Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High intakes of choline and betaine reduce breast cancer mortality in a population‐based study

Choline and betaine provide methyl groups for one‐carbon metabolism. Humans obtain these nutrients from a wide range of foods. Betaine can also be synthesized endogenously from its precursor, choline. Although animal studies have implied a causal relationship between choline deficiency and carcinogenesis, the role of these two nutrients in human carcinogenesis and tumor progression is not well understood. We investigated the associations of dietary intakes of choline and betaine and breast cancer risk and mortality in the population‐based Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. Among the 1508 case‐group women, 308 (20.2%) deaths occurred, among whom 164 (53.2%) died of breast cancer by December 31, 2005. There was an indication that a higher intake of free choline was associated with reduced risk of breast cancer (Ptrend=0.04). Higher intakes of betaine, phosphocholine, and free choline were associated with reduced all‐cause as well as breast cancer‐specific mortality in a dose‐dependent fashion. We also explored associations of polymorphisms of three key choline‐ and betaine‐metabolizing genes and breast cancer mortality. The betaine‐homocysteine methyltransferase gene (BHMT) rs3733890 polymorphism was associated with reduced breast cancer‐specific mortality (hazard ratio, 0.64;95% confidence interval, 0.42–0.97). Our study supports the important roles of choline and betaine in breast carcinogenesis. It suggests that high intake of these nutrients may be a promising strategy to prevent the development of breast cancer and to reduce its mortality. —Xu, X. , Gammon, M. D. , Zeisal, S. H. , Bradshaw, P. T. , Wetmur, J. G. , Teitelbaum, S. L. , Neugut, A. I. , Santella, R. M. , Chen, J. High intakes of choline and betaine reduce breast cancer mortality in a population‐based study. FASEB J. 23, 4022–4028 (2009). www.fasebj. org
Yet another block Lanczos algorithm: how to simplify the computation and reduce reliance on preconditioners in the small field case

A new block Lanczos algorithm for computations over small finite fields is presented and analysed. The algorithm can be used to solve a system of linear equations or sample uniformly from the null space whenever the number of nilpotent blocks with order at least two in the Jordan form of the given coefficient matrix is less than the block factor on the right. It can also be used to verify that this matrix condition is not satisfied, in order to confirm that preconditioning of the given matrix is required.
Effect of Panpal pretreatment and antidotal treatment (HI-6 plus benactyzine) on respiratory and circulatory function in soman-poisoned rats

1 The effect of pharmacological pretreatment (pyridos tigmine, benactyzine and trihexyphenidyle), desig nated Panpal, and antidotal treatment (the oxime HI- 6 plus benactyzine) in soman poisoning was investi gated in a rat model with on-line monitoring of respiratory and circulatory parameters. 2 Soman poisoning caused a high decrease in respiratory rate as well as minute respiratory volume and an increase in mean arterial pressure from 30-120 min following soman challenge. Soman at sublethal dose also significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase activ ity in diaphragm and various brain parts. 3 Panpal pretreatment as well as antidotal treatment were effective in improving the respiratory and circulatory function disturbed by soman without the ability to increase significantly soman-inhibited acet ylcholinesterase activity in all brain parts studied. 4 The efficacy of combined Panpal pretreatment and antidotal treatment against sublethal soman poisoning was not different from the efficacy of Panpal pretreat ment or antidotal treatment alone. 5 The results of this investigation suggest that Panpal pretreatment as well as antidotal treatment are able to restore respiratory and circulatory function in soman- poisoned rats without significant reactivation of brain acetylcholinesterase.
A 37-kilodalton glycoprotein from a baculovirus of Orgyia pseudotsugata is localized to cytoplasmic inclusion bodies

The gene encoding a 37-kDa glycoprotein (gp37) of Orgyia pseudotsugata multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (OpMNPV) was located and sequenced. gp37 of OpMNPV was found to have 62 and 37% amino acid sequence identity with gp37 of Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) and with a protein reported to be a component of occlusion bodies from Choristoneura biennis entomopoxvirus, respectively. The mRNA start site of the OpMNPV gp37 gene was mapped within a late promoter sequence (TTAAG). A TrpE fusion protein containing 55% of the OpMNPV gp37 gene amino acid sequence was used to generate a monospecific antiserum. Western immunoblot analysis of OpMNPV-infected Lymantria dispar cells detected gp37 beginning at 24 h postinfection. Immunoelectron microscopy indicated that the protein is concentrated in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies late in infection. In contrast to gp37 of AcMNPV which was present in the matrix of occlusion bodies, OpMNPV gp37 was not observed in this location. Neither OpMNPV nor AcMNPV gp37 was associated with the polyhedron envelope.
Measuring the Impact of Innovation Intermediaries. An Assessment of the Impact of UCLA's Global Access Program

We present a general-purpose methodology for measuring the impact of innovation intermediaries that applies across all types of intermediaries. Innovation intermediaries are believed to have a beneficial influence on innovation processes, but as there are no universally accepted metrics of intermediary performance it is difficult for these organizations to provide the evidence of their contributions. We demonstrate the methodology by assessing the impact of the University of California at Los Angeles? Global Access Program (GAP) program on Finnish companies. Our findings show that the GAP program has had an impact on the performance of participating firms in terms of revenue growth, exports, new international customers, and employment growth. Consistent with our expectation that impacts on firm performance are a consequence of earlier impacts on firm resources and capabilities, we find a statistically significant relationship between the immediate impact of strategic information and advice, and information and advice on new markets, and longer term impact on firm performance.
Alignment-Free Cancelable Fingerprint Templates Based on Local Minutiae Information

To replace compromised biometric templates, cancelable biometrics has recently been introduced. The concept is to transform a biometric signal or feature into a new one for enrollment and matching. For making cancelable fingerprint templates, previous approaches used either the relative position of a minutia to a core point or the absolute position of a minutia in a given fingerprint image. Thus, a query fingerprint is required to be accurately aligned to the enrolled fingerprint in order to obtain identically transformed minutiae. In this paper, we propose a new method for making cancelable fingerprint templates that do not require alignment. For each minutia, a rotation and translation invariant value is computed from the orientation information of neighboring local regions around the minutia. The invariant value is used as the input to two changing functions that output two values for the translational and rotational movements of the original minutia, respectively, in the cancelable template. When a template is compromised, it is replaced by a new one generated by different changing functions. Our approach preserves the original geometric relationships (translation and rotation) between the enrolled and query templates after they are transformed. Therefore, the transformed templates can be used to verify a person without requiring alignment of the input fingerprint images. In our experiments, we evaluated the proposed method in terms of two criteria: performance and changeability. When evaluating the performance, we examined how verification accuracy varied as the transformed templates were used for matching. When evaluating the changeability, we measured the dissimilarities between the original and transformed templates, and between two differently transformed templates, which were obtained from the same original fingerprint. The experimental results show that the two criteria mutually affect each other and can be controlled by varying the control parameters of the changing functions.
The Economic Returns to Multiple Language Usage in Western Europe

To what extent are there economic returns to learning a second or third language? Do the benefits differ according to country? This paper examines the return to multi-lingualism in the workplace. In particular, we estimate the effect that using an additional language in one’s job has on earnings for a sample of workers in the European Community Household Panel survey. Log-earnings regressions are estimated by country with controls for standard human capital, job, and personal characteristics. Preliminary results indicate that the use of a second language in the workplace raises earnings by about 5 to 10 percent, but the results are sensitive to the specification used and vary across countries, occupations, and gender.
Dicer loss in striatal neurons produces behavioral and neuroanatomical phenotypes in the absence of neurodegeneration

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that can act to repress target mRNAs by suppressing translation and/or reducing mRNA stability. Although it is clear that miRNAs and Dicer, an RNase III enzyme that is central to the production of mature miRNAs, have a role in the early development of neurons, their roles in the postmitotic neuron in vivo are largely unknown. To determine the roles of Dicer in neurons, we ablated Dicer in dopaminoceptive neurons. Mice that have lost Dicer in these cells display a range of phenotypes including ataxia, front and hind limb clasping, reduced brain size, and smaller neurons. Surprisingly, dopaminoceptive neurons without Dicer survive over the life of the animal. The lack of profound cell death contrasts with other mouse models in which Dicer has been ablated. These studies highlight the complicated nature of Dicer ablation in the brain and provide a useful mouse model for studying dopaminoceptive neuron function.
Role of Surgery in tuberculous mastoiditis

Abstract A study was understand in 43 patients to determine the role of surgery in tuberculous mastoidits. Cortical mastoidectomy was performed on five patients (Group I). Incision and drainage of a post-auricular abscess, removal of sequestrum and meatoplasty in eight (Group II). Thirty patients had no ear surgery (Group III). Of the 17 Patients with facial palsy, three were in Group I, two in Group II, 12 in Group III. The patients in all three groups were treated with anti-tuberculous drugs for a period of no less than six months. The average time taken for the otorrhoea to subside and granulation issue to resolve completely was two months in all three groups. The facial nerve recovery in the non-operated ears (Group I and II) 80 per cent. The conclusion is that chemotherapy is the management of choice in tuberculous mastoidits. The only role of surgery is incision and drainage of a post-auricular abscess and removal of sequestrum if present.
Decay of Endoplasmic Reticulum-Localized mRNAs During the Unfolded Protein Response

The unfolded protein response (UPR) allows the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to recover from the accumulation of misfolded proteins, in part by increasing its folding capacity. Inositol-requiring enzyme–1 (IRE1) promotes this remodeling by detecting misfolded ER proteins and activating a transcription factor, X-box–binding protein 1, through endonucleolytic cleavage of its messenger RNA (mRNA). Here, we report that IRE1 independently mediates the rapid degradation of a specific subset of mRNAs, based both on their localization to the ER membrane and on the amino acid sequence they encode. This response is well suited to complement other UPR mechanisms because it could selectively halt production of proteins that challenge the ER and clear the translocation and folding machinery for the subsequent remodeling process.
Measuring Second-Hand Shopping Motives, Antecedents and Consequences

This article aims at measuring motives toward second-hand shopping, an alternative form of buying that consumers make use of. We first define the concept of second-hand buying and describe the characteristics of the phenomenon that support a motivation-based approach. Then, we develop a measurement scale following the procedure advocated by Churchill (1979) and reexamined by Rossiter (2002). A preliminary qualitative study conducted with 15 buyers of second-hand goods and a two-stage data collection among 708 individuals provide a final, reliable and valid 7-factor scale that can be used separately or combined in two main dimensions — economic and recreational — to predict internal or external outcome variables.
On the issue of RoÅŸia MontanÄƒ gold exploitation An application and extension of the Arrow-Fisher uncertainty model on local issues

The aim of this article is to analyse the prospects of gold mine development at RoAŸia MontanAƒ, with a focus on the uncertainty regarding this process. We are specifically interested in the issues associated with cyanide spill accidents and how these uncertain events can alter the cost/benefit analysis. Making use of an established methodology, we conclude that the projected gold exploitation can pose considerable risks to the environment, and that an efficient operation would imply either reducing these risks, their effect on the environment, or both. Finally, we also draw from historical knowledge regarding the ancient mine Alburnus Maior, in order to assess the viability of the modern exploitation. We conclude that the modern project could be improved by technological progress, which would seek to maximize the scale of operations, while minimizing both the risk of accidents and their impact on the environment.
Benign abnormalities and carcinoid tumors of the central airways: diagnostic impact of CT bronchography.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the added diagnostic value, if any, of CT bronchography for the detection and characterization of benign abnormalities and typical carcinoid tumors of the central airways. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used bronchoscopy and helical CT to examine 238 bronchial sections in 28 patients with 32 bronchial abnormalities and in five patients with normal bronchoscopy results. Postprocessing consisted of CT bronchography based on surface rendering. Images were interpreted independently by two observers (a radiologist and a pneumonologist) who were not informed of the bronchoscopy results. After initial interpretation of axial CT scans, the observers analyzed the axial CT scans with CT bronchograms. Results were evaluated for gain in diagnostic accuracy and in confidence. RESULTS Mean sensitivity for detection of abnormal bronchial sections was 89% (range, 87-90%) for axial CT and 92% (range, 90-94%) for axial CT with CT bronchography (not significant). Mean specificity of both approaches exceeded 99%. A correct diagnosis of the nature of the bronchial abnormalities was proposed for 68% of the cases in which axial CT was used alone and in 76% in which both axial CT and CT bronchography were used (not significant). The addition of CT bronchography significantly increased the confidence of the pneumonologist in the diagnoses. CONCLUSION Axial CT remains the technique of choice to detect and characterize benign abnormalities of the airways. CT bronchography provides little diagnostic gain but increases the confidence of chest physicians in the interpretation of CT scans for the assessment of benign abnormalities and typical carcinoids of the central airways.
New technique to build probabilistic roadmap methods

In this work a new alternative is proposed to improve the quality of the roadmap obtained by probabilistic roadmap methods. This alternative is based on the use of some geometric features of the robot and the obstacles to move and rotate the robot in some way. We believe that narrow corridor problems can be solved taking advantage of the robot form and its geometric features. The main idea is to obtain information that allows the algorithm to guide the search of useful configurations, and to reduce the account of non-valid configurations to be calculated. In order to reach a better performance of these planners, we obtain a better representation of the connectivity of the configuration space. We develop this idea to solve the motion planning problem for a specific kind of robot, the "free flying objects" with six degrees of freedom. We show results that allow us to be sure that geometric features can be used to build heuristics which can find free configurations close to the obstacles and such heuristics can be used to solve the narrow corridor problems.
Reduced- and Full-Order Observers for Delayed Genetic Regulatory Networks

This paper is centered upon the state estimation for delayed genetic regulatory networks. Our aim is at estimating the concentrations of mRNAs and proteins by designing reduced-order and full-order state observers based on available network outputs. We introduce a Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional including quadruplicate integrals, and estimate its derivative by employing the Wirtinger-type integral inequalities, reciprocal convex technique, and convex technique. From which, delay-dependent sufficient conditions, in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), are investigated to ensure that the resultant error system is asymptotically stable. One can verify these conditions by utilizing the MATLAB Toolboxes LMI or YALMIP. In addition, the gains of reduced-order and full-order observers are represented by the feasible solutions of the LMIs, and thereby, the concrete expressions of the desired reduced-order and full-order state observers are presented. Finally, the simulation results of a numerical example are demonstrated, which explains the validity of the proposed method.
Wine web 2.0: digital communication and tourist netnography. Opportunities for new entrepreneurship

Purpose of the paper : The paper aims to examine online communication of wine tourism destinations and their users in order to identify strategic approaches potentially suitable for the development of: 1. new web communication formats; 2. innovative entrepreneurial formulae that meet the expectations of increasingly demanding and expert customers. Methodology : These aims are pursued by means of various methods: - official wine tourism destination websites were investigated with the use of the text mining technique; - wine tourists’ online discussions were analysed with the use of text mining and the results were netnographically investigated. Findings : The analysis enables the search for information, which aims to: a) identify the most frequently used keyword and thematic messages by official wine tourism destination websites; b) profile wine tourists who speak of wine tourism destinations under study. Research limitation : The two main limitations of the study are: (i) the analysis has been conducted only on the wine destination websites, which are less interactive than social networks; and (ii) the netnographic approach used is of the observational kind and thus doesn’t provide any interaction with wine tourists themselves. Research and managerial implications : In managerial terms, the results of the analysis of user-generated content can be used to (re)direct communicational strategies and develop a more innovative and personalised tourist offer. Originality/value of paper : The originality of the research lies in the application of research methods that enable interesting research hypotheses, although they are still infrequently used in tourism marketing studies.
Efficient Iterative CT Reconstruction on Octree Guided by Geometric Errors

In this study, we propose a fast and memory-efficient iterative CT reconstruction algorithm based on top-down octree generation that adaptively subdivides the reconstruction grid. The resolution of the reconstruction grid is determined according to the geometrical complexity of the scanned shape. The proposed algorithm can effectively avoid creating a large data file because the homogenous regions on a CT reconstruction result can be represented by sparse sampling.
Predominance of neuronal mRNAs in individual Alzheimer's disease senile plaques

The sequestration of RNA in Alzheimer's disease (AD) senile plaques (SPs) and the production of intraneuronal amyloid‐β peptides (Aβ) prompted analysis of the mRNA profile in single immunocytochemically identified SPs in sections of AD hippocampus. By using amplified RNA expression profiling, polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization, we assessed the presence and abundance of 51 mRNAs that encode proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. The mRNAs in SPs were compared with those in individual CA1 neurons and the surrounding neuropil of control subjects. The remarkable demonstration here, that neuronal mRNAs predominate in SPs, implies that these mRNAs are nonproteinaceous components of SPs, and, moreover, that mRNAs may interact with Aβ protein and that SPs form at sites where neurons degenerate in the AD brain. Ann Neurol 1999;45:174–181
On the Measurement of Interfirm Power in Channels of Distribution

Based in part on previous research reported in the marketing channels literature, an approach for measuring interfirm power is developed which centers on power's hypothesized sources. Within a dyadic channel relationship, the role performance of a firm in its primary channel responsibilities is seen to drive the level of the other firm's dependence in their relationship. This dependence, in turn, determines the former firm's level of power over the latter firm. Empirical results from a study in a franchise channel system are used to evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the proposed measures.
Integration Of Thermally Stable, Low-k AF4 Polymer For 0.18 /spl mu/m Interconnects And Beyond

AF4 (or parylene-F) has been integrated into double-level-metal comb capacitors as the gap-fill dielectric. The capacitance of combs with AF4 dielectric and PECVD Si02 liner displays a 10% reduction in capacitance relative to capacitors using HSQ as the dielectric, while unlined combs using AF4 display a 13.5% reduction. The leakage current of the combs using HSQ and the lined combs using AF4 is comparable, while the leakage current for the unlined combs using AF4 is at least one order of magnitude higher.