Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constitutive expression of granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor receptor on a human B‐lymphoblastoid cell line

The present study demonstrated that a human B‐ cell line derived from non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, HCF‐MLpN, constitutively expressed G‐CSF receptor on the cell surface. G‐CSF binding to the cell surface was shown by immunofluorescence staining using biotinylated G‐CSF preparation and analysed by flow cytometry. Specific binding of G‐CSF to the cells was shown by pretreatment with unlabelled G‐CSF. In the radioreceptor assay and Scatchard plot analysis using radiolabelled ligand, MLpN cells revealed a single species of binding site with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 167 (153–182) pM and a maximal binding site per cell of 1076 (1044–1116). The G‐CSF receptor mRNA transcript was exhibited in the RNA from MLpN cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction procedure. [3H]thymidine incorporation and trypan blue exclusion showed that the G‐CSF receptor was capable of transducing the growth signal to HCF‐MLpN cells. A small fraction of fresh B blasts from six patients with B‐cell lymphoma and leukaemia displayed G‐CSF binding by two‐colour immunofluorescence staining. In contrast, a panel of seven B‐cell lines was negative for the binding to biotinylated G‐CSF preparation. These results suggest that the phenotype of G‐CSF binding may be lost during the culture. The expression of G‐CSF receptor in HCF‐MLpN cells appeared to be exceptional.
Prospective monocentric study of non-tunnelled central venous catheter-related complications in hematological patients

Indwelling central venous catheters (CVCs) are used in the management of hematologic patients. However, insertion and maintenance of CVCs are susceptible to complications. Study design and methods data concerning 388 consecutive catheterisations, performed in oncohematologic patients between April 2003 and December 2004, were prospectively collected. At insertion thrombocytopenia was present in 109 cases (28.1%) and neutropenia in 67 (17.3%). Hemorrhage after CVC insertion occurred in five thrombocytopenic patients (1.3%). The median duration of catheterisation was 18.8 days (range 1–89), longer in the 7-French CVCs utilised in leukemic patients (24.3 days) and shorter in 12-French CVCs (11 days), used for PBSC harvesting. Deep venous thrombosis was diagnosed in 13 cases (3.3%). Ninety-two catheterisations (12.6/1000 days-catheter) were complicated by infections: 19 local infections (4.8%) and 73 (18.8%) bacteraemias of which 45 (11.6%) were catheter-related, mainly due to Gram positive germs (32/45, 71.1%). The frequency of catheter-related bacteraemia was 7.2 events/1000 days-catheter. Thirteen CVCs were removed due to thrombosis, 15 due to infections, 20 due to malfunction, the remaining 333 at patients discharge. At univariate analysis high-dose chemotherapy (p = 0.013), 7-Fr lumen (p = 0.023), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (p = 0.001), duration of neutropenia >10 days and length of catheterisation were significantly correlated to infection. Multivariate analysis confirmed the duration of catheterisation, AML and high-dose chemotherapy as risk factors. Even though hematological in-patients are at increased risk for bleeding and infections, non-tunnelled CVCs offer a safe venous access also in patients affected by severe thrombocytopenia and prolonged neutropenia.
Monetary Policy Surprises and Interest Rates: Evidence from Australia

This paper investigates the effect of changes in the cash rate on term structure of interest rates in Australia. We use the 90-day bank bill rate to decompose the unexpected and expected change in the cash rate target. We examine the effect of monetary policy on the volatility of interest rates across the term structure to measure the effect of monetary policy changes on the term structure of interest rates. We find the impact of a change in monetary policy declines with maturity, which is consistent with the literature and supports the market segmentation theory.
Exploring the Financial Performance of the Listed Companies in Kuwait Stock Exchange Using Altman's Z-Score Model

A quantitative method was used to explore the financial performance of the listed firms on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The number of firms explored was 196 out of a possible 206 (two firms are subsidiaries of one of the firm, and others are insurance firms excluded). The listed firms were observed from 2009-2014 to understand their status in the market, and the direction they are headed towards. The financial data were gathered from the published annual reports of the respective firms and the financial statements from the Kuwait Stock Exchange website. The results, using the Altman Z-score model for the period 2009-2014, show that approximately 39.46% of the firms on average were safe; approximately 25.94% of the firms on average were distressed; approximately 15.90% of the firms on average were in a grey area; and approximately 18.71% firms on average had no available data. The bankruptcy rate could not be justified using the Zmijewski score model due to the inconclusive results and the absence of bankruptcy laws in the State of Kuwait. This paper provides insight into the financial distress level in Kuwait. The level of distress shows that major changes are necessary within firms and operations are not running smooth. Bankruptcy laws are required for firms operating in distress. This exploration is a stepping-stone for potential investors by showing the most profitable sectors for investment and for future researchers to predict accurate bankruptcy rates in the State of Kuwait.
Indices and Models Assessing Climatic Impacts on Energy Consumption

Climate is an important factor affecting energy consumption. At present, researches concerning this subject are limited in serval sensitive problems and in few developed countries. This paper defines the meanings, calculation methods, applied fields and characteres of the indexes, such as degree day, degree hour, degree month, degree season, heating day, heating index and so on, which have been frequently used by foreign and domestic scholars in the researches of relation between temperature and energy consumption since 1950s. It reviews the great achievements in the researches of relationship between climate change and energy consumption and also pointes out some problems that need further study. In the developed countries, the relationship of energy consumption and temperature is very significant. Many scholars have made a lot of researches on this problem, in which degree-day is one of the most frequently used index. The calculation of degree-day is usually based on the definiation of basic temperature and average temperature in the day. The basic temperature is often calculated according to energy supply, physiological demand of human body, the level of economic development and the character of temperature changes. There are mainly four methods for the calculation of average day temperature. The most popular way is to get the average of the highest temperature and the lowest one. In addition, some convenient ways have been put forward to get degree-day. The relationship between energy consumption and temperature often varies because of the different region, population and energy price. So some experts come up with some adjusting ways for calculating degree-day index. There are mainly two models on climate affecting energy consumption, namely, the energy balance model and the statistical model. The latter is being used most widely at present and has developed from the simple relevant analysis to comprehensive predication models.
Reference values for serum protein and electrolyte study from Rwanda.

OBJECTIVE To estimate reference values of serum proteins and electrolytes in a student population in Butare, Rwanda (altitude: 1768 m; barometric pressure: 629 mm Hg). DESIGN A laboratory based cross-sectional study. SETTING The units of physiology and clinical chemistry, department of medical biology, Butare University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, National University of Rwanda, from February 2002 to May 2003. SUBJECTS Young healthy adults were selected randomly from the students of the National University of Rwanda, using Epi-Info 6.04 software. RESULTS The results mean and reference range (2.5th-97.5th percentile) in brackets - are as follows: total proteins: male: 7.3 (6.3-8.4) g/dL, female: 7.3 (6.5-8.5) g/dL; albumin: male: 4.3 (3.1-5.2) g/dL, female: 4.1 (3.2-5.0) g/dL; globulins: male: 3.1 (2.0-4.2) g/dL. female: 3.2 (2.1-4.2) g/dL; sodium: male: 138.5 (130-147) mmol/L, female: 139.8 (132-153) mmol/L; potassium: 4.0 (3.1-5.0) mmol/L both in male and in female; chloride: males: 104.4 (96-112) mmol/L, females: 106.1 (98-114) mmol/L; phosphates: male: 1.13 (0.65-1.59) mmol/L, female: 1.17 (0.71-1.52) mmol/L. CONCLUSION The values of serum proteins and electrolytes are comparable to classical sea level values; however there is a slight increase in serum chloride.
Intraoperative hypotension is associated with myocardial damage in noncardiac surgery: An observational study

BACKGROUND Perioperative myocardial damage and infarction (MI) is associated with increased mortality and other postoperative complications. OBJECTIVES To assess the incidence of perioperative myocardial damage in patients undergoing major elective noncardiac surgery, to elucidate any association with postoperative MI and mortality and to estimate the impact of preoperative risk factors and intraoperative hypotension. DESIGN Observational cohort study. SETTING Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, from October 2012 to May 2013. PATIENTS In this single-centre study, all adult patients undergoing major elective noncardiac surgery who were scheduled for an overnight admission to the postoperative unit were included. Patients undergoing phaeochromocytoma surgery were excluded. Preoperative risk factors (co-morbidities), intraoperative events (hypotension defined as a 50% decrease in SBP relative to each patient's baseline and lasting >5 min) and postoperative data were collected from medical records. Levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) were measured on postoperative day 1. Myocardial damage was defined as an increase in the hs-cTnT value above 14 ng l−1. A cardiologist reviewed all cases of MI occurring within 30 days after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Myocardial damage, MI and mortality within 30 days after surgery. RESULTS Of the final cohort of 300 patients, 90 (30%) had myocardial damage on postoperative day 1 and 15 (5%) developed postoperative MI within 30 days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that an intraoperative reduction in SBP more than 50% from baseline lasting more than 5 min was an independent predictor of postoperative hs-cTnT elevation (odds ratio, 4.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 11.1). CONCLUSIONS In a cohort of 300 patients undergoing major elective noncardiac surgery, there was a high incidence of myocardial damage and an association between an intraoperative reduction in SBP more than 50% from baseline lasting more than 5 min and myocardial damage.
Understanding of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Bangladeshi immigrants in New York City

ABSTRACT Objectives: Among all South Asians, Bangladeshis have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of our study was to compare the understanding of CVD risk factors among Bangladeshi immigrants to the general Caucasian population in the U.S. Design: We surveyed Bangladeshi immigrants in Queens, New York using a CVD risk factor knowledge instrument used in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study to assess awareness of risk factors. Using multivariate regression modeling, we compared scores on the knowledge instrument between Bangladeshis we surveyed and Caucasians from the CARDIA study, controlling for potential confounders. We subsequently examined the frequency of mentioning each risk factor to understand what was driving the difference in the overall score. Results: The proportion of Bangladeshis scoring low on the knowledge assessment was 0.53, where as the proportion of whites scoring low in the CARDIA study was 0.32 (p value < .001). Whites were 34% more likely to score high than Bangladeshis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19–1.52). Bangladeshis were more likely to mention diet and cholesterol as risk factors and less likely to mention lack of exercise, being overweight, and smoking as risk factors. Conclusion: Understanding of cardiovascular disease risk factors was lower among Bangladeshis than whites. This was driven by Bangladeshis having less awareness regarding how exercise and being overweight contribute to CVD. Community based interventions and community health partnerships should target these behavioral risk factors in the Bangladeshi population.
The HIV‐1 Tat Transactivator Protein: a Therapeutic Target?

The human immunodeficiency virus‐1 (HIV‐1), the causative agent of autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a major health problem world‐wide. Central to HIV infection is the transactivator protein Tat, that plays a critical role in the nucleus during the HIV infectious cycle, by binding the transactivation‐responsive region (TAR) and thereby enhancing transcriptional elongation. Tat appears to gain nuclear entry through a novel mechanism, independent of the normal cellular importin/Ran‐dependent pathways, and regulated by a cytoplasmic retention mechanism. Since blocking Tat nuclear import is likely to prevent HIV infection, detailed delineation of Tat's nuclear import pathway is critical to assessing its viability as a therapeutic target. Other feasible anti‐HIV therapies include approaches to inhibit Tat‐TAR interaction. IUBMB Life, 55: 669‐680, 2003
A Histidine-rich Cluster Mediates the Ubiquitination and Degradation of the Human Zinc Transporter, hZIP4, and Protects against Zinc Cytotoxicity*

Zinc is an essential nutrient. Genetic evidence for this nutritional requirement in humans is the zinc deficiency disease, acrodermatitis enteropathica. This disorder is caused by mutations in hZIP4 (SLC39A4), a zinc importer required for zinc uptake in enterocytes and other cell types. Studies in mice have demonstrated that levels of the mZIP4 mRNA are reduced by elevated dietary zinc, resulting in a decreased abundance of the ZIP4 protein at the plasma membrane. Moreover, studies in cultured cells have demonstrated that low micromolar concentrations of zinc stimulate the endocytosis of the mZIP4 protein resulting in a reduction in cellular zinc uptake. In this study, we demonstrate an additional level of hZIP4 regulation involving ubiquitination and degradation of this transporter in elevated zinc concentrations. Mutational analysis identified a cytoplasmic histidine-rich domain that was essential for ubiquitin-dependent degradation of ZIP4 and protection against zinc toxicity. However, this motif was dispensable for zinc-induced endocytosis. These findings indicate that ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the ZIP4 protein is critical for regulating zinc homeostasis in response to the upper tier of physiological zinc concentrations, via a process that is distinct from zinc-stimulated endocytosis.
Horizontal Inequalities and Political Violence

Insecurity has become a fact of life for urbanites in African and Asian cities. By the mid- century, two-thirds of the world population will reside in urban areas. The bulk of this urban growth will take place in developing countries. Rural-urban migration is often seen as a consequence of climate change and increasing population pressure in the countryside. Rapid urbanization puts significant demands on city governments’ ability to provide public services like adequate housing, electricity, water supply, health care, education, and employment. Whereas average living standards are usually higher in urban areas, economic growth does not result in prosperity for all. Inequality among city dwellers is a potential source of frustration which could increase the potential for political radicalization and unrest – especially if certain groups are underprivileged and suffer from social exclusion. Drawing on household surveys the paper provides new indicators of internal migration, poverty and inter-individual and inter-group inequality for 34 cities in Africa and Asia for the period 1986–2006. These data are linked with a newly developed dataset on social disorder events in African and Asian cities. The results suggest that it is not the actual movement of rural people into the cities that creates social upheaval. Rather, overall poor and unequal educational opportunities as well as socioeconomic marginalization of rural-urban migrants are found to spur increased levels of lethal urban political violence. This implies that urban planners and decision- makers should relax efforts at reducing the magnitude of cityward migration, and focus instead on promoting inclusive urban governance. This paper is single-authored and is under review by an academic journal. I thank Halvard Buhaug, Erik Gartzke, Scott Gates, Kristian Skrede Gleditsch, Nils Petter Gleditsch, Kristian Hoelscher, Andy Mack, Ragnhild Nordas, Jan Ketil Rod, Havard Strand, and participants at the conference on Climate Change and Security in Trondheim, Norway, 21–24 June 2010 for valuable comments. I am particularly indebted to Henrik Urdal for sharing his data on Urban Social Disorder. I acknowledge financial support from the Research Council of Norway (193754) and centre for the Study of Civil War, PRIO. Replication data and do-files will be made available on the web upon publication of the ms.
Relation between white blood cell counts and myocardial reperfusion in patients with recanalized anterior acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of the white blood cell (WBC) count on admission in relation to the duration of ischemia in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS The relationship of the WBC count on admission to myocardial reperfusion was examined in 135 patients with recanalization of an anterior AMI within 6 h of symptom onset. Patients were classified according to the WBC count on admission: Group L (n=75), WBC count <12,000 cells/mm(3) and group H (n=60), WBC count >or=12,000 cells/mm(3). Peak creatine kinase (CK) was higher and impaired myocardial reperfusion, defined as a myocardial blush grade of 0/1, was more frequent in group H than in group L. Among the patients in group H, those with early (<or=3 h) recanalization had a lower QRS score before recanalization than those with late (>3 h) recanalization; however, peak CK and the incidence of impaired myocardial reperfusion were similar in these subgroups of patients. Multivariate analysis showed that WBC count >or=12,000 cells/mm(3) on admission was an independent predictor of impaired myocardial reperfusion in patients with early recanalization (odds ratio 7.9, p=0.04), but not in those with late recanalization. CONCLUSIONS A higher WBC count may be associated with progression of myocardial damage after recanalization in patients with early recanalization of an anterior AMI.
Information Spectral Efficiency and Launch Power Density Limits Due to Fiber Nonlinearity for Coherent Optical OFDM Systems

We derive closed-form expressions for nonlinear transmission performance of dual-polarization closely spaced coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) systems. We find that the fiber nonlinear noise exhibits a signature of the flicker noise or 1/f noisebeyond the corner frequency that is inversely proportional to the total participating bandwidth. We derive a noise enhancement factor that captures the interference effect of nonlinear noises among different spans. For a 10 &times; 100-km standard single-mode-fiber (SSMF) link with no dispersion compensation at an optimal launch power density of - 15.9 dBm/GHz, the spectral efficiency of 9.90 b/s/Hz can be achieved for dual-polarization transmission, which is about 93% increase over single-polarization transmission. The closed-form expressions are also applicable to the closely spaced coherent single-carrier systems where the symbol rate is much larger than the dispersion walk-off bandwidth, and the optical dispersion is uncompensated.
Nutritionally Induced Insulin Resistance and Receptor Defect Leading to β‐Cell Failure in Animal Models

ABSTRACT: Animals with genetically or nutritionally induced insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes comprise two groups: those with resilient β‐cells, e.g., ob/ob mice or fa/fa rats, capable of longstanding compensatory insulin hypersecretion and those with labile β‐cells in which the secretion pressure leads to β‐cell degranulation and apoptosis, e.g., db/db mice and Psammomys gerbils (sand rats). Psammomys features low insulin receptor density; on a relatively high energy diet it becomes hyperinsulinemic and hyperglycemic. In hyperinsulinemic clamp the hepatic glucose production is only partially suppressed by insulin, even in the normoglycemic state. The capacity of insulin to activate muscle and liver receptor tyrosine kinase is nearly abolished. GLUT4 content and mRNA are markedly reduced. Hyperinsulinemia was also demonstrated to inhibit insulin signaling and glucose transport in several other species. Among the factors affecting the insulin signaling pathway, phosphorylation of serine/threonine appears to be the prominent cause of receptor malfunction as inferred from the finding of overexpression of PKCɛ isoforms in the muscle and liver of Psammomys. The insulin resistance syndrome progressing in animals with labile β‐cells to overt diabetes and β‐cell failure is a “thrifty gene” characteristic. This is probably also true for human populations emerging from food scarcity into nutritional affluence, inappropriate for their metabolic capacity. Thus, the nutritionally induced hyperinsulinemia, associated with PKCɛ activation may be looked upon from the molecular point of view as “PKCɛ overexpression syndrome. ”
A Strategic Asset Pricing Model for Relative Performance Concern

ABSTRACT We propose a strategic asset pricing model for the relative performance concern with heterogeneous beliefs in the framework of Nash equilibrium. In our model, the presence of heterogeneous beliefs generates the upward pressure on the stock market volatility and gives rise to the separation of agents’ perceived Sharpe ratios. We show that if one of the agents temporarily wins the market, the presence of relative performance concern will reduce the impacts of the winner and make the investors who have been edged out of the market more inclined to return. Besides, the sufficiently strong concern of relative performance will bring investors the extreme aversion to losing and get them to trade similarly.