Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SEPARABILITY, AGGREGATION, AND EULER EQUATION ESTIMATION

We derive a seminonparametric utility function containing the constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) function as a special case, and we estimate the associated Euler equations with U.S. consumption data. There is strong evidence that the CRRA function is misspecified. The correctly specified function includes lagged effects of durable goods and perhaps nondurable goods, is bounded as required by Arrow's Utility Boundedness Theorem, and has a positive rate of time preference. Constraining sample periods and separability structure to be consistent with the generalized axiom of revealed preference affects estimation results substantially. Using Divisia aggregates instead of the NIPA aggregates also affects results.
Intimate Partner Victimization Among Adults Aged 60 and Older: An Analysis of the 1999 and 2004 General Social Survey

Accounts in both the scientific literature and popular media have brought about increased recognition of the reality of elder abuse. However, relatively little work has examined intimate partner victimization with respect to older adults. In this study, weighted data from cycles 13 (1999) and 18 (2004) of the General Social Survey are pooled to examine how factors uniquely influence the prevalence and risk of emotional, financial, and physical abuse among adults aged 60 and over. Considerations regarding elder abuse committed by spouses, versus abuse of older adults more broadly (by their children and other adults), are also discussed.
Phenytoin dosage adjustment in Saudi epileptics: utilization of steady‐state pharmacokinetic parameters

We determined the Michaelis‐Menten parameters (Vmax and Km) in 271 Saudi epileptic patients having generalized tonicclonic seizures and who were treated with phenytoin (PHT) using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The patients comprised 150 (55.4%) males and 121 (44.6%) females, with a mean age of 31.7 years (SD = 18.5). The mean Vmax, for subjects less than 16 years of age was 10.35 mg/kg/day (SD = 0.73, range = 3.77‐17.01), while for those above 16 years, the mean value was 7.99 mg/kg/day (SD = 0.15, range = 3.68–15.95). The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Vmax was positively correlated with weight (r= 0.953), but negative with age (r= 0.903). Km values ranged from 1.01‐20.87 mg/litre. The adult Km mean of 6.52 mg/l (SD = 0.24) was significantly higher than the mean of 4.79 mg/l (SD = 0.40) for pediatric patients (P < 0.01), but Km was correlated neither with age nor with weight. Our results showed no difference between the predicted and observed serum PHT concentrations in both the pediatric and adult patients when the respective, age group Km and Vmax values were used to adjust PHT doses. The pediatric cases, however, required 30% more PHT per kilogram of body weight than the adults for the achievement of similar serum concentrations.
Identification of Specificity Determinants and Generation of Alleles with Novel Specificity at the het-cHeterokaryon Incompatibility Locus of Neurospora crassa

ABSTRACT The capacity for nonself recognition is a ubiquitous and essential aspect of biology. In filamentous fungi, nonself recognition during vegetative growth is believed to be mediated by genetic differences at heterokaryon incompatibility (het) loci. Filamentous fungi are capable of undergoing hyphal fusion to form mycelial networks and with other individuals to form vegetative heterokaryons, in which genetically distinct nuclei occupy a common cytoplasm. InNeurospora crassa, 11 het loci have been identified that affect the viability of such vegetative heterokaryons. The het-c locus has at least three mutually incompatible alleles, termed het-cOR, het-cPA , and het-cGR . Hyphal fusion between strains that are of alternative het-c specificity results in vegetative heterokaryons that are aconidial and which show growth inhibition and hyphal compartmentation and death. A 34- to 48-amino-acid variable domain, which is dissimilar in HET-COR, HET-CPA, and HET-CGR, confers allelic specificity. To assess requirements for allelic specificity, we constructed chimeras between the het-c variable domain from 24 different isolates that displayed amino acid and insertion or deletion variations and determined their het-c specificity by introduction into N. crassa. We also constructed a number of artificial alleles that contained novel het-cspecificity domains. By this method, we identified four additional and novel het-c specificities. Our results indicate that amino acid and length variations within the insertion or deletion motif are the primary determinants for conferring het-c allelic specificity. These results provide a molecular model for nonself recognition in multicellular eucaryotes.
Adaptive coordination and heedfulness make better cockpit crews

Team coordination during a simulated clean approach performed by 42 civil aviation cockpit crews was analysed. Several hypotheses regarding the adaptive use of implicit and explicit coordination, leadership and heedful interrelating were tested. The results indicate the adaptiveness of coordination to different levels of standardisation and task load and the general importance of explicit coordination for good performance. Leadership seems to be required mainly for work phases with little standardisation. In exploratory lag sequential analyses, heedful behaviour in the seven best and six worst performing crews was examined. The coordination sequences in high performance crews were found to be more succinct and well balanced, indicating that a shared sense of heedfulness is crucial for effectiveness. Theoretical implications for the conceptualisation of adaptive coordination and heedfulness and practical implications for improving crew training are discussed. Statement of Relevance: Analyses of team coordination during a simulated clean approach performed by civil aviation cockpit crews demonstrated the occurrence and effectiveness of adaptive coordination in response to different levels of task load and standardisation. Results also indicated the importance of heedful interrelating, both as a form of coordination and as a way of regulating the adaptiveness of coordination efforts. These findings have important implications for improving crew training, leadership practices and possibly also standard operating procedures.
Off-line Handwritten Arabic Character Recognition : A Survey

The automatic recognition of text on scanned images has several applications such as automatic postal mail sorting and searching in large volume of documents. Although Arabic handwritten text recognition has been addressed by many researchers, it remains a challenging task due to several factors. This paper presents an overview of off-line handwritten Arabic character recognition and summarizes the main technical challenges and characteristics of Arabic. It also investigates the relevant existing research carried out towards this perspective.
The Volhard Lecture Potassium and sodium in hypertension

For the first 98.5% of mankind's existence, prehistoric people all ate low-sodium high-potassium, low-fat diets. With evolutionary forces working all this while, humans became very well adapted to the low-sodium, high-potassium, low-fat diet. In modern times, man has deserted his ancient cuisine and now favours a high-sodium, low-potassium, high-fat diet, which has produced several `diseases of civilization', including hypertension. Many studies indicate that a `normal'-potassium diet encourages arterial thickening and lesions in hypertensive arteries and kidneys, whereas a high-potassium diet can prevent many of these arterial and renal lesions, even though the blood pressure remains equally hypertensive. The high-potassium diet also tends to retard the development of hypertension. In susceptible people and rats, a high-NaCl diet leads to hypertension. This susceptibility is probably brought about by kidneys that have a sluggish sodium excretion in response to a NaCl load. This type of kidney combined with a high-NaCl diet tends to produce NaCl retention. Evidence is presented that this NaCl signal may be perceived by structures in the wall of the third brain ventricle. In susceptible men or rats, this can lead to a hypertensive rise in blood pressure, which over time can become partially irreversible, even though a low-NaCl diet is reinstituted.
Identification of T cell autoepitopes that cross-react with the C-terminal segment of the M protein of group A streptococci.

Rheumatic fever (RF) follows a throat infection with different M-serotypes of beta-hemolytic group A streptococci (GAS) and can affect different tissues, predominantly the heart. It is thought to be an autoimmune illness. Although histological examination of affected heart shows an infiltrate consisting mainly of T cells, antigens or epitopes that could be putative targets of autoimmune T cells have not been identified. We have examined the T cell response to the conserved C-terminal region of the M protein--a streptococcal surface coiled-coil protein which is the target of opsonic antibodies and antibodies which cross-react with human heart tissue. Australian Aborigine, Caucasian and Thai patients, controls and mice were studied to define regions of the protein immunogenic for T cells, and T cell lines and clones were tested for cross-reactivity to myosin as well as an extract of RF-diseased mitral heart valve. Murine (B10, B10.D2, B10.BR) M peptide-specific T cells were often cross-reactive for other M peptides but did not cross-react with human heart antigens. Patients with RF or other heart diseases, or control subjects exposed more commonly to GAS were more likely to have T cell responses to the M protein, with many regions of the C-terminus being recognized. T cell lines and a clone specific for different M peptides were generated from five donors. Cross-reactivity could be shown between different M peptides, but unlike murine M peptide-specific T cells three of the human T cell lines reacted strongly to peptides representing homologous regions of cardiac and skeletal muscle myosins, and two of these lines also responded to porcine myosin and an extract of human rheumatic mitral valve. However, these last two lines were derived from a normal donor without history of RF or other heart disease. Our data demonstrate that regions of the M protein, including regions that are being considered as subunit vaccines, have the potential to stimulate pre-existing heart cross-reactive T cells, but that the ability of such T cells to cross-react (as measured in vitro) is not in itself sufficient to lead to disease.
The role of working memory capacity and interference resolution mechanisms in task switching

Theories of task switching have emphasized a number of control mechanisms that may support the ability to flexibly switch between tasks. The present study examined the extent to which individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and two measures of interference resolution, response–distractor inhibition and resistance to proactive interference (PI), account for variability in task switching, including global costs, local costs, and N-2 repetition costs. A total of 102 young and 60 older adults were tested on a battery of tasks. Composite scores were created for WM capacity, response–distractor inhibition, and resistance to PI; shifting was indexed by rate residual scores, which combine response time and accuracy and account for individual differences in processing speed. Composite scores served as predictors of task switching. WM was significantly related to global switch costs. While resistance to PI and WM explained some variance in local costs, these effects did not reach significance. In contrast, none of the control measures explained variance in N-2 repetition costs. Furthermore, age effects were only evident for N-2 repetition costs, with older adults demonstrating larger costs than young adults. Results are discussed within the context of theoretical models of task switching.
Interactions of Pseudorabies Virus With Swine Alveolar Macrophages: Effects of Virus Infection on Cell Functions

In order to assess the effect of Pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection on the function of swine alveolar macrophages (AM), lung lavage cells were cultured, infected with one of six strains of PRV, and various activities were measured. Activity measurement included viability, phagocytosis of yeast, phagosome‐lysosome fusion, phagocytosis of opsonized particles, and superoxide release. AM were infected with 5 × 10‐3 PFU/cell, and the comparative assessment of functions was performed at 18‐20 h postinfection. Cell viability in PRV‐infected cultures ranged from 79 to 94% of the viability in noninfected cultures. Phagocytosis of yeast was significantly reduced only in the AM cultures infected with the strain S‐62. Phagosome‐lysosome fusion was depressed in cultures infected with the strains S‐62, 4892, 3816, and BUK. The phagocytosis of opsonized sheep red blood cells showed significant differences between noninfected and PRV‐infected cultures in all cases except cultures infected with the strain PRV‐C. The O2 release after stimulation with opsonized zymosan was significantly reduced in all the PRV‐infected cultures. The effect of PRV infection on AM functions that are related to the bacterial activity of such cells suggests that PRV‐induced AM dysfunction might have a role in the increased susceptibility of PRV‐infected pigs to bacterial pneumonia.
Effect of attachment of anticandidal antibody to the surfaces of liposomes encapsulating amphotericin B in the treatment of murine candidiasis

The effect produced by antibody specific to Candida albicans when attached to liposomes containing amphotericin B was studied in vivo. Liposomal amphotericin B bearing specific immunoglobulin (LAMB-Ab) was compared with the unencapsulated drug (fAMB) and other liposomal amphotericin B formulations in the short-term survival (21 days) of mice with disseminated candidiasis. Both the treatment and prophylaxis of the murine model of candidiasis were explored in these trials. LAMB-Ab increased survival rates in the model more than other liposomal preparations containing amphotericin B. Liposomal amphotericin B compounds as a group prolonged survival over fAMB. Liposomal preparations used for comparison included liposomes with attached nonspecific antibody (LAMB-Ab-), liposomes without antibody (LAMB), and liposomes with unattached specific antibody (LAMB+).
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma polymorphism, body mass and prostate cancer risk: evidence for gene-environment interaction.

BACKGROUND Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma has been implicated in prostate cancer. In the present case-control study, we tested if a common Pro12Ala polymorphism in PPAR-gamma is associated with the risk of prostate cancer. METHODS Ninety-one adult Caucasians with prostate cancer were recruited between 1994 and 1998. Blood samples were also obtained from 237 community-based Caucasian men without prostate cancer. RESULTS Twenty-six percent of cases and 19% of controls carried at least one Ala allele (p = 0.16). There was a significant interaction between the PPAR-gamma polymorphism and body mass index (BMI) in age-adjusted analyses (p < 0.05). Among the subgroup of men with BMI above 27.2 kg/m2 (median in controls), carriers of the Ala allele had over 2-fold greater risk of prostate cancer compared to those with the Pro12Pro genotype (odds ratio, OR: 2.77; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.25-6.16). No association was observed between the PPAR-gamma genotype and prostate cancer among men with BMI below the median (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.23-1.97). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a novel gene-environment interaction between the PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism and body mass in prostate cancer. Further research, particularly prospective studies, is needed to confirm these findings and to clarify the underlying mechanisms involved.
An Information-Based Model of NGO Mediation for the Empowerment of Slum Dwellers in Bangalore

With the rapid increase in population coupled with the seemingly irreversible flow of people from rural to urban areas, cities in the developing world are acquiring unplanned and uncontrolled squatter settlements at their peripheries. The provision of urban services and infrastructure in these cities is hampered by the failure of formal bureaucratic government institutions to collect appropriate information for planning, especially in areas that fall outside the remit of the formal networks. A growing number of grass-roots nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have sought to rectify the situation by acting as intermediaries between urban slum dwellers and the government. In this article, we review the literature on forms of intermediation by NGOs and other organizations working for citizen groups. We then present a case study of Jana Sahayog, an NGO operating in the slums of Bangalore, which employs an information-based model of NGO-mediated intervention. The article describes the various information-based initiatives that Jana Sahayog has undertaken to open up channels of communication between citizens and the government. Jana Sahayog's experience offers valuable lessons for NGOs operating in other parts of the world.
Last Glacial Maximum and Holocene Climate in CCSM3

Abstract The climate sensitivity of the Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3) is studied for two past climate forcings, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the mid-Holocene. The LGM, approximately 21 000 yr ago, is a glacial period with large changes in the greenhouse gases, sea level, and ice sheets. The mid-Holocene, approximately 6000 yr ago, occurred during the current interglacial with primary changes in the seasonal solar irradiance. The LGM CCSM3 simulation has a global cooling of 4.5°C compared to preindustrial (PI) conditions with amplification of this cooling at high latitudes and over the continental ice sheets present at LGM. Tropical sea surface temperature (SST) cools by 1.7°C and tropical land temperature cools by 2.6°C on average. Simulations with the CCSM3 slab ocean model suggest that about half of the global cooling is explained by the reduced LGM concentration of atmospheric CO2 (∼50% of present-day concentrations). There is an increase in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current an.
Levels of plasma fibrinogen and d-dimer in patients with impaired fasting glucose.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular risk associated with impaired fasting glucose has been examined in various studies with conflicting results. During the last 10 years, several risk markers for atherosclerosis such as fibrinogen and D-dimer have been identified. The present study was designed to evaluate plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose compared with normal subjects and those with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS Age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched 30 normal subjects, 30 patients with impaired fasting glucose (fasting glucose 110 to 125 mg/dl), and 30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (fasting glucose >/= 126 mg/dl) were included in the study. RESULTS The levels of plasma fibrinogen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, and normal subjects were 449 (306 - 605) mg/dl, 348 (264 - 468) mg/dl, and 216 (179 - 260) mg/dl, respectively. Patients with impaired fasting glucose had significantly lower plasma fibrinogen levels than patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). There were significantly higher plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose than in normal subjects (p < 0.05). The levels of plasma D-dimer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, and normal subjects were 615 (505 - 768) mg/l, 518 (412 - 664) mg/l, and 424 (356 - 557) mg/l, respectively. Patients with impaired fasting glucose had significantly lower plasma D-dimer levels than patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). There were significantly higher plasma D-dimer levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose than in normal subjects (p < 0.05). The levels of plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer were related to fasting glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose groups (p < 0.05). We also detected positive correlation between plasma fibrinogen levels and age in study groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that patients with impaired fasting glucose pose a hypofibrinolytic status and cardiovascular risk, although this was lower than in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma: Prognostic markers and their impact on therapy

ABSTRACT Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). DLBCL is clinically, pathologically and molecularly heterogeneous disease. Various clinical, pathological and molecular markers have been developed to characterize the disease. Based on these characterizations, new targeted agents are being investigated to optimize the treatment and improve the outcomes of DLBCL. Enhanced molecular understanding, invention of targeted agents and immunotherapy has opened the doors for improvement in the treatment of DLBCL. In this review, we will discuss various prognostic markers of DLBCL and their potential therapeutic implications.
Observations and modeling of the dust emission from the H2-bright galaxy-wide shock in Stephan's Quintet

Context. Spitzer Space Telescope observations have detected powerful mid-infrared (mid-IR) H_2 rotational line emission from the X-ray emitting large-scale shock (~15 × 35 kpc^2) associated with a galaxy collision in Stephan's Quintet (SQ). Because H_2 forms on dust grains, the presence of H_2 is physically linked to the survival of dust, and we expect some dust emission to originate in the molecular gas. Aims. To test this interpretation, IR observations and dust modeling are used to identify and characterize the thermal dust emission from the shocked molecular gas. Methods. The spatial distribution of the IR emission allows us to isolate the faint PAH and dust continuum emission associated with the molecular gas in the SQ shock. We model the spectral energy distribution (SED) of this emission, and fit it to Spitzer observations. The radiation field is determined with GALEX UV, HST V-band, and ground-based near-IR observations. We consider two limiting cases for the structure of the H_2 gas: it is either diffuse and penetrated by UV radiation, or fragmented into clouds that are optically thick to UV. Results. Faint PAH and dust continuum emission are detected in the SQ shock, outside star-forming regions. The 12/24 μm flux ratio in the shock is remarkably close to that of the diffuse Galactic interstellar medium, leading to a Galactic PAH/VSG abundance ratio. However, the properties of the shock inferred from the PAH emission spectrum differ from those of the Galaxy, which may be indicative of an enhanced fraction of large and neutrals PAHs. In both models (diffuse or clumpy H_2 gas), the IR SED is consistent with the expected emission from dust associated with the warm (> 150 K) H_2 gas, heated by a UV radiation field of intensity comparable to that of the solar neighborhood. This is in agreement with GALEX UV observations that show that the intensity of the radiation field in the shock is GUV = 1.4±0.2 [Habing units]. Conclusions. The presence of PAHs and dust grains in the high-speed (~1000 km s^(-1)) galaxy collision suggests that dust survives. We propose that the dust that survived destruction was in pre-shock gas at densites higher than a few 0.1 cm^(-3), which was not shocked at velocities larger than ~200 km s^(-1). Our model assumes a Galactic dust-to-gas mass ratio and size distribution, and current data do not allow us to identify any significant deviations of the abundances and size distribution of dust grains from those of the Galaxy. Our model calculations show that far-IR Herschel observations will help in constraining the structure of the molecular gas, and the dust size distribution, and thereby to look for signatures of dust processing in the SQ shock.