Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein kinase STK25 is a regulator of hepatic lipid partitioning and whole body metabolism

In past decade, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated metabolic complications have become a major global threat for human health with epidemic increase in incidence. Currently available treatments for T2D have several limitations and side effects making it difficult safely reach adequate metabolic control. Therefore, it is important to identify novel therapeutic targets for metabolic regulation, which could complement current treatments for T2D. T2D is closely associated with ectopic lipid deposition. Recent evidence suggests that hepatic lipid deposition is not merely a consequence of the metabolic syndrome but rather that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and progression to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), exacerbate hepatic and systemic insulin resistance and actively contribute to the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. However, no pharmacological treatment is approved for NAFLD/NASH, to date. Serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) is broadly expressed in mouse, rat and human tissues. Previous studies by our research group in the rat myoblast cell line L6 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) have shown that STK25 is involved in regulation of glucose uptake and lipid oxidation. Studies presented in this thesis work demonstrate that the transgenic mice overexpressing STK25 challenged with a high-fat diet display a shift in the metabolic balance in peripheral tissues from lipid oxidation to lipid storage, resulting in a systemic insulin resistance. In contrast, Stk25 knockout mice show better-preserved systemic insulin sensitivity via an opposite shift in the metabolic balance in peripheral tissues from lipid storage to lipid utilization. We found that STK25 coats lipid droplets in mouse liver and human hepatocytes. Our studies performed in mouse liver, and in hepatocytes from both mouse and human, suggest that STK25 regulates hepatic lipid partitioning by controlling β-oxidation and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-triacylglycerol (TAG) secretion. Increased activity of STK25 reduces liver lipolytic capacity, which in turn results in lower availability of lipids for hepatic β-oxidation and VLDL-TAG secretion, leading to enhanced lipid storage. Upon inactivation of STK25 reciprocal increase in liver lipolytic capacity, β-oxidation and VLDL-TAG secretion was seen, which likely account for the reduced hepatic lipid storage. We also found a statistically significant positive correlation between STK25 mRNA expression in human liver biopsies and hepatic fat content. Taken together, our studies suggest that inhibition of STK25 enables the reduction of ectopic lipid deposition and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose utilization in peripheral tissues. Our studies highlight STK25 as a potential drug target for prevention and/or treatment of T2D, NAFLD and
Water deuterium fractionation in the high-mass star-forming region G34.26+0.15 based on Herschel/HIFI data

Understanding water deuterium fractionation is important for constraining the mechanisms of water formation in interstellar clouds. Observations of HDO and H182O transitions were carried out towards the high-mass star-forming region G34.26+0.15 with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) instrument onboard the Herschel Space Observatory, as well as with ground-based single-dish telescopes. 10 HDO lines and three H182O lines covering a broad range of upper energy levels (22–204 K) were detected. We used a non-local thermal equilibrium 1D analysis to determine the HDO/H2O ratio as a function of radius in the envelope. Models with different water abundance distributions were considered in order to reproduce the observed line profiles. The HDO/H2O ratio is found to be lower in the hot core (∼3.5 × 10−4–7.5 × 10−4) than in the colder envelope (∼1.0 × 10−3–2.2 × 10−3). This is the first time that a radial variation of the HDO/H2O ratio has been found to occur in a high-mass source. The chemical evolution of this source was modelled as a function of its radius and the observations are relatively well reproduced. The comparison between the chemical model and the observations leads to an age of ∼105 yr after the infrared dark cloud stage.
Four-dimensional graph-manifolds with fundamental groups quasiisometric to fundamental groups of orthogonal graph-manifolds

We introduce a topological invariant, it a type of a graph-manifold, which takes natural values. For a 4-dimensional graph-manifold, whose type does not exceed two, it is proved that its universal cover is bi-Lipschitz equivalent to a universal cover of an orthogonal graph-manifold (for any Riemannian metrics on graph-manifolds).
Complementary Reforms of Patent Examination Request System in Japan

The number of requests for patent examination showed a significant increase of 83% from 1997 to 2007 in Japan, while the number of patent applications increased by only 1%. This paper aims at theoretically and empirically analyzing the causes of recent "explosion" of examination requests, focusing especially on (1) the introduction of multiple claim system (January 1, 1988), (2) the shortening of the period available for examination request from seven to three years (October 1, 2001) and (3) the revisions of examination request fee and annual fee (April 1, 2004). We test the following propositions which are derived from the theoretical model; (a) the increase in the average number of claims increases the value of applications and raises the rate of examination request; (b) the shorter period of examination request increases the probability that the low-quality applications are requested for examination; and (c) the reforms of examination request fee and renewal fee improve the average quality of applications which are requested for examination. Our empirical results support these propositions.
miRNA ‐ 27 a promotes the proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells by Wnt / β ‐ catenin pathway

A specific expression of miRNA in pancreatic cancer renders it the novel diagnostic marker of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we investigated how the anticancer effect of miRNA-27a suppressed cell growth and induced apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells. We upregulated miRNA-27a expression in PANC-1 cells using miRNA-27a mimic, which demonstrated that induction of cell growth and suppression of apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells were observed. However, anti-miRNA-27a inhibited cell growth and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The downregulation of miRNA-27a suppressed Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin pathway increased the anticancer effects of anti-miRNA-27a on human pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, miRNA-27a promotes the proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells via Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Biochar and Their Bioavailabilty

ii Acknowledgments . iii List of Tables . vi List of Figures . viii List of Abbreviations . ix Chapter 1. Literature Review . 1 1.1 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) . 7 1.2 PAHs in Biochars . 12 1.3 Bioavailability of PAHs . 14 1.3. 1 Plants and Bioavailability . 14 1.3. 2 POM and bioavailability . 16 1.4 Further Research . 18 References . 19 Chapter 2. Quantification of Total and Bioavailable PAHs in Biochar . 29 2.
de Vreese Turkish membership of the EU Talking Turkey : Anti-immigrant attitudes and their effect on support for

Recent studies have shown that the most important factor explaining opinions on European Union issues is attitudes towards immigrants. Two arguments are given to explain this effect. We contend that these arguments are both built on the idea that people with anti-immigrant attitudes frame other Europeans as an out-group. We then test the validity of these arguments by measuring how respondents in a voter survey frame the issue of Turkish membership. We find that framing the issue in terms of outgroups indeed mediates the effect of anti-immigrant attitudes on support for Turkish membership. This finding offers new insights into why levels of public support vary over different EU issues, because opposition is likely to increase when an issue is more easily framed in terms of out-groups.
Engineering Students’ Perceptions on the Pedagogical Practice of Teachers

This study surveyed Brazilian engineering (n = 252) students' perceptions of teaching andlearning strategies most frequently used by teachers at a public institution in south Brazil.Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, coefficient Cronbach alpha reliabilityand Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. These students identified that the most frequently usedmethodologies were teacher-centered. It also showed the importance of investigatingstudents' perceptions to identify situations that can be used to modify teachers’ action in theclassroom. Implications for faculty development and the need to include teaching strategiesthat allow students to have a greater participation in the learning process are discussed.
The Resource-Based View and Transaction Cost Economics in Managerial Decision-Making : A Sequential Approach

The resource-based view (RBV) and transaction cost economics (TCE) are two of the most influential theoretical frameworks in organizational theory today, yet their normative implications for managerial decision-making have rarely been explicitly compared. We argue that the two theories are mutually compatible but inform different decisions: resource considerations come into play when economic agents decide how to create value, whereas transaction cost considerations come into play when economic agents subsequently decide on a mode of governance for the process of value creation. We present a simple model to illustrate how, under ideal assumptions, the two decisions are made separately and sequentially, and discuss how the model can be adapted if the assumptions are relaxed. Finally we consider the example cases of firm internationalization and mergers and acquisitions to illustrate the model and argue that it is broadly realistic even in its ideal form. ∗ University of Agder. E-mail: jens.o. hansen@uia.no. † Universität Konstanz. E-mail: heike.schuetter@uni-konstanz.de.
A K-Band Flat Transmitarray Antenna with a Planar Microstrip Slot-Fed Patch Antenna Feeder

A thin phase-correcting element that consists of four identical metallic layers and three identical dielectric layers is presented for the design of microwave and millimeter-wave transmitarrays. The metallic layers consist of octagon conducting strips, which are tuned to obtain the desired phase compensation on an incident wave, while maintaining high amplitude of transmission coefficient. A transmitarray has been designed at K band with the use of the element. Fed by a standard horn and three planar slot-fed patch antennas with different beamwidths alternately, the wave-focusing performance of the transmitarray was demonstrated by simulations and experiments.
Mise au point Corticoïdes dans les traumatismes du système nerveux central Corticosteroids in central nervous system trauma

Corticosteroids can restore vascular permeability in experimental cerebral oedema, reduce the release of free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes. Experimental studies have shown beneficial results of corticosteroids in traumatic injuries of the central nervous system. Systematic reviews of randomised trials have recommended that corticosteroids should not be administered in head injury (high degree of certitude, standard). Nevertheless, a potential reduction of the risk for death or disability of 2% has justified performing a large randomised multicentre trial in order to confirm or refute this hypothesis. This study is in progress. In acute spinal cord injury, methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg in 1 h followed by 5.4 mg/kg per h) could be used during 24 h for trauma within 3 h, or during 48 h for trauma after 3 h and within 8 h time window. Methylprednisolone is not recommended for spinal cord trauma after 8 h. © 2004 Société de réanimation de langue française. Publié par Elsevier SAS. Tous droits réservés. Mots clés : Traumatisme crânien ; Traumatisme médullaire ; Corticostéroïdes
Segmentation of mushroom and cap width measurement using modified K-Means clustering algorithm

Mushroom is one of the commonly consumed foods. Image processing is one of the effective way for examination of visual features and detecting the size of a mushroom. We developed software for segmentation of a mushroom in a picture and also to measure the cap width of the mushroom. K-Means clustering method is used for the process. K-Means is one of the most successful clustering methods. In our study we customized the algorithm to get the best result and tested the algorithm. In the system, at first mushroom picture is filtered, histograms are balanced and after that segmentation is performed. Results provided that customized algorithm performed better segmentation than classical K-Means algorithm. Tests performed on the designed software showed that segmentation on complex background pictures is performed with high accuracy, and 20 mushrooms caps are measured with 2.281 % relative error.
International Society for Environmental Information Sciences 2010 Annual Conference ( ISEIS ) A Conceptual Ecological Model of Cangzhou Coastal Wetlands , Hebei Province , China

Conceptual ecological models (CEM) are non-quantitative tools that identify the major drivers and stressors on ecosystems, the ecological effects of these stressors, and the best biological attributes or indicators of these ecological responses. Located in southeast Hebei Province, just west of the Bohai Bay, the Cangzhou coastal wetlands (CCW) are complex coastal wetlands formed and influenced under the dual driving forces from both rivers and oceans. They cover an area of 136 000 ha, which are mostly dominated by reservoirs, salt fields, shrimp ponds, tidal creeks, coastal brackish and marshes, shallow sea, as well as broad mudflat beaches. In recent years, population growth and economic development, rapid industrialization and urbanization, have result in severely wetland degradation and environment deterioration. A CEM has been developed for the CCW to understand the coastal wetland system and its response to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Drivers on the system are port construction, urbanization, industrial and agricultural practices, and water management. These drivers lead to five major ecosystem stressors: built-up area expansion, irrigation and drainage system, hunting and over-fishing, nitrogen and phosphorus input, and toxic pollutants input. Attributes that are affected by these stressors and can be used as indicators include fishes and aquatic fauna, wading birds, ecological and environmental events. As critical linkages between stressors and attributes, the ecological effects of the stressors are: reduced spatial extent, compartmentalization, altered hydrology, degraded water quality, and altered salinity regime. © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Outflow of Arctic Ocean Sea Ice into the Greenland and Barents Seas: 1979-2007

Abstract Twenty-nine years of Arctic sea ice outflow into the Greenland and Barents Seas are summarized. Outflow is computed at three passages: Fram Strait, between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land (S–FJL), and between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya (FJL–SZ). Ice drift at the flux gates has been reprocessed using a consistent and updated time series of passive microwave brightness temperature and ice concentration (IC) fields. Over the record, the mean annual area outflow at the Fram Strait is 706(113) × 103 km2; it was highest in 1994/95 (1002 × 103 km2) when the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index was near its 29-yr peak. The strength of the “Transpolar Drift Stream” (TDS) was high during the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. There is no statistically significant trend in the Fram Strait area flux. Even though there is a positive trend in the gradient of cross-strait sea level pressure, the outflow has not increased because of a negative trend in IC. Seasonally, the area outflow during recent sum.
PREFERENCE HETEROGENEITY IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PASSENGER CHOICE: A DISCRETE CHOICE EXPERIMENT

The study sought to identify the knowledge of passengers about the characteristics of commercial vehicles that influence passenger’s choice and makes it attractive to private car users. It therefore presents the preference estimates for various attributes that affect commercial vehicles choice, with reference to students in University of Ghana who patronize commercial vehicles from Circle bus station in Accra to Kumasi with the main objective of understanding more about the factors that influence passenger’s choice of commercial vehicles. A discrete choice experiment was designed to capture the responses for estimating passenger’s commercial vehicles choice for various attributes specific to vehicles in the study area, that are loading passengers simultaneously. The main model was generated using the binary probit in STATA which was further segmented according to gender. The magnitude of estimates fromthe probit model indicated that, generally, passengers prefer commercial vehicles with entertainment, very new and almost full with passengers. This was generally supported by the segmented model by gender. Also, passengers will generally trade the size and brand off for very new and commercial vehicles with reduced loading/waiting period.
Sire Re-ranking and Analysis Methods for Sow Lifetime Reproductive Traits

Today, 30% or more commercial sows are removed before parity three (Engblom et al., 2007) resulting in lost economic opportunity and reduced production efficiency. Sow longevity may be improved by selection for highly prolific sows over several parities in existing production systems. Recent studies have shown that selection for longevity should consequently lead to improvement in annual replacement rates (Heusing et al., 2005; Serenius et al., 2006; Tarrés et al., 2006).
Bertrand, Cournot and monopolistically competitive equilibria

U sing an example, we study the analogs, for the differentiated product case, of the Cournot and Bertrand equilibria. These equilibria can be shown to exist and be uni que if we impose a sim pie and natural restriction on the elasticities of the demand functions for the differentiated products. Our characterizations of these equilibria make it possible to compare them and to determine how they are affected by the size of the market and the number of firms. We are also able to prove the existence of Cournot free-entry equilibria in which the number of firms is determined endogenously. In addition, we are able to prove that, in a large market, the Cournot free-entry equilibria approximate the Dixit-Stiglitz monopolistically competitive equilibria. The free-entry equilibrium concept we study is an analog of the one studied by Novshek for the case of firms selling products that are perfect substitutes. Our results are extensions of Novshek's. While we were unable to establish a general existence result for Bertrand free-entry equilibria, we were able to prove that, when these equilibria exist, they are unique and that in large markets they also approximate the Dixit-Stiglitz equilibria. CONTENTS
Powikłania żółciowe po ortotopowym przeszczepieniu wątroby u dorosłych

Przeszczepianie wątroby stalo sie obecnie leczeniem z wyboru w przypadku schylkowej niewydolności wątroby. Wraz z ciąglym rozwojem transplantologii i immunologii wyniki przeszczepiania wątroby ulegają stopniowej poprawie. Obecnie średnie 5-letnie przezycie po ortotopowym przeszczepieniu wątroby (OLT) biorcow ksztaltuje sie na poziomie 72–77% w zalezności od stopnia niewydolności wątroby. Z procedurą transplantacji wątroby nierozerwalnie wiąze sie obecnośc powiklan, ktore w 80% wystepują w ciągu pierwszych 6 miesiecy po OLT. Do najcześciej spotykanych nalezą powiklania dotyczące drog zolciowych. Najwazniejsze i najszerzej opisywane to: wycieki zolci, zwezenia — zarowno w miejscu, jak i poza miejscem zespolenia drog zolciowych, zlogi w drogach zolciowych, dysfunkcja zwieracza Oddiego oraz ucisk na drogi zolciowe. Są one groźne, gdyz niejednokrotnie prowadzą do utraty przeszczepu lub zgonu chorego. Obecnie czestośc powiklan zolciowych ksztaltuje sie na poziomie 6–35% wszystkich transplantacji, najcześciej oscylując wokol 20% przy utrzymującej sie od wielu lat stalej tendencji spadkowej. Do istotnych czynnikow prognozujących wystąpienie powiklan zolciowych po OLT nalezą: przedoperacyjne stezenie bilirubiny w surowicy krwi oraz wskaźnik INR biorcy, zastosowanie drenazu Kehra, liczba przetoczonych podczas operacji jednostek osocza świezo mrozonego, a takze rodzaj graftu wątrobowego. Zmienia sie sposob postepowania w przypadku podejrzenia powiklan zolciowych. Referencyjną metodą diagnostyczną stal sie magnetyczny rezonans drog zolciowych (MRCP). W przypadku potwierdzenia rozpoznania powiklan zolciowych leczenie operacyjne w wiekszości zostalo zastąpione technikami endoskopowymi i przezskornymi. Przy nieskuteczności powyzszego postepowania konieczna staje sie retransplantacja wątroby. Z powodu ciągle niewystarczającej liczby zmarlych dawcow wciąz poszukuje sie nowszych metod pozyskiwania narządow do przeszczepienia. Wprowadzono metode pozyskiwania graftow z cześciowej hepatektomii od dawcow zywych oraz podzialu na mniejsze cześci wątroby pochodzącej od zmarlego dawcy. Cele niniejszego artykulu to analiza i podsumowanie doniesien dotyczących powiklan zolciowych po OLT u doroslych. Problem ten wydaje sie szczegolnie istotny z powodu coraz wiekszej liczby transplantacji wątroby w Polsce.
Lombard speech database for German language

In the scope of the presented work a German speech database has been created that will be published online for further reuse. Lombard speech was stimulated during recordings by presenting the overall 8 German native speakers (5 male, 3 female) with three different noise conditions via headphones, causing different degrees of the typical raised voice volume and specifically stressed speech (pitch, timing, timbre). The noise stimulus used during recordings is an artificially created babble speech consisting of multiple overlaid speech recordings, and is characterized by a good compromise between stationarity and naturalness. Due to the applied headphone presentation, the speech recordings do not include the noise stimuli, and may be mixed with different types of noises in the post-processing phase. Such a material can be used for a variety of subjective and instrumental tests addressing speech in noisy conditions.