Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CD8+ T cells control the TH phenotype of MBP-reactive CD4+ T cells in EAE mice

Trimolecular interactions between the T cell antigen receptor and MHC/peptide complexes, together with costimulatory molecules and cytokines, control the initial activation of naïve T cells and determine whether the helper precursor cell differentiates into either T helper (TH)1 or TH2 effector cells. We now present evidence that regulatory CD8+ T cells provide another level of control of TH phenotype during further evolution of immune responses. These regulatory CD8+ T cells are induced by antigen-triggered CD4+ TH1 cells during T cell vaccination and, in vitro, distinguish mature TH1 from TH2 cells in a T cell antigen receptor Vβ-specific and Qa-1-restricted manner. In vivo, protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by T cell vaccination depends on CD8+ T cells, and myelin basic protein-reactive TH1 Vβ8+ clones, but not TH2 Vβ8+ clones, used as vaccine T cells, protect animals from subsequent induction of EAE. Moreover, in vivo depletion of CD8+ T cells during the first episode of EAE results in skewing of the TH phenotype toward TH1 upon secondary myelin basic protein stimulation. These data provide evidence that CD8+ T cells control autoimmune responses, in part, by regulating the TH phenotype of self-reactive CD4+ T cells.
Adipose Tissue Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) Metabolism Modulates Circulating BCAA Levels*

Whereas the role of adipose tissue in glucose and lipid homeostasis is widely recognized, its role in systemic protein and amino acid metabolism is less well-appreciated. In vitro and ex vivo experiments suggest that adipose tissue can metabolize substantial amounts of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). However, the role of adipose tissue in regulating BCAA metabolism in vivo is controversial. Interest in the contribution of adipose tissue to BCAA metabolism has been renewed with recent observations demonstrating down-regulation of BCAA oxidation enzymes in adipose tissue in obese and insulin-resistant humans. Using gene set enrichment analysis, we observe alterations in adipose-tissue BCAA enzyme expression caused by adipose-selective genetic alterations in the GLUT4 glucose-transporter expression. We show that the rate of adipose tissue BCAA oxidation per mg of tissue from normal mice is higher than in skeletal muscle. In mice overexpressing GLUT4 specifically in adipose tissue, we observe coordinate down-regulation of BCAA metabolizing enzymes selectively in adipose tissue. This decreases BCAA oxidation rates in adipose tissue, but not in muscle, in association with increased circulating BCAA levels. To confirm the capacity of adipose tissue to modulate circulating BCAA levels in vivo, we demonstrate that transplantation of normal adipose tissue into mice that are globally defective in peripheral BCAA metabolism reduces circulating BCAA levels by 30% (fasting)-50% (fed state). These results demonstrate for the first time the capacity of adipose tissue to catabolize circulating BCAAs in vivo and that coordinate regulation of adipose-tissue BCAA enzymes may modulate circulating BCAA levels.
Basel Iii Impact On Romanian Banking System Performance

In the context of economic and financial crisis triggered in EU by autumn 2008, Romania's banking system like that in the other European countries, faced with the consequences of decreasing the standard of living the worsening of purchasing power (in terms of retail) and with gaps and Delay occurred in the payment of corporate clients. However the deteriorating the quality of bank investments, increasing non-performing loans in bank portfolios totate ultimately causing the accumulation of excessive risks that banks were exposed. On the background of the crisis, the impact of Basel III is not only a financial regulation that is applicable to the banking industry and will fundamentally determine the profitability of the banking system. Through this study, we propose a series of measures applicable to the credit institutions to mitigate the impact of alignment with the new capital requirements.
Efficacy and tolerability of rilmenidine compared with isradipine in hypertensive patients with features of metabolic syndrome

ABSTRACT Objectives: A high prevalence of associated metabolic cardiovascular risk factors is often observed among hypertensive subjects. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of 1–2 mg/day of rilmenidine, a centrally acting antihypertensive agent with selectivity for I1 imidazoline receptors, vs. 2.5–5 mg/twice daily of isradipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, in hypertensive patients with features of the metabolic syndrome. Research design and methods: In this 6‐month multicentre, comparative, double-blind, parallel group study, the primary objective was to assess the effects of the treatments on blood pressure (BP); the secondary endpoints were to assess glucose and lipid metabolism, in addition to clinical and biological tolerability. In non-responder patients, dose adjustment was possible from the first month and adding a diuretic from the third month. Results: Of an intention-to-treat population of 93 patients, 84 per protocol patients completed the study: 42 in the rilmenidine group and 42 in the isradipine group. BP decreased significantly ( p < 0.001) and similarly in both groups (systolic blood pressure, SBP: –16.0 ± 17.2 mmHg and –15.0 ± 13.0 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure, DBP: –9.0 ± 9.4 mmHg and –9.0 ± 8.7 mmHg with rilmenidine and isradipine, respectively). Normalisation (DBP < 90 mmHg and SBP < 140 mmHg) and response (normalisation or decrease in SBP ≥ 20 mmHg or decrease in DBP ≥ 10 mmHg) rates were respectively 57% and 72% with rilmenidine and 64% and 79% with isradipine (NS between groups). The effects of the treatments on both glucose and lipid metabolism were comparable: no significant difference from baseline was observed on the main parameters including insulin sensitivity indexes. The two treatments appeared to be well tolerated throughout the study, with no serious adverse reaction reported in the rilmenidine group and one serious adverse event in the isradipine group (a perimalleolar oedema), leading to withdrawal from the study for the affected patient. Conclusion: This study suggests that in hypertensive patients with metabolic disorders, rilmenidine is an effective antihypertensive treatment, comparable to isradipine, with metabolic neutrality and a good tolerance profile.
Pharmacological modulation of lung cancer cells for potassium ion depletion.

BACKGROUND Depletion of intracellular potassium ions (K+) is necessary for cells to shrink, induce DNA fragmentation and activate caspases, events which are features of apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used 86Rb+ as a K+ analogue to evaluate the possibility of pharmacologically depleting human pulmonary mesothelioma (P31) and small cell lung cancer (U1690) cells of K+, for future use in studies of apoptosis induction. RESULTS The Na+, K+, 2CI(-)-cotransport inhibitor bumetanide transiently inhibited 86Rb+ influx, but when combined with the Na+, K+, ATPase pump inhibitor ouabain there was a marked and lasting (up to 6 h) 86Rb+ influx inhibition. Cellular K+ efflux was augmented by amphotericin B, digitonin and nigericin. Amphotericin B was an effective 86Rb+ efflux stimulator with low cytotoxicity, whereas digitonin caused cell detachment and nigericin increased LDH release in the U1690 cell line, indicating considerable toxicity of the drugs. CONCLUSION It is possible to efficiently reduce intracellular K+ by persistent K+ influx inhibition and simultaneous K+ efflux stimulation with clinically available drugs.
Too Old to Benefit from Sports? The Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise Training in Elderly Subjects Treated for Isolated Systolic Hypertension

Background: Hypertension in the elderly is commonly characterized by an elevation of pulse pressure. With regard to advanced arteriosclerosis and limited physical fitness, doubt was casted whether elderly patients still achieve relevant cardiovascular benefits by physical exercise. The present work examines the impact of pulse pressure as a footprint of vascular ageing on cardiovascular benefits of endurance training in elderly hypertensives. Methods: 54 patients ≧60 years with systolic 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) >140 mm Hg and/or antihypertensive treatment and diastolic ABP ≤90 mm Hg were randomly assigned to sedentary activity or a 12-week treadmill exercise program (target lactate 2.5 ± 0.5 mmol/l). Results: Exercise significantly decreased systolic and diastolic ABP by 8.5 ± 8.2 and 5.1 ± 3.7 mm Hg (p < 0.001 each) and increased physical performance. Arterial compliance remained unchanged, whereas endothelium-dependent vasodilation – measured by flow-mediated dilation – significantly increased from 5.6 ± 1.7 to 7.9 ± 3.0% (p < 0.007). After adjustment for initial systolic ABP, pulse pressure did not affect the change of BP. Conclusion: The exercise-induced reduction of BP, which is mediated by improved endothelial function, is independent of pulse pressure. Thus, physical exercise is a helpful adjunct to control BP even in old hypertensives with markedly increased arterial stiffness.
Changes in serum albumin and α1‐acid glycoprotein concentrations during pregnancy: an analysis of fetal‐maternal pairs

Summary. The concentration of the two principal drug‐binding proteins, albumin and α1‐acid glycoprotein, were measured in 44 paired fetal and maternal serum samples obtained at between 12 and 41 weeks gestation. Maternal serum albumin concentrations ranged between 25 and 35 g/1 during this period. Fetal serum albumin was much lower in early gestation, ranging from 7.5 to 16 g/1 at 12 ‐ 15 weeks. With advancing age there was a linear increase so that at 30 weeks the fetal and the maternal serum albumin concentrations were in the same range and after 35 weeks the fetal concentrations exceeded the maternal by some 20%. Thus, the mean fetal/maternal serum concentration ratio of albumin increases from early pregnancy to term: 0.38 at 12–15 weeks; 0.66 at 16–25 weeks; 0.97 at 26–35 weeks; and 1.2 at >35 weeks gestation. Maternal serum α1‐acid glycoprotein concentrations were scattered widely between 0.38 and 1.05 g/l. With the technique used fetal serum concentrations were hardly detectable before 16 weeks. Thereafter they increased at a constant rate, but never attained the maternal values. Near term a fetal/maternal serum concentration ratio of 0.37 was reached. These changes in protein concentrations may have important pharmacological implications.
Enhanced Growth of Wheat and Soybean Plants Inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense Is Not Necessarily Due to General Enhancement of Mineral Uptake

The capacity of Azospirillum brasilense to enhance the accumulation of K+, P, Ca2+, Mg2+, S, Na+, Mn2+, Fe2+, B, Cu2+, and Zn2+ in inoculated wheat and soybean plants was evaluated by using two different analytical methods with five A. brasilense strains originating from four distinct geographical regions. A Pseudomonas isolate from the rhizosphere of Zea mays seedlings was included as a control. All A. brasilense strains significantly improved wheat and soybean growth by increasing root and shoot dry weight and root surface area. The degree of plant response to inoculation varied among the different strains of A. brasilense. All strains were capable of colonizing roots, but the best root colonizer, Pseudomonas sp. , had no effect on plant growth. The numbers of organisms of Brazilian strains Sp-245 and Sp-246 colonizing roots were similar regardless of the host plant. Numbers of organisms for the other strains were directly dependent on the host plant. The main feature characterizing mineral accumulation in inoculated plants was that all inoculation treatments changed the mineral balance of the plants, but in an inconsistent manner. Enhancement of mineral uptake by plants also varied among strains to a great extent and was directly dependent on the strain-plant combination; i.e., a strain capable of increasing accumulation of a particular ion in one plant species or cultivar often lacked the ability to do so in another. Minerals in inoculated plants were not evenly distributed in different plant tissues, and the changes varied among groups of plants within each bacterial strain inoculation treatment. We suggest that, although A. brasilense strains are capable of changing the mineral balance and content of plants, it is unlikely that this ability is a general mechanism responsible for plant improvement by A. brasilense.
Markers of insulin resistance in perimenopausal women with endometrial pathology.

OBJECTIVES To determine and compare the prevalence of insulin resistance and carbohydrate metabolism parameters in women with endometrial pathology MATERIAL AND METHODS 100 perimenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding and/or abnormal endometrium were included into the study. Hysteroscopy with biopsy was performed. The study population was divided into four groups according to histopathological results of the endometrium: non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial polyp, endometrial cancer and controls. Fasting glucose and insulin levels and OGTT, IR indexes, occurrence of diabetes, pre-diabetic state, overweight, obesity and hypertension were assessed. RESULTS Insulin resistance was diagnosed in 41.0% of the patients. The prevalence of markers of insulin resistance increased to 57.1% in cases with confirmed endometrial pathology compared to 31.8% in histologically normal endometrium (p<0.01). The frequency of insulin resistance was 52.6% (p=0.059) and 55.5% (p=0.04), respectively in women with non-atypical hyperplasia and patients with endometrial polyps when compared to the control group. Abnormal parameters of carbohydrate metabolism indicate little sensitivity and specificity in predicting endometrial hyperplastic lesions. The insulin levels at 120 minutes of OGTT correlate best with such changes (concentration >57 microU/ml in case of hyperplasia and >61 microU/ml in endometrial polyps). CONCLUSION Insulin resistance and carbohydrate metabolism disturbances are common in women with endometrial pathologies. In these patients there is clinical basis for recommending lifestyle modification (change of diet, more physical activity), or for introduction of pharmaceutical insulin-sensitizing agents.
Photonic Crystal Waveguide Sources of Photons for Quantum Communication Applications

Reliable sources of photons will be required to develop many photonic quantum technologies. Current on-demand sources are lacking in brightness, compactness, and scalability. Here, we review the use of silicon photonic crystal waveguides as nonlinear photon generators in the 1550 nm band. We show that these photon sources can create strong frequency correlations, that the predictability of photon generation can be improved through the active multiplexing of many sources, and that photons from these sources can be useful for quantum communication.
Seasonality in the Frequency of Price Change and Optimal Monetary Policy

The implications for optimal monetary policy of introducing seasonality in the frequency of price change in the baseline New Keynesian model are studied. In the resulting model, both the parameters of the Phillips curve and the weight on inflation stabilization in the welfare criterion vary seasonally. I show that for a plausible calibration, even a modest degree of seasonality in the frequency of price change gives rise to large seasonal differences in the equilibrium responses of the output gap and inflation to cost-push shocks. The effects on welfare, however, are small under both discretionary and commitment policy.
INEQUALITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL: UNDERMINING OR REINFORCING SOCIAL POLICY?

Inequality is an interdisciplinary issue shaped at supranational, national and regional or local level. Public policies in tackling inequality are regulated under pressures produced by global conjuncture and the way that these are affecting national welfare arrangements. Local authorities increasingly implement social protection interventions across Europe, as local distributors of state's policies. In Greece, in the field of local government have taken place major reforms the last three decades. Responsibilities of local authorities have widened, especially in the field of social protection, based mainly on EU's Structural Funds. In the current conjuncture of fiscal austerity and deregulation of the -weak anyway- welfare state in general social policy seems to be squashed in between the supra national factor on one side and subnational on the other.
IMPACT OF HEALTH INSURANCE INEFFICIENCY ON POVERTY AMONG IRANIAN HOUSEHOLDS

Introduction: A main goal of health systems is to provide financ i l security against diseases by which catastrophic expenditures and poverty can occur. Th e cost of health care services is high and househol ds are main bearers of financial loads rather than health insurance companies in Iran. Moreover, due to inade quate access to health care centers and inadequate covera ge of health insurance services, households who hav e been covered by insurance services have the same pr oblem too. Increasing health care costs in househol ds' consumption basket result in increasing households' expenditures that might lead to misidentification of the poor households. The aim of this study was to asses s the impact of health care expenditures on poverty among Iranian households. Methods: In this study, we used households' micro data provi ded by the income-expenditure household survey conducted by the Iran Statistics Center. The FGT index (1984) was used to measure poverty and assess the impact of out of pocket payments in heal th c re services on the households’ poverty status. Results: Out of pocket payments by the households have incr eased health expenditures and have led households to poverty in both rural and urban areas . In rural areas, household poverty incidence incre ased by 4% due to increase in tariffs of health care servic s in 2009. The highest increase in poverty inciden ce i urban areas was 3.4% which was occurred in 2000. In general, increase in out of pocket payments result d in increase in poverty incidence in the country as fol lows: in 1984: 2.1%; in 1989: 1.6%; in 1995: 2000; in 2004: 3%; and in 2009: 3.6%. Conclusion: Increases in health care expenditures have been le d to poverty increase from 1 to 4 percent in different urban and rural areas during period of the study. Every year, a significant number of ind ividuals in both rural and urban areas have been dragged bel ow poverty line due to catastrophic health expendit ures. Meanwhile, due to registration of high expenditure for the households, they were not identified as the poor.
Dietary Macronutrient Composition Influences Tissue Trace Element Accumulation in Diabetic Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract The purpose of the present investigation was to study the role of two potential contributory factors, hyperphagia and alterations in fuel metabolism, on the development of tissue trace element accumulation in the experimentally induced diabetic rat. The role of increased mineral intake associated with diabetic hyperphagia on tissue trace element accumulation was evaluated by feeding control and diabetic rats high-carbohydrate (HC) diets which varied in Zn, Cu, Mn, and Mg concentrations. Diabetic rats were hyperphagic and had lower plasma Mg, and higher liver Zn, Cu, and Mn concentrations than control rats, regardless of dietary mineral intake. In a second study, diabetic hyperphagia was reduced by feeding control and diabetic rats a HC, high-fat (HF), or high-protein (HP) diet; the effects of altering diabetic metabolism on trace element status was studied. Liver Mn and Zn concentrations of diabetic rats fed the HF diet were lower than diabetic rats fed the HC diet and HP diet, and were similar to control rats. Liver Cu concentrations of diabetic rats fed the HF and HP diets were lower than diabetic rats fed the HC diet and were similar to control rats. While diabetic rats, In general, had higher plasma glucagon concentrations and lower percent body fat than control rats, diabetic rats fed the HF diet had similar plasma glucagon and percent body fat to control rats. These data suggest that tissue-specific biochemical needs, such as the need for metals as cofactors for enzymes, rather than hyperphagia per se, may drive the accumulation of trace elements in the diabetic animal.
SNIFFO: Security of networks and intelligence for field operations

With the spread of social networks and mobile applications (apps), the amount of sensitive information shared across Internet increased considerably. Although the majority of this information is encrypted, many apps still transmit sensitive data in plain text, e.g., using HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol). Seemingly trivial information, if collected together, can leak out important data about a user or about people related to such user, for example, friends of the user in the online social networks. There are many useful tools to obtain data from a wireless network. They analyze the wireless traffic and extract some information. The main limitation of available tools is that, in order to find useful insights, they leave to the analyst the tasks of manually analyzing and aggregating together the retrieved data. In this paper, we fill this gap by proposing SNIFFO (Security of Networks and Intelligence for Field Operations), a framework that allows to eavesdrop the wireless traffic generated by the devices in the neighborhood, and to reason over these data in an automatic way. In fact, our tool combines and elaborates the raw information collected from the network traffic, in order to obtain more complex data. To do so, SNIFFO can query third-party services, such as social networks or other websites. The output are not only basic informations about a mobilephone user, but a more complex and informative profile of a user, which may include behaviours, installed applications in a smartphone, preferences, social network profiles and so on.
Anchoring and Adjustment Heuristic in Option Pricing

Based on experimental and anecdotal evidence, an anchoring-adjusted option pricing model is developed in which the volatility of the underlying stock return is used as a starting point that gets adjusted upwards to form expectations about call option volatility. I show that the anchoring price lies within the bounds implied by risk-averse expected utility maximization when there are proportional transaction costs. The anchoring model provides a unified explanation for key option pricing puzzles. Two predictions of the anchoring model are empirically tested and found to be strongly supported with nearly 26 years of options data.
Complex networks and simple models in biology

The analysis of molecular networks, such as transcriptional, metabolic and protein interaction networks, has progressed substantially because of the power of models from statistical physics. Increasingly, the data are becoming so detailed—though not always complete or correct—that the simple models are reaching the limits of their usefulness. Here, we will discuss how network information can be described and to some extent quantified. In particular statistics offers a range of tools, such as model selection, which have not yet been widely applied in the analysis of biological networks. We will also outline a number of present challenges posed by biological network data in systems biology, and the extent to which these can be addressed by new developments in statistics, physics and applied mathematics.