Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional cholesterol synthesis in the intestinal mucosa of the genetically hypercholesterolaemic RICO rat: kinetic study following whole-body gamma-irradiation.

PURPOSE To investigate regional cholesterol synthesis and kinetics following whole-body gamma-irradiation in the genetically hypercholesterolaemic RICO rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male RICO rats were fed a semi-purified diet for 1 month. At 10 weeks old they were exposed to gamma-irradiation (4 Gy, 1.5 Gy/min) together with controls. At intervals from 1-8 days after irradiation an intraperitoneal administration of [1-14C] acetate was given in order to estimate cholesterogenesis in mucosal cells located at different sites in the small intestine. The protein and DNA contents of the different enterocytes isolated along the crypt/villus axis in four equal parts of the intestine were also determined. RESULTS A marked decrease of the mean quantities of cholesterol, DNA or protein in mucosa was seen 1 and 2 days after irradiation, showing the loss of 30-40% of the intestinal epithelium. An overshoot of the cell amount was observed after 4 days with a return to basal values by 8 days after irradiation. The kinetic and topological evolution of cholesterol radioactivity, which reflects in situ cholesterol synthesis, showed a typical gradient in controls and at 8 days after irradiation. Cholesterogenesis decreased from the first to the third quarter of the small intestine (duodenum to proximal ileum), and then increased in the fourth quarter (distal ileum). In all segments of the small intestine, cholesterogenesis decreased from crypt cells to villus tip. At days 1 and 2 the gradient of cholesterogenesis on the villus was abolished. A slow recovery was seen from day 4 with a strong overshoot of cholesterol synthesis in crypt cells in every part of the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS The RICO rat is a useful model for studying the effect of irradiation on regional cholesterogenesis in intestinal mucosa. Cholesterol synthesis in crypt cells was lowered 1 and 2 days after irradiation, over-expressed after 4 days and subsequently returned to its normal level.
Adapting Drug Approval Pathways for Bacteriophage-Based Therapeutics

The global rise of multi-drug resistant bacteria has resulted in the notion that an “antibiotic apocalypse” is fast approaching. This has led to a number of well publicized calls for global funding initiatives to develop new antibacterial agents. The long clinical history of phage therapy in Eastern Europe, combined with more recent in vitro and in vivo success, demonstrates the potential for whole phage or phage based antibacterial agents. To date, no whole phage or phage derived products are approved for human therapeutic use in the EU or USA. There are at least three reasons for this: (i) phages possess different biological, physical, and pharmacological properties compared to conventional antibiotics. Phages need to replicate in order to achieve a viable antibacterial effect, resulting in complex pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics. (ii) The specificity of individual phages requires multiple phages to treat single species infections, often as part of complex cocktails. (iii) The current approval process for antibacterial agents has evolved with the development of chemically based drugs at its core, and is not suitable for phages. Due to similarities with conventional antibiotics, phage derived products such as endolysins are suitable for approval under current processes as biological therapeutic proteins. These criteria render the approval of phages for clinical use theoretically possible but not economically viable. In this review, pitfalls of the current approval process will be discussed for whole phage and phage derived products, in addition to the utilization of alternative approval pathways including adaptive licensing and “Right to try” legislation.
A probabilistic software quality model

In order to take the right decisions in estimating the costs and risks of a software change, it is crucial for the developers and managers to be aware of the quality attributes of their software. Maintainability is an important characteristic defined in the ISO/IEC 9126 standard, owing to its direct impact on development costs. Although the standard provides definitions for the quality characteristics, it does not define how they should be computed. Not being tangible notions, these characteristics are hardly expected to be representable by a single number. Existing quality models do not deal with ambiguity coming from subjective interpretations of characteristics, which depend on experience, knowledge, and even intuition of experts. This research aims at providing a probabilistic approach for computing high-level quality characteristics, which integrate expert knowledge, and deal with ambiguity at the same time. The presented method copes with “goodness” functions, which are continuous generalizations of threshold based approaches, i.e. instead of giving a number for the measure of goodness, it provides a continuous function. Two different systems were evaluated using this approach, and the results were compared to the opinions of experts involved in the development. The results show that the quality model values change in accordance with the maintenance activities, and they are in a good correlation with the experts' expectations.
Planet migration in three-dimensional radiative discs

Context. The migration of growing protoplanets depends on the thermodynamics of the ambient disc. Standard modelling, using locally isothermal discs, indicate an inward (type-I) migration in the low planet mass regime. Taking non-isothermal effects into account, recent studies have shown that the direction of the type-I migration can change from inward to outward. Aims. In this paper we extend previous two-dimensional studies and investigate the planet-disc interaction in viscous, radiative discs using fully three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical simulations of protoplanetary accretion discs with embedded planets, for a range of planetary masses. Methods. We use an explicit three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical code NIRVANA that includes full tensor viscosity. We have added implicit radiation transport in the flux-limited diffusion approximation, and to speed up the simulations significantly we have newly adapted and implemented the FARGO-algorithm in a 3D context. Results. First, we present results of test simulations that demonstrate the accuracy of the newly implemented FARGO-method in 3D. For a planet mass of 20 Mearth, we then show that including radiative effects also yields a torque reversal in full 3D. For the same opacity law, the effect is even stronger in 3D than in the corresponding 2D simulations, due to a slightly thinner disc. Finally, we demonstrate the extent of the torque reversal by calculating a sequence of planet masses. Conclusions. Through full 3D simulations of embedded planets in viscous, radiative discs, we confirm that the migration can be directed outwards up to planet masses of about 33 Mearth. As a result, the effect may help to resolve the problem of inward migration of planets that is too rapid during their type-I phase.
JC virus granular neuronopathy and rhombencephalic progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Case report and review of the literature

JC virus (JCV) granular neuronopathy remains an under‐appreciated phenomenon whereby JCV inhabits neurons in the granular layer of the cerebellum causing neuronal loss, gliosis and a clinical cerebellar syndrome. The following case describes a man with sarcoidosis and idiopathic leukopenia who developed a clinical cerebellar syndrome due to JCV granular neuronopathy, followed by neurological decline due to rhombencephalic progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. This case reminds us of the ability of JCV to produce dual neuropathology which includes JCV granular neuronopathy, and the pathogenesis and clinical implications for this phenomenon are discussed.
Percepción y causación: apuntes para la construcción de una crítica a la teoría de la integración conceptual de Fauconnier y Turner *

Las preguntas acerca decomo se lleva a cabo la integracion en laexperiencia visual de diversos aspectos (color, forma, movimiento,etc.), procesados en areas corticales del cerebro humano diferentes y distantesentre si, encuentran una posible respuesta en la propuesta de Gilles Fauconniery Mark Turner acerca de la “integracion conceptual” como operacion fundamentalde la racionalidad humana. Esta respuesta revela, ante el analisis, cuales sonalgunas de las limitaciones que el planteamiento de los autores consideradosdeberia senalar.
Comparison of Approaches in Estimating Interaction and Quadratic Effects of Latent Variables

Various approaches using the maximum likelihood (ML) option of the LISREL program and products of indicators have been proposed to analyze structural equation models with non-linear latent effects on the basis of Kenny and Judd's formulation. Recently, some methods based on the Bayesian approach and the exact ML approaches have been developed. This article reviews, elaborates and compares several approaches for analyzing nonlinear models with interaction and/or quadratic effects. A total of four approaches are examined, including the product indicator ML approaches proposed by Jaccard and Wan (1995) and Joreskog and Yang (1996), a Bayesian approach and an exact ML approach. The empirical performances of these approaches are assessed using simulation studies in terms of their capabilities in producing reliable parameter and standard error estimates. It is found that whilst the Bayesian and the exact ML approaches produce satisfactory results in all the settings under consideration, and are in general very reliable; the product indicator ML approaches can only produce reasonable results in simple models with large sample sizes.
Extreme Dark Cytotoxicity of Nile Blue A in Normal Human Fibroblasts¶

Abstract Early reports using mouse models indicated that Nile Blue A (NBA) is taken up more efficiently by tumor cells than normal tissue and retards tumor growth. NBA also shows both dark toxicity and phototoxicity of human tumor cells in vitro. However, studies on the dark toxicity of NBA and the effects of NBA-mediated photodynamic treatment in normal human cells are lacking. In the current study we have examined the cytotoxicity of NBA in normal human fibroblasts, spontaneously immortalized Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) cells and three different human tumor cell lines. The normal human fibroblasts showed extreme sensitivity to NBA compared with LFS cells and the human tumor cell lines. Treatment with 0.1 μg/mL of NBA for 1 h reduced the colony formation of normal human fibroblasts by greater than 95%, but had no significant effect on the colony formation of LFS cells. No significant numbers of apoptotic cells were detected in either normal human fibroblasts or LFS cells following this drug concentration. Thus, unlike photodynamic therapy with some other photosensitizers, the dark toxicity of NBA was not caused by apoptosis. Although the drug uptake was higher in normal human fibroblasts compared with LFS cells, the difference in sensitivity between normal human fibroblasts and LFS cells could not be accounted for by the difference in drug uptake alone. In addition, we could not detect any significant photocytotoxic effect of NBA in either normal human fibroblasts or LFS cells for a drug concentration of 0.05 μg/mL at light exposures of up to 6.7 J/cm2. These data indicate an extreme sensitivity of normal human fibroblasts to NBA and an inability to produce a significant photocytotoxic effect on human cells using NBA concentrations that have relatively low toxicity for normal human fibroblasts.
Tones and non-tones in Kammu dialects

This is apreliminary report on the phonetic interaction of tone and consonant voicing in K m u , a language where some dialects use Fo for producing distinctive word tones, while others do not have tones but rely on the contrastive voicing of initial consonants to distinguish words which tonal dialects distinguishes with tones. Speakers of non-tonal dialects produce no significant Fo diflerences in words which differ only in the tones in tonal dialects, and a perception test showed that they did not use Fo to distinguish such words when listening to a tonal dialect.
Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Bacteremia in 144 Consecutive Living-Donor Liver Transplant Recipients

Purpose Bacteremia is a major infectious complication associated with mortality in liver transplant recipients. The causative organisms and clinical courses differ between medical centers due to variations in regional bacterial epidemiology and posttransplant care. Further, living donors in Korea contribute to 83% of liver transplants, and individualized data are required to improve survival rates. Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 104 subjects who had undergone living-donor liver transplant from 2005 to 2007. Results Among the 144 consecutive living-donor liver transplant recipients, 24% (34/144) developed bacteremia, 32% (46/144) developed non-bacteremic infections, and 44% (64/144) did not develop any infectious complications. Forty episodes of bacteremia occurred in 34 recipients. The major sources of bacteremia were intravascular catheter (30%; 12/40), biliary tract (30%; 12/40), and abdomen (22.5%; 9/40). Gram-positive cocci were more common (57.5%; 23/40) than Gram-negative rods (32.5 %; 13/40) and fungi (10%; 4/40). The data revealed that the following factors were significantly different between the bacteremia, non-bacteremic infection, and no infection groups: age (p = 0.024), posttransplant hemodialysis (p = 0.002), ICU stay (p = 0.012), posttransplant hospitalization (p < 0.0001), and duration of catheterization (p < 0.0001). The risk factors for bacteremia were older than 55 years (odds ratio, 6.1; p = 0.003), catheterization for more than 22 days (odds ratio, 4.0; p = 0.009), UNOS class IIA (odds ratio, 6.6; p = 0.039), and posttransplant hemodialysis (odds ratio, 23.1; p = 0.001). One-year survival rates in the bacteremic, non-bacteremic infection, and no infection groups were 73.2%, 91.3%, and 93.5%, respectively. Conclusion Early catheter removal and preservation of renal function should focus for improving survival after transplant.
Sortilin Is a Major Protein Component of Glut4-containing Vesicles*

In fat and skeletal muscle cells, glucose transporter isoform 4 (Glut4) is translocated to the cell surface in response to insulin via a system of specialized recycling vesicles. Besides Glut4, these vesicles include the novel insulin-regulatable aminopeptidase, receptors for insulin-like growth factor-II/Man-6-phosphate and transferrin, and a glycoprotein with the molecular mass of 110 kDa. We report here by the criteria of the partial protein sequencing and subsequent cDNA cloning that glycoprotein 110, the last unidentified major protein component of Glut4-containing vesicles, is sortilin, a novel type I receptor-like protein recently cloned from human brain (Petersen, C. M., Nielsen, M. S., Nykjar, A., Jacobsen, L., Tommerup, N., Rasmussen, H. H., Roigaard, H., Gliemann, J., Madsen, P., and Moestrup, S. K. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 3599–3605). This protein is highly expressed in fat, brain, and lung and is dramatically up-regulated during differentiation of adipocytes in vitro.
Intraindividual Personality Profiles Associated With Realistic Interests

Investigations of the link between the Big Five personality traits and vocational interests have typically found no consistent relationships between personality traits and Realistic interests. The present article uses intraindividual criterion profile analysis in two studies to identify patterns in the relationships between personality traits and Realistic interests not found by previous investigations. In the first study, personality scores from two inventories were used to predict Realistic overall, basic, and occupational interests for 574 adults. Realistic–Producing interests were driven by high intraindividual Openness and low Extraversion. Realistic-Adventuring interests were marked by low intraindividual Agreeableness and high Extraversion. The Intellect aspect of Openness, not the Experiencing aspect, drove the Openness–Producing relationship. In the second study, reanalysis of 19 additional samples from the literature confirmed the important role of Openness to Intellect, but not Experiencing, in driving Producing interests. Gender moderated profile pattern shapes. Generally, personality profile pattern, not absolute levels of traits, drove the validity of personality traits in explaining Realistic vocational interests.
EMG Working Paper Series WP-EMG-07-2008 ‘ The Opportunities and Costs of Portfolio Diversification in Southern Africa ’ s Smallest Equity Markets

This paper contrasts the performance of three time series models, a simple stochastic drift, GARCH, and a time varying parameter CAPM for four SADC equity markets in Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique, plus South Africa. Analysis of the portfolio characteristics containing each reveals the level of integration from the optimised portfolio frontiers and the implications of the smaller states adopting a minimum investment retention levy. Namibia is found to exhibit the greatest degree of integration with South Africa, followed much further behind by Swaziland with Mozambique. The evidence suggests that investors in the smaller markets would face considerable additional costs should such a policy be adopted. * Corresponding author. Department of Management, King’s College London, 150 Stamford St, London SE1 9NH and University of Stellenbosch, South Africa Email: jenifer.piesse@kcl.ac. uk
An ecosystem context for global gross forest cover loss estimates

Fundamental questions remain about the contributions of forests to the global carbon cycle and how these are affected by natural and anthropogenic drivers. Deforestation, the human-induced conversion of forests to non-forest land, currently accounts for an estimated 12% of anthropogenic carbon emissions (1). The future response of forests to global climate change could result in substantial positive or negative feedback to the carbon cycle, and this forest feedback will in turn affect the mitigation efforts required to reach stabilization targets for atmospheric CO2 concentrations (2, 3). Accurate quantification of land-use change involving forests (afforestation, deforestation), natural disturbances (fire, insects), and forest management (harvesting, fire suppression) is a prerequisite to estimating the net contribution of forests to the global carbon balance. However, globally consistent data on these processes are difficult and costly to obtain. Hansen et al. (4) address one of these issues with a synthesis of data from several continental-scale studies into a globally consistent estimate of gross forest cover loss (GFCL), defined by the authors as any “conversion of forest cover to non-forest cover. ”
Orthogonal functions based estimation of fNIRS signal strength as GLM parameters, in the course of real-time brain activation detection

This paper presents a method to estimate the signal strength of the functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as parameters of orthogonalized form of general linear model (GLM). The idea is to convert the basis function (design matrix) or explanatory variables of a GLM into orthogonal functions using the usual Gram-Schmidt orthogo-nalization procedure. The coefficients associated with the orthogonal functions are then easily estimated by applying the orthogonality condition. The original GLM coefficients are computed from these estimates. With this formulation, the estimation can be done recursively, making the approach applicable for real-time estimation. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique by providing the activity levels at the measuring channels simultaneously while performing the motor-task experiment. It is worth mentioning that the technique is also providing the tracking of the motor tasks along with the activity of the channels during the experiment. The proposed method can be utilized for fNIRS based real-time brain imaging technology to cope the delay, inserted by the currently available off-line methods, in obtaining the medical diagnostics. It can further be utilized in applications demanding the real-time biofeedbacks.
Versatile grasping ability in power-grip actions by tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

OBJECTIVES Capuchin monkeys are well known to have a high degree of manual dexterity. In this study, we assessed the variability of capuchin grasping actions involving power grips, i.e., manual actions in which the object is grasped between the palm and one or several parts of the fingers and that do not necessarily involve individually controlled finger movements. Planning abilities in executing actions were also evaluated. METHODS Twenty tufted capuchins (Sapajus spp.) were tested in a task requiring individuals to grasp a dowel inserted into a vertical tube. We examined their grasping techniques, focusing on the following aspects: (i) the different hand postures made during grasping, (ii) the frequency of thumb use in opposition to the other fingers, (iii) the asymmetric use of the hands, and (iv) the configuration of the grasping action for the purpose of comfortably bringing the food to the mouth. RESULTS Eight power-grip variants were identified, with individual capuchins performing an average of more than five different grips. The use of the thumb in opposition to the other areas of the hand, as reported in studies of precision grips, also appears to be a common feature in power grips. No evidence of group-level manual asymmetries was found. Adult capuchins were better than immature individuals in planning grasping actions in relation to following task demands. DISCUSSION Overall, these findings clarify the extent to which manual dexterity and cognitive abilities can be expressed in the grasping tasks of highly manually skilled primate species.
A Fast Caption Detection Method for Low Quality Video Images

Captions in videos are important and accurate clues for video retrieval. In this paper, we propose a fast and robust video caption detection and localization algorithm to handle low quality video images. First, the stroke response maps from complex background are extracted by a stoke filter. Then, two localization algorithms are used to locate thin stroke and thick stroke caption regions respectively. Finally, a HOG based SVM classifier is carried out on the detected results to further remove noises. Experimental results show the superior performance of our proposed method compared with existing work in terms of accuracy and speed.
Australian management education for international business activity

This paper examines the changes that have taken place in the extent and nature of management education programmes for international business activity offered by Australian universities, i.e. the extent to which Australian universities have provided educational support in the recent major expansion of international business activity by Australia’s corporate sector. With the increase in overseas activity by the Australian corporate sector there has been a statistically significant increase in the offering of international business degrees at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. Furthermore, consistent with the literature on managerial knowledge requirements for global operation, there has also been a shift towards more appropriately balanced degree structures consisting of business or technical knowledge courses and cultural knowledge courses.