Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staging of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using the MET oncogene product as marker of tumor cells in lymph node metastases

In head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), metastasis to cervical lymph nodes is a major determinant of patient outcome. To detect metastases, we used the MET oncogene as marker, which encodes the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, mediating epithelial cell motility and invasiveness. The MET gene is expressed in epithelia and over‐expressed in carcinomas of specific histotypes, but not in lymphatic tissue. A total of 151 lymph nodes from 20 squamous cell carcinomas were studied with both in‐depth histology and end‐point and real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR. MET‐encoded sequences were found in 61 of 151 nodes (40%), of which 24 (16%) were found metastatic by in‐depth histopathology. Parallel routine histopathologic analysis of 654 lymph nodes from the same cases identified 36 metastases (5%). Real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR was used to measure MET gene‐specific mRNA in normal tissues, primary tumors and lymphatic metastases and showed a 2–8‐fold increased expression in tumor cells which metastasize. RT‐PCR for 3 cytokeratins expressed in HNSCC (K4, K10 and K13) proved to be less sensitive in detecting occult lymphatic metastases. Western blot analysis demonstrated the presence of the full‐size MET receptor in primary tumors and lymph node metastases; immunohistochemistry showed receptor localization in tumor cells. Altogether, these data demonstrate that the MET gene product is a valuable marker with which to detect occult tumor cells in lymph nodes, thanks to its high expression in metastatic cells. After RT‐PCR analysis we were able to attribute a more advanced stage to 10 out of 20 HNSCC cases, including 5 cases classified as tumor‐free after routine histopathology. Int. J. Cancer 89:286–292, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Outer sheath associated proteins of the oral spirochete Treponema maltophilum.

We recently cloned the major outer membrane protein of Treponema maltophilum [Heuner, K. , Choi, B.K. , Schade, R. , Moter, A. , Otto, A. , Göbel, U.B. , J. Bacteriol. 181, 1025-1029]. Here we report the localization of the major sheath protein (Msp)A protein in T. maltophilum by immunogold electron microscopy and its expression. Northern blot analysis revealed that mspA is expressed constitutively as a monocistronic unit. The transcription initiation site of the mspA gene was identified by primer extension analysis. A further screening of a genomic library of T. maltophilum with an anti-outer membrane fraction antibody was done. We were able to clone DNA regions of T. maltophilum encoding putative sugar transport operons and putative outer membrane proteins of this oral treponeme which has a high prevalence in periodontal lesions.
Which Companies Use the Domestic Production Activities Deduction?

This paper uses IRS C corporation 2012 tax return data to study the firms that claim the Sec. 199 deduction, thereby providing empirical evidence on the economic significance of the deduction and the characteristics of the companies that benefit from this incentive. The descriptive analyses show that, while the number of firms claiming Sec. 199 benefits is small, these firms are an economically important subset of all corporate firms and report over half of total positive corporate taxable income. Furthermore, corporations report that approximately $440 billion of taxable income qualifies for the deduction, equal to one-third of all corporate taxable income. Additional analyses show that approximately 72% of the deduction is claimed by large, multinational public firms with assets greater than $1 billion. While described as a tax deduction for domestic producers and manufacturers, only 60% of the deduction is claimed by firms in industries traditionally considered to generate production-related income. The statute has thus been applied widely by a number of firms in other industries who have identified some portion of their business that generates qualifying income. We also present data on how the statutory limitations within Sec. 199 reduce the number and extent to which firms claim the deduction, and we show how the number of firms and the amount of benefit claimed has changed over time.
Airline loyalty determinants among business travelers: empirical evidence from Croatia

Abstract Airline passenger loyalty has been the subject of several studies set within a general travel context. These studies have helped understanding the influence of variables like brand equity, airline service levels, customer commitment, but also price in tying a passenger to a particular airline. Despite the great economic importance of the business traveler market, no study has, however, so far, exclusively focused on this traveler segment and tried to investigate drivers of repurchase intentions and loyalty of this specific traveler type. This study aims to address this research gap. The findings reveal that business passenger loyalty is far stronger driven by emotional than rational elements, in particular trust. Accordingly, airlines aiming to tie business travelers should set the focus of relationship marketing activities primarily to affective than calculative commitment building.
Use of Electronic Medication Administration Records to Reduce Perceived Stress and Risk of Medication Errors in Nursing Homes

Concerns have been raised about the effects of current medication administration processes on the safety of many of the aspects of medication administration. Keeping electronic medication administration records could decrease many of these problems. Unfortunately, there has not been much research on this topic, especially in nursing homes. A prospective case-control survey was consequently performed at two nursing homes; the electronic record system was introduced in one, whereas the other continued to use paper records. The personnel were asked to fill in a questionnaire of their perceptions of stress and risk of medication errors at baseline (n = 66) and 20 weeks after the intervention group had started recording medication administration electronically (n = 59). There were statistically significant decreases in the perceived risk of omitting a medication, of medication errors occurring because of communication problems, and of medication errors occurring because of inaccurate medication administration records in the intervention group (all P < .01 vs the control group). The perceived overall daily stress levels were also reduced in the intervention group (P < .05). These results indicate that the utilization of electronic medication administration records will reduce many of the concerns regarding the medication administration process.
The Impact of Impaired “Theory of Mind” on Social Interactions in Schizophrenia

Abstract Given the importance of social dysfunction in schizophrenia, many studies have explored how social cognition, and, particularly, Theory of Mind (ToM) may affect patients’ social interactions. In the present study, we investigated the impact of ToM deficits on social interactions, taking into account overall neuropsychological functioning as well as clinical and demographic characteristics. We assessed 28 patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy participants on a series of tasks including tests of ToM, neuropsychological tests focused on functions potentially relevant to ToM and role plays as an indicator of social interactions. Patients performed more poorly than healthy controls across most ToM and some of the neuropsychological tests. Correlations and hierarchical regression analyses indicated the impact of some, but not all, facets of ToM on patients’ social interactions, over and above neuropsychological functioning, positive and negative symptom ratings, duration of illness and demographic characteristics. These findings suggest that remediation of ToM deficits in patients with schizophrenia may help to improve their social interactions. (JINS, 2011, 17, 511–521)
Autonomic risk management for critical infrastructure protection

The purpose of this work is to develop an adaptive risk management framework capable to prevent, identify and respond in critical time to threats. Our focus is on protecting critical infrastructure (e.g. public utilities) which vitally depends on network and information security. As solution we propose a holonic Cybersecurity system that unfolds into an emergency response management infrastructure capable to react in due time to unknown and new kinds of attacks/threats. The system can adapt to its changing environment through its self-organizing capability. Mimicking the way immunity works in biological organisms the system can dynamically adapt to embrace new risk situations and can dynamically create and learn new risk models as it encounters new risk situations.
Quantity Surveying Organizational Structures andits Relation to Strategic Planning

This article reviews the organizational structure factors relating to the implementation of strategic planning in quantity surveying firms and its growth. It is generally thought that strategic planning of the firm in the construction industry is less developed than in other industries. Based on organizational factors perspective, we suggest that organization’s structure is the determining factors in implementation of strategic planning in quantity surveying firms. Strategic planning is the mechanism needed for organizations to stay competitive and enhance performance of the firm. However, the literature on strategic planning is mostly for large organizations in other industries and not directly applicable to the context of professional firms in construction industry. This research aims to 1) to identify the organization structure (mechanistic/organic) of Malaysian quantity surveying firms. 2) to establish these variable (mechanistic/ organic) and size of firm in the implementation of strategic planning process? and 3) to establish the relationship between the strategic planning process and quantity surveying firms’ growth.The data is obtained from literature review, semi-structured interviews with 15 directors of quantity surveying firms and final survey. This paper concludes that Malaysian quantity surveying firms is mostly mechanistic in their operation and significantly correlated with the implementation of strategic planning. In fact, being small and growing firms is not the barrier in implementing strategic planning and there is a significant correlation between strategic planning implementation and growth.
Genome-Wide Association Study Singles Out SCD and LEPR as the Two Main Loci Influencing Intramuscular Fat Content and Fatty Acid Composition in Duroc Pigs

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content and fatty acid composition affect the organoleptic quality and nutritional value of pork. A genome-wide association study was performed on 138 Duroc pigs genotyped with a 60k SNP chip to detect biologically relevant genomic variants influencing fat content and composition. Despite the limited sample size, the genome-wide association study was powerful enough to detect the association between fatty acid composition and a known haplotypic variant in SCD (SSC14) and to reveal an association of IMF and fatty acid composition in the LEPR region (SSC6). The association of LEPR was later validated with an independent set of 853 pigs using a candidate quantitative trait nucleotide. The SCD gene is responsible for the biosynthesis of oleic acid (C18:1) from stearic acid. This locus affected the stearic to oleic desaturation index (C18:1/C18:0), C18:1, and saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids content. These effects were consistently detected in gluteus medius, longissimus dorsi, and subcutaneous fat. The association of LEPR with fatty acid composition was detected only in muscle and was, at least in part, a consequence of its effect on IMF content, with increased IMF resulting in more SFA, less polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and greater SFA/PUFA ratio. Marker substitution effects estimated with a subset of 65 animals were used to predict the genomic estimated breeding values of 70 animals born 7 years later. Although predictions with the whole SNP chip information were in relatively high correlation with observed SFA, MUFA, and C18:1/C18:0 (0.48–0.60), IMF content and composition were in general better predicted by using only SNPs at the SCD and LEPR loci, in which case the correlation between predicted and observed values was in the range of 0.36 to 0.54 for all traits. Results indicate that markers in the SCD and LEPR genes can be useful to select for optimum fatty acid profiles of pork.
Streptomycin ototoxicity and hair cell regeneration in the adult pigeon utricle

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a technique to investigate the regeneration of utricular hair cells in the adult pigeon (Columba livia) following complete hair cell loss through administration of streptomycin. Study Design: Experimental animal study. Methods: Animals were divided into four groups. Group 1 received 10 to 15 days of systemic streptomycin injections. Animals in Groups 2 and 3 received a single direct placement of a 1‐, 2‐, 4‐, or 8‐mg streptomycin dose into the perilymphatic space. Animals in Groups 1 and 2 were analyzed within 1 week from injection to investigate hair cell destruction, whereas Group 3 was investigated at later dates to study hair cell recovery. Group 4 animals received a control injection of saline into the perilymphatic space. Damage and recovery were quantified by counting hair cells in isolated utricles using scanning electron microscopy. Results: Although systemic injections failed to reliably achieve complete utricular hair cell destruction, a single direct placement of a 2‐, 4‐, or 8‐mg streptomycin dose caused complete destruction within the first week. Incomplete hair cell loss was observed with the 1‐mg dose. Over the long term, regeneration of the hair cells was seen with the 2‐mg dose but not the 8‐mg dose. Control injections of saline into the perilymphatic space caused no measurable hair cell loss. Conclusions: Direct placement of streptomycin into the perilymph is an effective, reliable method for complete destruction of utricular hair cells while preserving the regenerative potential of the neuroepithelium.
Multi-Party Computation

We use CryptHOL [1, 6] to consider Multi-Party Computation (MPC) protocols. MPC was first considered in [8] and recent advances in efficiency and an increased demand mean it is now deployed in the real world. Security is considered using the real/ideal world paradigm. We first define security in the semi-honest security setting where parties are assumed not to deviate from the protocol transcript. In this setting we prove multiple Oblivious Transfer (OT) protocols secure and then show security for the gates of the GMW protocol [3]. We then define malicious security, this is a stronger notion of security where parties are assumed to be fully corrupted by an adversary. In this setting we again consider OT.
Differential expression of insulin‐like growth factor family members in immature cumulus–oocyte complexes from dairy cows with different genotypes

It has been evident the improvement of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in dairy cows. Nevertheless, it is known that differences in the number and quality of oocytes between taurine and zebu females impact the efficiency and economic viability of IVEP. As the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is related to follicular and oocyte development, we aimed to quantify mRNA abundance of IGF system members and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPPA) in the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) of Gir, 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir and Holstein cows. Four pools of 30 immature COCs from Gir, 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir and Holstein cows were obtained by ovum pickup (OPU), and the oocytes and cumulus cells (CC) were mechanically separated and stored at -80°C. Total RNA was extracted from pools of 30 oocytes and their respective CC. Expression of target genes was assessed by real-time RT-PCR. In oocytes, the abundance of IGFR1 mRNA was higher (p < .05) in Gir cows compared with the other breeds. In contrast, in CC, mRNA encoding IGF2 (p < .05), IGFR2 (p < .05) and IGFBP4 (p < .01) was higher in Holstein donors compared with Gir and 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir cows. Additionally, the abundance of PAPPA mRNA was higher in oocytes (p < .001) and CC (p < .01) in Gir and 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir cows compared with the Holstein donors. In conclusion, the higher abundance of PAPPA mRNA in the oocytes and CC from Gir and cross-breed donors combined with the low expression of IGFBP4 in the CC suggests an enhancement of the bioavailability of IGF-free when compared with Holstein COCs.
DIFFERENT MEASUREMENT APPROACHES AS SOURCES OF DIFFERENCES IN DATA ON THE PREVALENCE OF PEER VIOLENCE

The goal of this research was to investigate the difference in results of prevalence of peer violence when using different measurement approaches (definitional and behavioral) and different data collecting methods (self-rating, peer rating, peer nomination, self-nomination). The article presents results from two different researches on two samples of school-aged children from two towns in Slavonia. Prevalence of peer violence, in both samples, was measured by self-rating method based on behavioral approach. Pupils from the first sample gave self-ratings and peer ratings of peer violence prevalence, based on definitional approach. Pupils from the second sample gave peer nomination and self-nomination of peer violence based on definitional approach. The results have shown a higher prevalence of peer violence when using definitional approach and the results were the same regardless of using peer ratings or self-ratings. Self-ratings methods based on behavioral approach and peer nomination based on definitional approach have shown same peer violence prevalence but a slightly higher prevalence was obtained when using self-nomination. The study shows that it is necessary to use multimethod approach when testing the peer violence prevalence.
The Effects of Capital Requirements on Good and Bad Risk-Taking

We study capital requirement regulation in a dynamic quantitative model in which nonfinancial firms, as well as households, hold deposits. A novel general equilibrium channel that operates through firms’ deposits mitigates the cost of increasing capital requirements. In the calibrated model, (a) the optimal capital requirement is 7.3 percentage points higher than in a comparable model in which all the deposits are held by households, and (b) setting the capital requirement higher than the true optimum is not as costly as one would gauge from the comparable model. We also provide some independent evidence that supports our novel channel.
Genomic Inbreeding and Relatedness in Wild Panda Populations

Inbreeding and relatedness in wild panda populations are important parameters for panda conservation. Habitat loss and fragmentation are expected to increase inbreeding but the actual inbreeding levels in natural panda habitats were unknown. Using 150,025 SNPs and 14,926 SNPs selected from published whole-genome sequences, we estimated genomic inbreeding coefficients and relatedness of 49 pandas including 34 wild pandas sampled from six habitats. Qinling and Liangshan pandas had the highest levels of inbreeding and relatedness measured by genomic inbreeding and coancestry coefficients, whereas the inbreeding levels in Qionglai and Minshan were 28–45% of those in Qinling and Liangshan. Genomic coancestry coefficients between pandas from different habitats showed that panda populations from the four largest habitats, Minshan, Qionglai, Qinling and Liangshan, were genetically unrelated. Pandas between these four habitats on average shared 66.0–69.1% common alleles and 45.6–48.6% common genotypes, whereas pandas within each habitat shared 71.8–77.0% common alleles and 51.7–60.4% common genotypes. Pandas in the smaller populations of Qinling and Liangshan were more similarly to each other than pandas in the larger populations of Qionglai and Minshan according to three genomic similarity measures. Panda genetic differentiation between these habitats was positively related to their geographical distances. Most pandas separated by 200 kilometers or more shared no common ancestral alleles. The results provided a genomic quantification of the actual levels of inbreeding and relatedness among pandas in their natural habitats, provided genomic confirmation of the relationship between genetic diversity and geographical distances, and provided genomic evidence to the urgency of habitat protection.
Coffee and green tea consumption is associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer in Japan

The impact of coffee and green tea consumption on upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancer risk has not been established. Evaluation of the possible anticarcinogenic properties of their ingredients is confounded by the potential increase in risk owing to the high temperatures at which these beverages are generally consumed. We conducted a case–control study to evaluate the association between coffee and tea consumption and the risk of UADT cancer. The study enrolled 961 patients with UADT cancer and 2,883 noncancer outpatients who visited Aichi Cancer Center between 2001 and 2005. Information on coffee and green tea consumption and other lifestyle factors was collected via a self‐administered questionnaire. Consumption of three or more cups of coffee per day had a significant inverse association with UADT cancer [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55–0.96]. In contrast, consumption of three or more cups of green tea per day had a significant positive association with UADT cancer (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.13–1.70). These associations were evident for head and neck cancer but not for esophageal cancer. The association of coffee consumption with head and neck cancer was observed only among never smokers and alcohol drinkers. Similarly, the association of green tea consumption was observed among never smokers and never alcohol drinkers. No change in these associations was seen on stratification by each confounding factors. These findings suggest that consumption of coffee might be associated with a decreased risk of UADT cancer, whereas that of green tea might be associated with an increased risk.
The Grammaticality of Manual Representations of English in Classroom Settings

This study examined the ability of teachers to produce grammatical manual representations of English under normal classroom conditions. Three groups of teachers—inexperienced signing hearing teachers, experienced signing hearing teachers, and deaf teachers—were observed three times using a live-observation system. Twenty-three teachers were observed with an inter-coder reliability of . 896. Differences in teachers' ability to use separate signs for English grammatical endings and the use of ASL-like signing were found.The general conclusion of the study is that increased experience leads to increased use of natural language features in classroom communication.
A Churn Resilience Technique on P2P Sensor Data Stream Delivery System Using Distributed Hashing

Recently, sensor data stream delivery system that collects sensor data periodically and delivers successively has been attracting great attention. As for this sensor data stream delivery, receivers are possible to require the same sensor data stream with different delivery cycles. Our research team proposed methods to distribute communication loads by relay nodes in the case of delivering the sensor data streams that have different data delivery cycles. However, in the previous methods, since the specic node builds delivery paths and noties related nodes, the assigned node is required to be updated when the related nodes churn. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a churn resilience technique that enhances the robustness of delivery system. We confirmed in simulations that the proposed technique improves the reliability of the delivery system.