Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification and isolation of murine antigen‐reactive T cells according to CD154 expression

T helper (Th) cells are central regulators of adaptive immune responses. However, the detection of the small number of Th cells specific for a particular antigen or pathogen is still a major challenge. CD154 was recently introduced as a marker for antigen‐specific Th cells. To date, this technology was not applicable for mice – arguably the most important immunological model system. CD154 is difficult to detect due to its rapid removal from the cell surface upon binding to CD40 during antigen‐specific activation by APC. We present an efficient strategy to block the degradation of murine CD154 by combined use of antibodies against CD40 and CD154. This strategy makes CD154 easily accessible for surface staining, which allows isolation and expansion of rare antigen specific T cells. Importantly, CD154 identified all specific T cells in strongly Th1‐ or Th2‐polarized immune responses against pathogens like Salmonella typhimurium and Heligmosomoides polygyrus, independent of their potential to produce cytokines. We demonstrate that CD154 can in fact be used as a reliable marker for antigen‐specific CD4 T cells in mice, offering a unique option to analyze, isolate and rapidly expand the entire pool of Th‐cells generated during a physiological T cell response in vivo.
Predicting Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Nonconcentric Shrinkage Pattern of Breast Cancer Using 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in nonconcentric shrinkage pattern of breast cancer (BC) patients using 1H–magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Methods Twenty-five BC patients were the study cohort. All patients received AT-based regimen as first-line treatment. Tumor response to chemotherapy was evaluated after the second and fourth cycles using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Final histopathology following surgery after 4 to 8 cycles of NAC served as a reference. Changes in total choline integral* (tCho) and tumor size in response versus nonresponse groups were compared using the 2-way Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were undertaken, and the area under the ROC curve compared among them. Results 1H–magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed a negative tCho integral* in 6 cases at the first follow-up and 14 cases at the second follow-up. Based on pathology (Miller-Payne system), there were 16 cases of response, and 9 cases of nonresponse. The tCho integral* was significantly different between the response and nonresponse groups at the second follow-up (P = 0.027). The tumor size changes were not significantly different in the response and nonresponse groups at the second follow-up study (P > 0.05). The comparison of ROC curves among the change in tCho integral* and tumor size at baseline and both follow-ups revealed the maximum area under the ROC curve of the change in tCho integral* to be 0.747 at the second follow-up, sensitivity to be 93.75%, and positive predictive value to be 78.9%. Conclusions In nonconcentric shrinkage pattern after NAC of BC, when tumor size is difficult to reflect the response, tCho integral* reduction may be a predictive marker.
TIMOLOL MALEATE IN TREATMENT OF OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA

The effect of Timolol maleate on the intraocular pressure in open angle glaucoma has been examined in 37 patients, of these simple glaucoma in 26 (48 eyes), capsular glaucoma in 9 (14 eyes) and chronic secondary glaucoma in 2 patients (2 eyes). These cases constituded a group which was relatively difficult to manage.
THE MEGAMASER COSMOLOGY PROJECT. III. ACCURATE MASSES OF SEVEN SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN ACTIVE GALAXIES WITH CIRCUMNUCLEAR MEGAMASER DISKS

Observations of H2O masers from circumnuclear disks in active galaxies for the Megamaser Cosmology Project (MCP) allow accurate measurement of the mass of supermassive black holes (BH) in these galaxies. We present the Very Long Baseline Interferometry images and kinematics of water maser emission in six active galaxies: NGC 1194, NGC 2273, NGC 2960 (Mrk 1419), NGC 4388, NGC 6264 and NGC 6323. We use the Keplerian rotation curves of these six megamaser galaxies, plus a seventh previously published, to determine accurate enclosed masses within the central ∼0.3 pc of these galaxies, smaller than the radius of the sphere of influence of the central mass in all cases. We also set lower limits to the central mass densities of between 0.12 × 1010 and 61 × 1010 M☉ pc−3. For six of the seven disks, the high central densities rule out clusters of stars or stellar remnants as the central objects, and this result further supports our assumption that the enclosed mass can be attributed predominantly to a supermassive BH. The seven BHs have masses ranging between 0.75 × 107 and 6.5 × 107 M☉, with the mass errors dominated by the uncertainty of the Hubble constant. We compare the megamaser BH mass determination with BH mass measured from the virial estimation method. The virial estimation BH mass in four galaxies is consistent with the megamaser BH mass, but the virial mass uncertainty is much greater. Circumnuclear megamaser disks allow the best mass determination of the central BH mass in external galaxies and significantly improve the observational basis at the low-mass end of the M–σ⋆ relation. The M–σ⋆ relation may not be a single, low-scatter power law as originally proposed. MCP observations continue and we expect to obtain more maser BH masses in the future.
Mechanism of inhibition of Na (cid:49) -glucose cotransport in the chronically inﬂamed rabbit ileum

B. West. Mechanism of inhibition of Na (cid:49) -glucose cotransport in the chronically inﬂamed rabbit ileum. Am. J. Physiol. 273 ( Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 36): G913–G919, 1997. —In a rabbit model of chronic ileal inﬂammation, we previously demonstrated that coupled NaCl absorption was reduced because of an inhibition of Cl (cid:50) /HCO 3 (cid:50) but not Na (cid:49) /H (cid:49) exchange on the brush-border membrane (BBM) of villus cells. In this study we determined the alterations in Na (cid:49) -stimu-lated glucose [Na (cid:49) - O -methyl- D -glucose (Na (cid:49) -OMG)] absorption during chronic ileitis. Na (cid:49) -OMG uptake was reduced in villus cells from the chronically inﬂamed ileum. Na (cid:49) -K (cid:49) adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), which provides the favorable Na (cid:49) gradient for this cotransporter in intact cells, was found to be reduced also. However, in villus cell BBM vesicles from the inﬂamed ileum Na (cid:49) -OMG uptake was reduced as well, suggesting an effect at the level of the cotransporter itself. Kinetic studies demonstrated that Na (cid:49) -OMG uptake in the inﬂamed ileum was inhibited by a decrease in the maximal rate of uptake for OMG without a change in the affinity. Analysis of steady-state mRNA and immunoreactive protein levels of this cotransporter demonstrates reduced expression. Thus Na (cid:49) -glucose cotransport was inhibited in the chronically inﬂamed ileum, and the inhibition was secondary to a decrease in the number of cotransporters and not solely secondary to an inhibition of Na (cid:49) -K (cid:49) -ATPase or altered affinity for glucose.
High-dimensional estimation with geometric constraints

Consider measuring an n-dimensional vector x through the inner product with several measurement vectors, a_1, a_2, . , a_m. It is common in both signal processing and statistics to assume the linear response model y_i = + e_i, where e_i is a noise term. However, in practice the precise relationship between the signal x and the observations y_i may not follow the linear model, and in some cases it may not even be known. To address this challenge, in this paper we propose a general model where it is only assumed that each observation y_i may depend on a_i only through . We do not assume that the dependence is known. This is a form of the semiparametric single index model, and it includes the linear model as well as many forms of the generalized linear model as special cases. We further assume that the signal x has some structure, and we formulate this as a general assumption that x belongs to some known (but arbitrary) feasible set K. We carefully detail the benefit of using the signal structure to improve estimation. The theory is based on the mean width of K, a geometric parameter which can be used to understand its effective dimension in estimation problems. We determine a simple, efficient two-step procedure for estimating the signal based on this model -- a linear estimation followed by metric projection onto K. We give general conditions under which the estimator is minimax optimal up to a constant. This leads to the intriguing conclusion that in the high noise regime, an unknown non-linearity in the observations does not significantly reduce one's ability to determine the signal, even when the non-linearity may be non-invertible. Our results may be specialized to understand the effect of non-linearities in compressed sensing.
Foreign direct investments from emerging markets : the challenges ahead

Foreword E.de Almeida, X.Lu , A.Rangnekar & D.Schizer Preface T.H. Moran Acknowledgements FDI by Emerging Market Multinationals and the Impact of the Financial Crisis and Recession K.P.Sauvant , W.A.Maschek & G.McAllister The Global Challenges Facing Emerging Markets J.D. Sachs THE LAY OF THE LAND Reflections on Multinationals in a Globally Interdependent World Economy Y.Aharoni Towards a Re-newed Stages Theory for BRIC Multinationals? R.van Tulder The Theory and Regulation of Emerging Market Multinationals A.M.Rugman Comment: Do We Need a New Theory to Explain Emerging Market MNEs? A.Durnev GAINING GROUND: THE EXPANSION OF EMERGING MARKET MULTINATIONALS Transnationalization of Brazilian Companies P.Resende , A.de Almeida & J.Ramsey Take-off and Turbulence in the Foreign Expansion of Russian Multinationals K.Kalotay Global Players from India: A Political Economy Perspective A.Noelke & H.Taylor How Different are Chinese Foreign Acquisitions? Adding an Indian Comparison H.Rui , G.S. Yip & S.Prashantham Unknown Multinationals: Leading Multinationals from Slovenia A.Jaklic & M.Svetlicic THE POLICY LANDSCAPE: OUTWARD FDI FROM EMERGING MARKETS What Can Emerging Countries Learn from the Outward Direct Investment Policies of Advanced Countries? P.J.Buckley , J.Clegg , A.R. Cross & H.Voss Changing Policy Regimes in Outward Foreign Direct Investment: from Control to Promotion F.de Beule & D.van den Bulcke The Role of Government Policies in Promoting Outward FDI of Emerging Markets: China's Experience X.Qiuzhi & H.Bingjie "South-South" FDI and Political Risk Insurance Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency World Bank Group Multinational Enterprises from Emerging Markets H.G. Broadman THE POLICY LANDSCAPE: INWARD FDI FROM EMERGING MARKETS Is the EU Ready for FDI from Emerging Markets? J.Clifton & D.Diaz-Fuentes Is the US Ready for FDI from Emerging Markets: the Case of China K.P.Sauvant The Policy Landscape: Inward FDI from Emerging Market A.O'Sullivan THE PATH AHEAD The Rise of Emerging Market Multinationals H.Loewendahl The Rise of Emerging Market Multinationals J.E. Alvarez The Rise of Emerging Market Multinationals G.Hufbauer & M.Adler Thinking Outward: Global Players from Emerging Markets S.Thomsen
Heritability of foot conformation and its relationship to sports performance in a Dutch Warmblood horse population.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY Warmblood horse studbooks aim to breed horses with a conformation that will enable elite future performance, but reduce the risk of injuries and lameness. Negative conformational traits, such as asymmetrical or 'uneven' forefeet would possibly diminish performance. OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence and heritability of uneven feet and its genetic relationship to other conformation traits as well as to sporting performance later in life in Warmblood riding horses. METHODS The databases of the Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook (KWPN, n = 44,840 horses) and Royal Dutch Equestrian Sports Federation (KNHS, n = 33,459 horses in dressage and n = 30,474 horses in showjumping) were linked through the unique number of each registered horse. Therefore, heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations could be estimated from the scores of the jury at studbook admission and the sports performance of that population in dressage and jumping over the period 1990-2002. RESULTS The prevalence of uneven feet was 53% on average, and increased from under 4.5% during the first 3 years of recording to over 8% in the years from 2000 onwards. Heritability estimates of foot conformation traits were moderate and ranged from 0.16 for heel height to 0.27 for hoof shape. The genetic correlation between the trait of uneven feet and performance in competition was negative but weak: -0.09 with dressage and -0.12 with showjumping. CONCLUSIONS Predisposition to uneven feet can be reduced by selection. Because of weak genetic correlations, the increased prevalence is not directly associated with selection for better sports performance or higher conformation grade. If the trait 'uneven feet' arises from a disproportionate relationship between height at the withers and neck length, then selection on conformation grade might result in development of uneven feet. In general, limb conformation has a moderate genetic relationship to conformation grade and foot conformation traits have a genetic relationship to sporting performance. Reducing occurrence of uneven feet by selection is possible, without limiting progress in sport performance.
Comparative Analysis of Detecting Monocytic Cells and Their Aberrancy

Backgound and Study PurposeDetection of monocytic cells (MCs) and their aberrancy is important in the diagnoses of monocytic leukemias [chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), acute MML (AMML), and acute monocytic/monoblastic leukemia (AMoL)]. MCs may be identified by cytomorphology (CM), enzyme cytochemical staining with nonspecific esterases, flow cytometric analysis (FCA), and immunohistochemical analysis (IHCA); their aberrancy, by FCA or IHCA. As aberrant antigen expression on MCs is not detected by CM or enzyme cytochemical staining and as there may be instances of “dry tap” or a fresh bone marrow aspirate is not available for further analysis, the primary and specific purpose of this study is to globally compare the detection of MCs and their aberrancy by the 2 methods of FCA and IHCA. ProceduresForty bone marrow (aspirate, clot, and biopsy) samples (7 CMMLs; 33 AMMLs and AMoLs) are evaluated by CM, FCA (complete immunophenotypic panel), and retrospective IHCA (CD2, CD3, CD14, CD33, CD56, CD68, CD123, and CD163). ResultsForty-five percent showed a higher percentage of MCs by FCA than by CM. In addition, CD14, CD2, and CD56 detections on MCs showed greater sensitivity by FCA than by IHCA. By IHCA, CD14 showed the highest specificity for MCs (CD163, less specificity; CD68 and CD33, low specificity). CD123 did not correlate with CD14 or CD163, stained a subset of AMMLs/AMoLs, and stained no CMMLs. By comparing IHCA in clot versus biopsy sections, CD56 showed highest correlation (93%), followed by CD14 (85%) and CD33 (70%). CD68, CD163, and CD123 showed greater reactivities in clots (48%, 44%, and 35%, respectively), likely because of decalcification. ConclusionsFCA is most sensitive in detecting MCs and their aberrancy. By IHCA, CD14 is most specific. CD123 inconsistently marks AMMLs/AMoLs. Further evaluation of CD123 may determine the usefulness of CD123 in AML subtyping and possible prognostic implications and targeted therapy.
Cause and Effect Analysis of Closed Claims in Obstetrics and Gynecology

BACKGROUND: Identifying the etiologies of real or perceived adverse clinical events and undesired outcomes is an important step in improving patient safety and reducing malpractice risks. Systematic analysis of obstetrics and gynecology-related risk management files allows a more complete examination of ways that human and systems factors may contribute to adverse events. OBJECTIVE: To learn the medical complaints of patients who experienced apparent adverse events, the general causes of those adverse events, and the significant specific causal factors involved in obstetrics and gynecology-related risk management cases. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 90 consecutive obstetrics and gynecology-related internal review files opened by a medical center's risk managers between 1995 and 2001. Each file was analyzed to identify factors that may have contributed to or caused unanticipated adverse events. The main outcome was the pattern of contributing factors when they were aggregated into categories. RESULTS: Fifty percent of cases were associated with inpatient obstetrics. Factors that may have contributed to adverse events were identified in 78% of cases, and most had more than one contributing factor. Thirty-one percent of adverse events were associated with apparent communication problems. Clinical performance issues were identified in 31% of cases, diagnostic issues in 18% of cases, and patient behavior contributed to 14% of adverse events. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic, therapeutic, and communication issues were the most common factors identified. Although the generalizability of these data are unknown, all obstetrics and gynecology departments face multiple challenges in assuring consistent quality care. Analysis of claims files may help identify opportunities for improvement. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-3
Divergent evolution and evolution by the birth-and-death process in the immunoglobulin VH gene family.

Immunoglobulin diversity is generated primarily by the heavy- and light-chain variable-region gene families. To understand the pattern of long-term evolution of the heavy-chain variable-region (VH) gene family, which is composed of a large number of member genes, the evolutionary relationships of representative VH genes from diverse organisms of vertebrates were studied by constructing a phylogenetic tree. This tree indicates that the vertebrate VH genes can be classified into group A, B, C, D, and E genes. All VH genes from cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and skates from a monophyletic group and belong to group E, whereas group D consists of bony-fish VH genes. By contrast, group C includes not only some fish genes but also amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammalian genes. Group A and B genes were composed of the genes from mammals and amphibians. The phylogenetic analysis also suggests that mammalian VH genes are classified into three clusters--i.e., mammalian clans I, II, and III-and that these clans have coexisted in the genome for >400 Myr. To study the short-term evolution of VH genes, the phylogenetic analysis of human group A (clan I) and C (clan III) genes was also conducted. The results obtained show that VH pseudogenes have evolved much faster than functional genes and that they have branched off from various functional VH genes. There is little indication that the VH gene family has been subject to concerted evolution that homogenizes member genes. These observations indicate that the VH genes are subject to divergent evolution due to diversifying selection and evolution by the birth-and-death process caused by gene duplication and dysfunctioning mutation. Thus, the evolutionary pattern of this monofunctional multigene family is quite different from that of such gene families as the ribosomal RNA and histone gene families.
Pathogenicity of mumps virus in the marmoset

The neurovirulence of two mumps virus strains was compared using marmosets. Marmosets were inoculated intravenously with the wild‐type mumps virus Odate strain, resulting in evident meningitis in 1 of 3 marmosets at each of the weeks 3, 4, and 5 postinoculation, representing a total of 3 out of 9 marmosets. Nephritis, parotitis, pancreatitis, and tonsillitis were manifest in addition to central nervous system (CNS) sequelae. On the other hand, the Jeryl Lynn vaccine strain did not induce histopathological changes in the CNS and multiplication of the Jeryl Lynn strain was distinctly lower compared to that of the Odate strain in the marmoset. This is the first report to describe the induction of meningitis in non‐human primates after peripheral inoculation of a wild‐type mumps virus, presenting findings useful for the elucidation of the mechanism of infection and pathology of mumps virus in the CNS. The distinction observed between the Odate and Jeryl Lynn strains suggests the applicability of the marmoset model for the evaluation of any neurovirulence potential of vaccine strains. J. Med. Virol. 66:115–122, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Science with the Keck Interferometer ASTRA program

The ASTrometric and phase-Referenced Astronomy (ASTRA) project will provide phase referencing and astrometric observations at the Keck Interferometer, leading to enhanced sensitivity and the ability to monitor orbits at an accuracy level of 30-100 microarcseconds. Here we discuss recent scientific results from ASTRA, and describe new scientific programs that will begin in 2010-2011. We begin with results from the "self phase referencing" (SPR) mode of ASTRA, which uses continuum light to correct atmospheric phase variations and produce a phase-stabilized channel for spectroscopy. We have observed a number of protoplanetary disks using SPR and a grism providing a spectral dispersion of ~ 2000. In our data we spatially resolve emission from dust as well as gas. Hydrogen line emission is spectrally resolved, allowing differential phase measurements across the emission line that constrain the relative centroids of different velocity components at the 10 microarcsecond level. In the upcoming year, we will begin dual-field phase referencing (DFPR) measurements of the Galactic Center and a number of exoplanet systems. These observations will, in part, serve as precursors to astrometric monitoring of stellar orbits in the Galactic Center and stellar wobbles of exoplanet host stars. We describe the design of several scientific investigations capitalizing on the upcoming phase-referencing and astrometric capabilities of ASTRA.
Relationships between Religion and Prejudice: Implicit and Explicit Measures.

This study examined the relationship among implicit and explicit measures of prejudice (against African-Americans, homosexuals, and Muslims), Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), Religious Fundamentalism (RF), and Christian Orthodoxy (CO). The implicit measure of prejudice was Facial EMG, which is the measurement of the activity of key facial muscles when participants were exposed to pictures of members of the minority groups, as well as to pictures of the corresponding group. The explicit measure of prejudice was the Social Distance Scale, which measures how willing people are to have someone in a variety of close relationships. The primary hypothesis was that one’s score on the implicit (and some of the explicit) measures of prejudice can be predicted using RF, CO, and RWA. The analyses revealed that RWA was predictive of prejudice against homosexuals and Muslims, but not against African-Americans. INDEX WORDS: Prejudice, Racism, Religion, Religiosity, Implicit Prejudice, Facial EMG, Fundamentalism RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RELIGION AND PREJUDICE: IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT MEASURES.