Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HB-EGF promotes intestinal restitution by affecting integrin–extracellular matrix interactions and intercellular adhesions

Restitution is a critical form of intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) healing. We have previously shown that heparin-binding epidermal-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is necessary for IEC restitution; however, the mechanisms by which HB-EGF promotes restitution remain poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate whether HB-EGF promotes intestinal restitution by affecting integrin–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions and intercellular adhesions. The effect of HB-EGF administration was examined in a murine necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) model in vivo and an IEC line scrape-wound healing model in vitro. We evaluated the effect of HB-EGF on the expression of integrins, E-cadherin/β-catenin, and integrin α5β1-dependent cell–ECM interactions. We found that HB-EGF promoted intestinal restitution and the expression of integrin α5β1. HB-EGF promoted integrin α5β1-dependent cell adhesion and spreading. In addition, HB-EGF decreased the expression E-cadherin/β-catenin, via the activation of v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog (ErbB-1). We conclude that HB-EGF promotes intestinal restitution by affecting integrin–ECM interactions and intercellular adhesions.
Teaching Young Learners About Sustainability

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The Globalization of the U.S.-Style Regulatory State and Domestic Institutional Diversity: A Comparative Study of the Financial Services Sector and the Communications Sector in Britain and Japan

The adoption of U.S.-style independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) such as the FCC and the SEC has become increasingly pervasive in advanced nations. Much recent political analysis of public regulation tends to regard this worldwide spread of the American model, or regulatory state, as a typical example of a policy diffusion mechanism, such as emulation or regulatory competition. After critically examining that view, this article develops an alternative framework that combines international structural forces, such as techno-economic changes and ideational factors, and domestic institutional factors, in particular, path dependence of historical institutions. The cross-national and cross-sectoral case analysis (the financial services and communications sector in Britain and Japan) demonstrates that while apparent convergence on the American model is due to international structural forces, national and sectoral differences with respect to the extent of organizational changes depend largely on domestic institutions. This finding suggests that, facing complex dynamism between international structural forces and domestic institutions, each national government chooses the feature of regulatory organization independently from other nations decisions, rather than interdependently as assumed in the policy diffusion approach.
A Novel H2A/H4 Nucleosomal Histone Acetyltransferase in Tetrahymena thermophila

ABSTRACT Recently, we reported the identification of a 55-kDa polypeptide (p55) from Tetrahymena macronuclei as a catalytic subunit of a transcription-associated histone acetyltransferase (HAT A). Extensive homology between p55 and Gcn5p, a component of the SAGA and ADA transcriptional coactivator complexes in budding yeast, suggests an immediate link between the regulation of chromatin structure and transcriptional output. Here we report the characterization of a second transcription-associated HAT activity from Tetrahymenamacronuclei. This novel activity is distinct from complexes containing p55 and putative ciliate SAGA and ADA components and shares several characteristics with NuA4 (for nucleosomal H2A/H4), a 1.8-MDa, Gcn5p-independent HAT complex recently described in yeast. A key feature of both the NuA4 and Tetrahymena activities is their acetylation site specificity for lysines 5, 8, 12, and 16 of H4 and lysines 5 and 9 of H2A in nucleosomal substrates, patterns that are distinct from those of known Gcn5p family members. Moreover, like NuA4, the Tetrahymena activity is capable of activating transcription from nucleosomal templates in vitro in an acetyl coenzyme A-dependent fashion. Unlike NuA4, however, sucrose gradient analyses of the ciliate enzyme, following sequential denaturation and renaturation, estimate the molecular size of the catalytically active subunit to be ∼80 kDa, consistent with the notion that a single polypeptide or a stable subcomplex is sufficient for this H2A/H4 nucleosomal HAT activity. Together, these data document the importance of this novel HAT activity for transcriptional activation from chromatin templates and suggest that a second catalytic HAT subunit, in addition to p55/Gcn5p, is conserved between yeast and Tetrahymena.
The Expanded Role of Investor Relations: Socially Responsible Investing, Shareholder Activism, and Organizational Legitimacy

Investors increasingly use ownership rights to influence a corporation’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and policies, challenging the traditional role of investor relations. However, shareholder activism with respect to CSR has thus far not received any scholarly attention in the field of strategic communication. This multidisciplinary study examines shareholder activism as a drive for change in CSR behavior. Using a case study approach, the study analyzes a shareholder resolution sponsored by NYC Public Pension Funds that resulted in an engagement process with CONSOL Energy Inc. regarding environmental responsibility. As a result of the engagement process, the company implemented a series of proactive procedural and structural changes. These findings suggest that reactive responses to societal demands of shareholders can elicit more proactive measures in CSR behavior that the target company would not have enacted otherwise. Consequently, the paper argues that an expanded role of investor relations pushes corporations to meet or even exceed societal expectations of a broader set of stakeholders. This change in practice ensures that corporations are committed to conducting socially desired actions in return for legitimacy in society.
Survival, neurologic response, and prognostic factors in dogs with pituitary masses treated with radiation therapy and untreated dogs.

BACKGROUND Pituitary masses in dogs are not uncommon tumors that can cause endocrine and neurologic signs and, if left untreated, can decrease life expectancy. HYPOTHESIS Dogs with pituitary masses that received radiation therapy (RT) have more favorable neurologic outcomes and longer survival times compared with untreated dogs. ANIMALS Nineteen dogs with a pituitary mass identified on CT or MR imaging were irradiated with 48 Gy given in 3 Gy daily-dose fractions. Twenty-seven untreated control dogs had pituitary masses. METHODS Medical records of dogs with pituitary masses were retrospectively reviewed for clinical signs, mass size, and outcome. RESULTS Median survival time was not reached in the treated group. Mean survival time in the treated group was 1,405 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 1,053-1,757 days) with 1-, 2-, and 3-year estimated survival of 93, 87, and 55%, respectively. Median survival in the nonirradiated group was 359 days (95% CI, 48-916 days), with a mean of 551 days (95% CI, 271-829 days). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year estimated survival was 45, 32, and 25%, respectively. Dogs that received RT for their pituitary tumors had significantly longer survival times than untreated dogs (P = .0039). Treated dogs with smaller tumors (based on maximal pituitary-to-brain height ratio or area of tumor to area of brain) lived longer than those with larger tumors (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE When compared with untreated dogs, RT increased survival and controlled neurologic signs in dogs with pituitary masses.
PET-based geometrical calibration of a pinhole SPECT add-on for an animal PET scanner

We developed SPECT imaging capability on an animal PET scanner to provide a cost effective option for animal SPECT imaging. The SPECT add-on sub-system was enabled by mechanically integrating a multiple-pinhole collimator in the PET detector ring. This study introduces a method to calibrate the geometrical parameters of the SPECT add-on using the PET imaging capability of the scanner. The proposed PET imaging-based calibration method consists of two steps: (1) paint the pinhole apertures of the collimator with a positron emitting radioactive solution; and (2) image the collimator inside the scanner in PET mode. The geometrical parameters of the multi-pinhole SPECT add-on can then be derived directly from a set of PET images by simple linear calculation and used in defining the SPECT system. The method was compared to our implementation of a SPECT calibration approach with model-based fitting of SPECT projection data. The procedure for carrying out the PET imaging-based calibration method is simpler and faster than that of our implementation of the SPECT model-based calibration method. Since it does not require model fitting, the uniqueness of the calibration result is warranted. Better quality SPECT images were reconstructed using the PET-derived calibration parameters rather than our implementation of the SPECT model-based calibration parameters. We conclude that the proposed PET imaging-based calibration method provides a highly effective means for enabling SPECT imaging on a PET scanner.
Can resveratrol in wine protect against the carcinogenicity of ethanol? A probabilistic dose‐response assessment

Resveratrol, which may occur in wine, was suggested to act as a chemopreventive agent against the carcinogenic effects of ethanol. The assumption was based on data from experimental animals, which have shown that resveratrol above certain thresholds may reduce the incidence of tumours in several of the alcohol‐related cancer sites (colon, liver and female breast). Using a probabilistic Monte Carlo type methodology, we estimated daily intake based on chemical analysis of resveratrol (n = 672) and ethanol (n = 867). Benchmark dose (BMD)‐response modelling was conducted for resveratrol based on eight animal experiments, whereas BMD data for ethanol were taken from the literature. The margin of exposure (MOE) was calculated for both substances as an indicator if the intake may reach effective dosages. For intake of one 100‐mL glass of wine, the average MOE was found to be 4.1 for ethanol and 459,937 for resveratrol. In the best‐case scenario for resveratrol (e.g., very high contents and assuming a low effective dosage), the minimum MOE would be 111, which means that 111 glasses of wine need to be consumed daily to reach the BMD. The MOE ratio between resveratrol and ethanol is 166,128 on average, meaning that per glass of wine, ethanol is more than 100,000 times more potent than resveratrol. As resveratrol intake may not optimally reach the effective dosage, our study excludes a preventive effect of this substance on alcohol‐related cancer. Commercial information about cancer‐preventive or ‐protective effects of resveratrol in wine is misleading and must be prohibited.
Air Pollution and Respiratory Ailments among Children in Urban India: Exploring Causality

Using a multicity sample from India, we exploit city and fortnightly variation in air pollution to identify its causal effect on the incidence of a common respiratory ailment among children—cough. We account for key sources of confounding in this relationship with a two-way fixed effects estimation strategy. Our results show that air pollution, specifically, particulate matter, has a large and negative health effect that is robust to alternative specifications. These effects are three times larger for children living in slums in comparison to children living outside slums. This suggests that improving urban air quality can lead to equity-enhancing health gains in developing countries. In addition, our falsification tests are able to rule out the possibility that the identified effects are due to other diseases unrelated to air pollution.
Calibrating the Employment Effects of Trade

The one-sector model of monopolistic competition and intraindustry trade is merged with the Shapiro-Stiglitz model of efficiency wages to show that introducing trade increases employment in both countries. The intuition is that even when employment is held constant, trade improves worker welfare via increased variety of available goods. The increase in worker welfare relaxes the efficiency wage constraint, permitting an increase in employment. The increase in employment magnifies the benefits of trade. The model is calibrated to US data to estimate the employment effects of eliminating all trade and eliminating trade with Mexico and Canada. Copyright 1998 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
The Construction of Continuity-Adjusted Monetary Aggregate Components

Changes in the financial industry result in new data that are inconsistent with the former presentation, and therefore adjustments are required to "adjust" or smooth out these breaks to establish continuity. The author explains the methodology for newly calculated continuity adjustments to components of the monetary aggregates. Continuity adjustments have previously been done only for the aggregates themselves. The author lists the aggregates and their components and shows the adjustments that have been made.
Metastatic Properties of Prostate Cancer Cells are Controlled by VEGF

Mechanisms of metastasis, the major complication of prostate cancer, are poorly understood. In this study, we define molecular mechanisms that may contribute to the highly invasive potential of prostate cancer cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptors (VEGFRs), and α5β1 integrin were expressed by prostate cancer cells in vitro and by prostate tumors in vivo, and their expression was elevated at sites of bone metastasis compared to original prostate tumor. VEGF, through interaction with its receptors, regulated adhesive and migratory properties of the cancer cells. Specifically, the highly metastatic prostate cancer cell subline LNCaP-C4-2 showed a decreased adhesive but an enhanced migratory response to fibronectin, a ligand for α5β1 integrin, compared to its nonmetastatic counterpart. A similar pattern was also observed when bone sialoprotein was used as a ligand in migration assays. Increased migration of metastatic prostate cancer cells to fibronectin and bone sialoprotein was regulated by VEGF via VEGFR-2. Tumor suppressor PTEN was involved in control of VEGF/VEGFR-2 stimulated prostate cancer cell adhesion as well as proliferation.
Factors in Breathing Maneuvers That Affect Trunk Electromyogram During Manual Lifting

Study Design. A fully randomized experiment was conducted in a laboratory with a breath-by-breath monitor to control accurately the two factors of breathing maneuvers: breathholding duration and air volume within the thoracic cavity. Objectives. To resolve the controversy in previous reports about the effect of breathholding on the trunk electromyogram, and to verify the hypothesis that not only the factor of glottis closure, but also that of the air volume inside the thoracic cavity affects the trunk muscular activities during lifting. Summary of Background Data. Breathing was shown to affect spinal loading. However, there still is a debate about the effect of breathholding on trunk muscular activation during activities. It is possible that variations in air volume influence this effect. Methods. Seven healthy, volunteer men participated in lifting tasks, in which lifting moment was standardized. Three breathing maneuvers were used: sustained breathholding with tidal volume of air, sustained breathholding with functional residual volume, and intended breath-nonholding involving inspiration within tidal capacity. Data on the surface electromyographic activation of the external oblique muscle, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, air volume inside the cavity, and the duration of the one breath held in the last lift were collected and analyzed. Results. Of the four muscles investigated, the breathing maneuvers affected only the external oblique muscle. The effect of sustained breathhold during lifting was the significantly increased activation of this muscle (P < 0.05). The effect of decreased air volume held was further increased activation. Intention to inspire normally during lifting decreased external oblique activation, but increased compensatory diaphragmatic effort, measured as inspiratory flow acceleration. Conclusions. Both the factors of the breathheld state and sustained air volume were verified to affect the external oblique activation during lifting. The current study emphasizes that both factors should be controlled in studies analyzing trunk electromyogram during activities. Otherwise, these breathing variations will be a confounding factor on electromyogram results.
The effect of employee treatment policies on internal control weaknesses and financial restatements

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the role of employment policies in reducing internal control ineffectiveness and financial restatements. We provide new evidence that employee treatment policies are an important predictor of ineffective internal control. We also find that employee-friendly policies significantly reduce the propensity for employee-related material weaknesses. These results suggest that greater employee benefits facilitate the acquisition, development, and motivation of the workforce and ameliorate the loss of valuable human capital, thereby mitigating employee failures to implement internal control tasks properly. Moreover, we document novel results that financial restatements, especially those caused by unintentional errors, are less likely to arise in firms that invest more in employee benefits. Collectively, our emphasis on the effect of employee treatment policies on the integrity of internal control and financial reporting distinguishes our paper from previous studies that focus on t.
Hospitality Graduate Education: A View from Three Different Stakeholder Perspectives

Although the number of U.S. hospitality graduate programs has increased over the past two decades, few research studies have addressed how hospitality graduate education is perceived by its stakeholders: students, educators, and employers. This study offers a multidimensional framework to assess the status quo of hospitality graduate education. General management skills, curriculum, generalist and specialist approaches, and effective teaching methods were investigated through three perceptional dimensions; hospitality industry professionals, educators, and students. The results confirm several significant gaps and intriguing differences among the stakeholders' perceptions of graduate education in hospitality. Implications of these important findings are discussed.
Recommendations for mass spectrometry data quality metrics for open access data (corollary to the Amsterdam principles)

Policies supporting the rapid and open sharing of proteomic data are being implemented by the leading journals in the field. The proteomics community is taking steps to ensure that data are made publicly accessible and are of high quality, a challenging task that requires the development and deployment of methods for measuring and documenting data quality metrics. On September 18, 2010, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) convened the “International Workshop on Proteomic Data Quality Metrics” in Sydney, Australia, to identify and address issues facing the development and use of such methods for open access proteomics data. The stakeholders at the workshop enumerated the key principles underlying a framework for data quality assessment in mass spectrometry data that will meet the needs of the research community, journals, funding agencies, and data repositories. Attendees discussed and agreed up on two primary needs for the wide use of quality metrics: (i) an evolving list of comprehensive quality metrics and (ii) standards accompanied by software analytics. Attendees stressed the importance of increased education and training programs to promote reliable protocols in proteomics. This workshop report explores the historic precedents, key discussions, and necessary next steps to enhance the quality of open access data. By agreement, this article is published simultaneously in Proteomics, Proteomics Clinical Applications, Journal of Proteome Research, and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, as a public service to the research community. The peer review process was a coordinated effort conducted by a panel of referees selected by the journals.
Increased Systemic Exposure of Fimasartan, an Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist, by Ketoconazole and Rifampicin

The authors studied the effects of ketoconazole and rifampicin on the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of fimasartan (BR‐A‐657), a newly developed angiotensin II receptor antagonist for the treatment of hypertension, in 22 healthy participants. Ketoconazole increased the maximumplasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration vs time curve to infinity (AUC⧝ of fimasartan by 2.47‐fold (90% confidence interval [CI], 1.61‐3.79) and 2.03‐fold (1.56‐2.64), respectively. Concomitant administration of rifampicin increased the Cmax and AUC∞ of fimasartan by 10.33‐fold (90% CI, 6.74‐15.81) and 4.60‐fold (3.54‐5.97). In vitro studies indicated that ketoconazole inhibited the uptake of fimasartan into cells expressing OATP1B1 with a Ki of 107.7 µM, and rifampicin inhibited OAT1‐ and OATP1B1‐mediated fimasartan transport with a Ki of 212 µM and 12.2 µM, respectively. The systemic exposure of fimasartan was significantly increased by coadministration of ketoconazole or rifampicin in healthy volunteers. This is consistent with the in vitro results, in which fimasartan is a substrate of CYP3A and OATP1B1.