Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity in vascular smooth muscle responsiveness to angiotensin II. Role of endothelin.

We compared the role of endothelium and of endothelin in mediating the vasoconstrictor responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) in three vascular smooth muscle preparations--aorta, mesenteric artery, and tail artery--isolated from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The vasoconstrictor potency for Ang II in blood vessels with endothelium varied in the following rank order: aorta > mesenteric artery > tail artery. Although the maximal tension responses to Ang II were similar for mesenteric and tail arteries, it was significantly lower in aorta. Endothelium removal led to a leftward shift in the concentration-response curves to Ang II in the aorta but a rightward shift in the mesenteric artery. Strikingly, Ang II failed to evoke tension responses in tail artery in the absence of endothelium. The endothelin-A (ETA)-selective antagonist BQ-123 blocked the responses to Ang II in a noncompetitive manner, with partial and complete attenuation of responses in the endothelium-intact mesenteric and tail artery preparations, respectively. In contrast, BQ-123 did not affect the responses to Ang II in the aorta. BQ-123 also failed to affect the responses to Ang II in endothelium-denuded mesenteric artery rings. The Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor-selective antagonist losartan competitively blocked the responses to Ang II in the three tissues (pA2, 8.3 to 8.7) when endothelium was present. These data suggest that there are endothelium-dependent regional variations in vascular tissue sensitivity to Ang II. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Unconstrained nonlinear MPC: Performance estimates for sampled-data systems with zero order hold

In this paper, model predictive control (MPC) schemes without stabilizing terminal constraints and/or costs are considered for continuous time systems governed by ordinary differential equations. Satisfactory estimates of the required prediction horizon length such that the MPC closed loop is asymptotically stable were recently proposed. However, their applicability is, in general, limited by the fact that the respective proofs require possible discontinuities of the input functions at arbitrary (and a priori unknown) switching times. We present a technique which allows to determine a suitable discretization accuracy such that the obtained performance bound is arbitrarily well recovered for sampled-data systems with zero order hold.
An Economic Framework for Dynamic Spectrum Access and Service Pricing

The concept of dynamic spectrum access will allow the radio spectrum to be traded in a market like scenario allowing wireless service providers (WSPs) to lease chunks of spectrum on a short-term basis. Such market mechanisms will lead to competition among WSPs where they not only compete to acquire spectrum but also attract and retain users. Currently, there is little understanding on how such a dynamic trading system will operate so as to make the system feasible under economic terms. In this paper, we propose an economic framework that can be used to guide i) the dynamic spectrum allocation process and ii) the service pricing mechanisms that the providers can use. We propose a knapsack based auction model that dynamically allocates spectrum to the WSPs such that revenue and spectrum usage are maximized. We borrow techniques from game theory to capture the conflict of interest between WSPs and end users. A dynamic pricing strategy for the providers is also proposed. We show that even in a greedy and non-cooperative behavioral game model, it is in the best interest of the WSPs to adhere to a price and channel threshold which is a direct consequence of price equilibrium. Through simulation results, we show that the proposed auction model entices WSPs to participate in the auction, makes optimal use of the spectrum, and avoids collusion among WSPs. We demonstrate how pricing can be used as an effective tool for providing incentives to the WSPs to upgrade their network resources and offer better services.
In vivo costimulatory role of B7-DC in tuning T helper cell 1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses

B7-DC, one of the recently described B7 family members, has the capacity to inhibit T cell responses via engagement of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif–containing inhibitory PD-1 receptor as well as enhance responses via an as yet unidentified costimulatory receptor. B7-DC is highly homologous to a coinhibitory B7 family member, B7-H1, which also binds PD-1. It is currently unclear which B7-DC function—costimulation or inhibition—predominates in vivo. To study in vivo functions of B7-DC, we evaluated immune responses in B7-DC knockout (KO) mice. Although not eliminated, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production by CD4 T cells and IFN-γ–dependent humoral responses were reduced in B7-DC KO mice relative to wild type mice. Antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity were also diminished in B7-DC KO mice. Hepatic tumors grew more quickly in B7-DC KO mice, associated with a decrease in intrahepatic tumor-specific CD8 T cells. These results highlight the contrasting in vivo roles of B7-DC and B7-H1 and indicate that B7-DC functions as a tuning molecule, selectively augmenting T helper 1 and CTL responses.
Book Reviews : Mechanics of Composite Materials: R.M. Jones McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1975

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Neonatal toxic shock syndrome‐like exanthematous disease (NTED)

Abstract The author and colleagues recently discovered an emerging neonatal infectious disease: neonatal toxic shock syndrome‐like exanthematous disease (NTED), which is induced by the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin‐1 (TSST‐1), produced by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The massively expanded Vβ2+ T cells were rapidly deleted in the peripheral blood of patients with NTED. A marked depletion of Vβ2+ T cells was also observed in the peripheral blood before the expansion of these T cells. Anergy is specifically induced in the TSST‐1 reactive T cells of patients with NTED. Rapid recovery from NTED without complications is expected to be related to the induction of immunologic tolerance in neonatal patients. Anti‐TSST‐1 IgG antibody of maternal origin was found to play a protective role in preventing the development of NTED. The number of hospitals that have experience caring for patients with NTED has increased threefold in the past 5 years. Most MRSA isolates from neonatal intensive care units in Japan were found to be a single clone of coagulase type II and to possess TSST‐1 and staphylococcal enterotoxin C genes. The timing and increased incidence of NTED suggest the emergence of a new MRSA clone. By recognizing that TSST‐1 can induce NTED, healthcare providers may give increased attention to this disease in neonatal wards.
H-Tree: An efficient index structure for event matching in publish/subscribe systems

Content-based publish/subscribe systems have been employed to deal with complex distributed information flows in many applications. It is well recognized that event matching is a fundamental component of such large-scale systems. Event matching is to search in a space which is composed of all subscriptions. As the scale and complexity of a system grow, the efficiencies of event matching become more critical to the system performance. Most existing methods suffer performance degradation problem when a system has both large number of subscriptions and large number of constraints. In this paper, we present H-Tree (Hash Tree), a highly efficient index structure for event matching. H-Tree is a hash table in nature which is a combination of hash lists and hash chaining. A hash list is realized on an indexed attribute by dividing the attribute's value domain into cells. Multiple hash lists are chained into a hash tree. The basic idea behind H-Tree is that matching efficiencies are improved when the search space is substantially reduced by pruning most of the impossible subscriptions. We have implemented H-Tree and conducted extensive experiments in different settings. Experimental results show that H-Tree outperforms its counterparts to a large degree. In particular, the matching time is faster by three order of magnitude than its counterparts when both the number of subscriptions and the number of constraints are large.
Development of a radiolabeled caninized anti-EGFR antibody for comparative oncology trials

Due to large homology of human and canine EGFR, dogs suffering from spontaneous EGFR+ cancer can be considered as ideal translational models. Thereby, novel immunotherapeutic compounds can be developed for both human and veterinary patients. This study describes the radiolabeling of a canine anti-EGFR IgG antibody (can225IgG) with potential diagnostic and therapeutic value in comparative clinical settings. Can225IgG was functionalized with DTPA for subsequent chelation with the radionuclide 99mTc. Successful coupling of 10 DTPA molecules per antibody on average was proven by significant mass increase in MALDI-TOF spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis and immunoblots. Following functionalization and radiolabeling, 99mTc-DTPA-can225IgG fully retained its binding capacity towards human and canine EGFR in flow cytometry, immuno- and radioblots, and autoradiography. The affinity of radiolabeled can225IgG was determined to KD 0.8 ±0.0031 nM in a real-time kinetics assay on canine carcinoma cells by a competition binding technique. Stability tests of the radiolabeled compound identified TRIS buffered saline as the ideal formulation for short-term storage with 87.11 ±6.04% intact compound being still detected 60 minutes post radiolabeling. High stability, specificity and EGFR binding affinity pinpoint towards 99mTc-radiolabeled can225IgG antibody as an ideal lead compound for the first proof-of-concept diagnostic and therapeutic applications in canine cancer patients.
Compositional analysis of phosphorus pools in Canadian Mollisols

During cultivation, the internal phosphorus cycle of Mollisols (Chernozems) of the Canadian Prairies is perturbed by crop sequences including wheat phases, tillage practices, and regular applications of fertilizers. To monitor these changes, a proximate sequential phosphorus (P) fractionation procedure was developed by Hedley et al. (1982) to extract inorganic and organic P fractions as very labile (resin-P), labile (NaHCO3-P), slowly available (NaOH-P), and very slowly available (HCl-P) pools. Models used so far to monitor P pools do not address the interactive behaviour of P fractions constrained to a closed compositional space. Compositional data analysis using isometric log ratio (ilr) coordinates is appropriate for modelling the interactive P pools using sequential binary partitions of P pools. Our objective was to model changes of P pools in Mollisols in response to management and time using ilr coordinates. We used a dataset with treatments and another where a Mollisol was analyzed at time zero and 4, 65, and 90 yr after sod breakup. Seven P fractions were assigned to P reactivity groups to compute six ilr coordinates. The ilr2 contrasting inorganic (geochemical) and organic (biological) P pools and ilr4 between the most readily available and less P bioavailable pools were the most sensitive to crop sequence and fertilization. Using composition at time zero as reference, the Aitchison distance reached a plateau after the 4th year in the Bm horizon compared to continuous change in the Ah horizon. Time changed the P balance of cultivated Mollisols primarily in the inorganic vs. organic P pools. The risks of yield loss and environmental damage can be minimized using soil tests that quantify the rapidly bioavailable inorganic P pools and crop management strategies that promote biological P pools.
Peer Reviewed Title: An internal motor kinesin is associated with the golgi apparatus and plays a role in trichome morphogenesis in Arabidopsis

Members of the kinesin superfamily are microtubule-based motor proteins that transport molecules/organelles along microtubules. We have identified similar internal motor kinesins, Kinesin-13A, from the cotton Gossypium hirsutum and Arabidopsis thaliana. Their motor domains share high degree of similarity with those of internal motor kinesins of animals and protists in the MCAK/Kinesin13 subfamily. However, no significant sequence similarities were detected in sequences outside the motor domain. In Arabidopsis plants carrying the T-DNA knockout kinesin-13a-1 and kinesin-13a-2 mutations at the Kinesin-13A locus, >70% leaf trichomes had four branches, whereas wild-type trichomes had three. Immunofluorescent results showed
Two Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes, UbcP1/Ubc4 and UbcP4/Ubc11, Have Distinct Functions for Ubiquitination of Mitotic Cyclin

ABSTRACT Cell cycle events are regulated by sequential activation and inactivation of Cdk kinases. Mitotic exit is accomplished by the inactivation of mitotic Cdk kinase, which is mainly achieved by degradation of cyclins. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is involved in this process, requiring APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome) as a ubiquitin ligase. In Xenopus and clam oocytes, the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes that function with APC/C have been identified as two proteins, UBC4 and UBCx/E2-C. Previously we reported that the fission yeast ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcP4/Ubc11, a homologue of UBCx/E2-C, is required for mitotic transition. Here we show that the other fission yeast ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, UbcP1/Ubc4, which is homologous to UBC4, is also required for mitotic transition in the same manner as UbcP4/Ubc11. Both ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes are essential for cell division and directly required for the degradation of mitotic cyclin Cdc13. They function nonredundantly in the ubiquitination of CDC13 because a defect in ubcP1/ubc4 + cannot be suppressed by high expression of UbcP4/Ubc11 and a defect in ubcP4/ubc11 + cannot be suppressed by high expression of UbcP1/Ubc4. In vivo analysis of the ubiquitinated state of Cdc13 shows that the ubiquitin chains on Cdc13 were short in ubcP1/ubc4 mutant cells while ubiquitinated Cdc13 was totally reduced in ubcP4/ubc11 mutant cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the two ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes play distinct and essential roles in the degradation of mitotic cyclin Cdc13, with the UbcP4/Ubc11-pathway initiating ubiquitination of Cdc13 and the UbcP1/Ubc4-pathway elongating the short ubiquitin chains on Cdc13.
Laypeople's conceptions of wisdom and its development: cognitive and integrative views.

OBJECTIVES This study examined individual differences in laypeople's conceptions of wisdom using a person-oriented approach, as previous studies using a priori group variables may have underestimated the variability. Although there is a tradition of examining people's implicit theories of wisdom, this study is the first to also investigate their views of how wisdom develops. METHODS A total of 1955 participants rated the importance of 8 items concerning what wisdom is and 9 items concerning how wisdom develops. RESULTS Cluster analyses identified 2 conceptions of what wisdom is. Participants with a "cognitive conception" rated cognitive and reflective characteristics as central to wisdom; participants with an "integrative conception" additionally endorsed affective characteristics. Conceptions varied by age and sex. Concerning the development of wisdom, participants with a cognitive conception viewed learning from experiences and from wise persons as central; participants with an integrative conception rated experience with life challenges as equally important. DISCUSSION Laypeople's views of wisdom are not unitary, and the way in which wisdom is viewed is related to how it is seen as developing in a person's life. These empirical differences in implicit theories of wisdom map onto theoretical differences in the views of wisdom researchers.
Polarized skylight navigation in insects: model and electrophysiology of e-vector coding by neurons in the central complex.

Many insects exploit skylight polarization for visual compass orientation or course control. As found in crickets, the peripheral visual system (optic lobe) contains three types of polarization-sensitive neurons (POL neurons), which are tuned to different ( approximately 60 degrees diverging) e-vector orientations. Thus each e-vector orientation elicits a specific combination of activities among the POL neurons coding any e-vector orientation by just three neural signals. In this study, we hypothesize that in the presumed orientation center of the brain (central complex) e-vector orientation is population-coded by a set of "compass neurons. " Using computer modeling, we present a neural network model transforming the signal triplet provided by the POL neurons to compass neuron activities coding e-vector orientation by a population code. Using intracellular electrophysiology and cell marking, we present evidence that neurons with the response profile of the presumed compass neurons do indeed exist in the insect brain: each of these compass neuron-like (CNL) cells is activated by a specific e-vector orientation only and otherwise remains silent. Morphologically, CNL cells are tangential neurons extending from the lateral accessory lobe to the lower division of the central body. Surpassing the modeled compass neurons in performance, CNL cells are insensitive to the degree of polarization of the stimulus between 99% and at least down to 18% polarization and thus largely disregard variations of skylight polarization due to changing solar elevations or atmospheric conditions. This suggests that the polarization vision system includes a gain control circuit keeping the output activity at a constant level.
Structural plasticity in the Drosophila brain

The Drosophila brain is highly variable in size. Female flies grown in densely populated larval cultures have up to 20% more Kenyon cell fibers in their mushroom bodies than flies from low-density cultures. These differences in the number of Kenyon cell fibers are accompanied by differences in the volume of the calyx. During imaginal life, volume changes are observed in the calyces, all parts of the optic lobes, the central brain, and central complex. They occur not only in the first week of adulthood but also between days 8 and 16. Factors causing these changes are little understood. In flies kept in pairs for 1 week, the size of the calyx but not of the lobula is influenced by the sex of the partner. Females have larger calyces if the partner is female than if it is male. Males seem to be affected in the same way. Females living solitarily in little food vials for the first week of their imaginal life have smaller lobulae than females having spent the week in a populated flight cage. Males and females of heterosexual groups of 40 animals have still smaller lobulae, medullae, and calyces than their siblings kept in isolation. In addition, brain size is influenced by yet unidentified factors causing long and short trends. The data suggest that in Drosophila, most neuropil regions of the brain are continuously reorganized throughout life in response to specific living conditions.
Loopback: exploiting collaborative caches for large-scale streaming

In this paper, we propose a Loopback approach in a two-level streaming architecture to exploit collaborative client/proxy buffers for improving the quality and efficiency of large-scale streaming applications. At the upper level we use a content delivery network (CDN) to deliver video from a central server to proxy servers. At the lower level a proxy server delivers video with the help of collaborative client caches. In particular, a proxy server and its clients in a local domain cache different portions of a video and form delivery loops. In each loop, a single video stream originates at the proxy, passes through a number of clients, and finally is passed back to the proxy. As a result, with limited bandwidth and storage space contributed by collaborative clients, we are able to significantly reduce the required network bandwidth, I/O bandwidth, and cache space of a proxy. Furthermore, we develop a local repair scheme to address the client failure issue for enhancing service quality and eliminating most required repairing load at the central server. For popular videos, our local repair scheme is able to handle most of single-client failures without service disruption and retransmissions from the central server. Our analysis and simulations have shown the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Effects of the 2003 Cedar and 2007 Witch Creek Wildfires on metal loads in sediment and water from the burned watersheds

Author(s): Washington, Lauren | Abstract: Fire is an important disturbance mechanism in southern California’s scrubland and forest ecosystems. However, humans have altered natural fire regimes. The frequency and intensity of fires has been increasing over the last 20 years, and this trend is expected to continue increasing as a result of climate change. Recent studies have found an increase in heavy metal concentrations from the burning of organic material following wildfires. High concentrations of heavy metals can cause severe health problems in humans. Sediment samples were taken before, during and after the rainy season from thirty sites in three watersheds throughout San Diego County. Samples were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations to measure a possible wildfire signature. No wildfire signature was found three years after the most recent wildfire. As a result, sampling should ideally begin immediately following a wildfire. The second part of this study conducted a study which measured southern California resident’s knowledge on the long term effects of wildfires such as heavy metal contamination. Respondents were aware of the recent increase of wildfires and the expected continuing trend. Respondents were also aware of the possible release of contaminants into the environment from the burning of home material. However, respondents were unaware of the possible release of contaminants from the burning of organic material. Residents should be educated on this issue especially residents in remote locations where the probability of a wildfire occurring is high.