Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Release of extracellular membrane particles carrying the stem cell marker prominin-1 (CD133) from neural progenitors and other epithelial cells

Apical plasma membrane constituents of mammalian neural stem/progenitor cells have recently been implicated in maintaining their stem/progenitor cell state. Here, we report that in the developing embryonic mouse brain, the fluid in the lumen of the neural tube contains membrane particles carrying the stem cell marker prominin-1 (CD133), a pentaspan membrane protein found on membrane protrusions of the apical surface of neuroepithelial cells. Two size classes of prominin-1-containing membrane particles were observed in the ventricular fluid: ≈600-nm particles, referred to as P2 particles, and 50-80-nm vesicles, referred to as P4 particles. The P2 and P4 particles appeared in the ventricular fluid at the very onset and during the early phase of neurogenesis, respectively. Concomitant with their appearance, the nature of the prominin-1-containing apical plasma membrane protrusions of neuroepithelial cells changed, in that microvilli were lost and large pleiomorphic protuberances appeared. P4 particles were found in various body fluids of adult humans, including saliva, seminal fluid and urine, and were released by the epithelial model cell line Caco-2 upon differentiation. Importantly, P4 particles were distinct from exosomes. Our results demonstrate the widespread occurrence of a novel class of extracellular membrane particles containing proteins characteristic of stem cells, and raise the possibility that the release of the corresponding membrane subdomains from the apical surface of neural progenitors and other epithelial cells may have a role in tissue development and maintenance. Moreover, the presence of prominin-1-containing membrane particles in human body fluids may provide the basis for a protein-based diagnosis of certain diseases.
APOBEC3G Restricts HIV-1 to a Greater Extent than APOBEC3F and APOBEC3DE in Human Primary CD4+ T Cells and Macrophages

ABSTRACT APOBEC3 proteins inhibit HIV-1 replication in experimental systems and induce hypermutation in infected patients; however, the relative contributions of several APOBEC3 proteins to restriction of HIV-1 replication in the absence of the viral Vif protein in human primary CD4+ T cells and macrophages are unknown. We observed significant inhibition of HIV-1Δvif produced in 293T cells in the presence of APOBEC3DE (A3DE), APOBEC3F (A3F), APOBEC3G (A3G), and APOBEC3H haplotype II (A3H HapII) but not APOBEC3B (A3B), APOBEC3C (A3C), or APOBEC3H haplotype I (A3H HapI). Our previous studies showed that Vif amino acids Y40RHHY44 are important for inducing proteasomal degradation of A3G, whereas amino acids 14DRMR17 are important for degradation of A3F and A3DE. Here, we introduced substitution mutations of 40YRHHY44 and 14DRMR17 in replication-competent HIV-1 to generate vif mutants NL4-3 YRHHY>A5 and NL4-3 DRMR>A4 to compare the antiviral activity of A3G to the combined antiviral activity of A3F and A3DE in activated CD4+ T cells and macrophages. During the first 15 days (round 1), in which multiple cycles of viral replication occurred, both the NL4-3 YRHHY>A5 and NL4-3 DRMR>A4 mutants replicated in activated CD4+ T cells and macrophages, and only the NL4-3 YRHHY>A5 mutant showed a 2- to 4-day delay in replication compared to the wild type. During the subsequent 27 days (round 2) of cultures initiated with peak virus obtained from round 1, the NL4-3 YRHHY>A5 mutant exhibited a longer, 8- to 10-day delay and the NL4-3 DRMR>A4 mutant exhibited a 2- to 6-day delay in replication compared to the wild type. The NL4-3 YRHHY>A5 and NL4-3 DRMR>A4 mutant proviruses displayed G-to-A hypermutations primarily in GG and GA dinucleotides as expected of A3G- and A3F- or A3DE-mediated deamination, respectively. We conclude that A3G exerts a greater restriction effect on HIV-1 than A3F and A3DE.
Relationship of cognition and psychopathology to functional impairment in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the association of neurocognition and symptoms with measures of social and occupational functioning in the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE). METHOD CATIE was an 18-month study of individuals with schizophrenia. Symptoms of 1,386 patients were measured with the positive syndrome scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and a PANSS negative symptom scale that eliminated items that most overlap with measures of community functioning or neurocognition. The Heinrichs-Carpenter Quality of Life Scale, which a rater completes on the basis of the patient's self-report, and recent employment were used to assess community functioning. Hierarchical regression analyses and mixed models tested the association of neurocognition and symptoms with social/occupational functioning as well as changes in these measures during treatment. RESULTS Both symptoms and neurocognition were associated with quality of life in bivariate correlation analyses. Symptoms contributed more to the incremental explained variance in quality of life than did neurocognitive functioning, but both kinds of measures were significantly related to quality of life. In an analysis including only the positive syndrome scale, the increased explained variance in quality of life was about equal to that associated with neurocognition. Neurocognition and both symptom measures were independently associated with quality of life in the cross-sectional mixed-model analysis. Changes in neurocognition and both symptom measures during treatment were also significantly associated with change in the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Both psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive deficits appear to contribute independently to decreased quality of life in schizophrenia.
Aggregate Quasi Rents and Auditor Independence: Evidence from Audit Firm Mergers in China

Using a sample of audit firm mergers in China’s audit market, this paper provides evidence on the way auditor independence can be improved following audit firm mergers as a result of a change in the aggregate quasi rents that are exposed to risk (i.e., the quasi rents at stake). This setting allows us to examine the relationship between auditor independence and the aggregate quasi rents at stake directly after controlling for the confounding effects of auditor competence, audit firm brand name, and the self-selection problem that may exist in previous studies. We hypothesize that auditors become more independent in the post-merger period only if the mergers increase the aggregate quasi rents at stake. Proxying audit quality by the frequency of modified audit opinions (MAOs) and using a “difference-in-differences” research design, we conduct separate tests for two types of mergers under the institutional arrangements in China: one with an increase in the aggregate quasi rents at stake and the other with little change in these rents. Consistent with our hypothesis, we observe an improvement in auditor independence, but only for mergers that increase auditors’ aggregate quasi rents at stake. Moreover, the post-merger increase in the propensity for MAOs in this type of merger is positively associated with the magnitude of the change in the aggregate quasi rents at stake. Our empirical findings support the theory that auditor independence is a positive function of the aggregate quasi rents at stake.
Multicore implementation of the multi-scale adaptive deep pyramid matching model for remotely sensed image classification

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been widely used in the analysis of remotely sensed imagery. In particular, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are gaining more and more attention. Unlike traditional CNNs methods, where the relevant information to classify the elements of a remotely sensed image is extracted only from the last fully-connected layer, the new adaptive deep pyramid matching (ADPM) model [1] takes advantage of the features from all of the convolutional layers. This model allows the optimal fusing weights for different convolutional layers be learned from the data itself. In addition, the combination of CNNs with spatial pyramid pooling (SPP-net) to create the basic deep network allows the use of images with multiple scales, which results in better learning process thanks to the complementary information. The original ADPM method is divided in two parts: the multi-scale deep feature extraction and the ADPM core. In this paper we present a computational improvement of the ADPM core, coding a parallel-multicore version. This strategy is shown to significantly enhance performance in the analysis of remotely sensed data.
Mortality and predictors of death in a cohort of patients presenting to an eating disorders service.

OBJECTIVE The main aim was to investigate mortality across the spectrum of eating disorders presenting to a specialized service for adults in the UK. A secondary aim was to explore whether any clinical and demographic factors may be associated with increased risk. METHOD We conducted a "tracing" study of 1,892 patients assessed by the Service between 1992 and 2004. We used the Office of National Statistics to identify all deaths recorded up to August 2007. We also compared deceased patients with matched controls in terms of a number of clinical and demographic variables at initial presentation to the service. RESULTS Anorexia nervosa had a ten-fold increased risk of early death, but there was also evidence of increased risk in other groups of patients, including eating disorder not otherwise specified. A number of clinical factors predicted increased mortality risk, especially very low body mass index and the presence of alcohol misuse. DISCUSSION The study confirms previous evidence of a markedly increased mortality risk for anorexia nervosa, but also suggests that the risk is not confined to this eating disorder and that greater attention needs to be focused on wider psychiatric comorbidity.
Introduction to Mechanism Design (for Computer Scientists)

Abstract We give an introduction to the micro-economic field of Mechanism Design slightly biased toward a computer-scientist's point of view. Introduction Mechanism Design is a subfield of economic theory that is rather unique within economics in having an engineering perspective. It is interested in designing economic mechanisms, just like computer scientists are interested in designing algorithms, protocols, or systems. It is best to view the goals of the designed mechanisms in the very abstract terms of social choice . A social choice is simply an aggregation of the preferences of the different participants toward a single joint decision. Mechanism Design attempts implementing desired social choices in a strategic setting – assuming that the different members of society each act rationally in a game theoretic sense. Such strategic design is necessary since usually the preferences of the participants are private. This high-level abstraction of aggregation of preferences may be seen as a common generalization of a multitude of scenarios in economics as well as in other social settings such as political science. Here are some basic classic examples: Elections : In political elections each voter has his own preferences between the different candidates, and the outcome of the elections is a single social choice. Markets : Classical economic theory usually assumes the existence and functioning of a “perfect market. ” In reality, of course, we have only interactions between people, governed by some protocols. Each participant in such an interaction has his own preferences, but the outcome is a single social choice: the reallocation of goods and money. […]
Variable Susceptibility to Cigarette Smoke‐Induced Emphysema in 34 Inbred Strains of Mice Implicates Abi3bp in Emphysema Susceptibility

&NA; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is caused by a complex interaction of environmental exposures, most commonly cigarette smoke, and genetic factors. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure in the mouse is a commonly used animal model of COPD. We aimed to expand our knowledge about the variable susceptibility of inbred strains to this model and test for genetic variants associated with this trait. To that end, we sought to measure differential susceptibility to cigarette smoke‐induced emphysema in the mouse, identify genetic loci associated with this quantitative trait, and find homologous human genes associated with COPD. Alveolar chord length (CL) in 34 inbred strains of mice was measured after 6 months of exposure to cigarette smoke. After testing for association, we connected a murine candidate locus to a published meta‐analysis of moderate‐to‐severe COPD. We identified deleterious mutations in a candidate gene in silico and measured gene expression in extreme strains. A/J was the most susceptible strain in our survey (&Dgr; CL 7.0 ± 2.2 &mgr;m) and CBA/J was the least susceptible (&Dgr; CL −0.3 ± 1.2 &mgr;m). By integrating mouse and human genome‐wide scans, we identified the candidate gene Abi3bp. CBA/J mice harbor predicted deleterious variants in Abi3bp, and expression of the gene differs significantly between CBA/J and A/J mice. This is the first report of susceptibility to cigarette smoke‐induced emphysema in 34 inbred strains of mice, and Abi3bp is identified as a potential contributor to this phenotype.
Indigenous Traditional Knowledge

The urban population is facing shortage of food items and organic food materials. Therefore, researchers, entrepreneurs and food lovers are searching food from wild food plants. The tribal markets are the perfect platforms for screening wild food plants for future urban foods. Therefore, an attempt has been made to the survey of tribal markets of Bonai Forest Division, Odisha for enumerating commonly used wild foods. The survey results revealed that about 10 wild edible food species are commonly sold in most of tribal markets of study areas. They could be the future foods for the urban population.
The Evolution of Plant Mating System: Is It Time for a Synthesis?

Diversity is the rule in living organisms. While this diversity is manifest at the various levels of the life tree, the diversity in the vegetable kingdom is probably the most apparent form, as revealed by the high diversity of plant morphologies and life histories even at small spatial scale. Since the first investigations in plant biology, botanists have always focused on the high variation of reproductive systems in plants and the floral diversity (forms and colors) in higher plants is one of the most obvious forms of variation. This has provided the basis for discriminating and classifying plants. In the 18th century, variation in sexual structures of plants has thus provided the basis for the Linnaean classification. Interestingly, such variation reveals variation and adaptation of the mating system and results from evolutionary processes in the phylogeny. Moreover, mating systems are central in population biology first because it ensures the maintenance (and eventually the growth) of populations and second because it shapes the transmission of phenotypic traits via the transmission of the hereditary material, thus conditioning evolutionary processes.
Positron emission tomography experience with 2‐[18F]fluoro‐3‐(2(s)‐azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (2‐[18F]fa) in the living human brain of smokers with paranoid schizophrenia

Utilizing postmortem data (Breese et al. [2000] Neuropsychopharmacology 23:351–364), we hypothesized that the densities of high‐affinity neuronal α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain exist in a continuum from highest to lowest as follows: smokers without schizophrenia > smokers with schizophrenia > nonsmokers without schizophrenia > nonsmokers with schizophrenia. Application of the Kruskal‐Wallis Test (Statacorp, 2003) to the postmortem data (Breese et al. [2000] Neuropsychopharmacology 23:351‐364) confirmed the hypothesized order in the cortex and the hippocampus and attained significance in the caudate and the thalamus. Positron emission tomography (PET) was performed for 60 min at 6 h after the intravenous administration of 444 megabequerels [MBq] (12 mCi) 2‐[18F]fluoro‐3‐(2(S)‐azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (2‐[18F]FA), a radiotracer for high‐affinity neuronal α4β2 nAChRs, as a bolus plus continuous infusion to 10 adults (seven men and three women) (six smokers including five with paranoid schizophrenia and four nonsmokers) ranging in age from 22 to 56 years (mean 40.1, standard deviation 13.6). The thalamic nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND) was 1.32 ± 0.19 (mean ± standard deviation) for healthy control nonsmokers; 0.50 ± 0.19 for smokers with paranoid schizophrenia; and 0.51 for the single smoker without paranoid schizophrenia. The thalamic BPNDs of nonsmokers were significantly higher than those of smokers who smoked cigarettes a few hours before the scans (P = 0.0105) (StataCorp, 2003), which was likely due to occupancy of nAChRs by inhaled nicotine in smokers. Further research is needed to rule out the effects of confounding variables. Synapse 2012. © 2011Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Effects of Employment on Academic Performance of Australian Accounting Students

This study examines factors that impact students engaged in paid employment while studying in a tertiary accounting program in a regional Australian university. It examines the differences in experience of domestic and international students. No direct significant relationship was found between paid employment and academic performance for the overall study sample. There was a positive relationship found between paid employment and academic performance with respect to domestic students. However, in the case of international students a negative relationship between paid employment and academic performance was observed. A significant positive relationship between a shift work pattern of paid employment and academic performance was found.
The Influences of Verbal Smell References in Radio Advertisements

In an industry plagued by high failure rates and exorbitant amounts spent on marketing, restaurants must find ways to increase the effectiveness of their advertising. The purpose of this study is to explore how verbal smell references in restaurants’ radio advertisements (e.g., “You can almost smell the smoky and delicious aroma of your steak grilling to perfection”) affect consumers’ perceived ability to “almost taste” and “almost smell” the advertised product, affective response, and purchase intentions. In a between-subjects experiment conducted on undergraduate students, this research finds that a verbal smell reference in a radio ad significantly influences a potential consumer’s ability to almost smell and almost taste the advertised product. The smell reference also significantly affects individuals’ affective responses to the ad and purchase intent for the product. Interestingly, this research also finds that the level of “brand excitement” associated with the advertised brand perfectly mediates the relationship between the verbal smell reference and affective responses. From a managerial perspective, these results seem to indicate that verbal smell descriptions in restaurant radio ads can be associated with a number of desirable outcomes.
Influence of seasonal variation in mood and behavior on cognitive test performance among young adults

Background: Seasonal variations in mood and behavior are common among the general population and may have a deteriorating effect on cognitive functions. Aims: In this study the effect of seasonal affective disorder (SAD-like symptoms) on cognitive test performance were evaluated in more detail. Methods: The data were derived from the study Mental Health in Early Adulthood in Finland. Participants (n = 481) filled in a modified Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and performed cognitive tests in verbal and visual skills, attention and general intelligence. Results: SAD-like symptoms, especially regarding the seasonal variations in weight and appetite, had a significant effect on working memory (Digit Span Backward, P = 0.008) and auditory attention and short-term memory (Digit Span Forward, P = 0.004). The seasonal variations in sleep duration and mood had an effect on auditory attention and short-term memory (Digit Span Forward, P = 0.02 and P = 0.0002, respectively). The seasonal variations in social activity and energy level had no effect. Conclusions: Seasonal changes in mood, appetite and weight have an impairing effect on auditory attention and processing speed. If performance tests are not to repeated in different seasons, attention needs to be given to the most appropriate season in which to test.
Surveillance for malaria outbreak on malaria-eliminating islands in Tafea Province, Vanuatu after Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015

SUMMARY The risk of malaria outbreak surfaced in Vanuatu after Tropical Cyclone (TC) Pam in March 2015. In June and July 2015 we conducted malariometric surveys on the islands of Tanna, Aneityum, and Erromango in Tafea Province, where malaria elimination had been targeted, to determine if malaria incidence had increased after TC Pam. No Plasmodium infection was detected by microscopy and PCR in 3009 survey participants. Only 6·3% (190/3007) of participants had fever. Spleen rates in children aged ⩽12 years from Aneityum and Tanna were low, at 3·6% (14/387) and 5·3% (27/510), respectively. Overall bed net use was high at 72·8% (2175/2986); however, a significantly higher (P < 0·001) proportion of participants from Aneityum (85·9%, 796/927) reported net use than those from Tanna (67·1%, 751/1119) and Erromango (66·8%, 628/940). A recent decrease in malaria incidence in Tafea Province through comprehensive intervention measures had reduced the indigenous parasite reservoir and limited the latter's potential to spur an outbreak after TC Pam. The path towards malaria elimination in Tafea Province was not adversely affected by TC Pam.
Public Capital and Private Sector Productivity

The role of public services in private production is quantified for the Australian economy over the period period 1966/67-1989/90. Public capital is shown to have a significant and positive impact on private production and private total factor productivity. The extent to which these results can contribute towards the debate about appropriate levels of public investment is also considered. Copyright 1994 by The Economic Society of Australia.
Bio-fuels? - Across financial tsunami of 2008

The relation between prices of crude oil and grain futures was explored in this research to identify the argument about production of bio-fuels and skyrocketing grains prices. Chow breakpoint test and Quandt-Andrews unknown breakpoint test were used to examine whether the financial tsunami of 2008 resulted in any structural changes. July 15, 2008 was the breakpoint and the duration was divided into two parts. Paired variables were tested by VECM between oil and grain futures prices. The testing results of the duration from January 1, 1991 to July 14, 2008 were significant and a relationship between oil and grain prices existed indeed approving the aspect that bio-fuels cause the rising grain prices. However, the testing results after the structural changes during the financial tsunami in 2008 were insignificant completely denying the viewpoint that bio-fuels cause the rocketing grain prices. Key words: Bio-fuel, breakpoint, financial tsunami, grain future, oil future.
Ambient Communication: How to Engage Consumers in Urban Touch-Points

This article examines the concept of ambient communication, its evolution, basic categories, and experiential marketing principles. It explores the variety of heterogeneous out-of-home communication tools, whose diversity and innovativeness have so far resulted in a lack of clear understanding and a failure to exploit their full marketing potential. By taking the urban landscape as the core feature of all conventional and unconventional outdoor communication tools, marketers can develop a comprehensive approach to improving ambient communication's effectiveness by focusing on its impact on consumer brand engagement.