Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long‐term and cross‐reactive immunogenicity of inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine in the elderly: MF59‐adjuvanted vaccine versus unadjuvanted vaccine

Elderly people are at great risk for influenza‐related serious complications. However, influenza vaccine‐induced antibodies are believed to decline more rapidly in the elderly. This study was designed to evaluate the long‐term and cross‐reactive immunogenicity among those aged ≥65 years for two seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines during the 2009–2010 influenza season. One vaccine had the MF59 adjuvant, while the other did not contain an adjuvant. Serum hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) titers were determined pre‐vaccination and at 1 and 6 months post‐vaccination. Of the 100 subjects, 95 (95%) were followed‐up for 1 month after vaccination, and 76 (76%) were followed‐up for 6 months after vaccination. Both vaccines met the European Medicines Agency (EMA) criteria 1 month after vaccination. However, seroprotection for influenza B was not satisfactory, with a rate of 55.3% for the MF59 adjuvant vaccine and 47.9% for the vaccine without adjuvant. At 6 months post‐vaccination, the MF59‐adjuvanted vaccine showed a higher seroprotection rate than the unadjuvanted vaccine. At this point, the MF59‐adjuvanated vaccine still met the criteria of EMA for A/H1N1 (62.5% vs. 55.5%, P = 0.64) and A/H3N2 (72.5% vs. 47.2%, P = 0.04). Both vaccines showed excellent cross‐reactive immunogenicity for influenza A/Solomon Island/3/2006 (H1N1) and A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2), without significant differences. In comparison, cross‐reactive immunogenicity was not remarkable for the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) and A/New Caledonia/20/1999 (H1N1) strains, which have a greater antigenic distance. In conclusion, the MF59‐adjuvanted influenza vaccine showed superior long‐term immunogenicity in the elderly compared to the unadjuvanted vaccine. However, cross‐reactive immunogenicity was not remarkably enhanced with the MF59 adjuvant. J. Med. Virol. 85:1591–1597, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cloud-Top Temperatures for Precipitating Winter Clouds

Abstract To explore the role of cloud microphysics in a large dataset of precipitating clouds, a 6-month dataset of satellite-derived cloud-top brightness temperatures from the longwave infrared band (channel 4) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) is constructed over precipitation-reporting surface observation stations, producing 144 738 observations of snow, rain, freezing rain, and sleet. The distributions of cloud-top brightness temperatures were constructed for each precipitation type, as well as light, moderate, and heavy snow and rain. The light-snow distribution has a maximum at −16°C, whereas the moderate- and heavy-snow distributions have a bimodal distribution with a primary maximum around −16° to −23°C and a secondary maximum at −35° to −45°C. The light, moderate, and heavy rain, as well as the freezing rain and sleet, distributions are also bimodal with roughly the same temperature maxima, although the colder mode dominates when compared with the snow distributions.
RNN S WITH GLOBAL-LOCAL LOSSES

We propose SEARNN, a novel training algorithm for recurrent neural networks (RNNs) inspired by the “learning to search” (L2S) approach to structured prediction. RNNs have been widely successful in structured prediction applications such as machine translation or parsing, and are commonly trained using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). Unfortunately, this training loss is not always an appropriate surrogate for the test error: by only maximizing the ground truth probability, it fails to exploit the wealth of information offered by structured losses. Further, it introduces discrepancies between training and predicting (such as exposure bias) that may hurt test performance. Instead, SEARNN leverages test-alike search space exploration to introduce global-local losses that are closer to the test error. We first demonstrate improved performance over MLE on two different tasks: OCR and spelling correction. Then, we propose a subsampling strategy to enable SEARNN to scale to large vocabulary sizes. This allows us to validate the benefits of our approach on a machine translation task.
European Conference on Information Systems ( ECIS ) Summer 10-6-2011 WHERE ARE THE PARTICIPANTS ? INCLUDING MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS INTO THEORIZING AND DESIGN IN IS RESEARCH

The purpose of this paper is to identify new research prospects for the information systems discipline, based on establishing a link to the body of knowledge in the fields of work psychology and organizational psychology. Since information systems are work systems consisting of information, technologies, and participants, who are supported by information and communication technology (IT), productivity is a function of human performance. Job demands and individual resources in ITsupported work environments should therefore be considered in order to facilitate employee motivation, prevent strain, and cope with the challenges related to an ageing workforce and a high prevalence of burnout in the IT sector. As an initial literature review shows, these research vistas are underrepresented in previous information systems research. The present paper proposes directions for including job demands and individual resources into the analysis, design and operation of ITsupported work environments from two angles. First, the benefits of including psychological theories in typical phases of a business process management project are discussed. Secondly, the contributions of extending five types of information systems theories for the discipline in general are outlined.
The Diagnostic Value of Malondialdehyde, Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase Activity in Drug Naïve, First Episode, Non-Smoker Generalized Anxiety Disorder Patients

Objective Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common anxiety disorder. Although lots of research done to reveal neurobiological basis of GAD, it is still unclear. Diagnosis of GAD depends on subjective complaints of patients, thus the need for a biological marker is constantly emerging. In this study, we aimed to investigate diagnostic value of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in GAD. Methods We evaluated MDA, SOD, and CAT levels in peripheral blood of 46 patients and 45 controls. MDA was measured with Ohkawa’s methods, SOD was measured with Fridovich method, and CAT was measured with Beutler’s method. Results MDA was significantly increased in patients than controls, medians 4.05 nmol/mg and 1.71 nmol/mg respectively, p<0.001; SOD and CAT activity was significantly decreased in patients than controls, medians of SOD were 159.07 U/mg and 301.87 U/mg, p<0.001 respectively, medians for CAT were 138.47 U/mg and 160.60 U/mg respectively. We found high correlation between Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and SOD, MDA r values were 0.723 and 0.715 respectively, p<0.001 for both. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed high diagnostic performance for MDA and SOD, low diagnostic performance for CAT, areas under curve were 1.0, 1.0, and 0.648 respectively. Conclusion Our results reveal possible diagnostic value of MDA, less likely of SOD but not CAT. Future studies should investigate diagnostic value of oxidants and antioxidantn enzymes in larger samples and include diagnostic value of these parameters.
A computational framework for location analysis

Location analysis decisions are interrelated and should be made within a single decision-making framework. A framework within which a number of location strategies can be placed is presented. Location-allocation models are improved in two ways: 1) the allocation rule is developed to more accurately reflect customer choice processes; and 2) the objective function is developed to incorporate future changes. Computational support for this framework is described.
Clinical empathy in medical students in India measured using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Student Version

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical empathy of a cohort of medical students spanning 4 years of undergraduate study and to identify factors associated with empathy. Methods A cross-sectional study to assess the empathy of undergraduate medical students at the University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital in Delhi, India, was conducted using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Student Version. Demographic data were obtained using a pre-tested, semi-open-ended questionnaire. Results Of the 600 students, 418 participated in the survey (69.7%). The mean empathy score was 96.01 (of a maximum of 140), with a standard deviation of 14.56. The empathy scores decreased from the first to the third semester, plateaued at the fifth semester, and rose again in the seventh semester. Empathy was found to be significantly associated with the gender of the participant, with females having higher scores (P<0.001). The age of the participant, place of residence, whose decision it was for the student to enroll in an MBBS (bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery) program, and the choice of future specialty were not significantly associated with students’ empathy scores. Conclusion The study found significant gender differences in empathy among the participants. The empathy scores tended to decline initially and then rebound over time. The mean empathy levels found in this study are lower than those reported in most similar studies around the world; therefore, further studies are needed to analyze and address the underlying factors associated with this discrepancy.
Reg proteins promote acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and act as novel diagnostic and prognostic markers in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor. Acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) are both precursor lesions that lead to the development of PDAC. Reg family proteins (Reg1A, 1B, 3A/G, 4) are a group of calcium-dependent lectins that promote islet growth in response to inflammation and/or injuries. The aim of this study was to establish a role for Reg proteins in the development of PDAC and their clinical value as biomarkers. We found that Reg1A and Reg3A/G were highly expressed in the ADM tissues by immunohistochemistry. In the 3-dimensional culture of mouse acinar cells, Reg3A promoted ADM formation with concurrent activation of mitogen-acitvated protein kinase. Upregulation of Reg1A and Reg1B levels was observed as benign ductal epithelium progresses from PanIN to invasive PDAC. Patients with PDAC showed significantly higher serum levels of Reg1A and Reg1B than matching healthy subjects. These results were further validated by the quantification of Reg 1A and 1B mRNA levels in the microdissected tissues (22- and 6-fold increases vs. non-tumor tissues). Interestingly, patients with higher levels of Reg1A and 1B exhibited improved survival rate than those with lower levels. Furthermore, tissue expressions of Reg1A, Reg1B, and Reg4 could differentiate metastatic PDAC in the liver from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with 92% sensitivity and 95% specificity. Overall, our results demonstrate the upregulation of Reg proteins during PDAC development. If validated in larger scale, Reg1A and Reg1B could become clinical markers for detecting early stages of PDAC, monitoring therapeutic response, and/or predicting patient's prognosis.
INFERRING THE PAST AND PRESENT CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE RANGE OF A NORTH AMERICAN LEAF BEETLE: COMBINING ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELING AND A GEOGRAPHICALLY EXPLICIT MODEL OF COALESCENCE

The leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis occurs across Western North America, either at high elevation or in small, isolated populations along the coast, and thus has a highly fragmented distribution. DNA sequence data (three loci) were collected from five regions across the species range. Population connectivity was examined using traditional ecological niche modeling, which suggested that gene flow could occur among regions now and in the past. We developed geographically explicit coalescence models of sequence evolution that incorporated a two‐dimensional representation of the hypothesized ranges suggested by the niche‐modeling estimates. We simulated sequence data according to these models and compared them to observed sequences to identify most probable scenarios regarding the migration history of C. aeneicollis. Our results disagreed with initial niche‐modeling estimates by clearly rejecting recent connectivity among regions, and were instead most consistent with a long period of range fragmentation, extending well beyond the last glacial maximum. This application of geographically explicit models of coalescence has highlighted some limitations of the use of climatic variables for predicting the present and past range of a species and has explained aspects of the Pleistocene evolutionary history of a cold‐adapted organism in Western North America.
Traffic-Related Outdoor Air Pollution and Respiratory Symptoms in Children: The Impact of Adjustment for Exposure Measurement Error

Background: Outdoor concentrations of soot and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) outside of schools have been associated with children’s respiratory and eye symptoms. We assessed how adjustments for measurement error affect these associations. Methods: Concentrations of air pollutants outside children’s schools were validated by personal measurements of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. We estimated prevalence ratios of 4 health outcomes (current wheeze, conjunctivitis, phlegm, and elevated total serum immunoglobulin E) using school outdoor measurements, and then adjusted for measurement error using the personal exposure data and applying a regression calibration method. The analysis adjusting for measurement error was carried out using a main study/external validation design. Results: Adjusting for measurement error produced effect estimates related to soot and NO2 that were 2 to 3 times higher than in the original study. The adjusted prevalence ratio for current phlegm was 5.3 (95% confidence interval = 1.2–23) for a 9.3 &mgr;g/m3 increase in soot, and 3.8 (1.0–14), for a 17.6 &mgr;g/m3 increase in NO2, compared with the original results of 2.2 (1.3–3.9) and 1.8 (1.1–2.8), respectively. Corrections were of similar magnitude for the prevalence of current wheeze, current conjunctivitis, and total elevated total immunoglobulin E. Conclusions: The estimated effects of outdoor air pollution on respiratory and other health effects in children may be substantially attenuated when based on exposure measurements outside schools instead of personal exposure.
Long-term dietary replacement of fishmeal and fish oil in diets for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Effects on growth, whole body fatty acids and intestinal and hepatic gene expression

The effects of replacing fishmeal and fish oil with a plant-based diet were studied in juvenile (10g) and ongrowing (250-350g) rainbow trout from first-feeding. Feed-related differences in the intestinal and hepatic transcriptome were examined in juveniles after 7 months of feeding at 7°C. Based on microarray results obtained for juveniles, the expression of selected genes related to lipid, cholesterol and energy metabolisms, was assessed by RT-qPCR in ongrowing trout after 6 additional months of feeding at 17°C. Plasma glucose and cholesterol, lipid content and fatty acid profile of whole body were analyzed at both stages. After 7 months at 7°C, all juveniles reached the same body weight (10g), while at 13 months ongrowing fish fed the totally plant-based diet exhibited lower body weight (234 vs 330-337g). Body lipid content was higher in juveniles fed the totally plant-based diet (13.2 vs 9.4–9.9%), and plasma cholesterol was about 2-times lower in trout fed the plant-based diets at both stages. Fatty acid profile mirrored that of the respective diet, with low proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish fed plant-based diets. Genes involved in protein catabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and trafficking were down-regulated in the intestines of juveniles fed the plant-based diets. This was not true for ongrowing fish. Genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolisms were up-regulated in the livers of fish fed plant-based diets for both stages. In this study, feeding trout a totally plant-based diet from first-feeding affect a relatively low proportion of metabolism-related genes. In the longer term, when fish were reared at a higher temperature, only some of these changes were maintained (i.e. up-regulation of lipid/cholesterol metabolism). Although the plant-based diets tested in this study had no major deficiencies, small adjustments in the feed-formula are needed to further optimize growth performance while sparing marine resources.
Enhancing memory self-efficacy during menopause through a group memory strategies program

Objective: Anxiety about memory during menopause can affect quality of life. We aimed to improve memory self-efficacy during menopause using a group memory strategies program. Methods: The program was run five times for a total of 32 peri- and postmenopausal women, age between 47 and 60 years, recruited from hospital menopause and gynecology clinics. The 4-week intervention consisted of weekly 2-hour sessions, and covered how memory works, memory changes related to ageing, health and lifestyle factors, and specific memory strategies. Memory contentment (CT), reported frequency of forgetting (FF), use of memory strategies, psychological distress, and attitude toward menopause were measured. A double-baseline design was applied, with outcomes measured on two baseline occasions (1-month prior [T1] and in the first session [T2]), immediately postintervention (T3), and 3-month postintervention (T4). To describe changes in each variable between time points paired sample t tests were conducted. Mixed-effects models comparing the means of random slopes from T2 to T3 with those from T1 to T2 were conducted for each variable to test for treatment effects. Results: Examination of the naturalistic changes in outcome measures from T1 to T2 revealed no significant changes (all Ps > 0.05). CT, reported FF, and use of memory strategies improved significantly more from T2 to T3, than from T1 to T2 (all Ps < 0.05). Neither attitude toward menopause nor psychological distress improved significantly more postintervention than during the double-baseline (all Ps > 0.05). Improvements in reported CT and FF were maintained after 3 months. Conclusions: The use of group interventions to improve memory self-efficacy during menopause warrants continued evaluation.
The effect of crystallization on the structure and morphology of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

The effect of crystallization on the structure and morphology of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-MA)/clay (montmorillonite) nanocomposites (PPCNs) is presented. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) measurements of PPCNs crystallized at different temperatures show that the extent of intercalation increases with the crystallization temperature. The enhancement of intercalation occurs with lower clay content PPCNs, and maximum intercalation takes place for 4 wt% clay content. The mechanism of intercalation has been proposed through crystallization. Excess γ-form of the crystallite of PP-MA appears in presence of clay, possibly because of the confinement of the polymer chain between the clay particles. WAXD data also reveals that d-spacing increases gradually with clay content. The decrease of spherulitic size is observed with increasing clay content, which indicates that clay particles act as nucleating agents. Lamellar textures have been explored by using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which exhibit that both the lamellar thickness and long period of the PPCNs are higher than those of PP-MA.
Antibody Targeting GRP78 Enhances the Efficacy of Radiation Therapy in Human Glioblastoma and Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines and Tumor Models

Purpose: Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) have poor median survival. NSCLC and GBM overexpress glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), which has a role in radioresistance and recurrence. In this study, we determined the effect of anti-GRP78 antibody and the combined effect of the anti-GRP78 antibody with ionizing radiation (XRT) on NSCLC and GBM cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Experimental Design: NSCLC and GBM cancer cell lines were treated with anti-GRP78 antibodies and evaluated for proliferation, colony formation, cell death, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. The efficacy of anti-GRP78 antibodies on tumor growth in combination with XRT was determined in vivo in mouse xenograft models. Results: GBM and NSCLC cells treated with anti-GRP78 antibodies showed attenuated cell proliferation, colony formation, and enhanced apoptosis. GBM and NSCLC cells treated with anti-GRP78 antibodies also showed global suppression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. Combining antibody with XRT resulted in significant tumor growth delay in both NSCLC and GBM heterotopic tumor models. Conclusions: Antibodies targeting GRP78 exhibited antitumor activity and enhanced the efficacy of radiation in NSCLC and GBM both in vitro and in vivo. GRP78 is a promising novel target, and anti-GRP78 antibodies could be used as an effective cancer therapy alone or in combination with XRT. Clin Cancer Res; 23(10); 2556–64. ©2016 AACR.
Thermosensitive splicing of a clock gene and seasonal adaptation.

Similar to many diurnal animals, the daily distribution of activity in Drosophila exhibits a bimodal pattern with clock-controlled morning and evening peaks separated by a midday "siesta. " In prior work, we showed that the thermosensitive splicing of a 3'-terminal intron in the RNA product from the Drosophila period (per) gene (dper) is critical for temperature-induced adjustments in the timing of evening activity. Cold temperatures enhance the splicing efficiency of this intron (termed dmpi8, Drosophila melanogaster per intron 8), an event that stimulates the daily accumulation of dper RNA and protein, leading to earlier evening activity. Conversely, warm temperatures attenuate dmpi8 splicing efficiency contributing to delayed evening activity, likely ensuring that flies avoid activity during the hot midday sun when they are at increased risk of desiccation. Here, we discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms governing the thermosensitive splicing of dmpi8 and how it contributes to seasonal changes in the daily activity patterns of Drosophila. On a broader perspective, RNA-RNA interactions likely have fundamental roles in the thermal adaptation of life forms to the daily and seasonal changes in temperature.