Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extraosseous IL‐6 transgenic mouse plasmacytoma sometimes lacks Myc‐activating chromosomal translocation

The cellular oncogene MYC and plasma cell growth, differentiation, and survival factor IL‐6 play critical roles in the natural history of human plasma cell neoplasms such as multiple myeloma (MM). Myc and IL‐6 also are at the center of neoplastic plasma cell transformation in BALB/c mice that carry a human IL‐6 transgene and, therefore, predictably develop plasmacytomas (PCTs). We showed previously that, much like advanced MM or human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs), in which MYC is frequently deregulated in cis because of complex cytogenetic aberrations juxtaposing MYC to immunoglobulin enhancers, IL‐6 transgenic PCTs commonly deregulate Myc in cis by chromosomal translocation, predominantly T(12;15)(Igh–Myc). In this article, we show that, analogous to primary MM in which MYC is mostly deregulated in trans by signaling pathways converging at the MYC promoter, IL‐6 transgenic PCTs sometimes develop in the absence of Myc translocations, thus activating Myc in trans. We present cytogenetic and molecular evidence on two IL‐6 transgenic PCTs that contained overexpressed Myc protein but lacked T(12;15)(Igh–Myc) and two related Myc–‐deregulating translocations that juxtapose Myc to immunoglobulin light‐chain instead of heavy‐chain enhancers: T(6;15)(Igκ–Pvt1) and T(15;16)(Pvt1–Igλ). We conclude that Myc translocations are not strictly required for IL‐6‐driven PCT development in mice. IL‐6 transgenic PCTs may provide a valuable model system for elucidating both trans and cis mechanisms of Myc deregulation of great relevance for MYC deregulation in human MM. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social Relevance and Innovation in Public Radio

Since its founding, National Public Radio has been denied steady funding by the government and has therefore been focused and reliant on its audience for funding. This study explores National Public Radio’s (NPR) efforts to appeal to audiences by staying relevant and innovative in the face of changing technology and new media. The study content analyzes five years of news media coverage of NPR stations for news values and key messages. Out of 1,853 articles that were analyzed, about 23 percent were related to the stations’ efforts to remain socially relevant and innovative. Those articles were then examined using descriptive analysis to identify prevalent themes within social relevance and innovation. Six themes emerged from the descriptive analysis. These themes are related to innovation (strategizing, investments and future journalism, and online strategies) and social relevance (audience and diversity, activism, and social media). These six themes were then interrelated to reveal a linear relationship of a social relevance and innovation movement based on NPR's methods and stages of change, from formulating strategies to actively participating in the community. Results indicate an audience-centered priority and a continued commitment to act in the public interest. Potential implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Correlation of Activity Regulation and Substrate Recognition of the ADP-Ribosyltransferase That Regulates Nitrogenase Activity in Rhodospirillum rubrum

ABSTRACT In Rhodospirillum rubrum, nitrogenase activity is regulated posttranslationally through the ADP-ribosylation of dinitrogenase reductase by dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase (DRAT). Several DRAT variants that are altered both in the posttranslational regulation of DRAT activity and in the ability to recognize variants of dinitrogenase reductase have been found. This correlation suggests that these two properties are biochemically connected.
Association between serum resistin level and outcomes in kidney transplant recipients

Resistin is an adipocytokine that is associated with inflammation, coronary artery disease, and other types of cardiovascular disease among patients with normal kidney function. However, little is known about the association of resistin with outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. We collected socio‐demographic and clinical parameters, medical and transplant history, and laboratory data from 988 prevalent kidney transplant recipients enrolled in the Malnutrition‐Inflammation in Transplant—Hungary Study (MINIT‐HU study). Serum resistin levels were measured at baseline. Associations between serum resistin level and death with a functioning graft over a 6‐year follow‐up period were examined in unadjusted and adjusted models. The mean±SD age of the study population was 51 ± 13 years, among whom 57% were men and 21% were diabetics. Median serum resistin concentrations were significantly higher in patients who died with a functioning graft as compared to those who did not die during the follow‐up period (median [IQR]: 22[15–26] vs. 19[14–22] ng/ml, respectively; P < 0.001). Higher serum resistin level was associated with higher mortality risk in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models: HRs (95% CI): 1.33(1.16–1.54) and 1.21(1.01–1.46), respectively. In prevalent kidney transplant recipients, serum resistin was an independent predictor of death with a functioning graft.
The use of amphipols as universal molecular adapters to immobilize membrane proteins onto solid supports

Because of the importance of their physiological functions, cell membranes represent critical targets in biological research. Membrane proteins, which make up ≈1/3 of the proteome, interact with a wide range of small ligands and macromolecular partners as well as with foreign molecules such as synthetic drugs, antibodies, toxins, or surface recognition proteins of pathogenic organisms. Whether it is for the sake of basic biomedical or pharmacological research, it is of great interest to develop tools facilitating the study of these interactions. Surface-based in vitro assays are appealing because they require minimum quantities of reagents, and they are suitable for multiplexing and high-throughput screening. We introduce here a general method for immobilizing functional, unmodified integral membrane proteins onto solid supports, thanks to amphipathic polymers called “amphipols. ” The key point of this approach is that functionalized amphipols can be used as universal adapters to associate any membrane protein to virtually any kind of support while stabilizing its native state. The generality and versatility of this strategy is demonstrated by using 5 different target proteins, 2 types of supports (chips and beads), 2 types of ligands (antibodies and a snake toxin), and 2 detection methods (surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence microscopy).
Chemically Enhanced Phytoextraction of Risk Elements from a Contaminated Agricultural Soil Using Zea Mays and Triticum Aestivum: Performance and Metal Mobilization Over a Three Year Period

Enhanced phytoextraction using EDTA for the remediation of an agricultural soil contaminated with less mobile risk elements Cd and Pb originating from smelting activities in Příbram (Czech Republic) was assessed on the laboratory and the field scale. EDTA was applied to the first years crop Zea mays. Metal mobilization and metal uptake by the plants in the soil were monitored for two additional years when Triticum aestivum was planted. The application of EDTA effectively increased water-soluble Cd and Pb concentrations in the soil. These concentrations decreased over time. Anyhow, increased concentrations could be still observed in the third experimental year indicating a low possibility of groundwater pollution after the addition of EDTA during and also after the enhanced phytoextraction process under prevailing climatic conditions. EDTA-applications caused phytotoxicity and thereby decreased biomass production and increased Cd and Pb uptake by the plants. Phytoextraction efficiency and phytoextraction potential were too low for Cd and Pb phytoextraction in the field in a reasonable time frame (as less than one-tenth of a percent of total Cd and Pb could be removed). This strongly indicates that EDTA-enhanced phytoextraction as implemented in this study is not a suitable remediation technique for risk metal contaminated soils.
A Distributed Computing Tool for Generating Neural Simulation Databases

After developing a model neuron or network, it is important to systematically explore its behavior across a wide range of parameter values or experimental conditions, or both. However, compiling a very large set of simulation runs is challenging because it typically requires both access to and expertise with high-performance computing facilities. To lower the barrier for large-scale model analysis, we have developed NeuronPM, a client/server application that creates a screen-saver cluster for running simulations in NEURON (Hines & Carnevale, 1997). NeuronPM provides a user-friendly way to use existing computing resources to catalog the performance of a neural simulation across a wide range of parameter values and experimental conditions. The NeuronPM client is a Windows-based screen saver, and the NeuronPM server can be hosted on any Apache/PHP/MySQL server. During idle time, the client retrieves model files and work assignments from the server, invokes NEURON to run the simulation, and returns results to the server. Administrative panels make it simple to upload model files, define the parameters and conditions to vary, and then monitor client status and work progress. NeuronPM is open-source freeware and is available for download at http://neuronpm.homeip. net. It is a useful entry-level tool for systematically analyzing complex neuron and network simulations.
A New Depression Scale Designed to be Sensitive to Change

Summary The construction of a depression rating scale designed to be particularly sensitive to treatment effects is described. Ratings of 54 English and 52 Swedish patients on a 65 item comprehensive psychopathology scale were used to identify the 17 most commonly occurring symptoms in primary depressive illness in the combined sample. Ratings on these 17 items for 64 patients participating in studies of four different antidepressant drugs were used to create a depression scale consisting of the 10 items which showed the largest changes with treatment and the highest correlation to overall change. The inter-rater reliability of the new depression scale was high. Scores on the scale correlated significantly with scores on a standard rating scale for depression, the Hamilton Rating Scale (HRS), indicating its validity as a general severity estimate. Its capacity to differentiate between responders and non-responders to antidepressant treatment was better than the HRS, indicating greater sensitivity to change. The practical and ethical implications in terms of smaller sample sizes in clinical trials are discussed.
Experimental Study on the Performance of RFI Detection Algorithms in Microwave Radiometry: Toward an Optimum Combined Test

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) is probably today's most serious limitation to the accurate retrieval of geophysical parameters from microwave radiometric measurements. Strong RFI inducing a change in the detected power larger than the natural variability is simple to detect. Moderate or weak RFI can be masked by the natural variability of the measurements, passing undetected and corrupting them. A number of techniques have been devised in the past years to detect and, eventually, mitigate RFI present in microwave radiometry measurements: 1) time domain; 2) frequency domain; 3) spectrogram techniques looking for anomalously high power peaks; 4) statistical techniques testing the hypothesis of Gaussianity of the received signal; 5) polarimetric techniques looking for anomalous signatures in the third and fourth Stokes parameters; or 6) wavelet techniques to estimate the RFI signal and cancel it (if any). In this paper, the first four techniques are evaluated with real data gathered with a multifrequency microwave radiometer. It will be shown how spectrogram techniques can detect RFI signals concentrated in narrow frequency bands and/or time intervals that may pass undetected with time-domain and/or frequency-domain techniques alone or with statistical methods. A combined approach is proposed to take advantage of the best performance of each technique. On one side, for strong localized RFI, the approach is spectrogram blanking or, if it is too demanding in terms of computational resources, simple time- and frequency-domain blanking. On the other side, for weak RFI, the approach is the Kurtosis statistical test, which exhibits the best performance among the ten normality tests evaluated, in conjunction with the Anderson-Darling test to detect potential RFI in the blind spots of the Kurtosis test.
One kind of corporate optimal investment problem in the real project

One kind of corporate optimal portfolio and consumption choice problem is studied for an investor who can invest his wealth in the bond (bank account) and in a real project which has the production. The bank pays at an interest rate for any deposit and takes at a large rate for any loan. The optimal strategies are obtained by Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation which is derived from dynamic programming principle. We also give the economic analysis to the optimal choice using the investment theory. For the specific hyperbolic absolute risk aversion case, we get the explicit optimal investment and consumption solution. At last, we give some simulation results to illustrate the optimal result and the influence of the volatility parameter on the optimal choice.
Guided bone regeneration for dehiscence and fenestration defects on implants using an absorbable polymer barrier.

BACKGROUND Guided bone regeneration (GBR) using a non-absorbable barrier has provided clinicians the ability to place implants in sites compromised by insufficient bone, including immediate extraction sites. Recent evidence suggests that successful GBR outcomes may be possible using bioabsorbable polymer barriers. METHODS This report presents a case series of 9 patients with 8 fenestration and 3 dehiscence defects on implants consecutively treated with GBR. A bioabsorbable polymer barrier of poly(DL-lactide) was used in conjunction with a composite graft of freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA)/demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) mixed in a ratio of 1:1. Second-stage surgeries were performed at 4 to 8.5 months (5. 7 months average) post-placement. Biopsy material from 2 sites was obtained while exposing the implant for healing abutment connection. RESULTS Ten of the 11 defects (90.9%) achieved complete coverage of the osseous defects. Histologic evaluations revealed the formation of viable bone, frequently in close amalgamation with residual graft particles. CONCLUSION These case reports suggest that a poly(DL-lactide) polymer can be used as a physical barrier with a composite bone replacement graft to achieve successful GBR results of dehiscence/fenestration defects when placing implants.
Prevalence and Correlates of Suspected Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chinese American Children

Goals: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children of Chinese immigrants. Background: NAFLD is increasing in prevalence and is frequently identified in children. High rates of NAFLD were found in adult Chinese immigrants. However, there are limited data regarding NAFLD in Chinese American children. Study: Clinical and laboratory data were collected from 407 children, aged 6 to 18 years, who had routine office visits at a Chinatown medical practice. Children were classified as having suspected NAFLD if common causes of liver disease were excluded, alanine aminotransferase levels exceeded established thresholds (>22.1 IU/L for girls and >25.8 IU/L for boys), and elevated alanine aminotransferase levels were confirmed by repeat measurement. Results: 6.1% of Chinese American children had suspected NAFLD, including 33% of obese children. Seventeen percent of children were overweight, 14% were obese, and 52% had 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels <20 ng/mL. In univariable analysis, children with suspected NAFLD were more frequently male, had higher body mass index percentile and lipid levels, and lower vitamin D levels compared with children without evidence of NAFLD. In multivariable analysis, suspected NAFLD was associated with higher BMI percentile and lower vitamin D levels when adjusting for other factors. Conclusions: Chinese American children with obesity are at high risk for NAFLD. They should be screened accordingly, including testing for metabolic disorders and low vitamin D levels. Early identification of NAFLD in childhood will allow for intervention with lifestyle modification, providing a means to reduce the prevalence of NAFLD in children and adults.
Carotenoid Composition of Chlorophyll-Carotenoid-Proteins from Radish Chloroplasts

The uneven distribution of carotenoids and chlorophylls between several chlorophyll- carotenoid-proteins isolated from radish chloroplasts by SDS-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis is described. Lutein and neoxanthin are enriched in the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein LHCP3, which exhibits low chlorophyll a/b ratios (1.1-1.3) and high values for the ratio chlorophyll a/β-carotene (a/c = 60-180). β-carotene is bound not only to the chlorophyll a-protein CPI + CPIa of photosystem I, but also to the chlorophyll a-protein CPa. Both chlorophyll a-proteins are characterized by high values for the ratio a/b and low values for the ratio a/c.
Heterologous expression of wild‐type and mutant β‐cardiac myosin changes the contractile kinetics of cultured mouse myotubes

The properties of myosin expressed in muscle are a major determinant of muscle performance. In this study we used a novel approach to examine the functional impact of changes in myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression, as well as the consequences of expressing the mutant MHC implicated in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC). Cultured mouse myoblasts that normally express fast embryonic myosin were untransfected, or stably transfected with a plasmid expressing either wild‐type (cWT) or mutant (D778G or G741R) β‐cardiac myosin. After differentiation for 5–7 days, cWT or mutant β‐cardiac myosin was expressed at 25 % of total myosin in the myotube. We measured time‐to‐peak shortening (ttp), time for half‐relaxation (t0.5), the maximum velocity of shortening (Vmax) at 1 Hz stimulation, and the tetanic fusion frequency. Expression of cWT β‐cardiac myosin significantly increased ttp and t0.5 and decreased the fusion frequency compared with untransfected myotubes. However, when we compared myotubes expressing mutant β‐cardiac myosin with those expressing cWT β‐cardiac myosin, we found that ttp and t0.5 were significantly decreased, and Vmax was increased for the D778G mutant, whereas ttp, t0.5 and Vmax were unchanged for the G741R mutant. The fusion frequency was increased for both mutant myosins. Our data support the conclusion that the impact of the slower myosin isoform dominates when both slow and fast isoforms are present. This work suggests that FHC associated with either D778G or G741R mutation in MHC is an ‘energy cost’ disease, but that the phenotype of D778G is more severe than that of G741R.
Acoustic Correlates of Emphatic Stress in Central Catalan

A common feature of public speech in Catalan is the placement of prominence on lexically unstressed syllables (“emphatic stress”). This paper presents an acoustic study of radio speech data. Instances of emphatic stress were perceptually identified. Within-word comparison between vowels with emphatic stress and vowels with primary lexical stress reveals that the former are characterized by having a high tone, higher F0 scaling, and greater intensity, but shorter duration with respect to lexically stressed vowels. Emphatic stress can thus be characterized as anchoring an intonational pitch accent on a lexically unstressed syllable. When this phenomenon occurs, primary lexical stress is still cued by duration. Compared with other lexically unstressed vowels, vowels with emphatic stress have greater duration and intensity, and less vowel centralization. Thus, vowels are hyperarticulated when bearing emphatic stress. In particular, schwa is more open, without merging with /a/. Regarding the distribution of emphatic stresses, the most common pattern observed is binary or rhythmic (le̱s instituc i̱o ns ‘the institutions’), with emphatic stress occurring two syllables before the primary stress. Less frequently, emphatic stress appears on the first syllable of the prosodic word (na̱cionalit a ts ‘nationalities’), occasionally producing stress clash (e̱l m a rc ‘the framework’).
The impact of urban regeneration programmes on health and health-related behaviour: Evaluation of the Dutch District Approach 6.5 years from the start

Background Large-scale regeneration programmes to improve the personal conditions and living circumstances in deprived areas may affect health and the lifestyle of the residents. Previous evaluations concluded that a large-scale urban regeneration programme in the Netherlands had some positive effects within 3.5 years. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects at the longer run. Methods With a quasi-experimental research design we assessed changes in the prevalence of general health, mental health, physical activity, overweight, obesity, and smoking between the pre-intervention (2003–04 –mid 2008) and intervention period (mid 2008–2013–14) in 40 deprived target districts and comparably deprived control districts. We used the Difference-in-Difference (DiD) to assess programme impact. Additionally, we stratified analyses by sex and by the intensity of the regeneration programme. Results Changes in health and health related behaviours from pre-intervention to the intervention period were about equally large in the target districts as in control districts. DiD impact estimates were inconsistent and not statistically significant. Sex differences in DiD estimates were not consistent or significant. Furthermore, DiD impact estimates were not consistently larger in target districts with more intensive intervention programmes. Conclusion We found no evidence that this Dutch urban regeneration programme had an impact in the longer run on self-reported health and related behaviour at the area level.
Wireless Grid: Enabling Ubiquitous Sensor Networks with Wireless Energy Supply

Sensor node life-time limitation in wireless sensor networks has long become an issue, preventing it to become a reliable ubiquitous network. In this paper, a new concept called wireless grid, which includes a fusion of wireless sensor network and wireless power transmission is introduced. By doing this, battery life-time problem can be avoided, hence, providing high network reliability. Wireless power transmission scheme adjusted to the sensor network operating environment is proposed to satisfy power requirement at the sensor nodes. Simulation results show that by using the proposed schemes, two power transmission nodes can supply the energy required for sensor nodes operating in a square room of 25m2 with 99% reliability.
Open trial of subjective precision tinting: a follow‐up of 55 patients

We gave glasses, tinted using new techniques, to 55 patients with visual discomfort and a range of associated complaints. The techniques permitted the patients to adjust the colour and saturation of tint for maximum clarity and comfort when viewing text. Benefit was experienced by 45 patients (82%) who were still using them more than 10 months later. Of these, 40 presented with a perceptual distortion of text that the glasses alleviated: 86% reported migraine in the family. An independent series of 74 children with reading difficulty was examined using coloured plastic sheets placed upon a page of text. Of those reporting beneficial effects of colour, 60% had migraine in the family, as compared with 31% of those for whom colour was of no benefit.