Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, synthetic progestins, tibolone, and tibolone metabolites on vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA in breast cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of 17beta-estradiol, progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, norethindrone, tibolone, and tibolone metabolites on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoforms 121 and 165 mRNA in two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 (estrogen receptor rich) and T47-D (progesterone receptor rich), in vitro. DESIGN Prospective basic research study. SETTING Basic research laboratory. PATIENT(S) None. INTERVENTION(S) MCF-7 and T47-D cells were cultured to 80% confluence in vitro. After 24 hours' incubation in serum-free media, 1.0, 0.1, and 0.01 microM of 17beta-estradiol, tibolone, 3alpha-hydroxytibolone and 3beta-hydroxytibolone were added to MCF-7 cells. Progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, norethindrone, and Delta4 tibolone at 1.0, 0.1, and 0.01 microM were added to T47-D cells. The cells plus steroids were incubated for a further 24 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Isolation and identification of VEGF isoforms 121 and 165 using semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, with cyclophilin as an internal control. RESULT(S) 17beta-estradiol, tibolone, 3alpha-hydroxytibolone, and 3beta-hydroxytibolone had no effect on VEGF mRNA in MCF-7 cells. Progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, and norethindrone increased VEGF mRNA in T47-D cells. Delta4-Tibolone also increased VEGF mRNA but to a lesser extent than the progestogens. CONCLUSION(S) 17beta-estradiol, tibolone, and tibolone hydroxy-metabolites had no effect on VEGF mRNA in MCF-7 cells. Progesterone and progestins increased VEGF mRNA in T47-D breast cancer cells, but Delta4-tibolone was less effective than progestogens on this angiogenic gene in the T-47 D cells. This differential effect may be related to breast cancer growth.
Hierarchical Node Management in the Future Internet

In many Future Internet visions, a node is assumed to be connected to a multitude of possibly virtualized networks, each being optimized for a specific application. Within such a network, application-tailored network architectures and protocols provide communication services between the nodes. In order to handle such a large number of different architectures and protocols, new management paradigms need to be considered, allowing for a flexible and extensible Future Internet. In this paper, we therefore propose a node management for the Future Internet which provides flexibility and extensibility while mastering complexity by using a hierarchical management structure. The proposed hierarchical node management autonomously adapts protocols to varying network conditions, manages re- sources across protocols in different network architectures and incorporates user policies into management decisions.
1.9 K test facility for the reception of the superconducting cables for the LHC

A new test facility (FRESCA-Facility, reception of superconducting cables) is under construction at CERN to measure the electrical properties of the LHC superconducting cables. Its main features are: independently cooled background magnet, test currents up to 32 kA, temperature between 1.8 and 4.5 K, long measurement length of 60 cm, field perpendicular or parallel to the cable face, measurement of the current distribution between the strands. The facility consists of an outer cryostat containing a superconducting NbTi dipole magnet with a bore of 56 mm and a maximum operating field of 9.5 T. The magnet current is supplied by an external 16 kA power supply and fed into the cryostat using self-cooled leads. The lower bath of the cryostat, separated by means of a so called lambda-plate from the upper bath, can be cooled down to 1.9 K using a subcooled superfluid refrigeration system. Within the outer cryostat, an inner cryostat is installed containing the sample insert. This approach makes it possible to change samples while keeping the background magnet cold, and thus decreasing the helium consumption and cool-down time of the samples. The lower bath of the inner cryostat, containing the sample holder with two superconducting cable samples, can as well be cooled down to 1.9 K. The samples can be rotated while remaining at liquid helium temperature, enabling measurements with the background field perpendicular or parallel to the broad face of the cable. Several arrays of Hall probes are installed next to the samples in order to estimate possible current imbalances between the strands of the cables.
Optimizing a spontaneously contracting heart tissue patch with rat neonatal cardiac cells on fibrin gel

Engineered cardiac tissues have been constructed with primary or stem cell‐derived cardiac cells on natural or synthetic scaffolds. They represent a tremendous potential for the treatment of injured areas through the addition of tensional support and delivery of sufficient cells. In this study, 1–6 million (M) neonatal cardiac cells were seeded on fibrin gels to fabricate cardiac tissue patches, and the effects of culture time and cell density on spontaneous contraction rates, twitch forces and paced response frequencies were measured. Electrocardiograms and signal volume index of connexin 43 were also analysed. Patches of 1–6 M cell densities exhibited maximal contraction rates in the range 305–410 beats/min (bpm) within the first 4 days after plating; low cell density (1–3 M) patches sustained rhythmic contraction longer than high cell density patches (4–6 M). Patches with 1–6 M cell densities generated contractile forces in the range 2.245–14.065 mN/mm3 on days 4–6. Upon patch formation, a paced response frequency of approximately 6 Hz was obtained, and decreased to approximately 3 Hz after 6 days of culture. High cell density patches contained a thicker real cardiac tissue layer, which generated higher R‐wave amplitudes; however, low‐density patches had a greater signal volume index of connexin 43. In addition, all patches manifested endothelial cell growth and robust nuclear division. The present study demonstrates that the proper time for in vivo implantation of this cardiac construct is just at patch formation, and patches with 3–4 M cell densities are the best candidates. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effectiveness of cleaning techniques used in the food industry in terms of the removal of bacterial biofilms

The effectiveness of cleaning was investigated through food factory trials and laboratory experiments using a naturally occurring biofilm from a food factory environment and generated biofilms. The efficacy of factory cleaning and disinfection programmes was assessed by swabbing and total viable count (TVC) analysis of surfaces before cleaning, after cleaning and after disinfection. Cleaning produced a 0·91 log reduction in the attached population. Investigation of the effectiveness of a variety of cleaning methods in the removal of a naturally occurring food factory biofilm showed that the high pressure spray and the mechanical floor scrubber, which use a high degree of mechanical action, were most effective. Cleaning trials with biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus showed that spraying with water at pressures of 34·5, 51·7 and 68·9 bar did not significantly increase the removal, as assessed by direct epifluorescent microscopy (DEM) and swabbing and TVC analysis, beyond the three log reduction observed at 17·2 bar. The effect of spray time at 17·2 bar showed that increasing spray time from 1 to 10 s did not significantly increase removal of Ps. aeruginosa biofilm. Investigation of the optimum distance of the spray lance from the surface at 17·2 bar was found to be between 125 and 250 mm. The use of an alkaline, acidic or neutral detergent prior to spraying with water at 17·2 bar did not significantly increase the removal of Ps. aeruginosa or Staph. aureus. However, the acidic and alkaline products significantly (P= 0·05) affected the viability of Staph. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa, respectively, thereby minimizing the potential for the spread of contamination.
Genome fragment of Wolbachia endosymbiont transferred to X chromosome of host insect

The adzuki bean beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis, is triple-infected with distinct lineages of Wolbachia endosymbiont, wBruCon, wBruOri, and wBruAus, which were identified by their wsp (Wolbachia surface protein) gene sequences. Whereas wBruCon and wBruOri caused cytoplasmic incompatibility of the host insect, wBruAus did not. Although wBruCon and wBruOri were easily eliminated by antibiotic treatments, wBruAus persisted over five treated generations and could not be eliminated. The inheritance pattern of wBruAus was, surprisingly, explained by sex-linked inheritance in male-heterozygotic organisms, which agreed with the karyotype of C. chinensis (2n = 20, XY). Quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that females contain around twice as much wsp titer as males, which is concordant with an X chromosome linkage. Specific PCR and Southern blot analyses indicated that the wBruAus-bearing strain of C. chinensis contains only a fraction of the Wolbachia gene repertoire. Several genome fragments of wBruAus were isolated using an inverse PCR technique. The fragments exhibited a bacterial genome structure containing a number of ORFs typical of the α-proteobacteria, although some of the ORFs contained disruptive mutations. In the flanking region of ftsZ gene, a non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposon sequence, which is typical of insects but not found from bacteria, was present. These results strongly suggest that wBruAus has no microbial entity but is a genome fragment of Wolbachia endosymbiont transferred to the X chromosome of the host insect.
Still equivalent for dose calculation in the Monte Carlo era? A comparison of free breathing and average intensity projection CT datasets for lung SBRT using three generations of dose calculation algorithms

Purpose Inhomogeneity dose modeling and respiratory motion description are two critical technical challenges for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy, an important treatment modality for small size primary and secondary lung tumors. Recent studies revealed lung density‐dependent target dose differences between Monte Carlo (Type‐C) algorithm and earlier algorithms. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the equivalence of the two most popular CT datasets for treatment planning, free breathing (FB) and average intensity projection (AIP) CTs, using Type‐C algorithms, and comparing with two older generation algorithms (Type‐A and Type‐B). Methods Twenty patients (twenty‐one lesions) were planned using a Type‐A algorithm on the FB CT. Lung was contoured separately on FB and AIP CTs and compared. Dose comparison was obtained between the two CTs using four commercial dose algorithms including one Type‐A (Pencil Beam Convolution – PBC), one Type‐B (Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm – AAA), and two Type‐C algorithms (Voxel Monte Carlo – VMC and Acuros External Beam – AXB). For each algorithm, the dosimetric parameters of the target (PTV, Dmin, Dmax, Dmean, D95, and D90) and lung (V5, V10, V20, V30, V35, and V40) were compared between the two CTs using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Correlation between dosimetric differences and density differences for each algorithm were studied using linear regression and Spearman correlation, in which both global and local density differences were evaluated. Results Although the lung density differences on FB and AIP CTs were statistically significant (P = 0.003), the magnitude was small at 1.21 ± 1.45%. Correspondingly, for the two Type‐C algorithms, target and lung dosimetric differences were small in magnitude and statistically insignificant (P > 0.05) for all but one instance, similar to the findings for the older generation algorithms. Nevertheless, a significant correlation was shown between the dosimetric and density differences for Type‐C and Type‐B algorithms, but not for the Type‐A algorithm. Conclusions With the capability to more accurately model inhomogeneity, Monte Carlo (Type‐C) algorithms are sensitive to respiration‐induced local and global tissue density changes and exhibit a strong correlation between dosimetric and density differences. However, FB and AIP CTs may still be considered equivalent for dose calculation in the Monte Carlo era, due to the small magnitude of lung density differences between these two datasets.
FROM PHILANTHROPY TO IMPACT INVESTING: SHIFTING MINDSETS IN SOUTH AFRICA

This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on impact investing in South Africa by defining the phenomenon, outlining the relationship between philanthropy, responsible investing (RI) and impact investing, and discussing the moral roots and historical development of these three concepts. Attention is also given to the current status of philanthropy, RI and impact investing internationally and locally. A review of 53 local RI funds established over the period 1 June 1992 to 31 December 2010 reveal that the majority have an impact investing focus, either on its own or in combination with other RI strategies. The challenges in stimulating growth in impact investing in South Africa are highlighted and suggestions provided to address these challenges.
A Theory of Collateral for the Lender of Last Resort

We consider a macroprudential approach to analyze the optimal lending policy for the central bank, focusing on spillover effects that policy exerts on money markets. Lending against high-quality collateral protects central banks against losses, but can adversely affect liquidity creation in markets since high-quality collateral gets locked up with the central bank rather than circulating in markets. Lending against low-quality collateral creates counterparty risk but can improve liquidity in markets. We illustrate the optimal policy incorporating these trade-offs. Contrary to what is generally accepted, lending against high-quality collateral can have negative effects, whereas it may be optimal to lend against low-quality collateral.
Tenure Security and Long‐Term Investment on Tenanted Land: Evidence from Colonial Taiwan

We use farm diary data from Taiwan in the 1920s and 1930s to estimate the impacts of a state‐wide tenancy reform on tenants’ investment in the farmland and production outcome. The reform, commencing in 1922, enhanced the tenure security for the tenants by promoting written contracts that extended tenure length from 1 year to 5–6 years, and by establishing government‐sponsored organizations for dispute settlements. Our estimations rely on a difference‐in‐difference framework, where self‐cultivated farms are used as the control group. We find that the reform encouraged tenants to make investments in the irrigation and drainage system of the farms, which is expected to have long‐lasting benefits for production. The improved irrigation/drainage system led to significant efficiency gains for the farms. In contrast, the reform did not affect tenants’ usage of fertilizer much, which benefits production for only a crop season or a year.
Disruption and Maintenance of Skilled Visual Search as a Function of Degree of Consistency

The present experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of varying degrees of task consistency on the performance and maintenance of skill in a semanticcategory visual search task. Four groups of participants first received 6000 trials of consistent mapping (CM) training on two different categories. The participants then performed 4000 trials in which one of the previously trained categories remained 100% consistent, whereas the other previously trained category became either 100%, 67%, 50%, or 33% consistent. This second phase of the experiment allowed for the examination of disruption of the search skill as a function of degree of consistency. Subsequent to the degree of consistency manipulation, 100% consistency was restored and participants performed another 4200 CM trials. Results indicate that performance was disrupted by inconsistency and that disruption increased as consistency decreased. On the return of task consistency, performance improved rapidly to predisruption levels, though some performance disruption was evident. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Adequacy of prescribing positive airway pressure therapy by mask for sleep apnea on the basis of a partial-night trial.

We tested the hypothesis that a prescription for positive-pressure therapy (including pressure level, patient-device interface, and positive-pressure modality, e.g., CPAP or BiPAP) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be developed on the same night as the polysomnographic (PSG) diagnosis is made. Fifty consecutive patients with OSA in whom a partial-night PSG diagnosis was made (PSGD) underwent a therapeutic trial of positive-pressure therapy during the remainder of the night (PSG-PPP). The average apnea index during PSGD was 54.96 +/- 36.3 (mean +/- SD). On a subsequent full-night PSG (PSG-PPF), the prescription was tested. Thirty-one of the 50 patients were satisfactorily treated with CPAP, without variation of the interface during both PSG-PPP and PSG-PPF. In these patients the average pressure prescription while receiving PSG-PPF was statistically higher than during PSG-PPP (11.77 +/- 3.6 versus 10.56 +/- 3.6 cm H2O, respectively, p = 0.002). In 14 of these 31 patients (45%) some alteration in pressure requirement was necessary during PSG-PPF. Eleven patients required 2.5 cm H2O higher pressure and three patients required 5 cm H2O higher pressure during PSG-PPF than during PSG-PPP. There was a change of interface across the two therapeutic trials in 15 patients. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Continuity and Change in Australian Labour Regulation: Work Choices, Fair Work and the Role of the ‘Independent Umpire’

The direction in which [the industrial tribunal system] moves and the speed with which it moves depend ultimately on the attitudes, policies, capacities and the will of the other main players - the employers and their organisations, the employees and their unions, and governments, especially the Commonwealth. It does not have a magic wand to reduce inflation, increase productivity and reduce industrial actions, independently of tangible and appropriate support of the other players. It does not serve the public interest - its raison d’etre - by prescribing principles or taking actions which, however admirable in the abstract, do not work in practice, generating an unacceptable degree of industrial unrest or adverse economic consequences. Although referred to as a compulsory arbitration system, its capacity to achieve favourable economic and industrial outcomes depends on broad consensus on the principles and procedures it formulates, and on its ability to apply these consistently in individual cases. It must be thought of essentially as a facilitator rather than a prime mover, reactive rather than proactive, in a complex interrelationship between labour, capital and governments.
Phase II trial of concurrent radiation and weekly cisplatin followed by VIPD chemotherapy in newly diagnosed, stage IE to IIE, nasal, extranodal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma: Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma study.

PURPOSE On the basis of the benefits of frontline radiation in early-stage, extranodal, natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL), we conducted a phase II trial of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) followed by three cycles of etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and dexamethasone (VIPD). PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty patients with newly diagnosed, stages IE to IIE, nasal ENKTL received CCRT (ie radiation 40 to 52.8 Gy and cisplatin 30 mg/m(2) weekly). Three cycles of VIPD (etoposide 100 mg/m(2) days 1 through 3, ifosfamide 1,200 mg/m(2) days 1 through 3, cisplatin 33 mg/m(2) days 1 through 3, and dexamethasone 40 mg days 1 through 4) were scheduled after CCRT. RESULTS All patients completed CCRT, which resulted in 100% response that included 22 complete responses (CRs) and eight partial responses (PRs). The CR rate after CCRT was 73.3% (ie, 22 of 30 responses; 95% CI, 57.46 to 89.13). Twenty-six of 30 patients completed the planned three cycles of VIPD, whereas four patients did not because they withdrew (n = 2) or because they had an infection (n = 2). The overall response rate and the CR rate were 83.3% (ie; 25 of 30 responses; 95% CI, 65.28 to 94.36) and 80.0% (ie, 24 of 30 responses; 95% CI, 65.69 to 94.31), respectively. Only one patient experienced grade 3 toxicity during CCRT (nausea), whereas 12 of 29 patients experienced grade 4 neutropenia. The estimated 3-year, progression-free and overall survival rates were 85.19% (95% CI, 72.48 to 97.90) and 86.28% (95% CI, 73.97 to 98.59), respectively. CONCLUSION Patients with newly diagnosed, stages IE to IIE, nasal ENKTL are best treated with frontline CCRT.
Control of phosphate transport in flounder renal proximal tubule primary cultures.

Unidirectional mucosal-to-serosal (Jm----s) and serosal-to-mucosal (Js----m) transepithelial phosphate fluxes across monolayers of flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) renal proximal tubule cells in primary culture were examined for effects of diacylglycerols, phorbol ester, A23187, forskolin, and extracellular phosphate availability. Tissues were cultured on floating collagen rafts and studied short circuited in Ussing chambers. Transepithelial electrical properties were continuously monitored and were unaffected by any of the treatments compared with paired controls. Under usual conditions (phosphate = 0.4 mM) tissues invariably displayed net phosphate reabsorption [Js----m = 2.3 +/- 0.52; Jm----a = 7.1 +/- 1.77; Jnet = 4.9 +/- 1.45 (SE) nmol.cm-2.h-1]. Acute elevation of bath phosphate concentration above 0.5 mM stimulated net secretion. Exposure to 100 microM 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycerol stimulated net phosphate secretion within 30 min, the result of a fivefold increase in Js----m. Phorbol-12,13-didecanoate stimulated net phosphate secretion by increasing Js----m and decreasing Jm----s. The inactive diacylglycerol, 1,3-didecanoyl-rac-glycerol (100 microM), had no effect on phosphate fluxes. A23187 stimulated net phosphate secretion; Jm----s was reduced almost fourfold while Js----m was increased threefold. Forskolin (10 microM) stimulated net reabsorption more than threefold after a long latency (2 h). These data indicate that renal phosphate secretion and reabsorption may be regulated by several putative intracellular messengers. In addition, extracellular phosphate availability may modulate renal phosphate handling.
Fiscal Policy Will Matter

people nowadays seem to think that fiscal policy cannot be used to influence economic activity, and they are supported in this view by the majority of professional macroeconomists. Students are taught that output and employment are determined by the demands and supplies of individuals interacting in a gigantic market and that governments cannot alter the outcome of this process except temporarily and destructively. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) bases its projections of the federal budget on assumptions about output that are largely independent of fiscal policy. An increase in federal expenditure, the CBO assumes, will have no positive ef-
Retinal Oximetry

Malfunction of retinal blood flow or oxygenation is believed to be involved in various diseases. Among them are retinal vessel occlusions, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Reliable, non‐invasive technology for retinal oxygen measurements has been scarce and most of the knowledge on retinal oxygenation comes from animal studies. This thesis describes human retinal oximetry, performed with novel retinal oximetry technology. The thesis describes studies on retinal vessel oxygen saturation in (1) light and dark in healthy volunteers, (2) central retinal vein occlusion, (3) branch retinal vein occlusion, (4) central retinal artery occlusion, (5) diabetic retinopathy, (6) patients undergoing glaucoma surgery and (7) patients taking glaucoma medication.