Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Establishment of Health Utility Indices for Post-Infectious Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Active Duty US Military.

INTRODUCTION Knowledge of disease burden attributable to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD) in travelers is lacking, despite the high incidence of travelers' diarrhea (TD) associated with increased FGD risk. One tool for assessing the impact of disease on health-related quality of life is the health utility index (HUI), which values health states based on preferential health outcomes. Health utilities can be used as preference weights in the estimation of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). METHODS Six months following travel to Egypt or Turkey, 120 US military personnel completed a survey on TD during deployment, health-related quality of life (SF-36), and the onset of functional bowel disorders (Rome II). Elements from the SF-36 were used to develop SF-6D values, which were combined with health state valuations to enable calculation of HUI scores for each subject. Mean index scores were compared across functional outcomes, specific symptoms, and demographic profiles. RESULTS The presence of FGD significantly reduced index scores, with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia showing the greatest impact (-0.17 and -0.19, respectively) compared with those with no FGD (p < 0.05). Importantly, however, several individuals met multiple FGD outcome definitions. Additionally, a number of symptoms associated with abnormal bowel habits and abdominal pain were associated with reduced index scores regardless of outcome. CONCLUSION FGD are associated with significant morbidity as assessed by HUIs. Given the strong link between TD and FGD as well as the large number of travelers from the developed to the developing world, additional study is needed to further understand this association and efforts aimed at primary disease prevention are warranted.
The prognostic significance of Ki-67 labeling indices for oligodendrogliomas.

OBJECTIVE The prognostic significance of quantitative measurement of tumor proliferative activity was evaluated for oligodendroglial tumors. METHODS Ki-67/MIB-1 immunochemistry was used to measure proliferative activity in 81 oligodendrogliomas and oligoastrocytomas. The relationship among survival, proliferation, histological features, and clinical variables were evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS After stratifying by histological grade and adjusting for age at diagnosis, there was a significant association between the Ki-67/MIB-1 labeling index (LI) (percentage of positive cells) and survival (P = 0.04). This association was illustrated further by the significantly different survival of two groups based on LI ranges of less than or equal to 5 and greater than 5 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The poor correlation between mitotic figures and survival in oligodendrogliomas that has been reported previously emphasizes the need for an accurate method to measure proliferative activity. Our study demonstrated the usefulness of the Ki-67/MIB-1 LI and demonstrated that LI ranges can be defined for clinical application.
Distinct Compartmentalization of Dentin Matrix Protein 1 Fragments in Mineralized Tissues and Cells

Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) has been shown to be critical for the formation of dentin and bone. However, the precise pathway by which DMP1 participates in dentinogenesis and osteogenesis remains to be clarified. DMP1 is present in the extracellular matrix of dentin and bone as processed NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments. The NH2-terminal fragment occurs as a proteoglycan, whereas the COOH-terminal fragment is highly phosphorylated. The differences in biochemical properties suggest that these fragments may have different tissue and cell distribution in association with distinct functions. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of the NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments of DMP1 in tooth, bone, osteocytes as well as MC3T3-E1 and HEK-293 cells. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed using antibodies specific to the NH2- or COOH-terminal region of DMP1. Clear differences in the distribution of these fragments were observed. In the teeth and bone, the NH2-terminal fragment was primarily located in the nonmineralized predentin and cartilage of the growth plate, while the COOH-terminal fragment accumulated in the mineralized zones. In osteocytes, the NH2-terminal fragment appeared more abundant along cell membrane and processes of osteocytes, while the COOH-terminal fragment was often found in the nuclei. This pattern of distribution in cellular compartments was further confirmed by analyses on MC3T3-E1 and HEK-293 cells transfected with a construct containing DMP1 cDNA. In these cell lines, the COOH-terminal fragment accumulated in cell nuclei, while the NH2-terminal fragment was in the cytosol. The different distribution of DMP1 fragments indicates that these DMP1 variants must perform distinct functions.
Comparison of the determinants of nutrient intake of rural and urban families.

A random sample of 97 rice‐farming and 100 urban households participated in the study. The effects on nutrient intake of education, family size, food expenditure, employment status of mother, and time spent for food preparation were examined. In addition, the interaction or joint effect of several pairs of variables was analyzed. Mother's employment status had an opposite effect on the nutrient intake of rural and urban families. Food expenditure and food preparation time each had a positive effect on intake but the effect of their interaction was negative. Families with better educated mothers appeared to be less adversely affected by increased family size and to make better use of increased expenditures on food than families with less educated mothers.
Multicriteria selection of project managers by applying grey criteria

Abstract There is a number of criteria and associated sub‐criteria influencing the match of managers to construction projects. Criteria and sub‐criteria were identified based on a thorough review of the related literature and interviews of management personnel involved in the project managers selection. Project managers characteristics are considered to be less important for an effective project management. The model is based on multicriteria evaluation of project managers. The evaluation embraces the identified criteria influencing the process of construction project manager selection. This paper considers the application of grey relations methodology to defining the utility of alternatives, and offers a multiple criteria method of Complex Proportional Assessment of alternatives with grey relations (COPRAS‐G) for analysis. In this model, the parameters of the alternatives are determined by the grey relational grade and expressed in terms of intervals. A case study presents the selection of construction p.
Splice Variants of Intersectin Are Components of the Endocytic Machinery in Neurons and Nonneuronal Cells*

We recently identified and cloned intersectin, a protein containing two Eps15 homology (EH) domains and five Src homology 3 (SH3) domains. Using a newly developed intersectin antibody, we demonstrate that endogenous COS-7 cell intersectin localizes to clathrin-coated pits, and transfection studies suggest that the EH domains may direct this localization. Through alternative splicing in a stop codon, a long form of intersectin is generated with a C-terminal extension containing Dbl homology (DH), pleckstrin homology (PH), and C2 domains. Western blots reveal that the long form of intersectin is expressed specifically in neurons, whereas the short isoform is expressed at lower levels in glia and other nonneuronal cells. Immunofluorescence analysis of cultured hippocampal neurons reveals that intersectin is found at the plasma membrane where it is co-localized with clathrin. Ibp2, a protein identified based on its interactions with the EH domains of intersectin, binds to clathrin through the N terminus of the heavy chain, suggesting a mechanism for the localization of intersectin at clathrin-coated pits. Ibp2 also binds to the clathrin adaptor AP2, and antibodies against intersectin co-immunoprecipitate clathrin, AP2, and dynamin from brain extracts. These data suggest that the long and short forms of intersectin are components of the endocytic machinery in neurons and nonneuronal cells.
The transfer of training and development practices in Japanese subsidiaries in Vietnam

This paper examines the interaction between ‘home-country’ and ‘host-country’ effects in determining human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in multinational companies (MNCs) in the context of a developing country. The paper is based on an investigation of the training and development strategies for local managers of a sample of Japanese companies operating in Vietnam, and presents clear evidence of the transfer of home-country practices. The sector emerges as a key variable in explaining variations in HRM patterns with a greater number of comprehensive training and development programs recorded in automotive than in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries. We also argue that developing host countries pose little in the way of formal constraint mechanisms to the transfer of HRM practices, but the instability of the institutional environment and the weakness of its subsystems suggest a complex and challenging situation for MNC operations, and inhibit their ability to maintain their home-country HRM practices.
Framing Techno-Regulation: An Exploration of State and Non-State Regulation by Technology

Abstract Artifacts are generally constructed on purpose and have intended and unintended effects on the conduct of people. As such, architecture can be used in regulating society, as speed ramps convincingly show. But is this de facto regulating behaviour by means of technology, regulating society in a legal sense, or is it merely disciplining society? Individuals can decide not to comply with legislation but are generally forced to observe the norms imposed upon them by techno-regulation. Many prominent examples of techno-regulation can be found in the context of ICT, for instance DRM, content filtering, privacy enhancing technologies. Users in these contexts are typically bound by the norms embedded in the technology, without these norms being very transparent. Furthermore, techno-regulation in the ICT context is most prominently driven by industry, not government. The combination of the obscurity of the norms embedded in the technology, the strict enforcement of these norms and the process of their enactment raise many questions regarding the legal status and legal effects of techno-regulation. This paper explores the different forms of techno-regulation instituted by both public and private regulators in more detail and tries to answer the question how techno-regulation by public and private regulators should be understood from a legal point of view. The paper argues that state authored techno-regulation has to be seen as supplemental to regular regulation because legitimacy requires the norms to be transparent and the regulator to be accountable for the norms. With regards to non-state authored techno-regulation, the image is more diffuse. Some instances of techno-regulation have a clear legal status and the legal effects of transgressing the techno-norms are clear as well. In other cases, the legal status of the norms is unclear, yet their regulative effect real.
Hyperkalemia revisited.

Hyperkalemia is a common clinical condition that can induce deadly cardiac arrhythmias. Electrocardiographic manifestations of hyperkalemia vary from the classic sine-wave rhythm, which occurs in severe hyperkalemia, to nonspecific repolarization abnormalities seen with mild elevations of serum potassium. We present a case of hyperkalemia, initially diagnosed as ventricular tachycardia, to demonstrate how difficult hyperkalemia can be to diagnose. An in-depth review of hyperkalemia is presented, examining the electrophysiologic and electrocardiographic changes that occur as serum potassium levels increase. The treatment for hyperkalemia is then discussed, with an emphasis on the mechanisms by which each intervention lowers serum potassium levels. An extensive literature review has been performed to present a comprehensive review of the causes and treatment of hyperkalemia. (Tex Heart Inst J 2006;33:40-7)
International harmony measures of accounting policy: comparative statistical properties

Abstract Van der Tas's (1988) I index and the between-country C index introduced by Archer et al. (1995) are competing measures of international harmony. We present comparative statistical properties of these indices, via a simulation study covering three accounting methods in 10 countries, with uniform, bimodal and unimodal distributions of companies across accounting methods. The indices are also adjusted for non-disclosures using techniques developed by Archer and McLeay (1995) and Archer et al. (1995). The I index and the between-country C index are mathematically equivalent in the two-country case even in the presence of non-disclosures. As more countries are compared, the two indices diverge. The means and standard deviations of the I index, with a correction proposed by Archer and McLeay (1995), decrease and there is little skewness or kurtosis. In contrast, as more countries are compared, the between-country C index exhibits more stability in means, lower standard deviations, higher skewness and k.
Inflation and the Measurement of Fiscal Deficits

The presence of high inflation raises questions about the usefulness of the conventional measure of the fiscal deficit as a gauge of necessary fiscal adjustment. Economists are divided on this issue: those who believe that regardless of inflation the conventional measure is the relevant one; and those who maintain that a measure that excludes from the deficit the part of interest payments that compensates bondholders for inflation is the correct one. This paper analyzes these issues, concluding that neither measure gives the right signal, and that consequently both measures should be calculated when inflation is high.
Catalysis Science of Bulk Mixed Oxides

Bulk mixed oxide catalysts are widely used for various applications (selective oxidation catalysts, electrocatalysts for solid oxide fuel cells, and solid oxide electrolyzers for the production of hydrogen), but fundamental understanding of their structure–performance relationships have lagged in the literature. The absence of suitable surface composition and surface structural characterization techniques and methods to determine the number of catalytic active sites, with the latter needed for determination of specific reaction rates (e.g., turnover frequency (1/s)), have hampered the development of sound fundamental concepts in this area of heterogeneous catalysis. This Perspective reviews the traditional concepts that have been employed to explain catalysis by bulk mixed oxides (molybdates, vanadates, spinels, perovskites, and several other specific mixed oxide systems) and introduces a modern perspective to the fundamental surface structure–activity/selectivity relationships for bulk mixed oxide cataly.
Cladribine in aggressive forms of multiple sclerosis

Cladribine (2‐chlorodeoxyadenosine) is an immunosuppressant drug previously evaluated in multiple sclerosis (MS) with variable results. We report six patients with aggressive relapsing MS who despite a poor response to other therapies had a favourable clinical evolution after cladribine. Four women and two men with a rapid increase in the number and severity of relapses leading to increasing disability [mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6.42, standard deviation ± 0.58, mean relapse rate per year in the 2 years prior to study entry 2.67 ± 0.75] were retrospectively evaluated. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed in five patients showed active disease with gadolinium‐enhancing lesions. Cladribine was given at 0.07 mg/kg/day for five consecutive days once monthly with a total of 2‐ to 4‐monthly courses. After 6 months, mean EDSS decreased to 3.75 ± 1.64 and MRIs showed a decrease or suppression in the number of gadolinium‐enhancing lesions. After 1 year from first dose, cladribine dosage was repeated in four patients because of recurrence of relapses with subsequent similar positive clinical results. In the follow‐up period (49.33 ± 39.66 months), the mean relapse rate decreased to 0.71 ± 0.55 and no unexpected or serious adverse events were observed.
A Bayesian Approach to Calibration

The authors develop a Bayesian approach to calibration which enables the incorporation of uncertainty regarding the parameters of the theoretical model under investigation. Their procedure involves the specification of prior distributions over parameter values, which in turn induce distributions over the statistical properties of artificial data simulated from the model. These distributions are compared with their empirical counterparts in order to assess the model's fit. The business cycle model of R. King, C. Plosser, and S. Rebelo (1988) is used to demonstrate the authors' procedure. They find that modest prior uncertainty regarding deep parameters enhances the plausibility of the model's description of the actual data.
Automatic Morpheme Segmentation and Labeling in Universal Dependencies Resources

Newer incarnations of the Universal De-pendencies (UD) resources feature rich morphological annotation on the word-token level as regards tense, mood, aspect, case, gender, and other grammatical information. This information, however, is not aligned to any part of the word forms in the data. In this work, we present an al-gorithm for inferring this latent alignment between morphosyntactic labels and sub-strings of word forms. We evaluate the method on three languages where we have manually labeled part of the Universal De-pendencies data—Finnish, Swedish, and Spanish—and show that the method is robust enough to use for automatic discovery, segmentation, and labeling of allo-morphs in the data sets. The model allows us to provide a more detailed morphosyn-tactic labeling and segmentation of the UD data.
Comments on a privacy preserving public auditing mechanism for shared cloud data

Auditing mechanisms are received much attentions from researchers due to the developing of cloud storage. Recently, Wang et al. proposed a privacy preserving public auditing mechanism for shared cloud data with supporting group dynamic. However, we find some security flaws in their mechanism. In this paper, a forgery attack and a data corruption attack are proposed to demonstrate the insecurity. Then, we propose a modified scheme based on their mechanism. The security analysis is demonstrated that our improvement can resist the mentioned two attacks.
Energy-Efficient Floating-Point MFCC Extraction Architecture for Speech Recognition Systems

This brief presents an energy-efficient architecture to extract mel-frequency cepstrum coefficients (MFCCs) for real-time speech recognition systems. Based on the algorithmic property of MFCC feature extraction, the architecture is designed with floating-point arithmetic units to cover a wide dynamic range with a small bit-width. Moreover, various operations required in the MFCC extraction are examined to optimize operational bit-width and lookup tables needed to compute nonlinear functions, such as trigonometric and logarithmic functions. In addition, the dataflow of MFCC extraction is tailored to minimize the computation time. As a result, the energy consumption is considerably reduced compared with previous MFCC extraction systems.
Dendritically released transmitters cooperate via autocrine and retrograde actions to inhibit afferent excitation in rat brain

Oxytocin is released from supraoptic magnocellular neurones and is thought to act at presynaptic receptors to inhibit transmitter release. We now show that this effect is mediated by endocannabinoids, but that oxytocin nonetheless plays an important role in endocannabinoid signalling. WIN55,212‐2, a cannabinoid receptor agonist, mimicked the action of oxytocin and occluded oxytocin‐induced presynaptic inhibition. The cannabinoid action is at the presynaptic terminal as shown by alteration in paired pulse ratio, a reduction in miniature EPSC frequency and immunohistochemical localization of CB1 receptors on presynaptic terminals. AM251, a CB1 receptor antagonist, blocked both the WIN55,212‐2 and the oxytocin‐induced presynaptic inhibition of EPSCs. Depolarization of postsynaptic magnocellular neurones (which contain fatty acid amide hydrolase, a cannabinoid catabolic enzyme) caused a transient inhibition of EPSCs that could be blocked by both the AM251 and Manning compound, an oxytocin/vasopressin receptor antagonist. This indicates that somatodendritic peptide release and action on previously identified autoreceptors facilitates the release of endocannabinoids that act as mediators of presynaptic inhibition.
Target Binding Properties and Cellular Activity of Afatinib (BIBW 2992), an Irreversible ErbB Family Blocker

Deregulation of the ErbB (proto-oncogene B of the avian erythroblastosis virus AEV-H strain) receptor network is well recognized as an oncogenic driver in epithelial cancers. Several targeted drugs have been developed, including antibodies and small-molecule kinase inhibitors, each of them characterized by distinct patterns of ErbB receptor interactions. Understanding the precise pharmacological properties of these compounds is important for optimal use in clinical practice. Afatinib [BIBW 2992; N-[4-[(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino]-7-[[(3S)-tetrahydro-3-furanyl]oxy]-6-quinazolinyl]-4-(dimethylamino)-2-butenamide] is an ATP-competitive anilinoquinazoline derivative harboring a reactive acrylamide group. It was designed to covalently bind and irreversibly block enzymatically active ErbB receptor family members. Here, we show by X-ray crystallography the covalent binding of afatinib to wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and by mass spectrometry the covalent interaction with EGFR, EGFRL858R/T790M, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and ErbB-4. Afatinib potently inhibits the enymatic activity of ErbB-4 (EC50 = 1 nM) and the proliferation of cancer cell lines driven by multiple ErbB receptor aberrations at concentrations below 100 nM. N-[4-[(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino]-7-[[(3S)-tetrahydro-3-furanyl]oxy]-6-quinazolinyl]-4-(dimethylamino)-2-butanamide (BI 37781), a close analog of afatinib lacking the acrylamide group and thus incapable of covalent bond formation, had similar potency on cells driven by EGFR or EGFRL858R, but less or no detectable activity on cells expressing EGFRL858R/ T790M HER2 or ErbB-4. These results stress the importance of the acrylamide group and show that afatinib differs from approved ErbB targeting agents by irreversibly inhibiting the kinase activity of all ErbB family members. They provide a mechanistic rationale for the distinct pharmacological features of this compound and explain the clinical activity seen in some patients who are resistant to antibody or kinase inhibitor therapy because of secondary mutations or ErbB receptor “reprogramming. ”