Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smartphone applications for pain management

Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular. The lack of regulation or guidance for health-related apps means that the validity and reliability of their content is unknown. We have conducted a review of available apps relating to the generic condition of pain. The official application stores for five major smartphone platforms were searched: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Nokia/Symbian and Windows Mobile. Apps were included if they reported a focus on pain education, management or relief, and were not solely aimed at health-care professionals (HCPs). A total of 111 apps met the inclusion criteria. The majority of apps reviewed claimed some information provision or electronic manual component. Diary tracking of pain variables was also a common feature. There was a low level of stated HCP involvement in app development and content. Despite an increasing number of apps being released, the frequency of HCP involvement is not increasing. Pain apps appear to be able to promise pain relief without any concern for the effectiveness of the product, or for possible adverse effects of product use. In a population often desperate for a solution to distressing and debilitating pain conditions, there is considerable risk of individuals being misled.
Non-Invasive Detection of Fetal Rhesus D Status: A Comparison between Polymerase Chain Reaction and Flow Cytometry

Objective: A non-invasive prenatal determination of the fetal RhD status might be useful for the management of pregnancies in RhD-negative women whose partners are RhD positive. Methods: Maternal peripheral blood of 32 RhD-negative women (17–24 weeks of gestation) was collected, and circulating fetal cells were enriched by CD71 mini-magnetic activated cell sorting. The RhD status of the fetuses was assessed using multiparametric flow cytometry, and results were compared to those of reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or PCR, which acted as control. Flow-cytometric study of fetal cells employed monoclonal antibodies directed against CD71, glycophorin A (GPA) and RhD antigens. Results: The median percentage of CD71- and RhD-positive cells was 0.83% (range 0.14–6.44%), and that of CD71 and GPA-positive cells was 10.07% (range 0.52–45.84%). Flow-cytometric analysis correlated with RT-PCR results of RNA obtained from whole maternal blood. In 1 case, an incorrect result was due to the failure of the amplification of the specific RhD band on RNA extracted from the CD71-positive fraction. In two instances, we observed false-positive results for RhD in PCR of DNA obtained from maternal plasma. Conclusion: Based on our results, flow-cytometric analysis might be proposed as a clinical tool for the non-invasive prenatal determination of the fetal RhD status independently of fetal gender.
SR proteins ASF/SF2 and SRp55 participate in tissue factor biosynthesis in human monocytic cells

Summary. Background: Human monocytes express two naturally occurring forms of circulating tissue factor (TF) – full‐length TF, a membrane‐spanning protein, and alternatively spliced TF, a soluble molecule. Presence of the variable exon 5 in TF mRNA determines whether the encoded TF protein is transmembrane, or soluble. Recently, an essential SR protein ASF/SF2 was implicated in TF pre‐mRNA processing in human platelets. Objective: To examine molecular mechanisms governing regulated processing of TF pre‐mRNA in human monocytic cells. Methods and results: In silico analysis of the human TF exon 5, present only in full‐length TF mRNA, revealed putative binding motifs termed exonic splicing enhancers (ESE) for the SR proteins ASF/SF2 and SRp55, which were found to be abundantly expressed in monocytic cell lines THP‐1 and SC, as well as monocyte‐enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Using a splice competent mini‐gene reporter system transiently expressed in monocytic cells, it was determined that weakening of either five closely positioned ASF/SF2 ESE (bases 87–117) or a single conserved SRp55 ESE (base 39) results in severe skipping of exon 5. ASF/SF2 and SRp55 were found to physically associate with the identified ESE. Conclusions: SR proteins ASF/SF2 and SRp55 appear to interact with the variable TF exon 5 through ESE at bases 39 and 87–117. Weakening of the above ESE modulates splicing of TF exon 5. This study is the first to identify and experimentally characterize cis‐acting splicing elements involved in regulated biosynthesis of human TF.
A selectorless RRAM with record memory window and nonlinearity based on trap filled limit mechanism

Implementation of a crossbar array of selectorless resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices requires a high nonlinearity (NL) in low resistance state (LRS) currents to avoid the sneak path leakages. In this work, a process dependent nonlinearity in the low resistance state of Pr0.7Ca0. 3MnO3 (PCMO) based RRAM devices is studied. We present a device with a record high NL of ~95.5 in LRS currents (Ilrs) along with a memory window (MW) of ~164. We report a very high slope of ~16 mV/dec in the nonlinear region of ILRS. Further, we extract the material parameter like trap level, trap density etc. using previously developed space charge limited current (SCLC) based analytical model.
Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2015 — Highlighting an Ongoing Upward Trend in Animal Use and Missed Opportunities for Reduction

The Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2015 indicate that the Home Office were correct in recommending that caution should be exercised when interpreting the 2014 data as an apparent decline in animal experiments. The 2015 report shows that, as the changes to the format of the annual statistics have become more familiar and less problematic, there has been a re-emergence of the upward trend in animal research and testing in Great Britain. The 2015 statistics report an increase in animal procedures (up to 4,142,631) and in the number of animals used (up to 4,069,349). This represents 1% more than the totals in 2013, and a 7% increase on the procedures reported in 2014. This paper details an analysis of these most recent statistics, providing information on overall animal use and highlighting specific issues associated with genetically-altered animals, dogs and primates. It also reflects on areas of the new format that have previously been highlighted as being problematic, and concludes with a discussion about the use of animals in regulatory research and testing, and how there are significant missed opportunities for replacing some of the animal-based tests in this area.
Manganese requirement of phosphoglycerate phosphomutase and its consequences for growth and sporulation of Bacillus subtilis

In the absence of manganese, rapidly metabolizable carbohydrates such as glucose or glycerol are not completely metabolized by Bacillus subtilis growing in a nutrient sporulation medium: 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3PGA) accumulates inside the cells, growth stops at a low cell titer, and normal sporulation remains suppressed (no prespore septa). Upon the addition of manganese, 3PGA disappears, growth resumes, and normal sporulation takes place. These effects results from a specific manganese requirement of phosphoglycerate phosphomutase which catalyzes the interconversion of 3PGA and 2-phosphoglyceric acid (2PGA). Other metal ions cannot replace manganese, for which the enzyme has an apparent Km of 0.22 mM.
Regulation of nonspecific acid phosphatase in Salmonella: phoN and phoP genes

Mutations in Salmonella typhimurium strains lacking nonspecific acid phosphatase mapped in two unlinked loci. One of these, phoP, was cotransducible by phage P22 with purB, whereas the second, phoN, was cotransducible by phage P1 with purA. Mutants with temperature-sensitive nonspecific acid phosphatase activity (measured in whole cells) were also isolated. A phoN mutant with thermolabile whole-cell activity was isolated directly from wild-type LT-2. Several other mutants with temperature-sensitive enzyme activity were also isolated as revertants of phoN mutants. These data suggest that phoN might be a structural locus for nonspecific acid phosphatase. The observation that a mutation resulting in high level of nonspecific acid phosphatase mapped in phoP suggests a possible regulatory role for this locus.
The role of preferences in Japan's FTA policy formation in Asia on a bilateral, minilateral, and region-wide level : does Japan need a region-wide agreement?

Using Japan's existing free trade agreements (FTAs) this thesis analyses the country's current FTA policy by focusing on the formation of domestic preferences regarding bilateral, mini lateral and proposed region-wide FTAs. The two-level game metaphor (Putnam 1988) is combined here with the international political economy (IPE) approach in order to analyse the complex interactions between various levels of factors influencing main actors' preferences. The two-level game model is used to' separate the international and domestic levels of policy formation process and to conceptualise the latter as bargaining between various groups of actors (domestic negotiations). The thesis argues that preferences of discussed domestic groups together with the specific policy formation process are central to explaining Japan's FTA policy and its current impasse. The thesis conceptualises this policy as embedded in a broader economic and political environment, both on a national and an international level. Changes in this environment can affect actors' preferences and lead to changes in country's free trade agreements policy. This study analyses the added value of consecutive FTAs from the perspective of their main clients, as well as technical aspects of their harmonisation, multilateralisation or consolidation. It also discusses Japan's approach to overlapping FTA regulations. Therefore, the research is set within the overarching theoretical debate of multilateralising bilateralism which attempts to determine the feasibility of harmonising bilateral FTAs into broader agreements. The thesis focuses predominantly on the desirability of such harmonisation from the perspective of Japan's main actors. This study is based on in-depth interviews conducted in Tokyo in January 2009 and between March 2010 and December 2011.
The mouse insulin-like growth factor II/cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate (IGF-II/MPR) receptor gene: molecular cloning and genomic organization.

The mammalian insulin-like growth factor II/cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (IGF-II/MPR) is a multifunctional protein that binds both IGF-II and ligands containing a mannose 6-phosphate recognition marker through distinct high-affinity sites. This receptor plays an integral part in lysosomal enzyme transport, has a potential role in growth factor maturation and clearance, and may mediate IGF-II-activated signal transduction through a G-protein-coupled mechanism. Recent studies have shown that production of IGF-II/MPR mRNA and protein begins in the mouse embryo soon after fertilization and have demonstrated that the receptor gene is on mouse chromosome 17 and is maternally imprinted. In this paper, we report the cloning and characterization of the mouse IGF-II/MPR gene. The gene is 93 kb long, is composed of 48 exons, and codes for a predicted protein of 2482 amino acids. The extracellular part of the receptor is encoded by exons 1-46, with each of 15 related repeating motifs being determined by parts of 3-5 exons. A single fibronectin type II-like element is found in exon 39. The transmembrane portion of the receptor also is encoded by exon 46, and the cytoplasmic region by exons 46-48. The positions of exon-intron splice junctions are conserved between several of the repeats in the IGF-II/MPR and the homologous extracellular region of the gene for the other known lysosomal sorting receptor, the cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Closer Look at EU Current Accounts

In this paper, we look at the determinants of current accounts in twenty-seven EU countries over the period 1994-2014. The twenty-seven countries of interest are divided into three sub-groups, namely: core, periphery and CEE new member states. We also assess the current accounts based on computed equilibrium values, and we provide a measure of misalignment for the medium run. As determinants we include capital flows as well as demographic, fiscal and relative development factors. The initial Net Foreign Asset position and oil balance seem to matter more in the core countries than in the periphery and CEE new member states. In contrast, the periphery and CEE new member states seem to be more strongly affected by capital flows. Fiscal balance negatively affects only the periphery, while an increase in government spending is positive for the current account for CEE new member states. In the past twenty years these misalignments have shown a cyclical behaviour in most EU countries, and the magnitude of the cycles themselves are highly heterogeneous across groups. Lastly, we compute an adjusted current account equilibrium, which tries to correct the equilibrium value by the role of expectations (proxied by IMF projections). This factor has more of an impact in the UK than in the euro-area countries.
α-Actinin-4 Is Selectively Required for Insulin-induced GLUT4 Translocation*

Insulin induces GLUT4 translocation to the muscle cell surface. Using differential amino acid labeling and mass spectrometry, we observed insulin-dependent co-precipitation of actinin-4 (ACTN4) with GLUT4 (Foster, L. J., Rudich, A., Talior, I., Patel, N., Huang, X., Furtado, L. M., Bilan, P. J., Mann, M., and Klip, A. (2006) J. Proteome Res. 5, 64–75). ACTN4 links F-actin to membrane proteins, and actin dynamics are essential for GLUT4 translocation. We hypothesized that ACTN4 may contribute to insulin-regulated GLUT4 traffic. In L6 muscle cells insulin, but not platelet-derived growth factor, increased co-precipitation of ACTN4 with GLUT4. Small interfering RNA-mediated ACTN4 knockdown abolished the gain in surface-exposed GLUT4 elicited by insulin but not by platelet-derived growth factor, membrane depolarization, or mitochondrial uncoupling. In contrast, knockdown of α-actinin-1 (ACTN1) did not prevent GLUT4 translocation by insulin. GLUT4 colocalized with ACTN4 along the insulin-induced cortical actin mesh and ACTN4 knockdown prevented GLUT4-actin colocalization without impeding actin remodeling or Akt phosphorylation, maintaining GLUT4 in a tight perinuclear location. We propose that ACTN4 contributes to GLUT4 traffic, likely by tethering GLUT4 vesicles to the cortical actin cytoskeleton.
Application of replication-defective West Nile virus vector to non-flavivirus vaccine targets

ABSTRACT The RepliVax vaccine platform(RV) is based on flavivirus genomes that are rationally attenuated by deletion. The self-limiting infection provided by RV has been demonstrated to be safe, highly immunogenic and efficacious for several vaccine candidates against flaviviruses. Here respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F, influenza virus HA, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Env proteins were expressed in place of either prM-E or C-prM-E gene deletions of the West Nile (WN) virus genome. The resulting RV-RSV, -influenza and -SIV vaccine prototypes replicated efficiently in complementing helper cells expressing the WN structural proteins in trans. Expressed antigens exhibited correct post-translational processing and the RV recombinants were shown to be highly attenuated and immunogenic in mice, eliciting strong antigen-specific antibodies as well as detectable T-cell responses. These data support the utility of RV vectors for development of vaccines against non-flavivirus targets including rabies and HIV.
Aurora-A: the maker and breaker of spindle poles

The gene encoding the Aurora-A protein kinase is located in the 20q13 breast cancer amplicon and is also overexpressed in colorectal, pancreatic and gastric tumours. Although Aurora-A may not be a bona fide oncoprotein in humans, it is a promising drug target in cancer therapy. Thus, it is surprising that so little is known of its role in normal cells. The primary function of Aurora-A is to promote bipolar spindle assembly, but the molecular details of this process remained obscure until recently. The discovery of several novel Aurora-A-binding proteins and substrates has implicated Aurora-A in centrosome maturation and separation, acentrosomal and centrosomal spindle assembly, kinetochore function, cytokinesis and in cell fate determination. Here we discuss recent advances in determining the early mitotic role of Aurora-A, with a strong emphasis on its function at the mitotic spindle poles.
Economic Growth, Globalisation and Human Capital

This paper examines the contribution of human and physical forms of capital on the economic growth of India. The study was primarily undertaken not only because research on this issue has important policy implications but also because there are not many studies on India which conclusively point towards the relative importance of both forms of capital in the Indian growth trajectory. The impact of physical and human capital on real gross domestic product (GDP) of India is estimated with a log-linear model; where GDP per capita as dependent and per-labour physical capital (PC) and per-labour human capital (HC) in conjunction with the dummy variables, D and D1 for policy reform and political instability, respectively, as independent variables for the reference period 1975-76 to 2004-05. Further, switching regression is used to capture the impact of structural changes arising out of the initiation of the policy of openness and globalisation after 1990. The results, robust in nature, suggest that post-liberalisation growth in India owes more to the human capital than to physical capital.
Expression and functional role of mGluR3 and mGluR5 in human astrocytes and glioma cells: opposite regulation of glutamate transporter proteins

We examined the regulation of glutamate transporter protein expression after stimulation with selective metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists in cultured human glial cells. mGluR3 and mGluR5 are expressed in human astrocytes and in human glioma cells in vivo as well as in vitro, as shown by either RT‐PCR or western blot analysis. The selective group I agonist (S)‐3,5‐dihydroxyphenylglycine produced a significant down‐regulation of both GLAST and GLT‐1 protein expression in astrocytes cultured in the presence of growth factors. This condition mimics the morphology of reactive glial cells in vivo including an increased expression of mGluR5 protein (observed in pathological conditions). In contrast, (2S,2′R,3′R)‐2‐(2′,3′‐dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine, a selective agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, positively modulates the expression of GLAST and GLT‐1 proteins. A similar opposite effect of (S)‐3,5‐dihydroxyphenylglycine and (2S,2′R,3′R)‐2‐(2′,3′‐dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine was observed for the expression of EAAT3 protein in U373 glioblastoma cell line. Selective group I and II antagonists prevented these effects. Pharmacological inhibition of mitogen‐activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol‐3‐K pathways reduces the induction of GLT‐1 observed in response to the group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (2S,2′R,3′R)‐2‐(2′,3′‐dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine. Thus, mGluR3 and mGluR5 can critically and differentially modulate the expression of glutamate transporters and may represent interesting pharmacological targets to regulate the extracellular levels of glutamate in pathological conditions.
Renewal Theoretic Measurement of Occupational Mobility

Stochastic Models describing occupational mobility have been suggested, among others, by Bartholomew (1967) and Ginsberg (1971, 1972a). But none of the measures of mobility based on such models can be treated as a rate of occupational mobility. The present paper offers a crude rate of occupational mobility based on renewal theory and counting process. Expressions for the mean and variance of the suggested rate have been obtained.
From Independence to Interdependence: Redefining Outcomes for Transitional Living Programs for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Transitional living programs (TLPs) are a housing intervention authorized by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to provide services for older youth experiencing homelessness. Preparing youth for independence is a chief program outcome for TLPs across the country. The findings of this qualitative study, with 32 former participants in TLP services, suggest that the primacy of this outcome may warrant reexamination. A dominant focus on the achievement of independence as a determination of program success does not (a) capture the most important roles TLPs serve from the perspective of youth and (b) account for the possible structural roots of youth homelessness in the United States that may prevent young people from maintaining stability after exit.
Deliberate Orientation and Transition Practices as Part of a Broader Student Success Strategy: A Comparative Study of Three Large Urban Ontario Colleges

The purpose of this research is to examine institutional behaviour concerning orientation and transition efforts for first year college students. This case study examines three large urban colleges in Ontario focusing on the orientation and transition approach at each institution and studied the extent to which each is using known best practices in the field of orientation and transition in their effort to generate increased student success. Informed by the related literature with an emphasis on Canadian and Ontario specific content, the study examined findings in relation to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) thematic framework and the implications and recommendations drawn from the Pan-Canadian Study of First Year College Students to uncover similarities and differences. The case study employed a document analysis and qualitative interview analysis to examine the extent to which orientation and transition efforts are part of college wide strategic planning and ingrained within the institutions. The information is cross referenced between the document analysis and participant interviews and comparisons are drawn from the key themes