Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory Action of the Phosphatase Inhibitor Cantharidin on the Endothelin‐1‐Induced and the Carbachol‐Induced Negative Inotropic Effect in the Canine Ventricular Myocardium

Summary: In the canine ventricular myocardium, endothelin‐1 and the muscarinic agonist carbachol scarcely affect the basal force of contraction but do induce a pronounced negative inotropic effect in the presence of &bgr;‐adrenoceptor agonists. Experiments were performed to examine whether the protein phosphatase inhibitor cantharidin inhibits the negative inotropic effect induced by endothelin‐1 and carbachol in isolated canine ventricular trabeculae. In the presence of 100 nM norepinephrine, endothelin‐1 (10 nM) and carbachol (30 nM) decreased the norepinephrineinduced positive inotropic effect to about 40% of the norepinephrine‐ induced maximal response. Cantharidin at 10 &mgr;M affected neither the basal force of contraction nor the positive inotropic effect of 100 nM norepinephrine, but it did attenuate markedly the negative inotropic effect of endothelin‐1. By contrast, the negative inotropic effect of carbachol was not affected by 10 &mgr;M cantharidin. At 30 &mgr;M, cantharidin induced a positive inotropic effect and enhanced the positive inotropic effect of norepinephrine by approximately 60%. Cantharidin (30 &mgr;M) markedly attenuated the negative inotropic effect of 30 nM carbachol and partially decreased the negative inotropic effect of 100 nM carbachol. The present results indicate that the activation of phosphatase that is susceptible to cantharidin is involved in both the endothelin‐1‐ induced and the carbachol‐induced negative inotropic effect. The observation that the negative inotropic effect of endothelin‐1 is inhibited by cantharidin at 10 &mgr;M and that cantharidin does not affect the negative inotropic effect of carbachol supports the view that the extent of the contribution of phosphatase activation may be higher in the endothelin‐1‐induced negative inotropic effect than in the carbachol‐induced negative inotropic effect.
L'introduction de la gestion du cycle de vie produit dans les entreprises de sous-traitance comme vecteur d'agilité opérationnelle et de maîtrise du produit

Pour faire face a un environnement en perpetuelle evolution, les entreprises doivent changer et parfois en profondeur. Ces evolutions en principe voulues et controlees se font au moyen de projets dits « d'entreprise ». Parmi les buts qu'il s'agit d'atteindre par le biais de ces projets, deux buts majeurs sont identifiables : le developpement de l'agilite operationnelle et la maitrise des produits. Dans ces travaux de these, nous nous focalisons sur le projet PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) et plus particulierement sur la mise en oeuvre du systeme d’information necessaire a la gestion du cycle de vie des produits : le systeme PLM. Ce systeme d’information coordonne tout ou partie des informations liees a la definition, a la realisation, a l’usage et au retrait des produits. Apres un etat de l’art permettant de definir de facon precise les concepts lies a la gestion du cycle de vie des produits, une methode est proposee pour definir le cahier des charges du systeme PLM. La definition de cette methode montre la necessite d’assurer la coherence entre les differents modeles du systeme PLM d’une part et entre les differentes representations du produit utilisees tout au long de son cycle de vie d’autre part. Un cadre de modelisation base sur le paradigme systemique, sur le paradigme d'ambivalence et sur des concepts de metamodelisation est alors propose. Ce cadre de modelisation apporte des elements de reponse aux besoins de coherence identifies. Il supporte egalement l'adoption du raisonnement synergique indispensable au developpement de l'agilite operationnelle recherchee par l’entreprise. Une experimentation est realisee pour illustrer les concepts introduits dans notre cadre de modelisation.
Holistic segmentation of the lung in cine MRI

Abstract. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a childhood-onset neuromuscular disease that results in the degeneration of muscle, starting in the extremities, before progressing to more vital areas, such as the lungs. Respiratory failure and pneumonia due to respiratory muscle weakness lead to hospitalization and early mortality. However, tracking the disease in this region can be difficult, as current methods are based on breathing tests and are incapable of distinguishing between muscle involvements. Cine MRI scans give insight into respiratory muscle movements, but the images suffer due to low spatial resolution and poor signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, a robust lung segmentation method is required for accurate analysis of the lung and respiratory muscle movement. We deployed a deep learning approach that utilizes sequence-specific prior information to assist the segmentation of lung in cine MRI. More specifically, we adopt a holistically nested network to conduct image-to-image holistic training and prediction. One frame of the cine MRI is used in the training and applied to the remainder of the sequence (>200 frames). We applied this method to cine MRIs of the lung in the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes. Characteristic lung motion patterns during the breathing cycle were then derived from the segmentations and used for diagnosis. Our data set consisted of 31 young boys, age 9.6±2.3 years, 15 of whom suffered from DMD. The remaining 16 subjects were age-matched healthy volunteers. For validation, slices from inspiratory and expiratory cycles were manually segmented and compared with results obtained from our method. The Dice similarity coefficient for the deep learning-based method was 97.2±1.3 for the sagittal view, 96.1±3.8 for the axial view, and 96.6±1.7 for the coronal view. The holistic neural network approach was compared with an approach using Demon’s registration and showed superior performance. These results suggest that the deep learning-based method reliably and accurately segments the lung across the breathing cycle.
Adenosine receptor A2A-R contributes to motoneuron survival by transactivating the tyrosine kinase receptor TrkB

Neurotrophins are potent survival factors for developing and injured neurons. However, they are not being used to treat neurodegenerative diseases because of difficulties in administration and numerous side effects that have been encountered in previous clinical trials. Their biological activities use Trk (tropomyosin-related kinase) transmembrane tyrosine kinases. Therefore, one alternative approach is to use transactivation pathways such as adenosine 2A receptor agonists, which can activate Trk receptor signaling independent of neurotrophin binding. However, the relevance in vivo and applicability of these transactivation events during neurodegenerative and injury conditions have never been extensively studied. Here we demonstrate that motoneuron survival after facial nerve lesioning is significantly enhanced by transactivation of Trk receptor tyrosine kinases by adenosine agonists. Moreover, survival of motoneurons directly required the activation of the BDNF receptor TrkB and an increase in Akt (AKT8 virus oncogene cellular homolog) activity. The ability of small molecules to activate a trophic response by using Trk signaling provides a unique mechanism to promote survival signals in motoneurons and suggests new strategies for using transactivation in neurodegenerative diseases.
Planted forest health: The need for a global strategy

Several key tree genera are used in planted forests worldwide, and these represent valuable global resources. Planted forests are increasingly threatened by insects and microbial pathogens, which are introduced accidentally and/or have adapted to new host trees. Globalization has hastened tree pest emergence, despite a growing awareness of the problem, improved understanding of the costs, and an increased focus on the importance of quarantine. To protect the value and potential of planted forests, innovative solutions and a better-coordinated global approach are needed. Mitigation strategies that are effective only in wealthy countries fail to contain invasions elsewhere in the world, ultimately leading to global impacts. Solutions to forest pest problems in the future should mainly focus on integrating management approaches globally, rather than single-country strategies. A global strategy to manage pest issues is vitally important and urgently needed.
SARFID: A phase-based localization technique for UHF RFID tags moving along arbitrary trajectories

This paper addresses the validation of a localization technique for UHF-RFID tags, which is based on a synthetic-array radar principle. Differently from previous papers where rectilinear trajectories have been assumed, here the accuracy and effectiveness of the above low-cost RFID-based localization technique are studied for more complex non-rectilinear trajectories. As an example, results are shown for a tag applied to a wheel of cars, railway vehicles, bikes, or to a rotating part of a mechanical system.
A comparison of the clinical usefulness of neck circumference and waist circumference in individuals with severe obesity

ABSTRACT Purpose/Aim: Neck circumference (NC) is an emerging anthropometric parameter that has been proposed to reflect metabolic health. The aim of the current study was to compare its clinical usefulness to waist circumference (WC) in the assessment of individuals with severe obesity. Materials and methods: A total of 255 subjects participated in the study. All anthropometric measurements were done by a single medical professional. Biochemical measurements included oral glucose-tolerance tests (OGTTs), fasting insulin, lipids, and hepatic enzymes. Results: The mean age of the participants was 49 ± 12 years with the mean body mass index (BMI) of 36.9 ± 6.2 kg/m2. Correlation analyses revealed that while WC was better associated with adiposity parameters, it was of little use in comparison to NC with regard to metabolic outcomes. In men, NC was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, FINDRISC scores. ROC analyses showed NC was better in distinguishing type 2 diabetes (AUC = 0.758; p < 0.001), insulin resistance (AUC = 0.757; p = 0.001), metabolic syndrome (AUC = 0.724; p < 0.001), and hypertension (AUC = 0.763; p = 0.001). Similar correlations were observed in women. Using binary logistic regression, we determined that a NC of ≥35 cm in women and ≥38 cm in men are valuable cut-off values to use in the everyday practice. Conclusion: In individuals with severe obesity, NC performs better than WC in the assessment of metabolic health.
Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus strains from Romania.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS A high seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection has been reported in Romania, with limited data on the viral subtypes' distribution. In order to detect any changes in the genetic composition of the epidemic, a survey on the recent profile of circulating HCV genotypes was conducted. METHODS 241 hepatitis C infected patients with active viral replication diagnosed between September 2004 - October 2008 were included in a retrospective study. Genotyping using commercial Line Probe Assay (Innogenetics) was confirmed by sequencing of Core PCR products followed by phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS HCV subtype 1b was found in 92.6% of the samples, subtype 1a in 5.4 % of the samples, subtype 4a in 1.2%, and subtype 3a in 0.8% of the samples. Chronic hepatitis C infections with subtype 1b were found in women aged 40-60 years old with a history of blood transfusions received during surgical/obstetrical interventions. No geographical clustering was evident for HCV 1b sequences. The new emerging non-1b genotypes were detected mainly in younger patients with a history of intravenous drug use. The genetic distances among the HCV 1a strains are very homogeneous and small, with a high sequence identity with other European strains, suggesting the recent entrance of this subtype in Romania from singular or limited sources of infection. CONCLUSION The introduction of new HCV genotypes in Romania stimulates a continuous epidemiological surveillance, suggesting shifts in the transmission pathways and risk factors, with the possible emergence of recombinant strains in patients with multiple infections.
Designing Improvement of Procurement Business Process Reengineering Approach : A Study Case of Insurance Company

Streamlining procurement process is one of the strategies to reduce cost of a company, especially in the insurance industry. This research aims to propose design improvement of procurement process in insurance company by implementing Business Process Reengineering (BPR) method. Data collection regarding procurement process was collected in one of life insurance company in Indonesia. This research uses BPR method which consist of three steps namely mapping as-is process, analyze as-is process, and modeling to-be process. Mapping as-is process using iGrafx standard Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN). Analyze as-is process by its process time to indicate problems. Modeling process to-be by using BPR best practices that will be prioritized using AHP method and selected using pareto analysis. Scenarios for to-be process then created based on the selected best practices, that will be inputed into the simulation model iGrafx standard BPMN. This research produces three scenarios of to-be process for procurement in Indonesian insurance company that reduce 35-76% of the process time compared to as-is process.
Rôle de la clathrine dans la formation des lamellipodes

Le complexe Scar/WAVE genere la formation des lamellipodes par l'intermediaire du complexe Arp2/3 responsable de la polymerisation de reseaux d'actine branches. Dans le but d'identifier de nouveaux regulateurs du complexe Scar/WAVE, nous avons conduit un crible en cellules de Drosophiles combinant une approche proteomique a une approche de genomique fonctionnelle. La chaine lourde de la clathrine a ete identifiee au cours de ce crible comme une proteine interagissant avec le complexe Scar/WAVE et dont la depletion affecte la formation des lamellipodes. Ce role de la clathrine dans la formation des lamellipodes peut etre decouple de son role classique dans le transport vesiculaire en utilisant differentes approches. De plus, la clathrine est localisee au lamellipode en l'absence d'adapteurs et des proteines accessoires de l'endocytose. La surexpression de la clathrine affecte le recrutement membranaire du complexe WAVE reduisant ainsi la velocite des protrusions membranaire et la migration cellulaire. Par opposition, lorsque la clathrine est envoyee artificiellement a la membrane plasmique par une fusion a une sequence myristoylee, on observe une augmentation du recrutement membranaire du complexe Scar/WAVE, de la velocite des protrusions membranaires et de la migration cellulaire. L'ensemble de ces resultats montrent que la clathrine envoie le complexe Scar/WAVE a la membrane plasmique et donc controle la formation des lamellipodes en plus de son role plus classique dans le traffic membranaire.
Inhibited spontaneous emission in solid-state physics and electronics.

It has been recognized for some time that the spontaneous emission by atoms is not necessarily a fixed and immutable property of the coupling between matter and space, but that it can be controlled by modification of the properties of the radiation field. This is equally true in the solid state, where spontaneous emission plays a fundamental role in limiting the performance of semiconductor lasers, heterojunction bipolar transistors, and solar cells. If a three-dimensionally periodic dielectric structure has an electromagnetic band gap which overlaps the electronic band edge, then spontaneous emission can be rigorously forbidden.
Company Area Within Effectiveness of Accounting Information System

This study was about to test and gather the empirical proof about the impact of support from top management, personal ability, AIS formalization development, training, user involvement, and the use of technology to the effectiveness of accounting information system in the mini market of Singaraja city. This study used primary data as the source of data in which the data was quantitative data which was collected by using questionnaire by the staff of the mini market. The data were analyzed by using multiple regression approach. The result showed that the support of top management, personal ability, training, user involvement and the use of technology had positive significant on the effectiveness of accounting information system, then the AIS formalization development had no impact on the effectiveness of accounting information system.
Hanging suicides in northern Finland: A descriptive epidemiological study

ABSTRACT The authors examined all hanging-suicides during 1988–2013 (N = 851) in the province of Oulu, northern Finland. Using death-certificate data and ICD-diagnoses from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, we focused on gender differences in suicide, mental health, and somatic health. Male victims were more likely to have intoxication or problematic alcohol use; female victims were more likely to have somatic or mental hospitalization. Previous physical or mental hospitalization was related with absence of intoxication at the time of suicide. Suicide prevention should focus on acute alcohol abuse in the presence of acute stressors, suicidal thoughts and mental illness.
Analysis of the Impact of New Fixed Asset Investment on Total Factor Productivity in Information Industry of China

This paper selects the provincial panel data from 2006 to 2015, uses DEA-Malmquist method to measure China's total factor productivity, and then makes an empirical analysis with investment of the whole society in new fixed assets in information transmission, computer services and software industry. This paper finds that new fixed assets in information transmission, computer services and software industry have a significant role in promoting China's total factor productivity, which belongs to the technology progress-driven type and has a "time-lag" effect.
Carbonic anhydrase IX

Cell migration can be principally viewed as a chain of well-orchestrated morphological events that lead to dynamic reshaping of the cell body. However, behind the scene of such a “morphological theater” there are very complex, interrelated molecular and physiological processes that drive the cell movement. Among them, ion transport and pH regulation play a key role, with carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) emerging as one of the important “molecular actors. ” CA IX is a highly active cell surface enzyme expressed in a broad range of solid tumors in response to hypoxia and explored as a clinically useful biomarker of hypoxia and as a therapeutic target. Its biological role is to protect tumor cells from hypoxia and acidosis in the tumor microenvironment. The study published recently by our group showed that CA IX actively contributes to cell migration and invasion. For the first time, we demonstrated CA IX accumulation in lamellipodia of migrating cells and its direct in situ interaction with bicarbonate transporters. Our findings indicate that tumor cells need CA IX not only as a pro-survival factor in hypoxia and acidosis, but also as a pro-migratory component of the cellular apparatus driving epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
Differentiation Prevents Assessment of Neural Stem Cell Pluripotency after Blastocyst Injection

Earlier studies reported that neural stem (NS) cells injected into blastocysts appeared to be pluripotent, differentiating into cells of all three germ layers. In this study, we followed in vitro green fluorescent protein (GFP)–labeled NS and embryonic stem (ES) cells injected into blastocysts. Forty‐eight hours after injection, significantly fewer blastocysts contained GFP‐NS cells than GFP‐ES cells. By 96 hours, very few GFP‐NS cells remained in blastocysts compared with ES cells. Moreover, 48 hours after injection, GFP‐NS cells in blastocysts extended long cellular processes, ceased expressing the NS cell marker nestin, and instead expressed the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein. GFP‐ES cells in blastocysts remained morphologically undifferentiated, continuing to express the pluripotent marker stage‐specific embryonic antigen‐1. Selecting cells from the NS cell population that preferentially formed neurospheres for injection into blastocysts resulted in identical results. Consistent with this in vitro behavior, none of almost 80 mice resulting from NS cell–injected blastocysts replaced into recipient mothers were chimeric. These results strongly support the idea that NS cells cannot participate in chimera formation because of their rapid differentiation into glia‐like cells. Thus, these results raise doubts concerning the pluripotency properties of NS cells.
Determinants of Intellectual Capital: A Study of SME's Batik in Central Java

The objective of this study is to explore the intellectual capital establishing factors especially for SME's. Intellectual capital constitutes intangible asset that will add the value of the company to achieve competitive excellence. Quantitative data analysis derives from the survey towards 87 middle range manages using jugdment sampling technique. The data was analysed using cronbach's alpha test to measure the reliability; exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with VARIMAX rotation were applied to measure factor analysis. Research location took place at two largest clusters of Batik Industry in Central Java that are Pekalongan and Laweyan-Surakarta city. The result shows that SME's batik in Central Java has an intangible asset. The factors of intellectual capital on batik SME's consists of the human capital, structural and relational capital.
Occupational stress and assertiveness in administrative and production workers

Occupational stress is the most common and most important type of stress people are exposed to in modern society. The nature of the working process itself is transformed almost on a daily basis, which affects the physiological condition of nearly all workers. This is why it is becoming increasingly important to investigate the relationship dynamics between man's capacity to overcome stress, including the occupational kind, on the one hand, and the capacity to possess optimal communication skills, such as assertiveness, on the other. This relationship is particularly at risk in work organizations in transitional social systems, like the Serbian one over the past ten years. The basic goal of this research was to determine the existence and the differences in the proneness to stress, the level of occupational stress and assertiveness between administrative workers and production workers employed in the Factory of Copper Pipes in Majdanpek. The group of administrative workers consisted of 50 workers and it was compared with the same number of workers employed in the production process, bearing in mind the differences in gender, and the length of employment. The results confirmed the expectation that there would be differences between these two groups of employees on the basis of the examined variables, as well as that work experience represents a statistically significant factor in professional stress.
Maternal prepregnancy body mass index and psychomotor development in children

Background. In a prospective study, the association between maternal nutritional status and psychomotor development of low‐income African–American children was evaluated. We hypothesized that low maternal body mass index (BMI) would predict worse neurodevelopmental status in children, while higher maternal BMIs would be associated with better neurodevelopmental outcomes.
A fully integrated solar battery charger

This paper presents a solar charger ASIC for Nickel-based (NiCd or NiMH) batteries. The system is fully integrated and no external component is needed. The ASIC includes a voltage reference, a low-impedance switch, an oscillator, a power-on reset, and a digital control block. The circuit is fabricated in a fully digital 0. 35μm 3.3V process. It features a low power consumption of 10μA and operates with a low power supply voltage in the 0.6V to 1.5V range.