Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of bicarbonate transport in human red blood cell membranes at body temperature

We studied unidirectional [14C]HCO3- efflux from human resealed red cell ghosts with 1 mM acetazolamide under self-exchange conditions at pH = pH(i = o) 7.4-9.0 and 0-38 degrees C by means of the Millipore- Swinnex and continuous flow tube filtering techniques. 14CO2 loss from cells to efflux medium and further to the atmosphere was insignificant. [14C]HCO3- efflux was determined at pH 7.8, 38 degrees C under symmetric variation of the HCO3- concentrations (C(i = o)), and asymmetric conditions: C(i) varied, C(o) constant, or C(o) varied, C(i) constant. MM-fit, Jeff = Jmaxeff x C x (C + K1/2)-1, used to describe the concentration dependence of Jeff,o when only C(o) varied, yields at C(i) = 50 mM: K1/2o = 3.8 mMJ, Jmaxeff.o = 20 nmol cm-2 s-1; at C(i) = 165 mM: K1/2o = 10 mM, Jmaxeff.o = 32 nmol cm-2 s-1. When C(i) varied, noncompetitive self inhibition by HCO3- binding (inhibitor constant K1) to an intracellular site was included (MS-fit). Under conditions of (a) symmetry: C(i = o) = 9-600 mM, K1/2s = 173 mM, K1 = 172 mM, and Jmaxeff,s = 120 nmol cm-2 s-1, (b) asymmetry: C(o) = 50 mM, K1/2i = 116 mM, K1 = 136 mM, and Jmaxeff,i = 92 nmol cm-2 s-1. All flux parameters accord with the ping-pong model for anion exchange. The data for C(i) < 200 mM also fit well to the MM equation, but K1/2 and Jmaxeff are different from the MS-fit and are inconsistent with the ping-pong model. Thus, self-inhibition (MS-fit) must be included even at low concentrations. As at 0 degree C, the system is asymmetric: 8-10 times more unloaded transport sites face inward than outward when C(i = o). Jeff,s was not mono-exponentially dependent on temperature at 0-38 degrees C, indicating that the transmembrane anion transport is controlled by several rate constants with different temperature dependencies. Jeff,s was not significantly affected by increasing pH(i = o) from 7.4 to 7.8, but it decreased by 50% when pH was raised to 9.0.
CD25+CD4+ Regulatory T Cells from the Peripheral Blood of Asymptomatic HIV-infected Individuals Regulate CD4+ and CD8+ HIV-specific T Cell Immune Responses In Vitro and Are Associated with Favorable Clinical Markers of Disease Status

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is associated with loss of CD4+ T cells, chronic immune activation, and progressive immune dysfunction. HIV-specific responses, particularly those of CD4+ T cells, become impaired early after infection, before the loss of responses directed against other antigens; the basis for this diminution has not been elucidated fully. The potential role of CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells (T reg cells), previously shown to inhibit immune responses directed against numerous pathogens, as suppressors of HIV-specific T cell responses was investigated. In the majority of healthy HIV-infected individuals, CD25+CD4+ T cells significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and cytokine production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to HIV antigens/peptides in vitro; these effects were cell contact dependent and IL-10 and TGF-β independent. Individuals with strong HIV-specific CD25+ T reg cell function in vitro had significantly lower levels of plasma viremia and higher CD4+: CD8+ T cell ratios than did those individuals in whom this activity could not be detected. These in vitro data suggest that CD25+CD4+ T reg cells may contribute to the diminution of HIV-specific T cell immune responses in vivo in the early stages of HIV disease.
Barriers to and possibilities of returning to play after a severe soccer injury: a qualitative study

Abstract Soccer is the biggest sport in the world, resulting in a large number of injuries occurring in this game. Many soccer players today are ready physically, but not mentally, to return to play. The aim of this study was to investigate injured players’ perception of their time after a sports injury has occurred. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach. Eight soccer players, four male and four female, aged 14–25 years, were interviewed individually. The material was analysed using manifest content analysis. The participants reported on various psychological aspects that affected them both positively and negatively during the rehabilitation period. Individual factors included the injured players’ reaction, motivation and fear. Situational factors, such as their coach, the team, their family and the physiotherapist, also influenced the participants. In conclusion, several psychological factors affect young soccer players’ perception of rehabilitation after a severe injury. This study found that support from the team and the coach is often lacking in a soccer player’s rehabilitation.
Community Level Diffusion Extraction

How does online content propagate on social networks? Billions of users generate, consume, and spread tons of information every day. This unprecedented scale of dynamics becomes invaluable to reflect our zeitgeist. However, most present diffusion extraction works have only touched individual user level and cannot obtain comprehensive clues. This paper introduces a new approach, i.e., COmmunity Level Diffusion (COLD), to uncover and explore temporal diffusion. We model topics and communities in a unified latent framework, and extract inter-community influence dynamics. With a well-designed multi-component model structure and a parallel inference implementation on GraphLab, the COLD method is expressive while remaining efficient. The extracted community level patterns enable diffusion exploration from a new perspective. We leverage the compact yet robust representations to develop new prediction and analysis applications. Extensive experiments on large social datasets show significant improvement in prediction accuracy. We can also find communities play very different roles in diffusion processes depending on their interest. Our method guarantees high scalability with increasing data size.
Nursing Home Staffing, Turnover, and Case Mix

This study examined the predictors of total nurse and registered nurse (RN) staffing hours per resident day separately in all free-standing California nursing homes (1,155), using staffing data from state cost reports in 1999. This study used a two-stage least squares model, taking into account nursing turnover rates, resident case mix levels, and other factors. As expected, total nurse and RN staffing hours were negatively associated with nurse staff turnover rates and positively associated with resident case mix. Facilities were resource dependent in that a high proportion of Medicare residents predicted higher staffing hours, and a higher proportion of Medicaid residents predicted lower staffing hours and higher turnover rates. Nursing assistant wages were positively associated with total nurse staffing hours. For-profit facilities and high-occupancy rate facilities had lower total nurse and RN staffing hours. Medicaid reimbursement rates and multifacility organizations were positively associated with RN staffing hours.
Edaravone Protects against Hypoxia/Ischemia-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Dysfunction

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced cell death plays an important role in cerebral ischemia. In the present study, we investigated whether edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-pyrazolin-5-one), a free radical scavenger, can protect against ER damage induced by cerebral ischemia. In a mouse model of hypoxia/ischemia, treatment with edaravone reduced edema-corrected infarction volume, attenuated hemispheric swelling, and improved neurological status. Moreover, edaravone suppressed ER stress-mediated apoptosis by inhibiting eukaryotic initiation factor α phosphorylation, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) induction, and caspase-12 activation. In mouse primary cultured glial cells, edaravone attenuated ER stress as evidenced by inhibition of the induction of glucose regulated protein 78 and CHOP and XBP-1 splicing under treatment with tunicamycin (Tm), which induces ER stress. Tm did not induce the production of reactive oxygen species in primary cultured glial cells. In addition, the free radical scavengers N-acetyl-l-cysteine and ebselen [2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one] did not affect ER stress response caused by Tm. These results demonstrated a novel action of edaravone that can protect against ER dysfunction in cerebral ischemia.
The Tuning of Human Motor Response to Risk in a Dynamic Environment Task

The role of motor uncertainty in discrete or static space tasks, such as pointing tasks, has been investigated in many experiments. These studies have shown that humans hold an internal representation of intrinsic and extrinsic motor uncertainty and compensate for this variability when planning movement. The aim of this study was to investigate how humans respond to uncertainties during movement execution in a dynamic environment despite indeterminate knowledge of the outcome of actions. Additionally, the role of errors, or lack thereof, in predicting risk was examined. In the experiment, subjects completed a driving simulation game on a two-lane road. The road contained random curves so that subjects were forced to use sensory feedback to complete the task and could not rely only on motor planning. Risk was manipulated by using horizontal perturbations to create the illusion of driving on a bumpy road, thereby imposing motor uncertainty, and altering the cost function of the road. Results suggest continual responsiveness to cost and uncertainty in a dynamic task and provide evidence that subjects avoid risk even in the absence of errors. The results suggest that humans tune their statistical motor behavior based on cost, taking into account probabilities of possible outcomes in response to environmental uncertainty.
Nuclear Hormone Receptor Expression in Mouse Kidney and Renal Cell Lines

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are transcription factors that regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, immune responses, and inflammation. Although several NHRs, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and PPARα, demonstrate a renoprotective effect in the context of diabetic nephropathy (DN), the expression and role of other NHRs in the kidney are still unrecognized. To investigate potential roles of NHRs in the biology of the kidney, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to profile the expression of all 49 members of the mouse NHR superfamily in mouse kidney tissue (C57BL/6 and db/m), and cell lines of mesangial (MES13), podocyte (MPC), proximal tubular epithelial (mProx24) and collecting duct (mIMCD3) origins in both normal and high-glucose conditions. In C57BL/6 mouse kidney cells, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α, chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII) and COUP-TFIII were highly expressed. During hyperglycemia, the expression of the NHR 4A subgroup including neuron-derived clone 77 (Nur77), nuclear receptor-related factor 1, and neuron-derived orphan receptor 1 significantly increased in diabetic C57BL/6 and db/db mice. In renal cell lines, PPARδ was highly expressed in mesangial and proximal tubular epithelial cells, while COUP-TFs were highly expressed in podocytes, proximal tubular epithelial cells, and collecting duct cells. High-glucose conditions increased the expression of Nur77 in mesangial and collecting duct cells, and liver x receptor α in podocytes. These data demonstrate NHR expression in mouse kidney cells and cultured renal cell lines and suggest potential therapeutic targets in the kidney for the treatment of DN.
The Relationship between Network Embeddedness and Citizenship Behaviors in Online Brand Community:The Mediating Role of Psychological Ownership

Based on Social Exchange Theory,the article analyses the relationship between network embeddedness and citizenship behaviors of online brand community from the perspective of psychological ownership.Through 394 CUBE community samples we have found that network embeddedness(structural embeddedness and relational embeddedness)has a positive impact on psychological ownership;psychological ownership has a positive impact on citizenship behaviors in a brand community(favorable behaviors for brand community and favorable behaviors for community members);psychological ownership plays a mediating role between relational embeddedness and citizenship behaviors in online brand community,apartial mediating role between structural embeddedness and favorable behaviors for brand community,and a full mediating role between structural embeddedness and favorable behaviors for community members.
Alzheimer-like pathology in murine transgenic models: disease modification by environmental and genetic interventions

As no successful therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been developed to date, preventative strategies and non-pharmacological interventions increasingly become a major research focus. In recent years, substantial evidence for a protective role of physical and cognitive activity on the risk of AD has been growing. In the present study, the effect of a challenging environment in combination with regular exercise on the Alzheimer-like pathology of the Tg4-42 and 5XFAD mouse models was investigated. The Tg4-42 model overexpresses N-truncated Aβ4-42 without any mutations and develops an age- and dose-dependent neuron loss in the CA1 region of the hippocampus associated with a severe memory decline. It could be shown that long-term cognitive and physical stimulation significantly delay hippocampal neuron loss and completely rescue memory deficits in 12-month-old Tg4-42 mice. Moreover, long-term gene expression profile changes yielding to neuroprotective events could be observed in enriched housed Tg4-42 mice. These effects were irrespective of brain Aβ4-42 levels and increased neurogenesis rates. The present findings provide evidence for the first time that neuron loss and memory decline can be counteracted by prolonged physical and cognitive activity in a mouse model that rather reflects the sporadic form of AD. The 5XFAD model is a well-characterized, commonly used AD model for the familial form of the disease, representing an early and aggressive pathology. In the present work, it could be demonstrated that prolonged cognitive and physical activity has no therapeutic benefit on the pathophysiology of this conventional 5XFAD model. Despite partial improvements in motor performance, no beneficial effects in terms of behavioural deficits, Aβ plaque deposition, Aβ1-42 levels or inflammatory phenotype were observed. These results suggest that a rather mild intervention like mental stimulation and regular exercise cannot counteract the aggressive AD pathology seen in 5XFAD mice. In sporadic AD cases, a decelerated degradation of Aβ is supposed to be the primary cause of an enhanced accumulation of the peptide in the brain. Neprilysin (NEP) represents the major Aβ-degrading enzyme as shown by numerous in vitro and in vivo studies and hence is assumed to play a pivotal role in the progression of AD. In order to gain deeper knowledge about the function of NEP, 5XFAD mice were crossed with homozygous NEP knock-out mice. NEP reduction led to an impaired spatial working memory performance in 6-month-old 5XFAD mice. Furthermore, depletion of the enzyme increased extracellular amyloid deposition in specific brain regions and enhanced the inflammatory response in the brain. In young 5XFAD mice, however, NEP knock-out led to a delayed Aβ plaque deposition accompanied by elevated levels of the NEP homologue endothelin-converting enzyme 1 (ECE1). These data support previous observations showing that NEP is a substantial Aβ-degrading enzyme and suggest a reciprocal effect between NEP and ECE1 activities in young 5XFAD mice.
Grade Retention Rates among Students with Learning Disabilities

This study investigated the grade retention of students with learning disabilities. Data were collected on 689 students referred and identified as having learning disabilities during the 1987–88 school year in Indiana. Of these students, 58% had been retained before identification The results of this investigation suggest that retention is being used as a remediation before labeling a student. Implications of this practice and alternatives to grade retention as a method to address the academic needs of students are discussed.
Our demographic future: predictions for the next 50 years.

"This special issue of Population Today commemorates one-half century of the Population Bulletin by looking one-half century into the future. We asked experts and advocates for their predictions: What will be the most important demographic development in the next 50 years? The people we asked ranged from well-known leaders in the field to young people just starting out. We at PRB hope that this special feature will stimulate thought about our world's future, as viewed through the lens of demography. "
Cultural Influences on Collaborative Work in Software Engineering Teams

International business activities increasingly lead to the formation of multicultural teams that work together as project teams, for a certain time both at a site as well as in virtual teams. Despite the modern conception of many companies that multicultural composite teams are more productive due to various perspectives and work styles, the ignorance and disrespect of these differences in work styles and perspectives can lead to misunderstanding and loss of productivity. In this paper, we report our findings from a systematic literature review that analyzes previous research on cross-cultural software engineering, to identify potential impacts of national cultural factors on collaborative approaches and behavior in software engineering teams. We discuss the current emerging state of knowledge and point out directions for advancing the understanding of cultural influences in this domain to lay the foundation for better collaboration design for cross-cultural software
“Molecular rulers” for calibrating phenotypic effects of telomere imbalance

As a result of the increasing use of genome wide telomere screening, it has become evident that a significant proportion of people with idiopathic mental retardation have subtle abnormalities involving the telomeres of human chromosomes. However, during the course of these studies, there have also been telomeric imbalances identified in normal people that are not associated with any apparent phenotype. We have begun to scrutinise cases from both of these groups by determining the extent of the duplication or deletion associated with the imbalance. Five cases were examined where the telomere rearrangement resulted in trisomy for the 16p telomere. The size of the trisomic segment ranged from ∼4-7 Mb and the phenotype included mental and growth retardation, brain malformations, heart defects, cleft palate, pancreatic insufficiency, genitourinary abnormalities, and dysmorphic features. Three cases with telomeric deletions without apparent phenotypic effects were also examined, one from 10q and two from 17p. All three deletions were inherited from a phenotypically normal parent carrying the same deletion, thus without apparent phenotypic effect. The largest deletion among these cases was ∼600 kb on 17p. Similar studies are necessary for all telomeric regions to differentiate between those telomeric rearrangements that are pathogenic and those that are benign variants. Towards this goal, we are developing “molecular rulers” that incorporate multiple clones at each telomere that span the most distal 5 Mb region. While telomere screening has enabled the identification of telomere rearrangements, the use of molecular rulers will allow better phenotype prediction and prognosis related to these findings.
Integrable Mappings Related to the Extended Discrete KP Hierarchy

We investigate self-similar solutions of the extended discrete KP hi- erarchy. It is shown that corresponding ansatzes lead to purely discrete equations with dependence on some number of parameters together with equations governing deformations with respect to these parameters. Some examples are provided. In particular it is shown that well known discrete first Painleve equation (dPI) and its hierarchy arises as self-similar reduction of Volterra lattice hierarchy which in turn can be treated as reduction of the extended discrete KP hierarchy. It is written down equations which naturally generalize dPI. It is shown that these discrete systems de- scribe Backlund transformations of Noumi-Yamada systems of type A (1)n 1) . We also consider Miura transformations relating different infinite- and finite-field integrable mappings. Simplest example of this kind of Miura transformations is given.
Heat inactivation of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

The culture supernatants of the emerging Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) were submitted to three temperatures over time and tested for infectivity by TCID50 method on Vero E6 cells. At 56°C, almost 25 minutes were necessary to reduce the initial titre by 4 log10. Increasing temperature to 65°C had a strong negative effect on viral infectivity as virucidy dropped significantly to 1 minute. On the contrary, no significant decrease in titre was observed after 2 hours at 25°C. These data might be useful in establishing biosafety measures in laboratories against MERS‐CoV.
Christian and Muslim Immigrant Women in the Canadian Maritimes

This article details the strengths and vulnerabilities that Christian and Muslim immigrant women bring to situations of domestic violence in the Canadian Maritimes. An intersectional theoretical framework grounds the analysis of qualitative data collected from 89 Christian and Muslim women from 27 countries of origin who arrived in the region ten years prior to the field work. Their strengths include high levels of education, experiences of overcoming adversity, the ability to act strategically, and the use of social networks, while factors such as increased dependence on husbands, transnational family situations, responsibilities for family unity, and a lack of knowledge about local services are vulnerabilities. The findings show that Orthodox and Catholic Christians, Muslim women with young children, immigrant women employed full-time immediately upon arrival, and wives whose immigration is sponsored by their husbands lack access to important social support networks.
An Experimental Comparison of Active Learning Strategies for Partially Labeled Sequences

Active learning (AL) consists of asking human annotators to annotate automatically selected data that are assumed to bring the most benefit in the creation of a classifier. AL allows to learn accurate systems with much less annotated data than what is required by pure supervised learning algorithms, hence limiting the tedious effort of annotating a large collection of data. We experimentally investigate the behavior of several AL strategies for sequence labeling tasks (in a partially-labeled scenario) tailored on Partially-Labeled Conditional Random Fields, on four sequence labeling tasks: phrase chunking, part-of-speech tagging, named-entity recognition, and bioentity recognition.