Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE UPRIGHT ERYTHROPELTIDALES (COMPSOPOGONOPHYCEAE, RHODOPHYTA): MULTIPLE CRYPTIC LINEAGES OF ERYTHROTRICHIA CARNEA 1

The phylogeny of morphologically simple algae is problematic due to insufficient morphological characters to aid in distinguishing species and relationships. The problem is further compounded because multiple evolutionary lineages of morphologically similar species occur in most well‐sampled biogeographic locations; therefore, location cannot be used as a proxy for species. The phylogeny of the upright members of the Erythropeltidales is partially clarified by combining molecular data, unialgal culture observations, and worldwide sampling. Our results show that there are several well‐supported lineages within the Erythropeltidales with only two morphologically recognizable taxa at present. The first is the genus Porphyrostromium, with a well‐developed basal crust, which includes two Erythrotrichia species (Porphyrostromium ligulatum comb. nov. and Porphyrostromium pulvinatum comb. nov.). The second is the branched species Erythrotrichia welwitschii (Rupr.) Batters. There are also six strongly supported Erythrotrichia carnea–like lineages. While not completely satisfactory, we propose that one lineage (lineage 2) with samples close to the type locality be designated as E. carnea with a specific isolate as an epitype. The lack of morphology to differentiate the other lineages leads to a taxonomy based solely on gene sequencing and molecular phylogeny, with rbcL sequences differentiating the lineages proposed. We hold off on proposing more species and genera until more data and samples can be gathered.
Lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors in asthmatic and control subjects

Glucocorticoid hormones, which are widely used in the treatment of asthma, have been shown to potentiate physiological and biochemical beta‐adrenergic responsiveness in asthmatics. These effects are presumably mediated through glucocorticoid receptors. In order to better understand glucocorticoid pharmacology in asthmatics, we assayed glucocorticoid receptors by directly binding a radioactively labelled glucocorticoid hormone, dexamethasone, to intact lymphocytes prepared from the peripheral blood of asthmatics and control subjects. Binding studies were performed with dexamethasone at 100 nm and 5 nm concentrations. At 100 nm dexamethasone, the mean number of lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors (per cell) in control subjects (7191 ± 385. n= 9) was not significantly different from that in asthmatic subjects (7772 ± 437, n = 9). At 5 nm dexamethasone, the mean number of glucocorticoid receptors in control subjects (1177 ± 194, n= 5) was not significantly different from that in asthmatic subjects (1215 ± 108. n= 8). At 100 nm dexamethasone, males had significantly more receptors (7939 ± 360. n= 11) than females (6764 ± 72, n= 7). Our results suggest that the number of lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors and the apparent affinity of dexamethasone for receptors are not related to the presence or severity of asthma; however, a significant sex effect exists which should be corrected for in future studies of lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors.
Gln151 of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Acts as a Steric Gate Towards Clinically Relevant Acyclic Phosphonate Nucleotide Analogues

Background In the treatment of HIV, the loose active site of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) allows numerous nucleotide analogues to act as proviral DNA ‘chain-terminators’. Acyclic nucleotide phosphonate analogues (ANPs) represent a particular class of nucleotide analogue that does not possess a ribose moiety. The structural basis for their substrate efficiency regarding viral DNA polymerases is poorly understood. Methods Pre-steady-state kinetics on HIV-1 RT together with molecular modelling, were used to evaluate the relative characteristics of both the initial binding and incorporation into DNA of three different ANP diphosphates with progressively increasing steric demands on the acyclic linker: adefovir-diphosphate (DP), tenofovir-DP, and cidofovir-DP. Results The increase of steric demand in ANPs induced a proportional loss of the binding affinity to wild-type HIV-1 RT (K d cidofovir-DP>>K d tenofovir-DP>K d adefovir-DP∼K d dNTPs), consistent with the lack of HIV-1 inhibitory activity for cidofovir. We show that, starting from adefovir-DP, the steric constraints mainly map to Gln151, as its mutation to alanine provides cidofovir-DP sensitivity. Interactions between the Gln151 residue and the methyl group of tenofovir-DP further increase with the mutation Gln151Met, resulting in a specific discrimination and low-level resistance to tenofovir-DP. This alteration is the result of a dual decrease in the binding affinity (K d ) and the catalytic rate (k pol ) of incorporation of tenofovir-DP. By contrast, the tenofovir resistance mutation K65R induces a broad ‘k pol -dependent’ nonspecific discrimination towards the three ANPs. Conclusions Overall, our results show that the efficiency of ANPs to compete against natural nucleotides as substrates for RT is determined by their close interaction with specific amino acids such as Gln151 within the RT active site. These results should help us to map and predict ANP sensitivity determinants in cellular and viral DNA polymerase active sites for which the understanding of different ANP sensitivity patterns are of medical importance.
Political Foundations of Market-Enhancing Federalism: Theoretical Lessons from India and China

In recent times, decentralization and federalism have been suggested as solutions for multiple crises facing the world. Decentralization is seen to be good for democracy, for markets, and for governance.1 A powerful impetus for the idea and practice of decentralization arises from the simultaneous processes of economic globalization underway in much of the world. Economic liberalization, it is argued, is compatible with and requires decentralization of functions and authority. Economic theory has posited clear efficiency effects of decentralization.2 The second generation of research on fiscal federalism puts forward more nuanced arguments by analyzing the pattern and nature of decentralization rather than decentralization per se. Barry Weingast and his collaborators suggest that "market-preserving" federalism, a sub type of federalism, is crucial for positive economic performance. The theory of mar ket-preserving federalism incorporates a more realistic assumption about rulers; strong central states, it argues, hold the potential to subvert the beneficial effects of market-oriented growth. Local governments, in contrast, subject to the pressures of interjurisdictional competition, respond to citizens' functional needs as well as check arbitrary central power effectively.3 Despite these insights, the reform experience of key countries poses puzzles for theories linking decentralization and economic liberalization. Decentralization's effects on economic indicators vary significantly across countries, creating negative as well as positive effects.4 In Brazil, for example, subnational autonomy acts as a check against the central government's powers, and subnational revenues finance most of the provinces' developmental programs, yet macroeconomic performance has been extremely unstable in the 1990s. In contrast, in India, despite fiscal central ism, economic reforms have generated moderate to high economic growth in the 1990s. Recent scholarship has led many observers to be more skeptical about the posited benefits of decentralization.5 Policymakers and scholars have written about delays in federal systems, veto powers enjoyed by subnational authorities, and the ability of subnational governments to transfer locally generated deficits to different levels of the system. While these empirical discrepancies from received theory do not challenge the normative and conditional claims made by public finance and mar ket-preserving arguments, they do raise an issue that these approaches are unable to
Assessment of atrial conduction times in patients with mild diastolic dysfunction and normal atrial size

Objective: Abnormalities in atrial electromechanical delays (EMDs) are considered independent predictors of atrial fibrillation and can reflect atrial remodeling. The main purpose in this study was to compare inter-left and right intra-atrial EMDs of patients with mild left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, without left atrial (LA) structural remodeling in the absence of high filling pressure, with healthy individuals. Methods: In this prospective study, a total of 41 consecutive outpatients who were referred to our echocardiography laboratory with mild diastolic dysfunction (age: 60.9±9.6 years) and 45 healthy control subjects who were referred from an outpatient clinic for check-up (age: 32.2±10.3 years) with normal diastolic function were enrolled into this study. All subjects had normal LA volume and normal right atrial area and did not have high filling pressure. Diastolic dysfunction were determined per American Society of Echocardiography recommendations; so, the following indices were measured: peak early (E) and atrial (A) flow velocities (cm/s), E/A ratio, and deceleration time (DT) (ms) of mitral inflow, systolic (S) and diastolic (D) pulmonary vein wave velocities (cm/s) by pulse wave Doppler, and e’ in septal and lateral mitral annulus by pulse wave tissue Doppler. Time interval from the onset of P wave on the ECG to the beginning of the late diastolic wave (Am wave) on tissue Doppler trace, which is named PA, was obtained from the lateral and septal mitral annulus and right ventricular (RV) tricuspid annulus as atrial conduction times (ACTs) and were named lateral PA, septal PA, and RV PA, respectively. The difference between lateral PA and septal, PA septal and RV PA was defined as left and right intra-atrial EMD, respectively. The difference between lateral PA and RV PA was defined as inter-atrial EMD. Data analysis was done by independent student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, Spearman rank order, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multivariate regression analysis in the appropriate site. Results: A, DT, S/D ratio, and E/e’ (average) were significantly lower in the control group, and E, D, E/A ratio, e’ septal, and e’ lateral wall were significantly lower in the patient group. Atrial conduction times were longer in the patient group, but in the multivariate analysis, there was no correlation between ACTs and diastolic dysfunction. There was no significant difference in left intra-atrial EMD (14.2±9.7 ms vs. 16.4±11.4 ms; p=0.336), right intra-atrial EMD (12.8±12.2 ms vs. 15.4±12.1 ms; p=0.321), and inter-atrial EMD (26.9±13.7 ms vs. 31.7±13.7 ms; p=0.108) between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed no correlation between inter- and intra-atrial EMDs and diastolic dysfunction. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in ACTs and inter-atrial and left and right intra-atrial EMD in patients with mild LV diastolic dysfunction and normal LA volume in the absence high filling pressure compared with normal subjects.
Blood pressure and the kidney.

The association between the kidney and the circulation has been known from ancient times. Chinese literature of the second century BC for instance contains a clear recognition of the relationship between hardening of the pulse and renal disease. Understanding was however severely limited by the poor technology available up to comparatively recent times. Thus Bright' correctly deduced that left ventricular hypertrophy in renal disease reflected raised systemic arterial pressure. He incorrectly concluded that the hypertension was due to the increased resistance offered by the diseased renal vasculature. The assumption that clinical hypertension was invariably caused by renal disease persisted until Allbutt2 distinguished between essential and renal hypertension in 1896. The extent of the role of the kidney in hypertension has been the subject of debate ever since.
KAISO, a critical regulator of p53-mediated transcription of CDKN1A and apoptotic genes

Significance Transcription factor KAISO (POZ/BTB family protein, ZBTB33) expression is induced by genotoxic stress in a tumor suppressor p53-dependent manner. KAISO then interacts with p53 and the acetyltransferase p300 to modulate p300 acetylation of p53 and imposing upon p53 a “code,” i.e., acetylation at K320 and K382, and inhibition of acetylation at K381. This coded p53 shows increased DNA binding to p53 response elements in the promoters of CDKN1A (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1) and apoptosis genes, subsequently inducing cell cycle arrest and potent apoptosis. KAISO is a critical regulator of DNA damage responses in multiple cell types and carries out this function by regulating p53-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. An unresolved issue in genotoxic stress response is identification of induced regulatory proteins and how these activate tumor suppressor p53 to determine appropriate cell responses. Transcription factor KAISO was previously described to repress transcription following binding to methylated DNA. In this study, we show that KAISO is induced by DNA damage in p53-expressing cells and then interacts with the p53–p300 complex to increase acetylation of p53 K320 and K382 residues, although decreasing K381 acetylation. Moreover, the p53 with this particular acetylation pattern shows increased DNA binding and potently induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by activating transcription of CDKN1A (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1) and various apoptotic genes. Analogously, in Kaiso KO mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, p53-to-promoter binding and up-regulation of p21 and apoptosis gene expression is significantly compromised. KAISO may therefore be a critical regulator of p53-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in response to various genotoxic stresses in mammalian cells.
CDS Option Valuation under Double-Exponential Jump-Diffusion (DEJD)

This study combines the empirical estimation of a Double-Exponential Jump-Diffusion (DEJD) process for a CDS index and the use of estimated parameters to price options on the index. In the first step we find Maximum Likelihood estimates for the diffusion volatility, the Poisson jump frequencies, and the mean sizes of up and down exponential jumps in the iTraxx Investment Grade index.In the second step we use the parameter estimates as inputs to the Kou (2002) pricing formula for European options under the DEJD.We estimate a rolling parameter time-series to generate the time series of option prices, then compare implied volatilities across strikes to the market-implied volatilities. While the empirical parameters produce realistic at-the-money implied volatilities, the model generates negative call-minus-put skews, which is at odds with positive volatility skews in the market. The large and persistent differences suggest the presence of risk premiums relating to large upward CDS jumps.The study develops a practical parametric approach to analyse the divergence between realised and market-implied distributions of CDS returns, and can be used to check pricing in illiquid markets.
SOME CONTROLS ON THE RELEASE OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON BY PLANT TISSUES AND SOILS

Soil and plant tissues were used to examine the effect on the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of rinsing over time at two temperatures and under oxic and anoxic conditions in a laboratory incubation. The release of DOC over 60 days of incubation ranged from 0.5 to 189 mg DOC g−1 oven-dry material and was correlated inversely with the degree of decomposition of the material: fresh maple leaves > old maple leaves > Sphagnum moss > fibric peat > hemic peat = sapric peat > Inceptisol A horizon. Rates of DOC release were similar through the duration of the experiment, except for the fresh maple leaves, where release rates fell after 3 day. Rinsing, by the replacement of water in the incubating samples after 20 day, produced slower rates of DOC release, except in the Inceptisol A and sapric peat samples. There was no significant difference between DOC release under oxic and anoxic conditions, except for the Inceptisol A soil, where DOC release was greater under anoxic than under oxic conditions. The rate of DOC release at 22 °C was an average of 2.4 times greater than at 4 °C, translating into Q10 values of about 1.6. At 22 °C under oxic conditions, DOC production accounted for 14 to 58% (average 24%) of the total C released as DOC + CO2, with the highest proportion in the maple leaves. Under anoxic conditions, DOC production accounted for 63 to 95% (average 82%) of the total C released as DOC + CO2 + CH4. Production of CH4 under anoxic conditions was minor, accounting for <1% of the total C released. Under oxic conditions at 22 °C, the incubations released between 2 and 107% of the organic C contained in the samples, the largest proportion of which was released from the plant tissues. Microbial utilization of DOC meant that some C was double-counted, both as DOC and as subsequently emitted CO2. Under anoxic conditions, 0.0 to 49% of the sample organic C was mineralized. The release of DOC represents the balance between production, adsorption, and desorption and microbial utilization. This release differs clearly among samples and among treatment effects.
Design of Session State Migration Middleware for Disruption-Free Services

Various services, such as streaming, network games and thin clients, which keep a session state of user equipments (UEs) for a long period, are provided from servers. This paper proposes a session state migration which relocates session states from one server to multiple servers where the service of the relocated session state succeeds to be processed. Distributing the session states into the multiple servers increases a chance for relocating the session states, and results in allows the service provider to conduct the server maintenance at their convenience, and saving servers' energy consumption. In this paper we clarify common procedures in the session state migration, design a middleware dedicated to the common procedures, and implement it as a proof of concept.
Approximate Formulae for Willmore Surfaces via Support Functions and Matlab

Bio-membrane shapes are calculated numerically by minimizing a bending energy with area and volume constraints. We use a modiﬁed Helfrich’s bending energy that includes buoyancy. Spheres, prolate and oblate discocytes, tori, Y -shapes, and dumbbells are some of the variety of bio-membranes that have been observed without buoyancy. Since the system of diﬀerential equations that minimizers must satisfy is extremely complex, many shapes are only known to exist through their numerical solutions. Indeed, exact analytical solutions for many shapes remain elusive. Here, we consider Y -shapes and dumbbells and give closed-form approximate formulae for these shapes using a support function method.
Recombinant Human GM‐CSF Treatment of Neutropenia in Glycogen Storage Disease‐1b

Purpose Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was administered to two patients with glycogen storage disease, type 1b (GSD-1b), with chronic neutropenia, neutrophil dysfunction, and recurrent infections in an effort to increase neutrophil counts and increase resistance to infections. Patients and Methods : The patients' baseline absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) ranged from 56 to 480 cells/mm3 despite increased granulocyte precursors in the bone marrow. GM-CSF was given s.c. at starting doses of 500 μg/m2/day divided into two doses. Results : After 48 h, ANC rose to 2,025 cells/mm3 and 3, 132 cells/mm3, respectively. Absolute eosinophil counts also rose to 1,048 cells/mm3 (24%) and 4,820 cells/mm3 (33%) on days 10 and 9 in the two patients. Although an initial 10-day course of GM-CSF was tolerated in one patient without significant reactions, subsequent s.c. injections of GM-CSF were complicated by increasingly painful local reactions that necessitated discontinuation after 7 to 8 days. Intravenous infusion was associated with a febrile systemic reaction. Despite lack of improvement in neutrophil superoxide anion generation measured in one, both patients demonstrated unusually rapid healing of cutaneous infections on GM-CSF. Conclusion : Our experience suggests that GM-CSF may be useful for short-term treatment of serious infections in GSD-1b. However, alternate dosage schedules or different preparations of GM-CSF to diminish local reactions would be required for long-term maintenance therapy. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has also been shown to increase neutrophils in this disease and has not been associated with allergic reactions.
Long-term follow-up study of unruptured vertebral artery dissection: clinical outcomes and serial angiographic findings.

OBJECT Although the spontaneous occurrence of an unruptured vertebral artery (VA) dissection has increasingly been recognized as a relatively common cause of stroke, and the clinical aspects of this lesion have gradually been determined, its natural course remains obscure. The main goal of this study was to clarify the management protocol for this condition by examining serial angiographic changes in patients with unruptured VA dissections. METHODS Seventeen patients with unruptured VA dissections, including 13 men and four women, were clinically and angiographically examined between 1993 and 1998. All patients were observed using serial angiography studies. The initial angiography examinations most frequently revealed stenotic lesions (appearance of a pearl-and-string sign or string sign) in eight (47.1%) of 17 cases. In 15 cases (88.2%), changes in the lesions were evident on follow-up angiography studies. Stenotic lesions resulted in occlusion in four cases, normalization in three, and subsequent formation of an aneurysm in one case, which was treated successfully by proximal occlusion of the affected vessel performed using a detachable balloon. Occluded lesions, which were initially observed in three patients, recanalized in two patients and remained unchanged in one patient. Fusiform dilation alone was demonstrated in three patients during the initial angiography session; these lesions became normalized or were unchanged on follow-up studies. Saccular aneurysms were observed in two patients. In one of these cases, proximal ligation of the parent artery was successfully performed because of subsequent aneurysm enlargement. A double lumen, which appeared in one patient with an extradural VA dissection, became occluded. Magnetic resonance T2-weighted imaging studies revealed infarction corresponding to the posterior circulation in seven cases. During long-term observation in this series, good or excellent recovery was obtained in 14 (87.5%) of 16 patients, and moderate or severe disability in two (12.5%); one patient was lost to follow up after the second angiography study. CONCLUSIONS A follow-up angiography study must be performed during the early stage (within approximately 3 weeks after onset of symptoms) to confirm the formation or enlargement of an aneurysm, because such conditions may be amenable to surgical treatment. Unruptured VA dissection could otherwise be treated and followed conservatively. Although the majority of dissected lesions seem likely to stabilize within a few months, as evidenced on angiography, in some cases a longer observation period is required.