Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of testicular 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta 5----4-isomerase: regulation by luteinizing hormone and forskolin in Leydig cells of adult rats.

LH is required to maintain the activity of 3 beta-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase/delta 5----4-isomerase (3 beta HSD) in testicular Leydig cells. The objective of the present study was to determine whether LH and effectors such as forskolin, which act via the intracellular cAMP signal transduction pathway, can regulate the expression of 3 beta HSD in rat Leydig cells in vitro. Primary cultures of Leydig cells were prepared from testes of adult rats and treated with oLH, forskolin, (Bu)2cAMP, or cholera toxin. The effects of treatment on 3 beta HSD activity were measured using [3 alpha-3H]dehydroepiandrosterone as substrate. Immunoreactive 3 beta HSD was quantified by denaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting with a polyclonal antiserum against 3 beta HSD. The synthesis of 3 beta HSD was quantified after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated cellular lysates of Leydig cells radiolabeled with L-[35S]methionine. The levels of 3 beta HSD mRNA were quantified by Northern analysis and hybridization with a cDNA encoding testicular 3 beta HSD (rat type I). A cell-free protein-synthesizing system was used to test the ability of 3 beta HSD mRNA to be translated into immunoreactive 3 beta HSD. 3 beta HSD activity increased 3.5- and 5.0-fold in Leydig cell cultures treated with forskolin (1 microM) and (Bu)2cAMP (1 mM), respectively, compared with control cultures. Maximal activity was attained after 48-72 h and maintained through 120 h of treatment. The increase in 3 beta HSD activity could be accounted for quantitatively by increases in the steady state levels and the rates of synthesis of 3 beta HSD. The cellular levels of immunoreactive 3 beta HSD increased 4.0- and 7.6-fold in Leydig cells treated with forskolin and (Bu)2cAMP, respectively. Moreover, both of these effectors increased by 6- to 8-fold the levels of newly synthesized 3 beta HSD after 24-72 h of treatment. Ovine LH, forskolin, cholera toxin, and (Bu)2cAMP increased the cellular levels of 3 beta HSD mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. The magnitude of the increases ranged from 2- to 42-fold, compared with that in control cultures, after 12 h of treatment. Maximal responses were effected by 1 ng/ml ovine LH, 1 microM forskolin, 1 ng/ml cholera toxin, and 1 mM (Bu)2cAMP. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Yen Bloc or Yuan Bloc: An Analysis of Currency Arrangements in East Asia

This paper examines the role of Japan against that of China in the exchange rate regime in East Asia in light of growing interest in forming a currency union in the region. The analysis suggests that currency unions with China tend to generate higher average welfare gains for East Asian countries than currency unions with Japan or the United States. Overall, Japan does not appear to be a dominant player in forming a currency union in East Asia, and this trend is likely to continue if China's relative presence continues to rise in the regional trade.
In vitro synthesis of the nonstructural C protein of Sendai virus

In vitro translation was used to study the mRNA for the Sendai virus nonstructural C protein. The C protein mRNA was found to be coordinately expressed with the mRNAs for the structural proteins. However, the C protein mRNA appeared to be translated more efficiently in vitro than the other mRNAs. In addition, the 22,000-dalton C protein mRNA cosedimented on sucrose gradients with the 79,000-dalton P protein mRNA. The C protein mRNA thus appears to be much larger than expected.
University of Groningen Saliva Parameters and Erosive Wear in Adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between several parameters of saliva and erosive wear in adolescents. (Un-)stimulated saliva was collected from 88 adolescents with erosion and 49 controls (age 16 ± 1 years). Flow rate, pH and buffer capacity were determined immediately. Total protein content, carbonic anhydrase VI, amylase, albumin, calcium, phosphate, urea, sodium, chloride and potassium were measured at a later time. Unstimulated flow rate was found to be significantly lower in subjects with erosive wear (p = 0.016). The chloride concentration in unstimulated saliva was found to be significantly higher in the erosion group (p = 0.019). Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel Erosive tooth wear is the accelerated loss of dental hard tissue through the combined effect of erosion and mechanical wear. Erosion is defined as partial demineralization of enamel or dentine by intrinsic or extrinsic acids. The reported prevalence of erosive wear in adolescents Received: December 3, 2012 Accepted after revision: February 24, 2013 Published online: June 15, 2013 Nicole Zwier, MSc Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, College of Dental Sciences Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Centre , Philips van Leydenlaan 25 NL–6525 EX Nijmegen (The Netherlands) E-Mail n.zwier @ dent.umcn. nl © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel 0008–6568/13/0476–0548$38.00/0
Microdose and Breakdown Effects Induced by Heavy Ions on Sub 32-nm Triple-Gate SOI FETs

We studied the permanent effects of heavy-ion strikes on decananometer triple-gate SOI devices. We highlighted the role of the geometry and the three-dimensional architecture in the response to heavy ions. Heavy-ion strikes in state-of-the-art Triple-Gate FETs may have measurable permanent effects, due to microdose in the buried oxide, breakdown of the gate oxide, or interface state generation in the side oxide/body interface. This last effect is particularly interesting since it is related to the verticality of multigate transistors.
The effect of energy reserves on social foraging: hungry sparrows scrounge more

Animals often use alternative strategies when they compete for resources, but it is unclear in most cases what factors determine the actual tactic followed by individuals. Although recent models suggest that the internal state of animals may be particularly important in tactic choice, the effects of state variables on the use of alternative behavioural forms have rarely been demonstrated. In this study, using experimental wind exposure to increase overnight energy expenditure, we show that flock–feeding house sparrows (Passer domesticus) with lowered energy reserves increase their use of scrounging (exploiting others' food findings) during their first feed of the day. This result is in accordance with the prediction of a state–dependent model of use of social foraging tactics. We also show that scrounging provides less variable feeding rates and patch finding times than the alternative tactic. These latter results support the theoretical assumption that scrounging is a risk–averse tactic, i.e. it reduces the risk of immediate starvation. As the level of energy reserves predicts the use of social foraging tactics, we propose that selection should favour individuals that monitor the internal state of flock mates and use this information to adjust their own tactic choice.
L'étude de cas comme méthode de recherche Ed. 2

L’etude de cas permet d’analyser en profondeur des phenomenes dans leur contexte, c’est la sa plus grande force. Le recours a cette methode qualitative doit neanmoins obeir a des normes scientifiques et etre empreint d’une rigueur au moins equivalente a celle des methodes quantitatives de recherche. De la l’importance de pouvoir compter sur ce guide de realisation, qui propose une demarche integree ou la fiabilite et la validite des donnees sont demontrees. Truffe d’exemples pratiques, il vous indiquera les differentes etapes a suivre et les activites a executer a chacune d'elles de facon detaillee. Vous pourrez ainsi savoir comment etablir la pertinence du recours a l'etude de cas, assurer la veracite des resultats, preparer votre etude, recruter les cas, collecter les donnees, les traiter, les interpreter et, finalement, diffuser vos resultats. Une liste de verification pour la realisation des activites de chaque etape, de meme qu'un canevas de redaction du rapport de recherche, sont par ailleurs offerts en annexe.
Vérification et Spécification des Systèmes Distribués

Cette these se place dans le cadre de la verification automatique des systemes distribues. Elle aborde le probleme de la specification pour de tels systemes, qui consiste a definir un formalisme logique pour decrire des proprietes des comportements de systemes. On en attend qu'il soit facile d'exprimer les proprietes courantes (accessibilite, surete, exclusion mutuelle, vivacite, etc.). On souhaite par ailleurs que la verification de ces proprietes soient aisee. Il s'agit donc de trouver un compromis entre pouvoir d'expression et simplicite d'utilisation. On s'interesse ensuite a la modelisation des systemes concurrents, en recherchant a nouveau un compromis entre realisme des modeles et facilite de verification. Les modeles etudies dans ce travail sont les automates asynchrones, qui modelisent des processus concurrents communiquant par memoire partagee. La these s'interesse enfin au probleme de la synthese de controleur. Etant donne un systeme specifie de facon incomplete, donc non-deterministe, en interaction avec un environnement, il s'agit de calculer de maniere automatique comment restreindre son comportement afin qu'il verifie une specification donnee (quelles que soient les actions de l'environnement). Ce probleme se formule en termes de jeux. Dans le cas distribue, les jeux ont naturellement plusieurs joueurs. Dans ce cadre, la plupart des resultats sont negatifs : il est indecidable de savoir si on peut ou non controler un tel systeme. Cette these prouve que certaines proprietes de l'architecture de communication garantissent decidabilite pour toute specification reguliere.
Inequalities in Medical Care Utilization by South Korean Cancer Patients According to Income: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This study explores income inequalities in the utilization of medical care by cancer patients in South Korea, according to type of medical facilities and survival duration. The five-year retrospective cohort study used data drawn from the Korean Cancer Registry, the National Health Insurance database, and the death database of the Korean National Statistical Office. The sample consisted of 43,433 patients diagnosed with cancer in 1999. The authors found significant quantitative inequalities as a function of income in the patients' utilization of medical care. Cancer patients from the highest income class used inpatient and outpatient care more frequently than did patients from the lowest income class. Those with higher incomes tended to use more inpatient and outpatient services at major tertiary hospitals, which were known as providing better medical care than other types of hospitals and clinics. Moreover, horizontal inequality in cancer-care expenditures favoring those with higher incomes was observed during earlier periods of treatment. In conclusion, income substantially affects the utilization of inpatient and outpatient services, amount of medical expenditures, and type of medical facilities.
A pharmacological comparison between synthetic bradykinin and synthetic kallidin.

Synthetic bradykinin and synthetic kallidin (=(Lys—Arg) 1 -bradykinin) were compared in ten pharmacological tests in which plasma kinins show characteristic effects. Although no qualitative differences were found, the two peptides could be distinguished by their different activity ratios in several assay procedures.
Tutorial: Big Data Analytics: Concepts, Technologies, and Applications

We have entered the big data era. Organizations are capturing, storing, and analyzing data that has high volume, velocity, and variety and comes from a variety of new sources, including social media, machines, log files, video, text, image, RFID, and GPS. These sources have strained the capabilities of traditional relational database management systems and spawned a host of new technologies, approaches, and platforms. The potential value of big data analytics is great and is clearly established by a growing number of studies. The keys to success with big data analytics include a clear business need, strong committed sponsorship, alignment between the business and IT strategies, a fact-based decision-making culture, a strong data infrastructure, the right analytical tools, and people skilled in the use of analytics. Because of the paradigm shift in the kinds of data being analyzed and how this data is used, big data can be considered to be a new, fourth generation of decision support data management. Though the business value from big data is great, especially for online companies like Google and Facebook, how it is being used is raising significant privacy concerns.
Innovation by Imitation: Using an "Adopt-Transform-Apply" Methodology Coupled with Pattern Recognition to Enhance Firm Innovation

Executives from across all industries have sought the holy grail of innovation productivity improvements at their organizations. We are advocating a process of innovation by imitation where managers and staff in organizations are taught to look at advances in other industries and see how those processes or innovations may be emulated in their own industry. We term the emulation process "adopt-transform-apply" to represent the actual adopting of the innovative idea from another industry, transforming and adapting it to the current circumstances and applying and execution of the transformed idea. There are numerous instances in history that shows that this is a very profitable activity, and that a great deal of innovation occurs this way, and thus is a natural process in problem solving. We are proposing to use this process to improve the innovation capacity and performance of firms by educating their managers and staff on the technique. This process has become the basis for the activity of an Institute for Business Innovation where industry groups meet regularly to share innovations and practice the adopt-transform-apply technique to the benefit of the Institute's constituents.
Cuff-less Calibration-free Blood Pressure Estimation under Ambulatory Environment using Pulse Wave Velocity and Photoplethysmogram Signals

This paper presents a blood pressure estimation method based on pulse wave velocity (PWV). Although there are a variety of methods based on PWV to estimate blood pressure, most of them require calibration per patient, and the patient has to remain still. The goal of our research is to develop a calibration-free blood pressure estimation method that is applicable not only during rest but also during exercise. To accomplish our goal, we extracted properties of blood vessels from photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals, and compared several regression models, such as the deductive model based on blood vessel physics equation, and the inductive model based on machine learning. Twenty-four participants performed exercise, measuring blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) and PPG. The best result showed that the mean error for the estimated systolic blood pressure (SBP) against cuff-based blood pressure was 0.18 ± 8.68 mmHg. Although there was not a big difference between the regression models, PWV and Augmentation Index are effective features to estimate SBP. In addition to this, Heart Rate was effective only for the young men, and height ratio of c-wave to a-wave of acceleration pulse wave might be effective for elderly men. These results suggest that our proposed method has the potential for cuff-less calibration-free blood pressure estimation which include measurements during rest and exercise.
[Influence of insertion-deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene on left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with aortic stenosis--differences in men and women].

UNLABELLED The role of different parameters (including genetic factors) on the timing and extend of left ventricle hypertrophy in patients with aortic stenosis is not defined. In our study we analyze the influence of clinical, echocardiographic parameters and I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene on the left ventricle hypertrophy (left ventricle mass index) in this group of patients. The study was done with the group of 302 pts with aortic stenosis--120 women and 182 men; mean age 58 +/- 11 yrs. Stepwise (backward) regression was used to assess the influence of the analyzed parameters (age, gender, history of hypertension, EF, MGA, presence of significant coronary artery disease and I/D ACE polymorphism) on the LVH in the all pts and in the women and the men separately. In the whole group the LVMI depends on EF (t = -6.5; p = 0.0001--higher LVMI in lower EF), MGA (t = 3.9; p = 0.0001--higher LVMI in higher MGA) and gender (t = 2.8; p = 0.005--higher LVMI in men). In women LVMI was related with EF (t = -3.6; p = 0.001--higher LVMI in lower EF), age (t = 2.9; p = 0.004--higher LVMI in older pts) and MGA (t = 2.5; p = 0.013--higher LVMI in higher MGA). In men the LVMI depends on EF (t = -4.8; p = 0.0001--higher LVMI in lower EF) and MGA (t = 1.98; p = 0.049--higher LVMI in higher MGA). Significant relationship between LVMI and results of I/D ACE polymorphism was observed both in women and men. I/D polymorphism relationship with LVMI was divergent in these 2 groups--association of higher LVMI with lack of DD type of polymorphism in women and presence of DD polymorphism in men. CONCLUSIONS 1. Left ventricle hypertrophy in pts aortic stenosis is higher in men than in women. 2. In women left ventricle hypertrophy is related with ejection fraction, maximal aortic gradient, age and I/D ACE polymorphism; in men it is related to EF, MGA and I/D ACE polymorphism. 3. The influence of I/D ACE polymorphism on the left ventricle hypertrophy is divergent in women and men--in women related to the lack of DD polymorphism, in men related to the presence of DD polymorphism.
Notice of RetractionProtein Changing of Rice Mutants after Space Flight

Space Environment Biological Effect Research is a joint project of the Lab of Space Biological Effect in Harbin Institute of Technology(HIT)and the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense. Plant seeds were first flown on JB-1 recoverable satellites, and then on ShenZhou 3, ShenZhou 4 and ShenZhou 6 dirigible balloon successively, bred in the Space Environment Biological Effect Base of HIT to obtain stable mutants with new traits. To study the characteristics of changes in rice mutants induced in space environment, we analyzed proteins fingerprint in leaves and seeds of four rice mutants in the 8th and 9th generations, and compared with their ground controls by reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The fingerprint emphasizes the systematic characterization of compositions of samples and appears to offer a more logical approach for quality control or variety identification. The results showed that the low abundance proteins of leaves are more likely to be induced compared with their corresponding controls. The albumin, globulin, and prolamine of the mutant seeds revealed changes when compared with their controls, and the characteristics of changes in different mutants were stably inherited in the 8th and 9th generations, suggesting that they can be used as biomarkers to identity the mutants induced by spaceflight.
Adoção de Tecnologias da Informação: uma Proposta de Modelo de Análise Explorando o Modelo UTAUT para Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem para Suporte ao Ensino Presencial

Com o surgimento dos Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVA) no contexto educacional, as formas de ensino estao passando por transformacoes, tanto para Ensino a Distância, como tambem para suporte ao ensino presencial. O crescimento do uso do AVA e a aceitacao dessa tecnologia, seu comportamento e o seu sucesso esta diretamente relacionado com sua adocao pelos docentes e discentes. A adocao da tecnologia tem sido estudada durante as ultimas decadas, e muitos modelos foram criados. Este estudo tem como base a Teoria Unificada de Aceitacao e Uso da Tecnologia (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology – UTAUT), que e um modelo de tentativa de uma reuniao de constructos de outras teorias e modelos, porem, aponta lacunas nao abordadas e aspectos nao analisados em alguns contextos. Este artigo objetiva propor uma extensao do modelo UTAUT para analise da adocao AVA como suporte ao ensino presencial, incluindo elementos como a interatividade, acompanhamento e continuidade de uso.
MCTSE: A Commerce Topic Faced P2P Search Engine for Mobile Devices

Along with the development of wireless technology and especially 3G's throw into commercial, the bandwidth of mobile devices will reach 2 Mbps which makes it possible to publish Webpage to mobile devices and personal digital assistant. However, mobile devices is restricted by display terminal and storage capability. So this paper attempts to implement a commerce topic faced P2P search engine system for mobile devices using WAP protocol: MCTSE. MCTSE is built on the operating system of RedHat Linux AS3 Update4: it builds the topic characteristic keywords set using extendable iterative select keyword (EISK) algorithm, and based on the set, it collects commerce topic information and builds layered content indexed by Internet commerce topic crawler and the voluntary publish of mobile user. A commerce topic search is implemented by mobile user to send query keywords. Results of simulation proved that under ideal conditions the system's average responding time is less than 70 ms and precision is above 85% when there are no more than 3000 simultaneous searching queries, and so the completeness and feasibility of the system's design is proved.
Blood glucose lowering and toxicological effects of zinc (II) complexes with maltol, threonine, and picolinic acid.

The blood glucose lowering effects in KK-Ay mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) receiving daily an intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of Zn(II) complexes with maltol, L-threonine, and picolinic acid for 14 days were estimated under the same conditions, and dose-dependent blood glucose lowering effects in the dose range of 0.2-3.0 mg Zn/kg body weight were found. Among them, the bis(maltolato)Zn(II) complex exhibited the highest blood sugar lowering effect at the dose of 3.0 mg Zn/kg. The improvement of DM was confirmed with oral glucose tolerance tests as well as blood HbA1c levels after the administration of the three Zn(II) complexes at the dose of 3.0 mg Zn/kg. For the purpose of the clinical trial of the complexes in the future, we examined the toxic effects of these three Zn(II) complexes in regard of the LD50 values and hepatic cytochrome P450 levels. The LD50 values of the three Zn(II) complexes exhibited high values compared with that of ZnCl2. No changes of both CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 levels in the liver of KK-Ay mice treated with the three Zn(II) complexes were observed. The obtained results will be important when the complexes are tried for clinical use.