Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction of C1q receptor with lung surfactant protein A

Earlier we reported the purification of C1q receptor (C1qR) from U937 cells and human tonsil lymphocytes (Malhotra, R. and Sim, R. B., Biochem. J. 1989. 218: 625) and showed that C1qR interacts with the ligands C1q, mannose‐binding protein, conglutinin and lung surfactant protein A (SP‐A) (Malhotra, R., Thiel, S., Reid, K. B. M. and Sim, R. B., J. Exp. Med. 1990. 172: 955). C1qR was characterized as an acidic glycoprotein, which, when solubilized, exists as a dimer of Mr 115000 under non‐denaturing conditions. In this article we provide evidence for binding of radioiodinated SP‐A to U937 cells and show that binding of radioiodinated SP‐A to U937 cells is specific, saturable, salt dependent and is inhibited by purified C1qR and byC1q. The interaction of SP‐A withU937 cells was found to up‐regulate the surface expression of C1qR. Incubation of SP‐A with U937 cells at 37°C for 80 min was found to increase the receptornumber per cell. Increase in receptor number was inhibited in the presence of sodium azide and monensin. Incubation of cells with calcium ionophore A 23187 induced increased surface expression in the absence of SP‐A. The results indicate that interactionof SP‐A with U937 cells triggers the expression of an intracellular pool of C1qR.
Nitric oxide and its role in lipid peroxidation

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical with an unpaired electron in the highest orbital. This is why it behaves as a potential antioxidant agent by virtue of its ability to reduce other molecules. In vitro experiments support this concept inasmuch as NO is able to inhibit lipid peroxidation. However, NO is rapidly inactivated by the superoxide anion (O .2 ) to form peroxynitrite (ONOO−), which is a potent oxidant. Therefore, in the presence of O . 2 , NO behaves as a potent pro‐oxidant. This is the mechanism that accounts for the low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation that occurs when NO and O . 2 are simultaneously present in the medium. As NO and O . 2 are simultaneously released by cells such as endothelial cells, the balance between these two radicals is crucial in understanding the net effect of NO on lipid peroxidation. Thus an excess of NO will favour lipid peroxidation inhibition, while an excess of O . 2 or equimolar concentration of NO and O . 2 will induce lipid peroxidation. Modulation of this balance may have important clinical implications, particularly in the atherosclerotic process in which oxidant stress seems to play a pivotal role in the onset and progression of vascular lesions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel Membrane for Guided Bone Regeneration

Membranes have been clinically used for guided tissue and bone regeneration for decades, but their use in every day clinical practice is rather limited. We developed a biodegradable membrane (InionGTR™) composed of polylactide, polyglycolide and trimethylene carbonate aiming to improve the properties of membrane. Before application the membrane is treated with N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP) to achieve a rubber like consistency, to allow easy handling and manageability in the clinical setting. After placing the membrane NMP diffuses out from the polymer phase into the water phase. The loss of NMP in the polymer stiffens the membrane up and allows space maintenance in the defect area. In addition the influx and efflux of NMP creates a porous surface on the membrane leading to an improved integration of tissues into the porous surface layers of the InionGTR™ membrane. Therefore, the use of NMP improves the handling in the clinical setting, and allows tissue integration and space maintenance, both important for the outcome of the treatment.
PASSAT: efficient SAT-based test pattern generation for industrial circuits

Automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) based on Boolean satisfiability (SAT) has been proposed as an alternative to classical search algorithms. SAT-based ATPG turned out to be more robust and more effective by formulating the problem as a set of equations. In this paper, we present an efficient ATPG algorithm that makes use of powerful SAT-solving techniques. Problem specific heuristics are applied to guide the search. In contrast to previous SAT-based algorithms, the new approach can also cope with tri-states. The algorithm has been implemented as the tool PASSAT. Experimental results on large industrial circuits are given to demonstrate the quality and efficiency of the algorithm.
Um estudo sobre a satisfação do consumidor esportivo que frequenta estádios de futebol em Belo Horizonte

The sport has been positioned as an important industry in the world economy. It is believed that the promotion of relevant sporting events that are scheduled to happen in Brazil, like the FIFA World Cup 2014, will provide a most significant development of this sector. Considering this fact, this research aims to understand the reasons that lead consumers to attend football stadiums, listing factors that may contribute to their greater satisfaction. For data collection three focus groups were held in Belo Horizonte-MG. As a result, it was found that the main reasons that lead the fans to attend the stadiums are: team preference; the importance of the match; social gatherings; accessibility to the tickets, and security assurance. Furthermore, it was possible to identify factors that contribute to satisfaction: outcome of the match be favorable to team preference; entertainment events; better services, fast and safe transport, and comfort of the stadium.
Time-Reversal MUSIC Imaging of Extended Targets

This paper develops, within a general framework that is applicable to rather arbitrary electromagnetic and acoustic remote sensing systems, a theory of time-reversal ldquomultiple signal classificationrdquo (MUSIC)-based imaging of extended (nonpoint-like) scatterers (targets). The general analysis applies to arbitrary remote sensing geometry and sheds light onto how the singular system of the scattering matrix relates to the geometrical and propagation characteristics of the entire transmitter-target-receiver system and how to use this effect for imaging. All the developments are derived within exact scattering theory which includes multiple scattering effects. The derived time-reversal MUSIC methods include both interior sampling, as well as exterior sampling (or enclosure) approaches. For presentation simplicity, particular attention is given to the time-harmonic case where the informational wave modes employed for target interrogation are purely spatial, but the corresponding generalization to broadband fields is also given. This paper includes computer simulations illustrating the derived theory and algorithms.
On range matrices and wireless networks in d dimensions

Suppose that V = {v/sub 1/, v/sub 2/, . v/sub n/} is a set of nodes randomly (uniformly) distributed in the d dimensional cube [0, x/sub 0/]/sup d/, and W = {w(i, j) > 0 : 1 /spl les/ i, j /spl les/ n} is a set of numbers chosen so that w(i, j) = w(j, i) = w(j, i). Construct a graph G/sub n,d,W/ whose vertex set is V, and whose edge set consists of all pairs {u/sub i/, u/sub j/} with /spl par/ u/sub i/ - u/sub j/ /spl par/ /spl les/ w(i, j). In the wireless network context, the set V is a set of labeled nodes in the network and W represents the maximum distances between the node pairs for them to be connected. We essentially address the following question: "if G is a graph with vertex set V, what is the probability that G appears as a subgraph in G/sub n,d,W/? " Our main contribution is a closed form expression for this probability under the l/sub /spl infin// norm for any dimension d and a suitably defined probability density function. As a corollary to the above answer, we also answer the question, "what is the probability that Q/sub n,d,W/ is connected? ".
C-MAC® video laryngoscope with D-BLADE™ and Frova introducer for awake intubation in a patient with parapharyngeal mass

Parapharyngeal tumors are rare head and neck tumors which can present as an intraoral mass and can pose great challenge to anesthesiologists. The primary concern is the difficult airway due to gross anatomical distortion of the upper airway. Securing the airway in an awake state should be the primary goal of anesthesiologists to avoid catastrophic complications. Herewith, we report the successful use of C-MAC ® video laryngoscope with the acute-angle D-BLADE™ in combination with Frova introducer for awake intubation in a patient with parapharyngeal mass after multiple attempts of failed fiber-optic intubation.
A low-cost, wearable, portable EOG recording system

This paper describes a new low-cost, wearable and portable system to acquire Electro-oculogram (EOG) signals. The system comprises of three electrodes for recording EOG, an instrumentation amplifier and signal conditioning unit, and a general purpose computer with a custom made EOG analysis software. A special type of signal acquisition arrangement has been made where the electrodes are embedded in a frame of a spectacle that provides adjustable settings for different head sizes. The electrodes comprise of dry Ag-AgCl sensors for acquiring the data. The software consists of preprocessing options such as sensor noise removal, power line noise removal, blink detection, saccade detection, etc. The system has been tested against a standard commercial Polysomnography system.
Corporatism and Unemployment in the 1980s and 1990s

A number of studies have found an association between corporatist institutions and low unemployment in the 1970s and/or 1980s. Three gaps in our understanding of corporatism's labor market effects are addressed here: (1) Which of the two principal forms of corporatism—corporatist wage-setting or union participation in economic policymaking, or both—generates these effects? (2) What are the causal mechanisms? (3) Did these effects continue in the 1990s in the face of globalization, restrictive monetary policy, growing dissension within labor movements, and related developments? The impact of corporatism across 16 affluent OECD countries in the 1980s and 1990s is assessed using pooled time-series cross-section analysis. The results suggest that wage coordination was conducive to low unemployment in the 1980s because it fostered moderation in labor costs, spurred faster economic growth, and encouraged governments to more aggressively pursue policies to reduce unemployment. In the 1990s, this effect disappeared, largely because unemployment outcomes in low wage-coordination countries improved rather than because unemployment outcomes in high wage-coordination countries deteriorated. Union participation in economic policymaking was associated with low unemployment throughout the two decades, conditional on the presence of leftist government. Union participation appears to have had this effect mainly via government policy.
Evaluation and Optimization of DNA Extraction and Purification Procedures for Soil and Sediment Samples

ABSTRACT We compared and statistically evaluated the effectiveness of nine DNA extraction procedures by using frozen and dried samples of two silt loam soils and a silt loam wetland sediment with different organic matter contents. The effects of different chemical extractants (sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], chloroform, phenol, Chelex 100, and guanadinium isothiocyanate), different physical disruption methods (bead mill homogenization and freeze-thaw lysis), and lysozyme digestion were evaluated based on the yield and molecular size of the recovered DNA. Pairwise comparisons of the nine extraction procedures revealed that bead mill homogenization with SDS combined with either chloroform or phenol optimized both the amount of DNA extracted and the molecular size of the DNA (maximum size, 16 to 20 kb). Neither lysozyme digestion before SDS treatment nor guanidine isothiocyanate treatment nor addition of Chelex 100 resin improved the DNA yields. Bead mill homogenization in a lysis mixture containing chloroform, SDS, NaCl, and phosphate-Tris buffer (pH 8) was found to be the best physical lysis technique when DNA yield and cell lysis efficiency were used as criteria. The bead mill homogenization conditions were also optimized for speed and duration with two different homogenizers. Recovery of high-molecular-weight DNA was greatest when we used lower speeds and shorter times (30 to 120 s). We evaluated four different DNA purification methods (silica-based DNA binding, agarose gel electrophoresis, ammonium acetate precipitation, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration) for DNA recovery and removal of PCR inhibitors from crude extracts. Sephadex G-200 spin column purification was found to be the best method for removing PCR-inhibiting substances while minimizing DNA loss during purification. Our results indicate that for these types of samples, optimum DNA recovery requires brief, low-speed bead mill homogenization in the presence of a phosphate-buffered SDS-chloroform mixture, followed by Sephadex G-200 column purification.
Race and Nation in Post-Apartheid South Africa

The post apartheid state forges ahead with nation building, reconciliation, and the cultivation of an inclusive non-racial citizenship. The ANC government seems poised somewhere between denying the importance of group specific realities and having to realise the importance of `difference' in coping with the apartheid legacy. While the state cannot ignore language, culture and identity, its central problem is how to reconcile `difference' with common citizenship. Responses to the TRC Report indicate that all parties resist acceptance of responsibility for their past involvement. The absence of a shared moral universe by all citizens becomes increasingly clear. Different life experiences in legislated inequality have resulted in different value systems, perspectives and identities derived from conflicting interests. The theologically inspired concept of reconciliation, under these circumstances, fails to address conflicting moral claims. An understanding of cultural and psychological influences in the formation of identity and in the construction of the `other' is more important than exposure to moral indignation. Against this backdrop, political education is most likely to be effective where the focus is on more modest goals of democratic conflict resolution.
Prevalence of Anaemia and Iron Deficiency in Three Trimesters in Rural Vellore District, South India

A multistage sampling technique was used to select 845 pregnant women from two blocks in Vellore district. Haematological measurement of haemoglobin (Hb) was done on all women and serum ferritin (SF) on a subsample of 445. The prevalence of anaemia (Hb <11 g/dl) was 56.6%, 70.2% and 69.5%, respectively among the first, second and third trimester women. The mean Hb of 10.7 g/dl was significantly higher among the first trimester than among the second and third trimester women, which was less than the recommended value of 11 g/dl. Iron deficiency (SF <12 μg/L) was significantly (P < 0.05) more among the third trimester women than among the first. The high prevalence of anaemia in each trimester in pregnancy indicates the need for iron supplementation as early as possible starting from the fourth month of pregnancy.
Annotation of the Asian Citrus Psyllid Genome Reveals a Reduced Innate Immune System

Citrus production worldwide is currently facing significant losses due to citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing. The citrus greening bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is a persistent propagative pathogen transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Hemipterans characterized to date lack a number of insect immune genes, including those associated with the Imd pathway targeting Gram-negative bacteria. The D. citri draft genome was used to characterize the immune defense genes present in D. citri. Predicted mRNAs identified by screening the published D. citri annotated draft genome were manually searched using a custom database of immune genes from previously annotated insect genomes. Toll and JAK/STAT pathways, general defense genes Dual oxidase, Nitric oxide synthase, prophenoloxidase, and cellular immune defense genes were present in D. citri. In contrast, D. citri lacked genes for the Imd pathway, most antimicrobial peptides, 1,3-β-glucan recognition proteins (GNBPs), and complete peptidoglycan recognition proteins. These data suggest that D. citri has a reduced immune capability similar to that observed in A. pisum, P. humanus, and R. prolixus. The absence of immune system genes from the D. citri genome may facilitate CLas infections, and is possibly compensated for by their relationship with their microbial endosymbionts.
Frontal Brain Hypoactivity as a Biological Substrate of Anxiety in Patients with Panic Disorders

Frontal brain asymmetry is associated with differences in the basic dimensions of emotion. It seems to reflect the activation of specialized systems for avoidance-withdrawal behavior. Since patients with panic disorder are characterized by having both negative emotions and avoidance-withdrawal behavior, we expected them to show greater asymmetry in the frontal hemisphere change activation. Near-infrared reflection spectroscopy was recorded from the left and right frontal regions of 23 patients with panic disorder without depression and from 31 healthy control participants in the following conditions: confrontation at rest with neutral (mushroom), anxiety-relevant (spider and snake) or anxiety-irrelevant but emotionally relevant stimuli (erotic picture). Emotional states and traits were assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The left frontal oxyhemoglobin in patients was significantly lower than in control subjects when confronted with anxiety-relevant or anxiety-irrelevant but emotionally relevant stimuli. There was no frontal brain asymmetry when patients or control subjects observed any stimuli. These data suggest that patients with panic disorder are characterized by having a greater decrease in the activation of a left frontal avoidance-withdrawal system in situations with a negative valence. The findings are interpreted as biological evidence for a disturbed cortical processing in patients with panic disorder.
Meaning making coping, making sense, and post-traumatic growth following the 9/11 terrorist attacks

According to the meaning making model, traumatic events disrupt global meaning systems, and meaning making coping helps restore congruency between global meaning and appraisals of traumatic events. We examined the contextual and coping predictors of two specific meanings made: having made sense and perceiving post-traumatic growth in a nationally representative sample of 1004 adults approximately six weeks after the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States. Although the two meanings made were positively correlated, they had very different predictors: having made sense was primarily predicted by some aspects of meaning focused coping as well as other typically adaptive coping (e.g., active coping), but perceived growth was predicted by nearly all types of coping. Further, having made sense was related to less distress, but perceived growth was related to more distress. These results suggest that having made sense is a product of meaning focused and active coping and appears adaptive, while post-traumatic growth reflects a mix of positive functioning and continued distress and coping efforts.
Pharmacological treatment of unipolar depressive disorders: summary of WFSBP guidelines

Abstract Objective: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mood disorder affecting individuals of all ages and is characterised by single or recurrent major depressive episodes. Key elements of acute and maintenance treatment of MDD include pharmacotherapy, and psychological approaches such as psychoeducation and adherence monitoring. Methods: This summary of the ‘Practice guidelines for the biological treatment of unipolar depressive disorders’ comprises acute, continuation and maintenance treatment developed by an international Task Force of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP), and focuses on pharmacological treatment options. Results: A variety of different antidepressants are available for the effective acute and prophylactic treatment of depressed patients. Randomised placebo-controlled efficacy studies indicate that all major classes of antidepressants are effective in acute treatment but also in preventing recurrence of depression showing about a two-fold higher relapse rate with placebo treatment. Evidence suggests that the ‘newer’ antidepressants have superior long-term effectiveness due to better tolerability and safety profile compared to traditional antidepressants, e.g., the tricyclic antidepressants (TCA). Conclusions: Despite progress in the availability of different treatment options there is still a substantial proportion of patients who do not achieve full remission. Several add-on pharmacological treatment options are among the best-evidenced strategies for refractory depressed patients.
Performance of Proportional Fair Scheduling for Downlink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Systems

In this paper, we present the first analytical solution for performance analysis of proportional fair scheduling (PFS) in downlink non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. Assuming an ideal NOMA system with an arbitrary number of multiplexed users, we derive a closed-form solution of the optimal power allocation for PFS and design a low-complexity algorithm for joint power allocation and user set selection. We develop an analytical model to analyze the throughput performance of this optimal solution based on stochastic channel modeling. Our analytical performance is proved to be the upper bound for PFS and is used to estimate user data rates and overall throughput in practical NOMA systems. We conduct system-level simulations to evaluate the accuracy of our data rate estimation. The simulation results verify our analysis on the upper bound of PFS performance in NOMA and confirm that using the analytical performance for data rate estimation guarantees high accuracy. The impact of partial and imperfect channel information on the estimation performance is investigated as well.