Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex-restricted Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Specific for Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Nuclear Antigens Fail to Lyse the EBV-transformed B Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines

We have raised CD8 § cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from three Epstein-Barr virus-seropositive donors by incubating peripheral blood lymphocytes with irradiated autologous B95.8-strain EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cells (LCL). However, to detect lysis in a standard SlCr release assay of the LCL against which these CTL were raised, superinfection with recombinant vaccinia expressing the appropriate EBV protein or incubation with the peptide epitope was necessary. The untreated LCL were not lysed, even though Western blotting demonstrated that they expressed the EBV antigens containing the CTL epitopes. We have found CTL of this phenotype that are restricted by human leukocyte antigen-A2, -A3, -B7, or -B39, and which recognize the EBV latent proteins, EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)-3A, EBNA-3C, or terminal protein. During these experiments, we identified a new human leukocyte antigen-A3-restricted EBNA-3A epitope, residues 603-611, RLtLAEAGVK. We raised a spontaneous LCL, transformed by endogenous EBV, from one donor, but this was also not lysed. For at least one of the epitopes, CTL from another donor lysed the LCL without superinfection or addition of peptides. We conclude that the CTL were unable to achieve a high enough avidity of interaction with untreated LCL to trigger effector function, although the LCL were able to stimulate them to grow in vitro for up to 4 too. To assess whether a small percentage of the LCL might possess a higher antigen density, we used an assay of tumor necrosis factor release from a CTL clone, which was able to detect antigen-bearing cells representing only 1% of a stimulating LCL population. Nevertheless, the untreated autologous LCL line failed to stimulate tumor necrosis factor release.
Differences in Treatment Effect Among Clinical Subgroups in a Randomized Clinical Trial of Long-Acting Injectable Risperidone and Oral Antipsychotics in Unstable Chronic Schizophrenia

Abstract A long-term randomized trial of unstable patients with schizophrenia found no benefit of long-acting injectable (LAI) risperidone over oral treatment in preventing or delaying time to psychiatric hospitalizations or on clinical outcomes. The initial analyses did not examine whether benefits of LAI emerged in selected subgroups. Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had been hospitalized within the past 2 years or judged to be at risk for hospitalization because of increasing psychiatric service use were randomly assigned to LAI risperidone 12.5 to 50 mg per injection biweekly or to the psychiatrist’s choice of oral antipsychotics and followed for up to 2 years. The primary endpoint was psychiatric rehospitalization. Symptoms, quality of life, and global functioning were assessed through blinded videoconference interviews. Cox’s regression and mixed effects models were used to assess difference in treatment effect within 12 subgroups defined by hospitalization at study entry, substance abuse, race, symptom severity, quality of life, body mass index, age, race or sex, or reported medication compliance. Mixed models and Cox’s regression using up to 24 months of follow-up data showed no significant differences in treatment effect in 10 of 12 subgroups on psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, or time to hospitalization. With adjustment for multiple comparisons, treatment effect differed by race on substance use outcomes, with white participants showing more benefit from LAI than other groups. LAI risperidone showed no superiority to psychiatrist’s choice of oral treatment in most clinically defined subgroups, although the white patients benefited more than the other groups on substance abuse outcomes.
Association of nitric oxide production by kidney proximal tubular cells in response to lipopolysaccharide and cytokines with cellular damage

Recent findings suggest that nitric oxide (NO) is an important biologic mediator which exerts a wide variety of effects on numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes. L-Arginine is oxidized to L-citrulline with concomitant NO production; as a result, nitrate and nitrite accumulates. This study was conducted to determine the potential NO production by proximal tubular cells (PTC) in response to bacterial lipopolysac-charides (LPS) and cytokines and to evaluate the cytotoxic effect associated with NO release. After a 7-day stimulation with LPS (100 micrograms/ml), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) (10 ng/ml), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) (10 ng/ml), the nitrate and nitrite levels were determined by a spectrophotometric method based on the Griess reaction. Moreover, alpha-methylglucopyranoside phosphate and lactate dehydrogenase release and the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay served as indicators of sodium-dependent hexose transport integrity and cell death, respectively. IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha used alone or together or combined with LPS led to a significant generation of NO by PTC. Our results also demonstrate that NO induced by LPS and cytokines could inhibit sodium-dependent transport and could induce PTC damage.
Estimation of Store Choice Model with Endogenous Shopping Bundles

This paper examines the eects of measurement errors in household shopping plans and price beliefs on the estimates of price elasticities in retail outlet choice. Previous studies parsimoniously use realized purchases as a proxy for unobserved shopping lists and assume homogenous price expectation across all households and over the entire sample period. This measurement error in forecasting expected basket costs introduces attenuation bias in storelevel price elasticities toward zero. I show that the bias is reduced with my improved measures of expected basket costs by estimating shopping lists of households and by constructing household-, time-, store-, and goods-specic price expectations.
Given Diabetes, Is Fat Better Than Thin?

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between BMI and mortality in women and men with type II diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), height and weight measurements, and medical history were obtained from 4,483 community-dwelling adults, aged 40–79 years, in 1972–1974. A total of 373 persons with either a history of diabetes or FPG ≥ 7.77 mmol/l were studied. Subjects were grouped into four sex-specific weight categories based on U.S. population data. Vital status after 14 years was known for 99.9% of the patients studied. Cox models were used to assess relative survival by weight category. RESULTS Diabetic men and women of average weight had the lowest mortality. A J-shaped relative risk curve by weight category was found, with a poorer survival rate for those who were thin, overweight, or obese. This effect was not explained by early mortality or cigarette smoking. CONCLUSIONS Being thin may not provide a mortality benefit for diabetic men and women. Average weight appears to be desirable.
Effects of strength training on lactate threshold and endurance performance.

To determine the effects of 12 wk of strength training on lactate threshold (LT) and endurance performance, 18 healthy untrained males between 25 and 34 yr of age were randomly assigned to either strength training (N = 10) or control (N = 8) groups. Despite no changes in treadmill VO2max or cycle peak VO2, a 33 +/- 5% increase (P less than 0.001) in cycling time to exhaustion at 75% of peak VO2 was observed following training. No significant changes in cycling time were observed in the control group. There were significant reductions in plasma lactate concentration at all relative exercise intensities ranging between 55 and 75% of peak VO2 training. The improved endurance performance was associated with a 12% increase in LT (r = 0.78, P less than 0.001). The strength training program resulted in significant improvements (P less than 0.001) of 31 +/- 5% and 35 +/- 7% in isokinetic peak torque values for leg extension and flexion, respectively, at a velocity of 30 degrees.s-1. There were also significant increases in 1-RM values of 30 +/- 4% (P less than 0.001) for leg extension, 52 +/- 6% (P less than 0.001) for leg flexion, and 20 +/- 4% (P less than 0.001) for the bench press. These findings indicate that strength training improves cycle endurance performance independently of changes in VO2max. This improved performance appears to be related to increases in LT and leg strength.
Development and Internal Validation of the Male Osteoporosis Risk Estimation Score

PURPOSE We wanted to develop and validate a clinical prediction rule to identify men at risk for osteoporosis and subsequent hip fracture who might benefit from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). METHODS We used risk factor data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III to develop a best fitting multivariable logistic regression model in men aged 50 years and older randomized to either the development (n = 1,497) or validation (n = 1,498) cohorts. The best fitting model was transformed into a simplified scoring algorithm, the Male Osteoporosis Risk Estimation Score (MORES). We validated the MORES, comparing sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve in the 2 cohorts and assessed clinical utility with an analysis of the number needed-to-screen (NNS) to prevent 1 additional hip fracture. RESULTS The MORES included 3 variables—age, weight, and history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—and showed excellent predictive validity in the validation cohort. A score of 6 or greater yielded an overall sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85–0.97), a specificity of 0.59 (95% CI, 0.56–0.62), and an area under the ROC curve of 0.832 (95% CI, 0.807–0.858). The overall NNS to prevent 1 additional hip fracture was 279 in a cohort of men representative of the US population. CONCLUSIONS Osteoporosis is a major predictor of hip fractures. Experts believe bisphosphonate treatment in men should yield results similar to that in women and reduce hip fracture rates associated with osteoporosis. In men aged 60 years and older, the MORES is a simple approach to identify men at risk for osteoporosis and refer them for confirmatory DXA scans.
[Association study of NOS1 gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia].

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia. METHODS Twenty eight tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOS1 in 382 schizophrenic patients and 448 healthy individuals sampled from Chinese Han population were analyzed by a Illumina GoldenGate Genotyping Assay. RESULTS One SNP (rs1520811) was found to be associated with schizophrenia, which however becomes negative after Bonferroni correction (P>0.05). Further analysis has failed to identify any association between particular haplotypes and the disease. CONCLUSION Our results did not support a significant association between NOS1 gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia.
Effects of Radiation and Hydrogen-Loading on the Performances of Raman-Distributed Temperature Fiber Sensors

The integration of Raman-distributed temperature fiber-based sensors (RDTS) into the envisioned French deep geological repository for nuclear wastes, called Cigéo requires evaluating how the performances of RDTS evolve in harsh environments, more precisely in presence of H2 or γ-rays. Both H2 and radiations are shown to affect the temperature measurements made with the single-ended RDTS technology. The amplitudes of the observed effects depend on the different classes of multimode fibers varying in terms of composition and coatings. By selecting the most tolerant fiber structure for the sensing, we could maintain the RDTS performances for such application. A hardening by system studies will be mandatory before integration of single-ended RDTS in Cigéo.
Bioefficacy of Certain Neem Based Formulations Against Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci Gennadius Causing Leaf Curl Disease in Tomato

Among eight neem based formulations tested against whitefly causing leaf curl disease in tomato, nimbecidine proved most promising in minimizing the leaf curl incidence (08.33 and 08.73 %) in both years followed by Neemazal, Neemgold, RD-9-Repelin, Bioneem, Neemark, Neemta-2100 and Achook. Achook was least effective (23.13 and 23.64 % leaf curl incidence), however it was significantly superior over untreated control. The highest leaf curl incidence was recorded in untreated control, which was as high as 35.12 and 36.31 % during both years.
Studies on the Radiolytically Produced Transients of Neutral Red: Triplet and Reduced Radicals

Abstract The spectral and kinetic properties of reduced radicals and the triplet state of neutral red (NR), a phenazine-based dye, have been investigated using pulse radiolysis technique. A mixed water–isopropanol–acetone solvent has been used to study the reduced radicals of NR for a wide pH range of about 1–13, due to limitation of solubility of the dye in aqueous solutions particularly above pH 8. From pH-dependent absorption studies it has been established that the reduced radicals of NR can exist in four different prototropic forms in solution. Three pKa values for the corresponding prototropic equilibria have been estimated. The formation and decay rate constants of reduced radicals have also been measured. The triplet state characteristics of the dye have been investigated in neat benzene solutions, both in the presence and in the absence of triplet sensitizers. The T1 → Tn absorption spectrum and decay kinetics of the triplet state have been measured. The triplet state energy (ET) of NR in benzene have been estimated to be within 36–42 kcal mol−1, using an energy transfer method.
Molecular characterization of D– Korean persons: development of a diagnostic strategy

BACKGROUND: D– frequencies show wide racial differences: in particular, in Korean persons it is approximately 1/100th of that in Caucasians (0.15% vs. 15%). The molecular mechanisms of D– may be unique to races, and thus specific molecular diagnostic approaches are necessary for individual races. Such marked racial differences have been attributed to the founder effect. It was hypothesized that D– frequencies may be affected by genomic variations of Rhesus boxes, which are instruments of unequal crossing‐over.
Long-term treatment of generalised myasthenia gravis with FK506 (tacrolimus)

Efficacy and safety of long term use of FK506 (2–4.5 mg/day) for a maximum of two years were evaluated in 12 patients with generalised myasthenia gravis (MG). At the end of the study, eight patients (67%) showed improvement in either MG score or Activities in Daily Living score, and prednisolone dosage could be reduced in seven patients (58%), with a mean reduction ratio of 37%. Long term use of FK506 for MG can be more effective than short term administration, with no serious side effects.
The cell-bag of enzymes or network of channels?

Everyone who has taken a biochemistry course since 1950 has been told during the course, "The cell is not a bag of enzymes. " To the extent that our teachers explained this statement, it meant that, even though most enzymes are soluble proteins, the cytoplasm is not simply a highly concentrated protein solution bathing a set of organelles. Investigations of membranous enzyme assemblies, such as the respiratory chain, and of tightly bound complexes, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase, have shown some advantages that flow from juxtaposition of enzymes catalyzing sequential reactions, e.g., efficient catalysis of multistep sequences, rapid metabolic adjustments to environmental changes within a cell, efficient regulation of metabolic pathways, and so forth. If the cell is not a bag of enzymes, what is it? New experimental approaches in the past decade have suggested a high degree of organized structure within regions of cells that do not readily reveal such organization when viewed by conventional techniques, such as electron microscopy. Evidently, protein-protein interactions play large roles in stabilizing such structures (7), a concept flowing naturally from several observations about protein biology and biochemistry. First, intracellular protein concentrations are far higher (up to 350 mg/ml) than the concentrations at which enzymes are usually studied, for example, in assays of enzyme activity. Weak protein associations that might maintain organized intracellular structures could well disappear at the far lower protein concentrations with which enzyme kineticists work in vitro. Second, evolution seems to have conserved not only functional sites of protein molecules but also structural features that might determine the abilities of proteins to associate with one another. McConkey (13) showed that two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of human and hamster proteins reveals at least 50% congruence between the two patterns, as if molecular size and surface distribution of charged amino acid residues had been retained across the evolutionary gulf separating these species. Third, molar concentrations of many enzymes in vivo are quite high. Srivastava and Bernhard (20) assembled data indicating that in rabbit muscle cells, concentrations of the glycolytic enzymes are higher than the intracellular concentrations of the substrates for those enzymes. This suggested that at any instant most of the intracellular content of a particular intermediate is enzyme bound and is perhaps undergoing direct transfer from one enzyme to the next. Indeed, Ovaidi (14) has suggested that intracellular enzyme complexes are stabilized by "dynamic" interactions, in which two enzymes are bound by their joint affinity for an intermediate that is being transferred from one enzyme to the next in a metabolic
Factors affecting the effective utilisation and adoption of sophisticated ICT solutions: Case studies of SMEs in Lagos, Nigeria

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider factors affecting the effective utilisation of information and communication technology (ICT) and the adoption of more sophisticated ICT solutions in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study approach. Semi‐structured interviews in 25 SMEs were used as tools for data collection.Findings – The paper identifies eight key factors that affect the effective utilisation and adoption of more sophisticated or advanced ICT solutions in Nigerian SMEs.Research limitations/implications – The data for this research are drawn from a particular region in Nigeria, therefore, the findings are not generalisable to SMEs in other regions. Also, the data are collected from various industry sectors hence, it is not possible to have sector‐specific conclusions.Practical implications – Effective utilisation of sophisticated ICT solutions in SMEs has great impact on SMEs' competitiveness. Also, the stud.
Why do people show minimal knowledge updating with task experience: Inferential deficit or experimental artifact?

Students generally do not have highly accurate knowledge about strategy effectiveness for learning, such as that imagery is superior to rote repetition. During multiple study–test trials using both strategies, participants’ predictions about performance on List 2 do not markedly differ for the two strategies, even though List 1 recall is substantially greater for imagery. Two experiments evaluated whether such deficits in knowledge updating about the strategy effects were due to an experimental artifact or to inaccurate inferences about the effects the strategies had on recall. Participants studied paired associates on two study–test trials—they were instructed to study half using imagery and half using rote repetition. Metacognitive judgements tapped the quality of inferential processes about the strategy effects during the List 1 test and tapped gains in knowledge about the strategies across lists. One artifactual explanation—noncompliance with strategy instructions—was ruled out, whereas manipulations aimed at supporting the data available to inferential processes improved but did not fully repair knowledge updating.
The Novel Prostaglandin I2 Mimetic ONO-1301 Escapes Desensitization in an Antiplatelet Effect Due to Its Inhibitory Action on Thromboxane A2 Synthesis in Mice

ONO-1301 [(E)-[5-[2-[1-phenyl-1-(3-pyridyl)methylidene-aminooxy]ethyl]-7,8-dihydronaphthalene-1-yloxy]acetic acid] is a novel prostaglandin (PG) I2 mimetic with inhibitory activity on the thromboxane (TX) A2 synthase. Interestingly, ONO-1301 retains its inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation after repeated administration, while beraprost, a representative agonist for the PGI2 receptor (IP), loses its inhibitory effect after repeated administration. In the present study, we intended to clarify the mechanism by which ONO-1301 escapes desensitization of an antiplatelet effect. In platelets prepared from wild-type mice, ONO-1301 inhibited collagen-induced aggregation and stimulated cAMP production in an IP-dependent manner. In addition, ONO-1301 inhibited arachidonic acid–induced TXA2 production in platelets lacking IP. Despite the decrease in stimulatory action on cAMP production, the antiplatelet effect of ONO-1301 hardly changed after repeated administration for 10 days in wild-type mice. Noteworthy, beraprost could retain its antiplatelet effect after repeated administration in combination with a low dose of ozagrel, a TXA2 synthase inhibitor. Therefore, we hypothesized that chronic IP stimulation by beraprost induces an increase in TXA2 production, leading to reduction in the antiplatelet effect. As expected, repeated administration of beraprost increased the plasma and urinary levels of a TXA2 metabolite, while ONO-1301 did not increase them significantly. In addition, beraprost could retain the ability to inhibit platelet aggregation after repeated administration in mice lacking the TXA2 receptor (TP). These results indicate that TP-mediated signaling participates in platelet desensitization against IP agonists and that simultaneous inhibition of TXA2 production confers resistance against desensitization on IP agonists.
Patient experience of, and satisfaction with, delayed-immediate vs. delayed single-tooth implant placement.

OBJECTIVES Recent investigations have focused on patients' subjective assessment of implant treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the patients' experience of surgical and prosthetic procedures, as well as satisfaction with function and aesthetics following single-tooth replacements mounted to early vs. delayed placed dental implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-six patients were treated with a single-tooth implant in the anterior or premolar region. Twenty-three implants were placed on average 10 days after tooth extraction (Im), while 23 implants were placed approximately 3 months after tooth extraction (De). Forty-one patients completed a questionnaire regarding the treatment using visual analog scales (VAS) and check boxes 16-18 months after delivery of the restoration. RESULTS In all, 90% of the respondents rated 88 or higher on the VAS regarding satisfaction with the crown. Satisfaction with the restoration in general and the appearance was significantly greater in the Im group than in the De group (96 vs. 93; P<0.02). Assessment of the implant surgery was not significantly different between the delayed-immediate and the delayed group. Approximately 25% of the patients experienced unpleasantness in relation to the prosthetic procedures, and in 8 of 11 cases, impression taking was the cause. When evaluating satisfaction with the overall implant treatment, the VAS scores for the delayed-immediate group were significantly higher than for the delayed group (96 vs. 90; P<0.02). CONCLUSION The patients in the present study were highly satisfied with the outcome of the treatment and experienced it to be without significant unpleasantness irrespective of the treatment concept.