Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Umbilical Cord Blood T Cells Express Multiple Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors after IL-15 Stimulation, but Only NKp30 Is Functional1

The natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) NKp30, NKp44, and NKp46 are thought to be NK lineage restricted. Herein we show that IL-15 induces NCR expression on umbilical cord blood (UCB) T cells. NCRs were mainly on CD8+ and CD56+ UCB T cells. Only NKp30 was functional as demonstrated by degranulation, IFN-γ release, redirected killing, and apoptosis. Since NCRs require adaptor proteins for function, the expressions of these adaptors were determined. The adaptors used by NKp30 and NKp46, FcεR1γ and CD3ζ, were detected in UCB T cells. There was a near absence of DAP12, the adaptor for NKp44, consistent with a hypofunctional state. NKp46 was on significantly fewer UCB T cells, possibly accounting for its lack of function. Adult peripheral blood (PB) T cells showed minimal NCR acquisition after culture with IL-15. Since UCB contains a high frequency of naive T cells, purified naive T cells from adult PB were tested. Although NKp30 was expressed on a small fraction of naive PB T cells, it was nonfunctional. In contrast to UCB, PB T cells lacked FcεR1γ expression. These results demonstrate differences between UCB and PB T cells regarding NCR expression and function. Such findings challenge the concept that NCRs are NK cell specific.
CD4+CD28- T cell expansion in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) is driven by latent cytomegalovirus infection and is associated with an increased risk of infection and mortality.

OBJECTIVE Expanded populations of CD4+CD28- T cells with a cytotoxic phenotype have been repeatedly reported in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA). In healthy individuals expansion of this T cell population follows cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. We undertook this study to investigate whether CMV infection may be responsible for driving the expansion of CD4+CD28- T cells in GPA patients and how this might relate to clinical features. METHODS Forty-eight GPA patients and 38 age-matched healthy donors were included in the study. CMV-specific IgG in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Flow cytometric analysis was used to study T cell populations and phenotype. The presence of CMV in renal biopsy tissue from GPA patients was investigated by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Clinical information was obtained from patient records. RESULTS Populations of CD4+CD28- T cells were only expanded in CMV-seropositive GPA patients and controls. In CMV-seropositive GPA patients we observed negative correlations between the percentages of CD4+CD28- T cells and both the percentage of naive T cells and the glomerular filtration rate at presentation. There was a significant association between the percentage of CD4+CD28- T cells and risk of infection and mortality. CMV could not be detected in renal tissue by PCR or immunohistochemistry. CMV seropositivity itself was not a risk factor for infection in a cohort of 182 patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis who had been recruited into clinical trials performed by the European Vasculitis Study Group. CONCLUSION The expansion of CD4+CD28- T cells in GPA patients is associated with CMV infection and leads to a reduction in the number of naive T cells in peripheral blood. Patients with expanded CD4+CD28- T cells have significantly increased mortality and risk of infection.
Analyst Herding Behavior and Analyst Affiliation: Evidence from Business Groups

This paper examines analysts herding behavior when there are two groups of analysts where one group has affiliation with the subject firm and one group does not. We found that the unaffiliated analysts issue the forecasts herding towards their prior affiliated analysts' forecasts. The unaffiliated analysts' herding with affiliated analysts is intensified by positive information delivered by affiliated analysts. In addition, the herding with affiliated analysts results from unaffiliated analysts' strategic actions to maximize forecast accuracy. Overall, when significant information asymmetry exists, the findings suggest that unaffiliated analysts use affiliated analysts' forecasts as a primary information source to forecast earnings.
Isoflurane Anesthesia Preserves Liver and Lung Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity After Gut Ischemia–Reperfusion

BACKGROUND: Lung and liver dysfunction is involved in gut ischemia–reperfusion (IR)–induced multiple organ failure. We compared the effects of ketamine and isoflurane on liver and lung mitochondrial oxidative capacity after gut IR. METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups (controls and gut IR receiving either intraperitoneal ketamine or inhaled isoflurane). Maximal oxygen consumption and the activity of respiratory chain complexes were measured on isolated liver and lung mitochondria. RESULTS: Gut IR significantly impaired liver and lung mitochondrial oxidative capacity when using ketamine but not isoflurane. CONCLUSIONS: Isoflurane preserved liver and lung mitochondrial oxidative capacity after gut IR.
GuideBeacon: Beacon-based indoor wayfinding for the blind, visually impaired, and disoriented

There are currently few options for navigational aids for the blind and visually impaired (BVI) in large indoor spaces. Such indoor spaces can be difficult to navigate even for the general sighted population if they are disoriented due to unfamiliarity or other reasons. This paper presents an indoor wayfinding system called GuideBeacon for the blind, visually impaired, and disoriented (BVID) that assists people in navigating between any two points within indoor environments. The GuideBeacon system allows users equipped with smartphones to interact with low cost Bluetooth-based beacons deployed strategically within the indoor space of interest to navigate their surroundings. This paper describes the technical challenges faced in designing such a system, the design decisions made in building the current version of the GuideBeacon system, the solutions developed to meet the technical challenges, and results from the evaluation of the system. Results presented in this paper obtained from field testing GuideBeacon with BVI and sighted participants suggests that it can be used by the BVID for navigation in large indoor spaces independently and effectively.
Multisynaptic projections from the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex to the dorsal premotor cortex in macaques – anatomical substrate for conditional visuomotor behavior

Lines of evidence indicate that both the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) (areas 45/12) and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) (rostral F2 in area 6) are crucially involved in conditional visuomotor behavior, in which it is required to determine an action based on an associated visual object. However, virtually no direct projections appear to exist between the vlPFC and PMd. In the present study, to elucidate possible multisynaptic networks linking the vlPFC to the PMd, we performed a series of neuroanatomical tract‐tracing experiments in macaque monkeys. First, we identified cortical areas that send projection fibers directly to the PMd by injecting Fast Blue into the PMd. Considerable retrograde labeling occurred in the dorsal prefrontal cortex (dPFC) (areas 46d/9/8B/8Ad), dorsomedial motor cortex (dmMC) (F7 and presupplementary motor area), rostral cingulate motor area, and ventral premotor cortex (F5 and area 44), whereas the vlPFC was virtually devoid of neuronal labeling. Second, we injected the rabies virus, a retrograde transneuronal tracer, into the PMd. At 3 days after the rabies injections, second‐order neurons were labeled in the vlPFC (mainly area 45), indicating that the vlPFC disynaptically projects to the PMd. Finally, to determine areas that connect the vlPFC to the PMd indirectly, we carried out an anterograde/retrograde dual‐labeling experiment in single monkeys. By examining the distribution of axon terminals labeled from the vlPFC and cell bodies labeled from the PMd, we found overlapping labels in the dPFC and dmMC. These results indicate that the vlPFC outflow is directed toward the PMd in a multisynaptic fashion through the dPFC and/or dmMC.
Erythrocyte insulin‐like growth factor‐I binding in younger and older males

Insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) levels are lower in older compared with younger subjects. We tested the hypothesis that the reduction in circulating IGF‐I would be accompanied by upregulation in tissue IGF‐I binding in at least some tissues. We tested erythrocyte IGF‐I binding since blood is an accessible tissue in humans, and there is growing evidence to suggest that erythrocyte IGF‐I binding is influenced by circulating IGF‐I.
A Selectivity Corrected Time Varying Beta Estimator

This paper explores two issues in beta estimation, specifically, time variation and thin trading. In a multivariate GARCH approach, the paper conducts an analysis of the importance of assumptions made about the correlation structure in the multivariate GARCH model. The results of Monte Carlo analysis and an empirical application to Australian stock data demonstrate that it is better to allow for time variation in the correlation structure. The paper then develops a selectivity corrected time varying beta estimator. The results of a Monte Carlo experiment show that the new estimator performs well in handling the censoring in the data. Further, when the model is applied to individual stock data for Australia it provides a model that captures the impacts of censoring and thin trading on time varying beta risk.
A Clinicopathological study on combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma

We clinicopathologically studied 23 surgically resected cases of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (HCC‐CC). The frequency of this cancer in our subjects, who had primary liver cancer and who underwent hepatectomy, was 6.3%. The mean age of patients was 64.0 years old and the male: female ratio was 1.9:1. Serum α‐fetoprotein was positive in 70% of cases and its levels were relatively low (≤ 1000 ng/mL) in most cases. The positive rate of serum carcinoembryonic antigen was 18% and its levels were also low. In regard to hepatitis virus markers, 17% of the 20 combined HCC‐CC cases were positive to HBs antigen and 70% were positive to the HCV antibody. Of the 23 combined HCC‐CC cases, 9 cases (39%) were associated with liver cirrhosis. Tumours were classified macroscopically into a separated type (HCC and CC are clearly separated 17%), a HCC‐predominant type (resembles HCC 49%), and a CC‐predominant type (resembles CC 34%). The separated and HCC‐predominant types were associated with liver cirrhosis in 50 and 55% of cases, respectively. These cases with liver cirrhosis presented the features of HCC more apparently, while those without liver cirrhosis presented the features of CC. Histologically, all cases were classified into either Type I (HCC and CC were clearly distinguished; 17%), Type II (HCC and CC were contiguous and shared transitional features; 66%), and Type III (cancer cells were able to be evaluated as either HCC or CC and were considered to be an intermediate type; 17%). Immunohistological stains for cytokeratin were useful to distinguish HCC and CC. Specifically, CC was positive to cytokeratin 7 and 19. The tumour, in which HCC and CC were almost indistinguishable, such as Type III), indicates the presence of intermediate tumour cells that can differentiate either to HCC or CC.
BioLogic gates enable logical transcription control in mammalian cells

The architecture of gene regulatory networks is reminiscent of electronic circuits. Modular building blocks that respond in a logical way to one or several inputs are connected to perform a variety of complex tasks. Gene circuit engineers have pioneered the construction of artificial gene regulatory networks with the intention to pave the way for the construction of therapeutic gene circuits for next‐generation gene therapy approaches. However, due to the lack of a critical amount of eukaryotic cell‐compatible gene regulation systems, the field has so far been limited to prokaryotes. Recent development of several mammalian cell‐compatible expression control systems laid the foundations for the assembly of transcription control modules that can respond to several inputs. Herein, three approaches to evoke combinatorial transcription control have been followed: (i) construction of artificial promoters with up to three operator sites for regulatory proteins, and (ii) parallel and (iii) serial linking of two gene regulation systems. We have combined tetracycline‐, streptogramin‐, macrolide‐, and butyrolactone transcription control systems to engineer BioLogic gates of the NOT IF‐, AND‐, NOT IF IF‐, NAND‐, OR‐, NOR‐, and INVERTER‐type in mammalian cells, which are able to respond to up to three different small molecule inputs. BioLogic gates enable logical transcriptional control in mammalian cells and, in combination with modern transduction technologies, could serve as versatile tools for regulated gene expression and as building blocks for complex artificial gene regulatory networks for applications in gene therapy, tissue engineering, and biotechnology. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Breast screening: a randomised controlled trial in UK general practice of three interventions designed to increase uptake.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative effectiveness of three interventions designed to increase the uptake of breast screening. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial of a nurse visit with health education (group A), nurse visit without health education (group B), and GP letter (group C). SETTING: The area of south east London served by the Butterfly Walk Breast Screening Unit in Camberwell. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged between 50 and 64 years who were registered with 27 GPs in the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham family health services authority and who had not attended for first round screening. MAIN RESULTS: Altogether 799 women were randomly allocated to the three groups. In general, delivering the nurse based interventions proved difficult. In group A, 11.4% (95% CI 7.9, 14.9%) of women subsequently attended for screening compared with 7.8% (95% CI 5.1, 11.4%) in group B and 13.1% (95% CI 7.9, 18.4%) in group C. The differences between the groups (95% CIs) were not statistically significant: A versus C, -1.7% (-8.0, +4.6%); B versus C, -5.3% (-11.3, +0.7%); A versus B, +3.6% (-1.0, +8.2%). CONCLUSIONS: A personal letter from the GP seems to be at least as effective at increasing the uptake of breast screening in non-attenders as a nurse making a home visit to discuss the issue of breast screening, and is not noticeably less effective than a visit at which a health education intervention is delivered. It is possible that the GP letter is considerably more effective than either of the two interview-based interventions. With regard to implementing strategies which will increase breast screening uptake and are cost effective, further trials of similar minimal interventions in primary care are required.
Modeling the effect of water activity on thermal resistance of Salmonella in wheat flour

MODELING THE EFFECT OF WATER ACTIVITY ON THERMAL RESISTANCE OF SALMONELLA IN WHEAT FLOUR By Danielle F. Smith Salmonella is able to survive in low-moisture environments, is known to be more heat resistant as product water activity decreases, and recently has been implicated in several outbreaks and/or recalls associated with low-moisture foods. Therefore, the specific objectives were to: (1) Evaluate the effect of rapid product desiccation and hydration on the thermal resistance of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 in wheat flour, and (2) Test multiple secondary models for the effect of product (wheat flour) water activity on Salmonella thermal resistance. A custom-built fluidized-bed drying and hydrating system was used to rapidly (1-4 min) change the sample’s water activity (0.6 to 0.3, or 0.3 to 0.6) prior to thermal treatment, and the results were compared with those from samples with longer equilibration times (4-7 days). Desiccation or hydration rate did not affect Salmonella thermal resistance; instead, product water activity at the time of thermal treatment controlled Salmonella thermal resistance, regardless of the water activity “history”. An additional isothermal inactivation study, with three water activities and three temperatures, generated data used to evaluate the effectiveness of three secondary models (response surface, modified Bigelow-type, and a combined-effects model) in accounting for product water activity. The combined-effects model best accounted for water activity when modeling microbial inactivation under low-moisture conditions, when considering goodness-offit, phenomenological basis, and model utility.
Diagnostic Value of Serum Prolactin in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Since diagnosis at an early stage is associated with improved survival rate, an effective screening strategy that detects early stage ovarian cancer could have a significant impact on mortality from this disease. Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) is an established biomarker for ovarian cancer detection. As CA125 effectiveness in the identification of the malignancy is threatened by its low diagnostic specificity, measurement of prolactin (PRL) in serum have been proposed for improving the sensitivity and specificity of disease identification. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of serum PRL among healthy and ovarian cancer women at Khartoum state, Sudan. 90 Sudanese ladies with age range (16-80) years old who attended the gynecological oncology clinic in Omdurman Military hospital were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected, and quantitative determination of serum prolactin (PRL) levels was performed by immunoassay. Epithelial ovarian cancer was the most common ovarian cancer type followed by germ cell tumors. PRL serum levels were within the reference range in both control and study groups. No significant difference in PRL levels was observed when considering the parity or the stage of cancer (P > 0.05). Investigating different isoforms of PRL may help to better understand the mechanism of action of this hormone in ovarian cancer induction.
Pregnancy outcome after induction of labor in women with previous cesarean section

Abstract Objective: As conflicting data exist concerning the safety of induction of labor (IoL) in women with previous single lower segment cesarean section (CS), we aimed to assess pregnancy outcome following IoL in such patient population. Methods: All singleton pregnancies with previous single CS which underwent IoL during 2008–2012 were included (study group). Their pregnancy outcome was compared to those pregnancies with previous single CS that admitted with spontaneous onset of labor (control group). Results: Overall, 1898 pregnancies were eligible, of them, 259 underwent IoL, and 1639 were admitted with spontaneous onset of labor. Parity, gestational age at delivery and birthweight were similar. Women in the study group were more likely to undergo CS mainly due to labor dystocia (8.1 versus 3.7%, p < 0.01). The rate of CS due to non-reassuring fetal heart rate was similar. No difference was found in the rate of uterine rupture/dehiscence. Short-term neonatal outcome was similar between the groups. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, IoL was not independently associated with uterine rupture (OR 1.33, 95% C.I 0.46–3.84, p = 0.59). Conclusion: Our data suggest that IoL in women with one previous low segment CS neither increases the risk of uterine rupture nor adversely affects immediate neonatal outcome.
The Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Triplicated Gene Impairs Neuronal Precursor Differentiation and Neurite Development through Two Different Domains in the Ts65Dn Mouse Model for Down Syndrome*

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome suffer from mental retardation due to severe neurogenesis impairment. Results: Normalization of the triplicated gene APP expression restores neuronal maturation and differentiation in trisomic neuronal precursors. Conclusion: APP overproduction contributes to neurogenesis impairment in DS. Significance: APP signaling may be a target for therapeutic approaches aiming to improve brain development in DS. Intellectual disability in Down syndrome (DS) appears to be related to severe proliferation impairment during brain development. Recent evidence shows that it is not only cellular proliferation that is heavily compromised in DS, but also cell fate specification and dendritic maturation. The amyloid precursor protein (APP), a gene that is triplicated in DS, plays a key role in normal brain development by influencing neural precursor cell proliferation, cell fate specification, and neuronal maturation. APP influences these processes via two separate domains, the APP intracellular domain (AICD) and the soluble secreted APP. We recently found that the proliferation impairment of neuronal precursors (NPCs) from the Ts65Dn mouse model for DS was caused by derangement of the Shh pathway due to overexpression of patched1(Ptch1), its inhibitory regulator. Ptch1 overexpression was related to increased levels within the APP/AICD system. The overall goal of this study was to determine whether APP contributes to neurogenesis impairment in DS by influencing in addition to proliferation, cell fate specification, and neurite development. We found that normalization of APP expression restored the reduced neuronogenesis, the increased astrogliogenesis, and the reduced neurite length of trisomic NPCs, indicating that APP overexpression underpins all aspects of neurogenesis impairment. Moreover, we found that two different domains of APP impair neuronal differentiation and maturation in trisomic NPCs. The APP/AICD system regulates neuronogenesis and neurite length through the Shh pathway, whereas the APP/secreted AP system promotes astrogliogenesis through an IL-6-associated signaling cascade. These results provide novel insight into the mechanisms underlying brain development alterations in DS.
Risk aggregation and capital allocation using copulas

Banking is a risk and return business; in order to obtain the desired returns, banks are required to take on risks. Following the demise of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, the Basel III Accord proposed considerable increases in capital charges for banks. Whilst this ensures greater economic stability, banks now face an increasing risk of becoming capital inefficient. Furthermore, capital analysts are not only required to estimate capital requirements for individual business lines, but also for the organization as a whole. Copulas are a popular technique to model joint multi-dimensional problems, as they can be applied as a mechanism that models relationships among multivariate distributions. Firstly, a review of the Basel Capital Accord will be provided. Secondly, well known risk measures as proposed under the Basel Accord will be investigated. The penultimate chapter is dedicated to the theory of copulas as well as other measures of dependence. The final chapter presents a practical illustration of how business line losses can be simulated by using the Gaussian, Cauchy, Student t and Clayton copulas in order to determine capital requirements using 95% VaR, 99% VaR, 95% ETL, 99% ETL and StressVaR. The resultant capital estimates will always be a function of the choice of copula, the choice of risk measure and the correlation inputs into the copula calibration algorithm. The choice of copula, the choice of risk measure and the conservativeness of correlation inputs will be determined by the organization’s risk appetite.