Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence of ζ Protein Kinase C Involvement in Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil Integrin-dependent Adhesion and Chemotaxis*

Classical chemoattractants and chemokines trigger integrin-dependent adhesion of blood leukocytes to vascular endothelium and also direct subsequent extravasation and migration into tissues. In studies of human polymorphonuclear neutrophil responses to formyl peptides and to interleukin 8, we show evidence of involvement of the atypical ζ protein kinase C in the signaling pathway leading to chemoattractant-triggered actin assembly, integrin-dependent adhesion, and chemotaxis. Selective inhibitors of classical and novel protein kinase C isozymes do not prevent chemoattractant-induced neutrophil adhesion and chemotaxis. In contrast, chelerythrine chloride and synthetic myristoylated peptides with sequences based on the endogenous ζ protein kinase C pseudosubstrate region block agonist-induced adhesion to fibrinogen, chemotaxis and F-actin accumulation. Biochemical analysis shows that chemoattractants trigger rapid translocation of ζ protein kinase C to the plasma membrane accompanied by rapid but transient increase of the kinase activity. Moreover, pretreatment with C3 transferase, a specific inhibitor of Rho small GTPases, blocks ζ but not α protein kinase C plasma membrane translocation. Synthetic peptides from ζ protein kinase C also inhibit phorbol ester-induced integrin-dependent adhesion but not NADPH-oxidase activation, and C3 transferase pretreatment blocks phorbol ester-triggered translocation of ζ but not α protein kinase C. These data suggest the involvement of ζ protein kinase C in chemoattractant-induced leukocyte integrin-dependent adhesion and chemotaxis. Moreover, they highlight a potential link between atypical protein kinase C isozymes and Rho signaling pathways leading to integrin-activation.
Representations Using a Two-Tier Convolutional Neural Network

We introduce a type of two-tier convolutional neural network model for learning distributed paragraph representations for a special task (e.g. topic classification or sentiment classification). We decompose the paragraph semantics into three cascaded constitutes: word representation, sentence composition and document composition. Specifically, we learn distributed word representations by a continuous bag-of-words model from a large unstructured text corpus. Then, using these word representations as pre-trained vectors, the first tier of our model learns the distributed task-specific sentence representations from a corpus where each sentence is annotated with a task-specific label. Subsequently, the second tier of our model learns the distributed paragraph representations of a different document corpus from the learned sentence representations. Our proposed model has been evaluated on topic classification based on the DBpedia ontology and sentiment classification of Amazon reviews. Empirical results show the effectiveness of our proposed learning model for generating distributed paragraph representations.
Microvascular exchange in human tissue

A transient, spatially distributed mathematical model is developed describing the exchange of materials (fluid and solute) across the capillary membrane into the interstitial space. The formulation includes a lymphatic sink which drains both fluid and solute from the tissue. This can be located anywhere within the tissue. The model is constructed in cylindrical coordinates and consist of the capillary lying along the z axis and the tissue envelope surrounding the capillary. The driving force for fluid motion is the fluid chemical potential. This is equal to the difference between the local fluid hydrostatic pressure and the local colloid osmotic pressure. Starling's hypothesis governs fluid flow across the capillary wall. This states that the amount of fluid that crosses the capillary membrane is due to the transmembrane potential difference. The fact that solute may leak across the membrane promotes the use of a capillary membrane reflection coefficient. In the tissue, the fluid motion is found from a modified Darcy's law which makes use of the gradient in the fluid potential rather than the hydrostatic pressure. In addition, a tissue reflection coefficient is used. The study consists of an evaluation of the effect the physiological parameters have on the system. This is presented in the form of a sensitivity analysis for steady state results only. It is shown that the strength of the lymphatic sink is important in promoting fluid reabsorption back into the capillary and negative hydrostatic pressures (subatmospheric) throughout the tissue. Transient test are performed to evaluate the regulating mechanisms for capillarytissue fluid balance. The capillary membrane, the colloid osmotic pressure, and the lymphatic sink are examined for their roles in maintaining fluid balance. It is found that the colloid osmotic pressure acts as a negative feedback signal regulating the cycle of solute concentrations and fluid hydrostatic pressures throughout the tissue. The lymphatic sink is important as it provides a mechanism for lowering tissue pressures and removing solute from the interstitial space, thus lowering the tissue colloid osmotic pressure. The trends indicated in the results compare well with results from Manning et al. (1983) and Taylor et al. (1973).
On the Division of Attention: A Disproof of the Single Channel Hypothesis

In dichotic listening, subjects are apparently unable to attend simultaneously to two concurrent, auditory speech messages. However, in two experiments reported here, it is shown that people can attend to and repeat back continuous speech at the same time as taking in complex, unrelated visual scenes, or even while sight-reading piano music. In both cases performance with divided attention was very good, and in the case of sight-reading was as good as with undivided attention. There was little or no effect of the dual task on the accuracy of speech shadowing. These results are incompatible with the hypothesis that human attention is limited by the capacity of a general–purpose central processor in the nervous system. An alternative, “multi-channel”, hypothesis is outlined.
Helicobacter pylori amoxicillin heteroresistance due to point mutations in PBP-1A in isogenic isolates.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the Helicobacter pylori amoxicillin resistance rate, the occurrence of heteroresistance, and their related molecular mechanisms. METHODS Eighty-seven H. pylori-positive patients were included: 45/87 with single biopsy and 42/87 with multiple biopsies. MICs were determined, and sequencing analysis of pbp1A gene and the variable regions of seven hop porins was performed in resistant and susceptible isolates. Clonal relationships were determined by lspA-glmM-RFLP and by random amplification of polymorphic DNA-PCR. An isogenic amoxicillin-susceptible isolate was transformed with pbp1A PCR products from the resistant isolates. RESULTS Amoxicillin-resistant (MIC 2 mg/L) and amoxicillin-susceptible (MIC 0.06 mg/L) isolates, belonging to the same strain, were observed in different biopsies in one patient (inter-niche heteroresistance). Isolates from the remaining patients were amoxicillin-susceptible. Sequencing analysis of the pbp1A of two amoxicillin-resistant isolates and their susceptible partners revealed the same two point mutations: (i) in the third PBP motif of the resistant isolates (C1667G); (ii) a nonsense mutation at the 3' end of the gene. Replacement of pbp1A of a susceptible isolate by pbp1A from a resistant isolate increased the transformants MICs (2 mg/L). A similar MIC was observed when a pbp1A DNA fragment including both point mutations was transformed. Transfer of the smallest fragment (C1667G region only) yielded slightly lower MICs (0.5-1 mg/L). Identical hop gene sequences were observed in paired susceptible and resistant isolates. CONCLUSIONS A low resistance rate was observed. However, inter-niche heteroresistance could hinder amoxicillin resistance detection when only one biopsy is obtained. Alteration in PBP-1A seems to be enough to reach an MIC of 2 mg/L in our resistant isolates.
Immunotoxicity of mercury: Pathological and toxicological effects

ABSTRACT Mercury (Hg) is toxic and hazardous metal that causes natural disasters in the earth's crust. Exposure to Hg occurs via various routes; like oral (fish), inhalation, dental amalgams, and skin from cosmetics. In this review, we have discussed the sources of Hg and its potential for causing toxicity in humans. In addition, we also review its bio-chemical cycling in the environment; its systemic, immunotoxic, genotoxic/carcinogenic, and teratogenic health effects; and the dietary influences; as well as the important considerations in risk assessment and management of Hg poisoning have been discussed in detail. Many harmful outcomes have been reported, which will provide more awareness.
Corporate Financing Decisions: UK Survey Evidence

Despite theoretical developments in recent years, our understanding of corporate capital structure remains incomplete. Prior empirical research has been dominated by archival regression studies which are limited in their ability to fully reflect the diversity found in practice. The present paper reports on a comprehensive survey of corporate financing decision-making in UK listed companies. A key finding is that firms are heterogeneous in their capital structure policies. About half of the firms seek to maintain a target debt level, consistent with trade-off theory, but 60% claim to follow a financing hierarchy, consistent with pecking order theory. These two theories are not viewed by respondents as either mutually exclusive or exhaustive. Many of the theoretical determinants of debt levels are widely accepted by respondents, in particular the importance of interest tax shield, financial distress, agency costs and also, at least implicitly, information asymmetry. Results also indicate that cross-country institutional differences have a significant impact on financial decisions.
Inducible site‐specific recombination in neural stem/progenitor cells

To establish a genetic tool for manipulating the neural stem/progenitor cell (NSC) lineage in a temporally controlled manner, we generated a transgenic mouse line carrying an NSC‐specific nestin promoter/enhancer expressing a fusion protein encoding Cre recombinase coupled to modified estrogen receptor ligand‐binding domain (ERT2). In the background of the Cre reporter mouse strain Rosa26lacZ, we show that the fusion CreERT2 recombinase is normally silent but can be activated by the estrogen analog tamoxifen both in utero, in infancy, and in adulthood. As assayed by β‐galactosidase activity in embryonic stages, tamoxifen activates Cre recombinase exclusively in neurogenic cells and their progeny. This property persists in adult mice, but Cre activity can also be detected in granule neurons and Bergmann glia at the anterior of the cerebellum, in piriform cortex, optic nerve, and some peripheral ganglia. No obvious Cre activity was observed outside of the nervous system. Thus, the nestin regulated inducible Cre mouse line provides a powerful tool for studying the physiology and lineage of NSCs. genesis 47:122–131, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Status at four years of age in 280 children weighing 2,300 g or less at birth.

To assess the functional ability in low birth weight children at age 4-5, 114 survivors with very low birth weight (VLBW) less than or equal to 1,500 g, 166 survivors with birth weight 1,501-2,300g (LBW), and 115 comparison children with normal birth weight (NBW) were enrolled in a follow-up study. Twenty-four (21%) VLBW and 11 (6.6%) LBW-children had major clinical abnormalities compared to 1 (0.9%) of the NBW children. Twenty-two percent of the VLBW-children were below the 3rd-centile for height and weight. Fewer VLBW than LBW-children were neurologically and ophthalmologically normal. Even after exclusion of the handicapped children, the LBW as well as the VLBW children scored significantly lower than the NBW children in the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, most markedly in the motor and perceptual performance scales. A simple test using grooved pegs clearly demonstrated the poor visual-motor integration in VLBW and LBW children. A marked difference between the NBW and the two LBW groups was seen in a qualitative evaluation of motor performance. Only 5% of VLBW children scored at or above the median for the NBW in all of three fields: general cognitive, motor performance, and pegboard, as opposed to 11% of LBW and 18% of NBW children. Neither sex, age corrected for prematurity, nor psycho-social background factors explained the differences between the groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Duration of survival in senile dementia

ABSTRACT In this study 297 institutionalized patients with primary degenerative dementia were investigated. Age at onset of dementia was determined and individual longevity quotients (i.e. actual duration of survival divided by expected survival) were calculated. Expected survival was derived from the Dutch life tables for the general population. Age at onset of dementia was 75.6 ± 7.8 years (mean ± SD). Duration of dementia until death was 7.2 ± 4.1 years. Dementia of early onset (before age 76) was associated with a significantly reduced life expectancy (LQ = 0.70 ± 0.30), but this was not found for onset after age 75 (LQ = 0.91 ± 0.58). Duration of symptoms at the time of admission into a nursing home was not associated with severity of behavioural and cognitive impairments as measured with behaviour rating scales. However, the severity of behavioural impairments predicted 1‐year survival after admission, as could be shown by multivariate analysis which corrected for the effects of age and sex.
Important Advances in the Field of Anti-Dengue Virus Research

There are currently no licensed antivirals available for the treatment of dengue virus (DENV), which causes significant morbidity and mortality throughout tropical areas of the world and is now encroaching on the southern United States. Recent improvements in existing animal models and cell culture systems have been very important in elucidating the mechanisms of DENV pathogenesis in humans, including the identification of potential viral and host proteins that might be targeted for the treatment of DENV infection. The AG129 mouse model is a major advance in the development of antiviral and vaccine candidates for clinical use. It allows for testing of potential therapeutics in a relevant system that exhibits some aspects of disease that are similar to those observed in humans. This review focuses on recent developments in the AG129 mouse model and discusses compounds that have been found to be active in available cell and animal model systems within the past year.
Determination of Infant and Child Mortality in Kenya Using Cox-Proportional Hazard Model

One of the Millennium Development Goals is the reduction of infant and child mortality by two-thirds by year 2015. To achieve this goal, efforts need be concentrated at identifying cost-effective strategies as many international agencies have advocated for more resources to be directed to health sector. One way of doing this is to identify the important factors that affect infant and child mortality. This study is necessary because, Infant and child mortality is one of the most important sensitive indicators of the social economic and health status of a community. This is because more than any other age group of a population, infants and children survival depends on the socioeconomic condition of their environment. This study addresses factors affecting infant and child mortality in Kenya. The main objective of the paper is to determine the effect of socioeconomic and demographic variables on infant and child mortality. Childhood mortality from the, KDHS 2008-09 data, was analyzed in two age periods: mortality from birth to the age of 12 months, referred to as “infant mortality” and mortality from the age of 12 months to the age of 60 months, referred to as “child mortality”. Data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS 2008-09) was collected by use of questionnaires, after carrying out a two-stage cluster sampling design. The Cox regression survival analysis was used to compute relative risk of the socioeconomic and demographic variables, on infant and child mortality. The study revealed that the socioeconomic and demographic factors affect both infant and child mortality. The relative risks were higher for infant’s mortality as compared to child’s mortality. The place of birth has the greatest impact on infant mortality. The study recommends policy makers and programme managers in the child health sector to formulate appropriate strategies to improve the situation, of children less than five years in Kenya, by creating awareness on these factors and improving on them.
Delivery of herpes simplex virus to retinal ganglion cell axon is dependent on viral protein Us9.

PURPOSE How herpes simplex virus (HSV) is transported from the infected neuron cell body to the axon terminal is poorly understood. Several viral proteins are candidates for regulating the process, but the evidence is controversial. We compared the results of Us9 deletions in two HSV strains (F and NS) using a novel quantitative assay to test the hypothesis that the viral protein Us9 regulates the delivery of viral DNA to the distal axon of retinal ganglion cells in vivo. We also deleted a nine-amino acid motif in the Us9 protein of F strain (Us9-30) to define the role of this domain in DNA delivery. METHODS The vitreous chambers of murine eyes were infected with equivalent amounts of F or NS strains of HSV. At 3, 4, or 5 days post infection (dpi), both optic tracts (OT) were dissected and viral genome was quantified by qPCR. RESULTS At 3 dpi, the F strain Us9- and Us9-30 mutants delivered less than 10% and 1%, respectively, of the viral DNA delivered after infection with the Us9R (control) strain. By 4 and 5 dpi, delivery of viral DNA had only partially recovered. Deletion of Us9 in NS-infected mice has a less obvious effect on delivery of new viral DNA to the distal OT. By 3 dpi the NS Us9-strain delivered 22% of the DNA that was delivered by the NS wt, and by 4 and 5 dpi the amount of Us9-viral DNA was 96% and 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS A highly conserved acidic cluster within the Us9 protein plays a critical role for genome transport to the distal axon. The transport is less dependent on Us9 expression in the NS than in the F strain virus. This assay can be used to compare transport efficiency in other neurotropic viral strains.
Green's function for a horizontal source on a dielectric slab with a PEMC ground

Perfect electromagnetic conductor (PEMC) is a recently introduced medium. This fundamental medium is a generalization of both PEC and PMC media. In this paper, Green's function in integral is presented for a horizontal source on a dielectric slab with a PEMC ground. The fields are described in terms of both electric and magnetic vector potentials. The resulted Green's function is applied to derive the image theory for PEMC involving horizontal sources.
Immigrant adolescents’ adaptation to a new context: Ethnic friendship homophily and its predictors

Although interethnic friendships are among the best indicators of social adaptation to a new cultural context, adolescent immigrants form friendships predominantly within their own ethnic community, a phenomenon called friendship homophily. In this article, I focus on the acculturation of immigrant adolescents and on the factors that lead them to form friendships within their group, including acculturation-related behaviors, mutual attitudes of native and immigrant groups, developmental age-related considerations, and the context in which these adolescents live. The results present opportunities not only for reducing friendship homophily but also point to the complexity of acculturation research and the need to study side effects of adolescents' adaptation to a new context.
An energy-autonomous, disposable, big-data-based supply-sensing biosensor using bio fuel cell and 0.23-V 0.25-μm Zero-Vth all-digital CMOS supply-controlled ring oscillator with inductive transmitter

This study demonstrates an energy-autonomous disposable supply-sensing biosensor platform for big-data-based healthcare application for the first time. The proposed supply-sensing biosensor platform is based on bio fuel cells and a 0.23-V 0.25-μm zero-Vth all-digital CMOS supply-controlled ring oscillator with a current-driven pulse-interval-modulated inductive-coupling transmitter. The all-digital and current-driven architecture using zero-Vth transistors enables low-voltage operation and small footprint even in the cost-competitive legacy CMOS, which enables converterless energy-autonomous operation using bio fuel cell for disposable healthcare application. To verify its effectiveness, a test chip was fabricated using 0.25-μm CMOS technology. The measured results successfully demonstrated operation under a 0.23-V supply, which is the lowest supply voltage among reported proximity transmitters. In addition, an energy-autonomous biosensing operation using organic bio fuel cells for transdermal patch was successfully demonstrated.
Thromboelastography in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Background Thromboelastography enables complete evaluation of the process of clot initiation, the structural characteristics of the formed clot and its stability. Many previous studies have assessed the predictive role of thromboelastography in on-pump cardiac surgery, but there are no clear guidelines on its use in off-pump coronary artery bypass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of thromboelastography and its relevance during the postoperative period following off-pump coronary artery bypass. Methods This was a one-year prospective study on 55 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass for coronary artery disease. Thromboelastography was performed as a bedside investigation in the cardiothoracic and vascular surgery intensive care unit. Results The association between maximum amplitude and total blood loss <500 mL compared to blood loss >500 mL was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, it was seen that with increasing maximum amplitude values, a decrease in blood loss was observed. A cutoff value of maximum amplitude <49.63 mm was regressed to have a predicted sensitivity of 100% and a predicted specificity of 89.3% for prediction of blood loss >500 mL. Conclusions Thromboelastographic parameters show a reliable correlation with increased blood loss in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, and predict patients with an increased chance of blood requirement as well as those at risk of a hypercoagulable state.
Association of polymorphisms of STAT6 and SO(2) with Chinese childhood asthma: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of polymorphisms of STAT6 gene and air pollutants of PM(10), NO(2), and SO(2), with asthma in Chinese children. METHODS 418 subjects aged 14 years and under were recruited in a case-control study. The association between STAT6 polymorphisms and childhood asthma were tested by allele frequency, genotype analysis, and MDR analysis. Exposure to outdoor air pollutants was estimated by a 5-day moving average level. Statistical analyses were performed with SAS 9.1 software. RESULTS Only 3 alleles of GT repeats at exon 1 of STAT6 were found in Chinese children. C258T and T710C were 2 new SNPs of STAT6 at 3'-UTR. Children who carried T allele of C258T were more common in asthma children than in control subjects (P<0.05). The MDR analysis showed that GT repeats, C258T and T710C of STAT6 polymorphisms interacted together in leading to susceptibility to childhood asthma among Chinese people. After confounding factors were controlled, such as SNP C258T, family history of asthma, frequency of influenza within a year, the 5-day average of SO(2) was tested to be a key risk factor of asthma in Chinese children (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Chinese children differed in polymorphisms of STAT6 and in its relation with childhood asthma.