Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Commonalities and contrasts in recent guidelines for lupus anticoagulant detection

Updates to guidelines covering lupus anticoagulant (LA) detection have recently been published by the International Society on Haemostasis and Thrombosis (ISTH) and British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH), in 2009 and 2012, respectively. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) published its first LA guideline in 2014. Cross‐panel agreement exists on sample manipulation, use of dRVVT analysis, conversion of clotting times to ratios, calculations to demonstrate phospholipid dependence, mixing test interpretation and provision of interpretive reporting. Whilst ISTH restricts assay choice to just dRVVT and activated partial thromboplastin time, BCSH and CLSI consider the case for additional tests. All panels acknowledge the potential for false‐negative mixing tests, yet they remain mandated by ISTH and BCSH, the latter, however, indicating that a negative mixing test need not exclude a LA if testing on undiluted plasma is unequivocal. CLSI reprioritizes test order to screen‐confirm‐mix to reduce false‐negative reporting when antibodies are diluted to undetectable levels in mixing tests. Recommendations differ on how to derive cut‐off levels, particularly in view of the realities of relatively low donor numbers. Each guideline considers testing of anticoagulated patients, BCSH and CLSI endorsing Taipan snake venom time as a useful supplementary assay in patients on vitamin K antagonists. Although full consensus is not apparent, these publications represent significant moves towards engendering common practices.
NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION FOR THE U

The Marine Meteorology Division of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL MMD) is actively involved in the field of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) to provide continuous weather suDoort to the U. S. Navy for both wartime and peacetime missions. This support extends from the Surface of the earth to altitudes exceeding 10 km, and for time scales ranging from a few hours up to 7 days The NWP products provide valuable information on tactical parameters such as wind speed and direction, temperature, precipitation, and clouds. Analyses and forecasts of _ these parameters are crucial for the success of many military missions.
Anger and Depression: Evidence of a Possible Mediating Role for Rumination

Tendency to ruminate may mediate the relationship between anger and depression. In this preliminary study, 353 Italian community participants completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory–2, the Padua Inventory's Tendency to Doubt and to Ruminate subscale, and the Beck Depression Inventory–II. Trait anger and depression were expected to have a positive relationship, and separate relationships with the tendency to ruminate. Theoretically, a new hypothesis was that the tendency to ruminate would mediate the relationship between depression and anger. Zero-order and partial correlations and a path analysis based on Baron and Kenny's method for calculating multiple regression analyses were calculated. Consistent with the hypotheses, anger and depression were strongly associated; the tendency to ruminate was significantly associated with both anger and depression; and the mediation model fit the data. Behaviors related to the tendency to ruminate could help to explain how depression is related to anger.
A Cellular Neurofuzzy Network for Supporting Detection of Diabetic Symptoms in Retinal Images

In this paper a contribution for supporting diabetic symptoms detection in retinal images is proposed by synthesizing a cellular neurofuzzy network able to provide informations on vague pale regions of fundus images with suspect diabetic damages. After highlighting pale regions in input images by an intensity difference map evaluation, their contrast is enhanced by means of a CNN-based fuzzy subnet. After an adaptive thresholding evaluation, contrast-enhanced images with bimodal histograms are globally segmented by a CNN-based subsystem, providing binary output images, in which suspect diabetic areas are easily isolated. Performances are evaluated by means of the correct recognition rate, which provides percentage measures of exactness in the detection of suspect damaged areas. Results are discussed and compared with other researchers' ones.
The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase UBE3C Enhances Proteasome Processivity by Ubiquitinating Partially Proteolyzed Substrates*

Background: An RNAi screen identified UBE3C as a key player in degradation of a model unfolded protein. Results: UBE3C knockdown results in incomplete degradation of relatively stable substrates. Conclusion: UBE3C enhances proteasome processivity to prevent the accumulation of potentially harmful protein fragments. Significance: This advances our understanding of proteasome processivity and the consequences of defects therein. To maintain protein homeostasis, cells must balance protein synthesis with protein degradation. Accumulation of misfolded or partially degraded proteins can lead to the formation of pathological protein aggregates. Here we report the use of destabilizing domains, proteins whose folding state can be reversibly tuned using a high affinity ligand, as model substrates to interrogate cellular protein quality control mechanisms in mammalian cells using a forward genetic screen. Upon knockdown of UBE3C, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, a reporter protein consisting of a destabilizing domain fused to GFP is degraded more slowly and incompletely by the proteasome. Partial proteolysis is also observed when UBE3C is present but cannot ubiquitinate substrates because its active site has been mutated, it is unable to bind to the proteasome, or the substrate lacks lysine residues. UBE3C knockdown also results in less substrate polyubiquitination. Finally, knockdown renders cells more susceptible to the Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG, suggesting that UBE3C protects against the harmful accumulation of protein fragments arising from incompletely degraded proteasome substrates.
A “Clean” Technique for Managing Bleeding Duodenal Ulcer With a New Aortic Prosthesis: Endoscopic-Assisted Repair of Bleeding Duodenal Ulcer

Aortic graft infection is one of the most dreaded surgical complications. In the perioperative patient with fresh aortic prosthesis, this is a particularly complex problem. Opening the bowel changes an operation to a “clean-contaminated” or “contaminated” case. This increases the risk of all infectious complications in the patient. Theoretically, our method of repair reduces the risk of infection by eliminating the duodenotomy. The direct visualization with the endoscope replaces the need to open the potentially contaminated bowel and reduces the risk of bacterial translocation and bacteremia. By not opening the bowel, this keeps the case “clean,” and likely reduces the risk of contamination and subsequent infection of the prosthetic graft. As the potential morbidity of aortic graft infection is so devastating, and now that we have the available technology and operative skill, we propose our technique as a potential alternative to possibly reduce the incidence of aortic graft infection.
High diversity of oilseed rape pollen clouds over an agro‐ecosystem indicates long‐distance dispersal

Estimating the frequency of long‐distance pollination is important in cultivated species, particularly to assess the risk of gene transfer following the release of genetically modified crops. For this purpose, we estimated the diversity and origin of fertilizing pollen in a 10 × 10 km French oilseed rape production area. First, the cultivar grown in each field was identified through surveys to farmers and using microsatellite markers. Examination of the seed set in fields indicated high rates of seed contamination (8.7%) and pollination from other sources (5%). Then, male‐sterile plants were scattered over the study area and their seed genotyped using the same markers. Most pollination was local: 65% of the seeds had a compatible sire in the closest field, i.e. at 50 or 300 m depending on site, but the nearest compatible field was found more than 1000 m away for 13% of the seeds. To assess the diversity of fertilizing pollen, each seed was assigned to the nearest putative siring cultivar. The observed diversity of pollen was then compared to that predicted by simulations using three empirical dispersal models with increasing proportion of long‐distance pollination. The diversity was sensitive to the dispersal kernel used in the simulations, fatter‐tailed functions predicting higher diversities. The dispersal kernel that was more consistent with our data predicted more long‐distance dispersal than the exponential function.
Two‐Dimensional Dose Finding in Discrete Dose Space

Summary The objective of a Phase I trial with two agents is to find a set of maximum‐tolerated dose combinations that yield a prespecified toxicity rate. In this article, we consider the case where several doses of one agent are fixed and the goal is to find the maximum‐tolerated dose of the other agent to be used in combination with each of the doses of agent one. We propose a Bayesian design that uses a parsimonious working model for the dose–toxicity relationship. We show that the new design is more effective in identifying the maximum‐tolerated combinations than one‐dimensional designs applied at each dose level of one of the agents.
Regulation of the interaction between Th1 and Th2 T cell clones to provide help for antibody production in vivo

On the premise that an individual with an intact immune system has the capability to develop both cellular and antibody immune responses supported by the balance between the lymphokines secreted by T helper (Th) cells, we studied the interaction between different types of Th cell clones in vivo and the parameters that may affect this interaction. We used an adoptive transfer system in which nude or lethally irradiated mice were reconstituted with histocompatible CD4+ keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)‐specific T cell clones with defined lymphokine profiles. This approach allowed us to study the effects of the cognate interaction between T and B cells in the presence of a defined set of lymphokines. We demonstrated that the co‐transfer of both subsets of Th cells resulted in increased production of IgA, and decreased production of IgE and IgG2a. The concomitant presence of both cell types also increases their functional survival in vivo. We have shown that in the presence of a Th2 clone, higher immunization doses (above 100 μg trinitrophenol (TNP)‐KLH/mouse) result in increased production of IgE and IgG1. In contrast, when a Th1 clone is present, low immunization doses (less than 50 μg TNP‐KLH/mouse) resulted in increased production of IgG2a. We were also able to show that the neutralization of interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and or interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) was sufficient to abrogate most of the regulatory effects caused by the Th2 or the Th1 clone respectively. Our results indicate that the subset of T cell(s) transferred determines the type of response obtained. In addition, the data presented indicate that the antigen dose used for immunization can modulate the quantitative parameters of the response. Furthermore, we have shown that the interaction between the two subsets of T cells in vivo is characterized by both antagonistic and agonistic effects and that most of the regulatory effects exerted by one subset over the other are mediated by IL‐4 or IFN‐γ.
Recurrent Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Allergen-Sensitized Mice Lead to Persistent Airway Inflammation and Hyperresponsiveness1

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is considered a risk factor for bronchial asthma; however, the synergy between allergen sensitization and RSV infection in the development of pulmonary inflammation and asthma has been controversial. In this study the effects of primary and recurrent RSV infection on allergic asthma were examined in a group of control, RSV-infected, Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) allergen-sensitized, and Df allergen-sensitized plus RSV-infected BALB/c mice. Primary RSV infection in Df-sensitized mice transiently increases airway responsiveness, which is accompanied by increases in eosinophilic infiltration, the expression of ICAM-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) in the lung tissue. A secondary RSV infection persistently enhances airway responsiveness in Df-sensitized mice, with a concomitant increase in MIP-1α and RSV Ag load in lung tissues. Bulk cultures of thoracic lymph node mononuclear cells demonstrate that acute RSV infection augments both Th1- and Th2-like cytokines, whereas secondary and tertiary infections shift the cytokine profile in favor of the Th2-like cytokine response in Df-sensitized mice. The elevated total serum IgE level in the Df-sensitized mice persists following only RSV reinfection. Thus, recurrent RSV infections in Df-sensitized mice augment the synthesis of Th2-like cytokines, total serum IgE Abs, and MIP-1α, which are responsible for persistent airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, both of which are characteristics of asthma.
Interactions of CCCH Zinc Finger Proteins with mRNA

Macrophages derived from tristetraprolin (TTP)-deficient mice exhibited increased tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) release as a consequence of increased stability of TNFα mRNA. TTP was then shown to destabilize TNFα mRNA after binding directly to the AU-rich region (ARE) of the 3′-untranslated region of the TNFα mRNA. In mammals and in Xenopus, TTP is the prototype of a small family of three known zinc finger proteins containing two CCCH zinc fingers spaced 18 amino acids apart; a fourth more distantly related family member has been identified inXenopus and fish. We show here that representatives of all four family members were able to bind to the TNFα ARE in a cell-free system and, in most cases, promote the breakdown of TNFα mRNA in intact cells. Because the primary sequences of these CCCH proteins are most closely related in their tandem zinc finger domains, we tested whether various fragments of TTP that contained both zinc fingers resembled the intact protein in these assays. We found that amino- and carboxyl-terminal truncated forms of TTP, as well as a 77 amino acid fragment that contained both zinc fingers, could bind to the TNFα ARE in cell-free cross-linking and gel shift assays. In addition, these truncated forms of TTP could also stimulate the apparent deadenylation and/or breakdown of TNFα mRNA in intact cells. Alignments of the tandem zinc finger domains from all four groups of homologous proteins have identified invariant residues as well as group-specific signature amino acids that presumably contribute to ARE binding and protein-specific activities, respectively.
Albumin induces cellular fibrosis by upregulating transforming growth factor‐beta ligand and its receptors in renal distal tubule cells

Albuminuria is indicative of nephropathy. However, little literature has focused on the role of albumin in renal distal tubule fibrosis. We used a well‐defined distal tubule cell, Madin‐Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK). Proliferation and cytotoxicity were examined. The conditioned supernatant was collected and subjected to ELISA assay for detection of fibronectin and TGF‐β1. Reverse transcription‐PCR and Western blot assay were performed to evaluate the expression of mRNA and protein of two types of TGF‐β receptors (TbetaR). Flow cytometry assay and phosphotyrosine (pY)‐specific antibodies were used to assay the phosphorylation status of TbetaR. We showed that albumin dose dependently (0, 0.1, 1, or 10 mg/ml) inhibited cellular growth in MDCK cells without inducing cellular cytoxicity. In addition, albumin significantly upregulated the secretion of both fibronectin and TGF‐β1 at dose over 1 mg/ml. Moreover, 24 h pretreatment of albumin significantly enhanced exogenous TGF‐β1‐induced secretion of fibronectin. These observations were reminiscent of the implications of TbetaR since TbetaR appears to correlate with the susceptibility of cellular fibrosis. We found that albumin significantly increased protein levels of type I TbetaR (TbetaRI) instead of type II receptors (TbetaRII). In addition, phosphorylation level of TbetaRII of both pY259 and pY424 was significantly enhanced instead of pY336. The novel observation indicates that extreme dose of albumin upregulates TGF‐β autocrine loop by upregulating TGF‐β1, TbetaRI, and the receptor kinase activity of TbetaRII by inducing tyrosine phosphorylation on key amino residue of TbetaRII in renal distal tubule cells. These combinational effects might contribute to the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. J. Cell. Biochem. 97: 956–968, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recovery and mental illness: analysis and personal reflections.

My strong desire to enter the helping profession has been fuelled by my experiences as a consumer-survivor of the mental health system who is recovered and is symptom-free. And yet, driven by concomitant hopes of changing the system under which I found my care and the care of those around me to be flawed at best, and in order to relate to both consumers and practitioners the need for a recovery paradigm and for empowerment and hope, I found that in the academic world, I "passed. " For fear of discrimination, tokenization, and the discreditation of my ideas, I took on the role of practitioner-in-training, never disclosing my identity as a consumer-survivor, no matter how much I felt this unique perspective could contribute to a discussion. I was torn. Had I not entered this field in order to bring about change and instill hope based on my story? Feeling hypocritical, I nonetheless decided that it would be best to delay self-disclosure until I achieved professional status.
Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life of Opiate Users at Entry to Low-Threshold Methadone Programs

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory analysis of factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among opiate users at entry to low-threshold methadone treatment. Methods: The SF-36 questionnaire was administered to 145 opiate users at enrollment into low-threshold methadone maintenance programs. ANOVA and correlational analyses were performed to investigate the determinants of poor physical and mental composite summary scales (PCS and MCS) of the SF-36 among opiate users. Stepwise regression methods were also employed to fit PCS and MCS multivariate models. Results: Age, employment status, chronic medical conditions, hospitalization, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and age at first injection episode were significantly associated with PCS. Mental health problems, sexual abuse, physical abuse, the use of sedatives, the use of cocaine, the number of days of cocaine use, sedative use and multiple substance use in the past month were significantly associated with MCS. The variances in the MCS and PCS were not readily explained by any one factor. Conclusion: The multiplicity of factors influencing HRQOL of opiate users suggests the need for a range of services within the context of a methadone program, addressing primary medical care needs as well as treatment for both mental health problems and abuse issues.
A shale-hosted Cr isotope record of low atmospheric oxygen during the Proterozoic

The emergence and expansion of animal life on Earth represents a dramatic shift in the structure and complexity of the biosphere. A lack of firm constraints on surface oxygen levels during the mid-Proterozoic has resulted in heated debate as to whether the rise and earliest diversification of animals was directly linked to a change in environmental oxygen levels or, instead, simply reflects the timing of innovations in gene expression and developmental regulation and was independent of a direct environmental trigger. Here, we present chromium (Cr) isotope data from marine black shales that provide evidence for minimal Cr oxidation throughout the mid-Proterozoic leading up to the diversification of eukaryotes and the rise of animals during the late Neoproterozoic. This observation requires very low background oxygen levels (<1% of present atmospheric levels). Accepting previously proposed estimates of p O2 levels needed to induce Cr isotope fractionation, our data provide support for the persistence of an Earth system in which baseline atmospheric p O2 would have been low enough to inhibit the diversification of animals until ca. 800 Ma. More generally, evidence for a delayed rise of atmospheric oxygen strongly suggests that environmental factors have played a fundamental role in controlling the emergence and expansion of complex life on Earth.
Action theory, disability and ICF

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to make a critical analysis of the conceptual platform of the recently introduced International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Special attention is paid to the suggested definitions of the concepts of activity and participation. My argument intends to show that these definitions are not coherent. Methods: The theoretical platform of this paper is philosophical action theory. My argument makes particular use of the distinction between capacity and opportunity and shows that both concepts are applicable to all actions. Capacity and opportunity are distinguished from the actual performance of actions. The latter presupposes the existence of a will. On this conceptual basis follows an analysis of the distinction between activity and participation as conceived by the WHO in ICF. Conclusions: The main conclusion of my reasoning is that the notions of activity and participation in ICF partly rest on confusion between capacity for action and the actual performance of an action. If my conclusion is sound this has far-reaching consequences for the application of the ICF in the practice of rehabilitation. My diagnosis therefore is that the conceptual framework of ICF is in great need of a strict action – theoretic reconstruction.
A formalism to automate mapping from program features to code

How does one locate the segments of code that implement a particular feature? N. Wilde and M.C. Scully (WS) (1995) pioneered the use of execution traces to map program features to code. Using their technique to locate the implementation of a particular feature, a program is executed with two sets of inputs; one set invokes the feature of interest and the other set does not. Operations such as set-difference and set-intersection, amongst others, are then applied on the execution traces to obtain answers for various questions related to a feature and its implementation. Previous researchers have automated the tasks of computing the execution traces and performing operations on the execution traces. We present a formalism to automate the most time-consuming aspect of this approach for locating code, namely, the partitioning of the input sets into invoking and non-invoking sets. A collection of input sets is partitioned using feature syntax, a grammar of the program's input annotated with feature names. An input set is placed in the invoking set if and only if its parse tree is annotated with that feature. WS' technique solely applies set operations on the execution traces of inputs. In our technique, we also apply the set operations among the set of features used by these inputs. By doing so, we can precisely determine the features whose implementation is identified when applying the operations on the execution traces.
A lapped directional wavelet transform based on B-splines

We present a lapped directional wavelet transform. The directional selectivity of the wavelet transform is improved by using a redundant polyphase decomposition. The proposed transform is biorthogonal, and the set of two-dimensional directional filters used for the discrete wavelet transform is based on B-spline functions. Using a modified lifting scheme, we introduce a systematic design method and a fast computational algorithm for these filters.