Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein Kinase Regulated by dsRNA Downregulates the Interferon Production in Dengue Virus- and dsRNA-Stimulated Human Lung Epithelial Cells

Background Dengue virus (DENV) is found in the tropical and subtropical regions and affects millions of people annually. Currently, no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment against dengue virus is available. Innate immunity has been shown to be important for host resistance to DENV infection. Although protein kinase regulated by double-stranded RNA (PKR) has been found to promote the innate signaling in response to infection by several viruses, its role in the innate response to DENV infection is still unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the role of PKR in DENV-induced innate immune responses. Methodology/Principal Findings By RNAi, silencing of PKR significantly enhanced the expression of interferon (IFN)-β in DENV infected human lung epithelial A549 cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy data showed that PKR knockdown upregulated the activation of innate signaling cascades including p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), interferon regulatory factor-3 and NF-κB, following DENV2 infection. Likewise, a negative regulatory effect of PKR on the IFN production was also observed in poly(IC) challenged cells. Moreover, the PKR knockdown-mediated IFN induction was attenuated by RIG-I or IPS-1 silencing. Finally, overexpression of a catalytically inactive PKR mutant (K296R), but not of a mutant lacking dsRNA binding activity (K64E) or the double mutant (K64EK296R), reversed the IFN induction mediated by PKR knockdown, suggesting that the dsRNA binding activity is required for PKR to downregulate IFN production. Conclusions/Significance PKR acts as a negative regulator of IFN induction triggered by DENVs and poly(IC), and this regulation relies on its dsRNA binding activity. These findings reveal a novel regulatory role for PKR in innate immunity, suggesting that PKR might be a promising target for anti-DENV treatments.
Role of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 in Gastric Accommodation in Conscious Guinea Pigs

We report the establishment of a new model for measuring gastric tone and liquid meal-induced accommodation in conscious guinea pigs and the role played by transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1). An indwelling polyethylene bag was placed in proximal stomachs of 5-week-old male Hartley guinea pigs. Gastric tone was measured by distending the bag and recording changes in intrabag pressure at various volumes. Gastric accommodation was measured by administering liquid meals and recording intrabag pressure over time. Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME) (a nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor), atropine sulfate (atropine) (a muscarinic receptor antagonist), allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (a TRPA1 agonist), or theophylline-7-(N-4-isopropylphenyl) acetamide (HC-030031) (a selective TRPA1 antagonist) was administered 15 to 60 min before measurement. Gastric tone was increased by stepwise distension of the bag and was further significantly increased by l-NAME and significantly decreased by atropine. A liquid meal (15% w/v; 1.7 kcal) significantly decreased intrabag pressure 5 to 20 min after administration, indicating gastric accommodation; this was completely suppressed by l-NAME and further enhanced by atropine. AITC significantly increased gastric tone; this increase was decreased by HC-030031 and atropine. A combination of AITC and l-NAME significantly increased gastric tone compared with l-NAME alone. HC-030031 alone significantly decreased gastric tone. Liquid meal-induced gastric accommodation was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with AITC. We established a new model for measuring gastric tone and accommodation in conscious guinea pigs. TRPA1 activation suppresses gastric accommodation by increasing gastric tone through cholinergic neuronal pathways.
Does Biliteracy + Mathematical Discourse = Binumerate Development? Language Use in a Middle School Dual-Language Mathematics Classroom

Few studies on the role of bilingualism in mathematics classrooms explore the intersection of biliteracy, language use, mathematical discourse, and numeracy—especially at the middle school level. Drawing from biliteracy development theory and reform mathematics education literature, this qualitative case study of a dual-language mathematics classroom shows how English language learners (ELLs)/bilinguals use their first (L1) and second language (L2) as resources to access advanced mathematical curriculum. The article provides glimpses of instructional strategies that encourage mathematics discourse and biliteracy development. Encouraging secondary bilingual students to solve non-routine mathematical problems collaboratively may not only promote student engagement but also promote binumerate development.
RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODELS OF MID-INFRARED H2O LINES IN THE PLANET-FORMING REGION OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

The study of warm molecular gas in the inner regions of protoplanetary disks is of key importance for the study of planet formation and especially for the transport of H2O and organic molecules to the surfaces of rocky planets/satellites. Recent Spitzer observations have shown that the mid-infrared spectra of protoplanetary disks are covered in emission lines due to water and other molecules. Here, we present a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) two-dimensional radiative transfer model of water lines in the 10–36 μm range that can be used to constrain the abundance structure of water vapor, given an observed spectrum, and show that an assumption of LTE does not accurately estimate the physical conditions of the water vapor emission zones, including temperatures and abundance structures. By applying the model to published Spitzer spectra we find that: (1) most water lines are subthermally excited, (2) the gas-to-dust ratio must be as much as 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than the canonical interstellar medium ratio of 100–200, (3) the gas temperature must be significantly higher than the dust temperature, in agreement with detailed heating/cooling models, and (4) the water vapor abundance in the disk surface must be significantly truncated beyond ∼1 AU. A low efficiency of water formation below T ∼ 300 K may naturally result in a lower water abundance beyond a certain radius. However, we find that chemistry, although not necessarily ruled out, may not be sufficient to produce a sharp abundance drop of many orders of magnitude and speculate that the depletion may also be caused by vertical turbulent diffusion of water vapor from the superheated surface to regions below the snow line, where the water can freeze out and be transported to the midplane as part of the general dust settling. Such a vertical cold finger effect is likely to be efficient due to the lack of a replenishment mechanism of large, water-ice coated dust grains to the disk surface.
A New Determination of the Extragalactic Diffuse Gamma-ray Background from Egret Data

We use the GALPROP model for cosmic-ray propagation to obtain a new estimate of the Galactic component of gamma rays, and show that away from the Galactic plane it gives an accurate prediction of the observed EGRET intensities in the energy range 30 MeV – 50 GeV. On this basis we re-evaluate the extragalactic gamma-ray background. We find that for some energies previous work underestimated the Galactic contribution at high latitudes and hence overestimated the background. Our new background spectrum shows a positive curvature similar to that expected for models of the extragalactic emission based on the blazar population. The extragalactic diffuse γ-ray background emission (EGRB) is a superposition of all unresolved sources of high energy γ-ray emission in the Universe. Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are the dominant class of γ-ray emitters known to emit up to the highest energies. There is a consensus that a population of un-resolved AGN may contribute to the EGRB, however predictions range from 25% up to 100%. Contributions from other extragalactic sources have been plausibly suggested: galaxy clusters (Ensslin et al. 1997), energetic particles in the shock waves associated with large scale cosmological structure formation (Loeb & Waxman 2000; Miniati 2002), or distant γ-ray burst events. Potentially , if reliably derived, the EGRB can also provide important information about the phase of baryon-The EGRB is the component of the diffuse emission which is most difficult to determine. Its spectrum depends much on the adopted model of the Galactic background which itself is not yet firmly established. The isotropic, presumably extragalactic component of the diffuse γ-ray flux was first discovered by the SAS-2 satellite and confirmed by EGRET (Thompson & Fichtel 1982; Sreekumar et al. 1998). However, it is not correct to assume that the isotropic component is wholly extragalactic since even at the Galactic poles it is comparable to the Galactic contribution from inverse Compton scattering of the Galactic plane pho-tons and CMB (Strong, Moskalenko, & Reimer 2000; Moskalenko & Strong 2000). The determination of the EGRB is thus model-dependent and influenced by the adopted size of the Galactic halo, the electron spectrum there, and the spectrum of low-energy background pho-tons which must be derived independently. Extensive work has been done (Sreekumar et al. 1998) to derive the spectrum of the EGRB based on EGRET data. The relation of modelled Galactic diffuse emission to total measured diffuse emission was used to determine the EGRB, …
Experiences of siblings of children with physical disabilities: an empirical investigation

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the experiences of Dutch siblings of children with physical disabilities ( n = 43). Method : Interviews were conducted to investigate experiences of siblings in 3 areas: the sibling relationship, the relationship with parents, and the relationship with others. The siblings also completed a coping response inventory. Results : The siblings reported difficulties in undertaking activities and in communicating with their brother sister with a disability. Most siblings worried about the future and the health of their brother sister with a disability. The siblings reported open communication and trust as the main characteristics of the relationship with their parents. They acknowledged their parents' attempts to treat all children equally, although parents were not always successful in doing so. Having a sibling with a disability did not cause problems in the relationship with friends. The awkward reactions of strangers caused the siblings much annoyance and distress. Siblings in this sample used more approach coping strategies than avoidance strategies, t (34) 2.37, p < 0.05. Conclusion : The brothers and sisters generally did not experience many significant problems, however, a minority of the children did experience problems for which they would like help. In addition, they reported joys as well as problems.
Superstar CEOS

Compensation, status, and press coverage of managers in the U.S. follow a highly skewed distribution: a small number of 'superstars' enjoy the bulk of the rewards. We evaluate the impact of CEOs achieving superstar status on the performance of their firms, using prestigious business awards to measure shocks to CEO status. We find that award-winning CEOs subsequently underperform, both relative to their prior performance and relative to a matched sample of non-winning CEOs. At the same time, they extract more compensation following the award, both in absolute amounts and relative to other top executives in their firms. They also spend more time on public and private activities outside their companies, such as assuming board seats or writing books. The incidence of earnings management increases after winning awards. The effects are strongest in firms with weak governance, even though the frequency of obtaining superstar status is independent of corporate governance. Our results suggest that the ex-post consequences of media-induced superstar status for shareholders are negative.
[The finite element analysis of stress distribution in different size of MO cavities restored with composite resin inlays].

PURPOSE To explore the effect of different depth and width of meiso-occlusal (Class II) cavity type on the tooth tissue resistance stress after restoration with composite resin inlays. METHODS The 3-D finite element model of mandibular first molar with meiso-occlusal (Class II) cavity restored with composite resin inlay was established by using CBCT scanning and reverse engineering software Mimics, Geomagic Studio, and finite element analysis software ANSYS. Comparative analysis of restoration with different depth and width meiso-occlusal (Class II) cavity under the same load of perpendicular and 45° deviation was explored, and finally the main stress and Von-mises stress changed as well as stress distribution were analyzed. RESULTS The main stress was located in the gingival wall opposite to the inlay, while the major stress concentration area of the tooth was distributed near the canal at the bottom of the cavity. With the increase of the depth and width, the main stress and Von-mises stress distribution areas of tooth were getting larger. The Von-mises stress of tooth was influenced by the width variation of the cavity, while that depth change of cavity was affected by Von Mises stress of the inlay. CONCLUSIONS With the increase of the depth and width of the cavity as well as lateral loading force, the peak stress of tooth with inlays increased and the distribution of stress concentration is modified after meiso-occlusal (Class II) cavity being inlayed with composite resin.
“Unwilling Cocoons”: Boko Haram's War Against Women

ABSTRACT The kidnapping of 276 girls at Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria, on 14 April 2014 has brought into international prominence the organization Jama'atu Ahlis Suna Lidda'awati Wal Jihad or Boko Haram. This incident heralded a new trajectory in Boko Haram's tactics and strategies. This article focuses on Boko Haram's strategic deployment of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women. The gendered performativity of Boko Haram, its methodology for sourcing for women and young girls, and its concomitant utilitarian/instrumental approach vis-à-vis SGBV against women are analyzed against the backdrop of the political economy and patriarchal ideational infrastructure of the Nigerian society. The article argues that Boko Haram's deployment of SGBV against women is an extension of the “repertoire of violence” ingrained in the sociopolitical and cultural milieu of Boko Haram's primary area of operation. Boko Haram's instrumental approach to SGBV is fourfold and hinges on the sociobiological utility of women. Boko Haram construes women as the bearers of its future despite its brutality toward them. The consequence is a strategic plan for procreation of a new generation of children raised through the cyclical constellation of mass rape of women, consequent impregnation and kidnapping the offspring of such rapes. Overall, this article contributes to the burgeoning scholarly literature on Boko Haram's terrorist activities.
Decomposing and testing long-run returns: With an application to initial public offerings in Denmark

An improved method for measuring and testing long-run returns is proposed. The method adjusts for the right-skewed distribution of long-run buy-and-hold by decomposing average cross-sectional buy-and-hold returns into mean components and volatility components. The method is applied to initial public offerings in Denmark. The mean-component under performance of initial public offering stocks compared to the market is 30 percent and significant after five years. Compared to matching firms the under performance of IPO stocks is 13 percent after five years but insignificant.
Faster More Equitable Growth: The Relation Between Growth in Agriculture and Poverty Reduction

The objectives of the Consulting Assistance on Economic Reform (CAER II) project are to contribute to broad-based and sustainable economic growth and to improve the policy reform content of USAID assistance activities that aim to strengthen markets in recipient countries. Services are provided by the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) and its subcontractors. It is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support and Research, Center for Economic Growth and Agricultural Development, Office of Emerging Markets through Contracts PCE-C-00-95-00015-00 and PCEQ-00-95-00016-00. This paper has been funded by contract PCE-C-00-95-00015-00, Task Order 23. Copyright 2000 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Senate Delegation Dynamics in an Age of Party Polarization

In the decade since Partners and Rivals: Representation in U.S. Delegations (2000) was published, Congress has experienced increased levels of party polarization. Congressional scholars have since concluded that this polarization trend has dramatically changed the context for deliberation, competition, and cooperation in the U.S. Senate. However, scholars have not explored the ties between increased polarization and representation within Senate delegations. In this article, we evaluate whether the dynamic of cooperation and competition among same-state Senators still exists along the lines identified in Partners and Rivals, or whether it has become merely a folkway of the past. We find that same-state Senators still construct distinct legislative portfolios designed to garner public attention and support, and that this still reflects a commitment to representation in the Senate.
Effects of Quorum Sensing Systems on Regulatory T Cells in Catheter-Related Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infection Rat Models

Background. Quorum sensing (QS) systems play an important role in modulating biofilm formation. Recent studies have found that the QS molecules had complex effects on the host immune systems. In addition, regulatory T cells (Tregs), known as important negative regulators in the immune system, have been found upregulated in multiple chronic infections. Therefore, the QS systems were hypothesized to be involved in modulating Tregs in biofilm-associated infections. Object. To explore the effects of QS systems on Tregs in catheter-related Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infection rat models. Method. Catheter-related Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infection rat models were established; the bacterial clearance rates, total cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, pathological changes of lungs, and the levels of Foxp3, TGF-β1, and IL-10 in PAO1 strain group were examined and compared with the QS-mutant ΔlasRΔrhlR and ΔlasIΔrhlI groups. Results. In PAO1 group, the bacterial clearance rates were lower, total cell counts were higher, pathological changes were severer, and the levels of Foxp3, TGF-β1, and IL-10 were significantly higher compared with QS-mutant groups (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the two QS-mutant groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion. QS systems can trigger host immune system, accompanied with the upregulation of Tregs.
Schistosoma mansoni Larvae Do Not Expand or Activate Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells during Their Migratory Phase

ABSTRACT Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells play a key role in suppression of immune responses during parasitic helminth infection, both by controlling damaging immunopathology and by inhibiting protective immunity. During the patent phase of Schistosoma mansoni infection, Foxp3+ Treg cells are activated and suppress egg-elicited Th2 responses, but little is known of their induction and role during the early prepatent larval stage of infection. We quantified Foxp3+ Treg cell responses during the first 3 weeks of murine S. mansoni infection in C57BL/6 mice, a time when larval parasites migrate from the skin and transit the lungs en route to the hepatic and mesenteric vasculature. In contrast to other helminth infections, S. mansoni did not elicit a Foxp3+ Treg cell response during this early phase of infection. We found that the numbers and proportions of Foxp3+ Treg cells remained unchanged in the lungs, draining lymph nodes, and spleens of infected mice. There was no increase in the activation status of Foxp3+ Treg cells upon infection as assessed by their expression of CD25, Foxp3, and Helios. Furthermore, infection failed to induce Foxp3+ Treg cells to produce the suppressive cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10). Instead, only CD4+ Foxp3− IL-4+ Th2 cells showed increased IL-10 production upon infection. These data indicate that Foxp3+ Treg cells do not play a prominent role in regulating immunity to S. mansoni larvae and that the character of the initial immune response invoked by S. mansoni parasites contrasts with the responses to other parasitic helminth infections that promote rapid Foxp3+ Treg cell responses.
Shallow Convolutional Neural Network for Implicit Discourse Relation Recognition

Implicit discourse relation recognition remains a serious challenge due to the absence of discourse connectives. In this paper, we propose a Shallow Convolutional Neural Network (SCNN) for implicit discourse relation recognition, which contains only one hidden layer but is effective in relation recognition. The shallow structure alleviates the overfitting problem, while the convolution and nonlinear operations help preserve the recognition and generalization ability of our model. Experiments on the benchmark data set show that our model achieves comparable and even better performance when comparing against current state-of-the-art systems.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND RECOUNTED MUSICAL EXPERIENCES

The subjective perception of music and its effect on the individual depend not only on musical structure, but on the specific circumstances and the social situation in which it is heard. Music is integrated into an on-going construction of a personal narrative and receives meaning through its combination with other situational factors. The present study examined narratives of events in which music played an integral part. Participants were divided into three groups, according to the circumstances under which music was heard: alone, with one close person, and with a larger group of people. Results show differences between the subjective quality of experience with music in the three situations. When listening to music alone, participants were concentrated on themselves and their emotions. When listening with a close person, attention was turned to the relationship and communication with the other. When listening with a group of people, participants felt an enhancement of the self. Although results suggest the situation determined perception of the music, in participants’ narratives, the relationship was reversed, and music was seen as the cause of subjective experience of the situation 1. BACKGROUND
THE EVOLUTION OF PONAPEIC NASAL SUBSTITUTION

Both the synchronic phonology of Ponapean and the diachronic phonology of the Ponapeic subgroup of Micronesian show a process of "Nasal Substitution," whereby a voiceless geminate obstruent is realized as a homorganic sequence of nasal + voiceless stop: TiTi > NiTi. Such a process is easily described and formalized phonologically, but it appears to have no phonetic basis. Coupled with the cross-linguistic rarity of parallel processes, this suggests that Nasal Substitution is not in fact a possible sound change and never occurred as such in the history of Ponapeic. An alternative analysis is presented in which voiceless geminate obstruents became preaspirated in Proto-Ponapeic, with a subsequent reanalysis of aspiration as nasalization in Ponapean and Mokilese: TT,T > hT, > N,Ti. Under this analysis two phonetically plausible and not uncommon sound changes are proposed: geminate aspiration and aspirate nasalization (via "rhinoglottophilia"). Obstruent-nasal alternations at morpheme boundaries resulting from such sound changes ultimately gave rise to a synchronic phonological rule of Nasal Substitution in Mokilese and Ponapean that has been lost in Mokilese and partially lexicalized in Ponapean.