Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histone H 3 and Heat Shock Protein GRP 78 Are Selectively Cross-Linked to DNA by Photoactivated Gilvocarcin V in Human Fibroblasts 1

Gilvocarcin V (GV) is an antitumor antibiotic with a coumarin-based aromatic structure that promotes protein-DNA cross-linking when photoactivated by near-UV light. We have now identified several proteins that are selectively cross-linked to DNA in human fibroblasts by photoactivated GV, using NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing and Western blot analysis of the purified cross-linked proteins. The selectively cross-linked proteins are histone H3 and GRP78, a heat shock protein belonging to the heat shock protein-70 family. The hydrophobic leader sequence is missing from the cross-linked GRP78, suggesting that only the processed form of the protein is cross-linked to DNA. It is primarily the phosphorylated form of histone H3 that is cross-linked to DNA. Gel retardation analysis from four different GV-treated human fibroblast cell lines revealed two distinct shifted bands, and subsequent immunoblotting confirmedin situ that the slower and the faster bands, respectively, contained GRP78 and histone H3 cross-linked to DNA. The selective cross-linking of these particular proteins is dependent on UV irradiation in the presence of GV, which may help to clarify the unique molecular mechanism of this potent
Interference alignment over limited dimensions for cellular networks: Feasibility and algorithms

The degrees of freedom of cellular networks with constant channels are characterized. Conditions for the feasibility of interference alignment in symmetric cellular networks are found. Based on the analytic results a user selection scheme for alternating interference alignment algorithms is proposed. The user selection ensures the feasibility of interference alignment. The analytic results are sustained by extensive simulations and the proposed algorithm is compared to other base line schemes in system level simulations.
Validation of the Korean version of the thyroid cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire

Purpose The increasing incidence of thyroid cancer worldwide has drawn attention to the needs for assessing and managing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of thyroid cancer survivors. We conducted this study to validate the Korean version of the thyroid cancer-specific quality of life (THYCA-QoL) questionnaire. Methods Data obtained from 227 thyroid cancer survivors were analyzed using standard validity and reliability analysis techniques. Reliability was assessed by measuring internal consistency via Cronbach α coefficient, and validity was assessed by determining the Pearson correlation coefficient between the THYCA-QoL questionnaire and the following relevant assessment tools: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Korean version of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-K), the Korean version of Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI-K), Goldberg Short Screening Scale for Anxiety and Depression, and a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). A multitrait scaling analysis was performed to assess each item's convergent and discriminant validity. Results The reliability of the THYCA-QoL questionnaire was confirmed by Cronbach α coefficients for multiple-item scales which ranged from 0.54 (sensory) to 0.82 (psychological). Except for a single item (sexual interest), the questionnaire's validity was established by significant correlation observed between scales in the THYCA-QoL questionnaire and scales used in other assessment tools. A multitrait scaling analysis confirmed that all scales met the recommended psychometric standards. Conclusion The Korean version of the THYCA-QoL questionnaire is a reliable and valid assessment tool that can be used in combination with the EORTC QLQ-C30 to assess the HRQoL of thyroid cancer survivors in Korea.
Resource partitioning by reef corals as from stable isotope composition *

The pattern of resource partitioning vs depth by corals collected in February 1983 from Jamaica and the Red Sea was determined from their stable carbon isotope composition. Observations were made on isolated zooxanthellae and corresponding algae-free animal tissue from eight species at four depths over a 50 m bathymetric range. Zooxanthellae 6~3C was high in shallow water and became lower as depth increased. This trend correlated significantly with the annual integrated photosynthetic rate. The trend is interpreted according to a "depletion-diffusion" hypothesis; in shallow water, at high rates of photosynthesis, metabolic CO 2 is nearly depleted and the supply of CO 2 from seawater bicarbonate is limited by diffusion. Since most of the available CO 2 is fixed, isotope fractionation is minimal. In deeper water, at lower rates of photosynthesis, metabolic CO2 is ample, and isotope fractionation is greater. Animal tissue 513C was slightly lower than corresponding zooxanthellae values in shallow water. As depth increased the difference between zooxanthellae and animal tissue 513 C increased and the latter approached the 513C of oceanic particulate organic carbon. These data suggest that carbon is translocated at all depths and that deep-water corals draw significantly on allocthonous sources of carbon.
Examining the roles of cannabinoids in pain and other therapeutic indications: a review

Importance of the field: In recent times, our knowledge of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system has greatly advanced. With expanding knowledge, synthetic cannabinoids – including nabilone, dronabinol and a combination of synthetic Δ9-THC and cannabidiol – have been developed and tested for benefit in a variety of therapeutic indications. Areas covered in this review: The aim of this article is to provide a summative review of the vast amount of clinical trial data now available on these agents. What the reader will gain: To locate clinical trials for review, a literature search was performed using PubMed between the dates of 25 May and 30 June 2009. Search parameters were set to isolate only human randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1990 and 2009. Keywords consistently used for each search include: cannabinoids, marijuana, THC, nabilone and dronabinol. Preferential selection was given to the best-designed trials, focusing on placebo-controlled, double-blind RCTs with the largest patient populations, if available. Take home message: As efficacy and tolerability of these agents remain questionable, it is important that cannabinoids not be considered ‘first-line’ therapies for conditions for which there are more supported and better-tolerated agents. Instead, these agents could be considered in a situation of treatment failure with standard therapies or as adjunctive agents where appropriate.
Diffusion MRI: Precision, accuracy and flow effects

After a decade of evolution and application of diffusion imaging, a large body of literature has been accumulated. It is in this context that the accuracy and precision of diffusion‐weighted and quantitative diffusion MRI are reviewed. The emphasis of the review is on practical methods for clinical human imaging, particularly in the brain. The requirements for accuracy and precision are reviewed for various clinical and basic science applications. The methods of measuring and calculating diffusion effects with MRI are reviewed. The pulse gradient spin echo (PGSE) methods are emphasized as these methods are used most commonly in the clinical setting. Processing of PGSE data is reviewed. Various PGSE encoding schemes are also reviewed in terms of the accuracy and precision of isotropic and anisotropic diffusion measurements. The broad range of factors impacting the accuracy of the PGSE methods and other encoding schemes is then considered. Firstly, system inaccuracies such as background imaging gradients, gradient linearity, refocusing RF pulses, eddy currents, image misregistration, noise and dynamic range are considered. A second class of inaccuracies is contributed by the bulk effects of the imaged object, and include sample background gradients, subject motion of cerebrospinal fluid and organs, and aperiodic organ motion. A final category of potential inaccuracies is classified as being contributed by microscopic, biophysical tissue properties and include partial volume effects, anisotropy, restriction, diffusion distance, compartmentation, exchange, multiexponential diffusion decay, T2 weighting and microvascular perfusion. Finally, the application of diffusion methods to studies of blood flow in the microvasculature (i.e. the arterioles, capillaries and venules) are reviewed in detail, particularly in terms of feasibility and the stringent accuracy and precision requirements. Recent provocative studies examining the use of PGSE approaches to suppress microvascular signals in brain functional MRI (fMRI) are also reviewed.
Exposure to pesticides impairs the expression of fish ornaments reducing the availability of attractive males

Ornament magnitude often reflects a local balance between sexual selection and other sources of natural selection opposing their elaboration. Human activity may disrupt this balance if it modifies the costs of producing, maintaining or displaying the ornaments. When costs are increased, a shortage of acceptable partners may ensue, with consequences commensurate with how stringent (and effective) the process of mate choice is. Here, we show that the expression of ornaments in the viviparous amarillo fish (Girardinichthys multiradiatus) is influenced by embryonic exposure to low concentrations of an organophosphorus insecticide. Male ornamental fin size, dimorphic yellow coloration and display rates were all compromised in exposed fish, but unaffected in their paternal half-sibling controls and in their sisters (morphology and colour). Exposure resulted in smaller fish of both sexes, thus the differential effect by sex was restricted to attributes such as fin size only above the naturally selected magnitude shown by females. Father phenotype predicted offspring morphology of controls, but not of exposed males, which were discriminated against by both control and exposed females. Since stringent female mate choice can result in females refusing to mate with suboptimal mates, this sub-lethal developmental effect can reduce the effective population size of amarillo fish populations.
Body composition during GH replacement in adults - methodological variations with respect to gender.

OBJECTIVE Men with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) may be more sensitive to GH treatment than women in terms of changes in body composition. We have studied whether age, body-mass index (BMI) and the different types of methodology used to assess body composition may explain these differences. DESIGN Forty-four men and forty-four women with GHD, closely matched for age and BMI, were studied before and after 6 months of GH replacement. The dose of GH was individually adjusted. Body composition was assessed by measurements of potassium-40, total body nitrogen (TBN), tritiated water dilution, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Four- and five-compartment models for body composition were also calculated. RESULTS The total daily dose of GH was similar in men and women at 6 months. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was higher in men than women at baseline and after 6 months of treatment (P = 0.01, paired t-test). The increment was, however, similar. In women, GH treatment reduced body weight and increased TBN. In both men and women, total body water and body cell mass increased, while total body fat (BF) mass decreased. At baseline, mean total BF varied considerably depending on the methodology used, with the highest value obtained from DXA. The changes in BF were, however, less dependent on the methodology, but DXA and BIA demonstrated the largest inconsistency between men and women. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that gender differences in body composition in response to GH treatment are small, if adjustments are made for baseline factors such as age, BMI and dose of GH. Different methods of body composition measurements produce different results, but changes in response to GH administration are less inconsistent.
Psychometric validation of a generic health-related quality of life measure (EQ-5D) in a sample of schizophrenic patients

SUMMARY Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of a generic health related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument – the EQ-5D – in a sample of schizophrenic patients receiving antipsychotic treatment. Research design and methods: A total of 2128 schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine, 417 treated with risperidone, and 112 with haloperidol responded to the EQ-5D. The study also assessed the effect of patient age, gender, and co-morbidity variables on patient's HRQOL Main outcomes measures: EQ-5D scores at the start of treatment and after 3 and 6 months of therapy were compared with results from the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity of illness scale and the (GAF) scale. The effect of antipsychotics and sociodemographic variables on patient's HRQOL over time was tested through a three-factor doubly multivariate repeated measures MANCOVA. Results: High scores in the GAF scale and low scores in the CGI were linked with high scores on the EQ-5D scale. The correlational effects observed between the EQ-5D and the clinical indices ranged from 0.33 to 0.54. A significant effect of ‘visit time’ as well as an interaction of ‘visit time’ x drug, ‘visit time’ x gender, and ‘visit time’ x co-morbidity was observed. Conclusions: Results suggest the EQ-5D is a valid instrument capable of detecting HRQOL differences between schizophrenic patients with different degrees of severity of illness.
Comparison Of Efficiency And Productivity Changes Of Islamic And Conventional Banks: Evidence From Europe And Muslim-Majority Countries?

This paper examines the efficiency performance of Bosna Bank International (BBI) in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB) in the UK, against small conventional banks in each country and also against small and large Islamic banks from Muslim-majority countries. This paper also estimates the productivity changes of IBB and BBI relative to small Islamic banks, within and outside Europe, and relative to small conventional banks in the UK and Bosnia respectively. Finally, this paper utilizes OLS regression analysis to check the robustness of the overall data envelopment analysis (DEA) results, as well as to determine the impact of internal and external factors on bank's efficiency. The analysis covers the 4-year period from 2005 through 2008. The findings suggest that IBB and BBI are technically inefficient. In comparison with small banks, inefficiency is largely due to mismanagement. Inefficiency becomes scale in nature relative to large Islamic banks. As compared to Islamic banks, BBI yields higher pure technical efficiency than IBB, but IBB records higher positive growth in estimated efficiency. IBB and BBI yield upward growth in total factor productivity and technical efficiency but record negative growth in technology innovations . Results also suggest that the IBB and BBI lag relatively behind their conventional peer banks in terms of efficiency and productivity performance. BBI shows much better efficiency performance relative to conventional banks than IBB. Overall, a bank that is more efficient is found to be larger, more profitable, acquire less debt, invest more in skills, and operates in countries with a higher GDP per capita.
[Ca2+]i inhibition of K+ channels in canine renal artery. Novel mechanism for agonist-induced membrane depolarization.

The patch-clamp technique was used to examine the inhibition of delayed rectifier K+ channels by agents that release intracellular Ca2+. During voltage-clamp experiments on isolated myocytes with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 10 mmol/L) and niflumic acid (100 mumol/L) present to inhibit delayed rectifier K+ current (IK(dr)) and Ca(2+)-activated Cl- current (ICl(Ca)), angiotensin II (Ang II) and caffeine increased Ca(2+)-activated K+ current (IK(Ca)) between -25 and 80 mV (n = 5). Conversely, with charybdotoxin (ChTX, 100 nmol/L) and niflumic acid (100 mumol/L) present to inhibit IK(Ca) and ICl(Ca), Ang II and caffeine only caused inhibition of IK(dr). Block was achieved within 15 seconds of drug application and was reversible upon washout (n = 5). The effects of Ang II on IK(Ca) and IK(dr) were inhibited by the specific Ang II receptor antagonist losartan (1 mmol/L, n = 3). Intracellular BAPTA (10 mmol/L) also abolished the effects of Ang II and caffeine on both IK(Ca) and IK(dr). In current-clamp experiments, the application of ChTX (100 nmol/L) and niflumic acid (100 mumol/L) caused little change in resting membrane potential; however, subsequent application of caffeine (10 mmol/L) caused a 26 +/- 2.9 mV depolarization from -54 +/- 3.1 to -28 +/- 1.7 mV (n = 6). 4-AP (10 mmol/L) blocked the caffeine-induced depolarization. When isolated cells were loaded with the Ca2+ indicator indo 1 (100 mumol/L), Ang II, caffeine, and 4-AP increased [Ca2+]i and depolarized the cells. Both Ang II and caffeine caused an increase in [Ca2+]i that preceded membrane depolarization, whereas 4-AP depolarized the cell first and then caused an increase in [Ca2+]i (n = 4). In inside-out patches, with 200 nmol/L ChTX in the patch pipette to block large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels, a 45 +/- 7-picosiemen 4-AP-sensitive K+ channel was identified that was sensitive to cytoplasmic Ca2+ (n = 6). Increasing intracellular Ca2+ decreased channel opening probability [NxP(open), where N is the number of functional channels in a patch and P(open) is the opening probability] at all membrane potentials examined. At 0 mV, increasing Ca2+ from < 5 to 200 and 600 nmol/L free Ca2+ decreased NxP(open) by 52 +/- 3% and 73 +/- 7%, respectively (n = 6). The decrease in opening probability of the delayed rectifier K+ channel resulted from a concentration- and voltage-dependent decrease in mean open time. The decrease in mean open time reflected significant decreases and increases in open and closed time constants, respectively. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Public debt, capital stock and economic growth: An analysis of fiscal sustainability in Brazil

This article analyzes the fiscal sustainability of the Brazilian economy in recent decades. It evaluates the solvency of public debt in Brazil through the cointegration tests that showed a long-term relationship between public revenue and expenditure in the period of 1975 (I) to 2010 (II). The results show a solvency ratio between the Revenue / GDP ratio and expense / GDP ratio. That is, for each $ 1.00 spent per unit of product, one gets a return of $ 1, 0078 of revenue collected per unit of product. On the other hand, the total revenue and total expenditure (deflated by the IGP-DI) do not pass through the solvency test if revenue from seigniorage is not included, that is, for each $ 1.00 spent deflated by the IGP-DI, one gets a return of $ 0, 9922 of revenue collected deflated by the IGP-DI, a value less than $ 1.00. Furthermore, fiscal sustainability tests for the period 1964 to 2008 reveal two important results: i) an increase in debt/capital stock ratio negatively affects the growth rate of capital stock and also negatively affects the growth rate of the product; ii) fiscal policy is weakly sustainable which could lead to a possible problem of insolvency.
El modelo de salarización en el mercado laboral gallego: Influencia del género

Purpose: We study the effects of personal features in the Galician labour market, as both self-employed people and employees who work for a firm. Design/methodology/ approach : We propose a wage model to estimate the probability of a person in working age being employee who works for a firm. After the model parameter estimation through binary logistic regression, we estimate the conditional probability to be an employee who works for a firm for different personal features. We do this to evaluate the real effect of personal features in the person role in the labour market, as employee who works for a firm or self-employed person. Findings and originality/value: The probability to be an employee who works for a firm depends on the gender. The greater age, the lower is the probability of men and women that they will be employees who work for a firm. The probability of men to work for a firm is the same to all family size, whereas this probability for women is lower if the family size gests bigger. The greater corrected family income, the lower is the probability of men and women to work for a firm, but the percentages are different. Research limitations/implications: This paper has been made during a moment of sustained economic growth. So, future researches could study the effect of the economic cycle in this topic. Practical implications: The gender differences affects to the labour market. Originality/value: This study considers as the most important variable the gender, and the effect of other explanatory variables on the different probabilities to be a n employee who works for a firm change depending on the gender. We propose a new way to create the variable "corrected household income".
The New Economics of Equilibrium Sorting and its Transformational Role for Policy Evaluation

Households "sort" across neighborhoods according to their wealth and their preferences for public goods, social characteristics, and commuting opportunities. The aggregation of these individual choices in markets and in other institutions influences the supply of amenities and local public goods. Pollution, congestion, and the quality of public education are examples. Over the past decade, advances in economic models of this sorting process have led to new framework that promises to alter the ways we conceptualize the policy evaluation process in the future. These "equilibrium sorting" models use the properties of market equilibria, together with information on household behavior, to infer structural parameters that characterize preference heterogeneity. The results can be used to develop theoretically consistent predictions for the welfare implications of future policy changes. Analysis is not confined to marginal effects or a partial equilibrium setting. Nor is it limited to prices and quantities. Sorting models can integrate descriptions of how non-market goods are generated, estimate how they affect decision making and, in turn, predict how they will be affected by future policies targeting prices or quantities. Conversely, sorting models can predict how equilibrium prices and quantities will be affected by policies which target product quality, information, or amenities generated by the sorting process. These capabilities are just beginning to be understood and used in applied research. This survey article aims to synthesize the state of knowledge on equilibrium sorting, the new possibilities for policy analysis, and the conceptual and empirical challenges that define the frontiers of the literature.