Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of calcium during lipopolysaccharide stimulation of neutrophils

This study investigated the role of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]i) as a possible intermediate in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) second messenger pathway for the activation of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMNs]). Isolated PMNs were loaded with the calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye fura-2. The PMNs were stimulated with either LPS or the positive control formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP). As expected, PMN exposure to fMLP increased [Ca]i. However, LPS stimulation did not induce any detectable changes. Depletion of intracellular Ca stores with thapsigargin, or extracellular Ca with EGTA, significantly inhibited the upregulation of the CD11b/CD18 integrin in response to fMLP but not LPS. We conclude that [Ca]i is not an early intermediate in the second-messenger pathway for the activation of PMNs by LPS.
Amplifying cancer vaccine responses by modifying pathogenic gene programs in tumor cells

Immunosuppressive factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor‐β, prostaglandin E2, interleukin (IL)‐10, and IL‐6, are made frequently by cancer cells. These factors, along with others, can inhibit the development and function of tumor‐reactive effector T cells and the clinical results of cancer vaccines. Production of these factors by tumor cells is associated with disease progression and may represent an active immune surveillance escape mechanism. However, a number of factors appear to be made directly in response to signaling molecules, such as RAS, AKT, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, which are activated as a result of genetic events that occur during oncogenesis. Methods to overcome the negative effects of immunosuppressive factors, which are “hard wired” into gene programs of cancer cells, might then improve the results of cancer vaccines. For example, specific blocking antibodies, which recognize such factors, or kinase inhibitors, which block the signaling pathways that lead to their production, could potentially be used as vaccine adjuvants. The effects of immunosuppressive factors may also be “turned off” by cytokines with tumor suppressor properties. The enhanced clinical and immunological effects of melanoma vaccines observed after the administration of high doses of interferon‐α2b provide a “proof of principle” in human patients, that agents which counter the gene programs of cancer cells, causing them to intrinsically resist tumor‐reactive T cells, may improve significantly the efficacy of cancer vaccines.
The effects of siRNA-mediated inhibition of E2A-PBX1 on EB-1 and Wnt16b expression in the 697 pre-B leukemia cell line.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A common non-random translocation in childhood pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is t(1;19)(q23;p13), usually resulting in the expression of the chimeric gene E2A-PBX1. The role of this fusion gene during leukemogenesis is not yet fully understood; one approach to investigate its function is to selectively deplete the E2A-PBX1 protein and examine the consequences. DESIGN AND METHODS We tested the efficacy of anti-E2A-PBX1 siRNA in the 697 pre-B leukemia cell line. Transfection was monitored by fluorescence microscopy and FACS, while E2A-PBX1 mRNA expression was measured using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. The reduction of the level of the corresponding fusion protein was assessed by western blot analysis and the expression of putative downstream target genes was detected by SYBR Green PCR. RESULTS We demonstrated efficient downregulation induced by anti-E2A-PBX1 siRNA in 697 t(1;19)-positive leukemia cells. In particular, E2A-PBX1 silencing affected the EB-1 gene, which encodes for a protein that could contribute to the transformed phenotype of pre-B ALL. The detected EB-1 expression was reduced to 25% of the normal expression level in non-transfected 697 cells. Furthermore, the significant decrease in Wnt16b mRNA levels (but not of the Wnt16a isoform of the Wnt16 gene), observed following depletion of the fusion gene, confirms the hypothesis that Wnt16b is a target of E2A-PBX1. The siRNA inhibition was followed by an increase in apoptosis and similar results were obtained in two other ALL cell lines, one with and one without the t(1;19) translocation. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS Targeted-E2A-PBX1 inhibition leads to reduced expression of the EB-1 and Wnt16b genes; aberrant expression of these genes may be a key step in leukemogenesis in t(1;19)-positive pre-B leukemia.
A Float-Path Theory and Its Application to the Time-Cost Tradeoff Problem

Activity floats are vital for project scheduling, such as total floats which determine the maximum permissible delays of activities. Moreover, activity paths in activity networks present essences of many project scheduling problems; for example, the time-cost tradeoff is to shorten long paths at lower costs. We discovered relationships between activity floats and paths and established a float-path theory. The theory helps to compute path lengths using activity floats and analyze activity floats using paths, which helps to transmute a problem into the other simpler one. We discussed applications of the float-path theory and applied it to solve the time-cost tradeoff problem (TCTP), especially the nonlinear and discrete versions. We proposed a simplification from an angle of path as a preprocessing technique for the TCTP. The simplification is a difficult path problem, but we transformed it into a simple float problem using the float-path theory. We designed a polynomial algorithm for the simplification, and then the TCTP may be solved more efficiently.
Rotavirus vaccine and the news media, 1987-2001.

CONTEXT In August 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration licensed the first vaccine against rotavirus, the most important cause of severe childhood diarrhea. Fourteen months later, amid intense media activity, the vaccine was withdrawn after an association was found with intussusception. OBJECTIVES To examine the character of news media stories about rotavirus vaccine before and after intussusception became an issue, to evaluate what prompted the stories, and to assess the extent to which they evoked public reaction. DESIGN AND SETTING We searched Lexis-Nexis and Video Monitoring Services of America databases for rotavirus vaccine stories from the first US clinical trials (January 1, 1987) until 17 months after withdrawal (March 31, 2001) and examined calls to the National Immunization Hotline during the period in which rotavirus vaccine information was captured (July 1-December 31, 1999). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mention of vaccine benefits and adverse events, classification of stories as positive, negative, or neutral toward the vaccine, story stimuli, and public response. RESULTS We included 280 newspaper (primary subject of analysis), 49 wire service, and 257 television stories. Prior to identification of the intussusception association (January 1, 1987-July 14, 1999), 21% of 188 newspaper stories mentioned vaccine adverse events and only 2 stories were negative toward the vaccine. Ninety-nine percent of stories mentioned vaccine benefits. During the period surrounding withdrawal (July 15-December 31, 1999), 93% of 90 stories mentioned adverse events and 77% were negative toward the vaccine. Eighty-four percent mentioned vaccine benefits. The rate of stories per month was 14-fold greater than the preceding period (P<.001); temporal and geographic patterns of media and hotline activity were similar. Thereafter (January 1, 2000-March 31, 2001), only 2 stories focused on rotavirus vaccine. Scientific research or public health actions prompted 80% of stories. Wire service and television stories showed similar patterns. The increase in rotavirus stories in July 1999 was followed by an increase in calls to the National Immunization Hotline regarding rotavirus but not other topics. The number of rotavirus calls that month was 57% higher than for any other childhood vaccine for any month since the hotline began in 1997. Rotavirus calls ceased almost completely after withdrawal of the vaccine in October 1999. CONCLUSIONS In response to reports about an adverse event, news media stories about vaccines can change abruptly from positivity to negativity. Since most vaccine stories may be stimulated by research and public health actions, opportunities exist to provide the media with accurate information necessary to avoid the "early idealization-sudden condemnation" pattern seen with rotavirus vaccine.
Smart Contracts and the Cost of Inflexibility

“Smart contracts” are decentralized agreements built in computer code and stored on a blockchain. Proponents imagine a future where commerce takes place exclusively using smart contracts, avoiding the high costs of contract drafting, judicial intervention, opportunistic behavior, and the inherent ambiguities of written language. These decentralized code-only contracts are part of a decades-long quest to eliminate supposed inefficiencies in traditional written agreements. Electronic data interchange (EDI), a contracting technology from the 1970s, was designed with the same goal and garnered similar fanfare. Commentators imagined a revolution in the way firms transacted and a full shift away from anything resembling a paper contract. Ultimately EDI failed to achieve these goals — it empowered, rather than circumvented, human decision-makers along with their “inefficient” way of forming agreements. In doing so, EDI successfully reduced some transaction costs while preserving efficient forms of contractual flexibility. Smart contracts are indeed more technologically sophisticated than EDI. Smart contract scripting languages offer a broad range of operations and greater scalability. Firms’ operational and financial infrastructures are digital. Smart contracts can directly interact with these systems, whereas EDI was ultimately reliant on human intermediaries. Proponents of the smart contract revolution do not describe the technology as a way to enhance human activity; they argue it can replace every stage of agreement formation and performance. From a purely technical standpoint, they might be right. However, the shift from human-language contracts creates new inefficiencies. These stem from three features of smart contracts: automation, which requires that every agreement be formed from fully-defined terms; decentralization, which conditions performance on verification by third parties; and anonymity, which eliminates the use of commercial context to give meaning to agreement terms. As a result, it is extremely costly to form smart contracts in a volatile environment or whenever there’s a level of uncertainty surrounding the agreement. On the other hand, semantic contracts are flexible. They enable parties to use standards, generally-defined contract terms, to create an enforceable agreement without requiring complete knowledge of what might happen in the future. Standards also allow parties to responsively incorporate commercial customs into their agreement, circumventing the need for explicit but redundant negotiation. And once their agreement is formed and executed, the parties are nonetheless free to dynamically shape their relationship through informal modifications or by selectively enforcing breaches. These two forms of flexibility — linguistic ambiguity, and enforcement discretion — create important efficiencies in the contracting process. By eliminating this flexibility, smart contracting will impose costs that are more severe and intractable than the ones it seeks to solve.
On the equilibrium state of a small system with random matrix coupling to its environment

We consider a random matrix model of interaction between a small n-level system, S, and its environment, a N-level heat reservoir, R. The interaction between S and R is modeled by a tensor product of a fixed n × n ? > matrix and a N × N ? > Hermitian random matrix. We show that under certain ‘macroscopicity’ conditions on R, the reduced density matrix of the system &rgr; S = Tr R &rgr; S ∪ R ( eq ) ? > , is given by &rgr; S ( c ) ∼ exp { − β H S } ? > , where HS is the Hamiltonian of the isolated system. This holds for all strengths of the interaction and thus gives some justification for using &rgr; S ( c ) ? > to describe some nano-systems, like biopolymers, in equilibrium with their environment (Seifert 2012 Rep. Prog. Phys. 75 126001). Our results extend those obtained previously in (Lebowitz and Pastur 2004 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 37 1517–34); (Lebowitz et al 2007 Contemporary Mathematics (Providence RI: American Mathematical Society) pp 199–218) for a special two-level system.
Women on Welfare

Abstract Using the ASI, a multi-dimensional survey instrument, data were collected on women in Florida's welfare program (WAGES). The women manifested serious problems in terms of physical and mental health, employment skills and childcare needs. Length of time on welfare was strongly associated with the severity of recipients' problems. Women with 2 + years on welfare were significantly more likely to have problems. However, substance use was lower than anticipated which may be because substance abusers are dropping out of welfare. This possibility raises concerns that, rather than going into the workforce, women may be returning to the streets. If so, instead of reducing the welfare costs, we are shifting those costs to local health, social service and criminal justice systems.
Exploring user adoption of mobile banking: an empirical study in China

With the development of mobile technology, the number of people using mobile devices has increased greatly in China. While many reports indicate that mobile banking service has been applied in China, little is known about how people perceived this service. This study applies technology acceptance model (TAM) and other three constructs to examine the factors that influence the adoption of mobile banking in China. The proposed model was empirically evaluated by using survey data collected from 209 users concerning their perceptions of mobile banking. The findings indicate that TAM can predict consumer intention to use mobile banking. Specifically, trust-based construct, perceived credibility, has significant effect on user's attitude toward mobile banking. The results may provide further insights into China's future mobile banking market strategies.
Rapid Immunostaining in Mohs: Current Applications and Attitudes

BACKGROUND Rapid immunostaining in Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has been extensively reviewed in the recent literature. Despite the recent attention, there is relatively little information on how frequently these techniques are actually utilized and the current attitudes of the Mohs community towards immunohistochemical (IHC) stains. OBJECTIVE We attempted to obtain information on the utilization and attitudes towards the use of rapid immunostaining in Mohs through a survey of fellowship‐trained Mohs surgeons. MATERIALS AND METHODS A twenty‐five question survey was sent to members of the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) through various methods including SurveyMonkey®, email, fax, and Metrofax®. RESULTS A total of 378 surveys were completed. These responses represent a cross‐section of fellowship‐trained members of the ACMS. CONCLUSIONS The vast majority of respondents felt as though IHC stains could be used reliably in Mohs. A subset of responses indicated that the most common reasons for not using IHC stains are time consumption, lack of education, and startup and/or maintenance costs. An increase in immunostain usage over 10 years ago appears to correlate with the activity in the literature. There may be an underutilization of IHC staining in fellowship programs, as indicated by respondents' opinions.
Roles of the extreme N‐terminal region of FliH for efficient localization of the FliH–FliI complex to the bacterial flagellar type III export apparatus

Most bacterial flagellar proteins are exported by the flagellar type III protein export apparatus for their self‐assembly. FliI ATPase forms a complex with its regulator FliH and facilitates initial entry of export substrates to the export gate composed of six integral membrane proteins. The FliH–FliI complex also binds to the C ring of the basal body through a FliH–FliN interaction for efficient export. However, it remains unclear how these reactions proceed within the cell. Here, we analysed subcellular localization of FliI–YFP by fluorescence microscopy. FliI–YFP was localized to the flagellar base, and its localization required both FliH and the C ring. The ATPase activity of FliI was not required for its localization. FliI–YFP formed a complex with FliHΔ1 (missing residues 2–10) but the complex did not show any localization. FliHΔ1 did not interact with FliN, and alanine‐scanning mutagenesis revealed that only Trp‐7 and Trp‐10 of FliH are essential for the interaction with FliN. Overproduction of the FliH–FliI complex improved the export activity of the fliN mutant whereas neither of the FliH(W7A)‐FliI nor FliH(W10A)‐FliI complexes did, suggesting that Trp‐7 and Trp‐10 of FliH are also required for efficient localization of the FliH–FliI complex to the export gate.
Real-time conformational changes in LacY

Significance The lactose permease from Escherichia coli (LacY), a model for the major facilitator superfamily, catalyzes the symport of a galactopyranoside and an H+ across the membrane by a mechanism in which the sugar-binding site in the middle of the protein becomes alternately accessible to either side of the membrane. The global conformational change is dissected into events that occur on the cytoplasmic and periplasmic aspects of LacY. Rates of individual steps are measured directly during opening or closing of periplasmic or cytoplasmic cavities by utilizing changes in Trp-bimane fluorescence with LacY in a phospholipid membrane. The findings provide a better understanding of the alternating access mechanism. Galactoside/H+ symport across the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli is catalyzed by lactose permease (LacY), which uses an alternating access mechanism with opening and closing of deep cavities on the periplasmic and cytoplasmic sides. In this study, conformational changes in LacY initiated by galactoside binding were monitored in real time by Trp quenching/unquenching of bimane, a small fluorophore covalently attached to the protein. Rates of change in bimane fluorescence on either side of LacY were measured by stopped flow with LacY in detergent or in proteoliposomes and were compared with rates of galactoside binding. With LacY in proteoliposomes, the periplasmic cavity is tightly sealed and the substrate-binding rate is limited by the rate of opening of this cavity. Rates of opening, measured as unquenching of bimane fluorescence, are 20–30 s−1, independent of sugar concentration and essentially the same in detergent or in proteoliposomes. On the cytoplasmic side of LacY in proteoliposomes, slow bimane quenching (i.e., closing of the cavity) is observed at a rate that is also independent of sugar concentration and similar to the rate of sugar binding from the periplasmic side. Therefore, opening of the periplasmic cavity not only limits access of sugar to the binding site of LacY but also controls the rate of closing of the cytoplasmic cavity.
Effects of Interstock (M9) Length Grafted onto MM106 Rootstock on Sylleptic Shoot Formation, Growth and Yield in Some Apple Cultivars

Bu calismada 2003-2010 yillari arasinda, MM106 anaci uzerinde 15 ve 30 cm uzunlugundaki M9 ara anacinin Golden Delicious ve Granny Smith elma cesitlerinde fidanin dallanmasi uzerine etkisi ile vegetatif buyume ile toplam verim uzerine etkisi belirlenmistir. Sonuclar, ara anac yuksekliginin artmasi ile her iki cesitte fidan ve agac gelisiminin onemli olcude azaldigini ancak yan dallanmanin arttigini gostermistir. En uzun agac boyu Golden Delicious ve Granny Smith cesitlerinin kontrol grubunda sirasiyla 176.5 - 186.5 cm olarak, en kisa agac boyu ise ayni cesitlerde 30 cm’lik ara anac yuksekliginde sirasiyla 147.5 cm ve 162.6 cm olarak olculmustur. Kontrolde yan dal olusumu meydana gelmezken, yan dal sayisi 30 cm’lik ara anac yuksekliginde 3.67 (Golden Delicious) ve 5.33 (Granny Smith) bulunmustur. En yuksek toplam verim, 30 cm’lik ara anac yuksekliginden 21.77 kg agac-1 (Golden Delicious) ve 19.18 kg agac-1 (Granny Smith) elde edilmistir. Sonuclar, bodur M9 ara anacinin ozellikle surdurulebilir ve organik elma yetistiriciligi sistemlerinde buyumeyi azaltici, dallanma ve erken meyveye yatmayi ise tesvik etme potansiyelinin bulundugunu gostermektedir.
Sports medicine training during pediatric residency.

OBJECTIVES To assess how sports medicine is taught within pediatric residency programs and to determine the level of comfort that pediatric graduates have in managing common sports injuries. INTERVENTION Investigator-prepared cross-sectional survey. METHOD A survey questionnaire was mailed to 203 pediatric chief residents of pediatric residency programs in the United States. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS Seventy-three percent of the questionnaires were returned. Most pediatric chief residents (73%) reported that their program provided lectures on pediatric sports medicine topics. Lecture time devoted to sports medicine topics was reported to be less than 6 hours for many residency programs (83%). Instruction on the medical criteria for exclusion from sports was provided to 64% of the chief residents. Of those residents who completed the survey, 55% reported that clinical sports medicine training was available in their programs. Rotations in adolescent medicine (28%), pediatric orthopedics (26%), and ambulatory pediatrics (9%) provided the bulk of clinical training. Clinical exposure to sports medicine was reported to be less than 5 hours in a large number of programs (43%). Most of the chief residents reported that they would refer six of eight pediatric sports injuries for diagnosis and management. CONCLUSIONS The pediatric chief residents who completed the survey received limited didactic instruction or clinical training in sports medicine. Because pediatricians are primary care physicians for many children and adolescents who participate in sports, pediatric residency directors should consider integrating sports medicine instruction into their programs.
Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia with Atypical Radiographic Presentation

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is a rare disease characterized by a progressive symptomatic deterioration of more than 1 month, pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophils, and a dramatic response to corticosteroid treatment. We describe a patient with CEP who presented with right upper lung infiltrates with evidence of cavitation.
Contribution of multitemporal polarimetric synthetic aperture radar data for monitoring winter wheat and rapeseed crops

Abstract. This paper aims to evaluate the contribution of multitemporal polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for winter wheat and rapeseed crops parameters [height, leaf area index, and dry biomass (DB)] estimation, during their whole vegetation cycles in comparison to backscattering coefficients and optical data. Angular sensitivities and dynamics of polarimetric indicators were also analyzed following the growth stages of these two common crop types using, in total, 14 radar images (Radarsat-2), 16 optical images (Formosat-2, Spot-4/5), and numerous ground data. The results of this study show the importance of correcting the angular effect on SAR signals especially for copolarized signals and polarimetric indicators associated to single-bounce scattering mechanisms. The analysis of the temporal dynamic of polarimetric indicators has shown their high potential to detect crop growth changes. Moreover, this study shows the high interest of using SAR parameters (backscattering coefficients and polarimetric indicators) for crop parameters estimation during the whole vegetation cycle instead of optical vegetation index. They particularly revealed their high potential for rapeseed height and DB monitoring [i.e., Shannon entropy polarimetry (r2=0.70) and radar vegetation index (r2=0.80), respectively].