Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Both Viral and Host Factors Contribute to Neurovirulence of Bovine Herpesviruses 1 and 5 in Interferon Receptor-Deficient Mice

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and bovine herpesviruses 1 and 5 (BHV-1 and BHV-5) can use the same cellular receptor for entry, but only HSV is known to cause disease in mice. We hypothesized that components of either the innate or the adaptive immune system, or a combination of both, were responsible for curbing replication of BHVs in mice. Therefore, wild-type mice as well as mice with various combined genetic deficiencies in the alpha/beta interferon receptor or gamma interferon receptor and in the ability to produce mature B and T lymphocytes (RAG-2 deletion) were infected with BHV-1 and BHV-5 and monitored clinically, serologically, histopathologically, and virologically. A functional immune system protected the mice from disease and death due to BHV infection, and the immune response was Th1 like. BHV-5 was transported to the central nervous system by the axonal pathway, whereas viremia was required for this outcome with BHV-1. The alpha/beta interferon system was able to obstruct quantitative spread of the viruses in the infected organism. The gamma interferon system had a protective effect against BHV-1, even in mice with the RAG-2 deletion. In contrast, the same mice succumbed to neurological disease and death upon infection with BHV-5. Productively infected neurons were detected only in BHV-5-infected mice with an intact gamma interferon system. We conclude that the alpha/beta interferon system had a protective effect, while an intact gamma interferon system was required for efficient replication of BHV-5 in mouse neurons and for the development of neurological disease.
When Does Corporate Social Performance Pay for International Firms?

How does corporate social performance (CSP) affect financial performance as the firm expands internationally? To address this question, I integrate arguments from the International Business (IB) literature and the literature on CSP to propose that the costs and benefits associated with CSP are unevenly distributed across the range of internationalization. Specifically, I argue that the costs of CSP outweigh the benefits at low levels of internationalization, while the benefits outweigh the costs at high levels of internationalization, leading to a moderated, U-shaped relationship. In addition, I disentangle CSP’s effects further by distinguishing between “do-good” CSP and “do-no-harm” CSP, which have been theorized to evoke different stakeholder perceptions and attributions and can thus be expected to harbor different performance effects across the range of internationalization. Analysis of a panel of 1,056 U.S.-based international firms over the period 1995-2012 lends support to these arguments.
Adult Urology Oncology : Adrenal / Renal / Upper Tract / Bladder Serum Amino Acid Levels as a Biomarker for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Submitted for publication February 16, 2011. Supported by the Fox Chase Cancer Center Keystone Program in Personalized Kidney Cancer Therapy, National Institutes of Health Core Grant CA06927 and an appropriation from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Fox Chase Cancer Center. Study received institutional review board approval. Supplementary material for this article can be obtained at http://www.fccc. edu/research/pid/ kruger/urologyData.html. * Correspondence: Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111 (telephone: 215-728-3030; FAX: 215-214-1623; e-mail: warren.kruger@fccc. edu). Purpose: Prognosis in renal cell carcinoma is dependent on tumor stage at presentation, with significant differences in survival between early and late stage disease. Currently to our knowledge no screening tests or biomarkers have been identified for the early detection of kidney cancer. Therefore, we investigated whether serum amino acid profiles are a potentially useful biomarker in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: The concentrations of 26 amino acids were determined in serum taken preoperatively from 189 patients with renal cell carcinoma, and from 104 age and sex matched controls. Results: Statistically significant changes were observed in patient levels of 15 amino acids, with 13 being decreased and 2 being increased. A logistic regression model using 8 amino acids including cysteine, ornithine, histidine, leucine, tyrosine, proline, valine and lysine was created to distinguish cases from controls. A receiver operator curve based on this model had an area under the curve of 0.81. This same model also had predictive value in terms of overall survival and tumor recurrence in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that serum amino acid levels may be useful as a screening tool for the identification of individuals with renal cell carcinoma and the prediction of outcomes.
Month of the Year Effect pada Pasar Obligasi di Indonesia

This study examines the month-of-the-year effect on the bond returns in Indonesia. I use the monthly closing price index (Indonesia Bond Indexes / INDOBeX) data for the periods of July 2003-July 2017 from Bloomberg. I then run the Generalize Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) analysis technique to analyze the data because the residuals exhibit a significant pattern of Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH). The results show that only the month of July has a significantly positive effect on the bond returns; indicating that there is the month-of-the-year effect in the Indonesian bond market. Further, these also imply that the Indonesian bond market does not exhibit a random walk pattern and consequently they are inefficient in the weak form.AbstrakPenelitian ini menguji pengaruh bulan-bulan perdagangan (month of the year) terhadap return obligasi di Indonesia. Data yang dipergunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data indeks harga obligasi (Indonesia Bond Indexes / INDOBeX) penutupan bulanan selama periode Juli 2003 hingga Juli 2017 yang diperoleh dari Bloomberg. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik analisis Generalize Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) karena pola residual yang dihasilkan menunjukkan adanya pola Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH) yang signifikan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa bulan Juli memiliki pengaruh positif yang signifikan terhadap return obligasi di Indonesia. Sementara bulan-bulan lainnya tidak memiliki pengaruh terhadap return obligasi di Indonesia. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa terjadi month of the year effect di pasar obligasi di Indonesia. Temuan ini memiliki implikasi bahwa pasar obligasi di Indonesia tidak berjalan acak (random walk) sehingga tidak efisien dalam bentuk lemah.
Procalcitonin: A Marker of Bacteraemia in SIRS

A number of European studies have documented the ability of procalcitonin (PCT), a novel inflammatory marker, to discriminate patients with sepsis from those with other causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The aim of this study was to assess procalcitonin's performance in an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) setting to examine whether it could discriminate between these two conditions. One hundred and twenty-three consecutive adult ICU patients fulfilling criteria for SIRS were enlisted in the study. Over a period of five days, daily serum PCT and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. At least two sets of cultures were taken of blood, sputum/broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) and urine. Other cultures were taken as clinically indicated. Questionnaires to ascertain clinical suspicion of sepsis were prospectively answered by the ICU senior registrars. PCT values were ten times higher in patients with positive blood cultures; CRP values were also significantly higher in the bacteraemic patients. Both PCT and CRP had a good ability to discriminate bacteraemia from non-infectious SIRS, with the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for PCT being 0.8 and for CRP being 0.82. However neither PCT or CRP was able to discriminate patients with localized sepsis from those without. Utilizing both tests resulted in a more sensitive screen than either one alone, while PCT was a more accurate diagnostic test for bacteraemia than CRP. The PCT value also differed between those who died in hospital and those who survived. Measurement of PCT alone or in combination with CRP can aid discrimination of septicaemia/bacteraemia with associated SIRS from non-infectious SIRS in an Australian ICU setting.
Hypoxia drives transient site-specific copy gain and drug-resistant gene expression

Black et al. demonstrate that hypoxia induces transient, site-specific copy gains in primary, nontransformed, and transformed human cells. Hypoxia-driven copy gains are dependent on the KDM4A histone demethylase and are blocked by inhibition of KDM4A with a small molecule or the natural metabolite succinate.
Comparison between hearing screening-detected cases and sporadic cases of delayed-onset hearing loss in preschool-age children

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to compare the diagnosis and ages of intervention for cases of delayed-onset hearing loss identified sporadically or via a preschool hearing screening program. Design: Retrospective study with the comparative analysis of two groups of children. Study sample: Cases identified from screening were selected from 34 321 preschool children who underwent screening for delayed-onset hearing loss between October 2009 and May 2011. Sporadic cases of delayed-onset hearing loss were selected from pediatric clinical records. Cases from the first group were excluded from the latter to avoid duplication. Two groups were given the same questionnaire to record risk indicators, diagnosis, and age at intervention. Results: The average age of 26 children at the time of diagnosis in the screening group (52.81 ± 13.23 months) was significantly earlier than in the 33 cases identified in the sporadic group (62.03 ± 12.86 months; p < 0.05). The age at intervention of children with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss in the screening group (50.40 ± 10.76 months) was also earlier than in the sporadic group (62.73 ± 13.77 months; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Improved rates of early diagnosis could therefore be achieved with hearing screening for preschool children with no significant symptoms of delayed-onset hearing loss.
Enlarging the Scope of Cell‐Penetrating Prenylated Peptides to Include Farnesylated ‘CAAX’ Box Sequences and Diverse Cell Types

Protein prenylation is a posttranslational modification that is present in a large number of proteins; it has been proposed to be responsible for membrane association and protein–protein interactions, which contribute to its role in signal transduction pathways. Research has been aimed at inhibiting prenylation with farnesyltransferase inhibitors based on the finding that the farnesylated protein Ras is implicated in 30% of human cancers. Despite numerous studies on the enzymology of prenylation in vitro, many questions remain about the process of prenylation as it occurs in living cells. Here we describe the preparation of a series of farnesylated peptides that contain sequences recognized by protein farnesyltransferase. Using a combination of flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, we show that these peptides enter a variety of different cell types. A related peptide where the farnesyl group has been replaced by a disulfide‐linked decyl group is also shown to be able to efficiently enter cells. These results highlight the applicability of these peptides as a platform for further study of protein prenylation and subsequent processing in live cells.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: radiation therapy for patients aged 70 years and older.

PURPOSE To evaluate the usefulness of radiation therapy for elderly patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred ninety-three patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent external pelvic irradiation and three sessions of low-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation. One hundred twenty-six patients were aged 70 years or older (elderly group), and 167 patients were aged 69 years or younger (younger group). Survival rates, pattern of failure, local control rates, and complications for the two groups were compared. RESULTS The 5-year, cause-specific survival rates for the elderly group with stage I, II, III, or IV disease were 100%, 81%, 73%, and 54%, respectively. Corresponding rates for the younger group were 100%, 92%, 74%, and 32%. Differences in survival curves, patterns of failure, recurrence rates, and incidences of radiation complications for the two groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Age did not influence the effectiveness of radiation therapy for the elderly patients.
Spatial Changes of Urban Heat Island Formation in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka: Implications for Sustainability Planning

The formation of surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) can cause significant adverse impacts on the quality of living in urban areas. Monitoring the spatial patterns and trajectories of UHI formations could be helpful to urban planners in crafting appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures. This study examined the spatial pattern of SUHI formation in the Colombo District (Sri Lanka), based on land surface temperature (LST), a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), and population density (PD) using a geospatial-based hot and cold spot analysis tool. Here, ‘hot spots’ refers to areas with significant spatial clustering of high variable values, while ‘cold spots’ refers to areas with significant spatial clustering of low variable values. The results indicated that between 1997 and 2017, 32.7% of the 557 divisions in the Colombo District persisted as hot spots. These hot spots were characterized by a significant clustering of high composite index values resulting from the four variables (LST, NDVI (inverted), NDBI, and PD). This study also identified newly emerging hot spots, which accounted for 49 divisions (8.8%). Large clusters of hot spots between both time points were found on the western side of the district, while cold spots were found on the eastern side of the district. The areas identified as hot spots are the more urbanized parts of the district. The emerging hot spots were in areas that had undergone landscape changes due to urbanization. Such areas are found between the persistent hot spots (western parts of the district) and persistent cold spots (eastern parts of the district). Generally, the spatial pattern of the emerging hot spots followed the pattern of urbanization in the district, which had been expanding from west to east. Overall, the findings of this study could be used as a reference in the context of sustainable landscape and urban planning for the Colombo District.
The development of a national pediatric trauma curriculum

Background: Educational programs dedicated to pediatric trauma are either not available or comprehensive. Pediatric trauma is thus managed by a range of specialists with training in a variety of related fields. Post-certification fellowships in pediatric medicine all mandate education in the assessment and management of the injured child. The purpose of this study was to develop a blueprint for a national pediatric trauma training curriculum. Methods: A team of four experts developed content for a national pediatric trauma curriculum and disseminated it to 11 pediatric trauma sites across Canada. The objectives contained both knowledge and skill sets related to the management of the pediatric trauma patients. A multi-tiered Delphi process was used to develop the final content. Results: All the 11 pediatric teaching centers across the country participated. A final list, representing a consensus of views, was developed in 10 domains through the iterative process of the Delphi technique. The domains for the curriculum included introduction to pediatric trauma and epidemiology, initial management, pediatric airway, shock, thoracic injuries, abdominal and pelvic injuries, spinal and neurological injuries, pediatric head injuries, burns and electrical injuries, and orthopedic injuries. Conclusion: The Delphi process is an invaluable tool in developing curricula. The pediatric trauma curriculum can be used in teaching hospitals for house staff education and meeting core competencies. The blueprint can be validated further in the future.
The relationship between seropositivity against Chlamydia pneumoniae and stroke and its subtypes in a Latvian population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Serological evidence of infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, but the relationship with stroke and its risk factors remains not completely understood. The aim of this study was to determine whether serological evidence of infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae was associated with the risk of ischemic stroke and any of investigated stroke subtypes. MATERIAL AND METHODS Confirmed stroke cases (n=102) were compared with gender- and age-matched control patients (n=48). The patients with stroke were divided into 3 groups according to the TOAST criteria: atherothrombotic (n=36), cardioembolic (n=47), and of undetermined etiology (n=19). Plasma levels of IgG antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS There was a significant association between seropositivity to Chlamydia pneumoniae and stroke. Anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG antibodies were detected in 64 case patients (62.7%) and 17 control patients (35.4%) (χ(2)=9.8; df=1; P=0.002). IgG seropositivity to Chlamydia pneumoniae was linked to all the analyzed etiological subtypes of stroke. CONCLUSION This study showed that IgG seropositivity to Chlamydia pneumoniae was associated with stroke and all the analyzed etiological subtypes of stroke.
Separation of adult chains of abnormal haemoglobin: Identification by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography

Rare abnormal haemoglobin (Hb) often poses a problem in the diagnosis of relative electrophoresis mobility. The rare neutral Hbs interact with the Hb S and thus can increase the severity of sickle cell anaemia. In the present study, we investigated the use of reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) as a method for the identification of neutral or unstable Hb, and compared it with the well‐known techniques urea‐triton electrophoresis (UT) and isoelectrofocusing (IEF). The results of our experiments showed that Bucuresti Hb was separated without ambiguity by RP‐HPLC. To date, no other electrophoresis techniques have been able to isolate this Hb. We also examined the Hb Nouakchott, which was the most hydrophobic Hb. Moreover, the adult and foetal chains of globins (especially the Aγt and Aγi chains) were quantified on the same chromatogram. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:65–69, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Private Sector Credit and Inflation Volatility

This paper investigates the effect of inflation volatility on private sector credit growth. The results indicate that private sector credit growth is positively linked to the one period lagged inflation volatility. Given that past monetary policy actions continue to affect the targeted variables due to the substantial lags in the transmission mechanism, the positive response of private sector credit growth to past inflation volatility suggests a credible monetary policy regime in Uganda, which has led to a reduction in the level of macroeconomic uncertainty and the restoration of favorable economic conditions and prospects, thus increasing the demand for credit. Further, the study finds that the lagged private sector credit growth, nominal exchange rate, and inflation have a statistically significant effect on private sector credit growth while financial innovation, interest rates, and GDP growth appear not to be important determinants of private sector credit growth. The robustness of our findings is confirmed by sensitivity checks.
Markers of bone resorption and formation during abstinence in male alcoholic patients.

BACKGROUND Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) is commonly found in alcohol-dependent patients. Many risk factors have been reported, yet the course of markers of bone formation and resorption in abstinent alcoholic patients have not received much attention. METHODS In a prospective longitudinal study, we investigated BMD in male abstinent inpatients of an alcohol rehabilitation clinic aged 21 to 50 years at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment. At baseline and at week 8, all patients had blood drawn for the analysis of liver function tests, calcium, phosphate, parathormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin (OC), serum crosslaps, sex hormones, and prolactin. BMD was determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and the proximal right femur. We also determined the amount of physical activity prior to inpatient treatment by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). RESULTS Low BMD was found in 15.1% of the patients for the lumbar spine, in 5.7% for the femoral neck, and in 1.9% for the total hip. BMD differed significantly from normal values, in the lumbar spine and in the femoral neck. At baseline, crosslaps were elevated in 34% of the patients, while OC levels were lowered in 17%. Over the course of the 8 weeks, we found a significant increase in OC plasma levels, indicating a higher rate of bone formation during continuous abstinence. There were also positive correlations between IPAQ scores and BMD as reflected by Z-scores in all regions, pointing to a protective effect of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this report confirms earlier cross-sectional studies of lowered BMD in alcoholic noncirrhotic men. We could also demonstrate that the initial imbalance between bone formation and resorption seems to adjust toward a balance between the two during abstinence.
Mesoeconomic Theory in English-Scientific Literature

Уже много лет неоклассическая экономическая теория мейнстрима оперирует с бинарной моделью экономической иерархии, в которой выделяются макрои микроуровни. Однако все чаще экономисты говорят о выделении промежуточного уровня экономической иерархии – мезоуровня. Он понимается как определенное пространство перехода правил взаимодействия между отдельными экономическими индивидами в формирующиеся полноценные экономические механизмы и институты, или как «промежуточное звено между индивидуальными акторами и организациями на микроуровне и системами социальных и транссоциальных акторов на макроуровне» (Scott, 2008, p. 191). К настоящему времени мезоэкономическая теория до сих пор не нашла широкого признания в научной экономической среде, хотя у нее уже есть свои сторонники. В представленной статье мы проанализируем основные англоязычные работы, посвященные мезоэкономическим исследованиям, а также покажем ключевые направления их развития. Наибольшее распространение мезоэкономические исследования получили среди представителей институциональной и эволюционной экономики. Именно для этих групп экономистов мезоуровень все более становится необходимым объектом исследования. В рамках предлагаемой статьи мы дадим краткий анализ теоретических работ, посвященных мезоэкономическим исследованиям. Ключевые слова: мезоуровень, мезоэкономика, мезоуровень экономического анализа, экономический мейнстрим, гетеродоксальная экономическая теория, институты.