Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The structure of the μ/pseudo light chain complex on human pre‐B cells is consistent with a function in signal transduction

Prior to immunoglobulin (Ig) light (L) chain rearrangement, pre‐B cells can express μ heavy (H) chains at the cell surface in association with pseudo (ψ) L chains. This complex may be essential for B cell development. We have investigated the composition of the μ/ψL chain complex of a human pre‐B cell line, in view of its potential role in transmembrane signal transduction. The μ/λ. receptor of a mature B cell line was analyzed in comparison. The μ/ψL chain complex is associated with disulfide‐linked molecules that are homologous or identical to the mb‐1 and B29 proteins, known to be integral components of membrane Ig receptors on mature B cells. Both receptors contain tyrosine (Tyr) kinase activity. In the μ/λ receptor, the lyn and lck Tyr kinases could clearly be identified. The mb‐1 and B29 proteins in both μ/λ and μ/ψL chain receptors are substrates for in vitro phosphorylation on Tyr, but also on serine (Ser) and threonine (Thr) residues. The undefined μ‐associated Ser/Thr kinase also phosphorylates the sre‐related kinases in the μ/λ, receptor and a 43‐kDa μ‐associated protein that is present in both complexes. The 43‐kDa protein may be an integral part of both receptor types, or a transiently associated molecule instrumental in the signaling process. We conclude that the μ/ψL receptor on human pre‐B cells fulfills the presently known criteria to function as a signal transduction unit.
Presenilin 1 in migration and morphogenesis in the central nervous system

Morphogenesis of the central nervous system relies in large part upon the correct migration of neuronal cells from birthplace to final position. Two general modes of migration govern CNS morphogenesis: radial, which is mostly glia-guided and topologically relatively simple; and tangential, which often involves complex movement of neurons in more than one direction. We describe the consequences of loss of function of presenilin 1 on these fundamental processes. Previous studies of the central nervous system in presenilin 1 homozygote mutant embryos identified a premature neuronal differentiation that is transient and localized, with cortical dysplasia at later stages. We document widespread effects on CNS morphogenesis that appear strongly linked to defective neuronal migration. Loss of presenilin 1 function perturbs both radial and tangential migration in cerebral cortex, and several tangential migratory pathways in the brainstem. The inability of cells to execute their migratory trajectories affects cortical lamination, formation of the facial branchiomotor nucleus, the spread of cerebellar granule cell precursors to form the external granule layer and development of the pontine nuclei. Finally, overall morphogenesis of the mid-hindbrain region is abnormal, resulting in incomplete midline fusion of the cerebellum and overgrowth of the caudal midbrain. These observations indicate that in the absence of presenilin 1 function, the ability of a cell to move can be severely impaired regardless of its mode of migration, and, at a grosser level, brain morphogenesis is perturbed. Our results demonstrate that presenilin 1 plays a much more important role in brain development than has been assumed, consistent with a pleiotropic involvement of this molecule in cellular signaling.
Sex Differences in Choline-Deficient Diet-Induced Steatohepatitis in Mice

Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are common liver diseases in the United States. ASH and NASH occur more frequently in women than in men, and liver injury is also more severe in women. The role of estrogens in ASH has been well established, but their role in NASH has received relatively little study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of estrogens in methionine-choline deficient diet (MCDD)-induced steatohepatitis in mice. The degree of steatohepatitis was evaluated in males and in intact and ovariectomized females that were fed MCDD for 4 weeks, and in females that were fed MCDD containing tamoxifen. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of livers showed marked steatohepatitis in all experimental groups. Compared to the control group, markers of hepatocyte injury such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and liver triglyceride levels increased significantly in males and in intact and ovariectomized female mice that were fed MCDD. Also, it was interesting that levels of AST and ALT increased much more in the MCDD + tamoxifen group than in the MCDD group. In female mice fed MCDD, hepatocyte proliferative and apoptotic indices increased slightly compared to mice that were fed a normal diet. Based on these results, it can be concluded that MCDD-induced steatohepatitis is comparable in male and female mice, and that ovariectomy or antiestrogen treatment had no protective effect in MCDD-induced steatohepatitis.
Growth strategy with social capital, human capital and physical capital—Theory and evidence: The case of Vietnam

In this paper, we develop a theoretical model to explain the impact of social capital (defined at the firm level) on individual firm performance and derive a critical optimal threshold for firms to invest in social capital. The theoretical model we propose reveals how social capital, human capital, and physical capital simultaneously affect firm performance under the main assumption of a decreasing function of social capital on unit cost of physical capital. Our theoretical model is then estimated using unique firm‐level longitudinal data from Vietnam for the period 2005–2015. Using a control function approach in a quantile regression framework, we attempt to establish the causal impact of social capital on firm performance. Our empirical results point to a range of revenue in which investment in social capital is efficient and to evidence suggesting that the role of social capital decreases when firms become richer.
Digital Fibromyxoma (Superficial Acral Fibromyxoma): A Detailed Characterization of 124 Cases

Digital fibromyxoma (first described by Fetsch and colleagues as superficial acral fibromyxoma) is a distinctive soft tissue tumor with a predilection for the subungual or periungual region of the hands and feet. This report details the histologic, immunophenotypic, and clinical findings in 124 cases of digital fibromyxoma. The study group included 70 male and 54 female patients (1.3:1, M:F), ranging in age from 4 to 86 years (mean, 48 y; median, 49 y). Mean tumor size was 1.7 cm (range, 0.5 to 5 cm; median, 1.5 cm). Nearly half of the patients (41%) presented with a painful mass. Tumors arose on the hands (52%) or feet (45%), with rare tumors arising on the ankle or leg. Most tumors occurred on the digits (94% of hand tumors, 82% of foot tumors), with the majority growing in close proximity to the nail (97% on fingers, 96% on toes). Histologically, 80% of cases were poorly marginated; 70% infiltrated the dermal collagen, 27% infiltrated fat, and 3% invaded bone. In cases in which imaging studies were available, bone involvement by an erosive or lytic lesion was more frequent (9/25, 36%). All tumors were composed of spindle-shaped or stellate-shaped cells with palely eosinophilic cytoplasm and a random or loosely fascicular growth pattern. The tumor cells were separated by dense hyaline collagen alternating with myxoid stroma. Most (86%) of the tumors showed alternating areas of fibrous and myxoid stroma, 11% showed predominantly fibrous stroma, and 3% had predominantly myxoid stroma. Increased mast cells were noted in 88% of tumors. All tumors comprised cells with minimal atypia, occasionally showing scattered larger cells with so-called “degenerative change. ” Mitotic figures were infrequent, and all tumors lacked necrosis, pleomorphism, or neural/perineural infiltration. Multinucleate stromal cells were occasionally seen. Tumor cells were reactive for CD34 in 42/61 cases (69%), with rare tumors showing focal reactivity for EMA (3/40, 7.5%), smooth muscle actin (5/42, 12%), and desmin (1/18, 6%). All tumors were negative for S100 (0/66), MUC4 (0/11), GFAP (0/10), AE1/AE3 (0/4), Cam5.2 (0/2), PanK (0/2), Claudin (0/4), and NFP (0/3). Follow-up in 47 cases ranged from 1 to 252 months (mean, 35 mo). Ten tumors (24%) recurred locally (all near the nail unit of the fingers or toes) after a mean interval of 27 months. One tumor recurred twice. All recurrent tumors had positive margins on initial biopsy or subsequent excision and no other clinical or pathologic features correlated with recurrence/persistence. To date, no tumor has metastasized. Finally, sequencing of 8 digital fibromyxomas failed to reveal mutations in exon 8 or 9 of GNAS1, in contrast to intramuscular or cellular myxoma.
Lending Risk in MFIs: The Extreme Bounds of Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Factors

Using 1,234 microfinance firms in 106 countries, this study investigates the determinants of default on the microcredit debt obligation of borrowers. Using the variant of extreme bounds analysis that systematically tests the fragility of coefficient estimates, we examine the importance of 42 variables in explaining default risk. At the micro level, the results from the modeling of model uncertainty reveal that regulation, cost per loan/cost per borrower, loan balance, borrower per loan officer, and the number of loan officers are robust factors. From the macroeconomic context, the time required to start a business and human capital are the determinants of default on debt obligations.
Nutrient density and slaughter age have differential effects on carcase performance, muscle and meat quality in fast and slow growing broiler genotypes

1. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to investigate the differences in carcase, muscle and meat characteristics between fast and slow growing genotypes fed on low nutrient (LND) or high nutrient diets (HND) at their respective slaughter ages. 2. The birds were randomly assigned to treatments with 5 replicates of 145 birds for Wens Yellow-Feathered Chicken (WYFC, 5·75 birds/m2) or 115 birds for White Recessive Rock Chicken (WRRC, 7·25 birds/m2), according to the commercial recommendations for the two breeds and were fed on HND or LND. Birds were slaughtered at 63 d and 105 d of age. 3. The results showed WRRC had higher carcase yield and meat yield than that of WYFC, lower fat content, higher moisture content and lower cooking loss. The meat from WRRC was less tender and contained lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). 4. Birds fed on HND had higher breast meat yield, myofiber area and protein content in the breast muscle and lower fat content than birds fed on LND. The thigh muscle of birds fed on HND had higher levels of PUFA. Age had a positive effect on carcase parameters, but a negative effect on pH, meat tenderness and cooking loss, and the two genotypes exhibited different responses to the influence of nutrient density and age. 5. Genotype and age had the largest effect on carcase performance and meat quality. LND benefited meat quality and WRRC had larger responses in meat yield and shear force when fed on HND.
Timing of proto‐oncogene replication: A possible determinant of early S phase sensitivity of C3H 10T1/2 cells to transformation by chemical carcinogens

The temporal order of replication of several genes was studied in 10T1/2 cells synchronized by release from confluence‐induced arrest of proliferation followed by treatment with 2 μg/mL aphidicolin for 24 h. DNA subjected to bromodeoxyuridine substitution for 1‐ or 2‐h intervals spanning the S phase was separated from the remaining DNA in cesium chloride gradients, filtered onto nitrocellulose in a slot‐blot apparatus, and hybridized with various 32P‐labeled probes. Ha‐ras was among the first genes replicated at the onset of the S phase. The myc proto‐oncogene replicated later but within the first hour of the S phase. The replication of Ki‐ras, raf, and mos was detected between hour 1 and 2 of the S phase. The dihydrofolate reductase gene replicated early (0–2 h) and the myb proto‐oncogene replicated in mid‐S phase (2–4 h). An immunoglobulin VH sequence and the β‐globin gene replicated late in 10T1/2 cells, 4–6 h after removal of aphidicolin. Replicating DNA is preferentially adducted by chemical carcinogens, and replication of damaged proto‐oncogenes before they are repaired may activate their transforming potential. Therefore, the observed replication of protooncogenes during the early S phase may underlie the enhanced sensitivity of 10T1/2 cells to chemically induced transformation at this point in the cell cycle.
Detection of alpha‐ and beta‐human papillomavirus (HPV) in cutaneous melanoma: a matched and controlled study using specific multiplex PCR combined with DNA microarray primer extension

Abstract: There are few contradictory studies investigating the involvement of HPV in melanoma. We designed a controlled study to evaluate the HPV DNA prevalence in melanoma. One hundred patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 were included. Complementary wide excision (healthy skin) was performed in 85 patients and was used as internal control. After DNA extraction, 68 different HPV types were studied using a multiplex PCR combined with microarray primer extension. We did not observe any statistical significant difference in terms of HPV DNA prevalence in melanoma (38.8%) and in healthy skin from wide excision (42.4%). Twenty‐one different HPV types were detected but only one type was present in the majority of our samples (80/85 melanoma vs 59/66 HS). The distribution of HPV genera and types was similar in melanoma and HS, and beta‐HPV was predominant (30.6% and 31.8%). Among alpha‐HPV (10.6%), high‐risk mucosal HPV16 was predominant. Among beta‐HPV, melanoma harboured significantly more type 22 than control normal skin from the same patients and significantly less type 21 than paired control normal skin. No correlation between clinical and pathological melanoma characteristics and HPV DNA prevalence was found. Our data do not support a role of HPV infection in melanocarcinogenesis, but confirm the previous data suggesting that HPV DNA is widely distributed among the population and that occult HPV infections are frequent. Furthermore, specific HPV types, such as a‐HPV16 and beta‐HPV species 2 may be involved in a sub‐group of melanoma.
Who Gets What from International Organizations? The Case of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Technical Cooperation

What affects the allocation of aid by international organizations to their member states? Using data on nuclear assistance by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), I demonstrate that political considerations affect the likelihood of receiving aid, and the amount of aid countries receive. Specifically, I find that membership in the IAEA Board of Governors or acceptance of tougher IAEA inspections increase the likelihood of IAEA assistance, and in some cases the amounts of assistance, but only for countries that do not share policy preferences with the US. This finding is consistent with theories that foreign aid is given in exchange for cooperation and concessions to recipients that are not likely to be cooperative without aid. I also examine whether nuclear assistance is given to countries that need it the most and that can make effective use of this aid, and find only partial support for need-based explanations of aid allocation.
Biometric changes in the eyes of Norwegian university students--a three-year longitudinal study.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in biometric measurements and corresponding refractive errors during a three-year period among university students exposed to high educational demands. METHODS A three-year longitudinal cohort study was performed among 149 Norwegian engineering students (79 females and 70 males, mean age 20.6+/-1.2 years) measuring their refraction and ocular dimensions at the beginning and at the end of the period. The examinations included refraction, keratometry, and A-scan ultrasonographic measurements of the ocular components, all made in cycloplegia. RESULTS After three years the mean refractive change was -0.52+/-0.45 D (p<0.05), which was accompanied by a change in lens thickness of 0.07+/-0.10 mm (p<0.05), and a vitreous chamber elongation of 0.27+/-0.30 mm (p<0.05). The results refer to the right eye. Stratification of the sample based on their initial refraction (myopes, emmetropes, and hyperopes) showed refractive change towards myopia for all subgroups as well as a significant increase in lens thickness and vitreous chamber depth. No significant three-year change in anterior chamber depth or corneal curvature was found in any of the groups. For all groups, vitreous chamber elongation gave a notable dioptric change in myopic direction. CONCLUSIONS A shift in refraction towards myopia after puberty is accompanied by vitreous chamber elongation which can explain the dioptric change in myopic direction.
Similar abilities of musicians and non-musicians to segregate voices by fundamental frequency.

Musicians can sometimes achieve better speech recognition in noisy backgrounds than non-musicians, a phenomenon referred to as the "musician advantage effect. " In addition, musicians are known to possess a finer sense of pitch than non-musicians. The present study examined the hypothesis that the latter fact could explain the former. Four experiments measured speech reception threshold for a target voice against speech or non-speech maskers. Although differences in fundamental frequency (ΔF0s) were shown to be beneficial even when presented to opposite ears (experiment 1), the authors' attempt to maximize their use by directing the listener's attention to the target F0 led to unexpected impairments (experiment 2) and the authors' attempt to hinder their use by generating uncertainty about the competing F0s led to practically negligible effects (experiments 3 and 4). The benefits drawn from ΔF0s showed surprisingly little malleability for a cue that can be used in the complete absence of energetic masking. In half of the experiments, musicians obtained better thresholds than non-musicians, particularly in speech-on-speech conditions, but they did not reliably obtain larger ΔF0 benefits. Thus, the data do not support the hypothesis that the musician advantage effect is based on greater ability to exploit ΔF0s.
An Improved Method for Size Distribution of Stream Bed Gravel

Random sampling of surface rocks on a gravel bar is biased toward larger sizes which, because of their area, are more likely to be picked up. Weighting can eliminate this bias. Data on average weight, of a single rock are used to change numbers of rocks to weights, thus yielding size frequency data in general agreement with a sieved and weighed sample. The question of what to sample depends on the use to which the data are to be put, and is not treated in detail in this paprr.
Sexual Problems in Gay Men: An Overview of Empirical Research

Abstract This article summarizes the findings and theoretical perspectives of 19 empirical studies of sexual problems in gay men. In order to understand these problems better, various differences between male homosexual and heterosexual functioning are discussed first. The studies included differ widely in terms of the issues explored, the populations studied, and the way data have been collected. In a few studies, researchers generally have looked at the prevalence and experience of sexual problems. In other studies, researchers have focused on the etiology and treatment of specific problems, such as sexual desire disorders, sexual aversion, excitement and arousal problems, orgasm disorders, sexual pain disorders and sexual compulsivity. Overall it is surprising how little is known about these problems in gay men. This is also true, however, for same-sex sexuality in general. Suggestions are made for studies that will enable us to obtain a better understanding of sexual problems in gay men.
The Robust Superreplication Problem: A Dynamic Approach

In the frictionless discrete time financial market of Bouchard et al.(2015) we consider a trader who, due to regulatory requirements or internal risk management reasons, is required to hedge a claim $\xi$ in a risk-conservative way relative to a family of probability measures $\mathcal{P}$. We first describe the evolution of $\pi_t(\xi)$ - the superhedging price at time $t$ of the liability $\xi$ at maturity $T$ - via a dynamic programming principle and show that $\pi_t(\xi)$ can be seen as a concave envelope of $\pi_{t+1}(\xi)$ evaluated at today's prices. Then we consider an optimal investment problem for a trader who is rolling over her robust superhedge and phrase this as a robust maximisation problem, where the expected utility of inter-temporal consumption is optimised subject to a robust superhedging constraint. This utility maximisation is carrried out under a new family of measures $\mathcal{P}^u$, which no longer have to capture regulatory or institutional risk views but rather represent trader's subjective views on market dynamics. Under suitable assumptions on the trader's utility functions, we show that optimal investment and consumption strategies exist and further specify when, and in what sense, these may be unique.
Effects of Message Variation and Communication Tools Choices on Consumer Response

In the midst of budget constraints, marketers need to plan their choices of messages and communication tools appropriately and efficiently. As studies exploring both factors and their interactions are rare, this study uses the advertising, sales promotion and public relations messages of a retail outlet, to study the effects of two different types of message variation: cosmetic and substantive and three choices of communication tools on consumer response on the messages and on the brand. An experiment of 198 subjects under six conditions reveals significant main effects and an interaction for consumer response on the messages. However, only message variation significantly affects consumer response on the brand. Customers generally seek for the types of messages and communication tools that can increase the amount of information and perceived value to make an informed purchase decision. Discussions of the results and implications for marketing communications are provided.