Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Macrophages Discriminate Glycosylation Patterns of Apoptotic Cell-derived Microparticles*

Background: Apoptotic cells release vesicles, which expose “eat-me” signals. Results: Vesicles originated from endoplasmic reticulum expose immature glycoepitopes and are preferentially phagocytosed by macrophages. Conclusion: Immature surface glycoepitopes serve as “eat-me” signals for the clearance of apoptotic vesicles originated from endoplasmic reticulum. Significance: Understanding the distinction by macrophages of apoptotic blebs may provide new insights into clearance-related diseases. Inappropriate clearance of apoptotic remnants is considered to be the primary cause of systemic autoimmune diseases, like systemic lupus erythematosus. Here we demonstrate that apoptotic cells release distinct types of subcellular membranous particles (scMP) derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or the plasma membrane. Both types of scMP exhibit desialylated glycotopes resulting from surface exposure of immature ER-derived glycoproteins or from surface-borne sialidase activity, respectively. Sialidase activity is activated by caspase-dependent mechanisms during apoptosis. Cleavage of sialidase Neu1 by caspase 3 was shown to be directly involved in apoptosis-related increase of surface sialidase activity. ER-derived blebs possess immature mannosidic glycoepitopes and are prioritized by macrophages during clearance. Plasma membrane-derived blebs contain nuclear chromatin (DNA and histones) but not components of the nuclear envelope. Existence of two immunologically distinct types of apoptotic blebs may provide new insights into clearance-related diseases.
Understanding Place Meanings on the Bitterroot National Forest, Montana

This study describes local personal and community relationships with the Bitterroot National Forest, Montana. Using a rapid appraisal research approach, a range of personal and community values was identified. Participants were asked to identify places they valued on the forest and why they valued them. Study results indicate that local relationships exist on several scales. First, people differentiate the set of values they ascribe to places they have visited from those places they have not. Two sets of values, at two very different scales, emerged in their descriptions of places they visit and those they do not. Community residents were also asked about things that influence their response to fuel management treatments. Managers and planners can benefit from understanding local relationships with public lands through narratives that describe why some locations are more important to residents than others and anticipate reactions to planned projects that may alter those relationships.
Increased Arterial Catecholamines in Pre‐Eclampsia

Arterial and venous plasma catecholamines were measured in 13 pre‐eclamptic and 13 normotensive pregnant women. in the pre‐eclamptic group, arterial concentrations were higher for adrenalin (p<0.001), noradrenalin (p<0.05) and dopamine (p<0.01) than in the normotensive group, whereas in venous plasma only adrenalin (p<0.01) and dopamine levels were higher (p<0.05). Arterial adrenalin concentrations in the pre‐eclamptic group were, on average, three times as high as normotensive arterial adrenalin. the arterial‐venous (a‐v) differences were higher for adrenalin (p<0.001) and dopamine (p<0.05) in the preeclamptic than in the normotensive group. in the preeclamptic group, arterial adrenalin was correlated with mean arterial blood pressure (r=0.89, p<0.001) and with increased heart rate (r=0.78, p<0.01). According to these results, both sympathetic nervous and sympathetic adrenal activities are increased in patients with pre‐eclampsia.
Mean Reversion in Interest Rates: New Evidence from a Panel of OECD Countries

Previous studies show that the standard univariate unit root tests cannot reject the hypothesis that interest rates follow integrated processes. In this paper, the authors pool interest rate data of twelve OECD countries and implement a multivariate test. It is found that the unit root hypothesis can be decisively rejected. Copyright 1996 by Ohio State University Press.
Identification of Blood Culture Isolates Directly from Positive Blood Cultures by Use of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry and a Commercial Extraction System: Analysis of Performance, Cost, and Turnaround Time

ABSTRACT Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry represents a revolution in the rapid identification of bacterial and fungal pathogens in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Recently, MALDI-TOF has been applied directly to positive blood culture bottles for the rapid identification of pathogens, leading to reductions in turnaround time and potentially beneficial patient impacts. The development of a commercially available extraction kit (Bruker Sepsityper) for use with the Bruker MALDI BioTyper has facilitated the processing required for identification of pathogens directly from positive from blood cultures. We report the results of an evaluation of the accuracy, cost, and turnaround time of this method for 61 positive monomicrobial and 2 polymicrobial cultures representing 26 species. The Bruker MALDI BioTyper with the Sepsityper gave a valid (score, >1.7) identification for 85.2% of positive blood cultures with no misidentifications. The mean reduction in turnaround time to identification was 34.3 h (P < 0.0001) in the ideal situation where MALDI-TOF was used for all blood cultures and 26.5 h in a more practical setting where conventional identification or identification from subcultures was required for isolates that could not be directly identified by MALDI-TOF. Implementation of a MALDI-TOF-based identification system for direct identification of pathogens from blood cultures is expected to be associated with a marginal increase in operating costs for most laboratories. However, the use of MALDI-TOF for direct identification is accurate and should result in reduced turnaround time to identification.
AEROSOLIZED TISSUE PLASMINOGEN INHIBITOR IMPROVES PULMONARY FUNCTION IN SHEEP WITH BURN AND SMOKE INHALATION

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a major complication in patients with thermal injury. The obstruction of the airway by cast material, composed in part of fibrin, contributes to deterioration of pulmonary gas exchange. We tested the effect of aerosol administration of tissue plasminogen activator, which lyses fibrin clots, on acute lung injury in sheep that had undergone combined burn/smoke inhalation injury. Anesthetized sheep were given a 40% total body surface, third degree burn and were insufflated with cotton smoke. Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) was nebulized every 4 h at 1 or 2 mg for each nebulization, beginning 4 h after injury. Injured but untreated control sheep developed multiple symptoms of acute respiratory distress syndrome: decreased pulmonary gas exchange, increased pulmonary edema, and extensive airway obstruction. These control animals also showed increased pulmonary transvascular fluid flux and increased airway pressures. These variables were all stable in sham animals. Nebulization of saline or 1 mg of TPA only slightly improved measures of pulmonary function. Treatment of injured sheep with 2 mg of TPA attenuated all the pulmonary abnormalities noted above. The results provide evidence that clearance of airway obstructive cast material is crucial in managing acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting from combined burn and smoke inhalation injury.
Signal Detection Theory in the Analysis of Human Vigilance1

This note analyzes several recent experimental and theoretical reports on vigilance that use the theory of signal detectability (TSD). The psychological interpretation of the TSD measure of criterion, β, as an index of conservativeness during a vigil does not appear to be valid. As computed, β is probably an artifact due to pooling observations made under different conditions of attentiveness during a long vigil. The basic problems of vigilance research remain: to determine the condiitons that affect attentiveness in signal detection tasks.
Effect of a Brief Antiretroviral Adherence Intervention Delivered by HIV Care Providers

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in controlling viral load in many people infected with HIV, but high levels of adherence to ART are needed for prolonged viral suppression. This study evaluated a brief adherence intervention delivered to HIV-positive patients by primary care providers during routine medical examinations. Six clinics were randomly allocated to deliver an intervention focusing on ART adherence (2 clinics) or safer sex (4 clinics). Interventions included written information (posters, brochures, and flyers) and brief counseling from providers and were evaluated with cohorts of randomly selected patients (n = 437) measured before and after a 10-month intervention. Among those 95% or greater adherent at baseline, 91% of patients who received the adherence intervention remained 95% or greater adherent at follow-up compared with 75% of the patients who received the safer sex intervention (χ2 = 12.59, P < 0.01). This difference was significant in a logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 2.26; 95% confidence interval = 1.27-4.04), adjusting for baseline adherence, demographics, and HIV medical status. The adherence intervention did not significantly increase the prevalence of 95% or greater adherence among patients less than 95% adherent at baseline. Similar but nonsignificant results were observed for viral load. A brief intervention delivered to HIV patients by their primary providers helped to maintain adequate adherence to ART regimens. More intensive intervention is needed to improve adherence among patients who are initially less than 95% adherent.
The moderating role of leadership in the relationship between management control and business excellence

This study deals with the moderating role of leadership in the relationship between management control as part of total quality management (TQM) and business excellence in terms of purposive change. Data were collected via a survey filled out by managers working at 44 locations in the Correctional Services sector of the Correctional Institutions Agency (DJI) in the Netherlands. A total of 618 responses (83%) were obtained. Our hypothesis was derived from a conceptual model and tested using Pearson's r as an effect size index. The results show strong relations between the dimensions of management control and the styles of active leadership, on the one hand, and between the management control dimensions and business excellence in terms of purposive change, on the other hand. The results also indicate that transformational leadership is the most influential factor in the relationship between the management control construct and purposive change. It is concluded that organisations are strengthened by a management control system which is applied in combination with an intensive management communication approach in a context of transformational leadership. These findings have important implications for the further research on interventions in management control as part of TQM.
Double-Unit Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

We report the results of unrelated cord blood transplantation (CBT) in a 12-year-old boy with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia in the chronic phase and a high body weight (68.5 kg at transplantation). Only 1 of the 2 units used engrafted. This unit was not human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II identical with the patient and had a much larger number of nucleated cells than the other unit (approximately 2.4:1). To our knowledge, this case report is the first to describe successful CBT from two unrelated donors to a cancer patient, who had the highest body weight among CBT recipients in Taiwan.
POM Forum: Transfer of Changing Production Know‐How

Even with the rich literature on knowledge management, we still don't know enough about how the rate of change in production‐know‐how affects the choice of mechanisms for its transfer. Codifying tacit know‐how helps, but codification becomes more challenging as the know‐how changes more frequently. Transfer of tacit know‐how becomes much more complicated when it changes often. We need more research in this area, particularly to help production and operations managers who must ultimately use the new know‐how and change their companies' production processes. The paper suggests a framework as a step in that direction. The framework focuses on the interplay between the level of codification and the rate of change of production know‐how, and identifies four zones for classifying production know‐how: “slow and codified,” “slow and tacit,” “fast and codified,” and “fast and tacit. ” Examples from McDonald̂s, Club Med, Intel, and AOL are used to illustrate primary transfer mechanisms for each zone (manuals and systems, people, joint‐development, and projects, respectively). Appropriate absorptive capacities in the production units for each zone are also identified. Since the ultimate responsibility of operations managers is to improve (i.e., change) their production know‐how as fast as possible, they would be wise to adopt policies that are closer to those suited for the “fast and codified” zone. Intel and Toyota show good models.
Effect of soy phytoestrogens on hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE Vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, in breast cancer survivors are often worsened by chemotherapy and tamoxifen, and/or the discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy at diagnosis. This study evaluated the acceptability and effectiveness of a soy beverage containing phytoestrogens as a treatment for hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. METHODS A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was conducted in postmenopausal women with moderate hot flashes who were previously treated for early-stage breast cancer. Women were stratified for tamoxifen use and randomized to a soy beverage (n = 59) containing 90 mg of isoflavones or to a placebo rice beverage (n = 64). Women recorded the number and severity of hot flashes daily with a daily menopause diary for 4 weeks at baseline and for 12 weeks while consuming 500 mL of a soy or placebo beverage. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the soy and placebo groups in the number of hot flashes or hot flash scores. However, presumably because of a strong placebo effect, both groups had significant reductions in hot flashes. Mild gastrointestinal side effects were experienced by both groups but occurred with greater frequency and severity with soy. The mean serum genistein concentration at 6 weeks was significantly higher in women who consumed soy (0.61 +/- 0.43 micromol/L) compared with placebo (0.43 +/- 0.37 micromol/L) (P =.02). Overall acceptability and compliance were high and similar in both groups. CONCLUSION The soy beverage did not alleviate hot flashes in women with breast cancer any more than did a placebo. Future research into other compounds is recommended to identify safe and effective therapies for hot flashes in breast cancer survivors.
How Much Do Decoupled Payments Affect Production? An Instrumental Variable Approach with Panel Data

Agricultural support payments that cause no or minimal production distortions are exempt from World Trade Organization restrictions. If and how much decoupled payments, such as direct payments in the U.S., affect agricultural production remains an open empirical question with implications for policy. We use multiple years of the Census of Agriculture to estimate the aggregate supply response to changes in direct payments. To identify an exogenous source of variation in payments we exploit a provision of the 2002 Farm Act that departed from previous policy by making oilseeds eligible for direct payments, thus increasing payments to areas that historically produced more oilseeds. Using a sample of ZIP codes that accounts for more than eighty percent of the national value of production of program crops, our instrumental variable estimates, in contrast to OLS estimates, suggest that changes in payments over the period 2002 to 2007 had little effect on aggregate production.
Perpetuating gender stereotypes via the internet? an analysis of the women’s presence in Spanish online newspapers

In the present research we investigate possible predictors of the presence of women in Spanish online newspapers using an automatic content analysis over a three-month period. Results of the analysis reveal that Spanish online newspapers continue depicting women in a stereotyped manner. Women are still linked to traditionally ‘female’ sections, and they appear more frequently in news considered less important in terms of extension and publication day. The gender of the reporter also matters since female journalists tend to include more women in the news they report than their male peers.
The Use of Accounting Data in Operational Decision Making in Algeria

Seeks to improve understanding of the use of accounting in the control of manufacturing enterprises in Algeria. Examines by interview in four state‐owned enterprises the use of accounting data in pricing, output and product mix decisions in enterprises producing basic and less basic luxury goods. Reveals only limited use of such data although differences were identified according to the nature of the product. Concludes that the relative dominance of the language of production over that of accounting was related to objectives set for enterprises rather than to any dearth of accounting expertise. These objectives were expressed primarily in terms of physical output levels, based upon fulfilling societal needs, rather than upon accounting profit targets – as found in capitalist economies. Emphasis upon achieving physical output targets and coping with turbulent supply and production conditions also enabled managers/engineers to build expert power bases to the relative exclusion of accountants.
Identification of an Antibiotic-Producing Bacterium from the Human Intestinal Tract and Characterization of Its Antimicrobial Product

An antibiotic-producing bacterium repeatedly isolated from human feces was characterized by standard bacteriological methods. The bacterium is a gram-positive bacillus possessing morphological and physiological features similar to those of Bacillus subtilis, except that it lacks temperature-resistant spore formation and has peritrichous flagella. The cell-free antibiotic produced by the organism in vitro was effective against some gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and yeast in minimum inhibitory concentration and antibiotic disk assays. The 1,200-dalton antibiotic had an optimal activity against Proteus vulgaris within the pH range of 5.7 to 6.8. The activity was totally destroyed by digestion with pronase and trypsin but was resistant to pepsin, chymotrypsin, papain, and nuclease digestion. In addition, the antibiotic activity against P. vulgaris was stable between pH 3 to 9 and within the temperature range of 20 to 100°C when tested in the fermentation medium. The activity was only partially retained by membrane filters which normally retain globular proteins of molecular weights between 500 to 10,000. Electrophoresis in phosphate buffer indicated that the activity against P. vulgaris had an isoelectric point of approximately 6.45. These properties are compatible with the antibiotic activity associated with a small peptide.
Modeling the Effects of Interface Traps on the Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Ge/Si Avalanche Photodiodes

The influence of interface donor and acceptor traps on the static and dynamic behavior of Ge/Si separate absorption, charge, and multiplication avalanche photodiodes (APDs) is modeled. The effects of different trap types, densities, and carrier capture cross sections on the dark current level, breakdown voltage, dc gain, and electric field profile, as well as on the frequency response and gain-bandwidth product of the device, are investigated for the first time. Our results show that the interface traps significantly increase the dark current and reduce the gain from 290 to less than 10. We also show that the acceptor traps reduce the APD bandwidth considerably to 0.5 GHz whereas the donor traps increase the bandwidth to around 10 GHz.
Technocratic and independent? The appointment of European Commissioners and its policy implications

ABSTRACT A considerable number of theories such as neo-functionalism and neo-institutionalism consider the European Commission a central actor in European Union (EU) politics. Yet, our theoretical understanding of the Commission is still limited. By taking recourse to principal–agent theory, this article argues that the European Commission should be considered neither a technocratic nor an overly independent actor in EU politics. The paper's theoretical focus is on member states' incentives to nominate and appoint particular types of European Commissioners and its likely effects on the Commission's policy preferences. The dataset used to test the theoretical claims was generated by the author for this purpose. It contains the theoretically relevant information on all European Commissioners appointed between 1958 and the present (N = 215) as well as relevant attributes of the nominating governments. I suggest that the Commission should be considered a political rather than a technocratic actor with close political ties to EU member states.
A New Multimodal Approach for Password Strength Estimation—Part II: Experimental Evaluation

A novel multimodal method for the estimation of password strength was presented in Part I of this series of two papers. In this paper, the experimental framework used for the evaluation of the novel approach is described. The method is evaluated following a reproducible protocol, which includes a three-dimensional approach: 1) deterministic assessment; 2) statistical assessment; and 3) third parties assessment (thanks to the availability upon request of an executable application that integrates the multimodal meter). The key experiment of the protocol compares, from a probabilistic point of view, the strength distributions assigned to passwords broken with increasingly complex attacking approaches, following a common strategy in a typical password cracking session. The experimental evaluation is carried out not only for the new meter, but also for other strength estimators from the state of the art, comparing their overall performance. In addition to its consistent results, the proposed method is highly flexible and can be adjusted to specific environments or to a certain password policy. Furthermore, it can also evolve over time in order to naturally adjust to new password selection trends followed by users.