Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Versus Surgery Alone in Resectable Pancreatic and Periampullary Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Background:Success of surgical treatment for pancreatic and periampullary cancer is often limited due to locoregional recurrence and/or the development of distant metastases. Objective:The survival benefit of celiac axis infusion (CAI) and radiotherapy (RT) versus observation after resection of pancreatic or periampullary cancer was investigated. Methods:In a randomized controlled trial, 120 consecutive patients with histopathologically proven pancreatic or periampullary cancer received either adjuvant treatment consisting of intra-arterial mitoxantrone, 5-FU, leucovorin, and cisplatinum in combination with 30 × 1.8 Gy radiotherapy (group A) or no adjuvant treatment (group B). Groups were stratified for tumor type (pancreatic vs. periampullary tumors). Results:After surgery, 120 patients were randomized (59 patients in the treatment group, 61 in the observation group). The median follow-up was 17 months. No significant overall survival benefit was seen (median, 19 vs. 18 months resp.). Progressive disease was seen in 86 patients: in 37 patients in the CAI/RT group, and in 49 patients in the observation group (log-rank P < 0.02). Subgroup analysis showed significantly less liver metastases after adjuvant treatment in periampullary tumors (log-rank P < 0.03) without effect on local recurrence. Nonetheless, there was no significant effect on overall survival in these patients (log-rank P = 0.15). In patients with pancreatic cancer, CAI/RT had no significant effect on local recurrence (log-rank P = 0.12) neither on the development of liver metastases (log-rank P = 0.76) and consequently, no effect on overall survival. Conclusion:This adjuvant treatment schedule results in a prolonged time to progression. For periampullary tumors, CAI/RT induced a significant reduction in the development of liver metastases, with a possible effect on overall survival. Especially in these tumors, CAI/RT might prove beneficial in larger groups and further research is warranted.
Branchial chloride cells in larvae and juveniles of freshwater tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus

Branchial chloride cells in the developing larvae and juveniles of freshwater tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, were identified and the membrane Na+/K+-ATPase was localized in situ through binding of the fluorescent dye anthroylouabain. After co-labelling of the cells with the fluorescent probes DASPMI and Con-A-FITC, the mitochondria and apical crypt in the same chloride cells were visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The high density of apical crypts indicated that many chloride cells were functional. The density of branchial chloride cells in larvae 10 days after hatching was approximately 6000 mm-2. An extremely high Na+/K+-ATPase specific activity of approximately 1500 µmol Pi h-1 mg-1 was measured in the gills 10 days after hatching. With the development of secondary lamellae and hence an increase in the amount of branchial epithelial protein, a concomitant decrease in the specific activity of the enzyme in the gill tissues was observed. Total Na+/K+-ATPase activity increased markedly in the early life stages. Our data indicate that in larval stages of fish the gills form a functional ionoregulatory organ before they start functioning as a gas-exchange organ.
Condition assessment of current transformer based on multi-classification support vector machine

The gas production of dissolved gases in transformer oil is used as evaluation index. Support vector machine classifier which is based on 1 to n algorithm is applied to current transformer condition assessment. This method overcomes the disadvantage that the traditional binary tree, which doesn't consider the distributing situation of the data sets, constructs directly the SVM classifier. At the same time, the two-divided method presented by the paper is applied in the choice of the optimal parameters of SVM. The experiment is performed and this method acquires a better performance.
Investing in Advanced Manufacturing Technology

Compares the findings of a survey conducted in Australia and the United Kingdom which investigated issues concerning investments in advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs). Responses were received from 61 companies in Australia (37.9 per cent response rate) and 67 companies in the United Kingdom (44.7 per cent response rate). Respondents in both countries represented around ten different industrial sectors and varied in size from less than 100 employees to more than 10,000 employees. Respondents reported investment in one or more AMTs with around two‐thirds of the investment in the range £250,000 to £500,000 and A$500,000 to A$10m respectively in the two countries. The comparison shows some interesting similarities and differences between Australia and the UK. These are in the types of technologies implemented, financial appraisal methods used, training in AMT and production management, perceived benefits of AMTs, difficulties of implementing AMTs and the respondents’ role in formulating various strate.
Development of Aerosol Phospholipid Microparticles for the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an incurable cardiovascular disease characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries leading from the heart to the lungs. Over two million people in the USA are diagnosed with PAH annually and the typical survival rate is only 3 years after diagnosis. Current treatments are insufficient because of limited bioavailability, toxicity, and costs associated with approved therapeutics. Aerosol delivery of drugs is an attractive approach to treat respiratory diseases because it increases localized drug concentration while reducing systemic side effects. In this study, we developed phospholipid-based aerosol microparticles via spray drying consisting of the drug tacrolimus and the excipients dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol. The phospholipid-based spray-dried aerosol microparticles were shown to be smooth and spherical in size, ranging from 1 to 3 μm in diameter. The microparticles exhibited thermal stability and were amorphous after spray drying. Water content in the microparticles was under 10%, which will allow successful aerosol dispersion and long-term storage stability. In vitro aerosol dispersion showed that the microparticles could successfully deposit in the deep lung, as they exhibited favorable aerodynamic diameters and high fine particle fractions. In vitro dose-response analysis showed that TAC is nontoxic in the low concentrations that would be delivered to the lungs. Overall, this work shows that tacrolimus-loaded phospholipid-based microparticles can be successfully created with optimal physicochemical and toxicological characteristics.
Coordination in clinical managerial practice

Considering the vast amounts of resources spent on health care we have surprisingly scarce knowledge of what clinical managers do, when they are at work. Health care organizations are increasingly standardized, and often standardization initiatives and policies point to clinical managers as key figures in implementation processes. Empirical studies of managerial work can give us some indications of parts of clinical managerial practice; we also know that standards are great coordination tools, preferably in stable settings. However, our knowledge of the important relationship between clinical managerial work and standards would benefit greatly from investigations of how clinical managers work with standards in their local, clinical setting. Aspiring to contribute here, this paper compares the relationship between clinical managers’ work and standards across four different hospital units; orthopedic surgery, radiology, stroke and pulmonary medicine. The results show that the relationship between coordination performed by standards and coordination performed by clinical managers vary across the units, depending on level of unpredictability; when unpredictability was high making standards work required more clinical managerial work. Although clinical managerial work faced different challenges in each setting, the coordination practice of clinical managers shared characteristics across all four units.
Uncertainty Management of Dynamic Tariff Method for Congestion Management in Distribution Networks

The dynamic tariff (DT) method is designed for the distribution system operator (DSO) to alleviate congestions that might occur in a distribution network with high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs). Uncertainty management is required for the decentralized DT method because the DT is determined based on optimal day-ahead energy planning with forecasted parameters such as day-ahead energy prices and energy needs which might be different from the parameters used by aggregators. The uncertainty management is to quantify and mitigate the risk of the congestion when employing the DT method, which is achieved by firstly formulating the problem as a chance constrained two-level optimization and then solving the problem through an iterative procedure. Two case studies were conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the uncertainty management of DT method.
Individual- and Perceived Contextual-Level Antecedents of Individual Technical Information Inquiry in Organizations

Abstract The authors conducted an empirical study in research and development centers and research-oriented commercial companies in Singapore to test a model for understanding individuals' technical information inquiry behavior in organization settings. Individual-level antecedents (learning orientation, risk-taking propensity, and self-efficacy) and perceived contextual-level antecedents (management support, relationship quality, organizational norms favoring technical information inquiry, and accessibility of the information source) were theorized to affect one's evaluation of the potential benefits and costs in making technical information inquiries. The results showed that the perceived norms favoring technical information inquiry affected the willingness of individuals to make technical information inquiries through the mediating variable, expectancy value. In addition, compared with individual-level variables, perceived contextual-level variables explained slightly more variance in the willingness to make technical information inquiries. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
GSK3 inhibitors regulate MYCN mRNA levels and reduce neuroblastoma cell viability through multiple mechanisms including p53 and Wnt signalling Running title: GSK3 Inhibitors, Potential Neuroblastoma Therapeutic Agents

Title GSK3 inhibitors regulate MYCN mRNA levels and reduce neuroblastoma cell viability through multiple mechanisms including p53 and Wnt signalling Authors(s) Duffy, David J.; Krstic, Aleksandar; Schwarzl, Thomas; Higgins, Desmond G; Kolch, Walter Publication date 2014-02 Publication information Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 13 (2): 454-467 Publisher Nature Publishing Group Item record/more information http://hdl.handle. net/10197/7552 Publisher's version (DOI) 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-13-0560-T Notes Supplementary data for this article are available at Molecular Cancer Therapeutics Online (http://mct.aacrjournals.org/)
Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure (KCHF) study: rationale and design

Over the last decade, major developments in medicine have led to significant changes in the clinical management of heart failure patients. This study was designed to evaluate the recent trends in clinical characteristics, management, and short‐term and long‐term prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in Japan.
EFA6A encodes two isoforms with distinct biological activities in neuronal cells

The processes of neurite extension and remodeling require a close coordination between the cytoskeleton and the cell membranes. The small GTPase ARF6 (ADP-ribosylation factor 6) has a central role in regulating membrane traffic and actin dynamics, and its activity has been demonstrated to be involved in neurite elaboration. EFA6A has been shown to act as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for ARF6. Here, we report that two distinct isoforms of the EFA6A gene are expressed in murine neural tissue: a long isoform of 1025 amino acids (EFA6A), and a short isoform of 393 amino acids (EFA6As). EFA6A encompasses proline-rich regions, a Sec7 domain (mediating GEF activity on ARF6), a PH domain, and a C-terminal region with coiled-coil motifs. EFA6As lacks the Sec7 domain, and it comprises the PH domain and the C-terminal region. The transcript encoding EFA6As is the result of alternative promoter usage. EFA6A and EFA6As have distinct biological activities: upon overexpression in HeLa cells, EFA6A induces membrane ruffles, whereas EFA6As gives rise to cell elongation; in primary cortical neurons EFA6A promotes neurite extension, whereas EFA6As induces dendrite branching. Our findings suggest that EFA6A could participate in neuronal morphogenesis through the regulated expression of two functionally distinct isoforms.
Smuggling and import duties in Myanmar

This paper examines the effects of import duties on smuggling in Myanmar. Following Fisman and Wei (2004), the reporting discrepancies between Myanmar’s imports records and corresponding exports recorded by trading partners are regarded as indicative of smuggling. The paper studies whether reporting discrepancies differ across trading partners as well as across time. Our main findings are first, that the hike in import duties in June 2004 helped to widen the reporting discrepancies, which suggests smuggling for tax evasion purposes and second, that reporting discrepancies differ considerably across trading partners: land borders appear to be particularly attractive venues for smugglers.
Fundamentals of Investments: Valuation and Management

Part I Introduction 1. A Brief History of Risk and Return 2. Buying and Selling Securities 3. Overview of Security Types 4. Mutual Funds Part II Stock Markets 5. The Stock Market 6. Common Stock Valuation 7. Stock Price Behavior and Market Efficiency 8. Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing Part III Interest Rates and Bond Valuation 9. Interest Rates 10. Bond Prices and Yields Part IV Portfolio 11. Diversification and Risky Asset Allocation 12. Return, Risk, and the Security Market Line 13. Performance Evaluation and Risk Management Part V Options and Futures 14. Futures Contracts 15. Stock Options Part VI Topics in Investments 16. Option Valuation 17. Projecting Cash Flow and Earnings 18. Corporate Bonds 19. Government Bonds 20. Mortgage-Backed Securities Appendix A: Answers to Test Your Investment Quotient Questions Appendix B: Answers to Selected Questions and Problems Appendix C: Key Formulas Index
The EU's Response to the Financial Crisis: A Mid-Term Review

Two years after the London G-20, CEPS Chief Executive Karel Lannoo finds that the EU is well advanced in delivering on the commitments made for the 2013 target date. Important steps have been taken on the institutional side, and regulatory changes are moving ahead. On some issues, in fact, such as remuneration, the EU has made even greater headway than the US. But certain key sensitive matters remain, such as bank resolution or structural changes.
An Innovative Faith-Based Healthy Eating Program

The Fostering African American Improvement in Total Health! (FAITH! ) Nutrition Education Program is a theory-based, multicomponent health intervention developed and operated in partnership with an East Baltimore church. The program aims to improve eating habits, as well as knowledge and beliefs about healthy eating, among African American adults in order to prevent diseases related to dietary choices. This article addresses the development, design, and formative research that informed the FAITH! program. The main program components are also discussed. Program design used a framework for strategic intervention planning (PRECEDE-PROCEED), and health education theories informed the evaluation process. Formative research was conducted to incorporate the needs and assets of the priority population. The main program components are culturally tailored educational materials, lectures and discussions on diet and related diseases, video presentations on healthy eating, healthy cooking demonstrations/food samples, evaluation, and a church-run healthy food pantry.
Non‐invasive assessment of healing of bacteria infected and uninfected wounds using optical coherence tomography

Background/purpose: Bacterial infection is one of the main predisposing factors for the delay in wound healing. To facilitate a timely decision for correct therapy, it is important to accurately monitor the morphological changes in the infected wounds using noninvasive tools. In the present study, we have explored the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for monitoring the healing of superficial wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus in mice under in vitro and in vivo conditions and studied the changes in collagen birefringence in the infected wounds.
Microeconometric analysis of firm level adjustment to globalisation

The globalisation process of national economies, through trade and foreign direct investment flows, has been one of the most important forces of economic changes in the latest decades. This thesis contributes to the growing literature on firm level adjustment to globalisation. This literature initiated a new paradigm in international trade based on heterogeneous firms. The recent availability of large firm-level data sets and new theoretical models allow to examine how heterogeneous firms react to internationalisation processes, and how their responses determine changes at more aggregate levels. In each chapter of this dissertation we deal with one different aspect of firm-level adjustment to globalisation processes using a data set of manufacturing firms based in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is a good example of a globalised economy given that it is second largest host of multinational enterprises and relatively open to international trade. Overall, our results support the view that heterogeneous firm-level adjustments are important to our understanding of the impact of internationalisation processes on national economies. We argue and find evidence (in chapter two) that import competition does not necessarily lead to higher elasticity of the demand for labour at firm and industry-level, as it has been claimed before. Furthermore, we show (in chapter three) that foreign affiliates contribute disproportionately to the export performance of United Kingdom manufacturing sectors. The export decisions of multinational enterprises seem to depend on motives different from those of domestic firms. Finally, we present evidence (in chapter four) of the relationship between firm-level productivity and participation to globalisation processes, through trade or foreign direct investment, comparing not means, but productivity distribution functions, which allows to account for the heterogeneity of productivity level across firms. In general, these findings underline the importance of building from micro economic evidence to gauge the likely impact of globalisation processes on national economies.
Antagonistic control of a tendon driven manipulator

Two antagonistic control algorithms are described. These algorithms are used to control manipulator links which are antagonistically driven by two actuators via tendons. They have been simulated and experimentally shown to produce better active and passive performance for an electric test system than control algorithms developed earlier. The algorithms use both positive and negative (push and pull) commands to be given to the actuators. Previous systems generated only pull commands, ensuring that tendons would not go slack and give rise to backlash and other problems. The proposed controllers allow push commands to the actuators but still do not allow tendons to go slack. Each actuator, in addition to being fed back its respective tendon force, is fed back both positive and negative manipulator joint torques. This feature allows both actuators to simultaneously respond to torque errors. <<ETX>>
Control of Norway rats in sewer and utility systems using pulsed baiting methods

Author(s): Colvin, Bruce A. ; Swift, Trygve B. ; Fothergill, Frank E. | Abstract: There were 1,288 sewer and 235 other utility manholes baited to control Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) populations in downtown Boston using pulsed-baiting methods. About 15% of all sewer, 18% of phone, and 26% of electric manholes had rat activity. Sewer populations were most associated with residential areas with low flow, small diameter (l61 cm) brick sewers; in those circumstances, up to 38% of manholes had rat activity. Bait consumption in sewers (high risk areas) was 91% below baseline, five months after the fourth baiting period. Bait consumption and the number of active sewer holes were 96% and 87% below baseline, respectively, when seasonal maintenance baiting was last initiated. Reinfestation of phone/electric manholes was so minimal that maintenance baiting was not necessary or cost-effective. Subsurface baiting should be an integral part of urban rodent control programs.
Tests of CAPM on an International Portfolio of Bonds and Stocks

This paper estimates and tests an international version of the Capital Asset Pricing Model. Investors from the U.S., Germany and Japan choose a portfolio that includes bonds and equities from each of these countries to maximize a function of the mean and variance of returns. Investors in each country evaluate returns in terms of their home currency. The CAPM does have some power in explaining ex ante returns. It predicts fairly large risk premia on the equities, but small ones on bonds. The model is rejected, however, when tested against a more general alternative that allows for more investor heterogeneity than the CAPM.
The Control of Spikelet Meristem Identity by the branched silkless1 Gene in Maize

Most of the world's food supply is derived from cereal grains that are borne in a unique structure called the spikelet, the fundamental unit of inflorescence architecture in all grasses.branched silkless1 (bd1) is a maize mutation that alters the identity of the spikelet meristem, causing indeterminate branches to form in place of spikelets. We show that bd1encodes a putative ERF transcription factor that is conserved in different grasses and is expressed in a distinct domain of the spikelet meristem. Its expression pattern suggests that signaling pathways regulate meristem identity from lateral domains of the spikelet meristem.
The Association between Audit Quality and Abnormal Audit Fees

Using a sample of 9,820 firm-year observations over the 2000-2003 period, this paper examines whether, and how, audit quality proxied by unsigned discretionary accruals is associated with the abnormal audit fee, i.e., the difference between actual audit fee and auditors' expectation on the normal level of fee. The results of various regressions reveal that the association between the two is insignificant for the full sample, significantly positive for the subsample of clients with positive abnormal fees, and insignificantly negative for the subsample of clients with negative abnormal fees. The above results suggest that auditors' incentives to compromise audit quality differ systematically depending on whether the clients pay more than or less than the normal level of audit fees, which in turn leads to the audit fee-audit quality association being conditioned on the sign of abnormal audit fees. Our results are robust to a battery of sensitivity checks. Relevant implications of our results to policy makers and academic researchers are discussed.