Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gluten challenge in borderline gluten-sensitive enteropathy

OBJECTIVES:In patients with signs and symptoms of malabsorption, suggestive of gluten-sensitive enteropathy, small intestinal biopsies sometimes only reveal infiltration of lymphocytes into the mucosal epithelium. This infiltrative lesion (Marsh I) is not a definite proof for gluten-sensitive enteropathy. However, in the present study, we aimed to show that a subgroup of these patients could ultimately be identified as being gluten sensitive.METHODS:A total of 38 patients with a Marsh I lesion were subjected to a gluten challenge comprising 30 g of gluten added daily to a normal gluten-containing diet for 8 wk. Before and after the challenge, small intestinal biopsies were taken, and symptoms and signs of malabsorption were scored.RESULTS:In 12 patients we demonstrated a significant change in mucosal histopathology, i.e., subtotal villous atrophy (Marsh IIIB, n = 1), partial villous atrophy (Marsh 3A, n = 6) or infiltrative-crypthyperplastic lesions (Marsh II, n = 5). In the other 26 patients, the small intestinal mucosa remained unchanged. After initiation of a gluten-free diet, follow-up small intestinal biopsies in 12 patients who initially had progressive mucosal pathology after gluten challenge showed normalization of mucosal pathology in seven cases, regression to a Marsh I lesion in four, and to a Marsh II lesion in one. Symptom relief was seen in all 12 patients. Ten of 26 patients without histological response to the gluten challenge were motivated to adhere to a gluten-free diet. Follow-up biopsies revealed unchanged Marsh I lesions in eight patients and normalization (Marsh 0) in two patients. Three patients had follow-up biopsies while on a normal diet. All had unchanged Marsh I lesions.CONCLUSIONS:In the present study we demonstrated that a gluten challenge might be useful in identifying patients as being sensitive to gluten if initial small intestinal biopsies reveal only minor abnormalities.
Delivering the goods at TNT: the role of the performance measurement system

This paper explores the characteristics of the performance measurement system at TNT (UK) Ltd. which facilitate the translation of strategy into action. TNT is a successful and growing service organisation and a market leader in the overnight distribution of parcels within the UK. The performance measurement system and how it is used at TNT are described in detail. The authors then draw on the management accounting literature to provide an analysis framework which answers three central questions for performance measurement systems: what dimensions of performance to measure, how to set standards for those measures and what rewards are to be associated with the achievement of those standards. The performance measurement system at TNT is appraised against this framework. At TNT there are five properties of the performance measurement system which have facilitated the translating of strategy into action. Three of these relate to the framework above; the company measures the right things in that dimensions are consistent with corporate strategy, it provides standards for performance through internal benchmarking, and adopts a mixture of financial and non-financial based rewards. In addition, however, there are two further properties of the system; the use of league tables to report the relative performance of the depots and the presence of a strong corporate champion who drives the message and importance of the performance measurement system from the centre to the depots.
Precocious activation of genes of the renin-angiotensin system and the fibrogenic cascade in IgA glomerulonephritis.

BACKGROUND The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) seems to play a pivotal role in progression of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN). Accordingly, in patients with IgAN a relationship between the RAS and the fibrogenic cascade triggered by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) should be observed. This study was carried out to obtain deeper insight into the regulation of RAS and the interaction with TGF-beta1 in the diseased kidney. METHODS Twenty renal biopsies from IgAN patients and five from renal cancer patients (controls) were analyzed in both microdissected glomerular and tubulointerstitial compartments by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). All patients had normal renal function. The expression of the following genes was determined: angiotensinogen (Agtg), renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 and type II (AT1 and AT2 receptors), TGF-beta1, collagen IV (Coll IV), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Quantitative data were confirmed for TGF-beta1 and ACE genes by real-time PCR. Results. RAS genes were overexpressed in IgAN patients vs. control subjects. There was no difference between glomerular and tubulointerstitial RAS gene expression levels. On the contrary, the overactivation of fibrogenic cascade genes (TGF-beta1, Coll IV, alpha-SMA) in the tubulointerstitium was observed (TGF-beta1, glomerular 0.14 +/- 0.10 SD; tubulointerstial 0.34 +/- 0.20; P = 0.000) (alpha-SMA, glomerular 0.08 +/- 0.07; tubulointerstitial 0.35 +/- 0.19; P = 0.000) (Coll IV, glomerular 0.12 +/- 0.11; tubulointerstitial 0.22 +/- 0.10; P = 0.03). This fibrogenic cascade seems to be triggered by RAS as indicated by statistically significant correlations between the expression of their respective genes. A direct relationship between the putative Ang II activity and the expression of AT receptor genes was found in the tubulointerstitium, whereas in the glomeruli this relationship was negative. In the interstitium, statistically significant positive relationships emerged between interstitial infiltrates and the gene expression of Agtg, AT1 receptor, Coll IV, and TGF-beta1. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that a tight regulation of the intrarenal RAS exists in IgAN and that it follows the general rules disclosed in animal models. Moreover, the RAS seems to be activated early in the diseased kidney and it appears that such activation drives inflammation and a parallel stimulation of the TGF-beta fibrogenic loop, particularly at the tubulointerstitial level.
Trade Policy, Poverty, and Development in a Dynamic General Equilibrium Model for Zambia

Many LDCs suffer from low levels of private investment, from acute shortages of social and physical infrastructure, and from widespread poverty and underemployment. How can trade policy help combat these problems? Neoclassical trade theory objects that the premise of the question is incorrect. According to the Principle of Targeting, it is better to use other policy instruments to counteract market imperfections and to target social objectives. Instead of interfering with free trade, the government should increase domestic taxes to pay for employment subsidies, investment subsidies, transfers to the poor, and additional public investment in infrastructure. Policy makers reject this advice as impractical. Our objective in this paper is to restart the policy dialogue. We build a dynamic general equilibrium trade model that is rich in structural detail and policy instruments but not a black box. We use the model to investigate how trade policy affects poverty, underemployment, aggregate capital accumulation, and real output in Zambia. The results consistently recommend policy packages that combine an escalated structure of protection with an escalated structure of export promotion. There is no support for the view that free trade or a low uniform tariff is approximately optimal.
Entrepreneurial Activities in Europe - Informal Entrepreneurship

This policy brief was produced by the OECD and the European Commission. This policy brief focuses on the informal self-employed and informal entrepreneurs, which together comprise what we define as “informal entrepreneurship”. The policy brief provides estimates of the size of the informal economy and informal entrepreneurship in the EU, investigates its main causes and impacts on the economy, and finally presents a policy framework for formalisation strategies based on the distinction between deterrence, incentives and persuasion measures.
Reproductive ecology and isolation of Psittacanthus calyculatus and P. auriculatus mistletoes (Loranthaceae)

Background Relationships between floral biology and pollinator behavior are important to understanding species diversity of hemiparasitic Psittacanthus mistletoes (c. 120 species). We aimed to investigate trait divergence linked to pollinator attraction and reproductive isolation (RI) in two hummingbird-pollinated and bird-dispersed Psittacanthus species with range overlap. Methods We investigated the phylogenetic relationships, floral biology, pollinator assemblages, seed dispersers and host usage, and the breeding system and female reproductive success of two sympatric populations of P. calyculatus and P. auriculatus, and one allopatric population of P. calyculatus. Flowers in sympatry were also reciprocally pollinated to assess a post-mating component of RI. Results Hummingbird assemblages differed between calyculatus populations, while allopatric plants of calyculatus opened more but smaller flowers with longer lifespans and produced less nectar than those in sympatry. Bayesian-based phylogenetic analysis indicated monophyly for calyculatus populations (i.e. both populations belong to the same species). In sympatry, calyculatus plants opened more and larger flowers with longer lifespans and produced same nectar volume than those of auriculatus; populations shared pollinators but seed dispersers and host usage differed between species. Nectar standing crops differed between sympatric populations, with lower visitation in calyculatus. Hand pollination experiments indicated a predominant outcrossing breeding system, with fruit set after interspecific pollination two times higher from calyculatus to auriculatus than in the opposite direction. Conclusions Given the low genetic differentiation between calyculatus populations, observed trait divergence could have resulted from changes regarding the local communities of pollinators and, therefore, expected divergence for peripheral, allopatric populations. Using RI estimates, there were fewer heterospecific matings than expected by chance in P. calyculatus (RI4A = 0.629) as compared to P. auriculatus (RI4A = 0.20). When considering other factors of ecological isolation that affect co-occurrence, the RI4C values indicate that isolation by hummingbird pollinators was less effective (0.20) than isolation by host tree species and seed dispersers (0.80 and 0.60, respectively), suggesting that host usage is the most important ecological isolation factor between the two species. Accordingly, the absolute and relative cumulative strength values indicated that the host tree species’ barrier is currently contributing the most to maintaining these species in sympatry.
Taxing our future: the burden of the Australian superannuation taxation system

This study provides an examination of the Australian superannuation system and demonstrates the onerous taxation burden applied to Australian superannuation contributions and earnings. Using Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA as a basis for comparison, the superannuation schemes and supporting taxation systems of each of the five countries of the study are reviewed. A scenario is developed and applied that demonstrates the inequity of the Australian system relative to comparable nations. Given concerns about the ageing population, this research supports calls for further reforms to the taxation of superannuation in Australia, which highlight the need to make superannuation taxation policies more consistent with government efforts to encourage superannuation savings and self-funded retirement. Disciplines Business | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Cortese, C. L. & Glynn, J. (2005). Taxing our future: the burden of the Australian Superannuation Taxation System. 4th Global Conference of Business and Economics, 26-28 June 2005 (pp. 1-7). Conference Proceedings: Global Conference of Business and Economics. Oxford, UK: Oxford University. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow. edu.au/commpapers/752 Taxing Our Future: the Burden of the Australian Superannuation Taxation System Corinne Cortese, University of Wollongong, Australia Professor John Glynn, University ofWollongong, Australia
Dealing with the 'flexibility-security nexus': institutions, strategies, opportunities and barriers

This paper discusses the "flexibility-security nexus" which has become manifest in employment, the labour market and industrial relations. The starting point of the paper is the concept of "flexicurity", viewed as a particular way of dealing with the aforementioned nexus. The analysis focuses on four EU-member states: Denmark, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The paper explores differences in the emphasis put on types and levels of flexibility and security, the particular trade-offs between forms of flexibility and security and the institutional contexts that "govern" these types, levels and trade-offs. In doing so the paper highlights important barriers, opportunities and challenges in dealing with the flexibilitysecurity nexus. Coordinated decentralisation and flexible multi-level governance in national IR-systems seem to represent important preconditions for the introduction of flexicurity arrangements, as the Danish and Dutch cases show.
Krylov subspace methods for block patterned linear systems

This article considers the moment matching using Krylov subspace methods for block patterned linear systems that comprise symmetrically interconnected as well as block circulant systems. Thereby, the block patterned system structure is preserved so that subsequent analysis and synthesis approaches can exploit the special structure of the reduced order system. It is shown that a specific number of moments at arbitrary points can be matched. For the order reduction numerical efficient algorithms can be applied to determine the corresponding Krylov subspaces. The proposed approximation technique is illustrated by means of a simple symmetrically interconnected system.
The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy as a prognostic marker in metastatic gastric cancer

Background/Aims Markers of inflammation have been associated with outcomes in various cancers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether systemic inf lammatory markers and their f luctuations can predict survival and chemotherapy response in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 502 patients who received first-line palliative chemotherapy for mGC between 2007 and 2013. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) were assessed before and after chemotherapy to evaluate their association with survival. The NLR values were categorized into two groups based on a cut-off value of 3; mGPS values were classified as high versus low. Results High prechemotherapy NLR was significantly associated with poor overall survival on univariate analysis (p = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, high prechemotherapy NLR (hazard ratio, 1.43; p < 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival. However, the prechemotherapy mGPS was not significantly associated with survival. Continuously high NLR or a shift to high NLR postchemotherapy was associated with poor chemotherapy response as well as survival, while NLR reduction was associated with a good response (linear by linear association, p < 0.001) and a favorable prognosis. Conclusions Prechemotherapy NLR can be used as a prognostic factor in mGC, while the postchemotherapy NLR value may predict the chemotherapeutic response and prognosis. In contrast, mGPS has limited prognostic utility in mGC.
Peroxynitrite‐mediated DNA strand breakage activates poly (ADP‐ribose) synthetase and causes cellular energy depletion in carrageenan‐induced pleurisy

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of poly (ADP‐ribose) synthetase in acute local inflammation (carrageenan‐induced pleurisy), where oxyradicals, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite are known to play a crucial role in the inflammatory process. DNA single‐strand breakage and activation of the nuclear enzyme poly (ADP‐ribose) synthetase (PARS) triggers an energy‐consuming, inefficient repair cycle, which contributes to peroxynitrite‐induced cellular injury. Here we investigated whether peroxynitrite production and PARS activation are involved in cytotoxicity in macrophages collected from rats subjected to carrageenan‐induced pleurisy. Macrophages harvested from the pleural cavity exhibited a significant production of peroxynitrite, as measured by the oxidation of the fluorescent dye dihydrorhodamine 123, and by nitrotyrosine Western blotting at 4 hr after carrageenan injection. Furthermore, carrageenan‐induced pleurisy caused a suppression of macrophage mitochondrial respiration, DNA strand breakage, activation of PARS and reduction of NAD+ cellular levels. In vivo treatment with 3‐aminobenzamide (10 mg/kg intraperitoneally, 1 hr after carrageenin injection) significantly inhibited the decrease in mitochondrial respiration and the activation of PARS and partially restored the cellular level of NAD+. In a separate group of experiments, in vivo pretreatment with NG‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester, a non‐selective inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis (10 mg/kg intraperitoneally, 15 min before carrageenan administration), reduced peroxynitrite formation and prevented the appearance of DNA damage, the decrease in mitochondrial respiration and the loss of cellular levels of NAD+. Our study suggests that formation of peroxynitrite and subsequent activation of PARS may alter macrophage function in inflammatory processes and inhibition of NO and PARS may be a novel pharmacological approach to prevent cell injury in inflammation.
Avoiding the presumptive policy errors of intergovernmental environmental planning programmes: a case analysis of urban stormwater management planning

This social research aims to identify and examine the implementation presumptions of intergovernmental environmental planning programmes and how to improve their effectiveness in future practice. It contrasts and explains the organisational dynamics and implementation responses of municipalities that succeeded and failed in realising the objective of such a programme. The research involved a qualitative multiple-case comparison between four high- and four low-performing municipalities implementing a stormwater programme within metropolitan Sydney, Australia. These two organisational types substantially differed in corporate expertise, environmental leadership, extended relational activity, and overall disposition to learning and ownership of local environmental issues. The paper identified five presumptions underpinning the programme design which privileged the high-performing organisations, but did little to garner commitment and develop capacity among the low-performing group. These implementation insights not only provide guideposts for intergovernmental programme design, but also reveal how policy design can undermine policy intent if empathy to local organisational dynamics is lacking.
A frame-based multi-view video transmission system for multi-user environment

Multi-View Video (MVV) offers an immersive experience by allowing users to freely observe scene from different angles. It can even strengthen the experience of viewers sharing videos and their comments together in multi-user environments. Thus, multi-view Video in multi-user environments has been gaining substantial interest. Although the video compression coding can reduce the pressure of single-user transmission on the Internet, the transmission for multi-user on the mobile Internet is still a huge challenge. This article proposes a novel framework to transfer the part that viewers have common interests rather than the entire video file to each user. For each frame, the order of transmission is determined by the viewers degree of demand. A predictive model has been introduced to understand the change of users focus. Furthermore, this article designs the Frame-based Multi-view Video System(FMTS) to implement this framework and build the test system on Android platform. Comparing FMTS with other conventional systems, experimental results show that FMTS can save 40.9% of the network bandwidth and 44.2% of the local storage space for the device.
Parallel vs. Convergent Evolution in Domestication and Diversification of Crops in the Americas

Domestication involves changes in various traits of the phenotype in response to human selection. Diversification may accompany or follow domestication, and results in variants within the crop adapted to different uses by humans or different agronomic conditions. Similar domestication and diversification traits may be shared by closely related species (parallel evolution) or by distantly related species (convergent evolution). Many of these traits are produced by complex genetic networks or long biosynthetic pathways that are extensively conserved even in distantly related species. Similar phenotypic changes in different species may be controlled by homologous genes (parallel evolution at the genetic level) or non-homologous genes (convergent evolution at the genetic level). It has been suggested that parallel evolution may be more frequent among closely related species, or among diversification rather than domestication traits, or among traits produced by simple metabolic pathways. Crops domesticated in the Americas span a spectrum of genetic relatedness, have been domesticated for diverse purposes, and have responded to human selection by changes in many different traits, so provide examples of both parallel and convergent evolution at various levels. However, despite the current explosion in relevant information, data are still insufficient to provide quantitative or conclusive assessments of the relative roles of these two processes in domestication and diversification
Farm Commodity Programs: A Short Primer

This report briefly discusses programs designed to provide income support, price support, and/or supply management for approximately 20 specified agricultural commodities. USDA farm support programs represent the heart of U.S. farm policy, by virtue of their longevity – they have existed since the early 1930s – and their cost.
Phosphorylation Alters the Interaction of the Response Regulator OmpR with Its Sensor Kinase EnvZ*

OmpR and EnvZ comprise a two-component system that regulates the porin genes ompF and ompC in response to changes in osmolarity. EnvZ is autophosphorylated by intracellular ATP on a histidine residue, and it transfers the phosphoryl group to an aspartic acid residue of OmpR. EnvZ can also dephosphorylate phospho-OmpR (OmpR-P) to control the cellular level of OmpR-P. At low osmolarity, OmpR-P levels are low because of either low EnvZ kinase or high EnvZ phosphatase activities. At high osmolarity, OmpR-P is elevated. It has been proposed that EnvZ phosphatase is the activity that is regulated by osmolarity. OmpR is a two-domain response regulator; phosphorylation of OmpR increases its affinity for DNA, and DNA binding stimulates phosphorylation. The step that is affected by DNA depends upon the phosphodonor employed. In the present work, we have used fluorescence anisotropy and phosphotransfer assays to examine OmpR interactions with EnvZ. Our results indicate that phosphorylation greatly reduces the affinity of OmpR for the kinase, whereas DNA does not affect their interaction. The results presented cast serious doubts on the role of the EnvZ phosphatase in response to signalingin vivo.