Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma Proteome Biomarkers of Inflammation in School Aged Children in Nepal

Inflammation is a condition stemming from complex host defense and tissue repair mechanisms, often simply characterized by plasma levels of a single acute reactant. We attempted to identify candidate biomarkers of systemic inflammation within the plasma proteome. We applied quantitative proteomics using isobaric mass tags (iTRAQ) tandem mass spectrometry to quantify proteins in plasma of 500 Nepalese children 6–8 years of age. We evaluated those that co-vary with inflammation, indexed by α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), a conventional biomarker of inflammation in population studies. Among 982 proteins quantified in >10% of samples, 99 were strongly associated with AGP at a family-wise error rate of 0.1%. Magnitude and significance of association varied more among proteins positively (n = 41) than negatively associated (n = 58) with AGP. The former included known positive acute phase proteins including C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, complement components, protease inhibitors, transport proteins with anti-oxidative activity, and numerous unexpected intracellular signaling molecules. Negatively associated proteins exhibited distinct differences in abundance between secretory hepatic proteins involved in transporting or binding lipids, micronutrients (vitamin A and calcium), growth factors and sex hormones, and proteins of largely extra-hepatic origin involved in the formation and metabolic regulation of extracellular matrix. With the same analytical approach and the significance threshold, seventy-two out of the 99 proteins were commonly associated with CRP, an established biomarker of inflammation, suggesting the validity of the identified proteins. Our findings have revealed a vast plasma proteome within a free-living population of children that comprise functional biomarkers of homeostatic and induced host defense, nutrient metabolism and tissue repair, representing a set of plasma proteins that may be used to assess dynamics and extent of inflammation for future clinical and public health application.
Role of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinases 2 and 3 in μ-Opioid Receptor Desensitization and Internalization

There is ongoing debate about the role of G protein–coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) in agonist-induced desensitization of the μ-opioid receptor (MOPr) in brain neurons. In the present paper, we have used a novel membrane-permeable, small-molecule inhibitor of GRK2 and GRK3, Takeda compound 101 (Cmpd101; 3-[[[4-methyl-5-(4-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl] methyl] amino]-N-[2-(trifuoromethyl) benzyl] benzamidehydrochloride), to study the involvement of GRK2/3 in acute agonist-induced MOPr desensitization. We observed that Cmpd101 inhibits the desensitization of the G protein–activated inwardly-rectifying potassium current evoked by receptor-saturating concentrations of methionine-enkephalin (Met-Enk), [d-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAMGO), endomorphin-2, and morphine in rat and mouse locus coeruleus (LC) neurons. In LC neurons from GRK3 knockout mice, Met-Enk–induced desensitization was unaffected, implying a role for GRK2 in MOPr desensitization. Quantitative analysis of the loss of functional MOPrs following acute agonist exposure revealed that Cmpd101 only partially reversed MOPr desensitization. Inhibition of extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2, protein kinase C, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or GRK5 did not inhibit the Cmpd101-insensitive component of desensitization. In HEK 293 cells, Cmpd101 produced almost complete inhibition of DAMGO-induced MOPr phosphorylation at Ser375, arrestin translocation, and MOPr internalization. Our data demonstrate a role for GRK2 (and potentially also GRK3) in agonist-induced MOPr desensitization in the LC, but leave open the possibility that another, as yet unidentified, mechanism of desensitization also exists.
Thermodynamic Description of Beta Amyloid Formation

Protein function depends on both protein structure and amino acid (aa) sequence. Here we show that modular features of both structure and function can be quantified from the aa sequences alone for the small (40,42 aa) plaque-forming amyloid beta fragments. Some edge and center features of the fragments are predicted. Contrasting results from the second order hydropathicity scale based on evolutionary optimization (self-organized criticality) and the first order scale based on complete protein (water-air) unfolding show that fragmentation has mixed first- and second-order character.
Review: the resource-based view and information systems research: review, extension, and suggestions for future research

Information systems researchers have a long tradition of drawing on theories from disciplines such as economics, computer science, psychology, and general management and using them in their own research. Because of this, the information systems field has become a rich tapestry of theoretical and conceptual foundations. As new theories are brought into the field, particularly theories that have become dominant in other areas, there may be a benefit in pausing to assess their use and contribution in an IS context. The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically evaluate use of the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) by IS researchers. The paper provides a brief review of resource-based theory and then suggests extensions to make the RBV more useful for empirical IS research. First, a typology of key IS resources is presented, and these are then described using six traditional resource attributes. Second, we emphasize the particular importance of looking at both resource complementarity and moderating factors when studying IS resource effects on firm performance. Finally, we discuss three considerations that IS researchers need to address when using the RBV empirically. Eight sets of propositions are advanced to help guide future research.
Is heart disease a risk factor for low dementia test battery scores in older persons with Down syndrome? Exploratory, pilot study, and commentary

Objectives: Certain heart conditions and diseases are common in Down syndrome (DS; trisomy 21), but their role in early onset dementia that is prevalent in older adults with DS has not been evaluated. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study of risk factors for low neurocognitive/behavioral scores obtained with a published dementia test battery (DTB). Participants were adults with DS living in New York (N = 29; average age 46 years). We asked three questions. 1. Does having any type of heart disease affect the association between DTB scores and chronological age? 2. Does thyroid status affect the association between heart disease and DTB scores? 3. Are the E4 or E2 alleles of apolipoprotein E (APOE) associated with DTB scores or with heart disease? Method: The study was retrospective, pilot, and exploratory. It involved analysis of information in a database previously established for the study of aging in DS. Participants had moderate intellectual disability on average. Information for each person included: gender, age, a single DTB score obtained by combining results from individual subscales of the DTB, the presence or absence of heart disease, thyroid status (treated hypothyroidism or normal), and APOE genotype. Trends were visualized by inspection of graphs and contingency tables. Statistical methods used to evaluate associations included Pearson correlation analysis, Fisher’s exact tests (2-tailed), and odds ratio analysis. P values were interpreted at the 95% confidence level without Bonferroni correction. P values >. 05<. 1 were considered trends. Results: The negative correlation between DTB scores and age was significant in those with heart disease but not in those without. Heart disease was significantly associated with DTB scores >1 SD below the sample mean; there was a strong association between heart disease and low DTB scores in those with treated hypothyroidism but not in those with normal thyroid status. The APOE genotype was weakly associated with heart disease (E4, predisposing; E2, protective) in males. Conclusions: On the basis of the potentially important findings from the present study, large prospective studies are warranted to confirm and extend the observations. In these, particular heart conditions or diseases and other medical comorbidities in individuals should be documented.
On the Performance of a Multi-User Multi-Antenna System with Transmit Zero-Forcing Beamforming and Feedback Delay

This paper considers zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF) at the transmitter for a downlink multi-user multiple-input single-output (MU-MISO) system. Transmit beamforming as a simple yet efficient technique can exploit the benefits of multiple transmit antennas provided that the instantaneous channel state information (CSI) is known at both sides of transmission link. In order to have such improvements, the CSI at both link ends must be updated timely. However, the updating process is always subject to non-ideality such as feedback delay and estimation error, which destroy the orthogonality of the parallel channels and cause the mismatch between the actual channel characteristic and the modulation matrices used. By analyzing the effect of feedback delay on the performance of capacity with spectral efficiency and outage probability as benchmarks, we design a cross-layer scheduler combining semi-orthogonal user selection (SUS) algorithm at the medium access control (MAC) layer to reduce the inter-user interferences and an adaptive proportional weighted modulation (APWM) algorithm at the physical (PHY) layer to address the problem of such mismatch, and compare the proposed scheduler (APWM-SUS) with the naive scheduler (the rate modulation matrices designed for the perfect CSI). Finally, simulation and numerical results reveal significant gains and high feasibility.
Hepatitis B Virus X Upregulates HuR Protein Level to Stabilize HER2 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of HCC tumorigenesis is very complicated and HBV-encoded X protein (HBx) has been reported to play the most important role in this process. Activation of downstream signal pathways of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family is known to mediate HBx-dependent HCC tumor progression. Interestingly, HER2 (also known as ErbB2/Neu/EGFR2) is frequently overexpressed in HBx-expressing HCC patients and is associated with their poor prognosis. However, it remains unclear whether and how HBx regulates HER2 expression. In this study, our data showed that HBx expression increased HER2 protein level via enhancing its mRNA stability. The induction of RNA-binding protein HuR expression by HBx mediated the HER2 mRNA stabilization. Finally, the upregulated HER2 expression promoted the migration ability of HBx-expressing HCC cells. These findings deciphered the molecular mechanism of HBx-mediated HER2 upregulation in HBV-associated HCC.
Mixed-Mating Strategies and their Sensitivity to Abiotic Variation in Viola Lanceolata L. (Violaceae)

Mating-system expression is sensitive to environmental conditions, and can be an important determinant of lifetime fitness because progeny that are produced via outcrossing vs. selfing may differ in quality. We quantified sexual and asexual reproduction in Viola lanceolata, a regionally threatened species, across populations that varied in disturbance history and across microsites that differed in percent soil moisture, irradiance, and temperature. In V. lanceolata, reproduction can occur sexually through facultatively outcrossing chasmogamous (CH) flowers and obligately selfing cleistogamous (CL) flowers in addition to asexually via stolons. The frequency of individuals producing CH and CL flowers differed among sites as did the frequency of vegetative reproduction. Interestingly, sites also differed in fruit maturation success, with ~33, 100, and 16% of the CH fruits matured in the oldest, intermediate, and most-recently disturbed populations respectively. Analogous site differences in CL fruit maturation were observed. Cleistagamous, but not CH, reproduction was also dependent on percent soil moisture. The observed differences in fruit maturation success likely lead to variable rates of outcrossed vs. self-fertilized seed production; as a consequence, populations are likely to differ in genetic structure and in relative dependence on chasmogamy vs. cleiostogamy for population growth. Finally, CL flower and stolon production were negatively correlated, suggesting a tradeoff between sexual and asexual reproduction that might affect population growth.
A Multifaceted Program Causes Lasting Progress for the Very Poor

We present results from six randomized control trials of an integrated approach to improve livelihoods among the very poor. The approach combines the transfer of a productive asset with consumption support, training, and coaching plus savings encouragement and health education and/or services. Results from the implementation of the same basic program, adapted to a wide variety of geographic and institutional contexts and with multiple implementing partners, show statistically signiﬁcant cost-eﬀective impacts on consumption (fueled mostly by increases in self-employment income) and psychosocial status of the targeted households. The impact on the poor households lasted at least a year after all implementation ended. It is possible to make sustainable improvements in the economic status of the poor with a relatively short-term intervention.
Design, Modeling, and Verification of High-Performance AC–DC Current Shunts From Inexpensive Components

A new type of AC current shunt for AC-DC current transfer is presented for which the AC-DC current differences at frequencies from 10 to 100 kHz are calculated with uncertainties smaller than plusmn 9 muA/A in the current range of 30 mA-10 A. This is an independent realization of the AC-DC current-transfer standards in addition to the step-up method used at most National Metrology Institutes. The construction, modeling, and experimental verification of the shunts are described.
Dietary Sodium Restriction Rapidly Improves Large Elastic Artery Compliance in Older Adults With Systolic Hypertension

We determined the temporal effects of dietary sodium restriction on large elastic artery compliance and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in 12 untreated, older (64±2 years) men and women (6 each) with stage 1 systolic hypertension. After baseline measurements subjects were assigned to 4 weeks of low or normal sodium intake (randomized, crossover design). Urinary sodium excretion was reduced by 60% by the end of week 1 of sodium restriction (54±11 mmol/d, P < 0.01) versus baseline (135±14). Compared with baseline (0.11±0.01 mm/mm Hg), carotid artery compliance was increased by 27% (to 0.14±0.02, P < 0.05) at the end of week 1 of sodium restriction, attaining peak levels by week 2 (+46%, to 0.16±0.02, P < 0.01). Similarly, supine resting brachial artery SBP was reduced by >5 mm Hg by week 1 of sodium restriction, attaining peak reductions by week 2 (−12 mm Hg, P < 0.01 versus baseline). The 24-hour ambulatory SBP was ≈3 mm Hg lower at week 1 of sodium restriction and ≈6 mm Hg lower by week 2 (P < 0.01 versus baseline). The reductions in resting SBP from baseline to week 2 of sodium restriction were strongly related to the corresponding increases in carotid compliance (r = 0.80, P < 0.01). Urinary sodium excretion, carotid artery compliance, and SBP were not different during normal sodium intake versus baseline. Other subject characteristics were not different across conditions. Sodium restriction rapidly improves large elastic artery compliance in older adults with stage 1 systolic hypertension. These improvements in central arterial compliance appear to be a key mechanism in the rapid normalization of SBP by sodium restriction in these patients.
Why Competition from a Multi-Channel E-Tailer Does Not Always Benefit Consumers

Empirical studies have delivered mixed conclusions on whether the widely acclaimed assertions of lower electronic retail (e-tail) prices are true and to what extent these prices impact conventional retail prices, profits, and consumer welfare. For goods that require little in-person pre- or postsales support such as CDs, DVDs, and books, we extend Balasubramanian’s e-tailer-in-the-center, spatial, circular market model to examine the impact of a multichannel e-tailer’s presence on retailers’ decisions to relocate, on retail prices and profits, and consumer welfare. We demonstrate several counter-intuitive results. For example, when the disutility of buying online and shipping costs are relatively low, retailers are better off by not relocating in response to an e-tailer’s entry into the retail channel. In addition, such an entry — a multichannel strategy — may lead to increased retail prices and increased profits across the industry. Finally, consumers can be better off with less channel competition. The underlying message is that inferences regarding prices, profits, and consumer welfare critically depend on specifications of the good, disutility and shipping costs versus transportation costs (or more generally, positioning), and competition.
Synthesis of Research on Good Teaching: Insights from the Work of the Institute for Research on Teaching.

R ecent years have witnessed greatly increased appreciation of the centrality of good teach ing to the effectiveness of schooling and of the role of research on teaching in developing a knowledge base to inform the teaching profession. This article draws on findings from the past decade of research on teaching, and in particular on findings developed at the Institute for Research on Teaching (IRT), to present a model of what good teaching is, a better understanding of why it is difficult, and some hypothe ses about how it can be increased
Thinking and Writing About Global Poverty

Journalistic coverage informs audiences about poverty in developing countries. However, little is known about the contribution of individual journalists to the frame building of this topic. This study explores the cognitive frames of 54 journalists from the Netherlands who regularly write about the issue. The results are compared with the media frames in their articles. Additionally, the study identifies factors that influence the frame-building process. The findings suggest that journalists’ cognitive frames are weak predictors of the frames in their articles. According to the journalists, the framing of their stories is specifically influenced by news values and sources.
Analytical Determination of the Capacitor Voltage Balancing Dynamics for Three Phase Flying Capacitor Converters

This paper presents a new strategy for the analytic determination of the natural voltage balancing dynamics of three phase flying capacitor converters. The approach substitutes Double Fourier series representations of the PWM switching signals into a non-linear transient circuit model of the three phase converter. This results in a linearised state space model with the Fourier coefficients of the modulation strategy defining the state space matrix terms. The state space model can be readily developed for converters of any level, and allows for the rapid analytical investigation of the dynamic (and static) balancing behaviour over a wide range of operating conditions. Furthermore, the approach allows powerful linear analysis strategies such as root locus methods to be used to investigate the converter performance as a function of changes in parameters such as modulation index and load. The analysis approach has been fully verified by comparison with experimental results obtained on a low voltage three phase prototype converter.
The Emergence of Social Structure: Employer Information Networks in an Experimental Labor Market

This discussion paper resulted in an article in Social Networks (2013). Volume 35, issue 4, pages 541-560. We use laboratory experiments to investigate how employers develop social structures for sharing information about the trustworthiness of job candidates, when worker opportunism is possible. The experimental data show that substantial information sharing emerges. Two types of information networks are observed. One consists of 'anonymity networks' where information is anonymously and voluntarily provided as a collective good for all employers to use. The other type is a 'reciprocity network' where information sharing is driven by the rewarding of previously given information by the requestor. In both types, the extent of information sharing depends on the costs of providing it. Moreover, information sharing enables employers to recruit trustworthy workers which creates a high quality of trading, benefiting both employer and worker.
Charge-Fluctuation Forces between Rodlike Polyelectrolytes: Pairwise Summability Reexamined

We formulate low-frequency charge-fluctuation forces between charged cylinders - parallel or skewed - in salt solution: forces from dipolar van der Waals fluctuations and those from the correlated monopolar fluctuations of mobile ions. At high salt concentrations forces are exponentially screened. In low-salt solutions dipolar energies go as $R^{-5}$ or $R^{-4}$; monopolar energies vary as $R^{-1}$ or $\ln{R}$, where $R$ is the minimal separation between cylinders. However, pairwise summability of rod-rod forces is easily violated in low-salt conditions. Perhaps the most important result is not the derivation of pair potentials but rather the demonstration that some of these expressions may not be used for the very problems that originally motivated their derivation.
Perceiving mortality decline.

In the demographic literature on developing countries, studies of mortality perceptions are conspicuous by their absence. Perhaps it has been assumed that when mortality declines, the decline will be quickly recognized by individuals and will then influence their demographic decisions. The possibility of substantial lags and biases in risk perception, which cause individual perceptions to diverge from the changing empirical realities, has not been much considered. Yet studies in cognitive and social psychology indicate that individual mortality perceptions are likely to be diffuse and may well be biased upward in relation to the declining empirical risks. If individuals are poorly equipped to recognize mortality decline, so too may be social groups-social learning will not necessarily correct individual misapprehensions. This note discusses the perceptual limitations that may delay recognition of mortality decline and examines the implications for demographic behavior in three areas: modern health care, fertility control, and children's schooling. Copyright 2000 by The Population Council, Inc.
Potential of Quantum Finite Automata with Exact Acceptance

The potential of the exact quantum information processing is an interesting, important and intriguing issue. For examples, it has been believed that quantum tools can provide significant, that is larger than polynomial, advantages in the case of exact quantum computation only, or mainly, for problems with very special structures. We will show that this is not the case. In this paper the potential of quantum finite automata producing outcomes not only with a (high) probability, but with certainty (so called exactly) is explored in the context of their uses for solving promise problems and with respect to the size of automata. It is shown that for solving particular classes {An}n=1∞ of promise problems, even those without some very special structure, that succinctness of the exact quantum finite automata under consideration, with respect to the number of (basis) states, can be very small (and constant) though it grows proportional to n in the case deterministic finite automata (DFAs) of the same power are used. This is here demonstrated also for the case that the component languages of the promise problems solvable by DFAs are non-regular. The method used can be applied in finding more exact quantum finite automata or quantum algorithms for other promise problems.