Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abnormal rheology of oxygenated blood in sickle cell anemia.

The viscosity of oxygenated blood from patients with sickle cell anemia (Hb SS disease) was found to be abnormally increased, a property which contrasts with the well recognized viscous aberration produced by deoxygenation of Hb SS blood. Experiments designed to explain this finding led to considerations of deformation and aggregation, primary determinants of the rheologic behavior of erythrocytes as they traverse the microcirculation. Deformability of erythrocytes is in turn dependent upon internal viscosity (i.e. the state and concentration of hemoglobin in solution) and membrane flexibility. Definition of the contribution made by each of these properties to the abnormal viscosity of oxygenated Hb SS blood was made possible by analysis of viscosity measurements, made over a wide range of shear rates and cell concentrations, on Hb SS erythrocytes and normal erythrocytes suspended in Ringer's solution (where aggregation does not occur) and in plasma. Similar measurements were made on the two cell types separated by ultracentrifugation of Hb SS erythrocytes: high density erythrocytes composed of 50 to 70% irreversibly "sickled" cells (ISC) and low density erythrocytes composed of over 95% non-ISC. Under all experimental conditions (hematocrit, shear rate, and suspending medium) the viscosity of ISC exceeds that of normal erythrocytes. The viscosity of non-ISC is elevated only in the absence of aggregation and over intermediate ranges of hematocrit. Analyses of the data reveal (a) an elevated internal viscosity of ISC: (b) a reduced membrane flexibility of both ISC and non-ISC, particularly at low shear rates; and (c) a reduced tendency for aggregation displayed by both cell types. The abnormal viscosity of oxygenated Hb SS blood can be attributed to the altered rheology of ISC and, to a lesser extent, of non-ISC. These studies assign a role to the abnormal rheology of Hb SS erythrocytes in the pathogenesis of sickle cell anemia, even under conditions of complete oxygenation.
Study of the transit of an integral membrane protein from secretory granules through the plasma membrane of secreting rat basophilic leukemia cells using a specific monoclonal antibody

The monoclonal antibody 5G10 reacted specifically with an 80-kD integral membrane protein in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies of RBL cells, fixed and permeabilized, revealed that the 80-kD protein was located in the membrane of cytoplasmic vesicles. The vesicles were identified as secretory granules by their content in immunoreactive serotonin. Expression of the 5G10 antigen on the surface of unstimulated RBL cells was low. However, RBL cells stimulated to secrete with anti- dinitrophenyl IgE followed by dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin or with the Ca2+ ionophore A-23187 displayed an increased expression of the antigen on their surface. Surface exposure of the 5G10 antigen was maximal at 5 min after stimulation of secretion. Removal of dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin from the incubation medium resulted in internalization of 50% of the antigen within 10 min.
Analysis of human thymocyte subpopulations using discontinuous gradients of albumin: precursor lymphocytes in human thymus

Precursor lymphocytes, obtained from human tissue on bovine serum albumin (BSA) gradients followed by removal of sheep erythrocyte (E)‐reactive thymocytes on Ficoll, are the predominant lymphoid subpopulation found in young fetal thymuses. This subpopulation shows a progressive decline in relative numbers during fetal life, accompanied by a rise in both the relative and absolute numbers of E‐reactive thymocytes. Precursor thymocytes differentiate in vitro to E‐reactive cells resembling T cells in their morphology, sedimentation on BSA gradients, and response to phytohemagglutinin. Agents tending to increase intracellular concentrations of cyclic‐AMP accelerate the rate of differentiation of precursor cells to lymphocytes which closely resembleT cells.
Survey of Literature on Internet Measurements of Packet Reordering

This report presents the summary of observations from seven different measurement studies [1-7]. The measurements are conducted at different network locations using different methodologies during different time periods. We first present the summary of the observation from the paper in the chronological order of when the measurements were conducted. We follow this up with a discussion of the results drawing inferences from the seemingly contradictory observations in the different papers. In [1], the author pioneered the first large-scale measurement study of Internet packets by conducting 20,000 bulk TCP transfers of 100 Kbytes each between 35 Internet sites. In two sets of measurements conducted during December 1994 and November-December 1995, the authors found 2% and 0.3% reordering of data packets (0.6% and 0.1% of acks) respectively. Atleast one packet was delivered out of sequence for 36% of all packets in the first measurement and 12% in the second measurement. Other main observations were that reordering was asymmetrical, some paths were sometimes subject to high levels of reordering and the effects were strongly site specific. The two main causes identified for causing the problems were route fluttering and router updates and hence they claimed the reordering behavior was mainly " pathological " or not very usual. These results were directly contradicted in [2] where the authors claim that packet reordering is not pathological behavior on the Internet and is prevalent at significantly high levels. Their study consisted of measurements conducted on 140 Internet hosts connected to the MAE-EAST exchange during December 1997 and January 1998. The methodology used was significantly different from that in [1], since the authors chose to send back-to-back bursts of 50 ICMP-ping packets of 56-byte for conducting the first measurement and a 100-packet bursts of 512-byte packets for the second measurement. From the first measurement, they observed that the probability of a session experiencing packet reordering was 90%. From the second measurement they inferred that reordering was a function of network load. Further study indicated that the main cause for reordering was parallelism in Internet components and links due to link-level striping and the multiple paths that a packet can take within the switching devices. An extensive study of packet dynamics for low-bitrate MPEG-4 video streams over paths with more than 5000 routers and measurement points in all the 50 states of USA was conducted in [3]. The study consisted of 16 thousand ten-minute sessions consisting of 85 …
Identification of skeletal muscle autoantigens by expression library screening using sera from autoimmune rippling muscle disease (ARMD) patients

Novel forms of contractile regulation observed in skeletal muscle are evident in neuromuscular diseases like rippling muscle disease (RMD). Previous studies of an autoimmune form of RMD (ARMD) identified a very high molecular weight skeletal muscle protein antigen recognized by ARMD patient antisera. This study utilized ARMD and myasthenia gravis (MG) patient antisera, to screen a human skeletal muscle cDNA library that subsequently identified proteins that could play a role in ARMD. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis, three distinct ARMD antigens were identified: titin Isoform N2A, ATP synthase 6, and PPP1R3 (protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3). The region of titin identified by ARMD antisera is distinct from the main immunogenic region (MIR) recognized by classical MG antibodies. Sera from classical MG patient identifies an expressed sequence corresponding to the titin MIR. Although the mechanism of antibody penetration is not known, previous studies have shown that rippling muscle antibodies affect the contractile machinery of myofibers resulting in mechanical sensitivity. Titin's role as a modulator of muscle contractility makes it a potential target in understanding muscle mechanosensitive regulation. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lansoprazole for children with poorly controlled asthma: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is prevalent in children with asthma. Untreated GER has been postulated to be a cause of inadequate asthma control in children despite inhaled corticosteroid treatment, but it is not known whether treatment with proton pump inhibitors improves asthma control. OBJECTIVE To determine whether lansoprazole is effective in reducing asthma symptoms in children without overt GER. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Study of Acid Reflux in Children With Asthma, a randomized, masked, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial that compared lansoprazole with placebo in children with poor asthma control who were receiving inhaled corticosteroid treatment. Three hundred six participants enrolled from April 2007 to September 2010 at 19 US academic clinical centers were followed up for 24 weeks. A subgroup had an esophageal pH study before randomization. INTERVENTION Participating children were randomly assigned to receive either lansoprazole, 15 mg/d if weighing less than 30 kg or 30 mg/d if weighing 30 kg or more (n = 149), or placebo (n = 157). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was change in Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score (range, 0-6; a 0.5-unit change is considered clinically meaningful). Secondary outcome measures included lung function measures, asthma-related quality of life, and episodes of poor asthma control. RESULTS The mean age was 11 years (SD, 3 years). The mean difference in change (lansoprazole minus placebo) in the ACQ score was 0.2 units (95% CI, 0.0-0.3 units). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean difference in change for the secondary outcomes of forced expiratory volume in the first second (0.0 L; 95% CI, -0.1 to 0.1 L), asthma-related quality of life (-0.1; 95% CI, -0.3 to 0.1), or rate of episodes of poor asthma control (relative risk, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.9-1.5). Among the 115 children with esophageal pH studies, the prevalence of GER was 43%. In the subgroup with a positive pH study, no treatment effect for lansoprazole vs placebo was observed for any asthma outcome. Children treated with lansoprazole reported more respiratory infections (relative risk, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.1-1.6]). CONCLUSION In this trial of children with poorly controlled asthma without symptoms of GER who were using inhaled corticosteroids, the addition of lansoprazole, compared with placebo, improved neither symptoms nor lung function but was associated with increased adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00442013.
Interactive Ambiguity Resolution of Named Entities in Fictional Literature

Named entity recognition (NER) denotes the task to detect entities and their corresponding classes, such as person or location, in unstructured text data. For most applications, state of the art NER software is producing reasonable results. However, as a consequence of the methodological limitations and the well‐known pitfalls when analyzing natural language data, the NER results are likely to contain ambiguities. In this paper, we present an interactive NER ambiguity resolution technique, which enables users to create (post‐processing) rules for named entity recognition data based on the content and entity context of the analyzed documents. We specifically address the problem that in use‐cases where ambiguities are problematic, such as the attribution of fictional characters with traits, it is often unfeasible to train models on custom data to improve state of the art NER software. We derive an iterative process model for improving NER results, show an interactive NER ambiguity resolution prototype, illustrate our approach with contemporary literature, and discuss our work and future research.
Bacteriophage Mu late promoters: four late transcripts initiate near a conserved sequence

Late transcription of bacteriophage Mu, which results in the expression of phage morphogenetic functions, is dependent on Mu C protein. Earlier experiments indicated that Mu late RNAs originate from four promoters, including the previously characterized mom promoter. S1 nuclease protection experiments were used to map RNA 5' ends in the three new regions. Transcripts were initiated at these points only in the presence of C and were synthesized in a rightward direction on the Mu genome. Amber mutant marker rescue analysis of plasmid clones and limited DNA sequencing demonstrated that these new promoters are located between C and lys, upstream of I, and upstream of P within the N gene. A comparison of the promoter sequences upstream from the four RNA 5' ends yielded two conserved sequences: the first (tA . . cT, where capital and lowercase letters indicate 100 and 75% base conservation, respectively), at approximately -10, shares some similarity with the consensus Escherichia coli sigma 70 -10 region, while the second (ccATAAc CcCPuG/Cac, where Pu indicates a purine), in the -35 region, bears no resemblance to the E. coli -35 consensus. We propose that these conserved Mu late promoter consensus sequences are important for C-dependent promoter activity. Plasmids containing transcription fusions of these late promoters to lacZ exhibited C-dependent beta-galactosidase synthesis in vivo, and C was the only Mu product needed for this transactivation. As expected, the late promoter-lacZ fusions were activated only at late times after induction of a Mu prophage. The C-dependent activation of lacZ fusions containing only a few bases of the 5' end of Mu late RNA and the presence of altered promoter sequences imply that C acts at the level of transcription initiation.
THE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE INVENTORY: PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES IN A NONCLINICAL STUDENT SAMPLE

The psychometric properties of a new scale, the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (OCI; Foa, Kozak, Salkovskis, Coles, & Amir, 1998), were examined in a nonclinical student sample. The study was a partial replication of the original validation study by Foa et al. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity were examined using a sample of 126 undergraduate psychology students. Statistical analyses (Pearson's r and Cronbach's alpha) indicated adequate test-retest reliability for the full scales and subscales (coefficients ranging from 0.69 to 0.88) and high internal consistency (all coefficients exceeding 0.7). Convergent validity with the Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (MOCI; Hodgson & Rachman, 1977) was adequate for the full scales and for the Washing and Checking subscales (coefficients ranging from 0.61 to 0.75). The OCI is a useful supplement to existing self-report measures of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology.
Young children's representations of their families: A longitudinal follow-up study of family drawings by children living in different family settings

Family drawings of 166 children aged 7 years (97 boys and 69 girls, age range 6.7–7.9 years), living in various family settings–stepfather, single-parent, complex stepfamilies and non-step control families–were investigated; longitudinal data were available for 119. The exclusion of family members and the grouping of parents were examined in relation to family type, biological relatedness and residency. Longitudinal analyses showed consistency in familial representations and predictions of child adjustment over time, validating the measure. Children from step and single-parent families were more likely to exclude family members than children from non-stepfamilies. Half and step-siblings were more likely to be excluded than full siblings. Non-resident family members were more likely to be excluded than resident members. Children biologically related to both resident parents were more likely to group their parents together. Omission of resident siblings or biological father, and drawing mother alone were associated with poorer adjustment as reported by mothers. Omission of resident siblings added predictive power to adjustment. These findings indicate that certain obvious and easily-coded features of family drawings may be an empirically supported and useful research and clinical tool.
Comparative free radical scavenging potential and cytotoxicity of different extracts from Iris pseudopumila Tineo flowers and rhizomes

Different Iris species are known as medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of different extracts from Iris pseudopumila Tineo flowers and rhizomes. The radical scavenging activity was assessed by means of DPPH assay. The antioxidant activity was assessed by means of two tests: bleaching of β-carotene and lipid peroxidation of liposomes. Methanolic and chloroform extracts from the flowers of I. pseudopumila showed a significant antiradical effect with IC50 of 101 and 83 µg mL−1, respectively. As regards to lipid peroxidation, the best activity was showed by methanolic extract of flowers (IC50 of 18 µg mL−1) and chloroformic extract of rhizomes (IC50 33 µg mL−1). The cytotoxic activity was carried out using the SRB assay. The chloroform extract from rhizomes demonstrated a good cytotoxic activity against amelanotic melanoma cancer cell line (C32) with an IC50 of 57 µg mL−1. The results obtained support the ethnomedical claims for the plant.
Performance and Learning Goal Orientations as Moderators of Social Loafing and Social Facilitation

The social loafing and social facilitation phenomena were examined in contexts that encourage the adoption of either performance or learning goals. Social loafing and social facilitation were operationalized using a manipulation of evaluation potential by others (copartici-pants and experimenter) present in the experimental situation. Performance goal instructions were controlling and emphasized the test like nature of the task, whereas learning goal instructions were autonomy-supportive and emphasized its learning aspects. As expected, increases in evaluation potential resulted in increases in performance, lending support to a hypothesized continuum of evaluation potential underlying social loafing and social facilitation. The social facilitation effect was more pronounced in the performance goal compared to the learning goal context. In contrast, the social loafing effect was not moderated by context. Implications for group situations are discussed.
Applied Software Architecture

"Designing a large software system is an extremely complicated undertaking that requires juggling differing perspectives and differing goals, and evaluating differing options. Applied Software Architecture is the best book yet that gives guidance as to how to sort out and organize the conflicting pressures and produce a successful design. " -- Len Bass, author of Software Architecture in Practice. Quality software architecture design has always been important, but in today's fast-paced, rapidly changing, and complex development environment, it is essential. A solid, well-thought-out design helps to manage complexity, to resolve trade-offs among conflicting requirements, and, in general, to bring quality software to market in a more timely fashion. Applied Software Architecture provides practical guidelines and techniques for producing quality software designs. It gives an overview of software architecture basics and a detailed guide to architecture design tasks, focusing on four fundamental views of architecture--conceptual, module, execution, and code. Through four real-life case studies, this book reveals the insights and best practices of the most skilled software architects in designing software architecture. These case studies, written with the masters who created them, demonstrate how the book's concepts and techniques are embodied in state-of-the-art architecture design. You will learn how to: * create designs flexible enough to incorporate tomorrow's technology; * use architecture as the basis for meeting performance, modifiability, reliability, and safety requirements; * determine priorities among conflicting requirements and arrive at a successful solution; and * use software architecture to help integrate system components. Anyone involved in software architecture will find this book a valuable compendium of best practices and an insightful look at the critical role of architecture in software development.
MASS MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN THE DETROIT RIOT OF 1967

Interviews with 500 Negro men arrested during the Detroit riot of 1967 are used to explore (a) the different functions of the mass media in communicating information about riots in other cities and in one's own; (b) the sources by which information about the Detroit riot entered the black community; (c) the channels used to transmit this information; (d) the messages heard by respondents on the various channels. The author is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
End Results in Central Precocious Puberty with GnRH Analog Treatment: The Data of the Italian Study Group for Physiopathology of Puberty

We report some end results with GnRH agonist (GnRHa) treatment in central precocious puberty (CPP), in terms of final height (FH), ovarian function, peak bone mass, body composition and psychological problems. The two studies reported (Study I and II) are part of the activity of the Italian Study Group for Physiopathology of Puberty. Study L Growth data were analyzed of three groups of patients: treated with i.n. spray buserelin, i.m. triptorelin and untreated. Both GnRHa administration modes were effective in arresting pubertal development and all girls had complete recovery of the reproductive axis after therapy. Treated patients showed an improvement in final height in comparison with untreated patients and compared to predicted height at the start of treatment with both agonist treatments. However, patients treated with the long-acting slow release preparation had a better improvement in adult height and reached or exceeded the genetic height potential. Study II. In a retrospective evaluation of the outcome in 71 girls with idiopathic CPP treated with triptorelin, we found that FH fell within the population norm and the target range in 87.3% and 90% of the patients respectively. The tallest FH was recorded in the patients who started therapy at less than 6 years of age and in those who discontinued treatment at a bone age of 12.0-12.5 yr. Finally, we and other groups have recently found normal values of bone mineral density in girls at the end of GnRHa treatment in the great majority of patients.
Age Inequality in Educational Opportunity: the Needs of Adult Students in Higher Education

Several recent policy reports dealing with higher education have focused on adults as students. The expansion of educational opportunities for adults at the college level has been seen as a key element in "overbridging" inequalities between older and younger generations, and in providing a second chance at upward mobility for those unable to complete schooling in their youth. However, the various recommendations put forth to accomplish this expansion reflect a stagnant and narrow view of adult interests and capacities. Emphasizing vocationalism and overlooking the adult's potential for intellectual and personal development, these recommendations would deny adults the stimulation, peer group support, and status socialization they both need and desire.