Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Associations between HVEM/LIGHT/BTLA/CD160 polymorphisms and the occurrence of antibody-mediate rejection in renal transplant recipients

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is a serious complications that can occur following renal transplantation. The production of donor-specific antibodies by the humoral immune response can trigger costimulatory signals, which are crucial in activating immune cells, and therefore, playing a potential role in ABMR. To investigate the role of HVEM/LIGHT/BTLA/CD160 polymorphisms in ABMR, we retrospectively analyzed 200 renal transplant recipients. We adopted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify HVEM/LIGHT/BTLA/CD160 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genotypes of these patients. We divided the patients into two groups: those with ABMR and those who were stable. We adopted multiple models and performed regression analysis after adjusting for multiple confounding variables, to determine the correlation between the SNPs and ABMR. We obtained 41 high-quality SNPs readouts. However, we did not observe any significant association between these polymorphisms and the pathogenesis of ABMR in any of the models.Nevertheless, since there is evidence suggesting the involvement of costimulatory signals in graft rejection, further research should be conducted to better understand how genetic polymorphisms may be involved in ABMR.
Overcoming the Challenges to Accurately Measuring the Phenomenon of Human Trafficking

Une politique efficace et des mesures propres a l'enquete de la traite des etres humains, a la prevention et a l'assistance aux victimes exigent la collecte de donnees fiables sur l'ampleur du probleme ainsi que sur les caracteristiques du trafic et les tendances. Ce document examine les limites dans l’evaluation de la traite des etres humains et la facon dont les statistiques en general sur- ou sous-estiment le phenomene. Les questions de methodologie et de definition et l’absence de partage des donnees contribuent a disperser les connaissances, la collecte de donnees fiables constituant un defi. Le document aborde brievement des efforts nationaux, regionaux et internationaux reussis de collecte de donnees et fournit des recommandations pour des methodes efficaces et pratiques destinees a ameliorer la collecte de donnees fiables.
Arabidopsis Monothiol Glutaredoxin, AtGRXS17, Is Critical for Temperature-dependent Postembryonic Growth and Development via Modulating Auxin Response*

Global environmental temperature changes threaten innumerable plant species. Although various signaling networks regulate plant responses to temperature fluctuations, the mechanisms unifying these diverse processes are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that an Arabidopsis monothiol glutaredoxin, AtGRXS17 (At4g04950), plays a critical role in redox homeostasis and hormone perception to mediate temperature-dependent postembryonic growth. AtGRXS17 expression was induced by elevated temperatures. Lines altered in AtGRXS17 expression were hypersensitive to elevated temperatures and phenocopied mutants altered in the perception of the phytohormone auxin. We show that auxin sensitivity and polar auxin transport were perturbed in these mutants, whereas auxin biosynthesis was not altered. In addition, atgrxs17 plants displayed phenotypes consistent with defects in proliferation and/or cell cycle control while accumulating higher levels of reactive oxygen species and cellular membrane damage under high temperature. Together, our findings provide a nexus between reactive oxygen species homeostasis, auxin signaling, and temperature responses.
360 Degree Feedback and Leadership Development

If we had to identify the major areas of growth in relation to techniques for supporting leadership development, it would have to include use of 360 degree feedback. At two recent US conferences (The 24th International Congress on Assessment Centre Methods, May 1996, held in Washington, DC, and the First Annual Leadership Development Conference held in October 1996 in Boston), dedicated to presentations by researchers and practitioners on the subject of leadership assessment and development, the topic of multi-rater or multi-source feedback, as it is also known, formed a key component. This paper will outline some of the reasons why this is the case, and some of the research findings that have emerged in the last few years including issues relating to gender and perceptions of leadership. It will also describe how the author has been involved in introducing 360 degree feedback processes in several public sector organizations in the UK, together with lessons that have emerged.
Prognostic Role of miR-205 in Early-Stage (T1N0) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: Published data have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) could play a potential role as diagnostic and prognostic indicators in cancers. Data for the predictive value of miRNA let-7, miR-21, and miR-205 are inconclusive. The aim of the present analysis was therefore to evaluate the expression and the prognostic role of the above mentioned miRNAs in early-stage (T1N0) NSCLC patients. Methods: Quantification of let-7g, miR-21, and miR-205 expression was carried out into 105 early-stage NSCLC by quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: a significant association between the low miR-205 expression and ADC histotype (p 0.0001) compared to SCC was found; moreover, survival analysis showed thattumors with a high miR-205 expression had a significantly shorter mean PFS and OS compared to the patients with a low expression of this miRNA (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). No other statistically significant correlations were observed between the analysed miRNAs and the main clinico-pathological characteristics of the NSCLC patients. Conclusion: The results indicated that miR-205 could represent a useful marker in the prognostic management of the early-stage (T1N0) NSCLC patients.
An implementation and its evaluation of password cracking tool parallelized on GPGPU

General-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is popular computing technology to utilize in various fields. In the paper, we parallelize cryptographical hash processing of a password cracking tool, John the Ripper, by utilizing CUDA on GPGPU. We also evaluate our work to compare the processing time of hash processing parallelized by GPU with that of the John the Ripper on a dual-core CPU. Processing time of our implementation is 0.03% of that of the original one.
Second Order Conditions on the Overflow Trac from the Erlang-B System

This paper presents in a unified manner mathematical properties of the second order derivatives of the overflow trac from an Erlang loss system, assuming the number of circuits to be a nonnegative real value. It is shown that the overflow trac function b A(a,x) is strictly convex with respect to x (number of circuits), with x 0, taking the oered trac, a, as a positive real parameter. The convexity (in the wider sense) has been proved by A.A. Jagers and Erik A. Van Doorn (8). Using a similar procedure to the one used by those authors it is shown that b A(a,x) is a strictly convex function with respect to a, for all (a,x) 2 IR+ ◊ IR+ — a well known result for the case of x being a positive integer, due to C. Palm (10, pp.180-181). These two results are obtained by determining the sign of the second order derivatives b A 00(a,x) and b A 00(a,x) for (a,x) 2 IR + ◊IR + . In the same manner it is proved that the rectangular derivatives b A 00(a,x) and b A 00(a,x) are negative for all (a,x) 2 IR + ◊IR + . Finally, a first approach to the analysis of the strict joint convexity of b A(a,x) in some open convex subdomain of IR + ◊ IR + , is discussed. Finally, based on some particular cases and extensive computational results it is conjectured that the function b A(a,x) is strictly jointly convex in areas of low blocking where the standard oered trac is less than 1.
Metabolite identification of seven active components of Huan-Nao-Yi-Cong-Fang in rat plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with hybrid ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Huan-Nao-Yi-Cong-Fang (HNYCF) is a potential prescription in treating Alzheimer's disease. Seven constituents [ferulic acid (FA), 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside (THSG), berberine hydrochloride (BHCl), emodin, ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), ginsenoside Re (Re) and ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1)] have been used as quality chemical markers of HNYCF owing to their biological significance and high contents in crude plant materials. This study explored the metabolites of the seven bioactive components in rat plasma to give useful data for further study of the action mechanism of HNYCF. LC/MS-IT-TOF was used to simultaneously characterize the metabolites of the seven components. Using the combination of MetID Solution 1.0 software and accurate mass measurements, the metabolites of HNYCF were reliably characterized. Their structures were elucidated based on the accurate MS(2) spectra and comparisons of their changes in accurate molecular masses and fragment ions with those of parent compounds. A total of five parent active compounds (BHCl, emodin, Rg1, Rb1 and Re) and 10 metabolites were found from the rat plasma 2 h after oral administration of HNYCF dosage, of which two metabolites of emodin were observed for the first time. The proposed metabolic pathways of the bioactive components in the rat plasma are helpful for further studies on the pharmacokinetics and real active compound forms of this drug.
The Impact of Regulations on Agricultural Trade: Evidence from the Sps and Tbt Agreements

According to World Trade Organization rules, countries may adopt regulations under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). We analyze the structure of these measures in agricultural trade. The inventory approach suggests that European countries have among the lowest coverage ratios of all OECD countries. Using a gravity equation, we also estimate their stringency. Our results suggest that they significantly reduce developing countries' exports to OECD countries, but do not affect trade between OECD members. Furthermore, European imports are more negatively influenced by SPS and TBTs than imports of other OECD countries.
Adaptive Finite Element Methods for Elliptic PDEs Based on Conforming Centroidal Voronoi-Delaunay Triangulations

A new triangular mesh adaptivity algorithm for elliptic PDEs that combines a posteriori error estimation with centroidal Voronoi-Delaunay tessellations of domains in two dimensions is proposed and tested. The ability of the first ingredient to detect local regions of large error and the ability of the second ingredient to generate superior unstructured grids result in a mesh adaptivity algorithm that has several very desirable features, including the following. Errors are very well equidistributed over the triangles; at all levels of refinement, the triangles remain very well shaped, even if the grid size at any particular refinement level, when viewed globally, varies by several orders of magnitude; and the convergence rates achieved are the best obtainable using piecewise linear finite elements. This methodology can be easily extended to higher-order finite element approximations or mixed finite element formulations although only the linear approximation is considered in this paper.
A New Perspective on Boosting in Linear Regression via Subgradient Optimization and Relatives

In this paper we analyze boosting algorithms in linear regression from a new perspective: that of modern first-order methods in convex optimization. We show that classic boosting algorithms in linear regression, namely the incremental forward stagewise algorithm (FS$_\varepsilon$) and least squares boosting (LS-Boost($\varepsilon$)), can be viewed as subgradient descent to minimize the loss function defined as the maximum absolute correlation between the features and residuals. We also propose a modification of FS$_\varepsilon$ that yields an algorithm for the Lasso, and that may be easily extended to an algorithm that computes the Lasso path for different values of the regularization parameter. Furthermore, we show that these new algorithms for the Lasso may also be interpreted as the same master algorithm (subgradient descent), applied to a regularized version of the maximum absolute correlation loss function. We derive novel, comprehensive computational guarantees for several boosting algorithms in linear regression (including LS-Boost($\varepsilon$) and FS$_\varepsilon$) by using techniques of modern first-order methods in convex optimization. Our computational guarantees inform us about the statistical properties of boosting algorithms. In particular they provide, for the first time, a precise theoretical description of the amount of data-fidelity and regularization imparted by running a boosting algorithm with a prespecified learning rate for a fixed but arbitrary number of iterations, for any dataset.
Media Endarkenment

In this article, the author researches the coverage of the U.S. and Russian presidential campaigns of 2012 in terms of media endarkenment, a process of media influence that ultimately shrinks the potential for a vibrant public sphere where informed citizens debate crucial issues. Using the works of Herman and Chomsky as well as McQuail, the study reveals the methodology of a process of media influence (intended or unintended) by which both the intellectual level of the viewers and the number of informed citizens decrease. A textual analysis of election coverage by national TV channels of both countries uncovers some of the different forms that media endarkenment takes, including the construction of a false reality, intimidation, and simplification.
The Use of Caffeinated Substances by Surgeons for Cognitive Enhancement.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of coffee, caffeinated drinks, and caffeine tablets for pharmacological cognitive enhancement (CE) among surgeons. BACKGROUND Surgeons have demanding workloads, and the resulting fatigue and concentration deficits can lead to medical errors. Some surgeons use substances that promote wakefulness to counteract these effects. METHODS A total of 3306 surgeons who attended 5 international conferences in 2011 were surveyed regarding their use of coffee, caffeinated drinks, and caffeine tablets for CE and potential factors derived from professional and private life using an anonymous self-report questionnaire. In this study, we were only interested in surgeons working in hospitals; therefore, 951 questionnaires were statistically analyzed. RESULTS The most prevalent reason for using caffeine of any kind was to reduce fatigue (54.3%). Further prevalent reasons are working the night shift (32.2%) and overly long and excessive work hours (31.7%). Lifetime, past-year, past-month, and past-week prevalence was 66.8%, 61.9%, 56.9%, and 50.5%, for coffee use; 24.2%, 15.4%, 9.9%, and 6.1%, for caffeinated drinks; and 12.6%, 5.9%, 4.7%, and 3.8%, respectively, for caffeine tablets. Caffeine use was associated with lower age, male sex, divorced marital status, living with children, lack of satisfaction with professional status, pressure to perform in private life, and pressure perceived to be harmful to one's own health. CONCLUSIONS Surgeons often use caffeinated substances to cope with fatigue and long working hours. Coffee use was more prevalent than the use of caffeinated drinks and caffeine tablets.
Neuroregulation of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis in Humans: Effects of GABA-, Mineralocorticoid-, and GH-Secretagogue-Receptor Modulation

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis exerts a variety of effects at both the central and peripheral level. Its activity is mainly regulated by CRH, AVP, and the glucocorticoid-mediated feedback action. Moreover, many neurotransmitters and neuropeptides influence HPA axis activity by acting at the hypothalamic and/or suprahypothalamic level. Among them, GABA and Growth Hormone Secretagogues (GHS)/GHS-receptor systems have been shown to exert a clear inhibitory and stimulatory effect, respectively, on corticotroph secretion. Alprazolam (ALP), a GABA-A receptor agonist, shows the most marked inhibitory effect on both spontaneous and stimulated HPA axis activity, in agreement with its peculiar efficacy in panic disorders and depression where an HPA axis hyperactivation is generally present. Ghrelin and synthetic GHS possess a marked ACTH/cortisol-releasing effect in humans and the ghrelin/GHS-R system is probably involved in the modulation of the HPA response to stress and nutritional/metabolic variations. The glucocorticoid-mediated negative feedback action is mediated by both glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors activation at the central level, mainly in the hippocampus. In agreement with animal studies, MRs seem to play a crucial role in the maintenance of the circadian ACTH and cortisol rhythm, through the modulation of CRH and AVP release. GABA agonists (mainly ALP), ghrelin, as well as MR agonists/antagonists, may represent good tools to explore the activity of the HPA axis in both physiological conditions and pathological states characterized by an impaired control of the corticotroph function.
RANDOMIZED, MULTICENTER TRIAL OF INHALED NITRIC OXIDE AND HIGH FREQUENCY OSCILLATORY VENTILATION IN SEVERE PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OF THE NEWBORN (PPHN). • 1315

BACKGROUND Although inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) causes selective pulmonary vasodilation and improves oxygenation in newborn infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension, its effects are variable. We hypothesized (1) that the response to iNO therapy is dependent on the primary disease associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) and (2) that the combination of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) with iNO would be efficacious in patients for whom either therapy alone had failed. METHODS To determine the relative roles of iNO and HFOV in the treatment of severe PPHN, we enrolled 205 neonates in a randomized, multicenter clinical trial. Patients were stratified by predominant disease category: respiratory distress syndrome (n = 70), meconium aspiration syndrome (n = 58), idiopathic PPHN or pulmonary hypoplasia (excluding congenital diaphragmatic hernia) ("other": n = 43), and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 34); they were then randomly assigned to treatment with iNO and conventional ventilation or to HFOV without iNO. Treatment failure (partial pressure of arterial oxygen [PaO2] < 60 mm Hg) resulted in crossover to the alternative treatment; treatment failure after crossover led to combination treatment with HFOV plus iNO. Treatment response with the assigned therapy was defined as sustained PaO2 of 60 mm Hg or greater. RESULTS Baseline oxygenation index and PaO2 were 48 +/- 2 and 41 +/- 1 mm Hg, respectively, during treatment with conventional ventilation. Ninety-eight patients were randomly assigned to initial treatment with HFOV, and 107 patients to iNO. Fifty-three patients (26%) recovered with the initially assigned therapy without crossover (30 with iNO [28%] and 23 with HFOV [23%]; p = 0.33). Within this group, survival was 100% and there were no differences in days of mechanical ventilation, air leak, or supplemental oxygen requirement at 28 days. Of patients whose initial treatment failed, crossover treatment with the alternate therapy was successful in 21% and 14% for iNO and HFOV, respectively (p = not significant). Of 125 patients in whom both treatment strategies failed, 32% responded to combination treatment with HFOV plus iNO. Overall, 123 patients (60%) responded to either treatment alone or combination therapy. By disease category, response rates for HFOV plus iNO in the group with respiratory syndrome and the group with meconium aspiration syndrome were better than for HFOV alone or iNO with conventional ventilation (p < 0.05). Marked differences in outcomes were noted among centers (percent death or treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation = 29% to 75%). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that treatment with HFOV plus iNO is often more successful than treatment with HFOV or iNO alone in severe PPHN. Differences in responses are partly related to the specific disease associated with PPHN.
Impact of Mobile Banking Services on Customer Satisfaction : A Study on Sri Lankan State Commercial Bank

Mobile phones have created a platform to expand commercial transactions in a very easy manner and have created a wide array of business opportunities through the expansion of wireless communication. These developments facilitate business transactions, trading, and purchasing of goods and services without much effort. Hence, it is clear that mobile banking would be an astrictive way of providing banking services and it also could contribute to the development of the nation through promotion of better financial services. However, determining the characteristics of mobile banking services and how banks could achieve a proper relationship with customers through mobile banking is vital for development of mobile banking. Therefore, this research focuses primarily on identifying the factors that affect customer satisfaction in mobile banking services. The main variable considered in the study consists of usefulness, ease of use, relative advantages, perception of risk and user’s life style and current needs. The research methodology mainly focused on gathering primary data using a questionnaire. Hypothesis developed based on the variables that affect the consumer acceptance of mobile banking services and its relationship to the customer satisfaction. The conclusions of the study revealed that mobile banking services customer satisfaction is influenced by usefulness, ease of use, relative advantage, perception on risk and user lifestyle and current needs of customers.
A Note on the Biases in Students’ Evaluations of Instructors

AbstractThis article demonstrates that a significant pattern of bias is discernable in students’ evaluations of instructors. Low grades and a high level of quantitative content lead to low evaluation scores, and vise versa. Although the R2 values for the regression coefficients are low (about 10 percent), the average impact of grades and quantitive orientation on instructor’s percentile rankings in material.
PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN Berry, Hansen / PERSONALITY IN SOCIAL INTERACTION Personality, Nonverbal Behavior, and Interaction Quality in Female Dyads

Female dyads were videotaped while they took part in an initial social interaction. Participants subsequently evaluated their encounter along several qualitative dimensions. Independent observers also rated the interactions, and a variety of behaviors were coded from the videotapes. Dyad-level analyses revealed that agreeableness, openness, and extraversion predicted observers’ evaluations of interaction quality. Individual-level analyses further indicated that agreeableness and extraversion predicted participants’ perceptions of interaction quality. Links between personality and social behavior were revealed as well. Variations in visual attention and body position accounted for the relations found between dyads’ levels of agreeableness and independent observers’ evaluations of interaction quality. Visual attention further mediated the relation revealed between openness and observers’ ratings of quality. This work reveals that self-reports of personality can reliably predict the course of social interaction and identifies some specific behaviors though which this may occur.