Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CCR2 Mediates Conventional Dendritic Cell Recruitment and the Formation of Bronchovascular Mononuclear Cell Infiltrates in the Lungs of Mice Infected with Cryptococcus neoformans12

Pulmonary clearance of the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans requires the development of T1-type immunity. CCR2-deficient mice infected with C. neoformans develop a non-protective T2 immune response and persistent infection. The mechanisms responsible for this aberrant response are unknown. The objective of this study was to define the number, phenotype, and microanatomic location of dendritic cells (DC) residing within the lung of CCR2+/+ or CCR2−/− mice throughout a time course following infection with C. neoformans. Results demonstrate the CCR2-mediated recruitment of conventional DC expressing modest amounts of costimulatory molecules. DC recruitment was preceded by the up-regulation in the lung of the CCR2 ligands CCL2 and CCL7. Colocalization of numerous DC and CD4+ T cells within bronchovascular infiltrates coincided with increased expression of IL-12 and IFN-γ. By contrast, in the absence of CCR2, DC recruitment was markedly impaired, bronchovascular infiltrates were diminished, and mice developed features of T2 responses, including bronchovascular collagen deposition and IL-4 production. Our results demonstrate that CCR2 is required for the recruitment of large numbers of conventional DC to bronchovascular infiltrates in mice mounting a T1 immune response against a fungal pathogen. These findings shed new insight into the mechanism(s) by which DC recruitment alters T cell polarization in response to an infectious challenge within the lung.
Estimating effects of individual PV panel failures on PV array output

Photovoltaic plants are becoming an ever more popular source of energy. While individual photovoltaic panels are quite resilient, failures do happen. As part of decision support it is important to estimate whether it makes economic sense to fix / replace failed panels, or whether they are better left alone. In order to help with such analysis, this work estimates the impact of a single panel short circuit failure on the output of a series-parallel array. Generally, the array power loss is larger than the failed panel's power loss. The dependency of this increase on various factors, such as the number of panels, the shape of panels' current-voltage curve, and the degree of panels' inhomogeneities is investigated. This increase is found to be almost constant for a wide range of parameters, so it is useful in estimating the economic impact of panel's failure without the need to know many details about the system.
HUMORAL AND CELLULAR IMMUNE RESPONSES TO STREPTOCOCCI, INFLUENZA AND OTHER ANTIGENS IN AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL SCHOOL CHILDREN

Aboriginal school children with elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates were selected, and associated features of growth retardation, hyperimmunoglobulinaemia, high streptococcal carrier rates and antibody levels, and high loads of bowel parasite infestation, noted previously, were confirmed. Medical records showed these children to have had significant growth retardation in infancy, which suggested an association with previous protein‐calorie malnutrition. Antibody responses of these children to influenza vaccine were significantly poorer than controls, both in the magnitude of antibody rise and the proportion of children showing significant rises in titre. Some improvement in antibody response followed treatment of chronic streptococcal infection, or of bowel parasites. Cell‐mediated immune responses, as measured by lymphocyte transformation in vitro in response to specific antigens streptolysin O, tetanus toxoid, non‐specific mitogens PHA and streptolysin S, and also by delayed hypersensitivity reactions to monilia antigen on skin testing, were diminished in children with high ESR, relative to controls. However, enhanced cellular responses in the abnormal children occurred to influenza A2 antigen, and to streptococcal group A polysaccharide, the latter possibly explaining chronic low‐grade tissue damage noted previously in these children. These findings are discussed in relation to resistance to infection and the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever, and a possible basis suggested in acquired change in function of the thymus, perhaps related to protein‐calorie malnutrition in infancy.
Contemporary management of concomitant carotid and coronary artery disease

The best approach to the management of concomitant severe carotid and coronary artery disease remains unanswered. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in asymptomatic carotid stenosis of ≥80% either prior to or combined with coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Currently, there is no consensus as to which surgical approach is superior. More recently, carotid artery stenting (CAS) prior to CABG is emerging as an alternative option with promising results in asymptomatic patients considered ‘high risk’ for CEA. A <3% composite event rate has been set as a benchmark for isolated CAS or CEA in asymptomatic patients by the ACC/AHA; however, most CEA or CAS studies in patients requiring concomitant CABG have shown event rates ranging from 10–12%. This review examines the available data on carotid revascularisation in relation to CABG surgery to aid in the risk–benefit decision analysis in this controversial area.
Cylinder and horoball packing in hyperbolic space

A cylinder of radius r in hyperbolic space is the closed set of points within distance r of a given geodesic. We define the density of a packing of cylinders of radius r in n dimensions and prove that, when n = 3, this density cannot exceed (1 + 23e - r )e∞. Here e ∞ = 0.853276. is the greatest possible density of a horoball packing in space, from which the above bound is obtained by applying a continuity argument. Applications of this result are found in volume estimates for hyperbolic 3-manifolds and orbifolds where estimates on the density of cylinder packings are an essential part of identifying hyperbolic 3-manifolds with maximal automorphism groups or with high order symmetries. We further give a generalization of Blichfeld's inequality and construct packings of horoballs in n-space with density at least 2 1 - n . Cylinder packings associated with the fundamental group of the orbifold obtained by performing (m, 0) Dehn filling on the figure of eight knot complement provide examples of dense packings for a spectrum of radii when n = 3. We explicitly calculate the densities of these packings.
Plasmid content and protein I serovar of non-pencillinase-producing gonococci isolated in Munich

Summary One hundred and twenty-four strains of non-penicillinase-producing gonococci isolated in Munich in 1986 were characterized in terms of their plasmid content and protein I serovar. Eighty-two per cent of the strains belonged to serogroup 1-B with over half belonging to either serovar 1B-2 or 1B-3. Half of the 22 serogroup 1A strains belonged to serovar 1A-2. Nineteen strains (15·3%) were found to lack the 2·6 Md cryptic plasmid although seven of these strains contained the 24·4 Md conjugative plasmid. Nine of the 105 strains which harboured the cryptic plasmid also contained the conjugative plasmid. The 19 strains which lacked the cryptic plasmid comprised 10 different serovars, indicating the heterogeneous nature of this group of organisms.
A case of human papillomavirus-associated squamous cell carcinoma with bone invasion and verruca vulgaris of the fingernails

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) usually develops from previous lesions, such as those resulting from actinic keratosis, Bowen disease, burns, and chronic radiation dermatitis. In addition, published reports show an association between SCC and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Bone invasion by digital SCC is rare and its association with high-risk HPV is unclear. We herein report a case of HPV-associated SCC with bone invasion and verruca vulgaris of the fingernails. High-risk HPV type 16 and low-risk [. ]
The ABC7 regimen: a new approach to metastatic breast cancer using seven common drugs to inhibit epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and augment capecitabine efficacy

Breast cancer metastatic to bone has a poor prognosis despite recent advances in our understanding of the biology of both bone and breast cancer. This article presents a new approach, the ABC7 regimen (Adjuvant for Breast Cancer treatment using seven repurposed drugs), to metastatic breast cancer. ABC7 aims to defeat aspects of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that lead to dissemination of breast cancer to bone. As add-on to current standard treatment with capecitabine, ABC7 uses ancillary attributes of seven already-marketed noncancer treatment drugs to stop both the natural EMT process inherent to breast cancer and the added EMT occurring as a response to current treatment modalities. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery provoke EMT in cancer generally and in breast cancer specifically. ABC7 uses standard doses of capecitabine as used in treating breast cancer today. In addition, ABC7 uses 1) an older psychiatric drug, quetiapine, to block RANK signaling; 2) pirfenidone, an anti-fibrosis drug to block TGF-beta signaling; 3) rifabutin, an antibiotic to block beta-catenin signaling; 4) metformin, a first-line antidiabetic drug to stimulate AMPK and inhibit mammalian target of rapamycin, (mTOR); 5) propranolol, a beta-blocker to block beta-adrenergic signaling; 6) agomelatine, a melatonergic antidepressant to stimulate M1 and M2 melatonergic receptors; and 7) ribavirin, an antiviral drug to prevent eIF4E phosphorylation. All these block the signaling pathways – RANK, TGF-beta, mTOR, beta-adrenergic receptors, and phosphorylated eIF4E – that have been shown to trigger EMT and enhance breast cancer growth and so are worthwhile targets to inhibit. Agonism at MT1 and MT2 melatonergic receptors has been shown to inhibit both breast cancer EMT and growth. This ensemble was designed to be safe and augment capecitabine efficacy. Given the expected outcome of metastatic breast cancer as it stands today, ABC7 warrants a cautious trial.
When Does Digital Business Strategy Matter to Market Performance?

Business digitization has become an important topic in both management practice and academic research. The purpose of this research is to further illuminate and describe the conditions under which a digital business strategy can contribute to achieving strategic advantages. Drawing on configuration theory and using a configurational approach based on fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), we explore configurations of digital business strategy, factors related to firms' market approaches, and environmental factors to explain superior market performance. The findings of our study indicate four distinct configurations that differ in their particular composition, but that are consistently sufficient pathways for high market performance. Knowledge of these configurations deepens the understanding of the complex causal patterns among key elements of digital ecodynamics and provides strategic choices for management practice.
AgNOR area in interphase nuclei of human tumours correlates with the proliferative activity evaluated by bromodeoxyuridine labelling and Ki‐67 immunostaining

The area of silver‐stained proteins associated with interphase nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) was compared with labelling data obtained by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and Ki‐67 immunostaining in 25 tumours of different origins and two non‐neoplastic lesions of the thyroid. Our data demonstrate a highly significant correlation between the mean area occupied by the AgNOR proteins masured by an image processing system and the proliferative indices evaluated by BrdU labelling (r = 0·89, P < 0·001) and Ki‐67 immunostaining (r = 0·86, P < 0·001). AgNOR protein area measurement is therefore proposed as a simple, inexpensive, and reliable method of evaluating the proliferative activity in routinely processed tumour samples.
Candidate gene analysis of arteriovenous fistula failure in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure remains an important cause of morbidity in hemodialysis patients. The exact underlying mechanisms responsible for AVF failure are unknown but processes like proliferation, inflammation, vascular remodeling, and thrombosis are thought to be involved. The current objective was to investigate the association between AVF failure and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to these pathophysiologic processes in a large population of incident hemodialysis patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS A total of 479 incident hemodialysis patients were included between January 1997 and April 2004. Follow-up lasted 2 years or until AVF failure, defined as surgery, percutaneous endovascular intervention, or abandonment of the vascular access. Forty-three SNPs in 26 genes, related to proliferation, inflammation, endothelial function, vascular remodeling, coagulation, and calcium/phosphate metabolism, were genotyped. Relations were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS In total, 207 (43.2%) patients developed AVF failure. After adjustment, two SNPs were significantly associated with an increased risk of AVF failure. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of LRP1 rs1466535 was 1.75 (1.15 to 2.66) and patients with factor V Leiden had a hazard ratio of 2.54 (1.41 to 4.56) to develop AVF failure. The other SNPs were not associated with AVF failure. CONCLUSIONS In this large cohort of hemodialysis patients, only 2 of the 43 candidate SNPs were associated with an increased risk of AVF failure. Whether other factors, like local hemodynamic circumstances, are more important or other SNPs play a role in AVF failure remains to be elucidated.
Changing with the Tide: Semi-Parametric Estimation of Preference Dynamics

This paper contrasts the discovered preference hypothesis against the theory of coherent arbitrariness in a split-sample stated choice experiment on flood risk exposure in the Netherlands. A semi-parametric local multinomial logit model (L-MNL) is developed as an alternative to the Swait and Louviere (1993) procedure to control for preference dynamics within and between samples. The L-MNL model finds empirical support for the discovered preference hypothesis in the form of a declining starting point bias induced by the first choice task. These results differ from the Swait and Louviere procedure which, due to its limited flexibility, accepts the standard assumption underlying microeconomic theory of stable preference parameters throughout the choice sequence. The observed preference dynamics puts the use of choice experiments at risk of generating biased welfare estimates if not controlled for.
Clinical isolate of herpes simplex virus type 2 that induces a thymidine kinase with altered substrate specificity

In vitro and in vivo studies were done on a herpes simplex virus type 2 strain recovered from a patient on acyclovir (ACV) which was ACV resistant but expressed thymidine (dThd) kinase (EC 2.7.1.21) activity. Plaque-purified clones derived from the original clinical sample were heterogeneous with respect to plaque size and drug susceptibility. The heterogeneity of this viral mixture was also evident from varied 125I-labeled 5-iodo-2'-deoxycytidine autoradiographic patterns and from varied expression of dThd kinase-associated phosphorylating activities. Four clones from this mixture were 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylthymine (ara-T) susceptible and ACV resistant. Extracts of cells infected with these clones catalyzed the phosphorylation of ara-T but little of ACV. The virus-coded dThd kinase was purified from one of these clones to determine whether its substrate specificity was altered. The amount of virus-coded dThd phosphorylating activity with the cell extracts was estimated to be sevenfold lower with the resistant clone than with the MS strain of herpes simplex virus type 2. The dThd kinase eluted from a dThd-agarose affinity column under the same conditions with extracts from both sources and substrate saturations of both enzymes by acyclic nucleoside analog phosphate acceptors were classical hyperbolic functions. However, there were significant differences in the kinetic parameters of substrates between the two enzymes. Apparent Km (Km') values for dThd, deoxycytidine, ara-T, ACV, and the acyclic guanosine analog 9-[[2-hydroxyl-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxy]methyl]guaine (BW B759U) were 2- to 60-fold higher with the variant enzyme than with the enzyme from laboratory strain MS. Comparing these two enzymes, relative maximal phosphorylation rates (Vm) were eightfold lower for ACV but unchanged for BW B759U. In contrast, the relative rates for deoxycytidine and ara-T were eight- and twofold higher, respectively. The surprisingly good substrate activity with BW B759U compared with that of ACV (Vm/Km' = 0.39 versus 0.01) coincided with susceptibility of the ACV-resistant virus to BW B759U. This clinical variant retained its pathogenicity for mice and was only moderately less neurovirulent than wild-type virus. Although such mutants have the potential to induce illness less responsive to therapy, the recurrence from which the isolate was obtained was typical for this patient in severity and duration. Since this episode, the patient has been treated successfully with ACV.
Learning analytics as a tool for closing the assessment loop in higher education

This paper examines learning and academic analytics and its relevance to distance education in undergraduate and graduate programs as it impacts students and teaching faculty, and also academic institutions. The focus is to explore the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data as predictors of student success and drivers of departmental process and program curriculum. Learning and academic analytics in higher education is used to predict student success by examining how and what students learn and how success is supported by academic programs and institutions. The paper examines what is being done to support students, whether or not it is effective, and if not why, and what educators can do. The paper also examines how these data can be used to create new metrics and inform a continuous cycle of improvement. It presents examples of working models from a sample of institutions of higher education: The Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong, the University of Michigan, Purdue University, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Finally, the paper identifies considerations and recommendations for using analytics and offer suggestions for future research. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel. 2012.04. 020
An early stage of conceptual combination: Superimposition of constituent concepts in left anterolateral temporal lobe

Conceptual combination is an essential cognitive process, yet little is known about its neural correlates. In the present study, a categorization task was used to evoke patterns of neural activation for complex concepts (e.g., young man) as well as their constituents (e.g., young, man). A functional region of interest (fROI) within left anterolateral temporal lobe was identified as a possible site of conceptual combination. In this region, the superimposition of activity for constituent concepts reliably predicted the activation pattern for the complex concept built from those constituents.
Epidemiologic comparison of injured high school basketball athletes reporting to emergency departments and the athletic training setting.

CONTEXT Basketball is a popular US high school sport with more than 1 million participants annually. OBJECTIVE To compare patterns of athletes with basketball-related injuries presenting to US emergency departments from 2005 through 2010 and the high school athletic training setting from the 2005-2011 seasons. DESIGN Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the High School Reporting Information Online database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Complex sample weights were used to calculate national estimates of basketball-related injuries for comparison. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Adolescents from 13 to 19 years of age treated in US emergency departments for basketball-related injuries and athletes from 13 to 19 years of age from schools participating in High School Reporting Information Online who were injured while playing basketball. RESULTS Nationally, an estimated 1,514,957 (95% confidence interval = 1,337,441, 1,692,474) athletes with basketball-related injuries reported to the emergency department and 1,064,551 (95% confidence interval = 1,055,482, 1,073,620) presented to the athletic training setting. Overall, the most frequent injuries seen in the emergency department were lacerations and fractures (injury proportion ratios [IPRs] = 3.45 and 1.72, respectively), whereas those seen in the athletic training setting were more commonly concussions and strains/sprains (IPRs = 2.23 and 1.19, respectively; all P values < .0001). Comparisons of body site and diagnosis combinations revealed additional differences. For example, athletes with lower leg fractures more often presented to the emergency department (IPR = 6.53), whereas those with hand fractures more frequently presented to the athletic training setting (IPR = 1.18; all P values < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Patterns of injury differed among high school basketball players presenting for treatment in the emergency department and the athletic training setting. Understanding differences specific to clinical settings is crucial to grasping the full epidemiologic and clinical picture of sport-related injuries. Certified athletic trainers play an important role in identifying, assessing, and treating athletes with sport-related injuries who might otherwise present to clinical settings with higher costs, such as the emergency department.
The utility of panoramic radiography in temporomandibular joint assessment.

OBJECTIVES Panoramic radiography was used to determine (1) intrarater and inter-rater reliability in assessing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) condylar morphology; (2) alteration in condylar shape in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and controls when matched by age, gender, and state of dentition; and (3) prevalence of condylar abnormalities in individuals with and without TMD. METHODS One hundred panoramic radiographs were randomly selected from a hospital clinic (45 TMD and 55 non-TMD patients). The images were cropped to include only the temporomandibular apparatus and were independently evaluated by three examiners without knowledge of the patient's clinical status. Multiple statistical tests were performed to evaluate the accumulated data. RESULTS Intrarater reliability demonstrated substantial agreement, while inter-rater reliability was fair. There was no difference in condylar morphology between patient groups, but mild condylar change was prevalent in all age groups, regardless of TMD status. CONCLUSIONS Morphological condylar abnormalities are present on panoramic images in all adult age ranges, regardless of status of the dentition or presence of TMD. Condylar shape alone is not an indicator of TMD, and minor condylar discrepancies may have no significance in TMD.