Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased transverse relaxivity in ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles used as MRI contrast agent for biomedical imaging.

Synthesis of a contrast agent for biomedical imaging is of great interest where magnetic nanoparticles are concerned, because of the strong influence of particle size on transverse relaxivity. In the present study, biocompatible magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts, followed by surface adsorption with reduced dextran. The synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape, and 12 ± 2 nm in size as measured using transmission electron microscopy; this was corroborated with results from X-ray diffraction and dynamic light scattering studies. The nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic behavior, superior T2 relaxation rate and high relaxivities (r1 = 18.4 ± 0.3, r2 = 90.5 ± 0.8 s-1 mM-1 , at 7 T). MR image analysis of animals before and after magnetic nanoparticle administration revealed that the signal intensity of tumor imaging, specific organ imaging and whole body imaging can be clearly distinguished, due to the strong relaxation properties of these nanoparticles. Very low concentrations (3.0 mg Fe/kg body weight) of iron oxides are sufficient for early detection of tumors, and also have a clear distinction in pre- and post-enhancement of contrast in organs and body imaging. Many investigators have demonstrated high relaxivities of magnetic nanoparticles at superparamagnetic iron oxide level above 50 nm, but this investigation presents a satisfactory, ultrasmall, superparamagnetic and high transverse relaxivity negative contrast agent for diagnosis in pre-clinical studies. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long-term Sinonasal Outcomes of Aspirin Desensitization in Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease

Objective This study aimed to assess sinonasal outcomes in patients with aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) undergoing aspirin desensitization following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting University hospital. Subjects and Methods A retrospective review of sinonasal outcomes was conducted for 30 AERD patients undergoing aspirin desensitization and maintenance therapy following ESS. Sinonasal outcomes were prospectively assessed by the Sinonasal Outcomes Test-22 (SNOT-22) and endoscopic polyp grading system. Data were collected preoperatively, 1 and 4 weeks postsurgery (before desensitization), and 1, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months after aspirin desensitization. Results Twenty-eight of 30 patients (93.3%) successfully completed aspirin desensitization, whereas 2 of 30 (6.7%) were unable to complete desensitization due to respiratory intolerance. Of the 21 patients who successfully completed a minimum of 24 weeks of follow-up, 20 (95.2%) patients demonstrated sustained endoscopic and symptomatic improvement for a median follow-up period of 33 months. After surgical treatment but before desensitization, patients experienced significant reductions in SNOT-22 and polyp grade scores. In the first 6 months after aspirin desensitization, patients experienced further significant reductions in SNOT-22 scores, whereas polyp grade remained stable. The improvements in symptom endoscopic scores were preserved throughout the follow-up period after desensitization. No patients required additional sinus surgery. One patient had to discontinue aspirin therapy due to gastrointestinal side effects. No other adverse reactions to aspirin were noted. Conclusion Aspirin desensitization following ESS appears to be a well-tolerated and effective adjunctive therapy for long-term control of nasal polyposis in patients with AERD.
The Potential Distribution of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Libya Based on Ecological Niche Model

ABSTRACT The increased cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis vectored by Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) in Libya have driven considerable effort to develop a predictive model for the potential geographical distribution of this disease. We collected adult P. papatasi from 17 sites in Musrata and Yefern regions of Libya using four different attraction traps. Our trap results and literature records describing the distribution of P. papatasi were incorporated into a MaxEnt algorithm prediction model that used 22 environmental variables. The model showed a high performance (AUC = 0.992 and 0.990 for training and test data, respectively). High suitability for P. papatasi was predicted to be largely confined to the coast at altitudes <600 m. Regions south of 30° N latitude were calculated as unsuitable for this species. Jackknife analysis identified precipitation as having the most significant predictive power, while temperature and elevation variables were less influential. The National Leishmaniasis Control Program in Libya may find this information useful in their efforts to control zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Existing records are strongly biased toward a few geographical regions, and therefore, further sand fly collections are warranted that should include documentation of such factors as soil texture and humidity, land cover, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data to increase the model's predictive power.
Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA in Sera from Transplant Recipients with Lymphoproliferative Disorders

ABSTRACT Early diagnosis of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is important because many patients respond to reduction in immunosuppression, especially if PTLD is detected at an early stage. Previous studies have found elevated EBV DNA levels in blood from patients with PTLD, but these assays required isolation of cellular blood fractions and quantitation. We evaluated the presence of cell-free EBV DNA in serum from solid-organ transplant recipients as a marker for PTLD. Five of 6 transplant recipients with histopathologically documented PTLD had EBV DNA detected in serum at the time of diagnosis (sensitivity = 83%), compared with 0 of 16 matched transplant recipients without PTLD (specificity = 100%) (P < 0.001 [Fisher’s exact test]). Furthermore, EBV DNA was detected in serum 8 and 52 months prior to the diagnosis of PTLD in two of three patients for whom stored sera were analyzed. Detection of EBV DNA in serum appears to be a useful marker for the early detection of PTLD in solid-organ transplant recipients. Further studies to define the role of such assays in evaluating solid-organ transplant patients at risk for PTLD are warranted.
Effects of ω‐conotoxin on adrenergic, cholinergic and NANC neurotransmission in the rabbit urethra and detrusor

1 The effects of ω‐conotoxin GVIA (an inhibitor of N‐type voltage‐operated calcium channels; VOCCs) were compared on adrenergic, cholinergic and non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic (NANC) responses induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the rabbit urethra and detrusor. 2 EFS induced a relaxation in urethral smooth muscle and lamina propria precontracted by arginine vasopressin (AVP). The relaxation was abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX) or the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor Nω‐nitro‐l‐arginine. ω‐Conotoxin inhibited the relaxation induced by EFS, but not that elicited by the NO donor 3‐morpholino‐sydnonimin. The inhibition, however, decreased with increasing frequencies of stimulation. Nimodipine, tetramethrin and nickel did not affect the ω‐conotoxin‐resistant relaxation in lamina propria, suggesting that neuronal L or T VOCCs were not involved in the response. 3 EFS contracted urethral smooth muscle at resting tension. The contractions were virtually abolished by TTX or prazosin. ω‐Conotoxin effectively inhibited the contractile responses to EFS, but not those to exogenous noradrenaline. An ω‐conotoxin‐resistant contraction was, however, observed at high frequencies of stimulation. 4 The detrusor responded with frequency‐dependent contractions upon EFS. A TTX‐resistant contraction less than 10% of controls remained at 30 Hz stimulation. At a stimulation frequency of 10 Hz, scopolamine reduced the EFS‐induced contraction by 71%. ω‐Conotoxin inhibited the responses in both the absence and presence of scopolamine. The inhibition decreased with increasing frequencies of stimulation (examined in the absence of scopolamine). ω‐Conotoxin did not affect the contractile responses to carbachol or adenosine 5′‐triphosphate. 5 The adrenergic contraction (25 Hz) and NANC relaxation (10 Hz) in the urethra, and cholinergic and NANC contractions (10 Hz) in the detrusor were inhibited concentration‐dependently by ω‐conotoxin. The adrenergic contraction in the urethra was 10 times and the cholinergic contraction in the detrusor was three times more sensitive to ω‐conotoxin than the NANC responses. 6 These results suggest that NANC neurotransmission is less inhibited by ω‐conotoxin than transmission mediated by adrenergic and cholinergic nerves in the rabbit lower urinary tract. In the urethra a marked ω‐conotoxin‐resistant component of the NANC relaxation was observed which increased with increasing stimulation frequencies and was unaffected by inhibitors of L and T type VOCCs. This raises the question whether VOCCs of a type other than L, T, and N is involved in the mediation of this response.
Adenovirus‐mediated small hairpin RNA targeting Bcl‐XL as therapy for colon cancer

Bcl‐XL, an anti‐apoptotic protein of Bcl‐2 family, is overexpressed in colon cancers. To determine Bcl‐XL's potential feasibility as a therapeutic target, we constructed a recombinant adenovirus that expressed a U6 promoter‐driven small hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Bcl‐XL (Ad/Bcl‐XL shRNA) and evaluated the vector's ability to induce RNA interference in vivo and alter apoptosis induction in colon cancer cells and tumours. Ad/Bcl‐XL shRNA effectively knocked down Bcl‐XL expression in colon cancer cells and decreased their viability. Treatment with Ad/Bcl‐XL shRNA but not control vectors led to dramatically increased cleavage of cellular apoptosis‐related enzymes caspase‐9, caspase‐3 and poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. Ad/Bcl‐XL shRNA also significantly suppressed the growth of subcutaneous tumours derived from DLD1 cells in a nude mouse model and did so without causing any obvious damage to normal tissues or normal human fibroblasts. Together, our results support the feasibility of using adenovirus‐mediated RNA interference therapy targeting Bcl‐XL against colon cancers and warrant further studies of its safety and efficacy. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Melatonin counteracts the inhibitory effect of PGE2 on IL‐2 production in human lymphocytes via its mt1 membrane receptor

It is well known that melatonin plays a fundamental role in human neuro‐immunomodulation. Thus, melatonin regulates the production of a large number of cytokines, including interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) in the human system. Both membrane and nuclear receptors for melatonin are present in lymphoid cells. However, most of these effects have been shown to be mediated by the putative nuclear receptor for the neurohormone. In this paper, we show that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a potent inflammatory mediator, inhibits IL‐2 production in human lymphocytes by a cyclic AMP (cAMP)‐dependent mechanism. In this model, melatonin counteracts the effects of PGE2 on IL‐2 and cAMP production. We propose that the effect of melatonin is mediated by a membrane receptor, since similar results were obtained when cells were cultured in the presence of S 20098, a specific melatonin membrane receptor agonist. No effect was observed by using CGP 52608, a nuclear receptor agonist. Moreover, when cells were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), which has been shown to inhibit mt1 melatonin membrane receptor expression, the neurohormone failed to counteract the effect of PGE2. Therefore, we postulate, for the first time, a physiological role of the mt1 melatonin membrane receptor in the human immune system.
Long-Term Control of HIV-1 in Hemophiliacs Carrying Slow-Progressing Allele HLA-B*5101

ABSTRACT HLA-B*51 alleles are reported to be associated with slow disease progression to AIDS, but the mechanism underlying this association is still unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the effect of HLA-B*5101 on clinical outcome for Japanese hemophiliacs who had been infected with HIV-1 before 1985 and had been recruited in 1998 for this study. HLA-B*5101+ hemophiliacs exhibited significantly slow progression. The analysis of HLA-B*5101-restricted HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to 4 HLA-B*-restricted epitopes in 10 antiretroviral-therapy (ART)-free HLA-B*5101+ hemophiliacs showed that the frequency of Pol283-8-specific CD8+ T cells was inversely correlated with the viral load, whereas the frequencies of CD8+ T cells specific for 3 other epitopes were positively correlated with the viral load. The HLA-B*5101+ hemophiliacs whose HIV-1 replication had been controlled for approximately 25 years had HIV-1 possessing the wild-type Pol283-8 sequence or the Pol283-8V mutant, which does not critically affect T-cell recognition, whereas other HLA-B*5101+ hemophiliacs had HIV-1 with escape mutations in this epitope. The results suggest that the control of HIV-1 over approximately 25 years in HLA-B*5101-positive hemophiliacs is associated with a Pol283-8-specific CD8+ T-cell response and that lack of control of HIV-1 is associated with the appearance of Pol283-8-specific escape mutants.
Speaking Like Statesmen or Scientists: Differentiating Congressional and Administrative Views on Data

ABSTRACT Do legislators and executives speak of data the same way when speaking about public sector data? Public management scholarship and public performance policies often emphasize data-driven decision making as the path to making government efficient and effective. Whether the public policy makers mean the same thing when they speak about data in discussions of data-driven performance and decision making is unknown. In this article, the authors present an analysis of the language of data in conversations about government performance. Two frameworks are identified for the role of data in public performance—the statesman’s and the scientist’s. A corpus-level analysis of over 30 years of government documents is used to demonstrate the differences between these two approaches. This research builds consciously on the work of previous scholars seeking to map the nuances of data-driven performance management policies in the U.S. federal government.
Clinical-grade ex vivo-expanded human natural killer cells up-regulate activating receptors and death receptor ligands and have enhanced cytolytic activity against tumor cells.

BACKGROUND AIMS Cancer immunotherapy involving natural killer (NK) cell infusions and administration of therapeutic agents modulating the susceptibility of tumors to NK-cell lysis has been proposed recently. We provide a method for expanding highly cytotoxic clinical-grade NK cells in vitro for adoptive transfer following bortezomib treatment in patients with advanced malignancies. METHODS NK cells were expanded with irradiated Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cells. Expanded cells were evaluated for their phenotype, cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, dependence on interleukin (IL)-2 and ability to retain function after cryopreservation. RESULTS A pure population of clinical-grade NK cells expanded 490+/-260-fold over 21 days. Expanded NK cells had increased TRAIL, FasL and NKG2D expression and significantly higher cytotoxicity against bortezomib-treated tumors compared with resting NK cells. Expanded NK cells, co-cultured with K562 and renal cell carcinoma tumor targets, secreted significantly higher levels of soluble Fas ligand 6; fgjhd IFN-gamma, GM-CSF, TNF-alpha, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta compared with resting NK cells. Secretion of the above cytokines and NK-cell cytolytic function were IL-2 dose dependent. Cryopreservation of expanded NK cells reduced expression of NKG2D and TRAIL and NK-cell cytotoxicity, although this effect could be reversed by exposure of NK cells to IL-2. CONCLUSIONS We describe a method for large-scale expansion of NK cells with increased expression of activating receptors and death receptor ligands resulting in superior cytotoxicity against tumor cells. This ex vivo NK-cell expansion technique is currently being utilized in a clinical trial evaluating the anti-tumor activity of adoptively infused NK cells in combination with bortezomib.
Variation among families for characteristics of the adhesive plaque in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite

A quantitative genetics approach was used to examine variation in the characteristics of the adhesive plaque of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin attached to two silicone substrata. Barnacles settled on silicone polymer films occasionally form thick, soft adhesive plaques, in contrast to the thin, hard plaques characteristic of attachment to other surfaces. The proportion of barnacles producing a thick adhesive plaque was 0.31 for Veridian, a commercially available silicone fouling-release coating, and 0.18 for Silastic T-2, a silicone rubber used for mold-making. For both materials, significant variation among maternal families in the proportion of barnacles producing a thick adhesive plaque was observed, which suggests the presence of genetic variation, or maternal environmental effects, for this plaque characteristic. For the Veridian coating, barnacles expressing the thick adhesive plaque also exhibited significantly reduced tenacity. This represents the first reported case for potential genetic control of intraspecific phenotypic variation in the physical characteristics and tenacity of the adhesive of a fouling invertebrate.
The effect of RANTES on human sperm chemotaxis.

BACKGROUND Follicular fluid (FF) is a powerful stimulator of human sperm hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction. FF causes sperm accumulation by way of chemotaxis. The chemoattractant in FF has not yet been identified in the human. It is well known that some types of chemokine such as RANTES (Regulated on Activation Normal T Expressed and Secreted Chemokine) exist in genital tract fluids (for example, FF, seminal plasma and uterine fluid). Few reports appear to exist concerning the direct effect of chemokines on the function of human sperm. METHODS The chemotactic effect of RANTES on human sperm were investigated by capillary and double-chamber assays, while the chemokinetic effect was investigated using computer-assisted sperm analysis. RESULTS Both the capillary and double-chamber assays demonstrated a significant chemotactic effect of RANTES on human sperm. Anti-RANTES rabbit IgG partially neutralized the chemotactic effect of FF. In contrast, no statistically significant chemokinetic effect was observed in any motility parameter. CONCLUSIONS Here, it was demonstrated that mRNA for the RANTES receptors CCR-1 and CCR-5 are present in human sperm. Furthermore, RANTES is involved in the chemotactic effect of FF in vitro.
The Decision to Concentrate: Active Management, Manager Skill, and Portfolio Size

Recent research shows that more highly concentrated portfolios produce superior risk-adjusted returns. The untested premise is that it is the most skillful managers who hold the most concentrated portfolios. In this article, the authors formally examine the implicit assertion that the initial portfolio concentration decision is related to a manager’s inherent investment skill. First, they present a theoretical model indicating that the greater the manager’s skill level, the more concentrated the portfolio should be. Second, they conduct a simulation analysis of the capacity to make accurate ex ante security return forecasts; they show that skilled managers would select as few as 5% of the available securities and that the portfolio concentration decision is directly proportional to investment prowess. Finally, they provide an empirical examination of the actual skill–concentration relationship for actively managed equity mutual funds over 2002–2015 and document that managers who demonstrated past skill do form portfolios with higher concentration levels. The authors conclude that talented asset managers should and actually do hold more concentrated portfolios and that the extent of this concentration decision is meaningfully related to forecasting skill. TOPICS: Manager selection, mutual fund performance, equity portfolio management Key Findings • The authors analyze the level of skill that an active manager must have to justify the decision to form a concentrated set of security holdings rather than a broadly diversified portfolio. • Using a conceptual model and a simulation, they establish a strong direct connection between a manager’s forecasting talent and the portfolio concentration decision. Optimal portfolio sizes decline to as little as 5% of the investable universe with increasing skill. • The authors develop three portfolio concentration measures and demonstrate with an extensive set of historical mutual fund returns that managers with the best past performance do indeed hold the most concentrated portfolios over time.
Basel III Capital Buffers and Canadian Credit Unions Lending: Impact of the Credit Cycle and the Business Cycle

We take advantage of the long-standing regulation of the risk-based capital and the leverage ratio in Canada to provide empirical evidence on the relation between the credit unions' capital buffers and loans to members. Based on a unique sample of the 100 Canadian largest credit unions from 1996 to 2014, we find that both the risk-based capital buffer and the leverage buffer are positively related to changes in loans and loan growth. However, changes in these two types of buffers are negatively related to changes in the loans to assets ratios. This finding suggests that to adjust their capital buffers, Canadian credit unions curtail their loans and underscores the importance of the Basel III conservation and the countercyclical buffer requirements in fostering credit. Further, we show that the risk-based capital buffer is positively related to the credit cycle. However, a mechanical application of the rule based on the credit-to-gross domestic product (GDP) gap to activate the countercyclical buffer, would have misguided Canadian credit unions.
The unbearable lightness of user consent

The article discusses challenges to privacy protection in social media platforms, focusing in particular on the principle of user consent. Based on a Danish study, the article argues that in relation to Facebook, user consent de facto served as the price for participating and for gaining access to a social infrastructure. The article opens with a brief introduction to privacy as a human right, followed by a discussion of some of the critique that has been raised towards social media platforms vis-à-vis the right to privacy. Second, it presents the findings from a study conducted amongst 68 Danish high school students in October 2013 concerning their privacy perceptions and practices when using social media platforms. Thirdly, it discusses the implications of these findings in relation to the principle of user consent as a means of providing individuals with control over their personal information in the context of social media platforms.