Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of the Arylhydrocarbon Receptor in Lung Disease

Ubiquitous environmental contaminants such as dioxins have long been implicated in cellular toxicity, but only recently have various biological effects been linked to immune regulation. These plentiful noxious agents exert their effects through the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) recognized as a ligand-activated transcription factor. AhR activation mediates gene alteration, cell-cell adhesion interaction, cytokine expression, and mucin production, which are involved in the induction of cancer or inflammation. We have reported that human bronchial epithelial cells express AhR, and AhR activation induces mucin production through reactive oxygen species. This review discusses the role of AhR in lung disease, focusing in particular on airway epithelial cells. In addition, although it is not yet clear how the activation of AhR modifies carcinogenesis or airway inflammation, we mention a potent therapeutic target for AhR activation in the prevention/treatment of lung cancer, allergic asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Ultra Wideband loop antenna for on-body communication in Wireless Body Area Network

Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology is one of the technologies included in the IEEE 802.15. 6, which is the UWB standard targeted directly for Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN). Standard covers WBAN off-body, on-body and in-body communications and is assumed to be published in 2012. This paper presents a novel UWB loop antenna, which is targeted for the on-body communication in WBAN. The same antenna can be used as a free space antenna (off-body link) or with the optimum gap between the antenna and human body (on-body link) to reduce the harmful effects of human body tissues. In simulations, the layered human body tissue model has been used. In measurements, the impedance bandwidth (S11) of the antenna has been measured in contact with the author's body. The modeled human body tissue layers for the simulation models are chosen such that the antenna is meant to be work on the chest wall of human. The results prove this antenna to be valid to work in WBAN on-body communication with almost the same performance than in free space when the distance between the antenna and human body is at least 16 mm.
Redesign in mental healthcare : An exploratory study into the effects of redesign on multiple areas of performance in mental healthcare

Background | Improving the timely delivery of services has long been a priority in Dutch mental healthcare, yet waiting times and delays remain problematic. This case study, structured according to the SQUIRE guidelines (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence), reports on a redesign project in Dutch child and adolescent mental healthcare to improve timely delivery of services. Purposes | Goals of the project were threefold: reducing the admission waiting time, reducing delays, and maintaining a similar level of outcomes. Methodology / approach | The project was structured according to the breakthrough series. The interventions in the project had two different backgrounds: unit logistics (e.g. more efficient use of capacities) and chain logistics (e.g. creating faster processes). The goals of the project were evaluated using Statistical Process Control on anonymous registration data of 2606 care trajectories. findings | The project resulted in localized improvements, but overall results were mixed. Two out of three goals were met. First, similar levels of outcomes were maintained. Second, delays decreased as the average time between contacts dropped from 26 to 18 days. Although the introduction of care pathways and centralized screening meant that the first steps after referral were executed faster, the admission waiting time was not reduced. The main cause was a continued growth in the number of patients under treatment . As a consequence, capacity freed up by improvements needed to be used to treat these patients, instead of shortening waiting times. Practical implications | While waiting times and delays were not fully resolved, the team succeeded in improving the timely delivery of services, whilst maintaining similar outcomes. We discuss how these improvements were achieved and which additional actions are needed for further improvement: reducing the number of patients under treatment using both unitand chain logistics and developing better management information.
QlikView Your Business: An Expert Guide to Business Discovery with QlikView and Qlik Sense

Unlock the meaning of your data with QlikView The Qlik platform was designed to provide a fast and easy data analytics tool, and QlikView Your Business is your detailed, fullcolor, step-by-step guide to understanding Qlikview's powerful features and techniques so you can quickly start unlocking your data’s potential. This expert author team brings real-world insight together with practical business analytics, so you can approach, explore, and solve business intelligence problems using the robust Qlik toolset and clearly communicate your results to stakeholders using powerful visualization features in QlikView and Qlik Sense.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 5‐Nitropyrimidine‐2,4‐dione Analogues as Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide and iNOS Activity

Fifty two compounds based on 5‐nitropyrimidine‐2,4‐dione moiety have been synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory potency on the production of nitric oxide. Among them, compound 36 inhibited the production of nitric oxide (IC50: 8.6 μm) on lipopolysaccharide‐induced RAW 264.7 cells and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity (IC50: 6.2 μm), as well as exerted no potential cytotoxicity (IC50 > 80.0 μm). Docking study confirmed that compound 36 was an inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor with perfect binding to the active site of inducible nitric oxide synthase. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, oral administration of 36 possessed protective properties in carrageenan‐induced paw edema of male ICR mice.
The Knowledge Sharing Model: Stressing the Importance of Social Ties and Capital

This chapter works out a method on how information resources in organizations can be turned into a knowledge sharing (KS) information culture, which can further feed business success. This process is complicated, and the value chain can be broken in many places. In this study this process is viewed in the light of resource-based theory. A KS-model is developed where the hard information resources of time, people and computers are defined. When wisely used, these make communication a core competence for the company. As the soft information resources are added, that is the intellectual capital, KS, and willingness to learn, a knowledge sharing culture is developed, which feeds business success. This model is empirically discussed through a case study of fifteen Finnish insurance companies. The overall KS capability of a company corresponds positively to the different dimensions applied in the model. KS is an interactive process where organizations must work on both hard information resources, the basic cornerstones of any knowledge sharing, and makes constant investment into soft information resources, learning, intellectual capital and process design in order to manage their information resources effectively.
RFID and Assisted Living for the Elderly

Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) offers a potentially flexible and low cost method of locating objects and tracking people within buildings. RFID systems generally require less infrastructure to be installed than other solutions but have their own limitations. As part of an assisted living system, RFID tools may be useful to locate lost objects, support blind and partially sighted people with daily living activities, and assist in the rehabilitation of adults with acquired brain injury. This chapter outlines the requirements and the role of RFID in assisting people in these three areas. The development of a prototype RFID home support tool is described and some of the issues and challenges raised are discussed. The system is designed to support assisted living for elderly and infirm people in a simple, usable and extensible way in particular for supporting the finding and identification of commonly used and lost objects such as spectacles. This approach can also be used to extend the tagged domain to commonly visited areas, and provide support for the analysis of common activities, and rehabilitation.
LOST IN TIME AND SPACE: THE DETERRENCE EFFECT OF CARTEL BUSTS ON THE RETAIL GASOLINE MARKET

In this paper we intend to focus on the preventive goal of anti-cartel policy. We investigate if cartel busts have an effect on prices, price margins and price variance in the future knowing that a typical feature of cartel behavior is to increase prices and margins, as well as to reduce price variance. We do that looking for the Brazilian case which we believe is particularly apt to study this research question. Our results indicate that immediately after a cartel bust, price levels and price margins drop for the municipality where the collusion took place as well as for the markets that are somehow closer related to it (here expressed by the cities in the same State as the municipality where the cartel operated). The results for price variance, nonetheless, are inconclusive since we don’t identify a difference in the coefficient of variance between the markets during the cartel operation. Still these changes are largely neutralized after a few weeks in the market as a whole, although there seem to be a long lasting reverse to the mean for the collusive and the nearby markets, that is, they seem to obey the market rule after the breakdown of the cartel. Key-words: cartel bust, deterrence effect, retail gasoline stations. RESUMO. Neste trabalho tem como objetivo o analisar o efeito preventivo da política anti-cartel. Investigamos se rupturas do cartel têm efeito sobre os níveis de preços, as margens e variâncias de preços no futuro, sabendo que uma característica típica do comportamento de cartel é aumentar preços e margens, bem como reduzir a variação de preços. Nós fazemos isso olhando para o caso brasileiro que acreditamos ser particularmente apto a estudar esta questão. Nossos resultados indicam que, imediatamente após a ruptura de um cartel, os níveis e as margens de preços caem para o município em que houve a colusão, bem como para os mercados que estão de alguma forma relacionados mais proximamente a eles (aqui expressos pelas cidades pertencentes ao mesmo Estado em houve o funcionamento do cartel). Os resultados para variância de preço, no entanto, não são conclusivos, uma vez que não identificam a diferença no coeficiente de variação entre os mercados durante a operação de cartel. Ainda assim essas mudanças são em grande parte neutralizadas no mercado como um todo depois de algumas semanas seguidas a ruptura, embora pareça ter havido uma inversão à média que se manteve nos municípios onde houve o conluio e os mercados próximos a eles, isto é, eles parecem obedecer a regra de mercado após o colapso do cartel. Palavras-chave: ruptura do cartel, efeito dissuasão, postos de combustíveis. JEL: L41, L44 and L81. Área 9 Economia Industrial e da Teconologia
Epibolin: a protein of human plasma that supports epithelial cell movement.

Earlier studies suggested that there is a specific activity in mammalian serum and plasma that supports epidermal (epithelial) cell movement. This activity was shown to be nondialyzable and heat labile. In the studies reported here, using standard biochemical procedures--i.e., ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography, isoelectric precipitation, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis--we have purified a factor from human plasma that supports epidermal cell movement. The factor travels as an apparent single band on disc gel electrophoresis and corresponds to a glycosylated single-chain protein of approximately 65,000 +/- 3,000 daltons. The purified fraction is necessary and sufficient for dissociated epidermal cells, (ii) outgrowth of epithelial sheets from skin explants, and (iii) epiboly, epithelial sheet movement over a floating skin explant. The purified fraction is active at a concentration of 1-2 micrograms/ml of growth medium. It is destroyed by trypsin and its activity is augmented more than 10-fold by a second, as yet unpurified, fraction of plasma. These studies support the notion that a single protein of plasma supports epidermal cell movement and that this protein may play an important role in wound closure. Because it supports epiboly, the most biologically relevant of the assays, it has been named epibolin.
Differentially Private Linear Models for Gossip Learning through Data Perturbation

Privacy is a key concern in many distributed systems that are rich in personal data such as networks of smart meters or smartphones. Decentralizing the processing of personal data in such systems is a promising first step towards achieving privacy through avoiding the collection of data altogether. However, decentralization in itself is not enough: Additional guarantees such as differential privacy are highly desirable. Here, we focus on stochastic gradient descent (SGD), a popular approach to implement distributed learning. Our goal is to design differentially private variants of SGD to be applied in gossip learning, a decentralized learning framework. Known approaches that are suitable for our scenario focus on protecting the gradient that is being computed in each iteration of SGD. This has the drawback that each data point can be accessed only a small number of times. We propose a solution in which we effectively publish the entire database in a differentially private way so that linear learners could be run that are allowed to access any (perturbed) data point any number of times. This flexibility is very useful when using the method in combination with distributed learning environments. We show empirically that the performance of the obtained model is comparable to that of previous gradient-based approaches and it is even superior in certain scenarios.
Loop-closing By Using SIFT Features for Mobile Robots

To resolve the problem of accumulative error in the real-time loop-closing of SLAM, SIFT features are used to match the visual appearance in the environment. The visually salient regions are selected from an image using Scale Saliency algorithm. Then, the SIFT features extracted from the salient regions in current image are used to match to the possible candidate features. The experiment results show the method is feasible.
Presence While Watching Movies

“Presence” is the illusion of being in a mediated experience rather than simply being an observer. It is a concept often applied to the question of realism of virtual environments. However, it is equally applicable to the act of watching a movie. A movie provides a markedly different visual environment to that given by the natural world—particularly because of frequent edits. And yet, the audience in a movie achieves high levels of presence. We investigate the relationship between presence and the optical and temporal parameters of movies. We find effects of mean shot length, colour/b&w, and 3D/2D. We find that short shots, while being unnatural, are associated with high levels of presence. We consider why such artificial stimuli should appear so real and immersive.
Induction of c‐fos mRNA Expression in Rat Striatum by Neuroleptic Drugs

The effect of selective dopamine D2 receptor‐acting drugs on striatal c‐fos mRNA expression in the rat has been investigated by Northern hybridization and autoradiography to determine a possible role for c‐fos in the initiation of adaptive changes in D2 receptor number by neuroleptic drugs. The neuroleptic drug haloperidol, a D2 receptor antagonist, was found to produce a rapid and transient induction of c‐fos mRNA expression as compared with the expression in animals treated with saline. This induction by haloperidol was found to be dose dependent and D2 receptor mediated, inasmuch as a D2 agonist completely reversed the induction and the inactive isomer of the neuroleptic butaclamol, which does not produce an increase in D2 receptors, had no effect on c‐fos mRNA expression. From these data, it can be concluded that c‐fos expression in striatum is under dopamine D2 receptor‐mediated inhibitory control. It is suggested that c‐fos may play a role in the initiation of the increase in D2 receptor number produced by chronic neuroleptic drug treatment.
Redox Proteomics Uncovers Peroxynitrite-sensitive Proteins That Help Escherichia coli to Overcome Nitrosative Stress*

Background: Oxidative thiol modifications are thought to be one of the major effects of peroxynitrite on proteins. Results: Quantitative redox proteomics identified proteins thiol-modified by peroxynitrite, and cells lacking these proteins show an impaired recovery. Conclusion: Thiol modifications caused by peroxynitrite in Escherichia coli are highly specific for a small number of selected proteins. Significance: Thiol modifications regulate the activity of proteins under peroxynitrite stress. Peroxynitrite is a highly reactive chemical species with antibacterial properties that are synthesized in immune cells. In a proteomic approach, we identified specific target proteins of peroxynitrite-induced modifications in Escherichia coli. Although peroxynitrite caused a fairly indiscriminate nitration of tyrosine residues, reversible modifications of protein thiols were highly specific. We used a quantitative redox proteomic method based on isotope-coded affinity tag chemistry and identified four proteins consistently thiol-modified in cells treated with peroxynitrite as follows: AsnB, FrmA, MaeB, and RidA. All four were required for peroxynitrite stress tolerance in vivo. Three of the identified proteins were modified at highly conserved cysteines, and MaeB and FrmA are known to be directly involved in the oxidative and nitrosative stress response in E. coli. In in vitro studies, we could show that the activity of RidA, a recently discovered enamine/imine deaminase, is regulated in a specific manner by the modification of its single conserved cysteine. Mutation of this cysteine 107 to serine generated a constitutively active protein that was not susceptible to peroxynitrite.
Acute Calcium Assimilation from Fresh or Pasteurized Yoghurt Depending on the Lactose Digestibility Status

Objective: The major aim of this trial was to evaluate the potential interaction of fresh or pasteurized yoghurt intake with lactose intolerance on calcium assimilation by means of the stable isotope 43Ca as a tracer. Methods: Forty volunteers (age: 32 ± 7 years) participated in this parallel simple blind study (20 of them with moderate lactose intolerance). The protocol included the intake of a test meal consisting on 43Ca-labelled fresh or pasteurized yoghurt. Volunteers, in whom the calcium status was assessed, collected the 24-h urine before and after the test meal to measure the stable isotope output. The intake-related 43Ca enrichment in urine was measured by isotopic rate mass spectrometry. Results: In lactose tolerant and intolerant volunteers taken together, the fresh yoghurt consumption resulted in a statistically higher circulating calcium levels (p = 0.028) and urinary 43Ca output (p = 0.017) than after the pasteurized yoghurt intake. The lactose maldigestion status resulted in higher urinary 43Ca excretion (p = 0.013) after the fermented milk consumption, regardless of the nature of ingested product (p = 0.887). Conclusions: This novel and non-aggressive protocol allowed the in vivo comparison of calcium utilization from two different dairy sources, revealing a higher acute calcium assimilation from fresh as compared to the pasteurized yoghurt, in both lactose digesting and maldigesting subjects.
Reciprocal modulation of TrkA and p75NTR affinity states is mediated by direct receptor interactions

Equilibrium binding of 125I‐nerve growth factor (125I‐NGF) to cells coexpressing the tyrosine kinase receptor A (TrkA) and common neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), cells coexpressing both receptors where p75NTR is occupied, and cells expressing only p75NTR, revealed reciprocal modulation of receptor affinity states. Analysis of receptor affinity states in PC12 cells, PC12 cells in the presence of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and PC12nnr5 cells suggested that liganded and unliganded p75NTR induce a higher affinity state within TrkA, while TrkA induces a lower affinity state within p75NTR. These data are consistent with receptor allosterism, and prompted a search for TrkA/p75NTR complexes in the absence of NGF. Chemical crosslinking studies revealed high molecular weight receptor complexes that specifically bound 125I‐NGF, and were immunoprecipitated by antibodies to both receptors. The heteroreceptor complex of TrkA and p75NTR alters conformation and/or dissociates in the presence of NGF, as indicated by the ability of low concentrations of NGF to prevent heteroreceptor crosslinking. These data suggest a new model of receptor interaction, whereby structural changes within a heteroreceptor complex are induced by ligand binding.
Retention Factor: Work Life Balance and Policies – Effects over Different Category of Employees in Ceramic Manufacturing Industries

Globalization has increased considerably the mobility of skilled employees in search of better opportunities. On the other hand, due to tough competition worldwide, well developed and economically sound countries also face turnover problems. India is also affected by attrition menace and it is revealed by survey. This necessitated the organizations to retain the talented and skilled employees for their survival. By improving considerably the retention strategies which provides unobjectionable business benefits and employee satisfaction to remain with the organization, the goal of retaining skilled can be achieved. There are so many factors influencing employee’s retention. One among is work life balance& policies derived from literature reviews. This article explores the effects of non-monetary employee retention factor work life balance and polices over different category of employees (differs by age groups, years of service and working departments) in ceramic manufacturing industries in India Statistical tools such as ANOVA and Duncan multiple range tests were used for analysis. The analysis concluded that there is significant difference between years of service of employees and departments they work with work life balance and policies. But age groups of employees were not having any significant difference. The study also revealed that higher level of significance is exerted by 10-15 years of experienced employees and working in production department with work life balance and policies and least significant by employees of 5-10 years of experience and working in finance department. Suggestions for the organizations were also incorporated. Retention Factor: Work Life Balance and Policies – Effects over Different Category of Employees in Ceramic Manufacturing Industries