanisms that regulate angiogenesis. In this chapter, we have reviewed the current literature regarding some angiogenic stimulators and inhibitors, emphasizing vascular permeability factor (VPF, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF), as a major angiogenic inducer, and thrombospondin (TSP) as the best known example of a natural inhibitor of vessel growth.
Role of p38 MAP Kinase and Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling in Transepithelial Migration of Invasive Bacterial Pathogens*

Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are human pathogens that often asymptomatically colonize the mucosal surface of the upper respiratory tract, but also occasionally cause invasive disease. The ability of these species to traverse the epithelium of the airway mucosa was modeled in vitro using polarized respiratory epithelial cells in culture. Migration across the epithelial barrier was preceded by loss of transepithelial resistance. Membrane products of S. pneumoniae that included lipoteichoic acid induced disruption of the epithelial barrier in a Toll-like receptor 2-dependent manner. This result correlates with a recent genetic study that associates increased TLR2 signaling with increased rates of invasive pneumococcal disease in humans. Loss of transepithelial resistance by the TLR2 ligand correlated with activation of p38 MAP kinase and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling. Activation of p38 MAPK and TGF-β signaling in epithelial cells upon nasal infection with S. pneumoniae was also demonstrated in vivo. Inhibition of either p38 MAPK or TGF-β signaling was sufficient to inhibit the migration of S. pneumoniae or H. influenzae. Our data shows that diverse bacteria utilize common mechanisms, including MAPK and TGF-β signaling pathways to disrupt epithelial barriers and promote invasion.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: WILL HODLING CRYPTOS MAXIMIZE INVESTOR RETURNS?

Background and Objectives: This thesis aims to investigate whether adding cryptocurrencies to a portfolio of traditional assets enhances the portfolio performance. Moreover, the previous research conducted in this area focused only on Bitcoin. This study devotes to examine the benefits of 18 cryptocurrencies together, which have been selected based on their market capitalization. Out of these 18 cryptocurrencies under study, we also aim to analyze the effects of the more recent additions in the crypto market, which is a stable coin and a utility coin, thereby making our study relevant to the present-day innovations in the crypto space. In addition to this, since the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency technology are newly founded ideations in the financial ecosystem, we scheme to provide a brief overview of this technology by taking into consideration aspects such as their advantages, disadvantages, types of blockchain and cryptocurrencies along with their working and the market players involved for their functioning. Data and Methodology: The times series data was obtained from Coinmarketcap and Yahoo Finance. The time period of research was from 01st January 2014 to 28th February 2020. We employ the Mean-Variance analysis of Markowitz (1952) and Sharpe-ratio of Sharpe (1964) and calculate the mean returns, standard deviation, and Sharpe-ratio and optimize three sets of portfolios: Maximization of Sharpe-ratio (with no short sale), Maximization of Sharpe-ratio (with short sale) and a Minimum Variance portfolio. Results: Results showcase that including cryptocurrencies in a portfolio of traditional assets, provides an improved Sharpe-ratio in comparison to the standard portfolio, which consists of traditional assets only. Moreover, on the construction of the correlation matrix, overall there is no significant correlation among the cryptocurrencies and traditional assets. Results also state that despite Bitcoin being the leader in the crypto space with a market dominance of 62%, it shows lower benefits in the portfolios constructed. However, on the other hand, we found exceptional results by the inclusion of other altcoins and Utility coin (Binance Coin). Furthermore, it should also be noted that cryptocurrencies are risky assets where, although they provide high returns than traditional assets, but they also exhibit extreme volatility. Moreover, the results are based on the limited availability of historical data for most of the cryptoassets, due to which conclusion from the results must be drawn with caution. However, cryptocurrencies have the potential to be analyzed and included for diversification benefits.
The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience with Taxol in metastatic breast cancer.

Taxol was evaluated in metastatic breast cancer in three trials. In the first, a phase II study, 25 patients who had received only one prior regimen of chemotherapy received Taxol (starting dose of 250 mg/m2). The response rates were 12% complete, 44% partial, and 32% minor. The median duration of response was 9 months (range, 3 to 19 months). The median survival was 20 months (range, 5 to 29+ months). Toxic effects were granulocytopenia less than 500/mm3 in 85% of all courses but serious infection in only 6% of courses, myalgias, and cumulative neuropathy. The second trial was a phase I study of Taxol by 24-hour infusion sequenced with doxorubicin by 48-hour infusion as initial chemotherapy for metastatic disease. In arm 1, Taxol preceded doxorubicin. The starting doses were 125 mg/m2 Taxol, 60 mg/m2 doxorubicin. Neupogen (5 micrograms/kg) was given subcutaneously on days 5 through 19. Ten patients received 96 courses. The maximum tolerated dose was defined by mucositis and infection at the starting dose. Cumulative thrombocytopenia occurred in subsequent courses. The unexpectedly severe toxic effects at doses that were low by comparison to other studies suggested schedule-related toxicity. Therefore, in arm 2 the sequence has been reversed: doxorubicin precedes Taxol. Doses have been escalated to 180 mg/m2 Taxol with 60 mg/m2 doxorubicin without dose-limiting toxic effects occurring. The third trial, a phase II study in patients who have received three or more prior chemotherapy regimens, is ongoing. Twenty-one of a planned 35 patients have been entered. Taxol has shown significant antitumor activity in minimally pretreated patients. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Identification of FHL 1 as a therapeutic target for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Prahan, VIC 3181, Australia, Department of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia, Basic and Clinical Myology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia and Department of Translational Medicine and Neurogenetics, Institut de Genetique et de Biologie, Moleculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch 67404, France
Do Different Frequencies of Self‐monitoring of Blood Glucose Influence Control in Type 1 Diabetic Patients?

The effect of altering the frequency of self‐monitoring of blood glucose upon blood glucose control was assessed in 25 Type 1 diabetic patients. Patients entered a balanced, crossover study in which they were randomly allocated to three 12‐week periods. During each period the frequency at which patients self‐monitored their blood glucose was: (1) four‐point profiles on 2 days per week; (2) four‐point profiles on 1 day per week; (3) two‐point profiles on every day of the week. There were no significant differences in mean blood glucose concentration, fructosamine or glycosylated haemoglobin concentrations during the three periods. There was no correlation between the frequency at which patients altered insulin doses and measures of metabolic control. Altering the frequency of blood glucose self‐monitoring had a variable and uncertain influence upon the frequency at which patients altered insulin doses. Some patients felt unsafe monitoring blood glucose only four times per week. There was however no patient consensus on the best‐liked regimen.
Rac-mediated Stimulation of Phospholipase Cγ2 Amplifies B Cell Receptor-induced Calcium Signaling*♦

Background: Phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) is stimulated by Rac GTPases through direct protein-protein interaction. Results: The Rac-PLCγ2 interaction markedly enhances B cell-receptor-mediated Ca2+ mobilization and nuclear translocation of the Ca2+-regulated transcription factor NFAT in B cells. Conclusion: Rac-mediated stimulation of PLCγ2 activity amplifies B cell receptor-induced Ca2+ signaling. Significance: A specific Rac-resistant PLCγ2 variant is used to determine the physiological cell signaling relevance of a functional Rac-PLCγ2 interaction in an appropriate cellular context. The Rho GTPase Rac is crucially involved in controlling multiple B cell functions, including those regulated by the B cell receptor (BCR) through increased cytosolic Ca2+. The underlying molecular mechanisms and their relevance to the functions of intact B cells have thus far remained unknown. We have previously shown that the activity of phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2), a key constituent of the BCR signalosome, is stimulated by activated Rac through direct protein-protein interaction. Here, we use a Rac-resistant mutant of PLCγ2 to functionally reconstitute cultured PLCγ2-deficient DT40 B cells and to examine the effects of the Rac-PLCγ2 interaction on BCR-mediated changes of intracellular Ca2+ and regulation of Ca2+-regulated and nuclear-factor-of-activated-T-cell-regulated gene transcription at the level of single, intact B cells. The results show that the functional Rac-PLCγ2 interaction causes marked increases in the following: (i) sensitivity of B cells to BCR ligation; (ii) BCR-mediated Ca2+ release from intracellular stores; (iii) Ca2+ entry from the extracellular compartment; and (iv) nuclear translocation of the Ca2+-regulated nuclear factor of activated T cells. Hence, Rac-mediated stimulation of PLCγ2 activity serves to amplify B cell receptor-induced Ca2+ signaling.
Control of Redundant Kinematic Degrees of Freedom in a Closed-Loop Brain-Machine Interface

Brain–machine interface (BMI) systems use signals acquired from the brain to directly control the movement of an actuator, such as a computer cursor or a robotic arm, with the goal of restoring motor function lost due to injury or disease of the nervous system. In BMIs with kinematically redundant actuators, the combination of the task goals and the system under neural control can allow for many equally optimal task solutions. The extent to which kinematically redundant degrees of freedom (DOFs) in a BMI system may be under direct neural control is unknown. To address this question, a Kalman filter was used to decode single- and multi-unit cortical neural activity of two macaque monkeys into the joint velocities of a virtual four-link kinematic chain. Subjects completed movements of the chain’s endpoint to instructed target locations within a two-dimensional plane. This system was kinematically redundant for an endpoint movement task, as four DOFs were used to manipulate the 2-D endpoint position. Both subjects successfully performed the task and improved with practice by producing faster endpoint velocity control signals. Kinematic redundancy allowed null movements whereby the individual links of the chain could move in a way that cancels out and does not result in endpoint movement. As the subjects became more proficient at controlling the chain, the amount of null movement also increased. Task performance suffered when the links of the kinematic chain were hidden and only the endpoint was visible. Furthermore, all four DOFs of the joint-velocity control space exhibited task-relevant modulation. The relative usage of each DOF depended on the configuration of the chain, and trials in which the less-prominent DOFs were utilized also had better task performance. Overall, these results indicate that the subjects incorporated the redundant components of the control space into their control strategy. Future BMI systems with kinematic redundancy, such as exoskeletal systems or anthropomorphic robotic arms, may benefit from allowing neural control over redundant configuration dimensions as well as the end-effector.
Branchial osmoregulation in the euryhaline bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas: a molecular analysis of ion transporters

SUMMARY Bull sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, are one of only a few species of elasmobranchs that live in both marine and freshwater environments. Osmoregulation in euryhaline elasmobranchs is achieved through the control and integration of various organs (kidney, rectal gland and liver) in response to changes in environmental salinity. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms of ion transport in the gills of euryhaline elasmobranchs and how they are affected by osmoregulatory challenges. This study was conducted to gain insight into the branchial ion and acid-base regulatory mechanisms of C. leucas by identifying putative ion transporters and determining whether their expression is influenced by environmental salinity. We hypothesised that expression levels of the Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) pump, Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3), vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (VHA) and anion exchanger pendrin (PDN) would be upregulated in freshwater (FW) C. leucas. Immunohistochemistry was used to localise all four ion transporters in gills of bull sharks captured in both FW and estuarine/seawater (EST/SW) environments. NHE3 immunoreactivity occurred in the apical region of cells with basolateral NKA expression whereas PDN was apically expressed in cells that also exhibited basolateral VHA immunoreactivity. In accordance with our hypotheses, quantitative real-time PCR showed that the mRNA expression of NHE3 and NKA was significantly upregulated in gills of FW-captured C. leucas relative to EST/SW-captured animals. These data suggest that NHE3 and NKA together may be important in mediating branchial Na+ uptake in freshwater environments, whereas PDN and VHA might contribute to Cl-/HCO3- transport in marine and freshwater bull shark gills.
Explorer Bayesian Word Sense Induction

Sense induction seeks to automatically identify word senses directly from a corpus. A key assumption underlying previous work is that the context surrounding an ambiguous word is indicative of its meaning. Sense induction is thus typically viewed as an unsupervised clustering problem where the aim is to partition a word’s contexts into different classes, each representing a word sense. Our work places sense induction in a Bayesian context by modeling the contexts of the ambiguous word as samples from a multinomial distribution over senses which are in turn characterized as distributions over words. The Bayesian framework provides a principled way to incorporate a wide range of features beyond lexical cooccurrences and to systematically assess their utility on the sense induction task. The proposed approach yields improvements over state-of-the-art systems on a benchmark dataset.
IEB Working Paper 2018 / 21 GENDER DIFFERENCES UNDER TEST PRESSURE AND THEIR IMPACT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE : A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN *

Student performance at university is a strong determinant of individual decisions and future outcomes, most notably labour opportunities. Although published studies have found gender differences in student performance in response to pressure, little is known about such differences when university students are exposed to test pressure. Based on field data, this study aims to examine gender differences in student academic performance in response to different levels of pressure when sitting multiple choice tests, a frequently employed exam format at university. To do so, the introduction of continuous assessment in the evaluation system of a university course allows us to exploit a unique quasi-experimental set up in which the same students take similar tests throughout the course but under different levels of pressure. Exploiting two data structures—namely, pooled cross-sections and panel data—we find that male students outperform their female counterparts when under high pressure. However, in low test pressure scenarios the gender gap is narrowed and even reversed in favour of female students. Finally, we analyse the mechanisms responsible for the gender gap by studying how each gender responds to test pressure, and by studying gender differences when omitting test items on multiple choice formats. JEL Codes: A22, I24, J16