Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
El sector bancario español en el contexto internacional: evolución reciente y retos futuros

En los ultimos anos, la economia espanola ha experimentado un importante desarrollo al que no ha sido ajeno el sector bancario. La transformacion que ha sufrido la banca espanola se pone de manifiesto en aspectos tan importantes como la composicion, dimension y actividad del sector, la especializacion productiva, la mejora de la eficiencia, la evolucion de la competencia o su internacionalizacion, entre otros. En este contexto, la presente monografia analiza la evolucion reciente del sector bancario espanol (SBE) en el contexto europeo, asi como los retos futuros a los que se enfrenta, y permite senalar sus fortalezas y debilidades. Las principales conclusiones del estudio indican que, en relacion con la banca europea, la solidez de la banca espanola reside en su mayor eficiencia y rentabilidad, su elevada solvencia, su menor tasa de morosidad y su mayor nivel de provisiones. A pesar de la fortaleza del SBE, el actual clima de incertidumbre que afecta a los mercados financieros, la ralentizacion en el ritmo de crecimiento economico y la desaceleracion del mercado inmobiliario justifican la conveniencia de no sobrevalorar la solidez de la banca espanola, y aconsejan un analisis de las debilidades en este contexto. La monografia ofrece a los estudiosos del sector -profesionales, academicos, investigadores y publico en general- respuestas a preguntas relevantes para un mejor conocimiento del comportamiento de la banca espanola en el contexto europeo. Provider_Name: Fundacion BBVA / BBVA Foundation
Histamine Induces CD86 Expression and Chemokine Production by Human Immature Dendritic Cells

Mast cells and immature dendritic cells (DC) are in close contact in peripheral tissues. Upon activation, mast cells release histamine, a mediator involved in the immediate hypersensitivity reaction. We therefore tested whether histamine could affect human DC activation and maturation. Histamine induces CD86 expression on immature DC in a dose-dependent (significant at 10−7 M) and transient manner (maximal after 24-h stimulation). Histamine also transiently up-regulates the expression of the costimulatory and accessory molecules, CD40, CD49d, CD54, CD80, and MHC class II. As a consequence, immature DC exposed for 24 h to histamine stimulate memory T cells more efficiently than untreated DC. In addition, histamine induces a potent production of IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and macrophage-inflammatory protein 1α by immature DC and also up-regulates IL-1β, RANTES, and macrophage-inflammatory protein 1β but not TNF-α and IL-12 mRNA expression. Histamine activates immature DC through both the H1 and H2 receptors. However, histamine-treated DC do not have a phenotype of fully mature cells, as they do neither show significant changes in the expression of the chemokine receptors, CCR5, CCR7 and CXC chemokine receptor 4, nor expression of CD83 de novo. These data demonstrate that histamine activates immature DC and induces chemokine production, thereby suggesting that histamine, via stimulation of resident DC, may participate locally in T cell stimulation and in the late inflammatory reaction associated with allergic disorders.
Reactive oxygen species–mitochondria pathway involved in FV-429-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

FV-429 is a newly synthesized flavonoid with a bis(2-hydroxyethyl) amino propoxy substitution. In this study, we investigate the anticancer effect of FV-429 both in vivo and in vitro. These data have shown that FV-429 could significantly inhibit tumor growth in mice inoculated with Heps hepatoma cells without evident toxicity. After the treatment of FV-429 (40 mg/kg), the inhibitory rate of tumor weight was 52.12%. Then, we performed diamidinophenylindole staining and annexin V/propidium iodide double-staining assay to investigate the apoptosis induced by FV-429 in HepG2 cells. Further research revealed that FV-429 induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, as indicated by a change in Bax/Bcl-2 ratios, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, the transposition of apoptotic-inducing factor and cytochrome c, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species induced by FV-429 in HepG2 cells was also observed. Moreover, the mitogen-activated protein kinases, the downstream effect of reactive oxygen species accumulation including c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, could be activated by FV-429. Taken together, our results provided a mechanistic framework for further exploration of FV-429 as a novel chemotherapy for human tumors.
Using Growth Mixture Modeling to Identify Classes of Sodium Adherence in Adults With Heart Failure

Background:The prevention of fluid retention is important to reduce hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (HF). Following a low-sodium diet helps to reduce fluid retention. Objective:The primary objective of this study was to use growth mixture modeling to identify distinct classes of sodium adherence—characterized by shared growth trajectories of objectively measured dietary sodium. The secondary objective was to identify patient-level determinants of the nonadherent trajectory. Methods:This was a secondary analysis of data collected from a prospective longitudinal study of 279 community-dwelling adults with previously or currently symptomatic HF. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify distinct trajectories of change in 24-hour urinary sodium excretion measured at 3 time points over 6 months. Logistic modeling was used to predict membership in observed trajectories. Results:The sample was predominantly male (64%), had a mean age of 62 years, was functionally compromised (59% New York Heart Association class III), and had nonischemic HF etiology. Two distinct trajectories of sodium intake were identified and labeled adherent (66%) and nonadherent (34%) to low-sodium diet recommendations. Three predictors of the nonadherent trajectory were identified, confirming our previous mixed-effect analysis. Compared with being normal weight (body mass index <25 kg/m2), being overweight and obese was associated with a 4-fold incremental increase in the likelihood of being in the nonadherent trajectory (odds ratio [OR], 4.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66–12.91; P < .002). Being younger than 65 years (OR, 4.66; 95% CI, 1.04–20.81; P = .044) or having diabetes (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.29–13.40; P = .016) were both associated with more than 4 times the odds of being in the nonadherent urine sodium trajectory compared with being older than 65 years or not having diabetes, respectively. Conclusions:Two distinct trajectories of sodium intake were identified in patients with HF. The nonadherent trajectory was characterized by an elevated pattern of dietary sodium intake shown by others to be associated with adverse outcomes in HF. Predictors of the nonadherent trajectory included higher body mass index, younger age, and diabetes.
A subpopulation of morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa attach to equine oviductal epithelial cell monolayers.

Attachment of spermatozoa to oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) may be a prefertilization event in some species. We tested the hypothesis that spermatozoa that attach to equine OEC monolayers are a selected subpopulation of the initial inseminate, containing a higher proportion of morphologically normal, motile cells than the inseminate. Washed stallion spermatozoa were cocultured with monolayers of OEC or monolayers of Vero cells, and controls were incubated in wells coated with basement membrane extract (Matrigel [Mgel]) or in plastic (uncoated) wells. Unattached spermatozoa were removed by rinsing at 0.5 h of coculture. Spermatozoa that attached and subsequently released were collected at 3 h. Total cell numbers and percentages of motile, viable, and morphologically normal spermatozoa were counted in the initial inseminate, in plastic control wells, and in the coculture supernatants after incubation. The percentages of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa attached to OEC, Mgel control wells, and Vero cell cocultures were measured in situ after 0.5 and 3 h of incubation. Populations of spermatozoa that attached to either OEC or Mgel had higher motility and those attached to OEC contained a higher percentage of normal spermatozoa than the inseminate. Compared to the inseminate, populations that did not attach had similar viability and contained a similar percentage of normal spermatozoa, but had lower motility. Spermatozoal populations released (at 3 h) were similar in percentage of normal morphology to those that were attached, but exhibited reduced motility and viability when compared to the inseminate. We noted no difference in motility or morphology between populations of spermatozoa attached to OEC and those attached to Vero cell monolayers. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Quiet Firehouse: Reducing Environmental Stimuli Among Professional On-Duty Firefighters

Objective: Firehouse alarms are so loud that they cause a systemic response, similar to the flight-or-flight response. The purpose of the study was to reduce firehouse environmental stimuli to improve sleep quality and, thus, reduce cardiac burden. Methods: The intervention included restricted unnecessary fire alarms, reduced light levels, and regulated temperature in the bunkroom. Results: Among 24 firefighters, 11 completed the matched post-assessment. Six weeks after implementing the interventions, measures revealed the average lux level dropped from 0.75 to 0.19 lux, P < 0.05, and the presence of elevated blood pressure reduced from 86% to 15%, P < 0.05. Conclusion: Results support that reducing environmental stimuli in firehouses reduces blood pressure, which is much easier than targeting behavior change. Recommendations: On the basis of this pilot study, the practice of routinely activating unnecessary fire alarms in firehouse bunkrooms should be discouraged.
Incremental SDN-Enabled Switch Deployment for Hybrid Software-Defined Networks

Software-defined networking (SDN) is a promising technique that has reshaped the landscape of network management. By providing simplified, cost-effective management, SDN has been envisioned as the next-generation network paradigm. However, due to economic, organizational, and technical challenges, replacing all conventional switches in current operational networks by SDN-enabled switches is impractical in the short term. It thus is desirable to deploy SDN-enabled switches into existing networks incrementally, and such a network consisting of SDN-enabled switches and conventional switches is referred to as a hybrid SDN network. The incremental deployment of SDN-enabled switches is challenging because the number of conventional switches that can be replaced is typically limited, due to budget constraints or operational network stability concerns, yet the impact of the deployment should be maximized. In this paper, we deal with the SDN-enabled switch placement problem with the aim to maximize system performance, given $K$ switches to be replaced, for which we first propose heuristics by replacing conventional switches one by one iteratively. We then devise scalable algorithms that replace multiple switches, instead of a single switch, in each iteration. We finally evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms based on real and synthetic network topologies. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms are promising and exhibiting high scalability.
Immunological and mass spectrometric assays of SHBG: consistent and inconsistent metabolic associations in healthy men.

CONTEXT SHBG concentrations correlate inconsistently with metabolic parameters. HYPOTHESIS SHBG assay platforms contribute to nonuniformities according to the literature. DESIGN The design of the study was a noninterventional quantification of SHBG by two immuno- and two mass spectrometric assays and abdominal visceral fat by computed tomography scan. SETTING The study was conducted at the Center for Translational Science Activities. PARTICIPANTS Healthy men (n=120) aged 18-80 years with a body mass index of 20-43 kg/m2 participated I the study. OUTCOMES Outcomes of the study included a correlation of log SHBG with age, metabolic surrogates [body mass index, albumin, glucose, insulin, abdominal (total and visceral) fat, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index], sex steroids (estrone, 17β-estradiol, T, and dihydrotestosterone by mass spectrometry), and adipocytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, TNF-α, and adiponectin). RESULTS By univariate regression, age (P<10(-4)), dihydrotestosterone (P<10(-4)), T (P≤.00022), and adiponectin (P≤.0084) were positive correlates, and insulin and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index were negative correlates (P≤.0060) of SHBG in all four assays. Stepwise multivariate analysis unveiled that age and T together could explain 38.1%-52.5% of the statistical variance in SHBG in all assays (P<10(-11)). Multivariate regression without sex steroids unveiled that age (P<10(-5)) and insulin (P<10(-3)) are jointly associated with SHBG levels in the four assays with overall R2=0.215-0.293 and P<10(-6). In one immunological SHBG assay each, abdominal visceral fat and adiponectin were weak multivariates also. CONCLUSION Immunological and mass spectrometric SHBG assays yield both consistent and inconsistent correlations with key metabolic variables in healthy men, thereby potentially explaining earlier inconsistencies in the literature.
Biomacromolecule/lipid hybrid nanoparticles for controlled delivery of sorafenib in targeting hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

AIM Hybrids composed of various materials are highly versatile for drug delivery in tumor therapy including hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, a sorafenib (SF)-loaded biomacromolecule hyaluronic acid (HA)/lipid hybrid nanoparticles (HA/SF-cLNS) were developed for targeting drug delivery. MATERIALS & METHODS In vitro assays determined HA/SF-cLNS release behavior, enzymatic degradation, uptake and cytotoxicity. H22-bearing liver cancer xenograft murine models were used to evaluate the biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. RESULTS HA/SF-cLNS could be disassembled and drug was released in response to hyaluronidase. In vivo imaging results demonstrated HA/cLNS could enhance drug accumulation at tumor site. Meanwhile, HA/SF-cLNS exhibited improved antitumor efficacy in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION HA/SF-cLNS demonstrated the potential to enhance antitumor efficacy of SF.
Interstitial laser thermotherapy of adenocarcinoma transplanted into rat liver.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of different temperatures and exposure times in interstitial laser thermotherapy. DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. SETTING University hospital, Sweden. MATERIAL 48 male Wistar FU rats with dimethylhydrazine-induced adenocarcinoma transplanted into the liver. INTERVENTION Treatment was given with an Nd:YAG laser and a feedback system for temperature regulation. Light was delivered into the centre of the tumour and the feedback thermistor probe was placed 3 mm from the tumour margin. Rats were treated at steady-state temperatures at the feedback thermistor of 43, 46, or 50 degrees C for 30 minutes, and at a steady-state temperature of 46 degrees C at the feedback thermistor also for 10 and 20 minutes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT Tumour control as assessed 6 days after treatment using light microscopical examination including immunohistochemical determination of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation into DNA as a measure of cell viability. RESULTS Complete tumour necrosis was achieved in all rats treated for 30 minutes, in 6/8 rats treated for 10 minutes and in 6/8 rats treated for 20 minutes at 46 degrees C. During steady-state thermotherapy, temperatures at the tumour margin were about 11 degrees higher than at the feedback thermistor (range 54-61 degrees C). The surrounding liver tissue also became necrotic so that the total necrosis volume exceeded the pretreatment tumour volume. CONCLUSION Interstitial laser thermotherapy at temperatures ranging from 54-61 degrees C at the tumour margin ensures total necrosis of a transplanted rat liver carcinoma provided that treatment is given for 30 minutes.
Tumor suppressor p53: analysis of wild-type and mutant p53 complexes

It has been suggested that the dominant effect of mutant p53 on tumor progression may reflect the mutant protein binding to wild-type p53, with inactivation of suppressor function. To date, evidence for wild-type/mutant p53 complexes involves p53 from different species. To investigate wild-type/mutant p53 complexes in relation to natural tumor progression, we sought to identify intraspecific complexes, using murine p53. The mutant phenotype p53-246(0) was used because this phenotype is immunologically distinct from wild-type p53-246+ and thus permits immunological analysis for wild-type/mutant p53 complexes. The p53 proteins were derived from genetically defined p53 cDNAs expressed in vitro and also from phenotypic variants of p53 expressed in vivo. We found that the mutant p53 phenotype was able to form a complex with the wild type when the two p53 variants were cotranslated. When mixed in their native states (after translation), the wild-type and mutant p53 proteins did not exhibit any binding affinity for each other in vitro. Under identical conditions, complexes of wild-type human and murine p53 proteins were formed. For murine p53, both the wild-type and mutant p53 proteins formed high-molecular-weight complexes when translated in vitro. This oligomerization appeared to involve the carboxyl terminus, since truncated p53 (amino acids 1 to 343) did not form complexes. We suggest that the ability of the mutant p53 phenotype to complex with wild type during cotranslation may contribute to the transforming function of activated mutants of p53 in vivo.
Mechanism of on-current and off-current instabilities under electrical stress in polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors

The on-current (I/sub on/) and off-current (I/sub off/) instabilities of polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (poly-Si TFTs) were investigated under various electrical stress conditions. The stress-induced device degradation was studied by measuring the dependences of I/sub on/ and I/sub off/, on the drain/gate voltages. Using this technique, dissimilar variations of I/sub on/ and I/sub off/ after stress were observed. The differences can be attributed to the variances in the amount of charges trapped in the gate oxide and the spatial distributions of the trap states generated in the poly-Si channel. These results suggested a comprehensive model for the I/sub on/ and I/sub off/ instabilities of poly-Si TFTs.
Regulation of deoxycholate induction of CXCL8 by the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in colorectal cancer

Elevated deoxycholic acid (DCA), mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and chronic inflammation are associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer. APC status was manipulated to determine whether DCA mediates inflammatory molecules in normal or initiated colonic mucosa. DCA increased steady state mRNA and protein levels of CXCL8 in cells which do not express wild‐type APC. Steady‐state CXCL8 mRNA and protein were suppressed when cells with conditional expression of wild‐type APC were exposed to DCA. Immunostaining did not detect CXCL8 in normal human colonic mucosa. CXCL8 was expressed in adenomatous polyps and adenocarcinomas. CXCL8 expression correlated with nuclear β‐catenin localization in epithelial cells of adenomas, but was associated with endothelial cells and neutrophils in the adenocarcinomas. DCA‐mediated CXCL8 promoter–reporter activity was elevated in a mutant APC background. Wild‐type APC suppressed this effect. Mutation of activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) or nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) sites suppressed the activation of the CXCL8 promoter–reporter by DCA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that AP‐1 and NF‐κB binding to the 5′‐promoter of CXCL8 was induced by DCA. The β‐catenin transcription factor was bound to the 5′‐promoter of CXCL8 in the absence or presence of DCA. Phenotypic assays determined that DCA‐mediated invasion was blocked by antibody‐directed against CXCL8 or wild‐type APC. CXCL8 exposure led to matrix metalloproteinase‐2 production and increased invasion on laminin‐coated filters. These data suggest that DCA‐mediated CXCL8 occurs in initiated colonic epithelium and neutralizing CXCL8 could reduce the invasive potential of tumors. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The influence of the stress time duration on the partial discharge behavior in cast resin insulation

It is well known that thermal and electrical stresses have a strong influence on the degradation of insulation, but the effect of the stress duration is not yet well analysed. On this account thermal, electrical, and a combination of thermo-electrical stresses were applied to a number of cast-resin samples, and their effects were evaluated via partial discharge measurements. Stress duration as well as time without stress was varied. This information will be used in a statistical method to recognise the influence of the duration of the applied stress on the partial discharge activity of every sample. The statistical method is the analysis of variance (ANOVA), which is useful when the frequency distribution of the measurements is a so-called normal distribution. All measurements were carried out following this distribution and thus the reliability of such tests is only dependent on the linear behaviour of the following variables: partial discharge inception and extinction voltage, number of discharge impulses, sum of the charges of all impulses, and average charge per impulse. The other variables are the stress duration and the time without stress. In order to recognise variations which only correspond to the same effect, tests must be ordered in groups with the same characteristics. Tests must also be performed in continuous and repetitive cycles under stress in order to avoid undesirable effects. The results of these experiments may form the basis for the identification of a relationship between one or more partial discharge parameters and the stress duration