Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Questionnaire- and Measurement-Based Individual Thyroid Doses in Ukraine Resulting from the Chornobyl Nuclear Reactor Accident

Abstract Likhtarev, I. , Bouville, A. , Kovgan, L. , Luckyanov, N. , Voillequé, P. and Chepurny, M. Questionnaire- and Measurement-Based Individual Thyroid Doses in Ukraine Resulting from the Chornobyl Nuclear Reactor Accident. Radiat. Res. 166, 271–286 (2006). The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), in cooperation with the Ministries of Health of Belarus and of Ukraine, is involved in epidemiological studies of thyroid diseases presumably related to the Chornobyl accident, which occurred in Ukraine on 26 April 1986. Within the framework of these studies, individual thyroid absorbed doses, as well as uncertainties, have been estimated for all members of the cohorts (13,215 Ukrainians and 11,918 Belarusians), who were selected from the large group of children aged 0 to 18 whose thyroids were monitored for γ radiation within a few weeks after the accident. Information on the residence history and dietary habits of each cohort member was obtained during personal interviews. The methodology used to estimate the thyroid absorbed doses resulting from intakes of 131I by the Ukrainian cohort subjects is described. The model of thyroid dose estimation is run in two modes: deterministic and stochastic. In the stochastic mode, the model is run 1,000 times for each subject using a Monte Carlo procedure. The geometric means of the individual thyroid absorbed doses obtained in the stochastic mode range from 0.0006 to 42 Gy. The arithmetic and geometric means of these individual thyroid absorbed doses over the entire cohort are 0.68 and 0.23 Gy, respectively. On average, the individual thyroid dose estimates obtained in the deterministic mode are about the same as the geometric mean doses obtained in the stochastic mode, while the arithmetic mean thyroid absorbed doses obtained in the stochastic mode are about 20% higher than those obtained in the deterministic mode. The distributions of the 1000 values of the individual thyroid absorbed dose estimates are found to be approximately lognormal, with geometric standard deviations ranging from 1.6 to 5.0 for most cohort subjects. For the time being, only the thyroid doses resulting from intakes of 131I have been estimated for all subjects. Future work will include the estimation of the contributions to the thyroid doses resulting from external irradiation and from intakes of short-lived (133I and 132Te) and long-lived (134Cs and 137Cs) radionuclides, as well as efforts to reduce the uncertainties.
MicroRNA-124 inhibits cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by directly repressing Snail2 in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as critical regulators of genes expression involved in tumor biological processes. The study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and biological role of miR-124 in gastric cancer (GC). PATIENTS AND METHODS MiR-124 expression was analyzed from 88 GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues by quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test was used to evaluate the association between miR-124 and the over survival (OS) time of GC patients. MTT assays and transwell invasion assays were performed to assess cell proliferation and invasion. The relationship between miR-124 and Snail2 expression was analyzed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Western blot analyses were performed to detect the relative protein expression. RESULTS We found that miR-124 expression was significantly reduced in GC tissue samples when compared to the adjacent normal tissues (p<0.05). Lower miR-124 was found to be associated with tumor size (p=0.001), lymphatic metastasis (p=0.008) and TNM stage (p=0.015). Furthermore, patients who have lower miR-124 predicted poor OS time (p<0.05). Function studies suggested that cell proliferation and invasion ability of GC cells were inhibited by up-regulation of miR-124 expression. Moreover, we demonstrated that Snail2 was a direct target of miR-124. Meanwhile, miR-124 inhibited Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) process by repressing the Snail2 expression in GC cells. CONCLUSIONS MiR-124 acted as a tumor suppressor in GC and may be a useful target for GC treatment.
Investigation of copper homeostasis in plant cells by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Copper ions play a fundamental role in plant metabolism where its uptake and distribution within the organism is highly regulated, allowing the cells to sustain an adequate concentration. Shortage or excess of Cu can cause severe damage to the organisms endangering their survival. We recently reported a non-invasive method to follow the intracellular uptake of bivalent copper ion concentration by fluorescence lifetime microscopy of green fluorescent protein within plant cells. Measuring the fluorescence lifetime has the advantage of being independent on the fluorophore concentration and the excitation intensity. The use of GFP is beneficial because the protein can be introduced nondestructively. Here, we discuss the benefits of this approach as well as the possibility of applying this concept for the investigation of Cu redistribution and storage at the subcellular level. The fluorescence lifetime-encoded microscopic images are envisioned to map the copper distribution within plant cells not only qualitatively but even quantitatively. Time-lapse microscopy enables the following of cellular processes and the study of relevant transport mechanisms of copper in plant cells. Perspectives and necessary improvements are discussed.
Towards recommending courses in a learner centered system using query classification approach

Nowadays, Learner centered approach is becoming more and more popular by providing liberty to learner to choose and study the Course of their interest. Due to availability of large number of choices to select a course from, learners might be uncomfortable to make a decision, about what would be more appropriate for them. In such Situations, recommender system can be helpful in making an appropriate course selection. This paper presents a recommender system based on the query classification approach towards recommending different courses to learner depend on his requirements and needs. Its aim is to provide personalized Course recommendations in a learner centered System. Based on this concept of personalization, our recommender system can tailor the needs of a learner as per their requirements. This way of personalization may improve the quality of research and learning experience by recommending courses which are otherwise overlooked by learners like researchers and scholars, as it is time consuming to go through the curriculum and finding the best match possible. Such recommendations can improve the quality of research, performance, and satisfaction during the completion of the course. Therefore, in this study, we introduced Query Classification based recommender system that supports learners in selecting the proper courses. Such recommendations intend to help learners in course selection and to gain most in terms of increasing their learning experience.
Foreign Ownership and Financial Disclosure in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract It is recognized that multinational corporations (MNC) have played a significant role in the recent worldwide accounting reform. This study analyses the influence of foreign ownership, and MNC on financial disclosure practices of listed companies from Central and Eastern European countries (CEE). The possible reverse effect is also considered, and thus, the role of disclosure in attracting foreign investments is investigated. Fixed effects panel analysis has been conducted for 2005-2015 period, in the context of partial IFRS adoption in CEE. Contrary to hypothesized expectations, the influence of foreign ownership on the extent of disclosure is negative. As foreign investors in CEE are dominantly corporations, it seems they impose their own reporting policies or report detailed group information, which may diminish the disclosure of foreign subsidiaries. Moreover, it was found that foreign investors are not sensitive to changes of items in reported information. This evidence raises questions regarding the purpose, and the impact of disclosure on financial markets. Overall, this study gives a signal to standard-setters about reporting practices at regional level, and adds an original empirical contribution to reporting behavior and corporate transparency literature. Moreover, it invites to further research on reporting practices of companies with foreign ownership.
A Single Dose of Intrathecal Morphine in Rats Induces Long-Lasting Hyperalgesia: The Protective Effect of Prior Administration of Ketamine

An active pronociceptive process involving N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation is initiated by opioid administration, leading to opioid-induced pain sensitivity. Experimental observations in rats have reported reduction of baseline nociceptive threshold after prolonged spinal opioid administration. In this study we sought to determine whether a single dose of intrathecal morphine can induce hyperalgesia in uninjured rats and to assess the effects of pretreatment with the NMDA-antagonist ketamine on nociceptive thresholds. Sensitivity to nociceptive stimuli (paw pressure test) was assessed for several days after an acute intrathecal injection of morphine (5 &mgr;g and 10 &mgr;g) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of subcutaneously administered NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine (10 mg/kg) before intrathecally administered morphine were also evaluated. A single intrathecal injection of morphine led to a biphasic effect on nociception; early analgesia associated with an increase in the nociceptive threshold lasting 3-5 h was followed by delayed hyperalgesia associated with a decrease in the nociceptive threshold lasting 1-2 days. Subcutaneous ketamine did not significantly modify the early analgesic component but almost completely prevented the delayed decrease in nociceptive threshold after intrathecal administration of morphine. A single intrathecal injection of morphine in rats produces a delayed and sustained hyperalgesia linked to the development of opioid-induced pain sensitivity.
16S ribosomal DNA sequence identities of beta-proteobacterial endosymbionts in three Crithidia species

The 16S ribosomal DNA sequences of endosymbionts from the trypanosomatid protozoa (Crithidia spp.) are most homologous to that of Bordetella spp. This finding extends the polyphyletic origin of endosymbionts for the first time to the beta Proteobacteria. Biased base transitions and compensatory mutations of the symbionts' sequences that may contribute to their identity in the three Crithidia spp. are noted.
Does Agreement on Institutional Values and Leadership Issues Between Deans and Surgery Chairs Predict Their Institutions’ Performance?

Purpose To gain a better understanding of the values that medical school deans and surgery chairs consider most essential for effective leadership, to assess their perceptions of the values and leadership climate in their institutions, and to test the premise that agreement on leadership values and climate predict greater organizational effectiveness and performance. Method From June 2005 through March 2006, questionnaires designed to assess leadership core values and organizational leadership climate were mailed to medical school deans and surgery chairs of the 125 U.S. academic health centers. Institutional performance measures used were the National Institutes of Health (NIH) standing and U.S. News and World Report ranking of each institution. Results Sixty-eight surgery chairs (54%) and 60 deans (48%) returned surveys. Q-sort results on 38 positive leadership values indicated that integrity, trust, and vision were considered the most important core values for effective leadership by both chairs and deans. Both groups ranked business acumen, authority, and institutional reputation as least important. Deans consistently ranked the leadership climate as being healthier (more positive) than did their surgery chairs on multiple scale items: leadership is widely shared (P = .005), information is widely shared (P = .002), missions are aligned (P = .003), open communication is the norm (P = .009), good performance is rewarded (P = .01), teamwork is widely practiced (P = .01), and leaders are held accountable (P = 002). Tighter alignment between chairs and deans on core values and on the leadership climate scale correlated with higher school and department NIH standing and higher U.S. News and World Report medical school and hospital ranking (P < .05). Conclusions Although surgery chairs and deans espouse similar core leadership values, deans believe that a healthier leadership climate exists in their institutions than their surgery chairs do. The study findings suggest that tighter leadership alignment between deans and surgery chairs may predict a higher level of institutional performance in the clinical and academic arenas.
Transforming Growth Factor-Beta-1 Variants Are Not Associated with Chronic Nonalcoholic Pancreatitis

Background: Pancreatic fibrosis is a key pathological feature of chronic pancreatitis. In vivo and in vitro data have demonstrated that pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) play a central role in pancreatic fibrosis. PSC activation and collagen synthesis are highly controlled by transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-β1). We evaluated whether functionally relevant genetic variants of TGF-β1 are associated with chronic nonalcoholic pancreatitis. Methods: The promotor as well as exon 1 variants of the TGF-β1 gene (G-800A, Leu10Pro and Arg25Pro) were investigated. Forty-two CP patients with a family history of nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis (group A) and 88 patients without a family history of nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis (group B) were studied. One hundred blood donors served as controls (group C). Results: The allelic frequencies of G-800A, Leu10Pro and Arg25Pro were 12, 38 and 6% in group A; 7, 40 and 6% in group B and 12, 29 and 3% in group C, respectively. The differences were not significant. Conclusion: Functionally relevant genetic variants of the TGF-β1 gene are not associated with nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
Circulating Tumor Cells: A Review of Non-EpCAM-Based Approaches for Cell Enrichment and Isolation.

BACKGROUND Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are biomarkers for noninvasively measuring the evolution of tumor genotypes during treatment and disease progression. Recent technical progress has made it possible to detect and characterize CTCs at the single-cell level in blood. CONTENT Most current methods are based on epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) detection, but numerous studies have demonstrated that EpCAM is not a universal marker for CTC detection because it fails to detect both carcinoma cells that undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and CTCs of mesenchymal origin. Moreover, EpCAM expression has been found in patients with benign diseases. A large proportion of the current studies and reviews about CTCs describe EpCAM-based methods, but there is evidence that not all tumor cells can be detected using this marker. Here we describe the most recent EpCAM-independent methods for enriching, isolating, and characterizing CTCs on the basis of physical and biological characteristics and point out the main advantages and disadvantages of these methods. SUMMARY CTCs offer an opportunity to obtain key biological information required for the development of personalized medicine. However, there is no universal marker of these cells. To strengthen the clinical utility of CTCs, it is important to improve existing technologies and develop new, non-EpCAM-based systems to enrich and isolate CTCs.
A nationwide survey of weight control practices among middle-aged New Zealand women.

AIM To examine the prevalence of weight control practices in a nationwide representative sample of 40-50 year old New Zealand women. METHODS In May 2009, a cross-sectional mail survey was conducted among 2500 women randomly selected from nationwide electoral rolls who were each mailed a self-administered questionnaire about their weight control practices, demographics and anthropometry. RESULTS After excluding ineligible recipients, a 66% participation rate was achieved (n=1601). Thirty-nine percent of the sample (n=630) reported trying to control their weight, and among those who were not, 69% (n=674) were attempting to prevent weight gain. The weight control practices most commonly used were cutting down on meal/snack size (42%) and cutting down on fats/sugars (45%). Smoking, exercising in a driven or compulsive way, and fasting were used at least once a week as weight control strategies by 14%, 22% and 5% of women, respectively. Other potentially health-damaging practices (i.e. laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, vomiting) were employed by 1-4% of women. CONCLUSIONS Most women reported weight control practices that were consistent with public health messages, however the use of smoking and exercising in a driven or compulsive way are of particular concern.
Disruption of seven hypothetical aryl alcohol dehydrogenase genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and construction of a multiple knock‐out strain

By in silicio analysis, we have discovered that there are seven open reading frames (ORFs) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae whose protein products show a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity to the aryl alcohol dehydrogenase (AAD) of the lignin‐degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Yeast cultures grown to stationary phase display a significant aryl alcohol dehydrogenase activity by degrading aromatic aldehydes to the corresponding alcohols. To study the biochemical and the biological role of each of the AAD genes, a series of mutant strains carrying deletion of one or more of the AAD‐coding sequences was constructed by PCR‐mediated gene replacement, using the readily selectable marker kanMX. The correct targeting of the PCR‐generated disruption cassette into the genomic locus was verified by analytical PCR and by pulse‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) followed by Southern blot analysis. Double, triple and quadruple mutant strains were obtained by classical genetic methods, while the construction of the quintuple, sextuple and septuple mutants was achieved by using the marker URA3 from Kluyveromyces lactis, HIS3 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and TRP1 from S. cerevisiae. None of the knock‐out strains revealed any mutant phenotype when tested for the degradation of aromatic aldehydes using both spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Specific tests for changes in the ergosterol and phospholipids profiles did not reveal any mutant phenotype and mating and sporulation efficiencies were not affected in the septuple deletant. Compared to the wild‐type strain, the septuple deletant showed an increased resistance to the anisaldehyde, but there is a possibility that the nutritional markers used for gene replacement are causing this effect. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling maximum oxygen uptake of elite endurance athletes.

PURPOSE To compare the maximum oxygen uptake V0(2max) of elite endurance athletes and to explain why the body mass exponent, necessary to render V0(2max) independent of body mass, appears to be greater than 0.67. METHODS Study 1: V0(2max) of 174 international sportsmen and women was assessed. Athletes were recruited from seven sports (middle- and long-distance runners, heavyweight and lightweight rowers, triathletes, and squash and badminton players). Study 2: calf and thigh leg muscle masses were estimated in 106 male and 30 female athletes from 11 sports. Differences in V0(2max) and leg muscle masses between "sports" and "sex" were analyzed independent of body mass by using allometric log-linear ANCOVA. RESULTS Heavyweight rowers had the greatest V0(2max) when expressed in L.min but long-distance runners had the highest V0(2max)in mL.kg. min. However, the ANCOVA identified no difference in "mass independent" V0(2max) between the five "pure" endurance sports (runners, rowers, and triathletes) (P > 0.05) with the two racket sports being significantly lower. The body mass covariate exponent was inflated, estimated as 0.94. The results from study 2 estimated calf and thigh leg muscle masses to increase in proportion to body mass, and, respectively. CONCLUSIONS After having controlled for differences in body mass, V0(2max) did not differ between pure endurance sports (P > 0.05). Assuming that athletes' thigh muscle mass increases in proportion to body mass as observed in study 2, a similar disproportional increase in V0(2max) would be anticipated, providing a plausible explanation for the inflated mass exponent associated with V0(2max) identified in this and other studies.
SPATIAL APPROACH TO HETEROGENEITY OF INFLATION EXPECTATIONS IN THE EURO AREA

In this article, we examine the spatial heterogeneities in inflation expectations of the euro area consumers. We expect to find them heterogeneous in our research period of 2001-2016. Contrary to standard examination of heterogeneity, a spatial correlation analysis is applied by referring to global and local correlation measures. It is performed with the economic distance-based weights (the difference in HICP rates). Application of spatial analysis is the main contribution of our examination. Standard examinations ignore spatial relations and might be misleading. Our findings suggest that expectations are heterogeneous once the differences of inflation rates represent economic distance between the countries that we cover by our examination.
Dimensionality reduction for text-independent speaker identification using Gaussian mixture model

Reducing the dimensionality of the training and testing data is crucial for text-independent speaker identification tasks. In this paper, the performance of various dimensionality reduction techniques is evaluated for speaker identification systems using Gaussian mixture model (GMM) as the statistical classifier. An enhancement of the standard linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is proposed in which class distributions are assumed to follow Gaussian mixture distribution. This assumption is more appropriate for asymmetric and multimodal class conditional densities. In addition, a new feature selection technique based on the QR factorization method is introduced. Computer simulation results reveal that the proposed modification to the LDA outperforms the standard algorithm in terms of classification accuracy. Moreover, the QR-based selection technique produces comparable results to other prominent dimensionality reduction techniques
Pathological Aspects of Ricin Toxicity in Mammalian Lymph Node and Spleen

In an earlier study (Griffiths et al., 1987) we demonstrated that two toxic plant proteins, ricin and abrin, bring about apoptotic rather than necrotic cell death in mammalian lymphoid tissues and intestine. Here we expand upon the previous study, and report further observations relating purely to ricin and its pathology in lymph node and spleen. Rats were injected with ricin and killed at time intervals, tissue being excised and examined by light or electron microscopy. As well as previously reported apoptotic changes in the lymph node, we observed sinusoidal haemorrhage accompanied by erythrophagocytosis and loss of normal structure. With the aid of lymphocyte typing, we noticed a complete relocation of T and B lymphocyte populations, with destruction of B cells. Follicular centres of the spleen exhibited similar pathology to that seen in lymph nodes, along with loss of lymphocytes in areas adjacent to the central artery of the peri-arteriolar lymphoid sheath (PALS).