Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Activates Human Macrophage Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Linking Mannose Receptor Recognition to Regulation of Immune Responses

Mycobacterium tuberculosis enhances its survival in macrophages by suppressing immune responses in part through its complex cell wall structures. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a nuclear receptor superfamily member, is a transcriptional factor that regulates inflammation and has high expression in alternatively activated alveolar macrophages and macrophage-derived foam cells, both cell types relevant to tuberculosis pathogenesis. In this study, we show that virulent M. tuberculosis and its cell wall mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan induce PPARγ expression through a macrophage mannose receptor-dependent pathway. When activated, PPARγ promotes IL-8 and cyclooxygenase 2 expression, a process modulated by a PPARγ agonist or antagonist. Upstream, MAPK-p38 mediates cytosolic phospholipase A2 activation, which is required for PPARγ ligand production. The induced IL-8 response mediated by mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan and the mannose receptor is independent of TLR2 and NF-κB activation. In contrast, the attenuated Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin induces less PPARγ and preferentially uses the NF-κB–mediated pathway to induce IL-8 production. Finally, PPARγ knockdown in human macrophages enhances TNF production and controls the intracellular growth of M. tuberculosis. These data identify a new molecular pathway that links engagement of the mannose receptor, an important pattern recognition receptor for M. tuberculosis, with PPARγ activation, which regulates the macrophage inflammatory response, thereby playing a role in tuberculosis pathogenesis.
Deciphering Genome Environment Wide Interactions Using Exposed Subjects Only

The recent successes of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have renewed interest in genome environment wide interaction studies (GEWIS) to discover genetic factors that modulate penetrance of environmental exposures to human diseases. Indeed, gene‐environment interactions (G × E), which have not been emphasized in the GWAS era, could be a source contributing to the missing heritability, a major bottleneck limiting continuing GWAS successes. In this manuscript, we describe a design and analytic strategy to focus on G × E using only exposed subjects, dubbed as e‐GEWIS. Operationally, an e‐GEWIS analysis is equivalent to a GWAS analysis on exposed subjects only, and it has actually been used in some earlier GWAS without being explicitly identified as such. Through both analytics and simulations, e‐GEWIS has been shown better efficiency than the usual cross‐product‐based analysis of G × E interaction with both cases and controls (cc‐GEWIS), and they have comparable efficiency to case‐only analysis of G × E (c‐GEWIS), with potentially smaller sample sizes. The formalization of e‐GEWIS here provides a theoretical basis to legitimize this framework for routine investigation of G × E, for more efficient G × E study designs, and for improvement of reproducibility in replicating GEWIS findings. As an illustration, we apply e‐GEWIS to a lung cancer GWAS data set to perform a GEWIS, focusing on gene and smoking interaction. The e‐GEWIS analysis successfully uncovered positive genetic associations on chromosome 15 among current smokers, suggesting a gene‐smoking interaction. Although this signal was detected earlier, the current finding here serves as a positive control in support of this e‐GEWIS strategy.
Estimation for an improved multilevel model based on MCMC algorithm

Independence among groups is assumed in traditional multilevel models. There is often spatial interaction between districts when data is grouped by geographical units. The individual will be influenced by adjacent regions, and assumption of level-2 residual's distribution in traditional multilevel model will be violated. Spatial statistical models are introduced into the multilevel model in order to deal with such spatial multilevel data. And Bayesian inferences based on MCMC method for fixed effects, variance-covariance components and spatial regression parameters in improved multilevel model are given.
Identifying patients with physician-diagnosed asthma in health administrative databases.

BACKGROUND Asthma imposes a heavy and expensive burden on individuals and populations. A population-based surveillance and research program based on health administrative data could measure and study the burden of asthma; however, the validity of a health administrative data diagnosis of asthma must first be confirmed. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the accuracy of population-based provincial health administrative data in identifying adult patients with asthma for ongoing surveillance and research. METHODS Patients from randomly selected primary care practices were assigned to four categories according to their previous diagnoses: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, related respiratory conditions and nonasthma conditions. In each practice, 10 charts from each category were randomly selected, abstracted, then reviewed by a blinded expert panel who identified them as asthma or nonasthma. These reference standard diagnoses were then linked to the patients' provincial records and compared with health administrative algorithms designed to identify asthma. Analyses were performed using the concepts of diagnostic test evaluation. RESULTS A total of 518 charts, including 160 from individuals with asthma, were reviewed. The algorithm of two or more ambulatory care visits and/or one or more hospitalization(s) for asthma in two years had a sensitivity of 83.8% (95% CI 77.1% to 89.1%) and a specificity of 76.5% (95% CI 71.8% to 80.8%). CONCLUSION Definitions of adult asthma using health administrative data are sensitive and specific for identifying adults with asthma. Using these definitions, cohorts of adults with asthma for ongoing population-based surveillance and research can be developed.
Determinants of the Performance of Investment Promotion Agencies: Evidence from a Mix of Emerging Economies

ABSTRACT This article argues whether and how investment promotion agencies (IPAs) efficiently influence investment promotion in the cases of the following selected variables: resources (experience, total staff, and overseas staff), service functions (combined promotion service of inward investment and trade, and inward and outward investment), and organizational structure (autonomous status of private/upper ministry-level IPAs). The results reveal a positive relationship between IPA’s performance and longer experience, larger staff, larger overseas IPA staff members, autonomous private agency types, and upper ministry-level IPAs. However, an IPA’s performance was negatively associated with the combined promotional service of inward investment and trade, and inward and outward investment. The results suggest that an IPA’s performance can be enhanced by adjusting the service functions and restructuring the governance and structure in addition to improving the IPA’s resources and the country’s investment climate.
Modification to correct distortions in stops of dysarthrie speech using TMS320C6713 DSK

Communication is a bridge between people which enables them to share facts, ideas, feelings etc. with each other. Speech communication is easier and simpler compared to other types of communication. But speech disorders affect one's ability to communicate. Dysarthria is a neuro-motor disorder, where one losses his/her ability to articulate words normally due to tongue/muscle weakness or stroke etc. It results in distorted speech which is hard to understand. Dysarthria affect more on the articulation of consonants (stops in particular) than on the articulation of vowels. Intelligibility varies greatly depending on the extent of neurological damage. As consonants are important than vowels in measuring the intelligibility, distortions in consonant production of dysarthric speech are studied and modifications are performed. This work aims at correcting devoicing of voiced stop (voiced stops are pronounced as unvoiced stops with the same place of articulation) by detecting important time instants such as glottal onset, glottal offset and burst onset thereby modifying the distortions in dysarthric speech using TMS320C6713 DSK with CC Studio 5.5. After the dysarthric speech has been recorded on the DSK 6713 processor modification is done to improve its intelligibility. Two databases were used in the experiment such as Universal Access (UA) database and Torgo database. Out of 65 bursts expected from UA database and 128 bursts expected from Torgo database, 84.6% and 82.81% bursts were detected correctly within 0.3 s intervals respectively.
A class of fast dynamics V/f sensorless AC general drives with PM-RSM as a case study

Field oriented (FOC) and direct torque and flux (DTFC) control of AC drives are credited with fast torque response, but, in general purpose sensorless AC drives, the on-line software and hardware control effort and their reliability may seem prohibitive for general applications or, at least for synchronous motors, a starting strategy is necessary. The present paper presents a novel class of V/f sensorless AC general drives with two stabilizing loops-one based on active flux balance and one based on speed error-that provide fast speed dynamics response without steady state error, without speed or current regulators; flux weakening conditions are built in. The exposition of principles is followed by exemplification for IMs, SPMSM, IPMSM, and DC excited SMs and by digital simulations on a PM-RSM (with weak PMs and reasonably high magnetic saliency Ld/Lq>3). Rather promising fast dynamics performance is obtained, in digital simulations for a PM-RSM case study, but more theoretical and then experimental work (which is under way) are needed to fully establish the proposed solutions as practical.
Tumour necrosis factor alpha activates a p22phox-based NADH oxidase in vascular smooth muscle.

Increasing experimental evidence suggests that non-phagocytic cells express a potent superoxide (O2-.)-producing NADH oxidase that might be related to the phagocytic NADPH oxidase. Here we show that the cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) activates, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, a O2-. -producing NADH oxidase in cultured rat aortic smooth-muscle cells. Dose-response experiments for NADH showed an upward shift of the curve for TNF-alpha-treated cells, suggesting that TNF-alpha increased the amount of available enzyme. Using the anti-sense transfection technique, we further demonstrate that the molecular identity of this oxidase includes p22(phox) (the alpha subunit of cytochrome b558 and part of the electron transfer component of the phagocytic NADPH oxidase), which we recently cloned from a rat vascular smooth-muscle cell cDNA library. In addition, prolonged treatment with TNF-alpha increased p22phox mRNA expression without affecting p22phox mRNA stability, and only when transcriptional activity was intact. These findings identify a p22phox-containing NADH oxidase as a source for cytokine-induced free radical production in vascular smooth-muscle cells and clarify some of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of vascular oxidase activity.
Cholinesterase reactivators and bioscavengers for pre‐ and post‐exposure treatments of organophosphorus poisoning

Organophosphorus agents (OPs) irreversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) causing a major cholinergic syndrome. The medical counter‐measures of OP poisoning have not evolved for the last 30 years with carbamates for pretreatment, pyridinium oximes‐based AChE reactivators, antimuscarinic drugs and neuroprotective benzodiazepines for post‐exposure treatment. These drugs ensure protection of peripheral nervous system and mitigate acute effects of OP lethal doses. However, they have significant limitations. Pyridostigmine and oximes do not protect/reactivate central AChE. Oximes poorly reactivate AChE inhibited by phosphoramidates. In addition, current neuroprotectants do not protect the central nervous system shortly after the onset of seizures when brain damage becomes irreversible. New therapeutic approaches for pre‐ and post‐exposure treatments involve detoxification of OP molecules before they reach their molecular targets by administrating catalytic bioscavengers, among them phosphotriesterases are the most promising. Novel generation of broad spectrum reactivators are designed for crossing the blood–brain barrier and reactivate central AChE.
Overview of risk assessment in digitalized nuclear power plants

Many of non-safety analog features in nuclear power plants (NPP) are being replaced with digitalized systems to gain advantages in accuracy, computational capability, and data handling. It is difficult however to ensure the safety of digital features because there is, as of yet, no comprehensive reliability quantification method for them. In this overview, preceding studies related to three critical factors in the reliability quantification process, namely detection coverage of fault–tolerant techniques, software reliability, and network communication failure, are introduced and their valuable insights and challenges are described.
Diurnal Variation of Corneal Shape and Thickness

Purpose. To investigate associations between the diurnal variation in a range of corneal parameters, including anterior and posterior corneal topography, and regional corneal thickness. Methods. Fifteen subjects had their corneas measured using a rotating Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam) every 3 to 7 h over a 24-h period. Anterior and posterior corneal axial curvature, pachymetry and anterior chamber depth were analyzed. The best fitting corneal sphero-cylinder from the axial curvature, and the average corneal thickness for a series of different corneal regions were calculated. Measures of intraocular pressure and axial length were also taken at each measurement session. Results. Significant diurnal variation was found to occur in both the anterior and posterior corneal curvature and in the regional corneal thickness. Flattening of the anterior corneal best sphere was observed at the early morning measurement upon waking (p < 0.0001). The posterior cornea also underwent a significant steepening (p < 0.0001) and change in astigmatism 90/180° at this time. A significant swelling of the cornea (p < 0.0001) was also evident upon waking. Highly significant associations were found between the diurnal variation in corneal thickness and the changes in corneal curvature. Conclusions. Small but significant diurnal variation occurs in the regional thickness and the shape of the anterior and posterior cornea. The largest changes in the cornea are typically evident upon waking. The regional corneal swelling observed at this time was not uniform, being slightly greater in peripheral corneal regions. The pattern of corneal swelling evident on waking resulted in a steepening of the posterior, and a flattening of the anterior corneal surface.
The validation and application of the Chinese version of perceived nursing work environment scale.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To improve the development of the Chinese version of Perceived Nursing Work Environment (C-PNWE) scale by examination and application and to explore the nurses' perception of their working environment in a hospital. BACKGROUND The C-PNWE scale was translated and revised from the PNWE scale. The least of perfection is that the development of C-PNWE ignored that the psychometric properties of the PNWE instrument were established of critical care nurses and further application and testing of the PNWE in various patient care settings were recommended. DESIGN This is a cross-sectional design. Nurses from different departments of a hospital were sampled by convenience sampling and investigated by self-administrated questionnaire. METHODS Data obtained through questionnaires were analysed by descriptive statistical analyses and profile analyses using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Chinese version 17.0 software. RESULTS The coincident and level profile analyses indicated that these groups can merge into one group, and the profile of measurement result of this merged group would not exhibit flatness. Among six dimensions of C-PNWE scale, the Staffing and Resource Adequacy got the lowest average score. Among 41 items, 'Opportunity for staff nurse to participate in policy decisions' got the lowest mean. CONCLUSIONS The C-PNWE scale shows good psychometric properties and can be used to explore nurses' perspectives of the nursing practice environment in China. And the situation of nurses' perceived working environment in China needs further study. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Shaping nursing practice environments to promote desired outcomes requires valid and reliable measures to assess practice environments prior to, during and following efforts to implement change. The C-PNWE scale can be a useful measurement tool for administrators to improve the nursing work environment in China.
Older People, Ageing and Old Age in the Light of Some Public Opinion Surveys in Poland

This paper is based on the analysis of surveys led by Central Statistical Office of Poland and Public Opinion Research Center. The article consists of four parts. In the first one, the outcomes of the research related to the boundaries of old age, both spiritual and physical, have been described. The second part brings forward the opinions of Poles about ageing, the frequency with which Poles reflect upon their own old age, concerns related to old age. The third part is a description of attitudes towards older people in Poland. The indicated parts are preceded by a short demographic characterisation of the demographic situation in Poland (data from CSO, Eurostat and UN) and social characterisation of an average Pole aged above 60 years.
The key role of background sea surface temperature over the cold tongue in asymmetric responses of the Arctic stratosphere to El Niño–Southern Oscillation

The response of the Arctic stratosphere to El Niño activity is strong but the response to La Niña activity is relatively weak. The asymmetric responses of Arctic stratosphere to El Niño and La Niña events are thought to be caused by asymmetric El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnections. Here, we suggest that the background sea surface temperature (SST) over cold tongue of tropical eastern Pacific may be an important contributor to the asymmetric ENSO teleconnections. The atmosphere is very sensitive to tropical SST variations in the range of 26 °C–30 °C. During El Niño events, the background SST over cold tongue plus El Niño SST anomalies typically falls into the range. Under these conditions, the atmospheric response to El Niño SST anomalies is strong. During La Niña events, the background SST plus La Niña SST anomalies is typically below the range, which leads to a weak response of the atmosphere to SST anomalies. The proposed mechanism is well supported by simulations.
Why Are State Secrets Protected from Disclosure? The Discourse of Secret Keepers

ABSTRACT This article examines, through legal documents, the rationalities that regularly give legitimacy to state secrecy from the point of view of the secret keepers. These rationalities cover the protection of intelligence officers, sources and methods, the effectiveness of intelligence agencies, international intelligence relationships, and against the effect of a mosaic of disclosed information. It concludes that the discourse of secret keepers concerning the reasons justifying the protection of state secrets from disclosure is straightforward, rather unsophisticated, and unburdened with detailed and convincing supporting evidence: it focuses on identifying possible risks associated with disclosures in general, but these risks are rarely specific in terms of a cause-to-effect relationship. The discourse of secret keepers, therefore, is credible, but only up to a point. It is nonetheless governing and commanding because it has the full force of the state behind it, up to and including the head of state, and because, ultimately, it is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens from harm.
Cytomatrix synthesis in MDCK epithelial cells

Detailed information regarding the synthesis rates of individual protein components is important in understanding the assembly and dynamics of the cytoskeletal matrix of eukaryotic cells. As an approach to this topic, the dual isotope technique of Clark and Zak J. Biol. Chem., 256: 4863–4870, 1981), was employed to measure fractional synthesis rates (FSRs) in growing and quiescent cultures of MDCK epithelial cells. Cell protein was labeled to equilibrium with [14C] leucine over several days and then pulse‐labeled for 4 hours with [3 H] leucine. FSRs (as percent per hour) were calculated from the 3H/14C ratio of cell extracts or individual proteins separated by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the 3H/14C ratio of free leucine in the medium. Synthesis of total cell protein rose from approximately 1.4%/hour in quiescent cells to 3.5%/hour in the growing cultures. The latter rate was sufficient to account for the rate of protein accumulation and a low level of turnover in the growing cultures. The FSR of the buffered‐Triton soluble extract was higher and the cytoskeletal FSR significantly lower than that for total protein in quiescent monolayers. This difference, however, was not observed in growing cultures. A distinct pattern of differences was seen in the FSRs of individual cytoskeletal proteins in the quiescent cultures. Vimentin synthesis was significantly lower than that of the keratins and the keratin FSRs were not obviously matched in pairwise fashion. Unexpectedly, the FSRs of α‐ and β‐tubulin diverged in quiescent cells with α‐tubulin turnover exceeding β‐tubulin. Likewise, components of the microfilament lattice showed unequal fractional synthesis rates, myosin and α‐actinin being faster than actin. In addition, the FSR for globular actin exceeded that of the cytoskeletal associated form. The results suggest that metabolic coupling between individual cellular filament systems is not strict. The data are, however, consistent with models that predict that assembly of a subcellular structure influences the turnover of its component proteins.
Application of local projections in the monetary policy in Brazil

ABSTRACT This article examines the relationship between selected monetary aggregates and inflation and output in Brazil. Impulse responses under VAR and local projections were used to discover the leading or lagging role of the monetary aggregates. In addition, the information provided by the monetary aggregates as predictors of output and inflation was examined. This was assessed by examining their predictive power for subsequent observations on an in-sample basis. Overall, the results indicate that in order to control inflation rates, Brazilian authorities should focus on restricting money supply rather than increasing interest rates.