Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute Acrolein Exposure Induces Impairment of Vocal Fold Epithelial Barrier Function

Acrolein is a ubiquitous pollutant abundant in cigarette smoke, mobile exhaust, and industrial waste. There is limited literature on the effects of acrolein on vocal fold tissue, although there are clinical reports of voice changes after pollutant exposures. Vocal folds are responsible for voice production. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effects of acrolein exposure on viable, excised vocal fold epithelial tissue and to characterize the mechanism underlying acrolein toxicity. Vocal fold epithelia were studied because they form the outermost layer of the vocal folds and are a primary recipient of inhaled pollutants. Porcine vocal fold epithelia were exposed to 0, 50, 100, 500, 900 or 1300 μM of acrolein for 3 hours; the metabolic activity, epithelial resistance, epithelial permeability, tight junction protein (occludin and claudin 3) expression, cell membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation were investigated. The data demonstrated that acrolein exposure at 500 μM significantly reduced vocal fold epithelial metabolic activity by 27.2% (p≤0.001). Incubation with 100 μM acrolein caused a marked increase in epithelial permeability by 130.5% (p<0.05) and a reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) by 180.0% (p<0.001). While the expression of tight junctional protein did not change in acrolein-treated samples, the cell membrane integrity was significantly damaged with a 45.6% increase of lipid peroxidation as compared to controls (p<0.05). Taken together, these data provide evidence that acute acrolein exposure impairs vocal fold epithelial barrier integrity. Lipid peroxidation-induced cell membrane damage may play an important role in reducing the barrier function of the epithelium.
Testing the role of the FcγRIIB immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif in regulation of the B cell immune response

In vitro studies have demonstrated that the immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based inhibitory motif (ITIM) of the inhibitory Fc receptor FcγRIIB is critical for mediating attenuation of signaling via immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based activation motif (ITAM) containing receptors, such as the B cell antigen receptor (BCR), when FcγRIIB is co‐cross‐linked to these activation receptors. To test the role of the FcγRIIB ITIM motif in regulation of the B cell immune response in vivo, we constructed lines of transgenic mice expressing a form of FcγRIIB with an inactivating tyrosine (Y) to phenylalanine (F) mutation in the ITIM motif. Detailed studies of one of these lines, in which the mutant FcγRIIB was expressed on B cells and other cell types that normally express this receptor, were performed. No quantitative differences in germinal center (GC) B cell responses were observed between the mutant FcγRIIB transgenic line and control mice. However, serum antibody and antibody forming cell responses were often observed to be elevated in the ITIM mutant FcγRIIB transgenic mice as compared to controls, though not to the same extent as mice deficient in expression of FcγRIIB. Moreover, primary B cells from the ITIM mutant FcγRIIB line did not display the same level of augmented BCR signaling as primary FcγRIIB deficient B cells under conditions inducing co‐cross‐linking of FcγRIIB and the BCR. In total, these data suggest that a functional ITIM motif is not required for all in vivo inhibitory activity of this receptor. However, we also found that the transgenic ITIM mutant FcγRIIB receptor was expressed at abnormal levels in several hematopoietic lineages. Thus, confirmation of our findings will require the generation and analysis of mice in which an ITIM mutant form of FcγRIIB is expressed in vivo as is the endogenous receptor.
Sender Demeanor: Individual Differences in Sender Believability Have a Powerful Impact on Deception Detection Judgments

Sender demeanor is an individual difference in the believability of message senders that is conceptually independent of actual honesty. Recent research suggests that sender demeanor may be the most influential source of variation in deception detection judgments. Sender demeanor was varied in five experiments (N = 30, 113, 182, 30, and 35) to create demeanor‐veracity matched and demeanor‐veracity mismatched conditions. The sender demeanor induction explained as much as 98% of the variance indetection accuracy.Three additional studies (N = 30, 113, and 104) investigated the behavioral profiles of more and less believable senders. The results document the strong impact of sender effects in deception detection and provide an explanation of the low-accuracy ceiling in the previous findings.
Efficient token based clone detection with flexible tokenization

Code clones are similar code fragments that occur at multiple locations in a software system. Detection of code clones provides useful information for maintenance, reengineering, program understanding and reuse. Several techniques have been proposed to detect code clones. These techniques differ in the code representation used for analysis of clones, ranging from plain text to parse trees and program dependence graphs. Clone detection based on lexical tokens involves minimal code transformation and gives good results, but is computationally expensive because of the large number of tokens that need to be compared. We explored string algorithms to find suitable data structures and algorithms for efficient token based clone detection and implemented them in our tool Repeated Tokens Finder (RTF). Instead of using suffix tree for string matching, we use more memory efficient suffix array. RTF incorporates a suffix array based linear time algorithm to detect string matches. It also provides a simple and customizable tokenization mechanism. Initial analysis and experiments show that our clone detection is simple, scalable, and performs better than the previous well-known tools.
In front of and behind the second screen: viewer and producer perspectives on a companion app

The growing success of tablets and smartphones has shifted the focus of the interactive TV industry to the introduction of second screen applications. One example is second screen companion apps that offer extra information about a television program, often synchronized with what happens on screen. In this paper, we investigate a second screen companion app, from the perspective of the viewers and producers of such apps. Based on observations and interviews with viewers and producers, and actual usage data of a companion app from Google Analytics, we present several insights and recommendations for how to design companion apps related to ease of use, timing, social interaction, attention and added value.
Immunological aspects of using plant cells as delivery vehicles for oral vaccines

Genetically engineered plants can be used for the biomanufacture and delivery of oral vaccines. Although a myriad of antigens have been produced using this approach, improving our knowledge of their oral immunogenic properties is a priority as this aspect has not been well researched. Some studies have provided evidence of a higher immunogenic activity for antigens that were orally administered in the form of plant-based vaccines in comparison with conventional pure antigens. The characteristics of the plant-derived vaccines that may influence oral immunogenicity are identified and discussed in this review. Among the hypotheses explaining these immunogenic properties are the following: bioencapsulation favors antigen uptake and displays a resistance to degradation; plant metabolites exert adjuvant activity; plant compounds, such as polysaccharides, exert mucoadhesive properties; differential glycosylation conferred by the plant cell machinery enhances immunogenicity. Perspectives on how these hypotheses may be assessed are examined.
Predictive Factors of Survival and 6-Month Favorable Outcome of Very Severe Head Trauma Patients; a Historical Cohort Study

Introduction: Very severe head trauma cases, defined as Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of less than 6, have a higher mortality rate and poorer outcome. The purpose of this study was to recognize factors associated with survival and 6-month favorable outcome of very severe head trauma patients presenting to emergency department. Methods: In this historical cohort study, the authors retrospectively reviewed medical records of head trauma patients who were admitted to the emergency department with post-resuscitation GCS scores of less than 6. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were used to test the association between various parameters with survival and 6-month outcome. Results: 103 cases with the mean age of 39 ± 16.5 years were studied (80% male). The overall survival rate was 41.7% and the rate of 6-month favorable outcome was 28.2%. In multivariate analysis, brisk pupil light reaction on admission and patent basal cistern on brain computed tomography (CT) scan were significant factors associated with both survival (OR 5.20, 95% CI 1.57-17.246, p = 0.007 and OR 3.65, 95% CI 1.22-10.91, p=0.02 respectively) and favorable outcome (OR 4.07, 95% CI 1.35-12.24, p=0.01 and OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.22-10.26, p 0.02), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results of present study, the survival rate of patients with very severe head trauma (GCS < 6) was 41.7%. The strong predictors of survival and 6-month favorable outcome of these patients were brisk pupillary reactivity and patent cistern on brain CT scan. It seems that very severe head trauma patients still have a reasonable chance to survive and aggressive management should be continued.
Role of Tissue Renin in the Pathophysiology of Hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27 Rats

A transgenic rat line, TGR(mREN2)27, was established by introducing the murine Ren-2 gene into the genome of rats by microinjection techniques. These rats exhibit severe hypertension, making them an interesting model in which to study the role of renin in the pathophysiology of hypertension. However, although the additional renin gene is the only genetic difference compared with control rats, the exact mechanism of hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27 rats is still unclear. It cannot be attributed to a stimulation of the endocrine renin-angiotensin system or to an overexpression of renin in the kidney, since plasma and kidney renin and renin gene expression in the kidney are low in these animals. Here we describe recent progress made toward elucidating mechanisms of hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27 rats. 1) TGR(mREN2)27 rats were bred to homozygosity. The development of high blood pressure in homozygous rats is accelerated compared with that of heterozygous rats. This is paralleled by a higher mortality rate in homozygous TGR(mREN2)27 rats. Blood pressure and mortality rate of homozygous transgenic rats were effectively reduced by 10 mg captopril per kilogram body weight. 2) Treatment of 8-week-old heterozygous TGR(mREN2)27 rats with 10 mg/kg body wt per day of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist DuP 753 for 4.5 weeks normalized blood pressure. After withdrawal of the drug, blood pressure increased rapidly, reaching control levels after 3 weeks. In another group of TGR(mREN2)27 rats treated with 0.5 mg/kg per day, there was no change in blood pressure. Plasma renin and plasma angiotensin II were significantly higher in the high-dose group compared with the low-dose group. These data indicate that angiotensin II plays a major role in hypertension of TGR(mREN2)27 rats. 3) Because the activity of the plasma renin-angiotensin system is reduced in TGR(mREN2)27 rats but the pharmacological interventions with captopril and DuP 753 suggest an important role of angiotensin II for hypertension, our interest focused on tissue renin-angiotensin systems. By Northern hybridization, highest transgene expression was detected in the adrenal gland followed by thymus, tissues of the gastrointestinal and genital tracts, kidney, brain, and lung. No expression was found in the liver and submandibular gland. 4) Compared with Sprague-Dawley rats, urinary glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid excretion was significantly enhanced in TGR(mREN2)27 rats up to an age of 18 weeks, suggesting that corticoids may be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27 rats. Treatment of 4- and 18-week-old TGR(mREN2)27 rats with the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone, however, did not influence blood pressure. The high expression of Ren-2 in the adrenal glands and the corticosteroid excretion analyses point to an important role of a local adrenal renin-angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27 rats.
To have both roots and wings: nested identities in the case of Bulgarian students in the UK

Bulgarian migrants and university students in particular have recently fallen into the spotlight of British media, firmly positioned within fervent immigration debates. Drawing on Brewer’s concept of nested identities, this paper explores how Bulgarian university students in the UK manage four different identifications: national, European, migrant and student. Thus, the process of establishing nested identities is investigated on three different contextual levels: the transnational, regional and the everyday (at university and at the workplace). Paying particular attention to the factors that influence the process, this article also scrutinises its implications for Bulgarian students’ values and perceptions. Utilising semi-structured interviews and participant observation with Bulgarian students, this paper will argue that the four identifications emerge as highly dynamic, context-specific and constantly negotiated relationships. Retrospectively, this article aims to contribute not only to current literature on Bulgarian migration but also to wider debates on transnational youth identities.
Factors Predictive of Severe Hypoglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Identify factors predictive of severe hypoglycemia (SH) and assess the clinical utility of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to warn of impending SH. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a multicenter randomized clinical trial, 436 children and adults with type 1 diabetes were randomized to a treatment group that used CGM (N = 224), or a control group that used standard home blood glucose monitoring (N = 212) and completed 12 months of follow-up. After 6 months, the original control group initiated CGM while the treatment group continued use of CGM for 6 months. Baseline risk factors for SH were evaluated over 12 months of follow-up using proportional hazards regression. CGM-derived indices of hypoglycemia were used to predict episodes of SH over a 24-h time horizon. RESULTS The SH rate was 17.9 per 100 person-years, and a higher rate was associated with the occurrence of SH in the prior 6 months and female sex. SH frequency increased eightfold when 30% of CGM values were ≤70 mg/dL on the prior day (4.5 vs. 0.5%; P < 0.001), but the positive predictive value (PPV) was low (<5%). Results were similar for hypoglycemic area under the curve and the low blood glucose index calculated by CGM. CONCLUSIONS SH in the 6 months prior to the study was the strongest predictor of SH during the study. CGM-measured hypoglycemia over a 24-h span is highly associated with SH the following day (P < 0.001), but the PPV is low.
Evaluation of DNF Formulas

Stochastic Boolean Function Evaluation (SBFE) is the problem of determining the value of a given Boolean function $f$ on an unknown input $x$, when each bit of $x_i$ of $x$ can only be determined by paying a given associated cost $c_i$. Further, $x$ is drawn from a given product distribution: for each $x_i$, $Prob[x_i=1] = p_i$, and the bits are independent. The goal is to minimize the expected cost of evaluation. Stochastic Boolean Function Evaluation (SBFE) is the problem of determining the value of a given Boolean function $f$ on an unknown input $x$, when each bit of $x_i$ of $x$ can only be determined by paying a given associated cost $c_i$. Further, $x$ is drawn from a given product distribution: for each $x_i$, $Prob[x_i=1] = p_i$, and the bits are independent. The goal is to minimize the expected cost of evaluation. In this paper, we study the complexity of the SBFE problem for classes of DNF formulas. We consider both exact and approximate versions of the problem for subclasses of DNF, for arbitrary costs and product distributions, and for unit costs and/or the uniform distribution.
Predictors of academic success in first semester baccalaureate nursing students

Recently the number of students graduating from nursing programs has been insufficient to replace nurses leaving the workforce. The attrition rate for students entering baccalaureate nursing education programs is approximately 30%, with most (82.3%), leaving in their first semester of study (Morgan, 2001). Schools of nursing need to establish ways to decrease student attrition from programs. This study was an attempt to determine whether self-esteem, self-efficacy, and environmental variables are predictors of student attrition in first-semester baccalaureate nursing students, using a descriptive correlational design to explore the relationship between these variables in a non-probability convenience sample of 66 first semester baccalaureate nursing students. No statistically significant relationship between self-esteem, self-efficacy, or environmental variables and student attrition was revealed.
Measuring Nepotism through Shared Last Names: Are We Really Moving from Opinions to Facts?

Nepotistic practices are detrimental for academia. An analysis of shared last names among academics was recently proposed to measure the diffusion of nepotism, the results of which have had a huge resonance. This method was thus proposed to orient the decisions of policy makers concerning cuts and funding. Because of the social relevance of this issue, the validity of this method must be assessed. Thus, we compared results from an analysis of Italian and United Kingdom academic last names, and of Italian last and given names. The results strongly suggest that the analysis of shared last names is not a measure of nepotism, as it is largely affected by social capital, professional networking and demographic effects, whose contribution is difficult to assess. Thus, the analysis of shared last names is not useful for guiding research policy.
Операционализация шкалы чувствительности (Highly sensitive Person Scale) на российской выборке

Целью настоящего исследования была операционализация русскоязычной версии «Шкалы чувствительности» (Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) (Aron, Aron, 1997). Эмпирические данные собирались двумя путями: активным, через устную рекламу и приглашение желающих принять участие в исследовании студентов (техника снежного кома) и пассивным (размещение объявления о наборе желающих принять участие в исследовании в социальных сетях ВКонтакте и Фейсбук). В исследовании приняли участие 860 респондентов: 350 студентов-добровольцев университета (117 мужчин, 233 женщины, средний возраст (18,2 ± 1,7) лет), и 510 пользователей социальных сетей (380 женщин, 130 мужчин, средний возраст (22,6 ± 7,9) лет). Результаты исследования не подтвердили предложенную E.N. Aron & A. Aron (1997) одномерную модель конструкта, также как и наиболее распространенное в англоязычных исследованиях трехфакторное решение. Использованные в процедуре операционализации иерархический кластерный и конфирматорный анализы позволили заключить, что чувствительность обработки сенсорной информации (SPS) может быть описана в рамках двухфакторной модели, включающей субшкалы «Легкость возбуждения», «Низкий порог чувствительности» и определяется как повышенная восприимчивость к внешним и внутренним стимулам, реализующаяся через негативные эмоциональные реакции и глубокую восприимчивость (дистресс) к чрезмерной стимуляции.
Phase II study of HCVIDD/MA in patients with newly diagnosed peripheral T‐cell lymphoma

A phase II study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of hyper‐fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and dexamethasone alternating with methotrexate/cytarabine (HCVIDD/MA) in patients with newly diagnosed peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL), excluding ALK‐positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Fifty‐three patients were enrolled. Treatment was planned for up to 8 cycles but only 9% of patients received more than 6 cycles due primarily to disease progression (n = 13) or prolonged thrombocytopenia (n = 12). The overall response rate was 66% with a complete response rate of 57%. Median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 7·5 months. With a median follow‐up of 7·6 years, 5‐year PFS and overall survival (OS) were 21% and 48%, respectively. The patients with extranodal Natural Killer‐cell lymphoma had a shorter PFS (median, 2·4 months) than other subtypes. Grade 3/4 anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were observed in 66%, 74% and 79% of patients, respectively. Of note, 23% of patients discontinued therapy due to prolonged thrombocytopenia. In conclusion, HCVIDD/MA for the first‐line treatment of PTCL patients is associated with significant myelosuppression leading to poor treatment adherence, and the response and survival outcomes with this regimen are similar to standard CHOP. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials. gov as #NCT00290433.
Neuropsychological measurement of inhibitory control in posttraumatic stress disorder: An exploratory antisaccade paradigm

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of the study was to uncover inhibitory control dynamics and assess antisaccade eye-tracking tasks for relevance in a veteran posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) population. Method: Participants were 36 veterans enrolled at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The groups (PTSD diagnosed vs. controls) did not vary between age and sex. Participants completed a testing battery of clinical neuropsychological measures and two different eye-tracking conditions, one that utilized face stimuli and one with standard shape stimuli, which test pro- (PS) and antisaccade (AS) eye movements. Results: Veterans with PTSD, t(33) = 2.2, p = . 04, took longer to respond than controls in the standard condition AS. In the face condition, a group by task interaction was seen with increased latency for PTSD veterans in the AS versus PS task, F(3, 33) = 3.99, p = . 05, with a large overall effect (Hedges’ g = 1.18, p < .001) compared to controls. After controlling for depression, analyses suggested that only the face condition AS task significantly predicted dimensions of PTSD symptomology measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) for veterans with PTSD. Conclusions: This is the first study to extend AS findings to PTSD and suggests a specific capability to measure inhibitory control using eye-tracking technology. We discuss the notion that reduced capacity to regulate facial-related processing affects cognitive and attentional control networks of PTSD patients, potentially representing a core cognitive deficit.