Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Presence of keratin-specific antibody-forming cells in palatine tonsils of patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) and its correlation with prognosis after tonsillectomy

Abstract Conclusion: Keratin-specific immune responses in tonsils may be associated with the pathogenesis of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP). Evaluation of keratin-specific immune responses in tonsils might be useful to predict the effectiveness of tonsillectomy for patients with PPP. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to clarify the role of keratin-specific immune responses in the pathogenesis of PPP in tonsils. It has been reported that anti-keratin antibodies in serum were higher in patients with PPP and decreased after tonsillectomy, indicating that anti-keratin antibodies might be generated in tonsils. Methods: In order to demonstrate the presence of keratin-specific immune responses in tonsils, the numbers of keratin-specific antibody-forming cells (AFCs) in tonsillar and peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined by enzyme-linked immunospot assay. The prognosis of PPP was compared after tonsillectomy. Results: The numbers of keratin-specific IgM and IgG AFCs in tonsils and of IgG AFCs in peripheral blood were significantly increased in patients with PPP. The numbers of keratin-specific IgG AFCs in peripheral blood correlated positively with tonsil and serum IgG antibodies specific to keratin. Our data show that a good prognosis in patients with PPP depended on the numbers of keratin-specific IgG and IgM AFCs in peripheral blood and the levels of keratin-specific IgG antibodies in serum being significantly decreased 6 months after tonsillectomy.
Hemispheric Dominance for Emotions, Empathy and Social Behaviour: Evidence from Right and Left Handers with Frontotemporal Dementia.

Although evidence from primates suggests an important role for the anterior temporal cortex in social behaviour, human research has to date concentrated almost solely on the orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala. By describing four cases of the temporal variant of frontotemporal dementia we show how this degenerative condition provides an excellent model for investigating the role of the anterior temporal lobe, especially the right, in emotions, empathy and social behaviour. Assessments of semantic memory, processing of emotional facial expression and emotional prosody were made, empathy was measured, and facial expressions of emotion were coded. Of the two right handers described, one subject with predominantly left temporal lobe atrophy had severe semantic impairment but normal performance on all emotional tasks. In contrast, the subject with right temporal lobe atrophy showed severely impaired recognition of emotion from faces and voices that was not due to semantic or perceptual difficulties. Empathy was lost, interpersonal skills were severely affected and facial expression of emotion was characterized by a fixed expression that was unresponsive to situations. Additionally, two left handers with right temporal lobe atrophy are described. One demonstrated the same pattern of hemispheric lateralization as the right handers and had emotional impairment. The other left hander showed the opposite pattern of deficits, suggesting a novel presentation of anomalous dominance with reversed hemispheric specialization of semantic memory and emotional processing.
Identification, Characterization, and Expression of Three New Members of the Borrelia burgdorferi Mlp (2.9) Lipoprotein Gene Family

ABSTRACT We previously reported on the existence of a family of lipoprotein genes, designated 2.9 lipoprotein genes, encoded in at least seven versions on the circular (supercoiled) cp32 and cp18 plasmids ofBorrelia burgdorferi 297. A distinguishing feature of the 2.9 lipoproteins were highly similar signal sequences but variable mature polypeptides that segregated into two antigenic classes. Further screenings of B. burgdorferi 297 genomic libraries led to the identification of three additional 2.9 lipoprotein genes, renamed herein mlp, for multicopy lipoprotein genes. Computer analyses and immunoblotting revealed that Mlp-9 segregated with the antigenic class I lipoproteins, whereas Mlp-8 and Mlp-10 were members of class II. Northern blotting showed that all three of themlp genes were expressed when B. burgdorferiwas cultivated in vitro at 34°C, although mlp-9 andmlp-10 transcripts were expressed at very low levels. Additional combined immunoblotting and comparative reverse transcription-PCR analyses performed on borreliae cultivated in vitro at 23, 34, or 37°C indicated that although Mlp-8 was substantially more abundant than Mlp-9 or Mlp-10, all three of the mlpgenes were upregulated during B. burgdorferi replication at 37°C. Expression of the same three lipoproteins was further enhanced upon growth of the spirochetes within dialysis membrane chambers (DMCs) implanted intraperitoneally in rats (i.e., spirochetes in a mammalian host-adapted state), suggesting that temperature alone did not account for maximal upregulation of the mlp genes. That certainmlp genes are likely expressed during the growth ofB. burgdorferi in mammalian tissues was supported by findings of antibodies against all three Mlp lipoproteins in mice after challenge with Ixodes scapularis nymphs harboring B. burgdorferi 297. The combined data suggest that as opposed to being differentially expressed in any reciprocal fashion (e.g., OspA/OspC), at least three mlp genes are simultaneously upregulated by temperature (37°C) and some other mammalian host factor(s). The findings have importance not only for understanding alternative modes of differential antigen expression by B. burgdorferi but also for assessing whether one or more of the Mlp lipoproteins represent new candidate vaccinogens for Lyme disease.
"Was It Something I Said?" "No, It Was Something You Posted!" A Study of the Spiral of Silence Theory in Social Media Contexts

New media technologies make it necessary for scholars to reassess mass communication theories developed among legacy media. One such theory is the spiral of silence theory originally proposed by Noelle-Neumann in the 1970s. Increasing diversity of media content, selectivity, social networking site (SNS) interactivity, and the potential for anonymity have posed various challenges to its theoretical assumptions. While application of the spiral of silence in SNS contexts has been theorized, its empirical testing is scarce. To fill this void, the Pew 2012 Search, Social Networks, and Politics survey is used to test the theory. Results reveal that encountering agreeable political content predicts speaking out, while encountering disagreeable postings stifles opinion expression, supporting the spiral of silence theory in the SNS environment. However, certain uses of SNSs and psychological factors demonstrate a liberating effect on opinion expression.
Need we kill to dissect? : attempt at a contextual approach to the EU economic freedoms

A different type of polity requires a different type of constitution; more importantly, it also requires a different way of thinking, a new constitutionalism able to address the relevant descriptive and normative questions facing this new political entity. This thesis tries to contribute to the development of EU constitutionalism by focusing on the interplay between the different normative concerns behind the EU’s market freedoms identified in traditional legal discourse – as results mainly from court decisions and academic discussions –, and the institutional environment which mediates the freedoms’ application. It is hypothesised that such interplay can be better understood by reference to the findings of some disciplines ‘external’ to internal legal discourses such as economics, philosophy, or political science. Normatively, it is hoped that debates concerning the market freedoms that take into account ‘external elements’ will be more attractive to the legal community than those that do not include such considerations. Descriptively, it is submitted that the incorporation of insights arising from these ‘external’ disciplines into the traditional modes of discourse and analysis on the EU market freedoms – in effect, the internalisation of these ‘external’ elements – can provide better descriptive fits of the law and its development than theories that do not take them into account. An incidental result of this approach is that by the end of this thesis a theory of the market freedoms will have been sketched: by combining ‘internal’ and ‘external’ elements, an analytical framework can be developed that is able to make descriptive sense, formally and substantively, of free movement law at both its most general – where formal common structures seem to be undeniable, and a minimum common substantive content can be found –, and at its most detailed levels – where substantive variations and greater normative specification seem to exist.
A Controlled Trial of Topiramate Treatment for Alcohol Dependence in Veterans with PTSD

Abstract : Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and PTSD commonly co-occur, complicate assessment and treatment, and worsen clinical outcomes in veterans with both conditions. AUDs are potential consequences of PTSD, as many veterans may use alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate or ameliorate PTSD symptoms such as hyperarousal or emotional numbing. AUDs may also be a risk factor for the development of PTSD and may exacerbate PTSD symptom severity and impairment. Treatment for cooccurring PTSD and alcohol dependence among veterans is challenging. To date there has been little research to develop pharmacotherapies that would, ideally, reduce both alcohol use and PTSD symptom severity in patients with both of these conditions. Topiramate is one of the few medications for alcohol dependence that has also been separately tested as a potential medication to treat PTSD. Topiramate s efficacy in alcohol dependence in patients without PTSD has been shown in two recent large controlled trials. Open trials have suggested that topiramate may be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in patients without AUDs, and a number of small controlled trials have also produced promising results. The PI recently completed the first pilot clinical trial of topiramate treatment in veterans with both alcohol dependence and PTSD, and preliminary analyses demonstrate feasibility, safety, tolerability, and efficacy in reducing alcohol use. Results also provide support for testing topiramate s potential efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms.
Semantic3D.net: A new Large-scale Point Cloud Classification Benchmark

This paper presents a new 3D point cloud classification benchmark data set with over four billion manually labelled points, meant as input for data-hungry (deep) learning methods. We also discuss first submissions to the benchmark that use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as a work horse, which already show remarkable performance improvements over state-of-the-art. CNNs have become the de-facto standard for many tasks in computer vision and machine learning like semantic segmentation or object detection in images, but have no yet led to a true breakthrough for 3D point cloud labelling tasks due to lack of training data. With the massive data set presented in this paper, we aim at closing this data gap to help unleash the full potential of deep learning methods for 3D labelling tasks. Our this http URL data set consists of dense point clouds acquired with static terrestrial laser scanners. It contains 8 semantic classes and covers a wide range of urban outdoor scenes: churches, streets, railroad tracks, squares, villages, soccer fields and castles. We describe our labelling interface and show that our data set provides more dense and complete point clouds with much higher overall number of labelled points compared to those already available to the research community. We further provide baseline method descriptions and comparison between methods submitted to our online system. We hope this http URL will pave the way for deep learning methods in 3D point cloud labelling to learn richer, more general 3D representations, and first submissions after only a few months indicate that this might indeed be the case.
Networks of military alliances, wars, and international trade

Significance The incidence of interstate wars has dropped dramatically over time: The number of wars per pair of countries per year from 1950 to 2000 was roughly a 10th as high as it was from 1820 to 1949. This significant decrease in the frequency of wars correlates with a substantial increase in the number of military alliances per country and the stability of those alliances. We show that one possible explanation of this is an accompanying expansion of international trade. Increased trade decreases countries’ incentives to attack each other and increases their incentives to defend each other, leading to a stable and peaceful network of military and trade alliances that is consistent with observed data. We investigate the role of networks of alliances in preventing (multilateral) interstate wars. We first show that, in the absence of international trade, no network of alliances is peaceful and stable. We then show that international trade induces peaceful and stable networks: Trade increases the density of alliances so that countries are less vulnerable to attack and also reduces countries’ incentives to attack an ally. We present historical data on wars and trade showing that the dramatic drop in interstate wars since 1950 is paralleled by a densification and stabilization of trading relationships and alliances. Based on the model we also examine some specific relationships, finding that countries with high levels of trade with their allies are less likely to be involved in wars with any other countries (including allies and nonallies), and that an increase in trade between two countries correlates with a lower chance that they will go to war with each other.
Optimum Var Sizing & Allocation Using Particle Swarm Optimization

This paper proposes a new solution technique for finding the optimum location and sizing of the shunt compensation devices in transmission system. This problem is not important only for improving the voltage profile but also for increasing the stability margin and enhancing the voltage stability of the system. The problem can be formulated as an integer nonlinear optimization problem. The newly developed evolutionary technique particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to solve this problem. Case studies with the Ward-Hale 6-bus, IEEE 14-bus and 30-bus systems are presented to illustrate the applicability of the algorithm
Survival Trends in Elderly Patients with Glioblastoma in the United States: a Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM Concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide along with radiotherapy following surgery (the Stupp regimen) is the preferred therapy for young patients with glioblastoma as well as for elderly (>70 years) ones with favorable risk factors. This study investigated the survival trend since the introduction of the use of the Stupp regimen in elderly patients in a population-based setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database was used to identify patients aged ≥70 years with glioblastoma as the first primary cancer diagnosed from 1999 to 2010. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard method were used for analysis. RESULT A total of 5,575 patients were included in the survival analysis. Survival in Stupp era (year of diagnosis ≥2005) was significantly better compared to the pre-Stupp era with p<0.001 by log-rank test, with 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival of 18.8% vs. 12.9%, 6.5% vs. 2.1% and 3.1% vs. 0.9% respectively, and hazard ratio for death in 3 years in the Stupp era was 0.87 (95% confidence interval=0.82-0.92; p<0.001) when compared with the pre-Stupp era. Factors such as younger age (<85 years), female sex, married status, Caucasian race and total resection favored better survival compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSION This study shows that the survival of elderly patients with glioblastoma has improved since the introduction of the Stupp regimen. However, there are significant differences in survival rates among various cohorts.
Mapping hydration dynamics around a protein surface

Protein surface hydration is fundamental to its structure and activity. We report here the direct mapping of global hydration dynamics around a protein in its native and molten globular states, using a tryptophan scan by site-specific mutations. With 16 tryptophan mutants and in 29 different positions and states, we observed two robust, distinct water dynamics in the hydration layer on a few (≈1–8 ps) and tens to hundreds of picoseconds (≈20–200 ps), representing the initial local relaxation and subsequent collective network restructuring, respectively. Both time scales are strongly correlated with protein's structural and chemical properties. These results reveal the intimate relationship between hydration dynamics and protein fluctuations and such biologically relevant water–protein interactions fluctuate on picosecond time scales.
Weed control strategies for grain legumes

There has been increasing interest in sustainable weed management in low-input farming systems. In an integrated approach, the development of cropping systems such as appropriate spatial arrangement and efficient tillage will help crops themselves to compete with weeds. With this aim, we investigated the strategic use of plant lodging combined with mechanical weed treatment to improve crop competitiveness and reduce the use of herbicides. We studied weed infestation and grain yield of three grain legumes, field bean, chickpea and field pea, grown according to different plant lodgings (narrow, wide and twin rows) and weed suppression methods: untreated, chemical and mechanical control. In the two years of the trial, two different weed infestation levels were observed due to different meteorological conditions. Our results show that the different crops showed different competitive behaviours, especially in weedy conditions. Indeed, in the bean plots, weed infestation was decreased from 70% in wide rows to 30% in narrow rows. Mechanical treatment produced weed levels similar to those in narrow rows (27%). Mechanical treatment gave grain yields of 2.3 t ha−1, that are comparable with chemically treated plots (2.7 t ha−1). For chickpea, mechanical treatment combined with wide rows proved effective in fighting weeds at a similar level to chemical treatment. Moreover, the yield using mechanical treatment, of 1.6 t ha−1, was only slightly lower than the yield using chemical treatment (2.3 t ha−1). For field peas, mechanical and cropping weed control can limit herbicides, but they are unable to control weed infestation on their own.
Race and Colon Cancer Survival in an Equal-Access Health Care System

Studies have shown that Whites have a higher colorectal cancer survival rate than Blacks. However, it is unclear whether racial disparities result from unequal access to medical care or factors other than health care access or both. This study assessed whether non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) differ in colon cancer survival in an equal-access health care system and examined whether racial differences varied by demographic and tumor characteristics. The study included 2,537 Military Health System patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 1998 and 2007. Median follow-up time was 31.4 months. Cox models estimated HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for race, overall and stratified by age at diagnosis, sex, and tumor stage. No difference in overall survival (OS) between NHWs and NHBs was observed in general. However, among patients younger than 50 years old, NHBs experienced significantly worse OS than NHWs (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.30–3.19). Furthermore, stratification by sex and tumor stage showed that this racial disparity was confined to women (HR: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.35–6.11) and patients with distant stage disease (HR: 2.45; 95% CI: 1.15–5.22) in this age group. When medical care is equally available to NHWs and NHBs, similar overall colon cancer survival was observed; however, evidence of racial differences in survival was apparent for patients younger than 50 years old. This study suggests that factors other than access to care may be related to racial disparities in colon cancer survival among younger, but not older, patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(6); 1030–6. ©2013 AACR.
How Power Affects People: Activating, Wanting, and Goal Seeking

&NA; Sociocognitive research has demonstrated that power affects how people feel, think, and act. In this article, I review literature from social psychology, neuroscience, management, and animal research and propose an integrated framework of power as an intensifier of goal‐related approach motivation. A growing literature shows that power energizes thought, speech, and action and orients individuals toward salient goals linked to power roles, predispositions, tasks, and opportunities. Power magnifies self‐expression linked to active parts of the self (the active self), enhancing confidence, self‐regulation, and prioritization of efforts toward advancing focal goals. The effects of power on cognitive processes, goal preferences, performance, and corruption are discussed, and its potentially detrimental effects on social attention, perspective taking, and objectification of subordinates are examined. Several inconsistencies in the literature are explained by viewing power holders as more flexible and dynamic than is usually assumed.
Shadows of Transformation: Inclusion and Exclusion of Academic Staff at a University of Technology.

A study of academic staff at a South African university of technology used questionnaires and interviews to understand perceptions and experiences related to inclusion and exclusion. Taking critical race theory as the theoretical framework, the study revealed high levels of anger amongst staff of different racial identities. Expressions of alienation related to racism were particularly high from African staff members. The response rate by Indian men was particularly low. Indian and white women were more likely to report a sense of exclusion than men from these groups. While whites tended to feel included, there was some resentment over affirmative action. Issues of gender and class also arose but seldom separately from discussions of race. The prevailing neoliberal discourse of universities is seen as one factor that impedes transformation. Recommendations are made to assist the institution to become more genuinely inclusive.
Modifications of cellulose synthase confer resistance to isoxaben and thiazolidinone herbicides in Arabidopsis Ixr1 mutants

In many higher plants, cellulose synthesis is inhibited by isoxaben and thiazolidinone herbicides such as 5-tert-butyl-carbamoyloxy-3-(3-trifluromethyl) phenyl-4-thiazolidinone. Semidominant mutations at the IXR1 and IXR2 loci of Arabidopsis confer isoxaben and thiazolidinone resistance. Isolation of the IXR1 gene by map-based cloning revealed that it encodes the AtCESA3 isoform of cellulose synthase. The two known mutant alleles contain point mutations that replace glycine 998 with aspartic acid, and threonine 942 with isoleucine, respectively. The mutations occur in a highly conserved region of the enzyme near the carboxyl terminus that is well separated from the proposed active site. Although the IXR1 gene is expressed in the same cells as the structurally related RSW1 (AtCESA1) cellulose synthase gene, these two CESA genes are not functionally redundant.
Britain and Europe since 1945: Historiographical Perspectives on Integration

Acknowledgements List of abbreviations List of images Introduction: Using history, making policy 1. Method and argument 2. The orthodox school 3. The revisionist school 4. The historiography in current perspective Conclusion: Historians and historiography Rethinking the history debate Policy-relevant history Future research Bibliography Index