Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Several Dual Specificity Phosphatases Coordinate to Control the Magnitude and Duration of JNK Activation in Signaling Response to Oxidative Stress*

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are important mediators that integrate signaling from upstream pathways in response to various environmental cues. In order to control appropriate gene expression through phosphorylation of transcription factors, the activity of MAPKs must be tightly regulated by the actions coordinated between protein kinases and phosphatases. In this study, we explore the underlying mechanism through which the oxidative stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), members of MAPKs, are regulated by dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs). DUSPs are a group of enzymes that belong to the superfamily of protein-tyrosine phosphatases. They are able to recognize phospho-Ser/Thr and phospho-Tyr residues in substrates. Using quantitative real time PCR, we found that stimulation of human embryonic kidney 293T cells with H2O2 or xanthine/xanthine oxidase led to inducible expression of multiple DUSPs. We used RNA interference to characterize the functional role of these DUSPs and found rapid and transient induction of DUSP1 and DUSP10 to be essential for determining the appropriate magnitude of JNK activation in response to oxidative stress. The transcription factor ATF2, which is phosphorylated and activated by JNK, is a critical mediator for inducible expression of DUSP1 and DUSP10 in this signaling pathway. We further demonstrated that DUSP4 and DUSP16, both showing significant late phase induction, dephosphorylate JNK effectively, causing the down-regulation of the signaling cascade. Thus, this study provides new insights into the role of several DUSPs that coordinate with each other to control the magnitude and duration of JNK activity in response to oxidative stress.
Aspectos epidemiológicos de la eventual aparición del Enterococcus resistente a la Vancomicina

Estudio descriptivo, realizado en un hospital publico desde mayo de 2005 a octubre de 2007. Tuvo como objetivo determinar los aspectos epidemiologicos que involucran al Enterococcus resistente a vancomicina (VRE) y describir la evolucion de los pacientes. Los datos fueron recolectados de registros en historias clinicas, despues de la recoleccion, la informacion obtenida fue procesada en SPSS. Se uso la distribucion de frecuencia y medidas de tendencia central. Participaron del estudio 122 pacientes. La mayoria, de sexo masculino, con edad media de 43 anos (DP = 18,8). El 16,3% desarrollo infeccion por VRE. El antibiotico mas usado antes de la identificacion del VRE fue la vancomicina. (62,3%); 93,5% fueron sometidos a procedimientos invasivos, 45,0% dependian de cuidado intensivo de enfermeria, 77,9% tenia por lo menos una herida abierta y 50,8% fallecieron. Tales datos sugieren que deben ser alentadas en forma ilimitada medidas de control de la resistencia bacteriana, apuntando a la reduccion de la mortalidad, morbilidad, costos hospitalarios y, consecuentemente, a una mejor calidad de atencion del paciente
[How Large Are Human-Capital Externalities? Evidence from Compulsory Schooling Laws]: Comment

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Ecological patterns and genetic analysis of post‐dispersal seed predation in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) crop‐wild hybrids

Crop‐wild hybridization has been documented in many cultivated species, but the ecological and genetic factors that influence the likelihood or rate that cultivar alleles will introgress into wild populations are poorly understood. Seed predation is one factor that could mitigate the spread of otherwise advantageous cultivar alleles into the wild by reducing seedling recruitment of crop‐like individuals in hybrid populations. Seed predation has previously been linked to several seed characters that differ between cultivated and wild sunflower, such as seed size and oil content. In this study, seed morphological and nutritional characters were measured in a segregating population of sunflower crop‐wild hybrids and wild and cultivated lines. Seed predation rates among lines were then assessed in the field. The relationship between seed predation and seed characters was investigated and quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped for all traits. There was no effect of seed type (hybrid vs. parents) on seed predation, although a trend toward more early predation of wild seeds was observed. Within the hybrids, seed predators preferred seeds that contained more oil and energy but were lower in fibre. The relationship between seed predation and oil content was supported by co‐localized QTL for these traits on one linkage group. These results suggest that oil content may be a more important determinant of seed predation than seed size and provide molecular genetic evidence for this relationship. The cultivar allele was also found to increase predation at all QTL, indicating that post‐dispersal seed predation may mitigate the spread of cultivar alleles into wild populations.
Acceptability of Multipurpose Smart National Identity Card: An Empirical Study

Abstract MyKad is the world's first multipurpose smart national identical card (NIC). The research investigates issues related to Malaysians' acceptance of MyKad NIC. A questionnaire was designed and two hundred samples were collected from citizens. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results show that Perceived Credibility, Performance Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions, and Anxiety are direct determinants in influencing Intention to Use. Results also reveal that Malaysians have mediocre acceptance of MyKad NIC owing to the above determinants. Recommendations are given to increase the acceptability of smart NIC which are useful for countries implementing smart NIC initiatives.
An autopsied case of panencephalopathic‐type Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease with mutation in the prion protein gene at codon 232 and type 1 prion protein

In this study, we describe the clinicopathologic findings in a 68‐year‐old man with panencephalopathic‐type CJD with a substitution from methionine to arginine at codon 232 (M232R) in the prion protein (PrP) gene and type 1 PrP. Initial symptoms of the patient were a rapidly progressive memory disturbance and disorientation. The patient showed myoclonus and periodic sharp‐wave complexes on electroencephalogram in the early stages of disease. Diffusion‐weighted MRI along with the presence of both neuron‐specific enolase and 14‐3‐3 protein in the CSF showed similarities to classic‐type sporadic CJD. The patient reached the akinetic mutism state 2 months following the onset of symptoms and died after 13 months. Neuropathologic examination revealed panencephalopathic‐type CJD pathology including widespread neuron loss with severe hypertrophic astrocytosis and status spongiosus in the cerebral gray matter, particularly in the neocortex. Cerebral white matter and the cerebellum also showed severe involvement. Immunohistochemical staining for PrP showed diffuse gray matter staining, indicating synaptic‐type PrP deposition without plaque‐type. Two different clinical phenotypes of M232R CJD were recognized despite the presence of the same PrP genotype, and the present case is speculated to correspond to the rapid‐type.
Central Banks, Partisan Politics, and Macroeconomic Outcomes

What are the implications of the trend toward granting central bank independence for partisan theories of the macroeconomy? The conventional view is that parties of the Left and Right strive to achieve distinctive macroeconomic outcomes when in government. However, when faced with an independent central bank, parties of the Left may prove unable to produce their preferred partisan outcomes, whereas Right parties may be privileged in their ability to pursue their goals. Moreover, granting the central bank independence can be expected to have differing effects depending on whether Left or Right parties prevail in government. These issues are explored with a pooled time-series model of inflation and unemployment in 16 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries from 1961 through 1991. The results support the claim that the effects of partisan government and central bank organization are mutually contingent. The pattern of results anticipated by partisan theory only arises where central banks are under political control, whereas when central banks are independent, Left governments are disadvantaged and Right governments privileged in their ability to achieve their partisan goals. On the other hand, the effects of central bank independence also depend on the partisanship of government, casting doubt on the claim that an independent central bank always provides a “free lunch” of lower inflation with no attendant costs in terms of increased unemployment.
Superselective intra‐arterial chemotherapy with mitomycin for gallbladder cancer

A group of 27 patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder was treated by superselective intra‐arterial chemotherapy with mitomycin between 1981 and 1990. Results were compared with those in 22 historical controls. The overall response rate to intra‐arterial chemotherapy was 48 per cent. The median survival time for responders was 34 months and for non‐responders 8 months. Survival was significantly related to tumour stage in patients treated by chemotherapy (P < 0.001) and controls (P < 0.01); all patients with tumour extending beyond the serosa died within 4 years. The median survival period after intra‐arterial chemotherapy was 14 months, compared with 4 months in controls. The cumulative 5‐year survival rates for patients treated by chemotherapy and controls were not significantly different. Cessation of chemotherapy was required in 16 of the 27 patients: in eight because of tumour progression, in seven after toxicity to chemotherapy and in one because of patient refusal. Superselective intra‐arterial chemotherapy can be useful for patients with cancer restricted to the gallbladder wall but cannot prevent tumour growth once this has extended beyond the gallbladder serosa.
Understanding the globalizing precariat: From informal sector to precarious work

Given ongoing changes in the world of work that affect both developing and industrialized countries, we argue that it is time to bring the notions of informal and precarious work together. Work-related insecurities offer a conceptual umbrella for the conditions that a large number of workers in the global North and South experience. They emerge in the context of neoliberal globalization, intersecting with social and political marginalizations. This offers starting points for intervention. For instance, for precarious workers’ struggles to be successful, organizational strength needs to be combined with the forging of coalitions that transcend class identities.
Federal Policy on the Ground: Faith-Based Organizations Delivering Local Services

This study examines the devolution of federal policies regarding faith-based involvement in three HHS programs covered by Charitable Choice provisions--Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT), and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)--and in the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF). The study sites were Birmingham, Boston, and Denver. FBO contracting changed little since Charitable Choice, though perceptions about what was permissible in federal contracting had changed. Contracting with congregations and faith expression was more prominent in CCF. Implementation of the right to an alternative provider for welfare or substance abuse services is uncertain. [View the corresponding press release ]
Linkage, Engagement, and Viral Suppression Rates Among HIV-Infected Persons Receiving Care at Medical Case Management Programs in Washington, DC

Background:The District of Columbia Department of Health funds facilities to provide HIV medical case management (MCM), inclusive of linkage, engagement in care, and treatment adherence support. The objective of this analysis was to identify the differences in the clinical outcomes among HIV-infected persons receiving care at MCM-funded facilities compared with those in nonfunded facilities. Methods:Newly diagnosed and prevalent HIV-infected persons were identified from the District of Columbia Department of Health surveillance system. Clinical outcomes of interest were linkage, retention in care, and viral suppression. Bivariate analyses and random effects logistic regression were used to examine the differences in demographics and clinical outcomes of persons receiving care at MCM-funded and nonfunded facilities. Results:Among 5631 prevalent cases, 56.7% received care at MCM-funded facilities of which 76.2% were retained in care, and 70.6% achieved viral suppression. Those receiving care in MCM-funded facilities were significantly more likely to be retained in care [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.93 to 8.85] and as likely (aOR 1.06; 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.62) to be virally suppressed than persons receiving care in nonfunded facilities. Among 789 newly diagnosed persons, those diagnosed in MCM-funded facilities were not significantly more likely to be linked to care within 3 months (aOR 0.50; 95% CI: 0.21 to 1.18) than those diagnosed in nonfunded facilities. Discussion:This study provides evidence that MCM may be beneficial to HIV-infected persons in DC by improving retention in care. Further identification of the specific services providing the most benefit to clients is needed, including a better understanding of the complex relationship between retention and viral suppression.
How to slice the day: Optimal time quantization for energy saving in the internet backbone networks

Load adaptive energy saving (LAES) schemes have been widely considered as a solution to reduce the energy consumption in networks. In LEAS, the time is sliced into time periods according to the daily pattern of traffic loads, such as peak and off-peak traffic, and energy saving operations are typically activated during the off-peak traffic. The effectiveness of LAES depends on the number of time slices precisely. A larger number of small time slices is desirable due to a better adaptiveness to traffic fluctuations. At the same time, energy saving operations should not be too frequent, as they have impact on routing stability and operational procedures. In this paper, we study the effect of nonuniform time quantization on the efficiency of energy saving. We propose a novel time quantization algorithm and show that optimizing time quantization can considerably reduce the number of energy saving operations, while comparably saving the same energy as previously reported.
Sustained Progress: New Findings about the Effectiveness and Operation of Small Public High Schools of Choice in New York City.

Dissemination of MDRC publications is supported by the following funders that help finance MDRC's public policy outreach and expanding efforts to communicate the results and implications of our work to policymakers, practitioners, and others: The Annie E. The findings and conclusions in this report do not necessarily represent the official positions or policies of the funders. For information about MDRC and copies of our publications, see our Web site: www.mdrc. org. Overview In 2002, New York City embarked on an ambitious and wide-ranging series of education reforms. At the heart of its high school reforms were three interrelated changes: the institution of a districtwide high school choice process for all rising ninth-graders, the closure of 31 large, failing high schools with an average graduation rate of 40 percent, and the opening of more than 200 new small high schools. Over half of the new small schools created between the fall of 2002 and the fall of 2008 were intended to serve students in some of the district's most disadvantaged communities and are located mainly in neighborhoods where large, failing high schools had been closed. MDRC has previously released two reports on these " small schools of choice, " or SSCs (so called because they are small, are academically nonselective, and were created to provide a realistic choice for students with widely varying academic backgrounds). Those reports found marked increases in progress toward graduation and in graduation rates for the cohorts of students who entered SSCs in the falls of 2005 and 2006. The second report also found that the increase in graduation rates applied to every student subgroup examined, and that SSC graduation effects were sustained even after five years from the time sample members entered high school. This report updates those previous findings with results from a third cohort of students, those who entered ninth grade in the fall of 2007. In addition, for the first time it includes a look inside these schools through the eyes of principals and teachers, as reported in interviews and focus groups held at the 25 SSCs with the strongest evidence of effectiveness. In brief, the report's findings are: • SSCs in New York City continue to markedly increase high school graduation rates for large numbers of disadvantaged students of color, even as graduation rates are rising at the schools with which SSCs are compared. • The best evidence that exists indicates that SSCs …
Does nasal septal surgery improve quality of life?

Abstract Conclusion. In addition to functional ameliorations we have shown that septoplasty creates a long-lasting improvement in quality of life in patients with nasal septal deviation. Objectives. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether nasal septal surgery alters patients' quality of life. Patients and methods. This 7-year retrospective study was undertaken in an otolaryngology center. A total of 600 patients who underwent septoplasty with or without turbinectomy in the past 7 years for the indication of septal deviation, were mailed a questionnaire to assess their quality of life after surgical intervention. The questionnaire with 24 items was summarized into 7 subscales (overall medical state, nasal symptoms, accompanying symptoms, sleep, practical problems, emotions and social life). A visual analog scale was provided to measure the patients' general feelings related to their nasal disease. Results. In all, 285 patients (47.5%) responded. Analysis of the questionnaire showed an improvement in all disease-specific subgroups.
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE COMBINED WITH HORMONE THERAPY TO TREAT PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Background: This meta-analysis aimed to provide critically estimated evidence for the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese herbal medicines used for premature ovarian failure (POF), which could provide suggestions for rational treatments. Materials and Methods: The databases searched included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, China Dissertation Database, China Important Conference Papers Database, and online clinical trial registry websites. Published and unpublished randomized controlled trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with hormone therapy (HT) and HT alone for POF were assessed up to December 30, 2015. Two authors extracted data and assessed trial quality independently using Cochrane systematic review methods. Meta-analysis was used to quantitatively describe serum hormone levels and Kupperman scores associated with perimenopause symptoms. Results: Seventeen randomized controlled trials involving 1352 participants were selected. Compared with HT alone, although no significant effects were observed in the levels of luteinizing hormone, therapy with TCM combined with HT compared to HT alone effectively altered serum hormone levels of follicle stimulating hormone (P<0.01) and estradiol (P < 0.01), and improved Kupperman index scores (P< 0.01). Conclusions: The reported favorable effects of TCM combined with HT for treating POF patients are better than HT alone.However, the beneficial effects derived from this combination therapy cannot be viewed conclusive. In order to better support the clinical use, more rigorously designed trials are required to provide.
Pneumococcal Serotype 19F Conjugate Vaccine Induces Cross-Protective Immunity to Serotype 19A in a Murine Pneumococcal Pneumonia Model

ABSTRACT Immunization with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PNC) containing serotype 19F induces cross-reactive antibodies to 19A in mice and human infants. Active immunization with PNC and passive immunization with serum samples from infants vaccinated with PNC containing serotype 19F, but not serotype 19A, protected against lung infection caused by both serotypes in a murine model.
An ontology-extended relational algebra

Heterogeneous relational databases being integrated vary widely in how the same data is represented. We propose the notion of an ontology extended relation (OER). An OER contains an ordinary relation as well as an associated ontology that conveys semantic meaning about the terms being used. We extend the relational algebra to query OERs. The advantage of this is that the OER model can be directly built on top of commercial relational DBMSs. We describe an implementation of the OER model and show (via experiment) that the system scales to handle large data sets.