Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heat-sensitive TRPV channels in retinal pigment epithelial cells: regulation of VEGF-A secretion.

PURPOSE Choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration is caused, to a large extent, by increased secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The purpose of the study was to identify pathways that lead to increased VEGF secretion by the RPE. METHODS Ca(2+) signaling was studied in ARPE-19 and human RPE cells in primary culture by means of Ca(2+) imaging. Membrane conductance was measured in the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. VEGF-A secretion was measured by using ELISA. RESULTS Freshly isolated RPE cells or ARPE-19 cells were shown to express TRPV1, -2, -3, and -4 channels. Increasing the temperature or stimulation by IGF-1 increased the VEGF-A secretion rate in both cell types. These effects were both sensitive to the TRPV channel blocker ruthenium red (20 μM). The heat-inducible Ca(2+) signals were blocked by the TRPV channel blockers La(3+) and ruthenium red by 68% and 52%, respectively. In contrast, high concentrations of 2-APB (3 mM) increased [Ca(2+)](i), whereas the TRPV1 channel opener capsaicin and the TRPV3 channel opener camphor had no effect. Reduction of TRPV2 expression by siRNA attenuated the heat-evoked Ca(2+) response. In addition, a heat-activated inwardly rectifying current was measured that was completely blocked by ruthenium red. IGF-1 also increased whole-cell current with a corresponding increase in [Ca(2+)](i), which was blocked by the PI3-kinase blocker LY294002. CONCLUSIONS The data strongly suggest that TRPV2 channels expressed by the RPE are involved in the Ca(2+) signaling that mediates both heat-dependent and IGF-1 (via PI3-kinase activation)-induced VEGF secretion.
Propafenone in a usual dose produces severe side‐effects: the impact of genetically determined metabolic status on drug therapy

Abstract. We report the case of an elderly lady presenting with dizziness, a head injury resulting from a fall and bradycardia. Propafenone 150 mg t.i. d. had been prescribed for atrial fibrillation with tachyarrhythmia, induced by hyperthyroidism, 18 months earlier. A toxic concentration of parent propafenone, and no 5‐hydroxy metabolite, was detected in a plasma sample. Symptoms disappeared after the discontinuation of propafenone. The poor metaboliser (PM) phenotype of sparteine/debrisoquine was assumed and subsequently confirmed by phenotyping (sparteine test) and genotyping (allele‐specific polymerase chain reaction). The PM phenotype is common in European populations, with a prevalence of about 7%. If drugs with narrow therapeutic ranges undergo genetically polymorphic metabolism, toxicity may arise even with recommended doses. Individualization of doses is required to avoid adverse effects.
Numerical Investigation of Ultrashort Complex Pulse Generation Based on Pulse Shaping Using a Superstructure Fiber Bragg Grating

A technique for ultrashort complex pulse generation based on the pulse shaping of superstructure fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG) is presented. We apply this technique to illuminate the mutual transformation between Gaussian pulse and soliton pulse, generations of double optical pulse and complex millimeter wave (MMW) pulse by phase and amplitude profiling of 1-ps transform-limited pulse. The designed principle of grating is demonstrated; the corresponding refractive index distribution, the reflection spectrum and the characteristics of pulse transmission are also simulated. The results of this study indicate that this design method is very flexible for complex pulse generations. Finally, some potential applications for these complex pulses in the areas of ultrafast photonics, optical measurement, novel devices for optical communication system and so on are also listed and discussed.
Thymoglobulin for induction or rejection therapy in pancreas allograft recipients: a single centre experience

Abstract: Purpose: To review the safety and efficacy of thymoglobulin in pancreas transplant patients receiving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil. Methods: Retrospective, single centre analysis of 45 patients transplanted between 1995 and 2000 who received 54 courses of thymoglobulin, including 36 courses in 29 solitary pancreas transplant recipients (16 pancreas alone, 13 pancreas after kidney transplants) and 18 courses in 16 simultaneous kidney–pancreas transplant patients. Thirty‐two patients (71%) were primary pancreas transplants, 10 (22%) were second transplants and three (7%) were third transplants. Of the 54 treatment courses, 19 (35%) were for induction, 27 (50%) were for primary rejection and eight (15%) were rescue therapy for rejection. All rejection episodes were biopsy‐proven in at least one organ Results: The median thymoglobulin dose was 1.5 mg/kg/d with a mean of six doses (range 3–10). Dose reduction or interruption was required in 28 courses (52%), most often due to leukopenia (n = 24), fever (n = 2) and thrombocytopenia (n = 2). Thymoglobulin was resumed in all but three patients, two with persistent fever and one with infection. Infectious complications (n = 25) occurred in 17 patients (38%) within 30 days and included bacterial (n = 16), cytomegalovirus (n = 4), polyoma (n = 1), fungal (Candida albicans, n = 1), toxoplasmosis (n = 1) and ehrlichiosis (n = 2). Post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disease occurred in two patients (4%) at a mean of 70 d post‐thymoglobulin treatment. In the 19 patients that received thymoglobulin induction, one simultaneous kidney–pancreas transplant, two pancreas alone and four pancreas after kidney transplant recipients developed rejection (37% incidence), while all remaining patients followed by surveillance protocol biopsies were rejection‐free. In the 35 patients that received thymoglobulin for rejection, reversal occurred in 26 of the patients (74%). Rejection recurred within 30 d in five patients and post‐treatment biopsies revealed persistent rejection in three of 20 pancreas and two of eight renal biopsies. After a mean follow‐up of 6 months, the actual patient and pancreas graft survival rates were 93% and 71%, respectively. Conclusion: Thymoglobulin was effective as induction therapy in high‐risk pancreas transplant recipients, and resulted in initial reversal of rejection in 74% of patients. Dose adjustments were required in over half the cases and were usually due to leukopenia. Infections occurring subsequent to thymoglobulin were not uncommon and reflected the immunosuppressive burden of the patient population.
Economic assessment on V2G frequency regulation regarding the battery degradation

An economic assessment of the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) frequency regulation is performed regarding the battery degradation. To generalize the results, we utilize the requirements of the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle prepared by USABC - the energy storage division of the consortium of three major U. S. automakers. During the assessment, actual regulation signal is analyzed to estimate the amount of energy transferred for the V2G regulation. The profits are then calculated and compared with the battery prices to assess the economic feasibility of the V2G regulation. In order to match the end-of-life criterion in the requirements, the profiles prescribed in the battery test manuals are applied. Specifically, a shallow and a deep cycle profiles are applied simultaneously for PHEV batteries, while only a deep cycle profile is applied for EV battery. Considering that the actual regulation signal will cause just a small deviation in the battery state-of-charge and the degradation is far more predominant at a deep cycling, the profits obtained from the deep cycle profile should be regarded as conservative value. Nevertheless, the profits still exceed the current battery prices and it appears likely that the V2G regulation will become a prospective service.
Analysis of Swine Leukocyte Antigen Haplotypes in Yucatan Miniature Pigs Used as Biomedical Model Animal

The porcine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is called swine leukocyte antigen (SLA), which controls immune responses and transplantation reactions. The SLA is mapped on pig chromosome 7 (SSC7) near the centromere. In this study, 3 class I (SLA-1, SLA-3, and SLA-2) and 3 class II (DRB1, DQB1, and DQA) genes were used for investigation of SLA haplotypes in Yucatan miniature pigs in Korea. This pig breed is a well-known model organism for biomedical research worldwide. The current study indicated that Korean Yucatan pig population had 3 Class I haplotypes (Lr-4.0, Lr-6.0, and Lr-25.0) and 3 class II haplotypes (Lr-0.5, Lr-0.7, and Lr-0.25). The combinations of SLA class I and II haplotype together, 2 homozygous (Lr-4.5/4.5 and Lr-6.7/6.7) and 3 heterozygous (Lr-4.5/6.7, Lr-4.5/25.25, and Lr-6.7/25.25) haplotypes were identified, including previously unidentified new heterozygous haplotypes (Lr-4.5/4.7). In addition, a new SLA allele typing method using Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer was developed that permitted more rapid identification of SLA haplotypes. These results will facilitate the breeding of SLA homozygous Yucatan pigs and will expedite the possible use of these pigs for the biomedical research, especially xenotransplantation research.
Prevalence and Correlates of Alexithymia and Its Relationship With Life Events in Chinese Adolescents With Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: The incidence of psychological and behavioral problems and depression among adolescents is increasing year by year, which has become an important public health problem. Alexithymia, as an important susceptible factor of adolescent depression, may continue to develop and strengthen under the stimulation of COVID-19-related stressors. However, no studies have focused on alexithymia in adolescent depression during the pandemic in China. This study aims to investigate the incidence and related factors of alexithymia in adolescent depression during the pandemic. Methods: Three hundred adolescent patients were enrolled from October 2020 to May 2021. The general demographic information of all participants was collected, and the clinical characteristics were assessed by the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check (ASLEC) List, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) Inventory. Results: The incidence of alexithymia was significantly higher among adolescents with depression (76.45%) during the pandemic. There were significant differences in school bullying, disease severity, ASLEC score, CTQ score and PANSI score between adolescents with and without alexithymia. In addition, learning stress, health and adaptation problems during the pandemic may be influential factors in alexithymia of adolescent depression (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results, we found a high incidence of alexithymia in adolescent depression during the pandemic. More support and attention from families, schools and society is needed to develop preventive and targeted psychological interventions as early as possible.
Credit Ratings Accuracy and Analyst Incentives

The financial crisis has brought a new focus on the accuracy of credit rating agencies (CRAs). In this paper, we highlight the incentives of analysts at the CRAs to provide accurate ratings. We construct a model in which analysts initially work at a CRA and can then either remain or move to a bank. The CRA uses incentive contracts to motivate analysts, but does not capture the benefits if the analyst moves. We find that rating agency accuracy increases with CRA monitoring, bank profitability (a positive "revolving door" effect), and can be non-monotonic in the probability of an analyst leaving.
Carrying Capacity in Barabási-Albert Network

The effect of finiteness in degree number is analyzed on a growing network. The dynamics is governed by a rule where the degree number increases under a scheme similar to the Malthus-Verhulst model in the context of population growth. One notices that the second moment of degree is closely related to the linking probability of this growing network. The degree distribution is analyzed in both stationary and time-dependent regimes through some exact results and simulations, and a scaling behaviour is found in asymptotically large time.
Attitudes About EU Expansion and Zero‐Sum Thinking

EU expansion can be seen as a positive‐sum process benefiting all countries by creating larger markets that stimulate more productive economies through increased specialization and economies of scale, implying that the general public in all countries should favour expansion. Contrarily, expansion can be perceived as zero‐sum. Capital and production relocate from higher to lower wage regions while labour does the opposite, possibly raising unemployment and reducing wages in the higher wage regions. The general public in these countries may come to oppose EU expansion attributing any deterioration in their work situation to the gains of new citizens of the European Union. Analysis of changes in Irish attitudes towards EU expansion in 2002, 2007 and 2009 finds no evidence of a link from lowered economic conditions to increased opposition to EU expansion. The only evidence for zero‐sum thinking is that diminished economic circumstances are associated with increased opposition to immigration, but this is not associated with increased opposition to further EU expansion.
Characterization of Proexosite I on Prothrombin*

Activation of prothrombin by factor Xa is accompanied by expression of regulatory exosites I and II on the blood coagulation proteinase, thrombin. Quantitative affinity chromatography and equilibrium binding studies with a fluorescein-labeled derivative of the exosite I-specific peptide ligand, hirudin54–65 ([5F]Hir54–65(SO3 −), were employed to identify and characterize this site on human and bovine prothrombin and its expression on thrombin. [5F]Hir54–65(SO3 −) showed distinctive fluorescence excitation spectral differences in complexes with prothrombin and thrombin and bound to human prothrombin and thrombin with dissociation constants of 3.2 ± 0.3 μm and 25 ± 2 nm, respectively, demonstrating a 130-fold increase in affinity for the active proteinase. The bovine proteins similarly showed a 150-fold higher affinity of [5F]Hir54–65(SO3 −) for thrombin compared with prothrombin, despite a 2–5-fold lower affinity of the peptides for the bovine proteins. Unlabeled, Tyr63-sulfated and nonsulfated hirudin peptides bound competitively with [5F]Hir54–65(SO3 −) to human and bovine prothrombin and thrombin, exhibiting similar, 40–70-fold higher affinities for the proteinases, although nonsulfated Hir54–65 bound with 7–17-fold lower affinity than the sulfated analog. These studies characterize proexosite I for the first time as a specific binding site for hirudin peptides on both human and bovine prothrombin that is present in a conformationally distinct, low affinity state and is activated with a ∼100-fold increase in affinity when thrombin is formed.
State and sensor faults estimation via a proportional integral observer

This paper deals with the problem of fault detection and identification in noisy systems. A proportionnal integral observer with unknown inputs is used to reconstruct state and sensors faults. A mathematical transformation is made to conceive an augmented system, in which the initial sensor fault appear as an unknown input. The noise effect on the state and fault estimation errors is also minimized. The obtained results are then extended to nonlinear systems described by nonlinear Takagi-Sugeno models.
The Gut Microbiota of an Individual Varies With Intercontinental Four-Month Stay Between Italy and Nigeria: A Pilot Study

Despite well-established knowledge of the role of diet and the geographic effect on the gut microbiota of human populations, the temporal dynamics of the individual microbiota profile across changes associated with intercontinental short residence are still far from being understood. This pilot study sought to provide insights into the trajectory of the gut microbiota of an individual during a two-month stay in Italy and a subsequent two-month stay in Nigeria, by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and inferred metagenomics. The gut microbiota underwent massive but temporary changes, both taxonomically and based on predicted functionality. The faecal microbiota associated with the short stay in Italy progressively lost diversity and showed a dominance of Firmicutes, while after returning to Nigeria, the microbial community quickly regained the typical profile, in terms of biodiversity and bacterial signatures of traditional lifestyle, i.e., Prevotella and Treponema. Predicted pathways involved in glycolysis, fermentation and N-acetylneuraminate degradation were enriched during the subsequent two-month stay in Nigeria, whereas pathways associated with amino acid and peptidoglycan synthesis and maturation became over-represented during short stay in Italy. Our findings stress the plasticity of the individual gut microbiota even during a short-term travel, with loss/gain of taxonomic and functional features that mirror those of the gut microbiota of indigenous people dwelling therein.
Without Effort there can be no Change: Reexamining the Impact of Survey Feedback and Action Planning on Employee Attitudes

Employee surveys are an important tool for communicating messages to employees, measuring cultural and behavioral indicators, and driving organization development and change in the workplace. This chapter expands upon prior research in this area by presenting longitudinal trends in survey action planning efforts over an 11-year period and the impact on employee attitudes at a multinational consumer products company. Results from the Survey Outcome Matrix are analyzed over time, by level, and by content area. Comments from employees are used to explore reasons why action does not occur from surveys in some contexts. The chapter concludes with implications for practice.
Did the Euro Foster Online Price Competition? Evidence from an International Price Comparison Site

We study the impact of the Euro on prices charged by online retailers within the EU. Our data spans the period before and after the Euro was introduced, covers a variety of products, and includes countries inside and outside of the Eurozone. After controlling for cost, demand, and market structure effects, we show that the pure Euro changeover effect is to raise average prices in the Eurozone by 3% and average minimum prices by 7%. Finally, we develop a model of online pricing in the context of currency unions, and show that these price patterns are broadly consistent with clearinghouse models.
An assessment of the Coulter counter model S

An assessment of the Coulter model S automatic blood counter has been carried out. The standard deviations for the haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, red cell count, and white cell count are, respectively, ± 0·15 g/100 ml, ± 0·45%, ± 0·04 m/c mm, and ± 0·47 thous/c mm. These results are clearly more accurate than careful manual estimates, performed for comparison on the same samples. Details of the comparisons are presented. A comparison is also made with routine daily estimations. `Carryover' from one sample to the next was found to be about 2%, and tests in the ranges likely to be found in practice showed good linearity for the haemoglobin estimation, haematocrit, red cell count, and white cell count. A brief account of instrument failures is given. The performance of the Coulter model S compares well with that of other automated equipment for which detailed evaluations are available.
Numerical analysis and optimization of different ventilation systems for commercial aircraft cabins

The ventilation systems in commercial aircraft cabins are important for providing a healthy and comfortable environment for the passengers and crew. The high density and close proximity of passengers in the modern aircraft cabin exposes them to the risk of contracting airborne diseases such as flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and tuberculosis. Current aircraft personalized ventilation (PV) systems still cannot ensure a constant circulation of fresh humidified air around each passenger's breathing zone to shield them from airborne contaminants. It is proposed to investigate the use of PV systems in aircraft cabins using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. This would lead to better understanding and an improved microclimate around the breathing zone of each passenger. A comprehensive analysis framework based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) thermal comfort assessment models has been developed. The components of the framework consists of the age of air, predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percentile dissatisfied (PPD), draught risk (PD), a contaminant aerosol transport model and a humidity model. The objective of this paper is to compare and analyze the simulated cabin environment with mixing, under-floor displacement, and personalized ventilation systems to improve air quality in the aircraft cabin of the economy section of a Boeing 767 airplane during cruise and to reach the optimum design to protect passengers fromair pollution inside the cabin. CFD modelling techniques using the ANSYS FLUENT 15.0 package solved the continuity, momentum, energy, and species transport equations in addition to k-e model equations for turbulence closure. The SIMPLEC algorithm was used for the pressure-velocity coupling and a second order upwind scheme was used for discretization of the governing equations. Mesh sizes used in the present work exceeded 6,000,000 mesh volumes in one case.
Network representation of the game of life and self-organized criticality

Conway's Game of Life is one of the most famous and frequently studied cellular automata. This paper introduces a network representation of the Game of Life and studies its relation to self-organized criticality. Self-organized criticality in the Game of Life is reconfirmed by studying power-law scaling for the distributions of avalanche scales: lifetimes, sizes, and out-degrees in a rest-state network. Avalanches are caused by one-cell perturbations of the rest state. Finite-size scaling analysis shows that avalanche lifetime and out-degree can be regarded as order parameters with characteristic lengths dependent on lattice size. The rest-state network of the Game of Life expresses a power-law degree distribution of out-links with a cut-off. Rule T52 of the one-dimensional binary five-neighbor totalistic cellular automata is also discussed in terms of the out-degrees of the rest-state network. Network representations of binary cellular automata can be used to assess their self-organized criticality.