Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of E-cadherin, beta-catenin, CD44s and CD44v6 in gastric adenocarcinoma: relationship with lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to examine the expression of E-cadherin, beta-catenin, CD44s and CD44v6 in gastric adenocarcinoma and to investigate whether these proteins are objective in markers in predicting the lymph node metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 99 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma, the expressions of E-cadherin, beta-catenin, CD44s and CD44v6 were studied by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin were significantly associated with histological type, but not with tumor progression and lymph node metastasis. In contrast, the expressions of CD44s and CD44v6 showed significant relationships with lymphovascular invasion, TNM stage, p53 expression, high Ki-67 LIs and lymph node metastasis. Under univariate analysis, the diffuse-type of Lauren classification, CD44s expression, CD44v6 expression and p53 expression were predictive of lymph node metastasis. By multivariate analysis, diffuse-type and p53 expression were independent factors of lymph node metastasis; among the CAMs investigated, only CD44v6 expression was a significant risk factor related to lymph node metastasis in the advanced carcinoma group. CONCLUSION Expressions of CD44s and CD44v6 play an important role in tumor progression; especially, CD44v6 expression may be a useful predictor of lymph node metastasis, while the expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin complex are more probably related to tumor morphology than to tumor progression.
Perioperative “remote” acute lung injury: recent update

Perioperative acute lung injury (ALI) is a syndrome characterised by hypoxia and chest radiograph changes. It is a serious post-operative complication, associated with considerable mortality and morbidity. In addition to mechanical ventilation, remote organ insult could also trigger systemic responses which induce ALI. Currently, there are limited treatment options available beyond conservative respiratory support. However, increasing understanding of the pathophysiology of ALI and the biochemical pathways involved will aid the development of novel treatments and help to improve patient outcome as well as to reduce cost to the health service. In this review we will discuss the epidemiology of peri-operative ALI; the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved on the pathological process; the clinical considerations in preventing and managing perioperative ALI and the potential future treatment options.
Multi-Period Regional Energy Management Based on Dynamic Pricing with Non-Deficit Real-Time Market Trading

: This paper deals with a regional demand response method based on dynamic electricity pricing in a multi-period energy market. In the proposed method, ﬁrst, the power supply and demand in each area are determined considering power ﬂow using the retail and wholesale electricity prices in a day-ahead market. Next, in a real-time market, the proposed method adjusts to power deviations caused by errors in power generation with power demand reduction by consumers and increased power supply from balancing generators. In addition, in order to guarantee the non-deﬁciency in the real-time market trading, the incentive and penalty price design methods are discussed in this paper. This paper also shows a distributed algorithm for obtaining the optimal values of each market player in both the day-ahead and real-time markets, and ﬁnally, numerical simulation results demonstrate the e ﬀ ectiveness of the proposed method.
Genetics and Physiology of Colicin-tolerant Mutants of Escherichia coli

A series of colicin-tolerant (tol) mutants of Escherichia coli K-12, which adsorbed colicins but were not killed by them, were isolated and studied genetically and physiologically. Three major classes of mutants were found: tol II, tolerant to colicins A, E1, E2, E3, and K; tol III, tolerant to A, E2, E3, and K; and tol VIII, tolerant to E1 only. The sites of tol II and tol III mutations mapped near the gal region (gene order: tol-gal-bio) and were cotransduced with gal by P1. In heterozygous diploids, tol+ was dominant over tol; tol II and tol III gave full complementation. All the tol mutations that mapped near gal rendered the bacteria more fragile during growth and hypersensitive to deoxycholate and to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The tol VIII mutation mapped between str and his. These mutants were extremely sensitive to deoxycholate and were also hypersensitive to methylene blue, acridines, and various other compounds. The sensitivity is attributed to increased uptake due to selective alteration of the permeability barrier. The colicin-tolerant mutations are interpreted as affecting some components of the cytoplasmic membrane which mediate between the adsorbed colicin molecules and the target sites of their biochemical effects in the bacterial cell.
Industrial Organization and Rent Seeking in Dictatorships

The dominant form of government in the world today is dictatorship. Further throughout history, dictatorship has been the commonest form of government, indeed, for much of history the only form of government in the world. This fact is somewhat obscured by our language. When the dictator is hereditary, we call him a king or an emperor. His position however, is very much the same as a dictator. The basic difference from the standpoint of the government is that a king is apt to feel less fear of being overthrown than the dictator. This is to a large extent offset by the fact that the accidents of heredity can lead to some fairly stupid people becoming kings, while dictators, no matter whatever else we think about them, are almost uniformly intelligent, aggressive people. If we look at the typical dictatorship or monarchy, we find a great deal of rent seeking activity. The granting of monopolies of one sort or another to friends of the ruler is very common and one of the major forms of enterprise is to "court" the ruler in hopes of getting such special privileges. To a considerable extent, the tendency of such governments to provide rent seeking opportunities to various of their citizens is concealed under ideologies. Whether this ideology is mercantilism, socialism, or in a few modern cases, a misunderstood capitalism, to a large extent it simply covers the distributing of rents to friends of the ruler. Normally, the dictator himself shares, indeed, frequently has the lion's share in these rents. Usually, but not always, the rent involves a government created monopoly. Looking at these three "cover stories" one at a time, we begin with mercantilism1. Adam Smith that great opponent of mercantilism knew that the ideology was merely a disguise.
Building Extraction from Remotely Sensed Images by Integrating Saliency Cue

In this paper, we propose a novel two-step building extraction method from remote sensing images by integrating saliency cue. We first utilize classical features such as shadow, color, and shape to find out initial building candidates. A fully connected conditional random field model is introduced in this step to ensure that most of the buildings are incorporated. While it is hard to further remove the mislabled rooftops from the building candidates by only using classical features, we adopt saliency cue as a new feature to determine whether there is a rooftop in each segmentation patch obtained from previous step. The basic idea behind the use of saliency information is that rooftops are more likely to attract visual attention than surrounding objects. Based on a specifically designed saliency estimation algorithm for building object, we extract saliency cue in the local region of each building candidate, which is integrated into a probabilistic model to get the final building extraction result. We show that the saliency cue can provide an efficient probabilistic indication of the presence of rooftops, which helps to reduce false positives while without increasing false negatives at the same time. Experimental results on two benchmark datasets highlight the advantages of the integration of saliency cue and demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.
Biochar boosts tropical but not temperate crop yields

Applying biochar to soil is thought to have multiple benefits, from helping mitigate climate change [, ], to managing waste [] to conserving soil []. Biochar is also widely assumed to boost crop yield [, ], but there is controversy regarding the extent and cause of any yield benefit []. Here we use a global-scale meta-analysis to show that biochar has, on average, no effect on crop yield in temperate latitudes, yet elicits a 25% average increase in yield in the tropics. In the tropics, biochar increased yield through liming and fertilization, consistent with the low soil pH, low fertility, and low fertilizer inputs typical of arable tropical soils. We also found that, in tropical soils, high-nutrient biochar inputs stimulated yield substantially more than low-nutrient biochar, further supporting the role of nutrient fertilization in the observed yield stimulation. In contrast, arable soils in temperate regions are moderate in pH, higher in fertility, and generally receive higher fertilizer inputs, leaving little room for additional benefits from biochar. Our findings demonstrate that the yield-stimulating effects of biochar are not universal, but may especially benefit agriculture in low-nutrient, acidic soils in the tropics. Biochar management in temperate zones should focus on potential non-yield benefits such as lime and fertilizer cost savings, greenhouse gas emissions control, and other ecosystem services.
Risks and benefits of continued aggressive statin therapy

The 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG‐CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, are a well‐tolerated, effective class of medications for the reduction of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) and total cholesterol levels. Extensive data from clinical trials demonstrate that these agents reduce fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular risk in primary and secondary prevention patients, including women and the elderly. A threshold value for LDL‐C reduction below which there is no further clinical benefit has not yet been identified. In the Heart Protection Study (HPS), significant relative risk reduction occurred even among patients with LDL‐C levels < 2.6 mmol/l (100 mg/dl). Statin therapy also produced reductions in cardiovascular disease in a wide range of high‐risk patients regardless of baseline cholesterol levels. Rhabdomyolysis, typically defined as muscle pain or weakness associated with creatine kinase levels higher than 10 times the upper limit of normal and the presence of myoglobulinuria, is a rare but potentially serious complication of statins. Although dose‐dependent transaminase elevations occur in 0.5 to 2% of cases, it has not been determined whether these elevations qualify as true drug‐related hepatotoxicity. Management of myopathy and elevated transaminases is addressed in a joint publication from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Because statins have significant potential benefits and a low risk for serious adverse effects, aggressive therapy should be considered in patients at high risk for coronary heart disease.
Long-term 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid therapy in a child with hyperthyroidism caused by thyroid hormone resistance: pharmacological study and therapeutic recommendations.

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of short-term 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC) therapy for the treatment of hyperthyroidism caused by thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) has been documented. Here, we report a 3-year course of TRIAC therapy in an RTH boy, with a quantitative evaluation of the therapeutic effects and pharmacological study of TRIAC. PATIENT FINDINGS The gene encoding the thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRB) of the patient carries a P453T mutation. During treatment with up to 3.0 mg TRIAC per day, reduction in the thyroid volume, resolution of supraventricular arrhythmia, and decrease in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free-thyroxine (FT4) levels were achieved. In addition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms improved, with a concomitant decline in the ADHD Rating Scale score. SUMMARY A TRIAC pharmacokinetic study, conducted using triiodothyronine level as a surrogate for TRIAC level, demonstrated that TRIAC disappears from the circulation rapidly and has a shorter duration of TSH secretion inhibitory effect in the RTH patient compared to that in the control subject. Studies of TSH and FT4 levels over a period of 3 years indicated that the TRIAC effect is dose dependent. CONCLUSIONS TRIAC was effective and safe in ameliorating the effects of hyperthyroidism and ADHD symptoms in a child with known genetic RTH. Further, it was demonstrated that TRIAC has a short half-life and functions dose dependently.
Early psychosis symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia in the pathways to help-seeking. STUDY DESIGN A cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY The Department of Psychiatry, the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from 2008 to 2009. METHODOLOGY A total of 93 patients were interviewed in the pathways to care of schizophrenia. The diagnosis was based on ICD-10 criteria. The pathways to care were assessed through a semi-structured questionnaire. The onset, course and symptoms of psychosis were assessed through Interview for Retrospective Assessment at Age at Onset of Psychosis (IROAS). RESULTS Fifty five (59%) participants were male while 41% (n=38%) were female. Using IROAS, 108 symptoms were identified as concerning behaviour. Alternatively, 60 (55%) concerning behaviours were reported in the open-ended inquiry of the reasons for help seeking as assessed by the pathways to care questionnaire with a statistically significant difference between most symptoms category. The difference was most pronounced (p < 0.001) for depressed mood (66%), worries (65%), tension (63%), withdrawal/mistrust (54%) and loss of self-confidence (53%). Thought withdrawal (22%) and passivity (15%) were elicited only through structured interview (IROAS). When symptoms were categorized together, about 83% of the subjects presented with affective and non-specific prodromal symptoms. Roughly, 10% of the subjects presented with positive symptoms and 3% presented with the negative symptoms of psychosis. The non-specific, affective symptoms appear to predominate the prodromal phase of the illness. CONCLUSION Prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia include non-specific, affective symptoms. Attention needs to be paid on identifying the prodromal symptoms and change in social functioning in order to identify those who are at risk of longterm psychosis.
Semantic-based image retrieval by text mining on environmental texts

In this paper we propose a novel method to bridge the 'semantic gap' between a user's information need and the image content. The semantic gap describes the major deficiency of content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems which use visual features extracted from images to describe the images. We conquer the deficiency by extracting semantic of an image from the environmental texts around it. Since an image generally co-exists with accompany texts in various formats, we may rely on such environmental texts to discover the semantic of the image. A text mining approach based on self-organizing maps is used to extract the semantic of an image from its environmental texts. We performed experiments on a small set of images and obtained promising results.
The Operator's Response to P2P Service Demand

Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems are in high demand for all sorts of tasks-video communication, resource sharing, and content retrieval, to mention a few. However, current P2P solutions are intrinsically incompatible with the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), the service provisioning framework adopted by the major telecommunication players. We look at ways to develop P2P applications over IMS, identifying the essential service components that pave the way toward interoperable P2P. We discuss the added value that a P2P-IMS solution offers to all parties involved in the service provisioning chain: content provider, third-party service provider, network operator, and ultimately, the user. P2P-IMS brings the power of P2P (increased scalability, availability, resilience, and resource utilization) to the future domain of services, creating a wealth of new business opportunities. Our findings are supported by an IMS-compliant prototype, including a variety of applications.
Double-hybrid spread-spectrum technique for conducted-EMI reduction in DC-DC switching regulators with FPGA-based controller

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel technique for conducted-noise reduction in dc-dc switching regulators. In order to effectively spread the conducted-noise frequency spectrum and, at the same time, attain a satisfactory voltage regulation, two parameters (carrier frequency and pulse position) have been randomized, and the third parameter (duty ratio) has been controlled by a digital compensator. Furthermore, the effect of using the proposed controller on common-mode, differential-mode, and total conducted-noise characteristics of the converter has been experimentally investigated. The converter's performance with using the proposed technique has been experimentally investigated. It is assumed that the implementation technology is a field programmable gate array (FPGA) which is becoming increasingly adopted in industrial electronic applications.
Accounting for Cross‐Country Differences in Employee Involvement Practices: Comparative Case Studies in Germany, Brazil and China

Employee involvement is a contested concept in organizations. While the mainstream of the research debate has focused on measuring the strength of employee involvement (EI), this article emphasizes the existence of very different forms of EI. It draws on case studies of the German, Brazilian and Chinese plants of a German automobile manufacturer to analyse forms of EI and to investigate their societal determinants. The article reveals considerable differences in the design of employee involvement between the self-organization model and the competition/social involvement model. It shows how industrial relations and cultural factors lead to these very different approaches.
Growing Incomes, Shrinking People—Can Economic Development Be Hazardous to Your Health?

This article examines declining adult human stature in the nineteenth century in three countries: the United States, England, and the Netherlands. While this was not unprecedented, these three relatively important nations did experience a deterioration in the biological standard of living at a time when economic development was proceeding at a goodly pace. England and the Netherlands were among the most urbanized countries in Europe at the time, while the United States was still predominantly rural and agrarian. The essay argues that a confluence of circumstances contributed to the worsening of the physical condition of these populations even while real income per capita was growing. Among the factors involved were rapid urbanization without adequate public health and sanitation; a transport revolution and related commercialization, which brought people and goods into much closer contact; the consequent integration of disease environments, both within and across nations; and a growing dependence of the working populations on wage income along with a probable growing inequality in wealth and income, exacerbating the impact of fluctuations in food prices. Technological change had an impact on these events by lowering the relative prices of industrial goods. While the term Malthusian crisis (i.e., a shortage of subsistence followed by a rise in mortality) seems inappropriate in these cases, a similar process may have been taking place. It suggests that such a crisis may not commence with an increase in mortality but rather with an adjustment of the human organism to new nutritional circumstances.
Bilateral contract prices estimation using a Q-leaming based approach

The electricity markets restructuring process encouraged the use of computational tools in order to allow the study of different market mechanisms and the relationships between the participating entities. Automated negotiation plays a crucial role in the decision support for energy transactions due to the constant need for players to engage in bilateral negotiations. This paper proposes a methodology to estimate bilateral contract prices, which is essential to support market players in their decisions, enabling adequate risk management of the negotiation process. The proposed approach uses an adaptation of the Q-Learning reinforcement learning algorithm to choose the best from a set of possible contract prices forecasts that are determined using several methods, such as artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machines (SVM), among others. The learning process assesses the probability of success of each forecasting method, by comparing the expected negotiation price with the historic data contracts of competitor players. The negotiation scenario identified as the most probable scenario that the player will face during the negotiation process is the one that presents the higher expected utility value. This approach allows the supported player to be prepared for the negotiation scenario that is the most likely to represent a reliable approximation of the actual negotiation environment.
The Persistence of Poverty in the United States

fer. Basically, the liberals believe that government should act to correct market failures, while the libertarians believe that market failures are due to the government. Yates shows empirically that the neoclassical faith in the market is not justified globally. Countries that have adopted market reforms have not performed as neoclassical economics predicts. Neoclassical economics also fails a number of additional prediction tests, according to Yates. Nevertheless, neoclassicism remains dominant in government policy and university theory. Yates goes on to provide a classical Marxist alternative to neoclassicism. He includes explanations of the labor theory of value, surplus value, capital accumulation, exploitation, monopolization, and crisis. He also explores the surprising resilience of capitalism and its profound contradictions, the most important contradiction being "the freedom of the market and the unfreedom of work" (p. 201). Yates finishes his book with several quick case studies of changes in the labor movement and changes in social movements. The case studies provide hope that progressive change is underway. The book is more a classical than a critical Marxist work. Having hung around Howard Sherman longer than any respectable fellow should, I like my Marxism of a critical vintage, but perhaps the classical vintage is what gives Yates's book a tightly focused and neatly developed structure. The book is well worth reading and assigning.