Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Propranolol does not increase inflammation, sepsis, or infectious episodes in severely burned children.

BACKGROUND Propranolol, a nonselective beta1-2 antagonist, attenuates hypermetabolism and catabolism in severely burned patients. However, recent data suggest that propranolol impairs immune function and enhances inflammation. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of propranolol administration on infection, sepsis, and inflammation in severely burned pediatric patients. PATIENTS A prospective, intent-to-treat study was performed; patient demographics (age, gender, burn size, and mortality); infectious episodes (colony count greater then 10); and sepsis (guidelines by the society of critical care medicine) were determined. Hypermetabolic response was determined by resting energy expenditure (REE), and the inflammatory response was determined by measuring serum cytokine expression. RESULTS Two hundred forty-five patients (143 controls, 102 propranolol) were included into the study. There were no differences between the control and propranolol groups for age, gender distribution, burn size, third degree burn, and length of stay. Mortality was 6% in the control group and 5% in the propranolol group. Propranolol significantly decreased REE and predicted REE during acute hospital stay. Forty-three patients developed infections in the control group (30%), whereas 21 developed infections in the propranolol group (21%). The incidence of sepsis was 10% for controls and 7% for propranolol. Analysis of the cytokine expression profile in 20 patients in each group revealed that propranolol significantly decreased serum tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1beta compared with controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Propranolol treatment attenuates hypermetabolism and does not cause increased incidence of infection and sepsis.
Nucleotide priming and reverse transcriptase activity of hepatitis B virus polymerase expressed in insect cells

Hepadnavirus polymerases initiate reverse transcription in a protein-primed reaction that involves the covalent linkage of the first deoxyribonucleotide to the polymerase polypeptide. Analysis of the initial steps in this reaction as well as certain details of genome replication has been hampered by the difficulties encountered in the expression of functional hepadnavirus polymerases in heterologous systems. We have expressed human hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase (pol) in insect cells, using the recombinant baculovirus system. Analysis of immunoaffinity-purified pol indicated that (i) a portion of pol had initiated minus-strand DNA synthesis within infected insect cells; (ii) the pol mRNA appeared to be the template for reverse transcription; (iii) the products were small (100 to 500 nucleotides); (iv) only minus-strand DNA was synthesized; (v) the products were covalently bound to protein; and (vi) the 5' end of the minus-strand DNA mapped to DR1 by primer extension. The purified pol was also active in an in vitro polymerase assay. Analyses suggested that a different fraction of pol was active in the in vitro assays. Incubation of pol with labeled deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates resulted in the labeling of the pol polypeptide in a reaction that appeared to represent in vitro nucleotide priming. In vitro nucleotide priming was confirmed by the appearance of 32P-labeled phosphotyrosine on pol following in vitro reactions with 32P-labeled deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates. The ability to purify significant quantities of HBV pol will facilitate functional and physical analysis of this enzyme as well as the search for novel inhibitors of HBV replication.
Comparison of the Glass and Hunter-Schmidt Meta-Analytic Techniques

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the results of the Hunter-Schmidt meta-analytic technique with the results of the Glass meta-analytic technique on three meta-analytic data sets chosen from the education literature. The hypothesis investigated was that the Hunter-Schmidt mean effect size would be significantly larger than the Glass mean effect size because of the correction for measurement error. In two out of three data sets, the Hunter-Schmidt mean effect size was significantly larger than the Glass mean effect size (p < .05). These results suggest that the correction for unreliability in the measures did have an impact on the effect sizes.
Dynamic Programming Solution for Detecting Dim Moving Targets

An on-board scanning or mosaic sensor is staring down from a satellite to a fixed ground point while producing a set of frames that contain target and background signals. Detecting dim moving targets should ideally be done by exhaustively searching over all in he maery(mached fltering), as ppoed possible trajectories in the imagery (matched filtering) as opposed to assembling trajectories from thresholded frames. The dynamic programming approach equivalently substitutes the above prohibitive exhaustive search by a feasible algorithm.
Characterization of subpopulated articular chondrocytes separated by Percoll density gradient

SummaryThe aim of this study was to develop a method for fractionation of articular chondrocytes from the entire thickness of the tissue. Isolated chondrocytes from rabbit articular cartilage fractionated by centrifugation in a discontinuous Percoll gradient resulted in four cell fractions with two differing properties. The lowest-density fraction consisted mainly of large cells with small nuclei proliferated actively, maintained the chondrocytic phenotype, and secreted larger amounts of proteoglycan. In contrast, the highest-density fraction consisted of small cells with large nuclei proliferated slowly, did not express the chondrocytic phenotype, and produced larger amounts of interleukin 1-induced nitric oxide. Comparing our results with other previous reports, we find that fraction 1 cells are likely originated from the deep layer of the articular cartilage, whereas fraction 4 cells are tentatively categorized as chondrocytes from the superficial layer of cartilage. Centrifugal fractionation of articular chondrocytes via Percoll density gradient permits clear separation of these heterogeneous cells into different phenotypic populations and allows distinguishing of cells from the different layers of articular cartilage. This simple novel method will provide ready separation of articular chondrocytes for the investigation of the pathogenesis of articular cartilage.
Induction of GADD34 Is Necessary for dsRNA-Dependent Interferon-β Production and Participates in the Control of Chikungunya Virus Infection

Nucleic acid sensing by cells is a key feature of antiviral responses, which generally result in type-I Interferon production and tissue protection. However, detection of double-stranded RNAs in virus-infected cells promotes two concomitant and apparently conflicting events. The dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) phosphorylates translation initiation factor 2-alpha (eIF2α) and inhibits protein synthesis, whereas cytosolic DExD/H box RNA helicases induce expression of type I-IFN and other cytokines. We demonstrate that the phosphatase-1 cofactor, growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34 (GADD34/Ppp1r15a), an important component of the unfolded protein response (UPR), is absolutely required for type I-IFN and IL-6 production by mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in response to dsRNA. GADD34 expression in MEFs is dependent on PKR activation, linking cytosolic microbial sensing with the ATF4 branch of the UPR. The importance of this link for anti-viral immunity is underlined by the extreme susceptibility of GADD34-deficient fibroblasts and neonate mice to Chikungunya virus infection.
FluidMem: Memory as a Service for the Datacenter

Disaggregating resources in data centers is an emerging trend. Recent work has begun to explore memory disaggregation, but suffers limitations including lack of consideration of the complexity of cloud-based deployment, including heterogeneous hardware and APIs for cloud users and operators. In this paper, we present FluidMem, a complete system to realize disaggregated memory in the datacenter. Going beyond simply demonstrating remote memory is possible, we create an entire Memory as a Service. We define the requirements of Memory as a Service and build its implementation in Linux as FluidMem. We present a performance analysis of FluidMem and demonstrate that it transparently supports remote memory for standard applications such as MongoDB and genome sequencing applications.
Implementation and signal processing aspects of Iterative Regression Tuning

This paper treats implementation and signal processing aspects concerning the Iterative Regression Tuning (IRT). Use is made of a conventional control system (CS) structure with PI controller to control a class of second-order servo systems with an integral component. Steps towards the optimal design of the PI controllers in terms of a new IRT algorithm are done to minimize the objective functions defined as the weighted sum of overshoot and rise time. A case study dealing with the angular position control of a DC servo system with backlash is included. The improvement of CS performance indices due to IRT is illustrated by real-time experimental results.
Experiences of low power design implementation and verification

In this paper, we present the experiences of some low power solutions that have been successfully implemented in 90 nm/65 nm production tape-outs. We also focus on power gating design, an effective low leakage solution, and present the experiences of power switch planning, optimization, and verification. Dynamic IR drop is an important issue in low power design, which may reduce the logic gate noise margins and result in functional or timing failures. We will present a low cost but effective methodology for dynamic IR drop prevention and fixing.
Class B Scavenger Receptor Types I and II and CD36 Targeting Improves Sepsis Survival and Acute Outcomes in Mice

Class B scavenger receptors (SR-Bs), such as SR-BI/II or CD36, bind lipoproteins but also mediate bacterial recognition and phagocytosis. In evaluating whether blocking receptors can prevent intracellular bacterial proliferation, phagocyte cytotoxicity, and proinflammatory signaling in bacterial infection/sepsis, we found that SR-BI/II– or CD36-deficient phagocytes are characterized by a reduced intracellular bacterial survival and a lower cytokine response and were protected from bacterial cytotoxicity in the presence of antibiotics. Mice deficient in either SR-BI/II or CD36 are protected from antibiotic-treated cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis, with greatly increased peritoneal granulocytic phagocyte survival (8-fold), a drastic diminution in peritoneal bacteria counts, and a 50–70% reduction in systemic inflammation (serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10) and organ damage relative to CLP in wild-type mice. The survival rate of CD36-deficient mice after CLP was 58% compared with 17% in control mice. When compensated for mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid deficiency, SR-BI/II–deficient mice had nearly a 50% survival rate versus 5% in mineralo-/glucocorticoid-treated controls. Targeting SR-B receptors with L-37pA, a peptide that functions as an antagonist of SR-BI/II and CD36 receptors, also increased peritoneal granulocyte counts, as well as reduced peritoneal bacteria and bacterium-induced cytokine secretion. In the CLP mouse sepsis model, L-37pA improved survival from 6 to 27%, reduced multiple organ damage, and improved kidney function. These results demonstrate that the reduction of both SR-BI/II– and CD36-dependent bacterial invasion and inflammatory response in the presence of antibiotic treatment results in granulocyte survival and local bacterial containment, as well as reduces systemic inflammation and organ damage and improves animal survival during severe infections.
Simulation and Testbed Evaluation for Optimizing Energy Consumption in Ad Hoc Networks based on OLSR Protocol

This paper presents a proposal to optimize energy consumption in ad hoc networks based on the OLSR protocol. This approach focuses on the set up of routes with less congestion level and higher energy capacity. Therefore, in addition to the remaining energy of nodes, a new metric is introduced, the strategic value, which reports the importance of a specific node in the network based on the numbers of neighbors it has. In order to obtain valuable results, the evaluation was performed in a simulation environment (NS3) and on a real testbed. In that sense, an actual ad hoc network was implemented using embedded devices (Raspberry Pi). Results show a decrease in energy consumption, especially in zones with the highest device density, as well as an increase of the time of operation for nodes with higher amount of neighbors. Additionally, the performed evaluation shows a positive effect in the quality of traffic flows, avoiding route breakages and packet losses.
Understanding Herd Behavior in Technology Adoption and Continued Use: A Longitudinal Perspective

People often discount their own information and imitate others though a process known as herd behavior. This paper investigates herd behaviors in technology adoption and continued use. Specifically, this paper concerns how people may follow others when choosing to adopt information systems and how they may revise this initial decision at the post-adoption stage. Herd literature suggests that people may discount their own beliefs when making adoption decisions and that these adoption decisions are fragile and can be easily reversed at the post-adoption stage. This has implications for existing information systems (IS) research on initial adoption and postadoption system use. We develop a new concept called level of herding to measure to what degree a person follows the actions of others, rather than his/her own beliefs, when adopting a new technology. A research model is developed. A longitudinal survey is being conducted to examine the research model, using PBwiki, an online wiki system, as the research technology. Findings from this research can help us understand herd behavior in the adoption and continued use of technology.
Exact and Approximate Arithmetic in an Amazonian Indigene Group

Is calculation possible without language? Or is the human ability for arithmetic dependent on the language faculty? To clarify the relation between language and arithmetic, we studied numerical cognition in speakers of Mundurukú, an Amazonian language with a very small lexicon of number words. Although the Mundurukú lack words for numbers beyond 5, they are able to compare and add large approximate numbers that are far beyond their naming range. However, they fail in exact arithmetic with numbers larger than 4 or 5. Our results imply a distinction between a nonverbal system of number approximation and a language-based counting system for exact number and arithmetic.
Functional formation of heterotypic gap junction channels by connexins-40 and -43

Connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43) are co-expressed in the cardiovascular system, yet their ability to form functional heterotypic Cx43/Cx40 gap junctions remains controversial. We paired Cx43 or Cx40 stably-transfected N2a cells to examine the formation and biophysical properties of heterotypic Cx43/Cx40 gap junction channels. Dual whole cell patch clamp recordings demonstrated that Cx43 and Cx40 form functional heterotypic gap junctions with asymmetric transjunctional voltage (Vj) dependent gating properties. The heterotypic Cx43/Cx40 gap junctions exhibited less Vj gating when the Cx40 cell was positive and pronounced gating when negative. Endogenous N2a cell connexin expression levels were 1,000-fold lower than exogenously expressed Cx40 and Cx43 levels, measured by real-time PCR and Western blotting methods, suggestive of heterotypic gap junction formation by exogenous Cx40 and Cx43. Imposing a [KCl] gradient across the heterotypic gap junction modestly diminished the asymmetry of the macroscopic normalized junctional conductance – voltage (Gj-Vj) curve when [KCl] was reduced by 50% on the Cx43 side and greatly exacerbated the Vj gating asymmetries when lowered on the Cx40 side. Pairing wild-type (wt) Cx43 with the Cx40 E9,13K mutant protein produced a nearly symmetrical heterotypic Gj-Vj curve. These studies conclusively demonstrate the ability of Cx40 and Cx43 to form rectifying heterotypic gap junctions, owing primarily to alternate amino-terminal (NT) domain acidic and basic amino acid differences that may play a significant role in the physiology and/or pathology of the cardiovascular tissues including cardiac conduction properties and myoendothelial intercellular communication.
Effect of Oxygen on Cardiac Differentiation in Mouse iPS Cells: Role of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 and Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling

Background Disturbances in oxygen levels have been found to impair cardiac organogenesis. It is known that stem cells and differentiating cells may respond variably to hypoxic conditions, whereby hypoxia may enhance stem cell pluripotency, while differentiation of multiple cell types can be restricted or enhanced under hypoxia. Here we examined whether HIF-1alpha modulated Wnt signaling affected differentiation of iPS cells into beating cardiomyocytes. Objective We investigated whether transient and sustained hypoxia affects differentiation of cardiomyocytes derived from murine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, assessed the involvement of HIF-1alpha (hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha) and the canonical Wnt pathway in this process. Methods Embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from iPS cells were differentiated into cardiomyocytes and were exposed either to 24 h normoxia or transient hypoxia followed by a further 13 days of normoxic culture. Results At 14 days of differentiation, 59±2% of normoxic EBs were beating, whilst transient hypoxia abolished beating at 14 days and EBs appeared immature. Hypoxia induced a significant increase in Brachyury and islet-1 mRNA expression, together with reduced troponin C expression. Collectively, these data suggest that transient and sustained hypoxia inhibits maturation of differentiating cardiomyocytes. Compared to normoxia, hypoxia increased HIF-1alpha, Wnt target and ligand genes in EBs, as well as accumulation of HIF-1alpha and beta-catenin in nuclear protein extracts, suggesting involvement of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Conclusion Hypoxia impairs cardiomyocyte differentiation and activates Wnt signaling in undifferentiated iPS cells. Taken together the study suggests that oxygenation levels play a critical role in cardiomyocyte differentiation and suggest that hypoxia may play a role in early cardiogenesis.
The principles of social order : selected essays of Lon L. Fuller

Part 1 Eunomics - the theory of good order and workable social arrangements: means and ends. Part 2 The principles and forms of social order: two principles of human association the forms and limits of adjudication mediation - its forms and functions the implicit laws of lawmaking the role of contract in the ordering processes of society generally irrigation and tyranny human interaction and the law. Part 3 Legal philosophy, legal education and the practice of law: the needs of American legal philosophy the lawyer as an architect of social structures on legal education philosophy for the practising lawyer the case against freedom appendix.
Design Strategy to Optimize the Reliability of Grid-Connected PV Systems

This paper presents a strategy, based on the design-of-experiments technique, aimed at optimizing the reliability in inverters for photovoltaic systems. The process involves designing the inverter several times, each time with different specifications, and calculating the reliability for each design. The specifications are established in a systematic manner, in such a way that the parameters with the highest impact are easily identified. The optimization procedure follows a standard reliability estimation methodology and involves modifying the stress factors in a judicious manner. The strategy is exemplified with an integrated boost inverter and a desired mean time between failures of 12 years.
An Algebra for Structured Text Search and a Framework for its Implementation

A query algebra is presented that expresses searches on structured text. In addition to traditional full-text boolean queries that search a pre-defined collection of documents, the algebra permits queries that harness document structure. The algebra manipulates arbitrary intervals of text, which are recognized in the text from implicit or explicit markup. The algebra has seven operators, which combined intervals to yield new ones: containing, not containing, contained in, not contained in, one of, both of, followed by. The ultimate result of a query is the set of intervals that satisfy it. An implementation framework is given based on four primitive access functions. Each access function finds the solution to a query nearest to a given position in the database. Recursive definitions for the seven operators are given in terms of these access functions. Search time is at worst proportional to the time required to evaluate the access functions for occurrences of the elementary terms in a query
Resting state functional connectivity and task-related effective connectivity changes after upper extremity rehabilitation: a pilot study

In this study we investigated the effect of 2 weeks of robot-aided virtual reality therapy for the paretic upper limb in stroke patients on changes in brain activation. Brain activation was acquired during the resting state and during visually-guided hand movement. fMRI analysis focused on characterizing functional connectivity with ipsilesional primary motor cortex (iM1) at rest and during execution of paretic hand movement. Two subjects who sustained a stroke more than 6 months ago participated. Before and after the training period, motor function was evaluated (Wolf Motor Function Test [WMFT], Jebsen Test of Hand Function [JTHF]). After the training period, clinical outcomes (WMFT and JTHF) improved in both subjects. The resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) maps and task-related functional connectivity with iM1 showed different magnitudes of activation, however, the general directionality of the pattern (increases versus decreases) was similar. Specifically, both the rsFC and the task-related functional connectivity between iM1 and contralesional primary motor cortex (cM1) decreased after the therapy for the first subject and increased for the second subject. Our preliminary data suggest that resting state functional connectivity may be a useful measure of brain reorganization, particularly for subjects with limited volitional control of the paretic limb.
Polymorphisms of N-acetyltransferase genes.

1. A genetic polymorphism of human liver arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) enzyme activity leads to wide variation in the disposition of many drugs and potential carcinogens, resulting in differential susceptibility to chemical-induced toxicity. 2. During studies to determine the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying this pharmacogenetic defect, we cloned two human genes, NAT1 and NAT2, which encode the functional acetylating enzymes NAT1 and NAT2. 3. NAT1 and NAT2 are both expressed in human liver cytosol, the latter as two closely related isoforms NAT2A and NAT2B. 4. NAT2 gene locus is the site of the human acetylation polymorphism, because its products NAT2A and NAT2B selectively acetylate 'polymorphic' arylamine substrates (e.g. sulphamethazine), and since the liver content of these isozymes is markedly reduced in genetically slow acetylator subjects. 5. NAT1 shows marked kinetic selectivity for 'monomorphic' substrates (e.g. p-aminobenzoic acid) whose in vivo acetylation rates do not correlate with the acetylation polymorphism. 6. Despite the drastic reduction in NAT2A/B proteins in livers from phenotypically slow acetylators, levels of the NAT2 gene transcript are not altered. 7. Three common mutant alleles at the NAT2 gene locus have so far been identified, which may be detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis on Southern blots or by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification.