Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Involvement of integrin alphavbeta3 in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in monocytes.

Attachment of HIV to macrophages is a critical early event in the establishment of infection. In the present study, we demonstrate the involvement of integrin alphavbeta3 (vitronectin receptor) in HIV infection of peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages. Culturing monocytes in the presence of M-CSF for 3 days upregulated expression of the alphav-containing integrins, alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5. The increase in alphavbeta3 expression was accompanied by increased HIV-1 replication by monocytes. Immunoblot analysis showed that purified HIV-gp120 protein interacted with CD4 and alphavbeta3 in immunoprecipitation experiments. Neutralizing antibodies against the alphavbeta3 integrin interfered with the coprecipitation of alphavbeta3 with an anti-gp120 antibody and substantially inhibited HIV infection of monocytes. Neutralizing antibodies against alphavbeta5 or beta1 integrins did not significantly affect HIV infection. These results indicate that HIV infection of primary monocytes requires differentiation of these cells and may involve alphavbeta3 interaction with the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 for productive infection.
Beyond Identity Politics

In her book Beyond Identity Politics Moya Lloyd produces an interesting and significant argument that makes an important intervention in feminism and politics in the 21st century. I would like to argue here, however, that, whilst her analysis might fit a certain arena of the developed world (although only partially at that) it is less useful and significant for other parts of the globe and for some of the most pressing political issues that face the world at the present time.
Responses of Neurons in Inferior Temporal Cortex during Memory- Guided Visual Search

A typical scene will contain many different objects, few of have been described not only in the dorsal stream that medi-which are relevant to behavior at any given moment. Thus atten-ates spatial perception (e.g., Bushnell et al. 1981; Colby et tional mechanisms are needed to select relevant objects for visual al. processing and control over behavior. We examined this role of Steinmetz et al. 1994; Treue and Maunsell 1996) but also attention in the inferior temporal cortex of macaque monkeys, using in the ventral stream that mediates object recognition (Con-a visual search paradigm. While the monkey maintained fixation, nor et al. 1996; Luck et al. 1997; Moran and Desimone a cue stimulus was presented at the center of gaze, followed by a blank delay period. After the delay, an array of two to five choice 1985; Motter 1993), including areas V2, V4 and the inferior stimuli was presented extrafoveally, and the monkey was rewarded temporal (IT) cortex. When two or more stimuli are located for detecting a target stimulus matching the cue. The behavioral within the receptive field (RF) of cells in V2 or V4, and response was a saccadic eye movement to the target in one version the animal attends to one of them, the cell's response is of the task and a lever release in another. The array was composed predominantly determined by the attended stimulus (Luck of one ''good'' stimulus (effective in driving the cell when pre-et al. 1997; Moran and Desimone 1985). The response to sented alone) and one or more ''poor'' stimuli (ineffective in the unattended stimulus may be completely blocked, even driving the cell when presented alone). Most cells showed higher though it is an otherwise optimal sensory stimulus within delay activity after a good stimulus used as the cue than after a poor the RF. Comparable effects are found in IT cortex, although stimulus. The baseline activity of cells was also higher preceding a good cue, if the animal expected it to occur. This activity may the RFs of IT cells are much bigger and the attentional depend on a top-down bias in favor of cells coding the relevant effects generalize over a much larger spatial range than in stimulus. When the choice array was presented, most cells showed V2 and V4 (Moran and Desimone 1985). By contrast, more suppressive interactions between the stimuli as well as strong atten-subtle and variable effects of …
Seed birth to death: dual functions of reactive oxygen species in seed physiology.

BACKGROUND Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered to be detrimental to seed viability. However, recent studies have demonstrated that ROS have key roles in seed germination particularly in the release of seed dormancy and embryogenesis, as well as in protection from pathogens. SCOPE This review considers the functions of ROS in seed physiology. ROS are present in all cells and at all phases of the seed life cycle. ROS accumulation is important in breaking seed dormancy, and stimulating seed germination and protection from pathogens. However, excessive ROS accumulation can be detrimental. Therefore, knowledge of the mechanisms by which ROS influence seed physiology will provide insights that may not only allow the development of seed quality markers but also help us understand how dormancy can be broken in several recalcitrant species. CONCLUSIONS Reactive oxygen species have a dual role in seed physiology. Understanding the relative importance of beneficial and detrimental effects of ROS provides great scope for the improvement and maintenance of seed vigour and quality, factors that may ultimately increase crop yields.
An MDE approach to software process tailoring

Defining organizational processes is essential for enhancing maturity. However the best process depends on the particularities of each project. Typically a process engineer defines a specific process for each project in an ad-hoc fashion, which is expensive, unrepeatable and error prone. Trying to deal with this challenge we propose a model-based approach to software process tailoring that generates project specific processes based on the organizational process and the project context. The approach is systematic, repeatable and it does not depend on the people using it. The proposal has been applied for tailoring the Requirements Engineering process of a medium size company. The obtained results were validated by process engineers of the company. Processes obtained using the proposed approach matched the ones used in the company for planned contexts and also they were reasonable for non-expected situations.
Relationships between Authentic Leadership, Moral Courage, and Ethical and Pro-Social Behaviors

ABSTRACT: Organizations constitute morally-complex environments, requiring organization members to possess levels of moral courage sufficient to promote their ethical action, while refraining from unethical actions when faced with temptations or pressures. Using a sample drawn from a military context, we explored the antecedents and consequences of moral courage. Results from this four-month field study demonstrated that authentic leadership was positively related to followers’ displays of moral courage. Further, followers’ moral courage fully mediated the effects of authentic leadership on followers’ ethical and pro-social behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications for further integrating the work on moral courage, authentic leadership and ethics are discussed.
How to cheat BitTorrent and why nobody does

The BitTorrent peer-to-peer file-sharing system attempts to build robustness to free-riding by implementing a tit-for-tat-like strategy within its protocol. It is often believed that this strategy alone is responsible for the the high-levels of cooperation found within the BitTorrent system. However, we highlight some of the weaknesses of the approach and indicate where it would be easy to cheat and free-ride. Given that cheating of this kind currently appears rare, this motivates the question: why is the system not dominated by free-riders? We advance a hypothesis which argues that BitTorrent may resist free-riders in a way that has not been previously fully comprehended. Ironically, this process relies on what is commonly believed to be a weakness of BitTorrent the lack of meta-data search. One consequence of this is to partition the BitTorrent network into numerous isolated swarms often with several independent swarms for an identical file which is one of the necessary conditions for a kind of evolutionary group selective process, a process that has been recently identified in similar simulated systems. A further implication of the hypothesis is that, given the choice, users may choose unconditional altruism rather than the more restrictive reciprocal tit-for-tat approach as a result of the same group selective process. 1. Partially supported by the EU within the 6th Framework Programme under contract 001907 “Dynamically Evolving, Large Scale Information Systems” (DELIS). 2. Dept. of Computer Science, The University of Bologna, Mura Anteo Zamboni 7, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Reciprocity: a foundational principle for promoting cooperative behavior among self-interested agents

If participating agents in a multiagent system can be assumed to be cooperative in nature, coordination mechanisms can be used that will realize desirable system performance. Such assumptions, however, are untenable in open sy~ tems. Agent designers have to design agents and agent environments with the understanding that participating agents will act to serve their selfinterests instead of working towards group goals. We investigate the choice of interaction strategies and environmental characteristics that will make the best self-interested actions to be cooperative in nature. We analyze the inadequacy of traditional deterministic reciprocity mechanisms to promote cooperative behavior with a fair distribution of the workload. A probabilistic reciprocity nmchanism is introduced and shown to generate stable and cooperative behavior among a group of self-interested agents. The resultant system exhibits close to optimal throughput with a fair distribution of the workload among the participating agents.
APRI: An Easy and Validated Predictor of Hepatic Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C

Goals To evaluate the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI) as a predictor of the presence or absence of significant fibrosis on liver biopsy of patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV). Background The decision to treat HCV is often made on the basis of the presence or absence of significant fibrosis on the liver biopsy. Because liver biopsy is expensive and invasive a noninvasive marker to evaluate hepatic fibrosis would be useful. The APRI is an easy to calculate index that is one of several markers that have been proposed. Study We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 339 patients with chronic HCV who had liver biopsies from January 2000 to March 2003. We subsequently evaluated 151 patients receiving pretreatment evaluation liver biopsies who had serum aspartate aminotransferase, platelets, routine liver function tests, and demographic data obtained. All liver biopsies were staged by the Batts Ludwig criteria. Results The area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristics of the calculated APRI compared with the liver biopsy demonstrated that the fibrosis score was 0.889 in the prospective group and 0.790 in the retrospective group. To achieve predictive values of approximately 90%, useful cutoffs were found at 0.40 and 1.5 in the retrospective study, and 0.42 and 1.2 in the prospective study leaving intermediate zones of 58.9% and 41.1%, respectively. In the prospective group, 34 of 36 patients with a value of <0.42 were accurately predicted as having mild fibrosis, whereas 50 of 54 patients with a value >1.2 were accurately predicted to have significant fibrosis. Conclusions The APRI is a good estimator of hepatic fibrosis and was more accurate in a prospective group than a retrospective one. It potentially could be used to decrease the number of liver biopsies.
A Fuzzy-Based Sensor Validation Strategy for AC Motor Drives

Measurements validation is a critical feature in monitoring systems required by most industry applications to achieve higher level reliability. This paper presents the use of the measurement thresholds generated from the propagation of parametric uncertainty using polynomial chaos theory (PCT) to validate the sensor measurements of an AC motor drive by means of fuzzy techniques. If measurements fail the validation check, they are replaced by reconstructed data to maintain the operation. Reconstruction is performed with a PCT observer, which also supports the evaluation of the thresholds. The algorithms proposed here have been implemented and tested both in simulation and in real time experiments on a field oriented controlled induction machine.
Synchronization analysis of multi-agent systems with switching topologies

EXTENDED ABSTRACT. The distributed control of multi-agent systems has gained lots of attention during the last decade. In particular, consensus problem has been widely investigated for networks of agents. Consensus roughly means that the agents of a network reach an agreement on the state components’ values. The pioneering works in this regard have been carried out for the case where the agents have simple dynamics like single or double integrators (see [5, 1]). An excellent review can be found in [4]. The consensus results for the case where the agents have a general, yet identical, linear dynamics with time-independent communication topology are reported in [2]. Despite the extensive amount of research available in the context of consensus/synchronization of multi-agent systems, there are few works which have considered network of agents with general linear dynamics together with time-dependent communication topology. This is considered in [6], and a consensus protocol is proposed for possibly time-varying communications. However, there in, the agents are not allowed to have exponentially unstable dynamics. Assuming nonzero dwell time for switching among possible communication graphs, consensus problem for multi-agent systems with general linear dynamics is studied in [8]. In this note, we consider the network of agents with general, but identical, linear dynamics, and the communication topology may switch within a finite set of admissible topologies. We allow switching to be arbitrary meaning that the switching may occur at arbitrary time instances. It will be observed that synchronization is essentially an output stability problem. Consequently, given the agents’ dynamics, coupling rule, and set of admissible topologies, we derive conditions under which synchronization is achieved.
Book Review: Social Policy in the Post Welfare State.Australians on the Threshold of the 21st Century

violence and distress. The data collected for this study indicates that Aboriginal suicide is possibly treble that of non-Aboriginal suicide (p. 93). Tatz rejects biomedical perspectives of suicide and mentions that the vast majority of Aboriginal peoples also reject the view that suicide is a medical problem. ‘Distress’, says Tatz, ‘is not a mental disease’ (p. x). Moving away from Durkheimian explanations of suicide, he draws instead from the observations and theories of Louis Wekstein, Albert Camus, Victor Frankl among others in order to develop a unique sociology of Aboriginal suicide in contemporary Australian society. His ideas possess imagination and insight, and are based on the findings of this study as well as a long fascination and connection with Aboriginal culture and heritage. Chapters focusing on the contributing factors of community and societal values include balanced expositions of government initiatives such as the CDEP scheme and literacy programmes, and also highlight problems such as alcohol and drug use and contributing factors such as a disjunction between cultural values upheld by traditional Aboriginal people and nonAboriginal communities. Alleviation proposals comprise the last and largest chapter of Tatz’s book. Proposals include adopting ‘coolness’ advertising campaigns which stress the coolness of adopting a healthy lifestyle and a policy of introducing sport into Aboriginal communities as a realistic cultural alternative which could provide an ‘acceptable morality’ for Aboriginal youth to embrace (p. 152). For any reader well versed in the problems facing Aboriginal communities in Australia this book is well worth reading for this chapter alone, as Tatz provides some unique and imaginative alternatives to current policy and practice that are (mostly) firmly grounded in realistic commitment to the empowerment of Aboriginal Australian people. His depth of knowledge of the subject suffers brief descents into paternalism that could be offensive to some readers; however, Tatz’s book is a worthy and valuable addition to the sociological, historical and cultural library. There is an urgency about this publication that underlies and emphasizes the seriousness of its subject matter, and is also something more. Tatz’s book is an exposé and as such it is a call to action, a cry for help to those who are learned and wise enough to know that what he documents is no exaggeration – we as Australians are facing a national tragedy. This book must be read by all who care to learn more about the steady self-destruction of the Aboriginal Australian population; by anyone who takes an interest in our shared culture and heritage; and most of all by anyone who wishes to participate in the creation of a vision of a brighter future for the Aboriginal communities of Australia.
Spezifische Normierung des Trierer Inventars zum chronischen Stress (TICS) zur diagnostischen Anwendung im Spitzensport

Zusammenfassung: In diesem Beitrag wird das Trierer Inventar zum chronischen Stress (TICS; Schulz, Schlotz & Becker, 2004) vorgestellt und seine Eignung fur die Anwendung im Spitzensport diskutiert. Dazu werden spezifische Normen fur die Gruppe der Spitzensportler prasentiert. Das TICS misst chronischen Stress differenziert in neun Stressbereichen. Seine inhaltliche Struktur lasst sich faktorenanalytisch aus den Testwerten von Spitzensportlern replizieren. Die Skalen besitzen gute bis sehr gute interne Konsistenzen. Das Instrument kann in seiner Originalform zur Diagnostik im Spitzensport herangezogen werden. Fur die Interpretation von Testergebnissen werden jedoch spezifische Normen fur Spitzensportler empfohlen. Die Normstichprobe besteht aus 395 A- bis D-Kaderathleten olympischer Sportarten ab einem Alter von 16 Jahren. Berechnet wurden standardisierte Normen (T-Werte) auf der Basis der Gesamtstichprobe sowie separat fur beide Geschlechter. Diese ermoglichen den Vergleich mit Testwerten von Spitzenspor.
Transgenic CaMKII&dgr;C Overexpression Uniquely Alters Cardiac Myocyte Ca2+ Handling: Reduced SR Ca2+ Load and Activated SR Ca2+ Release

Abstract— Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) &dgr; is the predominant cardiac isoform, and the &dgr;C splice variant is cytoplasmic. We overexpressed CaMKII&dgr;C in mouse heart and observed dilated heart failure and altered myocyte Ca2+ regulation in 3-month-old CaMKII&dgr;C transgenic mice (TG) versus wild-type littermates (WT). Heart/body weight ratio and cardiomyocyte size were increased about 2-fold in TG versus WT. At 1 Hz, twitch shortening, [Ca2+]i transient amplitude, and diastolic [Ca2+]i were all reduced by ≈50% in TG versus WT. This is explained by >50% reduction in SR Ca2+ content in TG versus WT. Peak Ca2+ current (ICa) was slightly increased, and action potential duration was prolonged in TG versus WT. Despite lower SR Ca2+ load and diastolic [Ca2+]i, fractional SR Ca2+ release was increased and resting spontaneous SR Ca2+ release events (Ca2+ sparks) were doubled in frequency in TG versus WT (with prolonged width and duration, but lower amplitude). Enhanced Ca2+ spark frequency was also seen in TG at 4 weeks (before heart failure onset). Acute CaMKII inhibition normalized Ca2+ spark frequency and ICa, consistent with direct CaMKII activation of ryanodine receptors (and ICa) in TG. The rate of [Ca2+]i decline during caffeine exposure was faster in TG, indicating enhanced Na+-Ca2+ exchange function (consistent with protein expression measurements). Enhanced diastolic SR Ca2+ leak (via sparks), reduced SR Ca2+-ATPase expression, and increased Na+-Ca2+ exchanger explain the reduced diastolic [Ca2+]i and SR Ca2+ content in TG. We conclude that CaMKII&dgr;C overexpression causes acute modulation of excitation-contraction coupling, which contributes to heart failure.
Proximity of the Present-Day Thermohaline Circulation to an Instability Threshold

The relation between the mean state of the thermohaline circulation (THC) and its stability is examined using a realistic-geometry primitive equation coupled ocean‐atmosphere‐ice global general circulation model. The main finding is that a thermohaline circulation that is 25% weaker and less dominated by thermal forcing than that of today’s ocean is unstable within this coupled GCM. Unstable initial ocean climates lead in the coupled model to an increase of the THC, to strong oscillations, or to a THC collapse. The existence of an unstable range of weak states of the THC provides a natural explanation for largeamplitude THC variability seen in the paleo record prior to the past 10 000 years: A weakening of the THC due to an external forcing (e.g., ice melting and freshening of the North Atlantic) may push it into the unstable regime. Once in this regime, the THC strongly oscillates due to the inherent instability of a weak THC. Hence the strong THC variability in this scenario does not result from switches between two or more quasi-stable steady states.
A small observatory for super-repositories

Software evolution research has been focused mostly on analyzing the evolution of single software systems. However, it is rarely the case that a project exists as standalone, independent of others. Rather, projects exist in parallel within larger contexts in companies, research groups or even the open-source communities, contexts that we call super-repositories. In this paper, we argue that visualization of super-repositories is useful in a range of situations, and we describe The Small Project Observatory, a prototype tool which aims to visualize super-repositories.
A new approach to historical reconstruction: Combining descriptive and experimental paleolimnology

Here we introduce a combined experimental and descriptive approach (termed resurrection ecology) to reconstructing historical perturbations, pointing out how direct tests with sediments and hatched resting eggs complement the traditional descriptive calculation of microfossil fluxes. In the Keweenaw Waterway, a freshwater estuary off Lake Superior, turn‐of‐the‐century copper mining impacted the resident biota. Remain fluxes document that diatom, rhizopod, and Bosmina production all declined during stamp sand discharges but recovered rapidly after World War II, moving above background levels due to developing eutrophication. In addition to biogenic silica, we discovered that bromine flux holds promise as an indicator of diatom production and confirmed that this element is present in several genera. Fluxes of Daphnia resting eggs also increased dramatically since the 1940s, dominated by a hybrid apparently produced from crosses between offshore and interior Waterway species, after channeling promoted greater mixing of water masses. Toxicity studies with sediments and Daphnia clones directly tested recovery of environ ments after cessation of mining activities. The studies document that increased concentrations and fluxes of copper in the Waterway during mining discharges were toxic to invertebrates. Once stamp sand discharges ceased, the biota recovered rapidly due to a combination of decreased copper cycling and organic complexation. Although sedimentation has returned to near‐background conditions and surficial sediments in much of Portage Lake are no longer toxic, eutrophication and faunal exchange with Lake Superior make it unlikely that the original zooplankton community composition will return to the Waterway system.