Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pathogenic mechanisms of postinfectious functional gastrointestinal disorders: Results 3 years after gastroenteritis

Objective. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) may appear after acute gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible mechanisms (inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, psychological and immunogenetic factors) related to the development of postinfectious (PI) FGID 3 years after a Salmonella outbreak. Material andmethods. Biopsies of the antrum, and right- and left colon from 16 PI-FGID patients, 8 PI control patients, and 18 healthy controls (H-controls) were processed for immunohistochemistry, cytokines, and mast-cell electron microscopy. DNA was typed for cytokine gene polymorphisms. Visceral sensitivity (satiety test and rectal barostat) and psychological factors (SCL-90 and vital events) were assessed. Results. The number of mast cells and T lymphocytes was similar among the groups in all locations. Mast cells within 5 µm of nerve fibers of both PI groups were increased compared to H-controls: (stomach: 5.6±1.2 versus 6.6±1.5 versus 2.5±1.1; right colon: 9.7±1.3 versus 8.0±1.3 versus 4.1±1.7; left colon: 8.9±0.9 versus 8.5±1.8 versus 2.2±2.0 per field) (p<0.05). No differences in the production of IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-6, and IL-10 or in their genotypes were found. PI-FGID patients showed a lower pain threshold to rectal distention (29±2 versus 37± 2 mmHg; p<0.05). Scores for anxiety (0.63±0.11 versus 0.28±0.14) and somatization (1.01±0.15 versus 0.45±0.15) were higher in PI-FGID patients than in PI controls (p<0.05). The number of stressful life events was not significantly different between both PI groups. Conclusions. Three years after salmonellosis, PI-FGID patients showed no evidence of inflammation in the gastric or colonic mucosa, but visceral sensitivity and anxiety/somatization levels were increased. The close anatomical mast cell-nerve fibers relation does not seem to be related to the FGID but to the infection itself.
The Ras/Raf/MEK/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathway Induces Autocrine-Paracrine Growth Inhibition via the Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/JAK/STAT Pathway

ABSTRACT Sustained activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway can lead to cell cycle arrest in many cell types. We have found, with human medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) cells, that activated Ras or c-Raf-1 can induce growth arrest by producing and secreting an autocrine-paracrine factor. This protein was purified from cell culture medium conditioned by Raf-activated MTC cells and was identified by mass spectrometry as leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). LIF expression upon Raf activation and subsequent activation of JAK-STAT3 was also observed in small cell lung carcinoma cells, suggesting that this autocrine-paracrine signaling may be a common response to Ras/Raf activation. LIF was sufficient to induce growth arrest and differentiation of MTC cells. This effect was mediated through the gp130/JAK/STAT3 pathway, since anti-gp130 blocking antibody or dominant-negative STAT3 blocked the effects of LIF. Thus, LIF expression provides a novel mechanism allowing Ras/Raf signaling to activate the JAK-STAT3 pathway. In addition to this cell-extrinsic growth inhibitory pathway, we find that the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway induces an intracellular growth inhibitory signal, independent of the LIF/JAK/STAT3 pathway. Therefore, activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway can lead to growth arrest and differentiation via at least two different signaling pathways. This use of multiple pathways may be important for “fail-safe” induction and maintenance of cell cycle arrest.
The Role of Intellectual Capital in Knowledge Transfer

The purpose of this study is to examine the roles of the three distinct aspects of intellectual capital, including human capital, organizational capital, and relational capital, in knowledge transfer. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses in a sample of 97 knowledge transfer cases. The results indicate that human capital and organizational capital are positively related to relational capital with partnering firms, which, in turn, has a positive effect on knowledge transfer performance. Our results provide evidences that relational capital plays a mediating role between human capital and organizational capital and knowledge transfer performance. The findings of this study contribute to the theoretical development of a conceptual model for explaining the interrelationships among three aspects of intellectual capital and knowledge transfer performance. The empirical evidences of the Sobel ( Sociological Methodology. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1982, pp. 290-312.) test in line with the Baron and Kenny's (J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. , vol. 51, pp. 1173-1182, 1986) procedure support the process-oriented view and indicate that relational capital would mediate the effects of human capital and organizational capital on knowledge transfer performance. The empirical evidences of this study fill the gap in the literature that is lack of empirical examination of the roles of intellectual capital in the knowledge transfer contexts. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
Pan-Cancer Analysis of the Mediator Complex Transcriptome Identifies CDK19 and CDK8 as Therapeutic Targets in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Purpose: The Mediator complex is a multiprotein assembly, which serves as a hub for diverse signaling pathways to regulate gene expression. Because gene expression is frequently altered in cancer, a systematic understanding of the Mediator complex in malignancies could foster the development of novel targeted therapeutic approaches. Experimental Design: We performed a systematic deconvolution of the Mediator subunit expression profiles across 23 cancer entities (n = 8,568) using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Prostate cancer–specific findings were validated in two publicly available gene expression cohorts and a large cohort of primary and advanced prostate cancer (n = 622) stained by immunohistochemistry. The role of CDK19 and CDK8 was evaluated by siRNA-mediated gene knockdown and inhibitor treatment in prostate cancer cell lines with functional assays and gene expression analysis by RNAseq. Results: Cluster analysis of TCGA expression data segregated tumor entities, indicating tumor-type–specific Mediator complex compositions. Only prostate cancer was marked by high expression of CDK19. In primary prostate cancer, CDK19 was associated with increased aggressiveness and shorter disease-free survival. During cancer progression, highest levels of CDK19 and of its paralog CDK8 were present in metastases. In vitro, inhibition of CDK19 and CDK8 by knockdown or treatment with a selective CDK8/CDK19 inhibitor significantly decreased migration and invasion. Conclusions: Our analysis revealed distinct transcriptional expression profiles of the Mediator complex across cancer entities indicating differential modes of transcriptional regulation. Moreover, it identified CDK19 and CDK8 to be specifically overexpressed during prostate cancer progression, highlighting their potential as novel therapeutic targets in advanced prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 23(7); 1829–40. ©2016 AACR.
Cell-cycle analysis and micronuclei frequency reveals G0/G1 blockers as weak micronuclei inducers

Micronuclei (MN) formation is generally attributed to error in DNA synthesis or mitosis, which are represented by the S or G2/M phase respectively, in the cell-cycle histogram. Interestingly, many of the known anticancer drugs target these cell-cycle phases to elicit cytotoxicity. Here, we attempted to identify whether any correlation exists between the cell-cycle effect and MN induction potential using various treatments. In addition, we tracked down MN in cycling cells to assess its final fate. We treated SiHa cells with various known drugs and correlated their effects on cell-cycle and MN frequency. MN-tracking studies were performed in peripheral mononuclear and siHa cells upon staining with Giemsa and ethidium bromide respectively. We observed MN induction by all the tested drugs irrespective of their basic effect on cell cycle. However, MN induction was more with drugs which interfere with the S or G2/M than the G0/G1 phase. Our results indicate G0/G1 blockers to be comparatively safer drugs. Additionally, our results show that expulsion out of cells may be one of the main fates of drug-induced MN.
Exploring the emotional appeal of green and social Europe myths among pan-European Union organizations

ABSTRACT This article aims to advance European integration research by exploring the emotional appeal of political myths in day-to-day European Union politics with a special focus on the reception and reproduction of myths among pan-European Union non-governmental organizations. I investigate myths associated with ‘EUROPE 2020: a European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’, adopted in early 2010. What makes Europe 2020 especially interesting here is that it draws upon and feeds into a number of myths about European integration including ‘green Europe’ and ‘social Europe’. The article argues that: (1) pan-European Union non-governmental organizations are receptive to political myths, including in the short term; (2) pan-European Union non-governmental organizations contribute to the reproduction of myths, especially already-institutionalized myths and myths that resonate with their sectoral activities; and (3) pan-European Union non-governmental organizations strategically use political myths to justify policy positions and continually mobilize desires around utopian ideals to secure organizational survival.
Rapid production of recombinant human IgG With improved ADCC effector function in a transient expression system

Rapid production of recombinant human IgG with improved antibody dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effector function is presented. The technique employs transient expression of IgG in suspension growing HEK‐293F cells in the presence of the glycosidase inhibitor kifunensine. The procedure takes ∼7 days, provided that expression plasmids encoding the IgG of interest are available. Kifunensine inhibits the N‐linked glycosylation pathway of HEK‐293F cells in the endoplasmatic reticulum, resulting in IgG with oligomannose type glycans lacking core‐fucose. IgG1 transiently produced in kifunensine‐ treated HEK‐293F cells has improved affinity for the FcγRIIIA molecule as measured in an ELISA based assay, and almost eightfold enhanced ADCC using primary peripheral blood mononuclear effector cells. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010; 105: 350–357. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A sensorless PMSM fundamental mode controller with high dynamic full range speed control

Previous methods of sensorless vector control of the PMSM operate by indirectly determining the rotor position usually from the back EMF or from saliency detection using HF injection. This paper introduces an entirely new method of sensorless control of the PMSM where instead of trying to determine the rotor position, the basic torque loop structure is rearranged to remove the need for position information allowing fundamental mode sensorless operation at zero speed. As a bonus, the new structure allows the use of a low bandwidth linear current controller for the control of torque, provides instantaneous response (within one sample period) to changes in the command torque and makes available instantaneous values of speed and position at all speeds including zero for use by outer speed and position feedback loops. Combined with an outer speed loop controller, it allows speed control of high dynamic performance at all speeds including zero. The new torque control method is called Feed Forward Torque Control.
Photodiode linearity requirements for radio-frequency photonics and demonstration of increased performance using photodiode arrays

The impact that photodiode nonlinearities have on intensity-modulation direct-detection analog photonic links is described. The second- and third-order linearity requirements for photodiodes, quantified in terms of output intercept points, are calculated. Measured data at 1 GHz for a high-current (60-mA) partially-depleted-absorber photodiode are presented. A four-photodiode 26-mA array at 5 MHz is demonstrated to achieve modulation-limited third-order performance and a second-harmonic output intercept point of 84 dBm.
Where is the information on USD/Bitcoins hourly price movements?

This paper analyses the price discovery process in the USD/Bitcoin market since the Mt.Gox bankruptcy until the aftermath of the hack attack on Bitfinex (01-Mar-2014 until 30-Nov-2016). The Geweke feedback measures, estimated pairwise using hourly returns, show that there is a positive relationship between the total feedback and market share, measured by trading volume, that most of the information is transmitted between exchanges within an hour, at least for the main four exchanges (Bitfinex, Bitstamp, BTC-e and ItBit), while lagged feedback runs mainly from the major exchange. Other minor exchanges seem to react to price information with some delay and are thus considered as merely satellite exchanges. Bitfinex stands out as the most important exchange in transmitting information to the market: the relative importance of the lagged feedback from Bitfinex to the market is 18.29% while the lagged feedback from the market to Bitfinex accounts only for 0.60% of the total feedback. The volatility in the major exchange in each pair is the main factor explaining the feedback measures, sustaining the claim that the information-based component of volatility increases with the relative dimension of the exchange.
On the Hybrid Optimal Control Problem: Theory and Algorithms

A class of hybrid optimal control problems (HOCP) for systems with controlled and autonomous location transitions is formulated and a set of necessary conditions for hybrid system trajectory optimality is presented which together constitute generalizations of the standard Maximum Principle; these are given for the cases of open bounded control value sets and compact control value sets. The derivations in the paper employ: (i) classical variational and needle variation techniques; and (ii) a local controllability condition which is used to establish the adjoint and Hamiltonian jump conditions in the autonomous switching case. Employing the hybrid minimum principle (HMP) necessary conditions, a class of general HMP based algorithms for hybrid systems optimization are presented and analyzed for the autonomous switchings case and the controlled switchings case. Using results from the theory of penalty function methods and Ekeland's variational principle the convergence of these algorithms is established under reasonable assumptions. The efficacy of the proposed algorithms is illustrated via computational examples.
Driving under the influence of alcohol in professional drivers in Cameroon

ABSTRACT Background: Professional drivers play a pivotal role in transporting people and goods in Cameroon. Alcohol misuse is frequent in Cameroon, but its impact on professional drivers has never been studied. This study assessed driving under the influence of alcohol and its correlates in professional drivers in Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 4 sites on the Yaoundé–Douala highway during a 10-day period in 2014. At each site, professional drivers were randomly stopped during a 24-h window and their breath was sampled for alcohol use. The prevalence of driving under the influence (the equivalent of blood alcohol level ≥ 1 mg/100 mL) and impaired driving (blood alcohol level ≥ 40 mg/100 mL) was computed for all drivers. The correlates of driving under the influence were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 807 professional drivers stopped, complete data for 783 were available. Almost all were men (n = 781). The mean age of drivers was 38.3 years (SD = 8.9). About one in 10 drivers (n = 77, 9.8%) tested positive for driving under the influence. About 2.8% (n = 22) had blood alcohol levels ≥ 40 mg/100 mL (legal limit in the United States) and 1.4% (n = 11) had blood alcohol levels ≥ 80 mg/100 mL. The likelihood of driving under the influence increased in drivers scoring 8 or more on Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.14–6.07) and in those having a nighttime driving schedule (aOR = 4.43; 95% CI, 1.33–14.77). Conclusion: These findings suggest that increasing enforcement to counter impaired driving in professional drivers in Cameroon is needed. Interventions might include screening for alcohol misuse and hazardous occupational practices.
Subtle cueing for visual search in augmented reality

Visual search in augmented reality environments is an important task that can be facilitated through different cueing methods. Current cueing methods rely on explicit cueing, which can potentially reduce visual search performance. In comparison, this paper proposes a subtle cueing method that improves visual search performance while being clutter-neutral. Two empirical user studies were conducted to evaluate our subtle cueing method in outdoor scenes. The results show that subtle cueing functions well within a narrow Feature Congestion range, and could be a feasible alternative to explicit cueing.
Repeated adjuvant anti‐CEA radioimmunotherapy after resection of colorectal liver metastases: Safety, feasibility, and long‐term efficacy results of a prospective phase 2 study

In previous work, a single administration of anticarcinoembryonic antigen (anti‐CEA) 131I‐labetuzumab radioimmunotherapy (RIT) after complete resection of colorectal liver metastases was well tolerated and significantly improved survival compared with controls. In the current phase 2 trial, the authors studied repeated RIT in the same setting, examining safety, feasibility, and efficacy.
Development of In Vitro Pharmacokinetic Screens Using Caco-2, Human Hepatocyte, and Caco-2/Human Hepatocyte Hybrid Systems for the Prediction of Oral Bioavailability in Humans

In this study, in vitro systems were used to build 2 pharmacokinetic models that predict human oral bioavailability: the Caco-2/hepatocyte combination model and the Caco-2/hepatocyte hybrid model. Data obtained in vitro on Caco-2 cell permeability and hepatocyte clearance are routinely used to predict the fraction of absorption after oral administration and the extent of first-pass metabolism, respectively. In the Caco-2/hepatocyte combination model, results from a Caco-2 cell permeability assay and a hepatocyte clearance assay were combined to project oral bioavailability. Comparison of oral bioavailabilities predicted by the combination model and reported oral bioavailabilities in humans for 30 marketed compounds resulted in a modest correlation (r 2 = 0.66). The Caco-2/hepatocyte hybrid model, as previously reported, joins the Caco-2 and hepatocyte clearance systems into 1 assay. Improvements to the previous model were made by incorporating an elimination phase into the Caco-2/hepatocyte hybrid model. In the new hybrid model, the compound was added to a Caco-2-containing donor compartment and allowed to permeate for 2 h to a hepatocyte-containing receiver compartment. Subsequently, to mimic an elimination phase, the donor compartment was removed, and permeated compound was incubated with hepatocytes alone for an additional 3 h. The area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) was determined for each of the same 30 marketed compounds assessed by the combination model. A linear regression analysis comparing the in vitro AUCs and reported oral bioavailabilities in humans showed a reasonable correlation (r 2 = 0.73). This study demonstrates that the Caco-2/hepatocyte hybrid model is more favorable and further proves the potential and feasibility of using in vitro screenings for the prediction of in vivo pharmacokinetics in humans. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2007:1084-1091)
Effects of work experiences in the United States on work attitudes of Mexican immigrants

ATTITUDES OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS by GARNER GLENN DEWEY (Under the direction of Roger Hill) ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the work experiences and attitudes of Mexican immigrants as they transitioned into jobs in the United States. The sample was composed of nine Mexican-born adults who had settled and worked in suburban Atlanta. Narratives for each participant were developed, and a Chicano writing style was used to preserve the meaning of interview data gathered in Spanish. The narratives were then inductively analyzed using a multi-step matrix technique to determine the emerging themes. Participants were found to value work, not for its intrinsic worth, but because it provides the means of obtaining things. The participants were focused on upward mobility, and cultural upbringing minimized their view on injustice and exploitation. Although participants enjoyed work better in Mexico, their sense of having no future in Mexico and the low wages earned there convinced them that work in the United States was better.
Study of variant anatomical structures (bony canals, fibrous bands, and muscles) in relation to potential supraclavicular nerve entrapment

Since the definition of supraclavicular nerve entrapment syndrome by Gelberman et al. (Gelberman et al. [ 1975 ] J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 57:119) a number of clinical cases of this specific entrapment neuropathy have been reported. In all these cases, the nerve injury has been attributed to the location of the supraclavicular nerve branch in a narrow canal in the clavicle. However, in the anatomical literature, variations in the course of the supraclavicular nerves have not only been ascribed to bony canals but also to abnormal fibrous and muscular structures. Considering the fact that the existence of a narrow site with rigid walls along the course of a nerve is essential for the development of an entrapment neuropathy, our study examines all the variant anatomical structures with a possible role in supraclavicular nerve entrapment. We describe three groups of anatomical structures with close relation to the course of the supraclavicular nerves—transclavicular canals, fibrous bands, and unusual muscular structures. Based on the characteristics of the variations found, for the first time, we suggest that in addition to the bony canals through the clavicle certain fibrous and muscular structures could also be an anatomical basis for supraclavicular nerve entrapment syndrome. Clin. Anat. 20:278–285, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Technology developments to initiate a next generation of Cochlear Implants

In the framework of the EU-supported research project Healthy Aims, we developed a range of novel electrode arrays and related technologies for use in hearing prosthesis. This paper summarizes our ongoing research activities on alternative electrode manufacturing routes, functional electrode interfaces and smart intra-cochlear and intra- modiolus electrode arrays.