Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A majoritarian basis for judicial countermajoritarianism

Judicial protection of disfavored minorities against oppressive legislation in majoritarian separation-of-power systems raises a puzzle: Why don’t legislative majorities enacting discriminatory legislation curb judicial power when judges use their power to protect minorities and stymie the legislation? We answer this question by showing that judicial protection of disfavored minorities can emerge as an unintended by-product of majoritarian politics. We develop a model that includes the two aspects of judicial review Alexander Hamilton discusses in The Federalist No. 78: Judicial protection of disfavored minorities against hostile popular majorities, and judicial protection of majority interests against legislative depredation. It is the institutional linkage between these functions that induces popular majorities, within limits, to side with judges against legislatures even when those judges protect minorities that popular majorities want to oppress.
Exploring the link among entry characteristics, participation behaviors and course outcomes of online learners: An examination of learner profile using cluster analysis

Online learner profiles have diversified such that now, they include all types of participants from a variety of backgrounds. This study analyzed online learner profiles in regard to their entry characteristics, participation behaviors and achievement of course outcomes. The sample consisted of 186 participants from an online course that required the employment of synchronous and asynchronous communication methods over the Internet. The data were collected through five online questionnaires and included 10 variables (gender, age, work status, self-efficacy, online readiness, self-regulation, participation in discussion list, participation in chat sessions, satisfaction and achievement). A two-step cluster analysis, chi-square analysis and multivariate analysis were used to analyze the collected data. The results indicated that online learners fell into three significantly different clusters and within each cluster, learners had a close combination of employment characteristics, gender type, age level, perception of self-efficacy for online technologies and participation behavior level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Purification and characterization of a hemolysin produced by Vibrio mimicus

Vibrio mimicus is a causative agent of human gastroenteritis. This pathogen secretes a pore-forming toxin, V. mimicus hemolysin (VMH), which causes hemolysis by three sequential steps: binding to an erythrocyte membrane, formation of a transmembrane pore, and disruption of the cell membrane. VMH with a molecular mass of 63 kDa was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography with phenyl Sepharose HP and Superose 6 HR. The hemolytic reaction induced by VMH continued up to disruption of all erythrocytes in the assay system. Moreover, VMH that bound preliminarily to erythrocyte ghosts showed a sufficient ability to attack intact erythrocytes. These results suggest reversible binding of the toxin molecule to the membrane. The final cell-disrupting stage was effectively inhibited by various divalent cations. Additionally, some cations, such as Zn2+ and Cu2+, blocked the pore-forming stage at high concentrations. Although VMH could disrupt all kinds of mammalian erythrocytes tested, those from horses were most sensitive to the hemolysin. Horse erythrocytes were found to have the most toxin-binding sites and to be hemolyzed by the least amount of membrane-bound toxin molecules, suggesting that toxin binding to and pore formation on erythrocytes are more effective in horses than in other mammals. Purified VMH induced fluid accumulation in a ligated rabbit ileal loop in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the antibody against the hemolysin obviously reduced enteropathogenicity of living V. mimicus cells. These findings clearly demonstrate that VMH is probably involved in the virulence of this human pathogen.
Comparison of arthritis characteristics in lowland Gorilla gorilla and mountain Gorilla beringei

Gorilla gorilla and the less‐studied G. beringei occupy very different, geographically separate habitats. We studied the occurrence of various forms of arthritis to examine possible nature/nurture causality. The macerated skeletons of 38 G. beringei and 99 G. gorilla individuals were examined macroscopically for the presence of articular and osseous pathologies. Contrasting with only isolated osteoarthritis and infectious arthritis was the frequent occurrence of a form of erosive arthritis associated with joint fusion. Twenty‐one percent of the G. beringei and 20% of G. gorilla specimens were afflicted, which are statistically indistinguishable frequencies. While both had prominent axial disease, they differed in patterns of peripheral arthritis. Whereas G. beringei showed a pauciarticular pattern, the pattern in G. gorilla was more often polyarticular. Susceptibility to spondyloarthropathy was apparently genetically imprinted before Gorilla separated into G. gorilla and G. beringei. However, the different patterns of peripheral joint involvement suggest a causality resulting from lifestyle (e.g., the presence/absence or extent of knuckle walking) or a habitat‐related infectious agent. Am. J. Primatol. 66:205–218, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Combination of Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Serum Pepsinogen as a Good Predictive Tool of Gastric Cancer Incidence: 20-Year Prospective Data From the Hisayama Study

Background There is little information regarding whether the combination of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody and serum pepsinogen (sPG), which is a marker of the degree of atrophic gastritis, has a discriminatory ability for detecting incident gastric cancer. We examined this issue in a long-term prospective cohort study of a Japanese population. Methods A total of 2446 Japanese community-dwelling individuals aged ≥40 years were stratified into four groups according to baseline H. pylori serological status and sPG: Group A (H. pylori[−], sPG[−]), Group B (H. pylori[+], sPG[−]), Group C (H. pylori[+], sPG[+]), and Group D (H. pylori[−], sPG[+]), and participants were followed up prospectively for 20 years. Results During the follow-up, 123 subjects developed gastric cancer. Compared with that in Group A, the cumulative incidence of gastric cancer was significantly increased in Groups B, C, and D, whereas no significant difference was found between Groups C and D. The multivariable-adjusted risk of gastric cancer was significantly increased in Group B (hazard ratio [HR], 4.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62–10.28) and in Groups C and D combined (HR 11.1; 95% CI, 4.45–27.46). When the multivariable model with H. pylori antibody was changed into that with the combination of H. pylori antibody and sPG, the C statistics for developing gastric cancer increased significantly (0.773 vs 0.732, P = 0.005), and the continuous net reclassification improvement value was 0.591 (P < 0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that the combination of H. pylori antibody and sPG is a useful tool for predicting the development of gastric cancer.
Risk of Myocardial Infarction or Vascular Death After First Ischemic Stroke: The Northern Manhattan Study

Background and Purpose— In national guidelines, absolute long-term risk of myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary death determines target low-density lipoprotein levels, but stroke patients are not explicitly addressed. We determined the absolute 5-year risk of cardiovascular outcomes and their predictors after first ischemic stroke in a multiethnic cohort. Methods— A population-based cohort of first ischemic stroke patients ≥40 years old was prospectively followed annually for recurrent stroke, MI and cause-specific mortality. Kaplan-Meier 5-year risks for MI or vascular death (primary outcome), and other cardiovascular events, were calculated. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% CI for predictors of cardiovascular outcomes. Results— Mean age (n=655) was 69.7±12.7 years; 55.4% of participants were women, and 51.3% Hispanic. The 5-year risk of MI or vascular death was 17.4% (95% CI, 14.2% to 20.6%). Independent historical predictors of MI or vascular death were age >70 years (hazard ratio 1.62, 1.07 to 2.44), history of coronary artery disease (hazard ratio 1.76, 1.13 to 2.74), and atrial fibrillation (hazard ratio 1.76, 1.05 to 2.94). In the lowest risk group, those ≤70 years old without coronary artery disease, 5-year risk of MI or vascular death was 9.7%. Conclusions— The absolute risk of MI or vascular death after ischemic stroke, even in those without high-risk features, approximates levels used by national organizations to designate groups of patients at high risk of vascular events. The comparability of levels of absolute risk among stroke and cardiac patients may have treatment implications.
Chemical composition evaluation of some flour mixtures with high nutritional value

Cereals, fruits and vegetables have interesting nutritional properties and their inclusion in the diet is encouraged, their incorporation in bakery products could be a good way to increase consumption. In this study, the influence of the partial replacement of wheat flour (WF) with four types of flour: rye flour (RF), whole rye flour (WRF), quinoa flour (QF), buckwheat flour (BF) and goji fruit GFr) in eight mixtures obtained therefrom, was analyzed. The wheat flour was blended with rye flour, whole rye flour, quinoa flour, buckwheat flour and goji fruit in the ratios of 25:25:25:25 and 25:50:25. The studied samples were subjected to the following analyzes: determination of moisture, protein content, ash content, fat content, fiber content and total carbohydrate content. The resulting mixtures had high protein content (12.35% at M7 and 13.30% at M2), fiber (4.11% at M5 and 7.76% at M4), ash (1.79% at M8 and 2.15% at M1) fat (1.63% at M8 and 3.57% at M1) and low carbohydrates (62.35% at M2 and 65.68% at M7) and moisture ranged between 11.20% at M7 and 12.37% at M2. This study determined the optimum proportions to form these high nutritional flour mixtures. Centralizing the data obtained in this study, the high nutrient intake of the analyzed mixtures can be seen, and on the basis of these, we can recommend their use on the industrial scale in the recipes for the production of finely produced products with superior nutritional value.
Linking Historical Market Crashes: A Market Microstructure Model and Statistical Evidence

Studies of stock market crashes are as sparse as the occurrence ofcrashes. The mainstream theoretical models on stock market crashes are rooted in rationalexpectations equilibrium models and classicalmarket microstructure models. Compared to theoretical works, there areeven fewer works done on the empirical side. This is because most ofthe theoretical models do not provide straightforward tests againstempirical data. Secondly, the relatively smallsample size (rare occurrence) of stock market crashes is always an obstacle forempirical testing. In this dissertation, we build a strategic trading model to link two major US stock marketcrashes: the 1987 crash and the 2010 Flash Crash. We then providecross-sectional empirical evidence to verify our model hypothesis and evaluate price impact dueto the information asymmetry effect and the limited risk-bearing capacity effect. We use statistical learningmethods to compare our model based predictors with other predictorsfor the maximum cross-sectional price drawdown of SP500 stocks during the 2010 Flash Crash andcheck the robustness of ourfindings.
Neutrophil Elastase, an Innate Immunity Effector Molecule, Represses Flagellin Transcription in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors triggers an innate immune response to colonizing or invading bacteria. Conversely, many bacteria have evolved mechanisms to dampen this response by downregulating the synthesis of such PAMPs. We have previously demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa growing in mucopurulent human respiratory mucus from cystic fibrosis patients represses the expression of its flagellin, a potent stimulant of the innate immune response. Here we demonstrate that this phenomenon occurs in response to the presence of neutrophil elastase in such mucus. Nonpurulent mucus from animals had no such repressive effect. Furthermore, lysed neutrophils from human blood reproduced the flagellin-repressive effect ex mucus and, significantly, had no effect on the viability of this organism. Neutrophil elastase, a component of the innate host defense system, has been described to be bactericidal for gram-negative bacteria and to degrade bacterial virulence factors. Thus, the resistance of P. aeruginosa to the bactericidal effect of neutrophil elastase, as well as this organism's ability to sense this enzyme's presence and downregulate the synthesis of a PAMP, may be the key factors in allowing P. aeruginosa to colonize the lungs. These findings demonstrate the dynamic nature of this bacterium's response to host defenses that ensures its success as a colonizer and also highlights the dual nature of defense molecules that confer advantages and disadvantages to both hosts and pathogens.
Exposure to the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 produces dendritic cells optimized for immunotherapy

ABSTRACT Immunization of patients with autologous, ex vivo matured dendritic cell (DC) preparations, in order to prime antitumor T-cell responses, is the focus of intense research. Despite progress and approval of clinical approaches, significant enhancement of these personalized immunotherapies is urgently needed to improve efficacy. We show that immunotherapeutic murine and human DC, generated in the presence of the antimicrobial host defense peptide LL-37, have dramatically enhanced expansion and differentiation of cells with key features of the critical CD103+/CD141+ DC subsets, including enhanced cross-presentation and co-stimulatory capacity, and upregulation of CCR7 with improved migratory capacity. These LL-37-DC enhanced proliferation, activation and cytokine production by CD8+ (but not CD4+) T cells in vitro and in vivo. Critically, tumor antigen-presenting LL-37-DC increased migration of primed, activated CD8+ T cells into established squamous cell carcinomas in mice, and resulted in tumor regression. This advance therefore has the potential to dramatically enhance DC immunotherapy protocols.
The risk premium for minority banks altruistic portfolios in underserved communities

Motivated by behavioural asset pricing theory, we introduce a statistical risk accounting model to characterize the compensating risk premium required to sustain minority banks' (MBs) altruistic motive to provide credit in underserved communities. Our model predicts that increased bank capitalization, and brokered deposit (BD) exceptions, compensate risk when the incremental internal rate of return they induce is negatively correlated with the internal rate of return on extant MB loan portfolios. Thus implying, paradoxically, that loan portfolios levered by increased capital, and brokered deposits, militate against altruistic motives. This suggests that for a given amount of altruism, minority banks are better served by tactical portfolio allocation in an expanded investment opportunity set. Using Federal Reserve Statistical Release (12/2011) on select FFIEC Form 031 (``Call Report") data, we fit a risk-return function for minority banks and estimate the compensating risk premium for return on assets. We provide back of the envelope formula for estimating minority bank profitability based on loan loss ratio, leverage ratio, and operating expense. There, we find that Hispanic and Caucasian Women owned banks are the only profitable ones left after brokered deposits are factored out. We also extrapolate crude estimates of the price of risk for minority banks--adjusted for loss aversion index extrapolated from the behavioural economics literature.
Bacterial flora of liver abscesses in feedlot cattle fed tylosin or no tylosin.

Bacterial flora of liver abscesses from cattle fed tylosin or no tylosin and susceptibilities of the predominant bacterial isolates to tylosin and other antimicrobial compounds were determined. Abscessed livers were collected at slaughter from cattle originating from feedlots that had fed tylosin (n = 36) or no tylosin (n = 41) for at least 2 yr, and segments of livers with one or two intact abscesses were transported to the laboratory. Abscesses were cultured for anaerobic and facultative bacteria. Fusobacterium necrophorum, either as single culture or mixed with other bacteria, was isolated from all abscesses. The incidence of subsp. necrophorum, as part of the mixed infection, was lower (P < .05) in the tylosin group than in the no-tylosin group (33 vs 61%). However, the incidence of Actinomyces pyogenes was higher (P < .01) in the tylosin group than in the no-tylosin group (53 vs 10%). Totals of 119 F. necrophorum and 21 A. pyogenes isolates were used for determinations of susceptibilities to bacitracin, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, lasalocid, monensin, tylosin, tilmicosin, and virginiamycin. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antibiotics were determined with a broth microdilution method. The mean MIC of tylosin for F. necrophorum and A. pyogenes were not different between isolates from tylosin and no-tylosin groups. We concluded that continuous feeding of tylosin did not induce resistance in F. necrophorum or A. pyogenes. Also, the higher incidence of mixed infection of F. necrophorum and A. pyogenes in liver abscesses of tylosin-fed cattle suggests a potential synergistic interaction between the two organisms in causing liver abscesses.
A Chopper Interface Circuit for Thermopile-Based Thermal Sensors

This paper presents a readout circuit for thermopile-based thermal sensors, suitable for contactless temperature measurements. The circuit, designed and extensively simulated in a standard 130-nm CMOS process, employs chopper stabilization in order to minimize offset and noise contributions at low frequency, while providing proper amplification to the input signal, which behaves substantially as a DC. The circuit nominal supply voltage is 1.2 V and its power consumption is approximately 260 μW. The proposed single-ended architecture solves the drawbacks of the most straightforward fully differential approach, while achieving a simulated input-referred residual offset mean value equal to 84.4 nV, with 487 nV of standard deviation. An accuracy of ±0.3°C is provided at room temperature, making the circuit suitable for medical devices, such as contactless fever thermometers, and security systems, such as motion and human presence detection sensors.
Recent trends in infective endocarditis: influence of case definitions

Purpose of review Infective endocarditis continues to pose major challenges in diagnosis and management despite advances in understanding the epidemiology, microbiology, and pathology of the disease. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of diagnosis, microbiology, and treatment of infective endocarditis, particularly as they are influenced by case definitions. Recent findings Case definitions have a critical effect on the interpretation of trends in infective endocarditis, and recent studies have proposed more specific criteria. Studies have also addressed the appropriate use of echocardiography to assist in the diagnosis and management of infective endocarditis. Staphylococcus aureus has become an increasingly common cause of infective endocarditis, and the microbiology of nosocomial infective endocarditis is changing. Newer techniques are being used to aid in the identification of causal agents in blood culture–negative infective endocarditis. Antimicrobial guidelines for the treatment of infective endocarditis are readily available, including a proposal to avoid premature discharge of patients on outpatient antibiotic therapy. Additional studies have been conducted on combination antibiotic therapy, duration of treatment, dosing of aminoglycosides, alternative agents for gram-positive organisms, aspirin therapy, and surgical interventions. Summary Recent trends in diagnosis, microbiology, and treatment of infective endocarditis are described, and case definitions play a critical role in their interpretation.
Assessment of left ventricular function in non-dilated and dilated hearts: Comparison of contrast-enhanced 2-dimensional echocardiography with multi-detector row CT angiography

Objective— Multidetector-row CT (MDCT) and contrast-enhanced echocardiography (CEE) are being increasingly used for assessment of left ventricular (LV) function. Excellent spatial and contrast resolution of MDCT allows this evaluation along with coronary angiography. CEE improves the accuracy of 2D echocardiography. Data on side-by-side comparison of both techniques for assessment of LV size and function in subjects with a non-dilated or dilated left ventricle are limited. Methods and results— Our study population included 64 patients. Group I included 31 patients with an implanted pacemaker who had a non-dilated left ventricle with preserved systolic function. Group II comprised 33 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and severe systolic LV dysfunction. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (LVEDV, LVESV) and ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed using both CEE and short-axis MDCT.The results obtained by both techniques were compared by linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.Additionally, intra- and interobserver reproducibility was assessed. Both CEE and MDCT measurements highly correlated (r = 0.61-0.94). However, CEE significantly underestimated LVEDV and LVESV, and this bias was higher with enlarged LV volumes. LVEF was overestimated by CEE in both groups with a higher bias in the group with preserved systolic function. Both intra- and interobserver reproducibility was significantly better for MDCT, the worst reproducibility was observed for CEE in group I. Conclusion— Despite a high correlation between MDCT and CEE measurements, CEE provides consistently lower volumes and higher LVEF.This suggests that both methods are not completely interchangeable. Reproducibility of CEE is inferior to reproducibility of MDCT, especially in non-dilated left ventricles with preserved function.
Studies of Lymphocyte Reconstitution in a Humanized Mouse Model Reveal a Requirement of T Cells for Human B Cell Maturation

The hematopoietic humanized mouse (hu-mouse) model is a powerful resource to study and manipulate the human immune system. However, a major and recurrent issue with this model has been the poor maturation of B cells that fail to progress beyond the transitional B cell stage. Of interest, a similar problem has been reported in transplant patients who receive cord blood stem cells. In this study, we characterize the development of human B and T cells in the lymph nodes (LNs) and spleen of BALB/c-Rag2nullIl2rγnull hu-mice. We find a dominant population of immature B cells in the blood and spleen early, followed by a population of human T cells, coincident with the detection of LNs. Notably, in older mice we observe a major population of mature B cells in LNs and in the spleens of mice with higher T cell frequencies. Moreover, we demonstrate that T cells are necessary for B cell maturation, as introduction of autologous human T cells expedites the appearance of mature B cells, whereas in vivo depletion of T cells retards B cell maturation. The presence of the mature B cell population correlates with enhanced IgG and Ag-specific responses to both T cell–dependent and T cell–independent challenges, indicating their functionality. These findings enhance our understanding of human B cell development, provide increased details of the reconstitution dynamics of hu-mice, and validate the use of this animal model to study mechanisms and treatments for the similar delay of functional B cells associated with cord blood transplantations.