Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitive Cytokine mRNA Expression Profiles in the Colonic Mucosa of Patients with Steroid Naïve Ulcerative Colitis During Active and Quiescent Disease

Background: Cytokines have validated roles in the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was to investigate the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐&agr;, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, and IL‐10 mRNAs in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) during active and quiescent UC. Methods: At colonoscopy, biopsies were taken from inflamed and non‐inflamed mucosa of patients with steroid‐naive UC (n = 15), non‐IBD inflammatory colitis controls (ICC, n = 6), and non‐colitis controls (NCC, n = 14). The presence of extensive mononuclear cells and neutrophils infiltrate in the lamina propria, cryptitis, and epithelial damage defined an inflammatory lesion in the mucosa. Quantitative cytokine mRNA expressions in biopsies were measured by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Of 15 UC patients, 3 remitted with 5‐aminosalicylate and 11 received granulocytapheresis; of these, 10 remitted. At baseline, IL‐6, IL‐8, TNF‐&agr;, and IL‐10 mRNAs were high in inflamed mucosa compared with NCC (P < 0.01). In active UC, IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐10 mRNAs were high compared with non‐inflamed mucosa (P = 0.03, P = 0.03, P < 0.05, respectively). Both TNF‐&agr; mRNA (P = 0.03) and IL‐6 mRNA (P = 0.04) were higher in UC compared with ICC. Even in non‐inflamed mucosa, IL‐8 and TNF‐&agr; mRNA expressions were high compared with NCC. Both IL‐6 and IL‐8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels after granulocytapheresis. Conclusions: During active UC, all 4 cytokine mRNA levels were high; only IL‐6 and IL‐8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels during remission. IL‐8 mRNA was high even at sites of endoscopically quiescent UC during active disease. Steroid naïve patients respond well to granulocytapheresis.
Human Islet Oxygen Consumption Rate and DNA Measurements Predict Diabetes Reversal in Nude Mice

There is a need for simple, quantitative and prospective assays for islet quality assessment that are predictive of islet transplantation outcome. The current state‐of‐the‐art athymic nude mouse bioassay is costly, technically challenging and retrospective. In this study, we report on the ability of 2 parameters characterizing human islet quality: (1) oxygen consumption rate (OCR), a measure of viable volume; and (2) OCR/DNA, a measure of fractional viability, to predict diabetes reversal in nude mice. Results demonstrate that the probability for diabetes reversal increases as the graft's OCR/DNA and total OCR increase. For a given transplanted OCR dose, diabetes reversal is strongly dependent on OCR/DNA. The OCR and OCR/DNA (the ‘OCR test’) data exhibit 89% sensitivity and 77% specificity in predicting diabetes reversal in nude mice (n = 86). We conclude that the prospective OCR test can effectively replace the retrospective athymic nude mouse bioassay in assessing human islet quality prior to islet transplantation.
The use of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) and Crowdsourcing in Disaster Management: a Systematic Literature Review

The number of crisis events around the world has been increasing in the last years and suggests there is a real need to make communities more resilient to them. In addition to providing conventional authoritative data, ordinary citizens and residents in the affected areas are also voluntarily supplying information about the affected areas, in what has been called Crowdsourced or Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI). This paper conducts a Systemic Literature Review aimed at assessing the current state of research in the use of VGI as a source of information to aid the management of disasters. The results suggest there is an increasing body of knowledge of VGI and the way it can improve disaster management. It also reveals gaps in the use of VGI in the research areas of ‘preparedness’ and ‘recovery’, as well as the need for more robust case studies and experimental research to support this promising field.
Revenue and Valuation of Companies with Digital Platform Business Models

Abstract Multisided, digital platforms attract considerable attention in business and academic circles. Seven out of the ten most valuable companies in the world derive much of their value from multisided platforms. The problem of defining and measuring value remains a major challenge in management literature. In this paper I analyze the relationship between the sales (revenue) and market capitalization of companies with digital platform business models. Data was used from a sample of 19 companies that used platform business models in 2017. To assess the correlation, Pearson correlation coefficient was applied. The results indicate that there was a significant positive relationship between revenue and market capitalization in 2017. This suggests that revenue may be used as the main variable in the valuation of companies using platform business models. The results point to future research problems that may be addressed using casebased methodology.
ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ACTIVITY OF THE PECTORALIS MAJOR AND ANTERIOR DELTOID MUSCLES DURING THREE UPPER‐BODY LIFTS

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in activation levels and times of activation for the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid when performing the concentric phase of 3 upper-body lifts. Twelve college-age men and women with various degrees of lifting experience performed 3 repetitions using the 6 repetition maximum in a barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press, and dumbbell fly while being monitored for electromyographic activity in both muscles. Motor unit activation of both muscles was not significantly different during all 3 lifts. However, dumbbell flys had significantly less relative time of activation than did barbell or dumbbell bench presses. Therefore, dumbbell flys may be better suited as an auxiliary lift, whereas barbell and dumbbell bench presses may be used interchangeably in training programs. The compatibility of the barbell and dumbbell bench presses may aid lifters in overcoming training plateaus by alternating exercises for the same muscle groups.
Airway management in pediatric patients using the Glidescope Cobalt®: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND Video laryngoscopes are claimed to improve airway management. Several studies showed an equal or better glottic view using the Glidescope® compared with direct laryngoscopy in adults and in paediatric patients. Many case reports also described successful intubation in patients with a difficult airway. The Glidescope Cobalt® is a modified Glidescope® with a disposable sheath. Data on clinical application in paediatric patients is insufficient. METHODS Twenty-four pediatric patients with a mean age of 27 months [range, 1-142] undergoing general anesthesia were included into this feasibility study. Cormack and Lehane grade was evaluated using a Macintosh blade. Tracheal intubation was performed using the Glidescope Cobalt®. Number of attempts, time to intubation, Cormack and Lehane (C&L) grade and a subjective score were noted for both a resident and an attending anesthesiologist. RESULTS With the Glidescope Cobalt® the C&L grade improved in all patients with grade 2 or 3 to 1 and deteriorated in one case from C&L grade 1 to 2. The C&L grade remained unchanged in 15 patients (62.5%). C&L grades between resident and attending anesthesiologist were equal. Tracheal intubation was successful in 92% with a stylet-armed tube and in 8% using an unarmed tube with a Magill forceps, respectively. Time to intubation was median 50.5 [range, 22-93] seconds. CONCLUSION The Glidescope Cobalt® presented suitable for use in children. C&L grade was significantly improved in all patients with a C&L grade of 2 or 3. Especially for educational purposes in pediatric anesthesia it provides a good view for all participants.
Is the 2009 FIGO staging system really valuable for stage I endometrial cancer?

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare the survival predictive values of the 1988 and 2009 FIGO staging systems for the staging of patients with early-stage endometrioid type endometrial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred twenty-four patients treated for endometrial cancer from 1996 to 2006 at Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital were staged according to the two staging systems. Early-stage patients with a histological diagnosis of endometrioid adenocarcinoma were included in the study. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS The charts of 224 patients treated for endometrial cancer were retrospectively evaluated. The five-year overall survival (OS) for Stage IA and IB cases was 100% (n = 19) and 96.2% (n = 79), respectively, with no significant difference between the OS values (p = 0.126) with the FIGO 1988 system and 96,4% (n = 112) and 87.5% (n = 48), respectively with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.05) with the FIGO 2009 system. CONCLUSION The authors found that the survival prognostic value of the 2009 FIGO staging system was more effective than the 1988 FIGO staging system for cases with early-stage endometrioid type endometrial cancer.
A Preliminary Evaluation of the Determinants of Certification Success in MOOCs: A Multi-level Study

In this paper, we investigate the determinants of certification success in massive open online courses (MOOCs) using multi-level modeling. Our model includes individual student level characteristics as well as country-level infrastructure, economy and culture-related variables. In our complete model, which contains both developing and developed countries, we observe that two country-level variables; internet bandwidth and Hofstede’s uncertainty avoidance cultural dimension are positively associated with the probability of getting certified in MOOC environment. We also observe that age, gender, education level and the institution attended are significantly associated with the probability of getting certified in MOOC environment. Furthermore, our study reveals that the determinants of certification vary between developing and developed countries.
Performance improvement by making holes of Interior permanent magnet synchronous motor

This paper discusses a study on Interior permanent magnet synchronous motor(IPMSM) which has high power density. The focus is placed on applications where the centrifugal forces due to high-speed operation are the major mechanically limiting design factor. In order to improve efficiency performance of IPMSM, this paper presents a study by making hole around barrier. The suitable hole disperses rib stress that is concentrated by the centrifugal force. And the use of hole can be reduced rib thickness of IPM rotor and it can help reduction of the PM[Permanent Magnet] leakage flux. And saliency ratio can be also increased. For this study, structure analysis of rotor is performed by finite element method (FEM). And electromagnetic parameters of the improved IPMSM are calculated by using the equivalent circuit method (ECM) and finite element method (FEM). And characteristic analysis is performed and we confirm that efficiency is improved. This example presents that it is possible to significantly improve the rotor's structural integrity and motor efficiency using the techniques described in this paper.
Metaphor and knowledge

Part 1 Mataphor and truth: metaphor and cognition, A.C. Danto truth and metaphor, D.E. Cooper models, metaphors and truth, M.B. Hesse metaphor and truth - a liberal approach, J.J.A. Mooij poetry, knowledge and metaphor, S.R. Levin on the way to conceptual and perceptual knowledge, K. Lorenz. Part 2 The uses of metaphor: metaphor and painting, R. Wollheim the confused God - about a metaphor in literary semiotics, S. Briosi economics and language, J. Pen metaphor in 19th-century medicine, M.L. Barbera metaphor in political theory, F.R. Ankersmit.
Interaction Model of Superior Performance Based on Technological Resources and Competitive Actions in the Nascent Cycle of the Tablet Industry

Drawing on and integrating the resource-based view (RBV) and competitive dynamics literature, this study developed an interaction model to explore competitive contests by investigating how the interaction between technologically heterogeneous resources and competitive actions affects performance in the nascent market. The proposed model was examined using structured content analysis and data extracted from more than 3,200 news articles regarding the interfirm rivalry between Google and Apple in the table industry. The findings, first, indicate that in nascent markets, aggressive competitive action can exert a negative effect on firm performance. Second, this paper presents empirical evidence supporting the RBV through testing how the technological resource heterogeneity of these firms contributed to their performance (in terms of technological value and technological rarity). Finally, we found that technological resource heterogeneity mitigates the potentially negative effects of aggressive competitive action on the performance of high-technology firms during the nascent cycle.
In vivo expansion of LMP 1- and 2-specific T-cells in a patient who received donor-derived EBV-specific T-cells after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Immunotherapy approaches with antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) have provided safe and effective prophylaxis and treatment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphomas arising after bone marrow transplantation. EBV is also associated with other malignancies including ∼40% of cases of Hodgkin's disease, making this tumor another potential target for EBV-targeted immunotherapy. This study describes a patient with multiple relapsed EBV positive Hodgkin's Disease who received both autologous and allogeneic EBV CTL lines. After multiple chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy regimens including two autologous stem cell transplants, he received two doses of gene-marked autologous EBV-specific CTL which resulted in disease stabilization for 6 months. The gene-marked EBV-CTL persisted for 12 months in the peripheral blood after which he proceeded to unrelated donor stem cell transplant followed by immunotherapy with donor-derived EBV-specific CTL. Despite low levels of donor chimerism, the patient remains in complete remission 5 years post-allogeneic SCT. Comparison of the autologous and the donor-derived CTL lines showed that the donor line had specificity for two tumor-associated EBV antigens, latent membrane protein (LMP)1 and 2 compared to the autologous line, which only had specificity for LMP2 epitopes. Following infusion of the donor-derived CTL, functional analyses showed that T-cells reactive with both LMP1 and LMP2 epitopes expanded in the peripheral blood, suggesting that strategies to increase their frequency may result in a broader cytotoxic response against EBV+ Hodgkin tumors.
Bank affiliated directors and earnings management: Evidence from India

We examine the governing impact of creditors, i.e. Bank Appointed Directors (BAD), on the earnings management of corporate firms in a context which is characterized by underdeveloped financial institutions, a weak legal (contract) enforcement system and lack of insolvency resolution framework, i.e. India. Unlike the US, where BADs play a limited monitoring role, BADs in India play an active role in firm monitoring and thus have a negative impact on the discretionary accruals. Further, we document that the impact is greater for firms with a greater degree of information asymmetry and the agency problem. These results remain robust even after controlling for potential endogeneity issue.
Intégration de la construction de la terminologie de domaines spécialisés dans un processus global de fouille de textes

L'extraction d'information a partir de textes specialises exige l'application d'un processus complet de fouille de textes. Une des etapes de ce processus consiste a extraire les termes dans les textes. Les termes sont definis comme des groupes de mots representant des traces linguistiques de concepts. Le terme « data mining » evoque, par exemple, le concept de « technique informatique ». La tâche d'acquisition de la terminologie consiste, dans un premier temps, a extraire les mots voisins verifiant des patrons syntaxiques simples tels que Nom-Nom, Adjectif-Nom, etc. Une des specificites de notre algorithme est son aspect iteratif utilise pour construire des termes complexes. Par exemple, si lors de la premiere iteration le terme « data mining » de type Nom-Nom est extrait, a l'etape suivante le terme « data-mining application » peut etre obtenu. De plus, avec EXIT (EXtraction Iterative de la Terminologie) l'expert est place au centre du processus d'extraction de la terminologie et il peut intervenir tout au long du processus. Outre l'aspect iteratif du systeme mis en place, de nombreux parametres ont ete ajoutes. Un des parametres permet d'utiliser differents criteres statistiques pour classer les termes selon leur pertinence par rapport a une tâche a realiser. Notre approche a ete validee a partir de quatre corpus de langues, de tailles et de domaines de specialite differents. Enfin, une methode fondee sur un processus d'apprentissage supervise est proposee afin d'ameliorer la qualite de la terminologie extraite.
Selection of Resistance to Clarithromycin in Mycobacterium abscessus Subspecies

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium abscessus is an emerging pathogen against which clarithromycin is the main drug used. Clinical failures are commonly observed and were first attributed to acquired mutations in rrl encoding 23S rRNA but were then attributed to the intrinsic production of the erm(41) 23S RNA methylase. Since strains of M. abscessus were recently distributed into subspecies and erm(41) sequevars, we investigated acquired clarithromycin resistance mechanisms in mutants selected in vitro from four representative strains. Mutants were sequenced for rrl, erm(41), whiB, rpIV, and rplD and studied for seven antibiotic MICs. For mutants obtained from strain M. abscessus subsp. abscessuserm(41) T28 sequevar and strain M. abscessus subsp. bolletii, which are both known to produce effective methylase, rrl was mutated in only 19% (4/21) and 32.5% (13/40) of mutants, respectively, at position 2058 (A2058C, A2058G) or position 2059 (A2059C, A2059G). No mutations were observed in any of the other genes studied, and resistance to other antibiotics (amikacin, cefoxitin, imipenem, tigecycline, linezolid, and ciprofloxacin) was mainly unchanged. For M. abscessus subsp. abscessuserm(41) C28 sequevar and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense, not producing effective methylase, 100% (26/26) and 97.5% (39/40) of mutants had rrl mutations at position 2058 (A2058C, A2058G, A2058T) or position 2059 (A2059C, A2059G). The remaining M. abscessus subsp. massiliense mutant showed an 18-bp repeat insertion in rpIV, encoding the L22 protein. Our results showed that acquisition of clarithromycin resistance is 100% mediated by structural 50S ribosomal subunit mutations for M. abscessus subsp. abscessuserm(41) C28 and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense, whereas it is less common for M. abscessus subsp. abscessuserm(41) T28 sequevar and M. abscessus subsp. bolletii, where other mechanisms may be responsible for failure.
Visual distraction and visuo‐spatial memory: A sandwich effect

The functional characteristics of visuo‐spatial serial memory and its sensitivity to irrelevant visual information are examined in the present study, through the investigation of the sandwich effect (e.g., Hitch, 1975). The memory task was one of serial recall for the position of a sequence of seven spatially and temporally separated dots. The presence of irrelevant dots interpolated with to‐be‐remembered dots affected performance over most serial positions (Experiment 1) but that effect was significantly reduced when the interpolated dots were distinct from the to‐be‐remembered dots by colour and shape (Experiment 2). Parallels are made between verbal and spatial serial memory, and the reduction of the sandwich effect is discussed in terms of the contribution of perceptual organisation and attentional factors in short‐term memory.
Competitiveness in the Tourism Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis

The tourism sector particularly stands out for its sheer capacity to expand as displayed worldwide to a greater or lesser extent and commonly performing a relevant role both as a tool for competitiveness and a driver of regional development. This theme has correspondingly attracted a great deal of interest from many scientists, and there has been exponential growth in research on the area. Hence, the objectives of this present study include the mapping of the intellectual structure of research on “Tourism & Competitiveness” as conveyed by the academic literature, identifying the fundamental contributions of research on the field, determining those lines of research that constitute its intellectual structure and identifying those scientific journals with the greatest impact. To this end, we carried out bibliometric analysis of the “Tourism & Competitiveness” concept in order to ascertain the research undertaken and, among other results, highlighting the identification of three clusters of distinctive core themes to this field of knowledge.
Contribution a la modelisation et a la commande de robots mobiles a roues

Cette these adresse le probleme suivant: soit un robot mobile a roues equipe de capteurs, supposes parfaits, renvoyant en temps reel sa localisation. Notre objectif est de construire des lois de commande permettant a ce systeme de se deplacer de facon autonome. Nous avons dans un premier temps suppose que les roues roulent sans glisser sur le sol. Ceci est realiste a vitesse moderee et sur des terrains de bonne adherence. Les possibilites d'evolution des robots etant alors contraintes, ces systemes sont clairement non-holonomes. Leur modelisation est detaillee. Elle montre que, dans l'optique de la synthese de lois de commande, l'ensemble des robots mobiles a roues constitue 5 classes d'equivalence. La poursuite d'une trajectoire mobile et la stabilisation sur une configuration de repos sont, pour les systemes non-holonomes, 2 problemes distincts. Les solutions classiques peuvent etre utilisees pour 4 classes de robots. Celle regroupant les robots equipes de plusieurs roues commandees en orientation et en rotation presente une difficulte: le modele de ces systemes comporte des singularites. Nous avons construit, pour la poursuite, des lois de linearisation par bouclage d'etat dynamique, et pour la stabilisation, des lois de bouclage de l'etat et du temps, qui garantissent que ces robots ne passent pas par leurs singularites. Enfin, pour la poursuite de trajectoires mobiles se terminant par une configuration de repos, nous avons propose un schema de commande hybride exploitant ces lois. Independamment, nous avons aussi analyse le taux de convergence de bouclages de l'etat et du temps. Afin d'aborder la commande de robots a des vitesses elevees et/ou avec une mauvaise adherence, nous avons dans un second temps relache l'hypothese de non-glissement. Une seconde modelisation, exploitant la description du contact d'un pneumatique avec le sol, est proposee. Celle-ci etant indefinie a vitesse nulle, seule la poursuite d'une trajectoire mobile est envisagee. Nous avons propose des lois de linearisation partielle par bouclage d'etat statique, et un schema adaptatif afin qu'elles soient robustes pour les conditions d'adherence