Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Media and campaign effects on vote choice at national elections in Europe: a review of a multilingual research landscape

This article reviews the empirical research literature on campaign and media effects on vote choice at national elections in European countries for the post-World War II period. Particular efforts are undertaken to obtain a comprehensive picture by including publications in many different languages. With regard to the amount of research, but also the topics addressed, the survey reveals considerable differences between countries. Studies of campaign effects have focused on the temporal dynamics of campaigns, on the modes of campaign communications (such as personal contacts at the local level, advertising on TV and in the press or online social media) and on certain aspects of its content. Research on media effects has explored the role of partisan bias and certain topical categories of news (climate of opinion, issue and candidate coverage) as well as specific new media formats, notably televised candidate debates and vote advice applications (VAA). Overall, the review reveals that there is little in the way of an integrated and consolidated body of campaign and media effects research on national elections in Europe. While political communication research increasingly acknowledges the potential importance of news media and political parties’ electioneering for voting behaviour, there appears as of yet to be little convergence regarding approaches and research findings. Particularly striking is the degree to which research questions are guided by national institutional contexts.
Evidence for the aldo-keto reductase pathway of polycyclic aromatic trans-dihydrodiol activation in human lung A549 cells

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are tobacco carcinogens implicated in the causation of human lung cancer. Metabolic activation is a key prerequisite for PAHs to cause their deleterious effects. Using human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells, we provide evidence for the metabolic activation of (±)-trans-7,8dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P-7,8-trans-dihydrodiol) by aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) to yield benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dione (B[a]P-7,8-dione), a redox-active o-quinone. We show that B[a]P-7,8-trans-dihydrodiol (AKR substrate) and B[a]P-7,8-dione (AKR product) lead to the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) (measured as an increase in dichlorofluorescin diacetate fluores-cence) and that similar changes were not observed with the regioisomer (±)-trans-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene or the diol-epoxide, (±)-anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9α,10β-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-B[a]P. B[a]P-7,8-trans-dihydrodiol and B[a]P-7,8-dione also caused a decrease in glutathione levels and an increase in NADP+/NADPH ratios, with a concomitant increase in single-strand breaks (as measured by the comet assay) and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). The specificity of the comet assay was validated by coupling it to human 8-oxo-guanine glycosylase (hOGG1), which excises 8-oxo-Gua to yield single-strand breaks. The levels of 8-oxo-dGuo observed were confirmed by an immunoaffinity purification stable isotope dilution ([15N5]-8-oxo-dGuo) liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/multiple reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MRM/MS) assay. B[a]P-7,8-trans-dihydrodiol produced DNA strand breaks in the hOGG1-coupled comet assay as well as 8-oxo-dGuo (as measured by LC-ESI/MRM/MS) and was enhanced by a catechol O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitor, suggesting that COMT protects against o-quinone-mediated redox cycling. We conclude that activation of PAH-trans-dihydrodiols by AKRs in lung cells leads to ROS-mediated genotoxicity and contributes to lung carcinogenesis.
Tamoxifen Induces Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Self-Priming through an Estrogen-Dependent Progesterone Receptor Expression in the Gonadotrope of the Rat

Tamoxifen (TX) is an antiestrogen with varying levels of antagonist/agonist activity on the reproductive axis of the rat. It has been reported that TX, in contrast to other selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), increases the content of cytosolic estrogen receptors (ER) in the gonadotrope and induces gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) self-priming in the absence of E. GnRH priming is believed to be a consequence of E-dependent progesterone receptor (PR) activation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether TX induces PR expression in the gonadotrope in an E-dependent manner, and whether the blockade of PR activation affects TX-dependent GnRH self-priming in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Chronic OVX rats were injected (sc) over 3 days with 25 µg estradiol benzoate (EB), 3 mg TX, 0.5 mg RU58668, a ‘pure’ anti-E (aE), 2 mg RU38486, an anti-P at the receptor (aP), TX+aE and TX+aP. Controls were given 0.2 ml oil. While EB and TX increased mRNA for both PR A+B and PR B expression and the number and intensity of nuclei immunoreactive (IR) for PR in the gonadotrope, the aE and aP given alone had no effect on either PR mRNA levels or nuclear PR-IR. The aE reduced the effect of TX on PR expression (mRNA and nuclear IR) while the aP slightly reduced nuclear PR-IR only. In addition, pituitaries from each of the seven groups were incubated with: 10–8M E2, 10–7M TX, 10–8M aE, 10–8M aP, TX+aE, TX+aP or medium alone, respectively. Pituitaries were tested for GnRH self-priming (two pulses of 15 min 1 h apart) and the secretion of LH and PRL determined by specific RIAs. Pituitaries from rats treated with EB and incubated with E2 had increased basal and GnRH-stimulated luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion and GnRH self-priming. TX reduced basal and stimulated LH secretion, increased PRL secretion and induced a robust GnRH self-priming. All these effects of TX were blocked by the aE, while the aP blocked GnRH self-priming only. In conclusion, tamoxifen induced PR expression (mRNA and nuclear IR) in the gonadotrope in an E-dependent manner, while activation of these PR through intracellular signaling of GnRH induced GnRH self-priming.
Modélisation mathématique à correction d'erreurs de la liquidité du marché boursier. Application : Impact de la structure du marché et du drainage de l'épargne institutionnelle sur le marché des capitaux

Un modele mathematique est estime a partir des variables significatives (apres l'elimination des variables peu influentes) et a partir des variables dummy introduites pour corriger quelques evenements conjoncturels qui impactent les correlations ordinaires des variables. Il peut exister plusieurs combinaisons lineaires stationnaires entre des variables integrees d'ordre un. Dans la methode de Johansen, la determination de la dimension de l'espace de cointegration se fait par l'estimation d'un modele autoregressif. Nous utiliserons le ratio de liquidite comme variable proxy de la liquidite du marche boursier marocain, pour estimer les indicateurs et les facteurs qui determinent sa variabilite a court et a long terme. La methode econometrique appropriee, serait d'estimer un modele vectoriel a correction d'erreur (VECM) qui a la propriete de determiner les relations de long et de court terme entre les variables.
[Therapeutic effects of DNA vaccines in a murine model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection].

OBJECTIVE To study the effects and mechanisms of DNA vaccines encoding Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens on murine Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. METHODS C57BL/J6 mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis were treated with normal saline (NS), pCDNA3.1, psIL-12, pcD85B, pcDMPT64, pcD85B + pcDMPT64, and pcD85B + psIL-12 respectively. The numbers of viable bacteria in the lung and the spleen were counted. The levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and TNF-alpha of spleen lymphocytes stimulated with PPD were detected with ELISA. Lungs and spleens were prepared for pathological analysis. RESULTS The pcD85B group (6.99 +/- 0.40 in lung, 5.17 +/- 0.33 in spleen), the psIL-12 group (7.41 +/- 0.50 in lung, 5.31 +/- 0.21 in spleen)and the pcD85B + psIL-12 group (7.64 +/- 0.28 in lung, 5.49 +/- 0.31 in spleen) showed significantly reduced number of colony forming units (lg(-1) CFU/g, x +/- s) in lungs and spleens compared with the control mice (5.76 +/- 0.16 in saline, 5.88 +/- 0.21 in pCDNA3.1), but the difference between the pcD85B group and the pcD85B + psIL-12 group was not significant. pcD85B vaccination induced high levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. No change of IL-4 was found in all groups. The pathological changes in lungs of the pcD85B group were localized, while those in the control group were extensive. There was no significant changes in the spleen of all groups. CONCLUSIONS Ag85B DNA vaccination had immunotherapeutic effects, which were associated with a switch to Th1 response and enhanced production of cytokines TNF-alpha and INF-gamma. psIL-12 alone showed therapeutic effect, but it didn't enhance the therapeutic effect of single Ag85B DNA vaccination.
Chemical and physical properties of regenerative medicine materials controlling stem cell fate

Abstract Regenerative medicine is a multidisciplinary field utilizing the potential of stem cells and the regenerative capability of the body to restore, maintain, or enhance tissue and organ functions. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can self-renew but also differentiate into several somatic cells when subjected the appropriate environmental cues. The ability to reliably direct stem cell fate would provide tremendous potential for basic research and clinical therapies. Proper tissue function and regeneration rely on the spatial and temporal control of biophysical and biochemical cues, including soluble molecules, cell–cell contacts, cell–extracellular matrix contacts, and physical forces. The mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. This review focuses on the stem cell–extracellular matrix interactions by summarizing the observations of the effects of material variables (such as overall architecture, surface topography, charge, ζ-potential, surface energy, and elastic modulus) on the stem cell fate. It also deals with the mechanisms underlying the effects of these extrinsic, material variables. Insight in the environmental interactions of the stem cells is crucial for the development of new material-based approaches for cell culture experiments and future experimental and clinical regenerative medicine applications.
Introduction: Six Practical Comments About Asset Allocation

Introduction Mark Kritzman 1. Mark Kritzman 1. To order reprints of this report, please contact Dewey Palmieri at dpalmieri{at}iijournals.com or 212-224-3675. Mark Kritzman, President and CEO, Windham Capital Management; Founding Partner, State Street Associates; Senior Lecturer,
CogniMeter: EEG-based Emotion, Mental Workload and Stress Visual Monitoring

Real-time EEG (Electroencephalogram)-based user's emotion, mental workload and stress monitoring is a new direction in research and development of human-machine interfaces. It has attracted recently more attention from the research community and industry as wireless portable EEG devices became easily available on the market. EEG-based technology has been applied in anesthesiology, psychology, serious games or even in marketing. In this work, we describe available real-time algorithms of emotion recognition, mental workload, and stress recognition from EEG and propose a novel interface Cogni Meter for the user's mental state visual monitoring. The system can be used in real time to assess human current emotions, levels of mental workload and stress. Currently, it is applied to monitor the user's emotional state, mental workload and stress in simulation scenarios or used as a tool to assess the subject's mental state in human factor study experiments.
Metabolism and Selectivity of Arabinonucleoside in Human Lymphoid Cells 1

Abstract The selective toxicity of purine deoxynucleosides against lymphoid cells appears to be mediated by a preferential accumulation of the corresponding triphosphates in these cells. We report a study of the metabolism and toxicity of arabinonucleosides of guanine and cytosine toward human T- and B-lymphoblastoid-cell lines. Both compounds inhibited the growth of T lymphoblasts at concentrations < 2 μM. However, only ara-G exhibited a strong selectivity for T lymphocytes as indicated by a 100-fold greater toxicity to T than B cells. ara-G is not significantly degraded to guanine but is metabolized to the triphosphate. In common with the other arabinonucleoside, cytotoxicity by ara-G was associated with specific inhibition of DNA synthesis in cells. The capacity of T cells (CCRF-CEM) to accumulate ara-GTP was dependent primarily on deoxycytidine kinase. The level of intracellular ara-GTP accumulated after incubation with the corresponding nucleoside was 20- to 40-fold higher in T cells than either of two B-lymphoblast-cell lines, WI-L2 or PF-2S. The levels of phosphorylating activity for ara-C in extracts of T- and B-cell lines were approximately equal; in contrast, ara-G phosphorylating activity was four- to fivefold higher in B lymphoblasts. After removal of arabinonucleosides from the culture medium, ara-GTP levels in B lymphoblasts declined at a rate that was two to four times faster than that of ara-CTP. In marked contrast, no catabolism of the arabinonucleoside triphosphates was detected in T lymphoblasts. These results suggest that the selectivity of arabinonucleosides to human lymphoid cells of various phenotypes can be correlated with their nucleotide metabolism. The selectivity of ara-G for T and B cells can be correlated with their differential ability to catabolize ara-GTP.
Simulation of the diffusion and reaction of endogenously produced nitric oxide.

In spite of intense recent investigation of the physiological and pathophysiological roles of endogenously produced nitric oxide (.NO) in mammalian systems, little quantitative information exists concerning the diffusion of this small nonelectrolyte from its source (NO synthase) to its targets of action. I present here a conceptual framework for analyzing the intracellular and intercellular diffusion and reaction of free . NO, using kinetic modeling and calculations of the diffusibility of . NO and its reactions in aqueous solution based on published data. If the half-life of . NO is greater than approximately 25 msec and the rates of reaction of . NO with its targets are slower than its diffusion or reaction with O2 (for which there is experimental evidence in at least some systems), then (i) . NO acts in vivo in a mostly paracrine fashion for a collection of . NO-producing cells, (ii) . NO diffuses to significant concentrations at distances relatively far removed from a single . NO-producing cell, and (iii) localized sites of vascularization will scavenge . NO (and thus decrease its actions) at distances many cell diameters away from that site. These conclusions have important implications with regard to the mechanism of endothelium-dependent relaxation, the autocrine vs. paracrine actions of . NO, and the role of the spatial relationship between specific sites of . NO formation and neighboring blood vessels in . NO-effected and -affected neuronal signal transmission.
Microscopic observation and analysis of field electron emission sites by using an Electron Emission Microscope and Auger Electron Spectrometer

Field electron emission is recognized as one of important phenomena related to the occurrence of electrical breakdown in vacuum. In this paper, we investigated the distribution of field electron emission sites on a plane electrode before and after current conditioning procedure. The investigation was carried out by scanning the electrode to measure the emission current flowing through the pin-hole of the objective lens of Electron Emission Microscope. As a result, before current conditioning localized emission sites were found. Those emission sites and the current from the sites were unstable in the early stage of high voltage application. During current conditioning and electrode scanning, some of emission sites disappeared, while the others continued to flow current. Sometimes new emission sites appeared at the other points on the electrode surface. After the investigation of emission sites distribution, microscopic observation on some of emission sites were carried out by using the Electron Emission Microscope. Electron emission microscope enables simultaneous observations of field electron emission image and photo electron emission image. The observation revealed that field electron emission occurred at the foreign particles on the electrode surface, and only some of them became electron emission sites. To characterize the emission sites, we observed the absorption current image and analyzed the chemical composition of the emission sites by using an Auger Electron Spectrometer. Observation and analysis suggest that the foreign particle was a semiconducting or insulating material composed of carbon.
Sustainable Governance for the Opened Electric Vehicle Charging and Upgraded Facilities Market

Since the China State Grid opened the market for infrastructure construction of electric charging stations and allowed Tesla, Potevio, BAIC BJEV and other enterprises to provide their own charging stations and other infrastructure construction, the development of electric vehicles has been greatly affected. How to maintain a sustainable governance in the opened electric vehicle charging and upgraded facilities market is an important policy issues. This paper presents a monopolistic competition model for the differentiated products market and addresses several issues related to Cournot equilibrium to illustrate why the expected free market actually operates in a monopolistic competition market structure. The analytic solution of the model shows that whether the extent of firm entry is insufficient, excessive or optimum is determined by consumers’ time preference, level of production differentiation and features of cost structure, including fixed cost and marginal cost. The sensitivity analysis has been performed among the above factors and tracked some other factors which would determine the effect of the new policy issues. The main policy suggestion is that the government should optimize entry regulations and lay down the criterion of charging interface standards for charging stations to avoid the electric vehicle charging and upgraded facilities marketization process of a one-size-fits-all solution and form a monopolistic competition market.
Characteristics of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients Reporting Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in the WebMD Lung Health Check Database.

Objectives: This study compared characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among patients with and without alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD). Methods: Data from WebMD's Lung Disease Health Check was analyzed for participants who self-reported a COPD diagnosis (N=177,865) and whether or not they had an A1AD diagnosis (based on a positive response to the question "Do you have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency? "). We used regression modeling to determine the relation between A1AD status and demographic characteristics, symptoms, lung function, quality of life, comorbidities, and smoking habits. Results: Out of 177,865 participants who reported a COPD diagnosis, 1,619 (0.92%) also reported an A1AD diagnosis. When compared to the total COPD population, those with A1AD were less likely to be female (odds ratio [OR]=0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61, 0.75) or current smokers (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.62, 0.83), and more likely to know their lung function value (OR=3.44, 95% CI 3.07, 3.87). With regard to symptoms, those with A1AD were less likely to report wheezing (OR=0.82, 95% CI 0.75, 0.91) and chronic cough (OR=0.81, 95% CI 0.73, 0.89) and more likely to report tightness in the chest (OR= 1.19, 95% CI 1.08, 1.32). Overall, A1AD participants had a lower quality of life with a higher proportion reporting severe impairment in work life (OR=1.55, 95% CI 1.39, 1.7), home life (OR=1.40, 95% CI 1.26, 1.56), and personal relationships (OR=1.48, 95% CI 1.32, 1.65). Conclusions: COPD patients with A1AD report significantly worse quality of life relative to the non-A1AD COPD population.
Native Escherichia coli and murine dihydrofolate reductases contain late-folding non-native structures.

We have examined the equilibrium and kinetic folding properties of two structurally homologous dihydrofolate reductases, Escherichia coli DHFR (EcDHFR) and murine DHFR (MuDHFR), as a function of temperature and ligand concentration. Conformational heterogeneity in native DHFR is well documented, and the results demonstrate that the non-native form(s) represents late intermediate(s) in the folding process. We have measured the concentrations of native and non-native forms and the rate constants for their interconversion over a temperature range of 3 degreesC to 49 degreesC, allowing characterization of the thermodynamic as well as the kinetic properties of the final folding step(s) relative to the overall folding reaction. Differences in ligand binding suggest that the intermediate structures for these two proteins may be different during refolding.
Audio computer assisted self interview and face to face interview modes in assessing response bias among STD clinic patients

Background: Audio computer assisted self interview (ACASI) may minimise social desirability bias in the ascertainment of sensitive behaviours. The aim of this study was to describe the difference in reporting risk behaviour in ACASI compared to a face to face interview (FFI) among public sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic attendees. Study design: Randomly selected patients attending a public STD clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, sequentially took an ACASI formatted risk behaviour assessment followed by an FFI conducted by a single clinician, with both interview modalities surveying sexual and drug use behaviours. Binary responses were compared using the sign test, and categorical responses were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test to account for repeated measures. Results: 671 (52% men, mean age 30 years, 95% African American) of 795 clinic attendees screened consented to participate. Subjects affirmed sensitive sexual behaviours such as same sex contact (p = 0.012), receptive rectal sexual exposure (p<0.001), orogenital contact (p<0.001), and a greater number of sex partners in the past month (p<0.001) more frequently with ACASI than with an FFI. However, there were no differences in participant responses to questions on use of illicit drugs or needle sharing. Conclusions: Among STD clinic patients, reporting of sensitive sexual risk behaviours to clinicians was much more susceptible to social desirability bias than was reporting of illegal drug use behaviours. In STD clinics where screening of sexual risk is an essential component of STD prevention, the use of ACASI may be a more reliable assessment method than traditional FFI.
Individual-level outcomes from a national clinical leadership development programme

Abstract A national clinical leadership development programme was instituted for Irish nurses and midwives in 2010. Incorporating a development framework and leadership pathway and a range of bespoke interventions for leadership development, including workshops, action-learning sets, mentoring and coaching, the programme was introduced at seven pilot sites in the second half of 2011. The programme pilot was evaluated with reference to structure, process and outcomes elements, including individual-level programme outcomes. Evaluation data were generated through focus groups and group interviews, individual interviews and written submissions. The data provided evidence of nurses’ and midwives’ clinical leadership development through self and observer-reported behaviours and dispositions including accounts of how the programme participants developed and displayed particular clinical leadership competencies. A key strength of the new programme was that it involved interventions that focussed on specific leadership competencies to be developed within the practice context.