Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological study of brain lesions in rabbits given intravenous verotoxin 2

When rabbits were given intravenously purified verotoxin 2 (VT2) at 5 microg/kg of body weight, they developed hemorrhagic diarrhea, flaccid paresis, an ataxic gait, an opisthotonic posture, and convulsions. To examine the effects of VT2 toxemia on the rabbit central nervous system, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrastructural studies were performed. At 24, 57, and 80 h after injection of VT2 into 12 rabbits, T2-weighted images of the central nervous system were obtained. The initial lesion was noted at 24 h in the hypothalamic areas of all experimental animals. At 57 h, the T2 value increased in the medulla of the cerebral hemisphere or the hippocampus, with a brain stem lesion in six rabbits (50%). The rabbits with the brain stem lesions, in which neurological signs were very severe, died within 6 days. Lesions in the cerebellar hemisphere and/or vermis were noted in four rabbits (33%) that survived more than 1 month. To better understand the pathogenesis of VT2 in these brain lesions, we examined the deterioration of the blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid-brain barrier by using horseradish peroxidase as a tracer. The tracer was detected by electron microscopy both in the subendothelial layer, including the basal lamina, and throughout the cytoplasm of the ependymal cell layer covering the ventricle after intravenous or intrathecal treatment with horseradish peroxidase. We also determined the localization of VT2 by immunoelectron microscopy and found that it was localized on edematous endothelial cells of capillaries, ependymal cells, and myelin sheaths. The present study suggests that VT2 was conveyed from the endothelial and ependymal cell layers and caused edematous changes in the rabbit brain.
The influence of a fish oil high in docosahexaenoic acid on plasma lipoprotein and vitamin E concentrations and haemostatic function in healthy male volunteers

Nine healthy male subjects consumed a daily fish oil supplement providing 2.1 g docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3; DHA) and 0.8 g eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3; EPA) for 6 weeks. The proportion of EPA and DHA in plasma, erythrocytes, leucocytes and platelet phospholipids was increased by the supplement. Plasma concentration of triacylglycerol and very-low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol were lowered and those of high-density-lipotrotein (HDL)- and HDL2-cholesterol and apoprotein B were increased. Platelet aggregation and thromboxane B2 production induced by collagen were partially inhibited. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell during treatment and rose following withdrawal of the supplement. Statistically significant reductions in erythrocyte counts, packed cell volume and haemoglobin and increases in total leucocyte and monocyte counts occurred with the supplement. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations fell below the normal range during the period of supplementation. It is suggested that future studies consider components other than EPA in fish oil. Further studies are needed to investigate the extent to which fish oil increases the requirement for antioxidant nutrients.
The Mediating Effects of Situational Control on Social Support and Mood Following a Stressor.

Objectives. The present study examined, prospectively and within the context of stress experienced in the natural environment, whether situational control served as a mediator between perceived social support and caregiver's mood. Methods. Data came from baseline assessments of individuals participating in health promotion interventions for women caregivers. Participants were 49 female caregivers of dementia patients who monitored their own acute psychological states during the day. Results. Results revealed that although the occurrence of a situational stressor increased negative mood, greater perceived support reduced the detrimental impact of a stressor on negative mood. Moreover, path analyses revealed that changes in situational control partially mediated the relationship between perceived support and stress-induced negative mood changes. However, changes in control did not serve as a mediator in analyses focused on happiness. Discussion. Results suggest that caregivers with greater perceived support were less emotionally reactive to stress occurring in their natural environments because of, in part, sustained or increased situational control.
Driven by information: a tectonic theory of Stroop effects.

The goal of avoiding distraction (e.g., ignoring words when naming their print colors in a Stroop task) is opposed intrinsically by the penchant to process conspicuous and correlated characteristics of the environment (e.g., noticing trial-to-trial associations between the colors and the words). To reconcile these opposing forces, the authors propose a tectonic theory of selective attention in which 2 memory-based structures--dimensional imbalance and dimensional uncertainty--drive selection by processing salient, surprising, and/or correlated information contained within and across stimulus dimensions. Each structure modulates the buildup of excitation to targets and the buildup of inhibition to distractors and to memories of previous stimuli. Tectonic theory is implemented to simulate the impact of 4 types of context on the presence, magnitude, and direction of congruity effects and task effects in the Stroop paradigm. The tectonic model is shown to surpass other formal models in explaining the range and diversity of Sroop effects.
Beyond Hypothermia: Alternative Therapies for Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Neonatal encephalopathy remains a significant cause of death and disability worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia has become a mainstay of therapy and has demonstrated the potential for neuroprotection and repair after neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. However, it has become apparent from published trials that hypothermia alone will not serve as complete protection nor benefit all neonates. The complicated cascade of events in a hypoxic-ischemic insult lends itself to multiple types of therapy, making a multi-faceted approach to treatment attractive. This review critically discusses the broad range of medical therapies currently being studied and summarizes the animal and human studies that have been done to date. Therapies that may act synergistically with cooling therapy are also discussed.
Dissection of PIM serine/threonine kinases in FLT3-ITD–induced leukemogenesis reveals PIM1 as regulator of CXCL12–CXCR4-mediated homing and migration

FLT3-ITD–mediated leukemogenesis is associated with increased expression of oncogenic PIM serine/threonine kinases. To dissect their role in FLT3-ITD–mediated transformation, we performed bone marrow reconstitution assays. Unexpectedly, FLT3-ITD cells deficient for PIM1 failed to reconstitute lethally irradiated recipients, whereas lack of PIM2 induction did not interfere with FLT3-ITD–induced disease. PIM1-deficient bone marrow showed defects in homing and migration and displayed decreased surface CXCR4 expression and impaired CXCL12–CXCR4 signaling. Through small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown, chemical inhibition, expression of a dominant-negative mutant, and/or reexpression in knockout cells, we found PIM1 activity to be essential for proper CXCR4 surface expression and migration of cells toward a CXCL12 gradient. Purified PIM1 led to the phosphorylation of serine 339 in the CXCR4 intracellular domain in vitro, a site known to be essential for normal receptor recycling. In primary leukemic blasts, high levels of surface CXCR4 were associated with increased PIM1 expression, and this could be significantly reduced by a small molecule PIM inhibitor in some patients. Our data suggest that PIM1 activity is important for homing and migration of hematopoietic cells through modification of CXCR4. Because CXCR4 also regulates homing and maintenance of cancer stem cells, PIM1 inhibitors may exert their antitumor effects in part by interfering with interactions with the microenvironment.
Gln3p Nuclear Localization and Interaction with Ure2p inSaccharomyces cerevisiae *

Gln3p is one of two well characterized GATA family transcriptional activation factors whose function is regulated by the nitrogen supply of the cell. When nitrogen is limiting, Gln3p and Gat1p are concentrated in the nucleus where they bind GATA sequences upstream of nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR)-sensitive genes and activate their transcription. Conversely, in excess nitrogen, these GATA sequences are unoccupied by Gln3p and Gat1p because these transcription activators are excluded from the nucleus. Ure2p binds to Gln3p and Gat1p and is required for NCR-sensitive transcription to be repressed and for nuclear exclusion of these transcription factors. Here we show the following. (i) Gln3p residues 344–365 are required for nuclear localization. (ii) Replacing Ser-344, Ser-347, and Ser-355 with alanines has minimal effects on GFP-Gln3p localization. However, replacing Gln3p Ser-344, Ser-347, and Ser-355 with aspartates results in significant loss of its ability to be concentrated in the nucleus. (iii) N and C termini of the Gln3p region required for it to complex with Ure2p and be excluded from the nucleus are between residues 1–103 and 301–365, respectively. (iv) N and C termini of the Ure2p region required for it to interact with Gln3p are situated between residues 101–151 and 330–346, respectively. (v) Loss of Ure2p residues participating in either dimer or prion formation diminishes its ability to carry out NCR-sensitive regulation of Gln3p activity.
Rubisco Activases: AAA+ Chaperones Adapted to Enzyme Repair

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the key enzyme of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle of photosynthesis, requires conformational repair by Rubisco activase for efficient function. Rubisco mediates the fixation of atmospheric CO2 by catalyzing the carboxylation of the five-carbon sugar ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). It is a remarkably inefficient enzyme, and efforts to increase crop yields by bioengineering Rubisco remain unsuccessful. This is due in part to the complex cellular machinery required for Rubisco biogenesis and metabolic maintenance. To function, Rubisco must undergo an activation process that involves carboxylation of an active site lysine by a non-substrate CO2 molecule and binding of a Mg2+ ion. Premature binding of the substrate RuBP results in an inactive enzyme. Moreover, Rubisco can also be inhibited by a range of sugar phosphates, some of which are “misfire” products of its multistep catalytic reaction. The release of the inhibitory sugar molecule is mediated by the AAA+ protein Rubisco activase (Rca), which couples hydrolysis of ATP to the structural remodeling of Rubisco. Rca enzymes are found in the vast majority of photosynthetic organisms, from bacteria to higher plants. They share a canonical AAA+ domain architecture and form six-membered ring complexes but are diverse in sequence and mechanism, suggesting their convergent evolution. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the structure and function of this important group of client-specific AAA+ proteins.
Genetic Approach for the Fast Discovery of Phenazine Producing Bacteria

A fast and efficient approach was established to identify bacteria possessing the potential to biosynthesize phenazines, which are of special interest regarding their antimicrobial activities. Sequences of phzE genes, which are part of the phenazine biosynthetic pathway, were used to design one universal primer system and to analyze the ability of bacteria to produce phenazine. Diverse bacteria from different marine habitats and belonging to six major phylogenetic lines were investigated. Bacteria exhibiting phzE gene fragments affiliated to Firmicutes, Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Thus, these are the first primers for amplifying gene fragments from Firmicutes and Alphaproteobacteria. The genetic potential for phenazine production was shown for four type strains belonging to the genera Streptomyces and Pseudomonas as well as for 13 environmental isolates from marine habitats. For the first time, the genetic ability of phenazine biosynthesis was verified by analyzing the metabolite pattern of all PCR-positive strains via HPLC-UV/MS. Phenazine production was demonstrated for the type strains known to produce endophenazines, 2-hydroxy-phenazine, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, phenazine-1,6-dicarboxylic acid, and chlororaphin as well as for members of marine Actinobacteria. Interestingly, a number of unidentified phenazines possibly represent new phenazine structures.
On the Robustness of Anchoring Effects in WTP and WTA Experiments

We reexamine the effects of the anchoring manipulation of Ariely, Loewenstein, and Prelec (2003) on the evaluation of common market goods and find very weak anchoring effects. We perform the same manipulation on the evaluation of binary lotteries, and find no anchoring effects at all. This suggests limits on the robustness of anchoring effects.
Implementing distributed shared memory on top of MPI: the DSMPI library

Distributed shared memory has been recognized as an alternative programming model to exploit the parallelism in distributed memory systems since it provides a higher level of abstraction than simple message passing. DSM combines the simple programming model of shared-memory with the scalability of distributed memory machines. This paper presents DSMPI, a parallel library that runs atop of MPI and provides a distributed shared memory abstraction. It provides an easy-to-use programming interface, is flexible, portable and supports heterogeneity. Moreover, it supports different coherence protocols and models of consistency. We present some performance results taken in a network of workstations and in a Cray T3D which show that DSMPI can be competitive with MPI for some applications.
Learning, behaviour and reaction framework: a model for training raters to improve assessment quality

Abstract This paper proposes a training model for raters, with the goal to improve the intra- and inter-consistency of evaluation quality for higher education curricula. The model, termed the learning, behaviour and reaction (LBR) circular training model, is an interdisciplinary application from the business and organisational training domain. The following three novel features adapt it to the context of tertiary education: individualised training, training on-demand and continual training. To demonstrate the applicability of the LBR model, we conducted a case study of raters involved in an undergraduate course at a Taiwanese university. A comparative analysis of intra- and inter-evaluation consistency showed the model to be an effective training instrument.
Comparative & Historical Sociology Newsletter Summer 1998

Interpretation is a critical dimension of historical research. Though we can never really know how historical subjects understood their situation, their actions, or the actions of others, we continually strive to do so. The work is difficult and complex. It demands careful attention to detail and an immersion in large quantities of primary source material. It is also the part of our work which we are most likely to associate with a more humanistic style of knowing.
A Constructive Study of Markov Equilibria in Stochastic Games with Strategic Complementarities

We study a class of infinite horizon, discounted stochastic games with strategic complementarities. In our class of games, we prove the existence of a stationary Markov Nash equilibrium, as well as provide methods for constructing this least and greatest equilibrium via a simple successive approximation schemes. We also provide results on computable equilibrium comparative statics relative to ordered perturbations of the space of games. Under stronger assumptions, we prove the stationary Markov Nash equilibrium values form a complete lattice, with least and greatest equilibrium value functions being the uniform limit of approximations starting from pointwise lower and upper bounds.
Transfer of knowledge for a climbing Virtual Human: A reinforcement learning approach

In the reinforcement learning literature, transfer is the capability to reuse on a new problem what has been learnt from previous experiences on similar problems. Adapting transfer properties for robotics is a useful challenge because it can reduce the time spent in the first exploration phase on a new problem. In this paper we present a transfer framework adapted to the case of a climbing Virtual Human (VH). We show that our VH learns faster to climb a wall after having learnt on a different previous wall.
The Internet and Racial Hate Crime: Offline Spillovers from Online Access

This research note reports on an empirical investigation of the effect of the Internet on racial hate crimes in the United States from the period 2001-2008. We find evidence that, on average, broadband availability increases racial hate crimes. We also document that the Internet's impact on these hate crimes is not uniform in that the positive effect is stronger in areas with higher levels of racism, which we identify as those with more segregation and a higher proportion of racially charged search terms, but not significant in areas with lower levels of racism. We analyze in depth whether Internet access will enhance hate group operations but find no support for the idea that this mechanism is driving the result. In contrast, we find that online access is increasing the incidence of racial hate crimes executed by lone wolf perpetrators. Several other mechanisms that could be driving the results are described. Overall, our results shed light on one of the many offline societal challenges from increased online access.
A Review of the Challenges Associated with the Diagnosis and Therapy of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic and progressive cholestatic liver disease that often leads to the development of cirrhosis. Complications of PSC include pruritus, fatigue, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic bone disease, dominant biliary strictures, gallstones, and hepatobiliary malignancies, most commonly cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Despite the presumed autoimmune etiology of PSC, a clear benefit from immunosuppressive agents has not yet been established, and their use is limited by their side effects. Endoscopy is required in evaluation of biliary strictures in PSC to rule out the possibility of CCA. Liver transplantation is currently the only life-extending therapy for patients with end-stage disease. However, disease recurrence can be a source of morbidity and mortality as transplanted patients survive longer. Further studies are needed to develop an optimal therapeutic strategy for patients with PSC to decrease the incidence of complications of the disease, to decrease the need for transplantation, and to extend life expectancy.
THE ROLE OF STELLAR FEEDBACK IN THE FORMATION OF GALAXIES

Although supernova (SN) explosions and stellar winds happen at very small scales, they affect the interstellar medium (ISM) at galactic scales and regulate the formation of a whole galaxy. Previous attempts of mimicking these effects in simulations of galaxy formation use very simplified assumptions. We develop a much more realistic prescription for modeling the feedback, which minimizes any ad hoc subgrid physics. We start with developing high-resolution models of the ISM and formulate the conditions required for its realistic functionality: formation of multiphase medium with hot chimneys, superbubbles, cold molecular phase, and very slow consumption of gas. We find that this can be achieved only by doing what the real universe does: formation of dense (>10 H atoms cm−3), cold (T ≈ 100 K) molecular phase, where the star formation happens, and which young stars disrup. Another important ingredient is the effect of runaway stars: massive binary stars ejected from molecular clouds when one of the companions becomes an SN. Those stars can move to 10–100 pc away from molecular clouds before exploding themselves as SNe. This greatly facilitates the feedback. Once those effects are implemented into cosmological simulations, galaxy formation proceeds more realistically. For example, we do not have the overcooling problem. The angular momentum problem (resulting in a too massive bulge) is also reduced substantially: the rotation curves are nearly flat. The galaxy formation also becomes more violent. Just as often observed in quasar absorption lines, there are substantial outflows from forming and active galaxies. At high redshifts we routinely find gas with few hundred km s−1 and occasionally 1000–2000 km s−1. The gas has high metallicity, which may exceed the solar metallicity. The temperature of the gas in the outflows and in chimneys can be very high: T = 107–108 K. The density profile of dark matter is still consistent with a cuspy profile. The simulations reproduce this picture only if the resolution is very high: better than 50 pc, which is 10 times better than the typical resolution in previous cosmological simulations. Our simulations of galaxy formation reach the resolution of 35 pc.
The Cellular Localization Pattern of Varicella-Zoster Virus ORF29p Is Influenced by Proteasome-Mediated Degradation

ABSTRACT Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) open reading frame 29 (ORF29) encodes a single-stranded DNA binding protein. During lytic infection, ORF29p is localized primarily to infected-cell nuclei, whereas during latency it appears in the cytoplasm of infected neurons. Following reactivation, ORF29p accumulates in the nucleus. In this report, we analyze the cellular localization patterns of ORF29p during VZV infection and during autonomous expression. Our results demonstrate that ORF29p is excluded from the nucleus in a cell-type-specific manner and that its cellular localization pattern may be altered by subsequent expression of VZV ORF61p or herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP0. In these cases, ORF61p and ICP0 induce nuclear accumulation of ORF29p in cell lines where it normally remains cytoplasmic. One cellular system utilized by ICP0 to influence protein abundance is the proteasome degradation pathway. Inhibition of the 26S proteasome, but not heat shock treatment, resulted in accumulation of ORF29p in the nucleus, similar to the effect of ICP0 expression. Immunofluorescence microscopy and pulse-chase experiments reveal that stabilization of ORF29p correlates with its nuclear accumulation and is dependent on a functional nuclear localization signal. ORF29p nuclear translocation in cultured enteric neurons and cells derived from an astrocytoma is reversible, as the protein's distribution and stability revert to the previous states when the proteasomal activity is restored. Thus, stabilization of ORF29p leads to its nuclear accumulation. Although proteasome inhibition induces ORF29p nuclear accumulation, this is not sufficient to reactivate latent VZV or target the immediate-early protein ORF62p to the nucleus in cultured guinea pig enteric neurons.
Coalgebraic structures in program construction

Both initial algebrasandfinal coalgebras are deviceswhich provide abstract descriptionsof a varietyof phenomenain programming, in particular of dataand behavioural structures, respectively . The former are specifiedby a set of constructorsand well knownin the programmingpractice. The latter resortsto a collectionof observersand havebeenrecentlyrecognisedas a promisingframework to modelandreasonaboutdynamical,state-basedsystems.Bothinitial ity andfinality, asuniversal properties,entail definitional and proof principles, i.e., a basisfor the developmentof program calculi directly basedon (actually driven by) type specifications. Moreover, such properties can be turned into programmingcombinatorsand used,not only to calculate programs,but also to programwith. This tutorial providesa first introduction to coalgebraicstructures, from a programmingpoint of view, to fosterfurther applicationsin theareaof programconstruction.