Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ras is an indispensable coregulator of the class IB phosphoinositide 3-kinase p87/p110γ

Class IB phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) elicits various immunologic and cardiovascular responses; however, the molecular basis for this signal heterogeneity is unclear. PI3Kγ consists of a catalytic p110γ and a regulatory p87PIKAP (p87, also p84) or p101 subunit. Hitherto p87 and p101 are generally assumed to exhibit redundant functions in receptor-induced and G protein βγ (Gβγ)-mediated PI3Kγ regulation. Here we investigated the molecular mechanism for receptor-dependent p87/p110γ activation. By analyzing GFP-tagged proteins expressed in HEK293 cells, PI3Kγ-complemented bone marrow–derived mast cells (BMMCs) from p110γ-/- mice, and purified recombinant proteins reconstituted to lipid vesicles, we elucidated a novel pathway of p87-dependent, G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR)-induced PI3Kγ activation. Although p101 strongly interacted with Gβγ, thereby mediating PI3Kγ membrane recruitment and stimulation, p87 exhibited only a weak interaction, resulting in modest kinase activation and lack of membrane recruitment. Surprisingly, Ras-GTP substituted the missing Gβγ-dependent membrane recruitment of p87/p110γ by direct interaction with p110γ, suggesting the indispensability of Ras for activation of p87/p110γ. Consequently, interference with Ras signaling indeed selectively blocked p87/p110γ, but not p101/p110γ, kinase activity in HEK293 and BMMC cells, revealing an important crosstalk between monomeric and trimeric G proteins for p87/p110γ activation. Our data display distinct signaling requirements of p87 and p101, conferring signaling specificity to PI3Kγ that could open up new possibilities for therapeutic intervention.
The Political Coase Theorem: Identifying Differences between Neoclassical and Critical Institutionalism

Institutional analysis has traditionally described the comparative performance of different economies and has attempted to explain the dynamics of economic transformation. This paper analyzes issues relating to institutional performance and to the process of institutional change. It reviews some recent institutional literature and draws upon the distinction between the neoclassical approach represented by New Institutional Economics and the more critical tradition associated with old institutionalism. 1 The paper argues, along with the critical institutionalists, that efficiency is not a value-neutral goal for institutional analysis and that it is necessary to discuss the ethical assumptions that are implicit in the choice of evaluative criteria. Furthermore, although neoclassical institutionalists admit the possibility that socially desirable institutional change may not always be forthcoming, this paper suggests that explanations in this tradition pay inadequate attention to understanding the nature of the political process and that such accounts tend to explain institutional failure using the device of high transaction costs in the political market. In contrast to this neoclassical literature, it is argued here that it is difficult to generalize about the potential success of institutional innovations without analyzing the configuration of political forces in society and without explicitly identifying winners and losers from the process of institutional change.
Pharmacology of Bradykinin-Evoked Coughing in Guinea Pigs

Bradykinin has been implicated as a mediator of the acute pathophysiological and inflammatory consequences of respiratory tract infections and in exacerbations of chronic diseases such as asthma. Bradykinin may also be a trigger for the coughing associated with these and other conditions. We have thus set out to evaluate the pharmacology of bradykinin-evoked coughing in guinea pigs. When inhaled, bradykinin induced paroxysmal coughing that was abolished by the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist HOE 140. These cough responses rapidly desensitized, consistent with reports of B2 receptor desensitization. Bradykinin-evoked cough was potentiated by inhibition of both neutral endopeptidase and angiotensin-converting enzyme (with thiorphan and captopril, respectively), but was largely unaffected by muscarinic or thromboxane receptor blockade (atropine and ICI 192605), cyclooxygenase, or nitric oxide synthase inhibition (meclofenamic acid and NG-nitro-L-arginine). Calcium influx studies in bronchopulmonary vagal afferent neurons dissociated from vagal sensory ganglia indicated that the tachykinin-containing C-fibers arising from the jugular ganglia mediate bradykinin-evoked coughing. Also implicating the jugular C-fibers was the observation that simultaneous blockade of neurokinin2 (NK2; SR48968) and NK3 (SR142801 or SB223412) receptors nearly abolished the bradykinin-evoked cough responses. The data suggest that bradykinin induces coughing in guinea pigs by activating B2 receptors on bronchopulmonary C-fibers. We speculate that therapeutics targeting the actions of bradykinin may prove useful in the treatment of cough.
Proteomic Analysis of the Major Envelope and Nucleocapsid Proteins of White Spot Syndrome Virus

ABSTRACT White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) virions were purified from the tissues of infected Procambarus clarkii (crayfish) isolates. Pure WSSV preparations were subjected to Triton X-100 treatment to separate into the envelope and nucleocapsid fractions, which were subsequently separated by 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The major envelope and nucleocapsid proteins were identified by either matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry or defined antibody. A total of 30 structural proteins of WSSV were identified in this study; 22 of these were detected in the envelope fraction, 7 in the nucleocapsid fraction, and 1 in both the envelope and the nucleocapsid fractions. With the aid of specific antibodies, the localizations of eight proteins were further studied. The analysis of posttranslational modifications revealed that none of the WSSV structural proteins was glycosylated and that VP28 and VP19 were threonine phosphorylated. In addition, far-Western and coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that VP28 interacted with both VP26 and VP24. In summary, the data obtained in this study should provide an important reference for future molecular studies of WSSV morphogenesis.
Diversity of Biogeochemical Cycling Genes from Puget Sound Sediments using DNA Microarrays

Oligonucleotide-based microarray permits the simultaneous analysis of thousands of genes on a single chip, so that a better picture of the interactions among thousands of genes can be investigated at the same time. Our oligo microchips contained 763 50-mer probes that scan the region of different functional genes encoding amoA, pmoA, nirS, nirK, nifH, and dsrAB. These genes code for key enzymes in the ecosystem processes of nitrification, methane oxidation, denitrification, nitrogen fixation and sulfur reduction, respectively. We used these oligochips to characterize the distribution of the above genes from Puget Sound sediments at different depths. The composition and distribution of genes from shallower sediments (depths 00.5 cm, 2.0-2.5 cm, 5.0-5.5 cm, and 25.0-25.5 cm) were highly similar but were different from those collected at deeper depths (depths 50-50.5 cm and 84.0-84.5 cm). The deeper sediments present a different community structure with a markedly lower diversity than the shallower depths. Analysis of positive hybridization signals also revealed presence of genes common to all samples. The majority of these genes were similar to those retrieved from various environments (i.e. soils, groundwater, river water, strotomites, marine sediments, and estuarine sediments). Parallel coordinate display showed that the most dominant functional guilds are those that are involved in nitrogen cycling. Our results also indicated that this technology has potential as a tool in revealing a comprehensive "snapshot" of the functional gene composition in marine sediments, although more work is needed to understand the biological meaning of each detectable hybridization signal.
High‐dose growth hormone (GH) treatment in prepubertal GH‐deficient children

Yokoya S, Araki K, Igarashi Y, Kohno H, Nishi Y, Hasegawa Y, Fujita K, Iwatani N, Tachibana K, Ohyama Y, Seino Y, Satoh M, Fujieda K, Tanaka T. High‐dose growth hormone (GH) treatment in prepubertal GH‐deficient children. Acta Pædiatr 1999; Suppl 428: 76–9. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5326
Brain Targets for Pain Control

A variety of brain sites have been targeted for surgical treatment of intractable pain. Both ablative and chronic stimulation procedures have been reported to attenuate such pain. These targets include the thalamus and its projections, the periventricular gray, the cingulate cortex and the motor cortex. An overview of these procedures and their efficacy is provided.
Synapse‐to‐neuron ratios in the visual cortex of adult rats undernourished from about birth until 100 days of age

Male rats undernourished from the 18th day of gestation until 100 days of age were nutritionally rehabilitated until 200 days of age. Six control and six experimental rats at each of 100 and 200 days of age were killed by perfusion with buffered 2.5% glutaraldehyde. Pieces of visual cortex from each rat were postfixed in osmium tetroxide and embedded in resin. Stereological procedures at the light and electron microscope levels were used to estimate the synapse‐to‐neuron ratios in cortical layers II to IV.
Positive Political Theory Ii Strategy And Structure

Thank you very much for downloading positive political theory ii strategy and structure. As you may know, people have look hundreds times for their favorite readings like this positive political theory ii strategy and structure, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some harmful virus inside their desktop computer.
Type 2 diabetes and low birth weight: the role of paternal inheritance in the association of low birth weight and diabetes.

Lower birth weight is associated with an increased occurrence of type 2 diabetes in later life. Whether this relationship is explained by environmental or genetic factors is unknown. We have examined the potential for genetic influences by determining whether parental diabetes is associated with lower birth weight in 1,608 children of known birth weight and gestational age born between 1941 and 1993 in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. The previously described relationships of maternal diabetes to increased birth weight and offspring diabetes were observed. In contrast to this we have determined novel relationships between low birth weight and paternal diabetes. The offspring of diabetic fathers were, on average, 78 g lighter than the offspring of nondiabetic fathers. For fathers, lower birth weight in their offspring was associated with an increased risk of later diabetes, i.e., fathers of offspring in the lowest quintile of birth weight, who were not diabetic at the time of birth of their child, had a 1.8-fold increased risk of developing diabetes later in life (95% CI 1.2-2.7; P = 0.004). For children, lower birth weight predicted diabetes in the offspring if paternal but not maternal diabetes was present, but it was not associated with higher plasma glucose if neither parent had diabetes. We conclude that the risk of diabetes associated with low birth weight is strongly related to the development of paternal diabetes, suggesting a genetic link between lower birth weight and later diabetes.
Boiling heat transfer characteristics of immiscible liquid mixtures

Cooling technology becomes more important because of the increase in heat generation density of semiconductor chips. Boiling and two-phase flow is expected as one of the most effective methods to cool the electronic devices because of its superior heat transfer characteristics. Because the boiling heat transfer depends on the selection of coolant, the development of liquid mixtures and their components optimized for the individual cooling systems becomes very important. Most of the existing researches on nucleate boiling of binary mixtures clarify the heat transfer characteristics peculiar to the miscible ones, while the studies for immiscible mixtures were very limited. Pool boiling experiments on nucleate boiling of immiscible mixture FC72/Water are performed in a closed vessel at 0.1MPa. The experimental data is acquired under the steady-state conditions at heat flux ranging from those for the boiling incipience to CHF or to the highest possible value under the restriction of the available cooling. Before the experiments, the height of liquid layers on the horizontal heating surface is kept at a constant value of 100mm, and the thickness of FC72 layer above the heating surface is varied at three different values of 5mm, 10mm and 50mm. A new phenomena of “intermediate burnout” due to the evaporation of FC72 is observed provided that the layer thickness of FC72 is not large. At heat flux higher than that for intermediate burnout, the immiscible mixture decreases the surface temperature from that for pure water and simultaneously increases CHF. The immiscible mixture has a potential to realize high performance heat exchange systems by the self-sustaining subcooling of components under the constant system pressure.
Effectiveness of polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine in HIV-infected patients: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND Polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV) is recommended among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, although its effect in reducing the incidence of pneumonia or invasive pneumococcal disease is not well established. Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of 23-valent PPV in HIV-infected adults and the risk factors for pneumococcal pneumonia or invasive pneumococcal disease. METHODS We performed a retrospective case-control study in 4 Spanish hospitals for the period from January 1995 through December 2005 using the HIV database from each hospital to identify case patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae disease and control subjects without a history of pneumococcal infection. RESULTS A total of 184 case patients and 552 control subjects were identified. The factors associated with pneumococcal disease in bivariate analysis were active injection drug use (odds ratio [OR], 3.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2-5.55), alcoholism (OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.86-4.91), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.3-5.1), cirrhosis (OR, 6.05; 95% CI, 3.2-11.4), antiretroviral therapy (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.16-0.32), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45-0.97), viral load <5000 copies/mL (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.26-0.54), and previous PPV (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.24-0.65). Risk factors for pneumococcal disease in multivariate analysis were cirrhosis (OR, 5.64; 95% CI, 2.53-12.53), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.21-6.94), and alcoholism (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.11-4.19), whereas protective factors were receipt of antiretroviral therapy (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.14-0.36) and receipt of pneumococcal vaccine (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22-0.88), even in patients with CD4 lymphocyte counts <200 cells/microL. CONCLUSIONS Antiretroviral therapy and PPV have a significant, independent protective effect against pneumococcal disease, regardless of CD4 lymphocyte count; thus, all patients with HIV infection should be vaccinated with PPV to prevent pneumococcal disease.
On the Randomized Complexity of Monotone Graph Properties

Let CR(P) be the number of questions of the form 'Does the graph G contain the edge e(t, j) V that have to be asked in the worst case by any randomized decision tree algorithm for computing an nvertex graph property P. For non-trivial, monotone graph properties it is known, that the deterministic complexity is ft(n2) (see [4]). R. Karp [5] conjectured, that this bound holds for randomized algorithms as well. As far as this conjecture we know the following results. The best uniform lower bound for all non-trivial, monotone graph properties is Din4/3) due to P. Hajnal
Radiographic appearances of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative adult patients.

OBJECTIVE To describe the radiographic pattern of PTB in HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative patients and to study the relationship between radiographic pattern and degree of immunosuppression based on CD4 counts. DESIGN Cross-sectional, descriptive study. SETTING TB treatment centre and Department of Radiology, Mulago Referral Hospital and Makerere University Medical Teaching Hospital, Uganda. SUBJECTS One hundred and fifty consecutive adult patients, suspected on clinical grounds to have PTB. INTERVENTIONS Three early morning sputum specimens and 10 mls of venous blood taken from each qualifying subject. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Chest x-ray changes and CD4 counts. RESULTS More than sixty eight per cent of the patients were HIV-1 seropositive. Slightly over seventy two per cent of the seropositives were moderate to severely immunosuppressed, 27.2% were mildly immunosuppressed or had normal immune status. Approximately ninety three per cent of the seronegative individuals had normal immune status or were mildly immunosuppressed, while 6.4% were moderately immunosuppressed. Lung parenchymal opacities were demonstrated in 98.7% of all patients. Intrathoracic lymphadenopathy and cavitation were noted in 43.3% and 41.3% respectively. Fibrosis and pleural effusion were observed in 25.0% and 25.3% respectively. Miliary disease occurred in 2.0%. Seropositives accounted for 81.5% and 76.3% of patients with lymphadenopathy and pleural effusion, 18.5% and 23.7% respectively were seronegative. Seronegatives accounted for 64.9% and 64.5% of those with fibrosis and cavitation respectively, whereas 35.1% 35.5% of fibrosis and cavitation respectively were seropositive. Patients who were moderate to severely immunosuppressed accounted for 64.6% and 63.2% of patients with lymphadenopathy and pleural effusion, 35.4% and 36.8% respectively had normal immune status or were mildly immunosuppressed. Fibrosis and cavitary disease were more frequent in normal or mildly immunosuppressed (78.4% and 72.6%) than in moderately to severely immunosuppressed patients (21.6% and 27.4%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION HIV-seropositivity with moderate to severe immunesuppression are associated with atypical radiographic appearances in adult post primary PTB.
Growing Restrictiveness or Changing Selection? The Nature and Evolution of Migration Policies1

This paper demonstrates that, since 1945, migration policies have overall become less restrictive. Challenging common assumptions, this long-term trend is robust across most of the 45 countries included in the DEMIG POLICY database. While the period after 1989 is characterized by a slowing down of the rapid post-WWII liberalization of migration policies, liberal policy changes have continued to outnumber restrictive policy changes until today. Yet policy developments differ across policy types and migrant categories: Entry and integration policies have become less restrictive, while border control and exit policies have become more restrictive. Also, while policies towards irregular migrants and family migrants have been tightened in recent years, less restrictive changes have dominated policies targeting high- and low-skilled workers, students, and refugees. The essence of modern migration policies is thus not their growing restriction, but their focus on migrant selection.
Placental Overexpression of Transforming Growth Factor-β3 in the HELLP Syndrome

Objective: To evaluate the placental expression of transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) in patients with HELLP syndrome and pre-eclampsia compared to controls, and its correlation to Doppler velocimetry analysis of the utero-placental blood flow. Study Design: Real-time PCR analysis was performed, after cesarean section, in placental samples from 10 women affected by HELLP syndrome, 10 women with pre-eclampsia and 10 controls. Pulsatility indices on Doppler waveform analysis from uterine and umbilical arteries were measured. Results: The mean TGF-β3 expression was significantly higher in patients with HELLP syndrome compared with the control group (p < 0.001), and no difference was observed in the pre-eclampsia group. TGF-β3 expression correlated positively with umbilical PI (p < 0.001). Conclusions: TGF-β3 may play a key role as regulator of a variety of cellular events occurring during HELLP syndrome, high local expression of this growth factor may be responsible for remodeling of the placental structure, which results in the dysfunction of maternal-fetal circulation.
Benefit of ventriculoperitoneal cerebrospinal fluid shunting and intrathecal chemotherapy in neoplastic meningitis: a retrospective, case-controlled study.

OBJECT Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a debilitating and increasingly frequent neurological complication of cancer characterized by infiltration of tumor cells into the leptomeninges and the subarachnoid space. Although NM is rarely curable, combined intrathecal chemotherapy and focal radiation can improve disease-related symptoms and survival. Hydrocephalus occurs in a significant proportion of patients, is associated with poor prognosis and reduced quality of life, and usually precludes the use of intrathecal therapy. METHODS Since January of 2005, the authors have used a combined treatment approach for patients with both NM and hydrocephalus that employs a subcutaneously placed reservoir connected in series to an on/off valve and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for both diversion of CSF and injection of intrathecal chemotherapy. They conducted a retrospective, case-controlled study from 2 independent institutions to review their experience. RESULTS Twenty-four patients with NM and hydrocephalus underwent placement of a CSF reservoir-on/off valve-ventriculoperitoneal shunt (RO-VPS) construct. There was no perioperative mortality, and there were only 2 minor complications. One shunt failure and no shunt-associated infections were observed over a median of 28 weeks of follow-up. Symptomatic improvement and improved performance status were seen in 20 patients (83.3%) and were sustained over 6 months. Eighteen patients received intraventricular chemotherapy without unexpected toxicity, and cytological responses were found in 11 patients (61.1%). Median progression-free and overall survival was 14 and 31 weeks, respectively. Compared with a contemporaneous comparison group of 24 demographically matched patients with NM who underwent CSF reservoir placement only, those who received RO-VPS constructs (p = 0.02) and had primary diagnosis of breast cancer (p = 0.04) had significant advantage in overall survival. CONCLUSIONS A combined RO-VPS system is safe and practical to install, results in symptomatic improvement in most patients, and allows uncomplicated and effective administration of intrathecal chemotherapy in patients with NM. Cerebrospinal fluid diversion surgery should be considered in NM patients in conjunction with intrathecal and systemic treatments.