Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of enhanced HIV spread through T‐cell virological synapses

An elaborate network of cell–cell interactions in the immune system is essential for vertebrates to mount adaptive immune responses against invading pathogens. For lymphotropic viruses such as the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1), these immune cell interactions can also promote the spread of the virus within the host. The main target of HIV‐1 infection is the CD4+ helper T lymphocyte, a cell type that is responsible for coordinating immune responses and modulating effector responses to foreign antigens. As part of their normal immune surveillance duties, these cells migrate actively within lymphoid tissues and can travel from inductive sites to effector sites in search of their cognate antigen. For CD4+ T cells, there is an ongoing search for a unique peptide antigen presented in the context of class II MHC that can activate a proliferative or tolerogenic response. This iterative and continual probing and interrogation of other cells determine the outcome of immune responses. Recent studies in vitro have revealed that the viral infection program induces cell–cell interactions called virological synapses between infected and uninfected CD4+ T cells. These long‐lived, virally induced adhesive contacts greatly enhance the rate of productive infection and may be central to the spread of the virus in vivo. Here, we review aspects of this efficient mode of cell‐to‐cell infection and the implications for our understanding of HIV‐1 pathogenesis.
Currency internationalisation: an overview

An international currency is one that is used and held beyond the borders of the issuing country, not merely for transactions with that country’s residents, but also, and importantly, for transactions between non-residents. In other words, an international currency is one that is used instead of the national currencies of the parties directly involved in an international transaction, whether the transaction in question involves a purchase of goods, services or financial assets.
Effects of Interaction Between Dopamine D2 Receptor and Monoamine Oxidase A Genes on Smoking Status in Young Men

Although the effect of gene–gene interaction on nicotine–dopamine metabolism for smoking behavior has been reported, polymorphisms of dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) have not been simultaneously examined among smokers. In this study, 481 young Taiwanese men completed a self-report questionnaire on smoking status, and data were obtained on polymorphisms of DRD2 rs1800497, DRD2 rs1079597, MAOA rs309850, and MAOA rs1137070, urinary nicotine, and urinary cotinine. In a comparison of 261 current smokers and 220 never smokers, odds ratios (ORs) for the development of smoking in all genotypes were not statistically significant. Among smokers with DRD2 rs1079597 GG//MAOA rs309850 3-repeat, the OR of heavier smoking was 2.67 times higher (95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.08, 6.59], p = .031) and the score on the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence was higher (4.26 vs. 2.83) than in those with DRD2 rs1079597 AA//MAOA rs309850 3-repeat. Adjusted urinary cotinine concentration was significantly different between those two groups (median value: 95.83 ng/μl vs. 133.24 ng/μl, respectively, p = .045). These findings suggest that the interaction of DRD2 rs1079597 and MAOA rs309850 3-repeat affects smoking intensity in young Taiwanese men.
How Liquid Are UK Banks

This paper uses a relatively new quantitative model for estimating UK banks' liquidity risk. The model is called the Exposure-Based Cash-Flow-at-Risk (CFaR) model, which not only measures a bank's liquidity risk tolerance, but also helps to improve liquidity risk management through the provision of additional risk exposure information. Using data for the period 1997-2010, we provide evidence that there is variable funding pressure across the UK banking industry, which is forecasted to be slightly illiquid with a small amount of expected cash outflow (i.e. £0.06 billion) in 2011. In our sample of the six biggest UK banks, only the HSBC maintains positive CFaR with 95% confidence, which means that there is only a 5% chance that HSBC's cash flow will drop below £0.67 billion by the end of 2011. RBS is expected to face the largest liquidity risk with a 5% chance that the bank will face a cash outflow that year in excess of £40.29 billion. Our estimates also suggest Lloyds TSB's cash flow is the most volatile of the six biggest UK banks, because it has the biggest deviation between its downside cash flow (i.e. CFaR) and expected cash flow.
Stigma and Depression During Pregnancy: Does Race Matter?

Rates of depression treatment are low in pregnant women, particularly Black women. Stigma is an important barrier to treatment, but little research has examined how depression stigma differs in Blacks and Whites; a key purpose of this study. Participants were 532 pregnant women recruited in obstetrics settings, who responded to measures of stigma and mood. Black women reported more depression stigma than White women, regardless of their depression status, and were more likely to endorse the view that depression should be kept secret, than White women. In White women, stigma increased as a function of depression status (current, past, never). White women's perceptions of depression stigma were positively correlated with their beliefs about keeping depression secret. Secrecy and depression stigma were uncorrelated in Black women. There are important racial differences in the way depression stigma functions in pregnant women. Implications for engaging women in mental health treatment are discussed.
Cryopreservation of Adherent Cells on a Fixed Substrate

Tissue culture has become the backbone of research in the life sciences. Large numbers of primary cells and established cell lines are available from the American Type Culture Collec‐ tion (ATCC, Manassas, VA) and various other sources. Some cell types are relatively easy to grow and maintain in culture while other cell lines have specific handling issues that must be learned. These cells come from a variety of animal and human sources and are being used for research as well as the production of enzymes, hormones, and other biological compounds. Toxicology applications range from the use of cells as indicator systems for environmental pollutants to screening cosmetic formulations, new drugs and household chemicals for potential risks. Such biodetector systems may involve cells from almost any vertebrate or invertebrate species. In addition, the universal demand for a reduction of the use of animals in research has prompted the development of alternative methods to determine applicability of new products or procedures. New technologies such as high-throughput screening have been designed to reduce animal testing while increasing the rate at which new drugs or products are brought to market. It has become increasingly clear that cell–based assays will provide the most information for these technologies to be effective in preliminary screening of potential new drugs and products [1].
Credit Default and Business Cycles: an investigation of this relationship in the Brazilian corporate credit market

The aim of this paper is to examine empirically whether the default of borrower companies in the Brazilian market rises in downturns. To this end, a probit model for the probability of default is developed based on credit microdata taken from the Credit Information System of the Central Bank of Brazil (SCR) and on macroeconomic variables. Our results provide evidence of a strong negative relationship between business cycle and credit default, going in accord to the literature dealing with corporate data. These effects are stronger than those found in our previous article for the case of default of individuals. This is an expected result, since the retail credit is more sprayed than the corporate credit. The macroeconomic variables that have the greatest effect on corporate defaults were GDP growth and inflation.
LOCALIZATION OF PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN THE DEVELOPING SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND OF NORMAL AND ISOPROTERENOL-TREATED RATS

The localization of peroxidase activity was studied in the developing submandibular gland of normal and isoproterenol-treated rats using a diaminobenzidine-H2O2 method. During postnatal development peroxidase activity was localized in the proacinar and acinar cells. The proacinar cells were characterized by the presence of polymorphic secretory granules that gave a strong peroxidase reaction, particularly in the glands of 1-day-old rats. In addition to the secretory granules, enzyme activity was demonstrated in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. The terminal tubule cells and duct cells were devoid of peroxidase activity. The secretory granules in the fully developed acinar cells revealed little or no enzyme activity. Isoproterenol stimulated the secretion of the peroxidase-positive granules from the proacinar cells. The stimulation was followed by a reaccumulation of peroxidase-positive secretory material. During this process enzyme activity was demonstrable in the Golgi complex. Isoproterenol had no effect on the terminal tubule cells. A less effective depletion of the secretory granules from the proacinar cells was seen after pilocarpine administration. Chronic administration of isoproterenol to 5-day-old rats led to an acceleration of the differentiation of acinar cells and to a hypertrophy of the gland, without significant change in the localization of peroxidase activity.
Test station for fibre-optic pressure sensor of reflection type

We suggest a new model of test station for testing (analyzing characteristics) fibre-optic pressure sensors of reflection type. The station is simple, reliable and does not need complex engineering, adjustment or measurement operation during assembling the optical part. The suggested station model allows to study fibre-optic pressure sensors of reflection type (determining operation capacity, optimum efficient parameters of FOPS). Moreover, this station is simple, reliable and does not need complex engineering, adjustment of measurement operation during assembling the optical part. With the help of this station one can conduct experimental works for determining possible variants of FOC application for different types of FOPS.
Lenalidomide therapy in a patient with POEMS syndrome.

To the editor: The immune modulatory drugs (IMiDs) are powerful drugs against malignant plasma cells. [1][1],[2][2] They also reduce the production of proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines. The POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, skin changes) syndrome is a
pH-sensitive immunoliposomes as an efficient and target-specific carrier for antitumor drugs.

pH-sensitive immunoliposomes composed of dioleoylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine and oleic acid (8:2) significantly enhanced the cytotoxic effect of the entrapped drug 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) to target L-929 cells, as compared to free drug, drug encapsulated in antibody-free liposomes, or in pH-insensitive immunoliposomes. These pH-sensitive immunoliposomes were ineffective against nontarget A-31 cells. The enhanced cytotoxic effect could be blocked by excess free antibody or excess drug-free immunoliposomes. Pretreatment of target cells with the weak bases chloroquine or NH4Cl, which raise the internal pH of cellular acidic organelles such as endosomes and lysosomes, inhibited the cell killing activity of ara-C encapsulated in the pH-sensitive immunoliposomes. Since it is known that ara-C is rapidly inactivated in the lysosomes, our results suggest that the release of ara-C from the pH-sensitive immunoliposomes occurs in a prelysosomal compartment, i.e., the endosome. Parallel experiments using methotrexate as a cytotoxic drug confirm the enhanced ability of the pH-sensitive liposomes for cytoplasmic drug delivery over that of free drug. These results indicate that pH-sensitive immunoliposomes can be used as an efficient and target-specific carrier for antitumor drugs.
Managerial decision making

This is a discussion course. Expect friendly “What do you think? ” cold calls REGULARLY. Writing Assignments: write four short two-page (<700 words) papers that address the weekly readings and topics. – Creativity, insight, and humor are highly valued. (Laurie . . .) Surveys: I will ask you to respond to weekly web-based surveys which we will analyze in class. – There is (usually) no right answer . Exam: A short, low-stress 90-minute final on the last day of class. (6 papers, etc.)
Psychopathologic Correlates of Suicidal Ideation in Major Depressive Outpatients: Is It All Due to Unrecognized (Bipolar) Depressive Mixed States?

Background: Recent transatlantic concern about suicidality in patients receiving antidepressants prompted us to examine the psychopathologic correlates of suicidal ideation occurring in clinically depressed patients. Methods: The study sample, which consisted of 644 consecutive major depressive outpatients, of which 58.0% had bipolar II disorder (BP-II), was systematically interviewed with the SCID, in order to delineate the diagnostic and psychopathologic correlates of suicidal ideation. Results: Such ideation, which was present in 49.5% [and favoring BP-II vs. major depressive disorder (MDD)] at an odds ratio (OR) of 1.3 (95% confidence interval = 0.98–1.8), was clinically significantly associated with depressive mixed state (racing/crowded thoughts and psychomotor agitation/activation during index depression), mood lability, decreased self-esteem, anorexia, as well as melancholic and psychotic features. Multiple logistic regression of suicidal ideation versus depressive symptoms and intradepressive excitatory symptoms revealed that decreased self-esteem (OR = 3.3), racing/crowded thoughts (OR = 1.5), and psychomotor agitation/activation (OR = 1.4) were independent and clinically significant correlates of suicidal ideation, irrespective of depression severity. Discussion: From a psychopathologic standpoint, suicidality might be conferred by a combination of both the excited (mixed) depressive and agitated (melancholic) clusters. Trait mood lability appears to favor the genesis of these affective clusters. Within the framework of Kraepelinian psychiatry, both clusters represent depressive mixed states. Given that such states are more prevalent in BP-II, our data provide a possible explanation for the greater suicidality in BP-II patients reported in the literature. In light of the higher odds of suicidal ideation in BP-II versus MDD patients, we hypothesize that the higher prevalence of mental and psychomotor activation in BP-II might be one factor among others that favors the greater likelihood of the transition from suicidal ideation to suicidal action in BP-II. Our analyses delineate a mixed depressive substrate at risk for suicidality. To what extent, if any, antidepressant monotherapy might contribute to the genesis of such states and/or suicidality cannot be answered with the methodology of the present study.
Umbilical cord blood transplantation using non-myeloablative conditioning: The Mexican experience

Abstract Twenty-eight children and adults underwent transplantation with allogeneic umbilical cord blood cells (UCB) using a non-ablative conditioning regimen; there were 15 males and 13 females. Seven patients were grafted because a non-malignant condition and 21 for a malignant disease. The median age was 8 years (range 4 months–72 years). Ten UCB were obtained from Mexican cord bloods banks, five cords were from compatible siblings and the remaining 13 cords were obtained from abroad. Median time to recover > 0.5 × 109/1 granulocytes was 24 days (range 8–32 days), whereas median time to recover > 20 × 109/1 platelets was 26 days (range 12–50 days). Twelve recipients never engrafted and recovered subsequently endogenous hematopoiesis. The non-engraftment rate was significantly higher in patients allografted for benign conditions (71 %) than in those allografted for malignant conditions (28%). The median overall post-transplant survival (SV) was 33 months and the 73-months overall SV was 39%. The cumulative incidence of grade II–IV acute GVHD and grade III–IV GVHD for the entire cohort of patients were 14 and 7%, respectively. Additional studies are needed to define if non-myeloablative conditioning is preferable over conventional conditioning in the case of UCB allografting.
Essays on financial intermediation and markets

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Designing minimum Forwarding Delay scheduler for WiMax/802.16 mesh networks

WiMax/802.16 is incontestably recognized by most major telecommunication industries as the most cost-effective last-mile broadband access technology. Further more, its mesh characteristic allows it to be scalable and enables it to deliver high speed Internet Connectivity over seamless distances. Recently, industrial and academical collaborations have emerged to improve the performance (reduce the end-to-end connection's delay, decrease the buffer size at relay nodes, encounter interference …) of WiMax/802.16 mesh, using extensive simulation/optimization tools associated with embedded WiMax/802.16 test-bed modules. In this paper, we are concerned in Minimizing the Forwarding Delay, in WiMax/802.16 mesh centralized scheduling networks. For that matter, we have designed a centralized scheduler based on integer linear programing called MFD, with an objective of minimizing the time elapsed between the reception of data of a particular connection at a relay node, and the forwarding or transmission of the connection's data received by that relay node. That is, our model determines the optimal slot allocation of connections that minimizes the forwarding delay of connections at all relay nodes, while encountering synchronous and asynchronous interference. Results show, that minimizing the forwarding delay leads to reduced average buffered data per node at a time slot. It also reduces the end-to-end delay per connection. Moreover, enabling power aware transmissions with our MFD scheduler, achieves better performances (less end-to-end delay per connection) when compared with the maximum coverage power transmission scheme.
Foreign Institutional Investors and Corporate Governance in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Split Share Reform in China

We study the benefits of opening up local equity markets to foreign institutional investors using data on Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFIIs) in China around the reform floating non-tradable shares. We find evidence supporting the view (Stulz (1999)) that as “outsiders,” foreign institutional investors are less prone to political pressure and are more likely to perform arm’s length monitoring than local mutual funds. In particular, the presence of QFII ownership shortens the duration of reform, enhances the terms in negotiation, and increases the compensation to tradable shareholders. We confirm that while state-controlled companies on average offer higher compensation ratio for a quicker approval, the state entities may exert political power and offer lower compensation ratio for companies with domestic mutual fund ownership (Firth et al (2008)). In contrast, we further find that the positive relation between state ownership and the final compensation ratio increases with the level of QFII ownership. QFIIs increase the likelihood of change in the compensation proposal among state-controlled companies, while local mutual funds show opposite effect. These results are unlikely due to endogeneity problem as local mutual funds and QFII have closely akin portfolio holdings and similarly positive effect on firm value. Our study suggests that the influx of large foreign institutional investors help promote market principle in corporate governance in emerging markets and alleviate the “twin agency” problem from state ruler discretion. (Stulz (2005))
Analysis of CSR in Midsize Retail: Application of the Quazi Aand O’brien Model

Originally a response to environmental pressures, the paradigm of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a socioenvironmental strategy. The study was centered around the question: according to the two-dimensional model of Quazi and O’Brien, what is the socioenvironmental perspective of the midsize retail supermarket industry in Fortaleza? The study design was exploratory and quantitative. Information was gathered from the managers of 14 midsize supermarkets in Fortaleza using a closed structured questionnaire containing 25 items based on the model of Quazi and O’Brien. Using exploratory factorial analysis, the sampled companies were found to be clustered in the “modern view” quadrant of the model.
STRATEGY, STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND STRATEGIC THINKING

Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., author of Strategy and Structure (1962), the classic study of the relationship between an organization’s structure and its strategy, defined strategy as “the determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources for carrying out these goals. ” (As we will see later, it is the allocation of resources that ties the civilian use of strategy to its military origins.)
Organizational Adoption Models for Early ASP Technology Stages. Adoption and Diffusion of Application Service Providing (ASP) in the Electric Utility Sector.

Application Service Providing (ASP) is a recently emerged software delivery model under which an Application Service Provider hosts, manages and delivers software as a service to customers via the Internet or a private network. The ASP model offers benefits from cost savings, specialized expertise, a faster time to market, and a reduced risk due to a lower capital investment. However, customers who are unsure about the value of ASP services and their demands may be reluctant to commit to ASP contracts. Many are also concerned with security, performance and loss of control. The underlying research identifies determinants influencing adoption intentions in the early technology stages of ASP within electric utilities. The tested model includes characteristics of the innovation, such as relative (dis-) advantage of ASP, as well as characteristics of the environment, the adopting company and importance of social influence. After a broad qualitative study a quantitative web-based survey generated 158 data sets. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the relationships between multi-item constructs. Results show that the perceived improved service provided by ASP, the perceived calculation accuracy of load and price forecasts, the perceived benefits from the provision of external competence, and the trust in the reliability of the service provider as well as the image gains a company has by using ASP are significant factors influencing the formation of attitude for or against ASP solutions. Furthermore, the dependent variable in this research-the intention to adopt-is determined by the behavioral intention to try, the attitude towards ASP, the perceived cost of ASP, and the company size of the adopting firm. All constructs rank high in measurement quality and the overall model reveals food for an improved conception of ASP as well as managerial practices. Results also indicate the lapse of the diffusion curve of ASP in the electric utilities industry in Austria and Germany. (author's abstract)