Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mouse models of childhood cancer of the nervous system

Targeted cancer treatments rely on understanding signalling cascades, genetic changes, and compensatory programmes activated during tumorigenesis. Increasingly, pathologists are required to interpret molecular profiles of tumour specimens to target new treatments. This is challenging because cancer is a heterogeneous disease—tumours change over time in individual patients and genetic lesions leading from preneoplasia to malignancy can differ substantially between patients. For childhood tumours of the nervous system, the challenge is even greater, because tumours arise from progenitor cells in a developmental context different from that of the adult, and the cells of origin, neural progenitor cells, show considerable temporal and spatial heterogeneity during development. Thus, the underlying mechanisms regulating normal development of the nervous system also need to be understood. Many important advances have come from model mouse genetic systems. This review will describe several mouse models of childhood tumours of the nervous system, emphasising how understanding the normal developmental processes, combined with mouse models of cancer and the molecular pathology of the human diseases, can provide the information needed to treat cancer more effectively.
Short communication Identification and molecular detection of a deletion mutation responsible for a truncated cadherin of Helicoverpa armigera

Cadherins are a class of receptor proteins for Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1A toxins. Disruption of a cadherin gene (Ha_BtR) is associated with Cry1Ac resistance in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera [Xu, X. , Yu, L. , Wu, Y. , 2005. Disruption of a cadherin gene associated with resistance to Cry1Ac d-endotoxin of B. thuringiensis in H. armigera. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 948–954]. Determination of the genomic DNA sequences of Ha_BtR gene showed that the wild type Ha_BtR coding sequence is comprised of 34 exons. A deletion between Exon 8 and Exon 25 was found to be responsible for a truncated cadherin in the Cry1Ac-resistant GYBT strain of H. armigera. The mutant allele of Ha_BtR (r1) has two possible transcription variants, both of which produce the same truncated protein. A DNA-based detection method specific to the r1 allele was developed. This study will facilitate the monitoring of cadherin mutant frequency in field populations of H. armigera. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effect of audit committee and external auditor characteristics on financial reporting quality

This study aims to examine the relationship between audit committee characteristics and external auditors’ characteristics (independent variables) and financial reporting quality (dependent variable). Past studies related to the financial reporting quality has limited scope with regard to Malaysian background. The novelty of this research, therefore, is that it accounts for two different dimensions of audits characteristics i.e. audit committee characteristics and external auditors’ characteristics that are examined in the same schema. The study used the sample firms from the Bursa Malaysia, explicitly top 100 performing firms according to the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange. The analysis of annual reports has proven that audit committee (independence, expertise, and diligence) has the prediction capability to financial reporting quality. Although results indicate that industry leader has significant impact on financial reporting quality, but on other side, large audit firms do not have any significant effect on financial reporting quality. This study adds the knowledge of audit committee practices and procedures in accounting literature regarding Malaysian context. The results of this study cannot be generalized because study used top 100 performing firms from Malaysia. The results of this study might be changed if future researches use different set of sample firms
Performance analysis of monolithic RF transformers by experimental characterization

Electrical performances of 4-port n:n dual-spiral transformers fabricated in a thick plated copper on silicon process are analyzed. Multiport data analysis techniques and compact modeling are used to study the relationships between the physical and the electrical attributes of the devices. Analytical models, based on measurements from 50 MHz to 20 GHz, are used to explore achievable device performance under different design constraints.
Iron–ascorbic acid‐induced oxidant stress and its quenching by paraoxonase 1 in HDL and the liver: Comparison between humans and rats

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a serum enzyme closely associated with high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), which may protect against atherosclerosis by hydrolyzing lipid peroxides and several organophosphorus compounds. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation modifies the activity and protein mass of PON1 in humans and rats. Our findings revealed that the bulk of the activity monitored by the hydrolysis of paraoxon and phenyl acetate was confined to liver intracellular endoplasmic reticulum‐derived microsomes and was mostly recovered in circulating HDL3. Confirmation was obtained by the determination of PON1 expression by Western blot. It is noteworthy that PON1 levels were consistently decreased in human sera, HDL, and liver microsomes compared with rat counterparts. Concomitant with iron‐ascorbate‐mediated lipid peroxidation, there was a decline in PON1 activity and protein in both HDL3 and microsomes, which was attenuated by butylated hydroxytoluene antioxidant treatment. The current data indicate that PON1 localization in microsomes and HDL3 could represent a selective cellular and lipoprotein response to oxidative stress. This was tested by the iron‐ascorbate oxygen‐radical generating system. It is also proposed that the increased PON1 level may have a function related to the well‐known atherosclerosis resistance of rats. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Citrus unshiu flower inhibits LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 via MAPKs in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells

In the present study, we investigated the effects of Citrus unshiu flower on regulatory mechanisms of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) involved in immunological activity of RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our results indicated that ethyl acetate fraction of Citrus unshiu flower (CUF-EA) downregulated LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, thereby reducing the production of NO and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, CUF-EA suppressed LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-á. To elucidate its anti-inflammatory mechanisms, CUF-EA was investigated as an inhibitor of phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. As expected, the phosphorylation of MAP kinases (p38, ERK1/2 and JNK) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages was suppressed by CUF-EA in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of CUF-EA might results from inhibition of NO, PGE 2 , iNOS, COX-2, IL-6 and TNF-á expressions through the down-regulation of phosphorylation of MAPKs in RAW 264.7 macrophages.
Preliminary experience with 4K ultra-high definition endoscope: analysis of pros and cons in skull base surgery

SUMMARY During the last two decades endoscopic skull base surgery observed a continuous technical and technological development 3D endoscopy and ultra High Definition (HD) endoscopy have provided great advances in terms of visualisation and spatial resolution. Ultra-high definition (UHD) 4K systems, recently introduced in the clinical practice, will shape next steps forward especially in skull base surgery field. Patients were operated on through transnasal transsphenoidal endoscopic approaches performed using Olympus NBI 4K UHD endoscope with a 4 mm 0° Ultra Telescope, 300 W xenon lamp (CLV-S400) predisposed for narrow band imaging (NBI) technology connected through a camera head to a high-quality control unit (OTV-S400 – VISERA 4K UHD) (Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). Two screens are used, one 31" Monitor – (LMD-X310S) and one main ultra-HD 55" screen optimised for UHD image reproduction (LMD-X550S). In selected cases, we used a navigation system (Stealthstation S7, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, US). We evaluated 22 pituitary adenomas (86.3% macroadenomas; 13.7% microadenomas). 50% were not functional (NF), 22.8% GH, 18.2% ACTH, 9% PRL-secreting. Three of 22 were recurrences. In 91% of cases we achieved total removal, while in 9% near total resection. A mean follow-up of 187 days and average length of hospitalisation was 3.09 ± 0.61 days. Surgical duration was 128.18± 30.74 minutes. We experienced only 1 case of intraoperative low flow fistula with no further complications. None of the cases required any post- or intraoperative blood transfusion. The visualisation and high resolution of the operative field provided a very detailed view of all anatomical structures and pathologies allowing an improvement in safety and efficacy of the surgical procedure. The operative time was similar to the standard 2D HD and 3D procedures and the physical strain was also comparable to others in terms of ergonomics and weight.
Secret Sharing Scheme Based Approach for Access Control Constraint against Similar Users ’ Collusive Attack

Constraint is the core problem of high-level access control. Traditional access control constraints, such as Separation of Duty (SOD) constraints of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Chinese wall policy, lack the consideration of user similarity and sensitive combination of permissions or objects. Secret sharing scheme is used to share important data or complete a sensitive task. This paper proposes secret sharing scheme based approach for access control constraints which are against similar user clusters and sensitive combination of permissions. The proposed approach not only flexibly enforces traditional access control constraints but also effectively prevents similar users’ collusive attack. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by test results.
Development of a Postnatal Educational Program for Breastfeeding Mothers in Community Settings

Inconsistency in how professionals can best support the breastfeeding mother after discharge call on further investigation. The authors describe how intervention mapping was used to develop a postnatal breastfeeding support intervention for mothers in community settings. Breastfeeding cessation most often occurred in the first weeks among mothers with low self-efficacy, low confidence, or limited previous breastfeeding experience. Besides learning effective breastfeeding techniques, mothers needed to learn how to recognize their baby’s cues, let the baby regulate meals, gain confidence in producing enough milk, and handle breastfeeding problems. Theory-based methods—such as individualization, skills training with guided practice, reattribution, planning coping responses, and mobilizing social support—were built into a health visitor–delivered program. An 18-hour training course addressed determinants for implementation. Finally, process and effect evaluations were planned. Support of the breastfeeding mother in community settings should address the psychosocial and practical aspects of breastfeeding to prevent premature cessation.
Multi-echelon Inventory Model for Repairable Items Emergency with Lateral Transshipments In Retail Supply Chain

The theory on multi-echelon inventory systems is a core theory within supply chain management. Utilizing emergency lateral transshipments between retailers to meet customer demand can be an effective means for companies to improve service levels in a supply chain. This paper presents a Multi Echelon Inventory Model for Repairable Items Continuous Reviews using Emergency Lateral Transshipment. Based on case examples, obtained by the proportion of retail demand fulfillment immediately from stock on hand an average of more than 75%. Then the proportion of retail demand is met by emergency lateral transshipments average no more than 20%. Thus proved that the emergency lateral transshipments to increase the level of retail demand fulfillment. This can be seen on the results of calculations which was initially 75%, after using emergency lateral transshipments retail demand fulfillment rate rose by 20%.
Evaluation of a cathepsin-cleavable peptide linked radioimmunoconjugate of a panadenocarcinoma MAb, m170, in mice and patients.

PURPOSE Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) delivered by radiometal immunoconjugates (RICs) is dose limited by deposition and retention of radioactivity in normal tissues. In order to increase elimination of radioactivity from the liver and body, a peptide having a specific cathepsin B cleavage site was placed between the radiometal chelate, 111In-DOTA, and the panadenocarcinoma monoclonal antibody (MAb), m170. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Indium-111 (111In)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N",N"'-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-2-iminothiolane (2IT)-m170 and 111In-DOTA-peptide-m170, representing the same MAb and chelate without and with a cleavable linkage, were studied in athymic mice and patients with breast or prostate cancer. Pharmacokinetics, cumulated activities and therapeutic indices (TI), were evaluated. Cumulated activities in the liver and tumors were calculated and used as a surrogate for radiation dose. RESULTS Except for liver, the pharmacokinetics of 111In-DOTA-peptide-m170 were similar to those of the 111In-2IT-2-[p(bromoacetamido)benzyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazocyclododecane-N,N',N",N"'-tetraacetic acid-m170 (111In-2IT-BAD-m170) in mice and patients. Liver cumulated activities for 111In-DOTA-peptide-m170 were consistently decreased when compared to those for 111In-2IT-BAD-m170, reductions varying between 22-30%. Cumulated activities for 111In-DOTA-peptide-m170 in the malignant tumors of the patients were as great as those for 111In-2IT-BAD-m170, so that the tumor-to-liver cumulated activity ratios (therapeutic indices) were better for 111In-DOTA-peptide-m170. CONCLUSIONS A cathepsin-B-cleavable peptide used to link chelated 111In to MAb, m170, reduced liver cumulated activity (radiation dose) and improved the TI. This novel linker illustrates the importance of linker technology in the development of safer RICs for cancer therapy.
HCV glycoprotein E 2 is a novel BDCA-2 ligand and acts as an inhibitor of IFN production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells

1Inserm Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1068, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, Marseille, France; 2Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France; 3Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; 4Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7258, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, Marseille, France; 5Inserm UMR748, Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Virologie, Strasbourg, France; and 6Institut Curie, Paris, France
Impact of CSR Initiatives and Perceived Corporate Reputation On Consumer Loyalty

The purpose of the study is to explore the association between consumer perception of CSR, perceived corporate reputation, and consumer loyalty in consumer marketing. A conceptual model has been established to recite their relationship displaying customer loyalty as dependent variable while consumer perception of CSR and perceived corporate reputation as independent variable. A questionnaire with five point likert scale is developed to investigate the relationship. Outcomes present positive association between all variables. This study has certain limitations with respect to monetary evaluation of CSR initiatives by the firms. Comprehensive qualitative research deem necessary to look for the same issues. This research has made some practical and theoretical contributions toward building consumer loyalty for the firms.
Clinical Features of Mild Cognitive Impairment Differ in the Research and Tertiary Clinic Settings

Objective: Comparative analysis of subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed in a primary research setting and those seen in a tertiary care memory disorders clinic. Methods: Subjects who received a diagnosis of MCI between July 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006, in a longitudinal research study of normal cognition (n = 48) and patients diagnosed in a tertiary care referral clinic (n = 34) were evaluated using similar methodologies. Comparative analyses of detailed medical, neurological and neuropsychological data are presented. Results: The diagnosis of MCI was not accepted by 13 of 48 subjects (27%) classified as MCI in the primary research setting. Nondegenerative, potentially treatable causes of cognitive decline were found in 3 of 34 subjects (9%) seen in the tertiary referral clinic and in 11 of 35 subjects (31%) identified as MCI in the primary research setting (p = 0.02, Fisher’s exact test). MCI subjects identified in the primary research setting were older than those referred to the memory clinic (mean ± SD, 79.7 ± 7.0 vs. 71.5 ± 9.0 years, p < 0.0001, t test) and had more years of education (16.0 ± 3.2 vs. 13.6 ± 4.2 years, p < 0.01, t test). MCI subjects in the primary research setting appeared to be in a milder stage of disease, characterized by higher Mini-Mental State Examination scores (28.2 ± 1.8 vs. 25.7 ± 1.8, p < 0.0001), and a tendency towards single domain involvement, predominantly memory (mean number of domains involved, 1.0 vs. 2.5, p < 0.0001). More advanced stages of MCI, seen in the tertiary referral population, had additional involvement of attention (p < 0.0001, Fisher’s exact test) and visuospatial domains (p < 0.0002, Fisher’s exact test). Semiquantitative grading of hippocampal and medial temporal lobe atrophy did not differ between groups (p = 0.81, Mann-Whitney U test). Conclusions: The diagnosis of MCI may be unwelcome in naïve persons. Remedial causes of MCI should be actively investigated. Demographic and clinical characteristics of MCI differ between research subjects and patients referred to a tertiary care clinic.
Effect of atorvastatin on ocular blood flow velocities in patients with diabetic retinopathy

Aim: To investigate blood flow velocities in the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries (CRAs) in patients with diabetic retinopathy before and after atorvastatin treatment. Methods: 45 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The patients with diabetes were divided into three subgroups: group 1 (n = 15) included patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR); group 2 (n = 15) had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR); and group 3 (n = 15; placebo group) included 8 patients with NPDR and 7 patients with PDR. The patients in groups 1 and 2 (atorvastatin group) received 10 mg atorvastatin daily for 10 weeks. Pre-treatment and post-treatment serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride were recorded before and after treatment. Ocular blood flow velocities of the ophthalmic artery and CRA were evaluated by colour Doppler imaging before and after treatment in each group. Results: The baseline haemodynamic parameters were similar between atorvastatin and placebo groups (p>0.05 for both). Atorvastatin significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in groups 1 and 2 compared with pretreatment levels (p<0.001 for both). The mean peak systolic flow velocities (PSVs) of the ophthalmic artery in group 2, and the mean PSV and resistive indices of the CRA in groups 1 and 2 decreased significantly after atorvastatin treatment (p<0.05 for both), whereas the mean end diastolic flow velocity of the ophthalmic artery and CRA did not change (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in ocular blood flow velocities in the placebo group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Atorvastatin may have a role in reducing diabetic retinal complications, with improvement in vascular resistance and decrease in the mean PSVs of the ophthalmic artery and CRA. However, further studies with large numbers of patients are needed to obtain the long-term results of this drug.
Workplace safety in the supply chain: a review of the literature and call for research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the literature and call for additional research into the human, operational, and regulatory issues that contribute to workplace safety in the supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – Following the safety typology of Brown, this paper identifies several potential research opportunities that can increase awareness of the importance of improving a firm's workplace safety practices. To inform the Brown typology, the paper follows the procedures described in Carter et al. and Maloni and Carter to conduct the comprehensive review of the safety literature across six logistics and transportation journals.Findings – This paper identifies 108 articles which inform the Brown typology. The paper reports how the logistics and transportation safety literature has evolved across the human, operational, and regulatory safety domain across the following journals: International Journal of Logistics Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Mana.
The Three-Item Clock-Drawing Test: A Simplified Screening Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

The Clock-Drawing Test (CDT) has been used to screen for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as a supplement to cognitive tests that focus on memory impairment. We examined a comprehensive scoring system of the CDT in screening of AD in a Chinese population and derived a simplified scoring system. All 403 (144 AD and 259 nondemented) subjects were administered the CDT, including both the drawing part (CDT-D) and the copying part (CDT-C). The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument and the Clinical Dementia Rating were also administered. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to develop a simplified CDT scoring system. The optimal CDT cutoff scores (CDT-D: 10/11; CDT-C: 12/13) show intermediate sensitivity (CDT-D: 66.7%; CDT-C: 51.4%) and specificity (CDT-D: 74.5%; CDT-C: 74.1%). The simplified 3-item CDT scoring system, with a cutoff score of 2/3, has a sensitivity of 72.9% and a specificity of 65.6%; it can be used as a quick test for AD screening.
Discovering Human and Machine Readable Descriptions of Malware Families

While an immense amount of work has gone into novel clustering algorithms, little work has focused on developing compact, domain-specific explanations for the results of the clustering algorithms. Attaching semantic meaning to a cluster has numerous benefits, including the ability for such a description to be both human and machine readable. In this paper, we assume that the clusters are given to us, and find the minimal set of features that can differentiate one cluster from the remaining set of samples. We formulate this problem as an integer linear program. By using samples not belonging to the cluster in the optimization formulation, the resulting description will be minimal and contain no false positives. The efficacy of this method is demonstrated on simulation data and real-world malware data run in a sandbox that collects behavioral characteristics. In the case of malware, once it has been clustered, it would have been sent to a reverse engineer who would have been tasked with creating the actual meaning of the clustering results and disseminating this information through signatures or indicators of compromise. This is a time-consuming process that can take hours to weeks depending on the complexity of the malware family. The methods presented in this paper automatically generate optimal signatures, which can then be quickly propagated to help contain the spread of a malware family.