Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Inflammation in Mice and Dampen Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lipopolysaccharide Binding on Cell Surface TLR4 Domain and MD-2 Inhibit Recombinant Soluble Forms of Extracellular

In this study, we sought the possibility of a new therapeutic strategy for dampening endotoxin-induced inﬂammation using soluble form of extracellular rTLR4 domain (sTLR4) and soluble form of rMD-2 (sMD-2). Addition of sTLR4 plus sMD-2 was signiﬁcantly effective in inhibiting LPS-elicited IL-8 release from U937 cells and NF- (cid:1) B activation in the cells transfected with TLR4 and MD-2 when compared with a single treatment with sTLR4 or sMD-2. Thus, we investigated the role of the extracellular TLR4 domain in interaction of lipid A with MD-2. Biotinylated sTLR4 failed to coprecipitate [ 3 H]lipid A when it was sedimented with streptavidin-agarose, dem-onstrating that the extracellular TLR4 domain does not directly bind lipid A by itself. The amounts of lipid A coprecipitated with sMD-2 signiﬁcantly increased when coincubated with sTLR4, and sTLR4 increased the afﬁnity of lipid A for the binding to sMD-2. Soluble CD14 is required for the sTLR4-stimulated increase of lipid A binding to sMD-2. We also found that addition of sTLR4 plus sMD-2 inhibited the binding of Alexa-conjugated LPS to the cells expressing TLR4 and MD-2. Murine lungs that had received sTLR4 plus sMD-2 with LPS did not show any ﬁndings indicative of interstitial edema, neutrophil ﬂux, and hemorrhage. Coinstillation of sTLR4 plus sMD-2, but not sTLR4 or sMD-2 alone, signiﬁcantly decreased neutrophil inﬁltration and TNF- (cid:2) levels in bronchoalveolar lavage ﬂuids from LPS-treated mice. This study provides novel usage of sTLR4 and sMD-2 as an antagonist against endotoxin-induced pulmonary inﬂammation. The Journal of Immunology, 2006, 177: 8133–8139. were determined by ELISA using an OptEIA mouse TNF- (cid:2) set (BD Pharmingen), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. To assess histological change of LPS-induced lung injury, lungs were inﬂated through the trachea with 1 ml of 10% formalin and ﬁxed in 10% formalin by immersion for 24 h. The lung lobes were then washed for 8 h with tap water to remove formaldehyde. For light microscopy, the lung tissue was dehy-drated with graded ethanol, put into xylene for 20 min, and then embedded in parafﬁn at 60°C. A series of 4.0- (cid:3) m sections were cut and stained with H&E.
Evil, toxic and pathological categories of leadership: implications for political power

The study of the psychology of individual leaders is rightly placed at the centre of many disciplines such as government and history. There are many theories of leadership, and the majority of these are concerned with rational policy, strategy and decision. However there is also a need to be concerned with collective emotions such as identification, fear, hysteria, and other manifestations of the unconscious that are used by leaders as raw materials to produce an outcome that may be catastrophic in outcome. When this has occurred, it may be valid to blame leadership, particularly where the leader is a despot. However, there is a philosophical problem when the leadership in question is a result of evil intention or mental disorder, or psychopathology or persistent personality disorder characterized by antisocial behaviour. This dichotomy has been described as the mad/bad problem: is the offender mad and therefore in need of treatment, or bad and therefore in need of punishment? Many writers such as Staub have identified the category of evil leadership, defined in terms of the destruction of human beings, even where the original intention may not have been to cause evil. Another approach is to identify a leader as toxic, producing extreme levels of dysfunctional leadership characterized by organizational contamination. Yet another category is pathological leadership, or leadership that leads to consequences that most people in moments of reasonableness would regard as disastrous. This definition of pathological leadership or leadership which leads to disastrous consequences is given special attention in this discussion, as it has the advantage of leaving separate the question of an evaluation of the motives and the mental condition of the pathological leader, who, on achieving political power, may have catastrophically toxic consequences.
Physical Anthropology in Japan

In this paper I examine the quest by physical anthropologists in Japan for the origins of the Japanese. A major focus of this research has been the Ainu people of the northern island of Hokkaidō, who have recently been declared an indigenous people of Japan. The relationship between mainstream Japanese and the very much living community of the Ainu has been the subject of over 100 years of research. Integral to research has been the collection of Ainu skulls, skeletons, and artefacts that have provided a critical if controversial resource for physical anthropologists. This has all been against the backdrop of changing political ideologies about the so-called purity of the Japanese. In the post–World War II period, with the loss of empire, the idea of Japan as a homogeneous nation took hold, and it was only in the last two decades that this notion has been discredited.
A novel mobile application to assist maternal health workers in rural India

The philosophy and architecture of a novel mobile application to support maternal health are presented in this paper. A deployment study presents evidence on the benefits derived by the use of mobile devices for treatment adherence and compliance and care management. The application is intended for usage by rural caregivers for timely pregnancy related information management and to give relevant pregnancy and child care related advices. Automated advisory to help determine the risk condition of pregnancy and suggested treatment courses are handled by an expert system in the application. Much of the advisory rules run on the edge device right at the point of data collection and the dependency on network availability is negligible. The application also demands minimal medical expertise on the part of the caregivers, so early assistance can be provided even before a trained medical practitioner is made available to the patient.
Recent advances in glucose-lowering treatment to reduce diabetic kidney disease

Introduction: The epidemic of diabetes has now taken on epic proportions and therefore reducing the impact of diabetic complications represents one of the major global challenges in improving health and well-being worldwide. Preventing the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is particularly important, as diabetes is one of the main risk factors for the development of chronic kidney disease, which in turn is strongly linked to development of cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal failure, hospitalization and premature death. Intensive glucose-lowering treatment has been shown to prevent and slow progression of DKD, yet to date, only certain populations have benefited from this intervention. Areas covered: We review the evidence for existing glucose-lowering treatments in the prevention of DKD, and research into techniques to better target individuals who will benefit from these therapies. Expert opinion: Diabetic patients with established kidney disease may benefit from glucose-lowering treatment, particularly if a safer side-effect profile of these treatments is achieved. Better understanding of glucose homeostasis and evaluation of compounds inhibiting its downstream effects are required in order to improve the outlook for individuals with DKD. An additional approach to improve the success rate of glucose-lowering treatment is to improve the selection of individuals who may benefit from treatment. A potential means to identify such subjects could involve the use of biomarkers.
Markups and Firm-Level Export Status

Estimating markups has a long tradition in industrial organization and international trade. Economists and policy makers are interested in measuring the effect of various competition and trade policies on market power, typically measured by markups. The empirical methods that were developed in empirical industrial organization often rely on the availability of very detailed market-level data with information on prices, quantities sold, characteristics of products and more recently supplemented with consumer-level attributes. Often, both researchers and government agencies cannot rely on such detailed data, but still need an assessment of whether changes in the operating environment of firms had an impact on markups and therefore on consumer surplus. In this paper, we derive an estimating equation to estimate markups using standard production plant-level data based on the insight of Hall (1986) and the control function approach of Olley and Pakes (1996). Our methodology allows for various underlying price setting models, dynamic inputs, and does not require measuring the user cost of capital or assuming constant returns to scale. We rely on our method to explore the relationship between markups and export behavior using plant-level data. We find that i) markups are estimated significantly higher when controlling for unobserved productivity, ii) exporters charge on average higher markups and iii) firms' markups increase (decrease) upon export entry (exit). We see these findings as a first step in opening up the productivity-export black box, and provide a potential explanation for the big measured productivity premia for firms entering export markets.
A research approach to analyse and foster discipline-specific language competency in software engineering education

Language - spoken and written - is the medium for information and knowledge sharing; and it is almost always even a role of every subject in (higher) education. The language therefore plays an important part in teaching and learning. This is further underlined by the fact that "discipline-specific language" - which is "the uses of language in university discipline learning and teaching and in professional life in a particular discipline" [1, p. 1] - can be understood as a link between knowledge and generic/personal/interpersonal competencies; especially communication skills. In this paper a research proposal is outlined to enable an enhanced and conscious approach to the use of language and special terms in Software Engineering in higher education. This is done by a two-piece approach that considers terminology from a linguistic and a didactical point of view. All of this combined is intended to contribute toward the development of a terminology in Software Engineering and, in a wider context, to reach the top goal of this research agenda: To be able to obtain recommendations for action for teaching and learning methods to improve the quality and sustainability of teaching and learning in this discipline.
(Un)predictability in rip channel systems

Predicting the development of rip channel systems on beaches is relevant for beach safety, nearshore mixing and dispersion, and has been puzzling researchers for decades. Field observations and computer simulations have focused on predicting the spacing and growth time of rip channels as a function of wave characteristics. A satisfactory predictor of rip channel spacing and growth time has not yet been proposed. Here, we show that the lack of predictability of rip channels is an inherent property of the system related to the high sensitivity to the bathymetry prior to pattern development. Sensitivity to the initial cross‐shore profile appears to be as important as sensitivity to wave height. Although we might be able to predict rip channel characteristics, the information required by such predictors will need to account for the underlying bathymetry. Implications arising from this study are that other geomorphic patterns could display similar sensitivity.
Positive Selection and the Evolution of izumo Genes in Mammals

Most genes linked to male reproductive function have been known to evolve rapidly among species and to show signatures of positive selection. Different male species-specific reproductive strategies have been proposed to underlie positive selection, such as sperm competitive advantage and control over females postmating physiology. However, an underexplored aspect potentially affecting male reproductive gene evolution in mammals is the effect of gene duplications. Here we analyze the molecular evolution of members of the izumo gene family in mammals, a family of four genes mostly expressed in the sperm with known and potential roles in sperm-egg fusion. We confirm a previously reported bout of selection for izumo1 and establish that the bout of selection is restricted to the diversification of species of the superorder Laurasiatheria. None of the izumo genes showed evidence of positive selection in Glires (Rodentia and Lagomorpha), and in the case of the non-testes-specific izumo4, rapid evolution was driven by relaxed selection. We detected evidence of positive selection for izumo3 among Primates. Interestingly, positively selected sites include several serine residues suggesting modifications in protein function and/or localization among Primates. Our results suggest that positive selection is driven by aspects related to species-specific adaptations to fertilization rather than sexual selection.
Combination of butylphthalide with umbilical mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning

Abstract Delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (DEACMP) is still a clinical challenge. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of combined therapy of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation and butylphthalide in DEACMP patients. Forty-two DEACMP patients were treated with 1 of the 3 therapies: combined therapy of MSC transplantation and butylphthalide; MSC transplantation alone; or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The MSCs were alternatively injected into the subarachnoid space and the carotid artery using a self-made high-pressure injector. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Barthel index of activities of daily living were administered before the treatment, and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the treatment. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging results before and after the treatment were compared. At 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the treatment, the Mini-Mental State Examination scores and the Barthl scores were significantly higher in patients with the combined therapy of MSC transplantation and butylphthalide than those in patients with MSC transplantation alone or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (all P < 0.0001). No significant adverse events occurred. The combination of MSC transplantation and butylphthalide is safe and effective in treating DEACMP.
A New Approach to the Computer Modeling of Amorphous Nanoporous Structures of Semiconducting and Metallic Materials: A Review

We review our approach to the generation of nanoporous materials, both semiconducting and metallic, which leads to the existence of nanopores within the bulk structure. This method, which we have named as the expanding lattice method, is a novel transferable approach which consists first of constructing crystalline supercells with a large number of atoms and a density close to the real value and then lowering the density by increasing the volume. The resulting supercells are subjected to either ab initio or parameterized—Tersoff-based—molecular dynamics processes at various temperatures, all below the corresponding bulk melting points, followed by geometry relaxations. The resulting samples are essentially amorphous and display pores along some of the “crystallographic” directions without the need of incorporating ad hoc semiconducting atomic structural elements such as graphene-like sheets and/or chain-like patterns (reconstructive simulations) or of reproducing the experimental processes (mimetic simulations). We report radial (pair) distribution functions, nanoporous structures of C and Si, and some computational predictions for their vibrational density of states. We present numerical estimates and discuss possible applications of semiconducting materials for hydrogen storage in potential fuel tanks. Nanopore structures for metallic elements like Al and Au also obtained through the expanding lattice method are reported.
Quantum Dots-Based Optical Fiber Temperature Sensors Fabricated by Layer-by-Layer

Two types of CdTe quantum dots of different sizes (4 and 5 nm) were successfully deposited on optical fibers using the layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly method. The sensors showed a linear and reversible variation of the emission wavelength for a temperature range from 30 degC to 100 degC, with a sensitivity of 0.2 nm/degC
Online model predictive torque control for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

In this paper a Model Predictive Control (MPC) method for torque control of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) is presented. The proposed approach takes into account constraints on voltages and currents, and allows the use of modulation techniques that eliminate the side effects caused by the direct transistor actuation performed by Model Predictive Direct Torque Control (MP-DTC) approaches. The optimization problem resulting from the proposed MPC formulation is solved online, in contrast with what is done in explicit MPC, where the optimal control law is obtained offline by multiparametric optimization. The performance of the proposed control strategy is evaluated in Processor-In-the-Loop (PIL) experiments, carried out on a low cost Digital Signal Processor (DSP) commonly used in motion control. Results show that the proposed approach is able to improve the torque dynamics with respect to a conventional controller, and that an embedded implementation is feasible in terms of required computational power and memory.
Fundamental limits of scintillation detector timing precision

In this paper we review the primary factors that affect the timing precision of a scintillation detector. Monte Carlo calculations were performed to explore the dependence of the timing precision on the number of photoelectrons, the scintillator decay and rise times, the depth of interaction uncertainty, the time dispersion of the optical photons (modeled as an exponential decay), the photodetector rise time and transit time jitter, the leading-edge trigger level, and electronic noise. The Monte Carlo code was used to estimate the practical limits on the timing precision for an energy deposition of 511 keV in 3 mm × 3 mm × 30 mm Lu2SiO5:Ce and LaBr3:Ce crystals. The calculated timing precisions are consistent with the best experimental literature values. We then calculated the timing precision for 820 cases that sampled scintillator rise times from 0 to 1.0 ns, photon dispersion times from 0 to 0.2 ns, photodetector time jitters from 0 to 0.5 ns fwhm, and A from 10 to 10 000 photoelectrons per ns decay time. Since the timing precision R was found to depend on A−1/2 more than any other factor, we tabulated the parameter B, where R = BA−1/2. An empirical analytical formula was found that fit the tabulated values of B with an rms deviation of 2.2% of the value of B. The theoretical lower bound of the timing precision was calculated for the example of 0.5 ns rise time, 0.1 ns photon dispersion, and 0.2 ns fwhm photodetector time jitter. The lower bound was at most 15% lower than leading-edge timing discrimination for A from 10 to 10 000 photoelectrons ns−1. A timing precision of 8 ps fwhm should be possible for an energy deposition of 511 keV using currently available photodetectors if a theoretically possible scintillator were developed that could produce 10 000 photoelectrons ns−1.
Viral Etiology of Acute Respiratory Infection in Gansu Province, China, 2011

Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the leading cause of children and their leading killer. ARIs are responsible for at least six percent of the world's disability and death. Viruses are one of the most common agents causing ARIs. Few studies on the viral etiology and clinical characteristics of ARIs have been performed in the northwest region of China, including Gansu Province. Methods Clinical and demographic information and throat swabs were collected from 279 patients from January 1st to December 30st, 2011. Multiplex RT-PCR was performed to detect 16 respiratory viral pathogens. Results 279 patients were admitted for ARIs. The patients aged from 1 month to 12 years, with the median age of 2 years. Of which, 105 (37.6%) were positive for at least one pathogen. A total of 136 respiratory viral pathogens were identified from the 105 patients. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most frequently detected pathogen (26.5%, 36/136), followed by parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1–3 (22.1%, 30/136), human rhinovirus (HRV) (21.3%, 29/136), human coronavirus (CoV) (10.3%, 14/136) and human adenovirus (HAdV) (9.6%, 13/136). Influenza A (Flu A), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human bocavirus (BoCA) were found 4.4%, 3.7% and 2.2%, respectively. Influenza B (Flu B) and seasonal influenza A H1N1(sH1N1) were not detected. Single-infections were detected in 30.5% (85/279) of cases. RSV was the most common pathogens in patients under 1 year and showed seasonal variation with peaks during winter and spring. Conclusions This paper presents data on the epidemiology of viral pathogens associated with ARIs among children in Gansu Province, China. RSV is most frequently detected in our study. The findings could serve as a reference for local CDC in drawing up further plans to prevent and control ARIs.
Association Between Serum Levels of Vitamin D and the Risk of Post-Stroke Anxiety

AbstractLow levels of serum vitamin D are common in patients with mood disorders and stroke. It has been shown that low levels of serum vitamin D indicate a risk of depression in post-stroke subjects. Our aim was to determine the relationship between vitamin D and post-stroke anxiety (PSA). A consecutive series of 226 first acute ischemic stroke patients were recruited and followed up for 1 month. Serum levels of vitamin D were measured within 24 hours of admission. Patients with significant clinical symptoms of anxiety and a Hamilton anxiety scale score >7 were diagnosed as having PSA. In addition, 100 healthy subjects were recruited as controls and underwent measurements of serum vitamin D.A total of 60 patients (26.55%) showed anxiety at 1 month. Both PSA patients and non-PSA patients had lower serum levels of vitamin D than healthy subjects. A significant relationship was found between PSA and serum levels of vitamin D. Low serum levels of vitamin D (⩽38.48 nmol/L) were independently associated with the development of PSA (OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.21–5.13, P = 0.01). Serum vitamin D status is related to the occurrence of anxiety in post-stroke patients and may be an independent risk factor of PSA after 1 month.