Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the Serum Cytokine Expression Pattern in Hymenoptera Allergic Patients Treated with Specific Venom Immunotherapy

Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is an adequate model to explore the immune mechanisms underlying this type of treatment. We have investigated the use of protein arrays to detect variations in the levels of cytokines in patients receiving VIT. In the present study we selected 11 non-atopic patients with systemic reactions after Hymenoptera sting that received VIT during at least three years. In order to evaluate the success of VIT all of them should have tolerated a sting field after VIT. Serum samples were obtained before initiating VIT and after at least three years of successful VIT. We analyzed 42 serum proteins corresponding to a Th1/Th2 panel using protein array methodology. We observed a significant increase of Interleukin 10, Myeloid Macrophage Colony Stimulation Factor, Macrophage Derived Chemokine, Interleukin 1-￻ , Vascular Endothelial Growing Factor and Stem Cell Factor serum levels after successful VIT. We discuss the usefulness and normalization of this array method to analyze cytokines and other serum proteins. Monitoring these serum cytokines could help to predict the response and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying immunotherapy.
Multiplication Strategies and the Appropriation of Computational Resources

This article proposes a taxonomy of strategies for single-digit multiplication, then uses it to elucidate the nature of the learning tasks involved in multiplication. In preceding work, it has generally been assumed that much of children’s strategy development is driven by changes in their general conceptual capabilities relating to number. In contrast, we argue that, during the period in which single-digit multiplication is the focus of explicit classroom attention, changes in strategy use are primarily driven by the learning of number-specific computational resources . For this reason, we categorize multiplication strategies based upon the number-specific resources that are employed in their execution. To support our conclusions, we draw from a corpus of interviews with third-grade students that were conducted before, during, and after instruction in multiplication.
UNIFIED SCHEMES FOR RADIO-LOUD ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

The appearance of active galactic nuclei (AGN) depends so strongly on orientation that our current classification schemes are dominated by random pointing directions instead of more interesting physical properties. Light from the centers of many AGN is obscrued by optically thick circumstellar matter, particularly at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths. In radio-loud AGN, bipolar jets emanating from the nucleus emit radio through gamma-ray light that is relativistically beamed along the jet axes. Understanding the origin and magnitude of radiation anistropies in AGN allows us to unify different classes of AGN; that is, to identify each single, underlying AGN type that gives rise to different classes through different orientations. This review describes the unification of radio-loud AGN, which includes radio galaxies, quasars, and blazars. We describe the classification and general properties of AGN. We summarize the evidence for anisotropic emission caused by circumstellar obscuration and relativistic beaming. We outline the two most plausible unified schemes for radio-loud AGN, one linking the high-luminosity sources (BL Lac objects and less luminous radio galaxies). Using the formalism appropriate to samples biased by relativistic beaming, we show the population statistics for two schemes are in accordance with available data. We analyze the possible connections between low- and high-luminosity radio-loud AGN and conclude they probably are powered by similar physical processes, at least within the relativistic jet. We review potential difficulties with unification and conclude that none currently constitutes a serious problem. We discuss likely complications to unified schemes that are suggested by realistic physical considerations; these will be important to consider when more comprehensive data for larger complete samples become available. We conclude with a list of the ten questions we believe are the most pressing in this field.
Attentional processing of different types of written L2 input and its relationship with learners' working memory capacity

It is widely accepted that sufficient target language input is necessary for successful L2 learning. However, the type and the amount of input as well as several cognitive mechanisms play an important role in input processing. The present study investigated how different cognitive mechanisms are influential in processing different types of input. The study was conducted with 100 undergraduate L2 learners of English in Sri Lanka. Seven examples each of the target construction (causative had) were embedded in three short stories that the participants read on three occasions under four different input conditions: two implicit and two explicit input conditions. The implicit conditions were input flood and textual enhancement (TE). In both explicit conditions learners were asked to pay attention to the highlighted target examples. In addition, the participants in one of the explicit input conditions were provided with an explicit explanation of the target construction. Improvement on the knowledge of the target construction was measured by a pre/post-test design, which included a sentence reconstruction (SR) and a grammaticality judgment (GJ) task. The four experimental conditions contained 20 participants each and the rest were in the control condition. In terms of cognitive mechanisms, the study investigated how attention paid to target examples in these different input conditions influences learning gains using two eye-tracking measurements: total fixation duration (TFD) and the difference between observed and expected TFD. In addition, the involvement of working memory (WM) in facilitating the regulation of attentional resources was studied based on four WM tests that measured the capacity of the PSTM and the functions of the central executive (CE). In order to analyse the relationship between learners’ awareness of the target construction and their performance, a questionnaire was administered. The eye-tracking data revealed that explicit input conditions could draw attention of the learners more successfully to the target examples than the implicit input conditions. In line with this finding, the pre/post-test data analysis highlighted that the learners in explicit conditions could develop both the explicit and the implicit knowledge of the target construction while the learners in one of the implicit conditions (TE) could only develop the implicit knowledge. The results also showed that those with a high WM capacity are able to direct their attention to the target constructions more successfully and consequently they could develop both explicit and implicit knowledge of the target construction. The study indicated that gains of either explicit or implicit knowledge are independent of learners being aware of the target syntactic construction. A free writing task administered as a part of the pre/post-tests highlighted that only a few learners were able to use the target construction in a meaningful communicative situation after the experiment.
Dickkopf-3, a Tissue-Derived Modulator of Local T-Cell Responses

The adaptive immune system protects organisms from harmful environmental insults. In parallel, regulatory mechanisms control immune responses in order to assure preservation of organ integrity. Yet, molecules involved in the control of T-cell responses in peripheral tissues are poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the function of Dickkopf-3 in the modulation of local T-cell reactivity. Dkk3 is a secreted, mainly tissue-derived protein with highest expression in organs considered as immune-privileged such as the eye, embryo, placenta, and brain. While T-cell development and activation status in naïve Dkk3-deficient mice was comparable to littermate controls, we found that Dkk3 contributes to the immunosuppressive microenvironment that protects transplanted, class-I mismatched embryoid bodies from T-cell-mediated rejection. Moreover, genetic deletion or antibody-mediated neutralization of Dkk3 led to an exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This phenotype was accompanied by a change of T-cell polarization displayed by an increase of IFNγ-producing T cells within the central nervous system. In the wild-type situation, Dkk3 expression in the brain was up-regulated during the course of EAE in an IFNγ-dependent manner. In turn, Dkk3 decreased IFNγ activity and served as part of a negative feedback mechanism. Thus, our findings suggest that Dkk3 functions as a tissue-derived modulator of local CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses.
Applying spartan to Understand Parameter Uncertainty in Simulations

In attempts to further understand the dynamics of complex systems, the application of computer simulation is becoming increasingly prevalent. Whereas a great deal of focus has been placed in the development of software tools that aid researchers develop simulations, similar focus has not been applied in the creation of tools that perform a rigorous statistical analysis of results generated through simulation: vital in understanding how these results offer an insight into the captured system. This encouraged us to develop spartan, a package of statistical techniques designed to assist researchers in understanding the relationship between their simulation and the real system. Previously we have described each technique within spartan in detail, with an accompanying immunology case study examining the development of lymphoid tissue. Here we provide a practical introduction to the package, demonstrating how each technique is run in R, to assist researchers in integrating this package alongside their chosen simulation platform.
Podocyte-associated gene mutation screening in a heterogeneous cohort of patients with sporadic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

BACKGROUND The utility of genetic testing in sporadic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is unclear. We sought to determine the frequency of podocyte-related gene mutations in a heterogeneous population of adults and children with biopsy-proven FSGS. METHODS The prevalence of pathogenic mutations in five genes (NPHS2, TRPC6, ACTN4, INF2 and PLCE1) and of APOL1 risk alleles (G1 and G2) was ascertained in children and adults diagnosed between 1984 and 2011 with FSGS by renal biopsy. Clinical data were extracted from medical records. RESULTS A total of 65 patients (28 children, 37 adults) with sporadic FSGS were identified (34 females, 31 males), with a mean age of 25 ± 16 years (range from 3 to 62 years). The majority of patients were African American (39 African American, 21 White and 2 Hispanic). We identified biallelic pathogenic NPHS2 mutations in 2 of 28 (7.1%) children, both of whom were of non-Hispanic Caucasian background. A homozygous NPHS2 p.R138Q/p.R138Q mutation was detected in a 5-year-old Caucasian female. Two compound heterozygous NPHS2 mutations p.R138Q/p.R229Q were identified in a 7-year-old Caucasian male patient. One novel, potentially pathogenic non-synonymous variant in INF2 was identified in an African American patient. The proportion of African Americans with two APOL1 risk alleles was 69.2%. CONCLUSIONS This study delineates a role for genetic testing for NPHS2 in children with biopsy-proven sporadic FSGS. Further studies which specify clinical and pathological details of patients will help further define whether there are specific populations that warrant systematic testing of other podocyte-related genes in sporadic FSGS.
Public employees’ psychological climates and turnover intention: evidence from Korean central government agencies

ABSTRACT The psychological climate has been argued to influence employees’ work attitudes. However, despite the abundance of recent empirical studies on turnover intention, multiple psychological climate types as predictors of turnover intention have rarely been explored in the public management domain. This study used the four types of psychological climates – clan, developmental, hierarchical and rational – of the competing values framework, which is typically used to analyse organizational effectiveness. Challenging the assumption held in prior studies of linear associations between the psychological climate and turnover intention, this study examined U-shaped associations. Curvilinear associations are based on the rarely tested assumption that an overly biased psychological climate has a deleterious effect on turnover intention. The regression results corroborated a U-shaped association of clan and rational (market) climates with turnover intention but revealed a linear association for the hierarchical climate. These findings, determined using large-sampled data from Korean central government agencies, can advance the understanding of the psychological climate and turnover intention in public management.
THE ROLE OF THE DORSAL PREMOTOR AND SUPERIOR PARIETAL CORTICES IN DECOUPLED VISUOMOTOR TRANSFORMATIONS

The aim of this research was to understand how the brain controls voluntary movement when not directly interacting with the object of interest. Here we examined the role of premotor cortex in this behaviour. The goal of this study was to characterize the oscillatory activity within the caudal and rostral subdivisions of PMd (PMdc and PMdr) when going from the most basic reaching movement to one that involves a simple dissociation between the actions of the eyes and hand. We were specifically interested in how PMdr and PMdc respond when the eyes and hand are decoupled by moving along different spatial planes. We recorded single unit activity and local field potentials within PMdr and PMdc from two rhesus macaques during performance of two types of visually-guided reaches. During the standard condition, a visually guided reach was performed whereby the visual stimulus guiding the movement was the target of the reach itself. During the non-standard condition, the visual stimulus provided information about the direction of the required movement, but was not the target of the motor output. We observed distinct task-related and topographical differences between PMdr and PMdc. Our results support functional differences between PMdr and PMdc during visually-guided reaching. PMdr activity appears more involved in integrating the rule-based aspects of a visually-guided reach, while PMdc is more involved in the online updating of the decoupled reach. More broadly, our results highlight the necessity of accounting for the non-standard nature of a motor task when interpreting movement control research data.
Autopsy pathology of pediatric posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

OBJECTIVES Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) causes significant morbidity and mortality, is related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and is more common in children than in adults. We reviewed autopsies of children who died with PTLD to compare postmortem with antemortem PTLD histology, to assess the extent of PTLD, to document associated pathology, and to identify cause of death. METHODS Postmortem examinations were performed on 7 patients after bone marrow (n = 3) or liver (n = 4) transplant. PTLD was classified histologically as hyperplasia or lymphoma. In situ hybridization for EBER1 messenger RNA was performed on tissue samples from all cases. EBV serologies were used to categorize infections as negative, primary, or reactive. RESULTS PTLD was diagnosed in 5 children 12 to 35 (mean: 22) days before death, and 1.5 to 4 (mean: 3) months after transplant; PTLD was diagnosed in 2 cases at autopsy 2.5 and 4 months after transplant. Postmortem PTLD histology resembled antemortem histology; 5 PTLDs were lymphoma, 1 was hyperplasia, and 1 contained both lymphoma and hyperplasia. EBER1 messenger RNA was detected in 6 B-cell PTLDs, including lesions from patients who did not have EBV serology that indicated active infection. Complete autopsy of 4 patients who died with biopsy-proven PTLD revealed widely disseminated disease, and lymph node, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney were involved in all 4 patients. Cases diagnosed at autopsy were 1 widely disseminated PTLD that had been suspected but not proven antemortem, and 1 PTLD confined to abdominal lymph nodes that was not suspected antemortem. Severe organ dysfunction (renal failure, gastrointestinal hemorrhage) was caused by massive PTLD infiltration in 2 patients. The conditions other than PTLD that contributed to morbidity and death were organ infection (5 cases), infarcts (4 cases), and diffuse alveolar damage (3 cases). CONCLUSIONS PTLD may occur within weeks after transplant in children. The distribution of PTLD comprises a spectrum from localized and subclinical to widely disseminated and symptomatic. PTLD may cause demise quickly after the onset of signs and symptoms, through massive organ infiltration or associated conditions, such as diffuse alveolar damage. EBV serology may not accurately reflect the presence or extent of PTLD. Autopsy studies of transplant patients are necessary to identify the true incidence, natural history, and response to treatment of PTLD.
Elections, Fiscal Policy and Growth: Revisiting the Mechanism

This short paper reconsiders the popular result that the lower the probability of getting reelected, the stronger the incumbent politicians’ incentive to follow short-sighted, inefficient policies. The set-up is a general equilibrium model of endogenous growth and optimal fiscal policy, in which two political parties can alternate in power. We show that re-election uncertainty is not enough to produce the popular result. Specifically, re-election uncertainty must be combined with the hypothesis that politicians care about economic outcomes more when in power than when out of power, and - more importantly - that this preference over being in power is ad hoc. That is, if politicians can also choose how much to care about economic outcomes when in and out of power, it is optimal to care the same and hence shortsighted policies do not arise. Therefore, such policies presuppose a degree of irrationality on the part of political parties.
Outcome of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with anterior and posterior mesh.

AIM The assessment of the postoperative outcome following laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy using anterior and posterior mesh. MATERIAL AND METHODS In the study were included one hundred and ten women (mean age 62 years with range from 34 to 78) who had laparoscopic sarcoplexy the period 2001-2005. They were contacted and completed postal questionnaires more than one year after surgery and had a follow up in the uro-gynaecology clinic. RESULTS The median follow up was 21 months. Eighty-three of them (75.4%) answered the postal questionnaire. Good satisfaction was defined as complete disappearance of all genito-urinary symptoms. Moderate satisfaction was defined as a partial disappearance of symptoms, or de novo less annoying symptoms. Dissatisfaction was defined as no change in symptoms, and /or de novo important symptoms. The overall rate of good satisfaction was 74.7% (62/83), moderate satisfaction 15.6% (13/83), and only 9.6% (8/83) were not satisfied. There was no statistical difference among the six different groups (sacrocolpopexy only, plus TVT, plus TVT and hysterectomy, sacrocolpopexy and previous hysterectomy, sacrocolpopexy and TVT with previous hysterectomy), concerning the pre and post operative clinical signs and post operative symptoms. There was a statistically significant difference (p=0.038) regarding dissatisfaction and prolapse relapse between the group that had a previous total hysterectomy combining sacrocolpopexy with TVT and all other groups. The most frequent post operative symptoms were stress incontinence, dysuria and constipation. No severe complications and mesh erosion were observed, despite the two cases of mesh detachment. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic double synthetic mesh sacrocolpopexy seems to be a safe and effective treatment of genitourinary prolapse, with good overall long term outcomes and benefits of the minimal access approach. The presence of the remaining cervix after subtotal hysterectomy, seems to enhance the results of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. Further randomised studies are needed to confirm our results and to compare this method to open and/or vaginal approach.
Relationships between cardiac resynchronization therapy and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in patients with heart failure and markers of cardiac dyssynchrony: an analysis from the Cardiac Resynchronization in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) study.

AIMS The Cardiac Resynchronization in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) study showed that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces mortality in HF patients with markers of dyssynchrony. Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) might predict which patients benefit most from CRT. We evaluated whether the prognostic value of NT-proBNP was influenced by CRT and the effects of CRT stratified according to NT-proBNP. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 813 patients were enrolled in CARE-HF. Baseline log-transformed NT-proBNP independently predicted all-cause mortality, sudden death, and death from pump failure. In a multivariable model including log-transformed NT-proBNP, assignment to CRT remained independently associated with better prognosis without evidence of interaction. Stratifying patients according to the median NT-proBNP and to CRT treatment allocation, all-cause mortality was 12% if or= median + CRT, and 51% if >or= median + control group. There was no evidence of a difference in the relative effect of CRT across different values of NT-proBNP. CONCLUSION NT-proBNP retains its prognostic value in HF patients with CRT. Deploying CRT before the patients have reached end-stage HF may maximize the benefit of treatment.
Combining Unreliable Pieces of Evidence

The paper discusses the problem of combining unreliable pieces of evidence in a (generalized) probabilistic setting. The popular Dempster's rule for combining evidence in Dempster-Shafer theory is criticized on two accounts. Firstly, Dempster's rule is claimed to be invalid, and secondly, the rule may fail to support intuitively acceptable conclusions. The reason for this is that the application of Dempster's rule implicitly involves making unrealistic assumptions. It is conceded that it in many situations it may be unavoidable to make some assumptions to reach conclusions that are of some practical use, but often intuitively more acceptable assumptions than those used in Demp-ster's rule can be argued for. We illustrate our position by discussing a concrete example of sensor fusion in robotics. Further, an abstract for-malization of belief states is proposed in which assumptions are explicitly mentioned, and the processes conditioning and combining pieces of evidence in the presence of assumptions are discussed. The investigations were carried out as part of the PIONIER-project Reasoning with Uncertainty , subsidized by the Netherlands Organization of Scientiic Research (NWO), under grant pgs-22-262.