Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Opioid growth factor and low-dose naltrexone impair central nervous system infiltration by CD4 + T lymphocytes in established experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by infiltrating myelin-reactive T lymphocytes and demyelinating lesions. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the animal model widely utilized to study MS. EAE is mediated by CD4+ T cells and can be induced in EAE-susceptible mice through immunization with a myelin antigen, such as proteolipid protein 139–151 (PLP139-151) in SJL mice. In this PLP-induced EAE model, autoreactive CD4+ T cells migrate from peripheral tissues into the CNS where they are reactivated resulting in CNS damage. Th1 and Th17 cells produce the pro-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ and IL-17, respectively, that have been shown to have pathogenic roles in EAE and MS. Anti-inflammatory Th2, IL-4 secreting cells, have been indicated to inhibit EAE exacerbation. However, given the inflammatory environment of EAE, Th2 effector cells are outnumbered by Th1/Th17 cells. Regulatory CD4+ T cells suppress immune reactions and have been demonstrated to be dysfunctional in MS patients. Opioid growth factor (OGF), chemically termed [Met5]-enkephalin, is a negative growth factor that interacts with the OGF receptor. The OGF-OGFr axis can be activated through exogenous administration of OGF or a low dosage of naltrexone (LDN), an opioid antagonist. We have previously demonstrated that modulation of the OGF-OGFr axis results in alleviation from relapse-remitting EAE, and that CNS-infiltrating CD3+ T cells are diminished with exogenous OGF or intermittent blockade with LDN administration. In this paper, we aimed to determine whether OGF or LDN alter the Th effector responses of CD4+ T lymphocytes within the CNS in established EAE. We report in these studies that the numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the CNS of EAE mice are decreased following treatment with OGF for five days but not LDN. However, modulation of the OGF-OGFr axis did not result in changes to CD4+ Th effector cell responses in the CNS of EAE mice.
New Feedback Linearization-Based Control for Arm Trajectory Tracking of the Furuta Pendulum

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new trajectory tracking controller applied to the Furuta pendulum; where the arm tracks a desired time-varying trajectory, while the pendulum remains regulated at the upward position. This controller is derived from the input-output feedback linearization technique. The rigorous analysis of the internal dynamics is presented, showing that the tracking error and the regulation error trajectories are uniformly ultimately bounded. Experimental results show the validity of the introduced theory. Additionally, a detailed experimental study is also presented, where a PID controller and an output tracking controller are compared with respect to the new algorithm, which presents the best performance.
Modulation of Vascular O2 Responses by Cytochrome 450‐4A ω‐Hydroxylase Metabolites In Dahl Salt‐Sensitive Rats

Objective: This study evaluated the role of the 20‐HETE/cytochrome P450‐4A ω‐hydroxylase (CYP450‐4A) system in microvascular regulation in the skeletal muscle circulation following short‐term (three‐day) exposure to a high‐salt (HS) diet in Dahl salt‐sensitive (SS) rats.
Perivascular Mast Cells Promote Atherogenesis and Induce Plaque Destabilization in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice

Background— Mast cells are major effector cells in allergy and host defense responses. Their increased number and state of activation in perivascular tissue during atherosclerosis may point to a role in cardiovascular disorders. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of perivascular mast cells to atherogenesis and plaque stability in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice. Methods and Results— We show here that episodes of systemic mast cell activation during plaque progression in mice leads to robust plaque expansion. Targeted activation of perivascular mast cells in advanced plaques sharply increases the incidence of intraplaque hemorrhage, macrophage apoptosis, vascular leakage, and CXCR2/VLA-4–mediated recruitment of leukocytes to the plaque. Importantly, treatment with the mast cell stabilizer cromolyn does prevent all the adverse phenomena elicited by mast cell activation. Conclusions— This is the first study to demonstrate that mast cells play a crucial role in plaque progression and destabilization in vivo. We propose that mast cell stabilization could be a new therapeutic approach to the prevention of acute coronary syndromes.
The Informational Role of Short Sellers: The Evidence from Short Sellers’ Reports on US‐Listed Chinese Firms

Using US‐listed Chinese firms as the setting, this paper studies a novel channel through which investors can acquire information about firms’ financial reporting quality, that is, the reports published voluntarily by short sellers. I find that short sellers tend to target firms that have financial reporting red flags and that exhibit ‘good’ operating performance and stock valuations. Targeted firms experience an average three‐day cumulative abnormal return (CAR) of −6.4%, and −13.6% for initial coverage of the firm, and the CARs are more negative when the reports allege more severe misconduct of the firms. Non‐targeted firms also experience losses in value following short seller reports, especially when they hire the same non‐Big 4 auditors as targeted firms and when their earnings quality is poor. In comparison, analysts fail to perform proper due diligence and are much less effective than short sellers in exposing misreporting risk in Chinese firms.
Effectiveness of superselective and selective neck dissection for advanced nodal metastases after chemoradiation.

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of selective and superselective neck dissection for patients with bulky or residual nodal metastasis treated with concomitant intra-arterial cisplatin and radiotherapy. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING University of Tennessee, Memphis. PATIENTS A total of 240 patients with stage III or IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. INTERVENTIONS Treatment with cisplatin, 150 mg/m2 intra-arterially, and sodium thiosulfate, 9 g/m2 intravenously, weekly for 4 weeks; and radiotherapy, 2 Gy per fraction per day, 5 times weekly, for a total of 68 to 74 Gy over 6 to 7 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Regional control, distant metastases, and overall survival for patients undergoing radical or modified radical neck dissection (n = 12), selective neck dissection (n = 65), and superselective neck dissection (levels II-III only) (n = 7). RESULTS Among the total group of 240 patients, 106 neck dissections were performed on 84 patients who had bulky nodal disease. With a median follow-up of 58 months (range, 12-96 months), regional failure occurred in 11 (4.6%) of 240 patients: 2 (17%) of the 12 who had modified radical neck dissection, 3 (5%) of the 65 who had selective neck dissection, none of the 7 patients who had superselective neck dissection, and 6 (4%) of the 156 who had no neck dissection. The rates of overall survival and distant metastases were not significantly different among the 3 neck dissection subsets. CONCLUSION Selective and superselective neck dissection, which spare function and minimize morbidity, are viable therapeutic alternatives for patients with residual disease confined to 1 level after intra-arterial chemoradiation treatment, and possibly for other chemoradiation protocols.
Productivity and Economics of Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) + Frenchbean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) Intercropping System

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2010-11 to 2012-13 at Vegetable Research Station Kalyanpur, Kanpur (U.P.) in which intercroppings of potato + frenchbean in 1:1, 2:1 and 1:2 row ratios were tested against sole crops of potato and frenchbean. Based on 3 year results, intercropping adversely affected the yield of potato from 30.2 to 68.2 per cent and that of frenchbean from 58.7 to 82.3 per cent. Total productivity in terms of potato equivalent yield was highest of 38.48 t/ha in sole potato which also earned significantly highest of Rs. 151149/ha net return. Among intercroppings, 2:1 row ratio of potato + frenchbean registered higher productivity of 30.76 t/ha potato equivalent yield and Rs. 126619/ha net return. All intercroppings recorded LER value less than one which showed that in present study, intercropping neither proved productive nor profitable compared to sole potato. Further studies are needed in this respect.
Household Use of Financial Planners: Measurement Considerations for Researchers

Using the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board’s definition of financial planning, this article evaluates the validity of the measures of financial planner use in publicly available datasets. A review of Financial Services Review, Journal of Personal Finance, Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Journal of Consumer Affairs, and Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning identified seven datasets that were commonly used to investigate financial planner use. Of these, the two most promising measures were found in the Survey of Consumer Finances and the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (1979). However, an evaluation of these measures raises significant concerns related to their validity. This article critically evaluates these measures and provides insights into the development of better measures of financial planner use for the future.
Performance measurement of French incubators

Assessing the performance of incubators is a major challenge for public authorities, entrepreneurs and incubator managers. The literature reveals that although many studies have focused on incubator performance most are based on the perspective of only one of these stakeholders. Our objective is to propose a performance measurement tool that involves all stakeholders. This qualitative study is based on interviews with French policymakers, entrepreneurs and incubator managers and uses a balanced scorecard approach.
Determinants and Implications of Low Global Inflation Rates

In this paper we look at global inflation trends over the last decade and try to disentangle factors that could explain the ultra-low levels of inflation during the recovery from the Great Recession. We review the literature on the subject, which points at possible structural shifts in price and wage setting processes in recent decades, such as inflation’s reduced cyclical sensitivity to domestic economic slack, a bigger role being played by forward-looking inflation expectations, and the increased importance of global factors. We then test empirically whether changes in the coefficients of the Phillips curve in the wake of the global financial crisis can explain the behaviour of inflation over this period for a large group of advanced economies. Our results show a wide range of variation between countries, and in some cases the findings are insufficiently robust to offer a satisfactory explanation of the recent course of inflation. Nevertheless, the persistence of inflation and the increased importance of backward-looking inflation expectations in some countries may pose risks for inflation-expectation anchoring and central bank credibility. Finally, we review the adverse effects on the real economy of ultra-low inflation over an extended period and analyse the policy options for addressing this problem.
Chronic Immune Activation Associated with Chronic Helminthic and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections: Role of Hyporesponsiveness and Anergy

SUMMARY Chronic immune activation is one of the hallmarks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is present also, with very similar characteristics, in very large human populations infested with helminthic infections. We have tried to review the studies addressing the changes in the immune profiles and responses of hosts infected with either one of these two chronic infections. Not surprisingly, several of the immune derangements and impairments seen in HIV infection, and considered by many to be the “specific” effects of HIV, can be found in helminth-infected but HIV-noninfected individuals and can thus be accounted for by the chronic immune activation itself. A less appreciated element in chronic immune activation is the immune suppression and anergy which it may generate. Both HIV and helminth infections represent this aspect in a very wide and illustrative way. Different degrees of anergy and immune hyporesponsiveness are present in these infections and probably have far-reaching effects on the ability of the host to cope with these and other infections. Furthermore, they may have important practical implications, especially with regard to protective vaccinations against AIDS, for populations chronically infected with helminths and therefore widely anergic. The current knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the generation of anergy by chronic immune activation is thoroughly reviewed.
Postoperative Infections in Craniofacial Reconstructive Procedures

The rate of, and possible risk factors for, postoperative craniofacial infection is unclear. To investigate this problem, we reviewed 349 cases of craniofacial skeletal procedures performed from 1996 to 1999 at our institution. Infection rate was determined and correlated with the use of implants, operative site, and cause of deformity. The inclusion criteria consisted of all procedures requiring autologous or prosthetic implantation in craniofacial skeletal sites, as well as all procedures involving bone or cartilage resection, osteotomies, debridement, reduction and/or fixation. Procedures that did not involve bone or cartilage surgery were excluded. The criteria for diagnosis of infection included clinical confirmation and one or more of 1) intravenous or oral antibiotic treatment outside of the prophylactic surgical regimen; 2) surgical intervention for drainage, irrigation, and or debridement; and 3) microbiological confirmation. Among the 280 surgical cases that fit the inclusion criteria and had complete records, there were 23 cases of postoperative infection (8.2%). The most common site for postoperative infection was the mandible (infection rate = 16.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed gunshot wound to be the most significant predictor of postoperative infection. Additionally, porous polyethylene implantation through a transoral route was correlated with a significant risk of postoperative infection.
Mass spectrometry–based relative quantification of proteins in precatalytic and catalytically active spliceosomes by metabolic labeling (SILAC), chemical labeling (iTRAQ), and label-free spectral count

The authors present the results of three independent mass spectrometry–based approaches to assess protein composition of precatalytic and catalytic spliceosomes. Of the 157 proteins identified, only a small subset remains unchanged during the B-to-C transition. Results are consistent across the three analytical approaches, including the least expensive one.
Prevalence of periodontal pathogens in localized and generalized forms of early-onset periodontitis.

The primary objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of 8 putative periodontal pathogens in subjects with early-onset periodontitis (EOP) and to evaluate the microbial differences between localized and generalized forms of this periodontal disease condition. Thirty-one females and 11 males with a mean age of 30.3 (s.d. 4.0) years were examined. Seventeen subjects had generalized (GEOP) and 25 had localized early-onset periodontitis (LEOP). Subgingival plaque samples were assayed using PCR which provided subject prevalence data for the pathogens; Bacteroides forsythus 78.6%, Treponema denticola 88.1%, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans 19.0%, Porphyromonas gingivalis 16.7%, Prevotella intermedia 40.4%, Prevotella nigrescens 61.9%, Eikenella corrodens 42.3% and Campylobacter rectus 92.8%. Only 3 healthy sites harbored one or more of these periodontal pathogens. Seven of the 8 subjects positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans had LEOP. P. intermedia was present in 58.8% of GEOP compared with 28% of LEOP subjects (p=0.046). At 82.4% of GEOP sites P. nigrescens was present while this bacteria was detected at 52% of LEOP (p=0.044). P. gingivalis was isolated from 22.6% of females but no male subjects (p=0.084). C. rectus was recovered from all female subjects compared to 72.7% of males (p=0.014). A. actinomycetemcomitans (37.5%) and C. rectus (86.5%) were more frequently identified in non-smokers compared to 7.6% and 68.8% of smokers, respectively (p <0.05). Microbial associations coincided with the clinical division of the cases into LEOP and GEOP in 83% of the subjects.
Exchange rate implications of Border Tax Adjustment Neutrality

Abstract This paper investigates the implications for the nominal exchange rate of a Border Tax Adjustment (BTA) when there is BTA neutrality. A border tax adjustment is a change from an origin-based system of taxation, that taxes exports but exempts imports to a destination-based system that taxes imports but exempts exports. Both indirect taxes (e.g. a VAT) and direct taxes (e.g. a cash-flow corporate profit tax) can be subject to a BTA. In the US, a BTA for the corporate profit tax is under discussion. There is BTA neutrality when the real equilibrium, including measures of profitability and competitiveness, of an open economy is unchanged when it moves from an origin-based to a destinationbased tax. The conventional wisdom on the exchange rate implications of a neutral BTA is that the currency of the country implementing the BTA will strengthen (appreciate) by a percentage equal to the VAT or CPT tax rate. The main insight of this note is that this ‘appreciation presumption’ is not robust, even when all conditions for full BTA neutrality are satisfied. Indeed, plausible alternative assumptions about constancy (or stickiness) of nominal prices support a weakening (depreciation) of the currency by the same percentage as the tax rate. On the basis on the very patchy available empirical information, it is not possible to take a view with any degree of confidence on the implications of a BTA for the nominal exchange rate, even if full BTA neutrality prevailed. Whether BTA neutrality itself is a feature of the real world is also a disputed empirical issue. Therefore, buyer (or seller) beware.
Peripheral administration of kisspeptin antagonist does not alter basal plasma testosterone but decreases plasma adiponectin levels in adult male rhesus macaques

Kisspeptin signaling is a potent regulator of the reproductive axis and an elicitor of gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion. The present study assessed the effect of the peripheral administration of a kisspeptin antagonist (P234) on testosterone secretion in the adult male rhesus monkey. Five monkeys were administered with either P234 (38.8 µg/kg body weight) or a vehicle (0.9% saline). Plasma testosterone and adiponectin levels, as a positive control, were then measured using specific ELISA assays from blood samples collected sequentially at 15-min intervals from 60 min prior to until 360 min after the P234/vehicle injection. In 3 monkeys, the experiment was repeated where the animals received a kisspeptin-10 (50 µg) challenge 30 min after the P234 or vehicle treatment. No effects on basal testosterone levels were found after the systemic administration of P234. Plasma adiponectin levels were found to be briefly decreased by P234. P234 administration was found to suppress kisspeptin-dependent testosterone release and to inhibit kisspeptin-dependent adiponectin release. This suggested that the systemic administration of P234 was effective peripherally. However, the minimal peripheral effects on testosterone secretion in the male macaque suggested that P234 did not cross the blood-brain barrier and blocked the peripheral kisspeptin receptors.
Hepatitis C virus‐specific CD8+ T cell frequencies are associated with the responses of pegylated interferon‐α and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play critical roles in elimination of the HCV‐infected hepatocytes. However, the mechanism of HCV elimination by pegylated interferon‐α (peg‐IFNα) plus ribavirin is not fully understood. We examined HCV‐specific CTL responses during this combination therapy.
The Income Mobility in Rural India: Evidence From ARIS/ REDS Surveys

Economic mobility is a significant consequence of income inequality and growth. In this paper, we have used a unique ARIS/ REDS surveys data set for rural India spanning 3 decades to determine the reasons and magnitude of income mobility. The triggers that have been identified include land ownership, affirmative actions and occupation. There exists wide income diversity among education level, family size, land ownership and different caste groups. The income mobility continues to be low. Further, the land reforms and advantages from affirmative actions have not made significant impact on the income mobility over the periods.
Local Knowledge and Experiences of Vaccination: Implications for HIV-Preventive Vaccine Trials in South Africa

This study forms part of the preparation of communities for HIV-preventive vaccine trials in South Africa. On the basis of the assumption that attitudes to any HIV vaccine or vaccine trials will partly be influenced by experiences of vaccination in general, this study aimed to investigate knowledge of, attitudes to, and experiences of vaccination in a small semirural community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study also sought to investigate the effect of traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs on attitudes to vaccination, as well as to get some indication of willingness to participate in potential HIV vaccine trials. Overall, the findings reveal a good knowledge of, and positive attitudes to, vaccination, with little negative effect of traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs. The findings also reveal a generally positive attitude to HIV vaccines and vaccine trials. Barriers identified, such as anxiety about safety, were not surprising.
Increased plasma fibrinolysis and tissue-type plasminogen activator/tissue-type plasminogen activator inhibitor ratios after ethanol withdrawal in chronic alcoholics

The effects of alcohol withdrawal on fibrinolysis were studied in 10 middle-aged male chronic alcoholics institutionalized for withdrawal therapy. All patients were sampled on admission [day 1 (D1)] and 21 days after alcohol withdrawal [day 22 (D22)]. The overall plasma fibrinolytic capacity (OFC) was assayed by measuring the ability of patient plasma to generate D-dimers from a standardized fibrin clot, and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and t-PA inhibitor (PAI-1) levels were assayed together with serum cholesterol, triglyceride and cholesterol fractions. At D22, the OFC significantly increased in seven patients [D1 = 10 ± 0.7 μg/h (mean ± SD), D22 = 17 ± 7.4 μg/h;P< 0.01], while t-PA and PAI-1 levels decreased in all patients but two (t-PA: D1 = 16.6 ± 5 ng/ml, D22 = 10.2 ± 3.8 ng/ml;P< 0.001; and PAI-1: D1 = 46 ± 39 ng/ml, D22 = 21 ± 28 ng/ml;P< 0.01). This study clearly demonstrates an increase in overall fibrinolytic activity after alcohol withdrawal, which is mainly due to a decrease in PAI-1 levels. These changes induced by alcohol abstinence might provide clear benefit by reducing the risk of thromboembolic events and particularly of stroke associated with elevated PAI-1 levels described in heavy drinkers.