Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Glucose Increases Lysyl Oxidase Expression and Activity in Retinal Endothelial Cells: Mechanism for Compromised Extracellular Matrix Barrier Function

OBJECTIVE In diabetes, retinal vascular basement membrane (BM) undergoes significant thickening and compromises vessel function including increased vascular permeability, a prominent lesion of early diabetic retinopathy. In this study we determined whether altered expression and activity of lysyl oxidase (LOX), a cross-linking enzyme, may compromise vascular basement membrane functional integrity under high-glucose (HG) conditions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Rat retinal endothelial cells (RRECs) grown in normal (5 mmol/l) or HG (30 mmol/l glucose) medium for 7 days were assessed for expression of LOX and proLOX by Western blot analysis and LOX enzyme activity. To determine whether HG alters cellular distribution patterns of LOX and proLOX, immunostaining with respective antibodies was performed. Similarly, cells grown in normal or HG medium were subjected to both LOX inhibition with β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) and by small interfering RNA knockdown, and respectively examined for cell monolayer permeability. Additionally, retinas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were analyzed to determine if diabetes altered LOX expression. RESULTS Western blot analysis revealed significantly increased LOX and proLOX expression in cells grown in HG medium compared with those grown in normal medium. The increased LOX level was strikingly similar to LOX upegulation in the diabetic retinas. In cells grown in HG medium, LOX activity and cell monolayer permeability was significantly increased, as were LOX and proLOX immunostaining. Small interfering RNA- or BAPN–induced-specific blockage of LOX expression or activity, respectively, reduced cell monolayer permeability. CONCLUSIONS HG-induced increased LOX expression and activity compromises barrier functional integrity, a prominent lesion of diabetic retinopathy.
Integrated Genomic and Gene Expression Profiling Identifies Two Major Genomic Circuits in Urothelial Carcinoma

Similar to other malignancies, urothelial carcinoma (UC) is characterized by specific recurrent chromosomal aberrations and gene mutations. However, the interconnection between specific genomic alterations, and how patterns of chromosomal alterations adhere to different molecular subgroups of UC, is less clear. We applied tiling resolution array CGH to 146 cases of UC and identified a number of regions harboring recurrent focal genomic amplifications and deletions. Several potential oncogenes were included in the amplified regions, including known oncogenes like E2F3, CCND1, and CCNE1, as well as new candidate genes, such as SETDB1 (1q21), and BCL2L1 (20q11). We next combined genome profiling with global gene expression, gene mutation, and protein expression data and identified two major genomic circuits operating in urothelial carcinoma. The first circuit was characterized by FGFR3 alterations, overexpression of CCND1, and 9q and CDKN2A deletions. The second circuit was defined by E3F3 amplifications and RB1 deletions, as well as gains of 5p, deletions at PTEN and 2q36, 16q, 20q, and elevated CDKN2A levels. TP53/MDM2 alterations were common for advanced tumors within the two circuits. Our data also suggest a possible RAS/RAF circuit. The tumors with worst prognosis showed a gene expression profile that indicated a keratinized phenotype. Taken together, our integrative approach revealed at least two separate networks of genomic alterations linked to the molecular diversity seen in UC, and that these circuits may reflect distinct pathways of tumor development.
Sharpin prevents skin inflammation by inhibiting TNFR1-induced keratinocyte apoptosis

Linear Ubiquitin chain Assembly Complex (LUBAC) is an E3 ligase complex that generates linear ubiquitin chains and is important for tumour necrosis factor (TNF) signaling activation. Mice lacking Sharpin, a critical subunit of LUBAC, spontaneously develop inflammatory lesions in the skin and other organs. Here we show that TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)-associated death domain (TRADD)-dependent TNFR1 signaling in epidermal keratinocytes drives skin inflammation in Sharpin-deficient mice. Epidermis-restricted ablation of Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) combined with receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) deficiency fully prevented skin inflammation, while single RIPK3 deficiency only delayed and partly ameliorated lesion development in Sharpin-deficient mice, showing that inflammation is primarily driven by TRADD- and FADD-dependent keratinocyte apoptosis while necroptosis plays a minor role. At the cellular level, Sharpin deficiency sensitized primary murine keratinocytes, human keratinocytes, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts to TNF-induced apoptosis. Depletion of FADD or TRADD in Sharpin-deficient HaCaT cells suppressed TNF-induced apoptosis, indicating the importance of FADD and TRADD in Sharpin-dependent anti-apoptosis signaling in keratinocytes. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.03422. 001
Patients’ Expectations Regarding Medical Treatment: A Critical Review of Concepts and Their Assessment

Patients’ expectations in the context of medical treatment represent a growing area of research, with accumulating evidence suggesting their influence on health outcomes across a variety of medical conditions. However, the aggregation of evidence is complicated due to an inconsistent and disintegrated application of expectation constructs and the heterogeneity of assessment strategies. Therefore, based on current expectation concepts, this critical review provides an integrated model of patients’ expectations in medical treatment. Moreover, we review existing assessment tools in the context of the integrative model of expectations and provide recommendations for improving future assessment. The integrative model includes expectations regarding treatment and patients’ treatment-related behavior. Treatment and behavior outcome expectations can relate to aspects regarding benefits and side effects and can refer to internal (e.g., symptoms) and external outcomes (e.g., reactions of others). Furthermore, timeline, structural and process expectations are important aspects with respect to medical treatment. Additionally, generalized expectations such as generalized self-efficacy or optimism have to be considered. Several instruments assessing different aspects of expectations in medical treatment can be found in the literature. However, many were developed without conceptual standardization and psychometric evaluation. Moreover, they merely assess single aspects of expectations, thus impeding the integration of evidence regarding the differential aspects of expectations. As many instruments assess treatment-specific expectations, they are not comparable between different conditions. To generate a more comprehensive understanding of expectation effects in medical treatments, we recommend that future research should apply standardized, psychometrically evaluated measures, assessing multidimensional aspects of patients’ expectations that are applicable across various medical treatments. In the future, more research is needed on the interrelation of different expectation concepts as well as on factors influencing patients’ expectations of illness and treatment. Considering the importance of patients’ expectations for health outcomes across many medical conditions, an integrated understanding and assessment of such expectations might facilitate interventions aiming to optimize patients’ expectations in order to improve health outcomes.
Title: Exploration-exploitation Transitions Running Head: Sef Surprise Signals Drive Behavioral Transitions Introduction

1 Surprise Signals in the Supplementary Eye Field: Rectified Prediction Errors Drive 2 Exploration-Exploitation Transitions 3 4 Authors: 5 Norihiko Kawaguchi, Kazuhiro Sakamoto, Naohiro Saito, Yoshito Furusawa, Jun Tanji, 6 Masashi Aoki, and Hajime Mushiake 7 8 Affiliations: 9 Department of Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, 10 Sendai, 980-8575, Japan 11 Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, 12 Sendai, 980-8574, Japan 13 Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, 14 Sendai, 980-8577, Japan 15 Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), JST, Tokyo 16 17 Running Head: SEF Surprise Signals Drive Behavioral Transitions 18 19 Corresponding author: Hajime Mushiake 20 Department of Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 21 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan 22 e-mail: hmushiak@med.tohoku. ac.jp, phone: +81-22-717-8073 23 24 Number of pages: 51 25 Number of figures: 9 26 Number of tables: 2 27 Numbers of words: abstract 230, Introduction 468, Discussion 2545. 28 29 Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no competing financial interests. 30 31 Articles in PresS. J Neurophysiol (November 19, 2014). doi:10.1152/jn.00128. 2014
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners in Special Education: English Learners

The multidimensional issue of the representation of diverse students in special education has been a persistent and challenging concern for decades. Overwhelmingly, research outlining racial and ethnic disproportionality data have historically demonstrated stability in the overrepresentation of students of color in special education. However, the growing number of culturally and linguistically diverse learners also requires an examination of the representation of English learners in special education as well. This article provides an overview of trends and issues in both underrepresentation and overrepresentation of English learners in special education. Contributing factors for variability, as well as recommendations for future research and improved practice are provided.
The relationship of eating disorder patterns and personality variables in overweight women.

The Relationship of Eatinq Disorder Patterns And Personality Variables in Overweight Women (May 1981) Jacqueline Scott Bearce, B.A. , Merrimack College, M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D. , University of Massachusetts Directed by: Ena Vazquez-Nuttall Obesity is a major public health problem in this country. Diet alone has not been shown to be effective in treatinn this Droblem. Consequently, psychological aspects of overweight have been researched and considered in the development of treatment programs. Nevertheless, the frequency of occurrence is steadily increasing. In addition, overweight is more prevalent among females. It is becoming apoarent that in order to improve existing treatment programs more precise diagnostic procedures reflecting better understanding of the nature of the phenomenon
Risk-adjusted budget allocation models with application in homeland security

This article presents and studies models for multi-criteria budget allocation problems under uncertainty. The proposed models incorporate uncertainties in decision maker's weights using a robust weighted sum approach. The risk averseness of the decision maker in satisfying random risk-related constraints is ensured by using stochastic dominance. A sample average approximation approach together with a cutting surface method is used to solve this model. An analysis for the computation of statistical lower and upper bounds is also given. The proposed models are used to study the budget allocation to ten urban areas in the United States under the Urban Areas Security Initiative. Here the decision maker considers property losses, fatalities, air departures, and average daily bridge traffic as separate criteria. The properties of the proposed modeling and solution methodology are discussed using a RAND Corporation–proposed allocation policy and the current government budget allocation as two benchmarks. The budget results are discussed under several parameter scenarios.
A Pilot Study of a Culturally Adapted Early Intervention for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders in China

The purpose of this study was to pilot test the effects of a culturally adapted early intervention influenced by the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) on reduction of autism symptoms and severity categorization for young children with autism spectrum disorders in China. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention groups. The children’s age ranged from 24 to 60 months in this study. Children in the control group (n = 20) received eclectic intervention services for a minimum of 2 hr per day, 10 hr per week, while children in the intervention group (n = 16) received the culturally adapted intervention 1 hr per day, 5 hr per week, plus 5 hr per week of the same services as the control group for a total of 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, children in the intervention group demonstrated a significant decrease in autism symptoms and improved severity categorization, compared with children in the control group. Future studies and implications of the culturally adapted early intervention in China are discussed.
Molecular confirmation of Anopheles (Anopheles) lesteri from the Republic of South Korea and its genetic identity with An. (Ano.) anthropophagus from China (Diptera: Culicidae)

Recent malaria transmission in The Republic of Korea led to a search for the identity of the possible vectors. The Anopheles fauna of South Korea is presently considered to consist of six species: Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis, An. (Ano.) lesteri, An. (Ano.) pullus, An. (Ano.) sineroides, An. (Ano.) lindesayi japonicus, and An. (Ano.) koreicus, of which only the former three are considered potential vectors. Based on a combination of published and newly generated rDNA ITS2 sequence we found that An. lesteri from South Korea, An. anthropophagus from Jiangsu Province, China, and An. lesteri from near the type locality in Laguna Province, in the Philippines, are indistinguishable. Also, a species reported in GenBank as An. lesteri from Shandong Province, China, is the same as an unnamed species also discovered by us in South Korea. The above are compared to An. sinensis from South Korea and the type locality in China. These data indicate that An. anthropophagus, an important malaria vector in China, is actually An. lesteri. We therefore place An. anthropophagus in synonymy with An. lesteri. In addition, based on Korean specimens, An. yatsushiroensis was recently synonymized under An. pullus. We are in agreement with the conclusion that Korean specimens that have morphological attributes previously thought to differentiate these two species are actually just highly variable characters of a single species. However, genetic comparison to specimens from the type locality of An. yatsushiroensis, Yatsushiro City, Japan, is still needed to rule out the possibility that this is a valid species.
An overview of feature-based methods for digital modulation classification

This paper presents an overview of feature-based (FB) methods developed for Automatic classification of digital modulations. Only the most well-known features and classifiers are considered, categorized, and defined. The features include instantaneous time domain (ITD) parameters, Fourier transform (FT), wavelet transform (WT), higher order moments (HOM) to name a few. The classifiers are artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machines (SVMs), and decision tree (DT). We also highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each technique in classifying a certain modulation scheme. The objective of this work is to assist newcomers to the field to choose suitable algorithms for intended applications. Furthermore, this work is expected to help in determining the limitations associated with the available FB automatic modulation classification (AMC) methods.
Identification and Validation of Structures in Neural Population Responses

Identification and Validation of Structures in Neural Population Responses Gamaleldin Fathy Elsayed A fundamental challenge of neuroscience is to understand how interconnected populations of neurons give rise to the remarkable computational abilities of our brains. Large neural datasets offer promise, but they are perilous: they are too complex to be studied with traditional single-neuron analyses, and thus require new analyses that can uncover structure at the level of the population. However, since these analyses operate on large datasets, our intuition whether structure is significant breaks down. Hence, we run the risk of over-interpreting structure from the population data that may have a simple explanation. Thus, with population analysis methods, there is also a need for methods that can validate the significance of structure identified. In this dissertation, I discuss topics covering both the identification and the validation of structure in population data. In the first part, I discuss novel methods for uncovering the computational strategy employed by the motor cortex to flexibly switch between different neural computations. I demonstrate that collective activity patterns of motor cortex neurons related to different computations are orthogonal yet can still be linked, indicating a degree of flexibility that was not displayed or predicted by existing cortical models. In the second part, I discuss a novel analytical framework to rigorously test the novelty of population-level findings, given a specified set of primary features such as correlations across time, neurons and experimental conditions. This framework provides a general tool for validating population findings across the brain and across population-level hypotheses.
Patterns of (inter)subjectivity: Asymmetries for Glaswegian peripheral but

The prevalent hypothesis in research on pragmatic markers suggests that the left periphery of an utterance attracts predominantly subjective meanings, whereas the right periphery is the locus of intersubjective meanings. The goal of this paper is to test this hypothesis for but as used in a dataset of spoken Glaswegian English, a variety in which but may occur in both left- and right-peripheral positions. Considering that but derives its discursive meaning not per se , but from its embeddedness in particularized contexts, the methodological framework integrates the notion of (inter)subjectivity with the interactional-sociolinguistic concept of contextualization cue to identify (inter)subjective patterned co-occurrences for but . A fine-grained analysis of the patterns but forms with subjective and intersubjective cues in its local linguistic context shows that discourse patterns of left-peripheral but tend to foreground subjective meanings, while discourse patterns of right-peripheral but tend to foreground more intersubjective meanings, supporting the hypothesis of peripheral asymmetry.
The Application and Use of Library Intranet Services at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

The paper provides an overall picture of the use of intranet services in IIT, Delhi. Major purposes of the study were to explore the degree of use of existing intranet services, to evaluate services available throughthe intranet, identify the problems which are being faced by users and make suggestion for improving service. Questionnaire, interview, and observational methods were used for data collection, and 400 valid samples were collected. The study found that electronic journals and abstracting services are most often used by IIT, Delhi users. The reasons for using the intranet include: ease of use, flexibility and versatility, increasing efficiency, etc. The analysis of data collected covers frequency of intranet usage, purpose of using intranet, availability of intranet services, search behaviour of the users, types of databases used, problems faced by users while using intranet, infrastructure facility available, and satisfaction level of users. Lack of guidance and limited access terminals are major problems that discourage some users from accessing the intranet.
Geography and the Market for Ceos * (job Market Paper) I Introduction Ii Economics of the Market for Ceos a Demand for Ceos A.2 Cultural Matching A.3 Shirking A.4 Cronyism

I examine the role of geography in the labor market for CEOs. I begin by investigating the joint distribution of CEO state of origin and firm headquarters location and find that the frequency with which firms hire CEOs from their own state is five times more than is expected under a model where geography plays no role in the hiring process. When considering only hiring decisions that are external to the firm or to the industry, this figure falls to just under three times. I show that geography affects both labor supply and labor demand. Specifically, smaller, less R&D-intensive firms located in less desirable locations, with weaker board incentive alignment, and whose previous CEO was locally hired are more likely to hire local CEOs. Compensation and turnover are lower for local CEOs than for non-local CEOs and adjusted operating performance significantly decreases when firms replace non-locally hired CEOs with local CEOs. These findings are consistent with the existence of search costs, agency conflicts and CEO geographic preference. ∗Contact: Scott E. Yonker, Doctoral Student, Fisher College of Businesss, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210. I appreciate comments by Jia Chen, Mara Faccio, Andrew Karolyi, Anil Makhija, Bernadette Minton, and René Stulz and valuable discussions with Jack Bao, Kewei Hou, Berk Sensoy, and Michael Weisbach. I thank seminar participants of the Stephen A. Buser Colloquium Series in Financial Economics at the Ohio State University, Rudi Fahlenbrach for providing data on founder CEOs, and Jia Chen and Kewei Hou for providing their compiled Compact Disclosure data.
Antigen-binding Characteristics of Circulating IgG Autoantibodies to Cytokeratin 18 Protein in Patients with Nonallergic Asthma

Cytokeratin 18 (CK18) protein was identified as an airway epithelial cell autoantigen associated with nonallergic asthma. Cleavage of CK18 protein by caspase-3 is a marker of early apoptosis in epithelial cells. It has been shown that the expression of active caspase-3 was increased in bronchial epithelial cells of asthmatic patients, when compared with healthy controls. To investigate the antigen-binding characteristics of IgG autoantibodies to CK18 protein in nonallergic asthma, the bindings of IgG autoantibodies to the fragments of CK18 protein cleaved by caspase-3 were analyzed by Western blot using serum samples from three patients with nonallergic asthma. Recombinant human CK18 protein was treated by caspase-3 and cleaved into N-terminal fragment (1-397 amino acids) and C-terminal fragment (398-430 amino acids). The binding capacity of IgG autoantibodies to N-terminal fragment of CK18 was maintained in one patient and reduced in other two patients. IgG autoantibodies from all three patients did not bind to C-terminal fragment of CK18. In conclusion, IgG autoantibodies to CK18 protein from patients with nonallergic asthma seems to preferentially bind to the whole molecule of CK18 protein and their antigen-binding characteristics were heterogeneous among the patients with nonallergic asthma.