Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
El "Mètode biogràfic interpretatiu" : una eina per a la imaginació sociològica

En aquest article es preten donar a coneixer l'us del "metode biografic interpretatiu" (a partir d'ara BIM) en el context d'una recerca sociologica duta a terme dins del Departament de Sociologia de la UAB. Partint de la "biografia" com a camp rellevant en la cruilla entre la realitat social i l'experiencia, la recerca SOSTRIS (Estrategies Socials en les Societats de Risc) estudia com individus de diferents paisos d'Europa s'organitzen i donen sentit a les seves experiencies -d'exclusio social, de desigualtat- en uns contextos socials canviants. L'aplicacio d'aquest metode en una recerca europea pot considerar-se forca innovadora i experimental. Per tal de mostrar les potencialitats i limitacions del BIM, se situaran, en primer lloc, les seves bases teoriques i metodologiques, per a continuacio passar a il·lustrar els procediments d'analisi i interpretacio a traves d'un cas concret. Tambe es mostrara com es poden presentar els casos i teoritzar a traves d'ells. Finalment, a partir de l'experiencia d'investigacio, aixi com dels resultats d'una recerca paral·lela que estudia el proces d'investigacio de SOSTRIS, s'oferira una avaluacio final del metode.
Comprehensive genome and transcriptome analysis of the 11q13 amplicon in human oral cancer and synteny to the 7F5 amplicon in murine oral carcinoma

11q13 amplification occurs in a wide variety of tumors, including almost half of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) where it has been correlated with a poor outcome. In this study, we compiled 3.6 Mb of DNA sequence in the 11q13 amplicon core and refined the physical map of the amplicon. In the process, we determined the genomic structure and normal tissue expression patterns of two recently identified genes, TAOS2/TMEM16A and MRGF, which reside in the amplicon core. We then quantified DNA copy number and mRNA expression of all genes in the 11q13 amplicon in cell lines and primary tumors from OSCC. With the exception of FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, and MRGF, all genes were overexpressed in most tumors with genomic amplification. Furthermore, we found that the expression of genes in the amplicon appeared to be highly coordinated, making it difficult to determine which gene or genes are driving amplification. However, in nonamplified primary tumors, three genes, TAOS2/TMEM16A, OCIM, and TPCN2, are frequently overexpressed, whereas CCND1 and EMS1 are not. These results suggest that in addition to CCND1 and EMS1, other important genes also may be target genes driving 11q13 amplification. We hypothesize that 11q13 amplification may be driven by a cassette of genes that provide growth or metastatic advantage to cancer cells. This is supported by the finding that the human 11q13 amplicon core is syntenic to mouse chromosomal band 7F5, which is frequently amplified in chemically induced murine OSCC. This article contains Supplementary Material available at http://www.interscience. wiley.com/jpages/1045‐2257/suppmat. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cord blood, perinatal BNP values in term and preterm newborns

The number of studies about B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and neonates is growing; nevertheless, the use of BNP needs to be further investigated in preterm newborns.1 2 We observed the pattern of plasma BNP concentrations from late fetal life, from umbilical cord blood (UBC) samples, through day 1 of life (preterm only), day 3, and until the first month of life in 32 preterm newborns and 32 full-term healthy newborns. The results are summarised below. Median preterm newborns’ BNP concentrations: UBC, 31 pg/ml (interquartile range (IQR): 7.2–98.6); birth day, 84.4 pg/ml (IQR: 30.6–471.5); day 3, 35.7 pg/ml (IQR: 14.2–119.7); day 30, 12.7 pg/ml (IQR: 5–16.2). Median full-term newborns’ BNP concentrations: UCB, 10.6 …
Incorporando Dispositivos PDA a la Educación a Distancia

La educacion a distancia ofrece innumerables ventajas comparada a la educacion tradicional. A pesar de esto, estudios recientes realizados mostraron que nuestros estudiantes descargan sus materiales didacticos y los imprimen para su posterior estudio fuera de linea, reduciendo asi la extraordinaria experiencia planeada para visualizarse en linea, a la clasica y tradicional hoja de papel. Como pudiera esta tendencia ser evitada, reducida o al menos enriquecida? La presente ponencia discutira la forma en que dispositivos PDA lo hacen posible en nuestra universidad, mostrara ejemplos y ventajas de su implementacion y discutira la forma en que esta solucion pudiese repetirse en otros entornos educativos.
Intranasal Vaccination Using Interleukin-12 and Cholera Toxin Subunit B as Adjuvants To Enhance Mucosal and Systemic Immunity to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Glycoproteins

ABSTRACT We have investigated the induction of protective mucosal immunity to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolate 89.6 by intranasal (i.n.) immunization of mice with gp120 and gp140 together with interleukin-12 (IL-12) and cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) as adjuvants. It was found that both IL-12 and CTB were required to elicit mucosal antibody responses and that i.n. immunization resulted in increased total, immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), and IgG2a anti-HIV-1 antibody levels in serum; increased total, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgA antibody expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids; and increased IgA antibody levels in vaginal washes. Levels of anti-HIV-1 antibodies in both sera and secretions were higher in groups immunized with gp140 than in those immunized with gp120. However, only gp120-specific mucosal antibodies demonstrated neutralizing activity against HIV-1 89.6. Taken together, the results show that IL-12 and CTB act synergistically to enhance both systemic and local mucosal antibody responses to HIV-1 glycoproteins and that even though gp140 induces higher antibody titers than gp120, only gp120-specific mucosal antibodies interfere with virus infectivity.
Current status of silicones in plastic surgery.

SILICONES are increasingly being used for various applications in plastic surgery. These interesting materials make up a large family of polymers whose chemical structure is based on recurring units of silicon and oxygen atoms. Organic groups are attached to each unit. Because of the inorganic nature of their backbone, the silicones have the nonreactivity of quartz; their organic portions endow them with the ability to be readily fabricated. The chemical nature of the silicones is quite distinct from that of most of the common plastics which are based on chains of carbon atoms. The Medical Silicones There are a great many silicone stocks available, but the overwhelming number of them are of industrial grade. They have no history of having been implanted in the body, and, indeed, certain of them would be detrimental were this to occur. The medical grade silicones are made in a special building where great pains
Dysregulation of LPS-Induced Toll-Like Receptor 4-MyD88 Complex Formation and IL-1 Receptor-Associated Kinase 1 Activation in Endotoxin-Tolerant Cells1

Prior exposure to LPS induces a transient state of cell refractoriness to subsequent LPS restimulation, known as endotoxin tolerance. Induction of LPS tolerance has been reported to correlate with decreased cell surface expression of the LPS receptor complex, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/MD-2. However, other results have underscored the existence of mechanisms of LPS tolerance that operate downstream of TLR4/MD-2. In the present study we sought to delineate further the molecular basis of LPS tolerance by examining the TLR4 signaling pathway in endotoxin-tolerant cells. Pretreatment of human monocytes with LPS decreased LPS-mediated NF-κB activation, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and TNF-α gene expression, documenting the induction of endotoxin tolerance. FACS and Western blot analyses of LPS-tolerant monocytes showed increased TLR2 expression, whereas TLR4 expression levels were not affected. Comparable levels of mRNA and protein for myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), IL-1R-associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1), and TNFR-associated factor-6 were found in normal and LPS-tolerant monocytes, while MD-2 mRNA expression was slightly increased in LPS-tolerant cells. LPS induced the association of MyD88 with TLR4 and increased IRAK-1 activity in medium-pretreated cells. In LPS-tolerant monocytes, however, MyD88 failed to be recruited to TLR4, and IRAK-1 was not activated in response to LPS stimulation. Moreover, endotoxin-tolerant CHO cells that overexpress human TLR4 and MD-2 also showed decreased IRAK-1 kinase activity in response to LPS despite the failure of LPS to inhibit cell surface expression of transfected TLR4 and MD-2 proteins. Thus, decreased TLR4-MyD88 complex formation with subsequent impairment of IRAK-1 activity may underlie the LPS-tolerant phenotype.
High-speed memory-saving architecture for the embedded block coding in JPEG2000

This paper presents a high-speed, memory-saving architecture for the embedded block coding algorithm in JPEG2000. The architecture is based on the proposed memory-saving algorithm that can achieve 4 K bits reduction in the memory requirement (20% less than conventional approaches) without degrading the delay of the critical path. By exploiting the characteristic that the input symbols of the arithmetic coder in JPEG200 have a highly skewed distribution, a simple renormalization strategy is adopted for the code-string register in our pipelined MQ coder design to enhance the clock rate. The overall design is fully implemented in a chip using TSMC 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The chip can operate up to 142 MHz at post-layout simulation and is capable of many applications.
Monitoramento molecular dos transcritos BCR/ABL de pacientes com leucemia mieloide cronica em uso de imatinibe atraves da tecnica de PCR quantitativo em tempo rela (real-time)

A leucemia mieloide cronica (LMC) e uma desordem mieloproliferativa caracterizada pela presenca do cromossomo Philadelphia (Ph), resultado da fusao do gene abl e do gene bcr cujo produto e uma proteina de atividade de tirosina quinase, inibida pelo mesilato de imatinibe. O imatinibe e hoje o tratamento de primeira linha da LMC e o monitoramento molecular dos transcritos BCR-ABL e fundamental no acompanhamento dos pacientes e na deteccao precoce da perda de resposta ao tratamento. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar a padronizacao do metodo de PCR quantitativo (RQPCR) para o monitoramento molecular dos transcritos BCR-ABL de pacientes com LMC em tratamento com imatinibe. Foram coletadas amostras de sangue periferico de pacientes com LMC para RQ-PCR ao diagnostico e a cada tres meses apos o tratamento com imatinibe. Foi utilizado o metodo Taqman. Como gene controle foi utilizado o ABL. Foi criada uma curva standard com diluicoes de 108 a 103 de um plasmideo com os transcritos b3a2 e b2a2 e com ABL. As quantificacoes foram feitas em duplicatas, assim como a curva standard. O threshold utilizado foi de 0,05 e a eficiencia foi determinada em 99%. Os resultados foram reportados como uma relacao entre BCR-ABL/ABL. Para o valor de referencia basal do laboratorio foram analisadas 30 amostras de pacientes ao diagnostico, e calculada a mediana, sendo esse valor 83,66%. Resposta molecular maior (RMM) foi definida como reducao dos transcritos BCR-ABL em 3 log a partir do valor basal do laboratorio. Os valores foram ajustados a escala internacional, usando-se um fator de conversao de 1.19. Apos a padronizacao do metodo, foram avaliados 60 pacientes com LMC, cujas amostras foram coletadas ao diagnostico e a cada 3 meses. Respostas hematologica, citogenetica maior e citogenetica completa foram obtidas em 57 (95%), 45 (75%) e 38 (63%) dos pacientes, respectivamente. Vinte e quatro de 60 pacientes atingiram a RMM (40%), numa mediana de 8,5 meses. A sobrevida global foi superior nos pacientes com RCC (100%) vs pacientes sem RCC (77%) em 48 meses. Pacientes com RCC e com RMM tiveram uma sobrevida livre de eventos superior em relacao aos pacientes que nao atingiram os dois tipos de reposta (100% vs 60% respectivamente) (p= 0.007). Em resumo, neste estudo demonstramos o impacto prognostico em atingir RCC e RMM e tambem a importância do acompanhamento molecular nos pacientes com LMC. Abstract
Transcultural adaptation of the “ EULAR Sjögren ’ s Syndrome Disease Activity Index ( ESSDAI ) ” into Brazilian Portuguese

Introduction: The EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) is an index of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (PSS) systemic activity. Objective: To perform the ESSDAI transcultural adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese. Method: This was a cross-sectional study with 62 patients with PSS according to the criteria of the 2002 American-European Consensus. Six stages were conducted: conceptual, item, semantic, operational, functional, and measurement equivalences (interobserver reproducibility and construct validity). For the validity assessment, the ESSDAI was compared with the Physician’s Global Assessment (PhGA), the Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (SSDAI), and the Sjögren’s Systemic Clinical Activity Index (SCAI). Patients were classifi ed by a specialist physician into two groups according to disease activity (active and inactive), and according to the intention-to-treat (increase in therapy and no increase in therapy). The ESSDAI was tested in these groups. The following statistical tests were used: intraclass correlation coeffi cient (ICC), Bland-Altman plot for reproducibility, and Spearman’s correlation coeffi cient (rs) and Mann-Whitney’s test for validity (P < 0.05 and 95% CI). Results: The mean ESSDAI score was 4.95 ± 6.73. The reproducibility obtained a strong ICC of 0.89 and good agreement. When compared with other indices, it showed a strong rs with PhGA (0.83; P < 0.000), a moderate rs with SSDAI (0.658; P < 0.000) and a weak rs with the SCAI (0.411; P = 0.001). The group “active” and the group “ increase in therapy” had higher ESSDAI values (P = 0.000). 484 R E V B R A S R E U M A T O L . 2 0 1 3 ; 5 3 ( 6 ) : 4 8 3 – 4 9 3 Adaptação transcultural do “EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI)” para a língua portuguesa
Software Quality Concerns in the Italian Bank Sector: The Emergence of a Meta-Quality Dimension

This paper reports on a Delphi-like study about the Italian banking IT sector's greatest concerns. A new research framework was developed to pursue this vertical study: domain and country specific, using a Mixed Methods approach. Data collection was drawn in four phases starting with a high level randomly stratified panel of 13 senior managers and then a target-panel of 124 carefully selected and well-informed domain experts. We have identified and dealt with 15 concerns about the present situation, they were discussed in a framework inspired by the ISO 25010 standard. After having mapped the concerns within the ISO standard, we identified the emergence of a new meta quality dimension which impacts both on software quality and architectural description. Our inductive outcome lets this meta dimension emerge connecting both ISO 25010 and ISO 42010 standards.
Detecció de fragilitat a la consulta d’atenció primària

La fragilitat es una sindrome geriatrica, amb una definicio no consensuada encara, que disminueix la capacitat d’adaptacio dels individus i els posa en risc de perdre la independencia per viure a la comunitat. En aquest projecte es va dissenyar un cribratge de fragilitat per a ser utilitzat en majors de 70 anys a l’atencio primaria de salut i es va realitzar un proces de validacio, concurrent amb una valoracio geriatrica integral i predictiva envers l’aparicio dels resultats, inclusio en un programa d’atencio domiciliaria, institucionalitzacio o mort, mitjancant un seguiment de set anys.
Identification of a Cell of Origin for Human Prostate Cancer

Another Cell Culprit in Prostate Cancer A recent controversial hypothesis about the cellular origins of human cancer, the so-called “cancer stem cell hypothesis,” has fueled interest in identifying the specific cell types that give rise to common epithelial cancers. A single, well-defined cell of origin could, in principle, lead to more effective targeted therapies. Based on histological evidence and/or studies of mouse tumors, luminal cells are believed to be the cell of origin in prostate cancer. Now, using functional assays of cells derived from benign human prostate tissue, Goldstein et al. (p. 568) find that a different cell type, basal cells, can give rise in mice to prostate tumors that closely resemble human prostate tumors. Thus, the cellular origin of prostate cancer may be more complex than anticipated. A new experimental model identifies basal cells, rather than luminal cells, as the origin of prostate cancer. Luminal cells are believed to be the cells of origin for human prostate cancer, because the disease is characterized by luminal cell expansion and the absence of basal cells. Yet functional studies addressing the origin of human prostate cancer have not previously been reported because of a lack of relevant in vivo human models. Here we show that basal cells from primary benign human prostate tissue can initiate prostate cancer in immunodeficient mice. The cooperative effects of AKT, ERG, and androgen receptor in basal cells recapitulated the histological and molecular features of human prostate cancer, with loss of basal cells and expansion of luminal cells expressing prostate-specific antigen and alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase. Our results demonstrate that histological characterization of cancers does not necessarily correlate with the cellular origins of the disease.
Quantum confinement of magnetic-dipolar oscillations in ferrite discs

Because of confinement phenomena, semiconductor quantum dots show typical atomic properties such as discrete energy levels and shell structures. The energy eigenstates are described based on the Schrödinger-like equation for the electronic envelope wavefunctions. From the point of view of fundamental studies, the reduction of dimensionality in microwave ferrites brings into play new effects, which should be described based on the quantized picture and demonstrate, as a fact, the properties of artificial atomic structures. The intermediate position of magnetic-dipolar (or magnetostatic) oscillations in ferrite samples between ‘pure’ electromagnetic and spin-wave (exchange-interaction) processes reveals the very special behaviour of geometrical effects. In view of recent studies on the local-field effects for subwavelength systems, some aspects of magnetic-dipolar oscillations in a normally magnetized ferrite disc should be re-considered based on macroscopically quantized methods. The purpose of this paper is to develop macroscopically quantized phenomenological models for magnetostatic-wave ferrite discs based on the Schrödinger-like equation.
Immunotoxicology: Opportunities for Non-animal Test Development

At present, several animal-based assays are used to assess immunotoxic effects such as immunosuppression and sensitisation. The use of whole animals, however, presents several secondary issues, including expense, ethical concerns and relevance to human risk assessment. There is a growing belief that non-animal approaches can eliminate these issues without impairing human safety, provided that biological markers are available to identify the immunotoxic potentials of new chemicals to which humans may be exposed. Driven by the 7th Amendment to the EU Cosmetics Directive, the new EU policy on chemicals (the REACH system), proposals to update the European legislation on the protection of animals used in research, and emerging visions and strategies for predicting toxicity, such in vitro methods are likely to play a major role in the near future. The realisation that the immune system can be the target of many chemicals, resulting in a range of adverse effects on the host's health, has raised serious concerns from the public and within the regulatory agencies. Hypersensitivity and immunosuppression are considered the primary focus for developing in vitro methods in immunotoxicology. However, in vitro assays to detect immunostimulation and autoimmunity are also needed. This review of the state-of-the-art in the field of in vitro immunotoxicity, reveals a lack of cell-based immunotoxicity assays for predicting the toxicity of xenobiotics toward the immune system in a simple, fast, economical and reliable way.
Sectional Neuroanatomy of the Pelvic Floor

This is the sixth in a series of articles on the spine. The first 5 reviewed the sectional anatomy of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spines.1-5 This paper will review both the male and female pelves. Procedures performed in the pelvis include electromyography of the anal sphincter, pudendal and sacral nerve stimulator implants, and botulinum toxin type A injections into the prostate, the bladder, the urethra, and the anus. Complications from these procedures are rare. Electromyography in this region is particularly uncomfortable. Botulinum toxin type A denervation may result in local effects such as incontinence or urinary retention or rarely remote effects such as limb weakness. Neurostimulators may get infected or may fail. This article provides anatomically accurate schematics of innervations of the pelvis that can be used to interpret magnetic resonance images of muscles and nerves in the pelvic floor region. Cross-sectional schematics of the male and female pelves were drawn as they appear on imaging projections. The relevant nerves were color coded. The muscles and the skin surfaces were labeled and assigned the color of the appropriate nerves. An organized comprehensive map of the motor innervation of both the male and female pelves allows the physician to increase the accuracy and efficacy of interventional procedures. This anatomic map could also assist the electromyographer in correlating the clinical and electrophysiologic findings on magnetic resonance images.
“ FACIAL IMAGE RECOGNITION MODEL IMPLEMENTATION WITH ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS USING DIMENSIONS REDUCTION TECHNIQUES PCA ”

We propose further mechanism to recognition facial images using a hybrid computing of principal component analysis and artificial neural network. Principal component analysis can used to extract in feature from its facial images using dimensional reduction techniques these feature will then be used to recognize in facial image in different environment . the feature of facial images, after converting into binary can be submitted to the input layer of feed forward neural networks. The neural network can trained for these facial features using any supervised learning algorithms. The trained network will be able to recognize facial images, even in adverse environment like incomplete face images, low brightness facial images, the different pose of the facial image, facial expressions recognition and pose invariant recognition etc.
Medial Width of Polygonal and Circular Figures - Approach via Line Segment Voronoi Diagram

The paper proposes the concept of building the so-called medial width function integral shape descriptor of figures used in image recognition tasks. Medial width function is determined based on the skeleton of the shape and the radial function. An algorithm to compute the medial width function for polygonal figures based on the line segment Voronoi diagram is also presented here. Generalized solution to the circular figures obtained by rounding corners in a polygonal figure is presented. Computational experiment demonstrates the efficiency and effectiveness of the approach to the problem of palm shapes comparing for personal identification.