Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamics of cercarial survival and metabolism in a changing climate

SUMMARY Cercariae are non-feeding free-living stages in the life cycles of trematodes, highly influenced by temperature. Their life span is brief, limited by the depletion of a non-renewable glycogen store. Warmer temperatures under the influence of climate change may promote the transmission of parasites and therefore understanding their thermobiology forms an important step in discerning the future dynamics of parasite populations. An empirical relationship exists between cercarial mean expected life span and the half-life of the population (t0·5) and therefore t0·5 is a good indicator of glycogen utilization. In this study experimental data on the effects of temperature on cercarial survival is compiled from the scientific literature and evaluated in terms of metabolism using Q10 and Arrhenius activation energy (E* or μ), common measures of temperature-mediated reaction rates. Cercariae have a variable response to temperature, which does not appear to be influenced by their life-history attributes or size. There were little differences in Q10 and E* values between most temperature ranges. In almost half the studies examined (7 of 16) cercariae demonstrated a discrete zone of thermostability over a range equivalent to typical individual mean summer temperatures. Distinct intraspecific differences in temperature responses between 3 laboratory strains of Schistosoma mansoni and 2 natural strains of Echinoparyphium recurvatum sensu stricto were apparent. The importance of these results for cercarial biology under global climate change is discussed.
Two Essays on Stated Choice Analysis of Demand for Eggs from Enhanced Animal Welfare Production Systems

TWO ESSAYS ON STATED CHOICE ANALYSIS OF DEMAND FOR EGGS FROM ENHANCED ANIMAL WELFARE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Weiguang Wang Advisor: University of Guelph, 2014 Dr. John Cranfield This thesis measures consumer preference and willingness to pay for enhanced animal welfare using eggs. In order to investigate consumer preferences for enhanced animal welfare, two stated choice experiments are used to address consumers’ choices from eight combinations of enhanced animal welfare attributes. Within each experiment, two treatments are applied to explore the role of additional information on consumer choices. A conditional logit model is employed to analyze data from a nation wide survey. In the first essay, the results show regional heterogeneity in Canadian consumer preferences for eggs from alternative housing systems. In the second essay, results show heterogeneity in consumer preferences for organizations that verify housing systems, using trust as the means of differentiating segments of consumer. The findings of the thesis provide information to the Canadian egg industry regarding the implications arising from improvement in hen welfare, and possible economic benefits arising from changes
Risk-type preference shifts in response to performance feedback

The behavioral literature examines how performance feedback drives risky change. In this conceptual article, I incorporate the overlooked alternative to risky change: not changing and the risk associated with such omission. After all, both commissions and omissions can have extensive outcome variability. I propose that firms alter their preference for the type or risk, depending on how well they fared with their previous preference. I then further qualify these shifts in two ways: I discuss the extent of risk that firms are likely to take in the form of omissions and commissions, respectively, and I consider the frequency and magnitude with which the shifts are likely to occur. Theory of risk-type preference shifts may explain and reconcile seemingly disparate prior findings on risk-taking in response to performance feedback. To facilitate future research on firm behavior and resource allocation in dynamic environments, I provide three testable propositions and suggest ways to operationalize the new constructs.
Serial full‐thickness excision of dysplastic vocal fold leukoplakia: Diagnostic or therapeutic?

A previous study proposed that serial full‐thickness excisional biopsies of vocal fold leukoplakia therapeutically decreased dysplasia grade. The current investigation aimed to 1) analyze the pathological evolution and natural history of these lesions and 2) re‐examine the role of serial excisions in dysplasia grade regression in long‐term follow‐up.
Liquidity Constraints, Wealth Transfers and Home Ownership

We study the impact of liquidity constraints on home ownership by comparing the tenure and housing choice of households who receive intra-family wealth transfers to those that do not. Our analysis is based on household-level panel data providing annual information on household characteristics, wealth transfers, tenure status as well as changes in the size and quality of housing. Our treatment effect estimates suggest that wealth transfers increase the propensity of households to transition to ownership by 15 to 20 percentage points. By contrast, wealth transfers do not increase the likelihood that existing homeowners “trade-up” to larger homes in better locations.
Childhood B Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Clonality Study by the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Purpose B cell precursors acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) present rearrangements in the heavy chain immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes, especially in the complementarity determining region 3 (CDR-3) and T cell receptor δ (TCRδ) (Vδ2Dδ3) regions. These rearrangements may be amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and used as clonal markers of B lineage ALL. Our purpose was to study clonality at the DNA level by PCR in B lineage ALL. Patients and Methods Fifty-three pediatric patients (36 with B lineage ALL, 7 with ALL-T, and 10 with nonlymphocytic disease) were investigated using consensus primers for the CDR-3 regions of IgH and TCRδ. Results Clonality was detected in 86.1% of the patients with B lineage ALL when the primers for the CDR-3 regions were used, in 41.6% when the primers for TCRδ were used, and in 91.6% when the two primers were used together. Biclonality was found in 22.5% and 6.6% of patients that have shown clonality for CDR-3 and TCRδ, respectively. Clonality was not detected in any other samples using these primers. Conclusions PCR using CDR-3 and TCRδ primers can be used as an aid for B lineage ALL diagnosis and clonal evolution of theses disease.
Bicyclic Hydroxy‐1H‐pyrrolopyridine‐trione Containing HIV‐1 Integrase Inhibitors

HIV‐1 integrase (IN) is a validated therapeutic target for the treatment of AIDS. However, the emergence of resistance to raltegravir, the sole marketed FDA‐approved IN inhibitor, emphasizes the need to develop second‐generation inhibitors that retain efficacy against clinically relevant IN mutants. We report herein bicyclic hydroxy‐1H‐pyrrolopyridine‐triones as a new family of HIV‐1 integrase inhibitors that were efficiently prepared using a key ‘Pummerer cyclization deprotonation cycloaddition’ cascade of imidosulfoxides. In in vitro HIV‐1 integrase assays, the analogs showed low micromolar inhibitory potencies with selectivity for strand transfer reactions as compared with 3′‐processing inhibition. A representative inhibitor (5e) retained most of its inhibitory potency against the three major raltegravir‐resistant IN mutant enzymes, G140S/Q148H, Y143R, and N155H. In antiviral assays employing viral vectors coding these IN mutants, compound 5e was approximately 200‐ and 20‐fold less affected than raltegravir against the G140S/Q148H and Y143R mutations, respectively. Against the N155H mutation, 5e was approximately 10‐fold less affected than raltegravir. Thus, our new compounds represent a novel structural class that may be further developed to overcome resistance to raltegravir, particularly in the case of the G140S/Q148H mutations.
Revisiting the exchange rate disconnect puzzle

ABSTRACT One of the major anomalies in International Macroeconomics is the persistent finding that the exchange rate has no empirical relationship with a variety of macroeconomic fundamentals. Dubbed the ‘exchange rate disconnect puzzle’, this article examines this issue for five Australian dollar bilateral exchange rates, using quarterly data for the period 1984:1–2015:4. A novel feature of this article is that it departs from the extant literature by using a different approach to testing for cointegration. The results show that the exchange rates and fundamentals move together in the long run. Furthermore, the results show that fundamentals Granger cause exchange rates, both in the short run and the long run.
Does Providing Public Works Increase Workers' Wage Bargaining Power in Private Sectors? -- Evidence from National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in India

This paper answers the question that, does having some household members working in public work program increase other household members' wage bargaining power in private sectors? we use DID matching method to estimate NREGS's effect on participating households' labor market outcomes. Results show that non-participants from participating households (i.e. households with at least one person participating in the program) receive a 5\% wage increase compared to individuals from non-participating households. This result is consistent with a unitary household utility model and wage bargaining story. Intuitively, when a household participates in the program, the benefit obtained from this program may transmit from participants to household non-participants, hence leading to a higher reservation wage for the latter. This wage effect only exists in Karif season, an agricultural busy season. %Relevant to gender and inequality literature, we find the effects are usually greater in magnitude for female than for male workers. This is consistent with the initial goal of this program, i.e. empowering women.
Antibody response and viral excretion after live polio vaccine or a combined schedule of live and inactivated polio vaccines.

A randomized controlled trial was performed in infants undergoing routine immunization in North Hertfordshire. Ninety-six children received a single dose of inactivated polio vaccine, followed by two doses of live attenuated oral polio vaccine and 97 children received three doses of live attenuated oral polio vaccine at 2, 3 and 4 months of age. Blood samples were taken by study nurses 6 weeks after vaccination and stool samples were collected by parents weekly for 4 weeks after each dose of vaccine. Follow-up was completed for 92 of 96 (96%) children in the combined schedule group and 92 of 97 (95%) in the control group. After vaccination the proportions of children with detectable antibody to poliovirus serotypes 1, 2 and 3 were high and similar between groups and geometric mean titers (95% confidence interval) to poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 were 264 (200 to 347), 375 (311 to 450) and 189 (144 to 250) in the combined schedule group and 369 (290 to 469), 401 (321 to 498) and 206 (145 to 293) in the live vaccine group, respectively. The only significant difference between groups in rates of viral excretion was observed after the second dose of live attenuated oral polio vaccine, when excretion of type 3 poliovirus was reduced in those children who had received prior inactivated polio vaccine (P = 0.05). This study suggests that, compared with the current schedule, a combined schedule of inactivated and live poliovaccines is likely to produce equivalent individual protection against poliomyelitis and is unlikely to substantially alter circulation of poliovirus in the community. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
How Can Osteoporosis Patients Benefit More from Their Therapy? Adherence Issues with Bisphosphonate Therapy

Objective: To review the evidence on adherence with bisphosphonates and evolving dosing strategies for osteoporosis treatment. Data Sources: Articles were identified by searching MEDLINE (1975–December 2005) using the following terms: osteoporosis, postmenopausal, fracture, adherence, compliance, persistence, drug therapy, bisphosphonates, alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, and zoledronate. Additional data included bibliographies from identified articles. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All pertinent English-language articles that discussed adherence issues in patients with osteoporosis were included. Both those that reviewed overall issues of medication adherence in osteoporosis and those that focused specifically on adherence to bisphosphonates were included, as were articles that addressed strategies for overcoming nonadherence. Data Synthesis: Inadequate diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis result in a higher risk of fractures than is necessary. Even patients who are diagnosed and beginning treatment often do not persist with their osteoporosis medication because they perceive their fracture risk to be low and, given the asymptomatic nature of osteoporosis, do not experience the benefit of symptom reduction after taking the drugs. Factors that affect adherence to osteoporosis therapy include drug costs, adverse effects, dosing frequency, disease education, patient follow-up, and patient involvement in treatment decisions. Conclusions: By considering and implementing strategies that can improve adherence and persistence, primary care providers and pharmacists (via counseling) may enhance long-term outcomes for patients with osteoporosis.
Does Online Word-of-Mouth Increase Demand? (and How?) Evidence from a Natural Experiment

We leverage a temporary block of the Chinese microblogging platform Sina Weibo due to political events, to estimate the causal effect of online word-of-mouth content on product demand in the context of TV show viewership. Based on this source of exogenous variation, we estimate an elasticity of TV show ratings (market share in terms of viewership) with respect to the number of relevant comments (comments were disabled during the block) of 0.016. In terms of the behavioral mechanism, we find more post-show microblogging activity increases demand, whereas comments posted prior to the show airing do not affect viewership. These patterns are inconsistent with informative or persuasive advertising effects and suggest a complementarity between TV consumption and anticipated post-show microblogging activity.
Dynamic QoS and Network Control for Commercial VoIP Systems in Future Heterogeneous Networks

This work examines new QoS models and dynamic network control methods for new commercial VoIP solutions. The R equation, derived by ITU for network planning that forms part of the E-Model (ITU-T G.107), has been the backbone of Quality-of-Service (QoS) prediction of telephony for decades and it has been very successful in predicting the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) and QoS for telephone systems. However, we question its applicability to Voice-over-IP(VoIP) systems and propose a preliminary VoIP equation, called VoIP-eM. We propose our own research directions and testing methodology to examine the new equation and new QoS model for dynamic control. Our work examines the assumptions behind the ITU-T E-Model R equation including the linearity of the disparate transmission parameters, the random assumption behind the packet loss and interpretation of Id and Ie equation parameters representing impairments due to echo and delay, and impairments from transmission equipment, respectively. Further examination into the combined behavior of packet loss and packet delay, and other impairment scenarios including various environmental factors based on our background and noise conditions will also form a part of this investigation. In addition, demographics and languages spoken may show the variability in the R to MOS prediction and will therefore be investigated. The new QoS models will be evaluated for CODEC G.711, G.729, AMR, and GSM-FR. The proposed work will lead towards developing a dynamic QoS and network control system for heterogeneous VoIP networks integrated into a middleware based solution for industry.
TICK SALIVARY GLAND EXTRACT ACCELERATES PROLIFERATION OF FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS IN THE HOST

Accelerated proliferation of the tick-borne bacterial pathogen Francisella tularensis was demonstrated in mice when the bacterium was injected together with salivary gland extract from Ixodes ricinus ticks. A significant increase in the numbers of bacteria was recorded in the dermal site of infection, the draining lymph nodes, and the spleen. Analysis of the expression of cytokine messenger ribonucleic acids showed polarization toward a Th2 profile. Salivary gland extract–mediated suppression of interleukin-12 and interferon-γ, the cytokines required for the expression of the protective immunity against tularemic infection, apparently contributed to the decreased resistance against this tick-transmitted pathogen.
Nonlinear Heat Exchanger Control through the Use of Partially Linearized Control Variables

The use of partial linearization by nonlinear state variable feedback has been proposed as a means of reducing the detrimental effects of severe system nonlinearities upon the performance of linear control schemes used with severely nonlinear systems. In this paper a set of generalized transformed variables are derived for a single pass shell and tube heat exchanger using this technique. The implementation of these generalized transformed variables, which reduce the apparent nonlinear behavior of single pass heat exchangers, eliminates the need to rederive a nonlinear transformation for each heat exchanger control design. The open loop behavior of the system is examined in the time domain to evaluate the ability of the transformed variables to reduce the asymmetry of system response to changes to system inputs. The closed loop performance of the chosen system is evaluated for both servo and regulator control. Finally, the effect of model error upon the robustness of the closed loop controller performance is examined.
Differential drug class‐specific metastatic effects following treatment with a panel of angiogenesis inhibitors

Inhibiting angiogenesis has become an important therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment but, like other current targeted therapies, benefits experienced for late‐stage cancers can be curtailed by inherent refractoriness or by acquired drug resistance, requiring a need for better mechanistic understanding of such effects. Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated that VEGF pathway inhibitors suppress primary tumour growth and metastasis. However, it has been recently reported that short‐term VEGF and VEGFR inhibition can paradoxically accelerate tumour invasiveness and metastasis in certain models. Here we comprehensively compare the effects of both antibody and small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors targeting the VEGF–VEGFR pathway, using short‐term therapy in various mouse models of metastasis. Our findings demonstrate that antibody inhibition of VEGF pathway molecules does not promote metastasis, in contrast to selected small molecule RTK inhibitors at elevated‐therapeutic drug dosages. In particular, a multi‐targeted RTK inhibitor, sunitinib, which most profoundly potentiated metastasis, also increased lung vascular permeability and promoted tumour cell extravasation. Mechanistically, sunitinib, but not anti‐VEGF treatment, attenuated endothelial barrier function in culture and caused a global inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, including molecules important for maintaining endothelial cell–cell junctions. Together these findings indicate that, rather than a specific consequence of inhibiting the VEGF signalling pathway, pharmacological inhibitors of the VEGF pathway can have dose‐ and drug class‐dependent side‐effects on the host vasculature. These findings also advocate for the continued identification of mechanisms of resistance to anti‐angiogenics and for therapy development to overcome it. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Duodenal Intraepithelial Lymphocytes of Children with Cow Milk Allergy Preferentially Bind the Glycan-Binding Protein Galectin-3

A breakdown in intestinal homeostasis results in inflammatory bowel diseases including coeliac disease and allergy. Galectins, evolutionarily conserved β-galactoside-binding proteins, can modulate immune-epithelial cell interactions by influencing immune cell fate and cytokine secretion. In this study we investigated the ‘glycosylation signature’ as well as the regulated expression of galectin-1 and −3 in human duodenal samples of allergic and non-allergic children. Whereas galectin-1 was predominantly localized in the epithelial compartment (epithelial cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes) and the underlying lamina propria (T cells, macrophages and plasma cells), galectin-3 was mainly expressed by crypt epithelial cells and macrophages in the lamina propria. Remarkably, expression of these galectins was not significantly altered in allergic versus non-allergic patients. Investigation of the glycophenotype of the duodenal inflammatory microenvironment revealed substantial α2–6-linked sialic acid bound to galactose in lamina propria plasma cells, macrophages and intraepithelial lymphocytes and significant levels of asialo core 1 O-glycans in CD68+ macrophages and enterocytes. Galectin-1 preferentially bound to neutrophils, plasma cells and enterocytes, while galectin-3 binding sites were mainly distributed on macrophages and intraepithelial lymphocytes. Notably, galectin-3, but not galectin-1 binding, was substantially increased in intraepithelial gut lymphocytes of allergic patients compared to non-allergic subjects, suggesting a potential role of galectin-3-glycan interactions in shaping epithelial-immune cell connections during allergic inflammatory processes.
Hypoxia or nutrient restriction during pregnancy in rats leads to progressive cardiac remodeling and impairs postischemic recovery in adult male offspring

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) increases the risk of developing adult‐onset cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that IUGR resulting from maternal hypoxia or nutrient restriction during late gestation will produce cardiac remodeling and impair cardiac recovery after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in adult male offspring aged 4 or 7 mo. Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomized on day 15 of pregnancy to hypoxia (IUGR‐H, 12% oxygen), nutrient restriction (IUGR‐NR, 40% of control diet) or control (room air) groups. In 4‐mo IUGR‐H offspring, left ventricular wt/body wt ratio (LVW/BW) and right ventricular wt/BW ratio (RVW/BW) increased, in association with increased collagen I and III expression, beta and alpha myosin heavy chain (β/αMHC) ratio, and decreased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 activity compared to the other groups. Left ventricular end diastolic pressure was higher in perfused hearts. Functional recovery after I/R was remarkably reduced (10±3%) compared to both control (39±5%) and IUGR‐NR rats (32±4%). At 7 mo, both IUGR‐H and IUGR‐NR offspring had increased LVW/BW, collagen I and III, β/α MHC ratio, and decreased cardiac recovery and MMP‐2 activity compared to control. These findings suggest that hypoxia or undernutrition during development leads to pathological cardiac remodeling, diastolic dysfunction, and increased sensitivity to ischemic injury during adult life. —Xu, Y. , Williams, S. J. O'Brien, D. , and Davidge, S. T. Hypoxia or nutrient restriction during pregnancy in rats leads to progressive cardiac remodeling and impairs postischemic recovery in adult male offspring. FASEB J. 20, E536–E545 (2006)