Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interleukin‐13 in asthma pathogenesis

Summary: Bronchial asthma is a complex disorder that is thought to arise as a result of aberrant T‐lymphocyte responses to noninfectious environmental antigens. In particular, the symptoms of asthma are closely associated with the presence of activated T‐helper 2 cell (Th2) cytokine‐producing cells [interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5, IL‐9, and IL‐13] in the airway wall. Although each of the Th2 cytokines likely contributes to the overall immune response directed against environmental antigens, a substantial body of evidence points to a singular role for IL‐13 in the regulation of the allergic diathesis. Initial studies in animal models of disease provided compelling evidence that IL‐13, independently of other Th2 cytokines, was both necessary and sufficient to induce all features of allergic asthma. The importance of IL‐13 in allergic disorders in humans is supported by consistent associations between tissue IL‐13 levels and genetic variants in the IL‐13 gene with asthma and related traits. With the preponderance of evidence continuing to support a pivotal role for IL‐13 in allergic disorders, attention is now turned toward understanding the mechanisms by which this cytokine may mediate the pathophysiological features of allergic disease. The emerging paradigm is that IL‐13 induces features of the allergic response via a complex array of actions on resident airway cells rather than through traditional effector pathways involving eosinophils and immunoglobulin E‐mediated events. In light of these recent developments, this review explores our current understanding of the singular role of IL‐13 in the pathogenesis of asthma, with a particular focus on new insights into the mechanisms by which IL‐13 mediates various features of asthma.
Unemployment Insurance, Income Taxation, and Duration of Unemployment: Evidence from Georgia

The recent economic experience of the United States has been characterized by high rates of unemployment and large increases in unemployment insurance benefits. There is disagreement as to how much of current unemployment is a consequence of the unemployment insurance (UI) system.1 A number of econometric studies of the issue have been completed [2; 3; 4; 5; and 6], but due to certain limitations in their data and method, none can be regarded as definitive. The purpose of the present essay is to provide some alternative estimates of the effect of UI on duration of unemployment. A theoretical model similar in spirit to that used by a number of earlier investigators is employed, but different data sets and estimation techniques are used.
Immune tolerance in multiple sclerosis

Summary: Multiple sclerosis is believed to be mediated by T cells specific for myelin antigens that circulate harmlessly in the periphery of healthy individuals until they are erroneously activated by an environmental stimulus. Upon activation, the T cells enter the central nervous system and orchestrate an immune response against myelin. To understand the initial steps in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, it is important to identify the mechanisms that maintain T‐cell tolerance to myelin antigens and to understand how some myelin‐specific T cells escape tolerance and what conditions lead to their activation. Central tolerance strongly shapes the peripheral repertoire of myelin‐specific T cells, as most myelin‐specific T cells are eliminated by clonal deletion in the thymus. Self‐reactive T cells that escape central tolerance are generally capable only of low‐avidity interactions with antigen‐presenting cells. Despite the low avidity of these interactions, peripheral tolerance mechanisms are required to prevent spontaneous autoimmunity. Multiple peripheral tolerance mechanisms for myelin‐specific T cells have been identified, the most important of which appears to be regulatory T cells. While most studies have focused on CD4+ myelin‐specific T cells, interesting differences in tolerance mechanisms and the conditions that abrogate these mechanisms have recently been described for CD8+ myelin‐specific T cells.
Sliding Mode Control of Discrete-Time Switched Systems with Repeated Scalar Nonlinearities

This note studies the design of sliding mode control (SMC) for discrete-time hybrid stochastic switched systems with repeated scalar nonlinearities. The weighed <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal{H}_{\infty}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gain performance is considered for the system dynamics to optimize its transient state performance. First, sufficient conditions are given to guarantee the corresponding system is exponentially stable while achieving a desired weighed <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal{H}_{\infty}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> performance. A new switching surface function is constructed by the average dwell time technique and the positive diagonally dominant Lyapunov functional method to further reduce the conservativeness induced by the repeated scalar nonlinearity. Then, the corresponding sliding mode dynamics are obtained and the solvability condition for the desired switching surface function is derived. Furthermore, the synthesis of the proposed SMC law is proposed to force the resulting closed-loop system trajectories onto the pre-specified sliding mode region with a desired level of accuracy. Finally, the feasibility and the effectiveness of the presented new design techniques are illustrated by examples and simulations.
A Multi-Level Interference Mapping Technique for Resource Management in Cellular Networks

This paper proposes a solution for interference management in cellular networks. We focus on studying the guaranteed and average data rate performance of cellular networks by using a multi- level interference mapping technique. A novel method is proposed in which an interference intensity map, which indicates the level of interference between conflicting Base Stations (BSs) and users is constructed, based on the interference bounds of users. In addition, a power control algorithm is developed to maximize the reuse efficiency of the entire system based on the interference intensity map. For validation purposes, the performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated and compared with state-of-art techniques. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can provide an excellent overall performance in comparison with the other techniques.
Does Position and Size of Corpus Luteum Have Any Effect on Nausea of Pregnancy?

It is a puzzling fact that emesis might occur in one pregnancy, whereas other pregnancies in the same woman could be either free or again associated with nausea. Pregnancy‐associated hormones are believed to cause nausea, possibly through effects mediated via the liver. in 43 women who applied for a legal abortion in early pregnancy the occurrence of nausea was recorded and the position and size of the corpus luteums were measured by means of ultrasound. It was found that emesis was associated with corpus luteum located predominantly on the right side, while the non‐emetic pregnancy often had a left‐sided corpus luteum. It is suggested that the venous drainage, which differs between the right and the left side, may be responsible for the fact that the same woman can either suffer from or be free from nausea during pregnancy. Ovarian vein insufficiency, being more common in multigravidity, may also explain why nausea is more common in multigravidae.
Direction writing of graphene-based nanoribbons via thermochemical nanolithography

This project employs direct writing with an atomic force microscope (AFM) to fabricate simple graphene-based electronic components like resistors and transistors at nanometer-length scales. The goal is to explore their electronic properties for graphene-based electronics. Conducting nanoribbons of graphene were fabricated using thermochemical nanolithography (TCNL). TCNL uses a heated AFM cantilever to provide precise local heating to an insulating fluorographene (FG) substrate. The heat reduces the substrate into a material known as reduced fluorographene (rFG) which exhibits electric properties close to those of pristine graphene. Compared to other attempts to produce graphene-based devices, this technique is simple, does not involve solvents or other complicated fabrication steps, and allows for the exact placement of the devices on the wafer.
Social Capital and the Labor Market

Using canonical-correlation analysis we find significant differences in social capital between European regions. Teaching children to be independent, imaginative, and tolerant contrib- utes positively to social capital, as does a higher level of trust towards fellow citizens. These differences can account for differences in unemployment, male labor force participation, and average hours of work across regions.
Inequalities for the sequence of sample means.

The general theory of the law of the iterated logarithm seeks conditions on the distribution of y and on the sequence a(n) which guarantee that P+-0 as m -a o. We shall be concerned in such cases with finding explicit upper bounds on P+ as a function of m. As an example of the use of such upper bounds in statistics, suppose ;u is unknown and there is a certain action A such that when yl,Y2, . are observed sequentially, (i) If u = 0, it is desirable never to take action A, while (ii) If p> 0, it is desirable to take action A as soon as possible. Define the stopping time
Externalities in Risky Resource Markets - Optimal Taxes, Leakage and Divestment

We consider a global externality of resource use, with the example of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. A region concerned about climate change may reduce its fuel deposit offer, reduce fuel consumption, and withdraw investments into global fuel extraction. We study leakage rates and optimal taxes on these three activities in a framework with uncertain fuel market returns. Without uncertainty, the unilateral investment tax is welfare-neutral: costless but ineffective divestment. With uncertainty, the regional investment choice affects global fuel usage, and correspondingly the optimal regional fuel policy contains a investment tax in addition to taxes on deposit supply and consumption. Even absent terms-of-trade effects, the optimal unilateral investment tax is a non-marginal fraction of the perceived climate disutility for a region of any size. Equivalently, a rational portfolio optimizer with relevant concern for the climate problem withdraws parts or all of her funds from the carbon sector.
Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) activates the angiotensin II type 1 receptor by binding to the lectin‐like oxLDL receptor

The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) is a 7‐transmembrane domain GPCR that when activated by its ligand angiotensin II, generates signaling events promoting vascular dysfunction and the development of cardiovascular disease. Here, we show that the single‐transmembrane oxidized LDL (oxLDL) receptor (LOX‐1) resides in proximity to AT1 on cell‐surface membranes and that binding of oxLDL to LOX‐1 can allosterically activate AT1‐dependent signaling events. oxLDL‐induced signaling events in human vascular endothelial cells were abolished by knockdown of AT1 and inhibited by AT1 blockade (ARB). oxLDL increased cytosolic G protein by 350% in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with genetically induced expression of AT1 and LOX‐1, whereas little increase was observed in CHO cells expressing only LOX‐1. Immunoprecipitation and in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) assays in CHO cells revealed the presence of cell‐surface complexes involving LOX‐1 and AT1. Chimeric analysis showed that oxLDLinduced AT1 signaling events are mediated via interactions between the intracellular domain of LOX‐1 and AT1 that activate AT1. oxLDL induced impairment of endothelium‐dependent vascular relaxation of vascular ring from mouse thoracic aorta was abolished by ARB or genetic deletion of AT1. These findings reveal a novel pathway for AT1 activation and suggest a new mechanism whereby oxLDL may be promoting risk for cardiovascular disease. —Yamamoto, K. , Kakino, A. , Takeshita, H. , Hayashi, N. , Li, L. , Nakano, A. , Hanasaki‐Yamamoto, H. , Fujita, Y. , Imaizumi, Y. , Toyama‐Yokoyama, S. , Nakama, C. , Kawai, T. , Takeda, M. , Hongyo, K. , Oguro, R. , Maekawa, Y. , Itoh, N. , Takami, Y. , Onishi, M. , Takeya, Y. , Sugimoto, K. , Kamide, K. , Nakagami, H. , Ohishi, M. , Kurtz, T. W. , Sawamura, T. , Rakugi, H. Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) activates the angiotensin II type 1 receptor by binding to the lectin‐like oxLDL receptor. FASEB J. 29, 3342‐3356 (2015). www.fasebj. org
Attachment style in patients with unexplained physical complaints

Background. Patients who present with physical symptoms that lack an organic explanation are common, difficult to help and poorly understood. Their medical help-seeking is a form of care-eliciting behaviour and, as such, may be understandable in terms of attachment style. Adult attachment style influences functioning in relationships, and may affect help-seeking behaviour from professional carers such as the family doctor. Method. A consecutive sample of 2042 primary-care attenders completed questionnaires on: the reason for consultation, attribution of symptoms, psychiatric distress (GHQ), somatic distress (BSI), and self-reported adult attachment style (ASQ). Their doctors rated presentations into explained physical, unexplained physical, or psychological. Results. There is a powerful relationship between type of presentation and adult attachment style. Both abnormal attachment and level of psychiatric distress increased significantly from the explained physical group, through the unexplained physical group to the group who presented psychologically. Logistic regression models determined three explanatory variables that made significant independent contributions to presentation type: psychiatric distress, attachment style and symptom attribution. Conclusion. Presentation to the doctor with unexplained physical symptoms is associated with both higher levels of psychiatric symptoms and abnormal attachment style when compared to presentations with organic physical symptoms. Patients who present overt psychological symptoms suffer more psychiatric distress and have more abnormal attachment than those presenting physical symptoms (either organically explained or unexplained). Models to explain these findings are discussed.
An Isolated Working Heart System for Large Animal Models

Since its introduction in the late 19th century, the Langendorff isolated heart perfusion apparatus, and the subsequent development of the working heart model, have been invaluable tools for studying cardiovascular function and disease1-15. Although the Langendorff heart preparation can be used for any mammalian heart, most studies involving this apparatus use small animal models (e.g., mouse, rat, and rabbit) due to the increased complexity of systems for larger mammals1,3,11. One major difficulty is ensuring a constant coronary perfusion pressure over a range of different heart sizes – a key component of any experiment utilizing this device1,11. By replacing the classic hydrostatic afterload column with a centrifugal pump, the Langendorff working heart apparatus described below allows for easy adjustment and tight regulation of perfusion pressures, meaning the same set-up can be used for various species or heart sizes. Furthermore, this configuration can also seamlessly switch between constant pressure or constant flow during reperfusion, depending on the user’s preferences. The open nature of this setup, despite making temperature regulation more difficult than other designs, allows for easy collection of effluent and ventricular pressure-volume data.
Action of Winds Inside and Outside of Star Clusters

Abstract The feedback form pre-main sequence and young stars influences their vicinity. The stars are formed in clusters, which implies that the winds of individual stars collide with each other. Inside of a star cluster, winds thermalize a fraction of their kinetic energy, forming a very hot medium able to escape from the cluster in the form of a large-scale wind. Outside of the cluster, the cluster wind forms a shock front as it interacts with the ambient medium which is accreted onto the expanding shell. A variety of instabilities may develop in such shells, and in some cases they fragment, triggering second generation of star formation. However, if the cluster surpasses a certain mass (depending on the radius and other parameters) the hot medium starts to be thermally unstable even inside of the cluster, forming dense warm clumps. The formation of next generations of stars may start if the clumps are big enough to self-shield against stellar radiation creating cold dense cores.
Utility of a Simplified Lidocaine and Potassium Infusion in Diagnosing Long QT Syndrome among Patients with Borderline QTc Interval Prolongation

Background: Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is caused by mutations in the cardiac Na+ or K+ channels that result in a prolonged QTc interval and increased QT dispersion. Na+ channel blockers and K+ can reverse the repolarization abnormalities in the Na+ channel variant (LQT3) and K+ channel variant (LQT1, LQT2), respectively. The phenotype of LQTS can be difficult to recognize, especially when the QTc interval is mildly prolonged. Additional noninvasive testing methods are needed to enhance the diagnosis of LQTS. This study compared the response of the QTc interval and QT dispersion to a sequential lidocaine/K+ infusion in LQTS patients with borderline QTc interval prolongation and control patients as a means of diagnosing LQTS.
Transcriptional Response of Candida parapsilosis following Exposure to Farnesol

ABSTRACT In Candida albicans, the quorum-sensing molecule farnesol inhibits the transition from yeast to hyphae but has no effect on cellular growth. We show that the addition of exogenous farnesol to cultures of Candida parapsilosis causes the cells to arrest, but not at a specific stage in the cell cycle. The cells are not susceptible to additional farnesol. However, the cells do eventually recover from arrest. Unlike in C. albicans, in C. parapsilosis sterols are localized to the tips of budding cells, and this polarization is disrupted by the addition of farnesol. We used the results of a genome sequence survey to design and manufacture partial genomic microarrays that were applied to determining the transcriptional response of C. parapsilosis to the presence of exogenous farnesol. In both C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, exposure to farnesol results in increased expression of the oxidoreductases GRP2 and ADH7 and altered expression of genes involved in sterol metabolism. There is no effect on expression of C. parapsilosis orthologs of genes involved in hyphal growth in C. albicans. Farnesol therefore differs significantly in its effects on C. parapsilosis and C. albicans.
Ultrasound Detection Using Acoustic Apertures

Ultrasound detection is commonly performed by piezoelectric transducers that are optimized for a specific application. Since the piezoelectric technology is not configurable, transducers designed for one application may not be compatible with other applications. In addition, some designs of ultrasound transducers may be difficult to implement owing to production constraints. In this paper, we propose a simple, low-cost method to reconfigure the geometry of ultrasound transducers. The technique is based on using apertures in thin sheets of acoustic blockers. We experimentally demonstrate this method for an ultrasound transducer with a central frequency of 1 MHz and show that it can emulate detectors of various sizes. An added advantage of this technique is its capability to achieve semi-isotropic detection sensitivity due to diffraction when the aperture size is comparable to the acoustic wavelength even when the angular sensitivity of the transducer is inherently limited.
An international scoring system for self-reported health complaints in adolescents.

BACKGROUND Aimed to develop a unitary scoring system for the 'Health Behaviour in school-aged Children' (HBSC) symptom checklist that would facilitate cross-national comparisons and interpretation. Rasch measurement analysis and investigation of differential item functioning (DIF) were conducted. METHODS Data were obtained from the 'WHO collaborative study HBSC 2001/2002'. A total of 162,305 students aged 11, 13 and 15 years from 35 European and North American Countries were surveyed. Unidimensionality of the items and local independence were tested using means of confirmatory factor analysis. DIF across countries, age groups and gender was investigated using a logistic regression procedure. Item and person parameters were estimated according to the Rating Scale Model (RSM). RESULTS All items proved to be unidimensional. One item displayed noticeable DIF across countries and was discarded. The remaining items were functioning equally across subgroups. The RSM analysis resulted in Rasch model conform item parameter estimation. Infit mean square values between 0.84 and 1.35 revealed acceptable item fit. CONCLUSION The control of DIF enables comparable and unbiased assessment of subjective health complaints across countries, age groups and gender. A scoring algorithm could be developed which enables a cross-cultural comparable and interval-scaled assessment of subjective health complaints.
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Versus Zidovudine for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission in a Programmatic Setting, Botswana

AbstractFew studies have compared the programmatic effectiveness of the recommended strategies of antenatal highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and zidovudine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission. We prospectively followed infants (93% formula fed) whose mothers who took either HAART (258 infants) or zidovudine (170 infants) during pregnancy in the Botswana national program. Overall, 10 infants (2.5%) acquired HIV—9 infants in the zidovudine group (5.5%, 95% confidence interval: 2.6% to 10.2%) and 1 infant in the HAART group (0.4%, 95% confidence interval: 0.0% to 2.2%). Maternal HAART was associated with decreased prevention of mother-to-child transmission (P = 0.001) and improved HIV-free survival (P = 0.040) compared with zidovudine (with or without single-dose nevirapine) in a programmatic setting.
Evolution of diagnostic approaches in betalactam hypersensitivity

ABSTRACT Introduction: Betalactams are the most widely used drugs against infections and the primary cause of antibiotic hypersensitivity reactions. Reaction patterns for different betalactams have been changing in accordance with consumption trends, and vary among countries. As a consequence, in vivo and in vitro tests have had to change with to keep up with new tendencies. Areas covered: This review is focused on advances in betalactam hypersensitivity diagnosis. Changes in in vivo methods have been limited to the inclusion of new haptens. In contrast, major progress has been achieved for in vitro tests since the 1960s, from the first description of immunoassays, the basophil activation test and the lymphocyte transformation test, to the more sophisticated assays developed in last years. Expert commentary: Issues with diagnosis are related to test sensitivity. In vivo tests show higher sensitivity, however they can be risky, especially in severe and life-threatening reactions. Therefore, we believe that in vitro tests should be the preferred method. Current efforts are under way to enhance their sensitivity. Only multidisciplinary approaches involving immunology, proteomics, nanotechnology and chemistry can help us to fully understand conjugate structures and mechanisms involved in hypersensitivity reactions to betalactams, and consequently lead to advances in in vitro methods.