Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distinct Agonist‐Mediated Endocytosis of Cloned Rat Somatostatin Receptor Subtypes Expressed in Insulinoma Cells

Endocytosis of somatostatin receptors could regulate cellular responses to the two natural peptides, somatostatin‐14 and somatostatin‐28, and to synthetic ligands used in the clinical diagnosis and symptomatic therapy of neuroendocrine tumours. The five cloned SSTRs with or without epitope tags at their carboxyl‐termini were expressed in rat insulinoma 1046‐38 cells. Application of the two natural peptides or octreotide, at 37 °C but not at 4 °C, to cells transfected with somatostatin receptor subtype 2 or 3 cDNA resulted in a significant decrease of cell surface binding‐sites for 125I‐Tyr11‐somatostatin‐14. In contrast, cells transfected with subtype 5 cDNA only responded to stimulation with octreotide or somatostatin‐28. Cells transfected with subtype 1 cDNA responded to somatostatin‐14 and 28, while cells expressing subtype 4 cDNA showed no response. Confocal microscopy revealed that 6 min after stimulation with somatostatin‐14 at 37 °C, tagged somatostatin receptor subtypes 1, 2 and 3 were internalized into vesicles. Internalization was not observed at 4 °C in the presence of 0.4 M sucrose and 80 &mgr;M phenylarsine oxide and hence proceeded via endocytosis through clathrin‐coated pits and vesicles. After 20 min the internalized receptors appeared in perinuclear vesicles and after 120 min they reappeared at the plasma membrane. This recycling was not sensitive to cycloheximide and, hence, not dependent on de novo protein synthesis. Recovery of cell surface receptors was, however, inhibited by brefeldin A, monensin and bafilomycin A1, indicating that receptor recycling proceeded through vesicular traffic of acidified compartments. The data are consistent with the assumption that the observed agonist and subtype specific internalization of somatostatin receptors in a neuroendocrine cell line may be important for tumour diagnosis and therapy and, thus, suggest a manifold control in cellular signalling.
The Effect of Supraphysiological Doses of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids on Collagen Metabolism

We examined the effect of supraphysiological doses of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) on collagen metabolism and whether the changes reflect the alterations in muscle, bone, and tendon collagen metabolism, possibly in a tissue-specific manner. Serum carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), urine hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP), and lysylpyridinoline (LP) as well as urine creatinine were determined from 17 men abusing AAS. Measurements were made twice during the intake of AAS and twice during the subsequent withdrawal period. When the volunteers were on steroids, their serum PIIINP concentrations and urine HP/LP ratio were significantly higher and their serum ICTP concentrations were significantly lower than during the withdrawal period (p < 0.05). Serum PIIINP correlated with total cumulative doses of injectable intramuscular steroids, and serum ICTP correlated with the duration of the steroid intake period (p<0.05). The results suggest that high doses of AAS decrease the degradation and seem to increase the synthesis of type I collagen. Furthermore, high doses of AAS are suggested to enhance soft tissue collagen metabolism on the basis of increased type III collagen synthesis and elevated HP/LP ratio during the steroid administration period. Although the tissue-specific turnover of collagen of soft connective tissues remains unknown, the turnover of bone collagen seems not to change following the use of high doses of AAS, at least within the time interval of the present study.
Does Having a Job Improve the Quality of Life among Post-Lingually Deafened Swedish Adults with Severe-Profound Hearing Impairment?

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to measure health-related quality of life (HRQL), personal harmony and work-induced problems, and to identify typical personal traits among Swedish adults with a severe-profound hearing impairment who were employed full-time. In comparison with hearing people aged <65 years, the hearing-impaired individuals working full-time differed only as regards energy and social isolation. Compared to another group of hearing-impaired subjects (working either part-time or retired) the study group scored better on most dimensions. Personal harmony of the hearing-impaired group working full-time did not differ from that of average employed Swedish people. The work situation of the group was generally reported to be busy but rewarding, especially concerning contact with fellow workers and management. Among various personal traits examined, strong will-power and stress tolerance were the most significant. However, due to the small sample size, it is not possible to state that the results indicate a general situation or were just due to the study subjects constituting an élite sample of hearing-impaired individuals.
The clinical significance of tumor cells in bone marrow or apheresis product and the efficacy of CD34+ selection and high‐dose chemotherapy in patients with Stage III breast cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow or apheresis product, and also to evaluate the clinical significance of contaminated products and the efficacy of CD34+ selection and high‐dose chemotherapy in patients with Stage III breast cancer. Fifty‐five patients were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Whereas CD34+ positive selection was not carried out in the first group (unselected group, n:31), CD34+ positive selection was performed in the second group (CD34 selected group, n:24). Tumor cells were detected with anticytokeratin monoclonal antibody in the bone marrow, apheresis product and positive fraction. Tumor cells were found in six (19.3%) patients in unselected group and four patients (16.6%) in CD34 selected group (P = 0.76). The percentages of distant metastases were found higher in unselected group (51.6% vs. 25%, P < 0.01). Although there were no differences between the two groups for disease free survival (DFS; 44% vs. 74%, P = 0.24) or overall survival (54% vs. 68%, P = 0.84), DFS was significantly lower in patients with tumor cells than in patients without tumor cells (21% vs. 62%, P = 0.02). In conclusion, the presence of tumor cells in bone marrow or apheresis product decreases DFS in patients with Stage III breast cancer who underwent high‐dose chemotherapy. CD34+ selection does not change survivals, but it may decrease the distant metastases. J. Clin. Apheresis 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Strategic Trade Policy and Managerial Delegation in a Mixed Duopoly

This paper incorporates the separation of ownership and management as well as strategic trade policy when a home semipublic firm competes with a foreign private firm. We show that the presence of separation of ownership and management weakens the home government’s tariff imposition incentive and increases the home country’s welfare much more when increasing the weight on welfare of the semipublic firm. We further examine how the move advantage of the home government and firm owners affects their payoffs. It is shown that for the home government and firm owners, acting as the first mover yields a higher payoff than acting as the second mover. The optimal tariff rates in three cases (no delegation, government moves first, owners move first) are unambiguously determined when the home firm is nationalized, but dependent on the cost conditions when the home firm is privatized.
Use of a fluorescent redox probe for direct visualization of actively respiring bacteria

The redox dye 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) was employed for direct epifluorescent microscopic enumeration of respiring bacteria in environmental samples. Oxidized CTC is nearly colorless and is nonfluorescent; however, the compound is readily reduced via electron transport activity to fluorescent, insoluble CTC-formazan, which accumulates intracellularly. Bacteria containing CTC-formazan were visualized by epifluorescence microscopy in wet-mount preparations, on polycarbonate membrane filter surfaces, or in biofilms associated with optically opaque surfaces. Counterstaining of CTC-treated samples with the DNA-specific fluorochrome 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole allowed enumeration of active and total bacterial subpopulations within the same preparation. Municipal wastewater, groundwater, and seawater samples supplied with exogenous nutrients yielded CTC counts that were generally lower than total 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole counts but typically equal to or greater than standard heterotrophic (aerobic) plate counts. In unsupplemented water samples, CTC counts were typically lower than those obtained with the heterotrophic plate count method. Reduction of CTC by planktonic or biofilm-associated bacteria was suppressed by formaldehyde, presumably because of inhibition of electron transport activity and other metabolic processes. Because of their bright red fluorescence (emission maximum, 602 nm), actively respiring bacteria were readily distinguishable from abiotic particles and other background substances, which typically fluoresced at shorter wavelengths. The use of CTC greatly facilitated microscopic detection and enumeration of metabolically active (i.e., respiring) bacteria in environmental samples.
Effects of Gender and Menstrual Cycle on Colonic Transit Time in Healthy Subjects

Background : Measuring colonic transit time (CTT) by the radio-opaque marker method is simple, widely available and important for the diagnosis of slow transit constipation. Moreover, the effects of gender and menstrual cycle on CTT remain controversial. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of gender and menstrual cycle on CTT in healthy subjects. Methods : We measured CTT in 42 healthy subjects (21M, 21F) by using a radio-opaque marker, Kolomark™. Two simple abdominal radiographs were taken on the 4th and 7th days. Average daily intake of dietary fiber and menstrual history were surveyed. Results : The mean CTT of the 42 healthy subjects was 26.5±19.4 hours. The mean CTT was not significantly different between the male and female subjects (22.3±16.1 h vs. 30.1±21.4 h, p>0.05). However, the mean CTT of 11 female subjects in the luteal phase was significantly longer than that of 10 female subjects in the follicular phase (40.9±19.0 h vs. 20.6±19.2 h, p<0.05). Serum progesterone level, age, BMI, and the average daily intake of dietary fiber did not correlate with CTT. Conclusion : The effects of the menstrual cycle should be considered in interpreting CTT in young women.
Current glycaemic control has no impact on the advancement of diabetic neuropathy.

UNLABELLED The aim of the study was to assess the association between glycemic control understanding as a glycated haemoglobin level and indices of diabetic neuropathy. METHODS We evaluated 204 patients with diabetes (type 1 - 29; type 2 - 175). Glycated haemoglobin was determined using The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/ National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program method. Evaluation of complaints from the lower extremities was based on the Neuropathy Syndrome Total Score questionnaire. We used a mono lament for evaluation of touch sensation (Semmes-Weinstein 5.07-10 g), a 128 Hz calibrated tune-fork for the vibration perception test, Tip-Therm to assess temperature sensation. RESULTS The mean glycated haemoglobin level was assessed on 8.53±1.87%. The mean Neuropathy Syndrome Total Score: 11.45±6.37. Decreased sensation of touch on both sides was determined in 30% of cases, decreased sensation of temperature in 59% and decreased sensation of vibration in 30%. For Neuropathy Syndrome Total Score and glycated haemoglobin the Pearson's correlation test was 0.00910 (p≈0.99), Spearman's rank correlation test was 0.00523 (p≈0.95). Persons with sensation deficits and neuropathy symptoms had not significantly higher (Neuropathy Syndrome Total Score, temperature sensation disturbances) and not significantly lower (vibration and touch) glycated haemoglobin level compared to patients without neuropathy. CONCLUSION There is no correlation between prevalence and advancement of sensorial neuropathy and current diabetes control in patients with long-term established diabetes.
With a little help from my friends: ministerial alignment and public spending composition in parliamentary democracies

ABSTRACT The determinants of public spending composition have been studied from three broad perspectives in the scholarly literature: functional economic pressures, institutional constraints and party-political determinants. This article engages with the third perspective by placing intra-governmental dynamics in the centre of the analysis. Building on the portfolio allocation approach in the coalition formation literature and the common pool perspective in public budgeting, I theorize that spending ministers with party-political backing from the prime minister or the finance minister are in a privileged position to obtain extra funding for their policy jurisdictions compared to their colleagues without such support or without any partisan affiliation (non-partisan ministers). Via a system of equations on six spending categories using seemingly unrelated regressions as well as Prais–Winsten panel regressions on a sample of 32 parliamentary democracies over two decades, I offer mixed evidence for the impact of party-political alignment. While the relative share of four of the six budget categories systematically increases under the party-political alignment of the prime minister, the impact of finance minister alignment is only significant for the economic budget.
Implementation of an Electric Vehicle test bed controlled by a Virtual Power Plant for contributing to regulating power reserves

With the increased focus on Electric Vehicles (EV) research and the potential benefits they bring for smart grid applications, there is a growing need for an evaluation platform connected to the electricity grid. This paper addresses the design of an EV test bed, which using real EV components and communication interfaces, is able to respond in real-time to smart grid control signals. The EV test bed is equipped with a Lithium-ion battery pack, a Battery Management System (BMS), a charger and a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) unit for feeding power back to the grid. The designed solution serves as a multifunctional grid-interactive EV, which a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) or a generic EV coordinator could use for testing different control strategies, such as EV contribution to regulating power reserves. The EV coordination is realized using the IEC 61850 modeling standard in the communication. Regulating power requests from the Danish TSO are used as a proof-of-concept, to demonstrate the EV test bed power response. Test results have proven the capability to respond to frequent power control requests and they reveal the potential EV ability for contributing to regulating power reserves.
Children’s accuracy of portion size estimation using digital food images: effects of interface design and size of image on computer screen

Abstract Objective To test the effect of image size and presence of size cues on the accuracy of portion size estimation by children. Design Children were randomly assigned to seeing images with or without food size cues (utensils and checked tablecloth) and were presented with sixteen food models (foods commonly eaten by children) in varying portion sizes, one at a time. They estimated each food model’s portion size by selecting a digital food image. The same food images were presented in two ways: (i) as small, graduated portion size images all on one screen or (ii) by scrolling across large, graduated portion size images, one per sequential screen. Setting Laboratory-based with computer and food models. Subjects Volunteer multi-ethnic sample of 120 children, equally distributed by gender and ages (8 to 13 years) in 2008–2009. Results Average percentage of correctly classified foods was 60·3 %. There were no differences in accuracy by any design factor or demographic characteristic. Multiple small pictures on the screen at once took half the time to estimate portion size compared with scrolling through large pictures. Larger pictures had more overestimation of size. Conclusions Multiple images of successively larger portion sizes of a food on one computer screen facilitated quicker portion size responses with no decrease in accuracy. This is the method of choice for portion size estimation on a computer.
Interleukin‐2 liposome inhalation therapy is safe and effective for dogs with spontaneous pulmonary metastases

Systemic in vivo toxicity of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) has been problematic. Antineoplastic activity of IL‐2 has been modest. The authors have previously demonstrated the biologic activity and safety of aerosols of IL‐2 liposomes in normal dogs. They now report objective regression of naturally occurring pulmonary metastases in dogs after 1 month of nebulized IL‐2 liposome therapy.
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Comparison of the proposed UCSF criteria with the Milan criteria and the Pittsburgh modified TNM criteria

We previously proposed modified staging criteria for predicting acceptable outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These were solitary tumor ≤6.5 cm, or three or fewer nodules with the largest lesion ≤4.5 cm and total tumor diameter ≤8 cm, without gross vascular invasion (University of California, San Francisco [UCSF] criteria). In this study, we further evaluated the performance of the Milan criteria (solitary tumor ≤5 cm, or three or fewer lesions none >3 cm), the UCSF criteria, and the Pittsburgh modified tumor‐node‐metastasis (TNM) criteria. Pathologic HCC staging according to each set of criteria was performed in 70 patients. The difference in survival when comparing 24 patients with HCC exceeding Milan criteria versus 46 patients meeting Milan criteria did not reach statistical significance (HR, 2.0; P = .12). Using our definition for acceptable 2‐year survival to be ≥70%, the 14 patients (20%) meeting UCSF criteria but exceeding Milan criteria had a 2‐year survival of 86% (95% CI, 54% to 96%). Survival for Pittsburgh stage I, II, and IIIA patients as a group was significantly better than for stages IIIB and IVA patients combined (HR, 4.2; P = .007), and similar to survival for patients meeting UCSF criteria. Advanced tumor exceeding UCSF criteria served reasonably well as a surrogate marker for poorly differentiated grade and microvascular invasion. In conclusion, our analyses suggest that UCSF criteria better predict acceptable posttransplant outcome than Milan criteria. UCSF criteria confer a different advantage over Pittsburgh criteria, which require information on microvascular invasion that is difficult to ascertain preoperatively without the attendant risk of biopsy.
Faraday cup measurements of the energy spectrum of laser-accelerated protons

Several experiments at the Nevada Terawatt Facility (NTF) study the interaction of laser-created plasmas with large external magnetic fields. Examples include a “solar wind” experiment that studies the development of a shock when an ablation plasma flow interacts with a strong magnetic field, and an isochoric heating experiment, in which the effect of a confining external magnetic field on target heating will be investigated. The plasmas can be created with one of our two multi-terawatt laser systems, Tomcat (up to 10TW) and Leopard (up to 100TW). Analyzing the experiments requires a thorough understanding of the initial conditions of the laser plasma. The laser absorption on target can be characterized by analyzing the energy spectrum of proton emitted from the target surface. The measurements, performed with Faraday cups, yield both the hot electron temperature (characteristic for electrons which directly absorb the laser energy) and the cold electron temperature (characteristic for the bulk of the target electrons, which are indirectly heated by the hot electrons). Energy spectrum measurements have been carried out with Tomcat pulses with up to 4J pulse energy and 4ps/1ps duration. For an optimized focal spot size, a hot electron temperature of more than 2.6keV was measured, corresponding to an absorbed laser intensity of 1016 W/cm2.
Evidence from the Tokyo Stock Exchange

This study examines the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) and documents that it is characterized by a significant dividend yield effect similar to that found in U.S. markets. The study also confinns the existence of a significant size and seasonal anomaly in the TSE as documented in prior literature. The dividend yield effect is found to be significant in January, March, June, and December but not in the other months. The significance of the dividend yield effect is found to hold even after controlling for the size effect. The tax rationale as an explanation for the dividend yield effect does not appear to be valid for the Japanese stock market. The fact that these anomalies behave in a fashion similar to that observed in the United States is suggestive of either an integrated global capital market or the omission of common elements in the pricing process used or both.
A Proposal to Adopt Data Discrimination Rather than Privacy as the Justification for Rolling Back Data Surveillance

Critics of data surveillance by government and businesses have used a legal strategy based on privacy, but have thus far been unsuccessful. This article suggests that civil libertarians should consider raising the specter of unfair data discrimination in legal arguments to roll back data surveillance, and they may find support from statutory and judicial precedents in which the American government fought to protect citizens from older types of discrimination. This may in turn support arguments that America is traditionally opposed to discrimination, and should be opposed to modern discrimination caused by data surveillance practices.
Evaluation of quality of life: impact of allergic rhinitis on asthma.

BACKGROUND Health-related quality of Life (HRQOL) has been considered an important variable to be managed in airway diseases. Allergy and asthma can reduce HRQOL as a result of profound physical and psychosocial complications. Most patients with asthma also suffer from rhinitis, which also impairs quality of life. However, the impact of allergic rhinitis on asthmatic patients has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate HRQOL in patients with asthma alone, allergic rhinitis alone, or both diseases. METHODS We compared HRQOL in 316 patients with both diseases or either asthma or rhinitis using the Short Form-36 questionnaire. Data were also collected on patients' sociodemographic characteristics, atopic state, body mass index (BMI), and education. RESULTS A total of 232 patients with allergic rhinitis, 40 with asthma, and 44 with both diseases were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 32 (13) years and 65% were females. HRQL was significantly lower in patients with asthma, with or without rhinitis, than in those with allergic rhinitis alone. Female sex, older age, increased BMI and less educational status were found to be the major determinants of impaired quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis or asthma. CONCLUSIONS The impact of rhinitis on asthma seems to play a minor role in HRQOL.
A new simulation method for single photon avalanche diode

Presently TCAD simulation of single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) cannot directly obtain the important performances of SPAD. In this paper, we propose a new simulation method combining TCAD simulation with the numerical computation, which can exactly predict the statistical performances of SPAD such as Quantum Detection Efficiency (QDE), Dark Count Rate (DCR) and Afterpulsing Probability (AP). This new simulation method is useful in optimizing SPAD design with higher QDE and lower DCR.